Kodak Alaris Inc.

Eastman-kodak Company

Richard Steven Paoletti

Mark A Harris

Richard William Bauer, Jr

Joseph Repass

Robert Fredric Mindler

Gregory James Garbacz

Narasimharao Dontula

Steven J Tomanovich

Trevor White

Mark Anthony Harris

Richard William Bauer Jr

Disclosed are various embodiments of systems and methods that facilitate printer calibration. According to certain embodiments, calibration methods comprise a printer printing a calibration target and cutting a calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer then determines a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.

Adjustable slitters for accurate transport-wise cutting of printed media

A mechanism is described herein to drive slitter and cutter waste in a direction that allows for a more advantageous use of the waste collection bin's volume. The waste drive mechanism allows for at least one armature that drives the waste in a desired direction. The armature is made from a material that is flexible, with a curved shape to allow a pre-loaded force against a contact surface of the waste collection bin. The pre-loaded flexible armature against a contact surface of the collection bin provides sufficient force to drive the waste it in a desired direction, allowing for a more consistent use of the waste collection bin spatial volume.

Printer waste diverters

Various embodiments of systems and methods facilitate the calibration of a printer. The printer can print a calibration target and cut the calibration target using an inline slitter. The printer can determine a calibration offset based on the position of the cut on the calibration target. The printer can then be calibrated according to gross amounts on the slitter and fine amounts at an ink applicator.

A printing method comprising a printhead and rollers for printing. A page of a print job is printed which causes depressions in the non-printed side of the print medium. The print medium is heated to reduce the depressions before printing the non-printed side.

Printing method for reducing printer artifacts

A method of printing feeds a receiver through a print head area using a pair of feed rollers comprising a pinch roller and a capstan roller. A preselected tension is maintained on the receiver that is supplied to the feed rollers by controlling a rotation speed of a supply roll that provides the receiver to the feed rollers. The receiver is printed and reverse fed in an opposite direction while controlling the tension of the receiver in response to a tension of the receiver that exists between the feed rollers and the print head area during the step of reverse feeding. Maintaining the tension includes providing a motor having a torque limiter.

Thermal printing

A printer including a supply roll of receiver media and a plurality of rollers to feed the receiver media through the printer. Means for maintaining a preselected tension of the receiver media between the supply roll and a pair of the plurality of rollers includes a motor with a torque limiter. The motor can be attached to the supply roll or to an optional pair of rollers adjacent the supply roll. A capstan roller having a high traction, non-marking surface is used in conjunction with the tension control.

Thermal printer

A printing system comprising two thermal printheads and an apparatus for smoothing a side of thermal media which may be compromised by an aggressive drive roller design. The smoothing apparatus in one embodiment is a heater which optionally comprises a heated roller for contacting and smoothing the receiver media.

Printing system for reducing printer artifacts

A duplex thermal dye transfer element has a substrate, a non-voided compliant layer and a thermal dye image receiving layer. These imaging elements can be imaged on either or both sides in combination with one or more thermal dye donor elements in a thermal dye transfer process. Imaging can form a dye image or transfer clear films or laminates or metalized layers to either or both sides of the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Spencerport, NY, United States of America

Richard Steven Paoletti