US 8,803,930 B2Granted

Print head, printer, and control method of printer

AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation

InventorRikuo Yamada

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

In connection with a printer, a platen roller is configured to rotate in a first direction and to transport a recording medium. A print head facing the platen roller includes a head body portion having a printing portion to perform printing on the recording medium when the platen roller transports such medium. A supporting mechanism supports the head body portion, presses the head body portion against the platen roller, and moves the head body portion by rotation of the platen roller. An urging unit urges the head body portion toward the platen roller. When the platen roller rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the supporting mechanism moves the head body portion by the rotation of the platen roller, and a contact position of the head body portion with respect to the platen roller is shifted while maintaining the head body portion pressed against the platen roller.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A printer, comprising:

a platen roller configured to rotate in a first direction and to transport a recording medium;
a print head facing the platen roller, the print head including:
a head body portion having a printing portion configured to perform printing on a recording medium when the platen roller transports the recording medium;
and
a supporting mechanism configured to support the head body portion, to press the head body portion against the platen roller, and to move the head body portion by rotation of the platen roller;
and
an urging unit configured to urge the head body portion toward the platen roller;
wherein
when the platen roller rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the supporting mechanism moves the head body portion by the rotation of the platen roller, and a contact position of the head body portion with respect to the platen roller is shifted while maintaining the head body portion pressed against the platen roller.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/104,114Filed 12 Dec 2013 · continuation
Priority: JP 2010-18212517 Aug 2010
Published: US 2014/0098173 A110 Apr 2014
Granted: 12 Aug 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B41J 11/04
Platens: roller platens
B41J 2/315
Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed: characterised by…
B41J 2/32
Characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material: using thermal heads
B41J 25/304
Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for: bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface

Family

Application13/210,451Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Aug 2011
Application13/866,090Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Apr 2013
US 8,446,441 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 21 May 2013
US 2014/0098173 A1Pre-grant publication · published 10 Apr 2014
US 8,654,163 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2012/0044313 A1Published application
US 2013/0229480 A1Published application
US 8,803,930 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.