Power drive system for a print on demand digital camera system

• US 6,378,970 B1
• Filed: 07/10/1998
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• 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): Stewart, Jr., Charles W.
• Application Number:
  US09/112,760
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 347/2, 347/19, 347/104, 347/105, 347/106, 347/49, 347/14, 347/23, 347/157, 347/42, 358/296, 358/400, 358/401, 396/310, 396/6
• 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 camera system is disclosed including: an image sensor device for sensing an image; a processing device for processing the sensed image; a print media supply device provided for the storage of a roll of print media for printing of images; a page width print head moulding including a print head for printing the sensed image on print media stored internally in the print media supply device in addition to a series of ink supply chambers for the storage of ink; a portable power supply interconnected to the print head, the sensor and the processing device; a cutting mechanism for cutting portions of print media containing images; a first drive motor adapted to drive the paper media supply device for moving the paper media past the print head; and a second drive motor adapted to drive the cutting mechanism for cutting the portions. Preferably, each of the drive motors includes a gear chain mechanism for driving corresponding mechanisms in a geared manner. The first drive motor can include a stepper motor which is preferably operated in a mutually exclusive manner with the print head. Further, each of the drive motors can be driven in a forward and reverse manner during normal operation of the camera system.

Claims

1. A recyclable, one-time use, print on demand, digital camera comprising:

an image sensor device for sensing an image;

a processing means for processing said sensed image;

a supply of print media on to which said sensed image is printed;

a page width print head molding including a page width print head for printing said sensed image on said print media the molding including an ink supply means defining, a plurality of ink supply chambers in each of which a different color ink is stored to enable full color printing to be effected;

a power supply connected to said print head, said sensor and said processing means;

a cutting mechanism for cutting a portion of print media containing said image from a remainder of the supply;

a first drive motor for driving said print media past said print head; and

a second drive motor for driving said cutting mechanism for cutting said portion, the first drive motor and the second drive motor being inoperative when the image sensor is operative.

2. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second drive motors drive the supply of print media and the cutting mechanism, respectively, via gear trains.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first drive motor comprises a stepper motor for advancing the print media in a step wise manner past the print head and said stepper motor is inoperative when said print head is printing.

4. A recyclable, one time use, print on demand, digital camera, comprising:

an image sensor device for sensing an image;

a processing means for processing said sensed image;

a replaceable supply of print media on to which said sensed image is printed;

a page width print head for printing said sensed image on said print media;

a drive means for driving said supply of print media past said print head for enabling said image to be printed, one line at a time, on the print media; and

a control means for controlling operation of the print head and the drive means such that, when the print head is printing said image, the drive means is inoperative, and when the drive means is advancing the print media, the print head is inoperative.

5. A camera as claimed in claim 4 in which the drive means is a stepper motor for driving the print media in a step wise manner.

6. A camera as claimed in claim 4 in which the control means includes a print head interface and related circuitry for controlling operation of the print head and a drive transistor arrangement for controlling operation of the drive means.