EP0109329A2 - Mécanisme d'entraînement équilibré pour tête d'impression - Google Patents

Mécanisme d'entraînement équilibré pour tête d'impression Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0109329A2
EP0109329A2 EP83402116A EP83402116A EP0109329A2 EP 0109329 A2 EP0109329 A2 EP 0109329A2 EP 83402116 A EP83402116 A EP 83402116A EP 83402116 A EP83402116 A EP 83402116A EP 0109329 A2 EP0109329 A2 EP 0109329A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
print head
print
resonant frequency
spring
sinusoidal
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP83402116A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0109329A3 (fr
Inventor
John Michael Read
John Anthony Popelish
Paul Erner Caulier
Donald Eugene Miller
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.)
Genicom Corp
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Genicom 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 General Electric Co, Genicom Corp filed Critical General Electric Co
Publication of EP0109329A2 publication Critical patent/EP0109329A2/fr
Publication of EP0109329A3 publication Critical patent/EP0109329A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

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
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/001—Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface
    • B41J25/006—Mechanisms for bodily moving print heads or carriages parallel to the paper surface for oscillating, e.g. page-width print heads provided with counter-balancing means or shock absorbers
    • 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
    • B41J19/00—Character- or line-spacing mechanisms
    • B41J19/18—Character-spacing or back-spacing mechanisms; Carriage return or release devices therefor
    • B41J19/20—Positive-feed character-spacing mechanisms
    • B41J19/30—Electromagnetically-operated mechanisms
    • B41J19/305—Linear drive mechanisms for carriage movement
    • 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
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/22—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of impact or pressure on a printing material or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/23—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of impact or pressure on a printing material or impression-transfer material using print wires
    • B41J2/235—Print head assemblies
    • B41J2/245—Print head assemblies line printer type

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to an improved print head drive system for a shuttle dot matrix type printer and, more particularly, to such a drive system in which the print head and drive mechanism have equal masses and are mounted on springs to provide a mechanically balanced system wherein the print head array oscillates or reciprocates with a sinusoidal motion at a' resonant frequency corresponding to that of the desired printing rate determined from throughput requirements and character geometry.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4, 306, 497 there is disclosed an attempt to provide a dynamically balanced dot matrix printer wherein the print head is connected by E-shaped plate springs to a balancing mass which, in turn, is connected by similar springs to a base structure; furthermore, the print head is specifically driven at a frequency other than the mechanical resonant frequency of the system.
  • the Hewlett Packard Company has announced a Model 2608A dot matrix line printer wherein print hammer assemblies are mounted on a core bar which is driven back and forth by a voice coil type linear motor, and wherein both the core bar and the linear motor housing are attached to the printer casting by stiff flexure springs; however, there;is no indication that the system is balanced by a counterweight or otherwise, or that the core bar is driven at the natural or resonant frequency of the system.
  • the broad object of the invention is to provide an improved print head array drive system for a shuttle matrix printer wherein a resonant spring mass system is used in conjunction with a simple reciprocating drive device to obtain a large oscillatory displacement of the print head at a stable oscillating frequency.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved drive mechanism wherein the print head and drive device form a balanced mass system which is driven to oscillate with sinusoidal motion at the system's natural or resonant frequency corresponding to a desired print rate.
  • a more specific object of the invention is to provide such an improved drive mechanism wherein the print head includes the core of a linear motor which is energized by sinusoidal alternating current at the resonant frequency corresponding to the desired print rate, and wherein both the print head and the motor coil are mounted on leaf springs fixed to the frame of the printer.
  • a still more specific object is to provide such an improved drive mechanism wherein the core comprises a permanent magnet, and wherein a counterweight is added to the coil to make the masses of the print head and coil equal.
  • FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • a shuttle print head 10 comprises an array or plurality of printing elements 12 which are shown opposite a line of print 14 which, typically, would be on an incrementally driven section of paper backed by a striker bar or rigid backstop. During printing, the print head 10 is reciprocated or oscillated in the directions indicated by the arrow A.
  • the printing elements when selectively energized impact the paper through an inked ribbon to produce printed indicia at equally spaced column locations on the record medium or paper.
  • Print head 10 is fixed to an aluminum rod 16 which, in t'urn, is fixed to a permanent magnet 18 which forms the movable core or armature of a reciprocating linear drive motor 20 including a drive coil 22 which is energized by an alternating current signal 44 having a frequency equal to one of the above noted resonant frequencies corresponding to a desired print rate.
  • a counterweight 26 is fixed to the coil 22 so that the mass of the coil and counterweight is equal to that of the print head array assembly including print head 10, rod 16 and permanent magnet 18.
  • Print head 10 is supported by a pair of leaf springs 28 and 30 which are fixed to the frame 32 of the printing apparatus, and the print head drive coil 22 with counterweight 26 is also supported on a pair of leaf springs 34 and 36 fixed to the frame 32.
  • Leaf springs 28, 30, 34 and 36 are identical, constrain the print head array and coil to roughly linear motion, and negate the need for the linear or rotary bearings of the prior art. There is only a slight pulling back of the print head from the paper as the print head increases in displacement from the rest position, but at all times the print head array remains substantially parallel to the paper. Such a spring configuration eliminates contact wear mechanisms, and with proper design the life of the springs can be very long.
  • the springs are tailored so that their stiffness, when combined with the print head mass or the coil/counterweight mass, produces a resonant spring/mass system having a natural frequency which matches the required oscillating frequency of the print head array.
  • FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the manner in which the preferred embodiment operates within a matrix printer. Corresponding elements in FIGURES 1 and 2 have the same reference numerals.
  • the coil 22 Upon energizing the coil 22 with sinusoidal alternating current having a frequency equal to the preselected natural frequency of the system, the coil and permanent magnet 18 start to vibrate with oscillations of increasing amplitude. As the amplitude of the oscillations, i.e. the displacement of the print head array, reaches the desired level, a feedback system senses and holds the proper amplitude. As the losses take energy from the system and the amplitude tends to decay, the feedback system applies more energy to the coil to correct further losses, thereby.maintaining the sinusoidal motion with the desired amplitude.
  • the system is balanced, whereby the print head array and coil 22 naturally vibrate at the correct frequency, the coil supplying only sufficient energy to "tickle" the system to maintain the sinusoidal motion at the system's resonant frequency.
  • the input energy is minimal, because the inherent kinetic energy of the system is stored and used again, rather than being absorbed or dissipated and then supplied again as required.
  • a velocity sensor 40 which may be a coil surrounding a permanent magnet mounted on a stud fixed to the print head, produces a signal v, whose voltage is continuously proportional to the print head array velocity, to generate the necessary information using. the relationship between velocity and position for sinusoidal motion. If this relationship can be properly maintained, the need for an accurate and expensive position detection system can be eliminated.
  • This velocity analog signal continuously indicates the velocity (and, by calculation, the position) of the print head 10 and is fed back via line 41 to a servo system 42 for continuously adjusting or tickling the energy input to the coil 22.
  • the feedback signal v may be applied to a comparator CF together with the reference signal from the AC source 24 to produce the motor drive signal 44 required to replace losses and maintain the sinusoidal motion of the print head array at the resonant natural frequency of the system.
  • the level of undesired vibration of this system is very low since the shuttle print head array reacts directly against a counterweight through the connecting frame 32 rather than being tied to a side frame through a motor and link.
  • This sync signal is sent to a microprocessor 46 which produces an ENABLE command at the proper time to enable the printing process, i.e. when the printing elements 12 are positioned over their proper print positions.
  • FIGURE 3 there is shown schematically the manner in which the velocity information available from the sensor 40 is converted in a sync generator 50, into sync pulses which occur at the zero crossings of the velocity characteristic of the shuttling print head array.
  • Zero crossing detectors are well known in the art.
  • the sync pulses available from sync generator 50 are applied to a sinusoidal time pattern signal generator 51 which contains microprocessor 46.
  • This generator 51 produces enabling signals which allow print information from print information source 53 to be loaded into gating logic 52. After the last piece of information is transferred, the gating logic automatically allows energization of the correct print actuators.
  • the information from source 53 constitutes the signal information representing the individual dots forming a dot matrix character to'be printed, as well known in the art.
  • each printing element 12 comprises a print coil or actuator 56 and an associated printing stylus or wire 57.
  • the associated print wire 57 is driven by the magnetic force established by printing coils 56 to impact a record medium, such as paper 59 through an inked ribbon 58.
  • the individual printing elements 12 are energized in a sinusoidal time pattern to cause selected styli 57 to be displaced toward the record medium 59 to effect printing of dot indicia at selected equally spaced column locations on said print medium.
  • the sync generator 50 detects the zero crossing points of the sensor output velocity signal to provide the desired sync pulses at the maximum left and right hand excursions of the print head.
  • FIGURE 5 illustrates graphically in expanded form the relationship between equal dot column positions on the print medium 59 and the time of actuation of the printing styli 57.
  • Generator 51 comprises microprocessor 46, such as an Intel 8088, which responds to the sync pulses to address a lookup table to determine when an enable signal must be generated over lead 55 for application to the gating logic 52 such that printing will take place by displacements of the printing styli 57 under the control of printing coils 56.
  • microprocessor 46 such as an Intel 8088
  • the displacements occur in a sinusoidal time pattern as shown by the abscissa of FIGURE 5 to cause selected printing styli, depending on the print information available from source 53, to be fired or displaced toward the record medium 59 to effect printing of indicia at selected equally spaced column locations on the print medium which is shown as the ordinate in FIGURE 5.
  • the use of a microprocessor and a lookup table to obtain desired timing information is well known.
  • the availability of print information from a source is also well known in the printing art as is the use of gates responsive to timing pulses and print information to obtain desired printing.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Character Spaces And Line Spaces In Printers (AREA)
  • Impact Printers (AREA)
EP83402116A 1982-11-03 1983-10-28 Mécanisme d'entraínement équilibré pour tête d'impression Withdrawn EP0109329A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US43892882A 1982-11-03 1982-11-03
US438928 1982-11-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0109329A2 true EP0109329A2 (fr) 1984-05-23
EP0109329A3 EP0109329A3 (fr) 1986-06-11

Family

ID=23742614

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP83402116A Withdrawn EP0109329A3 (fr) 1982-11-03 1983-10-28 Mécanisme d'entraínement équilibré pour tête d'impression

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0109329A3 (fr)
WO (1) WO1984001744A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3433499A1 (de) * 1983-09-13 1985-03-28 Genicom Corp., Waynesboro, Va. Verfahren zur elektrischen ansteuerung eines pendeldruckmechanismus
EP0169924A1 (fr) * 1984-08-01 1986-02-05 Mannesmann Tally Ges. mbH Procédé et dispositif opto-électronique pour commander le point de déclenchement d'éléments d'impression utilisés en impression matricielle
EP0580330A2 (fr) * 1992-07-24 1994-01-26 Fujitsu Limited Dispositif à navette pour imprimante
EP0581463A2 (fr) * 1992-07-27 1994-02-02 Fujitsu Limited Tête à aiguilles pour l'impression par points

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA1328576C (fr) * 1988-01-19 1994-04-19 Gordon Brent Barrus Imprimante a contrepoids de navette, graisseur de came et moteur a volant d'inertie integre offrant des caracteristiques ameliorees
CN113001972B (zh) * 2021-03-15 2024-05-03 合肥海闻自动化设备有限公司 一种高速3d打印系统
CN117309130A (zh) * 2023-08-25 2023-12-29 深圳拓竹科技有限公司 一种滑块固有频率的测量方法、3d打印系统及电子设备

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4116567A (en) * 1976-12-22 1978-09-26 Okidata Corporation Printer synchronization control for shuttle having non-uniform velocity
US4180766A (en) * 1977-02-04 1979-12-25 Printronix, Inc. Reciprocating linear drive mechanism
US4278019A (en) * 1979-07-16 1981-07-14 International Business Machines Corporation All-points addressable dot printer
WO1982003123A1 (fr) * 1981-03-09 1982-09-16 Ncr Co Imprimante a matrice de points

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4227455A (en) * 1978-12-29 1980-10-14 International Business Machines Corporation Suspension arrangement for an oscillating body
JPS582075B2 (ja) * 1979-08-14 1983-01-13 日本電信電話株式会社 プリンタ
JPS57169367A (en) * 1981-04-13 1982-10-19 Hitachi Koki Co Ltd Dot printer

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4116567A (en) * 1976-12-22 1978-09-26 Okidata Corporation Printer synchronization control for shuttle having non-uniform velocity
US4180766A (en) * 1977-02-04 1979-12-25 Printronix, Inc. Reciprocating linear drive mechanism
US4278019A (en) * 1979-07-16 1981-07-14 International Business Machines Corporation All-points addressable dot printer
WO1982003123A1 (fr) * 1981-03-09 1982-09-16 Ncr Co Imprimante a matrice de points

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3433499A1 (de) * 1983-09-13 1985-03-28 Genicom Corp., Waynesboro, Va. Verfahren zur elektrischen ansteuerung eines pendeldruckmechanismus
FR2553035A1 (fr) * 1983-09-13 1985-04-12 Genicom Corp Dispositif et procede pour entrainer un mecanisme d'imprimante a navette a sa frequence de resonance mecanique naturelle
DE3433499C2 (de) * 1983-09-13 1998-01-29 Genicom Corp Pendeldrucker
EP0169924A1 (fr) * 1984-08-01 1986-02-05 Mannesmann Tally Ges. mbH Procédé et dispositif opto-électronique pour commander le point de déclenchement d'éléments d'impression utilisés en impression matricielle
EP0580330A2 (fr) * 1992-07-24 1994-01-26 Fujitsu Limited Dispositif à navette pour imprimante
EP0580330A3 (fr) * 1992-07-24 1995-05-24 Fujitsu Ltd Dispositif à navette pour imprimante.
EP0581463A2 (fr) * 1992-07-27 1994-02-02 Fujitsu Limited Tête à aiguilles pour l'impression par points
EP0581463A3 (fr) * 1992-07-27 1995-06-14 Fujitsu Ltd Tête à aiguilles pour l'impression par points.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1984001744A1 (fr) 1984-05-10
EP0109329A3 (fr) 1986-06-11

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4180766A (en) Reciprocating linear drive mechanism
EP0357251A2 (fr) Imprimante rapide à navette
GB2063579A (en) Hammer bank shuttle drive
EP0109329A2 (fr) Mécanisme d'entraînement équilibré pour tête d'impression
US4049108A (en) Actuator for a matrix print head
JPS58110265A (ja) ドツトプリンタ
JPS6018297B2 (ja) 走査用キャリア装置
US4128161A (en) Vibratory device
US3924528A (en) Printer
US4446789A (en) Dot matrix printer
US4134691A (en) Printing head
US4941405A (en) Driving mechanism for reciprocating print shuttle
US4869608A (en) Resonant frequency reciprocating drive mechanism
JPH0645246B2 (ja) パルス始動式プリンタ用ハンマバンク駆動装置及び方法
JPS58500243A (ja) ドツト・マトリツクス・プリンタ
JPH045055A (ja) シリアルプリンタ
US5544964A (en) Dot line printer having a balance shuttle
EP0365267A2 (fr) Tête d'impression pour imprimante par points à impact
JPS63122562A (ja) シヤトル型ドツトラインプリンタ
EP0082329B1 (fr) Mécanisme d'impression à navette compacte
JPH0641211B2 (ja) シヤトル型ラインプリンタ装置
JPS61206671A (ja) 熱転写プリンタ
JPH0655515B2 (ja) シヤトル型ラインプリンタ装置
JPH0467957A (ja) プリンタのインパクトドット印字ヘッド
JPS6212617Y2 (fr)

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Designated state(s): BE DE FR GB IT SE

RAP1 Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred)

Owner name: GENICOM CORPORATION

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): BE DE FR GB IT SE

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19861212

RIN1 Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected)

Inventor name: POPELISH, JOHN ANTHONY

Inventor name: MILLER, DONALD EUGENE

Inventor name: CAULIER, PAUL ERNER

Inventor name: READ, JOHN MICHAEL