Importance

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Abstract

A miniature printer is provided with a printer mechanism in a housing. A thermal printhead is fixedly mounted in the mechanism. The mechanism and the housing define a compartment for a roll of paper which is loosely disposed in the housing and is extended over the thermal printhead. The compartment is closed by a cover hinged to the housing at one end thereof. A platen roller is located in the cover in an opening larger than the shaft of the roller, which opening and cover provides a floating mount for the platen roller. A driven gear which rotates the platen roller is mounted on the shaft near one end thereof. A pair of hairpin springs have ends which are located in the path which the platen roller takes as the cover is closed and moves into engagement with the platen roller. The springs align the platen roller with the printing elements on the printhead and bias the platen roller into engagement with the printhead, while latching the platen roller and the cover in closed position. The driven gear on the shaft also is aligned with the last gear of a train of gears from a motor to drive the platen. The housing mounts the electronics of the printer, which are on a printed circuit board, and also a magnetic or smart card reader and encoder or separate magnetic card and smart card readers and encoders. The housing has another cover which extends from the cover carrying the platen roller and covers the housing while exposing an opening in the magnetic card reader and encoder across which a magnetic card may be swiped for reading the data or recording (encoding) new data on the magnetic track of the card. The other cover may have a separate receptacle for a smart card and an associated reader and encoder. The encoded card may be used as a smart card to enter places or operate devices, say in a hotel, casino or retail store.

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First Claim