JP2516907B2 - Serial type thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus, and more specifically, to a heat-meltable ink using heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head arranged on a carriage that reciprocates. The present invention relates to a serial-type thermal transfer recording apparatus that thermally transfers the ink of an ink ribbon having the above to a recording medium arranged on a platen for recording.

[Prior Art] In this type of serial thermal transfer recording apparatus, when the portion of the heating ink ribbon immediately after being heated by the thermal head is immediately peeled from the recording sheet, that is, the recording surface of the recording paper, the portion is transferred to the recording paper. Since the ink to be formed is still in a melted state, the edges of the transferred characters and the like are chipped and become uneven, resulting in so-called uncut recording.

In order to prevent this, a conventional serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus of this type is provided with a pressure contact means composed of a pressure contact roller or the like in the vicinity of the thermal head, and the portion of the ink ribbon immediately after being heated by the thermal head is contacted with this pressure contact means. There is known a configuration in which the timing of peeling off the portion is delayed by pressing the recording paper by a means. With this configuration, sharp and sharp recording can be performed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the above-described configuration, the pressure contact means is provided independently, and a displacement mechanism for pressure contact and separation with respect to the ink ribbon is required similarly to the thermal head, so the configuration is complicated. However, there is a problem that the number of parts is large and the cost is high.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, a heat-meltable ink is formed by using heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head arranged on a carriage that reciprocates. In a serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus for thermally transferring the ink of an ink ribbon which it possesses to a recording medium arranged on a platen, a recording position which comes into contact with the recording medium arranged on the platen via the ink ribbon, and from the recording position Displacement means for displacing the thermal head between a distant standby position and an elastic member urged by the thermal head, and the thermal head is separated from the ink ribbon when the thermal head is at the standby position. In addition, when the thermal head is located at the recording position, it is located on the downstream side of the thermal head in the ink ribbon transport direction. Pressure contact means for pressing the ink ribbon against the recording medium, and the pressure contact means provided on the thermal head in response to the displacement means displacing the thermal head from the standby position to the recording position. The means employs a configuration in which the ink ribbon after thermal transfer recording is elastically brought into pressure contact with the recording medium.

[Operation] According to this structure, the pressure contact means operates integrally with the thermal head, and displacement of pressure contact and separation with respect to the ink ribbon is performed by displacement between the recording position and the standby position of the thermal head. A dedicated displacement mechanism for displacing is unnecessary.

Further, the pressing means is provided in the thermal head while being biased by the elastic member, and the ink ribbon after thermal transfer recording is elastically pressed against the recording medium, so that the reliable ink ribbon can be pressed against the recording medium.

Also, because the thermal head is located at the standby position and the pressure contact means is also separated from the ink ribbon during non-recording, the carriage can be moved with a light load without damaging the ink ribbon when moving the carriage such as carriage return during non-recording. Can be made.

[Examples] Hereinafter, details of examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 explain the construction and operation of the main part of a serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the periphery of a carrier. 2 is an enlarged plan view around the thermal head in FIG.
However, FIG. 1 shows a state at the time of non-recording, and FIG. 2 shows a state at the time of recording.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a platen,
The recording paper 2 wound around the outer peripheral surface is driven to rotate by a driving unit (not shown).

A carrier 3 is provided in the vicinity of the front of the platen 1 on a guide shaft (not shown) so as to be slidable in the directions of arrows A and B, that is, parallel to the platen 1.

A thermal head 4 is provided on the carrier 3 so as to face the platen 1 and to be movable in the directions of arrows D and E. On the front surface of the thermal head 4, a plurality of heating resistors indicated by reference numeral 4a in FIG. 2 are vertically arranged. Although not shown, a displacement mechanism for moving the thermal head 4 in the arrow D direction or the E direction is provided on the carrier 3.

Further, an ink ribbon cassette (hereinafter abbreviated as cassette) 8 is detachably mounted on the carrier 3, and an ink ribbon 9 is accommodated in the cassette 8.

The ink ribbon 8 is formed by coating the polyester base 10 with the hot-melt ink 11 as shown in FIG. The unused portion of the ink ribbon 8 is wound around a supply reel 12 provided in the cassette 8 as a roll 8a, which is unwound from the roll 8a and guides 13 to
It is guided through 16 and stretched along the front of the thermal head 4. The part used for recording here is the take-up reel 17
Rolled up.

The configuration of the portion described above is the same as that conventionally known, but in the present embodiment, in addition to this, the ink ribbon 9
The portion immediately after being heated by the thermal head 4 of the recording paper 2
A pressure contact member 20 is provided on the back side of the thermal head 4 for pressure contact with the thermal head 4.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the pressure contact member 20 comprises a spring 5, a doglegged lever 6 and a pressure contact roller 7. The lever 6 is swingably supported in the directions of arrows F and G by a shaft 18 that is planted in the center of a support surface 4b formed on the back side of the thermal head 4. Further, the spring 5 is wound around a shaft 18, and both ends thereof are locked to a projection 6a formed on the lever 6 and the back surface of the thermal head 4, and urges the lever 6 in the arrow F direction. The range of swing of the lever 6 in the direction of arrow F is restricted by a stopper 4c provided on the rear surface of the thermal head 4. A pressure contact roller 7 is rotatably supported by the free end of the lever 6.

Based on the above structure, at the start of recording, the thermal head 4 is displaced in the direction of the arrow D by the driving of a displacement mechanism (not shown), and the ink ribbon 9 is wound around the platen 1 as shown in FIG. Press onto 2. At this time, due to the displacement of the thermal head 4, the pressure contact member 20 supported by the thermal head 4 is also displaced in the arrow D direction. The pressing roller 7 elastically presses the portion of the thermal head 4 adjacent to the arrow A side in FIG. 2 onto the recording paper 2 by the biasing force of the spring 5.

Next, the carrier 3 is moved in the direction of arrow B by the drive of the drive means (not shown), and the take-up reel 17 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow H in FIG. Send as shown in.

Then, the plurality of heating resistors 4a of the thermal head 4 are sequentially and selectively energized according to the pattern of the recording data to generate heat. Ink ribbon 9 in contact with the heating resistor 4a that has generated heat
Is heated, and the heat-meltable ink 11 in the part is melted and transferred onto the recording paper 2.

The heated portion of the ink ribbon 9 is kept in pressure contact with the recording paper 2 until it reaches the above-mentioned pressure contact roller 7 after being heated, and is cooled during this time, and after passing through the pressure contact roller 7, the course is changed and the recording paper 2 is removed. It is peeled off and wound on the take-up reel 17.

Here, since the ink portion transferred onto the recording paper 2 which has been melted by the cooling described above is solidified, the end portion of the transferred character is not chipped at the time of peeling, and sharp and sharp recording can be performed. Done.

When the recording for one line is completed in this way, the thermal head 4 is driven by the above-described displacement mechanism so that the thermal head 4 is moved to the arrow E in FIG.
And is separated from the ink ribbon 9. Along with this, the pressure contact roller 7 of the pressure contact member 20 is also displaced in the same direction and separated from the ink ribbon 9. As a result, the ink ribbon 9 is separated from the recording paper 2. Then, the recording paper 2 is fed by one line by the rotation of the platen 1, the carrier 3 is driven in the direction of arrow A, and returns to the home position. Then, the above operation is repeated.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the function of the pressure contact member 20 enables sharp and sharp recording. Moreover, since the pressure contact member 20 is provided on the thermal head 4, a displacement mechanism for pressure contact and separation with respect to the ink ribbon 9 is not required, and the structure can be constructed with the extremely simple structure as described above.

Second Embodiment By the way, in the above-mentioned first embodiment, although the pressure contact member 20 has a very simple structure as a means for pressing the portion of the ink ribbon 9 immediately after heating to the recording paper, the spring 5, lever 6, Four parts, the pressure roller 7 and the shaft 18, are required.

Therefore, a second embodiment of the present invention in which the structure of the pressure contact means is further simplified so that the number of parts can be reduced is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 shows the structure around the carrier of the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows the structure around the thermal head in FIG. 3 in an enlarged manner. The same reference numerals are given to the same parts as 2.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a pressure contact spring 21 is provided instead of the pressure contact member 20 of the first embodiment.

The pressure spring 21 is bent in a substantially V shape, the right ends in both figures are fixed to the right end on the back surface of the thermal head 4, and the left end is exposed to the left side of the thermal head 4 in the figure.

Then, as shown in FIG.
In the state where no force is applied, the left end portion of the pressure contact spring 21 projects toward the ink ribbon 9 side from the heating resistor 4 of the thermal head 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the thermal head 4 is displaced in the direction of the arrow D to move the ink ribbon 9 onto the recording paper 2.
When pressed against the recording paper 2, the pressing spring 21 presses the part of the ink ribbon 9 adjacent to the left side of the thermal head 4 in the drawing to the recording paper 2 by its own elastic force.

In this way, the pressure contact member 20 can be
It can perform exactly the same function as.

The structure of the pressure contact means is not limited to this, and various structures are conceivable.

[Effect] As is clear from the above description, according to the serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention, the thermal head is provided by being biased by the elastic member, and when the thermal head is at the standby position, the ink is When the thermal head is located at the recording position, it is separated from the ribbon, and when the thermal head is located at the recording position, it has a pressure contact means for pressing the ink ribbon onto the recording medium on the downstream side of the thermal head in the ink ribbon transport direction. As the pressure contact means elastically presses the ink ribbon after thermal transfer recording onto the recording medium in response to the displacement to the recording position, the ink ribbon is surely pressed against the recording medium to ensure the timing of separation between the recording medium and the ink ribbon. It can be delayed and high quality records can be obtained. Further, since the pressure contact means is separated from the ink ribbon together with the thermal head during non-recording, when moving the carriage such as the carriage return during non-recording, it is possible to move the carriage with a light load without damaging the ink ribbon. . And, a dedicated displacement mechanism for displacing the pressure contact means is unnecessary,
The excellent effect that the structure around the pressure contact means can be made extremely simple and inexpensive is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of the periphery of a carrier of a serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the periphery of a thermal head of the same embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a plan view around the carrier of the second embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a plan view around the thermal head of the same embodiment. 1 ... Platen, 2 ... Recording paper 3 ... Carrier, 4 ... Thermal head 5 ... Spring, 6 ... Lever 7 ... Pressing roller, 9 ... Ink ribbon 20 ... Pressing member, 21 ... Pressing Spring

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. Recording is performed by thermally transferring the ink of an ink ribbon having a heat-meltable ink to a recording medium arranged on a platen by using heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head arranged on a reciprocating carriage. In the serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus, a displacing unit that displaces the thermal head between a recording position in contact with a recording medium arranged on a platen via the ink ribbon and a standby position separated from the recording position; It is provided on the head biased by the elastic member,
When the thermal head is located at the standby position, it is separated from the ink ribbon, and when the thermal head is located at the recording position, the ink ribbon is located downstream of the thermal head in the ink ribbon transport direction. Pressure contact means for contacting the recording medium with pressure, the pressure contact means provided in the thermal head after thermal transfer recording in response to the displacement means displacing the thermal head from the standby position to the recording position. 2. A serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus, wherein the ink ribbon is elastically brought into pressure contact with the recording medium. 2. The press contact means presses the ink ribbon onto the recording medium until the melted ink after thermal transfer recording cools to a non-melted state. Serial type thermal transfer recording device. 3. The pressing means is elastically biased toward the platen side from the heat generating element on the downstream side of the ink ribbon transport path of the thermal head when the thermal head is located at the standby position. The serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the serial type thermal transfer recording apparatus is protruded.