Record Receiver Driving Means Patents (Class 347/218)
  • Patent number: 11932026
    Abstract: A head unit is used for production of a media sheet that has a medium region row including a plurality of medium regions, the medium regions being to be separate personal information media. The head unit includes a plurality of thermal heads configured to thermally transfer dots exhibiting a structural color from a ribbon to a target. The plurality of thermal heads are arranged so that each thermal head corresponds to a respective one of the medium regions constituting the medium region row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TOPPAN INC.
    Inventors: Masashi Kubota, Tomoyuki Marugame
  • Patent number: 11755860
    Abstract: A printer for printing on histology-laboratory consumable articles (16) includes an optical reading device (13), which reads an image pattern of a histology-laboratory consumable article (16) to be printed on by means of the printing device (4), generates analog or digital image-pattern image signals with regard to the read image pattern and transfers the image-pattern image signals to a control device (8) of the printer, and/or which reads an overprint (18) printed onto a histology-laboratory consumable article (16) by the printing device (4), generates analog or digital overprint image signals with regard to the read overprint (18) and transfers the overprint image signals to a control device (8) of the printer, which control device determines at least one quality parameter with regard to the overprint (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Westerhoff
  • Patent number: 11485598
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a first storage unit, a second storage unit, a measurement unit, and a determination unit. The conveyance unit conveys paper. The first storage unit stores a width of standard paper. The width of the standard paper is a length in a direction crossing a conveyance direction of the paper conveyed by the conveyance unit. The second storage unit stores a user-registered paper width which is different from the width of the standard paper. The user-registered paper width is input by a user. The measurement unit measures a width of the paper. The determination unit determines, based on the measured width and the paper widths stored in the first storage unit and the second storage unit, a width to serve as the measured width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasushi Morimoto
  • Patent number: 11034536
    Abstract: A card flipper includes a frame, a receptacle, and a motor. The receptacle is supported by the frame for a rotation about a flipping axis. The receptacle is configured to support a card in a support plane and receive and discharge cards along a card feed axis. The motor is configured to drive rotation of the receptacle, the support plane and the card feed axis about the flipping axis. The flipping axis is oblique to the card feed axis and is displaced from the support plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: ASSA ABLOY AB
    Inventors: Ted M. Hoffman, Tanya Snyder, John Skoglund, Phillip Umberger, Evan Pastor
  • Patent number: 10913298
    Abstract: A media holder assembly (11) includes a base (13) secured to a platform (15). The platform (15) has a central cylindrical depression (16). A first hub (20) protrudes from the center of the depression (16). A first spring (24), concentric to the first hub (20) biases a second, ring-shaped hub (30) which is fitted over the first spring (24). The second hub (30) is slidably engaged to the first hub (20). A second spring (26), concentric to the first hub (20) and sized to fit around the second hub (30), biases a third, ring-shaped hub (40) which is fitted over the second spring (26). The third hub (40) is slidably engaged to the second hub (30) and to the inner wall (17) of the cylindrical depression (16). The first hub (20), the second hub (30), and the third hub (40) are sized to accommodate media rolls of different sizes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Liuzhi Yang, Guy Heaton, Ching Hong Chua
  • Patent number: 10821749
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments illustrate a thermal printer apparatus that includes a media sensor. The sensor generates an input signal indicative of a measure of a media transmissivity/reflectivity. Further, the thermal printer includes a processor that is configured to receive the input signal from the sensor, while the media is stationary with respect to a print head. The processor further determines one or more characteristics of the input signal. Thereafter, a first transmissivity/reflectivity threshold is determined based on the one or more characteristics in the input signal. Further, the processor receives the input signal from the sensor, while the media traverses with respect to the print head. Subsequently, the processor determines one or more current characteristics of the input signal while the media traverses with respect to the print head. A media jam condition is detected based on the one or more current characteristics and the first transmissivity/reflectivity threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: DATAMAX-O'NEIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Hatle, Ronald Schwallie, Jose Fernando Sanchez Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 10703117
    Abstract: A roll sheet with a continuous sheet wound in a roll form is rotated in a forward direction to supply the sheet to a printing unit. A sensor whose output is changed in accordance with a distance between the sensor and the sheet is used. A rotation direction of the roll sheet is switched from an opposite direction to the forward direction on the basis of the output of the sensor during rotation of the roll sheet in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masato Eiyama, Yuki Igarashi, Masashi Kamada, Masashi Negishi, Ryoya Shinjo, Ryo Kobayashi, Tomohiro Suzuki, Tsutomu Obata
  • Patent number: 10688815
    Abstract: A printer may ensure continued sufficiency of cutting performance of a cutter for performing printing on a medium. The printer may include a casing having a space, the cutter disposed in the casing and configured to cut at least a portion of the medium, a moving mechanism configured to move the cutter, and a controller configured to control the moving mechanism to move the cutter to at least one stop position at which a portion of the cutter is positioned at the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10668746
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Asada, Hirotaka Aoki, Satoru Nakakita, Shota Iijima
  • Patent number: 10632768
    Abstract: A printer is configured that, when double-side recording is executed, a back end side of a long strip-like recording medium on which single-side recording is executed by a recording unit is cut by a cutter mechanism, the cut-off recording medium is thereafter conveyed to an inversion mechanism starting with a front end thereof by a switching flap disposed on a side closer to a discharge outlet than the cutter mechanism, a front side and a back side are inverted to each other at the inversion mechanism, thereafter the recording medium is again conveyed to the recording unit starting with an end thereof that is the back end when the recording medium is conveyed to the inversion mechanism, recording is executed for the back side by the recording unit, thereafter the recording medium is again conveyed to the cutter mechanism, and a margin is cut off by the cutter mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignees: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., CITIZEN SYSTEMS JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10150313
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided with: a recording head that performs printing on a medium fed out from a transport roller pair; a feeding unit that feeds the medium to the transport roller pair; and a winding unit that winds, into a roll shape, the medium subjected to the printing by the recording head. The winding unit winds the medium while adjusting a front tension acting on the medium between the transport roller pair and the winding unit, depending on a diameter of the medium wound into the roll shape. The feeding unit feeds the medium while adjusting a back tension acting on the medium between the transport roller pair and the feeding unit, depending on changes in the front tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshio Nakata
  • Patent number: 10137709
    Abstract: A recording device includes a feeding roller which feeds a medium; and a groove which is provided on a downstream side of the feeding roller in a feeding path of the medium and is used for cutting the medium. The feeding roller feeds the medium to an upstream side before feeding the medium to the downstream side, after the medium is cut at a position of the groove. It is preferable that the recording device further include a control portion which controls the feeding roller so that the feeding roller feeds the medium to the upstream side before feeding the medium to the downstream side, in a case where whether or not there is a possibility that the medium is cut at the position of the groove is determined and thus it is determined that there is a possibility that the medium is cut at the position of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Hamano
  • Patent number: 10052890
    Abstract: A method is provided. The method includes printing a target on a medium and defining at least one intended cutting line on the medium. The target includes at least one graphical element which defines at least one reference distance measure. The target is centered at the intended cutting line or has a defined distance to the intended cutting line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Joan Solans, Charlie Yang, James Dowling
  • Patent number: 9950543
    Abstract: A cartridge for a recording medium and an image forming apparatus are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a housing, a printing unit disposed inside the housing, and having a thermal head with a heating element, and a cartridge for a recording medium, in which a recording medium wound in a roll shape is installed and which is provided to supply the recording medium to the printing unit, wherein the cartridge for a recording medium has a de-curl roller which guides the recording medium to be curved in a direction opposite to a winding direction, and is provided to be movable in a direction adjacent to the recording medium when the recording medium is supplied to the printing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: S-PRINTING SOLUTION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun-Woo Kim, Yu Jin Oh
  • Patent number: 9902130
    Abstract: Methods of processing a glass substrate comprise the step of obtaining a glass substrate and a tab removably attached to a portion of the glass substrate. The position of the glass substrate is manipulated with the engagement portion and the tab is removed from the portion of the glass substrate by releasing a mounting portion of the tab from the portion of the glass substrate without damaging the glass substrate. In further examples, methods include the steps of removably attaching first and second tabs to respective first and second surfaces of a glass substrate and coiling the glass substrate on a storage roll wherein the first tab adheres to the second tab. In further examples, a glass apparatus comprises a glass substrate and a removable tab including a mounting portion attached to a portion of the glass substrate with a first peel force of less than about 10 N/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald Orrin Bigelow, Kiat Chyai Kang, Sue Camille Lewis, Govindarajan Natarajan, Eungsik Park
  • Patent number: 9895945
    Abstract: A hitch assist system is provided herein. An imaging device captures images of a scene rearward of a vehicle. A controller processes captured images and is configured to control a vehicle suspension system to adjust a height of the vehicle and control the deployment of a power tongue jack of a trailer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Erick Michael Lavoie
  • Patent number: 9889683
    Abstract: A sheet cutting apparatus includes a cutting position where a sheet is cut; a guillotine type cutter configured to move between the cutting position and a home position above the cutting position; a motor; a drive mechanism configured to transfer a drive force from the motor to the cutter to move the cutter between the home position and the cutting position; a drive control section configured to enable the cutter to fall from the home position to the cutting position when cutting a sheet by the cutter and then return the cutter to the home position; a determination section configured to determine whether or not a given period of time elapses from the last return completion of the cutter to the home position; and a return control section configured to return the cutter to the home position if the determination section determines that a given period of time elapses from the last return completion of the cutter to the home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ken Masuda
  • Patent number: 9849664
    Abstract: A thermal stencil making unit that makes a stencil of a perforated image on a thermal gauze by moving a thermal print head having the plurality of heat elements relative to the thermal gauze tightly stretched in a gauze frame detachably set in a unit housing, includes a head-protecting member that moves between a protection position where the thermal print head is protected and a protection release position where a protective state is released. The thermal stencil making unit moves the head-protecting member to the protection position when the gauze frame is not set in the unit housing and moves the head-protecting cover member from the protection position to the protection release position, in conjunction with an operation of setting the gauze frame in the unit housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: RISO KAGAKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dai Takahashi, Kazuo Nakano, Shigeyuki Chuugun
  • Patent number: 9849690
    Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a thermal transfer printer comprises a ribbon feeding roller configured to feed an ink ribbon including an ink layer on a base film; a ribbon winding roller configured to wind the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon feeding roller; a print head configured to heat the ink ribbon from a surface provided with no ink layer to selectively transfer the ink layer to paper; and a control section configured to control to apply an appropriate tension to the ink ribbon between the ribbon feeding roller and the ribbon winding roller according to the type of the ink ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshiharu Shimosato
  • Patent number: 9844958
    Abstract: A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printed matter producing process including printing page images on a medium in a first position on a conveyance path while conveying the medium along the conveyance path, storing a cut target position for each page image and cutting the medium in a second position downstream of the first position in a conveyance direction when the cut target position reaches the second position, an interrupting process including interrupting the printed matter producing process and storing an uncut position as a cut target position located between the first and second positions when the printed matter producing process is interrupted, when an error occurs during the printed matter producing process, and a resuming process including resuming the printed matter producing process when the error is settled during the interruption of the printed matter producing process, and cutting the medium based on the uncut position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keigo Kako, Tomoki Miyashita, Junya Kawai
  • Patent number: 9757962
    Abstract: A printer has a separation unit attached to a support board. The separation unit includes a guide rail hole to engage with a shaft so as to slide and swing with respect to the support board. The separation unit moves to a continuous ejection position in which one end of the guide rail hole comes in contact with the shaft, swings in a first rotation direction about the shaft in contact with the other end side of the guide rail hole so as to move away from a thermal head to a swing end position in which the separation unit on the forward end side is within a swing trajectory of the opening and closing cover, and swings from the swing end position in a second rotation direction while engaging on the forward end side with the opening and closing cover moving to the closed position so as to be located at a separation ejection position where the separation roller is adjacent to the feed roller when the opening and closing cover is located at the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tamotsu Katayama, Kenji Hirose
  • Patent number: 9674382
    Abstract: Platens for imaging devices are disclosed. An example platen for an imaging device includes a body to be removably coupled to an upper surface of the imaging device. The body includes a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion. An object whose image is to be captured is to be placed on the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: David B. Larson, D. Matthew Blue, Dean J. Richtsmeier
  • Patent number: 9465314
    Abstract: A light scanning unit includes a light source unit emitting a light beam according to an image signal, a light deflector scanning the light beam that is deflectively emitted by the light source unit, a housing having a side portion where the light source unit is provided and a base surface on which the light deflector is provided, and a deformation prevention member connecting opposite sides of the housing across an upper side of the base surface. The light scanning unit is employed by an image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chul-hyun Park, Han-sung Lee
  • Patent number: 9302518
    Abstract: An apparatus detects inoperative inkjets during printing of three-dimensional objects. The apparatus includes a reversible thermal substrate that changes optical density in areas where material drops are ejected onto the substrate. An optical sensor generates image data of the substrate after material drops are ejected onto the substrate and these image data are analyzed to identify inoperative inkjets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Victoria L. Warner, James L. Giacobbi, Matthew R. McLaughlin
  • Patent number: 9174468
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a recording apparatus comprising a take-up body, a recording speed determining portion, a total length acquiring portion, and a take-up time determining portion. The take-up body sequentially takes up a recorded medium around a predetermined axis and produces a roll-shaped recorded matter. The recording speed determining portion determines a recording speed by a recording head based on a medium information acquired by a medium information acquiring portion. The total length acquiring portion acquires a total recording length by the recording head. The take-up time determining portion predicts and determines a take-up time by the take-up body before the take-up body starts take-up of the recorded medium, based on the total recording length acquired by the total length determining portion and the recording speed determined by the recording speed determining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Tomomatsu, Junya Kawai
  • Patent number: 9156284
    Abstract: A printer apparatus comprises a housing of a main body of the apparatus, a cover which can be opened and closed relative to the housing, a paper conveyance path configured to convey paper; a rotary component configured to be arranged along the paper conveyance path to convey paper through the friction with paper, a rotary gear arranged in the rotary component, a sensor section configured to detect the rotation of the rotary gear, and a drive section configured to be connected with the rotary component to supply a drive force, wherein the rotary gear is arranged at either side of the housing and the cover, and the drive section, which is arranged at the other side of the housing and the cover where no rotary gear is arranged, is connected with the rotary gear and supplies a drive force for the rotary gear when the cover is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Nihashi, Tsuyoshi Sanada
  • Patent number: 9120330
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a print data processing program for executing steps comprising a primary print data acquiring step, a secondary print data generating step, a cut command generating step, and a data and command outputting step. In the primary print data acquiring step, primary print data is acquired. The primary print data includes a first dot pattern indicating desired print contents, and a second dot pattern indicating a cutting movement timing. In the secondary print data generating step, the first dot pattern has been extracted and then second print data is newly generated. In the cut command generating step, a cut command corresponding to the cutting movement timing indicated by the second dot pattern is generated. In the data and command outputting step, the cut command is added to the second print data and outputted to a label producing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9098979
    Abstract: The invention discloses a scanning-printing integrated machine for lottery ticket printing and cashing, comprising a first passage connected with an external paper inlet, a second passage connected with a paper house, a third passage connected with a paper outlet, and a control device, wherein a paper outlet of the first passage and a paper outlet of the second passage meet together at the third passage, at least one pair of delivery rollers is arranged in the first passage, a first printing mechanism and a paper cutting mechanism are arranged in the second passage, a scanning mechanism and a second printing mechanism for printing mark information on a medium are in sequence arranged in the third passage, wherein the control device judges the validity of the medium according to medium images collected by the scanning mechanism, and controls the printing operation of the second printing mechanism according to the judgment result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: SHANDONG NEW BEIYANG INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiangzi Cong, Min Yang, Fengbo Xu, Tianxin Jiang, Xiaojie Tang
  • Patent number: 9073364
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a first conveyance guide which conveys a first printing medium inserted from an inserting port via a given printing position in a downstream direction, and conveys the first printing medium in an opposite direction to discharge it from the inserting port; a first printing section which carries out printing on the first printing medium at the printing position; a second printing section which is different from the first printing section in the printing method; and a second conveyance guide which merges with the first conveyance guide to discharge a second printing medium printed by the second printing section from the inserting port through the first conveyance guide; wherein the second printing section is supported to be capable of rotating in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the first printing medium so that one part constituting the second conveyance guide can be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Sanada
  • Patent number: 9050834
    Abstract: A thermal printer configured for preventing fluttering of a sheet during its printing by a thermal head for preventing printing failure or a sheet jam. A thermal head (26) opposes a platen roller (28). A scale (60) is provided in a fixed guide portion (23) which is provided on an upstream side of the platen roller (28) and guides an entire width of a sheet (12). A pair of sheet width guides (18a) and (18b) on an upstream side of the fixed guide portion (23) guide a sheet width. Upper guide plates (20a) and (20b) provided in the sheet guides (18a) and (18b) are shaped and located to reach an upper portion of the fixed guide portion (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: SATO HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Hoshi
  • Publication number: 20150138299
    Abstract: A printer includes a main body case in which a sheet roll is installed, a sheet discharge port from which a printed sheet of paper is discharged, an opening/closing cover that opens and closes with respect to the main body case, a cutter that is attached to the opening/closing cover and configured to cut the printed sheet of paper from the sheet roll, and a cutter protection mechanism configured to move in correspondence with an opening movement or a closing movement of the opening/closing cover. The cutter protection mechanism is configured to expose the cutter at the sheet discharge port when the opening/closing cover is in a closed state and conceal the cutter when the opening/closing cover is in an open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Matsuya, Yoshinari Takabatake
  • Patent number: 9030511
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus used in connection with a tape printing apparatus has a tape information acquisition section which acquires from the tape printing apparatus tape information about a tape mounted therein, a new standardized tape discrimination section which discriminates whether a new standardized tape having a standard different from an existing standard has been mounted or not based on the tape information, a printing parameter acquisition section which acquires a printing parameter corresponding to the new standardized tape in a case that it is discriminated that the new standardized tape has been mounted, and a data transmission section which transmits the printing parameter acquired by the printing parameter acquisition section to the tape printing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shoji Takayama
  • Patent number: 9024988
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically calibrating a media sensor configured to detect advancing print media in a printing device. In some embodiments, the apparatus selects a first light intensity level and a second light intensity level greater than the first light intensity level. A light source unit, such as a light emitting diode or laser diode is activated to emit light at the second light intensity level. The light passes though print media, for example, a roll of self-adhesive labels, that is advanced along a print path of the printing device. The amount of light transmitted through the print media is measured as the print media advances. If the measured light increases, the light source unit is reactivated to emit light at the first light intensity level. In some embodiments, the apparatus identifies whether print media has changed or an out-of-stock condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: Jose Fernando Sanchez Gutierrez, Ronald Schwallie
  • Publication number: 20150116441
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a medium cartridge includes a first record medium roll, a second record medium roll, and a connecting arm. The first record medium roll is stored in a first storage part. The second record medium roll is stored in a second storage part. The connecting arm connects the first record medium roll and the second record medium roll, and comprises first bracket parts and second bracket parts. The first bracket parts sandwich the first record medium roll to hold the first record medium roll. The pair of second bracket parts sandwich the second record medium roll to hold the second record medium roll. The first bracket parts comprises a substantially oval-shaped first guide part capable of entering a first lead-in groove. The second bracket parts comprises a substantially circular-shaped second guide part capable of entering a second lead-in.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Mitsugi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150116442
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a medium cartridge that comprises a first record medium roll that winds a record medium in a manner that enables feed-out. The medium cartridge is configured to be mounted to a printer. In the printer, a print mechanism configured to perform print on the record medium is provided movably along a medium-width direction of the record medium with respect to an opening/closing cover capable of opening and closing at least an area above a part of an apparatus housing. The medium cartridge comprises a positioning contacting part. The positioning contacting part is configured to separate from a contacted part provided on the print mechanism with the opening/closing cover open. Further, the positioning contacting part is configured to contact the contacted part of the print mechanism and position the print mechanism in the medium-width direction with the opening/closing cover closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventor: Mitsugi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150103130
    Abstract: An easy load media holder for label printers is configured to adapt to varying media widths and varying label printer types. The easy load media holder can comprise an inner spindle and at least two spindle walls, wherein the spindle walls can be positioned in varying positions along the inner spindle to securely center media of varying widths on the inner spindle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Applicant: Cobra Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: MATTHEW RAYMOND ERICKSON, DOUGLAS J. SPROAL
  • Publication number: 20150097913
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises a first conveyance guide which conveys a first printing medium inserted from an inserting port via a given printing position in a downstream direction, and conveys the first printing medium in an opposite direction to discharge it from the inserting port; a first printing section which carries out printing on the first printing medium at the printing position; a second printing section which is different from the first printing section in the printing method; and a second conveyance guide which merges with the first conveyance guide to discharge a second printing medium printed by the second printing section from the inserting port through the first conveyance guide; wherein the second printing section is supported to be capable of rotating in a direction orthogonal to the surface of the first printing medium so that one part constituting the second conveyance guide can be opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Sanada
  • Patent number: 9001170
    Abstract: A printer includes a conveyor roller for conveying a long printing tape having an adhesive but no release paper on a back surface thereof, a printing mechanism for performing printing on the printing tape conveyed, a drive unit for rotationally driving the conveyor roller, and a control unit for controlling the drive unit so that a rotational speed thereof becomes a constant speed slower than a standard speed when the printing tape is initially conveyed and then becomes the standard speed after it is conveyed a contact length of the conveyor roller with the printing tape. Thus, a risk can be prevented of a tape jam occurring in the printer due to the tape member remaining sticking to the conveyor roller when it is conveyed for the next printing because the tape member with the adhesive has been left stationary long in the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Yuno, Yasushi Murai
  • Patent number: 8998405
    Abstract: A transportation device includes: a transportation section that transports a continuous paper; and an imaging unit that detects a transportation amount of the continuous paper which is transported by the transportation section. The imaging unit includes a lens barrel; a light irradiation unit disposed in the lens barrel and capable of radiating light on the continuous paper; a condensing lens which is disposed in a position farther than the light irradiation section with respect to the continuous paper in the lens barrel and condenses a reflected light when the light is radiated from the light irradiation section to the continuous paper; and an imaging element which is disposed in a position farther than the condensing lens with respect to the continuous paper P in the lens barrel and captures an image by receiving the reflected light condensed by the condensing lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Abe, Mitsutaka Ide
  • Patent number: 9001171
    Abstract: A first printhead that prints on one side of the paper, a second printhead that prints on the other side of the paper, and a cutter are disposed to the paper conveyance path with a specific gap therebetween approaching the paper exit for the paper, and a conveyance unit that conveys the paper through the conveyance path in a device that prints duplex receipts. Based on reception of a transaction end statement, the printer prints part of the transaction information by the first printhead; prints the remaining part of the transaction information by the second printhead; prints store information, the length of which fits between the cutter and the first printhead, by the first printhead after printing the transaction information; and then cuts the paper by the cutter at a position between the area where the transaction information was printed and the area where the store information was printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8994767
    Abstract: A printing device includes a print head, a paper roll, a first paper path, a second paper path, a third paper path, a cutting mechanism and a fourth paper path. The paper roll is for rolling a printing media. The first paper path has a first end and a second end, and the first end is connected to the paper roll. The second paper path is connected to the second end and oriented reverse to the first paper path for being connected to the print head. The third paper path extends from the second end. The cutting mechanism is disposed on the third paper path and for cutting the printing media into a media sheet. The fourth paper path connects the third paper path and the second paper path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: HiTi Digital, Inc.
    Inventor: Ku-Feng Liao
  • Publication number: 20150077499
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a card-flipping device intended to be fixed to a printer, said device including card-driving means for transferring cards from the printer to the inside of this flipping device, and to hold them in position in this flipping device, to flip them and to transfer them once flipped from the inside of this flipping device to the printer, wherein the drive means are movable so as to enable the printer, in order to manipulate a card during a processing operation performed by said printer, to use a space inside the device that is occupied by the drive means when they transfer a card from or to the printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: Evolis
    Inventor: Romain Grimault
  • Patent number: 8976213
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises an accommodation unit which accommodates a continuous printing sheet; a conveyance unit which conveys the printing sheet; a printing unit which performs image forming processing on the conveyed printing sheet; a cutting unit which cuts the printing sheet after completion of the image forming processing; and a processing unit which executes, when a printing sheet remaining on a conveyance path is detected, processing for removing the remaining printing sheet, the processing unit controls the conveyance unit to convey the printing sheet to detect a leading end, compares a first distance from the leading end to a portion located at a curl correction unit with a second distance from the leading end, which distance is required for image forming processing set, and sets a larger distance as a cutting position of the remaining printing sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuya Otoshi
  • Publication number: 20150062279
    Abstract: A printer includes a platen roller, a printer main block including a print head that prints information on recording paper placed between the print head and the platen roller, a movable-blade block including a movable blade, a fixed-blade block including a fixed blade, a feed driving block including a feed driving motor that rotates the platen roller to feed the recording paper, and a movable-blade driving block including a movable-blade driving motor that moves the movable blade. The printer main block, the platen roller, the movable-blade block, the fixed-blade block, the feed driving block, and the movable-blade driving block are detachably attached to each other to form the printer that includes a function to cut the recording paper with the fixed blade and the movable blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Yoshinari Takabatake, Sumio Watanabe, Yukihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 8963975
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer comprising a printing-head, a cutter, a print object receiving portion, an increment mode receiving portion, a cutting mode receiving portion, and a printing control portion. The printer continually produces a plurality of printed matter wherein the print object is respectively formed in a predetermined order. The print object receiving portion receives an input operation for the print object which is disposed in at least one block that includes a print identifier that can be incremented. The increment mode receiving portion receives a setup operation for an increment mode. The cutting mode receiving portion receives a setup operation for a cutting mode at a boundary. The printing control portion controls the feeder and the printing-head to generate a plurality of the printed matter in which is respectively formed the print object which includes the print identifier incremented, and which is cut using the cutting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Tomomatsu, Junya Kawai, Hidekazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 8957931
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a platen roller that configured to convey a sheet, a printing head disposed opposite the platen roller, a cutter configured to cut the sheet conveyed from the platen roller, a sheet guide disposed so as to guide a portion of the sheet that has passed the cutter, a feed roller configured to rotate and convey the sheet from the cutter between the feed roller and the sheet guide and stop rotating when a portion of the sheet is nipped between the feed roller and the sheet guide, and an adjusting mechanism configured to set a distance between the sheet guide and the feed roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Amano, Tsuyoshi Sanada
  • Publication number: 20150029290
    Abstract: A label printer capable of keeping the printed contents from exceeding the bounds of the label. The printer (10) detects the leading edge of a sheet of paper (1) as well as eye marks using a detecting sensor (70). Cueing is performed by a control unit (40). When the difference between the length of the sheet of paper (1) from the leading edge to the first eye mark and the length of the sheet of paper (1) from the first eye mark to the second eye mark is less than a threshold value, printing is started from the first label and when the difference is at or above the threshold value, printing is started from the second label.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Atsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150015658
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer performing printing processing that forms desired print on a print-receiving medium. The printer includes a cartridge holder, a drive device, a thermal head, an energization device, an attribute detecting device, a first determination portion, and a processing portion. The cartridge holder removably mounts a cartridge. The drive device drives a feeding roller to feed the print-receiving medium. The thermal head performs printing on the print-receiving medium fed. The energization device controls energization of the thermal head. The attribute detecting device detects an attribute of the print-receiving medium. The first determination portion determines whether or not a tube cartridge capable of supplying a tubular print-receiving medium is mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Susumu Murata, Kiyoichi Ohta, Hisako Tonishi
  • Patent number: 8922612
    Abstract: A method of printing feeds a receiver through a print head area using a pair of feed rollers comprising a pinch roller and a capstan roller. A preselected tension is maintained on the receiver that is supplied to the feed rollers by controlling a rotation speed of a supply roll that provides the receiver to the feed rollers. The receiver is printed and reverse fed in an opposite direction while controlling the tension of the receiver in response to a tension of the receiver that exists between the feed rollers and the print head area during the step of reverse feeding. Maintaining the tension includes providing a motor having a torque limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kodak Alaris Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Steven Paoletti, Gregory James Garbacz
  • Publication number: 20140362157
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer comprising a printing-head, a cutter, a print object receiving portion, an increment mode receiving portion, a cutting mode receiving portion, and a printing control portion. The printer continually produces a plurality of printed matter wherein the print object is respectively formed in a predetermined order. The print object receiving portion receives an input operation for the print object which is disposed in at least one block that includes a print identifier that can be incremented. The increment mode receiving portion receives a setup operation for an increment mode. The cutting mode receiving portion receives a setup operation for a cutting mode at a boundary. The printing control portion controls the feeder and the printing-head to generate a plurality of the printed matter in which is respectively formed the print object which includes the print identifier incremented, and which is cut using the cutting mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu Tomomatsu, Junya Kawai, Hidekazu Ishii