Kodak Alaris Inc.

Eastman-kodak Company

Alex David Horvath

Robert Fredric Mindler

John Emmanuel Wright

Steven J Tomanovich

Joseph Anthony Manico

Eric P Hochreiter

Jose E Rivera

Richard Salter

A receiving well for use with a thermal dye sublimation printing apparatus is disclosed. The receiving well is used to receive cut sheets printed using the thermal dye sublimation printing. The receiving well includes two angled surfaces, referred to herein as ramps. The ramps are spaced apart from one another, and a waste area is positioned between the two ramps. The waste area captures the scrap or waste paper that can result from cutting the receiver media after printing. In some embodiments, both ramps slope down to the bottom surface of the receiving well. In other embodiments, one of the ramps is raised off the bottom surface of the receiving well at its lowest point. The waste area may also be offset such that it is closer to one side of the receiving well than the other.

Offset print stacking tray with waste area

A printing method wherein a position of a receiver media in a printer is determined to be nearer to one of two thermal printheads at an end of a print job. A next print job is started using either one of the two thermal printheads depending on which one was determined to be nearer the receiving media.

Method for maintaining proper page sequence while reducing printer artifacts

A binding system for binding a set of media sheets, including a cylinder having an outer diameter and a length, and a retainer fabricated from a flexible material. The retainer has an arc-shaped cross-section having an inner diameter and an associated arc angle thereby providing an opening slot that extends along a length of the retainer. The binding system is adapted to bind the set of media sheets by wrapping the media sheets around the cylinder and inserting the wrapped cylinder into the retainer with the wrapped media sheets extending out of the opening slot in the retainer. The inner diameter of the retainer is less than the sum of the outer diameter of the cylinder and a total thickness of the wrapped media sheets so that the retainer flexes to provide a clamping force to bind the media sheets.

Binding system using concentric cylinders

A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a pivotable diverter and a cutter positioned between the diverter and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll, when the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path, and when the diverter is in the third position the receiver media is directed from the reversing path into the printing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is sequentially repositioned to feed the receiver media into the printing path where a first side image is printed, into the reversing path where it is cut, and into the printing path again where a second side image is printed.

Duplex thermal printer with pivotable diverter

A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a turning mechanism, a diverter and a cutter positioned between the printing path and the turning mechanism. When the diverter is in the first position thermal imaging receiver is directed from the supply roll into the printing path, and when the diverter is in the second position the thermal imaging receiver is directed from the printing path into the turning mechanism. During a printing operation, the diverter is positioned in the first position and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a first side image is printed. The diverter is then repositioned the receiver media is fed into the turning mechanism after being cut. The receiver media is fed back into the printing path where a second side image is printed.

Duplex thermal printing system with turning mechanism

A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a pivotable diverter and a cutter positioned between the supply roll and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll, when the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path, and when the diverter is in the third position the receiver media is directed from the reversing path into the printing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is sequentially repositioned to feed the receiver media into the printing path where a first side image is printed, into the reversing path where it is cut, and into the printing path again where a second side image is printed.

Duplex thermal printing system with pivotable diverter

A printing system or a printer with a pair of printheads detects a position of receiver media in the printer and directs either second page data or first page data to be printed first depending at which printhead the receiver media is positioned.

Printing system for maintaining proper page sequence while reducing printer artifacts

A binding system for binding a set of media sheets, including first and second binder pieces, each including an end cap, a retainer, a cylinder and a connection mechanism. The retainer has an arc-shaped cross-section having an associated arc angle thereby providing an opening slot that extends along a length of the retainer. The retainer and the cylinder are connected to the end cap such that the cylinder is positioned within the retainer. The binder pieces are adapted to bind the set of sheets of media by inserting the set of media sheets into the first and second binder pieces such that the media sheets are wrapped around the cylinders and extend out of the opening slots in the retainers, and engaging the connection mechanisms to connect the first and second binder pieces together.

Binding system using binder pieces with concentric cylinders

A printing method for a print job having at least two pages. After determining a position of rolled media in the printer, print data for either a first page or a second page of the print job can be staged for printing first. This can be performed at a host computer connected to the printer or it can be performed in the printer.

Printing method for maintaining proper page sequence while reducing printer artifacts

A printing system having a printer comprising two printheads, sensors for determining a position of a rolled receiver media in the printer, and rollers for starting a multi-page print job using either one of the printheads based on the position of the rolled receiver media in the printer. A second page of the print job is printed before a first page of the print job in response to the position of the rolled receiver media in the printer.

System for maintaining proper page sequence while reducing printer artifacts

A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a diverter and a cutter positioned between the diverter and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll or the reversing path into the printing path. When the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is positioned in the first position and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a first side image is printed. The diverter is then repositioned the receiver media is fed into the reversing path where it is cut. The diverter is then repositioned again and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a second side image is printed.

Roll-fed duplex thermal printer

A roll-fed duplex thermal printing system, comprising a supply roll of receiver media, a printing path, a reversing path, a diverter and a cutter positioned between the supply roll and the reversing path. When the diverter is in a first position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll or the reversing path into the printing path. When the diverter is in a second position the receiver media is directed from the supply roll into the reversing path. During a printing operation, the diverter is positioned in the first position and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a first side image is printed. The diverter is then repositioned the receiver media is fed into the reversing path where it is cut. The diverter is then repositioned again and the receiver media is fed into the printing path where a second side image is printed.

Growing community of inventors

Fairport, NY, United States of America

Alex David Horvath