Serial printing apparatus with controllable pitch

Claim 2

Printing apparatus comprising: means for printing indicia mounted for lateral shifting movement; means for selecting one of different print pitches and generating a signal representative of the selected print pitch; means responsive to the signal representative of the selected print pitch for controlling said printing means so that the printed indicia have the selected printed pitch; and indicating means mounted on said printing means for lateral shifting movement therewith, said indicating means including a plurality of indication elements that are respectively disposed at different positions in the direction perpendicular to the direction of lateral shifting movement of said printing means but are disposed at the same position in the direction of lateral shifting movement of said printing means.

Claim 3

Printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing the print pitch information generated by said print pitch selecting means.

Claim 4

Printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said indicating means includes display means mounted on said printing means.

Claim 5

Printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a member provided with a plurality of scales extending laterally, the scales being respectively arranged to correspond in position to said plurality of indication means.

Claim 6

Printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pitch selection means is a latchless key.

Claim 7

Electronic apparatus for drawing up documents, comprising: means for printing indicia mounted for shifting movement; position indicating means mounted on said printing means for indicating a print position; means for entering indicia and print pitch information; means comprising a first area for storing the indicia information and a second area for storing the print pitch information; processing means for discriminating between the indicia information entered by said entering means and the print pitch information entered by said entering means to store the indicia information in the first area of said storing means and the print pitch information in the second area of said storing means; and control means for controlling the amount of shifting movement of said printing means according to the print pitch information stored in said second area of said storing means, and for controlling the selection and printing of indicia by said printing means according to indicia information stored in said first area of said storing means.

Claim 8

Electronic apparatus for drawing up documents, comprising: means for printing indicia mounted for shifting movement; position indicating means mounted on said printing means for indicating a print position; means for entering indicia and print pitch information; means comprising a first area for storing the indicia information and a second area for storing the print pitch information; processing means for discriminating between the indicia information entered by said entering means and the print pitch information entered by said entering means to store the indicia information in the first area of said storing means and the print pitch information in the second area of said storing means; and control means for controlling the amount of shifting movement of said printing means according to the print pitch information stored in said second area of said storing means, and for controlling the selection and printing of indicia by said printing means according to indicia information stored in said first area of said storing means.

Claim 9

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said position indication means indicates the print pitch information in accordance with which control is exercised by said control means.

Claim 10

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said position indicating means comprises a plurality of indicating elements respectively arranged at vertically different positions.

Claim 11

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first and second areas constitute a buffer for storing a predetermined amount of said entered indicia and pitch information.

Claim 12

Electronic apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said indicia and pitch information is entered into the buffer in a FIFO mode so that an amount greater than the predetermined amount is discarded from the buffer.

Claim 13

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said entering means is a latchless key.

Claim 14

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first and second areas constitute a sentence memory RAM for storing said entered indicia and pitch information.

Claim 15

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a member provided with a plurality of scales, the scales being arranged in position to be associated with said position indicating means.

Claim 16

Electronic apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means for generating information to indicate the indicia information stored in said storing means that has not yet been printed.

Claim 17

Electronic apparatus for drawing up documents comprising: means for entering indicia and print pitch information; storing means having a first area for storing entered indicia information, a second area for storing entered print pitch information associated with the indicia information stored in said first area and a third area for storing the print pitch information associated with a registered indicia information; and processing means for printing the indicia information according to the print pitch information stored in said second area, and for controlling the printing of the registered indicia information according to the print pitch information stored in said third area.

Claim 18

Electronic apparatus for drawing up documents comprising: means for entering indicia and print pitch information; storing means having a first area for storing entered indicia information, a second area for storing entered print pitch information associated with the indicia information stored in said first area and a third area for storing the print pitch information associated with a registered indicia information; and processing means for printing the indicia information according to the print pitch information stored in said second area, and for controlling the printing of the registered indicia information according to the print pitch information stored in said third area.

Claim 19

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising means for displaying a print pitch corresponding to the print pitch information stored in the second area of said storing means.

Claim 20

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a latchless key for inputting said print pitch information.

Claim 21

Electronic apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising display means arranged in the vicinity of said key to display the pitch information input by said key.

Claim 22

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising print means provided with a plurality of display units, wherein during the print operation said processing means controls one of said plurality of display units in accordance with the input print pitch information stored in said first area.

Claim 23

Electronic apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a member having a plurality of scales with different pitches arranged to correspond in position to said plurality of display units.

Claim 24

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said first and second areas constitute a buffer for storing a predetermined amount of said entered indicia information and print pitch information.

Claim 25

Electronic apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said indicia information and the print pitch information are entered into said buffer in a FIFO mode so that an amount greater than the predetermined amount is discarded from said buffer.

Claim 26

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising means for printing indicia, mounted for shifting movement on said apparatus.

Claim 27

Electronic apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising position indicating means mounted on said printing means for indicating a print position.

Claim 28

Electronic apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a member provided with a plurality of scales, the scales being arranged in position to be associated with said position indicating means.

Claim 29

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising means for generating information to indicate the indicia stored in said storing means that has not yet been printed.

Claim 30

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said third area and said second area respectively comprises distinct memory members.

Claim 31

Electronic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising means for indicating the registration of indicia information and print pitch information stored in said storing means.

Claim 32

Electronic apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said registration indicating means comprises an index to read out the registered indicia information.

Claim 33

Electronic apparatus according to claim 29, further comprising means for reading out the entered indicia information stored in said third area and means for indicating whether the registered indicia information read out by said reading means is output with the index.

Claim 34

Electronic apparatus according to claim 30 further comprising position indicating means mounted on said printing means for indicating a print position.

Claim 35

Printing apparatus for printing indicia in any one of a plurality of print pitches, comprising: a platen; a carriage shiftable in a lateral direction relative to said platen; a print unit mounted on said carriage; a printing apparatus cover provided with a plurality of different pitch scales which are disposed in parallel in a direction perpendicular to said lateral direction; a plurality of light indicators mounted on said carriage at the same position in the lateral direction but at the different positions in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, said light indicators respectively indicating the position of said carriage relative to said pitch scales; and control means for energizing a selected one of said plurality of light indicators provided on said carriage.

Claim 36

Printing apparatus for printing indicia in any one of a plurality of print pitches, comprising: a platen; a carriage shiftable in a lateral direction relative to said platen; a print unit mounted on said carriage; a printing apparatus cover provided with a plurality of different pitch scales which are disposed in parallel in a direction perpendicular to said lateral direction; a plurality of light indicators mounted on said carriage at the same position in the lateral direction but at the different positions in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, said light indicators respectively indicating the position of said carriage relative to said pitch scales; and control means for energizing a selected one of said plurality of light indicators provided on said carriage.

Claim 37

Printing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the selected one of said plurality of light indicators corresponds to one of said plurality of pitch scales.

Claim 38

Printing apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising input means for selectively inputting one of a plurality of different pitches.

Claim 39

Printing apparatus according to claim 34, wherein said input means is a latchless key.

Claim 40

Printing apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising display means arranged in the vicinity of said input means to display the pitch information input by said input means.

Claim 41

Printing apparatus for printing data indicia in any one of a plurality of print pitches, comprising: a platen; a carriage shiftable in a lateral direction relative to said platen; a print unit mounted on said carriage; key means for selecting one of the plurality of printing pitches and for generating a pitch signal indicating the selected printing pitch; memory means for storing a pitch code representative of the selected printing pitch in response to the pitch signal; scale indication means having a plurality of different pitch scales which are disposed in parallel with a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction; a plurality of light indicators mounted on said carriage at the same position in the lateral direction but at different positions in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, said light indicators respectively indicating the position of said carriage relative to said pitch scales; first control means responsive to the pitch code selected by said key means and stored in said memory means for energizing a selected one of said plurality of light indicators provided on said carriage; and second control means responsive to the pitch code selected by said key means and stored in said memory means for controlling the shift of said carriage.

Claim 42

Printing apparatus for printing data indicia in any one of a plurality of print pitches, comprising: a platen; a carriage shiftable in a lateral direction relative to said platen; a print unit mounted on said carriage; key means for selecting one of the plurality of printing pitches and for generating a pitch signal indicating the selected printing pitch; memory means for storing a pitch code representative of the selected printing pitch in response to the pitch signal; scale indication means having a plurality of different pitch scales which are disposed in parallel with a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction; a plurality of light indicators mounted on said carriage at the same position in the lateral direction but at different positions in the direction perpendicular to the lateral direction, said light indicators respectively indicating the position of said carriage relative to said pitch scales; first control means responsive to the pitch code selected by said key means and stored in said memory means for energizing a selected one of said plurality of light indicators provided on said carriage; and second control means responsive to the pitch code selected by said key means and stored in said memory means for controlling the shift of said carriage.

Claim 43

Printing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said key means is a type of latchless key which transiently generates a pitch signal.

Claim 44

Printing apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising a plurality of display elements in the vicinity of said key means, said display elements indicating the selected printing pitch.

Claim 45

Printing apparatus according to claim 37, wherein a single common control processor unit serves as both said first and second control means.

Claim 46

Printing apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising indicia key means for inputting information of indicia to be printed, wherein said memory means stores the indicia input by said indicia key means and the pitch signal input by said key means for selecting one of the plurality of printing pitches and for generating a pitch signal indicating the selected printing pitch.

Claim 47

Printing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said memory means is a buffer of a predetermined storage capacity with a FIFO storing mode.

Claim 48

Printing apparatus according to claim 41, wherein said indicia key means and said key means for selecting one of the plurality of printing pitches and for generating a pitch signal indicating the selected printing pitch are constituted in the same key-matrix, and a key-on information is electrically latched by a memory cell corresponding to a depressed key detected through key scanning.

Claim 49

Printing apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said memory means is a buffer with a predetermined storage capacity in a FIFO mode.

Claim 50

Printing apparatus for printing data indicia in any one of a plurality of print pitches, comprising: a platen; a carriage shiftable in a lateral direction relative to said platen; a print unit mounted on said carriage; latchless key means for selecting one of the plurality of printing pitches and for generating a pitch signal indicating the selected printing pitch; memory means for storing a pitch information representative of the selected printing pitch in response to the pitch signal; scale indication means having a plurality of different pitch scales which are disposed in parallel with a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction; drive means operable in response to said pitch information for driving said carriage in the lateral shift direction; display means disposed in the vicinity of said latchless key means for displaying the printing pitch selected by said latchless key means; position indication means mounted on said carriage for indicating, at a face opposite to said scale indication means, the position of said carriage which shifts in accordance with the selected printing pitch; and controlling means for controlling said display means to display the pitch in accordance with the pitch information which is selected by said latchless key means and stored in said memory means and further for controlling said carriage shift in accordance with the pitch information so that the carriage shift position is indicated by said scale indication means and said position indication means.

Claim 51

Printing apparatus for printing data indicia in any one of a plurality of print pitches, comprising: a platen; a carriage shiftable in a lateral direction relative to said platen; a print unit mounted on said carriage; latchless key means for selecting one of the plurality of printing pitches and for generating a pitch signal indicating the selected printing pitch; memory means for storing a pitch information representative of the selected printing pitch in response to the pitch signal; scale indication means having a plurality of different pitch scales which are disposed in parallel with a direction perpendicular to the lateral direction; drive means operable in response to said pitch information for driving said carriage in the lateral shift direction; display means disposed in the vicinity of said latchless key means for displaying the printing pitch selected by said latchless key means; position indication means mounted on said carriage for indicating, at a face opposite to said scale indication means, the position of said carriage which shifts in accordance with the selected printing pitch; and controlling means for controlling said display means to display the pitch in accordance with the pitch information which is selected by said latchless key means and stored in said memory means and further for controlling said carriage shift in accordance with the pitch information so that the carriage shift position is indicated by said scale indication means and said position indication means.

Claim 52

Printing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said latchless key means transiently generates a pitch signal.

Claim 53

Printing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said position indication means comprises a plurality of indicating elements arranged in a line vertical to the carriage shift direction.

Claim 54

Printing apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said controlling means selectively drives one of said plurality of indicating elements according to said pitch information.

Claim 55

Printing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said scale indication means is placed on an apparatus cover.

Claim 56

Printing apparatus according to claim 45, further comprising indicia key means for inputting an indicia to be printed, wherein said memory means stores the indicia input by said indicia key means and the pitch input by said latchless key means.

Claim 57

Printing apparatus according to claim 50, wherein said indicia key means and said latchless key means are constituted in the same key matrix, and a key-on information is electrically latched by a memory cell corresponding to a depressed key deleted through key scanning.

Claim 58

Printing apparatus according to claim 45, wherein said controlling means comprises a control unit for controlling the input processing of the pitch information from said latchless key means and the pitch indication by said display means and a printer side control unit for controlling the shift of said carriage according to said pitch information.

Claim 59

Electronic apparatus for drawing up documents comprising: means for indicating registration of information; means for entering indicia and print pitch information; storing means comprising a first area for storing entered indicia information, a second area for storing entered print pitch information, and a third area for storing registration information according to an indication by said indicating means; and store control means for, in response to the registration indication, storing the indicia information stored in said first area, and the pitch information stored in said second area, as registration information in said third area.

Claim 60

Electronic apparatus for drawing up documents comprising: means for indicating registration of information; means for entering indicia and print pitch information; storing means comprising a first area for storing entered indicia information, a second area for storing entered print pitch information, and a third area for storing registration information according to an indication by said indicating means; and store control means for, in response to the registration indication, storing the indicia information stored in said first area, and the pitch information stored in said second area, as registration information in said third area.

Claim 61

Electronic apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising means for printing indicia, mounted for shifting movement on said apparatus.

Claim 62

Electronic apparatus according to claim 54, further comprising position indicating means mounted on said indicia printing means for indicating a print position and a member provided with a plurality of scales, the scales being arranged in position to be associated with said position indicating means.

Claim 63

Electronic apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising means for generating information to indicate the indicia stored in said storing means that has not yet been printed.

Claim 64

Electronic apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said third area and said second area respectively comprises distinct memory members.

Claim 65

Electronic apparatus according to claim 53, wherein said registration indicating means comprises an index to read out registered indicia information stored in said third area.

Claim 66

Electronic apparatus according to claim 58, further comprising means for reading out the registered indicia information stored in said third area and means for indicating whether the registered indicia information read out by said reading means is output with the index.