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:
Aug. 17, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 30, 2006
Jay Hyuk Kim, Raleigh, NC (US);
Jay Hyuk Kim, Raleigh, NC (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
Apparatus supplies a printer used in a POS location or other printer station with paper from two different rolls. A detection device recognizes when the feeding roll is about to run out of paper, whereupon the paper feeding task is automatically switched to the other roll. An operator only needs to service a printer station before both rolls of paper run out in order to prevent a downtime. One embodiment is directed to apparatus for supplying paper to a printer disposed to receive paper from either a first or a second paper roll. The apparatus comprises first and second roller sets corresponding to first and second paper rolls, respectively, each roller set being operable when receiving power to supply paper from its corresponding paper roll to the printer. The apparatus further comprises a single power source, and a power delivery mechanism for adapting the first and second roller sets to receive power from the source during first and second operating modes, respectively, of the mechanism. A device is provided to monitor the amount of paper remaining on the roll feeding the printer, and to direct the mechanism to change modes before the remaining amount runs out.