Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 BACKGROUND OF TlIE IN~ENTION
1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to printing means
o~ the type using an elongated inked ribbon; and, more
particularly, to a transport and storage apparatus for such
ribbon~ and a method of transporting and/or storing an inking
ribbon for the printing means.
2) Prior Art
The use of an inking ribbon cartridge in connection
; 10 with printing means such as a data printer is known. For
example, inking ribbon can be wound from one spool onto
~ another and then rewound for each subsequent use. Further,
; continuous ribbon cartridges are also known. That is, inking
ribbon exits from a cartridge~ passes a printing head and then
re-enters the same cartridge. A significant problem with
such cartridges has been jamming of the inking ribbon,
which is saturated with ink and tends to adhere to itself,
causing it to double upon itself and catch or jam. For
example~ one known way of loading inking ribbon into such
a cartridge is to use a wound roll or spool of inking ribbon
and then withdraw ribbon from the cartridge to unwind the
roll. Unwinding the inking ribbon from the roll can easily
jam the ribbon within the cartridge~ causing malfunction
of the printer and requiring manual adjustment for restarting
` 25 of the printer. Thus, valuable printer time is lost and
additional time and expense is involved in restarting and
maintaining the printer. Further, variations in the quality
oE ribbon and/or ribbon ink, and other environmental conditions
like humidity, static charge, temperature, etc., af:Eect the
ease with which the ribbon unrolls and also tend to cause
jamming. These are some of the problems whose solution this
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1 invention addresses.
SU~MARY OF THE IN~ENTION
This invention recognizes that properly organizing
the size and shape of the exit opening of a ribbon cartridge
on a printer, or even on a ribbon-winding or packaging ap-
paratus, when unwinding a spool of ribbon from within the
cartridge can be very advantageous, since in this way one can
permit a single thickness of ribbon to exit from the cartridge
at a time. When a single thickness of ribbon passes through
the exit opening of the cartridge, chances of jamming are
substantially reduced. Further, an embodiment of this invention
provides recognition that ink ribbon unwound from the spool
within the cartridge can be driven back (i.e., stuffed) into
a rectangular storage area within the inking cartridge to
form a rectangular ribbon pack3 which can continue as the
supply of ribbon or can be removed and used as a filler, or
refill, ribbon pack for a different inking cartridge.
Thus, the invention also encompasses a method of
forming a rectangular inking ribbon pack for a cartridge,
the ribbon in which is generally rectangularly folded,
or pleated, into a pack within accordion-like zigzags. That
is, the inking ribbon is folded in~ lengths generally
extending the full width of the cartridge case, with the
folds alternating in direction. The invention also
recognizes a method of loading a rlbbon cartridge with such
a folded ribbon pack. The controlled exit is advantageous
to permit a single thickness o ribbon to exit from the
ribbon cartridge, thus tending to preclude loops and kwists
from exiting and promoting the passage of a single thickness
of ribbon in front of the printing head and back into the
ribbon pack. Further, the controlled exit inclucles means
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1 for positioning an unwinding spool o-f inking ribbon
within the storage space of the inking cartridge. Thus, as
the inking ribbon is stuffed back into the storage area of the
cartridge ~he unwinding spool remains relatively clear of the
progressively-forming, rectangular ribbon pack and of the exit
opening, where it tends to locate otherwise and where it can
; cause jamming of the ribbon exiting the case.
The folded or pleated rectangular-form ribbon
pack is advantageous because the alternating folds of
ribbon gradually proceed from the cartridge inlet to the
outlet by following a relatively easily-traversed back-and-
forth path within the cartridge. Further~ once the ink
ribbon pack is in the rectangular zigzag storage
configuration, it remains in that configuration during
subsequent operation of the printing means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~IE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the
exit portion of an ink cartridge in accordance herewith;
Fig. 2 is~ a fragmentary top plan view of an inking
ribbon cartridge with a ribbon spool positioned within a
central storage area and ready for unrolling;
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view as in Fig. 2
with the spool of inking ribbon positioned in one end and
a portion of the inking ribbon driven back into the storage
area to start to form a rectangular pack;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view similar and
` sequential to Fig. 3, where more of the inking ribbon spool
has unwound and more of the inking ribbon is in a
rectanguIar packing form; and
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Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view similar and
sequential to Fig. 4, with all of the inking ribbon unwound
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1 from the spool and in a rectangular ribbon pack.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TNVEN~ION
Typically, a data printer includes a print head
(not shown) laterally movable by a dri~e mechanism to print
against a surface like a platen. The print head includes a
needle guide which provides a guide for the ends of the
printing needle and directs a ribbon 11 past the printing
needles. Ribbon 11 is a continuous loop provided ~rom a
ribbon cartridge 10 ~Figs. 2-5) and guided around part of
its path by ribbon guide and reinking means (not shown3.
Referring to Figs. 2-5, ribbon cartridge 10
includes a structural shell 12 forming a generally rectangular
enclosed storage area 19 having a ribbon inlet 16 and ribbon
outlet 17. ~nlet 16 is bounded by a generally cylindrical
drive roller 13 and an adjacent generally cylindrical pinch
roller 1~. Pinch roller 14 is spring biased toward drive
roller 13 so that a single thickness of ribbon 11 can be
pressed between rollers 13 and 14 and driven into the
interior of ribbon cartridge 10. Referring also to Fig. 1,
a pair of outlet points or stripper fingers 15 are positioned
at ribbon outlet 17. Stripper fingers 15 are generally sym-
metric about outlet 17 and restrict the size of the outlet
opening so that ideally it will pass only a single thickness of
ribbon 11. Stripper fingers 15 generally extend inward into
storage area l9, toward each other with increasing distance
from outlet 17, and preferably tapering with increasing distance
from outlet 17. To help ensure that only a single thickness of
ribbon ll passes, stripper fingers 15 are ideally spaced less
than three thicknesses o~ the particular ribbon to be used
(normally about 0.012-0.014 inch) at their closest point, i.e.,
their innermost tips. Further, the fingers each preferably
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1 taper to a relatively sharp chisel-like edge, but it is also
preferable that such edge not be so sharp so as to be a
knife-edge but instead have at least a very small rounded
radius at its end extremity.
In its typical spool form, ribbon 11 is initially
doubled and wound into a spool or roll 20. Thus, as spool
20 is unwound, two thicknesses of ribbon 11 are released
at a time. ~dvantageously9 ribbon 11 is a continuous loop
and includes a twist (i.e., a Mobius loop) which permits
alternating printing on opposite sides of ribbon 11 thus
extending ribbon life.
Storage area 19 within ribbon cartridge 10 is
sufficiently large to easily receive ribbon spool 20.
Ribbon cartridge 10 is typically a molded plastic receptacle
and has a removable or hingeable top for easy loading of
ribbon spool 20. Stripper fingers 15 may be integrally
molded with the shell 12 or may be separately fabricated of
another material, and attached to tlie ribbon cartridge 10.
If desired, the width of the exit opening may be made
adjustable, as by securing one of stripper fingers
(designated 15a, Pig. 1) so that it is laterally movable
toward and away from the other stripper finger 15. For
example, as shown in Fig. 1, a screw 24 may be used to
adjustably mount one of the stripper fingers upon the end of
the rlbbon cartridge. Screw 24 threads into the over-
hanging portion of finger 15a and is movable within a slot
25 in the end of ribbon cartridge 10, thus enabling the movable
strlpper finger 15a to be secured to ribbon cartridge 10
at any of a plurality of positions. Also, a finger so
secured may be made slightly flexible so as to be 1exed
outwardly to open the exit wider and release the ribbon
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1 should it tend to clog or catch at the outlet.
METHOD OF LOADIN~
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First, a roll or spool 20, comprising a double
thickness of circularly-wound ribbon 11 emanating from
the exterior of the spool 20 in a continuous loop, is
positioned within storage area 19 of ribbon cartridge 10,
lying flush against the bottom thereof but not secured in
place. A small amount of ribbon 11 is unwound by hand ~rom
the spool so that a loop of ribbon 11 leaves the spool.
1~ This loop is opened up and one thickness of ribbon is
passed through ribbon outlet 17 while the other thickness
passes through ribbon inlet 16, between rollers 13 and 1~
(Fig. 2). The path of ribbon 11 outside ribbon cartridge
10 typically passes in front o~ a print means and around
a series of ribbon guides (not shown) leading back into
the cartriclge. Applying power to drive roller 13 pushes
ribbon into storage area 19 and also pulls ribbon 11
out of the cartridge through ribbon outlet 17. Pulling
ribbon 11 out of ribbon outlet 17 rotates the spool 20,
thus unwinding both strands of the doubled ribbon, causing
one thickness of ribbon to exit storage area 19 while
the other thickness unwinds into such area (Fig. 3).
Since ribbon is also being pushed into ribbon inlet 16
at the same time, a rectangular pack of ribbon is progressively
formed in storage area 19 starting at the ribbon inlet 16
,
and on that side of the spool 20, and gradually filling
the entire storage area, the ribhon being packed in such
area but in a relatively loose pack (Figs. 3-5).
Stripper fingers 15 are particularly acLvantageous
because of their size, shape and separation, since they
tend to permit only a single thickness of ribbon ll to pass
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1 through ribbon outlet 17 and thus separate the double
thickness of ribbon 11 as it unwinds from the spool.
At the same time, they tend to shunt the ribbon spool to
one side or the other relative to the narrow outlet opening
while the spool is be:ing unwound and the doubled ribbon
from it is being separated. That is, as the rlbbon is
tensioned and pulled out of the cartridge by rollers 13 and 14,
~ it tends to pull spool 20 toward, and against, the outlet
; opening. Normally, this would result in a substantial
: 10 tendency for the ribbon to jam in the outlet opening, as
by two or more thicknesses of ribbon sticking together and
entering the outlet before the di:E~erent ribbon thicknesses
are separated. However, in accordance with the present
outlet configuration, the extent of protrusion of the fingers
into the cartridge, which may be from about 1/16 - 1/8 inch
minimally and up to about 1/4 inch as a maximum, together
with the sharply angled shape tips of the fingers and their
slightly rounded tip extremities, plus the narrow spacing
between them, all contribute to deflect the free rotating
spool to one side or the other of the outlet, and in fact
toward the rear corners of the cartridge, keeping the outlet
opening free and continuously separating the doubled ribbon
leaving the spool. Thus, unwinding of the spool is rapid
and tends to be trouble free, as is the formation of the
widely-pleated or ~olded, rectangula~rly~shaped ribbon
pack within the cartridge. Figs. 3 5 comprise a somewhat
generalized showing of the sequential unwindlng o:f ribbon 11
from the spool and forming thereof into a rectangular
pack within storage area 19. In Fig. 2, the spool of ribbon
.11 has just been placed into storage area 19 and single
ribbon traces entrained through inlet 1~ and outlet 17.
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1 In Fig. 3, rotation of rollers 13 and 14 results in
turning of the spool of ribbon 11, automatically drawing
the spool toward an end of storage area 19, to one side of
the outlet. Once ribbon 11 has been ~mwound -from the spool
and packed into the rectangular configuration, continwed
driving of ribbon 11 by rollers 13 and 14 maintains the
ribbon in its rectangular configuration, stripping ribbon
from the outlet and stuffing the same amount of ribbon back
into the inlet. If desired, the rectangular pack of ribbon
11 can be removed from storage area 19 of ribbon caTtridge
10 (generally requiring at least some compression of the pack
orthogonally across the folds) and taken to another location,
where it may be put directly into the storage area of
another ribbon cartridge, making it unnecessary to use the
double-wound, round spools at such location, and largely
obviating the need for the particular outlet configuration
at such location.
Various modifications and variations will no
doubt occur to those skilled in the art to which this invention
pertains. For example, the particular means for adjusting
the spacing of the stripper fingers may be ~aried from that
dlsclosed herein, and the particular use of the ribbon is not
restricted to matrix printers or indeed any particular type
of printing device. These and all other variations which
basically rely on the teachings through which this disclosure
has advanced the art are properly considered within the
spirit and broader aspects o~ this invention.
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