Abstract: A relatively inexpensive coupling for preventing the transmission of thread drunkenness to a carriage or other element being driven by a lead screw. The coupling is formed with an input plate and an output plate both connected to an intermediate member. The connections via flexure members permit movement of the intermediate member relative to the coupling and the output plate to provide uniform motion to a carriage along the lead screw axis.

Abstract: There is described a tray-like cartridge for supplying thin delicate sheets of dye done film in a thermal printer. The cartridge has a slidable lid which normally covers a portion of the cartridge containing a factory-supplied package of film. The lid has a specially shaped window through which sheets of film may be drawn one-by-one from the cartridge for use in the printer. When the cartridge is not in the printer, the lid window is closed. This keeps the film free of dust and protects it from damage. The shape of the lid and its window act in conjunction with a film feeding mechanism of the printer to insure absolute reliability in the separating and feeding of individual sheets of film. Another portion of the cartridge serves as a waste bin for used sheets of the film.

Abstract: An athermally compensated printhead includes a laser diode having predetermined characteristics for generating a beam of light, a diode mount, cooling means, a collimator lens, and a len mount. The diode mount is formed of a predetermined material with a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion for mounting the laser diode in the printhead. The cooling means is used to maintain the laser diode at a substantially constant operating temperature for longer life and to avoid wavelength changes. The collimator lens has characteristics which provide predetermined changes in focal length versus changes in ambient temperature over a predetermined temperature range. The len mount is formed of a predetermined material having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion for mounting the collimator lens adjacent a first major surface of the diode mount to receive the beam of light from the laser diode.

Abstract: A dye-receiving element for thermal dye transfer suitable for forming a slide for projection viewing comprising a polymeric central dye image-receiving section and an integral polymeric frame section extending around the periphery of the central dye image-receiving section, the frame section being from about 1/2 to about 3 mm thick and the central dye image-receiving section preferably being thinner than the frame section. Such integral receiver-frames do not require post-imaging framing and mounting assembly operations in order to be viewable in slide projectors, and are particularly advantageously used in laser thermal dye transfer systems.

Abstract: A platen 3 has a flat working surface and an aperture 5. A proximal gripping member 11 is sized, shaped, and positioned to extend along the proximal side of the aperture 5 and to grip a proximal edge of a film 1 between the platen 3 and the proximal gripping member 11. A second gripping member 13 is sized, shaped, and positioned to extend along the distal side of the aperture 5 and to grip a distal edge of the film 1 between the platen 3 and the distal gripping member 13. Arms 19 press the proximal gripping member 11 at least generally perpendicularly toward the platen 3 and press the distal gripping member 13 toward the platen 3 and away from the proximal gripping member 11 after the proximal gripping member 11 has gripped the proximal edge of the film 1 in order to pull the film flat and place the film in tension across the aperture.