Low cost disposable digital instant printing camera system

• US 6,231,148 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Do, An H.
• Application Number:
  US09/113,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 347/19, 347/109, 347/2, 400/613, 348/87, 250/208.1, 396/445, 396/6, 396/416, 396/535
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/70 cutting perpendicular to the direction of paper feed
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/04 Supporting, feeding, or guiding devices; Mountings for web rolls or spindles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras

Abstract

A handheld camera system comprising: a core chassis; an ink cartridge unit including an ink supply and print head unit, the ink cartridge unit being mounted on the chassis; a roll of print media rotatably mounted between end portions of the chassis, the print head unit being adapted to print on the print media; a platten unit including mounted below the print head unit; image sensor and control circuitry interconnected to the print head unit and adapted to sense an image for printing by the print head unit; an outer casing for enclosing the chassis, ink cartridge unit, the print media, the platten unit and the circuitry. The camera system further comprises a cutting unit adapted to traverse the print media so as to separate the print media into separate images. The cutting unit can be mounted on the platten unit and the platten unit can further include a print head recapping unit for capping the print head when not in use. The camera system can further comprise a series of pinch rollers for decurling the print media.

Claims

1. A recyclable, one-time use, instant printing, digital camera comprising:

a chassis;

an ink cartridge unit supported on said chassis, the ink cartridge unit including a replenishable ink supply means and a pagewidth print head;

a roll of print media rotatably and releasably mounted on said chassis, said print head printing a sensed image on said print media as the print media moves past the print head prior to ejection from the camera body;

a platten unit mounted adjacent said print head for supporting the print media as it moves past the print head;

image sensor and control circuitry connected to said print head for sensing said image for printing by said print head; and

an outer casing for enclosing said chassis, ink cartridge unit, said print media, said platten unit and said circuitry.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cutting unit which traverses said print media so that, after printing of an image on said print media that part of the print media containing the image can be separated from a remainder of the print media.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cutting unit is mounted on said platten unit.

4. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein said platten unit includes a print head recapping unit for capping said print head when not in use.

5. A camera as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pinch rollers for decurling said print media.

6. A recyclable, one-time use, instant printing, digital camera comprising:

a chassis;

an image sensing means supported on said chassis for sensing an image;

a pagewidth print head supported on said chassis for printing said sensed image;

an ink supply unit arranged on the chassis, the unit containing a replenishable ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head; and

a replaceable supply of print media releasably carried on the chassis, the print media being fed past the print head in use, to enable said sensed image to be printed on the print media, the ability to replenish the ink supply means and to replace the supply of print media rendering the camera recyclable.

7. A camera as claimed in claim 6 in which the ink supply unit includes a plurality of ink supply channels for enabling full color printing to be effected by the print head, the ink supply channels being in communication with access ports for enabling refilling of the channels to be effected.

8. A camera as claimed in claim 7 in which each channel includes a damping means for damping movement of the ink in said channel.

9. A camera as claimed in claim 7 in which the access ports are closed off by a closure member.

10. A camera as claimed in claim 6 in which the print media is in the form of a print roll which is rotatably carried on the chassis, the camera including a guide means for guiding movement of the print media, as it is fed from the roll, past the print head.

11. A camera as claimed in claim 10 in which the guide means includes a decurling means which assists in decurling the print media as it is fed from the roll.

12. A camera as claimed in claim 10 in which the guide means is releasably supported on the chassis so that it can be removed to effect replenishment of the print media.

13. A camera as claimed in claim 10 in which the guide means includes a capping means for capping the print head when said print head is not in use.

14. A camera as claimed in claim 10 which includes a power supply means, the power supply means being replaceable and being housed within the print roll for rendering the camera compact.

15. A camera as claimed in claim 6 which includes a camera body which is of a recyclable material.