Printing system for installation in a vehicle

• US 7,760,236 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernández Hernández; Nelson D.
• Application Number:
  US12/266,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 348/373, 348/207.2, 348/207.11, 348/207.1, 348/552, 347/86, 347/87, 347/2, 358/906
• US Class Current: 348/207.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00315 with a radio transmission apparatus with a cordless telephone H04N1/00305; systems or arrangements for the transmission of a picture signal specially adapted for transmission via radio H04N1/00103; H04N1/00307 takes precedence; radio transmission systems H04B7/00; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0058 Docking-station, cradle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0063 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0065 Converting image data to a format usable by the connected apparatus or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

Provided is a printing system for installation in a vehicle for providing hard-copies from a digital camera. The printing system includes a wireless communications subsystem for receiving wireless image information from a camera, and a layout engine with rasterization and page compression modules linked to a printer controller. The printer controller controls a printer having a chassis with a top cover defining an access opening for receiving a cartridge, said opening closed off by a spring-biased flap, and a printhead housed in the chassis. The printer also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted in the chassis with control circuitry linking the controller to the printer controller to control the printhead.

Claims

1. A printing system for installation in a vehicle for providing hard-copies of images from a digital camera, said printing system comprising:

a wireless communications subsystem for receiving wireless image information from the digital camera,

a print media cartridge holding a supply of print media and printing fluid;

a printer having a chassis defining an access opening for receiving the print media cartridge, said opening closed off by a spring-biased flap,

the print media cartridge further comprising a cover having a pair of transversely spaced openings defined in a front edge thereof to permit a pick up roller of the printer to engage a topmost sheet of a stack of paper within the print media cartridge;

a printhead housed in the chassis;

a printer controller, external to the printer, for controlling the printer;

a printed circuit board (PCB) mounted in the chassis with control circuitry connected to the printer controller via a wiring loom of the vehicle;

a pair of drive motors mounted on a sidewall of the chassis, a first drive motor for driving a first gear train mounted on a side molding of the chassis,

wherein the print media cartridge is provided with a toothed rack on one side thereof and a second rack on a side opposite to the side on which the toothed rack is provided, the toothed rack for engaging with the first gear train to facilitate insertion and ejection of the cartridge with respect to the chassis, and the second rack for inhibiting skewing of the print media cartridge.

2. The printing system of claim 1, wherein a second drive motor drives a drive roller via a second gear train.

3. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the printhead is configured to receive ink from ink hoses in communication with an ink supply reservoir of the print media cartridge via an ink supply manifold.

4. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the drive motors are stepper motors.

5. The printing system of claim 1, having a tape automated bond (TAB) film interposed between the PCB and the printhead via which the PCB communicates with the printhead.

6. The printing system of claim 1, wherein the printhead is a four color printhead for printing photo quality prints on print media stored in the cartridge.

7. The printing system of claim 1, further comprising a print media feed path defined by a top most sheet of print media held in the print media cartridge, a pick up roller for picking up the top most sheet of print media, and the printhead, wherein the print media feed path is planar.