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EP0050481B1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multi-colour image recording device

Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp
•
Filing: 1981-10-15
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Granted: 1986-09-10
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Expires: 2001-10-15
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Abstract

No abstract record available.

Inventors

  • 👤 Moriguchi C/O Fuji Xerox Company Limited Fjio
  • 👤 Moriguchi C/O Fuji Xerox Company Limited Haruhiko
  • 👤 Ohmori C/O Fuji Xerox Company Limited Takashi
  • 👤 Kurata C/O Fuji Xerox Company Limited Masami
  • 👤 Murayama C/O Fuji Xerox Company Limited Tomio
  • 👤 Makino C/O Fuji Xerox Company Limited Katsuo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 16:37
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/46; H04N1/50; H04N1/506

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 171 words
A multicolour thermal transfer image recording device having a plurality of printing stations at each of which a different colour ink is applied to recording paper as it is fed through each of the printing stations in turn characterised in that each printing station includes a means for feeding a web of ink donor sheet material having a continuous coating of heat fusible or heat sublimating ink thereon over a thermal head for selectively heating said ink donor sheet material whilst it is in pressure contact with a recording paper sheet to transfer the heated ink to the recording sheet, and in that each printing station incorporates recording sheet driving means so that separate sheets of recording paper are transported in a predetermined path, the donor sheet material web feeding means and the thermal heads all being on one side of said path and each of the donor sheet material webs being arranged so that the associated web moves past the associated thermal head in contact with the recording paper sheets.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 171 words
A multicolour thermal transfer image recording device having a plurality of printing stations at each of which a different colour ink is applied to recording paper as it is fed through each of the printing stations in turn characterised in that each printing station includes a means for feeding a web of ink donor sheet material having a continuous coating of heat fusible or heat sublimating ink thereon over a thermal head for selectively heating said ink donor sheet material whilst it is in pressure contact with a recording paper sheet to transfer the heated ink to the recording sheet, and in that each printing station incorporates recording sheet driving means so that separate sheets of recording paper are transported in a predetermined path, the donor sheet material web feeding means and the thermal heads all being on one side of said path and each of the donor sheet material webs being arranged so that the associated web moves past the associated thermal head in contact with the recording paper sheets.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 68 words
A device as claimed in Claim 1, comprising pressure roll means (21, 28 or 111, 121, 131 or 204, or 319, 321 or 423, 424, 425) arranged on the opposite side of the path of the recording paper sheets from the ink donor sheets and the thermal heads whereby the ink donor sheets and the recording paper sheets are pinched between the thermal heads and the pressure rolls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
A device as claimed in Claim 2, in which there are a plurality of separate pressure rolls associated respectively with the individual thermal heads, means (e.g. 205) being provided for guiding the record sheets along the aforesaid path between individual thermal heads.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device as claimed in Claim 3 in which said guiding means comprises an endless belt (425) extending around said pressure rolls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 43 words
A device as claimed in Claim 3, in which said means is constituted by the ink donor sheets (e.g. 317) which are each arranged to follow a path adjacent the recording paper path at a position adjacent the next succeeding the thermal head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 47 words
A device as claimed in Claim 5, in which, at said position adjacent the next succeeding thermal head the path of the ink donor sheet is made to bend through a curve of radius (e.g. at 326) too small to be followed by the recording paper sheets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 44 words
A device as claimed in claim 6, in which a guide member (e.g. 329) is provided between said position and the next succeeding thermal head to guide the recording paper towards the pinch between the next succeeding thermal head and its associated pressure roll.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
A device as claimed in Claim 2, in which there is a single pressure roll (204) with the thermal heads arranged at circumferentially spaced positions around such single pressure roll.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 92 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, in which a thermal transfer marking device is associated with said first set and operates to produce on each sheet of recording paper as it passes said first set a series of spaced marks (142) at predetermined time intervals, the or each succeeding set incorporating a reading device (153, 156) arranged to read said marks so as to control the synchronisation of the operation of the thermal heads of the or each succeeding set with the passage of the recording paper sheet past such head.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 35 words
A multi-colour copying machine including a multi-colour image recording device as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with a scanner unit for scanning an original document and operating to produce said picture element signals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 47 words
A machine as claimed in Claim 10, comprising memory means (94) for storing the picture element signals and control circuit means (82, 93, 96) for providing picture element signals to each thermal head in synchronism with the passage of a recording paper sheet past each thermal head.

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