WO2016110746A1 - Élément chauffant de ruban de transfert - Google Patents

Élément chauffant de ruban de transfert Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2016110746A1
WO2016110746A1 PCT/IB2015/050150 IB2015050150W WO2016110746A1 WO 2016110746 A1 WO2016110746 A1 WO 2016110746A1 IB 2015050150 W IB2015050150 W IB 2015050150W WO 2016110746 A1 WO2016110746 A1 WO 2016110746A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
transfer ribbon
transfer
heating surface
ribbon
heating
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2015/050150
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Jeffrey Stangler
James RIECK
Michael KASTER
Original Assignee
Assa Abloy Ab
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 Assa Abloy Ab filed Critical Assa Abloy Ab
Priority to PCT/IB2015/050150 priority Critical patent/WO2016110746A1/fr
Publication of WO2016110746A1 publication Critical patent/WO2016110746A1/fr

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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
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B41J2/0057—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material where an intermediate transfer member receives the ink before transferring it on the printing material
    • 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
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
    • B41J11/002—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
    • B41J11/0024—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen
    • 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
    • B41J11/00—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form
    • B41J11/0015—Devices or arrangements  of selective printing mechanisms, e.g. ink-jet printers or thermal printers, for supporting or handling copy material in sheet or web form for treating before, during or after printing or for uniform coating or laminating the copy material before or after printing
    • B41J11/002—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating
    • B41J11/0024—Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating using conduction means, e.g. by using a heated platen
    • B41J11/00242—Controlling the temperature of the conduction means

Definitions

  • Credentials include identification cards, driver's licenses, passports, and other documents. Such credentials are formed from credential or card substrates including paper substrates, plastic substrates, cards and other materials. Such credentials generally include printed information, such as a photo, account numbers, identification numbers, and other personal information. Credentials can also include data that is encoded in a smartcard chip, a magnetic stripe, or a barcode, for example.
  • Credential production devices process credential substrates by performing at least one processing step in forming a final credential product.
  • Some credential production devices include a print head that is configured to print an image either directly to a surface of a substrate or through a transfer printing process. In the transfer printing process, the print head prints the image to a transfer ribbon, and the image is transferred from the transfer ribbon to the surface of the substrate through a transfer or lamination process.
  • Credential production devices may utilize an inkjet print head, which sprays aqueous colored ink onto the surface of the substrate or the transfer ribbon.
  • An inkjet print head is the need to remove liquid from the printed ink before contact is made to the printed surface to prevent marring the printed image.
  • U.S. Patent No. 6,264,296 discloses a direct-to-card printing device having an inkjet print head that is configured to perform a direct-to-card printing operation. A fan is used to produce an air flow to dry the printed image on the surface of a card substrate before further processing of the substrate.
  • U.S. Patent No. 8,038,284 discloses a transfer printer that utilizes an intermediate transfer body in the form of a closed loop of web material, to which an image is printed using inkjet print heads that dispense a solvent-based ink.
  • a treatment liquid is applied to the transfer body and dried using a radiant heating unit.
  • the ink jet print heads print the image to the dried treatment liquid after cooling the transfer body. Residual solvent from the printed image is removed using a solvent removal roller, rather than through the use of a dedicated heater or fan.
  • the transfer body is cleaned by a cleaning unit that includes a radiant heater.
  • FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of an exemplary device in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a simplified top view of a transfer ribbon engaging a transfer ribbon heater in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-sectional view of an exemplary transfer ribbon in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is a simplified side view of an exemplary heating surface engaging a transfer ribbon, in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is a simplified side view of a convex structure supporting a transfer ribbon, in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a simplified side view of an exemplary heating surface engaging a transfer ribbon, in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of heating a transfer ribbon in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • Embodiments of the invention are directed to a device comprising a ribbon heater configured to heat a transfer ribbon, and a method of heating a transfer ribbon using the ribbon heater.
  • the device is in the form of a reverse image transfer printing device that includes a transfer ribbon, a printing section, the ribbon heater, and a motor.
  • the printing section includes a print head that is configured to print images to a print side of the transfer ribbon.
  • the ribbon heater includes at least one active heating surface that supports the transfer ribbon and conducts heat to the transfer ribbon as the transfer ribbon is fed through the printing section.
  • the motor is configured to drive feeding of the transfer ribbon through the printing section.
  • heat is conducted from at least one active heating surface.
  • An image is printed to a surface of the transfer ribbon using a print head.
  • the transfer ribbon is fed in a feed direction using a motor.
  • the image is transferred from the surface of the transfer ribbon to a substrate using a laminating device.
  • the present invention may be embodied as methods, systems, devices, and/or computer program products, for example. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects.
  • the computer program or software aspect of the present invention may comprise computer readable instructions or code stored in a computer readable medium or memory. Execution of the program instructions by one or more processors (e.g., central processing unit) results in the one or more processors performing one or more functions or method steps described herein.
  • processors e.g., central processing unit
  • Any suitable patent subject matter eligible computer readable media or memory may be utilized including, for example, hard disks, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, or magnetic storage devices. Such computer readable media or memory do not include transitory waves or signals.
  • the computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM).
  • RAM random access memory
  • ROM read-only memory
  • EPROM or Flash memory erasable programmable read-only memory
  • CD-ROM portable compact disc read-only memory
  • the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
  • Embodiments of the present invention may also be described using flowchart illustrations and block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed, but could have additional steps not included in a figure or described herein.
  • FIG. 1 is a simplified side view of an exemplary device 100 in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • the device 100 may be configured as a transfer lamination device and/or a reverse image transfer printing device.
  • the device 100 includes a controller 102 representing one or more processors that are configured to execute program instructions stored in memory of the device or other location, to control components of the device 100 and perform method steps described herein.
  • the device 100 includes a transfer ribbon heater 104 that is configured to support and conduct heat to a transfer ribbon 108, which may extend between a supply spool 109 and a take-up spool 111, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 2 is a simplified top view of the transfer ribbon 108 on the transfer ribbon heater 104. Exemplary embodiments of the transfer ribbon heater 104 will be described in detail below.
  • FIG. 3 is a simplified cross-sectional view of an exemplary transfer ribbon 108, in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 includes a transfer layer 110, which is attached to a backing or carrier layer 112.
  • the transfer layer 110 is in the form of a fracturable laminate or thin film laminate.
  • the transfer layer 110 includes a thermal adhesive 114, which is activated during a transfer lamination process to bond the transfer layer 110 to a substrate.
  • the transfer layer 110 includes an image receptive surface 115 on the thermal adhesive 114 that is configured to receive a printed image, as discussed below.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 may also include a release layer 116 between the transfer layer 110 and the carrier layer 112 that assists in releasing the transfer layer from the carrier layer 112 during a transfer lamination process.
  • Other conventional materials or layers may also be included in the transfer ribbon 108 and transfer layer 110.
  • the transfer layer 110 includes a protective layer 118 located between the adhesive layer 114 and the carrier layer 112.
  • the protective layer 118 may be combined with the adhesive layer 114.
  • the protective layer 118 operates to provide protection to a surface of a substrate to which the transfer layer 110 is laminated.
  • the protective layer 118 may also protect an image printed on the image receptive surface 115 when the transfer layer 110 is laminated to a surface of a substrate.
  • the device 100 includes a transfer laminating section 120 that is configured to transfer a portion (transfer section) of the transfer layer 110 from the carrier layer 112 to a surface 122 of a substrate 124, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the transfer laminating section 120 may be formed in accordance with conventional transfer laminating sections of laminating devices and reverse image transfer printing devices.
  • the transfer laminating section 120 includes a laminating device 130, such as a heated laminating or transfer roller, and a platen or other support 132 (hereinafter "platen 132").
  • the substrate 124 may take on many different forms, as understood by those skilled in the art.
  • the substrate 124 is a credential substrate.
  • credential substrate includes substrates used to form credentials, such as identification cards, membership cards, proximity cards, driver's licenses, passports, credit and debit cards, and other credentials or similar products.
  • Exemplary card substrates include paper substrates other than traditional paper sheets used in copiers or paper sheet printers, plastic substrates, rigid and semi-rigid card substrates, and other similar substrates.
  • the device 100 includes a substrate supply 134, from which individual substrates 124 are fed along a processing path 138 through the transfer laminating section 120 using a suitable transport mechanism 140 controlled by the controller 102.
  • the transport mechanism 140 comprises one or more motorized feed rollers 142, or other suitable mechanism.
  • Embodiments of the transfer laminating section 120 include sensors (not shown) that may be used to assist the controller 102 in the feeding of the substrates 124 along the processing path 138, and aligning the substrates 124 with a transfer section of the transfer layer 110 that is to be laminated to the surface 122 of the substrate 124.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 and the substrate 124 are fed between the laminating device 130 and the platen 132, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the controller 102 controls the laminating device 130 to heat the transfer ribbon 108 and press the transfer layer 110 against the surface 122 of the substrate 124.
  • the heating of the transfer ribbon 108 activates the adhesive layer 114 to bond the transfer layer 110 to the surface 122 of the substrate 124.
  • the carrier layer 112 is pulled from the section of the transfer layer 110 that is bonded to the substrate 124 at a peel-off roller 148 and is collected by the take-up spool 111.
  • the transfer lamination process is completed after the substrate 124 is fed sufficiently past the laminating device 130, leaving the substrate 124 with a transfer section of the transfer layer 110 bonded to the surface 122.
  • the device 100 includes a printing section 150 that is configured to print an image to the image receptive surface 115 of the transfer layer 110.
  • the printing section 150 may be formed in accordance with conventional printing sections of reverse image transfer printing devices.
  • the printing section 150 includes a print head 152 and a print platen or other support for supporting the ribbon 108 in a print zone 154, in which a printing process can be performed on the transfer ribbon 108 by the print head 152. In some embodiments, this support function is provided by the ribbon heater 104, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the device 100 includes the transfer laminating section 120, which is configured to transfer the printed or imaged section of the transfer layer 110 to a substrate 124, as discussed above.
  • the print head 152 is a thermal print head that is configured to transfer print material from a thermal print ribbon (not shown) to the surface 115 of the transfer layer 110 to print an image to the transfer layer 110, in accordance with conventional techniques.
  • activated heating elements of the thermal print head 152 heat an underlying portion of a print panel of a print ribbon to transfer print material from the print panel to the surface 115 of the transfer layer 110. This process can be repeated using different colored print panels to produce the desired printed image on the surface 115.
  • the print head 152 is an inkjet print head that is configured to discharge ink to the surface 115 to print an image to the transfer layer 110.
  • the ink discharged from the inkjet print head 152 includes a liquid component, such as water, the evaporation of which can be accelerated using the ribbon heater 104, as described below. That is, the ribbon heater 104 promotes the drying of ink printed to the print side or surface 115 of the transfer ribbon 108 by the print head 152.
  • the ribbon heater 104 can also be used to adhere the printed ink on the surface 115 of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the inkjet print head 152 is mounted to a conventional carriage (not shown) that allows the print head 152 to move in a widthwise direction across the transfer ribbon 108 during a printing operation.
  • the device 100 includes a print head lift mechanism (not shown) that is configured to move the print head 152 relative to the print zone 154 as indicated by arrow 155. Such a print head lift mechanism is generally used in connection with thermal print heads.
  • the device 100 includes at least one motor, generally referred to as 160, that is configured to drive the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 through the laminating section 120, the printing section 150, and/or past the ribbon heater 104.
  • the device 100 includes a motor 160A that drives rotation of the take-up spool 111 to wind the transfer ribbon 108 on the spool 111 and control the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 in the direction 146 through at least the laminating section 120.
  • the device 100 includes a motor 160B that is configured to drive rotation of a feed roller 164 to control the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 through the printing section 150 in a feed direction 166.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 it may be necessary to feed the transfer ribbon 108 in a direction that is opposite the feed direction 166, such as when the print head 152 is a thermal print head, which performs multiple printing operations on the same portion of the transfer ribbon to form a multi-colored image thereon.
  • this reverse feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 is accomplished using a motor 160C that winds the transfer ribbon 108 on the supply spool 109. It is understood that other motors and transfer ribbon feed mechanisms may also be used to provide the desired feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 through the device 100 using a motor 160.
  • the ribbon heater 104 is a component of the printing section 150.
  • the ribbon heater 104 is configured to heat the transfer ribbon 108 before, during, and/or after a printing operation is performed by the printing section 150 to promote drying of ink printed to the surface 115 of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the heating of a portion of the transfer ribbon 108 using the ribbon heater 104 before it reaches the print zone (i.e., pre-print heating) promotes drying of ink that is subsequently printed to the portion by the print head 152.
  • the heating of a portion of the transfer ribbon 108 that is within the print zone 154 i.e., concurrent print heating) during a print operation on the portion promotes drying of the ink being printed to the portion.
  • the heating of a portion of the transfer ribbon 108 that has received a printed image from the print head 152 and has moved past the print zone 154 promotes drying of the printed image.
  • the ribbon heater 108 promote drying of ink printed to the print surface 115 of the transfer layer 110 before the transfer of the imaged section of the transfer layer 110 to a substrate 124 using the laminating device 130 of the laminating section 120.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes one or more active heating surfaces 170.
  • active heating surfaces or “heating surfaces” should be interpreted as referring to at least one active heating surface 170, unless specified or implied otherwise.
  • active heating surfaces means that the heating surfaces conduct heat generated by at least one heating element 172.
  • the heating surfaces 170 of the ribbon heater 104 are distinct from the laminating device 130, in that the heating surfaces 170 are not located in the transfer laminating section 120 and they are not configured to perform a laminating operation using the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the laminating device 130 does not constitute a heating surface 170 of the ribbon heater 104.
  • the heating surfaces 170 are not configured to actively pinch the transfer ribbon 108, such as performed by the laminating device 130 using the platen 132. Instead, the heating surfaces 170 generally provide a support on which the transfer ribbon 108 lies.
  • the at least one heating element 172 that is controlled by the controller 102 to produce heat.
  • Heating elements should be interpreted as referring to at least one heating element, unless specified or implied otherwise.
  • the heating elements 172 each comprise a resistive heating element that generates heat responsive to the conduction of electrical current through the heating element 172.
  • Other suitable heating element may also be used for the heating elements 172.
  • each of the heating surfaces 170 engages (i.e., contacts) the transfer ribbon 108, and conducts heat from one or more of the heating elements 172 to the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the heating surfaces allow for more homogeneous heating of the transfer ribbon 108 and better control over the heating of the transfer ribbon 108 than would be possible using radiant heaters that do not contact the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the heating surfaces 170 allow for multiple zones at different temperatures. When the print head 152 is an ink jet print head, the heating surfaces 170 allow for greater control of where the heat is directed.
  • the heating surfaces 170 can be positioned to prevent the generation of airflows that could disrupt the discharge of ink droplets from the print head 152, something which may be difficult to avoid when using radiant or fan heaters. Additional advantages of the heating surfaces 170 over radiant heaters include the ability to make the device 100 more compact, and the simplification of the process of loading the transfer ribbon 108 into the device 100.
  • each of the heating surfaces 170 engages a surface 174 of the carrier layer 112, which is opposite the print side or print surface 115.
  • a thermally conductive material such as metal forms a thermally conductive path along which heat is conducted from the heating elements 172 to the heating surfaces 170.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes a heating surface 170A (post-printing heating surface) that is positioned downstream of the print head 152 relative to the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the term "downstream" means that the heating surface 170A is displaced from the print head 152 or the print zone 154 in a direction along the transfer ribbon 108 corresponding to the direction the transfer ribbon 108 is fed past the print head 152 as it is unwound from the supply spool 109 (i.e., the feed direction 166).
  • the heating of the transfer ribbon 108 using the heating surface 170A increases the evaporation of a liquid component (e.g., water) of ink printed to the surface 115 during a print operation using an inkjet print head 152, as discussed above.
  • the heating surface 170A has a dedicated heating element 172 A, from which heat is conducted through the heating surface 170A to the transfer ribbon 108, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes a heating surface 170B (pre-printing heating surface) that is located upstream of the print head 152 relative to the feeding of the transfer film 108 in the feed direction 166, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the term "upstream” means that the heating surface 170B is displaced from the print head 152 in a direction along the transfer ribbon 108 corresponding to the opposite direction that the transfer ribbon 108 is fed past the print head 152 as it is unwound from the supply spool 109 (i.e., opposite the feed direction 166).
  • the heating surface 170B is used to preheat the transfer ribbon 108 to prepare it for receiving print material from the print head.
  • the heating of the transfer ribbon 108 using the heating surface 170B facilitates quicker evaporation of a liquid component from ink printed to the surface 115 in a subsequent printing operation by an inkjet print head 152.
  • the heating surface 170B has a dedicated heating element 172B, from which heat is conducted through the heating surface 170B to the transfer ribbon 108, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes a heating surface 170C (concurrent printing heating surface) that is configured to heat a portion of the transfer ribbon 108 that is within the print zone 154, in which the print head 152 performs a printing operation on the surface 115 of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the portion of the transfer ribbon 108 on which a print operation is being performed is positioned immediately between the print head 152 and the heating surface 170C.
  • the heating surface 170C operates as a print platen during a print operation.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes a heating element 172C that is dedicated to heating the heating surface 170C.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes at least two heating surfaces 170 that are each associated with one or more different heating elements 172.
  • the heating elements 172 corresponding to one of the heating surfaces 170 may be controlled independently by the controller 102 from the heating elements 172 corresponding to the other heating surfaces 170. This allows different heating surfaces 170 to be at different temperatures, and allows different heating surfaces 170 to conduct heat to the transfer ribbon 108 at different rates.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes a heating element 172, such as heating element 172B, that is configured to heat the heating surfaces 170B and 170C to a first temperature, and heating element 172A is used to heat the heating surface 170A to a second temperature.
  • the device operates such that the first temperature is less than the second temperature. This allows the transfer ribbon 108 to be heated to a higher temperature following a print operation to promote rapid drying of ink printed to the surface 115 by the inkjet print head 152.
  • the heating surfaces 170 have a width, which is measured in a direction that is perpendicular to the feed direction 166, that is greater than the width of the transfer ribbon 108, as shown in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, the heating surfaces 170 engage the transfer ribbon 108 across the entire width of the transfer ribbon 108, and engage the transfer ribbon 108 along a length of the heating surfaces 170, which is measured in the feed direction 166. The resultant contact areas between the heating surfaces 170 and the transfer ribbon 108 are sufficient to provide the desired heat transfer to the transfer ribbon 108 by the ribbon heater 104.
  • one or more of the heating surfaces 170 contacts the transfer ribbon 108 over a substantially single continuous area, through which heat is conducted to the transfer ribbon 108 from the one or more heating elements 172.
  • one or more of the heating surfaces 170 may include smooth continuous surfaces to maximize the contact between the heating surfaces and the transfer ribbon 108.
  • one or more of the heating surfaces 170 include a plurality of separate contact points, through which heat is conducted to the transfer ribbon 108 from the one or more heating elements 172.
  • one or more of the heating surfaces may include gaps or depressions between adjoining contact points.
  • the heating surfaces 170 comprise a plurality of bars, a grate, or other suitable structure that provides a plurality of contact points, such as an array of contact points, through which heat is conducted to the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the heating surfaces 170 are joined in a substantially continuous path. This creates a large contact area between the heating surfaces 170 and the transfer ribbon 108 and prevents the transfer ribbon 108 from cooling. In some embodiments, gaps may exist between adjoining heating surfaces 170. However, it is preferable that such gaps are short to prevent undesired cooling of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • one or more of the active heating surfaces 170 include static heating surfaces, against which the transfer ribbon 108 slides as the transfer ribbon 108 is fed in the feed direction 166 by the at least one motor 160.
  • the static heating surfaces 170 have a position that is generally fixed relative to the transfer ribbon 108 as the transfer ribbon 108 is fed through the printing section 120.
  • the static heating surfaces 170 are attached to a frame or other structure of the device 100 to fix the position of the static heating surfaces 170 relative to the moving transfer ribbon 108. Heat is transferred from the at least one heating element 172 to the transfer ribbon 108 through the static heating surfaces 170 during this sliding engagement with the static heating surfaces 170.
  • one or more of the static heating surfaces 170 are formed on at least one plate 180, as illustrated in the simplified side view of FIG. 4.
  • the plate 180 is formed of a thermally conductive material, such as metal.
  • the heating element 172 extends over the surface 182 that is opposite the surface 170.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 slides over static heating surface 170 of the heating plate 180 as the transfer ribbon 108 is driven in the feed direction 166 by the at least one motor 160.
  • the at least one heating surface or static heating surface 170 forms a convex structure 184 that extends downstream and upstream from the print head 152 relative to the feed direction 166.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 is supported on the convex structure 184, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 lies on the convex structure 184.
  • the convex structure may be formed in any suitable manner.
  • the convex structure 184 may be formed by linking two or more of the plates 180 to form the convex structure 184, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, which is a simplified side view of a convex structure 184 in accordance with embodiments of the invention.
  • the ribbon heater 104 may comprise static heating surfaces 170 A, 170B and 170C respectively formed on heating plates 180A, 180B and 180C of the convex structure 184, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • a single heating plate 180 may include multiple static heating surfaces 170.
  • the heating plate 180B includes static heating surfaces 170B and 170C.
  • the convex structure 184 does not provide a continuous support structure or support surface for the transfer ribbon 108. Instead, the convex structure 184 may include one or more gaps between or within the heating surfaces 170 along the ribbon path.
  • the exemplary convex structure 184 of FIG. 5 is formed using two heating plates 180 A and 180B, which are each heated by at least one heating element 172. A gap 183 is formed between the adjacent ends of the plates 180A and 180B and the corresponding static heating surfaces 170A and 170B.
  • the convex structure may be formed by any combination of discontinued support surfaces comprising succession of heating bars, grates and plates for example.
  • one or more of the heating surfaces 170 includes at least one mobile heating surface 170, portions of which have a fixed position relative to portions of the transfer ribbon 108 during contact with the transfer ribbon 108 as the transfer ribbon is fed through the printing section 150.
  • a mobile heating surface 170 is a surface that has rolling contact with the transfer ribbon 108 as the transfer ribbon 108 is fed through the printing section 150, as opposed to the sliding contact that occurs with the static heating surfaces 170.
  • the device 100 includes at least one heating roller 186 that includes the mobile heating surface 170, as shown in the simplified side view of FIG. 6.
  • the roller 186 rotates about a central axis in response to the feeding of the transfer ribbon, such that the mobile heating surface 170 has rolling contact with the surface 174 of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • the one or more heating elements 172 corresponding to the roller 186 may be located within the roller 186 or otherwise arranged to conduct heat to the roller 186.
  • the diameter of the roller 186 and the arc of the mobile heating surface 170 that engages the transfer ribbon 108 are selected to provide the desired heat transfer to the ribbon 108.
  • the arc over which the transfer ribbon 108 contacts the mobile heating surface 170 is greater than 180°, as shown in FIG. 6.
  • tension in the transfer ribbon 108 created by the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 by the at least one motor 160 causes the transfer ribbon 108 to be pressed against the heating surfaces 170 to ensure proper contact between the transfer ribbon 108 and the heating surfaces 170.
  • the exemplary heating surfaces 170 on the plates 180A and 180B form a succession of heating surfaces 170, against which the transfer ribbon 108 may be pressed responsive to tension in the transfer ribbon 108 created by the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 by the motor 160B or other motor 160.
  • the controller 102 controls the temperature of the heating surfaces 170 through the control of the heating elements 172 corresponding to each of the surfaces 170.
  • the ribbon heater 104 includes one or more temperature sensors that are configured to produce an output signal that is representative of the temperature of a corresponding heating surface 170.
  • the temperature sensors 188 are attached to the body that includes the heating surface 170, such as to the plates 180 that include the static heating surfaces 170, as shown in FIG. 5. The controller uses the output signal from the one or more temperature sensors to control the temperature of the heating surfaces 170 and, thus, control the heating of the transfer ribbon 108.
  • Some embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of heating a transfer ribbon 108 using one or more embodiments of the ribbon heater 104 described above. These embodiments include heating a transfer ribbon 108 in an image transfer printing device 100, as illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 7.
  • a transfer ribbon 108 is heated using a ribbon heater 104 by conducting heat from at least one active heating surface 170 to the transfer ribbon 108.
  • an image is printed to a surface 115 of the transfer ribbon using a print head 152.
  • the transfer ribbon is fed in a feed direction 166 using a motor 160.
  • the image is transferred from the surface 115 of the transfer ribbon 108 to a substrate 124 using a laminating device 130.
  • the at least one heating surface 170 is formed in accordance with one or more embodiments described above.
  • heat is conducted from at least one heating element 172 to the transfer ribbon 108 through at least one heating surface 170 that is located downstream of the print head relative to the feed direction 166, upstream of the print head 152 relative to the feed direction 166, and/or within a print zone 154, in which the print head 152 processes the transfer ribbon 108.
  • portions of the heating step 190 may be performed before, during and/or after the printing step 192.
  • the transfer ribbon 108 slides over the heating surfaces 170 (i.e., static heating surfaces) responsive to the feeding of the transfer ribbon 108 in step 194.
  • at least one of the heating surfaces 170 includes a mobile heating surface, such as a roller 186 (FIG. 6), which conducts heat to the transfer ribbon 108 through non-sliding contact with the surface 174.
  • the print head 152 is in the form of an inkjet print head, and the heating of the transfer ribbon 108 in step 190 promotes the drying of a liquid component of the ink printed to the surface 115 by the print head 152 to substantially dry the printed ink (i.e., greater than 90% dry) before the transfer lamination step 196.

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Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif d'impression de transfert d'image inverse (100) qui comprend un ruban de transfert (108), une section d'impression (150), un élément chauffant de ruban (104) et un moteur (160). La section d'impression comprend une tête d'impression (152) qui est configurée pour imprimer des images sur un côté d'impression (115) du ruban de transfert. L'élément chauffant de ruban comprend au moins une surface de chauffage (170) qui soutient le ruban de transfert et conduit la chaleur vers le ruban de transfert à mesure que le ruban de transfert est acheminé à travers la section d'impression. Le moteur est configuré pour entraîner l'acheminement du ruban de transfert à travers la section d'impression. [0071] Dans un procédé de chauffage d'un ruban de transfert (108), la chaleur est conduite (190) d'au moins une surface de chauffage active (170) vers un ruban de transfert (108). Une image est imprimée (192) sur une surface (115) du ruban de transfert à l'aide d'une tête d'impression (152). Le ruban de transfert est acheminé (194) dans une direction d'acheminement (166) à l'aide d'un moteur (160). L'image est transférée (196) de la surface du ruban de transfert vers un substrat (124) à l'aide d'un dispositif de stratification (130).
PCT/IB2015/050150 2015-01-08 2015-01-08 Élément chauffant de ruban de transfert WO2016110746A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2015/050150 WO2016110746A1 (fr) 2015-01-08 2015-01-08 Élément chauffant de ruban de transfert

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2015/050150 WO2016110746A1 (fr) 2015-01-08 2015-01-08 Élément chauffant de ruban de transfert

Publications (1)

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WO2016110746A1 true WO2016110746A1 (fr) 2016-07-14

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Cited By (2)

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US10336108B2 (en) 2015-05-12 2019-07-02 Assa Abloy Ab Credential production device having a movable processing assembly
CN110121424A (zh) * 2016-11-23 2019-08-13 恩图鲁斯特咨询卡有限公司 再转印卡片打印机中的污染物控制方法

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US5729817A (en) * 1996-10-17 1998-03-17 Accent Color Sciences, Inc. Accent printer for continuous web material
WO2000068015A2 (fr) * 1999-05-10 2000-11-16 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Imprimante a film de transfert intremediaire
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US20110033697A1 (en) * 2009-08-10 2011-02-10 Seiko Epson Corporation Transferring medium manufacturing method and transferring medium
US8038284B2 (en) 2007-09-05 2011-10-18 Fujifilm Corporation Liquid application apparatus and method, and image forming apparatus
WO2013132418A2 (fr) * 2012-03-05 2013-09-12 Landa Corporation Limited Procédé d'impression numérique

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS59220385A (ja) * 1983-05-31 1984-12-11 Fujitsu Ltd インクジエツトプリンタ
US5729817A (en) * 1996-10-17 1998-03-17 Accent Color Sciences, Inc. Accent printer for continuous web material
US6264296B1 (en) 1997-05-06 2001-07-24 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Ink jet identification card printer with lamination station
WO2000068015A2 (fr) * 1999-05-10 2000-11-16 Fargo Electronics, Inc. Imprimante a film de transfert intremediaire
US20070229586A1 (en) * 2006-03-31 2007-10-04 Fujifilm Corporation Image forming apparatus
US8038284B2 (en) 2007-09-05 2011-10-18 Fujifilm Corporation Liquid application apparatus and method, and image forming apparatus
US20110033697A1 (en) * 2009-08-10 2011-02-10 Seiko Epson Corporation Transferring medium manufacturing method and transferring medium
WO2013132418A2 (fr) * 2012-03-05 2013-09-12 Landa Corporation Limited Procédé d'impression numérique

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10336108B2 (en) 2015-05-12 2019-07-02 Assa Abloy Ab Credential production device having a movable processing assembly
CN110121424A (zh) * 2016-11-23 2019-08-13 恩图鲁斯特咨询卡有限公司 再转印卡片打印机中的污染物控制方法
US11220099B2 (en) 2016-11-23 2022-01-11 Entrust Corporation Contaminant control process in a retransfer card printer

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