REMOVABLE MEDIA SPINDLE AND ANTENNA ASSEMBLY FOR PRINTER

• US 20090033581A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brady Worldwide Incorporated (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Brady Worldwide Incorporated (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Ross, Peter G., Tischer, William D., Behlmer, Robert F., Scharpf, Peter G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,127,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/876
• CPC Class Codes: B41P 2219/51 Converting existing presses to foil printing presses
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2216 used in interrogator/reader equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

A removable spindle for use in a thermal transfer printer houses dual RFID reader antennas that are used to read an RFID tag attached to the core of the print media. The information provided by the RFID tag enables the printer to self-calibrate based on the type of media loaded. The antenna design eliminates “null” areas at which the tag cannot be read, and enables the tag to be read around and across the entire length of the printer spindle. The design also allows the media holder to be easily removed from the printer.

Claims

1. A printer, comprising:

an RF transceiver;

an antenna assembly sized and dimensioned to be received in the interior of a core of a roll of media including at least one RFID tag, the antenna assembly comprising a first antenna and a second antenna, wherein the first antenna is positioned with respect to the second antenna to allow the transceiver to acquire data from the RFID tag from the other of the first and second antennas when a selected one of the first and second antennas is in a null area for data communications from the RFID tag; and

a controller connected to the RF transceiver, the controller being programmed to switch between the first and second antennas to avoid the null area.

2. The printer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a printer housing including a connector for coupling each of the first and second antennas to the controller.

3. The printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises an antenna connector for coupling the first and second antennas to the controller.

4. The printer as recited in claim 3, wherein the antenna connector comprises a spring loaded contact.

5. The printer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a controller connector for connecting the controller to the antenna assembly.

6. The printer as recited in claim 5, wherein the controller connector is a button contact.

7. The printer as recited in claim 3, wherein the antenna connector comprises a first printed circuit board connected to the first antenna and to a first spring contact and a second printed circuit board connected to the second antenna and to a second spring contact.

8. The printer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a media holder assembly sized and dimensioned to receive the roll of media and the antenna assembly.

9. The printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the housing includes a media holder receptacle including a controller connector, and the roll of media and the antenna assembly are received in the receptacle.

10. The printer as recited in claim 9, wherein the roll of media and the antenna assembly are received in a media holder assembly received in the printer housing.

11. The printer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a switching element, the switching element being connected between the antenna assembly and the controller, the controller being programmed to selectively activate the switching element to connect at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna to the RF transceiver.

12. The printer as recited in claim 1, further comprising a second RF switch, the second RF switch being selectively coupled by the controller to a ribbon antenna, the ribbon antenna being positioned in the printer housing to acquire data from a second RFID tag coupled to a ribbon.

13. The printer as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second antennas are positioned substantially orthogonal to one another.

14. A printer including:

a housing including a receptacle;

a printer circuit positioned in the housing, the printer circuit including an RF transceiver coupled to the receptacle through a switch; and

a removable spindle, the removable spindle including an antenna assembly comprising a first and a second antenna to provide a communication link to the RF transceiver and an antenna connector receivable in the receptacle for connection to the printer circuit;

wherein the printer circuit further includes a controller for selectively coupling the RF transceiver to one of the first and second antennas to allow the printer circuit to communicate to an RFID tag on a roll of media provided on the removable spindle.

15. The printer of claim 14, wherein the second antenna is positioned with respect to the first antenna to provide communications with the RF transceiver when the first antenna is in a null area.

16. The printer as recited in claim 14, wherein the antenna connector is a spring loaded contact pin.

17. The printer as recited in claim 14, wherein the antenna connector is mounted to a printed circuit board coupled to the antenna.

18. The printer of claim 14, wherein the removable spindle is coupled to a media holder including a plug sized and dimensioned to be received in the receptacle, and the antenna connector is provided in the plug.

19. The printer of claim 14, wherein the second antenna is substantially orthogonal to the first antenna.

20. The printer of claim 14, wherein the controller is programmed to query the first and second antennas and to switch between the first and second antennas when the other of the first and second antenna is in a null area for communications.

21. The printer as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one of the receptacle and the antenna connector comprises a spring-loaded connector pin.

22. The printer of claim 17, wherein the plug in the media holder comprises a depression, and the antenna connector is retained in the depression to prevent bending or other damage to the pins.

23. A spindle for retaining a roll of media in a printer, the spindle comprising:

a first planar antenna; and

a second planar antenna, the second planar antenna being positioned with respect to the first planar antenna to provide communications to an RF transceiver in the printer when the first planar antenna is in a null area.

24. The spindle as recited in claim 23, further comprising at least one electrical contact associated with each of the first and second planar antennas for coupling the planar antennas to a printer circuit.

25. The spindle as recited in claim 23, wherein the first and second antennas each comprise a printed circuit board including a trace in a loop.

26. The spindle as recited in claim 24, wherein the electrical contacts are spring loaded contact pins.

27. The spindle as recited in claim 23, wherein the electrical contacts are mounted to a printed circuit board and are coupled to the antenna loop with a coaxial cable.