Abstract: A thermal transfer recording method is disclosed using a thermal transfer material in which a heat-transferable ink layer is deposited on a support, this ink layer being formed so that its melt viscosity decreases from the support side toward the surface side. Recording is carried out by superposing the thermal transfer material over a recording medium and heating the thermal transfer material in accordance with an image signal by means of a recording head. The recording head has a substrate on which a heat-generating member is located. The distance from the center of the heat-generating member to the trailing edge of the substrate is no more than about 1 mm. The thermal transfer material is separated from the recording material immediately after heating.

Abstract: A heat sensitive copy system uses a magnetic thermal transfer ribbon to transfer images onto an adjacent medium and near infra-red energy is used to transfer the images from the medium onto thermal paper or onto translucent paper for producing multiple copies in a manner which is not thickness sensitive.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal recorder employing a linear array of heat-producing elements which moves in a direction on heat-sensitive recording paper advanced in a direction perpendicular to the array scan direction. The recorder can be used for recording groups of facsimile picture signals successively received at a time interval with different degrees of darkness in direct proportion to the amplitude of the facsimile signal.

Abstract: A printing head for generating slugs of liquid comprising: (a) a liquid stream generating section adapted to receive liquid under pressure and having an orifice for producing a coherent, continuous stream of the liquid; (b) an electrode supporting section on which is mounted an electrode, the electrode being positioned adjacent to the trajectory of the liquid stream and extending in the direction of flow of the liquid stream; and (c) a collector section, comprising an impingement region which is inclined towards the axis of the liquid stream when the liquid stream impinges thereon and a run-off region which is inclined away from the axis of the liquid stream at the point where the liquid stream impinges upon the impingement region.

Abstract: A drop ejection device for continuous ink jet printing includes a rectangular solid divided by parallel, elongated through-slots between its major surfaces, into a plurality of approximately identical dilatational regions. Each such region has a longitudinal mechanical resonance mode approximately the same as the desired drop ejection frequency. The body has an ink supply manifold adjacent a drop ejection face, which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the through-slots. An orifice plate having a linear orifice array, substantially longer than the through-slots, is attached to the ejection face. A plurality of elongated piezoelectric strips pairs are attached in opposing positions on major surfaces of each dilatational region. Upon actuation, said strips expand and contract to effect synchronous stimulation at the desired drop frequency.

Abstract: An electronically controlled marking system is provided to impart an ink spot to a stationary or moving target. The system includes an electronic control module connected to a high-pressure gas valve to control the passage of high-pressure gas to an ink spot maker, the electronic control module also being connected to a low-pressure gas valve to control the passage of low-pressure gas to the ink spot marker. Following the initiation of an ink spot marking cycle, low-pressure gas is applied to atomize ink within the ink spot marker; high-pressure gas is applied to force open a valve within the ink spot marker, thereby allowing ink to be ejected by the low-pressure gas toward the target; the high-pressure gas is removed to terminate the ejection of ink from the output nozzle, the low-pressure gas still being applied to force any remaining ink from the output nozzle; and the low-pressure gas is removed.

Abstract: A system for selectively shifting the phase of drop charging along the array of ink jets of a continuous ink jet printer by producing a replicate signal of the drop stimulation signal; selectively shifting the phase of the replicate signal to provide a phase control signal; synchronizing a media feed tachometer signal to the phase control signal to produce a print enable signal; and controlling address of the charge electrodes with the print enable signal. The system further includes a selection mode wherein drop charge phase can be made random by selecting synchronization with the media feed tachometer signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a cell having a variable volume chamber and a fluid supply circuit for an ink jet printing head which is equipped therewith. The cell includes a variable volume chamber (1) connected to a pressure sensor (5) and to at least a pair of valves (7, 9) each associated with a restriction (8, 10). The variation of volume is obtained by means of a piston actuated by an eccentric (3) secured to the rotor of a stepping motor (4). The maximum pressure difference generated at the ends of the restrictions (8, 10) is used to measure the viscosity of the fluid which flows through the corresponding valves (7, 9).

Abstract: An image is recorded on an image recording material by energizing a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements with input image data. As the image recording material, there is employed a heat sensitive recording material comprising a support coated with a coating solution which makes an unheated area colored and a heated area transparent in a colorless or light colored manner. An image is recorded on the heat sensitive recording material with the thermal head by processing the image data through negative-positive reversal and applying the processed image data to the thermal head. The image data are processed through negative-positive reversal by converting the image data based on a function which has the input image data as a variable and a negative differential coefficient.

Abstract: A label printer includes a thermal printer section and a keyboard. The label printer further includes an I/O port to which a memory card storing information of label issuing condition including a preset number of printing formats is electrically connected, and a printing control circuit including a CPU, ROM, RAM and printer controller and for selectively reading out printing format data from the memory card when it is detected that the memory card is connected to the I/O port, setting a printing format corresponding to the readout printing format data, and driving the thermal printer section to print printing data supplied from the keyboard according to the set printing format.

Abstract: An ink jet pen has two modes of operation, a normal speed mode and a high speed mode. In the normal speed mode, the pen's ink reservoir is maintained at a desired below-atmospheric pressure by a bubble generator orifice that introduces air from an atmospherically vented chamber into the reservoir to relieve the partial vacuum caused by ejection of ink. In the high speed mode, a heater heats air trapped in the ink reservoir. As the air tries to expand, it pressurizes the ink and causes it more quickly to refill the pen's ink-ejecting nozzle after firing. The pen can thus be fired at a faster rate. The bubble generator orifice is blocked during the high speed mode by the first droplet of ink expelled through the orifice, which acts to wet and seal a vent tube.

Abstract: A short detection system for a continuous ink jet printer includes an electrically conductive sensor element located along an ink egress passage of the printer's catcher; a dielectric surface formed along the drop impact region of the catcher, between the drop electrodes and the sensor element; and signal circuit responsive to a charge polarity reversal output by the sensor for signalling a charge electrode short condition.

Abstract: An ink jet print cartridge includes an ink reservoir, a print head for ejecting ink from the reservoir and first and second pressure control mechanisms for limiting the reservoir underpressure. The first pressure control mechanism limits reservoir underpressure by controllably introducing replacement fluid (i.e. air or ink) thereto. The second pressure control mechanism limits reservoir underpressure by changing the volume thereof. The two pressure control mechanisms cooperate to regulate the underpressure in the reservoir at a desired value over a broad range of environmental excursions and permit use of a volumetrically efficient package.

Abstract: A transfer recording medium comprises a transfer recording layer, which causes an irreversible change in transfer characteristic when provided with plural kinds of energies, at least one of which is applied imagewise, to provide a transferable portion or latent image portion in the transfer recording layer. The transferable portion is then transferred to a medium such as plain paper to form a transferred image thereon, which is then fixed by application of at least one of light, heat and pressure. The fixing step is effective, e.g., in providing a recorded image with improved stability against environments and elapse of time, color reproducibility and color densities through functional separation from the transfer step.

Abstract: Improved differential optical sensors are mounted at every intersection of the deflection planes of the ink droplets issued by a multi-nozzle printhead of a pagewidth ink jet printer. These sensors are located near the printing plane and gutters of the printer. They comprise first and second input apertures, each being coupled to a light source and fixedly located to direct beams of light to a confronting associated pair of output apertures. The input and output apertures are on opposite sides of the droplet deflection plane, and the input apertures are on opposite sides of a perpendicular line extending from the midpoint between the pair of output apertures. The light beams impinge the pair of output apertures thereby creating differentially detected zero-crossing optical axes at predetermined angles with respect to the perpendicular line therefrom.

Abstract: A thermal recording head comprises at least one set of a heat-generating resistance layer and at least one pair of electrodes connected electrically to said heat-generating resistance layer formed on a substrate, wherein said heat-generating resistance layer comprises an amorphous material containing halogen atoms and hydrogen atoms in a matrix of carbon atoms.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for printing on printed products (20) which are transported past an ink jet writer (34') in an imbricated stream by means of a conveying device. A sensor (34, 35) triggers a writing operation of the ink jet writer when a printed product (20) has reached the writing area of the latter. Therefore, the printed products (20) can also be inscribed in an imbricated stream conveyed in a freely supported manner. The conveying device, in the area of the ink jet writer (34') is provided with means (12) which laterally displace the printed products individually during transportation of the printed products (20) in the imbricated stream.

Abstract: A thermal head of an end-heating type for use in printers or facsmiles comprises a non-conductive substrate having upper and under plain side surfaces and front end face and mounted at the under plain said surfaces thereof on a support member. The front end face of the substrate extending between the upper and under plain side surfaces is adapted to be held in sliding contact with a recording medium such as thermo-sensitive sheet or ink transfer sheet. A plurality of spaced heat-generating resistors for forming heat-generating dots are provided on the upper plain surface of the substrate and arranged along the front end face of the substrate. Each of the heat-generating resistors has a front end which extends closely adjacent to the front end face of the substrate. Electrodes for feeding electricity to the heat-generating resistors are also provided on the upper plain side surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An improved heater construction for an ink jet printer of the kind having a rotary print platen for holding and transporting a print sheet through a print path. The platen heater includes a hollow shell mounted for rotation through the print path and has vacuum holes for sheet attachment. A heating foil is detachably mounted in heat transfer relation with a major portion of the interior periphery of said shell and is coupled by brush contacts to an electrical power source.

Abstract: A printing cartridge adapted for use with thermal transfer printing apparatus. The cartridge includes a frame defining first and second printing stations, a ribbon supply spool, and a ribbon take-up spool, both of the spools being rotatably mounted on the frame. The ribbon has a backing layer and an ink donor layer and is guided in a feed path extending from the supply spool through the first and second printing stations, again through the first station, then to the take-up spool. The frame of the cartridge is adapted to receive a thermal printing head for engaging the ribbon at each of the first and second printing stations. The feed path has a first leg extending from the supply spool, through the first printing station, to the second printing station; a second leg extending through the second printing station to the first printing station; and a third leg extending through the first printing station to the take-up spool.