Abstract: Line thermal head letter printing method is improved to feed ribbon tape synchronously with transfer velocity of print object sheet from immediately after start of printing so as to obtain high quality letter printing. Ribbon tape master roll (6) is driven by stepping motor (18) so as to feed necessary amount of ribbon tape (4). Ribbon tape winding roll (8) is driven via friction transmission so as to wind the ribbon tape (4) at velocity higher than that of transferring print object sheet (2). There occurs no loosening of ribbon tape hot release portion at tip of line thermal head (10) and high quality letter printing is obtained.

Abstract: The invention involves an internal drum thermal imaging apparatus comprising a support for supporting a receiver material and a donor material in a superimposed relationship. The support includes a cylindrical drum having an inner circumference on which the receiver material is supported against in a bottom layer of the superimposed relationship and the donor material in a top layer of the superimposed relationship. An imaging unit thermally transfers an image from the donor material to the receiver material. An applicator automatically loads and unloads the receiver material and the donor material onto the cylindrical drum comprising an applicator carriage, an attachment device for attaching the receiver material to the applicator and an applicator transport device for transporting the applicator carriage along the inner circumference of the cylindrical drum.

Abstract: A thermal transfer image forming method comprising the steps of: using a preprint ribbon comprising, on its substrate, at least a first ink layer and a second ink layer in this order from the side of the substrate, and an ink ribbon comprising, on its substrate, at least a color ink layer and an adhesive layer in this order from the side of the substrate; first conducting a thermal transfer using the preprint ribbon onto a receptor to form a preprint image whose topmost layer is composed of the first ink layer; and subsequently conducting a thermal transfer using the ink ribbon onto the preprint image to form an ink image, wherein the first ink layer of the preprint ribbon and the adhesive layer of the ink ribbon comprise the same kind of material as respective main components.

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: The invention involves a thermal imaging apparatus comprising a support for supporting a receiver material and a donor material in a superimposed relationship. The support includes a cylindrical drum having an inner circumference on which the receiver material is supported against in a bottom layer of the superimposed relationship and the donor material in a top layer of the superimposed relationship. An imaging unit thermally transfers an image from the donor material to the receiver material. The imaging unit is configured to thermally transfer an image by scanning energy beams across the donor material.

Abstract: This invention relates to a donor web positioning apparatus and method of a thermal color printer with a thermal print head defining a print line and adapted to thermally transfer colored dye from a dye donor web onto a dye receiver medium. The donor web positioning apparatus of the present invention includes a web drive, a sensing device and a controller. The web drive is adapted to deliver the dye donor web consisting of a plurality of colored dye frames for thermal print. The sensing device generates a digital code according to the light intensity of transmission of light beams through the donor web for identifying the leading edge and color of a frame located at the print line. According to the digital code, the controller controls the motion of the web drive for precisely positioning the dye donor web related to the thermal print head.

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: There is disclosed a recording apparatus for recording an image by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium, wherein the apparatus comprises ink sheet driving unit for driving said ink sheet, recording medium conveying unit for conveying said recording medium, recording head for recording onto said recording medium by acting on said ink sheet, slackness removing device for removing the slackness of said ink sheet, and control unit for controlling said slackness removing device so as not to remove the slackness of said ink sheet, when it is impossible to record with said recording head.

Abstract: Thermal transfer ribbons having a polyester substrate which employ paper leaders and/or paper trailers with printed indicia thereon such as marking which identify the thermal transfer ribbon and instructions for its use. The paper having a stiffness greater than the polyester substrate can be used as a leader and/or trailer for the thermal transfer ribbons. The paper leaders and trailers can be colored to provide further identification of the thermal transfer ribbons.

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. The end of the inking ribbon is identified in a method and apparatus wherein the number of imprints produced by said inking ribbon is counted, and a signal is emitted after a predetermined number of said imprints has been counted.

Abstract: A melting type thermal transfer recording system capable of providing multi-gradation images of high resolution and high image quality comparable to those of ink jet recording system or sublimation type thermal transfer recording system is disclosed which comprising: a donor film comprising a thin film and a thermal melting type ink layer provided on the thin film, the thermal melting type ink layer having a thickness in a range of 0.5 to 2.5 .mu.m, a surface porous type recording medium comprising a base material and a porous ink receiving layer having numerous minute pores provided on the base material, the ratio of the first total area of aperture portions that are occupied by all the pores to the whole surface area of the porous ink receiving layer being in a range of 10 to 60%, and the ratio of the second total area of aperture portions that are occupied by pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 to 20 .mu.

Abstract: A thermal recording method, using a thermal recording apparatus comprising an intermediate recording medium made of silicone rubber layer, of which surface thickness is 1 mm or less, surface roughness is 5 microns or less, contact angle cosine is 0.4 or less, density is 0.90 to 1.15, and rubber hardness is 20 to 50.sup.HS, a fixing roll, and a thermal recording head, and an ink sheet of which viscosity of colored material on the substrate at 100.degree. C.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus suitable for reduction in production cost by the enhancement of operating properties of the thermal transfer recording apparatus and the miniaturization of apparatus and reduction in operational expenses. A first transfer ribbon for sequentially having a plurality of color ink resin layer sections arranged in a longitudinal direction to record a visual image, and a second transfer ribbon having alternately arranged precoating resin layer sections and protective coating resin layer sections in a longitudinal direction are alternately replaced to oppose it to a thermal head.

Abstract: Provided is a thermal transfer recording medium which can be transferred well even onto a medium to be transferred such as a durable plastic film. The printed matters can obtain all together sufficiently high mechanical abrasion resistance, solvent resistance against various solvents and light fastness against rays such as UV rays. The above thermal transfer recording medium comprises at least a support and a thermal transfer ink layer provided on the support, wherein the thermal transfer ink layer contains a colorant and a vinyl chloride base copolymer obtained by copolymerizing three components of 50 to 90% by weight of vinyl chloride, 5 to 20% by weight of vinyl acetate and 10 to 30% by weight of hydroxyacrylate each based on the whole amount of the monomers.

Abstract: Thermal resistive printing apparatus for printing a fluorescent postal stamp image on a receiver in response to a digital image includes a donor web carrying at least one visible colorant material under visible light and an invisible fluorescent material which when illuminated by light in a predetermined portion of a spectrum, emits light in a different portion of the spectrum and a receiver for receiving colorant material and fluorescent material from the donor web and the receiver having a plurality of receiver portions in which the stamp images are to be formed. The apparatus further includes a thermal resistive head including a plurality of thermal resistive elements responsive to the digital image for selectively applying heat to the donor web so that colorant material and fluorescent material are transferred from the donor web to the plurality of portions on the receiver to form fluorescent postal images.

Abstract: The invention concerns a thermal printing ribbon for an office printer and bearing a sequence of coloring areas (3-7) that serve to print a picture in at least one printing zone onto a printing support sheet of specified format. The formats of the consecutive coloring areas (3-7) that serve to print a printing zone are substantially sub-multiples of the format of the printing support sheet but significantly different one from another.The invention is appropriate for color printing by thermal transfer.

Abstract: A thermal demand printer for printing on media is a novel system which includes a case structure including a hinged cover panel, easily removable guide structures and media hanger, and a single central support wall to which the various components are attached. The printer includes a power supply circuit for receiving power from an external source and conditioning it for operation of the printer. An input device is provided for receiving command signals related to the operation of the printer. A control circuit for processing the command signals and generating corresponding control signals for controlling the operation of the printer and a printhead assembly for processing the control signals and generating corresponding control signals for controlling the operation of the printer are mounted in the case structure and coupled to the input device and the power supply circuit. The printhead assembly includes a printhead support structure which controls the printhead.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maximizing print quality in a thermal printer uses a ribbon condition monitor to detect the condition of a multipass thermal ribbon. Data related to the condition of the thermal ribbon at each individual pixel is used to determine a custom energization signal for each thermal print element. In one embodiment, the system utilizes a history memory to track the prior heating history of each thermal print element and an ink memory to track the prior use of each location on the thermal print ribbon corresponding to the thermal print elements. The data from the history memory and the ink memory are combined to form an index to a table memory containing data corresponding to a plurality of energization signal levels for a particular print medium. The data in the table memory provides the custom energization signal for each of the thermal print elements. In an alternative embodiment, a light source and detector are used to determine the thickness of ink remaining on the thermal ribbon.

Abstract: A demand printer for printing on media includes a ribbon take-up spindle for accumulating spent printing ribbon and facilitating removal of the spent ribbon from the spindle. The spindle has a surface with a protrusion bore formed therethrough. At least one protruding segment extends through the protrusion bore. The protruding segment controllably projects away from the spindle surface for maintaining a space between a portion of the spindle surface and the spent ribbon accumulated on the spindle. A biasing structure is operatively associated with the spindle and the protruding segment for controllably biasedly directing the protruding segment through the protrusion bore in the spindle. A retracting structure is provided for controllably compressing and expanding the biasing means to controllably move the protruding segment through the protrusion bore.

Abstract: In a renewing apparatus, a thermal transfer recording medium is made to be used plural times by simple configuration although such a recording medium must be thrown away in the prior art, and the running cost in the printing can be significantly reduced. The apparatus has coating means for applying a thermal transfer recording material including at least one of a photopolymerizing monomer and a photopolymerizing polymer and a coloring agent to a substrate, means for sending the thermal transfer recording medium and means for irradiating light onto the recording material.

Abstract: In a line thermal head printer apparatus, a ribbon tape is moved, only while printing is to be made, synchronously with the moving velocity of the object to be printed. The ribbon tape is moved only by the amount needed for printing and the amount of use of the ribbon tape is reduced and yet a beautiful printing is made. Ribbon tape 2 unwound from a heat transfer ribbon tape master roll 1 is lapped with a packaging material film 8 on a platen roller 6 and printing is made by a line thermal head 5 on the packaging material film 8. The ribbon tape 2 is stopped by a braking action making use of a maximum static torque characteristic of a stepping motor until a portion to be printed of the packaging material film 8 approaches, and is moved by the stepping motor only when the portion to be printed of the packaging material film 8 arrives.

Abstract: A transfer member includes a dyeing layer transfer member, which has a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a first base material and laminated layers of a parting layer and a dyeing layer on the obverse surface, an ink transfer member, having a lubricating heat-resistant layer on the reverse surface of a second base material and the laminated layers of an adhesive layer and an ink layer, an intermediate member having a functional layer on a third base material, and an image-receptor.

Abstract: A novel demand printer is used for printing on tickets, tags, pressure sensitive labels and other media. The printer has a spring wrap clutch assembly operatively associated with a media delivery structure for use with a rotating shaft to maintain a constant tension on a ribbon. The spring wrap clutch assembly includes a coiled spring having a leg extending away from one end of the coil, a collar having a bore therein for receiving the coiled spring with the leg extending away from the collar, the rotating shaft extending through the coiled spring and the collar is attachable to the rotating shaft, and a plurality of ramped teeth positioned around the rotating shaft. Each of the ramped teeth has a sloped surface and the leg of the coiled spring controllably engages the ramped teeth.

Abstract: A thermal dye printer media element for use in a thermal printer includes sequential color patches which form multiple color groups located along a length of the element. Metering marks are provided repetitively along the length of the element for measurement of distances along the element. The spacing between successive pairs of the metering marks may be uniform, change in a linear fashion, or change in a nonlinear fashion. The metering marks may be optically or magnetically detectable. The first and second metering mark sequences may be essentially the same. Alternatively, the first and second metering mark sub-sequences may be different. The start of a metering mark sequence may be aligned with an edge of a color patch, or may be offset from an edge of a color patch. A third sequence of metering marks may be provided for a third color patch, wherein said third metering mark sequence is different from said first sequence.

Abstract: Image processing equipment (10) having an image processor housing (20) and a transport roller assemblage (100) for transporting a web (116) of donor dye material (44) arranged in the housing. The transport roller assemblage (100) has at least one of either the first and second rollers (112, 114) comprising a composite mixture of polymer and inorganic particulate materials (172). Alternatively, a hard coating (182, 184) is applied on a polymeric roller comprising primarily hard inorganic particles.

Abstract: An ink transfer type printer employs an ink holding member constituted by a porous body which contains ink therein and a film member made of a shape-memory resin which covers the porous body. The film member is provided with a plurality of through-holes. A film deforming member compresses the film member to collapse the through-holes and cools down the film member to the temperature lower than a glass transition temperature. A first heating member heats the selected parts of the deformed film member to the temperature higher than the glass transition temperature so as to restore the shape of the respective through-holes of the selected parts, and ink is transferred onto the recording sheet via the through-holes of the selected parts. Thereafter, a second heating member heats the overall parts of the deformed film member to the temperature higher than the glass transition temperature so as to totally restore the shape of the film member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet including a thermally transferable ink layer on one surface of a substrate film, wherein said ink layer contains a coloring agent, and a decoloring agent that prevents thermal color-developing paper from color development or makes the color, once developed thereby, invisible; a thermal transfer sheet including on one surface of a substrate film a first thermally transferable ink layer containing a decoloring agent that prevents thermal color-developing paper from color development or makes the color, once developed thereby, invisible, wherein at least one second thermal transfer ink layer is interposed between said ink layer and said substrate film; and a thermal transfer recording method that uses these thermal transfer sheets.

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: A reusable thermal dye donor element for a dye transfer thermal printer comprising: a continuous web support layer having inner and outer surfaces; and a dye donor layer on the outer surface, the dye donor layer formed of a thin film amorphous inorganic or diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating which is hard and wear resistant.

Abstract: The present invention is for a method of exposing imagesetter recording film (39) on a color-proofing apparatus (10). A sheet of support material (39) is loaded on a vacuum imaging drum (300). A sheet of imagesetter recording film (42) is loaded on the support material (39) and in registration with the support material (39). Images are formed on the imagesetter recording material (39) by removing dye from the imagesetter recording film (39).

Abstract: A compact thermal color printer enables the use of a thermal type printing medium having heat sublimation type inks for a multiple-print use and a heat melting type ink for a single-print use. In the process of printing characters or symbols, using the two types of inks, by pressing the printing medium against a print object through a thermal head, the transport distances for the thermal print medium and the print object are adjusted, depending on whether a heat sublimation type ink is being printed or a heat melting type ink is being printed. This arrangement for the transport distance adjustments enables to simplify the printer drives to make the apparatus more compact, and enables to reduce consumption of the sublimation type inks for color printing and increases the service life of the printing ribbon to reduce the operating cost.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer has a thermal print head with a number of thermal printing elements, 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 printing elements by the control unit. The inking ribbon and the medium are 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 monitoring usage of the inking ribbon, the approaching end of the ribbon is identified, either by optically reading a mark on the inking ribbon or by monitoring the amount of ribbon on the supply reel or the take-up reel, and the contents of a memory, which may be a mechanical memory or an electronic memory, are altered to indicate the completion of one pass of the inking ribbon. The inking ribbon is then rewound from the take-up reel to the supply reel for re-use.

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: Dye diffusion thermal printing method and apparatus, particulary for the preparation of 35 mm format slides using a laser as the source of thermal stimulii, in which each successive dye coat of a dye ribbon on which the dye coats are in the form of stripes extending along the longitudinal axis of the ribbon, is brought into register with a receiver sheet by effecting relative transverse movement between the ribbon and the receiver sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing graphic images on sheet material has a thermal print head with a linear array of heating elements pressed into engagement with an ink web overlying the sheet material on a platen. The platen extends in the lengthwise direction of the print head across the width of the sheet material, and is rotatably driven to in turn drive the sheet material with the ink web relative to the print head. A removable cassette having a predetermined length of ink web bearing a printing ink is mounted adjacent to the print head with the ink web interposed between the sheet material and the print head for printing the graphic images on the sheet. A supply spool carrying the ink web is rotatably mounted in the cassette, and a take-up spool is also rotatably mounted in the cassette for receiving the ink web from the supply spool upon passage between the platen and print head.

Abstract: A color recording method and device which is capable of color recording images on large-sized paper in which a first color is developed in direct heat sensitive paper by directly supplying heat energy of thermal heads to the direct heat sensitive paper. Furthermore, in order to transfer a color ink to the direct heat sensitive paper to thereby obtain a second color, the heat energy of the thermal heads is supplied to a plurality of ink ribbons which are coated with both a desensitizing material for controlling the coloring reaction of the direct heat sensitive paper and the desired colored inks.

Abstract: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus, an image is recorded on a recording medium by transferring ink from an ink sheet. The apparatus includes a holder for the ink sheet, conveyors for the ink sheet and recording medium, and an ink sheet detector. When the detector determines that the ink sheet is loaded into the holder, the ink sheet is conveyed so as to take up the slack in the ink sheet until the ink sheet reaches a predetermined speed.

Abstract: A thermal dye printer media element for use in a thermal printer includes sequential color patches which form multiple color groups located along a length of the element. Metering marks are provided repetitively along the length of the element for measurement of distances along the element. The spacing between successive pairs of the metering marks may be uniform, change in a linear fashion, or change in a nonlinear fashion. The metering marks may be optically or magnetically detectable. The first and second metering mark sequences may be essentially the same. Alternatively, the first and second metering mark sub-sequences may be different. The start of a metering mark sequence may be aligned with an edge of a color patch, or may be offset from an edge of a color patch. A third sequence of metering marks may be provided for a third color patch, wherein said third metering mark sequence is different from said first sequence.

Abstract: An ink sheet for a thermal transfer type color printer. In the ink sheet, a head sensor mark is provided in a transparent portion on one side of a base film, one identification sensor mark is provided in a boundary between specific colorants, and no sensor marks are provided in boundaries between other colorants. In order to reduce the cost of the ink sheet, the sensor marks are composed of the cyan or black colorant itself.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a porous film having desired average pore diameter and pore density in a multi-printing-adaptive thermal transfer recording medium having a foundation, a heat-meltable ink layer formed on one side of the foundation and the porous film provided in the heat-meltable ink layer at a location proximate to a surface thereof, which method comprises the steps of: coating the heat-meltable ink layer with a W/O emulsion containing as an essential ingredient thereof at least one resin selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, ethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose and ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose; and drying the resultant coating to form a porous film.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink sheet transfer control apparatus which can transfer an ink sheet stably without requiring any complex structure. A CPU drives and controls a grid motor so that recording paper can be transferred at a constant speed with the ink sheet and the recording paper pressed in contact with each other by a thermal head and a platen. Then, the CPU drives an ink motor with an arbitrarily determined voltage Vi, and measures a current Ig then flowing through the grid motor. The CPU determines such an optimum drive voltage Vir of the ink motor that a specified tension is developed to the ink sheet in printing operation, based on the measured current Ig, and drives the ink motor with the optimum drive voltage Vir. Characteristics of print drive system are detected by measuring the current Ig flowing through the grid motor, so that the print drive system can be controlled with simple construction.

Abstract: A hybrid imaging system is capable of using both ink jet technology and thermal dye transfer technology for producing images on a dye-receiving element of the type having a support and a polymeric dye image-receiving layer that contains an organic acid capable of reprotonating the deprotonated cationic dye from both ink jet ink and dye-donor ribbon. The imaging system includes a print path adapted to accept such a dye-receiving element, and a dye-receiving element transport mechanism adapted to advance a dye-receiving element along the print path. An ink jet imaging assemblage is located along the print path for selectively producing images on the dye-receiving element using ink jet inks having a dye dispersed in an aqueous ink, the dye being a deprotonated cationic dye which is capable of being reprotonated to a cationic dye having an N-H group which is part of a conjugated system.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for thermal recording and thermal transfer recording in a multicolor system. After performing the thermal recording, the thermal transfer recording is performed by overlaying a portion thermally recorded already. A thermal transfer donor sheet has a thermal transfer layer containing a desensitizer for suppressing a coloring reaction in the thermal recording layer of the thermal recording sheet. In performing multicolor recording by overlapping images of plural documents, after an image of a first document has been thermally recorded on a recording sheet, an image of a second document is recorded on the same recording sheet by thermal transfer recording. No color mixture occurs between colors thermally recorded and thermally transferred respectively and bright and clear color development can be obtained.

Abstract: A method for thermal transfer recording of a multicolor image which utilizes a heat sensitive ink sheet having a support sheet and a transparent heat sensitive ink layer having a thickness of 0.2 to 1.0 .mu.m which is formed of a heat sensitive ink material comprising 30 to 70 weight parts of a colored pigment at least 70 weight % of which has a particle size of not more than 1.0 .mu.m and 25 to 60 weight parts of amorphous organic polymer having a softening point of 40.degree. to 150.degree. C.

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: The invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet including a thermally transferable ink layer on one surface of a substrate film, wherein said ink layer contains a coloring agent, and a decoloring agent that prevents thermal color-developing paper from color development or makes the color, once developed thereby, invisible; a thermal transfer sheet including on one surface of a substrate film a first thermally transferable ink layer containing a decoloring agent that prevents thermal color-developing paper from color development or makes the color, once developed thereby, invisible, wherein at least one second thermal transfer ink layer is interposed between said ink layer and said substrate film; and a thermal transfer recording method that uses these thermal transfer sheets.

Abstract: A method of improving ribbon usage, i.e. reducing ribbon waste, in a non-impact color printer of the type that employs a continuous ribbon having panels of transfer material is described. The method includes defining an plurality of sectors across the width of the ribbon, at least one of the sectors including a region having a width less than a total width of the panel. The ribbon sector thus defined extends laterally adjacent to another sector of the same panel. The size and location of an image to be printed is determined; next one or more of the unused sectors of the panel is selected that provides an area of the panel having adequate width and location for printing the image. This unused sector of the ribbon may well be laterally adjacent or next to a used sector. Next the image is printed onto a substrate using the selected sector(s).

Abstract: An object tracking and motion control system includes a thermal marking unit such as a laser for inducing localized thermal indicia on objects. A thermal tracking unit, typically a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) such as a two dimensional thermal sensing array, is positioned to measure movement of objects marked with localized thermal indicia. A motion control unit is connected to the thermal tracking unit to permit adjustment of motion of objects marked with induced localized thermal indicia based on their measured movement.

Abstract: A thermal printer utilizes a donor web bearing a transfer ink to create enhanced printed images on a strip of sheet material with half-tones, color and other attractive features. The donor web is mounted on supply and take-up spools within a cassette that is removable from the printer in order to change the color or other printing characteristics of the web for various printing operations. A drag brake mounted in the printer connects with the supply spool through a disengageable coupling to maintain tension on the donor web during printing and to allow the web and cassette to be removed from the printer. A feed detection sensor in the form of an optical encoder is also contained within the printer and coupled to the supply spool through the same disengageable coupling utilized by the drag brake to detect feed faults.

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.