Patent · US Expired

Portable interactive miniature printer

US5806993A · kind A · utility

71Cited by
18References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 18, 1997
Grant dateSep 15, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 18, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J3/407
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An intelligent, portable printer having a microprocessor controller, a printing mechanism, and a web feed mechanism integrated into an assembly which, together with a battery pack, may weigh about 1.5 pounds and be about 60 cubic inches in volume. The web may have removable labels adhesively attached to a liner, or it may be linerless label stock with exposed adhesive, or it may be non-adhesive plain paper stock. The web may be printed with bar codes, graphics, text, or lines. Because the printer is so small and light in weight, it may be used at any site where labels are required. By labels is meant any tickets, stickers, or other patches (so-called "label-stock"). The controller includes a microprocessor which communicates interactively with a terminal, which may be remote from the printer and may include or be a host computer, via cable, radio, or optical interfaces. The terminal supplies application programs and data representing the information to be printed. The controller in the printer converts such data into printing formats for operating the printer mechanism. The state of the printer is communicated to the terminal and both operate interactively to produce labels. The pr…

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