Magnetic media holder for printer

• US 9,656,487 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Intermec Technologies Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Ho, Wai Kit, Lansangan, Harry Nicholas Makabali, Chwa, Ling Siong
• Primary Examiner(s): Meier, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shenderov, Alexander D
• Application Number:
  US14/881,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20170100945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 21/04 Grippers B41F21/08, B41F21/10 B41F21/12, B41F21/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/00 Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in continuous form, e.g. webs
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/02 Web rolls or spindles; Attaching webs to cores or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/042 for loading rolled-up continuous copy material into printers, e.g. for replacing a used-up paper roll; Point-of-sale printers with openable casings allowing access to the rolled-up continuous copy material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2405/40 Holders, supports for rolls

Abstract

A print media holder device has first and second grip members. Permanent magnets are attached to the first and second grip members. An electromagnet is disposed between the first and second grip members, where when the electromagnet is selectively energized the permanent magnets attached to the first and second grip members are repelled in a manner that increases the outer dimension of the print media holder device to grip a media core.

Claims

1. A print media holder device, comprising:

a first grip member;

at least one permanent magnet attached to the first grip member;

a second grip member;

at least one permanent magnet attached to the second grip member;

the print media holder device having an outer dimension that is defined as a distance from an outermost portion of the first grip member to an outermost portion of the second grip member; and

an electromagnet disposed between the first and second grip members, where when the electromagnet is selectively energized the permanent magnets attached to the first and second grip members are repelled in a manner that increases the outer dimension of the print media holder device to grip a media core.

2. The device according to claim 1, where the first grip member terminates at an outermost point with one or more grip edges that are configured to grip the media core.

3. The device according to claim 2, where the second grip member terminates at an outermost point with one or more grip edges that are configured to grip the media core.

4. The device according to claim 1, where the electromagnet is selectively energized with a specified current to establish a specified repelling force.

5. The device according to claim 1, where the print media holder device resides within a printer.

6. A print media holder device, comprising:

a first grip member having a first grip edge;

a first grip member magnet attached to the first grip member;

a second grip member having a second grip edge;

the print media holder device having an outer dimension that is defined as a distance from an outermost portion of the first grip member'"'"'s grip edge to an outermost portion of the second grip member'"'"'s grip edge; and

a second magnet disposed between the first and second grip edges;

where at least one of the second magnet and the grip member magnet comprises an electromagnet that is selectively energized in a manner that generates repelling forces between the grip member magnet and the second magnet such that the first and second grip edges pushed outward by magnetic force in a manner that increases the outer dimension of the print media holder device to grip a media core.

7. The device according to claim 6, where the first grip member magnet comprises a permanent magnet, and where the second magnet comprises an electromagnet.

8. The device according to claim 6, where the first grip member magnet comprises an electromagnet, and where the second magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

9. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a second grip member magnet attached to the second grip member.

10. The device according to claim 9, where the first and second grip member magnets comprise a permanent magnet, and where the second magnet comprises an electromagnet.

11. The device according to claim 9, where the first and second grip member magnets comprise an electromagnet, and where the second magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

12. The device according to claim 6, where the electromagnet is selectively energized with a specified current to establish a specified repelling force.

13. The device according to claim 6, where the print media holder device resides within a printer.

14. A print media holder device, comprising:

a plurality of grip members, each having a grip edge;

a plurality of grip member magnets, each attached to one of the grip member;

the print media holder device having an outer diameter that is defined as distance from an outermost portion of a first grip member edge; and

a plurality of central magnets disposed at a central location with respect to the plurality of grip members;

where at least one of the central magnets and the grip member magnets comprises an electromagnet that is selectively energized in a manner that generates repelling forces between the grip member magnets and the central magnets such that the grip edges are pushed outward by magnetic force in a manner that increases the outer diameter of the print media holder device to grip a media core.

15. The device according to claim 14, where the grip member magnets comprise permanent magnets, and where the central magnets comprise electromagnets.

16. The device according to claim 14, where the grip member magnets comprise electromagnets, and where the central magnets comprise permanent magnets.

17. The device according to claim 14, where the electromagnet is selectively energized with a specified current to establish a specified repelling force.

18. The device according to claim 14, where the print media holder device resides within a printer.