Printer with piercing device
A printer includes a controller, a printhead operable, in response to at least a first signal received from the controller, to render an image on a print medium, and a piercing device operable, in response to at least a second signal received from the controller, to produce a predetermined pattern of piercings in the print medium.
1 . A printer, comprising:
a controller;
a printhead operable, in response to at least a first signal received from the controller, to render an image on a print medium; and
a piercing device operable, in response to at least a second signal received from the controller, to produce a predetermined pattern of piercings in the print medium.
2 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the printhead comprises an inkjet printhead.
3 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the printhead comprises a laser-printing assembly.
4 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the piercing device comprises a blade.
5 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the piercing device comprises a needle.
6 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the piercing device comprises a plurality of needles.
7 . The printer of claim 6 , further comprising a roller coupled to the printhead and operable to move the print medium into a first position, wherein a first predetermined set of the plurality of needles is operable to pierce the print medium when the print medium moves into the first position.
8 . The printer of claim 7 wherein:
the roller is further operable to move the print medium into a second position; and
a second predetermined set of the plurality of needles is operable to pierce the print medium when the print medium moves into the second position.
9 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the piercing device comprises a rotatable member operable to contact the print medium.
10 . The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a carriage operable to move the piercing device into a position to pierce the print medium.
11 . The printer of claim 10 wherein the piercing device is retrievable by the carriage.
12 . The printer of claim 1 wherein the pattern comprises at least three piercings.
13 . The printer of claim 1 , further comprising a data port coupled to the controller and operable to receive a third signal characterizing the pattern.
14 . A system, comprising:
a piercing device coupleable to a printer and operable to pierce at least one predetermined portion of a print medium; and
a computer-readable medium having stored therein executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are operable to cause the processor to:
generate a signal operable to cause the piercing device to produce a predetermined pattern of piercings in the print medium.
15 . The system of claim 14 wherein the instructions are further operable to cause the processor to enable a user to define the pattern.
16 . The system of claim 14 wherein the printer comprises an inkjet printer.
17 . The system of claim 14 wherein the computer-readable medium comprises a modulated carrier signal.
18 . A method, comprising:
rendering an image on a first portion of a print medium, the first portion at least partially disposed within a housing; and
producing a predetermined pattern of piercings in a second portion of the print medium, the second portion at least partially disposed within the housing.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising receiving from an electronic device a signal operable to characterize the predetermined pattern.
20 . The method of claim 18 wherein the rendering and producing occur substantially concurrently.