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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorsGary M. Klinefelter, Martin A. Pribula, Leonid S. Gershenovich, Stacy W. Lukaskawcez
Estimating the term…
A conventional ink jet printer is modified to print identification cards by removing the paper feed assembly from the printer and substituting a card feeder. The card feeder has a frame that supports card feed rollers, and also supports the existing printer paper drive roller shaft. The paper feed drive shaft from the printer is used to drive the feed rollers for the card feeder. The initiation feeding a card is in response to the same mechanical input from the printer as was used to initiate feeding a sheet of paper for printing. The card feeder assembly does not add any motors or operating mechanisms to the printer, thereby maintaining a low cost by using a high production paper printer modified to accept identification cards.
A card transport conversion assembly for an existing paper sheet printer having a printhead, a printer sheet feed drive, and a control for initializing feed of a printable sheet to the printer, the conversion assembly comprising a card transport for feeding cards to be printed, a drive link between the printer sheet feed drive and the card transport, and a conversion assembly support mounting the conversion assembly on the existing printer.
A card transport assembly for an ink jet printer having a printhead, a printer sheet feed drive shaft, and a control for initializing feed of a printable sheet to the printer, the assembly comprising a frame mounted on the printer, a card transport device on the frame, a support for supporting the printer drive shaft on the frame, and a card transport drive from the printer drive shaft to the card transport drive on the frame.
A card feeder assembly for an existing printer to replace paper sheet feed, comprising a frame, a card supply mounted on one end of the frame, card feeder rollers for feeding one card at a time from the card supply to a second end of the frame, a pair of feed rollers adjacent to the second end of the frame being spaced in direction of feed of a card to provide a printing station, the card feed rollers including a card start roller engaging a card to be fed from the card supply, all of the card feed rollers having drive mechanisms for driving the rollers, all of the card feed rollers except the card start roller being simultaneously driven when a power shaft coupled to one card feed roller is powered, a drive engaging member on the card start roller actuable to engage and be driven by an adjacent portion of the drive mechanism when a drive signal is received, the frame having mounting locations for a power shaft mountable on the existing printer.
A method of forming a low cost printer for printing identification cards by adapting an existing printer that normally prints on paper sheets to print on identification cards, comprising:
A method of forming a low cost printer for printing identification cards by adapting an existing printer that normally feeds paper sheets for printing to print on identification cards, comprising:
A sensor modification for providing a separate signal to an existing sensor of a device, said existing sensor having a light source, and a light receiver that are spaced apart in a gap between the light source and the receiver, the improvement comprising a block positioned between the light source and the receiver, said block blocking light from the light source to the receiver, and said block having a separate light source therein which is controlled by a signal indicating a condition of an attachment to the device.
A control system for a sheet printer having a card feeder assembly attached for printing cards comprising a processor, a communications hub coupled to the processor, a master controller for controlling the card feeder assembly, and a printer controller for controlling a printhead and a printer sheet feeder drive shaft on the printer for initializing feed of a printable sheet to the printer and controlling printer operations, the master controlling and the printer controller being connected to the hub, the processor providing control of the communication hub to couple the master controller to the printer controller for selectively controlling printing through the printer controller.
A sensor modification for providing a separate signal to an existing sensor of a device for sensing a condition, said sensor having a signal source and a signal receiver that are spaced apart with a gap between the source and the receiver, the receiver sensing a change of state of a signal from the source, the improvement comprising a block positioned between the source and the receiver, said block blocking signals from the source to the receiver, and said block having a separate signal source therein which is changed in state as controlled by a signal from a separate sensor sensing a condition different from a condition sensed by the existing sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
Sheet holders, retainers , movable guides, or stationary guides: for the sheet feeding section
Sheet holders, retainers , movable guides, or stationary guides: specially adapted for small cards, envelopes, or the like , e.g. credit cards,…
Typewriters
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to an ink jet sheet feed printer that is provided with an identification card cartridge and card feed, so it can be used for printing information on the identification cards, utilizing the drive motors and print control systems of the ink jet printer.
Ink jet printers have been found to do a satisfactory job of printing on identification cards, and low cost ink jet printers are available. These ink jet printers are generally provided with paper sheet feeders, which usually will feed individual paper sheets such as 8½×11″ or A4 size. The sheets thus are flexible and wide. The feed roller drive on the printer is designed for such wide sheets.
The printhead and the sheet roller drives, however, are relatively low cost, but very accurate and easily controlled.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the outer housing of a conventional ink jet printer having a card feeder made according to the present invention installed thereon;
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view with the cover removed, showing the conventional printer frame, and the card feeder assembly of the present invention installed therein.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of from the front side of the printer with the cover removed, showing the conventional ink jet printheads, frame, and guide rod, and showing the card feeder frame and rollers that support the card during printing;
In FIG. 1, an exterior view of a conventional ink jet printer 10 is shown, and it is modified to change the cabinet to accommodate a card feeder adapter assembly 12, including a card cartridge 14, which will feed cards to card feed rollers for transport to the printing location for ink jet printheads. The printer is a Hewlett Packard Model No. 940 ink jet printer. The components that are part of the conventional, commercially available printer used in the present invention, including the printer frame, printheads, printhead drive and printer controls are not shown in great detail, because the printer is commercially available.
The cover or housing of the printer has been removed in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown, a base plate 15 of the printer supports upright printer frame member 16, and a main printer cross frame 18. The paper feed tray, the paper feed, and the paper sheet singulator are removed, and as shown in FIG. 3, a card feeder assembly 12 is placed in the center portion of a region. The main frame 18 supports a printhead guide and support shaft 20 in a conventional manner. The printheads 22 and 24 are conventional Hewlett Packard printheads having replaceable ink cartridges. The printheads are driven as a unit along the shaft 20 using a suitable belt drive, illustrated schematically at 26, and a printhead motor 28 illustrated schematically for driving the belt. The motor 28 is controlled so that it will move the printheads 22 and 24 rapidly along the guide shaft 20, and in either direction of movement, by reversing the drive to the belt 26. The belt 26 is shown only schematically because it is conventional on ink jet printers made by Hewlett Packard Corporation for driving the printheads.
In FIG. 3, a main printer sheet feed drive shaft 30 is illustrated, the shaft comprises the paper sheet feed drive shaft in the conventional ink jet printer. In order to accommodate the card feeder adapter assembly 12, the relatively large diameter rubber sheet feed rollers that are normally on the shaft 30 are removed, and roller guides that are not needed for supporting the shaft 30 directly are also removed from the printer frame 18. A drive gear 112 is added to shaft 30 for driving a card transport or feeder, as will be explained. The shaft 30 will be guided as needed and will be supported on side plates 50A and 50B of the frame 50 for the card feeder assembly. The shaft 30 is driven by a motor 32 through a suitable gear set. The motor 32 can be controlled with a master card feeder controller 34 through an existing printer controller 36. The controller 34 is connected through a USB hub to the existing printer controller 36, which actually controls the motor 32.