Patent ID: 6226018
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink transfer printer comprising:a film, having a longitudinal direction and a breadth direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, said film extending in the longitudinal direction entirely across a sheet feeding path of said ink transfer printer, said film including a plurality of pores arranged along the longitudinal direction and which perforate said film;an enclosure forming an elongated ink space, the elongated ink space extending along the longitudinal direction of the film entirely across all of said pores;a plurality of piezoelectric elements, each piezoelectric element being disposed to face said film and extending in the breadth direction of said film, and each piezoelectric element vibrating to be displaced toward and away from said film and dipping into supplied ink in the elongated ink space when displaced away from said film;an ink reservoir that contains and supplies the ink to the elongated ink space; anda contact mechanism that urges a recording sheet to contact a surface of said film positioned opposite to said piezoelectric element;said ink passing through said pores and transferring to said recording sheet due to said vibrating piezoelectric elements.