Abstract: A linear actuator incorporates a DC motor whose stator is secured to a frame. A shaft is coupled to the rotor of the DC motor one end of which is circumferentially coupled to the inside of a torsion spring and the outer section of the torsion spring is coupled to the frame. The center section of the shaft is circumferentially raised creating first and second shaft stops. The middle of the shaft is threaded and threadedly coupled to a translating actuator which has a radial raised portion which engages a section of the frame. The radial raised section provides a radial stop and prevents the translating actuator from rotating. Additional radial raised portions on the translating actuator create first and second stops that engage the first and second shaft stops at each extreme of travel. The first stop keeps the threads from binding in a retracted position and the second stop keeps the threads from binding in the extended position.

Abstract: An improved linear actuator incorporates a DC motor whose stator is secured to a frame is provided for. To improve operational longevity and reliability of a linear actuator, the improved actuator includes a retention clutch and an axial load limiter. An axially configured retention clutch is configured to slidably fit within the open inner channel diameter of an axial load limiter and over a motor shaft of a linear actuator. In operation, the retention clutch reduces the impact loads on the stop and extending the fatigue life of these wearable components. Similarly, when the screw encounters axial loads during operation, these loads are distributed across both the axial load limiter and the motor, thereby reducing direct forces on the motor and contributing to an extended use of the motor component.

Abstract: A gear drive system for a printer designed to print upon a continuous roll of paper and having a blade used to cut off printed portions of paper from the paper roll is implemented. The gear drive system consists of a drive shaft 330, a slip clutch 401, a clutch gear 116, a drive gear 110, and a staggered gear 112 which controls the paper cutter blade 106. During printing, clutch 401 allows the drive shaft 330 shaft to slip relative to the clutch gear 116. When printing stops, clutch 401 locks clutch gear 116 which is engaged with the first portion of staggered gear 112 and causes staggered gear 112 to rotate until the second portion of staggered gear 112 engages the drive gear 110. Staggered gear 112 is then driven by the drive gear 110. A cutter blade is controlled by staggered gear 112, with the blade cutting off the paper as the drive gear 110 is in reverse rotation.

Abstract: A thermal printing mechanism prints a black pattern on a paper web with a direct printing process and additionally prints a color pattern on the paper web with a transfer printing process. The paper web and a transfer film web are moved between a platen and a thermal printhead, with the transfer film web between the paper web and the printhead, with heating elements within the printhead being operated at one temperature to produce the color pattern and at another, higher temperature to produce the black pattern. Preferably, the transfer film web is moved only when the color pattern is being printed and when it is otherwise necessary to prevent the film web from being worn through as the black pattern is printed.

Abstract: A computer display includes a pivotally mounted upper housing having a display screen, a brake used to retard pivoting motion of this upper housing, and a release mechanism for releasing the brake so that the upper housing can be freely moved. The display screen is preferably a touchscreen, which is touched to indicate a selection made by the user, with the brake resisting a tilting movement of the screen as it is touched. In a first version, two brakes are used to retard motion in both directions, with a single release wheel being turned in one direction to allow rearward motion of the upper housing and in another direction to allow forward motion of the upper housing. In a second version, a single brake is released by stopping motion of a release mandrel to unwrap a clutch spring.

Abstract: An optical reader includes a housing which may environmentally protect the optical path between a light source and a sensor array to reduce dust and debris interfering with transmission of light. The housing may further provide for alignment of the light path by positioning a focusing axis in alignment with the optical sensor array. The housing further acts as a light pipe to reflect transmitted light from a light source toward a focusing axis where the light may be reflected off of a document containing coded information back through the chamber defined by the housing to an optical sensor array. Point of sale devices incorporating an optical reader are also provided.

Abstract: A kiosk printer for unattended operation is equipped with a presenter to prevent a user from prematurely trying to remove a printed document. The presenter has motor driven feed rollers and a document sensor for determining when the printing document is in the presenter document path. The presenter has a home position adjacent to the printer document exit path. When printing starts, the document enters the presenter feed rollers and is sensed by a document sensor. A drive motor moves the presenter at the same rate as the printing document. When the presenter reaches a feed position it stops and the document sags and forms a document loop as printing continues. When printing stops, the presenter feed rollers feed the document from the kiosk to a user. When the printed document has exited the presenter, the presenter returns to the home position awaiting succeeding printed document.

Abstract: A thermal printing mechanism prints a black pattern on a paper web with a direct printing process and additionally prints a color pattern on the paper web with a transfer printing process. The paper web and a transfer film web are moved between a platen and a thermal printhead, with the transfer film web between the paper web and the printhead, with heating elements within the printhead being operated at one temperature to produce the color pattern and at another, higher temperature to produce the black pattern. Preferably, the transfer film web is moved only when the color pattern is being printed and when it is otherwise necessary to prevent the film web from being worn through as the black pattern is printed.

Abstract: A kiosk printer for unattended operation is equipped with a presenter to prevent a user from prematurely trying to remove a printed document. The presenter has motor driven feed rollers and a document sensor for determining when the printing document is in the presenter document path. The presenter has a home position adjacent to the printer document exit path. When printing starts, the document enters the presenter feed rollers and is sensed by a document sensor. A drive motor moves the presenter at the same rate as the printing document. When the presenter reaches a feed position it stops and the document sags and forms a document loop as printing continues. When printing stops, the presenter feed rollers feed the document from the kiosk to a user. When the printed document has exited the presenter, the presenter returns to the home position awaiting succeeding printed document.

Abstract: A method and system for a kiosk to present a kiosk item, e.g., document, money, merchandise, credit card, to a customer. A determination may be made as to whether the customer is currently present via an infrared device configured to detect the presence of a customer. If the customer is not present, then the kiosk item, e.g., document, money, merchandise, credit card, may not be presented to the customer. By not presenting the kiosk item, security/privacy may be improved since the next customer would not be able to obtain the kiosk item that was never presented to an unavailable customer.

Abstract: A method and system for a kiosk to present a kiosk item, e.g., document, money, merchandise, credit card, to a customer. A determination may be made as to whether the customer is currently present via an infrared device configured to detect the presence of a customer. If the customer is not present, then the kiosk item, e.g., document, money, merchandise, credit card, may not be presented to the customer. By not presenting the kiosk item, security/privacy may be improved since the next customer would not be able to obtain the kiosk item that was never presented to an unavailable customer.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for transmitting customized URL's to a customer in a point of sale system. A point of sale terminal may transmit customized URL(s) to a hand held computer possessed by the customer that may be determined to be of interest to the customer. The URL(s) that may be of interest to the customer may be determined at least in part based on past or present customer transactions, profile of the customer, responses to previously transmitted URL(s) and items to promote. The customized URL(s) transmitted to the customer may then be tracked. Based on tracking the effectiveness of the URL(s), a marketing/advertising strategy may be developed, a profile of the customer may be edited, and a negotiation may occur with an entity to distribute one or more URL(s) identifying that identity to the customer.

Abstract: A point of sale printer includes a paper supply mechanism rotatably mounting a paper supply roll within a frame through a resiliently mounted bearing member extending into each end of a central hole in the roll. The frame is manually pivoted between an open position, in which the roll is installed and removed by moving the bearing members outward with movement of the roll, and a closed position, in which the roll is rotatably held in place, with outward movement of the bearing members being prevented by stops within the printer. With the frame in its closed position, a paper web is pulled from the roll for printing. An alternate configuration allows the printer to use a narrow paper roll.

Abstract: A point of sale printer is provided with a large paper supply roll mounted externally from the printer. The printer includes a paper drive which rapidly accelerates and decelerates a paper web extending from the paper supply roll. A tensioning roll is moved in one direction to feed the web into the printer during the relatively slow acceleration of the paper supply roll and in an opposite direction to prevent a tangle of paper as the paper supply roll is decelerated after the printer stops moving the paper web. A cable assembly is provided to facilitate loading the large paper supply roll. A braking spring helps to decelerate the paper supply roll and further engages a flap formed in an outer end of the paper web to thread this end of the web into the printer.

Abstract: A linear actuator incorporates a DC motor whose stator is secured to a frame. A shaft is coupled to the rotor of the DC motor one end of which is circumferentially coupled to the inside of a torsion spring and the outer section of the torsion spring is coupled to the frame. The center section of the shaft is circumferentially raised creating first and second shaft stops. The middle of the shaft is threaded and threadedly coupled to a translating actuator which has a radial raised portion which engages a section of the frame. The radial raised section provides a radial stop and prevents the translating actuator from rotating. Additional radial raised portions on the translating actuator create first and second stops that engage the first and second shaft stops at each extreme of travel. The first stop keeps the threads from binding in a retracted position and the second stop keeps the threads from binding in the extended position.

Abstract: A tilt mechanism of the type for interconnecting two members in a manner such that the two members may be moved and placed in various positions in relation to one another. The tilt mechanism comprising: an outer mandrel connected to a first member; an intermediate mandrel connected to a second member, the intermediate mandrel being movably disposed about a portion of the outer mandrel; an inner mandrel in functional connection with the outer and intermediate mandrel; a first spring functionally connected about a portion of the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel in a manner such that the first spring resists movement when moved in a first direction and releases tension when moved in a second direction; and a second spring functionally connected about a portion of the intermediate mandrel and the inner mandrel in a manner such that the second spring resists movement when moved in a second direction and releases tension when moved in a first direction.

Abstract: A printer for printing on both sides of a document includes first printing document guides, through which a document is driven for printing on a first side of the document, second printing document guides, through which the document is driven for printing on a second side of the document, and transfer document guides, into which the document is driven between motions within the first and second printing document guides, with a deflector determining the printing document guide into which a document is driven from the transfer document guides. A print head is pivotally mounted between the printing document guides, being pivoted between a position adjacent the first printing document guides and a position adjacent the second printing document guides.

Abstract: A point of sale printer is provided with a large paper supply roll mounted externally from the printer. The printer includes a paper drive which rapidly accelerates and decelerates a paper web extending from the paper supply roll. A tensioning roll is moved in one direction to feed the web into the printer during the relatively slow acceleration of the paper supply roll and in an opposite direction to prevent a tangle of paper as the paper supply roll is decelerated after the printer stops moving the paper web. A cable assembly is provided to facilitate loading the large paper supply roll. A braking spring helps to decelerate the paper supply roll and further engages a flap formed in an outer end of the paper web to thread this end of the web into the printer.

Abstract: A point of sale printer includes a paper supply mechanism rotatably mounting a paper supply roll within a frame through a resiliently mounted bearing member extending into each end of a central hole in the roll. The frame is manually pivoted between an open position, in which the roll is installed and removed by moving the bearing members outward with movement of the roll, and a closed position, in which the roll is rotatably held in place, with outward movement of the bearing members being prevented by stops within the printer. With the frame in its closed position, a paper web is pulled from the roll for printing. An alternate configuration allows the printer to use a narrow paper roll.

Abstract: A tilt mechanism of the type for interconnecting two members in a manner such that the two members may be moved and placed in various positions in relation to one another. The tilt mechanism comprising: an outer mandrel connected to a first member; an intermediate mandrel connected to a second member, the intermediate mandrel being movably disposed about a portion of the outer mandrel; an inner mandrel in functional connection with the outer and intermediate mandrel; a first spring functionally connected about a portion of the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel in a manner such that the first spring resists movement when moved in a first direction and releases tension when moved in a second direction; and a second spring functionally connected about a portion of the intermediate mandrel and the inner mandrel in a manner such that the second spring resists movement when moved in a second direction and releases tension when moved in a first direction.