BOUNCE AND CHAOTIC MOTION IN IMPACT PRINT HAMMERS

A lumped-parameter description is given of an impact printer actuator of the stored-energy type. All constants necessary to describe the actuator and the ribbon/paper pack are derived from measurements. The equations of motion are integrated both for single- and multiple-current pulse excitation. The numerical results show that for low repetition rates, each impact is distinct and independent, but at higher rates the impacts interact.