Patent ID: 6762783
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A thermal printer capable of preventing crease formation in a dye transfer area of a dye donor web that can cause line artifacts to be printed on a dye receiver during a dye transfer from the dye transfer area to the dye receiver, said printer comprising:a thermal print head for heating the dye transfer area of the dye donor web sufficiently to effect a dye transfer from the dye transfer area to the dye receiver, but not heating two opposite edge areas of the dye donor web alongside the dye transfer area sufficiently to effect a dye transfer from the two edge areas to the dye receiver, so that the dye transfer area is vulnerable to being stretched relative to the two edge areas; a web take-up that takes up the dye donor web, and which exerts a pulling force on the dye transfer area and two edge areas at said print head that is sufficient to form slanted creases in the dye transfer area diagonally extending at least across respective regions close to the two edge areas; and a web spreader adapted to spread the dye donor web diagonally across at least the regions in which slanted creases can form in order to oppose crease formation that can occur when the pulling force is exerted, whereby crease formation can at least be substantially prevented.