For Web Record-medium Patents (Class 400/583)
  • Patent number: 11443153
    Abstract: A conveyance control system is provided with a conveyance mechanism that conveys a platen, a printer provided in the conveyance mechanism and capable of performing printing on a print medium held by the platen received from the conveyance mechanism, and a PC that is communicably connected to the printer and controls the conveyance mechanism. A storage of the PC stores identification information of the printer and identification information of the conveyance mechanism in association with each other. The PC acquires the identification information of the conveyance mechanism associated with the identification information of the printer. A CPU of the PC causes the platen to be conveyed by the conveyance mechanism, on the basis of the acquired identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Watanabe, Shuichi Tamaki
  • Patent number: 11034162
    Abstract: A printing apparatus configured to print a label image on a medium, the medium on which the label image is printed including: a first end which is an upstream end of a tail region in a conveyance direction that is one of first printing regions in which one first character is lastly printed; and a second end which is an upstream end of a tail character in the conveyance direction that is the most upstream one of second characters printed in a second printing region, and wherein a controller is configured to cause a cutter to cut the medium at a first cutting target position located upstream of the first end when the first end is located more upstream than the second end and at a second cutting target position located upstream of the second end when the second end is located more upstream than the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junya Kawai
  • Patent number: 10766285
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a transporting unit that transports a printing medium, a transporting unit encoder that outputs a movement amount information indicating a movement amount of the printing medium, a medium winding unit disposed downstream of the guide member with respect to the transporting unit and winds the printing medium, a tension applying unit including a tension bar that presses the printing medium at a location between the transporting unit and the medium winding unit while the tension bar is moving between an upper limit position and a lower limit position and applies tension to the printing medium, a tension applying unit encoder that outputs a rod member location information indicating a position of the tension bar, and a control unit that determines a movement state of the printing medium at the tension applying unit, based on the movement amount information and the rod member location information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Ushiama
  • Patent number: 9290023
    Abstract: A printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveying unit conveying a printing medium, a printing unit, a cutting unit cutting the printing medium in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the printing medium and a control unit. The control executes a test operation. The test operation includes printing a mark and cutting the printing medium while conveyance of the printing medium is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naotoshi Kudo
  • Patent number: 9242457
    Abstract: In a print system comprising a first printing unit for printing images on a first surface of a continuous sheet, a reading unit for reading an image, and a second printing unit for printing images on a second surface of the continuous sheet, in the case where the first printing unit prints a control image irregularly inserted between the images based on image data on the first surface of the continuous sheet, the first printing unit prints an identification mark which enables the control image to be identified on the first surface of the continuous sheet, and in the case where the reading unit reads an identification mark printed on the first surface of the continuous sheet, the second printing unit is caused not to print images based on image data in an area corresponding to the control image on the continuous sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Yasuzaki
  • Patent number: 9227809
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus includes a feeding unit, on which a roll sheet is settable, configured to feed the roll sheet, a conveyance roller configured to convey a sheet fed from the feeding unit, a first detection unit configured to detect a conveyance distance of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller, a second detection unit configured to detect a conveyance distance of the sheet drawn out from the roll sheet set on the feeding unit, a driving unit configured to synchronously drive the feeding unit when the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance roller, and a determination unit configured to determine a state of an end portion of the roll sheet based on detection results by the first detection unit and the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruhiko Tanami, Yuki Igarashi, Ryoya Shinjo, Ryohei Maruyama, Shin Genta, Naoki Wakayama
  • Patent number: 8967891
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a motor which drives a shaft of a roll body around which a medium is wound, in the feeding direction of the medium; a transport roller which transports the medium fed from the roll body; and a control section which supplies electric power for rotating the roll body to the motor, wherein the electric power that the control section supplies to the motor at the time of the start of the feeding of the medium is larger when the diameter of the medium that is wound around the roll body is R2 (<R1) than when the diameter of the medium that is wound around the roll body is R1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hitoshi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8950957
    Abstract: In accordance with one example embodiment of a configurable printer for different paper sizes and types in accordance with the present invention, the configurable printer may comprise a print mechanism, a controller for controlling the print mechanism, a paper bucket for receiving a first sized paper roll to be printed, a divider for a paper bucket for reducing a width of the paper bucket to accept a second sized paper roll which is smaller than the first sized paper roll, and a bucket sensor adapted to sense at least one of insertion of the divider into the paper bucket and removal of the divider from the paper bucket and to provide a paper size signal to the controller. The controller controls the print mechanism in response to the paper size signal from the bucket sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: TransAct Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven A. Supron, Robert F. Bullivant, Bruce Harris
  • Patent number: 8944706
    Abstract: The first image which is a continuous image divided into pages is printed on the first surface of web by the first printer, and the start mark is printed at the head of each page. The second image which is a continuous image is printed on the second surface by the second printer in synchronization with recording synchronization pulses. In printing of the second image, obtained is a difference between the number of pulses inputted to the second printing mechanism between detections of preceding and succeeding start marks, and the number of pulses estimated to be inputted thereto in the case where expansion or shrinkage of web doesn't occur, to adjust the frequency of pulses on the basis of the difference. Therefore, the second image is printed in accordance with the first image on the web without being affected by expansion or shrinkage of web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sakamoto, Toshio Maeda, Hiroshi Tomiya
  • Patent number: 8939666
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a first support unit which is disposed at an intermediate location of a transport path of the target and supports the target; a second support unit which is disposed at a location of a downstream side of the transport path of the target further than the first support unit and supports the target; a tension applying member which is disposed at a location of the target transport path between the first support unit and the second support unit and pressures the target from one side thereof to apply a tension to the target; and an optical detection unit which is disposed at a location corresponding to the tension applying member to face the other side of the target and irradiates detection light to a surface of the other side of the target to which the tension is applied by the tension applying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Tamai, Satoshi Morikawa
  • Patent number: 8905660
    Abstract: A printer and a method of controlling a printer in order to print out a report relating to data recorded by a tachograph are disclosed, the printer having a supply of printing medium and being equipped with a medium transport device. In the disclosed printer, rest state transport of the printing medium is carried out at periodically repeating intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Harry Kiemele, Andreas Lindinger
  • Patent number: 8870480
    Abstract: A roll-to-roll printing system includes driven rolls to apply a feeding force to a flexible substrate so that the flexible substrate is fed from an unwinder to a rewinder, nip rolls respectively disposed above two opposite end portions of each of the driven rolls to pressurize two opposite side portions of the flexible substrate, nip roll driving motors connected to the nip rolls to rotate the nip rolls, and a control unit to receive information regarding change of torque values of the nip roll driving motors and control tension of the flexible substrate based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyeong-Min Yeo, Sung Gun Lee, Sin Kwon, Jung Woo Cho, Nam Hoon Lee
  • Patent number: 8858105
    Abstract: A label creation device includes a feeding portion configured to feed a printing medium in a first direction and a second direction, the second direction being an opposite direction from the first direction, a printing portion configured to perform printing on the printing medium fed in the first direction, a cutting portion configured to cut the printing medium, the printed portion being a portion of the printing medium on which the printing has been performed, and a processor configured to specify a first distance, which is a length of a blank portion, the cut position being a position of the printing medium where the printing medium is cut, and control the feeding portion to feed the printing medium in the second direction in a case where a second distance is greater than the first distance, the second distance being a distance between the printing portion and the cutting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Sugimura
  • Patent number: 8851772
    Abstract: According to the embodiment, a printing apparatus includes: a printing unit that forms an image on a web; a first feeding unit that feeds the web; a second feeding unit downstream of the printing unit in a feed direction; a buffer unit that has a buffer plate and absorbs flexure of the web generated by the two feeding units by operating the buffer plate; a first feeding control unit that causes the first feeding unit to execute a first deceleration operation; and a second feeding control unit that causes the second feeding unit to execute the first deceleration operation when a trigger for stopping the feed of the web has occurred, measures a feed amount of the web fed by the second feeding unit, and changes the first deceleration operation to a second deceleration operation based on the feed amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Gouda, Katsumi Ishizawa
  • Patent number: 8783980
    Abstract: A portable printer having improved ergonomic and operational characteristics. The printer includes an asymmetrically-damped media centering mechanism having first and second media support members moveable along a common longitudinal axis and configured to grasp roll media. The media support members are coupled to a reciprocal movement mechanism configured to translate a longitudinal movement of the first media support member into a corresponding opposite longitudinal movement of the second media support member. A pivoting arm is coupled to the reciprocal movement mechanism. The pivoting arm pivots to a first position when the first and second media support members are moved closer to each other, which causes a damping gear to engage the reciprocal movement mechanism, thereby damping the grasping motion of the media support members and providing an improved user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Kokawa, Guy M Heaton, Chad M Gundlach
  • Patent number: 8767248
    Abstract: A label data processing apparatus including: a label data storage unit configured to store one or more label data for printing a label; and a display unit configured to switch and display, per label, an editing screen including at least a portion of text data included in each label data, as a selection candidate for the label data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Kurashina
  • Patent number: 8757909
    Abstract: A conveying unit conveys a continuous sheet, with a first end of the continuous sheet as the leading end. After an image forming unit forms page images on a first side of the continuous sheet, a cutting unit cuts off the continuous sheet. Then, for image formation on a second side opposite the first side, a duplex conveying unit conveys the continuous sheet to the conveying unit, with a second end of the continuous sheet as the leading end. The second end is opposite the first end and has been formed by cutting off the continuous sheet. In image formation only on the first side, the continuous sheet is cut off at a first position behind the last page image formed on the first side. In image formation on both the first and second sides, the continuous sheet is cut off at a second position behind the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Yasuzaki
  • Patent number: 8753026
    Abstract: A method of printing on a substrate includes the steps of instructing a first imaging unit to print a first image and a registration mark on a substrate contemporaneously during a production run and detecting the registration mark. The method further includes the steps of determining a position on the substrate where a second image is to be printed in accordance with the detection of the registration mark and instructing a second imaging unit to print the second image on the substrate in accordance with the determined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company
    Inventors: Henderikus A. Haan, Anthony V. Moscato, Brett Rimes, Frank J. Rocco, Carl F. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8690461
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling a printing press including a plurality of print units and, optionally, a folder. Each print unit has one or more cylinders, a motor for driving the cylinders; an encoder for providing a cylinder position signal, a controller coupled to the encoder, the motor, a bus which interconnects each of the controllers and an input port for designating the controller as either master or slave. Any one of the controllers is selectively set as a master controller and the remaining controllers are set as slave controllers. The master controller generates a control signal based on a signal from the input port and outputs the control signal to the motor via the output port and to the slave controllers via the bus. Each of the slave controllers outputs a signal on the respective output port based on the received control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Goss International Americas, Inc.
    Inventor: John Sheridan Richards
  • Patent number: 8678688
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printing device may include first and second printers respectively having first and second controllers. The first and second printers may be configured to share a common paper path with each other. The first controller in the first printer may enable the first printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the second printer. In this case, the first controller may inform the second printer that the common paper path is in use by the first printer. On the other hand, the second controller in the second printer may enable the second printer to operate if the common paper path is not in use by the first printer. In this case, the second controller may inform the first printer that the common paper path is in use by the second printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Norihisa Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20140079460
    Abstract: A medium conveyance apparatus including a first unit on one side of a conveyance path of a sheet-shaped medium, a second unit on the other side of the conveyance path and facing the first unit, a guide unit that is provided at the second unit and that contacts the medium between the first and second unit to move the second unit in a direction of separating from the conveyance path, an imaging unit provided at one of the first and second unit, a reference plate whose image can be captured by the imaging unit and that is provided at the other of the first and second unit, and a detecting unit for detecting the medium in the conveyance path, the detecting unit being provided in the conveyance path at an upstream position of a reading position where the imaging unit reads the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventor: Shingo Kanaya
  • Patent number: 8672567
    Abstract: A printing apparatus 100 includes a detecting unit, which detects that a core part at a center portion of a recording medium 202, in a rolled state, has reached a predetermined position accompanying the consumption of the recording medium 202 in a recording medium accommodating unit 301 accommodating the recording medium 202, when the printer apparatus 100 is in an installed state; and further includes a moving mechanism that moves the detecting unit to a position whereby the detecting function of the detecting unit is deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignees: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Citizen Systems Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsugaru, Katsutoshi Mukaijima, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Gen Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20140072358
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a printer including a feeder, a printing head configured to form desired print and producing a print, a discharge port disposed on one side of a housing, a display portion configured to display a print image, an operation portion disposed above the display portion, a detecting device configured to detect the operation input through contact to the operation portion, a first trajectory determining portion configured to determine whether or not a contact trajectory with a first predetermined pattern along a first direction has been input in a state where the print image is displayed on the display portion, and a printing control portion configured to control the feeder and the printing head when it is determined that the contact trajectory has been input so as to produce the print corresponding to the print image displayed and to discharge the print.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshitsugu TOMOMATSU, Junya KAWAI, Zhi YUAN, Yoshiyuki KANENO
  • Publication number: 20140044469
    Abstract: In a printing machine, it is enabled to prevent continuous paper from being broken when the continuous paper is initially fed through a path of its conveyance. The paper conveying apparatus is provided that the path of conveyance of continuous paper 1 is provided with a first, a second and a third feed roll unit 5, 6 and 7, having their respective feed rates which when continuous paper is printed on and machined are controlled to increase in the order of the feed roll units to generate a proper amount of tension imparted thereto and which when the continuous paper is initially fed through the path are controlled to decrease in the order of the feed roll units so as not to generate tension whereby the continuous paper is prevented from being broken in the course of initial paper threading in the printing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Izawa, Seiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8613253
    Abstract: A printing apparatus including: a web conveyance unit that conveys a web; a printing unit that prints an image on the web; a web discharging unit that discharges the web on which the image is formed with the printing unit, the web discharging unit being placed downstream of the printing unit; and a web withdrawal unit that withdraws the web into the printing apparatus, the web withdrawal unit including a web withdrawal roller and at least one pressing roller. When the printing apparatus is in a print waiting state, the printing apparatus drives the web withdrawal roller intermittently, while a pressing force from the at least one of the pressing roller is maintained, so as to convey the web intermittently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuuji Ohmura
  • Patent number: 8594554
    Abstract: A system that avoids any stopping or reversing of the web direction in a continuous feed printer, instead maintaining consistent process speed, only requiring a slowing and speeding up of the web to cycle through the PR belt seam. This is done by forming a web loop and then immediately flattening the loop after passage of the seam through the transfer zone that includes two transfer BTR rolls with alternating transfer operations, but simultaneous transfer for short periods. Two vacuum assist rolls, one located between the two bias transfer rolls controls the formation of the web loop. A pair of nip forming rolls upstream of the first transfer station and a second vacuum assist roll downstream of the second transfer station control the size of the loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Frank A Porter, Kenneth P Moore, Bruce A Thompson, Todd M Uthman, Ron E Dufort, Venkata B Chivukula, Roger G. Leighton
  • Patent number: 8585303
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a label producing apparatus comprising: a housing; a feeding device that feeds a label tape; a printing device that prints desired print; an optical sensor comprising a light projecting device and a light receiving device capable of outputting a detected voltage value; a light-on control portion that controls said optical sensor so that said light projecting device is turned on; an initial value storage device that stores a predetermined initial threshold value; a threshold value correction portion that calculates a corrected threshold value using said initial threshold value; a mark detecting portion that detects a positioning mark by an arrival of said detected voltage value at said corrected threshold value after calculation of said corrected threshold value; a feeding control portion that controls said feeding device; and a print control portion that controls a print operation of said printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Imamura, Yasuhiro Iriyama
  • Patent number: 8585304
    Abstract: A label printer enables drop-in loading of linerless label paper rolls and prevents print defects caused by variation in the label paper transportation and the readhesion of chaff to the label paper. A pair of roll guiding members 37 and 38 limit the position of the outside of the label paper roll 5 to a position separated a predetermined distance from the label paper entrance 11 by contacting the outside of the label paper roll 5 inside the roll paper compartment 7 of the label printer 31 at a position offset from the label paper entrance 11 toward the center of the roll paper compartment 7. The roll guiding members 37 and 38 are members with low friction resistance when in contact with the outside of the label paper roll 5, and thus reduce the friction that can cause inconsistent paper transportation and chaff from wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20130243510
    Abstract: In accordance with one example embodiment of a configurable printer for different paper sizes and types in accordance with the present invention, the configurable printer may comprise a print mechanism, a controller for controlling the print mechanism, a paper bucket for receiving a first sized paper roll to be printed, a divider for a paper bucket for reducing a width of the paper bucket to accept a second sized paper roll which is smaller than the first sized paper roll, and a bucket sensor adapted to sense at least one of insertion of the divider into the paper bucket and removal of the divider from the paper bucket and to provide a paper size signal to the controller. The controller controls the print mechanism in response to the paper size signal from the bucket sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: TransAct Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven A. Supron, Robert F. Bullivant, Bruce Harris
  • Publication number: 20130216291
    Abstract: Provided are a sheet feeding device and an image forming apparatus that are capable of accurately detecting an abnormality of a feeding state without erroneously detecting when a trailing edge of a preceding sheet and a leading edge of a subsequent sheet are fed in an overlaid state. The sheet feeding device includes ultrasonic wave sensors 6 and 7 that detect an overlaid state of a preceding sheet Sa and a subsequent sheet Sb fed from feeding portions 51, 317 to 319 and a controller 1 that continuously performs a detection of the overlaid state of a sheet fed from the feeding portion at a predetermined number of detecting points along a sheet conveying direction at every predetermined time and determines a number of detecting points where detects. Based on the determined number of detecting points, the controller determines that the overlaid state is normal or abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
  • Publication number: 20130202341
    Abstract: When the paper loaded in a printer is changed to a different type of paper, the paper setting in the printer can be easily updated without a paper mismatch error occurring. When the paper is replaced or the paper setting is changed in the printer 1, the cover 3 is first opened, the roll paper 12 is removed from the roll paper compartment 11, and the cover 3 is then closed. A paper settings update command from the host device 32 is received and executed when no roll paper is loaded. After the command is executed, the cover 3 is opened, new roll paper 12 is loaded, and the cover 3 is closed. The printer 1 then indexes the newly loaded paper for printing, and executes a paper identification process to determine if the newly loaded paper matches the content of the current paper settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8475065
    Abstract: A portable printer having improved ergonomic and operational characteristics. The printer includes an asymmetrically-damped media centering mechanism having first and second media support members moveable along a common longitudinal axis and configured to grasp roll media. The media support members are coupled to a reciprocal movement mechanism configured to translate a longitudinal movement of the first media support member into a corresponding opposite longitudinal movement of the second media support member. A pivoting arm is coupled to the reciprocal movement mechanism. The pivoting arm pivots to a first position when the first and second media support members are moved closer to each other, which causes a damping gear to engage the reciprocal movement mechanism, thereby damping the grasping motion of the media support members and providing an improved user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Kokawa, Guy M. Heaton, Chad M. Gundlach
  • Publication number: 20130142559
    Abstract: In order to enables a user to easily specify a sheet storage unit to which sheets are supplied next without confirming an operation unit, there is provided a method for controlling a printing apparatus for feeding a sheet from any one of a plurality of sheet storage units to print an image on the fed sheet. The method includes receiving an instruction to open a sheet storage unit, specifying, according to the received instruction, based on an attribute set to the sheet storage unit to which the instruction is issued, another sheet storage unit which has an attribute same as the attribute, and controlling the other specified sheet storage unit to be opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 8449209
    Abstract: The image recording apparatus includes conveying unit configured to convey a roll-shaped recording medium, a recording head adapted to record an image on the recording medium, a guide member configured for guiding the recording medium, and a cutting unit configured to cut the recording medium, wherein the guide member is provided with at least one friction member on a surface of the guide member, the at least one friction member configured to come into contact with the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takakazu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8437681
    Abstract: In a method or system for controlling a printer or copier, a separation of a position mark printed on a web-shaped carrier material in a longitudinal direction of the carrier material relative to a transverse fold present in the carrier material is preset as a parameter. Arrival of the position mark is monitored with a sensor arrangement arranged before a transfer printing area while the carrier material is moved past the sensor arrangement. A real position of the transverse fold is determined for a position of arrival of the position mark at the sensor arrangement. The transverse fold is conveyed to a desired position by consideration of the real position of the transverse fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: OcéPrinting Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Winter, Günther Gassner
  • Patent number: 8436734
    Abstract: A tag label producing apparatus has a cartridge holder for setting a first roll configured by winding a base tape equipped with identification marks, which include marks formed by two black strips and arranged with a pitch 2Pp and marks formed by one black strip and arranged with the pitch 2Pp, at a plurality of portions, a feeding roller driving shaft that feeds the base tape supplied from the first roll attached to the cartridge holder a print head that makes a predetermined print on the base tape or a cover film to be bonded thereto, and a mark sensor that detects the identification mark on the base tape, and controls the feeding roller driving shaft and the print head in coordination with each other in accordance with the detection result of the identification mark by the mark sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kodyo Kabushiki Kaisya
    Inventors: Takaaki Kato, Koshiro Yamaguchi, Yasuo Kimura, Takamine Hokazono, Yoshinori Maeda
  • Patent number: 8430586
    Abstract: A disabled state in which sheets cannot be discharged at a discharge unit while printing is detected. Upon detecting the disabled state, printing is continued at a printing unit, and a sheet printed upon is evacuated to a storage unit without cutting into a plurality of cut sheets at a cutter unit. After the disabled state is resolved, the sheet which has been evacuated to the storage unit is sent to the cutter unit so as to be cut into the cut sheets, and discharged at the discharge unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taichi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130071169
    Abstract: According to the embodiment, a printing apparatus includes: a printing unit that forms an image on a web; a first feeding unit that feeds the web; a second feeding unit downstream of the printing unit in a feed direction; a buffer unit that has a buffer plate and absorbs flexure of the web generated by the two feeding units by operating the buffer plate; a first feeding control unit that causes the first feeding unit to execute a first deceleration operation; and a second feeding control unit that causes the second feeding unit to execute the first deceleration operation when a trigger for stopping the feed of the web has occurred, measures a feed amount of the web fed by the second feeding unit, and changes the first deceleration operation to a second deceleration operation based on the feed amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Mitsunobu GOUDA, Katsumi Ishizawa
  • Publication number: 20130028647
    Abstract: A conveyance device including a drive roller that feeds a sheet medium from a media roll having the sheet medium wound in a roll that can rotate on a center axis of the roll, a drive roller that supplies the sheet medium from the media roll, a roll rotating unit that rotates the media roll and rewinds the supplied sheet medium, and first and second brake devices that apply a load to rotation of the media roll and are disposed to the roll rotating unit, wherein the first brake device is controlled to apply the load when not energized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi OKADA, Hiroyuki KATO, Norio HORAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20120321366
    Abstract: A method for assisting the threading of a media web in a continuous feed printer has been developed. The method includes generating an electrical signal that corresponds to a level of tension applied by a media web to a roller positioned along a media path in a printer as the media web travels over the roller. A controller activates at least one actuator to rotate a roller positioned along the media path in response to identifying that the level of tension exceeds a predetermined threshold to facilitate threading of the media web through the printing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew R. McLaughlin, Victoria L. Warner, Donald R. Fess, James L. Giacobbi
  • Publication number: 20120301202
    Abstract: A system to determine the presence and width of a media within a printing system is disclosed which includes a pair of adjustable media guides is provided about a carriage and is axially spaced apart along the length of the carriage. The guides may be manipulated along a horizontal axis in a sliding, synchronized manner and such that the center line of media is maintained along the centerline of the print station. A sensor is provided and affixed to the carriage, the sensor being operable for emitting an optical signal through an aperture located in the carriage. At least one of the guides includes an obstruction which may protrude into the path of the optical signal at defined locations. As the guides move about the horizontal axis, the obstruction may block or otherwise interrupt the optical signal, thereby signaling the sensor and the printer of the media's presence and width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: SOURCE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Bouverie, Mark Allen Hitz, Dwayne Steven Tobin, Richard Hatle
  • Patent number: 8289566
    Abstract: A print or logo data generating system and method in which a width dimension of a printable medium is identified and original source data obtained. The processing further involves automatically resizing the source data to a predefined maximum width not greater than the width dimension of the printable medium prior to executing any user-requested changes, and displaying a first image representation of the original source data. Upon receipt of a user-requested change in the size of the original source data and a user-requested change in the number of colors of the original source data, the size change request is executed first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yokoyama, Yukiharu Horiuchi, Katsuhito Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20120243928
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying the edges of web media transported on a movable transport surface includes sensing, using a linear array sensor positioned along a process path of a web, the web media and the movable transport surface to obtain image data representative of variations in optical textural properties of the web media and variations in optical textural properties of the movable transport surface, wherein the variations in the optical textural properties of the movable transport surface are different from the variations in the optical textural properties of the web media; and processing the image data to determine differences between the variations in the optical textural properties of the web media and the variations in the optical textural properties of the movable transport surface to identify an edge of the web media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stuart SCHWEID, Howard A. Mizes
  • Publication number: 20120224905
    Abstract: A paper roll remaining amount detecting device includes a paper roll receiving unit including first and second recesses to receive a paper roll with a cylindrical core dropping by its weight, depending on a printer mounting posture, when the paper roll is consumed to have a predetermined diameter. An attachment frame is pivotably supported on a sidewall of the paper roll receiving unit having an arc-shaped hole portion extending along a pivot movement trajectory of a pivoting end portion of the attachment frame. An arm is pivotably supported on the attachment frame, with a projection formed in a pivoting end portion thereof and inserted into the arc-shaped hole portion. When the paper roll becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined size, the projection of the arm is moved toward the cylindrical core of the paper roll.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Nihashi
  • Publication number: 20120224904
    Abstract: A detecting device includes a paper roll receiving unit including two recesses formed in a rest portion, to receive the paper roll that drops by its weight if the paper roll has a predetermined winding diameter. Further, an attachment frame is provided near the paper roll receiving unit. An arm supported on the attachment frame is provided with first and second projections making contact with an end surface of the paper roll. When the residual amount of the paper roll becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount, the first projection is moved into a cylindrical core of the paper roll or the second projection moves out of contact with the end surface of the paper roll. A detecting unit detects, based on the operation of the arm, whether the residual amount of the paper roll is equal to or smaller than the predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Nihashi, Tsuyoshi Sanada
  • Patent number: 8240928
    Abstract: A recording medium accommodating unit 301 that accommodates a recording medium 202 wound in a roll includes a first detecting unit that detects that a core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of consumption of the recording medium 202 when a printer 201 is in a first installation state, a second detecting unit that detects that the core part in the center of the recording medium 202 has reached a predetermined position in consequence of the consumption of the recording medium 202 when the printer 201 is in a second installation state that is different from the first installation state, and a moving mechanism that moves the first and the second detecting units to positions activating detection by one among the first and the second detecting units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd., Citizen Systems Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsugaru, Tetsuya Yamamoto, Katsutoshi Mukaijima, Gen Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20120148325
    Abstract: This invention includes an input operation unit which accepts the operation of selecting a first or a second printing medium and outputs information indicating the selected printing medium, a conveyance path, a conveyance mechanism which conveys the selected printing medium in the conveyance direction, and a control unit. The conveyance mechanism includes a main roller, a driven roller which presses the main roller through the selected printing medium, a rotation member having a cam shape, and an elastic member which deforms to change a pressing force in accordance with the rotational position of the rotation member. The control unit rotates the rotation member to the first rotational position when the first printing medium is selected, and rotates the rotation member to the second rotational position where the pressing force becomes smaller than that at the first rotational position when the second printing medium is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisei Hakamata, Hiroyuki Saito, Takao Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120141185
    Abstract: A printing device and a control method for a printing device enable eliminating paper feed error due to slipping between a paper feed roller and recording paper when printing. The control unit of a thermal printer has a slippage calculator that runs a process to calculate slippage between the recording paper and platen roller when conveying the recording paper during printing, and a conveyance distance correction unit that runs a process to correct the paper feed distance of the recording paper when printing to each printing area based on the slippage that was just calculated. The conveyance distance correction unit runs a process that inserts a non-printing area d of a length corresponding to the slippage to one or plural specific positions in the original print image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi OMOTO, Toshiaki KOIKE
  • Publication number: 20120107032
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method move a web of “input continuous media” along at least one media path of a continuous printing device. The method prints markings on the input continuous media to create a web of “printed continuous media” using at least one printing engine of the continuous printing device. The method holds the printed continuous media on at least one output media roll of the continuous printing device after printing the markings on the input continuous media. The output media roll is supported by an output media roll support. The method also determines when the output media roll comprises a “completed printed roll” of printed continuous media and is ready to be cut by a cutter of the continuous printing device, and the output media roll is ready to be removed from the output media roll support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Barry K. Ayash, Adam A. Gierczak, Kevin St. Martin, Michael E. Farrell
  • Patent number: 8157460
    Abstract: A printer that uses roll paper as the printing medium and has a manual feed button and an automatic paper cutter detects if the manual feed button was operated. If the manual feed button was operated, the paper is advanced a prescribed length, and the paper is cut by the automatic paper cutter after advancing the paper stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ichimi Masuda, Hiroyuki Motoyama