Abstract: An ink ribbon assembly for use in a thermal transfer printer includes a plurality of ink ribbons 17a, 17b and 17c which has at least one ink ribbon 17c less influence on an outcome the printing accuracy is shorter in length than the other ink ribbons 17a and 17b. The shorter ink ribbon has a terminal end mark 60 formed at its terminal end. At the time point when the end of the shorter ink ribbon is detected in the middle of the printing of one printing area, the other ink ribbons have finished the printing of such printing area, because they are longer than the ink ribbon 17c, and thus, joints cannot be produced in the printing with the longer ink ribbons.

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 dye ribbon cassette for thermal transfer printing comprising a casing containing bearing means having rotatably mounted thereon a cylindrical member having on its periphery a mark carrying information capable of being detected by a sensor on rotation of the member and means operatively engageable with a drive source which is disposed outside of the casing to cause rotation of the member. The cassette may include a pair of identical, spaced apart, shafts rigidly mounted at one end of the casing, one of the shafts forming the bearing means for the cylindrical member, the shafts forming respectively mounting points for a feed spool and a take up spool.

Abstract: A digital camera is disclosed which includes a printer for printing images onto a receiver having preformed authenticating information, the receiver being formed in a cartridge which is insertable into the printer. The camera captures and digitizes an image of a scene and stores the captured digitized scene image. The cartridge includes security control circuitry having a predetermined code for enabling the printer.

Abstract: An image generation-transfer cassette forms an image on a cooperating member. The image generation-transfer cassette includes a cassette body, an image generation medium disposed in the cassette body, and an intermediate transfer recording medium disposed in the cassette body to face the image generation medium. The intermediate transfer recording medium has a substrate layer and an image receiving layer releasably disposed on the substrate layer. The image generation medium generates the image onto the image receiving layer, and the image receiving layer is transferred onto the cooperating member.

Abstract: A pay photograph producing apparatus according to the present invention is one for printing a picture of an optional video signal when money or its substitute is put in, and includes a password means attached to a cartridge for a printing material and/or a cartridge for a printing paper, a means for reading the password means at a time of the cartridge being loaded, and a means for allowing the printing only when the password means is correct.

Abstract: A printer with media supply spool adapted to sense type of media, and method of assembling same. A supply spool to be loaded into the printer is adapted to allow the printer to sense type of a media ribbon thereon. The supply spool comprises a shaft having a supply of media ribbon wound thereabout. A transceiver unit is disposed proximate the shaft. The transceiver is capable of transmitting a first electromagnetic field and sensing a second electromagnetic field. A transponder including a semi-conductor chip is integrally connected to the shaft and has encoded data previously stored therein indicative of the type of media ribbon. The chip is capable of receiving the first electromagnetic field to power the chip and then generating the second electromagnetic field as the chip is powered. The second electromagnetic field is characteristic of the data previously stored in the chip. The transceiver unit senses the second electromagnetic field, which second electromagnetic field has the data subsumed in the chip.

Abstract: An ink ribbon-print paper cassette is used in a thermal printer. A paper tray accommodates a stack of single sheets of print paper. The paper tray has an opening through which the print paper is fed into a paper path on a sheet-by-sheet basis. An ink ribbon for thermal printing runs over a thermal head located adjacent the paper tray. A housing accommodates the paper tray, thermal head, and ink ribbon therein. When the cassette is loaded into the thermal printer, the outer surface of the cassette and an inner wall of the thermal printer cooperate to form a paper path therebetween through which each of the sheets of print paper is advanced from the paper tray to the thermal head.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ink cartridge assembly including applying plastic foils to opposite surfaces of a sheet of foam while heating the foils to a temperature above the melting temperature of the foils using a heating press, stamping out a foam body from the sheet, and inserting the body into an ink cartridge housing. Alternatively, the surfaces are covered with a perforated or porous varnish coating or with composite foils of first and second layers having different melting temperatures where the layer with the lower melting temperature is disposed against the sheet of foam.

Abstract: An insertable thermal printer cartridge for insertion into a digital camera or the like includes a housing for receiving a plurality of receivers each of which is adapted to receive colorant, and a donor supply roll for supplying a donor having colorant to a colorant transfer area and a donor take-up spool for receiving donor after colorant has been transferred. The receivers and the donor are respectively moved to the colorant transfer area where colorant is transferred from the donor to the receiver, and the housing including identifying contacts which, after the insertable thermal printer cartridge has been inserted into the device, which provide an electrical connection to identify the type of receiver and donor in the inserted insertable thermal printer cartridge and further defining a cavity for mounting at least one battery which is adapted to provide power for moving the donor and receivers and for supplying power for colorant transfer at the colorant transfer area.

Abstract: A method of printing utilizing a printing apparatus having a base mounting a print head which has a plurality of printing elements each of which is operable to transfer a pixel of print medium from a carrier onto an adjacent substrate, the method comprising causing relative movement between the substrate and carrier, and the print head, such that the print head moves relative to an area of the carrier from a start position to an end of print position whilst utilizing some or all of the printing elements to transfer a set of pixels of print medium from the area of the carrier onto the substrate, wherein during the printing operation the area of the substrate and carrier is moved in a feed direction at a first speed relative to the base and the print head is also moved relative to the base in the feed direction.

Abstract: A thermal ink ribbon cassette for holding an inked ribbon of indefinite length for use in a thermal transfer printing mechanism holds a spool of fresh ink ribbon which passes out of the cassette and across a thermal printing head, and then back into the cassette. The features of construction and arrangement of the cassette are such that the length of the portion of the normal feed path of envelopes through the mailing machine in which the ink ribbon and the envelopes travel coextensively is reduced to an absolute minimum to avoid unnecessary contact after printing take place. A slanted wall is provided for ensuring that the envelopes remain in their normal path of travel regardless of any tendency of the envelope to adhere to the ink ribbon after the point of normal separation, or if they are bulged and tend to jam on internal portions of the mailing machine.

Abstract: A cassette transfer mechanism for a thermal transfer printer with a cassette platform and a cassette holder for holding a plurality of ribbon cassettes. The cassette transfer mechanism transfers a ribbon cassette between the cassette platform and the cassette holder by driving the platform and holder to come into and out of contact with each other. The cassette holder and the cassette platform each have movable members and stationary members for engaging a ribbon cassette. A further embodiment includes elastic members on the cassette holder for abutting the reels of the ribbon cassette to elastically bias the reels in one direction.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer has a thermal print head with a number of thermal print elements which are operated by power electronics and controlled by a control unit to print an imprint on a medium by thermally transferring ink from an inking ribbon to the medium by energization of selected print elements by the control unit, with the inking ribbon and the medium being movably disposed between the print head and a counter-roller with the inking ribbon being unwound from a supply reel and wound onto a take-up reel. In a method and apparatus for preventing usage of an unauthorized inking ribbon, an authorization marking is produced on the inking ribbon which embodies an authorization code. The same authorization code is stored in a memory accessible by the control unit. The authorization code is read from the inking ribbon prior to using the inking ribbon to produce an imprint, and a corresponding signal is generated.

Abstract: An ink sheet reel capable,of being loaded into a recording apparatus has an ink sheet winding portion on which an ink sheet can be wound, and power transmission means provided so as to create an axial thrust in the ink sheet winding portion.

Abstract: Printer defining a reduced exterior envelope and method of providing same. The printer comprises a housing having a top wall. The printer also has a front side wall with an aperture for receiving a dye-carrying cartridge therethrough. A printhead is disposed in the housing. A movable platen is disposed in the housing in a first position spaced-apart from the printhead and a movable arm attached to the platen and engageable with the cartridge as the cartridge is received through the aperture. The arm moves from a first location to a second location thereof as the arm engages the cartridge and the platen moves from the first position to a second position thereof adjacent the printhead as the arm moves from the first location to the second location. In this manner, the printer defines a reduced exterior envelope because the cartridge is loaded through the aperture in the front sidewall rather through the top wall of the printer.

Abstract: A printing apparatus employs a nearly linear conveying path P2 for printing paper P from a position confronting the platen roller 6 and thermal head 7 for composing the printing unit 3 to the paper discharge unit 2. The capstan roller 4, pinch roller 5, and discharge rollers 10, 10 are disposed opposedly to the conveying path P2, and at an intermediate position of the conveying path P2 intersects the conveying path P1 from the paper supply unit 1 to the printing unit 3. A paper supply port is disposed at the bottom of the paper cassette forming the paper supply unit 1, so that the conveying path P1 from the paper supply port to the printing unit 3 is shortened, and accordingly the paper conveying path is shortened. The printer construction simplified and downsized, while the precision of positioning of the printing paper and positioning of the printing head is enhanced, so that the printing quality may be improved.

Abstract: A thermal ink ribbon cassette for holding an inked ribbon of indefinite length for is in a thermal transfer printing mechanism is disclosed in which the cassette holds a spool of fresh ink ribbon which passes out of the cassette and across a thermal printing head, and then back into the cassette into a used ribbon chamber. A ribbon drive mechanism is mounted in the cassette adjacent the location on the cassette where the used ribbon normally enters the cassette so that if the ribbon breaks, the free broken end can be manually fed into the drive mechanism so that the remaining portion of the unused ribbon can be used. The cassette may also be provided with a removable front wall so that replacement ribbons can be inserted by a user, and a disposable container can be put into the ribbon take up chamber of the cassette so that a user does not have to handle the rumpled ink ribbon when changing to a new ribbon.

Abstract: A cassette casing for holding an ink film ribbon has a discharge outlet for the ink film ribbon. A winding core is rotatably mounted in the cassette casing. An ink film ribbon is wound on the winding core and has one end thereof discharged through the discharge outlet. At least one slide contact member is disposed at the discharge outlet and contacts the ink film ribbon along the full width of the ink film ribbon.

Abstract: Dye cartridge adapted to reduce an exterior envelope of a printer and method of providing same. The printer comprises a housing having a front sidewall that has an aperture therethrough. A platen and a print head are disposed in the housing. The print head is movable from a first position spaced-apart from the platen to a second position adjacent the platen, such that the platen and the print head define a clearance therebetween when the print head is in the first position. A dye donor cartridge, which has an elongate neck portion defining a longitudinal axis therealong, is insertable through the aperture and into the housing to a position adjacent the print head. The neck portion, which is formed by a pair of spaced-apart parallel tines, is sized to be received through the clearance for interference-free insertion of the cartridge. Moreover, the cartridge includes a dye donor supply spool and also includes a dye donor take-up spool which is disposed in the neck portion.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording apparatus capable of preventing deterioration of printing quality likely to be caused by ink ribbon creases. The recording apparatus uses a replaceable ink ribbon cartridge which has an ink ribbon wound on a take-up spindle and a feed spindle. A take-up spindle support section rotatably supports the take-up spindle when the ink ribbon cartridge is mounted in a specific position. The recording apparatus is further provided with a displaceable retaining member displaceable between a first position, for holding the take-up spindle between the take-up spindle support section and the retaining member to restrict the displacement of the take-up spindle, and a second position, for permitting movement of the take-up spindle into the take-up spindle support section.

Abstract: A method of printing utilizing a printing apparatus having a base mounting a print head which has a plurality of printing elements each of which is operable to transfer a pixel of print medium from a carrier onto an adjacent substrate, the method comprising causing relative movement between the substrate and carrier, and the print head, such that the print head moves relative to an area of the carrier from a start position to an end of print position while utilizing some or all of the printing elements to transfer a set of pixels of print medium from the area of the carrier onto the substrate, wherein during the printing operation the area of the substrate and carrier is moved in a feed direction at a first speed relative to the base and the print head is also moved relative to the base in the feed direction.

Abstract: A cartridge system and method adapted to tension a dye ribbon associated therewith. The cartridge system is disposed in a printer that includes an enclosure. A first spool belonging to the cartridge system is disposed in the enclosure. The first spool has the dye ribbon wound thereabout. The dye ribbon has a leading end portion extending from the first spool. A second spool is associated with the first spool, the second spool having the leading end portion of the dye ribbon connected thereto. A cartridge body, which houses the first spool and the second spool, has a flexible portion movable from a first position thereof spaced-apart from the dye ribbon wound about the first spool to a second position thereof into engagement with the dye ribbon wound about the first spool. When the flexible portion moves to the second position thereof, it imposes a drag force acting on the dye ribbon in order to tension the dye ribbon as the drag force acts on the dye ribbon.

Abstract: A cartridge lockout system and method for an image forming apparatus, which includes a cartridge and a wheel rotatably mounted on the cartridge. The wheel has a plurality of digital indicators, each digital indicator being in a first condition or a second condition. A sensor is secured to the image forming apparatus adjacent the digital indicators for sensing the digital indicators and the first and second conditions of the digital indicators and producing a sensor signal during rotation of the wheel. Further included is an engine that has a machine class code and a cartridge support registry data table stored therein. The engine is in electrical communication with the sensor, receives the sensor signal, generates a cartridge class code based on the sensor signal, compares the cartridge class code to the machine class code, and disables operation of the engine if the cartridge class code does not match the machine class code in the cartridge support registry data table.

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: In a facsimile machine, when a received image data having resolution of standard mode is stored in a reception data memory, the image data is decoded and then converted to image data of two fine or four super fine lines and stored in a first recording data memory. The image data stored in the first recording data memory is subjected to a thin-out processing at a set reduction ratio, then stored in a second recording data memory and finally recorded on a recording sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape and cutting the tape to a label of a desirable length, and also a tape cartridge used in the tape printing device. The tape cartridge has a characteristic element readably storing specific information on the tape such as a width of the tape. The tape printing device reads the characteristic element to control printing conditions according to the type of the tape cartridge. More specifically, the tape printing device determines a variety of parameters including a number of lines and character sizes of the character series printed on the tape as well as lengths of left and right margins. When a tape of a relatively large width is set in the tape cartridge, the device increases a rotation torque of a platen for feeding the tape.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a carriage having a first holding device for detachably holding a cassette that incorporates an ink ribbon and a thermal printing head for effecting printing on a recording sheet through the ink ribbon; a guide track for guiding the carriage in a direction perpendicular to a feed direction of the recording sheet; a carriage driver for reciprocating the carriage along the guide track; a cassette holder having a plurality of second holding devices arranged in line each for detachably holding one cassette, one of the first and second holding devices having a pair of rigid holding members for detachably holding the cassette by relative movements in directions of gripping and releasing the cassette, and the other having a pair of elastic holding members for elastically holding the cassette by gripping it in between so that the cassette can be inserted into or pulled out from the elastic holding members; first mechanism for reciprocating the cassette holder between a waiting position and

Abstract: A thermal transfer film cassette (1) used after having been removably loaded in a thermal transfer printer (2) is disclosed, which enables an appropriate printing without being used erroneously by the thermal transfer printer and without being forged or counterfeited. The thermal transfer film cassette (1) comprises: a thermal transfer film (11) for transferring thermo-recorded data onto a receiver sheet (4); a cassette casing (10) for housing the thermal transfer film (11) therein; and a light diffractive structure (20) formed on the cassette casing, for forming a diffractive image when irradiated with reproducing light. The diffractive image has printing data related to adaptability between the thermal transfer film cassette (1) and the thermal transfer printer (2). Further, it is preferable to form the light diffractive structure as being fragile to disable the fragile light diffractive structure (40) from being used again for forgery, after having been removed.

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: An ink ribbon cassette apparatus which eliminates slack in an ink ribbon when the ink ribbon cassette is loaded on a printer. The ink ribbon is supplied from a supply reel and taken up on a take-up reel both supported on the cassette. A detector detects when the cassette is loaded on the cassette apparatus and in turn drives the take-up reel to draw a short length of the ink ribbon onto the take-up reel. The rotatable supply member is restrained by spring tension from rotating and from supplying the ribbon, providing a back tension on the ink ribbon and preventing slack.

Abstract: A compact ink ribbon cartridge includes a casing divided into lower and upper halves and rotatably mounts ink ribbon supply and take-up reels in a parallel spaced apart relationship. A length of ink ribbon is wound between the reels so as to be stretched over a head insertion opening provided through the cartridge casing. A guide portion is provided at a central portion of the cartridge casing such that ink ribbon guide shafts are disposed at both sides of the head insertion opening along the path of winding of the ink ribbon. A plurality of guide shafts are provided at each side of the head insertion opening as necessary for prevention of wrinkling and/or slackening of the ink ribbon. Furthermore, the print head of a printer is provided with guide shafts to guide the ink ribbon and to minimize the vertical distance that the print head must travel.

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing on a continuous print medium by ink transfer from a thermal print ribbon has a print head which is pivotally mounted and which is driven in an oscillatory nodding motion by a stepper motor so as to repeatedly to bring a linear array of energizable printing elements to bear against a platen roller. Both the element array and the platen extend transversely to respective paths of travel of the print medium and the ribbon. The print medium is fed through the printer from an inlet region, between the platen and print head, and thence to an outlet region. The instantaneous rate of travel of the print medium past the print head is substantially the same as the rate of feed of print medium to the printer. Typically this rate is of the order of 250 to 400 mm per second. The ribbon also travels between the print head and the platen, overlying the print medium and is driven in such a manner that it travels at the same rate as the print medium during each printing operation.

Abstract: The thermal ribbon cassette is attachable to a thermal printing apparatus, the cassette housing is formed by a forward section attached to a rear wall to define a chamber. A supply spool is rotatively mounted to the forward section and the rear wall in the chamber. The supply spool has an ink transfer ribbon continuously wrapped there around and a number of interrupters continuously formed around the edge of the spool. A drag spring is mounted to the rear wall and biased against the interrupters for providing a rotational drag force. The take-up spool is rotatively mounted to the forward section and the rear wall in the chamber, the ink transfer ribbon has one end fixably mounted to the take-up spool and a portion extending through slots in the housing such that a portion of the ink transfer ribbon extends externally to said chamber. A locking gear arrangement is provided for preventing rotation of the take-up spool except in a forward direction.

Abstract: A storage box (10, 12) for a dye ribbon cassette (33) which is provided with a laterally outwardly extending handle (28, 29) at each lateral side allowing easy gripping of the cassette, said storage box being a generally rectangular enclosure having a top, bottom, two side walls and a rear wall, a front opening (18) giving access to the box and a door (19) for closing such opening, and a slot (22) in each side wall extending up from the front end of the box in the direction of the rear wall, the height and the configuration of said slots being such as to allow insertion of a cassette in the storage box through its front opening while the handles fit in said slots, the outside portion of the handles remaining outside of the box thereby allowing gripping of the cassette.

Abstract: A removable cassette assembly is provided for mounting thermal transfer ribbon in a single-pass multi-color thermal printer. The thermal printer includes a platen roller, a web of receptor media received around the platen roller, a thermal print head, a cantilever support for mounting the print head in corresponding relation to the platen roller, and a pair of drive rollers for advancing the receptor media. The cassette assembly consists of a cassette body, a supply roll for storing a length of unused thermal transfer ribbon, a take-up roll for taking up used ribbon. The rolls are mounted for rotation on the cassette body and the cassette body is received onto the cantilever support for positioning of the ribbon between the print head and the receptor media. The ribbon is driven through the print nip by friction between the receptor media and the print head. The take-up roll engages with a drive motor when the cassette is received onto the cantilever for driving take-up of the ribbon.

Abstract: A cassette for thermal-transfer printing ribbon (2), designed to be fitted in a printer comprising a printing head (21) in front of which sheets of paper (30) are intended to pass and comprising a housing (3; 103) for accommodating a delivery spool (4; 104), a housing (5; 105) for accommodating a take-up spool (6; 106), means (8; 108) designed to be driven in rotation and drive the take-up spool (6; 106), a window (9; 109) being made between the two housings (3, 5; 103, 105) and designed to allow interaction of the printing head (21) and the ribbon (2) extending between the two housings (3, 5; 103, 105).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a label creation cassette capable of creating a label when mounted on a thermal printer used as an output unit for personal computers and wordprocessors.A cassette case 1 with a substantially rectangular surface includes substantially cylindrical cores 2a, 2b, 2c each rotatably supported therein. An image transfer tape 3 is wound around the core 2a of these three cores. Further, a thermal transfer ink ribbon 4 is wound around one of the remaining two cores or the core 2b and the other core 2c is used to wind the ink ribbon 4.

Abstract: A recording device for recording impressions made by a transfer thermal printer, the device comprising a transfer film paid out from a roll and taken up by a drum, the roll and the drum being disposed inside a cassette having a side wall including a setback defining a print zone, wherein the cassette includes a read window other than the print zone, guides designed to impose a path on the transfer film such that the transfer film passes the window between the roll and the drum, and a support for a contrast surface.

Abstract: A non-volatile memory is mounted on a supply for a thermal printer and includes color correction and carrier defect data which are used by the printer to make prints.

Abstract: An ink sheet cartridge mountable on a recording apparatus includes a frame, an ink sheet provided in the frame, a takeup reel for winding the ink sheet, a supply reel for unwinding the ink sheet, and a driving force transmission means for transmitting a driving force to the ink sheet changing a driving speed from the side of the recording apparatus so as to move the ink sheet from the supply reel to the takeup reel with a moving speed corresponding to the kind of the ink sheet, The recording apparatus can mount the ink sheet cartridge.

Abstract: A scanner disposed within a portable copier includes a scan carriage, a document indexer for transporting a document along a document transport path, a copy sheet indexer for transporting a copy sheet along a copy sheet transport path, and a printhead and ink supply cartridge, preferably a ribbon cartridge, supported by the scan carriage. The document and copy sheet paths are disposed on opposite sides of the ribbon cartridge, allowing removal and replacement of the ribbon cartridge on the scan carriage without disturbing the position of either the copy sheet or the document. Separate motors drive the document and copy sheet indexers, so that the copy sheet may be ejected from the device without advancing the document and without moving the scan carriage.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer including: a carriage 5 provided for causing reciprocatory motions along a platen 2; a thermal head 6 disposed on this carriage 5; a ribbon cassette 21 accommodating an ink ribbon 14 therein and detachably installed on the upper surface of the carriage 5; a head operating mechanism 30 for supporting the thermal head 6 on the carriage 5 and bringing the thermal head 6 into contact with or releasing it from the platen 2; a driving motor for driving this head operating mechanism 30; a peeling roller 20 brought into contact with or released from the platen 2 in order to change a distance between a printing portion by the thermal head 6 and a peeling portion where the ink ribbon 14 is peeled off after finishing the printing operation; and a peeling lever 19 mounting the peeling roller 2 at the distal end thereof and including an engaging pin 50 which is pressed to engage with the head operating mechanism 30 in accordance with a kind of the ribbon cassette 21.