Bow ribbed core

Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Coil holder or support – Spool or core

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

Reexamination Certificate

active

06425551

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to printers, and, more specifically, to replaceable printer rolls therein.
A typical printer includes a roll of printing paper upon which any desirable information may be printed. The paper is wound in a continuous sheet on a supporting core, and the core is mounted on a driven spindle in the printer. In a thermal printer, the core includes thermal transfer ribbon wound thereon which is thermally activated during printing.
When the paper is depleted on the core, the empty core is removed from the spindle and replaced with a fully wound core for returning the printer to service.
The core typically includes retaining features for accurately retaining the core axially on the spindle in proper alignment with the printing mechanism, and circumferentially retaining the core around the spindle for rotating therewith as the spindle is driven during printer operation.
In one conventional design, the spindle includes three axial slots around the perimeter thereof which axially receive corresponding straight axial ribs projecting inwardly along the inner surface or bore of the core. The core may be easily inserted axially over the spindle by engaging the corresponding ribs and slots, with the ribs providing circumferential retention around the spindle for being driven in rotation therewith.
However, additional features are required for locking the core in axial position over the spindle and preventing its unintended liberation therefrom or misalignment thereon. This increases the complexity of the core and spindle assembly, and correspondingly increases the cost thereof.
Cost is a significant factor in the manufacture and use of printer rolls and must be minimized for maintaining competitive advantage in the market for supplying replacement printing rolls.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved core for winding sheet rolls thereon having corresponding retention features for being mounted to a supporting spindle.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A core includes a tubular body for supporting a wound sheet roll on a spindle. The body includes an annular outer surface for receiving the sheet roll, and an annular inner surface defining a bore for receiving the spindle. A plurality of ribs project inwardly from the body inner surface and extend axially between opposite first and second openings for nesting in the corresponding slots in the spindle. At least one of the ribs includes a bowed side surface in the exemplary form of a fork for frictionally engaging a corresponding one of the spindle slots to frictionally retain the core axially thereon.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2585999 (1952-02-01), Bunch
patent: 2889123 (1959-06-01), Hayden
patent: 3042180 (1962-09-01), Bishop
patent: 3207454 (1965-09-01), Bendar
patent: 4610555 (1986-09-01), Di Luco
patent: 4729526 (1988-03-01), Becher et al.
patent: 5415362 (1995-05-01), Lorenzo
patent: 5439303 (1995-08-01), Alday
patent: 5833377 (1998-11-01), Keller et al.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Bow ribbed core does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Bow ribbed core, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Bow ribbed core will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2852003

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.