EP0157627A2 - Cassette à ruban à boucle de tension - Google Patents

Cassette à ruban à boucle de tension Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0157627A2
EP0157627A2 EP85302287A EP85302287A EP0157627A2 EP 0157627 A2 EP0157627 A2 EP 0157627A2 EP 85302287 A EP85302287 A EP 85302287A EP 85302287 A EP85302287 A EP 85302287A EP 0157627 A2 EP0157627 A2 EP 0157627A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ribbon
cartridge
take
supply means
supply
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Withdrawn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
EP85302287A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0157627A3 (fr
Inventor
John Sidvers
James Griffin Hume
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.)
Xerox Corp
Original Assignee
Xerox 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 Xerox Corp filed Critical Xerox Corp
Publication of EP0157627A2 publication Critical patent/EP0157627A2/fr
Publication of EP0157627A3 publication Critical patent/EP0157627A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • B41J35/00—Other apparatus or arrangements associated with, or incorporated in, ink-ribbon mechanisms
    • B41J35/04—Ink-ribbon guides
    • B41J35/08—Ink-ribbon guides with tensioning arrangements
    • 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
    • B41J32/00—Ink-ribbon cartridges

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a ribbon cartridge, for use in impact printers and typewriters.
  • the ribbon cartridge is of the kind which is arranged in use, to move a marking ribbon past a print area, said cartridge including a housing having substantially planar opposed walls between which there is enclosed supply means, a length of marking ribbon mounted upon said supply means, ribbon take-up means, and ribbon drive means for removing ribbon from said supply means and collecting it on said take-up means.
  • ribbon cartridges comprise a housing within which is disposed a supply of thin ribbon material, often plastic film such as Mylar (Trade Mark), bearing an ink coating on one surface.
  • the ribbon originates upon a supply spool comprising a pancake-like pack of material wrapped around a hub.
  • One end of the supply spool is payed off and is fed out of the housing across an impact printing area and is then returned into the housing for collection upon a take-up hub, to form the take-up spool as the ribbon builds up thereon.
  • Both the supply and take-up hubs are mounted for rotation upon fixed centres within the housing.
  • Suitable driving elements on the printer or typewriter are coupled with the cartridge to move elements of the cartridge for feeding ribbon along its path of travel from the supply spool to the take-up spool, past the impact printing area.
  • the printer drive mechanism is coupled to a feed roller connected to an internal drive capstan through suitable gearing.
  • the capstan acts together with a mating idler roller to pull ribbon off of the supply spool, and an O-ring drive usually connects the capstan to the take-up spool for accumulating the spent ribon thereon.
  • a driving force of a sufficient magnitude to pull the ribbon along its entire path of travel and off of the supply spool will exert a tension on the thin ribbon. Since the ribbon film is thin, it is desired to maintain a low drawing tension force.
  • the present invention is intended to provide a simplified ribbon cartridge, and provides a cartridge of the kind specified which is characterised by including means for retarding the unspooling of said supply means by moving a portion of the used ribbon against the surface of the ribbon on said supply means.
  • the present invention achieves an improved, positive feeding of the ribbon film while completely eliminating all internal drag elements.
  • the desired results are obtained by a unique wrapping and despooling of the ribbon film in a manner to maintain constant positive control on the ribbon while significantly reducing the tension applied to the ribbon.
  • a ribbon cartridge 10 comprising a molded plastic housing made up of known mating upper and lower housing halves. Only the lower housing half 12 is shown. Each housing half includes a major body portion 14 from which extend exit and reentry horn portions, 16 and 18, respectively. Integrally molded turnaround posts 40 and 42 extend into the interior of the housing. Within the housing there is positioned and confined a supply spool 24 including a hub 20 on which is wound a supply of inked ribbon 26, to form what is commonly referred to as a pancake. Also confined within the housing is a take-up hub 22 upon which used ribbon is wound to form the take-up spool 28 in a unique manner to be described.
  • a pulley spindle 34 grooved to receive a driving O-ring 32.
  • the O-ring is shown in phantom lines in order to represent that it is located at the exterior of the housing.
  • a second pulley spindle 30 is captured in the housing for rotation therein. Its upper end is also grooved to receive the O-ring 32.
  • An idler pulley 36 is captured in the housing for rotation therein, its peripheral surface being in driving engagement with the peripheral surface of the second pulley 30 for driving ribbon therebetween.
  • Driving may be accomplished by the introduction of a printer drive element into the cruciform opening 38 in the underside of the second pulley 30 (shown in dotted lines). Alternatively, driving may be accomplished through a suitable gear train in order to obtain the desired incremental movement of the ribbon.
  • this unique ribbon feeding and tensioning arrangement eliminates all tensioning elements found in the prior art approaches, relying solely upon the usual take-up elements to positively meter out ribbon and to pull the ribbon across the printing area. Metering out takes place between the second pulley 30 and idler 36, drawing unused ribbon off the supply spool 24 and along the surface of the take-up spool 20. Simultaneously, the used portion of the ribbon is being drawn over the surface of the supply spool and is being wound upon the take-up spool by means of the 0-ring 32 passing over second pulley spindle 30 in the manner of a slip clutch drive. The supply spool is restrained by the returning, used ribbon, thus eliminating despooling in operation. Furthermore, as opposed to the known tensioning devices described above, there are no tensioning or drag variations which cause variations in ribbon length and possible fouling of the ribbon in the printing element.
  • the drawing torque requirements has been reduced from about 250 gm.cm to about 180 gm.cm, an improvement of about 70%.
  • Two advantages may be obtained by a torque reduction of this magnitude. First, a smaller and less expensive drive motor may be used and second, the ribbon material may be made thinner without risk of stretching or rupturing. If made thinner, more ribbon material may be stored, giving the user a significant benefit.
  • New ribbon payed out from the supply spool 24' is routed internally through the body cavity 14', to and around the capstan 30', between the capstan and the idler pulley 36' and out the exit horn 16' to the print area 44'. After the ribbon has been impacted by the print element, the used ribbon passes to and into the reentry horn 18', around the periphery of the supply spool 24' and is finally wound upon the take-up spool 28'.
  • Tension is provided solely by the capstan drive assembly.
  • the capstan 30' and idler pulley 36' meter out the ribbon, and at the other end of the tension loop, the O-ring 32' and follower pulley 34' draw ribbon onto the take-up spool 28'.
  • the O-ring 32' and follower pulley 34' draw ribbon onto the take-up spool 28'.
  • the O-ring drive connection to the follower pulley 34' is in the nature of a slip clutch, a constant speed ribbon take-up is preserved.
  • the returning, used portion of the ribbon is brought into intimate contact with a portion of the periphery of the supply spool.
  • the used ribbon moves in a direction opposite to the feed direction of the supply spool. In so doing, the tendency is to rewind the supply spool. A large wrap angle of about 90° is maintained, further insuring that the drag force will prevent uncontrolled rotation of the supply spool.

Landscapes

  • Impression-Transfer Materials And Handling Thereof (AREA)
EP85302287A 1984-04-02 1985-04-02 Cassette à ruban à boucle de tension Withdrawn EP0157627A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US59578784A 1984-04-02 1984-04-02
US59575884A 1984-04-02 1984-04-02
US595787 1984-04-02
US595758 1984-04-02

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0157627A2 true EP0157627A2 (fr) 1985-10-09
EP0157627A3 EP0157627A3 (fr) 1986-11-20

Family

ID=27082366

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP85302287A Withdrawn EP0157627A3 (fr) 1984-04-02 1985-04-02 Cassette à ruban à boucle de tension

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0157627A3 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU684690B2 (en) * 1995-11-15 1997-12-18 Gerber Scientific Products Inc. Apparatus for printing graphic images on sheet material having an ink web cassette with constant web tension

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3432020A (en) * 1966-01-06 1969-03-11 Ibm Small increment ribbon feed
FR2391078A1 (fr) * 1977-05-17 1978-12-15 Cii Honeywell Bull Cartouche de ruban encreur pour machines imprimantes ou analogues
FR2415539A1 (fr) * 1978-01-30 1979-08-24 Exxon Research Engineering Co Cartouche a ruban pour machine imprimante
US4299504A (en) * 1980-07-03 1981-11-10 Xerox Corporation High capacity ribbon cartridge with surface drive
US4317636A (en) * 1980-07-03 1982-03-02 Xerox Corporation Ribbon cartridge

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3432020A (en) * 1966-01-06 1969-03-11 Ibm Small increment ribbon feed
FR2391078A1 (fr) * 1977-05-17 1978-12-15 Cii Honeywell Bull Cartouche de ruban encreur pour machines imprimantes ou analogues
FR2415539A1 (fr) * 1978-01-30 1979-08-24 Exxon Research Engineering Co Cartouche a ruban pour machine imprimante
US4299504A (en) * 1980-07-03 1981-11-10 Xerox Corporation High capacity ribbon cartridge with surface drive
US4317636A (en) * 1980-07-03 1982-03-02 Xerox Corporation Ribbon cartridge

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, vol. 4, no. 7, December 1961, pages 3,4, Armonk, New York, US; A. CABURET: "Braking a tape" *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU684690B2 (en) * 1995-11-15 1997-12-18 Gerber Scientific Products Inc. Apparatus for printing graphic images on sheet material having an ink web cassette with constant web tension

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0157627A3 (fr) 1986-11-20

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Effective date: 19870521

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Inventor name: HUME, JAMES GRIFFIN

Inventor name: SIDVERS, JOHN