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US4510505A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thermal printer

Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1982-06-17
•
Granted: 1985-04-09
•
Expires: 2002-06-17
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Abstract

Abstract There is provided to a thermal printer including a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements and a power supply for driving the thermal head. A power supply average voltage detected and a time period for supplying a voltage to the heating elements is determined based on the detected voltage and the number of heating elements to be simultaneously energized.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroshi Fukui

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 16:16
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01D; G01D15/00; G01D15/10; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32; B41J2/35; B41J2/355

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
A thermal printer, comprising: a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements; a power supply for supplying power to said thermal head; power supply voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of said power supply a predetermined number of times; and control means for determining an average voltage of the voltages detected by said power supply voltage detecting means the predetermined number of times, and for controlling the heating value of said thermal head in accordance with said average voltage and the number of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with predetermined print data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 101 words
A thermal printer, comprising: a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements; a power supply for supplying power to said thermal head; power supply voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of said power supply a predetermined number of times; and control means for determining an average voltage of the voltages detected by said power supply voltage detecting means the predetermined number of times, and for controlling the heating value of said thermal head in accordance with said average voltage and the number of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with predetermined print data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 14 words
A thermal printer according to claim 1 wherein said power supply is a battery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 54 words
A thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes first memory means for storing therein said print data and second memory means for storing therein said heating value time data determined by the number of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with said print data.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 28 words
A thermal printer according to claim 3, wherein said second memory means includes a character generator storing therein a plurality of print patterns corresponding to said print data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 114 words
A thermal printer, comprising: a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements; a power supply for supplying power to said thermal head; a motor connected to said power supply for moving said thermal head; a power supply voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of said power supply when the voltage of said power supply is applied to said motor as a dummy load; and a control means for controlling the heating value of said thermal head in accordance with the voltage detected by said power supply voltage detecting means and the number of said plurality of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with predetermined print data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 114 words
A thermal printer, comprising: a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements; a power supply for supplying power to said thermal head; a motor connected to said power supply for moving said thermal head; a power supply voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of said power supply when the voltage of said power supply is applied to said motor as a dummy load; and a control means for controlling the heating value of said thermal head in accordance with the voltage detected by said power supply voltage detecting means and the number of said plurality of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with predetermined print data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 31 words
A thermal printer according to claim 5, further comprising drive means for driving said thermal head when the voltage of said power supply is applied in accordance with said heating value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 14 words
A thermal printer according to claim 5 wherein said power supply is a battery.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
A thermal printer according to claim 5 wherein said motor is a pulse motor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 53 words
A thermal printer according to claim 5 wherein said control means includes first memory means for storing therein said print data and second memory means for storing therein said heating value data determined by the number of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with said print data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 28 words
A thermal printer according to claim 9, wherein said second memory means includes a character generator storing therein a plurality of print patterns corresponding to said print data.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 105 words
A thermal printer, comprising: a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements; a motor for moving said thermal head, said motor being a dummy load adapted to detect a power supply to be used; a power supply voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of said power supply when said voltage is applied to said motor; and control means for controlling a heating time of said thermal head in accordance with the voltage detected by said power supply voltage detecting means and the number of said plurality of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with predetermined print data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 105 words
A thermal printer, comprising: a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements; a motor for moving said thermal head, said motor being a dummy load adapted to detect a power supply to be used; a power supply voltage detecting means for detecting a voltage of said power supply when said voltage is applied to said motor; and control means for controlling a heating time of said thermal head in accordance with the voltage detected by said power supply voltage detecting means and the number of said plurality of heating elements of said thermal head to be simultaneously heated in accordance with predetermined print data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 14 words
A thermal printer according to claim 11, wherein said motor is a pulse motor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4145756A Cited
US4219824A Cited
US4360819A Cited
US4407003A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-04-08 1988-10-08 1989-04-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-04-08 1992-10-08 1993-04-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-04-08 1996-10-08 1997-04-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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