Automatic paper cutter for large format printer

A media cutter assembly for attachment to a moveable printhead carriage of a computer driven printer comprising:

• a) a cutter wheel support member having a media cutter wheel mounted thereon for rotation about an axis, said support member also including a first cam element;
• b) a cam element carrier and cutter actuator moveable generally transversely to said cutter wheel axis, said carrier having a second cam element thereon engaged by said first cam element and said actuator including cutter actuation and de-actuation means at one side of said actuator;
• c) a housing having first guide means therein for guiding said cutter wheel support member in a path of movement to move said cutter wheel between inactive and active positions relative to said housing, said housing having second guide means for guiding said cam element carrier relative to said housing in a path of movement generally transverse to said path of movement of said cutter wheel between a cutter inactive position and a cutter active position;
• and
• d) means for biasing said cutter wheel support member for movement of said cutter wheel toward said active position relative to said housing.

A media cutter assembly for attachment to a moveable printhead carriage of a printer comprising:

• a) a cutter wheel support member having a media cutter wheel mounted thereon for rotation about an axis;
• b) a cutter actuator moveable generally transversely to said cutter wheel axis, said actuator including cutter actuation and de-actuation means on one side of said actuator,
• c) a guide for guiding said cutter wheel support member in a path of movement to move said cutter wheel between inactive and active positions;
• and
• d) means engageable with said guide for biasing said cutter wheel toward said active position.

A printer having a moveable printhead carriage and a print media cutter assembly attached thereto, said media cutter assembly comprising:

• a) a cutter wheel support member having a media cutter wheel mounted thereon for rotation about an axis;
• b) a cutter actuator moveable generally transversely to said cutter wheel axis, said actuator including cutter actuation and de-actuation means on one side of said actuator;
• c) cutter actuation and de-actuation means on said printer;
• d) said cutter actuation and de-actuation means on said actuator being engageable with said cutter actuation and de-actuation means on said printer for moving said cutter wheel between active and inactive positions;
• e) a guide for guiding said cutter wheel support member in a path of movement to move said cutter wheel between inactive and active positions;
• and
• f) means engageable with said guide for biasing said cutter wheel support member toward said active position, said printer having an output platen and a stationary elongated cutter bar in a cutter wheel receiving channel which extends transverse to the path of movement of printed media to be cut, said cutter wheel in said cutter active position being engageable with said cutter bar.