Modular printer

• US 5,961,228 A
• Filed: 08/22/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc. (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Paxar Corporation (Avery Dennison Corporation)
• Inventors: Ward, Donald J., Campbell, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US08/917,637
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 400/82, 400/188, 400/120.16, 400/120.17, 400/692, 347/197, 347/198
• US Class Current: 400/120.16
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/325 by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/60 for printing on both faces of the printing material

Abstract

There is disclosed thermal printer capable of printing on both sides of a web in a single pass wherein there is a straight-through path for the web for ease of threading of a printable web and for simplicity and economy of manufacture, maintenance and use. Print head assemblies can be quickly and easily located at the printing position and yet they can be moved to open or ineffective positions for threading, for cleaning the print head and for maintenance.

Claims

1. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module cantilevered to the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame having a rear plate secured to the printer frame and a front plate spaced laterally from and connected to the rear plate, laterally aligned locating recesses in the front and rear plates, a print head mounting plate pivotally mounted to the module frame, a thermal print head connected to the print head mounting plate, a platen roll cooperable with the print head to print on a web, a laterally extending locator rod extending to in front of the front plate and graspable from in front of the front plate and mounted to the mounting plate for selective lateral shifting movement either into the locating recesses to locate the print head relative to the platen roll at an operating position or out of the locating recesses to enable the mounting plate to be pivoted to move the print head away from the platen roll to an open position.

2. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module cantilevered to the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame, the module frame having a rear portion secured to the printer frame and a front portion, a locating recess in the module frame, a print head mounting plate pivotally mounted to the module frame, a thermal print head connected to the print head mounting plate, a laterally extending platen roll cooperable with the print head to print on a web, a laterally extending locator rod accessible from in front of the front portion of the module frame and mounted to the mounting plate for selective lateral shifting movement either into the locator recess to locate the print head relative to the platen roll at an operating position or out of the recess to enable the mounting plate to be pivoted to move the print head away from the platen roll to an open position.

3. A printer as defined in claim 2, including a knob on the locator rod disposed in front of the front portion.

4. A printer as defined in claim 2, wherein the rear portion has the locating recess and the front portion has another locating recess, wherein the locating recesses are laterally aligned, and wherein the locator rod cooperates with both recesses.

5. A printer as defined in claim 2, wherein the front portion has the locating recess, the recess being open sided, the rod having a knob, the knob having a locator portion for locating cooperation in the locating recess.

6. A printer as defined in claim 2, including at least one spring for urging the locator rod into locating cooperation with the recess.

7. A printer as defined in claim 6, wherein the rod includes a manually engageable knob to facilitate shifting of a rod against the action of the spring to a position out of cooperation with the recess.

8. A printer, comprising:

a generally vertical printer frame, a print head module cantilevered to the printer frame, the print head module being removable as a unit from the printer frame, the print head module having a rear plate secured to the printer frame and a front plate spaced from and connected to the rear plate, a platen roll rotatable in the front and rear plates, a locating recess provided in the rear plate, a print head assembly including a print head, the print head assembly being movable between an operating position in which the print head cooperates with the platen roll and a non-operating position wherein the print head is away from the platen roll, the front plate having a locating recess with an open side, a rod slidably mounted by the print head assembly, the rod being received in the recesses when the print head assembly is in the operating position, the rod being shiftable into and out of the locating recesses, and the rod being movable through the side opening when the rod is out of the locating recesses to enable movement of the print head assembly between the operating and non-operating positions.

9. A printer as defined in claim 8, wherein the rod includes a knob receiveable in the locating recess in the front plate, and the knob being located in front of the front plate when received in the locating recess in the front plate.

10. A printer as defined in claim 8, wherein the rod includes a knob receiveable in the locating recess in the front plate.

11. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module, the print head module including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered from the printer frame, a pair of locating recesses in the module frame, a print head assembly pivotally mounted to the module frame, the print head assembly including a print head, a laterally extending platen roll cooperable with the print head to print on a web, a laterally extending locator rod mounted on the print head assembly for selective lateral shifting movement either into both locating recesses to locate the print head in cooperation with the platen roll at an operating position or out of the locator recesses to enable the print head assembly to be moved to a non-operating position with the print head away from the platen roll.

12. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module removable as a unit from the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered from the printer frame, a print head assembly pivotally mounted to the module frame, the print head assembly including a print head, a laterally extending platen roll mounted to the module frame and cooperable with the print head at an operating position to print on a web, a quick-release rod accessible from in front of the printer frame to releasably locate and hold the print head assembly in its operating position but enabling the print head assembly to be moved to a non-operating position.

13. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module, the print head module including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered from the printer frame, a pair of spaced locating recesses in the module frame, a print head assembly pivotally mounted to the module frame, the print head assembly including a print head, a laterally extending platen roll, and a shiftable locator for substantially simultaneously engaging in both locator recesses to releasably locate and hold the print head assembly in an operating position in which the print head cooperates with the platen roll but enabling the print head assembly to be moved to a non-operating position in which the print head is out of cooperation with the platen roll.

14. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module removable as a unit with respect to the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered from the printer frame, the module frame including a rear plate positioned against the printer frame and a front plate spaced forwardly from and connected to the rear plate, a pivotally mounted print head assembly including a print head, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, and a locator accessible from in front of the front plate to locate and hold the print head in cooperation with the platen roll but being shiftable to enable the print head assembly and its print head to move to a non-operating position with the print head out of cooperation with the platen roll.

15. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module removable as a unit with respect to the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered from the printer frame, the print head module including a front plate spaced forwardly from the printer frame, and a pivotally mounted print head assembly including a print head, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, a locator carried by the print head assembly, a locator recess in the module frame, and a handle for the locator, and the handle being disposed in front of the front plate to enable movement of the locator into and out of the locator recess and to move the print head assembly to bring the print head into and out of cooperation with the platen roll.

16. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module removable with respect to the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered from the printer frame, the module frame including a front plate spaced forwardly from the printer frame, a pivotally mounted print head assembly including a print head, a laterally extending platen roll cooperable with the print head, and a laterally extending locator accessible from in front of the front plate to locate and hold the print head in cooperation with the platen roll but being shiftable to enable the print head assembly and its print head to move to a non-operating position.

17. A printer, comprising:

a printer frame, a print head module secured to the printer frame, the print head module including a module frame, a movable print head assembly and a platen roll mounted on the module frame, the print head assembly including a print head cooperable with the platen roll in an operating position, a locator recess on the module frame corresponding to the operating position, another recess on the printer frame corresponding to a non-operating position for the print head, and a locator selectively positionable in either recess for holding the print head assembly either in the operating position or in the non-operating position.

18. A printer as defined in claim 17, including a stop for limiting the movement of the print head assembly beyond the non-operating position.

19. A printer for printing on both sides of a web, comprising:

a generally vertical printer frame, a first print head module removably connected to the printer frame and including a first module frame, a first print head assembly having a first print head, and a first non-driven rotatable platen roll, wherein the first print head assembly and the first platen roll are mounted on the first module frame, a second print head module removably connected to the printer frame and including a second module frame, a second print head assembly having a second print head, and a second non-driven rotatable platen roll, wherein the second print head assembly and the second platen roll are mounted on the second module frame, a pair of cooperating rolls downstream of the platen rolls for drawing the web along a path past the first and second print heads, wherein the first print head is on one side of the path, wherein the second print head is on the other side of the path, wherein the first print head assembly is accessible from in front of the first module frame for selectively positioning the first print head either in or out of cooperation with the first platen roll, and wherein the second print head assembly is accessible from in front of the second module frame for selectively positioning the second print head either in or out of cooperation with the second platen roll.

20. A printer for printing on both sides of a web, comprising:

a printer frame, a plurality of print head modules;

each print head module being removable as a unit with respect to the printer frame and including a module frame removably secured to and cantilevered forwardly from the printer frame, a pivotally mounted print head assembly including a print head for printing on a web along a path of web travel, a platen roll cooperable with the print head, a locator carried by the print head assembly, a locator recess in the module frame, a handle for the locator, and the handle being disposed forwardly of the module frame;

wherein at least one print head is on one side of the path of web travel, and at least one other print head is on the other side of the path of web travel.