Seiko Epson Corporation

Hiroki Godo

Tsutomu Yamazaki

Yoshiki Kinoshita

Akira Koyabu

Hiroyuki Kato

Katsuyuki Endo

Masaaki Ito

Toshihiro Ota

The battery charger has a socket that is tubular, has a bottom, and accepts a rechargeable battery inserted to the socket. At least one side wall of the socket is an inclined surface that is inclined to the vertical when a bottom of the battery charger is placed on a horizontal surface. A charging terminal of the battery charger is disposed on this side wall.

Battery charger and charging terminal structure

A guide for guiding a card to a printing unit , and guides for guiding the card from the printing unit to a storage chamber for temporary storage, are integrally formed to a frame having an integrally formed opening-shaped mounting unit for fastening a printing unit for printing and transporting the card , and a flat mounting surface for fastening a control board for controlling the printing unit . The card printer is configured by housing the frame in cases , but because the major members and components are integrally formed or fastened to the card , disassembly and assembly can be easily accomplished.

Card printer

A label tape printer has a more-or-less conventional label tape cassette gear train mechanism except that the main motor has a clutching means that can disengage the motor when the motor is not on and turning. This allows the motor loads to turn the gear trains without any tendency of the motor to hold the gear train frozen by its advantage through the gear reduction. Therefore a pull on the label tape end will result in the entire gear train turning and thereby preventing the ink ribbon from forming a loose loop that can get sucked into an adhesive tape sandwich (with catastrophic results). The label tape cassette is provided with a guide roller having deep grooves, giving the appearance of a piece of machine screw threaded stock, that is positioned to keep the adhesive tape from sticking to the inside walls if the tape reels loosen. The adhesive tape has a reduced surface area on the guide roller to become stuck on it also.

Label tape printing system using thermal head and transfer ink ribbon

A tape printer for printing on a tape contained within a tape cassette. The tape cassette is insertable in and removable from the tape printer. The tape printer includes a housing and a printing mechanism supported on the housing for selectively printing on the tape. The printer also includes a tape conveying mechanism supported on the housing for conveying the tape across the printing mechanism. The printing mechanism and tape conveying mechanism are displaceable between first operative positions and second disengaged positions. A cover is pivotably supported on the housing. A coupling mechanism couples the cover to the printing and tape conveying mechanisms. The cover is displaceable between a first open position to actuate the coupling mechanism to move the printing and tape conveying mechanisms to their second disengaged positions and a second closed position to actuate the coupling mechanism to move the printing and tape conveying mechanisms to their first operative positions.

Growing community of inventors

Shiojiri, Japan

Hiroki Godo