Abstract: A method and an apparatus for communicating data to a remote device, the apparatus comprising a keyboard having a plurality of keys. The lower surface of the keyboard is attached to an object along at least a portion of the lower surface of the keyboard. The object is adapted for providing a cushioned region between the keyboard and a resting-place. The remote device comprises at least one of a personal computer (PC), television (TV), an organizer, cable box, satellite receiver, and radio or stereo equipment. The resting-place is typically a portion of a human body, such as a lap or thigh region, or palm(s) of a hand(s). The keyboard communicates to the remote device via a wired or wireless link to allow use at home, hotel, or office.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for bursting perforated paper stock are provided. A feed mechanism is provided for feeding perforated paper stock in a feed direction along a paper path in a printer. The perforated paper stock has sections separated by perforations. A loop area is provided in the printer for accumulating one of the sections of the perforated paper stock. A burst element is provided for bursting a perforation of the accumulated section. In order to burst the perforation of the accumulated section, the feed direction is reversed to draw the perforation of the accumulated section against the burst element, thereby separating the section from the perforated paper stock. A paper dispensing mechanism is provided for advancing the separated section out of the loop area and dispensing the section from the printer.

Abstract: A paper detecting device to detect paper presence on a paper plate in a paper feeding cassette, and comprising a light-emitting device and a light-receiving sensor. In the paper feeding cassette, an end-fence is movably mounted, and at least one of the light-emitting device and the light-receiving sensor is mounted on a base of the end-fence to be covered by the stacked paper. Accordingly, before developing a new image, the complete consumption of the paper supply can be detected, and therefore, the toner can be saved.

Abstract: A printer system including a tray adapted for use with a printing mechanism. The tray includes a stationary portion, a rotatable portion, and a length adjuster. The stationary portion is adapted to be coupled with the print mechanism. The rotatable portion is rotatably coupled with and extends a first length from the stationary portion. The length adjuster is slidably coupled with the rotatable portion and is adapted to move along an adjustable length. The adjustable length is greater than the first length of the rotatable portion.

Abstract: An image forming system has a sheet deck assembly, an image forming apparatus, and a feeding buffering apparatus with plural feeding buffer trays for temporarily storing sheets of printing paper fed from plural printing paper decks of the sheet deck assembly. The feeding buffering apparatus feeds the temporarily stored sheets to the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a cassette in which recording media are configured to be stacked. The cassette includes a rear end regulation member configured to be moved in a direction in which the recording media are fed to regulate rear ends of the recording media and a size detection device configured to swing with movement of the rear end regulation member. The sheet feeding device further includes a size determination device arranged within an area corresponding to a width of the cassette in the direction in which the recording media are fed. The size determination device is configured to determine a size of the recording media stacked in the cassette by detecting a position of the size detection device.

Abstract: A front access type image forming apparatus includes an image scanning section located at an upper part of a housing of the apparatus for obtaining image information from an original, a sheet feeding section located at a lower part of the housing, and an image forming section disposed between the image scanning section and the sheet feeding section at one side of the housing. The image scanning section, the image forming section and the sheet feeding section together form a generally U shape in frontal cross section, a sheet delivery portion being formed between the image scanning section and the sheet feeding section. The length of a sheet delivery tray as measured along a sheet transport direction is made smaller than the length of a maximum printable sheet size so that large-sized printed sheets discharged onto the sheet delivery tray stick out from one side of the apparatus.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus including an image reading device that reads an image recorded on a document, an image forming apparatus in which the image can be formed on a recording medium, based on image information read by the image reading device, and an ejecting portion which is arranged between the image forming apparatus and the image reading device and which ejects the recording medium on which the image has been formed, wherein the ejecting portion includes side walls that are adjacent to each other and sandwich the ejected recording medium and a concave portion that is formed so as to be depressed toward an upstream side in a recording medium ejecting direction and located downstream in the recording medium ejecting direction of at least one of the side walls.

Abstract: A rotary shaft is allocated in association with a distal end face in a transport direction of a sheet retained on a waiting tray in a waiting mode. On this rotary shaft, a distal end lower face support member, an upper face slash member, and a sheet alignment paddle member are coaxially mounted. Then, by rotating the rotary shaft, standby retention, support release, and sheet alignment processes are carried out in order with respect to the sheet on the waiting tray.

Abstract: A cushioning means for placement on a computer keyboard is provided for reducing the discomfort of a typist using a keyboard and to personalize the keyboard for a typist. A pad may be attached or applied to one or more keytops of a conventional keyboard, each pad being of a self-adhesive reusable translucent gel material. The pads may be attached to the individual keys without a separate adhesive layer. The pads are translucent allowing the key identifier to remain unobstructed to a user. The pads may be used not only to cushion the keyboard, but to allow a user to personalize or decorate her keyboard. The pads may be of an assortment of colors and predetermined sizes in order to fit over the different keyboard keys. The pads may also be used to cushion or decorate other office devices including a computer mouse and a telephone keypad.

Abstract: A portable label printing system for printing on a variety of materials is disclosed. A retractable platen roller cooperates with a self-aligning print head in three planes cooperates for proper label printing registration. A display screen allows the user to view precisely what the actual label and associated indicia will look like when printed on a selected label. In addition, the printing system includes an optical sensor positioned to sense data marks on the backside of a label, located on a label supply roll, allowing the printing system to identify the label specifications and make necessary adjustments to affect print quality. Reverse feed of the label supply roll is possible. The label printing system further comprises a communication port for cooperation with various devices, such as online databases and computers.

Abstract: A printing and display device comprising: a data connection for receiving print data from a computer; a flat panel display for displaying images received from a computer; a printer, the printer including a printhead for printing onto paper on the basis of the print data; and a data connection hub configured to allow connection of at least one data-receiving device to the printing and display device, enabling the data-receiving device to receive data from the computer.

Abstract: The thermal printer of the invention comprises a frame, a print head tiltably mounted in the frame, and a spring carried by the frame and forming a member for urging the print head into its printing position, with a flexible sheet of conductors terminating at the print head. According to the first characteristic of the invention, the spring is made of an electrically conductive material and includes a finger for being received in a corresponding orifice of the frame, while a portion of the sheet carries a conductive eyelet through which the finger of the spring passes when the spring is received in the orifice of the frame, the spring thus pinching the eyelet against the frame.

Abstract: A scanning system for use in inspecting or writing on a substrate minimizes vibrations by applying movement-actuating forces directly between a carriage and a countermass which are both free to move along parallel tracks. Forces for decelerating and accelerating the scanning carriage are preferably applied along a minor part of a length of movement of the carriage. The carriage is then isolated from forces applied parallel to the track while moving along a major part of its length of movement. As a result, the carriage travels smoothly with approximately uniform speed during it's operative pass, without suffering from vibrations introduced by direct closed-loop feedback control.

Abstract: A system is provided for movably supporting an ink film in a printer. The system has cylindrical supply and take-up cores for supporting and taking up the film during printing operations. The cores may be made of molded plastic resin. The ends of the cores are sized to selectively fit within a frame in such a way as to provide stable operation, including where applicable, while a frame cover is closed. In a preferred embodiment, the diameters of the first and second ends of the supply and take-up cores are essentially the same, and the diameters of the second and first ends of the respective cores are essentially the same. A molded cylindrical brake portion frictionally contacts the teeth of a brake gear to provide the desired film tension with improved handling and with reduced likelihood of jamming.

Abstract: There is disclosed a lightweight portable printer having a frame or housing with a print head and a cooperable platen roll mounted in the housing. The housing pivotally mounts a subassembly. The subassembly mounts an electric motor and gearing driven by the motor for driving the platen roll. The subassembly is resiliently urged to press the print head against the platen roll. The printer has a front door which provides access to the inside of the housing. The front door mounts the platen roll, a label delaminator, a pressure roll, a holder for mounting a supply roll of labels or tags, and a latch for latching the door to the housing and for camming the pressure roll into and out of cooperation with the platen roll.

Abstract: A Braille input device includes eight keys for entering dot information that forms a Braille character. The device further includes a space key and eight function keys, with a separate function key arranged above each dot key. This allows a user to rapidly and accurately select any desired function key without removing his or her hands from the Braille keyboard. A cursor router key and a Braille display including a plurality of Braille cells may also be provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for inputting special character and a method for the same are proposed. The keyboard using the inventive apparatus and method has hot keys assigned with ASCII codes corresponding to special characters to be input. By holding an ALT key and then pressing the hot key, the scan code corresponding to the ASCII codes is sent to input the special character. The inventive apparatus and method can be applicable to various operation systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multilayer printing material (20) for a printing group (10) of a printer, comprising a support layer (21) and at least one printable layer (22), self-adhesive on one face, that rests with its self-adhesive face (23) on a contact area of the support layer (21) in an adhesive manner. Said layer can be detached from the contact area and has at least one printable face (25). At least one break point (24) is provided on the support layer (21) and is adapted to substantially compensate for any differences in length caused by the difference in length of the support layer (21) relative to the printable layer (22) when the printing material (20) passes through the printing group (10). The invention further relates to the use of the inventive printing material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying paper cassettes. The apparatus for identifying paper cassettes includes first through N-th paper cassettes, wherein each of N-1 output ports (where N is a positive integer greater than 1) is connected to N-1 input ports, which have one of N input ports and one of N output ports, a paper cassette identification unit to generate a synchronizing signal in response to an identification symbol which is transmitted from the first through N-th paper cassettes and indicates one of the first through N-th paper cassettes, and to transmit the generated synchronizing signal to paper cassettes in which an “undefined symbol” that indicates that the identification symbol has not been assigned, among the first through N-th paper cassettes is given, and a serial bus which connects the first through N-th paper cassettes to the paper cassette identification unit.