Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha

Kazuhiko Matsuda

Akira Sago

Masashi Suzuki

Hakudai Kondo

Tsuneo Yasui

Masashi Ueda

Takemi Yamamoto

Kazuo Sangyoji

Morimasa Mano

An image forming device provided with a main cover,that is capable of freely opening and closing and that covers an internally provided recording medium feed mechanism and the area scanned by the recording head during recording operations; and a maintenance cover,that is provided separately from the main cover in order to cover the maintenance mechanism and that is capable of freely opening and closing. Being provided separately from the main cover, the maintenance cover can be constructed relatively small and is, therefore, easy to open and close when replacing the maintenance paper. In addition, by only opening the maintenance cover while the recording head is positioned in the scanning area, the temperature of the recording head is not lowered.

Image forming device

A printer is provided with: a heating device for heating a solid ink to dissolve the solid ink into a liquefied ink while an alternative current is supplied thereto; a recording device, on which the heating device is provided, for recording record information onto a record sheet by use of the liquefied ink; and a moving device for moving the recording device. An information recording method is provided with the processes of: moving the recording device by the moving device to an ink dissolving position where a moving terminal, which is fixed on the recording device and is electrically connected to the heating device, and a fixed terminal, which is fixed on a frame member of the printer and is electrically connected to an alternative current source, are contacted with each other, only when the solid ink is to be dissolved in the recording device; supplying the alternative current from the alternative current source to the heating device through the fixed terminal and the moving terminal contacted with each other; moving the recording device in a main scan direction of the record sheet by the moving device after the solid ink is dissolved by the heating device; and recording the record information by use of the dissolved ink onto the record sheet by the recording device while the recording device is moved in the main scan direction by the moving device.

Information recording method and printer

In the position detection device, a timing fence is formed with a plurality of slits which are arranged in its elongated direction. An elongated metal member is provided for supporting the timing fence so that the timing fences will extend in the scanning direction of the image recording head. An encoder is provided for counting the slits on the timing fence while the carriage moves. A gap between the encoder and the elongated metal member can be adjusted properly and uniformly through rotating eccentric collars of the adjustment members inserted into the elongated through-holes in the elongated metal member.

Recording head position detecting device

An ink cartridge retains a plurality of solid inks, each of which is to be heated and dissolved so that the dissolved ink is used for recording record information. The ink cartridge is provided with: a cartridge main body in which the solid inks are aligned and retained; and a plurality of gap members disposed in the cartridge main body for prescribing a gap between each pair of the aligned solid inks adjacent to each other in the cartridge main body.

Ink cartridge, ink supplying apparatus and printer

Disclosed is an image forming apparatus for forming an image on roll paper. The image forming apparatus is provided with a printing head to form an image in accordance with an image data, a sheet feed mechanism to feed the roll paper, and a cutter which cuts out the printed portion of the roll paper. The image forming apparatus is further provided with an information recording system which records information related to the roll paper on downstream side of the portion at which the cutter cuts the roll paper.

Image forming apparatus

An equipment which requires an external unit to be assembled therein for starting inherent operation. The equipment includes a detection means for detecting an identification mark such as a trade mark affixed to the external unit. The equipment is only operable upon detection of a proper identification mark. The equipment may be a printer and an image recording apparatus such as a copying machine, and the external unit may be an image recording medium cassette such as an ink ribbon cassette and a rolled photosensitive sheet cartridge.

Growing community of inventors

Kounan, Japan

Kazuhiko Matsuda