Ribbon drive with invertible gear for printer ribbon cartridge
US4770554A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 28, 1986 |
| Grant date | Sep 13, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J33/36
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A cartridge is provided with an improved drive which meters ribbon to a constant and selected rate of ribbon advance. At least one ribbon drive cylinder is provided around which the ribbon is wrapped. The drive cylinder is preferably a rubber cylinder of selected diameter constituting a force fitted sleeve on a metering gear. Provision is made for a single but reversible coaxial small and large gear pair to mount at two different locations in the cartridge between a driven gear and the metering gear. The coaxial gears include a first large diameter gear with a greater number of teeth and a smaller diameter gear with a lesser number of teeth. By assembling the large gear in mesh the drive gear and the small gear in mesh with metering cylinder gear, ribbon speed is reduced. The ribbon can be moved at a low speed such as required in multi-strike ribbon applications. By inverting the gear and assembling it in a second location with the small gear driven by the drive gear and the large gear driving the metering gear, ribbon speed is increased. The ribbon can be moved at a high speed such as required in single strike applications. The metering gear is typically threaded with rubber sleev…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.