FR2631888A1 - Recto-verso printing systems for cash-register and invoicing printers - Google Patents

Abstract

The solutions afforded will make it possible to create new advertising and commercial outlets in mass distribution and savings of paper and time spent in office and secretarial work. The printing system can be duplicated in technical terms according to types of machine, and the sheet-feed system can comprise a turning system or be equipped with a housing according to a printing system different from its original system:- cash register with two printing heads for recto/verso printing. - Cash register with a simplified turning system. - Cash register with a mechanical inking pad for verso printing, for advertising or information uses. - Improved printer with two printing heads for recto/verso printing. - Sheet-reinsertion system (from ejection towards feed) for printing the verso on a second pass.

Description

Duplex printing systems for printers,
cash registers and invoices.

 In the field under consideration, the standards of good typing and tasteful secretarial work, the habits of builders, limit printing to the single front of the sheets. The utility of two-sided printing is better known in the field of photocopying and offset and letterpress printing.

However, the use of back sheets corresponds to a need
important for many users and the technical solutions provided by the present innovation will make it possible to meet current demand, but also to create new outlets, such as advertising, information and publishing, and often by reducing the consumption of paper and production times.

 On this basic concept, several technical solutions are possible, the most important will be detailed and the others only described or discussed.

 Succession, by type of machine, the printing system can be double, the sheet feeding system can include a turning system; the machine can be fitted with a box according to a printing system different from its original system.

In the presentations, the state of the art will be used in the following areas
MACHINES t printers, cash registers, billing boxes, production of tickets and labels, photocopiers.

PRINTING: dot matrix, impact, thermal, laser, inkjet, powder jet, pad, roller, inking strip.

Mechanical, electronic, logical, analog, digital, sheet-by-sheet, listing systems, interface cards and control circuits, switches, microprocessors, wired and programmed circuits.

 Dan, as far as possible the use of these techniques will be detailed in the claims.

 The present invention solves the particular problems which arise by type of machine of the following baleen: - addition of a box on existing machines if possible and in the short term, by type of machine.

- the creation of new machines comprising two printing blocks, one on the front, one on the back.

- the said blocks being able to be of equal natures (example: two heads of matrix printers) and nécéssiter the installation of a buffer of synchronization of the texts and graphics and commands of alignment of the heads: according to the plans of the author such technical progress requires only the addition of an impact drum and a guided head and can be achieved without a new motor, without significant consumption of energy.

- the said blocks can be of a different nature (example: an ink pad on the back of an impact cash register), ease of installation, minimal cost.

- the said blocks being able to be located in front, behind or at the same level as the original block, according to the technical imperatives, which differ according to the printing systems chosen: laser, thermal, inkjet, jet of powder, or by adding a box, for impact or pressure systems (in particular for cash registers whose ticket length is variable, this solution allows a more sophisticated choice of advertising or informative message). fixed paper size or fixed message systems.

- installation of a sheet-by-sheet system allowing reinsertion into the single printing system, with several choices possible.

 With regard to the various modifications to sheet-by-sheet systems and other systems for driving strips of paper (computer listings or rolls of cash registers allowing reinsertion into the single printing system, several secondary choices are still possible. , this aspect of the problem will also be strictly divided in terms of claims.

These choices are as follows
- a priori the text is printed head to tail.

- by computer and software including a card
inverting system control interface
solves this problem and its accessories (counting and counting down the
number of sheets, with possibility of serial production by
addition of metallic or perforated test strips in the trainsets
feed paper3 in listing or sheet-by-sheet formats.

 - by a voluminous inversion system which can only concern papers of small widths (with reference to the Moebius ribbon for geometry in space).

- by a turning system by robotic gripping (pliers or suction cups) for professional and sophisticated machines, including the creation of an electronic rescue card allowing a non-limiting number of uses.

Occurrences in by activity sector s
Advertising and customer information in connection with cash registers and billing.

 Ease of use and economy of paper in office automation and secretariat assisted by computers and printers.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS I - BICEPHAL CASH REGISTER in impact or pressure systems, the laterally guided heads being located with an offset upstream or downstream on different rollers but driven by the same motor, head A operating with an advance or a delay of a few lines compared to the head B but making the comings and goings with each line even if this displacement is unnecessary, characterized in that two print heads work simultaneously or not, one on the front and the other on the back of the sheet. The displacement of the heads is reversed in their back and forth transverse movements, such that the heads are actually face-to-face in the middle of the lines and preferably such that all of the movements are carried out by a single motor, which without noticeable over-consumption of energy, without any loss of time, moves the two heads to the next useful position, even if one of the two heads must not print at this space, at this all on line or on this page. Particularly the user can decide to print a text on the front and a graphic on the back, the blanks or the spaces can be shifted from the front to the back or not, the back can possibly remain blank of any printing. See figure 1 and 2, graphic page 1/7. The alphanumeric or graphic execution will be carried out synchronously or asynchronously according to the diagrams "INTERFACE CARDS", claim 9. The execution of the mechanical systems is described in claims 5,, 7 and S. 2 - BICEPHALE RECORDING BOX in systems which exert little or no pressure on the paper, such as thermal, liquid ink jet, powder jet, laser and electrophotographic systems, characteristic in that the heads of print are aligned on the same line number on the front as on the back, the heads guided laterally being located without any offset upstream or downstream and head to tail, but always driven by the same motor, head A (front) operating without advance or significant delay relative to the head B (back) but performing the transverse back-and-forth always inverted at each line even if this movement is unnecessary, due to consumption, time and lower manufacturing cost .  See figures 3 and 4, graphic page 2/7. 3 - BICEPHALE PRINTER WITH OFFSET according to claim 1, characteristic in that the second printhead is located at a level slightly higher than the first one so that the new model is only a little thicker than a printer conventional 4 - IMPRIt $ NNTE BICEPHALE WITHOUT RECALING according to claim 2, characteristic in that the second printing head is located on the same horizontal plane, and not limitatively that the heads are chosen from the shortest possible standard models and even improved in this sense, as well as the ink cartridges which surround them so that the new models are not longer than the current models or very little. 5 - DOUBLE ROLLER MECHANICAL SYSTEM WITH CABLE GUIDES  According to the classic method of matrix heads guided on cylindrical bars and towed by twisted cables.  According to the invention, the system is duplicated, each head evolves on a cylindrical bar, driving with it its own inking system, and the wiring linkage drives and moves the two heads thanks to a single motor which actuates the whole. Each head also has an impact roller.  The impression is offset by several lines, - the heads make constant back-and-forth movements, even if useful only for one of the two heads, characteristically the said heads are also linearly offset from baleen so that when 'They turn around at the end of the line, they don't turn around at the same time (saving energy and time after calculating kinetic energy).  The whole is controlled by electronic circuits or CARTES.INTERFACES according to claims 9.  The present claim relates to the double linkage system, not limited to dot matrix printers which have been named only for the good understanding of the thing, not limited to wiring, see claim 6.  The mechanical production of the drive of the paper to the second roller and its print head does not pose any particular problem for those skilled in the art. 6 - DOUBLE ROLLER MECHANICAL SYSTEM BY HELICAL GUIDES  Salt on claim 5 for the same reasons and with the same approach, the transverse displacements of the printing heads are carried out by helical guides.  The present claim relates to the coupling system of two helical guide bars, not limited by pinions, gears, universal joints, cables, toothed belts, linkages, connecting rods (Figure 7 and 8, page 4/7) 7 - MECHANICAL ALIGNMENT SYSTEM BY CABLE GUIDES  Recall claim 5 characterized in that the printing heads are horizontally at the same level. The present claim relates to the double movement system and it excludes all paper guiding accessories, shapes, models and characteristics of the existing models, particularly with regard to sheet-by-sheet or continuous listing systems.  S - MECRNIGUE SYSTEM WITH ALIGNMENT BY HELICOIDAL GUIDES  Reminder of claims 5, 6 and 7.  The present claim relates to the mechanical system for coupling two helical bars for the use in question.  It is specified here that for claims 7 and 8 the alignment of the printing heads can be absolutely perfect, when printing the paper is supported on the back by the second printing head and only stretched between two friction guides (Figure 9 and IO, page 5/7) or withstand a minimal offset (during impact the paper support is then a fixed bar and no longer a rotary roller as is conventionally the case today). In the first case, the advancement and positioning and tension of the paper are carried out by guides positioned upstream and downstream of the print heads. The heads then move back and forth in the same direction so as to always remain face-to-face during their movement. They include an improved system for supporting and pinching the paper to avoid tearing it during movement and to avoid unwanted noise due to excessive vibration of the paper (Figure 9, page 5/7).  In the second case, the back support is a fixed bar as for claim 2, figure 4, the back-and-forth is reversed, and the stop at the end of the line (cynetic energy) calculated according to claim 5.  9 - ITAERFACES CARDS and electronic circuits allowing  solve the problems of two-headed systems  claims 1,2,3 & 4, concerning the displacements of the heads,  synchronizations or asynchronizations, memory buffers  text pages and commands for accessing and ejecting paper sheets or sheets or perforated computer listings.  Said interface cards including microprocessors, ROM, RAM, "bus", input and output lines, by control character commands, and various output switches  (microswitch), and configuration (dip switch).  For the record, creation of various software that cannot enter into the legislative framework of the patent transfer.  Particularly the configuration envisaged must allow the installation of text pages or screen pages in  the buffer buffer in Srandom-access-memory and and several routines (machine language, assembler, pascal or other language) for processing and. distribution of information to the print heads. Without limitation, the basic configuration will be as follows ROM 64 Kilobyte, interchangeable, in EPROM, adaptable to  various computers. RAM 256 Kilo-9ctet, expandable, to process 32 pages  alphanumeric texts or graphic compositions. MICROPROCESSOR in the 8088 range, or similar, technology  MOS or CMOS. DIP SWITCH one or two, a margin of 8 to 16 positions, for  preconfiguration to various types of equipment. MICROSWITCH (8 command relays) for commands,  necessary movements and synchronizations. TEST LINES: paper presence, type, various tests, and test of  control strips, description of which will be given in claim 10.  The use of specific circuits in addition to cards of this type, in particular management cards for several printers in parallel is not excluded. 10 - MONOCEPHAL CASH REGISTER WITH RETURN SYSTEM of the ticket after cutting the ribbon in order to be able to print the back. The back is printed head to tail. For advertising, documentary or informative uses this defect is not major and will be supported as such. When the machine has carried out its conventional work and cut the receipt: -the paper strip shrinks a few centimeters to release the drum and the print head. - the sales receipt is not ejected directly, it is directed towards a turning chamber or a simplified movement of recto-verso U-turn is executed such that the first line of the back is at the level of the last line of the front (head to tail). -the ticket is then reinserted towards the drum and the print head for printing the back. -the ticket is ejected to the outside. -the paper strip is replaced in position for next printing.  This claim is strictly limited to the design of the turning chamber and to the entire directional mechanical circuit, to the procedures for removing the paper tape. Excluded are the special features of the switch systems, guides and paper inserts to the printing drum.  See figure 5, page 3/7 il - MONOCEPHAL PRINTER WITH PRIMARY TURNOVER Recall of claim 10, specific in that for a printer the turning chamber is annexed to the location of the machine cover as an accessory or option. 12 - ELECTRONIC CONTROL CIRCUITS making it possible to resolve the movement problems of claims 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16 according to the same approach as claim 9.  In particular if it is a cash register or a dot matrix, laser, thermal, inkjet or powder printer, or more generally digital. The back message, alphanumeric or graphic, is chosen, produced and / or adapted by software depending on the initial size of the paper with the possibility of inverting characters to replace the back message in the usual correct direction. Only the protection of specific electronic cards is requested here.  13 - INK BUFFER CASE  Cash register improved in that it includes one or more ink pads located upstream or downstream of the original printing system allowing to print on the back of cash register receipts or invoices the information and messages provided.  According to the state of the art, said buffers which can take the form of platelets of rolls 3 of composition bands or ribbons, preferably with automatic re-inking and multi-colors.  More characteristically and according to the inventor, said pads should be included in cartridges easily  interchangeable and independent of mechanical or electro-tele-mechanical systems of baleen so that they are easy to replace and maintain, as regards the assembly and also more particularly the printing plate itself.  See figure 11, page 6/7. 14 - HOUSINGS TO FIX to the same uses and technical memes as for claim 3, characteristics ex that they include means of fixing on cash registers, elements of manual, mechanical, electro-tele-mechanical controls and also disengageable in the event that the user temporarily wishes not to use this function. 15 - INDEPENDENT BOXES for mothers uses and same techniques as for claim 11, characteristic in that they are autonomous and that they can perfectly decorate the back of the receipt rolls - in continuous function, before the said rolls are used in cash registers, characteristic in that assembled in battery they carry out a preliminary work in continuous and that they have a fast rewinding system. The said systems, of a relatively low colt, allow the user who wishes to broadcast a single message or a batch of repetitive messages to prepare it in a very modular way, on the supplies for cash registers or for billing cases, before use of the case rolls. 16 - MOEBIUS GUIDE  Mechanical turning system, with reference to the geometric figure known as the MoebiusN ribbon, known in three-dimensional geometry as a classic of the genre.  By a gripping system, preferably but not limited to carried out by pliers, suction cups, guide rollers.  The ticket is guided along a slide so as to be reinserted towards the writing head after having made a complete insertion to end up in the right direction (from the geometric point of view reversal by the longitudinal axis with respect to the original position). For the record, a fairly spectacular mini-cable car show and an exciting topic of conversation.  Protection requested on the originality of the mechanical circuit while applying a concept and on the whole system, including electronic controls.  See figure o, page 3/7 17 - ROBOTIC TURNING SYSTEM: without limitation, by pliers, suction cups or guide rollers, the same geometric turning as claim 16 is carried out to reinsert the paper (this option also applies to printers since it is cost-effective to adapt to all paper sizes.  The F 5-t46 ~ to be installed in the normal location of the sheet-by-sheet system) a mechanical receiving and guide assembly combined with a reinsertion system towards the feeding tray, after using a turning chamber as described in claim 11 but used this faith, by folding the paper lengthwise (see figure 12 on page 7/7).  Claim on the entire mechanical system only useful for specific functions within the framework of the project and electronic circuits necessary for this application in order to produce double-sided sheets.