Abstract: Provided is a thermal printer for printing information on thermal paper having a thermosensitive layer formed on both sides thereof, including first and second thermal heads, the first thermal head printing on one side of the thermal paper and the second thermal head printing on the other side of the thermal paper; a first platen installed at a position opposite the first thermal head, and configured to move for closing so as to approach the first thermal head and move for opening so as to be distanced therefrom; a second platen installed at a position opposite the second thermal head, and configured to move for closing so as to approach the second thermal head and move for opening so as to be distanced therefrom; and a control unit configured to control the first and second platens.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which includes an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium and generate trace data. The image forming apparatus further includes a first storing unit, a second storing unit, and a control unit configured to allow the trace data generated from the image forming unit to be stored in the first storing unit, and further configured to allow the trace data stored in the first storing unit to be stored in the second storing unit upon occurrence of an error.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method. The image forming apparatus includes a feeding mechanism, an image forming unit, and a control unit. The feeding mechanism is configured to feed a recording medium. The image forming unit is configured to form an image on the recording medium. The control unit is configured to calculate a duty cycle for a print data unit and control the image forming unit to form the image based on the calculated duty cycle, thereby reducing electrical power consumption for forming the image. The image forming method includes generating, if the duty cycle for the print data unit is greater than a predetermined value, a culling mask pattern, converting image data of the print data unit with the culling mask pattern, and forming the image using the converted image data in the recording medium.

Abstract: A sheet handling apparatus includes a feeding mechanism which is configured to feed a rolled paper to a paper path and a conveying mechanism which is configured to convey the rolled paper along the paper path. The sheet handling apparatus further includes a detecting mechanism which is configured to detect whether the rolled paper is running out, and a control mechanism which is configured to convey an end portion of the rolled paper remaining on the paper path to a collection position when the detecting mechanism detects that the rolled paper is running out.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a label producing device includes a feeding unit, a detecting unit and a controller coupled to the detecting unit. The feeding unit may be configured to feed a label paper along a paper path. The label paper may have a plurality of labels affixed thereon. The detecting unit may be configured to detect a transmittance or a thickness of the label paper. The CPU may be configured to identify a label free portion of the label paper. In one embodiment, the label free portion of the label paper may be identified based on the detected transmittance or thickness. The CPU may be further configured to determine a cut point in the label free portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printing device may include first and second printers respectively having first and second controllers. The first and second printers may be configured to share a common paper path with each other. The first controller in the first printer may enable the first printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the second printer. In this case, the first controller may inform the second printer that the common paper path is in use by the first printer. On the other hand, the second controller in the second printer may enable the second printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the first printer. In this case, the second controller may inform the first printer that the common paper path is in use by the second printer.

Abstract: In a printing apparatus, a dot head moves along a movement path which is orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a passbook, one end side of the head movement path is a speed-up area, a halfway part is a constant speed printing area, and the other end side is a slow-down area. A thermal head is disposed in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a thermal sheet, and a width size in the orthogonal direction is not smaller than the printing area of the dot head.

Abstract: A printer having a printing mechanism unit and a body case. The printing mechanism unit transports a continuous form and to print data on the continuous form. The body case contains the printing mechanism unit. The body case has an inclined upper surface, a form-box support section, and a form-feeding port. The form-box support section supports, on the inclined upper surface, a form box containing the continuous form. The form-feeding port is located in front of an upper edge of the inclined surface and guides the continuous form to the printing mechanism unit.

Abstract: A radiant tube burner is presented comprising a gas burner having a divergent flame type nozzle at its end and designed to be movable in the axial direction while placed coaxially in a combustion tube, primary air swirling vanes located at the end of the burner for forming a swirled flame and an air damper fitted on a primary air supply tube connected to the combustion tube for adjusting the primary and the second air ratio, whereby soft two-stage combustion takes place in the radiant tube. Generation of NOx is greatly reduced with the newly invented burner.

Abstract: An improved method for heat-treatment of a strip in a continuous annealing installation in which the strip is heated or cooled by bringing it into contact with a heating or cooling roll having a thermal medium passed there-through. The improvements exist in that on the basis of much experimental data and mathematical analysis, a favorable range for selecting an outer diameter of a heating/cooling roll is determined as a function of various operation parameters.

Abstract: A rotary hearth finish annealing furnace includes coil tables carrying thereon steel plate coils to be annealed with their axes being vertical, a hearth traveling along a circle having a predetermined radius and supporting thereabove the coil tables, inner covers covering the coils on the coil tables, and a protective cover covering the above members over a predetermined distance.According to the invention, heating means for heating the coils are arranged at a level above upper ends of the steel plate coils. In a preferred embodiment, the coil tables are arranged so as to permit the coils to be arranged thereon in at least two circular rows on a single plane concentric to said traveling circle of the hearth. Moreover, portions of the hearth subjected to loads of the coils and coil tables are made of comparatively high strength bricks and the other portions are made of a light weight refractory material.