Removably retaining a print head assembly on a printer

Abstract

A system for removably retaining a print head assembly includes a bracket holding a print head assembly and a shaft for receiving the bracket on the shaft. The shaft includes a retaining assembly, a first shaft section having a profile geometry to allow the bracket to be received onto the shaft, a second shaft section having a profile geometry preventing removal of the bracket from the shaft, and a positioning assembly configured to resiliently engage the bracket. When the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section, the positioning assembly can engage and releasably reposition the bracket onto the second shaft section and against the retaining assembly.

Claims

1. A system, comprising: a bracket, the bracket holding a print head assembly configured for printing on print media traveling on a media path; and a shaft configured for receiving and removably retaining the bracket on the shaft, the shaft comprising: a retaining assembly; a first shaft section having a profile geometry to allow the bracket to be received onto the shaft at the first shaft section; a second shaft section having a profile geometry preventing removal of the bracket from the shaft at the second shaft section; and a positioning assembly configured to resiliently engage the bracket; wherein, when the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section, the positioning assembly is configured to engage and releasably reposition the bracket onto the second shaft section and against the retaining assembly.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the bracket comprises an attachment portion having a c-shaped opening including a slot; and wherein the profile geometry of first shaft section comprises facets for allowing the attachment portion of the bracket to be received onto the first shaft section.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the shaft comprises chamfers proximate the facets of first shaft section.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the shaft is fixed and at least partially enclosed in a printer housing.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the retaining assembly comprises a stop surface at a first end of the shaft.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the positioning assembly comprises a compression spring and a plunger extending axially along the shaft to resiliently engage the bracket when the attachment portion of the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the profile geometry of the second shaft section comprises a circle; and wherein, when the attachment portion of the bracket is removably positioned on the second shaft section the c-shaped opening (i) allows the bracket to pivot about the shaft, and (ii) prevents detachment of the bracket from the second shaft section.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the printer housing comprises torsion springs; and wherein, when the attachment portion of the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section, the torsion springs are configured for supporting the bracket in a supported position whereby the bracket is slidably positionable between the first shaft section and the second shaft section.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the printer housing comprises a latch mechanism for securing the bracket in a releasably retained position on the shaft when the attachment portion of the bracket is positioned on the second shaft section and against the retaining assembly, and whereby the torsion springs are compressed by the bracket when the latch mechanism secures the bracket.

10. A printer, comprising: a housing; a removable bracket holding a print head assembly configured for printing to print media traveling on a media path, the removable bracket having an attachment portion comprising an opening including a slot; a shaft configured for receiving and removably retaining the removable bracket, wherein the shaft is fixed and at least partially enclosed in the housing, the shaft comprising: a retaining assembly comprising a stop surface at a first end of the shaft; a first shaft section having a profile geometry comprising flat faces to allow the attachment portion of the bracket to be received onto the shaft at the first shaft section; a second shaft section having a profile geometry preventing removal of the attachment portion from the shaft at the second shaft section; and a positioning assembly extending axially along the shaft to resiliently engage the bracket when the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section; wherein, when the attachment portion of the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section, the positioning assembly is configured to engage and releasably reposition the bracket onto the second shaft section and against the retaining assembly.

11. The printer of claim 10, wherein the opening of the attachment portion of the bracket comprises a c-shaped opening.

12. The printer of claim 11, wherein the positioning assembly comprises a compression spring and a plunger.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the shaft comprises chamfers proximate the flat faces of the first shaft section.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the profile geometry of the second shaft section comprises a circle; and wherein, when the attachment portion of the bracket is positioned on the second shaft section, the c-shaped opening of the attachment portion of the bracket (i) allows the bracket to pivot about the shaft, and (ii) prevents detachment of the bracket from the second shaft section.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the printer housing comprises torsion springs; and wherein, when the attachment portion of the bracket is received on the shaft at the first shaft section, the torsion springs are configured for supporting the bracket in a supported position whereby the bracket is slidably positionable between the first shaft section and the second shaft section.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the housing comprises a latch mechanism for securing the bracket into a releasably retained position on the shaft when the attachment portion of the bracket is positioned on the second shaft section and against the retaining assembly, and whereby the torsion springs are compressed by the bracket when the latch mechanism secures the bracket.

17. A method, comprising: mounting a print head assembly onto a bracket, the bracket having an attachment portion comprising an opening; removably positioning the attachment portion of the bracket onto a first section of a fixed shaft that is at least partially enclosed in a printer housing, the first shaft section having a profile geometry to allow the attachment portion of the bracket to be removably received onto the shaft at the first shaft section; resiliently engaging the bracket with a positioning assembly extending axially along the shaft; removably positioning the attachment portion of the bracket onto a second section of the shaft via the positioning assembly, the second shaft section having a profile geometry preventing removal of the attachment portion of the bracket from the shaft at the second shaft section; and removably positioning the attachment portion of the bracket against a stop surface of a retaining assembly via the positioning assembly.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising securing the bracket into a releasably retained position on the second portion of the shaft and against the stop surface via a latch mechanism.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising releasing the bracket from the releasably retained position via the latch mechanism; disengaging the positioning assembly from the bracket; and repositioning the attachment portion of the bracket onto the first section of the fixed shaft.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising removing the attachment portion of the bracket from the first section of the fixed shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 graphically depicts an exemplary printer having a housing cover in an open position.

(2) FIG. 2 graphically depicts a perspective view of an exemplary print head loading mechanism.

(3) FIG. 3 graphically depicts a top view of the exemplary print head loading mechanism in a retained position.

(4) FIGS. 3A and 3B graphically depict zoomed views of portions of the exemplary print head loading mechanism shown in FIG. 3.

(5) FIG. 3C graphically depicts a cross-section view of the exemplary print head loading mechanism along the labeled arrows shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

(6) FIG. 4 graphically depicts a top view of the exemplary print head loading mechanism in a remove position.

(7) FIGS. 4A and 4B graphically depict zoomed views of portions of the exemplary print head loading mechanism shown in FIG. 4

(8) FIG. 4C graphically depicts a cross-section view of the exemplary print head loading mechanism along the labeled arrows shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

(9) FIG. 4D graphically depicts another cross-section view from the perspective shown in FIG. 4C.

(10) FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method for removably attaching a print head assembly via a print head loading mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) The present invention embraces improved systems, devices, and methods for removably retaining a print head assembly on a printer.

(12) FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary printing system 10 which can utilize a print head loading mechanism in accord with the systems, devices, and methods of the present disclosure. Although the printing system depicted in FIG. 1 is a thermal printer 10, a thermal printer is simply one non-limiting example from a range of potentially applicable printing systems (e.g., ink jet printer, dot matrix printer, impact printer, laser printer, etc.).

(13) The exemplary printer 10 includes a main housing portion 18 and a housing cover portion 11 which are joined by hinge 19. The printer 10 may be placed in a cover-open position (as shown in FIG. 1), or in a cover-closed position (not explicitly shown).

(14) As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 can include a user interface display 12 (e.g., an LCD), one or more user input devices 14 (e.g., buttons are shown, but other input devices may be included such as a touchscreen, keypad, mouse, etc.), and a media slot 17 through which printed media exits (e.g., when the printer's cover is closed and the printer is performing printing operations).

(15) A print station assembly 20 is at least partially mounted within the printer's housing. The exemplary print station assembly 20 includes a ribbon supply 22 for supplying (as illustrated by arrow A) transfer ribbon (e.g., ink ribbon composed at least partially of wax and/or resin) for use by an adjustable print head assembly 38 during printing operations, and a ribbon take up spool 21 for collecting used print ribbon. Other print station arrangements or components may be utilized, and the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrative arrangements provided herein.

(16) The exemplary print head assembly 38 includes a thermal print head and can include adjustment mechanisms (e.g., screws for adjusting pressure and/or pressure bias, not explicitly shown).

(17) A media dispenser 43 (e.g., operatively connected with a motor) is geared to a platen roller 39 for advancing print media 25 (e.g., labels on removable backing) from a media supply along a media transport pathway (illustrated by arrow 26) to the print head assembly 38 and, finally, through the media slot 17 (e.g., after printing). The exemplary print media supply or print roll support 24 of printer 10 is in the form of a spool or hub, but may take other forms.

(18) FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary print head loading mechanism/system 50. The exemplary print head loading mechanism can be utilized in connection with a printer or printing system such as, for example, the exemplary thermal printer 10 depicted in FIG. 1. The print head loading mechanism has two primary positioning arrangements; notably, a retain position (illustrated in FIG. 2), and a remove position (described below).

(19) The exemplary print head loading mechanism 50 includes a bracket 52. The bracket 52 is used for holding (e.g., supporting, retaining, etc.) a print head assembly (e.g., print head assembly 38) for printing to print media traveling on a media path. The print head assembly may be fixed (e.g., removably attached, fastened, etc.) to the bracket 52 using various attachment mechanisms (e.g., fasteners, clips, etc.), and the present disclosure is not limited to any particular form.

(20) A shaft 54 of the print head loading mechanism 50 is designed to receive and removably retain the bracket 52 on the shaft 54 (as further described below) thereby providing a stable loading base for the print head assembly. The shaft 54 can include a retaining assembly 56 portion which provides a datum face or face side (e.g., a stop surface) for securely retaining the bracket 52 on the shaft 54 when the print head loading mechanism 50 is placed into in a retained position.

(21) In the retained position, a positioning assembly 58 extending axially along the shaft 54 resiliently engages portions of the bracket 52 and releasably retains the bracket 52 against the retaining assembly 56 which provides a stop surface to secure the bracket 52 into position about the shaft 54.

(22) As shown in FIG. 2, the exemplary positioning assembly 58 can include a side-biasing compression spring 60 and a plunger 62 which collectively operate to push (e.g., thrust, press, etc.) the bracket 52 against the datum face or stop surface provided by the shaft's retaining assembly 56 portion. Although a compression spring and plunger arrangement are depicted in FIG. 2, the positioning assembly 58 may encompass other mechanisms or designs for engaging (resiliently or otherwise) the bracket 52, and the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrative examples provided herein.

(23) As shown in FIG. 2, the exemplary print head loading mechanism 50 also includes torsion springs 70 (as further described below) and a latch mechanism 74 for securing the bracket 52 into the releasably retained position about the shaft 54.

(24) FIGS. 3 to 3C further illustrate features of the exemplary print head loading mechanism 50 when positioned in a releasably retained position. In this regard, FIG. 3 is a top view of the exemplary print head loading mechanism 50 in the retained position, FIGS. 3A and 3B provide zoomed views of the consistently labeled portions of FIG. 3, and FIG. 3C illustrates a cross-section view along the labeled arrows shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

(25) As best shown in the close-up or zoomed view at FIG. 3B, the shaft 54 includes first shaft sections 64 proximate the ends of the shaft 54 having a profile geometry to allow bracket attachment portions 68 to be received onto the shaft 54 at the first shaft sections 64. The shaft 54 further includes second shaft sections 66 having a profile geometry for preventing removal of the bracket attachment portions 68 from the shaft 54 at the second shaft sections 66.

(26) Notably, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3C, in the retain position the bracket attachment portions 68 are positioned on second shaft sections 66 of the shaft 54 having a full circle profile geometry. The full circle profile feature prevents the bracket attachment portions' c-shaped profile feature 68 from detaching from the shaft 54 due to the geometry of the respective features.

(27) While the profile geometry of the second shaft sections 66 (e.g., full circle feature) prevents the print head bracket's attachment portions 68 (e.g., c-shaped feature) from fully detaching from the shaft 54, the bracket 52 can still pivot/rotate about the fixed shaft 54 when the bracket 52 is positioned on the second shaft sections 66 (as illustrated by arrow 72).

(28) FIGS. 4 to 4D illustrate features of the exemplary print head loading mechanism 50 when positioned in the remove position. In this regard, FIG. 4 is a top view of the exemplary print head loading mechanism 50 in the remove position, FIGS. 4A and 4B provide zoomed views of the consistently labeled portions of FIG. 4, FIG. 4C illustrates a cross-section view along the labeled arrows shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, and FIG. 4D provides another cross-section view as in FIG. 4C.

(29) To transition from the retained position into the remove position, a user would slide the positioning assembly 58 (e.g., via the plunger 62) away from the shaft's retaining assembly 56 portion to release the attachment portions 68 of the bracket. The user would then slide the bracket's attachment portions 68 (e.g., the c-shaped feature) into the flat face or faceted zones 64a of the first shaft sections 64 (FIGS. 4C and 4D). Once the bracket's attachment portions 68 are in the flat face/facet zones 64a of the first shaft sections 64, the printhead bracket will be able to slide out of the fixed shaft (as shown in FIG. 4D).

(30) In other embodiments, the positioning assembly 58 may include mechanisms such that the positioning assembly (e.g., via plunger 62 or other component) can be mated or otherwise releasably latched along the shaft when it is pulled back by the user so that the user is not required to hold the plunger with one hand and remove the bracket 52 with the other hand after the bracket attachment portions 68 are released (e.g., a thumb-screw, clip, anchor, etc.).

(31) As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4D, in the remove position the bracket's attachment portions 68 are able to slide out (e.g., passing the total of four flat faces/facets 64a due to the respective profile geometries) allowing the bracket 52 to detach from the shaft 54 as illustrated by arrow 76.

(32) Although exemplary arrangements and profile geometries for shaft sections and bracket attachment portions are described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrative examples provided herein. Notably, the profile geometries of the respective features could take any number of shapes or configurations as long as the profiles respectively correspond for accomplishing retain and remove positioning. In other non-limiting examples, rather than facets or faces the first shaft sections could be of a smaller diameter circular cross-section in comparison to the second shaft sections, thereby sliding past suitably designed bracket attachment portions.

(33) After removal, to reattach the bracket 54 (e.g., retaining/supporting a new print head), a user would slide the positioning assembly 58 away (e.g., via the plunger 62), engage or support the bracket attachment portions 68 onto the torsion springs 70, slide the attachment portions past the flat face zones 64a of the first shaft sections 64, then release the positioning assembly 58. In this regard, the plunger 62 of the positioning assembly 58 will push the attachment portions 68 past the lead in chamfers 72 (FIGS. 4A and 4B) on the shaft and into the full circle profile zone of the first shaft sections 66, which will retain the printhead bracket 52 on the shaft 54.

(34) Although lead in chamfers 72 are described for assisting in the transition to the retained position, other transitions may be used (e.g., ramps, slopes, bevels, etc.), and in some contemplated embodiments chamfers or similar forms of assistance may be omitted based upon the profile geometries chosen.

(35) The function of the torsional springs 72 is to lift and support the print head bracket 52 when the activation lever 74 is unlatched. The torsional springs 72 are designed so that the print head bracket 52 will be supported such that it will be able to slide along contact points when moving between the retain position and remove position.

(36) Turning to FIG. 5, a flow chart illustrates an exemplary method 100 for removably attaching a print head assembly to a printer via a print head loading mechanism. At step 105, a print head assembly is mounted onto a bracket of a print head loading mechanism (e.g., loading mechanism/system 50 of the present disclosure).

(37) At step 110, the attachment portion of the bracket is removably positioned onto first sections of a fixed shaft that is at least partially enclosed in a printer housing, the first shaft sections having a profile geometry (e.g., having facets or flat faces) to allow the attachment portion of the bracket to be removably received onto the shaft at the first shaft sections.

(38) At step 115, the bracket is engaged with a resilient positioning assembly that extends axially along the shaft (e.g., via plunger 62).

(39) At step 120, the attachment portion of the bracket is removably positioned onto second sections of the shaft via the engagement of the positioning assembly, the second shaft sections having a profile geometry (e.g., a full circle profile) preventing removal of the attachment portion of the bracket from the shaft at the second shaft sections.

(40) At step 125, the attachment portion of the bracket is releasably positioned against a stop surface of a retaining assembly of the shaft via the engagement of the positioning assembly.

(41) At step 130, the bracket is secured into a releasably retained position on the second portion of the shaft and against the stop surface via a latch mechanism.

(42) Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 5, the print head loading mechanism also facilitates removal of the print head assembly via subsequent steps which include: releasing the bracket from the releasably retained position via the latch mechanism; disengaging the positioning assembly from the bracket; repositioning the attachment portion of the bracket onto the first sections of the fixed shaft; and removing the attachment portion of the bracket from the first section of the fixed shaft.

(43) To supplement the present disclosure, this application incorporates entirely by reference the following commonly assigned patents, patent application publications, and patent applications: U.S. Pat. No. 6,832,725; U.S. Pat. No. 7,128,266; U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,783; U.S. Pat. No. 7,413,127; U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,575; U.S. Pat. No. 8,294,969; U.S. Pat. No. 8,317,105; U.S. Pat. No. 8,322,622; U.S. Pat. No. 8,366,005; U.S. Pat. No. 8,371,507; U.S. Pat. No. 8,376,233; U.S. Pat. No. 8,381,979; U.S. Pat. No. 8,390,909; U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,464; U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,468; U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,469; U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,768; U.S. Pat. No. 8,448,863; U.S. Pat. No. 8,457,013; U.S. Pat. No. 8,459,557; U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,272; U.S. Pat. No. 8,474,712; U.S. Pat. No. 8,479,992; U.S. Pat. No. 8,490,877; U.S. Pat. No. 8,517,271; U.S. Pat. No. 8,523,076; U.S. Pat. No. 8,528,818; U.S. Pat. No. 8,544,737; U.S. Pat. No. 8,548,242; U.S. Pat. No. 8,548,420; U.S. Pat. No. 8,550,335; U.S. Pat. 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(44) In the specification and/or figures, typical embodiments of the invention have been disclosed. The present invention is not limited to such exemplary embodiments. The use of the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. The figures are schematic representations and so are not necessarily drawn to scale. Unless otherwise noted, specific terms have been used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.