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:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 09, 1999
Shigeru Mano, Hino, JP;
Eiji Goto, Hachioji, JP;
Konica Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus, including: a head, having plural heating elements arranged in line, for forming an image on an image forming medium by transmitting ink, which an ink ribbon has, to the image forming medium; a scanner for moving the heating element in relation to the image forming medium; an input system for inputting image data wherein the image data includes data corresponding to an image; a searcher for searching split lines of the image, according to the image data, so that a space between an edge portion of the image and a discontinued image portion on the image or between a discontinued image portion and its adjoining discontinued image portion is not more than a width of the ink ribbon; and a controller for controlling the head and the scanner so that a portion of the image in the space, between an edge portion of the image and a discontinued image portion on the image or between a discontinued image portion and its adjoining discontinued image portion, is formed by one scanning path of the head.