Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Masami Nakagawa

Tetsuya Hokamura

Takayuki Kawamura

Takashi Koike

Yoshio Kishimoto

Susumu Maruno

Wataru Shimotsuma

Masaharu Ushihara

Yoichi Sekine

Michinori Nagahiro

Noboru Miyaji

Humio Yamazaki

A video printing apparatus feeds sheets of printing media from the lower front portion of the apparatus housing and ejects the print media at the upper front portion of the apparatus housing. The apparatus comprises a feed tray to be loaded with printing media, a feeding unit to feed the printing media into the inside of the apparatus, a transport unit to transport the printing media fed by the feeding unit, a switching unit provided between the feeding unit and the transport unit to switch over the transport route of the printing media, at least one detecting unit provided between the switching unit and the transport unit to detect the printing media, a printing unit to transfer printing onto the printing media, an ejection unit to eject the printing media after they have been printed by the printing unit, and an ejection tray to store the printing media ejected by the ejection unit. The feed tray is positioned at an angle with respect to the apparatus housing such that the printing media are at a downward angle in the direction of transport.

Video printer

An image printer comprising: a printing member for printing dye on a recording medium; a dye medium take-up member for taking up a dye medium to which the dye is applied; a first power transmission member for transmitting power to the dye medium take-up member; a recording medium transporting member for transporting the recording medium; a drive member for driving the dye medium take-up member and the recording medium transporting member, which can be driven forwardly and reversely; a pivotal member which is pivotal in response to rotation of the recording medium transporting member; a second power transmission member for transmitting power from the recording medium transporting member to the first power transmission member, which is mounted on the pivotal member; an urging member for bringing the recording medium transporting member into contact with the pivotal member so as to transmit driving force of the recording medium transporting member to the pivotal member; and a preventive member for selectively preventing the second power transmission member from coming into contact with the first power transmission member.

Image printer

A plurality of magnetic styli are arranged in a row for effecting a line recording. A magnetic styli are magnetized by a magnet held in contact with these styli so that a magnetic fluid attaching to the styli is protruded from each stylus to form continuous wave-like protrusions along the row of the styli. The magnetic fluid protruded from the styli is to fly or migrate as a high voltage is applied selectively between the styli and a control electrode which opposes to the styli across the recording paper, due to a Coulomb force acting on the ends of the protrusions. In consequence, a recording is made by the magnetic fluid serving as an ink on the recording paper in accordance with a recording signal. A predetermined head or height differential is preserved between the magnet and an ink tank. The magnet and the ink tank are connected to each other by means of a pipe filled with the magnetic fluid. A slight gap is formed in the connection between the pipe and the magnet. This gap, however, is completely covered and closed by the magnetic fluid attaching to the magnet so that the ambient air is prevented from coming into the pipe. A vacuum is generated in the pipe due to the aforementioned height differential to control the amount of the magnetic fluid supplied to the magnet. As the magnetic fluid is consumed progressively at the ends of the protrusions, the magnetic fluid is supplied to the protrusions from the ink tank through the pipe and the gap. In consequence, various troubles such as printing failure due to magnetic thickening of the magnetic fluid which inevitably takes place in the conventional apparatus incorporating an elongated magnet type ink supplying device, is completely eliminated to ensure a stable printing of a high quality.

Magnetic fluid recording apparatus

A recording apparatus which uses magneto-fluidic material comprising a magnetic multi-stylus head arranged in parallel to oppose a recording plane, a magnet fixed to the multi-stylus head near a tip end thereof, apparatus for supplying magneto-fluidic material to at least one point of the magnet and apparatus for causing the magneto-fluidic material on the multi-stylus to selectively be flung, wherein a plurality of areas of concentration of lines of magnetic force are formed on at least one of outer surfaces of the magnet in order to stabilize the supply of the magneto-fluidic material for the comsumption of the magneto-fluidic material on the multi-stylus head due to the flying of the magneto-fluidic material.

Magneto-fluidic recording apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Hirakata, Japan

Masami Nakagawa