Patent · US Expired

Line printer having a motorized platen that automatically adjusts to accommodate print forms of varying thickness

US7290949B1 · kind B1 · utility

8Cited by
23References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 12, 2005
Grant dateNov 6, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 12, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J11/20
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Methods for setting the print gap in a printer are disclosed. The printer has an eccentric platen wherein rotation of the platen changes the print gap distance. A driver controls the eccentric platen rotation, and a sensor may be used to determine the position of the motor and platen. The configuration of an eccentric platen and a driver having a position sensor enables measuring the thickness of a form at one or more locations to create a representative thickness profile of the form, which may be saved to the printer's computer memory and repeated when printing similar forms in the future, thus obviating the need to measure the thickness of every individual form.

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