EP0814960B1 - Method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism for a printing apparatus - Google Patents

Method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism for a printing apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0814960B1
EP0814960B1 EP96907576A EP96907576A EP0814960B1 EP 0814960 B1 EP0814960 B1 EP 0814960B1 EP 96907576 A EP96907576 A EP 96907576A EP 96907576 A EP96907576 A EP 96907576A EP 0814960 B1 EP0814960 B1 EP 0814960B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ribbon
spool
take
printing
amount
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 - Lifetime
Application number
EP96907576A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0814960A1 (en
Inventor
Steven Buckby
Keith Buxton
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.)
Markem Imaje Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Markem Technologies Ltd
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 Markem Technologies Ltd filed Critical Markem Technologies Ltd
Publication of EP0814960A1 publication Critical patent/EP0814960A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0814960B1 publication Critical patent/EP0814960B1/en
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
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/02—Key actions for specified purposes
    • B41J25/14—Line spacing
    • 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
    • B41J33/00—Apparatus or arrangements for feeding ink ribbons or like character-size impression-transfer material
    • B41J33/14—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms
    • B41J33/34—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms driven by motors independently of the machine as a whole
    • 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
    • B41J33/00—Apparatus or arrangements for feeding ink ribbons or like character-size impression-transfer material
    • B41J33/14—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms
    • B41J33/54—Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms for ensuring maximum life of the ribbon

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism for a printing apparatus, the mechanism being of the kind in which ribbon on a storage spool is fed along a path, for example past a printing station, onto a take-up spool.
  • the ribbon may for example be thermal transfer ribbon used in a thermal printing apparatus as described in detail in our previous published International patent application number WO94/26526, or an inked ribbon or any other ribbon used in printing or similar processes.
  • the ribbon may comprise a backing web carrying a plurality of labels which are removed from the web as the web is fed along the path between the storage and take-up spools.
  • One known method of achieving accurate ribbon winding is to advance the ribbon through the path between the supply and take-up spools, by means of a drive roller assembly and to control the drive roller assembly.
  • An advantage of this method is that it drives the ribbon very accurately, independently of the supply and take-up spools and hence irrespective of ribbon diameter on the spools.
  • a disadvantage however is that the mechanism is complex, and requires components such as the drive roller etc. Hence it is relatively expensive in general terms. Furthermore, in printing apparatus where available space is highly constrained, in order to avoid reliability problems, a high standard of engineering is required which can further increase costs.
  • Another known method of achieving ribbon winding is by directly driving the take-up spool and controlling the amount of rotation of the take-up spool.
  • the relationship between the effective increase in take-up spool diameter and the amount of rotation of the take-up spool can theoretically be calculated, and to an acceptable accuracy provided that the ribbon is of a generally constant thickness, and there being a generally constant ribbon tension. Further, by knowing the length of ribbon used, which may be calculated in a single use ribbon application, from knowing the length of ribbon used in each printing operation and the number of printing operations performed since the cassette was inserted, the growing diameter of the ribbon of the take-up spool can be compensated for by rotating the take-up spool less and less, to advance the ribbon the same amount in each subsequent printing operation.
  • the length of ribbon used where the ribbon is a so-called multi-pass or multi-strike ribbon or otherwise when the same length of ribbon is used to perform several prints, may also be determined by simple means.
  • the calculation performed may assume an effective re-starting diameter of the ribbon of the take-up spool which is nothing like the actual effective diameter, so that the amount of ribbon advanced will be significantly in error compared with what is required.
  • a first aspect of the invention we provide a method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism of a printing apparatus which is adapted to perform a printing operation in which at a printing station there is relative movement between a print head and a first length of the ribbon to transfer print medium from the first length of the ribbon onto a substrate and the ribbon is subsequently advanced a desired amount to present a second length of ribbon at the printing station for use in a further printing operation
  • the winding mechanism comprising a supply spool and a take-up spool and there being a ribbon path between the supply and take-up spools through the printing station and a motive means to cause the ribbon to be moved along the ribbon feed path and wound onto the take-up spool, and a sensing means to sense movement of the ribbon as the take-up spool is rotated and to provide a signal to a control means in response, the method being characterised in that prior to performing a printing operation, the take-up spool is rotated a predetermined amount whilst the sensing means sense
  • the take-up spool may conveniently be driven by a stepper motor for example, so that the number of steps stepped by the motor can be controlled by the control means to rotate the take-up spool the predetermined amount.
  • the sensing means may comprise an idler roller of known diameter which is in contact with the ribbon as the ribbon is wound onto the take-up spool and is thus rotated as the ribbon moves, the method comprising determining the amount of rotation of the idler roller for the predetermined amount of rotation of the take-up spool so that rotation of the take-up spool can be related by the control means to the amount of ribbon movement.
  • a magnetised element which is rotatable with and may be mounted on the idler roller and there is at least one magnetic sensor to sense movement of the magnetised element thus to determine the amount of rotation of the idler roller.
  • the amount of rotation of the idler roller may be sensed by an optical system which for example includes an optical element carried for rotation with the idler roller, and an optical sensor operable to sense when the optical element moves past the sensor.
  • the idler roller may be coated with a high friction material to ensure that there is no slippage between the ribbon and the roller.
  • the idler roller may be mounted to rotate with a spindle which may carry the magnetic, optical or other element the movement of which is sensed by an appropriate sensor.
  • a printing apparatus comprising a printing station at which during a printing operation, there is relative movement between a print head and a first length of a ribbon during which print medium is transferred from the first length of the ribbon onto a substrate, and the ribbon is subsequently advanced a desired amount to present a second length of the ribbon at the printing station for use in a further printing operation, ribbon movement being achieved by a winding mechanism comprising a supply spool and a take-up spool with there being a ribbon path between the supply and take-up spools through the printing station, the winding mechanism further comprising a motive means to cause ribbon to be moved along the ribbon feed path and wound onto the take-up spool, there being a sensing means to sense movement of the ribbon as the ribbon is wound onto the take-up spool and to provide a signal to a control means in response, characterised in that the control means is adapted, prior to a printing operation, to operate the motive means so that the take-up spool is rotate
  • the printing apparatus may comprise an apparatus of the thermal transfer printing type, in which case the ribbon may comprise a thermally sensitive ribbon comprising a backing and ink deposited upon the backing, the ink being transferable by means of a thermal print head from the backing onto a substrate.
  • the ribbon may comprise a thermally sensitive ribbon comprising a backing and ink deposited upon the backing, the ink being transferable by means of a thermal print head from the backing onto a substrate.
  • the print head may be moveable relative to a stationary ribbon and substrate, or alternatively during printing, the print head may move relative to a moving ribbon and substrate.
  • a ribbon winding mechanism 10 comprises a ribbon supply spool 11 including a hub 12 around which ribbon 13 is wound.
  • the mechanism 10 further comprises a ribbon take-up spool 14, having a hub 15 onto which the ribbon 13 is wound.
  • a ribbon path between the supply spool 11 and the take-up spool 14 around a plurality of simple idler rollers indicated at 16 to guide the ribbon 13, and an idler roller indicated at 17, of a sensing means 22, such that the ribbon path is through a printing station indicated at 20.
  • the ribbon winding mechanism 10 is utilised in a printing apparatus in which the ribbon 13 comprises a thermally sensitive ribbon having a backing web and ink deposited on the web.
  • the print head may be moveable relative to a stationary ribbon and substrate during printing, or the print head may be moved relative to a moving ribbon and substrate.
  • the ribbon 13 is unwound from the supply spool 11, moved along the ribbon path and fed onto the take-up spool 14, by rotating the take-up spool 14 using an appropriate motive means M.
  • One appropriate motive means would be a stepper motor, such that movements of the take-up spool 14, and hence the amount of ribbon 13 moved can accurately be controlled by a control means 25.
  • the idler roller 17 and an appropriate sensor system 21 together comprise a sensing means 22 which senses ribbon movement, in this example, along the ribbon path.
  • the outer diameter of the idler roller 17 is an accurately known parameter and hence the amount of ribbon movement can be related to a given rotation of the take-up spool 14 by the control means 25.
  • the idler roller 17 is preferably carried on a spindle 18. In the arrangement shown in Figure 2 there is an example of idler roller 17 which may be used.
  • the idler roller 17 is coated with a coating 23 which is an antislip coating to prevent slippage occurring between the ribbon 13 and the idler roller 17 when the ribbon 13 is moved.
  • the outer diameter of the coated roller 17 is measured at the outside surface of the coating for optimum accuracy in the mechanism.
  • the idler roller 17 is carried on a spindle 18 and may rotate relative to the spindle 18.
  • a magnetic disc 24 On an end surface of the idler roller 17 there is provided a magnetic disc 24, which will have a north and south pole as indicated in Figure 2.
  • a pair of magnetic sensors may be provided which, as the idler roller 17 rotates, gives two phase shifted sine waves, which, if the phase difference of which is signal processed at a high frequency by a control means 25 will give a very accurate measure of the rotational movement of the idler roller 17.
  • the sensor 21 or sensors provide an input signal to the control means 25 in response to ribbon movement particularly during calibration of the ribbon winding system as hereinafter described, so that in a subsequent printing operation the control means may provide a signal along line 26 to the stepper motor driving the take-up spool 24, to cause the stepper motor to step a calculated number of steps to achieve a desired amount of ribbon movement.
  • control means 25 may determine by the sensor means 22, the amount of ribbon movement which has occurred for a given number of steps stepped by the stepper motor during the previous ribbon movement. Hence for each subsequent movement of the take-up spool, the number of steps stepped may be adjusted to ensure that the amount of ribbon movement will be, accurately, a desired amount.
  • idler roller 17 a Attached to the roller 17 a is a gear 24 a which has a plurality of teeth 24 b .
  • a gear 24 a which has a plurality of teeth 24 b .
  • Such an idler roller 17 a may be used in conjunction with an optical sensing system so that the number of teeth 24 b passing for example an optical sensing element can be counted, so that again an accurate determination of the rotational movement of the driven roller 17 a can be determined by knowing the external or outer diameter of the roller 17 a and a signal fed to the control means 25.
  • One tooth 24 c may be bigger than the other teeth, as a check on the number of full rotations occurring.
  • the ribbon 13 would be carried on spools 11 and 14 on a cassette which is inserted into the main printing apparatus.
  • the stepper motor which drives the take-up spool 14 rotates the take-up spool a predetermined amount, i.e. the motor steps a given number of steps, to wind a portion of the ribbon onto the spool 14, whilst the corresponding amount of ribbon movement sensed by sensor 22 to provide all initial calibration.
  • This rotation of the take-up spool may be a greater rotation than would be required to advance a desired amount of ribbon during a printing operation, for example an order of magnitude greater. If the ribbon is not provided on a cassette, this initial calibration needs to be performed each time the ribbon is rethreaded along the ribbon path, or otherwise attended to by an operator.
  • control means 25 may be arranged to re-calibrate the apparatus at intervals.
  • the amount of take-up spool 14 rotation required to feed a desired amount of ribbon along the ribbon feed path in a printing operation can be determined.
  • the apparatus 10 may be arranged to compensate for the glowing diameter of ribbon on the take-up spool by rotating the take-up spool 14 progressively less for each ribbon advancement, so as to achieve advancement of generally the same amount of ribbon in each subsequent printing operation.
  • Such compensation may be achieved by the control means 25 monitoring the length of ribbon used, either from a signal from the sensing means 21, or preferably by calculating the amount of ribbon used from knowing the length of ribbon used in each printing operation and the number of printing operations performed since calibration. From knowing this and the ribbon thickness, the control means 25 will thus be able to calculate how the diameter of the ribbon on the take-up spool 24 will increase as ribbon is used, and thus compensate for this growing diameter.
  • sensing means described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 1 and 3 are only examples of appropriate sensing means for sensing movement of the ribbon 13 as the take-up spool 14 is rotated.
  • a more sophisticated optical encoding system may be used to determine the amount of rotational movement of the idler roller 17.
  • stepper motor to provide driving power to the take-up spool 14
  • another motive means could instead be provided, such as a servo controlled motor, which allows for accurate control of the rotation of the take-up spool 14.
  • the invention has been described with reference to calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism 10 for a thermal printing apparatus, the invention may be applied to any other kind of printing apparatus, in which there is a ribbon winding mechanism for winding ribbon from a supply spool 11 onto a take-up spool 14 and where it is desired to advance the ribbon incrementally by accurate amounts.
  • the invention does not preclude rewinding the ribbon 13 from the take-up spool 14 onto the supply spool 11 in an arrangement where for example it is desired to rewind ribbon onto the supply spool 11 for example to allow a particular length of ribbon repeatedly to be used for printing or to allow for use of multi-strike or multi-pass ribbons.
  • the sensing means 22 may thus in normal use of the printing apparatus be used to provide a measure of the amount of ribbon movement in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrows A in the drawing which is the normal direction for ribbon movement.
  • the take-up spool 14 would perform the function of a supply spool, and the supply spool 11 would be performing the function of a take-up spool with there being a motive means which allows for the selective driving of the take-up and supply spools 14, 11.

Landscapes

  • Impression-Transfer Materials And Handling Thereof (AREA)
  • Handling Of Continuous Sheets Of Paper (AREA)
  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Controlling Rewinding, Feeding, Winding, Or Abnormalities Of Webs (AREA)
  • Secondary Cells (AREA)
  • Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
EP96907576A 1995-03-15 1996-03-15 Method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism for a printing apparatus Expired - Lifetime EP0814960B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9505216 1995-03-15
GB9505216A GB2298821A (en) 1995-03-15 1995-03-15 A ribbon winding mechanism
PCT/GB1996/000649 WO1996028304A1 (en) 1995-03-15 1996-03-15 Method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism for a printing apparatus

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0814960A1 EP0814960A1 (en) 1998-01-07
EP0814960B1 true EP0814960B1 (en) 1999-05-19

Family

ID=10771240

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96907576A Expired - Lifetime EP0814960B1 (en) 1995-03-15 1996-03-15 Method of calibrating a ribbon winding mechanism for a printing apparatus

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0814960B1 (es)
AT (1) ATE180213T1 (es)
DE (1) DE69602524T2 (es)
ES (1) ES2132902T3 (es)
GB (2) GB2298821A (es)
WO (1) WO1996028304A1 (es)

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE60129718T2 (de) 2000-09-11 2008-04-30 Zipher Ltd. Bandlaufwerk und druckvorrichtung
ES2238114B1 (es) * 2002-11-05 2006-11-16 Imaje Tecnologias De Codificacion, S.A. Etiquetadora de transferencia termica con control de rebobinado y metodo para la impresion multiple de etiquetas.
GB2435241A (en) * 2006-02-15 2007-08-22 Markem Tech Ltd A method of calibrating a printing apparatus
GB2436315A (en) * 2006-03-20 2007-09-26 Markem Tech Ltd Printing apparatus having speed sensing means
CN101678685B (zh) * 2007-03-07 2011-09-14 赛福尔有限公司 带驱动装置
GB2448304B (en) * 2007-03-07 2009-03-11 Zipher Ltd Tape drive
GB2448302B (en) * 2007-03-07 2009-04-08 Zipher Ltd Tape drive
GB2448301B (en) * 2007-03-07 2009-03-11 Zipher Ltd Tape drive
GB2448303B (en) * 2007-03-07 2009-03-11 Zipher Ltd Tape drive
EP2134549B1 (en) 2007-03-31 2014-11-19 Videojet Technologies, Inc. Tape drive
GB2493541A (en) 2011-08-10 2013-02-13 Markem Imaje Ltd Motor control system using position or torque as dominant control parameter
GB2507771B (en) 2012-11-09 2020-03-04 Dover Europe Sarl Tape drive and method of operation of a tape drive
GB2536772B (en) 2013-02-12 2017-07-05 Dover Europe Sàrl Tape drive and method of operation
GB2510834B (en) 2013-02-13 2017-01-18 Dover Europe Sarl Printing apparatus and method of operating a printing apparatus
GB2510832B (en) 2013-02-13 2020-02-26 Dover Europe Sarl Tape drive and method of operation of a tape drive

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL8301259A (nl) * 1983-04-11 1984-11-01 Daisy Syst Holland Inrichting voor het aandrijven van een lintcassette.
JPS6119A (ja) * 1983-08-10 1986-01-06 リチヤ−ドソン−ヴイツクス　インコ−ポレ−テツド 皮膚の炎症障害の局所的治療剤
JPS60240480A (ja) * 1984-05-16 1985-11-29 Fuji Xerox Co Ltd インクドナ−フイルム搬送装置
JPS6024A (ja) * 1984-05-28 1985-01-05 松下電器産業株式会社 複合スイツチ
JPS61199972A (ja) * 1985-03-01 1986-09-04 Toshiba Corp 画像形成装置
ATE68825T1 (de) * 1985-04-22 1991-11-15 Genentech Inc Plasminogenaktivator-mutante des menschlichen gewebes, verfahren und zwischenprodukte dafuer und diese mutante verwendende zusammensetzungen.
JPH0696322B2 (ja) * 1986-04-18 1994-11-30 ブラザー工業株式会社 プリンタ
US4788558A (en) * 1987-02-06 1988-11-29 Intermec Corporation Method and apparatus for controlling tension in tape progressed along a feed path
GB8725619D0 (en) * 1987-11-02 1987-12-09 Roneo Alcatel Ltd Feed for thermal printing ribbon
US4969761A (en) * 1990-01-29 1990-11-13 Banctec, Inc. Apparatus and method for controlling print ribbon feed
GB2251216B (en) * 1990-12-31 1995-05-03 Alcatel Business Systems Ink ribbon feed

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9505216D0 (en) 1995-05-03
EP0814960A1 (en) 1998-01-07
ES2132902T3 (es) 1999-08-16
ATE180213T1 (de) 1999-06-15
WO1996028304A1 (en) 1996-09-19
GB2310405A (en) 1997-08-27
DE69602524D1 (de) 1999-06-24
GB2310405B (en) 1998-08-05
GB2298821A (en) 1996-09-18
GB9710372D0 (en) 1997-07-16
DE69602524T2 (de) 1999-09-16

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