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:
Sep. 28, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 11, 1997
David Privin, Stamford, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A thermal ink ribbon cassette for holding an inked ribbon of indefinite length for use in a thermal transfer printing mechanism holds a spool of fresh ink ribbon which passes out of the cassette and across a thermal printing head, and then back into the cassette. The features of construction and arrangement of the cassette are such that the length of the portion of the normal feed path of envelopes through the mailing machine in which the ink ribbon and the envelopes travel coextensively is reduced to an absolute minimum to avoid unnecessary contact after printing take place. A slanted wall is provided for ensuring that the envelopes remain in their normal path of travel regardless of any tendency of the envelope to adhere to the ink ribbon after the point of normal separation, or if they are bulged and tend to jam on internal portions of the mailing machine. A rectangular opening is provided to permit manual access to the interior of the cassette housing so that the broken end of an ink ribbon can be inserted into the housing and reattached to used ribbon accumulated on the take up spool. Also, an improved anti-reverse mechanism has been provided that remains operable to prevent reverse rotation of the take up spool regardless of the physical orientation of the cassette.