Ink ribbon cartridge with constant tension mechanism

Claim 2

A cartridge for supplying an inked ribbon to a printing station in an associated printing apparatus, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a ribbon entrance and a ribbon exit; a first reel rotatably mounted above a fixed axis in said housing for providing a supply core for an inked ribbon adapted to be wrapped thereabout; a second reel rotatably mounted in said housing for providing a take-up core for an inked ribbon adapted to be wrapped thereabout; ribbon transport means positioned adjacent said ribbon entrance for providing a force for translating said ribbon from said first reel to said second reel via said exit and said entrance; and means adjacent said first reel for providing a drag force on said first reel to maintain the tension in said rubber substantially uniform in said printing station substantially independently of the quantity of ribbon on said supply core; said drag force means comprising a plurality of freely rotatable idler members defining a belt path, and an elastic belt disposed about said idler members along said path for translation therealong, a portion of said path defining an interference region in which the surface of a portion of said belt located therein engages the outer layer of supply core mounted ribbon encountered therein so that said belt is deflected thereby.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 further including means positioned between the bottom edges of said ribbon on said supply and take-up cores and the upper surface of the bottom wall of said cartridge for providing a relatively low friction support surface for said edges of said ribbon.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ribbon transport means includes a capstan member rotatably mounted in said housing, said capstan member having a pair of axially spaced flanges and a curved surface portion therebetween, said surface portion having a serrated wall surface; a pinch roller rotatably mounted in said housing and having a curved intermediate serrated surface portion and a pair of oppositely extending stub axles; and a bias member pivotally mounted in said housing and having a pair of spaced slots for embracing said stub axles and a resilient arm engageable with the inner surface of an adjacent side wall of said cartridge for biasing said serrated surface portion of said pinch roller toward said serrated wall surface of said capstan member so that said ribbon is grasped therebetween.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 further including a curved ribbon guide member positioned adjacent said entrance.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 further including a rotatable ribbon guide member positioned adjacent said exit.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second reels and said ribbon transport means each include a central shaft member protruding exteriorly of said cartridge housing for enabling manual rotation of said reels and said ribbon transport means.

Claim 8

In combination with a printing device having a pair of ribbon guides defining a printing station, a cartridge for supplying a translatable inked ribbon to said printing station, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a ribbon entrance and a ribbon exit; a first reel rotatably mounted about a fixed axis in said housing for providing a supply core for an inked ribbon adapted to be wrapped thereabout; a second reel rotatably mounted in said housing for providing a take-up core for an inked ribbon adapted to be wrapped thereabout; ribbon transport means positioned adjacent said ribbon entrance for providing a force for translating said ribbon from said first reel to said second reel past said printing station via said ribbon exit and said ribbon entrance; and means adjacent said first reel for providing a drag force thereon to maintain the tension in said ribbon located in said printing station substantially uniform substantially independently of the quantity of ribbon on said supply and said take-up cores, said drag force means comprising a plurality of freely rotatably idler members defining a belt path, and an elastic belt disposed about said idler members along said belt path for translation therealong, a portion of said belt path defining an interference region in which the surface of portions of said belt located therein engages the outer layer of supply core mounted ribbon encountered therein so that said belt is deflected thereby.

Claim 9

In combination with a printing device having a pair of ribbon guides defining a printing station, a cartridge for supplying a translatable inked ribbon to said printing station, said cartridge comprising: a housing having a ribbon entrance and a ribbon exit; a first reel rotatably mounted about a fixed axis in said housing for providing a supply core for an inked ribbon adapted to be wrapped thereabout; a second reel rotatably mounted in said housing for providing a take-up core for an inked ribbon adapted to be wrapped thereabout; ribbon transport means positioned adjacent said ribbon entrance for providing a force for translating said ribbon from said first reel to said second reel past said printing station via said ribbon exit and said ribbon entrance; and means adjacent said first reel for providing a drag force thereon to maintain the tension in said ribbon located in said printing station substantially uniform substantially independently of the quantity of ribbon on said supply and said take-up cores, said drag force means comprising a plurality of freely rotatably idler members defining a belt path, and an elastic belt disposed about said idler members along said belt path for translation therealong, a portion of said belt path defining an interference region in which the surface of portions of said belt located therein engages the outer layer of supply core mounted ribbon encountered therein so that said belt is deflected thereby.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 further including means positioned between the bottom edges of said ribbon on said supply and take-up cores and the upper surface of the bottom wall of said cartridge for providing a relatively low friction support surface for said edges of said ribbon.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 7 wherein said ribbon transport means includes a capstan member rotatably mounted in said housing, said capstan member having a pair of axially spaced flanges and a curved surface portion therebetween, said surface portion having a serrated wall surface; a pinch roller rotatably mounted in said housing and having a curved intermediate surface portion and a pair of oppositely extending stub axles; and a bias member pivotally mounted in said housing and having a pair of spaced slots for embracing said stub axles and a resilient arm engageable with the inner surface of an adjacent sidewall of said cartridge for biasing said serrated surface portion of said pinch roller towards said serrated wall surface of said capstan member so that said ribbon is grasped therebetween.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9 further including a stationary curved ribbon guide member positioned adjacent said ribbon entrance.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 7 further including a rotatable ribbon guide member positioned adjacent said ribbon exit.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 1 wherein said first and second reels and said ribbon transport means each include a central shaft member protruding exteriorally of said cartridge housing for enabling manual rotation thereof.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 7 further including a guide arm pivotally mounted on said printing device adjacent one of said pair of ribbon guides, and means for biasing said guide arm in a direction outwardly of said printing station, said guide arm and said biasing means providing a tension relief for said ribbon when said ribbon is subjected to sudden acceleration.