Abstract: A doctor blade for use in screen printing includes a head, a base in the form of a lip and at least one elastically deformable member connecting the head and the base. The elastically deformable member is structurally discontinuous on at least one location in the longitudinal direction of the doctor blade extending along a plurality of spaced spring layers. The elastically deformable member is realized from a plurality of elastically deformable wires which are arranged in spirals or in undulations or from a cut-out sheet so as to form a double comb the stiffness of which is controlled by the transverse dimension of the windings, undulations, or cut-outs, or the characteristics of the constituent material, and the spacing between the teeth of the comb.

Abstract: A stroke based method for printing for use in a continuous ink jet printer. A set number of drops are assigned to a stroke, but the number of positions which can be printed on a stroke is greater than the number of drops on the stroke. This allows improved fonts at the same print speed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paper tray for an imaging device that includes both device for holding paper prior to printing thereon, and device for receiving paper exiting from the printer. In this way a single paper tray can both supply to and receive paper from the printer, and therefore it is only necessary to provide access to one side of the printer in which the tray is inserted. The printer may therefore be incorporated as part of a stack of other electrical/electronic items such as audio-visual equipment.

Abstract: Two ink rolls in a flexographic printing machine are disclosed with a pivoted connection of the ink roll mounting elements such that one or other of the ink rolls may be engaged with the print cylinder.

Abstract: A printer with media supply spool adapted to sense type of media, and method of assembling same. A supply spool to be loaded into the printer is adapted to allow the printer to sense type of a media ribbon thereon. The supply spool comprises a shaft having a supply of media ribbon wound thereabout. A transceiver unit is disposed proximate the shaft. The transceiver is capable of transmitting a first electromagnetic field and sensing a second electromagnetic field. A transponder including a semi-conductor chip is integrally connected to the shaft and has encoded data previously stored therein indicative of the type of media ribbon. The chip is capable of receiving the first electromagnetic field to power the chip and then generating the second electromagnetic field as the chip is powered. The second electromagnetic field is characteristic of the data previously stored in the chip. The transceiver unit senses the second electromagnetic field, which second electromagnetic field has the data subsumed in the chip.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printer comprising a paper guide surface (11D) defining a printing region. A print head (8) is disposed opposite to the paper guide surface (11D) with a gap in between and adapted to move in parallel to the paper guide surface (11D) along the printing region (11) and beyond the printing region (11) into a retracted position (11C). A paper guide guides recording paper (5) to the printing region (11) and exposing it to the print head (8) in the printing region. The paper guide includes a guide plate (31) movable between a first position in which it is disposed opposite to the paper guide surface (11D) so as to guide recording paper (5) past the printing region (11), and a second position in which it is retracted from the printing region. A first pair of rollers is switchable between a closed state engaging each other for transporting the recording paper (5) to the printing region (11), and an open state separated from each other.

Abstract: System for applying a pumpable substance (printing liquid) to running material webs, comprising a chambered doctor blade casing provided with a space for pumpable substance; an inlet and an outlet for pumpable substance; and at least two doctor blades detachably mounted on the chambered doctor blade casing, which blades bound an opening which, in operation, faces the outer circumference of a roller and which extends over the length of the chambered doctor blade casing, and the chambered doctor blade casing being sealed at its end faces by detachable seals.

Abstract: A printer device for printing on a strip medium, the device comprising a body (1), a carriage (5) movable in translation along a guide (2) secured to the body (1) and carrying a pivoting print head (7), and resilient means (9) disposed between the carriage (5) and the print head (7), a cover carrying a platen and pivotally connected to the body (1) to pivot between an open position and a closed position in which the print head (7) is held pressed against the platen by the resilient means (9), a locking member carried by the body (1) in retractable manner between a first position in which it co-operates with an abutment secured to the cover and a second position in which it escapes from the abutment, the locking member (17) being secured to a lever (19) hinged to the body (1), the lever (19) having an end that co-operates with the print head in such a manner that during the movement of the locking member (17) between its first and second positions, the end of the lever (19) causes the print head (7) to pivot a

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ink ribbon positioning system of a color printer for identifying a position of a color ink ribbon of the color printer. The ink ribbon is windingly installed inside an ink ribbon box comprising a plurality of dye blocks. Each of the dye blocks comprises a plurality of transparent color frames, and the color frames are used for storing different color dyes. The ink ribbon positioning system comprises a light source installed at one side of the ink ribbon for emitting a color light beam through the ink ribbon, an optical sensor for detecting the light beam and generating a corresponding output voltage, and an identification device for identifying positions of a dye block of the ink ribbon and color frames inside the dye block according to output voltages generated by the optical sensor and generating corresponding position signals. The color printer further comprises a thermal print head and a control circuit.

Abstract: A paper discharging apparatus comprising a printing means to perform a predetermined printing on a paper, a cutting means to cut the printed paper at a predetermined length, a paper discharging means to discharge the printed and cut paper through a paper discharging route and a paper outlet, a paper detecting means provided at the paper discharging route to detect the paper, a paper collection part provided between the cutting means and the paper discharging means, and a retry means, to recognize an occurrence of paper jam when the paper is not detected by the paper detecting means in spite of completion of the printing and cutting, to return the paper in a direction opposite to the paper discharging direction and to execute a paper reissue operation, thereby the returned paper being pushed by a reissued paper to be collected in the paper collection part.

Abstract: Apparatus for randomly marking a game card comprises an array of marking means (46, 48) independently moveable within respective apertures (40) from a stowed position to a deployed position to mark a game card, a plurality of balls (62), the number of which is less than the number of marking means, each ball being capable of entering wholly a randomly selected one of the apertures, and means (64) for engaging each ball when located in its respective aperture to move its related marking means from the stowed position to the deployed position.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an inker roll, a plate cylinder and an impression cylinder mounted for rotation about parallel axes. The inker roll is selectively displaced into engagement and disengagement with the plate cylinder to transfer ink to the plate cylinder and to a substrate about the impression cylinder. The inker roll is moved to transfer ink only during printing cycles and is out of engagement with the plate cylinder during non-printing cycles. A doctor blade engages the inker roll along a diameter thereof passing through the pivotal axis of the inker roll and its axis of rotation and on the side of the axis of rotation remote from its pivotal axis.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding control are described for the start-up of production printing in a sheet-processing printing machine, in particular, a sheet-fed offset printing machine, in which ink is supplied via a vibrating roller which is movable back and forth between an ink fountain roller and a ink distribution roller wherein clearance is given for the entry into the machine of a first sheet to be printed as a function of the state of movement of the vibrating roller. When production printing is resumed, the state of movement of the vibrating roller for clearance for the sheet entry is selected from a memory as a function of the state of movement of the vibrating roller during entry of a last sheet into the machine before the commencement of the print interruption.

Abstract: A method and a device for starting a machine, in particular, a printing press, using a sensor or sensor field which emits a start signal during the approach of a part of the body of a machine operator. According to the method, the machine is automatically started if the start signal appears twice consecutively and if the following additional conditions, automatically checked by a machine controller, are met: No start signal is present within a first predefined time period following the instant of the first appearance of the start signal in a predefined time interval, and the start signal reappears within a second predefined time period following the first predefined time period. The device includes a proximity- or touch-sensitive operating surface, which has a first partial surface having the function of a machine starter and second partial surface, which blocks the function of the first partial surface for a predefined period of time in response to proximity or contact.

Abstract: A frame structure of a printing apparatus is provided with a main frame having a developer unit and a paper supply and output unit, a subframe installed in the main frame, having a printing unit, and a damping member installed between the main frame and the subframe, for absorbing vibration which would otherwise be transferred from the main frame to the subframe. Thus, the damping member can prevent the vibration generated by the developer unit or the paper supply and output unit from being transferred to the printing unit.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a keyboard where the keys are raised up from a retracted position upon the initialization of usage of the keyboard. An embedded airbag mechanism is self-inflatable to raise keys to the normal operating heights. The keys will be retracted when the airbag is deflated. The rising and retracting of the keys can also be controlled by hinge-like structure. The close and open of the cover of a laptop computer will activate the mechanism to raise and retract the keys on the keyboard.

Abstract: A printing device with a sorter is provided having a plurality of bins, capable of enhancing the practicality of a configuration where a plurality of bins are used for both a mail printing and a sort printing. According to the printing device, when, in a sort printing which is instructed by a certain user, it is required to use bins which are allocated to other users for the sake of a mail printing, an inquiry whether the bins are available or not is issued of the other users in advance to the sort printing. Only when the use of the bins is not refused, are the bins selected as discharge destinations.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus is provided. Document data including character data, line feed data and division break-inserting data is input. An editing document formed of the document data is displayed. A position within the editing document is designated. A selected one of registered documents stored is called and inserted into the editing document as document data forming a new division of the editing document, at a predetermined one of a forward position immediately before a desired division within the editing document and a backward position immediately after the desired division, the desired division containing the designated position.

Abstract: A tube-shaped stub (5) of an end piece (2) is inserted into ribbon tube core (1). The stub (5) has, adjacent to its free end, hook-like projections (11). This achieves secure anchoring of the end piece (2) in the core (1), even under changing climatic conditions.

Abstract: A method of forming a high-quality image on an elongated recording medium, such as a roll of paper sheet. When an image includes a character which stretches between two print regions, a blank line portion of the image is detected. When image forming operation is performed for forming a portion of the image up to the blank line, sheet feed operations are performed. Then, image forming operation for a remaining portion of the image is performed. Because the sheet feed operation will not be performed in the middle of printing of such image, undesirable broken line or gap will not be formed on the printed image.