DE29721337U1 - Hand labeling device with computer function - Google Patents

Description

Hand-held labeller with calculator function

The invention relates to a hand-held labeling device with computer function, with at least one printing unit for printing labels and a device for dispensing the printed labels.

With the introduction of the European single currency "Euro", dual price labelling will be desirable for consumers, at least for a transitional period, if it is not even prescribed by law. The customer in a sales establishment will thus be able to compare the prices in the currency he is familiar with, such as DM, schilling, francs, etc., with the price in the new currency - the Euro. He can therefore identify any hidden price changes.

For price labeling, hand-held labeling devices are often used to stick price labels onto the items offered for sale. If hand-held labeling devices with two-line printing are used, one price can be printed in the old currency and one price in the new currency.

The problem here for the user of the hand-held labeler is how to convert the prices into one another if no lists with both prices are available. In this case, it makes sense to use a calculator to multiply the price in a first currency by a fixed conversion factor, and thus obtain the second price. One price at a time is then set using a printer.

One disadvantage is that the user of the hand-held labeling device must also carry a calculator with them. The latter can easily get lost in rough use in sales facilities or, since it is usually relatively small, can fall down and become damaged.

IV

The object of the present invention is to provide a hand-held labeling device that makes an additional calculator for converting currencies etc. unnecessary.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a hand-held labelling device with computer function, with at least one manually adjustable printing unit for printing labels and a device for dispensing the printed labels, characterized by a computer unit which is provided with an input device, a
multiplying and/or dividing, and an output device which is arranged to output the results of the arithmetic unit.

The core idea is to integrate a computer unit into a known hand-held labelling device. The user of the hand-held labelling device can thus use the computer unit to multiply or divide in order to calculate prices in a
first currency by a conversion factor and thus obtain prices in a second currency. The computer unit is equipped with an input device - usually in the form of a keyboard -, a calculator (microprocessor
or controller) for multiplying or dividing, as well as an output device, which is preferably implemented in the form of a liquid crystal display unit.

The advantage of the invention is that a separate calculator is no longer required for converting prices in different currencies. There is no longer any fear of the calculator being lost or damaged due to its small size, as it is attached to a relatively large hand-held labeling device. The user no longer has to carry and operate two devices,
but only one that increases work efficiency.

In order to convert prices in two currencies into one another, the first price must - as already described - be multiplied by a certain conversion factor in order to obtain the second price. The first price can of course also be divided by the reciprocal of this conversion factor. The conversion factor can be permanently stored in the computer unit according to the invention or entered permanently or temporarily by the user.

There are also various options for mounting the computing unit. It can be integrated into the housing - in particular a side wall - of the hand-held labeling device, i.e. the housing wall also serves as the outer wall of the computing unit, or it can be attached to it using an adhesive connection, for example. In the second case, a commercially available computer can simply be attached to the housing of the hand-held labeling device. This design is characterized by its cost-effectiveness.

Two printing units can be provided to print the labels with the prices in different currencies, so that each printing unit displays one price. Alternatively, it is conceivable to provide only one printing unit that has a sufficiently high number of digits to print two prices. A second printing unit can then apply item-related information to the label.

In the following, an embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail using the drawing. They show a schematic representation of a hand-held labeling device with a computer function.

The drawing shows a known hand-held labeling device 1 with a housing 2. It is equipped with a label supply roll 6, which consists of a carrier tape with removable price labels glued to it. Two printing units 8 are provided for printing the labels with prices, which can be manually adjusted using adjustment knobs 9 in order to set the price printed on each label. The

-4-

The user holds the hand-held labeling device 1 with a handle 3 when labeling. By pulling a swivel lever 4 towards the handle 3, the swivel lever 4 moves around a pivot point 5, so that a mechanism (not shown) swivels the printing units 8 against the label in the printing position, which rests on a printing table (not shown in the drawing). Since the printing units 8 are provided with colored printing types, the label is printed in the process. In addition, each time the swivel lever 4 is operated, a label is moved into a dispensing position in which it can be pressed against an article to be labeled. A pressure roller 7 is used to press and thus securely attach the label to the article.

To facilitate currency conversion, a computer unit 10 is attached to one side wall of the housing. The computer unit is equipped with an input device in the form of a keyboard with keys 12, a calculator (not shown), and an output device in the form of a display unit (liquid crystal) 11. The operation is carried out in such a way that a first price in a first currency (e.g. DM) is entered using the keys 12. If the key 13 with the euro currency symbol is now pressed, the entered price is converted into euros, i.e. multiplied by the respective conversion factor and displayed on the display unit. Similarly, an amount entered in euros is converted into DM by pressing the key with the DM symbol 14, i.e. multiplied by a second conversion factor (reciprocal of the first conversion factor) or divided by the first conversion factor, and displayed. Another key 15 is used to delete incorrect entries. The displayed prices can then be printed on the labels using the printers 8, which are set using the adjustment buttons 9.

The result is a hand-held labeling device that makes it easier for the user to label prices in different currencies.

Claims (7)

Expectations 1. Hand-held labelling device with computer function, with at least one manually adjustable printing unit (8) for printing labels and a device for dispensing the printed labels, characterized by a computer unit (10) which is provided with an input device (12, 13, 14), an arithmetic unit set up for multiplying and/or dividing, and an output device (11) which is set up to output the results of the arithmetic unit. 2. Hand-held labeling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer unit (10) is arranged for multiplying and/or dividing with entered and/or predetermined conversion factors. 3. Hand-held labeling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the computer unit (10) is integrated into a housing (2) of the hand-held labeling device (1) or is attached thereto. 4. Hand-held labeling device according to claim 3, characterized in that the computer unit (10) is arranged on a side wall of the housing (2). 5. Hand-held labelling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two printing units (8) are present. 6. Hand-held labelling device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a printing unit (8) is present which has a sufficiently high number of digits to print two prices. 7. Hand-held labeling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the output unit (11) is a display unit.