Abstract A printer having a printhead which moves from left to right across the document to print a line and a ribbon located between the printing end of the printhead and the document. Ribbon supply means is provided at the right side of the document, ribbon takeup means is provided at the left side of the document and means for engaging the ribbon when the printhead moves from right to left is mounted on the printhead. During a printing operation with left-to-right movement of the printhead, the ribbon remains stationary and is traversed by the printhead. This provides a new area of the ribbon for printing each character. When the printhead returns to the left to begin a new line, printing does not occur and the engaging means connected to the printhead pulls the ribbon from the supply means. The resulting slack in the ribbon is taken up at the left side of the document by the takeup means and when the printhead reaches the left margin a new supply of ribbon has been provided for printing the next line. Since the printhead prints when moving toward the right, its velocity is slower in this direction. Preferably, the engaging means is fractionally operable to engage the ribbon at the higher speed during leftward movement but slides with respect to the ribbon at the slower velocity during rightward movement.
In a printer having a reciprocating carriage for generating linear relative movement between a print medium and a print mechanism and further including print control mEans for causing the print mechanism to print a line of characters on the print medium during movement of said carriage in a first direction, ink ribbon handling means comprising, in combination: a case containing a loosely folded supply of ink ribbon with a length of said ribbon extending outside of said case through a first slot provided in a side thereof; drag means acting against said ribbon in an area adjacent said slot; ribbon guide means supporting said outside-extending length of ribbon along a path lying between said print medium and said print mechanism, a portion of said guide means being mounted on said print mechanism and including at least one relatively sharp edge projecting into the ribbon path; take-up means for holding said ribbon stationary during movement of said carriage in said first direction; means for moving said carriage in said first direction at a first velocity and for accelerating said carriage in the return direction after completion of said line of printing, whereby the frictional force exerted on said ribbon by said guide means during carriage return exceeding the friction force exerted by said drag means thereby causing said guide means to pull an additional length of ribbon out of said case during said return movement; and said takeup means taking up the slack in said ribbon caused by the pulling of said ribbon during said return movement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
256 words
In a printer having a reciprocating carriage for generating linear relative movement between a print medium and a print mechanism and further including print control mEans for causing the print mechanism to print a line of characters on the print medium during movement of said carriage in a first direction, ink ribbon handling means comprising, in combination: a case containing a loosely folded supply of ink ribbon with a length of said ribbon extending outside of said case through a first slot provided in a side thereof; drag means acting against said ribbon in an area adjacent said slot; ribbon guide means supporting said outside-extending length of ribbon along a path lying between said print medium and said print mechanism, a portion of said guide means being mounted on said print mechanism and including at least one relatively sharp edge projecting into the ribbon path; take-up means for holding said ribbon stationary during movement of said carriage in said first direction; means for moving said carriage in said first direction at a first velocity and for accelerating said carriage in the return direction after completion of said line of printing, whereby the frictional force exerted on said ribbon by said guide means during carriage return exceeding the friction force exerted by said drag means thereby causing said guide means to pull an additional length of ribbon out of said case during said return movement; and said takeup means taking up the slack in said ribbon caused by the pulling of said ribbon during said return movement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The printer set forth in claim 1 wherein said print mechanism is fixed to and moves with said carriage and said print medium and said case remain stationary during the printing operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The printer set forth in claim 1 wherein said takeup means comprises: a pair of pinch rolls acting on the ribbon; and means driven by said carriage moving means for rotating said pinch rolls during the return movement of said carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The printer set forth in claim 1 wherein: said ribbon is in the form of an endless band; and said takeup means operates to feed the ribbon back into said case through a second slot provided on a side of said case opposite said first slot.