IP Library Granted Patent US 10,160,239
Granted Patent B2
US 10,160,239 · App. 14/934,919 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Printer with printhead assembly, clutch assembly, and printer ribbon transport assembly

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,160,239
App. No.
14/934,919
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A printer may include a printhead assembly, a clutch assembly, and/or a printer ribbon transport assembly. An example clutch assembly includes a first spool engagement member defining a first friction torque; a first friction member configured to frictionally engage the first spool engagement member; a second spool engagement member defining a second friction torque that is larger than the first fiction torque; and a second friction member configured to frictionally engage the second spool engagement member.

Claims (30)

1. A clutch assembly comprising:

a first spool engagement member configured to engage a first ribbon core;

a first friction member configured to frictionally engage the first spool engagement member, the first friction member comprising a friction plate and a coupling plate, the friction plate being mounted to the coupling plate through a cavity keyed to a shape on the coupling plate;

a second spool engagement member configured to engage a second ribbon core, wherein the coupling plate is configured to couple the first friction plate to a second spool engagement member; and

a second friction member configured to frictionally engage the second spool engagement member, wherein the second friction member is larger than the first friction plate.

2. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing assembly configured to:

bias the first spool engagement member into contact with the first friction member; and

bias the first friction member into contact with the second friction member.

3. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second spool engagement member is configured to couple to the first friction member.

4. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clutch assembly is configured to take-up a ribbon.

5. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a driven member configured to rotationally engage a drive assembly and further configured to engage a coupler.

6. The clutch assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a biasing element coupled to the coupler and the second friction member.

7. The clutch assembly of claim 6 , wherein rotation of the drive assembly is configured to rotate the driven member so as to impart a rotational force to the second friction member and thereby cause the second friction member to rotate,

wherein rotation of the second friction member is configured to cause the first friction member to rotate via frictional engagement, and

wherein rotation of the first friction member is configured to cause the first spool engagement member to rotate via frictional engagement.

8. The clutch assembly of claim 7 , wherein rotation of the first friction member is configured to rotate the second spool engagement member via coupling between the first friction member and the second spool engagement.

9. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clutch assembly is configured to supply a ribbon.

10. The clutch assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first friction member is configured to;

rotate when the first spool engagement member rotates via frictional engagement with the first spool engagement; and

rotate when the second spool engagement member rotates via coupling between the second spool engagement member and the first friction member, wherein the first friction member is configured to rotate the second friction member via frictional engagement there between.

11. The clutch assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a coupler configured to couple to the second friction member through a biasing element, wherein:

the coupler is configured to couple to a stationary member,

rotation of the second friction member is configured to rotate the biasing element via coupling between the second friction member and the biasing element, and

the biasing element is configured to resist movement of the second friction member via coupling to the stationary member through the coupler.

12. The clutch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first friction member comprises an integral member.

13. A clutch assembly comprising:

a first spool engagement member defining a first diameter to engage a first ribbon core of a first size;

a first friction member configured to frictionally engage the first spool engagement member, the first friction member comprising a friction plate and a coupling plate, the friction plate being mounted to the coupling plate via a cavity keyed to a shape on the coupling plate;

a second spool engagement member defining a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter to engage a second ribbon core of a second size larger than the first size, wherein the coupling plate is configured to couple the first friction plate to the second spool engagement member; and

a second friction member configured to frictionally engage the second spool engagement member.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST - 364 - DAY Recorded Mar 5, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; LASER BAND, LLC; TEMPTIME CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 056036/0590 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2020
From: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; LASER BAND, LLC; TEMPTIME CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053841/0212 →
NOTICE OF TRANSFER OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049675/0049 →
MERGER Recorded Mar 29, 2019
From: ZIH CORP.
To: ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048884/0618 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2017
From: ZIH CORP.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS THE SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 044616/0736 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 6, 2015
From: CHEN, HSIN-CHIH; SMOLENSKI, LAWRENCE E.; BALCAN, PATRICIA DORINEL; HOON, JUNG ETHAN; WONG, RANDAL; KELLEY, RICHARD ALAN
To: ZIH CORP.
Reel/Frame 036982/0465 →