Back to results
US 6,642,948 B2Granted
Thermal transfer printing method and printer system
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
InventorTakeo Miki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal transfer printing method conducts a thermal transfer printing by alternately driving heating elements of a thermal print head using a multi-colored thermal transfer ink ribbon, an intermediate transfer medium, the thermal print head and a platen roller that press fits these components. Thickness of ink layers of the thermal transfer ink ribbon is 0.4-1 μm and the rubber hardness of the platen roller is 80° or more.
Claims15
A thermal transfer printing method in a thermal transfer printing apparatus including:
- a thermal transfer ink ribbon having a 0.4-1 μm thick color thermofusible ink layers formed on a film-shaped substrate member;
- an intermediate transfer medium having a receptor layer on which ink in the multiple thermofusible color ink layers are transferred from the thermal transfer ink ribbon formed on a film-shaped substrate member;
- a thermal print head having multiple heating elements arranged in a line so as to form one pixel using at least two heating elements;
- and
- a platen roller formed by an elastic material having a rubber hardness more than 80° contacting the thermal print head, the thermal transfer ink ribbon and the intermediate transfer medium in the overlapped state,
- the thermal transfer printing method comprising:
- forming an image on the receptor layer of the intermediate transfer medium by selectively applying and driving the heating elements of the thermal print head according to image data so as to thermally transfer inks of thermofusible ink layers from the thermal transfer ink ribbon on the intermediate transfer medium;
- and
- transferring the receptor layer of the intermediate transfer medium having the formed image on a printing medium under pressure and heat.
6 more elements
A printer system comprising:
- a printer including:
- a thermal transfer ink ribbon having a 0.4-1 μm thick color thermofusible ink layers formed on a film-shaped substrate member;
- an intermediate transfer medium having a receptor layer on which inks in the multiple thermofusible color ink layers are transferred from the thermal transfer ink ribbon formed on a film-shaped substrate member;
- a thermal print head having multiple heating elements arranged in a line so as to form one pixel using at least two heating elements;
- and
- a platen roller formed by an elastic material having a rubber hardness more than 80° contacting the thermal print head, the thermal transfer ink ribbon and the intermediate transfer medium in the overlapped state, and
- a print controller to control the image printing by selectively powering and driving the heating elements of the thermal print head according to image data, form an image on the receptor layer of the intermediate transfer medium by thermally transferring inks of the thermofusible ink layers of the thermal transfer ink ribbon on the receptor layer of the intermediate transfer medium, and transfer the receptor layer of the intermediate transfer medium with the image formed thereon;
- and
- a computer connected to the printer via a two-way communication means and send image data to be printed to the print controller of the printer.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.