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:
Dec. 10, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2001
Caleb Bryant, Moorpark, CA (US);
ZIH Corp., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A ribbon tracking system for use in a printer, scanner or the like includes a carbon fiber-based plastic printer wire shroud having a first portion coupled to the printer ribbon frame downstream from the printhead, a second portion spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first portion and adapted to contact a moving ribbon at a curved front edge during printer operation, and a substantially small integral neck portion coupled centrally between the first and second portions. The neck portion functions as a living hinge permitting the second portion to deflect toward and/or away from the first portion, or in any combination of directions thereof, to automatically equalize stress differentials between various portions of the moving ribbon so as to prevent wrinkling and/or buckling, of the ribbon.