INKING MECHANISM

MECANISME ENCREUR

English Abstract

Docket M-294

INKING MECHANISM

Abstract of the Disclosure
There is disclosed a printing apparatus having a
print head and an inking mechanism for inking the print head.
The inking mechanism comprises an ink roller, an inker body
or carrier for the ink roller and structure for movably mounting
the inker body. The ink roller is rotatably mounted to the inker
body by mounting means including a pair of mounting members. The
inker body has a pair of undercut slots and the mounting members
have respective flanges received in the slots. Each mounting
member is shown to have a resilient member or finger engageable
with a respective shoulder on the inker body to lock the mounting
member to the inker body. The inking mechanism has means for
preventing its disconnection from the printing apparatus while
the inking mechanism is in cooperation with the print head, but
the inking mechanism can be removed and replaced with a new inking
mechanism having a new ink roller while the inking mechanism is
out of cooperation with the print head.

Claims

Docket M-294-C-1
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. An inking mechanism cooperable with a print head
of a printing apparatus, comprising: an inker body, means for
pivotally mounting the inker body, spring means for urging the
inker body in one direction, the inker body having a pair of
opposed slots, an ink roller for inking the print head, ink
roller mounting means including a pair of spaced members
slidably received in the slots, the ink roller mounting means
further including shaft means connected to the members for
rotatably mounting the ink roller, means for holding the mounting
means in the slots, wherein the inker body is composed of plastics
material and has a pair of spaced arms, wherein the means for
pivotally mounting the inker body is connected to the arms,
wherein the means for holding the ink roller mounting means
includes a projection and shoulder connection between the inker
body and at least one of the members, wherein the projection is
on the member and the shoulder is on the inker body, the pro-
jection being arranged to resiliently snap in behind the
shoulder.
2. An inking mechanism cooperable with a print head
of a printing apparatus, comprising: an inker body, means for
pivotally mounting the inker body, spring means for urging the
inker body in one direction, the inker body having a pair of
opposed slots, an ink roller for inking the print head, ink
roller mounting means including a pair of spaced members
slidably received in the slots, the ink roller mounting means
further including shaft means connected to the members for
rotatably mounting the ink roller, means for holding the mounting
means in the slots, wherein the members are composed of molded

13




Docket M-294-C-1
plastics material, and wherein the means for holding the ink
roller mounting means includes a projection on at least one
member and a shoulder on the inker body.
3. An inking mechanism cooperable with a print head
of a printing apparatus, comprising: an inker body, means for
pivotally mounting the inker body, spring means for urging the
inker body in one direction, the inker body having a pair of
opposed slots, an ink roller for inking the print head, ink
roller mounting means including a pair of spaced members
slidably received in the slots, the ink roller mounting
means further including shaft means connected to the members
for rotatably mounting the ink roller, means for holding the
mounting means in the slots, wherein the members are composed
of molded plastics material, wherein the means for holding the
ink roller mounting means includes a projection on at least
one member and a shoulder on the inker body, and wherein the
inker body is composed of molded plastics material.
4. An inking mechanism cooperable with a print
head of a printing apparatus, comprising: an inker body, means
for pivotally mounting the inker body, spring means for urging
the inker body in one direction, the inker body having a pair
of opposed slots, an ink roller for inking the print head,
ink roller mounting means including a pair of spaced members
slidably received in the slots, the ink roller mounting means
further including shaft means connected to the members for
rotatably mounting the ink roller, means for holding the
mounting means in the slots, wherein the inker body is composed
of plastics material and has a pair of spaced arms, and wherein
the means for holding the ink roller mounting means includes
a projection and shoulder connection between the inker body and
at least one of the members.

14


Docket M-294-C-1

5. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller,
an inker body having a pair of undercut slots and a pair of
shoulders, and a pair of separate mounting members, each
mounting member having a mounting member body, a pair of
flanges joined to the mounting member body, a shaft joined
at one end to the mounting member body, and a resilient
finger joined to the mounting member body, the flanges of
each mounting member being received in the respective slot
in the inker body, and the resilient finger of each mounting
member being cooperable with the respective shoulder of the
inker body, each mounting member being of one-piece molded
plastics construction.
6. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller,
an inker body having a pair of undercut slots, and a pair of
separate mounting members, each mounting member having a
mounting member body, a pair of flanges joined to each mounting
member body, and a shaft joined at one end to each mounting
member body, the flanges of each mounting member being received
in the respective slot in the inker body, and means for locking
the mounting members to the inker body, each mounting member
being of one-piece molded plastics construction.
7. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
having a roll composed of ink receptive material and a hub
for mounting the roll, an inker body, means separate from the
ink roller for mounting the hub to the inker body, means for
locking the mounting means to the inker body including at
least two shoulders, one shoulder limiting guided movement
of the mounting means in one direction, and means cooperable
with the other shoulder for limiting travel of the mounting
means in the opposite direction, wherein the mounting means
comprises a pair of separate one-piece molded plastics


Docket M-294-C-1


mounting members, the body having a pair of spaced apart slots,
the mounting member haivng mating means for slidably guiding
the respective mounting members in the slots.
8. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
including a pair of connected hub sections, each hub section
having a roll mounting portion and a flange, an ink receptive
tubular porous roll received by the roll-mounting portions
between the flanges and an axially extending outwardly opening
hole in each hub section, an inker body, and means for mounting
the ink roller to the inker body, the mounting means including
a pair of separate mounting members, each mounting member
having a shaft received in the hole in the respective hub
section, and locks spaced from the respective shafts and
formed partly by the respective mounting members and partly
by the inker body for locking the mounting members to the
inker body.
9. An inking mechanism as defined in claim 8,
wherein the mounting members are of one-piece molded plastics
construction.
10. An inking mechanism as defined in claim 8,
wherein each lock includes a resilient finger on one of the
mounting member and the inker body and a shoulder on the
other of the mounting member and the inker body.
11. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller,
an inker body, and means for mounting the ink roller to the
inker body, the mounting means including a pair of mounting
members, and a lock for at least one mounting member, the
lock including a shoulder and a resilient member engaged with
the shoulder, the inker body having a pair of undercut slots,
each mounting member having flange means keyed for slidable
movement into the respective slot, the resilient member being
effective when the one mounting member is slid into its
respective undercut slots to lock the one mounting member to
the inker body.

16

Docket M-294-C -1


12. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
having a roll composed of ink receptive material and a hub for
mounting the roll, an inker body having at least one shoulder,
and a pair of separate mounting members, each mounting member
having a mounting member body and shaft means mounted to the
mounting member body for rotatably mounting the hub, and a
resilient member connected to at least one of the mounting
member bodies, spaced from the respective shaft means and
cooperable with the shoulder so that the ink roller is
connected to the inker body.
13. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
having a roll composed of ink receptive material and a hub for
mounting the roll, an inker body, and a pair of separate mounting
members for mounting the hub to the inker body, means mating with
the mounting members for slidably guiding and keying the mounting
members into a selected position with respect to the inker body,
means for locking at least one of the mounting members to the
inker body in the selected position, and the locking means
including a resilient member on at least one mounting member.
14. An inker mechanism as defined in claim 13, wherein
the locking means includes a resilient member related to each
mounting member.
15. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
having a roll composed of ink receptive material and a hub for
mounting the roll, an inker body, and a pair of mounting members
for mounting the hub to the inker body, means guiding the mounting
members for sliding movement into a selected position with respect
to the inker body, and means for locking the mounting members to
the inker body, wherein each mounting member includes a shaft
received by the ink roller, the locking means includes a pair
of shoulders on the inker body, and a resilient member on each
mounting member, spaced from the respective shaft and cooperable
with the respective shoulder.

17

Docket M-294-C-1

16. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
having opposed end portions, an inker body, a pair of separate
mounting members, slot means keying the mounting members to the
body for sliding movement, the body having first and second
shoulders, one of the mounting members including a third shoulder
cooperable with the first shoulder and effective when the one
mounting member has been slid along the slot means in one
direction to a predetermined position for preventing further
sliding movement, the one mounting member further including a
resilient member having a fourth shoulder cooperable with the
second shoulder when the one mounting member is in the predetermined
position to prevent the one mounting member from sliding out of
the predetermined position, and each mounting member having means
for rotatably mounting one end portion of the ink roller.
17. An inking mechanism, comprising: an ink roller
having opposed end portions, an inker body, a pair of separate
mounting members, slot means keying the mounting members to the
body for sliding movement, the body having two pairs of first
and second shoulders, each mounting member including a third
shoulder cooperable with the respective first shoulder and
effective when it has been slid along the slot means in one
direction to a predetermined position for preventing further
sliding movement, each mounting member further including a
resilient member having a fourth shoulder cooperable with the
respective second shoulder when it is in the predetermined
position to prevent it from sliding out of the predetermined
position, and each mounting member having means for rotatably
mounting one end portion of the ink roller.

18

Description

cket M-294 1155335

Each mounting member includes a body having a pair of flanges,
a resilient member or finger, and a stub end or shaft. Each
mounting member i8 of one-piece molded plastics construction.
The inker body has a pair of slots in which the mounting members
are ~lidably received. It i8 preferred that the slots be under-
cut and that flanges of each mounting member be received in the
re~pective slots. The inker body also includes two pairs of
shoulder~. When the mounting members have been inserted into
the respective slots, the resilient members engage one shoulder
of each pair and prevent accidental dislodgment of the mounting
members. Once assembled, the mounting members are held captive
by the inker body and the respective shafts hold the ink roller
captive. In accordance with another aspect of the invention,
the inking mechanism can be readily con~ected to its mounting
structure, specifically a cover, BO that an inker body with a
spent ink roller can be readily replaced with an inker body having
a fresh ink roller. However, when the inking mechanism is in
position in cooperation with the print head, the inking mechanism
cannot be dislodged from its mounting position in the apparatus
due to interference or blocking members. In accordance with the
specific embodiment, the inker body has a pair of mounting arms
which are preferably spaced apart from a spring finger which is
disposed between the arms. The mounting structure, specifically
the cover, has at least one and preferably two interference
members which, in the operative position of the inking mechanism,
provide ihterference against the arms deflecting and becoming
dislodged from the cover. The interference member or members are
so positioned that when the inking mechanism is moved ~o a
different position, the interference members no longer cause
interference and the arms can be deflected for removal of the
inking mechanism.


-3-

1 1~5335
Docket M-294

Brief Description of the Drawings
FIGVRE 1 is a side elevational view of a label
prlnting and applying apparatus embodying the inking mechanism
of the invention; .
FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through the apparatus
showing the relationship of the inking mechanism, the cover, the
print head., and the platen to the remainder of the apparatus;
PIGURE 3 iS an exploded perspective view of the inking
mechanism;
FIGURE 4 i8 a view of the inking mechanism and the
underside of the cover as they would appear in the phantom line
position in FIGURE 2;
FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the inking
mechanism and the cover shown in FIGURE 4t
FIGURE 6 is a right ~ide elevational view of the inking
mechanism and cover shown in FIGURE 5;
FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing
the inking mechanism in a different position relative to the
cover;
FIGURE 8 is a sectional view of the ink roller, the
- inker body and mounting members for rotatably mounting the ink
roller to the inker body;
FIGURE 9 is an elevational view showing one side of
the inker body;
' FIGURE 10 is an elevational view showing the other
side of the inker body;



--4--

~cket M-294 115533~j
r ~ iiG .
FIGURE 11 is a plan view of the inker body and ink
roller in the assembled conditiQn;
FIGVRE 12 is an enlarged side elevational view of
one of the mounting members;
FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken generally along
13--13 of FIGVRE 12; and
PIGURE 14 is a top plan view of the mounting member
shown in FIGURES 12 and 13.-
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
With reference to FIGURE 1, there i9 shown a label
prin~ing and applying apparatus generally indicated at 20
~ubstantially identical to the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and
3 through 27 and described in the specification of U.S. patent
3,798,106, except for the inking mechanism generally indicated
at 21 which is shown in whole or ln part in FIGURES 2 through 14
of the pre~ent application. Reference may be made to the dis-
closure in U.S. patent No. 3,798,106 for additional constructional
details, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
The apparatus 20 has a housing generally indicated at
22 comprised of housing sections 23 and 23'. The housing 22
suitably mounts a print head generally indicated at 24 for
reciprocating movement into and out of printing cooperation with
a label L carried on a web of supporting material S. A label L
is disposed between a print head 24 and a platen 25. An actuator
generally indicated at 26 is shown to comprise a lever 27 pivotally
. mounted on a pivot 27l. The lever 27 carries a pair of gear
segments 28 (only one of which is shown). The housing~mounts

1 15533~
Docket M-294

a pair of gears 29 ~only one sf which is ~hown) in mesh with
the respective gear segments 28. The print head 24 carries
a pair of gear sections 30 (only one of which i5 shown) in
mesh with respective gears 29. When the lever 27 is pivoted
S counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 1, the gear segments 28
rotate the gears 29 clockwise and the print head 24 is driven
into printing cooperation with a label L and the platen 25.
Upon release of the lever 27, a return spring assembly 31 drives
the lever 27 clockwise, thereby causing the gear 29 to rotate
counterclockwise to drive the print head 24 to the initial
position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Mounted coaxially with the
gears 29 is a feed wheel 32 having a plurality of radially
spaced-apart teeth 33 for engaging and driving the support
mater~al web S. During r~turn of the print head 24 to its
initial position, one o the gears 24 cau~es a pawl and
ratchet mechanism (not shown) to drive the feed wheel 32 so
that the just printed label L is advanced into label applying
relationship to an applicator 34 and an unprinted label L is
advanced to the printing position between print head 24 and
the platen 25.
The housing section 23 has an opening 23". Means for
mounting the inking mechanism generally indicated at 35 in the
form of a cover or door 36 is provided for the opening 23'. The
cover 36 has a generally planar portion 37 which rests against
lips or lands 38 and 39 of the housing 23. The cover 36 has
flanges or lips 40 and 40' which can straddle the land 38 to
key one edge of the cover 36 to the housing 23. The p~anar
portion 37 has a cutout or slot 41 in which annular portion 42
of a one-piece injection molded latch 43 is received. The

. ~cket M-294 1155335

latch 43 has a knob 44, an enlarged annular member 45 joining
the annular portion 42 and the knob 44, and a portion 46 having
a generally annular contour except for a flat 47, When the
cover 36 is to be latched to the housing section 23, the latch
43 is po~itioned as shown in FIGURE 4. The inking mechanism
21 which is carried by the cover 36 i8 inserted through the
opening 34 and the flanges 40 and 40' are received about the
flange 38 and marginal edge 36~of the cover 36 i8 brought
against the flange 39 of the housing section 23. Upon rotation
of the knob 44 to the position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the
circular portion 47 of the latch 35 is brought into overlying
relationship with respect to the flange 39 so that the flange
39 is trapped between the marginal edge 36'and the annular portion
47.
The cover 36 carries a pair of integrally formed
projections or arms 48 and 49. The projections 48 and 49
have annular holes or sockets 50 and 51 which are axially aligned
with respect to each other. The inking mechanism 21 includes
an ink roller generally indicated at 52 and an inker body generally
indicated at 53. The inker body 53 has a pair of flexible
resilient mounting arms or mounting members 54 and 55 which
are shown to be generally parallel to each other. The inker
body 53 also has ink roller mounting portions 56 and 57 disposed
at one end ~ortion of the inker body 53. A spring or spring finger
58 has a curvature 59 disposed between one end portion
60 where,the spring finger 58 is connected to the inker
body 53 and another end portion 61. In FIGURES 3, 7, 9, 10
and 11 the spring finger 58 is shown in the as-molded ~ondition




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1 155335
~ocket M~294

in which there is a predetermined curvature ac indicated at
59 The spring finqer 58 is stressed in the position shown in
FI~URES 2, 4, 5 and 6 and exerts a spring force on the cover 36.
Ac shown in the drawings, the arms 54 and 55 are spaced outwardly
of the spring finger 58, thereby providing gaps 62 and 63. Pro-
jections or stub ends 64 and 65 carried by the respective arms
54 and 55 are shown to extend outwardly relative to each other.
The projections 64 and 65 are shown to be received in the sockets
50 and 51. The sockets 50 and 51 and projections 64 and 65 are
shown to be annular so that the ink body 53 i6 pivotally mounted
with respect to the cover 36. The projection 64 is longer than
the projection 65.
The cover 36 also carries a pair of interference
members or projections 66 and 66'. The projections 48 and 49
are shown to be generally rectangular in section, extend parallel
to each other, and are formed integrally with the cover 36. The
members 66 and 66'are also shown to be generally rectangular,
extend parallel to each other, to be parallel but offset from
the members 48 and 49, and are formed integrally with the cover
36. In assembling the inker body 53 and the ink roller 52 which
it mounts onto the cover 36, the projection 64 is first inserted
into the respective socket 50 as best shown in FIGURE 7. There-
after, the al~ 55 is deflected inwardly, namely toward the spring
finger 58 and the arm 54 so that the projection 65 can clear the
socket 51. In attempting to align the projection 65 with the
socket 51, the terminal or free end of the projection 65 is slid
along face 67 of the projection 49. When the projection 65 is
aligned with the socket 51, the projection 65 snaps into'the
socket 51 and the inker body 53 is now pivotally mounted to the

. Docket M-294 1155335

cover 36. The interference members 66 and 66'do not interfere ~.
in any way with assembly of the inker body 53 onto the cover
36 into the position shown in FIGURE 7. However, when the inker
body is pivoted into the positions shown for example in solid
and phantom lines in FIGURE 2, in which the spring fin~er 58
contacts the cover 36, the arm 54 is between the projections 48
and 66 and the arm 55 is between the projections 49 and 66'as . r:` ',,'
best shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. In that position the projections
66 and 66'are in the respective gaps 62 and 63. In the positisns
shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, the end portion 54' of the arm 54
cannot flex enough to enable the projection 64 to come out of
the socket 50 and the end portion 55' of the arm 55 cannot flex
enough to enable the projection 65 to come out of the socket 51,
when for example the apparatus is dropped. Accordingly, the
projections 64 and 65 are completely captive in the respective
sockets 50 and 51. Should the apparatus 20 be dropped, the
inklng mechanism 21 will remain securely connected to the cover
36. In the solid line position of the inking mechanism 21
(FIGURE 2), the ink roller 52 bears against the print head 24
in one extreme position and the interference members 66 and 66'
prevent the projections 64 and 65 from coming out of the respective
sockets 55 and 51. In the position shown by phantom lines PL,
the housing section 23 prevents the inking mechanism 21 from
pivoting to a position in which projections 65 and 66 would be
ineffective. Thus, the inking mechanism 21 while assembled onto
. the apparatus 20 as shown in FIGURE 2 is confined to operate
throughout a posit$on in which interference members 66~and 66'
are effective. In that the projection 64 is relatively long
as compared to the projection 65, it would be relatively safe

1 155335 ~-
Docket M-294

to provide only one interference member, namely the interference
- ,; ,,
member 66'. Ilowever, as an added precaution it i8 preerred
to provide the two interference members 66 and 66'. ~ ~`
With reference to FIGURES 3 and 8, the ink roller
S 52 i~ shown to have a hub 52' comprised of a pair of hub section~ - ~
generally indicated at 67 and 68. The hub section~67 has a roll- ~ 4'
mounting portion 69, an annular flange70, and a projection or
. .
stud 71. The hub section 68 has a roll-mounting portion 72, an
annular flange 73, and a hole 74 in which the projection 71 is
recelved. A generally tubular roll 75 having an outer surface 76
and an axial through-hole 77 is received about the hub portions 69
and 72 of hub 52' between flanges 70 and 73. The roll 75 is
composed of a poFous elastomeric ink-receptive material. Flanges
70 and 73 bear against spaced apart bearing surfaces 24b at
opposite sides of the print head 24.
A pair of mounting members generally indicated at 78
and 79 have respective mounting member bodies 80 and 81, pairs
of opposed flanges 82 and 83, stub ends or shafts 84 and 85, and
resilient members or fingers 86 and 87. The hub sections 67 and
68 have respective axial aligned holes 88 and 89 in which the
respective stub ends 84 and 85 are received. The holes 88 and
89, the roll-mounting portions 79 and 80, the projection 71,
the hole 74, and the flanges 70 and 73 are in axial alignment.
The mounting portions 56 and 57 are shown to be
provided with guide means in the form of slots 90 and 91. The
slots 90 and 91 are preferably undercut, that is, slots 90 and
91 have respective flanges 92 and 93. The flanges 82 and 83
are in mating cooperation in respective slots 90 and 91 are are
thus keyed therein. In assembling the ink roller 52 onto the inker
body 53, the stub ends 84 and 85 of the mounting members 78 and
79 are inserted into the holes 88 and 89 of the assembled ink

--10--

~ 155335
Jocket M-294



roller 52, The mountin~ membcrs 78 and 79 arc thercupon ~ ncd
with the slots 90 and 91 and the mounting members 78 and 79
are guided or slid along the slots 90 and 91 until free ends 86'
and 87' of resilient members 86 and 87 snap outwardly and are
trapped by respective shoulders or abutment face~ 94 and 95 in
the position best shown in FIGURE 8. Thus, mounting portions
56 and 57 are considered to have snap-sockets S and Sl.
The members 78 and 79 are considered to be slides or guided
members. Ends 80' and 81' of bodies 80 and 81 also abut
respective shoulders 53' and 53" of the body 53. The shoulders
53' and 53" provide stops for the bodies 80 and 81 in one direction
and the ends 86' and 87' provide stops for the bodies 80 and 81
in the other direction. The resilient member 86 and shoulders 53'
and 94 are considered to constitute a lock and the resilient member
87 and shoulders 53" and 95 are also considered to constitute a
lock. In this position, the ink roller 52 is securely mounted to
the inker body 53 and shafts 84 and 85 are in axial alignment with
the ink roller 52. Shield portions 96 and 97 of the respective
mounting portions 56 and 57 prevent the respective resilient
members 86 and 87 from becoming accidentally dislodged from the
locked positions shown, for example, in FIGURE 8. If it were
desired, however, to have the ink roller 52 removable from the
inker body 53, the shields 69 and 70 would be omitted so that
a tool or a fingernail for example could be used to deflect the
respective resilient members 86 and 87 to cause them to clear
the respective shoulders 94 and 95. The mounting members 86 and
87 could then be slid out of the slots 90 and 91, and the spent
ink roller 52 could be replaced with a new ink roller 52 having

a full supply of ink.


~ocket M-294 1155335

While it is preferred to have a lock for each member
78 and 79, if desired a lock could be provided on only one of the
members 78 ~r 79.
In that the inker body 53 along with the mounting
portions 56 and 57, the arms 54 and 55, the projection~ 64 and
65, and the spring 58 are of one-piece injection molded plastics
construction and consequently very low in cost, it is often
desired to replace the ink roller 52 together with the remainder
of the inking mechanism. In this way, the user is assured of
having a new spring finger 58 each time the ink roller 52 is
changed. The hub sections 67 and 68, the mounting members 78
and 79, and the cover 36 with its projections 48, 49, 66 and 66'
are each of one-piece integral injection molded plastics construction.
Other embodiments and modifications of this invention
will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all
such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are
included within its scope as best defined by the appended
claims.




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