The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 18, 1981
Filed:
Feb. 02, 1979
Tadayoshi Shimodaira, Shiojiri, JP;
Yoshihiro Mitsui, Shiojiri, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha, Tokyo, JP;
Shinsu Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a character-selecting mechanism for a printer, an electromagnet which controls the engagement and disengagement of a pawl with a ratchet and, thereby, the actual printing step, is supplemented with a permanent magnet having spaced-apart poles. A core arm lies within a core passage in the electromagnet and protrudes into the magnetic field produced by the permanent magnet. Activation of the electromagnet by a current pulse magnetizes the core arm to a polarity such that it is repelled by a pole next to which the core arm is disposed in a first position so that the core arm moves toward the other pole to take up a second position. During the transit from first to second position the core arm which is connected through a core member to a pawl brings the pawl into engagement with the ratchet. The energy requirement for effecting engagement of the pawl with the ratchet is substantially smaller than that of mechanisms relying on an electromagnet alone, whereby reducing both the size and the power consumption of such a printer.