Abstract: A ink transfer printer includes a thermal head having an array of heating elements, a film having through-holes facing the heating elements, an ink space formed between the thermal head and the film, and a mechanism which brings a recording medium in contact with the film. When the heating element generates heat, the ink is transmitted through the through-hole of the film and is transferred to the recording medium. An ink amount controller is provided in the ink space, which controls the amount of ink transmitted through the through-hole to the recording medium.

Abstract: Pagewidth image forming system and method. The system features a plurality of mechanically isolated transducers capable of pressurizing an ink body associated with each of plural nozzle so that an ink meniscus extends from the ink body. The transducers are operated such that the ink bodies are uniformily intermittently pressurized. An ink droplet separator is also provided for lowering surface tension of the meniscus. In this regard, the droplet separator lowers the surface tension of the meniscus at a selected nozzle as the meniscus extends from the ink body, so that the meniscus forms a neck portion thereof. The extended meniscus severs from the ink body at the neck portion as the droplet separator lowers the surface tension to a predetermined value so as to form an ink droplet.

Abstract: An ink transfer printer comprises a thermal head that has an ink reservoir provided on a top surface of a housing and a film provided on a bottom surface of the housing. A space is formed by the film and the bottom surface. An ink passage is formed in the housing to communicate the ink reservoir with the space. Porous glaze is provided on the bottom surface to face the ink passage. Heating elements are provided on the porous glaze. The ink kept in the ink reservoir is supplied to the space through the ink passage and the porous glaze. The film has perforated pores, which are substantially closed to block the ink when the heating elements are not heated. When the heating elements are heated, the film is deformed to eject the ink through the pores.

Abstract: An ink transfer printer has an electrically-insulated base plate. An array of electric heater elements, aligned with each other, is provided on a surface of the base plate, the heater elements being selectively and electrically energized in accordance with a series of digital image-pixel signals. A frame member, having an opening, is securely provided on the base plate such that the array of elements is encompassed by the opening of the frame member. A sheet of film covers the frame member such that the opening of the frame member is defined as an ink space fillable with ink, and the film sheet has a plurality of fine pores arranged along the array, with at least one of the plurality of fine pores being allocated to each of the heater elements. A heat dissipating conductor is formed of a thermal conductive material, and is associated with the film sheet such that thermal energy, locally generated by an electrical energization of at least one of the electric heater elements, is promptly dissipated.

Abstract: An ink transfer printer comprises a film, a piezoelectric element and a support plate. A spacer is provided between the film and the support plate so that an ink space is defined by the film, the spacer and the support plate. An ink reservoir is provided for supplying ink to the ink space. A platen roller is disposed above the film, which has pores, to urge a recording sheet onto the film. The piezoelectric element vibrates relative to the film, so that the film is deformed to expand the pores. Thus, the ink passes through the pores and is transferred onto the recording sheet.

Abstract: A printing system that includes a transparency film detector having a light source for illuminating a sheet of input media and a detector for detecting whether a portion of the light provided by the light source propagated by internal reflection within the volume of the illuminated input media sheet is detected.