| abstract |
Apparatus is disclosed for re-applying dye to a dye donor elementn(10) of a dye transfer thermal printer. A reservoir (16,18,20) contains a supply ofndye that is thermally transferred from the reservoir to the dye donor element byndiffusion of dye into the dye donor element. The reservoir has a diffusionncontrolled permeation membrane through which dye is delivered to the dye donornelement, while inhibiting diffusion of a binder, whereby the dye diffuses betweennthe reservoir and the dye donor element but the binder does not. |