CA1291337C - Thermal transfer type recording sheet and apparatus for making the same - Google Patents
Thermal transfer type recording sheet and apparatus for making the sameInfo
- Publication number
- CA1291337C CA1291337C CA000566694A CA566694A CA1291337C CA 1291337 C CA1291337 C CA 1291337C CA 000566694 A CA000566694 A CA 000566694A CA 566694 A CA566694 A CA 566694A CA 1291337 C CA1291337 C CA 1291337C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- recording sheet
- web
- thermal transfer
- transfer type
- type recording
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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- Supply, Installation And Extraction Of Printed Sheets Or Plates (AREA)
- Rotary Presses (AREA)
- Inking, Control Or Cleaning Of Printing Machines (AREA)
- Thermal Transfer Or Thermal Recording In General (AREA)
Abstract
Abstract A strip or roll of thermal transfer type record-ing sheet (1) has a base film (1a) on one side of which a heat-soluble ink layer (1b) is formed for recording on paper or other surface by thermal transfer. An end mark or marks (3, 3A) to be detected optically for warning the user of the fact that the recording roll is being used up is formed adjacent one end of the strip by gravure printing with use of a light-reflective ink. The end mark or marks produced by gravure printing are of such constant thick-ness, and with the bounding edges so sharply defined, that they permit positive detection by an optical sensor.
For the production of the end marks (3, 3A) by gravure printing, a web (S) of base film with the heat-soluble ink layer formed on one side thereof, with a width several times greater than that of each strip of recording sheet to be manufactured, is red through a printing unit (30) of a gravure printing section (16). A set of end marks printed by the printing unit on the web in juxtaposi-tion in its transverse direction are dried immediately, with the drying effect exerted only on the end marks.
Then, while being still fed continuously, the web (S) is slitted at a slitting section (17) into the required nar-rower strips of recording sheet (1) each bearing one of the end marks. The separate strips of recording sheet (1) are subsequently wound into rolls (26)
For the production of the end marks (3, 3A) by gravure printing, a web (S) of base film with the heat-soluble ink layer formed on one side thereof, with a width several times greater than that of each strip of recording sheet to be manufactured, is red through a printing unit (30) of a gravure printing section (16). A set of end marks printed by the printing unit on the web in juxtaposi-tion in its transverse direction are dried immediately, with the drying effect exerted only on the end marks.
Then, while being still fed continuously, the web (S) is slitted at a slitting section (17) into the required nar-rower strips of recording sheet (1) each bearing one of the end marks. The separate strips of recording sheet (1) are subsequently wound into rolls (26)
Description
3~
'T}lerrnal Transrer Type Record~ng Sheet arld Apparatus for Maki.ng the Sarne This invent:i.on rela-tes to therrnal transrer type recording sheets or strips of` roll rorm wh:i.ch ].end theln-selves to use wi-th, typically, hea-t-sensitive f'acs:i.ll~ .e recorders, and -to an a~lparatus for the rnanuracture of' such record.Lng sheets. More speci.f`ically, the inverlt:i.oll per-ta:Lns to a strip or roll Or -thermal transrer -type record:i.llg sheet bear:l.ng an end rnark f'or enabl:Lng tlle detect.~.on of~ the f'act -that ~he str:Lp or roll is drawing to its end in use, as well as to an apparatus .~ncluding means ror pr:i.nti.ng such an end mark in a preassigned position on the recordi.rlg sheet.
;~ 20 The racsi.m.ile recorder has been known and used ex~ensively which employs a roll Or thermal transrer type recording sheet, known as a donor roll, through which the subJect copy is thermally transrerred to paper. Some rac simile recorders on the market are further equipped to detect the fact that the roll is being used up, and -to .visually or audibly rorewarn the user o~ -the end Or - the roll.
In order to make possible the automatic de-tec~ion of the ract that the recording sheet is coming near to its end, i-t has b~en practiced to provide an end marl~ having a rerlective surrace on the sheet, in a position spaced a prescribed distance from its end anchored -to the roll shart. l`he end mark may be rormed either directly on one side Or the base rilm Or the recording shee~ or on the heat-soluble ink layer on the other side Or the base rilm .
The end mark is opticaIly detected by a sensor comprising a :~ :
~ .
1~9~337 source Or :infrared radiat.i.on and a photodetector respolls;.ve to such rad:i.at:i.o~ lexography and brush:l.ng represellt two typi.cal conventlonal measures ror creat1.rlg such elld marlss.
Such conven-tional methods Or forlnillg end mar}ss are objectionable ror several reasons. Firs-t, ror f':Le~xo-graphic produc-ti.on of end marlss, -the printing :I.nk of' re-rlective materia].:Ls pressed against the record.i.ng she0t ~.,y a rubb0r-made reli.ef' plate. 'rhe recordillg sheet :I.s '30 tl~:Ln, how0ver, -that the relier plate terlds -to wrillk].e tho sheet when pressed agains~ the same vla the ref'lect:l.ve mater:i.al. ~t the sarne tirne, moreover, the rerlect:l.ve :i.nk is easy to ooze out rrom between the record:l.llg sheet and tllc plate, thereby rorming undesired bulges b0yond th0 due boulldari0s of' the end marks. Such bulges not only blur the bounding edcJes Or t~le end marks but alsc> malse th0ir thi.ckness uneven.
Additional disadvantages Or rlexography ari.6e ; rrom the fact that berore prin-ting, the reflectlve i.nls on the rubber plate i6 in the form of a film overlying the protuberant parts Or the relier plate. The ink ri.lm tends : to develope unevenness on its transrer from the plate to the recording sheet, and it is difricult to con-trol -the amount Or the ink so -transferred and, thererore, the thi.ck ness Or the end mark so printed. The composition Or -the : 25 ink is also subject to the restriction that it should con-tain no such solvent as will attack the rubber plate. This restriction impose additional limitat.ions on the choice of`
resins to be contained in the ink as a binder. According ly, tlle desired dispersion characteristics Or the pi.gmen-t or powdered metal contained in the ink are not easy -to realize, with a consequent decrease in the quality Or the printings. It is.a s~ill rurther weakness of flexography that the rubber plates are susceptible -to derormation and poor in durability.
The production Or end marks by brushing is also objectionable because Or the poor quality of the marlsillgs /
~L~9~33~7 ~ l~rodllc~d~ What is worse, th:ls corlverltional rnetllod .i.s very tilne-consum:l.ng and no-t suitable ror mechan.i.7ecl procluc--t.ion Or -the recordillg sheets on a large scale ~or the reasons se-t rorth in the roreKo:i.og~ t~le end marks produced in accordance with the prior art, ei.thcr by f`lexography or by brushillg, have of'ten been Or ullevell thi.cklless and have rlot been derined clearly enoug~ uch derective end marks have of~ten invi-ted mlsdetection by lnf`rared sensors, with the resu:l.t that no waln:lng :I.s gene-rated at the required tirne bef'ore the roll Or record:Lngshee-t is used up.
Known app~ra-tus f'or the rnanufacture of'ro:l:l.s of' rec:ordillg sheets with elld marks thereoll have also had cl:ir-r:Lculti.es ln connection Wit}l -the applicatioll of' end marks.
lleretorore, the end rnarks have been rormed orf-line in longitudinally spaced groups on a continuous web of' base film wi-th a heat-soluble ink layer thereon. The web has a width several times greater than -that Or each strip of' recording sheet to be produced, and each group of' end marks are arranged side by side in the transverse direction Or the web. Then, by a separate apparatus, the web has been : slitted longitudinally i.nto the required narrower strips of recordi.ng each bearing an end mark thereon.
. ~n objec-t:ion to this conventional me-thod Or manu-racture is that ir the end-marked web wrinkles or developes other derects while being sli-tted, one roll length of' the web has had to be discarded. Another weakness is -the inef riciency Or production due to the ract -that the application Or end mar~ss to the web and the slitting Or the end-marked web require separate machines totally disconnected f`rom each other.
Accordingly, it is an objec-t Or the invention to provide a roll or strip Or thermal transf~er type recording sheet having an end mark so rormed as to assure infallible de-tection by an optical sensor in order to warn the user Or the approaching end Or the strip.
~3~33~
1~ .
~ notller ob~cct Or the inventloll is to prov:icln all a~paratus f'or ef'ric,ierlt rnanuf'acture of~ such a roll, or strip Or recordirlg shee-t llaving -the end marls.
The -thermal transrer type recording sheet :Ln accordance with the invent,ion has a s-trip Or base f~ lm w:ltl a heat-soluble ink layer rorrne(l on one s:i.cle ther'eor. Arl end mark ls rormed on either s:Lde Or'tile recordirlg sheet .~-Jt least in a preassigned position spaced a prescribed d.i6-tance rrom that end Or the recording sheet which :Ls at-tached to a roll shart ror roll:Lng up the recordillg sheet -thereon. In order -to enable accura-te detection by arl optical sensor, the end marls is f`ormed by gravure printing witll use Or an ink that rerlects light.
Thus the invention teaches the gravure printing rerlective end marks. As is well known, gravure pr:Ln-t ing is such that the ink which has been con-ta:Lned in a multiplicity of' ink cells or minute depressions in t1le surface or,the gravure printing plate is transT~erred to a printing sur~ace (in this case, to either Or the opposite surraces of the recording sheet) in the rorm of rine do-tsl Gravure printing orrers -the derinite advantage over f'lexo-graphy that the ink is not susceptible to rlow on therecording sheet surrace when transferred rrom the cells in the plate. The capacities Or the ink cells de-termine the amount Or tlle ink to be printed and, in consequence, the thickness Or the printing. It is therefore easy -to create extremely thin end marl~s Or cons-tant thi.ckness. The bound-aries Or the end marks will be sharply derined since there will be no oozing Or the ink beyond the bounding edges.
Such end marks are, Or course, accurately detectable by optical sensors Or conventional design, ma~ing possible the timely change o~ -the donor rolls. Gravure printing pro-vides the additional advantage or~ permitting the use Or :
~'31;~37 pr-actically any .ink so that ~he i.nventi.on totally over-COllle9 the no-ted dirf'iculties heretorore encourltered w:i.th rlexographi.c printing of' end marks.
The invention also prov:ides an apparatus f'or the manurac-ture Or the above described thermal transrer type record.i.ng sheet cornprising web supply means for conti.r uously supplyi.ng a web having an e:Longate s-trip of' base r1.1rn with a heat soluble ink layer rormed on one s:i.de thereor, reed rneans for continuously f'eeding the wob f'rorn the web supply means gravure printing rneans for f'ormi.rlg a set Or end marks on either surf'ace Or the web be.Lng red by t;he reed means, the set Or end marks being spaced f'rom one another in -the transverse direction Or the web actuat:lng means ~'or actuating -the gravure print.ing meallS ror causing tlle sarne to rorm the end marks in preassigned longi-tudinal.
positions on the web and slitting means for longitudinally slitting the web into a plurality Or strips Or therlnal transfer type recording sheet each being one Or -the end rnarks.
It should be appreciated in connection with -the above disclosecl apparatus Or the invention that the gravure printing Or the end marks on the web and the slitt.i.ng of' the end marked web are per~orrned in one and the sarne appa ratus while the web is being red con-tinuously there-through.
The efriciency Or production is thus materially ~nhanced in comparison with the conventinal case wherein the printing Or -the end marlss and the slitting Or the web have been errected in separate devices. As a rurther advantage eve ir the web wrinkles or surfers some other derect while bei.ng slitted only the defective part Or the web rnay be removed so -that the waste of the web can be reduced to .3 minimum.
Figure 1 is a partial perspective view Or the ~l~91337 tl-lerlllal -transf'or type recordillg s}leet in accordallce w:i.th the iZ-lVell tion, the record.ing sheet being shown in roll ~'orm and with an end mark forlnecl thereon;
Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional v:i.ew of' the recording sheet taken along -the line II-II in F:igure 1;
Figure 3 is a view si.rnilar to Figure 1 but show~
ing an alternatlve rorm Or recording sheet :Ln accordarlce witll-the invention;
. Figurc ll is a diagrammat.ic representat:Lol-l Or a mocle Or use Or the recording sheet in accordance with the invcllt:lon, -the figure being part:Lcularly explanQtory Or tho way in wh:l.ch the end marls on the recording shoet :Ls opti-cal:Ly detected;
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of'-the aparatus f'or the manufacture of' the recording sh~et :i.ll accordance wi-t}i the invention;
Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation Or the gravure prin-ti.ng section Or the apparatus Or F:igure 5;
Figure 7 is a still more enlarged side elevatior Or some parts Or the gravur~ printing sec-tion shown in Figure 6;
Figuro 8 is an enlarged, left halld sidc elevat.i.on Or sorne parts Or the gravure printing section shown in Figure 6;
Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view Or -the drier provided in the gravure printing section Or the apparatus Or Figure 5;
Figure 10 is a fragrnentary side elevation Or the drier Or Figure 9; and Figure 11 is an~enlarged diagramrnatic representa-tion of the slitting section included in the apparatus Or Figure 5.
The inven-tion is shown in Figure 1 as cmbodled in '3~337 a thermal transrer type record:i.ng sheot 1 Or roll f'orm.
Wound on a ro:Ll shart 2, the Colltilluous str:Lp of' recordirlg sheet 1 is shown paid o~f tlleref'roln ln the directiorl Or tllc arrow ~ to such an extent that a relatively small lel-lgth of~
the strip is lert on the roll shart.
As lllustra-ted cross-sectionally in Figure 2, which is taken along the line II-II in Figure 1, thc re-cording sheet 1 has a base filM la on one side of' wll:l.cl there is rormed a layor lb of heat-soluble ink f'or the recording Or tlle subject copy by thermal transf'er. 'llhe base f'ilm la can be fabricated f~rorn æuch plastics as poly-estcr, polypropylene, cellophane, acetate and polycarbo-nate, as well as rrom papers such as condenser paper and par,lff'in paper. Polyester rilm is recornmended. Th~ hoa-l;-lS solublo inls layer lb can be conventiorlally co~npounded pri-mar:lly of' a pigment, -thermoplastic resin, and waxes. 'I'he heat-soluble ink may be ap~liedto a thickness Or tilreo to eight microns ror unrailing production Or hi.gh qual:i.-ty marlcings.
~s has been known heretorore, the recording sheet 1 is intended ror use in the rorm Or a roll on the roll shaft 2. Unrolled from the roll shart 2, the recordi.ng sheet 1 .is to have its heat-soluble ink layer lb held against a desired surf`ace so as to permit -thermal transrer-red thereto under the action Or a thermal head. Tlle re-cording sheet 1 will be gradually unwound rrom the roll shart 2 with the progress Or such recording, until an end marls 3 becomes revealed as shown in Figure 1. Desi.gned to enable the detection Or the approaching end Or the record i.ng sheet, the end mark 3 is herein shown as a narrow strip extending alongside a longitudinal edge Or -the recording sheet 1 to a relatively short lengt}l in a position spaced a prescribed distance from the end Or the recording sheet which is anchored to the roll shart 2. Figure 1 shows the end mark 3 rormed on that side Or the recording shee-t 1 which is opposite to the side where the heat-soluble :ink :Layer lb i.s f'ormed. Alternat:Lvely, however, tl-le end mark may be rormed on -the ink layer lb, as :i.nd:ica-ted by -the dashed l-ines in l~igure 2, W:i.t1lou-t the rlsk Or interreri.ng with recordi.ng.
'i'he end marls 3 take,s the rorrn of' a layer of l:ight~ref'lective layer rorrned by gravure prin-ting to a th.;.ckness Or one to six rni.crons in accordance with the inverltiotl, 'The ink ror use :Ln the gravure printi]lg of' the end marls 2 should prererably be silver or gold in co].or ror optirnum rerlect:Lvi-ty. Such a silver- or gold-colored end marlc will favorably shi.eld the underlying base rilm la or heat-soluble ink layer lb, wh:Lch may be black in color, and will provide a rnarlsedly rerlect:i.ve surrace against -the darls background.
Gravure printing inlss suitable for the provisi.on Or -the silver- or gold-colored reflective layer may contain metal such as aluminum in rinely divided rorm. Such metal particles -tend to settle during the storage or use Or the iniss, so that a white pigment may be added as required to mlnimize -the settling tendency. The rollowing is a list Or some specifi.c exarnples Or gravure prin-ting inks that may be employed for the provision of the light-rerlective layer:
Gravure printing ink 1:
Aluminum paste ...................... 13 par-ts "VA-HRll30'1 ......................... 87 parts I'he cornposition Or the "VA-HR430" is:
Vinylidene fluoride ............... 8 . 7 parts Carbon fluoride .................... 6.5 par-ts Methyl ethyl ketone ........... ,,, 47 .0 parts Toluene ........................... ; ~.6 parts "M-AT BC-TF" ...................... 21.7 par-ts "M-AT Mark FC113" ................... 6.5 parts A.' * trade-marks ~9~337 9 ~
'I'he "M-A'I' ~C~ "' is compounded Or 10 parts "'I'erlon" (tradernarls) powder, llo parts acrylic polyol, 30 parts me-thyl ethyl ketone, ancl ~0 parts Or addi-tives. The "M-~T Mar~s ~C113" is compounded Or 30 parts grart polymer wax, 65 parts -to:luene, and five parts ethyl acetate.
Gravure printing ink 2:
Alumillum paste .................... ~.0 parts Ni-trocellu:Lose .................. 16.5 parts ~os:Ln ester ....................... 3.0 p~rts Wax ............................... l~.5 parts Castor o:ll ........................ 3.0 parts Dioctyl rnalate .................... 3.0 parts Toluene ........................... 20.0 parts Isopropyl alcohol ................ 1ll.0 parts Ethyl aceta-te .................... 2~.0 parts ; Gravure printing ink 3:
Gravure printing ink 2 .......... 6L~.o par-ts "CM 950 White" .................... 36.o parts The "CM 950 White" is cornposed primarily Or 2ll.0 parts -ti-tanium oxide, 26.0 parts varnish, and 14.0 parts wax.
~hite gravure printing inks such as those con-taining titanium whi.te might be employed ror -the rerlective layer. An ob~ect:Lon to such white printing inks, however, is that they tend -to invite errors in detection by reason Or var-lable degrees Or whiteness and, in conseguence, Or re~lection orrered thereby. Silver or gold inks are pre-erable rrom the standpoint Or greater accuracy Or detec-tioll .
The creation Or the rerlective layer constitut:ingthe end mark 3 by gravure printing ofrers some definite advantages. First, at the time Or printing, the ink that has been contained in a multiplicity Or minute ink cells on , * trade-mark ,~
lX~ 7 ~ 10 --tlle surrace of tile gravure pri.nt:lng plate is trarlsfctred to the base fi.lm la or to the heat~soluble ink layer 1~ :in -tle forin Or ri.ne dots Or irlvar.iably minirna:l thicknesG. .So rormed -the end mark 3 as a whole is of course of nlini.-rllal constan-t thickness wl-th its bounding edges very sharply derined to close dimens:Lonal tolerances. .~uch an end mark wi.ll be positively detected by an opt:Lcal serlsor.
Tlle close dimensional tolerances Or the end Inark make it possible to increase its size (in this case w:L~th) tv the maximum determined by ttle relative posit:ioncll accuracy Or the end mark and -the associatecl inrrared sensor. ~ further advarltage Or gravure print:Lrlg :Ls that unl:i.lse flexography or otller types Or letterpress it will not wrinkle tlle recording sheet no ma-tter how thirl i-t may be. ~url;llerlnore si.nce gravure printing lends itselr -to use w:ith a greater variety Or inks than other printing processes tllere may be ernployed inks Or the highest possible reflectivity wi.-th respec-t to inf`rared rays.
Prererably in the use Or a plastic base ~:ilm ror tlle recording sheet 1 an additional layer for preventing the sticking Or the recording sheet to the thermal head may be rormed on tha-t si.de Or the recording sheet which wi.ll come into contact with the thermal head.
As desired a second end rnark may be formed on the recording sheet 1 in a posi-tion farther away frolll its end attached to the roll shaft 2 than the first end mark 3 as indicated by way Or example at 3A in Figure 3. ~he second end mark 3A is herein shown as a series Or relative--ly shor-t strips rormed by gravure printing lilce the rirst end mark 3. The second end mark 3A is intended to serve the purpose Or forewarlling the approach Or the end Or the recording sheet 1 before the first end marls 3 is de-tected ror warning the fact that the rernaining length Or -the recording sheet is so little as to warrant -the installment -Or a néw roll.
Figure 4 is explanatory Or a mode Or use Or the 1~ 37 the~ l tra1lsrer type record-l.r1g s~1eet l l'aid of'f I'[oln a supply rol:l lR on the roll shaft 2, the cont.i.nuol1s str~ of' recordi.ng sheet l travels in the arrow-rnarked direct:i.on over a guide roll ll -then between a thern1al head 5 al1c1 a backup roll 6, and then over another gui.de roll 7, to be wound up on a -takeup roll shart 8.
A sheet Or paper 9 to be recorded on the other hand, :Ls f'ed rrom a paper supply tray not shown ar1d placed against the recording sheet l. The subject copy is tl1errr~ lly recorded on t}1e paper 9 via the record:Lng s11eet 1 as t~iéy travel in contact with each other between the -thermal head 5 and khe backup ro:Ll 6.
The end mark 3 in the rorrn of' a ref:Lecti.ve strip w:Lll appear as shown i.n ~igure l when the recordlng sheet l draws near the end on the supply roll shaf't 2. As p:Lctured in Flgure 11, the end rnark 3 so revealed w:ill come opposi.te an :Lnrrared sensor cornprising a ligh-t source l0 and a photodetector ll. Emitted rrom the light source l0 tlle inrrared rays will impinge on the end marls 3 thereby to be reflected toward the photode-tector ll. Thus the infrared sensor detects the fact that the recording shee-t l i.s being used up. An alarm 12 is shown connected to the photode-tec-tor ll ror warning ~he approach Or the end Or the re~
cording sheet l upon detection Or the end mark 3.
As is clear from the f'oregoing the therrnal transf'er type recording sheet in accordance wi.th the inven-tion makes it possible to infallibly ascertain the approach Or its end on the supply roll shart when used with a con--ven-tional heat-sensi.tive recording device equipped with an infrared sensor. A new roll of recording sheet may be readily loaded in the recording device when the old roll :is used up.
It has been stated that -the end mark formed as taught by the invention is of constant thickness, with its entire surface ofrering an unvarying degree of reflec-tiv-ity. This reature gains the following advantage. ~rhe 1~3~337 ~ 12 --tllerlnal transrer recordi.ng sheet .i.n general unavo:i.clclh:Ly f'lutters during i.ts -~ravel from supply rol:l to tclkeup ro].:L, alld the heat-soluble ink layer Or tlle recording shect i.s not necessarily Or constant thickness. For these reasons the re~'lécted infrared rays inev:Ltably con-tain some no:i.se.
Some conventlonal therrnal transfer recording dev.Lces have been designed to detect the end mark ln the race of' some sucll noise contained in the rerlected light. T}lese Icnc~wn devices may fail -to detect an elld marls Or irrey,u:Lar ref'lec--tiv:i.ty because the inf'rared rays rerlected by SUCII all ClJd 3 Inark Inay include a noise componellt s:i.rn:Llar to thclt con-ta:Lned in the l:Lght reflected f'rorn -the other surf'ace of' t~le recording s}leet. It is thererore apparent -tlla-t the erld marls of' ullvarying thiclsness and reflectivi-ty in ~ccordance with the inventlon serves to elirninate such malf'unct.i.onir of'-the known recording devices.
~n apparatus for the manufacture Or the above therrnal transfer -type recordin~ sheet will now be described Wit]l rererence to Figures 5-11.
As will be seen rrom Figure 5, the apparatus broadly comprises a web supply section '14, a leader tape spl:icing section 15, a gravure end marlc printing secti.on 16, a slitting section.17, and a recording sheet wincling section 18.
The web fed rrom the supply section lll is equiva-lent in construction to the recording sheet 1, having -the base film la with a coating lb Or heat-soluble ink pre-rorrned on one side thereof, except that the end marls 3 is absent and that the web is two or more times w:ider, and many -tirnes longer, than each roll Or recording sl-eet 1 to be manuractured. Figure 5 shows that the web is sup~orted in the form Or a roll 20 on a roll suppor-t 21 of the web supply section 14. As indicated at S in the sarne figure~
: the web is guided by a series of guide rolls 23 f`rom the supply section 14 to the leader tape splicing section 15.
In thls splicing section 15 the web is transversely cut ~;~'3~33'7 :i.nto successi.ve lengths each egua:l to that Or each roll or' recording sheet to be manuractured, and tapes Or the same w.l.dth as -the web are spliced to the lead.ing and tra:i.ling ends Or each length Or the web S for the ease of subsequent handling. As desired however, the kape rnay be splic~ed only to the trailing end Or each severed length Or the web S.
Then, guided by another serles of' guide rolls 21l, the l~eb S i8 d:Lrected to the gravure printing sectioll 16, wllere a group Or end marks 3, each shown in ~:Lgures 1 and 2 are printed on each length Or thé web in ~u~tapos:Lt:l.on :Ln :i.ts transverse direct:Lon. The second end marks 3~, ~igure 3, may or may not be printed on the web at thi.s gravure printing section 16.
Following the printlng of the end marks 3, -to-gether with or without the second end marks 3A -the web S
travels on to the slitting section 17, where the broad web is longitudinally slit-ted into a plurality of narrower strips Or thermal transfer type recording sheet each con-s-tructed as in Figures 1 and 2. Then the individual strips of' recording sheet are wound into rolls 26 at the winding sec-tion 18.
The aroresaid series Or guide rolls 23 and 2ll and many other rolls provided subse~uen-tly constitute in com bination feed means ror continuously feeding the web through the apparatus.
The web supply section lLI and the leader tape spl.icing section 15 can be Or conventional or any sui.table construction and thus form no features of the invention.
Only the gravure printing section 16 and slitting section 17 of the illustrated apparatus will thererore be described in greater detail herea~'ter.
Figure 6 shows the details of the gravure print--ing section 16 on an enlarged scale. 'The gravure printing section 16 has a framework 29 having a gravure prin-ting unit 30 mounted therein. ~he web S is fed -to th.i.s printing unit 30 via the noted ser:ies Or guide rolls 2l~ and another ' ~.2~tl:337 gui(1e roll 3l. On the dowrJs-tLeam side Or the pri,nt:i.n~ unit 30 the ~eb S is direc-ted upwardly anc1 away f'roln the pr:int-ing section 16 via guide roll9 32, 331 34, 35 and 36-Fi~ure 7 is a de-tailed representation, or-l a st~Ll more enlarged scale, Or the printing un:Lt 30. It comprises a pla-te cyl:inder 37 , an irnpress:Lon cylinder 38 -thereovel, and an ink pan 39 underlying -the pla-te cylinder. 'I'he .ink pan 39 is shown -to contaln gravure prlnt:ing ink llo in w11lch the plate cylinder 37 ls partly dipped. It is understood th~t the plate cyllnder 37 has f`ormed there:Lr1 a m~llt:ipl:Lc-.tty Or gravure ink cells pat-terr1ed ko p~i.nt the des:i.red en(l rnarks on the web S. Provided on bo-th sides Or the pl.ate cyl:f.nder 37 are a pair Or doctor blade rnour1ts 42 eac:h supportlng a doctor blade 4l ror scraping an excess amollr1t Or ink Orr the surrace Or the plate cylinder 37. l'hese doctor blade mounts have each a doctor blade adjus-tment knob 1l3 to be manipula-ted f`or fine adjustrnent Or the asso-; ~ ciated doctor blade 4l w.ith respect to -the pla-te surf'ace Or the cylinder 37. Only either Or the two doctor blades 4l is actually used ror printing, as will be later e~plained in more detail.
As shown also in Figure 8, the irnpression cylin-der 38 is mounted rast on a shart which has .i-ts oppos:i.te ends rotatably supported by a pair Or bearing bloc}ss 1l5 ~5 which are capable Or sliding up and down along respective upstanding guide rails 46. Consequently, the irnpression cylinder 38 is i-tself also movable up and down with respect to the plate cylinder 37. For such vertical displacernent of` the irnpression cylinder 38 over a relatively long 30 stroke, a pair Or air cylinders Cl are mounted to a support 48 bridging the top ends Or the guide rails 46. The piston rods 50 depending from the air cylinders Cl are coupled to the respec-tive bearing blocks 45. The, air cylinders Cl are to be contracted, as at the time Or the change Or the plate 35 cylinder 37, ror raising the impression cylinder 38 to the position indicated at 38 ' in Figure 7.
~3 ~
Another pa:Lr Or air cylinders C2 hclve -t:ilei.r head ends pi.n-jointed at 52 to -the guicle ra.i.ls ll6. Ille clel)end~
:ing p:lston rod 53 Or each a:Lr cylinder C2 is al80 pirlned at 5ll to one end of a lever 55. Medially pivoted on 1 fixed pi.n 56, each lever 55 rotatably carries a roller 57 on its other end. The rollers 57 on the pair of levers 55 rnake rolling engagement with the undersides Or the re~pect:Lve bearing blocks ll5 Accordi.ngly, upon ex-tens:Loll of` t}-le cylinders C2, the levers 55 will pivot in a cloc~sw:Lse dlrection, as viewed in Figure 7, -thereby l:Lfting the bear:l.ng blocks 1~5 and impression cylinder 38 away rrolrl the plate cylinder 37.
As is conven-t:Lonal Wit}l usual gr~vure pr.intirlg pres6es, the web S is threaded over the guide roll 31, then betwcen plate cylinder 37 and impression cylinder 38, and thell under the guide roll 32 to be directed upwardly.
Figure 8 indicates tha-t an appropri.ate dr.i.ve mechanism M is coupled to the plate cylinder 37 for impar!--ing ro-tation thereto. For prin-ting, not only mus-t the plate cylinder 37 be rotated, and the web S fed to the printing uni-t 30, but also the impression cylinder 38 must be lowered to engage the web between itself and the p:late cylinder 37. Thus the pair Or air cylirlders C2 may be contracted ror lowering the impression cylinder 38 alld hence ror setting the printing unit 30 into opera-tion as required.
With rererence back to Figure 6 a prin-ting drier 60 is provided adjacent the upward path Or the web S rrorn the printing unit 30. The drier 60 is provided with a fan 61 mounted atop the framework 2g, an air heater 62, and a duct 63 ror conveying to the drier 60 the stream of air tha-t has been created by the fan 61 and subsequently heated by the heater 62.
The detailed construction Or the printing drier 60 will become apparent rrom a study Or Figures 9 and 10.
Extending ~rom the air heater 62, the duct 63 terminates in 3~;~3 a boxllke outlet enclosure 66 having a plura].:Lty of' a:ir out].et s].ots 65 cut in its rront f~ace direc-ted towa~-d t!lc web S. Each ex-tending along the path Or the web S -t~le outlet slots 65 are equal in number to the individual 9 trips Or recording sheet 1 into which'the web S is to bc sli-tted subsequently. Disposed within the outlet enc:Losure 66 alld just interior:Ly of' the outlet slots 65 are shutters 67 pivotal:Ly suppoted by respective rotatable sharts 68.
These sharts are each coupled to one end of a link 69 ~he other end of` which is pivo-ted at 71 -to a commoll actucltillg bar '70. ~n ups-tanding air cyl-lnder C3 has its p:i.s tOIl rod 72 coupled to -the actuating bar 70. There~ore as thc actuating bar 70 is raised rrom its Figure 10 positiol-l by the air cylinder C3 the shutters 67 wi.ll close -the outlet slots 65. The heated air will issue f'rom the outlet slots 65 only when the cylinder C3 is extended to open the shut-ters 67. The ou-tlet slots 65 are disposed respectively along the paths Or the end marks that have been pr:inted on the web S in side by side relation in its -transeverse direct:ion by the printing unit 30 for drying the end rnarlss irnmediately after their printing.
. Arter having the end marks printed thereon and subsequently dried in -the prin-ti.ng section 16 the web ~ :is directed by gui.de rolls 75 into the slitting sect:ion 17.
Being itselr Or known construction ~he siitt:i.ng sect:ion 1'l will be described briefly. 'f'he web S travels from tlle guide rolls 75 to additional guide rolls 76 and 77 and then to a master roll '78. Then as illustra-ted on an enlarged scale in Figure 11 the web S passes over a guide roll 79 on to a pair of slitter rolls 80a and 80b. The slitter roll 80a rotates about a rixed axis whereas the other slitter roll 80b is rotatably mounted to an arm 81 pivo-t-able about an pin or shaft 82. The fixed-axis slitter roll 80a ror example is conventionally provided with annular sli.tting blades. The strips Or recording shee-t created by slitting the web S are directed away from the slitting ,, . . .. ~ . . .. ... ... . ~, ~ . .
~9~3;~7 l7 sect:Loll 17 via e:Lther Or two dividing rolls ~3a and 83b to be wound into the rolls 26 Or the recording slleet willd:Lng section 18.
As seen in both Figures 5 and 11 -the rnaster rol1.
78 is provided Wit}l a revolution sensor clrcuit 90 for sensing each revolution Or the master roll and .i.n corlse quence the length Or the printed weh S that has been fed.
lhe sensor circuit 90 is rurther constructed to count the pulses representative of the revol~ltions Or the rrlclYter roll 7~. When the pulses are counted up to a preset nulnber i.ndicative Or a desired posi.ti.on on the web S where tl-le prilltillg Or the end marks are -to be started the pai.r o~
ai.r cylin(lers C2 are contracted thereby perrni.tt:Lng -the impression cylinder 3~ which has been lifted away rrom tlle plate cyli.nder 37 to be lowered to engage the web S be-tween plate cylinder arld impression cylinder. The printing of the end marks is now started on the web S.
The revolution sensor circuit 90 carl also detect the ~act that each group of printed end marks have been ~ed to -the drier 60 whereupon the air cylinder C3 will be extended to open the shu-tters 67 and so -to permit the drier to appl~ the heated air through the ou-tlet slots 65 -to the end marks. The application of` the heated air will be ins-talltly suspended when the group of end marlcs travels past the outlet slots 65 as then the air cylinder C3 will be contracted under the control Or the revolution sensor circuit 90. ~s indicated in Figure 10 the shu-tters 67 may be opened when the leading ends Or each group Or end marks come to a position spaced a preassigned distance X upstream f`rom the outlet slots 65 and ma~ be closed when the -trail-ing ends Or the end marks reach a position spaced a preas-signed distance Y downstream rrom the outlet slots both under -the control Or the revolution sensor circuit 90.
In the operation Or the apparatus construc-ted as in the forego:ing the broad web S that has been unwound rrorn its roll 20 is cut into the re~uired lengths and ~l~9~L33~
leader tapes are spliced to the:ir ends irl the spli.cing .sect:i.on 15. Thell in the gravure printing sectiorl 16 a group Or end marks are printed in prescribed posi.t.i.on.s on each length Or the web S by the print:ing unit 30 ancl only the end marlcs are dried by the drier 60 without adverscly arrecting -the other part Or the web. Then, i.n the slitking section 17 each leng.th Or the printed web is sl:Ltted long:Ltudinal:Ly into a plurallty of therlllal transrel type recording stri.ps of the required w:Ldth. lhese str:l.ps are then wourld i.nto the rolls 26. Fach rol:L has a leader tape ~o:lned to its outer end.
As has been set forth in connection wi.th ~i.gure 2, the end marls 3 rnay be rormed e:Lther direc-tly Oll or-c s:i.de ol` the base f.illn la or Oll the heat~soluble irlk layer lb on the other side Or the base rilm. The end rnarlcs Inay be printed on e:L-ther side of the web S depending upon whether -the web is threaded along the path indicated by the solid l:ine in Figure 6 or as represented by -the phantom li.ne designated S' in the same figure, over successive addi.tio al guide rolls 92 93 and 94, -then over the noted gulde roll 32 then be-tween plate cylinder 37 and impression cylinder 38 and then over the guide roll 31. Tlle dr:ier 60 may be held out of operatlon when the web is tl~readed along the alternat:Lve path S'; instead, another similar dr:i.er 60' may be used ror drying the printed end marks on the web S.
Although the invention has been described hereln-be~ore in terms Or sorne preferable embodiments thereor. it is understood that various modifications may be rnade in SUCII embodiments without departing rrom the scope of the invention For exarnple, an infrared heater or heaters or other types Or heat radiators may be employed ror drying the printed end marks on the web. Such driers or heaters may rurther be adapted to dry only those parts of the end marks which need immediate drying. Still further -the temperatures Or -the heated airstreams issuing froln the outlet slots may be individually controlled ror each slot.
1~9~L3;~7 As reclu:i.red, moreover, the heater 62 may be erlergi.z,c(l at a preset moment preceding the commencemerlt Or prillti.ng, i.ll order that surrici.ent heat energy may be availablc at the time Or dry:ing.
~s an additional possible.rnod:i.f:i.cation, the plate cylinder rnay be heated during the printing Or the end marks for the hJ.gher quality of the printings. It :Ls a].sc~ urlder-stood that the drier or driers will be unnece6sary :i.r the ink contains no convent:Lollal solvent but i8 cc~lnE)03e(l Or a p:Lglllerlt and a binder.
Among the advantages gained by the apparatus ror the rnanuf'acture of' the -therrnal transrer type recorcl:illg sheet :in accordarlce witll the :lnvention is the ract tllclt .i.t can ef'rectuate both the pri.nti.ng Or the end mark~ and, sut)stalltially concurrently therewith, the sli.tting of' the web in-to the :ind:Lvidual s-trips Or recording slleet. The recording sheet with the end marks thereon can thus be manuractured rnore efriciently than by the convent:ional pract`ice Or forming of`f-line the end marks on the web. As a further advantage, even if wrinkles or other derects develop during sli-t-ting, only the defective parts of` the sheet may be removed thereby minimizing the was-te Or tl~e sheet materials.
'T}lerrnal Transrer Type Record~ng Sheet arld Apparatus for Maki.ng the Sarne This invent:i.on rela-tes to therrnal transrer type recording sheets or strips of` roll rorm wh:i.ch ].end theln-selves to use wi-th, typically, hea-t-sensitive f'acs:i.ll~ .e recorders, and -to an a~lparatus for the rnanuracture of' such record.Lng sheets. More speci.f`ically, the inverlt:i.oll per-ta:Lns to a strip or roll Or -thermal transrer -type record:i.llg sheet bear:l.ng an end rnark f'or enabl:Lng tlle detect.~.on of~ the f'act -that ~he str:Lp or roll is drawing to its end in use, as well as to an apparatus .~ncluding means ror pr:i.nti.ng such an end mark in a preassigned position on the recordi.rlg sheet.
;~ 20 The racsi.m.ile recorder has been known and used ex~ensively which employs a roll Or thermal transrer type recording sheet, known as a donor roll, through which the subJect copy is thermally transrerred to paper. Some rac simile recorders on the market are further equipped to detect the fact that the roll is being used up, and -to .visually or audibly rorewarn the user o~ -the end Or - the roll.
In order to make possible the automatic de-tec~ion of the ract that the recording sheet is coming near to its end, i-t has b~en practiced to provide an end marl~ having a rerlective surrace on the sheet, in a position spaced a prescribed distance from its end anchored -to the roll shart. l`he end mark may be rormed either directly on one side Or the base rilm Or the recording shee~ or on the heat-soluble ink layer on the other side Or the base rilm .
The end mark is opticaIly detected by a sensor comprising a :~ :
~ .
1~9~337 source Or :infrared radiat.i.on and a photodetector respolls;.ve to such rad:i.at:i.o~ lexography and brush:l.ng represellt two typi.cal conventlonal measures ror creat1.rlg such elld marlss.
Such conven-tional methods Or forlnillg end mar}ss are objectionable ror several reasons. Firs-t, ror f':Le~xo-graphic produc-ti.on of end marlss, -the printing :I.nk of' re-rlective materia].:Ls pressed against the record.i.ng she0t ~.,y a rubb0r-made reli.ef' plate. 'rhe recordillg sheet :I.s '30 tl~:Ln, how0ver, -that the relier plate terlds -to wrillk].e tho sheet when pressed agains~ the same vla the ref'lect:l.ve mater:i.al. ~t the sarne tirne, moreover, the rerlect:l.ve :i.nk is easy to ooze out rrom between the record:l.llg sheet and tllc plate, thereby rorming undesired bulges b0yond th0 due boulldari0s of' the end marks. Such bulges not only blur the bounding edcJes Or t~le end marks but alsc> malse th0ir thi.ckness uneven.
Additional disadvantages Or rlexography ari.6e ; rrom the fact that berore prin-ting, the reflectlve i.nls on the rubber plate i6 in the form of a film overlying the protuberant parts Or the relier plate. The ink ri.lm tends : to develope unevenness on its transrer from the plate to the recording sheet, and it is difricult to con-trol -the amount Or the ink so -transferred and, thererore, the thi.ck ness Or the end mark so printed. The composition Or -the : 25 ink is also subject to the restriction that it should con-tain no such solvent as will attack the rubber plate. This restriction impose additional limitat.ions on the choice of`
resins to be contained in the ink as a binder. According ly, tlle desired dispersion characteristics Or the pi.gmen-t or powdered metal contained in the ink are not easy -to realize, with a consequent decrease in the quality Or the printings. It is.a s~ill rurther weakness of flexography that the rubber plates are susceptible -to derormation and poor in durability.
The production Or end marks by brushing is also objectionable because Or the poor quality of the marlsillgs /
~L~9~33~7 ~ l~rodllc~d~ What is worse, th:ls corlverltional rnetllod .i.s very tilne-consum:l.ng and no-t suitable ror mechan.i.7ecl procluc--t.ion Or -the recordillg sheets on a large scale ~or the reasons se-t rorth in the roreKo:i.og~ t~le end marks produced in accordance with the prior art, ei.thcr by f`lexography or by brushillg, have of'ten been Or ullevell thi.cklless and have rlot been derined clearly enoug~ uch derective end marks have of~ten invi-ted mlsdetection by lnf`rared sensors, with the resu:l.t that no waln:lng :I.s gene-rated at the required tirne bef'ore the roll Or record:Lngshee-t is used up.
Known app~ra-tus f'or the rnanufacture of'ro:l:l.s of' rec:ordillg sheets with elld marks thereoll have also had cl:ir-r:Lculti.es ln connection Wit}l -the applicatioll of' end marks.
lleretorore, the end rnarks have been rormed orf-line in longitudinally spaced groups on a continuous web of' base film wi-th a heat-soluble ink layer thereon. The web has a width several times greater than -that Or each strip of' recording sheet to be produced, and each group of' end marks are arranged side by side in the transverse direction Or the web. Then, by a separate apparatus, the web has been : slitted longitudinally i.nto the required narrower strips of recordi.ng each bearing an end mark thereon.
. ~n objec-t:ion to this conventional me-thod Or manu-racture is that ir the end-marked web wrinkles or developes other derects while being sli-tted, one roll length of' the web has had to be discarded. Another weakness is -the inef riciency Or production due to the ract -that the application Or end mar~ss to the web and the slitting Or the end-marked web require separate machines totally disconnected f`rom each other.
Accordingly, it is an objec-t Or the invention to provide a roll or strip Or thermal transf~er type recording sheet having an end mark so rormed as to assure infallible de-tection by an optical sensor in order to warn the user Or the approaching end Or the strip.
~3~33~
1~ .
~ notller ob~cct Or the inventloll is to prov:icln all a~paratus f'or ef'ric,ierlt rnanuf'acture of~ such a roll, or strip Or recordirlg shee-t llaving -the end marls.
The -thermal transrer type recording sheet :Ln accordance with the invent,ion has a s-trip Or base f~ lm w:ltl a heat-soluble ink layer rorrne(l on one s:i.cle ther'eor. Arl end mark ls rormed on either s:Lde Or'tile recordirlg sheet .~-Jt least in a preassigned position spaced a prescribed d.i6-tance rrom that end Or the recording sheet which :Ls at-tached to a roll shart ror roll:Lng up the recordillg sheet -thereon. In order -to enable accura-te detection by arl optical sensor, the end marls is f`ormed by gravure printing witll use Or an ink that rerlects light.
Thus the invention teaches the gravure printing rerlective end marks. As is well known, gravure pr:Ln-t ing is such that the ink which has been con-ta:Lned in a multiplicity of' ink cells or minute depressions in t1le surface or,the gravure printing plate is transT~erred to a printing sur~ace (in this case, to either Or the opposite surraces of the recording sheet) in the rorm of rine do-tsl Gravure printing orrers -the derinite advantage over f'lexo-graphy that the ink is not susceptible to rlow on therecording sheet surrace when transferred rrom the cells in the plate. The capacities Or the ink cells de-termine the amount Or tlle ink to be printed and, in consequence, the thickness Or the printing. It is therefore easy -to create extremely thin end marl~s Or cons-tant thi.ckness. The bound-aries Or the end marks will be sharply derined since there will be no oozing Or the ink beyond the bounding edges.
Such end marks are, Or course, accurately detectable by optical sensors Or conventional design, ma~ing possible the timely change o~ -the donor rolls. Gravure printing pro-vides the additional advantage or~ permitting the use Or :
~'31;~37 pr-actically any .ink so that ~he i.nventi.on totally over-COllle9 the no-ted dirf'iculties heretorore encourltered w:i.th rlexographi.c printing of' end marks.
The invention also prov:ides an apparatus f'or the manurac-ture Or the above described thermal transrer type record.i.ng sheet cornprising web supply means for conti.r uously supplyi.ng a web having an e:Longate s-trip of' base r1.1rn with a heat soluble ink layer rormed on one s:i.de thereor, reed rneans for continuously f'eeding the wob f'rorn the web supply means gravure printing rneans for f'ormi.rlg a set Or end marks on either surf'ace Or the web be.Lng red by t;he reed means, the set Or end marks being spaced f'rom one another in -the transverse direction Or the web actuat:lng means ~'or actuating -the gravure print.ing meallS ror causing tlle sarne to rorm the end marks in preassigned longi-tudinal.
positions on the web and slitting means for longitudinally slitting the web into a plurality Or strips Or therlnal transfer type recording sheet each being one Or -the end rnarks.
It should be appreciated in connection with -the above disclosecl apparatus Or the invention that the gravure printing Or the end marks on the web and the slitt.i.ng of' the end marked web are per~orrned in one and the sarne appa ratus while the web is being red con-tinuously there-through.
The efriciency Or production is thus materially ~nhanced in comparison with the conventinal case wherein the printing Or -the end marlss and the slitting Or the web have been errected in separate devices. As a rurther advantage eve ir the web wrinkles or surfers some other derect while bei.ng slitted only the defective part Or the web rnay be removed so -that the waste of the web can be reduced to .3 minimum.
Figure 1 is a partial perspective view Or the ~l~91337 tl-lerlllal -transf'or type recordillg s}leet in accordallce w:i.th the iZ-lVell tion, the record.ing sheet being shown in roll ~'orm and with an end mark forlnecl thereon;
Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional v:i.ew of' the recording sheet taken along -the line II-II in F:igure 1;
Figure 3 is a view si.rnilar to Figure 1 but show~
ing an alternatlve rorm Or recording sheet :Ln accordarlce witll-the invention;
. Figurc ll is a diagrammat.ic representat:Lol-l Or a mocle Or use Or the recording sheet in accordance with the invcllt:lon, -the figure being part:Lcularly explanQtory Or tho way in wh:l.ch the end marls on the recording shoet :Ls opti-cal:Ly detected;
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of'-the aparatus f'or the manufacture of' the recording sh~et :i.ll accordance wi-t}i the invention;
Figure 6 is an enlarged side elevation Or the gravure prin-ti.ng section Or the apparatus Or F:igure 5;
Figure 7 is a still more enlarged side elevatior Or some parts Or the gravur~ printing sec-tion shown in Figure 6;
Figuro 8 is an enlarged, left halld sidc elevat.i.on Or sorne parts Or the gravure printing section shown in Figure 6;
Figure 9 is an enlarged perspective view Or -the drier provided in the gravure printing section Or the apparatus Or Figure 5;
Figure 10 is a fragrnentary side elevation Or the drier Or Figure 9; and Figure 11 is an~enlarged diagramrnatic representa-tion of the slitting section included in the apparatus Or Figure 5.
The inven-tion is shown in Figure 1 as cmbodled in '3~337 a thermal transrer type record:i.ng sheot 1 Or roll f'orm.
Wound on a ro:Ll shart 2, the Colltilluous str:Lp of' recordirlg sheet 1 is shown paid o~f tlleref'roln ln the directiorl Or tllc arrow ~ to such an extent that a relatively small lel-lgth of~
the strip is lert on the roll shart.
As lllustra-ted cross-sectionally in Figure 2, which is taken along the line II-II in Figure 1, thc re-cording sheet 1 has a base filM la on one side of' wll:l.cl there is rormed a layor lb of heat-soluble ink f'or the recording Or tlle subject copy by thermal transf'er. 'llhe base f'ilm la can be fabricated f~rorn æuch plastics as poly-estcr, polypropylene, cellophane, acetate and polycarbo-nate, as well as rrom papers such as condenser paper and par,lff'in paper. Polyester rilm is recornmended. Th~ hoa-l;-lS solublo inls layer lb can be conventiorlally co~npounded pri-mar:lly of' a pigment, -thermoplastic resin, and waxes. 'I'he heat-soluble ink may be ap~liedto a thickness Or tilreo to eight microns ror unrailing production Or hi.gh qual:i.-ty marlcings.
~s has been known heretorore, the recording sheet 1 is intended ror use in the rorm Or a roll on the roll shaft 2. Unrolled from the roll shart 2, the recordi.ng sheet 1 .is to have its heat-soluble ink layer lb held against a desired surf`ace so as to permit -thermal transrer-red thereto under the action Or a thermal head. Tlle re-cording sheet 1 will be gradually unwound rrom the roll shart 2 with the progress Or such recording, until an end marls 3 becomes revealed as shown in Figure 1. Desi.gned to enable the detection Or the approaching end Or the record i.ng sheet, the end mark 3 is herein shown as a narrow strip extending alongside a longitudinal edge Or -the recording sheet 1 to a relatively short lengt}l in a position spaced a prescribed distance from the end Or the recording sheet which is anchored to the roll shart 2. Figure 1 shows the end mark 3 rormed on that side Or the recording shee-t 1 which is opposite to the side where the heat-soluble :ink :Layer lb i.s f'ormed. Alternat:Lvely, however, tl-le end mark may be rormed on -the ink layer lb, as :i.nd:ica-ted by -the dashed l-ines in l~igure 2, W:i.t1lou-t the rlsk Or interreri.ng with recordi.ng.
'i'he end marls 3 take,s the rorrn of' a layer of l:ight~ref'lective layer rorrned by gravure prin-ting to a th.;.ckness Or one to six rni.crons in accordance with the inverltiotl, 'The ink ror use :Ln the gravure printi]lg of' the end marls 2 should prererably be silver or gold in co].or ror optirnum rerlect:Lvi-ty. Such a silver- or gold-colored end marlc will favorably shi.eld the underlying base rilm la or heat-soluble ink layer lb, wh:Lch may be black in color, and will provide a rnarlsedly rerlect:i.ve surrace against -the darls background.
Gravure printing inlss suitable for the provisi.on Or -the silver- or gold-colored reflective layer may contain metal such as aluminum in rinely divided rorm. Such metal particles -tend to settle during the storage or use Or the iniss, so that a white pigment may be added as required to mlnimize -the settling tendency. The rollowing is a list Or some specifi.c exarnples Or gravure prin-ting inks that may be employed for the provision of the light-rerlective layer:
Gravure printing ink 1:
Aluminum paste ...................... 13 par-ts "VA-HRll30'1 ......................... 87 parts I'he cornposition Or the "VA-HR430" is:
Vinylidene fluoride ............... 8 . 7 parts Carbon fluoride .................... 6.5 par-ts Methyl ethyl ketone ........... ,,, 47 .0 parts Toluene ........................... ; ~.6 parts "M-AT BC-TF" ...................... 21.7 par-ts "M-AT Mark FC113" ................... 6.5 parts A.' * trade-marks ~9~337 9 ~
'I'he "M-A'I' ~C~ "' is compounded Or 10 parts "'I'erlon" (tradernarls) powder, llo parts acrylic polyol, 30 parts me-thyl ethyl ketone, ancl ~0 parts Or addi-tives. The "M-~T Mar~s ~C113" is compounded Or 30 parts grart polymer wax, 65 parts -to:luene, and five parts ethyl acetate.
Gravure printing ink 2:
Alumillum paste .................... ~.0 parts Ni-trocellu:Lose .................. 16.5 parts ~os:Ln ester ....................... 3.0 p~rts Wax ............................... l~.5 parts Castor o:ll ........................ 3.0 parts Dioctyl rnalate .................... 3.0 parts Toluene ........................... 20.0 parts Isopropyl alcohol ................ 1ll.0 parts Ethyl aceta-te .................... 2~.0 parts ; Gravure printing ink 3:
Gravure printing ink 2 .......... 6L~.o par-ts "CM 950 White" .................... 36.o parts The "CM 950 White" is cornposed primarily Or 2ll.0 parts -ti-tanium oxide, 26.0 parts varnish, and 14.0 parts wax.
~hite gravure printing inks such as those con-taining titanium whi.te might be employed ror -the rerlective layer. An ob~ect:Lon to such white printing inks, however, is that they tend -to invite errors in detection by reason Or var-lable degrees Or whiteness and, in conseguence, Or re~lection orrered thereby. Silver or gold inks are pre-erable rrom the standpoint Or greater accuracy Or detec-tioll .
The creation Or the rerlective layer constitut:ingthe end mark 3 by gravure printing ofrers some definite advantages. First, at the time Or printing, the ink that has been contained in a multiplicity Or minute ink cells on , * trade-mark ,~
lX~ 7 ~ 10 --tlle surrace of tile gravure pri.nt:lng plate is trarlsfctred to the base fi.lm la or to the heat~soluble ink layer 1~ :in -tle forin Or ri.ne dots Or irlvar.iably minirna:l thicknesG. .So rormed -the end mark 3 as a whole is of course of nlini.-rllal constan-t thickness wl-th its bounding edges very sharply derined to close dimens:Lonal tolerances. .~uch an end mark wi.ll be positively detected by an opt:Lcal serlsor.
Tlle close dimensional tolerances Or the end Inark make it possible to increase its size (in this case w:L~th) tv the maximum determined by ttle relative posit:ioncll accuracy Or the end mark and -the associatecl inrrared sensor. ~ further advarltage Or gravure print:Lrlg :Ls that unl:i.lse flexography or otller types Or letterpress it will not wrinkle tlle recording sheet no ma-tter how thirl i-t may be. ~url;llerlnore si.nce gravure printing lends itselr -to use w:ith a greater variety Or inks than other printing processes tllere may be ernployed inks Or the highest possible reflectivity wi.-th respec-t to inf`rared rays.
Prererably in the use Or a plastic base ~:ilm ror tlle recording sheet 1 an additional layer for preventing the sticking Or the recording sheet to the thermal head may be rormed on tha-t si.de Or the recording sheet which wi.ll come into contact with the thermal head.
As desired a second end rnark may be formed on the recording sheet 1 in a posi-tion farther away frolll its end attached to the roll shaft 2 than the first end mark 3 as indicated by way Or example at 3A in Figure 3. ~he second end mark 3A is herein shown as a series Or relative--ly shor-t strips rormed by gravure printing lilce the rirst end mark 3. The second end mark 3A is intended to serve the purpose Or forewarlling the approach Or the end Or the recording sheet 1 before the first end marls 3 is de-tected ror warning the fact that the rernaining length Or -the recording sheet is so little as to warrant -the installment -Or a néw roll.
Figure 4 is explanatory Or a mode Or use Or the 1~ 37 the~ l tra1lsrer type record-l.r1g s~1eet l l'aid of'f I'[oln a supply rol:l lR on the roll shaft 2, the cont.i.nuol1s str~ of' recordi.ng sheet l travels in the arrow-rnarked direct:i.on over a guide roll ll -then between a thern1al head 5 al1c1 a backup roll 6, and then over another gui.de roll 7, to be wound up on a -takeup roll shart 8.
A sheet Or paper 9 to be recorded on the other hand, :Ls f'ed rrom a paper supply tray not shown ar1d placed against the recording sheet l. The subject copy is tl1errr~ lly recorded on t}1e paper 9 via the record:Lng s11eet 1 as t~iéy travel in contact with each other between the -thermal head 5 and khe backup ro:Ll 6.
The end mark 3 in the rorrn of' a ref:Lecti.ve strip w:Lll appear as shown i.n ~igure l when the recordlng sheet l draws near the end on the supply roll shaf't 2. As p:Lctured in Flgure 11, the end rnark 3 so revealed w:ill come opposi.te an :Lnrrared sensor cornprising a ligh-t source l0 and a photodetector ll. Emitted rrom the light source l0 tlle inrrared rays will impinge on the end marls 3 thereby to be reflected toward the photode-tector ll. Thus the infrared sensor detects the fact that the recording shee-t l i.s being used up. An alarm 12 is shown connected to the photode-tec-tor ll ror warning ~he approach Or the end Or the re~
cording sheet l upon detection Or the end mark 3.
As is clear from the f'oregoing the therrnal transf'er type recording sheet in accordance wi.th the inven-tion makes it possible to infallibly ascertain the approach Or its end on the supply roll shart when used with a con--ven-tional heat-sensi.tive recording device equipped with an infrared sensor. A new roll of recording sheet may be readily loaded in the recording device when the old roll :is used up.
It has been stated that -the end mark formed as taught by the invention is of constant thickness, with its entire surface ofrering an unvarying degree of reflec-tiv-ity. This reature gains the following advantage. ~rhe 1~3~337 ~ 12 --tllerlnal transrer recordi.ng sheet .i.n general unavo:i.clclh:Ly f'lutters during i.ts -~ravel from supply rol:l to tclkeup ro].:L, alld the heat-soluble ink layer Or tlle recording shect i.s not necessarily Or constant thickness. For these reasons the re~'lécted infrared rays inev:Ltably con-tain some no:i.se.
Some conventlonal therrnal transfer recording dev.Lces have been designed to detect the end mark ln the race of' some sucll noise contained in the rerlected light. T}lese Icnc~wn devices may fail -to detect an elld marls Or irrey,u:Lar ref'lec--tiv:i.ty because the inf'rared rays rerlected by SUCII all ClJd 3 Inark Inay include a noise componellt s:i.rn:Llar to thclt con-ta:Lned in the l:Lght reflected f'rorn -the other surf'ace of' t~le recording s}leet. It is thererore apparent -tlla-t the erld marls of' ullvarying thiclsness and reflectivi-ty in ~ccordance with the inventlon serves to elirninate such malf'unct.i.onir of'-the known recording devices.
~n apparatus for the manufacture Or the above therrnal transfer -type recordin~ sheet will now be described Wit]l rererence to Figures 5-11.
As will be seen rrom Figure 5, the apparatus broadly comprises a web supply section '14, a leader tape spl:icing section 15, a gravure end marlc printing secti.on 16, a slitting section.17, and a recording sheet wincling section 18.
The web fed rrom the supply section lll is equiva-lent in construction to the recording sheet 1, having -the base film la with a coating lb Or heat-soluble ink pre-rorrned on one side thereof, except that the end marls 3 is absent and that the web is two or more times w:ider, and many -tirnes longer, than each roll Or recording sl-eet 1 to be manuractured. Figure 5 shows that the web is sup~orted in the form Or a roll 20 on a roll suppor-t 21 of the web supply section 14. As indicated at S in the sarne figure~
: the web is guided by a series of guide rolls 23 f`rom the supply section 14 to the leader tape splicing section 15.
In thls splicing section 15 the web is transversely cut ~;~'3~33'7 :i.nto successi.ve lengths each egua:l to that Or each roll or' recording sheet to be manuractured, and tapes Or the same w.l.dth as -the web are spliced to the lead.ing and tra:i.ling ends Or each length Or the web S for the ease of subsequent handling. As desired however, the kape rnay be splic~ed only to the trailing end Or each severed length Or the web S.
Then, guided by another serles of' guide rolls 21l, the l~eb S i8 d:Lrected to the gravure printing sectioll 16, wllere a group Or end marks 3, each shown in ~:Lgures 1 and 2 are printed on each length Or thé web in ~u~tapos:Lt:l.on :Ln :i.ts transverse direct:Lon. The second end marks 3~, ~igure 3, may or may not be printed on the web at thi.s gravure printing section 16.
Following the printlng of the end marks 3, -to-gether with or without the second end marks 3A -the web S
travels on to the slitting section 17, where the broad web is longitudinally slit-ted into a plurality of narrower strips Or thermal transfer type recording sheet each con-s-tructed as in Figures 1 and 2. Then the individual strips of' recording sheet are wound into rolls 26 at the winding sec-tion 18.
The aroresaid series Or guide rolls 23 and 2ll and many other rolls provided subse~uen-tly constitute in com bination feed means ror continuously feeding the web through the apparatus.
The web supply section lLI and the leader tape spl.icing section 15 can be Or conventional or any sui.table construction and thus form no features of the invention.
Only the gravure printing section 16 and slitting section 17 of the illustrated apparatus will thererore be described in greater detail herea~'ter.
Figure 6 shows the details of the gravure print--ing section 16 on an enlarged scale. 'The gravure printing section 16 has a framework 29 having a gravure prin-ting unit 30 mounted therein. ~he web S is fed -to th.i.s printing unit 30 via the noted ser:ies Or guide rolls 2l~ and another ' ~.2~tl:337 gui(1e roll 3l. On the dowrJs-tLeam side Or the pri,nt:i.n~ unit 30 the ~eb S is direc-ted upwardly anc1 away f'roln the pr:int-ing section 16 via guide roll9 32, 331 34, 35 and 36-Fi~ure 7 is a de-tailed representation, or-l a st~Ll more enlarged scale, Or the printing un:Lt 30. It comprises a pla-te cyl:inder 37 , an irnpress:Lon cylinder 38 -thereovel, and an ink pan 39 underlying -the pla-te cylinder. 'I'he .ink pan 39 is shown -to contaln gravure prlnt:ing ink llo in w11lch the plate cylinder 37 ls partly dipped. It is understood th~t the plate cyllnder 37 has f`ormed there:Lr1 a m~llt:ipl:Lc-.tty Or gravure ink cells pat-terr1ed ko p~i.nt the des:i.red en(l rnarks on the web S. Provided on bo-th sides Or the pl.ate cyl:f.nder 37 are a pair Or doctor blade rnour1ts 42 eac:h supportlng a doctor blade 4l ror scraping an excess amollr1t Or ink Orr the surrace Or the plate cylinder 37. l'hese doctor blade mounts have each a doctor blade adjus-tment knob 1l3 to be manipula-ted f`or fine adjustrnent Or the asso-; ~ ciated doctor blade 4l w.ith respect to -the pla-te surf'ace Or the cylinder 37. Only either Or the two doctor blades 4l is actually used ror printing, as will be later e~plained in more detail.
As shown also in Figure 8, the irnpression cylin-der 38 is mounted rast on a shart which has .i-ts oppos:i.te ends rotatably supported by a pair Or bearing bloc}ss 1l5 ~5 which are capable Or sliding up and down along respective upstanding guide rails 46. Consequently, the irnpression cylinder 38 is i-tself also movable up and down with respect to the plate cylinder 37. For such vertical displacernent of` the irnpression cylinder 38 over a relatively long 30 stroke, a pair Or air cylinders Cl are mounted to a support 48 bridging the top ends Or the guide rails 46. The piston rods 50 depending from the air cylinders Cl are coupled to the respec-tive bearing blocks 45. The, air cylinders Cl are to be contracted, as at the time Or the change Or the plate 35 cylinder 37, ror raising the impression cylinder 38 to the position indicated at 38 ' in Figure 7.
~3 ~
Another pa:Lr Or air cylinders C2 hclve -t:ilei.r head ends pi.n-jointed at 52 to -the guicle ra.i.ls ll6. Ille clel)end~
:ing p:lston rod 53 Or each a:Lr cylinder C2 is al80 pirlned at 5ll to one end of a lever 55. Medially pivoted on 1 fixed pi.n 56, each lever 55 rotatably carries a roller 57 on its other end. The rollers 57 on the pair of levers 55 rnake rolling engagement with the undersides Or the re~pect:Lve bearing blocks ll5 Accordi.ngly, upon ex-tens:Loll of` t}-le cylinders C2, the levers 55 will pivot in a cloc~sw:Lse dlrection, as viewed in Figure 7, -thereby l:Lfting the bear:l.ng blocks 1~5 and impression cylinder 38 away rrolrl the plate cylinder 37.
As is conven-t:Lonal Wit}l usual gr~vure pr.intirlg pres6es, the web S is threaded over the guide roll 31, then betwcen plate cylinder 37 and impression cylinder 38, and thell under the guide roll 32 to be directed upwardly.
Figure 8 indicates tha-t an appropri.ate dr.i.ve mechanism M is coupled to the plate cylinder 37 for impar!--ing ro-tation thereto. For prin-ting, not only mus-t the plate cylinder 37 be rotated, and the web S fed to the printing uni-t 30, but also the impression cylinder 38 must be lowered to engage the web between itself and the p:late cylinder 37. Thus the pair Or air cylirlders C2 may be contracted ror lowering the impression cylinder 38 alld hence ror setting the printing unit 30 into opera-tion as required.
With rererence back to Figure 6 a prin-ting drier 60 is provided adjacent the upward path Or the web S rrorn the printing unit 30. The drier 60 is provided with a fan 61 mounted atop the framework 2g, an air heater 62, and a duct 63 ror conveying to the drier 60 the stream of air tha-t has been created by the fan 61 and subsequently heated by the heater 62.
The detailed construction Or the printing drier 60 will become apparent rrom a study Or Figures 9 and 10.
Extending ~rom the air heater 62, the duct 63 terminates in 3~;~3 a boxllke outlet enclosure 66 having a plura].:Lty of' a:ir out].et s].ots 65 cut in its rront f~ace direc-ted towa~-d t!lc web S. Each ex-tending along the path Or the web S -t~le outlet slots 65 are equal in number to the individual 9 trips Or recording sheet 1 into which'the web S is to bc sli-tted subsequently. Disposed within the outlet enc:Losure 66 alld just interior:Ly of' the outlet slots 65 are shutters 67 pivotal:Ly suppoted by respective rotatable sharts 68.
These sharts are each coupled to one end of a link 69 ~he other end of` which is pivo-ted at 71 -to a commoll actucltillg bar '70. ~n ups-tanding air cyl-lnder C3 has its p:i.s tOIl rod 72 coupled to -the actuating bar 70. There~ore as thc actuating bar 70 is raised rrom its Figure 10 positiol-l by the air cylinder C3 the shutters 67 wi.ll close -the outlet slots 65. The heated air will issue f'rom the outlet slots 65 only when the cylinder C3 is extended to open the shut-ters 67. The ou-tlet slots 65 are disposed respectively along the paths Or the end marks that have been pr:inted on the web S in side by side relation in its -transeverse direct:ion by the printing unit 30 for drying the end rnarlss irnmediately after their printing.
. Arter having the end marks printed thereon and subsequently dried in -the prin-ti.ng section 16 the web ~ :is directed by gui.de rolls 75 into the slitting sect:ion 17.
Being itselr Or known construction ~he siitt:i.ng sect:ion 1'l will be described briefly. 'f'he web S travels from tlle guide rolls 75 to additional guide rolls 76 and 77 and then to a master roll '78. Then as illustra-ted on an enlarged scale in Figure 11 the web S passes over a guide roll 79 on to a pair of slitter rolls 80a and 80b. The slitter roll 80a rotates about a rixed axis whereas the other slitter roll 80b is rotatably mounted to an arm 81 pivo-t-able about an pin or shaft 82. The fixed-axis slitter roll 80a ror example is conventionally provided with annular sli.tting blades. The strips Or recording shee-t created by slitting the web S are directed away from the slitting ,, . . .. ~ . . .. ... ... . ~, ~ . .
~9~3;~7 l7 sect:Loll 17 via e:Lther Or two dividing rolls ~3a and 83b to be wound into the rolls 26 Or the recording slleet willd:Lng section 18.
As seen in both Figures 5 and 11 -the rnaster rol1.
78 is provided Wit}l a revolution sensor clrcuit 90 for sensing each revolution Or the master roll and .i.n corlse quence the length Or the printed weh S that has been fed.
lhe sensor circuit 90 is rurther constructed to count the pulses representative of the revol~ltions Or the rrlclYter roll 7~. When the pulses are counted up to a preset nulnber i.ndicative Or a desired posi.ti.on on the web S where tl-le prilltillg Or the end marks are -to be started the pai.r o~
ai.r cylin(lers C2 are contracted thereby perrni.tt:Lng -the impression cylinder 3~ which has been lifted away rrom tlle plate cyli.nder 37 to be lowered to engage the web S be-tween plate cylinder arld impression cylinder. The printing of the end marks is now started on the web S.
The revolution sensor circuit 90 carl also detect the ~act that each group of printed end marks have been ~ed to -the drier 60 whereupon the air cylinder C3 will be extended to open the shu-tters 67 and so -to permit the drier to appl~ the heated air through the ou-tlet slots 65 -to the end marks. The application of` the heated air will be ins-talltly suspended when the group of end marlcs travels past the outlet slots 65 as then the air cylinder C3 will be contracted under the control Or the revolution sensor circuit 90. ~s indicated in Figure 10 the shu-tters 67 may be opened when the leading ends Or each group Or end marks come to a position spaced a preassigned distance X upstream f`rom the outlet slots 65 and ma~ be closed when the -trail-ing ends Or the end marks reach a position spaced a preas-signed distance Y downstream rrom the outlet slots both under -the control Or the revolution sensor circuit 90.
In the operation Or the apparatus construc-ted as in the forego:ing the broad web S that has been unwound rrorn its roll 20 is cut into the re~uired lengths and ~l~9~L33~
leader tapes are spliced to the:ir ends irl the spli.cing .sect:i.on 15. Thell in the gravure printing sectiorl 16 a group Or end marks are printed in prescribed posi.t.i.on.s on each length Or the web S by the print:ing unit 30 ancl only the end marlcs are dried by the drier 60 without adverscly arrecting -the other part Or the web. Then, i.n the slitking section 17 each leng.th Or the printed web is sl:Ltted long:Ltudinal:Ly into a plurallty of therlllal transrel type recording stri.ps of the required w:Ldth. lhese str:l.ps are then wourld i.nto the rolls 26. Fach rol:L has a leader tape ~o:lned to its outer end.
As has been set forth in connection wi.th ~i.gure 2, the end marls 3 rnay be rormed e:Lther direc-tly Oll or-c s:i.de ol` the base f.illn la or Oll the heat~soluble irlk layer lb on the other side Or the base rilm. The end rnarlcs Inay be printed on e:L-ther side of the web S depending upon whether -the web is threaded along the path indicated by the solid l:ine in Figure 6 or as represented by -the phantom li.ne designated S' in the same figure, over successive addi.tio al guide rolls 92 93 and 94, -then over the noted gulde roll 32 then be-tween plate cylinder 37 and impression cylinder 38 and then over the guide roll 31. Tlle dr:ier 60 may be held out of operatlon when the web is tl~readed along the alternat:Lve path S'; instead, another similar dr:i.er 60' may be used ror drying the printed end marks on the web S.
Although the invention has been described hereln-be~ore in terms Or sorne preferable embodiments thereor. it is understood that various modifications may be rnade in SUCII embodiments without departing rrom the scope of the invention For exarnple, an infrared heater or heaters or other types Or heat radiators may be employed ror drying the printed end marks on the web. Such driers or heaters may rurther be adapted to dry only those parts of the end marks which need immediate drying. Still further -the temperatures Or -the heated airstreams issuing froln the outlet slots may be individually controlled ror each slot.
1~9~L3;~7 As reclu:i.red, moreover, the heater 62 may be erlergi.z,c(l at a preset moment preceding the commencemerlt Or prillti.ng, i.ll order that surrici.ent heat energy may be availablc at the time Or dry:ing.
~s an additional possible.rnod:i.f:i.cation, the plate cylinder rnay be heated during the printing Or the end marks for the hJ.gher quality of the printings. It :Ls a].sc~ urlder-stood that the drier or driers will be unnece6sary :i.r the ink contains no convent:Lollal solvent but i8 cc~lnE)03e(l Or a p:Lglllerlt and a binder.
Among the advantages gained by the apparatus ror the rnanuf'acture of' the -therrnal transrer type recorcl:illg sheet :in accordarlce witll the :lnvention is the ract tllclt .i.t can ef'rectuate both the pri.nti.ng Or the end mark~ and, sut)stalltially concurrently therewith, the sli.tting of' the web in-to the :ind:Lvidual s-trips Or recording slleet. The recording sheet with the end marks thereon can thus be manuractured rnore efriciently than by the convent:ional pract`ice Or forming of`f-line the end marks on the web. As a further advantage, even if wrinkles or other derects develop during sli-t-ting, only the defective parts of` the sheet may be removed thereby minimizing the was-te Or tl~e sheet materials.
Claims (16)
1. A thermal transfer type recording sheet in the form of a continuous strip to be rolled up on a roll shaft comprising a base film with a heat-soluble ink layer formed on either side thereof and an end mark formed in a preassigned position on either side of the recording sheet adjacent one end thereof so as to be optically detected for warning the user of the fact that the recording sheet is being used up, the end mark being in the form of a light-reflective layer produced by gravure printing.
2. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base film is of a plastic.
3. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 2 further comprising an anti-sticking layer formed on that side of the recording sheet which is to come into contact with a thermal head in use.
4. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base film is of condenser paper.
5. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base film is of paraffin paper.
6. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light-reflective layer is formed from silver-colored material.
7. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 6 wherein the silver-colored material contains aluminum in finely divided form.
8. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end mark is in the form of a strip of a predetermined length extending along one of the longitudinal edges of the recording sheet.
9. A thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 8, wherein the recording sheet has a second end mark in the form of a series of relatively short strips of light-reflective layer extending along one of the longitudinal edges of the recording sheet and spaced from the first recited end mark in a direction away from said one end of the recording sheet, the second end mark being also formed by gravure printing.
10. An apparatus for the manufacture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet, comprising web supply means for supplying a continuous web of base film having a heat-soluble ink layer formed on one side thereof, feed means for continuously feeding the web along a pre-defined path from the web supply means, gravure printing means for forming a group of end marks by gravure printing on either side of the web being fed along the predefined path, each group of end marks being spaced from each other in a direction at right angles with the direction in which the web is fed, actuating means for actuating the gravure printing means for causing the same to print the end marks only in preassigned regions of the web in its longitudinal direction, and slitting means for longitudinally slitting the web into a plurality of narrower strips or recording sheet having the end marks printed respectively thereon.
11. An apparatus for the manufacture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 10, further comprising drier means disposed down-stream of the gravure printing means with respect to the traveling direction of the web for applying drying action only to the end marks printed on the web during the passage of the end marks past the drier means.
12. An apparatus for the manuracture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 10, further comprising winding means for rolling up the strips of recording sheet on roll shafts.
13. An apparatus for the manufacture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 10, wherein the gravure printing means comprises an impression cylinder, a plate cylinder, drive means for imparting rotation to the plate cylinder, impression cylin-der displacing means for moving the impression cylinder into and out of engagement with the plate cylinder via the web, and means for supplying ink to the plate cylinder.
14. An apparatus for the manufacture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the actuating means comprises sensor means for sensing the length of the web being fed, and means responsive to the sensor means for causing the im-pression cylinder displacing means to move the impression cylinder against the plate cylinder via the web in order to print the end marks on the web when a predetermind length of the web is red.
15. An apparatus for the manufacture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 14, wherein the drier means has outlet slots for applying streams of heated air to the respective end marks on the web,
16. An apparatus for the manufacture of strips of thermal transfer type recording sheet as claimed in claim 15, wherein the drier means comprises shutter means for opening and closing the outlet slots, and means respon-sive to the sensor means for causing the shutter means to hold open the outlet slots for the application of the heated streams of air to the end marks from the moment the printed end marks on the web reach a prescribed position upstream of the outlet slots to the moment the end marks reach another prescribed position downstream of the outlet slots.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62239939A JP2640233B2 (en) | 1987-09-26 | 1987-09-26 | Slitter machine |
| JP239939/1987 | 1987-09-26 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1291337C true CA1291337C (en) | 1991-10-29 |
Family
ID=17052067
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000566694A Expired - Lifetime CA1291337C (en) | 1987-09-26 | 1988-05-13 | Thermal transfer type recording sheet and apparatus for making the same |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP2640233B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1291337C (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN108556061A (en) * | 2018-06-25 | 2018-09-21 | 衡东县中湖包装有限公司 | A kind of cutting membrane knife and its expansion structure |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP5703658B2 (en) * | 2010-09-27 | 2015-04-22 | 大日本印刷株式会社 | Supply air fan speed control system, supply air fan speed control method, gravure printing machine |
| JP2015066871A (en) * | 2013-09-30 | 2015-04-13 | 大日本印刷株式会社 | Drying control system, drying control method and dryer |
| CN107225851A (en) * | 2017-07-26 | 2017-10-03 | 湖州佳宁印刷有限公司 | The printing press body of collection one is dried in a kind of rotary printing |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS5363109A (en) * | 1976-11-16 | 1978-06-06 | Yanagisawa Tekkosho Kk | Small gravure rotary press |
| JPS61145848A (en) * | 1984-12-20 | 1986-07-03 | Toshiba Corp | Marking apparatus |
-
1987
- 1987-09-26 JP JP62239939A patent/JP2640233B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1988
- 1988-05-13 CA CA000566694A patent/CA1291337C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN108556061A (en) * | 2018-06-25 | 2018-09-21 | 衡东县中湖包装有限公司 | A kind of cutting membrane knife and its expansion structure |
| CN108556061B (en) * | 2018-06-25 | 2024-04-16 | 固镇县江泰塑业股份有限公司 | Film cutting knife and expansion structure thereof |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JP2640233B2 (en) | 1997-08-13 |
| JPS6482951A (en) | 1989-03-28 |
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