Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a housing with a handle, a thermal print head for printing on labels of a composite label web, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels, an applicator for applying printed labels, and a brake for arresting the platen roll to prevent loss of print registration during application of a label. The operative components of the labeler are readily accessible for servicing, and yet the labeler is simple in construction. The labeler has an improved print head mounting structure for facilitating precise alignment and pressure contact between the print head and the platen roll.

Abstract: Printing apparatus composed essentially of molded plastics material which has relatively few parts, is easy to manufacture and maintain, and is lightweight and portable. The apparatus is illustrated as being of the table top type which can print both standard type tags and labels, string tags and pin tickets. The apparatus has a print head operable in conjunction with an impression control device, a feed finger assembly with a registration adjustment, a simple drive arrangement operated by a cam with a single cam path, and a reel positionable at different attitudes, and the construction of the apparatus is readily adaptable to both manually operated and motorized versions.

Abstract: A multiple loop antenna particularly suitable for use with an electronic article surveillance security system for detecting the presence of a resonant tag employs first and second shielded twisted loops lying in a common plane and having portions thereof interleaved with each other. The loops are electrically coupled to each other and to a common transmitter or receiver. The loops may be fabricated from coaxial cable to achieve the shielding function at low cost while providing design flexibility.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stacker for tags received from a tag dispensing device. The stacker has an improved feed mechanism with a self-clutching feature and an adjustable end wall member. The printer is adapted to be releasably secured to tag dispensing device, such as a printer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stacker for tags received from a tag dispensing device. The stacker has an improved feed mechanism with a self-clutching feature and an adjustable end wall member. The printer is adapted to be releasably secured to tag dispensing device, such as a printer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printing apparatus for printing on tags and labels. The apparatus includes a compact housing which is comprised essentially of plastics material. The housing includes a self-storing sliding cover, end plates and a base forming track structure for the cover, and a shelf for mounting a thermal printing mechanism. The printing mechanism is a compact module that is suitably secured in the housing. The printing mechanism includes structure for maintaining tension in a label-carrying web, for adjusting the orientation of the printing mechanism's thermal print head, and for applying controlled rewinding.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler having a housing with a handle, a thermal print head for printing on labels of a composite label web, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, a delaminator for delaminating printed labels, an applicator for applying printed labels, and a brake for arresting the platen roll to prevent loss of print registration during application of a label. The operative components of the labeler are readily accessible for servicing, and yet the labeler is simple in construction. The labeler has an improved print head mounting structure for facilitating precise alignment and pressure contact between the print head and the platen roll.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand-held labeler which uses labels releasably adhered to a carrier web. The labeler has a body with a pair of identical body sections. The body mounts first, second and third feed rolls. The first and third feed rolls project beyond the body and cooperate respectively with the second feed roll. The body has a delaminator and a guideway for the carrier web. The carrier web can be threaded through the guideway and about the delaminator in either direction. In either event, the first, second and third feed rolls cooperate with the carrier web to advance it and effect label delamination. Depending on the direction of threading, either the first or the third feed roll is used to advance the carrier web by rolling that feed roll along the surface to be labeled. A label roll is held captive in a holder having two identical body sections. In an alternative embodiment, a label strip winding feature enables a strip of labels to be wound into a roll for subsequent use in the labeler.

Abstract: This invention relates to a deactivatable tag useable with an electronic article surveillance system and comprised of planar conductive material cut into a pair of inverse, first and second spiral conductors wrapped about each other and positioned for capacitance and inductive coupling. The invention also relates to method of making tags wherein conductors are cut from a planar web of conductive material in a continuous process in a manner that the cutting results in the formation of two spiral conductors without accompanying waste of conductive material, and thereafter positioning the conductors to provide resonant circuits. The conductors of each pair are connected by welding to provide a reliable circuit.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stacker for tags received from a tag dispensing device. The stacker has an improved feed mechanism with a self-clutching feature and an adjustable end wall member. The printer is adapted to be releasably secured to tag dispensing device, such as a printer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composite car door panel and method of making same. The panel includes a pair of panel sections adhesively adhered to each other by pressure sensitive adhesive. Headed fasteners used to attach the panel to a car door frame are able to be oriented relative to holes in the car door frame because the fasteners are movable relative to the panel due to masking of the fasteners from the adhesive.

Abstract: This invention relates to a deactivatable tag useable with an electronic article surveillance system and comprised of planar conductive material cut into a pair of inverse, first and second spiral conductors wrapped about each other and positioned for capacitive and inductive coupling. The invention also relates to method of making tags wherein conductors are cut from a planar web of conductive material in a continuous process in a manner that the cutting results in the formation of two spiral conductors without accompanying waste of conductive material, and thereafter positioning the conductors to provide resonant circuits. The conductors of each pair are connected by welding to provide a reliable circuit. A film of electrostatic-charge-draining material on a web of deactivatable tags prevents their premature deactivation.

Abstract: A hand-held labeler, particularly a labeler employing a thermographic print head, utilizes improved control circuitry for accurately sensing the position of the web and controlling the operation of the print head in order accurately to control the position of the imprints on the web. When a motor is used to advance the web, the control system is operative to control the operation and speed of the web advancing motor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printer having a thermal print head and a cooperable platen roll. The platen roll is driven to advance a web of record medium and an ink ribbon into cooperation with the print head. The printer can use an ink ribbon cartridge. The printer has a compact arrangement for the record medium supply roll, the ink ribbon cartridge, the printing mechanism, the drive mechanism, the keyboard, and the cutting mechanism for cutting tags from the web. The supply roll is mounted on a reel having first and second side plates on a hub. A first hub member is connected to the first side plate. A second hub member is adapted to be connected either to the second side plate in opposition to the first hub member in its first position so that the first and second hub members support the supply roll or to the first hub member when the first hub member is in its second position so that the hub is adapted to support a supply roll between the first and second side plates.

Abstract: A magnetic antenna particularly usable for deactivating electronic article surveillance tags that are attached to articles of merchandise to prevent unauthorized removal from a protected area. The antenna comprises a driven element in the form of a transmitting loop, preferably a pair of loops driven in opposite phase, and shield grids disposed on opposite sides of the driven elements. The shield grids serve to prevent electric field radiation from the driven element from propagating past the shield, but permit the passage of magnetic field radiation therethrough. The antenna may also be used at a protected exit to detect the presence of a tag.

Abstract: A multiple loop antenna particularly suitable for use with an electronic article surveillance security system for detecting the presence of a resonant tag employs first and second shielded twisted loops lying in a common plane and having portions thereof interleaves with each other. The loops are electrically coupled to each other and to a common transmitter or receiver. The loops may be fabricated from coaxial cable to achieve the shielding function at low cost while providing design flexibility.

Abstract: There is disclosed a thermal hand-held labeler which can be converted to a table top printer by using method and apparatus according to the invention. The labeler has modular components which can be detachably connected to each other, and the modular components can be detachably connected to a base unit to provide a table top printer.

Abstract: This invention relates to a deactivatable tag useable with an electronic article surveillance system and comprised of planar conductive material cut into a pair of inverse, first and second spiral conductors wrapped about each other and positioned for capacitive and inductive coupling. The invention also relates to method of making tags wherein conductors are cut from a planar web of conductive material in a continuous process in a manner that the cutting results in the formation of two spiral conductors without accompanying waste of conductive material, and thereafter positioning the conductors to provide resonant circuits. The conductors of each pair are connected by welding to provide a reliable circuit. A film of electrostatic-charge-draining material on a web of deactivatable tags prevents their premature deactivation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tag stacker and tag stacking method for taking tags from an output device such as a printer and stacking them in a stack. Tags are inputted one-by-one into the stacker and are moved from a generally horizontal orientation to a generally vertical orientation in a stack. Tags are fed one-by-one into the stack in a hopper, the tags are tamped to settle them in the hopper and the stack is advanced by a conveyor as the stack builds. A side of the stack is guided by an adjustable side guide.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tag useable with an electronic article surveillance system and comprises of planar conductive material cut into a pair of inverse, first and second spiral conductors wrapped about each other and positioned for capacitive and inductive coupling. The invention also relates to method of making tags wherein conductors are cut from a planar web of conductive material in a continuous process in a manner that the cutting results in the formation of two spiral conductors without accompanying waste of conductive material, and thereafter positioning the conductors to provide resonant circuits.