Granted Patent B2

US 9,550,371 · App. 14/548,742 · Granted Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

Claims (23)

1. A printer comprising:

a housing defining a ribbon receiving area, wherein the ribbon receiving area is configured to receive a ribbon cartridge comprising a cartridge frame structured to support a supply spool, a take-up spool, and a ribbon extending between the supply spool and the take-up spool;

a printhead support extending from the housing for receiving a printhead, wherein the printhead support and a first portion of the housing define a first channel, the printhead support and a second portion of the housing define a second channel, the first and second channels are disposed on opposite sides of the printhead, and each of the first and second channels is structured to receive at least part of the cartridge frame;

a ribbon cover; and

a ribbon cartridge retainer including a lifting portion configured to rotate in response to a linear movement of the ribbon cover, wherein rotation of the lifting portion is to lift and support the ribbon cartridge in an accessible position when the ribbon cartridge retainer is disposed in a retrieval position.

2. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the printhead is positioned between the supply spool and the take-up spool.

3. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon cartridge is movable between an installed position during printing operations and the accessible position to facilitate ribbon cartridge replacement.

4. The printer of claim 3 , wherein the ribbon cartridge defines a first orientation relative to the printhead support when disposed in the installed position and a second orientation relative to the printhead support when disposed in the accessible position.

5. The printer of claim 3 , wherein the cartridge frame of the ribbon cartridge is substantially aligned with a top surface of the printhead support when the ribbon cartridge is disposed in the installed position, and wherein the cartridge frame of the ribbon cartridge extends at least partially beyond the top surface of the printhead support when the ribbon cartridge is disposed in the accessible position.

6. The printer of claim 3 , wherein the cartridge frame of the ribbon cartridge defines gripping portions, wherein the gripping portions are disposed below a top surface of the printhead support when the ribbon cartridge is disposed in the installed position, and wherein the gripping portions are disposed above the top surface of the printhead support when the ribbon cartridge is disposed in the accessible position.

7. The printer of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon cartridge retainer is movable between an operational position and the retrieval position, wherein the ribbon cartridge retainer secures the ribbon cartridge in an installed position when disposed in the operational position.

8. The printer of claim 7 , wherein the ribbon cartridge retainer defines a securing portion configured to engage and secure the ribbon cartridge in the installed position when the ribbon cartridge retainer is disposed in the operational position.

9. The printer of claim 1 , further comprising:

a media cover movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the media cover comprises a platen roller, and wherein in response to the media cover being disposed in the closed position, the platen roller is positioned between the first and second channels on opposite sides of the printhead.

10. A printer comprising:

a housing defining a ribbon cartridge receiving area;

a printhead support disposed within the housing, wherein a supply spool receiving area of the ribbon cartridge receiving area is disposed on a first side of the printhead support, a take-up spool receiving area of the ribbon cartridge receiving area is disposed on a second side of the printhead support, opposite the first side, a first channel is defined on a third side of the printhead support, and a second channel is defined on a fourth side of the printhead support, opposite the third side, wherein the first channel and the second channel extend between the supply spool receiving area and the take-up spool receiving area of the ribbon cartridge receiving area on opposing sides of the printhead support; and

a ribbon cartridge retainer, wherein in response to the ribbon cartridge retainer being disposed in a retrieval position via a linear movement of a ribbon cover, a pair of opposing frame members of the ribbon cartridge are elevated from the first and second channels, respectively.

11. The printer of claim 10 , further comprising a media cover movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the housing, wherein the media cover comprises a platen roller.

12. The printer of claim 11 , wherein the printhead support is configured to support a printhead, and wherein, in the closed position, the platen roller of the media cover is configured to be adjacent to the printhead.

13. The printer of claim 12 , wherein the first channel and the second channel extend on opposing sides of the platen roller of the media cover.

14. The printer of claim 10 , wherein the ribbon cartridge retainer is movable between an operational position and the retrieval position, wherein the ribbon cartridge retainer is configured to secure a ribbon cartridge in an installed position when disposed in the operational position, and wherein the ribbon cartridge retainer is configured to support the ribbon cartridge in an accessible position when disposed in the retrieval position.

15. The printer of claim 14 , wherein in response to the ribbon cartridge retainer being disposed in the operational position, the pair of opposing frame members of the ribbon cartridge are configured to be disposed within the first and second channel, respectively.

Assignments (6)