CA1240947A - Ribbon cassette - Google Patents

Ribbon cassette

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Publication number
CA1240947A
CA1240947A CA000484465A CA484465A CA1240947A CA 1240947 A CA1240947 A CA 1240947A CA 000484465 A CA000484465 A CA 000484465A CA 484465 A CA484465 A CA 484465A CA 1240947 A CA1240947 A CA 1240947A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
ribbon
body portion
cassette
printer
printing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000484465A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Louis E. Shipos
Thomas J. Bossack
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
NCR Voyix Corp
Original Assignee
NCR Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NCR Corp filed Critical NCR Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1240947A publication Critical patent/CA1240947A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

RIBBON CASSETTE

Abstract of the Disclosure An operator changeable and disposable ribbon cassette serves as a protective guard and as a part of the cabinetry on an impact type printer. The ribbon cassette has a stuffing box cavity or chamber, a Mobius loop portion, a pair of elongated arms for guiding the ribbon in a path past the printing station and in a plane which is normal to the plane of the ribbon in the stuffing box chamber, drive means for pulling the ribbon past the printing station and into the chamber, and a shroud portion for covering the print head.

Description

RIBBOM cAssErrTE

Bac~ground of ~he Invention In the field of ink ribbons for printers, a ribbon supply spool and a ribbon take-up spool have been provided on opposite sides of a typing or print-ing station, together with means for reversing the direction of travel of the ribbon for repeated use thereof in an arrangement for the purpose of obtaining longer ribbon life~ Also, the ink ribbon has been made to travel along a line of printing wherein the spools are positioned beyond the ends of the printing line and the ribbon is caused to travel at an angle relative to the print line to utilize a greater por-tion of the ribbon width. However, in the case of certain high-speed printers, a ribbon substantially as wide as the line of printing may be used and caused to travel in a direction normal to the print line and along with the record media. Additionally, it has been common to provide ink carrying or containing means operably associated with the rihbon for main-taining or replenishing a supply of ink therein for proper and extended-life printing operations.
In present day printers, it is also common practice to provide and use a ribbon cassette carrying an endless ribbon which is caused to be driven past a printing station, and wherein the printing ribbon is either a pre-inked and disposable ribbon or a ribbon which is to be continuously or frequently re-inked during the printing operation. The ribbon cassette itself may be of the stuffing-box type wherein the ribbon is contained within the cassette in random manner and such ribbon is unfolded at the cassette exit and caused to be driven past the printing station and then guided back into the cassette to be folded again in random manner therein. Additionally, a ribbon may be utilized in a Mobius loop configuration ,~rJ,, within the cassette, the ribbon may be in substan-tially continuous contact with an inking core or like member, or the ribbon may have a plurality of coils thereof around a central core for controlled inking or re-inking of the ribbon.
Representative documentation relating to ribbon cassettes or cartridges includes United States Patent No. 1,067,664, issued to A. G. F. Xurowski on July 15, 1913, which discloses spring-urged pawl and ratchet means for removing slack in the ribbon.
United States Patent No~ 1,781,579, issued to G. F. Handley on November 11, 1930, discloses automat-ic means for taking up slack in the ribbon immediately after a reversing operation.
United States Patent No. 2,755,905, issued to J. Segui on July 24, 1956, shows an endless ribbon feeding device consisting of a flat case for attach-ment to the machine and having an inking pad, means for rotating the inking pad in a step-by-step method and two return pulleys over which the ribbon passes and which forces the ribbon to surround the inking pad along with a spring for maintaining the tension of the ribbon constant during printing operations.
United States Patent No. 3,720,954, issued to C. S. Czyryk on March 13, 1973, discloses a recording device having a disposable printing ribbon cartridge wherein the ribbon goes from a supply spool in a path that causes the ribbon to change direction a plurality of times before wrapping on the take-up spool.
United States Patent No. 3~726,381, issued to J. B. Murphy on April 10l 1973, discloses an ~ndless ribbon with a pair of drive rollers for continuously driving the ribbon during at least a portion of print-er operation.
United States Patent No. 3,804l227, issued to S. D. Cappotto et al. on April 16, 1974, discloses a ribbon tautness regulating roller with a lower tapered _ 3 _ section and an upper year separated by a circular flange and also including a tautness drive roller.
United States Patent No. 3,831,731, issued to R. H. Mack et al. on August 27, 1974, shows first ribbon tensioning means of V-shaped projections on an outer wall and second tensioning means of V~shaped projections cooperating with a V-shaped projection on an inner wall.
United States Patent No. 3,887,056 r issued to J~ Ho Lehmann on June 3, 1975, discloses a demount-able, pluggable tensioning and re-inking cartridge which includes a plurality of inking rollers operable with a tension roller, the cartridge being removably attached with the frame of associated apparatus. An adjustable self-tensloning means holds the ribbon in a taut condition in a printing position and holds the ribbon in frictional contact with the re-inking mem-bers. A brake member has block members with cooperat-ing irregular projections and recesses or lands and grooves to provide ribbon drag.
United States Patent No. 3,904,017, issued to T. E. Frechette on September 9, 1975, shows a ribbon cassette with a pre-threaded vibrator and ribbon feed means with the ribbon beiny placed in a stuffing condition in right and left housings.
United States Patent No. 3,918,569, issued to R~ L. Parker on November ll, 1975, discloses an end-less ribbon cartridge wherein the ribbon is wrapped around spaced rollers with a feed path from between the rollers and across the ends of extended arms.
United States Patent No. 3,941,231~ issued to G. C. Matuck et al. on March 2, 1976, discloses a ribbon cartridge for an endless loop ink ribbon where-in the ribbon is in a cartridge which includes elon~
gated guide members to confine the path of the loop of ribbon outside of the cartridge to a predetermined path and to allow for insertion of the cartridge into the machine without the necessity of threading the inked ribbon through fixed guides on the machine. The cartridge is of the stuffing-box type and includes drive rollers at one side of the cartridge and a friction block at the outlet of the cartridgeO
United States Patent No. 3,974,906, issued to S. L. Lee et al. on August 17, 1~76, shows an endless loop cartridge with random storage and wherein a pair of spaced guide means are used to provide for easy threading in a principal cavity of the cartridge and a secondary cavity prevents a loop of the ribbon from coming out of the cartridge in unsupported manner. A
pair of drive rollers receive the ribbon for driving thereof into the principal cavity and a spring is positioned with a surface at the exit end of the cartridge for providing friction on the inked ribbon.
- United States Patent No. 3,977~512, issued to L. O. Teagarden et al. on August 31, 1976, discloses a ribbon cassette mounted on a printer wherein the ribbon is formed in a Mobius loop and is driven by rollers to be randomly stuffed in the cassette chamber and a spring is used to provide proper ribbon tension.
United States Patent No. 3r989,132, issued to A. B. Carson on November 2, 1976, shows ribbon storage and transport mechanism wherein a ribbon cartridge includes drive rollers for driving the ribbon into a stuffing box cavity and a plurality of restrictors at the exit end of the cavity prevent the ribbon from jamming at the exit port. One embodiment of the invention includes a single dam positioned to restrict the path of the ribbon and a second embodiment con-sists of two dams to restrain the ribbon at the exit port in single unfolded manner under slight tension.
Means are also provided for inverting the ribbon inside the cartridge and to extend the ribbon useful-ness and life by presenting two ribbon edges to the print head. Further, the cartridge is designed to fit ~z~

over the print head and is supported by snap fasteners engaging corresponding sockets in the print head carrlage .
United States Patent No. 4,026,492, issued to J. L. Kern on May 31, 1977, diPcloses ribbon tension control means comprising a frictional drag member and a guide member for maintaining a substantially con-stant angle of contact between the drag member and the ribbon.
United States Patent No. 4,13Q,367, issued to G. Guerrini on December 19, 1978, shows guide elements comprising ribs projecting alternately from the base and cover and having edges to cooperate with one and the other face of the ribbon in the Mobius loop zone.
United States Patent No. 4,161,270, issued to R. H. Casey on July 17, 1979, discloses a ribbon stuf-fer cartridge with a planar triangular-shaped device to provide a Mobius loop and increased tension in the ribbon.
United States Patent No. 4,203,676, issued to W. A. Hatsell on May 20, 1980, discloses a ribbon cartridge for storing the ribbon and wherein a segment of the ribbon is carried by flexible members to rigid bridge mean~ which spans the print point.
United States Patent No. 4,212,420, issued to E. F. Flelinski on July 15, 1980, discloses the uni-formly Eolded ribbon feature and defines the flat roll springs.
United States Patent No. 4,212,550, issued to E. F. Helinski on July 15, 1980, also discloses the uniformly folded ribbon ~eature and defines the feed means for looping the ribbon.
United States Patent No. 4,279,522, issued to E. H. Yonkers on July 21, 1981, shows a ribbon car-tridge having a stuffing chamber and an adjacent Mobius loop channel.

United States Patent No. 4,284,364, issued to M. J. Rello on August 18, 1981, discloses a stuffed ribbon cartridge with flexible guide means for guiding the ribbon rom the storage area around a 90 twist, past the print station, and then around a similar twist when the ribbon enters the storage area.
United States Patent No. 4,351,619, issued to D. Duke et al. on September 28, 1982, discloses stacked loops of ribbon along with the Mobius loop in space and also the leaf spring to provide drag on the ribbon.
And, United States Patent No. 4,437,779, issued to W. Goff et al. on March 20, 1984, discloses a ribbon cartridge with drive rollers therein oriented to provide a twist in the ribbon adjacent the supply and takeup reels.

Summary of the Invention The present invention relates generally to ribbon cassette~ or cartridges for use in impact printers. More particularly, the present invention relates to an endless ribbon cassette which is removably connected to the printer cabinet, the cassette carrying the ribbon in "stuffing-box" manner and having exit and entrance ports for travel of the ribbon in a path past the printing station.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention~ there is provided a ribbon cassette having an endless ribbon adapted for use on a printer, comprising a body portion having a cavity for containing said ribbon oriented along a path therein in random manner and said body portion having ribbon entrance and exit ends, drive roller means for driving said ribbon into and out of said cavity, and elongated arm means extending in rigid manner from each side of said body portion at a right angle thereto for guiding said ribbon in a path from the ribbon exit end of the - 6a -body portion along a line of printing distal from the body portion and back to the ribbon entrance end and orienting the ribbon along the line oE printing at an angle substantially normal to the path thereoE in the cavity.
The ribbon cassette is made of molded plastic material and includes a "stuffing-box" cavity or chamber for storing the ribbon. The cassette has a shroud portion which acts as a protective cover for the printing apparatus and the cassette is formed with guide members to direct the ribbon at an angle normal to the plane of the ribbon in the cavity or chamber and in a path past the printing station. The cassette, being a part of and removably attached to the printer cabinet, provides for independent movement of the print head carriage and such carriage is simpli~ 7 10'13~

fied by reason of the cassette being supported ln separate manner. The cassette is formed to direct the ribbon in a path from the storage chamber through a Mobius loop portion and includes a pair of spaced guide arms extending in a direction at 90~ from the generally rectangular cavity portion to direct the ribbon in open space past the printing station.
The cassette includes a ribbon drive roller and a matching driven roller for driving the ribbon in continuous manner during the printing operation, such drive roller having a drive gear connected therewith and formed to mesh with a cassette drive gear on the printer to provide a simple positive connection for driving the ribbon in continuous operation. The cassette drive gear is connected in suitable manner to the print head carriage cam-line drive to provide the correct rotational speed for the ribbon cassette drive, which arrangement eli~inates the need for a separate cassette drive motor. The continuous drive to the cassette provides for more even use of the ribbon and permits a more uniform load on the drive motor. An additional gear is provided and is jour-naled in a position to mesh with the driven roller gear and is accessible from the front of the cassette by the operator to manually take up any slack in the ribbon.
In accordance with the above discussion, the principal object of the present invention is to pro-vide a ribbon cassette as a part of the cabinetry of a printer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon cassette for guiding the ribbon in a path past the line of printing.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon drive roller and drive means therefor which is simple and positive for driving the ribbon in continuous manner.

3~7 A further object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon cassette with means for covering the operating print head.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ribbon cassette with ribbon storage means and guide means in an arrangement to reduce the overall size of the printer~
Still an additional object of the present invention .is to provide a ribbon cassette having a body portion for containing the ribbon in one orienta-tion in random manner and guide means for directingthe ribbon outside the body portion in an orientation normal to the one orientation.
Still a further object of the present invention ~s to provide a ribbon cassette that in-cludes latch members to enable quick and easy changingof the cassette by the operator.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and fully understood from a reading of the following specifica-tion taken together with the annexed drawing.

Brie~_pescLlption of the ~awing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a printer carrying the ribbon cassette of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the ribbon cassette with portions of the cover removed to show certain o the interior parts;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the ribbon drive gears;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the plane 4-4 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane 5-5 of Fig. 2, ~LO~ 7 ~

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the ribbon cassette showing the ribbon drive gears;
Fig. 7 is a left side elevational view of the ribbon cassette;
Fig. 8 is a top plan view in reduced, diagrammatic form showing the ribbon cassette mounted on a receipt prînter;
Fig. 9 is a side elevational view in diagrammatic form of the structure of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of the ribbon cassette and showing the structure for providing a twist in the ribbon prior to passing thereof by the print station~

Description of_the Preferred Em~odiment Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a printer of the dot matrix type, generally designated as 10, and showing only a portion of the cover or cabinet to accentuate the parts of the present inven-tion and generally contained by an enclosure 12 which assumes a rectangular shape and provides protection for a compact high speed printer. A single drive motor (not shown) is used to provide the driving means for a dot matrix print head 64 (Fig. 8) and for the ribbon cassette, generally designated as 14. As is well-known in the art, the print head 64 and its associated carriage are caused to be driven in a side-to-side direction across the printer by means of a commonly used and continuously driven drum cam (not shown) connected with one side of a motor gear or like element (also not shown).
The printer 10 and the enclosure 12 include side frame members 16 and 18 (Fig. 1) joined by a front frame member 20, the several members providing support for the various elements of the printer in-cluding the ribbon cassette 14. The cassette 14 isformed to provide a generally rectangular shaped base or body portion 22 having side portions or walls 24 and 26 for carrying and containing a ribbon 28 in stuffing typ~ or random manner, as shown in Fig. 2.
More specifically, the ribbon 28 is caused to be contained within a cavity or chamber 30 in a folded or like layer manner so as to maintain control of the ribbon and prevent twisting or tangling thereof within the chamber. The ribbon cassette 14 has a cover 36 which includes a flat portion 38 for the chambPr 30 and a flat portion 40 (Fig~ 1) extending at an angle forwardly to cover an open portion of the cassette.
The cover 36 has a recessed portion 42 formed in the flat portions 38 and 40 to allow access by the opera-tor for manually advancing the ribbon 28 in a manner of taking up any slack therein.
The ribbon cassette 14 has a pair of elongated arms 48 and 50 extending forwardly in rigid manner from the body portion 22 for the purpose of guiding the ribbon 28 from the body portion in a path therefrom and past the printing station wherein the orientation of the ribbon therepast is changed to a plane normal to the plane of the ribbon as it exists in the body portion. The arms 48 and 50 are essen tially channel-shaped in form to contain the ribbon 28 therealong and include guide posts 52 and 54 (Fig. 6) approximately intermediate the ends of the channel shapes and also include slots 56 and 58 (Figs. 1 and 7) at the outer ends of the arms for causing the ribbon to be directed along a precise path past the printing station.
The ribbon cassette 14 also is formed to provide a shroud or covering 62 of generally rectangu~
lar shape (Fig. 1) extending across the cassette and connected as an integral part thereof at the rearward portions of the rigid, channel-shaped, ribbon guide arms 48 and 50. The shroud 62 is formed in rounded manner at the sides thereof (Figs. 2 and 6) to accom-.
3~'7 modate the shape of the print head 64 (Fig. 8) that iscaused to be moved in lateral direction (shown by the double arrow) during printing operation. The shroud 62 provides protection for the operator from the exposed parts and from the temperature of the print head 64 and a heat sink portion 66 (Fig. 6~ is provid-ed in the forward face of the shroud to enable trans-fer of heat from the print head. A pair of spring clips 70 and 72 (Figs. 2 and 6) are formed as an integral part of the body portion 22 for connecting or snapping into appropriate recesses provided in side frames 16 and 18 (Fig. 1) for retaining and supporting the ribbon cassette 14 in position on the printer 10.
Fig. 2 is the front elevational view of the cassette 14 and has portions of the cover 36 removed to illustrate certain of the interior working parts and the path of the ribbon 28 as it moves past the drive means through the cavity 30 and then through the Mobius loop section of the body portion 22. The ribbon drive means of the present invention includes a drive roller 80 (Fig. 3) and a driven roller 82 which are carriec~ on hollow shafts 84 and 86 journaled in the cover portion 38 and in the back portion or wall 88 of the cavity 30 oE the body portion 22. The drive roller 80 is connected in appropriate manner with the other side of the previously mentioned motor gear (not shown).
Fig. 3 illustrates the arrangement and structure of the drive roller 80 and of the driven roller 82 which cooperate to advance the ribbon 28, wherein, in effect, the drive roller 80 and the driven roller 82 pull the ribbon from the cavity 30 through the Mobius loop section past the printing station and then back into the cavity 30. The rollers 80 and 82 are substantially identîcal in form and the drive roller 80 includes a pair of rubber or like resilient flat washer-like elements 92 and 94 separated and ~L2~

supported by means of a plastic member 96 which member is positioned and contained within the body portion 22 by a wall portion 98 (FigO 2). The member 96 is further contained by a lip 100 on the bottom wall 102 S of the body portion 22 and by a curved projection 104 extending inwardly from the surface of the back wall 88. The driven roller 82 likewise includes a pair of rubber or like resilient flat elements 110 and 112 separated and supported by a plastic member 114 wh.ich is positioned and contained by a wall portion 116.
The member 114 is further contained by a lip 118 on the top wall 120 of the body portion 22 and by a curved projection 122 extending inwardly of the back wall 88. It should be noted that the cover portion 38 also includes like formed and positioned projections as 104 and 122 on the inside sur~ace thereof for containing the members 96 and 114. Plastic shims 124 and 126 ~Fig. 2) are provided in the space between the flat rubber element 92 and member 96 and between the rubber element 110 and member 114~ The members 96 and 114 also serve as strippers to prevent the ribbon 28 from adher:lng to the sur~ace of the rubber drive elements 92, 94 and 110, 112 and in effect pull the ribbon from the drive rollers as the ribbon is driven into the c:avity 30~
At the right side of the cavity 30 is a ribbon twist section 130 of the cassette 14 (Fig. 2) wherein the ribbon 28 is directed around a guide post 132 and is then turned or twisted in the Mobius loop manner by means of gates integrally formed on the body portion 22 and on the cover portion 38 of the cas-sette. The three gates 134, 136 and 138 are con-structed between the side wall 24 and a wall 140 forming an end wall of the cavity 30. The ribbon 28 thus follows a path from the cavity 30, around the guide post 132, through the Mobius loop section or passageway 130, through an exit passageway 142, past the printing station, through an entrance passageway 144 and back into the cavityO
An exploded view of the ribbon twist section 130 is illustrated in Fig. 10 wherein the first gate 134 (Fig. 2j is formed from a slanting portion 150 of the body portion 22 and a slanting portion 152 of the cover 38, the second or middle gate 136 is formed from a straight portion 154 of the body portion and a straight portion 156 of the cover, and the third gate 138 is formed from a slanting portion 15B (Fig. 5) of the body portion and a slanting portion 160 of the cover. The three gates 134, 136 and 138, while serv-ing to turn the ribbon 28 over, also tend to place a slight drag or tension on the ribbon, at least by the middle gate 136, so as to maintain the ribbon taut as it travels along the printing station 184 (Fig. 9).
Fig. 6 shows the rear side of the cassette wherein a drive gear 170 is connected with ~he drive roller 80 inside the cassette and a driven gear 172 is connected with the driven roller 82. A third gear 174 is positioned to mesh with and to drive the driven gear 172 in manual operation thereof by reason of the third gear being accesslble to the operator from the front of the cassette 14 through an opening in the recess 42 tFig. 1) for the purpose of advancing the ribbon 28 a certain amount or to take up any slack in the ribbon as may occur when installing the cassette on the printer 10.
Figs. 8 and 9 are reduced top and side views, in generally diagrammatic form, of the printer 10 carrying the ribbon cassette 14 of the present inven-tion. The shroud 62 of the cassette 14 covers the print head 64 as it travels back and forth across the printer 10 in the direction of the double arrow.
roll 180 (Fig. 9) of receipt paper is provided in a well 182 at the rear of the printer 10 and the paper is caused tv be advanced by appropriate drive mecha-i `\
`\ ~%~

nism (diagrammatically shown but not specificallydescribed as it forms no part of the present inven-tion) to the printing station 184 at the front or forward end of the print head 64~ While Figs. 8 and 9 show additional structure not required for the prac-tice of the present invention, such Figures illustrate the instal]ation of the ribbon cassette 14 on the printer 10 as allowing and p oviding for compactness of the overall printing apparatus. Fig. 9 also shows the 45 turn taken by the ribbon 28 as it exits from the ~obius loop section 130 (Fig. 2), while Fig. 7 shows the 45 turn of the ribbon as it reenters the body portion 22 of the cassette 14.
It is thus seen that herein shown and described is a ribbon cassette which is easily remov-able from the printer and which provides space for movement of the print head back and forth across the printer and wherein the ribbon is caused to be driven in a path from a cavity of the cassette past the printing station by rneans of the driving rollers which are included in and are a portion of the cassette.
The cassette i8 supported independent of movement of the print head carriage or assembly and the drive rollers receive motion in continuous manner from the carriage drive mechanism. The form and structure of the cassette with the elongated ribbon guide means allows and provides for reducing the overall size of the printer in a compact arrangement thereof predomi-nantly by reason that the ribbon assumes one orienta-tion within the body portion of the cassette andassumes an orientation at the printing station normal to said one orientation. The cassette as shown and described enables the accomplishment of the objects and advantages mentioned above, and while one embodi-ment of the invention has been disclosed herein,variations thereof beyond those herein mentioned may occur to those skilled in the art. It is contemplated that all such variations not departing from the spirit and scope of the invention hereof are to be construed in accordance with the following claims.

Claims (21)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A cassette having an endless ribbon adapted for use on a printer, comprising a body portion having a cavity for containing said ribbon oriented along a path therein in random manner and said body portion having ribbon entrance and exit ends, drive roller means for driving said ribbon into and out of said cavity, and elongated arm means extending in rigid manner from each side of said body portion at a right angle thereto for guiding said ribbon in a path from the ribbon exit end of the body portion along a line of printing distal from the body portion and back to the ribbon entrance end and orienting the ribbon along the line of printing at an angle substantially normal to the path thereof in the cavity.
2. The cassette of claim 1 including a cover portion carrying means for tensioning said ribbon adjacent the ribbon exit end of said body portion.
3. The cassette of claim 1 wherein said drive roller means are carried by said body portion and urged in ribbon driving relationship adjacent the ribbon entrance end of said body portion.
4. The cassette of claim 1 wherein said body portion is generally rectangular and is oriented along one plane and wherein said elongated arm means for guiding the ribbon comprise a rigid projection extending from each side of said body portion at the entrance and exit ends thereof for directing said ribbon along said line of printing in an orientation normal to the orientation of the ribbon in said one plane.
5. The cassette of claim 1 including a pair of latch members integral with said body portion for connecting thereof to said printer.
6. The cassette of claim 1 including a channel within the body portion adjacent the ribbon exit end thereof and means for twisting the ribbon when traveling through the channel.
7. The cassette of claim 1 wherein said drive roller means carry stripping elements thereon for pulling the ribbon from the drive rollers and into the cavity of the body portion.
8. The cassette of claim 6 wherein said ribbon twisting means comprise a plurality of gates through which the ribbon passes and wherein at least one of the gates is in sufficient contact with the surfaces of the ribbon to provide a drag effect thereon.
9. The cassette of claim 1 wherein the ribbon exit and entrance ends of said body portion each includes an angle portion for causing the ribbon to be turned at a right angle and said ribbon guiding means comprise an elongated arm extending from each side of the body portion and define a channel along the respective arm for carrying the ribbon toward and from the line of printing.
10. The cassette of claim 1 including an expanded portion adjacent the body portion for covering operating parts of the printer.
11. The cassette of claim 1 including means operably associated with the drive roller means for rotation by the operator to provide tension in the ribbon.
12. In a printer having printing means reciprocable thereacross, a ribbon cassette securely carried by said printer and having a body portion for containing an endless ribbon oriented along a path therein and having ribbon entrance and exit ends, drive roller means carried by said cassette for driving said endless ribbon in continuous manner past a line of printing, and elongated arm means extending in rigid manner from each side of said body portion at a right angle thereto for guiding said ribbon in a path from the ribbon exit end of the body portion along said line of printing distal from the body portion and back to the ribbon entrance end and oriented along the line of printing at an angle substantially normal to the path taken by the ribbon within the body portion of the cassette.
13. In the printer of claim 12 including means adjacent the ribbon exit end of said cassette for tensioning said ribbon along said line of printing.
14. In the printer of claim 12 wherein said cassette includes a body portion having a cavity therein for containing said ribbon in random manner.
15. In the printer of claim 12 wherein said means for driving comprise a pair of drive rollers carried by the body portion adjacent the ribbon entrance end thereof and operable with each other for driving said ribbon therebetween.
16. In the printer of claim 12 wherein said body portion is generally rectangular and is oriented along one plane and wherein said elongated arm means for guiding said ribbon comprise a pair of rigid projections extending from the ribbon exit end and from the ribbon entrance end of said cassette for training said ribbon along the line of printing in an orientation normal to the orientation of the ribbon in the body portion of the cassette.
17. In the printer of claim 12 wherein the ribbon cassette includes a passageway within the body portion adjacent the ribbon exit end thereof and means for twisting the ribbon as it travels through the passageway.
18. In the printer of claim 17 wherein the ribbon twisting means comprise a plurality of gates through which the ribbon passes and wherein at least one of the gates is in sufficient contact with the surfaces of the ribbon to provide a drag effect thereon.
19. In the printer of claim 12 wherein the ribbon exit and entrance ends of the body portion each includes an angle portion for causing the ribbon to be turned at a right angle and the ribbon guiding means comprise an elongated arm extending from each side of the body portion and define a channel along each arm for carrying the ribbon toward and from the line of printing.
20. In the printer of claim 12 wherein the ribbon cassette includes a shroud portion adjacent the body portion for covering operating parts of the printer.
21. In the printer of claim 12 wherein the ribbon cassette includes gear means operably associated with the drive roller means for rotation by the operator to provide tension in the ribbon.
CA000484465A 1984-08-27 1985-06-19 Ribbon cassette Expired CA1240947A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US64488184A 1984-08-27 1984-08-27
US644,881 1984-08-27

Publications (1)

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CA1240947A true CA1240947A (en) 1988-08-23

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000484465A Expired CA1240947A (en) 1984-08-27 1985-06-19 Ribbon cassette

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JP (1) JPS6161883A (en)
CA (1) CA1240947A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5215391A (en) * 1992-07-06 1993-06-01 Ncr Corporation Ribbon cassette

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0719807Y2 (en) * 1989-03-15 1995-05-10 三菱鉛筆株式会社 Ink ribbon cassette

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5943159B2 (en) * 1982-04-23 1984-10-19 東ソー株式会社 Optical resolution method for amino acid esters

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5215391A (en) * 1992-07-06 1993-06-01 Ncr Corporation Ribbon cassette

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS6161883A (en) 1986-03-29

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