Label peeling, universal printheads and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9434191-B2
Application number	US-201213725247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Apr 12, 2010
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A device for printing on media disposed on a backing may include a printer with a housing including a media cover, a media cover release actuator, and a peeler assembly actuator. The media cover release actuator and the peeler assembly actuator may each be accessible for actuation by a user when the media cover is in a closed position. The media cover release actuator may be configured to release the media cover from the closed position in response to actuation by a user. The peeler assembly may at least partially be enclosed by the housing and it may be engagable between a peeling position, where the printer is configured to peel the media from the backing, and a non-peeling position, where the printer is not configured to peel the media from the backing.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A printer configured to print to a media disposed on a backing, the printer comprising:
a housing comprising a media cover, a media cover release actuator, and a peeler assembly actuator, wherein the media cover release actuator and the peeler assembly actuator are each accessible for actuation by a user when the media cover is in a closed position, wherein the media cover release actuator is configured, in response to actuation of the media cover release actuator by the user, to release the media cover from the closed position, and wherein the peeler assembly actuator defines an engaged position and a disengaged position; and
a peeler assembly at least partially enclosed by the housing that is engageable between a peeling position, wherein the printer is configured to peel the media from the backing, and a non-peeling position, wherein the printer is not configured to peel the media from the backing,
wherein the peeler assembly actuator is configured, in response to actuation by the user from the disengaged position to the engaged position, to transition the peeler assembly from the non-peeling position to the peeling position, and
wherein the peeler assembly actuator is configured to preclude actuation of the media cover release actuator when the peeler assembly actuator is in the engaged position.

2. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a lock mechanism configured to lock the peeler assembly actuator in the engaged position.

3. The printer of claim 2 , wherein the lock mechanism comprises a lock button, and wherein the peeler assembly actuator is permitted to move from the engaged position to the disengaged position in response to the lock button being depressed.

4. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the media cover is released in response to the media cover release actuator being actuated through a range of motion, wherein the peeler assembly actuator is configured to block the media cover release actuator from being actuated through the range of motion when the peeler assembly actuator is in the engaged position.

5. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the peeler assembly comprises a peel bar, a support member connected to the peel bar, and an actuating shaft engaged with the support member, wherein the peeler assembly actuator is configured to drive a rotation of the actuation shaft in response to the peeler assembly actuator being moved from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

6. The printer of claim 5 , wherein the support member is attached to a printer chassis at a pivot point, and wherein the actuation shaft is configured to pivot the support member about the pivot point in response to being rotated.

7. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the media cover defines an open position, and wherein the peeler assembly in the peeling position precludes the media cover from being moved from the open position to the closed position.

8. A peeler assembly configured to peel print media from a backing, for use in a printer having a media cover and a media cover release actuator, the peeler assembly comprising:
a peeler assembly actuator defining an engaged position corresponding to a peeling position of the peeler assembly and a disengaged position corresponding to a non-peeling position of the peeler assembly, wherein the peeler assembly actuator is configured to preclude actuation of the media cover release actuator when the peeler assembly actuator is in the engaged position.

9. The peeler assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a first support member;
a second support member;
a peel bar that extends between the first support member and the second support member, substantially perpendicular to the first support member and the second support member; and
an actuating shaft, wherein the actuating shaft extends between the first support member and the second support member.

10. The peeler assembly of claim 9 , wherein the peel bar is disposed proximate a first end of each of the first support member and the second support member and the actuating shaft is coupled to the first support member and the second support member proximate a second end of each of the first support member and the second support member.

11. The peeler assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first support member and the second support member are each configured to be coupled to a printer chassis at a pivot point between each of their respective first end and second end.

12. The peeler assembly of claim 11 , wherein, in response to rotation of the actuating shaft, each of the first support member and the second support member are rotated about their respective pivot points, and wherein in response to the first and second support members rotating about their respective pivot points, the peel bar is moved between the peeling position and the non-peeling position.

13. A printer comprising:
a housing;
a media cover configured to be moved between an open position and a closed position;
a peeler assembly configured to be move between a peeling position and a non-peeling position;
a peeler assembly actuator configured to move the peeler assembly between the peeling position and the non-peeling position, wherein the peeler assembly actuator defines an engaged position corresponding to the peeling position of the peeler assembly and a disengaged portion corresponding to the non-peeling position of the peeler assembly; and
a media cover release actuator configured to release the media cover from the closed position in response to the media cover release actuator being actuated, wherein the media cover release actuator is precluded from being actuated when the peeler assembly actuator is in the engaged position.

14. The printer of claim 13 , further comprising a locking mechanism defining a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the peeler assembly actuator is precluded from moving from the engaged position to the disengaged position in response to the locking mechanism being disposed in the locked position.

15. The printer of claim 14 , wherein the peeler assembly actuator moves between the engaged position and the disengaged position along a first axis, and wherein the media cover release actuator is configured to be actuated along a second axis, substantially parallel to the first axis.

16. The printer of claim 13 , wherein the media cover is precluded from moving between the open position and the closed position in response to the peeler assembly being in the peeling position.

17. The printer of claim 13 , wherein the media cover release actuator and the peeler assembly actuator are each accessible from outside of the housing when the media cover is in the closed position.

18. The printer of claim 13 , wherein the peeler assembly actuator is configured to engage a locking mechanism in response to the peeler assembly actuator being moved from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

19. The printer of claim 18 , wherein the peeler actuator is configured to be movable from the engaged position to the disengaged position in response to the locking mechanism moving from a locked position to an unlocked position.

20. The printer of claim 19 , wherein the locking mechanism is moved from the locked position to the unlocked position in response to a user actuating a lock button of the locking mechanism.

Assignees

• Zih Corp

Inventors

• Preliasco Richard J
• Lyman Roy P
• Beck David F
• Horrocks Craig A
• Hegarty Patrick J

Classifications

• B41J15/04 Primary

  Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles · CPC title

• B41J29/02

  Framework · CPC title

• B41J29/54

  Locking devices applied to printing mechanisms · CPC title

• B41J17/02 Primary

  Feeding mechanisms · CPC title

• B41J29/13

  Cases or covers · CPC title