Patent Application
20140225947
The present invention relates to monochrome and color printers and related devices and methods for articles including but not limited to histological specimen containers such as slides and cassettes.
Printers for printing information such as text, indentifying color bars and bar codes on containers such as slides and cassettes used to process histological specimens (e.g., tissue biopsies) are generally known and commercially available. Color printers of these types, as well as slides and cassettes that can be used with the printers, are disclosed, for example, in PCT International Application Publication Nos. WO 2012/036865, WO 2012/036866, WO 2012/036867 and WO 2012/036874, and the Ohshima U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,805 and the Haas U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,012, all of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
There remains a continuing need for improved printers and related devices and methods for articles such as histological sample containers. In particular, there is a need for printers and methods that are efficient to operate, and that enable information to be accurately and durably printed on the articles.
A printer for printing information onto articles such as histology specimen slides and cassettes having a print zone. One embodiment of the invention includes an ink receiving structure to receive an ink source such as a print ribbon, a collection receiving structure to receive a collection medium such as paper or polymer web, a printing area including a printhead, a laminator, and a control system. The control system is responsive to print data and causes the printhead to transfer a first color and first format image, such as a negative image, away from the ink source and onto the collection medium to form a first color and second format image, such as a positive image, on the ink source, and causes the laminator to transfer the second format image from the ink source to the print zones of the articles.
In another embodiment the ink receiving structure receives a multi-colored ink source. The control system causes the printhead to transfer second and optionally additional color first format images away from the ink source and onto the collection medium to form second color and optionally additional color second format images on the ink source, and causes the laminator to transfer the second and optionally additional color second format images from the ink source to the print zones of the articles. The laminator is a rubber-like roller in embodiments of the invention.
Embodiments of the invention described herein are color and monochrome printers using thermal transfer printing technologies to provide printed specimen information on histological specimen containers such as slides and cassettes of the type described in the above-identified PCT publications and patents. The specimen information printed using printers and methods in accordance with the invention can include text, identifying color bars, bar codes and other information of the types described in the above-identified PCT publications. As described in greater detail below, embodiments of the invention use what can be referred to as a positive image transfer process. The printer and method can also be used to print on other articles. Embodiments of related devices and methods such as print zone conditioning are also described.
Embodiments of printer 100 configured to print in color can use a multi-color thermal transfer print ribbon 13 that can be provided on supply 2, and a negative image collection media 14 that is, for example, provided as an elongated web on supply 4 in the illustrated embodiment. Following use, the print ribbon 13 is collected on take-up 3 and the negative image collection media 14 is collected on take-up 5. The print media and negative image collection media can take different forms, and can be supplied and collected by different mechanisms, in other embodiments of the invention (not shown).
An embodiment of print ribbon 13 (i.e., the print media) that can be used for color printing is illustrated in
Controller 16 is coupled to receive print jobs from a device such as computer 17. The print jobs include data relating to the desired specimen information and images to be printed. Controller 16 processes the data and controls the printer 100, including printhead 6, in a manner that causes the specimen information images (e.g., including text characters and barcodes) to be effectively printed in the desired form and color(s) onto the print ribbon 13 (i.e., the negative images are printed off of the print ribbon and onto the collection media). During a first color print cycle, with the printhead 6 at a spaced-apart position (e.g., raised by a printhead raising and lowering mechanism) with respect to the print platen roller 7, controller 16 advances and registers a leading edge of an unused portion of the collection media 14 at the printhead between the printhead and print platen roller. Registration marks can be located on the collection media 14 to designate areas or regions on the collection media. Controller 16 also advances the print ribbon 13 to position and register a leading edge of a first ink panel of the desired color at the printhead 6. The printhead 6 and print platen roller 7 are then brought together (e.g., the printhead is lowered) to position the ink layer of the print ribbon 13 next to and typically in contact with the collection media 14. The co-located portions of the print ribbon 13 and collection media 14 are then driven together (i.e., simultaneously) in a first or print direction past the printhead 6. During this printing operation the printhead 6 is actuated to print away from the print ribbon 13, and onto the collection media 14, a negative of the image (i.e., a first format image) of the specimen information desired to be printed onto the cassette. Remaining on the print ribbon 13 is the positive of the image (i.e., a second or opposite format image) of the specimen information desired to be printed onto the cassette print zone.
After printing (i.e., printing away) the first color image portion of the specimen information from the first color panel on the print ribbon 13, the printhead 6 is raised or otherwise moved to a spaced-apart position with respect to the print platen roller 7 and a lamination cycle or operation is performed at the lamination area. During a lamination cycle, with the laminator roller 9 raised or otherwise spaced-apart from the cassette print zone, the print ribbon 13 is driven to advance the printed image area to the lamination area and to register the printed area with the print zone on the cassette. The laminator roller 9 is then lowered or the laminator roller and shuttle 8 or cassette are otherwise moved together to place the printed area of the print ribbon 13 into contact with the cassette. The cassette and print ribbon 13 are then driven together (i.e., simultaneously) through the lamination area with the print ribbon between the hot laminator roller 9 and cassette print zone. Heat and/or pressure applied by this lamination process causes the printed image portion of the ink on the print ribbon 13 to transfer onto and to adhere to the print zone of the cassette.
In embodiments of the invention, the laminator roller 9 is formed from rubber-like or similar material that is compliant and/or elastic, or has such a rubber-like or other similar material coating or surface. During the lamination process the laminator roller 9 deforms, and will conform to the overall surface shape (e.g., uneven or curved or other general unevenness), as well as to any surface roughness such as peaks and valleys or depressions, and around other imperfections (e.g., from dust and debris) produced by the molding process typically used to form the cassette and print zone surface. Heat and pressure is thereby applied relatively consistently across the surface of the cassette print zone. Unlike other printing technologies that make use of a rigid printhead to print directly onto the object being printed, the surface of the specimen container being printed in accordance with embodiments of the invention need not be flat because the laminator roller 9 can deform to accommodate and follow the variations in surface flatness. The printed information is thereby applied consistently and continuously, without gaps, across the print zone surface. Another advantage of printer 100 is that it enables printing all the way to the edges of the cassette or other container. In this illustrated embodiment of the invention, the printing and laminating cycles includes sequential printing and laminating operations.
Additional print and lamination cycles are performed if the image of the specimen information to be printed requires multiple ink colors. In one embodiment of the invention the print ribbon 13 is driven in a second or opposite direction or to otherwise position the leading edge of a second color ink panel adjacent the printhead 6. Print and lamination cycles such as those described above are then performed to print the second color image portion onto the print ribbon 13, and to laminate the second color printed ink panel onto the cassette print zone. Print and lamination cycles can be repeated for any third or fourth colors of ink needed to print the desired specimen information image before the cassette is transferred to the output area.
In another embodiment of the invention, color printing is done by first sequentially printing each of the ink panels on the print ribbon 13 in a manner similar to that described above, and sequentially laminating the printed ink panels onto the cassette print zone in a manner similar to that described above after all the ink panels are printed. Overall printing throughput speed can be enhanced by this sequence of print and lamination cycles. Still other embodiments of the invention can use other sequences of print and lamination cycles.
Tissue cassettes produced by molding processes typically have relatively smooth surfaces, even when the surfaces are uneven or curved, or have molded textured surfaces with relatively large scale roughness such as peaks and valleys or depressions such as those described above. The durability and quality of printing achieved in accordance with embodiments of the invention may be enhanced if the surface of the cassette print zone has relatively fine grained rough edges. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention include print area conditioner 15 to process or condition the print zone surfaces by scuffing or otherwise applying relatively fine grained rough edges to the smooth or textured print zone surfaces of molded cassettes. The ability of the ink to adhere to and be retained on the cassette when the cassette is subjected to chemical and other environments during processing of histological samples can be increased by the conditioning of the print zone surface. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
By way of example, a sample print zone surface of smooth high gloss finish molded acetal material (a material commonly used to form tissue cassettes) was determined to have surface variations of about 1.1 μm. The sample surface was scuffed using a ScotchBrite Nylon Mesh Abrasive Pad, Very Fine Grit, and determined to have relatively shallow, fine grained rough edges characterized by surface variations of about 8.4 μm across the grain. The fine grained rough edges of this sample were in the 7-8 μm range. The surface of the conditioned test sample was printed using the method described above, and was tested and determined to provide good print quality and durability that were materially and substantially enhanced over the quality and durability of printing on the same but un-conditioned material. Fine grain rough edges of other dimensional ranges have also been determined to provide material and substantial enhancement to the durability and quality of the printing. For example, the print zone surface of a commercially available molded tissue cassette was determined to have textured surface variations of about 55 μm. The surface of this cassette was conditioned using a ScotchBrite Nylon Mesh Abrasive Pad, Very Fine Grit, and subsequently determined to have surface variations of about 33 μm across the grain. The surface of the conditioned cassette was printed using the method described above, and was tested and determined to provide good print durability and quality that were materially and substantially enhanced over the durability and quality of printing on a similar but un-conditioned cassette. The difference in height between the peaks and valleys in this sample were reduced, but the fine grained rough edges imparted by the conditioning materially and substantially enhanced the durability and quality of the printing. Similar tests with more coarse (e.g., medium grit) ScotchBrite pads produced lesser, but still materially and substantially enhanced durability and quality results.
In yet other alternative embodiments the print zone of the cassette, and optionally other surfaces of the cassette, can be molded with a surface that is textured and has fine grained rough edges of the type described above to durably accept and retain the printed specimen information image. The surface of the print zones 300 of cassettes 302 manufactured in accordance with these embodiments of the invention can have a textured surface that is different than other surfaces of the cassette. Cassettes 302 can be pre-conditioned during or after manufacture in accordance with these embodiments of the invention specifically for use in connection with printers such as those described above that do not have an associated print area conditioner, and distributed for use in connection with printers of these and other types.
Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Input areas, transfer mechanisms (e.g., including the shuttle and rollers) output areas and other components of printers 100, 100′ and 200 can, for example, be structures similar to or substantially the same as those in the above-identified PCT publications that provide corresponding functions. The printer and method can also be used to print information onto articles other that histological specimen containers.
