Printer for wrapping stencil around drum

• US 5,813,329 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Tohoku Ricoh Company Limited (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited, Tohoku Ricoh Company Limited (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tetsuo, Tateishi, Hiroshi, Arai, Fumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Funk, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/469,764
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 101/114, 101/116-119, 101/127, 101/128, 101/128.1, 101/128.21, 101/128.4, 101/129, 101/477, 355/213
• US Class Current: 101/116
• CPC Class Codes: B41L 13/04 with curved or rotary stencil carriers
• CPC Class Codes: B41L 13/06 with a single cylinder carrying the stencil

Abstract

In a printer using a stencil, a drum and a stencil feed and discharge unit are constructed integrally with each other. Hence, a stencil can be fed, cut by a thermal head, wrapped around the drum, and then discharged without being cut off. Even a stencil substantially implemented by a thermoplastic resin film, which is thin and soft, can be transported without being creased or otherwise deformed.

Claims

1. A printer using a stencil, comprising:

a drum having a drum axis and a portion permeable to ink in a part of a peripheral wall thereof and allowing a cut portion of the stencil to be wrapped therearound;

means for rotating said drum about the drum axis;

ink supplying means disposed internally of said peripheral wall of the drum;

a stencil feed and discharge unit adjoining an outer periphery of said peripheral wall of said drum, said stencil feed and discharge unit comprising at least a feed section accommodating the stencil in the form of a roll, a discharge section for taking up and accommodating said used stencil, and a platen roller for use in cutting said stencil;

means for rotating at least one of said feed section and said discharge section about the drum axis along said outer periphery of said peripheral wall of said drum; and

cutting means located externally of the peripheral wall of the drum and being positioned stationary away from said drum during wrapping of the stencil about the drum, and pressing, in the event of making a master, against said platen roller to image the stencil by heat cutting.

2. A printer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for moving said cutting means relative to said platen roller, between an operative position for pressing against said platen roller and an inoperative position located away from said drum.

3. A printer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for moving said platen roller relative to said cutting means, between an operative position for pressing against said cutting means and an inoperative position located adjacent said drum.

4. A printer as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stencil feed and discharge unit positions the stencil with an edge paid out from said roll, and wrapped around said drum, such that said edge and said roll meet each other when said edge is wrapped around said drum.

5. A printer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a cassette for containing said stencil and comprising a take-up shaft and a removable support member supporting said take-up shaft, such that an edge of said stencil paid out from the roll is taken-up by said take-up shaft, said cassette removable from said drum.

6. A printer as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cassette is mounted to said feed section, has said take-up shaft connected to said discharge section, said support member being removed to allow said stencil to be paid out, the stencil being wrapped around said drum while being cut and said edge and said roll meeting each other when said edge is wrapped around said drum.

7. A printer as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a cassette for containing said stencil and having a feed shaft, a take-up shaft, and a separable support member supporting said feed shaft and said take-up shaft, such that an end of said stencil paid out from the roll is taken up by said take-up shaft.

8. A printer as claimed in claim 7, wherein said cassette is mounted to said feed section, said take-up shaft connected to said discharge section, and said separable support member separated into two, the stencil is wrapped around said drum while being cut with the two separated parts of said support member moved relative to and away from each other.

9. A printer using a stencil, comprising:

a drum having a longitudinal drum axle and a peripheral wall forming a cylinder defining an interior and exterior of the drum;

means for rotating the drum about the longitudinal drum axle;

ink supply means positioned within the interior of the drum for supplying ink to the peripheral wall;

a permeable portion of said drum for allowing ink from the ink supply means to permeate through the drum and form on the exterior of the drum;

a side plate positioned at the end of said drum, forming a plane being perpendicular to said longitudinal drum axle;

a feed section rotatable about a discharge axle, and having a stencil material rolled about said discharge axle;

clutch means connected to said side plate and said drum for locking said side plate and said drum from rotating with respect to each other, and for unlocking said drum and said side plate to allow said side plate to rotate about said drum;

a discharge section having a take-up axle, the take-up axle being attached to an end of said stencil material for taking up said stencil material paid out by said feed section, said discharge section rotating about said take-up axle;

means for fixing the take-up axle with respect to the drum;

a platen roller; and

wherein, during wrapping of said stencil material about said drum in preparation for imaging, said feed section is positioned away from said drum, said clutch locks said drum to said plate, said discharge section, said platen roller and said drum rotate together and freely about said longitudinal drum axle with respect to said feed unit, said discharge section draws out said stencil material and deposits said stencil material directly on said peripheral wall and over said permeable portion as said drum rotates until said platen roller passes under said feed section.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a cutting means;

means for moving the cutting means from a non-imaging position away from the drum to an imaging position engaged with said platen roller;

said platen roller being fixed with respect to said drum;

wherein, during imaging of said stencil material, said clutch unlocks said side plate with respect to said drum, said feed section moves toward said peripheral wall and causes said platen roller to be sandwiched between said stencil material and said peripheral wall, said cutting means is movably engaged with said stencil material from said non-imaging position to said imaging position in contact with said platen roller, and said cutting means forms a stenciled pattern on said stencil material as said drum rotates.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

cutting means;

means for attaching said platen roller to said drum and for moving the platen roller from a non-imaging position adjacent said peripheral wall of said drum to an imaging position away from said peripheral wall;

wherein, during imaging of said stencil material, said clutch unlocks said side plate with respect to said drum, said platen roller is moved from said non-imaging position to said imaging position causing said stencil material to be in contact with said cutting means, and said cutting means forms a stenciled pattern on said stencil material as said drum rotates.

12. A printer using a stencil, comprising:

a drum having a drum axis and a portion permeable to ink in a part of a peripheral wall thereof and allowing a cut portion of the stencil to be wrapped therearound;

means for rotating said drum about the drum axis;

ink supplying means disposed internally of said peripheral wall of the drum;

a stencil feed and discharge unit adjoining an outer periphery of said peripheral wall of said drum, said stencil feed and discharge unit comprising at least a feed section accommodating the stencil in the form of a roll, a discharge section for taking up and accommodating said used stencil, and a platen roller for use in cutting said stencil;

means for rotating at least one of said feed section and said discharge section about the drum axis along said outer periphery of said peripheral wall of said drum;

cutting means located externally of the peripheral wall of the drum and being positioned stationary away from said drum during wrapping of the stencil about the drum and pressing, in an event of making a master, against said platen roller to image the stencil by heat cutting; and

a cassette for containing said stencil and comprising a take-up shaft and a removable support member supporting said take-up shaft, such that an edge of said stencil paid out from the roll is taken-up by said take-up shaft, said cassette being removable from said drum,

wherein said cassette is mounted to said feed section, said take-up shaft is connected to said discharge section, said support member being removed to allow said stencil to be paid out, the stencil being wrapped around said drum while being cut and said edge and said roll meeting each other when said edge is wrapped around said drum.

13. A printer using a stencil, comprising:

a drum having a drum axis and a portion permeable to ink in a part of a peripheral wall thereof and allowing a cut portion of the stencil to be wrapped therearound;

means for rotating said drum about the drum axis;

ink supplying means disposed internally of said peripheral wall of the drum;

a stencil feed and discharge unit adjoining an outer periphery of said peripheral wall of said drum, said stencil feed and discharge unit comprising at least a feed section accommodating the stencil in the form of a roll, a discharge section for taking up and accommodating said used stencil, and a platen roller for use in cutting said stencil;

means for rotating at least one of said feed section and said discharge section about the drum axis along said outer periphery of said peripheral wall of said drum;

cutting means located externally of the peripheral wall of the drum and being positioned stationary away from said drum during wrapping of the stencil about the drum, and pressing, in an event of making a master, against said platen roller to image the stencil by heat cutting; and

a cassette for containing said stencil and having a feed shaft, a take-up shaft, and a separable support member supporting said feed shaft and said take-up shaft, such that an end of said stencil paid out from the roll is taken up by said take-up shaft,

wherein said cassette is mounted to said feed section, said take-up shaft is connected to said discharge section, and said separable support member is separated into two, the stencil being wrapped around said drum while being cut with the two separated parts of said support member moved relative to and away from each other.

14. A method of mounting a cassette containing a stencil, a first casing part including a stencil feed shaft and a second casing part including a stencil take-up shaft onto a drum, comprising the steps of:

separating the first casing part from the second casing part;

fixing in place the first casing part;

rotating the second casing part with a rotation of the drum to wrap the stencil around the drum.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step moving the first casing part toward the drum after the second casing part and drum have rotated substantially one rotation.