Abstract: A technical support system comprises a service information portal section for providing web pages as an information input and output interface, and a knowledge base section for storing various claim reports and solutions answered by an engineer with respect to the claim reports. In particular, the server further comprises a claim handling section for registering in the knowledge base section a new claim report in which at least a claim title is structured as a combination of predetermined items of definition information on the basis of a claim content input to a client web page, and managing the registered new claim report as an unsolved claim requiring an answer from the engineer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for treating sodium aluminosilicate which includes adding a calcium compound to sodium aluminosilicate; thermally treating the mixture of the sodium aluminosilicate and the calcium compound; and eluting the thermally-treated product with water or an aqueous solution to thereby solubilize a sodium component of the sodium aluminosilicate, recover sodium, and obtain a useful product containing sodium in very small amounts. The elution percentage of sodium can be increased by optimizing heating and elution conditions.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a plurality of light sources for illuminating an original, a photoelectric conversion device for converting light from the original illuminated by each of the plurality of illuminating means, and a discriminating circuit for discriminating whether or not any image exists on the original, based on image signals output from the photoelectric conversion device at least when the original is illuminated with light from one of the light sources, which possesses spectral characteristics including green. A control circuit controls the apparatus so that, when the discriminating circuit has determined that no image exists on the original, the manner of reading of the image with the light sources other than the light source employed in the discrimination performed by the discriminating circuit is changed from the manner of reading of the image with the light source employed in the discrimination.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette has a case housing an ink ribbon inside. Holes for receiving positioning members are formed at the two ends of a front portion of the case, and an engaging member is formed at the center of a rear portion of the case. One of the positioning members also serves as an ink ribbon end detector. A printing apparatus for printing using such an ink ribbon cassette has a carriage, projections and a spring. Thus, the slackening of the ink ribbon will not occur in the printing mode.

Abstract: A printer has a platen for holding a recording paper sheet, a thermal head which is arranged to oppose the platen and which is urged against and prints on the paper sheet in response to a recording signal, a pivot lever for urging or separating the thermal head against or from the platen, a drive source for moving one of the thermal head and the paper sheet relative to the other, so that a new recording surface of the paper sheet sequentially opposes a front surface of the thermal head, a slide clutch for feeding an ink ribbon guided between the paper sheet and the thermal head, and an intermediate rotary body driven by a straight rail member, both of which are interposed between and couple the slide clutch and the drive source, thereby actuating the slide clutch when the thermal head is urged against the platen.

Abstract: A thermal recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium has a thermal head having a first row of heat generating elements and a second row of heat generating elements which is arranged substantially parallel to the first row of heat generating elements of a predetermined interval. A scanner relatively scans the thermal head and the recording medium to perform recording and the recording medium is preheated by the row of heat generating elements which reaches an image recording position first.

Abstract: This invention provides a printer capable of regulating the displacement of printing head according to the kind of characters to be printed. The printer has a printing head, an identifying device for identifying the print size of the printing head, and a drive mechanism for driving the printing head according to the print size identified by the identifying device.

Abstract: A recording apparatus such as a thermal printer is compact in size and simple in construction, and has a recording head, a pulse motor commonly used for driving the head and for feeding a recording paper sheet, a cam with projections for transmitting the rotational force of the motor to the head so as to selectively move the head between the urged and separated positions with respect to the sheet or platen, ratchet gears to selectively couple the motor and a paper feed roller, and a projection and a guide roller to selectively hold the head at the separated position.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ink transfer printer in which an ink transfer ribbon is displaced in synchronization with the printing head under electric control to achieve high reliability with a simple mechanism.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer comprising means for identifying space data present between character data in a print data string. When a space portion is detected by the space identifier, the thermal head is moved apart from the platen of the printer and the ink ribbon feed is stopped thereby preventing the waste of the ink ribbon by the space portion in a line.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet advancing device including a driving source for driving a sheet advancing roller, a manual advancing member for manual drive of the sheet advancing roller, detention mechanism with a detention function for elastic detent of rotation of the sheet advancing roller at a determined position, and control means for disabling the detention function in sheet advancement with the drive source but enabling the detention function in sheet advancement with the manual advancing member.

Abstract: A multi-color recording apparatus is provided with a feeding device for feeding a recording material of determined colors, a recording head for depositing the recording material supplied from the feeding device onto a recording sheet in a pattern corresponding to recording information a detector for detecting the color of the recording material supplied from the feeding device and a control for comparing color information contained in the recording information with the result of the detection by the detector and prohibiting the recording operation of the recording head when there is an absence of coincidence in the color of the recording material and the color information in the recording information.

Abstract: A platen support structure of a thermal transfer printer, for example, has a platen holder holding a platen, a frame supporting two ends of the platen holder, and an indexing mechanism for pivotally supporting the platen holder. The platen holder is curved in the inoperative mode of the printer and is flexed linearly in the operative mode. Clear printing can be performed without irregular line feed.

Abstract: A printing head has two or more columns each consisting of a vertical array of dot printing elements. A pulse motor moves the printing head relative to paper, and another pulse motor line feeds the paper upon printing each line. The columns of the head print dots in a superposed manner at high speed under the control of a CPU including memories for storing 7-dot patterns and a control program, respectively.

Abstract: A thermal printer adapted for multicolor printing is provided with a thermal head which is driven according to information of color of character or image to be printed. The color information is previously stored in a memory. The multicolor ribbon used in the printer is composed of different color inks having different melting points coated in layers on a base film. In driving the thermal head, the amount of thermal energy generated from it is changed by changing the applied voltage to it and/or the driving time of it to perform multicolor printing with the multicolor ink ribbon.

Abstract: A dot matrix printer comprises a head comprising a plurality of printing elements, a motor for moving the head, an oscillation source for supplying pulses for driving the motor, and varying means for varying the spacing between dots printed by the head at an integer ratio corresponding to the driving pulses put out from the oscillation source.

Abstract: A printer for printing characters on a recording medium includes, a printing drum provided on a first portion and a second portion of the outer periphery thereof respectively with a first set of type faces and a second set of type faces, the first set of type faces being adapted to print characters of odd or even digit positions in a row of characters to be printed while the second set of type faces is adapted to print remaining characters of even or odd digit positions in the row of characters to be printed, the top surface of each of the first and second sets of type faces being retracted from the outer periphery of the printing drum, and each face being provided with a resilient member on at least a part of circumference thereof; a hammer unit positioned in the printing drum and provided with a plurality of hammers, the hammers being adapted to selectively thrust faces of the first and second sets through the outer periphery of the printing drum to bring the hammers in pressure contact with the recording m

Abstract: A recording apparatus comprises circuitry supplied with electric power for moving a recording head toward a recording medium into a recording position and a solenoid for holding the recording head in the recording position, circuitry for generating timing signals, and control circuitry for controlling the electric power so as gradually to vary the electric power applied to the solenoid in accordance with the timing signals.

Abstract: A thermal printer is capable of maintaining the heating elements thereof at a constant temperature to achieve uniform print density and to avoid abnormal heating of the heating elements. For this purpose each heating element receives a stronger driving pulse at the first printing operation in a scan line and receives a weaker driving pulse at the subsequent printing operation.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer includes a thermal head having plural heat generating elements, a thermal head driver connected to a character generator for controlling the thermal head by supplying drive currents to the heat generating elements of the thermal head in response to print information, and control circuit for controlling the drive currents from the thermal head driver in response to the ambient temperature. Therefore, the thermal transfer printer is capable of constantly providing an optimum transfer density regardless of the ambient temperature, thus ensuring a satisfactory print quality.