Image producing process and apparatus with magnetic load roller

An imaging apparatus for forming images on a thermal print media, comprising:

• a magnetic, rotatable imaging drum;
• an imaging head which is movable along the longitudinal axis of the imaging drum at a speed synchronous with the rotation of the imaging drum;
• thermal print media removably mounted on the imaging drum, the imaging head being positioned to systematically travel over the thermal print media on the imaging drum;
• and
• a movable, rotatable load roller coated with a ferrous material, the load roller being engageable with the magnetic imaging drum.

An image processing apparatus for writing images to a receiver media, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a rotatable, magnet-attracting imaging drum mounted for rotation about an axis, the imaging drum being arranged to mount a receiver sheet and a donor sheet in superposed relationship thereon;
• b) a linear drive motor for rotating the imaging drum;
• c) a sheet transport assembly for transporting the receiver and donor sheets to the imaging drum;
• d) a printhead which is movable along the imaging drum;
• e) a lead screw for moving the printhead in a first direction, the printhead being mounted on the lead screw;
• f) a linear translation subsystem on which the printhead, imaging drum, and lead screw are mounted;
• and
• g) a magnetic load roller engageable with the magnet-attracting imaging drum.

An image producing process for loading thermal print media or donor material on an imaging drum, comprising the steps of:

• a) rotating a magnet-attracting imaging drum in a first direction of rotation;
• b) actuating a sheet transport assembly and driving a sheet of thermal print media to the imaging drum until a leading edge of the thermal print media sheet engages the imaging drum, and then stopping the sheet transport assembly;
• c) rotating the imaging drum in a second direction of rotation and stopping the imaging drum at a first media load position;
• d) moving a magnetic load roller into engagement with the leading edge of the thermal print media sheet on the magnet-attracting imaging drum;
• e) rotating the imaging drum in the second direction of rotation until a trailing edge of the thermal print media sheet is under the magnetic load roller, and then stopping rotation of the imaging drum;
• and
• f) moving the magnetic load roller away from the imaging drum.