Method and apparatus for producing a thermal transfer print by means of a tape-like transfer film

An apparatus for producing a thermal transfer print, comprising:

• a laser imaging unit which emits a laser beam and is movable over a width of a substrate mounted on a cylinder;
• tape transport means for guiding a tape-like transfer film having a width that is small in relation to a width of the substrate;
• a traversing unit coupled to the laser imaging unit so that at least that part of the tape-like transfer film which outputs area elements is uniformly moved over the substrate width along with movement of the imaging unit, the width of the tape-like transfer film being such that a number of imaging tracks alongside one another are arranged across the width of the tape-like transfer film, the traversing unit being operative to position the tape tape-like transfer film during an imaging operation so that the laser beam strikes one of the number of imaging tracks which has not yet been used,
• the tape transport means including a supply roll, a wind-up roll and at least two rolls arranged axially parallel to the substrate width so as to bring the tape-like transfer film into contact with the substrate surface, and further comprising an additional traversing unit, the tape transport means and the imaging unit being mounted on respective ones of the traversing units, each traversing unit having a control unit so that the tape transport means and the laser imaging unit are moveable independently of each other so that the laser imaging unit is movable relative to the tape-like transfer film across a width of the tape-like transfer film to address the different imaging tracks,
• wherein the number of imaging tracks across the width of the tape-like transfer film is determined on the following equation:
• n=INT(b/(s+a))
• where,
• b=the width of the tape-like transfer film,
• s=a track width of the laser imaging unit,
• a=a safety margin width arranged between each track,
• n=the number of imaging tracks possible across the width of the tape-like transfer film, and
• INT(x)=the largest integer less than x,
• thereby facilitating the most efficient use for various widths of the tape-like transfer film.