Abstract: A plastic card printer that is provided with a printhead guard that is movable between a covering position, where the printhead guard covers one or more sensitive portions of a printhead of the plastic card printer, and a non-covering position, where the printhead guard does not cover the one or more sensitive portions of the printhead thereby allowing the printhead to perform a printing function on a plastic card. The printhead guard can be at the covering position when the printhead is at a non-printing position, for example during servicing of the card printer, to protect the one or more sensitive elements when the printhead is at the non-printing position, and the printhead guard can be at the non-covering position when the printhead is at a printing position where the printhead is ready to perform printing.

Abstract: A method of operating a crafting apparatus. The method includes moving a workpiece along a first feed path for printing on the workpiece with a printer and moving the workpiece along a second feed path for cutting the workpiece with a cutter. The first feed path bypasses a workpiece mover of the cutter.

Abstract: A crafting apparatus that includes a body defining at least one passageway for receiving a workpiece, a cutter disposed along the at least one passageway, a printer disposed along the at least one passageway and spaced from the cutter, and a feed path bypass assembly disposed along the at least one passageway between the cutter and the printer. The feed path bypass assembly alters a feed path of the workpiece through the at least one passageway.

Abstract: A print media processing apparatus increases printer throughput by starting printing after setting the conveyed print medium to the printing start position, and a transportation control unit controls how far the print medium is advanced according to the length of text to be printed on the print medium. The transportation control unit advances the paper to the position where printing text of a specified length to the printing area of the paper begins.

Abstract: A printer with an image scanning sensor for reading image data in confined spaces comprising a case unit 11 with a roll paper compartment 30 for holding roll paper P, a front cover unit 12 for forming a slip transportation path 21 for conveying slips S between the front cover unit 12 and case unit 11 and a top cover unit 13 rendered to open and close to the case unit 11 so that it closes the roll paper compartment 30 when closed and simultaneously forms a roll paper transportation path 35 for conveying roll paper P between the case unit 11 and the top cover unit 13. The printer includes; slip printing units 23, 25 disposed to the slip transportation path 21 for printing to slips S; a thermal print head 33 disposed to the roll paper transportation path 35 for printing to roll paper P; and an image scanning sensor 44 disposed to the top cover unit 13 for reading image data recorded to a card C.

Abstract: A mailing machine including a postage meter for printing evidence of postage payment on a media includes a registration surface, a print head, an envelope transport having at least two nips for keeping the media from skewing and contacting the print head, a media ski ending upstream of the registration surface for pushing the media into contact with the registration surface, and at least one star wheel disposed in an opening of the registration surface for holding the media down as it is fed through the mailing machine.

Abstract: Embodiments of an improved media output paper control system are described, the improved system including a mechanical linkage between a housing door of an image forming device, such as a printer, and a media diverter that changes direction of the media exiting the print engine. The mechanical linkage provides a sure method of switching the media path from a face-down output mode to a face-up output mode, by directing media to the housing door whenever it is open, thus, allowing, the housing door to become an output tray. The preferred mechanical linkage includes a member pivotally connected to, and extending between, the door and the diverter, in such a way that pivoting the door also pivots the diverter to a lesser degree.

Abstract: A cabinet is formed on the top face with an entry opening for rolled paper, and a storage section for accommodating the rolled paper. A cover is provided for opening/closing the entry opening, and the upper front of the cover is provided as a slipsheet entry face for inserting a slipsheet. The slipsheet entry face is formed in one side margin with a slipsheet guide along the insertion direction of the slipsheet. A paper discharge slot of the rolled paper is formed by a gap between a buff portion of the cabinet and the tip of the cover, when the cover is closed. The paper discharge slot is at a position lower than that of the slipsheet entry face. A slipsheet print section is placed on the upper rear portion of the cover.

Abstract: An ink jet recording method forms an ink jet image on a recording medium by serially moving an ink jet recording head having a plurality of ink discharge ports arranged in an array along a conveyance direction of the recording medium. The method includes the step of providing a platen having a planar section upstream in the conveyance direction and a slant section slanted downstream in the conveyance direction and in a direction parting from the ink discharge ports, opposed to an array of the ink discharge ports when the ink jet recording head serially moves. The method further includes the step of forming an ink jet image on the recording medium by ink discharge from the ink discharge ports when the ink jet recording head moves at least three times across a same area of the recording medium, a reverse side of which is supported by the platen.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus having an image recording area for performing image recording onto a recording medium includes a head holding portion for holding an ink jet recording head, a platen, and a recording medium exhausting device. The platen has planar and facial sections. The planar section supports the recording medium opposed to the ink discharge ports in the image recording area. The facial section is disposed downstream of the image recording area with respect to a conveyance direction of the recording medium, and extends in a direction away from the ink discharge ports toward the conveyance direction. The planar section and the facial section are continuous, and the angle between the extension of the planar section and the facial section is from 3.7 to 7.5 degrees.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for performing a recording operation on recording paper includes a recording head for performing the recording operation on the recording paper, a carriage which carries the recording head, and is movable along a convey path of the recording paper, a conveying unit for conveying the recording paper, a drive source, and a lock pawl which is arranged along a moving path of the carriage and can transmit a drive force from the drive source to the conveying unit in accordance with movement of the carriage.

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 printer capable of selective printing of a relatively narrow uncut sheet or a relatively wide cut sheet has a paper feeding apparatus for such selective printing. The paper feeding apparatus includes an uncut sheet feeding mechanism for feeding the uncut sheet from a roll of the uncut sheet to a gap formed between a printing head and a platen, and a cut sheet feeding mechanism for feeding the cut sheet to a gap between the printing head and the uncut sheet on the platen. The uncut sheet feeding mechanism and the cut sheet feeding mechanism are selectively driven to feed either the uncut sheet or the cut sheet.

Abstract: A thermal imprint recording apparatus for recording an image on a paper by a thermal head uses a cartridge of recording paper on which a roll of ink film for supplying the ink film and another roll on which the ink film is taken up are carried. The apparatus comprises an arm adapted to engage with one of the rolls when the cartridge is loaded on the apparatus. Responsive to the loading, the arm is swung upwards and the roll is lifted from the cartriddge. The roll is then carried over a platen roller of the printer and the ink film is drawn out so as to engage with the upper surface of the platen roller. Further, the paper is taken out from the bottom of the cartridge and is transported along a path passing below the platen roller to a predetermined printing station located between the platen roller and the ink film.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording on a sheet with a recording device includes a sheet conveying device, a bipositional sheet guiding member and independently operable driving mechanisms for the sheet conveying device and the bipositional sheet guiding member, so that a sheet is properly fed to a recording position when the sheet guiding member is in one position, and the sheet is properly guided during recording when the guiding member is in another position.

Abstract: There is illustrated and described a printing device having an integrated paper feeding apparatus adapted for supplying individual sheets of paper to the printing device to effect printing thereon. The integrated printer and paper feeding apparatus for the present invention is particularly suitable for use in word processing systems where the information to be printed in hard copy is contained in a memory device such as a floppy disk or the like. The apparatus may be directly linked to word processing equipment to receive the text of material to be printed. In addition to having the capability of automatically feeding individual sheets of paper from one or more paper trays to the printing device, the apparatus includes an automatic envelope supply mechanism for supplying individual envelopes to the printing device, as well as a manual paper feed option. After effecting printing on the paper or envelope, an ejector mechanism ejects the printed paper from the apparatus and into a receptacle in collated form.