Agfa Division, Bayer Corporation

Miles Inc.

Agfa Corporation

Bayer Corporation

Lawrence S Blake

Philip A Rombult

Mark E Tellam

Arthur J Bellemore

Ralph S Hanseler

David P Viola

James J Hebert

Thomas E Robinson

Thomas K Hebert

Donald J Garand

Gregg R King

John A Morrell

The invention involves an internal drum thermal imaging apparatus comprising a support for supporting a receiver material and a donor material in a superimposed relationship. The support includes a cylindrical drum having an inner circumference on which the receiver material is supported against in a bottom layer of the superimposed relationship and the donor material in a top layer of the superimposed relationship. An imaging unit thermally transfers an image from the donor material to the receiver material. An applicator automatically loads and unloads the receiver material and the donor material onto the cylindrical drum comprising an applicator carriage, an attachment device for attaching the receiver material to the applicator and an applicator transport device for transporting the applicator carriage along the inner circumference of the cylindrical drum.

Material applicator for thermal imaging apparatus

The invention involves a thermal imaging apparatus comprising a support for supporting a receiver material and a donor material in a superimposed relationship. The support includes a cylindrical drum having an inner circumference on which the receiver material is supported against in a bottom layer of the superimposed relationship and the donor material in a top layer of the superimposed relationship. An imaging unit thermally transfers an image from the donor material to the receiver material. The imaging unit is configured to thermally transfer an image by scanning energy beams across the donor material.

Thermal imaging apparatus and method for material dispensing and applicating

The invention involves an internal drum thermal imaging apparatus comprising a support for supporting a receiver material and a donor material in a superimposed relationship. The support includes a cylindrical drum having an inner circumference on which the receiver material is supported against in a bottom layer of the superimposed relationship and the donor material in a top layer of the superimposed relationship. An imaging unit thermally transfers an image from the donor material to the receiver material. An applicator automatically loads and unloads the receiver material and donor material onto the cylindrical drum comprising an applicator carriage, an attachment device for attaching the receiver material to the applicator and an applicator transport device for transporting the applicator carriage along the inner cirumference of the cylindrical drum.

The invention involves a thermal imaging apparatus comprising a support for supporting a receiver material and a donor material in a superimposed relationship. The support includes a cylindrical drum having an inner circumference on which the receiver material is supported against in a bottom layer of the superimposed relationship and the donor material in a top layer of the superimposed relationship. An imaging unit thermally transfers an image from the donor material to the receiver material.

Thermal imaging apparatus and method for material dispensing and

The invention supports a mechanical carriage at three contact points for precise positioning on two guide rails, one guide rail having a V-grooved surface and the other having a flat surface. Two of the three contact points are recirculating ball bearings mounted against the V-grooved rail. The third contact point is on the flat rail and is also the driving contact point and comprises a drive shaft having a friction wheel thereon engaged with the flat rail to drive the mechanical carriage. The recirculating ball bearings and friction wheel are loaded against the V-grooved and flat rails, respectively, by magnets mounted on the carriage and spaced from the rails by an air gap. The air gap provides for a magnetic force between the magnets and the guide rails while permitting relative movement therebetween.

Support for a self-propelled linear motion drive apparatus

A linear motion drive apparatus uses a friction drive wheel to drive a carriage along two rails. The drive shaft of the friction wheel is supported by the carriage, and has a rotor of a pancake motor and an inertia wheel non-rotatably attached thereto. The stator is fixed to a wall of the carriage. The carriage is supported by recirculating ball bearings which are arranged with permanent magnets to urge the friction wheel into engagement with the flat rail. A slip detection and correction system has first encoder mounted on the drive shaft to produce a signal representing the rotational position of the shaft, and a second encoder mounted on the carriage to produce a signal representing the position of the carriage with respect to the rails. The motor is responsive to the signals to compensate for detected slippage.

Self-propelled linear motion drive apparatus

A non-rotating optical shield is generally cylindrical in shape and surrounds a rotating optical deflector to reduce airflow and optical distortion, as well as acoustic noise. A beam entrance aperture is provided in an end of the shield allowing an input beam to project onto the rotating deflector along the deflector's spin axis. The entrance aperture is sealed by a window to prevent air from being drawn into the shield by the action of the rotating optical deflector. The deflected beam exits the shield through a beam exit aperture in the side of the shield which is enclosed by an optical element. Clearances between the shield and the rotating deflector are minimal. The shield reduces temperature gradients in the surrounding air thus reducing optical distortions caused by changes in refractive indices of the deflector and surrounding air. An additional feature of the shield is a fan-like portion which extends radially outward from the cylindrical body portion of the shield at the beam exit aperture, to enclose the exit beam as it scans through as range of angles. The fan-like portion extends as far along the exit beam path as desired and advantageously reduces acoustical noise generated by the rotating optical deflector.

Optical enclosure for high speed rotating beam deflector

An assist mechanism for installing a web-type media supply into an imagesetter allows a single user to automatically lift and position a large format media supply cassette containing a supply roll from a reloading location remote from the imagesetter to a docking location in the imagesetter. The assist mechanism comprises a roll-up cart having a support bracket mounted on the top a telescopic column with two arms for supporting the supply cassette. The cart is positioned adjacent to the remote location at which time a foot switch on the cart is used to actuate the telescopic column to vertically raise and lower the support bracket. The bracket arms hook under the ends of a supply roll bearing supporting the supply roll, to lift the media supply from the surface. The cart is then rolled to the docking location of the imagesetter and the assist mechanism is actuated by the foot switch to vertically adjust the telescopic column supporting the support bracket. The media supply is then positioned into a support tray at the docking location. When the media supply is sitting in the tray, the bracket arms disengage from the end pins and the cart is rolled away. The media supply is then automatically positioned for use by the imagesetter, The assist mechanism is also be used to remove the cassette from the tray in a similar manner.

Method and apparatus for installing a media supply cassette in an

A scanning apparatus is disclosed in an imagesetter with an internal drum recording surface, having an improved carriage system which is self-propelled and carries scanning optics for recording an image including a spin motor/mirror, a laser diode, and a focusing lens. The drive system is mounted to the carriage to allow the carriage to move linearly inside the drum as a self-propelled direct drive. An electronic control device mounted on the carriage provides precision motion control of the carriage.

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Peabody, MA, United States of America

Lawrence S Blake