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US4797016A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Ribbon indicia system

Assignee: CREATIVE ASSOC
•
Filing: 1987-02-20
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Granted: 1989-01-10
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Expires: 2007-02-20
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Abstract

Abstract A web, such as a ribbon in a printer, is provided with bar code markings arranged thereon to provide selected information, such as ribbon footage used and ribbon type. A printing fluid applied to the ribbon may be provided with particles having magnetic properties which are readable by a magnetic static read head wherein the presence of the magnetic printing fluid in the vicinity of magnetic gaps in such a head completes magnetic circuitry. Also, such printing fluid may be provided with fluorescent pigmentation, thereby affording optical sensing. In a printer embodiment, a mechanism is shown for synchronizing the output signals of the bar code sensors with a distance measuring device.

Inventors

  • 👤 Roy J. Lahr

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 15:54
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J35/00; B41J35/36; B41J35/16; B41J35/18

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 138 words
A print ribbon having a start end and a finish end and a longitudinal length representing ribbon footage therebetween comprising: a flexible substrate having a first side and a second side; transferable ink deposited on the first side of said flexible substrate; a plurality of machine-readable marks deposited on the second side of said substrate distributed over the length of said ribbon from said start end to said finish end, each of said plurality of marks being located at a preselected position along the length of said ribbon at a preselected distance from said start end of said ribbon and being spaced from each adjacent mark at a preselected footage interval along the length of said ribbon; each of said marks being machine-readable information indicating the distance of each said mark from the start end of said ribbon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 138 words
A print ribbon having a start end and a finish end and a longitudinal length representing ribbon footage therebetween comprising: a flexible substrate having a first side and a second side; transferable ink deposited on the first side of said flexible substrate; a plurality of machine-readable marks deposited on the second side of said substrate distributed over the length of said ribbon from said start end to said finish end, each of said plurality of marks being located at a preselected position along the length of said ribbon at a preselected distance from said start end of said ribbon and being spaced from each adjacent mark at a preselected footage interval along the length of said ribbon; each of said marks being machine-readable information indicating the distance of each said mark from the start end of said ribbon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
A print ribbon according to claim 1 wherein the preselected footage interval between each mark is equal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
A print ribbon according to claim 1 wherein each machine readable mark is magnetically readable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 14 words
A print ribbon according to claim 1 wherein each machine-readable mark is optically readable.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

CH217252A Cited
US4496955A Cited
US4551729A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-01-10 1992-07-11 1993-01-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-01-10 1996-07-11 1997-01-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-01-10 2000-07-11 2001-01-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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