Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing head, a controller, an FFC, and a support section. The printing head discharges liquid onto a medium while moving in a primary scan direction so as to print an image on the medium. The controller controls a discharge state of the liquid from the printing head. The FFC electrically connects the printing head and the controller together so as to enable transmission of control signals, and includes a flat portion. The support section supports the flat portion of the flexible flat cable. A portion of the support section that contacts the flat portion is shorter than a width of the flexible flat cable in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the primary scan direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for assisting change-over of take-up rolls in a printing system, especially in a roll-to-roll printing system. The apparatus comprises a guide device for directing or guiding printed sheet output from the printing system along a transport path towards a take-up roll for winding or taking up a length of the printed sheet, and a first clamping device for holding a new leading edge region of the printed sheet formed after the printed sheet is cut to terminate the length of the sheet to be wound or taken up onto the take-up roll. The first clamping device is configured to hold or clamp the new leading edge region of the printed sheet against movement along the transport path towards the take-up roll.

Abstract: A printing machine for use with paper roll stock is disclosed. The print head consists of an expandable cylindrical ring print head where the printing brushes are integrated in a spiral pattern around the ring print head. Ink wells are located outside of the print head, and electromagnets, located outside of the ring print head, attract or repel the print brushes towards or away from the ink wells or paper. The printing machine is ideally suited for advertising or other elongated print media. Due to the use of standard paper roll stock and speed of the printing, signs can be printed on demand and displayed in a real-time basis. Two printing machines can be configured to print on both sides of the paper at the same time with the same or different images being printed on each side.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a carriage for reciprocal movement while carrying a recording head for effecting recording by ejecting ink; a platen for supporting recording material at a position opposed to the recording head; a changing member for changing a distance between the recording head and the platen; a detecting member, provided on the carriage, for detecting recording positional deviation by reading a pattern recorded on a recording material by the recording head; a member to be detected that is movable with an operation of the changing member; and a discriminating unit for discriminating a distance between the recording head and the platen by detecting a state of the member to be detected by the detecting member.

Abstract: A printing mechanism requires ribbon spools to be locked in place radially, and includes a pivoting ribbon tension arm that must be pivoted out of its normal operating position when ribbon is to be replaced. A ribbon spool lock assembly includes a rotating locking hub on the side of the printing mechanism. The rotating locking hub includes a locking feature that protrudes into the printing mechanism to radially lock the ribbon spool when the locking hub is in a locked position. A pivoting lock arm is provided for pivoting the locking hub into an unlocked position in which the locking feature is disengaged from the ribbon spool.

Abstract: A portable printer includes a top cover, a bottom cover, one or more rail units located on the inside surface of the top cover, and a carriage assembly. Media is positionable on the inside surface of the bottom cover. The carriage assembly is movably connected to the rail units, such that the carriage assembly is able to move at least one of horizontally and vertically over the media, and print on substantially any part of the media, wherein the media is capable of being stationary during printing.

Abstract: A print head transport mechanism of a postage meter for printing postal indicia which are of greater height than a printing height of a print head comprises a carriage to traverse the print head in a first direction over a band of a print receiving area and a guide to displace the print head from a home position to an index position during a second traverse of the print head in a reverse direction whereby the print head traverses over a second band, adjacent the first band, of the print receiving area during the second traverse.

Abstract: A portable printer includes a top cover, a bottom cover, one or more rail units located on the inside surface of the top cover, and a carriage assembly. Media is positionable on the inside surface of the bottom cover. The carriage assembly is movably connected to the rail units, such that the carriage assembly is able to move at least one of horizontally and vertically over the media, and print on substantially any part of the media, wherein the media is capable of being stationary during printing.

Abstract: A dot line printer having printing heads of uniform characteristics, and reducing the steps number of adjustment for uniform printing quality. A dot line printer having a printing head assembly includes a plurality of spring-charged type printing heads which are linearly arrayed. The printer comprises a plurality of impact pulse generators for generating impact pulses to be applied to said printing heads; and a plurality of drive circuits, each of which is electrically connected to corresponding said impact pulse generator and to corresponding group of divided printing heads for controlling the driving of the printing heads in response to the impact pulses generated in said impact pulse generators.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for stamping distinguishing marks on the parts moving in the feed direction of a transport device, e.g. a roll line, comprising at least one mark-holder for holding a mark, the mark-holder being removably placed on the circumference of a stamping wheel. The inventive device comprises at least one hopper for the mark-holders. The hopper for the mark-holders and the stamping wheel can be placed relatively to one another, in a position where the mark-holders of the stamping wheel can pass through cavities of the mark-holder hopper, and the mark-holders of the mark-holder hopper can pass directly through cavities of the stamping wheel. A revolver hopper comprising mark-holder pins which can move axially with it is rotatably mounted and has the same axis as the stamping wheel.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved printer and carriage drive mechanism. The carriage motor is mounted at a first side of the printer chassis, and an idler pulley is mounted at a second side of the chassis. The carriage also has a pair of idler pulleys. A single flat smooth belt is attached to the first side of the chassis. From there, it passes over to and around one of the idler pulleys on the carriage, back to and around the motor pulley, across the print zone and around the idler pulley on the second side of the chassis, back to and around the other carriage idler pulley, and then back to the second side of the chassis, where it is attached. The motor is movably attached to the chassis and is tensioned by a spring. This mechanism provides for substantial mechanical advantage over common simple carriage drive mechanisms. A smaller, less expensive motor and a quieter flat smooth belt can be used. The motor is allowed to run at more optimal speeds and expensive ball bearings can be avoided in the motor and pulleys.

Abstract: A glide bearing subsystem is described. The invented bearing subsystem includes an expanse having a non-circularly cross-sectional through hole providing in a first, e.g. an upper, region thereof two arcuately spaced planar contact surfaces providing dual parallel lines of contact with a cylindrical rail upon which the carriage is mounted for reciprocal axial movement. A second, e.g. a lower, region of the hole generally opposite and preferably smoothly joining the first hole region is semicylindrical and of slightly greater diameter than that of the rail, thereby controlling inadvertent lift-off of the carriage during acceleration phases of its reciprocal movement along the rail. Preferably, the carriage has a pair of axially spaced bearings formed in generally planar thin expanses of oil-impregnated bronze, which expanses are made by a sintering process and are insert molded integrally with the printer's carriage.

Abstract: In an impact type printing apparatus, leak of impact noise to outside can be reduced by (1) arranging the print head, platen and sheet exhaust port almost in a line and (2) setting the shape of guide ribs provided at the internal surface of cover having the aperture so that the envelope of guide ribs which has come closest to the platen at the center and periphery thereof of the sheet and is gradually separated from the platen at both ends of the sheet. Moreover, the optimum exhaust port can be selected depending on the type and thickness of sheet by rotation of cover or providing the slide mechanism.

Abstract: A serial printer includes a reciprocably mounted carriage having a printing head, and a generally flat flexible cable extends between the carriage and a drive circuit. A generally flat flexible reinforcing plate comprising a shield electrode is disposed in superimposed relationship to the flexible cable.

Abstract: A structure for mounting a printing head includes a printing head provided with engaging projections, while a carriage which mounts the printing head is formed with engaging grooves engaging with the projections. Engaging surfaces on the grooves and the projections are subject to the reaction by a platen. The carriage has a lock means for preventing separation of the projections from the grooves, the lock means including a leaf spring, a lock lever and support means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for carrying a printing head which comprises, a first guide shaft disposed in parallel with a platen, a second guide shaft disposed in parallel with the first guide shaft, a carriage slidably supported by the first and second guide shafts, a printing head mounted on the carriage so as to be opposite to the platen, and a permanent magnet provided on the carriage so as to be opposite to an outer peripheral surface of the first guide shaft. The magnetic attraction force of the magnet with respect to the first guide shaft is set to be larger than gravity acting onto the printing head and the carriage when the magnet is arranged to be in opposition to a lower side portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first guide shaft, while set to be large enough to prevent the carriage from floating due to printing force of the printing head against the platen when the magnet is arranged to be in opposition to an upper side portion of the outer peripheral surface of the first guide shaft.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which utilizes rolling pressure contact for printing, and includes a plurality of sets of serially arranged character elements mounted for movement on the external surface of a printing drum. Movement of the sets to place a desired character into printing position is accomplished by controlling the speed of a motor driving a pulley connected by cable to a given character set, relative to the speed of a motor driving the printing drum in rotational movement.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is A printing toy in combination with a printing guide. The printer comprises a disk like print dial with rubber indicia projecting therefrom along the outer periphery, a cover, an ink roller, and a foot guard extending from the bottom of the cover to shield the indicia adjacent the one being printed so that only one indicia is printed at a time. The indicia can be of letters or cartoons. The printing guide is used to guide the printer in order to print letters in a straight row to form a word.