US 4,948,274 A · Ribbon feed mechanism

Abstract

An improved ribbon feed mechanism having idler and drive roller assemblies, each of which uses a single roller rotatably mounted on a retainer support featuring stripping portions which strip an inked ribbon off the rollers preventing the ribbon from wrapping around the rollers. The feed mechanism feeds the ribbon inside a cassette, cartridge or other container so that the ribbon may be stacked or folded in loops or folds inside the cartridge or container and used for computer printing, dot matrix printing, typewriter printing, or other printing operations. Each of the drive and idler assemblies uses a single roller attached to a shaft which may be removably and rotatably mounted to a retainer support. The single rollers are made out of foam material. The use of a single rather than multiple rollers for the roller assemblies facilities gripping of the ribbon passing between the rollers which results in increased pulling force needed for long ribbons.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An improved ribbon feed mechanism used to fold a printing ribbon inside a cartridge-type container and to move the ribbon for printing, comprising:

a first retainer support mounted inside said container;
a single drive roller of uniform outside diameter attached to a first shaft rotatably and removably mounted to said first retainer support mounted inside said container;
a second retainer support mounted inside said container;
a single idler roller of uniform outside diameter attached to a second shaft rotatably and removably mounted to said second retainer support mounted inside said container, said ribbon being disposed between said rollers;
and
spring means for biasing said idler roller against said drive roller in order to facilitate gripping of said ribbon by said rollers, each of said retainer supports having a pair of stripping means attached thereto located above and below each of said rollers for stripping said ribbon from said rollers after said ribbon has been fed inside said container in order to facilitate folding of said ribbon into a plurality of folds, said ribbon feed mechanism having a predetermined distance between each of said retainer supports and said uniform outside diameter of a corresponding adjacent one of said rollers in order to further facilitate folding of said ribbon, said single drive and idler rollers of uniform outside diameter being adapted to grip said ribbon in order to provide increased pulling force on said ribbon.

3 more elements

An improved ribbon feed mechanism used to fold a printing ribbon inside a cartridge-type container and to move the ribbon for printing, comprising:

a first retainer support mounted inside said container;
a drive assembly rotatably and removably mounted to said first retainer support, said drive assembly including a single integral drive roller of uniform outside diameter;
a second retainer support mounted inside said container;
an idler assembly rotatably and removably mounted to said second retainer support mounted inside said container, said idler assembly including a single integral idler roller of uniform outside diameter, said ribbon passing between said drive and idler rollers;
spring means for biasing said idler roller against said drive roller in order to facilitate gripping of said ribbon by said rollers;
and
stripping means attached to each of said retainer supports for stripping said ribbon from said rollers and for reversing the direction of said ribbon after said ribbon has been fed inside said container in order to facilitate folding of said ribbon into a plurality of folds, said stripping means including a vertical portion and horizontal stripping portions attached to aid vertical portions, said horizontal stripping portions having curved stripping guides attached thereto, each pair of said horizontal stripping portions located above and below a corresponding one of said rollers, said ribbon feed mechanism having a predetermined distance between each of said vertical portions and said uniform outside diameter of a corresponding adjacent one of said rollers, said single drive and idler rollers of uniform outside diameter being adapted to grip said ribbon in order to provide increased pulling force on said ribbon.

4 more elements

An improved ribbon feed mechanism used to fold a printing ribbon into a plurality of folds inside a cartridge-type container capable of being used for computer printing, dot matrix printing, typewriter printing, and other printing, comprising:

a single drive roller of uniform outside diameter attached to a first shaft, said first shaft having upper and lower extensions;
a first retainer support mounted inside said container, said first retainer support including a vertical portion and a pair of slotted expandable rings attached to said vertical portion, said upper and lower extensions of said first shaft removably and rotatably engaging said pair of slotted expandable rings so that said drive roller is disposed between and rotatably mounted between said pair of slotted expandable rings, said first retainer support further including a pair of horizontal stripping portions attached to said vertical support, said horizontal stripping portions having curved stripping guides attached thereto, said drive roller being disposed between said horizontal stripping portions;
a single idler roller of uniform outside diameter attached to a second shaft, said second shaft having upper and lower extensions;
a second retainer support mounted inside said container, said second retainer support including a vertical portion and a pair of slotted expandable rings attached to said vertical portion of said second retainer support, said upper and lower extensions of said second shaft removably and rotatably engaging said pair of slotted expandable rings of said second retainer support so that said idler roller is disposed between and rotatably mounted between said pair of slotted expandable rings of said second retainer support, said second retainer support further including a pair of horizontal stripping portions attached to said vertical support of said second retainer support, said horizontal stripping portions of said second retainer support having curved stripping guides attached thereto, said idler roller being disposed between said horizontal stripping portions of said second retainer support;
and
spring means for biasing said idler roller against said drive roller in order to facilitate gripping of said ribbon between said rollers, said ribbon feed mechanism having a predetermined distance between each of said vertical portions and said uniform outside diameter of a corresponding adjacent one of said rollers, said single drive and idler rollers of uniform outside diameter being adapted to grip said ribbon in order to provide increased pulling force on said ribbon.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ribbon feed mechanism

Life of this patent

Ribbon feed mechanism

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17