Assembly for feeding a continuous roll of web material to a sheet fed printing device

• US 20060115313A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AstroNova, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Astro-Med Incorporated
• Inventors: Shaw, James E. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 400/621
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/42 Controlling printing material conveyance for accurate alignment of the printing material with the printhead; Print registering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/70 cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles

Abstract

An assembly for feeding, printing, and cutting a continuous web of material is provided. The web is fed from a roll supported in a roll feeding unit to a printer unit. The web can carry distinct image-receiving media items or can be a plain continuous web material. The assembly is particularly useful for feeding a web carrying pressure-sensitive adhesive labels to a laser printer. The printer produces printed images on each label as the web is fed through the printer. Then, the web can be cut to produce a finished roll of printed labels ready for application. The assembly includes a roll feeding unit, a printer, a controller for the roll feeding unit, and a controller for the printer which communicate with each other. The controller is responsive to sensors and signals received from the printer controller, and the printer controller is responsive to the sensors and signals received from the roll feeding unit controller. In this manner, the feeding, printing, and cutting of the web are controlled precisely.

Claims

1. A roll feeding unit for feeding a continuous web of print media from a roll to a sheet fed printer, said sheet fed printer including a printer controller, said roll feeding unit comprising:

(i) a frame having opposing sidewall segments and a first end portion and second end portion, the first end portion including an elongated arm extending from one sidewall segment to the other sidewall segment for supporting a core which holds the roll of web material;

(ii) a feeding station located at the second end portion of the frame for feeding the print media to a printer, the feeding station including upper and lower feed rollers for feeding the print media therebetween;

(iii) a cutter device for cutting the print media; and

(iv) at least one sensor for sensing the position of the print media as the print media is fed to the printer; and

(v) a roll feeding unit controller for controlling the operations of the roll feeding unit, the controller being responsive to the at least one sensor of the roll feeding unit so that the feeding of the print media to the printer is synchronized with the printer and a given area of the web is fed to the printer at a time when the printer is ready to print an image on that area of the web.

2. The roll feeding unit of claim 1, wherein the feeding unit includes a cutter sensor, and wherein if the cutter sensor detects that the web has been cut, the printer is directed to stop printing on the web.

3. The roll feeding unit of claim 1, wherein the feeding unit includes a jam sensor, and wherein if the jam sensor detects a defect in the feeding of the web to the printer, the feeding unit cuts the web.

4. The roll feeding unit of claim 1, wherein the feeding unit includes a web motion sensor, and wherein if the web motion sensor detects an end of the roll of web material, the feeding unit is directed to cut the web.

5. A printing device for printing on a continuous web of print media, comprising:

a roll feeding unit including;

(i) a frame having opposing sidewall segments and a first end portion and second end portion, the first end portion including an elongated arm extending from one sidewall segment to the other sidewall segment for supporting a core which holds the roll of print media;

(ii) a feeding station located at the second end portion of the frame for feeding the print media to a printer, the feeding station including upper and lower feed rollers for feeding the print media therebetween;

(iii) a cutter device for cutting the print media; and

(iv) at least one sensor for sensing the position of the print media as the print media is fed to the printer;

a printer unit for receiving and printing an image on the print media, the printer unit including;

(i) at least one toner transfer station for producing a toner image on the print media as the print media is advanced through the toner transfer station; and

(ii) at least one sensor for sensing the position of the print media as it is advanced through the printer;

a roll feeding unit controller for controlling operations of the roll feeding unit; and

a printer controller for controlling operations of the printer unit,

the roll feeding unit controller being responsive to the at least one sensor of the roll feeding unit and signals received from the printer controller, and the printer controller being responsive to the sensors of the printer unit and signals received from the roll feeding unit controller so that the feeding, printing, and cutting of the continuous web of print media are controlled and a given area of the print media is advanced to the at least one toner transfer station in the printer at a time when the toner transfer station is ready to print the image on that area of the print media.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the printer includes a sensor located at an entry port of the printer and adjacent to the in-feed tray station, wherein if the sensor detects the web, the roll feeding unit is directed to pause feeding the web and the printer is directed to raise the lift stage so that the web can be pinched between the lift stage and upper feed roller in the in-feed tray station.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the printer includes a sensor located in the in-feed tray station, wherein if the sensor detects the web, the printer is directed to drop the lower lift stage so that an upper registration roller and lower registration roller can engage the web.

8. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the printer includes a sensor located at an exit port of the in-feed tray station, wherein if the sensor detects the web, the roll feeding unit is directed to pause feeding the web.

9. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the printer further includes:

(iii) a fusing station having upper and lower fuser rollers, and (iv) a conveyor belt for advancing the web through the at least one toner transfer station and to the fusing station, whereupon the upper and lower fuser rollers in the fusing station engage the web and fuse the toner image onto the web.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the printer includes a sag sensor located at an entry port of the fusing station, wherein if the sag sensor detects a sag in the web, the upper and lower fuser rollers are directed to run at a speed faster than the speed of the conveyor belt, thereby pulling in the web and making the web straight.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the upper and lower fuser rollers operate at a speed faster than the speed of the conveyor belt.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the upper and lower fuser rollers operate at a speed in the range of about 0.5 to about 1.0% faster than the speed of the conveyor belt.

13. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the roll feeding unit includes a cutter sensor, and wherein if the cutter sensor detects that the web has been cut, the printer is directed to stop printing on the web.

14. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the roll feeding unit includes a jam sensor, and wherein if the jam sensor detects a defect in the feeding of the web to the printer, the roll feeding unit is directed to cut the web.

15. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the roll feeding unit includes a web motion sensor, and wherein if the web motion sensor detects an end of the roll of web material, the roll feeding unit is directed to cut the web.

16. A feed unit for feeding a continuous web of print media to a sheet fed printer, said sheet fed printer including at least one sensor for sensing a position of said print media within said printer, a print station for printing an image on said print media, a print media advancing station for pulling said print media through said print station, and a print controller configured and arrange for controlling operation of said print media advancing station and said printing station at least partially responsive to said at least one sensor, said feed unit comprising:

a continuous web of print media capable of receiving a print image;

a print media advancing station configured and arranged for advancing said print media to said printer;

at least one sensor for sensing the position of the print media as the print media is fed to the printer;

a feed unit controller configured and arranged for controlling the operation of the print media advancing station, said feed unit controller being in operative two-way communication with said print controller for sending at least one control signal to said print controller and for receiving at least one control signal from said print controller,

said feed unit controller being responsive to said at least one sensor of said feed unit and to said at least one control signal from said print controller,

wherein operation of said print media advancing station of said roll feed unit is synchronized with said print media advancing station of said printer and said print station such that is said print station can continuously print said image onto said continuous web of print media.

17. The roll feed unit of claim 16 further comprising an alignment frame for receiving said printer and said roll feed unit and aligning said printer and said roll feed unit relative to each other.

18. The roll feed unit of claim 16 further comprising a cutting device, said cutting device being responsive to said roll feed controller for selectively cutting the print media.

19. A printing assembly for printing a continuous web of print media comprising:

a sheet fed printer including

at least one sensor for sensing a position of said print media within said printer,

a print station for printing an image on said print media,

a print media advancing station for pulling said print media through said print station, and

a print controller configured and arrange for controlling operation of said print media advancing station and said printing station at least partially responsive to said at least one sensor,

a continuous web print media feed unit including

a continuous web of print media capable of receiving a print image,

a print media advancing station configured and arranged for advancing said print media to said printer,

at least one sensor for sensing the position of the print media as the print media is fed to the printer, and

feed unit controller configured and arranged for controlling the operation of the print media advancing station,

said feed unit controller being in operative two-way communication with said print controller for sending at least one control signal to said print controller and for receiving at least one control signal from said print controller,

said feed unit controller being responsive to said at least one sensor of said feed unit and to said at least one control signal from said print controller,

wherein operation of said print media advancing station of said roll feed unit is synchronized with said print media advancing station of said printer and said print station such that is said print station can continuously print said image onto said continuous web of print media.

20. The printing assembly of claim 19 further comprising an alignment frame for receiving said printer and said roll feed unit and aligning said printer and said roll feed unit relative to each other.

21. The printing assembly of claim 19 further comprising a cutting device, said cutting device being responsive to said roll feed controller for selectively cutting the print media.