Color printer
US4687359A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 20, 1986 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB41J35/18
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In a color printer in which a shuttle assembly containing a plurality of impacting print hammers is reciprocated in bidirectional fashion relative to an opposing platen to impact a print paper against the platen through the different color zones of an ink ribbon to print in color, the different color zones of the ribbon are arranged in a repeating pattern along the length thereof enabling the lightest color to be printed first followed by successively darker colors as the ribbon is advanced bidirectionally between the opposite ends thereof. A pair of barrier zones having a blank ribbon zone therebetween are disposed between each adjacent pair of color zones on the ribbon to prevent ribbon contamination due to bleeding of ink between adjacent color zones when the ribbon is wound on a reel. Ribbon contamination is further prevented by the blank ribbon zones which absorb ink that rubs off onto the ribbon guides. The various different color zones are identified by one or more strips which extend across the width of the ribbon adjacent each color zone and which identify the color therein in bar code fashion. The color printer may be operated in a manner which provides multiple passes of…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.