Eastman-kodak Company

James A Whritenor

Michael J Ehmann

Stanley W Stephenson

Young No

Terrence L Fisher, Sr

Robert J Matoushek

Joseph S Kuzniarek

An apparatus for detecting the presence and type of receiver media in a document production apparatus, such as a copier, thermal printer or other printing device, includes a noncontact sensor and media transport means. Media transport means transports as least two different types of receiver media along a transport path. The noncontact sensor is positioned along a sensor plane and has a light emitting member that emits light along the sensor plane towards the media, and a light detecting member that collects light reflected from the media along the sensor plane and produces a signal that is related to the amount of light collected. The presence of the signal indicates that media is present and the amount of reflected light is indicative of the type of media.

Document production apparatus and method having a noncontact sensor for

A thermal printer has a platen roller and a moveable print head. A paper guide is positioned for guiding a sheet receiver media to an entrance between the platen and the print head when the print head is in the nonprinting position. A capstan pinch roller is movable relative to a capstan roller to grip the dye receiver therebetween. The capstan roller meters the receiver in a forward direction along the paper guide prior to metering the receiver in a reverse direction not along the paper guide and again in the forward direction not along the paper guide. The receiver media travels along two different transport paths.

Thermal printer having dual receiver transport paths

A thermal printer has a dye donor supply spool with a body and first and second end portions extending from the body. First and second receptacles are positioned for matingly receiving the first and second end portions of the dye donor supply spool. The supply spool is correctly loaded only when the first and second end portions of the supply spool matingly engage the first and second receptacles, respectively. A mechanical stop prevents incorrect end for end loading of a supply spool that has an off center web wound thereon by engaging the web and preventing the end of the spool from engaging the receptacle.

Dye donor web loading apparatus for a thermal printer

A color thermal printer loads a dye receiver for printing by moving the dye receiver in a first direction through a gap between a print head and a platen. A dye donor, also positioned in the gap, moves in the first direction during receiver loading. The moving dye donor engages the dye receiver, assisting the dye receiver through the gap. When the dye receiver is detected downstream of the gap, the dye receiver is positioned in a beginning receiver print position and the position of the dye donor with respect to the print head is determined. If the print head position is downstream of a beginning donor print position, the dye donor is rewound in a second direction opposite the first direction until the print head is upstream of the beginning donor print position, whereupon the dye donor is moved to the beginning donor print position. If the print head position is upstream of the beginning donor print position when the dye receiver is detected, the dye donor is moved to the beginning donor print position. A normal printing sequence occurs when both dye donor and dye receiver are in their respective beginning print positions.

Assisting movement of dye receiver past thermal print head

A nip-roller pair for transporting a sheet or web of material has one regular roller and a special roller to prevent scarring of the transported material. The special roller has one or more hubs of soft, compressible material that engage the material and hold the material away from the harder, rougher surface of the roller. The rollers close to compress the hubs and transport the material

Transport roller having compressible hubs

The present invention relates to techniques for ensuring that an image receiving sheet, which has only one major surface thereof coated with an image receiving coating, is properly oriented prior to an image being printed thereon. The image receiving sheet has a concave or convex irregularity (e.g., a notch, arc, etc.) formed in at least one nominally straight edge of the sheet. In a first embodiment, a mechanical or optical sensing means detects whether or not the image receiving sheet is stacked correctly in a loading tray by sensing whether or not the edge irregularities are properly positioned. In a second embodiment, an edge and a notch sensing means detect whether or not the image receiving sheet is oriented properly while being fed into the printer. An improperly loaded image receiving sheet is either not fed into the printer, or transits the printer without causing the printer to attempt to print the image thereon. A visual and/or audible alarm can be activated upon the detection of an improperly loaded image receiving sheet to apprise a printer operator of the improperly loaded sheet.

Image receiving sheet inversion sensing techniques

Apparatus for clamping receiver sheets to the print drum of a thermal transfer printer. The apparatus includes a clamp assembly mounted for radial movement and having a clamp strip extending over the drum periphery and an interior longitudinal body coupled to that strip at a plurality of axially spaced locations. A longitudinal lever member extends axially within the drum from a pivot point at one drum end to an actuation arm at the other drum end and has a pivot arm coupled to a central portion of the clamp body. Springs urge the clamp assembly radially inwardly and an actuator mounted on the other drum end selectively moves the lever member radially outwardly.

Growing community of inventors

Mendon, NY, United States of America

James A Whritenor