Media processing device with enhanced media and ribbon loading and unloading features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302509-B2
Application number	US-201414454354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2014
Priority date	Apr 12, 2010
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A device for processing media may include a front panel, a rear panel, a side panel, a support surface, and an access door assembly. The access door assembly may be pivotally coupled to the support surface and may include a major door pivotally coupled to a minor door. The minor door may be movable from an operational position to a minor support position and the major door may be movable from the operational position to a major support position in which the major door is positioned against and supported by the support surface. The side panel may define an imaginary plane that extends upward beyond the support surface and the access door assembly may be sized to be supported on the support surface without crossing the imaginary plane.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A media processing device comprising:
a platen assembly comprising a platen roller;
a printhead assembly comprising a printhead that is pivotally movable from a loading position in which the printhead does not engage the platen roller to a printing position in which the printhead at least indirectly engages the platen roller; and
a toggle assembly that is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the toggle assembly drives the printhead assembly into at least indirect contact with the platen roller in response to a user moving the toggle assembly from the disengaged position to the engaged position, wherein the printhead assembly is lifted from the printing position to the loading position in response to the toggle assembly moving from the engaged position to the disengaged position, and wherein the toggle assembly is configured to rotate from the engaged position to the disengaged position in a first rotational direction and the printhead assembly is configured to rotate from the printing position to the loading position in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction.

2. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein the toggle assembly comprises at least one driving element configured to drive the printhead assembly from the loading position to the printing position in response to the toggle assembly moving from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

3. The media processing device of claim 2 , wherein the driving element is adjustable.

4. The media processing device of claim 3 , wherein the driving element includes pre-defined positions, each with indicia representing a different level of pressure.

5. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein the toggle assembly defines a handle configured to be manually rotated by a user.

6. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein in the loading position, the printhead assembly defines a loading gap between the printhead and the platen roller.

7. The media processing device of claim 1 , further comprising a ribbon supply spindle and a ribbon take-up spindle, wherein a ribbon path is defined from the ribbon supply spindle, around the printhead assembly, to the ribbon take-up spindle.

8. The media processing device of claim 7 , wherein the ribbon path is longer when the toggle assembly is in the engaged position than when the toggle assembly is in the disengaged position.

9. The media processing device of claim 1 , wherein the platen assembly further comprises alignment forks configured to engage the printhead in response to the printhead assembly moving from the loading position to the printing position.

10. The media processing device of claim 1 , further comprising a strap connecting the toggle assembly to the printhead assembly, wherein the toggle assembly is configured to move the printhead assembly via the strap from the printing position to the loading position in response to the toggle assembly moving from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

11. The media processing device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a base;
a housing supported by the base, the housing comprising:
a front panel,
a rear panel,
a side panel,
a support surface, and
an access door assembly pivotally coupled to the support surface, the access door assembly comprising a major door pivotally coupled to a minor door, wherein the major door comprises a portion of the front panel, wherein the portion of the front panel extends across more than half of a width of the front panel, wherein the minor door is moveable from an operational position to a minor support position, wherein the major door is movable from the operational position to a major support position in which the major door is positioned against and supported by the support surface, wherein the side panel defines an imaginary plane extending upwardly beyond the support surface, and wherein the access door assembly is sized to be supported on the support surface without crossing the imaginary plane.

12. A media processing device comprising:
a platen assembly comprising a platen roller; and
a printhead assembly comprising at least one alignment tab and a printhead that is pivotally movable from a loading position in which the printhead does not engage the platen roller to a printing position in which the printhead at least indirectly engages the platen roller;
wherein the platen assembly further comprises alignment forks configured to engage the alignment tab of the printhead assembly on two opposing sides in response to the printhead assembly moving from the loading position to the printing position.

13. The media processing device of claim 12 , further comprising a toggle assembly that is rotatable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the toggle assembly drives the printhead assembly from the loading position to the printing position in response to a user moving the toggle assembly from the disengaged position to the engaged position.

14. The media processing device of claim 13 , wherein the toggle assembly lifts the printhead assembly from the printing position to the loading position in response to the toggle assembly moving from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

15. The media processing device of claim 14 , wherein the toggle assembly is configured to rotate from the engaged position to the disengaged position in a counter-clockwise direction and the printhead assembly is configured to move from the printing position to the loading position in a clockwise direction.

16. A media processing device comprising:
a platen roller;
a printhead assembly comprising a printhead that is pivotally movable from a loading position in which the printhead does not engage the platen roller to a printing position in which the printhead at least indirectly engages the platen roller; and
a toggle assembly, that is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, comprising at least one driving element configured to drive the printhead assembly into the printing position in response to the toggle assembly moving from the disengaged position to the engaged position, wherein the driving element is configured to apply a pressure to the printhead in response to the toggle assembly being in the engaged position, and wherein the driving element is adjustable to adjust the pressure on the printhead.

17. The media processing device of claim 16 , wherein the driving element includes pre-defined positions, each pre-defined position including indicia representing a different level of pressure.

18. The media processing device of claim 16 , wherein the toggle assembly is configured to raise the printhead to the loading position in response to being moved from the engaged position to the disengaged position.

19. The media processing device of claim 16 , wherein the toggle assembly further comprises a handle configured for rotation by a user between the engaged position and the disengaged position.

20. The media processing device of claim 16 , wherein the driving element is a first driving element, the media processing device further comprising a second driving element, wherein the first driving element and the second driving element are configured to apply pressure to the printhead in response to the toggle assembly being in the engaged position.

21. The media processing device of claim 20 , wherein the first driving element and the second driving element are each independently ad

Assignees

• Zih Corp

Inventors

• Anderson Timothy T
• Urban Mark B
• Gotschewski Robert P

Classifications

• B41J25/308

  with print gap adjustment mechanisms · CPC title

• B41J11/02 Primary

  Platens · CPC title

• B41J29/13 Primary

  Cases or covers · CPC title

• B41J25/304

  Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface · CPC title

• B41J2/32

  using thermal heads · CPC title