Printhead and blades therefor

Claim 2

In a flat printing blade of the type having a flat generally annular rim in which is retained a flat-spiral substantially planar coil energizable for interaction with an associated magnetic field to effect movement of the rim in a predetermined direction parallel to the plane of the coil, a mounting portion spaced from the rim and substantially parallel to the plane of the coil, and a pair of resilient mounting arms spaced apart in the predetermined direction and extending from the mounting portion to opposed points on the rim, the improvement comprising: an elongated arcuate printing arm extending from the rib generally in the predetermined direction and terminating in a printing tip, and an elongated stabilizing member extending from the concave side of said printing arm intermediate the ends thereof substantially parallel to the plane of the coil.

Claim 3

The printing blade of claim 1, wherein said stabilizing member extends substantially normal to said predetermined direction.

Claim 4

The printing blade of claim 1, wherein said printing arm is substantially coplanar with the coil and with said stabilizing member.

Claim 5

The printing blade of claim 1, and further including a printing stylus carried by said printing tip and projecting therefrom in the predetermined direction.

Claim 6

The printing blade of claim 1, and further including a plurality of connection members extending from the mounting portion and adapted to be plugged into associated sockets.

Claim 7

A printhead comprising a plurality of the printing blades of claim 1, said printing blades being arranged in a stack with the planes of said coils parallel and with said printing tips of said blades being aligned in a direction substantially normal to said planes, insulating means for insulating said blades from one another in areas having a difference in electrical potential, and means for retaining said blades in said stack, said printing arms of adjacent ones of said blades being oppositely curved and arranged with the concave sides thereof facing each other to provide a wide separation area therebetween in directions parallel to said planes, said stabilizing members of adjacent ones of said printing arms overlapping and being aligned in a direction substantially normal to said planes for cooperation to divide the separation areas between said arms into outer regions adjacent to said printing tips and inner regions adjacent to said rims, said separation areas being sufficiently large to prevent wicking of ink along adjacent printing arms from the printing tips thereof to said rims, the outer regions of said separation areas serving to collect particulate debris and isolate it from the inner regions thereby to prevent interference with the anti-wicking function of the inner regions.

Claim 8

The printhead of claim 6, wherein said inner and outer regions have approximately the same area.

Claim 9

The printhead of claim 6, wherein each of said stabilizing members spans the separation area between adjacent ones of said printing arms.

Claim 10

The printhead of claim 6, wherein said printing blades are respectively provided with apertures therein disposed in alignment in a direction normal to said plane to facilitate alignment of said blades in said stack.

Claim 11

The printhead of claim 6, wherein each of said printing blades further includes a plurality of connection members extending from the mounting portion thereof and adapted to be plugged into associated sockets.

Claim 12

The printhead of claim 10, wherein the positions of at least certain of the connection members on said blades are sequentially staggered from one end of said stack to the other.

Claim 13

The printhead of claim 6, and further including smooth separating means interposed between adjacent ones of said printing blades for preventing contact thereof with each other.

Claim 14

A printhead comprising a plurality of the printing blades, each of said printing blades comprising a flat generally annular rim, a flat-spiral substantially planar coil retained in said rim and energizable for interaction with a magnetic field to effect movement of the rim in a predetermined direction parallel to the plane of the coil, a mounting portion spaced from the rim and substantially parallel to the plane of the coil, and a pair of resilient mounting arms spaced apart in the predetermined direction and extending from the mounting portion to opposed points on the rim, an elongated arcuate printing arm extending from the rim generally in the predetermined direction and terminating in a printing tip, an elongated stabilizing member extending from the concave side of said printing arm intermediate the ends thereof substantially parallel to the plane of the coil means for arranging said printing blades in a stack with the planes of said coils parallel and with said printing tips of said blades being aligned in a direction substantially normal to said planes, insulating means for insulating said blades from one another in areas having a difference in electrical potential, means for retaining said blades in said stack, said printing arms of adjacent ones of said blades being oppositely curved and arranged with the concave sides thereof facing each other to provide a wide separation area therebetween in directions parallel to said planes, said stabilizing members of adjacent ones of said printing arms overlapping and being aligned in a direction substantially normal to said planes for cooperation to divide the separation areas between said arms into outer regions adjacent to said printing tips and inner regions adjacent to said rims, said separation areas being sufficiently large to prevent wicking of ink along adjacent printing arms from the printing tips thereof to said rims, the outer regions of said separation areas serving to collect particulate debris and isolate it from the inner regions thereby to prevent interference with the anti-wicking function of the inner regions.

Claim 15

A printhead comprising a plurality of the printing blades, each of said printing blades comprising a flat generally annular rim, a flat-spiral substantially planar coil retained in said rim and energizable for interaction with a magnetic field to effect movement of the rim in a predetermined direction parallel to the plane of the coil, a mounting portion spaced from the rim and substantially parallel to the plane of the coil, and a pair of resilient mounting arms spaced apart in the predetermined direction and extending from the mounting portion to opposed points on the rim, an elongated arcuate printing arm extending from the rim generally in the predetermined direction and terminating in a printing tip, an elongated stabilizing member extending from the concave side of said printing arm intermediate the ends thereof substantially parallel to the plane of the coil means for arranging said printing blades in a stack with the planes of said coils parallel and with said printing tips of said blades being aligned in a direction substantially normal to said planes, insulating means for insulating said blades from one another in areas having a difference in electrical potential, means for retaining said blades in said stack, said printing arms of adjacent ones of said blades being oppositely curved and arranged with the concave sides thereof facing each other to provide a wide separation area therebetween in directions parallel to said planes, said stabilizing members of adjacent ones of said printing arms overlapping and being aligned in a direction substantially normal to said planes for cooperation to divide the separation areas between said arms into outer regions adjacent to said printing tips and inner regions adjacent to said rims, said separation areas being sufficiently large to prevent wicking of ink along adjacent printing arms from the printing tips thereof to said rims, the outer regions of said separation areas serving to collect particulate debris and isolate it from the inner regions thereby to prevent interference with the anti-wicking function of the inner regions.

Claim 16

The printhead of claim 13 wherein said inner and outer-regions have approximately the same area.

Claim 17

The printhead of claim 14 wherein each of said stabilizing members spans the separation area between adjacent ones of said printing arms.

Claim 18

The printhead of claim 13 wherein said printing blades are respectively provided with apertures therein disposed in alignment in a direction normal to said plane to facilitate alignment of said blades in said stack.

Claim 19

The printhead of claim 13 wherein each of said printing blades further includes a plurality of connection members extending from the mounting portion thereof and adapted to be plugged into associated sockets.

Claim 20

The printhead of claim 17 wherein the positions of at least certain of the connection members on said blades are sequentially staggered from one end of said stack to the other.

Claim 21

The printhead of claim 13 wherein smooth separating means are interposed between adjacent ones of said printing blades for preventing contact thereof with each other.

Claim 22

A flat printing blade comprising a flat annular frame of electrically conductive material, said frame comprising a rim portion, said rim portion comprising a forward section and a rear section, a flat, spiral, substantially planar coil retained in said rim portion, said coil being double sided with a thin electrically insulating substrate separating the sides thereof, each side of said coil comprising a series of turns, one end of the turns of each side of said coil being electrically connected to a respective one of said front end rear sections, the other end of the turns of each side of said coil being connected together, means for electrically isolating said rear and forward sections from one another, said frame comprising a mounting portion spaced from the rim portion and substantially parallel to the plane of said coil, said mounting portion comprising a forward section and a rear section, said frame comprising a pair of resilient arms spaced apart in the predetermined direction with each arm extending from a respective mounting portion section to opposed points on the rim, means for energizing said coil for interaction with a magnetic field to effect movement of the rim portion in a predetermined direction parallel to the plane of the coil comprising, means for energizing said coil through a respective one of said sections of said mounting portion of said frame, an associated one of said arms and a respective one of said sections of said rim portions of said frame, and through a respective other one of said sections of said mounting portion of said frame, an associated other one of said arms and the other of said sections of said rim portion, an elongated arcuate printing arm extending from the rim generally in the predetermined direction and terminating in a printing tip, and an elongated stabilizing member extending from the concave side of said printing arm intermediate the ends thereof substantially parallel to the plane of the coil.

Claim 23

A flat printing blade comprising a flat annular frame of electrically conductive material, said frame comprising a rim portion, said rim portion comprising a forward section and a rear section, a flat, spiral, substantially planar coil retained in said rim portion, said coil being double sided with a thin electrically insulating substrate separating the sides thereof, each side of said coil comprising a series of turns, one end of the turns of each side of said coil being electrically connected to a respective one of said front end rear sections, the other end of the turns of each side of said coil being connected together, means for electrically isolating said rear and forward sections from one another, said frame comprising a mounting portion spaced from the rim portion and substantially parallel to the plane of said coil, said mounting portion comprising a forward section and a rear section, said frame comprising a pair of resilient arms spaced apart in the predetermined direction with each arm extending from a respective mounting portion section to opposed points on the rim, means for energizing said coil for interaction with a magnetic field to effect movement of the rim portion in a predetermined direction parallel to the plane of the coil comprising, means for energizing said coil through a respective one of said sections of said mounting portion of said frame, an associated one of said arms and a respective one of said sections of said rim portions of said frame, and through a respective other one of said sections of said mounting portion of said frame, an associated other one of said arms and the other of said sections of said rim portion, an elongated arcuate printing arm extending from the rim generally in the predetermined direction and terminating in a printing tip, and an elongated stabilizing member extending from the concave side of said printing arm intermediate the ends thereof substantially parallel to the plane of the coil.