By Electric-power Drive Patents (Class 400/568)
  • Patent number: 10120632
    Abstract: To provide a display information management system that greatly reduces the load of a management device when providing presentation screen information and the like created at each terminal, and the like to other terminals. A display information management system (1) includes a terminal device (50) including specific basic software (OS), specific information displaying software for creating a presentation screen operable with the specific basic software, and a database; and a management device (10), where the terminal can associate information of the database and each screen of the presentation, and create the presentation information created with the specific information displaying software with heterogeneous presentation information; and transmit the presentation information and the heterogeneous presentation information to the management device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERACTIVE SOLUTIONS CORP.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Sekine
  • Patent number: 9873275
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to, each time an unpaired first pattern element formed on a recording medium is conveyed over a particular distance in a conveyance direction in response to a conveyor rotating by a first amount, control an image former to form a second pattern element to be paired with the unpaired first pattern element thereby forming a first test pattern, and each time an unpaired third pattern element formed on the recording medium is conveyed over a specific distance in the conveyance direction in response to the conveyor rotating by a second amount, control the image former to form a fourth pattern element to be paired with the unpaired third pattern element thereby forming a second test pattern. At least one of the first and second amounts is a non-integer multiple of a rotation amount of the conveyor that makes a single rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ito, Kohei Terada
  • Patent number: 9592682
    Abstract: When printing is performed on a medium, a computer of a printing apparatus acquires a space (a PLG level number and a thickness of the medium) between a surface of the medium and a print head, which is formed when an ink is discharged onto a medium from the print head in a printing unit. A high speed/low speed of a carriage speed (print speed mode), print color (monochrome/color), and a transport region (normal region/lower end region) as a transport position of the medium are determined. A calculation expression is selected according to the carriage speed, the print color, and the transport region, and a correction amount according to a gap length is calculated using the selected calculation expression. Also, the transport distance is corrected using the correction amount. Transport control is performed by the transport distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takafumi Ogimura
  • Patent number: 8834308
    Abstract: A transporting apparatus is disclosed. The transporting apparatus comprises a mounting plate; a assistant wheel assembly attached to the mounting plate, the assistant wheel assembly comprising an inner wheel, an outer wheel, and an elastic member; the elastic member is between the inner wheel and the outer wheel; a driving wheel movably attached to the mounting plate; a driving member secured to the driving wheel; and a belt connecting the outer wheel and the driving member; wherein the elastic member is generally deformed at a location where the belt warps on the outer wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsiu-Yu Lin
  • Publication number: 20130123608
    Abstract: An apparatus and method generates a print out of physiological information from a patient (4) undergoing a magnetic resonance scan in a magnetic resonance system (8). The magnetic resonance system includes a main magnet that generates a static magnetic field (B0) through an examination region (12). A recorder device (38) is located adjacent the patient within a five Gauss line and more particularly, in the examination region with the patient at full field. A piezoelectric motor (68) drives a pinion (72) which drives a roller platen (62) of a printer assembly (60). A primary controller board (70) generates electromechanical stepper motor drive signals (90) and a secondary controller board (74) converts the electromechanical stepper motor drive signals (90) to piezoelectric motor drive motor signals (100).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Ronald Paul Consiglio
  • Patent number: 8373374
    Abstract: An apparatus including a DC motor includes a driven member configured to be driven by the DC motor, and a drive control unit configured to define a plurality of predetermined phases of the DC motor as target stop phases and to cause the DC motor to make at least one rotation to perform preliminary driving that rotates the DC motor to each target stop phase by driving and stopping the DC motor, configured to acquire a difference value between the target stop phase and an actual stop phase for each target stop phase, and configured to drive the DC motor so that the driven member is repeatedly moved and stopped in the operation of the driven member and to perform control so that, based on the difference value acquired by the acquisition unit, electric power is supplied to the DC motor in a phase corresponding to a stop position of the driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryoji Kanoyadani, Hideyuki Kido, Tomofumi Nishida, Nobutsune Kobayashi, Shinichi Yukiura
  • Patent number: 7540674
    Abstract: A method of printing utilizing a printing apparatus having a base, a printing station where a print head is mounted, the print head including a plurality of printing elements which are selectively energisable to generate an image on a substrate upon there being relative movement between the substrate and the print head, the print head being moveable relative to the base, and the apparatus including a sensor device to sense the speed of the substrate as the substrate moves relative to the base adjacent to the printing station, and a controller to receive input signals from the sensor device and to control print head movement relative to the base to achieve a desired relative speed between the print head and the substrate, and wherein the method includes predicting when the speed of the substrate relative to the base, as the substrate advances, will be less than a predetermined speed, and in response, moving the print head at the printing station to a downstream extreme position of print head travel, and during
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Markem Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Simon Starkey
  • Patent number: 7536129
    Abstract: A driving apparatus of a multi-function machine includes a scanner unit scanning data recorded on a sheet of document and a document transport part to transport the sheet of document. A printer unit prints data on a sheet of paper for an output and includes a carrier including a print head with an ink jet nozzle mounted thereon to carry out the printing operation by moving the print head. The driving apparatus includes a driving motor, a scanner driving part driving the scanner unit, a printer driving part driving the printer unit, and a power switching part disposed with the driving motor, the scanner driving part, and the printer driving part. The power switching part selectively transmits a power of the driving motor to at least one of the scanner driving part and the printer driving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-hyun Lee, Dong-gyoo Lee
  • Patent number: 7306216
    Abstract: A driving apparatus of a multi-function machine includes a scanner unit scanning data recorded on a sheet of document and a document transport part to transport the sheet of document. A printer unit prints data on a sheet of paper for an output and includes a carrier including a print head with an ink jet nozzle mounted thereon to carry out the printing operation by moving the print head. The driving apparatus includes a driving motor, a scanner driving part driving the scanner unit, a printer driving part driving the printer unit, and a power switching part disposed with the driving motor, the scanner driving part, and the printer driving part. The power switching part selectively transmits a power of the driving motor to at least one of the scanner driving part and the printer driving part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-hyun Lee, Dong-gyoo Lee
  • Publication number: 20010053303
    Abstract: A recording member feeding device feeds a recording member such as a sheet in an image recording apparatus such as a copying machine. The recording member feeding device has a feeding rotary unit, a driving unit for driving the feeding rotary unit, and a driving power transmitting unit for transmitting he power of the driving unit to the feeding rotary unit. The recording member feeding device further has a rotation detecting unit for detecting the number of rotations of a rotary part in the rotary driving unit or in the driving power transmitting unit. The feeding rotary unit feeds the recording member by a length which is determined by the number of complete rotations detected by the rotation detecting units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Inventor: Soichi Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 6158857
    Abstract: An ink-jet printer for ink-jet printing onto a print media. The printer has an ink-jet cartridge for ejecting ink onto a print medium during printing operations. A rotating drum platen holds a print medium on an outer surface thereof, the drum platen having an interior volume defined therein and an end wall extending transversely to the outer surface. A carriage holds the cartridge in a closely arranged position relative to the external surface of the drum. A drum drive apparatus rotates the drum to move the print medium in relation to the printhead of the cartridge. The printer further has a printer controller mounted in a fixed position relative to a printer chassis, and an electronic circuit disposed in the interior volume of the drum platen. A data communication link passes data between the printer controller and the electronic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Steven B. Elgee
  • Patent number: 5915865
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling operation of a printer enables the transport rate of the print media to be coordinated with the print rate in order to precisely compensate for top-of-form and image stretch errors. The printer comprises a platen roller driven by a stepper motor to transport the print media in step increments. A print head is disposed in proximity to the platen roller so that the print media is transported therebetween by operation of the platen roller and step motor. A step rate control circuit for the printer comprises a clock adapted to provide a series of regular clock pulses at a fixed rate, and a first and a second counter respectively coupled to the clock for counting the clock pulses. The first counter provides a first interrupt signal with each of a first number of clock pulses which is provided to the stepper motor to cause the print media to be advanced by one step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Intermec IP Corp.
    Inventor: Joseph R. Wade
  • Patent number: 5820275
    Abstract: A process motor (82) provides bidirectional motive force to a printer (50) drive train (80) that selectively engages with multiple self-homing printing functions. A print head (52) is tiltable to a maintenance position and a transfer roller (64) is loadable against a transfer drum (54) by respective missing tooth gear (96, 160) latching mechanisms. A print media pick roller (122) and transfer drum maintaining devices (70, 72) are actuated by spring-wrap clutches (114, 236) that are protected from reverse rotation by a one-way clutch (106). Print media transport rollers (140, 142) are selectively engaged with the one-way clutch by an electro-mechanical clutch (128). A picked and transported print medium (56) receives an ink image from the transfer drum and is stripped therefrom by stripper fingers (66) and directed into media exit rollers (212, 220) for delivery to a media output tray (68).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy L. Crawford, James D. Rise, Barry D. Reeves, Nathan E. Hult, William Y. Pong, Richard G. Chambers, Michael E. Jones
  • Patent number: 5788383
    Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording data on a recording medium comprises: a recording device capable of moving along a passage through which a recording medium passes and recording data on the recording medium; a conveyance device for conveying the recording medium; a moving device for moving the recording device along the conveyance passage; a driving source; a first transmission device for transmitting the power from the driving source to the conveyance device; a second transmission device for transmitting the power from the driving source to the moving device; and a switch for selectively connecting the first transmission device and the drive source while maintaining the connection between the driving source and the second transmission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Harada, Takashi Amari
  • Patent number: 5788387
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel structure of a tape cartridge accommodating a printing tape and an ink ribbon used for printing, which prevents the printing tape from being stuck in a cartridge case or the ink ribbon from being slackened. The tape cartridge of the invention has a mechanism for preventing an end of the tape from being reversely moved back into the cartridge case. A typical structure of the mechanism includes an anti-inversion system which prevents a tape core having a tape wound thereon from rotating in a reverse direction, that is, a direction opposite to a normal rotating direction for printing. The anti-inversion effects are removed when the tape cartridge is set in a printing device such as a tape writer to ensure smooth feeding of the tape for printing. When the tape is forcibly pressed back into the cartridge case, a movable platen clamps the tape between the platen and a fixed wall to prevent reverse movement of the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Meisei International Patent Firm
    Inventors: Masaji Takayama, Kenji Watanabe, Yoshikiyo Furuya
  • Patent number: 5779377
    Abstract: A printing apparatus comprises: a print head comprising an array having an N (N=positive integer) number of dot forming elements arrayed at fixed pitches having a lower end and an upper end; a horizontal scan driver for moving the print head above and along a print medium in a horizontal scan direction; a vertical scan driver for moving the print medium in a vertical scan direction perpendicular to the horizontal scan direction, wherein a vertical scan distance that the print medium is vertically moved when the vertical scan driver is driven one time is selected such that the position of at least one dot forming element, counted from the lower end of the array of the print head in the drive of a horizontal scan is coincident with the position at least one dot forming element, counted from the upper end of the array of the print head in the drive of the horizontal scan drive after a given number of horizontal scan drives; and a head driver for performing a printing operation by intermittently driving the dot f
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Kumai, Akira Takagi, Satoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 5674019
    Abstract: In a serial page printer for printing an image line by line by scanning a printing head, even if a motor for driving a roller for conveying a printing medium is rotated by a predetermined amount, the printing medium is not conveyed by a predetermined amount depending on decentering of the roller, the position of the printing medium, and the like, resulting in a printing error. In order to prevent this, a predetermined position of the roller is brought into contact with each line of a printing medium. For this purpose, an apparatus of the present invention detects that the position of the printing medium and the state of the roller are in a predetermined state. Therefore, a line subjected to printing and the state of the roller have a predetermined relationship on any page, and the printing medium can be conveyed by a predetermined amount for each line by adjusting the rotational amount of the roller for each line in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Munakata, Jun Horikoshi
  • Patent number: 5645359
    Abstract: A serial printer is composed of a paper feeding mechanism for feeding paper, a print head having a plurality of dot printing elements arranged in a feeding direction of the paper, a head moving mechanism for moving the print head in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper feeding direction to scan the paper, a raster buffer for storing bit map pattern data for a scanning area of the print head, and a control section for causing the print head to print a dot image corresponding to the bit map pattern data stored in the raster buffer while moving the print head in a printing direction and reversing the printing direction after printing the dot image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TEC
    Inventors: Koji Goto, Akira Oda
  • Patent number: 5547297
    Abstract: A printer for printing characters and images on recording paper comprising: a paper cassette for storing the recording paper; a platen roller around which the recorrding paper is wound at the time of the transfer of images for printing; a clamping mechanism for clamping the recording paper between the clamping mechanism and the platen roller; a motor for driving the platen roller through a gear unit; a thermal printing head for transfferring images onto the recording paper; a paper feeding rollers for feeding the recording paper from the paper cassette to the clamper; a paper discharging rollers for discharging the recording paper upon the completion of the transfer of images thereto; and an ink cassette storing an ink sheet inside thereof; in which the clamping mechanism comprises a clamper which is mounted on the platen roller in such a manner as to permit the free movement of the clamper, holds the recording paper by pushing the recording paper onto the platen roller in a first position and also releases t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jyun-ichi Aizawa, Kunihiko Nakagawa, Hiroshi Nakao, Hitoshi Ezaki, Kouhei Sunaga
  • Patent number: 5482388
    Abstract: A recording apparatus having a paper feeding device for feeding a printing sheet, a detent mechanism capable of engaging the feed roller so as to determine the feeding pitch at which the paper feeding device feeds the sheet, a ribbon feeding mechanism for feeding an ink ribbon, a driving power source for generating a driving force, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the driving power source to one of the paper feeding device and the ribbon feeding mechanism to operate the paper feeding device or the ribbon feeding mechanism, and a changeover mechanism for changing over the transmission effected by the transmission mechanism and also changing over the engagement between the detent mechanism and the paper feeding device in a linked relationship with the changeover of the transmission of the driving force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tsutomu Harada
  • Patent number: 5456539
    Abstract: A printer has dual opposing printheads which can print in tandem on two sides of paper fed along a printing plane. The dual opposing printheads can print the same information on each side of two paper sheets fed in back-to-back (two-ply) fashion, thereby providing a document and copy simultaneously. The printer can also print different information on two sides of the same paper sheet or on each side of two paper sheets, thereby doubling the printing speed as compared to a single printhead. In a preferred embodiment, the dual opposing printheads are mounted in carriages driven reciprocatingly in tandem by one drive belt. Tandem paper feed mechanisms are arranged at one side of the printer and have respective clutch spring devices which are actuated alternately by cam surfaces on the printhead carriages so as to drive a pair of paper feed rollers with the paper fed in between them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Duplex Printer, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher B. Wright, Alan C. Allison
  • Patent number: 5433543
    Abstract: A shuttle-type printer includes a media feed assembly to controllably transfer a recording media through a printing station and a carriage operably mounted at the printing station to move bidirectionally across the media. The printer further includes means mechanically connected to the carriage and media feed assembly for simultaneously (1) moving the carriage and (2) indexing the media through the printing station, whereby the means includes a single motor. Accordingly, a single drive motor can accomplish both carriage motion and media advancement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: John Sturman
  • Patent number: 5297871
    Abstract: A vertical forms control apparatus for a printer, and a printing method, which corrects dot pitch errors in the subscanning direction. A paper feeding control apparatus is provided with a print head scanned in a direction of paper width and having a plurality (N) of dot forming elements aligned with a dot pitch (P) in a direction in which the paper is advanced, a pulse motor connected to a paper advancing mechanism via a transmission such that the pulse motor requires a plurality of steps to make a rotation corresponding to the dot pitch (P), and a microcomputer for outputting drive pulses to the pulse motor 1, the drive pulses indicating the number-of-steps-for-an-advancement-of-one-line (P.times.N) plus correction steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Fujioka
  • Patent number: 5263784
    Abstract: In a printer, a sheet feeder includes a motor which is used for a plurality of mechanisms in common so as to make the printer lighter in weight and more compact in size. The sheet feeder can vary the feeding amount of the sheet in response to the printing operation. The sheet feeder also permits the manual operation of a sheet feed roller shaft by disconnecting power from a motor via a power switching mechanism. The power switching mechanism includes a clutch mechanism which has a gear for transmitting the power of the motor, and a clutch wheel. The clutch mechanism is used when feeding the sheet by the operation of the motor. The sheet feeding amount is varied by the operation of a partial gear which comes into contact selectively with a first or second feed cam. These feed cams have projections having different heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Nojima, Tadashi Mitsuhashi, Tomoo Ikeda, Kouji Hiruma
  • Patent number: 5221149
    Abstract: A type printer has at least two colors of ink applied alternately in a column direction and is shifted in the column direction for each rotation of the type drum. The type drum is automatically halted once the drum has completed two revolutions. A selection and stop release mechanism control rotation of the type drum, perform type selection and release an automatic stop state of the type drum at the beginning of each print line. A trigger mechanism is synchronized with a pulse generated by a detection mechanism and corresponds to the type position on the type drum. A damper mechanism substantially avoids vibration or rotational fluctuations in the type drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Taro Takekoshi, Seiya Sato
  • Patent number: 5209589
    Abstract: In a printer assembly including a printhead which moves in a first direction for printing on a sheet of paper, roller means having an outer cylindrical periphery that engages the sheet of paper at successive tangent points on the periphery for moving the paper in a second perpendicular direction, and driving means for rotating the roller means, an apparatus for correcting certain pre-established errors in the positioning of the sheet of paper by the roller means is described. The apparatus comprises means for controlling the driving means such that the driving means rotates the roller means in order to move the sheet of paper in a way which eliminates the pre-established errors. An arrangement for determining certain pre-established errors in the positioning of the sheet of paper by the roller means is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventor: Anitta L. Bliss
  • Patent number: 5207796
    Abstract: An electronic typewriter (11) has a line spacing device (29) for rotating a platen roller (16) and a transport device (28) for moving a printing carriage (19) in both directions. The line spacing and transport devices are driven from a single motor (32) via an intermediate gear (40) mounted on a shift member (35). The shift member (35) is displaceable between two operative positions for connecting a driveshaft (33) to the transport device (28) or to the line spacing device (29). A servomechanism (36) which is motorized by the shaft (33) displaces the shift member (35) between the two positions by means of a shift electromagnet (81) which actuates a lever (79) to lock the gear (40) by means of teeth (88) on a slide member (43). Positioning means (44) hold the shift member (35) in each of the two operative positions, and an electronic control means (22) controls the motor (32 ) and the electromagnet (81). The system is of low cost, and is simple, functional and reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alessandro Crotti, Daniele Mazzini
  • Patent number: 5193920
    Abstract: A dot line printer with a paper feed time controlling capability includes a hammer bank accommodating a plurality of print hammers, a shuttle mechanism for shuttling the hammer bank back and forth along a print line, and a sheet feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet of paper in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the hammer bank shuttles. When a first predetermined amount of a line space feeding is to be carried out after completion of one line printing, a hammer bank reversing time is prolonged. When more than the first predetermined amount of the line space feeding but less than a second predetermined amount of line space feeding is to be carried out, it is carried out during an extended period of time including both the hammer bank reversing time and the subsequent hammer bank scanning time without prolonging the hammer bank reversing time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikane Matsumoto, Toshio Hiki, Toshiaki Fujieda, Shingo Nakahara, Shozo Ishii, Hiroto Inagawa
  • Patent number: 5184902
    Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording data on a recording medium including a recording device capable of moving along a passage through which a recording medium passes and recording data on the recording medium; a conveyance device for conveying the recording medium; a moving device for moving the recording device along the conveyance passage; a driving source; a first transmission device for transmitting the power from the driving source to the conveyance device; a second transmission device for transmitting the power from the driving source to the moving device; and a switch for selectively connecting the first transmission device and the drive source while maintaining the connection between the driving source and the second transmission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Harada, Takashi Amari
  • Patent number: 5158376
    Abstract: An electronic typewriter has a reduced number of electrically-powered actuators and comprises a motor powering a differential motion transmission unit having first and second output members. Transmission control means powered by a solenoid moves a slider to engage stop members selectively with the first and second output members to permit the second and first output members respectively to rotate. The first output member drives the carriage transport mechanism. The second output member drives the character carrying element and also powers function devices, namely a correction device, through a motion switching mechanism controlled by a switch control mechanism including another solenoid. The typing ribbon feed is driven by reciprocation of the slider between its two states. The motor is mounted on the frame and drives the motion transmission unit on a carriage through a belt; it also drives a line spacing mechanism through a clutch operated by a further solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventors: Crotti Alessandro, Bonmassari Gianpaolo
  • Patent number: 5131770
    Abstract: The present invention provides a detecting apparatus for detecting an amount of feed of a sheet member. Detecting apparatus comprises a feeding means for feeding a sheet member, a rotary member engaged by the sheet member and rotatingly driven by the sheet member being fed by the feeding means, and an calculating circuit for calculating an amount of feed of the sheet member on the basis of a rotational amount of the rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinji Kanemitsu
  • Patent number: 5024544
    Abstract: Control parameters necessary for controlling mechanism sections of a printing apparatus are stored in a program ROM. Selection data used for selecting predetermined control parameters stored in the program ROM are stored in a non-volatile memory. When operations of the mechanism sections of the printing apparatus are selectively changed, the selection data stored in the non-volatile memory are changed in accordance with operating states of the mechanism sections. The mechanism sections of the printing apparatus can be controlled upon every change in their operations without replacement of the ROM for storing the control parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Taketani
  • Patent number: 5000594
    Abstract: The invented printer includes a carriage-actuated clutch and a motor-driven gear element. The clutch is selectively engageable with the element and causes the printer to perform different tasks when engaged. More specifically, the invented printer includes a motor-driven gear, a printhead and a printhead carriage, a clutch having a flexible portion, and a gripping surface on the flexible portion for engaging the motor-driven gear. To actuate the clutch, the carriage pushes against the clutch causing it to flex and engage the motor-driven gear. When engaged, rotating the gear a predetermined distance causes the clutch to rotate a predetermined distance, in turn causing the printer to perform a certain task. Continuing to rotate the clutch causes the printer to perform other tasks.The invented printer also includes a paper-feed mechanism for picking up and feeding a sheet of paper into the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: James O. Beehler, Allan G. Olsen, Chong S. Yoon
  • Patent number: 4986677
    Abstract: There is disclosed an output apparatus which prints and outputs onto an ink ribbon in an electronic typewriter or the like. One motor is commonly used for print paper feed, ribbon feed, and ribbon lift up/down operations. The ribbon feed mechanism is controlled by the heteromorphic or noncircular rotary cam having grooves of different kinds of radii. The ink ribbon feed operation and the correction ribbon feed and lift up/down operations are also performed by the rotary cam. With this apparatus, the ink and correction ribbons can be efficiently used and the operation timing of the carriage can be accurately controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroatsu Kondo, Junichi Yoshikawa, Tetsuya Kawanabe
  • Patent number: 4976557
    Abstract: A sheet conveying device provided with a detent mechanism and capable of effecting automatic feeding of the shet by the use of a drive source and also capable of effecting feeding of the sheet by manual operation, the sheet conveying device including a rotational member for conveying a sheet, a drive source for driving the rotational member, a drive transmitting device for transmitting the drive force of the drive source to the rotational member to rotate the rotational member by the drive force of the drive source, a manual operating member for manually driving the rotational member, a detent device producing a rotation restraining force, a restraining force transmitting device for transmitting the restraining force from the detent device, and apparatus for connecting and disconnecting the restraining force transmitting device and the drive transmitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshio Uchikata
  • Patent number: 4976555
    Abstract: A serial printer control circuit having a motor control section which includes a single CPU, and a circuit which is controlled by the single CPU so as to perform printing in a period other than a acceleration/deceleration period of a spacing motor and perform paper feed by driving/controlling a line feed motor during a deceleration period of the spacing motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Shuziro Ueyama
  • Patent number: 4971466
    Abstract: There is described a printing apparatus in which line feed is achieved by rotating a platen with a paper advancing motor and the printing is conducted while the platen is stopped by the paper advancing motor. The printer is further provided with a detent mechanism for stopping the platen at the interval of a determined angle, and a solenoid for deactivating the function of the detent mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroatsu Kondo
  • Patent number: 4929105
    Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus for the printer having an intermittent mechanism between a driving motor and both a paper feed roller and a platen. The intermittent mechanism allows both the platen and the paper feed roller to rotate simultaneously and also allows only the platen to rotate while the paper feed roller is suspended, so that a sheet of printing paper is set straight along the platen. When the rotational direction of the driving motor is reversed to reverse that of the platen, the driving motor stops rotating for a limited period. Under such conditions the sheet is fed properly in response to the rotation of the platen, being free from the inertia force of the sheet and from the platen's vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1990
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanobu Hirayama, Hiroyuki Funahashi, Eiji Yokota, Mitsuyoshi Uehara, Isao Kagami, Makoto Hasegawa, Masaru Mizuno
  • Patent number: 4909649
    Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus wherein it comprises a power transmitting device for transmitting power from a driving motor of the apparatus to a platen roller of the apparatus, which device can change rotational speed of the platen roller to rotate the platen roller at high speed, thereby shortening a non-printing time such as required for introduction and ejection of a recording paper to reduce the total recording time of the thermal transfer recording apparatus. Further, the power transmitting device has a neutral position where the platen roller can be freely rotated, thereby easily restoring the recording apparatus to its normal conditions even when the recording paper and/or an inked ribbon is jammed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Seizi Okunomiya
  • Patent number: 4897590
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for gaining high-speed random access to a track in a magnetic recording/playback system of the type in which a magnetic head is shifted to an adjacent track in response to a forward-feed/reverse-feed signal and the head is positioned at the center of this track by tracking control. When the track number of a track to be accessed is designated, the designated track number is compared with a track number at which the magnetic head is presently located. An apparatus is provided for fast-feeding the magnetic head to a track adjoining the designated track on the basis of the comparison, and for subsequently outputting the forward-feed/reverse-feed signal for the purpose of tracking control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuo Minoura, Katsuo Nakadai, Toshikatsu Harase, Satoshi Iwamatsu
  • Patent number: 4889052
    Abstract: A dot-line printer has a hammer bank carrying a plurality of printing hammers arranged in groups, each group having a predetermined number of printing hammers displaced from one another by predetermined numbers of dot-lines in the direction of paper feed. A shuttle mechanism causes the hammer bank to undergo reciprocating shuttle movements with a reversing period between successive shuttle movements. A character line, covering a predetermined number of dot-lines, is printed over a plurality of shuttle movements, a paper feed mechanism causing the paper to move a predetermined number of dot-lines in the reversing period between shuttle movements. A number of blank dot-lines separate a printed character line from the beginning of the first dot-line of the next character line to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshikane Matsumoto, Toshio Hiki, Makoto Kurosawa
  • Patent number: 4881833
    Abstract: In a small-sized printer having hammers provided within a type ring according to the invention, a direction in which the hammer is moved is changeable over selectively so that printing may be carried out in different positions. Also, electronic apparatus is provided which has a hammer mechanism as well as a battery or motor mounted in the type ring so as to miniaturize the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignees: Cannon Kabushiki Kaisha, Cannon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Seki, Satoshi Watanabe, Hideaki Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 4875790
    Abstract: A printing device wherein a cut-form printing sheet and a serial-form printing sheet is selectively in use is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1989
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Karube, Toshimasa Hayakawa, Yasunari Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4863295
    Abstract: A printer which is so constructed as to automatically detect deviation of a printing type when a deviation detecting command signal is detected and to automatically adjust paper feed immediately after a pause mode is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Tokyo Juki Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Miyake, Tsutomu Kataigi, Toshinobu Shinozuka
  • Patent number: 4834564
    Abstract: A paper feed control apparatus for a dot printer is provided which supplies a step pulse to a stepping motor in a one-pitch feed mode at an interval of a reference time to intermittently rotate the stepping motor in increments of a step angle, and which also supplies a step pulse to the stepping motor in a multi-pitch feed mode at an interval of a time shorter than the reference time to continuously rotate the stepping motor over a plurality of step angles. A motor drive control circuit is adapted to supply a step pulse to the stepping motor in the multi-pitch feed mode at a gradually shorted time interval, and to supply a final step pulse to the stepping motor in a final portion of a driving cycle when the reference time passes after the generation of the step pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Oda
  • Patent number: 4826335
    Abstract: A recording apparatus including a body having a case, a first feeding device, a guide portion, a second feeding device, and a cover. The first feeding device feeds a record sheet to a recording position by frictional force. The guide portion guides a continuous record sheet supplied from a record paper source disposed outside of the apparatus. The second feeding device accepts the record sheet from the guide portion and feeds the record sheet to the recording position through the first feeding device. The second feeding device includes at least one pin which is adapted to engage a hole in the record sheet. The cover has a free end including a guide for guiding a non-continuous record sheet from outside the apparatus to the recording position through the first feeding device. The cover further has an engagement portion on the opposite end of the cover from the guide, for rotatably attaching the cover to the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Kimura
  • Patent number: 4819556
    Abstract: A line printer apparatus with which a printing control operation is carried out by using a printing mechanism and printing operation control unit in which the reversal of the motion of a printing unit is carried out in synchronization with the feeding of a paper to be printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro Abe, Akinori Kamata, Satoshi Yoshino, Hirotomo Terada
  • Patent number: 4820069
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a printing apparatus such as a typewriter which prints data from an inputting means on a printing medium.In the case of the normal printing apparatus, a feed amount setting means is installed which sets the amount of feed of line feeding or space feeding for relatively moving a printing head and the printing medium, and for the line feeding or for the space feeding, a desired one among about four kinds of amounts of feed is required to be selected.This printing apparatus comprises a unit feed amount selecting means for selecting a unit amount of feed, a feed amount setting means which selects a coefficient to multiply the unit amount of feed selected by this unit feed amount selecting means and sets the actual amount of feed, and a controlling means controlling a feeding mechanism so that the amount of feed of the relative movement is the amount of feed set by the feed amount setting means. Lamps are lit to indicate the feed amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Torii
  • Patent number: 4804280
    Abstract: A printer having a first memory for storing character data representative of lines of characters to be printed on a recording medium, a second memory for storing line-space data representative of a line spacing between the lines of characters, and a control device for activating a print head according to the character data stored in the first memory, and controlling the print head and a paper feed device according to the line-space data stored in the second memory, to underscore at least one of the characters of the printed lines. The position of the underscore is controlled such that a distance between the underscore and the underscored characters is varied depending upon the line spacing represented by the line-space data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1989
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Kurokawa, Masataka Yoshikawa, Takao Kato, Hiroyuki Kikukawa, Yukiyoshi Muto
  • Patent number: 4778296
    Abstract: A paper check device for a printer including paper feed means, a light emitter, a light receiver, reflectance determination means, and paper check means. The paper check means determines that a paper is not on the platen when the platen is detected to be moving and a determined reflectance is in a preset range for a time interval longer than another preset value. The paper check device correctly detects whether the paper is on the platen even if the paper with already printed patterns of low reflectance is employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Takahashi