US 6,607,318 B2Granted

Thermal printer

AssigneeEasyprint A/S

InventorsChristian Jørgensen, Torben Svensson, Kristian Vang Jørgensen, Ernst R. Thorsager Olesen, Tim Nielsen

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The technique of producing a printing on a foil in a thermal printing operation during a packaging operation in which the foil is used as a packaging foil or as an information foil sheet to be applied to or below a wrap around or packaging foil for packaging a product being an organic or inorganic product. The examples of products relevant in the present context are unlimited ranging from toys, cosmetics, consumer products, foodstuffs, drugs etc. In general, any product which is to be packed in a foil or to be applied with an information printing after the product has been included in a separate package may be relevant in the present context. High speed printing and packaging operations in which the foil on which the printing is to be applied is moved at a speed up to several hundred millimetres per second.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A thermal printer for producing a printing on the surface of a foil in an ink transfer operation, comprising:

means for supplying said foil to said thermal printer,
a thermal transfer ribbon including an ink which is transferable in said ink transfer operation at specific locations of said thermal transfer ribbon by heating said specific locations to an elevated temperature causing said ink to be fluid,
means for arranging said thermal transfer ribbon in facial contact with said surface of said foil,
energizable printing means for heating said specific locations of said thermal transfer ribbon to said elevated temperature in said ink transfer operation,
means for energizing said energizable printing means,
means for moving said energizable printing means towards said foil so as to sandwich said thermal transfer ribbon therebetween in a constrained state and for moving said energizable printing means away from said foil,
means for moving said foil and said energizable printing means relative to one another at a specific speed while pressing said energizable printing means and said foil together and while energizing said energizable printing means,
means for moving said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said energizable printing means along a specific direction of motion for causing said ink of said thermal transfer ribbon to be transferred at said specific locations to said foil at specific areas thereof constituting said printing so as to smear said ink of said thermal transfer ribbon at said specific locations onto said foil through said motion of said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said foil, and
said means for moving said energizable printing means towards and away from said foil including a supporting structure, said energizable printing means being pivotably mounted in said supporting structure for allowing said energizable printing means to pivot transversally relative to said specific direction of motion of said thermal transfer ribbon, said supporting structure including a biasing element for biasing said energising printing means in said pivotable mounting towards a specific initial position for self-aligning said energizable printing means in said specific initial position.

6 more elements

A thermal printer for producing a printing on the surface of a foil in an ink transfer operation, comprising:

means for supplying said foil to said thermal printer,
a thermal transfer ribbon including an ink which is transferable in said ink transfer operation at specific locations of said thermal transfer ribbon by heating said specific locations to an elevated temperature causing said ink to be fluid,
means for arranging said thermal transfer ribbon in facial contact with said surface of said foil,
energizable printing means for heating said specific locations of said thermal transfer ribbon to said elevated temperature in said ink transfer operation,
means for energizing said energizable printing means,
means for moving said energizable printing means towards said foil so as to sandwich said thermal transfer ribbon therebetween in a constrained state and for moving said energizable printing means away from said foil, said means for moving said energizable printing means towards and away from said foil including an actuator means,
means for moving said foil and said energizable printing means relative to one another at a specific speed while pressing said energizable printing means and said foil together and while energizing said energizable printing means, and
means for moving said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said energizable printing means for causing said ink of said thermal transfer ribbon to be transferred at said specific locations to said foil at specific areas thereof constituting said printing so as to smear said ink of said thermal transfer ribbon at said specific locations onto said foil through said motion of said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said foil, said thermal transfer ribbon being delivered from a delivery reel, being moved past said energizable printing means and being received by a take-up reel, said means for moving said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said energizable printing means including a roller driven by a motor,
said thermal printer further including a housing wall, said reels and said energizable printing means being exposed at an outer side of said housing wall, and said actuator means and said motor driving said roller being concealed behind said housing wall.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/950,924Filed 13 Sep 2001 · continuation in part
Priority: DK PA 1998 0003812 Jan 1998
Published: US 2002/0031387 A114 Mar 2002
Granted: 19 Aug 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

B41J 2/355
Providing current or voltage to the thermal head: control circuits for heating-element selection
B41J 2/325
Using thermal heads: by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
B41J
Typewriters

Family

PCT/DK99/00017Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Jan 1999
Application09/264,023Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Mar 1999
US 2002/0031387 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 Mar 2002
Application09/264,023Parent of this continuation
US 6,354,753 B1Related patent
US 6,607,318 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.