(19)
(11) EP 0 076 892 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
18.05.1983 Bulletin 1983/20

(43) Date of publication A2:
20.04.1983 Bulletin 1983/16

(21) Application number: 82105763

(22) Date of filing: 29.06.1982
(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE CH DE FR GB IT LI NL SE

(30) Priority: 13.08.1981 US 292552
13.08.1981 US 292553

(71) Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
 ()

(72) Inventors:
  • Anderson, Clifford Wilhelm
     ()
  • Findlay, Hugh Thomas
     ()
  • Watkins, Nancy Chapman
     ()
  • Applegate, Steven Lewis
     ()
  • Molloy, James John
     ()
  • Walker, Donald Abbott
     ()

   


(54) Laminated element for thermal printing, thermal printer and process for lift-off correction


(57) A ribbon (22) in thermal printing has an active layer (50) which adheres to printed characters at somewhat elevated temperatures but is non-tacky at room temperatures. The active layer (50) is made of an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer, an acrylic polymer, and carbon black. Thermal printing is conducted by setting a switch (44) for heating to temperatures higher than the lift-off correction temperature. Lift-off correction is accomplished by returning to the printing position of the error and setting the switch (44) for lower voltage to the printing electrodes of printhead (7). During correction, guide member (29) is brought against ribbon (22) thereby positioning same flat with paper (5) at the printing print and for a predetermined distance priot to the printing point. This creates an extra space for printhead movement during correction, said extra space providing a delay for ribbon cooling prior to the peeling of ribbon (22) with erased character attached from paper (5).






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