Patent · US Expired

Printed data erasing method for rewritable card and apparatus for carrying out the same

US6064413A · kind A · utility

13Cited by
2References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 21, 1999
Grant dateMay 16, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 21, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/355
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

In a rewritable card read/write apparatus including a printing thermal head (11) for printing data thermally and a transporting mechanism for feeding a rewritable card (19) forwardly and backwardly so that the rewritable card (19) can pass by the thermal head (11), a method which allows the printed data to be erased within a short time with the thermal head (11) itself. A columnwise printed data erasing range (18) of a printed data area is designated for the card (19) inserted into the apparatus. The thermal head (11) is electrically energized successively at least in two serial cycles by changing over electric energy level at least from a first electric energy level in a first cycle to a second electric energy level in a second cycle. The first electric energy level is so set that a columnwise range of the thermal head (11) which corresponds to the printed data erasing range (18) of the card (19) is heated to a relatively high temperature within a temperature range in which no coloration can occur in the printed data area when the rewritable card (19) reaches a position immediately beneath the thermal head (11). The second electric energy level is set lower than the relatively hig…

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