Patent US4176272A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4176272A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
MOS-bipolar printer driver circuit
Assignee: Raytheon Co
•
Filing: 1977-11-03
•
Granted: 1979-11-27
•
Expires: 1997-11-03
Abstract
Abstract In a thermal printer, a print element drive circuit has connected in series a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) inverter gate driving a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistor which in turn drives a bipolar power transistor. The bipolar power transistor provides current pulses to a resistive element which is thermally activated in response to the pulses to cause the printing of characters upon thermal sensitive paper. Character decoding circuitry provides high impedence logic level inputs to the CMOS inverter and these inputs are converted by the printer driver circuitry into corresponding high current drive pulses.
Inventors
- 👤 Vernon B. Powers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 12:16
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32; B41J2/35
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A thermal printer driver circuit connected to a thermal printer resistive heating element comprising: an MOS transistor having a binary input signal provided to the gate terminal thereof and having a first terminal grounded, a resistor connected between a second terminal of said MOS transistor and a voltage source, and a bipolar transistor having the base terminal thereof connected to said second terminal of said MOS transistor, the collector terminal thereof connected to said voltage source and the emitter terminal thereof connected to the thermal printer resistive heating element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A thermal printer driver circuit connected to a thermal printer resistive heating element comprising: an MOS transistor having a binary input signal provided to the gate terminal thereof and having a first terminal grounded, a resistor connected between a second terminal of said MOS transistor and a voltage source, and a bipolar transistor having the base terminal thereof connected to said second terminal of said MOS transistor, the collector terminal thereof connected to said voltage source and the emitter terminal thereof connected to the thermal printer resistive heating element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A thermal printer driver circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said MOS transistor is a N-channel device and said bipolar transistor is an NPN device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A thermal printer driver circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said MOS transistor is a P-channel device and said bipolar transistor is a PNP device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A thermal printer driver circuit as recited in claim 1 including a CMOS inverter generating said binary input signal supplied to the gate terminal of said MOS transistor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A thermal printer driver circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said MOS transistor and said bipolar transistor are semiconductor chips mounted on a substrate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A thermal printer driver circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said resistor is deposited on said substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A thermal printer driver circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said resistor is a component attached to said substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
A hybrid thermal printer for producing visible impressions on thermal sensitive paper, comprising: an MOS transistor mounted on a substrate, said transistor having a binary input signal provided to the gate terminal and having a first terminal grounded, a first resistor connected between a second terminal of said MOS transistor and a voltage source, a bipolar transistor mounted on said substrate, said bipolar transistor having a base terminal connected to said second terminal of said MOS transistor and having a collector terminal connected to said voltage source, and a resistive heating element having a first terminal connected to the emitter terminal of said bipolar transistor and a second terminal thereof grounded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
A hybrid thermal printer for producing visible impressions on thermal sensitive paper, comprising: an MOS transistor mounted on a substrate, said transistor having a binary input signal provided to the gate terminal and having a first terminal grounded, a first resistor connected between a second terminal of said MOS transistor and a voltage source, a bipolar transistor mounted on said substrate, said bipolar transistor having a base terminal connected to said second terminal of said MOS transistor and having a collector terminal connected to said voltage source, and a resistive heating element having a first terminal connected to the emitter terminal of said bipolar transistor and a second terminal thereof grounded.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A hybrid thermal printer as recited in claim 7 including a CMOS inverter disposed on said substrate and generating said binary input signal supplied to the gate terminal of said MOS transistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3299329A
Cited
US3921162A
Cited
US3874493A
Cited
US3973111A
Cited
US3991329A
Cited
US4000411A
Cited
US4008406A
Cited
US3967139A
Cited
US3975742A
Cited
US4063117A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-11-26 | 1983-05-28 | 1983-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-11-26 | 1987-05-28 | 1987-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-11-26 | 1991-05-28 | 1991-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |