EP0345079A2 - Thermische Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung - Google Patents

Thermische Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0345079A2
EP0345079A2 EP89305580A EP89305580A EP0345079A2 EP 0345079 A2 EP0345079 A2 EP 0345079A2 EP 89305580 A EP89305580 A EP 89305580A EP 89305580 A EP89305580 A EP 89305580A EP 0345079 A2 EP0345079 A2 EP 0345079A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
platen
recording apparatus
cam
thermal
head
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP89305580A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0345079A3 (de
Inventor
Youichi Nakanishi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sharp Corp
Original Assignee
Sharp Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sharp Corp filed Critical Sharp Corp
Publication of EP0345079A2 publication Critical patent/EP0345079A2/de
Publication of EP0345079A3 publication Critical patent/EP0345079A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J25/00—Actions or mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J25/304—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface
    • B41J25/312—Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface with print pressure adjustment mechanisms, e.g. pressure-on-the paper mechanisms

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a thermal recording apparatus and, more specifically, to a thermal recording apparatus in which pressure of a thermal head can be controlled in accordance with various conditions of printing and with various types of recording paper.
  • Thermal recording apparatuses have been widely used as output apparatuses of a computer and the like.
  • a structure of a typical conventional thermal recording apparatus is shown in Fig. 1.
  • the conventional thermal recording apparatus carries out recording when a transfer printing method employing an ink ribbon is applied, by selectively melting ink of an ink ribbon 1 by a thermal head 2 and by transferring the melt ink onto a sheet of recording paper 4 running along a platen 3.
  • thermosensitive recording paper If a thermosensitive recording paper is used as the recording paper 4, the ink ribbon 1 is removed, and recording is carried out by the thermal head 2 which is in direct contact with the recording paper 4 to heat the same.
  • the thermal head 2 which is rotatably supported about an axis 5 as shown in detail in Fig. 2, is pressed against the platen 3 with the ink ribbon 1 interposed therebetween, by means of a spring 6.
  • the thermal head 2 and the ink ribbon 1 are held on a carriage 7.
  • the carriage 7 is supported by a shaft 8 so as to be slid along the platen 3.
  • the sliding of the carriage 7 is realized by a driving belt 9.
  • the conventional thermal recording apparatus is used both for recording on a plain paper by using the ink ribbon 1 and for recording by direct contact of the thermal head 2 with the thermosensitive recording paper.
  • thermosensitive recording paper when used, the sheet of the thermosensitive recording paper 4 is brought into direct contact with the thermal head 2, so that if the pressure is too high, the paper will be soiled or made glossy.
  • the thermal head 2 When printing is to be carried out by means of the ink ribbon 1, the heat may not be well transmitted when the pressure is low, and the desired patterns or characters may not be printed clearly.
  • the same constant pressure is applied to the thermal head 2, so that optimal printing cannot be realized in either of the two printing methods.
  • a lever is held by a carriage 7 rotatable around an axis 10a.
  • the left end of the lever 10 is biased by a spring 11 so as to apply pressure on a rib 12 provided on a rear surface of the thermal head 2.
  • the springs 11 and 6 provide moments of force around the axis 5 in opposite directions, respectively, to the thermal head 2, the total moment of force by which the thermal head is rotatably biased is the difference therebetween.
  • the springs 6 and 11 offset the forces of each other in printing on a thermosensitive recording paper, so that the pressure in printing is rather weak.
  • the thermal head 2 is pressed on the platen 3 with relatively strong force applied only by the spring 6 to carry out printing.
  • a prior art driving mechanism for turning the thermal head 2 about the axis 5 will be described in the following.
  • a thermal recording apparatus such as shown in Figs. 5 to 8 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 288057/1987. In this apparatus, rolling up of the ink ribbon 1 and turning of the thermal head 2 are carried out by the same driving source, and the turning of the thermal head 2 is carried out by using a head displacing cam formed of a plate cam.
  • a step motor 14 which is the common driving source of the head displacing mechanism and the ink ribbon rolling up mechanism is transmitted from a prime gear 15 provided on the motor axis through an intermediate gear 16 engaged therewith to a gear 17 with the rate of rotation reduced.
  • the gear 17 is fixed to a rotary axis 18 so that the rotation of the gear 17 is selectively transmitted to a head displacing cam 19 and to a ribbon rolling up gear 20.
  • a head driving gear 21 is rotatively supported on the rotary axis 18 by means of a bearing (not shown), and the rotation of the head driving gear 21 is transmitted to a head displacing gear 23 through an intermediate gear 22.
  • the head displacing cam 19 formed of a plate cam is fixed on the same axis as the head displacing gear 23 to be rotated together.
  • An inner periphery of the lower half of the ribbon driving gear 24 also constitutes a gear (not shown).
  • This apparatus of the prior art comprises means (not shown) for selectively locking rotation of the head driving gear 21 and of the ribbon driving gear 24.
  • a mechanism for selectively transmitting the rotary driving power of the stepping motor 14 to either one of the head driving gear 21 and the ribbon driving gear 24 whose rotation is not locked is realized by means of an epicyclic gear (not shown) or the like engaging with the gear of the inner periphery of the ribbon driving gear 24.
  • a head holder 25 holding the thermal head is rotatable about the axis 5 and is in contact with the head displacing cam 19 by the rotary force in the clockwise direction by the weight of itself, as the center of the gravity is on the right side of the axis 5.
  • the head displacing cam 19 is rotated and a portion thereof having a larger diameter is brought into contact with the head holder 25, the head holder 25 turns from the state of Fig. 7 to the state of Fig. 8. Consequently, the thermal head 2 is brought into pressure contact with the recording paper 4 with the ink ribbon interposed therebetween, by the head pressure applied from the spring 26.
  • the most suitable pressure of the thermal head 2 against the recording paper 4 in printing changes widely in accordance with the method of printing and with the types of the printing paper 4.
  • a recording is to be carried out on a single sheet of the recording paper 4 such as a post card, which is wound around the platen 3 by a roller 27 and the pressure of the thermal head 2, as shown in Fig. 9.
  • the recording paper 4 is wound around the platen having a circular cross section, there is a force derived from flexual rigidity of the recording paper 4 forcing the recording paper 4 to go in the direction of the arrow G. This force becomes stronger as the flexual rigidity of the recording paper 4 becomes higher and as the recording paper 4 becomes thicker, provided that the paper has the same quality.
  • the thermal head 2 presses the recording paper 4 with the ink ribbon 1 interposed therebetween with a constant force
  • the force of the recording paper 4 to go outward may be stronger than the pressure of the thermal head 2 when printing is to be carried out on a single sheet of thick paper. Therefore, there is a possibility of the recording paper 4 being lifted away from the platen 3, and the pressure in printing being neither uniform nor sufficient.
  • the most suitable pressure in printing differs very delicately dependent on the types of the thickness of the sheets of paper employed.
  • the head displacing cam 19 is regulated by a stopper such that it reciprocates in a prescribed angle of rotation. Accordingly, the pressing force of the thermal head is always constant, and there is no mechanism for adjusting the force.
  • the present invention was made to solve the the above described problems and its object is to provide a thermal recording apparatus capable of delicately controlling pressure in printing in accordance with arbitrary conditions of printing and to various types of recording paper by further developing the conventional method of turning the thermal head by means of a head displacing cam formed of a plate cam.
  • the thermal recording apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a platen and a thermal head carrying out thermal recording by pressing the recording paper onto the platen.
  • the thermal head is pressed against the platen by the force of a spring member.
  • a displacing member provided displacably is kept in contact with the spring member, and the force of the spring member can be changed by an amount of displacement of the displacing member.
  • the apparatus further comprises selecting means having a plurality of printing process controlling data for selecting specified printing process controlling data therefrom in accordance with the state of printing. The amount of displacement of this displacing member is controlled by displacing amount control means in accordance with the specified printing process controlling data selected by the selecting means.
  • the selecting means comprises memory means for storing a plurality of displacing amount controlling data corresponding to a plurality of conditions of printing and input means for applying instructions to operate the said displacing amount controlling means in accordance with the displacing amount controlling data corresponding to the selected specific conditions.
  • the displacing amount controlling means of the thermal recording apparatus of the present invention comprises driving means for driving the displacing member and output means for applying outputs to the said driving means in accordance with the selected specific printing conditions.
  • the thermal recording apparatus of the present invention structured as described above operates in the following manner.
  • Arbitrary control data selected in accordance with the condition of printing out of the printing processing data stored in advance in the memory means are inputted through the input means.
  • An output signal based on the selected control data is outputted from the output means, whereby the driving means is driven.
  • the displacing member is displaced by the driving means to apply pressing force to the thermal head, and consequently the thermal head is brought into pressure contact with the platen.
  • a cam rotating about a rotary axis is used as the displacing member.
  • the outline of the cam profile comprises two areas.
  • the thermal head is moved from a rest position, that is, non-printing position, to a position near the platen by a first area, and the thermal head is moved to a printing position by a second area.
  • the second area of the outline of the cam profile changes more moderately than in the first area. Therefore, delicate adjustment of the pressing force of the thermal head onto the platen is made possible by controlling the angle of rotation of the cam.
  • selecting means of a thermal recording apparatus of the present embodiment comprises selecting keys (input means) having three keys a1, b1 and c1 corresponding to three different conditions of printing.
  • the selecting means further comprises a memory portion (memory means) storing printing process controlling data a2, b2 and c2 corresponding to the keys a1, b1 and c1, respectively.
  • Displacing amount controlling means of the present embodiment comprises a pulse signal outputting apparatus (output means) outputting signals corresponding to the data a2, b2 and c2, and a step motor (driving means).
  • the thermal recording apparatus of the present embodiment further comprises a head displacing cam (displacing member) driven by the step motor, a spring member which is transformed by the head displacing cam, and a thermal head which is brought into pressure contact with a platen upon receiving the force of the spring member.
  • a head displacing cam displacement member driven by the step motor
  • a spring member which is transformed by the head displacing cam
  • a thermal head which is brought into pressure contact with a platen upon receiving the force of the spring member.
  • a thermal head 2 formed of a head chip 32 having a heating element 31 and a heat radiating plate 33 is rotatably held on a carriage 35 by a head holder 25 with an axis 34 serving as a fulcrum. It is rotatably biased in a direction away from the platen 3 which is a direction for non-printing by means of a tension spring 36 suspended between the thermal head 2 and the carriage 35.
  • a spring holder 37 for holding the spring 26 is rotatably provided near the rear surface side of the thermal head 2 on the carriage.
  • the spring holder 37 comprises a holding plate 37a on which the torsion spring 26 is held and a cylindrical boss 37b formed integrally therewith, and an axis 38 of the carriage 35 inserted through the boss 37b so that the holder can be rotated with the axis 38 serving as the fulcrum.
  • Side walls 37c and 37d are provided integrally erected on both side portions, and opposing ends of the torsion spring 26 fitted around the boss 37b are abutting the respective side walls 37c and 37d.
  • One end of the torsion spring 26 is projected from one side wall 37c to be engaged and in contact with a receiving piece 39 of the thermal head 2.
  • a piece 37e for pressing the torsion spring 26 is provided inward from one side wall 37c and a projecting piece 37f is provided outward from the other side wall.
  • a displacing cam 19 of the thermal head 2 is arranged near the spring holder 37, which cam is rotatable about a cam axis 40.
  • the projecting piece 37f of the spring holder 37 which is rotatably biased in the clockwise direction in the figure by the thermal head 2 in contact therewith, which is in turn biased in the non-printing direction by a tension spring 36, is in contact with the outline of the cam profile of the cam 19. Accordingly, the cam displaces the thermal head 2 through the spring holder 37 which is serving as a follower.
  • the profile of the cam 19 comprises a cam surface 19a for non-printing having a diameter of R a shown in Fig. 11, a cam surface 19b for normal printing having a diameter of Rb shown in Fig.
  • the cam 19 When printing is to be carried out on sheets of thin plain paper and an operator selects a format for printing on plain paper prior to the printing operation, the cam 19 is rotated in the forward direction and in the reverse direction repeatedly in an angle between the state shown in Fig. 11 and the state shown in Fig. 12.
  • the cam 19 When the cam 19 is rotated in the forward direction, i.e., clockwise direction as viewed, from the state of Fig. 11 to the state of Fig. 12, the cam surface 19b for normal printing having larger diameter than the cam surface 19a for non-printing is brought into contact with the projecting piece 37f.
  • the spring holder 37 is turned in the counter clockwise direction as viewed, and the thermal head 3 is pressed by the torsion spring 26 which is stronger than the tension spring 36. Accordingly, the thermal head 2 is turned about the axis 34, and the spring holder 37 is turned a little from the point at which the thermal head 2 is brought into contact with the platen 3 with the paper (not shown) interposed therebetween.
  • the torsion spring 26 is deflected and a pressure is applied on the thermal head 2 by the force of the torsion spring 26 generated corresponding to the deflection, thereby enabling printing on the paper.
  • the cam 19 is rotated in the reverse direction, that is, the counter clockwise direction as viewed, from the state of Fig. 12.
  • the thermal head 2 is moved away from the platen 3 by the tension spring 34 to be returned to the position of Fig. 11.
  • the operation is repeated for printing.
  • the cam 19 When printing is to be carried out on a sheet of paper which is thick and of high flexual rigidity such as a post card and the operator selects a format for printing on a thick sheet of paper, the cam 19 is turned in the forward direction and in the reverse direction repeatedly in an angle between the state of Fig. 11 and the state of Fig. 13.
  • the cam 19 When the cam 19 is turned from the state of Fig. 11 to the state of Fig. 13 and the cam surface 19c for high head pressure is in contact with the projecting piece 37f, the cam surface 19c for high head pressure having larger diameter than the cam surface 19b for normal printing. Therefore, the deflection of the torsion spring is larger than in the above described case of printing on plain paper as is apparent from Fig. 13. Accordingly, the head pressure of the thermal head 26 becomes higher, enabling clear printing on a thick sheet of paper with the corresponding high head pressure.
  • the pressure on the thermal head can be switched at least by two steps, so that clear printing on a thick sheet of paper such as a post card can be carried out with optimal head pressure.
  • the controllable range of the head pressure can be arbitrarily selected only by changing the shape of the cam.
  • the relation between the angle of rotation ⁇ and the diameter R of the cam 19 is shown in Figs. 19 and 20.
  • the angle of rotation ⁇ of the cam 19 is assumed to be zero at the position where the thermal head 2 is in contact with the torsion spring 26 in the non-printing state, and the angle of rotation corresponds to ⁇ 1 at a position where the thermal head 2 is about to be in contact with the platen 3.
  • the diameter R in the range of 0 ⁇ ⁇ ⁇ 1 changes more rapidly compared with that in the range of ⁇ > ⁇ 1. Therefore, when the cam 19 is rotated at a constant speed, the thermal head 2 is moved rapidly from the non-printing position to the proximity of the platen 3. The thermal head 2 is moved slower from that position to the point of contact with the platen 3 and the diameter R changes moderately, so as to absorb shock at the time of contact.
  • a position on the outer periphery of the cam 19 is set which position is to be brought into contact with the torsion spring 26 in the printing operation in which the thermal head 2 is pressed onto the recording paper 4. Consequently, the deflection x of the torsion spring 26 in the printing operation is selected, whereby the head pressure P of the thermal head 2 can be adjusted.
  • the pressure in printing can be delicately adjusted corresponding to the types of the recording paper.
  • the relation between the angle of rotation ⁇ of the cam 19 and the pressure P of the thermal head 2 onto the recording paper 4 is as shown in Figs. 21 and 22.
  • cam 19 serving as a displacing member in the present embodiment
  • other types of cams such as a translation cam or means other than the cams providing deflection may be used as the displacing member.
  • torsion spring 26 having an operating surface parallel to the cam 19 was used as the spring member applying force onto the thermal head 2 when it is in contact with the cam 19
  • other resilient member capable of changing pressure onto the thermal head 2 corresponding to the displacement of the displacing member may be used alternatively.
  • the present invention was applied to a transfer printing method employing an ink ribbon, the application is not limited thereto.
  • the present invention may be applied for adjusting pressure in printing when the method of printing is changed between the transfer method employing the ink ribbon and the directly heating method employing thermosensitive recording paper, and for adjusting pressure in printing corresponding to the types of the thermosensitive recording paper in the directly heating method.

Landscapes

  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Common Mechanisms (AREA)
EP89305580A 1988-06-03 1989-06-02 Thermische Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung Withdrawn EP0345079A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP74657/88 1988-06-03
JP7465788U JPH01178950U (de) 1988-06-03 1988-06-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0345079A2 true EP0345079A2 (de) 1989-12-06
EP0345079A3 EP0345079A3 (de) 1990-03-21

Family

ID=13553524

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89305580A Withdrawn EP0345079A3 (de) 1988-06-03 1989-06-02 Thermische Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0345079A3 (de)
JP (1) JPH01178950U (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2048024A2 (es) * 1990-04-25 1994-03-01 Fujitsu Ltd Aparato de impresion provisto de dispositivo de ajuste del intervalo de la cabeza.
EP0672534A1 (de) * 1993-01-22 1995-09-20 Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. Drucker mit Druckregelvorrichtung
WO1996014990A1 (en) * 1994-11-10 1996-05-23 Open Date Equipment Limited Printing apparatus
EP0714782A1 (de) * 1994-05-27 1996-06-05 Kabushiki Kaisha TEC Thermodrucker
US5746520A (en) * 1994-11-08 1998-05-05 Seiko Instruments Inc. Printer with printhead and pressing body in point contact
US5772339A (en) * 1996-06-06 1998-06-30 Seiko Epson Corporation Automatic adjusting device for adjusting platen gap

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP5438706B2 (ja) * 2011-02-28 2014-03-12 東芝テック株式会社 画像形成装置及びヘッド離間制御方法
JP5438705B2 (ja) * 2011-02-28 2014-03-12 東芝テック株式会社 ヘッド加圧力調整装置、画像形成装置及びヘッド加圧力調整方法

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS61254364A (ja) * 1985-05-07 1986-11-12 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 印字装置
EP0213934A2 (de) * 1985-08-29 1987-03-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Vorrichtung zur Einstellung eines Druckkopfes
JPS6274667A (ja) * 1985-09-30 1987-04-06 Toshiba Corp サ−マルプリンタ

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS61254364A (ja) * 1985-05-07 1986-11-12 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd 印字装置
EP0213934A2 (de) * 1985-08-29 1987-03-11 Seiko Epson Corporation Vorrichtung zur Einstellung eines Druckkopfes
JPS6274667A (ja) * 1985-09-30 1987-04-06 Toshiba Corp サ−マルプリンタ

Non-Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
IBM TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE BULLETIN, vol. 20, no. 6, November 1977, pags 2366-2367, New York, US; N.F. COLE et al.: "Springloaded floating platen assembly" *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, vol. 11, no. 105 (M-577)[2552], 3rd April 1987; & JP-A-61 254 364 (MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC IND. CO. LTD) 12-11-1986 *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN, vol. 11, no. 272 (M-622)[2719], 4th September 1987; & JP-A-62 074 667 (TOSHIBA CORP.) 06-04-1987 *

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2048024A2 (es) * 1990-04-25 1994-03-01 Fujitsu Ltd Aparato de impresion provisto de dispositivo de ajuste del intervalo de la cabeza.
EP0672534A1 (de) * 1993-01-22 1995-09-20 Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. Drucker mit Druckregelvorrichtung
EP0714782A1 (de) * 1994-05-27 1996-06-05 Kabushiki Kaisha TEC Thermodrucker
EP0714782A4 (de) * 1994-05-27 1996-08-21 Tokyo Electric Co Ltd Thermodrucker
US5775820A (en) * 1994-05-27 1998-07-07 Kabushiki Kaisha Tec Thermal printer having a press releasing mechanism
US5746520A (en) * 1994-11-08 1998-05-05 Seiko Instruments Inc. Printer with printhead and pressing body in point contact
WO1996014990A1 (en) * 1994-11-10 1996-05-23 Open Date Equipment Limited Printing apparatus
US5772339A (en) * 1996-06-06 1998-06-30 Seiko Epson Corporation Automatic adjusting device for adjusting platen gap

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0345079A3 (de) 1990-03-21
JPH01178950U (de) 1989-12-21

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0213934B1 (de) Vorrichtung zur Einstellung eines Druckkopfes
US4962392A (en) Thermal head supporting means for a thermal printing system
US5001498A (en) Thermal transfer printer
EP0311982B1 (de) Thermodrucker
EP0345079A2 (de) Thermische Aufzeichnungsvorrichtung
US4750007A (en) Ink sheet cassette and image recording apparatus using the same
JP3089184B2 (ja) プリンタ装置
US5678938A (en) Thermal printer
US5156467A (en) Printer with media thickness adjustment of platen
US4874264A (en) Selective magnetic attachment of a print head to a drive belt
KR0167614B1 (ko) 기록 장치
US5631688A (en) Thermal transfer printer
US4913567A (en) Head-pressure mechanism in thermal printer
US4514101A (en) Paper thickness adjusting mechanism for impact printer
US4384794A (en) Printer
US20030030684A1 (en) Apparatus for adjusting a head gap of ink-jet printer
US6639618B2 (en) Thermal transfer line printer properly used for forming intermediate transfer type image
US3861511A (en) Rotational shaft coupling apparatus with adjustable coupling ratio and positive displacement
EP0298643B1 (de) Andruckvorrichtung für einen Druckkopf
US4359287A (en) Impression control mechanism for a typewriter
JPH03101986A (ja) サーマルプリンタ
US5015107A (en) Type-wheel cassette positioner for printer
JP2000108390A (ja) 熱転写プリンタ
EP0037217B1 (de) Druckwerk
JPH0585012A (ja) サーマルプリンタのヘツド加圧装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): DE FR GB

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19900615

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19920114

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 19920525