EP0028334A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for thermally marking a record medium
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1980-10-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-10-15
Abstract
Abstract The apparatus comprises a thermal print head comprising a row of electrodes 22 embedded in a layer 19 of insulating material sandwiched between two blocks 20, 21 which provides a common return conductor for currents from source 26. Each electrode is individually connectable via switches 25 to the source 26. The transfer ribbon 14 comprises a resistive layer 23 which is electrically contacted by both the electrodes 22 and the return conductor 20 and an inking layer 24 which contacts the record sheet 15. In use the head is moved along the ribbon 14 in the direction of the arrow 28 and the switches 25 selectively actuated to cause thermal transfer of ink from the layer 24 to the record sheet 15. The transfer is caused by heat generated in the layer 23 when local currents are established herein between the electrodes 22 and the return conductor 20.
Inventors
- 👤 Clayton Vance Wilbur
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 11:47
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/315; B41J2/32; B41J2/325
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of thermally marking a record medium (15) comprising interposing a transfer medium (14) between a print head (12) and the record medium (15) and selectively establishing heating currents in the transfer medium to cause selective transferance of thermally transferable material from the transfer medium to the record medium, said method being characterised by the use in combination of a transfer medium (14) consisting only of a resistive layer (23) in contiguous surface contact with a layer (24) comprising the thermally transferable material, with a print head (12) comprising a group of selectively and individually energisable electrodes (22) and a common return conductor both (20)Lelectrically contacting the resistive layer (23) for heating current flow therebetween solely by way of and through the resistive layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of thermally marking a record medium (15) comprising interposing a transfer medium (14) between a print head (12) and the record medium (15) and selectively establishing heating currents in the transfer medium to cause selective transferance of thermally transferable material from the transfer medium to the record medium, said method being characterised by the use in combination of a transfer medium (14) consisting only of a resistive layer (23) in contiguous surface contact with a layer (24) comprising the thermally transferable material, with a print head (12) comprising a group of selectively and individually energisable electrodes (22) and a common return conductor both (20)Lelectrically contacting the resistive layer (23) for heating current flow therebetween solely by way of and through the resistive layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, further characterised by the use of a print head having the electrodes grouped so that the spacings between adjacent electrodes are similar and each such spacing is substantially equal to or greater than the spacing between each electrode and the common return conductor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for thermally marking a record medium (15) using a transfer medium (14) consisting only of a resistive layer (23) in contiguous surface contact with a layer (24) comprising a thermally transferable material, said apparatus comprising means (16) for supporting a record medium (15) to be marked, a thermal print head (12) disposed at a record marking station, means for supporting the transfer medium (17, 18) with a portion thereof interposed between the print head (12) and a supported record medium (15) and said apparatus being characterised in that the print head (12) comprises a group of electrodes (22) embedded in a layer of insulating material (19) secured to a block (20) of conducting material forming a common return current path for heating currents established, in use, in the resistive layer (23) of the transfer medium (14) between selected electrodes (22) and the common return conductor (20), and means (25, 26) for selectively establishing heating current flow between individual electrodes and the common conductor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
164 words
Apparatus for thermally marking a record medium (15) using a transfer medium (14) consisting only of a resistive layer (23) in contiguous surface contact with a layer (24) comprising a thermally transferable material, said apparatus comprising means (16) for supporting a record medium (15) to be marked, a thermal print head (12) disposed at a record marking station, means for supporting the transfer medium (17, 18) with a portion thereof interposed between the print head (12) and a supported record medium (15) and said apparatus being characterised in that the print head (12) comprises a group of electrodes (22) embedded in a layer of insulating material (19) secured to a block (20) of conducting material forming a common return current path for heating currents established, in use, in the resistive layer (23) of the transfer medium (14) between selected electrodes (22) and the common return conductor (20), and means (25, 26) for selectively establishing heating current flow between individual electrodes and the common conductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 characterised in that a transfer medium consisting only of a resistive layer in contiguous surface contact with a layer comprising a thermally transferable material is supported by the transfer-medium-support-means with the resistive layer contacting the head electrodes and return conductor so as to establish a current flow path therebetween and with the transferable layer contacting the supported record medium.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of marking a record medium comprising the steps of providing a transfer medium consisting of a resistive layer and another layer comprising thermally transferable marking material; providing a print head comprising at least one printing electrode, and a return-path-providing element insulatingly disposed in close proximity to each electrode; interposing the transfer medium between the record medium and the print head with the resistive layer adjacent the print head; and selectively energizing said printing electrode(s) to cause current of at least a predetermined magnitude to flow between each selected printing electrode and element solely by way of the resistive layer to generate resistance heating in the resisitive layer and thereby heat the adjacent localized area of said other layer for causing transfer of marking material from the other layer to the record medium.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of marking a record medium comprising the steps of providing a transfer medium consisting of a resistive layer and another layer comprising thermally transferable marking material; providing a print head comprising at least one printing electrode, and a return-path-providing element insulatingly disposed in close proximity to each electrode; interposing the transfer medium between the record medium and the print head with the resistive layer adjacent the print head; and selectively energizing said printing electrode(s) to cause current of at least a predetermined magnitude to flow between each selected printing electrode and element solely by way of the resistive layer to generate resistance heating in the resisitive layer and thereby heat the adjacent localized area of said other layer for causing transfer of marking material from the other layer to the record medium.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of marking a thermally sensitive record medium comprising the steps of providing a transfer medium consisting solely of a resistive layer; providing a print head comprising at least one printing electrode and a return-path-providing element insulatingly disposed in close proximity to each electrode; interposing the transfer medium between the record medium and the print head; and selectively energizing said printing electrode(s) to cause current of at least a predetermined magnitude to flow between each selected printing electrode and element solely by way of the resistive layer to generate resistance heating in the resisitive layer and thereby heat the adjacent localized area of the record medium for thermally sensitizing marking material in the record medium.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of marking a thermally sensitive record medium comprising the steps of providing a transfer medium consisting solely of a resistive layer; providing a print head comprising at least one printing electrode and a return-path-providing element insulatingly disposed in close proximity to each electrode; interposing the transfer medium between the record medium and the print head; and selectively energizing said printing electrode(s) to cause current of at least a predetermined magnitude to flow between each selected printing electrode and element solely by way of the resistive layer to generate resistance heating in the resisitive layer and thereby heat the adjacent localized area of the record medium for thermally sensitizing marking material in the record medium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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