Abstract: A printing device including a mounting base on which a ribbon cassette accommodating a ribbon having a transparent terminal end part is removably loaded, light emitting and receiving elements fixed on the mounting base and a reflective plate fixed on the mounting base, wherein when the ribbon in the ribbon cassette loaded on the mounting base comes to the end, light emitted from the light emitting element impinges upon and reflects back from the reflective plate through the transparent terminal end part of the ribbon interposed between the light emitting element and the reflective plate and then enters into the light receiving element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electronically determining when a ribbon cassette in a printer should be replaced. The ribbon cassette comprises a housing and an electrically conductive ink ribbon stored in the housing. The apparatus comprises a detection apparatus which includes a first conductor and a second conductor which pass through the housing and contact the ink ribbon, thereby enabling a signal to be generated when the electrical resistance of the ink ribbon equals a predetermined resistance. A controller coupled to the detection apparatus causes a message that the ribbon cassette needs to be replaced to be displayed on a display in response to the signal. The method entails generating a first signal corresponding to the electrical resistance of at least a portion of the ink ribbon; and then generating a second signal when the first signal equals a third signal corresponding to the predetermined resistance of the ink ribbon.

Abstract: A paper gap adjustment mechanism having two coaxially mounted cams which have a camming surface with a linear transition area for forms thickness adjustment and an adjacent ramp area for moving the platen open position plus a straight radius area at the top of the ramp area. A lever is attached to the cams for both controlling forms thickness and platen gap open but the printer operator actuates this lever itself only when controlling the forms thickness positions. A second lever is rotatable on the cam shaft also. The second lever is provided with detent means engageable by the first lever so that rotation of the second lever rotates the first lever and the cams from the set position of the first lever to the open position. The detent means has multiple set positions at which the first lever is engaged when the first lever is rotated to set thicknesses. Rotation of the second lever from the open position to closed position automatically returns the first lever to the prior set position.

Abstract: An interval between a wire-dot printing head and a printing medium in a wire-dot impact printer, wherein the wire-dot printing head is provided with a plurality of printing wires which strike against the printing medium, is adjustably controlled by an interval adjustment device and a control device. Displacements of the printing wires are detected when they are operated, and the interval between the wire-dot printing head and the printing medium is adjusted appropriately as a function of the resultant value of such detection. It is possible to adjust the interval between the wire-dot printing head and the printing medium in a short time so that the printing operation can be carried out a high speed and with high quality.

Abstract: A disposable printing assembly includes a memory element in which data characterizing the assembly can be stored. This data can characterize the identity of the assembly, or one or more of its operational characteristics. Such operational characteristics for an illustrative ink jet printhead assembly may include the color of ink in the printhead, its amount, or the position of the ink jet orifice plate on the printhead body. This data can then be read from the printhead by a read/write element in a printer and can be used or displayed as desired. The datum characterizing the position of the orifice plate, for example, can be used to controllably delay certain of the firing signals provided to the printhead to compensate for any misalignment. The datum characterizing ink amount can be updated by the write head to reflect use of ink during printing and can warn the user of an impending exhaustion of ink.

Abstract: Disclosed is a typewriter wherein a ribbon holder mounted on a carriage movable along a platen holds both a print ribbon and a correction ribbon thereon and is displaceable between its first lift position for facing the print ribbon to a print point on the platen and its second lift position for facing the correction ribbon to said print point.The disclosed typewriter is provided with lift means for displacing the ribbon holder between its first and second lift position, detecting means for detecting the lift position of the ribbon holder, and control means for controlling the lift means to displace the ribbon holder in response to the result of detection of the detecting means, thereby the possibility of errorneous initial printing is eliminated, which may occur when a power supply is once turned off during a correcting action with a correction ribbon and then is turned on again to perform a normal print operation.

Abstract: A printer that can print a table of information about printing effects using the printing effects selected in an effects setting mode. For example, if the "emphasized" style is selected, a table with a fixed description of the printing effects is printed using the "emphasized" effect so that the printing effect can be confirmed visually. Further, if the printed effects deviate from the information in the table of printing effects, abnormalities of a memory or such are easily recognized.

Abstract: A printer having a device for advancing and retracting a print head toward and away from a paper supporting platen, an automatic head gap adjusting device for controlling the head advancing and retracting device, to advance the print head until the print head comes into contact with a recording paper, and then retracting the print head by a predetermined distance, to thereby adjust a head gap between the paper and the print head, and an operator-controlled head gap adjusting device for manually operating said head advancing and retracting device, to thereby adjust the head gap. A mode selector is provided for selecting one of an automatic adjusting mode in which the head gap is adjusted by the automatic head gap adjusting device, and a manual adjusting mode in which the head gap is adjusted by the operator-controlled head gap adjusting device.

Abstract: In a printer of the type in which printing is carried out on a recording medium with a print element through an ink ribbon interposed between the print element and a sheet or paper, a ribbon cassette accommodating therein the ink ribbon has a ribbon stopper removably provided for limiting the movement of the ink ribbon within the ribbon cassette. A switch is provided for detecting the presence of the ribbon stopper in the ribbon cassette when the ribbon cassette is mounted on the printer. If the ribbon stopper is detected by the switch, then a ribbon feed motor is not energized so that the ink ribbon is not withdrawn from the ribbon cassette. Thus, the ink ribbon will not be cut off, which may otherwise be caused if the ribbon is forcibly withdrawn without removing the ribbon stopper.

Abstract: A lever projects into the space between two guide plates for a sheet data carrier and is journalled so as to upwardly pivotable in the transport direction of the carrier against the force of a spring. A Hall-element sensor is secured adjacent to a magnet secured to the journalled end of the lever so that the sensor is activated by translation or rotation of the lever effected by engagement of the lever with the feeding of the data carrier. The lever is arranged to initially translate to activate the sensor and rotated after the translation so that when the lever is returned to its position prior to translation, only rotation of the lever switches the state of the sensor to indicate the position of the trailing edge of the carrier.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing on a recording medium, including a print head for printing on the recording medium supported by a platen, while the print head is moved along the platen, a changeover device for changing a printing condition of the print head, a signal generating device for generating a trigger signal indicative of a possibility of a change in the medium thickness, a medium thickness detecting device for detecting the medium thickness, and a control device responsive to the trigger signal from the signal generating device, for activating the medium thickness detecting device to detect the medium thickness, and activating the changeover device to change the printing condition of the print head, depending upon the detected medium thickness.

Abstract: A thermal imprint recording apparatus for recording an image on a paper by a thermal head uses a cartridge of recording paper on which a roll of ink film for supplying the ink film and another roll on which the ink film is taken up are carried. The apparatus comprises an arm adapted to engage with one of the rolls when the cartridge is loaded on the apparatus. Responsive to the loading, the arm is swung upwards and the roll is lifted from the cartriddge. The roll is then carried over a platen roller of the printer and the ink film is drawn out so as to engage with the upper surface of the platen roller. Further, the paper is taken out from the bottom of the cartridge and is transported along a path passing below the platen roller to a predetermined printing station located between the platen roller and the ink film.

Abstract: A symmetrically constructed inking ribbon cassette is provided that is substantially rectangular in shape and which has two openings symmetrically arranged at the shorter sides of the cassette for receiving capstan drive shaft and a light barrier. The cassette housing is formed of two halves which are held together with catch noses at a joining plane of the housing halves and a viewing slot is provided in each slot adjacent to one of the ribbon winding hubs which are carried in the housing.

Abstract: An ink paper cassette has ink paper, a supply shaft for supplying the ink paper, a take-up shaft for winding the ink paper, a front connecting portion for rotatably supporting first ends of the supply and the take-up shafts and a rear connecting portion for rotatably supporting second ends of the supply and the take-up shafts. The ink paper cassette is to be loaded into a printer. The printer performs thermal prints of characters and/or pictorial images onto a transfer paper with the ink paper loaded in the ink paper cassette. The front connecting portion has a depth so greater than that of the rear connecting portion that the front connecting portion is brought into abutment with a front face of a printer mechanism, whereby preventing the ink paper cassette from being loaded into the printer.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette has a cassette case in which a thermal transfer ink ribbon subjected to a plurality of printing operations on the same surface at the same position. The case is alternately loaded in a thermal printer in a first loading posture and in a second loading posture which is a reversed posture to the first one to change a feed direction of the ribbon in the printer. A count display unit is provided on the case to record the number of times of use of the ribbon and display the number.

Abstract: A printing device wherein a cut-form printing sheet and a serial-form printing sheet is selectively in use is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a typewriter wherein a ribbon holder mounted on a carriage movable along a platen holds both a print ribbon and a correction ribbon thereon and is displaceable between its first lift position for facing the print ribbon to a print point on the platen and its second lift position for facing the correction ribbon to said print point.The disclosed typewriter is provided with lift means for displacing the ribbon holder between its first and second lift position, detecting means for detecting the lift position of the ribbon holder, and control means for controlling the lift means to displace the ribbon holder in response to the result of detection of the detecting means, thereby the possibility of errorneous initial printing is eliminated, which may occur when a power supply is once turned off during a correcting action with a correction ribbon and then is turned on again to perform a normal print operation.

Abstract: According to the present invention, setting contents of a specified mode are selected in accordance with positions to which a printing head shifts, and the setting contents are set by operating switches in those positions. A switch for shifting the printing head and a setting switch serve as switches for executing other functions peculiar to a printer.

Abstract: A thermal ink-transfer printer is disclosed in which an ink donor sheet is wound on a supply reel. The ink donor sheet is drawn out from the supply reel and passes between a rotating drum and a thermal head and is then rolled round a winding reel. Printing paper is moved in a printing-paper transporting path formed between the rotating drum and guide means. The thermal head presses the ink donor sheet against the printing paper and heats the ink donor sheet to transfer the ink on the ink donor sheet to the printing paper. The ink donor sheet after completing the ink transfer is separated from the printing paper and rolled round the winding reel. The printing paper separated from the ink donor sheet is moved in the printing-paper transporting path. When the ink donor sheet during separation from the printing paper is erroneously drawn into a predetermined portion of the printing-paper transporting path, this erroneous operation of the ink donor sheet is detected by jam detecting means.

Abstract: An electronic typewriter having a single detector switch for detecting whether a lid over a printing mechanism is open or closed and whether a carriage is in the original position or not. The detector switch is stimulated by two stimulators; one being provided on the lid for stimulating the detector switch when the lid is closed, and the other being provided on the carriage for stimulating the detector switch when the carriage is at the original position.

Abstract: A platen assembly for an impact printer comprises the combination of an impact transducer between the backup plate and the type band of a printer and an impact isolator interposed between the transducer and the type band. The transducer comprises a strip of force sensitive material. The strip extends over a plurality of print positions. Electrode means in contact with the surfaces of the force sensitive material form discrete impact zones aligned with the print hammers. One of the electrode means is a continuous conductive strip on one side of the force sensitive strip. Plural conductive pads on the other side of the strip form the discrete impact zones. The continuous conductive strip is preferably on the side facing the type band and serves as the ground connection. The impact isolation means comprises plural force elements between the type band and the transducer element and preferably is part of a comb which can be conductive and provides stiffening to the force sensitive strip.

Abstract: An impacting element for an impact printer having a platen, selectable character elements and means for driving the impacting element to impart a printing force to a selected character element, to drive it against said platen for a contact period, the impacting element including a sensor thereon for generating a signal indicative of the initiation of the contact period.

Abstract: A slip/receipt printer is provided with a separator bracket attached at one side thereof to a forms compensating arm in cantilever manner. The separator bracket is biased by magnetic means toward the arm to provide a precise path for receipt paper. A slip or form is inserted into the printer on the top surface of the separator bracket. The separator bracket separates the receipt paper from the slip or form. Openings are provided in the separator bracket and other record medium supports.

Abstract: A marking device for a shorthand machine selectively marks the margins of the paper tape output of the shorthand machine to denote a portion of the shorthand notes for ready reference. The activating keys for the device are located in close proximity with the machine keyboard, whereby the operator may activate the device with minimal interruption of the recording process. Disposable marking instruments may be employed in the device. Incorporation of the device in the machine cover preserves the first planar surface of the cover and further, facilitates storage of the device when not in use.

Abstract: A paper gauge for use with a shorthand machine to determine the quantity of paper remaining in the shorthand machine. A scale arm weighs the paper tape in the machine and the gauge is calibrated by weight to give the shorthand machine operator a reading in terms of the number of folds left in the paper strip. The displacement of the scale arm is proportional to the weight of the paper tape and movement of the paper gauge indicating means is proportional to displacement of the scale arm. Accurate readings are facilitated by the use of a hinged tray plate to hold the paper tape in correct position on the scale arm. An "L"-shaped end portion of the tray plate in hinged engagement with the base portion of the tray plate successfully prevents the used portion of the paper tape from urging against the remaining supply and thereby causing an inaccurate reading.

Abstract: A single piece paper guide device incorporating an aligning scale which is movably hinged to allow movement from a working position to a service position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a dot printer in which means are provided for detecting deterioration of dot print elements which print characters and so on and for detecting trouble caused by a print drive circuit. Print sensing elements are placed at a suitable point of a platen corresponding to a traverse range of dot print elements which are housed within a printing head and a mechanism for driving each dot print element is provided when said dot print elements move in front of the above-said print sensing elements sensing signal is generated when said dot print elements effect printing on the print sensing elements, to indicate the existence of trouble of the print drive circuit or dot print elements.