GB2197262A - Printing apparatus and systems - Google Patents

Description

1

SPECIFICATION

Printing apparatus and systems The present invention relates to matrix printing 70 systems for use in a postal meter or a franking device and to matrix printers and print elements therefor.

Postal meters or postage printing meters are devices that are used to print out a substitute for postage stamps. Postage stamps are, in a sense, a form of currency and are subject to being counterfeited. Postal meters are devices that print a substitute for a postage stamp directly on to an envelope or label, and must be approved by the Postal Authorities before being used for printing postage.

Since postal meters are, in effect currency printing devices, they are required, by the postal authorities, to be secure with respect to accounting functions, that is, to track and properly report the amount of postage dispensed and be secure with respect to the imprinted indicia representing the postage printed on an envelope, tape or label.

In most cases, postal meters are rental devices that are used outside the post office to dispense postage. It is normal practice that the leasee of or person renting the device make a monetary advance for a predetermined value of postage that the meter may print or dispense. The predetermined monetary value is set in the meter by an authorized person and the meter may then dispense that amount of postage in desired increments. Ascending and descending registers in the meter keep a running account of how much postage has been dispensed, (in the ascending register) and how much postage is left to be dis- pensed, (in the descending register) from the prepayment made.

These registers are made highly secure from tampering or alteration, using various techniques.

Historically, postal meters have been me- chanical devices in which postage values were set, printed and accounted for using mechani cal techniques and assemblies. The various accounting functions were maintained by me chanical registers in which a plurality of differ ent mechanical interlocks were used which gu arded against the printing of postage by the meter without changing the values in the registers; thus securing the accounting func tions.

The actual printing of postage on an envel ope, tape or label, hereafter referred to as envelope, was done by a printing drum that rotated as the envelope passed through the print stage of the meter. The print drum used is in the form of a die which itself is a highly complex engravement which is extremely diffi cult and time consuming to duplicate and is therefore a strong deterrent against counterfe iting. The drum engravement provides for 130 GB2197262A 1 identification of the particular postal meter in which the drum is used and identifies the post office through which the mail from the meter is to be processed. By identifying the drum as part of the postage imprint, the meter using such drum can be identified and thus the leasee or rentee renting such device can be identified. By identifying the post office through which the mail from the meter is to be processed, the use of the meter is limited to a particular postal area. This, in effect, makes the particular postal meter mobile within the limits of the area served by the identified post office. The drum also prints out the date and the amount of a postage printed. These are variable data set by the user of the meter.

The emphasis with mechanical postal meters was on ruggedness, reliability and security with the capability of being rapidly and relatively easily repaired when the device was not properly functioning so as to minimize down time.

- More recently electronic postal meters have been introduced. An example of an electronic postal meter is found in US Patent 4,251,874, to Frank T. Check, Jr. The more modern electronic postal meter employs electronic memory banks or components to maintain the ac- counting functions formerly accomplished by mechanical registers. The electronic unit is computerized, using a central processing unit such as a microprocessor or other form of computer, which provided the arithmetic func- tions of computations and program fidelity.

One of the problems with the electronic postal meters is that the device itself is not totally electronic since the electronic postal meter employs a mechanical postage printing apparatus to print postage indicia. Since the postal meter is basically electronic, operating at a very high speed performing its computations and storing data and the printer used -is a mechanical device operating at a substan tially slower speed and at a substantially different voltage level, an interface is ' used to ensure compatability between the electronic control system and the mechanical printing apparatus. The slower operating speed of the mechanical printer effectively slows down the operating speed of the electronic postal meter, that is, it slows down the cycle of operation.

A fully electronic postal meter system is disclosed in our US Patent No. 4,637,051 (Serial No. 515,073 filed July 18, 1983) for System Having A Character Generator For Printing Encrypted Messages. However, in that patent an indicia is printed with a matrix printer and is secured by dropping or shifting ele- ments in the indicia as a function of the information printed.

Most matrix printers, whether impact dot matrix or ink jet printer are easily obtainable as an off-the-shelf item and are easily programmable to print any legend desired, with 2 GB2197262A 2 the program itself very easily and readily chan geable and very easily duplicated. The versatil ity with respect to programmability and the ease with which the program itself can be changed and/or duplicated leads to a security gap that the postal service authorities attempt to avoid.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for printing postage indicia having characteristics, which deter counterfeiting.

One aspect of the present invention pro vides a fully integrated electronic postal meter which includes a computer controlled compu tation and control system and electronic mem ory banks for maintaining the required ac counting functions and a high speed impact matrix printing device. Another aspect of the invention provides for the use of an impact matrix printing device as the print component in an electronic postal meter for printing pos tage indicia on an envelope in which the print elements which are used to form a character or design in accordance with a programmed matrix character pattern have themselves a predetermined or preformed shape at the im pact point or end of the print element. Such preformed shape may be made in some pre determined non-dot geometric pattern or shape such as a square or other rectangle, triangle or star, letter, number or other design which is different from the standard off-the shelf dot matrix printer. This non-standard shape of the impact point of the print element shall be referred to as "non-dot geometric shape".

With such change in the shape or physical configuration of the print element at the im pact point of the print element, security in the printing function of the postal meter would be enhanced due to the fact that any potential counterfeiter would be faced with the task of physically modifying each print element of a matrix printer to produce the appropriate indi cia. Security in the printing function of the postal meter having such altered print ele ments would not be compromised because each print element is individually actuated and does produce a discrete imprint which is part of a pattern forming a character which is uni que with respect to standard matrix printer imprints. By reasonably close inspection the unique character or imprint may be easily and quickly observed and counterfeit postage indi cia lacking such imprints may be quickly de tected.

With such change in the print element confi guration at the impact end of the print ele ment, security in the printing function of the postal meter would be enhanced due to the fact that certain predetermined geometric de125 signs could be limited to be used for printing postage indicia for use in specific postal re gions or post offices. This would further limit and reduce printing problems as they relate to security and limit the area of use for a postal meter with such print element design.

As an alternative, the matrix print head, which is usually rectangular in shape and holds and supports a plurality of row of print elements used to physically impress the ink on to some recording medium such as paper, for example, to form the printed indicia, may be made curvilinear so that when a character or letter or other indicia is to be printed, an appropriate set or pattern of printing elements in curvilinear relationship are actuated against an inked medium providing a distinctive contour to the impression left on the paper.

This novel structured print head, when used in a printer in a postal meter, will provide a printed postage indicia with distinctive curvilinear design integrated into the printed indicia for immediate recognition.

High speed matrix printing devices, such as impact dot matrix printers for example, are well known in the art. Impact dot matrix printers generally provide print heads which carry a plurality of print elements, sometimes referred to as wires or pins arranged in a single row or column, or a plurality of rows or columns. The print elements are individually, selectively actuated in combinations, in a manner well known in the art, to print characters as the print head and paper move relative to each other. The individual print elements, when actuated against an ink medium, such as an ink ribbon, for example, form discrete imprints on paper or other record carrier. The imprints, which retain their identity under close examination, combine with others to form the character desired.

The US Patent 2,800,386 to Wackenfuss shows one construction of print head or recording head which holds a plurality of rows of print element in alignment. US Patent 4,457,636 to Nusser shows another form of printing element with a drive element. The patent to Mower et al, US 4,167,342 is concerned with increasing the printing speed of a dot matrix printer while the US Patent 4,246,948 to Wolf et al and 4,268, 180 to Honma are concerned with printing element breakage and show printing elements of differing construction. The US Patent 4,508,463 to Wang et al is concerned with the quality of print by dot matrix printers.

By constructing recording heads or print heads so that at least two parallel interior sides of the head are parallel and curvilinear the print elements held in such print head will be in curvilinear relationship with each other. Where a single column of print elements is held in a print head the column of elements will form the curvilinear line of the interior parallel sides. Where multiple columns of print elements are held in a print head the print elements will be held in curvilinear relationship unidirectionally, that is, in straight line relationship in one direction and curvilinear in the other direction. Where multiple columns of 3 print elements are held in a print head oppo site interior sides may each be in curvilinear parallel relationship. This structure will retain multiple columns of print elements in bidirec tional curvilinear relationship. With print ele ments held in print heads in such relationship the imprints made or left on the paper or other recording medium during the printing process will form characters having distinctive curved lines as opposed to straight line 75 formed characters.

The curved construction of the recording or print head, which holds the print elements in such curvilinear relationship will be difficult and time consuming to duplicate and will act as a deterrant to a potential counterfeiter.

In another aspect, the present invention pro vides a fully integrated electronic postal meter system which provides a matrix printer for printing postage indicia using a non-standard matrix. Such non-standard matrix may be de fined as a matrix comprising discrete imprints having a non-dot geometric shape or a curvili near matrix.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a matrix printer for a franking device having a plurality of print elements in a predetermined array characterised by a non-standard matrix.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a print element for a matrix printer and having a strike end such as to produce an imprint of non-dot geometric shape.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a pictorial perspective of one embodiment of an electronic postal meter system into which the present invention may be incorporated; Figure 2 is a portion of an envelope on to which has been imprinted a postage indicia; Figure 3 is a block diagram of an electronic postal meter system employing an impact matrix printer; Figure 4 is one form of print element show- ing the striking head. modified into a non-dot geometric shape; Figure 4a illustrates several examples of non-dot geometric shapes into which the strike head may be forged or otherwise shaped; Figure 5 represents one form of print head with the ends curvilinear and parallel and the sides straight and parallel; Figures 6a and 6b illustrate, in expanded form two characters made with modified print elements held in unidirectional curvilinear relationship; and, Figures 7a and 7b illustrate the same two characters made employing standard dot print elements held in bidirectional curvilinear rela- GB2197262A 3 tionship.

Referring now to Fig. 1, an electronic postal meter system, such as represented pictorally, may be in the form of dual housing units 10 and 11 supported by a common mounting 14. A control unit 10 may be used to house the computer electronics including a central processing unit and memory banks for performing postal calculations and for storing critical accounting data. Unit 10 may also contain programmable devices and interface connections for sending and receiving data. Internal interlocks may also be provided to ensure reliability and security.

A meter unit 11 may include a printer 12, such as a matrix printer mounted securely in the housing and under the control of the control unit 10. Connections between the control unit and the meter unit pass through the mounting 14 which supports and protects such interconnecting circuitry. An envelope 13 is illustrated in the print stage and when the envelope is driven through the print slot the upper forward corner of the envelope is im- printed with postage indicia indicating, in printed form, the postage value, date, postal meter registration number, post office identification and other acceptable indicia.

The control unit 10 and meter unit 11 are securely mounted on a mounting 14 which supports and protects the interconnecting circuits (not shown) between the control unit and the meter unit from unauthorized invasion and/or tampering. Locking mechanisms -and in- terlocks may be provided to prevent tampering with or removal of the control unit 10 and/or the meter unit 11 from the mounting 14 so as to enhance security of the postal meter and/or the components thereof. In an alternative structure, both the control unit and the meter unit, including a matrix printer, may be mounted and secured in a single housing that is protected against unauthorized invasion, disassembly and/or tampering.

If the control unit 10 and the meter unit 11 are housed as separate units but are not mounted on a mounting serving also as a secure conduit for the interconnecting circuitry, the interconnecting circuitry may be sealed and armoured to resist tampering. In addition, it may be desired to secure the printing mechanism electronically. This may be done by using non-standard electronic interlocks, secure codes and/or other protocols inte- grated into the printer drive so that once removed, the matrix printer itself, as a single unit, would function only when using such non- standard electronic interlocks, security codes and/or other protocols as required for operating the particular printer, The control meter 10 includes a key board 15 for entering data which may include setting the amount of postage to be printed and the date, for example. Other data which may be entered via the key board includes the amount 4 GB2197262A 4 of prepaid postage and interrogations made to the computer such as, how much postage has been used from the prepaid amount and how much postage is left from the prepared amount and interrogations relating to other functions the electronic postal meter may provide. At the top of the key board plate a readout 16 is provided which may be in digital form.

Fig. 2 represents a form of postage indicia printed on the upper right corner of an envelope 13. The inclicia includes the amount of postage 21 applied to the envelope. Actually, the amount of postage applied to the envel- ope represents the exact amount deducted from the pre-paid postage value in the postal meter which printed the postage indicia. The postal meter which printed the postage value is identified by the meter number 23 also on the postage inclicia. In addition the post office, which is to process the particular mail from the particular meter is also identified at 24 while the date is imprinted at 25. The zip code of the processing post office is also in- cluded. In addition to the data imprinted in the postage indicia, a representation of an eagle and a plurality of stars are used in order to make the imprinted inclicia more complex.

By proper programming the postage indicia may be printed by a matrix printer. A matrix printer may be located in the meter unit 11 of Fig. 1. When the postage amount is set or keyed into the meter via the keyboard and the date is keyed into the meter both variables for the postage inclicia are established and the metered postage inclicia may be imprinted on an envelope or label as the envelope or label pass through the printing slot of the meter unit 11.

In accordance with a program, as is well known in the art, print elements are individu ally actuated, in a pattern, to form the charac ter and/or printed information desired by use of a plurality of imprints or impression on the envelope or label. Since the print elements are individually actuated, the imprint made by each single actuation is discrete and may be identi fied.

Fig. 3 is a blocked diagram representing an electrical postal meter which includes an im pact matrix printer 11. The control unit 10 includes a power supply 31, a keyboard 15 and display 16. The keyboard is interfaced via an interface 32 into a computer function, la belled CPU, in block 33. The CPU may be a central processing unit in the form of a micro processor or another computer. The CPU per forms the calculation functions and generally supervises operation of the electronics. The CPU receives and responds to instructions from the keyboard and sets up the display to provide information. A non-volatile memory 34 stores accounting functions such as the pre paid postage value, the ascending account, descending account and any other record 130 keeping function designed into the system. A read only memory (ROM) 35 is programmed permanently with the system functions. A random access memory (RAM) 36 is a temporary memory that is changeable by the keyboard and provides code for the amount of postage to be printed and the date. The RAM also provides trip control making certain a postage value is printed only in accordance with the value set in the RAM.

The printer 11 includes print logic 37 which energizes or causes to be energized particular ones of print element drivers 38 in a particular pattern so as to actuate print elements 40 in a print head 39 to print in a pattern resulting in a printed desired character or inclicia. The print station drive causes relative movement between the print head and the envelope 13, eventually driving the envelope out of the print station.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention each print element such as 40 in Fig. 4 includes an ink ribbon striking head 41 which is non-dot geometric in shape, here illustrated as a modified diamond shape. When the printing element 40 is actuated or driven towards the ink ribbon (not shown) by the relevant print element driver, represented by arrow 38, and strikes the ribbon resulting in an imprint on the envelope, the imprint will be a discrete impression, formed with other discrete impression which combine to form a character or image printed in ink. The print element may ride in a print element retainer 42 and may be actuated by driving the element through the support from an actuation head 43.

Fig. 4a represents different non-dot geometric shapes a to k suitable for print element ink ribbon striking heads. Obviously these shapes are not exhaustive of all shapes in which the print element may be formed. The shape of the ribbon striking head may be formed by extrusion, molding, forging or any other manner. The print element 40 may be shaped along the entire length thereof or, as indicated in Fig. 4 by the broken lines, may have its striking head 41 and only part of its length so shaped with the butt of the length and actuating head structured in different shape to add strength to the print element.

Fig. 5 represents one form of recording head 50 for supporting an array of print element retainers, 53. The print head is defined by a frame with straight sides 56 and 57 and curvilinear ends 51 and 52. This form of print head includes several openings defined by the sides and ends, each of which supports and holds in alignment a plurality of print element retainers 53, the print elements being inserted in the holes 54 of the retainers. Although the print element retainers in Fig. 5 are generally rectangular in shape, the print element retainers may be cylindrical, such as shown in Fig. 4 at 42.

Although the recording head 50 is repre- GB2197262A 5 sented as being curvilinear in one direction (laterally) and straight in the other direction (longitudinally) it will be understood that the longitudinal sides of the openings may also be curvilinear so that the print elements in the same array will be aligned in bidirectional cur vilinear relationship.

Although Fig. 5 represents a recording head or print head 50 holding an array of print ele ment retainers in a plurality of columns, it is also proposed that a recording head or print head holding a single column or single row of print elements may be used in an impact ma trix printer. In the single column print head, the longitudinal parallel interior sides of the head would be parallel and curvilinear holding the column of print elements in curvilinear re lationship.

It is also proposed that the print elements, whether in straight rectangular array or col umn, or in unidirectional curvilinear array or column or in bidirectional curvilinear array may have preformed striking heads of some same non-dot geometric shape. Certainly mixed shapes may be used if desired since the im prints of the print elements are discrete.

Fig. 6a illustrates in diagrammatic enlarged form the numeral 2 when printed by an im pact matrix printer using an array of print ele ments with triangular shaped striking heads in 95 which the print elements are held in unidirec tional curvilinear relationship. The triangle im prints 60 form the character with the back ground lines 62 showing the pattern of print element alignment.

Fig. 6b illustrates in schematic enlarged form the letter W which may appear when triangular shaped print element striking heads are used in the same type of unidirectional curvilinear array as in Fig. 6a but without showing the background lines pattern.

Fig. 7a illustrates in schematic enlarged form the numeral 2 when printed by an impact ma trix printer using an array of print elements in which the print elements of the array are held in bidirectional curvilinear relationship in a re cording head. In this illustration the individual imprints are dot in characteristic as illustrated at 70.

Fig. 7b illustrates the letter W printed by a bidirectional curvilinear array which provides a distinctive pattern of the letter structure.

It is also considered that through proper programming an array of straight, rectangularly positioned print element may be made to print indicia giving the appearance that the array is positioned in curvilinear relationship. It is therefore believed that although a recording head holding an array of print elements in some curvilinear relationship offers a reasonable degree of security in printing indicia for postal meter purposes the use of pre-shaped, non-dot geometric shapes or odd motif striking heads of print elements appears to offer a degree of security not heretofore attained us- ing an impact dot matrix print system.

The preferred form of the invention has been described and several alternate forms have been described and suggested. Other modifications and changes may be made, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (22)

1. CLAIMS 75 1. A matrix printer for a franking device having a plurality of

   print elements in a predetermined array characterised by a non-standard matrix.
2. 2. A print element for a matrix printer and having a strike end such as to produce an imprint of non-dot geometric shape.
3. 3. A system for printing secure postage indicia by a postal meter system including:

   a) system control means including actuatable means for setting at least a part of postage indicia data to be printed and for processing and storing postal accounting data; b) control means for temporarily storing said at least a part of said postage indicia data for purposes other than postal accounting; and c) a postal indicia printer responsive to said control means for printing predetermined postage indicia including said at least a part of said postage indicia data, on an envelope or label, said postage inidicia printer including a print head having an opening for retaining a plurality of print elements in a predetermined array, print element driver means for selective driving of said print elements and print logic means for selectively energizing drivers of said driver means in a predetermined pattern for causing actuation of selected print elements for generating discrete imprints on said envelope or label for printing postage indicia char- acterized by a non-standard matrix.
4. 4. A system for printing secure postage indicia as in Claim 3 wherein said opening is rectangular and each said print element includes at least a strike end and an actuating end and said strike end of at least part of the print elements of said column of print elements is non-dot geometric in shape.
5. 5. A system for printing secure postage indicia as in claim 3 wherein said opening has a first side and a second side which are curvilinear and mutually parallel.
6. 6. A system for printing secure postage indicia as in claim 5 wherein said opening has a third side and a fourth side which are curvili- near and mutually parallel.
7. 7. A system for printing secure postage indicia according to any one of claims 3 to 6 wherein said opening supports said array in columns and rows and at east one column of print elements is curvilinear.
8. 8. A postal meter for printing postage indicia formed by a plurality of discrete imprints, said postal meter including:

   a) meter control means including actuatable means for setting at least a postage value and 6 GB2197262A 6 a date to be printed as part of said postage indicia and for processing and storing postal accounting information; b) temporary shortage means for storing said postal value and said date in response to actuation of said actuable means and for pro viding trip control of the printer printing said postage indicia; and c) a matrix printer responsive to said tempo rary storage means including a programmable print element driver controller, print element drivers, a print head and plurality of print ele ments, said plurality of print elements ar ranged in at least one column in said print head, each print element being associated with a different one of said print element drivers, said programmable print element driver controller including permanent program means for energization of selected print ele ment drivers to actuate said print elements for 85 producing a pattern of discrete imprints on an envelope or label forming predetermined pos tage indicia characterized by a non-standard matrix and said programmable print element drive controller including temporary program 90 means, set up in response to actuation of said actuatable means, for energization of selected print element drivers to actuate said print ele ments for producing another pattern of dis crete imprints on said envelope or label in a form representative of said postage value and date and characterized by a non-standard ma trix.
9. 9. A postal meter according to claim 8 wherein each said print element includes a strike head for imparting an imprint to said envelope or label, at least some strike heads being characterized by non-dot geometric shape.
10. 10. A postal meter according to claim 9 wherein each strike head is characterized by non-dot geometric shape.
11. 11. A postal meter according to claim 9 or wherein said strike head include at least two different non-dot geometric shapes.
12. 12. A postal meter according to any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein said at least one column of print elements is curvilinear.
13. 13. A postal meter according to any one of claims 8 to 12 further including ink carrier means for positioning between said envelope or label and said print elements, said matrix printer being an impact matrix printer.
14. 14. A postage meter comprising:

    a) means for inputting a selected postage amount; b) means responsive to said input means for accounting for said amount; and c) means responsive to said accounting means for printing indicia representative of the amount for which accounting has occurred, said indicia comprising a pattern of discrete imprints selected from a non-standard matrix.
15. 15. A postage meter as claimed in claim 14 wherein said discrete imprints have non- dot geometric shape.
16. 16. A postage meter as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein said non-standard matrix is a curvilinear matrix.
17. 17. A postal meter, comprising:

    a) a matrix printer for printing postage indi cia on an envelope or lable; b) said matrix printer having non-dot geo metrically shaped print elements formed at their imprint ends; c) whereby discrete imprints having recogni zable shape may be formed on an envelope or label so as to provide a secure postage inclicia imprint.
18. 18. A postal meter according to claim 17 wherein said non-dot geometrically shaped print elements are curvilinear arrays.
19. 19. A matrix printer substantially as herein before described with reference to the accom panying drawings.
20. 20. A print element substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 4, Fig.

    4a, Figs. 6a and 6b or to Figs. 7a and 7b of the accompanying drawings.
21. 21. A postage indicia printing system sub stantially as hereinbefore described with refer ence to the accompanying drawings.
22. 22. A postage meter substantially as here inbefore described with reference to the ac- companying drawings.

    Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3 RD. Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.