1 2
SCANNING INK JET PRINTER FOR producing a correctly oriented image on the display and in
ELECTRONIC DISPLAYS a second condition for producing a mirror image on the
display;
d) a printer disposed in operative relationship to the
The present invention relates to ink jet printing images off 5 display and having a moveable carriage, and a scanner and
a display and, more particularly, to ink jet printing images an ink jet printhead mounted on the carriage, and being
off a display which can be used in a electronic camera. arranged so that as the carriage moves, the scanner scans the
mirror image on the display and produces image signals; and
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION e) the ink jet prmmead being responsive to the signals
It is known in the prior art to provide an electronic camera 10 produced by the scanner for producing a correctly oriented
which uses an area image sensor. Digital images produced image onto the receiver sheet, from the image sensor are stored in memory and these
images can be shown on a display so that the user can ADVANTAGES
determine which image should be stored for use in produc- 15 It is an advantage of the present mvention to provide
ing hard copy images. Typically, these images can be stored printer that creates a print of an image on a display on the
in a magnetic disk or a compact memory card. back of electronic cameras. it is a further advantage to
A shortcoming with prior electronic cameras is that the provide such apparatus without the need for complex mirror
printer is spaced from the camera and must be electrically image compensation in the printer. It is a further advantage
coupled to digital storage structure within the camera. Such 2o of the invention to provide for a scanning ink jet system
printers are expensive in that the image must be transmitted having a small, conformable body that connects to an
and stored within a printer. The printer and the camera must electronic camera. Scanner ink jet printer combinations, in
contain transmission means and a transmission protocol. accordance with the present invention, can scan an image on
Transmission means within the camera increase camera size a camera display and cause that image to be ink jet printed
and cost. 25 with a proper orientation on a receiver sheet.
Document scanners that print simultaneously with scanning have been disclosed in prior art. One difficulty in such BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
systems is that an image must be mirrored in the copying FiG. lfl is a front sectional of an electronic printer which
process. U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,741 discloses a belt that trans- ig ad d tQ be kd tQ an electronic camera in accor.
lates to move a scanning device simultaneous with motion of 30 dance ^ ±e n( invention;
an ink jet cartridge in an opposite direction using a common . .
belt. The image is mirrored by the counter directional FIG- U 15 a side sectional view showing portions of the
motion of the printhead and scanhead. This process requires printing unit of FIG. la;
incrementally advances of the document on each print/scan FIG- 2 is a rear view of an electronic camera in accor
cycle. 35 dance with the present invention;
A portion of U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,870 discloses a photo- FIG. 3 is a top section view of an electronic camera which
copy machine that translates a scan/print head in two dimen- is adapted to be coupled to a printer to be coupled to the
sions to copy a stationary document. As the head moves, a electronic printer of FIG. la;
thermal paper is moved with the motion of the scanning head FIG. 4 is a top section view of a printing unit view
across the source document to create a mirror image. U.S. 40 showing portions of the printing unit of FIG. la; and
Pat. No. 5,049,999 does not translate the scanning head in FIG 5 shows me printing unit of FIG. la attached to the
two directions, instead, a source and copy sheet moves in camera of FIG 2
opposite directions to form a non-mirrored image.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,410 discloses a common substrate DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
supporting both scanning and ink jet printhead. U.S. Pat. No. 45 INVENTION
5,070,410 also discloses the use of a plurality of elements . , .
, Pp , , r V i.j • . j Ihe invention is directed to a compact printer used in
sensitive to different wavelengths of light and associated ., , . ^ , r
• , . •. c , • , conjunction with electronic cameras. Such cameras often
inks that permit tor color imaging using such scan means. , „ ,r
r Tto r. t Xt ... i J- i tu have a flat panel color display that is used to frame and/or
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,410 also disclose the use . r . ^ , , ,
t . . •, , , c , •,, 50 review capture images. Separable printers exist that receive
of the apparatus to provide hard copy tor unmirrored lllu- , r , , & . r , . „ . . r
■ , , ,., data from the electronic capture devices, lypically, interface
minated slides. , . , , .' .
electronics are required in each device and the image data is
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION transmitted from the electronic camera to the printer.
T, • c ,. , P., ,. ... Turning now to FIG. la and lb, a scanning ink jet printer
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide „„ . , , , . J f
■ , • , • , i • u • i i , . j- i 55 28 is shown that according to the current invention. A
an scanner ink let printer which is attachable to a display, „ . . , . . J?,
,. , , j. , ., , , ,. , carriage 34 is driven in an X-Y pattern across dye receiver
particularly a display on a digital camera and which pro- , $„ „ „. . , . . „ ,. ,
j i- / • • sheet 50. Carriage 34 is driven in a first direction by carriage
duces high quality images on a receiver. • ^ ■
. . motor 36 which is nxably attached to carriage 34. Carriage
This object is achieved by an attachable printer for use motQr 3fi ^ QQ carrf rack 38 thrQU fa card
with a electronic camera having an image sensor and means 6Q motQr 3fifl Card rack 38 s th h ^ M
for focusing an image of a subject onto the image sensor, the and faas ... rack driye detafl 38fl formed Qn a surface
improvement comprising: that permlts carriage motor gear 36fl to translate carriage 34
a) electronic means coupled to the image sensor for along the length of carriage rack 38 when carriage motor 36a storing a digital image of the subject; js energized. Carriage rack 38 also incorporates carriage
b) a display; 65 rack nut 38fc that grips translation shaft 40. One end of
c) means coupled to the display and responsive to the carriage rack 38 is supported for translation by carriage rack stored digital image and effective in a first condition for support 39. Carriage rack nut 38fc supports the other end of
