Agfa Gevaert Nv

Afga-gevaert Nv

Jan A Zwijsen

Serge M Tavernier

Robert F Janssens

Luc K Van Aken

Gino L De Rycke

Jozef P De Prijcker

Paul H Leys

Albrecht F Domen

Willy F Van Peteghem

Luc Horemans

Marc De Clerck

Marcel F Verbeek

Fernand Godon

Eric Goos

The present invention provides a thermal printing system equipped with at least 3 light sources and 3 photodetectors positioned opposite thereto for detecting the type of dye donor element. One of said light source illuminates a dye frame whereas the other illuminate detection marks in a margin of the dye donor element. The thermal printing system according to the invention allows to distinguish between a dye donor element for color printing and black and white printing and according to an embodiment is also capable to detect further variants. The present invention further provides a dye donor element for use in such thermal printing system and to a method for detecting the type of dye donor element.

Detection of type of dye donor element in a thermal printing system

Drive system for driving a load (20), the drive system including a motor (10) coupled to a first shaft (11), a second shaft (19) coupled to the load, and an intermediate shaft (15) coupled to the first shaft and coupled to the second shaft. The angular position of the intermediate shaft is converted by a rotational encoder (25) into a drive signal for driving the motor.

Drive system

A stack of image receiving sheets, wherein each image receiving sheet has on one side of a support an image receiving layer, includes a cover sheet protecting the image receiving layer of an outermost image receiving sheet. The cover sheet has a detection mark distinguishing it from the image receiving sheets.

Stack of image receiving sheets with detection mark

In making prints by thermal printing, a rectangular print-receiving sheet is attached with its leading edge onto a rotatable print drum while leaving the trailing edge of the sheet unattached. The two corners at the trailing edge are rounded.

Method for making prints by means of a thermal printer

A thermal image recording apparatus for recording an image on a recording medium has a housing and mounted within the housing a subhousing containing a thermal print head formed of a thermal printing circuit, including an array of individual activatable heating elements, and a heat sink in conductive contact with such elements for cooling the same, a blower for creating a stream of cooling air and air guides for guiding the air stream into contact with the heat sink and thence to the outside of the housing. A platen roller is in the housing for supporting the recording medium in a recording position and the subhousing is pivotally mounted in the housing to bring the print heat into and out of an operative position with the heating elements proximate to the recording medium. The subhousing has an opening in its bottom wall through which the heating elements project in exposed relation to the recording medium while the heat sink extends into the subhousing interior. The blower is situated within the subhousing and communicates via air intake and exhaust openings in another wall of the subhousing directly with the atmosphere outside the housing without significant communication with the housing interior to thereby avoid heating of the housing interior.

Thermal image recording apparatus

An apparatus for forming a color image by transfer of at least one distinctively colored color image from a corresponding support therefor onto a single carrier support using a transfer cylinder for each color image for receiving on its periphery in a fixed location the image-carrying support and transport means carrying a register strip provided with register holes and attached to the leading end of the carrier support along a path tangential to the transfer cylinder periphery, the transfer cylinder including registering pins movable radially thereon between a retracted inoperative position and an operative projected position projecting outside the cylinder periphery for engagement with the register holes as the register strip arrives at the cylinder. After registration, the image-carrying support and carrier support are pressed together progressively along their length to transfer the image to the carrier support. The sequence is repeated at the transfer cylinder for each color image. The movement of the register pins is controlled timed relation to the transport of the register strip by control means, preferably a cam.

Apparatus for the production of a colour image

An electrostatic latent image developing assembly having a first feed passage for feeding developing material in a first direction, a second feed passage for feeding the developing material in a direction opposite to the first direction. A helical feed screw in the first feed passage, a helical supply screw in the second feed passsage for supplying part of the developing material to a developing sleeve, a connection between both sets of adjacent ends of such feed passages for permitting the developing material to circulate between the passages, wherein the feed screw and supply screw are disposed in parallel relation and the supply screw is provided with buckets around its periphery, the supply screw having a helical blade for advancing developing material in the second feed passage axially thereof while the buckets move the material circumferentially. Preferably, the radius of the helical blade reaches to at least one-half the depth of the buckets.

Circuitous-flow electrostatic developer assembly with concurrent axial

Photographic image-forming apparatus with replaceable cassette which comprises an exposure station for the imagewise exposure of a photographic silver halide emulsion layer element, a developing station wherein a silver halide developer liquid is applied to said imagewise exposed element, and a fixing station wherein a silver halide fixing agent is applied to the imagewise exposed element, and driving means for transporting the element through the stations, wherein at least the developing station (36) is incorporated into a processing cassette (35, 91) that contains developing liquid and removably fits into said apparatus, said cassette houses absorption means (40) effective for absorbing unused developer liquid brought into contact therewith, and the apparatus comprises means (78, 79, 80) operable in association with the processing cassette for bringing unused developer liquid in the cassette into contact with said absorption means when the cassette is removed from the apparatus.

Photographic processing application with replaceable cassette

Dry toner development of an electrostatic charge pattern on a recording surface is carried out with a dry toner layer formed on a donor member by electrostatic attraction resulting from a DC voltage applied across a gap between the surface of the donor member 22 and the surface of an upstream electrically conductive member 16 covered with a mixture of triboelectrically charged toner particles and magnetic carrier particles, the latter with adhering toner particles being attracted to the electrically conductive member surface by magnetic force and forming thereon a magnetic brush. The DC voltage in the gap causes selective attraction of the toner particles free of magnetic carrier particles and an AC voltage of lower peak magnitude can be superimposed on the DC voltage to set the particles in the gap in vibration and facilitate transfer across the gap. Application of the toner layer from the donor member surface to the recording surface is carried out without substantial relative movement between such surfaces.

Dry toner development

A photographic processing cassette (35) for the processing of an exposed photographic silver halide emulsion layer element, which comprises:

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Wilrijk, Belgium

Jan A Zwijsen