An image reading and recording apparatus includes a read/write head in which a reading head and a recording head are assembled into a unitary head body, a sheet feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet in engagement with the head body at a predetermined engagement position, wherein the reading head and the recording head are provided respectively on the head body such that a distance between the reading head and the engagement position is set larger than a distance between the recording head and the engagement position.
A combination printer and scanner comprises a frame and a plurality of rollers mounted in the frame that define a single paper path through the frame. The combination printer and scanner further comprises an automatic sheet feeder and an automatic document feeder mounted to the frame for selectively providing clean paper print sheets and documents having text and/or graphics to be scanned, respectively, to the single paper path. A scanner station is mounted in the frame for scanning documents conveyed through the single paper path. A printer station is mounted in the frame for printing text and/or graphics on print sheets conveyed through the single paper path. A pen door is hingedly connected to the frame for opening and closing a region along the single paper path to allow access to the scanner station to permit the cleaning of a scanner window thereof. Clamping mechanisms are also provided so that the opening and closing of the pen door releases and applies tension on at least one set of rollers defining the single paper path to permit a print sheet or document jammed therebetween to be removed.
Apparatus for utilizing a single paper path for printing, copying, scanning, and sending and receiving facsimiles by combining a gear box assembly and an adjustable scan head assembly with a conventional printer. The invention contemplates a first position for scanning, copying, and sending facsimiles of an image, and a second position for printing, reproducing a copied image, and receiving facsimiles. In the first position, the path of a single sheet of paper is impeded by the scan head mechanism. In the second position, a sheet of paper onto which an image has been transferred by dot matrix, ink, or laser printing, can move through the multipurpose information transfer device unimpeded. The invention contemplates a single stationary path to which information transfer functions are added and taken away, instead of multiple paths to accommodate stationary information transfer functions.
This invention provides a dot printer which reads a manuscript and prints on a recording medium automatically only by placing a manuscript and a recording medium. A thermal head and an image scanner are provided facing to a platen, a feeding mechanism for feeding a desired manuscript or recording medium between the platen, and the thermal head and the image scanner is provided, an identification marker is formed on the upstream side of feeding of the manuscript, and a controller for controlling the operation is provided so that the identification marker is read using the image scanner to recognize that the medium is a manuscript fed from the feeding mechanism, then, the image scanner starts to read the manuscript.
A normal size facsimile machine (81/2inches wide) is to be made for portable applications, with the added feature of being a thermal printer. The design is focused on a slim profile of extremely light weight. All components that can be attached externally only when needed, have been removed from the main body, and built as separate add on modules. Printing speeds are fast due to thermal technology and extremely economical. As far as portable facsimiles are concerned, this is quite a unique machine due to its compact size, 81/2inch wide print capability, and high speed with low power consumption.
A compact structure of a facsimile machine is provided. This facsimile machine includes a casing, a document-recording sheet inlet for insertion of a document and a recording sheet, a document-recording sheet outlet for ejection of the document and the recording sheet, a rotatable roller arranged in the casing to feed the document sheet and the recording sheet along a given path of travel extending from the document-recording sheet inlet to the document-recording sheet outlet, an image reading sensor for reading an image printed on the document moving along the given path of travel, and an image recording head for recording an image stored in an image memory on the recording sheet. The image recording means is arranged upstream of the image reading means along the given path of travel and urges the document and the recording sheet against the rotatable roller under a preselected pressure for providing thrust to advance the document and the recording sheet according to rotation of the rotatable roller along the given path of travel.
