Abstract: An evaluation table includes: a first pixel value set; a second pixel value set next to and having a larger pixel value sum than the first pixel value set; a third pixel value set having a larger pixel value sum than the second pixel value set; a fourth pixel value set next to and having a larger pixel value sum than the third pixel value set; a fifth pixel value set having a larger pixel value sum than the fourth pixel value set; and a sixth pixel value set next to and having a larger sum than the fifth pixel value set. Each of a difference between pixel value sums of the first and second pixel value sets and a difference between pixel value sums of the fifth and sixth pixel value sets is larger than a difference between pixel value sums of the third and fourth pixel value sets.

Abstract: A computer-implemented intelligent alignment method for a color sensing device (12) which initially obtains a raw sense value measured by the color sensing device and converts the raw sense value to a tristimulus value (S401). The color sensing device may be calibrated using a known set of colors (S402). Raw readings received from the color sensing device may be mapped to known tristimulus values (S403), and mapped values may be converted to a standard reference illuminant color space (S404). A client-server system may be provided in which a color sensing device and one or more servers collectively execute operations according to the present disclosure.

Abstract: A printer includes a recording medium holding unit that holds a long, wound strip-like recording medium to enable the recording medium to be pulled out from a front end thereof, a recording unit that pulls out the recording medium held by the recording medium holding unit to a side higher in a vertical direction than a position for pulling out from the recording medium holding unit and that executes a recording operation for the pulled-out recording medium, and a second cutter mechanism disposed under the recording medium holding unit and that cuts the recording medium for which the recording operation is executed by the recording unit at the back end thereof separated from the front end by a predetermined length. A drawing position of the recording medium into an inversion path is arranged to be lower than the recording medium holding unit and the recording unit in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device has a sheet feed tray, a metallic pressure plate configured to support the plurality of sheets, the sheet feed tray being rockable about a rocking fulcrum between a descending position and an ascending position, a sheet feed roller configured to convey sheets supported by the pressure plate in a sheet conveying direction one by one, and an elastic member made of metal and arranged on the sheet feed tray, the elastic member engaging with the pressure plate and being electrically connected to the pressure plate, the elastic member contacting metal arranged outside the sheet feed tray to ground the pressure plate. The pressure plate has an engaging part configured to engage with the elastic member, the engaging part displacing in a direction where a contact pressure with respect to the elastic member increases when the pressure plate displaced from the descending position to the ascending position.

Abstract: A printing system for printing on a web of media traveling along a web transport path, including a plurality of printheads for printing on the web of media, each of the printheads being configured to print at one or more corresponding print locations along the web transport path. A plurality of web transport rollers guide the web of media along the web transport path. A drive roller causes the web of media to move along the web transport path. The drive roller has an affixed driven gear driven by a motor using a gear train including one or more drive gears which transfer torque from the motor to the driven gear. The driven gear and the drive gears are constrained to rotate substantially an integer number of times as the web of media is advanced along the web transport path between two successive print locations.

Abstract: A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a pivotable diverter and a cutter positioned between the diverter and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll, when the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path, and when the diverter is in the third position the receiver media is directed from the reversing path into the printing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is sequentially repositioned to feed the receiver media into the printing path where a first side image is printed, into the reversing path where it is cut, and into the printing path again where a second side image is printed.

Abstract: A method of forming a digital print on a surface (2) by applying powder of dry ink (15) including colourants (7) on the surface, bonding a part of the dry ink (15) powder to the surface (2) by a digital heating print head (80) such that the digital print is formed by the bonded dry ink colourants (7) and removing non-bonded dry ink (15) from the surface (2).

Abstract: A printing device for printing a stereograph is disclosed in the present invention. The printing device includes an actuating unit, a ribbon, a thermal print head and a controller. The actuating unit conveys a print medium. The ribbon includes a plurality of dye regions and at least a protecting layer. The thermal print head can transfer the dye regions and the protecting layer onto the print medium, and further manufacture a lenticular lens structure on a surface of the protecting layer in a heat working manner. The controller is coupled to the actuating unit and the thermal print head. The controller drives the actuating unit to convey the print medium according to a target image datum, further controls the thermal print head to respectively transfer the dye regions and the protecting layer onto the print medium, and simultaneously manufactures the lenticular lens structure on the protecting layer.

Abstract: A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a diverter and a cutter positioned between the diverter and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll or the reversing path into the printing path. When the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is positioned in the first position and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a first side image is printed. The diverter is then repositioned the receiver media is fed into the reversing path where it is cut. The diverter is then repositioned again and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a second side image is printed.

Abstract: A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a diverter and a cutter positioned between the supply roll and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll or the reversing path into the printing path. When the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is positioned in the first position and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a first side image is printed. The diverter is then repositioned the receiver media is fed into the reversing path where it is cut. The diverter is then repositioned again and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a second side image is printed.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a dividing unit configured to divide image data into pieces of print scan image data for the plurality of print scans, a quantization unit configured to quantize the pieces of print scan image data, and a generation unit configured to generate pieces of print data for the plurality of print scans on the basis of the quantized pieces of print scan image data. In a case where a density represented by the pieces of print scan image data is a low density, the quantization unit quantizes the pieces of print scan image data so that they are mutually exclusive in the plurality of print scans.

Abstract: A printer is provided that includes a conveyance unit configured to nip and simultaneously convey the roll recording medium; a print unit configured to print an image by sequentially transferring a plurality of color inks on the recording medium while nipping the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit; a decurling unit disposed between the conveyance unit and the print unit, and configured to include a raised portion that decurls the recording medium by contacting the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit; and a control unit configured to control the conveyance unit to convey the recording medium to a waiting position after ending the transfer of one color ink, wherein the waiting position is a position where an area on a leading edge side of the recording medium is in contact with the raised portion.

Abstract: A color printer for histological specimen containers such as slides and cassettes includes a specimen container receiving structure to receive histological specimen containers having a print zone, an ink receiving structure to receive a multi-colored ink source, a printhead, a drive mechanism to drive specimen containers received by the container receiving structure with respect to the print head, and a control system. The control system is responsive to specimen data representative of histological specimens and controls the drive mechanism and the printhead, including causing the print head to transfer multiple colors of ink from the ink source and print specimen information in color on the print zones of specimen containers. In one embodiment of the invention the specimen data includes color data representative of a color that identifies specimen information, and the control system causes the printhead to print the specimen information in color as a function of the color data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is configured to process multivalued image data corresponding to a unit area of a recording medium so as to form an image on the unit area with a plurality of relative movements between a recording head and the recording medium. The apparatus has a selecting unit for selecting either a first processing mode to segment the multivalued image data into a plurality of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements, and then quantize each of the plurality of multivalued image data, or a second processing mode to quantize the multivalued image data into quantized image data, and then segment the quantized image data into a plurality of quantized image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements. The selecting unit may select either the first processing mode or the second processing mode based on the number of relative movements to the unit area.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing an image to optimize print time of the image by a print apparatus based on the size of the image to be printed and the print pass thresholds of the print apparatus. A dimension of the image corresponding to the dimension along the sub-scanning axis of the image as it will be printed by the print apparatus is obtained, along with the corresponding number of print passes required to print the image. An analysis is performed to determine whether the size of the image could be reduced to require one less print pass by the print apparatus in printing the reduced image based on the proximity of the determined dimension to the range of dimensions that will result in one less print pass by the print apparatus.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus processes, for each pixel, multivalued image data for a unit area of a recording medium, so as to form an image on the unit area with a plurality of relative movements between a recording head and the recording medium. The apparatus has a selector that selects a first processing mode for dividing the multivalued image data into a plurality of pieces of multivalued image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements, and then quantizing each of the plurality of pieces of multivalued image data, or a second processing mode for quantizing the multivalued image data into quantized image data, and then dividing the quantized image data into a plurality of pieces of quantized image data corresponding to the plurality of relative movements. The selector selects the processing mode based on a content (attribute, grayscale, color, etc.) of the multivalued image data.

Abstract: A projective capacitive touch apparatus and a method for identifying multi-touched positions are provided. The multi-touched positions are touched on a projective capacitive touch panel. The method comprises the following steps: generating a first set of reference values according to the first touch position; generating a plurality of second sets of reference values according to a second touch position, and filtering out at least one ghost second set of reference values from the second sets of reference values. Furthermore, the plurality of second sets of reference values comprise a real second set of reference value and at least one ghost second set of reference values, while the ghost second set of reference values comprises parts of the first set of reference values.

Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided which uses, as a print head, a thermal head having heating elements arrayed in a line perpendicular to the traveling direction of a printing medium. Correspondingly pixel data, at either end, or near the end, of each line of image data going to be printed, data on heat storage in the thermal head (108) is calculated for each line on the basis of data on heat storage in the print head for a preceding line, and the data on heat storage in the print head for each line is compared with predetermined-temperature data. When any of the stored-heat data is larger than the predetermined-temperature data, energy to the heating element (113) is decreased. The image data is printed on the printing medium (104) with the energy for application to the heating element (113) being kept decreased.

Abstract: In a method of producing a tiled print product, the print product is composed of a plurality of print substrates that are printed separately and are disposed adjacent to one another in at least one row. Each substrate is printed by means of a print process that creates a gloss gradient in a characteristic direction of production that is parallel to the row. The characteristic direction of production is inverted for every second substrate in the row.

Abstract: A printer, which prints by repeatedly reciprocating a rolled recording paper and ejects a printed recording paper, has therein a recording paper storage unit in which the recording paper is temporarily stored. The recording paper storage unit has a configuration formed by at least a part of the periphery of the rolled recording paper or a configuration provided in a space between the rolled paper holder and an ejection slot. This configuration eliminates the need for separately providing a configuration in which a recording paper is set aside when printing a long sheet of printed material and, at the same time, makes the printer smaller.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method and an imaging member for use therein, wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member having at least two different image-forming compositions capable of forming two different colors. Heat is used to form an image in the first color at a first speed of travel of the thermal imaging member with respect to the source of heat, and heat is used to form an image in the second color at a second speed of travel of the thermal imaging member with respect to the source of heat, where the first speed of travel and the second speed of travel are different from each other.

Abstract: A receiver medium transport system for a thermal printer, a method for operating a receiver medium transport system and a thermal printer are provided that enable the recording of at least a portion of a second superimposed image on a second receiver medium during the recording of a first superimposed image on a first receiver medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing image data are disclosed. The method includes the step of partitioning the image data into a plurality of data portions (?Page) for processing. Each data portion comprises a plurality of rows of pixels corresponding to at least one print swath height. The data portions are processed in a plurality of intermediate processing stages. The data portions are processed sequentially. The number of pixels per row of a data portion is determined to be just large enough ensure adequate output printing data for a given print head at all times. The processed data is then delivered to the print head in a just-in-time manner (JIT). An apparatus for processing the image data comprises an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC).

Abstract: A process for adjusting the print image of a rotating machine equipped with transfer rollers and actuators assigned to them includes changing the position of the rollers. During the printing operation, at least one camera records the intensity of light reflected from the printed material. The camera also feeds the recorded measured values to a control and regulation unit that compares the recorded measured values with set values, and generates corrective signals for the actuator of at least one part of the rollers involved in the printing process. Based on the corrective signals, the actuator of the relative position of the roller assigned to it is actuated until the measured values once again lie within a tolerance range.

Abstract: A printer comprises a feed roller to which driving force is transmitted from a motor via a reducer. While the feed roller moves a recording paper, an image is recorded by a line print head one line by one line. The feed roller is provided with a rotary encoder. A controller counts encoder pulses (measured EP) of the rotary encoder to measure an actual feed amount of the recording paper. Whenever five lines are recorded, the measured EP is compared with predetermined reference encoder pulses to detect a feed error of the recording paper. In case that slipping or the like occurs on the reducer, delay in feeding the recording paper is caused. A printing cycle of the next five lines is adjusted so as to eliminate the feed error. In this way, a printing length of one frame is adjusted to a target printing length.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that prints an image on a medium, a transporting unit that transports the medium in a first direction and a second direction, which is the opposite to the first direction, and a sensor that is placed a predetermined distance away from the transporting unit in the second direction to detect the medium. The image forming apparatus aligns the print start location of the medium with an image forming line of the image forming unit by detecting an end of the medium in the second direction using the sensor.

Abstract: A RFID system and an associated antenna-coupler are provided. The system may be for selectively communicating with a targeted transponder from among a group of multiple adjacent transponders is provided. The system may include a transponder conveyance, a transceiver, and an antenna-coupler. The transponder conveyance is adapted to transport at least one targeted transponder from a group of multiple adjacent transponders through a transponder operating region. The transceiver is configured to generate one or more electrical signals. The antenna-coupler has first and second microstrips in a cross-like arrangement relative to each other. Each of the first and second microstrips is configured to transmit one or more electromagnetic fields concentrated in a near-field region of the antenna-coupler based on the one or more electrical signals for communicating with the targeted transponder.

Abstract: A printer has a sheet housing unit for storing a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet having a heat-sensitive adhesive layer on one side and a printable surface on the other side. A set of pull-out rollers pulls the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet out of the sheet housing unit and transports the sheet in a given direction, and a cutter device cuts the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet that has been transported by the pull-out rollers. A printing device has a thermal print head for printing letters or images on the printable surface of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, and a print platen roller for transporting the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in the given direction. A thermal activation device has a thermal-activation thermal head for heating the heat-sensitive adhesive layer, and a thermal activation platen roller for transporting the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in the given direction. A first drive unit drives the pull-out rollers and a second drive unit drives the print platen roller.

Abstract: A printer and method of generating hard copy comprising only one ejection step from either a thermal printing mechanism using one print head or a thermal printing mechanism using first and second thermal printing heads. The thermal printing mechanism with one printing head operates bilaterally. Alternatively, the thermal printing mechanism simultaneously operates dual thermal printing heads with only one ejection for release of a thermally sensitive hard copy output media.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: Color printheads in a color inkjet printer are in a fixed order in the scanning carriage, which causes the colors to be printed in a different order when the carriage is scanned in an opposite direction. The different print order may result in a perceptible change in hue between passes in bi-directional printing. Depleted shingle masks are substituted for the nominal ones, based on print direction, at the shingle masking stage, to compensate for print-direction-induced hue shift. A look-up table indexed by a composite color tone value providing a depletion probability and a halftoning error diffusion value are used in determining when depleted shingle masks are to be invoked.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following: a wide format thermal printer for printing a multicolor graphic product on a printing sheet; a vacuum workbed for supporting a sheet material for performing work operations, such as cutting, printing or plotting, thereon; a replaceable donor sheet assembly, which includes a memory, for use with a thermal printer; methods and apparatus for improved thermal printing, including methods and apparatus for conserving donor sheet and reducing the amount of time required to print a multicolor graphic product; a thermal printhead including a memory; and methods and apparatus for the alignment of a sheet material for printing or performing other work operations on the sheet material. The wide format thermal printer can include provision for the automatic loading of cassettes of donor sheet from a cassette storage rack.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a thermal head, which records an image to a recording material. Feeder rollers feed the recording material relative to the thermal head. An EEPROM stores first distance data adapted to image recording to a predetermined first type of the recording material. A keyboard inputs second distance data representing a second type of the recording material at a time of image recording to the second type. A personal computer causes the feeder rollers to set the first and second types to the thermal head according to respectively the first and second distance data, and drives the thermal head and feeder rollers in synchronism. The image is recorded in first and second printing regions suitable to respectively the first and second types.

Abstract: Thermal printer with bi-directional print head movement and method thereof. The invention comprises a more time efficient thermal printing mechanism (100) including an assembly of one thermal print head (111) or a first thermal print head (11a) and a second thermal print head (11b). Either of the print heads being adapted with at least one universal bi-directional stepping motor (121) controlling the movement of the thermal printing head (111) or one universal bi-directional stepping motor (222) controlling the movement of the first thermal printing head (11a) and the second thermal printing head (11b). The invention also comprises a method of generating a hard copy (113) comprising only one ejection step from either the thermal printing mechanism (100) using one print head (111) or the thermal printing mechanism (200) using the first thermal printing head (11a) and the second thermal printing head (11b).

Abstract: An apparatus for bi-directionally rendering an image includes a bi-directional printer (10) having an input (12) which receives data corresponding to the input image. A printhead (14), in accordance with the data, renders the image on a medium (M) in swaths as it passes horizontally over the medium (M) in opposing first and second directions. A medium advance device (16) advances the medium (M) vertically past the printhead (14) between horizontal passes of the printhead (14) in the first direction and horizontal passes of the printhead (14) in the second direction. Horizontal swaths of the image are segmented into a line of columns (20) such that the columns (20) are made up of vertical arrays of pixels. A detector circuit (18) detects for breaks (22) in each of the columns (20) of each swath. Transition regions are defined for columns (20) having no vertical breaks (22) therein.

Abstract: When forming an image by superimposing heat-sublimation inks of yellow, magenta and cyan and a heat-sublimation ink of black on each other, an energy to be applied to the heat-generating elements in printing with the black ink is controlled such that the print paper is not deformed thermally. Carriage travel speed in printing with the black ink is made faster than that in printing with the inks of the three colors, thereby preventing the thermal deformation of the paper from occurring. A transparent heat-melt ink is printed over an image formed with the heat-sublimation inks of the three colors, thereby maintaining the resultant print in good quality.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a gradation image such as photographs and a non-gradation image read by an image processing means 13 of FIG. 2 are edited and laid out. Based on the data file, a dye receiving layer 21 is formed on a gradation image forming area on a paper mount 26 of FIG. 3 by image generating means 18, and a gradation image 22 is formed by thermal transfer method on said dye receiving layer. A non-gradation image 23 such as character combined with the gradation image is printed before and after the formation of the gradation image. Further, a protective layer 24 is formed on the gradation image 22 or the non-gradation image 23 when necessary, by protective layer transfer means incorporated in the image forming means 18. Thus, a card such as a visiting card 20 with a photograph or a booklet such as a passport can be prepared.

Abstract: A recording unit is formed by successively adhering layers of ink donor film of differing colors to each other. A bottom layer is adhered to an image receiving sheet, along a top edge of the recording unit. The image receiving sheet is longer than the ink donor films. In order to print a color image, the bottom ink donor film is layered onto the image receiving sheet, while the rest of the ink donor films are flipped away from the image receiving sheet. The layered film and sheet are fed from a print starting position through a thermal transfer printer that feeds and prints the film and sheet in a forward direction to a print termination position, and then feeds the film and used sheet in a reverse direction to the print starting position. The used film is removed, the next film layered onto the image receiving sheet, and the process is repeated until all the ink donor films have been used.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer wherein a desired ribbon cassette is identified and selected from among plural ribbon cassettes held by a cassette holding portion and is loaded automatically onto a cassette carrier disposed on a carriage. The carriage is provided with a photosensor for detecting an identification mark provided on each ribbon cassette and a control section which judges whether there is any ribbon cassette held by the holding portion and of which type the ribbon cassette is, in accordance with a signal provided from the photosensor as the carriage moves. The carriage is further provided with a mechanism for making control so as to prevent loosening of ink ribbon at the time of ribbon cassette replacement.

Abstract: In the pull-out direction of continuous color thermosensitive recording paper, a cutter, a transport roller pair, a thermal head, and a fixing unit are disposed in this order. The transport roller pair alternately performs pull-out and pull-back of the continuous color thermosensitive recording paper a plurality of times. During the three pull-back operations of the continuous color thermosensitive recording paper, a yellow image, a magenta image, and a cyan image are sequentially recorded with the thermal head. Shortly before the magenta and cyan images are recorded, the yellow and magenta images are fixed with the fixing unit, when the recording area moves past the fixing unit. After the full-color image is recorded, the continuous color thermosensitive recording paper is again pulled out and when the preset cut position reaches a cutter, the cutter cuts the paper into a print sheet.

Abstract: 1. A tape-shaped label printing device for use with a plurality of freely detachable ribbon cassettes each housing a different colored ink ribbon, the label printing device comprising: a keyboard for inputting text, such as characters and symbols, and for inputting a variety of commands; a data memory for storing inputted text data; a print mechanism including a print head for printing on a print tape in colors of the ink ribbons in the ribbon cassettes; an order setting unit for setting a printing order for printing text stored in the data memory means in a first plurality of colors using corresponding ones of the different colored ink ribbons; and a print control unit for driving the print means to print in the print order set by the order setting means.

Abstract: A printer capable of continuously and sequentially performing the printing of a picture and a text includes a picture printing device for printing an image and a text printing device for printing text. The picture printing device includes an ink sheet and a recording head to print the image by overlaying sublimed color inks. The text printing device may take the form of an ink-jet printer including a head having nozzles for ejecting the ink by means of the pressure of bubbles. Alternatively, the text printing device may take the form of a laser printer.

Abstract: A tape-shaped label printing device for use with a plurality of freely detachably mountable ribbon cassettes each housing a different color ink ribbon for printing serially on a tape in a plurality of print colors, the label printing device including: an input unit for inputting characters, symbols, and a variety of commands; a data memory unit for storing input text data; a tape/ink ribbon movement mechanism for feeding in a feeding direction the tape and, in synchronization with the tape, an ink ribbon of a mounted one of the ribbon cassettes; a print unit including a print head for printing on the tape via the ink ribbon; a color range setting unit for setting, to text stored in the data memory unit, a printing target range for each of the print colors: print control unit for controlling drive of the tape/ribbon movement mechanism and the print unit to print, on the tape, each printing target range set by the color range setting unit; and an idle feed control unit for, after each printing target range set

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer for printing images and patterns on a card with thermally transferable color inks while moving the card back and forth in such a state that the card is held and urged against a thermal print head through an ink ribbon by capstan and platen rollers. In printing, the card is first forwarded over a print-starting point, end then, reversed until the leading end thereof arrives at an overrun stop point prescribed before the print starting point, and thereupon, moved forward until the leading end of the card is positioned at the print-starting point to start printing. Thus, mechanical clearance giving rise to backlash essentially possessed of mechanical elements can be completely eliminated, thereby enabling remarkably high-quality color images to be produced.

Abstract: A thermal printing device is capable of printing labels in a plurality of colours. When printing in a particular colour has been completed, further movement of image receiving tape is prevented so that an image transfer ribbon of a different colour can be exchanged for the first image transfer ribbon. In this way, multiple colour labels can be printed in a simple and efficient manner.

Abstract: A color printer comprises a recording sheet tray 3 capable of storing numerous recording sheets 2, a sheet feed/discharge roller 293 feeding an uppermost recording sheet 2 from the recording sheet tray 3 to a platen roller 7, and a clamp mechanism section 13 clamping a front end of a recording sheet 2 loaded on the platen roller 7 at a predetermined fixed position. A driving device rotates the platen roller 7 to reciprocate the loaded recording sheet 2 in forward and backward directions every time when each of plurality of color images, such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), is printed on the loaded recording sheet 2. A sheet transportation path is defined between the sheet feed/discharge roller 293 and the clamp mechanism section 13 for transporting the loaded recording sheet 2 forward and backward. This sheet transportation path is shorter in length than the recording sheets 2.

Abstract: A paper holder assembly has an axle coaxially positionable to extend axially outwardly from axially opposite bases of a platen drum providing a circumferential outer surface disposed between the opposite bases, the axle has circumferential grooves terminated by corresponding flanges. A pair of brackets each having three arms joined together in a unitary monolithic structure with first and second arms defining a centrally disposed recess having spaced-apart curved sides are positioned to ride along corresponding ones of the circumferential grooves. A pivot pivotally connects the second arms to the opposite bases of the platen drum, and a paper holder extending from the distal portion of the third arm holds edges of sheets of paper against the circumferential outer surface projecting axially inwardly from distal ends of the third arms across the circumferential outer surface. Springs bias the bracket toward a first orientation relative to the pivot.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive coloring recording method for producing multi-color images by use of a reversible thermosensitive coloring recording medium which is composed of a support and a reversible thermosensitive coloring recording layer containing a plurality of reversible thermosensitive coloring compositions, each coloring composition being independently present separated from the other coloring compositions, and capable of reversibly forming a color development state with a different color in a predetermined color development temperature range, and a decolorization state in a predetermined decolorization temperature range by the application of heat thereto and maintaining the above two states at room temperature, the decolorization temperature range being located lower in terms of temperature than the color development temperature range therefor, comprises the steps of: temporarily applying heat to the recording medium to a color development temperature at which at least two of the coloring compositio

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal-transfer recording process employing a transfer material and a image-receiving sheet. The transfer material comprises a support film and an image forming layer containing a coloring material and an organic polymer, and the image-receiving sheet comprises a substrate and a photopolymerizable or photosensitive thermal-adhesive layer.