US3625142A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High-speed printing apparatus having slidably mounted character-forming elements forming a dot matrix
Assignee: Datascript Terminal Equipment
•
Filing: 1970-06-10
•
Granted: 1971-12-07
•
Expires: 1990-06-10
Abstract
Abstract A high-speed printer apparatus characterized by a font assembly having a plurality of slidably mounted character-forming elements forming a dot matrix. The dot projections are so arranged on said elements that any given character may be formed on said matrix at any given character position by small linear relative movements of such elements. Hammer means are mounted opposite the font assembly and are movable to said character positions and actuated to press the character image onto the paper by means of a ribbon. Logic means are provided to control the position of the character-forming elements and hammer means and the sequence of operation, all in response to data input signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Aaron D Bresler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 02:46
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/22; B41J2/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A font assembly for a high-speed printer apparatus for forming characters from a dot matrix, comprising a housing, a plurality of character-forming elements mounted in said housing and each having a series of dot print positions extending along their lengths, said dot print positions each characterized by a dot pattern and some of said dot print positions having a different dot pattern from some of the others of said dot print positions, said elements being arranged to form a dot matrix, means for moving said elements relative to each other along their lengths so as to align at least some of said dot print positions on each of said elements in a direction generally perpendicular to the lengths of said elements, whereby at least a portion of said dot matrix is effective to display a particular character made up of dot projections.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
A font assembly for a high-speed printer apparatus for forming characters from a dot matrix, comprising a housing, a plurality of character-forming elements mounted in said housing and each having a series of dot print positions extending along their lengths, said dot print positions each characterized by a dot pattern and some of said dot print positions having a different dot pattern from some of the others of said dot print positions, said elements being arranged to form a dot matrix, means for moving said elements relative to each other along their lengths so as to align at least some of said dot print positions on each of said elements in a direction generally perpendicular to the lengths of said elements, whereby at least a portion of said dot matrix is effective to display a particular character made up of dot projections.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The font assembly of claim 1, wherein said character-forming elements comprise thin, elongated members extending in a first direction and stacked in a second direcTion generally perpendicular to said first direction and having said dot print positions extending in said first direction on aligned end surfaces thereof, said members being slidable relative to each other in said first direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The font assembly of claim 2, further comprising bearing means disposed between said stacked members for facilitating the sliding engagement thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The font assembly of claim 3, wherein said bearing means comprises wire means mounted on said housing and said members are provided with groove means extending in said first direction and adapted to operatively slidingly engage said wire means, whereby said members are guided along said wire means in said first direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
The font assembly of claim 1, further comprising hammer means disposed opposite said dot print positions on said character-forming elements, means for feeding paper between said character-forming elements and said hammer means, ribbon means between said hammer means and said elements adjacent said paper, and impact means for actuating said hammer means to press said ribbon means and said paper against said dot matrix formed by said character-forming elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The font assembly of claim 5, wherein said character-forming elements comprise thin, elongated members extending in a first direction and stacked in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction and having said dot print positions extending in said first direction on aligned end surfaces thereof, said members being slidable relative to each other in said first direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The font assembly of claim 6, further comprising bearing means disposed between said stacked members for facilitating the sliding engagement thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The font assembly of claim 7, wherein said bearing means comprises wire means mounted on said housing and said members are provided with groove means extending in said first direction and adapted to operatively slidingly engage said wire means, whereby said members are guided along said wire means in said first direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The font assembly of claim 5, further comprising means to move said hammer means along the lengths of said character-forming elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The font assembly of claim 6, further comprising means to move said hammer means in said first direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The font assembly of claim 7, further comprising means to move said hammer means in said first direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The font assembly of claim 8, further comprising means to move said hammer means in said first direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The font assembly of claim 9, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers spaced along the lengths of said character-forming elements.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The font assembly of claim 10, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers spaced along said first direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The font assembly of claim 11, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers spaced along said first direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The font assembly of claim 12, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers spaced along said first direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The font assembly of claim 1, wherein said means for moving said character-forming elements comprises magnetically actuated linear translation means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
The font assembly of claim 17, wherein said character-forming elements comprise thin, elongated members extending in a first direction and stacked in a second direction generally perpendicular to said first direction and having said dot print positions extending in said first direction on aligned end surfaces thereof, said members being slidable relative to each other in said first direction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
The font assembly of claim 18, further comprising bearing means disposed between said stacked members for facilitating the sliding engagement thereof.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
The font assembly of claim 19, wherein said bearing means comprises wire means mounted on said housing and said members are provided with groove means extending in said first direction and adapted to operatively slidIngly engage said wire means, whereby said members are guided along said wire means in said first direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
68 words
The font assembly of claim 17, further comprising hammer means disposed opposite said dot print positions on said character-forming elements, means for feeding paper between said elements and said hammer means, ribbon means between said hammer means and said element adjacent said paper, and impact means for actuating said hammer means to press said ribbon means and said paper against said dot matrix formed by said character-forming elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
68 words
The font assembly of claim 20, further comprising hammer means disposed opposite said dot print positions on said character-forming elements, means for feeding paper between said elements and said hammer means, ribbon means between said hammer means and said elements adjacent said paper, and impact means for actuating said hammer means to press said ribbon means and said paper against said dot matrix formed by said character-forming elements.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The font assembly of claim 13, wherein said means for moving said hammer means comprises magnetically actuated linear translation means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The font assembly of claim 16, wherein said means for moving said hammer means in said first direction comprises magnetically actuated linear translation means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The font assembly of claim 1, wherein said character-forming elements are adapted to be moved with respect to said housing along their lengths in increments corresponding to one dot print position and multiples thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The font assembly of claim 17, wherein said character-forming elements are adapted to be moved with respect to said housing along their lengths in increments corresponding to one dot print position and multiples thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The font assembly of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of said series of dot projections on each character-forming element is cyclic.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
18 words
The font assembly of claim 27, wherein one cycle of dot projections comprises 63 discrete dot print positions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The font assembly of claim 27, wherein one cycle of dot projections comprises 98 discrete dot print positions.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The font assembly of claim 1, wherein said character-forming elements are adapted to be moved along their lengths in increments corresponding to said effective portion of said dot matrix and multiples thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
33 words
The font assembly of claim 17, wherein said character-forming elements are adapted to be moved in said first direction in increments corresponding to said effective portion of said dot matrix and multiples thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The font assembly of claim 30, wherein said effective portion of said dot matrix extends 7 dot print positions.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The font assembly of claim 31, wherein said effective portion of said dot matrix extends 7 dot print positions.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The font assembly of claim 32, wherein said first and last dot print positions of said effective portion of said dot matrix are blanked.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The font assembly of claim 33, wherein said first and last dot print positions of said effective portion of said dot matrix are blanked.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
117 words
The font assembly of claim 9, wherein the particular character to be formed and its position in relation to said housing is determined by an input signal, and further comprising font assembly command logic means responsive to said input signal for commanding the position of each of said character-forming elements, character-forming element position-monitoring means for monitoring the current position of each of said character-forming elements, and character-forming element control logic means operatively connected to said font assembly command logic means and said character-forming element position-monitoring means for comparing the current position of said character-forming elements with the commanded position thereof and actuating said means for moving said character-forming elements to move said elements to the commanded position.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
72 words
The font assembly of claim 36, further coMprising hammer position monitoring means for monitoring the position of said hammer means, hammer control logic means responsive to said input signal and said hammer-monitoring means for comparing the position of said hammer means with the position of said particular character and actuating said means for moving said hammer means to position said hammer means in alignment with said particular character on said dot matrix.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
38 words
The font assembly of claim 37, further comprising sequence command logic means responsive to said input signal, said character-forming element-monitoring means and said hammer-monitoring means, for controlling the sequence of hammer actuation, character-forming element movement, and hammer movement.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
The font assembly of claim 38, wherein said sequence command logic means also controls the sequence of paper feed.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
79 words
The font assembly of claim 4, wherein said wire means comprises a plurality of wires suspended at their ends from said housing and said groove means comprises a plurality of grooves provided in both surfaces of said thin members and adapted to receive said plurality of wires respectively, an individual wire engaging the grooves of each of two adjacent members, thereby to adapt said members to slide relative to each other along said wires only in said first direction.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
79 words
The font assembly of claim 20, wherein said wire means comprises a plurality of wires suspended at their ends from said housing and said groove means comprises a plurality of grooves provided in both surfaces of said thin members and adapted to receive said plurality of wires respectively, an individual wire engaging the grooves of each of two adjacent members, thereby to adapt said members to slide relative to each other along said wires only in said first direction.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
87 words
The font assembly of claim 6, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers, each said hammer movable in said first direction from a starting position along a given portion of the length of said elements, said given portions being contiguous to one another, and means for moving said hammers back to their starting positions upon spanning said given portion, whereby one of said hammers is returned to its starting position while another hammer begins moving along its portion of the length of said character-forming elements.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
87 words
The font assembly of claim 9, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers, each said hammer movable in said first direction from a starting position along a given portion of the length of said elements, said given portions being contiguous to one another, and means for moving said hammers back to their starting positions upon spanning said given portion, whereby one of said hammers is returned to its starting position while another hammer begins moving along its portion of the length of said character-forming elements.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
87 words
The font assembly of claim 10, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers, each said hammer movable in said first direction from a starting position along a given portion of the length of said elements, said given portions being contiguous to one another, and means for moving said hammers back to their starting positions upon spanning said given portion, whereby one of said hammers is returned to its starting position while another hammer begins moving along its portion of the length of said character-forming elements.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
87 words
The font assembly of claim 11, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers, each said hammer movable in said first direction from a starting position along a given portion of the length of said elements, said given portions being contiguous to one another, and means for moving said hammers back to their starting positions upon spanning said given portion, whereby one of said hammers is returned to its starting position while another hammer begins moving along its portion of the length of said character-forming elements.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
87 words
The font assembly of claim 12, wherein said hammer means comprises a plurality of hammers, each said hammer movable in said first direction from a starting position along a given portion of the length of said elements, said given portions being contiguous to one another, and means for moving said hammers back to their starting positions upon spanning said given portion, whereby one of said hammers is returned to its starting position while another hammer begins moving along its portion of the length of said character-forming elements.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
117 words
The font assembly of claim 1, wherein the particular character to be formed and its position in relation to said housing is determined by an input signal, and further comprising font assembly command logic means responsive to said input signal for commanding the position of each of said character-forming elements, character-forming element position-monitoring means for monitoring the current position of each of said character-forming elements, and character-forming element control logic means operatively connected to said font assembly command logic means and said character-forming element position-monitoring means for comparing the current position of said character-forming elements with the commanded position thereof and actuating said means for moving said character-forming elements to move said elements to the commanded position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2976801A
Cited
US2681614A
Cited
US2694362A
Cited
US2757604A
Cited
US2930316A
Cited
US3190957A
Cited
US3418427A
Cited
US3330208A
Cited
US3476044A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-06 | 1975-06-07 | 1975-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-06 | 1979-06-07 | 1979-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-06 | 1983-06-07 | 1983-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |