Claims
- 1. A media release mechanism comprising:
a spindle having a fixed end, a free end, and an exterior surface, a ramp on the exterior surface of said spindle, wherein said ramp slopes from said free end to said fixed end, and a fin for engagement with said ramp, said fin having an outer surface and an inner surface.
- 2. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said inner surface of said fin is angled relative to said outer surface of said fin.
- 3. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, further including a back plate, and wherein said fixed end of said spindle is mounted to said back plate.
- 4. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 3, further including arms extending from said back plate and said spindle is mounted to said back plate by engaging said arms with said spindle.
- 5. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 4, wherein said arms further include ears extending from said arms, wherein said spindle includes apertures through a wall of said spindle, and wherein said ears engage with said apertures.
- 6. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 3, further comprising a spring having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said spring is attached to said fin and a second end of said spring is attached to said back plate.
- 7. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, further comprising a protrusion extending from said inner surface of said fin.
- 8. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 7, wherein said ramp includes a slot and said protrusion of said fin is positioned within said slot.
- 9. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 7, wherein said protrusion is T-shaped.
- 10. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said spindle further includes fingers extending from said exterior surface of said spindle on either side of said ramp.
- 11. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said spindle includes a rib extending from the exterior surface of said spindle.
- 12. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said fin further includes a finger grip.
- 13. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said fin further includes a body and a tab extending outwardly from said body proximate said fixed end of said spindle.
- 14. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 2, wherein a ramp angle is formed by said ramp and said exterior surface of said spindle, wherein a fin angle is formed by said inner surface of said fin and said outer surface of said fin, and said ramp angle corresponds to said fin angle.
- 15. A media release mechanism as defined in claim 1, further including a slot in said spindle through which a media can be positioned and retained.
- 16. A printer comprising:
a housing; printhead means mounted in said housing; media delivery means mounted in said housing for delivering a media to said printhead; a media take-up and release mechanism mounted in said housing; and wherein said media take-up and release mechanism includes; a spindle having a fixed end, a free end, and an exterior surface, a ramp on the exterior surface of said spindle, wherein said ramp slopes from said free end to said fixed end, and a fin for engagement with said ramp, said fin having an outer surface and an inner surface.
- 17. A printer as defined in claim 16, wherein, said inner surface of said fin is angled relative to said outer surface of said fin.
- 18. A printer as defined in claim 16, further including a back plate mounted in said housing and said media release mechanism is mounted to said back plate.
- 19. A printer as defined in claim 16, wherein said media release mechanism further includes a protrusion extending from said inner surface of said fin, said ramp includes a slot, and said protrusion of said fin is positioned with in said slot.
- 20. A printer as defined in claim 16, wherein said media release mechanism further includes fingers extending from said exterior surface of said spindle on either side of said ramp.
- 21. A method of collecting and releasing media from a spindle assembly including the steps of:
providing a spindle having a fixed end, a free end, and an exterior surface, providing a ramp on the exterior surface of said spindle, wherein said ramp slopes outward from said free end to said fixed end, providing a fin for engagement with said ramp, said fin having an outer surface and an inner surface, winding said media around said spindle and said fin, sliding said fin toward said free end of said spindle, and removing said media from said spindle and said fin.
- 22. A method of collecting and releasing media from a spindle as defined in claim 21, wherein said inner surface of said fin is angled relative to said outer surface of said fin.
- 23. A method as defined in claim 21, further including the steps of:
providing a slot in said spindle; threading said media through said slot prior to winding said media around said spindle and said fin.
- 24. A spindle having an exterior surface and a slot provided in said exterior surface, and wherein said slot receives a media to be wound around said exterior surface.
- 25. A spindle as defined in claim 21, wherein said slot includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion, said first portion being angled relative to said exterior surface, said second portion being angled relative to said first portion, and said third portion parallel to said exterior surface.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/279,186 filed on Mar. 27, 2001 and entitled “Liner Take-Up Spindle For A Printer”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60279186 |
Mar 2001 |
US |