JP2585993Y2 - Thermal transfer 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 transfer recording apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a basic mechanism of a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus. The sheets are stored in a sheet feeder 1 located at a lower portion of the apparatus. The main mechanism is supported by the base 2 and side plates (not shown). The base 2 supports a paper feed motor 3, a shutter solenoid 4, and a shutter lever 8. The shutter solenoid 4 and the shutter lever 8 are connected to a plunger 5 and a shutter angle 7, and the shutter lever 8 is a shutter lever support pin. The shutter lever 8 is rotatable around the fulcrum 8a, and can switch between opening and closing the paths of the paper guides 10, 11 forming the path of the sheet.

A spring 6 is mounted on the plunger 5. When a current is supplied to the shutter solenoid 4, the path of the paper guides 10 and 11 is opened to allow paper to enter, and when the current is cut off, the spring is released. The path of the paper guides 10 and 11 is cut off by the elastic force of 6, and the paper guide 11 and the paper guide 2a of the base 2 form a paper transport path.

The paper feed motor 3 has a pulley 12 on its shaft and transmits power to a capstan roller 14a by a timing belt 13. In addition to the capstan pulley A14b connected to the paper feed motor 3 and the timing belt 13, a capstan pulley B14c rotating with the capstan shaft 14 and a capstan gear 14d are mounted on the capstan shaft 14.

[0005] The capstan pulley B14c is connected to a paper feed pulley 16a and a discharge pulley 18a by a timing belt 15, the paper feed pulley 16a is connected to a paper feed roller 16b, and the discharge pulley 18a is connected to a discharge gear 18a.
b, discharge idler gear 19 and discharge roller gear 20a
To power the discharge roller 20b. A pair of a paper feed pinch roller 17 and a paper discharge pinch roller 21 are supported by the paper feed roller 16b and the paper discharge roller 20b so as to be pressed against each other so that the paper 50 can be transported and discharged. Capstan gear 14d
Drives the platen roller 24 by rotating the platen idler gear 22 and the platen gear 23.

The capstan roller 14a has a pinch roller 25 which is supported so that the paper can be conveyed while sandwiching the paper with the entire width of the paper together with the capstan roller 14a. The pinch roller 25 includes a pinch pressing plate 26 that presses the pinch roller 25 against the capstan roller 14a via a pinch roller shaft 25a to create a stronger grip during printing, and a pinch pressing angle 27 that supports the pinch pressing plate 26. is there. The pinch pressing angle 27 is swingable about a fulcrum 27a.

The pinch pressing is performed by the pinch pressing angle 2
7 is performed by rotation of the pinch pressing cam 32 positioned so as to be in contact with the tip of the lever portion 27b. The pinch pressing cam 32 is supported by a pinch pressing cam shaft 35. Further, the pinch pressing gear 30 is provided on the pinch pressing cam shaft 35, meshes with the pinion gear 29, and can be driven by the head motor 28. Since the pinch pressing gear 30 is supported by the pinch pressing camshaft 35 via a one-way clutch, power is transmitted to the pinch pressing camshaft 35 only when the pinch pressing gear 30 rotates in the counterclockwise arrow direction in FIG. At the time, idle rotation occurs between the pinch pressing gear 30 and the pinch pressing cam shaft 35.

Further, the pinch pressing gear 30 meshes with the head gear 31 so that the head shaft 36 can be driven. The headgear 31 incorporates a one-way clutch similarly to the pinch pressing gear 30, and transmits the drive to the head shaft 36 only in the direction of a counterclockwise arrow in the drawing. A head cam 33 is incorporated in the head shaft 36 and is sandwiched between a head plate 38 and a head angle 34 fixed to the head plate 38. During printing, the head cam 33 contacts the head plate 38 and presses the head 37 supported by the head plate 38 against the platen roller 24. When printing is not performed, the head 37 contacts the upper part of the head angle 34 and functions to separate the head 37 from the platen roller 24.

As shown in the conventional head-up / down mechanism of FIG. 5, the head shaft 36 and the pinch pressing cam shaft 35 are provided with a head sense cam 39 and a pinch sense cam 40, respectively.
The positions of the head cam 33 and the pinch pressing cam 32 are detected by 1 and 42, respectively.

Next, the operation will be described. When the power is turned on, the initialization operation starts. The initialization is to put the apparatus in a standby state, and initializes a head and releases pinch pressing. The end of the initialization operation is recognized by the micro switches 41 and 42 detecting the rotation state of the head sense cam 39 and the pinch sense cam 40. This situation is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 which are diagrams of a position detection mechanism for head pinch pressing.

FIG. 6 shows a microswitch off, and FIG.
This is the state of n. With the rotation of the head shaft 36 and the pinch pressing cam shaft 35, the head sense cam 39 and the pinch sense cam 40 also rotate to detect the positions of the head cam 33 and the pinch pressing cam 32.

FIG. 8 shows a list of the position detection of the microswitch, and four types of positions are detected. A one-way clutch is mounted on each of the headgear 31 and the pinch pressing gear 30, and power is transmitted to the respective shafts by the forward and reverse rotations of the head motor 28, so that they can be individually positioned. . The initialization state is when the head 37 is up and the pinch pressing is released.

When printing is performed, by operating an operation panel (not shown), when the control circuit of FIG. 9 receives a print command, the paper feed motor 3 rotates in the direction in which the paper feed roller 16 b feeds the paper into the paper guide 11. start. At the same time, a current flows through the shutter solenoid 4 to form a path for the paper guides 10 and 11. The sheet is fed from the sheet feeder 1 and the paper guide 1
The paper detection sensor 44 attached to 0 is turned on.
The paper is conveyed to the paper guide 11. The sheet is fed until the trailing edge is disengaged from the paper feed roller 16b. Whether the paper is disengaged from the paper feed roller 16b is determined by how many pulses the paper feed motor 3 has been fed after the sheet detection sensor 44 has been cut off.

When the trailing edge of the paper is disengaged from the paper feed roller 16b, the current to the shutter solenoid 4 is turned off and the paper guide 11 and the paper guide portion 2 of the base 2 are turned off.
A sheet conveyance path to the platen roller 24 formed by the step (a) is formed, and the head motor 28 starts rotating, the head 37 is up, and the pinch pressing stops in the pressed state. The paper feed motor 3 starts reverse rotation, and the paper is sent to the platen roller 24. Paper is the base paper guide 2
When the paper feed sensor 3 reaches the position a, the paper detection sensor 9 that detects the lever at the paper guide portion 2a of the base 2 detects the leading end of the paper, and the pulse count of the paper feed motor 3 causes the leading end of the paper to reach the capstan roller 24. Recognize that you have done it.

Next, the head motor 28 rotates in the reverse direction to the operation of the pinch pressing mechanism, so that the head 37 is brought down and printing is started. Since printing is performed for each color, each time one color is completed, the head 37 is raised, the paper feed motor 3 is rotated in the reverse direction, the paper is returned to the paper guide 11 and printing is performed, and the next printing is performed again. Is started. This process is repeated during printing of yellow, magenta, cyan, or yellow, magenta, cyan, and black to achieve printing.

When the printing of the last one color is completed, the head 37 is raised by the rotation of the head motor 28, the paper feed motor 3 is rotated, and the paper is conveyed to the paper guide 11. Before the leading edge of the paper passes through the paper guide 11 and reaches the discharge roller 20b, there is a paper detection sensor 43. When the paper passes, the sensor operates and the control unit in FIG. Inform.

After the trailing edge of the sheet has passed the sheet detection sensor 43, the control section is notified by the pulse count sent from the paper feed motor 3 that the sheet has been discharged. When the control unit obtains this information, it stops the rotation of the paper feed motor 3, initializes the apparatus, and returns to the standby state again.

[0018]

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus as described above, the paper discharge roller 2 is used for printing.
0b and the paper feed roller 16b feed the paper. However, the dimensional accuracy and the assembly accuracy of the parts cause a difference in the amount of paper feed between the two, and the deflection and pinning of the paper in the path of the paper guide 11 occur. Occurs. In the case of deflection, the paper may be broken, and in the case of pinning, the paper guide 11 may be scratched by rubbing. In any case, there is a possibility that the printing quality is deteriorated.

Accordingly, the present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0020]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the grips of the paper discharge pinch roller 21 and the paper discharge roller 20b of the discharge roller portion are made detachable, and gripped only at the time of discharge. At that time, the grip was released.

[0021]

According to the above arrangement, it is possible to prevent the paper from being bent or pinned during printing.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an apparatus diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. The discharge pinch link 48 and the discharge pinch angle 45 are supported on side plates (not shown) by pins 48a and 45a, respectively, and are rotatable around the pins 48a and 45a.

Pins 48b and 48c are provided at both ends of the discharge pinch link 48, and a rotatable roller 47 is attached to the pin 48b. The pin 48b comes into contact with the pinch pressing cam 32 described in the conventional example, and a head motor is provided. A counterclockwise rotational force is given from 28. As the pinch pressing cam 32 rotates, the pinch pressing cam 32 rotates about the pin 48a as a fulcrum.

On the other hand, a pin 48c set on the other end is inserted into an elongated hole (not shown) provided at an end of the discharge pinch angle 45, and the rotational force given by the rotation of the pinch pressing cam 32 is discharged. A transmission link structure is formed in the pinch angle 45. Discharge pinch springs 46 are attached to the discharge pinch angle 45 at six locations along the paper width by a fastening method such as screwing, welding, or bonding.

The discharge pinch spring 46 is partially bent so that the pin 21a of the paper discharge pinch roller 21 is held above the discharge pinch angle 45 to form a paper.
-The driving force from the driving source of the feed motor 3 is given. It is possible to rotate with the rotation of the paper discharge roller 20b. The discharge pinch spring 46 is rotated by the elastic force of the discharge pinch angle 45 so that the sheet discharge pinch roller 21 is rotated by the sheet discharge roller 20b.
Acts as a cushion when in contact with

With the above-described link structure, when the pinch is pressed, the discharge pinch link 48 and the discharge pinch angle 45 rotate as shown in FIG. and releasing the grip of the paper discharge roller 20b, also the paper discharge roller 20b and the discharge pinch roller 21 when the street pinch roller 25 and the capstan roller 14a is deviated <br/> the pinch pressing shown in FIG. 3 has been canceled The grip will be made.

During printing, as described in the conventional example, since the pinch is always pressed as shown in FIG. 2, the paper discharge rollers 20b and the paper discharge pinch rollers 21 of the discharge roller section are used.
The grip of the paper feed
The paper 5 is located between the tray 16a and the paper discharge roller 20b.
Zero deflection and pinning can be prevented. When the printing is completed and the paper 50 is discharged, the pinch pressing is released when the leading end of the paper is applied to the paper detection switch 43 near the paper discharge roller portion of the paper guide 11, and the paper discharge pinch roller 21 of the discharge roller portion is released. What is necessary is just to grip the paper discharge roller 20b.

In this embodiment, the grip of the discharge pinch roller 21 of the discharge roller unit is attached and detached by using the pinch pressing cam 32. However, the same effect can be obtained by providing a single actuator. . However, the present embodiment is superior because the increase in the cost of the apparatus can be minimized by also using the actuator.

[0029]

If the above-described paper discharge mechanism is provided in the thermal transfer recording apparatus, the pinch roller 25 and the capstan roller 14a are always pinch pressed during printing, so that the paper discharge pinch roller of the discharge roller section is used. 21 and the grip between the paper discharge roller 20b is maintained in a released state,
Between the paper feed roller 16a and the paper discharge roller 20b, buckling and pinning of the paper can be prevented. Therefore, the paper 50 is broken when the buckling occurs, and the paper guide 11 is scratched due to pinning. Deterioration of the print quality due to the occurrence of the occurrence can be prevented, and good print quality can be obtained. Further, since the pinch pressing cam 32 is used to attach and detach the grip of the sheet discharge pinch roller 21 of the discharge roller unit, it is possible to suppress an increase in the cost of the apparatus when a single actuator is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation diagram when the discharge pinch is opened according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an operation diagram at the time of a discharge pinch grip of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an apparatus diagram of a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a conventional head up / down mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a position detection mechanism (microswitch off) of a head and pinch pressing.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a position detection mechanism (microswitch on) of a head and pinch pressing.

FIG. 8 is a list of position detection of a microswitch.

FIG. 9 is a circuit block diagram of the device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Paper Guide 14a Capstan Roller 20b Paper Discharge Roller 21 Paper Discharge Pinch Roller 25 Pinch Roller 27 Pinch Press Angle 28 Head Motor 32 Pinch Press Cam 45 Discharge Pinch Angle 46 Discharge Pinch Spring 47 Roller 48 Discharge Pinch Link

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] A caps sandwiching the print head.
A pair of a ton roller (14a) and a pinch roller (25),
And a paper discharge roller (20b) and a paper discharge pinch low
(21) A repetitive printing section (24, 3
7), whereby the paper (50) is reciprocated for each color.
Thermal transfer for color printing by repeated printing
In the recording apparatus, the recording medium is driven by a head motor (28).
With a pinch pressing cam (32) that rotates in one direction
The repetitive printing is performed by the pinch pressing cam (32).
Via the pinch roller pressing mechanism (26, 27)
In conjunction with the printing operation of the print head (37), the paper (5
0) is a capstan roller by a pinch roller (25).
(14a), and in response to the non-printing operation,
Pinch roller drive mechanism and pinch pressing cam
Link mechanism (21, 45, 46, 4)
7, 48) via the print head (37)
The paper discharge pinch roller (21) and the discharge roller in conjunction
(20b) Releases the pressure and uses it in conjunction with the non-printing operation.
The paper (50) is discharged by the paper discharge pinch roller (21)
A color thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising: a paper discharge pinch roller driving mechanism for pressing a roller (20b) .