FR2528765A1 - Cassette device for transferring dry transfers onto a surface - has film driven from one roll to another and has coding above each symbol on tape for automatic operation - Google Patents

Abstract

The cassette has two linked roll chambers each containing a rotating roll onto which opposite ends of the film are wound. A horizontal tunnel links the two roll-chambers and provides a passage for the film from one roll to the other, past a window of larger dimensions than the largest symbol on the tape. The cassette fits into a carrier and drive motor shafts fit into the hub of the rolls. A print hammer rests behind the cassette window, facing an anvil for the paper onto which the dry transfer is to be placed. The film has optical or magnetic coding over each symbol, allowing automatic positioning of the ribbon and automatic actuation of the hammer.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for the dry transfer of symbols or letters from a donor material to a receiver material.

 Various processes of this type are known in which the signs are transferred from a donor material or complex to a recipient material or complex under the action of purely mechanical friction, under the action of heat or under action of infrared or ultra-violet radiation.

 However, in all these cases, the donor complex carrying the signs to be transferred and the receptor complex are in the form of sheets intended to be placed one above the other and to be positioned one with respect to the other. 'other in order to be able to transfer a predetermined sign of the donor complex to a predetermined location of the receptor complex. Handling the two sheets is difficult and time-consuming and the positioning accuracy very low.

 To overcome these drawbacks, guide systems have already been proposed for the relative positioning of the two donor and receiver sheets. However, these known systems do not make it possible to avoid manual manipulation of the sheets, which constitutes a long work giving in all cases a very imprecise result.

 In addition, the known systems and devices absolutely do not allow automation of the positioning of the two complexes or of all of the transfer operations.

 The object of the present invention is to design a device making it possible to remedy said drawbacks of known systems and with which it is possible to achieve rapid and high-precision positioning of the donor complex with respect to the receptor complex.

 In addition, the object of the invention is to design a device allowing the automation of the positioning and transfer operations so that the whole of a series of signs previously recorded in a memory can be transferred without any intervention. manual.

 The device according to the invention comprises a cassette comprising two housings each containing a rotating reel on which is wound a film for infant donor material carrying the signs or symbols to be transferred, said reel housings being connected together by a horizontal tunnel for the passage of said film from one good to another and which has in a intermediate part a window whose dimensions are greater than or equal to those of the individual signs to be transferred, a housing having a housing intended to receive said cassette, means for retaining said cassette in this housing, drive motors for controlling the reels of the cassette when the latter is disposed in said housing, a transfer member mounted to move between an upper rest position and a lower transfer position in which it is applied at the level of said window on the film of donor material, control means for controlling the starting in one or the other direction of rotation and stopping said motors and for controlling the raising and lowering of said transfer member when said motors are stopped, a table intended to receive the material receiver and which includes guides for said housing making it possible to position the latter and, thereby, the window of the cassette tunnel with respect to said receiving equipment.

 The use of said cassette allows rapid selection of the sign to be transferred by switching on one or the other of the drive motors. When the sign is positioned opposite the window of the cassette tunnel, the donor strip or film is immobilized. Then, the positioning means make it possible to bring the transfer device with the cassette to a predetermined position relative to the receiving material placed below the transfer device. When this positioning is ensured, the transfer member is brought into its lower position on the donor film at the level of the window of the cassette tunnel and on the sign to be transferred, and at the same time it applies the filler film to the receiving sheet. Now the transfer member is actuated to cause the transfer of the sign from the donor film to the receiving sheet. Then, the transfer member is returned to its upper rest position and the device is ready for a new cycle of sign selection, positioning and transfer.

 The device thus allows rapid and high-precision selection, positioning and transfer operations. Thanks to the structure of the device according to the invention, various operations lend themselves easily to semi-automatic or automatic control.

 Depending on the transfer material, donor complex and receiver complex, used, the transfer member may be constituted by a pad subjected to mechanical vibrations (friction transfer), a body provided with heating means (heat transfer), a a source of infrared radiation (heat transfer) or a source of ultraviolet radiation (transfer by this radiation).

 In these different cases, the device according to the invention comprises means for supplying these organs suitably and for actuating them when they are brought into their lower position in which they are applied to the donor film and bring the latter in close contact with the receiving equipment.

 According to an advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, said transfer member is mounted on the upper end of a lever mounted to pivot by its lower part around a horizontal pivot, elastic return means being provided to maintain said lever in an upper rest position.

 In a semi-automatic variant, the pivot of said lever extends outside the housing and includes a lever for controlling the manual lowering of the lever 1 into its lower operating position.

 On the other hand, according to a fully automatic variant, said pivot of the lever carries a cam cooperating with another cam wedged on the shaft of a control motor which, when it is switched on, controls the lowering of said lever.

 In this latter variant, said lever compotes in the vicinity of the transfer member a limit switch which is actuated when the lever arrives in its lower operating position and which, when the components are stopped, controls a relay inserted in the supply circuit of said transfer member.

 This ensures the starting of the transfer member when it extends in its lower operating position and when the two drive motors of the cassette are stopped, that is to say the operation for selecting the sign t to transfer is determined. This avoids any accidental transfer which could be caused by a lowering of said arm before the end of the selection operation.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, said film of donor material comprises, opposite each sign to be transferred, a code identifying the corresponding sign, the box comprising, opposite the window of the cassette, a code reader, the output is connected to an input of a comparator, the other input of which is connected to the output of a memory supplied by a programming device, the outputs of the comparator controlling the supply circuits, of motors driving the coils of said cassette .

 This resulted in fully automatic operation of the selection and transfer operations. In addition, a whole series of signs can be recorded in advance to be transferred one after the other and these operations will then be carried out automatically by the device according to the invention.

 The codes provided for each sign on the donor film may consist of optical magnetic codes or the like.

 According to a first variant according to the invention, said codes provided on the film are optical codes and said comparator is also connected to an auxiliary memory recording the codes corresponding to signs already transferred and one output of which is connected to a complementary input of said comparator.

 According to another variant, said codes provided on the film are magnetic codes and said reader comprises erasing means for erasing, after each transfer operation, the code corresponding to the sign transferred.

 According to another preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, said table comprises above its surface intended to receive said sheet of receiving material, at least two guides extending in orthogonal directions in the same horizontal plane, l one of said guides carrying a carriage supporting the housing with the cassette which is movable along this guide, the last said guide being mounted movable along the other guide, motors with step-by-step movement being provided for controlling by worm transmissions the movement of the carriage relative to the guide and the movement of the latter relative to the other guide.

 This structure allows rapid and precise positioning of the transfer device with respect to a sheet of receiving material fixed on said table in a predetermined position.

 In this case, the device according to the invention preferably comprises a shaping circuit receiving the pulses produced by the motors at each advance step and the output of which is connected to a comparator, the other input of which is connected to a memory supplied by a positioning programming device, the comparator outputs controlling the motor control circuits.

 The three operations of selection, positioning and transfer can thus be carried out in a fully automatic manner and using an input memory of sufficient capacity, the device can automatically compose for example a complete text on the sheet of material. receiver. For such an application, the programming device can comprise a typewriter keyboard followed by a suitable coder. The positioning will be programmed on another keyboard.

Other embodiments and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of nonlimiting examples several embodiments of the device according to the invention. On these drawings
FIG. i is a schematic front elevation view of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention comprising manual transfer control means,
- - Figure 2 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 1 after removal of the upper cover thereof,
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view along line 111-111 of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cassette used in the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3,
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the cassette shown in FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is a diagram of the electrical connections showing essel, and partially the control of the motors Mi and M2 and of the radiation source of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3,
FIG. 7 is a schematic view and a block diagram showing an embodiment of the means for the selection and the automatic identification of the signs to be transferred in the device according to the invention,
- Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of a work table supporting receiving equipment and control means for moving a device according to the invention (fig. 1 to 3) along two orthogonal axes in the same horizontal plane relative to audit of receiving equipment.

 The embodiment of the device according to the invention shown and described here is in particular intended for the implementation of a transfer material of the type comprising a donor complex consisting of an inert support, provided with a color-forming layer with a chromogenic material and a receptor complex consisting of an inert support provided with a layer of a color developer and in which the chromogenic material is a material of the benzo-indolino-spyropyran group emitting electrons and the developer comprises a electron acceptor phenol compound characterized in that said color-forming layer is deposited in the form of signs or systoles intended to be transferred and is covered with a degradable barrier layer under the action of ultra violet radiation d '' a predetermined wavelength, a release layer sensitive to said ultraviolet radiation being interposed between said color-forming layer and the support of said donor complex r and, at least one of said support being transparent to said ultraviolet radiation.

 Such transfer equipment is described in the French patent application No. 81 07333 filed on April 13, 1981 in the name of the applicant and having as title: "Transfer equipment by ultraviolet radiation and method and device for the implementation of this material. "

 The device according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises a box bearing the general reference 1 and which consists of a lower base frame 2 and an upper cover element 3. The frame 1 comprises a horizontal bottom 4 and a front vertical mounting wall 5 carrying support and entrainment means for a cassette 6 described in detail below. The wall 5 is provided with two ribs 7,8 for guiding the cassette and in the vicinity of its ends lateral of two locking levers 9, 10 pivotally mounted around the vertical pivots 11,12 and which have at their free end, a folded part 13,14 intended to be engaged elastically on the outer vertical wall of the cassette 6 to hold said cassette te 6 dals its correct operating position in relation to housing 1.

 The cassette 6 according to the invention and shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a housing having two substantially cylindrical parts 6 ′, 6 "connected to each other by a horizontal tunnel 6A extending substantially in tangential direction from the lower parts 6 ', 6' 'parts.

In each cylindrical part 6 ′, 6 ″ is mounted in a rotary manner a coil B1, B2 for the unwinding of a donor material of the type described above and which is in the form of a film F which can be unwound , as seen in Figure 1 for example from the coil B1 through the tunnel 6A to enter wound on the coil B2 or vice versa.

 As seen in Figures 1 to 3, the housing 1 carries on its front wall 5 two control motors M1, M2 whose Nile shafts, M12 pass through this wall to be engaged in the hubs of the coils Bi, B2 of the cassette 6 The motors M1, M2 are direct current motors and their direction of rotation can be reversed as shown in Figure 8. In T1 and T2 are shown switches for controlling the start and stop of the motors M1, N2 and thus the direction of travel and the stop of the film F carrying the signs to be transferred.

 Opposite the location of the window 6B of the tunnel 6A of the cassette 6 the housing 1 comprises a lever 13 pivotally mounted by its lower end on a shaft 14 supported by bearings 15 and 16 fixed to the bottom of the housing 1.

The lever 13 carries at its upper end a transfer member 17 constituted in the embodiment shown here by a source of ultraviolet radiation provided with a shutter 18 known per se and not described in detail here.

The lever 13 is held in its upper rest position (Figure 3) by elastic return means comprising a cable 19 fixed to the upper end of the lever 13 and which is guided by a roller 19. The other end of the table 19 is connected by means of a spring 21 to the bottom of the housing 1. The shaft 14 extends outside the housing 1 and carries a lever or an actuation handle 20 making it possible to bring the lever 13 into its lower operating position in which the transfer member 17, 18 is located directly above the window 6B of the tunnel 6A of the cassette 6 to produce the transfer of the sign located opposite this window.

 The device further comprises a counter C, a control lamp LC and one indicating the relative position of the coils B1, B2 of the cassette 6 and the other the on or off state of the device.

 To obtain automatic operation of the device according to the invention, the manual control lever 20 can be replaced by motorized control means, for example by a cam 21 wedged on the shaft 14 and which cooperates with another cam 22 wedged on the shaft 23 of a control motor 24 as shown very diagrammatically in FIG. 2.

 In this case, all of the selection and transfer operations can be controlled by a sequential control logic circuit. Such circuits are known and only certain aspects specific to their application to the device according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

Figure 6 shows a simplified ravière the power supply and control circuit of the motors Mi and M2 for driving the coils B1, B2 of the cassette 6. It includes a power transformer 29 connected to a current source AC 30 for example the sector and whose secondary provides a low voltage current. This secondary current is rectified by a diode bridge 31 and the direct current obtained is applied to the motors M1 and M2. In the motor supply circuit Mi, a contact 32 and a relay RI are mounted in series, the pair of contacts 33 of which is connected in series with the solenoid 34. The contacts 32 are actuated by a solenoid 35 mounted in parallel with the motor. M2. Similarly, in the motor supply circuit M2 are mounted a pair of contacts 36 and a relay R2 comprising in series a pair of contacts 37 and a solenoid 38. The contacts 36 are controlled by a solenoid 39 mounted in parallel with the M1 engine. In this way, the starting of one of the motors Ml, M2 by one of the relays Ri,
R2 respectively automatically cuts off the other motor. In addition, the motors Mi, M2 each comprise a starting resistor 40, 41 mounted in parallel with the motor and which are cut by contacts 42, 43 and 44, 45 controlled by the solenoids 39 and 34 respectively. 41 are thus cut immediately after starting the corresponding motor M1 or M2.

 In the same low voltage circuit is mounted the solenoid 46 controlling a contact 47 inserted in the power supply of the radiation source 48; the solenoid 46 is switched on by a limit switch 49 actuated by the lever carrying the source 48 when the latter arrives in its low transfer position.

 In Figure 7 is shown schematically an embodiment of an automatic tracking device known per se used in the device according to the invention to automatically select the letters to be transferred.

Here we see a receiving sheet 50 arranged below a strip 51 carrying the letters to be transferred 52. Next to each letter 52, is provided on the strip 51 an optical code 53 identifying each letter or sign. Above the strip is arranged a code reader 54 preferably fixed directly on the housing 55 of the radiation source of the device according to the invention. Between the reader 54 and the strip 51, there is provided a shutter 56 having a peripheral notch 57 releasing only the part of the strip carrying the codes.

 When the strip Si scrolls in front of the reader 54, the latter reads the codes 53 and compares them progressively with a code displayed in a comparator 58 and when the code read and the code displayed are identical, said comparator controls the stop of the strip 51 and automatic actuation of the radiation source 55 for the transfer of the sign thus selected. Electronic means used for such operation are known. Their application to the device according to the invention is within the reach of those skilled in the art and they are therefore not described or shown here. We have simply shown here in the form of a block diagram the essential logic circuits of a possible embodiment of such electronic means.

 These means comprise, as shown in FIG. 7, a selection or programming device 59 making it possible to control the transfer of a predetermined series of signs to be transferred. The output of the programmer 59 is connected to a memory 60 storing information received to send it one after the other to said comparator 58. The outputs of the comparator are connected to a control circuit 61 of the motors M1, M2 for driving the coils of the cassette 6 and to a control circuit 62 actuating the radiation source after stopping the NI engine (s), M2. To avoid triggering the transfer process when the reader 56 detects a code 53 placed opposite a sign 52 already transferred, said comparator 58 is also connected to an auxiliary memory 63 which records each transfer operation and compares each detected code with those corresponding to the signs already transferred. Only when these two pieces of information are different, it sends a signal to the comparator 58 to unblock the outputs of the latter. The information contained in the memory 63 can advantageously be written on an interchangeable magnetic card which thus contains the state of the cassette. Each cassette is thus accompanied by its individual magnetic card.

 When the strip 51 includes magnetic or similar codes which can be erased after each transfer, it is no longer necessary to use said auxiliary memory 63.

 FIG. 8 shows a table 64 presenting a surface 65 intended to receive a sheet of receiving material 66 complementary to the donor material constituted by the film F. Above table 64 are arranged a pair of transverse guides 67, 67 ′ and a pair of longitudinal guides 68, 68 'which are integral with one another. On the guides 68, 68 'is mounted a mobile carriage 69 carrying the housing 1 of the transfer device according to the invention.

 Guides 67, 67 'consist of endless screws 71, 72 passing through tubular parts 73, 74 connecting together the free ends of longitudinal guides 68, 68'. In the tubular parts 73 and 74, there are provided threaded rings 75, 75 'and 76, 76' respectively cooperating with the screws 73, 74. One of the ends of the screws 73, 74 is supported in a bearing 78, 79 while the other is connected to the shaft of a control motor M3, M4 which is of the type turning step by step; the two motors M3 and M4 working in synchronism so that when they are switched on, they control a step-by-step movement of all of the guides 68, 68 'along the guides 67, 67' and thus a movement in directions E or E 'of the carriage 69 with the transfer device 1.

 Similarly, the guide 68 'consists of an endless screw 80 cooperating with a threaded collar 81 of the carriage 69. One end of the screw 80 is connected to the shaft of a control motor M5 not operating -in step. When the screw 80 is driven by the motor M5 in one direction or the other, it controls a movement of the carriage 69 in directions G or G '. The guide 68 is a smooth guide and cooperates with a smooth ring 82 of the carriage 69. The references 77 designate bellows protecting the end parts of the screws 73, 74.

 Thanks to this structure, the carriage 69 and the transfer device 1 can be brought into any position relative to the sheet of receiving material 66.

 The step-by-step operation of the motors M3, M4 and M5 makes it possible to generate pulses indicating at all times the relative position of the carriage.

After shaping or coding these implusions in a circuit 83, they can be applied in a known manner to a comparator 84 whose other input is connected to the output of a memory 85 supplied by a programming device positioning 86. The comparator 84 outputs control the control circuits 87, 88 of the motors M3, M4 and M5.

 such positioning control is known per se and is therefore not described in detail here.

 In combination with the selection and the automatic transfer shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7, a transfer device is thus obtained in which the positioning, selection and transfer operations can be carried out automatically according to a predetermined program.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown here, but many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

 1. Device for the dry transfer of signs or symbols from a donor material onto a receiver material, characterized in that it comprises a cassette comprising two housings (6 ′, 6 ") each containing a rotating coil tBl, B2) on which is wound a film (F) forming the donor material carrying the signs or symbols to be transferred, said reel housings (B1, B2) being interconnected by a horizontal tunnel (6A) for the passage of said film (F1) from one reel to the other and which has in a intermediate part a window (6B) whose dimensions are greater than or equal to those of the individual signs to be transferred, a case (1) having a housing intended to receive said cassette (6), means (7, 8, 9, 10) for retaining said cassette (6) in this housing, drive motors (M1, M2) for controlling the coils (B1, B2) of the cassette (6) when the latter is disposed in said housing, a transfer member (17, 18) mounted mob between an upper rest position and a lower transfer position in which it is applied at the level of said window (6B) on the film of donor material (F), control means for controlling the switching on in one or the other direction of rotation and stopping of said motors and for controlling the raising and lowering of said transfer member (17, 18) when said motors (M1, M2) are stopped, a table (64) intended to receive the receiving material and which includes guides for said box (1) making it possible to position the latter and through the window (6B) of the tunnel (6A) of the cassette (6) relative to said receiving material.  2. Device according to claim i, characterized in that said transfer member (17, 18) is mounted on the upper end of a lever (13) pivotally mounted by its lower part around a horizontal pivot (14) elastic return means (19, 21) being provided to maintain said lever (13) in an upper rest position.  3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the pivot (14) of said lever (13) extends outside the housing (1) and comprises a lever (20) for controlling the manual lowering of the lever ( 13) in its lower service position.  4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said pivot (14) of the lever (13) carries a cam (21) cooperating with another cam (22) wedged on the shaft (23) of a control motor (24) which, when switched on, controls the lowering of said lever.  S. Device according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said lever (13) comprises, near the transfer member (17, 18), a limit switch (L) which is actuated when the lever (13) arrives in its lower operating position and which, when the motors (Ml, ~ M2) are stopped, controls a relay (46, 47) inserted in the supply circuit of said transfer member ( 13, 48).  6. Device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4 and 5, characterized in that said film of donor material (F, 51) comprises opposite each sign to be transferred (51) a code (53) identifying the corresponding sign, the box (1) comprising, opposite the window (6B) of the cassette (6), a code reader (54), the output of which is connected to an input of a comparator (58), the other input of which is connected to the output of a memory (60) supplied by a programming device (59), the outputs of the comparator controlling the supply circuits (62, 61), motors (M1, ton2) driving the coils (Bi , B2) of said cassette (6).  7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said codes (53) provided on the film (F) are optical codes and said comparator (58) is further connected to an auxiliary memory (63) recording the codes corresponding to å signs already transferred and an output of which is connected to a complementary input of said comparator (68).  8. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said codes (53) provided on the film (F) are magnetic codes and said reader (54) comprises erasing means for erasing after each transfer operation the code ( 53) corresponding to the transferred sign (52).  9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said table (64) comprises above its surface intended to receive said sheet of receiving material (66) at least two guides (67, 68) s 'extending in orthogonal directions in the same horizontal plane, one of said guides (68) carrying a carriage (69) supporting the housing (1) with the cassette (6) which is movable along this guide (68), the last said guide (68) being mounted movable along the other guide (67), motors (M3, M4) with step-by-step movement being provided for control by worm transmissions (71) moving the guides (68,68 ') relative to the other guides (67,67') a motor (M5) being provided to move the carriage (69) relative to the guides (68,68 ').  10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a shaping circuit (83) receiving the pulses produced by the motors (M3, M4, M5) at each step in advance and whose output is connected to a comparator (84), the other input of which is connected to a memory (85) supplied by a positioning programming device (86), the outputs of the comparator (84) controlling the control circuits (87, 88) of the motors (M3, M4, M5).