THERMAL PRINTER

• US 20120212560A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kodak Alaris Inc (KPP (no. 2) Trustees Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kodak Alaris Inc (KPP (no. 2) Trustees Ltd.)
• Inventors: Paoletti, Richard Steven, Garbacz, Gregory James
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/219
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 11/0005 Curl smoothing, i.e. smoothing down corrugated printing material, e.g. by pressing means acting on wrinkled printing material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 13/02 Rollers roller platens B41J11/04
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 15/16 Means for tensioning or winding the web
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/325 by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet

Abstract

A printer including a supply roll of receiver media and a plurality of rollers to feed the receiver media through the printer. Means for maintaining a preselected tension of the receiver media between the supply roll and a pair of the plurality of rollers includes a motor with a torque limiter. The motor can be attached to the supply roll or to an optional pair of rollers adjacent the supply roll. A capstan roller having a high traction, non-marking surface is used in conjunction with the tension control.

Claims

1. A thermal printer comprising:

a thermal print head for applying thermal media onto a receiver;

a capstan roller disposed between the thermal print head and a supply of the receiver for controlling a feed of the receiver to the print head; and

means for maintaining a minimum tension of the receiver between the supply of receiver and the capstan roller.

2. The thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the capstan roller comprises a longitudinal knurl pattern.

3. The thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the capstan roller comprises a high traction, non-marking surface.

4. The thermal printer of claim 3, further comprising a pinch roller adjacent the capstan roller for forming a nip therebetween for the receiver, the pinch roller comprising an elastomeric material thereon having a shore-A durometer ranging from about 20 to about 60.

5. The thermal printer of claim 3, further comprising a pinch roller adjacent the capstan roller for forming a nip therebetween for the receiver, the pinch roller comprising an elastomeric material thereon having a shore-A durometer of about 40.

6. The thermal printer of claim 3, wherein a depth of the longitudinal knurl pattern is at least about 10 microns.

7. The thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining comprises a motor and a torque limiter.

8. The thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining comprises a pair of motor driven rollers between the supply of the receiver and the capstan roller.

9. The thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining maintains the receiver in a taut state in a region of the receiver adjacent the capstan roller.

10. The thermal printer of claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining maintains a printing registration within a preselected tolerance.

11. A drive system comprising:

a first pair of rollers forming a nip and having a receiver traveling therethrough toward a print head;

a receiver supply roll having a supply of the receiver wound thereon for supplying the receiver to the first pair of rollers; and

means for maintaining a minimum tension of a region of the receiver between the receiver supply roll and the first pair of rollers.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for maintaining a minimum tension includes a control means for controllably rotating the receiver supply roll for maintaining the minimum tension of the region of the receiver between the receiver supply roll and the first pair of rollers.

13. The drive system of claim 11, wherein the means for maintaining comprises a second pair of rollers between the receiver supply roll and the first pair of rollers, the second pair of rollers having the receiver traveling therebetween from the receiver supply roll toward the first pair of rollers, the second pair of rollers for controlling a tension of the receiver between the second pair of rollers and the first pair of rollers in response to a movement of the receiver through the first pair of rollers.

14. A printer comprising:

a supply roll of receiver media for printing thereon;

a plurality of rollers for feeding the receiver media through the printer; and

means for maintaining a preselected tension of the receiver media between the supply roll and a pair of the plurality of rollers.

15. The printer according to claim 14 wherein the means for maintaining is a motor comprising a torque limiter.

16. The printer according to claim 15 wherein the motor drives the supply roll.

17. The printer according to claim 14 wherein the means for maintaining is a pair of rollers adjacent the supply roll, the pair of rollers including a motor comprising a torque limiter.

18. The printer according to claim 14 wherein the pair of the plurality of rollers comprises a capstan roller having a high traction, non-marking surface.

19. The printer according to claim 18 wherein the capstan roller further comprises a longitudinal knurl pattern.