Agfa-Gevaert

Agfa Gevaert Nv

Paul H Leys

Jan A Zwijsen

Daniel Verbeek

Luc K Van Aken

Kris Bruyndonckx

Bernard Schollaert

Danny Verbeek

A method and a device for aligning sheets. The device includes a first and a second supporting stop for supporting the sheet against gravity in a first non-aligned position of the sheet. The device further includes two alignment stops and an actuator for moving the sheet from the first non-aligned position to a second aligned position. In the second aligned position, a substantially straight edge of the sheet contacts the two alignment stops and the first supporting stop supports the sheet while the second supporting stop does not support the sheet.

Method and device for aligning sheets

A thermal printer (10) with a thermal head (16) for image-wise heating a heat-sensitive sheet according to an elongate printing zone, which comprises sheet feeding means having a sheet advancing mode for feeding a sheet with its leading end through the gap between the print drum (15) and the thermal head (16) of this printer beyond the position it should take at the start of printing, and a sheet-returning mode in which the sheet can move backwardly, and a stop (44, 52) against which the backwardly moving sheet abuts with its trailing edge for its longitudinal alignment, thereby to obtain with its leading end the correct printing start position in the gap.

Thermal printer with sheet feeding means

Thermal printer with a thermal head (16) for image-wise heating a heat-sensitive sheet (38) according to an elongate printing zone, transverse with respect to the sheet, and a rotatable print drum (15) for conveying such sheet past such thermal head while the head is urged towards the drum, which is provided with a pressure roller (17) for urging a sheet section, downstream of the printing zone, onto the print drum in order to establish a contact angle alpha between the sheet and the print drum. (FIG. 5)

Thermal printer with sheet pressure means

Thermal printer with a thermal head including an array of juxtaposed heating elements for line-wise heating a sheet to produce an image, and a rotatable printing drum for conveying the sheet past the thermal head while the thermal head is biased towards the printing drum, which is provided with a rotatable cam and a reference face for adjusting the position of the thermal head with respect to the printing drum.

Thermal printer with adjustable thermal head

A thermal image recording apparatus has a thermal print head removably supported on a supporting wall and held in place by a releasable latch arrangement which can take the form of at least one movable detent engageable with a rib provided for that purpose on the print head, e.g. on a cooling fin on the rear side of the print head. The detent can be a lever arm having at one end a hook for engaging the rib, the arm being pivotable to dis-engage the hook from the rib and release the print head for removal. The arm is preferably spring-biased to normally engage the rib and both rib and hook can have inclined surfaces allowing for snap-engagement thereof when the print head is mounted on the supporting wall. Preferably, a rib and associated detent is provided at opposite ends of the print head. Alternatively, the latch can be rotated in a plane parallel to the supporting wall to and from a latching position engaging the rib to release position disengaged therefrom. Either kind of latch can be connected to an actuating lever accessible from the exterior of the apparatus.

Thermal image-recording apparatus with locking means for holding a print

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.

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Kontich, Belgium

Paul H Leys