Tag tool protective device, system, and method

Abstract

A protective assembly for a tag tool includes a shoe, a shoe spring coupled to the shoe, a tag spring, and a thimble. The shoe includes a shoe bore extending through a distal end of the shoe, where the shoe is adapted to attach to a tag tool having a tag tool needle extending from the tool. The tag spring is coupled to the shoe adjacent the shoe spring and distal ends of the shoe spring and tag spring define an opening to receive a product tag therebetween. The distal end of the tag spring and the shoe define a slot to receive a product material therebetween. The thimble is adapted to move through the shoe bore in response to a force applied to a distal end of the thimble and transmit at least a portion of the force to the tag spring and the shoe spring.

1. A protective assembly for a tag tool comprising:
 a shoe comprising a shoe bore extending through a distal end of the shoe, the shoe adapted to attach to a tag tool having a tag tool needle extending from the tool, the shoe bore having a centerline substantially aligned with a longitudinal dimension of the tag tool needle; 
 a shoe spring coupled to the shoe; 
 a tag spring coupled to the shoe adjacent the shoe spring, wherein distal ends of the shoe spring and tag spring define an opening to receive a product tag therebetween, the distal end of the tag spring adjacent the shoe, the distal end of the tag spring and the shoe defining a slot to receive a product material therebetween; and 
 a thimble coupled to the shoe and adapted to move through the shoe bore in response to a force applied to a distal end of the thimble and transmit at least a portion of the force to the tag spring and the shoe spring. 
 
     
     
       2. The protective assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a thimble tip coupled to the distal end of the thimble, the thimble tip adapted to receive the force and transmit the force to the thimble. 
     
     
       3. The protective assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a thimble spring disposed over the thimble, the thimble spring adapted to constrict to a compressed state in response to the force applied to the thimble and extend to an uncompressed state in response to release of the force from the thimble, the thimble spring urging the thimble through the shoe bore away from the tag spring as the thimble spring extends from the compressed state to the uncompressed state. 
     
     
       4. The protective assembly of  claim 1 , the tag spring and the shoe spring comprising corresponding slots substantially aligned therethrough, the tag spring and the shoe spring adapted to be impaled over the tag tool needle through the corresponding slots in response to the portion of the force transmitted to the tag spring and the shoe spring from the thimble. 
     
     
       5. The protective assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tag spring and the shoe spring are adapted to secure the product tag therebetween without support of the product tag by a user. 
     
     
       6. The protective assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe and the shoe spring are adapted to secure the product material therebetween without support of the product material by a user. 
     
     
       7. A product tagging system comprising
 a tag tool comprising a housing and a tag tool needle extending from the housing; and 
 a protective assembly comprising:
 a shoe attached to the tag tool and comprising a shoe bore extending through a distal end of the shoe, the shoe bore having a centerline substantially aligned with a longitudinal dimension of the tag tool needle; 
 a shoe spring coupled to the shoe; 
 a tag spring coupled to the shoe adjacent the shoe spring, wherein distal ends of the shoe spring and tag spring define an opening to receive a product tag therebetween, the distal end of the tag spring adjacent the shoe, the distal end of the tag spring and the shoe defining a slot to receive a product material therebetween; and 
 a thimble coupled to the shoe and adapted to move through the shoe bore in response to a force applied to a distal end of the thimble and transmit at least a portion of the force to the tag spring and the shoe spring to move the tag spring and the shoe spring over a sharpened end of the tag tool needle. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , further comprising a thimble tip coupled to the distal end of the thimble, the thimble tip adapted to receive the force and transmit the force to the thimble. 
     
     
       9. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , further comprising a thimble spring disposed over the thimble, the thimble spring adapted to constrict to a compressed state in response to the force applied to the thimble and extend to an uncompressed state in response to the force released from the thimble, the thimble spring urging the thimble through the shoe bore away from the tag spring as the thimble spring extends from the compressed state to the uncompressed state. 
     
     
       10. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , the tag spring and the shoe spring comprising corresponding slots substantially aligned therethrough, wherein the tag spring and the shoe spring are impaled on a portion of the tag tool needle through the corresponding slots in response to the portion of the force transmitted to the tag spring and the shoe spring from the thimble. 
     
     
       11. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , wherein the tag spring and the shoe spring are adapted to secure the product tag therebetween without support of the product tag by a user. 
     
     
       12. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , wherein the tag spring and the shoe are adapted to secure the product material therebetween without support of the product material by a user. 
     
     
       13. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , wherein the tag tool needle is held substantially stationary in the housing as the tag spring and shoe spring move over the sharpened end of the tag tool needle. 
     
     
       14. The product tagging system of  claim 7  further comprising a needle container, the needle container comprising:
 a tube adapted to receive at least a portion of the tag tool needle; and 
 a cap substantially enclosing a first end of the tube. 
 
     
     
       15. The product tagging system of  claim 14 , wherein the tube is adapted to enclose at least two tag tool needles. 
     
     
       16. The product tagging system of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the shoe is integrally formed with a portion of the housing. 
     
     
       17. The product tagging system of  claim 16 , wherein the shoe and the housing are integrally formed as a two-piece clam shell. 
     
     
       18. A method for using a tag tool comprising:
 providing a tag tool system comprising:
 a housing; 
 a tag tool needle extending from the housing; and 
 a protective assembly comprising:
 a shoe attached to the housing and comprising a shoe bore extending through a distal end of the shoe, the shoe bore having a centerline substantially aligned with a longitudinal dimension of the tag tool needle; 
 a shoe spring coupled to the shoe; 
 a tag spring coupled to the shoe adjacent the shoe spring, wherein distal ends of the shoe spring and tag spring define an opening, the distal end of the tag spring adjacent the shoe, the distal end of the tag spring and the shoe defining a slot; and 
 a thimble coupled to the shoe and having a centerline substantially aligned with the centerline of the shoe bore; and 
 
 
 applying a force to a distal end of the thimble to urge at least a portion of the thimble through the shoe bore, wherein the thimble transmits at least a portion of the force to the tag spring and the shoe spring to move the tag spring and the shoe spring over a sharpened end of the tag tool needle. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 inserting a product tag in the opening; 
 securing the product tag between the tag spring and the shoe spring without additional support; 
 inserting a product material in the slot; and 
 securing the product material between the tag spring and the shoe without additional support. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , the tag tool needle comprising a used tag tool needle, the method further comprising replacing the used tag tool needle with a new tag tool needle without human contact of the used tag tool needle or the new tag tool needle. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , the tag tool system further comprising a needle container including a tube and a cap, the tube having open first and second ends, the cap adapted to enclose one of the open first and second ends, wherein replacing the used tag tool needle with a new tag tool needle without human contact of the used tag tool needle or the new tag tool needle comprises:
 inserting the open first end of the tube through the shoe bore; 
 inserting the open first end of the tube over the used tag tool needle extended from the housing; 
 releasing at least a portion of the used tag tool needle into the tube through the open first end; and 
 withdrawing the tube including the used tag tool needle through the shoe bore. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , the needle container further comprising the new tag tool needle enclosed within the tube, the cap enclosing the open second end of the tube, wherein replacing the used tag tool needle with a new tag tool needle without human contact of the used tag tool needle or the new tag tool needle comprises:
 removing the cap from the open second end of the tube to expose at least a portion of the new tag tool needle from the open second end; 
 inserting the open second end of the tube through the shoe bore; 
 securing the portion of the new tag tool needle in the housing; and 
 withdrawing the tube through the shoe bore. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 20 , wherein replacing the used tag tool needle with a new tag tool needle without human contact of the used tag tool needle or the new tag tool needle comprises replacing the used tag tool needle with a new tag tool needle without human contact of the used tag tool needle and the new tag tool needle.