Abstract: A resin impact absorber comprising a hollow columnar body having a honeycomb section or a hollow columnar body having a cylindrical shape, the hollow columnar body being made of a resin with a flexural modulus of 500 to 5000 kgf/cm.sup.2, wherein a reaction-compressibility curve at the time of compression in the lengthwise direction of the columnar body satisfies the following conditions: (a) yield strength.gtoreq.100 Tf/m.sup.2 and (b) compression energy absorption.gtoreq.50 Tf.m/m.sup.3. The resin impact absorber of the present invention is small in size and light in weight and exhibits a high impact energy absorption capacity. A site or structure with an impact absorber of the present invention disposed therein can be prevented from remarkable damage or breakage when it receives a high impact force.

Abstract: A cassette casing for holding an ink film ribbon has a discharge outlet for the ink film ribbon. A winding core is rotatably mounted in the cassette casing. An ink film ribbon is wound on the winding core and has one end thereof discharged through the discharge outlet. At least one slide contact member is disposed at the discharge outlet and contacts the ink film ribbon along the full width of the ink film ribbon.

Abstract: A printer has a rechargeable battery and an electrically driven device required for printing. The device is powered by the battery. The printer uses the device as a load for discharging the battery without performing a printing operation.

Abstract: A thermal printer for forming an image on a sheet includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements. A total number of thermal elements to be energized to form the line image is determined. A difference between the total thermal elements to be energized to form the line image, and previous number of the thermal elements that were energized to form a previous line image is calculated. The thermal elements are then driven for a period of time which is a function of the difference between the total number and the previous number that was calculated.

Abstract: A thermal printer that forms an image on a sheet. The thermal printer includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements, a device for converting image information into bit-map image data, and a device for storing the bit-map image data. A predetermined portion of the stored bit-map image data is transmitted to the thermal head, and a remaining amount of the stored bit-map image data which has not been transmitted to the thermal head is detected. A time interval between a transmission of the predetermined portion of the stored bit-map image data and a subsequent transmission of the predetermined portion of the stored bit-map image data is set, in response to the detected remaining amount of the stored bit-map image data.

Abstract: A semitransparent mirror is attached to a holder on its objective side and an LED (light source) is attached to the holder on its ocular side. The light from the LED is reflected by the semitransparent mirror and provided as an aiming point. A receiving recess having an inclined axis is formed in one end of the holder on the objective side. A resilient ring, the semitransparent mirror and a support ring are received in the receiving recess in this order. Three or more adjusting screws are equally spacedly arranged in the circumferential direction. By selectively tightening the adjusting screws, the inclination of the semitransparent mirror is adjusted.

Abstract: A thermal printer for forming an image on a sheet, with the image having a plurality of line image data. The thermal printer includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements for forming the image. The total number of the thermal elements to be driven is determined. The thermal elements are driven for a predetermined time period in accordance with the line image data if the number of thermal elements to be driven is not greater than a predetermined value. If the total number of the thermal elements to be driven is greater than the predetermined value, then the predetermined time period is divided into a number of fractional time periods and the thermal elements are intermittently driven for each of the fractional time periods. The predetermined value is determined to avoid sticking between the thermal head and a thermosensitive sheet due to excess heat.

Abstract: A portable printer forms a portion of an image in accordance with image data. A built-in battery provides energy to form the portion of the image. The portable printer predicts whether a remaining capacity of the battery, after the portion of the image has been formed, will be larger than a predetermined reference termination value. The portion of the image is not formed if the remaining capacity of the battery is predicted to be less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A thermal printer for forming an image on a sheet includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements. A number of thermal elements to be driven to form a line image is determined. A time period that the thermal elements are to be driven to form the current line image is then calculated in accordance with a number of thermal elements driven to form a previous line image and the number of thermal elements determined to be driven to form the current line image. The thermal elements are then driven for the calculated time period to form the current line image.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a thermal head provided with a plurality of thermal elements arranged linearly. The thermal printer also includes a power source capable of supplying a predetermined power level to the plurality of thermal elements which generate heat, a drive for driving the thermal elements with power, and a controller for dividing the plurality of thermal elements into at least two groups. The grouping of the thermal elements is determined such that a difference in power consumption between the groups is minimized.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer is capable of using a plurality of types of continuous form recording media having different page lengths, respectively. In the printer, a photoconductive member is charged and exposed to light carrying image data to form a latent image. In operation, one of the plurality of types of recording media is selected, and a portion of the photoconductive member corresponding to a page of the selected one of the plurality of types of recording media is exposed to light. In another embodiment, a laser beam printer utilizes a continuous-form recording sheet, wherein two control members are provided for, respectively, controlling the recording sheet so as to be discharged from the printing device after a printing operation, and for controlling the recording sheet so as to be located at a position from which a printing operation is restarted. Thus, recording sheets are not wasted when printer output is started.

Abstract: A thermal line printer with a page-width print head includes a page-width ink film ribbon that feeds in the same direction as paper inserted in the printer. The thermal line printer may print on ordinary untreated paper, and the ink film ribbon may be stored in a cassette.

Abstract: A compact thermal line printer includes a guiding portion that releases a thermal line printing head from contact with a platen roller responsive to opening of a cover member. The edges of the cover member are recessed to form paper insert and discharge slots when the cover member is closed. The guiding portion is arranged to hold the cover member open when the cover member opens past a predetermined point.

Abstract: A thermal printer has with a cover member which swings away from the printer. A thermal line printhead is separated from a platen roller in response to the swinging of the cover member. A paper detector on the cover member swings away from the printer with the cover member. Accordingly, a single sensor detects when paper is loaded in the printer, when the cover is open, and when the thermal line printhead is separated from the platen roller, all of which result in the an interruption or prohibition of printing.

Abstract: An electrophotographic printer is capable of using a plurality of types of continuous form recording media having different page lengths, respectively. In the printer, a photoconductive member is charged and exposed to light carrying image data to form a latent image. In operation, one of the plurality of types of recording media is selected, and a portion of the photoconductive member corresponding to a page of the selected one of the plurality of types of recording media is exposed to light. In another embodiment, a laser beam printer utilizes a continuous-form recording sheet, wherein two control members are provided for, respectively, controlling the recording sheet so as to be discharged from the printing device after a printing operation, and for controlling the recording sheet so as to be located at a position from which a printing operation is restarted. Thus, recording sheets are not wasted when printer output is started.

Abstract: A device for positioning a tip portion of a continuous form provided in a laser printer when the continuous form is set in the laser printer. The device includes a pair of fixing rollers provided at a position separated by a predetermined interval from a photosensitive drum, a tractor unit, a feed sensor, a tip sensor, and a control unit. The tractor unit is provided between the fixing rollers and the photosensitive drum to feed the continuous form toward the fixing rollers, the feed sensor outputs feed pulses in accordance with an amount fed of the continuous form, the tip sensor senses the tip portion of the continuous form. The control unit counts the number of feed pulses sensed by the feed sensor to feed one page of the continuous form so as, to discharge one page from the outlet mouth of the printer when a positioning of the tip portion is needed.

Abstract: An electrophotographic imaging device employs a continuous form sheet having a plurality of segments divided by perforations. An image is formed on a predetermined area of each of the segments in accordance with image data. It is discriminated whether an image is printed, in accordance with the image data, on a segment of the continuous form sheet which is to be discharged out of the imaging device. If it is discriminated that the segment is discharged without an image being printed in accordance with image data, a pair of marks are printed on the segment. The discriminating mechanism and the mark printing mechanism can be disabled when a page length of a sheet of the continuous form sheet has a predetermined value.

Abstract: In a printer for printing images on a continuous form recording sheet, which can be used in association with a stacking device for folding and stacking the recording sheet discharged from the printer. A terminal is connected to the stacking device. A predetermined signal is applied to the terminal only while the recording sheet is being fed in the printer. The stacking device receives the predetermined signal and executes folding and stacking operations while it is receiving the predetermined signal.

Abstract: An apparatus utilizing a continuous-form sheet having a plurality of perforations at predetermined intervals of length is provided with a plate member for upwardly guiding the sheet discharged from the apparatus. A connect member provided on the plate member, as well as the apparatus, are arranged to be brought into and out of engagement with each other. The continuous-form sheet discharged from the apparatus is bent at the perforations and falls beyond the plate to be neatly folded.

Abstract: A form feeding control device includes a sensor provided at an inlet mouth of a printer to sense whether or not a continuous form exists in the inlet mouth. A control unit feeds the continuous for transfer thereto of a printed image corresponding to one page of the continuous form. The printed image is then fixed on the continuous form. The control unit also feeds the continuous form to fix the printed image on one page when the sensor senses that the end of the continuous form has passed through the inlet mouth and that a printed image has been transferred to the continuous form.