Double-side printing system

• US 5,806,999 A
• Filed: 10/30/1995
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nisca Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nisca Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takehito
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilten, John S.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,194
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 400/120.01, 400/120.02, 400/120.04, 400/120.07, 400/120.18, 400/188, 400/521, 400/149, 400/542
• US Class Current: 400/188
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/35 Thermal printing on id card
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/54 with two or more sets of type or printing elements B41J3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/60 for printing on both faces of the printing material

Abstract

A double-side printing system has a printer section for printing images on the obverse side of a card, and a turning section for turning over the card sent out from the printer section and sending back the inverted card to the printer section so as to print various images on the reverse side of the card. The printer section performs printing of smooth color gradation images such as photographs with dye-sublimation color inks, and binary gradation images such as bar code patterns and letters with monochromatic thermal wax-transfer ink. The card having its obverse side printed with images is sent to the turning section and turned over 180° so as to print other images on the reverse side of the card.

Claims

1. A double-side printing system comprising:

a printer section having a first printing assembly for printing first images with a first ink ribbon on a record medium, and a second printing assembly for printing second images on the record medium with a second ink ribbon; and

a turning section for turning over the record medium sent out from said printer section and sending back the record medium to said printer section wherein said turning section comprises a rotary body rotatable on a turning axis, said rotary body including roller units with feed rollers being in contact in pairs on said feed passage;

a feed means including at least one axial pulley disposed on said turning axis for transmitting rotational motion produced by said feed means to at least one of said feed rollers to move the record medium held between said feed rollers;

means for turning said rotary body; and

a rotation switch means for selectively transmitting the rotational motion of said feed means to said at least one feed roller.

2. A printing system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second ink ribbons are thermal transfer ink ribbons.

3. A printing system according to claim 1, wherein said first ink ribbon is a dye-sublimation ink ribbon, and said second ink ribbon is a thermal wax-transfer ink ribbon.

4. A printing system according to claim 1, wherein said first ink ribbon is formed by applying dye-sublimation color inks respectively to frames defined on a strip of ribbon base.

5. A printing system according to claim 4, wherein said second ink ribbon is formed by applying thermal wax-transfer ink to a strip of ribbon base.

6. A printing system according to claim 4, wherein said second ink ribbon is formed by alternatively applying thermal wax-transfer ink and transparent protective layer to a strip of ribbon base.

7. A printing system according to claim 1, wherein said second ink ribbon is formed by applying thermal wax-transfer ink to a strip of ribbon base.

8. A printing system according to claim 1, wherein said second ink ribbon is formed by alternatively applying thermal wax-transfer ink and transparent protective layer to a strip of ribbon base.

9. A double-side printing system comprising:

a printer section having a feed passage along which a record medium is fed, a first printing assembly for printing multiple gradation images with dye-sublimation color inks on one side of the record medium, and a second printing assembly for printing binary gradation images on said one side of said record medium with monochromatic thermal wax-transfer ink, said first and second printing assemblies being placed on one side of said feed passage; and

a turning section for turning over the record medium sent out from said printer section and sending back the record medium to said printer section wherein said turning section comprises a rotary body rotatable on a turning axis, said rotary body including roller units with feed rollers being in contact in pairs on said feed passage;

a feed means including at least one axial pulley disposed on said turning axis for transmitting rotational motion Produced by said feed means to at least one of said feed rollers to move the record medium held between said feed rollers;

means for turning said rotary body; and

a rotation switch means for selectively transmitting the rotational motion of said feed means to said at least one feed roller.

10. A printing system according to claim 9, wherein said printer section and said turning section are integrally connected.

11. A printing system according to claim 9, wherein said printer section and said turning section are united separably from each other.

12. A printing system according to claim 9, wherein said feed means further includes a feeding motor, a stationary-side transmission means for connecting said feeding motor to said axial pulley, a feeding pulley secured on a rotation shaft on which at least one of said rollers is supported, said feeding pulley incorporating said rotation switch means, and a turnover-side transmission means for connecting said axial pulley to said feeding pulley.

13. A printing system according to claim 9, further comprising a supply unit for storing blank record mediums and sending out said blank record mediums one by one to said first printing assembly through said feed passage.

14. A printing system according to claim 9, wherein said record medium is a card.

15. A double side printing system comprising:

a printer section having a feed passage along which a record medium is fed, a printing assembly including an ink ribbon coated with dye-sublimation color inks and/or a transparent protective layer and a thermal print head for thermally printing multiple gradation images with dye-sublimation color inks on the record medium and thermally transferring said transparent protective layer onto said record medium; and

a turning section for turning over the record medium sent out from said printer section and sending back the record medium to said printer section,

said turning section including a rotary body having roller units with feed rollers being in contact in pairs on said feed passage;

a feed means including at least one axial pulley disposed on said turning axis for transmitting rotational motion produced by said feed means to at least one of said feed rollers to move the record medium held between said feed rollers;

means for turning said rotary body; and

a rotation switch means for selectively transmitting the rotational motion of said feed means to said at least one feed roller.