Thermal printing apparatus

Abstract

A thermal printing apparatus 41 that can transfer a colorant from a moving ribbon 66 onto printable areas 140 a, 140 b of a thermal print receptive sheeting 46 . The apparatus 41 includes a thermal print head 44, a transport, a mechanism that can move the thermal print head 44 in a second direction x, a ribbon travel mechanism that is capable of supporting a ribbon 66, and a mechanism that allows colorant to be transferred to a thermal print receptive sheeting 46 while the ribbon travel mechanism is in operation and while the thermal print head 44 is moving in the second direction x. The ribbon 66 and the thermal print head 44 are in motion while the indicia is being printed on the thermal print receptive sheeting. The thermal print head 44 is elongate, has a length L of at least one centimeter, and extends substantially in a first direction y. An apparatus of this construction allows sheetings having a width greater than S to receive a thermally printed indicia without encountering a significant ribbon wrinkling problem because narrow ribbons may be employed in transferring the indicia onto the thermal print receptive sheeting. A single ribbon also can be used to print on sheetings of various widths.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A thermal printing apparatus that can transfer colorant from a moving ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting, the apparatus comprising: 
       (a) a thermal print head that is elongate, the has a length L of at least one centimeter, that extends in a first direction, and that has a mechanism which provides localized heat for the transfer of colorant from a moving ribbon to a thermal print receptive sheeting;  
       (b) a transport that can move the thermal print receptive sheeting past the thermal print head in the first direction;  
       (c) a mechanism that can move the thermal print head in a second direction;  
       (d) a ribbon travel mechanism that is capable of supporting the ribbon; and  
       (e) a mechanism that allow  allows such transfer of colorant from a moving ribbon to a thermal print receptive sheeting while the ribbon travel mechanism is in operation and while the thermal print head is moving in the second direction.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a platen in the form of a platform against which the thermal print head can maintain contact pressure during the transfer of colorant from a ribbon to a thermal print receptive sheeting. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein length L is 1 to 38 centimeters. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein length L is 4 to 27 centimeters. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein length L is 10 to 16 centimeters. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism that allows colorant to be transferred includes a means that controls ribbon movement relative to print head engagement with the ribbon. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ribbon travel mechanism can enable a ribbon to be in motion while colorant is transferred to a thermal print receptive sheeting, and wherein the transport is capable of halting sheeting movement while both the thermal print head and ribbon are in motion and colorant is being transferred to a thermal print receptive sheeting. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1  being both modular and transportable. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1  being capable of printing on sheetings having a width greater than 16 centimeters. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1  being capable of printing on sheetings having a width greater than 38 centimeters. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1  being capable of printing on sheetings having a width greater than 16  60 centimeters. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1  being capable of printing on a 60 centimeter wide sheeting and a 122 centimeter wide sheeting without replacing the ribbon. 
     
     
       13. A thermal printing apparatus that can transfer colorant from a movable ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting, the apparatus comprising: 
       
         a. an elongate thermal print head with a row of heating elements that extends substantially in a first direction for a length L of at least one centimeter, the print head being movable in a second direction across the sheeting;  
       
       
         b. a sheeting transport that can move the sheeting past the print head in the first direction; and  
       
       
         c. a ribbon transport that can move the ribbon across the sheeting in the second direction as colorant is transferred to the sheeting. 
       
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the print head comprises a graphics- based print head with a resolution of at least about  75  dots per lineal centimeter.   
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the print head can maintain pressure against a platen in the form of a platform as the print head and ribbon travel across the sheeting. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sheeting transport comprises a tractor drive. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sheeting transport comprises a friction drive. 
     
     
       18. A thermal printing apparatus that can transfer colorant from a movable ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting, the apparatus comprising: 
       
         a. an elongate thermal print head with a row of heating elements that extends substantially in a first direction for a length L of at least one centimeter, the print head being movable in a second direction across the sheeting;  
       
       
         b. a sheeting transport that can move the sheeting past the print head in the first direction; and  
       
       
         c. a ribbon transport that can move the ribbon across the sheeting in the second direction as colorant is transferred to the sheeting  
       
       
         wherein movement of the ribbon can cease when the print head encounters an area of sufficient size on the sheeting that is not destined to have colorant transferred to it and wherein the print head can continue to move across the sheeting in the second direction to an area that is destined to have colorant transferred to it. 
       
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sheeting comprises a signage article. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 13 , comprising a cross web graphic printing system. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a single width of ribbon suffices for printing on varying widths of sheeting. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein ribbon is used in proportion to the width of sheeting being printed. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein indicia of more than one color can be applied to the sheeting using a single print head. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein after the transfer of a first colorant from a first movable ribbon to the sheeting, a differently colored ribbon can be substituted for the first movable ribbon and colorant can be transferred from the differently colored ribbon to the sheeting. 
     
     
       25. A thermal printing apparatus that can transfer colorant from a movable ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting, the apparatus comprising: 
       
         a. a thermal print head having a row of heating elements with a resolution of at least about  75  dots per lineal centimeter and a length L of at least about one centimeter that extends substantially in a first direction, the print head being movable in a second direction across the sheeting;  
       
       
         b. a sheeting transport that can move the sheeting past the print head in the first direction; and  
       
       
         c. a ribbon transport than can move the ribbon across the sheeting in the second direction as colorant is transferred to the sheeting. 
       
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein as colorant is transferred the print head can maintain pressure against a platen in the form of a platform. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein graphics- based indicia of more than one color can be applied to the sheeting using a single print head.   
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein after the transfer of a first colorant from a first moving ribbon to the sheeting, a differently colored ribbon can be substituted for the first moving ribbon and colorant can be transferred from the differently colored ribbon to the sheeting. 
     
     
       29. A thermal printing apparatus that can transfer colorant from a movable ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting, the apparatus comprising: 
       
         a. a thermal print head having a row of heating elements with a resolution of at least about  75  dots per lineal centimeter and a length L of at least about one centimeter that extends substantially in a first direction, the print head being movable in a second direction across the sheeting;  
       
       
         b. a sheeting transport that can move the sheeting past the print head in the first direction; and  
       
       
         c. a ribbon transport that can move the ribbon across the sheeting in the second direction as colorant is transferred to the sheeting  
       
       
         wherein movement of the ribbon ceases when the print head encounters an area of sufficient size on the sheeting that is not destined to have colorant transferred to it and wherein the print head continues to move across the sheeting to an area that is destined to have colorant transferred to it. 
       
     
     
       30. The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the print head has a row of heating elements with a length L of about  10  centimeters. 
     
     
       31. The apparatus of  claim 25 , further comprising a control to coordinate transfer of colorant while the sheeting is stationary and the print head is moving. 
     
     
       32. A thermal printing apparatus that can transfer colorant from a movable ribbon onto printable areas of a thermal print receptive sheeting, the apparatus comprising: 
       
         a. an elongate thermal print head that extends in a first direction for a length L of at least about one centimeter and has means for providing localized heat to transfer the colorant to the sheeting, the print head being movable in a second direction across the sheeting;  
       
       
         b. means for transporting the sheeting past the print head in the first direction; and  
       
       
         c. means for transporting the ribbon across the sheeting in the second direction as colorant is transferred to the sheeting.