EP0013300B1 - Elément d'impression à roue porte-caractères en cartouche - Google Patents

Elément d'impression à roue porte-caractères en cartouche Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0013300B1
EP0013300B1 EP79104063A EP79104063A EP0013300B1 EP 0013300 B1 EP0013300 B1 EP 0013300B1 EP 79104063 A EP79104063 A EP 79104063A EP 79104063 A EP79104063 A EP 79104063A EP 0013300 B1 EP0013300 B1 EP 0013300B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cartridge
print
element according
print element
opening
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
EP79104063A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0013300A1 (fr
Inventor
Adolph Broaddus Habich
Ronald Eugene Hunt
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.)
Lexmark International Inc
Original Assignee
International Business Machines 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 International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Publication of EP0013300A1 publication Critical patent/EP0013300A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0013300B1 publication Critical patent/EP0013300B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J1/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the mounting, arrangement or disposition of the types or dies
    • B41J1/22—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the mounting, arrangement or disposition of the types or dies with types or dies mounted on carriers rotatable for selection
    • B41J1/24—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the mounting, arrangement or disposition of the types or dies with types or dies mounted on carriers rotatable for selection the plane of the type or die face being perpendicular to the axis of rotation
    • B41J1/246—Cartridges for the carriers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the printing elements and more particularly it relates to an element consisting of a printing wheel with radial carrier tabs contained in a cartridge, whether during storage or in use in a printer.
  • the cartridge described in this patent of the prior art comprises a flexible blade which is in contact with an elevated central part of the central hub of the printing wheel.
  • the cartridge has a cutout formed in the upper part of its front face, for the passage of a printing hammer and a central opening also formed in its front face to receive the drive hub of a selection motor and a part of the central hub.
  • Locating and driving means are associated with both the central hub of the print wheel and the drive hub and the print wheel moves away from the front face of the cartridge during printing.
  • U.S. patents Our. 3,793,951, 3,805,698 show chain or belt printing elements contained in a cartridge
  • U.S. Patents Our. 3,860,248 and 3,730,602 and the U.S. model No. 229,427 discloses a cartridge for a magnetic recording disc of the type presented in the U.S. patent. No. 3 797 035, which disc can be placed in this cartridge before and after recording.
  • the U.S. Patent No. 4074798 presents a printing wheel of the type with radial character tabs comprising a substantial central hub not associated with a cartridge.
  • the U.S. Patent No. 4 124 312 describes a removable printing element for a hammer printer, comprising a wheel with radial character-carrying tabs and a cartridge which permanently and almost completely encloses the latter, said wheel being axially movable in the cartridge and pushed elastically by a spring against one of the faces of the cartridge.
  • This face of the cartridge has a frustoconical opening in which is housed the correspondingly shaped hub of the wheel.
  • the wheel is moved away from the wall of the cartridge by the pushing of a drive shaft which ensures the rotation of the wheel.
  • None of the printing elements described in the aforementioned documents have means for ensuring the positive locking of the printing wheel relative to the cartridge in a predetermined invariable angular position around its axis when printing does not take place. . Indeed, although the spring thrust, in the device of the patent of the USA. No. 4 124 312, generates friction forces between the hub and the opening in which the latter is housed during periods of non-use of the printing element, these forces cannot be considered sufficient to ensure positive locking of the wheel is mainly to ensure positive locking of the wheel in a predetermined invariable angular position around its axis of rotation.
  • the subject of the invention is a removable printing element for a hammer-type printer, of the type described in US Pat. No. 4,124,312, namely, consisting of a wheel with radial character-carrying tongues and a cartridge enclosing almost completely the wheel.
  • the latter is axially movable in the cartridge and it is pushed by a spring towards one of the faces of the cartridge.
  • the printing element according to the invention is characterized in that said face of the cartridge comprises an orientation opening of asymmetrical shape and the face of the wheel which is adjacent to it comprises a relief orientation element of complementary shape to that of said orientation opening and located opposite the latter; said raised orientation element being intended to fit into said orientation opening under the thrust of said spring and thus block the wheel inside the cartridge in a predetermined invariable angular position around its axis, when the printing element is not used for printing, said relief orientation element emerging from said orientation opening when the wheel is moved away from said face of the cartridge for printing.
  • FIG. 1 the cartridge is referenced 1, the printing wheel 2 and the drive hub of the selection motor 3.
  • the cartridge 1 and the printing wheel 2 form the printing element of the present invention.
  • the wheel 2 is housed and rotated in the cartridge 1 by the hub 3, which is part of a printer.
  • the motor Before this assembly, the motor must however be removed or tilted to leave sufficient free space in the region of the printing device, allowing the operator to change or install the printing element. Even in this case, the space freed up is not important and the operation can prove to be very messy. Even after these disassembly and reassembly operations have been carried out, the simple manipulation of the printing element which has been removed from the machine can be very messy.
  • the printing element of the present invention provides substantial assistance in solving the above problems. Not taking into account the problem specific to the removal of the motor, the space to be freed for the introduction of the cartridge is no longer a critical factor since the cartridge is designed to be introduced vertically into a printer. In addition, since the print wheel is almost entirely contained in the cartridge, changing the cartridge is no longer a messy operation.
  • the housing 4 has a front face 6 in which are formed a positioning opening 7 and a cutout 8 for the passage of a striking hammer.
  • the front face 6 is arranged opposite a printing device which comprises a selection motor and a striking hammer carried by a printer carriage.
  • the cutout 8 allows the passage of the hammer which is used in a well known manner to ensure printing.
  • the positioning opening 7 is somewhat in the shape of an arrow head and is formed approximately in the center of the face 6. The opening 7 cooperates with the printing element 2 to ensure and maintain an appropriate positioning of the printing element 2 when the cartridge is not in use, as will be described later.
  • the cartridge 1 has an open bottom used for introducing and removing the printing element 2.
  • cut corners 13 and 14 and the corresponding cut corners of the rear face 5 have two functions. First of all these cut corners reduce the weight of the cartridge which is carried by the printer carriage during printing operations. Then, they guide the cartridge in its housing in the carriage when said cartridge is introduced into the machine.
  • the upper part of the front housing 4 has two ramp sections 16 and 17 starting from the recesses 11 and 12 and converging towards the raised central part of the housing 4 in which the cutout 8 is formed which has lateral sides 18 and 19 and a lower side 20.
  • the dimensions of the cutout 8 are such that they allow the passage of a hammer during printing, but practically prevent any manual contact of the printing element 2 by the operator.
  • the ramp sections 16 and 17 protect the upper part of the printing element 2 when the latter is housed in the cartridge and ensure the best possible vision of the writing line.
  • the housing 4 carries the ribbon guide 21 which can be produced from a suitably shaped metal rod. Passing momentarily to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the body of the case 4 has supports 22 and 23 in which the ends of the ribbon guide are fixed.
  • the ribbon guide 21 guides the printing ribbon during the passages of this last towards its high or low position relative to the blank 8 during the printing operations.
  • a paper guide screen 24 is integral with the upper part of the rear face 5.
  • a printing window 25 is centered horizontally in the paper guide 24 and aligned with the cutout 8.
  • the window 25 must be arranged so as to be able to be aligned with the platen of the printer and must have a sufficient width to, when executing printing operations on the fly, allow the rebound of a print character tab without the latter does not come into contact with one side of the window 25. While satisfying these requirements, the window 25 must be of sufficiently small dimensions to limit the operator's access to the printing element 2.
  • the front face 6 and rear face 5 are sufficiently close together to limit the operator's access to the printing element 2 from the top or from the bottom of the cartridge 1. Therefore, when the printing element 2 is housed in the cartridge 1, the only part of said printing element being able to be touched by the operator during normal handling of the cartridge is the part accessible through the opening 7.
  • the printing element 2 which, as indicated above, is intended to be housed and rotated in the cartridge 1 during the printing operations. When it is rotated, the printing element 2 is placed midway between the front 6 and rear 5 sides of the cartridge 1.
  • the printing element 2 consists of a central hub 26 to which are attached radial tabs or petals 27 which bear at their outer ends printing characters 28 used for printing in a well known manner.
  • the characters 28 of the tabs 27 are arranged on the printing side of the element 2.
  • the opposite side is the impact side.
  • the structure of the tongues 27 is such that it allows them to be struck by a striking hammer.
  • the central hub 26 is in the form of a circular cup having a peripheral rim 55 to which are attached the tongues 27.
  • the hub 26 has, on its convex face, a raised element 29 ensuring the correct positioning (or orientation) of the element 2.
  • This relief element 29 is therefore on the impact side of the element 2, surrounds its axis of rotation and its periphery is in the shape of an arrowhead and corresponds to the shape of the opening 7 of the cartridge 1.
  • the element in relief 29 can fit into the opening 7.
  • the asymmetrical shapes of the element in relief 29 and the opening 7 ensure the installation of the element 2 in the cartridge 1 in the appropriate angular position.
  • a circular recess 30 is formed in the relief element 29.
  • the axis of rotation of the element 2 passes through the center of this recess, the bottom of which is formed by the hub 26.
  • This recess 30 also has a radial extension 43 At the center of the recess 30, there is a ring 31 with an inner bowl 32 having a bottom 33.
  • the bowl 32 is centered on the axis of rotation of the element 2 (see FIG. 6) and is deeper than the 'depression 30.
  • the cup 32 is intended to receive the drive shaft of a selection motor which passes through the hub 3 to center and avoid the buckling of the element 2 in a manner which will be described in detail later.
  • the drive hub 3 is formed by a cylinder 34 with a flange 35.
  • a central passage 36 in the shape of a D passes axially through the cylinder 34 and the flange 35.
  • the passage 36 receives the drive shaft 37, of corresponding shape, from a selection motor.
  • the shape of the passage 36 and of the shaft 37 allows the latter to rotate the hub 3.
  • the hub 3 can be glued to the shaft 37. If the fitting of the shaft 37 in the passage 32 is sufficiently tight and sufficiently deep, the element 2 is stabilized in a radial direction perpendicular to its axis of rotation. That is to say, any risk of the element 2 becoming clouded is considerably reduced. Since the front 6 and rear 5 faces of the cartridge are very close together, any veiling of the element 2 on the shaft 37 would cause wear, breakage and braking when the said printing element rotates.
  • the flange 35 carries a radial arm 39 which itself carries at its outer end a drive finger 40 designed to be housed in the hole 41 ( Figure 2) formed in the element 2.
  • the hole 41 is formed in the end of the extension 43 of the recess 30 and passes through the element 2.
  • the finger 40 introduced into the hole 41, when the hub 36 is driven in rotation by the shaft 37, causes the drive in rotation of the element 2.
  • the finger 40 and the hole 41 are of corresponding shapes, that is to say on two straight sides connected by two parts in an arc.
  • the width of the hole 41 is only slightly greater than that of the finger 40 in order to reduce the clearance between the element 2 and the hub 3 during the driving in rotation of the element 2 by the hub 3. However, in order to compensate for variations in tolerances, the height of the hole 41 somewhat exceeds that of the finger 40.
  • the flat sides of these two elements constitute sufficient driving contact surfaces making it possible to reduce wear and indentation.
  • the rigidity of the arm 39 is increased by the rib 42.
  • the extension 43 of the depression 30 is wide enough to receive, without friction, the rib 42.
  • the outside diameter of the flange 35 is larger than the inside diameter 44 of the recess 30.
  • the surface 45 of the flange 35 bears against the surface of the raised element 29 to ensure radial alignment and stabilization of element 2 in order to further reduce the risks of warping.
  • Good contact between the surface 45 and the corresponding surface of the raised element 29 is facilitated by the spring 48 which applies the element 2 against the hub 3.
  • the function of the spring 48 will be described in more detail below.
  • the shape of the recess 30 has the effect of reducing the weight of the element 2.
  • the inner part of the collar 35 is hollowed out to reduce the weight. Any reduction in weight results in an improved response time with regard to starting and stopping the rotation of element 2.
  • FIG. 2 shows the rear face or printing face 56 of the printing element 2.
  • the rear face 56 carries a pin 46 placed at the center of the recess 47 of the hub 26.
  • the pin 46 extends slightly beyond the plane of the tongues 27 and is designed to operate in association with the spring 48 disposed in the cartridge 1 ( Figures 1 and 3).
  • the pin 46 is composed of a cylindrical part ending in a spherical section 50.
  • the spherical section 50 acts as a bearing for the element 2 against the flexible blade or spring 48 during the rotation of the element 2.
  • the spring 48 bears against the spherical section 50 and maintains the element 2 in the locked condition in the cartridge 1.
  • the spring 48 is a flexible blade with a curved central part 51 oriented towards the opening 7 and facing the latter. This curved part 51 bears against the interior surface of the front face 6 of the cartridge.
  • the rear face 5 has a rectangular recess 52 which receives and maintains the spring 48 in a desired position relative to the opening 7. That is to say that the spring 48 will remain in place and oriented correctly both when it is curved as shown in the figures and when it is loaded and deformed by the printing element contained in the cartridge 1 between the spring 48 and the front face 6.
  • the ends 57 and 58 of the spring 48 are housed in the recess 52 and are supported on the inner surface of the rear face 5.
  • the recess 52 is long enough to receive the spring 48 when the latter is loaded and deformed by the printing element and the spring 48 is sufficiently long to ensure a gradual ramp.
  • the ends 57 and 58 are retained in the recess 52 by the contact between the front face 6 of the cartridge and the curved part 51 of the spring 48.
  • the orientation and the length of the spring 48 and the extent of the part curved 51 are such that the spring 48 acts as a ramp for the spherical end 50 of the pin 46 of the element 2, in order to guide the element in relief 29 towards the opening 7 during the introduction of the element 2 in cartridge 1.
  • the force exerted by the spring 40 must be surpassed.
  • the spherical end 50 of the pin 46 moves on the curved part 51.
  • the end 57 of the spring 48 being housed in the recess 52, there will be no no attachment between the part 50 and the end 57.
  • the spring 48 pushes and guides the element 29 into the opening 7.
  • the element 29 engages in the opening 7 this causes the locking of the element 2. in the desired orientation or angular position in the cartridge 1.
  • the printing assembly formed of the element 2 and of the cartridge 1 is ready to be used on a printer or stored.
  • the width of the spring 48 is of great importance for the introduction of a printing element into an empty cartridge.
  • the width of the spring 48 must be sufficient to prevent the passage of a printing tab 27 through the opening 7 during the introduction of the element 2 into the cartridge 1. If the spring 48 is comparatively narrow with respect to at the opening 7, the tongues pourrount be offset from the plane of the assembly of the tongues To eliminate this risk, the spring 48 of the embodiment illustrated here is wider than the opening 7. This allows all the tongues adjacent to the opening 7 to stay in the same plane.
  • the orientation of the spring 48 relative to the tongues 27 is also important. Indeed, since the tongues 27 are arranged radially, there will be no attachment between them and the spring 48 if the latter is oriented parallel to the direction of introduction of the element 2 into the cartridge .
  • the cartridge 1 in which the element 2 is locked is inserted into the housing provided for this purpose in print wheel printers. Then, the drive hub 3 and the selection motor and the shaft which are connected to it are brought to the central hub 26. The shaft 37 enters the bowl 32, the finger 40 in the hole 41 and the surface 45 comes into contact with the surface of the element in relief 29. The continuation of the movement of the hub 3 in the same direction will cause the vertical extension of the ends 57 and 58 of the spring 48 by the spherical end 50 of the pin 46 of the element 2. Finally, the element in relief 29 will be released from the opening 7 and the element 2 will thus be unlocked so as to be able to rotate in the cartridge 1. During the rotation of the element 2 for selection and printing, the arm 39 and the finger 40 are arranged in the cartridge 1 and the spring 48 acts as a bearing for the spherical end 50 of the stud 46.
  • the cup-shaped structure of the central hub 26 has a number of advantages.
  • One of these advantages is due to the design of the arrangement presented here and consists in the fact that the printing element 2 taken as a whole can be relatively thin while resisting warping.
  • the thickness of the central hub 26, apart from the raised element 29 and the pin 46 can be essentially equal to the total thickness of the element 2.
  • Another advantage lies in the fact that the element relief 29 is brought closer to the positioning opening 7. This reduces the risk of interference between the rest of the printing element 2 and the cartridge 1.
  • the rest of the printing element 2 is separated from the spring 48 during the rotation of the element 2.
  • the relief element 29 is pressed with the thumb to cause the element 2 to be unlocked and a downward movement is exerted. If the lower part of the outer periphery of the element 2 is relatively close to the bottom 15 of the cartridge when the element 2 is locked in it, a very slight downward movement of the element is sufficient to provide a sufficient input area for the operator.

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  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
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EP79104063A 1978-12-11 1979-10-19 Elément d'impression à roue porte-caractères en cartouche Expired EP0013300B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US96832078A 1978-12-11 1978-12-11
US968320 1978-12-11

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0013300A1 EP0013300A1 (fr) 1980-07-23
EP0013300B1 true EP0013300B1 (fr) 1982-05-05

Family

ID=25514067

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP79104063A Expired EP0013300B1 (fr) 1978-12-11 1979-10-19 Elément d'impression à roue porte-caractères en cartouche

Country Status (9)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0013300B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5579158A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AU (1) AU526345B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BR (1) BR7908070A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA1128449A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2962729D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES486711A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT1165390B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
MA (1) MA18622A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH627687A5 (fr) * 1978-12-20 1982-01-29 Hermes Precisa International Dispositif de mise en place et de fixation d'un disque d'impression.

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3986593A (en) * 1975-05-14 1976-10-19 Pitney-Bowes, Inc. Snap-action fastener assembly
DE2639872C2 (de) * 1976-09-04 1978-09-21 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Schreibwerk mit einer Typenscheibe
US4127335A (en) * 1977-02-10 1978-11-28 Xerox Corporation Impact printer with cartridge print wheel
US4124312A (en) * 1977-02-10 1978-11-07 Xerox Corporation Impact printer with print wheel cartridge

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH0151345B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1989-11-02
EP0013300A1 (fr) 1980-07-23
JPS5579158A (en) 1980-06-14
IT7927737A0 (it) 1979-11-30
DE2962729D1 (en) 1982-06-24
AU526345B2 (en) 1983-01-06
AU5303379A (en) 1980-06-19
MA18622A1 (fr) 1980-07-01
ES486711A1 (es) 1980-06-16
IT1165390B (it) 1987-04-22
BR7908070A (pt) 1980-07-22
CA1128449A (en) 1982-07-27

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