Unit drive assembly
US4952784A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 1, 1989 |
| Grant date | Aug 28, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 1, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/19181
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A unit drive assembly (2; 84; 102) is used with postage meters (4) of the type which include a stationary base (6; 86; 104, 106) and moveably print head (8; 88; 108). The base and print head are mechanically connected so that input information to the base is mechanically transmitted to the print head. The assembly includes one or more drive tracks (10; 90; 110) along which a series of balls (16; 96; 112) are positioned. A first portion (12; 118; 120) of the drive track is carried by the base while a second portion (14; 116) is carried by the head. The first and second portions are aligned when the head is in the home position; it is at this time a ball drive (28; 42; 92; 102), carried by the base, moves the balls along the track discrete distances equal to one or more ball diameters. The head includes one or more print wheels (36) driven by the balls positioned along the second portion of the track so that the distances the print wheels rotate, which determines the value to be printed, depend upon the distances the balls are driven along the tracks.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.