Printer with motion detection
US5825995A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 1996 |
| Grant date | Oct 20, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 11, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/1297
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A handheld printer is movable across a target object to print while moving in a desired printing field. The printer has a position detector and a microprocessor controller for detecting the position of a printing member and activating the printing member at a plurality of successive printing locations. The printer may use thermal or inkjet printing and has user feedback and input. A mechanical position detector enables the printer to be used without a mechanical paper drive mechanism. The printer allows image rotation under control of a four-position switch and scaling of the image using distance and printline based scaling. The printer may be controlled by an external controller through a cable or a remote signal source. An alternative embodiment of the printer uses a vacuum-type arrangement to attract and hold the printer to the surface being printed. The printer may be line or battery-powered. The printer scales the image according to a user-selected scaling factor or in response to a measured printing field.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.