Thermal ribbon cassette tension control for a thermal postage meter
US5300953A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 1992 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00516
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improved thermal printing postage meter includes a base supporting a registration wall and a deck. A thermal print head is fixably mounted to the registration wall above a portion of the deck to define a print station. A thermal ribbon cassette is detachably mounted to the registration wall, the thermal ribbon cassette having a thermal transfer ribbon supply mounted around a supply roller and threaded past the print head in the printing station to a take-up roller. A platen roller assembly supports a platen roller for positioning the platen roller to assume a second position biasing the media against the thermal ribbon and the thermal print head. A first motor drive is provided for rotatively driving the platen roller, wherein rotation of the platen roller simultaneously drives the media and thermal ribbon past the print head. A second motor drive is provided for driving the take-up roller during a print cycle. A microcontroller communicates with the first drive motor and the second drive motor for driving the first and second motor drives at complementary speeds such that the take-up side web tension of the thermal ribbon within the thermal cassette remains constant.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.