Patent · US Expired

Portable printer with receptacle for data communication terminal

US5186558A · kind A · utility

42Cited by
14References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 21, 1990
Grant dateFeb 16, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 21, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07G1/0045
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A portable printer has a housing of impact resistant plastic material. The housing forms a printer cavity and a terminal cavity. A handle is integrally formed as part of the printer housing. Edges of housing elements forming the printer cavity are substantially sealed against each other to protect a printer mechanism, a paper supply, a battery and printer electronics within the printer cavity from water or other contaminants. The terminal cavity housing forms a receptacle for receiving a portable data entry terminal. A circuit board along an edge common to both the printer cavity and the terminal cavity of the housing carries a spring contact connector having a predetermined number of contact springs to engage a corresponding number of contact pads of such a portable data entry terminal when inserted into the receptacle. The circuit board further includes a seal in the region of the wall between the terminal cavity and the printer cavity to maintain the substantially sealed character of the printer cavity. The circuit board further is the mounting board for printer logic functions and for power and data connections to print support elements, to an optional modem and to the printer …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.