Importance

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Abstract

A system for aligning labels on label stock of different sizes with the print head in a printer is disclosed. The label stock is wound around a tubular core, which has a ring shaped groove in its inner surface at the midpoint of its length, forming a roll of label stock. The continuous liner strip contains synchronization holes and identification holes. The system includes a printer having a spindle mounted on a pedestal and holding the roll of label stock to be fed into the printer. The spindle is undersized relative to the tubular core and includes a ring shaped protrusion at its midpoint for engaging the groove in the inner surface of the tubular core. This roll of label stock is automatically maintained centered on the midpoint of the spindle, by its own weight, as it turns around the spindle as the label stock advances. The system also includes an optical detector movably mounted within the printer, for detecting synchronization holes and identification holes in the liner during print head traversal. The system includes a paper feed drive and a print head stepper mechanism. A controller within the printer receives signals from the optical detectors and converts the signals to commands to the paper feed drive and a print head mechanism to adjust for particular parameters.

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First Claim