Abstract: A modular roll bar assembly for use in a continuous web imaging device includes a plurality of roll bars and a support frame configured to operably support the plurality of roll bars such that the plurality of roll bars define a web path having a non-linear shape with an entrance end and an exit end. The entrance end is configured to receive a substantially continuous web of substrate material, and the plurality of roll bars is configured to guide the continuous web past the exit end. A load cell is operably coupled to the support frame and configured to generate a signal indicative of a down force applied to the support frame. A controller is operably coupled to the load cell to receive the signal and to correlate the down force applied to the support frame indicated by the signal to a tension measurement value for the continuous web.

Abstract: In a state where a second power transmission path of transmitting power from the second planetary gear to the cam driving gear through the intermediate gear is selected, when the intermediate gear is opposed to the non-tooth portion for the release position of the cam driving gear, the rotation direction of the driving motor is changed to select a first power transmission path of directly transmitting power from the first planetary gear to the cam driving gear, the non-tooth portion for the release position deviates from the opposed position of the intermediate gear, and the rotation direction of the driving motor is changed again to select the second power transmission path.

Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including: a first transporting portion with a first transporting path formed to guide a sheet with its recording surface facing upward, a recording portion, a transporting roller, a second transporting portion with a second transporting path, a first flap, a sandwiching member sandwich the sheet between itself and the first flap, and a second flap. The first flap turn between a first position being able to guide the sheet along the first transporting path and a second position spaced downward from the sandwiching member farther than in the first position, and the second flap change between a third position for a third surface to define a guide surface of the second transporting path and a fourth position to open up the second transporting path.

Abstract: Hybrid printer feeder mechanism, using a commercial printer of any type, such as LED, ink jet, thermal or dot matrix, allowing both single sheet fed input and alternately, continuous and variable width printable medium feedstock, including automated feed and cutting control, with minimal integration of the print engine and feeder.

Abstract: There is provided a printing apparatus, including a printing head that prints on a tape, a roller that conveys the tape, and a control circuit that inquires of the user whether or not second printing contents are printed on the tape continuously without any interruption after the printing device is caused to print first printing contents on the tape.

Abstract: A paper edge cleaner in which paper is carried along a paper guide by a paper carrying roller. A grinder grinds both sides of the paper parallel to the paper movement to remove burr from the paper. The paper is supported by a support.

Abstract: A web handling module has been developed for horizontally transporting a web under a printer having at least one print head. The web handling module includes a plenum, an air vent coupled to the plenum, the air vent being coupled to an air handler and configured to generate a negative air pressure inside the plenum, a support plate sealingly coupled to the plenum, the support plate having a plurality of apertures configured to allow air to pass through the plurality of apertures, and a porous belt wound about the support plate to form a continuous loop, the porous belt enabling the negative air pressure to couple the porous belt to a web moving over the support plate to rotate the porous belt about the support plate without relative motion occurring between the web and the porous belt.

Abstract: A receipt and label roll comprises a core and a web having a longitudinally-extending axis and wound on the core along the axis. The web includes (i) a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side, (ii) a thermally-sensitive coating disposed on the front side of the substrate, (iii) adhesive disposed on a portion of the back side of the substrate along the web axis, and (iv) a release coating disposed on the front side of the substrate along the web axis to prevent the adhesive from sticking to the front side of the substrate when the web is wound on the core. The web further includes (v) a longitudinal weakened structure extending along a direction parallel to the web axis and dividing the web into a first web portion on which the adhesive is disposed and a second web portion which is substantially devoid of adhesive.

Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface and a pair of side surfaces, a tape that is a print medium housed in the housing, a tape exit that discharges, from the housing, the tape guided in the housing along a predetermined feed path, at least a part of the feed path extending parallel to the front surface, and a type indicator portion provided adjacent to the tape exit and in a specified area of the front surface on an upstream side of the tape exit in a feed direction of the tape, the type indicator portion indicating a type of the tape and including vertical information sections and an aperture formed in at least one of the vertical information sections, the vertical information sections being strip-shaped sections extending along a direction orthogonal to the feed direction.

Abstract: This disclosure discloses a handheld type print label producing apparatus comprising: a housing that has a dimension along a longwise direction that is longer than a dimension along a width direction, and has a grip portion; a cartridge holder provided at one side of said housing along said longwise direction; a power source holder provided at the other side of said housing along said longwise direction; and a motor that drives at least one roller positioned on a feeding path, that is driven by power supplied from said power source device; wherein: a plurality of mechanisms is disposed in the interior of said housing so that a position of the center of gravity along said longwise direction of said handheld type print label producing apparatus to which said cartridge and said power source device are mounted falls within a range of said longwise direction corresponding to said grip portion.

Abstract: A printer that includes a cassette housing portion into which a tape cassette is detachably installed in a vertical direction, a feeding device that feeds the tape mounted in the tape cassette, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that is located facing the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a mechanical sensor having a switch terminal that is capable of protruding and retracting, a sensor holder that holds the mechanical sensor between the shaft of the roller holder and the platen roller and that is capable of moving independently of the roller holder between a third position and a fourth position, and a determination device that determines the type of the tape based on protrusion and retraction of the switch terminal.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus according to one aspect comprises: a first tray disposed within an opening of a main body to allow a recording medium to be placed thereon; a second tray disposed above the first tray, the second tray having a second end portion located on a side of the opening; a conveying unit; and a recording unit. The second tray is movable between a first posture and a second posture. When the second tray is in the first posture, a top surface of the second tray in the vicinity of the second end portion is positioned at a predetermined height relative to the first tray. When the second tray moves from the first posture to the second posture, the top surface in the vicinity of the second end portion is moved toward the first tray.

Abstract: Various embodiments and methods relating to moving a printed upon web along bowed segments of a web path through at least three consecutive turns in a same direction are disclosed.

Abstract: An electronic device of the present invention is provided with a printer that selectively houses any one of a plurality of paper rolls for different paper widths within a device body, includes a first housing section which houses a first paper roll having a first paper width corresponding to the paper width, a second housing section which houses a second paper roll having a second paper width that is narrower than the first paper width corresponding to the paper width, and a paper roll guiding section which guides the first paper roll or the second paper roll inserted into the electronic device to either one of the first housing section and the second housing section corresponding to the paper width, by providing the bottom section of the second housing section that is a step lower than the bottom section of the first housing section.

Abstract: A sidewall supports, in a cantilever state, a sheet holding shaft for holding a label sheet wound in a roll shape and positions a first end face, which is one end face, of the label sheet inserted over the sheet holding shaft. A roll paper holding mechanism that presses a second end face, which is the other end face, of the label sheet, has a first arm, a second arm, and a spring. The first arm projects from the sidewall and rotatably supports the second arm at an end thereof. The spring connects the first arm and the second arm and urges and pulls the second arm. The second arm comes into contact with the second end face of the label sheet in a process of being pulled to rotate and holds the label sheet in conjunction with the sidewall functioning as a reference plane.

Abstract: A printer having an ink drying apparatus is provided. The printer includes a hollow metal cylinder; a heater, disposed in an inner surface and along axial direction of the hollow metal cylinder; a print assembly; a feed roller, to feed a print media towards the print assembly; a support substrate, for supporting the print media, an idle gear, connected with the feed roller assembly and the hollow metal cylinder. The feed roller assembly rolls the idle gear, thereby drives the hollow metal cylinder to roll at same rate as the feed roller assembly and the idle gear. A printing method is also provided.

Abstract: A media loading device includes a detachable stiffener that is detachably connected to a leading portion of a soft media and supports the leading portion of the soft media during threading of the soft media through a media path of a printer. A method for loading soft media includes detachably connecting a leading edge of soft media onto a detachable stiffener and placing the detachable stiffener and soft media into a printer. The detachable stiffener and soft media are fed through the media path in the printer.

Abstract: A document-feeding roller mechanism includes a feeding roller assembly and a clamping-force adjusting module. The feeding roller includes a roller frame, a first roller unit, and a second roller unit. A document is conveyed by the first and second roller units through a printing module. The clamping-force adjusting module includes a cam unit and a resilient pressing unit. The resilient pressing unit is disposed between the roller frame and the cam unit. When the cam unit is rotated, the biasing force of the resilient pressing unit applied to the roller frame can be adjusted to change the document clamping force of the first and second roller units. Hence, just before a trailing end of the document is separated from the first and second roller units, the document clamping force can be reduced.

Abstract: A label paper indexing control method for a label printer is provided that in one embodiment includes conveying label paper having labels affixed with a specific gap there between to a continuous liner through a path passed a printing position of a print head, detecting a reference position of the label paper at a detection position upstream from the print head, determining the position of a downstream label end of a label on the path as a first distance from the detection position based on when the reference position is detected, updating the first distance each time the label paper is conveyed, executing a power shutdown operation that writes the first distance to memory and turns the power off when a command instructing turning the power off is asserted, and reading the first distance from memory when the power turns on without the label paper having been replaced.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a thermal head for performing printing on a continuously fed recording sheet. A platen roller is mounted to undergo rotation for feeding the recording sheet between the platen roller and the thermal head. A cutting member cuts the recording sheet after printing is performed thereon by the thermal head. A sheet presenter mechanism discharges the recording sheet cut by the cutting member to the exterior. The sheet presenter mechanism is mounted to undergo movement to vary a discharge direction of the recording sheet.

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.

Abstract: A printer and a module for supporting a paper roll therefore, the module comprising: a body for housing the roll; a first supporting member for the roll before that the roll is unwound for the printing operation; a second supporting member for the roll, after the roll has been wound at the end of printing operations; and a first engaging member carried by said body and disposable in a first configuration wherein it is coupled with a second engaging member carried by the printer to secure the module on the printer; the first engaging member is further disposable in a second configuration, wherein it is released from the second engaging member to permit the extraction of the module from the printer.

Abstract: A printer includes a fragment receiving section provided below a cutter and receiving a non-printing area cut off as a fragment falling thereinto, and a printed matter receiving section provided below the cutter and receiving a printing area cut off as a piece of printed matter and falling thereinto. The fragment receiving section includes a rocking plate rocked by a rocking mechanism between a first rocking position, where an upper end of the rocking plate resides on the downstream side in a paper conveying direction with respect to a cutting position so as to allow the fragment to fall into the fragment receiving section, and a second rocking position, where the upper end of the rocking plate resides on the upstream side in the paper conveying direction with respect to the cutting position so as to guide the piece of printed matter into the printed matter receiving section.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are to a printer which includes a printer body, a roll receiving unit, a printing unit, and a holding unit. The roll receiving unit is located within the printer body to receive a paper roll. The printing unit includes a platen and a print head facing the platen. The printing unit transfers the print paper being withdrawn from the paper roll receiving unit by the rotation of the platen, and performs a printing operation by the print head. The holding unit holds the paper roll at a predetermined position when the paper roll becomes lighter than a predetermined weight.

Abstract: A system for protecting media in an image-forming device. The system includes a heating element for heating the media, and a media path adjacent to the heating element. The media is transported in the image-forming device along the media path. The system also includes a barrier assembly having one or more non-flammable restraint threads and a spring-tensioned positioner. The restraint threads are mounted between the heating element and the media path, and the spring-tensioned positioner assembly maintains the restraint thread in a fixed position.

Abstract: A platen, which supports the recording paper to be transported, includes a first portion having an upper surface on which an ink discharged from nozzles disposed thereover can be landed, first ribs which are provided to extend in a transport direction in an area of the upper surface and which support the recording paper on an upper side beyond the upper surface, and a second portion which is provided on at least one of an upstream side and a downstream side of the first portion.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided. The printing apparatus includes a printing unit, a sheet feeder, a discharge unit, a sheet path including a feeding path, a discharge path, and a reversing path, a manual sheet inlet and a manual sheet path for a manually-inserted recording sheet, a detecting unit to detect the manually-inserted recording sheet fed through the manual sheet inlet whilst a double-face printing operation is conducted with a preceding recording sheet, a judging unit to judge as to whether the detecting unit detected the manually-inserted recording sheet, and a conveyer controller unit to convey the preceding recording sheet in the double-face printing operation to the discharge unit without reversing when the judging unit judges that the detecting unit detected the manually-inserted recording sheet.

Abstract: An ejection assembly for a printer is provided, the ejection assembly being disposed downstream of a print head in order to receive web from the print head. The ejection assembly can include an ejection roller and a door having a closed configuration and an open configuration. The door can be biased toward the closed configuration and toward the ejection roller. Upon rotation of the ejection roller, the ejection roller can force the door from the closed configuration to the open configuration and can eject web past the door from the printer. In some embodiments, the ejection roller is rotated one full cycle, the ejection roller permits accumulation of web received from the print head and subsequently forces the door from the closed configuration to the open configuration and ejects the accumulated web past the door from the printer. Also provided are a corresponding printer and method.

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.

Abstract: A printer includes a roll paper body driving mechanism that transports a medium by rotating a roll paper body on which the medium is wound, a first transport mechanism provided downstream of the roll paper body to transport the medium, a print head provided downstream of the first transport mechanism to carry out printing on the medium, a second transport mechanism provided between the roll paper body and the first transport mechanism to transport the medium, and a controller carries out control so that, in a range in which a velocity at which the first transport mechanism transports the media changes, the absolute value of a difference in an amount by which the medium is transported between transport mechanisms is larger between the roll paper body driving mechanism and the second transport mechanism than between the second transport mechanism and the first transport mechanism.

Abstract: In a transport arrangement for printing materials in a printing machine, said transport arrangement comprising one rotatably supported first transport roller with a first shaft and a roller body having a first outside diameter and comprising at least one rotatably supported second transport roller with a second shaft and a roller body having a second outside diameter, said second transport roller when viewed in transport direction of the printing material arranged downstream of the first transport roller, a actuating arrangement is provided for the adjustment of the outside diameter of the first or the second transport rollers or both. The actuating arrangement allows the adjustment of the outside diameter in such a manner that the outside diameters of the first or of the second transport rollers or both are at a fixed ratio relative to each other.

Abstract: A media processing device and control method for a media processing device enable accurately setting and detecting the home position of a carriage without using a dedicated sensor. Scales 56, 62 having a plurality of wide slits 65 formed at equal intervals and a narrow slit 66 at one end 56A, 62A are disposed parallel to carriage shafts 53, 60. Carriage sensors 55, 61 scan the scales 56, 62 while the carriages 52, 58 move bidirectionally, and detect the wide slits 65 and the narrow slits 66. To initialize the carriages 52, 58, the carriages 52, 58 are moved specific distance L away from the one end 56A, 62A, and the carriages 52, 58 are then reversed and moved until the carriage sensors 55, 61 detect the narrow slits 66. The home position HP is set based on where the narrow slit 66 is detected.

Abstract: Methods and means for imaging on paper media are provided. A data file of an image to be printed is analyzed. A pattern for a clear fluid is determined according to the analysis. The pattern of clear fluid is applied to a paper media traveling in a particular direction, wherein the pattern is generally elongated along the direction of travel. The pattern of clear fluid is defined by a maximum width that is generally equal to the maximum width of the image to be formed. One or more colored inks are applied such that the image is formed and is supported by the paper media. The paper media exhibits reduced cockle as a result of the pattern of clear fluid.

Abstract: A print assembly including an upstream print unit and a downstream print unit adapted to print, one after the other, a strip to be printed over a print width. Each upstream and downstream print unit defining a print interstice and the two print interstices defining an interstice plane. The two upstream and downstream print units defining a middle line. The print assembly includes a compensator having at least one compensation path between the upstream and downstream print units for a partial strip of the strip to be printed. Each compensation path is longer than a neutral path for a neutral portion of the strip to be printed.

Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of mounting a plurality of rolls of paper is provided, in which, even during printing on a roll paper or conveying thereof, when a new roll of paper is mounted, information on the new roll of paper can be obtained. To this end, configuration (E1, E2, S1 and S2) for obtaining individual roll paper information is provided in the separate conveyance paths (D1, D2) located between the mounting positions of a plurality of rolls of paper (R1 and R2) and a conveyance path merging part 17 at which the conveyance paths merge with each other. This makes it possible to obtain information on each roll of paper without making user wait, regardless of operation status of the respective rolls of paper.

Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of maintaining print sheet conveying performance while keeping apparatus cost low and apparatus size small is provided. The printing apparatus includes a conveying mechanism and a print unit. The conveying mechanism includes a conveying roller which is a driving roller, a plurality of pinch rollers which are passive rollers disposed facing the conveying roller, and a plurality of pinch roller axles supporting the pinch rollers. The print unit prints onto a sheet conveyed by the conveying rollers and the plurality of pinch rollers. The conveying mechanism includes one or more first pinch roller sets including two pinch rollers and a first pinch roller axle supporting the two pinch rollers, and one or more second pinch roller sets including three pinch rollers and a second pinch roller axle supporting the three pinch rollers.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein are to a printer which includes a platen roller configured to be rotary-driven by a rotary drive source, and a transport roller provided at the upstream side of the platen roller in a paper feeding direction. The transport roller is configured to be rotary-driven by the rotary drive source. The printer further includes a pinch roller configured to be elastically urged against the transport roller. The pinch roller is configured to be rotary-driven by the rotary drive source.

Abstract: Provided herein is a feed drive device for a printer including: a feed roller that feeds a print medium in synchronization with drive of a print head; a motor constituting a driving source of the feed roller; a roller reduction gear train that transmits power from the motor to the feed roller; and a reverse rotation preventing mechanism that is incorporated in an input side of the roller reduction gear train and prevents reverse rotation of the feed roller; the reverse rotation preventing mechanism being operated by reverse rotational power of the feed roller reversely input to the roller reduction gear train to prevent reverse rotation of a first gear disposed in an input side of the roller reduction gear train.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a curl forming unit, an endless device, an attracting unit, and an image forming unit. The curl forming unit forms a curl in a recording medium. The endless device holds the recording medium in which the curl is formed by the curl forming unit. The attracting unit applies attraction force for attraction to the surface of the endless device to the recording medium. The image forming unit forms an image on the recording medium held on the surface of the endless device by the attraction force applied by the attracting unit.

Abstract: There is provided an image recording apparatus including a transporting path, a recording section, a first and second rollers pinching the recording medium therebetween, a supporting member which rotatably supports the second roller, a holding member which is movable along a transporting direction of the recording medium, a bias applying member which applies a bias on the holding member, in an opposite direction opposite to the transporting direction and a load member which generates a load in the opposite direction, with respect to the recording medium.

Abstract: A limiting device to prevent unwanted removal of paper from a paper or ticket printing and dispensing apparatus for paper roll printers, including paper cutter actuating means, positioned between a ticket dispensing exit and a cutting device to cut paper onto which printing has taken place and for controlling feeding of the paper and for controlling operation of the printer; activation of the cutting device is responsive to either an incompletely printed ticket or an action externally of said apparatus or to completion of any printing onto the ticket; a movable member or curved door is provided to more from a deactivation position to an activation position to control the operation of the paper cutter and the curved door is responsive to completion of a ticket printing operation or an occlusion at the dispensing exit or to a pre-set printing operation.

Abstract: A supply of labels may be configured to facilitate folding. A label handling method involves initiating a label fold prior to a label completely exiting a label exit opening. A label apparatus includes a label obstructing member to promote label folding.

Abstract: Provided herein is a tape processing apparatus having: a tape cutting device which slides a cutter holder having a cutter blade attached therein in a reciprocating sliding directions and cuts a tape by a forward sliding movement thereof; and a tape ejecting device which faces to a tape ejecting path from the tape cutting device to a tape ejecting slot and eject a tape piece of the tape forcibly from the tape ejecting slot by contacting in rotation with the cut tape piece; wherein the tape ejecting device having: an ejecting roller which contacts in rotation with the tape piece; and a power conversion mechanism which is placed between the ejecting roller and the cutter holder, converts a backward sliding movement of the cutter holder to a rotational movement for the ejecting roller, and transmits the rotational movement to the ejecting roller.

Abstract: A printing device provided with a conveyer roller pair for holding sheet paper drawn out from a recording paper roll to feed the sheet paper forward or backward. The device includes a feeding roller pair disposed between the recording paper roll and the conveyer roller pair for drawing out the recording paper and feeding it to the conveyer roller pair and a color recording unit disposed downstream of the conveyer roller pair in the direction of conveyance of the recording paper for recording a color image on the recording paper that is being moved backward. A guide unit with pivotable guide member is disposed between the feeding roller pair and the conveyer roller pair for bending and guides the recording paper in an arc-shape at an acute angle. A reservation space is provided outside of the arc-shaped recording paper guiding path for accommodating the sagged recording paper therein.

Abstract: A medium-feeding device includes: a feeding unit for feeding a fed medium in a feed direction, a first separating unit provided downstream in the feed direction relative to the feeding unit to separate a multi-fed medium; a second separating unit provided downstream relative to the first separating unit to switch between a compressive holding state in which the multi-fed medium is compressively held, and a released state in which compressive holding is released; and a contact part provided downstream relative to the second separating unit to switch between a protruding state and a retracted state relative to a feed path for guiding the fed medium. The medium-feeding device has a first separating mode, in which separation of the multi-fed medium is performed using the first separating unit, the second separating unit, and the contact part, and a second separating mode, in which separation is performed using the first separating unit.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus capable of printing plural paragraphs arrayed in a longitudinal direction of a tape, with each paragraph including one or more lines includes: a paragraph creating unit which creates the paragraphs; a feeding quantity setting unit which set a quantity of feeding between the paragraphs in the longitudinal direction of the tape; an arrangement deciding unit which decides an arrangement of each paragraph on the basis of the setting by the feeding quantity setting unit; and a printing unit which prints each paragraph created by the paragraph creating unit on the tape in a manner that realizes the arrangement decided by the arrangement deciding unit.

Abstract: A roll medium support device includes a shaft member including an insertion part having a rectangular shape in cross section and configured to be inserted through a center hole of a roll medium, a support member having a rectangular first insertion hole through which the insertion part is inserted so that the support member supports the roll medium from a width direction, a rotating member rotatably provided to the support member and having a rectangular second insertion hole through which the insertion part is inserted, a pair of interlocking members extending along long sides of the second insertion hole in the rotating member, and an urging member urging the interlocking members towards each other. A distance between the interlocking members is shorter than a distance between short-side surfaces of the insertion part and longer than a distance between long-side surfaces of the insertion part.

Abstract: Image recording apparatus including manual medium insertion tray manually loaded with recording medium, the tray being connected to rear end portion of housing such that the tray is pivotable in vertical direction about horizontal axis of first hinge portion located below first hinge portion provided for image reading device, between its operative position in which the second recording medium is fed to feeding path leading to image recording device, and its retracted position, the tray placed in the operative position having upwardly inclined posture extending outwardly from the rear end portion of the housing, while the tray placed in the retracted position having posture extending generally downwards into accommodating space formed within the housing and on rear side of U-turn sheet transfer path connecting the sheet supply cassette and the feeding path, the tray being pivotable between the operative and retracted positions through rear opening formed in the housing.

Abstract: A medium transporting apparatus includes a placement section, a transport unit, and a separation unit having an inclined surface, wherein the transport unit includes a transport roller that can be moved in a transport direction, a force to move the transport roller to the upstream side in the transport direction is applied from a medium to the transport roller as a counteracting force against a force for the transport roller to transport the medium to the downstream side in the transport direction, and when the counteracting force becomes larger than a predetermined force, the transport roller is moved to the upstream side in the transport direction by the counteracting force.

Abstract: A cutter device includes a medium supporting surface that supports a recording medium being transported, and a cutter carriage that has a cutter blade for cutting the recording medium and that is movable in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the recording medium. An opening that forms a passage region for the cutter carriage is provided in the medium supporting surface so as to extend in the moving direction of the cutter carriage. The opening is provided with a cover capable of switching between a first state in which the cover covers the opening and forms part of the medium supporting surface and a second state in which the cover is retracted to form the passage region for the cutter carriage.