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. 15, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 06, 1997
David L St Jean, Chepachet, RI (US);
Comtec Information Systems, Inc., Warwick, RI (US);
Abstract
A self-contained, high power, solid state, battery voltage switching system applies battery voltage to a thermal printhead when the printer is turned on and disconnects voltage from the battery to the thermal printhead when the printer is turned off, thereby conserving battery power and increasing battery life. FET switches connect the battery to the printhead and to a circuit for applying operating voltage to a drive and control circuit for the printhead. Gate voltage is applied to the FET, or FETs when a plurality thereof are connected in parallel, to enable the FETs to provide the connection between the battery and the printhead. The gate voltage is supplied from a flip-flop and a FET driver which are self-contained with the FETs and the other circuitry in the printer. Command signals from keys on a keypad or from a computer control unit in the printer or from a communication channel (radio or a communications link) set and reset the flip-flop so that the gate voltage is supplied and the printer is turned on when an on command signal is provided and maintained on until an off command signal occurs.