Sublimation pen for use in a dye sublimation printing system, and method of use of the dye sublimation printing system

摘要

A sublimation pen or cartridge for use in a dye sublimation printing system, which is to be used with sublimation inks of the type including at least a liquid carrier and solid-form pigments insoluble in the liquid carrier. The sublimation pen includes a pen main body, an ink inlet provided on the pen main body, and a variable-width ink passageway defined within the pen main body and capable of fluidly communicating with the ink inlet. The ink passageway defines a sublimation chamber vestibule adjacent to the ink inlet and capable of fluidly communicating therewith, and a sublimation chamber in fluid communication with the sublimation chamber vestibule, the sublimation chamber being wider than the sublimation chamber vestibule. The sublimation pen further includes a heating device means capable of transmitting heat to the sublimation chamber; and a nozzle mounted to the pen main body, the nozzle defining a narrow discharge channel opening at a first end into the sublimation chamber outlet, and opening at a second end outwardly of the sublimation pen. Sublimation ink injected in the pen body through the pen sublimation ink inlet may flow in the ink passageway, first through the sublimation chamber vestibule and then into the wider sublimation chamber within which the solid-state pigments of the sublimation ink are sublimed, the sublimed pigments being thereafter forcibly discharged out of the pen through the discharge channel of the nozzle.