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US 4,056,182 AGranted
Stylus actuator
AssigneeSperry Rand Corporation
InventorRonald Kent Thuet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printing stylus actuator comprising a stylus associated with an eccentric shaft which is actuated to move the stylus into and out of contact with a print medium. The eccentric shaft has its center of mass close to its axis of rotation so that when the shaft is rotated, it exhibits low translational inertia to substantially reduce print deformations due to inertia-induced oscillations.
Claims6
A stylus actuator comprising in combination:
- a stylus carriage having a print head at one end, said stylus carriage adapted to rotate between print and non-print positions;
- a slot disposed in the other end of said stylus carriage;
- shaft means disposed within said slot, said shaft means comprising a shaft having a first longitudinal axis, first and second extensions integrally formed at opposite ends of said shaft means and having a diameter smaller than that of said shaft means, said first and second extensions having a common longitudinal axis displaced from said first longitudinal axis of said shaft means, such that when said shaft means is rotated the axis of rotation is said common longitudinal axis of said first and second extensions, such that rotation of said shaft means in a first direction causes said stylus carriage to rotate to said print position and rotation of said shaft means in a second direction causes said stylus carriage to rotate to said non-print position;
- bearing means for rotationally supporting said first extension;
- motor means having a drive shaft connected to said second extension for rotating said shaft means;
- spring means disposed on said shaft means normally biasing said shaft means to said non-print position whereby when said motor means is de-energized said shaft means is rotated to the non-print position;
- a coupling disposed on said shaft means;
- an extension extending radially outward from said coupling;
- first stop means disposed in the path of said extension for limiting movement of said stylus carriage in said first direction and into said print position;
- and
- second stop means disposed in the path of said extension for limiting movement of said stylus carriage in said second direction and into said non-print position.
8 more elements
A stylus actuator comprising in combination:
- a stylus carriage having a print head at one end, said stylus carriage adapted to rotate between a first and a second position;
- a slot disposed in the other end of said stylus carriage;
- shaft means disposed within said slot, said shaft means comprising a shaft having a first longitudinal axis, first and second extensions integrally formed at opposite ends of said shaft ends and having a diameter smaller than that of said shaft means, said first and second extensions having a common longitudinal axis displaced from said first longitudinal axis of said shaft means, such that when said shaft means is rotated the axis of rotation is said common longitudinal axis of said first and second extensions such that rotation of said shaft means in a first direction causes said stylus carriage to rotate to said first position and rotation of said shaft means in a second direction causes said stylus carriage to rotate to said second position;
- bearing means for rotationally supporting said first extension;
- motor means for rotating said shaft means;
- a coupling disposed on said shaft means;
- an extension extending radially outward from said coupling;
- first stop means disposed in the path of said extension for limiting movement of said stylus carriage in said first direction and into said first position;
- and,
- second stop means disposed in the path of said extension for limiting movement of said stylus carriage in said second direction and into said second position.
7 more elements
A stylus actuator comprising in combination:
- a stylus carriage having a print head at one end, said stylus carriage adapted to rotate between a first and a second position;
- shaft means coupled to said stylus carriage for rotating said shaft means in a first direction and rotating said stylus carriage into said first position and for rotating said shaft means in a second direction and rotating said stylus carriage into said second position;
- means for rotationally supporting said shaft means;
- a coupling disposed on said shaft means;
- an extension extending radially outward from said coupling;
- first stop means disposed in the path of said extension for limiting movement of said stylus carriage in said first direction and into said first position;
- and,
- second stop means disposed in the path of said extension for limiting movement of said stylus carriage in said second direction and into said second position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.