1. A thermal image forming apparatus comprising:
a platen roller which supports a recording medium, the recording medium having first and second sides opposite to each other;
a recording head which includes a heating part that applies heat to the recording medium for image formation, the recording head rotates around the platen roller to move the heating part to first and second locations respectively facing the first and second sides of the recording medium; and
a conveying part which conveys the recording medium,
wherein when the recording head is positioned at the first and second locations, locations of the heating part are symmetrical with each other with respect to a reference line, the reference line passing through the conveying part and a center of the platen roller.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a rotational center of the recording head is positioned at a location that is eccentric from the center of the platen roller along the reference line by a distance corresponding to a location deviation of the heating part with respect to a normal line connecting the center of the platen roller and the heating part.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second location is positioned at a location that is rotated from the first location by about 180\xb0.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conveying part includes a drive roller and a driven roller which rotate in engagement with each other, and the reference line is a line connecting the center of the platen roller and a contact portion between the drive roller and the driven roller.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a first path through which the recording medium is initially fed;
a second path in which the recording head and the platen roller are arranged; and
a third path which branches from a connecting portion of the first and second paths converge and through which the recording medium is discharged after printing is finished,
wherein the conveying part is arranged in the connecting portion and conveys the recording medium in a first direction so as to form an image thereon or in a second direction so as to match a print start location.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a pair of bushings having an inner circumference portion and an outer circumference portion, the inner circumference portion rotatably supports the platen roller, the outer circumference portion being eccentric from the inner circumference portion by a location deviation at the first location of the heating part;
a pair of support brackets rotatably arranged in the outer circumference portion of the bushings, the support brackets supporting both ends of the recording head;
a shaft having one end coupled to the recording head and the other end inserted into a through hole formed at the support bracket;
a motor; and
a rotation cam rotated by the motor, the rotation cam pushing the shaft to rotate the support bracket.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bushing further comprises a second outer circumference portion that is concentric with the first outer circumference portion, wherein the rotation cam is rotatably arranged in the second outer circumference portion.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:
first and second locking grooves provided at the support bracket;
a locking member selectively coupled to the first and second locking grooves to lock the recording head to positions facing the first and second sides of the recording medium;
a first elastic member which elastically biases the locking member in a direction coupling to the first and second locking grooves; and
a second elastic member which elastically biases the recording head in a direction coming into contact with the platen roller,
wherein the recording head is coupled to the support bracket so that the recording head moves in a direction coming into contact with the platen roller or in a direction away from the platen roller;
the through hole is formed in a substantially arcuate shape centering on a rotating axis of the recording medium; and
when the locking member is locked into the first or second locking grooves, the rotation cam comes into contact with the shaft so that the recording head moves into contact with the platen roller or separates from the platen roller, and when the locking member unlocks from the first or second locking grooves, the rotation cam comes into contact with the shaft and rotates the support bracket.
9. A thermal image forming apparatus comprising:
a platen roller which supports a recording medium, the recording medium having first and second sides opposite to each other;
a recording head which includes a heating part that applies heat to the recording medium for image formation, the recording head rotates around the platen roller to move the heating part to first and second locations respectively facing the first and second sides of the recording medium;
a first path through which the recording medium is initially fed;
a second path in which the recording head and the platen roller are arranged;
a third path which branches from a connecting portion of the first and second paths converge and through which the recording medium is discharged after printing is finished; and
a conveying part which conveys the recording medium,
wherein when the recording head is positioned at the first and second locations, locations of the heating part are symmetrical with each other with respect to a reference line, the reference line passing through the conveying part and a center of the platen roller.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a rotational center of the recording head is positioned at a location that is eccentric from the center of the platen roller along the reference line by a distance corresponding to a location deviation of the heating part with respect to a normal line connecting the center of the platen roller and the heating part.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second location is positioned at a location that is rotated from the first location by about 180\xb0.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the conveying part is arranged in the connecting portion and conveys the recording medium in a first direction so as to form an image thereon or in a second direction so as to match a print start location.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the conveying part includes a drive roller and a driven roller which rotate in engagement with each other, and the reference line is a line connecting the center of the platen roller and a contact portion between the drive roller and the driven roller.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:
a pair of bushings having an inner circumference portion and an outer circumference portion, the inner circumference portion rotatably supports the platen roller, the outer circumference portion being eccentric from the inner circumference portion by a location deviation at the first location of the heating part;
a pair of support brackets rotatably arranged in the outer circumference portion of the bushings, the support brackets supporting both ends of the recording head;
a shaft having one end coupled to the recording head and the other end inserted into a through hole formed at the support bracket;
a motor; and
a rotation cam rotated by the motor, the rotation cam pushing the shaft to rotate the support bracket.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bushing further comprises a second outer circumference portion that is concentric with the first outer circumference portion, wherein the rotation cam is rotatably arranged in the second outer circumference portion.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:
first and second locking grooves provided at the support bracket;
a locking member selectively coupled to the first and second locking grooves to lock the recording head to positions facing the first and second sides of the recording medium;
a first elastic member which elastically biases the locking member in a direction coupling to the first and second locking grooves; and
a second elastic member which elastically biases the recording head in a direction coming into contact with the platen roller,
wherein the recording head is coupled to the support bracket so that the recording head moves in a direction coming into contact with the platen roller or in a direction away from the platen roller;
the through hole is formed in a substantially arcuate shape centering on a rotating axis of the recording medium; and
when the locking member is locked into the first or second locking grooves, the rotation cam comes into contact with the shaft so that the recording head moves into contact with the platen roller or separates from the platen roller, and when the locking member unlocks from the first or second locking grooves, the rotation cam comes into contact with the shaft and rotates the support bracket.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed:
1. An extractor comprising;
a host structure having an elongate axis;
a plurality of expandable members connected to the host structure arrayed radially around the elongate axis;
a slide mechanism, connected to the expandable members and adjacent the host structure, and slidable in the direction of the elongate axis; and
a circumferential member connected to the expandable members between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure.
2. The extractor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of expandable members includes filtering material spanning between at least two adjacent expandable members.
3. The extractor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of expandable members includes one or more elongate metal members.
4. The extractor of claim 1, wherein the plurality of expandable members includes one or more elongate polymer members.
5. The extractor of claim 1, wherein the circumferential member is operable to provide generally uniform radial spacing of the plurality of expandable members.
6. The extractor of claim 1, wherein the circumferential member is connected to the expandable members mid way between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure to the expandable members.
7. An extractor comprising;
a host structure having an elongate axis;
a plurality of expandable members, connected to the host structure, having an unexpanded state and an expanded state, and when in their expanded state, are operable to filter vessel occluding material;
a slide mechanism, connected to the expandable members and adjacent the host structure, and slidable in the direction of the elongate axis; and
a circumferential member connected to the expandable members between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure to the expandable members.
8. The extractor of claim 7, wherein the extractor includes a stop structure operable to stop the slidable movement of the slide mechanism in one direction.
9. The extractor of claim 8, wherein the stop structure includes a stop structure formed on the host structure.
10. The extractor of claim 8, wherein the stop structure includes a first stop structure connected to the host structure.
11. The extractor of claim 8, wherein the stop structure includes a first stop structure operable to stop the slidable movement of the slide mechanism in a first direction.
12. The extractor of claim 11, wherein the stop structure includes a second stop structure operable to stop the slidable movement of the slide mechanism in a second direction.
13. The extractor of claim 12, wherein the stop structure includes a recessed section, formed in an exterior surface of the host structure, the recessed section having a first end acting as the first stop structure and a second end acting as the second stop structure.
14. A vessel occluding material extractor, comprising;
a host structure having an elongate axis;
a plurality of expandable members connected to the host structure;
means for expanding the plurality of expandable members, connected to the expandable members and adjacent the host structure; and
a circumferential member connected to the expandable members between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure to the expandable members.
15. The extractor of claim 14, wherein a circumferential member connected to the expandable members includes one or more reservoirs connected thereto for housing a drug therein.
16. The extractor of claim 15, wherein the plurality of expandable members includes at least one expandable member having a hollow lumen formed therein and wherein the hollow lumen is connected to one or more of the reservoirs.
17. The extractor of claim 14, wherein means for expanding the expandable members includes a slide mechanism slidable in the direction of the elongate axis.
18. The extractor of claim 17, wherein the extractor includes means for arresting directional movement of the slide mechanism.
19. The extractor of claim 17, wherein the host structure has an exterior surface and wherein the means for arresting directional movement of the slide mechanism includes means for arresting directional movement of the slide mechanism that are external to the exterior surface of the host.
20. The extractor of claim 17, wherein the host structure includes an recessed section in which the slide mechanism slides.
21. The extractor of claim 20, wherein the recessed section includes a predetermined length that serves as a member for arresting the directional movement of the slide mechanism.
22. A positioning device, comprising;
a host structure having an elongate axis;
a plurality of expandable members connected to the host structure arrayed radially around the elongate axis, the expandable members having a unexpanded state and an expanded state, when in the expanded state the expandable members are operable to position the elongate axis of the positioning device within a lumen;
a slide mechanism, connected to the expandable members and adjacent the host structure, and slidable in the direction of the elongate axis; and
a circumferential member connected to the expandable members between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure.
23. A vessel occluding extractor, comprising;
a host structure having an elongate axis;
a plurality of expandable members connected to the host structure arrayed radially around the elongate axis;
a filtering material spanning between each adjacent expandable member to form a filter;
a slide mechanism, connected to the expandable members and adjacent the host structure, and slidable in the direction of the elongate axis; and
a circumferential member connected to the expandable members between the connection of the slide mechanism and the host structure to the expandable members.
24. The device of claim 23, wherein a plurality of expandable members connected to the host structure arrayed radially around the elongate axis includes expandable members having a unexpanded state and an expanded state.
25. The device of claim 24, wherein filtering material spanning between each adjacent expandable member includes filtering material spanning between all adjacent expandable members and has a diameter when in an expanded state that is greater than a lumen diameter within which the device is to be placed.
26. A method of extracting vessel occluding material, comprising;
advancing a vessel occluding material extractor, having a plurality of expandable members connected to a host structure having an elongate axis, and longitudinally aligned and arrayed radially around the elongate axis, to a predetermined position within a lumen, wherein the expandable members have an unexpanded state for advancing the extractor; and
bending the expandable members to expand the extractor to an expanded state, having a second diameter larger than the first diameter.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein advancing a vessel occluding material extractor, includes advancing a vessel occluding material extractor having material spanning between a distal half of the plurality of expandable members to form a filter.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein advancing a vessel occluding material extractor, includes advancing a vessel occluding material extractor having a circumferential member connected to the expandable members.
29. The method of claim 26, wherein bending the expandable members to expand the extractor to an expanded state includes bending the expandable members to form a filtering device.
30. A method of extracting vessel occluding material, comprising;
advancing a positioning device, having a plurality of expandable members and an elongate central axis, to a predetermined position within a lumen, the positioning device having a first diameter;
expanding the expandable members to expand the positioning device to have a second diameter larger than the first diameter;
advancing a treatment device generally parallel to the elongate central axis of the positioning device; and
positioning the treatment device proximate the positioning device.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the positioning device includes a catheter centered along the central axis.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein advancing a positioning device includes advancing the positioning device along a guidewire.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein advancing a treatment device includes advancing a treatment device through the catheter of the positioning device.
34. The method of claim 30, wherein advancing a treatment device includes advancing a treatment device along the central axis of the positioning device.
35. The method of claim 30, wherein expanding the expandable members includes manually expanding the expandable members.
36. The method of claim 30, wherein positioning the treatment device proximate the positioning device includes positioning the treatment device on the proximal side of the positioning device with respect to the direction the treatment device is advanced.
37. The method of claim 30, wherein positioning the treatment device proximate the positioning device includes positioning the treatment device on the distal side of the positioning device with respect to the direction the treatment device is advanced.