Dual-sided thermal pharmacy script printing

Abstract

There is provided a method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media. The method includes detecting one or more sense marks disposed on the thermal media and controlling activation of one or more of a first print head and a second print head to image a respective one or more of a first side and a second side of the thermal media based on the detection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various features and attendant advantages of the example embodiments will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of an example dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer;

FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate an example first side and an example second side, respectively, of a portion of a dual-sided thermal print media for printing a pharmacy script using the example dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer, in accordance with FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate an example first side and an example second side, respectively, of an example pharmacy script printed using the dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer and dual-sided thermal print media, in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2A-2B;

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic of a partial centerline elevation view of an example dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer in accordance with FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 illustrates another schematic of a partial centerline elevation view of an example dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer in accordance with FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example vertical clear zone scanned by the dual-sided imaging direct thermal printer of FIGS. 1 and 4-5 to detect one or more sense marks in accordance with FIG. 2A.

Claims

1. A method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media, the method comprising: detecting one or more sense marks disposed on the thermal media; andcontrolling activation of one or more of a first print head and a second print head to image a respective one or more of a first side and a second side of the thermal media based on the detection.

2. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: receiving a detection signal for each detected sense mark of the one or more sense marks; andactivating one or more of the first print head and the second print head to image the respective one or more of the first side and the second side of the thermal media based on the detection signal.

3. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 1, further comprising predefining vertical clear zone that covers an area of the thermal media where the one or more sense marks are disposed on the thermal media.

4. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 3, further comprising scanning the predefined vertical clear zone to detect the one or more sense marks disposed on the thermal media.

5. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 1, wherein the thermal media comprises a plurality of successive parts of a predetermined length and a predetermined width, with each successive part of the plurality of parts including a sense mark disposed at a predetermined location of the respective part.

6. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 5, wherein the plurality of successive parts is delineated by cross perforations along the predetermined width.

7. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 6, further comprising: receiving a detection signal for a detected sense mark associated with a last part of the thermal media imaged; andactivating a cutting mechanism to detach the thermal media along a cross perforation after the last part of thermal media imaged on the basis of the received detection signal to form a document.

8. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 7, further comprising fan-folding the document along the cross perforations.

9. The method for imaging a dual-sided thermal media in accordance with claim 7, wherein the document is a pharmacy script.

10. A dual-sided direct thermal printer comprising: a first print head positioned proximate to a first platen;a second print head positioned proximate to a second platen, the first print head being in a substantially opposed relation to the second platen and the second print head being in a substantially opposed relation to the first platen; anda sensor adapted to detect one or more sense marks disposed on a thermal media and to control activation of one or more of the first print head and the second print head to image the thermal media based on the detection.

11. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a microprocessor adapted to: receive a detection signal from the sensor for each detected sense mark of the one or more sense marks; andactivate one or more of the first print head and the second print head to image the thermal media on the basis of the received detection signal.

12. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a memory adapted to store a predefined vertical clear zone that covers an area of the thermal media where the one or more sense marks are disposed on the thermal media.

13. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 12, wherein the sensor scans the predefined vertical clear zone to detect the one or more sense marks disposed on the thermal media.

14. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 11, wherein the thermal media comprises a plurality of successive parts of a predetermined length and a predetermined width, with each successive part of the plurality of parts including a sense mark disposed at a predetermined location of the respective part.

15. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 14, wherein the plurality of successive parts is delineated by cross perforations along the predetermined width.

16. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 15, further comprising a cutting mechanism adapted to detach the thermal media along a cross perforation.

17. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 16, wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to: receive a detection signal from the sensor for a detected sense mark; andactivate the cutting mechanism to detach the thermal media along the cross perforation after the last part of thermal media imaged on the basis of the received detection signal to form a document.

18. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 17, wherein the document is a pharmacy script.

19. The dual-sided direct thermal printer in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a cutting mechanism adapted to detach the thermal media, wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to: receive a detection signal from the sensor for a detected sense mark; andactivate the cutting mechanism to detach the thermal media on the basis of the received detection signal.

20. A thermal media for dual-sided imaging, the thermal media comprising: a plurality of successive parts of a predetermined length and a predetermined width, the successive parts delineated by a plurality of cross perforations along the predetermined width; anda plurality of sense marks, each of the plurality of sense marks disposed at a predetermined location of a respective part of the plurality of successive parts.

21. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 20, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of successive parts is from about inches to about 14 inches.

22. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 20, wherein the predetermined width of the plurality of successive parts is from about 3 inches to about 8½ inches.

23. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 20, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of successive parts is about 5½ inches and the predetermined width is about 8½ inches.

24. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 20, wherein the plurality of sense marks has a predetermined length and a predetermined width.

25. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 24, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of sense marks is from about 0.1 of an inch to about ¼ of an inch.

26. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 24, wherein the predetermined width of the plurality of sense marks is from about 0.1 of an inch to about 1 inch.

27. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 24, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of sense marks is about ¼ of an inch and the predetermined width is about ¼ of an inch.

28. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 24, wherein each sense mark of the plurality of sense marks is disposed about an edge along the predetermined length on the respective part of the plurality of successive parts.

29. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 28, wherein each sense mark of the plurality of sense marks is disposed about ¼ of an inch below a cross perforation of the plurality of cross perforations on the respective part of the plurality of successive parts.

30. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 20, wherein a predetermined number of the plurality of successive parts is imaged and detached along a cross perforation after a last part of the imaged parts to form a document.

31. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 30, wherein the document is fan-folded along the cross perforations.

32. The thermal media for dual-sided imaging in accordance with claim 30, wherein the document is a pharmacy script.

33. A dual-sided direct thermal printing system, the system comprising: a thermal media for dual-sided imaging including: a plurality of successive parts of a predetermined length and a predetermined width, the successive parts delineated by a plurality of cross perforations along the predetermined width; anda plurality of sense marks, each of the plurality of sense marks disposed at a predetermined location of a respective part of the plurality of successive parts; anda dual-sided thermal printer including: a first print head positioned proximate to a first platen;a second print head positioned proximate to a second platen, the first print head being in a substantially opposed relation to the second platen and the second print head being in a substantially opposed relation to the first platen; anda sensor adapted to detect the plurality of sense marks disposed on the thermal media and to control activation of one or more of the first print head and the second print head to image one or more of the successive parts of the thermal media based on the detection.

34. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the thermal printer further comprises a microprocessor adapted to: receive a detection signal from the sensor for each detected sense mark of the plurality of sense marks; andactivate one or more of the first print head and the second print head to image the one or more of the successive parts of the thermal media on the basis of the received detection signal.

35. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the thermal printer further comprises a memory adapted to store a predefined vertical clear zone that covers an area of the thermal media where the plurality of sense marks are disposed on the thermal media.

36. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 35, wherein the sensor scans the predefined vertical clear zone to detect the plurality of sense marks disposed on the thermal media.

37. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 34, wherein the thermal printer further comprises a cutting mechanism adapted to detach the thermal media along the a cross perforation of the plurality of cross perforations.

38. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 37, wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to: receive a detection signal from the sensor for a detected sense mark associated with a last part of the thermal media imaged; andactivate the cutting mechanism to detach the thermal media along the cross perforation after the last part of thermal media imaged on the basis of the received detection signal to form a document.

39. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 38, wherein the document is pharmacy script.

40. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 34, wherein the thermal printer further comprises a cutting mechanism adapted to detach the thermal media and wherein the microprocessor is further adapted to: receive a detection signal from the sensor for a detected sense mark; andactivate the cutting mechanism to detach the thermal media on the basis of the received detection signal.

41. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of successive parts of the thermal media is from about 3 inches to 14 inches.

42. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the predetermined width of the plurality of successive parts of the thermal media is from about 3 inches to about 8½ inches.

43. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of successive parts of the thermal media is about 5½ inches and the predetermined width is about 8½ inches.

44. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein the plurality of sense marks of the thermal media has a predetermined length and a predetermined width.

45. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 44, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of sense marks is from about 0.1 of an inch to about ¼ of an inch.

46. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 44, wherein the predetermined width of the plurality of sense marks is from about 0.1 of an inch to about 1 inch.

47. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 44, wherein the predetermined length of the plurality of sense marks is about ¼ of an inch and the predetermined width is about ¼ of an inch.

48. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 33, wherein each sense mark of the plurality of sense marks is disposed about an edge along the predetermined length on the respective part of the plurality of successive parts of the thermal paper.

49. The dual-sided direct thermal printing system in accordance with claim 48, wherein each sense mark of the plurality of sense marks is disposed about ¼ of an inch below a cross perforation of the plurality of cross perforations on the respective part of the plurality of successive parts of the thermal paper.