International Business Machines Corporation

Deh C Tao

Hugh T Findlay

Stephen A Popyach

Donald Wayne Stafford

James J Molloy

Steven L Applegate

Bruce M Cassidy

Clifford M Denny

Arthur E Graham

Robert J Huljak

Patsy A Bowlds

Julie F Evans

A thermal printhead, which is pivotally mounted on a carrier, is moved into and out of its printing position by a four bar linkage, which is responsive to the direction in which the carrier is being advanced, rendering a spring, which urges the thermal printhead into its printing position, effective and ineffective. When the carrier is advanced from left to right to print, the linkage responds to a drive mechanism for the carrier to enable movement of the printhead into its printing position by the spring prior to the carrier drive mechanism moving the carrier. When the carrier is to be moved from right to left in the non-printing direction, the linkage responds to the initial motion of the carrier drive mechanism in this direction to render the spring ineffective and to move the printhead out of its printing position prior to the carrier drive mechanism moving the carrier.

Thermal printhead actuator responsive to carriage drive and including a

Roller 1 is heated to a temperature at which correctable thermal printing is caused to be better fixed to the paper and to be darker, while lift-off correction may be subsequently conducted. Roller 1 is spaced from printhead 3 a distance sufficient to permit reading of immediately prior typing. Both roller 1 and printhead 3 are mounted on carrier 5.

Modified thermal printing using a heated roller and with lift-off

A reinking thermal printer is disclosed having a continuous band 1 receiving ink lamination 23 from supply 21. Ink supply 21 has a lamination 25 which is stripped from the ink lamination 23 and directed through guide slot 43. Ink lamination 23 is transferred to band 1 at rolls 29 and 31. The reinked band 1 is then printed from by thermal printing element 7. Lamination 25 enters rolls 35 and 37 with its rough side encountering the remaining ink on band 1 to effect cleaning. Lamination 25 is then stuffed in chamber 39.

Thermal printing with ink replenishment

Disclosed is a thermal transfer medium which comprises a mixture of a thermosetting polyimide, a thermoplastic polyimide, and graphite. It has a steel support layer and an intermediate layer of silicon dioxide. An outer layer on the steel is the thermal ink. The mixture is applied as a dispersion with a precursor of the thermosetting polyimide. The ribbon may be recoated at the typing station by applying a hot-melt of the ink.

Silicon dioxide intermediate layer in thermal transfer medium

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Deh C Tao