Patent · US Expired

Bidirectional carriage drive employing a closed loop belt drive means for printers and the like

US4277189A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
22References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 9, 1979
Grant dateJul 7, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 9, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T74/18152
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A drive assembly for printer carriages and the like comprised of a closed looped metallic tape entrained about a drive and a driven pulley and being moved at a substantially constant rate. The carriage assembly reciprocally slides along guide rods for linear movement in a forward and reverse direction and is provided with guideways for enabling substantially unimpeded movement of the upper and lower runs respectively of said closed looped tape. Solenoid operated jam cleat assemblies are respectively engageable with the upper and lower runs of said closed looped tape in a mutually exclusive fashion. Connecting rod means is provided to assure engagement of only one of the jam cleats with the associated run of the closed loop tape to prevent stopping or jamming of the tape and to assist in the release of the deactivated jam cleat. By selective energization of the pair of solenoid assemblies, the carriage assembly may be moved in either the forward or reverse direction at any given instant of time. A dot matrix print head may be mounted upon the reciprocating carriage assembly which by appropriate utilization of printer electronics, may be utilized for either unidirectional or bidirect…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.