Printer for printing on media roll
First Claim
1. A printer for printing an image on thermally activatable print medium without using a platen roller, comprising:
- a housing;
a print medium source having the print medium wound around a core located at a central axis of the print medium source, the core being supported by the housing and being rotatable about the central axis, the print medium wound around the core being dispensed as the core is rotated such that an outer winding of the print medium forms an outer surface of the print medium source; and
a thermal printhead movably supported by the housing in thermal contact with the print medium source, the printhead being movable radially with respect to the central axis to maintain continuous thermal contact between the printhead and the outer winding for printing on the outer winding.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A printer for printing on an outer layer of a print medium on a print medium roll. The printer may use thermal or inkjet printing. The printer is used without a mechanical paper drive mechanism. The printer monitors movement of an outer wrap of the print medium as the print medium roll rotates in response to a user pulling print medium from the print medium roll. In one embodiment, the printer detects movement of the print medium with a metering roller and an optical rotation sensor. In another embodiment, the printer monitors movement of the print medium by detecting movement of index marks on the print medium. From the monitored movement of the print medium, the printer identifies a portion of the print medium aligned to the printhead and selects image portions to print in the identified portion. The printer then activates the printhead to print the selected image portions in the corresponding identified portion. A bias spring, together with movable mounting of the printhead, allows the printhead to remain engaged with the print medium as the radius of the print medium roll decreases as the print medium is dispensed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A printer for printing an image on thermally activatable print medium without using a platen roller, comprising:
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a housing; a print medium source having the print medium wound around a core located at a central axis of the print medium source, the core being supported by the housing and being rotatable about the central axis, the print medium wound around the core being dispensed as the core is rotated such that an outer winding of the print medium forms an outer surface of the print medium source; and a thermal printhead movably supported by the housing in thermal contact with the print medium source, the printhead being movable radially with respect to the central axis to maintain continuous thermal contact between the printhead and the outer winding for printing on the outer winding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A printer for printing an image onto an outer wrap of a print medium on a roll as the print medium is dispensed from the roll, the roll having a radius extending from a central axis of the roll, the radius decreasing as the roll is dispensed, comprising:
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a printhead for printing on the outer wrap of the roll; a first member carrying a roll mount, the roll mount supporting the roll and permitting rotation of the roll about the central axis; and a second member holding the printhead in position adjacent to outer wrap, the second member being movable to adjustably transport the printhead radially with respect to the central axis as the radius of the roll decreases to continuously maintain the printhead adjacent to the outer wrap for printing on the outer wrap. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of printing directly on an outer layer of a print medium on a print medium roll carried by a printer, the print medium roll including a plurality of wraps of the print medium, comprising the steps of:
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rotatably mounting the print medium roll on a roll support with the outer layer exposed; positioning a printhead in a printing position, adjacent to the outer layer and radially outward of the print medium roll; grasping an end portion of the print medium; pulling the end portion to cause the print medium roll to rotate on the roll support and dispense the outer layer; monitoring movement of the outer layer to determine a portion of the outer layer aligned with the printhead; selecting an image portion corresponding to the determined portion of the print medium; and activating the printhead when the determined portion is located adjacent the printhead to print the selected image portion on the determined portion of the print medium. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of printing directly on an outer layer of a print medium on a print medium roll carried by a printer, the print medium roll including a plurality of wraps of the print medium, comprising the steps of:
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rotatably mounting the print medium roll on a roll support with the outer layer exposed; positioning a printhead in a printing position, adjacent to the outer layer and radially outward of the print medium roll; grasping an end portion of the print medium; pulling the end portion to cause the print medium roll to rotate on the roll support and dispense the outer layer; monitoring movement of the outer layer to determine a portion of the outer layer aligned with the printhead, including frictionally engaging the outer layer with a metering roller, with the metering roller turning in correspondence with movement of the outer layer, detecting the rotation of the metering roller as the metering roller turns, and calculating the distance moved by the outer layer in response to the detected rotation of the metering roller; selecting an image portion corresponding to the determined portion of the print medium; and activating the printhead when the determined portion is located adjacent the printhead to print the selected image portion on the determined portion of the print medium.
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20. A method of printing directly on an outer layer of a print medium on a print medium roll carried by a printer, the print medium roll including a plurality of wraps of the print medium, comprising the steps of:
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rotatably mounting the print medium roll on a roll support with the outer layer exposed; positioning a thermal printhead in a printing position, adjacent to the outer layer and radially outward of the print medium roll; grasping an end portion of the print medium; pulling the end portion to cause the print medium roll to rotate on the roll support and dispense the outer layer; monitoring movement of the outer layer to determine a portion of the outer layer aligned with the printhead; selecting an image portion corresponding to the determined portion of the print medium; and providing an electrical energization signal to the printhead to cause the printhead to heat when the determined portion is located adjacent the printhead to print the selected image portion on the determined portion of the print medium.
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21. A method of printing directly on an outer layer of a print medium on a print medium roll carried by a printer, the print medium roll including a plurality of wraps of the print medium, comprising the steps of:
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rotatably mounting the print medium roll on a roll support with the outer layer exposed, wherein the outer layer includes a plurality of spaced apart index marks; positioning a printhead in a printing position, adjacent to the outer layer and radially outward of the print medium roll; grasping an end portion of the print medium; pulling the end portion to cause the print medium roll to rotate on the roll support and dispense the outer layer; monitoring movement of the outer layer to determine a portion of the outer layer aligned with the printhead, including optically detecting movement of the index marks to produce an electrical signal indicative of movement of the index marks, and determining movement of the outer layer in response to the electrical signal indicative of movement of the index marks; selecting an image portion corresponding to the determined portion of the print medium; and activating the printhead when the determined portion is located adjacent the printhead to print the selected image portion on the determined portion of the print medium.
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22. A method of printing directly on an outer layer of a print medium on a print medium roll carried by a printer, the print medium roll including a plurality of wraps of the print medium, and the printer including a cover pivotable between an open position and a closed position, comprising the steps of:
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rotatably mounting the print medium roll on a roll support with the outer layer exposed; positioning a printhead in a printing position, adjacent to the outer layer and radially outward of the print medium roll, including positioning the printhead in a printing position comprising pivoting the cover to the closed position, wherein the cover carries the printhead; grasping an end portion of the print medium; pulling the end portion to cause the print medium roll to rotate on the roll support and dispense the outer layer; monitoring movement of the outer layer to determine a portion of the outer layer aligned with the printhead; selecting an image portion corresponding to the determined portion of the print medium; and activating the printhead when the determined portion is located adjacent the printhead to print the selected image portion on the determined portion of the print medium.
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Specification