Recorders – Markers and/or driving means therefor – With ink supply to marker
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-01
2001-05-29
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Recorders
Markers and/or driving means therefor
With ink supply to marker
C347S171000, C347S044000, C347S056000, C347S020000, C347S054000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239816
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink transfer printer, by which ink is transferred to a recording sheet so that an image is formed on the recording sheet, and a thermal head, which is provided in the ink transfer printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a printer which transfers ink onto a recording sheet, such as a plain paper, the following printers are known: an ink jet printer that jets ink as liquid particles onto the recording sheet from nozzles, a thermal transfer printer that heats an ink ribbon, becoming partially liquefied due to the heat, which uses a thermal head to thereby transfer the ink onto the recording sheet, and a wire dot printer that uses a steel wire for striking an ink ribbon against the recording sheet.
However, these known printers have the following associated problems: ink in the nozzle of the ink jet printer may clog, a running cost of the thermal transfer printer may increase due to the consumption of ink ribbons, and the processing speed of the wire dot printer is poor. Thus, a printer wherein ink clogging is prevented, the running cost is low, and the processing speed is fast, is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink transfer printer in which ink clogging is prevented, the running cost is low and the processing speed is fast.
According to the present invention, there is provided an ink transfer printer comprising a thermal head, an ink reservoir and a contact mechanism.
The thermal head is provided with a housing, in which an ink passage is formed, a film and a plurality of heating elements. The housing and the film define a closed space, in which the heating elements are located. The film has pores which perforate the film. The ink reservoir is provided on the housing to contain ink. The ink reservoir is disposed opposite to the heating elements. The ink reservoir communicates with the space through the ink passage. The contact mechanism enables the film to contact a recording sheet, whereby the ink in the ink reservoir is supplied to the space, heated by the heating elements, and transferred to the recording sheet through the pores.
Preferably, each of the pores has an inner diameter which is small enough to keep the ink in the space when the heating element is not in operation. In this construction, when the heating element heats, the film is deformed such that the pores expand to transfer the ink onto the recording sheet.
The ink transfer printer may further comprise porous glaze, on which the heating elements are placed. The porous glaze is provided on the housing to face the ink passage, so that the ink in the ink reservoir reaches the space through the ink passage and the porous glaze.
The thermal heat may be a thermal line head in which the plurality of heating elements are linearly aligned. In this case, the contact mechanism comprises a platen roller disposed in parallel to the thermal line head. The thermal line head may be disposed above the platen roller, with the ink reservoir being disposed above the thermal line head.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an ink transfer printer comprising a thermal head, an ink reservoir and a contact mechanism.
The thermal head is provided with a film, having pores passing therethrough, and a plurality of heating elements. The thermal head and the film define a closed space, in which the heating elements are positioned. The ink reservoir, that holds ink, is provided on the thermal head at an opposite position to the heating elements. The ink reservoir communicates with the space through an ink passage formed in the thermal head. The contact mechanism enables the film to contact a recording sheet, whereby the ink in the ink reservoir is supplied to the space, heated by the heating elements, and transferred to the recording sheet through the film.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided a thermal head comprising a housing, a heating element, a film, an ink reservoir and an ink passage.
The thermal based in provided on a surface of the housing. The film is provided on the surface to cover the heating element in such a manner that the film defines a space. The film has pores perforated therein. The ink reservoir is provided on the housing to keep ink. The ink reservoir is disposed opposite to the heating elements. The ink passage communicates the ink reservoir with the space.
The thermal head may further comprise porous glaze, on which the heating element is placed, by which the ink, passing through the ink passage, reaches the space.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4561789 (1985-12-01), Saito
patent: 4731621 (1988-03-01), Hayamizu et al.
patent: 4782347 (1988-11-01), Kurematsu et al.
patent: 5481280 (1996-01-01), Lam et al.
patent: 5638104 (1997-06-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 2768963 (1999-04-01), None
patent: 2142583 (1985-01-01), None
patent: 62-267158 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 90/12691 (1990-11-01), None
English Language Abstract of JP 62-267158.
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Barlow John
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Mouttet Blaise
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