Abstract: Embodiments of a roll support, and a roll support system, for a sheet product dispenser are disclosed. One such roll support includes an arm having an end portion and an aperture proximate the end portion of the arm and recessed therein. The aperture includes a capture region and a release region. The capture region has a width dimensioned to receive a matching end cap and shaped to allow the matching end cap to rotate freely within the capture region. The release region is contiguous with the capture region and has a width less than the width of the capture region.

Abstract: A system is provided for movably supporting an ink film in a printer. The system has cylindrical supply and take-up cores for supporting and taking up the film during printing operations. The cores may be made of molded plastic resin. The ends of the cores are sized to selectively fit within a frame in such a way as to provide stable operation, including where applicable, while a frame cover is closed. In a preferred embodiment, the diameters of the first and second ends of the supply and take-up cores are essentially the same, and the diameters of the second and first ends of the respective cores are essentially the same. A molded cylindrical brake portion frictionally contacts the teeth of a brake gear to provide the desired film tension with improved handling and with reduced likelihood of jamming.

Abstract: A portable printer is provided having a housing with a compartment for a roll of media and two spindle members coupled to roll positioning mechanism in the compartment. Each spindle member has tow sides with different diameter conical surfaces and is reversibly mountable in the printer to select such conical surface having a diameter for engaging the core diameter of a roll mounted between the spindle members. Each of the spindle members is reversible in the printer to enable presentation of two different diameter conical surfaces for engaging two different diameter roll cores in the printer. The conical surfaces can also reshape the ends of a crushed roll core from a oval to a circular cross-sectional shape when the spindle members are urged towards each other by the roll positioning mechanism into the ends of the roll core, thereby providing for proper rotational mounting of such roll in 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: There is a film-press spring for pressing a photographic film on a take-up spool in a take-up chamber. The film-press spring has a main body for guiding a leading end of the photographic film at the beginning of the film winding and a plate bended in U-shape against the main body. A pressing arm which is protruded from the main body presses the photographic film to a periphery of the take-up spool. And a fitting arm which is elastic enough to be transformed is protruded from the plate. When inserted into the spring attachment hollow of the take-up chamber, the fitting arm presses the wall surface of the spring attachment hollow. And a slipping prevention claw of the plate is engaged with the wall surface of the spring attachment hollow.

Abstract: A supply magazine contains a recording paper roll constituted by continuous thermosensitive recording paper wound in a roll form. The recording paper is fed-by a supply roller. In the supply magazine, a magazine body receives the recording paper roll. A magazine lid closes the magazine body openably. Two retention levers are shiftable between retaining and releasing positions, press an outermost turn of the recording paper roll to the supply roller when in the retaining position, and release the recording paper roll from the supply roller when in the releasing position. A combination of two linking plates has first and second ends. The first end is connected with the magazine lid. The second end is connected with each of the retention levers. The linking plates shift each retention lever from the releasing position to the retaining position in response to closing of the magazine lid.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus (1) can hold a magnetic-tape cassette (2), which accommodates a supply reel (3) including a first magnetic circuit element (42) and has a disc-shaped drive member (47) including a second magnetic circuit element (49), the two magnetic circuit elements (42, 49) forming magnetically acting holding means (43) for holding the supply reel (3) in the apparatus (1) and the disc-shaped drive member (47) having magnetic-force-of-attraction limiting means (51) which serve to and are adapted to cooperate with the first magnetic circuit element (42) and which enable the magnetic force of attraction produced between the two magnetic circuit elements (42, 49) to be limited.

Abstract: An indicator on a film cartridge to indicate whether a film cartridge has been used in a photographic camera. The film cartridge includes a spool having an elongate coaxial hole open at one end. An indicator, disposed within the coaxial hole, is deformable from a first state to a second state in response to the film cartridge being received by a plunger in the photographic camera; the second state being visually different than the first state. The indicator has a continuous, non-punctured, non-fractured configuration when in both the first and second states.