International Business Machines Corporation

Internal Business Machine Corporation

Hugh T Findlay

Deh C Tao

Stephen A Popyach

Rex D Fathergill

Clifford M Denny

Clifford Wilhelm Anderson

James F Martone

Patsy A Bowlds

Nancy C Watkins

Leonard M Rood

David P Dunn

Stafford, Donald W

Kenneth H Froman

Keith A Jones

Julie F Evans

A fabric ribbon having multicolored regions has coloring matter in the regions of only flushed pigments in a liquid vehicle. Flushed pigments do not migrate between colored regions under normal conditions, and therefore mixing of the colors is avoided without alteration of the fabric or use of a fabric with special characteristics or regions. Flushed pigments have very small article size and perform like dyes with respect to replenishing the ribbon for good ribbon life. Yet, the ribbon colors do not bleed together, a characteriztic of pigments.

Multicolored fabric printing ribbon including nonbleeding, nonmigrating

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 transfer medium has a transparent supporting substrate (1), an intermediate layer of photocurable material, (3), and outer layer of densely packed pigment bonded with photocurable material (5). Ultraviolet radiation in of the negative of the desired image is directed through the supporting substrate (1) to cure the intermediate layer. This is then pressed with heat on a paper, to which uncured areas transfer as an image by melting. The pigment and support layers block air and light from the intermediate layer which would deteriorate the intermediate layer. The image obtained is dense and permanent.

Transfer element and process for radiation defined images

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

A self-supporting ink lamination is taught particularly useful for a reinking, resistive ribbon printer. In the printer, the ink is typically wound as a spool with an intermediate, separating film. The self-supporting ink is stripped from the intermediate film in the printer and brought to a reinking station of the printer using the cohesive properties of the ink.

Self-supporting thermal ink

A thermal ribbon having a minute coating of graphite powder on the outer side of the resistive layer. The improved electrical interface with print electrodes reduces ribbon and printhead damage. The graphite also reduces friction and loosens material which builds-up at the printhead.

Modified resistive layer in thermal transfer medium having lubricating

A thermal ribbon particularly suited to be used once for printing at one temperature and for lift-off correction at a lower temperature. The bottom, resistive layer is a blend of an aliphatic polyurethane and a urethane acrylic copolymer with conductive carbon black. The next layer is 1000 angstroms thick aluminum. The next layer is the release layer, of an ethylene organic acid copolymer, a low-melting material. The top layer is an ink layer containing ethylene vinyl acetate and polyethyacrylate. The resistive layer has a light dusting of graphite. Low print currents for both printing and lift-off correction are achieved.

Laminated thermal transfer medium for lift-off correction and embodiment

A ribbon (22) in thermal printing has an outer layer (50) which adheres to printed characters at somewhat elevated temperatures but is non-tacky at room temperatures. The embodiment has an active layer of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an acrylic polymer, and carbon black. Thermal printing is conducted from the preferred ribbon by setting the switch (44) for heating to temperatures higher than the lift-off temperature. Lift-off is accomplished by returning to the printing position of the error and setting the switch (44) for lower voltage to the printing electrodes (9). The guide (29) allows cooling so that the bond is set before the ribbon (22) is pulled away.

Single laminated element for thermal printing and lift-off correction,

A ribbon for thermal printing comprising a transfer coating and a substrate which is a polyurethane resin containing electrically conductive carbon black.

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Lexington, KY, United States of America

Hugh T Findlay