Printer
OwnerGary Pfeffer, Keith Buxtoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A printer comprising a printhead configured to selectively cause a mark to be created on a substrate. The printer comprises a stepper motor having an output shaft coupled to the printhead, the stepper motor being arranged to vary the position of the printhead relative to a printing surface against which printing is carried out, and to control the pressure exerted by the printhead on the printing surface. The printer further comprises a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular position of the output shaft of the stepper motor. The printer further comprises a controller arranged to generate control signals for the stepper motor so as to cause a predetermined torque to be generated by the stepper motor; said control signals being at least partially based upon an output of said sensor.
Claims23
A printer comprising:
- a printhead configured to selectively cause a mark to be created on a substrate;
- a stepper motor comprising an output shaft coupled to the printhead, the stepper motor being arranged to vary a position of the printhead relative to a printing surface against which printing is carried out, and to control a pressure exerted by the printhead on the printing surface;
- a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular position of the output shaft of the stepper motor;
- and
- a controller arranged to generate control signals for the stepper motor so as to control the stepper motor in a torque controlled manner to cause a predetermined torque to be generated by the stepper motor;
- said control signals being at least partially based upon an output of said sensor.
A thermal transfer printer, comprising:
- a first spool support and a second spool support each being configured to support a respective spool of ink carrying ribbon;
- a ribbon drive configured to cause movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support;
- and
- a printhead configured to be selectively energized so as to cause ink to be transferred from the ribbon to a substrate so as to cause a mark to be created on the substrate;
- wherein the ribbon drive comprises:
- a stepper motor comprising an output shaft operably associated with one of the first spool support and the second spool support, the stepper motor being arranged to cause said one of the first spool support and the second spool support to rotate to cause said movement of ribbon from the first spool support to the second spool support;
- a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular position of the output shaft of the stepper motor;
- and
- a controller arranged to generate control signals for the stepper motor so as to control the stepper motor in a torque controlled manner to cause a predetermined torque to be generated by the stepper motor;
- said control signals being at least partially based upon an output of said sensor.
A printer comprising:
- a printhead configured to selectively cause a mark to be created on a substrate;
- a stepper motor comprising an output shaft coupled to the printhead, the stepper motor being arranged to vary a position of the printhead relative to a printing surface against which printing is carried out, and to control a pressure exerted by the printhead on the printing surface;
- an angular position sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of an angular position of the output shaft of the stepper motor;
- and
- a controller arranged to generate control signals for the stepper motor so as to cause a predetermined torque to be generated by the stepper motor;
- said control signals being at least partially based upon the signal indicative of the angular position of said output shaft;
- wherein the control signals are updated for different angular positions of the output shaft to ensure the predetermined torque is generated irrespective of the angular position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.