Letter printing method using line thermal head

Details Letter printing method using line thermal head Letter printing method using line thermal head

2000-08-07

2001-11-06

Tran, Huan (Department: 2861)

Incremental printing of symbolic information

Thermal marking apparatus or processes

With transfer medium or driving means therefor

Reexamination Certificate

active

06313860

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a letter printing method for printing letters using a line thermal head and a ribbon tape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When letters are printed on a packaging material film, such as a plastic film for packaging purpose, there is often employed a letter printing method using a line thermal head and a ribbon tape. In the letter print on the packaging material film, there are required many kinds of letter prints, including those of a laterally written form, longitudinally written form or the like, according to goods to be packaged. For example, in case of marking a tastable time period, there is a case where a lateral writing is done or a longitudinal writing is done relative to a running direction of the packaging material film in a packaging device according to design of a package or arrangement of an ornamental pattern applied.
On the other hand, while the ribbon tape used for the letter print has usually a width of about 60 mm, in case this ribbon tape is used for printing letters, for example, for printing one line of the tastable time period, longitudinally, only a small part of the widthwise directional portion of the ribbon tape is used and then already the ribbon tape will be wound around a reel which is for winding the ribbon tape after used. The ribbon tape is one of highly expensive consumables and it will be very uneconomical if the ribbon tape is abandoned with only the small part of the entire width having been used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a letter printing method using a line thermal head for effecting a letter print by using a ribbon tape effectively so as to cause no unused portion of the ribbon tape.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a letter printing method for effecting a letter print by using a ribbon tape effectively for either case of a lateral writing and a longitudinal writing.
In order to attain the mentioned objects, the present invention provides a letter printing method including after one letter print is done with the ribbon tape being unwound, rewinding the ribbon tape by a length of the letter print as well as displacing the ribbon tape in a widthwise direction of the ribbon tape; and effecting a next letter print using an unused portion of the ribbon tape in the widthwise direction of the ribbon tape.
In the letter printing method of the present invention, in order to displace the ribbon tape in the widthwise direction thereof, a letter printing mechanism including the line thermal head may be displaced together with the ribbon tape in the widthwise direction of the ribbon tape. That is, in the letter print using the line thermal head and ribbon tape, a position used for the letter print in the line thermal head may be changed by changing a ribbon tape heating position in the line thermal head in the widthwise direction of the ribbon tape.
In the letter printing method of the present invention, the ribbon tape after used for one letter print is rewound by the length of the letter print as well as is displaced in the widthwise direction of the ribbon tape and the next letter print is done using the unused portion in the widthwise direction of same, thereby the ribbon tape may be used in the entire width thereof for the letter print. Thus, according to the present invention, the letter print may be done effectively using the entire width of the ribbon tape so as to cause no unused portion of the ribbon tape.


REFERENCES:
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700 IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 31, No. 10, pp. 235-237, “Ribbon-Saving Technique for APA Printers”, Mar. 1, 1989.

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