Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal printer which can perform both heat-sensitive recording and heat-transfer recording and comprises a recording medium loading portion for removably receiving a recording medium for the heat-sensitive recording operation and a recording medium for the heat-transfer recording operation; an ink sheet loading portion for removably receiving an ink sheet used with the heat-transfer recording operation; a recording means for recording an image on the recording medium; and a control means for energizing the recording means to heat a predetermined number of dots when the image is recorded on the recording medium for the heat-transfer recording operation by means of the recording means and for energizing the recording means to heat a number of dots larger than the predetermined number of dots when the image is recorded on the recording medium for the heat-sensitive recording operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for driving and controlling a thermal printer. In the thermal printer provided with a carriage driving mechanism for moving a carriage including a thermal head forward and backward along a platen; a mechanism for moving upward and downward the thermal head to bring it into contact with and detach it from said platen; and a sheet forwarding mechanism for forwarding a print sheet in the direction perpendicular to the sheet forwarding direction; the time required for the printing operation by the printer is shortened as a whole and thus it is possible to raise the effective printing speed by controlling the drive of the printer so that the upward movement and/or the downward movement of the thermal head and the moving operation of the carriage or the sheet forwarding operation are effected, overlapped with each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a flexible, heat resistant mold member. The mold member is useful in molding processes such as dip or slush molding. The mold member maintains its structural integrity and may therefore be used as an insert in the article being molded to provide flexible stability at specific locations within the article. The mold member is made of a material which is substantially non-reactive with the molded article. The molded article may be any article made from a plastisol such as a binaural for a stethoscope having single or double lumens.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter circuit is disclosed for receiving an analog input signal and producing a digital output having a plurality of binary bits representative of the input signal. A number of devices are utilized, each of which has a voltage versus current characteristic with a plurality of peaks, and negative resistance regions between said peaks. In the illustrated embodiments, these devices are resonant tunneling diodes. For each bit to be produced, a pair of said devices are provided, each being coupled in series arrangement with a resistor. Predetermined portions of the input signal are applied to both of the series arrangements for each respective bit to be produced. Signals from both of the series arrangements are combined for each respective bit to be produced. The combined outputs respectively represent the produced binary bits.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for performing line-recording using a recording head in which heat generating elements are linearly arranged, and for determining an energy amount to be applied to each heat generating element according to a heat hysteresis of the corresponding heat generating element, includes a memory for storing image data for a plurality of lines, and a control circuit for sequentially designating image data to be recorded, and calculating an energy amount to be applied to the heat generating element at a record position of designated image data according to image data of a line next to the designated data.

Abstract: A thermal chart recorder which is operative for simultaneously generating a plurality of wave form images on a thermally responsive chart in response to input signals utilizing a stationary thermal print head, includes a sound generation circuit for generating audible sounds which simulate the sounds generated by the styli of a traditional stylus-type recorder. The volume levels of the sound produced by the sound generation circuit correspond to the sum of the approximate absolute values of the rates of change of the input signals and can be utilized for allerting operators to rapid changes in recorded parameters.

Abstract: In order to avoid density variation due to difference of a print dot rate in a line printer for printing an image and character, a data transfer circuit operates to convert image data inputted through a buffer memory into a plurality of serial data trains. The serial data trains are fed to corresponding shift registers of a print head. The data transfer circuit is also connected to a selecting gate circuit in the form of a demultiplexer. The demultiplexer operates to cyclicly sample the plurality of serial data trains outputted from the data transfer circuit. A counter counts a number of print dots contained in the sampled data so as to measure a print dot rate. A drive pulse width is adjusted according to the print dot rate so as to avoid variation of print density due to difference of the print dot rate.

Abstract: A thermal line printer is provided in which required printing is carried out by developing a thermal recording paper under heat generated by heat generating elements or by melting a heat-meltable ink under such heat to deposit melted ink on a recording paper sheet. The thermal line printer includes external memory means having a function to store print data for two or more dot lines as corrective print data and capable of asynchronously performing its write and read functions. Furthermore, both print data processing and control of the external memory means are carried out mainly by a hardware arrangement, whereby the thermal line printer is inexpensive, provides high print quality, and has high-speed printing capability.

Abstract: A thermal recording head and system including a plurality of heating elements ranged in one line, wherein N groups of heating elements are sequentially selected to be actuated by selecting a respective one of every N number of adjacent heating elements in order for N times of divisional recording for one line.

Abstract: A detection circuit for determining whether heating members within a thermal head are broken is disclosed. The circuit comprises a voltage source connected in series with a resistor, wherein the voltage source and resistor are connected in parallel with a diode. The diode allows current to flow from a thermal head driving power supply to a thermal head. invention also includes a comparator for comparing the voltage The present level at the output terminal of the diode with a reference voltage. The parallel connection of the diode and the voltage source/resistor allows the output voltage of the diode to maintain an expected voltage level while the heating members are operating normally (i.e. the members are not broken). The parallel connection also allows the voltage level at the output terminal of the diode to increase as the members operate abnormally (i.e. a worn or broken condition). The comparator monitors this voltage level, and detects undesirable fluctuations therein.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided which is coupled to include a source of printing signals, such as a portable hand held computer or data terminal, for printing an image on a sheet of printing material in accordance with the printing signals. The thermal printer includes a printer controller and a thermal printing head which includes a plurality of thermal heating elements aligned in a row across the sheet of printing material to generate heat to thereby print dots on the printing material. These heat generating elements are powered by a battery having limited size and power. The printer controller receives the printing signals and generates dot signals in response thereto for activating selected heat generating elements. The printer controller includes a counter which counts the number of dot signals. Depending on the number of dot signals for each line or row, the printer controller activates an optimum number of groups of heat generating elements to maximize printing speed for the amount of power available.

Abstract: There is disclosed a facsimile apparatus capable of economizing the power required for the heater for heat fixation of the recorded image. Instead of continuous heating, the heater is activated in response to a particular signal in the received message and is deactivated after the recording of a page, or plural pages in case of a continuous receiving operation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a thermal recording apparatus used, in facsimile machines, printers, etc., comprising a thermal head, a driving circuit and a temperature compensation circuit. The head has heating resistors which, driven by the driving circuit, generate heat by which to thermally record images, characters and other information on a recording medium. The temperature compensation circuit, detecting thermal head temperatures, has a charging-discharging circuit whose output charging-discharging signal varies with the temperature detected. The compensation circuit also comprises a reference signal generation circuit and an output circuit, the reference signal generation circuit outputs a reference signal to the output circuit based on information by which to control the head temperature suitably under various internal and external conditions affecting the head temperature inside and apparatus. The output circuit acquires information on actual head temperatures from the charging-discharging signal.

Abstract: In a thermal printer according to the present invention, a platen can be mounted in a pressed abutted condition against a thermal head by fixing the platen in a state where the platen is pressed toward a thermal head which is fixedly provided, and when the pressed abutted condition is released by the operation of a release lever the platen is floated in a free condition and it can be easily taken out.

Abstract: A successive comparison type analog-to-digital (AD) converter having a successive comparing circuit which is implemented by two successive comparators, and having a parallel two sequence AD conversion capability while adapting itself to another conversion system at the same time as needed. The successive comparators are not expensive and are, therefore, sucessful in constituting an inexpensive successive comparison type AD converter.

Abstract: Electrophotographic process control in copiers and printers using test patches at different locations within the image frame. Test patches or areas are placed at various locations in subsequent frames to reduce any memory discontinuities encountered when high density areas are repeatedly placed at the same location within an image frame. The overall image frame includes a plurality of image or picture areas which contain unrelated information data and at least one these areas is replaced with a process test area in some or all of the subsequently produced frames. The test area includes several test strips of varying density which may also be positioned differently within the test area in subsequent frames. The variation in location of the test areas and the position of the test strips can be by random selection or by a predetermined pattern which places the areas and strips at several possible locations.

Abstract: A postage meter having a movable shutter covering the printing die of the meter and mechanisms associated either with the postage meter or a meter base for locking the shutter and moving it, are disclosed. In one embodiment a keyswitch is provided which control locking and unlocking of the shutter and its movement. The meter base locks the postage meter therein with unlocking being controlled by the keyswitch.

Abstract: A digital-analog converter circuit comprising a current output type digital-analog converter and a current/voltage converter connected to an output terminal of the current output type digital/analog converter, the current/voltage converter including bias application means to always apply a bias voltage having a predetermined set value to the output terminal of the digital/analog converter.

Abstract: A position encoder for monitoring the position of a robot arm includes an incremental encoder section which can be initialized locally by an initialization section. The initialization section comprises three engaged encoder gears with relative prime number of teeth, e.g., 23, 24 and 25, so that respective index apertures of the gears precess with successive revolutions of the gears. Upon startup, the robot arm can be moved sufficiently for all three apertures to be detected so that their relative phase positions can be determined. The relative phases can be used to determine an absolute initialization position. Once this initialization position is determined, robot motions can be tracked using the incremental encoder section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting errors in a thermometer code data array (32). A parallel A/D converter (22) comprises an array (26) of comparators and an encoder (30). The correction of errors in the data array (32) produced by the comparators (26) is accomplished by an array (24) of majority error correction gates which is placed between the array (26) of comparators and the encoder (30) in the A/D converter (22).