Abstract: Disclosed herein is a ribbon wiper that is disposed within a ribbon cartridge. The ribbon cartridge can contain a ribbon and be employed by a thermal printer. The ribbon wiper is capable of removing debris and other contaminants from a printhead surface of the ribbon. The printhead surface of the ribbon is that surface that faces the printhead, and opposes the ink surface of the ribbon, during printing. Debris disposed on the printhead surface of the ribbon can hinder or obstruct thermal contact between one or more thermal elements on the thermal printhead. In such cases, the thermal element can lack the ability to properly produce a dot on a media as instructed by the thermal printer. Further, debris disposed on the printhead surface of the ribbon can accumulate on the printhead proximate thermal elements and prevent generation of multiple or consecutive dots.

Abstract: In an implementation of disc media marking, a laser renders an image on a disc media as laser marks written in concentric circular tracks. A print control application determines a radius of a first circular track such that a circumferential length of the first circular track corresponds to an integral number of laser mark spaces. The print control application further determines a radial increment from the first circular track to a second circular track such that a circumferential length of the second circular track corresponds to a second integral number of the laser mark spaces.

Abstract: A thermal activation device (thermal activation unit A1) for heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet at least includes: a thermally-activating thermal head for thermally activating a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of a heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet including a sheet-like substrate formed with a printable surface on one side thereof and with the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other side thereof; and a platen roller (41) for conveying the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet in a predetermined direction, the device wherein the platen roller includes adhesive-mass removing means for removing an adhesive mass (G2) of the heat-sensitive adhesive adhered to a periphery of the platen roller, and wherein the adhesive-mass removing means includes: a transfer roller (42) slidably contacting the periphery of the platen roller as located near an exit of the heat-sensitive self-adhesive sheet, thereby allowing the adhesive mass adhered to the periphery of the platen roller to be transferred thereto; and a cleaning shee

Abstract: A roll paper feeding device includes a paper feed roller, a flange holder, a flange pressing portion, a roll paper pressing lever, a housing containing these components therein, and a cover arranged above the housing. The flange holder has a recess having wide opening at an upper surface, and a shaft of the flange axially supporting the roll paper is placed in the recess. The flange pressing portion is provided on the cover, and when the cover is open, the flange pressing portion is moved toward the center of rotation of the cover, by means of a rotating member, a base member and a spring. Consequently, the flange supporting the roll paper on its shaft can easily be set in the flange holder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid composition measurement method. One embodiment of the method comprises the steps of: i) subjecting a liquid composition containing fine particles and a solvent to the following pretreatment steps (a) to (c) to form an agglomerate of fine particles: (a) evaporating the solvent of the liquid composition at 120° C. for 10 hours in an ambient atmosphere, and drying the liquid composition; (b) burning the dried liquid composition resulting from the pretreatment step (a) at 700° C. after raising the temperature from 120° C. to 700° C. over one hour; (c) cooling a burned product obtained in the pretreatment step (b) to room temperature, powdering the burned product to obtain agglomerates of the fine particles; and ii) vacuum degassing the agglomerates at 120° C. for 8 hours, and measuring physical properties of pores of the agglomerates by a nitrogen adsorption and desorption method.

Abstract: The invention concerns a printer comprising a loader (2) of print media (1) to be printed, a printing device (9) and transfer means delimiting a series of gripper zones (8) forming a transport path (8A) for sequentially driving the printed media (1) from the output (5) of the loader (2) to the printing device (9) and from the printing device (9) to collecting means arranged beneath the loader (2). Said printer is characterised in that at least the portion of the slotted (4) wall (7) of the loader (2) slopes with a positive incidence relative to the transport path (8A) to provide the print media (1) to be printed with an inclination in the direction of the input of the first gripper zone (8) of the transport path (8A), said input being provided with a deflector (11).

Abstract: An inkjet printer includes a housing that defines a receiving formation for a media tray assembly. A chassis is positioned in the housing. A media tray assembly is displaceably engageable with the chassis to permit the tray assembly to be received in, and withdrawn from, the receiving formation. The media tray assembly and the housing define a print medium feed path. The media tray assembly includes a media tray in which a stack of print medium sheets can be stored. A feed mechanism is positioned on the media tray to feed the sheets from the tray. A printhead assembly is positioned downstream of the media tray to carry out a printing operation on the sheets as the sheets are fed from the tray.

Abstract: A method of forming authenticated secure images on image areas on labels including the steps of storing in memory a number of different selectable label size and shapes; selecting an appropriate label size and shape from the memory for a particular image; moving a colorant donor element having a plurality of transferable colorants into transferable relationship with a receiver, the colorant donor element includes a representation of the particular image and marks which authenticate the particular image having colorant over such representation and marks; transferring colorants onto the receiver in accordance with the representation of the particular image and marks in the colorant donor element and the size of the selected label to form authenticated images in the receiver; and cutting the images on the receiver into the selected shape to form a plurality of labels each having an authenticated image.

Abstract: A tape printing apparatus having a thermal print head for printing an image on an image receiving tape, the print head having a first mode of operation for printing on an image receiving tape with an ink ribbon, and a second mode of operation for printing on thermally sensitive image receiving tape. A detector detects whether ink ribbon is present or absent in a receiving mechanism and provides a signal to a control mechanism indicative of the presence or absence of ink ribbon, the control mechanism being arranged to control the print head to have the first mode of operation when ink ribbon is present and the second mode of operation when no ink ribbon is present.

Abstract: A frictional printing device, system and method prints on thermal paper using heat generated by frictional contact. A frictional actuator motivates a frictional heating element to frictionally contact the thermal paper. The thermal paper is chemically treated to react to heat by changing color. Heat is generated by frictional contact of the frictional heating element against the thermal paper. The frictional contact may be provided through repetitive movement of the frictional heating element. An image is formed by selectively positioned frictional contact between the frictional heating element and the thermal paper.

Abstract: There is disclosed thermal transfer media containing both fixed and variable printed information, and method of making and using such a thermal transfer medium. The fixed information is printed in one or more fixed-information zone(s) preferably on a web during a long production run and thereafter as the need arises the variable information is printed or imprinted in one or more variable information zone(s) on sections of the web during shorter production runs. The transfer medium is particularly suited for printing onto fabrics that are subject to repeated home laundering and commercial dry cleaning.

Abstract: A system for printing data on sheets, which can solve the problem of the waste of paper resources and also improve the printing speed. The second data is printed as background on an area of printing the first data in a mode that the first and second data can be visually discriminated from each other. The sheets are either receipts or train tickets or airplane tickets or entrance tickets. The mode permitting the visual discrimination is one based on density gradation printing. The printing is performed by a thermal printer. The mode permitting the visual discrimination is one based on the difference in density.

Abstract: It is provided a rewritable printing method and its printer in which a heat sensitive medium with a leuco type coating applied is used to rewrite the information repeatedly, printing can be performed in the same way as the conventional technique, and the medium easily as the transmission means of the information, thereby extremely contributing to the improvement of environmental issues relating to the use of paper.

Abstract: Providing a thermal head capable of preventing the adherence of a thermally active component, a thermal activation device for thermally active sheet employing the thermal head, and a printer assembly employing the thermal activation device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a direct thermal printer, which may include first and second printheads and first and second platens. The first printhead can be positioned proximate to a first platen, and a second printhead can be positioned proximate to a second platen. Generally, the first printhead is in a substantially opposed relation to the second platen and the second printhead is in a substantially opposed relation to the first platen.

Abstract: The present invention is a wire dot printer head wherein a spacer is inserted between a yoke block and a head holder. The yoke block has yokes opposed to plural armatures, coils wound respectively round plural cores whose one ends are opposed to the armatures, and fulcrum portions which hold the armatures so that the armatures can rise and fall with respect to end faces of the cores. The spacer is adapted to move under the action of an external force, thereby changing the spacing between the yoke block and the head holder.

Abstract: A method of smoothing the surface of printing paper formed by a thermal head is provided. A printer forms a protection layer on images of the printing paper by the heat of a thermal head that has a plurality of heat generating potions arrayed apart from each other.

Abstract: A thermal printhead for printing on pre-embossed plastic cards, and a method for making a thermal printhead for printing on pre-embossed plastic cards. The printhead includes a means for connecting to a data source, means for connecting to a power source, a data transfer means, and at least one elongated contact member having at least one notch to allow the thermal printhead to pass over the pre-embossed text during the printing process.

Abstract: A thermal printhead is disclosed which prevents an undesired color from being generated around the periphery of a desired color, even when a two-color thermo-sensitive paper is used as the recording medium. A plurality of variable electric potential regions are formed on top of a heating resistor. Each region is disposed between two adjacent projections, and has an individual electrode that intersects therewith. The variable electric potential regions generate colors due to electric potential differences that are produced between a common electrode and individual electrodes. The width of each variable electric potential region corresponds to one dot, and is set such that the temperature of the entire region is substantially uniform when heated. A plurality of fixed electric potential regions are formed on top of the heating resistor, and each region has a fixed electric potential even when an electric potential difference is produced between the common electrode and the individual electrodes.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes an image forming portion for selectively forming images to a card and to an intermediate transfer sheet, and a transfer portion for transferring images formed onto an intermediate transfer medium to a card. The image forming portion and transfer portion are opposingly arranged to a card transport path and are arranged offset along the card transport path. This allows the shared use of members for direct transfer and indirect transfer to enable smooth printing. The apparatus switches between the direct transfer method and the indirect transfer method to print to the card and enables lower costs and improved printing speed.

Abstract: A disc copying or recording device and a disc label printer are mounted in a common assembly, and include a printhead moveable along a guide shaft on a frame. A disc transport carriage is mounted on the same guide shaft as the printhead, can be moved along this guide shaft for picking up discs in a storage area, moving a disc to a tray or support used for recording and then to a disc tray or support for printing, and moving a finished disc to a finished disc storage region. The carriage has an arm with a disc picker that can be moved to hold and release discs in a desired location. The carriage is latched to the printhead and the printhead drive is used for moving the carriage along the guide shaft in the preferred showing.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus in which a line-type thermal head is used, which image recording apparatus can switch recording modes without an operation of attaching or detaching an ink ribbon cartridge and heat-sensitive recording paper by an operator. An image recording apparatus includes a line-type thermal head, a thermal-transfer recording platen and a heat-sensitive recording platen. By switching the thermal-transfer recording platen and the heat-sensitive recording platen, a thermal transfer recording mode and a heat-sensitive recording mode are switched.

Abstract: A black matrix can be formed by thermal transfer on a receptor substrate for use, for example, in a display application. This black matrix can be used, for example, as a color filter black matrix or a TFT (thin film transistor) black matrix to provide contrast and/or to separate adjacent electrically-conducting components.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a defect detection unit, and when print data to cause all of one line to be blank is inputted to a thermal head, in parallel with printing of a blank line, a transistor for short-circuiting a current detection resistor becomes in an OFF state, the current detection resistor is made conductive, values of currents flowing through respective heaters are compared with a predetermined comparison signal in order of first to fourth strobes for dividing a heater array of the thermal head, and the defect of the thermal head is detected from this comparison result.

Abstract: A document image scanner capable of branding thermally printed tickets using a single feed roller. The contact image sensor and the thermal print head are both configured to apply pressure directly against the single feed roller. When not in use, the thermal print head may be retracted. The document scanner may include a print head that is wider than the document to be scanned, thereby enabling the scanner to relatively insensitive to off centered and/or skewed documents inserted therein for scanning and/or branding.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing process for making identification cards is provided. The process involves printing indicia onto a dye-receptive surface of a card substrate. A metallic dye is applied in precise registration with selected print indicia to form a metallic border along the edges of the indicia. The invention also includes identification cards produced by this process. The process can be used to produce cards such as licenses, employee badges, student cards, bank cards, and the like having unique security features.

Abstract: A third reference position on an eccentric cam positions a thermal head touching a follower roller at a retreated position separated from a printing position when printing is idled, and a second reference position of a middle-sized radius on an eccentric cam applies a thermal head touching a follower roller with a pressure of approximately 39 N to a card therebetween interposed by thermal transfer film, when in a direct transfer execution state. Also, when in an indirect transfer execution state, a first reference position on an eccentric cam applies a thermal head touching a follower roller with a pressure of approximately 78 N onto an intermediate transfer film supported by a platen roller having a degree of hardness of approximately 60. This applies the appropriate amount of pressure per unit of surface area and prevents missing transfers. Therefore, regardless of the method of transfer, high quality images can be attained on a plurality of types of media.

Abstract: A film is made of an elastic material. The film is stretched in at least one direction in parallel to a surface of the film. Then, through-holes are punched in the film be means of needles, in a state the film is stretched. After the punching is completed, the stretching is terminated, so that the film recovers its original shape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of printing polymer films and corresponding articles. The invention is useful for providing dimensional stability during printing and/or improving the print quality, particularly for contact or thermal printing methods such as thermal mass transfer printing.

Abstract: A label printer system includes a disk storage medium including a thermally-sensitive layer formed on at least a portion of an upper surface. A rotational drive rotates the disk storage medium and a transverse drive moves a laser substantially transversely with respect to the disk storage medium. A memory includes a symbol set and a label printer driver. A processor uses the label printer driver to control the rotational drive and the transverse drive in order to thermally write the symbol set to the thermally-sensitive layer of the disk storage medium, using the laser.

Abstract: A film is made of an elastic material. The film is stretched in at least one direction in parallel to a surface of the film. Then, through-holes are punched in the film be means of needles, in a state the film is stretched. After the punching is completed, the stretching is terminated, so that the film recovers its original shape.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal head and a head driver for driving the thermal head so as to decrease the applied energy to the thermal head for a print area where copying is unnecessary below that for a print area where copying is necessary. By so doing, the applied energy and the printing speed can be made most suitable in the thermal printer that prints onto a recording medium having a print area where copying is unnecessary and a print area where copying is necessary.

Abstract: In a thermal head, a partial glaze layer is formed on an alumina basal plate, and on that laminated are a heating body, an electrode and a protective layer. A photocatalytic layer composed of titanium oxide is provided on the protective layer. Stains of organic substances, adhered to the photocatalytic layer because of a transparent protective layer of a color thermal recording sheet softened in thermography, is photolized by ultraviolet ray from a magenta-fixing lamp, which loses a coloring capacity of a magenta thermal coloring layer.

Abstract: An printing apparatus is equipped with a recording medium transport device for transporting a recording medium from a supply portion along a transport path; at least one printing device arranged on the transport path for selectively forming an image on the recording medium or an intermediate transfer medium for temporarily holding the image at a predetermined image forming position; and a transfer device arranged on the transport path for transferring the image formed on the intermediate transfer medium to the recording medium. A mode setting device selects a mode between the first mode in which the printing device forms the image on the recording medium and the second mode in which the printing device forms the image on the intermediate transfer medium. An intermediate transfer medium moving device advances and retracts the intermediate transfer medium between the image forming position and a retracted position.

Abstract: There is provided a thermal activator for a heat sensitive adhesive sheet capable of preventing or removing the heat sensitive adhesive and a product of denaturation of the heat sensitive adhesive from adhering to means for transporting the heat sensitive adhesive sheet and a printer apparatus utilizing the thermal activator.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal printing head in an image forming section, which prints an image on one of first and second surfaces of a recording sheet oriented downwards. Feeder rollers feed the recording sheet to the image forming section after the recording sheet is set in a sheet supply slot. The printer includes at least one first memory for storing first image data of an image for being printed on the first surface, and second image data of an image for being printed on the second surface. The first or second image data are read from the first memory, and input to the image forming section. A second memory stores information of discrimination bar code adapted for designating the second image data associated with the first image data according to common assignment to the recording sheet. The information of the discrimination bar code is read from the second memory at a time of printing with the first image data to the first surface, and is printed on the first surface by the image forming section.

Abstract: A thermal printing mechanism prints a black pattern on a paper web with a direct printing process and additionally prints a color pattern on the paper web with a transfer printing process. The paper web and a transfer film web are moved between a platen and a thermal printhead, with the transfer film web between the paper web and the printhead, with heating elements within the printhead being operated at one temperature to produce the color pattern and at another, higher temperature to produce the black pattern. Preferably, the transfer film web is moved only when the color pattern is being printed and when it is otherwise necessary to prevent the film web from being worn through as the black pattern is printed.

Abstract: A recess-mountable printer having a housing with a top, a base, a pair of sides, a back and a front. The front of the housing has a paper ejection slot which is designed to facilitate the ejection of paper from within the housing. The housing contains a paper tray which is adapted to receive and retain paper, a printhead which is adapted to print text, data and images on the paper, and an ink supply which is adapted to provide ink to the printhead. The recess-mountable printer is designed to be operable when mounted within a recess in a television, VCR, CD player or other mounting unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal transfer sheet, a thermal transfer method and a thermal transfer system using thermal transfer sheet. The thermal transfer sheet provided with a coloring layer and the adhesive layer being disposed on the substrate in this order, wherein the adhesive layer is formed of a mixture comprising a copolymerization product (A) obtainable by polymerizing an &agr;-olefin/a maleic acid anhydride copolymer with a maleic acid anhydride monoester and an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (B). The thermal transfer sheet is superior in storage stability in a rolled condition and in printing quality, and also capable of forming a print products having excellent functions as to durability such as wear resistance and heat resistance in high-speed printing.

Abstract: A color thermal printer has a feed roller set, a thermal head, and a tension roller set that are serially arranged along a transporting path. The feed roller set and the tension roller set are rotated by respectively a stepping motor and a DC motor. The stepping motor rotates forwards. Simultaneously, the DC motor rotates the tension roller set forwards, to apply a first transporting force to the continuous recording sheet at a level higher than a predetermined transporting force of the feed roller set. Also, the stepping motor rotates backwards. Simultaneously, the DC motor rotates the tension roller set backwards, to apply a second transporting force to the continuous recording sheet at a level lower than the predetermined transporting force.

Abstract: A thermal printing mechanism prints a black pattern on a paper web with a direct printing process and additionally prints a color pattern on the paper web with a transfer printing process. The paper web and a transfer film web are moved between a platen and a thermal printhead, with the transfer film web between the paper web and the printhead, with heating elements within the printhead being operated at one temperature to produce the color pattern and at another, higher temperature to produce the black pattern. Preferably, the transfer film web is moved only when the color pattern is being printed and when it is otherwise necessary to prevent the film web from being worn through as the black pattern is printed.

Abstract: If printing is commenced while a relay is supplying power supply voltage from a battery to a power supply controller, a control circuit outputs a power supply switching prohibition signal to a permission/prohibition circuit. Even if an AC adapter is connected during printing, the relay will not be switched by an ON signal from an input voltage determination circuit. Once the printing is completed, the power supply switching prohibition signal is stopped, and a switch is made to power supply input from the AC adapter. As a result, even if an AC power supply is connected during printing, this will not cause the printing to take a longer time, and will prevent a decrease in printing quality.

Abstract: A method for generating a matte finish on a photo picture using a thermal printer includes using the thermal printhead to heat different areas of an overcoating dye frame of an ink ribbon by at least two distinct time periods to dispose overcoating on the photo picture. The two distinct time periods are a first time period and a second time period; the first time period disposing thicker layer of overcoating than the second time period. A matte finish pattern of overcoating comprises a two-dimensional array of cells wherein each cell is heated by either the first time period or the second time period based on a substantially random probability.

Abstract: A method of producing a thermal transfer print, including the steps of controlled imagewise heating of a surface layer of the print by means of a laser beam from a laser writing head; applying selected area elements to a substrate using a tape-like transfer film with a width which is small in relation to a width of the substrate, transporting the transfer film continuously between the substrate and the laser beam, close to the substrate surface during imaging moving the transfer film over the substrate width simultaneously and in synchronism with movement of the laser writing head the width of the transfer film being sufficiently large for a number of imaging tracks to be used alongside one another, and selecting an as yet unused track for each imaging operation.

Abstract: In a thermal printer having a platen release mechanism for separating a platen away from a printing head, an idle rotation of a platen bearing is prevented while keeping a preferable attaching/detaching operation property of the platen.

Abstract: A method for printing an image using a thermal printing system comprising a thermal printer having a thermal head TH incorporating a plurality of energisable heating elements Hn and a thermographic material m, comprises several steps. These steps comprise supplying image data Id corresponding to a plurality of output values Dn to a processing unit, reading a first table LUT1 comprising first entries for desired output values Dk and second entries for sequences Sk of time slices si of activation pulses, transformation of the image data Id into corresponding sequences Sk of time slices of activation pulses, providing the time slices of activation pulses to the heating elements Hn of the thermal head TH, and printing the image by transporting the thermographic material past and adjacent to the thermal head and by activating the heating elements Hn of the thermal head.

Abstract: The present invention provides a card recording apparatus capable of printing in high speed as well as reducing overall dimensions of the apparatus. After a card is transported to an information recording section 200 in a lateral (short length) direction of the card, an information signal is recorded on the card thereby. Then, the card is transported to a second heating section 300. An ink image formed on an intermediate recording medium 7 by a first heating section 500 is re-transferred to the card by the second heating section 300. A warp developed on the card by the second heating section 300 is corrected by a card warp correcting section 400.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for heat-activating a thermosensitive adhesive label. The thermosensitive label includes a support and a thermosensitive adhesive agent layer provided thereon which is not adhesive at room temperature, but becomes adhesive with application of heat. The apparatus according to the present invention includes a heating medium and a platen roller arranged opposite to the heating medium. The thermosensitive adhesive label is transported between the heating medium and the platen roller in a direction where the thermosensitive adhesive agent layer is faced with the heating medium. When a friction coefficient between the thermosensitive adhesive agent layers is less than 2.0, a pressing force of the thermosensitive adhesive label between the heating medium and the platen roller is in a range of from 50 to 5,000 g/25 mm at room temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides a direct thermal printer, which may include first and second printheads and first and second platens. The first printhead can be positioned proximate to a first platen, and a second printhead can be positioned proximate to a second platen. Generally, the first printhead is in a substantially opposed relation to the second platen and the second printhead is in a substantially opposed relation to the first platen.

Abstract: A method of thermally transferring colorant from a movable ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting. The method includes arranging a print head so that its length is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the thermal print receptive sheeting and transferring colorant from the movable ribbon to the sheeting as the sheeting is stationary and the thermal print head is moved in a second direction substantially normal to the length of the thermal print head. The system includes a thermal print head, a transport for moving the thermal print receptive sheeting past the thermal print head in the first direction, and a mechanism that moves the print head in a second direction normal to the first direction when the print head is transferring colorant onto the sheeting.