Apparatus, system, and method for multi-dimensional registration printing

• US 20050179721A1
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pixal Wizard International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pixal Wizard International, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Mark R., Peters-Grellenberg, Gerd B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,407,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/19
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/335 Structure of thermal heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/33 Thermal printer with pre-coating or post-coating ribbon system

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for multi-dimensional registration printing. One embodiment of the apparatus includes an image module, a print module, and an object registration module. The image module stores a digital representation of an image. The print module prints the image on a multi-dimensional surface of an object. The object registration module controls a multi-dimensional registration of the multi-dimensional surface of the object in proximity to a print head in accordance with the image. The printing system may use a print ribbon that includes an infrared absorbent, a resin, or both.

Claims

1. A printing apparatus to facilitate registration printing on a multi-dimensional surface, the apparatus comprising:

an image module configured to store a digital representation of an image;

a print module coupled to the image module, the print module configured to print the image on a multi-dimensional surface of an object; and

an object registration module coupled to the print module, the object registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of the multi-dimensional surface of the object in proximity to a print head in accordance with the image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a print head registration module coupled to the print module, the print head registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of a print head in proximity to the multi-dimensional surface in accordance with the image.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a media control module coupled to the print module, the media control module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of a print media in proximity to at least one of the print head and the multi-dimensional surface of the object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an image concatenation module coupled to the print module, the image concatenation module configured to concatenate the digital representation of the image with a second digital representation of a second image.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an orientation module coupled to the object registration module, the orientation module configured to orient the object with respect to a physical characteristic of the object.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a station control module coupled to the object registration module, the station control module configured to move the object between a printing station and another object handling station.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a verification module coupled to the object registration module, the verification module configured to identify a verification mark applied to the object;

a sensor module coupled to the object registration module, the sensor module configured to control a sensor to facilitate handling of the object; and

a delivery module coupled to the object registration module, the delivery module configured to deliver the object to a delivery station after the image is printed on the multi-dimensional surface of the object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

print ribbon controlled by the print module, the print ribbon comprising;

a dye carrier medium;

a dye applied to the dye carrier medium;

a resin applied to the dye carrier medium, the resin to facilitate adhesion of the dye to a printing surface; and

an infrared absorbent applied to the dye carrier medium, the infrared absorbent reactive to an infrared source.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent absorbs heat in response to an infrared signal from the infrared source, the infrared signal within an infrared wavelength range of approximately between 750 nm and 1 mm.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the resin facilitates protection of the dye in response to application of the dye to an object.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dye comprises one of a plurality of dyes applied to the dye carrier medium, each of the plurality of dyes applied to alternating panels of the dye carrier medium.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the dye is a single dye monochromatically applied to the dye carrier medium.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises less than approximately two percent of a total dye weight.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises approximately between one and ten percent of a solid weight of the dye.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises approximately between four and eight percent of a solid weight of the dye.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a print ribbon controlled by the print module, the print ribbon comprising;

a dye carrier medium;

a dye applied to the dye carrier medium; and

an infrared absorbent applied to the dye carrier medium, the infrared absorbent reactive to an infrared signal from an infrared laser, the infrared signal having a wavelength of at least approximately 850 nm.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises an absorbance of approximately 0.5 within a wavelength range of approximately between 900 nm and 1050 nm.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the infrared absorbent comprises a maximum absorbance within a wavelength range of approximately between 975 nm and 1000 nm.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a print ribbon cartridge coupled to a registration mount and controlled by the print module, the print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon;

an object holding device configured to hold an object having a print surface; and

a registration device coupled to the registration mount and the object holding device, the registration device controlled by the object registration module and configured to move the registration mount and the object holding device to orient the print ribbon cartridge and the object holding device in a print position with respect to a print head.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the print head comprises a laser print head configured to emit a laser signal having approximately an infrared wavelength.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a laser intensity module configured to control an intensity of the laser signal from the laser print head.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a laser time module configured to control a duration of the laser signal from the laser print head.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a ribbon extension device to extend the print ribbon away from the print ribbon cartridge and to orient the print ribbon approximately in contact with the print surface of the object.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the ribbon extension device comprises a linear extension arm coupled to a ribbon roller, the linear extension arm configured to extend the ribbon roller away from the print ribbon cartridge along a substantially linear path.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the ribbon extension device comprises a radial extension arm coupled to a ribbon roller, the radial extension arm configured to extend the ribbon roller away from the print ribbon cartridge along a substantially radial path.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising an object orientation device to identify the print surface of the object and to orient the object so that the print surface of the object, when held in close proximity to the print head by the object holding device, is substantially oriented toward the print head.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a sensor to sense a mark on the object to facilitate orientation of the object.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a dye-sublimation printing module to print on a multi-dimensional surface, the module comprising;

a print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon with a dye applied thereto; and

a print head configured to directly transfer the dye from the print ribbon to a multi-dimensional surface of an object.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising an infrared absorbent applied to the print ribbon.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising an infrared laser configured to apply an infrared signal to the print ribbon.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a resin applied to the print ribbon.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a print ribbon cartridge having a print ribbon with a dye applied thereto;

an infrared laser having a wavelength of at least approximately 850 nm;

an infrared absorbent applied to the print ribbon, the infrared absorbent reactive to the infrared laser, to transfer the dye directly from the print ribbon to a surface of an object in response to incidence of an infrared signal from the infrared laser on the print ribbon.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the printing system is configured to print the dye on the surface of a multi-dimensional object.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the printing system is configured to print the dye on a sheet of paper.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a resin applied to the print ribbon.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the surface of the object comprises a receiving layer applied to the surface of the object.

37. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an automated kiosk for registration printing and vending a multi-dimensional object, the automated kiosk comprising;

a selection module configured to allow a customer to select a multi-dimensional object for purchase;

a print module configured to print an image on a surface of the object; and

a registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of at least one of a print head and the multi-dimensional object in proximity to the other in accordance with the image.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising at least one of:

a kiosk lockout module configured to lock the automated kiosk system in an inoperable state in response to a lockout control signal;

an image input module configured to access an image file that is stored remotely from the automated kiosk system;

an image load module configured to access an image file that is stored locally on the automated kiosk system;

a text input module configured to recognize text input from a user and include the text input in the image in response to an insertion operation; and

a display module configured to display the image to a user for verification before the image is printed on the surface.

39. An automated kiosk for registration printing and vending a multi-dimensional object, the automated kiosk comprising:

a selection module configured to allow a customer to select a multi-dimensional object for purchase;

a print module configured to print an image on a surface of the object; and

a registration module configured to control a multi-dimensional registration of at least one of a print head and the multi-dimensional object in proximity to the other in accordance with the image.

40. A print cartridge apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a print ribbon;

an ink applied to the print ribbon, the ink comprising a dye colorant and an absorbent, the absorbent reactive to a heat source to sublimate the ink.