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 ribbon cartridge for a printer. The ribbon cartridge includes a frame that supports supply and take-up spools and that has one or more locating features to facilitate its insertion and positioning in a frame of a printer. For example, the ribbon cartridge frame may include a pair of detents defined approximately midway between the two spools to facilitate balanced insertion. The detents are slots with rounded ends that are configured to receive similarly shaped reference protrusions of the printer frame. The cartridge frame may also define a pocket for receiving an identification tag associated with the ribbon cartridge that ensures compatibility with the printer and passage of other information to the printer. In other embodiments, the ribbon cartridge may include a cleaning roller.

Abstract: A printer configured to print on substrates that undesirably tend to collect debris before being printed, comprises a print station including a printhead, and a printer body configured to receive a replaceable cartridge that holds a printer consumable (such as a ribbon) and a substrate cleaning structure. The printer body is constructed and arranged so that when a cartridge is received in the body, the cleaning structure is operable to at least assist in removing debris from a substrate. The cleaning structure may comprise a tacky or sticky belt, web or roller. The cleaning structure may be configured to present a sticky surface to a primary cleaning member that engages and cleans the substrates. Alternatively, the cleaning structure may be configured to directly engage and clean the substrates. Preferably, the useful lives of the cleaning structure and the printer consumable are commensurate.

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 printer configured to print on substrates that undesirably tend to collect debris before being printed, comprises a print station including a printhead, and a printer body configured to receive a replaceable cartridge that holds a printer consumable (such as a ribbon) and a substrate cleaning structure. The printer body is constructed and arranged so that when a cartridge is received in the body, the cleaning structure is operable to at least assist in removing debris from a substrate. The cleaning structure may comprise a tacky or sticky belt, web or roller. The cleaning structure may be configured to present a sticky surface to a primary cleaning member that engages and cleans the substrates. Alternatively, the cleaning structure may be configured to directly engage and clean the substrates. Preferably, the useful lives of the cleaning structure and the printer consumable are commensurate.

Abstract: A system for dissipating electrostatic charge build-up in printers comprises a ribbon frame made of statically dissipative material and adapted to support a printhead bracket on which a thermal printhead is mounted proximate to a rotating platen. The statically dissipative ribbon frame may be grounded to the printer power supply which in turn is grounded to the main printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the printer which is connected to earth ground. The electrostatically dissipative material in the ribbon frame automatically dissipates static electric charge as the moving ribbon comes into physical contact with at least one portion of the grounded ribbon frame during printer operation. The printhead bracket may also be made of statically dissipative material and grounded to the PCBA. The electrostatically dissipative material in the printhead bracket automatically dissipates static electric charge as the moving ribbon comes into physical contact with at least one portion of the grounded printhead bracket.

Abstract: A ribbon tracking system for use in a printer, scanner or the like includes a carbon fiber-based plastic printer wire shroud having a first portion coupled to the printer ribbon frame downstream from the printhead, a second portion spaced apart from and generally parallel to the first portion and adapted to contact a moving ribbon at a curved front edge during printer operation, and a substantially small integral neck portion coupled centrally between the first and second portions. The neck portion functions as a living hinge permitting the second portion to deflect toward and/or away from the first portion, or in any combination of directions thereof, to automatically equalize stress differentials between various portions of the moving ribbon so as to prevent wrinkling and/or buckling, of the ribbon.

Abstract: A system for dissipating electrostatic charge build-up in printers comprises a ribbon frame made of statically dissipative material and adapted to support a printhead bracket on which a thermal printhead is mounted proximate to a rotating platen. The statically dissipative ribbon frame may be grounded to the printer power supply which in turn is grounded to the main printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the printer which is connected to earth ground. The electrostatically dissipative material in the ribbon frame automatically dissipates static electric charge as the moving ribbon comes into physical contact with at least one portion of the grounded ribbon frame during printer operation. The printhead bracket may also be made of statically dissipative material and grounded to the PCBA. The electrostatically dissipative material in the printhead bracket automatically dissipates static electric charge as the moving ribbon comes into physical contact with at least one portion of the grounded printhead bracket.

Abstract: A rack and pinion medium roll support includes a support holder, a generally circular shape support shaft perpendicularly coupled to the support holder, and a rack and pinion mechanism, said rack and pinion mechanism comprising a pinion rotatably coupled to the support holder, an inner adjustable lever having an inner toothed rack meshed with the pinion, and an outer adjustable lever having an outer toothed rack meshed with the pinion at diametrically opposite end of the inner toothed rack of the inner adjustable lever, the inner adjustable lever being slidably coupled to the support shaft at an inner end and the outer adjustable lever being slidably coupled to the support shaft at an outer end, wherein the pinion is adapted to move the inner adjustable lever and the outer adjustable lever with approximately equal distance relative to each other for center adjusting a medium roll mounted on the support shaft between the inner adjustable lever and the outer adjustable lever.

Abstract: A portable printer comprising a door pivotally coupled to a main body of the portable printer at a back end, a printing medium roller support rotatably mounted on the door of the portable printer, a platen rotatably positioned at a front end of the door, a door locking mechanism having a pair of door locking latches respectively positioned at opposite ends of the platen, a roller movably and rotatably coupled to the door locking mechanism and positioned parallel to the platen, a pair of levers movably coupled to the door locking mechanism for pressing the roller against the platen when the door is closed to the main body, a support frame positioned within the main body, a print head pivotally coupled to the support frame, a pair of coil springs coupled between the print head and the support frame such that the print head is essentially floating against the support frame, a body locking mechanism having a pair of body locking latches for latching with respective door locking latches, a gear system coupled to t