Output Technology Corporation

Michael E Demarchi

Michael W Bacus

George W Bowers

Dick T Price

Karl L Homa

Robert Gruell

Dale A Lewis

Gary McInturff

The present invention relates to a computer printer ribbon cartridge for a printer having multiple print heads positioned at preset spaced distances on a reciporcating print head carriage. The printer ribbon cartridge (50) has a cartridge housing (52) for mounting on the print head carriage. A print ribbon (54) is mounted in the cartridge housing (52) and has an exposed print section which extends in front of the multiple print heads (102a, 102b, 102c). Multiple ribbon guides (62a, 62b, 62c) are slidably coupled on the exposed print section of the print ribbon (54) and, when coupled to the print heads, the ribbon guides guide the print ribbon over the printing face of the print heads. The printer ribbon cartridge further includes a ribbon guide carrier (70) which is releasably connected to the ribbon guides (62a, 62b, 62c) for supporting the ribbon guides on the exposed print section of the print ribbon at prescribed distances corresponding to the preset spaced distances of the multiple print heads ( 102a, 102b, 102c) on the print head carriage. The ribbon guide carrier (70) facilitates easy installation of the printer ribbon cartridge because all of the ribbon guides may be mounted simultaneously on the respective print heads.

Computer printer ribbon cartridge for multi-head printers

A roll-fusing assembly for printing upon continuous length print stock of substantially different widths and thicknesses includes structure for compensating for differences in thermal expansion across the pressure roller when engaging differing print stock widths. In a preferred embodiment this includes stepped pressure roller sections of reduced diameters and a contacting heat transfer roller for normalizing surface temperatures across the width of the pressure roller. The disclosed method involves normalizing surface temperatures across the pressure roller to compensate for the differences in thermal expansion that will occur about the pressure roller exterior directly exposed to the heated fusing roller when handling relatively narrow continuous length print stock or stock of differing thicknesses.

Roll-fusing assembly and method for thermal compensation in an

Growing community of inventors

Spokane, WA, United States of America

Michael E Demarchi