Kodak Alaris Inc.

Eastman-Kodak Company

Dennis W Heizyk

Robert Fredric Mindler

Young No

Gregory James Garbacz

Roger Stanley Kerr

Donald F Grube

Scott L Auer

The present invention is directed to systems and methods of directly determining the type of receiver media loaded in a thermal printer by measurements taken from the receiver media itself. In one embodiment, a tri-color emitter and detector combination work in conjunction to determine the intensity of light transmitted through the receiver media. The type of receiver media may be determined by the voltage response or transmission profile generated by the receiver in response to being illuminated by the tri-color emitter.

System and method for determining receiver type in a thermal printer

A sheet removal apparatus for unloading a sheet from a hollow drum mounted for rotation about its axis and having a vacuum provided to the interior thereof and to first and second sets of vacuum openings through the surface of the drum. The sheet is arranged to overlie and close the first set of vacuum openings with the second set of openings extending substantially parallel with an edge of the sheet and comprising only a small portion of the total number of vacuum openings through the drum. An exit blade is disposed adjacent the drum and has an edge proximate the drum that extends substantially parallel to the edge of the sheet and forms an acute angle with the drum surface with the proximate edge of the blade closely adjacent the apex of the angle and parallel with the edge of the sheet. When the drum is rotated to a sheet removal position, the first set of vacuum openings lies beneath the acute angle when the edge of the sheet is disposed on the opposite side of the apex. The improvement comprises spacing the proximate edge of the exit blade sufficiently close to the surface of the drum that while the exit blade clears the sheet disposed on the drum, the vacuum drawn through the second set of vacuum openings creates an area of relatively high pressure air at the apex whereby air is forced past the apex with sufficient force to lift the edge of the sheet from the surface of the drum.

Air flow assisted material removal method and apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Rochester, NY, United States of America

Dennis W Heizyk