Patent US4017205A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0082957A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus for replacing a ribbon cartridge in a printer, and ribbon cartridge to be used therewith
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1982-11-23
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-11-23
Abstract
Abstract The present invention resides in an improved apparatus and method for replenishing the ribbon supply in a high speed printer or the like. A stationary ribbon supply is provided in a two reel, cartridge (2). Connected to the printer frame adjacent the stationary cartridge on either side is a flexible ribbon guide (6) for maintaining the ribbon in operative relation to a print element (10) on a moving carrier (12). When the ribbon supply is exhausted, the specially designed ribbon segments extending from the cartridge are severed. The flexible ribbon guide (6) still contains a segment of the old ribbon in the properly threaded position for printing. The old cartridge is removed. A new cartridge with ribbon leaders having adhesive portions for splicing with the old ribbon segment remaining in the flexible guide structure is inserted. The operator then manually performs adjustments required to resume printing.
Inventors
- 👤 Willie Goff, Jr.
- 👤 William Melchior Jenkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 15:09
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J31/00; B41J31/10; B41J32/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
Method for replacing a ribbon cartridge (2) in a printer which comprises means (6) for supporting a portion of said ribbon outside of said cartridge in operative engagement with said printer, characterized in that it comprises the steps of : severing said supported portion of ribbon from the ribbon in said cartridge, removing said cartridge, inserting a replacement ribbon cartridge, and attaching the ends of said supported portion of ribbon to the respective portions of ribbons entending from the replacement ribbon cartridge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
Method for replacing a ribbon cartridge (2) in a printer which comprises means (6) for supporting a portion of said ribbon outside of said cartridge in operative engagement with said printer, characterized in that it comprises the steps of : severing said supported portion of ribbon from the ribbon in said cartridge, removing said cartridge, inserting a replacement ribbon cartridge, and attaching the ends of said supported portion of ribbon to the respective portions of ribbons entending from the replacement ribbon cartridge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus for replacing an off the print element carrier ribbon supply cartridge (2) in a printer having a movable print station and means (6) for supporting a portion of said ribbon external of said cartridge, said external ribbon being positioned in operative relation to the print station, characterized in that it comprises : means (40, 42) for severing said external portion of ribbon from the ribbon remaining in the cartridge, and means for splicing said external portion of ribbon to the ribbon in a replacement cartridge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus for replacing an off the print element carrier ribbon supply cartridge (2) in a printer having a movable print station and means (6) for supporting a portion of said ribbon external of said cartridge, said external ribbon being positioned in operative relation to the print station, characterized in that it comprises : means (40, 42) for severing said external portion of ribbon from the ribbon remaining in the cartridge, and means for splicing said external portion of ribbon to the ribbon in a replacement cartridge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said severing means includes bracket means (200) located intermediate the ribbon supply cartridge operative position and said means for supporting the ribbon to be severed, pivotable arm means (208) mounted on said bracket means, being pivotable between a rest position and an operative position where it come into contact with the ribbon (4), and punch means (224, 226) for severing the ribbon when the latter is in said operative position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus according to claims 2 or 3, wherein said means (6) for supporting a portion of ribbon external of said cartridge comprises two flexible guide means (20, 22) each connected on the one end to the printer adjacent said severing means and at the other end to said print element carrier (12) for movement therewith.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein said ribbon cartridge comprises ribbon exit and entry means and said severing means are located in close proximity to said exit and entry means when said cartridge is in operative position in the printer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus accorcing to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said ribbon cartridge operative position is fixed with respect to the printer frame and said brackets are fixedly attached to the printer frame.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the internal end portion of the ribbon in said replacement cartridge comprises two holes (182) spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the total lenght of said ribbon portion supported by said supporting means and extending between said severing means, means (34, 36) are provided to detect the first one of said holes appearing when said internal end portion comes out from said cartridge, means responsive to said detection are provided to stop printing and then to control further displacement of the said ribbon until both of said holes respectively face both of said severing means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
114 words
Ribbon cartridge to be used with an apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 characterized in that it comprises a first spool (106) with a short lenght of non inked ribbon attached thereto, having an end portion thereof emerging from said entry means, and a second spool (104) with a new ribbon wound thereon with a non-inked end portion thereof emerging from said exit means, each of said end portions (152) having an adhesive coating on one face whereby said end portions can be easily spliced respectively with the ends of said portions of ribbon supported by said supporting means, when said replacement cartridge is placed in said operative position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
Ribbon cartridge according to claim 8, wherein said adhesive coated end portions are folded back and sticked on the external walls of said cartridge adjacent said exit and entry means respectively.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
Ribbon cartridge according to claims 8 or 9, wherein the internal end portion of the new ribbon comprises two holes defining areas of said ribbon to be severed when said ribbon is depleted, and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the total lenght of said ribbon portion supported by said supporting means and extending between said severing means as defined in claim 2.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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