Typewriting machines – Including interposed inking device for record-medium – Package for ribbon facilitating mounting of ribbon on...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-10
2001-07-17
Eickholt, Eugene (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Including interposed inking device for record-medium
Package for ribbon facilitating mounting of ribbon on...
C400S120020, C400S611000, C156S265000, C347S040000, C347S043000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06261012
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer that uses an intermediate transfer film or web on which an image is printed by a printhead, after which the transfer film or web is registered with an identification card or other substrate to be printed and the image from the intermediate transfer film or web is laminated onto the card. The printer includes driven rollers and a dancer arm to create slack on one side of the film or web that permits the intermediate transfer film or web to move back and forth for multi-colored printing while the portion that will be laminated onto the card is not moved, or is moved at a different rate. Access to the print film or web and intermediate film or web transfer paths is simplified with modular components that are coupled together.
One prior art approach to producing printed identification cards is to print data directly onto the surface of the plastic card. The image on the surface of the card is susceptible to damage from abrasion, chemicals and radiation. To reduce or eliminate exposure of the printed material data, a protective film is laminated over the printed material.
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minn. (3M) has developed a material D12500 for printing a reverse image of the data on the under side of a protective film, and then the protective film is stacked onto a base substrate with the printed side next to the base substrate. Heat and pressure are applied to the flat card surfaces, and the stacked materials are fused into a solid composite by melting.
Dai Nippon Printing (DIP) of Japan has an intermediate transfer process that involves printing a reverse image of the data that is desired on a card on the under side of the protective film used. The Dai Nippon Process prints to an intermediate transfer web or film such as that used in this invention, and allows the intermediate transfer film to be transferred to the base substrate without requiring the film and base substrate to melt or fuse. In a dye sublimation process, multiple colors can be printed onto an intermediate transfer film or web, but it requires movement of the intermediate transfer film or web back and forth during the printing process so that multiple passes of printing occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer which, as shown, prints a single color or a multicolor image onto an intermediate transfer film or web. The intermediate transfer film or web or web has a printable coating on one surface, and an image which may be direct or reversed from that which is desired on a substrate (identification card) is printed directly onto the intermediate transfer film or web using normal dye sublimation printing techniques or ink jet printing, or any other printing that will provide the colors and quality desired. The intermediate transfer film or web then carries the desired printed image that is to be placed onto an identification card, or other substrate, and the printed image is moved to a station for laminating the portion or panel of the film or web carrying the image onto a card through the use of heated lamination techniques for activating the print receptive coating on the intermediate transfer web or film.
The printer assembly of the present invention permits multiple back and forth passes of the intermediate transfer film or web in the printing section of the printer while the portion of the intermediate transfer film or web that is held in the laminator section does not move or does not move the same amount. The card and intermediate transfer film or web do not move bi-directionally in the laminator section. As the intermediate transfer film or web is moved back and forth at the print head, particularly when a single dye sublimation printhead and a multi color ribbon is used, slack is created between the laminator and the color printhead. Spring loaded slack take-up rollers or dancer rollers take up the slack so the film or web remains under control. A printed image can be laminated onto a card in one portion of the printer assembly while the printing of a reverse image onto the intermediate transfer film or web is occurring in another portion of the printer. This leads to increased production.
The lamination techniques used are well known, and utilize a heated roller. The temperature of the roller softens the card and affects the straightness or flatness of the card, and the present invention also includes at least one card straightener section after the laminator. As shown also in one aspect of the invention, a substrate inverter or flipper can be provided to invert the substrate or card and transfer an image to an opposite surface of the substrate or card, so that printing appears on both sides.
A clear film overlay chip protection layer can be laminated over one or both sides of the card after the image from the intermediate transfer web or film has been laminated to the card. This station can be between the intermediate transfer film or web laminator and the card straightener, or it can be after the card straightener shown. If the laminated chip protection layer is applied after the intermediate transfer film protection layer, a second card straightener can be provided following the second lamination.
The section of the printer that has the thermal dye sublimation film or web and printhead for printing onto the reverse image film or web is mounted in a first module that can be folded out from other modules of the printer, including a second module that carries the intermediate transfer film or web supply and take-up rollers, which can be folded out in an opposite direction from the first module. This permits both modules to have mounting rollers and supply and take-up rollers open and accessible for ease of installation of the film or web, including the thermal transfer film or web on the first module, and the intermediate transfer film or web on the second module. The lamination station is also mounted on the second module and intermediate transfer film or web will pass over the lamination roller and will easily be installed.
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Dunham Matthew K.
Francis Robert E.
Fulmer Gary B.
Haas Darren W.
Klinefelter Gary M.
Eickholt Eugene
Fargo Electronics Inc.
Westman Champlin & Kelly P.A.
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