Patent · US Expired

Thermal transfer recording apparatus and method having preheating

US5187494A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 17, 1990
Grant dateFeb 16, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 17, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/38
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

There is disclosed a thermal transfer printer for image recording by ink transfer from an ink sheet onto a recording sheet, which is capable of stable sheet transportation and improvement in image quality. The printer has transport mechanisms for the ink sheet and the recording sheet, a thermal head for heating the ink sheet, and a controller. If a next recording operation is not instructed by the end of a preceding recording operation, the controller starts the transportation of the sheets and at the same time activates the thermal head with an energy smaller than in the ordinary image recording, thus effecting pre-heating of the thermal head prior to the start of the next recording operation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.