Abstract: A part of the insertion platform 3′ to send the sheets in which the image receiving sheet on which the image is formed, and the transfer sheet onto which the image is to be transferred, are superimposed, to the heat roller pair to heat and press the sheets, in the image transfer apparatus is structured by the member 2G having a function to transmit the light from the lower side. The light transmission function member is any one of a transparent portion, translucent portion, light diffusion portion, or opening portion, and the light source 2L is arranged on its lower side.

Abstract: A heater, particularly useful for an imaging device, comprises a substrate primarily made of aluminum nitride (AlN) having an electrical insulating property. A heat generating member, formed on one surface of the substrate, contains silver (Ag) and palladium (Pd) having a weight ratio (Ag/Pd) in the range of 40/60˜50/50. Conductive electrodes are connected to respective ends of the heat-generating member.

Abstract: A recording medium station 53 includes sheet set portions to which rolls of toner sheets 4′ with cover films 6 stuck thereto and rolls of image receiving sheets 2′ with cover films 6 stuck thereto are set, and cover film winding-up portions located close to the sheet set portions. Those sheet set portions and the cover film winding-up portions are disposed along the circumferential outer surface of the recording medium station 53. An end of the cover film 6 slightly stripped off the recording medium is fixed to the wind-up shafts 12, and the cover film 6 stripped off the recording medium set to the medium setting shafts 10 is wound up with a wind-up shaft 12. The stripped cover film 6 is wound up with the wind-up shafts 12.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for re-applying dye to a dye donor element of a dye transfer thermal printer. A reservoir contains a supply of dye that is thermally transferred from the reservoir to the dye donor element by diffusion of dye into the dye donor element. The reservoir has a diffusion controlled permeation membrane through which dye is delivered to the dye donor element, while inhibiting diffusion of a binder, whereby the dye diffuses between the reservoir and the dye donor element but the binder does not.

Abstract: The invention described a thermal printer. The thermal printer has a supply reel, a take-up and a pair of motors. Each motor connects with the supply reel and the take-up reel, respectively. A detecting apparatus detects ribbon and the reel parameters while initializing the thermal printer. A memory stores a transforming table which can obtain the driving pulse width of each motor from a radius of the supply reel, a radius of the take-up reel and the ribbon tension. A control apparatus drive each motor with different pulse width according to parameters detected by the detecting apparatus and the transforming table. A thermal print head performs a printing process.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and an apparatus of printing an image in a rectangular recording area on a recording material by a printing head as the recording material is advanced in a sub scan direction perpendicular to a main scan direction of the printing head. The printing head has a wider main scanning range than a width of the recording area. On side edge of the advancing recording medium is detected at two points to determine positions in the main scan direction of the two side edge points. Based on the positions of the side edge points, an inclination of the recording medium to the sub scan direction as well as positions of four corner points of the recording area in the main and sub scan direction relative to a center point of the main scanning range are determined.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a plate making method of forming an image on a heat sensitive blank plate by a multichannel method using a plate making apparatus of an outer surface cylinder scanning type. A blank plate (400) is secured to the outer circumferential surface of a hollow cylinder (131). A laser beam (800) is irradiated from an optical head (150) onto the blank plate (400). The laser beam (800) is a beam group consisting of a plurality of infrared laser beams arranged in a line.

Abstract: A thermal head control circuit and a thermal head control method according to the present invention are so configured as to set a state in which a limiting resistor is connected to a heating resistor element corresponding to data indicating color development in a lower temperature range, and set a state in which a limiting resistor is not connected to a heating resistor element corresponding to data indicating color development in a higher temperature range. Therefore, the calorific values of the heat resistor elements can be regulated even if the duration of electrification is kept constant and, where multicolor printing is to be accomplished, printing can be performed at constant speed all the time.

Abstract: A reverse image printer that has a backing web carrying a laminate layer upon which a reverse image is printed. The laminate layer is laminated onto a card. The backing web carrying the transfer layer is separated from the laminate layer after the laminate layer and card have been laminated together using a peel-off assembly that guides the backing web at a selected desired separation angle relative to the plane of movement of the card and the laminate layer after lamination. The peel-off assembly uses two guide members to maintain the desired separation angle regardless of changes in diameter of a take-up roller used for the backing web.

Abstract: A plurality of thermal heads for different colors, are disposed in parallel in a line-printing direction, being offset with respect to each other in a transport direction along which an image-forming sheet is moved via a conveyer path. The image forming sheet is a pressure/temperature-sensitive sheet or a temperature-sensitive sheet. The thermal heads are moved in the line-printing direction. Adjacent-opposing ends of adjacent thermal heads are separated in the line-printing direction, and overlap in the transport direction. The thermal heads are controlled so as to simultaneously generate image-pixels on the image-forming sheet. The printing speed is high due to a plurality of colors being simultaneously printed. The thermal heads are used as part of pressure applying unit. The pressure applying unit is provided for selectively applying predetermined pressure to the micro-capsules, when the image-forming sheet is a pressure/temperature-sensitive sheet.

Abstract: A thermal head control circuit and a thermal head control method according to the present invention are so configured as to set a state in which a limiting resistor is connected to a heating resistor element corresponding to data indicating color development in a lower temperature range, and set a state in which a limiting resistor is not connected to a heating resistor element corresponding to data indicating color development in a higher temperature range. Therefore, the calorific values of the heat resistor elements can be regulated even if the duration of electrification is kept constant and, where multicolor printing is to be accomplished, printing can be performed at constant speed all the time.

Abstract: A thermal printer for a portable electronic device such as a receipt issuing machine is capable of increasing an angle at which thermal recording paper is wound on a platen roller while decreasing running load and without generating static electricity. The thermal printer includes a body frame formed from metal, a thermal head disposed on a bottom part of the body frame for printing paper and a platen roller for urging the paper against the thermal head. A paper guide for guiding the paper to a direction in which the paper is wound on the platen roller is integrally formed with the body frame. A bend-raise portion extending in a paper-width direction of the paper and contacting linearly to the paper while feeding is integrally formed at a part of the paper guide where the paper is inserted. The paper guide is formed in such a manner that it comes close to the platen roller with respect to the bottom of the body frame.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided. The thermal printer includes a thermal head module, a platen module, and a gear module. The platen module and the gear module are connected to the thermal head module. When setting a recording sheet to the printer, the operator lifts up a knob provided to the platen module, so that the platen module is rotated counterclockwise around a pin provided to the thermal head module. In this manner, the platen separates from the thermal head, and setting a recording sheet becomes easier.

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 method for printing on traffic signs, comprising the following process sections: storage of a pattern in digitized form of a traffic sign to be created by means of a reading device and transmission of said pattern to a printer; printing the stored pattern on a hot stamping foil by means of a printer, preferably in a mirror-inverted way on the surface of the hot stamping foil coated with a hot-melt adhesive; conveyance of the printed hot stamping foil to a laminating device by means of a foil guide, and heat laminating of the printed hot stamping foil to a reflecting sheet, which is preferably laminated to the front side of a sign blank, by means of the laminating device, heat laminating preferably being performed by means of heated stamps or heated stamp rolls either on a point or over a surface.

Abstract: There is disclosed a thermosensitive line printer, wherein a heating element array of a thermal head is pressed on a thermosensitive recording paper at a distance L2 from a nipping position by a pair of conveyer rollers, and is driven to record an image frame line by line from a print starting end, as the recording paper is conveyed by the conveyer rollers in a direction from the thermal head to the conveyer rollers. Based on image data of an upper zone of an image frame that is to be recorded around the distance L2 from the print starting end if the image frame is recorded from its top side, an image analyzer calculates a first estimation value that represents conspicuousness of potential density deviation in the upper zone that could be caused by a thermal deformation of the thermosensitive recording paper at the print starting end if the image frame is recorded from the top side.

Abstract: A printer including a portable information processing portion located on the face of the printer, a paper accomodating portion located on the back of the information processing portion and capable of accomodating thermosensible printing sheets of standardized size, and a printing mechanism portion located adjacent to a side of the information processing portion is provided. With such a structure, a printer which allows for a large printing area while being as almost the same size of PDA and is suitable for portable use can be provided. Moreover, by employing a thermal head for printing on the thermosensible sheets, a space required for consumables such as ink is eliminated. As a result, a practically portable printer can be provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for maintaining tension on a ribbon in a printer used for transferring an image, e.g., thermally, from a print head through the ribbon to a print medium. By maintaining ribbon tension and thus keeping the ribbon essentially without wrinkles, print quality is enhanced. This tension maintenance apparatus uses a pair of torqued reel subassemblies with the ribbon extending between and is of particular significance when used in conjunction with a label stock as a printer medium when the printer mechanism bidirectionally moves the label stock to assist removal of labels from its backing. These torqued reel assemblies are sufficiently loaded such that ribbon tension is maintained between these reel assemblies despite this bidirectional movement.

Abstract: A method of printing using a thermal print head comprises a plurality of printing elements arranged generally in an array each of which may selectively be energised and de-energised under the control of a control means to transfer pixels of marking medium from a carrier onto a substrate or to activate pixels on a sensitive substrate, the method comprising providing to the control means data dependent on the nature of the image to be printed which would enable the image having an image length L to be printed as a matrix of pixels at a linear resolution of C where C is the number of image columns per unit length in the direction of printing, wherein the method comprises causing relative movement between the print head and the substrate such that the print head relatively traverses the substrate the image length L in an available time T whilst the print head performs E thermal cycles to print the image, and the control means manipulating the data so that the image is printed with the print head omitting or repea

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an image printing data control method for thermal transfer printers capable of achieving efficient transmission of image printing data from an external control section to a printer control section, and thereby making it possible to reduce the printing time.

Abstract: A method of printing utilizing a printing apparatus with a print head that has a plurality of printing elements. During the printing process there is relative movement between the print head and the substrate being printed on. In addition, there is relative movement between the print head and the ink ribbon. In one embodiment the ink ribbon is moved in the same direction as the print head relative to the substrate, but a lesser velocity than the print head.

Abstract: A printer using a power reduction logic based upon reducing the speed of printing when the dot utilization calculation exceeds a particular power level for that printer. There is also provided a method for printing information at a given power supply capacity level, comprising the steps of: examining the a group of rows of dots to be printed; calculating the maximum dot utilization value for the group; selecting a print speed based on the maximum dot utilization value; printing the first row of the group of rows; and repeating above steps until the information is printed.

Abstract: A thermal printer is provided. The thermal printer includes a thermal head module, a platen module, and a gear module. The platen module and the gear module are connected to the thermal head module. When setting a recording sheet to the printer, the operator lifts up a knob provided to the platen module, so that the platen module is rotated counterclockwise around a pin provided to the thermal head module. In this manner, the platen separates from the thermal head, and setting a recording sheet becomes easier.

Abstract: The invention intends to obtain a good printed result without creating displacement of printing positions when printing is performed on a piece of printed paper with different contact pressures of the thermal head to the platen. To achieve the object, the thermal transfer printer of the invention comprises control means that make it possible to select a contact pressure of the thermal head to the platen in correspondence with a printing mode, and controls a printing setting position in accordance with the printing mode selected, whereby it becomes possible to correct the drifts of printing positions due to the difference of contact pressures of the thermal head to the platen, and acquire an excellent printed result without having the drifts of printing positions.

Abstract: A temperature control apparatus for controlling a temperature of a heating resistor included on a thermal head of a printer. The temperature control apparatus includes a sensing circuit for sensing the temperature of the heating resistor from a current flowing through the heating resistor. The temperature control apparatus includes a switching device for switching the current activated by a status signal, and a holding circuit, which holds the status signal indicating whether each heating resister is to be heated. The holding circuit is cleared when the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: In an image-forming system, an image-forming substrate is used that includes a paper sheet, and a microcapsule layer, coated over the paper sheet, which contains at least one type of microcapsule filled with a dye. Each microcapsule exhibits a characteristic such that, when a microcapsule is compacted under a given pressure at a given temperature, the dye seeps from the compacted microcapsule. A pressure/temperature applicator includes a roller platen, a thermal head having at least one arcuate bimetal element associated with the platen such that the substrate can be interposed between the platen and the thermal head, and an electrical energization system that electrically heats the arcuate bimetal element in accordance with image-information data.

Abstract: A printing device produces printed pieces of paper having no blank areas, and which can precisely position print content on the back side of continuous printing paper. A mark is provided in a blank area on the back side of printing paper. A sensor senses the mark, whereby the position of a regular-form print area adjacent to the blank area on the printing paper can be recognized. A thermal head and a cutter respectively print the printing paper and cut off the blank area based on the sense output. Accordingly, it is possible to produce a printed piece of paper having a desired print on the front side and a regular-form print on the back side without positional misalignment and without blank in the feed direction, with the mark removed therefrom.

Abstract: A tape cartridge for use in a thermally printing device of the type having a cartridge receiving cavity, a thermal print head and a platen in which the cartridge includes a cartridge housing, a supply of double sided adhesive laminating tape and a supply of direct thermal imaging tape.

Abstract: In an electronic picture print system that is activated in response to the deposit of money and provides a printing service in accordance with the control of a user, a printer starts feeding paper upon detection of the deposit of money. While the user is selecting a background frame and taking a picture, the preparations for printing are completed. Therefore, the printing is started immediately in response to a printing instruction, and this reduces the time required for one play.