Tokyo Electric Co.

Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha

Takeshi Tashiro

Kazuhiro Fushimi

Seiji Koike

Tsugio Shiozaki

Osamu Koizumi

Mitsuo Uchimura

Ikuzo Sugiura

Kazuaki Sugimoto

Toshiharu Shimosato

Kazuhiko Hiramatsu

Yuji Yasui

Kouzi Endo

A self-checkout terminal is provided which includes a sensor for detecting whether or not a customer is in a position where operation of units of the self-checkout terminal by the customer is possible. When the sensor does not detect a customer, a whole guidance screen including a procedure summary of a self-checkout from start to finish is displayed. When the sensor detects a customer, the whole guidance screen is erased and a basic screen is displayed which shows guidance on performing a self-checkout. The guidance displayed on the basic screen is changed in accordance with the stage of the self-checkout.

Self-checkout terminal

A base sheet path for peeled issue (29) for guiding a base sheet (7) in a direction different from a label issue port (22) after passing a peeling section (12) following the printing by a printing section (18) and a base sheet path for continuous issue (30) for guiding the base sheet to the label issue port (22) with labels (9) printed by the printing section (18) stuck on the base sheet are provided. Two operating modes, namely, the label peeled issue mode in which the base sheet is set to the base sheet path for peeled issue and the label continuous issue mode in which the base sheet is set to the base sheet path for continuous issue are executed selectively. In this case, depending on the result of detection by a base sheet sensor (31) arranged facing the base sheet path for peeled issue for detecting the presence of the base sheet, namely, depending on the setting state of the base sheet, the label peeled issue mode or the label continuous issue mode is recognized automatically for determining the issue mode. Namely, depending on the difference between the positions at which the base sheet is set in the label peeled issue mode and the label continuous issue mode, the label issue mode is recognized without adding an issue mode parameter to an issue command.

Label printer

Label printer having mode sensor

According to the present invention, there is used a conveyance roller for the conveyance of a pasteboard with labels; a separating member is disposed on a downstream side from a pasteboard conveyance path with respect to a printing head which holds the pasteboard with labels between the same and a platen, and in a position close to the printing head; and a pinch roller is provided for holding between the same and the conveyance roller the pasteboard portion which has been bent and separated from a label after printing by the separating member. The conveyance of the pasteboard with labels for printing and the conveyance of the pasteboard for label separating can be done at a time by driving either the conveyance roller or the pinch roller.

Label separating device in label printer

Disclosed is a printer device including a printer body and a battery section. The printer body is provided with a paper accommodating portion for replaceably accommodating printing paper. A driving circuit section is located on one side of the paper accommodating portion for controlling an operation of the printer body. The driving circuit section has at least an operating portion. The battery section has a substantially L-shaped configuration formed by a rectangular body located below the paper accommodating portion and a projecting portion located below the driving circuit section so as to project from one end of the rectangular body.

Printer device

A printing head supporting device including a supporting mechanism for supporting a printing head so that the printing head can be brought into contact with and separation from a platen, and a pressure plate detachably mounted to a printer body. When the pressure plate is mounted to the printer body, the printing head is maintained in contact with the platen to obtain a printable condition. In contrast, when the pressure plate is detached from the printer body, the printing head is maintained in separation from the platen, so that an operator can easily carry out a maintenance work such as cleaning of the printing head or removing of a recording paper caught between the printing head and the platen. Thus, the maintenance work can be easily carried out by a simple operation such that the pressure plate is simply detached from the printer body.

Printing head supporting device

An information output projection of a handy terminal is adapted to engage an information input hole of a data processing device. A light shutting out member is provided between an opening of the information input hole and an information receiving element in the data processing device. The light shutting out member is adapted to be opened by a depression force of the information output projection when the information output projection is inserted from the opening of the information input hole thereinto. Accordingly, malfunction of the device due to entry of optical noise from the opening of the information input hole is prevented.

Optical data transfer device

According to the present invention, there is provided a hand scanner having an optical reader portion for reading data optically, a memory portion for storing the data read by the optical reader portion, and a light emitting portion for outputting the data stored in the memory portion as a light signal, and also provided is a printer comprising, in a successively connected arrangement, a light receiving portion for receiving the light signal emitted from the light emitting portion of the hand scanner, an opto-electro transducer means for converting the light signal received by the light receiving portion into an electric signal, a printing control portion for controlling printing in accordance with the electric signal obtained by the opto-electro transducer means, and a printing portion for making printing on a label in accordance with the control made by the printing control portion. Thus, the transfer of data from the hand scanner to the printer is realized by such optical means.

Label issuing apparatus

A printing apparatus comprises a printer body having an opening on the top side thereof, and a platen for feeding a paper sheet supported by a paper holder disposed in the printer body. The platen is provided in the body to face the opening. A head unit includes a housing having an opening on the bottom side thereof and a print head disposed in the housing to face the opening thereof. The head unit is moveable between an operative position, in which the head unit is located on the printer body so that the opening of the housing and the print head face the opening of the printer body and the platen, respectively, whereby the paper sheet between the platen and the print head is allowed to be ready for printing, and an open position in which the head unit is off the printer body so that the whole opening of the printer body is exposed.

Printing apparatus

A method for cleaning a thermal head with a raised portion formed on a printing surface portion corresponding to a heat generating element. The method comprises passing a nonwoven sheet, havng an alcohol-impregnated forward portion and a dried rear portion, between a printing surface of the thermal head and a platen, upon the rotation of the platen, in a fashion compressed therebetween to allow the printing surface to be cleaned with the alcohol impregnated in the forward portion of the nonwoven sheet and the alcohol to be sucked in the dried rear portion of the nonwoven sheet.

Method for cleaning a thermal head

According to the present invention, a shaft cover is attached to the front end portion of a ribbon guide shaft projecting in a cantilevered state from a side face of a printer body; cores of an ink ribbon are fitted respectively on a ribbon feed shaft and a ribbon take-up shaft both projecting in a cantilevered state from the said side face of the printer body; the ink ribbon is passed round the outer periphery of the shaft cover; then the cores and the shaft cover are pushed in simultaneously to set the ink ribbon in a predetermined certain position.

Method and apparatus for loading ink ribbon

A web holding device in which elastic pieces of tapered form projecting out towards a bearing and expanding in the outer peripheral direction are formed on a web driving shaft which is coupled with a driving unit and rotatably supported at one end on a frame; and a core having an engaging section formed at one end is mounted on the web driving shaft, such that the core is retained by a contact portion formed on the end of each of the elastic pieces.

Web holding device

An apparatus for transporting paper comprising a paper transport path made up of a reference surface with which one edge portion of paper is brought into abutment and a paper guide on which the surface of the paper is supported, a skew roller supported on a roller shaft, which is arranged at an angle with the transport direction of the paper, and resilently urged toward the paper guide, a skew roller portions control having an abutment surface with which one end portion of the roller shaft is brought into abutment when the skew roller takes a position to be in contact with the paper and a stopper edge with which the periphery of the roller shaft is brought into abutment when the skew roller takes an open position to be away from the paper and being urged toward the skew roller, and a release to move the skew roller position control away from the skew roller, whereby it is made possible to simply bring about a state of the skew roller separated from the paper guide and a state of them held in contact.

Apparatus for transporting paper

An electronic printing apparatus comprises a printer body having a front surface with a window, a sheet feeding mechanism provided in the printer body, which may be accessed for maintenance work through the window, a main front cover for opening and closing the window in the front surface of the printer body, a sub-front cover movably provided on the printer body so as to be downwardly pivotable about the bottom of the printer body in a perpendicular direction, and having an operation surface which covers the main front cover so that it faces thereto, and a keyboard and a display provided on the operation surface of the sub-front cover.

Growing community of inventors

Shizuoka, Japan

Takeshi Tashiro