JP2533444B2 - Thermal transfer color recording device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements in a linear form, an ink sheet and a recording paper on which inks of two or more colors are sequentially applied over an area of a recording area or more. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer color recording device for thermally transferring and recording the ink while sandwiching it between opposing platen rollers to form a desired color visual image on recording paper. More specifically, it relates to a color at the time of recording in the same type of recording device. The present invention relates to technology for preventing deviation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional thermal transfer color recording apparatus adopting a thermal transfer recording system has been disclosed in (1) JP-A-59-9517.
No. 0, (2) JP-A-2-95874, (3) JP-A-2
No. -108576 is disclosed. In all of these conventional examples, a method of applying tension to the recording paper in order to prevent color misregistration during color recording is shown. (1)
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-95170, the recording paper is moved to a predetermined space side between a platen roller of the recording unit and a conveying means provided upstream of the platen roller for conveying the recording paper to the recording unit. A flapper for pressing is provided to remove the slack in the recording paper between the platen roller and the conveying means. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-95874 of (2), recording paper conveying means consisting of a grip roller and a pinch roller elastically contacting the grip roller is provided upstream and downstream of the recording section, and the platen roller is freely rotated during recording. Is conveyed by the downstream conveying means, and when the recording sheet is pulled back, the recording sheet is conveyed by the upstream conveying means to prevent the slack of the recording sheet at the time of recording. (3) JP-A-2-108
In No. 576, the first gear is attached to the grip roller shaft,
A support plate provided with second and third gears on a platen roller shaft, and two intermediate gears for transmitting a rotational force between the first gear and the second and third gears being rotated by a grip roller shaft via a slip mechanism. In preparation for this, the tooth number ratio of the engaging gear is changed according to the rotating direction of the grip roller, and the slack of the recording paper is removed by giving a peripheral speed difference to the grip roller and the platen roller. However, in these conventional examples, in the case of (1), since the slack is removed while deforming the recording paper before the transfer recording, the unevenness generated in the deformed portion of the recording paper becomes an unstable factor of the transfer omission, and (2) In the case of 2, since two sets of conveying means by grip rollers are required, the number of parts is increased, which is disadvantageous in terms of downsizing of the apparatus and price, and the unrecordable distance between the recording section and the recording sheet conveying means is increased. In the case of (3), the engagement of the intermediate gear is performed by relying on the frictional force of the slip mechanism, so that the engagement timing is likely to vary, and as a result, the tension of the recording paper varies. There was a point to be improved.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above points, the present invention eliminates the color misregistration by removing the slack of the recording paper, which occurs when the recording paper is reciprocally conveyed during color recording, by adding a simple mechanism. It is an object to prevent the thermal transfer color recording apparatus which is small in size, has a large recording area, and has excellent printing quality at low cost.

[0004]

In order to solve such a problem, in a thermal transfer color recording apparatus according to the present invention, a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements linearly and a platen roller for selectively pressing the thermal head are provided. A recording unit for sequentially performing thermal transfer recording of each color ink on the recording sheet with an ink sheet applied with at least two or more colors of ink over substantially a recording area and a recording sheet fed from a stacker; Between a grip roller that nips and conveys the recording paper between a pinch roller that is located downstream of the recording unit in the recording conveyance direction and is in elastic contact, and a platen roller that is located upstream of the recording unit in the recording conveyance direction. An auxiliary roller for supporting the recording paper by pressing and sandwiching the recording paper, and decelerating and transmitting the rotation of the grip roller only in the recording conveyance direction to the auxiliary roller. A transmission means and a second transmission means for increasing and transmitting to the platen roller the rotation of the grip roller only in the direction opposite to the recording and conveying direction are provided, and the recording paper is gripped in the recording and conveying direction during recording and paper feeding. The recording paper is conveyed by the roller and the auxiliary roller, and when not recording, the recording paper is conveyed by the grip roller and the platen roller in a direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction, and the recording paper between the grip roller and the auxiliary roller according to the conveyance direction. It is configured such that tension is applied to the sheet and the sheet is conveyed. Further, the transmission mechanism forming the first transmission means and the second transmission means is provided with a one-way clutch.

[0005]

As a result, the recording sheet is conveyed in the recording conveyance direction by the grip roller and the auxiliary roller by the deceleration rotation transmission function of the first transmission means in the recording conveyance direction, and by the second transmission means. During non-recording, the recording paper is conveyed by the grip roller and the platen roller in the direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction by the speed-increasing rotation transmission function in the direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction, and the grip roller and the auxiliary roller are conveyed according to the conveyance direction. It is possible to convey the recording paper while applying tension to it.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a thermal transfer color recording apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, a thermal head 1 having a plurality of heating elements in a straight line is provided between an ink sheet 12 and a recording paper 6 fed from a stacker 9 between an elastic platen roller 2 made of rubber or the like. The head pressure spring 16 urges and presses the head pressure spring 16 so that a predetermined current is passed through the heating element to transfer the ink contained in the ink sheet 12 onto the recording paper 6 that closely contacts and opposes it. . The ink sheets 12 are sequentially wound from the supply roll 11 side to the take-up roll 13 via the thermal head 1 by an ink sheet conveying motor (not shown). The ink color composition applied to the ink sheet 12 is as shown in FIG.
Each of the magenta M and cyan C inks is applied in an area corresponding to the recording area or slightly wider, and is melted by heat of a predetermined temperature generated by the heating element of the thermal head 1 and transferred onto the recording paper 6. , Solidify to form the desired color visual image. The ink sheet shown in FIG. 3 is used for frame-sequential transfer in the order of YMC, but a black ink application area may be additionally used in addition to these colors.

In FIG. 1, a grip roller 3 provided with fine irregularities on the surface thereof and having a high frictional force is provided downstream of the recording conveyance direction instructed by the arrow A with respect to the recording portion, and a grip roller 3 rotatably attached thereto. There is provided a recording / conveying means for pinching the recording paper 6 with the pinch rollers 4 in contact therewith and accurately conveying it. In the transfer recording in the recording unit, the recording paper 6 conveyed on the conveyance guide plate 18 is nipped by the grip roller 3 and the pinch roller 4, and the front end of the light reflection type paper front end detection sensor 10 is provided at a predetermined position. This is performed when the recording paper 6 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow A after being detected by. Meanwhile, the platen roller 2
A rotatable auxiliary roller 5 that presses the recording paper 6 toward the platen roller 2 is provided on the upstream side in the recording conveyance direction, and conveys the recording paper 6 upstream in the recording conveyance direction with respect to the recording unit. I am assisting.

Once the transfer recording of, for example, yellow Y is completed, in the thermal head 1, the head up-and-down cam 15 abutting on the head support fixed to the thermal head 1 makes a half rotation, and the biasing force of the head pressure spring 16 is applied. The thermal head 1 is lifted upward against the resistance. After that, the head of the next color magenta M of the ink sheet 12 is conveyed until it reaches a predetermined position, and the recording paper 6 is pulled back to the same position as the preceding color recording start position in the direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction of arrow A. When the pulling back of the recording paper 6 is completed, the head up / down cam 15 makes a half rotation again, and the head support 14 descends to press the thermal head 1 against the platen roller 2 and at the same time convey the recording paper 6 in the direction of arrow A. Transfer recording of magenta M color is started. By performing such a process for each color, a desired visual image is formed on the recording paper 6.

In this way, in the process of transfer recording of each color, the recording paper 6
The gripping roller 3 and the pinch roller 4 and the platen roller 2 and the auxiliary roller 5 cooperate to perform the reciprocating conveyance.
The rotation of the drive motor 21 is transmitted to the grip roller 3 and the rotation of the grip roller 3 is transmitted to the platen roller 2 and the auxiliary roller 5 intermittently. A drive gear 22 fixed to the rotation shaft of a drive motor 21 represented by a step motor and a platen gear 23 coaxially fixed to one end of the grip roller 3 are engaged with each other. 3 is transmitted.
On the other hand, a transmission gear 24 having the number of teeth Z1 is provided at the other end of the shaft of the grip roller 3. Further, the first gear 25 having the number of teeth Z2 is fixed to the shaft of the auxiliary roller 5 via the first clutch 7 of the one-way clutch, and the second clutch 8 of the one-way clutch is connected to the shaft of the platen roller 2. Through the number of teeth Z3
The second gear 26 of is fixed. First gear 25 and second
Gear 26 is configured for direct engagement.

An intermediate gear 27 having the same number of teeth Z1 as the transmission gear 24 is provided between the transmission gear 24 and the second gear 26, and the rotation of the transmission gear 24 is transmitted through the intermediate gear 27 via the intermediate gear 27. It is configured so that it can be transmitted to the two gears 26. The relationship between the number of teeth Z1 of the transmission gear 24 and the number of teeth Z2 of the first gear 25 and the number of teeth Z3 of the second gear 26 is Z3 <Z1 <Z
It is set to 2. The first clutch 7 is the first gear 2
5, only the clockwise rotation in the direction V of the auxiliary roller 5
On the other hand, the second clutch 8 is configured to transmit only the clockwise rotation of the second gear 26 in the arrow V direction to the platen roller 3.

Therefore, when the grip roller 3 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in the recording and conveying direction, that is, the direction V in the arrow direction, the transmission gear 24 is also rotated counterclockwise at the same time, and the second gear is passed through the intermediate gear 27. Although the gear 26 is rotated counterclockwise, the rotation is not transmitted to the platen roller 2 by the action of the second clutch 8 as described above. Since the second gear 26 and the first gear 25 are directly engaged with each other, the counterclockwise rotation of the second gear 26 causes the first gear 25 to rotate clockwise, and as a result, the transmission gear 24 is rotated. The rotation is transmitted only to the auxiliary roller 5. Moreover, since the number of teeth Z1 of the transmission gear 24 and the number of teeth Z2 of the first gear 25 have a relationship of Z1 <Z2, they are interlocked in the relationship of (peripheral speed of auxiliary roller 5) <(peripheral speed of grip roller 3). Will be done.

On the other hand, when the grip roller 3 is rotated in the direction opposite to the recording and conveying direction, that is, in the clockwise direction when viewed from the direction of arrow V, the transmission gear 24 is also rotated in the clockwise direction, and the second gear is passed through the intermediate gear 27. Since the gear 26 is rotated clockwise, the rotation is transmitted to the platen roller 2. on the other hand,
Since the first gear 25, which is directly engaged with the second gear 26, is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, the rotation of the transmission gear 24 is the first.
Due to the action of the clutch 7, it is not transmitted to the auxiliary roller 5, but is transmitted only to the platen roller 2. Moreover, since the number of teeth Z1 of the transmission gear 24 and the number of teeth Z3 of the second gear 26 are in the relationship of Z3 <Z1, the relation is (peripheral speed of the grip roller 3) <(peripheral speed of the platen roller 2). To do. As a result,
The recording paper 6 between the grip roller 3 and the auxiliary roller 5
Are conveyed while being always given tension in accordance with the rotating direction of the grip roller 3.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a state in which the recording paper 6 is taken out from the stacker 9 and guided to the grip roller 3 of the main transport mechanism before starting the transfer recording. Prior to the loading of the recording paper 6, the thermal head 1 is moved upward and away from the platen roller 2. The thermal head 1 is provided with a head support 14 that is fixed integrally, and by pushing up a predetermined portion of the head support 14 with the head up / down cam 15, the thermal head 1 is urged by the head pressure spring 16. Being separated and connected. As a result, a space through which the recording paper 6 can freely pass is prepared between the thermal head 1 and the platen roller 2.

A plurality of recording papers are stacked and stored in the stacker 9, and a paper feed roller 20 is elastically contacted with the uppermost recording paper, and when the paper feed roller 20 rotates a predetermined amount, one recording paper is recorded. The paper advances along the feeding guide plate 17 and is guided between the platen roller 2 and the auxiliary roller 5. The recording paper 6 nipped by the platen roller 2 and the auxiliary roller 5 is further conveyed by the rotation of the auxiliary roller 5 and the rotation of the grip roller 3 in which the rotation of the grip roller 3 is decelerated and transmitted through the first clutch 7. It advances along the guide plate 18 between the grip roller 3 and the pinch roller 4.

The tip of the recording paper 6 nipped by the grip roller 3 and the pinch roller 4 is further conveyed in the direction A by the rotation of the grip roller 3, and the tip is detected by the light reflection type paper tip detection sensor 10. Is used as the origin position of the recording paper 6 in the subsequent recording paper conveyance control. After this, the recording paper 6 is further conveyed in the A direction, and is pulled out to a position where the rear end of the recording paper 6 completely passes the feeding guide plate 17. In the conveying section after the front end of the recording paper 6 is nipped by the grip roller 3 and the pinch roller 4, as described above, (the peripheral speed of the auxiliary roller 5) <(the peripheral speed of the grip roller 3).
Therefore, the recording paper 6 is always conveyed forward while being applied with tension.

The trailing edge of the recording paper 6 is once the feeding guide plate 17
When the recording paper 6 is pulled out to a position where the recording paper 6 completely passes through, the recording paper 6 is started to move backward in the B direction, and the rear end of the recording paper 6 is moved backward along the backward movement guide plate 19. The backward conveyance is performed by the rotation of the platen roller 2 and the rotation of the grip roller 3 to which the rotation of the grip roller 3 is transmitted through the second clutch 8 at an increased speed. Since this conveyance is performed in the relationship of (peripheral speed of the grip roller 3) <(peripheral speed of the platen roller 2) as described above, the recording paper 6 is conveyed backward while always applying tension. When the leading edge of the recording paper 6 is moved back to the original position detected by the paper leading edge detection sensor 10, transfer recording can be started.

In the transfer recording, as shown in FIG. 1, the thermal head 1 is lowered downward by a predetermined rotation of the head up / down cam 15 and is pressed against the platen roller 2 with the ink sheet 12 and the recording paper 6 interposed therebetween, and the recording paper 6 is The rotation of the grip roller 3 and the rotation of the grip roller 3 via the first clutch 7 are carried out while being conveyed forward in the direction A from the origin position by the rotation of the auxiliary roller 5 that has been decelerated and transmitted. When the transfer recording of one color is completed, after the backward conveyance described in FIG. 5 is performed,
The transfer recording of the next color is executed in the state of FIG. Such an operation is repeatedly performed for each color plane, and during this time, the tension application to the recording paper 6 is appropriately performed according to the recording paper conveyance direction as described above. In the above description, an example in which a gear train is adopted as a means for transmitting the rotation of the platen roller 3 has been described, but even if the gear train is deformed or a timing belt method is adopted, Of course, the same effect can be obtained.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the deceleration rotation transmission function of the first transmission means in the recording conveyance direction allows the recording paper to be conveyed in the recording conveyance direction at the time of recording and feeding, by the grip roller and the auxiliary roller. When the non-recording is performed, the recording paper is conveyed by the grip roller and the platen roller in the direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction by the speed-increasing rotation transmission function of the second transmission means in the direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction. Accordingly, it is possible to convey the recording paper between the grip roller and the auxiliary roller while applying tension to the recording paper, so that the recording paper can be positioned accurately, color misregistration can be prevented, and the recording paper can be compact and have a small recording area. It is possible to provide at low cost a thermal transfer color recording device that is wide and has excellent printing quality.

[0019]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a thermal transfer color recording apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a main part of a recording paper conveyance mechanism of a thermal transfer color recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a color structure of an ink sheet used in the thermal transfer color recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which recording paper is fed and conveyed in the thermal transfer color recording apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the recording paper is conveyed backward in the thermal transfer color recording apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thermal Head 2 Platen Roller 3 Grip Roller 5 Auxiliary Roller 6 Recording Paper 7 First Clutch 8 Second Clutch 9 Stacker 10 Paper Edge Detection Sensor 12 Ink Sheet 17 Feed Guide Plate 18 Conveyance Guide Plate 19 Reversing Conveyance Guide Plate 21 Drive Motor 24 Transmission Gear 25 First Gear 26 Second Gear 27 Intermediate Gear

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI technical display location B65H 5/06 B41J 3/20 117C

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink sheet and a stacker in which at least two or more colors of ink are respectively applied over substantially a recording area between a thermal head linearly provided with a plurality of heating elements and a platen roller for selectively pressing the thermal head. Recording is performed between a recording unit that sequentially performs thermal transfer recording of each color ink on the recording paper sandwiching the recording paper fed from the recording paper, and a pinch roller that is located downstream of the recording unit in the recording conveyance direction and is in elastic contact. A grip roller for sandwiching and transporting the paper and an auxiliary roller located upstream of the recording unit in the recording transport direction for assisting the transport of the recording paper by pressing and sandwiching the recording paper with the platen roller are provided. First transmission means for decelerating transmission of rotation of the grip roller only in the recording conveyance direction to the roller;
The platen roller is provided with a second transmission means for speedily transmitting the rotation of the grip roller only in the direction opposite to the recording and conveying direction, and at the time of recording and paper feeding, the recording paper is conveyed in the recording and conveying direction by the grip roller and the auxiliary. The recording paper is conveyed by rollers, and when not recording, the recording paper is conveyed by the grip roller and the platen roller in a direction opposite to the recording conveyance direction, and tension is applied to the recording paper between the grip roller and the auxiliary roller according to the conveyance direction. A thermal transfer color recording apparatus, which is characterized in that it is conveyed. 2. The thermal transfer color recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission mechanism forming the first transmission means and the second transmission means includes a one-way clutch.