Combination keyboard and printer apparatus

• US 6,921,221 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia, King, Tobin Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nolan, Jr., Charles H.
• Application Number:
  US10/974,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20050063758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 400/472, 400/88, 400/489
• US Class Current: 400/472
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14 Structure thereof only for on-demand ink jet heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14314 Structure of ink jet print heads with electrostatically actuated membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14427 Structure of ink jet print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1601 Production of bubble jet print heads B41J2/1606, B41J2/162 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1628 dry etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1629 wet etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1635 dividing the wafer into individual chips
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1637 molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1639 sacrificial molding
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1643 thin film formation by plating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1645 thin film formation by spincoating
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1646 thin film formation by sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1648 Production of print heads with thermal bend detached actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17503 : Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 : Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 : Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/041 : Electromagnetic transducer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/21 : Line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 : Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 : Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 5/28 : Multiple-action keys, e.g. keys depressed by two or more amounts or movable in two or more directions to effect different functions or selections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 : in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 : Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 : Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 : Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 : Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/121 : by printing code marks applying code marks to labels B65C9/46; marking or coding completed packages B65B61/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/073 : Special arrangements for circuits, e.g. for protecting identification code in memory protection against unauthorised use of computer memory G06F12/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 : 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/08 : by coded identity card or credit card or other personal identification means without personal verification means G07F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/12 : Card verification
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 11/56 : using storage elements with more than two stable states represented by steps, e.g. of voltage, current, phase, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

A combination keyboard and printer apparatus includes a housing having a print media entry slot and a print media ejection slot. A printer assembly is located within a chamber defined by the housing on a print media transport path between the entry slot and the ejection slot. A print media exit tray extends outwardly from the ejection slot and is formed as a unitary piece with the housing.

Claims

1. A combination keyboard and printer apparatus adapted to connect to a computer system for providing user input commands to the computer, the apparatus including;

a housing having an upper surface formed with an opening for a number of keyboard

keys;

a printer assembly located on a print media transport path within a chamber defined by the housing;

a print media entry slot continuous with said transport path formed through a first side of the housing;

a print media ejection slot continuous with said transport path formed through a second side of the housing opposite the first side; and

a print media exit tray extending outwardly from the ejection slot formed as a unitary piece with the housing;

a serial bus to communicate with a computer, the user input commands being communicated to the computer through the serial bus;

a printer controller circuit that is coupled to the serial bus to communicate with the computer;

wherein the apparatus is adapted to receive print commands from the computer through the serial bus, the printer printing in response to the received print commands.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard keys are arranged to engage key switches of a keyboard circuit board located within the housing.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 including a belt-and-roller transport assembly disposed to transport print media along the transport path.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, further including a planar member biased against the belt-and-roller transport assembly to maintain planarity of print media in use.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the planar member and the belt-and-roller transport assembly are located beneath the keyboard circuit board.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printer assembly comprises a pagewidth ink jet printhead.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the printer assembly includes a plurality of galleries each in fluid communication with the printhead and dedicated to store a different color ink.