METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING PRINT TIME

摘要

A thermal dye transfer printer reduces print time by printing sequential color section from a donor web onto a receiver sheet while the donor web and receiver sheet travel in forward or reverse directions relative to a printer head. A first colored image is formed on the receiver by printing as the donor web and the receiver sheet transit the printer head in a first direction. The donor web is indexed to bring the trailing edge of a second color section in registration with the trailing edge of the first colored printed image on the receiver web portion. Then the image receiver web transits the printer head in the opposite direction and the second color is printed on the receiver sheet in combination with the receiver sheet. The steps are repeated for all color patches.