Polaroid Corporation

Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Digital Equipment Corporation

Zink Imaging, Inc.

Michael N Burdenko

Dennis C Mackey

Stephen J Telfer

William T Vetterling

Derek William Jones

Wayne R Foster

Anatoly G Grinberg

Juan C Vandijk

Suresh Ramanujan Nair

Jianhua Wang

Richard Galera

Kenneth J Launie

Steven Robert Tambeau

Dana Frederic Schuh

Walter P Haimberger

George O MacCollum

Robert M Black

Derek Washington Gallon

James K Prueitt

Eric Clinton Henefield

Steven Tambeau

A system for improving a sensing ability of an interlock switch system may include an interlock switch and a target component. The interlock switch may include a first antenna coil that may receive one or more signals from one or more antenna coils within a sensing range of the first antenna coil. The target component may include an actuator that may interface with the interlock switch. The target component may also include at least two antenna coils. Each of the at least two antenna coils may then include an electronic identification (ID) associated with the target component.

Systems and methods for improving a sensing ability of an interlock switch system

A modular connector system allows a user to configure physical and functional aspects of a sensor or electrical connector assembly to suit the requirements of a particular installation or application. A header module houses an electrical component, such as a photo sensor, a proximity switch, a safety sensor, etc. A variety of field modules and adapter modules are provided that can be selectively added to the header module to accommodate a wide range of applications. These field and adaptor modules can include power modules, communication modules, or other types of signal processing modules. The housings and electronics of the header, field, and adapter modules are designed such that the field and adapter modules can be rotated relative to the header module to suit physical environment of the connector's location.

Integrated connection system

Systems and methods are provided relating to utilizing a plurality of RFID tags in conjunction with a circuit comprising at least one reed switch to facilitate determination of operational states and actions based thereon. A magnet can activate the reed switch causing a first RFID tag to be activated and transmit an associated RFID identifier from which a position/operation associated with the first RFID can be determined. The magnet can be removed to activate a second RFID tag whereupon a second RFID identifier is transmitted from which a second position/operation can be determined. The circuit comprising the reed switch and RFID tags can have an induction coil enabling the circuit to be activated when the induction coil is brought into proximity of a second induction coil and inductively coupled.

Determining operational state with tags

A safety lock mechanism is provided that facilitates accurate and consistent alignment between a locking bolt and a locking receptacle prior to engaging the locking bolt. To this end, a safety lock configured to mount to a door frame is provided with an internally disposed hard stop that protects the electrical and mechanical components within the safety lock housing from door impact shock. An extended portion of the hard stop protrudes through the housing facing the direction of door travel. A corresponding receptacle assembly configured to mount to the door is fabricated to include a bolt receptacle hole as well as an open window that engages with the extended portion of the hard stop when the door is in the closed position. When the window in the receptacle is engaged with the extended portion of the hard stop, door movement is limited in five directions even when the locking bolt is not yet engaged. An optional magnet embedded in the hard stop can limit door movement in the sixth direction by magnetically latching to a striking plate mounted behind the window. Thus, the window and the hard stop pre-position the receptacle for proper alignment between the locking bolt and the locking bolt receptacle, ensuring that the locking bolt will properly engage with the receptacle when advanced.

Self-aligning safety lock

Systems, methods, and devices that efficiently control the operating state of an electromagnetic lock under power on and power off conditions are presented. A lock component includes a solenoid component (e.g., bi-stable latching solenoid) that holds a lock pin in a locked or unlocked position without using power to hold the lock pin in the desired position, and using power to transition from one position to another position. A sensor component senses when power to the lock component will be lost, and if the lock pin is not in the desired position for the power off condition, the lock pin can be transitioned to the desired position, and if the lock pin is in the desired position for power off condition, the lock component can maintain the lock pin in the desired position, while the lock component is in the power off condition.

Efficient and safe door locking control in power-off and power-on conditions

Systems, methods, and devices that efficiently stop and latch a door are presented. A first bracket component is attached to a door frame and has an overhang portion, comprising a holder component, that extends into the doorway to act as a door stop. A second bracket component, comprising an extended portion, is desirably adjusted in position in relation to the holder component and attached to the door such that the extended portion has a desired amount of overlap on the holder component, wherein the amount of overlap corresponds to an amount of latching force in accordance with the force profile associated with the extended portion based at least in part on shape of the extended portion. An operation device is attached to the first bracket component and/or second bracket component and the door latching holds the door in the desired position to facilitate operations of the operation component.

Variable adjustable door latch

An electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector includes a socket housing and a plurality of socket contacts disposed within the socket housing. Each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises a body and at least two members extending from the body towards a pin-receiving end and separated by longitudinal slots. Each of the members has a tapered cross-section thicker towards an end adjacent to the body than towards a distal end through which the socket contact receives a mating pin.

Electrical connector and method of making same

A printing device that includes a platen for supporting an imaging member during a printing operation and at least one print head subassembly for direct thermal printing on the imaging member. The print head subassembly is configured to be movable independently of the platen for printing on a first surface of the imaging member in a first transport path and on a second surface of the imaging member in a second transport path. The printing device also includes at least one driving roller for driving the imaging member during the printing operation that is configured to drive the imaging member through a driving nip created by the driving roller with a substantially constant degree of wrap wherein the distance of transport of said imaging member for a given angular rotation of said driving roller is substantially the same for the first transport path and the second transport path.

Thermal printing device with an improved image registration, method for printing an image using said printing device and system for printing an image

There is described a roller assembly which may be utilized in a linear or serial printer. The roller assembly includes a platen roller including a central axle being exposed at opposing ends of the roller and a frame for mounting the platen at both exposed axle ends.

Roller assembly

There is disclosed a thermal print head platen which includes a pair of support members separated by a gap wherein the support members are adapted to be oriented to press media against a thermal print head for printing purposes with the gap approximately aligned with a heating element located within the print head. There are also described a thermal printer which includes at least one thermal print head in conjunction with a thermal print head platen to pressure print media against the thermal print head for printing purposes and a thermal printing method utilizing such a thermal printer.

Platen assembly for thermal printer

There is described a thermal printer assembly including a plurality of elongated thermal print heads and a frame adapted to fixedly mount and align the plurality of print heads in parallel across a single print media path. The frame may be adapted to align the print heads to print across substantially different lateral portions of the print media path.

Thermal printer assembly

There is described a thermal printer apparatus including one or more thermal print heads fixedly mounted with respect to a print media path, one or more platen roller assemblies each including a platen roller adapted to press print media in the print media path against at least one print head and a frame adapted to support a respective platen roller and a pivotally mounted support member adapted for mounting the platen roller assembly frames to extend from the support member and press its respective platen roller against the print head.

Thermal printer apparatus

There is described a thermal printer assembly which includes an elongated thermal print head oriented substantially orthogonally to a print media path and a platen roller, aligned with and opposed to the elongated thermal print head, and adapted to pressure the print media against the print head. The assembly may include one or more additional print heads.

There are described drive roller assemblies for pulling print media within, or in conjunction with, a printing apparatus. In one embodiment the assembly includes a rigid drive roller having a hard outer surface in conjunction with a pressure roller having a deformable surface. In another embodiment the assembly has a rigid drive roller in conjunction with a plurality of pressure rollers which are adapted for pressing print media against the drive roller over substantially different portions of the drive roller length.

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Wellesley, MA, United States of America

Michael N Burdenko