Labeling device and its discharge section and gripping section

Abstract

To provide a label adhering device that can hold a label before adhering in a state of being peeled off from a mount and accurately adhere the same on a surface to be adhered, and a discharge part and a gripping part thereof.SOLUTION: A CPU of a printing part drives a platen roller 15 and conveys a mount 7 to be sandwiched between the platen roller and a peeling roller 16A. Label paper 9 is pulled out from a roll M, and printing is performed by a thermal head 17. A label 8 is peeled off by a peeler 21 due to the tensile force of the platen roller 15 and the peeling roller 16A pulling the mount 7, and is discharged from a label discharge port 14 and enters a holding part 60 through an intake port 61. Once the label 8 is completely peeled off from the mount 7, the label can no longer move in the conveyance direction. The label 8 is held by the holding part 60 with the end part on the downstream side in the conveyance direction in a state of protruding from the discharge port. Adhesion of the adhesive surface of the label 8 is suppressed by a spur 73.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a label pasting device, its discharging part, and its gripping part.

Background Art

[0002] An electronic hand labeler is known in which a user grips and operates a grip and a label printed by a thermal head can be pasted onto a pasting target surface. For example, in the electronic hand labeler described in Patent Document 1, a label printed by a thermal head is peeled off from a backing sheet by a turning pin, discharged from a label issuing port while being placed on an auxiliary peeling pin, and sent out below a pasting roller. The user holds the grip and places the label on the pasting target surface, and while pulling the hand labeler forward, presses the label against the pasting target surface with the pasting roller to paste the label on the pasting target surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When pasting a label longer than before onto a pasting target surface, if the label is placed on the auxiliary peeling pin in a peeled state, the leading end side (downstream side in the conveyance direction) of the label hangs downward, and there is a problem that it becomes difficult to paste the label. In addition, in Cited Document 1, since the discharging direction of the label and the direction of peeling the label from the backing sheet are different, if the label is placed on the auxiliary peeling pin in a state where a part of the label has not been peeled off, it is difficult to pull out the label during pasting.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a label pasting device, its discharging part, and its gripping part that can hold a label before pasting in a state peeled off from a backing sheet and accurately paste it onto a pasting target surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a label application device is provided, comprising: a housing; a printing unit provided inside the housing for printing on labels of label paper in which a plurality of labels having an adhesive layer are attached to a long backing sheet; a peeling unit provided inside the housing for peeling the labels printed by the printing unit from the backing sheet; a discharge unit provided in the housing and having a discharge port at the end away from the housing for discharging the labels peeled off by the peeling unit; and a gripping unit provided on the housing on a side different from the discharge unit, for gripping the housing with one hand, wherein the discharge unit is provided with a holding unit for holding the labels peeled off by the peeling unit before they are discharged from the discharge port.

[0007] The holding unit can hold the label in a state where it has been peeled from the backing paper before it is discharged from the discharge port before being applied to the surface. The user can easily discharge the label from the discharge unit and apply it to the surface by simply positioning the downstream end of the label in the discharge direction on the surface and then moving the housing. Since the force applied when peeling the label from the backing paper does not act on the label during application, the user can accurately apply the label to the surface.

[0008] In the first embodiment, the holding portion may hold the label peeled off by the peeling portion with the downstream end of the label in the discharge direction, which is the direction in which the label is transported within the discharge portion, protruding downstream from the discharge port. By making the downstream end of the label in the discharge direction protrude from the discharge port, the user can easily position the label on the surface to be attached while observing the position of the label's end, thereby enabling accurate application of the label to the surface.

[0009] The holding portion of the first embodiment may have a rotating body that contacts the adhesive surface of the label on which the adhesive layer is formed. The rotating body contacts the adhesive layer of the label, supports the label within the holding portion, and can also feed the label in the discharge direction by rotation. The rotating body only contacts the adhesive layer, and by feeding the label in the discharge direction while rotating, it does not impose much load on the movement of the label. Therefore, the user can accurately attach the label to the surface to be attached.

[0010] In the first embodiment, there may be multiple rotating bodies, and these multiple rotating bodies may be arranged in a line along the discharge direction. When multiple rotating bodies are arranged in a line along the discharge direction, the labels are less likely to be transported at an angle during application. Therefore, the user can accurately apply the labels to the surface to be applied.

[0011] In the first embodiment, the rotating body may hold a plurality of spurs, each having needle-shaped protruding teeth arranged radially along its outer circumference, on a shaft extending in a width direction perpendicular to the discharge direction. Since the rotating body holds a plurality of spurs on the same shaft, the labels are less likely to be transported at an angle during application. Therefore, the user can accurately apply the labels to the surface to be applied.

[0012] In the first embodiment, the spur may be fixed to the shaft. Since the spur is fixed to the shaft and does not rotate freely, the rotating body can prevent the label from becoming entangled with the rotating body. In addition, since the rotation amounts of the multiple spurs are synchronized, the rotating body can transport the label straight in the discharge direction, and the label can be more reliably prevented from tilting during application.

[0013] The discharge unit in the first embodiment has a main body that is positioned on the side of the surface to be affixed when the label is being affixed, and holds the rotating body, and a cover that is positioned on the opposite side of the surface to be affixed, and is assembled to the main body to cover the transport path of the label along the discharge direction, and the cover may have a window that allows the label held by the holding unit to be visually inspected. The user can affix the label to the surface to be affixed while confirming the size and orientation of the label by visually inspecting the label held by the holding unit through the window. Therefore, the user can accurately affix the label to the surface to be affixed.

[0014] In the first embodiment, the cover portion may be detachably attached to the main body portion. If jamming occurs in the holding portion, the user can easily clear the jam by detaching the cover portion from the main body portion. In addition, the user can easily perform maintenance on the rotating body. Therefore, the user can maintain the holding portion in a state of normal operation, and can accurately attach the label to the surface to be attached when applying it.

[0015] The peeling unit in the first embodiment comprises a peeling body for peeling the label from the backing paper, and a pulling unit positioned downstream of the peeling body in the transport path for pulling the backing paper from which the label has been peeled off. The pulling force exerted by the pulling unit on the backing paper may cause the label peeled off by the peeling body to be sent to the discharge unit. Thus, the label application device does not require power to transport the labels peeled off the backing paper to the discharge unit, reducing the number of parts and lowering production costs.

[0016] In the first embodiment, the discharge direction of the discharge unit may be the same as the peeling direction, which is the direction in which the label paper is transported immediately before the label is peeled off the backing paper in the peeling unit. When the label is peeled off the label paper, it is pushed out in the peeling direction of the label paper. Within the discharge unit, the label is transported in the same discharge direction as the peeling direction and held in the holding unit. That is, from the time it is peeled off until it is held, the direction in which the label is transported is the same. Therefore, less load is placed on the label during transport, and skewing during transport can be suppressed.

[0017] The discharge unit in the first embodiment may include an intake port for taking in the label peeled off by the peeling unit and guiding it to the holding unit, a guide path for guiding the backing paper peeled off by the peeling unit to the outside of the housing, and a cutting unit provided in the guide path for cutting the backing paper. The label application device can cut the peeled backing paper with the cutting unit. By providing the cutting unit in the discharge unit, the cutting unit can be positioned closer to the peeling unit, thereby preventing the application of labels from being hindered by uncut backing paper.

[0018] The first embodiment may include a drive unit for driving the rotating body of the holding unit, and a detection unit provided downstream of the peeling body of the peeling unit in the peeling direction, for detecting the upstream end of the label peeled from the backing paper in the peeling direction. If the length of the label in the discharge direction is shorter than the length of the holding unit, the tensile force when peeling the label from the label paper alone is not enough to make the downstream end of the label in the discharge direction protrude from the discharge port. By detecting the position of the upstream end of the label in the peeling direction with the detection unit and driving the rotating body of the holding unit according to the result, even short labels can be reliably made to protrude from the discharge port on the downstream end in the discharge direction. Therefore, the label application device can be used even with labels of different lengths in the discharge direction.

[0019] The housing in the first embodiment is positioned facing the intake port of the discharge unit and includes a housing discharge port for discharging the peeled-off label from the housing, and the discharge unit may be detachably attached to the housing. The discharge unit is detachable from the housing. Therefore, the user can easily remove the discharge unit to perform maintenance on the housing and the discharge unit.

[0020] In the first embodiment, the gripping portion may be detachably attached to the housing. The gripping portion is detachable from the housing. Therefore, the user can easily remove the gripping portion to perform maintenance on the housing and the gripping portion.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a label application device is provided, comprising a housing, a printing unit for printing on labels of label paper having a plurality of labels with adhesive layers attached to a long backing sheet, a peeling unit for peeling the labels printed by the printing unit from the backing sheet, a housing discharge port for discharging the labels peeled by the peeling unit from the housing, and a gripping unit provided on the housing side different from the housing discharge port and capable of gripping the housing with one hand, wherein the discharge unit provided on the side different from the gripping unit comprises an intake port for taking in the labels discharged from the housing discharge port, a discharge port provided at the end away from the housing for discharging the labels taken in from the intake port, and a holding unit for holding the labels before they are discharged from the discharge port, and is detachably attached to the housing. Therefore, the second aspect achieves the same effects as the first aspect.

[0022] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the housing of a label affixing device including a housing, a printing unit that prints on the labels of label paper in which a plurality of labels provided with an adhesive layer are affixed to a long backing sheet, a peeling unit that peels the labels printed by the printing unit from the backing sheet, and a discharging unit that has a discharge port for discharging the labels peeled by the peeling unit at an end on the side away from the housing, there is provided a gripping portion provided on a side different from the discharge port and capable of gripping the housing with one hand. The discharging unit includes a holding portion that holds the labels before discharging them from the discharge port, and the gripping portion is detachably attached to the housing. Thus, the third aspect exhibits the same effects as the first aspect.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a front perspective view of the label affixing device 1. [Figure 2] It is a rear perspective view of the label affixing device 1. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view of the label affixing device 1 viewed from the arrow direction along the line I-I in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the label affixing device 1 within the two-dot chain line W1 in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a front perspective view of the label affixing device 1 with the discharging unit 50 and the gripping portion 80 detached. [Figure 6] It is a rear perspective view of the label affixing device 1 with the discharging unit 50 moved to a separated position. [Figure 7] It is a front perspective view of the label affixing device 1 with the covering portion 65 of the discharging unit 50 opened. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the label affixing device 1 within the two-dot chain line W2 in FIG. 3. [Figure 9] It is a rear perspective view of the label affixing device 1 with the cover 13 opened. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of the label affixing device 1 with the contact portion 54B contacting the surface S to be affixed. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view of the label affixing device 1 pasting the label 8 on the surface S to be affixed. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of a modified example in which a pressure roller 163 is provided at the discharge port 62 of the holding portion 60. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view of the drive unit of the label application device 1, viewed from the left side. [Figure 14] This is a flowchart of the printing process. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] A label application device 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the lower right, upper left, upper right, lower left, upper, and lower sides of Figure 1 are defined as the right side, left side, rear side, front side, upper side, and lower side of the label application device 1, respectively. The label application device 1 is a device in which a discharge unit 50 and a gripping unit 80 are attached to a printing unit 10. The printing unit 10 is a printing device capable of printing on labels 8 attached to a backing paper 7. The printing unit 10 can print characters such as letters and figures on the labels 8. The discharge unit 50 is a part that receives the printed and peeled labels 8 from the printing unit 10 and holds them with the downstream edge in the transport direction exposed from the discharge port 62. The gripping unit 80 is a part that has a handle for the user to grasp the label application device 1 with one hand. As shown in Figure 5, the discharge unit 50 is detachably attached to the upper side of the printing unit 10 with screws 51. The gripping portion 80 is detachably attached to the lower side of the printing portion 10 with screws 81.

[0025] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the printing unit 10 of the label application device 1 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the printing unit 10 has a box-shaped housing 11. The housing 11 is formed by a main body case 12 and a cover 13. The main body case 12 is a roughly rectangular box shape. The main body case 12 has a bottom part 12A and a front cover part 12B. The bottom part 12A covers the internal area of ​​the printing unit 10 from below. The front cover part 12B covers the front half of the internal area of ​​the printing unit 10 from above. An operation unit 5 and a display unit 6 are provided on the front of the main body case 12. The operation unit 5 is used to input various instructions to the printing unit 10. The display unit 6 displays various information. As shown in Figure 3, a mounting unit 24 is provided in the rear half of the bottom part 12A. A roll M is mounted on the mounting unit 24. The roll M is a roll in which label paper 9 is wound around a cylindrical core material. The label paper 9 is a sheet in which multiple labels 8 are attached to a long, sheet-like backing 7. Holders (not shown) are attached to both ends of the core material. When the holder is attached to the mounting section 24, the roll M is supported so that it can rotate within the mounting section 24.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the main case 12 has an opening 20 formed by the upper end of the rear half of the bottom 12A and the rear end of the front cover 12B. The upper side of the mounting portion 24 (see Figure 3) is open through the opening 20. The opening 20 can be opened and closed by the cover 13. The cover 13 is rotatably supported at the rear end of the bottom 12A of the main case 12. The cover 13 can swing between a closed state and an open state around the rear end. When the cover 13 is closed, it covers the mounting portion 24 from above, and when it is open, it opens the mounting portion 24. In Figure 1, the cover 13 is in the closed state.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, a label discharge port 14 is formed between the rear end portion 12E of the front cover portion 12B of the main body case 12 and the front end portion 13E of the cover 13. As shown in Figure 1, the label discharge port 14 extends in the left-right direction. The label discharge port 14 discharges the labels 8 printed by the thermal head 17 (see Figure 3) inside the printing unit 10 to the outside of the housing 11. Behind the label discharge port 14, a backing paper discharge port 22 is formed. The backing paper discharge port 22 discharges the backing paper 7 from which the labels 8 have been peeled off to the outside of the housing 11. The backing paper discharge port 22 is formed on the upper surface of the cover 13 in a portion cut out towards the rear from the middle of the left-right direction of the front end portion 13E. Behind the thermal head 17, a guide wall 22A is provided to guide the backing paper 7 to the backing paper discharge port 22. The guide wall 22A separates the backing paper discharge port 22 and the mounting portion 24 within the housing 11 (see Figure 3).

[0028] A platen roller 15 is provided near the front end 13E of the lower surface of the cover 13. The platen roller 15 is cylindrical and is supported so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction. A drive motor (not shown) is connected to the platen roller 15 via a plurality of gears (not shown).

[0029] A thermal head 17 is located in front of the platen roller 15 when the cover 13 is closed. The thermal head 17 has multiple heating elements (not shown) and prints characters on the label 8 by heating the label 8. The thermal head 17 extends in the left-right direction. A heat sink 18 is positioned in front of the thermal head 17. The heat sink 18 dissipates heat from the thermal head 17. The rear end of a spring 19 is connected to the front of the heat sink 18. The front end of the spring 19 is held inside the front cover portion 12B of the main body case 12. The heat sink 18 and the thermal head 17 are biased to the rear by the elastic force of the spring 19. When the cover 13 is closed, the platen roller 15 contacts the thermal head 17 from the rear. The position where the platen roller 15 and the thermal head 17 contact is called the "printing position P". The thermal head 17 generates heat while holding the label paper 9 between it and the platen roller 15, thereby forming an image on the label 8 at the printing position P.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the label paper 9 is unwound from near the lower end of the roll M, which is housed in the mounting section 24 of the housing 11. The transport path T1 for the label paper 9 unwound from the roll M extends diagonally upward and forward from near the lower end of the roll M. The transport path T1 further bends upward near the rear of the thermal head 17 and extends upward through the printing position P. The platen roller 15 contacts the transport path T1 at the printing position P. The transport path T1 further bends slightly to the rear and extends diagonally upward and backward toward the label discharge port 14. When the label paper 9 is transported along the transport path T1, the label 8 is positioned on the front side of the backing paper 7. The side of the label 8 to which the adhesive is attached is called the "adhesive side". In the transport path T1, the adhesive side of the label 8 is positioned on the rear side.

[0031] A peeler 21 is provided diagonally above and in front of the platen roller 15 when the cover 13 is closed. The peeler 21 is rod-shaped extending in the left-right direction, with a curved surface that bends sharply at an acute angle towards the tip facing diagonally upward and in front, and is positioned parallel to the platen roller 15. The transport path T1 is the path from which the label paper 9, unwound from the roll M, passes through the printing position P and moves upward until it comes into contact with the tip of the peeler 21 that peels the label 8 from the backing paper 7. The backing paper 7 from which the label 8 has been peeled by the peeler 21 folds diagonally downward and rear towards the transport path T2. The transport path T2 is the path from which the backing paper 7 from which the label 8 has been peeled by the peeler 21 moves towards the backing paper discharge port 22. The label 8 is sent to the upper transport path T3. The transport path T3 is the path from which the label 8 peeled by the peeler 21 moves towards the label discharge port 14. The position where the peeler 21 comes into contact with the transport path T1 of the label paper 9 is called the "peeling position Q". Label 8 is peeled off from backing paper 7 at peel position Q.

[0032] A label guide member 16 is positioned above the platen roller 15. The label guide member 16 is provided in the discharge section 50, which will be described later. The label guide member 16 comprises a peeling roller 16A, a guide roller 16B, a guide rib 16C, and a guide arm 16D. When the cover 13 is closed, the peeling roller 16A is positioned above the platen roller 15 and behind the peeler 21. The peeling roller 16A is cylindrical and rotatable around an axis extending in the left-right direction. The peeling roller 16A holds the backing paper 7, from which the label 8 has been peeled by the peeler 21, between itself and the platen roller 15 and transports it along the transport path T2 toward the backing paper discharge port 22. Both ends of the peeling roller 16A are supported by guide arms 16D. A pair of guide arms 16D are provided, extending forward and pivotably supported on the base 52 of the discharge section 50, which will be described later.

[0033] The guide rib 16C is positioned in front of the peeling roller 16A and above the platen roller 15 when the cover 13 is closed. The guide rib 16C is rib-shaped and extends vertically, with multiple ribs arranged in the left-right direction. Both ends of the guide rib 16C in the left-right direction are fixed to the guide arm 16D. The guide roller 16B is positioned at the upper end of the guide rib 16C and near the center of the guide rib 16C in the left-right direction. The guide roller 16B is a two-wheeled spur with needle-shaped protruding blades formed radially along its outer circumference, and rotates axially in the left-right direction. The guide rib 16C and guide roller 16B guide the label 8 to the label discharge port 14 along the transport path T3 while suppressing the label 8 from curling inward due to the curling of the roll M after peeling by the peeler 21. The transport path T3 is in approximately the same direction as the transport path T1 of the label paper 9, which the label paper 9 passes through immediately before the label 8 is peeled off by the peeler 21. The label guide member 16, together with the platen roller 15, separates the label outlet 14 and the backing paper outlet 22 within the housing 11.

[0034] A reflective photoelectric sensor 25 is provided diagonally above and in front of the platen roller 15. The photoelectric sensor 25 emits light from its light-emitting section upwards towards the peeler 21. When a label 8 is directly above the peeler 21, the photoelectric sensor 25 detects the presence or absence of the label 8 by receiving the reflected light from the label 8 with its light-receiving section. The control device (not shown) of the printing unit 10 controls the printing of the next label 8 according to the detection result of the label 8 by the photoelectric sensor 25.

[0035] Next, the gripping portion 80 of the label application device 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 5, the gripping portion 80 extends vertically and is a grip-shaped part that the user grasps with one hand. The gripping portion 80 has a recess on the rear side for the user's fingers to rest on. When the user grasps the gripping portion 80, the front side of the printing unit 10 is positioned in front of the user. The gripping portion 80 is connected to the mounting portion 83. The mounting portion 83 is the part that attaches the gripping portion 80 to the printing unit 10 and is plate-shaped, covering the bottom surface of the printing unit 10. The front end of the mounting portion 83 is provided with two claw portions 83A that engage with two engagement holes 11A formed in the lower front surface of the housing 11 of the printing unit 10. The mounting portion 83 has a pair of through holes 83B arranged horizontally, approximately in the center in the front-to-back direction. Screws 81 are inserted through the through holes 83B and fastened to the bottom surface of the printing unit 10, fixing the mounting portion 83 to the printing unit 10. A locking portion 85 is provided at the rear end of the mounting portion 83. The locking portion 85 is formed in pairs, each having a claw portion 85A at its end. The claw portion 85A engages with the claw portion 54A of the discharge portion 50, which will be described later, and holds the discharge portion 50 in a position close to the printing portion 10 (described later). Each of the pair of locking portions 85 is biased outward in the left-right direction, maintaining the engagement between the claw portion 85A and the claw portion 54A of the discharge portion 50. When the user moves the locking portion 85 toward the center, the claw portion 85A releases the hold of the claw portion 54A of the discharge portion 50.

[0036] Next, the discharge section 50 of the label application device 1 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the discharge section 50 comprises a base 52, a label guide member 16, a support arm 53, a fixing arm 54, a main body 70, a cover 65, and a cutting section 56. The base 52 is the part to which the discharge section 50 is attached to the printing section 10, and is plate-shaped and extends in the left-right direction. The base 52 has through holes 52A at both ends in the left-right direction. Screws 51 (see Figure 5) are inserted into the through holes 52A and fastened to the upper surface of the printing section 10, fixing the base 52 to the front side of the label discharge port 14 of the printing section 10. The label guide member 16 has the front ends of a pair of guide arms 16D rotatably supported at both ends of the base 52. A biasing member (not shown) is provided between the guide arms 16D and the base 52. When the cover 13 is open, the peeling roller 16A of the label guide member 16 moves upward from its contact position with the platen roller 15 due to the biasing force. When the cover 13 is closed, the peeling roller 16A is pressed downward by the front end portion 13E of the cover 13 and moves into contact with the platen roller 15.

[0037] A pair of support arms 53 are provided and extend in the front-rear direction. The front ends of the support arms 53 are rotatably supported at both ends of the base 52 at a position diagonally forward and upward of the front ends of the guide arms 16D. The rear ends of the support arms 53 are located diagonally backward and upward. A pair of fixed arms 54 are provided and connect to the support arms 53. The fixed arms 54 extend rearward to match the shape of the cover 13, then bend diagonally downward and extend further downward. The fixed arms 54 have a claw portion 54A at their lower ends. The claw portion 54A engages with the claw portion 85A of the lock portion 85 of the gripping portion 80, thereby holding the discharge portion 50 in a close-proximity position. The close-proximity position is the position of the discharge portion 50 where the support arms 53 rotate and the main body 70 is in close proximity to the label discharge port 14 of the printing portion 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the position of the discharge unit 50 when the support arm 53 is rotated so that the main body 70 is separated from the label discharge port 14 is called the separated position. When the discharge unit 50 is in the close position, it can capture and hold the labels 8 that are printed by the printing unit 10 and discharged from the label discharge port 14.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fixed arm 54 has a contact portion 54B above the claw portion 54A. The contact portion 54B is semicircular and plate-shaped, and protrudes diagonally upward and backward from the rear surface of each fixed arm 54. The contact portion 54B is formed at the right end of the right fixed arm 54 and at the left end of the left fixed arm 54, respectively. Here, as shown in Figure 3, the region in which the holding portion 60 (described later), including the discharge port 62 of the discharge portion 50, is formed relative to the housing 11 is defined as A1, and the region in which the gripping portion 80 is formed relative to the housing 11 is defined as A2. The region connecting region A1 and region A2 is defined as A3. In this case, the contact portion 54B is configured to protrude outward (rearward) from region A3 relative to the housing 11. With this configuration, when attaching a printed label 8 to the surface S (see Figure 10), the user can hold the gripping part 80 and bring only the contact part 54B into contact with the surface S. Because the contact part 54B is semicircular, the user can swing the label application device 1 while maintaining the contact part 54B in contact with the surface S.

[0039] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the pair of fixed arms 54 are positioned apart in the left-right direction by an amount corresponding to the left-right length of the backing paper discharge port 22. That is, the backing paper 7 discharged from the backing paper discharge port 22 can pass between the fixed arms 54. The contact portion 54B protrudes from the fixed arms 54. Therefore, even when the contact portion 54B of the label application device 1 is in contact with the surface S to be applied, the backing paper 7 can be guided away from the backing paper discharge port 22 via the guide portion 55 (see Figure 2), which is a gap between the two contact portions 54B through which the backing paper 7 can pass.

[0040] The bridging section 54C is plate-shaped and extends in the left-right direction, bridging a pair of fixed arms 54 behind the backing paper discharge port 22. The backing paper discharge port 22 is exposed between the bridging section 54C and the main body 70. A cutting section 56 is provided on the upper surface of the bridging section 54C. The user can cut the backing paper 7 discharged from the backing paper discharge port 22 to the outside of the housing 11 using the cutting section 56.

[0041] A holding portion 60 is provided at the connection point between the support arm 53 and the fixed arm 54. The holding portion 60 is the part that holds the label 8 discharged from the housing 11 before it is attached to the surface S to be attached. The holding portion 60 comprises a cover portion 65 and a main body portion 70. The main body portion 70 is plate-shaped and extends diagonally upward and backward from the connection point between the support arm 53 and the fixed arm 54. The rear surface of the main body portion 70 has both ends in the left and right directions connected to the fixed arm 54, and is supported by the fixed arm 54 with its front facing diagonally upward and forward. The cover portion 65 is positioned on the front side of the main body portion 70. The cover portion 65 is plate-shaped and covers the front of the main body portion 70, and is rotatably supported on an axis extending in the left and right directions at the top of the main body portion 70. As shown in Figure 7, the cover portion 65 can rotate and open to expose the inside of the holding portion 60. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a transport path T4 for the labels 8 within the discharge section 50 is provided within the holding section 60. When the discharge section 50 is in close proximity, the labels 8 discharged from the label discharge port 14 enter the holding section 60 through the intake port 61, which is the gap between the lower end of the main body section 70 and the cover section 65, and are transported along the transport path T4. The direction in which the labels 8 are transported along the transport path T4 within the holding section 60 is called the transport direction. When the discharge section 50 is in close proximity, the transport direction is from diagonally downward in the front to diagonally upward in the rear. The cover section 65 has a window section 66 that allows the user to look into the transport path T4 from the outside. Before attaching the printed labels 8 to the surface S to be attached, the user can confirm that the labels 8 are being held in the transport path T4 through the window section 66.

[0042] As shown in Figure 7, the main body 70 comprises multiple spur bodies 75. Each spur body 75 has a shaft 74 extending in the left-right direction and multiple spurs 73. Each of the multiple spurs 73 is fixed to the shaft 74. That is, as the shaft 74 rotates, all the spurs 73 fixed to the shaft 74 rotate as well. Since the amount of rotation of the multiple spurs 73 is synchronized, the spur body 75 can transport the labels 8 straight in the discharge direction. The multiple spur bodies 75 are arranged side by side along the transport path T4 (see Figure 4) through which the labels 8 are transported within the holding unit 60. Each spur body 75 is supported by the holding unit 60 and is rotatable. The transport path T4 is the front side of each spur body 75. The labels 8 transported along the transport path T4 are transported with their adhesive surface facing the rear, i.e., towards the spur body 75. Therefore, since the label 8 is transported with its adhesive surface in contact only with the needle portion of the spur 73, jamming within the holding section 60 is unlikely. Also, all of the multiple spurs 73 arranged in the width direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the label 8 along the transport path T4 rotate simultaneously within the spur body 75. Therefore, when the label 8 is transported along the transport path T4, it is unlikely to move obliquely to the transport direction.

[0043] As shown in Figures 4 and 7, the holding unit 60 is equipped with a spur body 78 at the intake port 61. The spur body 78 has the same configuration as the spur body 75 and is positioned at the rear opening end of the intake port 61. The label 8, peeled from the backing paper 7, is pulled backward by the backing paper 7 being transported behind the peeler 21. The leading edge (downstream end) of the label 8, due to the curl it retained when wound as a roll M, is pulled towards the adhesive side after peeling, causing it to move closer to the rear opening end of the intake port 61. The spur body 78 uses the spur 73 to catch the leading edge of the label 8 as it approaches the opening end and guides it to the transport path T4, preventing the leading edge of the label 8 from being unable to enter the transport path T4 from the intake port 61.

[0044] Next, as shown in Figures 3 and 8, the labels 8 being transported along the transport path T4 are discharged from the discharge port 62 to the outside of the holding portion 60. The discharge port 62 is the gap between the upper end of the main body portion 70 and the cover portion 65. A spatula plate 63 is provided at the discharge port 62. The spatula plate 63 is a plate-like structure extending in the left-right direction and is fixed to the upper end of the cover portion 65. The tip of the spatula plate 63 protrudes outwards from the discharge port 62. When the labels 8 are applied, the spatula plate 63 presses the labels 8 against the surface S to be applied, thereby suppressing the lifting of the labels 8.

[0045] The operation when replacing the roll M will now be described. As shown in Figure 6, the user slides the locking part 85 of the gripping part 80 to release the engagement between the claw part 85A and the claw part 54A of the discharge part 50. The user rotates the discharge part 50 from the close position to the separated position. As shown in Figure 9, the user opens the cover 13 and rotates it from the closed state to the open state, exposing the mounting part 24. The platen roller 15 is provided at the front end 13E of the cover 13 and moves upward away from the thermal head 17 as the cover 13 is opened. The peeling roller 16A of the label guide member 16 moves upward away from the contact position with the platen roller 15 due to the biasing force as the cover 13 is opened. Therefore, the label discharge port 14 and the backing paper discharge port 22 are not separated by the platen roller 15 and the label guide member 16 within the housing 11.

[0046] The user replaces the roll M and mounts it in the mounting section 24. The user places the label paper 9 pulled from the roll M along the transport path T1 and closes the cover 13. The user peels a portion of the label 8 from the backing paper 7 at the downstream end of the label paper 9 and sandwiches the backing paper 7 between the peeling roller 16A and the platen roller 15. The label 8 is placed towards the label discharge port 14. The user moves the discharge section 50 from the separated position to the close position and engages the claw portion 54A with the claw portion 85A of the gripping section 80. The replacement of the roll M and the setting of the label paper 9 are completed.

[0047] Referring to Figure 13, the electrical configuration of the label application device 1 will be described. The printing unit 10 of the label application device 1 includes an electronic circuit board 30 that controls the unit. The electronic circuit board 30 includes a CPU 31, ROM 32, CGROM 33, RAM 34, flash memory 35, and drive circuits 36-38.

[0048] The CPU 31 provides overall control of the label application device 1. The ROM 32 stores various programs and various parameters necessary for the CPU 31 to execute these programs. The CGROM 33 stores dot pattern data for printing characters. The RAM 34 has multiple storage areas, including text memory and a print buffer. The flash memory 35 stores various parameters for the CPU 31 to control the label application device 1. The flash memory 35 also stores various data to be saved even when the power to the label application device 1 is turned off. The drive circuit 36 ​​is an electronic circuit for driving the thermal head 17 and drives the thermal head 17 according to the instructions of the CPU 31. The drive circuit 37 is an electronic circuit for driving the transport motor 39 and drives the transport motor 39 according to the instructions of the CPU 31. The transport motor 39 rotates the platen roller 15. The drive circuit 38 is an electronic circuit for driving the display unit 6 and drives the display unit 6 according to the instructions of the CPU 31.

[0049] The CPU 31 is connected to the control unit 5 and the photoelectric sensor 25. The control unit 5 receives input from the user regarding operations to the control unit 5 and transmits it to the CPU 31. The photoelectric sensor 25 inputs the detection result of whether or not the object to be measured (the printed label 8) is present to the CPU 31.

[0050] Next, the operation during printing will be explained with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 8. The user operates the operation unit 5 located on the front of the printing unit 10 to instruct printing on the label 8. In this embodiment, the printable label 8 has a predetermined size. Therefore, the label paper 9 used is a sheet in which labels 8 of the predetermined size are continuously attached to a backing sheet 7. In addition, the print data indicating the content to be printed on the label 8 is stored in advance in the flash memory 35 of the printing unit 10. The CPU 31 of the printing unit 10 drives the platen roller 15 to transport the backing sheet 7, which is sandwiched between the platen roller 15 and the peeling roller 16A, toward the backing sheet discharge port 22. By transporting the backing sheet 7, the label paper 9 is pulled out from the roll M. The CPU 31 drives the thermal head 17 and prints on the label 8 based on the print data read from the flash memory 35. As the backing sheet 7 is transported, the label paper 9 is pulled out from the transport path T1. The label 8 is peeled off from the backing sheet 7 by the peeler 21 and sent along the transport path T3 towards the label discharge port 14.

[0051] When the label 8 is discharged from the label discharge port 14 to the outside of the housing 11, it enters the holding section 60 of the discharge section 50 from the intake port 61. The adhesive surface of the label 8 is prevented from adhering due to contact with the needle-shaped blade of the spur 73. The label 8 is peeled off by the peeler 21 by the tensile force of the platen roller 15 and the peel roller 16A pulling the backing paper 7, and is then transported along the transport path T3 toward the label discharge port 14. The label 8 is of a specified size, and the CPU 31 controls the amount of drive of the platen roller 15 so that the distance the platen roller 15 transports the backing paper 7 during printing matches the length of the label 8 in the transport direction. The CPU 31 prints on the label 8 based on the print data in accordance with the transport of the label 8. When the drive of the platen roller 15 stops, the downstream end in the transport direction is discharged by a predetermined length from the discharge port 62 of the holding section 60. The label 8 is peeled from the backing paper 7 and held in the holding unit 60 along the transport path T4, with its adhesive surface supported by the spur body 75. Once the label 8 is completely detached from the backing paper 7, it can no longer move in the transport direction. Therefore, the lengths of the transport paths T2 and T4 are designed to be slightly shorter than the length of the label 8 in the transport direction. As a result, the label 8 is completely detached from the backing paper 7 when the downstream end in the transport direction has been discharged from the discharge port 62 by a predetermined length. While the label 8 is held in the holding unit 60, the photoelectric sensor 25 detects the upstream end of the label 8 in the transport direction. The user may cut the backing paper 7 discharged from the backing paper discharge port 22 with the cutting unit 56, or leave it uncut.

[0052] Next, the operation during application will be described. As shown in Figure 10, the user grasps the gripping part 80 and faces the back side of the label application device 1 toward the surface S to which the label 8 is to be applied, so that only the contact part 54B comes into contact with the surface S. As mentioned above, the contact part 54B protrudes outward from the housing 11 beyond the area A3 that connects the area A1 where the holding part 60 is formed and the area A2 where the gripping part 80 is formed (see Figure 3). Therefore, the gripping part 80 and the holding part 60 are separated from the surface S to which the label is to be applied. By moving the gripping part 80 relative to the surface S to which the label is to be applied, the user can move the position of the label 8 exposed from the discharge port 62 of the holding part 60 relative to the gripping part 80. If the backing paper 7 has not been cut with the cutting part 56, the user can position the backing paper 7 toward the gripping part 80 via the guide part 55 (see Figure 3) to avoid contact with the contact part 54B. Furthermore, the user can check whether the printed label 8 is being held in the holding unit 60 through the window 66 of the cover 65.

[0053] As shown in Figure 11(A), the user lifts the gripping part 80 while keeping the contact part 54B in contact with the surface S to be attached, bringing the discharge port 62 of the holding part 60 closer to the surface S to be attached. Once the user positions the downstream end of the label 8 in the transport direction at the attachment position on the surface S to be attached, the user lifts the gripping part 80 further and attaches the downstream end of the label 8 in the transport direction to the surface S to be attached. The label 8 is held down by the spatula plate 63 and does not lift off the surface S to be attached.

[0054] As shown in Figure 11(B), the user pulls the label application device 1 toward the gripping part 80 relative to the holding part 60, while maintaining at least the spatula plate 63 pressed against the surface S to be applied to via the label 8. The label 8 is pulled out from the holding part 60 and, while being held down by the spatula plate 63, is applied to the surface S to be applied to. Since the multiple spurs 73 of the spur body 75 are fixed to the same shaft 74 and rotate simultaneously, the label 8 is pulled out without skew and applied straight to the surface S to be applied to. The photoelectric sensor 25 becomes non-detective of the label 8. When the user operates the operation unit 5, the printing unit 10 prints the next label 8 and holds the printed label 8 in the holding part 60.

[0055] As described above, the holding unit 60 can hold the label 8 in a state peeled from the backing paper 7 before it is discharged from the discharge port 62 before being applied to the surface S. The user can easily discharge the label 8 from the discharge unit 50 and apply it to the surface S by simply positioning the downstream end of the label 8 in the discharge direction on the surface S and then moving the housing 11. Since no force is applied to the label 8 when it is peeled from the backing paper 7 during application, the user can accurately apply the label 8 to the surface S.

[0056] By allowing the downstream end of the label 8 to protrude from the discharge port 62, the user can easily position the label 8 on the surface S to be applied to while observing the position of the label's end, thus enabling accurate application of the label 8 to the surface S.

[0057] The spur body 75 contacts the adhesive layer of the label 8, supports the label 8 within the holding section 60, and, through rotation, can feed the label 8 in the discharge direction. Since the spur body 75 only contacts the adhesive layer and feeds the label 8 in the discharge direction while rotating, it does not impose much load on the movement of the label 8. Therefore, the user can accurately attach the label 8 to the surface S to be attached.

[0058] Because multiple spur bodies 75 are arranged in a line in the discharge direction, the label 8 is less likely to be transported at an angle during application. Therefore, the user can accurately apply the label 8 to the surface S to be applied.

[0059] Since the spur body 75 holds multiple spurs 73 on the same shaft 74, the label 8 is less likely to be transported at an angle during application. Therefore, the user can accurately apply the label 8 to the surface S to be applied.

[0060] Since the spurs 73 are fixed to the shaft 74 and do not rotate freely, the spur body 75 can prevent the label 8 from becoming entangled with the spur body 75. In addition, because the rotation amounts of the multiple spurs 73 are synchronized, the spur body 75 can transport the label 8 straight in the discharge direction, more reliably preventing the label 8 from tilting during application.

[0061] The user can visually inspect the label 8 held in the holding part 60 through the window part 66, thereby confirming the size and orientation of the label 8 and attaching it to the surface S to be attached. Therefore, the user can accurately attach the label 8 to the surface S to be attached.

[0062] If a jam occurs in the holding part 60, the user can easily clear the jam by detaching the cover part 65 from the main body part 70. Furthermore, the user can easily maintain the spur body 75. Therefore, the user can maintain the holding part 60 in a properly functioning state, and can accurately attach the label 8 to the surface S during application.

[0063] The spur body 75 is non-driven, and the label 8 is conveyed by the platen roller 15 and peeling roller 16A pulling the backing paper 7. Therefore, the label 8 application device does not require power to convey the labels 8 peeled from the backing paper 7 to the discharge section 50, which reduces the number of parts and lowers production costs.

[0064] When the label 8 is peeled off the label 8 paper, it is pushed out in the peeling direction of the label 8 paper. Within the discharge section 50, the label 8 is transported in the same discharge direction as the peeling direction and held in the holding section 60. That is, from the time it is peeled off until it is held, the direction in which the label 8 is transported is the same. Therefore, less load is placed on the label 8 during transport, and skewing during transport can be suppressed.

[0065] The label 8 application device can cut the peeled backing paper 7 with a cutting unit 56. By providing the cutting unit 56 in the discharge unit 50, the cutting unit 56 can be positioned closer to the platen roller 15, peeling roller 16A, and peeler 21, thereby preventing the application of the label 8 from being hindered by the uncut backing paper 7.

[0066] The discharge unit 50 is detachable from the housing 11. Therefore, the user can easily remove the discharge unit 50 to perform maintenance on the housing 11 and the discharge unit 50.

[0067] The gripping part 80 is detachable from the housing 11. Therefore, the user can easily remove the gripping part 80 to perform maintenance on the housing 11 and the gripping part 80.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the platen roller 15, peeling roller 16A, and peeler 21 correspond to the "peeling section" of the present invention. The spur body 75 corresponds to the "rotating body" of the present invention. The transport path T4 corresponds to the "transport path" of the present invention. The peeler 21 corresponds to the "peeling body" of the present invention. The platen roller 15 and peeling roller 16A correspond to the "tensioning section" of the present invention. The transport path T2 corresponds to the "guide path" of the present invention. The transport motor 39 corresponds to the "drive section" of the present invention. The photoelectric sensor 25 corresponds to the "detection section" of the present invention.

[0069] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The discharge section 50 and the gripping section 80 are configured as optional parts to be attached to the housing 11 of the printing section 10, making them detachable from the housing 11. However, the base section 52 and the gripping section 80 may be directly provided on the housing 11, reducing the number of parts by eliminating the need for attachment and detachment. The holding section 60 may be provided on the front end 13E of the cover 13, or on the label guide member 16.

[0070] Within the housing 11, the label 8 moves along the transport path T2 towards the label discharge port 14. The transport direction is the same as the transport direction of the label paper 9 in the portion of the transport path T1 from the printing position P to the peeling position Q, but it may be a different direction.

[0071] The lengths of the transport paths T2 and T4 were designed to be slightly shorter than the length of the label 8 in the transport direction, but they may be designed to be even shorter. In this case, the control unit stops driving the platen roller 15 when the downstream end of the label 8 in the transport direction has been discharged from the discharge port 62 for a predetermined length. The upstream end of the label 8 in the transport direction remains attached to the backing paper 7. Because the transport direction of the label 8 along the transport path T4 of the holding unit 60 is close to the transport direction of the label paper 9 in the transport path T1 from the printing position P to the peeling position Q, the pulling force of the label 8 during attachment can pull the label paper 9, allowing the label 8 to be peeled from the backing paper 7. Preferably in this case, the orientation of the holding unit 60, or the positional relationship of the peeling position Q with respect to the printing position P, should be set so that the transport direction of the label 8 in the holding unit 60 coincides with the direction from the printing position P to the peeling position Q.

[0072] The cover portion 65 of the discharge portion 50 has a window portion 66 so that it is possible to confirm that the discharge portion 50 is holding the label 8. However, the cover portion 65 may also be made of a transparent or translucent material so that it functions as a viewing window for the label 8 held in the transport path T4, allowing the label 8 to be confirmed. The contact portion 54B is provided on the fixed arm 54 of the discharge portion 50, but it may also be provided on the rear end of the main body case 12 or the rear end of the cover 13 of the housing 11, or on the rear end of the gripping portion 80.

[0073] The shaft 74 of the spur body 75 may be equipped with a clutch mechanism to prevent reverse rotation. This prevents the downstream end of the label 8 in the transport direction from retracting into the discharge port 62 due to the label 8's curling while it is being held in the holding section 60. Instead of the spur body 75, a roller made of a material that does not easily adhere to the adhesive surface of the label 8 may be used.

[0074] Alternatively, the driving force may be transmitted to the spur body 75 of the holding unit 60, and the label 8 may be transported by the rotational drive of the spur 73. For example, as shown in Figure 13, a gear 171 is provided on the drive shaft 39A of the transport motor 39 (see Figure 12), and gears 172, 173, 174, and 175 mesh with it in order. Gear 175 is connected to the rotating shaft 15A of the platen roller 15. A gear 165 for distributing driving force meshes with the fourth gear 174. Three gears 166, 167, and 168 mesh with gear 165 in order. Gear 168 meshes with a gear 169 fixed to the shaft 74 of the spur body 75 to be driven. These gears 166 to 169 are assembled inside the fixed arm 54 on the left side of the discharge unit 50 and inside the left side of the holding unit 60. The spur body 75, which is the target of the drive, receives the driving force from the transport motor 39 and can rotate together with the platen roller 15. The multiple spurs 73 of the spur body 75 are fixed to the shaft 74, and the labels 8 can be transported within the holding section 60 as the spur body 75 rotates.

[0075] Gears 175 and 166 are a one-way clutch, transmitting the driving force of the transport motor 39 when rotating the platen roller 15 and spur body 75 in the direction of transporting the label 8, and releasing the transmission of driving force when rotating in the opposite direction. In other words, when the transport motor 39 stops, the platen roller 15 and spur body 75 can rotate in the direction of transporting the label 8, but cannot rotate in the opposite direction due to the holding torque of the transport motor 39.

[0076] This configuration allows labels with a length smaller than the specified size in the transport direction to be transported to the discharge port 162 after printing and held in the holding unit 60. As shown in Figure 14, the CPU 31 starts printing the labels 8 in response to user operation of the operation unit 5. The CPU 31 drives the transport motor 39 (S2) and transports the backing paper 7, which is sandwiched between the platen roller 15 and the peeling roller 16A, to the transport path T4. As a result, the label paper 9 is pulled and transported along the transport path T1. The CPU 31 executes the printing process and drives the thermal head 17 to print on the label 8 on the label paper 9. While the photoelectric sensor 25 detects the label 8, the label 8 has not been peeled from the backing paper 7 (S4: YES), and the CPU 31 returns to processing S3 and continues the printing process.

[0077] If the photoelectric sensor 25 does not detect the label 8 (S4: NO), the CPU 31 continues to drive the transport motor 39 until it reaches a drive amount corresponding to the length of the label 8 in the transport direction (S6: NO), based on the drive amount of the transport motor 39. When the CPU 31 determines that the drive amount of the transport motor 39 has reached a drive amount corresponding to the length of the label 8 in the transport direction (S6: YES), it stops driving the transport motor 39 (S7) and terminates the process. The label 8 is transported along the transport path T4 by the spur body 75 even after the platen roller 15 stops, and is held in the holding unit 60 with its downstream end in the transport direction discharged from the discharge port 62 by a predetermined length. The spur body 75 cannot rotate in the opposite direction to the transport direction of the label 8 due to the holding torque of the transport motor 39, and therefore maintains the label 8 in a held state. When the label 8 is attached, the spur body 75 can rotate in the direction of transport of the label 8 because the transmission of the driving force from the transport motor 39 is released, allowing the label 8 to be discharged from the discharge port 62.

[0078] Thus, if the length of the label 8 in the discharge direction is shorter than the length of the holding part 60, the tensile force when peeling the label 8 from the label 8 paper alone is not enough to make the downstream end of the label 8 protrude from the discharge port 62. By detecting the position of the upstream end of the label 8 in the peeling direction with the photoelectric sensor 25 and driving the spur body 75 of the holding part 60 according to the result, even a short label 8 can be reliably made to protrude from the discharge port 62 on the downstream end in the discharge direction. Therefore, the label 8 application device can be used even with labels 8 of different lengths in the discharge direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1. Labeling device 7. Mounting board 8 labels 9 Label paper 10 Printing Department 11 cabinets 14 Label outlet 15 Platen Roller 16A Peeling Roller 21 Peel 25 Photoelectric Sensors 39. Transport motor 50 Discharge section 56 Cut section 60 Holding part 61 Intake 62 Outlet 65 Covering 66 Window section 70 Main body 73 Spurs 74 Axis 75 Spurs 80 Gripping part S Surface to be attached

Claims

1. The casing and A printing unit is provided within the housing and prints on labels on label paper in which a plurality of labels with adhesive layers are attached to a long backing sheet, A peeling unit is provided inside the housing for peeling the label printed by the printing unit from the backing paper, The housing is provided with a discharge unit having a discharge port at the end away from the housing for discharging the label that has been peeled off by the peeling unit, The housing is provided on a side different from the discharge section, and includes a gripping section that allows the housing to be held with one hand, In a labeling device equipped with, The aforementioned discharge section is The system includes a holding portion that holds the label, which has been peeled off by the peeling portion, before it is discharged from the discharge port. The aforementioned retaining part is The label has a rotating body that contacts the adhesive surface on which the adhesive layer is formed, The label, which has been peeled off by the peeling section, is held with its downstream end in the discharge direction (the direction in which the label is transported within the discharge section) protruding downstream of the discharge port. There are multiple such rotating bodies. Multiple rotating bodies are arranged in a line along the discharge direction, The aforementioned discharge section is With respect to the transport path of the label along the discharge direction, a main body portion is positioned on the side of the surface to be affixed when the label is affixed, and holds the rotating body, A covering portion is positioned on the opposite side from the surface to be attached, and is assembled to the main body to cover the transport path. It has, The covering portion has a window portion that allows the label held in the holding portion to be visually inspected. A labeling device characterized by the following.

2. The rotating body holds a plurality of spurs, each having needle-shaped protruding teeth arranged radially along its outer circumference, on a shaft extending in a width direction perpendicular to the discharge direction. A label-applying device according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

3. The spur is fixed to the shaft. A label-applying device according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

4. The cover portion is detachably attached to the main body portion. A label-applying device according to claim 3, characterized by the following:

5. The peeled portion is, A peeling body for peeling the label from the backing paper, A tensioning section is positioned downstream of the peeling body in the transport path and pulls the backing paper from which the label has been peeled off. Equipped with, The tensile force exerted by the tensioning section on the backing paper causes the label, which has been peeled off the backing paper in the peeling body, to be sent to the discharge section. A label-applying device according to claim 4, characterized by the above.

6. The discharge direction of the discharge unit is the same as the peeling direction, which is the direction in which the label paper is transported immediately before the label is peeled off the backing paper in the peeling unit. A label-applying device according to claim 5, characterized by the above.

7. The aforementioned discharge section is An intake port that takes in the label peeled off by the peeling section and guides it to the holding section, A guide path for guiding the backing paper, which has been peeled off by the peeling section, to the outside of the housing, A cutting section is provided in the guide path for cutting the backing paper. Having A label-applying device according to claim 6, characterized by the following:

8. A drive unit that drives the rotating body of the holding unit, A detection unit is provided on the downstream side of the peeling direction relative to the peeling body of the peeling portion, and detects the upstream end of the label that has been peeled from the backing paper in the peeling direction. Having A label-applying device according to claim 7, characterized by the following:

9. The housing is positioned facing the intake port of the discharge section and includes a housing discharge port for discharging the peeled-off label from the housing, The discharge unit is detachably attached to the housing. A label-applying device according to claim 8, characterized by the following:

10. The gripping portion is detachably attached to the housing. A label-applying device according to claim 9, characterized by the above.

11. A label application device comprising a housing, a printing unit for printing on labels of label paper having multiple labels with adhesive layers attached to a long backing sheet, a peeling unit for peeling the labels printed by the printing unit from the backing sheet, a housing discharge port for discharging the labels peeled by the peeling unit from the housing, and a gripping unit provided on the housing side different from the housing discharge port and capable of gripping the housing with one hand, wherein the discharge unit provided on the side different from the gripping unit, An intake port for taking in the label discharged from the housing outlet, An outlet is provided at the end that is away from the housing, for discharging the labels taken in from the intake port, A holding part that holds the label before it is discharged from the discharge port and Equipped with, The aforementioned retaining part is The label has a rotating body that contacts the adhesive surface on which the adhesive layer is formed, The label, which has been peeled off by the peeling section, is held with its downstream end in the discharge direction (the direction in which the label is transported within the discharge section) protruding downstream of the discharge port. There are multiple such rotating bodies. Multiple rotating bodies are arranged in a line along the discharge direction, The aforementioned discharge section is With respect to the transport path of the label along the discharge direction, a main body portion is positioned on the side of the surface to be affixed when the label is affixed, and holds the rotating body, A covering portion is positioned on the opposite side from the surface to be attached, and is assembled to the main body to cover the transport path. It has, It is detachably attached to the aforementioned housing, The covering portion has a window portion that allows the label held in the holding portion to be visually inspected. Discharge section of a label application device characterized by the following.

12. A label application device comprising a housing, a printing unit for printing on labels of label paper having a plurality of labels with adhesive layers attached to a long backing sheet, a peeling unit for peeling the labels printed by the printing unit from the backing sheet, and a discharge unit having a discharge port at the end away from the housing for discharging the labels peeled off by the peeling unit, wherein the housing is provided on a side different from the discharge port and has a gripping unit that allows the housing to be grasped with one hand, The aforementioned discharge section is It is equipped with a holding part that holds the label before it is discharged from the discharge port, The aforementioned retaining part is The label has a rotating body that contacts the adhesive surface on which the adhesive layer is formed, The label, which has been peeled off by the peeling section, is held with its downstream end in the discharge direction (the direction in which the label is transported within the discharge section) protruding downstream of the discharge port. There are multiple such rotating bodies. Multiple rotating bodies are arranged in a line along the discharge direction, The aforementioned discharge section is With respect to the transport path of the label along the discharge direction, a main body portion is positioned on the side of the surface to be affixed when the label is affixed, and holds the rotating body, A covering portion is positioned on the opposite side from the surface to be attached, and is assembled to the main body to cover the transport path. It has, The covering portion has a window portion that allows the label held in the holding portion to be visually inspected. The gripping portion is, It is detachably attached to the aforementioned housing. A gripping section of a label-applying device characterized by the following.

Images