Brother Kogyo Kabushiki-kaisha

Brother Koygo Kabushiki Kaisha

Takeshi Yokoi

Shigeo Nakamura

Hiroshi Yamanaka

Shuhei Okamori

Toshiki Morita

Kazuo Umemura

Hiroyasu Kuragairi

Tamotu Kato

A printer includes improved paper feeding mechanism. A manual paper guide plate below an automatic paper feeding device can guide a thick piece of paper into a printing position on the platen without bending it hard around the platen. A pin tractor below the manual paper guide plate can feed a continuous web substantially straight into the printing position. A print head below the platen prints out on the lower surface of printing paper, whereby the printed individual cut sheets of paper being piled up one after another with the printed surface facing downward in a proper page order. A paper tray for holding the printed paper can alternatively change its position to reverse the discharge direction of the printed continuous web. The printed and reversed paper can be stacked on the upper surface of the manual paper guide plate.

Printer with multi-function paper feeding mechanism

A printer selectively manipulatable between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, and attachable to a host computer, the printer comprising, a main printer body having a multimode control panel, versatile multiple function switches disposed in the control panel, each of the versatile switches for performing different functions in each of the first and second modes, at least a portion of the switches being allocated with a plurality of selectable functions within each mode of operation. A first label portion is fixed to the printer body in a recess of the control panel and disposed adjacent the versatile switches, the first label portion containing a first group of labels indicating first mode functions of the versatile switches, a lid member movable between a first position for exposing the first label portion, the first position corresponding to the first mode and the second position corresponding to the second mode. A second label portion is disposed on the lid member, the second label portion containing a second group of labels indicating second mode functions of the versatile switches. A controller is provided for changing the function of the versatile switches between their first mode functions and their second mode functions, and a detector is provided for detecting a change in the position of the lid member and sending a signal to the control means to change the mode of the switches in response to the change of position of the lid member.

Printer having a multi-mode control panel selectively manipulatable

Ink ribbon cartridge

A sheet feeder is disclosed, which is mounted in a printer for feeding cut printing sheets one by one to a printing position in the printer. The sheet feeder comprises first and second sheet accommodation sections for accommodating respective stacks of printing sheets. First and second feed roller mechanisms are provided for the respective sheet accommodation sections. These roller mechanisms selectively receive a drive torque from a single reversible drive motor via a selective coupling mechanism. The selective coupling mechanism senses the direction of rotation of the drive motor, and selectively couples the drive motor to either one of the first and second roller mechanisms according to the sensed direction of rotation.

Sheet feeder for printer

A sheet feeding apparatus in a printer is provided with: feeding rollers for holding and feeding a sheet of paper therebetween; and an operation lever for changing the contact pressure of the feeding rollers by attaching or detaching the feeding roller to or from the opposite feeding roller depending on a type of sheet, e.g., a continuous form transferred by pin tractors or a manually inserted cut sheet. The operation lever also connects or disconnects a clutch mechanism provided between a drive motor and the pin tractors simultaneously with the attaching/detaching operation for the feeding rollers. A single operation of the operation lever can achieve a precise transfer of a selected type of sheet while suspending another type of sheet in the printer. The sheet feeding apparatus is also provided with a transmission mechanism for transmitting a torque between the platen and the feeding rollers by a friction driving force. The transmission mechanism prevents the inertia force of the platen from rotating the feeding rollers uselessly.

Sheet feeding apparatus in a printer

A feeding apparatus for a printer wherein an uppermost sheet of a sheet stack placed on a support member is delivered by a feed roll in contact with the uppermost sheet, through a clearance formed between a presser member which engages the upper surface of the uppermost sheet, and an elastic member which is disposed adjacent to the presser member for abutting contact with the edges of the sheet stack. The apparatus includes a support mechanism for supporting the presser and elastic members such that the two members are movable toward and away from each other, and a biasing spring for biasing the two members toward each other. The relative position of the presser and elastic members and the amount of the clearance therebetween during a normal sheet feeding operation are determined by a stopper device. In the event of jamming of a sheet between the presser and elastic members, the two members may be moved away from each other against a biasing action of the spring, whereby the jammed sheet may be easily removed. Also disclosed are various other devices for facilitating the removal of the jammed sheet, such as a device for positively enlarging the clearance between the presser and elastic member, and a device for moving sheet advancing rolls away from each other.

Apparatus for feeding recording medium, having means for easy handling

In a printer enabling a user to select different forms-feed modes, a cut-forms automatic-feed unit (12) and a continuous-forms feed cassette (14) are detachably mounted on a printer main body (10) in its upper surface of a rear portion of the main body (10) and in its rear surface of the rear portion of the same (10), respectively, so that the user can selectively mount at least one of such feed units (12, 14). The printer has forms-feed modes corresponding to the mounted feed units (12, 14) and another forms-feed mode for manually feeding a cut-form to the printer. Each of the feed units (12, 14) can be manually mounted on the printer main body (10) as required. When a forms-feed mode set by the user is different from its preceding mode and a form according to the preceding mode remains in a form-driving unit (54, 102, 104, 106) in the printer main body (10), a sensor detects such remaining form. If the preceding mode is a continuous-forms feed mode, such remaining form backs in a direction opposite to its feeding direction. If the preceding mode is not the continuous-forms feed mode, such remaining form is transported in its feeding direction by a predetermined amount so as to be discharged from the printer main body (10), through selective operation of the forms-driving unit.

Printer system for enabling user to select various forms-feed modes

A sheet feeding apparatus in a printer is provided with: feeding rollers for holding and feeding a sheet of paper therebetween; and an operation lever for changing the contact pressure of the feeding rollers by attaching or detaching the feeding roller to or from the opposite feeding roller depending on a type of sheet, e.g., a continuous form transferred by pin tractors or a manually inserted cut sheet. The operation lever also connects or disconnects a clutch mechanism provided between a drive motor and the pin tractors simultaneously with the attaching/detaching operation for the feeding rollers. A single operation of the operation lever can achieve a precise transfer of a selected type of sheet while suspending another type of sheet in the printer. The sheet feeding apparatus is also provided with a transmission mechanism for transmitting a torque between the platen and the feeding rollers by a friction driving force. The transmission mechanism prevents the inertia force of the platen from the rotating the feeding rollers uselessly.

A printer includes improved paper feeding mechanism. A manual paper guide plate below an automatic paper feeding device can guide a thick piece of paper into a printing position on the platen without bending it hard around the platen. A pin tractor below the manual paper guide plate can feed a continuous web substantially straight into the printing position. A print head below the platen prints out on the lower surface of printing paper, whereby the printed individual cut sheets of paper being piled up one after another with the printed surface facing downward in a proper paper order. A paper tray for holding the printed paper can alternatively change its position to reverse the discharge direction of the printed continuous web. The printed and reversed paper can be stacked on the upper surface of the manual paper guide plate.

A printer including a first and a second guide shaft which extend parallel to an elongate platen, to slidably support a carriage on which a print head is mounted. The second guide shaft is spaced by a greater distance away from the platen than the first guide shaft. An active length of a print ribbon is exposed outside a container of a ribbon cassette. A ribbon guide is supported by the second guide shaft pivotally about an axis of the second guide shaft, for supporting the active length of the ribbon so as to pass between the platen and the print head. The ribbon guide is pivoted by drive means, so that the active length of the print ribbon is moved relative to the print head and the platen, in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the platen.

Printer having pivotable ribbon guide

Disclosed is a sheet feeding device for printers and the like, which comprises a detachable holder for thick cut sheets. In this device, thin ordinary cut sheets, supported in a pile by paper supporting means, are delivered one by one in a sheet feeding direction by feed rollers, which are in contact with the uppermost one of the sheets. In feeding relatively thick cut sheets, such as postal cards and other cards, the holder carrying the sheets thereon is detachably mounted on the supporting structure. The holder includes a supporting member for supporting the leading ends of the thick cut sheets, with respect to the sheet feeding direction. The supporting member has a slanting or curved guide surface. As the feed rollers rotate in contact with the uppermost one of the thick cut sheets, the sheets are delivered, sliding on the guide surface.

Sheet feeding device with detachable holder means for thick cut sheets

A pin tractor assembly for feeding a medium having feed perforations such that the perforations engage drive pins provided on an outer surface of a rotating endless belt which engages a pair of wheels rotatably supported between two spaced-apart frames. The two spaced-apart frames are connected to each other by a connecting portion, into an integral tractor body having a slot portion which accommodates the pair of wheels and the endless belt. The assembly has a device for inhibiting radial movement of the pair of wheels positioned in the slot portion of the tractor body.

Pin tractor assembly

A printer for printing characters through a printing ribbon on printing paper placed on a platen by moving a carriage along the platen and driving a printing head on the carriage. The platen is placed in the rear end portion of the printer frame. An opening for insertion of printing paper is formed in the rear end surface of the frame to which the platen is approximated. A continuous paper feeder having a pair of sprocket wheel feed guide blocks and at least one web guide block is installed at this opening. All blocks include a paper guide surface which overlies a paper guide adjacent the platen.

Combination of a printer and continuous feeder

A printer for printing characters through a printing ribbon on printing paper placed on a platen by moving a carriage along the platen and driving a printing head on the carriage. The platen is placed in the rear end portion of the printer frame. An opening for insertion of printing paper is formed in the rear end surface of the frame to which the platen is approximated. A feeder for feeding continuous printing paper is provided for connection to this opening. The feeder includes a pair of laterally adjustable feed guide blocks each having a sprocket wheel. These blocks are essentially hollow and have interior reinforcing plates and an open bottom.

Guide block for a printer for guiding continuous paper

A printer for printing characters through a printing ribbon on printing paper placed on a platen by moving a carriage along the platen and driving a printing head on the carriage. The platen is placed in the rear end portion of the printer frame. An opening for insertion of printing paper is formed in the rear end surface of the frame to which the platen is approximated. Various paper feeders for automatically supplying single sheets or a continuous printing paper are connected to the rear of the printer frame so as to face the open area. A feed roller is moved against the platen when a paper feeder is installed.

Growing community of inventors

Kagamigahara, Japan

Takeshi Yokoi