Single motor scanning-head printer
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorWilliam J. West
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for a scanning-head printer in which a single motor is used to provide movement to a print head carriage and to advance the paper along a paper path. The single motor is coupled to the print head carriage to provide movement of the carriage back and forth across the width of the paper. As the carriage is moved across the paper, the print head applies print to the paper. An advancement mechanism is located near the edge of the paper path. As the print head carriage reaches the edge of the paper, the carriage contacts the advancement mechanism which, in turn, causes the paper to be advanced along the paper path. Thus, a single motor advances the paper and moves the carriage across the paper.
Claims12
A scanning-head printer comprising:
- frame means for defining a paper path;
- a motor supported by said frame means;
- a carriage connected to said frame means for reciprocating motion along a carriage path having first and second extreme positions, said carriage path being generally perpendicular to said paper path, said motor being connected to said carriage to selectively drive said carriage along said carriage path;
- print means fixed to said carriage for applying print to paper positioned on said paper path;
- and
- a paper advancement assembly, supported on said frame means, for advancing said paper positioned along said paper path when said carriage reaches said first extreme position, said paper advancement assembly including
- (a) an extensible pivoting hinge pivotable between a retracted condition and an extended condition, said extensible pivoting hinge being disposed such that movement of said carriage into said first extreme position elongates said extensible pivoting hinge,
- (b) a sliding member secured to said extensible pivoting hinge to be linearly displaced upon pivoting of said extensible pivoting hinge, and
- (c) means for advancing said paper along said paper path in response to displacement of said sliding member.
A scanning head printer comprising:
- a paper feed path;
- a carriage movable in a direction perpendicular to said paper feed path between a first edge and a second edge of carriage travel;
- a printhead connected to said carriage for travel therewith;
- a motor connected to drive said carriage;
- a hinge having a fixed first end and a linearly displaceable second end, said hinge having a pivot axis between said first and second ends, said hinge having a rest position in which said hinge extends into a path of said carriage at said first edge such that movement of said carriage at said first edge causes said hinge to pivot at said pivot axis and to displace said second end linearly;
- a slidable member connected to said second end of said hinge for displacement therewith;
- and
- means for advancing paper on said paper feed path in response to displacement of said slidable member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.