摘要 |
A disposable ribbon cassette is releasably received by a reloadable cartridge which is removable from a printing device. The cassette contains the ribbon and guide paths therefore. The ribbon drive is from the printing device directly or via cartridge gears. For endless loop ribbon machines, the cassette includes a storage chamber into which the ribbon is loop piled, but for typewriter printing devices the cassette storage chamber includes a supply spool and a take-up spool. The cassette includes an exit guide path extending outwardly of the storage chamber with the ribbon coming from a storage chamber exit opening. An entry guide path in spaced apart relation to the exit guide path receives the used ribbon from the printing device and directs it to an entry opening in the storage chamber. These guide paths serve for automatic threading of the ribbon to the printing device. For devices using endless loop ribbon and some spool types, the drive is openable to receive the ribbon. Part of the drive may be spring biased to facilitate opening and also tension the ribbon. Otherwise tensioning is obtained directly against the ribbon or through structure associated with the drive, or both.
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