The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 08, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1992
Takayuki Yokoyama, Yokohama, JP;
Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A thermal transfer recording apparatus for thermally transferring ink to an image recording paper via a laser beam. In the thermal transfer recording apparatus, at least one of the opposing surfaces of a print head and a platen is curved, and a transfer portion is provided on the print head at a position displaced a predetermined amount from a nip portion which is formed by the print head and the platen such that an image is formed on a recording paper without the recording paper contacting an ink film. With such an arrangement, voids produced in forming images on image recording paper are prevented and it becomes possible to form images on image recording paper without image irregularities. Further, by providing a removed portion on the print head relative to the transfer portion in the above thermal transfer recording apparatus so as to accomplish transfer without both sides of the ink film making contact with both the print head and the image recording paper, it becomes possible to minimize the light energy of the laser beam used to expose the ink film.