1. An apparatus for printing and applying tape, comprising:
a tape supply holder;
a printer for printing on tape;
a tape puller for pulling printed tape from said printer, said tape puller being laterally moveable relative to said printer;
a tape cutter for cutting tape pulled from said printer;
a tape applicator for applying the printed tape to an object, said tape applicator being adapted to contact only one side of the printed tape; and
a vacuum system for holding the printed tape prior to application on an object.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tape puller keeps the printed tape under tension as the printed tape exits said printer.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tape puller is moveable between a first position adjacent said printer and a second position distant from said printer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein when said tape puller moves from said first position to said second position, said tape puller pulls the printed tape in the path of said tape applicator.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein after said printer has finished printing, said tape puller releases the printed tape.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein after said tape puller releases the printed tape, said vacuum system holds the printed tape.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a tape cutter, wherein after said vacuum system holds the printed tape, said tape cutter cuts the printed tape to form a length of printed tape.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said tape applicator is moveable between a first position and a second position to apply the length of printed tape to the object, and wherein after said tape cutter cuts the printed tape, said tape applicator moves to said second position to apply the length of printed tape to an object.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said printer includes a drive roller, wherein as said printer is printing the tape, said drive roller drives the tape along a tape path in a first direction, wherein after said cutter cuts the printed tape, said drive roller drives the tape along the tape path in a second direction opposite said first direction.
10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said apparatus includes a first actuator for moving said tape puller between said first position and said second position.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tape applicator is moveable between a first position and a second position to apply the length of printed tape to the object.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said apparatus includes a second actuator for moving said tape applicator between said first position and said second position.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a drive roller for pulling tape from said tape supply holder.
14. An apparatus for printing and applying tape, comprising:
a tape supply holder;
a printer;
a gripper;
a cutter having cutting elements;
a first actuator for moving said gripper from a first position between said cutting elements to a second position distant from said cutter; and
a tape applicator.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said gripper and said actuator keep printed tape under tension as the printed tape exits said printer.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein when said gripper moves from said first position to said second position, said gripper pulls printed tape in the path of said tape applicator.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein after said printer has finished printing, said gripper releases the printed tape.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a vacuum system, wherein after said gripper releases the printed tape, said vacuum system holds the printed tape.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said apparatus is adapted such that after said vacuum system holds the printed tape, said tape cutter cuts the printed tape to form a length of printed tape.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said tape applicator is moveable between a first position and a second position to apply the length of printed tape to the object, and wherein after said tape cutter cuts the printed tape, said tape applicator moves to said second position to apply the length of printed tape to an object.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said printer includes a drive roller, wherein as said printer is printing the tape, said drive roller drives the tape along a tape path in a first direction, wherein after said cutter cuts the printed tape, said drive roller drives the tape along the tape path in a second direction opposite said first direction.
22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said tape applicator is moveable between a first position adjacent said printer and a second position to apply the printed tape to the object.
23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said apparatus includes a second actuator for moving said tape applicator between said first position and said second position.
24. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said tape applicator includes a vacuum system for holding the printed tape prior to application on an object.
25. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a drive roller for pulling tape from said tape supply holder.
26. A method of printing and applying tape, comprising the steps of:
providing tape;
gripping the tape with a laterally moveable tape puller;
printing on a segment of the tape with a printer, wherein the tape segment is gripped by the tape puller prior to printing;
pulling the printed tape segment under tension from the printer with the tape puller;
cutting the printed tape segment; and
applying printed tape to an object.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the pulling step occurs during the printing step.
28. The method of claim 26 further comprising the step of:
prior to the applying step, holding the printed tape.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of:
after the holding step, cutting the printed tape to provide a length of printed tape.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the pulling step includes pulling the printed tape across the path of a tape applicator for applying the printed tape to an object.
31. The method of claim 29, wherein during the printing step, the tape moves along a tape path in the printer in a first direction, wherein after cutting step, the tape moves along the tape path in a second direction opposite said first direction.
32. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of releasing the printed tape after the printing step and pulling step are complete.
33. The method of claim 26, wherein the applying step includes pushing on a non-adhesive side of the printed tape to apply an adhesive side of the printed tape to an object.
34. The method of claim 33, wherein the pushing step includes pushing the printed tape from a first position to a second position to apply the printed tape to the object across the direction of the pull step.
35. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of:
providing an object, wherein the printing step includes printing information on the tape corresponding the object.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein the object is a package with contents, and wherein the printing step includes printing information on the tape corresponding to the contents.
37. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of pulling the printed tape segment with a tape puller includes delivering the tape segment to a tape applicator prior to the step of cutting the printed tape segment.
38. The method of claim 26, wherein pulling the printed tape with a tape puller includes moving the tape puller in a linear fashion from a first position adjacent the printer to a second position within a tape path of a tape applicator.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A reel unit for a fishing line for use on a fishing rod, comprising a housing, a spool rotatably mounted on the housing that can be rotated via a gear unit by means of a hand crank for reeling in and reeling out the line, and a holder for mounting the reel unit to the fishing rod, wherein the reel unit can be adjusted on the holder by turning or pivoting on an axis (SA) parallel or approximately parallel to the axis of the reel.
2. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one line guide with a slide element with a line eyelet guided on a guide parallel to the axis of the reel is provided on the housing and that the slide element andor the line eyelet can pivot by at least 180\xb0 on the axis of the guide.
3. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one line guide with a slide element guided on a guide parallel to the axis of the reel is provided, that at least one line eyelet radially offset from the guide is provided on the slide element and that the slide guide with the slide can be adjusted by turning or pivoting on the axis of the guide.
4. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing is formed by at least two housing elements, between which the reel is rotatably mounted.
5. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing or its housing elements are adjustably connected with the holder on the housing periphery.
6. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the holder comprises at least two clamping jaws for clamping the housing or the housing elements.
7. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing or its housing elements, in the peripheral area of the housing, comprise at least two housing sections that can be clamped between said at least to clamping jaws.
8. The reel unit according to claim 7, wherein the housing sections are each formed by wall sections of a ring groove.
9. The reel unit according to claim 7, wherein the housing sections are each formed by one section of a supporting ring.
10. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the gear unit drivably connecting the crank with the reel comprises a return stop and that the locking direction of the return stop is reversible.
11. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing can be clamped to the holder by means of screws.
12. The reel unit according to claim 6, wherein the clamping jaws extend in an axis direction parallel or approximately parallel to the reel axis (SA) between the housing elements.
13. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one line guide provided on the housing with a slide element guided on a guide parallel to the axis of the reel, on which slide element at least one line eyelet and one guide element are provided, which engages with at least one spiral-shaped guide on a shaft that can be driven via the gear unit, wherein the guide element can be moved manually from a state of being engaged with the guide to a state in which the guide element is outside of the at least one spiral-shaped guide.
14. The reel unit according to claim 13, wherein the guide element is pre-tensioned by at least one spring element for engaging in the at least one guide.
15. The reel unit according to claim 13, wherein the guide element is formed by a bolt, which is pre-tensioned in its engaged state by the at least one spring element.
16. The reel unit according to claim 13, wherein the guide element is connected with a handle element.
17. The reel unit according to claim 1, wherein the reel unit can be adjusted on the holder, by turning or pivoting on an axis (SA) parallel or approximately parallel to the axis of the reel.
18. The reel unit according to claim 2, wherein the at least one line eyelet on the slide element is radially offset from the guide and that the slide guide with the slide can be adjusted by turning or pivoting on the axis of the guide.
19. A reel unit for a fishing line for use on a fishing rod, comprising a housing, a spool rotatably mounted on the housing that can be rotated via a gear unit by means of a hand crank for reeling in and reeling out the line, and a holder for mounting the reel unit to the fishing rod, whereby at least one line guide provided on the housing with a slide element guided on a guide parallel to the axis of the reel, on which slide element at least one line eyelet and one guide element are provided, which engages with at least one spiral-shaped guide on a shaft that can be driven via the gear unit, wherein the guide element can be moved manually from a state of being engaged with the guide to a state in which the guide element is outside of the at least one spiral-shaped guide.
20. The reel unit according to claim 19, wherein the guide element is pre-tensioned by at least one spring element for engaging in the at least one guide.
21. The reel unit according to claim 19, wherein the guide element is formed by a bolt, which is pre-tensioned in its engaged state by the at least one spring element.
22. The reel unit according to claim 19, wherein the guide element is connected with a handle element.
23. The reel unit according to claim 19, wherein the reel unit can be adjusted on the holder, by turning or pivoting on an axis (SA) parallel or approximately parallel to the axis of the reel.
24. The reel unit according to claim 18, wherein at least one line eyelet on the slide element is radially offset from the guide and that the slide guide with the slide can be adjusted by turning or pivoting on the axis of the guide.
25. A holder for a reel unit for use on a fishing rod, wherein the reel unit can be adjusted on the holder, namely by turning or pivoting on an axis (SA) parallel or approximately parallel to the axis of a spool of the reel unit.
26. The holder according to claim 13, wherein the holder can be mounted on the housing periphery.
27. The holder according to claim 13, wherein the holder comprises at least two clamping jaws for clamping to the housing periphery.
28. A fishing rod, comprising a reel unit according to claim 1.