Patent EP0141412A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0141412A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tape supply cartridge
Assignee: Kroy LLC
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Filing: 1984-11-02
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-11-02
Abstract
Abstract A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape and ribbon to a lettering apparatus having a mechanism for creating a lettering force and a mechanism for positioning a character to be lettered into lettering position. The cartridge includes an improved device for advancing and assuring alignment of the tape. The cartridge also includes a mechanism for preventing the ribbon supply spool from free wheeling and improved structure for interfacing with the lettering machine to advance the tape.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael M. Richardson
- 👤 Douglas A. Schaffer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:28
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J32/00; B41J3/00; B41J3/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A cartridge for supplying tape and ribbon to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing including a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12) and a peripheral edge (13) wall extending partially around said cartridge; a supply of tape (18) and ribbon (19) within said housing including a ribbon supply spool (31) rotatably mounted on an axis perpendicular to said side walls (11, 12); advancement means (22) for advancing said tape and ribbon into lettering alignment with said apparatus including a movable tape advancement assembly; means (21) for preventing said ribbon supply spool from freely unwinding including a spring biased member (39) biased into engagement with a peripheral edge (32) of said ribbon supply spool (31) when said ribbon is not being advanced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A cartridge for supplying tape and ribbon to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing including a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12) and a peripheral edge (13) wall extending partially around said cartridge; a supply of tape (18) and ribbon (19) within said housing including a ribbon supply spool (31) rotatably mounted on an axis perpendicular to said side walls (11, 12); advancement means (22) for advancing said tape and ribbon into lettering alignment with said apparatus including a movable tape advancement assembly; means (21) for preventing said ribbon supply spool from freely unwinding including a spring biased member (39) biased into engagement with a peripheral edge (32) of said ribbon supply spool (31) when said ribbon is not being advanced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said means_(21) for preventing said ribbon supply spool (31) from freely unwinding including a plurality of ratchet teeth on a peripheral edge (34) of said ribbon supply spool (31) and said spring biased member includes a ratchet arm means (39) for engaging said ratchet teeth when said ribbon (19) is not being advanced.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
The cartridge of claim 2 wherein said ratchet arm means is pivotally connected with said housing (11) about an axis perpendicular to said side walls and includes a ratchet arm (39) having a portion for engagement with said ratchet teeth and spring means (44) for biasing said ratchet arm portion into engagement with said ratchet teeth.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The cartridge of claim 3 wherein said ratchet arm means (39) includes a ribbon release post (40) extending generally perpendicular to said side walls for engagement with said ribbon and for moving said ratchet arm out of engagement with said ratchet teeth upon the tensioning of said ribbon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The cartridge of claim 3 wherein said spring means (44) includes an elongated, flexible member having a free end adapted for engagement with an inner surface portion of said peripheral edge wall (13).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing (11, 12); a supply of tape (14) within said housing; advancement means for advancing said tape (18) into lettering alignment with said apparatus including a reciprocally movable shuttle assembly (22) adapted for forward and rearward movement within said housing, said shuttle assembly including a stop surface (73) for engagement with a stop arm (126) on said apparatus for limiting the forward movement of said shuttle assembly (22) and a drive cavity having forward and rearward drive surfaces for engagement with a drive arm (125) on said apparatus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing (11, 12); a supply of tape (14) within said housing; advancement means for advancing said tape (18) into lettering alignment with said apparatus including a reciprocally movable shuttle assembly (22) adapted for forward and rearward movement within said housing, said shuttle assembly including a stop surface (73) for engagement with a stop arm (126) on said apparatus for limiting the forward movement of said shuttle assembly (22) and a drive cavity having forward and rearward drive surfaces for engagement with a drive arm (125) on said apparatus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cartridge of claim 6 wherein said stop surface (73) and said drive cavity are disposed in generally side-by-side relationship within said cartridge.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The cartridge of claim 6 wherein said housing includes a pair of side walls (11, 12) and a peripheral edge wall (13) extending partially around said cartridge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The cartridge of claim 6 including an opening (43) in said peripheral edge wall in the area of said stop surface (73) and drive arm cavity to permit accesss by said stop arm and said drive arm (125).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing; a supply (14) of tape within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus including a movable tape advancement assembly; and a rocker assembly (69) adapted for limited pivotal movement with respect to said tape advancement assembly, said rocker assembly having a drive cavity including forward and rearward drive surfaces (70) for engagement with a drive arm (125) on said apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing; a supply (14) of tape within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus including a movable tape advancement assembly; and a rocker assembly (69) adapted for limited pivotal movement with respect to said tape advancement assembly, said rocker assembly having a drive cavity including forward and rearward drive surfaces (70) for engagement with a drive arm (125) on said apparatus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The cartridge of claim 10 wherein said tape advancement assembly includes a reciprocally movable shuttle assembly (22) and an advancement clutch means (51).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The cartridge of claim 11 wherein said advancement clutch means includes a first leaf spring (51) connected with a portion of said housing and having an end adapted for engagement with said tape and a second leaf spring (75) connected with and movable with said shuttle assembly (22) and having an end adapted for engagement with said tape.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
66 words
The cartridge of claim 12 wherein said rocker assembly (69) includes means connected with said second leaf spring for increasing the engagement force between said second leaf spring and said tape when said rocker assembly is pivoted in one direction and for decreasing the engagement force between said second leaf spring (75) and said tape (18) when said rocker assembly is pivoted in the opposite direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
The cartridge of claim 13 wherein said first leaf spring is disposed to prevent rearward movement of said tape (18) relative to said housing and said second leaf spring (75) is disposed to prevent rearward movement of said tape relative to said shuttle assembly (22).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The cartridge of claim 14 wherein said housing includes a first backing member (48) for said first leaf spring (51) and said shuttle assembly (22) includes a second backing member (52) for said second leaf spring (75).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
97 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing having a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12); a supply of tape (18) within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus; and a tape guide means (24) supported within said housing and including a laterally extending tape guide portion (88; 91, 92), said tape guide means further including a centering tab (90) having a portion extending outwardly past one of said side walls (11) for engagement with a reference surface on said apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing having a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12); a supply of tape (18) within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus; and a tape guide means (24) supported within said housing and including a laterally extending tape guide portion (88; 91, 92), said tape guide means further including a centering tab (90) having a portion extending outwardly past one of said side walls (11) for engagement with a reference surface on said apparatus.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The cartridge of claim 16 wherein said tape guide portion includes a tape guide opening.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The cartridge of claim 16 wherein said centering tab (90) is prestressed such that said tab is biased outwardly past one of said side walls (11).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The cartridge of claim 18 including means connecting said centering tab (90) and said tape guide portion (92) such that movement of said centering tab causes movement of said tape guide portion.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The cartridge of claim 16 wherein said tape guide portion (91, 92) includes a reference edge and bias means biasing said tape toward said reference edge.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
The cartridge of claim 20 wherein said bias means includes an elongated flexible member having one end connected with said tape guide portion and a free end adapted for engagement with an edge of said tape (18).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The cartridge of claim 21 wherein said flexible member is prestressed so as to bias said tape toward said reference edge.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
The cartridge of claim 16 including a supply of ribbon and ribbon guide means comprising a laterally extending ribbon guide portion connected with said tape guide portion.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The cartridge of claim 23 wherein said tape guide portion includes a tape guide opening and said ribbon guide portion includes a ribbon guide opening (96) and wherein said ribbon guide opening is positioned above said tape guide opening.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
59 words
The cartridge of claim 16 including a ribbon rewind spool (20) having a plurality of ratchet teeth (104) along a peripheral edge and wherein said tape and ribbon guide means includes a ratchet drive arm (95) for engagement with said plurality of ratchet teeth during upward movement of said tape and ribbon guide means (24) during a lettering cycle.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
77 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing having a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12) and a peripheral edge wall extending partially around said cartridge; a supply of tape within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus; and an alignment notch (23, 27) in one of said side walls (12) for engagement with an alignment tab (37) on said apparatus.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
77 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus comprising: a cartridge housing having a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12) and a peripheral edge wall extending partially around said cartridge; a supply of tape within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus; and an alignment notch (23, 27) in one of said side walls (12) for engagement with an alignment tab (37) on said apparatus.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The cartridge of claim 26 wherein said alignment notch includes a pair of lead-in surfaces (27).
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The cartridge of claim 26 including a pair of alignment openings (17) in said one side wall for engagement by a pair of alignment members (47a) on said apparatus.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The cartridge of claim 26 including an opening (43) in said peripheral edge of said housing along the bottom of said cartridge for insertion of a tape sensing element (53, 57).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
51 words
The cartridge of claim 29 wherein said tape sensing element includes a pair of electrical contact members (53) for engaging said supply of tape and wherein said supply of tape includes a conductive portion (127) near the end of said supply of tape for engagement by said electrical contact members (53).
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
130 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus having a pair of spaced, generally parallel frame members defining a cartridge receiving cavity, said cartridge adapted for insertion into said cavity and comprising: a cartridge housing having a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12); a supply (14) of tape within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus; an alignment notch (23, 27) in one of said side walls (12) for engagement with an alignment tab (37) on said apparatus extending inwardly from one of said frame members (33); and an alignment opening (17) in said one side wall for engagement by a spring biased alignment member (47a) on said apparatus which extends inwardly from said one frame member (33).
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
130 words
A tape supply cartridge for supplying tape to a lettering apparatus having a pair of spaced, generally parallel frame members defining a cartridge receiving cavity, said cartridge adapted for insertion into said cavity and comprising: a cartridge housing having a pair of parallel side walls (11, 12); a supply (14) of tape within said housing; advancement means (22) for advancing said tape into lettering alignment with said apparatus; an alignment notch (23, 27) in one of said side walls (12) for engagement with an alignment tab (37) on said apparatus extending inwardly from one of said frame members (33); and an alignment opening (17) in said one side wall for engagement by a spring biased alignment member (47a) on said apparatus which extends inwardly from said one frame member (33).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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