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. 06, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 23, 1994
Peter Schneider, Neckargemund, DE;
Dirk Umbach, Hattingen, DE;
Esselte Meto International GmbH, Heppenheim, DE;
Abstract
To conserve relatively expensive printing ribbon, in particular a thermal transfer ribbon, when a portion of the medium which is not to be printed, e.g. the space between two labels, passes through the printing area, after the end of the printing process for a first label or similar item, the thermal transfer ribbon is stopped, and simultaneously the application force of the print head, in particular of the thermal print head, against the counterpressure roller is neutralized, and when the next label or similar item to be printed arrives in the printing area, the pressure on the thermal print head is reactivated, and simultaneously the advance of the thermal transfer ribbon is resumed, whereby the controlled stopping of the thermal transfer ribbon is accomplished by means of a stopping device which stops the first spool from which the ribbon is unwound, and by means of a slip clutch which makes possible the simultaneous stopping of the second spool which winds up the ribbon, in spite of the fact that the drive motor continues to run.