Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related to a media transport assembly for printers, such as a kiosk printer. The media transport assembly may comprise a biased guide roller structured to dampen media tension shocks, discontinuities, or variations. Other embodiments of the present invention may also provide a media transport assembly configured to allow increased flexibility in media supply roll mounting and for easy loading and threading of the media.

Abstract: A force sensor comprising a substrate, a semiconductor body, and a piezoresistive element provided on a top surface of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body is connected to the substrate in a force-fit manner, and includes a first wing which is provided on the top surface of the semiconductor body and being connected to the semiconductor body in a force-fit manner. A first force application area is provided on the first wing. A second wing has a second force application area provided opposite the first wing. The piezoresistive element is disposed between the first wing and the second wing. A force distribution component is connected to the first force application area and the second force application area in a force-fit manner. The force distribution component having a first surface which is oriented away from the top surface of the semiconductor body and includes a third force application area.

Abstract: A force sensor comprising a substrate, a semiconductor body, and a piezoresistive element provided on a top surface of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body is connected to the substrate in a force-fit manner, and includes a first wing which is provided on the top surface of the semiconductor body and being connected to the semiconductor body in force-fitting manner. A first force application area is provided on the first wing. A second wing has a second force application area provided opposite the first wing. The piezoresistive element is disposed between the first wing and the second wing. A force distribution component is connected to the first force application area and the second force application area in a force-fit manner. The force distribution component having a first surface which is oriented away from the top surface of the semiconductor body and includes a third force application area.

Abstract: A pivot bearing having a first bearing surface of hollow cylindrical design, at least in sections. Guided in the first bearing surface is a second bearing surface of hollow cylindrical design, at least in sections. Rolling bodies are arranged between the bearing surfaces. The pivot bearing also has a cage for guiding the rolling bodies, and a slide block to prevent the cage from slipping. A first grove is formed in the first bearing surface and a second grove is formed in the second bearing surface. The groves are inclined transversely with respect to the running direction of the rolling bodies. The opposite inclination of the groves has the result that, if the spacing between the bearing surfaces is neglected, the grooves intersect. The sliding block is guided between the grooves. The cage has a recess that holds the sliding block permitting cage control.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related to a media transport assembly for printers, such as a kiosk printer. The media transport assembly may comprise a biased guide roller structured to dampen media tension shocks, discontinuities, or variations. Other embodiments of the present invention may also provide a media transport assembly configured to allow increased flexibility in media supply roll mounting and for easy loading and threading of the media.

Abstract: The system according to the invention for thermally processing lumpy solid material substantially comprises a preheating device, a furnace and a separation or classification device which is arranged therebetween and which has a coarse material outlet connected to the furnace and a fine material outlet. The furnace and the preheating device are connected to each other by means of a gas/solid material line which is arranged so as to be inclined relative to the vertical, the furnace exhaust gases being introduced at the end of the gas/solid material line at the furnace side and the preheated solid material being supplied at the end at the preheater side. The separation or classification device is connected to a bypass line which branches off from the gas/solid material line so that at least a partial amount of the preheated solid material can be branched off via the bypass line by means of gravitational force and can be supplied to the separation or classification device.

Abstract: A pivot bearing having a first bearing surface of hollow cylindrical design, at least in sections. Guided in the first bearing surface is a second bearing surface of hollow cylindrical design, at least in sections. Rolling bodies are arranged between the bearing surfaces. The pivot bearing also has a cage for guiding the rolling bodies, and a slide block to prevent the cage from slipping. A first grove is formed in the first bearing surface and a second grove is formed in the second bearing surface. The groves are inclined transversely with respect to the running direction of the rolling bodies. the opposite inclination of the groves has the result that, if the spacing between bearing surfaces is neglected, the grooves intersect. The sliding block is guided between the grooves. The cage has a recess that holds the sliding block permitting cage control.

Abstract: A compact system adapted for card imaging, card laminating, or other card processing, comprises a card processor positioned on a horizontal card feed path and configured to process one or both faces of a rectangular card such as a plastic credit or debit card. A card feeder is arranged to feed cards one at a time onto the horizontal feed path upstream of the card processor, the feeder comprising a compartment for holding a stack of vertical cards each supported on a long edge and a card feed mechanism configured to successively draw a card from an end of the stack and translate it off the stack. A card re-director is configured to receive the card and to redirect it to an attitude in which it is parallel with the horizontal card feed path and positioned to be fed to the card processor along the horizontal feed path. The compartment is located above the horizontal card feed path, and the card feeder feeds cards substantially vertically downward into the card re-director.

Abstract: A compact system adapted for card imaging, card laminating, or other card processing, comprises a card processor positioned on a horizontal card feed path and configured to process one or both faces of a rectangular card such as a plastic credit or debit card. A card feeder is arranged to feed cards one at a time onto the horizontal feed path upstream of the card processor, the feeder comprising a compartment for holding a stack of vertical cards each supported on a long edge and a card feed mechanism configured to successively draw a card from an end of the stack and translate it off the stack. A card re-director is configured to receive the card and to redirect it to an attitude in which it is parallel with the horizontal card feed path and positioned to be fed to the card processor along the horizontal feed path. The compartment is located above the horizontal card feed path, and the card feeder feeds cards substantially vertically downward into the card re-director.

Abstract: A compact system adapted for card imaging, card laminating, or other card processing, comprises a card processor positioned on a horizontal card feed path and configured to process one or both faces of a rectangular card such as a plastic credit or debit card. A card feeder is arranged to feed cards one at a time onto the horizontal feed path upstream of the card processor, the feeder comprising a compartment for holding a stack of vertical cards each supported on a long edge and a card feed mechanism configured to successively draw a card from an end of the stack and translate it off the stack. A card re-director is configured to receive the card and to redirect it to an attitude in which it is parallel with the horizontal card feed path and positioned to be fed to the card processor along the horizontal feed path. The compartment is located above the horizontal card feed path, and the card feeder feeds cards substantially vertically downward into the card re-director.

Abstract: An imaging forming device using a platen, an upper peel roller, a lower peel roller movably positioned under and parallel to the upper peel roller, a diverter bar rotatably positioned underneath the platen and near the upper and lower peel rollers and adapted to guide a printable medium backing to move between the platen and the upper peel roller to between the upper and lower peel rollers, a peel bar rotatably positioned over the upper peel roller, a pair of lever cams rotatably positioned respectively at opposite ends of the upper and lower peel rollers, the lever cams are adapted to push the lower peel roller to press the printable medium backing against the upper peel roller during operation for moving the printable medium backing through the imaging forming device and to allow the lower peel roller to separate apart from the upper peel roller when the imaging forming device is open for loading the printable medium backing in between the upper and lower rollers.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a roll tensioner adapted to hold a medium roll rotatably mounted thereon for providing a printable medium strip to the imaging device. The roll tensioner comprises a torsion mechanism exerting torsion to the printable medium strip that tends to pull back the printable medium strip and, thus, to prevent slack of the printable medium strip, the roll tensioner further including a torsion control mechanism to prevent the torsion from getting too large to stop the rotation of the printable medium roll, the roll tensioner also including a clutch mechanism to prevent damage to the torsion mechanism.

Abstract: An integrated ribbon mechanism comprises a support frame having a bottom plate and two side plates integrated to the bottom plate at opposite sides, a print head assembly rigidly mounted on the bottom surface of a bottom plate, first and second pivotal holes positioned on opposite side plates of the support frame, and a pair of locators positioned at opposite side ends of the print head assembly, each locator having an extrusion portion positioned within a respective slot of the drive mechanism during operation wherein the extrusion portions are smaller than the slots of the drive mechanism to allow the integrated ribbon mechanism to slide against a drive mechanism, the integrated ribbon mechanism being pivotally and adjustably coupled to the drive mechanism by a pair of pivot pins that are smaller than the first and second pivotal holes to allow the integrated ribbon mechanism to slide against the drive mechanism wherein a ribbon strip mounted on the integrated ribbon mechanism will be pulled by a platen of

Abstract: A medium tracking bar is incorporated into an imaging device for preventing wrinkles or buckling of a medium strip sliding over and touching the medium tracking bar, the medium tracking bar being centrally pivoted to the imaging device by a connecting piece and being centrally pivoted by an elastic element to allow the medium tracking bar to swing like a teeter-totter board in any direction to counteract an uneven stress problem on the medium strip due to a misalignment of the medium strip and to realign the medium strip when it passes through the device thereby to prevent wrinkles or buckling of the medium strip.