Serial printer carriage drive with ballistic rebound reversal

A method of operating a system for a bi-directional motor drive which drives a member in an oscillatory motion between two end points, for increasing the speed of direction reversal of the member, said system comprising:

• a selectively engageable ballistic rebound means for transferring energy of the moving member in one direction into a resilient member and for retransmitting energy absorbed by said resilient member back into the moving member in a direction opposite said one direction when engaged;
• and,
• an electrically operated clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging said ballistic rebound means adjacent the end points to achieve the desired said energy transfers, comprising the steps of:
• (a) sensing the position of the member with respect to the two ends;
• (b) removing a drive voltage from the motor and connecting said ballistic rebound means to the motor drive at points with respect to the end points to cause the member to stop motion in one direction at a desired position with respect to the end points;
• and
• (c) applying a drive voltage to the motor and disconnecting said ballistic rebound means from the motor drive at points with respect to the end points to cause the member to stop and accelerate to a maximum velocity in a direction opposite said one direction.

A method of operating a serial printer having a bi-directional motor drive which drives a carriage in an oscillatory motion between two end points, wherein to minimize the time for direction reversal of the carriage the printer comprises:

• selectively engageable ballistic rebound means for transferring energy of the moving carriage in one direction into a resilient member and for retransmitting energy absorbed by said resilient member back into the moving carriage in a direction opposite said one direction when engaged;
• and,
• an electrically operated clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging said ballistic rebound means adjacent the end points to achieve the desired said energy transfers,
• comprising the steps of:
• (a) sensing the position of the carriage with respect to the two ends;
• (b) removing a drive voltage from the motor and connecting said ballistic rebound means to the motor drive at points with respect to the end points to cause the carriage to stop motion in one direction at a desired position with respect to the end points;
• and
• (c) applying drive voltage to the motor and disconnecting said ballistic rebound means from the motor drive at points with respect to the end points to cause the carriage to stop and accelerate to a maximum velocity in a direction opposite said one direction.

In a serial printer wherein a bi-directionally operating motor with a shaft drives a carriage in an oscillatory motion between two end points, the method of operation for minimizing the time for direction reversal of the carriage comprising the steps of:

• (a) connecting ballistic rebound means to transfer energy of the moving motor and carriage in one direction into a resilient member and retransmit energy absorbed by the resilient member back into the motor and carriage in a direction opposite the one direction;
• (b) connecting an electrically operated clutch to selectively couple the ballistic rebound means to the shaft of the motor;
• (c) sensing the position of the carriage with respect to the two ends;
• and,
• (d) removing a drive voltage from the motor and connecting the ballistic rebound means to the motor shaft at points with respect to the end points which will cause the carriage to stop motion in one direction at a desired position with respect to the end points and applying a drive voltage to the motor and disconnecting the ballistic rebound means from the motor shaft at points with respect to the end points which will cause the carriage to stop and accelerate to a maximum velocity in a direction opposite the one direction.