International Business Machines Corporation

Other

Charles S Aldrich

James A Craft

Steven Robert Komplin

Gregory Lawrence Ream

James Ronald Booth

James J Molloy

James Philip Harden

Steven L Applegate

Bernard L Wilzbach

Stanley Dyer

Lloyd Phillip Young

Michael Lewis Pawley

Terry Lee King

William M Schuller

Praful M Shah

William S Rousey

Earl D Ward Ii

Leon N Canick

A developer apparatus (29) for use in an electrostatic reproduction apparatus includes a large reservoir of toner (34, 44). The toner is located in a supply chamber (39) and is metered to a developer roller chamber (35) from which it is carried by a developer roller (31) past a doctor blade (36) to a photoconductor drum (19) for image development. A toner metering roller (41) rotates with the developer roller (31) to provide a continuous supply of toner from the supply chamber (39) to the developer chamber (35). Once an equilibrium level (65) is reached, the toner metering roller (41) acts to remove toner (34) from the developer chamber (35) to the supply chamber (39) to insure proper operation of the developer roller (31).

Toner metering apparatus

In an electrophotographic reproduction device, such as a copier or a printer, having a transfer station (17) whereat toner images are sequentially transferred from the surface of a moving photoconductor (10) to the adjacent surface of sheets of moving and spaced transfer material, such as paper, the transfer station is controlled in a manner to produce a substantially similar electrical effect on the photoconductor both when a sheet of transfer material resides in the transfer station intermediate the photoconductor and the transfer station, and when no sheet of transfer material is intermediate the photoconductor and the transfer station.

Transfer station control in an electrophotographic reproduction device

When cover (8) of the laser printer (3) is closed, absence of the replaceable cartridge (15) or the shroud assembly (9) will activate both an electrical and a mechanical interlock. A moveable switch actuator (16) on the shroud assembly will be absent if the assembly is omitted and will not find a guide ramp (46) if the cartridge is absent, thereby assuring power to the light source remains off. A shutter (13) also blocks the normal light path and is moved aside by a pin (14) on the cartridge, and therefore blocks light unless a cartridge is installed. Walls (31) on the cartridge surround the shutter during normal use to form a protective light baffle. The laser printhead (2) is fixed within the shroud so that separation requires a necessary electrical cable (72, 74) to be disconnected.

Laser printer with light-exposure prevention

A method of and apparatus for proportional ribbon (23) tracking on a printer (20), the printer (20) including a carrier (30) upon which implements of printing, for example the printwheel (25), ribbon (23) and hammer (28) are all mounted for translation opposite a platen (21). Ribbon lift mechanism is provided for effecting elevation of a ribbon (23) to multiple predetermined positions or tracks (1-10) (FIG. 3B) intermediate a printwheel (25) and a platen (21) so that indicia or character may be printed on print receiving medium (22) held thereby. In essence, an input means (11) receives a character to be printed. The microprocessor (13), in conjunction with the ROM (15), characterizes the character in accordance with a predetermined plurality of characteristics. In accordance with ribbon lift and feed algorithms, a particular characteristic of the character to be printed is added to a position on the ribbon upon which at least one prior character has been printed. In this manner a new print position is determined. Thereafter, the new track print position is outputted to the ribbon lift and feed means for effecting elevation of said ribbon (23) to one of a multiple of predetermined positions to thereby approximately maximize the number of predetermined positions of said ribbon with characters thereon which may be printed without character overlap.

Proportional vertical and horizontal ribbon tracking for impact printers

A ribbon lift and feed mechanism for a typewriter/printer (10) in which the print ribbon cartridge (15) has deflectable arms (16a, 16b) for placing the ribbon (13) in a position confronting the platen (11) of the typewriter (10). On the platform (40), supporting the ribbon cartridge (15), is a shuttle (50) which is remotely oscillated as by a drive motor (90) on the frame (12) of the typewriter (10). Translation of the shuttle (50) and the cam (66) associated with the shuttle (50) effects movement of cam follower (66a) engageable with the cam (66), causing the deflectable arms (16a, 16b) of the cartridge (15) to oscillate between a rest and elevated position to place different portions of the print ribbon (13) intermediate the type element (23) and the platen (11). The shuttle (50) also carries ribbon feed drive means (85) which cause an incremental feed of the ribbon (13) after the ribbon has been struck at multiple elevated positions. Moreover, by placing a correction ribbon cartridge (30) beneath the ribbon cartridge (15), another cam (70) on the shuttle can effect platform (40) elevation when it is desired to dispose the correction ribbon (30) intermediate the printing element (23) and the platen (11). This action occurs as a result of the oscillation of the shuttle (50).

Ribbon lift and feed mechanism for a typewriter

The present disclosure is particularly directed to means that will slow down the operation of the tape perforating apparatus during the time intervals when the fulcrum levers must either travel into place or withdraw themselves from underneath of the lift levers in order to create more time for the critical transfer to take place. The present invention utilizes a double-ended bellcrank instead of the crank link disclosed in the aforementioned patent. As the main drive shaft rotates, the upper end of the bellcrank travels through an elliptical path that creates a partial dwell in the travel of the cradle when the front end of the cradle is near its low position. A partial dwell therefore occurs at the rear end of the lift levers at the critical transfer position.

Tape perforator

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Charles S Aldrich