# US 5,915,860 A · Cartridge and roller for a consumable ribbon, receiving apparatus, and rotational roller coupling method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,915,860 A - Document ID: US5915860A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/737,155 - Filed: 1997-02-19 - Granted: 1999-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 1994-10-14 - Assignees: I.E.R. - Inventors: Jean-Marie Laurent - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5915860A ## CPC - B41J 17/32: Detachable carriers or holders for impression-transfer material mechanism - B65H 75/08: of circular or polygonal cross-section (cans or receptacles B65H75/16) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract A roller for a wound ribbon such as a printer ink ribbon may be rotationally coupled by pushing the projections or teeth of a wheel on a drive spindle into a soft material defining part of the bore in the roller. A spring blade prevents the wheel from freely rotating and provides a snap-in feeling. The roller may be part of a cartridge having members for locking the rollers in a position in which the ribbon tension is optimized. The roller and spindle may be coupled in any relative angular position, and the rollers may thus be locked. Release is automatic when the cartridge is full engaged. The ribbon may therefore be more readily installed in an optimized matter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interchangeable cartridge for use with a receiving apparatus having at least one spindle, said cartridge comprising a casing, two rollers which are rotationally supported in said casing, a ribbon which is wound at each of its ends onto a respective one of said rollers, each roller including an axial bore so that it can be slid onto one of the at least one spindle of the receiving apparatus, at least a first roller of said rollers including means for rotational coupling with the corresponding spindle, wherein said rotational coupling means comprise a soft material defining at least part of the bore of the first roller and said coupling means are configured to allow coupling irrespective of the angular position in which at least said first roller is engaged on the corresponding spindle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said first roller includes a ring made of soft material and a more rigid outer tube into which said ring is fitted. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said soft material is cardboard. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein said first roller is made of cardboard. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the soft material is a flexible, synthetic material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein said cartridge comprises at least one face plate provided with holes, a bearing ring made of plastic fitted in at least one of said holes, and wherein said first roller has an end region made of cardboard and rotationally supported in said bearing ring. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cartridge according to claim 1 comprising disengageable means for selectively preventing each roller from turning in a direction of tension release in the ribbon between the rollers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cartridge according to claim 7, wherein the disengageable means comprise two toothed wheels each of which is integral with a respective said roller, two pawls each of which interacts with a respective one of said two toothed wheels, said two pawls having an actuation portion which is exposed to external action. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cartridge according to claim 8, wherein the two pawls are disposed opposite one another on either side of the actuation portion which is common to the two pawls and connects them to each other. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said two pawls and the actuation portion are made up of a single spring blade which is supported in the casing in two positions which form pivoting axes and are situated on either side of the actuation portion. ### Claim 11 A ribbon-carrier roller comprising a tube made of relatively rigid material and means for rotational coupling with a support spindle belonging to an apparatus capable of receiving said roller, wherein said rotational coupling means comprise a soft material which is fixed to the tube and defines at least part of the bore of the roller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The roller according to claim 11, wherein said soft material is located at one end of the bore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The roller according to claim 11, wherein said soft material is in the form of a ring slid into the relatively rigid tube. ### Claim 14 A ribbon-consuming apparatus, comprising two parallel spindles at least one of which is a motor spindle, in order to simultaneously receive two rollers respectively for unwinding and for taking up a ribbon consumed by the apparatus, the motor spindle having means for rotational coupling with the corresponding roller, wherein the coupling means are configured to allow coupling irrespective of the angular position in which the corresponding roller is engaged on the motor spindle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, configured to receive a cartridge having a roller release means and rotationally supporting the two rollers, said apparatus including an actuator member which is positioned in the apparatus for engaging the roller release means of the cartridge upon insertion of the cartridge in the apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said motor spindle has a cylindrical surface and a free end, and said coupling means are set back relative to said free end of the spindle and project radially relative to said cylindrical surface of the spindle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said motor spindle has a rear end remote from said free end and said coupling means are situated in the vicinity of said rear end of the spindle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the coupling means comprise clawing means. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said clawing means comprise a toothed wheel mounted for rotation about a substantially tangential axis on the spindle in such a way that, in any angular position of the wheel before insertion of a ribbon roller, at least a first tooth of the wheel is in a position of being pushed by a roller being inserted, and that another tooth is in a position to operate as a claw which, by rotation of the wheel, will penetrate the material of the roller when the latter pushes the first tooth. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus according to claim 19, comprising a spring blade which is fixed to the spindle and has one free end which interferes with the teeth of the wheel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The apparatus according to claim 19, comprising means for opposing a force against withdrawal of said another tooth from said position wherein it operates as a claw. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said coupling means comprise ratcheting means which define for said roller in its motion of axial insertion onto the motor spindle, a position of higher resistance preceding a position of complete insertion. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, said apparatus being a printer consuming ink ribbon. ### Claim 24 A method of fitting two rollers, each supporting one of the ends of a ribbon, into a ribbon-consuming apparatus, provided with two spindles at least one of which is provided with a locking projection, said method comprising sliding said two spindles of the apparatus each into a central bore of one of the rollers, and during said sliding, bringing a soft wall portion of the bore of one of the rollers in a position to be penetrated by said projection. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method according to claim 24 further comprising, during said sliding, pushing with a leading edge of said one roller a first tooth of a toothed coupling wheel provided on said one spindle, thereby to rotate said wheel and to move another tooth of said toothed wheel, into interference with said soft wall portion, said other tooth being used as said projection. ### Claim 26 An interchangeable cartridge comprising a casing, two rollers which are rotationally supported in said casing, a ribbon which is wound from each of its ends on a respective one of said rollers, each roller including an axial bore so that it can be slid onto a spindle of a receiving apparatus, at least a first roller of said rollers including means for rotational coupling with the corresponding spindle wherein said first roller includes a ring made of soft material and a more rigid outer tube into which said ring is fitted, and wherein said rotational coupling means comprise said soft material, which defines at least part of the bore of the first roller. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The cartridge according to claim 26, wherein the soft material is a flexible, synthetic material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The cartridge according to claim 26, comprising disengageable means for selectively preventing each roller from turning in a direction of tension release in the ribbon between said rollers. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The cartridge according to claim 28, wherein the disengageable means comprise two toothed wheels each of which is integral with a respective said roller, two pawls each of which interacts with a respective one of said two toothed wheels, said two pawls having an actuation portion which is exposed to external action. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The cartridge according to claim 29, wherein the two pawls are disposed opposite one another on either side of the actuation portion which is common to the two pawls and connects them to each other. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The cartridge according to claim 30, wherein said two pawls and the actuation portion are made up of a single spring blade which is supported in the casing in two positions which form pivoting axes and are situated on either side of the actuation portion. ### Claim 32 An interchangeable cartridge comprising a casing, two rollers which are rotationally supported in said casing, a ribbon having two ends and which is wound from each of its ends on a respective one of said rollers, each roller including an axial bore so that it can be slid onto a spindle of a receiving apparatus, at least a first roller of said rollers including means for rotational coupling with the corresponding spindle, wherein said cartridge comprises at least one face plate provided with holes, a bearing ring made of plastic fitted in at least one of said holes, wherein said first roller has an end region made of cardboard and rotationally supported in said bearing ring, and wherein said rotational coupling means comprise said cardboard, which defines at least part of the bore of the first roller. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The cartridge according to claim 32, wherein said first roller is substantially wholly made of cardboard. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The cartridge according to claim 32, comprising disengageable means for selectively preventing each roller from turning in a direction of tension release in the ribbon between said rollers. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The cartridge according to claim 34, wherein the disengageable means comprise two toothed wheels each of which is integral with a respective said roller, two pawls each of which interacts with a respective one of said two toothed wheels, said two pawls having an actuation portion which is exposed to external action. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The cartridge according to claim 35, wherein the two pawls are disposed opposite one another on either side of the actuation portion which is common to the two pawls and connects them to each other. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The cartridge according to claim 36, wherein said two pawls and the actuation portion are made up of a single spring blade which is supported in the casing in two positions which form pivoting axes and are situated on either side of the actuation portion. ### Claim 38 An interchangeable cartridge comprising a casing, two rollers which are rotationally supported in said casing, a ribbon which is wound from each of its ends on a respective one of said rollers, each roller including an axial bore so that it can be slid onto a spindle of a receiving apparatus, at least a first roller of said rollers including means for rotational coupling with the corresponding spindle, wherein said rotational coupling means comprise a flexible synthetic material which defines at least part of the bore of the first roller. ### Claim 39 An interchangeable cartridge comprising a casing, two rollers which are rotationally supported in said casing, a ribbon which is wound from each of its ends on a respective one of said rollers, each roller including an axial bore so that it can be slid onto a spindle of a receiving apparatus, at least a first roller of said rollers including means for rotational coupling with the corresponding spindle, disengageable means for selectively preventing each roller from turning in a direction of tension release in the ribbon between said rollers, wherein the disengageable means comprise two toothed wheels each of which is integral with a respective said roller, two pawls each of which interacts with a respective one of said two toothed wheels, said two pawls having an actuation portion which is exposed to external action, the two pawls are disposed opposite one another on either side of the actuation portion which is common to the two pawls and connects them to each other, wherein said two pawls and the actuation portion are made up of a single spring blade which is supported in the casing in two positions which form pivoting axes and are situated on either side of the actuation portion, and wherein said rotational coupling means comprise a soft material defining at least part of the bore of the first roller. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The cartridge according to claim 39, wherein said soft material is cardboard. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The cartridge according to claim 40, wherein said first roller is made of cardboard. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The cartridge according to claim 39, wherein the soft material is a flexible, synthetic material. ### Claim 43 A ribbon-carrier roller for use with an apparatus configured for receiving said roller, said roller comprising a tube made of relatively rigid material and means for rotational coupling with a support spindle belonging to the apparatus configured for receiving said roller, wherein said rotational coupling means comprise a soft material which is fixed to the tube and defines at least part of the bore of the roller, and wherein said soft material is in the form of a ring slid into the relatively rigid tube. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The roller according to claim 43, wherein said soft material is located at one end of the bore. ### Claim 45 A ribbon-consuming apparatus for use with a ribbon mounted on at least one roller, said apparatus comprising two parallel spindles at least one of which is a motor spindle, in order to simultaneously receive two of the rollers respectively for unwinding and for taking up the ribbon consumed by the apparatus, the motor spindle having means for rotational coupling with the corresponding roller, wherein the coupling means comprise clawing means configured for allowing coupling irrespective of the angular position in which the corresponding roller is engaged on the motor spindle. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The apparatus according to claim 45, configured for receiving a cartridge rotationally supporting the two rollers, said apparatus including an actuator member which is positioned in the apparatus for engaging a roller release means of the cartridge upon insertion of the cartridge in the apparatus. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The apparatus according to claim 46, wherein said motor spindle has a cylindrical surface and a free end, and said coupling means are set back relative to said free end of the spindle and project radially relative to said cylindrical surface of the spindle. ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said motor spindle has a rear end remote from said free end and said coupling means are situated in the vicinity of said rear end of the spindle. ### Claim 49 (depends on 45) The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said clawing means comprise a toothed wheel mounted for rotation about a substantially tangential axis on the spindle in such a way that, in any angular position of the wheel before insertion of a ribbon roller, at least a first tooth of the wheel is in a position to operate as a claw which, by rotation of the wheel, will penetrate the material of the roller when the latter pushes the first tooth. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The apparatus according to claim 49, comprising a spring blade which is fixed to the spindle and has one free end which interferes with the teeth of the wheel. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) The apparatus according to claim 49, comprising means for opposing a force against withdrawal of said another tooth from said position to operate as a claw. ### Claim 52 (depends on 45) The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said coupling means are configured to produce a ratchet motion of the roller onto the motor spindle, said roller encountering a position of higher resistance on the spindle when being slid onto the motor spindle. ### Claim 53 (depends on 45) The apparatus according to claim 45, said apparatus being a printer consuming ink ribbon. ### Claim 54 A method of fitting two rollers, each supporting one of the ends of a ribbon into a ribbon-consuming apparatus provided with two spindles, at least one of which is provided with a locking projection, said method comprising: sliding said two spindles of the apparatus each into a central bore of one of the rollers, and during said sliding, bringing a soft wall portion of the bore of one of the rollers in a position to be penetrated by said projection, the method further comprising, during said sliding, pushing with a leading edge of said one roller a first tooth of a toothed coupling wheel provided on said one spindle, thereby to rotate said wheel and to move another tooth of said toothed wheel into interference with said soft wall portion, said other tooth being used as said projection.