EP0796738A1 - Tape for use in a tape printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The strip (14) comprises a layer (31) on which printing takes place, and from which the rear layer (32) is detachable. Several transverse cuts (33) are formed at intervals in the rear layer, and run between its side edges. The cuts can be continuous, or interrupted by narrow bridges clear of the side edges, and situated symmetrically in relation to the lengthwise axis of the strip. The cuts can run at right angles, or at 45 degrees, to the side edges, and they can be spaced apart from a distance four or five times the strip width. They can run straight.

Description

The invention relates to a tape for use in a tape printing device, having a printable image-receiving layer and a back layer which can be peeled off.

Tape printing devices of the type with which the present invention is concerned are known. They work with a tape supply to be printed on - with an image - and means for transferring the image to the tape. In one embodiment, a tape holder housing or cassette contains a supply of the tape to be printed and a supply of an image transfer tape. The tape to be printed and the image transfer tape (ink ribbon) are guided one above the other through a printing area of the tape printing device. A tape printing device that works with a holder housing of this type is described, for example, in EP-A-0267890 (Varitronics, Ink.). Other printing devices have been made in which letters are transferred to an image receiving belt by means of a dry lettering or dry film printing process. In all of these printing devices, the structure of the tape to be printed is essentially the same; that is, it includes an upper layer to be printed with an image which is attached to a peelable backing layer by means of an adhesive layer. After an image or message has been printed on the tape, it is desirable to cut off the printed portion of the tape to use as a sticker. For this purpose it is necessary to remove the peelable backing layer from the image-receiving layer in order to be able to stick the image-receiving layer onto a surface by means of the adhesive layer.

In another type of tape printing device, e.g. in EP-A-0322919 (Brother), a tape holder housing contains a supply of printable tape, a supply of image transfer tape and a supply of self-adhesive backing tape. The backside tape has an adhesive layer to be brought into contact with the image-receiving layer, a substrate layer and a second adhesive layer which is covered with a peelable backing layer. The letters are printed on the transparent image-receiving layer as a mirror image.

In another tape printing device, e.g. in EP-A-0487313 (Esselte Dymo N.V.) a tape holder housing contains a supply of image receiving tape and a supply of image transfer tape, the image receiving tape having the same structure as described in connection with EP-A-0267890 above.

In the known devices, the printing process is carried out in a zone which is defined by a thermal print head and a printing roller, against which the print head presses the image receiving belt and the image transfer belt during the printing process. The printed tape is then transported out of the cassette and cut off. In order to be able to glue the printed tape onto an object, the user has to remove the peelable backing layer so that the side of the image-receiving layer which has been coated with adhesive is exposed and can be glued on. In order to make it easier to pull off the back layer, it is proposed, for example in EP-A-0578372, to punch a tab into the cut-off section of the tape at a distance from the point at which the tape is cut; to punch the peelable backing layer at a distance of about 5 mm from the severed end of the tape, however to leave the image-receiving layer undamaged. The user can then cause the backing layer on the die cut to detach from the image-receiving layer by kinking the tape and thus detach it more easily.

A disadvantage of the known tapes for use in tape printing devices is that the detachment of the back layer often proves to be problematic. The problem is to peel off at least a short portion of the peelable backing layer from the image-receiving layer so that this portion can be grasped from the bottom. Subsequent removal of the back layer is not a problem. However, if the back layer, e.g. with a fingernail, it is not possible to pull it off.

Starting from the prior art, the present invention addresses the problem of creating a tape for use in a tape printing device which is characterized by making it easier to peel off the backing layer.

According to the invention, the problem is solved in that the peelable backing layer is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart separating cuts which extend from one side edge of the band to the other side edge of the band.

The main idea of the invention is to introduce a large number of separating cuts into the peelable backing layer already during the production of the tape. They run over the entire width of the band, ie from one side edge of the band to the opposite one and not along its longitudinal axis. The large number of separating cuts, which are preferably made at regular, constant intervals, ensures that in the case of a finished section of the tape cut off after printing, at least one Separating cut is present, so that the user only has to bend the tape in the area of the separating cut in order to cause the backing layer to detach from the image-receiving layer. Since the back layer does not follow the kinking movement on the free face cut through by the separating cut, but remains (due to a different elasticity) in the original, flat shape, it stands out from the image-receiving layer and can easily be gripped from the bottom and pulled off completely will. The detachment is thus carried out in reverse of the principle of a dispensing edge on which the labels are detached from a carrier tape in hand labeling devices. Since the separating cuts extend over the entire width of the tape, the tape is bent around an axis running along its width, which is generally oriented parallel to the axis of the spool on which the tape is wound in the tape holder housing. This bending movement is significantly easier to carry out than one running around the longitudinal axis of the belt.

The advantages of the invention are in particular that the detachment of the back layer from the image receiving layer is made considerably easier. It is possible to take additional auxiliary measures to detach the back layer, e.g. to forego the tabular cut, which makes the associated tape printing devices smaller, lighter and less expensive to design.

With regard to the specific design of the separating cuts, there are various possibilities within the scope of the inventive idea. It is initially suggested that the separating cuts be made continuously, that is to say free of interruptions. Alternatively, however, they can be interrupted by small bridges which connect the adjacent sections of the detachable backing layer which are divided by the separating cuts. These bridges can prevent the peelable backing from accidentally peeling off, which may be the case when the tape inside the cartridge is on Tape guides with a small radius is deflected. The bridges thus serve to avoid belt jams, which would be a consequence of the unwanted detachment. If the bridges are dimensioned sufficiently small (narrow), they do not stand in the way of the user when the back layer is detached, since the bridges are automatically cut at a sufficiently small radius during the buckling process, so that the user can easily grasp the now protruding ends of the back layer and can pull off. It is also possible to free a longer section of tape (longer than twice the distance between two separating cuts) from the peelable backing layer in one go. The bridges should not start at the side of the belt.

The separating cuts can also be made orthogonally to the lateral edge of the band or run at an angle of 45 °, for example. Such an angle makes it easier, particularly in cooperation with separating cuts interrupted by bridges, to detach the backing layer because the front, pointed sections of the backing layer easily separate due to their small area, which is in adhesive connection with the image-receiving layer.

The spacing of the separating cuts from one another is preferably chosen such that it is four to five times the width of the band. As a result, at least one separating cut is available for a cut strip section.

It is also proposed to make the separating cuts in a straight line for manufacturing reasons.

As an alternative or in addition to the teaching of claim 1, the problem on which the invention is based can be solved in that in the case of a tape for use in a tape printing device, with a printable image-receiving layer and one which can be peeled off Rear side layer, the image-receiving layer is provided with a separating cut extending in the longitudinal direction of the tape, which divides the image-receiving layer over its width into a part to be printed and a part not to be printed, the width of the part to be printed being a multiple of the width of the part not to be printed is.

The basic idea is to separate the image receiving layer into two parts in the longitudinal direction (i.e. in the axial direction) by means of a separating cut. A first part is printed in a known manner, while a second part, which is much narrower than the first part, only serves to be easily removed after the printing process. The tape is simply folded in the vicinity of the separating cut about an axis running in the axial direction, so that the first, wider part and / or the second part detaches from the back layer and can be gripped and pulled off. The narrower, second part of the image-receiving layer must then be disposed of together with the back layer.

The advantage is in particular that the back layer is in one piece, so that it can be removed in a single step. There are also advantages in terms of production technology, since the separating cut in the image-receiving layer - which consists of thicker polyester material - is easier to make than separating cuts in the back layer.

Furthermore, the problem on which the invention is based can be solved in that the width of the image-receiving layer is less than the width of the removable backing layer in the case of a tape for use in a tape printing device with a printable image-receiving layer and a back-side layer which can be peeled off.

This alternative differs from that previously discussed in that the second part of the image-receiving layer which is not to be printed on not applicable. The image-receiving layer is detached from the back layer as described above, with no narrow, unprinted part of the image-receiving layer having to be disposed of. Specifically, the image-receiving layer can be arranged symmetrically with respect to the rear-side layer or terminate with it at a lateral edge.

As a rule, the tape will be wound on a supply spool in a cassette known per se.

• Figur 1: Ein Banddruckgerät mit einer eingesetzten Kassette;
• Figur 2: Ein Band mit orthogonal zur Berandung verlaufenden Trennschnitten in der Rückseitenschicht;
• Figur 3: Das Band aus Figur 2 mit einer angehobenen Rückseitenschicht;
• Figur 4: Ein Band mit durch Brücken unterbrochenen, orthogonal zur Berandung verlaufenden Trennschnitten;
• Figur 5: Ein Band mit durchgehenden Trennschnitten, die im Winkel von 45° zur Berandung verlaufen;
• Figur 6: Ein Band mit im Winkel von 45° zur Berandung verlaufenden Trennschnitten, die durch kurze Brücken unterbrochen sind;
• Figur 7: Ein Band mit einer Bildempfangsschicht, die durch einen Trennschnitt unterteilt ist;
• Figur 8: Ein Band mit einer Bildempfangsschicht, die schmaler als die Rückseitenschicht ist.

In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. They show a schematic representation in

• Figure 1: A tape printing device with an inserted cassette;
• Figure 2: A tape with orthogonal to the edges separating cuts in the back layer;
• Figure 3: The tape of Figure 2 with a raised back layer;
• FIG. 4: A band with separating cuts interrupted by bridges and running orthogonally to the edge;
• Figure 5: A band with continuous separating cuts that run at an angle of 45 ° to the edge;
• Figure 6: A band with 45 ° to the edge separating cuts that are interrupted by short bridges;
• Figure 7: A tape with an image receiving layer which is divided by a cut;
• Figure 8: A tape with an image receiving layer that is narrower than the back layer.

Figure 1 illustrates the top view of a cassette receiving space of a tape printing device. The cassette receiving space is represented by the dashed line 2. It contains a thermal print head 4 and a counter-pressure roller 6, which interact and define a printing zone P in a manner known per se. The print head 4 is pivotally mounted about a fulcrum 8 so that it can be brought into contact with the printing roller 6 and can be moved away from it in order to be able to remove and replace a cassette 10.

A cassette inserted in the cassette accommodating space 2 is provided with the reference number 10. The cassette 10 contains a supply roll 12 with a tape 14 to be printed, which comprises an image-receiving layer 31 which is attached to a rear-side layer 32 by means of an adhesive layer. The ribbon 14 to be printed is guided by a guide mechanism (not shown) through the cassette 10 and leaves it shortly after the printing zone through an outlet O and then reaches a cutting location C. The cassette 10 also contains a ribbon supply roll 16 and a ribbon take-up roll 18. The ribbon 20 is guided by the ribbon supply roll 16 through the printing zone P and wound on the ribbon take-up reel 18. The ribbon 14 to be printed passes through the printing zone P together with the ink ribbon 20, its image-receiving layer 31 being in contact with the ink ribbon 20.

In the tape printing device shown in FIG. 1, the printing roller is driven so that it rotates and guides the tape 14 to be printed through the printing zone P during the printing process. The tape 14 is printed and guided from the printing zone P to the cutting zone C. The cutting zone C is provided on the wall of the cassette 10 near the printing zone P. Since volume 14 no further belt advance mechanism is required by the drive of the printing roller 6 from the cassette 10; the cutting zone C is located close to the printing zone. The part of the wall of the cassette 10 which defines the cutting zone C is identified by the reference number 22. A slot 24 is included in this section 22 of the wall. The tape 14 to be printed is moved from the printing zone P to the cutting zone C, where it is supported by opposite wall sections on both sides of the slot 24.

The tape printing device comprises a cutting mechanism, which is identified by reference numeral 26. This cutting mechanism 26 comprises a cutting support 28 which carries a blade 30. Blade 30 cuts ribbon 14 and then enters slot 24. In Figure 1 the cutting mechanism 26 is shown in its ready to cut condition, i.e. the blade 30 is spaced from the belt 14. This enables the free end face of the belt 14 to be transported through the cutting zone C without running the risk of getting caught on it or being deflected.

FIG. 2 shows a tape 14 according to the invention for use in the tape printing device shown in FIG. 1. The tape 14 consists in its basic structure of an image receiving layer 31 and a removable backing layer 32 attached to it by an adhesive layer (not visible in the drawing). The tape printing device in FIG. 1 inscribes the image receiving layer 31 below in FIG. 2 by means of the ink ribbon 20. According to the invention the peelable backing layer 32 is divided into a plurality of sections by parting cuts 33. The separating cuts in FIG. 2 are orthogonal to the lateral edge of the band 14 and are continuous, ie free of interruptions. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the separating cuts 33 serve to more easily detach the back layer 32 from the image receiving layer 31; in Figure 3 is the middle portion of the back layer 32 is lifted off the image-receiving layer 31 in the region of the end face shown on the left. The large number of separating cuts 33 made at constant intervals enables the adjacent end regions of the back layer 32 to separate from one another, in particular if the band 14 is kinked, i.e. bent by a sufficiently small radius, due to the different elasticities of the image receiving layer 31 and the back layer 32 becomes. The bending axis runs along the separating cuts 33. The user can now grasp and remove the raised rear layer 32 from the underside facing the image receiving layer 31. The image receiving layer 31 can then be glued to any object by means of the adhesive layer remaining thereon.

In contrast to FIG. 2, in the band 14 shown in FIG. 4, the separating cuts 33 are interrupted by short bridges 34 which connect the adjacent sections of the back layer 32 to one another. The bridges 34 prevent the backing layer 32 from undesirably peeling off from the image receiving layer 31 when the belt 14 is e.g. is steered around a tape guide in the tape printing device. Belt jams are avoided. The bridges 34 are introduced in pairs in each case symmetrically to the central longitudinal axis of the band 14; their width is only a fraction of the width of the band 14.

In FIG. 5, the separating cuts 33 are made continuously and at an angle of approximately 45 ° to the lateral edge of the band 14. When the band 14 is bent off, the acute-angled front end of the section of the rear side layer 32 separated by the separating cut 33 detaches particularly easily from the image receiving layer 31. It should be noted that the angle between the separating cuts 33 and the lateral edge of the band 14 can be between 0 ° (see FIG. 2) and any angle close to 90 °.

FIG. 6 shows a band 14 in which the separating cuts 33, which extend at an angle of approximately 45 ° to the lateral edge of the band 14, are interrupted by bridges 34 of the removable backing layer 32. Here, too, the bridges are arranged in pairs and symmetrically to the central longitudinal axis of the band 14.

Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment. The back layer 32 of the belt 14 is in one piece, but the image receiving layer 31 is separated into two parts in the axial (longitudinal) direction by a separating cut 33. The wider part 31 'of the image-receiving layer 31 is used for printing in a known manner, while the narrower part 35 is not printed. The width of the wider part 31 'is a multiple (in the drawing about five times) of the narrower part 35. At the separating cut 33, the image-receiving layer 32 is particularly easy to grasp for peeling.

Finally, another alternative is shown in FIG. The back layer 32 of the belt 14 and the image receiving layer are both in one piece, ie. not divided by separating cuts. However, the rear side layer 32 is wider than the image receiving layer 31, so that the latter can be easily grasped for peeling off (possibly after the band 14 has been bent around an axis running parallel to the longitudinal direction). The image-receiving layer 31 and the rear-side layer 32 terminate congruently at the upper lateral edge. Since the latter is wider than the image-receiving layer 31, an area 36 is formed in the vicinity of the lower edge of the rear-side layer 32 which is not covered by the image-receiving layer 31. Here, the image receiving layer 31 can be gripped particularly easily for peeling.

As a result, a tape for use in a tape printing device is obtained which is characterized by ease of use.

Claims (13)

Tape (14) for use in a tape printing device, with a printable image-receiving layer (31) and a back layer (32) which can be peeled off, characterized in that the peelable back layer (32) is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart separating cuts (33) which extend from one side edge of the band (14) to the other side edge of the band (14). Belt according to claim 1, characterized in that the separating cuts (33) are continuous. Tape according to claim 1, characterized in that the separating cuts (33) are interrupted by narrow bridges (34) of the removable backing layer (32), in particular spaced from the lateral edges of the tape (14). Belt according to claim 3, characterized in that the bridges (34) are arranged symmetrically to the central longitudinal axis of the belt (14). Belt according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the separating cuts (33) are made orthogonally to the lateral edge of the belt (14). Belt according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the separating cuts (33) are made at an angle of preferably 45 ° to the lateral edge of the belt (14). Belt according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the spacing of the separating cuts (33) is approximately four to five times the width of the belt (14). Belt according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the separating cuts (33) are rectilinear. Tape (14) for use in a tape printing device, with a printable image-receiving layer (31) and a back-side layer (32) removable therefrom, characterized in that the image-receiving layer (31) with a separating cut (33) extending in the longitudinal direction of the tape (14) is provided which divides the image receiving layer (31) over its width into a part (31 ') to be printed and a part (35) which is not to be printed, the width of the part (31') to be printed being a multiple of the width of the not printing part (35). Tape (14) for use in a tape printing device, with a printable image-receiving layer (31) and a back-side layer (32) which can be peeled off, characterized in that the width of the image-receiving layer (31) is less than the width of the peelable back-side layer (32). Tape according to claim 10, characterized in that the peelable backing layer (32) is congruent at one side edge with the image receiving layer (31), and in that the peelable backing layer (32) in the region (36) adjacent to the opposite edge does not terminate from the image receiving layer (31) is covered. Tape according to claim 11, characterized in that the image receiving layer (31) is arranged symmetrically to the central axis of the back layer (32). Tape according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it is wound on a supply reel (12) and contained in a cassette (10).

Images