Typewriting machines – Including interposed inking device for record-medium – Endless ribbon or cartridge therefor
Patent
1993-06-08
1994-09-20
Burr, Edgar S.
Typewriting machines
Including interposed inking device for record-medium
Endless ribbon or cartridge therefor
400197, 400194, B41J 3202, B41J 3114
Patent
active
053484037
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an ink replenishing type ink ribbon cassette adapted for use in a serial printer for storing a replenishing ink therein and supplying the replenishing ink to an ink ribbon by an ink supplier.
BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY
An ink ribbon cassette containing therein an ink ribbon has been conventionally widely used so that the ink ribbon can be easily mounted on a printer and an operator's hand and the printer are prevented from being contaminated when the ink ribbon is mounted on the printer.
The life of the ink ribbon is in general determined by the amount of ink which is impregnated into the ink ribbon. However, the life of a ground fabric of the ink ribbon is normally longer than that of the ink ribbon. Accordingly, there is proposed an ink ribbon cassette provided with an ink supplying means for supplying ink to the ink ribbon in order to lengthen the life of the ink ribbon.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the ink ribbon cassette wherein an upper cover of the ink ribbon cassette and an upper cover of an ink occluding body case are respectively removed, based on which the conventional ink ribbon cassette will be described hereinafter.
In the same figure, an ink ribbon 1, which is endless and looped, is contained in a ribbon containing portion 3 of an ink ribbon cassette 2 and the part of the ink ribbon 1 is exposed outside of the ink ribbon cassette 2 from the forward ends of ribbon guide portions 4a and 4b. The ink ribbon 1 is moved in the direction of the arrow at the exposed portion.
A driving gear 5 is disposed in an inlet of the ribbon containing portion 3 and is rotatably supported by a driving gear supporting member 6.
A follower gear 7 is rotatably supported by a follower gear supporting member 8 and is pressed against the driving gear 5 by a spring 9. Teeth of the follower gear 7 mesh with teeth of the driving gear 5 while clamping the ink ribbon 1 therebetween. An ink supplier 10 formed of felt is brought into contact with the follower gear 7 at one end thereof and contacts an ink occluding body 11 formed of fiber impregnated with ink at the other end thereof so as to draw ink from the ink occluding body 11 owing to the capillary action and to supply ink to the follower gear 7.
An ink occluding body cover 13 is to be attached to an ink occluding body case 12 to prevent ink in the ink occluding body 11 from leaking out.
A ribbon cassette cover 14 accommodates all these components in the ribbon cassette 2 and covers the ink ribbon cassette 2.
With such an arrangement as set forth above, the ink ribbon 1 which is clamped by the driving gear 5 and the follower gear 7 is driven by way of the driving gear 5 when a carriage performs space driving and is circulated and drawn in the ribbon containing portion 3 whereby the ink ribbon I is contained in the ribbon containing portion 3 as it is folded.
The ink ribbon I drawn out from the ribbon containing portion 3 is passed through the ribbon guide portion 4a and is once exposed outside of the ribbon cassette 2 and thereafter printing is performed through the ink ribbon 1. Upon completion of printing, the ink ribbon 1 is passed through the ribbon guide portion 4b and circulated and drawn into the ribbon containing portion 3.
When the ink ribbon I is drawn into the ribbon containing portion 3, ink from the ink supplier 10, which is brought into contact with the follower gear 7, is supplied to the follower gear 7 through which ink is transferred to and replenished to the ink ribbon 1.
However, as illustrated in FIG. 2 showing the relation between the number of printed letters and print density, i.e. print contrast signal (hereinafter referred to as PCS), PCS is lowered at the time A at a relatively early stage of printing. This leads to such a problem that PCS is not stabilized at the time A of the relatively early stage of printing.
The reason why PCS is lowered at the time A is that the amount of ink to be supplied from the ink occluding body 11 to the ink supplier 10 does not overtake the amount of con
Isaka Norihisa
Mizutani Minoru
Burr Edgar S.
Hendrickson Lynn D.
OKI Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
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