Printer drive mechanism

A printer assembly comprising:

• a motor;
• a printer ribbon;
• a printer chassis;
• and
• a printer ribbon drive mechanism comprising:
• a drive wheel configured to receive a torque from the motor and rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a connector configured to rotationally drive the printer ribbon, wherein the connector is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation;
• a spring configured to compress along the axis of rotation;
• and
• an actuator configured to move between a first axial position and a second axial position along the axis of rotation,
• wherein the actuator is configured to define a first compression distance of the spring in the first axial position and a second compression distance of the spring in the second axial position,
• wherein the spring is configured to control a normal force applied directly or indirectly between the connector and the drive wheel along the axis of rotation, and
• wherein the normal force is greater in an instance in which the actuator is disposed in the first axial position than in an instance in which the actuator is disposed in the second axial position.

A method of driving a printer ribbon with a printer assembly, wherein the printer assembly comprises:

• a motor;
• a printer ribbon;
• a printer chassis;
• and
• a printer ribbon drive mechanism comprising:
• a drive wheel configured to receive a torque from the motor and rotate about an axis of rotation;
• a connector configured to rotationally drive the printer ribbon, wherein the connector is configured to rotate about the axis of rotation;
• a spring configured to compress along the axis of rotation;
• and
• an actuator configured to move between a first axial position and a second axial position along the axis of rotation,
• wherein the actuator is configured to define a first compression distance of the spring in the first axial position and a second compression distance of the spring in the second axial position,
• wherein the spring is configured to control a normal force applied directly or indirectly between the connector and the drive wheel, and
• wherein the normal force is greater in an instance in which the actuator is disposed in the first axial position than in an instance in which the actuator is disposed in the second axial position;
• wherein the method comprises:
• operating the motor to apply the torque to the drive wheel, such that the drive wheel is configured to, directly or indirectly, cause the printer ribbon to rotate.