Personal digital assistant with internal printer having a media feed mechanism

• US 6,981,769 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Meier, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Ly T.
• Application Number:
  US10/920,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 347/108, 347/109, 347/105, 347/104, 400/88, 400/613, 400/698
• US Class Current: 347/109
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/706 using a cutting tool mounted on a reciprocating carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/044 Cassettes or cartridges containing continuous copy material, tape, for setting into printing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/01 Ink jet
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16 Production of nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16552 using cleaning fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1752 Mounting within the printer
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17546 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/023 with reduced dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/13 Cases or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/46 Printing mechanisms combined with apparatus providing a visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1696 the I/O peripheral being a printing or scanning device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/202 Air convective hinge
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/00 Arrangements for producing a permanent visual presentation of the output data , e.g. computer output printersprinting or plotting combined with another operation, e.g. with conveying, G06K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2215/0082 : Architecture adapted for a particular function

Abstract

A hand held personal digital assistant including:

• • an information storage device;
  • a display;
  • a printer including a pagewidth printhead wherein said printhead is an inkjet printhead;
  • a media feed mechanism for feeding print media past the printhead during printing; and
  • a user interface allowing a user to: selectively retrieve and display information from said storage device on said display; print said information using said printer; and enter and store new information in said information storage device.

Claims

1. A hand held personal digital assistant including:

a body section;

a display;

a hinge joint connected said body section and said display, the hinge joint defining a substantially enclosed space internal to one or more components of the hinge;

an information storage device housed within said body;

a printer housed within said body and including a pagewidth printhead wherein said printhead is an inkjet printhead;

a media feed mechanism housed with said body for feeding print media past the printhead during printing; and

a user interface including a touch screen integrated into the display and allowing a user to;

selectively retrieve and display information from said storage device on said display;

print said information using said printer; and

enter and store new information in said information storage device;

wherein at least one of a printhead of the printer, a print media supply of the printer and an ink supply of the printer is housed within the enclosed space of the hinge joint.

2. The personal digital assistant of claim 1 wherein said print media supply is disposed within said hinge joint.

3. The personal digital assistant of claim 1 including a releasable cover portion through which a portion of said printer including said print media and/or an ink cartridge can be removed.

4. The personal digital assistant of claim 1 wherein said printer includes a monolithic pagewidth printhead.