Thermal Transfer Printing Device Sheet Type Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal transfer printing devices require multiple detection marks and plates/cylinders for different types of thermal transfer sheets, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing and potential inaccuracies in reading binary patterns due to non-uniform ink thickness.
Innovation Solution
A thermal transfer printing device identifies the type of sheet based on the interval or overlapped width between adjacent dye layers, eliminating the need for multiple plates or cylinders and using density patterns of dye layers to ensure accurate identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple detection marks and plates/cylinders are used for different types of thermal transfer sheets, then sheet type identification capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detection mark structure is designed to serve multiple functions: it identifies sheet type through density patterns while also serving as a registration mark for alignment. The same dye layers that form the image also create the detection pattern, eliminating the need for separate identification mechanisms for different sheet types.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating physical plates or cylinders for each sheet type, the invention uses optical copying through density variations in the dye layers. The detection mark is essentially an optical copy of the sheet type information that can be read without physical contact or specialized hardware.
2Loss of information
If binary patterns with different densities are used to indicate sheet information, then information capacity is improved, but reading accuracy deteriorates due to non-uniform ink thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses density variations (color intensity changes) in the dye layers to encode information. By controlling the density patterns of yellow, magenta, and cyan dye layers, multiple sheet type information can be represented. The reader detects these density patterns optically, making the system robust against minor ink thickness variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the density parameter of the dye layers to encode information. Different density combinations in the yellow, magenta, and cyan layers represent different sheet types. This parameter-based encoding is more reliable than binary presence/absence patterns because it tolerates manufacturing variations better.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If detection marks are printed with ink using pigment, then detection capability is improved, but manufacturing time increases due to plate replacement requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The detection mark function is merged with the image formation process. The same dye layers that carry the image data also create the detection pattern. This eliminates the need for separate detection mark printing steps and plate/cylinder replacement, significantly improving manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal transfer sheet itself provides the detection information through its dye layer density patterns. The sheet is self-identifying without requiring external detection marks or specialized reading hardware. The printer reads the density patterns directly from the dye layers during the normal feeding process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances manufacturing efficiency and accuracy by eliminating the need for multiple plates/cylinders and ensures high-accuracy identification of thermal transfer sheets without affecting print quality.
Implementation Method 1
a detection mark which includes portions partially differing in transmittance or reflectance when irradiated with an optical sensor
Implementation Method 2
a detection mark which includes portions partially differing in transmittance or reflectance when irradiated with an optical sensor
Implementation Method 3
produce a variety of full color images by thermally transferring sublimation dyes from a thermal transfer sheet onto a surface dyeable with sublimation dyes
Data Source
Figure 3~4c
Figure 5a~6c
Figure 7a~8
AI summary
A thermal transfer sheet which can be produced with enhanced working efficiency and is identifiable, and a thermal transfer printing device which uses the thermal transfer sheet are provided. A thermal transfer sheet 5 includes a substrate 50, and a yellow dye layer 51, a magenta dye layer 52 and a cyan dye layer 53 disposed on the substrate50. An interval between the yellow dye layer51 and the magenta dye layer 52 is different from an interval between the magenta dye layer 52 and the cyan dye layer 53. Alternatively, the yellow dye layer51 and the magenta dye layer 52 overlap partially, and the magenta dye layer 52 and the cyan dye layer 53 overlap partially. The transfer printing device identifies the type of the thermal transfer sheet 5 based on the interval between the dye layers or the widths of the overlaps.