Patent ID: 6422770
Filing Date: 2002-07-23
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An inked ribbon assembly for use with an associated printing apparatus, comprising:a first ribbon supply spool having a generally elongated configuration having first and second opposite, open ends; a second take-up spool having a generally elongated configuration having third and fourth opposite, open ends, respectively corresponding to said first and second open ends of said supply spool; and an inked ribbon extending between said supply and take-up spools, said inked ribbon having an ink-coated surface for effecting printing in cooperation with said associated printing apparatus, each of said first, second, third, and fourth open ends of said supply and take-up spools being configured to receive a respective one of a plurality of associated support spindles for rotatably supporting said spools in said printing apparatus, said first open end defining a pair of diametrically opposed spindle notches for cooperation with an associated spindle inserted into the first open end; said second open end defining a pair of diametrically opposed spindle notches, and further defining a third spindle notch positioned at right angles relative to an axis of said supply spool, to said pair of diametrically opposed spindle notches defined by said second open end, said third open end of said take-up spool defining a pair of generally opposed spindle notches, one of which is of an enlarged size relative to the size of the other one, said enlarged one of said notches defined by said third open end being positioned asymmetrically with respect to the other of said spindle notches defined by said third open end, said third open end thereby configured to receive associated support spindles having differently spaced apart drive lugs.