EP0420400A2 - Eliminateur de jeu dans l'entraînement de support d'enregistrement d'une imprimante - Google Patents

Eliminateur de jeu dans l'entraînement de support d'enregistrement d'une imprimante Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0420400A2
EP0420400A2 EP90308427A EP90308427A EP0420400A2 EP 0420400 A2 EP0420400 A2 EP 0420400A2 EP 90308427 A EP90308427 A EP 90308427A EP 90308427 A EP90308427 A EP 90308427A EP 0420400 A2 EP0420400 A2 EP 0420400A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
medium
clearance
printer
eliminator
drive
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP90308427A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0420400B1 (fr
EP0420400A3 (en
Inventor
John A. Underwood
Anthony W. Ebersole
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.)
HP Inc
Original Assignee
Hewlett Packard Co
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 Hewlett Packard Co filed Critical Hewlett Packard Co
Publication of EP0420400A2 publication Critical patent/EP0420400A2/fr
Publication of EP0420400A3 publication Critical patent/EP0420400A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0420400B1 publication Critical patent/EP0420400B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • B41J13/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/10—Sheet holders, retainers, movable guides, or stationary guides
    • B41J13/14—Aprons or guides for the printing section
    • 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
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0045—Guides for printing material
    • B41J11/005—Guides in the printing zone, e.g. guides for preventing contact of conveyed sheets with printhead

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to computer printer medium drive mechanisms, and, more particularly, to drive mechanisms wherein the medium is required to curl around a roller as it feeds through the printer.
  • the pre­dominant current usage of the medium clearance eliminator of the present invention is as an aid to paper feeding and handling in thermal ink-jet printer medium drive mecha­nisms.
  • a mechanism is re­quired to move print medium, usually either paper or a transparency, through the printer.
  • the medium drive mech­anism is required to advance medium smoothly and accurately and frequently both forward and backward through the print­er. It usually must be capable of handling several types of medium, sometimes including both sheet medium and form feed medium, wherein the medium is supplied in a continuous length.
  • the mechanism must not be prone to jamming, since it is intended that medium handling be entirely automatic and that it not require operator intervention.
  • the mecha­nism must provide a proper medium exit angle appropriate to the type and design of printer to which it is adapted.
  • the mechanism must further readily accept medium that is auto­matically fed into it, since this is frequently a part of the automated medium handling process within a printer.
  • printer medium drive mechanisms One of the most common designs for printer medium drive mechanisms has the medium entering the mechanism be­tween an opposed pair of rollers. The medium then curves around one roller and exits the drive mechanism in a direc­tion essentially opposite the entering direction.
  • the drive mech­anism may be placed near the back of the printer, thereby reducing overall printer size.
  • This type of drive mecha­nism has been found to work well, and has been in service for a considerable period of time. Nevertheless, this type mechanism is not without its problems. Among these are the fact that paper exiting the mechanism sometimes tends to skew, that is, to become improperly aligned with the print-­head as its exits the drive mechanism.
  • This invention relates to computer hardcopy output printers incorporating a conventional medium drive mecha­nism, and further incorporating the inventive mechanism so as to eliminate jamming and skewing problems associates with the conventional medium drive mechanism.
  • the present invention is particularly adapted for use in thermal ink-jet printer assemblies.
  • the pre­ferred embodiment of the present invention is a clearance eliminator which serves to hold medium against a drive rol­ler as the medium curves around the roller.
  • the inventive clearance eliminator thereby prevents buckling or skewing of paper within the drive mechanism itself which can result in jamming of the mechanism or skewing of the medium as it exits the mechanism.
  • a flex­ible clearance eliminator sheet is mounted on a paper guide.
  • the clearance eliminator sheet is provide with a pivot point and a tension which causes the clearance elim­inator sheet to maintain contact with a drive roller, thereby eliminating space wherein medium might buckle as it passed through the drive mechanism.
  • the clearance eliminator sheet can be made of any of a number of different materials.
  • a sheet of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene provides some particular advantages, as will be described herein.
  • An advantage of the present invention is that jamming within a printer drive mechanism is reduced.
  • Another advantage of the present invention is that skewing of medium within a printer drive mechanism is re­duced.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that a conventional, proven and othervise desirable drive mecha­nism design may be employed while reducing tendencies of medium to jam or skew within the printer drive mechanism.
  • the best presently known mode for carrying out the in­vention is a thermal ink-jet printer incorporating conven­tional elements including a medium drive, or "feed" mecha­nism.
  • the medium feed mechanism includes the inventive medium clearance eliminator as a means for eliminating clearances within the mechanism, which would othervise al­low medium within the feed mechanism to buckle, and thus cause the undesirable properties of jamming and skewing of the medium.
  • the predominant expected usage of the inventive medium clearance eliminator is in ink-jet printers used in the da­ta processing industry and in office and home computer printer installations.
  • a portion of the thermal ink-jet printer of the pres­ently preferred embodiment of the present invention is il strictlylustrated in a side view in FIG. 1 and is designated there­in by the general reference character 10.
  • the printer 10 does not differ sig­nificantly from conventional thermal ink-jet printers.
  • the physical structure is similar to that of prior art thermal ink-jet printers.
  • the conventional elements of the printer 10 include a pen 12 for depositing ink upon a print medium 14, a platen 16 for holding the medium 14 relatively parallel to the pen 12 during printing, and an input guide 18 for guiding the medium 14 into contact with a drive roller 20.
  • a drive pinch roller 22 is contiguous to the drive roller 20 and parallel along its length.
  • the medium 14 is drawn through the printer 10 by the drive roller 20 and is pushed past the pen 12 and the platen 16 where it is further directed by an exit roller 24 and an exit pinch roller 26.
  • the me­dium 14 is held against the drive roller 20 near the pen 12 by a drive plate 28.
  • the pen 12 is mounted on a pen traversing mechanism (not shown), allowing the pen 12 to traverse the medium 14 in a plane parallel to the medium 14 and perpendicular to a medium advance direction 30.
  • FIG. 2 wherein is illustrated a com­parable printer assembly 10 including a conventional paper guide 32, the drive plate 28 is affixed to the paper guide 32, and the paper guide 32 is rigidly affixed relative to the printer assembly 10.
  • the medium 14 is shown buckling in a clearance area 34. Jamming of the printer 10 can occur when medium 14 buckles sufficiently in clearance area 34 so as to double back as depicted in FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 4 wherein a portion of printer assembly 10 is shown from a top view, shows the medium 14 exiting from the drive plate 28 in a skewed fashion as a result of the medium 14 having not advanced squarely through the clearance area 34.
  • the paper guide 34 is shown reshaped according to the present invention and piv­otallv mounted relative to the printer assembly 10 at a pivot point 36
  • a clearance eliminator sheet 38 is shown holding the medium 14 against the drive roller 20.
  • the clearance eliminator sheet 38 is made of a flexible ultra-­high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene so that it may conform somewhat to the shape of the drive roller 20.
  • the clearance eliminator sheet 38 is rigidly mounted at a top mounting tab 40 and a bottom mounting tab 42 so as to allow for this flexibility.
  • Bottom mounting tab 42 is slidingly mounted to the paper guide 32 and is tensioned by coil spring 43 so as to hold the clearance eliminator sheet 38 firmly against the drive roller 20.
  • the force holding the clearance eliminator sheet 38 against the drive roller 20 is provided by coil spring 43, which is secured at one end by spring mounting pivot 46.
  • the clearance eliminator sheet 38 is made of ultra-­high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene sheet. While any of a number of relatively low friction materials might be used, polyethylene has been found to provide the best combination of low friction, flexibility, and wear resis­tance. polyethylene is well-known and commercially available.
  • the thickness of polyethmostlyylene sheet while not being particularly critical, is about 0.005 inch.
  • the drive plate 28 is also surfaced with poly­ethylene in the area of contact with the medium 14.
  • the paper guide 32 may be pivotally mounted as shown or rigidly affixed to the input guide 28 or an extension thereof. Another spring (not shown), or its equivalent, causes the paper guide 32 to rotate in the direction indi­cated by arrow 52.
  • the pivot point 36 is provided in the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention as a means for biasing the drive plate 28 against the drive roller 20.
  • the clearance area 34 (FIG. 2) is greatly reduced.
  • the medium 14 does pass through two residual unsupported areas 54.
  • the medium 14 is sufficiently stiff to pass through these short residual unsupported areas 54 without buckling.
  • the improvements of the present invention effective­ly eliminate jamming in the area of the drive roller 20 and the paper guide 32.
  • the medium cannot become skewed in this area, as elimination of the clearance area 34 prevents either side of the medium 14 from advancing ahead of the other.
  • tension may be provided by means other than a coil spring 43.
  • Ten­sion points and pivot points may also be altered as neces­sary to adapt the inventive clearance eliminator to various printer drive mechanisms. Another conceivable alteration would be to adapt the inventive clearance eliminator to printer types other than thermal ink-jet printers.
  • Ink-jet printers incorporating the present invention may be utilized in any application wherein conventional ink-jet printers or other conventional computer hardcopy output printers are currently used. Since computer print­ers utilizing the present invention may be readily con­structed and do not require that an operator vary the man­ner in which such printers are used, it is expected that they will be acceptable in the industry as substitutes for conventional printers. The increased reliability and im­provement in medium feed qualities will make printers in­corporating the present invention desirable substitutes and will enhance the applicability of the present invention.

Landscapes

  • Delivering By Means Of Belts And Rollers (AREA)
  • Handling Of Continuous Sheets Of Paper (AREA)
  • Handling Of Cut Paper (AREA)
  • Advancing Webs (AREA)
  • Registering, Tensioning, Guiding Webs, And Rollers Therefor (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles By Means Other Than Belts Or Rollers (AREA)
EP19900308427 1989-09-29 1990-07-31 Eliminateur de jeu dans l'entraînement de support d'enregistrement d'une imprimante Expired - Lifetime EP0420400B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US41483089A 1989-09-29 1989-09-29
US414830 1989-09-29

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0420400A2 true EP0420400A2 (fr) 1991-04-03
EP0420400A3 EP0420400A3 (en) 1991-06-12
EP0420400B1 EP0420400B1 (fr) 1995-01-04

Family

ID=23643153

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900308427 Expired - Lifetime EP0420400B1 (fr) 1989-09-29 1990-07-31 Eliminateur de jeu dans l'entraînement de support d'enregistrement d'une imprimante

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0420400B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2886312B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2014652A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69015749T2 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2705056A1 (fr) * 1992-09-10 1994-11-18 Seiko Epson Corp Imprimante à jet d'encre.
US5516222A (en) * 1995-01-04 1996-05-14 Brother International Corporation Printing device having limited movement paper guide
US5988907A (en) * 1996-11-21 1999-11-23 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Paper transport device for color thermal printer
EP1046509A1 (fr) * 1995-02-28 2000-10-25 Hewlett-Packard Company Transport de médias dans une imprimante à jet d'encre
US6183152B1 (en) * 1998-01-05 2001-02-06 Seiko Epson Corporation Printer with improved paper handling mechanism

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE235917C (fr) *
EP0029200A2 (fr) * 1979-11-14 1981-05-27 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Dispositif d'introduction d'un matériau de copie pour une imprimante, dispositif comportant plusieurs protège-papiers disposés axialement
JPS60165276A (ja) * 1984-02-07 1985-08-28 Ricoh Co Ltd 印字装置の用紙案内機構
DE3441954A1 (de) * 1984-11-16 1986-05-22 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Papierfuehrung fuer druckeinrichtungen
FR2617435A1 (fr) * 1987-03-23 1989-01-06 Seiko Epson Corp Imprimante comprenant des moyens de guidage du papier
EP0313208A2 (fr) * 1987-10-23 1989-04-26 Hewlett-Packard Company Système de positionnement du papier dans une imprimante à jet d'encre
WO1989007050A1 (fr) * 1988-01-28 1989-08-10 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Dispositif de guidage du papier pour imprimantes

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE235917C (fr) *
EP0029200A2 (fr) * 1979-11-14 1981-05-27 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Dispositif d'introduction d'un matériau de copie pour une imprimante, dispositif comportant plusieurs protège-papiers disposés axialement
JPS60165276A (ja) * 1984-02-07 1985-08-28 Ricoh Co Ltd 印字装置の用紙案内機構
DE3441954A1 (de) * 1984-11-16 1986-05-22 Olympia Werke Ag, 2940 Wilhelmshaven Papierfuehrung fuer druckeinrichtungen
FR2617435A1 (fr) * 1987-03-23 1989-01-06 Seiko Epson Corp Imprimante comprenant des moyens de guidage du papier
EP0313208A2 (fr) * 1987-10-23 1989-04-26 Hewlett-Packard Company Système de positionnement du papier dans une imprimante à jet d'encre
WO1989007050A1 (fr) * 1988-01-28 1989-08-10 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Dispositif de guidage du papier pour imprimantes

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 9, no. 333 (M-443)(2056) 27 December 1985, & JP-A-60 165276 (RICOH) 28 August 1985, *

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2705056A1 (fr) * 1992-09-10 1994-11-18 Seiko Epson Corp Imprimante à jet d'encre.
US5742316A (en) * 1992-09-10 1998-04-21 Seiko Epson Corporation Actuation mechanism and printer using same
US5850235A (en) * 1992-09-10 1998-12-15 Seiko Epson Corporation Printer
US5946016A (en) * 1992-09-10 1999-08-31 Seiko Epson Corp. Printer sheet discharge method
US6027204A (en) * 1992-09-10 2000-02-22 Seiko Epson Corporation Printer including an ink cartridge
USRE38926E1 (en) 1992-09-10 2005-12-27 Seiko Epson Corporation Printer including an ink cartridge
USRE40581E1 (en) * 1992-09-10 2008-11-25 Seiko Epson Corporation Printer including an ink cartridge
US5516222A (en) * 1995-01-04 1996-05-14 Brother International Corporation Printing device having limited movement paper guide
EP1046509A1 (fr) * 1995-02-28 2000-10-25 Hewlett-Packard Company Transport de médias dans une imprimante à jet d'encre
US5988907A (en) * 1996-11-21 1999-11-23 Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. Paper transport device for color thermal printer
US6183152B1 (en) * 1998-01-05 2001-02-06 Seiko Epson Corporation Printer with improved paper handling mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2886312B2 (ja) 1999-04-26
DE69015749T2 (de) 1995-05-11
CA2014652A1 (fr) 1991-03-29
JPH03173663A (ja) 1991-07-26
DE69015749D1 (de) 1995-02-16
EP0420400B1 (fr) 1995-01-04
EP0420400A3 (en) 1991-06-12

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