Patent · US Expired

Thermal printer

US6166753A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
2References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 27, 1999
Grant dateDec 26, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 27, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2202/32
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A thermal printer applies heat to print a multicolor image on a heat-sensitive paper having a stack of color development layers which have different development characteristics. The printer includes a paper feed motor for feeding the heat-sensitive paper, and a thermal line head for heating the heat-sensitive paper fed by the paper feed motor. Particularly, the printer further includes a CPU for performing a print control process of driving the thermal line head such that each part of the heat-sensitive paper develops a specific color depending on the number of times thermal energy has been applied to the part. The thermal energy is not higher than the lowest of different thermal energies which are required for developing the color development layers.

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