DE-102025145525-A1 - MEDIA CARTROL WITH CORE LOCKING MECHANISM

DE102025145525A1DE 102025145525 A1DE102025145525 A1DE 102025145525A1DE-102025145525-A1

Abstract

An example disclosed herein includes a media cartridge. The media cartridge includes a housing comprising a spindle configured to rotatably support a media roll, the spindle having a hollow cylindrical profile and a slot; a media roll comprising a roll core, the roll core being configured to rotate around the spindle, the roll core including a plurality of internal teeth arranged around an inner circumference of the roll core; a media web wound around the roll core; and a roll stop assembly configured to transition between a roll holding position and a roll release position, comprising an arm rotatably coupled to the housing, a portion of the arm being configured to extend through the slot of the spindle and into the hollow cylindrical profile, the portion of the arm including an embossing including at least one external tooth; and a preload element configured to preload the arm into the roll holding position.

Inventors

Timothy T. Anderson
Steve Ting Kei Chow
Morgan Hassan Malone

Assignees

ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20251105
Priority Date: 20241108

Claims (19)

Media cartridge comprising: a housing comprising: a spindle configured to rotatably support a media roll, the spindle having a hollow cylindrical profile and a slot; a media roll comprising: a roll core configured to rotate around the spindle, the roll core comprising a plurality of internal teeth arranged around an inner circumference of the roll core; and a media web wound around the roll core; and a roll stop assembly configured to transition between a roll holding position and a roll release position, comprising: an arm rotatably coupled to the housing, a section of the arm configured to extend through the slot of the spindle and into the hollow cylindrical profile, the section of the arm comprising an embossing that includes at least one external tooth; a preloading element configured to preload the arm into the roller holding position, whereby, when in the roller holding position, the outer tooth of the arm's embossing engages with at least one of the plurality of internal teeth of the roller core, preventing the media roller from rotating around the spindle; and whereby the roller stop assembly is configured to transition from the roller holding position to the roller release position by rotating the arm such that the outer tooth disengages from the at least one of the plurality of internal teeth; whereby, when in the roller release position, the outer tooth retracts away from the plurality of internal teeth, allowing the media roller to rotate around the spindle.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein an engagement angle between at least one of the plurality of internal teeth and the external tooth is configured such that when a rotational force is applied to the media roller when the roller stop assembly is in the roller holding position, the external tooth is biased towards the roller core.
Media cartridge after Claim 2 , wherein each internal tooth of the plurality of internal teeth includes a first tooth surface opposite a second tooth surface, wherein the first tooth surface is defined in a first plane and the second tooth surface is defined in a second plane such that the first plane and the second plane intersect at a point that is at a greater distance from a radial center of the roller core than an inner circumference of the roller core.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the multitude of internal teeth is configured such that a gap width of a gap between each pair of teeth of the multitude of internal teeth at least 1.5 times the width of the outer tooth.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the embossing includes a plurality of external teeth, each external tooth of the plurality of external teeth being configured to engage simultaneously with the plurality of internal teeth of the roller core when the roller stop assembly is in the roller holding position.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , where the preload element is a leaf spring.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the preload element is integrally formed with the arm.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the roller stop assembly includes a tab extending through an opening in the housing and coupled to the arm configured to receive an external force transferring the roller stop assembly from the roller holding position to the roller release position.
Media cartridge after Claim 8 , where the tab is a first tab configured to absorb the external force from a printer.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , furthermore comprising a projection on the arm that is configured to receive an external force from a user who applies a force, so that the roller stop assembly is transferred from the roller holding position to the roller release position.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , further comprising a media stop assembly configured to translate between a media release position and a media hold position, such that when the media stop assembly is in the media hold position, a media web of media is clamped between the media stop assembly and a surface, and when the media stop assembly is in the media release position, the media stop assembly is separated from the surface and allows movement of the media web.
Media cartridge after Claim 11 , wherein the roller stop assembly is configured to translate from the roller hold position to the roller release position, and the media stop assembly is configured to translate from the media hold position to the media release position in response to a single action.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the casing includes structural ribs, wherein the structural ribs include reliefs located near the spindle.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed by a first housing side and a second housing side, and the spindle is formed by a first spindle section integral with the first housing side and a second spindle section integral with the second housing side, wherein the slot is formed in one of the first spindle section or the second spindle section.
Media cartridge after Claim 1 , wherein the embossing includes a curved surface that fits an inner surface of the hollow cylindrical profile of the spindle.
Media cartridge, comprising: a housing, comprising: a spindle configured to rotatably support a media roll, the spindle having a hollow cylindrical profile and a slot; a roll stop assembly configured to transition between a roll holding position and a roll release position, comprising: an arm rotatably coupled to the housing; a portion of the arm configured to extend through the slot of the spindle and into the hollow cylindrical profile, the portion of the arm comprising an embossing that includes at least one external tooth; a preloading element configured to preload the arm into the roll holding position; a portion wherein, when in the roll holding position, the external tooth of the embossing of the arm projects from the spindle through the slot; and whereby the roller stop assembly is moved from the roller holding position to the roller release position by rotating the arm such that the outer tooth is translated towards a radial center of the hollow cylindrical profile and out of the slot; wherein, when in the roller release position, the outer tooth is retracted away from the slot into the spindle.
Media cartridge after Claim 16 , further comprising: a media roll, comprising: a roll core, wherein the roll core is configured to rotate around the spindle, comprising a plurality of internal teeth arranged around an inner circumference of the roll core; and a media web wound around the roll core; wherein, when in the roller holding position, the outer tooth of the arm's embossing engages with the plurality of inner teeth of the roller core, preventing the media roller from rotating around the spindle; wherein, when in the roller release position, the outer tooth is released from the plurality of inner teeth and allows rotation of the media roller.
Media roll, comprising: a roll core, comprising a plurality of internal teeth arranged around an inner circumference of the roll core, each internal tooth of the plurality of internal teeth comprising a first tooth surface opposite a second tooth surface, the first tooth surface being defined in a first plane and the second tooth surface being defined in a second plane such that the first plane and the second plane intersect at a point located at a greater distance from a radial center of the roll core than a radius of the inner circumference of the roll core; and a media web wound around the roll core.
media role according to Claim 18 , wherein the media web comprises media elements selected from a group consisting of labels, wristbands, RFID tags, printable media and combinations thereof.

Description

BACKGROUND Media processing devices, such as printers or other systems, can process media from a media cartridge. The media contained in the media cartridge can include wristbands, labels, receiving media, cards, and the like. If the media contained in the media cartridge is configured as a roll or reel, controlling the rotation and dispensing of the roll or reel can prevent the leading edge of the media from retracting into the media cartridge or dispensing unintentionally during shipping and handling before the media cartridge is installed in a media processing device, and/or can reduce instances of media jamming and jamming when the media is processed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 1 Illustrates a media processing device containing a media cartridge, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.2 Illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary media cartridge according to embodiments of the present disclosure.3A-3B illustrate profile views of the media cartridge of 2 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.4A illustrates a profile view of a second section of a media cartridge housing from 2 , including a roller stop assembly, according to embodiments of the present disclosure.4B illustrates a detailed view of the second section of the media cartridge housing of 2 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.5 illustrates a detailed view of one arm of the roller stop assembly of 4 according to embodiments of the present disclosure.6A illustrates a media role according to embodiments of the present disclosure.6B illustrates a core role of the media role of 6A according to embodiments of the present disclosure.7A-7C Illustrating views of the second section of the media cartridge housing and the roller stop assembly in a roller holding position according to embodiments of the present disclosure.8A-8C Illustrating views of the second section of the media cartridge housing and the roller stop assembly in the roller release position according to embodiments of the present disclosure.9 illustrates a media stop assembly of the media cartridge according to embodiments of the present disclosure. DESCRIPTION In one embodiment, the technology of the present disclosure is provided by a media cartridge comprising a housing, comprising a spindle configured to rotatably support a media roll, the spindle having a hollow cylindrical profile and a slot, a media roll comprising a roll core, the roll core being configured to rotate around the spindle, the roll core comprising a plurality of internal teeth arranged around an inner circumference of the roll core, and a media web wound around the roll core, and a roll stop assembly configured to transition between a roll holding position and a roll release position, comprising an arm rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein a section of the arm is configured to extend through the slot of the spindle and into the hollow cylindrical profile, the section of the arm comprising an embossing including at least one external tooth, and a preloading element configured to preload the arm into the roll holding position, wherein, when in the roll holding position, the external tooth of the embossing of the Arms engage with at least one of the plurality of internal teeth of the roller core, thereby preventing the media roller from rotating around the spindle, and wherein the roller stop assembly is configured to move from the roller holding position to the roller release position by rotating the arm such that the outer tooth disengages from the at least one of the plurality of internal teeth, wherein, when in the roller release position, the outer tooth is retracted from the plurality of internal teeth so that the media roller is rotatable around the spindle. In another aspect of the technology of the present disclosure, an engagement angle between the at least one of the plurality of internal teeth and the external tooth is configured such that, when a rotational force is applied to the media roller when the roller stop assembly is in the roller holding position, the external tooth is biased towards the roller core. In another aspect of the technology of the present disclosure, each internal tooth of the plurality of internal teeth includes a first tooth surface opposite a second tooth surface, wherein the first tooth surface is defined in a first plane and the second tooth surface is defined in a second plane such that the first plane and the second plane intersect at a point that is located at a greater distance from a radial center of the roller core than an inner circumference of the roller core. In another aspect of the technology of the present disclosure, the plurality of internal teeth is configured such that a gap width of a gap between each pair of teeth of the plurality of internal teeth is at least 1.5 times the width of an external tooth. In another aspect of the technology of the present disclosure, the embossing includes a plurality of external teet