Tape drive and associated spool
AssigneeVideojet Technologies Inc.
InventorsMartin McNestry, Steven John Buckby
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tape drive comprises a spool support (30) for supporting a tape spool (32), wherein the spool support comprises a support surface (34) mounted to a tape drive base plate (36) such that the support surface (34) is fixed against rotation relative to the base plate (36), the support surface (34) being configured such that, in use, as tape is removed from or wound onto the spool (32), the spool (32) rotates relative to the spool support (30) such that the spool (32) rotates around the support surface (34).
Claims19
A tape drive of a printing apparatus, the tape drive comprising:
- a spool support for supporting a tape spool, wherein the spool support comprises a support surface mounted to a tape drive base plate such that the support surface is fixed against rotation relative to the tape drive base plate, the support surface being configured such that, in use, as tape is removed from or wound onto a spool, the spool rotates relative to the spool support such that the spool rotates around the support surface;
- and
- a resilient member including a first portion positioned within the spool support and a second portion that protrudes beyond the spool support, said second portion configured to contact a portion of the tape spool.
A tape drive of a printing apparatus, the tape drive comprising:
- a generally cylindrical spool support for supporting a tape spool and extending along a central axis, wherein the spool support comprises a support surface mounted to a tape drive base plate such that the support surface is fixed against rotation relative to the tape drive base plate, the support surface being configured such that, in use, as support such that the spool rotates around the support surface;
- wherein a spring has first and second ends, each of which is secured to a base portion of the supply spool support or the base plate such that at least a portion of the spring is located within the generally cylindrical supply spool support and such that the plane of the spring passes through the central axis of the generally cylindrical supply spool support.
A tape drive of a printing apparatus, the tape drive comprising:
- a spool support for supporting a tape spool, wherein the spool support comprises a support surface mounted to a tape drive base plate such that the support surface is fixed against rotation relative to the tape drive base plate, the support surface being configured such that, in use, as tape is removed from or wound onto a spool, the spool rotates relative to the spool support such that the spool rotates around the support surface;
- and
- a retainer arrangemnet comprising a retainer, the retainer being configured to exert a retaining force on a spool supported by the spool support which resists removal of the spool from the spool support;
- wherein the retainer is a retainer spring and the retainer spring has first and second ends, each of which is secured to the base plate or a base portion of the spool support such that at least a portion of the retainer spring is located within the generally cylindrical spool support and such that the retainer spring intersects a central axis of the spool support.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.