EP1533130B1 - Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung - Google Patents

Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1533130B1
EP1533130B1 EP20030104335 EP03104335A EP1533130B1 EP 1533130 B1 EP1533130 B1 EP 1533130B1 EP 20030104335 EP20030104335 EP 20030104335 EP 03104335 A EP03104335 A EP 03104335A EP 1533130 B1 EP1533130 B1 EP 1533130B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet
alignment
recording material
contact
recording
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
EP20030104335
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1533130A1 (de
Inventor
Paul Janssen
François Joos
Luc Van Goethem
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Agfa HealthCare NV
Original Assignee
Agfa HealthCare NV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Agfa HealthCare NV filed Critical Agfa HealthCare NV
Priority to DE2003615306 priority Critical patent/DE60315306T2/de
Priority to EP20030104335 priority patent/EP1533130B1/de
Priority to US10/988,098 priority patent/US7338156B2/en
Priority to JP2004334626A priority patent/JP2005154151A/ja
Publication of EP1533130A1 publication Critical patent/EP1533130A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1533130B1 publication Critical patent/EP1533130B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J13/00—Devices or arrangements of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, specially adapted for supporting or handling copy material in short lengths, e.g. sheets
    • B41J13/26—Registering devices
    • B41J13/28—Front lays, stops, or gauges

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for aligning a sheet of recording material in a recording device, more particularly a direct thermal printer.
  • a visible image pattern is produced by image-wise heating of a recording material comprising chemical components that change colour or density by a physical or chemical process when the material is heated.
  • a particular interesting direct thermal imaging element comprises an organic silver salt in combination with a reducing agent. When being heated, the silver ions are developed to metallic silver.
  • Image-wise heating can be obtained by means of a thermal printing head comprising an array of juxtaposed heating elements, e.g. resistors.
  • the recording head comprises at least one linear array of heating elements, e.g. one resistor per pixel in a line.
  • the thermal head writes one line at the time.
  • a two-dimensional image is obtained by printing a number of parallel lines by transporting the thermal head and the recording material relative to each other in the so-called sub-scan direction, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the line-wise printing direction of the thermal head.
  • the heating of the elements of the thermal head is controlled by an electric signal representation of the image.
  • the density value of each pixel is represented by means of an N-bit digital signal value.
  • a time-multiplexing technique is applied for feeding an N-bit signal value to an element of the thermal head.
  • a sheet of recording material is completely taken out of a supply tray and is subjected to an alignment procedure before reaching the printing head.
  • an alignment procedure For example for aligning the sheet in a first direction use is made of gravity.
  • the sheet which is first guided into a substantially vertical position is dropped onto a horizontal reference platen.
  • Alignment in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is performed by means of a set of alignment stops. After alignment the sheet is transported towards the recording head. Since the sheet is entirely out of the supply tray during the alignment procedure the apparatus cannot be made very compact.
  • the sheet of recording material is fed towards two (or more) pairs of touching rollers whereby the points of contact of the roller pairs define an alignment line.
  • the rollers are activated and the sheet is transported towards the recording head.
  • the pairs of rollers are commonly positioned behind the recording head in the direction of transport. As a consequence a large border of recording material cannot be used for printing.
  • US-A-4 543 003 discloses an alignment method according to the preamble of claim 1.
  • the present invention provides an alignment method for a sheet material as set out in claim 1.
  • Another aspect of the invention relates to an alignment device and to a printer, more specifically a thermal printer, incorporating such an alignment device.
  • the distance of the transport path of the recording sheet is allowed to change.
  • the sheet guide allows the curvature of the transport path to change.
  • the sheet guide may for example be an at least partially curved platen guiding the recording material when it is fed from the supply tray towards the recording head.
  • Alternative embodiments are possible such as a guiding means that consists of different parts which together define an at least partially curved transport path. Suitable alternatives are a number of axes or a system of rollers arranged as guiding means etc.
  • a flat transport path is likewise possible within the context of the present invention as long as distance of the transport path is allowed to change. However, a tight sleeve through which a sheet should pass would not provide the necessary flexibility and would hence not fulfill the requirements of the present invention.
  • the sheet is continuously driven during the alignment procedure.
  • the distance of the transport path is smaller than the length of the sheet.
  • the alignment means comprise at least two alignment pins that can be placed in or out the transport path of the recording material.
  • the alignment pins define an alignment line which is preferably positioned parallel to a linear array of thermal elements in the recording head. When the leading edge of the recording material is aligned relative to the alignment pins, a printed line will be parallel to that leading edge.
  • the alignment means is a strip of material against which the recording material is aligned.
  • the alignment means is positioned close to but behind the recording head when viewed in the direction of transport of the sheet.
  • Print head has at least one linear array of juxtaposed resistor elements 10 forming a line which is perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.
  • the print head also comprises associated electronic driver circuitry (not shown).
  • the printer further comprises a supply tray 2 comprising a stock of recording material 3 and pick up means 4, e.g. a driven roller which is in contact with the upper sheet in the tray and serves to take a sheet of recording material from the tray and feed it into an envisaged transport direction towards the thermal head.
  • pick up means 4 e.g. a driven roller which is in contact with the upper sheet in the tray and serves to take a sheet of recording material from the tray and feed it into an envisaged transport direction towards the thermal head.
  • the sheet of recording material is transported in between thermal head 1 and a driven rotatable drum 5 so that the recording material is advanced past the recording head.
  • the thermal head and rotatable drum can be brought in and out of contact, e.g. by lifting or lowering the thermal head relative to the rotatable drum.
  • the printer further comprises a guiding means 6 for guiding the recording material towards the position of the recording head.
  • the guiding means is in the form of a curved platen.
  • the curved platen When being contacted by the recording material, the curved platen provides that the material while being supplied from the supply tray, is curved and guided towards the recording head. At the same time the guiding means provides that the curvature of the transport path is allowed to change once the recording material bumps into some kind of barrier in its path of transportation such as an alignment pin, as will be explained further on.
  • the apparatus further comprises a number of alignment means indicated by numeral 7 defining an alignment line against which the recording material is aligned.
  • two alignment pins 7a and 7b are provided which define an alignment line.
  • the alignment line is preferably parallel to a linear array of heat sensitive elements in the recording head providing that if the leading edge of the recording material is aligned relative to the line defined by the alignment pins, a line printed by this array of heat sensitive elements will be parallel with the leading edge of the recording material.
  • the alignment pins are preferably positioned behind the thermal head when viewed in the direction of transport of the recording material. The alignment pins can be lifted or lowered so that they are either positioned in or out of the transport path of the recording material.
  • the thermal head is lifted (s 1 ) so that a gap is created in between the thermal head and the rotatable drum.
  • a sheet of recording material can easily be transported in between the thermal head and the rotatable drum while the drum is not rotating and the printing process is not activated.
  • the alignment pins are lowered (s 2 ) so that they are brought into the transport path of the recording sheet and so that they close the gap with width d 1 between the lower side of the thermal head and rotatable drum.
  • a sheet of recording material is fed from the supply tray (s 3 ) in the direction indicated by 'y'.
  • the sheet is pushed out of the tray by means of a driven feeding roller 4 which is put into contact with the upper sheet in the tray.
  • a driven feeding roller 4 which is put into contact with the upper sheet in the tray.
  • the recording material is pushed out of the tray, its leading edge bumps onto the guiding means 6 which will cause the material to bend.
  • the recording material substantially follows the curved path defined by the curved guiding means 6 until its leading edge reaches the recording head. At that location the recording material will be guided into the direction of the alignment pins 7a and 7b.
  • the sheet Since the sheet is still continuously pushed from the tray and because the guiding means allows the curvature of the transport path of the sheet to change (s 5 ), the sheet will continue to move until its leading edge also contacts the second of the guiding pins (s 6 ) so that it is aligned with the line defined by the two guiding pins as is illustrated in figures 3 and 4.
  • the thermal head is lowered (s 7 ) so that it contacts the sheet and the rotatable drum.
  • the alignment pins are lifted (s 8 ) so that they are out of the transport path and also the feeding roller is lifted (s 9 ). Printing can be initiated. From this point on the sheet is transported past the thermal head by activation of the rotatable drum (s 10 ).

Landscapes

  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Registering Or Overturning Sheets (AREA)
  • Handling Of Cut Paper (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Ein durch die nachstehenden Schritte gekennzeichnetes Verfahren zum Ausrichten eines Bogenmaterials in einem Aufzeichnungsgerät :
    - Zuführen des Bogens (3) entlang einem einen Förderweg bildenden Führungsglied (6), bis die Vorderkante des Bogens in Berührung mit einem ersten der eine Ausrichtungslinie bildenden Ausrichtungselemente (7a, 7b) kommt,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass :
    - der Bogen weiter zugeführt wird, bis die Vorderkante in Berührung mit einem zweiten der Ausrichtungselemente kommt und sich dabei die Krümmung (s5) und Verdrehung (α) des zugeführten Bogens ändern können, während die Vorderkante des Bogens in Berührung mit dem zweiten der Ausrichtungselemente kommt und zugleich die Hinterkante weiter zugeführt wird.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Ausrichtungselement zumindest zwei eine Ausrichtungslinie bildende Ausrichtungsstifte umfasst und der erste Kontakt mit einem ersten Ausrichtungsstift und der zweite Kontakt mit einem zweiten Ausrichtungsstift erfolgt.
  3. Eine Bogenausrichtungseinrichtung, enthaltend :
    - ein Ausrichtungselement (7), das eine Ausrichtungslinie bildet,
    - ein Bogenführungsglied (6), das einen Förderweg bildet,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass ein Element (4) vorgesehen ist, das einen Materialbogen (3) entlang dem Bogenführungsglied (6) führt und in einen ersten und zweiten Kontakt mit dem Ausrichtungselement (7) bringt und dabei eine Änderung der Krümmung (s5) und Verdrehung (α) des zugeführten Bogens erlaubt, während die Vorderkante des Bogens in Berührung mit dem zweiten der Ausrichtungselemente kommt und zugleich die Hinterkante weiter zugeführt wird.
  4. Eine Bogenausrichtungseinrichtung nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Ausrichtungselement zumindest zwei Ausrichtungsstifte (7a, 7b) umfasst.
  5. Ein Drucker mit einer Bogenausrichtungseinrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 3 oder 4.
  6. Ein Thermodrucker nach Anspruch 5.
EP20030104335 2003-11-24 2003-11-24 Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung Expired - Fee Related EP1533130B1 (de)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2003615306 DE60315306T2 (de) 2003-11-24 2003-11-24 Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung
EP20030104335 EP1533130B1 (de) 2003-11-24 2003-11-24 Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung
US10/988,098 US7338156B2 (en) 2003-11-24 2004-11-12 Alignment of recording material in a printing device
JP2004334626A JP2005154151A (ja) 2003-11-24 2004-11-18 印刷装置における記録用材料の整列

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP20030104335 EP1533130B1 (de) 2003-11-24 2003-11-24 Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1533130A1 EP1533130A1 (de) 2005-05-25
EP1533130B1 true EP1533130B1 (de) 2007-08-01

Family

ID=34429515

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP20030104335 Expired - Fee Related EP1533130B1 (de) 2003-11-24 2003-11-24 Ausrichtung von Aufzeichnungsmaterial in einer Druckvorrichtung

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1533130B1 (de)
JP (1) JP2005154151A (de)
DE (1) DE60315306T2 (de)

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE447719B (sv) * 1982-03-08 1986-12-08 Facit Ab Papperlinjeringsanordning for en skrivare, skrivmaskin eller liknande kontorsmaskin
US4898375A (en) * 1988-02-02 1990-02-06 Imagitek, Inc. Feed device with automatic sheet alignment
DE3902199A1 (de) * 1989-01-26 1990-08-02 Holzhueter Detlef Verfahren und vorrichtung zum ausrichten und transport von zu beschriftenden dokumenten in einer druckeinrichtung
TW362071B (en) * 1996-05-15 1999-06-21 Seiko Epson Corp Printer
US6314885B1 (en) * 1999-03-04 2001-11-13 Iris Graphics, Inc. Imposition proofing

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE60315306D1 (de) 2007-09-13
JP2005154151A (ja) 2005-06-16
EP1533130A1 (de) 2005-05-25
DE60315306T2 (de) 2008-05-08

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