U.S. patent application number 10/679105 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-08 for portable printer and data entry device assembly.
Invention is credited to Arnold, Gregory B..
Application Number | 20040066447 10/679105 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23518289 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040066447 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arnold, Gregory B. |
April 8, 2004 |
Portable printer and data entry device assembly
Abstract
There is disclosed an assembly of a portable data entry device
and a portable printer. The printer is hand-held and carries the
data entry device. The data entry device includes a scanner and is
located at the front portion of the printer. The printer has a
space for accommodating a label roll and a print module which are
located at the rear portion of the printer. The printer can be used
with different data entry devices by use of adapters.
Inventors: |
Arnold, Gregory B.;
(Centerville, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MONARCH MARKING SYSTEMS, INC.
P.O. Box 608
Dayton
OH
45401
US
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Family ID: |
23518289 |
Appl. No.: |
10/679105 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10679105 |
Oct 3, 2003 |
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09665813 |
Sep 20, 2000 |
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6652170 |
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09665813 |
Sep 20, 2000 |
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09384675 |
Aug 27, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
347/109 ;
347/2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65C 11/0289 20130101;
B65C 2210/0021 20130101; B65C 2210/0008 20130101; B65C 11/0284
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
347/109 ;
347/002 |
International
Class: |
B41J 003/36 |
Claims
1. In combination: a portable printer, at least two differently
shaped portable entry devices, each portable entry device including
a scanner for scanning bar codes and a data entry device housing
for the scanner, the portable printer including a printer housing
having a front portion, a set of at least two different adapters
each shaped to receive one of the data entry devices, one of the
adapters being disposed at the front portion, the printer housing
having a rear portion, the printer housing providing space at the
rear portion for receiving a roll of a label web, a print head
disposed at the rear portion of the printer housing, and a data
coupling between the received data entry device and the
printer.
2. In combination: a portable printer, at least two differently
shaped portable data entry devices, the printer including a printer
housing, a print head disposed in the housing, at least two
different adapters each shaped to receive one of the data entry
devices, the printer housing including one of the adapters, and a
data coupling between the received data entry device and the
printer.
3. In the combination defined in claim 2, including a compartment
on the housing for a battery to power the print head.
4. A portable printer, comprising: a housing, a print head in the
housing, a set of at least two different shaped adapters, the
housing including one of the adapters, and each adapter being
shaped to receive a correspondingly shaped portable data entry
device.
5. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, wherein each adapter
is generally U-shaped.
6. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, and a fastener for
connecting one of the adapters to the remainder of the housing.
7. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, wherein each adapter
has an open top portion to allow operation of the portable data
entry device.
8. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, wherein each adapter
has an open front portion.
9. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, including a battery
for powering the print head.
10. A portable printers defined in claim 4, wherein each adapter
has an open front portion and an open top portion.
11. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, including a data
connector secured to the adapter on the housing.
12. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, including a
frictional member for releasably holding a data entry in the
adapter on the housing.
13. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, wherein each adapter
includes a flange for helping to removably retain a data entry
device on the housing.
14. A portable printer as defined in claim 4, wherein each flange
is generally U-shaped.
15. A portable printer, comprising: a housing, a print head
disposed in the housing, a data coupling on the housing, the
housing having a compartment for receiving a portable data entry
device, to be coupled to the coupling, and a card reader on the
housing for reading a data card.
16. A portable printer as defined in claim 15, wherein the housing
includes a lower housing portion adapted to be held in a user's
hand, an upper housing portion connected to the lower housing
portion, wherein the compartment is provided by the upper housing
portion and a generally U-shaped member having open top and front
portions and a flange.
17. A portable printer as defined in claim 15, wherein the housing
is elongate, the compartment being disposed at the front of the
housing, the print head being disposed at the rear of the housing
and the card reader being disposed between the compartment and the
print head.
18. A portable printer as defined in claim 15, and a printed
circuit board for mounting the card reader and the print head in
the housing.
19. A portable printer, comprising: a housing, a print head
disposed in the housing, at least one elastomeric grip on the
housing, at least one hole in the housing, and the grip or grips
being of one-piece elastomeric construction and having at least one
undercut projection extending through and held in the hole.
20. A portable printer, comprising: a housing, a print head
disposed in the housing, a data port in the housing, an opening in
the housing for access to the data port, at least one elastomeric
member on the housing, at least one hole in the housing, the
elastomeric member being of one-piece construction and having a
plug and having at least one undercut projection extending through
and held in the hole, wherein the plug is generally aligned with
the opening, and the elastomeric member being sufficiently flexible
to enable the plug to be moved between a position wherein the plug
is in the opening and another position in which the plug is out of
the opening to enable use of the data entry port.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application
Ser. No. 09/384,675, filed Aug. 27, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to the fields of portable printers
and portable data entry devices.
[0004] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
[0005] The following prior art is made of record: U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,486,259 and 5,483,624; Symbol Technologies, Inc. manual entitled
SPT 1500, pages 1 through 20, Copyright 1998; Symbol Technologies,
Inc. internet site, Product Information, SPT 1500 Palm Terminal
Series, pages 1 through 3, Mar. 23, 1999; Axiohm Thermal Printer
Mechanism, User's Manual THTP Series, Preliminary Issue, reference
3104660-FDE, October 1998.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention relates to a portable printer which can be
coupled to a portable data entity device, and when so coupled the
combination is a portable assembly which in general can be
conveniently carried from place-to-place and which in particular is
hand held.
[0007] The invention relates to an improved lightweight, portable,
hand held, user-friendly printer for reception of a lightweight,
portable hand held, user-friendly data entry device, and to a
combination of such a printer and such a data entry device.
[0008] It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved
printer adapted to receive portable data entry devices having
different shapes. In particular, different models of portable data
entry devices of the same or different manufacturers are shaped
differently. In order to have various portable data entry device
piggyback onto the printer without redesigning the printer, an
adapter or adjuster is provided to accommodate differently shaped
data entry devices.
[0009] According to a specific embodiment of the invention, a set
of adapters is provided to receive correspondingly shaped portable
data entry devices. Instead of redesigning the printer housing for
each different data entry device, a different adapter are provided
and each adapter is shaped to fit with a corresponding data entry
device. Depending on the shape of the data entry device to be used,
the adapter corresponding to that data entry device is assembled
along with the remainder of the housing when the printer is being
manufactured. Alternatively, in the event a printer has an adapter
for one data entry device, the printer can be readily made to
accommodate another and differently shaped data entry device by
matching a different adapter to that other data entry device and
substituting it on the printer housing.
[0010] It is another feature of the invention to provide an
improved portable printer having a lower housing section, an upper
housing section, and a compartment connected to the upper housing
section for receiving a portable data entry device in piggyback
fashion. One or more printed circuit boards are disposed between
the upper and lower sections. There is a battery compartment in the
lower housing section, and a card reader and a printer module
including a print head are mounted on the circuit board. The card
reader is disposed between the compartment and the printhead. An
improved elastomeric grip includes an actuator and a data port
plug. A specific embodiment of the printer includes an elongate
hand-held housing having a front portion which has a compartment or
pocket for receiving a data entry device. The housing also has a
rear portion. There is space at the rear portion for receiving a
roll of a label web. A print module or mechanism is disposed at the
rear portion for printing on the label web, and the print module
including a thermal print head and a platen roll cooperable with
the print head. It is preferred that the housing compartment have
an open top for access to the data entry device. The platen roll is
preferably mounted on a cover for an access opening to the label
roll space. A set of batteries and the print module are preferably
mounted on an elongate circuit board disposed in the printer
housing. The batteries are preferably located at the front portion
of the printer housing. The compartment is preferably open-fronted
and is channel-shaped for slidably receiving the data entry
device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMMATIC DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of a portable
printer and portable data entry device, which is hand-held and
portable, showing the portable data entry device scanning a
bar-coded label;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a partly exploded perspective view of the portable
printer and the portable data entry device separated and with the
cover open;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a generally vertical sectional view of the
assembly shown in FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a printed circuit board of
the printer with batteries and a print module shown mounted
thereon;
[0015] FIG. 5 in an elevational view of one of the two mirror-image
housing sections;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the
channel shape of the compartment for receiving the portable data
entry device;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the print module
and the cover and the platen roll mounted by the cover;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of a
portable printer including a compartment or adapter for receiving a
portable data entry device;
[0019] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a different
adapter for use with a different data entry device;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 9 but showing
yet another different adapter for use with yet another different
data entry device;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view, partly in section, of the
adapter shown in FIG. 8;
[0022] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the printer shown in FIG. 8
removably coupled to the portable data entry device;
[0023] FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the printer shown
in FIGS. 8 and 12;
[0024] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the underside of the
adapter also shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, together with a
connector;
[0025] FIG. 15 is a generally vertical sectional view of the
printer and data entry device of the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 11
through 14; and
[0026] FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken at line 16-16 of FIG.
13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown an assembly
generally indicated at 10 of a portable printer generally indicated
at 11 and a portable data entry device generally indicated at 12.
The printer 11 and the device 12, individually, as well as the
assembly 10 are portable and in particular are hand-held for ease
of use. The device 12 includes a scanner 13 at its front end for
scanning a bar-coded label L. The device 12 also has manually
operable keys 14 and a display 15. The scanner 13, the keys 14 and
the display 15 are housed in an elongate relatively thin housing
16. Manually depressing buttons 14' operates the scanner 13.
[0028] The printer 11 is shown to have an elongate housing 17
having opposed mirror-image housing sections 18 and 19. The front
portion of the housing 17 has a compartment or space or pocket 20
for receiving and releasably holding the data entry device 12. The
compartment 20 has an open top 21 to enable the keys to be operated
and to enable the display 15 to be seen. The compartment 20 is
channel-shaped as diagrammatically depicted in FIG. 6 to capture
the data entry device 12. As shown, the housing 17 has flanges 22
and 23 which help retain the device 12 captive in the compartment
20. The front end of the compartment 20 is open as indicated at 24
to enable the device 12 to be slid into the compartment 20. The
device 12 is releasably latched in the compartment 20 by opposed
latches 25. The latches 25 are each comprised of a pad 26 flexibly
secured to a wall 27. The pads 26 have opposed projections 28 which
are received in recesses 29 in the housing 16 of the device 12. By
simultaneously depressing both pads 26 rearwardly of the wall 27,
the projections 28 are withdrawn from the recesses 29 which allows
the device 12 to be slid out of the compartment 20.
[0029] The underside of the device 12 has a 10-pin connector 30
which cooperates with a mating 10-pin connector 31 on the housing
17. As the device 12 is slid into the compartment 20 in the
direction of arrow A in FIG. 2, the connector 30 at the rear end of
the device 12 connects with the connector 31 at the rear end of the
compartment 20, thereby enabling the data entry device 12 to
control the printer 11. The latches 25 are latched when the
connectors 30 and 31 are connected.
[0030] As is apparent from FIG. 3, the underside of the printer
housing 17 has a hollow or concave surface 32 for receiving the
palm of the user's hand. A strap 33 can fit about the back of the
user's hand. The strap 33 can be a continuous loop of a hand as
shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 also shows the device 12 diagrammatically
and that a label roll R and a prior art print module or print
mechanism generally indicated at 34 are disposed at a rear portion
of the printer 11. The label roll R is illustrated as being
comprised of a label web (or a web of labels) W received in space
35 in the housing 17. The roll R is suitably supported either at
its central opening 36 or simply in a cradle 37 as shown. The web W
passes from the roll R between a thermal print head 38 and a platen
roll 39. The printed label web W exits the housing 17 at a slot 40
one side of which is formed by a tear edge 41.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows that the print module 34 comprises a frame 42
which has sockets 43 and 44. The module 34 includes a platen roll
45 having a shaft 46. The shaft 46 is releasably held in the
sockets 43 and 44 in the FIG. 3 position. The module 34 further
includes an electric motor 47 and gearing generally indicated at
48. The gearing 48 includes gear 49 on the shaft 46. Springs 50
which bear against a support 51 resiliently mount the print head
38.
[0032] The platen roll 45 is rotatably mounted to a cover 52. In
particular, the shaft 46 passes through a flange 53 and is
removably received in a C-shaped cutout 54 in a flange 55. The end
of the cover 52 opposite the platen 45 has a pair of outwardly
extending projections 56 for receipt in opposed recesses 57 in the
housing sections 18 and 19. Accordingly, the cover 52 is pivotally
mounted for movement between a closed or operating position shown
in FIGS. 1 and 3 and an open or non-operating position as
illustrated in FIG. 2. It is apparent when the cover 52 is in the
position shown in FIG. 2, a label roll R can be readily inserted
into the space 35. If the roll R has a core C as shown the core can
be readily removed. Also, the print head 38 and the platen roll 39
can be readily cleaned when the cover is in the open position. If
required, the platen roll 45, its shaft 46 and its gear 49 can be
readily replaced by snapping the portion of the shaft 46 between
the flanges 55 and the gear 49 out of the socket 44, and pulling
the other end of the shaft 46 out of the hole in the flange 53.
[0033] As best shown in FIG. 4, the print module 34 and upstanding
battery contacts 58 are mounted on a printed circuit board 59. The
connector 31 is connected to the printed circuit board 59 via
conductors 31'. A ribbon connector 60 connects the print head
module 34, particularly the motor 47, the print head 38 and sensors
(not shown) to the printed circuit board via a connector 61. There
are four contacts 58 on each side of the printed circuit board 59
for releasable contact to four rechargeable batteries 62. The
connector 31 which is mounted to a support 63 is connected to the
printed circuit board 59. A port 64 accessible from outside the
housing 17 is connected to the printed circuit board 59. The
batteries 62 are held in a holder generally indicated at 64 which
holds the batteries 62 in position but keep the batteries 62 from
touching each other. The holder 64 maintains the batteries 62
aligned with opposed pairs of contacts 58. The holder 64 surrounds
the outsides of all the batteries 62 as best shown in FIG. 4. The
holder 64 has fin-like separators 65 joined to a peripheral wall 66
and to a bottom wall 67 (FIG. 3) The bottom wall 67 is connected to
the printed circuit board 59 by integrally molded pins 68. The
holder 64 is particularly beneficial in the event the assembly 10
or the printer 11 is dropped or otherwise impacted.
[0034] The printed circuit board 59 is captive between the housing
sections 18 and 19 in transverse slots 69 and 70. The support 63 is
received in slots 71 and 72. The housing sections 18 and 19 are
connected by screws (not shown) received in aligned holes 74.
[0035] Floor 75 of the compartment 20 is provided with an access
opening 76 which is closed off by a cover 77. The door 77 is
pivotally mounted about a hinge axis 78 for movement between the
closed position shown in FIG. 2 and an open position to provide
access for loading and removing the batteries 24. The cover 77 is
releasably held in the closed position by a releasable latch
78'.
[0036] The printer 11 is compact, by way of example not limitation,
one embodiment of the printer 11 has a length of about 8.31 inches
(211 mm), a height 2.38 inches (60 mm), a width of 3.38 inches (86
mm) and a weight of 0.9 pound (0.4 kg.); and the data entry device
12 has a length of 5.46 inches (140 mm), a height of 0.66 inch (17
mm), a width of 3.16 inches (81 mm), and a weight of 6.1 ounces
(0.17 kg).
[0037] With reference to FIG. 8, there is shown the portable data
entry device 12 and a printer 80. The printer 80 has an elongate
housing 81 having a lower housing section 82 and an upper housing
portion 83. An adapter or adjuster 84 is connected to the upper
housing section 83 by a plurality of threaded fasteners 85. The
adapter 84 together with upper surface 86 of the housing section 82
forms a compartment 87 for receiving the data entry device 12 in
piggyback fashion as shown in FIGS. 12 and 15.
[0038] FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 show a set of three different adapters 84,
84' and 84" and a set of three corresponding different data entry
devices 12, 12' and 12". Thus, the adapter 84 is shaped to fit or
accommodate the data entry device 12, the adapter 84' is shaped to
fit or accommodate the data entry device 12', and the adapter 84"
is shaped to fit or accommodate the data entry device 12". As shown
the data entry device 12' is narrower than the data entry device 12
and the data entry device 12" is thicker than the data entry
devices 12 and 12'. It is thus apparent that the printer 81 can be
readily modified or adjusted to accommodate different data entry
devices.
[0039] The adapters 84, 84' and 84" are all shown to have a
generally U-shaped configuration and are each preferably of
one-piece molded construction. The adapter 84 has vertically
extending wall sections 88 and 89 and a wall section 90. The wall
sections 89 and 90 are parallel and the wall sections 88 are
generally parallel to each other. Opposed faces of the wall
sections 88 have frictional or gripper members 91 which grip the
housing 16 of the data entry device 12. The housing 16 of the
device 12 also has a lip or gripper 16' which cooperates with a
ridge 93' on the adapter 84 to help releasably hold the device 12
to the printer 80. Alternatively, or in addition, it is preferred
that the adapter 84 be comprised of an elastomeric material which
will enable the data entry device to be yieldably held in the
docked position in the compartment 87. Thus, the data entry device
12 is frictionally held in the compartment 87 by the gripper
members 91 and 93'. The wall sections 88 and 90 are integrally
joined to a horizontally extending U-shaped retaining flange 92.
The compartment 87 is provided by the wall sections 88 and 90, the
flange 92 and the upper surface 86 of the upper housing section 83.
End edge portion 93 is sculptured or tailored to the data entry
device 12 so that keys 14 can be operated while the data entry
device 84 is docked in the compartment 87. The top portion of the
adapter 84 is open, in the same way as the compartment 20 is open
to enable the display 15 to be seen.
[0040] The data entry device 12' is narrower than the data entry
device 12 and thus the distance between walls 88' is less than the
distance between the walls 88 so as to fit or accommodate the data
entry device 12' between wall sections 88'.
[0041] The data entry device 12" has a different arrangement of
buttons 14" than the data entry devices 12 and 12' and as such the
horizontal flange 9" is sculptured or tailored to allow access to
the buttons 14".
[0042] In other respects the adapters 84' and 84" are identical to
the adapter 84. As seen in FIGS. 8, 13 and 14, a coupling C in the
form of a connector generally 94 is secured by screws 95 to the top
or flange 92. The wall section 90 has a stepped opening 96 (FIG.
14). The connector 94 has a vertical collar 97 and a horizontal bar
98. The wall 90 is positioned between the collar 97 and the bar 98
to help hold the connector 94 in position on the adapter 84. The
connector 94 is also positioned against an upstanding projection 99
on the upper housing section 83. The front upper portion of the
connector 94 has a plurality of contacts 100 for contacting mating
contacts on the data entry device 12.
[0043] As seen in FIG. 12 for example, the printer 80 and the data
entry device 12 are used in the same manner as in the embodiment of
FIGS. 1 through 7. The data entry device 12 is disposed at a front
portion of the printer housing 81. A printer module 101 and space S
defined by a surface 81' for mounting a label supply roll R are
disposed at the rear portion of the housing 81 and a magnetic card
reader generally 102 is disposed between the data entry device
receiving compartment 87 and the print head module 101 with its
print head 101'. So, therefore, data can be printed by the printer
80 from data received from the data entry device 12, from the card
reader 102 or through data ports 103 or 104 (FIG. 13).
[0044] The data ports 103 and 104 are mounted on a U-shaped printed
circuit board 105. The printed circuit board 105 is electrically
connected to a printed circuit board 106. Conductor 107 is shown to
connect the connector 94 to the printed circuit board 106. The
print head module 101 and the card reader 102 are mounted on and
are electrically connected to the printed circuit board 106.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 13, the housing section 81 has a pair of
longitudinally extending horizontal lands 108 which support side
margins of the printed circuit board 106. The lands 108 are joined
to a pair of parallel, vertical, opposed walls 109. The printed
circuit board 105 is secured to a rigid post 110 by a screw 111
between the walls 109. The lands 108 have holes 112 through which
screws 85 pass into the adapter 84. In this way the adapter 84 is
held securely to the lower housing section 82 and to the upper
housing section 83.
[0046] The upper housing section has an inclined portion 113 with a
door 114 pivotally mounted on spaced arms 113' by two studs 115
received in opposed holes 116. The door 114 rotatably mounts a
platen roller 117 which cooperates with the print head 101' as
shown in FIG. 15. The door 114 has a flexible handle 118 for
assisting the user in opening the door 114.
[0047] The card reader 101 is used to read a magnetic card MC. The
adapter 84 and the adjacent wall 113" of the inclined portion 113
are spaced to provide a slot S' so that the magnetic card MC can
pass therethrough between members 119 and 120. The card reader 101
has a pair of U-shaped members 119 and 120. The member 119 is
positioned at opening 121 in the adapter 84. The other member 120
is positioned at an opening 121' of the inclined portion 113 (FIG.
15). When the print head module 101 prints, the printed labels L
issue through an opening 122 in the inclined portion 113.
[0048] As best shown in FIG. 13, a pair of manually engageable
members 123 and 124 are secured to the outside surfaces of walls
109. The members 123 and 124 are identical except that the member
123 has a differently shaped rectangular plug 125 from rectangular
plug 126 of the member 124. The plug 125 fits into a hole 127 and
the plug 126 fits into a hole 127. The members 123 and 124 are each
of one-piece molded, resilient, elastomeric construction. Each
member 123 and 124 has inner surfaces with three identical undercut
projections 128. The projections 128 fit through holes 129 in the
walls 109 and are captured at the undercut 130 as best shown in
FIG. 16. The inside surfaces of the members 123 and 124 from which
the projections 128 extend also have a raised or convex portion
131. Each convex portion 131 is aligned with a switch 132. If
either switch 132 is depressed the scanner 13 will be operated to
read the bar code on the label L. Convex portions 133 on the
outside surfaces of each of the members 123 and 124 are aligned
with the convex portions 131 and are depressible by the user to
operate the switches 132. The plugs 125 and 126 are preferably
positioned in respective openings 127 and 127' when the ports 103
and 104 are not in use. However, by flexing the members 123 and/or
124 to their phantom line positions shown at PL in FIG. 13, the
respective ports 103 and 104 can be uncovered for use.
[0049] The lower housing section has a compartment 134 for
receiving a battery 135 connected to the printed circuit board for
powering the printer and its electronics. A door 136 closes the
compartment 134.
[0050] By way of example, not limitation, the print head module 101
can be a Fujitsu FTP 638MCL100 print head module and the card
reader 110 can be a Semek 4083-0 card reader.
[0051] Other embodiments and modifications of the invention will
suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of
these as come within the spirit of this invention are included
within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *