Abstract: In a print area provided on a peripheral surface of a gravure roll, a plurality of cells are defined by printing-direction walls and perpendicular walls, and each perpendicular wall has a plurality of cuts. In a center portion of the print area, most intersections of the printing-direction walls and the perpendicular walls are defined by T-shaped intersections where the perpendicular walls do not cross the printing-direction walls, but meet the printing-direction walls in a T-shaped arrangement. Preferably, round chamfers are provided at corners where a portion of each printing-direction wall and a portion of each perpendicular wall intersect, and at leading ends of the perpendicular walls pointing toward the cuts.

Abstract: Incorporates means for maintaining a constant tension in the printing ribbon (3) consisting of a loading drum (9-9') placed after the thermal print head (1) that attracts the ribbon to define a loop, thereby maintaining a constant tension throughout the printing stage to ensure the quality of this operation. The printing method consists of attracting or suctioning the printing ribbon (1) against the loading drum (9-9'), using an electrostatic system that involves creating an electric field between conductors (10) placed on the loading drum (9), or a pneumatic system that involves attracting the ribbon (1) by Venturi tubes (17) located inside the loading drum (9').

Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes an accommodation section, an image recording section, an outer arcuate guide member, an inner arcuate guide member, and a feeding section. Recording media are stacked on the accommodation section. The image recording section forms an image on a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction. The outer arcuate guide member connects in a U-shape the accommodation section with the image recording section. The outer arcuate guide member guides the recording medium from a downstream end portion of the accommodation section to an insertion port of the image recording section. The inner arcuate guide member is disposed to be separate from the outer arcuate guide member. A passage is defined between the outer arcuate guide member and the inner arcuate guide member. The passage allows the recording medium to displace in a thickness direction thereof.

Abstract: A printing paper winding device for enabling winding of printing paper even paper with a base material having a low resistance to bending stresses or printing paper having RFID labels carrying IC chips. Bending stresses are reduced by dividing the movement region of the tension roller into four regions in order to enable the successive detection of the position or posture of the tension roller and by making the bending angle of the printing paper in the winding path close to a more obtuse angle. A winding control unit of the present invention determines whether the tension region where the tension roller is positioned is a first tension region, second tension region, third tension region, or fourth tension region, controls the drive unit to limit the tension roller to a tension region in which winding is possible in the direction such that the bending angle of the printing paper in the winding path, which follows the winding of the printing paper, is close to a more obtuse angle.

Abstract: An armature damper according to the present invention acts to abut against the arm of an armature to stop the arm at a predetermined backward position. The armature damper is formed in a manner that the surface thereof abutting against the arm is formed by a rigid body member and an elastic member is integrally joined to the rear surface of the rigid body member, and the elastic member is formed to protrude from the outer side of the rigid body member at least at the engaging portion between a positioning armature stopper and the armature damper. The protruded portion is used as a buffer at the engaging portion between the armature stopper and the armature damper.

Abstract: It is possible to perform even pattern transfer with a high throughput.

Abstract: A paper tray for a printer includes a paper support plate for supporting paper sheets stacked thereon and a support frame formed on the printer body adjacent the paper inlet. The paper support plate has a C-shaped hook having a base portion and upper and lower arms. The support frame has a protruding shaft and an upwardly inclined housing wall. The paper support plate is detachably hinged to the support frame with the C-shaped hook engaged with the protruding shaft so as to be rotated between a vertical position and a horizontal position. The housing wall extends forward beyond the protruding shaft and has a horizontal surface serving as a contact surface at the top of the extending portion. The C-shaped hook has a rib at the base portion. When the paper support plate is rotated to the horizontal position, the rotation is limited by the under surface of the rib coming in contact with the top surface of the extending portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a case formed with a front face and a top face, a first accommodating portion formed in the case, an imaging unit that forms an image on a recording medium; the imaging unit being accommodated in the first accommodating portion detachably, and a front cover provided at the front face, the front cover being movable between a first position to open the accommodating portion and a second position to close the accommodating portion, the imaging unit being attached to and removed from the accommodating portion when the front cover is at the first position. The front cover is formed with a round portion.

Abstract: A method for forming black matrixes of a liquid crystal display device is provided that includes preparing a transparent substrate, printing first black matrixes on the substrate, and printing second black matrixes on the first black matrixes.

Abstract: There are provided a thickness detecting apparatus which can restrain erroneous detection even though a sheet or the like overlaps with only a part of a rotary body, and, which can enhance the degree of accuracy of detection, comprising a cylindrical displaceable rotary body and a cylindrical stationary rotary body which are opposed to each other, the thickness detecting apparatus detecting a thickness of the sheet or the like to be transferred in accordance with a displacement by which the displaceable rotary body is separated from the stationary rotary body, when the sheet or the like passes through between the displaceable rotary body and the stationary rotary body, and the center of a load with which the displaceable rotary body presses the sheet or the like is biased from the center of the displaceable rotary body in one of center axial direction.

Abstract: A document feeder method is disclosed. The document feeder method includes providing at least one cantilevered roller shaft in the printer for advancing the document, and coupling a supported end of the at least one cantilevered roller shaft to a frame of the printer such that an unsupported end of the at least one cantilevered roller shaft floats. This decreases the cost of production by eliminating the need for additional frame hardware and/or more rigid frame hardware. The document feeder method can be implemented in existing designs.