Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods that facilitate printer calibration. According to certain embodiments, calibration methods comprise a printer printing a calibration target and cutting a calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer then determines a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods that facilitate printer calibration. According to certain embodiments, calibration methods comprise a printer printing a calibration target and cutting a calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer then determines a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.

Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods facilitate the calibration of a printer. The printer can print a calibration target and cut the calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer can determine a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.

Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods facilitate the calibration of a printer. The printer can print a calibration target and cut the calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer can determine a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.

Abstract: A printer and method for operating a printer are provided that prints using a receiver medium having a rolled portion with an outermost layer from which an unrolled portion extends to a print engine. The method comprises: sensing a condition indicating the receiver medium may have been contacted by other than a component of the printer or by a donor material applied by the print engine; measuring an aspect of the receiver medium indicative of the circumferential length of the outermost layer; determining a circumferential length of the receiver medium based upon the measured aspect of the rolled portion of the receiver medium; determining an exclusion length of the receiver medium based upon the determined circumferential length and a travel distance that is a representation of a length of the unrolled portion between the rolled portion and the print engine; and automatically advancing the receiver medium by the exclusion length.

Abstract: Thermal printers and methods for operating a thermal printer that applies donor material from donor patches on a donor ribbon to a received medium, the donor material being organized into sets, each set including at least one colored donor material patch and a protective material donor patch. A non-visible light is applied to a location on the donor ribbon, and a portion of the non-visible light that is not absorbed by the donor ribbon is sensed. The sensed non-visible light determines whether the portion of the donor ribbon to which the non-visible light has been applied has unused protective donor material thereon.

Abstract: A printer that applies donor material from donor patches on a donor web to a receiver medium using a thermal printhead that generates heat and a method for operating such a printer are provided. The method comprises the steps of: receiving a print order requesting the printing of a quantity of images; determining a temperature of the printhead; printing a designated number of the quantity of the images in a sequence; determining a length of time of a programmed delay; delaying the printing for the determined length of time of the programmed delay; and printing remaining images from the quantity of images. The length of each programmed delay is determined by using the temperature of the printhead and a time rate of cooling of the printhead and, is determined in a manner that provides a sufficient cooling time to prevent the printhead from reaching a maximum printhead temperature during printing.

Abstract: Thermal printing systems, thermal printers and methods for printing are provided. A print order is received at a printer driving device. The printer driving device forms a set of page data streams. Each page data stream comprises image data representing one image from the print order in a format that can be used by a printer. The printer prints images by transferring donor material for patches of donor material from a donor ribbon onto a receiver medium. The printer is operable to print images in a manner that exhausts a full donor patch set or fractional donor patch set. Printing is performed using donor material from a fractional donor patch set when it is determined at the printer that an image from a page data stream can be printed using a fractional donor patch set and when it is determined that a fractional donor patch set is available for printing.

Abstract: A print head 110 has a ceramic substrate 116 with a thermal bead 115 and a built in separating structure 114, 124 that is either a polished edge 114 or a second bead. The edge 114 or the bead 124 can provide a peel structure that can be used to separate donor web from the receiver sheet at a point after printing where donor material that is transferred to the receiver sheet is still generally in a liquid state.

Abstract: An article for collecting dust and debris from edges of paper rolls comprising an annular body of material having a plurality of undulations on the surface of the body to provide one plurality of ridges resiliently disposed in one direction and another plurality of ridges resiliently disposed in an opposite direction.

Abstract: Methods and control systems are provided for operating a thermal printer adapted to print images by heating and transferring donor material from donor patch sets from onto a receiver medium, the printer being operable to print images in a manner that exhausts a full donor patch set or a fractional donor patch set during printing. The control system comprises a controller for identifying one of the donor patch sets on the web as a fractional donor patch set having sufficient donor material remaining to print an image. The controller is further adapted to determine that the fractional donor patch set is not to be used for printing when the identified fractional donor patch set has been used to print an image wherein at least a minimum area of at least one donor patch has been heated to a level above a threshold level.

Abstract: A method for operating more than one thermal printer adapted to print images by transferring donor material from patches of donor material from a donor ribbon onto a receiver medium, each printer being operable to print images in a manner that exhausts a full donor patch or a fractional donor patch during printing. In accordance with the method, a print order is received and it is determined whether a fractional donor patch set is available for printing at each printer. Portions of the print order are directed to the printers in a pattern that minimizes the number of printers having donor ribbon with a fractional donor patch set available after the printing order has been executed.

Abstract: In a first aspect of the invention, a method is provided for operating a thermal printer adapted to print images by transferring donor material from patches of donor material from a donor ribbon onto a receiver medium, said printer being operable to print images in a manner that exhausts a full donor patch set or a fractional donor patch set during printing. In accordance with the method, a print order is received and it is determined whether a fractional donor patch set is available for printing. An image is printed using donor material from the fractional donor patch set where at least part of the print order can be satisfied using donor material from the fractional donor patch set.

Abstract: A holder for a rolled medium is provided. The holder has a mandrel having a drive surface adapted to receive the rolled medium and is adapted to be rotated so that an amount of rolled medium on the drive surface can be unrolled therefrom. A stop is located on a stop end of the drive surface. A retaining surface is located on a load end of the drive surface and is separated from the stop so that a rolled medium can be disposed therebetween with the retaining surface being movable between a first position where the retaining surface projects above the drive surface and a second position where the retaining surface does not project above the drive surface. A resilient biasing structure is joined to the retaining surface to drive the retaining surface toward the first position and the drive surface drives the rolled media toward the stop.

Abstract: A thermal dye transfer printer reduces print time by printing sequential color section from a donor web onto a receiver sheet while the donor web and receiver sheet travel in forward or reverse directions relative to a printer head. A first colored image is formed on the receiver by printing as the donor web and the receiver sheet transit the printer head in a first direction. The donor web is indexed to bring the trailing edge of a second color section in registration with the trailing edge of the first colored printed image on the receiver web portion. Then the image receiver web transits the printer head in the opposite direction and the second color is printed on the receiver sheet in combination with the receiver sheet. The steps are repeated for all color patches.

Abstract: An adapter is provided for use with a supply spool having first and second spool ends the spool having web media thereon. The adapter has a body having first and second body ends with each of the first and second body ends having shaped linkages to join to one of the first and second supply ends and with each body end further shaped to join to a printer receptacle when not joined to a spool end; and a data source. The body shaped to position the data source relative to the first body end so that when the first body end is joined to a first spool end, the data source is positioned to provide the machine readable data so that the machine readable data can be read by a reader in a printer that is adapted to accept a supply spool having web media that is axially located asymmetrically.

Abstract: A tray for receiving printed media from a printer, the tray including a print well, a ramp and at least two side walls. There is at least one support member extending from the tray adapted to engage the printer and position the tray such that the print well is laterally offset from the exit slot of the printer and prints exiting from the printer overhang one of the side walls of the tray. A ledge feature projects from the side wall that exiting prints overhang, the ledge feature configured to bias movement of the printed media exiting the printer and in contact the ledge feature to fall into the print well.

Abstract: A thermal printer is adapted to prevent crease formation in successive dye transfer areas of a dye donor web that can cause line artifacts to be printed on a dye receiver during dye transfer from each dye transfer area to the dye receiver in a dye transfer printer.

Abstract: A thermal printer is adapted to prevent crease formation in a dye transfer area of a dye donor web that can cause line artifacts to be printed on a dye receiver during a dye transfer from the dye transfer area to the dye receiver in a dye transfer printer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of thermally printing an image on a receiver by (a) printing a first sub-image on a first region of the receiver with a first dye-donor patch of the first color and (b) printing a second sub-image on a second region of the receiver with a second dye-donor patch of the first color, wherein the first and second regions of the receiver have a partial overlap region. The first and second sub-images form the image which is longer in length than either of the first and second dye-donor patches. Pixels in the overlap region are printed with varying gray levels during both of steps (a) and (b) and pixel locations in the overlap region are printed by overlapping a partial pixel printed during printing step (a) with another partial printed during printing step (b).