Support means for print wire

Claim 2

A print wire support device for a printer wherein a plurality of print wires are selectively driven in a longitudinal direction thereof to perform a printing action, said support device comprising: an armature including an arm portion carrying each of said print wires, said arm portion being formed of a single planar blank by bending into a structure of a U-shaped cross section having opposite arms and a base, said arm portion having a free end and including a pair of side portions corresponding to the opposite arms of said U-shaped cross section and facing toward each other, free end parts of said side portions being joined at inner surfaces thereof by welding in a plane parallel to said side portions to form a joined portion at said free end part of said arm portion, and a connecting portion corresponding to the base of said U-shaped cross section and connecting said pair of side portions, said joined portion being formed in spaced relation to said connecting portion and having a first supporting aperture formed therethrough substantially perpendicular to said connecting portion, each of said inner surfaces of said parts of the side portions being formed with a groove of semicircular cross section to define a substantially full 360° cylindrical inner surface defining said first supporting aperture when said inner surfaces are welded, said connecting portion having a second supporting aperture formed through the thickness thereof and in alignment with said first supporting aperture along a line substantially perpendicular to said connecting portion, said first and said second supporting apertures being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance along said line of alignment, said print wires each having a fixed end portion welded to a portion of said connecting portion defining said second supporting aperture, and said fixed end portion extending through said first supporting aperture in contact with said substantially full 360° cylindrical inner surface defining said first supporting aperture such that a bending force applied to said print wire upon said printing action is received by said cylindrical inner surface.

Claim 3

A print wire support device as recited in claim 1, wherein said armature consists of said arm portion and a magnetic member welded to said arm portion, said arm portion being formed of a stainless steel.

Claim 4

A print head adapted to be incorporated in a serial dot-printer, comprising: a support member; a plurality of armatures; connecting means pivotally connecting each of said armatures at one end portion thereof to said support member; a plurality of print wires corresponding to said plurality of armatures; and drive means disposed in opposition to respective ones of said plurality of armatures for selectively driving the respective armature to axially advance said print wires for a printing action, each of said plurality of armatures including an arm portion remote from said connecting means and carrying each of said print wires, said arm portion being formed of a single planar blank by bending into a structure of a U-shaped cross section having opposite arms and a base, said arm portion having a free end and including a pair of side portions corresponding to the opposite arms of said U-shaped cross section and facing toward each other, free end parts of said side portions being joined at inner surfaces thereof by welding in a plane parallel to said side portions to form a joined portion at said free end part of said arm portion, and a connecting portion corresponding to the base of said U-shaped cross section and connecting said pair of side portions, said joined portion being formed in spaced relation to said connecting portion and having a first supporting aperture formed therethrough substantially perpendicular to said connection portion, each of said inner surfaces of said parts of the side portions being formed with a groove of semicircular cross section to define a substantially full 360° cylindrical inner surface defining said first supporting aperture when said surfaces are welded, said connecting portion having a second supporting aperture formed through the thickness thereof and in alignment with said first supporting aperture along a line substantially perpendicular to said connecting portion, said first and second supporting apertures being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance along said line of alignment, said print wires each having a fixed end portion welded to a portion of said connecting portion defining said second supporting aperture, said fixed end portion extending through said first supporting aperture in contact with said substantially full 360° cylindrical inner surface defining said first supporting aperture such that a bending force applied to said print wire upon said printing action is received by said cylindrical inner surface.

Claim 5

A print head adapted to be incorporated in a serial dot-printer, comprising: a support member; a plurality of armatures; connecting means pivotally connecting each of said armatures at one end portion thereof to said support member; a plurality of print wires corresponding to said plurality of armatures; and drive means disposed in opposition to respective ones of said plurality of armatures for selectively driving the respective armature to axially advance said print wires for a printing action, each of said plurality of armatures including an arm portion remote from said connecting means and carrying each of said print wires, said arm portion being formed of a single planar blank by bending into a structure of a U-shaped cross section having opposite arms and a base, said arm portion having a free end and including a pair of side portions corresponding to the opposite arms of said U-shaped cross section and facing toward each other, free end parts of said side portions being joined at inner surfaces thereof by welding in a plane parallel to said side portions to form a joined portion at said free end part of said arm portion, and a connecting portion corresponding to the base of said U-shaped cross section and connecting said pair of side portions, said joined portion being formed in spaced relation to said connecting portion and having a first supporting aperture formed therethrough substantially perpendicular to said connection portion, each of said inner surfaces of said parts of the side portions being formed with a groove of semicircular cross section to define a substantially full 360° cylindrical inner surface defining said first supporting aperture when said surfaces are welded, said connecting portion having a second supporting aperture formed through the thickness thereof and in alignment with said first supporting aperture along a line substantially perpendicular to said connecting portion, said first and second supporting apertures being spaced from each other by a predetermined distance along said line of alignment, said print wires each having a fixed end portion welded to a portion of said connecting portion defining said second supporting aperture, said fixed end portion extending through said first supporting aperture in contact with said substantially full 360° cylindrical inner surface defining said first supporting aperture such that a bending force applied to said print wire upon said printing action is received by said cylindrical inner surface.