Abstract: An ink storing device comprises a first storing portion storing one type of ink therein and a second storing portion having the interior thereof divided into a plurality of spaces and storing a plurality of types of inks therein.

Abstract: A method of heating polyvinyl chloride (PVC) using microwaves which is suitable for application in a process for producing PVC film or sheet. The microwave energy is applied to the PVC after the temperature of the PVC has been raised to the point that its intermolecular bonding force has weakened and molecular vibration occurs readily. As a result, uniform heating is obtained throughout the PVC with high energy utilization efficiency.

Abstract: In a video printer, a suffer memory for memorizing picture data corresponding to one line includes a memory addressed by a first address and a second address. And the video printer includes a memory write circuit having a first address generation circuit for generating a first address depending upon gradation of picture data on the basis of inputted picture data and for supplying said first address to the memory and a second address generation circuit for generating an address signal depending upon the number of printing dots of the thermal head and for supplying said address signal to the memory. The video printer also includes a memory read circuit for successively generating the second address for each of the first address and supplying the second address to the memory.

Abstract: An open surge arrester has an active part with a number of surge arrester elements of a metal oxide varistor material, arranged between two end fittings, and, a retaining part with a number of rods of an insulating material for mechanically holding the surge arrester together. Both the active part and the retaining part are exposed to the environment surrounding the surge arrester and are individually profiled to provide an extended creep distance between the end fittings.

Abstract: Apparatus for the feeding of transverse wires from a feed position to the welding line of a grid welding machine has at least one nozzle (9) which is directed towards the welding line, and which can be supplied with compressed air in time with the welding cycle. Parallel guides (5, 6) lead out from the nozzle, bounding either side of the transverse wire feed path, but ending ahead of the region of the welding electrodes. There are provided, in the region of the welding electrodes (1, 2), devices (11) preferably designed as magnets, for the catching and holding of the respectively fed transverse wire at the welding line. Conveyance with compressed air means that mechanical parts engaging in the welding area and susceptible to faults are avoided and at the same time changing of the longitudinal pitch of the transverse wires is facilitated.

Abstract: A service station (10) for use in an ink-jet printer comprises(a) pump means (12) for priming the printhead (18) of a cartridge (20),(b) a sled (14) to actuate the service station and seal the printhead, and(c) wiping means (58) for cleaning the printhead.The service station is fixed at one end of travel of a carriage (22) supporting the cartridge. The carriage is adapted to move bidirectionally by means of a controlled motor.The service station performs a number of functions, including clearing clogged nozzles in the printhead and removing bubbles therefrom, covering the nozzles with a protective cap (50) when the printhead is not in use to prevent contamination thereof, preventing ink from drying out in the nozzles, wiping contaminants picked up during printing off the nozzles, and providing a location (60) for firing the nozzles for clearing out thereof prior to printing.

Abstract: A limiting-current type contactor apparatus for providing stable current-limiting breaking properties with less reduction of the breaking speed due to magnetic repulsion force is provided with a movable contactor arm supported by a contactor support fixed to a switching shaft and a fixed contactor. The fixed contactor has a first conductor portion and a shaft for pivotally mounting the movable contactor. The movable contactor has a second conductor portion spaced opposite and apart from the first conductor portion, thereby forming an arcuate gap of uniform and small width between the first and second conductor portions and concentric with the shaft. A flexible conductor is connected between the first and second conductor portions for reversing the direction of current flow between first conductor portion and the movable contactor arm.

Abstract: A compact printer of the kind having a sheet media print path to and through a print zone and an assembly for printing on media at the print zone includes a sheet cassette that is coupled to the bottom of the printer housing and rotatable on an axis generally normal to the bottom of the printer between: (i) a position with cassette edges generally flush with the side walls of the printer and (ii) a position wherein the length dimension of a supported sheet media stack is operatively aligned with the print path.

Abstract: An automatic pen positioning system is operative within a graphic recording system having a plurality of recording pens moveably supported by a pen carriage. The pen carriage is moveably along a first path above a media which is moveable along a second path. A motor drive system moves a selected one of the plurality of pens into contact with the media during recording. A closed loop servo system is operative upon the pen motor drive and is controlled by a position information processor. A following error processor is coupled to the servo system and compiles a periodically sampled table of absolute position, commanded position and following error for the servo system during the initialization process in which each pen is moved toward the media at a constant velocity until it impacts the media impeding further pen motion. The following error processor determines the pen to media contact position of the engaged pen on the basis of the information derived from the servo system.

Abstract: An improved sheet supply cassette for a compact printer of the kind having a housing, a sheet feed assembly for moving a sheet from a sheet supply region to, and through, a print zone and a device for printing on sheet media at the print zone. The sheet supply cassette is coupled to the bottom of the printer and includes top, bottom and side walls forming a sheet supply region. The bottom wall of the cassette has a hinge-type construction wherein cantilever spring means couple and upwardly bias a movable wall segment with respect to a fixed rear segment of the bottom wall so as to urge sheets into a feed position.

Abstract: A sheet feed and transport system for a compact printer features an idler gear which is coupled to rotate with the drive train from the platen motor to the platen and which is selectively movable into engagement with a sheet feed roller's drive gear.

Abstract: An ink cartridge interface system for multicolor ink jet printing apparatus of the kind having discrete, different color, continuous ink jet circulation subsystems. Each cartridge has a key system component, formed on one of its wall elements at a location for interfitting with a printer housing key system component, and is constructed to have a shape that uniquely identifies the color of ink within said ink cartridge. The printer has a plurality of separate housings each with a different key system component designed to interfit with its particular ink color cartridge.

Abstract: A pen plotter employs a cable-driven carriage which carries the writing pen and includes a pen-lift mechanism. A shifting idler pulley system located at one side of the plotter returns a pair of drive cables from the opposite side of the carriage to a rotatable drive drum located on the opposite side. The idler pulleys are shiftable equally and in opposite directions toward and away from the pen carriage. One cable is connected to the carriage by being tensively trained about a pen-lift mechanism drive wheel on the carriage. Shifting the idler pulleys causes said drive wheel to rotate without affecting the lateral position of the pen carriage and, therefore, the shifter mechanism independently controls the up/down motion of the writing pen. One drive cable, therefore, accomplishes the functions of both pen carriage movement and writing pen up/down motion control.

Abstract: An internal drum plotter including a laser source producing a laser beam output, apparatus for modulating the laser beam output to apply information content thereto, apparatus for supporting laser recording material in a generally circular cylindrical configuration about a cylinder axis and scanning apparatus for receiving the modulated laser beam and reflecting it onto the laser recording material, the scanning apparatus including a stabilized reflector arranged for rotation about the cylinder axis for reflecting the modulated laser beam directly onto the laser recording material, wherein the stabilized reflector is insensitive to wobble in the position thereof in directions perpendicular to the cylinder axis.

Abstract: An ink jet printer in which a plurality of ink jet generators are moved in unison with one another and relative to a record medium for recording.

Abstract: A heat-generating resistor, having a functional thin film comprising an amorphous material containing hydrogen atoms in a matrix of carbon atoms formed on a substrate.

Abstract: An overhead projector having scanning device for scanning an original image thereby generating electric signals corresponding to the original image, selecting device for selecting one of a thermochromic film and a thermographic paper, a first heating device for heating the film thereby erasing an image formed formerly in the film, a second heating device for heating the film in accordance with the electric signals transmitted from the scanning device to form an image corresponding to the original image in the film when the film is selected by the selecting device and for jheating the thermographic paper in accordance with the electric signals transmitted from the scanning device to print an image corresponding to the original image in the thermographic paper when the thermographic paper is selected by the selecting device, andprojecting device for projecting the image formed in the film on a given screen.

Abstract: A manual sweeping apparatus having a housing, an image sensor, a printer, and a memory. As the housing is manually swept across an original, while keeping the housing in contact with the original, information read by the image sensor is written into the memory. Thereafter, as the housing is manually moved across a piece of recording paper, while keeping the housing in contact with the paper, the information is read out from the memory and subsequently printed on the paper. During the data-reading operation, the apparatus detects and indicates whether or not any unwritten memory area exists in the memory. During the data-printing operation, the apparatus detects said indicates whether or not any items of data to be printed are stored in the memory.

Abstract: An electrophotographic recording apparatus for a facsimile device in which an exposure unit and a developing unit are disposed on the opposite sides of a photosensitive body to thereby perform simultaneous exposure and development at the same position. The respective processes of the electrophotographic recording operation, i.e., exposure, development and transfer processes, rotation of the photosensitive body, and paper conveyance are performed synchronously with the timing at which image data for each line is received.

Abstract: A method for electronic page montage for reproduction technology with recording of the pages on a recording medium by means of a recorder which comprises a multi-track recording element whose resolution is finer than the resolution of the image information, whereby, before the recording, the entire end page is divided into sub-areas within which the image information are to be recorded with the recorder in accord with a layout.