With Transfer Medium Or Driving Means Therefor Patents (Class 347/217)
  • Patent number: 8760481
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method to flash print an image. The apparatus includes an energy source that delivers energy. The apparatus includes an energy pulse width modulator coupled to the energy source. The energy pulse width modulator may receive energy from the energy source and modulate the energy received from the energy source. The energy pulse width modulator may be driven by a logic module. The apparatus also includes a plurality of imaging pixels modulated by the energy pulse width modulator and conveying modulated energy to a host material. The host material may be in close proximity to a receiving medium and the modulated energy may release the dye from the host material into the receiving medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Inventor: Mark R. Jones
  • Patent number: 8730287
    Abstract: A ribbon drive assembly for optimizing the tension across a ribbon supply in a thermal transfer printer comprising a supply spindle and a take up spindle operable for cooperating with each other such that the ribbon supply is fed from the supply spindle through a print station and metered onto the take up spindle. Each spindle is provided with and connected to a motor, a plurality of gears, and a rotary encoder such that the spindles may be independently controlled by a control processor. The control processor is operable for monitoring, detecting, and controlling the operation of the motors and spindles. During operation and in order to maintain a constant ribbon tension, the torque on the motors are continuously adjusted in accordance with various data provided by the printer's processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Datamax-O'Neil Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Bouverie, Roger Keith Owens, Marjorie Hitz
  • Publication number: 20140132697
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus for heating a recording medium and a transfer film with a transfer member and a transfer platen transferring an image includes a transfer film transport member, a recording medium transport member, a peeling member peeling off the transfer film, a support member supporting the transfer surface of the recording medium, and a bracket. A recording medium contact point of the peeling member is set in the same position as a first tangent passing through a recording medium contact point of the transfer member and a contact of the recording medium of a transport member and a recording medium contact point of the support member is set in the same position as a second tangent passing through the recording medium contact point of the transfer member and the recording medium contact point of the peeling member or on the transfer platen side relative to the second tangent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohichi SAKAI, Tetsuya NODA, Akira TAKEI, Tatsuya ASAKAWA, Daisuke KANEOYA, Kota HIHARA
  • Publication number: 20140132698
    Abstract: A method of detecting a reduction in tension in a tape, wherein the tape is transferable between a first spool (15) and a second spool (17) by a tape drive (11), the tape drive (11) having a motor control system (25) which includes two DC motors (16, 18) and a controller (24) for controlling the operation of the motors (16, 18), the tape drive (11) also having two spool supports (12, 14), each of which is suitable for supporting a spool (15, 17) of tape, and each of which is driven by a respective one of the motors (16, 18), the method including storing a value relating to the current required to be supplied to each motor (16, 18) to maintain tension in the tape, and comparing a value relating to the current being supplied to each of the motors (16, 18) during tape transfer with the respective stored values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Markem-Imaje Limited
    Inventor: Phillip Lakin
  • Patent number: 8717397
    Abstract: There is provided a thermal transfer sheet that, by virtue of flexibility and heat resistance imparted by a primer layer constituting the thermal transfer sheet, is less likely to be broken even upon exposure to a high level of thermal energy and is highly suitable for high-speed printing. The thermal transfer sheet has a thermally transferable colorant layer provided on one surface of a base material sheet, and a heat-resistant slipping layer provided on the other surface of the base material sheet through a primer layer. The primer layer contains at least a polyvinyl alcohol resin and a crosslinking agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoko Suzuki, Yoshimasa Kobayashi, Kano Sakamoto, Shinya Yoda, Mitsuhiro Oota
  • Patent number: 8687033
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring an image of predetermined length onto a substrate by selective energization of a row of printing elements in a printhead of a printing apparatus. Operational characteristics of the printing apparatus are determined, and the image is rendered such that the number of rows of the pixels in the rendered image is no greater than the maximum number of rows of pixels which can be printed in the length of the image given the operational characteristics of the printing apparatus. Additional rows of pixels may be printed between pairs of rows of printed which correspond to consecutive rows in the rendered image. The pixel content of each additional row is a function of the pixel content of the adjacent pairs of rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Videojet Technologies (Nottingham) Limited
    Inventor: Philip Hart
  • Patent number: 8665301
    Abstract: A method of operation of the tape drive, including obtaining the circumferences a supply spool, and a take-up spool, each spool being mounted upon a respective rotatable spool support which is mounted in a housing, the method including rotating the take-up spool support and the supply spool support simultaneously, so as to feed tape from the supply spool into a tape path extending between the spools, and to wind tape on to the take-up spool from the tape path, determining a length of tape fed into the tape path during a measurement period using a sensor assembly, monitoring the angle through which each of the spool supports has rotated during the measurement period, regulating the length of the tape in the tape path, such that the length of the tape in the tape path at the start of the measurement period and the length of the tape in the tape path at the end of the measurement period are substantially the same, and using knowledge of the length of tape fed into the tape path during the measurement period and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Markem-Imaje Limited
    Inventors: Simon Starkey, Phillip Lakin
  • Publication number: 20140055547
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a printing apparatus includes a conveying section configured to move a recording medium fed from a paper roll along a conveyance path, a thermal head configured to thermally transfer ink of an ink ribbon to the recording medium to print, a control section configured to discriminate a print mode for the recording medium and control the printing processing for the recording medium and a feed length counting section configured to count the feed length of the recording medium conveyed from the paper roll to the thermal head in a first direction when the print mode is a preset mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Futoshi Mori
  • Publication number: 20140055548
    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 supply roll 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: KODAK ALARIS INC.
    Inventors: Robert F. MINDLER, Steven J. TOMANOVICH, Richard SALTER, Joseph Anthony MANICO
  • Patent number: 8643688
    Abstract: A printing device includes a casing, an upper cover, plural light sources, and a sensing module. The plural light sources are used for emitting plural light beams. The upper cover is connected with the casing, and rotatable relative the casing. The plural light sources are disposed on the upper cover, and arranged in a row. The sensing module is disposed under the plural light sources, and movable relative to the casing along a specified direction. After the light beams transmitted through a gap of the transfer paper are received by the sensing module, the gap is detected by the sensing module. The plural light beams emitted by the plural light sources can be projected onto any movable position of the sensing module. In other words, it is not necessary to align the sensing module and the plural light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Liang Chen, Wen-Hsien Yen
  • Publication number: 20130342626
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Robert F. Mindler, Alex D. Horvath, Steven J. Tomanovich
  • Patent number: 8581948
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus for generating render information of an image includes a storage for storing shape information of strokes forming the image; an information acquiring unit for acquiring the shape information of strokes from the storage; a thickness acquiring unit for acquiring thickness information of the image; a stroke generator for generating a number of parallel strokes that are each parallel to an original stroke, and to specify intervals between the parallel strokes, wherein the number and the intervals correspond to the thickness information; a length adjusting unit for adjusting a length of a first parallel stroke parallel to a first original stroke and/or a length of a second parallel stroke parallel to a second original stroke that is connected to the first original stroke; and a render information generator for registering, in the render information, the shape information of the parallel stroke whose length has been adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumihiro Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20130286139
    Abstract: An ink sheet damage calculating unit compares image element density data of each of areas into which an image is divided by an image area dividing unit with a first threshold to calculate the total number of pixels each having density data equal to or larger than the first threshold for each area, and then compares the total number of pixels calculated for each area with a second threshold. A printing operation selecting unit uses a remaining area of an already-used ink area for formation of a next print image when the total number of pixels is smaller than the second threshold in every one of all the areas, and uses an ink area in a new unit area for formation of a next print image when the total number of pixels is equal to or larger than the second threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ichirou Furuki, Yoshifumi Yamamoto, Takashi Hatakenaka
  • Patent number: 8564634
    Abstract: An aligning device for a printing member in a printer in which it is presupposed to use a printer of a one-end supporting structure. The printing member, such as a thermal transfer ribbon 3, can be used by selecting one of center alignment and one-end alignment. A rack and pinion structure within a cylindrical shaft 22 includes a pinion 16 rotatably provided within the cylindrical shaft 22, a pair of racks 17 and 18, a push-in projection 19 configured to push one rack 17 toward the push-in end 22B of the cylindrical shaft 22. A positioning projection 20 is configured to detachably engage with any of a plurality of positioning engagement holes 26 defined in the cylindrical shaft 22 along an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sato Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kokuta
  • Patent number: 8553054
    Abstract: A thermal-transfer laminate film includes a base film, an untransferring release layer, and an image protection layer. The untransferring release layer is provided on the base film and includes a first thermoplastic resin having a first I/O value. The image protection layer is provided on the untransferring release layer and includes a second thermoplastic resin having a second I/O value, an absolute value of a difference between the first I/O value and the second I/O value being larger than 0.40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Yasumatsu
  • Patent number: 8547408
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printer comprises a print head drive mechanism that is configured to reciprocally move a print head parallel to movement of a carrier ribbon past the print head. A controller is configured to control the print head drive mechanism to move the print head in a first direction along the carrier ribbon to transfer ink material from the carrier ribbon to a substrate to print a first portion of an image on a first area of the substrate. The controller is also configured to control movement of the print head in a second direction opposite to the first direction as the carrier ribbon and substrate are also moved in the second direction to position the print head relative to the carrier ribbon so that a second portion of the image is printed on a second are of the substrate adjacent to the first area of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Videojet Technologies (Nottingham) Limited
    Inventors: Martin McNestry, Philip Hart
  • Patent number: 8537187
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printing device includes a thermal transfer printing module and a paper ejecting module. The paper ejecting module includes a D-shaped ejecting roller, a driving gear, a switching roller, a spring, and a stopper. During a thermal transfer paper is printed by the thermal transfer printing module, the spring provides a friction force to the switching roller. In response to the friction force, the switching roller is driven by the driving gear, and the D-shaped ejecting roller is not contacted with the thermal transfer paper. After the printing task of the thermal transfer printing module is completed, the friction force provided by the spring allows the D-shaped ejecting roller to transport the thermal transfer paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Primax Electronics Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian Zeng
  • Publication number: 20130222509
    Abstract: A thermal transfer ribbon comprises a substrate, and a clear thermal transfer coating disposed on one side of the substrate, wherein the clear thermal transfer coating is substantially devoid of pigment material. Also, a method of manufacturing a thermal transfer ribbon for finishing a printed label comprises applying to one major side surface of a substrate a clear thermal transfer coating which is substantially devoid of pigment material. Further, an apparatus comprises a label printer, a thermal transfer printer, and an in-line feeding mechanism which interconnects the label printer and the thermal transfer printer to feed a printed label from the label printer to the thermal transfer printer so that the thermal transfer printer can thermally transfer a clear thermal transfer coating to the printed label to provide a finished label.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: NCR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason L. Lence, Donald Eaton
  • Publication number: 20130208072
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printing device includes a thermal transfer printing module and a paper ejecting module. The paper ejecting module includes a D-shaped ejecting roller, a driving gear, a switching roller, a spring, and a stopper. During a thermal transfer paper is printed by the thermal transfer printing module, the spring provides a friction force to the switching roller. In response to the friction force, the switching roller is driven by the driving gear, and the D-shaped ejecting roller is not contacted with the thermal transfer paper. After the printing task of the thermal transfer printing module is completed, the friction force provided by the spring allows the D-shaped ejecting roller to transport the thermal transfer paper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: PRIMAX ELECTRONICS LTD.
    Inventor: Jian Zeng
  • Patent number: 8477167
    Abstract: A thermal printer is disclosed. The thermal printer includes a thermal head on which plural heat-generating elements are arrayed; and a platen mounted opposite to the thermal head. The thermal printer uses an ink ribbon and paper held between the thermal head and the platen, and the thermal printer performs printing by causing the heat-generating elements to generate heat such that inks of the ink ribbon are transferred to the paper. The ink ribbon has a base film on which color inks and a transparent laminate ink are successively and repetitively arranged, and a pressure force acting between the thermal head and the platen is made different between when the color inks are transferred and when the laminate ink is transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kato, Yasushi Hirumi
  • Patent number: 8466939
    Abstract: A thermal sublimation printer system for precisely cutting a print medium includes a feeding mechanism, a thermal print head, a sensor, a cutting mechanism and a control unit. The paper feeding mechanism is used for moving the print medium, and the thermal print head is used for transferring at least one dye region of a ribbon onto the print medium so as to form an image region on the print medium, correspondingly. The sensor is used for sensing a recognition mark on the print medium, and the cutting mechanism is used for cutting the print medium. The control unit is used for controlling the cutting mechanism to cut the print medium when the sensor senses the recognition mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: HiTi Digital, Inc.
    Inventors: Yao-Hsien Huang, Chien-Ju Chen
  • Patent number: 8448200
    Abstract: A transferred medium is provided. In one exemplary embodiment a transferred medium includes a projection part projected in a transferring direction of the transferred medium from a front end part of the medium such that the projection part traverses the front end part of the medium. The thickness of a part of the projection part can be configured to be greater than the thickness of the front end part, the width of the projection part in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction can be narrower than the width of the front part in that same direction, and the urging force by the urging member can act on the projection part and the front end part during transfer of the transferred medium. A recording apparatus system that includes a transferred medium is also provided, as are other embodiments of a transferred medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Sanshiro Takeshita
  • Patent number: 8441510
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that receives a supply of an image receiving medium and includes a platen arranged to feed the image receiving medium selectively in one of a forward and reverse direction. A print head arranged to print an image on the image receiving medium while the medium is fed in the forward direction and an arcuate guide portion partially encasing the platen and movable relative to the surface of the platen. The guide portion having an inoperative position in which it is spaced from the print head to permit a supply of image receiving medium to be received and an operative position wherein the guide portion is moved to be proximate to the print head whereby the guide portion in the operative position restricts movement of the image receiving medium in a direction perpendicular to the forward and reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Kris Vandermeulen, Erwin Vereecken
  • Patent number: 8436881
    Abstract: An image recording medium transfer apparatus includes: a capstan that transfers a recording medium for an image; a pinch roller provided opposite the capstan to pass the recording medium between the pinch roller and the capstan; and a pressing force application unit configured to exert a pressing force to press the capstan and the pinch roller against each other via the recording medium. The capstan includes a plurality of projections on a pressing surface of the capstan that presses the recording medium. When a height of each of the projections from the pressing surface is defined as H, the height H is in a range of 20 mm<H?40 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Tamura
  • Patent number: 8432422
    Abstract: A transferred medium is provided. In one exemplary embodiment a transferred medium includes a projection part projected in a transferring direction. The projection part can be integrally formed at a front end of the transferred medium. The transferred medium can have a plate shape that can be nipped between a feed driving roller that is rotationally driven and a feed driven roller that is rotationally driven in contact with the feed driving roller. The transferred medium can also be configured to be transferred in the transferring direction with the rotation of the feed driving roller. Further, the transferred medium can include a plurality of the projection parts at its front end in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the transferred medium with a predetermined pitch. Other embodiments of a transferred medium are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Sanshiro Takeshita
  • Patent number: 8432420
    Abstract: A thermal printer is proposed that includes an ink ribbon on which a color ink portion and a non-color ink portion are alternately formed in a conveyance direction, a supply bobbin on which the ink ribbon is wound, a take-up bobbin on which the ink ribbon is to be wound, and a housing that contains the supply bobbin and the take-up bobbin. When an error occurs during transferring of an ink on the color ink surface, the ink ribbon is conveyed so that a portion of the ink ribbon exposed from the ink cassette between the supply bobbin and the take-up bobbin is the non-color ink portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuko Kakuta, Atsushi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8400485
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printer includes a printing unit for thermal transfer printing with a print head via a ribbon having a dye layer; a first bending member having at least one curved surface that is aligned perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward a surface of the ribbon for bending the ribbon after thermal transfer, a second bending member disposed at a distance from the first bending member having at least one acute apex that is aligned perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward the surface of the ribbon, the apex causing a bend line to be formed in the used ribbon conveyed from the first bending member; a folder for folding the ribbon conveyed from the second bending member along the bend line; and a heater for fusing opposing dye layers of the folded ribbon together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Hirota
  • Patent number: 8400486
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a thermal transfer sheet including: a dye layer which is provided on one side of a substrate and which contains an indoaniline dye; and a transferred image coating layer provided on that side of the substrate on which the dye layer is formed, the transferred image coating layer being operable to coat an image thermally transferred onto a transferred image receiving sheet, wherein the transferred image coating layer contains a compound having a predetermined structure and a binder resin, and the content of the compound having the predetermined structure is 0.5 to 8 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the binder resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Shinohara
  • Patent number: 8363077
    Abstract: A transfer medium manufacturing method which manufactures a transfer medium in which a color material capable of being transferred to a target is attached to a base material, includes attaching first liquid containing the color material to the base material to form a colored layer, and attaching second liquid containing resin on the first liquid attached to the base material during the step of attaching the first liquid before the first liquid is dried, thereby forming a resin layer and forming a colored resin layer where the first liquid and the second liquid are mixed with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kunihiko Matsuhashi
  • Patent number: 8363076
    Abstract: A printing apparatus 1 compares a distance ? from a printing finish position of received printing data to a card rear end with a distance ? set corresponding to a peeling distance ? in which an ink ribbon R peels off from a card C, and thereby determines whether or not the printing finish position is within the distance ? from the card rear end. As a result, when it is determined that the printing finish position is within the distance ? from the card rear end, it is controlled that reeling of the ink ribbon R is performed by at least a distance obtained by adding the distance ? to the distance ? after printing on the card C is finished, and that the thermal head is then retreated to a retreat position. By this means, when the printing finish position is in the vicinity of the card rear end, the sag of the ink ribbon pulled out by a drop of the thermal head is resolved, and the ink ribbon does not wind itself around the platen roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Aihara, Tsuyoshi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20130010047
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring an image of predetermined length onto a substrate by selective energization of a row of printing elements in a printhead of a printing apparatus. Operational characteristics of the printing apparatus are determined, and the image is rendered such that the number of rows of the pixels in the rendered image is no greater than the maximum number of rows of pixels which can be printed in the length of the image given the operational characteristics of the printing apparatus. Additional rows of pixels may be printed between pairs of rows of printed which correspond to consecutive rows in the rendered image. The pixel content of each additional row is a function of the pixel content of the adjacent pairs of rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventor: Philip Hart
  • Patent number: 8348415
    Abstract: A recording paper transportation path structure suppresses sagging of the recording paper fed from the nipping part of a pair of rollers to the platen surface of a vacuum platen, and can prevent a drop in paper feed precision. In a roll paper printer 1, the recording paper fed through the nipping part 52 of a paper feed roller 22 and a paper pressure roller 23 is fed along the contact plane P2 of the outside surface of the rollers 22 and 23 toward the platen surface 8a of the vacuum platen 8 at a slightly lower position. An inclined surface part 12b that slopes along the contact plane P2, an up-lifting surface part 12c that slopes down, and a protruding surface part 12d are formed contiguously to the upstream side at the upstream end part 8b of the platen surface 8a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Norio Nagata
  • Patent number: 8350880
    Abstract: A heat-transfer imaging system and a method of using the same. The heat-transfer imaging system includes a heat-transfer sheet and an activating ink. The heat-transfer sheet and the activating ink are specially formulated so that only the areas of the heat-transfer sheet onto which the ink has been printed become adhesive under heat-transfer conditions. This effect may be achieved by designing the sheet to include an ink-receptive coating whose melting temperature is higher than that typically encountered during normal heat-transfer conditions and by formulating the activating ink to include a plasticizer that, when printed onto the ink-receptive coating, lowers the melting temperature of the ink-receptive coating sufficiently so that the modified melting temperature falls within the temperature range encountered during heat-transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Liviu Dinescu, Kai Li, Dong-Tsai Hseih, Ekaterina Vaskova, Haochuan Wang, Christine Dang, Zhisong Huang, James Johnson
  • Publication number: 20120327166
    Abstract: A ribbon drive assembly for optimizing the tension across a ribbon supply in a thermal transfer printer comprising a supply spindle and a take up spindle operable for cooperating with each other such that the ribbon supply is fed from the supply spindle through a print station and metered onto the take up spindle. Each spindle is provided with and connected to a motor, a plurality of gears, and a rotary encoder such that the spindles may be independently controlled by a control processor. The control processor is operable for monitoring, detecting, and controlling the operation of the motors and spindles. During operation and in order to maintain a constant ribbon tension, the torque on the motors are continuously adjusted in accordance with various data provided by the printer's processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: SOURCE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: William M. Bouverie, Mark Allen Hitz, Roger Keith Owens, Marjorie Hitz
  • Publication number: 20120188326
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming method including forming a concave-convex pattern on a surface of a plate by pressing the plate and a mold having the convex-concave pattern on a surface thereof against each other, the plate having the surface made of a material in which a hardness changes reversibly at a transition point temperature, forming a plate image constituted of a concave-convex region having the concave-convex pattern and a smooth region in which the concave-convex pattern is erased on the plate by erasing the concave-convex pattern by selectively heating the surface of the plate to the transfer point temperature or above corresponding to an image signal, and forming an image on a recording medium by forming an ink image on the plate by applying an ink on the plate image and by transferring the ink image on to the recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ikuko Kanazawa, Hirofumi Nakagawa
  • Publication number: 20120182369
    Abstract: An aligning device for a printing member in a printer in which it is presupposed to use a printer of a one-end supporting structure. The printing member, such as a thermal transfer ribbon 3, can be used by selecting one of center alignment and one-end alignment. A rack and pinion structure within a cylindrical shaft 22 includes a pinion 16 rotatably provided within the cylindrical shaft 22, a pair of racks 17 and 18, a push-in projection 19 configured to push one rack 17 toward the push-in end 22B of the cylindrical shaft 22. A positioning projection 20 is configured to detachably engage with any of a plurality of positioning engagement holes 26 defined in the cylindrical shaft 22 along an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kokuta
  • Patent number: 8199176
    Abstract: Thermal transfer donor elements can be used to transfer color images to receiving elements to provide various elements such as color filters. The thermal transfer donor elements include a transparent polymeric substrate and, in order: a propellant layer comprising a gas-producing polymer that is capable of producing a gas upon heating by a thermal layer, and an infrared radiation absorbing compound, a barrier layer, and a thermal dye transfer layer one or more thermally transferable colorants. The barrier layer comprises a hydrophilic material and is transferred with the colorant to provide a transparent overcoat in the final color image. Color transfer can be achieved using laser thermal imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Kevin M. Kidnie, Pao Vang
  • Patent number: 8189023
    Abstract: Apparatus for thermal transfer printing of an image from a thermal retransfer sheet onto an article, includes heating means adapted to supply a flow of heated gas for causing dye transfer, and oscillating vane means for directing the heated gas in a direction transverse to the direction of flow, for distributing the heated gas over article(s) during dye transfer. Also disclosed is a method of printing an image, and the resulting printed article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Akzo Nobel Coatings International B.V.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Michael Howell, Peter Charles William Butcher
  • Patent number: 8189024
    Abstract: The invention provides a neutralization apparatus which simplifies an apparatus composition, lowers an apparatus cost and removes electrical charge effectively from a ribbon-like substance which is charged by stripping, and provides a printer having the neutralization apparatus. The neutralization apparatus neutralizes an ink ribbon. The neutralization apparatus has a conductive roller which is arranged so as to contact the surface of the ink ribbon and a neutralization brush which counters the back of the ink ribbon. A balance of the electrical charge of the surface and the electrical charge of the back of the ink ribbon is broken by electrical discharge caused by the conductive roller. And thereby, the charged voltage of the electrical charge of the back of the ink ribbon becomes large and the neutralization brush remove the electrical charge charged to the back of the ink ribbon effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takanobu Nishimura, Yukio Asari
  • Publication number: 20120105566
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a printer includes a conveying mechanism, a first image forming unit and a coloring conversion mechanism. The conveying mechanism conveys a medium. The first image forming unit forms an image on the medium with a temperature-sensitive ink whose color changes depending on temperature. The coloring conversion mechanism converts a coloring state of the image with the temperature-sensitive ink by heating or cooling the image with the temperature-sensitive ink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Ishii, Chikahiro Saegusa, Kiyoshi Morino, Hajime Yamamoto, Shuji Koyama, Koji Tomita
  • Publication number: 20120105565
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printer includes a printing unit for thermal transfer printing with a print head via a ribbon having a dye layer; a first bending member having at least one curved surface that is aligned perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward a surface of the ribbon for bending the ribbon after thermal transfer, a second bending member disposed at a distance from the first bending member having at least one acute apex that is aligned perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward the surface of the ribbon, the apex causing a bend line to be formed in the used ribbon conveyed from the first bending member; a folder for folding the ribbon conveyed from the second bending member along the bend line; and a heater for fusing opposing dye layers of the folded ribbon together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenichi HIROTA
  • Patent number: 8139095
    Abstract: In a recording apparatus, an ink ribbon is always placed under a tension by a stop torque of a torque limiter while a take-up bobbin is driven through the torque limiter when recording paper is conveyed near a stationary ink ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Nishitani, Yukiteru Yano
  • Publication number: 20120056965
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit conveying a medium to be recorded in a predetermined direction, a thermal transfer sheet including an ink layer thermally transferred onto the medium to form a printing layer, and a protective material layer thermally transferred onto the medium to form a protection layer, a transfer sheet traveling unit causing the thermal transfer sheet to travel, a reforming sheet including a printing opening for bringing the ink layer and the protective material layer into contact with a surface of the medium, and a surface property reforming unit reforming the surface property of the protection layer, a reforming sheet traveling unit causing the reforming sheet to travel, and a thermal head pressing the surface property reforming unit on the medium through the protective material layer having been thermally transferred to thereby heat the pressed surface property reforming unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Jun MATSUOKA, Ken Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20120038735
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus for generating render information of an image includes a storage for storing shape information of strokes forming the image; an information acquiring unit for acquiring the shape information of strokes from the storage; a thickness acquiring unit for acquiring thickness information of the image; a stroke generator for generating a nu of parallel strokes that are each parallel to an original stroke, and to specify intervals between the parallel strokes, wherein the number and the intervals correspond to the thickness information; a length adjusting unit for adjusting a length of a first parallel stroke parallel to a first original stroke and/or a length of a second parallel stroke parallel to a second original stroke that is connected to the first original stroke; and a render information generator for registering, in the render information, the shape information of the parallel stroke whose length has been adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventor: Fumihiro Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8115791
    Abstract: A printing apparatus that receives a supply of an image receiving medium and includes a platen arranged to feed the image receiving medium selectively in one of a forward and reverse direction. A print head arranged to print an image on the image receiving medium while the medium is fed in the forward direction and an arcuate guide portion partially encasing the platen and movable relative to the surface of the platen. The guide portion having an inoperative position in which it is spaced from the print head to permit a supply of image receiving medium to be received and an operative position wherein the guide portion is moved to be proximate to the print head whereby the guide portion in the operative position restricts movement of the image receiving medium in a direction perpendicular to the forward and reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: DYMO
    Inventors: Kris Vandermeulen, Erwin Vereecken
  • Publication number: 20120013698
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a thermal transfer sheet including: a dye layer which is provided on one side of a substrate and which contains an indoaniline dye; and a transferred image coating layer provided on that side of the substrate on which the dye layer is formed, the transferred image coating layer being operable to coat an image thermally transferred onto a transferred image receiving sheet, wherein the transferred image coating layer contains a compound having a predetermined structure and a binder resin, and the content of the compound having the predetermined structure is 0.5 to 8 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the binder resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventor: Satoru SHINOHARA
  • Publication number: 20110316956
    Abstract: A thermal printer is proposed that includes an ink ribbon on which a color ink portion and a non-color ink portion are alternately formed in a conveyance direction, a supply bobbin on which the ink ribbon is wound, a take-up bobbin on which the ink ribbon is to be wound, and a housing that contains the supply bobbin and the take-up bobbin. When an error occurs during transferring of an ink on the color ink surface, the ink ribbon is conveyed so that a portion of the ink ribbon exposed from the ink cassette between the supply bobbin and the take-up bobbin is the non-color ink portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuko Kakuta, Atsushi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8085286
    Abstract: A method of printing an image onto a substrate including the steps of providing a substrate, a print head, and a carrier between the print head and the substrate; providing a backing roller; urging the print head towards the roller so as to urge the print head against the carrier, the carrier against the substrate, and the substrate against the roller; then selectively energizing print head heating elements while moving the print head in a first direction so as to move the print head along the substrate and transfer print medium from the carrier to the substrate to print a portion of the image on a respective area of the substrate; and after printing image portion, if there is at least one further image portion to be printed, moving the head, substrate, and carrier in a second direction, opposite to the first, in preparation for printing the next portion in a series of portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Zipher Limited
    Inventors: Martin McNestry, Philip Hart
  • Patent number: 8081201
    Abstract: A thermal transfer printer according to the invention includes at least one printing unit for thermal transfer printing with a print head via a ribbon having a dye layer; a first bending member for bending the ribbon after thermal transfer, the first bending member having at least one curved surface that is aligned perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward one or the other surface of the ribbon; a second bending member disposed at a distance from the first bending member, the second bending member having at least one acute apex that is aligned perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the ribbon and protrudes toward the one or the other surface of the ribbon, the apex causing a bend line to be formed in the used ribbon conveyed from the first bending member; a folder for folding the ribbon conveyed from the second bending member along the bend line; and a heater for fusing opposing dye layers of the folded ribbon together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Hirota
  • Publication number: 20110292155
    Abstract: Thermal transfer donor elements can be used to transfer color images to receiving elements to provide various elements such as color filters. The thermal transfer donor elements include a transparent polymeric substrate and, in order: a propellant layer comprising a gas-producing polymer that is capable of producing a gas upon heating by a thermal layer, and an infrared radiation absorbing compound, a barrier layer, and a thermal dye transfer layer one or more thermally transferable colorants. The barrier layer comprises a hydrophilic material and is transferred with the colorant to provide a transparent overcoat in the final color image. Color transfer can be achieved using laser thermal imaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin M. Kidnie, Pao Vang