JP2007126278A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image recorder for reducing an occupying space. <P>SOLUTION: This image recorder 20 has a recording part 42, a paper feeding tray 21 and a U-turn guide 23 or the like. An image is recorded on recording paper 40 by a recording part 42. The paper feeding tray 21 supplies the recording paper 40 to the recording part 42. The recording paper 40 recorded with the image by the recording part 41 is delivered on the paper feeding tray 21. The U-turn guide 23 presents a substantially U shape, and is arranged on the downstream side of the recording part 42 in the carrying direction of the recording paper 40 when recording the image, and sends back the recording paper 40 delivered from the recording part 42 to the recording part 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus provided with a paper feed unit and a paper discharge unit on the same surface side.

  As an image recording apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium such as paper, there is a thermal transfer type image recording apparatus. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional image recording apparatus 1 of a thermal transfer system.

  The image recording apparatus 1 includes a paper feed tray 2, a paper feed roller 3, a recording paper detection sensor 4, transport rollers 5A and 5B, a platen roller 6, a thermal head 7, an ink ribbon 8, a paper discharge tray 9, and a paper discharge roller 10A. , 10B and the like. The transport rollers 5A and 5B can rotate in both forward and reverse directions. Both the paper feed tray 2 and the paper discharge tray 9 are arranged on the front surface 11 side of the image recording apparatus 1. On the ink ribbon 8, yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat inks are sequentially applied.

  The recording sheets 14 stacked on the sheet feeding tray 2 are fed one by one by the sheet feeding roller 3. The recording paper 14 is transported by the transport rollers 5A and 5B until the leading end is detected by the recording paper detection sensor 4, and then is aligned by temporarily stopping. Thereafter, the recording paper 14 is transported to a predetermined position on the platen roller 6. The

  The thermal head 7 is formed to be movable up and down by a lift motor (not shown). As the thermal head 7 is lowered, the recording paper 14 and the ink ribbon 8 are pressed against each other on the platen roller 6.

  Thereafter, the transport rollers 5A and 5B, the platen roller 6 and the ink ribbon 8 are rotated based on the print data, whereby the recording paper 14 is transported to the back surface 12 side while the ink of the yellow ink ribbon is transferred to the recording paper 14. When the ink is conveyed to a predetermined position, the yellow ink image recording is completed. At this time, for example, when the recording paper 14 is a postcard size and the recording paper 14 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction, the recording paper 14 protrudes about 130 mm toward the back surface 12 side of the image recording apparatus 1.

  When the transfer of the yellow ink is completed, the thermal head 7 is raised by the lift motor. Thereafter, the recording paper 14 is switched back. That is, the recording paper 14 is conveyed by the conveying rollers 5A and 5B to the front surface 11 side, which is the direction opposite to the previous conveying direction, by a predetermined distance. The recording paper 14 is placed on the paper discharge tray 9 so that the rear end in the transport direction is sandwiched between the transport rollers 5A and 5B, and the yellow ink image recording is completed.

  Next, the ink ribbon 8 is fed until the magenta ink reaches the position of the thermal head 7. The recording paper 14 is conveyed to the back surface 12 side by a predetermined distance by the conveying rollers 5A and 5B, and is in pressure contact with the ink ribbon 8 on the platen roller 6 by the thermal head 7 as in the case of recording the yellow ink image. Thereafter, the conveyance rollers 5A and 5B, the platen roller 6 and the ink ribbon 8 are rotated based on the print data, whereby the recording paper 14 is conveyed to the back surface 12 side while the ink of the magenta ink ribbon is transferred to the recording paper 14. When the ink is conveyed to a predetermined position, the magenta ink image recording is completed. In the same manner, cyan and overcoat ink image recording is performed. When all the image recording is completed, the recording paper 14 is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 9 by the discharge rollers 10A and 10B.

As described above, a switchback method in which the recording paper 14 is switched back on the downstream side of the thermal head 7 in the recording paper conveyance direction during image recording has been conventionally employed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-151840

  However, the image recording apparatus 1 as described above requires a space 13 for the recording paper 14 to protrude linearly on the back surface 12 side. If there is an obstacle in the space 13, the recording paper 14 and the obstacle come into contact with each other, and the recording paper 14 may cause a printing failure without securing a normal feeding amount. For this reason, when the switchback method is adopted, a large space 13 is required on the back surface 12 side of the image recording apparatus 1, and the space occupied by the image recording apparatus 1 is increased. The occupied space referred to in this specification includes not only a space occupied by the image recording apparatus itself but also a space required for recording an image on a recording medium by the image recording apparatus.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus having a small occupied space.

  The image recording apparatus of the present invention is configured as follows to solve the above-described problems.

  (1) An image recording apparatus according to the present invention includes a recording unit, a sheet feeding unit, a sheet discharging unit, and a U-turn conveyance path. The recording unit records an image on a recording medium. The paper supply unit supplies a recording medium to the recording unit. The paper discharge unit is disposed on the same side of the paper supply unit and the image recording apparatus. The recording medium on which the image is recorded by the recording unit is discharged to the paper discharge unit. The U-turn conveyance path has a substantially U shape and is arranged on the downstream side of the recording unit in the recording medium conveyance direction during image recording, and returns the recording medium discharged from the recording unit to the recording unit.

  In this configuration, the paper feed unit and the paper discharge unit are arranged on the same surface side, and the U-turn conveyance path is arranged on the downstream side of the recording unit in the recording medium conveyance direction during image recording. The recording medium is conveyed on the U-turn conveyance path. Since the U-turn conveyance path returns the recording medium ejected from the recording unit to the recording unit, the recording medium after image recording is returned to the recording unit without being switched back.

  In addition, the recording medium after image recording is returned to the recording unit through the U-turn conveyance path, with the front and back being reversed from those during image recording. For this reason, the recording medium on which the image is recorded on one side is again placed in the recording unit without being switched back, with the front and back sides reversed.

  (2) In the present invention, the paper feed unit supplies the recording medium into the U-turn conveyance path. The image recording apparatus of the present invention further includes a reversible roller and a discharge roller. The reversible roller is disposed between the recording unit and the U-turn conveyance path. The discharge roller discharges the recording medium conveyed from the U-turn conveyance path via the recording unit onto the paper feeding unit.

  In this configuration, the recording medium conveyed through the U-turn conveyance path after image recording is further conveyed via the recording unit by the reversible roller, and discharged onto the paper feeding unit by the discharge roller. In this configuration, the paper feed unit is the paper discharge unit.

  According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  (1) A recording medium after recording an image by disposing a U-turn conveyance path for returning the recording medium discharged from the recording unit to the recording unit on the downstream side of the recording unit in the recording medium conveying direction during image recording. Is returned to the recording unit without being switched back. For this reason, the space required for transporting the recording medium, particularly the space on the downstream side of the recording unit in the recording medium transport direction during image recording can be reduced. Therefore, the space occupied by the image recording apparatus can be reduced.

  Further, it is possible to continuously perform image recording on the first surface and image recording on the second surface of the recording medium in a small occupied space.

  (2) By discharging the recording medium after image recording onto the paper feed unit, there is no need to provide a paper discharge unit separately from the paper feed unit. Therefore, the space occupied by the image recording apparatus can be further reduced.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the image recording apparatus 20 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the configuration of the image recording apparatus 20.

  The image recording apparatus 20 includes a paper feed tray 21, a paper feed roller 22, a U-turn guide 23, a guide plate 24, first transport rollers 25 and 26, a position detection sensor 27, second transport rollers 28 and 29, a platen roller 30, A thermal transfer type thermal head 31, a drive source 32, an ink ribbon 33, a main motor 34, discharge rollers 35 and 36, a reverse detection sensor 37, and the like are provided.

  The paper feed tray 21 corresponds to the paper feed unit of the present invention. The U-turn guide 23 corresponds to the U-turn conveyance path of the present invention. The 2nd conveyance rollers 28 and 29 are equivalent to the reversible roller of this invention. The thermal head 31 corresponds to the recording head of the present invention. In this embodiment, the image recording apparatus 20 records an image on a recording sheet 40 that is an example of a recording medium. However, the image recording apparatus 20 can record an image on a sheet other than the recording sheet.

  The paper feed tray 21 is disposed on the front surface 38 side of the image recording apparatus 20. One end of the paper feed tray 21 is exposed on the front surface 38 side of the image recording apparatus 20, and the other end of the paper feed tray 21 communicates with the U-turn guide 23. The paper feed roller 22 supplies the recording paper 40 stacked on the paper feed tray 21 into the U-turn guide 23.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the guide plate 24 is disposed in a portion of the U-turn guide 23 where the paper feed tray 21 communicates. As shown in FIG. 3A, the guide plate 24 includes a paper feed position for guiding the recording paper 40 on the paper feed tray 21 into the U-turn guide 23, and a U-turn as shown in FIG. The guide 23 is formed so as to be displaceable to a guide position for forming a part of the wall surface of the guide 23 and guiding the recording paper 40 conveyed in the U-turn guide 23. In this embodiment, the guide plate 24 is normally disposed at the guide position as shown in FIG. 3B, and is pushed to the paper feed position by being pushed by the recording paper 40 fed from the paper feed tray 21. After the recording paper 40 passes, the recording paper 40 moves down to the guide position by its own weight. In addition, you may make it displace from a paper feeding position to a guide position by elastic members, such as a spring.

  The second transport rollers 28 and 29 are disposed between the thermal head 31 and the U-turn guide 23. The U-turn guide 23 is formed in a substantially U shape. Both end portions of the U-turn guide 23 communicate with a conveyance path between the second conveyance roller 28 and the second conveyance roller 29. The first transport rollers 25 and 26 are disposed in the middle of the U-turn guide 23. Each of the 1st conveyance rollers 25 and 26 and the 2nd conveyance rollers 28 and 29 can rotate to forward and reverse directions.

  The position detection sensor 27 outputs a first detection signal to the control unit 41 (see FIG. 5) when the recording paper 40 passing between the U-turn guide 23 and the second transport rollers 28 and 29 is detected.

  The reversal detection sensor 37 is arranged at a predetermined position downstream in the clockwise direction from the guide plate 24 in FIG. 2, and when the recording paper 40 conveyed through the U-turn guide 23 is detected, 2 The detection signal is output.

  The platen roller 30 is disposed so as to face the thermal head 31. The thermal head 31 is formed so as to be movable up and down by a drive source 32 at a raised position where the thermal head 31 is raised to a position away from the platen roller 30 and a lowered position where the thermal head 31 is pressed against the platen roller 30. By disposing the thermal head 31 at the lowered position, the recording paper 40 and the ink ribbon 33 are pressed against each other between the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 30. The position where the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 30 face each other is the recording unit 42.

  The discharge rollers 35 and 36 are disposed on the front surface 38 side from the recording unit 42 where the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 30 face each other. The discharge rollers 35 and 36 discharge the recording paper 40 conveyed from the U-turn guide 23 to the front surface 38 via the recording unit 42 onto the paper feed tray 21. In the image recording apparatus 20, the top of the paper feed tray 21 corresponds to the paper discharge unit of the present invention.

  Each of the paper feed roller 22, the first transport rollers 25 and 26, the second transport rollers 28 and 29, the platen roller 30, the discharge rollers 35 and 36, and the ink ribbon 33 is supplied with driving force from the main motor 34. Thus, it rotates at a predetermined timing.

  FIG. 4A is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the ink ribbon of the comparative example, and FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the ink ribbon 33 of the image recording apparatus 20 of the above-described embodiment.

  On the ink ribbon according to the comparative example, yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat inks are sequentially applied. On the other hand, black, yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat ink are sequentially applied to the ink ribbon 33 of the image recording apparatus 20. Black ink is a heat-meltable ink, and yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat inks are heat-sublimable inks. Of the ink ribbon 33, the portion where the black ink is applied corresponds to the heat-meltable ribbon portion of the present invention, and the portion where the yellow, magenta, cyan and overcoat inks are applied is the heat ribbon of the present invention. Corresponds to the sublimation ribbon.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image recording apparatus 20. A position detection sensor 27, a reverse detection sensor 37, a drive source 32, a main motor 34, a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a personal computer) 50, and the like are connected to the control unit 41 of the image recording apparatus 20. When the position detection sensor 27 detects the recording paper 40 passing between the U-turn guide 23 and the second transport rollers 28 and 29, a first detection signal is input to the control unit 41. For example, the control unit 41 disposes the recording paper 40 at a predetermined position where image recording is started by further transporting the recording paper 40 to the front surface 38 side for a predetermined time from when the first detection signal is input.

  Further, when the reversal detection sensor 37 detects the recording paper 40 conveyed through the U-turn guide 23, the second detection signal is input to the control unit 41 from the reversal detection sensor 37. When the second detection signal is detected, the control unit 41 rotates the second conveyance rollers 28 and 29 in the direction opposite to that immediately before, thereby conveying the recording paper 40 to the front surface 38 side.

  For example, a personal computer 50 is connected to the control unit 41, and a print request signal and print data such as image data or character data are input from the personal computer 50. In addition to the personal computer 50, a memory card may be connected and print data may be input from the memory card.

  6 to 9 are cross-sectional views showing a part of a series of operations of the image recording apparatus 20. As shown in FIG. 6A, the control unit 41 feeds the recording sheets 40 stacked on the sheet feeding tray 21 one by one into the U-turn guide 23 by the sheet feeding roller 22. At this time, the guide plate 24 is pushed by the recording paper 40 and placed at the paper feed position, and the thermal head 31 is placed at the raised position by the drive source 2. The control unit 41 conveys the recording paper 40 in the U-turn guide 23 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. The control unit 41 presses the leading end portion of the recording paper 40 against the second transport rollers 28 and 29, and then positions the recording paper 40 by temporarily stopping the transport, and the position detection sensor 27 detects the leading end portion of the recording paper 40. Thereafter, the recording paper 40 is transported to the front surface 38 side by a predetermined distance by the second transport rollers 28 and 29, whereby the recording paper 40 is disposed at a predetermined image recording start position as shown in FIG. 6B. At this time, the recording paper 40 is arranged with the first surface facing upward.

  As shown in FIG. 6C, the control unit 41 sends the ink ribbon 33 so that the black ink faces the recording unit 42 before starting the image recording, and then lowers the thermal head 31 to the lowered position. Then, the recording paper 40 and the ink ribbon 33 are pressed against each other between the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 30.

  The control unit 41 rotates the platen roller 30, the second conveyance rollers 28 and 29, and the ink ribbon 33 so as to convey the recording paper 40 toward the back surface 39 side, and based on the print data for the first surface, A black image is recorded on the first surface of the recording paper 40 by the head 31. The recording paper 40 is conveyed in the U-turn guide 23 in the clockwise direction in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, when the reversal detection sensor 37 is turned on by the recording paper 40 conveyed in the U-turn guide 23, as shown in FIG. After raising 31 to the raised position, the recording paper 40 is conveyed to the front surface 38 side by rotating the second conveying rollers 28 and 29 and the platen roller 30 in the opposite direction.

  After detecting the recording paper 40 by the position detection sensor 27, the control unit 41 further conveys the recording paper 40 to the front surface 38 side by a predetermined distance, so that the recording paper 40 is supplied to the predetermined paper as shown in FIG. Arrange at the image recording start position.

  As shown in FIG. 6C, FIG. 7A to FIG. 7C, and FIG. 8A, the recording paper 40 passes through the U-turn guide 23 and is turned upside down. It is again placed at the image recording start position. For this reason, the image recording apparatus 20 does not need to include a switchback conveyance path for inverting the front and back of the recording paper 40.

  The control unit 41 then feeds the ink ribbon so that the yellow ink faces the recording unit 42, and then lowers the thermal head 31 to the lowered position, and between the thermal head 31 and the platen roller 30, the recording paper 40 and the ink ribbon 33 are pressed against each other.

  The control unit 41 rotates the platen roller 30, the second transport rollers 28 and 29, and the ink ribbon 33 so as to transport the recording paper 40 to the back surface 39 side, and based on the print data for the second surface, A yellow image is recorded on the second surface of the recording paper 40 by the head 31.

  After the recording of the yellow ink image is completed, the control unit 41 is in a state where the rear end portion of the recording paper 40 is sandwiched between the second transport rollers 28 and 29 as shown in FIG. As shown in (C), the second transport rollers 28 and 29 are rotated in the direction opposite to that immediately before the recording paper 40 is transported to the front surface 38 side, and the recording paper 40 is again arranged at the image recording start position.

  The control unit 41 further records the magenta, cyan, and overcoat images on the second surface of the recording paper 40 by repeating the operations in FIGS. 8A to 8C.

  When the recording of all the ink images on the recording paper 40 is completed, the control unit 41 raises the thermal head 31 to the raised position as shown in FIG. 9 and then passes the recording unit 42 through the recording unit 42. Are conveyed to the front surface 38 side, and the recording paper 40 is discharged onto the paper feed tray 21 by the discharge rollers 35 and 36.

  According to the image recording apparatus 20, the recording paper 40 after image recording is returned to the recording unit 42 downstream of the recording unit 42 in the conveyance direction of the recording paper 40 at the time of image recording (the direction toward the back 39). Since the turn guide 23 is arranged, the recording paper 40 after image recording is returned to the recording unit 42 without being switched back. For this reason, the space required for transporting the recording paper 40, particularly the space on the downstream side of the recording unit 42 in the transport direction of the recording paper 40 during image recording, can be reduced. Therefore, the space occupied by the image recording apparatus 20 can be reduced.

  In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a switchback conveyance path in order to reverse the front and back of the recording paper 40, image recording on the first surface and image recording on the second surface of the recording paper 40 are continuously performed in a small occupied space. Can be done.

  Further, by discharging the recording paper 40 after image recording onto the paper feed tray 21, it is not necessary to provide a paper discharge tray separately from the paper feed tray 21. Therefore, the space occupied by the image recording apparatus 20 can be further reduced.

  In addition, since black ink image recording on the first surface and color ink image recording on the second surface can be performed continuously, for example, when printing a New Year's card or the like, address and address writing on the surface is printed. And image printing on the back surface can be performed continuously. Since the recording paper 40 does not need to be reset by the user between the printing on the first surface and the printing on the second surface, the recording paper 40 is set in the direction past the image recording apparatus 20. There is no. For this reason, it is possible to prevent image recording in the direction in which the first surface and the second surface pass.

  Furthermore, since image recording on the first surface and image recording on the second surface can be performed continuously, workability is improved.

  Further, since the ink ribbon 33 includes black ink, it is possible to perform black printing at a lower cost and in a shorter time than when black is expressed by overlapping yellow, magenta, and cyan color inks as in the past. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the black ink is transferred to the first surface, and the yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat inks are transferred to the second surface. However, the black, yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat inks are transferred to the second surface. The image may be arbitrarily transferred to each of the first surface and the second surface.

It is sectional drawing which shows the schematic structure of the conventional image recording apparatus of a thermal transfer system. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a partial configuration of an image recording apparatus. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the ink ribbon of a comparative example, (B) is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the ink ribbon of the image recording apparatus of the above-mentioned embodiment. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image recording apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of a series of operation | movement of an image recording device. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of a series of operation | movement of an image recording device. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of a series of operation | movement of an image recording device. It is sectional drawing which shows a part of a series of operation | movement of an image recording device.

Explanation of symbols

20 Image recording device 21 Paper feed tray (paper feed unit)
23 U-turn guide (U-turn conveyance path)
24 Guide plate 28, 29 Second transport roller (reversible roller)
30 Platen Roller 31 Thermal Head 33 Ink Ribbon 35, 36 Discharge Roller 40 Recording Paper 41 Control Unit 42 Recording Unit

Claims (3)

A recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium;
A paper feeding unit that supplies the recording medium to the recording unit;
A paper discharge unit disposed on the same side as the paper supply unit and from which a recording medium on which an image is recorded by the recording unit is discharged;
A U-turn conveyance path that is substantially U-shaped and is disposed downstream of the recording unit in the recording medium conveyance direction during image recording and returns the recording medium discharged from the recording unit to the recording unit. An image recording apparatus characterized by that. The paper feeding unit supplies a recording medium into the U-turn conveyance path,
A reversely rotatable reversible roller disposed between the recording unit and the U-turn conveyance path;
The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a discharge roller that discharges the recording medium conveyed from the U-turn conveyance path via the recording unit onto the paper feeding unit. . In the recording section, a thermal transfer type recording head and an ink ribbon are arranged,
3. The image recording according to claim 1, wherein the ink ribbon includes a heat melting ribbon portion to which a heat melting ink is applied and a heat sublimation ribbon portion to which a heat sublimation ink is applied. apparatus.

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