Thermal printer with single latch, adjustable media storage and centering assemblies and print assembly
First Claim
1. A media centering assembly, comprising:
- a first media guide and a second media guide disposed in slidable opposition to one another and configured to support a roll of media therebetween;
a first pulley assembly including a first pulley and a first belt, the first belt disposed in communication with the first pulley and operably coupled to the first media guide at a first end of the first belt and operably coupled to the second media guide at a second end of the first belt;
a second pulley assembly including a second pulley and a second belt, the second belt disposed in communication with the second pulley and operably coupled to the second media guide at a first end of the second belt and operably coupled to the first media guide at a second end of the second belt; and
an extension spring operably coupled to an anchor at a first end of the extension spring and operably coupled to the first media guide at a second end of the extension spring and configured to bias the first media guide toward the second media guide.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A direct thermal printer including a latch assembly, a media storage assembly, a media centering assembly, a print assembly, and a temperature sensing member. The latch assembly includes a single latch lever in mechanical communication with latch tabs disposed in the cover of the printer that are received by openings in the base of the printer to engage and disengage the cover from the base. The media storage assembly includes media guides with removable tabs having more than one available position to provide storage of different size media. The media centering assembly includes pulley assemblies that bias the media guides towards each other to secure media between the media guides. The print assembly includes a platen disposed in the base of the printer having cams on each end that are rotatable and positioned to adjust printing characteristic of a printhead disposed in the cover.
235 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A media centering assembly, comprising:
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a first media guide and a second media guide disposed in slidable opposition to one another and configured to support a roll of media therebetween; a first pulley assembly including a first pulley and a first belt, the first belt disposed in communication with the first pulley and operably coupled to the first media guide at a first end of the first belt and operably coupled to the second media guide at a second end of the first belt; a second pulley assembly including a second pulley and a second belt, the second belt disposed in communication with the second pulley and operably coupled to the second media guide at a first end of the second belt and operably coupled to the first media guide at a second end of the second belt; and an extension spring operably coupled to an anchor at a first end of the extension spring and operably coupled to the first media guide at a second end of the extension spring and configured to bias the first media guide toward the second media guide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A printer comprising:
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a housing including a cover and a base connected together with a hinge; a latch assembly disposed in the cover, the latch assembly including a latch lever disposed at least in part on the exterior of the cover in mechanical communication with a first latch tab and a second latch tab such that actuation of the latch lever simultaneously actuates the first and second latch tabs; first and second openings defined in the base adapted to receive the first and second latch tabs respectively, wherein after insertion into the first and second openings, actuation of the first and second latch tabs moves the latch tabs from a locked position to an unlocked position allowing selective disengagement of the cover from the base; a print assembly disposed in the housing, the print assembly including; a bearing disposed in the base, an elongated cylindrical platen rotatable about longitudinal axis thereof and disposed in the base, the platen being retained by the bearing which facilitates rotation of the platen along the platen'"'"'s longitudinal axis; a first cam disposed on a first end of the platen; and a temperature sensor disposed in the base. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A printer comprising:
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a housing including a cover and a base connected about a hinge; a latch assembly disposed in the cover, the latch assembly including a latch lever disposed at least in part on the exterior of the cover in mechanical communication with a first latch tab and a second latch tab such that actuation of the latch lever simultaneously actuates the first and second latch tabs; first and second openings defined in the base adapted to receive the first and second latch tabs respectively, wherein after insertion into the first and second openings actuation of the first and second latch tabs moves the latch tabs from a locked position to an unlocked position allowing selective engagement of the cover from the base; and a media centering assembly disposed in the base, including; a first media guide and a second media guide disposed in slidable opposition to one another and configured to support a roll of media therebetween; a first pulley assembly including a first pulley and a first belt, the first belt in communication with the first pulley and operably coupled to the first media guide at a first end of the first belt and operably coupled to the second media guide at a second end of the first belt; a second pulley assembly including a second pulley and a second belt, the second belt in communication with the second pulley and operably coupled to the second media guide at a first end of the second belt and operably coupled to the first media guide at a second end of the second belt; and an extension spring operably coupled to an anchor at a first end of the extension spring and operably coupled to the first media guide at a second end of the extension spring and configured to bias the first media guide toward the second media guide. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification