...Chester Carlson was a patent agent who tired of having to make multiple copies of patent applications using the only duplication method available at the time: carbon paper. In 1959 he came up with a new copying system and took it to IBM for evaluation. The "experts" at IBM determined potential sales to be only 5,000 units because people wouldn't want to use a bulky machine when they had carbon paper. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, the company founded on the system is Xerox.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7896565 | Printing apparatus, method for coping with stick-slip, program product, and printing system A print head is operable to perform printing with respect to a medium. A motor is operable to move the print head. A guide unit is operable to guide the print head along a predetermined direction. A determination unit is operable to determine whether or not the prin... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7722269 | Printing apparatus A printing apparatus comprises a print head, disposed to a horizontally movable carriage, for printing a recording medium, a print cartridge disposed in a detachably attachable manner to said print head, and a member disposed in a range including an operating range ... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7588379 | Drive motor control method and printer A method of controlling a drive motor that is provided to a printer to apply a driving force to a predetermined operation section that operates in an image printing operation of printing on a printing sheet. The method includes steps of: measuring, in a no-image-pri... | 09/15/2009 |
| 7401991 | Frame structure for a scanning-type printer A printer including a frame, a feed roller rotatably supported in the frame for advancing a recording medium, a sheet support plate for supporting said recording medium, a guide rail extending in parallel with an axial direction (Y) of the feed roller, and a carriag... | 07/22/2008 |
| 7357480 | System for independent translational motion on two axes using one motor A system for independent translational motion on two axes using one motor is described. In one configuration, a modified dual Scotch Yoke using slots resembling the letter J is utilized to drive both the maintenance station and ink jet head of a mailing machine.... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7357470 | Apparatus and method for controlling printing time The invention provides a printing control system for controlling a print-head. The printing control system includes a motor controller, a time-delaying generator coupled to the motor controller, and a timer coupled to the delay time generator. The motor controller i... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7310161 | Combined flat bed scanner/printer machine A combined flat bed scanner/printer machine having: a moving body; a scan module connected to the moving body to read a document; and a recording head connected to the moving body adjacent to the scan module, to print on a paper. The moving body is moved by a moving... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7290550 | Painting holder, holder feeding unit, printer unit having the holder and feeding unit, and art painting apparatus having such painter unit for automatic vending machines The present invention provides a painting holder, a painting holder feeding unit, a printer unit having the holder and feeding unit, and an art painting apparatus with such a printer unit for automatic vending machines. The painting holder consists of a housing conn... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7191679 | Electric steering column apparatus An electric tilt and/or telescopic steering column apparatus comprises a steering shaft having a steering wheel mounted on a rear end thereof, a steering column for rotatably supporting the steering shaft, an electric actuator for adjusting the tilt and/or telescopi... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7144094 | Method and apparatus for inspecting home position of ink-jet printer A method and an apparatus for inspecting a home position of an ink-jet printer carriage by moving the carriage in a first direction away from the home position until the carriage is not moved for a first predetermined period of time and determining a current positio... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7134736 | Printer with printhead fully traveling around drive belt loop A drive assembly for a printer includes an endless loop drive path and guide structure that allows a printhead to operate in either reciprocal or endless loop modes in which the printed traverse both a liner and an arcuate portion of the drive path. This provides a ... | 11/14/2006 |
| 7090604 | Belt tensioning device An adjusting device provided on a transmission belt to adjust the tension of the transmission belt. The adjusting device includes a housing and a fastener fixed on the housing, the fastener engaging the transmission belt so that there is no relative displacement bet... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7059698 | Method of altering an effective print resolution of an ink jet printer A method of printing using an ink jet printer includes the steps of: defining at least one scan line with a plurality of pixel locations spaced apart at a predetermined print resolution; scanning a printhead across the scan line at a first velocity; printing on the ... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7044665 | Computerized apparatus and method for applying graphics to surfaces The invention is directed to an apparatus for applying at least one graphic to at least one surface, comprising a portable scaffolding system that may be telescoped to accommodate a length and a width of the surface; a host device for receiving at least one head att... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7001089 | Thermal printer A thermal printer has a main body frame and a platen roller rotatably and removably mounted in a preselected position on the main body frame. A thermal head is mounted on the main body frame for movement into and out of pressure contact with the platen roller during... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6980766 | Image forming device In a laser printer capable of printing on both sides of a sheet, alignment or skew of the sheet is corrected with register rollers before printing is performed first on a side of the sheet. The sheet with an image having been formed by a process unit is fed to a re-... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6961152 | Multi-functional device having vertically arranged scanner and printer sections A multi-functional device having a printer function, facsimile function, scanner function, and copying function houses a recording section for recording images on a recording medium and a reading section for reading images from a document. A shaft is supported betwe... | 11/01/2005 |
| 6942335 | Hand held electronic paint brush A hand held device that accepts a digital image, and transfers it to a wall, ceiling, floor, or any smooth surface. The hand held unit consists of a print element array in addition to a positioning mechanism that determines the absolute position of said device on th... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6935795 | Method for reducing the effects of printhead carrier disturbance during printing with an imaging apparatus A method for reducing the effects of printhead carrier disturbance during printing with an imaging apparatus having a printhead carrier for carrying at least one printhead includes the steps of accelerating the printhead carrier from a first position in a first dire... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6896430 | Compliant belt attach A compliant belt attach assembly for use in a printer includes a belt attach and a drive belt having a drive lug. The belt attach defines a lug chamber for containing the drive lug of the drive belt. First and second drive bars are configured to contact the first an... | 05/24/2005 |
| 6854905 | Stationary media mobile printing A portable printer includes a top cover, a bottom cover, one or more rail units located on the inside surface of the top cover, and a carriage assembly. Media is positionable on the inside surface of the bottom cover. The carriage assembly is movably connected to th... | 02/15/2005 |
| 6832864 | Printing apparatus for printing an image on a selected surface Printing apparatus for printing an image on a selected surface, includes a print head for printing the image, respective supports for the print head that allow the print head to translate left and right along an x-axis and to translate up and down along a y-axis per... | 12/21/2004 |
| 6695497 | Print head transport mechanism A print head transport mechanism of a postage meter for printing postal indicia which are of greater height than a printing height of a print head comprises a carriage to traverse the print head in a first direction over a band of a print receiving area a... | 02/24/2004 |
| 6692169 | Method of propelling an ink jet printer carriage A print carriage assembly for an ink jet printer. The print carriage assembly includes a print carriage slidably supported on a printer slider rod, and a sub-carriage that is separate from the printer carriage and slidably supported on the printer slider ... | 02/17/2004 |
| 6648528 | Stationary media mobile printing A portable printer includes a top cover, a bottom cover, one or more rail units located on the inside surface of the top cover, and a carriage assembly. Media is positionable on the inside surface of the bottom cover. The carriage assembly is movably conn... | 11/18/2003 |
| 6519047 | Multifunctional machine performing a shuttle-scanning A multifunctional machine prevents contamination caused by the contact of a document and a printhead by placing the printhead to face a base frame supporting a printable mediumu, and by placing a scanner to face the base frame supporting the document. The... | 02/11/2003 |
| 6485207 | Printer assembly providing tension for idler pulley A printer assembly includes an idler pulley, a printhead carrier belt, an idler-pulley spring, and a ratchet stop. The printhead carrier belt is operatively connected to the idler pulley and extends in an inboard direction from the idler pulley. The idler... | 11/26/2002 |
| 6471426 | Method of propelling an inkjet printer carriage A print carriage assembly for an ink jet printer. The print carriage assembly includes a print carriage slidably supported on a printer slider rod, and a sub-carriage that is separate from the printer carriage and slidably supported on the printer slider ... | 10/29/2002 |
| 6447183 | Print head transport mechanism A print head transport mechanism of a postage meter for printing postal indicia which are of greater height than a printing height of a print head comprises a carriage to traverse the print head in a first direction over a band of a print receiving area a... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6431775 | Automatic print cartridge alignment system An automatic alignment system is used to correct the offset error of a bidirectional printing device. The positional offset between the forward printing and the backward printing is compensated by adjusting the position of the printing cartridge. The actu... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6431773 | Method and apparatus for printing on a continuously moving sheet of work material In an apparatus for printing on a continuously moving sheet of work material, a frame is provided and defines a work supporting surface over which a sheet of work material is advanced in a first coordinate direction longitudinally of itself. An elongated ... | 08/13/2002 |
| 6419409 | Serial printer detecting set condition for image formation and method of controlling the same A serial printer includes a carriage reciprocating in a main scanning direction, a reading sensor mounted in carriage, a timing fence arranged in the main scanning direction, a mechanism preventing movement of carriage in the main scanning direction, and ... | 07/16/2002 |
| 6257781 | Apparatus for tensioning a drive belt and for absorbing end-of-travel shock A printer including two adjacent printing stations has a print head attached to a carriage moved through both printing stations, with a home position for the carriage being established between the printing stations. Data describing the position of the car... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6196661 | Serial recording apparatus It is intended to expand the recording width of the serial printer by executing the one-directional recording, instead of the two-directional recording, according to the required recording width. For this purpose there is provided a serial recording appar... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6168329 | Color printing apparatus A color printing apparatus is provided for realizing highly attractive print images and high speed color printing with a relatively simple position control. The color printing apparatus comprises a printer unit for printing a color print image composed of... | 01/02/2001 |
| 6139206 | Multifunctional machine performing a shuttle-scanning Disclosed is a multifunctional machine which prevents the contamination caused by the contact of a document and a printhead, by placing the printhead to face a base frame supporting a printable medium and placing a scanner to face the base frame supportin... | 10/31/2000 |
| 6069709 | Bi-directional printing with overlap using both breaks and transition regions An apparatus for bi-directionally rendering an image includes a bi-directional printer (10) having an input (12) which receives data corresponding to the input image. A printhead (14), in accordance with the data, renders the image on a medium (M) in swat... | 05/30/2000 |
| 5969730 | Printer A printer includes a full-line type printhead which can correct variations in the ink discharge amounts from the respective nozzles, and density unevenness of a printed image due to variations in the operations of many driving circuits in the printhead an... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5913623 | Recording apparatus In a serial recording mode where a carriage CA mounting a recording head HD is moved reciprocatingly in a main scanning direction of a second recording medium D2, the control apparatus drives the carriage CA to move while the recording head HD is separate... | 06/22/1999 |
| 5906444 | Bi-directional thermal printer and method therefor A method and system for printing bi-directionally with a thermal print head movable back and forth along a print path adjacent a ribbon to transfer ink therefrom onto a substrate. The ribbon being drawn from an unwind reel and adjacent the print path, and... | 05/25/1999 |