Microcomputer control of ribbon drive for printers
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsEarl T. Brown, Barry R. Cavill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A microcomputer controls a ribbon drive assembly in a high speed wire matrix printer to eliminte ribbon slack, to insure proper ribbon positioning and to conduct diagnostics in conjunction with turning on the printer such as start-up time each day and after replacement of the ribbon with a new ribbon, the diagnostics checking to be sure that a ribbon is actually in the proper position, that it is threaded across the print line and also checking for proper operation of the ribbon drive, logic, and electronics. Tests are also made for proper ribbon drive during normal ribbon feeding operations.
Claims9
A ribbon control system for a printer unit having various assemblages for printing of characters on forms including a forms feed assembly and a print assembly, comprising:
- a ribbon drive assembly in said printer unit including means to mount a pair of ribbon spools and motor drive means including a pair of ribbon drive motors individually associated with said ribbon spools, said ribbon spools and related motor drive means serving alternately as ribbon supply and ribbon takeup during printing operations;
- means for mounting a ribbon on said spools for guiding past a print station in said printer unit;
- and
- a microcomputer interconnected directly with said ribbon drive motors and serving as a ribbon control element, said microcomputer issuing drive control signals as required in order to activate said ribbon drive motors on a selective and alternate basis during operations of said printer unit to thereby drive said ribbon between said ribbon spools and said microcomputer being further responsive to emitter signals provided by said motors to monitor for proper movement of said ribbon, and to perform other ribbon control functions such as diagnostics and ribbon slack removal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.