Patent ID: 6478486
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A printer comprising:a dot-impact head for striking an ink ribbon for printing on recording paper; a carnage mounting said dot-impact head thereon; a motor; a carriage drive mechanism connected to said motor for reciprocating said carriage by turning said motor forward and in reverse; an advance mechanism for advancing the ink ribbon; and a transfer mechanism connected to said carriage drive mechanism, said transfer mechanism transferring a driving force of said motor to said advance mechanism when said carriage is moved in a first direction and releasing the driving force of said motor from said advance mechanism when said carriage is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein said advance mechanism includes: a support shaft; a winding spool rotatably supported on said support shaft, said winding spool advancing the ink ribbon by rotating in a third direction said winding spool having a cylindrical housing; and a rotation limiter mounted in an internal space in the cylindrical housing of the winding spool, said rotation limiter allowing the winding spool to rotate in the third direction and inhibiting the winding spool from rotating in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction.