Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6231249
-
Patent Number
6,231,249
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, September 15, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 15, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Flynn; John D.
- Davidge; Ronald V.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 400 188
- 400 214
- 400 466
- 400 648
- 400 209
- 400 211
- 400 213
- 400 2153
- 400 217
- 400 189
- 400 216
- 400 2101
- 400 2481
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A duplex printer for printing on opposite sides of a document includes a ribbon shifting mechanism for moving a printing ribbon between a first position, in which the ribbon extends between a print head and the document for printing on a front side of the document, and a second position, in which the ribbon extends between the document and a platen for printing on a reverse side of the document. In one version of the printer, the ribbon is shifted as a carriage used to move the print head within a printing range, within which printing occurs, is moved outside this printing range into a ribbon shifting range.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a means for printing on printing on both sides of a paper document, and, more particularly, to printing automatically on both sides of a check at a point of sale terminal with a single print mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
In continuing attempts to provide more efficient and convenient service to customers, many retailers have begun to use “point of sale check printers” to reduce the time required for a customer to fill out and sign a check. Such a printer automatically enters the date, amount of purchase, and the name of the retail establishment, to which payment is being made, in the corresponding spaces of a check provided by the customer. The signature line is left blank, for the customer to sign after he has been presented with the printed check.
Another form of printing performed on a check by the retailer is the printing of franking information on the reverse side of the check. This information generally indicates that the check is for deposit only or that it is to be deposited only to a particular account. While it is not necessary to perform this printing operation at the point of sale, many retail establishments have a policy of printing this information, with a rubber stamp if necessary, at the point of sale, reducing the possibility of unrecoverable losses from checks stolen without franking information, which are later stamped or printed with forged information. It is therefore desirable for a point of sale check printer to be able to print on both sides of the check, with the amount of the check and the name of the retail establishment being printed on the front side of the check, and with the franking information being printed on the reverse side.
One method for printing on both sides of a check simply places an additional burden on the cashier using the point of sale terminal. The check is inserted into the printer for printing on a first side, removed, turned over, and then inserted into the printer for printing on the second side. While this method is the simplest in terms of the hardware required, the additional operations required to be performed by the cashier increase the time required for a transaction while also reducing the chance that the printing operation will be performed correctly.
Some printers provide for printing on both sides of a sheet of paper with two separate print mechanisms, operating on opposite sides of the sheet of paper. However, this approach naturally increases the complexity of the printer mechanism while tending to reduce its reliability.
The patent art describes other printers which provide for printing on both sides of the paper with a single print head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,071 describes a device in which printing is performed on both sides of a sheet of paper fed between a wire matrix print head and a cylindrical platen extending parallel to the direction in which the print head is reciprocated. The cylinder has a solid segment and a porous segment, composed, for example, of a sintered Nylon, impregnated with ink. Printing on a front side of the paper occurs as the print head is moved in an advancing direction, with an ink-impregnated printing ribbon extending between the print head and the paper, and with the platen rotated so that the solid segment is adjacent the paper in the area where printing is taking place. Printing on the back side of the paper occurs as the print head is returned opposite the advancing direction, with the ribbon lifted out of engagement with the print head wires, and with the platen rotated so that a porous, inked segment extends adjacent the paper in the area where printing is taking place. Multicolor printing can be accomplished with multicolored strips of ink extending along the ribbon and with multiple segments of the platen having different colors of ink.
Japanese Application, Publication Number 01-186369, published Jul. 25, 1989, describes another method for printing on both sides of the paper with a single print head, with the paper being fed between a pair of printing ribbons. Each of the printing ribbons includes a strip infiltrated with ink and a strip without ink. The ribbons are arranged so that the inked portion of each ribbon is adjacent the non-inked portion of the other ribbon. For example, a first side of the document is printed with the print head moving in an advancing direction, and with both ribbons in a raised position, so that the inked portion of the first ribbon lies adjacent the print head and the non-inked portion of the second ribbon. The second side of the document is printed as the head is returning opposite the advancing direction, and with both ribbons in a lowered position, so that the inked portion of the second ribbon lies adjacent the print head and the non-inked portion of the first ribbon.
Because of the nature of information to be printed on a check, and because of long-standing conventions in the banking industry, it is particularly desirable to provide biaxial printing at a point of sale check printing terminal. The information to be printed on the front side of the check, such as the organization to which payment is to be made and the amount to be paid, must be printed in a longitudinal direction along the check, while the franking information to be printed on the reverse side of the check must be printed in a transverse direction along a relatively narrow area at an end of the check. Printing in the longitudinal direction, parallel to a long side of a document, is generally called “landscape” printing, while printing in the transverse direction, parallel to a short side of the document, is generally called “portrait” printing.
Thus, the inventions of U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,071 and Japanese Application, Publication No. 01-186369 have a disadvantage, when considered for use in a point of sale check printer, of printing a line at a time on alternating sides of the document. There is no provision for printing in directions perpendicular to one another.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,817 describes a biaxial printer having a print head with a column of print wires arranged at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees relative to a permitted line of motion of the print head. For example, the column may be arranged at 45 degrees relative to this line of motion. This angled print head allows for both portrait and landscape printing, with portrait mode printing being performed by controlling movement of the angled print head along the permitted line of motion during the printing of each line of images, and with landscape mode printing being performed by maintaining a stationary position of the print head while the document is moved in a direction perpendicular to the permitted line of motion of the print head. This type of printing is particularly useful for the application of point-of-sale check printing, since only two or three lines of information is to be printed on each side of the check. In such an application, it is particularly desirable to be able to finish the printing operation quickly, since there often are a number of people waiting in line to check out merchandise.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,547 describes a print head and check flipper subassembly having a removable flipper cartridge to allow printing on both sides of a check or other document in one continuous operation. A check is fed downward, between a print head and platen, with printing occurring on a first side of the check, and into a loop within the flipper cartridge. The check continues around the loop, and is driven out of the loop, having been reversed front to back. The check is fed upward between the print head and platen, with printing occurring on a second side of the check, and outward through the slot into which it has been inserted. This patent also describes the use of a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) reader to read the characters extending along the lower edge of the check to determine the customers bank and his account number.
What is needed is a printer capable of printing on both sides of a document, and in directions perpendicular to one another, without requiring the complexity of a paper path having a capability of flipping the document.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a duplex printer, for printing on both sides of a document. The duplex printer includes an impact print head, a platen, a ribbon, and a ribbon shifting mechanism. The platen is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with the impact print head. The ribbon shifting mechanism is movable between a disengaged position, in which the ribbon is held adjacent the impact print head and in a spaced-apart relationship with the platen, and an engaged position, in which the ribbon is held adjacent the platen and in a spaced-apart relationship with the impact print head.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for printing on first and second opposite sides of a document, comprising steps of:
(a) moving the document in a first direction between an impact print head and a platen, with a printing ribbon extending adjacent the first side of the document;
(b) forming a printing pattern with the impact print head by selectively moving portions of the impact print head toward the platen, with ink being transferred from the printing ribbon to the first side of the document;
(c) moving the document in the first direction into a first ribbon shifting document position allowing movement of the printing ribbon between a position adjacent the impact print head and a position adjacent the platen;
(d) shifting the printing ribbon in a second direction between the position adjacent the impact print head and the position adjacent the platen;
(e) moving the document opposite the first direction between the impact print head and the platen, with the printing ribbon extending adjacent the second side of the document; and
(f) forming a printing pattern with the impact print head by selectively moving portions of the impact print head toward the platen, with ink being transferred from the printing ribbon to the second side of the document.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a front right isometric view of a duplex printer built in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a front right isometric view of a printing ribbon cartridge used with the duplex printer of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the duplex printer of
FIG. 1
, taken as indicated by section lines III—III therein;
FIG. 4
is a fragmentary front left isometric view of a printing area of the duplex printer of
FIG. 1
, showing printing on the front side of a document;
FIG. 5
is a fragmentary rear isometric view of the printing area of
FIG. 5
, showing printing on the reverse side of a document and;
FIG. 6
is a front right isometric view of a duplex printer built in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
is a front right isometric view of a duplex printer
10
built in accordance with the present invention. The duplex printer
10
is configured for printing on both front side
12
of a document
14
and on the reverse side thereof as the document is fed downward, in the direction of arrow
16
, into the printer
10
, and upward, opposite the direction of arrow
16
, out of the printer
10
. Motion of the document
14
within the printer
10
is provided by a paper feed motor
17
, which turns one or both of the document feed rolls
18
by means of a belt drive
20
. During the process of printing, characters are formed by a impact print head
22
, which attached to a carriage
24
. The impact print head
22
is of general type generating patterns to be moved by moving certain structures toward the document
12
. For example, the impact print head
22
may include a matrix of wires which are moved to form characters in succession. The carriage
24
is slidably mounted on a rail
26
to move in and opposite to the advancing direction indicated by arrow
28
, being driven by a transport motor
30
through a transport belt
32
extending around a driven pulley
34
and an idler pulley
36
. The rail
26
is mounted to extend between a pair of sideplates
38
extending upward as portions of a frame generally indicated as
40
, while the document feed rolls
18
are rotatably mounted within these sideplates
38
.
FIG. 2
is a plan view of a ribbon cartridge
42
, including an inked ribbon
44
which is stored on spools (not shown) within the cartridge
42
and which is stretched between a pair of cartridge ribbon guides
46
to facilitate the printing process.
FIG. 3
is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view, taken as indicated by section lines III—III in
FIG. 1
, showing the ribbon
44
extending between the cartridge ribbon guides
46
(shown in
FIG. 2
) in a forward position, held against a central ribbon guide
48
. In this forward position, the ribbon
44
is used to print on the front side
12
of the document
14
, with the print wires (not shown) of the wire matrix print head
22
impacting on the ribbon
44
, which in turn impacts on the document
14
. This printing process is supported by a platen
50
extending behind the document
14
to absorb the impact forces generated by the movement of print wires. Dashed lines
52
indicate a rearward position of the ribbon
44
, as it is held against the platen
50
. In this rearward position, the ribbon
44
is used to print on the reverse side
54
of the document
14
, with the print wires impacting on the document
14
, which in turn impacts on the ribbon
44
. This printing process is again supported by the platen
50
extending behind the document
14
to absorb the impact forces generated by the movement of print wires. Preferably, both the central ribbon guide
48
and the platen
50
have alignment grooves
55
into which edge portions
56
of the ribbon
44
are pulled to aid in maintaining the alignment of the ribbon
44
during the printing process.
Referring to
FIGS. 1-3
, the ribbon cartridge
42
is installed on the printer
10
, with cartridge alignment posts
58
extending through corresponding cartridge alignment holes
60
in cartridge mounting clips
62
, which extend upward from tabs
64
,
66
of the frame
40
. As the ribbon cartridge
42
is installed in this way, the portion of the ribbon
44
stretched between cartridge ribbon guides
46
is also stretched partially around a pair of ribbon guide rollers
67
extending upward from a ribbon shifting plate
68
. With the ribbon shifting plate
68
in the disengaged position in which it is shown, these ribbon guide rollers
67
allow the ribbon
44
to be held against the central ribbon guide
48
. With the ribbon shifting plate in the alternate engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
, the ribbon guide rollers
67
pull the ribbon
44
into a position in which it is stretched along the platen
50
, as indicated by dashed lines
52
.
The ribbon shifting plate
68
is moved between the disengaged position in which it is shown and the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
by movement of the carriage
24
, in the advancing direction indicated by arrow
28
and opposite thereto, beyond the range used for printing. The ribbon shifting plate
68
includes an engaging tab
72
, which is contacted by the carriage
24
as this carriage
24
is driven past the range used for printing in the advancing direction of arrow
28
to move the ribbon shifting plate
68
from the disengaged position in which it is shown to the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
. Similarly, the ribbon shifting plate
68
includes a disengaging tab
74
, which is contacted by the carriage
24
as this carriage
24
is driven past the range used for printing opposite the advancing direction of arrow
28
to move the ribbon shifting plate
68
from the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
to the disengaged position in which it is shown.
The path of movement of the ribbon shifting plate
68
is determined by a pair of alignment slots
76
, within the plate
68
, which slide along alignment posts
78
extending upward from a part of the frame
40
. An extension spring
80
, operating between the ribbon shifting plate
68
and a tab
82
, formed as part of the frame
40
, pulls the ribbon shifting plate
68
in the forward direction of arrow
84
, so that the rightmost ends of the alignment slots
76
are held against the alignment posts
78
, in the position shown in
FIG. 1
, after the carriage
24
moves away from the disengaging tab
74
. The leftmost ends of the alignment slots
76
are configured as detent surfaces
86
, extending at an oblique angle in a direction away from the direction of arrow
84
, so that the extension spring
80
also holds the ribbon shifting plate
68
in a stable position, with the detent surfaces
86
extending partly around the alignment posts
78
, in the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
, after the carriage
24
moves away from the engaging tab
72
.
Thus, the transport motor
30
, through the movement of carriage
24
, controls both the position, in the direction of arrow
28
, at which information is printed on the document
14
, and the ribbon position as required for printing on either the front or reverse side of the document
14
, with movement of the carriage through a central printing range, where printing takes place, and with movement of the carriage into ribbon shifting ranges outside the central range being used to shift the ribbon position.
When the ribbon cartridge
42
is installed within the cartridge mounting clips
62
, a shaft extending within the ribbon cartridge
42
and upward therefrom as a knob
88
engages a drive coupling
90
extending upward from a ribbon drive motor
92
fastened to the tab
66
of frame
40
. This motor drives a conventional mechanism within the ribbon cartridge
42
to present new portions of the ribbon
44
to the area in which printing is taking place and to maintain tension within the portion of the ribbon
44
extending between the cartridge ribbon guides
46
.
The duplex printer also includes a sensor
100
, and an MICR reader
102
. The sensor
100
may be, for example, a conventional optical device, for sensing the presence or absence of a document
14
in a position closely spaced above the document feed rolls
18
. The MICR reader
102
is also a conventional type of device for reading the characters printed in magnetic ink along the lower edge of a check. Information read in this way can be use to verify the customer's account in the manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,547.
FIG. 4
is a fragmentary front left isometric view of a printing area of the duplex printer
10
of
FIG. 1
, showing printing on the front side
12
of the document
14
, while
FIG. 5
is a fragmentary rear isometric view of the printing area, showing printing on the reverse side
54
of the document
14
. The central ribbon guide
48
, otherwise shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3
, is omitted in
FIGS. 4 and 5
to avoid obscuring the relationships among the elements shown.
FIG. 4
shows characters
94
printed as the document
14
is moved downward, in the direction of arrow
16
, with the print head
22
being held stationary, and with the ribbon
44
between the print head
22
and the document
14
.
FIG. 5
shows characters
97
printed as the print head
22
is moved in the advancing direction of arrow
28
with the document
14
being held stationary. The print wires
98
within print head
22
extend in a line at oblique angles with both of the directions of arrows
16
,
22
in which printing occurs, so that a single line of print wires can be used for printing in both of these directions, and opposite to both of these directions, in the general manner described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,817.
A first method for operating the duplex printer
10
as a point of sale check printer will now be described, with particular reference being made to
FIGS. 1
,
4
, and
5
. A check to be printed is first manually placed in a slot (not shown) having a guiding edge against which the lower longitudinal edge (i.e. the edge along which MICR numbers are ordinarily printed) against a guide. This process takes advantage of the fact MICR characters are located relative to this edge.
The process begins with the ribbon transfer shifting plate
68
in the disengaged position in which it is shown, with the ribbon
44
configured for printing on the front side
12
of the document
14
, which in this application is a check to be printed, as shown particularly in
FIG. 4
, having been left in this configuration following a previous printing operation. Optionally, the printing process may always begin with the carriage
24
being driven opposite the advancing direction of arrow
28
to an extreme position, so that the ribbon shifting plate
68
is moved into the disengaged position whenever it is not already in this position.
The process of printing an individual check begins as a first (lower) end, of the check
14
to be printed, is inserted into the duplex printer, being pushed downward, in the direction of arrow
16
, as the check
14
is manually inserted or as it is drawn into the printer
10
with the aid of additional feed rolls (not shown). As the check is being inserted, the carriage drive motor
30
is used to move the carriage
24
, in and opposite to the direction of arrow
28
, into a position in which the print head
22
is aligned with the position in which the first line of information is to be printed on the front side
12
of the check
14
. As the first (lower) end
96
of the check
14
approaches the document feed rolls
18
, the sensor
94
indicates its presence, so that the feed rolls
18
are then driven to continue the movement of the check in the direction of arrow
16
. During this continued movement downward, past the feed rolls
18
, the first line of information to be printed on the front side of the check is printed, and the magnetic ink characters extending along the lower edge of the check
14
are read by the MICR reader
102
. The information obtained in this way by be used to verify the customers account. This first line of information is, for example, the amount of money to be paid, written out in words. When the upper edge of the check
14
moves past the sensor
94
, the output of this sensor causes the document drive motor
17
to stop with an upper end portion of the check between the document feed rolls
18
, but with the entire check
14
moved below the point at which its presence interferes with the transfer of the printing ribbon
44
between the position in which it is shown in FIG.
1
and the position in which it is indicated by dashed lines
52
.
Next, the carriage drive motor
30
is turned on to move the carriage
24
in the direction of arrow
28
until contact between the carriage
24
and the engagement tab
72
causes movement of the ribbon shifting plate
68
from the disengaged position in which it is shown into the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
. This movement of the ribbon shifting plate
68
causes the ribbon
44
to be transferred from the position of
FIG. 4
to the position of FIG.
5
.
Next, the document feed motor
17
is turned on to drive the check
14
upward, opposite the direction of arrow
16
, until the location of the check where the first line of franking information is to be printed on the reverse surface
54
of the check is aligned with the print head
22
. The carriage drive motor
30
is then used to drive the carriage
24
opposite the direction of arrow
28
as this first line of franking information is printed. If more than one line of franking information is to be printed, the carriage drive motor
30
is used to move the carriage
24
back and forth across the check
14
as these various lines are printed, with the document feed motor
17
moving the check
14
through suitable distances between the positions in which lines are printed.
When the printing of franking information has been completed, the document drive motor
17
again moves the check
14
downward, in the direction of arrow
16
, until the sensor
100
indicates that the upper edge of the check
14
has cleared the path through which the ribbon can be shifted, with the upper portion of the check
14
still lying between the document feed rolls.
Next, the carriage drive motor
30
moves the carriage
24
opposite the direction of arrow
28
until contact between the carriage
24
and the disengaging tab
74
causes the ribbon shifting plate to be moved from the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
to the disengaged position in which it is shown in FIG.
1
. In this way, the ribbon is shifted into position for printing the front surface
12
of the check
14
.
Next, the carriage drive motor
30
moves the carriage in the direction of arrow
28
until the print head
22
is aligned with the position in which the second line of information is to be printed on the front side
12
of the check
14
. The first line of information being printed is, for example, the name of the organization to be paid with the check and the amount of money to be paid, written in numerals. In this way, this information is correctly aligned with the top edge of the check
14
, which is the edge closest to the place where the amount of money is written in numerals, regardless of the length of the check. Then the document feed motor is turned on to drive the check
14
upward, with the second line of information being printed as the check
14
is moved upward. After the check
14
is moved out of the document feed rolls
18
, it is removed manually or by being driven through additional feed rolls (not shown).
A second method for operating the duplex printer
10
as a point of sale check printer will now be described, with continuing reference being made to
FIGS. 1
,
4
, and
5
. Again, the process begins with the ribbon shifting plate
68
in the disengaged position in which it is shown, with the ribbon
44
configured for printing on the front side
12
of the document
14
, and with a first (lower) end
96
, of the check
14
to be printed, is manually inserted into the duplex printer
10
, being pushed down, in the direction of arrow
16
, manually or by additional feed rolls (not shown). The output of sensor
94
provides a determination that the lower end
96
of the check
14
is approaching the document feed rolls
18
, causing rotation of the document feed rolls to begin. This rotation occurs until the operation of the sensor
94
indicates that the upper edge of the check
14
has moved past this sensor. Since subsequent operations handling the check
14
require maintaining the check within the document feed rolls
18
while the check is moved up and down, the angular distance through which the motor
20
is operated to drive the rolls
19
until the check moves below the sensor is stored as an indication of the length of the check. During the first downward movement of the check
14
within the duplex printer
10
, a printing operation does not occur, but the magnetic ink characters previously printed along the longitudinal edge of the check are read by the MICR reader
102
.
Next, the carriage
24
is moved in or opposite the direction of arrow
28
by the carriage drive motor
30
, until the print head
22
is determined to be aligned with the location at which a first line of information is to be printed on the front side
12
of the check
14
, and the check
14
is moved upward, opposite the direction of arrow
16
, while this first line of information is printed. This first line of information is, for example, the name of the organization to which funds are to be paid, and the amount to be paid, written in numbers. The distance through which the check
14
is moved upward is limited by the previously stored information indicating the length of the check
14
, so that this movement is stopped with the lower end portion of the check
14
still between the document feed rolls
18
.
Similarly, the carriage
24
is next moved in or opposite the direction of arrow
28
by the carriage drive motor
30
, until the print head
22
is determined to be aligned with the location at which a second line of information is to be printed on the front side
12
of the check
14
, and the check
14
is moved downward, in the direction of arrow
16
, while this second line of information is printed. This second line of information is, for example, the amount to be paid, written in words. The distance through which the check
14
is moved downward is limited as the upper end of the check
14
moves past the sensor
100
. In this position, the check
14
is moved below the ribbon
44
, so that the ribbon
44
can be shifted between the positions of
FIGS. 4 and 5
.
Next, the carriage
24
is moved in the advancing direction of arrow
28
by the carriage drive motor
30
until contact between the carriage
24
and the engaging tab
72
moves the ribbon shifting plate
68
into the engaged position indicated by dashed lines
70
, with the ribbon
44
being moved against the platen
50
as shown by dashed lines
52
in FIG.
1
and as shown in FIG.
5
.
Next, the check
14
is moved upward, by means of the document feed motor
17
, until the position at which a first line of franking information is to be printed on the reverse side
96
of the check
14
is aligned with the print head
22
. Then the carriage
24
is moved opposite the advancing direction of arrow
28
as the first line of franking information is printed. For example, this line may read, “For deposit to account:”
Next, the check
14
is moved by the document feed motor
17
until the position at which a second line of franking information is to be printed on the reverse side
96
of the check
14
is aligned with the print head
22
. Then the carriage
24
is moved in the advancing direction of arrow
28
as the second line of franking information is printed. For example, this line may indicate the bank account number of the organization to be paid.
Next, the check
14
is moved upward by the document feed motor
17
until the previously stored information indicating the length of the check
14
is used to determine that the lower edge
96
has been moved past the document feed rolls
18
. After the check
14
has been removed upward, opposite the direction of arrow
16
, either manually or by means of additional feed rolls (not shown), as determined from the output of the sensor
100
, the carriage
24
is moved opposite the advancing direction of arrow
28
until contact between the carriage
24
and the disengagement tab
74
causes the ribbon shifting plate
68
to be moved into the disengaged position in which it is shown, with the ribbon being moved to extend against the central ribbon guide
48
.
FIG. 6
is a front right isometric view of an alternate embodiment
110
of a duplex printer built in accordance with the present invention. In this alternate embodiment
110
, the ribbon cartridge
112
and the ribbon drive motor
114
are attached to a ribbon shifting plate
116
, which is pulled in the engagement direction of arrow
118
, by means of a solenoid
120
, and which is pulled in a disengagement direction, opposite the direction of arrow
116
by means of an extension spring
122
. The ribbon cartridge
112
is held on the ribbon shifting plate
116
by means of a pair of mounting clips
124
, and the ribbon shifting plate
116
slidably mounted on a frame
126
by means of a number of posts
128
extending upward from the frame
126
within slots
130
of the ribbon shifting plate
116
. The cartridge ribbon guides
132
are extended to hold the ribbon
134
against the central ribbon guide
136
with the ribbon shifting plate
116
in the disengaged position in which it is shown, and to hold the ribbon
134
against the platen
136
with the ribbon shifting plate
116
moved, in the direction of arrow
118
into an engaged position. Thus, electrical current is driven through the coil of the solenoid
120
to move the ribbon
134
into position to print on the reverse side of a check, and the flow of this current is stopped to return the ribbon
134
into position to print on the front side of the check. Other aspects of this alternative embodiment
110
are as previously described in regard to the duplex printer
10
of FIG.
1
.
While the present invention has been described in preferred forms or embodiments with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of fabrication and use, including the combination and rearrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, rollers extending upward from the ribbon shifting plate in the manner of
FIG. 1
may be used to align the ribbon in the alternate embodiment otherwise described in reference to FIG.
6
.
Claims
- 1. A duplex printer, for printing on opposite sides of a document, comprising:an impact print head; a platen disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with said impact print head, absorbing impact forces from said impact print head; a ribbon disposed between said impact print head and said platen, wherein said ribbon is impregnated with an ink which is partially transferred from said ribbon to an adjacent surface in response to an impact force from said impact print head; document feed rolls, moving said document between said impact print head and said platen in a document feed direction and opposite said document feed direction: ribbon shifting means holding said ribbon, wherein said ribbon shifting means is movable between a disengaged position and an engaged position wherein said ribbon shifting means in said disengaged position holds said ribbon in a forward position, between said impact print head and said document as said document is moved between said impact print head and said platen and wherein said ribbon shifting means in said engaged position holds said ribbon in a rearward position between said platen and said document as said document is moved between said impact print head and said platen.
- 2. The duplex printer of claim 1, whereinsaid duplex printer additionally comprises a carriage, holding said impact print head, slidably mounted to move in an advancing direction and opposite said advancing direction, and carriage drive means moving said carriage in said advancing direction and opposite to said advancing direction, through a printing range in which printing occurs on a document inserted between said impact print head and said platen, and through ribbon shifting ranges at each end of said printing range, and said ribbon shifting means includes a disengaging tab moved by said carriage, moving said ribbon shifting means into said disengaged position as said carriage is moved in a first direction away from said printing range at a first end of said printing range, and an engaging tab moved by said carriage, moving said ribbon shifting means into said engaged position as said carriage is moved opposite said first direction away from said printing range at a second end of said printing range, opposite said first end of said printing range.
- 3. The duplex printer of claim 2, whereinsaid ribbon shifting means additionally includes a ribbon shifting plate mounted to slide along a preferred path as said ribbon shifting mechanism is moved between said disengaged and engaged positions, and said engaging tab and said disengaging tab extend as portions of said ribbon shifting plate into a carriage path of said carriage.
- 4. The duplex printer of claim 3, whereinsaid preferred path moves said ribbon shifting plate in said first direction and away from said platen as said ribbon shifting means is moved between said engaged position and said disengaged position, and said preferred path moves said ribbon shifting plate opposite said first direction and toward said platen as said ribbon shifting means is moved between said disengaged position and said engaged position.
- 5. The duplex printer of claim 4, whereinsaid ribbon shifting means additionally includes a spring holding said ribbon shifting plate at a first end of said preferred path, said preferred path is curved to include a detent portion at a second end of said preferred path, opposite said first end of said preferred path, and said spring additionally holds said ribbon shifting plate at said second end of said preferred path.
- 6. The duplex printer of claim 1, wherein said ribbon shifting means includes:a ribbon shifting plate, holding said ribbon to extend between said impact print head and said platen, wherein said ribbon shifting plate is mounted to slide toward said platen and away from said platen; and a solenoid moving said ribbon shifting plate to move said ribbon shifting means between said disengaged position and said engaged position.
- 7. The duplex printer of claim 1, whereinsaid duplex printer additionally includes a ribbon cartridge, having a pair of spaced-apart cartridge ribbon guides, and a ribbon feed motor pulling said ribbon between said pair of spaced-apart cartridge ribbon guides; and said ribbon shifting means additionally includes guide surfaces engaging said ribbon extending between said pair of spaced-apart cartridge ribbon guides and moving said ribbon between a position extending adjacent said print head and a position extending adjacent said platen.
- 8. The duplex printer of claim 1, wherein said ribbon shifting means additionally includes a ribbon cartridge, having a pair of ribbon shifting guides, moving as a part of said ribbon shifting means to move said ribbon between a position extending adjacent said print head and a position adjacent said platen.
- 9. The duplex printer of claim 1, whereinsaid platen includes a first pair of ribbon guiding grooves extending in a spaced-apart relationship along said platen, and opposite edges of said ribbon are pulled into said first pair of ribbon guiding grooves as said ribbon is held adjacent said platen and in said spaced-apart relationship with said impact print head.
- 10. The duplex printer of claim 9, additionally comprising a central ribbon guide extending on each side of said impact print head including a second pair of ribbon guiding grooves extending in a spaced-apart direction, wherein said opposite edges of said ribbon are pulled into said second pair of ribbon guiding grooves as said ribbon is held adjacent said impact print head and in said spaced-apart relationship with said platen.
- 11. The duplex printer of claim 1, whereinsaid duplex printer additionally comprises a motor turning one of said document feed rolls; and said document is moved between said document feed rolls into a position clearing said ribbon for movement between said forward position and said rearward position.
- 12. The duplex printer of claim 11, additionally comprising:a carriage, holding said impact print head, slidably mounted to move in an advancing direction perpendicular to said document feed direction and opposite said advancing direction; and carriage drive means moving said carriage in said advancing direction and opposite to said advancing direction.
- 13. The duplex printer of claim 12, whereinsaid impact print head includes a plurality of wires and wire driving means moving individual wires in said plurality thereof toward said platen to produce a pattern being printed, and said wires in said plurality thereof are arranged along a line extending at a first oblique angle with respect to said document feed direction and at a second oblique angle with respect to said advancing direction.
- 14. The duplex printer of claim 13, whereinprinting on a first side of said opposite sides of a document occurs as said carriage is held stationary and as said document is moved by said document feed rolls; and printing on a second side of said opposite sides of a document, opposite said first side thereof, occurs as said document is held stationary and as said carriage is moved by said carriage drive means.
- 15. A method for printing on first and second opposite sides of a document, comprising steps of:(a) moving said document in a first direction between an impact print head and a platen, with a printing ribbon extending adjacent said first side of said document; (b) forming a printing pattern with said impact print head by selectively moving portions of said impact print head toward said platen, with ink being transferred from said printing ribbon to said first side of said document; (c) moving said document in said first direction into a first ribbon shifting document position allowing movement of said printing ribbon between a position adjacent said impact print head and a position adjacent said platen; (d) shifting said printing ribbon in a second direction between said position adjacent said impact print head and said position adjacent said platen; (e) moving said document opposite said first direction between said impact print head and said platen, with said printing ribbon extending adjacent said second side of said document; and (f) forming a printing pattern with said impact print head by selectively moving portions of said impact print head toward said platen, with ink being transferred from said printing ribbon to said second side of said document.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein step (d) is performed by moving a carriage in which said impact print head is mounted from a printing range, in which printing occurs, to a first ribbon shifting carriage position in which contact between said carriage and a ribbon shifting plate causes said ribbon shifting plate to shift said printing ribbon in said second direction.
- 17. The method of claim 15, additionally comprising steps of:(g) moving said document opposite said first direction into a second ribbon transfer position allowing movement of said printing ribbon between a position adjacent said impact print head and a position adjacent said platen; (h) shifting said printing ribbon opposite said second direction between said position adjacent said impact print head and said position adjacent said platen.
- 18. The method of claim 17, whereinstep (d) is performed by moving a carriage in which said impact print head is mounted from a printing range, in which printing occurs, to a first ribbon shifting carriage position in which contact between said carriage and a ribbon shifting plate causes said ribbon shifting plate to shift said printing ribbon in said second direction; step (g) is performed by moving said carriage from said printing range to a second ribbon shifting position in which contact between said carriage and said ribbon shifting plate causes said ribbon shifting plate to shift said printing ribbon opposite said second direction.
- 19. The method of claim 15, whereinstep b) is performed as said document is moved in said first direction while a carriage in which said impact print head is mounted is held stationary, with said impact print head in alignment with a position where a first line of information is to be printed on said first side of said document, and step (f) includes moving a carriage in which said impact print head is mounted in a direction perpendicular to said first direction, while said document is held stationary, with a position where a first line of information is to be printed on said second side of said document in alignment with said impact print head.
- 20. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising steps of:(i) moving said document in said first direction into said first ribbon shifting document position; and (j) shifting said printing ribbon opposite said second direction between said position adjacent said impact print head and said position adjacent said platen.
- 21. The method of claim 20, additionally comprising steps of:(k) moving said carriage in a direction perpendicular to said first direction into alignment with a position where a second line of information is to be printed on said first side of said document; (l) moving said document opposite said first direction as a printing pattern is performed with said impact print head by selectively moving portions of said impact print head toward said plated, with ink being transferred from said printing ribbon to said first side of said document.
US Referenced Citations (12)