Patent · US Expired

Thermal printer apparatus

US5964541A · kind A · utility

33Cited by
11References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 28, 1998
Grant dateOct 12, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 28, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2202/31
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A sheet to be printed on can be transported along a sheet feed path to a printing position. The sheet feed path extends along a first direction. A thermal print head is located on one side of the sheet feed path and is provided for printing onto a sheet which has been transported to the printing position along the sheet feed path. A print platen is located on an opposite side of the sheet feed path and is provided for printing onto a sheet which has been transported to the printing position along the sheet feed path. A spring mechanism is provided for biasing the head and the platen towards each other to contact the sides of a sheet in the printing position to allow printing on the sheet in the printing position. A drive mechanism is provided for moving the head and the platen in a second direction which is transverse to the first direction to allow printing on a sheet in the printing position to occur while the head and the platen are contacting the sheet in the printing position. A cam mechanism is provided for moving the head and the platen away from each other to move the head and the platen out of contact with a sheet in the printing position after printing on the sheet in the…

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