The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 1991
Filed:
Apr. 03, 1990
Tadashi Nakamura, Morioka, JP;
Toshiyuki Yamamoto, Takizawa, JP;
Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A thermal printer which always performs a satisfactory printing operation regardless of whether a ribbon cassette mounted for printing houses an ink ribbon for hot release mode printing or an ink ribbon for cold release mode printing. Hot release mode printing is satisfactory for printing normal printing papers, while cold release mode printing is satisfactory for printing OHP (overhead projection) papers. The printer is capable of sensing the difference between ribbon cassette having an ink ribbon for hot release mode printing and a ribbon cassette having an ink ribbon for cold release mode printing, when mounted on the printer for printing. The printer upon sensing the type of ribbon cassette mounted, then adjusts its components, if necessary, so that they are configured in locations appropriate to perform satisfactory printing according to the type of ink ribbon housed in the ribbon cassette mounted. Alternatives include moving a carriage on which the ribbon cassette is mounted toward and away from a platen against which the paper to be printed is placed, moving the location of the ribbon cassette toward or away from the platen against which the paper to be printed is placed, and moving an arm which may guide the ink ribbon after it passes the thermal head.