Method and apparatus for applying ink to ribbons
AssigneeSteele and Associates, Inc.
InventorsBazil E. Steele, Paul O. Micheel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for inking ribbons used in printing devices. Ribbon to be inked is unwound under tension from a core and passed over a heated roller and between a pair of transfer rollers. The transfer rollers lie in contact with inking rollers disposed in troughs of ink. The inking rollers have metering rollers in contact with the transfer rollers to meter a predetermined quantity of ink onto the transfer rollers. Once ink is transferred to the ribbon, the ribbon is passed over another heated roller to spread the ink and smooth the ribbon. A take-up roller winds the inked ribbon about a second core. The heated rollers on opposite sides of the transfer rollers engage opposite sides of the ribbon.
Claims20
A method of applying ink to a ribbon comprising the steps of:
- (a) supplying said ribbon to be inked from a supply core;
- (b) heating said ribbon on a first rotating heated roller;
- (c) passing the heated ribbon between the nip of a pair of inking rollers while applying ink to said ribbon under pressure exerted on both sides of said ribbon by said inking rollers with at least one of said inking rollers being driven to advance said ribbon;
- (d) heating the inked ribbon on a second rotating heated roller;
- and
- (e) collecting said inked ribbon on a driven take-up core.
A method of re-inking a fabric computer ribbon comprising the steps of:
- (a) supplying said ribbon to be inked from a supply core;
- (b) heating said ribbon by contacting said ribbon with a first rotating heated roller;
- (c) passing the heated ribbon between the nip of a pair of inking rollers while applying ink to both sides of said ribbon under pressure, said pressure being exerted on said ribbon by said inking rollers, with at least one of said inking rollers being driven to advance said ribbon;
- (d) heating the inked ribbon by contacting the inked ribbon with a second rotating heated roller;
- (e) applying a predetermined amount of tension to said ribbon with said heated rollers by deflecting the path of said ribbon with said heated rollers;
- (f) collecting said ribbon on a driven takeup core;
- and
- (g) driving said take-up core and applying a back tension to said supply core with the tension on said ribbon by both cores determined by the relationship between the diameters of the ribbon on said supply core and said take-up core.
An apparatus for applying ink to a ribbon comprising:
- (a) a supply core having ribbon to be inked wound thereon;
- (b) a rotatable shaft affixed to said supply core;
- (c) an opposed pair of rollers for advancing said ribbon through said apparatus, at least one of said opposed rollers also applying ink to said ribbon under pressure as said ribbon passes through the nip of said opposed rollers;
- (d) means for heating said ribbon prior to its passage between said opposed rollers;
- (e) means for heating said ribbon subsequent to its passage between said opposed rollers;
- (f) a take-up core on which said ribbon is wound after inking;
- (g) means for driving said take-up core, the tension applied to said ribbon by said take-up core being determined by the relationship between the diameters of the ribbon on said supply core and said take-up core;
- and
- (h) means for providing back tension on said supply core.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.