Seiko Epson Corporation

Hiroshi Wanibuchi

Satoshi Koizumi

Masaru Tejima

Toshiyuki Sasaki

Atsushi Nishioka

Katsuyuki Kondo

Akio Nomura

Mitsuhisa Ando

Masaki Hyogo

A platen device can easily change where suction is applied widthwise to a recording medium. A printer has the platen device. A platen deviceopposite a printheadapplies suction to conveyed roll paper P, and has a platendivided perpendicularly to the conveyance direction of the roll paper P into a plurality of individual suction zoneswith round suction holesin the surface on the side that contacts the roll paper P; and a plurality of shuttersdisposed to the platenand respectively opening or closing the round suction holesin the plural individual suction zonesaccording to the width of the conveyed recording medium.

Platen device and printer with the platen device

Problems related to being unable to convey recording paper in a printer due to the tension guide that guides the recording paper while tensioning the paper are eliminated. A removable guidecan be removably installed to the tension guideof the printer. The removable guidehas a second guide surface that is defined by a pair of rollers. When printing on recording paperA that has a high friction coefficient for making wrist bands, the removable guideis installed to the tension guide, the recording paperA is passed over the rollers, and the recording paperA is guided to the paper feed rollerwhile tension is maintained. The recording paperA can be reliably conveyed because the paper feed load of the removable guidepressed to the recording paperA by the tension guideis small.

Printer

A print medium and methods are provided for producing a die-cut portion easily separable from the print medium, thereby shortening the required time to separate the die-cut portion and reducing wasted consumption of print media. The print medium may include die-cut portions having a contour of a wristband, such as those used in a hospital on the wrist of a patient. The die-cut portions are formed sequentially at a constant interval on the print medium, and die-cut lines are formed between each die-cut portion as lines connecting adjacent die-cut portions. The print medium may be automatically cut at the position of a severance line perpendicular to the die-cut line referenced by a cut mark on the print medium. Because the edges of the severed print medium piece are perpendicular to the die-cut lines, separating the die-cut portion from the print medium can be easily started along the die-cut line.

Print medium, wristband, and method of creating a wristband

A printer having multiple stages of nozzles is controlled to avoid or minimize blank space between print portions when printing on roll paper. A controller in communication with the printer is configured to determine if last partial print data to be printed contains blank raster data. If so, the controller calculates the difference between a total number of rasters in the first through the last partial print data and the number of blank rasters in the last partial print data, prints the last partial print data, and controls the paper transportation mechanism to advance the roll paper only the calculated distance to eliminate excess blank space between print portions. The functionality of the controller is also embodied in a method for controlling a printer as described above.

Printing system and method to eliminate excess blank space between print positions

Clip for a wristband

A data processing apparatus having a construction for guiding a transported medium conveyed from a curved transportation unit enables opening and closing the guide unit. The data processing apparatushas an intermediate rollerand guide portionconstituting a curved transportation unitinside the printer case, and a paper feed roller pairandfor nipping and conveying paper P conveyed from the curved transportation unitdisposed a specific distance from the curved transportation unit. The guide portionhas an auxiliary guide memberand can move circularly open and closed in unison with an outside wall unit. The auxiliary guide memberprojects toward the paper feed roller pairandand guides the paper P. An auxiliary guide linking mechanismcauses the auxiliary guide memberto retract away from the paper feed roller pairandin conjunction with the unlocking operation of opening/closing leversand

Data processing apparatus

A cleaning device for cleaning a nozzle surface of an ink-jet head has a first wiping member for wiping a nozzle surface of an ink-jet head and a second wiping member for wiping the first wiping member, and a lever driving mechanism for moving the first wiping member between a retracted position located away from the nozzle surface and a wiping position for wiping the nozzle surface. The second wiping member is formed of an elastic body and is arranged within a moving path of the first wiping member, so that it contacts with the first wiping member for only a limited period, whereby reducing in wear of these wiping members.

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Hiroshi Wanibuchi