CH645850A5 - Write device with write head for outputting sequences of characters onto a recording medium - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a writing device with a writing head for outputting character strings on a record carrier. Writing devices are known, for example electrical typewriters with a storage device, in which character strings are written or printed line by line from the memory onto a sheet of paper using a type printing unit, with the writing head or the paper sheet in the current line having a certain width after each printed character , which is larger than the character width, is transported further and positioned and, while maintaining this position, the printing process for the next character read from the memory takes place. It is easy to see that the exact positioning of the write head over the paper or vice versa requires extensive mechanics, which require more electrical drive energy the greater the writing speed.

Thermal printers are also known, in which paper is used which changes color under the influence of temperature and in which the printing unit consists of a matrix of heatable needles and each time a character is printed, the print head is brought into a new position in the current line, which changes differs from the old one by more than one character width, and in which, in this new position, those needles of the matrix are briefly heated that are required to display the following character file read from a memory. Although the write head has a much smaller mass, very high accelerations or decelerations are necessary at higher write speeds, which result in a relatively high electrical energy consumption.

Both typewriters and thermal printers must adhere to certain specified paper sizes. For example, due to its width, the machine's platen roller can only hold a maximum of Din A3 continuous paper, mostly with perforations at the edges, while

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with the thermal printer multiple continuous paper on rolls in Din A4 width is provided.

Another method has become known, in which a write head containing 7 electrodes arranged in a column is moved almost continuously by means of a stepping motor along the surface of a metal paper, the individual character columns being burned in one after the other (TELESTAR).

Here, too, a very complex mechanism and a relatively high power consumption are required for the transport of the print head and for the paper feed. Furthermore, the printing unit in all its dimensions is considerably larger than the smallest width of the format or the operation is fixed to the format of the recording medium.

The invention has therefore set itself the task of specifying a writing device which requires little or no electrical energy from the available power supply for the transport of the writing head or the recording medium, and which is independent of the current output speed or its current one Change provides a clean, uniform character print with a constant spacing, without a standstill positioning being required for each character print, and the method of operation, regardless of the format or the dimensions of the writing device, can be substantially smaller than the smallest format width of the recording medium.

Although there are ink pens in which one or more pens are recorded on continuous paper rolling at a constant predetermined speed, no device of this type has been known to date which can achieve the objects according to the invention.

Furthermore, image telegraphy methods are known in which each character is built up in a grid-like manner from 7 by 7 image points, the individual line points of a column being written in succession on a paper tape which is moved forward. Most of the time, the paper transport is synchronized from the transmitter (synchronous or start-stop devices), or there is quasi-synchronism, with which latter devices the writing spindle has a gear with two turns, whereby a two-line writing is recorded and small speed differences between Sender and writer cause the writing to skew.

The fax procedure enables the transfer of drawings, documents, especially weather maps. Writing is done mechanically by recording pixels, while the scanning of the original to be sent is done optically. Here too, synchronism between the sender and the recorder is absolutely essential to avoid image distortion. In addition, the process depends on compliance with a certain specified paper format.

Automatic writing devices which are controlled by electronic computers are also known. In the case of the XY recorder, which receives the output data for a record from an analog computer, this output data is available in the form of the two X and Y deflection voltage curves as a function of time. The write head must now follow these deflection voltages as linearly as possible in the form of a corresponding S / Y movement. Even small linearity errors can cause large distortions.

In the case of the plotter, the drawing device for digital computer output, the write head also has to follow the deflection voltages in the X and Y directions, the deflection taking place in the form of smaller incremental or decremental steps that alternate in the X and Y directions. In the case of magnifying glass resolution, a 45 ° line is accordingly the step curve er645 850

recognizable. This writing process also requires high linearity in the X- or Y-deflection amplifier, as well as a device with precision mechanics to convert these voltages in order to avoid distortion errors, and is dependent on certain paper formats.

The objects according to the invention are achieved with the means specified in the independent patent claim.

The writing device according to the invention has the advantages that electrical energy for the transport of the recording medium or the writing head can be saved, that virtually distortion-free characters can be output regardless of the writing speed and that work can be carried out independently of the format of the recording medium. In a further development of the invention, the motor for transporting the write head or the record carrier is no longer required. The writing device has very small and handy dimensions.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through an exemplary embodiment of the writing device 12 according to the invention.

FIG. 2 offers a top view of the opened writing device according to FIG. 1.

In Figure 1, the write head 2 with the electrodes 1, which is pressed by the spring 3 onto the surface of the recording material 13, here metallized paper, can be seen. Via the switch 4, an electrode 1 can be connected to a capacitor 5, which can be charged to the discharge voltage. The write head 2 consisting of 7 electrodes 1 writes the characters E to be output in columns and is driven by the clock generator 6. In a further development of the invention, the clock generator 6 consists of a fork light barrier, the light beam of which is alternately released or interrupted by a rotatable perforated disk 7. In a further development of the invention, the perforated disk 7 is also driven by a gear arrangement 8, 8a from a roller roller 9, which is rolled on the surface of the recording medium 13 and the perforated disk 7 has a speed ratio of 1:10, for example. By rolling the roller 9 on the metal paper 13, column by column of the character to be output, which can be found in a memory (not shown here), is then burned via the correspondingly controlled electrodes 1 by discharging the capacitors 5 into the metal paper 13, the supply of the counter potential via the roller 9, the runners 14 and a brush 10. The entire writing device 12 can be guided by means of a handy housing 15 at any speed over the recording medium 13, and the characters E are recorded regardless of the speed in the same width or at the same distance, which can be set, for example, by changing the transmission types. In the schematic side view of the writing device according to FIG. 1, which is restricted to the essentials, the character memory from which the individual characters or character columns are read out has also been omitted, and the cable via which the character data or the DC voltage required for the control and the writing process can be introduced.

FIG. 2 also shows a schematic sketch of the writing device 12 according to FIG. 1 seen from above, the housing 15, the brush 10, the runners 14 and the gear 8, 8a being omitted. The perforated disk 7 can be seen, which extends into the fork light barrier of the clock generator 6. Furthermore, the roller 9 is indicated and

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the writing head 2 with 7 electrodes 1. On the left in front of the writing head, an already written letter E is visible, which was created by moving the writing carriage and thus by rolling the roller 9 on the record carrier 13 from left to right.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but can also work, for example, with thermal paper that changes color under the influence of temperature, the electrodes being heatable or replaceable by heating resistors.

The character output need not be limited to one column, but can, for example, include all points belonging to the character from the point matrix and can occur simultaneously at a very specific point in time. Furthermore, the representation of the characters is not limited to a dot matrix; in principle, the writing head can also have whole types which are positioned at the right time and struck, for example, by means of a hammer mechanism, which is also driven by the movement of the writing mechanism or of the recording medium.

The invention also remains not limited to manual guiding of the writing carriage, but can of course experience automatic guiding by a motor.

The drive of the clock generator controlling the output of the character string need not be limited to a wheel or roller, but can be controlled or carried out by other mechanisms or physical processes. For example, the drive can be made using a Hook's law by means of a spring, which is deflected by a deflection of the writing carriage

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Point or the fixed record carrier is stretched, pressed, twisted and / or otherwise deformed elastically.

The exemplary embodiment according to the invention according to FIGS. 1 and 2 has the advantage, among other things, that the writing device 12, provided with an electrically conductive housing 15, acts almost as a closed Faraday cage, the brush 10, the metallic slide runner 14, the roller roller 9 in metallic design and the metallized recording medium 13 also serve as shielding and contribute to a high level of protection against radiation. This is particularly necessary if the writing device cooperates with an encryption or decryption device that can, for example, transmit encrypted messages over electrical connection paths.

The writing device according to the invention can advantageously be designed with the smallest structural design of the lower part of the slide with a housing upper part 15 in pencil-like form which can be slid manually as a stylus over the surface of a record carrier of any format, a flexible cable being attached to the upper end of the stylus, that establishes the connection to a device providing a message, for example an electronic calculator with an input keyboard and a display, etc.

However, the further development according to the invention is also conceivable, in which, for example, an electronic pocket calculator including battery supply is integrated in the carriage of the writing device, the 30 (interim) results of interest in calculations, for example, under or after actuation of a key or key combination and simultaneous rolling on the recording medium can be written.

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1 sheet of drawings

Claims (20)

645 850 PATENT CLAIMS 1. Writing device with write head for outputting character strings on a record carrier, characterized by a carriage (12), on the bottom of which a slide head (1, 2, 3) is attached on the surface of the record carrier (13), and by its relative movement to Record carrier (13) a clock generator (6, 7) can be driven, through which the output of the character string (E) can be controlled via the write head (1, 2, 3). 2. Writing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control of the character output takes place in such a way that the output frequency or quantity is proportional to the respective current relative speed or proportional to the relatively traveled path of the carriage 3. Writing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the relative movement by rolling at least one wheel or roller roller (9) attached to the sled bottom (9) on the surface of the recording medium 4. Writing device according to claim 3, characterized in that the rolling is carried out by manually guiding the carriage (12) or the record carrier (13). 5. Writing device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drive of the clock generator (6, 7) by means of an intermediate gear (8, 8a). 6. Writing device according to claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the proportionality is adjustable depending on the gear ratio. 7. Writing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the output of the characters (E) takes place column by column as a dot matrix consisting of rows and columns. 8. Writing device according to claim 7, characterized by a writing head (1, 2, 3) in which an electrode (1) is assigned to each point of at least one column of the point matrix. 9. Writing device according to claim 8, characterized by metallized paper as a recording medium (13) into which the individual drawing points can be burned by means of electrical discharge of the electrodes (1). 10. Writing device according to claim 9, characterized in that the counter potential required for the discharge via the roller (9) or via a skid (14) or brush (10) attached to the paper takes place on the paper. 11. Writing device according to claim 10, characterized by such a geometric arrangement of roller (9), runner (14) and brush (10) that the write head (1, 2, 3) is largely electrically shielded. 12. Writing device according to claim 11, characterized in that the metallized paper (13) on the one hand and the electrically conductive slide housing (15) are included in the electrical shield. (12) is. 13. Writing device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by discoloring paper as the recording medium (13) when the temperature rises. (13) takes place. 14. Writing device according to claim 8, characterized in that the electrodes (1) are heatable or realized by heating resistors. 15. Writing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a perforated or slotted disc (7) containing clock generator (6, 7) through which the light beam of a light barrier can be released or interrupted at least once with each revolution, the amplified Output signal of the photocell of the light barrier forms the control clock for the output of the string (E). 16. Writing device according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the carriage (12) at least partially contains an electronic pocket calculator which has a character receiving and emitting memory or is connected to such by means of a multi-wheel flexible cable. 17. Writing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side mass of the carriage bottom are smaller than those of the record carrier (13). 18. Writing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper part of the carriage (12) is designed like a pen. 19. Writing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electronic encryption device in a handy size z. B. for inclusion in a pocket, which has a character-receiving or emitting memory with input keyboard and display, in which the carriage (12) is accommodated, or can be connected to the carriage (12) by means of a flexible cable. 20. Writing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device which is used for the transmission of writable or signable messages via electrical or other connection paths is provided and is at least partially accommodated in the carriage (12) or can be connected to it by means of a flexible cable is.