GB2602506A

GB2602506A - A device for managing material ejected from a printer

Info

Publication number: GB2602506A
Application number: GB2100093.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cole Jordan; Viner Peter
Original assignee: Paragon Europa Ltd
Current assignee: Paragon Europa Ltd
Priority date: 2021-01-05
Filing date: 2021-01-05
Publication date: 2022-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2041-01-05
Also published as: GB2602506B; GB202100093D0

Abstract

A device 100 for managing material such as labels 200 ejected from a printer 300 comprises a drive roller 102, a receiving roller 106 and an urging member 101 operable to urge the material 200 into driving contact with the drive roller 102; the drive roller 102 receives the material 200 and is rotated by linear movement of the material 200 so as to feed the material 200 toward the receiving roller 106 which receives and rolls the material 200 onto removable sleeve 118; and the device 100 further comprises a drive mechanism such as belt drive 122 connecting the drive roller 102 to the receiving roller 106 so that rotation of the drive roller 102 rotates the receiving roller 106 to provide tension on the material 200. Cable 124 of belt drive 122 may slip on shafts 126a, 126b to affect a clutch allowing the rollers 102, 106 to rotate at different speeds. A feeding member 104 may feed material 200 into the device 100. Sleeve 118 may include a slot (120 fig. 2) to receive an end of the material 200. Device 100 and printer 300 may sit in a base 135. A knob 116 may allow drive roller 102 to be moved by hand.

Description

A DEVICE FOR MANAGING MATERIAL EJECTED FROM A PRINTER

FIELD

[1] The invention relates to a device for managing material ejected from a printer and a method of managing the material using the device. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for managing labels by collection on a roller.

BACKGROUND

[2] Labels ejected from a printer often end up in a heap on the floor, particularly when large batch printing is performed. Several hundred labels can often be printed in a constant stream. The printed labels then need to be stored for use. It can be time consuming to collect the printed labels.

[3] The labels could be left to collect naturally when ejected from the printer. However, this means that the labels end up loose, disordered and are unlikely to form a pile which can then be easily stored. A box could be used to try and collect the labels. However, the printed labels do not always form a concertina fold and therefore, do not neatly pack into a box and may become damaged and may also lose the desired order.

[4] Known devices for managing labels includes reel to reel devices in which the labels are fed from a reel into the printer and the printed label is collected on a reel. However, these devices require power to feed the labels into the printer and to manage the labels after printing. Furthermore, these devices are not normally adaptable for use with different printers.

[5] It is therefore an object of aspects of the present invention to address one or more of the above-mentioned or other problems.

SUMMARY

[6] According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for managing material ejected from a printer, comprising: a drive roller; a receiving roller; and an urging member operable to urge the material into driving contact with the drive roller; wherein the drive roller is operable to receive the material and rotate upon linear movement of the material such as to feed the material toward the receiving roller; and wherein the receiving roller is operable to receive and roll the material; wherein the device further comprises a drive mechanism connecting the drive roller to the receiving roller, such that rotation of the drive roller actuates rotation of the receiving roller to provide tension on the material.

[7] The drive mechanism may comprise a clutch operable to compensate for a variation in rotary speeds of the rollers and the receiving roller as the diameter of the receiving roller increases due to the presence of the rolled material.

[8] The urging member and drive roller may be arranged such that the urging member is substantially above the drive roller in use. Suitably the material is operable to pass between the urging member and drive roller. The urging member and drive roller may be operable to be in contact when printed material is not arranged between the urging member and drive roller. The urging member may comprise an attachment member that attaches the urging member to the device, wherein the attachment member is moveable, suitably flexible, such as to allow for translational movement of the urging member, suitably substantially vertical movement. The urging member may be biased toward contact with the drive roller, suitably the bias is provided by a resiliently deformable attachment member. Suitably, wherein the attachment member is a leaf spring. The leaf spring may apply a downward pressure on the urging member to urge the material into driving contact with drive roller. The urging member may comprise a roller. The drive roller and the urging member may be in the form of pinch rollers.

[9] By driving contact, it is meant that the urging member urges the material onto the drive roller such that the force of the material being ejected from the printer causes the drive roller to rotate, and in turn, the receiving roller to rotate through the drive mechanism. The contact arises by the urging member applying a downwards force onto the material so that the material is in sufficient contact with the drive roller.

[10] The drive mechanism may further comprise a tensioning member operable to increase tension in the drive mechanism. The tensioning member may comprise a spring and pivoting member.

[11] The device may further comprise a feeding member for feeding the material ejected from the printer into the device, suitably into the drive roller. The feeding member may be operable substantially maintain the lateral movement of the material from the printer and into the drive roller. The feeding member may be hinged to the device. This helps with the removal of material that becomes jammed. The feeding member may be adjacent to the ejection point of the printer, optionally operable to abut the ejection point of the printer. The feeding member may comprise a substantially linear cavity through which the material is operable to enter from the printer and exit toward the driver roller. The linear cavity of the feeding member may comprise spaced substantially planar upper and lower internal surfaces. In such a manner, the feeding member may be operable to control and maintain the linear movement of the material.

[12] The receiving roller may comprise a removeable sleeve. Advantageously, this allows the printed material to be removed easily from the device. Optionally, the roller, suitably the sleeve, comprises a slot. An end of the printed material can be fed into the slot in the roller/sleeve. This allows the material to be attached without having to stick the material to the sleeve. The use of a sleeve also allows for the printed material to be attached to the device without requiring direct contact with the receiving roller.

[13] The device may further comprise a retaining member operable to retain a printer in position relative to the device in use. The retaining member may comprise a base in which the device and printer sit. The base may be operable to hold both the printer and the device in relative position whilst printing and collection is taking place.

[14] Optionally, the device comprises an attachment member, such as a protrusion which is operable to engage with a cooperating attachment member in the base, such as an aperture.

[15] Optionally, the printed material is a sheet, such as paper or labels.

[16] The drive roller may be mechanically connected to a knob which can be turned by the user to actuate rotational movement of the drive roller. This allows for an end of the material to be manually fed through the urging member and drive roller prior to printing.

[17] The urging member and drive roller may be configured such that they contact a substantially central portion of width the material and are suitably not required to contact the entire width of the material to achieve effective collection. Advantageously, the device can be used for a variety of widths of material.

[18] The drive mechanism may comprise a belt drive. A belt drive may comprise a loop of flexible material, which suitably mechanically links the rotatable shafts of at least one of the pinch rollers and the receiving roller.

[19] The belt drive may be smooth. The belt drive may be operable to slip on either or both rotatable shafts that are connected to the drive roller and the receiving roller, to affect a clutch that allows the rollers to rotate at different speeds to compensate for increasing diameter of receiving roller whilst maintaining tension on the material.

[20] The tensioning member compensates for any stretching or wear of the belt over time.

[21] The drive mechanism may be a toothed belt or gear train, and the clutch may be a friction clutch. Optionally, the clutch comprises two spring loaded discs which rub against one another.

[22] The receiving roller may be arranged substantially on the same horizontal plane as the urging member and the drive roller. Suitably, the mid-point of the receiving roller may be substantially on the same horizonal plane as the point at which the urging member and drive roller contact.

[23] The printer may be a ZEBRA ZD420 printer or a ZEBRA GK420d printer.

[24] According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of managing material ejected from a printer using the device of the first aspect, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the material into driving contact with the drive roller; (b) attaching the material to a receiving roller; and (c) printing the material, which is collected in a roll on the receiving roller.

[25] The material may be first fed into a feeding member.

[26] Attaching the material to the receiving roller may comprise feeding the end of the material into a slot on the receiving roller, or sleeve arranged thereon.

[27] According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a base operable to receive a device for managing material according to the first aspect and a printer and hold them in a fixed position relative to each other during printing and collecting of printed material.

[28] According to the fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts comprising: a device for managing material ejected from a printer according to the first aspect; and a base operable to receive the device and a printer and hold them in a fixed position relative to each other during printing and collecting of printed material.

[29] The kit may further comprise a printer device.

[30] As used herein, unless otherwise expressly specified, all numbers such as those expressing values, ranges, amounts or percentages may be read as if prefaced by the word "about", even if the term does not expressly appear. The term "about" when used herein means +/-10% of the stated value. Also, the recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all integer numbers and, where appropriate, fractions subsumed within that range (e.g. 1 to 5 can include 1, 2, 3,4 when referring to, for example, a number of elements, and can also include 1.5, 2, 2.75 and 3.80, when referring to, for example, measurements). The recitation of end points also includes the end point values themselves (e.g. from 1.0 to 5.0 includes both 1.0 and 5.0). Also, any numerical range recited herein is intended to include all sub-ranges subsumed therein.

[31] Singular encompasses plural and vice versa. For example, although reference is made herein to "an" aperture, "a" receiving roller and the like, one or more of each of these and any other components can be used.

[32] The terms "comprising", "comprises" and "comprised or as used herein are synonymous with "including", "includes" or "containing", "contains", and are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, non-recited members, elements or method steps. Additionally, although the present invention has been described in terms of "comprising", the articles detailed herein may also be described as "consisting essentially or or "consisting of'.

[33] As used herein, the term "and/or," when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be employed by itself or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a list is described as comprising group A, B, and/or C, the list can comprise A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination, B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

[34] All of the features contained herein may be combined with any of the above aspects in any combination.

[35] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[36] Figure 1 shows a perspective side view of the device and a printer.

[37] Figure 2 shows a perspective side view of the device of Figure I. [38] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the device of Figure 1.

[39] Figure 4 shows a perspective top view of the device of Figure 1.

[40] Figure 5a shows a perspective top view of the device of Figure 1 without the labels on the device.

[41] Figure 6 shows a side plan view showing the drive mechanism of the device of Figure 1 and a printer.

[42] Figure 7 shows a side plan view of the device of Figure 1 and a printer, showing the opposing side to Figure 6.

[43] Figure 8 shows a plan top view of the device of Figure DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [44] As shown in Figure 2, device 100 comprises an urging member 101 and a drive roller 102; feeding member 104; and receiving roller 106. Device 100 further comprises integrally connected base portion 108, side panel 110 and partial side panel 112. Side panel 110 and partial panel 112 extend vertically from base portion 108. The front and back side of device 100 are open to allow the printer to sit adjacent to the front side and for labels 200 to be fed into the device 100, and for the labels 200 to be accessed. Partial side panel 112 is only located as far as the urging member 101 and drive roller 102 from the printer so that the area next to the receiving roller 106 is open to allow easy removal of the labels.

[45] Feeding member 104 has an upper portion and a lower portion. Upper portion and lower portion of feeding member 104 are both flat rectangular horizontal pieces of rigid material, both pivotally connected to side portions 110. Upper portion is located directedly above lower portion so that they are in parallel, and they are fixedly attached together, in this case by a screw. There is a gap between the upper portion and lower portion just big enough to allow the label to feed through. Feeding member 104 is located at the mouth of the printer 300 to receive the labels 200 and is attached to the device in the two corners furthest away from the mouth of the printer 300 by hinges, so that the feeding member 104 can be lifted up and down from the unattached side.

[46] Urging member 101 and drive roller 102 are horizontally cylindrically shaped and approximately 4 cm long from end to end. Urging member 101 is arranged above drive roller 102.

Feeding member 104 has a cut-out portion where urging member 101 and drive roller 102 are located so that urging member 101 and drive roller 102 are in contact with the label in use. Urging member 101 and drive roller 102 are located at the non-printer end of feeding member 104 and are located centrally relative to the side panel 110 and partial side panel 112. Urging member 101 is located on the upper portion of feeding member 104. A metal bar extends horizontally through urging member 101 from one flat end to the other and attachment member 114 attaches both ends of the bar to the upper portion of feeding member 104.

[47] A metal bar extends horizontally through drive roller 102 and extends within side panel 110 and extends through partial side panel 112. There is a knob 116 attached to the end of the bar that extends through the partial side panel 112 to allow mechanical turning of the drive roller 102.

[48] Receiving roller 106 extends perpendicularly outwards from the side panel 110. Receiving roller 106 is cylindrical and comprises a rigid portion which is fixedly attached to side panel 110 and a sleeve 118 which fits over the rigid portion and can be easily removed from the device. Sleeve 118 is made of material and fits securely over the rigid portion so that sleeve 118 turns when the rigid portion turns, whilst collecting labels 200.

[49] Sleeve 118 comprises a slot 120 which extends from one end of sleeve 118 to the other end. Slot 118 is formed from the sleeve material overlapping and the overlapping end not being secured to the sleeve.

[50] Side panel 110 encloses a drive mechanism 122. In Figure 6, drive mechanism 122 is a belt drive 122. Belt drive 122 comprises a cable 124 attached to two parallel shafts 126a and 126b. Shaft 126a is attached to the end of the metal bar that extends horizontally through drive roller 102 and extends within side panel 110. Shaft 126b is attached to the end of receiving roller 106 which extends through side panel 110. The drive mechanism 122 is configured so that upon movement of the urging member 101 and drive roller 102, shaft 126a turns and therefore moves cable 124 and, in turn, rotates shaft 126b so that receiving roller 106 rotates.

[51] Cable 124 is smooth so that it can slip on either or both shafts 126a, 126b to affect a clutch that allows the rollers 102, 106 to rotate at different speeds to compensate for increasing diameter of receiving roller 106 whilst maintaining tension on the material.

[52] Side panel 110 further encloses tensioning member 128. Tensioning member 128 comprises a spring 130 and a pivoting member 132. Pivoting member 132 pivots around a pivot point and comprises an upper rotating portion 134 that applies pressure to cable 124 from the force applied from the spring 130. Tensioning member 128 applies a pressure to the cable 124 without preventing the cable to act as a belt.

[53] Device 100 further comprises a base 135. Base 135 comprises two sections, one for the device 100 and one for the printer 300. The partition in between the two sections comprises two apertures (not shown).

[54] The device can further comprise two rectangular protrusions (not shown) extending from the bottom of side panel 110 and partial side panel 112 extending towards the printer 300. The protrusions can fit within apertures (not shown) to hold device 100 in place.

[55] When in use, the label 200 is fed through feeding member 104 so that the upper portion is above the label 200 and the lower portion is below the label 200. Knob 116 can be turned anticlockwise by the user so that the drive roller 102 turns and further moves the label through the feeding member 104. The label 200 can then be pulled further and the end folded over by approximately 25 mm. The folded end of label 200 can then be fed into slot 120 in sleeve 118. Printer 300 can then be turned on and the label 200 advance out of the printer. As label 200 moves through urging member 101 and drive roller 102, shaft 126a turns with the movement and via the drive mechanism 122, moves the receiving roller 106. The labels 200 can collect on the sleeve 118 of the receiving roller 106 and the sleeve 118 can then be removed to access the labels 200.

[56] The clutch allows drive roller 102 and the receiving roller 106 to rotate at different speeds.

[57] The feeding member 104 is pivotably attached to the device 100 so that if labels 200 become jammed, the feeding member 104 can be lifted at the end closest to the printer 300 and the labels 200 accessed.

[58] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[59] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[60] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[61] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

A device for managing material ejected from a printer, comprising: a drive roller; a receiving roller; and an urging member operable to urge the material into driving contact with the drive roller; wherein the drive roller is operable to receive the material and rotate upon linear movement of the material such as to feed the material toward the receiving roller; and wherein the receiving roller is operable to receive and roll the material; and wherein the device further comprises a drive mechanism connecting the drive roller to the receiving roller, such that rotation of the drive roller actuates rotation of the receiving roller to provide tension on the material 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a clutch operable to compensate for a variation in rotary speeds of the drive roller and the receiving roller as the diameter of the receiving roller increases due to the presence of the rolled material.
3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the drive mechanism further comprises a tensioning member operable to increase tension in the drive mechanism.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the urging member comprises an attachment member that attaches the urging member to the device.
5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device further comprises a feeding member for feeding the material ejected from the printer into the device, suitably into the drive roller.
6. A device according to claim 5, wherein the feeding member is hinged to the device.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the receiving roller comprises a removeable sleeve.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein the receiving roller, suitably the sleeve comprises a slot.
A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device further comprises a retaining member operable to retain a printer in position relative to the device in use.
10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the retaining member comprises a base in which the device and printer sit.
11. A device according to claimi 0, wherein the device comprises an attachment member, such as a protrusion which is operable to engage with a cooperating attachment member in the base, such as an aperture.
12. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the printed material is a sheet, such as paper or labels.
13. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive roller is mechanically connected to a knob which can be turned by the user to actuate rotational movement of the drive roller.
14. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive roller and urging member are configured such that they contact a substantially central portion of width the material and/or are operable to achieve effective collection without contacting the entire width of the material to be collected.
15. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a belt drive.
16. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the printer is a ZEBRA ZD420 printer or a ZEBRA GK420d printer.
17. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive roller and urging member are pinch rollers.
18. A device according to claim 15, wherein the belt drive is smooth.
19. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive mechanism is a toothed belt or gear train, and the clutch is a friction clutch.
20. A method of managing material ejected from a printer using the device of claims 1-19, comprising the steps of: (a) advancing the material into driving contact with the drive roller; (b) attaching the material to a receiving roller; and (c) printing the material, which is collected in a roll on the receiving roller.
21. A method according the claim 20, wherein the material is first fed into a feeding member.
22. A method according the claim 20 or 21, wherein attaching the material to the receiving roller comprises feeding the end of the material into a slot on the receiving roller, or sleeve arranged thereon
23. A base operable to receive a device for managing material according to any of claims 1-19 and a printer and hold in a fixed position relative to each other during the printing and collecting of printed material.
24. A kit of parts comprising: a device for managing material ejected from a printer according to any of claims 1-14; and a base operable to receive the device and a printer and hold them in a fixed position relative to each other during the printing and collecting of printed material.
25. A kit of parts according to claim 24, wherein the kit further comprises a printer device.