Tape cartridge

Claim 2

A tape cartridge comprising: a housing; a first tape system disposed within said housing and having a first tape extending between a first tape spool and a take-up spool; a second tape system having a secnd tape spool disposed within said housing and a second tape carried on said spool and terminating at a free end, guide means for guiding said free end to a housing outlet; alignment means for aligning said first tape system with second tape system with a portion of said first tape between said first tape spool and said take-up spool being disposed closely adjacent a portion of said second tape extending between said second tape spool and said free end.

Claim 3

A tape cartridge according to claim 1 wherein sur­faces of said housing define an opening formed through said housing and sized to receive a head within said housing and opposing said portion of said first tape.

Claim 4

A tape cartridge according to claim 2 wherein opposing surfaces of said housing define an opening through said housing sized to receive a tape guide within said housing and opposing said portion of said second tape.

Claim 5

A tape cartridge according to claim 1 comprising means for connecting said take-up spool to a motive power source.

Claim 6

A tape cartridge for a printing machine having a head control apparatus inlcuding a head and an opposing guide with said head and opposing guide movable bet­ween first and second positions, said guide and said head in said first positions spaced apart a first distance sized to freely position a tape between said guide and said head, said guide and said head in said second positions disposed for said guide and said head to be closely adjacent with a tape within said pathway urged against said head, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a tape outlet formed therethrough; a first tape spool and a second tape spool disposed within said housing; a source tape carried on said first tape spool and having a printing substance carrying face with a printing substance thereon; an image receiving tape carried on said second tape spool and having a printing substance receiving face to receive an image thereon; a take-up spool disposed within said housing, said source tape extending from said first tape spool and con­nected to said take-up spool; guide means for guiding a free end of said image receiving tape from said second tape spool and said tape outlet; alignment means for mutually aligning said source and receiving tapes with a portion of said receiving face opposing a portion of said carrying face; opposing surfaces of said housing defining ope­nings for receiving said guide and said head when said cartridge is connected to said printing machine in prede­termined alignment, said openings sized to accommodate movement of said guide and said head between said first and second positions, said portions of said tape faces disposed to be received between said guide and said head.

Claim 7

A tape cartridge for a printing machine having a head control apparatus inlcuding a head and an opposing guide with said head and opposing guide movable bet­ween first and second positions, said guide and said head in said first positions spaced apart a first distance sized to freely position a tape between said guide and said head, said guide and said head in said second positions disposed for said guide and said head to be closely adjacent with a tape within said pathway urged against said head, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a tape outlet formed therethrough; a first tape spool and a second tape spool disposed within said housing; a source tape carried on said first tape spool and having a printing substance carrying face with a printing substance thereon; an image receiving tape carried on said second tape spool and having a printing substance receiving face to receive an image thereon; a take-up spool disposed within said housing, said source tape extending from said first tape spool and con­nected to said take-up spool; guide means for guiding a free end of said image receiving tape from said second tape spool and said tape outlet; alignment means for mutually aligning said source and receiving tapes with a portion of said receiving face opposing a portion of said carrying face; opposing surfaces of said housing defining ope­nings for receiving said guide and said head when said cartridge is connected to said printing machine in prede­termined alignment, said openings sized to accommodate movement of said guide and said head between said first and second positions, said portions of said tape faces disposed to be received between said guide and said head.

Claim 8

A tape cartridge according to claim 5 comprising first and secondf brake means respectively resiliently opposing said first and second tape spools to slow movement of said spools.

Claim 9

A tape cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said printing machine includes a second guide disposed in a pre­determined position, said housing having surfaces defining an opening sized to received said second guide when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said predeter­mined alignment, said cartridge including a cartridge roller disposed within said cartridge housing coaxial having rotational axis generally parallel to said second guide, said cartridge roller disposed opposing said second guide, means for slidably connecting said cartridge roller to said housing with said cartridge roller slidable toward and away from said second guide and means for resiliently biasing said cartridge roller toward said second guide.

Claim 10

A tape cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said head is a heat generating source, said housing including vent means formed through said housing adjacent said head.

Claim 11

A tape cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said machine includes a tape terminating blade disposed in a predetermined location, said housing defining an opening formed adjacent said tape outlet and sized to receive said blade when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said predetermined alignment.

Claim 12

A tape cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said machine includes a tape end monitor disposed in a predeter­mined location, said housing defining an opening there­through sized to receive said tape end monitor when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said predeter­mined alignment.

Claim 13

A tape cartridge for a printing machine having a head control apparatus including a transfer head and an opposing guide disposed on opposite sides of an intended tape pathway, said transfer head and said opposing guide movable between first and second positions, said guide and said head in said first positions spaced apart a first distance sized to freely position a tape within said intended tape pathway, said guide and said head in said second positions disposed for said guide to urge a tape against said head, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a tape outlet formed therethrough; a tape system disposed within said housing a tape extending from a tape source to a tape free end; guide means for guiding said tape free end to said tape outlet; connecting means for connecting said cartridge and said machine in predetermined alignment; alignment means for aligning a portion of said tape within said pathway when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said predetermined alignment; opposing surfaces of said housing defining ope­nings for receiving said guide and said head when said cartridge is connected to said printing machine in said predetermined alignment, said openings sized to accommodate movement of said guides and said head between said first and second positions.

Claim 14

A tape cartridge for a printing machine having a head control apparatus including a transfer head and an opposing guide disposed on opposite sides of an intended tape pathway, said transfer head and said opposing guide movable between first and second positions, said guide and said head in said first positions spaced apart a first distance sized to freely position a tape within said intended tape pathway, said guide and said head in said second positions disposed for said guide to urge a tape against said head, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a tape outlet formed therethrough; a tape system disposed within said housing a tape extending from a tape source to a tape free end; guide means for guiding said tape free end to said tape outlet; connecting means for connecting said cartridge and said machine in predetermined alignment; alignment means for aligning a portion of said tape within said pathway when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said predetermined alignment; opposing surfaces of said housing defining ope­nings for receiving said guide and said head when said cartridge is connected to said printing machine in said predetermined alignment, said openings sized to accommodate movement of said guides and said head between said first and second positions.

Claim 15

A tape cartridge according to claim 11 wherein said tape source comprises a tape spool, and brake means resiliently opposing said tape spool to slow movement of said spool.

Claim 16

A tape cartridge according to claim 11 wherein said printing machine includes a second guide disposed in a predetermined position, said housing having surfaces defining an opening sized to receive said second guide when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said prede­termined alignment, said cartridge including a cartridge roller disposed within said cartridge housing coaxial having rotational axis generally parallel to said second guide, said cartridge roller disposed opposing said second guide, means for slidably connecting said cartridge roller to said housing with said cartridge roller slidable toward and away from said second guide and means for resiliently biasing said cartridge roller toward said second guide.

Claim 17

A tape cartridge according to calim 11 wherein said head is a heat genrating source, said housing including vent means formed through said housing adjacent said head.

Claim 18

A tape cartridge according to calim 11 wherein said head is a heat genrating source, said housing including vent means formed through said housing adjacent said head.

Claim 19

A tape cartridge according to claim 11 wherein said machine includes a tape terminating blade disposed in a predetermined location, said housing defining an opening formed adjacent said tape outlet and sized to receive said blade when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said predetermined alignment.

Claim 20

A tape cartridge according to claim 11 wherein said machine includes a tape end monitor disposed in a pre­determined location, said housing defining an opening therethrough sized to receive said tape end monitor when said cartridge is connected to said machine in said prede­termined alignment; guide means for guiding said tape to be operably disposed adjacent said monitor for said monitor to detect a terminal end of said tape.