Postcard printing camera

• US 7,350,887 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, An H.
• Application Number:
  US10/846,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20040212641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 347/2, 347/109, 348/376
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17506 Refilling of the cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17553 Outer structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/02 Framework
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/60 for printing on both faces of the printing material
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/58 Baseboards, masking frames, or other holders for the sensitive material G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/65
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 9/40 Double plate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0018 of images captured using a loaned, rented or limited-use still digital camera, e.g. recyclable or disposable camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/193 using electrically scanned linear arrays , e.g. linear CCD arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2154 the still video camera incorporating a hardcopy reproducing device, e.g. a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

A recyclable, one-time use, print on demand, digital camera includes an image sensor device for sensing an image. A processor processes the sensed image. A pagewidth printhead prints the sensed image. An ink supply arrangement supplies ink to the print-head and the image is printed on print media from a supply of print media. The supply of print media is pre-marked with tokens designating that postage has been paid so that each image printed out on the print media has one such token associated with it.

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 pagewidth print head for printing said sensed image;

an ink supply means for supplying ink to the print head;

a supply of print media in the form of a roll on to which said image is printed, the supply of print media being pre-marked with tokens designating that postage has been paid so that each image printed out on the print media has one such token associated with the image; and

a platen unit for guiding the print media past the pagewidth print head, the platen unit including a cutting mechanism that traverses the platen unit and a capping mechanism operated by action of a solenoid coil for recapping the pagewidth print head when not in use.

2. The camera of claim 1 in which the supply of print media is in the form of a roll, the tokens being pre-printed at regularly spaced intervals on one surface of the print media.

3. The camera of claim 2 in which each token has an address zone and a blank zone for writing associated with it on said one surface to provide a postcard effect.

4. The camera of claim 2 in which each image is printed on an opposed surface of the print media.

5. The camera of claim 1 in which the token is in a currency of a country in which the camera is bought, with a notice to that effect being carried on an exterior of the camera.