Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Imation Corporation

Lawrence M Lucking

Gregory L Zwadlo

John W Frank

Valdis Mikelsons

Duane A Preszler

Richard E Bills

Thomas J Staiger

Donald L Knutson

An apparatus and method for providing contact between a donor sheet and a receptor sheet in a laser-induced thermal transfer printer make use of a support means for supporting a receptor sheet, means for mounting a donor sheet proximal to the receptor sheet over the support means, and means for applying tension to the donor sheet to draw the donor sheet into contact with the receptor sheet. The means for mounting the donor sheet and applying tension may be a clamp mechanism mounted on the support means. The clamp mechanism has a first clamp for holding a first end of the donor sheet and a second clamp for holding a second end of the donor sheet. The second clamp is movable relative to the first clamp to apply tension to the donor sheet, thereby drawing the donor sheet into contact with the receptor sheet.

Apparatus and method for providing donor-receptor contact in a

A thin flexible film is loaded into an interior surface of a hollow image-processing drum by releasably adhering a sheet of the film to a carrier. The carrier is admitted into the drum and positioned in spaced relation to the interior surface of the drum. The upper surface of the carrier is urged to the surface of the drum to place the sheet in residence against the interior surface of the drum. The sheet of film is releasably adhered to the drum and the carrier is removed from the drum. A receptor sheet may be placed within the drum and a donor sheet placed over it in a similar manner.

Method and apparatus for loading thin film media

A clamping and tensioning system for securing a sheet of photoconductor film to an outer circumferential surface of a carrier drum includes a clamp rod mounted to the carrier drum by first and second mounting blocks. The first and second mounting blocks include elongated slots that allow the clamp rod to rotate about its longitudinal axis and further permit linear radial movement of the clamp rod with respect to the carrier drum. The clamp rod includes mounting pins and spring tabs that engage leading and trailing edges of the photoconductor film. The leading and trailing edges of the photoconductor film are releasibly clamped to the clamp rod by a clamp bar. Leaf spring elements associated with the first and second mounting blocks bias the clamp rod radially inward to a first position wherein the photoconductor film extends loosely about the outer surface of the carrier drum. The photoconductor film is tensioned by rotating the clamp rod about its longitudinal axis which in turn winds the leading and trailing edges of the photoconductor film about the clamp rod. As the clamp rod is rotated, it moves radially outward with respect to the carrier drum along the elongated slots against the bias of the leaf spring elements. The clamp rod is held in a second position wherein the sheet of photoconductor film is securely tensioned about the outer surface of the carrier drum by a releasible split clamp collar.

Photoconductor film clamping and tensioning system and method of use

A development apparatus is provided with a flat or concavely curved, endless belt development electrode to conform to a flat or cylindrical electrographic record member, respectively. Such a configuration provides increased toned quality as compared to conventional cylindrical development electrodes.

Endless belt development electrode for electrographic image

A camera for photosensitive material used in producing half tones wherein a device for flash exposing the image to create better half tones is afforded by the use of a low wattage lamp projecting light along the optical path of the lens from the shutter, through a screen and onto the film plane for the photosensitive materials. The light is so directed by a specular reflective surface on the back of the shutter and a lamp off axis directing light to the reflective surface. Timing for the flash exposure is provided by commercial circuitry.

Growing community of inventors

Hugo, MN, United States of America

Lawrence M Lucking