Patent ID: 7522179

Claim:
A cartridge comprising: a donor ribbon having sets of different donor material patches thereon; a supply housing comprising at least one exterior surface defining a supply area shaped to position a supply spool for rotation about a supply axis, said supply spool connecting to one end of a supply of donor ribbon, said supply housing further comprising a supply projection extending away from said at least one of said exterior surface of said supply housing, said supply projection allowing said donor ribbon to pass from said supply area to a supply waypoint; a take-up housing having at least one exterior surface defining a take-up area shaped to position a take-up for rotation about a take-up axis, said take-up spool being connected to another end of said donor ribbon, with said take-up housing having a take-up projection extending away from said at least one exterior surface of said take-up housing said take-up projection allowing said donor ribbon to pass from a take-up waypoint to said take-up area; and a connecting portion holding said supply housing and said take-up housing apart on a common side of said connecting portion to form a separation area therebetween, said connecting portion providing a printing path from said supply waypoint to said take-up waypoint; wherein said arrangement of said supply projection, said take-up projection and said connecting portion further position said supply waypoint at a supply side separation from said supply housing and position said take-up waypoint at a take-up separation from said take-up housing; and wherein said supply housing. said take-up housing and said connecting portion associate to form a separation area for moving printhead alternatively along a first accurate path about a pivot outside said separation area or a second accurate path about a pivot within said separation area.