EP0265799A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Platen for impact line printers
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1987-10-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-10-16
Abstract
Abstract A platen assembly for an impact printer comprises the combination of an impact transducer (28) between the backup plate (23) and the type band (11) of a printer and an impact isolator (29) interposed between the transducer and the type band. The transducer comprises a strip of force sensitive material. The strip extends over a plurality of print positions. Electrode means in contact with the surfaces of the force sensitive material form discrete impact zones aligned with the print hammers. One of the electrode means is a continuous conductive strip on one side of the force sensitive strip. Plural conductive pads on the other side of the strip form the discrete impact zones. The transducer element can be a foil using PVF2 with etched conductive patterns forming the electrodes.
Inventors
- 👤 Lawrence Lee Anderson
- 👤 Edward Frank Helinski
- 👤 Johann Hans Meier
- 👤 Jack Louis Zable
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 06:52
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J11/00; B41J11/02; B41J11/08; B41J9/00; B41J9/44; B41J9/48
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
23 words
Platen for an impact printer characterized in that means (28) are provided for detecting impacts of the print elements against the print medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
23 words
Platen for an impact printer characterized in that means (28) are provided for detecting impacts of the print elements against the print medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
117 words
Platen in accordance with claim 1 wherein transducer means are provided between the impact surface of the platen and the back surface of a continuous flexible type band, including a force transducer element (28) having an impact surface spanning a plurality of print hammers along a print line, said transducer element comprising a force sensitive material (28a) for generating an electric signal when impacted by the type band and electrode means (28d) forming discrete impact zones in the transducer element being aligned with the printing elements, and impact isolation means (29) comprising a plurality of force pads (29d) between the type band and the transducer element and aligned with the impact zones of the transducer element (28).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
Platen in accordance with claim 2 wherein the electrode means comprises a continuous electrode (28b) on one side of the force sensitive material (18), and a plurality of electrodes (28d) on a second side of the force sensitive material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
Platen in accordance with claim 3 wherein the continuous electrode is on the side of the force sensitive material (28) facing the back surface of the type band (11).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
Platen in accordance with claim 3 or 4 wherein the force pads (37) are adhesively bonded to the continuous electrode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
Platen in accordance with claim 3 or 4 wherein the force pads comprise individual fingers (29a; 49a) of a comb (49).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
Platen in accordance with claim 6 wherein the comb is a conductive comb (49) forming a common connection through the force pads (49a) to the continuous electrode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
Platen in accordance with claim 2 wherein the electrode means comprises a first plurality of electrodes (48a) on a first side of the force sensitive material, a second plurality of electrodes (48b) on a second side of the force sensitive material and aligned with the first plurality of electrodes, and said impact isolation means comprises a conductive comb (49) having individual impact finger elements (49a) in intimate contact with either the first or said second plurality of electrodes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
134 words
Platen in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the transducer means comprises circuit board means (27) having a plurality of conductive elements (27b) formed on a surface thereof, and being spaced for alignment with individual print hammers, a strip (28a) of force sensitive material having a first surface (28d) overlaying the plurality of conductive elements on the surface of the circuit board means, and the impact isolation means (29) comprises a conductive plate (29) overlaying a second surface of the force sensitive material, the plate (29) having a plurality of flexure elements (29a) with force pads(29d) in intimate contact with the second surface of the force sensitive material, the force pads being aligned with the conductive elements on the surface of the circuit board means and coactable therewith to form the impact zones.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
Platen in accordance with one of the preceeding claims wherein the impact transducer means is a piezoelectric foil, preferably PVF2.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
Use of a platen in accordance with one of the claims 1 - 10 in a printer comprising evaluation means for the output signals of the transducer means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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