PINCH ROLLER ASSEMBLY FOR PRINTER
A pinch roller assembly for a printer having a media width printhead is provided having an elongate support plate securely mounted to a housing of the printer so as to extend along the media width, two elongate pinch housings movably supported on either side the support plate so as to extend along the media width, and a series of pinch rollers rotatably held within each pinch housing so as to extend along the media width. The pinch housings have alignment pins for engagement with the housing of the printer through movement of the pinch housings relative to the support plate. The engagement aligns the series of pinch rollers with a respective driven roller rotatably mounted to the housing to provide pinched contact for media being transported through the printer.
1 . A pinch roller assembly for a printer having a media width printhead, the assembly comprising:
an elongate support plate securely mounted to a housing of the printer so as to extend along the media width;
two elongate pinch housings movably supported on either side the support plate so as to extend along the media width; and
a series of pinch rollers rotatably held within each pinch housing so as to extend along the media width,
wherein the pinch housings have alignment pins for engagement with the housing of the printer through said movement of the pinch housings relative to the support plate, said engagement aligning the series of pinch rollers with a respective driven roller rotatably mounted to the housing to provide pinched contact for media being transported through the printer.
2 . An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the pinch housings are linked to the support plate by springs at either longitudinal end of the pinch housings and support plate.
3 . An assembly according to claim 2 , further comprising a mounting plate securely mounted to the housing of the printer, the support plate being securely mounted to the mounting plate, the mounting plate having tabs on which the pinch housings are held.
4 . An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the housing of the printer has a first housing portion hingedly mounted to a second housing portion, the support plate being securely mounted to the second housing portion and the driven rollers being rotatably mounted to the first housing portion.
5 . An assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the alignment pins of the pinch housings engage with the housing of the printer as the second housing portion is hinged into a closed position with the first housing portion.
6 . An assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the driven rollers are rotatably mounted to the first housing portion by bearing members which are fixedly mounted to the first housing portion, the alignment pins being configured to engage with slots in the bearing members as the second housing portion is hinged to the closed position with the first housing portion, said engagement causing said movement of the pinch housings relative to the second housing portion thereby aligning the pinch and driven rollers.
7 . An assembly according to claim 3 , wherein an axle of each pinch roller is rotatably held within a corresponding slot of the corresponding pinch housing by a respective lever member, the lever members being pivotally supported by the support plate and movably supported by the pinch housings.
8 . An assembly according to claim 7 , further comprising springs between the lever members and the mounting plate, the springs being configured so that the lever members are biased away from the mounting plate thereby urging the pinch rollers toward the driven rollers.