JPH05301402A - Heat transfer recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent color from shifting caused by overlapped transfer by preventing position of a recording paper of a heat transfer recording apparatus from shifting when it is carried. CONSTITUTION:A rotating drum 9 on which a clamper 17 for holding the apex of a recording paper is provided on the neighborhood of a platen roller 2 and the recording paper is carried while it is wound on the rotating drum with rotation of the rotating drum. Positional shifting of a recording paper with reciprocating motion of the recording paper based on color piling-up motion is prevented thereby. In addition, The similar effect can be obtd. and labor saving of the driving system can be possible by bringing the platen roller 2 into contact with the rotating drum 9 and making the outer peripheral rotating part 9a of the outer peripheral part of the rotating drum 9 to rotate independently from the rotating drum.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording sheet conveying means used in a thermal transfer recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 11 shows, for example, JP-A-63-45076.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. JP-A-2003-187, in which 1 is a thermal head having linear heating elements, and 2 is for pressing a recording paper 4 and an ink sheet 5 against the thermal head 1 during thermal transfer. Of the platen roller, 3 is a sheet conveying roller for conveying the sheet 4, 6 is a pair with the sheet conveying roller 3, and is a sheet pressing roller for pressing the recording sheet 4 against the sheet conveying roller 3, and 7 is a recording sheet 4
Is a film pressing roller for pressing the ink sheet 5 toward the platen roller 2, and 8 is a film peeling roller located on the outer periphery of the platen roller 2 for peeling the ink sheet 5 from the recording paper 4.

This device operates as follows. The film pressing roller 7 and the film peeling roller 8 bring the ink sheet 5 into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 2. After that, the thermal head 1 is pressed against the platen roller 2 via the ink sheet 5. Next, the leading edge of the recording paper 4 is conveyed on the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 2 while being sandwiched between the ink sheet 5 and the platen roller 2 at the contact portion between the film pressing roller 7 and the platen roller 2. After that, the recording paper 4 passes through the film peeling roller 8 and then the paper conveying roller 3
The paper is pressed by the paper pressing roller 6 and stopped.

Next, the thermal transfer operation is started. Transfer is recording paper 4
Ink sheet 5 yellow (Y), magenta (M),
3 colors of cyan (C) or 4 with black (B) added
Overlay the colors. In this operation, when the color is Y, the recording sheet 4 is conveyed at a constant cycle by rotating the sheet conveying roller 3. The heat generating portion of the thermal head 1 generates heat in synchronization with this cycle, and the heat causes the ink of the ink sheet 5 to be transferred to the surface of the recording paper 4. This operation is repeated until the length reaches the specified size. When the Y-color transfer operation is completed, the thermal head 1 is moved from the outer peripheral portion of the platen roller 2.
The film pressing roller 7 and the film peeling roller 8 are separated from each other. Then, the platen roller 2 and the paper transport roller 3 rotate in the opposite direction to the rotation direction at the time of transfer, and return the recording paper 4 to the Y color transfer start position. This operation is repeated for M color and C color or B color.

When the transfer operation is completed, the platen roller 2
After the thermal head 1, the film pressing roller 7 and the film peeling roller 8 are separated from the outer peripheral portion of the sheet, the recording sheet 4 is conveyed and discharged in the same direction as the transfer by the rotational driving of the sheet conveying roller 3, and the transfer step is completed. To do.

[0006]

Since the conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus is constructed and operates as described above, when the recording sheet is reciprocally conveyed on the outer periphery of the platen roller in accordance with the transfer and return states, the recording sheet is not transferred to the recording sheet. There is a problem in that the recording paper is misaligned due to slips between the various rolls, which causes a large color misregistration during color superposition.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to obtain a thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of stably conveying recording paper and preventing color misregistration.

[0008]

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention, a rotary drum for winding the recording paper is provided near the platen roller, and a clamper for fixing the recording paper is attached to the rotary drum. ..

[0009]

The recording paper according to the present invention is fixed on the rotary drum by the clamper, and the recording paper is conveyed while being wound around the rotary drum as the rotary drum rotates. Therefore, there is no displacement of the recording sheet due to the reciprocation of the recording sheet.

[0010]

【Example】

Example 1. An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5, 4 is a cut-shaped recording sheet, 5 is a set of three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) or four colors of black (B), and a plurality of sheets are prepared. Ink sheet in a continuous roll, 9
Is a rotary drum for winding and conveying the paper 4 on the circumference,
Reference numeral 10 is a sheet pressing roller for transporting the sheet 4, which has a mechanism capable of contacting or separating from the platen roller 2.
Is a pressing spring for pressing the thermal head 1 against the platen roller 2, 12 is a conveying roller composed of a pair of rubber rollers for conveying the recording paper 4 toward the platen roller 2, and 13 is the recording paper 4 sent from the conveying roller 12.
A paper feed guide for guiding the paper, and 14 is a paper feed guide plate 13
A switching plate for switching the conveying path when the recording paper 4 returns from the platen roller 2 direction, a sheet ejection guide plate 15 for guiding the recording paper 4 after passing the switching plate 14, and a reference numeral 16 A cam for opening and closing the clamper 17, a clamper 17 mounted so as to be able to contact and separate in a circumferential shape in the direction of the rotation center axis with both side surfaces of the rotating drum 3 as fulcrums, and 18 are attached to both side surfaces of the rotating drum 3. A clamp spring for pressing the clamper 17 on the circumference of the rotary drum 9, and a discharge roller 19 for sandwiching the recording paper 4 guided along the discharge guide 15 after the transfer is completed and discharging the recording paper 4 to the outside. , 20 are positioning sensors for detecting the leading edge of the recording paper 4.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 1, the fed recording paper 4 is fed along a paper feed guide 13 by a conveying roller 12 and is nipped between the paper pressing roller 10 and the platen roller 2 by rotational driving. Next, the thermal head 1 is pressed against the platen roller 2 via the ink sheet 5 by the force of the pressing spring 11. The recording paper 4 includes a thermal head 1 and a platen roller 2.
The sheet is conveyed along with the ink sheet 5 as the platen roller 2 is rotationally driven. In parallel with this operation, the cam 16 rotates and the cam 17 releases the clamper 17. The leading edge of the recording paper 4 conveyed in this state is inserted between the clamper 17 and the outer circumference of the rotary drum 9 while contacting the outer circumference of the rotary drum 9. When the leading edge of the recording sheet 4 is detected by the positioning sensor 20, the rotation of the platen roller 2 is stopped. Next, the cam 16 rotates to close the clamper 17 so that the leading end of the recording sheet 4 is rotated by the rotating drum 9
Hold on the circumference of.

In FIG. 2, the thermal head 1 is separated from the platen roller 2 from the state of FIG. 1 and the rotary drum 9 is released.
Rotates, and the recording paper 4 is wound around the outer circumference of the rotating drum 9. At this time, when the trailing end of the recording paper 4 comes near the contact point between the platen roller 2 and the paper pressing roller 10, the paper pressing roller 10 separates from the platen roller 2 to remove distortion such as twist of the recording paper 4. .. Then, the sheet pressing roller 10 is pressed again so that the recording sheet 4 is sandwiched by the platen roller 2.

In FIG. 3, the rotary drum 9 rotates in the direction for rewinding the recording paper 4, and the platen roller 2 also rotates in the reverse direction to return and convey the recording paper 4. At this time, the switching plate 14 moves to switch the transport path, and the recording sheet 4
Is guided in the direction of the discharge guide 15. Then, the recording paper 4 is returned to the initial position as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, the ink sheet 5 is changed from the state of FIG.
While being rewound to the initial color (Y), the thermal head 1 is pressed against the platen roller 2 by the pressing spring 11. The thermal transfer operation is started from this state. That is, while the rotating drum 9 is being driven at a rotation speed of a constant cycle, the heating element of the thermal head 1 is energized in synchronism with this rotation, whereby the heat melts or sublimes the ink of the ink sheet 5 to the recording paper 4. Transcribe. At this time, the platen roller 2 is not driven by itself, but is rotated as the recording paper 4 is conveyed.
This operation is continued up to the specified recording range of the recording paper 4. When the recording range is reached, the rotation of the rotary drum 9 is stopped, so that the conveyance of the recording paper 4 is stopped and the heat generation operation of the thermal head 1 is stopped.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, from the state of FIG. 2, the rotary drum 9 rotates so as to rewind the recording sheet 4 and the platen roller 2 also rotates to return to the initial position state shown in FIG. .. Similarly, the same operation is repeated for the remaining M, C, or B colors.

When the transfer of three colors or four colors is completed, as shown in FIG. 5, the thermal head 1 is released from the platen roller 2 and the cam 16 is rotated to push the clamper 17 so that the recording paper 4 is rotated on the rotating drum. Release from 9. Then, the platen roller 2 is driven to rotate and the recording paper 4
Is conveyed along the ejection guide 15 and ejected to the outside by the ejection roller 19.

Embodiment 2. In the above-described embodiment, the rotary drum 9 and the platen roller 2 are separated from each other, and the recording sheet 4 is conveyed in a tangential line of two circles between the rotary drum 9 and the platen roller 2. Further, the rotary drum 9 and the platen roller 2 are Although it is shown that they can be driven independently, the outer peripheral portion 9a of the rotary drum is brought into contact with the platen roller 2 as shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, and the outer peripheral portion 9a of the rotary drum is rotationally driven separately from the rotary drum main body 9b. You may be able to. In this case, the clamper is attached to the rotary drum body 9b.

6 to 10 show this series of operations. FIG. 6 shows the feeding state of the recording sheet 4. In this case, the outer peripheral portion 9a of the rotary drum is driven to rotate so that the platen roller 2 and the sheet pressing roller 10 which are in contact with the outer peripheral portion 9a rotate to rotate the recording sheet 4. 4 is conveyed to the clamper 17, and then the recording paper 4 is conveyed by the positioning sensor 20.
After the detection of, the clamper 17 is closed and fixed by the rotation of the cam 16. Next, the rotary drum main body 9b and the outer peripheral portion 9a of the rotary drum are fixed and driven to rotate. Figure 7-
In FIG. 9, the rotary drum is rotationally driven with the inner peripheral portion 9b and the outer peripheral portion 9a fixed, and the same operation as that in FIGS. 2 to 4 of the first embodiment is performed. FIG. 10 shows the discharging operation. After the clamper 17 is opened by the rotation of the cam 16, the rotating drum body 9b is in a stopped state and the outer peripheral portion 9a is at the outer peripheral portion 9a.
When the platen roller 2 connected to the platen roller 2 rotates in the direction to discharge the recording paper 4, the recording paper 4 is discharged.
In the case of the second embodiment, the driving is performed by the rotary drum 9 and the outer peripheral portion 9.
Since the platen roller 2 is a, the platen roller 2 is rotated by driving the rotary drum 9 or the outer peripheral portion 9a, which has the effect of omitting the drive system.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, the rotary drum and the clamper are attached to the rotary drum in the vicinity of the platen roller, the recording paper is fixed, and then the recording paper is wound around the rotary drum. There is an effect that the positional deviation is eliminated when the paper is conveyed, and the color deviation is prevented during the overlap transfer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a paper feed state of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a recording sheet is wound around a rotary drum after being fed in the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a rewound state of a recording sheet of the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a transfer state of the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a discharge state of recording paper of the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a paper feed state of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which a recording sheet is wound around a rotary drum after being fed in a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a rewound state of recording paper of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a transfer state of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a recording sheet ejection state of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a conventional thermal transfer recording device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thermal Head 2 Platen Roller 4 Recording Paper 5 Ink Sheet 9 Rotating Drum 9a Rotating Drum 9a Rotating Drum 9b Rotating Drum Main Body 10 Paper Pressing Roller 11 Pressing Spring 12 Conveying Roller 13 Paper Feeding Guide Plate 14 Switching Plate 15 Paper Ejecting Guide Plate 16 Cam 17 Clamper 18 Clamp Spring 19 Discharge Roller 20 Positioning Sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head that heats an ink sheet to thermally transfer it to a recording sheet, a platen roller that presses the ink sheet and the recording sheet against the thermal head, a rotating drum that winds the recording sheet while rotating, and the rotation of the recording sheet. A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising a clamper fixed to a drum and a means for releasing the fixing of the recording sheet to the rotating drum by opening and closing the clamper. 2. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotary drum comprises a drum body and a drum outer peripheral portion that rotate independently of each other, and the drum outer peripheral portion is in contact with the platen roller.