APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING GRAPHIC PRODUCTS BY LASER THERMAL TRANSFER

摘要

In an apparatus and method for printing graphic images by laser thermal transfer on sheet material, a pulsed laser beam is transmitted through a focusing lens, and the beam is scanned by a scanning device through a laser window assembly into an ink web along a line of laser impingement. The ink web contains a layer of printing ink and overlies the sheet material supported on a roller platen. The laser window presses the ink web into the sheet material against the platen along the line of laser impingement to facilitate the transfer of ink from the web to the sheet in accordance with a printing program of image data. The focusing lens and laser window are highly transmissive at the selected wavelength of the laser beam to permit the passage of substantially all radiation into the printing ink along the line of laser impingement.