Title:
PRINTER HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE TRANSFER FILM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2000/068015
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
A printer (10) for printing information on images on a substrate (72) such as an identification card (72) in multiple colors has an intermediate transfer film or web (82) on which a reverse image is printed. The printer (10) has a lamination station (40) where the image is transferred to a substrate, such as an identification card (72). The intermediate transfer film or web (82) is moved back and forth, and the intermediate transfer film or web (82) has slack occurring in it between the printing station (34) and the lamination station (40). The slack is taken up with spring loaded rollers (124, 126) to permit operation of the printer head (56) and the lamination station (40) at the same time. Additionally, the printer (10) is made into modules (24, 27, 32, 34, 36) that are movable for easy access to interior components and to expose film or web paths that permits installing both the print film or web (54) and the intermediate transfer film or web (82) without threading it through enclosed openings.
Inventors:
HAAS DARREN W
FRANCIS ROBERT E
FULMER GARY B
REYNOLDS-KOTZ THOMAS J
LIEN BRENT D
SKOGLUND JOHN P
DUNHAM MATTHEW K
KLINEFELTER GARY M
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/012717
Publication Date:
November 16, 2000
Filing Date:
May 09, 2000
Assignee:
FARGO ELECTRONICS INC (US)
International Classes:
B42D15/10; B41J2/01; B41J2/325; B41J3/54; B41J15/16; B65H23/14; B65H29/60; B65H37/04; (IPC1-7): B41J/
Domestic Patent References:
| WO1998016394A1 | 1998-04-23 | | | |
| WO1999004080A1 | 1999-01-28 | | | |
| WO1998024632A2 | 1998-06-11 | | | |
Foreign References:
| US5850248A | 1998-12-15 | | | |
| US3857527A | 1974-12-31 | | | |
| US5825392A | 1998-10-20 | | | |
| US5718523A | 1998-02-17 | | | |
| US5820277A | 1998-10-13 | | | |
| US5790924A | 1998-08-04 | | | |
| US5484215A | 1996-01-16 | | | |
| JPH0866999A | 1996-03-12 | | | |
| EP0442762A2 | 1991-08-21 | | | |
Other References:
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 016, no. 016 (M-1200), 16 January 1992 (1992-01-16) & JP 03 234670 A (VICTOR CO OF JAPAN LTD), 18 October 1991 (1991-10-18)
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Westman, Nickolas E. (Champlin & Kelly P.A. Suite 1600 -
International Centre 900 Second Avenue South Minneapolis, MN, US)
Claims:
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
| 1. |
A printer for printing on a web, including a printhead for printing on a web wherein the web has slack in a web portion during operations of the printer, and a slack takeup roller for engaging the web at the portion and being urged in a direction for taking up slack that occurs in the web. |
| 2. |
The printer of claim 1 including a processing station processing the web after passing through the printhead, the web portion being between the printhead and the processing station. |
| 3. |
The printer of claims 1 or 2, wherein there are at least two spaced apart idler rollers guiding the web in the web portion, and wherein said takeup roller comprises a roller that is on an opposite side from the idler rollers and moves between two idler rollers and engages the web under spring load to push slack of the web into a loop between the two spaced idler rollers. |
| 4. |
The printer of any one of the previous claims, wherein said takeup roller comprises a roller mounted on a pair of arms pivotably supported relative to a printer frame. |
| 5. |
A printer for applying an image onto a substrate including a printhead for causing printing onto a print receptive web supported adjacent the printhead, and passing through a processing station spaced from the printhead after printing, said print receptive web becoming slack between the printhead and the processing station, and a takeup roller on the printer resiliently engaging the print receptive web between the printhead and the processing station for taking up slack that occurs in the print receptive web. |
| 6. |
The printer of claim 5, wherein the printhead comprises a plurality of ink jet heads supported to print on the print receptive web in sequence in a direction of travel of the print receptive web, said ink jet printheads providing at least two different color printing, and selectively one of the heads providing an ink fixing agent. |
| 7. |
The printer of claim 5, wherein there are a plurality of the printheads, each of said printheads being a thermal printhead, a separate thermal dye sublimation web supported for movement between each of the respective thermal printheads and the print receptive web, said thermal dye sublimation webs each being a different color than other thermal dye sublimation heads, each of said printheads being controlled to print an image from the respective thermal dye sublimation web onto the same region of the print receptive web to form a multicolor image in such region of the print receptive web. |
| 8. |
The printer of claim 5, wherein the processing station comprises a lamination station, and said print receptive web having a film that is heat transferrable to a substrate, such as an identification card, said lamination station providing heat to transfer an image on the print receptive web onto the substrate. |
| 9. |
The printer of claim 5, wherein said print receptive web has an image printed thereon that is transferrable to a substrate, said substrate comprising an identification card, and the processing station comprising a lamination station for laminating an image from the print receptive web onto the card, said lamination station utilizing a heated roll for transferring the image to the card, a second lamination station for lamination of a section of clear film over the printed image and card after passing through the first lamination station, said second lamination station including a heated roll for transferring a clear film section from a supply onto the surface of the card carrying the image. |
| 10. |
The printer of claim 9 and a card inverter station receiving a card from the lamination station, and replacing the card in the lamination station after the card has been inverted for laminating an image on a second side of the card. |
| 11. |
The printer of claim 8, wherein the print receptive web receives a reverse image printed thereon, and the lamination station laminates the image onto the card such that the image is oriented for reading when laminated onto the card. |
| 12. |
A printer including a print web supply providing a print web, and a printhead for printing material from the print web under a process that requires reversing the direction of the print web and driving the print web in forward direction a plurality of times, a print receptive web movably supported on the printer adjacent the printhead, and passing through a processing station to transfer a printed image therefrom to a substrate, said print receptive web moving with said print web in opposite directions of movement when the printhead is printing an image onto the print receptive web, the print receptive web passing through the processing station at a different speed than the movement of the print web and print receptive web at the printhead, and a biased takeup roller for engaging the print receptive web between the printhead and the processing station for taking up slack that occurs in the print receptive web. |
| 13. |
A printer including a first base support module, a second printing module and a third intermediate transfer web module, the second and third modules being movably mounted to the base support module, one of the second and third modules being mounted over said base module and the other of the second and third modules mounted over the one of the second and third modules in a working position, the second and third modules being movable to provide access to sides thereof facing the base module when the modules are in working position. |
| 14. |
The printer of claim 13, wherein said second and third modules are hingedly connected to the bare module and pivot to positions to expose normally hidden under sides of the modules, and supports for a print web positioned at locations accessible from the under side of the printing module, and said print web being guided on guides engaged by the print web and exposed from the under side over which the print web can be placed. |
| 15. |
The printer of claim 13, wherein said intermediate transfer module supports the print receptive web, and being hingedly connected to the base module and hinging from its working position to an open position to expose guide rollers forming print receptive web support surfaces open to peripheries of said intermediate transfer module for said print receptive web, supports for said print receptive web supply on the intermediate transfer module being accessible when the intermediate transfer module is pivoted to an open position, and said print receptive web being positioned to the exterior of guides carried by said intermediate transfer module to permit installation of said print receptive web supply without threading the print receptive web through enclosed passageways. |
| 16. |
A printer for providing a printed image to a substrate including a printing head for transferring the printed image from a print web onto a surface of an intermediate transfer web, a drive for said intermediate transfer web to move said intermediate transfer film or web from said printhead to a processing station, said printhead moving said intermediate transfer web during printing at a rate that causes slack to occur between the processing station and the printhead, and a web slack takeup roller for maintaining a tension in said intermediate transfer web as the intermediate transfer web moves relative to the printhead at differing velocities than its movement through the processing station. |
| 17. |
The printer of claim 16, wherein the printer has a pivoting arm pivotally mounted on the printer and supporting the slack takeup roller, and a biasing force tending to move said pivoting arm about its pivot to move the slack takeup roller in a selected direction to engage the intermediate transfer web. |
| 18. |
The printer of claim 17 including a pair of rotatable guide rollers on the printer that are spaced apart and substantially parallel, said intermediate transfer web passing between said guide rollers, and said slack takeup roller being urged to move between said guide rollers and engage the intermediate transfer film or web passing between the guide rollers and to move the intermediate transfer film or web between the guide rollers to take up slack. |
| 19. |
The printer of claim 18 including three rotatable guide rollers that are parallel and spaced to form two gaps between adjacent ones of the three rollers, one of the webs passing across the three rollers with the three rollers on one side of the one web, a support movably mounted on the frame and having a pair of slack take up rollers which pass into the two gaps under a bias force and move the one web into loop at each of the two gaps. |
| 20. |
A printer for applying an image onto a substrate including a printhead for causing printing onto a print receptive web supported adjacent the printhead, a drive for moving the print receptive web through a processing station spaced from the printhead after printing, the printhead printing individual images on a section of the print receptive web, a lamination station for laminating the image in the section onto a separate substrate of size to receive the image, a first sensor for sensing the presence of an image on the print receptive web, said first sensor being adjacent the lamination station, a second sensor for sensing the presence of a substrate, and a controller for coordinating the movement of the substrate and the image sensed into the lamination station to register the image on the substrate. |
| 21. |
The printer of claim 20, wherein the section comprises a first section and a drive for reversing said print receptive web, to position a trailing edge of the section on which the image transferred to the substrate was located adjacent the printhead, and printing a second image on a section of the print receptive web adjacent the first section. |
| 22. |
The printer of claim 21, wherein the lamination station is a first lamination station, and a second lamination station to receive the substrate after the images have been transferred to the lamination side of the substrate, a web carrying clear material segments for forming an overlying film on substrates carrying the image from the first lamination station, the second lamination station having a heated roll for laminating a clear material segment onto one surface of the substrate, and a substrate inverter for invert ing the substrate after a clear material segment has been laminated onto a surface of the substrate, and moving the substrate into the second lamination station for laminating a clear material segment onto a second surface of the substrate. |
Description:
INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT PLf/US 00/12717 P rus ooy2m C. (Continuation) DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT Category ° Citation of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevant to claim No. X US 5 825 392 A (MOCHIZUKI TATSUO) 1,2 20 October 1998 (1998-10-20) column 3, line 8-column 6, line 20 A US 5 718 523 A (ISONO HAJIME ET AL) 5-12, 17 February 1998 (1998-02-17) 16-19 the whole document A WO 99 04080 A (MINNESOTA MINING & MFG) 5-12, 28 January 1999 (1999-01-28) 16-19 the whole document X US 5 820 277 A (SCHULE ROBERT B) 13 13 October 1998 (1998-10-13) A column 3, line 25-column 6, line 11 ; 14,15 figures 1-13 X US 5 790 924 A (CREUTZMANN EDMUND ET AL) 13 4 August 1998 (1998-08-04) A column 5, line 30-column 15, line 40 14,15 A US 5 484 215 A (FILLOD MAURICE ET AL) 13-15 16 January 1996 (1996-01-16) the whole document X JP 08 066999 A (VICTOR CO OF JAPAN LTD) 20,21 12 March 1996 (1996-03-12) Y the whole document 22 Y EP 0 442 762 A (DAINIPPON PRINTING CO LTD) 22 21 August 1991 (1991-08-21) A column 4, line 48-column 17, line 52 20,21 Y PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN 22 vol. 016, no. 016 (M-1200), 16 January 1992 (1992-01-16) &JP 03 234670 A (VICTOR CO OF JAPAN LTD), 18 October 1991 (1991-10-18) A abstract 20,21 A WO 98 24632 A (ULRICH EWALD) 20-22 11 June 1998 (1998-06-11) the whole document 2 amational application No. INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT PCT/US 00/12717 Box) Observations where certain claims were found unsearchable (Continuation of item 1 of first sheet) This International Search Report has not been established in respect of certain claims under Article 17 (2) (a) for the following reasons: 1. Claims Nos.: because they relate to subject matter not required to be searched by this Authority, namely: 2. Claims Nos.: because they relate to parts of the International Application that do not comply with the prescribed requirements to such an extent that no meaningful International Search can be carried out, specifically: 3. Claims Nos.: because they are dependent claims and are not drafted in accordance with the second and third sentences of Rule 6.4 (a). Box 11 Observations where unity of invention is lacking (Continuation of item 2 of first sheet) This International Searching Authority found multiple inventions in this international application, as follows: see additional sheet 1. As all required additional search fees were timely paid by the applicant, this International Search Report covers all searchable claims. 2. As all searchable claims could be searched without effort justifying an additional fee, this Authority did not invite payment of any additional fee. 3. As only some of the required additional search fees were timely paid by the applicant, this International Search Report covers only those claims for which fees were paid, specifically claims Nos.: 4. No required additional search fees were timely paid by the applicant. Consequently, this Intemational Search Report is restricted to the invention first mentioned in the claims ; it is covered by claims Nos.: Remark on Protest The additional search fees were accompanied by the applicant's protest. 21 No protest accompanied the payment of additional search fees.
Intemational Application No. PCT/US 00/12717 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTINUED FROM PCT/ISA/210 This International Searching Authority found multiple (groups of) inventions in this international application, as follows: 1. Claims: 1-12,16-19 Printer for printing on a web comprising a take-up roller for taking up slack of the web 2. Claims: 13-15 Printer with movable modules for providing access to sides facing a base module 3. Claims: 20-22 Printer for applying an image onto a substrate at a processing station, comprising a printhead for printing on a receptive web, a lamination station, sensors for sensing presence of an image on the web and presence of the substrate, and a controller for registering of substrate and image INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT Intr ional Application No informationon patent family members PCT/US 00/12717 l Patent document Publication Patent family Publication cited in search report date member (s) date US 5850248 A 15-12-1998 EP 0805584 A 05-11-1997 JP 10093775 A 10-04-1998 WO 9816394 A 23-04-1998 IT B0960514 A 15-04-1998 AU 4469597 A 11-05-1998 EP 0944478 A 29-09-1999 US 3857527 A 31-12-1974 JP 49125110 A 29-11-1974 US 5825392 A 20-10-1998 JP 9131944 A 20-05-1997 US 5718523 A 17-02-1998 JP 7125344 A 16-05-1995 JP 2979282 B 15-11-1999 JP 7125271 A 16-05-1995 US 5636928 A 10-06-1997 WO 9904080 A 28-01-1999 US 6013347 A 11-01-2000 AU 5508098 A 10-02-1999 CN 1260012 A 12-07-2000 EP 1021605 A 26-07-2000 US 5820277 A 13-10-1998 NONE US 5790924 A 04-08-1998 WO 9602871 A 01-02-1996 WO 9602872 A 01-02-1996 DE 59506363 D 12-08-1999 DE 59506364 D 12-08-1999 EP 0771436 A 07-05-1997 EP 0771437 A 07-05-1997 FR 2722585 A 19-01-1996 JP 10502747 T 10-03-1998 US 5778297 A 07-07-1998 US 5484215 A 16-01-1996 FR 2716283 A 18-08-1995 FR 2716285 A 18-08-1995 EP 0668573 A 23-08-1995 EP 0668574 A 23-08-1995 EP 0668575 A 23-08-1995 FR 2716284 A 18-08-1995 JP 7272006 A 20-10-1995 JP 7282300 A 27-10-1995 JP 7272007 A 20-10-1995 JP 08066999 A 12-03-1996 NONE EP 0442762 A 21-08-1991 JP 3239595 A 25-10-1991 DE 69113076 D 26-10-1995 DE 69113076 T 04-04-1996 US 5599765 A 04-02-1997 US 5994263 A 30-11-1999 JP 03234670 A 18-10-1991 NONE WO 9824632 A 11-06-1998 AT 405468 B 25-08-1999 AT 208596 A 15-12-1998 AU 5217398 A 29-06-1998 DE 29724148 U 09-03-2OGS EP 0958143 A 24-11-1999
