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:
Dec. 24, 1991
Filed:
Jun. 26, 1990
James R Del Signore, II, Trumansburg, NY (US);
Paul S Ferrell, Ithaca, NY (US);
Kathleen Maginnity, Newfield, NY (US);
Alan H Walker, Barton, NY (US);
NCR Corporation, Dayton, OH (US);
Abstract
A printer has a bi-directional stepper motor that drives an endless toothed belt which is secured to a print head carriage for driving the carriage back and forth across the printer along a line of printing. A timing strip is molded integral with the frame of the printer and positioned under the print head carriage. An optical sensor of the light emitting diode and phototransistor type is secured to the underside of the carriage and positioned to straddle the timing strip as the carriage is driven back and forth across the printer. The printer controller uses timing strip/sensor signals to place the print head in a home position when the printer is turned on and also when the print head has been moved from an operating position, e.g. in the case of changing a ribbon. The timing strip/sensor signals are also used to detect a carriage jam condition.