US 5,491,504 A · Thermal transfer printer ink ribbon-changing carousel apparatus and method

Abstract

A thermal transfer color printer (100) utilizes a single print head (102) positioned outside a carousel (104) of monochrome ink ribbons (106) each stretched between a pair of spaced-apart spools (108, 110) mounted around the periphery of the carousel. A spool spacing (112) provides sufficient clearance for the thermal print head to be positioned between to spools to contact the ribbon. A media drum (116) is positioned coaxially within the carousel. The carousel has a media opening (122) through which a print medium (118) enters and exits a medium clamp (144) attached to the media drum. To print a particular color, the carousel is rotated such that the media opening is adjacent to a media supply, and a print medium is guided from the media supply into the medium clamp. The media drum is rotated to close the medium clamp and position a leading edge (138) of the print medium adjacent to the print head. The print head is moved against the ribbon, and the print head is electrically driven by a printer controller (240) to selectively transfer ink to the print medium in a predetermined pattern. To print a different color, the carousel is indexed to a selected ribbon position, the media drum is rotated to position the leading edge of the print medium as before, and the printing process is repeated for the newly selected ribbon color. When printing is completed, the carousel is indexed to the initial position, and the print medium is guided from the medium clamp into the exit path.

Claims22

Dependent claims

In a printer having multiple colorant-carrying ribbons, a method for printing an image, comprising the steps of:

spacing the multiple ribbons around a periphery of a generally cylindrical carousel having an axis of rotation;
positioning a print head outside the carousel periphery, the print head having a linear array of printing elements aligned parallel to the axis of rotation;
mounting a media carrier inside the periphery of the carousel;
placing a print medium on the media carrier;
indexing the carousel to position a first one of the ribbons adjacent to the print head;
moving the print head against the first ribbon to form a nip between the first ribbon and the media carrier;
transporting the print medium and the first ribbon through the nip;
and
driving the array of printing elements to cause a controlled transfer of a first colorant from the first ribbon to the print medium, thereby printing the image on the print medium.

6 more elements

An apparatus for printing a multicolor image on a print medium, comprising:

a generally cylindrical carousel having an axis of rotation and a periphery around which a plurality of colorant-carrying ribbons are attached;
a print head positioned outside the carousel periphery, the print head having a linear array of printing elements aligned parallel to the axis of rotation;
a media drum coaxially mounted within the carousel, the print medium being wrapped around the media drum;
a carousel motor rotating the carousel to sequentially index it selected one of the plurality of ribbons to a position adjacent to the print head thereby permitting the plurality of ribbons to be selected and indexed;
a print head positioner moving the linear array of printing elements between a retracted position that allows the carousel to be rotated and a ribbon-contacting position that forms a nip between the selected one of the plurality of ribbons and the media drum;
a drum motor rotating the media drum to move the print medium and the selected one of the plurality of ribbons through the nip in sequential passes, the drum motor sequentially passing the, print medium through the nip to permit subsequently selected ones of the plurality of ribbons to contact the printing elements of the print head;
and
a print head array driver controlling transfer of colorant from the sequentially indexed and selected one of the plurality of ribbons during sequential and subsequent passes of the print medium and the plurality of ribbons through the nip, thereby printing the multicolor image on the print medium.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermal transfer printer ink ribbon-changing carousel apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Thermal transfer printer ink ribbon-changing carousel apparatus and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22