Agfa-Gevaert

Joseph Michielsen

David Tilemans

Leo Oelbrandt

Robert Theodoor Overmeer

Marc De Clerck

A method and apparatus is provided for operating a direct electrostatic printer whereby no printer adjustments are required by the operator. The direct thermal printer includes a print head and a variable speed motor for reproducing images on an imaging element. The method for operating the direct electrostatic printer includes the steps of: receiving medical image data representing the medical images; processing one or more printing prerequisites provided with the medical image data for controlling heating energy applied to the print head and for controlling the speed of the variable speed drive motor; generating a control signal from the printing prerequisites for controlling the speed of the variable speed drive motor; automatically configuring the printer in a plurality of operating modes using the control signal; passing the imaging element adjacent the print head by means of the variable speed drive motor; and heating the print head in accordance with the medical image data and the printing prerequisites to form the medical images on the imaging element. In addition, the printer is capable of operating in at least two modes, including a standard quality operating mode in which the variable speed drive motor is operated at a first speed, and at least one premium quality operating mode in which the variable speed drive motor is operated at a second speed slower than the first speed.

Direct thermal printing method and apparatus

A method for making an image by means of a direct thermal imaging element, comprising on a support a thermosensitive layer incorporating an organic silver salt and a reducing agent contained in said thermosensitive layer and/or in other optional layers. The imaging element is imagewise heated by means of a thermal head having energizable heating elements. The activation of the heating elements is executed duty cycled pulsewise with the steps of preheating each heating element for a preheating time such that a preheat temperature in the imaging element is reached, which is just below the conversion temperature; selecting a pulse duty cycle such that a maximal density on the imaging element will be reached at the end of the maximal writing time; retrieving from a memory for each individual pixel an individual writing time related to a desired density on the imaging element; and energizing the heating elements with the selected pulse duty cycle for a time related to the retrieved individual writing time.

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Edegem, Belgium

Joseph Michielsen