Abstract: According to one embodiment, a control device which controls to, after the feed device has fed the booklet so as to bring the page on the other surface side of the booklet into contact with the contact roller unit and fold the page on the other surface side, feed the booklet to the page turning position again.

Abstract: Systems for producing bound electrophotographic prints are provided. In one aspect there is provided a system with a print engine having a printing module to form a toner image on a receiver, a fuser with a heater that heats the toner image to fuse the toner image to a receiver to form a print, a stacking system that stacks the print and a sheet in a stacking area with the fused toner image between the print and the sheet. A heating system has a heat source that applies a heat along an edge of the stack, and a controller that causes the toner image to have toner in a binding area proximate to the heated edge of the stack and in an image area that is separated from the binding area by a separation area.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a page turning apparatus includes a conveying mechanism to convey a booklet to a page turning position, a page pickup mechanism to pick up a page of the booklet conveyed to the page turning position by the conveying mechanism, a drive mechanism to move the page pickup mechanism to pick up the page of the booklet at a predetermined angle in an opening direction around a bound edge, a shaft provided to come into contact with the page of the booklet picked up at the predetermined angle to bend the page, a contact roller portion to move and go under the page picked up at the predetermined angle, and a controller to make such a control as to convey the booklet after the contact roller portion goes under the page and open the page by bringing the page into contact with the contact roller portion.

Abstract: An integrated printing apparatus is capable of printing on a separate sheet and of book printing on a block of pre-bound pages. The apparatus includes a a block support structure comprising two height-adjustable tables for supporting the block in two adjacent stacks, so that when a page is turned from atop a first stack to an adjacent second stack, the two adjacent stacks present substantially co-planar printable top surfaces. The apparatus also includes an automatic page-turning mechanism for redeploying a top page from the first stack to the second stack, holder for separate sheets, and a printing head. A relative motion mechanism provides relative motion between the printing head and a page of the block of printable pages or a sheet of the separate sheets while printing.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed, for printing on the pages of a block of printable pages that are pre-bound by a binding along a binding-edge of each page. The apparatus includes a block support structure comprising two height-adjustable tables for supporting the block of printable pages in two adjacent stacks, so that when a page is turned from atop a first stack to an adjacent second stack, the two adjacent stacks present substantially co-planar printable top surfaces.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a booklet page turning apparatus includes a guide member which is provided near a vacuum pad to freely project/retreat from a plane corresponding to the suction surface of the vacuum pad, the guide member moving integrally with the vacuum pad and coming into contact with a page of a booklet at the page turning position to regulate rising of the page.

Abstract: A page turning apparatus of a passbook printer, which detects a turning error or the like at the early stage of turning irrespective of the size and characteristics of passbooks and allows retry of turning in a short time.

Abstract: A printing apparatus configured to print on the pages of a block of printable pages that are pre-bound by a binding along a binding-edge of each page. The pages of the block are arranged in two interconnected stacks that are joined by the flexible binding. Printing is performed on the top surfaces of each of the stacks, and then a top page is redeployed from one stack to the other. During the redeployment process, the page is turned, thereby revealing an unprinted side of the page. Since the height of each of the stacks changes each time a page is redeployed, the printing apparatus includes two height-adjustable stack support tables each associated with a corresponding one of the two stacks. The support tables are configured to adjust their height so as to maintain the planar relationship of the top surfaces of each of the stacks. After printing, the printed pages are removed separated from the unprinted pages. A book-cover is then attached to the printed pages to complete the book.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for imprinting a booklet-like object in a printing station. In order to develop a method and apparatus of the above type while reducing method steps and simplifying a structure of a corresponding apparatus, it is proposed that a booklet-like object (2) is inserted in an opened state into a drawer (3) and fed to a printing mechanism of a standard printer and is covered with a printing mask (6) and pressed into a new defined printing plane, wherein the new printing plane is created using a spacer element (5).

Abstract: A printing apparatus configured to print on the pages of a block of printable pages that are pre-bound by a binding along a binding-edge of each page. The pages of the block are arranged in two interconnected stacks that are joined by the flexible binding. Printing is performed on the top surfaces of each of the stacks, and then a top page is redeployed from one stack to the other. During the redeployment process, the page is turned, thereby revealing an un-printed side of the page. Since the height of each of the stacks changes each time a page is redeployed, the printing apparatus includes two height-adjustable stack support tables each associated with a corresponding one of the two stacks. The support tables are configured to adjust their height so as to maintain the planar relationship of the top surfaces of each of the stacks. After printing, the printed pages are removed separated from the unprinted pages. A book-cover is then attached to the printed pages to complete the book.

Abstract: A printing apparatus has a take-out shaft and a rolling-up shaft to supply an intermediate transfer ribbon provided with a transfer layer having a first area in a prescribed pattern and a blank and transparent second area, a printer portion to print prescribed data on the transfer layer of the supplied intermediate transfer ribbon, and a transfer portion to transferr the printed prescribed data on an image receiving medium (a passbook) 1 jointly with the transfer layer. The printer portion and the transfer portion are controlled independently in a first mode to cover the entire image receiving medium and in a second mode to cover the image receiving medium by the first area and the second areas.

Abstract: A printing machine for booklet-like medium (2) is disclosed as having a booklet resting surface (4) to which a sheet insertion passage (5) is opened, a booklet pressing unit (10) which presses booklet-like medium, which is centrally unfolded on the booklet resting surface at a bound portion (2b) and whose sheet (2a1) of a page to be printed and inserted through the sheet insertion passage, against the booklet resting surface, a print page positioning unit (40) composed of a pair of sheet hazing rollers (42a, 42b) for positioning the sheet (2a1), of the page to be printed, at a given print position, and a print head section (18) having a pair of right and left print heads (19a, 19b) mounted at both sides of the sheet (2a1) of the page to be printed, respectively.

Abstract: In a page-turning device for a printer, arms are provided at the ends of a support shaft, and a pair of rollers are fitted around a roller shaft that is located between the distal ends of arms. Springs are attached to the base ends of the arms to press the rollers against a medium to be printed. Depending on the width of the medium, the positions of adjustment brackets can be changed, such that the urging forces produced by the springs are adjusted, so as to control the pressing forces exerted by rollers, thereby assuring substantially uniform force application onto at least two locations of the page such that the page can be readily turned without inappropriate folding, bending or creasing.

Abstract: In a page-turning device for a printer, arms are provided at the ends of a support shaft, and a pair of rollers are fitted around a roller shaft that is located between the distal ends of arms. Springs are attached to the base ends of the arms to press the rollers against a medium to be printed. Depending on the width of the medium, the positions of adjustment brackets can be changed, such that the urging forces produced by the springs are adjusted, so as to control the pressing forces exerted by rollers, thereby assuring substantially uniform force application onto at least two locations of the page such that the page can be readily turned without inappropriate folding, bending or creasing.

Abstract: A sheet supply apparatus adapted for use with a recording apparatus such as a printer. The sheet supply apparatus comprises a frame having a sheet conveying surface, a shaft rotatably arranged above the sheet conveying surface, and a plurality of protrusions arranged on the shaft in the axially spaced relationship and at circumferentially different angles. The sheet is conveyed toward a horizontal member (such as conveying rollers in a printer) extending in the direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying direction along the sheet conveying surface by the protrusions so as to cause the sheet to abut against the transverse member. Oblique feeding of a sheet is thus corrected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for printing text on a sheet of a booklet-like article in a text-printing station, in the case of which the booklet-like article is arranged in a swung-open state in a cassette (10) and fed to the text-printing station. Then the position in the text-printing station of the border of the sheet which is to have text printed on it is detected, as is the position of a pattern provided on the sheet which is to have text printed on it. Thereafter, the sheet has text printed on it such that some of the text is aligned with respect to the pattern and other parts are aligned with respect to the sheet border. The process according to the invention can be carried out particularly advantageously using a cassette which has a base plate (11), with a bearing region (15) and a first bearing surface (17), and also has a frame (12), which is arranged on the base plate such that it can be released at least in part opposite the bearing region (15).

Abstract: A method of providing at least one indicia on the edges of a plurality of stacked leaves assembled one on top of the other to form a book or pamphlet, each respective leaf having marks thereon on at least one face of the leaf adjacent said edge, the assemblage of the marks on the individual leaves forming said indicia on the edge. The indicia or indicia are broken down into elements and each element is assigned Cartesian coordinates according to the X and Y coordinate system with the y-coordinates corresponding to the pagination of a respective leaf, and the x-coordinates for each respective leaf corresponding to individual mark elements on the face of the leaf.

Abstract: A plurality of lines are printed by the print head of a printer which is moved in a predetermined print direction on a sheet placed on a planar supporting surface wherein the sheet is fed perpendicular to the print direction. The print head is slidably mounted on a guide bar which is supported by a frame parallel to the sheet supporting surface so as to permit moving the lower end of the print head upwardly and downwardly relative to the support surface. The frame is biased in the downward direction normally. During non-print operation, a driving lever moves the frame upwardly to raise the print head to an initial position spaced above the support surface by a predetermined distance where it is maintained. During a print operation, the driving lever engages the frame to drive it upwardly or downwardly with the upward movement against the bias force.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a printing machine for printing the front and/or back of individual sheets of a product in book or booklet form which is transported by means of a conveyor arrangement. In this case the sheet to be printed is first of all raised, relative to the remaining portion of the product resting on the conveyor arrangement, so far that the front and/or back of this sheet can be printed.

Abstract: A dual station hot debossing stamper for a report or book cover includes a print engine having a character finger daisy wheel forcer and a logo die forcer which are actuatable independently by a common servo motor through respective gear trains. The print engine moves line-by-line and a platen moves character-by-character. A print wheel is inserted and locked into the engine in a character debossment operation with a motor driving the print wheel. When using a logo die, the print wheel and casing is removed and using a loader-unloader tool the die is articulated under the logo die forcer. Insertion of a logo transfer tape cartridge shifts the gears in the print engine. A second character tape cartridge is used with the print wheel. A dedicated personal computer and associated software and firmware programs control the stamping apparatus.

Abstract: In a printer for passbooks or the like, a passbook or the like, which is brought in on a transfer path, is stopped at the position of a page-turning roller, where a sheet is turned over by the operation of the page-turning roller. When a sheet is turned over by the page-turning roller, at a position separate from a start position of turning over of a sheet, a passbook or the like undergoes an initial deformation in a out-of-plane direction so that the passbook is bent in a first-order mode. By this initial deformation, a sheet can be turned over steadily. Such a turnover of the sheet can be effected in conjunction with utilizing an optical system which provides an image of the three-dimensional deformation pattern of the passbook which is processed. In accordance with this pattern a decision is made whether or not the out-of-plane deformation of the passbook is more than a specified amount. In the vicinity of the transfer path, a page-turning roller is provided and is supported rotatably.

Abstract: A printer is used for printing information on a center-folding type book when the book is in the open state, and comprises a printing head, a platen movable toward and away from the printing head, and feed rollers for moving the opened book through the printing position defined by the printing head and the platen, such that the printing operation is carried out on a leading half of the book and then on a trailing half thereof. A gap between the printing head and the platen is adjusted in response to a variation of a thickness of the half of the book positioned at the printing position; this adjustment being carried out by abutting the platen against the half of the book, and then moving the platen away therefrom by a given distance, before the printing operation is carried out on a first line contained in the trailing half of the book and closest to a center-holding line thereof.

Abstract: A passbook transporting or conveying mechanism has front gripping rollers for gripping the passbook in unprinted areas thereof and for moving the passbook to a printing station. The front gripping rollers are caused to be moved along guide rods in a rearward direction by driving wires or cables connected to roller supports. The passbook is received by rear gripping rollers which are caused to be moved along guide rods in a further rearward direction by driving wires or cables connected to roller supports to a predetermined position for reading a magnetic stripe on the back cover of the passbook. The magnetic stripe on the passbook is read out and the passbook is moved forward to position the passbook at the printing station for the printing operations on the desired print line or lines. After the printing operations, the passbook is again moved rearward to record the printed information in the magnetic stripe.

Abstract: A passbook printer has a print head movable along a printing station and in opposed relation to a platen for printing data on the passbook. The printer has an optical reading head assembly which is movable independent of the print head and in a direction of the path of the passbook past the printing station. The optical reading head assembly is positioned at the printing station for reading page and line information from the passbook and then is moved to a position adjacent the printing station for permitting the print head to freely move along the printing station.

Abstract: An apparatus for derailing with a passbook having a plurality of data recording surfaces, includes a passbook recording unit in which data is recorded on the recording surfaces of the passbook introduced in a conveying passage of the apparatus via an access opening. A plurality of new passbook storing boxes are arranged along the conveying passage, and a passbook detector for detecting the presence or absence of new passbook is provided in each passbook storing box. When all spaces in the data recording surfaces of the passbook received in the conveying passage are used up, a new passbook is supplied from one of the storing boxes to the conveying passage, so that the remains of data is recorded on the data recording surfaces of the new passbook by the recording unit.

Abstract: A peripheral or stand-alone computerized stamp printer is provided particularly for office use in which a print assembly including a pressure cam and leaf spring arrangement is associated with a heated print head which contacts and impresses a daisy wheel character against an imprinting tape in a confined cartridge to serially print computer-selected letters or characters on a binder, binder spine, or other workpiece. The printer assembly may move on an X or Y axis along a fixed or movable gantry upper arm. If the gantry is fixed, means are provided for moving paper stock, binders or other workpieces into proper position for clamping on a work surface on the top surfaces of the printer chassis. A spine-holding drawer may be provided in the chassis for supporting the spine of a binder for printing letters, logos, or the like, on the binder spine. The print assembly is a discrete unit and includes a replaceable tape cartridge fitted into drive mechanisms within the printer assembly.

Abstract: Two print heads each having a plurality of print elements arranged over a print width to allow printing of a predetermined area by a print scan operation are arranged one for each one of adjacent pages bordered by a seam line of a booklet along which a plurality of sheets of the booklet are bound. The print elements are non-impact type print elements such as thermal print elements.

Abstract: A flexible drive mechanism for positioning bank passbooks and similar objects is disclosed for use in conjunction with identification and entry posting apparatus. The functioning of the drive mechanism is made flexible by the use of eight rollers, four of which are power driven to serve as drive rollers and four of which are idle rollers. The idle rollers are enabled to move relative to each other and to the drive rollers and are spring biased to firmly engage bank passbooks and similar flat objects and press them against the power drive rollers. The rollers are enabled to accommodate the differences in thickness between parts of the passbooks caused by either the presence of ridges, where sewn seams bind the pages of a book together, or by the presence of difference amounts of paper.