Typewriting machines – Carriage or carriage-moving or movement-regulating mechanism – Means for repositioning carriage or platen thereon
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-11
2001-05-15
Colilla, Daniel J. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Carriage or carriage-moving or movement-regulating mechanism
Means for repositioning carriage or platen thereon
C400S693000, C400S208000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231251
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to printing and in particular to a mechanism for enabling a user to readily access the print head of a printer. It is applicable to all types of printers but is especially suitable for thermal printers.
There are many different types of printing apparatus but a large majority have the common feature that the printing operation is effected by urging a print head towards a recording medium. The printing may be direct if the recording medium is in the form of, for example, thermally sensitive paper or it may be indirect in which case an ink foil or ribbon is interposed between the print head and the recording medium.
The use of thermal printers has become increasingly common in recent years. Both direct and indirect thermal printers are known. In each case the print head includes a plurality of heat generating elements which are selectively energiseable. In direct thermal printers the print head is brought into contact with a heat-sensitive recording medium, the energised elements causing local portions of the recording medium to be blackened or otherwise coloured. In indirect thermal printers the print head is brought into contact with a thermal ink foil having a thermally fusible ink layer which is pressed by the print head against the surface of the recording medium, the energised elements causing local portions in the ink layer to be transferred to the recording medium.
A particularly common application for indirect thermal transfer printing is for overprinting of relevant customer information on packaging used in the food and drink industry and on pharmaceutical products. The ink foil has a carbon deposit on one side. The application of heat by the energised elements of the print head causes a transfer of carbon from the film onto the substrate to be printed.
Each print head has a finite lifetime, and therefore it is necessary to replace it periodically, as and when the print head fails. In a known printer, the replacement process is time-consuming, as it is necessary to unscrew and remove part of the printer housing, uncouple the ink foil from around the head and then remove mounting screws from the print head itself. These steps must then be carried out in reverse to install the new print head. This printer “downtime” significantly reduces its productivity and efficiency.
The present invention provides a printing apparatus comprising a print head and foil feed means provided on a mount for feeding foil past the print head when the mount is in a feed position adjacent the print head, the print head being operable to transfer ink from said foil onto a recording medium for generating printed matter on the recording medium, wherein the print head is movable relative to the body of the apparatus between a printing position at which printing is effected and a user accessible position spaced therefrom, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the mount can be withdrawn away from the print head, and wherein the withdrawal operation causes the print head to move from the printing position to the accessible position.
Thus, the printer is configured such that the foil feed means and its mount are withdrawn and the print head moved to an accessible position in one action, enabling a user to gain access to the print head readily and efficiently. The print head accessible position is such as to enable it to be readily cleaned or replaced by a user.
The mount may be selectively removable from the body of the apparatus.
Preferably, the print head is rotatable about an axis fixed relative to the body of the apparatus to move from the printing position to the accessible position.
The print head may be rotatable with the foil feed mount during the withdrawal operation, and the rotation may preferably be such as to cause the print head to move from the printing position in contact with said foil to a position spaced from said foil. As a result, the mount can be readily removed, as the print head is spaced from the foil path when the mount is replaced, the print head being then brought back into contact with the foil by reversal of the rotation.
Preferably, a releasable latch is provided which retains the print head in the user accessible position.
Furthermore, the print head may be mounted on a cartridge, the cartridge being selectively removable from the body of the apparatus. The print head can thus be readily replaced by a user.
In another preferred arrangement, the print head is connected to support rods via a mounting block, the mounting block being slidably mounted on the support rods. The position of the print head relative to the recording medium is therefore adjustable by moving the mounting block along the support rods. To minimise the space occupied by the apparatus, control circuitry may be housed within the mounting block.
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patent: 4493252 (1985-01-01), Clark
patent: 4685815 (1987-08-01), Baranyi
patent: 4778290 (1988-10-01), Costa et al.
patent: 5044801 (1991-09-01), Uchimura et al.
patent: 5138335 (1992-08-01), Sugimoto et al.
patent: 5366302 (1994-11-01), Masumura et al.
patent: 0 413 358 A2 (1991-02-01), None
patent: 0 628 417 A2 (1994-12-01), None
patent: 2204834 (1988-11-01), None
patent: 62-187060 (1987-08-01), None
Allen Coding Systems Limited
Colilla Daniel J.
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
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