Abstract: A method of printing an image on a printing portion of a printing paper using a printer so as to eliminate visible margins. The sheet of printing paper is conveyed within the printer by nipping margins of the sheet. After printing, the printing portion is detached from the printing paper along a cut line. Namely, a print having no margins and no nip markings is formed. Therefore, cutting position controlling mechanisms and paper cutting mechanisms as used in conventional printers are not necessary, and the structure of the printer is thereby made simple. Accordingly, since margins can be eliminated by using a simple structure, photographic printers and the like in particular are made compact and inexpensive.

Abstract: A portable printer is provided having a housing with a compartment for a roll of media and two spindle members coupled to roll positioning mechanism in the compartment. Each spindle member has tow sides with different diameter conical surfaces and is reversibly mountable in the printer to select such conical surface having a diameter for engaging the core diameter of a roll mounted between the spindle members. Each of the spindle members is reversible in the printer to enable presentation of two different diameter conical surfaces for engaging two different diameter roll cores in the printer. The conical surfaces can also reshape the ends of a crushed roll core from a oval to a circular cross-sectional shape when the spindle members are urged towards each other by the roll positioning mechanism into the ends of the roll core, thereby providing for proper rotational mounting of such roll in the printer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a keyboard that comprises a plurality of touch areas that represent symbols such as letters of the Latin script, Greek script, Hebrew script, Arabic script, or Cyrillic script. The touch areas are arranged in groups that include at least two of the touch areas. Each of the groups includes touch areas that are arranged in a distinctive shape that incorporates one or more of the symbols or parts of the symbols. A user enters a symbol by touching a part of the distinctive shape that is recognized with the symbol.

Abstract: A keyboard input device equipped with a pointing device featuring excellent water-proof performance and is capable of highly precisely detecting the angle of tilt and the direction of tilt of the operation body of the pointing device. The pointing device has a cylindrical operation body erected on a base. When the base is mounted on the back surface side of the support plate, the operation body protrudes toward the key switch side penetrating through the support plate. The base is mounted on the support plate forming a gap of a size A relative to the support plate, and a water-proof rubber of a predetermined thickness is arranged in the gap of the size A to prevent the water from entering the base side of the pointing device.

Abstract: A label holder for use in a moist environment including a body panel connected at its lower edge by a resilient hinge to a transparent cover member to form an openable pocket for labels therebetween. The body panel is secured to a supporting surface by adhesive or may include an attachment panel connected to the rear of the body panel by a resilient spacer so that the attachment panel can be flexed for engagement in a C-channel. A downwardly and forwardly extending lip is formed on the top edge of the body panel and the top edge of the cover member is secured thereunder in the closed position of the cover member. A downwardly and forwardly extending ledge member is formed on the top edge of the cover member and extends beyond the lip member to a freely extending edge to dissipate moisture forming on the lip member. The mating side edges of the body panel may be sealed with strips of a resilient material to limit moisture from entering the label-receiving pocket.

Abstract: In a printer provided with a sheet reversing mechanism, and which can perform printing on both faces of a sheet by a common print head, reduction of the number of parts, prevention of a transport failure, and the like are realized by reversing the sheet while the sheet is clamped by one transporting roller pair. The printer includes a first sheet path. A print head is disposed on the first sheet path to perform printing on a recording sheet. A transporting roller pair includes a first roller and a second roller, adapted to transport the recording sheet in a first direction approaching the print head (toward an outlet) and a second direction opposed to the first direction (toward an inlet). A second sheet path is branched from the first sheet path at a branching position shifted from the first roller in the second direction, extending along an outer periphery of the first roller, and joined to the first sheet path at a joining position between the transporting roller pair and the print head.

Abstract: A tray 1 can be inserted in and pulled out of a main body 10 of an image forming apparatus. A lifting member 23 is provided in the main body 10 so that the lifting member 23 is able to enter into the tray 1 and lift a stack of sheets in the tray 1. The lifting member 23 is driven by a motor 25 provided in the main body 10. A switching member 27 is provided for connecting and disconnecting the transmission of the power of the motor 25 to the lifting member 23. When the tray 1 is fully inserted in the main body 10, the switching member 27 connects the transmission. In contrast, when the tray 1 is to be moved out of the main body 10, the switching member 27 disconnects the transmission, so that the lifting member 23 swings downward out of the tray 1.

Abstract: A recording deice includes a cylinder (1) of heat-sensitive ink ribbon (2), a rewinding cylinder (5), and a marking header (19). The device prevents unused segments of ribbon being left between markings. The device has a moving support (6) guiding the ribbon (2) along an additional path (16), a braking mechanism (10, 11, 12, 14) for the cylinder (1). When the ribbon (2)is tractioned and the cylinder is braked, the support (6) is forced to move against the action of an elastic element (13), reducing the additional path (16). Thus, after a marking (a-b) the ribbon and the support (6) move back to (c) so that the next marking (b-d) is made immediately after the first marking (a-b). The braking mechanism, after one or more markings, are released, unrolling a length of ribbon (2) from the cylinder, then braking again, with the process repeated.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus of the type that a toner image, which is transferred onto an intermediate transfer member, onto a sheet material, is transferred onto a sheet material, which is capable of reducing the possibility of leading end misalignment even if there is a delay in conveyance of the sheet material. An image forming device forms an image on a photosensitive member. An image carrier carries an image. A first transfer device transfers the image carried by the image carrier onto a sheet. A second transfer device transfers the image transferred onto the image carrier onto a sheet. A feeding device feeds the sheet. A conveying device conveys the sheet fed by the feeding device to the second transfer device. A controller controls the conveying device to cause the sheet to be temporarily stopped at a first location and a second location between the feeding device and the second transfer device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ribbon wiper that is disposed within a ribbon cartridge. The ribbon cartridge can contain a ribbon and be employed by a thermal printer. The ribbon wiper is capable of removing debris and other contaminants from a printhead surface of the ribbon. The printhead surface of the ribbon is that surface that faces the printhead, and opposes the ink surface of the ribbon, during printing. Debris disposed on the printhead surface of the ribbon can hinder or obstruct thermal contact between one or more thermal elements on the thermal printhead. In such cases, the thermal element can lack the ability to properly produce a dot on a media as instructed by the thermal printer. Further, debris disposed on the printhead surface of the ribbon can accumulate on the printhead proximate thermal elements and prevent generation of multiple or consecutive dots.

Abstract: The printing device comprises a print head unit, a transporting device for the printing material and a structural housing board on which the print head unit and the transporting device are mounted at one end in cantilevered manner and in a predetermined relationship relative to one another. The transporting device comprises a stiff support member which is rigidly connected to the housing board, a mounting member which extends substantially parallel relative to the housing board and is held on the stiff support member, and at least one transport roller for the transportation of the strip of printing material which is mounted at both ends. The stiff support member comprises connecting elements for releasably fixing th mounting member and also guide elements which co-operate with corresponding guide elements of the mounting member for exactly positioning the arrangement with reference to the support member.

Abstract: A printer (15) for hand-labeling devices (1) has printing bands (57) bearing print types (17). Each band is positively guided around a selector wheel (53) and around a counter-pressure element (55) spaced apart from the wheel. Selected types (17) are set into printing position on the counter-pressure element (55) by rotation of the selector wheel (53). The selector wheel (53) has engagement recesses (60) into which a stop member elastically engages when a printing position is reached, thereby fixing the selector wheel (53), and hence the printing band (57), in the printing position. The stop member is provided as a comb-shaped stop spring (66) having individual teeth or elastic tongues (61a thru 61x), with one elastic tongue being associated with each selector wheel (53).

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: In an image-recording device of the present invention, driving force of a motor for driving is transmitted to two idle gears, which are the same shape and are disposed at positions of linear symmetry with respect to a center line C. Driving force is transmitted by way of the idle gears to power-input gears which are fixed coaxially with a supply gear and an ejection gear, respectively. That is, a supply side driving force transmission system, ranging from the motor to the supply gear, and a discharge side driving force transmission system, ranging from the motor to the ejection gear, have the same structure. Therefore, a recording sheet will be stably conveyed at the same conveyance speed throughout an image recording region, and high quality image recording can be carried out reliably. Thus, conveyance amounts can be kept consistent in the image recording region, even without using special apparatus, and high quality images can be recorded at low cost.

Abstract: A keyboard layout and a method of data entry utilizing the keyboard layout is provided. In one form, the present invention is a data entry device having a plurality of user selectable keys wherein the keys are arranged about a central point or key such that each key is at a minimum distance from the central point or key relative to each other key. Each key represents a character and/or symbol. In the case of an alphabet, the keys representing the characters of the alphabet may be arranged alphabetically. In another form, the present Invention provides a system and method for data entry wherein the distance between input keys or choices of an input device are minimized by providing a central reference point wherein a selection medium returns to the reference point after each input/key selection.

Abstract: A device for processing continuous webs has a machine frame and at least one tool arranged on the machine frame for processing the continuous web. A drive device is provided for driving the at least one tool. The drive device is a two-row gear wheel having a first toothing and a second toothing, wherein the first toothing has an inch-based division and the second toothing has a metric division. The at least one tool is driven by the first toothing when processing the continuous web according to an inch-based size and wherein the at least one tool is driven by the second toothing when processing the continuous web according to a metric size.

Abstract: In a copier or input scanner wherein original documents are manually placed on a platen for scanning, when a platen cover is lowered over the document and approaches a closed position, a control system initiates a scanning operation while locking the platen cover in the closed position. After the scanning operation is completed, the platen cover is automatically pushed into an open position as a visual cue to the user that a new document may be scanned. The system facilitates manual scanning of odd-shaped documents, such as successive pages of bound books.

Abstract: A paper feeding roller rotates to feed the continuous paper along a paper path. A print head performs printing on the continuous paper. The print head has a first side opposing to the paper path and a second side opposite to the first side. A cutter mechanism is overlappingly disposed with the print head, at a downstream of the paper path relative to the print head, to cut the continuous paper. A motor is disposed in the second side of the print head to provide a driving force to the paper feeding roller and the cutter mechanism. A cutter driving mechanism is disposed in the second side of the print head to transmit the driving force of the motor to operate the cutter mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for threading a continuous web into a device arrangement having a first module and a second module connectable to and detachable from one another. First and second traction units are provided in the first and second modules. A gripper device grips a beginning section of the continuous web and is detachable to the traction units. The continuous web is pulled with the assistance of the gripper device from an input section to an output section of the respective module given movement of the traction units. A connector device connects the two traction units of the two modules to each other.

Abstract: A ribbon cassette containing a supply core, a web located on the supply core, a storage core, a device for increasing the tension on the web as it passes from said supply core to said storage core to produce a tensioned web, a drive roller contiguous with the web, and a nip roller contiguous with the web. The said tensioned web is passed in a first rotary direction around a portion of the drive roller, and then it is passed in a second rotary direction around a portion of the nip roller, and then it is passed in a in rotary direction identical to the first rotary direction around a portion of the storage core. A nip is formed between the nip roller, the web, and the drive roller such that either the nip roller or the drive roller is compressed by at least about 0.001 percent.