# US 9,751,338 B2 · Dual purpose printing apparatus

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- Number: US 9,751,338 B2
- Document ID: US9751338B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/232,398
- Filed: 2016-08-09
- Published: 2016-12-01
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-02
- Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Toshiharu Sekino; Kenji Eoka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751338B2

## CPC

- B41J 11/0045: {Guides for printing material (curl smoothing B41J11/0005; platens B41J11/02, B41J11/06; guiding webs B41J15/046)}
- B41J 2/32: using thermal heads
- B41J 3/546: {Combination of different types, e.g. using a thermal transfer head and an inkjet print head}
- B41J 3/60: for printing on both faces of the printing material
- B41J 11/50: in which two or more papers or sets are separately fed in the same direction towards the printing position
- B41J 13/00: Devices or arrangements {of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers,} specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
- B41J 13/0018: {in the sheet input section of automatic paper handling systems}
- B41J 13/03: driven, e.g. feed rollers separate from platen
- B41J 15/042: {for loading rolled-up continuous copy material into printers, e.g. for replacing a used-up paper roll; Point-of-sale printers with openable casings allowing access to the rolled-up continuous copy material}
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, a dual purpose printer has a housing, a printing medium supporting section, a first printing section, and a second printing section. The housing has a discharge port and an entrance port. The printing medium supporting section is arranged inside the housing, and rotatably supports a rolled printing medium. The first printing section is configured to print on a top surface of a first continuous sheet printing medium drawn from the rolled printing medium supported on the printing medium supporting section, and to print on a second printing medium carried in through the entrance port. The second printing section is arranged inside the housing, and is configured to print on the bottom surface of the first continuous sheet printing medium.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for printing on a first printing medium and a second printing medium in a dual purpose printer, the method comprising:
loading through an opening in a housing a rolled print medium into a printing medium supporting section wherein the printing medium supporting section rotatably supports the rolled print medium and wherein the opening has a lid in an open position during loading of the rolled print medium through the opening;
positioning the lid in a closed position wherein the lid is configured with an entrance port to accept the second printing medium therethrough; and
printing, with a first printing section, on a top surface of the first printing medium fed from the rolled print medium;
printing, with a second printing section, on a bottom surface of the first printing medium fed from the rolled print medium;
withdrawing the first printing medium from the first printing section;
loading the second printing medium from the entrance port on the lid and into the first printing section; and
printing on the second printing medium in the first printing section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for printing on the first printing medium and the second printing medium in the dual purpose printer of claim 1, wherein the first printing medium, withdrawn from the first printing section, extends into the second printing section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method for printing on the first printing medium and the second printing medium in the dual purpose printer of claim 1, wherein the dual purpose printer is configured with a plurality of sensors which detect a location of the first printing medium and the second printing medium and a plurality of rollers configured to feed the first printing medium and the second printing medium in the dual purpose printer, wherein the plurality of rollers are configured to rotate in a forward direction and a backward direction for positioning of the first printing medium in the dual purpose printer.

### Claim 4

A method for printing on a first printing medium and a second printing medium in a dual purpose printer, the method comprising:
loading a rolled print medium into a printing medium supporting section that rotatably supports the rolled print medium in a housing, the housing including: a lid that is in an open position during loading of the rolled print medium, and an entrance port to accept the second printing medium therethrough;
positioning the lid in a closed position; and
printing, with a first printing section, on a top surface of the first printing medium fed from the rolled print medium;
printing, with a second printing section, on a bottom surface of the first printing medium fed from the rolled print medium;
withdrawing the first printing medium from the first printing section;
loading the second printing medium from the entrance port on the lid and into the first printing section; and
printing on the second printing medium in the first printing section.