Abstract: In the conventional printing apparatuses wherein a type-wheel and a carriage are driven respectively by stepping motors, after turning on power supply, a original position of the carriage is initialized by a sensor method, and a original position of the type-wheel is initialized by a step-out method. In this case, a sensor is required to be mounted within a very narrow range equivalent to several steps, and a stopper for restraining rotation of the type-wheel is required to be mounted within a very narrow range in the vicinity of a frame side wall.

Abstract: In a printer for printing an attributed character by printing a character part and an attribute part separately, the invented printer or typewriter is so constructed that only an attribute part, e.g., an underline part or a bold face part, is printed in case a printed character is detected to already have the attribute, i.e., is underlined, or bold face, thereby preventing a character part of the printed character from being double printed. This results in improved quality in printed characters and in complete clear character erasures. The printer is also effective for overprinting attribute parts to over a desired range of printed characters.

Abstract: A method or system for bringing a movable element of a stepper motor to its home position by mechanically blocking the movable element from further moving from the home position, wherein the movable element is moved in one direction by repeating an energization cycle in which windings for sequentially establishing different energization phases are energized in a predetermined sequence at a predetermined interval from one phase to another. After the movable element is mechanically blocked, a motor driver circuit energizes at least one of the windings which corresponds to at least one of the energization phases that precedes another of the energization phases which corresponds to the home position of the movable element. This energization of the winding or windings for each preceding phase continues for a time longer than the predetermined energization interval of the normal energization cycle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a data entry keyboard which has a multitude of depressible keys which are selectively depressed for the entry of predetermined data. In the keyboard, an insulating member is sandwiched between a first substrate having stationary electrodes and a flexible second substrate having movable electrodes. The stationary and movable electrodes face one another through apertures formed in the insulating member. Upper and lower marginal surface portions of the insulating member, including the respective peripheral edges of the apertures, are kept parallel to the first and second substrates corresponding thereto by a plurality of protuberances on the substrates so that voids with a predetermined width are left between the marginal surface portions and the individual substrates. The movable electrodes of the second substrate are electrically fixed, in the form of a cantilever each, to the extreme end portions of branch conductor strips which diverge from a main conductor strip at right angles thereto.