Patent · US Expired

Thermal printhead actuator responsive to carriage drive and including a four bar linkage and spring

US4775252A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 28, 1987
Grant dateOct 4, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 28, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J25/316
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A thermal printhead, which is pivotally mounted on a carrier, is moved into and out of its printing position by a four bar linkage, which is responsive to the direction in which the carrier is being advanced, rendering a spring, which urges the thermal printhead into its printing position, effective and ineffective. When the carrier is advanced from left to right to print, the linkage responds to a drive mechanism for the carrier to enable movement of the printhead into its printing position by the spring prior to the carrier drive mechanism moving the carrier. When the carrier is to be moved from right to left in the non-printing direction, the linkage responds to the initial motion of the carrier drive mechanism in this direction to render the spring ineffective and to move the printhead out of its printing position prior to the carrier drive mechanism moving the carrier.

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