Claims
- 1. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing, an ink ribbon disposed partly inside the housing but extending outside the housing and adapted to ink printing means, means for advancing the ink ribbon, a counter disposed in the housing, a member disposed in the housing, responsive to the counter, and movable from a first position to a second position for indicating a spent condition of the ink ribbon, wherein the counter includes a rotatable worm wheel having a side surface and a meshing worm gear, the member having a projection for riding on the side surface, a recess in the side surface, the projection being disposed in a path made by the recess as the worm wheel rotates, the member being movable from the first position to the second position upon movement of the projection into the recess when the projection is aligned with the recess, a pawl movably mounted by the housing, and a ratchet coupled to the worm gear and operable by the pawl.
- 2. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing, an ink ribbon disposed partly inside the housing but extending outside the housing and adapted to ink printing means, means for advancing the ink ribbon, a counter disposed in the housing, a member disposed in the housing, responsive to the counter, and movable from a first position to a second position for indicating a spent condition of the ink ribbon, wherein the counter includes a rotatable worm wheel having a side surface and a meshing worm gear, the member having a projection for riding on the side surface, a recess in the side surface, the projection being disposed in a path made by the recess as the worm wheel rotates, the member being movable from the first position to the second position upon movement of the projection into the recess when the projection is aligned with the recess, wherein the counter includes a pawl movably mounted by the housing, a ratchet coupled to the worm gear and operable by the pawl, a printer, the printer including means for operating the pawl, and the printer further including means responsive to the member for disabling the printer when the projection is in the second position.
- 3. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: an essentially closed cartridge housing having first and second chambers, means defining an opening interconnecting the first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, the housing having a pair of outwardly extending arms, an endless ink ribbon, means defining a path from the stuffing chamber, through one arm, to and through the other arm, to and through the second chamber, through the opening and into the stuffing chamber, a pair of cooperating first and second rolls disposed at the opening, the first roll having means enabling rotation of the first roll from outside the housing, the pivotally mounted member disposed in the second chamber, a first pivot secured to the member and having a shoulder spaced from the member, a fountain roll mounted on the first pivot in contact with the shoulder, a spring for biasing the member to urge the fountain roll against the first roll, a pawl movably mounted by the housing and being operable from outside the housing, a ratchet wheel disposed in the housing and operable by the pawl, a worm gear coupled to the ratchet wheel, a worm gear and the ratchet wheel being integrally molded of one-piece plastics material, a worm wheel meshing with the worm gear, a second pivot disposed parallel to the first pivot for mounting the worm wheel, the worm wheel being disposed between and spaced from a portion of the housing and the fountain roll, the worm wheel having a side surface, a sensing member having a projection for contacting the side surface, a hole in the worm wheel, the hole being movable in a circular path when the worm wheel rotates, the projection being disposed in the circular path and being movable into the hole when the projection and the hole are aligned, and a hole in the housing for accessing the sensing member to signal whether the sensing member is in a first position with the projection in contact with the side of the worm wheel or in a second position in which the projection is in the hole in the worm wheel.
- 4. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: an essentially closed cartridge housing having first and second chambers, means defining an opening interconnecting the first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, the housing having a pair of outwardly extending arms, an endless ink ribbon, means defining a path from the stuffing chamber, through one arm, to and through the other arm, to and through the second chamber, through the opening and into the stuffing chamber, a pair of cooperating first and second feed rolls disposed at the opening, a fountain roll for inking the first roll, a pawl movably mounted by the housing and being operable from outside the housing, a ratchet wheel disposed in the housing, a worm gear coupled to the ratchet wheel, a worm wheel meshing with the worm gear, the worm wheel having a side surface, a sensing member having a projection for contacting the side surface, a hole in the worm wheel, the hole being movable in a circular path when the worm wheel rotates, the projection being disposed in the circular path and being movable into the hole when the projection and the hole are aligned, and a hole in the housing for accessing the sensing member to signal whether the sensing member is in a first position with the projection in contact with the side of the worm wheel or in a second position in which the projection is in the hole in the worm wheel.
- 5. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: an essentially closed cartridge housing having first and second chambers, means defining an opening interconnecting the first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, the housing having a pair of outwardly extending arms, an endless ink ribbon, means defining a path from the stuffing chamber, through one arm, to and through the other arm, to and through the second chamber, through the opening and into the stuffing chamber, a pair of cooperating first and second feed rolls disposed at the opening, a worm gear, means in the housing for moving the worm gear, a worm wheel meshing with the worm gear, the worm wheel having a side surface, a sensing member having a projection for contacting the side surface, a hole in the worm wheel, the hole being movable in a circular path when the worm wheel rotates, the projection being disposed in the circular path and being movable into the hole when the projection and the hole are aligned, and a hole in the housing for accessing the sensing member to signal whether the sensing member is in a first position with the projection in contact with the side of the worm wheel or in a second position in which the projection is in the hole in the worm wheel.
- 6. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: an essentially closed cartridge housing having first and second chambers, means defining an opening interconnecting the first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, the housing having a pair of outwardly extending arms, an endless ink ribbon, means defining a path from the stuffing chamber, through one arm, to and through the other arm, to and through the second chamber, through the opening and into the stuffing chamber, a pair of cooperating first and second feed rolls disposed at the opening, a pawl movably mounted by the housing and being operable from outside the housing, a ratchet wheel disposed in the housing and operable by the pawl, a speed reducer coupled to the ratchet wheel, the speed reducer including a gear, the gear having a side surface, a sensing member having a projection for contacting the side surface, a hole in the gear, the hole being movable in a circular path when the gear rotates, the projection being disposed in the circular path and being movable into the hole when the projection and the hole are aligned, and a hole in the housing for accessing the sensing member to signal whether the sensing member is in a first position with the projection in contact with the side of the gear or in a second position in which the projection is in the hole in the gear.
- 7. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: an essentially closed cartridge housing having first and second chambers, means defining an opening interconnecting the first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, the housing having a pair of outwardly extending arms, an endless ink ribbon, means defining a path from the stuffing chamber, through one arm, to and through the other, to and through the second chamber, through the opening and into the stuffing chamber, a pair of cooperating first and second feed rolls disposed at the opening, a pawl movably mounted by the housing and being operable from outside the housing, a ratchet wheel disposed in the housing and operable by the pawl, a wheel coupled to the ratchet wheel and having a side surface, a sensing member having a projection for contacting the side surface, a hole in the wheel, the hole being movable in a circular path when the wheel rotates, the projection being disposed in the circular path and being movable into the hole when the projection and the hole are aligned, and a hole in the housing for accessing the sensing member to signal whether the sensing member is in a first position with the projection in contact with the side of the wheel or in a second position in which the projection is in the hole in the wheel.
- 8. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing including a cover, an ink ribbon, the housing defining space, the space including first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, a portion of the ink ribbon being stuffed in the stuffing chamber, another portion of the ink ribbon extending outside the housing and adapted to ink printing means, means in the housing for advancing the ink ribbon, a counter disposed in the second chamber in a position inaccessible for resetting without removing the cover, a member disposed in the housing, responsive to the counter and movable in the space from a first position to a second position for indicating a spent condition of the ink ribbon, wherein the counter includes a rotatable worm wheel having a side surface and a meshing worm gear, the member having a projection for riding on the side surface, a recess in the side surface, and the projection being disposed in a path made by the recess as the worm wheel rotates, and the member being movable from the first position to the second position upon movement of the projection into the recess when the projection is aligned with the recess.
- 9. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising, a cartridge housing including a cover, an ink ribbon, the housing defining space, the space including first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, a portion of the ink ribbon being stuffed in the stuffing chamber, another portion of the ink ribbon extending outside the housing and adapted to ink printing means, means in the housing for advancing the ink ribbon, a counter disposed in the second chamber in a position inaccessible for resetting without opening the cover, a movable member disposed in the second chamber, responsive to the counter and movable from a first position to a second position for indicating a spent condition of the ink ribbon, wherein the counter includes a pawl mounted by the housing, a ratchet operable by the pawl, and a speed reducer coupled to the ratchet, and the member being movable from the first position to the second position in response to operation of the pawl, the ratchet and the speed reducer.
- 10. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing including a cover, a multiple-pass ink ribbon held captive by the housing, the housing defining space, the space including first and second chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, a portion of the ink ribbon being stuffed in the stuffing chamber, another portion of the ink ribbon extending outside the housing and adapted to ink printing means, a counter disposed in the second chamber in a position inaccessible for resetting without opening the cover, wherein the counter includes a pawl and ratchet mechanism operated as the ink ribbon is used, and means including a movable member disposed in the second chamber and responsive to the counter when the counter has accumulated a predetermined count for indicating the spent condition of the ink ribbon.
- 11. A cartridge as defined in claim 10, wherein the counter includes a speed reducer driven by the pawl and ratchet mechanism.
- 12. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a housing including a cover, the housing defining space, the space including a stuffing chamber, an endless ink ribbon, a portion of the ink ribbon being stuffed in the stuffing chamber, another portion of the ink ribbon extending to a zone outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with printing means, means mounted on the housing for feeding the ribbon, a counter, a movable member disposed in a second chamber and responsive to the counter for indicating when the cartridge needs to be replaced, wherein the counter includes a pawl and ratchet mechanism and a speed reducer driven by the pawl and ratchet mechanism, and wherein the counter is disposed in the space but outside the stuffing chamber in a location inaccessible for resetting without opening the cover.
- 13. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing including a cover, means in the housing defining first and second interconnected chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, an endless ink ribbon, a portion of the ink ribbon being stuffed in the stuffing chamber, another portion of the ink ribbon extending to a zone outside the housing and adapted to ink printing means, means in the housing for feeding the ribbon, a movable member disposed in the second chamber, and means including cooperable members disposed in the second chamber and inaccessible for resetting by the user without opening the cover to operate the movable member for indicating when the cartridge needs to be replaced, and wherein the cooperable members includes a pawl and ratchet mechanism and a speed reducer driven by the pawl and ratchet mechanism.
- 14. A replaceable inking cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing, means in the housing defining first and second interconnected chambers, the first chamber comprising a stuffing chamber, an endless ink ribbon, a portion of the ink ribbon being stuffed in the stuffing chamber, another portion of the ink ribbon extending to a zone outside the housing and adapted to cooperate with printing means, means in the housing for feeding the ribbon, and means including cooperable member disposed in the second chamber and non-resettable by the user for indicating when the cartridge needs to be replaced, wherein the cooperable members comprise a pawl and ratchet mechanism and a speed reducer driven by the pawl and ratchet mechanism, wherein the feeding means includes a pair of cooperating rolls disposed in the housing in feeding contact with the ink ribbon, one of the rolls being an ink transfer roll, an ink roll disposed in the second chamber for inking the ink transfer roll, and a portion of the ink roll being disposed in overlapping relationship relative to a portion of the speed reducer.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of parent application Ser. No. 152,058, filed May 20, 1980, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2550305 |
May 1977 |
DEX |
2646336 |
Apr 1978 |
DEX |
2717668 |
Oct 1978 |
DEX |
2742974 |
Mar 1979 |
DEX |
2746059 |
Apr 1979 |
DEX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Spotts, Design of Machine Elements 5th Ed. Prentice-Hall Englewood Cliffs, N.J., pp. 491, 493, 1978. |
Candill, "Ribbon Usage Indicator" IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin vol. 8, No. 8, Jan. 1966, pp. 1137-1138. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
152058 |
May 1980 |
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