Abstract: An apparatus and method for expanding a portable computer keyboard (6) to approximate a full size desktop keyboard. The device and method include a linkage assembly (8) for automatically separating first and second keyboard portions (44, 46) from each other when the display module (22) of the computer is opened into its operating configuration. The linkage assembly is further adapted to automatically move the keyboard into a collapsed position when the display module is closed into the carrying or carrying configuration. In one embodiment, the keyboard portions are pivoted away from each other to form an angle therebetween to improve user hand and wrist orientation during use of the keyboard.

Abstract: An imprinting system having a typeface for transferring ink supplied from an inked ribbon roll onto a substrate, and an ink ribbon cassette removably coupleable to a mounting member of the imprinting system to facilitate service and maintenance. An alignment member of the imprinting system is disposeable in a first alignment aperture of the ink ribbon cassette to align the ink ribbon cassette relative to the imprinting system. A lever having an engagement surface is pivotally coupled to the ink ribbon cassette and is engageable with a locking pin coupled to the imprinting system, wherein the engagement surface of the lever is engageable with the locking pin as the lever is pivoted to firmly retain the ink ribbon cassette mounted on the mounting member. A handle having multiple gripping members is coupled to an outer side portion of the ink ribbon cassette to facilitate gripping the cassette and for stably supporting the ink ribbon cassette disassembled from the imprinting system.

Abstract: A color thermal printer using an ink sheet having a set of three or four colorants coated or printed so as to correspond to a print area with sensor marks arranged at boundaries between the colorants. In the color thermal printer, a plurality of sensors are disposed within a print width of a thermal head and downstream from a heat line of the thermal head in an ink sheet forward direction by a predetermined distance. When the sensors have sensed the sensor marks, the ink sheet is rewound by the predetermined distance to cause the printing operation to be effected.

Abstract: An arrangement for monitoring the functioning of an ink print head, an enhancement of the functional dependability by enhancing the monitoring precision given reduced outlay is obtained with a constant monitoring and evaluation of the print format, with the brightness of the recording medium having no influence on the monitoring precision. A sensor head with at least two wiper electrodes is placed on the recording medium following the ink print head and is connected to an evaluation circuit that in turn has an output side connected to the drive circuit for the ink print head. Changes in the electrical properties of the recording medium between the wiper electrodes are acquired in the evaluation circuit, these changes arising due to the presence of just-printed ink thereon. The arrangement is suitable for ink print heads operating according to the bubble jet principle as well as for ink print heads with piezo actuators.

Abstract: A stamping device (10) which comprises a body (11) having an open bottom end (12), a stamping member (21) provided at the body bottom end (12), a skirt (14) supported at the body bottom end (12) around the stamping member (21) for movement between a lower position to protect the stamping member (21) and an upper position to expose the stamping member (21) for stamping operation, and a spring (15). The spring (15) forms a one-piece structure with the skirt (14) and is adapted to resiliently bias the skirt (14) into the lower position. The spring (15) comprises opposite sides (16) joining the skirt (14) and an upper side (17) extending across the opposite sides (16).

Abstract: An ink jet printhead comprising a plurality of ejection resistors and at least one additional resistor, integrated on the same semiconductor substrate; the additional resistor is constituted by a material with a positive coefficient of variation of resistance with temperature of between 0.3 and 1.0%/.degree.C. and is used both for heating of the substrate and for measuring its temperature. Various circuits based on using the additional resistor are defined for implementing a method for stabilizing temperature of the substrate; also defined are a method for obtaining a stabilization temperature that remains constant with variation of the characteristics of the head and a method for setting the energetic operating point of the ejection resistors.

Abstract: Web printing apparatus having an impression roll and method of operating the apparatus for printing webs having different characteristics, such as different thickness and/or different modulus of elasticity, in which the speed of the impression roll is adjusted in accordance with the said characteristics and the tension to which the web is subjected in the printing operation to feed forward webs of different characteristics at different speeds for precision in impression length.

Abstract: A dampening unit for an offset printing machine having a plate cylinder which carries a printing form and which is operatively connected to applicator rollers of an inking unit and a dampening unit. The dampening applicator roller receives a dampening medium feed in front of the contact point with the plate cylinder and at least one roller for receiving dampening medium is in contact with the dampening medium applicator roller downstream of this contact point.

Abstract: In a wiping device of an intaglio printing press in which a doctor blade can follow the movement of a wiping roller through a cam mechanism, a holder for the doctor blade is supported on a tank on the machine body side by long holes, formed in the holder in its right-and-left direction and elongated in its back-and-forth direction, and flanged pin members, passing through the long holes, so as to be movable in the directions of throw-on and throw-off movement of the doctor blade. The rightward and leftward movements of the holder are restrained by the long hole and pin member located at one site in the center of the holder. Thus, the doctor blade can fully follow the cocking of the wiping roller, and there are no problems due to the penetration of a solvent or ink.

Abstract: In a method or a device for perforating a framed stencil sheet having a frame and a stencil sheet supported by the frame such that at least one sort of primary color image information is made by color separation of input color image information, and the framed stencil sheet is perforated according to the primary color image information to produce a framed stencil master having a printing area for printing the image of the primary color, a color information mark is applied to the framed stencil sheet at a portion thereof outside of the printing area.

Abstract: A method for printing a high resolution postal indicia image includes printing with a printing mechanism a first low resolution indicia image on a mailpiece during a first pass between the printing mechanism and the mailpiece; printing with the printing mechanism a first portion of a second low resolution indicia image on the mailpiece during a second pass between the printing mechanism and the mailpiece; and printing with the printing mechanism a second portion of the second low resolution indicia image on the mailpiece during at least a third pass between the printing mechanism and the mailpiece, the second portion being complementary to the first portion to create therewith the second low resolution image, the second low resolution image being complementary to the first low resolution image to create therewith the high resolution postal indicia image. An apparatus incorporates the above method.

Abstract: A device for aligning sheets on a feeding table of a sheetfed printing press having at least one swivelably mounted top lay and at least one swivelably mounted front lay, and a control device for cyclically moving the at least one front lay and the at least one top lay includes a control device for the at least one top lay operative independently of the control device for cyclically moving the at least one front lay and the at least one top lay, the at least one top lay being disposed so as to be vertically movable and being constructed wider than the at least one front lay, and the at least one front lay being laterally encompassed by the at least one top lay.

Abstract: Device for cleaning a rotating outer cylindrical surface, such as the surface of a printing-form cylinder, for example, in a printing press, with a cleaning-cloth web having edges oriented perpendicularly to the direction of generatrices of the outer cylindrical surface, including a cleaning-cloth web supply coil and a winding coil, the cleaning-cloth web being transportable from the supply coil to the winding coil, and a pressure element for pressing a section of the cleaning-cloth web against the outer cylindrical surface to be cleaned, further includes a holder extending in axial direction of the outer cylindrical surface and embracing the pressure element, the pressure element being disposed parallel to the rotational axis of the outer cylindrical surface, and a profile extending in the axial direction and covering the pressure element, the profile being provided with press-on material acting on the cleaning-cloth web from a side thereof opposite to the outer cylindrical surface.

Abstract: A printing head structure of calculator, including a belt type printing head the outer periphery of which is disposed with at least one group of fine characters and at least one group of coarse characters. The fine characters have the same symbols and numerals as the coarse ones, while having different thicknesses and letterforms. By means of a printing control program of the calculator, the printing head is able to print out a positive or negative result respectively by fine characters or coarse characters so as to apparently visually distinguish the positive result from the negative one and thus achieve a reliably reminding effect.

Abstract: A recording/printing unit using roll paper, and method for easily and securely detecting the terminal end of roll paper rolled around a core inside a color printer. The outside face of said core is darker than the roll paper. A sensor is provided for detecting the intensity of reflected light. A pinch roller is provided turning in contact with the roll paper surface and a spring is provided for pressing the pinch roller against the surface of roll paper, and for detecting the terminal end of roll paper by the change in the intensity of reflected light.

Abstract: The inking mechanism of the present invention comprises one or more free-floating inking rollers which rotate within the housing of a printer cartridge between the inking brushes and the printer ribbon. While the rotation of the inking rollers is unlimited, the inking rollers are trapped between the inking brushes, the ribbon and the housing thereby limiting their freedom of movement. The free-floating aspect of the inking rollers provides a desirable pumping action against the inking brushes and the use of the inking brush, the ribbon, and the housing to trap the inking rollers eliminates the need for additional support structure.

Abstract: A portable tape printer having a reduced size. A control board and a cassette are positioned in vertically superposed relation within a case. A cut-away portion is formed at a broad surface of the control board and at one longitudinal end portion of the control board. A drive motor is disposed in a cut-away space. Thus, the drive motor is positioned at one longitudinal end portion of the control board. Further, a battery portion installing therein dry batteries is positioned at another longitudinal end portion of the control board. Reduction in size and weight balance result.

Abstract: A cylinder cleaning apparatus for a printing press includes a cleaning web take-up roll, a constant amount feed mechanism, a unit throw-on/throw-off actuator and an actuator, and a plate and bolts. The cleaning web take-up roll takes up a cleaning web supplied from a cleaning web supply roll to clean a circumferential surface of a cylinder. The constant amount feed mechanism takes up a constant amount of the cleaning web on the take-up roll regardless of an amount of the cleaning web taken up by the take-up roll. The unit throw-on/throw-off actuator and the actuator drive to rotate the take-up roll in taking up the cleaning web. The plate and bolts adjust a pivot amount of the take-up roll on which the constant amount of the cleaning web is taken up by the constant amount feed mechanism.

Abstract: Gripper bar for a delivery of a printing press, the gripper bar being carried at respective ends thereof by transport chains and having a multiplicity of grippers with gripper fingers for transporting sheets includes a hollow profiled member having a boxlike profile wherein a gripper shaft is receivable, the boxlike profiled member being formed with lateral openings through which the gripper fingers of the grippers extend.

Abstract: A winding mechanism for recording paper is driven by a recording paper feeding motor disposed in a printing mechanism. The winding mechanism comprises a printing mechanism side pulley integrally connected at one end of a platen shaft of the printing mechanism for rotation by the recording paper feeding motor, a winding mechanism side pulley having a winding shaft and disposed in a part of a gear train on the winding mechanism, a belt for connecting the printing mechanism side pulley to the winding mechanism side pulley for transmitting a rotation of the printing mechanism side pulley to the winding mechanism side pulley, and a tension spring for imparting a tension to the belt. A clutch mechanism is disposed in the winding mechanism for maintaining the recording paper at a constant tension. A frame having a winding shaft insertion hole supports the winding shaft for rotation.