Tape drive and printing apparatus

• US 7,150,572 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Videojet Technologies Incorporated (Veralto Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Zipher Limited
• Inventors: McNestry, Martin, Buxton, Keith, Hart, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAU, MINH H
• Application Number:
  US10/380,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20040146331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 400218-234
• US Class Current: 400/223
• 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 33/00 Apparatus or arrangements for feeding ink ribbons or like character-size impression-transfer material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 33/14 Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 33/16 with drive applied to spool or spool spindle
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 33/34 driven by motors independently of the machine as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 33/36 with means for adjusting feeding rate
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 33/54 for ensuring maximum life of the ribbon B41J33/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/09 indicating that several of an entity are present
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/1806 in reel-to-reel type web winding and unwinding mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on web-roll spindle
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2555/26 Stepper motors
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/372 Ink ribbons
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/08 for measuring diameters

Abstract

A tape drive for use in for example a transfer printing apparatus to drive a printer ribbon. The printer ribbon is mounted on two spools each of which is driven by a respective stepper motor. A controller controls the energization of the motor such that the ribbon is transported in at least one direction between spools mounted on the spool support. The controller is operative to energize both motors to drive the spools of ribbon in the direction of ribbon transport to achieve push-pull operations. Ribbon tension is monitored to enable accurate control of ribbon supply and ribbon take-up, the ribbon tension being monitored, for example, by monitoring power supply to the two stepper motors.

Claims

1. A tape drive comprising:

two motors, at least one of which is a stepper motor;

two tape spool supports on which spools of tape are mounted, each spool being driveable by a respective one of said motors;

a controller adapted to control energization of said two motors such that tape is transported in at least one direction between spools of tape mounted on the spool supports;

wherein the controller energizes both said motors to drive the spools in a tape transport direction, and

said controller calculates a length of tape to be added to or subtracted from tape extending between said spools in order to maintain tension in said tape between predetermined limit values and controls said motors to drive the spools to add or subtract the calculated length of tape to or from the tape extending between said spools.

2. A tape drive as in claim 1 wherein:

a control algorithm executed by the controller operates cyclically such that during one cycle the length of tape to be added or subtracted is calculated and during a subsequent cycle the motors are controlled to adjust the length of tape disposed between spools.