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:
May. 07, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 19, 2000
Michael N. Freund, Adelberg, DE;
Alexander Hirsch, Stuttgart, DE;
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
An ink jet printer for making photographic prints includes at least one paper supply for holding a supply of print paper and a sheet paper transport belt arranged to receive sheets of print paper from the at least one paper supply and transport the sheets through the printer. A back printer is located between the paper supply and the paper transport belt for applying back prints to the print paper. A full print width color ink jet print head is located over a first portion of the transport belt for printing an image on a paper sheet. A paper support located under the ink jet print head is provided with ink overspill collection grooves to collect overspilled ink from the ink jet print head. A linear image sensor located in front of the ink jet print head detects the leading edge of the paper sheet being transported under the print head and a controller connected to the paper control the print head to print an image that is slightly wider and shorter than the paper, thereby preventing overspill printing on the leading and trailing edges of the sheet, while allowing slight overspill printing on the sides of the sheet into the overspill collection grooves. A paper dryer is located over a second portion of the vacuum belt transport; the paper dryer includes a source of flowing air for drying the image on the paper. A sheet trimming station is located at the end of the vacuum belt sheet transport for trimming the leading and trailing edges of a sheet after drying.