JP2006069073A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent occurrence of jamming surely over the entire region of a carrying passage regardless of the stiffness or material of a recording material. <P>SOLUTION: In the carrying passage of a color thermal printer 2, a member 30 for guiding a recording sheet 10 on the carrying passage while holding the forward end thereof, and a guide rail 31 extending in parallel with the carrying passage are arranged. The guide member 30 has U-shape and the forward end of the recording sheet 10 is contained therein. Legs 33 being fitted in the groove 32 of the guide rail 31 are formed at the opposite ends of the guide member 30. The leg 33 is fixed with a roller 34 rotating with driving force of a carrying motor 12. When the roller 34 rotates, the guide member 30 can move on the guide rail 31. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer that records an image with a recording head on a recording material conveyed along a conveyance path.

  A printer that records an image with a recording head for a recording material that is conveyed along a conveyance path has a recording head to prevent jamming caused by the leading edge of the recording material being caught by a member in the conveyance path. A guide member for guiding the leading end of the material to the transport path is provided.

In order to prevent jamming, the paper guide is moved according to the stiffness of the paper, and a part of the paper guide is formed of a conductive material, and voltage is applied to the paper guide. A paper guide for a printer that adsorbs ink has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-30859

  In the method described in Patent Document 1, since the insertion angle of the leading edge of the paper with respect to the paper guide is determined by the movement range of the paper guide, jamming can be prevented when the leading edge of the paper is warped more than that angle. Can not. Further, since the paper guide is provided only between the photosensitive drum and the fixing device, only a part of jamming in the transport path is prevented. Further, when the paper is made of a material having no charging property, the paper cannot be attracted to the paper guide.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of reliably preventing the occurrence of jamming in the entire conveyance path regardless of the stiffness or material of the recording material. And

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a printer for recording an image with a recording head on a recording material conveyed along a conveying path, the leading end of the recording material is held to guide the conveying path. And a moving mechanism for moving the guide member so as to follow the conveyance of the recording material.

  According to the printer of the present invention, the guide member that holds the leading end of the recording material and guides the conveyance path and the moving mechanism that moves the guide member to follow the conveyance of the recording material are provided. Regardless of the strength or material of the stiffness, jamming can be reliably prevented throughout the entire conveyance path.

  In FIG. 1, a color thermal printer 2 to which the present invention is applied uses a long color thermal recording paper (hereinafter simply referred to as recording paper) 10 as a recording material. The recording paper 10 is set in the color thermal printer 2 in the form of a recording paper roll 11 wound in a roll shape.

  As is well known, the recording paper 10 has a structure in which a cyan thermosensitive coloring layer, a magenta thermosensitive coloring layer, a yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, and a protective layer are sequentially formed on a support. The yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, which is the uppermost layer, has the highest thermal sensitivity and develops yellow with a small amount of heat energy. The cyan thermosensitive coloring layer, which is the lowermost layer, has the lowest thermal sensitivity and develops cyan with large heat energy.

  The yellow thermosensitive coloring layer loses its coloring ability when irradiated with near ultraviolet rays of 420 to 450 nm. The magenta thermosensitive coloring layer develops magenta with intermediate heat energy between the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer and the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer, and loses the coloring ability when irradiated with ultraviolet rays of 365 to 390 nm. For example, a recording paper having a four-layer structure provided with a black thermosensitive coloring layer may be used.

  A paper feed roller 13 rotated by the transport motor 12 is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the recording paper roll 11. The carry motor 12 is a stepping motor and is driven by drive pulses input from the motor driver 14. When the paper feed roller 13 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, the recording paper roll 11 rotates clockwise in the figure, and the recording paper 10 is sent out from the recording paper roll 11. When the paper supply roller 13 rotates clockwise in the figure, the recording paper roll 11 rotates counterclockwise in the figure, and the recording paper 10 is rewound onto the recording paper roll 11. The transport position of the recording paper 10 is managed by counting drive pulses input to the transport motor 12 by a system controller 20 described later.

  The recording paper 10 sent out from the recording paper roll 11 is sent into a conveyance path arranged in the horizontal direction. In this transport path, a transport roller pair 15 and a paper discharge roller pair 16 are disposed that sandwich and transport the recording paper 10. The conveyance roller pair 15 and the paper discharge roller pair 16 allow the capstan rollers 15a and 16a rotated by the conveyance motor 12 and the conveyance position in pressure contact with the capstan rollers 15a and 16a and the passage of a guide member 30 described later. It consists of pinch rollers 15b and 16b that are movable up and down between the retracted position and the recording paper 10 is reciprocated in the A direction and B direction in the figure.

  A thermal head 17 and a platen roller 18 disposed below the transport path so as to face the thermal head 17 are provided between the paper feed roller 13 and the transport roller pair 15. On the surface of the thermal head 17 facing the recording paper 10, a heating element array 19 is provided in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in a line in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording paper 10. The heating element array 19 generates heat based on the drive data input from the system controller 20 to the head driver 21, and colors each thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 10.

  The platen roller 18 is driven and rotated in accordance with the conveyance of the recording paper 10 to stabilize the contact state between the recording paper 10 and the heating element array 19. Further, the platen roller 18 is movable in the vertical direction and is urged in a direction in which it is pressed against the heating element array 19 by a spring (not shown). When the recording paper 10 is fed and discharged, the platen roller 18 is lowered by a shift mechanism (not shown) including a cam and a solenoid, and the nipping of the recording paper 10 with the thermal head 17 is released.

  A fixing device 22 is disposed on the downstream side in the A direction of the conveying roller pair 15 so as to face the recording surface of the recording paper 10. A cutter 23 for cutting the recording paper 10 into a predetermined print size is disposed between the fixing device 22 and the paper discharge roller pair 16. Further, on the downstream side in the A direction of the paper discharge roller pair 16, a paper discharge port 24 for discharging the recording paper 10 on which the image has been recorded to the outside is provided.

  The fixing unit 22 emits near ultraviolet rays having an emission peak wavelength of 420 to 450 nm to fix the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, and fixes the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer. The fixing device 22 emits ultraviolet rays having an emission peak wavelength of 365 to 390 nm and emits magenta thermosensitive coloring layer. A magenta fixing light source 22b for fixing the light, and a reflector 22c for reflecting light from the light sources 22a and 22b toward the recording paper 10. Each light source 22a, 22b is driven by a lamp driver 25.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a guide member 30 that guides the conveyance path while holding the leading end of the recording paper 10 and a guide rail 31 that extends in parallel with the conveyance path are disposed in the conveyance path. . The guide member 30 has a conical shape, and the leading end of the recording paper 10 is accommodated therein.

  Legs 33 that fit into the grooves 32 of the guide rail 31 are formed at both ends of the guide member 30. As shown in FIG. 3, a roller 34 that is rotated by the driving force of the transport motor 12 is attached to the leg 33. As the roller 34 rotates, the guide member 30 can move on the guide rail 31. The guide rail 31 and the roller 34 constitute a moving mechanism. Further, the conveyance motor 12 and the roller 34 are mechanically connected by a power transmission mechanism (not shown) such as a gear or a cam, and the guide member 30 is moved and stopped separately from the conveyance of the recording paper 10. It is also possible. Further, although not shown, the guide rail 31 has a shape for retracting the guide member 30 out of the conveyance path in front of the paper discharge port 24 so as not to obstruct the discharge of the recording paper 10.

  Next, the operation of the color thermal printer 2 having the above configuration will be described. When the image recording start operation is executed, the feed roller 13 is rotated counterclockwise by the forward rotation of the transport motor 12, and the recording paper 10 is sent out from the recording paper roll 11 in the A direction.

  Before the image recording start operation is executed, the guide member 30 stands by in front of the paper feed roller 13 while holding the leading end of the recording paper 10 ejected from the recording paper roll 11. When the image recording start operation is executed and the recording paper 10 is sent out in the A direction from the recording paper roll 11, the roller 34 is rotated by the driving force of the transport motor 12, and the guide member 30 is moved on the guide rail 31. The recording paper 10 is held at the leading end by the guide member 31 and guided through the conveyance path, passes through the conveyance roller pair 15, is nipped by the conveyance roller pair 15, and is further conveyed downstream in the A direction.

  When the recording paper 10 reaches the image recording start position, the rotation of the transport motor 12 is temporarily stopped. Next, the platen roller 18 is raised by the shift mechanism, and the recording paper 10 is sandwiched between the heating element array 19. In this state, the conveyance motor 12 is driven again, and the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 10 is generated by the heating element array 19 that generates heat based on the drive data input to the head driver 21 while the recording paper 10 is conveyed in the A direction. A yellow image is recorded in

  When the recording of the yellow image is completed, the trailing end of the recorded image is conveyed to a position facing the yellow fixing light source 22a of the fixing device 22, and the rotation of the conveying motor 12 is stopped. At this time, the platen roller 18 is lowered by the shift mechanism, and the holding of the recording paper 10 by the thermal head 17 is released. Next, the yellow fixing light source 22a is turned on by the lamp driver 25, the conveyance motor 12 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the recording paper 10 is rewound in the B direction.

  After fixing the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer, the recorded image is conveyed to the position where the leading edge of the recorded image faces the heating element array 19 and the rotation of the conveying motor 12 is stopped. As in the yellow image recording, the platen roller 18 is raised by the shift mechanism, and the recording paper 10 is sandwiched between the heating element array 19. In this state, the conveyance motor 12 is driven again, and a magenta image is recorded on the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 10 while the recording paper 10 is conveyed in the A direction.

  When the recording of the magenta image is completed, the rear end of the recorded image is conveyed to a position facing the magenta fixing light source 22b of the fixing device 22, and the rotation of the conveying motor 12 is stopped. Then, as in the yellow image fixing, the magenta fixing light source 22b is turned on by the lamp driver 25, the conveyance motor 12 is reversed, and the recording paper 10 is rewound in the B direction. Is established.

  After fixing the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer, the leading edge of the recorded image is conveyed to a position facing the heating element array 19, and the rotation of the conveying motor 12 is stopped. A cyan image is recorded on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 10 in the same manner as when recording yellow and magenta images.

  At the time of recording and fixing each color image, the recording paper 10 is nipped by the conveyance roller pair 15, and the leading end thereof is reciprocated between the conveyance roller pair 15 and the discharge roller pair 16 while being held by the guide member 30. .

  The recording paper 10 after image recording is conveyed in the A direction by the conveying roller pair 15, and the leading end of the recording paper 10 passes through the paper discharging roller pair 16 together with the guide member 30, and is nipped by the paper discharging roller pair 16, and is predetermined by the cutter 23. The print size is cut.

  After the recording paper 10 is cut, the guide member 30 is moved on the guide rail 31 and retracted out of the conveyance path, and the cut recording paper 10 is discharged to the outside from the paper discharge port 24. When an instruction to continue image recording is given after this, the guide member 30 that has been retracted outside the conveyance path is returned in the B direction until the leading end of the recording paper 10 cut by the cutter 23 is held, Image recording is performed again according to the procedure described above. On the other hand, when an instruction to continue image recording is not given, the guide member 30 is returned in the B direction until it holds the tip of the recording paper 10 cut by the cutter 23, and then the recording paper 10 is in this state. It is conveyed in the B direction and is accommodated in the recording paper roll 11.

  As described above, the guide member 30 that holds the leading end of the recording paper 10 and guides the conveyance path is moved by the guide rail 31 and the roller 34 so as to follow the conveyance of the recording paper 10. Regardless of the strength or material of the stiffness, jamming can be reliably prevented throughout the entire conveyance path.

  In the above embodiment, the shape of the guide member 30 is cono-shaped, and the leading end of the recording paper 10 is accommodated therein, but the guide member only needs to have a function of holding the leading end of the recording paper 10. For example, a nip roller or a suction pad may be used instead. Further, the guide member does not need to hold the entire leading edge of the recording paper 10, and may be configured to hold only both ends and the central portion.

  In the said embodiment, although the guide rail 31 and the roller 34 were mentioned as an example and demonstrated as a moving mechanism, this invention is not limited to this, For example, you may employ | adopt a belt conveyor and a rack and pinion gear as a moving mechanism.

  In the above embodiment, the color thermal printer 2 that draws and prints the recording paper 10 from the recording paper roll 11 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to a printer that uses cut sheet recording paper. Is possible.

  In the above embodiment, the color thermal printer 2 has been described as an example of the printer. However, the present invention can be applied not only to other thermal printers, thermal transfer printers and thermal sublimation printers, but also to laser printers and inkjet printers. it can.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a color thermal printer to which the present invention is applied. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a guide member and a moving mechanism. It is an enlarged view of the fitting part of a guide member and a guide rail.

Explanation of symbols

2 Color thermal printer 10 Color thermal recording paper (recording paper)
12 Conveyance motor 17 Thermal head 20 System controller 22 Fixing device 30 Guide member 31 Guide rail 34 Roller

Claims (1)

In a printer that records an image with a recording head for a recording material conveyed along a conveyance path,
A guide member for holding the tip of the recording material and guiding the conveyance path;
A printer comprising: a moving mechanism that moves the guide member so as to follow the conveyance of the recording material.

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