Ink ribbon cartridge having removable spools

Claim 2

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a carriage housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasably locating said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and Said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbin and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said cartridge bottom comprising a plurality of fingers pointing with their free ends in the same direction said fingers being laterally separated from each other by said apertures which have open ends.

Claim 3

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge cover member has side walls and said means for removably holding comprise slots in a side wall of said cartridge cover member for receiving said free ends of the fingers of said cartridge bottom, whereby the cartridge bottom may be released from said cartridge cover member by laterally withdrawing said fingers from said slots.

Claim 4

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasably locating said ribbon pay-out and pick-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said guide means comprise tubular members secured to said cartridge cover member substantially in register with respective ones of said apertures, said tubular members having open ended bores therein facing toward said apertures.

Claim 5

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasably locating said ribbon pay-out and pick-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said guide means comprise tubular members secured to said cartridge cover member substantially in register with respective ones of said apertures, said tubular members having open ended bores therein facing toward said apertures.

Claim 6

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasably locating said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member, said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said cartridge cover member comprises lateral side walls, said means for removably holding comprising inwardly facing grooves along the lower edges of said lateral side walls, said cartridge bottom havinG lateral edges fitting into said grooves for sliding the cartridge bottom along said grooves.

Claim 7

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasably locating said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member, said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said cartridge cover member comprises lateral side walls, said means for removably holding comprising inwardly facing grooves along the lower edges of said lateral side walls, said cartridge bottom havinG lateral edges fitting into said grooves for sliding the cartridge bottom along said grooves.

Claim 8

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge bottom is provided with handle means for pulling the cartridge bottom out of the cartridge cover member.

Claim 9

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasable locating said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member, said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said cartridge cover member having two opposite longitudinal walls, a cut out in one of said longitudinal walls and a ribbon guide pin mounted adjacent to and outside of the other longitudinal wall substantially opposite said cut out.

Claim 10

In a ribbon cartridge for guiding a ribbon to follow a given path between a pair of bobbins, wherein the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a ribbon pay-out bobbin and a ribbon take-up bobbin located in said cartridge housing, the improvement wherein said cartridge housing comprises a cartridge bottom and a cartridge cover member, means for removably holding said cartridge bottom on said cartridge cover member to form said cartridge housing, apertures in said cartridge bottom, means for releasable locating said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins in said cartridge housing between said cartridge bottom and said cartridge cover member substantially in register with separate ones of said apertures, and guide means located in said cartridge housing and positioned in said cartridge cover member to define a ribbon path in the cartridge housing corresponding substantially to said given path, said guide means being positioned so that upon removal of said cartridge bottom from said cartridge cover member, said ribbon pay-out and take-up bobbins and said ribbon following said ribbon path therebetween may be transferred from said cartridge cover member with the ribbon following said given path, said cartridge cover member having two opposite longitudinal walls, a cut out in one of said longitudinal walls and a ribbon guide pin mounted adjacent to and outside of the other longitudinal wall substantially opposite said cut out.

Claim 11

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said other longitudinal wall has a pair of ends and forms a V-shape substantially intermediate said pair of ends, said ribbon guide pin being mounted substantially in the bottom of said V-shape and spaced from said other longitudinal wall to form a ribbon guide slot between said guide pin and said other longitudinal wall.

Claim 12

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a full roll of ribbon is supported on said ribbon pay-out bobbin for counterclockwise rotation therewith, and wherein said ribbon take-up bobbin is rotatable in the clockwise direction.

Claim 13

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge cover member comprises side wall means having a ribbon pay-out slot and a ribbon take-up slot therein.

Claim 14

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge cover member is made of plastic transparent material.

Claim 15

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge cover member and said cartridge bottom are made of plastic transparent material.

Claim 16

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said guide means in the cartridge are downwardly facing studs attached to the cover member and located to substantially duplicate said given path.

Claim 17

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge cover member has portions of different heights, and a wall member for interconnecting said portions.

Claim 18

The ribbon cartridge according to claim 12, wherein said wall member is slanted.

Claim 19

A ribbon cartridge for releasably holding a ribbon extending between a pair of bobbins along a given path for transferring the ribbon and bobbins from the cartridge with the ribbon still extending along said given path, said cartridge comprising: a cover member having a top wall with a periphery and side walls depending from said periphery, a plurality of guide means extending from said top wall and normal thereto in position to guide a ribbon along a path substantially corresponding to said given path, a bottom member, means for releasably retaining said bobbins between said top wall and said bottom member, aperture means in said bottom member aligned with said bobbin retaining means, and means for releasably holding said bottom member to said side wallS in alignment with said top wall and spaced therefrom whereby said bottom member is removable by movement parallel to said top wall, and whereby the ribbon path defined by said guide means is exposed in said cover member upon removal of said bottom member therefrom, said bottom member comprising a plurality of spaced apart fingers having their free ends pointing in the same direction, the lateral spaces between said fingers defining said aperture means.

Claim 20

A ribbon cartridge for releasably holding a ribbon extending between a pair of bobbins along a given path for transferring the ribbon and bobbins from the cartridge with the ribbon still extending along said given path, said cartridge comprising: a cover member having a top wall with a periphery and side walls depending from said periphery, a plurality of guide means extending from said top wall and normal thereto in position to guide a ribbon along a path substantially corresponding to said given path, a bottom member, means for releasably retaining said bobbins between said top wall and said bottom member, aperture means in said bottom member aligned with said bobbin retaining means, and means for releasably holding said bottom member to said side wallS in alignment with said top wall and spaced therefrom whereby said bottom member is removable by movement parallel to said top wall, and whereby the ribbon path defined by said guide means is exposed in said cover member upon removal of said bottom member therefrom, said bottom member comprising a plurality of spaced apart fingers having their free ends pointing in the same direction, the lateral spaces between said fingers defining said aperture means.

Claim 21

The ribbon cartridge of claim 15, wherein said means for releasably holding comprises slot means in said side walls positioned to receive said fingers, and groove means in said side walls positioned to slidably engage edges of said bottom member.