(19)
(11) EP 0 566 161 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
01.12.1993 Bulletin 1993/48

(43) Date of publication A2:
20.10.1993 Bulletin 1993/42

(21) Application number: 93109128.4

(22) Date of filing: 21.12.1989
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5: B41J 2/325, B41J 17/42
(84) Designated Contracting States:
CH DE FR GB LI SE

(30) Priority: 28.12.1988 JP 334668/88
19.09.1989 JP 240504/89
06.12.1989 JP 315427/89

(62) Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
89123693.7 / 0376170

(71) Applicant: Tohdo, Michiharu
Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa-ken (JP)

(72) Inventor:
  • Tohdo, Michiharu
    Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa-ken (JP)

(74) Representative: Grünecker, Kinkeldey, Stockmair & Schwanhäusser Anwaltssozietät 
Maximilianstrasse 58
80538 München
80538 München (DE)


(56) References cited: : 
   
     
    Remarks:
    This application was filed on 07 - 06 - 1993 as a divisional application to the application mentioned under INID code 60.
     


    (54) Method and apparatus for thermal printing suitable for large printing area


    (57) An apparatus and a method for thermally printing desired printing patterns on a printing object is disclosed using a carbon ribbon having thermally transferable carbon black on its front side. A printing head placed on a first track creates the desired printing patterns on carbon ribbon and a thermal transfer roller placed on a second track presses the front side of the carbon ribbon onto the printing object to thermally transfer the desired printing pattern from the carbon ribbon to the printing object. The carbon black is expended thereby and the expended carbon ribbon is guided in a closed loop to the front side of the unexpended carbon ribbon at the printing head to take extraneous images there.






    Search report