Abstract: A printing system comprises an ink deposition assembly and a media transport device. The ink deposition assembly comprises printheads to deposit a print fluid, such as ink, on print media, such as paper. The media transport device holds the print media against a movable support surface, such as a belt, by vacuum suction platen and transports the print media though a deposition region. The vacuum suction is communicated to the movable through platen holes and platen channels in a vacuum platen. At least some of the platen channels have a high impedance region that has a reduced open cross-sectional area as compared to another region of the platen channel.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating customized labels having electronic circuitry such as RFID circuitry. A printing system generates the label by selectively transfer printing elements (e.g., electronic circuitry, physical components, etc.) and donor layers (e.g., conductive materials, non-conductive materials, etc.) from a ribbon to a receiver (e.g., an item that receives the indicia). In addition, the printing system can program and test the label or indicia thereof, thereby providing the ability to customize each label according to predetermined criteria and to ensure that each label functions properly.

Abstract: A printer performs printing by transferring ink of an ink ribbon on which a plurality of color inks is sequentially arranged to paper, and the printer includes a paper conveyance unit configured to convey paper, an ink ribbon conveyance unit configured to be driven by the same drive source as that of the paper conveyance unit and convey the ink ribbon only in a printing direction, and a detection unit configured to detect a marker for detecting the top of color inks provided on the ink ribbon, wherein a marker of a specific color ink of the ink ribbon includes marker pieces, the number of which is greater than that of the other markers.

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.

Abstract: A re-transfer printing machine 60 uses an ink film 33 having a sublimation-ink area of sublimation inks Y, M, C and an invisible-ink area of an invisible ink UVS and an intermediate-transfer film 11 having a protecting layer 11c and an ink receptor layer 11d enabling the sublimation inks and the invisible ink to be received. The machine includes an overlap detecting part 76-5 for detecting whether a print image contains an overlapping between a sublimation-ink image 18 and an invisible-ink image 20 and a controller 6 for controlling a transfer operation corresponding to detection by the overlap detecting part. If the overlap detecting part detects that the print image contains the overlapping, the controller allows the machine to transfer the sublimation-ink and invisible-ink images to different areas in the receptor layer. If not, the controller allows the machine to transfer the sublimation-ink and invisible-ink images to an identical area 212 in the receptor layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating customized labels having electronic circuitry such as RFID circuitry. A printing system generates the label by selectively transfer printing elements (e.g., electronic circuitry, physical components, etc.) and donor layers (e.g., conductive materials, non-conductive materials, etc.) from a ribbon to a receiver (e.g., an item that receives the indicia). In addition, the printing system can program and test the label or indicia thereof, thereby providing the ability to customize each label according to predetermined criteria and to ensure that each label functions properly.

Abstract: A ribbon for a thermal printer has a series of frames of different colors in a sequence that are correlated to the position of cards to be printed. The ribbon has indexing marks for each frame and also indicators for each repeating sequence of frames. The index marks are arranged in a line across the ribbon and the marks can be coded to individually indicate the color or other characteristic of the frame associated with the line of index mark. This information is received by a controller to control various printer functions.

Abstract: A ribbon for a thermal printer has a series of frames of different colors in a sequence that are correlated to the position of cards to be printed. The ribbon has indexing marks for each frame and also indicators for each repeating sequence of frames. The index marks are arranged in a line across the ribbon and the marks can be coded to individually indicate the color or other characteristic of the frame associated with the line of index mark. This information is received by a controller to control various printer functions.

Abstract: A method for improving print quality of an identification card printing system is provided. In the method, heat is applied to a primary image portion of a thermal print ribbon corresponding to a primary image. Heat is also applied to a remainder portion of the thermal print ribbon defined as a portion of the thermal print ribbon that extends beyond the primary image portion to at least one lengthwise edge of the thermal print ribbon. In this manner, the thermal print ribbon is substantially uniformly heated across its width thereby reducing uneven stretching of the thermal print ribbon and improving the quality of the primary image that is ultimately transferred to a substrate. Also provided is an identification card printing system that is adapted to implement the above-described method.