INK ROLLER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

ROULEAU ENCREUR, ET METHODE DE PRODUCTION CONNEXE

English Abstract

Docket M-414

INK ROLLER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Abstract of the Disclosure
There is disclosed an ink roller and method of making
same. The ink roller includes a tube having a plurality of
holes. A porous ink-receptive sleeve is received about the
tube. The end portions of the tube are coupled to bearing rolls
and the bearing rolls are closed off to provide space for holding
ink. At least one bearing roll is a separate part and is sealed
to the tube and closures are sealed to both bearing rolls. Means
are provided to keep the separate bearing roll from becoming
uncoupled from the tube. The holes converge outwardly toward
the surface of the roll to conduct ink to the sleeve. Also
disclosed is method of making the roll.

Claims

Docket M-414-C
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having end portions, porous ink receptive
material received about the tube, a bearing roll at each end
portion of the tube, at least one of the bearing rolls having
a tubular portion received in one end portion of the tube,
resilient means for coupling the tubular portion to the
tube, and means disposed in the space within the tubular
portion and cooperable with the coupling means for preventing
the coupling means from yielding and uncoupling.
2. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising a tube having end portions, porous ink-receptive
material received about the tube, a bearing roll at each end
portion of the tube, at least one of the bearing rolls having
a yieldable tubular portion received in one end portion of
the tube, a plurality of outwardly extending teeth on the
tubular portion, a plurality of holes in the tube for receiving
the teeth, and a support within the tubular portion to
prevent the tubular portion from yielding and releasing the
teeth from engagement with the holes in the tube.
3. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having interior space, the tube having end
portions, porous ink-receptive material received about the tube,
a plurality of holes in the tube for conducting ink from the
interior space in the tube to the ink-receptive material, a
bearing roll at each end portion of the tube, at least one
of the bearing rolls having a tubular portion received in
one end portion of the tube, yieldable means for coupling
the tubular portion to the tube, means disposed in the space
within the tubular portion and cooperable with the coupling
means for preventing the coupling means from yielding and
uncoupling, wherein each bearing roll has interior space
communicating with the interior space within the tube, a
closure for each bearing roll, each closure having a shaft,
the interior spaces being adapted to receive a supply of
ink, and wherein the bearing rolls have larger diameters
than the diameters of the tube.



Docket M-414-C

4. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising a tube having interior space, the tube having end
portions, porous ink-receptive material received about the tube,
a plurality of holes in the tube for conducting ink from the
interior space in the tube to the ink-receptive material, a
bearing roll at each end portion of the tube, at least one of
the bearing rolls having a yieldable tubular portion received
in one end portion of the tube, a plurality of outwardly
extending teeth on the tubular portion, a plurality of holes in
the tube for receiving the teeth, a support within the tubular
portion to prevent the tubular portion from yielding and
releasing the teeth from engagement with the holes in the tube,
wherein each bearing roll has interior space communicating with
the interior space within the tube, a closure for each bearing
roll, each closure having a shaft, and the interior spaces
defining a chamber adapted to receive a supply of ink.
5. An ink roller as defined in claim 4, wherein the
support includes a member molded integrally with the closure and
having a plurality of fins extending outwardly to the tubular
portion.
6. An ink roller for a printer/ the ink roller
comprising a tube having end portions, at least one end portion
being continuous, porous ink receptive material received about
the tube, a plurality of holes in the tube for conducting ink
from the interior space in the tube to the ink-receptive material,
a separate bearing roll disposed at each end portion of the tube,
wherein at least one of the bearing rolls has a continuous
tubular portion received in and makes a liquid-tight seal with
the continuous end portion, a separate closure having means
providing a liquid-tight seal with the one bearing roll, the
one bearing roll having interior space, the interior space in
the one bearing roll and the interior space in the tube being
adapted to receive a supply of ink, wherein each closure includes
an integral shaft.



Docket M-414-C

7. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising a tube having end portions, at least one end
portion being continuous, porous ink receptive material
received about the tube, a plurality of holes in the tube
for conducting ink from the interior space in the tube to
the ink-receptive material, a separate bearing roll disposed
at each end portion of the tube, wherein at least one bearing
roll has a continuous tubular portion received in and makes
a liquid-tight seal with the continuous end portion, a
separate closure having means providing a liquid-tight seal
with the bearing roll, the one bearing roll having an
interior space, the interior space in the one bearing roll
and the interior space in the tube being adapted to receive
a supply of ink, wherein the closure liquid-tight seal
includes a continuous annular external bead and a continuous
internal groove in the bearing roll for receiving the bead
to provide a snap-fit connection between the closure and the
bearing roll.
8. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having an interior space adapted to receive
a supply of ink, the tube having end portions, means closing
off the end portions of the tube to confine ink within the tube,
porous ink receptive material received about the tube, axially
spaced first ridges at the outer periphery of the tube, the
first ridges defining intervening first grooves, axially
extending radially spaced second ridges at the inner periphery
of the tube, the second ridges defining intervening second
grooves, means defining ink-conducting through-holes in the
tube wherein the first and second grooves intersect, wherein
the tube was formed by introducing plastics material into a
mold cavity between a cylinder having annular internal ridges
and a core pin having axial external flutes, and wherein the
annular ridges in the cylinder and the flutes of the core pin
were in contact to provide the through-holes.
9. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having an interior space adapted to
receive a supply of ink, the tube having end portions, means
closing off the end portions of the tube to confine ink within
the tube, porous ink-receptive material received about the tube,



Docket M-414-C

axially spaced first ridges at the outer periphery of the
tube, the ridges defining intervening first grooves, axially
extending radially spaced second ridges at the inner periphery
of the tube, the second ridges defining intervening second
grooves, and means defining ink conducting through-holes in
the tube where the first and second grooves intersect.
10. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having an interior space adapted to receive
a supply of ink the tube having end portions, means closing off
the end portions of the tube to confine ink within the tube,
porous ink-receptive material received about the tube, axially
spaced first ridges at the outer periphery of the tube, the
first ridges defining intervening first grooves, axially
extending radially spaced second ridges at the inner periphery
of the tube, the second ridges defining intervening second
grooves, means defining ink conducting through-holes in the
tube where the first and second grooves intersect, and the tube
with its first and second grooves and the means defining the
through-holes being of one-piece molded plastics construction.
11. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having interior space, the tube having end
portions, porous ink-receptive material received about the tube,
a plurality of holes in the tube for conducting ink from the
interior space in the tube to the ink-receptive material, first
and second bearing rolls for the respective first and second
end portions, at least the first bearing roll having a first
tubular portion received in the first end portion of the tube,
yieldable means for coupling the first tubular portion to the
tube, means disposed in the space within the first tubular
portion and cooperable with the coupling means for preventing
the coupling means from yielding and uncoupling, wherein each
of the first and second bearing rolls has interior space
communicating with the interior space within the tube, a first
closure for the first bearing roll, a second closure for the
second bearing roll, the first closure having a first shaft, the
second closure having a second shaft, the interior spaces being



Docket M-414-C

adapted to receive a supply of ink, wherein the bearing rolls
have larger diameters than the diameter of the tube, wherein
at least the first closure the first shaft and the means for
preventing the coupling means from yielding and uncoupling are
of one-piece molded plastics construction.
12. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having interior space, the tube having
first and second end portions, porous ink-receptive material
received about the tube, a plurality of holes in the tube
for conducting ink from the interior space in the tube to
the ink-receptive material, a first bearing roll at the first
end portion, a second bearing roll at the second end portion,
at least the first bearing roll having a yieldable tubular
portion received in the first end portion, a plurality of
outwardly extending teeth on the tubular portion, a plurality
of holes in the tube for receiving the teeth, a support within
the tubular portion to prevent the tubular portion from yielding
and releasing the teeth from engagement with the hole~ in the
tube, wherein each of the first and second bearing rolls has
interior space communicating with the interior space within
the tube, a first closure for the first bearing roll, a second
closure for the second bearing roll, the first closure having
a shaft, the second closure having a shaft, the interior spaces
defining a chamber adapted to receive a supply of ink, wherein
at least the first closure, the first shaft, and the first
support are of one-piece molded plastics construction.
13. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
Comprising: a tube having end portions, porous ink-receptive
material received about the tube, a bearing roll at each end
portion of the tube, at least one of the bearing rolls having
a yieldable tubular portion received in one end portion of the
tube, at least one tooth on the tubular portion, at least one
hole in the tube for receiving the tooth, and a support within
the tubular portion to prevent the tubular portion from yielding
and releasing the tooth from engagement with the hole in the
tube.

11

Docket M-414-C

14. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube having end portions, at least one end
portion being continuous, porous ink receptive material
received about the tube, a plurality of holes in the tube for
conducting ink from the interior space in the tube to the ink-
receptive material, a separate bearing roll disposed at each
end portion of the tube, wherein at least one of the bearing
rolls has a continuous tubular portion received in and makes a
liquid-tight seal with the continuous end portion, a separate
closure having means providing a liquid-tight seal with the one
bearing roll, the one bearing roll having interior space, the
interior space in the one bearing roll and the interior space in
the tube being adapted to receive a supply of ink, and wherein
the closure liquid-tight seal includes a continuous annular
external bead and a continuous internal groove in the one
bearing roll for receiving the bead to provide a snap-fit
connection between the closure and the one bearing roll.
15. An ink roller for a printer, the ink roller
comprising: a tube composed of molded plastics material
and having interior space, the tube having end portions,
porous ink-receptive material received about the tube, a
plurality of holes in the tube for conducting ink from the
interior space in the tube to the ink-receptive material, a
bearing roll at each end portion of the tube, at least one of
the bearing rolls having a tubular portion in liquid-tight
sealing relationship with one end portion of the tube, means
providing a snap-fit connection between the one bearing roll
and the one end portion of the tube, wherein means providing
the snap-fit connection includes a flexible resilient finger
having a tooth and means providing a hole for receiving the
tooth, wherein the one bearing roll is composed of molded
plastic material, wherein the flexible resilient finger and
the means providing the hole are molded integrally with the
one bearing roll and the tube.
16. An ink roller as defined in claim 15, wherein
the hole is in the one end portion of the tube and the flexible
resilient finger is on the tubular portion of the bearing roll.

12


17. Method of making an ink roller, comprising the steps of:
providing an annular mold cavity having ridge means and
intervening groove means on its inner periphery, providing a core
having a plurality of flutes, the outside diameter of the core at
the flutes being the same as the inside diameter of the mold
cavity at the ridge means, inserting the core into the mold
cavity to provide a liquid-tight seal against flow of moldable
plastics material where the ridge means and the flutes intersect,
filling the space between the mold and the core with moldable
plastics material, removing the tube from the mold cavity and the
core, placing a tubular porous ink-receptive sleeve over the tube,
introducing ink into the interior space within the tube, and
closing off the end portions of the tube.
18. Method as defined in claim 17, wherein the flutes are
straight, the step of removing the tube from the mold cavity and
the core includes moving the core and the molded tube apart along
a straight line.
19. Method of making an ink roller, comprising the steps of:
providing an annular mold cavity having ridge means and inter-
vening groove means on its inner periphery, providing a core having
a plurality of flutes, the outside diameter of the core at the
flutes being the same as the inside diameter of the mold cavity
at the ridge means, inserting the core into the mold cavity to
provide a liquid-tight seal against flow of moldable plastics
material where the ridge means and the flutes intersect, filling
the space between the mold and the core with moldable plastics
material, removing the tube from the mold cavity and the core,
placing a tubular porous ink-receptive sleeve over the tube,
closing off one end portion of the tube, thereafter introducing
ink into the interior of the tube, and thereafter closing off
the other end portion of the tube.
20. Method as defined in claim 19, including the step of
rotatably mounting the ink roller in a printer.

13

Description

~ ~ 7~




Docket M-414 -1-
INK ROLLER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ink rolls and to method of
making same.
Brief Description of the Prior Art
Prior art ink rollers are disclosed in the following
U.S. patents: 440,824 to Fuerth granted November 18, 1890;
714,835 to Tevander granted December 2, 1902; 1,018,886 to
Dodge granted February 27, 1912; 3,044,397 to Pine granted
July 17, 1962; and 3,948,172 to Jenkins granted April 6,
1976.
Summary of the Invention
This invention relates to a low cost, easy to
manufacture ink roller of the fountain type. The purpose of
the invention is to provide an ink roller which will deliver ink
at a relatively constant rate to a printing member such as a
print head in a hand-held labeIer. Ink contained in the ink
roller is conducted to the porous ink-receptive material. When
the ink in the roller is depleted the amount of ink delivered
to the printing member diminishes rapidly. Thus, for the
useful life of the ink roller~the ink roller delivers~the
right amount of ink to the printing member. There is no
~gradual degradation over-the life of the ink roller as with
conventional non-fountain type ink rollers.
`:

: :

1~7~3~
Docket M-414
--2--
In accordance with a specific embodiment, the ink roller
includes a tube having a plurality of holes and a porous ink
receptive sleeve received about the tube. The holes converge
outwardly from the inner surface of the tube to the bottoms
of grooves in the outer surface of the tube. The convergence
of the holes facilitates flow of ink from inside the tube to
the porous sleeve. A bearing roll is connected to each end
portion of the tube. It is preferred that one bearing roll is
integrally molded with the tube. This enables the sleeve to be
lo slid onto the tube from the end opposite the integral bearing
roll and still minimizes the number of parts. The other
bearing roll is coupled to the tube. The tube is engaged
with a tooth of the other bearing roll and a support prevents
the other bearing roll from yielding to obviate disengagement
of the other bearing roll from the tube. Also the tube and
the other bearing roll are connected at a liquid-tight
seal. The open ends of the bearing rolls are sealed off by
respective closures. The support and a shaft form portions
of the closures, which for the sake of commonality of parts
are identical. The closures make liquid-tight seals with
the bearing rolls. The bearing rolls provided added ink
capacity and also serve as a rolling guide as the ink roller
moves relative to the printing member. The tube is readily
molded by providiny the outer surface with one or more
grooves and having the holes open into the bottom or bottoms
of the groove or grooves. The core for making the inner
surface of the tube makes a liquid-tight æ al with ridges on
the inner surface of the mold which receives the core. In
this way the converging holes are easily made at minimum
cost-

Brief Description_of the Drawings
FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of an inkroller in accordance with the invention;
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view mainly in
section of the ink roller of FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of
FIGURE 2;
- FIGURE 4 is an exploded, partly sectional view of a
fragment of the ink roller and cores used in molding same;

~ .~'7
Docket M-41~ -3-

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the moldand core pin taken through the ridge of the mold; and
FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but taken
through the groove of the mold.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
With reference to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, there is shown
an ink roller generally indicated at 10. The ink roller 10 has
a tube generally indicated at 11, porous ink-receptive material
in the form of a sleeve 12 received about the tube, a bearing
lo rol.l 13 formed integrally with the tube 11, a bearing roll 14
coupled to the tube 11, and a pair of identical closures
generally indicated at 15 and 16. The sleeve 12 has an elongated
through-hole 17 to enable the sleeve 12 to be slid into the tube
11. The tube 11 has end portions 18 and 19 to which the bearing
rolls 15 and 16 are connected. The tube 11 also has a series
of ridges or rings 20 which are of the same diameter as end
portions 18 and 19. The end portions 18 and 19 and the ridges 20
have intervening grooves 21. Holes 22 extend through the tube
11 at the grooves 21. The holes 22 have straight parallel sides in
the plane shown in FIGURE 2 and straight but converging sides
in the plane shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, the holes 22 converge
from the inside or in interior surface 23 of the tube 11 to
the bottoms of grooves 21. The shape of the holes 22 is
conducive to the efficient flow of ink tnot shown for clarity)
from the interior space 24 within the tube 11. It is important
that the convergence be from the interior surface 24 outwardly
so that essentially all of the last traces of the ink pass
to the porous ink-receptive sleev 12.
The bearing roll 14 is best shown in Figure 2 to
have an annular axially extending wall portion or tubular portion
25, and an annular radially extending wall portion 27 joining
the wall portion or tubular portion 26. m e wall por~ion
25 has a continuous internal annular groove 28 adjacent a
shoulder 29. The wall portion 25 also has a continuous
internal axially extending groove 30.
The outer surface of the wall portion 26 is stepped
as indicated at 31. The outer surface of the wall portion
26 also has outwardly extending hook-shaped teeth 32
. .

Docket M-414
-4-
which engage or couple with holes 33 in the end portion 18. The
wall portion 26 is sufficiently resilient to yield slightly as
the wall portion 26 is inserted into the end portion 18 of
the tube 11. The undersides of the teeth 32 engage or hook
the edges of holes 33 as shown in FIGURE 2 when assembled.
The marginal end 34 of the end portion 18 is thinner than
the wall thickness of the tube 11 at the ridges 20. The
marginal end 34 makes a snug liquid-tight seal with the
stepped or enlarged portion 31 of the wall portion 26. Due
to the thinness of the marginal end 34, it accommodates
readily to the outer surface of the enlarged portion 31.
The marginal end 34 terminatea short of the wall portion 27.
The closure 15 has an end wall 35. Extending outwardly
in one direction from the end wall 35 is a support generally
indicated at 36 and a continuous flange or tubular wall portion
37. Extending outwardly in the opposite direction from the end
wall 35 is an annular shaft 38. The support 36 is shown to
include a plurality, specifically four, radially extending, thin
support members or vanes 39 disposed in close proximity to
the inner surface of the wall portion 25 adjacent the teeth 32.
The four support members 39 are shown in line with four of the
eight teeth 32. The support members 32 prevent the wall 26
from flexing, and thus uncoupling or disengagement of the teeth
32 from the holes 32 is obviated. ~he four support members 39
are always lined up with four teeth 32 because they fit
into four grooves 40.
The terminal end 37' of the wall portion 37 fits into
the groove 30 to provide a liquid-tight seal. The wall portion
37 also makes a liquid-tight seal with the inner surface of
the wall portion 25. The end wall 35 also includes a
continuous annular projection or ridge ~1 which makes a
snap-fit connection in the groove 28. The ridge 41 acting in
groove 28 also makes a liquid-tight seal with the groove 28.
The end wall 35 abuts the end face 29.
Although the identical closures 15 and 16 are designated
by different general reference characters, the individual

~ocket M-41~ ~5~

portions thereof are designated with the same reference
characters. The support 39 of the closure 16 serves no useful
purpose because the bearing roll 13 is formed integrally with
end portion 19 and hence cannot separate.
With reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6, there is shown
a fragment of a mold 42 for making the tube and bearing roll 13.
The mold 42 cooperates with a core 43 having a hole 44 for
receiving end portion 45 of a core 46. The core 43 makes the
inside of the bearing roll 13 and the core 46 makes the inside
lo of the tube 11. The core 46 has external flu~es 47 which are shown
to be straight and tapered. The inside of the mold 42 has a
plurality of spaced ridges providing an annular surface 48.
The ridges provide intervening grooves that provide a surface 48'.
The outer surfaces 49 of the flutes 47 have the same radius
as the surface 48. me outer surfaces 49 make a liquid-tight
seal with the inner surface 48 so that during molding the
moldable plastics material 50 does not flow there. Thus the
places where the outer surfaces 49 of the core 46 contact
the inner surface 48 of the mold 42 form outlets of the
holes 22 into grooves 21. The sides of the flutes converge
as shown so that the sides of the resultant holes 22 converge
as shown, for example, in Figure 3. Following molding the
cores 43 and 46 are moved relatively apart and the tube 11 and
its bearing roll 13 are r~moved. The flutes 47 make straight
a~ially extending grooves on the inside of the tube 11 as
indicated at 11'. The grooves communicate with the holes 22.
The material 50 of which the tube 11 and its bearing roll
13 are composed is moldable plastics material. The bearing
roll 14 and the closures 15 and 16 are also molded of plastics
material. This material is sufficiently flexible and resilient
to enable the component parts to snap together.
If desired the grooves 21 can be a continuous helical
groove. In that event the ridges 48 are required ~o be helical.
While it is preferred to mold the bearing roll 13
integrally with the tube 11 as shown at the right side of
Figure 2, the end portion 19 of the tube 11 can be made
identical to the end portion 18 and the bearing roll 13 can be
made identical to the bearing roll 14. In this construction,
the support 36 of the closure 16 would serve the same function
as the support 36 of the closure 1~.

L8

Docket M-414 -6-

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.