Patent EP0132471A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0132471A2
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EP
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Franking machine
Assignee: Francotyp Postalia GmbH
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Filing: 1983-09-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-09-06
Abstract
Abstract @ Postal franking apparatus is described in which the information to be printed onto an envelope is stored electrically in a memory and is read out to form printing control signals for controlling a thermal printer containing thermally activable inking means at a printing station into which the envelope is placed. The inking means may comprise a ribbon carrying or impregnated with ink. A resiliently deformable backing member is located atthe printing station to accommodate variation in thickness of an envelope and content. In addition or alternatively a resiliently deformable printing head is employed.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan John Harry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 10:33
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41K; B41K3/00; G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; B41J; B41J3/00; G07B2017/00516; G07B2017/00524; G07B2017/0054
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
Postal franking apparatus comprising: (1) memory means in which all the information to be printed onto an envelope is stored electrically; (2) means for reading out information from the memory to form printing control signals; (3) a printing station into which an envelope to be franked can be placed; (4) thermal printing means and thermally activable inking means, and (5) means for conveying the printing control signals to the thermal printing means to selectively apply ink to an envelope in the printing station, to frank the envelope.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
Postal franking apparatus comprising: (1) memory means in which all the information to be printed onto an envelope is stored electrically; (2) means for reading out information from the memory to form printing control signals; (3) a printing station into which an envelope to be franked can be placed; (4) thermal printing means and thermally activable inking means, and (5) means for conveying the printing control signals to the thermal printing means to selectively apply ink to an envelope in the printing station, to frank the envelope.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
Postal franking apparatus according to claim 1 in which the thermally activable inking means comprises a ribbon or like sheet member carrying or impregnated with ink and adapted to pass between the thermal printing head and the envelope.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
Postal franking apparatus according to claim 2 in which the ribbon or like member is pre-inked and after use discarded and replaced with a fresh ribbon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Postal franking apparatus according to claim 3 in which the ribbon or like member is an endless loop and an ink reservoir is provided for transferring ink thereto.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Postal franking apparatus according to claim 1 wherein an offset process is employed in which an inked impression of what is to be printed on an envelope is formed on a transfer device which passes through the printing station in synchronism with an envelope impression on the envelope located thereat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Postal franking apparatus according to claim 5 wherein an ink reservoir is provided in the form of a porous roller loaded with thermally activated ink.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
Postal franking apparatus in which an offset printing device comprises: (1) a length of ribbon material adapted to carry albeit temporarily, the inking medium, (2) means for loading inking medium onto the ribbon selectively from the reservoir, and (3) heating means for transferring ink from the inked regions of the ribbon onto an envelope.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
Postal franking apparatus in which an offset printing device comprises: (1) a length of ribbon material adapted to carry albeit temporarily, the inking medium, (2) means for loading inking medium onto the ribbon selectively from the reservoir, and (3) heating means for transferring ink from the inked regions of the ribbon onto an envelope.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
Postal franking apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein a reusable endless loop of ribbon material is employed and means is provided for removing surplus ink from the ribbon after printing, before the relevant region of ribbon is returned to the loading means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
Postal franking apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein there is a length of intermediate ribbon which is used once only, and a spool of initially inked ribbon is provided with used ribbon being fed to a take-up spool, to be thrown away when fully used.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
Postal franking apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the thermal printing means comprises an elongate conductive element having relatively high electrical resistivity, to which a plurality of electrical connections are made along its length, and means is provided for applying electrical currents to selected ones of the connections for producing localised heating of the conductive element for melting or otherwise causing ink to be deposited onto an envelope in contact therewith.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
Postal franking apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the ink is adapted to melt and form a liquid or change its phase from a solid (or liquid) into a vapour phase on being heated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
Postal franking apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 11 wherein the thermal printing means itself is flexible, so as to be deformable along its length dimension to accommodate uneveness in the surface to be printed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
63 words
Postal franking apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 12 wherein a backing device is employed which together with the printing head forms a nip between which an envelope passes during printing, which backing device is differentially resiliently deformable in a direction perpendicular to the surface thereof along a line perpendicular to the direction of movement of an envelope through the zone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
Postal franking machines apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the backing device comprises a plurality of separate but axially touching discs or annuali of resiliently deformable material mounted as an unitary cylindrical member on a shaft, for rotation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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