International Business Machines Corporation

James Gabriel Brewington

Richard Hunter Harris

Jeff David Thomas

Kevin Hunter Vorhees

Stacy Leigh Bongrazio

Michael Alan Schappert

Paul Daniel Kangas

James Lewis Levine

David Campbell Brower

Duane Scott Miller

Herbert Gene Leonard

Fred David Parnell

David William Stanhope

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for verifying product information. The apparatus includes an identification module configured to obtain a first set of data associated with a product. A database, in communication with the identification module, is configured to store data associated with the product in a database. An image module is configured to capture at least one image of a product. A recognition module, in communication with the image module, is configured to obtain a second set of data from at least one captured image of the product. A determination module configured to determine whether a match exists between the second set of data and the first set of data by comparing the second set of data with data in the database.

Apparatus, system, and method for optical verification of product information

A presence detector includes an optical emitter for emitting optical radiation, an optical detector for detecting a presence of an object based on receiving the optical radiation, and a microcontroller for controlling the optical emitter and processing the optical detector output, such that a range adjustment and range hysteresis based on the object are provided by software in the microcontroller.

Active infrared presence sensor

A gear drive system for a printer designed to print upon a continuous roll of paper and having a blade used to cut off printed portions of paper from the paper roll is implemented. The gear drive system consists of a drive shaft , a slip clutch , a clutch gear , a drive gear , and a staggered gear which controls the paper cutter blade . During printing, clutch allows the drive shaft shaft to slip relative to the clutch gear . When printing stops, clutch locks clutch gear which is engaged with the first portion of staggered gear and causes staggered gear to rotate until the second portion of staggered gear engages the drive gear . Staggered gear is then driven by the drive gear . A cutter blade is controlled by staggered gear , with the blade cutting off the paper as the drive gear is in reverse rotation. After the paper is cut, drive gear resumes its forward rotation, rotating staggered gear and consequently, rotating cutter blade away from the paper. After the blade has been rotated, staggered gear continues to turn, until the drive gear disengages with the second portion of the staggered gear. Full torque is applied to both cutting and opening rotations of the cutter blade.

Staggered gear for bi-directional operation

A computer display includes a pivotally mounted upper housing having a display screen, a brake used to retard pivoting motion of this upper housing, and a release mechanism for releasing the brake so that the upper housing can be freely moved. The display screen is preferably a touchscreen, which is touched to indicate a selection made by the user, with the brake resisting a tilting movement of the screen as it is touched. In a first version, two brakes are used to retard motion in both directions, with a single release wheel being turned in one direction to allow rearward motion of the upper housing and in another direction to allow forward motion of the upper housing. In a second version, a single brake is released by stopping motion of a release mandrel to unwrap a clutch spring. In a third version, two brakes, operating near opposite edges of the upper housing to stop downward movement of the upper housing, provide a particularly stiff mechanism for mounting the upper housing, and are simultaneously released by turning a knob to pivot a shaft.

Brake mechanism for controlling the tilt of a computer display

A printer for printing on both sides of a document includes first printing document guides, through which a document is driven for printing on a first side of the document, second printing document guides, through which the document is driven for printing on a second side of the document, and transfer document guides, into which the document is driven between motions within the first and second printing document guides, with a deflector determining the printing document guide into which a document is driven from the transfer document guides. A print head is pivotally mounted between the printing document guides, being pivoted between a position adjacent the first printing document guides and a position adjacent the second printing document guides.

Duplex check printer using a print mechanism pivoted between document paths

A tilt mechanism of the type for interconnecting two members in a manner such that the two members may be moved and placed in various positions in relation to one another. The tilt mechanism comprising: an outer mandrel connected to a first member; an intermediate mandrel connected to a second member, the intermediate mandrel being movably disposed about a portion of the outer mandrel; an inner mandrel in functional connection with the outer and intermediate mandrel; a first spring functionally connected about a portion of the outer mandrel and the inner mandrel in a manner such that the first spring resists movement when moved in a first direction and releases tension when moved in a second direction; and a second spring functionally connected about a portion of the intermediate mandrel and the inner mandrel in a manner such that the second spring resists movement when moved in a second direction and releases tension when moved in a first direction.

Tilt hinge

A thermal printing station includes a split rotary platen, which is driven in rotation to move a paper web across a thermal print head held against the split rotary platen. The split rotary platen includes a motor-driven shaft, a main platen roll driven by the shaft, and a platen roll extension, which is slidable along the shaft between a first position, in which the platen roll extension is engaged with to turn with the main platen roll, and a second position, in which the platen roll extension is disengaged from the main platen roll, being allowed to remain stationary due to friction forces arising from contact with the thermal print head. The first position is used for printing on a wide paper web, while the second position is used for printing on a narrow paper web, which extends only along the main platen roll. A clip is attached to the shaft to hold the platen roll extension in the first or second position.

Thermal printer using a split rotary platen to print on different widths of paper

A gear drive system for a printer designed to print upon a continuous roll of paper and having a blade used to cut off printed portions of paper from the paper roll is implemented. The gear drive system consists of a drive shaft,, a slip clutch,, a clutch gear,, a drive gear,, and a staggered gear,which controls the paper cutter blade,. During printing, clutch,allows the drive shaft,shaft to slip relative to the clutch gear,. When printing stops, clutch,locks clutch gear,which is engaged with the first portion of staggered gear,and causes staggered gear,to rotate until the second portion of staggered gear,engages the drive gear,. Staggered gear,is then driven by the drive gear,. A cutter blade is controlled by staggered gear,, with the blade cutting off the paper as the drive gear,is in reverse rotation. After the paper is cut, drive gear,resumes its forward rotation, rotating staggered gear,and consequently, rotating cutter blade,away from the paper. After the blade has been rotated, staggered gear,continues to turn, until the drive gear disengages with the second portion of the staggered gear. Full torque is applied to both cutting and opening rotations of the cutter blade.

A gear mechanism containing a clutch assembly made of an outer member with an offset hub, a wrap spring, a pin wherein the rotation of the pin around the offset hub is less than one revolution. A protrusion on a stop at a fixed location is used to dislodge the wrap spring such that it is incapable of transferring torque to the pin. With the spring dislodged, the pin ceases rotation as the hub continues to rotate. Once the power source reverses the rotation, the spring engages the pin which causes the spring to tighten around the hub. The tightening of the spring causes the spring to transmit torque and consequently move the pin away from the stop. In applications where, in one direction, a rotation of less than one revolution is acceptable, the use of a fixed protrusion to dislodge the spring allows the full torque of the driving member to drive the mechanism in either rotational direction.

Two way wrap spring clutch gear

A printer using font modification logic for improving the print quality of high speed thermal printing is disclosed. A microprocessor modifies the font by shortening the vertical component of each symbol to account for the retained heat of the individual print elements. This font modification eliminates the vertical tails that are a common problem when using thermal technology. A method of high speed printing is also disclosed consisting of redefining the set of symbols to be printed by subtracting part of the vertical element in the print instruction, selectively printing the symbols, moving the paper, and printing another row of information. This process is repeated until all of the information is printed on the paper.

High speed print quality font modification

A gear drive system for a printer designed to print upon a continuous roll of paper and having a blade used to cut off printed portions of paper from the paper roll is implemented. The gear drive system consists of a drive shaft 330, a slip clutch 401, a clutch gear 116, a fixed gear 110, and a staggered gear 112 which controls the paper cutter blade 106. During printing, clutch 401 allows the drive shaft 330 shaft to slip relative to the clutch gear 116. When printing stops, clutch 401 locks clutch gear 116 which is engaged with the first portion of staggered gear 112 and causes staggered gear 112 to rotate until the second portion of staggered gear 112 engages the fixed gear 110. Staggered gear 112 is then driven by the fixed gear 110. A cutter blade is controlled by staggered gear 112, with the blade cutting off the paper as the fixed gear 110 is in reverse rotation. After the paper is cut, fixed gear 110 resumes its forward rotation, rotating staggered gear 112 and consequently, rotating cutter blade 106 away from the paper. After the blade has been rotated, staggered gear 110 continues to turn, until the fixed gear disengages with the second portion of the staggered gear. Full torque is applied to both cutting and opening rotations of the cutter blade.

A gear mechanism containing a clutch assembly made of an outer member and an inner member wherein the rotation of the inner member is less than one revolution. The inner member has a chord surface, and when inserted in the outer member a wedge shaped space is created. Rolling elements are mounted in the wedge shaped space such that when there is rotation of one of the members, the rolling elements are driven into one of the corners of the wedge shaped space causing the inner member to rotate with the outer member. A protrusion at a fixed location is used to dislodge the rollers. With the rollers dislodged, the inner member ceases rotation. Four embodiments are disclosed. In the first embodiment, two magnetic rollers are used to provide an engagement mechanism between the rollers and the corner of the wedge shape. The second embodiment discloses a single magnetized roller. The third embodiment discloses a spring separator positioned perpendicular to the chord to position two non-magnetic rollers. The fourth embodiment uses a spring separator position parallel to the chord to position two non-magnetic rollers. In applications where, in one direction, a rotation of less than one revolution is acceptable, the use of a fixed protrusion to dislodge the rollers allows the full torque of the driving member to drive the mechanism in either rotational direction.

Double acting roller/ball clutch gear

An integrated circuit socket 41 with built in EMC grounding for a heat sink 16 is provided. The socket 41 may be used with an electronic assembly 10 packaged with or without a planar card 20. The socket 41 includes or accepts one or more conductive fingers 53. The conductive fingers 53 are designed to extend down from the lug 81 of the socket 41 and form a pin. The socket body 41 may have two opposed side walls 71. Each side wall has a lug 81 that projects laterally out from the wall 71. A surface of each lug is coated or covered with a conductive material which forms the conductive finger 53. Each finger forms a pin which extends down from the socket 41 like other socket pins 50. Alternatively, the EMC fingers 55 are electrically coupled to one or more of the socket pins 50 via conductive traces 91/93. A curved upper portion of the finger 53/55 is designed to fit within the lug 81 such that solid electrical contact with the retainer clip 19 is maintained. The finger 53/55 electrically couples the ground plane of the planar card 20 to the heat sink 16 via the retainer clip 19.

Integrated circuit socket with built in EMC grounding for a heat sink

A gear drive system for a printer designed to print upon a continuous roll of paper and having a blade used to cut off printed portions of paper from the paper roll is implemented. The gear drive system has a drive gear which slips against a toothless portion of a driven gear while paper is being fed through the printer for printing by a print head. When printing stops, the drive gear reverses its rotation, causing the driven gear to engage the drive gear. A cutter blade is controlled by the driven gear, with the blade cutting off the paper as the drive gear is in reverse rotation. After the paper is cut, the drive gear resumes its forward rotation, rotating the blade away from the paper. After the blade has been rotated, the drive gear continues to turn, but slips on the toothless portion of the driven gear. Friction losses are minimized as the energy lost as friction is low and full torque is applied to both cutting and opening rotations of the cutter blade.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

James Gabriel Brewington