Printer element

A combination print hammer and print element suitable for use in a dot matrix printer to print dots on a print-receiving substrate, said combination comprising:

• (a) an elongate print hammer having one end designed for movement toward and away from a print-receiving substrate;
• and
• (b) a print element affixed to the side of the end of said elongate print hammer that is designed for movement toward and away from a print-receiving substrate, said print element being injection molded of high-impact resistant metal so as to form a unitary construct, said unitary construct including a plurality of sections located along an axis of symmetry that lies generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said elongate print hammer, said plurality of sections comprising:
• (i) a cylindrical base, one end of said cylindrical base being affixed to said side of the end of said elongate print hammer that is designed for movement toward and away from a print-receiving substrate, the height of said cylindrical base relative to said side of the end of said elongate print hammer that is designed for movement toward and away from a print-receiving substrate being less than the diameter of said cylindrical base, the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical base lying along said axis of symmetry;
• (ii) an impact element support, said impact element support having a frusto-conical shape, the longitudinal axis of said frusto-conically shaped impact element support lying along said axis of symmetry, the large diameter end of said frusto-conically shaped impact element support being less than the diameter of said cylindrical base, the large diameter end of said frusto-conically shaped impact element support being unitarily formed with the end of said cylindrical base opposite to the end affixed to said elongate print hammer such that the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical base and the longitudinal axis of said frusto-conical shape are coaxial;
• and
• (iii) an impact element unitarily formed with the small diameter end of said frusto-conically shaped impact element support, the face of said impact element opposite said small diameter end of said impact element support having a convex shape, the distance between the outer end of said face of said impact element and the small diameter end of said frusto-conically shaped impact element support being substantially less than the diameter of the small end of said frusto-conically shaped support,
• the overall height of said print element relative to said side of the end of said elongate print hammer that is designed for movement toward and away from a print-receiving substrate being less than twice the diameter of said cylindrical base of said print element.