Abstract: Products are screen printed at a plurality of geographically remote printing facilities with precisely defined and formulated colored inks so that the products produced at each of the facilities are substantially indistinguishable by the naked human eye. Ink formulation cards and a sample product with the precisely defined colors printed on it, are sent to each of the printing facilities. Depending upon the particular environmental conditions in the various printing facilities the formulations for various colors may differ from location to location, in order to get uniform products. Compact discs, plastic bottles, promotional clothing, signage, and like products may all be effectively handled in this manner.

Abstract: There are provided a tape printing apparatus and a tape printing method, which are capable of setting or determining whether or not half-cutting should be carried out, based on the detected type of a tape set for use, as well as a cutting device capable of detecting the type of a tape-shaped member, and setting whether or not the tape-shaped member should be cut, based on the detected type of the tape-shaped member, a tape printing apparatus incorporating the device, and a method for the cutting device. The tape printing apparatus has a half-cutting function of cutting only a peel layer of a tape-shaped member formed of an image-receiving layer and the peel layer and by using a half-cutting tape cutter in the direction of the width of the tape-shaped member. The type of the tape-shaped member is detected. Whether or not the half-cutting tape cutter is driven, based on a result of the detection. Printing is carried out on the tape-shaped member.

Abstract: A printing system includes a plurality of networked printers where macro data can be stored efficiently and quickly in selected printers. First, a host computer reads macro data stored in a HDD of a predetermined printer and displays the macro data on a CRT display. Then, upon the user's selection of macro data to be copied and the IP addresses of destination printers, the selected macro data is transmitted to each of the destination printers. Each of the destination printers receives the selected macro data and stores it in its HDD.

Abstract: Heat is uniformly conducted to print media in an ink-jet printer in conjunction with the uniform application of vacuum pressure to the media for supporting the media as it is conveyed on a heated belt through the printer. The heat is applied to the media by conduction, in a manner that does not overheat the print head of the printer nor interfere with the trajectory of the droplets expelled from the print head. The heat is applied to the media in the print zone as well as regions on either side of the print zone where the media enters and exits the print zone. The amount of heat applied to each of these regions is independently controlled, and can be related to the physical characteristics of the particular type of print media or inks that are used.

Abstract: A marking machine with fixed motors comprising a first electric and fixed motor for transmitting motion to a first head sliding on a first guide in the OX direction, a second electric and fixed motor for transmitting motion to a working head sliding on a second guide in the OY direction; wherein a support is integral with the first head and the second guide; the first and second motors being controlled so as to create a differential motion between the two motors sufficient to effect displacement in the OY direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing on dimensionally stable individual articles has a conveyor for conveying the articles, along which printing stations and other treatment stations are arranged. CDs are fed in a magazine in the form of a stack to a separating station, individually separated, and then each fitted into a respective receiver of the conveyor. The printed articles are removed in a removal station from the respective receivers and fed to a magazine in a collecting station. A conveyor belt conveys the magazines both through the separating stations and also through the collecting station, the conveyor belt conveying the empty magazines from the separating station into the collecting station. At least one stepwise circulating transfer arrangement forms a second conveyor path along which are arranged the separating station, the respective receivers disposed in the receiving station for the printed article, and the collecting station.

Abstract: A method of a replacement component used in a printer communicating with a controller of the printer, and a method of a controller of a printer communicating with a replacement component used in a printer are disclosed. The method of the replacement component communicating with the controller includes the steps of: a memory module of the replacement component deciding whether or not a predetermined password signal is in information received via a communication interface; and the memory module communicating with the controller of the printer when the password signal is in the received information. Since the replacement component for a printer is adapted to not communicate with a controller which does not transmit a preset communication allowing signal, the characteristic information of the replacement component is prevented from being leaked. In addition, it can be prevented that a bad component is installed and used in the printer.

Abstract: A stencil making apparatus thermo-sensitively perforates a stencil sheet by a thermal print head. The apparatus includes a controlling device for driving contiguous N pieces of heat generating elements of the thermal print head while shifting respectively heat generating timings at every 1/N of a period of one line of main scanning in perforating inputted image data of the one line of the main scanning.

Abstract: A tape supply cartridge for use in a printer of the type having a fixed print head, a movable platen roller and a pair of tape advancement rollers, one in the cartridge and one in the printer.

Abstract: In a postage meter, funds are requested from an accounting unit and transferred to a print buffer when a print registration sensor detects a mailpiece at a location that is sufficiently downstream of the printing mechanism in order to enable the meter sufficient time to compose the indicia. A presentation sensor detects the presence of the mailpiece just prior to printing the indicia; and a printing mechanism prints the indicia if the mailpiece is properly aligned with the printing mechanism, or stores the indicia data in a secure register if the mailpiece is not properly aligned with the printing mechanism to enable the operator to obtain a refund.

Abstract: The printer and the printer assembly of the present invention has a line thermal head extending in the paper width direction; a non-roller type platen disposed so as to face the line thermal head for printing a thermal paper between the line thermal head and the platen; and a paper extracting device disposed on the paper ejection side of the line thermal head and the platen for feeding a thermal paper between a first and a second roller. The non-roller type platen can press the thermal paper with uniform pressure and without distortion even if it is thin. Moreover, it is possible to prevent distortion of the rollers of the extracting device even with small diameters by supporting middle parts of each shaft of respective rollers. Therefore, a thin and compact printer assemblies and printers are provided.

Abstract: A charging contact plate is used for preventing a primary charge roller of a cartridge used in a printer from shifting in a longitudinal direction and for charging the primary charge roller. The charging contact plate includes a main plate, a semicircle plate and a contact portion. The main plate has an end fastened on the cartridge and connected with a power supply within the printer. The semicircle plate has an end disposed at another end of the main plate. And, the contact portion has an end disposed at another end of the semicircle plate and has another end contacting with the primary charge roller.

Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes an ejection outlet for ejecting liquid; a bubble generating region for generating a bubble; a movable member disposed faced to the bubble generating region and movable between a first position and a second position which is farther form the bubble generating region than the first position; a liquid supply passage for supplying the liquid to the bubble generating region from upstream of the bubble generating region; an opening, in fluid communication with the supply passage, for discharging the liquid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a printer with improved label dispensing, and more particularly a printer in which the label is prevented from adhering to the backing paper during the dispensing. The printer comprises a print head (1) for printing labels (4) attached by an adhesive layer to a backing paper (5), a path (2) along which the backing paper together with the labels is brought in front of the print head and on to a dispensing edge (3) at which the backing paper is to be deflected while the labels are released from the backing paper and dispensed in a substantially straight direction. According to the invention, the printer comprises means for moving or removing electric charges. In one embodiment of the invention, the dispensing edge (3) is coated with a material removing charges from the backing paper (5), while another embodiment of the invention is provided with a device that generates an electric field moving electric charges of the labels and the backing paper.

Abstract: A parallelepiped shape printer (20) suitable being stacked with equipment, comprising a fixed structure (65) upon which an outer casing (22) of the printer is mounted; a movable cassette (21) bearing a printing assembly (33); and a feeding tray (34) which contains a ream (36) of sheets of paper (37), wherein the cassette (21) may be manually extracted from and inserted in the outer casing (22) through a front side (23) of the printer (20).

Abstract: There are provided a tape cartridge which can be changed into a compact shape for storage or transport, or makes a printing tape and a laminating tape replaceable, and at the same time facilitating the handling of them, a tape cartridge capable of holding an unrolled portion extending over a relative long distance in a proper attitude, a tape cutting device including the tape cartridge, and a tape printing apparatus including any of the above tape cartridges or having a structure making itself free from spoiling the print quality. A casing of a tape cartridge accommodating at least one roll of tape such that the at least one roll of tape can be unrolled therefrom comprises a hinge mechanism arranged at a longitudinally intermediate portion thereof, for allowing the tape cartridge to be folded.

Abstract: A keyboard apparatus has keys for operation by a user. The keyboard includes a first plurality of keys being coupled to electrical generator apparatus for generating electricity from their operation. A second plurality of the keys is not coupled to electrical generator apparatus. The first plurality of keys exhibits a greater average statistical frequency of usage per key than does the second plurality.

Abstract: A method for finishing a golf ball comprising the steps of providing a golf ball having a three-dimensional dimpled surface; preparing the surface for receiving at least one indicia; providing a digital image having at least one color; providing a multi-layered pad-printing substrate having at least one layer; etching the image into the at least one layer of the substrate with a laser; distributing a layer of ink over the etched substrate; providing at least one pad for transferring the ink from the substrate to the three-dimensional surface; and transferring the image from the substrate to the dimpled surface of the golf ball.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for duplex printing of a sheet-like substrate in a continuous single-pass flat printing process. The device comprises a first conveyor unit in communication with a feeder and a second conveyor unit in communication with a delivery. Each conveyor unit has a printing device and a drying/curing device disposed adjacent to the conveyor unit for applying a printed material to the substrate. A transfer device is disposed between the two conveyor units for transferring the substrate from the first conveyor unit to the second conveyor unit and turning the substrate, thereby allowing both sides of the substrate to be printed. Alternative embodiments may include any number of conveyor units and transfer units.

Abstract: In the present invention, the recording paper is conveyed by a feed roller to plural recording portions sequentially, and each recording portion successively prints each specific color on the recording paper while applying tension to the paper. The tension applied to the recording paper is switched to a predetermined value each time the recording paper is conveyed to each recording, portion when starting to print.