A rigid arm pendulum is combined with a helical device attached to the pendulum horizontal axle to provide a double reciprocating action. While the pendulum reciprocates in rotary fashion about the axle, describing successive arcs of less than 360 degrees, the axle simultaneously produces a reciprocating action about its longitudinal centerline. A pumping action is thereby developed in line with the longitudinal centerline of the axle. This pumping (linear reciprocating) action can be utilized for a variety of requirements, including a hydraulic pump and a system to drive an electric generator.

A motor mounted on a structural support with a pivot at its center line which comprises a cylindrical vessel for holding a fluid in a closed system and in which a buoyant cylinder containing a lighter fluid is allowed to free float so that a cable attached to either end of the buoyant cylinder may be used to transfer energy to a energy storage unit, a crank or a generator. Two moment arms having a weight attached at the exterior end and inside attachably connected to the surface of two drive pistons that operate in pressure tanks which force a compressed gas against the pistons through pre-sequenced automatic activated valves to extend or retract the moment arms at the end of a cycle. The motor then becomes top heavy and rotates 180 degrees by gravity and relocks in place to repeat the cycle.

An actuator comprises an elongated shape-memory element wound around a first element and having one first end connected to the first element and one second end connected to a second element. Heating means are provided for heating the shape-memory element in order to obtain a displacement of one of the ends thereof. The elongated shape-memory element is guided so that it can slide within a closed channel made of a material having a low coefficient of friction, for example defined by a sheath.

A gravity actuated torque generator for generating torque to run a generator by continually adding weights to the apparatus. The gravity actuated torque generator includes a support assembly, a drive assembly being supported by the support assembly, and a weight assembly being engagable to the drive assembly while moving downwardly due to gravitational forces for generating torque.

A control device for blinds includes a transmission unit, a scrolling unit and a tilting unit, the transmission unit includes a case in which a coil spring and a gear unit are received. The coil spring is connected between the gear unit and the case. The scrolling unit includes two scrolling rods which are rotated with a transmission rod. Each scrolling rod has a lift cord wrapped thereon and extending through slats of the blinds. The tilting unit includes two tilt members connected to two respective end sections of the two scrolling rods. Two tilt cords have two respective positioning members which are clamped in two clamp grooves of the two tilt members and the tilt cords extend through the slats. The gears in the gear unit can be adjusted so as to cooperate with slats of different weights.

A vehicle passive entry side door latch release system engageable with a release cable connected a door latch includes a moveable linkage assembly engageable with the cable, and a motor including an output shaft engaged with a tensioning gear for driving a ratcheting gearwheel rotatably affixed to a coil spring, with the gearwheel including external teeth engageable with a rack affixed to the linkage to move the cable to unlatch the door latch. A pivotable ratcheting pawl may be engageable with the gearwheel to allow or prevent rotation of the gearwheel. Operation of the motor may drive the gear to drive the gearwheel in a rotary direction to energize the spring, and disengagement of the pawl from the gearwheel may allow stored energy in the spring to drive the gearwheel in an opposite rotary direction to thereby drive the rack to move the cable to unlatch the door latch.

A fluid dispensing system provides a sprayer. The system has a container with liquid fluid, such as used in lawn and garden weed control and fertilization. The sprayer has a handle containing a spring engine and a pump for liquid from the container. The spring engine has a flat spring having a spring band extending from two coils wound on two shafts. One of the coils is manually wound by a crank connected to a shaft on which the coil is connected. The other shaft is connected to the pump by a rotary cam driver. Liquid is sucked by the pump into a pump chamber during part of a cycle of rotation of the other shaft when the coils are unwound and the liquid is pumped out of the chamber during the other part of the cycle of rotation to a sprayer head on the sprayer handle.

The invention provides an operational mechanism for a movable body in which, after a movable body is in an opened state, the movable body can return to a closed position, including a movable body rotatably attached to a support and rotatable between an engaged position, a closed position, and an open position; a rotating member rotatably attached to the support, that rotates due to movement of the movable body to the engaged position; a biasing member, one end of which is attached to the movable body, and the other end of which is attached to the rotating member; and an operation member, which rotates the rotating member, changes the biasing position of the biasing member with respect to the center of rotation of the movable body, and generates in the biasing member a rotational force that moves the movable body to the closed position or the open position.

There is provided a power source device capable of obtaining power not only when springs or the like return but also when a handle for winding up the springs or the like are operated. The power source device comprises a main shaft connected to both the handle and a main power generation device, an auxiliary shaft connected to an auxiliary power generation device arranged side by side in parallel with the main shaft, the main spring and the auxiliary spring requiring less load to wind up than the main spring being installed between the main shaft and the auxiliary shaft via drums such that accumulation and release of elastic force of the springs are alternated on both shafts, wherein when the main shaft is normally rotated by the handle, elastic force accumulated in the auxiliary spring is applied in the direction of rotation of the main shaft as releasing force.

An actuator assembly having a housing, at least one rotating gear member including a cam, and an actuator device operably connected to the rotating gear member, operably contained in the housing, for rotating the gear member. Also included is a bearing member operably associated with the cam such that when the actuator device is actuated for rotation of the gear member, the bearing member moves on the cam for providing relative motion between the bearing member and the rotating gear member. The actuator device is selected from a torque generating device or a device having linear movement.

A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.

A drive mechanism for a device with two operating parts, which are connected so as to be pivotally displaceable relative to each other between a first position and a second position about a common axis of rotation. The drive mechanism has a driving mechanism such that a movement from the first position to the second position can be initiated initially by a slight movement and the additional movement is then effected automatically through spring force (F) until the second position has been reached. The movement out of the first position into the second position is possible in either a clockwise and counterclockwise movement. The driving mechanism comprises a driven part, one operating part and two drives that are in the form of a force storing device The force storing devices interact with the driven part in opposing directions in such a manner that only the one for storing device is in driving connection with the driven part while the other force storing device is retained in its starting position.

In an electricity generating device by applying vehicle weight, a rolling vehicle wheel is weighting down on a pressure receiver to actuate a driving mechanism having a restoring function. It is then able to provide a unidirectional rotating torque to drive a generating device to produce electrical power. The mechanical power transmission is performed by a transmission gear unit composed of a driving wheel and a follower wheel interconnected each other with a transmission means therebetween. When the vehicle weight is applied to the driving mechanism by pressing the vehicle wheel on the pressure receiver, the driving mechanism is forced to downwardly urge a ratchet wheel and a driving wheel to rotate that in turn causes the rotation of the follower wheel through the transmission means thereby driving the generating device to operate to produce electricity. The driving mechanism can recover its initial state with the aid of a balancing weight as soon as it has been liberate from the exerted pressure of the vehicle wheel. The device is to be installed flush with the road surface to work.

An actuator for a wheel guiding element of motor vehicle wheel suspensions, with a first, preferably electrically driven actuating drive which selectively changes the length of the wheel guiding element, in the actuator there being a compensation spring which counteracts the compressive forces acting on the wheel guiding element. According to the invention, the pretensioning force of the compensation spring can be changed by means of a second, preferably electrically driven actuating drive.

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided systems and method for In accordance with embodiments, there are provided systems and method for generating mechanical movement that includes a resilient member having an original shape. A bulwark is connected to the resilient member. A system is provided to selectively apply a torsional force to the resilient member using capillary forces to rotate the resilient member with respect to the bulwark. This places the resilient member in a deformed shape. The system also selectively terminates the capillary forces allowing the resilient member to return to the original shape. These and other embodiments are described more fully below.

A spring motor and drag brake for use in coverings for architectural openings.

A method for ascertaining a rotational speed parameter for determining a setpoint torque for driving a drivetrain. The drivetrain comprises a first and at least one second drive assembly for driving a hybrid vehicle. The first drive assembly can be coupled to the drivetrain by means of a clutch. The second drive assembly is mechanically coupled to the drivetrain. When the hybrid vehicle is being driven by means of at least the first drive assembly, the rotational speed parameter corresponds to the value of a shaft rotational speed. When the hybrid vehicle is being driven only by means of the second drive assembly, the rotational speed parameter corresponds to the value of a determined rotational speed.

A winding tool for tightening a torsion spring for a sectional overhead door. The winding tool features two half hub assembles that wrap around an overhead door shaft, wherein a translational sprocket is disposed on the hub assemblies. The hub assemblies connect to the winding cone of a torsion spring via fingers that engage the hub assemblies. A winding box is removably attached to the hub assemblies. The winding box features a worm gear that engages the translational sprocket. A handle bar can be rotated with a drill to cause rotation of the worm gear. Rotation of the worm gear causes rotation of the translational sprocket and ultimate winding of the torsion spring.

A tensioner as well as a method for fitting a safety line cable on the tensioner. The tensioner designed for the safety of personnel attached to the cable while working under dangerous conditions. The tensioner has a fixing element configured to couple to an external element such as a wall and has two sections capable of separating and absorbing energy as a result of a fall of a worker while attached to the safety line cable. A section of the cable passes through and is crimped in a sleeve of the tensioner while the cable is kept under tension.

A patient side-system includes a column with a rail and a counterbalance subsystem. The patient side-system may further include a braking subsystem. The counterbalance subsystem includes a spring assembly coupled at one end to the column with a spring member, and a housing movably coupled to the rail. The housing includes a drum to receive the spring member and a plurality of roller elements to guide a movement of the spring member winding or unwinding on the drum. If present, the braking subsystem includes a first pulley rotatably coupled to the column, a second pulley with a locking mechanism spaced apart from the first pulley and rotatably coupled to the column, and at least one brake cable wrapped around the first pulley and the second pulley with ends coupled to the housing. The locking mechanism can set a position of the housing along the column.

A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.

The technology is directed to an energy storage and release system that stores energy and enables a repeatable and accurately timed release of energy. A shaft member supports a drive assembly, a locking assembly and a lever member there between. The lever member and locking assembly are attached to the shaft. The drive assembly rotates freely about the shaft and loads energy into a torsion spring in communication with the lever member. The torsion spring connects at one end to the drive assembly and at the other end to the lever member without contacting the shaft member. The locking assembly provides a triggered release mechanism for selective release of stored energy from the torsion spring that accordingly rotates the lever member. The system can automatically reload the torsion spring once a signal is received from any number of events including, when the rotating lever member contacts a stop member or limit sensor that signals the end of travel for the lever member in either rotational directions.

A method for operating a window cover utilizes an extendible window cover having a first rail, a second rail and a pair of lift cords. The first and second rails of the window cover are movable relative to each other. According to the method, at least one of the first rail and the second rail is moved in a first direction to cause the lift cords to unwind from the lift cord pulleys, thereby rotating a lift cord pulley shaft and a set of gears. Further, at least one of the first rail and the second rail is moved in a second direction to cause the lift cords to wind on the lift cord pulleys, with the lift cord pulley shaft rotating in an opposite direction.

Water heaters are described that are user-powered, such that external sources of power are unnecessary. The water heaters include a heating device and a generator coupled to a crank such that power is generated as the crank is rotated, which can be used to power the heating device.

An energy storing device is disclosed. In the energy storing device of the present invention, energy from an energy generating unit is stored in the form of spring torsion and then is output steadily. The energy storing device of the present invention includes a plurality of cog-wheels, a plurality of torsion magnitude limiting units, a plurality of single-directional input bearings, a plurality of energy storing units and a plurality of speed enhancing cog-wheels. Each of the energy storing units includes at least two end rotational disc portions, which are connected with each other co-axially. A leaf spring unit is provided between each pair of rotational disc portions and one end of the leaf spring unit is bent in an opposite direction. In addition, the energy storing units may be connected in series or in parallel to increase the efficiencies in energy storage and energy output.

A window cover system includes an extendible window cover with a pair of lift cords. A lift cord pulley shaft is coupled to a pair of spaced apart lift cord pulleys. A spring drive unit has a beveled gear system with a first gear that is spring biased to resist rotation of first gear in one direction of rotation, and a second gear meshed with the first gear. The lift cord pulley shaft extends through the second gear and is configured to rotate therewith.

A system for safely and effectively winding a garage door spring features a hub assembly having a cylindrical hub with a cylindrical channel located there through. The hub assembly features a wheel gear located around the hub and a plurality of engagement prongs designed to snuggly engage a torsion spring winding cone. The hub assembly is divided into a first hub component and a second hub component. The system features a base with a semi-cylindrical notch and an arcuate lid pivotally located thereon. A plurality of support rollers are adjustably located around an inside of the notch and the lid. The hub assembly is positioned on the support rollers. A worm gear that interfaces with the wheel gear is attached to a drive shaft assembly that features a drive shaft that extends from the base for remote operation of the worm gear.

Gravity powered electrical energy generators, particularly for producing lighting is disclosed. The apparatus has a support frame (1, 30) in which a series of gears and a gear-driven generator (20) are mounted. The power to drive the most upstream gear (2) is provided by a weight suspended from a point to one side of the axis of rotation of gear (2). The drive gear of the furthest downstream gear has no teeth so that the final contact between the drive gear and the shaft of the generator (20) is frictional. The gear ratio of the final downstream gear is at least 25. When used for lighting, the apparatus may include one or more high brightness LEDs (40) mounted on the housing (30). By suitable choice of gear ratios, the device may produce thirty minutes of illumination while allowing a 10 kilogram weight to fall through a distance of 1.8 meters.

A method for printing a digitally-stored image on the surface of a cylindrical object comprises the steps of axially moving the object along a line of travel that is aligned with the object's long axis until it is underneath one or more printheads, each of which have a plurality of ink nozzles that may be arranged in one or more columns while simultaneously rotating the object with respect to the printheads and simultaneously causing a pre-determined number of nozzles to eject ink onto the surface of the object.

A printing device includes: a main body having an attachment surface; first and second mounting sections formed in the attachment surface respectively for detachably receiving first and second cassettes; first and second print parts; a body cover having an opposing surface; first and second pressing parts protruding from the opposing surface respectively toward the first and second mounting sections; first and second engaging parts provided at the main body; and third and fourth engaging parts provided at the body cover and engageable with the first and second engaging parts. A first center of gravity of load that the mounted first cassette applies to the first pressing part and a second center of gravity of load that the mounted second cassette applies to the second pressing part are located within a specific area on the opposing surface defined by virtual lines passing through locations on the third and fourth engaging parts.

The present invention provides a thermal print head and a thermal printer that can deliver improved printing quality. The thermal print head includes a main substrate with a main surface, heating elements arranged along a main scanning direction, and a protection layer that covers the heating elements. A belt-shaped heating glaze layer is between the main surface and the heating elements, extends along the main scanning direction, and bulges towards the direction where the main surface faces. The surface shape of the protection layer has an equivalent radius of curvature Re between 6200 μm and 15000 μm. The equivalent radius of curvature Re is calculated by Hq and Wq. Hq is ¼ of the maximum height Hm of the bulging portion of the protection layer including the heating glaze layer. Wq is the width of the bulging portion along a sub-scanning direction, measured at a height equal to Hm minus Hq.

A thermal print head includes a semiconductor substrate, a resistor layer and a wiring layer. The resistor layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate and has a plurality of heat generating portions arranged in the main scanning direction. The wiring layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate to be included in a conduction path for energizing the plurality of heat generating portions. The conduction path includes a path or paths provided by the semiconductor substrate itself.

A thermal print head includes a semiconductor substrate, a resistor layer with heat generating portions arranged in the main scanning direction, a wiring layer included in a conduction path for energizing the heat generating portions, and a protective layer covering the resistor layer and the wiring layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a projection protruding from the obverse surface of the substrate and elongated in the main scanning direction. The projection has first and second inclined side surfaces spaced apart from each other in the sub-scanning direction. The heat generating portions are arranged to overlap with the first inclined side surface of the projection as viewed in plan view.

A controller in a one-side printing mode moves movable rollers to form a one-side printing route and moves a second head unit so that the second head unit faces a front side of a web. The controller then controls a first head unit and a second head unit to print images of respective pages on the front side of the web while transferring the web at a transfer speed twice as fast as that in a both-side printing mode.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that has a plurality of nozzles that discharge a column-shaped liquid; a liquid droplet generating unit that applies cyclically changing energy to positions of the column-shaped liquids discharged from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, which are separated from the plurality of nozzles, respectively, and that generates liquid droplets; and a direction changing unit that changes a flying direction of at least some liquid droplets of the generated liquid droplets.

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a head unit that discharges a liquid from each of a plurality of nozzles and causes a liquid column to extend downwardly; a liquid droplet generating unit that irradiates the liquid column with a laser beam from a position separated from the plurality of nozzles and separates liquid droplets from the liquid column; and a direction changing unit that applies energy to the liquid droplets and changes a flying direction of the liquid droplets.

A printing apparatus includes a plasma treatment unit that performs plasma treatment on a surface of a treatment object to acidify at least the surface of the treatment object; and a recording unit that performs inkjet recording on the surface of the plasma treatment subjected to the plasma treatment by the plasma treatment unit.

A method for controlling a print device by generating a firing encoder signal from varying one or more characteristics of a reference signal where, the one or more characteristics are varied based on at least the position of a print medium at a reference time. The firing encoder signal is used to synchronize firing of at least one print head of the print device after the reference time.

A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printed matter producing process including printing page images on a medium in a first position on a conveyance path while conveying the medium along the conveyance path, storing a cut target position for each page image and cutting the medium in a second position downstream of the first position in a conveyance direction when the cut target position reaches the second position, an interrupting process including interrupting the printed matter producing process and storing an uncut position as a cut target position located between the first and second positions when the printed matter producing process is interrupted, when an error occurs during the printed matter producing process, and a resuming process including resuming the printed matter producing process when the error is settled during the interruption of the printed matter producing process, and cutting the medium based on the uncut position.

A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printing process including sequentially printing a plurality of page images on a print medium based on print data while conveying the print medium in a conveyance direction, execute a first interruption process including, when a next cut distance is equal to or less than a printable distance, interrupting the printing process and stopping the print medium such that the next cut position coincides with a cutter position, and cutting the print medium, and execute a second interruption process including, when the next cut distance is more than the printable distance, interrupting the printing process and stopping the print medium such that the next cut position coincides with a position that is located an offset upstream of the cutter position in the conveyance direction.

A recording paper cutting device enables cutting of a boundary between a first area of a recording paper and a second area of the recording paper placed at an upstream side of the first area, so that the first area is separately discharged from the second area after the first area is printed. The recording paper cutting device includes first and second cutting parts. The first cutting part of the second cutting parts moves in an approaching or departing direction so that the boundary is cut. The first cutting part includes a first cutting surface inclined by a first angle in the departing direction from the second cutting part and a second cutting surface that extends from the first cutting surface and is inclined by a second angle, which is smaller than the first angle, in the departing direction from the second cutting part.

Apparatuses and embodiments related to compensated laser cutting of labels. A computer system receives an image of a label, and rasterizes the image. The computer system determines how much of each type of printer ink of a label printer to deposit at each pixel location of the image. The computer system determines which pixels intersect a cut line, and determines the characteristics of the ink of the pixels, such as the quantity or thickness of the ink at the pixel locations. The computer system determines laser data including power, cut speed, and/or frequency of a laser that is tuned to accurately cut through the ink that forms the image, the material(s) of the label, and the adhesive that removably adheres the label to base material(s), but to not excessively damage the base material(s). A laser cutting system uses the laser data to control a laser.

A printing device includes a roller; a stepper motor; a head; and a controller, The roller is for conveying a printing medium in a conveying direction. The stepper motor is configured to rotate in synchronization with a pulse signal and rotate the roller. The head is configured to perform printing on the printing medium conveyed by the roller. The controller is configured to perform: decelerating the stepper motor from a first speed to a second speed; identifying a rotational speed of the stepper motor during deceleration of the stepper motor; performing synchronous printing in which the head is driven at timing in synchronization with the pulse signal when the rotational speed is greater than or equal to a prescribed speed; and performing timer printing in which the head is driven at a prescribed period when the rotational speed is less than the prescribed speed.

A print system includes a first printer which performs printing on a sheet while conveying the sheet and a second printer which receives the sheet conveyed from the first printer and performs printing on the sheet while conveying the sheet. The second printer includes a second printing unit, a second registration roller, a second pre-registration roller, a sheet detector, and a second controller. The second controller controls an operation of the second pre-registration roller and an operation of the second registration roller based on a timing of a detection of the sheet by the sheet detector.

Disclosed is a device for encoding information written on a readable surface, the device including a device housing containing at least one ink reservoir, an ink dispensing tip in communication with said at least one ink reservoir; and ink stored in the at least one ink reservoir and configured to flow from the ink dispensing tip, the ink being encodable to include supplemental encoded information, the supplemental encoded information being detectable by at least one detecting sensor when dispensed on the readable surface, wherein the readable surface is any surface that will accept the ink.

An assembly of a large format media handling system, including a planar longitudinal cross structure; and a support structure, the support structure including two side supports comprising a number of fixed references and at least one adjustable reference, wherein the side supports are supported by the longitudinal cross structure at said references; wherein the at least one adjustable reference is formed by a wedge element slidably attached to the support structure; and the side supports are fixed to the planar longitudinal cross structure wherein the cross structure is in contact with all of the references.

An assembly of a large format media handling system comprises a planar cross structure, and a support structure, the support structure including two side supports, wherein the two side supports extend perpendicularly to the cross structure and are connected to the cross structure at respective side edges of the side supports. A tensioning component is associated with each of the side supports, wherein the tensioning component transmits a tensioning force between the cross structure and the side edges of the side supports in a direction parallel to the side supports.

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products are described herein. An example disclosed printing device includes a printer body; a cradle engagement surface configured to interface with a cradle, the cradle engagement surface defining a first recess and a second recess disposed proximate a first side of a battery compartment; and a bumper attachment extending from the printer body and disposed proximate a front side of the printer body, the bumper attachment defining at least two capture cavities structured to slideably receive reciprocally structured first and second printer capture flanges extending from the cradle.

Examples of a printing device, a method for use in a printing device, and a machine readable non-transitory storage medium including instructions relating to a printing device that are executable by a processor are disclosed herein. An example of the machine readable non-transitory storage medium includes instructions relating to a printing device that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: segment data for an image into a plurality of positions, analyze performance data regarding an actual portion of the image formed by each of a plurality of print heads, arrange the segmented image data for each portion of the image based on the performance data for each of the print heads, and transmit the arranged image data to each of the print heads so that each print head forms a correct portion of the image.

A first score line camera captures an image of one sides of a plurality of tablets being conveyed by a conveyor drum. During transfer from the conveyor drum to a first conveyor belt, all the tablets are turned upside down while their directional properties are maintained. A second score line camera captures an image of opposite side of the tablets being conveyed by the first conveyor belt. Based on image data about both the front sides and back sides of the tablets acquired by the first and second score line cameras, a first ink-jet head performs front-side printing process on a front side of a tablet to conform to a predetermined direction relative to a score line in this front side. The second ink-jet head performs back-side printing process on a back side of a tablet to conform to a direction on the back side same as the predetermined direction.