Abstract: A sheet feed tray including a regulating wall member being assembled in a displaceable manner with a placing tray, which includes a first tray side engagement portion, and regulating a position of a recording medium such that a wall portion of the regulating wall member contacts with the end portion of the recording medium, a first engagement member being disposed in the regulating wall member and including a first regulating wall member side engagement portion, the first regulating wall member engaging with the first tray side engagement portion regulates a displacement of the regulating wall member, an elastic unit being elastically deformable and generating a force for holding an engaging state between the first tray side engagement portion and the first regulating wall member side engagement portion, an elastic deformation regulating unit regulating a deformation amount of the elastic unit, and releasing operation unit releasing the engaging state.

Abstract: A print structure includes a pattern layer that selectively actuates one or more of a plurality of actuators to selectively form one or more wells in a print surface to create a defined pattern on the print surface. A material is applied to the one or more wells and subsequently transferred to another surface in order to transfer the pattern.

Abstract: A door main body of a door unit is swingably supported at a casing main body by a hinge mechanism. A conveying guide part is configured to guide conveying of a recording medium. A positioning contact part is configured to be in contact with a main-body-side contact part when the door unit is closed, thereby positioning the conveying guide part with respect to the casing main body. A locking mechanism is provided on a first side with respect to the positioning contact part. The hinge mechanism is provided on a second side that is opposite to the first side. The urging member is configured to apply an urging force to a predetermined part of the door main body. The predetermined part is located on the second side, thereby increasing contact pressure between the positioning contact part and the main-body-side contact part.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes first and second rollers, a power source, and first and second drive units. The first and second rollers can be independently rotated to apply a feeding force to a sheet. The sheet feeder can switch the first drive unit to a meshing state and the second drive unit to an escape state so as to input a rotational driving force from the power source to the first drive unit and can also switch the first drive unit to the escape state and the second drive unit to the meshing state so as to input the rotational driving force from the power source to the second drive unit.

Abstract: A printer having an opening/closing cover for providing access to a roll paper compartment, a peeler mechanism for peeling printed labels from a web and for dispensing the peeled printed labels from the printer and an opening and closing mechanism 50 which locks and unlocks the cover and a peeler unit 10 of the peeler mechanism in response to the manual operation of a manual operating member such as a release button 17 with a single easy operation. When the release button 17 is depressed into a first operating position 17B, a lock lever 52 of the opening/closing mechanism 50 slides from a locked position 52A to a released position 52B to disengage the lock lever 52 thus unlocking the opening/closing cover 9. At the same time, the sliding lock lever 52 pushes engaging claws 74a, 73a that lock or unlocks the peeler unit 10.

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

Abstract: A data entry device includes a pair of key pods adapted for use with left and right hands of a user. Each key pod includes a base housing, a carrier housing mounted on and rotate about the longitudinal pivot of the base housing. The carrier housing has at least a center position, a first rotational position in the clockwise direction, and a second rotational position in the counter-clockwise direction. Each key pod further includes a set of data input keys correspond to the fingers of the user's hand and a thumb key. The set of data input keys provides first, second and third sets of input signals corresponding to the carrier housing being in the center position, the first and the second rotational positions, respectively. The carrier housing may further include overtravel rotational positions in the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction to implement further control or keyboard functions.

Abstract: A label printing apparatus having a label peeling mechanism determines the appropriate time to run a process for setting the paper. Paper having a plurality of labels continuously affixed to a web liner is loaded inside the label printing apparatus when a main cover is open. A peeling mechanism cover is attached and openable from the main cover. When opened, the paper is routed through one path or another to exit the printer from one or another exit depending on whether or not the peeling mechanism is used. A control method for this printer has a step of waiting for a switch to be pressed by an operator after the operator puts the paper inside the label printer and closes the main cover, and a step of executing a paper setup process when the switch is pressed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: an apparatus body; a first unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the body along a first direction and which includes at least a part of an image forming section for forming an image and/or of a sheet transporting section for transporting a sheet onto which the formed image is transferred, and; a second unit which can be pulled/pushed from/to the first unit along a second direction in a state where the first unit is pulled from the body, the second direction being different from the first direction; and a housing permitting mechanism for permitting the first unit to be pushed into the body by a predetermined operation, the housing permitting mechanism being provided for at least one of the body and the first unit.

Abstract: In a method of producing a photosensitive planographic printing plate according to the present invention, a web is coated with a coating solution, and a coating solution film thus formed is rapidly dried. For this drying, fresh air is blown onto the web W heated with a heat roll such that the air is blown parallel to the coating solution film. The coating solution film can thereby be prevented from changing its thickness due to an air stream during drying, while the coating solution film can be rapidly dried. Accordingly, the coating solution film can be dried before the film is leveled, to form a coating layer having uniform thickness.

Abstract: A tape printer includes a cutter lever that is capable of moving within a prescribed operating range, a tape-cutting mechanism for cutting a printing tape after the printing tape has been printed by a thermal head when the cutter lever moves past a prescribed range, a cutter lever sensor for detecting movement of the cutter lever within the prescribed operating range, and drive circuits for halting the tape-feeding operation and printing operation controlled by a controller when the cutter lever sensor detects an operation by the cutter lever. With this construction, a printing mechanism, which includes a tape-feeding mechanism, is completely halted when a cutter unit is operated, thereby eliminating all tape jams.

Abstract: The invention provides for a modular printer including a housing having an upper and lower cover, with a first side wall having an air duct with an air inlet, and a second side wall defining air exit vents, so that warm air can be ducted over print media passing through the housing. The printer further includes entry and exit media feed roller assemblies at respective opposite ends of the housing for feeding the print media through the housing. Also included is a print engine having two opposing arcuate printheads having a radius of curvature which approximates that of the radius of the rollers. The printhead are at least partially received between opposite halves of the rollers of the entry roller assembly. The print engine is configured to print ink followed by a fixative onto the print media, with the feed assemblies configured to feed the media through the housing at a predetermined rate so that said media only leaves the housing when the fixative has dried.

Abstract: A web printer for printing patterns on continuous print media the web printer comprising a cabinet one or more print media cartridges mounted in a releasable manner within the cabinet and each carrying a wound length of print media one or more ink reservoirs mounted in a releasable manner within the cabinet and each storing ink to be printed a data capture device configured to capture the identity of an identifier carried by a printed sample and a stationary printhead mounted within the cabinet to extend transverse to the print media and configured to print a pattern upon the print media with the ink subsequent to the capture of the identity of the printed sample whereby the printed pattern corresponds to the printed sample.

Abstract: A transport system includes a guide, operable to guide a transported medium in a transport direction; a driver, disposed at a downstream side of the guide in the transport direction, and operable to come into contact with a bottom surface of the transported medium; a presser, disposed between the guide and the driver, and operable to be displaced between a pressing position where the presser presses an upper surface of the transported medium toward the driver and a non-pressing position where the presser is separated from the upper surface of the transported medium; and a changer, adapted to be engaged with the transported medium so as to displace the presser to the pressing position from the non-pressing position, wherein a leading end of the transported medium reaches the driver before or at a time when the presser presses the transported medium.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a chassis having first and second side surfaces of the chassis; an ink sheet cartridge detachably disposed between the first and second side surfaces of the chassis; a take-up reel engaging the take-up bobbin; and a feed reel engaging the feed bobbin. The ink sheet cartridge includes a casing, a take-up bobbin and a feed bobbin disposed within the casing, first and second compression coil springs respectively coupled to circumferences of portions of the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin so as to bias the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin in the longitudinal direction. At least one of the take-up reel and the feed reel engages the corresponding one of the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin without a biasing member being disposed between the first surface of the chassis and the corresponding one of the take-up bobbin and the feed bobbin.

Abstract: In a printer including a base frame, an upper frame rotatably coupled to the base frame, and a platen and a platen pulley both rotatably supported by the upper frame, a subframe is attached to the upper frame rotatably and movably in one direction. A reduction gear and a belt pulley both are rotatably supported by the subframe. A drive gear is rotatably supported by the base frame and engaged with the reduction gear. A drive belt is stretched between the platen pulley and the belt pulley. A spring is attached between the upper frame and the subframe. The base frame has a guiding portion concentric with the drive gear. The subframe has a guided portion opposite the guiding portion. The spring applies tension to the drive belt and brings the guided portion into contact with the guiding portion.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette is provided. A first and second ribbon-receiving parts of an ink ribbon cassette according to the invention includes wallsthat face each other with a predetermined distance therebetween. An ink ribbon slides on a first ribbon-sliding portion formed at a first wall of the first ribbon-receiving part and a second ribbon-sliding portion formed at a first wall of the second ribbon-receiving part, and is wound on a take-up reel from the feeding reel. A ribbon guide, which prevents the ink ribbon exposed at the second ribbon-sliding portion from coming in contact with a printer body (not shown) when the ink ribbon cassette is mounted in the printer body, is provided outside the second ribbon-sliding portion.

Abstract: A gap detector is operable to detect a distance between a liquid ejecting head adapted to eject liquid toward a target medium and a platen adapted to support the target medium. A circular plate is adapted to be provided on a guide shaft which is rotated together with the rotary plate to selectively determine the distance as one of a plurality of distances. The circular plate has a plurality of flags formed on an outer periphery, each of which is associated with one of the distances. A sensor is disposed in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the circular plate and operable to output a signal indicative of a passage of each of the flags in accordance with the rotation of the circular plate. At least one of intervals between the flags in a circumferential direction of the circular plate is made different from the other.

Abstract: A method of controlling a drive motor that is provided to a printer to apply a driving force to a predetermined operation section that operates in an image printing operation of printing on a printing sheet. The method includes steps of: measuring, in a no-image-printing operation of not printing on the printing sheet, an initial operation time of the predetermined operation section by driving initially the drive motor to operate the operation section; driving, in the image printing operation of printing on the printing sheet, the drive motor with a first output from an operation start time to a time calculated by multiplying the initial operation time by a coefficient that is larger than 0 but smaller than 1; and driving, until an operation end time after the drive motor is driven with the first output, the drive motor with a second output that is determined based on the initial operation time.

Abstract: A device is provided for engaging and/or disengaging a roller with or from a first mating roller. The device includes a second mating roller, with which the roller is engaged, and with a basic unit, with which the roller can be moved to or away from the first mating roller in the circumferential direction of the second mating roller. A process for engaging and/or disengaging a roller of a printing press with or from a first mating roller is provided wherein the roller is engaged with a second mating roller and the roller is guided in the circumferential direction of the second mating roller in the state in which it is engaged with the second mating roller.