Tape supply cartridge for portable thermal printer
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable, hand held printing device for printing images of selected characters on a strip of tape comprising:
- a thermal device having data input and storage means, a housing including an external print edge, a thermal printhead disposed within said print edge, sensing means within said print edge for sensing movement of said tape and means operatively connected with said sensing means for controlling said printhead in response to movement of said tape; and
a separate tape supply cartridge having a supply of tape, a receiving pocket for receiving a portion of said thermal device embodying said print edge, a tape pathway defined by a portion of said receiving pocket for operatively aligning said tape with said printhead and sensing means and for insuring operative engagement between said tape and printhead and sensing means.
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Abstract
A tape supply including a replaceable tape supply cartridge for a portable, hand held thermal printing or transfer device having a receiving pocket, a supply of tape, a tape pathway aligned with the printhead and the mechanism for sensing relative movement between the device and the substrate and a structure to facilitate manual advancement of tape by pulling the tape past the printhead. The invention also relates to a thermal device having a self contained tape supply cartridge wherein the tape is advanced by manually pulling the tape past the printhead.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A portable, hand held printing device for printing images of selected characters on a strip of tape comprising:
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a thermal device having data input and storage means, a housing including an external print edge, a thermal printhead disposed within said print edge, sensing means within said print edge for sensing movement of said tape and means operatively connected with said sensing means for controlling said printhead in response to movement of said tape; and a separate tape supply cartridge having a supply of tape, a receiving pocket for receiving a portion of said thermal device embodying said print edge, a tape pathway defined by a portion of said receiving pocket for operatively aligning said tape with said printhead and sensing means and for insuring operative engagement between said tape and printhead and sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A separate tape supply cartridge for a portable, hand held thermal printing device of the type having data input and storage means, a housing including an external print edge, sensing means for sensing relative movement between said device and a printing substrate and means operatively connected with said sensing means for controlling said printhead in response to said relative movement, said tape supply comprising:
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a supply of tape; a receiving pocket for receiving a portion of said thermal device embodying said print edge; and a tape pathway defined by a portion of said receiving pocket for operatively aligning said tape with said printhead and sensing means and for insuring operative engagement between said tape and said printhead and sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30)
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26. A portable, hand held thermal printing device for printing images of selected characters on a strip of tape comprising:
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manual data input and storage means for electronically inputting and storing data defining the images of the selected characters; a housing; a thermal printhead disposed within said housing; a manually advanceable supply of tape; sensing means for sensing movement of said tape; means operatively connected with said sensing means for controlling said printhead in response to movement of said tape; means for directing said tape into operative engagement with said printhead and sensing means; and resist means operatively associated with said printhead for generating desired pressure at said printhead with said tape disposed between said printhead and resist means, whereby the images of selected characters are printed onto said tape by manually pulling said tape from the printing device. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification