Patent ID: 6579020
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A thermal printer for producing a printing on the surface of a foil in an ink transfer operation, comprising:means for supplying said foil to said thermal printer, a thermal transfer ribbon including an ink which is transferable in said ink transfer operation at specific locations of said thermal transfer ribbon by heating said specific locations to an elevated temperature causing said ink to be fluid, means for arranging said thermal transfer ribbon in facial contact with said surface of said foil, energizable printing means for heating said specific locations of said thermal transfer ribbon to said elevated temperature in said ink transfer operation, means for energizing said energizable printing means, means for moving said energizable printing means towards said foil so as to sandwich said thermal transfer ribbon therebetween in a constrained state and for moving said energizable printing means away from said foil, said means for moving said energizable printing means towards and away from said foil including an actuator means, means for moving said foil and said energizable printing means relative to one another at a specific speed while pressing said energizable printing means and said foil together and while energizing said energizable printing means, and means for moving said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said energizable printing means for causing said ink of said thermal transfer ribbon to be transferred at said specific locations to said foil at specific areas thereof constituting said printing, said thermal transfer ribbon being delivered from a delivery reel to a first spring biased tensioning pin, being moved past said energizable printing means to a second spring biased tensioning pin and being received by a take-up reel, said means for moving said thermal transfer ribbon relative to said energizable printing means including a roller driven by a motor, and said first and second tensioning pins serving the purpose of allowing said thermal transfer ribbon to be accelerated or decelerated without simultaneously accelerating or decelerating, respectively, said delivery and take-up reels.