Recorders – Markers and/or driving means therefor – With ink supply to marker
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-07
2001-05-01
Barlow, John (Department: 2853)
Recorders
Markers and/or driving means therefor
With ink supply to marker
C347S068000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06226018
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink transfer printer, by which liquid ink is transferred to a recording sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a printer which transfers ink onto a recording sheet, such as a plain paper, there is known an ink-jet printer by which ink corpuscles are sprayed onto the recording sheet from nozzles. Such an ink-jet printer, however, has a drawback in which ink may easily clog in the nozzles. Further, in the ink-jet printer, since it is difficult to linearly align a plurality of nozzles to form a line head, it is difficult to improve the printing speed.
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 printing speed is high, and electric power consumption is low.
According to the present invention, there is provided an ink transfer printer comprising a film, a piezoelectric element, an ink reservoir and a contact mechanism.
The film has pores which perforate the film. The piezoelectric element, disposed to face the film, vibrates relative to the film. The ink reservoir contains supplies ink to between the film and the piezoelectric element. The contact mechanism urges a recording sheet to contact a surface of the film positioned opposite to the piezoelectric element. The ink passes through the pores and transfers to the recording sheet due to the vibrating piezoelectric element.
The ink transfer printer may further comprise a moving mechanism that moves the recording sheet relative to the film, and a control unit that controls the piezoelectric element and the moving mechanism in accordance with image information. In this construction, a plurality of the piezoelectric elements may be linearly aligned so that a line head is formed, and the moving mechanism may move the recording sheet in a first direction perpendicular to a second direction in which the piezoelectric elements are aligned. Preferably, the contact mechanism comprises a platen roller disposed in parallel to the second direction enabling the recording sheet to be securely interposed between the platen roller and the film. The recoding sheet is moved in accordance with a rotational movement of the platen roller.
Preferably, the film is made of shape memory resin that exhibits a rubber elasticity above the glass transition temperature and exhibits a glassy state below the glass transition temperature. The glass transition temperature may be higher than 50° C.
The ink transfer printer may further comprise a heater that heats the film to above the glass transition temperature. Preferably, the heater heats the film to between 50° C. and 80° C., and more preferably to around 55° C.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4561789 (1985-12-01), Saito
patent: 4725860 (1988-02-01), Kohyama et al.
patent: 4731621 (1988-03-01), Hayamizu et al.
patent: 4782347 (1988-11-01), Kurematsu et al.
patent: 4801951 (1989-01-01), Shimazaki
patent: 4801953 (1989-01-01), Quate
patent: 5481280 (1996-01-01), Lam et al.
patent: 5510816 (1996-04-01), Hosono et al.
patent: 6145976 (2000-11-01), Suzuki et al.
patent: 0665106 (1995-08-01), None
patent: 0719994 (1996-07-01), None
patent: 61-199956 (1986-09-01), None
patent: 62-267162 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 5305666 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 8-49960 (1996-02-01), None
patent: 10-799 (1998-01-01), None
patent: 90/12691 (1990-11-01), None
English Language Abstract of JP 62-267162.
English Language Abstract of JP 61-199956.
An English Language abstract of JP 5-305666.
An English Language abstract of JP 8-49960.
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Barlow John
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Mouttet Blaise
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