Axially and rotationally moveable print head

Claim 2

A high speed serial printer apparatus for serially printing a line of characters on a print medium comprising: a print head lying along an axis perpendicular to the print line, said print head containing a matrix of characters formed on the exterior surface in a plurality of rows and columns, said print head further containing an internally splined surface; means for axially positioning a given row of characters relative to said print line comprising an axially moveable shaft and an axial drive means for driving said axially moveable shaft; means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters comprising: a rotational drive element that completely encompasses said axially moving shaft and through which said axially moveable shaft completely passes, said rotational drive element being located above said axial drive means for driving said axially moveable shaft said rotational drive element being free to rotate relative to said axially moveable shaft, and a drive spline affixed to said rotational drive element and engaging the internally splined surface of said print head; a carriage means for supportably mounting said print head, said means for axially positioning a given row of characters, and said means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters; and means for guiding said carriage means along a line parallel to said print line whereby said carriage apparatus is incrementally stepped a character position at a time and said print head is both rotated and moved axially to position a given character for impact printing with the print medium.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said print head is rotatably connected to said axially moveable shaft by a rotatable bearing which is affixed to both the uppermost portion of said axially moveable shaft as well as to the uppermost portion of said print head so as to allow said head to be rotatably driven by said drive spline affixed to said hollow shaft while simultaneously being driven in the axial direction by said axially moveable shaft and said rotatable bearing.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: said rotational drive element comprises a hollow shafting with an inside diameter greater than the diameter of the axially moveable shaft.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said rotational drive means further includes an armature affixed to said hollow shafting and a stator completely surrounding said armature whereby said hollow shafting is caused to rotate in response to the establishment of a magnetic drive force between said stator and said armature.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said axial drive means comprises a rack and pinion wherein said rack attaches to said axially moveable shaft and said pinion slidably engages a rotatable splined shaft extending along a line parallel to the direction in which said carriage apparatus is stepped.

Claim 7

A high speed serial prinTer apparatus for serially printing a line of characters on a print medium a character at a time comprising: a print head lying along an axis perpendicular to the print line, containing a matrix of characters formed thereon in a plurality of rows and columns; means for axially positioning a given row of characters on said print head relative to the print line said axially positioning means comprising an axially moveable shaft and an axial drive means connected to said axially moveable shaft for driving said axially moveable shaft; means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head, said rotatable positioning means being located above said axial drive means and comprising: a rotational drive element encompassing the circumference of said axially moveable shaft and through which said axially moveable shaft completely passes, an armature affixed to said rotational drive element, and a stator completely surrounding said armature whereby said rotational drive element is caused to rotate in response to the establishment of a magnetic drive force between said stator and said armature; a carriage means for supportably mounting said print head, said means for axially positioning a given row of characters on said print head, and said means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head; and means for guiding said carriage means along a line parallel to said print line whereby said carriage apparatus is incrementally stepped a character position at a time and said print head is both rotated and moved axially to position a given character for impact printing with the print medium.

Claim 8

A high speed serial prinTer apparatus for serially printing a line of characters on a print medium a character at a time comprising: a print head lying along an axis perpendicular to the print line, containing a matrix of characters formed thereon in a plurality of rows and columns; means for axially positioning a given row of characters on said print head relative to the print line said axially positioning means comprising an axially moveable shaft and an axial drive means connected to said axially moveable shaft for driving said axially moveable shaft; means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head, said rotatable positioning means being located above said axial drive means and comprising: a rotational drive element encompassing the circumference of said axially moveable shaft and through which said axially moveable shaft completely passes, an armature affixed to said rotational drive element, and a stator completely surrounding said armature whereby said rotational drive element is caused to rotate in response to the establishment of a magnetic drive force between said stator and said armature; a carriage means for supportably mounting said print head, said means for axially positioning a given row of characters on said print head, and said means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head; and means for guiding said carriage means along a line parallel to said print line whereby said carriage apparatus is incrementally stepped a character position at a time and said print head is both rotated and moved axially to position a given character for impact printing with the print medium.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said stator comprises a plurality of energizable coils arranged to rotatably step said armature into the field created by any of said energized coils to thereby position one of the columns of characters on said print head.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said rotational drive element comprises a hollow shafting with an inside diameter greater than the diameter of the axially moveable shaft and said hollow shafting is free to rotate relative to said axially moveable shaft.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said rotational drive means further includes a drive spline affixed to the uppermost portion of the hollow shaft and engaging a complementary spline guide affixed to the interior wall of said print head.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said print head is rotatably connected to said axially moveable shaft by a rotatable bearing which is affixed to both the uppermost portion of said axially moveable shaft as well as to the uppermost portion of said print head so as to allow said print head to be rotatably driven by said drive spline affixed to said hollow shaft while simultaneously being driven in the axial direction by said axially moveable shaft and said rotatable bearing.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said axial drive means comprises a gear toothed rack which is engagably driven by a pinion gear, said gear toothed rack being connected to said axially moveable shaft.

Claim 14

A high speed serial printer apparatus for serially printing a line of characters on a print medium a character at a time comprising: a print head lying along an axis perpendicular to the print line containing a matrix of characters formed thereon in a plurality of rows and columns; means for axially positioning a given row of characters relative to said print line said axially positioning means comprising an axially moveable shaft and an axial drive means connected to said axially moveable shaft for driving said axially moveable shaft; means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head, said rotatable positioning means located above said axial drive means and including a hollow shafting which rotates relative to said axial shafting and through which said axial shaft completely passes; carriage means for supportably Mounting said print head, said means for axially positioning a given row of characters on said print head, and said means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head; and means for guiding said carriage means along a line parallel to said print line whereby said carriage apparatus is incrementally stepped a character position at a time and said print head is both rotated and moved axially to position a given character for impact printing with the print medium.

Claim 15

A high speed serial printer apparatus for serially printing a line of characters on a print medium a character at a time comprising: a print head lying along an axis perpendicular to the print line containing a matrix of characters formed thereon in a plurality of rows and columns; means for axially positioning a given row of characters relative to said print line said axially positioning means comprising an axially moveable shaft and an axial drive means connected to said axially moveable shaft for driving said axially moveable shaft; means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head, said rotatable positioning means located above said axial drive means and including a hollow shafting which rotates relative to said axial shafting and through which said axial shaft completely passes; carriage means for supportably Mounting said print head, said means for axially positioning a given row of characters on said print head, and said means for rotatably positioning a given column of characters on said print head; and means for guiding said carriage means along a line parallel to said print line whereby said carriage apparatus is incrementally stepped a character position at a time and said print head is both rotated and moved axially to position a given character for impact printing with the print medium.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said rotational positioning means further comprises a drive spline affixed to the uppermost portion of the hollow shaft and a complementary spline guide affixed to the interior wall of said print head and engaging said drive spline affixed to the uppermost portion of the hollow shaft.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said print head is rotatably connected to said axially moveable shaft by a rotatable bearing which is affixed to both the uppermost portion of said axially moveable shaft as well as to the uppermost portion of said print head so as to allow said print head to be rotatably driven by said drive spline affixed to said hollow shaft while simultaneously being driven in the axial direction by said axially moveable shaft and said rotatable bearing.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said axial drive means comprises a gear toothed rack which is engagably driven by a pinion gear, said gear toothed rack being connected to said axially moveable shaft.