Package Attached To Typewriter Patents (Class 400/208)
  • Patent number: 5169247
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording sheet includes a recording head for recording the image on the recording sheet, a carriage for holding the recording head, the carriage being reciprocated along a convey route of the recording sheet, a motor for applying a drive force for conveying the recording sheet and a drive force for causing the recording head to move between a recording position where the recording head performs image recording and a retracted position where the recording head is retracted from the recording position, and a control unit for controlling the motor to switch between conveying the recording sheet and moving the recording head in accordance with movement of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Asano, Noboru Shimoyama, Ritsuo Machii
  • Patent number: 5165806
    Abstract: A printer comprises a cassette bay (8) having a lid (16), a printing mechanism comprising a thermal print head (26) and a platen (32) and a mechanism (38, 50) for moving the theremal print head between an inoperative and an operative position. The mechanism is also responsible for simultaneously moving a drive roller of the printer between an inoperative and operative position. In the operative position, the drive roller cooperates with an output roller of a cassette inserted into the printer to provide an outlet nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Esselte Dymo N.V.
    Inventor: Ian P. Collins
  • Patent number: 5163764
    Abstract: A cartridge for a typing ribbon for typewriters comprises a container for accommodating a typing ribbon which can be of single-strike correctable or non-correctable, multi-strike or endless inked type. If the ribbon is of the single-strike or multi-strike type, the container comprises a supply reel and a tensioning and stop device co-operating with a toothed flange of the supply reel to prevent the ribbon which is wound on the supply reel from unwinding both when the container is mounted on the machine and when it is removed from the machine. The device comprises a tensioning lever for the ribbon and a stop lever for the reel, which levers are connected together by means of a resilient spring connection. The device guides and tensions the ribbon during the unidirectional feed movement thereof, in such a way as to ensure a constant stepping movement in the feed motion of the ribbon and low and constant tensioning of the ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C. SpA
    Inventors: Remo Falconieri, Sergio Uggetti
  • Patent number: 5160205
    Abstract: There is disclosed a thermal printer for printing on webs of record members such as tags and labels. The printer has a wide print head which can print on either a wide web or on a narrow web. When printing on a narrow web, pressure contact is relieved or minimized between the portion of the platen roll and printing elements beyond the side edge of the web to minimize wear as the platen roll rotates. This is accomplished by inclining the print head and platen roll relative to each other. In order to promote uniform tension in the ink ribbon, an adjustable guide is provided along the ink ribbon path. The guide can be adjusted in a flat plane. The guide is maintained perpendicular to the direction of ink ribbon travel and promotes uniformity of tension across the width of the ink ribbon and consequently enables tracking to be optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John D. Mistyurik
  • Patent number: 5160206
    Abstract: A holder of a ribbon with supply and take-up spools for typewriters and similar machines where the holder is insertable into a receptacle of the machine and has guide elements for the ribbon. The retention elements for the ribbon are designed so that the ribbon slides out of them when the side elements of the receptacle are pivoted back into their operational position. This assures on the one hand, that the ribbon is secured in a position during movement in the course of shipment which easily makes possible the insertion of the holder into the receptacle. On the other hand it is also assured that the ribbon is pushed out of these guidance elements during insertion of the holder into the receptacle and in this way attains its functionally correct position in the typewriter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Ta Triumph-Adler Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johannes Haftmann, Werner Haczek
  • Patent number: 5160204
    Abstract: A ribbon adaptor attachable to a recording apparatus comprises a ribbon loader for loading an ink ribbon, a ribbon feeder for feeding the ribbon loaded by the ribbon loader, a support frame member for supporting the ribbon loader and ribbon feeder, and an adaptor stopper provided on the frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisatsugu Naito, Shinya Asano
  • Patent number: 5152621
    Abstract: A cassette comprises a driving roller provided with a device for preventing the reverse rotation, a driving pulley connected with the driving roller, a rubber belt for transmitting a motion of the driving pulley and a take-up spool on which a film ribbon is wound, and optionally a mechanism for maintaining tension occurred in the film ribbon constant. This arrangement ensures a unidirectional rotation of the driving roller and a correct tension of the ribbon at all times, whereby high quality in printing can be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Tsuji
  • Patent number: 5141342
    Abstract: A mounting mechanism for a ribbon cassette for mounting the ribbon cassette on a carrier of a printer having a pair of resiliently deformable arms which are formed in such a manner as to extend forwardly along the opposite side walls from a rear end of the ribbon cassette, and a pin is formed in an integrated relationship on each of the arms. A pair of holes for receiving the pins are formed on the carrier side of the printer, and the ribbon cassette is mounted onto the carrier by resiliently deforming the arms to fit the pins into the holes of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Morihisa Kawahara
  • Patent number: 5139352
    Abstract: A ribbon cartridge with an ink ribbon for use in a printer. The printer includes a print head and a carrier, the carrier carrying the print head and ribbon cartridge along a printing position. The carrier has a mounting member for rotatably mounting a first end of the ribbon cartridge and a guide member for positioning a second end of the ribbon cartridge such that the ink ribbon is disposed between the print head and printing position. The second end of the ribbon cartridge has an opening for exposing a part of the ink ribbon loaded in the body of the cartridge. The ribbon cartridge includes a biasing member for producing a force to bias the ribbon cartridge against the guide member by elastic deformation of the biasing member in contact with a part of the carrier. The biasing member is integrally formed as part of the ribbon cartridge, thus eliminating additional and separate components and reducing part and assembling costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Morihisa Kawahara
  • Patent number: 5135319
    Abstract: Guide rollers are provided to be symmetric with respect to a center of the thermal head. The guide rollers comprise first two guide rollers provided in a vicinity of the thermal head, a guide roller provided in a vicinity of the supply core, a guide roller provided in a vicinity of the take-up core, and second two guide rollers. The second two guide rollers are disposed nearly in a vicinity of the first two guide rollers. The back tension force adding members comprise a fixed brake adding member provided at the supply shaft and an outer peripheral brake adding member for contacting the ink ribbon. The ink ribbon shifting down phenomenon can be prevented. The dirty background and the rubbing transfer phenomenon can be reduced. The aligned winding of the ink ribbon make possible a practical reciprocating ink ribbon cassette. without concern about ink ribbon winding accidents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Kobayashi, Masafumi Suzaki, Fumio Takahagi, Tomoji Kitagishi, Shigetaka Furukawa
  • Patent number: 5131769
    Abstract: A ribbon cartridge comprises a housing having a bottom wall and a side wall extending upwardly therefrom to form an open top, a cover adapted to fit over the open top of the housing to close the housing to form a ribbon cartridge, an output arm and a take-up arm formed in the cartridge with a print space between the arms, the cartridge being adapted to hold a ribbon stuffed inside and extending between the arms from the output arm to the take-up arm, flexible fingers which are spaced apart from each other and attached at their base portions to the housing, with each finger being positioned in a finger opening in the bottom wall of the housing, whereby when an end tab of a finger meets resistance from a top wall of a correction cartridge, the finger is pushed into the interior of the housing, and when an end tab of a finger does not meet such resistance, it actuates the typewriter switch to actuate the typewriter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Pelikan, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce S. Jones, Carl Massey
  • Patent number: 5129751
    Abstract: The printer device is fashioned as an independent structural unit and is arranged such that the printer head is situated in front of a cooperating platen that is seated such next to the deflection roller that does not cover the full width of the document in the document processing means that its apex line facing toward the printer head proceeds in alignment with a corresponding apex line of the deflection roller. The structural unit is held in guide elements and is removable from the printing position tangentially relative to the apex line of the cooperating platen along the guide elements. A printer head operating based on the thermo transfer principle and having a thermo-inking ribbon transported synchronously with the document preferably serves as the printer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: Computer Gesellschaft Konstanz mbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Piller, Michael Schwarzbauer
  • Patent number: 5129745
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a computer printer ribbon cartridge for a printer having multiple print heads positioned at preset spaced distances on a reciporcating print head carriage. The printer ribbon cartridge (50) has a cartridge housing (52) for mounting on the print head carriage. A print ribbon (54) is mounted in the cartridge housing (52) and has an exposed print section which extends in front of the multiple print heads (102a, 102b, 102c). Multiple ribbon guides (62a, 62b, 62c) are slidably coupled on the exposed print section of the print ribbon (54) and, when coupled to the print heads, the ribbon guides guide the print ribbon over the printing face of the print heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: Output Technology Corporation
    Inventors: George W. Bowers, Michael E. Demarchi
  • Patent number: 5128763
    Abstract: An ink sheet cassette mountable on a recording apparatus includes a frame member, an ink sheet having ink thereon, a first winding member capable of winding the ink sheet, and a second winding member also capable of winding the ink sheet. A first support member supports the first winding member on the frame member, and is capable of contacting a member provided on the recording apparatus when the ink sheet cassette is mounted thereto. A second support member is provided for supporting the first winding member on the frame member, and is capable of contacting another member provided on the recording apparatus when the ink sheet cassette is mounted thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenkichi Sakuragi
  • Patent number: 5127750
    Abstract: A refillable ink ribbon cartridge including an adapter element which can be permanently inserted in a typewriter and receive a replaceable ink ribbon. The adapter includes a ribbon drive mechanism for advancing the ink ribbon cassette. The adapter includes a body portion and two extending legs and centering pins at the free ends and a ribbon tensioning lever. The cassette is formed with a body portion and two protruding legs with guiding elements to guide the ribbon across the free end of the legs. A drive wheel is rotatably mounted on a spring loaded arm to pull the ribbon through the cartridge, the arm is rotatable about a drive pin. Upon insertion of the refill cassette into the adapter, the two systems align and interact so that the ribbon is guided by the associated protruding legs and guiding elements to run smoothly through the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Franz Buttner AG
    Inventor: Markus Burgin
  • Patent number: 5122002
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette includes a top, a bottom, sides disposed between the top and bottom, a ribbon chamber disposed between the top and bottom, a ribbon outlet extending from the chamber, a ribbon inlet extending into the chamber, and a positionable tab disposed on the cartridge for actuating a power switch on a device in which the cartridge may be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: General Ribbon Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Daggs
  • Patent number: 5110228
    Abstract: A cassette with a loosening prevention mechanism includes a cassette case rotatably supporting reels including a strip of medium wound therearound. Each of the reels has, at its one end, a rotation prevention portion and an outer shaft portion and, at its other end, an inner shaft portion. A resilient member is integral with the cassette case. The reel has an inner end in contact with the resilient member and is pressed toward the outer shaft portion by the resilient member. A rotation prevention mechanism is operative when the rotation prevention portion of the reel is brought into engagement with a rotation stop portion formed on an inner peripheral wall of said cassette case, and inoperative when a force applied from the outer shaft portion toward the inner shaft portion of the reel is greater than a pressing force by the resilient member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Kasei Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Yokomizo
  • Patent number: 5108209
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for electronically determining when a ribbon cassette in a printer should be replaced. The ribbon cassette comprises a housing and an electrically conductive ink ribbon stored in the housing. The apparatus comprises a detection apparatus which includes a first conductor and a second conductor which pass through the housing and contact the ink ribbon, thereby enabling a signal to be generated when the electrical resistance of the ink ribbon equals a predetermined resistance. A controller coupled to the detection apparatus causes a message that the ribbon cassette needs to be replaced to be displayed on a display in response to the signal. The method entails generating a first signal corresponding to the electrical resistance of at least a portion of the ink ribbon; and then generating a second signal when the first signal equals a third signal corresponding to the predetermined resistance of the ink ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory Menzenski
  • Patent number: 5106215
    Abstract: A label printer comprises a supporting frame having a pair of side plates facing each other. A platen roller and a head unit having a print head are arranged between the side plates. A supporting shaft extends parallel to the platen roller and has one end fixed to one of the side plates and a free end adjacent to the other side plate. The head unit is supported on the supporting shaft and located in an operative position wherein the print head is opposite to the platen roller. The head unit is slidable from the operative position to the outside of the supporting frame along the supporting shaft. The free end of the shaft and the head unit in the operative position is fixed by a fixing member mounted on the other side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kitahara, Osamu Koizumi, Ikuzo Sugiura
  • Patent number: 5100250
    Abstract: A thermal transcription film cassette for use in a thermal transcription recording device. Engagement portions on three of four ends of a pair of spools are formed into the same shapes, with an ink film being wound around the pair of spools. Engagement portions on one of the four ends of the pair of spools are formed into shapes which are different from the shapes of the engagement portions on the remaining three ends of the spools. When the pair of spools are mounted in the cassette, they are prevented from being erroneously mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsugio Suzuki, Akira Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5098208
    Abstract: An improved dual purpose print ribbon cartridge for use with a typewriter or printer having upper and lower walls joined by side walls one of which is a front sidewall. The cartridge being provided with ribbon exit and entrance ports at opposite ends of one of the front sidewalls for movement of said ribbon along and spaced from said front sidewall. The upper wall being formed with an upwardly directed extension for guiding the paper, after printing, in an upwardly direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventor: Phillip M. Martinez
  • Patent number: 5094555
    Abstract: A combination of a thermal printer and an invertible ribbon cassette has a mechanism for preventing a portion of the inked ribbon extending between a supply core and a take-up core of the ribbon cassette from shifting in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inked ribbon with respect to a printing head. The mechanism includes a substantially planar surface of a platen, and a printing head is urged against the planar surface of the platen through the inked ribbon portion and a sheet to which solid ink in the area on the inked ribbon portion is transferred by the printing head. The width of that area on the inked ribbon portion in the widthwise direction of the inked ribbon is at most equal to a half of the width of the inked ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Suzaki, Fumio Takahagi, Katsumasa Mikami, Tomoji Kitagishi, Ryooichi Kobayashi, Shigetaka Furukawa, Akira Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5092694
    Abstract: In a ribbon cassette for a typewriter or the like, comprising a housing, a take-off spool core rotatably seated in the housing, on which a take-off ribbon spool is wound, and a take-up spool core, also rotatably seated in the housing, where the take-off spool core is rotatably seated in the housing vertically to its axis of rotation, and where a loop brake spring with two legs and with a section in the shape of a segment of a circle connecting the legs and looping around the take-off spool core is provided, an expanding guide device (19) on the housing, which acts on the spring legs (14, 15) for achieving an even and defined ribbon tension, is provided in such a way, that with increasing unwinding and corresponding displacement of the takeoff spool (5) in the housing (1), the spring legs (14, 15) are increasingly spread open, while the braking force is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: TA Triumph-Adler
    Inventor: Werner Haczek
  • Patent number: 5088845
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette is selectively mounted in a printing device having an operating mechanism actuable between locked and released states. The ribbon cassette has a casing for accommodating therein a print ribbon that cooperates with the operating mechanism for printing characters. The cassette also includes an actuating mechanism for mechanically unlocking the operating mechanism to the released state when the casing is inserted into the printing device. In a preferred embodiment, the actuating mechanism is a projection on a wall of the casing that abuts a locking linkage within the printing device and moves the locking linkage to unlock the operating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hisao Kurachi
  • Patent number: 5088846
    Abstract: A printer of a ribbon cassette fixed type, to which a ribbon cassette is detachably mounted, has a main body and a cassette mounting portion provided on the main body. The mounting portion has a cassette loading plate for loading the cassette thereon. The cassette includes two spools in parallel winding an ink ribbon therebetween. The printer includes a feed reel disposed at the loading plate and adapted to engage with one of the spools for feeding the ribbon, and a take-up reel disposed at the loading plate and adapted to engage with the other of the spools for taking-up the ribbon. A carriage is mounted in the main body movably along a printing direction. A print head is disposed on the carriage, to which a portion of the ribbon is set, for printing by using the ribbon discharged from the cassette by a movement of the carriage in the printing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kouzou Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5085531
    Abstract: A cassette for a printing ribbon for typewriters comprises a casing accommodating a supply spool, a receiving spool and a brake and take up device which operates on a tube of the supply spool and on the ribbon which is unwound from the supply spool. The tube is rotatable on a sleeve projecting from the bottom of the casing. The brake and take up device comprises a shoe for applying a braking action to an internal surface of the tube. A wire spring has an intermediate portion which engages in a seat of coupling means of the shoe. In a first position the shoe is urged against the surface of the tube and brakes the supply spool. In a second position the shoe is spaced from the internal surface of the tube and the supply spool is free to rotate. The spring also performs the slack ribbon take-up function and for that purpose comprises an end having an L-shaped bent portion which in turn is engaged with the ribbon to regulate the tension and unwinding of the ribbon which is unwound from the supply spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1992
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventor: Claudio Gillio
  • Patent number: 5083878
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette having top and bottom enclosures forming a cavity including a ribbon storage compartment. Ribbon drive means, which includes a pair of spaced elements, is mounted in the cavity for engaging or "pinching" the ribbon therebetween for advancement into the storage compartment. One or both of the elements may be a gear. When only one element is a gear, the other element is a spring assembly. A combined gear support and "stripper" assembly is molded with the upper and lower enclosures and serves as a support for rotatably supporting the gear or gears in the cavity while also preventing the ribbon from winding around or otherwise binding to the gear or gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Inventor: Tyrone N. Surti
  • Patent number: 5082381
    Abstract: A printer for use with both monochrome and color ink ribbon cartridges has a cartridge holder which is rotatable to correctly position the ink ribbon of whichever cartridge is put in place in front of the print head. The cartridge holder and a transmission for driving it are mounted on a carriage which is movable in front of a platen. A driving motor for powering the transmission is placed on the carriage to convert the printer from monochrome so as to be able to use with either a monochrome or a color ink ribbon cartridge and a switch having two sets of contacts in a single circuit responds to the presence of a color ink ribbon cartridge to position the color ribbon in front of the printer at a color home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1992
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kozo Kishida, Hiromi Shishiuchi, Takao Mimura
  • Patent number: 5079565
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printing apparatus includes a reading device for reading a code registered section provided on an ink sheet cassette, and a color discrimination device, a part of which is provided on a thermal head. The apparatus acts to heat an ink sheet superposed on a print paper by means of the thermal head to print an image on the print paper. The ink sheet cassette includes a pair of ink shafts on which both ends of a continuous ink sheet having a continuous film or paper with inks applied thereon are wound, and a cassette case in which the ink shafts are received, at least one of the ink shafts being adapted to be drivingly connected in the axial direction to a torque supply shaft inserted from the outside of the cassette case so that driving torque is supplied from the torque supply shaft to the ink shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1992
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu, Naohiro Ozawa, Toshihiko Gotoh, Kentaro Hamma, Seiji Okunomiya, Youichi Narui
  • Patent number: 5074689
    Abstract: An improved dual purpose print ribbon cartridge for use with a typewriter or printer having upper and lower walls joined by side walls one of which is a front sidewall. The cartridge being provided with ribbon exit and entrance ports at opposite ends of one of the front sidewalls for movement of said ribbon along and spaced from said front sidewall. Said front sidewall being formed with an upwardly directed extension for guiding the paper, after printing, in an upwardly direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Smith Corona Corporation
    Inventor: Phillip M. Martinez
  • Patent number: 5073052
    Abstract: A reuseable ink ribbon cassette which is capable of accommodating ink ribbons having different widths. The ink ribbon cassette comprises a first cover member, a second cover member and a plurality of support shafts for adjustably and detachably securing the first and second cover members together. The first and second cover members each have a plurality of seats for rotatably supporting an ink ribbon supply spool and an ink ribbon take-up spool between the first and second cover members when the first cover member is detachably secured to the second cover member. The support shafts have a plurality of detents thereon which permit the first cover member to be adjustably and detachably secured a preselected distance away from the second cover member, thereby enabling the ribbon cassette to accommodate ink ribbons having different widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip B. Daley, Richard D. Puckett
  • Patent number: 5071272
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette has a rectangular clip and a mushroom clip on its guide arms for detachably mounting a ribbon protector which has a rectangular slot that attaches to the rectangular clip and allows some lateral and back and forth movement of the ribbon protector, and has a starburst hole with leaves that attach to the mushroom clip for detachably holding the ribbon protector on the cassette and for positioning a central print hole in the protector in a central space between the ribbon guide arms of the cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: Pelikan, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Bell
  • Patent number: 5069563
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette includes a top, a bottom, sides disposed between the top and bottom, a ribbon chamber disposed between the top and bottom, a ribbon outlet extending from the chamber, a ribbon inlet extending into the chamber, and a positionable tab disposed on the cartridge for actuating a power switch on a device in which the cartridge may be mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Assignee: General Ribbon Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Daggs
  • Patent number: 5064304
    Abstract: A printer having an ink ribbon shift apparatus includes a carrier unit having a printer head and a ribbon guide which is movable upwardly and downwardly. Up and down shift means are provided to shift an ink ribbon cassette up and down. A shaft is disposed parallel to a platen and extends along the entire range of movement of the carrier unit. The shaft shifts up and down together with the ink ribbon cassette and is engaged with the said ribbon guide. The up and down shift means moves the ink ribbon cassette up and down and the ribbon guide is thereby shifted up and down via the shaft so that a predetermined color band of an ink ribbon is positioned on a printing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hosokawa, Masaki Kanoh, Takashi Maekawa, Hirofumi Nakayasu
  • Patent number: 5056940
    Abstract: A thermal printing device or the like and a tape or tape-ribbon cartridge designed for operative insertion into and use with such device. The device and cartridge of the present invention includes a tape drive system for driving the tape or tape and ribbon through the thermal printing device including a drive roller connected with the machine and a corresponding drive roller mounted within the cartridge and biased toward the machine drive roller. The device and cartridge of the present invention also includes an alignment system comprising a floating alignment member for insuring proper transfer alignment between the platen and the printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Kroy Inc.
    Inventor: Peter A. Basile
  • Patent number: 5051009
    Abstract: There is disclosed a printer having a thermal print head which is biased towards a cooperable platen roll. The printer uses an ink ribbon cartridge, which is locked into place as the printhead is moved to the print position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ikuzo Sugiura, Mitsuo Uchimura, Kouichi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 5051010
    Abstract: A printer has one or more tractor sets for continuously feeding paper along first and second paper paths. One tractor set may be pivoted between positions for feeding paper from the front or bottom of the printer along the first paper path. Where one tractor set is used, it may be removed from the first feed path and disposed along the second paper path to feed paper along the second paper path for printing. Where two tractor sets are provided, the second set is disposed along the second paper path to feed the paper along the second path for printing. The tractor sets are detachable and usable in each of the three tractor set feed positions. Other features include eccentric bearings, resilient roller assemblies, an integrally molded mainframe and a cartridge assembly having a one-way ribbon advance clutch and a tensioning device before the mobius loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Genicom Corporation
    Inventors: Fred O. Stephens, Frank A. Ellis
  • Patent number: 5049228
    Abstract: A desk top type label printer in which a thermal printing head unit having a thermal printing head and a tape depressing mechanism arranged opposed to the thermal printing head unit are provided inside a casing which is open at a lateral side where an openable cover is provided and the thermal printing head unit and tape depressing mechanism are respectively supported by shafts which protrude from the internal wall of the casing toward the opening side of the casing and have their opening side end as a free end, the tape depressing mechanism being pivoted on the associated shaft and provided with a platen roller at its turnable end so that the platen roller comes in contact under pressure with the thermal printing head whereby the tape depressing mechanism is engaged with and fixed to the supporting shaft for the thermal printing head unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Shinsei Industries
    Inventor: Junichi Sato
  • Patent number: 5044794
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette includes a supply side ribbon spool, a take-up side ribbon spool, a cassette case containing therein the supply side and take-up side ribbon spools and pivotably supporting at least the take-up side ribbon spool through a lever member and having an opening through which an outside feed tooth may mesh with the take-up side ribbon spool. A support portion provided in the opening for contacting the peripheral surface of the take-up side ribbon spool prevents the take-up side ribbon spool from protruding outwardly, and a biasing device impart a rotational force to the lever member so that the take-up side ribbon spool is urged against the support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Shimoyama, Yasuo Ohba
  • Patent number: 5044795
    Abstract: The spring (6) has two radially aligned legs (7, 8) and a circular-segment-shaped web (9) connecting the legs. The web (9) is inserted with initial stress in a circumferential groove (10) of an unwinding core (3). The free end of the leg rests against a stop (11). The free end of the leg (8) is bent at a right angle. The right-angle bend forms a deflecting organ (12), around which the ribbon (5) is fed. The surface of the spring (6) is roughened and abrasive at least in the area of the web (9). The spring (6) is preferably phosphatized for this purpose. By means of this design, a uniform ribbon tension over the entire running time of the ribbon is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: Pelikan, Inc.
    Inventor: Markus Burgin
  • Patent number: 5039232
    Abstract: A typewriter includes a carriage arranged for reciprocating travel, a receiving arrangement mounted on the carriage, a drive arrangement mounted on the carriage, and a ribbon cartridge receivable in and removable from the receiving arrangement and operatively connectable with the drive arrangement, and an XY-plotter receivable and removable from the receiving arrangement when the ribbon cartridge is absent from the receiving arrangement. The XY-plotter includes a stylus holder for supporting a plurality of styli; a first force-transmitting arrangement operatively connectable to the drive arrangement for moving the stylus holder such as to place a selected stylus in a standby writing position; and a second force-transmitting arrangement operatively connectable to the drive arrangement for moving the selected stylus in contact with the record carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: AEG Olympia Office GmbH
    Inventors: Gunter Kerzel, Arthur Kittel
  • Patent number: 5037216
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for printing a graphic design on a hard plastic workpiece such as a credit card blank includes a thermal printing element which is supported by a head assembly that has been designed a single link, to have low mechanical compliance in a horizontal plane and yet to allow the print head to align with a print roller. A cleaning assembly is further provided which includes a pair of cleaning rollers having an adhesive coating; and a novel arrangement for stripping particulate matter away from the cleaning rollers after a predetermined number of cards have been cleaned. A number of stepper motors are provided to perform the cleaning and printing functions. The stepper motors are controlled by a local control system which monitors a number of sensors provided on the cleaning and printing stations and is subservient to an overall system controller. The invention further includes a novel method of operation, a cassette for use with the printing station and a novel thermal printing foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: DataCard Corporation
    Inventors: Richard C. Nubson, Glenn R. Carney, Luc DeBleeckere, Ronald B. Howes, Milo B. Squires, David E. Wickstrom, Dennis J. Warwick, Benjamin H. Sannel, Gretchen J. Moeller, Paul R. Caron, Harold D. Schofield
  • Patent number: 5033888
    Abstract: A printer with an improved ribbon guide mechanism. A pair of ribbon guides is mounted via fixing members, one being on each of both sides of a printing head, so as to be positioned in the path of a print ribbon. Thus the ribbon guides are movable together with the printing head to an operating position and a rest position. Leaf springs are provided to press the ribbon at all times against the ribbon guides on either side of the printing head. This allows the length of a portion of the print ribbon moving through between the guides on either side of the printing head to be maintained substantially constant, whether the printing head is at its operating position or at its rest position, thereby preventing the occurrence of slackness in the ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Okumura, Koshiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5032032
    Abstract: A ribbon cassette including a casing provided with an opening for receiving a photoelectric device. In the casing is a ribbon which passes from a supply reel to a take-up reel. A guide leads the ribbon past the photoelectric device. If the ribbon breaks, the ribbon is pulled away from the photoelectric device to cause a change in received light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Primages, Inc.
    Inventors: Mosi Chu, Anthony Graziano
  • Patent number: 5026182
    Abstract: In a ribbon cassette capable of being provided on a printing device including a rocking mechanism for rocking a ribbon cassette in a vertical direction, a protection portion provided on the ribbon cassette protects the ribbon cassette from being fit with the rocking mechanism. Thus, even if the rocking mechanism is operated, the ribbon cassette is not rocked. In other words, the ribbon cassette is not rocked even if a data for rocking the ribbon cassette is erroneously inputted to the printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5026181
    Abstract: There is disclosed a ribbon cartridge for an electronic typewriter. The cartridge includes a case for containing the ribbon, a supplying spool for supplying the ribbon, a winding spool for winding the ribbon supplied from the supplying spool, a tension member for tensioning the ribbon, a resiliently pressing means for contacting the winding spool with the winding gear, and a guide roll for guiding the ribbon. The tension member comprises an L-shaped spring, whose middle curved portion is supported on the spindle of the supplying spool. A first branch of the L-shaped spring is fixed on a corner structure, while a second branch thereof holds the ribbon to tension it. The resilient pressing means includes a pin spring resiliently pressing the spindle of the winding spool toward the winding gear. The side of the guide roll is tapered bidirecionally from the center line between the both ends thereof toward the both ends so that the ribbon is guided without being folded longitudinally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myeong-Dal Ahn
  • Patent number: 5022771
    Abstract: A thermal printing device and tape supply cartridge therefor which includes a printing mechanism having a print head incorporated within the machine and a separate printing platen embodied within the cartridge. An alignment mechanism is also provided for insuring printing alignment between the cartridge embodied platen and the print head. The cartridge also includes a mechanism for laminating a film of protective material over the printed tape and a fully incorporated, manually operated tape cut-off mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Kroy Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Paque
  • Patent number: 5017942
    Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette which is adapted to be demountably loaded on a recording apparatus having a recording head capable of recording information on a recording medium supported by a platen, the ink ribbon cassette has the following parts: a substantially box-shaped casing constituted by an upper case and a lower case which are connected to each other at their vertical walls, the casing having a first side wall facing the platen and a second side wall opposing the first side wall, a recessed portion formed in one end of the first side wall and capable of receiving the recording head, engaging portion provided on the second side wall and adapted for engagement with retaining member on the recording apparatus, a pair of through holes constituted by pairs of apertures formed in the portions of the upper and lower cases adjacent to the first side wall, the through holes being adapted for receiving locating members on the recording apparatus so as to locate the ink ribbon cassette, and a path of an ink ribbon ext
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Asakura, Yoshio Uchikata, Kenji Kawazoe, Yuji Kanome
  • Patent number: 5011311
    Abstract: A dental alloy consists essentially of 60 to 85% by weight palladium, 5 to 20% by weight copper, 3 to 15% by weight gallium, and, as modifiers, 0.5 to 7% by weight gold, 0.005 to 0.02% by weight ruthenium, rhenium, iridium or a mixture of at least two of these metals, 1 to 5% by weight tin and 0 to 2% by weight nickel, wherein the sum of the modifiers is from 5.5 to 10% by weight. Dental restorations are produced by firing ceramic onto at least part of the surface of a casting of such an alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Inventors: Brian C. Harris, Raymond Cook
  • Patent number: 5007749
    Abstract: A cartridge for a correction ribbon for typewriters comprises a container for a supply reel and a receiving reel. A tensioning device comprises a toothed ring on the supply rell and a spring which is pivoted in the container and which has one end engaged with the toothed ring to tension the ribbon. The container can be removably fixed to the lower part of a cartridge for a typing ribbon which in turn can be fitted on a support of the machine. The support is movable from a viewing position to a typing position in which the typing ribbon is in front of the point of typing and to a correction position in which the correction ribbon is in front of the point of typing. The receiving reel of the cartridge, in use, is capable of co-operating with a feed mechanism which provides for forward feed movement of the ribbon in each correction cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventors: Remo Falconieri, Sergio Uggetti