Patent US3097257A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3918569A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3918569A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Endless printer ribbon cartridge apparatus
Assignee: Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp
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Filing: 1974-03-18
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Granted: 1975-11-11
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Expires: 1994-03-18
Abstract
Abstract An endless ribbon printer cartridge and cartridge mechanism apparatus is provided having a cartridge having a plastic housing with a pair of spaced rollers rotatably attached inside the housing. An endless inked ribbon is wrapped around the rollers with a feed from between the rollers over a predetermined path and back onto the ribbon wrapped on the rollers. A pair of elongated arms extend from the housing and the ribbon is fed from one arm to the other. The cartridge fits onto a cartridge holding mechanism mounted for horizontal movement with a rotatable cylindrical printing head. When the cartridge is mounted on the holder mechanism the arms extend on either side of the printing wheel to locate that portion of the ribbon passing between the arms between the rotatable printing head and a platen of a computer terminal printing mechanism. The cartridge may be easily inserted and removed by the operation of a latching mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 Ralph L Parker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:41
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J32/00; B41J32/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
333 words
An endless printer ribbon cartridge comprising in combination: a. housing having top, bottom and side walls; b. a pair of spaced rollers rotatably attached to said housing, at least one of said pair of spaced rollers being a porous inking roller, said ribbon being inked as it passes over said porous inking roller; c. an endless inked ribbon being partially wrapped around said pair of spaced rollers, for a plurality of turns so as to leave an open space between said rollers; d. an inside ribbon guide located between said pair of spaced rollers for guiding and twisting said endless ribbon from between said pair of spaced rollers generally perpendicular to and over said wrapped portion; e. outside ribbon guide means located on the opposite side of said wrapped portion of said endless ribbon from said inside ribbon guide for guiding said ribbon being fed from between said pair of spaced rollers including means for twisting said ribbon into a predetermined path and back onto the outside of said wrapped portion of said ribbon on said pair of rollers; f. ribbon drive means engaging said ribbon for driving said ribbon over said predetermined path from between said rollers onto the outside of said partially wrapped ribbon on said spaced pair of rollers; g. said outside ribbon guide means having a ribbon guide having a bottom portion protruding from said bottom wall, and a top portion protruding from said top wall whereby top and bottom portions hold said ribbon therebetween perpendicular to the wrapped portion of said ribbon as it passes over said partially wrapped portion of said ribbon; and h. said housing also having a pair of protruding arms with said endless ribbon passiNg therebetween, passing out the end of one said arm and back into said cartridge at the end of said other arm, and each said arm having an opening in the end thereof and a ribbon alignment guide for directing said ribbon passing out one opening and into the other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
333 words
An endless printer ribbon cartridge comprising in combination: a. housing having top, bottom and side walls; b. a pair of spaced rollers rotatably attached to said housing, at least one of said pair of spaced rollers being a porous inking roller, said ribbon being inked as it passes over said porous inking roller; c. an endless inked ribbon being partially wrapped around said pair of spaced rollers, for a plurality of turns so as to leave an open space between said rollers; d. an inside ribbon guide located between said pair of spaced rollers for guiding and twisting said endless ribbon from between said pair of spaced rollers generally perpendicular to and over said wrapped portion; e. outside ribbon guide means located on the opposite side of said wrapped portion of said endless ribbon from said inside ribbon guide for guiding said ribbon being fed from between said pair of spaced rollers including means for twisting said ribbon into a predetermined path and back onto the outside of said wrapped portion of said ribbon on said pair of rollers; f. ribbon drive means engaging said ribbon for driving said ribbon over said predetermined path from between said rollers onto the outside of said partially wrapped ribbon on said spaced pair of rollers; g. said outside ribbon guide means having a ribbon guide having a bottom portion protruding from said bottom wall, and a top portion protruding from said top wall whereby top and bottom portions hold said ribbon therebetween perpendicular to the wrapped portion of said ribbon as it passes over said partially wrapped portion of said ribbon; and h. said housing also having a pair of protruding arms with said endless ribbon passiNg therebetween, passing out the end of one said arm and back into said cartridge at the end of said other arm, and each said arm having an opening in the end thereof and a ribbon alignment guide for directing said ribbon passing out one opening and into the other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The ribbon cartridge in accordance with claim 1 in which said housing has a snap catch ledge located between said arms for receiving a latching member for holding said cartridge in a cartridge holding mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The ribbon cartridge in accordance with claim 2 in which said outside ribbon guide has at least one guide roller for guiding said ribbon between said wrapped ribbon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The ribbon cartridge in accordance with claim 3 in which said ribbon drive means includes a drive roller and a spring biased pivoted arm having a roller thereon for pinching said inked ribbon between said drive roller and said spring biased roller.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
248 words
An endless printing ribbon cartridge mechanism comprising in combination: a. printing mechanism frame; b. rotatable print wheel mounted to said printing mechanism frame for horizontal movement therewith for printing upon paper located against a platen; c. cartridge holding mechanism attached to said printing mechanism frame adjacent said rotatable printing wheel and mounted for horizontal movement with said rotatable printing wheel; d. endless inked ribbon cartridge removably attachable to said cartridge holding mechanism on one side of said print wheel, said cartridge having elongated arms extending therefrom to guide an endless inked ribbon between said arms on the other side of said print wheel and between said print wheel and said platen, said endless inked ribbon cartridge having a latching ledge thereon between said elongated arms; e. ribbon drive means attached to said cartridge holding mechanism and having engaging means for engaging a cartridge ribbon drive mechanism for driving said ribbon upon actuation of said drive means; f. latching means attached to said cartridge holding mechanism for removably latching said cartridge to said cartridge holding mechanism, said latching mechanism located between said one side of said print wheel and said cartridge thereby preventing accidental engagement of said cartridge with said print wheel, said latching means having a spring biased pivotable latching surface for engaging said latching ledge on said endless inked ribbon cartridge; g. alignment guide means attached to said cartridge holding mechanism for positioning said cartridge in proper allignment when inserting said cartridge in said cartridge holding mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
248 words
An endless printing ribbon cartridge mechanism comprising in combination: a. printing mechanism frame; b. rotatable print wheel mounted to said printing mechanism frame for horizontal movement therewith for printing upon paper located against a platen; c. cartridge holding mechanism attached to said printing mechanism frame adjacent said rotatable printing wheel and mounted for horizontal movement with said rotatable printing wheel; d. endless inked ribbon cartridge removably attachable to said cartridge holding mechanism on one side of said print wheel, said cartridge having elongated arms extending therefrom to guide an endless inked ribbon between said arms on the other side of said print wheel and between said print wheel and said platen, said endless inked ribbon cartridge having a latching ledge thereon between said elongated arms; e. ribbon drive means attached to said cartridge holding mechanism and having engaging means for engaging a cartridge ribbon drive mechanism for driving said ribbon upon actuation of said drive means; f. latching means attached to said cartridge holding mechanism for removably latching said cartridge to said cartridge holding mechanism, said latching mechanism located between said one side of said print wheel and said cartridge thereby preventing accidental engagement of said cartridge with said print wheel, said latching means having a spring biased pivotable latching surface for engaging said latching ledge on said endless inked ribbon cartridge; g. alignment guide means attached to said cartridge holding mechanism for positioning said cartridge in proper allignment when inserting said cartridge in said cartridge holding mechanism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 5 in which said cartridge holding mechanism aligned with guide means includes protruding studs for engaging openings in said cartridge and cartridge edge guides for centering said cartridge onto a flat surface and onto said studs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which said ribbon drive means includes a ribbon drive motor for continuously moving said endless ribbon when said motor is actuated.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-10 | 1979-05-12 | 1979-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-10 | 1983-05-12 | 1983-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-10 | 1987-05-12 | 1987-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |