Patents by Inventor Steven Roland Brace

Steven Roland Brace has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6709087
    Abstract: A printing device, in particular a franking machine, has a print head that can be moved along a first direction into a first longitudinal position, and a station that cooperates with the print head in the first longitudinal position. The print head is cleaned and/or maintained and/or retained and preserved at the station. The print head is designed and/or arranged to move toward the station in a second direction that extends transversely with respect to the first direction in order to cooperate with the station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Francotyp Postalia AG & Co.
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Patent number: 6692166
    Abstract: The franking machine has a clamping device which can be driven via a drive device and which securely clamps an item of mail to be franked against a stop element. The clamping device has a clamping unit, which is provided for interacting with the item of mail, and a gearing device which is connected to the clamping unit and the drive device. The gearing device displaces the clamping unit in the direction of the stop element. The clamping unit and/or the gearing device have at least one compensation section which is configured elastically such that, in the case of a predetermined drive displacement of the drive device, compensation for different thicknesses of the item of mail is provided by elastic deformation of the compensation section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Patent number: 6669383
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, particularly, a franking machine, with a movable printing-head guide includes a base, a guide connected to the base, a printing head, and an offsetting device. The guide moves the head, during printing, between first and second longitudinal positions in a given direction with respect to the base to effect a relative movement between the head and a print medium. The offsetting device prints images offset to one another transverse to the given direction and overlapping one another at most in an edge region of the images. The offsetting device is connected to the head and offsets the head relative to the base from a first transverse position into at least one second transverse position spaced from the first transverse position in a direction transverse to the given direction. The offsetting device is connected to the guide. A corresponding printing method, particularly, a franking impression is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Patent number: 6623189
    Abstract: A printing device is described that has a print head held displaceably on a print-head holder. To achieve a relative movement between the print head and a medium to be printed, the print-head holder is configured such that during printing it can be moved in a first line with respect to a base element, between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position. An offsetting device is provided which permits a printing of images offset from one another transversely with respect to an imaginary line and which is configured to offset the print head relative to the print-head holder from a first transverse position into at least a second transverse position spaced apart from the first transverse position, transversely with respect to the imaginary line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Patent number: 6579019
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, in particular, a franking machine, includes a base, a printing-head mounting moveably connected thereto, and printing head displaceably connected to the mounting. The mounting moves, during printing, between first and second longitudinal positions in a given direction with respect to the base to effect a relative movement between the printing head and a printing medium. An offsetting device for printing images offset to one another transverse to the given direction is included and is configured to offset the printing head relative to the mounting from a first transverse position into at least one second transverse position spaced from the first transverse position in a direction transverse to the given direction. A holder for holding the printing head in at least one of the first and second transverse positions during printing is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia AG & Co.
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Publication number: 20020135633
    Abstract: A printing device, in particular a franking machine, has a print head that can be moved along a first direction into a first longitudinal position, and a station that cooperates with the print head in the first longitudinal position. The print head is cleaned and/or maintained and/or retained and preserved at the station. The print head is designed and/or arranged to move toward the station in a second direction that extends transversely with respect to the first direction in order to cooperate with the station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Publication number: 20020136580
    Abstract: The franking machine has a clamping device which can be driven via a drive device and which securely clamps an item of mail to be franked against a stop element. The clamping device has a clamping unit, which is provided for interacting with the item of mail, and a gearing device which is connected to the clamping unit and the drive device. The gearing device displaces the clamping unit in the direction of the stop element. The clamping unit and/or the gearing device have at least one compensation section which is configured elastically such that, in the case of a predetermined drive displacement of the drive device, compensation for different thicknesses of the item of mail is provided by elastic deformation of the compensation section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Publication number: 20010053302
    Abstract: A printing device is described that has a print head held displaceably on a print-head holder. To achieve a relative movement between the print head and a medium to be printed, the print-head holder is configured such that during printing it can be moved in a first line with respect to a base element, between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position. An offsetting device is provided which permits a printing of images offset from one another transversely with respect to an imaginary line and which is configured to offset the print head relative to the print-head holder from a first transverse position into at least a second transverse position spaced apart from the first transverse position, transversely with respect to the imaginary line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Publication number: 20010041085
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, in particular, a franking machine, includes a base, a printing-head mounting moveably connected thereto, and printing head displaceably connected to the mounting. The mounting moves, during printing, between first and second longitudinal positions in a given direction with respect to the base to effect a relative movement between the printing head and a printing medium. An offsetting device for printing images offset to one another transverse to the given direction is included and is configured to offset the printing head relative to the mounting from a first transverse position into at least one second transverse position spaced from the first transverse position in a direction transverse to the given direction. A holder for holding the printing head in at least one of the first and second transverse positions during printing is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace
  • Publication number: 20010038765
    Abstract: A printing apparatus, particularly, a franking machine, with a movable printing-head guide includes a base, a guide connected to the base, a printing head, and an offsetting device. The guide moves the head, during printing, between first and second longitudinal positions in a given direction with respect to the base to effect a relative movement between the head and a print medium. The offsetting device prints images offset to one another transverse to the given direction and overlapping one another at most in an edge region of the images. The offsetting device is connected to the head and offsets the head relative to the base from a first transverse position into at least one second transverse position spaced from the first transverse position in a direction transverse to the given direction. The offsetting device is connected to the guide. A corresponding printing method, particularly, a franking impression is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 8, 2001
    Inventors: Iain Ansell, Steven Roland Brace