JP2001063113A - Thermal head and recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal head and a recorder having the thermal head mounted thereon capable of preventing protruding of an adhesive for adhering a tape member to the thermal head and achieving stable running of an ink ribbon. SOLUTION: In this thermal head 11, a region in a face 11c opposing to a platen of this recorder except a heating section 11a is covered with a tape member S. A part of the tape member S except an end section at a downstream side in a conveyance direction of an ink ribbon is adhered to the face 11c opposing to the platen by an adhesive member.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal head and a recording apparatus, and more particularly, to a thermal head and a recording apparatus capable of ensuring stable running of an ink ribbon with respect to the thermal head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a first case in which an ink ribbon is wound and stored between two reels and a second case in which a print medium is stored.
A recording apparatus capable of mounting a cartridge having a case has been proposed.

This recording apparatus is provided with a cartridge mounting portion for mounting the cartridge, a paper feed roller for transporting a print medium stored in a second case of the cartridge, and a downstream side in a transport direction of the print medium. A thermal head, a platen roller that elastically presses the print medium and the ink ribbon when the thermal head goes down, and a print medium that is sent downstream by the paper feed roller and further downstream. Paper feed roller and pressure contact roller for transporting to the side.

[0004] When a cartridge is mounted on the printing apparatus, the paper feed roller presses against the surface of the printing medium housed in the second case. The paper roller rotates to feed the print medium to the recording unit provided with the thermal head in the downstream direction in the transport path.

In this recording unit, the fed print medium is sandwiched between a paper feed roller and a pressure roller, and the thermal head is moved down to press the ink ribbon and the print medium against the platen roller. At this time, the ink ribbon is transported and supplied to the thermal head side, and the print medium is transported and supplied to the platen roller side.

Then, the heat generating portion of the thermal head is heated to transfer the ink of the ink ribbon to a print medium, rotate the paper feed roller, wind the ink ribbon on a take-up reel, and perform desired printing on the print medium. Can be applied.

By the way, the surface of the thermal head facing the platen roller (hereinafter referred to as the platen roller facing surface) is in contact with the ink ribbon to be wound and supplied. It is desirable that the platen roller facing surface is as smooth as possible.

Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 5, a heat-generating portion formed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the ink ribbon interposed between the platen roller and the platen roller facing surface 11c of the thermal head 11, as shown in FIG. The tape member S having a smooth surface was stuck so as to cover the area except 11a.

[0009]

However, in the conventional thermal head 11, the tape member S is provided on the entire surface (the hatched portion in FIG. 5) of the thermal head 11 with respect to the platen roller facing surface 11c. Since the ink ribbon is running, the adhesive protrudes from the downstream side of the tape member S in the transport direction of the ink ribbon while the ink ribbon is running. In some cases, the adhesive causes the heating element of the heat generating portion 11a to be soiled, or the adhesive adheres to the traveling ink ribbon, thereby hindering the stable running of the ink ribbon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and a thermal head and a thermal head capable of preventing an adhesive for sticking a tape member to a thermal head and ensuring stable running of an ink ribbon. It is an object of the present invention to provide a recording device equipped with a thermal head.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, a thermal head according to a first aspect of the present invention is a thermal head in which an area excluding a heat generating portion on a surface facing a platen of a recording apparatus is covered with a tape member. The tape member is characterized in that a portion of the thermal head facing the platen, excluding a downstream end of the ink ribbon in a transport direction, is adhered by an adhesive member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus in which a cartridge having a first case for winding and storing an ink ribbon between two reels and a second case for storing a print medium is mounted. A paper feed roller for transporting the print medium stored in the second case of the cartridge, a thermal head disposed downstream of the print medium in the transport direction, and a print medium by moving down the thermal head. A platen roller that elastically presses the ink ribbon against the platen, wherein a region excluding a heating portion of the thermal head faces a platen of the thermal head except a downstream end in a conveyance direction of the ink ribbon. The surface is covered with a tape member adhered to the surface to be coated.

According to these inventions, the adhesive for adhering the tape member to the surface facing the platen of the thermal head is provided from the downstream end of the tape member in the traveling direction of the ink ribbon by the traveling of the ink ribbon. It is possible to prevent the ink ribbon from being pushed out in the direction of disposition of the heat-generating portion, thereby preventing the ink ribbon from sticking out. It can be.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 1 which is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a cartridge K used in the recording apparatus of the present invention, a substantially rectangular first case 1 and second case 2 made of a resin material or the like are integrally formed. The upper right corner in the figure is formed in a step shape.

On the outer peripheral portion of the first case 1, a side wall 1a for shielding the inside is formed so as to protrude from the bottom plate 1b at a predetermined height.

A substantially U-shaped head insertion portion 1c is formed in the upper right portion of the first case 1 in the drawing, and a ribbon transfer port 1d is opened in the upper left portion in the drawing of the side wall 1a forming the head insertion portion 1c. It is formed with.

A ribbon discharge portion 1e formed by an end surface of the side wall 1a is formed on the upper right side of the side wall 1a forming the head insertion portion 1c.

The right side wall 1a of the first case 1 is formed with a substantially L-shaped stepped portion 1f, and a ribbon winding opening 1g is formed in an open state at a corner which is a root portion of the projection portion 1f. ing.

A take-up reel housing 1h is formed on the left side of the first case 1 in the figure, and a supply reel housing 1j is formed on the right side of the first case 1. The width of the take-up reel housing 1h is larger than the width of the supply reel housing 1j.

A guide roller 1k is rotatably supported inside the first case 1 inside the first case 1 below the ribbon winding opening 1g.

Further, a second case 2 is formed integrally with the first case 1 above the drawing adjacent to the first case 1. On the outer periphery of the second case 2, a side wall 2a for shielding the inside is formed to project from the bottom plate 2b at the same height as the side wall 1a of the first case 1.

The first case 1 and the second case 2 are covered with an upper plate (not shown) from above, so that the inside of the cartridge K is hollow.

An image receiving paper outlet 2c and a paper pressing portion 2d are formed at the lower right side of the second case 2 in the figure.
A take-up reel 3 having a bobbin hole 3a in the take-up reel housing 1h inside the first case 1 and a supply reel 4 in the supply reel housing 1j are rotatably provided in the first case 1. 1 is supported inside.

Inside the cavity of the first case 1, an ink ribbon 5 wound around a take-up reel 3 and a supply reel 4 at both ends is accommodated.

The ink ribbon 5 is pulled out from the ribbon conveyance port 1d to the head insertion portion 1c, and when desired printing is performed by a recording head 11 of a recording apparatus described later, the printed ink ribbon 5 is moved to the head. It is guided by the ribbon discharge part 1e of the insertion part 1c, and is guided to the substantially L-shaped step part 1f on the right outside in the figure.

Then, the ink ribbon 5 is drawn back into the supply reel housing 1j from the ribbon winding opening 1g formed in the corner of the step 1f, guided by the rotatable guide roller 1k, and is guided by the first case 1 Is guided along the inner surface of the lower side wall 1a in the drawing, is drawn leftward in the drawing, and is taken up by the take-up reel 3.

Further, inside the cavity of the second case 2, a plurality of print media 6 composed of a horizontally long and strip-shaped label sheet or the like are placed upright in a direction orthogonal to the bottom plate 2b.
The first case 1 and the second case 2 are housed in a direction parallel to the side wall 2 a that separates the first case 1 and the second case 2 from each other.

Behind the printing medium 6, a gap 2
A spring 7 is provided in the space 2e, and the recording member 6 is always pushed forward from the rear toward the first case 1 side by a predetermined spring.

The head insertion portion 1 of the first case 1
c, a circular paper feed roller inserted into which a paper feed roller 16 of a recording device described later for supplying the print medium 6 to the outside is inserted across the bottom plate 1b on the left side in the drawing and the bottom plate 2b of the second case. The part 8 is formed in an open state.

A recording apparatus that prints and forms an image on the print medium 6 using the cartridge K having the above-described configuration includes:
A key input unit (not shown) for inputting a desired image and a cassette mounting surface 10 made of a resin material for mounting the cartridge K are formed. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a main part showing a state where the above-described cartridge K is mounted on the recording apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view showing a configuration of a main part of the recording apparatus.

The cassette mounting surface 10 is provided with a thermal head 11 which can be moved up and down for transferring the ink of the ink ribbon 5 to the recording member 6 for printing and has a heat generating portion 11a. . The thermal head 11 is formed on a thermal head mounting base 11b exposing the upper surface of the cassette mounting surface 10;
It is configured to have a recording width at least equivalent to the recording area in the width direction of the print medium 6.

Further, a frame 12 having a hollow inside is formed above the cassette mounting surface 10 at a predetermined height on a side facing the thermal head 11 in the figure. Inside the frame 12, the thermal head 11
A platen roller 13 is rotatably supported on the side facing the heat generating portion 11a. The heat generating portion 11a is formed on the downstream side in the transport direction of the ink ribbon interposed between the platen roller 13 and the heat generating portion 11a.

By the way, the thermal head 1 of this embodiment
A region of the first platen roller facing surface 11c excluding the heat generating portion 11a is covered with a tape member S on the surface of each member constituting the exposed thermal head 11. The tape member S is a portion (a hatched portion in FIG. 4) of the thermal head 11 excluding a downstream end portion (a portion shown in a mesh in FIG. 4) of the ink ribbon in a transport direction downstream side with respect to the platen roller facing surface 11c. (Shown portion) are adhered by an adhesive as an adhesive member. It is desirable that the tape member S has a smooth surface and rigidity.
For example, a fluorine-based resin sheet (for example, polytetrafluoroethylene) can be used. Also, a fluid or semi-fluid adhesive is used as the adhesive, and is thinly and substantially uniformly interposed between the platen roller facing surface 11c of the thermal head 11 and the tape member S.

On the downstream side of the platen roller 13,
A paper feed roller 14 to which rotation of a drive source (not shown) such as a motor is transmitted to be rotatable, and a paper feed roller 14 which is in contact with the paper feed roller 14 below the paper feed roller 14 in the drawing, Roller 1 that rotates following the rotation of 14
5 are provided.

When the cartridge K is mounted on the cassette mounting surface 10, the thermal head 11 is located at the head insertion portion 1c of the first case 1.

On the cassette mounting surface 10, a paper feed roller 16 for supplying the printing medium 6 stored in the cartridge K to the thermal head 11 side protrudes from the cassette mounting surface 10. Are rotatably arranged by a driving source (not shown).

The paper feed roller 16 has a cylindrical portion and a cut surface 16a formed by cutting the cylindrical portion, and has a substantially fan-shaped outer shape. . A rubber or the like having a high frictional resistance with respect to the print medium 6 is attached to an outer peripheral portion of the paper feed roller 16.

When the cartridge K is mounted on the cassette mounting surface 10, the paper feed roller 16 is inserted into the paper feed roller insertion portion 8 of the cartridge K, and the cut surface 16a of the paper feed roller 16 is flat and flat. The print medium 6 is positioned so as to face the print medium 6.

A predetermined gap 2f is formed between the cut surface 16a and the print medium 6, and
Is in a standby state in which the conveyance of the print medium 6 can be started at any time.

A rotatable take-up bobbin 17 that stands upright from the cassette mounting surface 10 is disposed on the lower left side of the cassette mounting surface 10 in the drawing.
7 shows a bobbin hole 3 of the take-up reel 3 of the cartridge K.
a is engaged.

When the ink ribbon 5 is wound, the winding bobbin 17 is rotated clockwise to wind the ink ribbon 5 wound around the supply reel 4 on the winding bobbin 17 side. I have.

Further, on the downstream side of the right side of the frame 12 where the print medium 6 is fed,
A paper detection sensor 18 for detecting that the sheet has been sent is provided.

Further, below the contact roller 15 in the drawing,
When the cartridge K is mounted on the cassette mounting surface 10a, a ribbon detection sensor 19 is provided at a position where the step 1f of the first case 1 is located. The ribbon detection sensor 19 detects a detection marker (not shown) of the ink ribbon 5 so that desired different colors of ink can be printed on the print medium 6.

The thermal head 1 constructed as described above
1, the thermal head 11 is set to the head down state, and the winding bobbin 17 is driven to rotate so that the ink ribbon is wound and run, and the heat generating portion 11a of the thermal head 11 is selectively heated. To obtain a desired print, the ink ribbon 5
Can be stabilized when the ink ribbon 5 is run while sliding the ink ribbon 5 on the smooth surface of the tape member S.

That is, in the present embodiment, the adhesive is not attached to the end portion of the tape member S on the downstream side in the traveling direction of the ink ribbon 5, and the tape member S is attached to the platen of the thermal head 11. Since only the portion excluding the downstream end of the ink ribbon 5 in the transport direction is adhered to the roller facing surface 11c by the adhesive member, the adhesive is applied to the tape member S by the travel of the ink ribbon 5. From the downstream end of the ribbon 5 in the running direction, the heating portion 1
It is not pushed out by pushing in the direction of 1a. Therefore, in the recording apparatus having the thermal head 11 of the present embodiment, the heat generating portion 11a is not contaminated by the adhesive, and the running of the ink ribbon 5 and the tape member S are not performed.
Thus, stable running can be obtained without being hindered by the adhesiveness of the adhesive protruding from the downstream end of the ink ribbon 5 in the running direction.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified as needed.

[0048]

As described above, according to the thermal head and the recording apparatus of the present invention, stable running of the ink ribbon can be obtained, and furthermore, contamination of the heat generating portion can be prevented. It is possible to obtain an effect such that a good recording result can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part showing a configuration of a cartridge used in a recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part showing a state where the cartridge of FIG. 1 is mounted on a recording apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of the recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part showing a configuration of a thermal head of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a main part showing a configuration of a conventional thermal head.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Thermal Head 11a Heating Part 11b Thermal Head Mounting Base 11c Platen Roller Opposing Surface S Tape Member

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head in which a region excluding a heat generating portion of a surface facing a platen of a recording apparatus is covered by a tape member, wherein the tape member is configured to cover the surface of the thermal head facing the platen with the ink. A thermal head characterized in that a portion excluding a downstream end of a ribbon in a transport direction is adhered by an adhesive member. 2. A cassette mounting surface for mounting a cartridge having a first case for winding and storing an ink ribbon between two reels and a second case for storing a print medium, and storing the cartridge in a second case of the cartridge. Paper feed roller for transporting the printed print medium, a thermal head disposed downstream of the print medium in the transport direction, and the thermal head resiliently presses the print medium and the ink ribbon by head down. A recording device having a platen roller, wherein an area of the thermal head excluding a heat generating portion is a tape member having a portion excluding a downstream end of the ink ribbon in a transport direction adhered to a surface of the thermal head facing the platen. A recording device characterized by being coated.