Hewlett-packard Company

Chuin K Lim

James J Girard

James L Chan

Ng L Hock

Lee G Keen

Baskar Parthasarathy

Frank L Cloutier

Chiau Ho Ong

Danny Lian Hock Ng

A media sheet handling system for duplex printing is disclosed. During duplex printing, the media sheet whose first side is printed is directed into a duplex print path, wherein the media sheet is reversed to a flipped over state with respect to its original position and the original leading edge is maintained to be the leading edge for subsequent printing.

Media handling system for duplex printing

A scanner removably mountable on a printer output tray for scanning images on print media driven through a print media path in the printer. The scanner includes a hood with a light source which is mounted internally on the hood and directed toward the print media path to illuminate an image on the print media. A mirror reflects the image illuminated by the light source to a sensor which detects the reflected image and converts it to an electrical signal. The scanner is operable under the control of a scanner electronics cartridge which is inserted into a printer access port normally designated to receive font cartridges. The scanner electronics cartridge communicates the electrical signals to a host personal computer over an I/O cable that is connected between the scanner and the personal computer.

Add-on scanner for existing ink jet printer

Method and apparatus for monitoring actual usage of a battery in an ink-jet printer are described. The apparatus partitions a battery-operated or battery-backed up ink-jet printer into its various current-consuming subsystems or modules including sheet advance motor, carriage motor, printhead, logic and sleep circuitry. Firmware within the printer's controller monitors actual usage of each of the modules as a representation of energy consumption thereby and indicates the remaining battery capacity over the life of the printer. Motor usage is monitored by measuring sheet advance mechanism feed motor and printhead carriage drive motor travel distances; printhead usage is monitored by counting ink-jet firings; logic and sleep circuitry usage also may be monitored by estimating. Remaining battery capacity is determined, and optionally indicated more accurately and at negligible cost.

Remaining battery capacity determination method and apparatus

A portable ink-jet printer and sheet feeder which can be battery powered. The printer may be manually fed paper for operation independent of the sheet feeder. The printer and sheet feeder are mounted on a base and locked at 90 degrees to one another. They may then be rotated into two operating modes in which automatic sheet feeding occurs, one of which provides a straight paper feed path for relatively stiff print media and/or printing relatively dense graphics. A paper output system includes a pair of wings and a deflector which place various arches in the paper as it emerges from the printer to maintain it over the previously printed sheet to permit it to dry. The printer may be configured by driving a print carriage having an arrow thereon to different positions adjacent a menu. When the arrow is opposite a desired configuration option, the option is selected by pressing a button.

Snap-on control panel

Printer sheet feeder having a retractable sheet stack support

Portable printer and sheet feeder

A passive wet paper handling system for use, preferably, with an ink jet printer. The wet paper handling system includes an edge separator extending generally upward from an output platform of the printer and inclined away from a printer paper exit slot for deflecting the leading edge of a wet media generally upward as the media exits the printer. A pair of deflector wings are also mounted on the output platform extending generally upward from the output platform and inclined away from the paper exit slot. The deflector wings are spaced apart from the paper exit slot so that the leading edge of the media first contacts the edge separator and then contacts the deflector wings. A respective one of the deflector wings are disposed to each side of the edge separator, for contacting and deflecting corresponding lateral edges of the media generally upward so as to impart a bowed shape to stiffen the media and thereby maintain it spaced above a previously printed media at least until the trailing edge emerges from the paper exit slot.

Growing community of inventors

Singapore, Singapore

Chuin K Lim