US 4,062,436 A · Matrix head calculator printer

Abstract

A lightweight, extremely compact printer apparatus has a constant speed drive which imparts reversible, translatory motion to a print head; and as the print head is advanced with respect to a platen imparts a direct mechanical drive to a paper advancing roller in order to advance paper from a feed roll line by line between printing operations. In turn, advancement of the paper or other recording medium from the paper roll drives a print ribbon supply holder to advance a print ribbon across the platen in front of the paper. The power requirements and size of the apparatus are substantially reduced to the extent that the apparatus is of a size corresponding to hand held calculator printers, since the movement of each element is utilized to drive another element successively from the print head carrier, paper advancement roller, paper roll to the print ribbon in close correlation to one another during each print cycle.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A printer unit comprising in combination:

a print head assembly,
motive drive means including a drive member thereon,
a print head carrier incluing a drive track engageable by said drive member on said motive drive means to impart reversible, translational movement to said print head carrier in response to activation of said motive drive means, and a record medium advancing drive member on said print head carrier, said drive track defined by a generally oval-shaped loop elongated in a direction normal to the translational movement of said print head carrier,
a record medium advance roller engageable with said record medium advancing drive member whereby to advance a record medium in a direction normal to the direction of translational movement of said print head carrier,
record medium feed means adapted to supply continuous lengths of a record medium along a guide path to be engaged by said record medium advance roller, and
a print ribbon and holder means therefor operative to advance the print ribbon along a path extending transversely in front of said recording medium.

3 more elements

A matrix head printer unit comprising in combination:

a main frame,
a matrix print head assembly,
motive drive means including a drive member,
a print head carrier adapted to undergo translational movement in response to activation of said motive drive means, and a paper advancing drive member associated with said print head carrier,
a paper advance roller having drive surfaces engageable with said paper advancing drive member whereby said paper advance roller is rotated in a direction normal to the direction of translational movement of said print head assembly,
a rotatable paper feed roll member adapted to supply continuous lengths of paper along a guide path so as to be engaged by said paper advancing roller, and
a print ribbon and holder means therefor engageable with said feed roll member whereby to advance the print ribbon along a path extending transversely of said paper in response to rotation of said feed roll member.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Matrix head calculator printer

Life of this patent

Matrix head calculator printer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15