Portable printer/facsimile device

• US 6,069,711 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Limited (Citizen Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Iwata, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Coles, Edward L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pokrzywa, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US08/978,138
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 358/400, 358/473, 358/474, 358/450, 358/497, 358/468, 358/442, 358/402, 358/1.1, 358/401, 358/296, 358/496, 358/498, 379/100.02, 379/100.01, 380/18, 242/570, 242/596.4, 347/108, 347/109, 347/152, 347/222
• US Class Current: 358/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00538 Modular devices, i.e. allowing combinations of separate components, removal or replacement of components

Abstract

A portable printer/facsimile device having a facsimile function and also a normal printer function. A printer body (2) has a scanner unit (5), a printer unit (4), a telephone connection terminal, a printer cable connection terminal and a battery housing for accommodating a battery serving as a drive power source. A facsimile control unit (64) sends facsimile data read by the scanner unit (5) through the telephone connection terminal, and holds received facsimile data inputted through the telephone connection terminal. A printer control unit (51) prints out printing data inputted through the printer cable connection terminal and the received facsimile data held by the facsimile control unit (64) by the printer unit (4). This printer/facsimile device has an easily detachable roll paper holder on an outside surface of the printer body (2).

Claims

1. A portable printer/facsimile device, comprising:

a scanner unit having a platen roller for feeding originals, arranged in the middle of an original carrying passage between an inlet and an outlet for the original, and a scanner disposed in confronting relation to said platen roller, for reading the information to be sent on the original;

a printer unit having a printing platen arranged in the middle of a printing paper carrying passage between a printing paper inlet and a printed paper outlet, and a printing head disposed in confronting relation to said printing platen;

a telephone connection terminal;

a printer cable connection terminal;

a battery housing for accommodating a battery as a drive power source;

a facsimile control unit for sending facsimile data read by said scanner unit through said telephone connection terminal and for holding received facsimile data inputted through said telephone connection terminal;

a printer control unit for controlling said printer unit to print out the printing data inputted through said printer cable connection terminal and the received facsimile data held by said facsimile control unit; and

a casing for accommodating said scanner unit, said printer unit, said telephone connection terminal, said printer cable connection terminal, said battery housing, said facsimile control unit and said printer control unit, said casing having a roll paper holder mounting portion for mounting a roll paper holder at an outer surface thereof;

wherein said printer unit, said printer control unit and said facsimile control unit are arranged at an upper portion of said casing, and said scanner unit and said roll paper holder mounting portion are arranged at a lower portion of said casing, and operational keys are arranged at the uppermost portion of said casing.

2. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 1, wherein said printing paper carrying passage of said printer unit is arranged substantially horizontally between said printer unit and said scanner unit.

3. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 1, further comprising a roll paper holder detachably mounted on said casing at said roll paper holder mounting portion.

4. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 3, wherein said roll paper holder comprises:

a holder body having a roll paper chamber for accommodating roll paper therein;

a roll paper cover pivotally supported on said holder body so as to open and close said roll paper chamber;

a roll paper supporting member rotatably supported on said holder body so as to support one end of a core of said roll paper;

a roll paper supporting portion provided on said holder body, for rotatably supporting the other end of the core of said roll paper; and

an engaging portion and a fixing portion for engaging with said printer body.

5. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said holder body is fixed to said printer body by means of an elastic force of said holder body.

6. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein a roll paper passage opening is formed by an end surface of said holder body and a distal end of said roll sheet cover.

7. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said roll paper cover forms a guide for cut paper to insert into said printer body when said holder body is attached to said printer body.

8. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said engaging portion comprises a projection having a claw at its distal end and projecting from a mounting surface of said holder body.

9. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said fixing portion comprises a projection having a recess and projecting from a mounting surface of said holder body.

10. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said roll paper supporting member has a biting portion formed at an end thereof so as to bite the core of said roll paper, and an operating portion for winding up and letting out said roll sheet from outside.

11. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 10, wherein said operating portion is formed into a shape of a disk and has a projecting knob to transverse the disk through a center thereof.

12. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said roll paper supporting portion is supported on a roll paper supporting arm for giving an urging force so as to prevent said roll paper from being moved in the axial direction thereof.

13. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 4, wherein said roll paper supporting member is slidably supported in an axial direction thereof on said holder body so as to permit said roll paper to be held removably, and has an urging member for urging said roll paper supporting member in the axial direction when loading and unloading said roll paper.

14. A portable printer/facsimile device according to claim 1, wherein a printing head of said printer unit comprises a serial thermal head.

15. A portable printer/facsimile device, comprising:

a scanner unit having a platen roller for feeding originals, arranged in the middle of an original carrying passage between an inlet and an outlet for the original, and a scanner disposed in confronting relation to said platen roller, for reading the information to be sent on the original;

a printer unit having a printing platen arranged in the middle of a printing paper carrying passage between a printing paper inlet and a printed paper outlet, and a printing head disposed in confronting relation to said printing platen;

a telephone connection terminal;

a printer cable connection terminal;

a battery housing for accommodating a battery as a drive power source;

a facsimile control unit for sending facsimile data read by said scanner unit through said telephone connection terminal and for holding received facsimile data inputted through said telephone connection terminal;

a printer control unit for controlling said printer unit to print out the printing data inputted through said printer cable connection terminal and the received facsimile data held by said facsimile control unit;

a roll paper holder detachably mounted on an outer surface of a printer body for housing said scanner unit, said printer unit, and said facsimile control unit;

a holder body having a roll paper chamber for accommodating roll paper therein; and

a roll paper supporting member rotatably supported on said holder body so as to support one end of a core of said roll paper;

wherein said roll paper supporting member has a stopper projection having an inclined surface inclined with respect to a direction of inserting said roll paper supporting member into the holder body and a perpendicular surface perpendicular to a direction of pulling out said roll paper supporting member from the holder body, said stopper projection being elastically sinkable into said roll paper supporting member.

16. A portable printer/facsimile device, comprising:

a scanner unit having a platen roller for feeding originals, arranged in the middle of an original carrying passage between an inlet and an outlet for the original, and a scanner disposed in confronting relation to said platen roller, for reading the information to be sent on the original;

a printer unit having a printing platen arranged in the middle of a printing paper carrying passage between a printing paper inlet and a printed paper outlet, and a printing head disposed in confronting relation to said printing platen;

a telephone connection terminal;

a printer cable connection terminal;

a battery housing for accommodating a battery as a drive power source;

a facsimile control unit for sending facsimile data read by said scanner unit through said telephone connection terminal and for holding received facsimile data inputted through said telephone connection terminal;

a printer control unit for controlling said printer unit to print out the printing data inputted through said printer cable connection terminal and the received facsimile data held by said facsimile control unit;

a roll paper holder detachably mounted on an outer surface of a printer body for housing said scanner unit, said printer unit, said telephone connection terminal, said printer cable connection terminal, said battery housing, said printer control unit, and said facsimile control unit;

a holder body having a roll paper chamber for accommodating roll paper therein;

a roll paper supporting member for supporting one end of a core of said roll paper; and

a roll paper supporting portion provided on said holder body, for rotatably supporting the other end of the core of said roll paper;

wherein said printer unit, said printer control unit, and said facsimile control unit are arranged at an upper portion of said printer body, said scanner unit is arranged at a lower portion of said printer body, and operational keys are arranged at the uppermost portion of said printer body.