Thermal printer and drive system for controlling print ribbon velocity and tension
US6082914A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 27, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 27, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J33/52
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A thermal printer having a supply of media with a rotatable platen on which the media is moved for printing by a thermal printing head. A supply spindle supplies print ribbon from a supply spool mounted thereon, and a take-up spindle takes up the used print ribbon on a take-up spool. The spindles are each driven by a motor and controlled by a controller which detects the Back EMF (BEMF) of the motors, and calculates the velocity of the spindles, spool, and print ribbon to control each motor based on the BEMF. The status of the print ribbon as to low condition, breaks, ribbon full and other monitoring functions can be provided to a remote host computer or other monitoring station.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.