JP2021074980A - Image formation device and control method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image formation device which enables whole surface printing to be performed in a direct transfer method without replacing a unit to a unit adopting an indirect transfer method.SOLUTION: A direction transfer recording device makes records directly on a recording medium by a thermal transfer film having an ink layer and includes: recording means which makes records on the conveyed recording medium through the thermal transfer film; platen means which forms a conveyance path of the recording medium with the heat transfer film pressed by the recording means; and space securing means which secures a predetermined space between the heat transfer film pressed by the recording means and the platen means in the conveyance path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

The present invention relates to a recording device for recording various information such as images and characters on a recording medium such as a card, and more particularly to a recording device that prints by pressing a thermal head against the recording medium via an ink ribbon. is there.

Conventionally, in a recording device for printing various information such as images and characters by a thermal head on a recording medium such as a card via an ink ribbon, when it is desired to print the entire image and characters on the recording medium, the ink ribbon is used. There is a problem that this cannot be achieved by the direct transfer method in which the thermal head is directly pressed against the recording medium for printing.

This is because when printing the entire surface by this direct transfer method, it is necessary to make the ink ribbon stand by at the printing position before the tip of the recording medium such as a card in the transport direction. In this case, the recording medium is ink. This is because the ink ribbon is sheared by the shearing force generated by hitting the ribbon.

On the other hand, in recent years, Patent Document 1 has proposed a technique for enabling full-scale printing by an indirect transfer method using a transfer film.

JP-A-2002-292916

However, the one proposed in Patent Document 1 needs to be replaced with a unit for changing from the direct transfer method to the indirect transfer method when performing full-page printing, which increases the space and places a heavy burden on the user. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a recording device capable of performing full-scale printing by the direct transfer method without replacing the unit with the indirect transfer method.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a recording means for recording on a recording medium conveyed via the thermal transfer film in a direct transfer type recording apparatus that records directly on a recording medium with a thermal transfer film having an ink layer. And the platen means that forms a transport path for the recording medium between the thermal transfer film pressed by the recording means, and between the thermal transfer film and the platen means that are pressed by the recording means of the transport path. It is a recording device having an interval securing means for securing the interval between the two.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a recording device capable of performing full-scale printing by the direct transfer method without replacing the unit with the indirect transfer method.

It is external perspective view of the printer apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic front sectional view which shows the internal structure of the printer apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic front sectional view which shows the internal structure of the printer apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure around the ribbon winding reel which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the control system of the printer apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a partially detailed perspective view of FIG. 2 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the platen roller which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the spacer roller portion seen from the rotation axis direction of the platen roller which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of another example of the spacer roller part seen from the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the platen roller which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged sectional view around the thermal head which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged sectional view around the thermal head in the printing process which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged sectional view around the thermal head in the printing process of a conventional structure. It is a perspective view which shows the platen roller structure which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a partially enlarged view in the WW cross section of FIG. 14 which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, an example in which a card is used as a recording medium is shown. The components described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and the configuration and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied can be appropriately modified or changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is not limited to the embodiment of.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a printer device as a recording device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, in the printer device 1, a card supply unit 10 capable of accommodating a plurality of cards before recording processing is detachably attached to one side of a casing 2 as a device housing. Below the card supply unit 10, a card accommodating unit 20 capable of accommodating a card after recording processing in an inclined manner is detachably attached to the casing 2. At a position adjacent to the card supply unit 10 of the casing 2, a display unit 4 for displaying an operating state including an error state of the printer device 1 and an operation panel unit 5 for performing various settings of printing processing and magnetic recording processing are provided. It is provided. The operation panel unit 5 is provided so as to be rotatable in synchronization with the rotation of the dial 6.

A part of the card accommodating portion 20 is provided with a card ejection port 21 formed as an opening capable of ejecting the over-accommodated card after recording processing to the outside of the apparatus.

Further, one surface of the printer device 1 is provided with an opening / closing cover 7 for accessing the inside of the device when the cartridge 52 containing the ink ribbon R used for printing recording, which will be described later, is attached / detached. Consists of a part of the casing 2.

A magnetic encoder unit 80 for performing magnetic recording is arranged on the other side of the casing 2 with respect to the card supply unit 10 or the card storage unit 20 so that a part thereof protrudes from the casing 2.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front sectional view showing an internal configuration of the printer device 1, showing a state in which a card supplied from the card supply unit 10 before recording processing is conveyed toward the printing unit 50 as a recording unit. There is. FIG. 3 is a schematic front sectional view showing the internal configuration of the printer device 1, in which the transport rollers 41 and 42 are substantially horizontal in a state when the recorded card is ejected toward the card accommodating portion 20. It shows a state in which the card C can be transported toward the card ejection port 23 by moving from the position of FIG. 2 forming the card transport path to the position of FIG. 3 forming the inclined card transport path.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, the card supply unit 10 can store a plurality of cards before recording processing in a stacked manner (about 100 cards), and the supply rollers 11 rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) are laminated. A supply roller 12 and a separation gate 13 made of a plate-shaped member are provided as a configuration for allowing the passage of only one card when the lowest (bottom layer) card of the card before the recording process is drawn out into the device. Have.

The supplied card C passes between the supply roller 12 and the separation gate 13 and is guided to the card supply port 14 provided so as to be connected to the card supply unit 10. A flexible pad (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the separation gate 13, and for example, even when thin cards having different thicknesses are supplied, they can be separated one by one.

On the other hand, the card accommodating unit 20 can accommodate the recorded cards in an inclined manner (about 30 cards), and is provided with an accommodating tray 24 having an inclined bottom surface inside the card accommodating unit 20. Recorded cards C ejected from the card ejection port 23 arranged with an opening below 14 are sequentially ejected onto the accommodation tray 24 by the ejection roller 15 and accommodated.
The discharge roller 15 is fixed to the printer device 1 side, and the supply roller 11 described above is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), but the supply roller 11 rotates to supply the card C before the recording process. When the direction of rotation is the forward rotation drive, the discharge roller 15 is rotationally driven so as to discharge the card C after the recording process onto the storage tray 24 by the reverse rotation drive.

That is, the supply roller 11 and the discharge roller 15 are rotated by the forward / reverse drive of the motor (not shown), but since the supply roller 11 is provided with a one-way clutch (not shown), it can rotate only in the card supply direction. (Due to the action of the one-way clutch, the rotational drive is not transmitted in the direction opposite to the card supply direction). On the other hand, the discharge roller 15 is rotationally driven in both directions by a forward / reverse drive of a motor (not shown). However, in the present embodiment, the supply operation of the card C before the recording process and the ejection operation of the card C after the recording process are not performed at the same time, and the ejection roller 15 rotates for ejecting the card C and vice versa. There is no problem even if it rotates in the direction of.

The card C supplied from the card supply port 14 is sequentially taken over by the transfer rollers 41, 42, and 43 that rotate with the driving force transmitted from the transfer drive motor 70, which will be described later, and is a substantially horizontal card transfer path. It is conveyed along P1. The transport rollers 42 and 43 are each composed of a roller pair having a drive roller and a driven roller (hereinafter, the description of the driven roller of the roller pair is omitted, and only the drive roller will be described).

On the opposite side of the transport roller 41, a cleaning roller 31 forming a part of the card cleaning mechanism 30 is provided so as to face the transport roller 41 so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the card transport path P1. When the cleaning roller 31 is advanced on the card transport path P1 so as to come into contact with the transport roller C (state shown in FIG. 2), the card C is sandwiched between the cleaning roller 31 and the transport roller 41 having a driving force. By rotating the screen, foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be removed from the stamp screen printed and recorded by the printing unit 50 to clean it.

Further, when the cleaning roller 31 advances onto the card transport path P1 which is the operating position thereof, the cleaning roller 31 serves as a cleaner arranged at a predetermined position separated from the card transport path P1 at a position adjacent to the cleaning roller 31. It is positioned so as to make surface contact with the roller-shaped cleaner 32. The roller-shaped cleaner 32 has an outer diameter (roller diameter) smaller than the outer diameter (roller diameter) of the cleaning roller, and is a cartridge containing an ink ribbon R as an ink medium formed as a part of the printing unit 50. It is rotatably provided on a support member 53 that is detachably attached to a predetermined portion of 52.

In the present embodiment, the cleaning roller 31 is made of a rotatable roller-shaped member such as a rubber material having an adhesive surface, and the roller-shaped cleaner 32 has a sponge layer on the resin-made rotatable roller-shaped member. An adhesive tape is wrapped around the tape, and since this adhesive tape has a higher adhesiveness than the surface of the cleaning roller 31, dust and dirt removed from the card C and adhering to the surface of the cleaning roller 31. Foreign matter such as the above is transferred to and delivered to the adhesive tape forming the surface of the roller-shaped cleaner 32 by the surface contact between the two.

On the downstream side of the transport roller 43 in the card transport direction, a printing unit 50 for printing and recording characters or images is provided on the surface of the card C cleaned by the cleaning roller 31.

In the present embodiment, the printing unit 50 adopts the configuration of a thermal transfer printer, and is a thermal head provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the platen roller 44 as a platen means provided at the printing position on the card transport path P1. Has 51. Between the platen roller 44 and the thermal head 51, panels of multiple colors such as ink layers Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), Bk (black), and Op (protective layer) are sequentially arranged on the surface. An ink ribbon R as a repeated thermal transfer film is interposed. The ink ribbon R is built in the cartridge 52 as described above. The supply reel 54 and the take-up reel 55 in the cartridge 52 are each wound (held) with the ink ribbon R, and the unused ink ribbon R is wound and wound on the supply reel 54. A used ink ribbon R (after thermal transfer by the thermal head 51) is wound around the take reel 55.

When information such as characters or images is thermally transferred and recorded on the card C moving along the card transport path P1, the ink ribbon R is supplied from the ribbon supply reel 54, and substantially the entire surface is in contact with the tip of the thermal head 51. It is conveyed while being in contact with the ink ribbon R, and is wound on a ribbon winding reel 55 for winding the ink ribbon R.

The ribbon take-up reel 55 is rotationally driven by the take-up reel drive motor 150. At this time, characters and images are printed on the card C by selectively operating the heating element of the thermal head 51 as a recording means while pressing the thermal head 51 with the ink ribbon R interposed on the surface of the card C. To. A transmissive sensor including a plurality of guide shafts, a light emitting element 58 for detecting the ink layer Bk (black) in order to position a predetermined ink layer, and a light receiving element 59 is arranged in the transport path of the ink ribbon R. Has been done.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration around the ribbon take-up reel 55.

In FIG. 4, the engaging portion of the take-up reel 55 with respect to the engaging portion 55a on the device main body side is composed of a plurality of members. That is, the support shaft 154 is fixed to the device frame, and the support shaft 154 rotatably supports the engaging member 152 which is disk-shaped and has a gear at the outer edge portion. The engaging member 152 is provided with an engaging convex portion 152a that engages with the engaging portion 55a of the take-up reel 55.

A gear 151c is meshed with the gear of the engaging member 152, and a rotating plate 155a having a slit (not shown) coaxially formed is fixed to the gear 151c. Further, a transmission integrated sensor 155b composed of a light emitting element and a light receiving element is arranged at a position sandwiching the rotating plate 155a. Therefore, the rotating plate 155a and the sensor 155b constitute an encoder 155 that detects the amount of rotation of the take-up reel 55 that winds up the ink ribbon R. Further, the gear 153 is meshed with the gear of the engaging member 152, and the motor shaft of the take-up reel drive motor 150 (stepping motor) is fitted coaxially with the gear 153.

Therefore, the drive of the take-up reel drive motor 150 is transmitted to the take-up reel 55, and the rotation amount of the take-up reel 55 can be detected by the encoder 151.

On the other hand, the supply reel 54 also has the same engaging relationship as the take-up reel 55, but instead of the gear 153 and the take-up reel drive motor 150, the gear 153 that meshes with the gear of the engaging member 152 and this gear. The difference is that it has a torque limiter (not shown) that is arranged coaxially with the 153 and gives back tension to the ink ribbon R.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, on the upstream side (conveying roller 43 side) of the thermal head 51 in the card transport direction, a light emitting element 48 that detects the front end and the rear end of the card C transported along the card transport path P1 in the transport direction. , A transmissive sensor composed of a light receiving element 49 is arranged.

Below the printing unit 50, a transport drive motor 70 composed of a series of transport rollers 41, 42, 43, and a stepping motor capable of forward / reverse rotation that rotationally drives the platen rollers 44 in the forward / reverse direction is arranged. There is. The amount of rotation of the platen roller 44 can be detected by the amount of rotation of the transport drive motor 70 (the number of pulse steps). Further, the rotational driving force of the transfer drive motor 70 is transmitted to the pulley 73 by the pulley 71 provided on the rotation shaft of the transfer drive motor 70 by the belt 72, and the platen roller is transmitted by the belt 74 having one end wound around the pulley 73. The drive is transmitted to the platen roller 44 via the pulley 75 provided on the rotating shaft of the 44. The pulley 73 is composed of a two-stage pulley, and a belt 72 and a belt 74 are bridged over each step portion.

A plurality of gears (not shown) are arranged on the rotating shaft of the platen roller 44, on the rotating shafts of the transport rollers 41, 42, and 43, and between the rollers in a meshed state. The transmitted rotational driving force is transmitted to the transfer rollers 41, 42, and 43 via the plurality of gears.

Further, the platen roller 44 has a function of transporting the card C on the downstream side in the card transport direction (ribbon take-up reel 55 side), and the card C is sandwiched when printing is recorded on the card C by the printing unit 50. A nip roller 45 is provided along the card transport path P1, and a feed roller 46 for transporting the card C is also provided along the card transport path P1 on the downstream side of the nip roller 45 in the card transport direction. There is. A transmissive sensor including a light emitting element 56 and a light receiving element 57 for detecting the tip of the card C transported along the card transport path P1 in the transport direction is arranged at substantially the center of the nip roller 45 and the feed roller 46.

The rotating shafts of the nip roller 45 and the feed roller 46 are also provided with gears (not shown), and a plurality of gears (not shown) are also provided between the platen roller 44 and the nip roller 45, and between the platen roller 45 and the feed roller 46. Gear is provided. Then, when these plurality of gears (not shown) mesh with each other, the rotational driving force from the transport drive motor 70 is transmitted to the platen roller via the drive force transmission mechanism including the pulley, the belt and the plurality of gears (not shown) described above. It is branched from the gear provided on the rotating shaft of 44 and transmitted to the nip roller 45 and the feed roller 46.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the control system of the printer device 1.

In FIG. 5, the printer device 1 is connected to a higher-level device 200 (for example, a host computer such as a personal computer) via an interface (not shown), and print data or the like is transmitted from the higher-level device 200 to the printer device 1. , Printing operation, etc. can be instructed. In addition to the print operation instruction from the host device 200, the print operation can also be instructed from the operation panel unit on the printer device 1 side.

The host device 200 is generated by an image input device 201 such as a scanner that reads an image recorded on a document, an input device 202 such as a keyboard or mouse for inputting commands and data to the host device 100, and a host device 100. A monitor 203 such as a liquid crystal display for displaying data or the like is connected.

The printer device 1 includes a control unit 100 that controls the operation of the printer device 1, and a power supply unit 120 that converts a commercial AC power supply into a DC power supply that can drive / operate each mechanism unit and control unit.

The control unit 100 includes a microcomputer 101 (hereinafter, abbreviated as MCU 101) that performs overall control processing of the printer device 1. The MCU 101 is composed of a CPU that operates with a high-speed clock as a central processing unit, a ROM that stores the basic control operation program and program data of the printer device 1, a RAM that works as a work area of the CPU, and an internal bus that connects them. ing.

An external bus is connected to the MCU 101, and the external bus has an interface (not shown) for communicating with the host device 200, a buffer memory 102 that temporarily stores print data of an image to be printed on the card C, and the like. Is connected.

Further, the external bus connected to the MCU 101 further includes an actuator control unit 104 including a signal processing unit 103 that processes signals from the above-mentioned sensors, a motor driver that supplies drive pulses and drive power to each of the above-mentioned motors, and the like. The thermal head control unit 105 for controlling the thermal energy to the heat generating elements constituting the thermal head 51, the display unit 4 and the operation display control unit 106 for controlling the operation panel unit 5 are connected.

The power supply unit 120 supplies drive power to the control unit 100, the thermal head 51, the display unit 4, and the operation panel unit 5.

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view showing a portion of the supply reel 54, the take-up reel 55, and the card C in the printed cartridge 50 and the wound cartridge 52 of the ink ribbon R shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. , FIG. 7 is a VV cross-sectional view of FIG.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the printing unit 50 has a thermal head 51 that is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the platen roller 44 provided at the printing position on the card transport path P1 as described above.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the platen roller 44.

In FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 8B, the platen roller 44 of the present embodiment is provided with spacer rollers 44a at both ends, and the spacer rollers 44a are conveyed as shown in FIG. 8A. It is arranged at a position where it does not overlap with the incoming card C on the platen roller 44. Note that FIG. 8C shows only the spacer roller 44a.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the spacer roller 44a portion viewed from the rotation axis direction of the platen roller 44.

In FIG. 9, when the difference thickness (height) between the inner diameter portion and the outer diameter portion of the spacer roller 44a installed on the outer diameter of the platen roller 44 is X and the thickness of the card C is Y, the relationship between the two thicknesses. Is set to Y ≧ X> 0.

Specifically, the thickness Y of the card C is generally 0.75 mm, so that the difference thickness (height) X of the outer diameter portion of the spacer roller 44a is 0.75 mm to 0.5 mm. To the extent.

The thickness Y of the card C is generally 0.75 mm, but there are also cards C having a thickness of 1.0 mm and 0.5 mm. In that case as well, Y ≧ X is set, but the difference thickness (height) X of the outer diameter portion of the spacer roller 44a is calculated from a constant thickness (height) X as shown in FIG. 10 (A). , As shown in FIG. 10B, the configuration may be such that the spacer roller 44b is changed from X to X'according to the thickness Y of the card C.

Next, the printing process according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the thermal head 51 of FIG.

In FIG. 11, with respect to the heating element 51a for printing the thermal head 51, a perpendicular line is drawn from the lowest point of the heating element 51a when a perpendicular line is drawn on the platen roller 44 facing the platen roller 44 and the lowest point of the heating element 51a. Let Z be the distance from the intersection with the lowered platen roller 44.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the thermal head 51 in the printing process according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 12, when printing on the entire surface of the card C, when the card C is conveyed directly under the printing unit 50, the thermal head 51 in the printing unit 50 is before the tip of the card C in the conveying direction reaches. It must be lowered together with the ink ribbon R from the state shown in (A) of FIG. 12 to the state shown in (B) of FIG.

At that time, in the present embodiment, since the distance Z between the heating element 51a of the thermal head 51 and the platen roller 44 is the spacer roller 44a in the state shown in FIG. 12B, the heating element 51a comes into contact with the spacer roller 44a. Stop at the position of the thickness of the spacer roller 44a (X in FIG. 8). At this time, the position of the heating element 51a is Z = X.

In this state, even if the card C is conveyed to the position of the heating element 51a and printing is started as shown in FIG. 12 (C), it is sandwiched between the heat generating portion 51a of the thermal head 51 and the platen roller 44. The load on the ink ribbon R from the card C is reduced due to the step Z of Y ≧ Z = X> 0, and the entire surface of the ink ribbon R can be printed without being sheared by the card C.

On the other hand, in the printing process based on the conventional configuration, the enlarged cross section of FIG. 13 in which the periphery of the thermal head 51 is enlarged will be described. When the entire surface is printed on C by the card, the same as in the case of the present embodiment described above. When the card C is conveyed directly under the printing unit 50, the thermal head 51 in the printing unit 50 is inked from the state shown in FIG. 13 (A) before the tip of the card C in the conveying direction reaches. Although it is lowered together with the ribbon R, unlike the configuration of the present embodiment described above, the heating element 50a is lowered to the Z position (Z <X) shown in FIG. 13B because there is no spacer roller 44a.

When the card C is conveyed to the position of the heating element 51a in this state, the card C is conveyed while pushing up the thermal head 51 which has been lowered too much, so that a strong shearing force is applied to the ink ribbon R and the card C is transferred to the ink ribbon. R will be sheared.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, Y ≧ Z due to the thickness X of the spacer roller 44a with respect to the thickness Y of the recording medium in the direction in which the recording unit in the direct transfer printing apparatus is in contact with the recording medium. Since the space Z having a relationship of = X> 0 can be secured, shearing to the ink ribbon R by the card C can be prevented, and full-scale printing can be performed even by the direct transfer method.

In the present embodiment, the spacer member is a roller member coaxial with the platen roller, but such a spacer may be provided on the thermal head side.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, such as the basic configuration, shall be incorporated, and the description thereof will be omitted. Further, in the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those in the first embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the platen roller 44 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 14, the platen roller 44 has a knurled surface 44c, and each knurl can receive pressure independently of the card C.

FIG. 15 is a partially enlarged view of the contact portion between the platen roller 44 and the card C in the WW cross section of FIG.

In FIG. 15, when the card C invades the platen roller 44 by transportation, pressure is individually applied from the card C due to the knurled shape of the surface 44c of the platen roller 44, so that the portion that is not in contact with the knurled card C is applied. Retains its original shape. On the other hand, the portion in contact with the knurled card C is elastically deformed by the thickness Y of the card.

In this state, in order to print the entire surface on the card C, even if the thermal head 51 is lowered together with the ink ribbon R before the tip of the card C in the transport direction reaches, the knurled shape of the surface 44c of the platen roller 44 remains. It is configured so as not to be elastically deformed, and a space where Y ≧ Z> 0 can be secured at the height Z of the heat generating portion 51a with respect to the thickness Y of the card C. It is possible to prevent the shearing of the ink and to print the entire surface even by the direct transfer method.

1 ... Printer device 44 ... Platen roller 44a ... Spacer roller 44b ... Spacer roller 44c ... Surface of knurled platen roller 50 ... Printing part 51 ... Thermal head 51a ... Heating element 54 ... Supply reel 55 ... Supply reel C ... Card R ... Ink ribbon

Claims (8)

In a direct transfer type recording device that records directly on a recording medium using a thermal transfer film having an ink layer.
A recording means for recording on a recording medium conveyed via the thermal transfer film, and
A platen means for forming a transport path for a recording medium with the thermal transfer film pressed by the recording means, and a platen means.
An interval securing means for securing a predetermined interval between the thermal transfer film pressed by the recording means of the transport path and the platen means, and
A recording device characterized by having. The recording device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined interval is set to be equal to or less than the thickness of the recording medium. The recording device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the platen means includes a platen roller. The recording device according to claim 3, wherein the space securing means is a spacer provided on at least one of the recording means and the platen roller. The recording device according to claim 4, wherein the spacer is a rotatable roller. The recording device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the spacer is configured to form a plurality of intervals as the predetermined interval. The recording device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the interval securing means is elastically deformed by being pressed by a conveyed recording medium to secure the predetermined interval. .. The recording device according to claim 7, wherein the interval securing means is formed of a knurled shape.

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