Dot printer

Details Dot printer Dot printer

2001-01-11

2004-02-24

Funk, Stephen R. (Department: 2854)

Typewriting machines

Typing by other than type-face or type-die

Character formation by impact

C400S124010, C400S247000, C400S659000, C400S662000, C101S093050

Reexamination Certificate

active

06695496

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dot printer, and more particularly, to a printer which does not use any type, or require any ink ribbon.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink ribbon has usually been used in a dot printer to transfer ink onto a recording medium to form letters, etc. thereon. A printer using an ink melted by heat has been of the kind using types, since the ink is required to dry quickly. It has a type stocker not shown, but keeping a stock of types ‘a’ for letters, symbols, etc. to be printed, and a type wheel ‘b’ on which types for letters, symbols, etc. to be printed can be mounted, so that the types ‘a’ required for printing may be taken out of the type stocker manually, and mounted on the type wheel ‘b’, as shown in FIG.
2
. For printing, the type stocker and the type wheel ‘b’ are heated by a heater ‘c’ so that the types ‘a’ may be heated, and an ink roller ‘d’ holding an ink melted by heat is heated by a heater ‘e’ to have the ink melted. The types ‘a’ are brought into contact with the ink roller ‘d’ to have their surfaces coated with the ink, and transfer the ink onto a printing medium ‘g’ conveyed by a printing medium feed roller ‘f’. The ink transferred onto the printing medium ‘g’ is allowed to cool and solidify immediately at room temperature to form letters, etc. The types ‘a’ on the type wheel ‘b’ are changed to those which are taken out of the type stocker manually as required and are mounted on the type wheel ‘b’ by any change of the matter to be printed.
A printer using an ink ribbon as a source of ink supply is, however, expensive to maintain, since it requires a frequent change of ink ribbons. A type printer has been large and very expensive, since it is required to keep a stock of many types in its type stocker and requires a mechanism for changing types. Moreover, a change of types has required a complicated manual job bringing about an increase of cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided a dot printer which comprises an ink holding member, a platen having an outer peripheral surface coated with ink by contacting the ink holding member, and a printing head facing the platen in an appropriately spaced apart relation thereto. The printing head is a dot impact type printing head having a plurality of printing wires caused to project selectively to form letters, and a recording medium is conveyed between the printing head and the platen to have printing made thereon by the printing head. The printing head, which is of the dot impact type, does not require any complicated job for mounting or changing types. The printer can form uniform dots easily and is easy to supply with ink, since the dots are formed by the printing wires projecting and pressing the recording medium against the ink-coated outer peripheral surface of the platen.
A protective film may be situated between the printing head and the recording medium for protecting the recording medium. It protects the recording medium from any damage caused by the printing wires projecting against it.
The ink holding member may hold an ink melted by heat, and the ink holding member and the platen may each be provided with a device for heating the ink to its melting temperature. The ink melted by heat is easy to handle, since it readily solidifies at room temperature after its transfer onto the recording medium.
The ink holding member is preferably an ink roller having a source of heat located inside, and a member surrounding it and impregnated with the ink melted by heat, since it is easy to handle, or change to a new one in the case of ink shortage, etc.
The apparatus of this invention as described is small and inexpensive, as it does not require any large mechanism for changing types, etc. It does not require any complicated job for mounting or changing types, etc., but can easily form uniform dots, and is easy to supply with ink. A protective film can be relied upon for protecting the recording medium from any damage caused by the printing wires projecting against it. An ink melted by heat is easy to handle, as it readily solidifies at room temperature after its transfer to the recording medium. An ink roller is easy to handle, and easy to change to a new one when it has run short of ink. A drastic reduction of printing time can be obtained if there is a frequent change of the matter to be printed.


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