Electronic printer having wireless power and communications connections to accessory units

Abstract

An electronic printer having wireless power and communications connections to accessory units to which it is adjacent and with which it is in contact during operation is disclosed. Communications between the printer and the accessory unit, instead of being handled via a cable connection, are achieved using a two-way, infrared (IR) communications link. Power is supplied to the accessory via inductive coupling rather than directly through power cables. As inductive coupling works efficiently only over very short distances, the accessory unit is equipped with a standby battery power so that the accessory may be temporarily separated from the printer (e.g., in order to eliminate media jams) without loss of accessory status data. When the accessory is once again positioned immediately adjacent the printer, the inductive coupling reassumes the role of power provision. The invention eliminates problems associated with cable connections, such as the inadvertent disconnection of a power or communication cable, damage to connectors over the operational lifetime of the printer and its accessory, as well as manufacturing and stocking costs associated with the connector cables.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.