Color image reproduction apparatus and a composite light filter and ink

Abstract

A color image reproduction apparatus includes a light source, a filter, a sensor means, an ink ribbon, a printer including a printer head and a printer drive, a feeder and a controller. The light source illuminates spots on the color original and light reflected therefrom is filtered by one of three aligned segments of the filter which are connected end-to-end in an alignment direction which three segments respectively filter different first, second and third portions of the visual spectrum. The sensor is disposed behind the filter and senses the light filtered by one of the three different filter segments when the one of the segments is disposed in front of sensor. The sensor outputs an intensity signal indicating the intensity of the sensed light. The ink ribbon is fixed in relation to the filter and has three different color ink layers which are attached to each other end-to-end in the same alignment direction as are the light filter segments. Each ink layer is spaced a predetermined distance from a corresponding one of the three different filter segments. The printer head is disposed behind the ink ribbon and is spaced from the sensor a distance equal to the distance between corresponding ink layers and filter segments so as to be operable to apply ink from the ink layers to a print surface. The feeder successively feeds the three different filter segments across the front side of the sensor, and simultaneously successively feeds the three different ink layers across the front side of the printer head.