Method and apparatus for perforating indicia on used thermal transfer ribbon within a cassette
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsWilliam Berson, Julius Gluck, Patrick Murphy, Christopher D. Smith, Duc H. Tran
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In printing apparatus of the type which includes structure for thermally transferring ink from a ribbon to a workpiece, wherein the ribbon includes a backing layer and an ink donor layer, there is provided a printing process which includes the step(s) of transferring ink from the ink donor layer to the workpiece and perforating the ribbon. Moreover, it is a feature of the invention to include the processing step of sensing perforating.
Claims21
In printing apparatus of the type which includes a cassette, a ribbon in the cassette, and means for thermally transferring ink from the ribbon to a workpiece, wherein the ribbon includes a backing layer and an ink donor layer, a printing process comprising the steps of:
- (a) transferring ink from the ink donor layer to the backing layer;
- (b) perforating the inked backing layer within the cassette;
- and
- (c) sensing step (b).
In printing apparatus of the type which includes a cassette, a ribbon in the cassette, and means for thermally transferring ink from the ribbon to a workpiece, wherein the ribbon includes a backing layer and an ink donor layer, a printing process comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding the ribbon from a supply spool;
- (b) feeding the ribbon through a first printing station to a second printing station;
- (c) transferring a portion of the ink from the ink donor layer to the backing layer at the first printing station;
- (d) feeding the ribbon, less the portion of ink transferred from the ink donor layer, through the second printing station;
- (e) transferring the remainder of the ink from the ink donor layer to the workpiece at the second printing station whereby the ribbon consists of the backing layer;
- (f) feeding the backing layer through the first printing station;
- (g) perforating the ink backing layer within the cassette;
- (h) feeding the perforated inked backing layer onto a take-up spool;
- and
- (i) sensing the occurrence and non-occurrence of the perforating step.
In printing apparatus of the type which includes a cassette, a ribbon in the cassette, and means for thermally transferring ink from the ribbon to a workpiece, wherein the ribbon includes a backing layer and an ink donor layer, a printing process comprising the steps of:
- (a) transferring ink from the ink donor layer to the workpiece;
- (b) perforating the ribbon;
- and
- (c) sensing step (b).
In printing apparatus of the type which includes a cassette, a ribbon in the cassette, and means for thermally transferring ink from the ribbon to a workpiece, wherein the ribbon includes a backing layer and an ink donor layer, a printing process comprising the steps of:
- (a) feeding the ribbon through a printing station;
- (b) transferring ink from the ink donor layer to a workpiece at the printing station;
- (c) feeding the ribbon from the printing station through a ribbon perforating station in the cassette;
- (d) perforating the ribbon at the perforating station;
- and
- (e) sensing step (d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.