Labeling device

Abstract

The present invention provides a label application device that can be miniaturized by defining the size of the winding section. [Solution] Of the two tangents U1 and U2 that pass through the peeling section 4 and contact the outer circumferential surface 80B of the reel 80, the length between the tangent U2, which is closer to the second transport guide 236, and the contact point P2 is defined as L1. The angle between the tangents U1 and U2 in the space containing the shaft 81, i.e., the angle of ∠P3, P0, P2, is defined as θ. In this case, the outer diameter D of the reel 80 is [Math 1] Satisfy TIFF2026144698000016.tif14168.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a labeling device for attaching labels to a rod-shaped member. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a label application device for applying labels to a rod-shaped member. The label application device completely peels the label from the release agent and positions it with the adhesive surface facing upward. The cable comes into contact with the adhesive surface of the label from above and is inserted into the application mechanism together with the label. The application mechanism wraps the label around the cable and applies it. The release agent is discharged to the outside from a discharge section at the upper end of the housing.

[0003] To reduce the effort required for handling the release agent, we are considering providing a winding unit configured to wind the release agent onto a reel. For example, the tip of the release agent is attached to the reel, and the reel is rotated by the driving force of a motor. The winding unit winds up the release agent, pulling the tape along the transport path. This applies tension to the tape, causing the label to peel off from the release agent at the release unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-20663 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] As the release agent is wound onto the winding section, the outer diameter of the reel and the release agent changes. The smaller the outer diameter of the reel before the release agent is wound onto it, the greater the number of turns the release agent can be wound onto the reel, resulting in a larger change in the outer diameter of the reel and the release agent. The larger the outer diameter of the reel and the release agent after winding due to the increased number of turns, the greater the possibility of having to increase the size of the label application device.

[0006] The objective of the present invention is to provide a label application device that can be miniaturized by defining the size of the winding section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a label application device is provided comprising a peeling unit, a first transport guide, a winding unit, a second transport guide, a winding unit, and a guide unit. The peeling unit peels the label from the release material of a tape having a label and a long length of release material to which the label is attached. The first transport guide is a guide on which the tape is transported toward the peeling unit. The winding unit winds up the release material from which the label has been peeled by the peeling unit. The second transport guide intersects with the first transport guide and is a guide on which the release material is transported from the peeling unit toward the winding unit.

[0008] The winding section is into which a rod-shaped member to which the end of the label peeled off by the peeling section is attached is inserted, and the label is wrapped around the rod-shaped member and attached. The guide section intersects with the first transport guide and the second transport guide, and the rod-shaped member is guided from the peeling section toward the winding section. The winding section is a reel for winding the release material onto its outer surface. There is a shaft that rotatably supports the reel. When the space is divided with reference to a virtual line along the second transport guide, the shaft is located in the space furthest from the first transport guide.

[0009] Let D be the outer diameter of the reel. Of the two tangents that pass through the peeling portion and are in contact with the outer surface of the reel, there is a tangent that is closer to the second transport guide. Let L1 be the length between the contact point of the peeling portion and the reel at the tangent. There is a straight line that passes through the peeling portion, centered on the peeling portion, and parallel to the guiding direction of the rod-shaped member in the guide portion. When the shaft is contained within the space between the straight line and the tangent, let θ be the angle between the straight line and the tangent.

[0010] The outer diameter D of the reel is

Numerical

[0011] In order to reduce the size of the label sticking apparatus, a configuration in which the winding portion is brought close to the peeling portion is studied. When moving the rod-shaped member toward the guide path for sticking the peeled label onto the rod-shaped member, if the winding portion is arranged near the peeling portion, the rod-shaped member may interfere with the winding portion. When the outer diameter D of the winding portion satisfies formula (1), the outer peripheral surface of the reel is arranged at a position closer to the second conveyance path than a straight line that is parallel to the guide direction of the rod-shaped member and passes through the peeling portion. Therefore, even if the winding portion is arranged close to the peeling portion, the reel does not interfere with the rod-shaped member. Thus, by adopting a configuration in which the outer diameter D of the reel satisfies formula (1), the label sticking apparatus can be reduced in size.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the label sticking apparatus 1 with the mounting portion cover 38 opened. [Figure 2] It is a right side view of the label sticking apparatus 1 with the mounting portion cover 38 opened. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the two-dot chain line W1 in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration of essential parts of the label sticking apparatus 1. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining the configuration of essential parts of the label sticking apparatus 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] One embodiment of a label sticking apparatus 1 embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings referred to are used to explain technical features that can be adopted by the present invention. The configuration of the apparatus described and the like are not intended to be limited only to the described configuration, and are merely illustrative examples.

[0014] A label attaching apparatus 1 is an apparatus that creates a label 160 by printing an image on a tape 150, and wraps and attaches the created label 160 around a cable 19. The lower left, upper right, upper left, lower right, upper side, and lower side in FIG. 1 are respectively defined as the front, rear, left, right, upper, and lower of the label attaching apparatus 1.

[0015] <Overview of Label Attaching Apparatus 1> As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the label attaching apparatus 1 has a box-shaped housing 10. The housing 10 includes a base 11, a main unit 2, a main plate, a left cover 15, a rear cover 16, a mounting portion cover 38, a mounting portion 30, a printing mechanism 3, and a cutting portion 9.

[0016] The base 11 is a pedestal of the label attaching apparatus 1. The base 11 is in a rectangular box shape, and has a shape with a cut-off left front corner in plan view. A power supply board, a battery, and the like are housed inside the base 11.

[0017] The main unit 2 is a unit for peeling the label 160 from the tape 150 printed by the printing mechanism 3 and wrapping the label 160 around the cable 19. The main unit 2 includes a peeling portion 4, a pressing member 25, an opening / closing member 6, and a wrapping portion 7. A lower end portion of the main unit 2 is fixed to the base 11. The main unit 2 will be described later.

[0018] The main plate is a plate-shaped supporting member extending in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction, and is fixed to the housing 10. The main plate is disposed at a position closer to the left than the center of the base 11 in the left-right direction, and extends upward. A lower end portion of the main plate is fixed to a lower end portion of the main unit 2 inside the base 11. The main plate supports a driving portion, a cassette mounting portion 39 of the mounting portion 30, the printing mechanism 3, and a winding portion 8 on a right surface thereof, supports the cutting portion 9 at a front end portion thereof, and supports a control portion on a left surface thereof. The control portion controls operations of the label attaching apparatus 1. The driving portion drives the printing mechanism 3.

[0019] The left cover 15 is positioned to the left of the main board and constitutes the front, rear, top, and left side of the left portion of the housing 10 from the left-right center. The left cover 15 covers and protects the control unit located on the left side of the main board. The rear cover 16 is positioned to the right of the main board and constitutes the rear and top of the right portion of the housing 10 from the left-right center. The rear cover 16 covers and protects the cassette mounting section 39 located on the right side of the main board from the rear.

[0020] The mounting section cover 38 is positioned to the right of the main board and covers and protects the mounting section 30 from the right. The mounting section 30 includes the cassette mounting section 39, the printing mechanism 3, the winding section 8, the first transport guide 231, and the second transport guide 236. The cassette mounting section 39 is positioned to the right of the main board. The printing mechanism 3 is positioned below the cassette mounting section 39. The first transport guide 231 and the second transport guide 236 are positioned to the left of the cassette mounting section 39.

[0021] The front wall 382, ​​rear wall 383, and top wall 386 of the mounting section cover 38 protrude in a plate-like manner to the left toward the left-right center of the housing 10 from the front, rear, and top ends, respectively, of the right wall 385. The front wall 382, ​​rear wall 383, and top wall 386 each constitute the front, rear, and top surfaces of the right portion of the housing 10 from the left-right center. The front portion of the top wall 386 faces upward, and the rear portion is inclined to face diagonally upward and backward. The portion enclosed by the right wall 385, the front wall 382, ​​and the front portion of the top wall 386 covers and protects the reel 80 of the winding section 8.

[0022] At the rear end of the mounting section cover 38, hinges 38A are positioned at two locations in the vertical direction, pivotally supported on the front left end of the rear cover 16. As a result, the mounting section cover 38 rotates horizontally at its front end around its rear end, opening and closing the cassette mounting section 39.

[0023] On the right side of the main board, approximately in the center of the housing 10 in both the front-to-back and up-to-down directions, is the cassette mounting section 39. The cassette mounting section 39 is box-shaped with an open right side, and can accommodate various types of tape cassettes, such as thermal, receptacle, and laminate types. Thermal tape cassettes are equipped with thermal paper tape. Receptacle tape cassettes are equipped with tape and an ink ribbon.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the tape cassette used in the label application device 1 of this embodiment is a laminated tape cassette 100. The laminated tape cassette 100 comprises a film tape 110, a double-sided adhesive tape 120, and an ink ribbon 130. The film tape 110 is a transparent PET tape. The double-sided adhesive tape 120 is a tape in which a base material and a release agent 170 are laminated via an adhesive. The tape cassette 100 will be described later.

[0025] <Print mechanism 3> As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the printing mechanism 3 is located below the cassette mounting section 39. The printing mechanism 3 includes a head holder 31, a thermal head 32, a drive shaft 35, a winding shaft 36, a platen roller 33, and a transport roller 34. The head holder 31 is located below the cassette mounting section 39. The head holder 31 is plate-shaped and extends in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions.

[0026] The thermal head 32 is located on the underside of the head holder 31. The thermal head 32 is equipped with multiple heating elements. The multiple heating elements are arranged in a single row in the left-right direction. With the tape cassette 100 mounted in the cassette mounting section 39, the thermal head 32 heats the ink ribbon 130 with the multiple heating elements. As the ink ribbon 130 is heated, the ink is transferred to the film tape 110.

[0027] The head holder 31 supports the thermal head 32 and also functions as a heat sink for the heat-generating element. A drive shaft 35 for transporting the tape 150 is positioned diagonally downward and in front of the head holder 31. The drive shaft 35 extends to the right from the bottom surface of the recess in the cassette mounting section 39 and is rotationally driven by the transport motor. When the tape cassette 100 is mounted, the drive shaft 35 engages with the shaft hole of the drive roller 101 of the tape cassette 100.

[0028] A winding shaft 36 is positioned diagonally above and behind the head holder 31. The winding shaft 36 is rotationally driven by the transport motor. When the tape cassette 100 is installed, the winding shaft 36 engages with the winding spool 132 of the tape cassette 100.

[0029] A platen holder 37 is positioned below the head holder 31. The platen holder 37 is arm-shaped, with a support shaft extending in the left-right direction at its rear end. The platen holder 37 is rotatably supported around the axis of the support shaft. The platen roller 33 and the conveyor roller 34 are rotatably supported at the tip of the platen holder 37. As the platen holder 37 swings, the platen roller 33 moves toward and away from the thermal head 32.

[0030] The transport roller 34 is positioned to the left of the platen roller 33. As the platen holder 37 swings, the transport roller 34 moves toward and away from the drive roller 101 of the tape cassette 100. The platen holder 37 swings between a standby position and a printing position in conjunction with the opening and closing of the mounting cover 38.

[0031] When the mounting section cover 38 is opened, the platen holder 37 moves to the standby position. The standby position is the position where the platen roller 33 and the transport roller 34 are separated from the cassette mounting section 39. With the platen holder 37 in the standby position, the user can attach and detach the tape cassette 100 to and from the cassette mounting section 39.

[0032] When the mounting section cover 38 is closed, the platen holder 37 moves to the printing position. The printing position is the position where the platen roller 33 and the transport roller 34 are close to the cassette mounting section 39. At the printing position, the platen roller 33 presses the film tape 110 and the ink ribbon 130 against the thermal head 32. At the printing position, the transport roller 34 overlaps the double-sided adhesive tape 120 and the film tape 110 and presses them against the drive roller 101.

[0033] The tape cassette 100 houses a film tape 110, a double-sided adhesive tape 120, and an ink ribbon 130 in a box-shaped case. Inside the tape cassette 100, the film tape 110, the double-sided adhesive tape 120, and the ink ribbon 130 are wound on their respective corresponding spools. An arm portion 102 is located at the bottom of the case. The arm portion 102 extends from the rear lower part of the case to the front lower part. The film tape 110 and the ink ribbon 130 are pulled out of the case through an opening at the left end of the arm portion 102 and stacked on top of each other.

[0034] The head insertion section 104 is located above the arm section 102. The head insertion section 104 penetrates the case vertically. With the tape cassette 100 mounted in the cassette mounting section 39, the head holder 31 is inserted into the head insertion section 104.

[0035] The drive roller 101 is located in front of the head insertion portion 104. The drive roller 101 is cylindrical and extends in the left-right direction. The lower end of the drive roller 101 is exposed downward from the case.

[0036] The drive roller 101 supports the double-sided adhesive tape 120 when the film tape 110 and the double-sided adhesive tape 120 are superimposed on each other. With the tape cassette 100 mounted in the cassette mounting section 39, the drive shaft 35 is inserted into the axial hole of the drive roller 101. The drive roller 101 rotates due to the rotational drive of the drive shaft 35. The drive roller 101 transports the film tape 110 and the double-sided adhesive tape 120 between itself and the transport roller 34. That is, the tape 150 is transported by being fed out from the nip between the drive roller 101 and the transport roller 34 by the drive of the drive roller 101.

[0037] The guide section 106 is located at the front, diagonally downward corner of the case. The guide section 106 is located to the left of the drive roller 101. In the direction of transport of the film tape 110, the guide section 106 is located downstream of the drive roller 101.

[0038] The guide section 106 is slit-shaped and extends in the left-right direction. The tape 150, on which the double-sided adhesive tape 120 is attached to the film tape 110, is transported by the drive roller 101 and passes through the guide section 106. The guide section 106 supports the tape 150 from both sides in the width direction. With the support of the guide section 106, the tape 150 is discharged from the tape cassette 100 while maintaining its orientation.

[0039] During printing in the printing mechanism 3, the platen holder 37 moves from the standby position to the printing position. The platen roller 33 overlaps the film tape 110 and the ink ribbon 130 and presses them against the thermal head 32. The platen roller 33 rotates and transports the film tape 110 forward.

[0040] Simultaneously with transport, the thermal head 32 generates heat, and the ink ribbon 130 is heated. The ink in the ink ribbon 130 is transferred to the printing surface of the film tape 110 by the heating. The printing surface of the film tape 110 is the surface facing the thermal head 32 inside the case, i.e., the surface facing upwards. Through the ink transfer, an image including text is printed on the film tape 110. After printing, the ink ribbon 130 is separated from the film tape 110 and wound onto the take-up spool 132.

[0041] The double-sided adhesive tape 120 is placed on top of the printed surface of the printed film tape 110. The base material of the double-sided adhesive tape 120 is in contact with the printed surface of the film tape 110. With the film tape 110 positioned beneath the double-sided adhesive tape 120, the film tape 110 and the double-sided adhesive tape 120 pass between the drive roller 101 and the transport roller 34. The adhesive adheres the film tape 110 to the base material, generating the printed label 160.

[0042] The top surface of the label 160 corresponds to the adhesive surface to which the adhesive of the base material is attached, and the release agent 170 is attached to the adhesive surface. That is, the tape 150 is produced by attaching the double-sided adhesive tape 120 to the film tape 110, so that the release agent 170 is attached to the label 160. The width direction of the tape 150 corresponds to the left-right direction. The transport path of the tape 150, which is transported from the printing mechanism 3 through the cutting section 9 to the peeling section 4, is called the transport path R1.

[0043] <Cut section 9> The cutting section 9 is positioned downstream of the transport roller 34 of the printing mechanism 3 in the transport direction of the tape 150. The cutting section 9 has a full-cut cutting blade and a half-cut cutting blade. The full-cut cutting blade cuts the tape 150 in two. The half-cut cutting blade cuts the label 160, leaving the release agent 170 uncut.

[0044] <Main Unit 2> As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the main unit 2 includes a base 20 that supports the entire unit. The base 20 is made of resin and is reinforced on both sides by metal plates. The base 20 includes a release portion 4, a pressing member 25, an opening / closing member 6, and a winding portion 7.

[0045] The bottom of the base 20 is fixed to the front right of the base 11. A winding section 7 for wrapping the label 160 around the cable 19 is located at the bottom. There is a semi-cylindrical housing section 211 at the bottom. The rotating body 70 of the winding section 7 is housed in the housing section 211.

[0046] The middle section of the base 20 is located above the bottom section. The middle section has a peeling area for peeling off the label 160. The peeling section contains the peeling part 4, the pressing member 25, and the opening / closing member 6. The upper section of the base 20 is located above the middle section. The upper section contains the first transport guide 231 and the second transport guide 236.

[0047] The first transport guide 231 is plate-shaped and extends diagonally upward and forward when viewed from the side. The first transport guide 231 guides the tape 150 to the peeling section 4 along the transport path R1.

[0048] The second transport guide 236 is plate-shaped and extends diagonally upward and backward from the front end of the first transport guide 231 when viewed from the side. The second transport guide 236 guides the release material 170, from which the label 160 has been peeled off in the peeling section 4, along the transport path R2 to the winding section 8. The transport path of the release material 170 being transported from the peeling section 4 to the winding section 8 is called the transport path R2.

[0049] The second transport guide 236 has a round rod-shaped roller member 239 that extends in the left-right direction, located slightly above the center in the vertical direction. The roller member 239 is positioned on the upper surface of the second transport guide 236 and protrudes upward from the upper surface, i.e., towards the reel 80. The upper surface of the second transport guide 236 is bent in a mountain shape at the position of the roller member 239. That is, the portion of the second transport guide 236 above the roller member 239 extends diagonally upward and backward at a gentler upward angle than the portion below.

[0050] The release agent 170, transported from the peeling section 4 to the winding section 8, comes into contact with the roller member 239 on the transport path R2. The release agent roll 175 is the roll of release agent 170 wound into the winding section 8, and its outer diameter changes according to the amount wound. The roller member 239 adjusts the transport direction of the release agent 170 as it passes through the roller member 239 in accordance with the change in the outer diameter of the release agent roll 175. By adjusting the transport direction of the release agent 170 with the roller member 239, contact with the corner portion of the second transport guide 236 is avoided, and breakage is suppressed. As shown by the dotted line in Figure 3, the roller member 239 also comes into contact with the release agent 170 at the beginning of winding, adjusting the transport direction of the release agent 170 as it passes through the roller member 239.

[0051] <Peeling area> The peeling section 4 is located at the connection point between the first transport guide 231 and the second transport guide 236. The peeling section 4 is a round rod shape extending in the left-right direction. The surface of the peeling section 4 has a coating layer that suppresses the adhesion of adhesive material when peeling the label 160 from the release agent 170. Transport paths R1 and R2 bend at an acute angle at the peeling section 4. The peeling section 4 peels the label 160 from the release agent 170 due to the tension generated when the winding section 8 winds up the release agent 170.

[0052] The opening / closing member 6 is box-shaped and extends vertically, and is positioned at the front of the base 20. The opening / closing member 6 pivots its upper part in the front-to-back direction, with a shaft extending horizontally at its lower end as the pivot point. The swinging of the opening / closing member 6 opens and closes the housing portion 211 of the winding portion 7. The opening / closing member 6 has a pressing member 60 on its rear surface when closed. The pressing member 60 has a pressing surface 61 that extends vertically and faces rearward.

[0053] When the user moves the cable 19 from the peeling section 4 to the winding section 7, the cable 19 is guided by the guide surface 21 and passes downward between the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61. The guide surface 21 is located in two places, on the left and right sides of the peeling area, extends vertically, and faces forward. The direction in which the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61 guide the cable 19 from the peeling section 4 to the winding section 7 is called the guide direction. In the label application device 1 of this embodiment, the guide direction is downward.

[0054] The user grasps the cable 19, which extends horizontally, with both hands and brings the cable 19 into contact with the guide surface 21. The guide surface 21 guides the cable 19, to which the label 160 peeled off at the peeling section 4 is attached, to the winding section 7. The user moves the cable 19 downward along the guide surface 21 toward the winding section 7, which is located below the peeling section 4. As the cable passes between the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61, the end of the label 160 is pressed against the cable 19 by the pressing surface 61.

[0055] The pressing member 25 is a member that presses the end of the label 160 against the cable 19. The pressing member 25 is positioned below the first transport guide 231 and is a plate-shaped member with its rear end pivotally supported. The tip of the pressing member 25 is exposed between the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61. The pressing member 25 is biased by a torsion spring so that its tip is positioned above its rear end.

[0056] As the user moves the cable 19 downward along the guide surface 21, the pressing member 25 grips the end of the label 160 between its tip and the cable 19. The pressing member 25 rotates under pressure from the cable 19, moving its tip downward. The pressing member 25 rotates while maintaining the state in which the end of the label 160 is pressed against the cable 19 so that the end of the label 160 does not peel off.

[0057] <Wrapping section 7> The winding section 7 wraps around the cable 19, which is guided by the guide surface 21, and attaches a label 160, whose end is attached to the cable 19. The winding section 7 has a roughly cylindrical rotating body 70 with partially missing sides. The rotation axis 70A of the rotating body 70 extends in the left-right direction. The rotating body 70 is rotatably supported by support bodies 72 fixed to the left and right sides of the base body 20, respectively. The rotating body 70 is rotationally driven by a winding motor.

[0058] The rotating body 70 houses and pivotably supports the arm members 76 and 77. The arm members 76 and 77 hold the cable 19 in place when wrapping the label 160 around it. As the rotating body 70 rotates, the arm members 76 and 77 rotate around the cable 19, wrapping the label 160 around the outer surface of the cable 19. The label 160 wrapped around the outer surface of the cable 19 is then attached to the cable 19 by an adhesive.

[0059] <Winding section 8> The winding unit 8 is located diagonally above and behind the peeling unit 4. The winding unit 8 is positioned on the right side of the main plate, above the front upper corner of the cassette mounting unit 39. The winding unit 8 winds the release agent 170 into a roll, thereby applying the tension necessary for transporting the tape 150 and peeling off the label 160 to the tape 150.

[0060] The winding unit 8 has a reel 80 and a shaft 81. The reel 80 is cylindrical in shape, with its rotation axis extending in the left-right direction. The left side of the reel 80 is closed, and the shaft 81 is fixed in the center. The shaft 81 is connected to the winding motor via a plurality of gears located in the drive unit on the right side of the main plate. That is, the left end of the reel 80 is supported by the main plate via the shaft 81.

[0061] The driving force of the winding motor is transmitted to the shaft 81 via multiple gears, rotating the reel 80 counterclockwise in a rightward view. The winding motor is driven by the control unit. The length of the reel 80 in the left-right direction is greater than the maximum width of the tape 150 corresponding to the label application device 1. The right end of the reel 80 is open. The release agent 170 is wound onto the outer surface of the reel 80, and when discarded, the rolled release agent roll 175 is pulled out to the right from the right end.

[0062] The shaft 81 is not located on the right side of the reel 80. That is, the left end of the reel 80 is supported by the main plate of the housing 10, and the right end is open. The reel 80 has a slit-shaped insertion opening 80F on its outer circumferential surface 80B that extends in the direction of the rotation axis. The end of the release material 170 that the winding unit 8 winds up is inserted into the insertion opening 80F and held in place by a leaf spring-shaped retaining member 84 to prevent it from coming out.

[0063] When the mounting section cover 38 is closed, the right wall 385 of the mounting section cover 38 covers the right side of the reel 80 from the right. The front wall 382 and the top wall 386 of the mounting section cover 38 cover the outer surface 80B of the reel 80 from the front and above, respectively.

[0064] <Operation of Labeling Device 1> In the labeling device 1, the tape 150 is pulled out from the tape cassette 100 in advance and positioned along the first transport guide 231 and the second transport guide 236. The end of the tape 150 is inserted into the insertion opening 80F of the reel 80 of the winding unit 8 and held by the pressing member 84.

[0065] During printing, the user operates an external terminal such as a PC to create print data for printing the label and sends a print command to the label application device 1. The control unit prints an image on the print surface of the film tape 110 while transporting the tape 150 toward the cutting section 9 by driving the transport motor. The control unit also rotates the reel 80 by driving the winding motor to wind up the release agent 170. Note that in printing immediately after the tape 150 is held on the reel 80, the label 160 has not yet been peeled off the release agent 170, so the tape 150 is wound onto the reel 80.

[0066] The label 160 with the printed image is half-cut at the cutting section 9 and transported toward the peeling section 4 in an isolated state. The speed at which the release agent 170 is wound by the reel 80 of the winding section 8 is faster than the speed at which the tape 150 is fed out by the drive roller 101 and the transport roller 34. In other words, by winding the release agent 170 at a speed faster than the speed at which the tape 150 is fed out, the tension necessary for peeling the label 160, i.e., back tension, is applied to the tape 150.

[0067] With the tension necessary for peeling applied, the tape 150 is bent at a sharp angle in the peeling section 4, causing the end of the label 160 with the printed image to peel off from the release agent 170. The control unit stops the winding motor and the transport motor. The end of the label 160 is placed in the peeling section 4 with the adhesive side facing upwards.

[0068] The user attaches the end of the label 160 to the cable 19 at the peeling section 4, moves the cable 19 downward along the guide surface 21, and inserts it into the winding section 7. As the cable 19 moves downward, the unpeeled portion of the label 160 is peeled off from the release agent 170. When the control unit turns on the switch that detects the cable 19, it rotates the rotating body 70 by driving the winding motor. The label 160 is wrapped around the outer surface of the cable 19 and attached to the cable 19 by the adhesive.

[0069] <Configuration for miniaturizing label application device 1> To miniaturize the label application device 1 with the above configuration, the size and position of the reel 80 of the winding section 8 were examined and specified. As shown in Figure 4, the reel 80 of the winding section 8 is located diagonally above and behind the peeling section 4, and is positioned above other components of the label application device 1, such as the printing mechanism 3 and the winding section 7. To miniaturize the label application device 1, the position of the reel 80 is moved diagonally downward and forward, as shown by the dotted line in the figure, to bring it closer to the peeling section 4. In this case, the position of the shaft 81 is positioned in the space farther from the first transport guide 231 when the space is divided based on the imaginary line V along the second transport guide 236. By moving to the position shown by the dotted line in the figure, the reel 80 is positioned lower than its original position, thus enabling miniaturization of the label application device 1.

[0070] Furthermore, when moving the cable 19 to the winding section 7, if the reel 80 intersects the guide direction G between the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61, the cable 19 will come into contact with the reel 80, making it difficult to move. Also, when a predetermined length of release agent 170 is wound onto the reel 80, the smaller the outer diameter of the reel 80, the more turns of release agent 170 can be wound onto the reel 80. In some cases, the outer diameter of the reel 80 and the release agent 170 after winding a predetermined length of release agent 170 may be larger when the outer diameter of the reel 80 is smaller than when the outer diameter of the reel 80 is larger than when the outer diameter of the reel 80 is larger before winding the release agent 170. Therefore, when positioning the reel 80 closer to the release section 4, it is preferable to position the reel 80 so that its outer diameter is large while it does not intersect the guide direction G.

[0071] Therefore, the outer diameter D [mm] of the reel 80 is defined. Consider two tangents U1 and U2 that pass through the peeling section 4 and are in contact with the outer surface 80B of the reel 80. The tangent U1, which is farther from the second transport guide 236, extends in a direction parallel to the guide direction G and passes through the position P0 of the axis of the peeling section 4 and one of the contact points P3 on the outer surface 80B of the reel 80. The tangent U2, which is closer to the second transport guide 236, passes through the position P0 of the axis of the peeling section 4 and the other contact point P2 on the outer surface 80B of the reel 80. Of the tangents U1 and U2, the length between the position P0 of the axis of the peeling section 4 and the contact point P2 for the tangent U2, which is closer to the second transport guide 236, is defined as L1 [mm].

[0072] Furthermore, the shaft 81 of the reel 80 is positioned in the space between the tangents U1 and U2. Let θ[°] be the angle between the tangents U1 and U2 in the space containing the shaft 81, i.e., the angles ∠P3, P0, and P2.

[0073] In this case, the outer diameter D of the reel 80 is,

number

[0074] The following explains equation (1). The triangle passing through the axis P0 of the peeling section 4, the axis P1 of the shaft 81 of the reel 80, and the point of contact P3 on the outer surface 80B of the reel 80 is a right triangle because lines P1 and P3 are perpendicular to the tangent line U1. Similarly, the triangle passing through position P0, position P1, and the point of contact P2 is also a right triangle because lines P1 and P2 are perpendicular to the tangent line U2. Triangles P0, P1, P3 and triangles P0, P1, P2 are mirror images of each other with respect to lines P0 and P1. Therefore, the length of lines P1 and P3 is the same as the length of lines P1 and P2, and is the radius R [mm] of the reel 80.

[0075] When the length of the lines P0 and P2 is L1 [mm], the angle between P1, P0, and P2 is θ / 2, so the radius R can be expressed by the following equation (5). R = L1·tan(θ / 2) ···(5)

[0076] Furthermore, the outer diameter D of the reel 80 is given by equation (6). D=2R ···(6)

[0077] Therefore, substituting equation (5) into equation (6) and rearranging for the outer diameter D, we obtain equation (7).

number

[0078] Equation (7) shows the maximum outer diameter D when the outer surface 80B of the reel 80 is in contact with the tangent U1 at a position where the reel 80 is close to the peeling section 4. In order for the outer surface 80B of the reel 80 to not be located in front of the tangent U1, the maximum outer diameter D that satisfies equation (7) is sufficient, and thus equation (1) can be obtained. In this way, by satisfying equation (1) for the outer diameter D of the reel 80, the label application device 1 can be configured to have the winding section 8 closer to the peeling section 4 than in conventional devices, thereby achieving miniaturization.

[0079] Next, we consider the preferred outer diameter D of the reel 80 when the release agent 170 is wound around the reel 80. When the maximum length of release agent 170 that can be wound around the reel 80 is wound around it, the maximum outer diameter of the reel 80 and the release agent 170 will be larger than the outer diameter of the reel 80. Even in this case, in order to bring the position of the reel 80 closer to the peeling section 4, it is preferable to position the reel 80 so that when the reel 80 and the release agent 170 are at their maximum outer diameter, the reel 80 and the release agent 170 do not intersect the guide direction G.

[0080] As shown in Figure 5, the position of the reel 80, with the release agent 170 having a maximum length of L2 [mm] wound around it, is moved diagonally downward and forward as indicated by the dotted line in the figure, bringing it closer to the release section 4. The tangents U1 and U2 are assumed to be tangents to the outer surface of the release agent 170 with a maximum length of L2 wound around the reel 80. Furthermore, length L1 is assumed to be the length between the axis position P0 of the release section 4 and the contact point P2 where the tangent U2 contacts the outer surface of the release agent 170.

[0081] (1) Similarly to equation (1), the maximum outer diameter D of the reel 80 around which the release agent 170 with a maximum length L2 is wound max This is expressed by equation (2).

number

[0082] Here, let T [mm] be the thickness of the release agent 170. The maximum outer diameter of the reel 80 and the release agent 170, with a maximum length L2 of release agent 170 wound around it, is D. maxis [mm]. The area of the release material 170 in side view is L2·T[mm 2 . The area occupied by the reel 80 in side view is π·(D / 2) 2 [mm 2 is given by. Therefore, the area occupied by the release material 170 wound around the reel 80 is {π·(D max / 2) 2 -π·(D / 2) 2}[mm 2 .

[0083] Focusing on the area of the release material 170, L2·T={π·(D max / 2) 2 -π·(D / 2) 2} thus, equation (8) is obtained.

Numerical formula

[0084] Expanding equation (8) and solving for D max gives equation (9).

Numerical formula

[0085] Substituting equation (9) into equation (2) gives equation (10).

Numerical formula

Numerical formula

[0086] Next, a configuration for suppressing breaking of the release liner 170 will be described. The tape 150 is gripped at a nip between the drive roller 101 and the conveyance roller 34 in the printing mechanism, and is fed out from the nip to the conveyance path R1. The winding unit 8 winds the release liner 170 at a speed faster than the speed at which the tape 150 is fed out by the drive roller 101 and the conveyance roller 34. Accordingly, tension necessary for peeling the label 160, that is, back tension, is applied to the tape 150.

[0087] A load resulting from winding by the reel 80 is applied to the release liner 170. Let A[N] be the winding load necessary to peel the label 160 at the peeling unit 4. Further, a breaking load is defined as a winding load of a magnitude that causes the release liner 170 to break, and let B[N] be the magnitude of the breaking load. In this case, A < B is satisfied.

[0088] As the number of windings of the release liner 170 wound around the reel 80 increases, the outer diameters of the reel 80 and the release liner 170 increase, so the torque with which the reel 80 winds the release liner 170 increases. And as the torque of the reel 80 increases, the winding load A applied to the release liner 170 increases. Even when the release liner 170 of maximum length L2 is wound around the reel 80, breaking of the release liner 170 is prevented as long as the winding load A does not exceed the breaking load B. Accordingly, the maximum outer diameter D of the reel 80 and the release liner 170 max and the outer diameter D of the reel 80, breaking of the release liner 170 can be suppressed if the ratio of the former to the latter is smaller than the ratio of the breaking load B to the winding load A. That is, the condition for suppressing breaking of the release liner 170 is expressed by formula (11). (D max / D) < (B / A) ···(11)

[0089] From formula (11), D > (A·D max ) / B ···(12) Substituting formula (9) into formula (12) gives

Numerical formula

[0090] Furthermore, by rearranging equation (13) for D, we can obtain equation (4).

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[0091] As explained above, in order to miniaturize the label application device 1, a configuration in which the winding section 8 is brought closer to the peeling section 4 is considered. In order to attach the peeled label 160 to the cable 19, the cable 19 is moved towards the space between the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61. At this time, if the winding section 8 is positioned close to the peeling section 4, the cable 19 may interfere with the winding section 8.

[0092] When the outer diameter D of the winding section 8 satisfies equation (1), the outer surface 80B of the reel 80 is positioned closer to the second transport guide 236 than to the tangent U1. The tangent U1 is a straight line parallel to the guide direction G of the cable 19 and passing through the stripping section 4. Therefore, even if the winding section 8 is positioned close to the stripping section 4, the reel 80 will not interfere with the cable 19. Thus, by configuring the outer diameter D of the reel 80 to satisfy equation (1), the label application device 1 can be made smaller.

[0093] With the release agent 170 wrapped around the reel 80, the maximum outer diameter D of the reel 80 and the release agent 170 is... max This is larger than the outer diameter D of the reel 80. Therefore, the maximum outer diameter D maxIf equation (2) is satisfied, the outer surfaces of the reel 80 and the release agent 170 are positioned closer to the second transport guide 236 than to the tangent U1. The tangent U1 is a straight line parallel to the guide direction G of the cable 19 and passing through the peeling section 4. Therefore, even if the winding section 8 is positioned close to the peeling section 4, the reel 80 and the release agent 170 will not interfere with the cable 19. Furthermore, by satisfying equation (3) for the outer diameter D of the reel 80, the label application device 1 can be made smaller even when the release agent 170 of the maximum length L2 is wound onto the reel 80.

[0094] In order to suppress the fracture of the release agent 170, (D max The condition (B / A) < (D) must be satisfied. Expanding this equation for the outer diameter D of the reel 80 yields equation (4). Therefore, by satisfying equation (4), the label application device 1 can suppress the breakage of the release agent 170 even if the winding section 8 is positioned close to the peeling section 4. Thus, the label application device 1 can be miniaturized.

[0095] The release agent 170, which has been peeled off the label 160 in the peeling section 4, comes into contact with the roller member 239 and is then wound onto the outer surface 80B of the reel 80. The longer the length of the release agent 170 wound onto the reel 80, the larger the outer diameter of the reel 80 and the release agent 170 after winding. The direction in which the release agent 170 is conveyed from the roller member 239 toward the outer surface of the release agent 170 wound onto the reel 80 changes according to the change in the outer diameter of the reel 80 and the release agent 170. On the other hand, the direction in which the release agent 170 is conveyed from the peeling section 4 toward the roller member 239 remains constant regardless of the change in the outer diameter of the reel 80 and the release agent 170. Therefore, the label application device 1 can stably peel off the label 160 in the peeling section 4.

[0096] The labeling device 1 can attach pre-formed labels 160 to the cable 19. The labeling device 1 is further equipped with a printing mechanism 3, which allows the user to print desired images onto the labels 160 and attach them to the cable 19.

[0097] <Other> In the above embodiment, the cable 19 is an example of the rod-shaped member of the present invention. The guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61 are examples of the guide portion of the present invention. The thermal head 32 and the platen roller 33 are examples of the printing portion of the present invention. The roller member 239 is an example of the contact portion of the present invention.

[0098] <Variation> The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. The printing method by the printing mechanism 3 is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the label application device 1 may perform printing using a receptor-type tape cassette. The receptor-type tape cassette contains a base material, a tape in which a release agent is laminated and adhered to the adhesive surface of the base material to which an adhesive is applied, and an ink ribbon. The printing mechanism 3 performs printing on the surface of the tape opposite to the adhesive surface. The tape may use, for example, a die-cut label that has been pre-cut to a predetermined size as the base material.

[0099] The label application device 1 may not include a cutting unit 9, and instead print an image onto a tape with pre-cut labels attached to a release agent, then wrap the label around the cable 19 and apply it. Alternatively, the label application device 1 may not include a printing mechanism 3, and instead peel the label with a pre-printed image from a tape with a release agent attached, then wrap it around the cable 19 and apply it. Printing on the tape 150 may be performed by an external printing device.

[0100] The object to which the label 160 is attached is not limited to the cable 19, but may be other surfaces. For example, the label 160 may be attached to stationery such as pens, or tools such as screwdrivers. Also, the adhesive surface of the tape 150 is not limited to one coated with adhesive, but may also have adhesive properties obtained through processing.

[0101] The guiding direction G of the cable 19 by the guide surface 21 and the pressing surface 61 does not have to be along the vertical direction. The roller member 239 is optional. The position P0 at the peeling portion 4 is set to the position of the axis of the peeling portion 4, but for example, it may be the contact point between the peeling portion 4 and the tangent peeling portion 4 that contacts the roller member 239. In equations (1) and (3), the size of the outer diameter D of the reel 80 is specified by the less than / equals inequality, but it may also be specified by the less than inequality. In equation (4), the size of the outer diameter D of the reel 80 is specified by the greater than inequality, but it may also be specified by the greater than / equals inequality. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1. Labeling device 4. Peeled section 7. Wrapping section 8. Winding section 19 Cables 21 Guide surface 32 Thermal Heads 33 Platen Roller 61 Pressing surface 80 reels 80B Outer surface 81 Shaft 150 Tapes 160 labels 170 Release agent 231 First Transport Guide 236 Second Transport Guide 239 Roller component

Claims

1. A tape having a label and a long piece of release material to which the label is attached, a release portion for peeling the label from the release material, A first transport guide on which the tape is transported toward the peeling section, A winding section for winding up the release material from which the label has been peeled off by the aforementioned peeling section, A second transport guide intersects with the first transport guide and transports the release material from the peeling section toward the winding section, A rod-shaped member to which the end of the label peeled off by the peeling portion is attached is inserted, and a wrapping portion is used to wrap and attach the label around the rod-shaped member, A guide section that intersects with the first transport guide and the second transport guide, and guides the rod-shaped member from the peeling section toward the winding section, Equipped with, The winding section is a reel for winding the release agent onto its outer surface. There is a shaft that rotatably supports the reel, When the space is divided based on a virtual line along the second transport guide, the shaft is located in the space farther from the first transport guide. The outer diameter of the reel is D [mm], Of the two tangents that pass through the peeling portion and contact the outer surface of the reel, the length between the peeling portion and the contact point of the reel in the tangent closest to the second transport guide is L. １ [mm] When the shaft is contained within the space between the peeled portion and a straight line passing through the peeled portion, parallel to the guiding direction of the rod-shaped member in the guide portion, and the tangent line, the angle between the straight line and the tangent line is θ [°]. In that case, The outer diameter D of the reel is [Math 1] A labeling device characterized by satisfying the following conditions.

2. The maximum length of the release material that can be wound onto the reel is L. ２ [mm] The reel has the maximum length L ２ When the release agent is wrapped around the reel, the maximum outer diameter of the reel and the release agent is D. ｍａｘ [mm] The thickness of the release agent is T [mm], In that case, The maximum outer diameter D of the reel and the release agent ｍａｘ teeth, [Math 2] Satisfying the conditions, The outer diameter D of the reel is [Math 3] The labeling device according to claim 1, characterized in that it satisfies the following conditions.

3. The label application device further comprises a printing unit for printing an image on the label, The winding unit is configured to wind the release material at a speed faster than the speed at which the printing unit feeds the tape to the first transport guide, thereby applying the tension necessary for peeling the label to the release material. When the winding unit winds up the release agent, the winding load required to peel off the label in the peeling unit is A [N]. Let B [N] be the breaking load at which the release agent breaks when the winding unit winds up the release agent. When A < B, The outer diameter D of the reel is [Math 4] The labeling device according to claim 2, characterized in that it satisfies the following conditions.

4. The second transport guide is, The peeling portion and the contact point where the tangent contacts the reel are provided with a contact portion that protrudes closer to the reel than the tangent and contacts the peeling material being transported by the second transport guide. A label-applying device according to claim 3, characterized by the following:

5. The first transport guide is further provided with a printing unit for printing an image onto the label upstream in the transport direction. A label-applying device according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

Images