Printer with optical data link to carriage

摘要

A printer featuring an optical data link between the printer's controller and its reciprocal, carriage-mounted printhead is described. Print data are conveyed from the controller to the printhead via a fixed point on the edge of the carriage and status data may be conveyed in the reverse direction. Power is supplied to the printhead via dual parallel rails on which the carriage is supported for reciprocation by the chassis-mounted carriage drive motor. Preferably, the optical medium is infrared light, and uses conventional driver/receiver devices.