Direct thermal media and registration sensor system and method for use in a color thermal printer

摘要

Provided is a direct thermal media containing a regular repeating pattern of color-forming thermally-imageable stripes printed parallel to the print head element line and a system for using such direct thermal media in color direct thermal printers including an optical registration system optimized for use with this media and an image processing unit that monitors the position of the stripe pattern relative to the print head and synchronizes the start of the printing process. This direct thermal media together with the optical registration system and image processing unit comprise an operative system in that the design of the thermal media, the optical registration system and image processing unit used to control printing are optimized for use with each other. This system may be utilized, for example, in color thermal printers for documents, receipts, tags, tickets or labels.

主权项

1. A system for use in a color direct thermal printer comprising:
a media comprising:
a media web; anda plurality of labels positioned on the media web, wherein two or more of the plurality of labels comprise:
a thermochromic leuco dye producing one color when thermally imaged, andat least one stripe of a fluorophore that is fluorescent under excitation light of a defined wavelength range; an optical registration system configured to correspond with optical properties of the fluorophore and comprising a confocal excitation light source configured to cause the fluorophore carrying stripe to fluoresce with an anamorphic optical return path to filter and focus an emitted fluorescence light pattern by the fluorescent stripe as an image on an array sensor; and an image processing unit configured to determine a position of the fluorescent stripe on the array sensor and configured to output a signal when a fluorescent stripe is detected at a predetermined position on the array sensor.