Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft

Bell-northern Research Ltd.

Ulrich Buschmann

Wolfgang Hauslaib

Gunter Gomoll

Lorne Arthur Whitehead

Andre John Van Schyndel

Paul John Koens

Guenter Gomoll

Alfred Babsch

Werner Rupp

Kurt Rohrer

Jon David Scott

Alois Hoffart

A proximity detector structure comprising a pair of light guides which are optically isolated from each other, each of the light guides having an end surface at one end thereof, a light source for transmitting light along one of the light guides to its end surface, a light receiver for receiving light carried by another of the light guides, a light emitter at the end surface of the one of the light guides for emitting light carried by the one of the light guides, and a light gathering structure at the end surface of the other of the light guides for receiving light emitted from the light emitter and reflected from an external surface and for passing the received light into the other of the light guides, the light emitter and light gathering structure being shaped so as to couple unreflected light directly from the light emitter to the light gathering structure.

Light guide implementation of a proximity detector

A paper transport device in printers (1), particularly in dot matrix printers, for the feeding of continuous webs (6) by transversely displaceable tractors (7, 8) which are arranged in pairs on the printer frame. The tractor pins (9) engage into the edge perforations of the continuous web (6) and the pin belts (10) are guided over at least one wheel (11) of the tractor (7, 8) and at least one driven tractor wheel (13) is present. The device is equipped with a locking device so that the tractor (7, 8) operating as push means or as pull means is mounted in each case on a drive shaft (14) and in each case prevented from turning on the printer fram (1a) by a projection (16) on the side (15a) opposite the drive shaft (14) or by a swingable tractor flap (24).

Device for the transport of paper in printers, particularly dot matrix

Apparatus for the selectably alternative feeding of single sheets and of endless webs of paper in a printer includes a guide roll (7), and first and second groups (8, 9) of friction rollers concurrently movable between first and second positions to define respective single sheet and endless web feeding modes of operation. In their first positions, the first friction rollers (8) contact the guide roll (7) to define a first single sheet feed channel (4) and the second friction rollers (9) contact the guide roll (7) to define a second single sheet feed channel (5). When shifted to their second positions, the first friction rollers (8) are displaced from their first position contact with the guide roll (7) to substantially eliminate the first single sheet feed channel (4), and the second friction roller (9) are lowered to form with the guide roll (7) an endless web feed channel (6).

Apparatus for the transport of paper in printers

The print substrate support (3) and longitudinal guides (4) for a print-head slider (7) are disposed in parallel at the invention printer. A controllable paper-guide drive motor (10) is furnished for the paper guide (9; 9a) and a drive motor (11) is furnished for the print-head slider (7). In order to be able to economically produce printers for different paper widths, and in order to eliminate problems of interfering radiation, a separated space (14) is furnished at the end of the paper guide (9; 9a) or respectively, of the longitudinal guide (4). At least one control-logic printed circuit board (15), an interface printed circuit board (16), the paper-guide drive motor (10) as well as the print-head-slider drive motor (11) are disposed in the separated enclosed space (14).

Printer, in particular matrix pin printer

In a printer, a drive motor, a drive roller arranged on the shaft of the motor, a reversal roller in spaced relation to the drive roller, and an elongated drive belt trained about the drive and reversal rollers form a tensioning device, the belt being fastened at its ends to a print-head carriage for selectively displacing the carriage in the forward and reverse directions along and relative to a printable substrate support roller or base. The reversal roller is carried in a carrier housing which movably and cooperatively engages a spring-loaded tensioning wedge for maintaining the elongated drive belt in a predetermined tensioned or stretched relation. In order to avoid the need for a separate or specialized drive motor and an additional drive belt for advancing an inked printing ribbon, the drive force for the inked-ribbon drive shaft is derived from the reversal roller which, in the normal operation of the printer, is rotatable in opposite directions for selectively positioning the print-head carriage along the printable substrate support. For this purpose, a clutch member is interposed between the reversal roller and a gearwheel associated with the inked-ribbon drive shaft, the clutch member being longitudinally movable into coupled and uncoupled relations with the inked-ribbon gearwheel as a function of the direction of rotation of the reversal roller.

Device for driving a printer print-head carriage having a belt

The printer with a substrate support (1) is furnished with a layer structure in a print support cross-section (11). The layer structure comprises a metallic print bar (13), a vibration-attenuating damping layer (14), and a metallic intermediate layer (15) disposed sequentially in print element operation direction (12), where the intermediate layer (15) acts only functionally as 'intermediate layer.' In order to avoid a space-requiring and bulky layer structure of an insulating layer (16), neutralizing the frequencies of contacting components, the frequency-neutralizing insulating layer (16) is formed by elastic caps (18) at the ends (17a, 17b) of a unit, where the unit is formed by print bar (13), damping and absorbing layer (14), and intermediate layer (15). The elastic caps (18) can be slid into the recesses (19) of the printer side walls (20).

Printer with a substrate support, in particular matrix pin printer

A circuit board arrangement that is for an electronic/electromechanical apparatus and that has a mechanically actuable switch for at least two different power line voltages includes a circuit board having a polygonal cutout therethrough, which defines a plurality of polygon sides. A plurality of contact surfaces on a first side of the circuit board is provided, each such contact surface being associated with a respective polygon side of the polygonal cutout. Each of the contact surfaces is connected to an electrical conductor of a power supply unit and is positioned such that a pair of contact surfaces opposite to each other with respect to the cutout correspond to one voltage. A contact spring extends into the cutout and has a pair of spring legs respectively contacting a pair of contact surfaces positioned opposite to each other with respect to the cutout.

Circuit board arrangement for electronic/electromechanical apparatus

A device for the feeding or advancement of an edgeperforated paper web (1) in a dot-matrix printer or the like includes a pair of drive belts (3) transversely spaced apart proximate opposite transverse edges of the web, each belt carrying on its upper surface (6) a series of pins (7) for releasable engagement with the edge-disposed web perforations (11). To provide an increase in friction between the paper web (1) and the drive belts (3) during transport of the web, and thereby assure enhanced accuracy and precision in operatively advancing the web, a plurality of upstanding or outwardly-protruding projections (17, 17a, 17b, 17c) are defined on the upper belt surface (6). These projections are located at least in the flat sections (16) of the belt between adjacently or successively-disposed ones of the pins (7) and, in another form of the invention, additionally at and coincident with the locations of the pins (7) which interrupt the transversely-oriented projections.

Device for improved control in the transport of edge-perforated paper

A device for the transport of multilayer, edge-perforated imprint-receiving substrates (8) takes into consideration a curve-shaped transport path (9), wherein a thrust tractor pair (5) is disposed in front and ahead of a substrate support (2), as seen in transport direction (10). Several friction roller pairs are following to the thrust tractor pair (5). In each case, a pulling force is transferrable by way of at least one friction roller. The multilayer imprint-receiving substrate (8) rests with its rear layer (8a) on the substrate support (2). A tearing of the edge perforations of the imprint-receiving substrate (8) as well as belly and bulge formations of one of the two layers (8a, 8b) is avoided by furnishing the push tractor (5) with a braking element (19) for the front layer (8b). A following first friction roller pair (11) rests with a driven friction roller (11a) at the front layer (8b). This friction roller (11a) performs a slightly smaller motion path per time unit relative to the counter friction roller (11b). However, the counter friction roller (11b), resting at the rear layer (8a), performs a slightly larger motion path relative to the tractor advance path.

Device for transport of multi-layer, edge-perforated imprint-receiving

Sound attenuation for a printer which includes impacting print elements and other movable noise producing parts being mounted to a frame and further including a biparted housing; the frame bottom having downwardly extending feet by means of which the printer rests on a support surface; the housing envelops the frame and is provided with openings through which the feet project without touching the print housing; the housing is floatingly suspended on said frame through a plurality of connections each of which includes pins integral with the frame and being circumscribed by an attenuating sleeve which is being connected to the frame by a locking cap seated on the respective pin for holding down the sleeve.

Growing community of inventors

Elchingen, Germany

Ulrich Buschmann