Identification card printer ribbon cartridge

Abstract

A ribbon cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a supply spool, a take-up spool, a supply of ribbon, and a supply circuit. The cartridge housing includes a supply spool enclosure and a take-up spool enclosure. The supply spool is contained in the supply spool enclosure and the take-up spool is contained in the take-up spool enclosure. The supply of ribbon extends from the supply spool to the take-up spool. The supply circuit includes a memory containing supply information relating to the ribbon cartridge.

1 . A ribbon cartridge for use in a card printer comprising: 
 a cartridge housing including a supply spool enclosure and a take-up spool enclosure;    a supply spool contained in the supply spool enclosure;    a take-up spool contained in the take-up spool enclosure;    a supply of ribbon that extends from the supply spool to the take-up spool; and    a supply circuit having a memory containing supply information relating to the ribbon cartridge.    
   
   
       2 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1  further comprising a pair of ribbon guides and a gap between the ribbon guides, wherein the supply of ribbon extends across the ribbon guides.  
   
   
       3 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein the gap is defined by interior side walls of the spool and take-up enclosures, wherein the ribbon guides are formed by exposed top surfaces of the interior side walls.  
   
   
       4 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the supply information includes a security code.  
   
   
       5 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising a card cleaner roller having a debris-collecting surface received by the housing.  
   
   
       6 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , including a rotation inhibitor having a tab member extending from the housing and configured to engage one of the supply spool and the take-up spool and provide frictional resistance to rotation thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the supply circuit is mounted to the cartridge housing.  
   
   
       8 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the supply circuit is mounted to the supply spool or the take-up spool.  
   
   
       9 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the supply information includes a number of prints remaining.  
   
   
       10 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the memory of the supply circuit includes a memory bank, the memory bank having a limit as to a number of times data can be written thereto.  
   
   
       11 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 one of the supply and take-up spools includes a core and a ribbon guide that extends substantially perpendicularly from the core; and    the supply circuit is mounted to the ribbon guide and includes an opening through which the core extends.    
   
   
       12 . A ribbon cartridge for use in a card printer comprising: 
 a cartridge housing including a supply spool enclosure and a take-up spool enclosure;    a supply spool contained in the supply spool enclosure;    a take-up spool contained in the take-up spool enclosure; and    a card cleaner roller rotatably supported by the housing and having a debris-collecting surface.    
   
   
       13 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the housing further comprises front and rear walls; and    the card cleaner roller includes front and rear ends that are each respectively received in an aperture of the front and rear walls of the housing.    
   
   
       14 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the apertures are shaped to allow the cleaner roller to move between a receiving position and a cleaning position.  
   
   
       15 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the supply and take-up spool enclosures each have an interior side wall separated from each other by a gap, and a plate connecting the interior side walls; and    the cartridge further comprises print ribbon having a first end wound on supply spool, a second end wound on the take-up spool, and a middle portion extending between the supply and take-up spools and across the interior side walls.    
   
   
       16 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 12 , further comprising a supply circuit mounted to one of the supply spool, the take-up spool and the housing, the supply circuit including a memory containing supply information relating to the supply.  
   
   
       17 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 16 , wherein the supply information includes a security code.  
   
   
       18 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 16 , wherein the supply information includes a number of prints remaining.  
   
   
       19 . A ribbon cartridge for use in a card printer comprising: 
 a cartridge housing including a supply spool enclosure, a take-up spool enclosure, a pair of ribbon guides, and a gap between the ribbon guides and between the supply and take-up spool enclosures;    a supply spool contained in the supply spool enclosure;    a take-up spool contained in the take-up spool enclosure;    a supply of ribbon that extends from the supply spool, across the ribbon guides and the gap, and to the take-up spool;    a card cleaner roller rotatably supported by the housing and having a debris-collecting surface; and    a supply circuit having a memory containing supply information relating to the ribbon cartridge.    
   
   
       20 . The ribbon cartridge of  claim 19 , wherein the supply information includes a number of prints remaining for the cartridge.