This invention relates to a printing system, more particularly, though not exclusively, a printing system for retail or point of sale type application; and proposes, inter alia, a separation of the printing system into a printing module and a paper holding module thereby providing a high degree of flexibility in terms of construction, operation, interchangeability minimum to practically no downtime and user convenience, which are of especial importance in the extremely busy environment of sale and purchase of goods in retail establishments
Presently, commercially available retail or bill printer consists of a print head and a platen, which is a print surface. As the paper passes between the print head and the platen, printing takes place. Such known printer also has a paper roll and a mechanism for feeding the paper to the print head.
Usually, such printer has the printing and paper feed mechanisms as an integrated single entity. In some cases, the user needs to load the paper into the printer and manually feed the paper thereinto. Such known printer is also prone to this drawback, namely, that a printer once constructed to suit a specific maximum width/diameter size paper roll will need to be redesigned and constructed to suit a paper roll of larger size. In such known printer it is also difficult to accommodate a perforated paper roll in a system designed for non-perforated paper rolls.
This invention, on the other hand, eliminates the foregoing drawbacks of the known printer by furnishing a considerable high degree of flexibility by providing a wide latitude in manufacture, structural parameters, adaptability, convenience in operation and in use.

Various other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following further description given hereunder.
The printing system, according to this invention, comprises a printing module with print head and platen; a separate paper holding module, the said modules being disengageably engaged with each other; means provided for the paper holding module for feeding paper to the printing module; and means provided for one of the said modules for guiding the fed paper to the print head of the printing module.
This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, and not by way of limitation, one of possible embodiments of the printing system proposed herein,
Fig. 1 illustrating the printing module with a slot for receiving the paper holding module
Fig. 2 illustrating the printing module as it receives the paper holding module in the slot
Fig. 3 illustrating the printing module and the paper holding module in assembled condition
Fig. 4 illustrating a separate view of the paper holding module
PI is a printing module with print head and platen. The said module will also consist of other components required for carrying out the operation of a printer. P2 is a separate paper holding module for holding the paper B.
The modules PI and P2 are engaged so as to form a single unit. The said modules are, however, disengageable from each other so that the modules are interchangeable with others for providing different functions in operation and use. Engagement and

disengagement are achieved by means such as quick release mechanisms by which the modules can be attached quickly to each other and as quickly detached.
The paper holding module will be provided with means for feeding paper to the printing module. These means will include friction loaded rollers, motor driven rollers, tractor (for handling paper with perforations) and other mechanisms required for the purpose, such as, a tear bar and other means for tearing the loaded paper so as to align it with the guide mechanism.
Either the printing module or the paper holding module will incorporate means for guiding the fed paper to the print head of the printing module. Such means will consist of guideways for channeling the fed paper to the print head, for printing.
The paper holding module P2 will be such as to conform to several predetermined paper sizes. Accordingly, when it is required to use a specific paper size, a paper holding module can be disengaged from the printing module and another paper holding module of the desired paper size can be engaged with the printing module, as a substitute, to satisfy the requirement. Conventionally a similar requirement can be satisfied only after the existing stock of paper is removed and a fresh stock of paper loaded. Sometimes, even this is not rendered possible because the printer may be unable to take in the selected size of paper.
So also whenever paper in a paper holding module is exhausted, all that is required to be done is to substitute this module with another identical module containing fresh stock of paper. This saves time and effort during

printing procedure, which would otherwise be involved while using the known printer.
This invention will be of especial use in ATMs and kiosks where down time is of great importance and wherein removal of a module for replacement with another will be of considerable benefit.
The paper holding module in the embodiment illustrated will be provided with a top cover CI and a bottom cover C2. The former cover can be opened to load paper and closed to retain the paper intact. Gears G are provided to guide paper from the paper module to the printing module. Spring loaded friction rollers R are provided in the paper module in the embodiment to guide the paper from paper holding module to the printing module.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing that various other embodiments of this invention are possible without departing from the scope and ambit thereof.

We Claim:
1. A printing system comprising a printing module with print head and platen; a separate paper holding module, the said modules being disengageably engaged with each other means provided for the paper holding module for feeding paper to the printing module and means provided for one of the said modules for guiding the fed paper to the print head of the printing module.
2. A printing system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the means for feeding paper consist of friction loaded rollers.
3. A printing system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the means for feeding paper consist of motor driven rollers.
4. A printing system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the paper holding module conforms to a single predetermined paper size.
5. A printing system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims 1 to 3 wherein the paper holding module conforms to a plurality of predetermined paper sizes.

6. A printing system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the means for feeding paper incorporate a tractor feeder for feeding paper with perforations.
7. A printing system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the paper holding module is provided with a top cover and a bottom cover, the former cover being opened to load paper and

closed to retain the paper intact.
8. A printing system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims
wherein gears are provided to guide paper from the paper holding
module to the printing module.
9. A printing system as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims
wherein spring loaded friction rollers are provided for the paper
holding module to guide the paper from the paper holding module to
the printing module.
10. A printing system substantially as herein described with
reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying