GB2201945A

GB2201945A - Ink ribbon cartridge with machine release projection

Info

Publication number: GB2201945A
Application number: GB08715592A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johannes Haftmann
Original assignee: TA Triumph Adler AG
Current assignee: TA Triumph Adler AG
Priority date: 1987-03-11
Filing date: 1987-07-02
Publication date: 1988-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 2007-07-02
Also published as: DE3707807C1; JPS63224986A; JPH0451359B2; IT8722059A0; GB2201945B; IT1222759B; GB8715592D0; CH673011A5

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a ribbon cartridge (1) matched to a mounting device of a typewriter (or similar machine), an opening (8, 10) being provided in the mounting device (5) and serving for the insertion of a correspondingly designed projection (2) on the ribbon cartridge (1). The projection has its end face divided into a number of zones at different heights and/or angles, the zones co-operating with blocking elements (20) in the manner of a key in a security lock. Only when all of the elements (20) are correctly displaced can the projection be fully inserted and the machine freed for operation. <IMAGE>

Description

Ribbon Cartridges This invention relates to ribbon cartridges, for use with typewriters or other ribbon consuming machines, and more particularly to the provision of means for authorization of the cartridge.

German DOS 3213669 and 3220404 describe an arrangement in which a profiled projection on the cartridge enters a correspondingly profiled opening in the cartridge mounting device of the machine. The cartridge carries electronic encoding and the machine has a reading head for identifying the coding as relative movement is effected between the cartridge and the head. This equipment is expensive and the procedure for identification and authorization of the cartridge is very time-consuming.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a ribbon cartridge for location on a mounting device of a typewriter (or other ribbon consuming machine) the cartridge having a projection for insertion into an opening in the mounting device when the cartridge is loaded on to the machine, and the end face of the projection being divided into a number of zones at different heights and/or angles for co-operation with a corresponding number of blocking elements in the mounting device so as to displace all of the blocking elements together to free (or to block) the machine for operation.

With this arrangement cartridge authorization can be very quickly and easily effected and the means employed may be of relatively inexpensive construction.

One form of ribbon cartridge in accordance with the invention and a mounting device for co-operation therewith will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a part of a ribbon cartridge with the projection shortly before placing on the mounting device; Figure 2 is a plan view of the projection, and Figure 3 is a side view of the projection according to Figure 2, seen in the direction of arrow A.

Figure 1 shows only a part of the ribbon cartridge 1 in side view. Formed on the underside of the ribbon cartridge is a projection 2 which, as can be seen from Figure 2, can be profiled to form a recognizable symbol, such as a company emblem. The projection 2 has zones 4 of various heights, in relation to the base area 3 of the ribbon cartridge 1. For better understanding, it should be mentioned that the projection 2 in Figure 1 corresponds to the viewing direction according to arrow B in Figure 2. It can be seen quite easily in Figure 3 that, taken together, the zones 4 roughly correspond to the bits (or wards) of a key. At the same time, the end areas of the individual zones 4 can also run additionally at an angle, as is indicated by means of the broken lines in Figure 1.

As is readily apparent, the arrangement and design of the projection 2 do not make the ribbon cartridge 1 any more expensive, since the projection is formed during the injection-moulding of, for example, the ribbon cartridge bottom wall. This, therefore, dispenses with any additional assembly effort.

Apart from the ribbon cartridge, Figure 1 also shows, as an example a type of lock 5 which is provided on the machine at the mounting device 6 for the ribbon cartridge 1. A description of the interaction of the projection 2 with the lock 5 will follow. First of all, however, the design of the lock 5. The upper side of a housing 7 has a central opening 8 aligned with the bore 10 of an axially displaceable cylinder 9. The housing 7 is closed from below by a bottom plate 11, from the centre of which a boss 12 projects into the bore 10 of cylinder 9. A coil spring 13 4s held compressed between bottom plate 11 and the cylinder 9, biassing the cylinder 9 upwardly. A pin 15 is displaceably mounted in an offset parallel bore 14, and is urged downwardly by a further spring 16.The pin 15 protrudes into a hole 16 in the bottom plate 11, beneath which is mounted an electric switch 17.

The boss 12 has a transverse groove 18. Arranged above and parallel with the groove is a spindle 19, on which blocking elements 20 are pivotably borne. The latter have fingers 21 which are acted upon by springs 22. These tend to pivot the blocking elements 20 away from the vertical position shown in full line, so that when the cylinder 9 moves in the direction of arrow C (Figure 1), the fingers 21 cannot enter the groove 18 but bear against the top face of boss 12. The number of blocking elements 20 corresponds with the number of zones 4 into which the projection 2 is subdivided. The angles (if any) at which the end faces of the zones 4 run correspond to the straight edges 23 when the fingers 21 of all blocking elements 20 are aligned with the groove 18.

lfhen a ribbon cartridge 1 is loaded on to the mounting device 6, the projection 2 protrudes into the opening 8, 10. This results in contact between the zones 4 of the projection 2 and the edges 23 of the blocking elements 20. If the zones 4 are designed to correspond with the blocking elements 20 and coincide, i.e. if "key 2" and "lock 5" fit together, all fingers 21 of the blocking elements 20 are displaced into alignment with the groove 18 in the boss 12. As the projection 2 is pushed in further, the cylinder 9 shifts, in the direction of arrow C, against the action of the spring 13, so that the switch 17 is operated by the pin 15, so as to free the machine for operation. If even only one blocking element 20 does not coincide with a zone 4 on the projection 2, the corresponding finger 21 is not aligned with the groove 18.The consequence of this is that the finger 21 bears against the boss 12, so that the cylinder 9 cannot be shifted. For the sake of illustration, a non-aligned blocking element 20 is drawn in dot-dash lines in Figure 1. The pin 15 can therefore not operate the switch 17. Furthermore, it would not be possible at all to load the ribbon cartridge 1 fully into a position of rest in the mounting device 6.

Thus it is possible, by the provision of simple means on the ribbon cartridge 1, to put a correspondingly equipped typewriter (or similar machine) into operation.

The lock 5 described in Figure 1 is only an example, and could be designed completely differently. For example, pins may be provided, such as are known in security cylinder locks.

It would, of course, be possible to arrange for the switch 17 to be operated to disable the machine, for example to exclude use of specific cartridges.

With a slightly more elaborate design of the blocking elements, the machine can be adapted to detect specific ribbon types in order to set the ribbon feed stages to suit particular ribbon types. For example, the blocking elements may be provided with contacts which are opened or closed to provide an electrical coding which is fed to the microprocessor of the machine.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A ribbon cartridge for location on a mounting device of a typewriter~(or other ribbon consuming machine) the cartridge having a projection for insertion into an opening in the mounting device when the cartridge is loaded on to the machine, and the end face of the projection being divided into a number of zones at different heights and/or angles for co-operation with a corresponding number of blocking elements in the mounting device so as to displace all of the blocking elements together to free (or to block) the machine for operation.

2. A ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the profile of the projection (as viewed axially of the projection) forms a recognizable symbol.

3. In combination with a ribbon cartridge according to claim 1 or 2, a ribbon consuming machine having a ribbon cartridge mounting device including an opening to receive the said projection and a plurality of blocking elements displaceable by the projection into positions in which operation of the machine is unblocked.

4. A ribbon cartridge substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A ribbon cartridge as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a typewriter or like machine having a mounting device substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.