Capstan driven, endless printer ribbon cartridge

A capstan driven, endless printer ribbon cartridge comprising:

• a generally flat cartridge housing suitable for housing a printer ribbon, said cartridge housing having a top wall, a base wall and an edge wall joining said top and base walls, said cartridge housing including an outwardly projecting appendage lying generally in the plane of the housing, said cartridge housing also including a ribbon inlet slot and a capstan drive aperture both located in the edge wall of said housing in the region of said appendage, said capstan drive aperture being formed in an inwardly curving indentation formed in the edge of said cartridge housing, said cartridge housing further including a central hub having a ribbon exit slot formed therein;
• guide roller means mounted in said appendage for receiving printer ribbon entering said appendage via said ribbon inlet slot and directing said ribbon toward said capstan drive aperture;
• pinch roller means mounted in said cartridge housing adjacent said capstan drive aperture for receiving ribbon directed by said guide roller means toward said capstan drive aperture such that when a drive capstan is positioned in said capstan drive aperture, said pinch roller means presses said ribbon against said drive capstan;
• an endless printer ribbon, a first portion of said endless printer ribbon forming a ribbon roll surrounding said hub and a second portion exiting from said cartridge housing via said ribbon exit slot and entering said cartridge via said ribbon inlet slot;
• and,
• a leaf spring affixed to said hub and projecting outwardly therefrom toward said ribbon roll, said leaf spring including a hook-shaped outer end curved in the direction of said tape exit slot;
• said leaf spring and said ribbon exit slot radially positioned about said hub such that said leaf spring holds said ribbon roll away from said hub in a manner such that an open space is formed between the hook-shaped end of said leaf spring and said ribbon exit slot, said ribbon passing through said space, directly from said leaf spring to said ribbon exit slot without impinging on the outer surface of said central hub after leaving said leaf spring.