EP0560716B1 - Device to transport labels - Google Patents

Abstract

To avoid deforming the label web (3) of a device for label transport in a deflecting guide (10) during a lengthy standstill, the drive motor (29) is reversible, so that the label web (3) is transported back at the end of a transport run-off, until it has left the deflecting guide (10). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for transporting labels with the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

A device of this type in a conventional design has the disadvantage that when the label transport is not being used, the label tape remains in the deflecting guideways and is bent there. If it is not used for a long time, the label provided on this band area is permanently deformed, so that after leaving the device, its arcuate shape makes it difficult to stick to an article, e.g. a letter that can be handled. This disadvantage has a particular effect on franking machines which are equipped with such a device, since the franking machine usually applies the franking imprint directly to an envelope instead of to a value label, so that the said transport device generally has longer downtimes.

The invention has for its object to eliminate the disadvantage mentioned and consequently to find a device that allows the delivery of undeformed labels even after downtimes.

From FR-A-2 616 127 a device for label transport is known in which the label tape receives only a slight deflection by approximately 30 ° when it is conveyed in the device, ie without reversing the direction. This device is equipped to cut labels of two different lengths from the label tape. In order to change from the larger label length to the smaller label length, the label tape is moved back by the difference in length by briefly reversing the direction of rotation of the motor without leaving the area of the deflection. From EP-A-0 416 795 a device for issuing tickets is known, in which a cardboard-like strip material is drawn off from a zigzag-shaped stack form over a first, slight deflection and after separation along pre-perforated fold lines in the form of individual tickets is further conveyed through two further deflections of 90 °. This device provides for the strip material to be returned to the storage container by reversing the direction of rotation of a motor, so that it stacks again in a zigzag shape. A renewed use of strip material from the storage container in question makes it necessary to push it back into the conveyor track by hand after opening the device until it is gripped by conveyor rollers.

To achieve the aforementioned object, a device is proposed which is characterized according to the invention by the features of the characterizing part of the patent claim.

Fig.1

eine Seitenansicht einer unter einem Frankiertisch angeordneten erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung,

Fig.2

eine Detaildarstellung mit einer an der Schneidvorrichtung angeordneten Fotozelle,

Fig.3

eine in eine Ebene gelegte Darstellung der Führungsbahnen der Vorrichtung nach Fig.1

Fig.4

eine Teildarstellung der Vorrichtung im Bereich der Schneidvorrichtung,

Fig.5

eine Detaildarstellung der Schneidvorrichtung in einer zweiten Messerposition und

Fig.6

eine Schnittdarstellung der Schneidvorrichtung in der Ebene des Messers.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1

2 shows a side view of a device according to the invention arranged under a franking table,

Fig. 2

a detailed view with a photocell arranged on the cutting device,

Fig. 3

a in a plane representation of the guideways of the device according to Fig.1

Fig. 4

a partial view of the device in the area of the cutting device,

Fig. 5

a detailed view of the cutting device in a second knife position and

Fig. 6

a sectional view of the cutting device in the plane of the knife.

The device according to the invention, shown somewhat reduced, is arranged in the example shown under the franking table 1 of a franking machine having the print head 2. The adhesive labels are stuck on a label tape 3, which is 50 mm wide, for example. On the label roll 5 of 80 mm in diameter enclosed in a container 4, approximately 160 labels of 40 x 138 mm are stuck on a tape length of 146 mm each. At a corresponding distance of 146 mm, the label tape bears 3 markings that are read by the photocell 6.

The label tape 3 runs from the label roll 5 through a lower guide track 8 to a deflection guide 10 enclosing a transport roller 9 and from there to an upper guide track 11 which is arranged at an acute angle to the lower one. At the end of the upper guideway 11, the label strip 3 reaches the pressure roller 12 of the franking table, which can be pivoted upwards against the franking head 2 for franking. The lower and upper guide tracks 8, 11 each have two mutually parallel guide plates 14, 15, 16, 17, which form the guide gap between them.

For the transport from the label roll 5 to the transport roll 12 of the franking table, two pairs of transport rolls 18, 19; 9, 20, which are each formed by a driven roller 19, 9 and a pressure roller 18, 20. They are stored in the side walls 22, 23 of the franking table frame. Two springs 24 and 25 respectively press or pull the axis 26, 27 of the pressure roller 18, 20, which can be moved in a slot, in the direction of the driven roller, so that the label strip 3 is gripped and transported between the rollers. The drive takes place starting from the electric motor 29 via the toothed wheels 30 to 34. The motor is controlled by a schematically indicated, programmed electronic control unit 36, which among other things. Receives commands from the photocell 6 and from a "label" key provided on the control panel (keyboard) of the franking machine. The photocell works together with a mechanical switch 37 arranged on the upper guideway 11, which switches it on in each case. For the switch actuation, a feeler lever 38 is depressed through the beginning of the label strip 3.

A cutting device 40 is provided at the beginning of the upper straight guide track 11 or at the end of the deflecting guide 10 for severing a length of the label strip 3 having a label. It has a movable knife 43, which is guided between two fixed knife plates 41, 41. For this purpose, the label strip 3 runs through a slot 44 in the knife plate 42. The drive of the knife 43 can start done by a separate motor. When used on a franking machine, the drive is removed from the movement mechanism 45 of the pressure roller 12 of the franking machine that is movable against the print head 2 and is guided via a drive rod 46 to a crank 47 which rotates a crankshaft 48 for the knife actuation. For this purpose, a drive fork is attached to the crankshaft, which engages with its two ends in slots of the knife 43.

To start the workflow of the device, it is first necessary to push the free end of the label roll 5 into the lower rectilinear guideway 8 up to the first pair of transport rollers 18, 19 and to start the motor 29 by pressing the "label" button. The label tape 3 is thereby transported further around the deflection guide 10 to the second pair of transport rollers 9, 20 and then through the slot 44 of the cutting device 40 into the upper, straight, obliquely upward guide track 11 below so that the photocell 6 is switched on. The transport continues until a marking on the label strip 3 is detected by the photocell. The signal from the photo cell 6 stops the drive of the label tape by the electric motor 29, and the main motor of the franking machine is started. Consequently, while the counter-pressure roller 12 moves against the print head 2, the part of the label tape 3 carrying the label is cut off by the cutting device 40. When the counter-pressure roller 12 is pressed against the print head 2, the front end 52 of this label strip part is gripped by the driven print head 2, which consequently prints on it. Finally, the rotary movement of the print head transports it to the left end of the franking table, from which it can be removed by hand.

If a continuous series of labels for printing with the same franking value is not supplied to the print head 2, the motor 29 reverses the polarity each time the print is carried out, so that the motor in FIG part of the label tape 3 located in the deflection guide 10 is transported back into the lower, linear tape guide 8 by approximately 40 to 60 mm. The free or front end of the label strip 3 is then between the first and second pair of transport rollers 18, 19; 9.20. A curvature of part of the label tape 3 is thus avoided. If the label button is pressed again, the label tape 3 is transported forward in the manner described until the photocell 6 detects a mark again.

Claims (1)

1. Apparatus for label transport, particularly adhesive labels for a franking machine, with a label roll carrier (5) for labels stored in strip-like manner, at least two guideways (8, 11) for the label strip (3) arranged at an angle to one another and passing into one another via a reversing guide (10), at least one transport pair (18, 19; 9, 20) located in a guideway (8, 10) and connected to an electric motor (29), a cutter (40) for cutting off individual labels, an electronic control unit (36) for the control of the motor (29) and a signalling device (6) located on one of the guideways (10, 11) and connected to the control unit (36), characterized in that the control unit (36) controls the electric motor (29) in such a way that the label strip (3), following the cutting off of a label and the introduction of a stoppage time of its conveying movement is moved back at least at the start of the deflecting guideway (10) into the straight guideway (8) located in the conveying direction upstream of the deflecting guideway (10).

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