Media release mechanism for a printer

A media release mechanism comprising:

• a housing defining a central axial axis;
• a wedge member mounted on said housing and being capable of axial movement relative thereto, said wedge member having a plurality of wedge faces;
• a blade member mounted on said wedge member, said blade member having a plurality of blade faces, at least one of said wedge faces or said blade faces being angled relative to said housing central axis, each said blade face being slidably mounted on a respective wedge face;
• wherein a media is wound around said housing and over said blade member and when said blade member and said wedge member move relative to each other, said blade member is moved radially inward relative to said housing such that a space is formed between the wound media and said blade member to allow a user to remove the wound media from said housing and said blade member;
• and means for selectively preventing movement between said wedge member and said blade member, said means for selectively preventing movement comprising a wall having an end which can be selectively engaged with an end of said wedge member to prevent the axial movement of said wedge member relative to said housing, said end of said wall being capable of being removed from engagement with said end of said wedge member to allow the axial movement of said wedge member relative to said housing so as to allow said blade member to move relative to said wedge member.

A media release mechanism comprising:

• a housing defining a central axial axis;
• at least two wedge members mounted on said housing, each said wedge member having a plurality of wedge faces;
• at least two blade members respectively mounted on said wedge members, each said blade member having a plurality of blade faces, at least one of said wedge faces or said blade faces being angled relative to said housing central axis, each said blade face being slidably mounted on a respective wedge face;
• wherein a media is wound around said housing and over said blade members and when said respective blade members and said wedge members move relative to each other, each said blade member is moved radially inward relative to said housing such that a space is formed between the wound media and said blade members to allow a user to remove the wound media from said housing and said blade members, a spring member mounted between said housing and each said wedge member, each said spring member causing each said wedge member to move axially relative to said housing once the wound media is removed therefrom to thereby cause each said blade member to move relative to said respective wedge member and move radially outwardly from said housing.

A media release mechanism comprising:

• a housing defining a central axial axis;
• a wedge member mounted on said housing, said wedge member having a plurality of wedge faces, said wedge member being capable of being axially moved relative to said housing;
• a blade member mounted on said wedge member, said blade member having a plurality of blade faces, at least one of said wedge faces or said blade faces being angled relative to said housing central axis, each said blade face being slidably mounted on a respective wedge face;
• a wall which has an end that can be selectively engaged with an end of said wedge member to prevent the axial movement of said wedge member relative to said housing, said end of said wall being capable of being removed from engagement with said end of said wedge member to allow the axial movement of said wedge member relative to said housing so as to allow said blade member to move relative to said wedge member;
• wherein a media is wound around said housing and over said blade member and when said blade member and said wedge member move relative to each other, said blade member is moved radially inward relative to said housing such that a space is formed between the wound media and said blade member to allow a user to remove the wound media from said housing and said blade member;
• and a spring member mounted between said housing and said wedge member, said spring member causing said wedge member to move axially relative to said housing once the wound media is removed therefrom to thereby cause said blade member to move relative to said wedge member and move radially outwardly from said housing.

A media release mechanism comprising:

• a housing for winding media therearound;
• a first mechanical advantage system provided on said housing, said first mechanical advantage system comprising a wedge member mounted on said housing, said wedge member having a plurality of wedge faces, said wedge member being capable of being axially moved relative to said housing;
• and a blade member mounted on said wedge member, said blade member having a plurality of blade faces, at least one of said wedge faces or said blade faces being angled relative to said housing central axis, each said blade face being slidably mounted on a respective wedge face, wherein a media is wound around said housing and over said blade member and when said blade member and said wedge member move relative to each other, said blade member is moved radially inward relative to said housing such that a space is formed between the wound media and said blade member to allow a user to remove the wound media from said housing and said blade member;
• and
• a second mechanical advantage system provided on said housing, said second mechanical advantage system comprising a wall having an end that can be selectively engaged with an end of said wedge member to prevent the axial movement of said wedge member relative to said housing, said end of said wall being capable of being removed from engagement with said end of said wedge member to allow the axial movement of said wedge member relative to said housing so as to allow said blade member to move relative to said wedge member, and said wall further having a ramped surface which is selectively engaged with said end of said wedge member when said wedge member moves axially;
• wherein said first and second mechanical advantage systems are used to release the media after the media is wound around said housing.