Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
264 words
A method for making a thermal transfer type multicolor printing, comprising the steps of: (a) setting an ink ribbon over a platen roller with a sheet of printing paper being interposed therebetween, the ink ribbon having at predetermined intervals a plurality of ink zones each carrying one of heat-dissolving inks of different colors; (b) then, positioning one of the ink zones at a printing position on the platen roller, the one ink zone being of a predetermined color; (c) placing a thermal head at the printing position against the positioned one ink zones; (d) driving the thermal head for transferring the ink of the one ink zone to the printing paper so that a first dot line of one picture component, for the predetermined color, of a picture to be printed is reproducted by the use of ink of the one ink zone; (e) after the step (d), advancing the printing paper and the ink ribbon for a subsequent printing of the picture component; (f) repeating the steps (d) and (e) until the whole picture component for the predetermined color is reproduced on the printing paper; (g) then, moving the thermal head away from the printing position; (h) after the step (g), moving backwards a predetermined restarting portion of the printing paper to the printing position on the platen roller for reproducing the remaining picture components; and (i) repeating the steps (b) to (h) with respect to the other ink zones of different colors for reproducing the remaining picture components on the printing paper, whereby a multicolor picture is reproduced on the printing paper.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
264 words
A method for making a thermal transfer type multicolor printing, comprising the steps of: (a) setting an ink ribbon over a platen roller with a sheet of printing paper being interposed therebetween, the ink ribbon having at predetermined intervals a plurality of ink zones each carrying one of heat-dissolving inks of different colors; (b) then, positioning one of the ink zones at a printing position on the platen roller, the one ink zone being of a predetermined color; (c) placing a thermal head at the printing position against the positioned one ink zones; (d) driving the thermal head for transferring the ink of the one ink zone to the printing paper so that a first dot line of one picture component, for the predetermined color, of a picture to be printed is reproducted by the use of ink of the one ink zone; (e) after the step (d), advancing the printing paper and the ink ribbon for a subsequent printing of the picture component; (f) repeating the steps (d) and (e) until the whole picture component for the predetermined color is reproduced on the printing paper; (g) then, moving the thermal head away from the printing position; (h) after the step (g), moving backwards a predetermined restarting portion of the printing paper to the printing position on the platen roller for reproducing the remaining picture components; and (i) repeating the steps (b) to (h) with respect to the other ink zones of different colors for reproducing the remaining picture components on the printing paper, whereby a multicolor picture is reproduced on the printing paper.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the heat-dissolving inks includes yellow, magenta and cyan inks, and wherein the yellow, magenta and cyan inks each appear every three ink zones.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
a method as recited in claim 2, wherein the positioning step (b) further includes: detecting a sensor mark provided to the ink ribbon adjacent to each of the ink zones, the sensor mark indicating a color of the ink of the adjacent ink zone; comparing the detected color of the ink with the predetermined color; and when the detected color of the ink is different from the predetermined color, advancing the ribbon until the detected color becomes identical to the predetermined color.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method as recited in claim 3, during the steps (c) to (f), further comprising the step of pulling a portion, situated downstream of the printing position, of the printing paper toward downstream of the printing paper for applying a back tension to the downstream situated portion to thereby keep that portion tight, whereby deviation of the picture reproduced is prevented.