With Web Supply Or Takeup Or Mount Therefor (e.g., Web Cartridge, Etc.) Patents (Class 400/613)
  • Patent number: 8177156
    Abstract: A sheet roll dispenser includes an open-top hollow housing closed by a hingedly mounted lid. A first embodiment includes first and second roller support members mounted within the housing. A roll of sheet material is supported by the first roller support member when the housing is in a tabletop orientation and by the second roller support member when in a wall-mounted orientation. A nip is mounted in registration with an opening formed in the front wall. A free end of the sheet material is disposed in the nip. A switch actuator actuates a motor, causing the free end of the sheet material to be unrolled from the core and dispensed to a user through the opening. In a second embodiment, the roller support members may be rotatably mounted rollers, low-friction surfaces, or both. A third embodiment eliminates the rollers and plates and provides a “U”-shaped low friction surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Rhett L. Rinne
  • Publication number: 20120107033
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit, a pair of frames, and a sheet cassette, is provided. The sheet cassette has a pair of lateral walls, a first engagement portion, and a first joint portion. Space enclosed by the first engagement portion, the first joint portion, and an outer surface of one of the lateral walls is exposed toward an installation side, from which the sheet cassette is installed in the image forming apparatus. The pair of frames has a second engagement portion and a second joint portion. Space enclosed by the second engagement portion, the second joint portion, and an inner surface of the one of the frames is exposed toward a side opposite from the installation side. When the sheet cassette is in an operable position, the first engagement portion is placed in an engagement position to be engaged with the second engagement portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi MIWA
  • Patent number: 8162553
    Abstract: A label printer comprising a cassette-receiving bay, said cassette-receiving bay having a base, a top opening opposite the base, a locking mechanism, and an ejector mechanism extending from said base, said ejector mechanism having an ejector part having an upper surface for cooperation with a cassette, said ejector part being movable in a first direction towards said base and biased in a second direction towards said top opening such that a force on the ejector part directed towards said base causes the ejector part to move in the first direction and wherein said ejector part is biased to move in said second direction when the force is removed, said ejector mechanism being arranged whereby when a cassette is inserted into the cassette receiving bay, said ejector part extends through an opening in a base of the cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Dymo
    Inventor: Kris Vandermeulen
  • Publication number: 20120093558
    Abstract: A label printing apparatus comprising a cassette receiving bay arranged to receive a cassette; and an engagement member. The engagement member is movable between a first position, in which the engagement member is engaged with the cassette, and a second position in which the engagement member is disengaged with the cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: DYMO
    Inventors: Chad Terry, Jonathan Towle, John Aho, Leslie Scenna, Thomas Eagan
  • Patent number: 8157461
    Abstract: A printer having one roller of a transportation roller pair attached to cover renders the mechanism pressing the transportation roller pair together and the damping mechanism used when opening the cover using few parts, compactly, and at low cost. A damper spring 27 prevents the cover unit 3 of the printer 1 from opening suddenly and forcefully. A roller support lever 38 having the first follower roller 33b disposed to the distal end thereof is attached rotatably and movably to the cover unit 3. The roller support lever 38 is urged by the damper spring 27, and the first follower roller 33b on the distal end thereof is pressed to the first transportation roller 33a on the printer frame 11 side. The damper spring 27 functions as the damping mechanism when the cover unit 3 opens, and as the pressure mechanism of the first transportation roller pair 33 when the cover unit 3 is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsugo Ishida, Masahiko Yamada, Rikuo Yamada
  • Patent number: 8152392
    Abstract: A tag label device includes a cartridge, a cartridge holder portion, and an antenna. The cartridge has a first roll around which a cover tape is wound and is detachably mounted in the cartridge holder portion. The cover tape has a plurality of RFID circuit elements To for transmitting and receiving information disposed thereon. Each of the RFID circuit elements To has an IC circuit part for storing information and an antenna connected to said IC circuit part. The antenna is disposed in the vicinity in a surface intersecting a tape surface of a path of the cover tape fed out from the first roll and transmits created RFID tag communicating information to the antenna by wireless communication and writes it to said IC circuit part. With this arrangement, the tag label device can arrange a tag medium as the cartridge without restricting the mounting/dismounting property of the cartridge and the layout of the cartridge holder portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mitsugi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8147155
    Abstract: A roll paper printer having a roll paper compartment in which roll paper is mounted so that it is freely rotatable inside the roll paper compartment with the compartment designed to prevent the roll paper from meandering from a given path of travel along which the paper roll is unwound. The design of the compartment prevents the edges of the paper from catching on steps between pairs of roll paper guides connected to or forming the sides of the roll paper compartment. Movable roll paper positioning plates 31 and 32 are urged toward each other by a tension spring 37 in the roll paper compartment 9 of the printer 1 located near the top of one pair of roll paper guides 28 and 29. The movable roll paper positioning plates 31 and 32 have roll paper positioning surfaces 31a and 32a which can contact the outside circumference part of the ends 10b and 10c of the roll paper 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Maekawa
  • Patent number: 8142088
    Abstract: A cartridge that is detachable from a printing apparatus that includes a printing unit that prints onto a print medium and a cutter member that cuts the print medium, the cartridge comprises a print medium containment portion that contains print medium that are consumed along with printing operations performed by the printing unit, a cut piece collection portion that collects cut pieces of the print medium resulting from cutting operations performed by the cutter member are formed integrally in the cartridge and a partition member that separates the print medium containment portion from the cut piece collection portion, wherein the partition member is movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoshi Nishitani
  • Publication number: 20120057917
    Abstract: A label printer cassette is provided. Said label printer cassette comprises at least one supply of printing medium and a housing. The housing comprises a first surface, a second surface, said second surface being opposite said first surface, and at least one side extending between said first and second surfaces, one side having a switch operating arrangement having a ramped surface which is configured, in use to operate a switch of a label printer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Dirk Van Britsom, Stefaan Van Den Broecke, Kris Vandermeulen, Peter Van Pottelberghe
  • Patent number: 8128217
    Abstract: A material cutter for producing a selected cutting profile. The material cutter includes a cutter frame and a cutter button. The cutter frame has a stationary blade. The cutter button, which is slidably mounted in the cutter frame, has a moving blade with a cutting edge. The cutter button preferably includes a profile selector, so that when a driving force is applied to the cutter button, the moving blade slides past the stationary blade to the extent allowed by the profile selector. The profile selector may be a knob and the cutting profile may be set manually or automatically. It is preferred that at least one of the selectable cutting profiles is a partial cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Michael Scott Adams, Marc R. Obenshain
  • Publication number: 20120039651
    Abstract: A tape feed roller 63 made of a conductive plastic material is formed with a stepwise part 71 having a predetermined width in an axial direction which is formed to recess radially inward to the depth larger than the thickness dimension of a wireless tag circuit element 32 over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral portion opposed to the wireless tag circuit element 32. Further, a tapered part 71A is formed at the opposite edge portions in the axial direction of the stepwise part 71. The outer peripheral portion of the stepwise part 71 and the tapered parts 71A are covered with a cylindrical covering part 74 made of a conductive elastic member in a dimension substantially equal to the outer diameter dimension of the tape feed roller 63.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Akira Ito, Yoshio Kunieda, Takahiro Miwa
  • Patent number: 8113727
    Abstract: There are included an antenna transmitting and receiving information through a radio communication with a RFID circuit element, a signal processing circuit and a transmission portion of a radio frequency circuit configured to execute write or read of information with respect to an IC circuit part of the RFID circuit element, a tape-feeding-roller drive shaft for feeding out a base tape from a first roll, a cutter configured to cut the base tape fed out by this tape-feeding-roller drive shaft to a predetermined length to produce a RFID label, a print head making a print in a predetermined print region of the base tape, and a control circuit configured to control this print head so as to be capable of being switched between the print in a forward direction and the print in a rotation direction inverting this forward direction with respect to a predetermined print region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiko Niwa, Tatsuhiro Ikedo, Hideo Ueno, Nobuhiko Funato, Kazunari Taki, Tsuyoshi Ohashi, Takuya Nagai, Mitsuo Hirota
  • Publication number: 20120034011
    Abstract: A winding attachment which is detachably mounted on a winding shaft and on which a strip-shaped material is wound when the winding attachment mounted on the winding shaft is rotated. The winding attachment includes a winding section on which the strip-shaped material is wound, and an elastic member configured to reduce diameter of the winding section in the radial direction of a rotation axis of the winding shaft if the winding attachment is separated from the winding shaft compared to the diameter in case that the winding attachment is mounted on the winding shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Haruo Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8109683
    Abstract: A method and device for improving the handling, in a label printer, of labels without a carrier strip operates by reversing the direction of transport of the label medium for a short distance before transporting the medium in the printing direction, allowing the label strip to reliably detach from a transport roller (10) that is used to guide the label strip through the printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo (Albstadt) GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Holike, Herbert Mürdter, Albert Gerstenecker
  • Patent number: 8109684
    Abstract: A tape cassette includes an ink ribbon provided with a base film coated with an ink layer thereon and a film tape provided with a transparent film with an adhesive layer formed on one surface thereof. When an adhesive layer of the film tape and the ink layer of the ink ribbon of the tape cassette come into contact at a print position, the ink layer is adhered onto the adhesive layer on condition that the adhesive layer is heated to exhibit self-adhesive properties, and characters and the like are printed on the film tape. Also, an auxiliary sheet medium comes into contact with the adhesive layer. Further, a conveying roller does not come into contact with the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koshiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8104980
    Abstract: A projection is provided in a roller holder. Accordingly, in a state wherein the roller holder is pressed against a supporting board to make a platen roller come in close contact with a thermal head, a cassette presses the roller holder through the projection in a process of loading the cassette inside a cassette loading portion. As a result, the roller holder moves in a biasing direction (direction from inward to outward of the cassette loading portion), causing the roller holder to move away from the supporting board. Thus, even if a state is maintained wherein the platen roller adhered to the thermal head and the roller holder is kept pressed against the supporting board, the roller holder can be separated from the supporting board when the cassette is loaded up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Susumu Murata
  • Patent number: 8100595
    Abstract: A label printing apparatus comprising a cassette receiving bay arranged to receive a cassette; and an engagement member. The engagement member is movable between a first position, in which the engagement member is engaged with the cassette, and a second position in which the engagement member is disengaged with the cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Chad Terry, Jonathan Towle, John Aho, Leslie Scenna, Thomas Eagan
  • Publication number: 20120009001
    Abstract: A tape unit holds a tape roll that has a wound tape that is a print medium, and is adapted to be mounted in and removed from a cassette case. The tape unit is provided with a holder shaft portion and an indicator portion. The holder shaft portion is inserted into a shaft hole formed in a winding center of the tape roll and rotatably supports the tape roll. The indicator portion is disposed radially outside the tape roll which is supported by the holder shaft portion, and includes at least one hole portion and indicates a type of the tape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Sago, Koshiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8075207
    Abstract: There is disclosed a lightweight portable printer having a frame or housing with a print head and a cooperable platen roll mounted in the housing. The housing pivotally mounts a subassembly. The subassembly mounts an electric motor and gearing driven by the motor for driving the platen roll. The subassembly is resiliently urged to press the print head against the platen roll. The printer has a front door which provides access to the inside of the housing. The front door mounts the platen roll, a label delaminator, a pressure roll, a holder for mounting a supply roll of labels or tags, and a latch for latching the door to the housing and for camming the pressure roll into and out of cooperation with the platen roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Orville C. Huggins, Thomas P. Keller, David S. Prows, David R. Wisecup
  • Publication number: 20110293350
    Abstract: A printer that includes a cassette mounting portion into which a tape cassette is mounted and from which is removed a tape cassette in an up-down direction, a printing head that performs printing on the tape, a platen roller that faces the printing head, a roller holder that rotatably supports the platen roller, a sensor that detects the type of the tape, a sensor holder that holds the sensor, and a protective portion that is provided on the roller holder and is provided above the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo NODA, Asami YOKOE, Shinji KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8066442
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Premark FEG L.L.C.
    Inventors: Robert J. Weisz, Nigel G. Mills, Kinred Bowling, Karl S. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20110268488
    Abstract: The roll paper loading mechanism of a roll paper printer has a left side panel rendered in unison with a roll paper holder. The roll paper holder pivots to the front of the printer in conjunction with the operation opening an access cover. When the access cover is opened completely, the left side panel protrudes through an opening formed in the printer case to the front of the printer. A right side panel disposed to hold the roll paper between it and the left side panel is stationary inside the printer case. A roll paper guide tab that projects to the front of the printer and extends away from the left side panel is formed on the front end of the right side panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Inoue
  • Patent number: 8047462
    Abstract: A paper supply mechanism comprising a roll paper compartment for storing roll paper, a first side wall that can move and defines one side of the roll paper compartment, a second side wall that defines the other side of the roll paper compartment, a lock mechanism that locks the first side wall, a roll paper urging member that urges the roll paper in a storage width direction of the roll paper compartment; and a holding mechanism that operates in conjunction with the lock mechanism and holds the roll paper urging member in a predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 8029202
    Abstract: A printer, which prints by repeatedly reciprocating a rolled recording paper and ejects a printed recording paper, has therein a recording paper storage unit in which the recording paper is temporarily stored. The recording paper storage unit has a configuration formed by at least a part of the periphery of the rolled recording paper or a configuration provided in a space between the rolled paper holder and an ejection slot. This configuration eliminates the need for separately providing a configuration in which a recording paper is set aside when printing a long sheet of printed material and, at the same time, makes the printer smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Takahashi, Yuichi Taguchi, Yutaka Inokuchi
  • Patent number: 8029203
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kase, Ichiro Furuki, Akira Sakuta, Akihito Ito
  • Publication number: 20110236115
    Abstract: A printer has a roll paper compartment that stores roll paper so that it can roll on a horizontal axis of rotation, a roll paper cover that pivots to open and close the roll paper compartment, and a tension roller that is displaced when the roll paper cover pivots open and closed. The roll paper compartment is supported to pivot in the direction in which the roll paper cover rotates when the roll paper cover pivots open or closed. The tension roller is disposed to a position where it urges the roll paper opposite the direction in which the roll paper compartment moves circularly when the roll paper cover pivots in the opening direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuhiro INOUE
  • Patent number: 8025451
    Abstract: An antenna 33 is located downstream of a tape transferring direction of a tape discharging port 27 through which a printed label tape 28 of a tape cassette 21 mounted to a cassette housing part 8 is discharged. A reflective sensor 35 that detects a sensor marks 65 provided on the back surface of the printed label tape 28 is arranged at the opposite side of the antenna 33 interposing the printed label tape 28. At the upstream of the antenna 33 and the reflective sensor 35 in the tape transferring direction, a cutter unit 30 for cutting the printed label tape 28 discharged through the tape discharging port 27 of the tape cassette 21 at a predetermined interval is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Akira Ito, Yoshio Kunieda, Takahiro Miwa
  • Publication number: 20110229242
    Abstract: A rolled paper driving apparatus includes supporting rollers that support rolled paper in such a manner that an axis line of the rolled paper extends between the supporting rollers, the rolled paper having a core pipe in a shape of a pile; a driving roller that is pressed onto an inner circumferential surface of the core pipe of the rolled paper and gives force to rotate the rolled paper; a driving force transmission part that rotates the driving roller; and a pressing force adjustment part that adjusts a state of the driving roller being pressed onto the inner circumferential surface of the core pipe of the rolled paper. The driving roller is disposed in the inside of a triangle that has vertexes corresponding to the supporting rollers and a center of the rolled paper, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru MORINAGA, Kazuhiro Wakamatsu, Masahiko Yamada, Takayuki Niihara, Yuichiro Maeyama, Masato Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8011843
    Abstract: On the back side surface of a release paper of a double-sided adhesive tape 53, sensor marks 65 each in a rectangular shape elongated in the tape width direction when viewed from its front are printed beforehand at a predetermined pitch L along the tape transferring direction to be vertical and symmetric with each other with respect to the center line in the tape width direction. Further, on the double-sided adhesive tape 53, wireless tag circuit element 32 is provided between adjacent sensor marks 65 on the center line in the tape width direction and at a position equal to the distance l1 from each sensor mark 65 in the tape discharging direction (a direction shown by an arrow A1). An antenna 33 and a reflective sensor 35 are distanced from a cutter unit 30 by a distance l1 in the tape transfer direction. The cutter unit 30 and a thermal head 9 are distanced from each other by a distance l2 in the tape transfer direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Akira Ito, Yoshio Kunieda, Takahiro Miwa
  • Patent number: 8011844
    Abstract: A printer is disclosed. The printer includes a main body which contains a paper roll container where a paper roll is loaded, a lid for closing an opening section of the main body through which opening section the paper roll is loaded in the paper roll container, a letter printing mechanism which is formed when the lid is closed, and a detecting arm disposed on a rear surface of the lid for detecting a near-end state of the paper roll. When the paper roll is loaded in the paper roll container and the lid is closed, an arm main body of the detecting arm contacts an outer circumferential surface of the paper roll. When the paper roll reaches the near-end state, the detecting arm does not contact the outer circumferential surface of the paper roll and is moved, and a switch disposed at the main body becomes OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Yada, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Masaru Kihara, Fumio Sakurai, Yukihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 7988374
    Abstract: A printing device has a platen roller, a print head for printing on a sheet material, and a sheet cutting device for cutting the sheet material on which printing has been performed. The sheet cutting device has a stationary blade and a movable blade for cutting the sheet material in a pressing contact state with respect to the stationary blade. A release mechanism is disposed in the stationary blade frame and is movable to first and second positions to release the stationary and movable blades. In the first position of the release mechanism, the blades are in the pressing contact state, the platen roller is in contact with the print head, and ends of a platen roller shaft of the platen roller are disposed adjacent to one end of respective elongated holes of a stationary blade frame supporting the stationary blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kohira
  • Patent number: 7988373
    Abstract: A tape printer for use with a tape cassette and an ink ribbon cassette, the printer comprising a housing and a printhead having a line of printing elements thereon, wherein said printer comprises at least one cassette receiving portion in said housing for receiving the tape cassette and the ink ribbon cassette, such that the cassettes are receivable in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the line of printing elements on the printhead when the printhead is in a printing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventor: Kris Vandermeulen
  • Patent number: 7976233
    Abstract: A winding apparatus for use in a copier, a printer, and other devices for ejecting a printed sheet in a rolled form of a cylinder without having a core includes a gripping mechanism for gripping the leading end of a sheet when the sheet is rolled into cylindrical form. The gripping mechanism is disposed on a cylindrical member provided to each of both ends of the sheet in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet and moving with the conveyance of the sheet. The on and off states of gripping to the leading end of the sheet can be controlled. The gripping mechanism is turned to the off state, and the cylindrical member is retracted from the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiko Onuki
  • Publication number: 20110150554
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided that has a roller for dispensing adhesive tape and a printing wheel in association with an ink reservoir, the tape being presented with its adhesive surface presented to the printing wheel for the printing to be applied to the adhesive surface; and thence is reversed so that the adhesive surface with the printing can be applied to a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Leonid Shpigel
  • Patent number: 7963710
    Abstract: The printer includes a printing unit 12 that performs printing on each of a label L1 and a second raw sheet M2 on the way of feeding out a first raw sheet M1, which is temporarily stuck with labels L1 on a release liner S, and a second raw sheet M2 having no adhesive layer; a peeling unit 13 that peels off the label L1 from the release liner S; first and second holding units 15, 16 that hold a label sheet L2 formed via a cutting unit 14; and a laminating unit 17 that laminates the label L1 and the label sheet L2 with each other so that the reverse surface of the printed surface of the label sheet L2 faces the adhesive layer side of the label L1 are provided. The label L1 laminated with the label sheet L2 is stuck onto an adherend W in a state that the adhesive layer is exposed in a closed loop state in an entire area of the periphery of the label sheet L2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Lintec Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kobayashi, Akira Dangami
  • Publication number: 20110129276
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a recording medium cassette storing recording medium; an image forming unit, a feed unit; an upper frame that supports the image forming unit and the feed unit; and a lower frame in which the recording medium cassette is detachably attached, the upper frame being disposed on the lower frame, and the lower frame having rigidity lower than the rigidity of the upper frame, the lower frame including a rail for guiding the recording medium cassette to a predetermined receiving position, wherein the feed unit has a groove portion formed along a direction parallel to a horizontal direction, the recording medium cassette has a first convex portion which is fitted in the groove portion when the recording medium cassette is attached in the lower frame, the recording medium cassette having a second convex portion which is contact with a portion of the rail of the lower frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hakudai Kondo
  • Patent number: 7942593
    Abstract: A CPU 81 displays a virtual tape 201 of a length obtained by subtracting a length (l1+l2) from an antenna 33 to a thermal head 9 from a data value of an “IC chip pitch length L” when it determines that a printing object tape 531 of type 1 is accommodated in a tape cassette 21. A “tape width” is displayed on the right side of the virtual tape 201. A tape length of the virtual tape 201 is displayed below it. A “tape type” is displayed below it. Then, the CPU 81 displays a print area 202 on the virtual tape 201 from a data value of the “print area” while a right side portion thereof serves as a non-print area. It displays the print data inputted into the print area 202 and waits for the return key 4 to be pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koshiro Yamaguchi, Akira Ito, Takahiro Miwa, Yoshio Kunieda, Toshihide Fujikawa
  • Publication number: 20110103868
    Abstract: Disclosed is a printing media supply unit and an image forming apparatus employing the same for forming an image on the printing medium. A loading plate capable of supporting thereon a supply of the printing media is movably coupled to a detachable loading cassette so as to move in ascending and descending manner depending on the amount of printing media loaded on the loading plate. One of more interfering members are provided on the loading plate so as to move with the loading plate, and may be capable of being sensed by one or more sensing units. A control unit determines the amount of printing media based on the sensing results, which may be different from one sensing unit to another, or based on the combination of such sensing results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Je-Hwan YOU
  • Publication number: 20110085842
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a motor which drives a shaft of a roll body in 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 roll body is R2 (<R1) than when the diameter of the roll body is R1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hitoshi Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20110085841
    Abstract: In order to provide a substrate cartridge, a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing system, a control apparatus, and a method of manufacturing a display element capable of preventing foreign objects from being attached to the substrate, there is provided a substrate cartridge including: a cartridge mainframe that has an opening which a substrate is carried in/out and accommodates the substrate through the opening; a mount portion that is provided in the cartridge mainframe and is detachably connected to an external connecting portion; and a blocking unit that blocks the opening depending on a connection state between the mount portion and an external connecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Inventor: Tohru KIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20110076084
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a label producing apparatus comprising: a roll housing part that houses a roll winding a print-receiving tape into a roll shape; a feeding roller that feeds out and transports said print-receiving tape from said roll housed in said roll housing part; a printing device that prints desired print on said print-receiving tape fed out from said roll by the feeding of said feeding roller; and a guide device that guides said print-receiving tape fed out from said roll housed in said roll housing part; wherein: said guide device comprises either a first guide part capable of guiding said roll according to roll diameters of different sizes, or a second guide part capable of guiding said roll according to roll widths of different sizes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Kasugai, Keiji Seo
  • Patent number: 7914214
    Abstract: A method and system for determining whether a first one of a plurality of labels on a roll of label stock is a full label. The method includes sensing a leading edge of the roll of label stock, sensing a location of a first one of a plurality of indicator marks that are printed on the back side of the roll of label stock, sensing a location of a second one of the plurality of indicator marks, sensing a location of one of a plurality of top of form marks that are printed on the back side of the roll of label stock. The method further includes determining whether the first one of the plurality of labels is a full label based on the leading edge of the roll of label stock, the location of the first one of the plurality of indicator marks, the location of the second one of the plurality of indicator marks, and the location of the one of the plurality of top of form marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sanford, L.P.
    Inventor: James Thomas Craig
  • Patent number: 7909522
    Abstract: A portable printer includes a housing having a cavity defined therein which supports a roll of stock material for printing indicia thereon. The housing has a drive motor assembly configured to move the stock material through a paper path defined in the housing. A battery is loadable within a battery compartment disposed in the cavity and a cover assembly is pivotably supported on the housing and moveable from an open configuration for loading the roll of stock material to a closed configuration to enable printing. A selectively adjustable media support assembly supports the roll of stock material and includes a paper tray having a cam-shaped stanchion which is slideable within a media support tray from a first position for supporting a roll of stock material of a first size to a second position for supporting a roll of stock material of a second size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: Guy Heaton, Chad Gundlach
  • Publication number: 20110064508
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus in which a pickup unit is arranged to be movable in association with the detaching/mounting movement of a detachable printing medium cassette. With such a movement of the pickup unit, it is possible to increase the number of printing media that can be stored in the printing medium cassette having a predetermined height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chang Min Youn
  • Patent number: 7905670
    Abstract: The illustrative embodiments described herein provide an apparatus and method for exposing printable media. The apparatus includes a printer having a cover. The apparatus also includes a set of lifting arms coupled to the cover. The apparatus includes a slowing device engaged with the set of lifting arms. The slowing device is adapted to slow movement of the set of lifting arms when the cover is moved. The apparatus also includes a stage coupled to the set of lifting arms such that movement of the cover causes movement of the stage into a position. The stage is adapted to receive the printable media. The position facilitates exposure of the printable media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stacy Leigh Arrington, Richard Hunter Harris, Robert Andrew Myers
  • Publication number: 20110058883
    Abstract: Disclosed are a printing media holder and an image forming apparatus including the same. The printing media holder includes an printing media alignment unit capable of moving bidirectionally toward and away from the printing media loaded on the printing media holder, and includes a release mechanism that releases the printing media alignment unit, to allow the printing media alignment unit to move its position for aligning of print media of different sizes, in response to a force received thereto in any of the bidirectional directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sin-Ae KIM
  • Publication number: 20110058884
    Abstract: A tape cassette that includes a cassette case that includes a top case and a bottom case, a tape as a print medium that is mounted within the cassette case, an arm portion that includes a part of a front surface of the cassette case and directs the tape toward an exit along a portion of a predetermined feed path, the portion extending in parallel with the front surface, a latching portion that is provided in the vicinity of an upstream end of the arm portion in a feeding direction of the tape and by which the top case and the bottom case are engaged with each other, and a contact portion that is provided in the vicinity of the exit and that is configured to allow the top case and the bottom case to contact or separate from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsutomu KATO, Teruo IMAMAKI
  • Publication number: 20110052298
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus to feed or take up media comprises a drum axis, a drum connecting to the drum axis, three spindles connecting to the drum, and a reel removably connecting to one of the three spindles. The drum holds the spindles and rotates around the drum axis to position the spindles, each spindle to hold a media roll or a reel to feed or take up media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Gianni Cessel, Fernando Juan Jover, Martin Urrutia Nebreda
  • Patent number: 7896564
    Abstract: A portable printer includes a housing having a cavity defined therein which supports a stock material for printing indicia thereon. The housing includes a power terminal which connects to a drive motor assembly configured to move the stock material through a paper path defined in the housing. A battery is loadable within the cavity and is movable from a first position spaced from the terminal to a second position in positive engagement with the terminal. A cover assembly is included which is pivotably supported on the housing and which is moveable from an open configuration for loading the stock material to a closed configuration to enable printing. The cover assembly includes a flexible print head mounted therein and a battery compartment having a ledge configured to operably engage the battery when the cover assembly is moved to the closed configuration to force the battery to the second position in positive engagement with the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: Guy Heaton, Chad Gundlach
  • Patent number: 7894763
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes at least one paper supply portion including a roll paper accommodating portion adapted to accommodate a paper roll constituted by winding long paper around a shaft, a roll paper holding portion on which the paper roll is temporarily put, a paper feeding portion adapted to deliver paper from the paper roll accommodated on the roll paper accommodating portion, a horizontal rotating-shaft adapted to support the paper supply portion in a body of the image forming apparatus, the paper supply portion drawn outwardly from the body of the image forming apparatus by being rotated when change of the paper roll is performed, wherein the change of the paper roll can be performed by rotating the paper supply portion to thereby draw out the paper supply portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Itoh, Masanori Nagashima, Yoshihiro Saitoh, Hiroaki Mogi, Toshiyuki Kitamura, Toshikatsu Takahashi, Takeshi Tsuge