US4776714A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ink ribbon cassette with movable guide rolls
Assignee: Avery Dennison Retail Information Services LLC
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Filing: 1986-07-15
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Granted: 1988-10-11
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Expires: 2006-07-15
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a printer having a thermal print head and a cooperable platen roll. The platen roll is driven to advance a web of record medium and an ink ribbon into cooperation with the print head. The printer can use an ink ribbon cartridge. The printer has a compact arrangement for the record medium supply roll, the ink ribbon cartridge, the printing mechanism, the drive mechanism, the keyboard, and the cutting mechanism for cutting tags from the web. The ink ribbon cartridge has shiftable guide rolls cooperating with pins on the printer to assure accurate alignment of the ribbon on the print head.
Inventors
- 👤 Ikuzo Sugiura
- 👤 Mitsuo Uchimura
- 👤 Kouichi Kawamura
- 👤 Ronald L. Fogle
- 👤 Orville C. Huggins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:32
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J35/00; B41J35/04; B41J35/06; B41J25/00; B41J25/304; B41J25/308; B41J29/00; B41J29/02; B41J32/00; B41J35/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide, and means for mounting the guide roll in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer but enabling the guide to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide, and means for mounting the guide roll in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer but enabling the guide to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
80 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guides, and means for mounting the guides parallel to each other but enabling the guides to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
80 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guides, and means for mounting the guides parallel to each other but enabling the guides to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide, means for mounting the guide loosely on the housing so that the guide can skew relative to the housing, and the guide including means for holding the guide in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide roll but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
113 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide, means for mounting the guide loosely on the housing so that the guide can skew relative to the housing, and the guide including means for holding the guide in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide roll but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide, means for mounting the guide loosely on the housing so that the guide can skew relative to the housing, and the guide including means for holding the guides parallel to each other to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
105 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide, means for mounting the guide loosely on the housing so that the guide can skew relative to the housing, and the guide including means for holding the guides parallel to each other to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide roll, means for mounting the guide roll in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer but enabling the guide roll to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
89 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide roll, means for mounting the guide roll in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer but enabling the guide roll to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
113 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide roll, means for mounting the guide loosely on the housing so that the guide can skew relative to the housing, and the guide including means for holding the guide in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
113 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, at least one ribbon guide roll, means for mounting the guide loosely on the housing so that the guide can skew relative to the housing, and the guide including means for holding the guide in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide rolls, means for mounting the guides rolls parallel to each other but enabling the guide rolls to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
82 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide rolls, means for mounting the guides rolls parallel to each other but enabling the guide rolls to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
111 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide rolls, means for mounting the guide rolls loosely on the housing so that the guide roll can skew relative to the housing, and the guide rolls including means for holding the guide rolls parallel to each other to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide rolls but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
111 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide rolls, means for mounting the guide rolls loosely on the housing so that the guide roll can skew relative to the housing, and the guide rolls including means for holding the guide rolls parallel to each other to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide rolls but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
115 words
In combination with a printer having a pair of parallel locator pins, a cartridge housing defining interior space and being mounted in the printer, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of the printer, a pair of parallel guide rolls on the locator pins, means for mounting the guide rolls loosely on the housing so that the guide rolls can skew relative to the housing, the guide rolls being guidingly received on the locator pins to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide rolls but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
115 words
In combination with a printer having a pair of parallel locator pins, a cartridge housing defining interior space and being mounted in the printer, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of the printer, a pair of parallel guide rolls on the locator pins, means for mounting the guide rolls loosely on the housing so that the guide rolls can skew relative to the housing, the guide rolls being guidingly received on the locator pins to cause the ink ribbon to be guided in dependence on the orientation of the guide rolls but not in dependence on the position of the housing.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
91 words
In combination with a printer having a pair of parallel locator pins, a cartridge housing defining interior space and being mounted in the printer, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of the printer, a pair of guide rolls, and means for mounting the guide rolls parallel to each other on the locator pins but enabling the guide rolls to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
91 words
In combination with a printer having a pair of parallel locator pins, a cartridge housing defining interior space and being mounted in the printer, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of the printer, a pair of guide rolls, and means for mounting the guide rolls parallel to each other on the locator pins but enabling the guide rolls to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
94 words
In combination with a printer having a locator pin, a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of the printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a ribbon guide, means for mounting the ribbon guide on the locator pin in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the locator pin but enabling the guide to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
94 words
In combination with a printer having a locator pin, a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of the printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a ribbon guide, means for mounting the ribbon guide on the locator pin in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the locator pin but enabling the guide to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
102 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide rolls, means for mounting the guide in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer but enabling the guide to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head, and a take-up roll in the space for drawing the ink ribbon over the guide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
102 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guide rolls, means for mounting the guide in a fixed predetermined axial orientation with respect to the printer but enabling the guide to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head, and a take-up roll in the space for drawing the ink ribbon over the guide.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
93 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guides, means for mounting the guides parallel to each other but enabling the guides to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head, and a take-up roll in the space for drawing the ink ribbon over the guides.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
93 words
An ink ribbon cartridge, comprising: cartridge housing defining interior space, an ink ribbon housed in the space but passing outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with a print head of a printer, means for mounting the housing on the printer, a pair of ribbon guides, means for mounting the guides parallel to each other but enabling the guides to skew relative to the housing to cause the ink ribbon to track in alignment with the print head, and a take-up roll in the space for drawing the ink ribbon over the guides.
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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) | 1991-10-11 | 1992-04-11 | 1992-10-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-10-11 | 1996-04-11 | 1996-10-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-10-11 | 2000-04-11 | 2000-10-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |