Abstract: Printing apparatus is disclosed for printing on articles of non-uniform thickness. The printing apparatus includes a thermal transfer print head to print on the article and the article is pressed toward thermal printing elements of the thermal print head by a line of individual impression rollers each individually resiliently biased toward the print head.

Abstract: A seal for a chamber doctor blade (12) of a printing machine, with a sealing block (30) of a pliable material, which is inserted at one end of the chamber doctor blade between two doctor blades (16, 18) and closes off an inking chamber (20), bounded by the periphery of an applicator roller (10) of the printing machine, the doctor blades and a housing (14) of the chamber doctor blade, in which the surface of the sealing block (30), facing the applicator roller (10), is covered with a strip (34) of elastic material, which is harder than the material of the sealing block.

Abstract: An ink-jet printing apparatus permits sequential ejection of printed papers without causing stain by non-dried ink, improves printing quality and permits down-sizing of the overall apparatus by simplifying a construction of a paper ejecting mechanism. An ink-jet printing apparatus includes a paper ejecting roller rotatable in a first direction for ejecting said printing medium and a second direction opposite to said first direction and an arm member arranged between said paper ejecting roller and said ejected paper stacker and movable between a first position projecting above said ejected paper stacker for supporting said printing medium from a lower side thereof, and a second position retracted from the position above said ejected paper stacker and permitting falling down of said printing medium. The ink-jet printing apparatus further includes motion force transmitting means for transmitting rotation of said paper ejecting roller in said first direction.

Abstract: A media detector for use in a printing device and method of differentiating between glossy-finish and matte-finish print media are disclosed. An embodiment of the media detector includes a source, sensor, and polarized filter. The source transmits an unpolarized first light signal and is positioned so that this signal is transmitted toward a sheet of print media at a first angle with respect to a normal to a surface of the sheet of print media. The sensor is positioned to detect an intensity of a reflected light signal from the sheet of print media. The polarized filter is positioned between the sensor and the sheet of print media so that the intensity of the reflected light signal detected by the sensor is less for a polarized reflected light signal than for an unpolarized reflected light signal. Polarization of the reflected light signal is dependent upon the first angle.

Abstract: A mail handling system includes a printhead for printing a postage indicium on a mailpiece; a transport mechanism that moves the mailpiece past the printhead during printing of the postage indicium; a postage meter including means for accounting for a value of postage associated with the postage indicium; an image generator in operative communication with the postage meter, the image generator producing a synchronous image data stream for use by the printhead in printing the postage indicium; a buffer which receives and stores the synchronous image data stream from the image generator; apparatus for switching the image generator between an ON status whereby the image generator produces the synchronous image data stream and an OFF status whereby the image generator does not produce the synchronous image data stream based upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition; structure for transferring the stored synchronous image data stream to the printhead in an asynchronous manner; and wherein the switching appa

Abstract: A carriage drive system includes a carriage driven along a carriage path under a force generated by a drive motor. The driving force is coupled to the carriage by a drive belt. High frequency vibrations occurring in the drive belt are isolated from the carriage to improve print quality or scanning accuracy. Vibrations are introduced to the drive belt by the drive motor, the connection between the drive motor and the drive belt or from another source. High frequency decoupling is achieved using a spring connection which serves as a low pass filter of vibration frequencies. In addition, a linear encoder is included on the carriage for detecting carriage position. Such linear encoder samples carriage position at a rate fast enough to enable compensation for low frequency carriage vibrations.

Abstract: The printer of the present invention prevents loss of print data due to print operation malfunction after the completion of the initialization of print head 3 by detecting error conditions related to the motion of the print head during the initialization of the print head. In the initialization process of print head 3, print head 3 is moved until it is detected by reference position detector 16 located at the left edge of the print area of the printer; after completion of the initial-position detection for print head 3, print head 3 is moved over the entire print area to rightmost move position 37. By moving print head 3 as described above and by checking whether or not the print head has moved correctly, it is possible to detect any error conditions relating to the motion of print head 3.

Abstract: The character printing apparatus according to the present invention, in which an input character string is printed on a print medium, includes: eligible-subject-component-character displaying means for displaying an eligible subject component character; subject-component-character selecting means for selecting a desired subject component character out of the eligible subject component characters; display control means for storing the desired subject component character, and causing a display portion to display a control symbol representing that the desired subject component character is inputted and an input position for an object component character in such a manner that the input position for an object component character is located immediately after the control symbol; judging means for judging, when a character to be combined with the subject component character is inputted, whether or not the input character is a character allowed to be combined with the subject component character; composing means for p

Abstract: A method for printing an IBIP indicium in an IBIP open metering system includes the steps of obtaining a bit mapped image of a fixed graphic portion of the indicium and drawing a bit mapped image of a variable portion of the indicium using indicium data elements. Then it is determined whether the indicium is to be printed of displayed. If displayed, a bit mapped image of a representative bar code is generated; and a message that indicates the barcode is not valid for printing is applied to the bit mapped image of the representative bar code. The bit mapped image of the indicium can safely be displayed. Whenever an IBIP indicium is being displayed, the whole indicium is shown on the screen with a message, such as "NOT VALID FOR MAILING" superimposed over the PDF bar code area.

Abstract: An image forming device includes output rollers disposed for ejecting media out of the image forming device, and a single solenoid activated bi-directional output drive mechanism connected to the output rollers for bi-directionally driving the output rollers and for enabling a return path back through the output rollers for duplexing of the media. In an alternate embodiment, the image forming device includes substantially all components necessary for duplexing, integrated with the base engine of the image forming device, but excludes the solenoid activated bi-directional output drive mechanism, for providing a non-duplexing system that is optionally and easily upgradeable to a duplexing system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a character information processor having a function by which the user can obtain a character to be inputted by inputting a code corresponding to the character.The character information processor of the present invention includes: code input means through which the code is inputted; and a plurality of code-character conversion tables which are associated with different code systems and each of which contains relationships between codes and their corresponding characters under the code system.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ink jet recording apparatus and a recording method for recording images of high dignity with the amount of ink placed per unit area of a recording medium being always kept constant even if the resolvability when recording is effected changes. When the amount of ink of an ink droplet discharged from a recording head is constant (25 pl), the average number of recorded dots conformity to the resolvability is found on the basis thereof, and the number of recordable dots is found from this average number of dots. The difference between this number of actually recorded dots and the average number of recorded dots is adjusted by reducing the value of recording data in advance.

Abstract: A base sheet path for peeled issue for guiding a base sheet in a direction different from a label issue port after passing a peeling section following the printing by a printing section and a base sheet path for continuous issue for guiding the base sheet to the label issue port with labels printed by the printing section stuck on the base sheet are provided. Two operating modes, namely, the label peeled issue mode in which the base sheet is set to the base sheet path for peeled issue and the label continuous issue mode in which the base sheet is set to the base sheet path for continuous issue are executed selectively. In this case, depending on the result of detection by a base sheet sensor arranged facing the base sheet path for peeled issue for detecting the presence of the base sheet, namely, depending on the setting state of the base sheet, the label peeled issue mode or the label continuous issue mode is recognized automatically for determining the issue mode.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus arranged to be used with a tape holding case. The case holds a first supply of image receiving tape and a second supply of laminating tape. An opening is provided between the first and second tape supplies. A printing mechanism is arranged to print an image onto the image receiving tape as it traverses the opening. A cutting location is provided where the image receiving tape is cut after an image has been printed thereon. The cutting location and printing mechanism lie on opposite sides of the first and second tape supplies.

Abstract: A method of controlling a speed of a print medium through a printer includes the step of providing a print medium transport assembly with a range of print medium transport speeds between a minimum print medium transport speed and a maximum print medium transport speed. A print engine is provided with a print engine speed. The range of print medium transport speeds is divided into subranges of print medium transport speeds. A requested speed is provided to the print medium transport assembly which corresponds to the print engine speed. For each subrange, an acceleration profile control equation, a constant speed control equation, and a deceleration profile control equation is determined. The constant speed control equation is dependent upon the requested speed. One of the subranges of print medium transport speeds is identified which encompasses the requested speed.

Abstract: In a single-pass, multi-head thermal printer, wherein a recording material is transported along a transport path, a mark sensor is disposed in proximity to each of a plurality of thermal heads. The sensors detect positioning marks which are provided on the recording material at constant intervals in the transporting direction. Each time a positioning mark is detected, a timer circuit begins measuring the time that has passed since the last detection of a positioning mark. If the measured time reaches a predetermined jam detection time, an alarm or a warning display is given, and the recording material stops being transported.

Abstract: Each of record information blocks in various modes is divided into predetermined information units each having a head indicator indicating a head of respective one of the predetermined information units. An information recording apparatus, to which the record information blocks are inputted in time sequence for each of the modes, is provided with: an emulation device for emulating the predetermined information units one after another; an indicator memory device for temporarily storing the head indicator in a current information unit, which is one of the predetermined information units and is currently emulated by the emulation device, for a time duration while the current information unit is emulated; an update device for updating the head indicator, each time when an emulation for the current information unit is completed by the emulation device; and an error judgment device for judging whether or not an error is generated during the emulation for the current information unit.

Abstract: A method for processing a digitized continuous tone image so that such processed image is adapted to be applied to an image rendering device which prints dots from a set of two or more possible dot-areas and from a set of colorants having different colorant concentrations is disclosed. The method includes selecting a set of N dot-area and colorant concentration combinations, each of said combinations producing a different integrated optical density value and multilevel halftone processing the digitized continuous tone image to produce an output image having a set of output levels wherein one member of the set of N dot-area and colorant concentration combinations is associated with each of the possible output levels.

Abstract: A print head is disclosed which includes a unitary armature assembly including a thin resilient spring, thick structural members and cores upon which a magnetic flux path can be electrically imposed, such that motion of the armatures is constrained to only the desirable back-and-forth axial movement of an ideal print stroke. Lateral movement of the armatures is prevented, so that armatures wires wear only very slowly, resulting in long and reliable service life. Improved performance for size is obtained by having the magnet plate positioned with the working air gap on the outside and the return pole on the inside, with the armature pivot at the outside periphery of the print head, so that the larger magnet area imparts greater magnetic force, an increased length of the lever arm for the print wire, and enhancement of the print stroke and the printing performance of the device. The wire guide pattern provides bidirectional and orthogonal printing capability. Heat transfer is obtained through a heat sink.

Abstract: A Z-fold print media handling system for printing banners and the like uses an inkjet printing mechanism without a tractor-feed. A series of stuttering stopping and starting steps generates varying static and dynamic frictional forces to separate the first sheet of a Z-fold stack from the remainder of the stack. Both conventional cut-sheet media and Z-fold media are fed using the same printing mechanism, which pulls the media toward a printzone through frictional engagement with a first surface of the media. To prevent printhead crashes and smearing the image near the perforations joining the Z-fold sheets, the printhead to media spacing is increased for Z-fold media over the standard spacing used for cut-sheet media. A cam feature is incorporated into the media drive clutch disk to determine whether an operator has set a selector lever for cut-sheet or Z-fold printhead to media spacing.