Borderless platen drive printing
AssigneeEastman Kodak Compay
InventorMichael Ehmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A printer has a path for a sheet. A donor web is disposed on one side of the path; a platen roller is disposed on the other side of the path and supports the sheet during printing. An edge sensor is located in path at a known distance from the nip of the print head and the platen. Edge sensor senses the lead edge of the sheet and then the control circuit drives the lead edge to a distance D from the heat line of the print head. The head lowers, is selectively energized and the platen moves to carry the donor web and sheet past the head and provide a borderless printed image on the sheet.
Claims12
In a printer having a print head with a linear array of printing elements defining a print line, a path for a receiver sheet, a donor web disposed on one side of the path, a platen disposed on the other side of the path for supporting the receiver sheet during printing, a method for borderless platen drive printing comprising:
- moving the receiver sheet along the path toward the print head and the platen;
- sensing the lead edge of the receiver sheet;
- moving the receiver sheet further a selected distance to an initial position;
- moving the print head toward the donor web to clamp the receiver sheet between the donor web and the platen;
- moving the platen with respect to the print head to advance the receiver sheet and the donor web past the print head;
- and
- selectively energizing portions of the print head to transfer donor material from the donor web to the receiver sheet.
A printer for borderless platen driven printing comprising:
- a print head moveable toward and away from a platen, said print head comprising a linear array of printing elements defining a print line;
- a platen for receiving and carrying a receiver sheet past the print head;
- means for moving a receiver sheet toward the platen;
- means for sensing the lead edge of the receiver sheet and driving the receiver sheet to an initial position between the print head and the platen;
- a donor web disposed between the print head and one side of the receiver sheet;
- means for moving the print head toward the donor web to clamp the receiver sheet between the donor web and the platen in said initial position;
- means for moving the platen with respect to the print head to advance the receiver sheet and the donor web past the print head;
- and
- means for selectively energizing portions of the print head to transfer donor material from the donor web to the receiver sheet.
A printer for borderless platen driven printing comprising:
- a print head comprising a linear array of printing elements defining a print line and moveable toward or away from a donor web to clamp a receiver sheet between the donor web and a platen, said print head selectively operable to transfer donor material from the donor web to the receiver sheet;
- a donor web between the print head and one side of the receiver sheet;
- a platen for engaging the other side of the receiver sheet and for moving the receiver sheet past the print head;
- a sensor for detecting a lead edge of the receiver sheet;
- and
- a first pair of urge rollers operable in response to the sensor for moving the receiver sheet an initial position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.