CA1310341C

CA1310341C - Stacker

Info

Publication number: CA1310341C
Application number: CA000544208A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Orville C. Huggins; John D. Mistyurik
Original assignee: Monarch Marking Systems Inc
Current assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC
Priority date: 1986-09-15
Filing date: 1987-08-11
Publication date: 1992-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-17
Also published as: HK10893A; FR2603874B1; GB8721158D0; AU7717187A; SG111892G; JP2685452B2; JPS6374863A; FR2603874A1; AU600015B2; GB2195321A; GB2195321B

Abstract

Docket No. M-489 Abstract of the Disclosure There is disclosed a stacker for tags received from a tag dispensing device. The stacker has an improved feed mechanism with a self-clutching feature and an adjustable end wall member. The printer is adapted to be releasably secured to tag dispensing device, such as a printer.

Description

~3~03~1 Docket M-489 STACKER
, Back~round of the Invention Field of the Invention This invention relates to the field of stackers for tags.
Backqround of the Invention The following prior art U.S. patent is made of record:
3,874,650 granted to Steigerwald et al on April 1, 1975.
Summary of the Invention The invention relates to an improved stacker for stacking tags received from a tag dispensing device.
The improved stacker of the invention includes structure for self-clutching the tags so that in the event the tag dispensing device issues tags~faster than the rate of feed of the stacker ~eed mechanism no damage to the tag or the stacker will result. Also in the event of a jam of the incoming tag wi~th other tags in the hopper of the stacker the feeding mechanism can slip relative to~the tag~because of the ~self-clutching feature. ~ ~
The lmproved stacker includes~an adjustab1e end wall ~mamber against which the leading ends~of ~the tags abutO The adjustment~is simple and easy to use and enables the stacker hopper to accommodate tags of various lengths.

~ 31~3~
Docket No. M-489 -2-The improved stacker has mechanism for attaching the stacker releasably to the tag dispensing device, e.g. a printer.
The stacker has grippers which can grip a cam shat which in turn is used to draw the stacker into fully coupled relationship, with electrical connectors of the stacker and the printer fully connected.
Other features of the invention are readily apparent from the description which follows and from the diagrammatic drawings herewith.
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawinqs FIGURE 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a stacker in accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the stacker shown in assembled form in FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the stacker and a fragmentary portion of a printer;
FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view showing fragmentary portions of the bottom member and the end wall member, with the end wall member held against generally leftward movement;
FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but showing the end wall member in a position wherein the end wall member can be moved either generally leftward or generally rightward.
FIGU~E 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6--6 of FIGURE 4;
FIGURE 7 is a view taken generally along line 7--7 of FIGURE 3; and FIGUXE 8 is a sectional view taken generally along line 8--8 of FIGURE 7.
Descri~ion of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to FIGURE 1 there is shown a stacker generally indicated at 10. The stacker 10 includes a frame generally indicated at 11 and a housing generally indicated at 12. The housing 12 includes side covers 13 and 14 and a base 15. The base 15 is secured to the frame 11 by various screws 16 and flexible resilient ~nap members 17 received in recesses 1~. A

~31034~
, Docket No. M-4~9 -3-front cover 19 has flanges 20, 21 and 22 held captive in respective grooves 23, 24 and 25. The stacker frame 11 includes a spaced pair of plates 26 and 27 secured by screws 28 to an interveninq bottom member 29. An end wall member 3~ is adjustably positioned on the bottom member 29.
With reference to FIG~RE 2, an electric motor 31 such as a qtepping motor is mounted to a depending U-shaped flange 32 on the bottom member 29. Three screws 33 ~only one of which is shown) secure the motor 31 to the flange 32. An elastomeric member 32' is disposed between end portion 34 of the motor 31 and the flange 32 to dampen vibrations. A toothed wheel 35 is secured to motor shaft 36 by a set screw 37. A toothed belt 38 engages the toothed wheel 35 and engages toothed wheels 39 and 40 which drive respective rolls 41 and 42. The toothed wheel 39~ the roll 41 and a mounting shaft 41' rotate as a unit. The shaft 41' is rotatable in bearings 43 mounted in plates 26 and 27. The toothed wheel 40, the roll 4~ and a mounting shaft 42' rotate as a unit. The shaft 42' is rotatable in bearings 45 mounted in plate~ 26 and 27. Counterclockwise rotation of the motor shaft 36 causes counterclockwise rotation of the rolls 41 and 42 as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3. A roll 46 is secured to a shaft 47 which receives spacers 48. The end portions of the shaft 47 are received in elongate vertical slots 49 in plates 26 and 27. The roll 46 bears gravitationally against a tag T
entering the stacker 10 from a source of tags, for example a printer generally indicated at 50. A web W of tag stock is advanced by a driven platen roll Sl. A thermally sensitive ink ribbon R is disposed between a thermal print head 52 and the web W. Data is printed by the print head 52 as the platen roll 51 rotates. A printed tag T is severed by a cutting mechanism generall~:indicated at 53.
A tag T is first received by the stacker 10 when the tag T passes between rolls 41 and 46. Operation of the motor 31 and counterclockwise rotation of the roll 41 causes the tag T to be conveyed into the hopper 54 of the stac~er 10. Continued rotation of the roll 41 causes the tag T to pass into contact 3L310~1 Docket No. M-489 -4-with the roll 42 beneath the bottom tag T of a stack S of tags T. The stack S thus presses the incoming tag T against the roll 42. The rolls 41 and 42 are preferably comprised of an elastomeric frictional material so that they can grip the incoming tag T. The rolls 41, 42 and 46, the motor 31 and associated structure comprise a conveyor generally indicated at 55. As shown in FIGURE 3 the incoming tag T enters the stack S
at an acute angle with respect to the bottom tag T' in the stack S. Therefore, the incoming tag T cannot bump into the front edge E of the stack S~ The end wall 30 is adjusted so that the roll 42 is in continuous contact with the incoming tag T until the leading end of the incoming tag T abuts the end wall 30.
The end wall 30 is adjusted so that the roll 42 supports the bottom tag T' between edges E and E'. The frictional nature of the outer surface of the rotating roll 42 is such that slippage of the roll 42 occurs with respect to the bottom tag T' in the stack when the bottom tag T' abuts the end wall 30.
The rolls 41 and 46 cooperate on a self-clutching basis to promote smooth operation between the printer 50 and the stacker 10. The roll 46 presses the incoming tag T only lightly against the roll 41. Such light pxessing is sufficient to advance a tag T which has been cut off by the cutting mechanism 53. This self-clutching feature results from the fact that the roll 46 is capable of slight separational movement with respect to the roll 41. However, if the printer 50 stops while the motor 31 is operating, or if the speed of advance of the incoming tag T is either greater or lesser than the peripheral speed of the roll 41, no damage will occur to the printer 50, the stacker 10, or the tag T because the roll 41 will slip relative to the tag T. The self-clutching feature is important to smooth cooperation between the printer 50 and the stacker 10.
Each of the rolls 41 and 46 serves to guide the tags T into the hopper 54 of the stacker 10.
A weight 56 rests on the top tag T'l of the stack S in force opposition to the supporting force exerted by the roll 42.
As tags T are fed into the ~ottom of the hopper 54, the size of the stack S increases and the weight 56 is raised. The weight 56 is generally L-shaped as best shown in FIGURE 2. The weight ~3~03~1 Docket No. M-489 -5-56 has a base portion 57 joined to a mounting portion 58. A
plate 59 is secured to the mounting portion 58 by screws.60.
The plate 59 mounts a pair of shafts 61 which mount rollers 62.
The rollers 62 are guided in an elongated slot Ç3. The plate 59 also mounts a cam 64 which operates an actuator 65 of a switch 66 when the weight 56 reaches the top portion of the hopper 54.
The slot 63 is sloped at the same angle with respect to the vertical as the end wall 30 as best shown in FIGUR~ 3. The top portion of the slot 63 has an enlarged opening 67 with a land 68. The weight 56 can be manually positioned so that the lower roller 62 is held supported by the land 68, and in this position of the weight 56~ the roller 64 is retained against the button 65 to hold the switch 66 closed.
As best shown in FIGURES 2 and 6, the end wall member 30 has a pair of opposed channel-shaped member 69 having channels 70 which receive outwardly extending flanges 71 on the bottom member 29. The channels 70 diverge toward the left and the flanges 71 have a constant thickness to ~nable the end wall member 30 to be tilted from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to the position shown in FIGURE 5. As shown in FIGURES 4 and 6, the right ends of the channel-shaped members 69 have just normal clearance to enable the end wall member 30 to be shifted either to the left ox right when the end wall member has been tilted to the position shown in FIGURE 5. On the other hand, the channel 70 diverges sufficiently to enable the end wall member 30 to be tilted to the FIGURE 5 position to enable the teeth 72 on the end wall member 30 to move clear of longitudinally spaced teeth 73 on the bottom member 29. The teeth 72 are formed by ridges and grooves in the underside of the end wall member 30, and the teeth 73 are formed by ridges and grooves on the upper side of the bottom member 29. As best shown in FIGURE 4, the teeth 72 are shown engaged with the teeth 73 to prevent leftward movement of the end wall member 30. The inclination of the wall 30 with respect to the vertical is advantageous in holding the teeth 72 engaged with the teeth 73 until such time as it is desired to adjust the end wall member 30 longitudinally relative to the ~31~
Docket No. M 489 -6-bottom member 29. The range of adjustment is determined by the longitudinal extent of the teeth 73 and the number of teeth 72.
At least one tooth 72 and preferably a plurality of teeth 72, as shown, are provided.
The bottom urface of the end wall member 30 has a series of longitudinally extending parallel ridges 74 and intervening grooves 75. The upper surface of the bottom member 29 has a series of longitudinally extending parallel ridges 76 and intervening groove~ 77. The ridges 74 are received in grooves 77 and the ridges 76 are received in grooves 75. By this arrangement it is impossible for an incoming tag T to be fed between the bottom of the end wall member 30 and the top of the bottom member 29.
With reference to FIGURE 2, there is shown structure generally indicated at 78 for releasably holding or connecting the stacker 10 to the printer 50. The structure 78 is shown to include a pair of grippers 79 pivotally mountPd on a shaft or pivot 80. The shaft 80 is slidably mounted in horizontally extending elongated guide slots 81 in plates 26 and 27. The grippers 79 are pivoted clockwise ~FIGURES 2, 3 and 8) by tension springs 82. The springs 82 are connected to respective depending tangs 83 on the grippers 79 and to plates 26 and 27.
The shaft 80 is received in holes 84 in a holder 85. The holder 85 mounts guides 86 received in horizontal slots 87 in plates 26 and 27. Thus, the slots 81 and 87 guide the shaft 80 and the guides 86 respectively to in turn guide the holder 85 for horizontal movement. An electrical connector 88 is secured to the holder by screws 89. The screws 89 also secure a bracket 90 to the holder 85. The bracket mounts a plate 91 which has a series of contacts 92 connected to the motor 31 and to the switch 66. The contacts g2 are electrically connected to the electrical connector 88.
FIGURES 3, 7 and 8 show a cam shaft 93 cooperable with the grippers 79 to draw the stacker 10 toward the printer 50 and to electrically connect the electrical connector 88 fully with an electrical connector 94 on the printer 50 as shown in FIGURE

3 ~ ~
Docket No. M-489 -7-3. The shaft 93 is pivotally mounted in the printer frame 95.The shaft 93 is held detented in one of two positions by a pin 93' which passes through and is secured in the shaft 93 and cooperates with one of two detent grooves 93" in a detent member 93'''. A spring 96 acts against a washer 97 and a clip 98 and urges the shaft 93 to the right in FIGURE 7. The shaft 93 is rotatable by inserting a tool such as a screw driver into a slot 99 and turning the screw driver. The shaft 93 is round except for flats 100 gripped by the grippers 79. Before the stacker 10 is connected to the printer 50, the shaft 93 is positioned with its flats 100 as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 8. Thereupon, the stacker 10 is moved into alignment with the printer 50 with its electrical connectors 88 and 94 in alignment. The grippers 79 have cam faces 79' which contact the cam shaft 93 during connection of the stacker 10 into coupled relationship to cam and pivot the gripper 79 against the action of springs 82. Each gripper 79 has a foot 79" acting on a surface 15' to provide a stop against excessive clockwise movement (FIGURE 3) of the grippers 79. The stacker 10 is gently pushed into connected relationship with respect to the printer 50. To assure final alignment and that the stacker 10 is held coupled to the printer 5~, the user rotates the shaft 93 through 135 to the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 7 in solid lines and in FIGURE 8 in phantom lines. As shown, the grippers 79 have hook-shaped slots 101. Rotation of the shaft 93 in the direction of arrow A pulls the grippers 79 to the right in FIGURE 8~ Because the shaft 80 bottoms at the one ends of the slots 81, movement of the grippers 79 to the right in FIGURE 3 causes the stacker 10 to be drawn toward and into flllly coupled relationship with respect to the printer 50. Release of the stacker 10 from the printer 50 is accomplished by rotating the shaft 93 through 135 in a dir~ction opposite to ~rrow A, namely counterclockwise.
Other embodiments and modifications of the invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of the~e as come within the spirit of this invention are 13~34~
Docket No~ M-489 -8-included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.

:

"

Claims

1. A stacker for tacking tags received from a printer, comprising: a hopper for receiving a stack of tags, means for conveying tags one at a time to a bottom of the stack in the hopper and for supporting the bottom of the stack, wherein the conveying means includes means for providing a self-clutching arrangement with an incoming tag to prevent damage to the printer, the stacker or the tag in the event the speed of advance of the incoming tag is either greater or lesser than the speed of the conveying means, wherein the self-clutching arrangement includes a driven conveying member and a rotatable idler roll between which the incoming tags are conveyed to the hopper, means for mounting the idler roll above the conveying member for movement toward and away from the conveying member, wherein the conveying member includes a driven roll, wherein another driven roll is in supporting relationship to the bottom of the stack, wherein the conveying means includes an electric motor, a toothed wheel driven by the electric motor, toothed wheels for the driven rolls, and a toothed belt engaged with the toothed wheels for driving the driven rolls.

2. A stacker as defined in claim 1, and the mounting means includes elongate slots for mounting the idler roll for upward and downward movement.

3. A stacker as defined in claim 2, wherein the idler roll bears solely gravitationally against an incoming tag.

Docket M-489-C

4. In combination: a stacker for stacking tags and a printer for providing printed tags one-by-one to the stacker, the printer including a platen roll, a print head cooperable with the platen roll for printing on a web of tag stock, wherein the platen roll is driven for advancing the web of tag stock, means for severing tags from the web of tag stock, the stacker including a hopper for accumulating tags in a stack, the stacker further including means for conveying severed tags one at a time to the bottom of the stack in the hopper and for supporting the bottom of the stack, wherein the conveying means includes means for providing a self-clutching arrangement with an incoming tag, wherein the incoming tag is under the control of the self-clutching arrangement while entering the stack, wherein the self-clutching arrangement includes a driven conveying member and a cooperating idler roll in proximity to the severing means so that feeding cooperation of the conveying member and the idler roll with the incoming tag is established before the tag is severed from the web, wherein the driven platen roll is in proximity to the self-clutching arrangement, and wherein the driven platen roll is the sole means for advancing the web directly to the self-clutching arrangement.

5. In combination: a stacker for stacking tags and a printer for providing printed tags one-by-one to the stacker, the printer including a platen roll, a print head cooperable with the platen roll for printing on a web of tag stock, wherein the platen roll is driven for advancing the web of tag stock, means for severing tags from the web of tag stock, the stacker including a hopper for accumulating tags in a Docket M-489-C

stack, the stacker further including means for conveying severed tags one at a time to the bottom of the stack in the hopper and for supporting the bottom of the stack, wherein the conveying means includes means for providing a self-clutching arrangement with an incoming tag, wherein the incoming tag is under the control of the self-clutching arrangement while entering the stack, wherein the self-clutching arrangement includes a driven conveying member and the cooperating idler roll in proximity to the severing means so that feeding cooperation of the conveying member and the idler roll with the incoming tag is established before the tag is severed from the web, wherein the self-clutching arrangement further includes means for mounting the idler roll above the conveying member for movement toward and away from the conveying member, and a driven roll in supporting relationship to the bottom of the stack, wherein the driven platen roll is in proximity to the self-clutching arrangement, and wherein the driven platen roll is the sole means for advancing the web directly to the self-clutching arrangement.

6. In combination, a stacker for stacking tags and a printer for providing printed tags one-by-one to the stocker, the printer including a platen roll, a print head cooperable with the platen roll for printing on a web of tag stock, wherein the platen roll is driven for advancing the web of tag stock, means for severing tags from the web of tag stock, the stacker including a hopper for accumulating tags in a stack, the stacker further including means for conveying severed tags one at a time to the bottom of the stack in the Docket M-489-C

hopper and for supporting the bottom of the stack, wherein the conveying means includes means for providing a self-clutching arrangement with an incoming tag, wherein the incoming tag is under the control of the self-clutching arrangement while entering the stack, wherein the self-clutching arrangement includes a driven conveying roll and the cooperating idler roll in proximity to the severing means so that feeding cooperation of the conveying roll and the idler roll with the incoming tag is established before the tag is severed from the web, wherein the self-clutching arrangement includes means for mounting the idler roll above the conveying roll for movement toward and away from the conveying roll, wherein the driven platen roll is in proximity to the self-clutching arrangement, and wherein the driven platen roll is the sole means for advancing the web directly to the self-clutching arrangement.

7. A stacker for stacking tags, comprising: a frame, a hopper mounted on the frame for receiving a stack of tags, means for feeding tags one at a time into the hopper, means for releasably attaching the stacker to a source device of tags, a first electrical connector on the attaching means adapted to be electrically coupled to a second electrical connector on the source device, wherein the attaching means includes a holder, a gripper mounted on the holder and adapted to grip the source device, the first electrical connector being mounted on the holder, means for movably mounting the holder, and means on the source device for drawing on the gripper to pull the first and second electrical connectors into electrically coupled relationship.

Docket M-489-C

8. A stacker as defined in claim 7, wherein the drawing means includes a cam engageable with the gripper.

9. A stacker as defined in claim 7, wherein the gripper is spring-loaded.

10. A stacker as defined in claim 7, including a pair of said grippers.

11. A stacker, comprising: a hopper adapted to receive a stack of tags, means for feeding tags into the bottom of the hopper, a weight for resting on the top of the stack, a guide for the weight, a switch at the top of the guide for disabling the feeding means, wherein the guide has means for allowing the weight to be shifted and held at the top of the guide in cooperation with the switch to keep the feeding means disabled.

12. In combination, a stacker for stacking tags, the stacker including an electrically driven conveyor, and a first electrical connector, a source device for delivering tags to the stacker including a second electrical connector, and means partly on the stacker and partly on the source device for drawing the first and second electrical connectors into electrically coupled relationship.

13. The combination defined in claim 12, wherein the drawing means includes a gripper and a cam cooperable with the gripper for drawing on the gripper.

14. The combination defined in claim 12, wherein the drawing means includes a pair of grippers on the stacker and a cam shaft on the source device and cooperable with the grippers.

Docket M-489-C

15. The combination defined in claim 14, including means for detenting the cam shaft in selected positions.

16. In combination, a stacker for stacking tags, a source device for delivering tags to the stacker, means for releasably attaching the stacker and the source device, wherein the attaching means includes means for drawing the stacker and the source device toward each other into aligned coupled relationship, and wherein the drawing means includes a cam.

17. In combination, a stacker for stacking tags, a source device for delivering tags to the stacker, means for releasably attaching the stacker and the source device, wherein the attaching means includes means for drawing the stacker and the source device toward each other into aligned coupled relationship, and wherein the drawing means includes a gripper, a cam engageable by the gripper, a cam face on the gripper, and the cam face being cooperable with the cam while the stacker and the source device are being attached to cam the gripper and the cam into cooperable relationship in which the stacker and the source device can be drawn relatively toward each other.

18. In combination, a stacker for stacking tags, a source device for delivering tags to the stacker, means for releasably attaching the stacker and the source device, wherein the attaching means includes means for drawing the stacker and the source device toward each other into aligned coupled relationship, and wherein the attaching means includes a holder, means for movably mounting the holder on Docket M-489-C

the stacker for movement toward and away from the source device, means for biasing the holder away from the source device, a pair of grippers mounted on the holder, a cam shaft on the source device engageable by the grippers, and means for rotating the cam shaft to cause the stacker and the source device to be held in attached relationship.

19. In combination, a stacker for stacking tags, a source device for delivering tags to the stacker, means for releasably attaching the stacker and the source device, wherein the attaching means includes means for drawing the stacker and the source device toward each other into aligned coupled relationship, an electrical connector on the source device and a cooperable electrical connector on the stacker, and wherein the drawing means draws the electrical connectors into coupled relationship.

20. A tag stacker, comprising: a hopper having an elon-gate bottom member an an end wall member, means for conveying tags one at a time against the end wall member, wherein the bottom member has means for providing an upper tag supporting surface including longitudinally extending ridges and grooves, a pair of longitudinally extending outwardly projecting flanges at side portions of the bottom member, wherein the end wall member has a pair of opposed channels for loosely receiving the outwardly projecting flanges to Docket M-489-C

enable the end wall member to rock slightly on the bottom member, a series of longitudinally spaced teeth on the bottom member and at least one tooth of the end wall member, wherein the end wall member is held in any selected position on the bottom member with the tooth on the end wall member in engagement with a respective tooth on the bottom member but wherein the end wall member is rockable relative to the bottom member to disengage the teeth and to enable the end wall member to be repositioned longitudinally on and relative to the bottom member.

21. A hopper as defined in claim 20, wherein the conveying means includes a roll for supporting the bottom tag in the hopper while the leading edge of the bottom tag is against the end wall member.

22. A hopper as defined in claim 20, wherein the conveying means conveys one tag at a time at an acute angle with respect to and toward the bottom tag in the hopper.

23. A hopper as defined in claim 21, wherein the conveying means conveys one tag at a time at an acute angle with respect to the bottom tag in the hopper.

24. A hopper as defined in claim 20, wherein the bottom member is inclined with respect to the horizontal, and wherein the end wall member is inclined with respect to the vertical and gravitationally holds the tooth on the end wall member in engagement with the tooth on the bottom member.

25. A tag stacker, comprising: a hopper including a bottom member for supporting a stack of tags and an end wall member against which the ends of the tags in the stack abut, means for conveying tags into the hopper, a series of teeth Docket M-489-C

on the bottom member, a tooth on the end wall member and engageable with a selected tooth on the bottom member to hold the end wall member at a selected position along the length of the bottom member, and means for enabling the end wall member to tilt relative to the bottom member to disengage the tooth on the end wall member from a tooth on the bottom member to provide fox repositioning of the end wall member at a different selected position along the length of the bottom member at which the tooth on the end wall member engages a different selected tooth on the bottom member to accommodate tags of a different length.

26. A tag stacker, comprising: a hopper including a bottom member for supporting a stack of tags and an end wall member against which the ends of the tags in the stack abut, means for conveying tags into the hopper, means for connecting the end wall member to the bottom member at a selected position along the length of the bottom member, and wherein the connecting means includes means for enabling tilting of the end wall member in one direction relative to the bottom member to hold the end wall member connected to the bottom member and for enabling tilting of the end wall member in the opposite direction relative to the bottom member to enable the end wall member to be repositioned to a different selected position along the length of the bottom member to accommodate tags of a different length.

27. A tag stacker, comprising: a hopper having a bottom member and an end wall member positionable along the length of the bottom member to accommodate tags of different Docket M-489-C

lengths, wherein the bottom wall member is inclined with respect to the horizontal, wherein the end wall member is inclined with respect to the vertical, means for conveying tags one at a time against the end wall member, means for mounting the end wall member to the bottom member at a selected position along the length of the bottom member, wherein the mounting means includes first teeth on the bottom member and a second tooth on the end wall member cooperable for holding the end wall member gravitationally in the selected position relative to the bottom member.