Abstract: An ink-jet printing device according to the present invention includes: first and second nozzles each configured to discharge ink droplets onto a recording medium being conveyed; a calculation unit to calculate a landing position difference on the recording medium being conveyed at a conveyance speed based on first and second conveyance speeds and first and second landing position differences; and a timing control unit to control each of timings of ink droplet discharge from the first and second nozzles based on the landing position difference calculated by the calculation unit. This configuration allows appropriate correction of variance in the landing positions of ink droplets discharged from the nozzles.

Abstract: It aims to provide an inkjet printer and a printing method that appropriately performs printing with high accuracy on print objects having various shapes. As a solution therefor, an inkjet printer is configured to perform printing using an inkjet scheme on a print object and includes an inkjet head that discharges ink droplets, a guide rail that retains the inkjet head by making the inkjet head face the print object and that is a Y direction extending member extending in a predeterminedly set Y direction, and an X direction driving section that moves the guide rail in an X direction and upon printing, the inkjet head moves along the guide rail and discharges ink droplets toward the print object, and the X direction driving section includes a ball screw and moves the guide rail in the X direction in accordance with a rotation amount of the ball screw.

Abstract: A downsized recording apparatus capable of housing inside a holding member that holds a disc recording medium so as to convey the disc recording medium. The recording apparatus includes a conveyance unit that conveys a sheet; a recording unit that performs recording on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit; a duplex conveyance path that guides the sheet having recording performed on a first side thereof by the recording unit and reverses the sheet before guiding the sheet to the conveyance unit so that recording is performed on a second side of the sheet having recording performed on the first side thereof, the second side being opposite the first side; a holding-member-housing portion provided at a position enclosed by the duplex conveyance path, the portion housing a holding member that holds a disc recording medium; and a moving unit that moves the holding member to the conveyance unit so that the holding member is conveyed by the conveyance unit.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing apparatus having a label printer for printing labels on an optical disk and a method for printing labels on an optical disk. The optical recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical disk drive unit recording and reproducing information on a recording surface of an optical disk, a label printer module printing labels on a label surface of the optical disk using thermal transfer, and a controller controlling a label printing operation of the optical disk drive unit and the label printer module, wherein the label printer module includes a ribbon cartridge in which a thermal transfer ribbon to which dyes are attached is wound and which is disposed to face the label surface of the optical disk mounted in the optical disk drive unit, and a thermal printhead transferring the dyes attached to the thermal transfer ribbon onto the label surface of the optical disk using thermal transfer.

Abstract: A digital printer is provided with an automated printing sheet transport system, operating in an intermittent manner of feeding a printing sheet to the digital printer, halting the transport to allow printing onto the printing sheet while the printing sheet is maintained in a fixed position, and removing the printed sheet from the digital printer after printing. The digital printer may be combined with a screen print station, both operating on top of a single printing sheet transport system, to form an integrated multifunctional and hybrid printing press.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing apparatus having a label printer for printing labels on an optical disk and a method for printing labels on an optical disk. The optical recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical disk drive unit recording and reproducing information on a recording surface of an optical disk, a label printer module printing labels on a label surface of the optical disk using thermal transfer, and a controller controlling a label printing operation of the optical disk drive unit and the label printer module, wherein the label printer module includes a ribbon cartridge in which a thermal transfer ribbon to which dyes are attached is wound and which is disposed to face the label surface of the optical disk mounted in the optical disk drive unit, and a thermal printhead transferring the dyes attached to the thermal transfer ribbon onto the label surface of the optical disk using thermal transfer.

Abstract: A printer includes a supporting device, a cantilevered first guide arm, a second guide arm, and a printer head. The supporting device is configured to support a material to be printed. The cantilevered first guide arm has a longitudinal direction. The second guide arm is connected to the first guide arm to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the first guide. The second guide arm extends along a lateral direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The printer head is configured to print on the material supported by the supporting device and provided on the second guide arm to be movable along the lateral direction.

Abstract: A medium supporting member, which is used in an image forming apparatus, includes: a plurality of ribs that support a recording medium; and an irradiation target portion that has a flat and smooth surface which is irradiated with a light by a light emitting unit of the image forming apparatus, wherein: a reflected light of the light emitted by the light emitting unit is detected by a light receiving unit of the image forming apparatus, and a presence or absence of the recording medium in the irradiation target portion is detected based on a quantity of the reflected light; and a distance between the irradiation target portion and the recording medium is increased in a direction from the light receiving unit to the light emitting unit.

Abstract: A printer includes a housing in which a pair of guide rails is mounted. A print media tray is arranged to move along the guide rails within the housing. A motor assembly is configured to move the print media tray along the guide rails so that the print media tray can be ejected and retracted relative to the housing. A print engine is mounted within the print media tray and includes an ink ejection printhead in fluid communication with a replaceable ink cartridge. The ink cartridge can be accessed when the print media tray is ejected.

Abstract: Various embodiments and methods are disclosed relating to one or more media guides configured to guide a surface being printed upon relative to a manually moved print device.

Abstract: A printing table for a flatbed printing machine, for example, a large format digital flatbed printing machine, has a printing table base and a printing table plate disposed on the printing table base. The printing table base is connected by several connecting elements to the printing table plate. The connecting elements permit movement of the printing table plate relative to the printing table base, in particular movement caused by thermal expansion, only in a direction parallel to the printing table surface and only proceeding from a certain area of the printing table plate, the area having a point or line form and being fixed relative to the printing table base.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is advantageous in miniaturization even though a mechanism for adjusting a head gap is included. The recording apparatus includes a carriage for detachably holding a cartridge, a platen for supporting one surface of a recording medium, and a conveying roller and an eject roller for conveying the recording medium. The platen is constructed so that it is rockable with an axis of the eject roller as a rotation center and is switchable between at least two positions.

Abstract: There are provided a sucking unit having a recording medium transportation surface including a plurality of sucking holes, a decompression chamber communicating with the sucking holes and a sucking device for sucking air in the decompression chamber, and a delivering device for sucking a recording medium supplied onto the recording medium transportation surface of the sucking unit onto the recording medium transportation surface through the sucking hole by the sucking device, and delivering the recording medium from an upstream side of the sucking unit to a downstream side thereof. Each sucking hole of the sucking unit is formed by a through hole section communicating with the decompression chamber and a sucking chamber having a larger area of a sucking surface opposed to the recording medium than a sectional area of the through hole section.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for processing traffic tickets is provided. In one embodiment, a department of motor vehicle (DMV) server receives, from a portable law enforcement data processing system via a network, citation data and stores the citation data. The DMV server then determines and notifies a court of jurisdiction of the citation data and receives, via the network, instructions from a client representing an accused about how the accused would like to proceed with the case. Based on the instructions received on behalf of the client, the DMV server modifies the citation data.

Abstract: A hand-operated printer includes a body. A printhead is mounted to the body. A display device is mounted to the body, and a user interface is communicatively coupled to the display device. The user interface provides a user input to the display device that is based on movement of the hand-operated printer.

Abstract: There is provided an inkjet printing device, which is provided with a holding unit that is used to hold a substrate to be subjected to printing operation, and an inkjet head that ejects ink onto the substrate held by the holding unit. The holding unit is movable between a first posture which allows the inkjet head to eject the ink onto the substrate held by the holding unit and a second posture in which the substrate is loaded onto the holding unit.

Abstract: There are provided a suction unit which sucks a recording medium, and a unit which changes sucking force of the suction unit according to the property of the recording medium. Hereby, since the sucking force of the suction unit can be set according to a state of the recording medium. Therefore, for example, even if the recording medium is greatly curled, since its recording medium can be surely sucked on the transporting surface of the recording medium by the suction unit. Further, even if the recording medium has little rigidity and is thin, it is possible to prevent the recording medium from being stuck on the transporting surface of the recording medium by the suction unit.

Abstract: A transferring tray for a printing apparatus for printing on one major surface of a recording media having disc shape, wherein the printing apparatus includes, a carriage having a printing head, reciprocating in a main scanning direction, a transferring unit transferring the recording media in a sub scanning direction, a detecting unit detecting the recording media being transferred by the transferring unit, and a recording unit printing on the one major surface of the recording media, the transferring tray including: a tray body having a rectangular plate shape made of a material which is not detected by the detecting unit; a detected portion formed on either one of two major surfaces of the tray body, being detectable by the detecting unit; and a mounting portion having a mounting recess such that the one major surface of the recording media comes up to substantially same level as one of the major surfaces of the tray body when the recording media is mounted on the transferring tray.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus and method for image transfer onto one of a plurality of a pad medium pages while the pages are aggregated together. A preferred embodiment for a printer includes a housing; a print engine, within the housing, for transferring an image to a transfer medium when the transfer medium is located at a print position; and a transfer medium registration system, coupled to the print engine, for positioning a pad including a plurality of transfer media releasably secured to one another, wherein the print registration system locates one of the transfer media at the print position. The method including positioning a pad at a print position of a print transfer engine, the pad including a plurality of transfer media releasably secured to one another; and transferring an image to one of the transfer media positioned at the print position.

Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus and method for image transfer onto one of a plurality of a pad medium pages while the pages are aggregated together. A preferred embodiment for a printer includes a housing; a print engine, within the housing, for transferring an image to a transfer medium when the transfer medium is located at a print position; and a transfer medium registration system, coupled to the print engine, for positioning a pad including a plurality of transfer media releasably secured to one another, wherein the print registration system locates one of the transfer media at the print position. The method including positioning a pad at a print position of a print transfer engine, the pad including a plurality of transfer media releasably secured to one another; and transferring an image to one of the transfer media positioned at the print position.

Abstract: A printing system that includes a web guide having a preprinting section which guides a substrate into the printing system, and a postprinting section which maintains tension in the substrate as the substrate moves through the printing system. A printing section is positioned between the preprinting section and the postprinting section. The printing section includes a removable platen to provide a gap in the printing section to prevent excess ink which is deposited onto the substrate from accumulating underneath the substrate.

Abstract: Accurate advance of a media sheet is achieved by carrying the media sheet on a belt loop. An upstream pinch roller holds the media sheet to the belt upstream of the print zone. A downstream pinch roller holds the media sheet to the belt downstream of the print zone. A guide shim extends along the media path from a position upstream of the upstream pinch roller, passed the upstream pinch roller toward the print zone. The guide shim advances with the bottom edge of the media sheet into the print zone to stabilize the trailing edge so as to allow for a smaller minimum bottom margin.

Abstract: A ticket issuing system for facilitating processing and printing of citations. The ticket issuing system includes a housing being designed for being held in a hand of a user. An information assembly is positioned in the housing. The information assembly is designed for gathering information about a vehicle and the violation. A printing assembly designed for printing the citation to be issued to the motorist. The printing assembly is operationally coupled to the information assembly whereby the printing assembly gathers information from the information assembly to print the citation.

Abstract: A disk adapter A is equipped with first and second adapter halves 1 and 2 to be detachably disposed in a disk-placing dented portion 54 provided in a disk tray 53 of a label printer 51. One of the adapter halves 1 and 2 is movable relative to the other thereof in accordance with a movement of a disk pushing member 55 provided in the disk tray 53. When the disk tray 53 is inserted into a printer main body 52, the aforementioned one of the adapter halves is moved in a direction that the one of the adapter halves approaches the other thereof by the disk pushing member 55, whereby the optical disk D is held by and between both the adapter halves 1 and 2.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer having a print head and a media support platform in the form of a removable tray that is displaced relative to the print head, the media support platform having a rigid support surface for a media item having a non-rectangular configuration such as a compact disk, the support platform having a mask with a cutout substantially in the shape of the non-rectangular disk, the mask and media item combining to form a contact surface for the print head to uniformly distribute a constant force of the print head in a uniform pressure across the mask and media item during printing, the mask providing, in addition, a holding apparatus for the media item which is contacted by a displaceable retainer urging the media item against the edge of the mask with the print head avoiding contact with the retainer on the printing area, the printer having a mechanism to displace the retainer and sense whether a media item is properly placed in the cutout and retained by the retaining apparatus, and the prin

Abstract: A printer is arranged to be self propelled for movement on a surface of a sheet on which printing is to take place. The printer is independently driven, while the sheet is held stationary, and does not have to be fed the sheet. The sheet can be oriented in a home position and indexed relative to a frame carrying the printer so that the printhead on the printer will print a line at a time perpendicular to the direction of travel of the frame.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus which can make a correction such that paper will not be fed in a tilted state without a need for any special mechanism. A moving mechanism C1 is driven to move a printing head 41 toward a platen and to urge the printing head against paper, and gap adjusting means C2 is driven using said position as a reference to space the printing head from the platen a predetermined amount, thereby adjusting a gap between the printing head and the platen. The direction and amount of a tilt of the paper are detected based on signals output by paper detecting sensors E when the paper is fed. When said amount of the tilt exceeds a predetermined range, head driving means A and the moving mechanism C1 are driven to sandwich an edge of the paper in the direction of the width thereof between the printing head and the platen, and the sandwiched state is adjusted by the gap adjusting means C2.

Abstract: A vacuum holddown device for a hardcopy apparatus, comprising a printing platen with a pattern of through holes and an underlying vacuum chamber, further comprises a member located therebetween and having a substantially similar pattern of through holes, the member being moveable to align the pattern of holes or not so as to respectively interconnect or disconnect the holes in the printing platen and the vacuum chamber. The member may itself define a secondary chamber with which the holes in the printing platen are in communication when not in communication with the vacuum chamber.

Abstract: Heat is uniformly conducted to print media in an ink-jet printer in conjunction with the uniform application of vacuum pressure to the media for supporting the media as it is conveyed on a heated belt through the printer. The heat is applied to the media by conduction, in a manner that does not overheat the print head of the printer nor interfere with the trajectory of the droplets expelled from the print head. The heat is applied to the media in the print zone as well as regions on either side of the print zone where the media enters and exits the print zone. The amount of heat applied to each of these regions is independently controlled, and can be related to the physical characteristics of the particular type of print media or inks that are used.

Abstract: A dual-mode printer for printing on both flexible and rigid substrates includes a table providing a substantially planar support surface for supporting a substrate. A flexible-substrate feed system is configured to feed a flexible substrate in a given feed direction across the support surface. The printer has a print head configured for depositing a printing medium on a substrate as part of a printing process. A motion system is configured to generate relative displacement between the print head and the support surface in at least a first direction parallel to the feed direction. This combination of components allows the printer to be used in a flexible-substrate mode in which relative displacement between the substrate and the print head is generated at least in part by the flexible-substrate feed system and in a rigid-substrate mode in which relative displacement between the substrate and the print head is generated exclusively by the motion system.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a ball roller assembly for driving a paper-supporting platen along the width and length of the paper supported by the platen. A stepper motor activates the ball roller assemblies in response to drive signals from a motor driver. A first printhead includes a first array of inkjet nozzles which are in fluid communication with an ink supply and which fire in response to drive signals from a printhead driver. A microprocessor is provided to coordinate x and y axis movement of the paper with the firing of the first array of inkjet nozzles to print a predetermined pattern. In one embodiment, the ink supply includes a second print-mode ink supply in fluid communication with a second array of inkjet nozzles on the first printhead and a first print-mode ink supply in fluid communication with the first array of nozzles.

Abstract: A printer and method of printing on a substrate such a binder strip used for binding a stack of sheets. A platen provides support for the strip, with the strip being supported on the platen at opposite ends by strip supports. A print head mechanism is mounted adjacent the platen so that the mechanism can move relative to the platen. A ribbon having ink is disposed intermediate the print head mechanism and the platen, with a print head controller being provided which causes the print head mechanism to print the desired matter on the substrate.

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a plastic platen and a structural member extending upward from the base of the printer. The printing surface is supported by the upper surface of the structural member. This surface is held flat to within very tight tolerances. The bottom of the platen printing surface is retained against this surface so that it conforms to the shape of this surface structural member to create a substantially flat printing surface.

Abstract: A printing system having a mechanism for fixing a large scale recording medium in a vertical orientation on an electrostatically adsorption plate provided on a base. The fixing mechanism includes a main holding unit provided on the base, a supplementary holding unit detachably fixed on the main holding unit, and a fixing unit for fixing the supplementary holding unit to the main fixing unit. The supplementary holding unit is first detached from the main fixing unit, and is placed on a tabletop. With this posture, a recording medium is fixed to the supplementary holding unit. Then, the supplementary holding unit holding the recording unit is fixed to the main holding unit. In the fixing operation, the fixing unit automatically changes a held fashion of the recording medium from by the supplementary holding unit to by the main holding unit.

Abstract: A self-adjusting printing assembly for accommodating generally planar media of differing thickness comprising a printing head for placement of indicia on said media, a guide assembly positioned adjacent said printing head for guiding said media to said printing head. The guide assembly includes a planar platen for continuously supporting one surface of said planar media and a planar shield member fixedly supported with respect to said platen for continuously supporting said surface of said planar media. The assembly also includes means for movably mounting said platen with respect to said shield for movement in a direction toward and away from said planar shield while maintaining said planar platen generally parallel to said shield for accommodating said media of differing thickness, and a drive means for urging said media through said guide assembly and towards said printing head.

Abstract: A printer with paper stacker activation. A platen is mounted on the drive roller for both rotation and translation. When fully to the right end of its travel, the platen is engaged with rotation stops which position the platen a fixed distance from the print cartridge, and disengaged from the roller, which can rotate for paper advancement during printing. When translated to the left, the platen is disengaged from the rotation stops and allowed to rotate. A clockwise rotation of the drive roller brings a roller shoulder into contact with a platen tab, urging the platen downwardly, clearing the way for the paper to fall into the output tray. Platen translation from right to left is driven by the carriage. A flag and a key are mounted on the roller, and engage the platen by the pen carriage. The key has a friction pinch on the roller, such that a torque is produced when the roller turns. The flag is adjacent the key, and the torque produced by the key urges rotation of the flag.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for guiding a document in a document-processing unit, in particular a printer with a document-transporting channel. For dependable guiding of the leading edge of even arched or creased documents into the transporting channel, the document is moved to such an extent in the direction of the transporting channel that a flat document protrudes by a small amount into the transporting channel. A creased or arched document can be supported by its leading edge against the channel edge. By subsequent brushing-over movements of document-directing devices attached to the printing slide, the document is forced behind the channel edge.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing traffic citations or the like. An impact printer is supplied which prints with a print head onto an approximately 3.25" wide paper strips and senses the movement of the paper through the printer. A plate is provided to guide paper over the print head. The sensors are removed from the printer. The plate is widened with by attaching material along the plates side to accommodate 4.5" paper. The material is shaped to prevent the paper from squirreling.

Abstract: An accounting book automatic entering device, by which, when it is used for business processing in an accounting system, linked with an output device of a computer, trade data can be recorded in lines directly succeeding the last line of the preceding recording also on the rear side of book sheets of all the relating books and they can be conserved in the form of books after recording only by inputting one assortment so that they can be accessed at any time. A book holding shelf driving device locates a shelf of a book holding shelf corresponding to a shelf code, based on the shelf code in positional data stored in a memory device and an entry page selecting device driving section drives an entry page selecting device so as to select a specified book to fix it by means of a book selecting mechanism, to open the book at a target page by means of a page turning mechanism and for a printer to record output data on that page.

Abstract: A dot printer includes: a platen and a printing head encased in a printer case in the vertical direction; a paper housing portion provided laterally of the platen; a feed roller disposed laterally of the printing head for feeding a paper taken out of a paper housing portion to the printing head; and a discharge roller disposed laterally of the printing head for discharging the paper outside of the case. With this construction, the printer can be made thin and can also be miniaturized.

Abstract: A pocket sized, electric powered bar code printer has a slot for receiving an envelope or label, interchangeably. The slot and an end stop thereof are situated so as to enable the user to easily locate the label or the lower left corner of the envelope relative to a mechanical and/or thermographic printer which is used to impart thereto the bar code used by the U.S. Post Office. A numeric keypad allows the desired postal zip code to be input to the device, and these numbers are displayed on an LCD screen, as they are entered, for review by the user prior to printing. A "clear entry" key allows the user to make needed corrections, after which depression of a "print" key initiates printing of a bar code which corresponds to the entered numbers. As long as the power is not interrupted and there is no change to the display, subsequent pieces of mail may be printed with the same code by just depressing the print key once the items are properly located in the slot.

Abstract: A printing machine comprises a frame for supporting a pair of roller shafts spaced apart at a predetermined distance from each other and, a flat platen disposed between the roller shafts. An endless sheet-feeding belt made of an elastic material is stretched between the roller shafts. The sheet-feeding belt has an inner surface sliding on the flat platen by rotation of the roller shafts and an outer surface having such a high frictional coefficient that allows a sheet on the outer surface to be fed together with the sheet-feeding belt. A pair of pinch rollers hold the sheet in cooperation with the outer surface of the sheet-feeding belt at the roller shafts, for feeding the sheet. A printing head is opposed to the outer surface of the sheet-feeding belt at the flat platen.

Abstract: A manual printer has a casing of a shape suitable for mounting on a table, a guide rail installed in the casing, a guide member movably connected to the guide rail, a base supported on the cursor and projecting outwardly through a front opening of the casing, a printing head attached to the base, a controller contained in the casing, a switch panel installed in the casing, a display secured to the casing so as to display printing data, and an ink ribbon cassette arranged in the base. In a printing operation, an operator inputs the printing data to the memory of the controller and the base is moved by hand along the guide rail in order to have the printing head print words and the like onto paper sheets.

Abstract: The elements of a printing mechanism, including a platen, print head and drive motors, are constructed and arranged to provide a clearance permitting an envelope to remain entirely in a flat condition in a plane tangent to the platen at the location of the printing line while the envelope is being printed by the print head. The housing of the printing mechanism is constructed with specially configured slots. First and second opposite end walls of the housing, and a third wall, extending from one end wall to the other, provide at least partial coverage of the print head and platen. The third wall has a slot extending from one end wall to the other, the slot being arranged to receive an envelope and to allow the envelope to be inserted in a flat condition between the print head and the platen. The end walls have parallel slots, meeting and continuous with the slot of the third wall.

Abstract: A document processing printing apparatus such as a word processor has a main body constituted by a box-like frame. The frame includes a top surface serving as a flat paper supply guide surface. A print output unit included in the frame has at least one pair of rollers for transferring a recording paper along and on the paper supply guide surface and includes a flat platen, and a printing head.

Abstract: A portable device for storing information as well as printing and dispensing multiple part tickets, such as traffic or parking violations tickets, includes a manually operable arrangement, for selecting and feeding a ticket from a stacked source of ticket stock, thus significantly reducing the energy requirements for operability and permitting portable usage of the device.

Abstract: A printer wherein when in printing, a platen and a head are opposedly disposed by a carriage, said printer comprising a bottom plate on which said platen or said head is disposed, and a body hinged to said bottom plate and designed to include said carriage, said body and said bottom plate being relatively rotated.

Abstract: A printer characterized in that a paper feed path for guiding a record paper to a printing position formed between a platen and a head is disposed on the same plane on the whole including the printing position and portions before and behind the printing position.

Abstract: A marker sleeve processig machine (20) for printing a legend (5) on individual marker sleeves (6) from a series (1) of marker sleeves fed through the machine (20). Various functions of the machine (20), such as transport of the web (1), printing of a sleeve (6) and removal of a printed sleeve (6) from the web (1), are correlated and controlled by programmed circuits (201,203). Data to be printed on the marker sleeves (6) can be input digitally, such as with a communication terminal (208) which may be a personal computer. The machine (20) provides a fully integrated apparatus permitting facile processing of a series (1) of blank marker sleeves to printed marker sleeves (6) bearing a legend (5) appropriate for use as identification devices and a convenient interface is provided for the user to enter the legends (5) to be printed on the marker sleeves (6).

Abstract: Apparatus for placing identification or indicia on parts of small surfaces, especially on identification labels of terminals for the identification of electrical components and circuits, whereby a printing or writing device is provided with a keyboard for selecting labeling symbols which preferably can be read on a display, as well as a guide for the bandoliered, sequenced parts to be labeled arranged opposite to the type carrier or writing device and a positioning device which carries out a stepwise relative shift between the parts and the type carrier or writing device.