JP2001293895A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a space saving thermal transfer recorder in which each color can be headed surely without using a conventional ink sheet and a plurality of mark sensors, and a heading control method of the ink sheet. SOLUTION: The thermal transfer recorder performs color recording by thermally transferring inks of one picture part sequentially to a recording sheet starting from the head color while carrying a stripe ink sheet 1, coated repetitively in the longitudinal direction with one picture parts arranged with a plurality of colors of ink, from a supply bobbin 1a to a winding bobbin 1b. The thermal transfer recorder comprises a reflection photosensor 2a for detecting a black marking 1c indicative of a position coated with the head color of one picture part on the ink sheet 1, means 3 for detecting rotation of the supply bobbin 1a, and a section 10 for controlling heading of colors other than the head color based on a rotational value detected by the rotation detecting means 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to control for cueing an ink sheet in a thermal transfer recording apparatus.
In particular, the present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus that detects the start of a color other than the leading color of an ink sheet by detecting the rotation of a supply-side reel and simultaneously controlling the feed length of the ink sheet and the rotation of a platen roller.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus comprises a platen roller 8 for fixing recording paper, a platen motor 9 for rotating the platen roller 8, a platen control means 12 for controlling the platen motor 9, as shown in FIG. An ink sheet 1 on which ink for recording is arranged, a supply bobbin 1a for supplying the ink sheet 1, a winding bobbin 1b for winding the ink sheet 1, a reel motor 6 for rotating the winding bobbin, and a reel for controlling the reel motor Control means 11, thermal head 7 for transferring ink on ink sheet 1 to recording paper (not shown), head control means 13 for controlling thermal head 7, photo sensor for detecting the head of ink on ink sheet 1 2, a control unit 10 for communicating with each unit and the host and performing image processing.

[0005] As shown in FIG. 5, the ink sheet 1 is a belt-like sheet formed by repeatedly applying a plurality of colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) inks for one screen in the longitudinal direction. Is configured.

In a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus, first, the leading color of the ink sheet 1 (in this case, yellow) is located.
While controlling the thermal head 7, the platen roller 8, and the reel motor 6, yellow image data is recorded on recording paper. After that, magenta and cyan are similarly recorded to complete recording of one screen.

Attention is paid to the ink sheet 1 at this time. As shown in FIG. 5, the ink sheet 1 is provided with black markings 1c over the entire width of the ink sheet 1 before yellow as a leading color for one screen, and A black marking 1d is provided half the width of the ink sheet 1 in front of the black markings 1c and 1c, and the black markings 1c and 1d are detected by two reflective photosensors 2a and 2b. And moves in the leftward direction a so as to be wound from the supply bobbin 1a to the winding bobbin 1b. In the ink sheet 1 shown in FIG. 5, the black marking 1c is provided only in front of yellow, the black marking 1c is detected by one reflection type photo sensor 2a, and the other magenta and cyan are detected by marks. It is of a type that is not done.

In the conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus configured as described above, for example, when searching for each color of the sublimation type ink sheet 1 shown in FIG. 2a, 2b, black marking 1c
Is recognized as black, and the head of each color other than yellow is detected each time by the method of recognizing the black marking 1d as black only by one reflection type photosensor 2b.

When performing cueing of each color of the ink sheet 1 shown in FIG. 5, the head of yellow recognizes the black marking 1c as black by a single reflection type photo sensor 2a, and detects magenta and cyan). Cueing is performed by rotating the reel motor 6 for a predetermined time.

[0008]

However, in the conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus, in order to detect the head of the ink of each color of the ink sheet each time by the mark detecting sensor, two expensive reflection type photosensors are used. There is a problem that it is disadvantageous in terms of space.

In the method of detecting only the head of yellow on an ink sheet provided with black markings only at the head of yellow, it is uncertain whether or not cueing of other magenta and cyan is normally performed, and printing is not possible. Only then did I notice an anomaly. In addition, it is necessary to make the ink sheet longer than necessary in order to allow variation in cueing of magenta and cyan.

Therefore, when two mark detection sensors are used, there is a problem that the cost increases.
When the number of the mark detection sensors is one, there is a problem that the reliability of the cueing of the ink other than the head color is lowered.

The present invention does not require the use of a plurality of mark detection sensors for detecting marks on an ink sheet as in the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of surely locating each color and saving space, and a method of controlling the locating of the ink sheet.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided a thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising: mark detecting means for detecting a mark indicating a coating position of a leading color for one screen of an ink sheet; and rotation detecting means for detecting rotation of a supply reel. And a control unit for controlling cueing of colors other than the leading color based on the rotation value detected by the rotation detecting means.

According to the present invention, a space-saving thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of reliably locating each color without using a plurality of mark detection sensors for detecting marks on an ink sheet as in the prior art, and the ink sheet locating method. A control method can be provided.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A thermal transfer recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is configured such that a band-shaped ink sheet, in which a plurality of color inks are arranged in one screen and which is repeatedly applied in a longitudinal direction, is taken up from a supply reel to a take-up reel. In a thermal transfer recording apparatus for color-recording by thermally transferring the plurality of colors of ink for one screen to a sheet in order from the leading color while transporting the ink sheet so as to be taken up, the application position of the leading color for one screen of the ink sheet is indicated. Mark detection means for detecting marks, rotation detection means for detecting rotation of the supply reel, and reel control means for controlling cueing of colors other than the leading color based on the rotation value detected by the rotation detection means; A control unit that notifies a platen control unit that controls a platen roller that completion of cueing of a color other than the leading color based on the rotation value is provided. Ink without using a plurality of mark detection sensor for detecting the mark sheet, such as can provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus can save space a reliable colors cueing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the reel control means controls the supply of the ink sheet of the supply reel based on the rotation value of the supply reel in the thermal transfer of the leading color. A winding diameter is predicted, and correction is performed based on the predicted winding diameter of the head of a color other than the leading color, and according to the predicted winding diameter of the ink sheet, The feed length for colors other than the colors can be optimally corrected, and more accurate cueing of each color on the ink sheet can be performed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the platen roller can be stopped at a recording start position, and can be stopped at a recording start position. At the point when the nearest point is reached, if it is not notified that the cueing of the colors other than the leading color has been completed, the platen roller is stopped,
It is designed to restart after cueing is completed.In general, cueing of the ink sheet should be performed earlier than the platen roller reaches the recording start position. Even when there is no recording, it is possible to reliably start recording from the head of each color of the ink sheet.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when the platen roller reaches a recording start position, a head of a color other than the leading color is set. When notifying that the feeding has been completed, the platen roller is further rotated once,
Next, when the recording start position is reached, the cueing is completed.In general, the cueing of the ink sheet should be performed earlier than the platen roller reaches the recording start position. Even when the head of the ink sheet cannot be reached in time for some reason, it is possible to reliably start recording from the head of each color of the ink sheet.

Hereinafter, the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention will be described based on specific embodiments.

(Embodiment 1) The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 has a plurality of colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan as in the above-described conventional example. The belt-like ink sheet 1 on which one screen of the ink is repeatedly applied in the longitudinal direction is conveyed so as to be wound from a supply bobbin 1a as a supply reel to a take-up bobbin 1b as a take-up reel. Is a thermal transfer recording apparatus for performing color recording by thermally transferring the three color inks to recording paper in order from yellow as a leading color, and a black marking 1c as a mark indicating a yellow application position for one screen of the ink sheet 1. A reflection photosensor 2a is provided as mark detection means for detecting, and a rotation detection means 3 for detecting rotation of the supply bobbin 1a and the rotation photosensor 2a. Count control means 4 for counting the pulse signal from detection means 3, and detects the cueing of colors other than the yellow color from the rotation value counted by said count control means 4, detecting that cueing of colors other than the leading color has been completed. This is different from the above-described conventional example in that a cueing completion detecting means 5 is provided.

In this embodiment, the same components as those of the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a specific description thereof will be omitted. The ink sheet 1 may be any one of the ink sheets 1 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, and the black marking 1c provided in front of the yellow portion of one screen of the ink sheet 1 is formed only by the single reflective photosensor 2a. It shall be detected.

Here, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus, a cueing control operation of each ink on the sublimation type ink sheet 1, for example, will be described.

When a print signal is input, the ink sheet 1
The ink sheet 1 is wound by the reel motor 6 on the winding bobbin 1b until the black marking 1c in front of yellow for one screen reaches the detection position detected by the reflection type photosensor 2a. The roller 8 is pressed against the recording sheet (not shown) for receiving color recording and the ink sheet 1 via a platen motor 9.
Moves the ink sheet 1 and the recording paper in the direction a,
The thermal head 7 is heated, and the yellow ink on the ink sheet 1 is thermally transferred to the recording paper. At this time, the rotation output pulse from the rotation detection sensor 3 generated by the rotation of the supply bobbin 1a is counted by the count control means 4.

When the recording of the yellow ink is completed, the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8 are separated from each other, and the control means 10 controls the magenta ink of the second color for one screen based on the count value from the count control means 4. The feed length of the ink sheet 1 is given to the reel control means 11 so as to control the cueing of the ink. When the reel control means 11 completes the cueing of the magenta ink, which is the second color ink for one screen, and returns the recording paper on which the yellow ink has been recorded to the recording start position, the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8 are returned again. Are pressed against each other via the ink sheet 1 and the recording paper, the platen motor 9 transfers the ink sheet 1 and the recording paper in the direction a, the thermal head 7 is heated, and the magenta ink of the ink sheet 1 is thermally transferred to the paper. Will be done.

Printing is performed for the cyan ink by performing the same control as described above.

When the recording of the cyan ink is completed, the thermal head 7 and the platen roller 8 are separated from each other, and the recording paper on which the ink of each color is sequentially thermally transferred and color-recorded is discharged. The used ink for one screen of the ink sheet 1 is taken up by the take-up bobbin 1b.

With such a configuration, colors other than the leading color of the ink sheet 1 can be reliably located without using a plurality of mark detection sensors for detecting marks on the ink sheet 1 as in the conventional example, and expensive reflections are required. It is possible to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus that achieves space saving because the number of photosensors and the number of separate photosensors that require a large amount of space and in which a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit are separated can be reduced.

The control unit controls the ink sheet 1 of the supply bobbin 1a based on the rotation value of the supply bobbin 1a as a supply reel in the thermal transfer of yellow as the leading color.
If the configuration is such that the winding diameter of the supply bobbin 1a is corrected based on the previous winding diameter in which the cue of colors other than yellow is predicted, the rotation output pulse as the rotation value of the supply bobbin 1a is recorded. To determine whether the winding diameter of the ink sheet 1 is the beginning or the end of the winding, and change the count number of the rotation output pulse of the supply bobbin 1a at the time of cueing of the colors other than the yellow, magenta and cyan. By doing so, more accurate cueing of the ink sheet 1 can be performed. Specifically, if the count number of the rotation output pulse when the winding diameter of the ink sheet 1 is large is used as it is when the winding diameter is small, the feeding length becomes short and recording failure occurs. The winding diameter is determined from the count number of the rotation output pulse of the bobbin 1a, and when the cueing of magenta and cyan is performed, the count number is changed so as to be increased. Therefore, the feed length can be optimized and the ink sheet 1 can be optimized. The exact cue of magenta and cyan can be found.

In addition, since the cueing completion is detected, if the cueing of the ink sheet 1 cannot be performed for some reason, an error can be notified, and it is possible to obviate the fact that the trouble is not recognized until the recording is completed. Is also possible.

(Embodiment 2) Next, an embodiment according to claim 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first and second aspects, the cueing of the normal ink sheet 1 and the rotation of the platen roller 8 are performed simultaneously. However, as shown in FIG. The roller 8 is controlled so as to reach the stop determination position (timing A). However, if the cue of the ink sheet 1 cannot be made in time for some reason, as shown in FIG. 3B, the platen roller 8 is stopped at a position (timing B) where the recording start position is set to a constant speed state. If the cueing completion notification from the cueing completion detection unit 5 of the ink sheet 1 is not received by the timing A, the stop operation of the platen roller 8 immediately starts, the platen roller 8 is stopped, and the cueing completion notification is notified. Immediately after this, the rotation is started and the recording start operation is performed from the position of the timing B at which the constant speed state is set. By performing this control, it is possible to perform recording without performing error processing even when cueing of the ink sheet 1 is delayed for some reason.

(Embodiment 3) Next, claim 4 of the present invention will be described.
An embodiment related to the above will be described.

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first and second aspects, the cueing of the normal ink sheet 1 and the rotation of the platen roller 8 are performed simultaneously. However, as shown in FIG. The roller 8 is controlled so as to reach the recording start position (timing B). However, when the cueing of the ink sheet 1 is not in time for some reason, that is, when the platen roller 8 reaches the recording start position (timing B), the cueing completion notification from the cueing completion detecting means 5 of the ink sheet 1 If not, the platen roller 8 is further rotated once. If an ink heading completion notification is given during this one rotation period, a printing start operation is performed from the point in time when the printing start position (timing B) is reached. By performing this control, it is possible to perform recording without performing error processing even when cueing of the ink sheet 1 is delayed for some reason.

[0033]

As described above, according to the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, the mark detecting means for detecting the mark indicating the application position of the leading color for one screen of the ink sheet, and the rotation of the supply reel are detected. A rotation detection unit, a control unit that controls cueing of colors other than the top color based on the rotation value detected by the rotation detection unit, and a color other than the top color based on the rotation value from the rotation detection unit. The provision of the cueing completion detecting means for detecting the completion of cueing of the ink sheet eliminates the necessity of using a plurality of mark detection sensors for detecting the marks on the ink sheet as in the related art, thereby reducing the cost and cost. It is possible to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of performing accurate and accurate cueing of an ink sheet in a space.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an arrangement position of an ink sheet and a mark detection sensor according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a timing of an operation of a platen roller and a cueing completion signal according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the arrangement position of a conventional ink sheet and a mark detection sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 ink sheet 1a supply bobbin 1b take-up bobbin 2 photo sensor 3 rotation detection sensor 4 rotation counting means 5 head-start completion detection means 6 reel motor 7 thermal head 8 platen roller 9 platen motor 10 control unit 11 reel control means 12 platen control means 13 Head control means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C058 AC06 AE04 AE07 AF31 GB13 GC09 2C065 AB03 DC07 DC13 DC18 DC29 3F105 AA00 AA15 AB04 BA14 CA01 CA11 DA32

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A belt-like ink sheet in which a plurality of color inks arranged in one screen are repeatedly applied in the longitudinal direction, and conveyed so as to be wound up from a supply reel to a take-up reel. In a thermal transfer recording apparatus for performing color recording by thermally transferring ink to paper in order from a leading color, a mark detecting means for detecting a mark indicating a coating position of a leading color for one screen of the ink sheet, and detecting rotation of the supply reel. Rotation detecting means, a reel control means for controlling the cueing of a color other than the head color based on the rotation value detected by the rotation detecting means, and a head cue for colors other than the head color based on the rotation value. And a control unit for notifying the platen control means for controlling the platen roller that the printing has been completed. 2. The winding control method according to claim 1, wherein the reel control unit predicts a winding diameter of an ink sheet of the supply reel based on a rotation value of the supply reel in thermal transfer of the leading color, and predicts cueing of a color other than the leading color. 2. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction is performed based on the diameter. 3. When the platen roller can stop at a recording start position and reaches a point closest to the recording start position, it is determined that cueing of a color other than the leading color has been completed. 3. The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if not notified, the platen roller is stopped, and restarted after cueing is completed. 4. When the platen roller reaches a recording start position and it is not notified that cueing of a color other than the leading color has been completed, the platen roller is further rotated once. 3. The cueing is completed when a recording start position is reached.
The thermal transfer recording device as described in the above.