Sony Corporation

Hitoshi Kamoda

Yasuji Yui

Tomohiro Maekawa

Shin Iima

Takashi Bunya

Yoshio Kajino

Masatoshi Mikuriya

Mitsuo Iwatani

Tadao Kashiyama

Shinichi Kondo

Iwao Ushinohama

Soichi Kuwahara

Shigeyoshi Hirashima

Manabu Tomita

Katsuhisa Ono

Koichi Sawada

Yoshihiro Okamoto

Kiyotaka Dochi

Satoru Gozu

Morihiro Deura

Nobuyuki Kamitani

A droplet discharge head includes: a liquid reservoir which holds a liquid; a channel through which the liquid is guided to the liquid reservoir; and a driving element which changes the pressure in the liquid reservoir so as to discharge droplets of the liquid contained in the liquid reservoir through a nozzle, in which wall surfaces of the liquid reservoir and of the nozzle are arranged in a continuous line at a side opposite the channel with respect to the center of the nozzle as seen in a cross-sectional view through a central axis of the nozzle.

Droplet discharge head and droplet discharging unit incorporating the same

An ink ribbon cartridge includes spools each including a ratchet gear in one end portion. A cartridge body includes integrally formed resilient engagement pieces each including a ratchet portion that engages and disengages the ratchet gear of the respective spool and a compressed portion that is compressed by a compressing portion of a thermal transfer printer apparatus. When the ink ribbon cartridge is installed in the thermal transfer printer apparatus, the resilient engagement pieces behave such that the compressed portions are compressed by the compressing portions of the thermal transfer printer apparatus. Thereby, engagement between the ratchet gears of the respective spools and the ratchet portions is released, and the spools become rotatable in the cartridge body.

Ink ribbon cartridge

A print apparatus includes a print unit that records a print pattern with a thermal head and a ribbon film, the ribbon film having a base film on which transfer-material areas and margin areas including cue marks are arranged; a cue-mark detector that detects the cue marks; a ribbon-moving mechanism that moves the ribbon film on which the transfer-material areas and the cue marks are arranged such that L&#x3c;Lis satisfied, where Lis a distance between the leading edge of each transfer-material area and the corresponding cue mark and Lis a distance between a transfer position and a cue-mark detection position; and a ribbon movement controller that monitors the cue-mark detection and moves the ribbon film backward by a distance corresponding to the difference between the distances Land L, thereby positioning the ribbon film with respect to a print start position.

Print apparatus, ribbon movement control device, ribbon film, ribbon movement control method, and program

A holder for roll-type print media and a roll-type print media cassette, for easing replacement of a roll, including a printing apparatus capable of detecting the presence of a roll-type print media. The holder and cassette include supporting means for supporting the roll-type print media rotatively and regulating means for regulating the unwinding of the print media. The printing apparatus includes print media supporting means for supporting the roll-type print media rotatively such that the position of the axis of rotation is fixed. A contact sensor for detecting the presence of roll-type print media is also provided.

Holder for roll-type print media, roll-type print media cassette, and printing apparatus

A color video printer can identify the length of a print sheet inserted therein for ejecting any print sheets other than a standard print sheet. The printer has a sheet feed sensor and another sensor disposed downstream of the sheet feed sensor with respect to the direction in which a print sheet is fed in the printer. After the leading end of an inserted print sheet is detected by the sheet feed sensor, the print sheet is fed until the leading end thereof is detected by the other downstream sensor. At this time, the length of the print sheet which is fed is equal to the distance, typically of 128 mm, between the sensors. The true length of the print sheet is calculated by adding, to 128 mm, the length of the print sheet which is further fed until the trailing end of the print sheet is detected by the sheet feed sensor.

Printer

A video printing apparatus and method in which, without interlocking the movement of the printing head with the capstan for carrying the printing paper and the paper feeding mechanism by a cam and linkage mechanism, they are respectively operated by three independent motors. The printer includes a first normally and reversely rotatable DC motor for searching the head of the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette housed in the printer and for taking up the ink ribbon by the take-up reel base during the printing operation. A second normally and reversely rotatable stepping motor is provided for carrying the printing paper housed in the tray by the capstan and the pinch roller to the printing position and the paper delivering position. A third normally and reversely rotatable DC motor is provided for moving the printing head which subjects the printing paper to the printing processing by pressing the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette thereon in cooperation with the platen. A control mechanism for locking the tray in position, pressing the printing paper in the tray into engagement with a first feeding roller and moving the pinch roller into engagement with the capstan includes a plurality of cams disposed on a common axis which are driven by the first motor.

Apparatus and method for video printing

A printer in which an ink ribbon is not wound when a ribbon code ring is read, a dedicated motor for rotating the ribbon code ring is not required, and it is possible to rotate the ribbon code ring with the same motor used for moving a printing head. When an information code of an ink ribbon is to be read, a print head is held in an initial position HO, and a pendulum gear, which can be rotated only when a cam is reversed, is brought into mesh with a ink ribbon code ring which rotates irrespective of a supply spool of a ribbon cassette. The information code on the ribbon code ring is detected by a sensor as the code ring is rotated. A locking system is provided for preventing accidental opening of a ribbon door of the printer during printing operations.

Apparatus and method for printing

A device for identifying an ink ribbon cartridge used in a printing apparatus includes a spool rotatably disposed in the ink ribbon cartridge and having an ink ribbon wound thereabout. A ring is mounted on the spool so as to be rotatable relative to the spool and has information marks recorded thereon. A photo-sensor is disposed in the printing apparatus in opposite relation to the ring and detects the information marks recorded on the ring.

Device for identifying an ink ribbon cartridge used in a printer

A transfer/recording paper cartridge comprises: a case having a recording paper container containing recording papers, and a transfer paper container containing a feed spool on which is wound a transfer paper and a winding spool to which is fastened the leading end of the transfer paper, and provided with a paper feed opening; and a cover covering the paper feed opening. When a recording apparatus is loaded with the transfer/recording paper cartridge, the cover is moved automatically to an open position to open the paper feed opening so that the paper feed mechanism of the recording apparatus is able to gain access to the recording papers contained in the transfer/recording paper cartridge. The recording papers and the transfer paper are consumed proportionally, so that the recording papers and the transfer paper are exhausted simultaneously. A recording apparatus designed to use the transfer/recording paper cartridge comprises: a cover opening mechanism for automatically opening the cover of the transfer/recording paper cartridge when the same is loaded therein; a printing unit; and paper feed mechanism for feeding the recording paper from the transfer/recording paper cartridge to the printing unit. The recording papers and the pertinent transfer paper are handled always in combination and without being touched by fingers, and are exhausted simultaneously, so that nether the recording papers nor the transfer paper are wasted.

Transfer/recording paper cartridge

A printing apparatus for printing a paper sheet on a platen by a thermal head with a three color image includes a feeding device and a paper ejecting device. The paper feeding device includes feeding rollers, a feeding tray, a feeding lever and a two-stage discharge bay. With the paper feeding device, a receiving plate for receiving a stack of paper sheets is lifted upwardly toward the feeding rollers so as to keep the leading paper sheet in contact with the feeding rollers; at the same time, a discharged sheet is moved from the first to second discharge stage. The feeding lever is adapted for moving the receiving plate slightly downwardly so as to separate the printing paper sheet from the feeding rollers before the rear edge of the sheet passes under the feeding rollers. Shock is thereby avoided when the leading edge of the sheet passes under the roller. After printing, the printed paper sheet is ejected forwardly in the printing apparatus by the ejecting device so as to facilitating removal of the printed paper sheet therefrom.

Printing apparatus with disengageable paper supply and two-stage

A printing apparatus for printing a paper sheet on a platen by a thermal head with a three color image includes a feeding device and a paper ejecting device. The paper feeding device includes feeding rollers, a feeding tray, and a feeding lever. After printing, the printed paper sheet is ejected forwardly in the printing apparatus by the ejecting device to a stepped discharge plate so as to facilitating removal of the printed paper sheet therefrom.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Hitoshi Kamoda