EP0317762A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Printer paper control apparatus and method
Assignee: Bull HN Information Systems Inc
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Filing: 1988-10-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-10-19
Abstract
Abstract Motor control apparatus is described that is used in a printer that prints on a paper web (32) coming from a roll (13) of paper and has two-sided printing capability using two print mechanisms (14, 15). The motor control apparatus controls power to several DC motors that either move the paper web from a roll through the printer or provide back tension to the paper web (32). The control circuits sense paper travel speed and motor loading and thereby sense the effects on paper tension caused by others of the control circuits. The interaction of motor torques provided by the control circuits maintains constant tension on the paper web (32) throughout the printer and thereby assures that there is front to back printing registration on each two-sided printed sheet, and also assures that there is top to bottom centering registration of printing on each sheet of paper when the paper web is cut into individual sheets of paper.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard A. Bettendorf
- 👤 Scott S. Morris
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 05:11
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J15/00; B41J15/04; B41J3/00; B41J3/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
Motor control apparatus for a printer that prints on a paper web from a roll of paper, and the web is cut into sheets after being printed on, said control apparatus comprising: first means for providing a back pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web; second means for providing a forward pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web, but said forward pressure not being sufficient to move said paper web through said printer; and third means for providing a forward pressure to said paper web to cause said paper web to move through said printer so that it may be printed on.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
Motor control apparatus for a printer that prints on a paper web from a roll of paper, and the web is cut into sheets after being printed on, said control apparatus comprising: first means for providing a back pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web; second means for providing a forward pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web, but said forward pressure not being sufficient to move said paper web through said printer; and third means for providing a forward pressure to said paper web to cause said paper web to move through said printer so that it may be printed on.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: fourth means for providing a forward pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web, but said forward pressure not being sufficient to move said paper web through said printer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means for providing an indication of the speed of said paper web through said printer, said third means being responsive to said means for providing an indication to regulate the speed of said paper web moving through said printer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention in accordance with claim 3 further comprising a logic circuit for controlling the timing of when said first means, said second means, and said third means are energized.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
The invention in accordance with claim 4 wherein said first means comprises: a first motor for applying a torque to said paper roll to provide said back pressure to said paper web; and a first control circuit providing power to said first motor, said first control circuit sensing the rate of rotation of said paper roll and adjusting the power applied to said first motor to maintain constant tension in said paper web.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein said second means comprises: a second motor for providing a forward pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web; and a second control circuit providing power to said second motor, said second control circuit receiving an error indication from said third means and regulating the power provided to said second motor to maintain said constant tension.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
84 words
The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein said third means comprises; a third motor for applying forward pressure to said paper web to move said paper web through said printer; and a third control circuit providing power to said third motor, said third control circuit sensing the speed of said paper web through said printer from said paper speed indicating means and regulating the power provided to said third motor to move said paper web through said printer at a constant predetermined speed.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for controlling power applied to motors in a printer that prints on a paper web from a roll of paper, and the web is cut into sheets after being printed on, to maintain constant tension in the paper web, said method comprising the steps of: providing a back pressure to said paper web to help maintain constant tension in said paper web; providing a first forward pressure to said paper web to help maintain constant tension in said paper web, but said forward pressure is not sufficient to move said paper web through said printer; and providing a second forward pressure to said paper web to cause said paper web to move through said printer so that it may be printed on.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for controlling power applied to motors in a printer that prints on a paper web from a roll of paper, and the web is cut into sheets after being printed on, to maintain constant tension in the paper web, said method comprising the steps of: providing a back pressure to said paper web to help maintain constant tension in said paper web; providing a first forward pressure to said paper web to help maintain constant tension in said paper web, but said forward pressure is not sufficient to move said paper web through said printer; and providing a second forward pressure to said paper web to cause said paper web to move through said printer so that it may be printed on.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method in accordance with claim 8 further comprising the steps of: providing an indication of the speed of said paper web through said printer; and varying said second forward pressure responsive to said speed indication to regulate the speed of said paper web moving through said printer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method in accordance with claim 9 further comprising the step of: controlling the timing of providing said back pressure and said first and said second forward pressure to said paper web to maintain constant tension in said paper web.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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