GB2271086A - Device for re-inking printer ribbons or sheets. - Google Patents

Abstract

A re-inking device, for a fabric ribbon having an unencumbered bight (R) comprising an inking bar (58), and means to maintain the said bight in engagement with the inking bar. As shown, the bight is trained over the inking bar so as to be angularly displaced thereby, and the engagement is ensured by ribbon tension. In one embodiment (Fig 1) adjustable provision is made for mounting a ribbon cassette and the inking bar. In another embodiment provision is made for mounting the spools of a page-width ink-sheet. <IMAGE>

Description

RE-INKING DEVICE AND METHOD FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a re-inking device and method, in particular for fabric ribbons or tapes.

Fabric ribbons, and particularly multi-pass nylon fabric ribbons, are widely used in commerce, particularly in office printers such as typewriters, cash registers, computer printers and the like.

Manufacturers typically provide each fabric ribbon as a continuous (endless) loop housed in a cartridge (cassette), with each manufacturer having his own, recognisable, shape and size of cartridge. In use, the fabric is withdrawn and returned to the cartridge when the cartridge drive mechanism is rotated by the printer driver, with at least some of the ink carried by the exposed length of ribbon being transferred in known fashion to a material such as paper provided to receive the print. Some ribbons, typically the wider ribbons often referred to as "towel" ribbons or "band" ribbons and used for high speed line printers in conjunction with mini or main frame computers, are mounted on spools.

For convenience this specification will discuss the reinking of cartridge mounted ribbons though as explained below the re-inking arrangement can also be adapted for spool mounted ribbons.

STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR ART When the ink of a ribbon is depleted so that the print quality becomes unacceptable, often the ribbon (and thus the cartridge) is discarded, which is environmentally unfriendly as well as introducing an appreciable replacement cost.

It has therefore been proposed to re-ink the ribbon, and a suitable re-inking device and method for cartridge mounted ribbons is disclosed in my international application PCT/GB89/00344. Attention is also drawn to WO-A-8902371; US-A-4390294; DE-U-8531427.7; DE-A-3435082; SA873467; US-A4126715; US-A-4156572; EP-A-0141683; US-A-4701062; US-A4806032; US-A-4127337.

Disadvantages with various of the above known arrangements can include that the ink dispenser itself is used as the ink reservoir and is discarded when emptied, that the ink dispenser if re-used as a reservoir is difficult and messy to re-fill, that the ink dispenser is not suited to the reinking of ribbons of different width, that control of ink flow rate from a separate reservoir to the dispenser is not available, and that the rate at which ink is dispensed changes significantly as the ink supply is depleted with a consequent reduction in print quality or a required change (increase) in re-inking time.

We now propose a re-inking device and method which includes an ink dispensing arrangement which reduces or avoids some or all of the above disadvantages.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION We propose a re-inking device for a fabric ribbon having a free-run section which includes in combination an inking bar, ribbon wiper means adapted to hold a free run section of a ribbon to be re-inked with part of the inking bar, and ink dispensing means connected to the inking bar. The ink dispensing means is arranged in use to effect controlled ink flow from the inking bar onto said free run section.

Preferably the inking bar is horizontally mounted, with a series of upwardly directed orifices spaced apart along its length, whereby the ink is dispensed in continuous parallel lines along the ribbon length; in an alternative embodiment the Orifices can be joined to form a transverse slit.

Usefully the inking bar is gravity-fed from an ink reservoir, having a closure valve (to inhibit ink drip when the device is not in use), and anti-contamination means (to inhibit for instance oxidation of the ink in the reservoir).

Although the ribbon can be manually wound, whereby successive free-run lengths are re-inked, we prefer a motor drive, with means to vary the rotational speed so as to keep the linear speed of the successive free-run sections substantially constant; alternatively however we can increase the ink dispensing rate with increased ribbon linear speed, as by altering the ink pressure of the ink supplied to the inking bar.

In a preferred arrangement control means such as an internal re-positionable plunger are provided to determine the length of the hollow inking bar available for re-inking.

In one embodiment we propose a re-inking device for a cartridge-housed fabric ribbon, the cartridge being of the type having a ribbon discharge opening and a ribbon feed opening with an exposed free-run section of the ribbon therebetween, the cartridge having a rotatable drive mechanism to feed ribbon between said discharge opening and said feed opening to expose a replacement free-run section of the ribbon, the device comprising a base upon which is mounted cartridge support means, cartridge location means, rotational drive means for the cartridge drive mechanism, and an inking arm engagable by the free-run section of the ribbon, each of the said support means, the said location means, the said rotational drive means and the said ink dispensing means being to one side of the base, the inking arm being movable relative to the base, the inking arm having a coupling for connection to a remote ink reservoir, the support means for the remote ink reservoir being provided on the base.

Preferably the ink dispensing means is a reservoir which is adjustably mounted relative to the base, both so that the ink reservoir can in use be adjusted in its height above the base to control the pressure head of ink entering the inking bar through the coupling, and so that the reservoir can be replaced when emptied. Thus the reservoir is supported on a mounting post by way of gripping means, the gripping means having first and second elements, the first element being releasable to allow the gripping means to be slid along the mounting post to alter the height of the gripping means above the base whilst the second element holds releasably the reservoir, conveniently the reduced diameter neck of an inverted ink replenishment bottle.

Thus the ink replenishment bottle itself provides the remote reservoir.

Conveniently the ink replenishment bottle has a re-usable tap fitted in its neck whereby the rate of ink flow to the inking bar can be controlled, or stopped as will usually be needed if the re-inking is intermittently performed on successive free run sections of a ribbon mounted in a cartridge having a pair of arms for ribbon inlet and outlet respectively or a pair of spools. The cartridge arms or spools will in use be positioned relative to the inking bar so that the free run section will engage the inking bar around part of its periphery to form an acute angled run.

Usefully the mounting post can be slid along any one of a number of slots or equivalent guideways in a fixed base and into a position suitable for the re-inking of a different proprietary cartridge.

We believe that this improvement makes the positioning, and mounting, of a replacement reservoir for re-inking easier for the unskilled and manually less dexterous, and so greatly widens the opportunity for the re-inking of used fabric ribbons, of different widths and lengths.

Because in one embodiment the inking bar has a number of spaced ink outlets, ink can be dispensed not only from the outlet (orifice) adjacent the reservoir coupling but also from one or more of the outlets along the bar, in accordance with the width of the ribbon to be re-inked. Usefully the number of outlets in use is controlled by a plunger, lockable in relative position. A plunger can also be used to control the length of a slit, preferably upwardly facing in its position of use, in a horizontally mounted inking bar, to be used for re-inking a towel i.e. wide ribbon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.l is an exploded view of a re-inking device according to the invention; Fig.2 is a partial side view of the Fig.l re-inking device; Fig.3 is a side view, partly sectioned, of a control tap assembly for an ink reservoir bottle; Fig.4 is a plan view of a gripping member, for coupling the neck of an ink reservoir bottle to a reservoir mounting post; Fig.5 is a side view, partly sectioned, of a base unit for the ink dispenser.

Fig.6 is a side view of part of an alternative embodiment of re-inking device and method; Fig.7 is a plan view of part of the device of Fig.6; and Fig.8 is a perspective view of an alternative device, for a spool mounted band ribbon.

DESCRIPTION ON THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Base 10 is the lid or cover for box 12 in which components of the re-inking device can be stored when the device is dis-assembled. In this embodiment, the dis-assembled components are located in a foam mat 14 in known fashion.

In an alternative embodiment, the cover 10 can be a baseboard or worktop surface, which may be preferred if the re-inking device is in frequent use and not likely therefore to be dis-assembled.

The cover 10 includes slots 20 along which can slide the shanks of bolts 22; in an alternative embodiment the slots are provided by baseboard portions raised fom the body of the baseboard. Enlarged ends 24 of slots 20 allow heads 26 of bolts 22 to be inserted into position for movement along the respective slot.

The side walls of the slots fit closely about the bolt heads to prevent rotation of the bolts. Each component of the re inking device which is to be retained non-rotably upon cover 10 has affixed in its lower face a nut 28 (Fig.4) with which bolt 22 can engage so that cover 10 is sandwiched between bolt head 26 and the nut 28; each component of the re-inking device which is to be mounted rotatably upon cover or base 10 has a fluted blind bore fittable over an externally fluted nut 42 engaged by a bolt 22.

In this embodiment, the cartridge during re-inking is to be driven by electric motor 30 by way of replaceable spade 32, which can be changed to suit different cartridge drives 34.

Motor 30 is mounted upon post 40. In one embodiment, motor 30 can swing relative to post 40 until spade 32 is above drive 34; in an alternative embodiment motor 30 is fixed to post 40, and post 40 can be angularly adjusted relative to respective externally ribbed nut 42.

As more fully described below, ink is supplied to inking bar 50 from the separate and remote reservoir 52 by way of ink connection line 54 in the form of a flexible tube, under the control of tap 56. Tap 56 can be used to stop the ink supply between re-inkings, or to control the rate of ink outflow from the reservoir 52; in this embodiment the reservoir is a replaceable and re-fillable (by the ink supplier) reservoir bottle 52. Reservoir 52 is carried by reservoir mounting post 58 by way of gripping member 120 (Fig.4) having a first element 122 by which the gripping member is lockable to the mounting post 58 and a second element 124 by which e.g. the neck of an inverted reservoir bottle can be gripped.

In this embodiment, mounting post 58 has a blind tapped bore (not shown) by which it can be clamped non-rotatably to base 10 by way of a screw 22, but in an alternative embodiment the reservoir post can be angularly adjusted relative to base 10 by the use of a fluted nut 42 and corresponding internally fluted blind bore.

Inking bar 50 is angularly adjustable relative to base 10 by removal from and replacement upon externally ribbed nut 42 (Fig.l). Each body member 60 can be rotated by upstanding projection 62 to more tightly sandwich cover 10 and thus locate the cartridge support shoulder 64 and cartridge location upstanding projection 62 at a selected position along the slot 20.

In order to re-ink the exposed free-run section R of the ribbon, the cassette 70 is positioned with its lower face (as viewed in Fig.l) resting upon annular shoulders 64, and its side faces abutting upstanding projections 62. If it is desired to re-ink another cassette of a different design, one or more of the body members 60 can be rotated anticlockwise (unscrewed) by way of its upstanding projection 62, until it can be slid along its respective slot to release the grip on cartridge 70, which can then be replaced by another cartridge of a different size or shape.

Inking bar 50 has orifices 100 through which ink can outflow onto the free-run section R of the fabric ribbon, when this is guided to rub against the inking bar on its route back towards the cartridge. In this embodiment, the lower two orifices 100 are always exposed, whilst those above are closed by seal 102 carried by plunger 104.

To expose more of the orifices 100 it is therefore necessary to lift plunger handle 106, the plunger being retained in its raised position by the frictional resistance offered by seal 102 and plunger head 104 against the internal walls of the ink bar 50. In an alternative embodiment, the plunger can have a longer stem, such that when the stem is lowered the seal 102 closes off all of the orifices 100.

Ink enters the inking bar 50 by way of port 110, which thus forms a coupling, from flexible pipe 54, under the control of valve 56, which in an alternative embodiment can be an on-off valve. In the valve position shown in Fig.3, passageway 57 is in the open condition allowing ink flow from reservoir 52 into pipe 54 and thus into inking bar 50 (below plunger head 104), as required to replenish ink outflow onto free-run ribbon section R as it traverses past one or more of unsealed orifices 100 i.e. in contact with the external surface of inking bar 50.

Valve 56 can be rotated through 90 degrees, by handle 59, from the position shown in Fig.3 to close off ink flow from reservoir 52.

Reservoir 52 is conveniently a replacement bottle, preferably of plastic, having a screw cap. When the screw cap is released, the bottle can be inverted and its neck portion screwed into internally threaded connector 113 of valve 56, coupled together by hexagon nut 111. In this embodiment, reservoir 52 is screwed into connector 113 before being inverted, but in an alternative embodiment, the reservoir has a thin seal across the mouth of the neck, which is punctured as the reservoir neck is screwed onto the threads 112. Leakage of ink when the reservoir is inverted in inhibited by seal 114.

To permit outflow of ink, the reservoir is punctured by pin 150. To inhibit contamination of the ink from atmospheric pollutants, a disc can be introduced into the bottle during manufacture, the disc being floatable upon and largely covering the ink surface. The puncture can be closed when the device is not in use, as by adherent paper; preferably however the pin 150 will be re-inserted into the puncture, with the bottle material closing therearound to effect a contaminant seal.

To maintain substantially constant the pressure head on the ink in inking bar 50, to effect substantially even inking when a large number of ribbon cassettes are to be re-inked in succession, gripping member 120 can be used to raise the height of reservoir 52 relative to reservoir post 58, by way of first element 122. Reservoir neck or connector 113 can be gripped between jaws 132 providing the second element of gripping member 120 when knurled screw heads 134 are rotated.

As a precaution against soiling due to possible ink leakage from inking bar 50 i.e. should tap 59 be left in the open position despite their being no re-inking required, the base unit 140 into which inking bar 50 fits in use includes annular leak-reception chamber 142.

Both the mounting post 58 and the base unit 140 are laterally movable relative to box cover or device base 10, whilst in addition inking bar 50 is angularly movable (when lifted from fluted nut 42). If required, as preferably for mounting post 58, a washer 45 can be used instead of e.g. a spacer 43.

In the embodiment of Fig.6 the inking bar 50 is horizontally mounted by way of bracket 200 fixed to the base 10 by nut 242 and bolt 222. As seen in Fig.7 orifices 100 are upwardly facing in their position of use; selected orifices as above described act to re-ink the free-run section R of a cartridge ribbon. This embodiment is particularly valuable therefore in applications which require uniform ink outflow, suitably from equal diameter orifices with the ink at uniform pressure. In an alternative embodiment, the inking bar can be angled to the horizontal (less than ninety degrees e.g. twenty degrees as required for uniform reinking of a selected ribbon), and the orifices will then progressively increase in area, so that the uppermost orifice has the largest cross-section.

The ribbon holder 270 is supported and located by units 260 such as those taught in our international application PCT/GB89/00344, but alternatively by those as shown in Fig.1. The free-run section R emerges upwardly, useful for the proprietary "Nixdorf" and "Epson ERC-18" arrangements.

The horizontal mounting of the inking bar permits the uniform re-inking of ribbons of greater width than 25mm, and since bracket 200 is easily and quickly assembled and/or fitted, the inking bar has therefore even greater utility for the re-inking of the different commercially-available proprietary cartridge-mounted inked ribbons.

In this embodiment the ribbon mechanism is driven by motor 30, which has the weight to hold down the cartridge 270 on the units 260 whereby, as shown, the cartridge can overhang the base 10, i.e. although the ribbon wiper means is mounted on the base only part is aligned with the base. In an alternative embodiment, supports for the remote cartridge end (to the right as viewed) could be provided such that the cartridge is not mounted in cantilever; in a useful embodiment these supports are angled brackets located as for bracket 200 i.e. along slots 20 in base 10, with bracket portions extending (as viewed to the right) underneath cartridge 270.

In Fig. 8 we disclose a re-inking device for a "towel" or "band" fabric ribbon having a free-run section "R". The inking bar 50 is supported at both ends in connected brackets 358. Wiper means comprising in this embodiment spools 370a,370b are adapted to engage the free run section "R" with part of the inking bar, to hold it thereagainst, in this embodiment causing the ribbon to pass around an upwardly facing part of the wiper bar. Means are provided to effect controlled ink flow from the inking bar onto said free run section, in this embodiment reservoir 52, and conduit 54.Preferably the inking bar is horizontally mounted, with a series of upwardly directed orifices 100 spaced apart along its length, whereby the ink is dispensed in continuous parallel lines along the length of ribbon 400 i.e. along the lower surface of the ribbon as viewed in Fig.8, from where it can disperse by capillary action evenly throughout the ribbon; in an alternative embodiment the orifices can be joined to form a transverse slit. Usefully the inking bar is gravity-fed from ink reservoir 52, having a closure valve 56 (to inhibit ink drip when the device is not in use), and anti-contamination means such as a replaceable pin 140 (to inhibit for instance oxidation of the ink in the reservoir). Although the ribbon can be manually wound, whereby successive free-run lengths are reinked, we prefer a motor drive 30, with means to vary the rotational speed so as to keep the linear speed of the successive free-run sections substantially constant i.e.

with a changing spool ribbon diameter; alternatively however we can increase the ink dispensing rate with increased ribbon linear speed, as by altering the ink pressure of the ink supplied to the inking bar 50.

Claims (11)

1. A re-inking device for a fabric ribbon having a free-run section which includes in combination an inking bar, ribbon wiper means to hold the said free run section in engagement with the inking bar, and ink dispensing means connected to the inking bar.

2. A re-inking device for a fabric ribbon having a free-run section which includes in combination a hollow inking bar, ribbon wiper means to hold the said free run section in engagement with the inking bar, a remote ink dispensing means, a connection between the remote ink dispensing means and the inking bar, the remote ink dispensing means being a refillable ink reservoir, first coupling means between the ink dispensing means and the connection and second coupling means-between the connection and the inking bar.

3. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein a manually operated valve is located in the said connection to control ink flow from the reservoir to the inking bar.

4. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein the inking bar has one of a an ink outlet slit, a series of spaced orifices of equal size and a serires of spaced orifices of regularly increasing size.

5. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein an upper portion of a wall of the remote inlet dispensing means has an air inlet opening, the air inlet opening being above the ink level in the dispensing means, and wherein an anticontamination means is positioned within the remote ink dispensing means, the anti-contamination means being one of a float for the ink and a part of a sealing member for the air inlet opening which projects through the opening.

6. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein a plunger is positioned within the hollow inking bar, the plunger being movable from a first position adjacent the second coupling means to a second position remote from the second coupling means whereby to permit ink egress from the a greater length of the inking bar.

7. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein the first coupling means is a cap, the cap being sized to fit the neck of a removable screw-threaded reservoir bottle, and wherein cap adjustment means permits the position of the cap and thus of the reservoir to be altered to maintain the ink head substantially constant.

8. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein first adjustable positioning means is provided for the inking bar and second adjustable positioning means is provided for the ink dispensing means, and a base member relative to which said first and second adjusting means are independently adjustable.

9. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein a third adjustable positioning means is provided for the ribbon wiper means, the ribbon wiper means being one of a pair of cassette arms and a pair of spools, the positioning means and inking bar effecting an acute angle turn for the said free-run section in contact with the inking bar on the travel of the ribbon from one of said pair to the other, and wherein a base member mounts the ribbon wiper means, only part of the ribbon wiper means being aligned with the base.

10. A re-inking device according to Claim 2 wherein the connection is a flexible tube.

11. A re-inking device constructed and arranged substantially as described with reference to Figs 1-7 or Fig.8 of the accompanying drawings