EP0172561A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermal mechanism for printing fixed and variable information and postage meter having such a mechanism
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1985-08-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-08-20
Abstract
Abstract A high speed thermal printing mechanism having a dichotomized printing sequence. The thermal printing mechanism is particularly useful for printing postal values and indicia upon postage tape in a variable and fixed format, respectively. The variable information can be imprinted by a thermal head (30) under the influence of a microprocessor. The fixed information can be imprinted by an etched thermal print screen on a rotatable drum (27).
Inventors
- 👤 Salvatores J. Calvi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:38
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; G07B2017/00516; G07B2017/00524; G07B2017/0054; G07B2017/00637; G07B2017/00645
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
An electronic postage meter having a thermal postage printing mechanism for the printing of postage indicia and postal values in a respective fixed and variable format, said thermal postage printing mechanism characterised by: means for defining a postage tape feed path (40); means (21) for dispensing postage tape along said feed path; a first thermal printing means (20) disposed along said feed path for printing fixed postage indicia upon said postage tape; a second thermal printing means (30) disposed adjacent said first thermal printing means (20) for printing variable postage information upon said postage tape, said second thermal printing means (30) including thermal heating elements responsive to voltage pulses initiated by electronic signals related to a postage value; and means (22) for dispensing a thermal ink transfer ribbon (23) between said first and second thermal printing means and said postage tape, whereby ink from said ribbon can be transferred to said postage tape by said first and second thermal printing means to form a composite postage print on said tape.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
An electronic postage meter having a thermal postage printing mechanism for the printing of postage indicia and postal values in a respective fixed and variable format, said thermal postage printing mechanism characterised by: means for defining a postage tape feed path (40); means (21) for dispensing postage tape along said feed path; a first thermal printing means (20) disposed along said feed path for printing fixed postage indicia upon said postage tape; a second thermal printing means (30) disposed adjacent said first thermal printing means (20) for printing variable postage information upon said postage tape, said second thermal printing means (30) including thermal heating elements responsive to voltage pulses initiated by electronic signals related to a postage value; and means (22) for dispensing a thermal ink transfer ribbon (23) between said first and second thermal printing means and said postage tape, whereby ink from said ribbon can be transferred to said postage tape by said first and second thermal printing means to form a composite postage print on said tape.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 1 wherein said postage tape dispensing means is capable of dispensing two different lengths of postage tape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first thermal printing means includes a heat source (34) and a rotatable drum (27) substantially surrounding said heat source that supports a screen (33) containing said fixed indicia.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 4 wherein said heat source includes a flash lamp.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 3 or 4 wherein said drum comprises means for receiving an additional screen for printing a slogan upon said postage tape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An electronic postage meter according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising a microprocessor (14) for initiating said voltage pulses for said second thermal printing means (30).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 6 further comprising a keyboard (11) for selecting postage, said keyboard being electrically connected to said microprocessor (14) for supplying electronic signals to initiate said voltage pulses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 7 further comprising a display (12) electrically connected to said keyboard (11) for displaying selected postal values.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
An electronic postage meter according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising cutting means (39) disposed along said feed path (40) for cutting a given length from said postage tape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 9 wherein said cutting means is disposed along said feed path upstream from said first and second thermal printing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electronic postage meter having a thermal postage printing mechanism for the printing of postage indicia and postal values in a respective fixed and variable format, said thermal postage printing mechanism characterised by: means defining a postage tape feed path (40); means (21) for dispensing postage tape along said feed path; a first thermal printing means (20) disposed along said feed path for printing fixed postage indicia upon said postage tape; and a second thermal printing means (30) disposed adjacent said first thermal printing means (20) for printing variable postage information upon said postage tape, said second thermal printing means (30) including thermal heating elements responsive to voltage pulses initiated by electronic signals related to a postal value, said first and second thermal printing means being operable in concert to form a composite postage print.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
135 words
An electronic postage meter having a thermal postage printing mechanism for the printing of postage indicia and postal values in a respective fixed and variable format, said thermal postage printing mechanism characterised by: means defining a postage tape feed path (40); means (21) for dispensing postage tape along said feed path; a first thermal printing means (20) disposed along said feed path for printing fixed postage indicia upon said postage tape; and a second thermal printing means (30) disposed adjacent said first thermal printing means (20) for printing variable postage information upon said postage tape, said second thermal printing means (30) including thermal heating elements responsive to voltage pulses initiated by electronic signals related to a postal value, said first and second thermal printing means being operable in concert to form a composite postage print.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 11 wherein a dispensing means (22) is provided for placing a thermal ink transfer ribbon (23) adjacent said postage tape.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 11 or 12 wherein said first thermal printing means comprises a heat source (34) and a rotatable drum (27) substantially surrounding said heat source (34) and supporting a screen providing said fixed indicia.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 13 wherein said heat source comprises a flash lamp.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 13 or 14 wherein said drum includes means for inserting an additional screen for printing a slogan.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
An electronic postage meter according to any one of claims 11 to 15 further comprising a microprocessor (14) for initiating said voltage pulses for said second thermal printing means (30).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 16 further comprising a keyboard (11) for selecting postage, said keyboard being electrically connected to said microprocessor (14) for supplying electronic signals to initiate said voltage pulses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 17 further comprising a display (12) electrically connected to said keyboard (11) for- displaying selected postal values.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
An electronic postage meter according to any one of claims 11 to 18 further comprising cutting means (39) disposed along said feed path for cutting a given length from said postage tape.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electronic postage meter according to claim 19 wherein said cutting means has the capability of cutting said postage tape into different lengths.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
147 words
A printing mechanism for the printing of indicia and numerical values in a respective fixed and variable format, said thermal printing mechanism characterised by: means defining a tape feed path (40); means (21) for dispensing tape along said feed path; a first thermal printing means (20) disposed along said feed path for printing fixed indicia upon said tape; a second thermal printing means (30) disposed adjacent said first thermal printing means for printing variable information upon said tape, said second thermal printing means including thermal heating elements responsive to voltage impulses initiated by electronic signals related to a numerical value; and means (22) for dispensing a thermal ink transfer ribbon (23) between said first and second thermal printing means and said tape, whereby ink from said ribbon (23) can be transferred to said tape by said first and second thermal printing means to form a composite print.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
147 words
A printing mechanism for the printing of indicia and numerical values in a respective fixed and variable format, said thermal printing mechanism characterised by: means defining a tape feed path (40); means (21) for dispensing tape along said feed path; a first thermal printing means (20) disposed along said feed path for printing fixed indicia upon said tape; a second thermal printing means (30) disposed adjacent said first thermal printing means for printing variable information upon said tape, said second thermal printing means including thermal heating elements responsive to voltage impulses initiated by electronic signals related to a numerical value; and means (22) for dispensing a thermal ink transfer ribbon (23) between said first and second thermal printing means and said tape, whereby ink from said ribbon (23) can be transferred to said tape by said first and second thermal printing means to form a composite print.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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