EP0672533A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermal printing mechanism and mounting thereof
Assignee: Mettler Toledo International Inc
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Filing: 1995-02-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A thermal printer mechanism includes a print head assembly for locating a print head at a predetermined optimum position for printing or at a cleaning position and an adjustable guide path assembly for maintaining the center line of print stock aligned with the centerline of the print head for different widths of stock. The print head assembly includes a print head supported by a mounting bracket so that the head is maintained in a predetermined fixed position with respect to the platen shaft. A head force bracket sums the force from a pair of springs and applies it via a pivot shaft to the midpoint of the line of tangency of the print head with the platen roller so that the print head "floats" on the roller. The print head assembly can be pivoted from the printing position to a cleaning position by changing the positions of pins in a pair of camming slots. The print stock guide path assembly includes left and right guide racks engaged by a common pinion so that the width of the guide path may be easily adjusted while maintaining the center line of the guide path aligned with the center line of the print head.
Inventors
- 👤 David C. Wills
- 👤 Raymond J. Ichrist
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 10:57
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J25/00; B41J25/304
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A thermal printer mechanism comprising a frame, a platen having a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation with respect thereto, a thermal print head, mounting means for supporting said print head in predetermined fixed position with respect to said platen such that said print head has a line of tangency with the platen substantially parallel to said shaft and a center line extending through the midpoint of the line of tangency and substantially perpendicular thereto, and force means connected between said frame and said mounting means for applying force along said center line to resiliently urge said print head into contact with said platen at said line of tangency.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A thermal printer mechanism comprising a frame, a platen having a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation with respect thereto, a thermal print head, mounting means for supporting said print head in predetermined fixed position with respect to said platen such that said print head has a line of tangency with the platen substantially parallel to said shaft and a center line extending through the midpoint of the line of tangency and substantially perpendicular thereto, and force means connected between said frame and said mounting means for applying force along said center line to resiliently urge said print head into contact with said platen at said line of tangency.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A thermal printer mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising a flange on said mounting means substantially aligned with said center line, a pivot shaft mounted on said force means and engaging said flange, and resilient means causing said force means to pivot about said pivot shaft and apply force to said print head at the midpoint of said line of tangency to urge said print head into resilient contact with said platen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A thermal printer mechanism as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said flange includes a slot substantially aligned with said center line, said pivot shaft engaging said slot so that said print head is free to pivot about said center line, whereby said print head is self adjusting along said line of tangency.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A thermal printer mechanism as claimed in Claim 2 or 3 wherein said resilient means includes at least one spring connected between said force means and said frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
A thermal printer mechanism as claimed in anyone of claims 2 to 4 including pivot means connecting said force means to said resilient means, and camming slots formed in said frame, said pivot means being moveable in said camming slots from a first position wherein said force means is pivoted about said pivot shaft to resiliently urge said print head into contact with said platen to a second position wherein said force means is pivoted about said pivot means to move said print head out of contact with said platen to permit access to said platen and print head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A thermal printer mechanism as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5 including at least one projecting pin on said mounting means and an opening formed in said print head to receive said pins and secure said print head in fixed position with respect to said mounting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A thermal printer mechanism as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 5 including a pair of flanges on said mounting means, said flanges having slots engagable with said platen shaft to maintain said print head in position with respect to said platen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
156 words
A thermal printer mechanism comprising a frame, a platen having a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation with respect thereto, a thermal print head, means supporting said print head in predetermined fixed position with respect to said platen such that said print head has a line of tangency with said platen substantially parallel to said shaft and a center line extending through the midpoint of said line of tangency and substantially perpendicular thereto, means urging said print head into contact with said platen at said line of tangency, and a guide assembly defining a guide path for guiding print stock along said center line and towards said line of tangency, said guide assembly including first and second guide racks spaced apart on opposite sides of said center line and a pinion engaging said racks to move each an equal distance toward or away from said center line to adjust the width of said guide path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
156 words
A thermal printer mechanism comprising a frame, a platen having a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation with respect thereto, a thermal print head, means supporting said print head in predetermined fixed position with respect to said platen such that said print head has a line of tangency with said platen substantially parallel to said shaft and a center line extending through the midpoint of said line of tangency and substantially perpendicular thereto, means urging said print head into contact with said platen at said line of tangency, and a guide assembly defining a guide path for guiding print stock along said center line and towards said line of tangency, said guide assembly including first and second guide racks spaced apart on opposite sides of said center line and a pinion engaging said racks to move each an equal distance toward or away from said center line to adjust the width of said guide path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
152 words
A thermal printer mechanism comprising a frame, a platen having a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation with respect thereto, a thermal print head having a print line defined thereon, a print head assembly for supporting said print head in predetermined fixed position with respect to said platen such that said print head has a line of tangency with said platen substantially parallel to said shaft and to said print line and offset from said print line in the direction of print stock travel and a center line extending through the midpoint of said line of tangency and substantially perpendicular thereto, means connected to said print head assembly defining a pivot axis therefor, and spring means causing said assembly to pivot about said pivot axis and apply force to said print head at the midpoint of said line of tangency to urge said print head into resilient contact with said platen.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
152 words
A thermal printer mechanism comprising a frame, a platen having a shaft mounted on said frame for rotation with respect thereto, a thermal print head having a print line defined thereon, a print head assembly for supporting said print head in predetermined fixed position with respect to said platen such that said print head has a line of tangency with said platen substantially parallel to said shaft and to said print line and offset from said print line in the direction of print stock travel and a center line extending through the midpoint of said line of tangency and substantially perpendicular thereto, means connected to said print head assembly defining a pivot axis therefor, and spring means causing said assembly to pivot about said pivot axis and apply force to said print head at the midpoint of said line of tangency to urge said print head into resilient contact with said platen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
A printer mechanism as claimed in Claim 9 including camming slots formed in said frame, and means on said print head assembly moveable in said camming slots to a position defining an alternate pivot axis wherein said print head assembly is pivoted about said alternate axis to move said print head out of contact with said platen to permit access to said platen and print head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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