JP2636222B2 - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus using a recording head having a heating resistor element for each dot line.

[Conventional technology]

 The thermal transfer recording device will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part, FIG. 5 is a side view, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a winding section. A printing head 1 having a line-type heating resistor is provided between a platen 2 and a paper. 3 and the ink ribbon 4 are pressed and held at a constant pressure.

The paper 3 is supplied from a paper roll 5 and travels while being held between the press rollers 6a and 6b and the platen 2.

The ink ribbon 4 is supplied by a supply roll 8 and taken up by a take-up roll 9. During printing, the platen 2 and the pressurizing rollers 6a and 6b rotate at a constant speed with the paper 3 due to the frictional force between the paper 3 and the traveling paper. It is wound up. The ink ribbon 4 travels while being guided by the ribbon guide rollers 7a and 7b. However, in order for the ink ribbon 4 to travel without wrinkling and squeezing, no ink is formed after passing through the recording head 1 and the platen 2. It is necessary to take up with the take-up roll 9 as described above.

For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 6, the driving of the take-up roll 9 employs a method of transmitting a driving force via a frictional force smaller than the frictional force between the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 during printing. That is, according to FIG. 6, the side frame 10 has a clutch gear 11 that slides in the rotation direction, and a take-up roll guide 13 is rotatably mounted on the clutch gear 11 via a clutch plate 12. The rotational force of the motor 14 is transmitted from the motor gear 15 and the clutch gear 11 to the drive, and is transmitted to the winding roll guide 13 via the frictional force of the clutch plate 12. A is a sensor.

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus as described above, in order to reliably transfer ink after printing and to improve print quality, the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 are printed on the printing surface in the traveling path between the platen 2 and the ribbon guide roller 7a. After traveling for a fixed distance l as shown in FIG.
Are separated. This separation can be performed with a weak force because the force is applied in the peeling direction.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

According to the prior art described above, when the power is turned off during printing, the paper and the ink ribbon are kept at a fixed distance l after printing.
May be left stuck between.

When the power is turned on again in such a state and printing is started, there is a risk that the paper 3 travels with the ink ribbon 4 fixed and a jam occurs.

When using a color ink ribbon coated with a plurality of color inks in a sequential manner as shown in FIG. 7, when the power is turned on, the ink ribbon 4 is read, the winding mark 4a is read, and the yellow head is caught. In this case, there is a risk that this cueing may not be successful. That is, when the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 have a strong fixing force, the ink ribbon 4 may not run and the cue may not be performed even if the ink ribbon 4 is taken up.

To solve this problem, there is a means for running the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 together by 1 when the power is turned on or when printing is started. However, when the printing of yellow, magenta, and cyan is normally completed, that is, printing is performed on the means. When the printing is completed, the printed portion of the paper 3 is conventionally transported to the upper right in FIG. 5, and the ink ribbon is also transported together with the paper by at least the distance l. The partition part 4d was to be located, but even in such a normal end,
The method of running the ink ribbon 4 has a problem that an additional amount of the ink ribbon 4 is required for one color printing.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention provides a print head using an ink ribbon in which a plurality of color blocks in which ink surfaces of a plurality of colors are divided at predetermined widths are provided and a plurality of color blocks are provided in a length direction across a partition portion where ink is not applied. The ink ribbon and the paper are sandwiched between the paper and the platen for recording, and at the time of normal termination, the partition part is positioned at a distance from the transfer position by the print head to the separation position of the ink ribbon and the paper. Means for causing the ink ribbon and the paper to travel together when power is supplied to the apparatus or when a print signal is input, and detection for detecting a cue mark of a color block provided on the ink ribbon during the travel. Means for locating the cue mark of the color block of the ribbon at a normal end, at a position corresponding to the detection means or at the detection means. It is arranged on the upstream side in the feeding direction of the ink ribbon, and the distance from the detection unit to the cue mark is smaller than the distance from the transfer position by the print head to the separation position of the ink ribbon and the paper, Stops the ink ribbon and the paper if the detection unit detects the cue mark of the color block before the ink ribbon and the paper travel by the distance from the transfer position by the print head to the separation position of the ink ribbon and the paper. Means for causing the ink ribbon and the paper to travel by the distance without detecting the cue mark of the color block by the detection means, and stopping the travel of the paper and detecting the head of the color block by the detection means. Means for continuing the running of the ink ribbon until a set mark is detected, and for locating a color block. To.

(Operation)

According to the above configuration, when the power is turned on, the paper and the ink ribbon are caused to travel together, the mark provided on the ink ribbon is detected during the travel, and when the detection is confirmed, the travel of the paper and the ink ribbon is stopped. . If the mark cannot be detected, the paper and the ink ribbon are further traveled to detect the next mark, and when the detection is confirmed, the travel of the paper and the ink ribbon is stopped. Thus, the fixed state of the paper and the ink ribbon can be separated.

Further, the above operation is not limited to only when the power is turned on, and the above operation may be performed when a print signal is input.

〔Example〕

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the embodiment. A paper feed control 17, which is one of the functions of the printer control unit 16, controls the driving of a paper feed pulse motor 18 to rotate the platen 2,
Paper is fed in the forward or reverse direction.

A head-down control 19, which is another function, controls the driving of a head-down motor 20 and a head mechanism.
Power is transmitted to 21 to perform head-down.

Yet another function, ribbon take-up control 22, drives the ribbon take-up motor 14, which causes the clutch gear 11 to rotate.
Is rotated, and the take-up roll guide 13 is further rotated by the frictional force to take up the ink ribbon 4 around the take-up roll 9.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a first operation example from the time when the power is turned on to the state where printing is started in the thermal transfer recording apparatus having the functional block diagram of FIG. In order to perform the operation shown in FIG. 2, when the operation is normally completed, the partitioning portion 4d is located at the position where the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 are separated from the transfer position to the paper 3 by the print head as in the related art. It is configured to be located. Further, the thermal transfer recording apparatus is configured such that, when the operation is normally completed, the distance from the sensor A to the mark 4a is within a certain distance l and does not pass through the sensor A, and the mark 4a is detected by the sensor A. At this time, the yellow head is configured to be at a position facing the recording head 1. The description will be given below in the order of steps.

And the head up-down control 19 rotates the Yotsute head up-down motor 20 in the downward direction to the print head down with S _1a power up to down the print head to the reference position.

_S2a Determine whether a print signal has been input.

S _3a Waits until a print signal is input.

When the _S4a print signal is input, the paper feed pulse motor 18 and the ribbon take-up motor 14 are rotated in the forward direction.

_S5a The travel distance of paper feed and ribbon winding counts the number of steps of the paper feed pulse motor 18.

S _6a Mark 4a attached to the ribbon within a certain distance l
During the detection without feeding the paper in S _4, it performs the ribbon winding. When the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 are separated from each other, the winding speed of the ink ribbon 4 is slightly higher than that of the paper 3, and when the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 are fixed, the winding speed is the same.

Paper feed in S _5, the travel distance of the ribbon take-up has expired the power of printing to the end of the color ink ribbon cyan when the detection of the mark 4a after row of connexion print end in S _6a below a predetermined distance l In this case, the partitioning portion 4d of the color ink ribbon 4 is located at a portion of the fixed distance l, and this position is a portion where the ink is not applied to the color ink ribbon 4 and the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 are printed. Not fixed on the surface.

_{S7a If the} paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 are not fixed on the printing surface, the paper is fed and the ribbon winding is stopped.

S _8a head up-down control 19 rotates the Yotsute head up-down motor 20 in the up-direction printing is started from by up-printing head with.

On the other hand, in _S4a , paper feeding and ribbon winding were performed,
If the paper feed has reached a fixed distance l, the power is turned off before printing is completed until the end of cyan on the color ink ribbon 4, that is, the power is turned off during printing and the yellow, magenta, and cyan colors of the color ink ribbon 4 are turned off. The portion to which any one of the colors of ink is applied is located at a fixed distance l, and the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 are in a fixed state when printing is performed at this portion on the printing surface by the distance l. . Then, when feeding the paper and winding the ribbon in _S4a ,
If printing has been performed at the part of the fixed distance l, paper 3
Even when the adhesive force between the ink ribbon 4 and the ink ribbon 4 is strong and is stronger than the frictional force of the clutch plate 12, the color ink ribbon 4 is fed at the same speed as the paper 3 and fed over a distance l, and then wound up while being peeled off. Go.

On the other hand, the paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4 are not fixed to a portion where printing is not performed at the fixed distance l, and the color ink ribbon 4 is wound up at a slightly higher speed than the paper 3.

Further, in _S9a , the paper is fed and the ribbon winding is stopped.

S _{Wind the 10a} ink ribbon.

Wind up until the _S11a sensor detects the mark on the ink ribbon.

Stop S _12a ink ribbon take-up printing is started in the Hetsudoatsupu state in S _8a.

Next, a second operation example will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

S _{1b When the} power is turned on, the print head 1 is lowered to the reference position by the head drop-down control 19.

It is determined whether a _S2b print signal has been input.

S Waits for _3b print signal to be input.

When S _4b printing signal is input to the state of Hetsudoatsupu.

Feed S _5b paper, the ribbon take-up winding the line of go-between paper 3 and the ink ribbon 4. In this case, since the print head 1 is in the up state, the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 formed by clamping the print head 1 and the platen 2 are compared with the paper feeding and ribbon winding state in _S4a of the first operation example. Since the frictional force is applied to the paper, the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 can always be fed at the same speed.

_S6b The travel distance of paper feed and ribbon winding counts the number of steps of the paper feed pulse motor 18.

S _7b Mark 4a attached to the ribbon within a certain distance l
Is detected, the power is turned off after the normal printing is completed, and the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 are not fixed on the printing surface.

S _8b Stop paper feed and ribbon winding, and start printing.

Paper feed in S _9b S _6b, when the traveling distance of the ribbon take-up has reached a certain distance l feeding paper, stops the ribbon take-up.

In this case, the power is turned off when the portion of the color ink ribbon 4 to which one of the yellow, magenta, and cyan inks is applied is located at the fixed distance l. When printing is not performed in this portion, the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 are separated from each other at a portion of a fixed distance l. Paper 3 with ink
That is, the ink ribbon 4 is fixed on the printing surface.
However, paper feed in S _5b, the sheet 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 in the ribbon take-up is already separated because it is wound in Okugyo more than a certain distance l simultaneously.

S _10b Head down.

S _{11b Wind the} ribbon.

S _12b Wind up until the yellow mark 4a is detected by the sensor.

S _13b Stop winding the ribbon.

S Start printing with the head in the _14b state.

In the second operation example described above, the paper 3 and the color ink ribbon 4 are more reliably run at the same speed because the paper is fed and the ribbon is wound after the head is in the head-up state compared to the first operation example. Can be. On the other hand if the power in the middle printing is off becomes superfluous operation of Hetsudoatsupu of Hetsudodaun and S _14b of S _10b duration becomes longer.

Each of the above-described operation examples has been described as an operation after the power is turned on. However, the same applies when the operation is performed at the time of inputting a print signal at the time of turning on the power.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention described in detail above, when the first print signal is received after the power is turned on, the paper feed pulse motor and the ribbon take-up motor are simultaneously rotated, so that the feed amount of the fixed distance l and the color ink ribbon By detecting marks, even if the paper and the color ink ribbon are in a fixed state when the power is turned on, they can be separated from each other, and the color ink ribbon will not be wasted and paper jams will occur. Has the effect of preventing.

In addition, if the cue mark of the ink ribbon is detected before the paper and the ink ribbon have traveled for a distance corresponding to the distance from the transfer position by the print head to the separation position of the paper and the ink ribbon, normal printing is performed. Since it is determined that the power has been turned off after performing the operation, the traveling of the paper and the ink ribbon is stopped, so that it is possible to reduce the time until the start of printing without causing wasteful feeding of the paper and the ink ribbon.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a first operation example, FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a second operation example, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part of a thermal transfer recording apparatus. FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the winding section, and FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of a color ink ribbon. 1 Print head, 2 Platen, 3 Paper, 4
… Ink ribbon, 16… Printer control unit, 17… Paper feed control, 18… Paper feed pulse motor, 19… Head up down control, 20… Head up down motor, 21…
Head mechanism, 22 ... Ribbon winding control

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-207664 (JP, A) JP-A-58-101076 (JP, A) JP-A-60-222280 (JP, A) JP-A-58-210 55281 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Showa 60-56262 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing method using an ink ribbon in which a plurality of ink blocks of a plurality of colors are divided at predetermined widths and a plurality of color blocks applied are provided in a length direction across a partition portion to which no ink is applied. The ink ribbon and the paper are sandwiched between the head and the platen for recording, and the recording is performed. At the time of the normal end, the partition portion is located at a distance from the transfer position by the print head to the separation position of the ink ribbon and the paper. Means for causing the ink ribbon and the paper to travel together when power is supplied to the apparatus or when a print signal is input, and detection for detecting a read mark of a color block provided on the ink ribbon during the travel. The cue mark of the color block of the ribbon, at the time of normal termination, the position corresponding to the detection means or the detection mark. Upstream of the feed direction of the ink ribbon with respect to the detecting means, the distance from the detection means to the cue mark is arranged to be smaller than the distance from the transfer position by the print head to the separation position between the ink ribbon and the paper. If the cue mark of the color block is detected by the detection means before the ink ribbon and the paper have traveled by the distance from the transfer position by the print head to the position where the ink ribbon separates from the paper, the ink ribbon and the paper are separated. Means for stopping, when the cue mark of the color block is not detected by the detection means, and the ink ribbon and the paper have traveled the distance, the travel of the paper is stopped, and the detection of the color block is performed by the detection means. Means for continuing the movement of the ink ribbon until the cue mark is detected to perform cueing of the color block. Characteristic thermal transfer recording device.