Abstract: A platen retaining structure has a head, a platen supporting the sheet material during a processing operation of the sheet material by the head, a first urging member urging the head against the platen, and a frame supporting the head and the platen and formed with a notch and a pawl. The notch has a retaining portion that retains a shaft portion and an opening portion opening to an exterior of the frame. The pawl regulates movement of the shaft portion from the retaining portion to the opening portion of the notch. A release arm engages with the shaft portion and is mounted to undergo movement with respect to the frame. A second urging member urges the release arm and moves the release arm along with movement of the head away from the platen against an urging force of the first urging member, and causes the platen to apply a pressing force in a direction in which the shaft portion of the platen escapes from the notch via the opening portion.

Abstract: Disclosed are a printer and a stacker and methods. The printer prints selectively on one or both sides of a printable web and sheets or labels are cut from the web and stacked in the stacker. The printer has an unwind mechanism that accepts and holds web rolls of different widths in center-justified relationship with respect to a print head. The printer has a spindle for mounting an ink ribbon core with a detent for center-justifying the ink-ribbon with respect to the print head.

Abstract: An inkjet printing mechanism includes an elongate chassis that spans a printing zone. A printhead assembly is mounted on the elongate chassis. The printhead assembly includes an ink distribution assembly and an array of printhead integrated circuits mounted on the ink distribution assembly to span the printing zone. An elongate platen assembly is mounted on the chassis such that the platen assembly spans the print area. The platen assembly includes an elongate body that defines a longitudinal platen surface for supporting a print medium during a printing operation carried out on the print medium. At least one of an elongate ink blotting member and a capping assembly is arranged on the body. A displacement mechanism displaces either the platen surface or said at least one of the ink blotting member and the capping assembly into operative alignment with the array of printhead integrated circuits.

Abstract: A document feeder device is disclosed. The document feeder device includes a frame, a first roller shaft coupled to the frame, and a second roller shaft coupled to the frame. The first shaft is cantilevered. The document feeder device further includes a bearing coupled to the first roller shaft. The bearing has an eccentric shape and the eccentric shape allows the bearing to be rotated such that the position of the first roller shaft stays parallel to a second roller shaft. As a result, rollers attached to the first and second roller shafts are kept aligned so that they reliably feed documents through a printer. The document feeder device decreases production costs by eliminating the need for additional frame hardware and/or more rigid frame hardware.

Abstract: A register cam and a printing press incorporating the register cam are disclosed. The register cam permits the selection of alternative configurations that permit the alteration of parameters of the registration without the removal of the register cam from the printing press. The register cam can have one or more arms movably connected to and extending from the body. The one or more arms include at least two faces with each face having a distinct profile such that when an arm is in a first orientation a first face is presented to contact a gripper arm of the printing press and in a second orientation a second face is presented to contact the gripper arm of the printing press.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided. The thermal printer includes a thermal head module, a platen module, and a gear module. The platen module and the gear module are connected to the thermal head module. When setting a recording sheet to the printer, the operator lifts up a knob provided to the platen module, so that the platen module is rotated counterclockwise around a pin provided to the thermal head module. In this manner, the platen separates from the thermal head, and setting a recording sheet becomes easier.

Abstract: A platen assembly for a printer includes a chassis to which there is mounted a printhead and a pair of bearing moldings supported by the chassis and movable toward and away from the printhead. A platen body is rotatably mounted between the bearing moldings and includes a platen surface extending therealong, a capping device extending therealong and a blotting device also extending therealong. Each device is selectively aligned with the printhead upon rotation of the body between respective angular orientation. The body includes end caps having cam surfaces engageable with a projection affixed to the chassis to cause movement of the bearing members toward and away from the printhead during rotation of the body so that the body does not damage the printhead.

Abstract: A thermal printer of the present invention includes a platen for pressing a thermal head onto a print sheet through a print ribbon at the time of printing, the head is fixed, and a device for resiliently pressing the platen and the head and a device for switching the operation of applying or releasing a pressure between the platen and the head are provided on the platen side.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the relative position of a carriage assembly to a platen on a printer frame comprising first and second parallel supports mounted to a printer frame in spaced apart relationship parallel to said platen, a pulley support assembly mounted on one of the supports for movement parallel to said one support, a bearing assembly slidably mounted on the other of the supports, a carriage assembly detachably mounted to said pulley support assembly and slidably attached to the bearing assembly to allow movement of the carriage assembly towards or away from the bearing assembly while maintaining contact with the bearing, and means for adjusting the one support in a horizontal plane towards or away from the platen whereby the carriage assembly is moved toward or away from the platen.

Abstract: A postage meter system having a rotary printing drum for printing fixed data is disclosed. Disposed entirely within the drum is an internal print head for printing variable data. The rotary drum contains an opening therein through which the internally located print head prints variable data on a mailpiece. The print head reciprocates between a printing position and a non-printing position. The reciprocation of the print head between these positions is synchronized with and controlled automatically by the position of the rotary drum during its cycle of rotation. The print head operates to print on a mailpiece only when the opening in the drum is between the print head and the mailpiece. The print head may be an impact matrix print head which together with an associated inked ribbon is placed adjacent the mailpiece in a printing position only during the printing portion of the drum's cycle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a printing plane adjusting mechanism for a typewriter or similar machine wherein a paper handling system including a platen defining the printing plane is finely as well as coarsely adjustable by a single lever relative to a printing element to establish a predetermined normal distance between the printing plane and printing element or varied distances other than normal to accommodate paper packs of varying thickness. Adjustment of the normal distance or gap is effected without loosening or tightening screws.

Abstract: The gap between the print head and the printing surface or platen in a printer is extremely critical in certain types of printers. Where printers are required to accept print media of various thickness (single or multipart paper), an adjust mechanism is required to optimize the print gap. A problem arises thereafter whenever ribbon has to be changed or new paper fed into the printer, since the print head must be retracted from its optimum gap position for ease of operation. The present invention provides for automatically resetting the print head to its predetermined previous gap spacing following movement of the print head away from the printing surface for servicing such as paper loading on ribbon replacement. This is accomplished by providing a lever, adapted to move the print head away from the printing surface, with a cam face for mating with a cam follower carried by a gap adjustment arm pivoted for movement in fixed distance increments about a pivot point.