Thermal printing device and tape supply cartridge embodying a tape cut-off mechanism

Claim 2

A tape supply cartridge for operative insertion into and use with a thermal printing device or the like having a print station (10, 11) for forming a selected image onto a tape (13) and a tape cut-off actuator arm (14), said cartridge (16) com­prising: a cartridge housing having top and bottom walls (57, 59) and an edge wall (60 to 63) joining said top and bottom walls; a tape opening (116) in a portion (60) of said edge wall; a supply (51) of tape (13); tape alignment means (52) for guiding said tape (13) past said print station and for guiding said tape through said tape opening (116); a tape cut-off means (55) disposed within said cartridge (16) and between said alignment means (52) and said tape open­ing (116), said tape cut-off means including a first cut-off edge (118) and a second cut-off edge (119) connected with a portion of said cartridge (16), said first and second cut-off edges (118, 119) adapted for limiting movement relative to one another and cooperating with one another to sever said tape (13) as a result of the limited relative movement of said first and second cut-off edges (118, 119); and means (120) connected with at least one of said first and second edges (118, 119) for receiving a cut-off force from said cut-off actuator arm (14) of said device.

Claim 3

The cartridge of claim 1 including an opening (126) in said bottom wall (59) for receiving said tape cut-off actua­tor arm (14) of said device.

Claim 4

The cartridge of claim 1 or 2 wherein said first cut-off edge (118) is connected with a portion of said housing in a fixed position and said second cut-off edge (119) is adapted for limited movement toward and away from said first cut-off edge (118).

Claim 5

The cartridge of claim 3 wherein said second cut-off edge (119) is connected with a slide member (120) and said slide member (120) is mounted within said cartridge (16) for limi­ted movement in a direction generally perpendicular to the travel path of tape (13) through said tape opening (116).

Claim 6

The cartridge of claim 4 wherein said means for receiving a cut-off force from said cut-off actuator arm (14) includes a surface portion of said slide member (120).

Claim 7

The cartridge of claim 5 including a spring member (124) having one end connected with said slide member (120) and the other end connected with a portion (125) of said cartridge ( 16) for biasing said slide member (120) in a direction away from said tape (13).

Claim 8

The cartridge of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said first cut-off edge is embodied within a first blade (118) and disposed generally perpendicular to said top and bottom walls (57, 59) and generally perpendicular to the travel path of said tape (13) through said tape opening (116) and wherein said second cut-off edge is embodied within a second blade (119) and is beveled with respect to said top and bottom walls (57, 59).

Claim 9

The cartridge of claim 7 wherein said first blade (118) lies in a plane generally perpendicular to said top and bottom walls (57, 59) and to the travel path of tape (13) through said tape opening (116) and wherein said second blade (119) lies in a plane generally perpendicular to said top and bottom walls (57, 59) and to the travel path of tape (13) through said tape opening (116).

Claim 10

A thermal printing device or the like comprising: a print station (10, 11) for forming a selected image on­to a tape (13); a tape cut-off actuator arm (14); means for selectively moving said tape cut-off actuator arm (14); and a tape supply cartridge (16) comprising: a cartridge housing having top and bottom walls (57, 59) and an edge wall (60 to 63) joining said top and bottom walls; a tape opening (116) in a portion (60) of said edge wall; a supply (51) of tape (13); tape alignment means (52) for guiding said tape (13) past said print station and for guiding said tape (13) through said tape opening (116); a tape cut-off means (55) disposed within said cartridge (16) and between said alignment means (52) and said tape open­ing (116) for selectively severing said tape (13), said tape cut-off means (55) including a first cut-off edge (118) and a second cut-off edge (119) connected with a portion of said cartridge (16), said first and second cut-off edges (118, 119) adapted for limited movement relative to one another and co­operating with one another to sever said tape (13) as a result of the limited relative movement of said first and second cut-­off edges (118, 119); and means (120) connected with at least one of said first and second edges (118, 119) for receiving a cut-off force from said cut-off actuator arm (14) of said device.

Claim 11

A thermal printing device or the like comprising: a print station (10, 11) for forming a selected image on­to a tape (13); a tape cut-off actuator arm (14); means for selectively moving said tape cut-off actuator arm (14); and a tape supply cartridge (16) comprising: a cartridge housing having top and bottom walls (57, 59) and an edge wall (60 to 63) joining said top and bottom walls; a tape opening (116) in a portion (60) of said edge wall; a supply (51) of tape (13); tape alignment means (52) for guiding said tape (13) past said print station and for guiding said tape (13) through said tape opening (116); a tape cut-off means (55) disposed within said cartridge (16) and between said alignment means (52) and said tape open­ing (116) for selectively severing said tape (13), said tape cut-off means (55) including a first cut-off edge (118) and a second cut-off edge (119) connected with a portion of said cartridge (16), said first and second cut-off edges (118, 119) adapted for limited movement relative to one another and co­operating with one another to sever said tape (13) as a result of the limited relative movement of said first and second cut-­off edges (118, 119); and means (120) connected with at least one of said first and second edges (118, 119) for receiving a cut-off force from said cut-off actuator arm (14) of said device.

Claim 12

A thermal printing device or the like comprising: a print station (10, 11) for forming a selected image onto a tape (13); a tape cut-off actuator arm (14); means for selectively moving said tape cut-off actuator arm (14); a replaceable and disposable tape supply cartridge (16) containing a supply (51) of tape (13); and a tape cut-off mechanism (55) embodied entirely within said cartridge (16) and having means (120) to receive a cut-­off force from said tape cut-off actuator arm (14).

Claim 13

A thermal printing device or the like comprising: a print station (10, 11) for forming a selected image onto a tape (13); a tape cut-off actuator arm (14); means for selectively moving said tape cut-off actuator arm (14); a replaceable and disposable tape supply cartridge (16) containing a supply (51) of tape (13); and a tape cut-off mechanism (55) embodied entirely within said cartridge (16) and having means (120) to receive a cut-­off force from said tape cut-off actuator arm (14).