Abstract: An ink jet printer connected to a personal computer and normally driven by a PC battery accommodated in the personal computer. The ink jet printer detachably accommodates therein an auxiliary battery. The printer has a control portion and a driving portion for moving a print head. If a voltage level of the PC battery becomes less than a threshold voltage during printing operation, the electrical connection between the PC battery and the control portion is maintained, whereas a power source to the driving portion is switched from the PC battery to the auxiliary battery. After the printing operation is completed, a power source to the control portion is switched from the PC battery to the auxiliary battery.

Abstract: A printer, including a printer body, a plurality of ink cartridges that store ink disposed in the printer body, a plurality of ink supply tubes, one end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of ink cartridges, the plurality of ink supply tubes extending below the plurality of ink cartridges in the printer body, a plurality of print heads disposed in the printer body, another end of each of the plurality of ink supply tubes attached to a corresponding one of the plurality of print heads so that the plurality of ink supply tubes supply ink from the plurality of ink cartridges to the plurality of print heads, the plurality of print heads disposed below the plurality of ink cartridges.

Abstract: There is provided a sheet feeding device, which is provided with a paper supply member which feeds a sheet of paper on the top of stack of paper, the paper supply member being actuated by an actuator. The sheet feeding device further provided with a control system which controls the paper supply member, the control system having a stable sheet feeding operation mode in which the control system drives the paper supply member for a first time period initially, then stops the paper supply member after the first time period terminates, and then drives the paper supply member for a second time period.

Abstract: A printer cartridge stationarily fixes an ink package and movably provides a print head, and a separate printer body movably provides a carriage. Prior to mounting of the printer cartridge onto the printer body, the print head is held at a fixed position of the printer cartridge by a pressing member. Because the print head is pressed downward by the pressing member, mounting the cartridge onto the printer body will insert the print head into the carriage. After the print head is inserted into the carriage, a pawl and a protrusion of the carriage fit into an engagement groove and an indentation, respectively, in the print head. Also another protrusions of the print head are supported on an upper edge of the carriage. As a result, the print head is mounted onto the carriage in association with mounting of the print cartridge onto the printer body. A printer cartridge has a retaining member formed with an engaging groove, and the print head has a rectangular protrusion.

Abstract: An ink package has a shape restoring ability and is made of a laminated structure film material in which multiple film sheets of polyethylene or similar material are laminated. Therefore, the ink supplying pressure for ink supplied to the print head is kept at a negative pressure. Since the ink extracting member is formed into a needle-like hollow body, the member can be easily stuck into a recess formed at the ink package.

Abstract: Two column-shaped ribs are disposed between a ribbon spool and an inner wall of a lower case in a cassette case. When a film tape is an ink-receiving type, which needs an ink ribbon, a pathway traveling to the outside of the ribs is selected so that the film tape traveling through the case can be reliably prevented from contacting the ink ribbon wound around the ribbon spool. On the contrary, when the film tape is a heat-sensitive type, wherein printing is performed by a thermal head directly heating the film tape, a pathway which travels between the ribs is selected so that the tape can be prevented from being drawn back when the tape is flexible like paper.

Abstract: A tape cassette for use in a tape printer having a sensor. The tape cassette includes a cassette case with an accommodation space, an exchangeable tape unit having a tape spool and a print tape wound around the tape spool. The exchangeable tape unit is removably receivable in the accommodation space of the cassette case. A tape differentiation member includes a tape spool support and a tape specifier wherein the tape spool support engages with the tape spool so that the tape spool is freely rotatable thereon. The tape specifier specifies a variety of print tape wound around the tape spool by cooperation with the sensor of the tape printer. The tape differentiation member is provided with the tape unit so that the tape differentiation member is exchanged when the tape unit is exchanged.

Abstract: A tape cassette capable of refilling a tape among various tapes each having width different from one another into a corresponding tape cassette, and capable of properly refilling the tape into a corresponding tape cassette without fail. In a broad width tape cassette, a first annular space is provided between an inner diameter of a tape spool and an outer diameter of a tape support shaft. A first cap is fitted into the first space. In a small width tape cassette, a second annular space is provided between an inner diameter of a tape spool and an outer diameter of a tape support shaft. A second cap is fitted into the second space. A tape spool can be correctly refilled into corresponding tape cassette by checking insertion of the caps into the spaces.

Abstract: A printing device including a printing head having a plurality of printing elements arranged in first and second rows and in a staggered manner; first printing control means for allocating print data to some of the printing elements in the first row spaced at regular intervals, in each of the intervals one or more of the printing elements being located, and for allocating the print data also to some of the printing elements in the second row spaced at regular intervals, in each of the intervals one or more of the printing elements being located, wherein any one of the printing elements allocated in the second row is located at a position intermediate of the adjacent ones of the printing elements allocated in the first row, whereby low-density printing is effected by the printing elements allocated by the first printing control means; second printing control means for allocating the print data to all of the printing elements in the first and second rows, whereby high-density printing is effected by the printin

Abstract: A dot-matrix print head including a plurality of armatures, each of which is connected at its distal end to a print wire and has at its proximal end a pair of lateral extensions which extend in lateral opposite directions from the proximal end. The print head includes a supporting device for supporting the armatures and the print wires such that the armatures are pivotable at the proximal ends to move the print wires endwise. The supporting device has a pair of first protrusions engaging a pair of lateral surfaces of the lateral extensions of each armature which face toward the distal end. The supporting device further has a second protrusion disposed between the first protrusions as seen in the lateral direction of the armature, the second support protrusion engaging an end surface of the proximal end of each armature. The first and second protrusions permit each armature to be pivoted about the proximal end while preventing the armature from being moved in its longitudinal direction.