Image forming apparatus with thermal printing head and printing method thereof - Patents

Image forming apparatus with thermal printing head and printing method thereof

Patent Agent: Stanzione & Kim, LLP - Washington, DC, US
Patent Inventors: Yong-duk Lee, Jong-sung Jung
Applicaton #: 20070036600
Class: 400188000 (USPTO)
02/15/07

An image forming apparatus using a thermal printing head (TPH) and a printing method thereof to print a borderless image on both sides of a printing medium. The image forming apparatus includes first and second feeding units respectively disposed at front and rear sides of the TPH to transfer the printing medium at a predetermined printing speed and a pair of out-feed rollers that co-rotates and feeds out the printing medium, in which one of the out-feed rollers rotates in contact with the pick-up roller. A platen roller co-rotates in contact with the printing medium fed by the first and second feeding units The TPH has a printing position in which the TPH is pressed towards the platen roller to form a printing nip, and an open position in which the TPH is separated from the platen roller. The knock-up plate has a pick-up position where the printing medium comes in contact with the pick-up roller and a stand-by position where the printing medium loaded thereon is separated from the pick-up roller. The knock-up plate is respectively disposed to the pick-up position and the stand-by position when the TPH is disposed to the printing position and the open position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present general inventive concept provides an image forming apparatus using a thermal printing head (TPH) that can print an image on the whole portion of a printing medium and a printing method thereof.
[0008] Additional aspects and advantages of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.
[0009] The foregoing and/or other aspects and utilities of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing provided a printing method of an image forming apparatus for printing an image using a TPH by applying heat thereto, the printing method including picking up a printing medium from a cassette using a pick-up roller, supplying the printing medium to a printing nip, where the TPH and a platen roller are faced, using a first feeding unit by feeding the printing medium in a first direction, printing the image onto the printing medium while the printing medium is fed in the first direction at a predetermined printing speed using a second feeding unit, until the front edge of the printing medium passes through the printing nip and reaches to the second feeding unit, feeding the printing medium in the first direction and a second direction that is opposite to the first direction using the second feeding unit after printing is performed up to a rear edge of the printing medium, and printing the image onto an area having no image between a front edge of the printing medium and the printing nip while the printing medium is being fed in the second direction at the predetermined printing speed when the rear edge of the printing medium reaches to the first feeding unit.
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