JP2962437B2 - ink ribbon - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ribbon, and more particularly to an ink ribbon used for multicolor printing such as a thermal printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a thermal printer capable of printing images and characters in multiple colors, generally, Y (yellow),
Using an ink ribbon on which three primary color inks of M (magenta) and C (cyan) (hereinafter referred to as “ink areas”) are applied in a face-sequential manner, these YMC ink areas are thermally transferred so as to overlap each other. Color is realized. The ink ribbon is used in a state where both ends are wound in a roll shape and rotatably mounted on a rotating shaft for feeding and winding. (In some cases, the ink ribbon is wound around a feed or take-up rotary shaft, that is, used as a so-called ink ribbon cartridge.) Consumes a set of YMC ink areas in a single print. Therefore, a plurality of sets of YM
A C ink area is arranged.

In order to perform stable printing using such an ink ribbon, the printer body needs to detect a consumption signal every time a set of YMC ink areas is consumed.
Also, in order to prevent a situation in which the ink ribbon is used up during printing (such as a loss of the YMC ink area), even if the YMC ink area still remains, the user is required to use the ink ribbon. You must signal the end of use.

As a method of notifying the end of use of the ink ribbon, (1) a method of sequentially counting the number of sets of consumed YMC ink areas, (2) an end detection mark is put near the final portion of the multicolor ink ribbon. A method of detecting a lever mark has been adopted. However, in the method (1), when the power supply to the printer main body is stopped or when the ink ribbon is removed from the printer main body, there is a risk that the current count number may be lost.

On the other hand, the method (2) has no such danger, but has the following problem. That is, as described above, the thermal printer needs to obtain a consumption signal for each YMC ink area, and therefore, a mark is provided for each YMC ink area. However, since this mark is provided regularly, it is characterized in that it can be formed by the same block as YMC ink. On the other hand, since only one end detection mark is required for one multicolor ink ribbon, it is necessary to prepare a new dedicated composition or to manually apply the composition to form the composition by using a composition, which is extremely inconvenient. It is economical. In addition, there is a problem that the operation of winding the ink ribbon must be interrupted while drying the applied mark.

As an alternative to such a method, there is a simple and quick method of providing an end detection mark by attaching a small piece of a seal to a predetermined position of an ink ribbon.

[0007] In recent years, uniformity and stabilization of the ink surface have been demanded with the increase in the precision of print output. Accordingly, there is a possibility that various problems may occur in the seal type end detection mark.

That is, the solvent volatilizes slightly from the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back surface of the seal, causing a chemical change in the peripheral ink area wound around the seal. Therefore, when printing is performed using the affected ink area, the print density of the portion facing the seal deteriorates. Therefore, when the ink region is an ink ribbon composed of only a single color ink such as B (black), there is a problem that the print density is deteriorated. In the case where the ink region has the YMC ink region as described above,
There is a problem that a color image formed by superimposition printing cannot reproduce an original color.

[0009] Further, due to the thickness of the seal itself, the peripheral ribbon wound around the seal locally causes winding failure, and the ribbon wrinkles or breaks, or the YMC ink layer facing the ribbon. There is a risk that a peeling phenomenon may occur. As described above, various inconveniences can be considered in the seal-type end detection mark, and it is difficult to obtain a high-precision print output.

[0010]

As described above, in the conventional ink ribbon, an end detection mark is provided as a method which can be provided simply and quickly in order to form an end detection mark for notifying the end of use of the ink ribbon. There was a method using a seal. However, it is considered that various problems may occur in the end detection seal.

The present invention has been made to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink ribbon capable of obtaining a high-precision print output even by using an end detection seal. Things.

[0012]

According to the present invention, there is provided an ink ribbon having a ribbon wound in a roll and a plurality of ink regions formed on the ribbon. An ink ribbon configured to affix a seal between the ink areas on the ribbon to notify the end of use of the ink ribbon and to face the seal between the ink areas when the ribbon is wound. And

[0013]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the end detection mark made of the seal does not come into contact with the surrounding ink area, and the ink area causes a chemical change and the print density is degraded. There is no. In addition, since the end detection mark is wound without overlapping the ink area, problems such as wrinkling or breaking of the ribbon or peeling of the ink layer in the ink area are avoided even if the thickness of the end detection mark itself is affected. Is done.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ink ribbon according to the present invention. As shown in FIG.
Is composed of a transparent or translucent ribbon 1, a delivery spool 2 and a take-up spool 3 fixed to both ends of the ribbon 1. Further, the take-up spool 3 is connected to a rotary drive mechanism of a recording device (thermal printer) not shown here.
The ribbon 1 is drawn from the side and wound.

On the surface of the ribbon 1, Y (yellow), M
The ink areas 4, 5, and 6 of three colors (magenta) and C (cyan) are applied in a plane-sequential manner, and the respective color patterns are superimposed on a recording paper (not shown) by thermal transfer to perform color printing. A predetermined margin is provided between the color ink areas 4, 5, and 6, where the color alignment marks 4 are provided.
a, 5a and 6a are formed. The color alignment marks 4a, 5a, 6a are formed by the same printing as the color ink areas 4, 5, 6.

Each of the color registration marks 4a, 5a, 6a is detected by two sets of mark detection sensors 7, 8 each composed of a light emitting element and a light detecting element provided in the main body of the recording apparatus. Here, as the two sets of mark detection sensors 7 and 8, ones that detect the light transmission state by two values of “bright and dark” are used, and one of the mark detection sensors 7 and 8 obtains a signal to obtain each color. The ink areas 4, 5, 6 are recognized. Then, the tip positions of the color ink areas 4, 5, and 6 are positioned by the control signal so that the color inks do not deviate from the predetermined positions on the printing paper.

As shown in FIG. 1, most of the ribbons 1 are wound around the take-up spool 3 to form an ink ribbon.
An end detection sticker 9 is attached immediately before the end of the ribbon 1 in order to inform the recording apparatus that the remaining amount of 10 is small. Since the end detection sticker 9 is provided in the margin between the inks of the respective colors, similarly to the alignment marks 4a and 5a of the respective colors, when the two mark detection sensors 7 and 8 detect the marks at the same time (under the and condition). Only the end detection seal 9 is recognized.

FIG. 2 is a view of the ink ribbon 10 constructed as shown in FIG. Here, assuming that the diameter of the delivery spool 2 (the innermost diameter of the ribbon 1) is d and the distance between the ink regions of each color (including the margin) is p, the following equation is established. π · d = n · p (where n is an arbitrary natural number) (1)

When the remaining amount of the ribbon 1 is large, the ribbon 1 is sufficiently wound around the delivery spool 2 so that the margin portions do not overlap as shown in FIG. However, since the end detection seal 9 is attached immediately before the end of the ribbon 1, it becomes a problem only when the winding amount of the ribbon 1 is small, and the diameter of the delivery spool 2 can be approximated as d.

Therefore, the end detection seal 9 is disposed so that the opposing surface thereof just overlaps the margin between inks. Therefore, even if the solvent volatilizes from the adhesive on the back surface of the end detection seal 9, the ink regions 4, 5, 6
The ink surface of each color does not undergo a chemical change, and there is no risk that the print density will be degraded even if printing is performed using the ink regions 4, 5, and 6 of the colors. The image will reproduce the original colors.

Also, since the end detection seal 9 is wound around the margin between inks, the thickness of the seal itself does not matter so much, such as wrinkling or breaking of the ribbon, or peeling of the ink layer in the opposite ink area. Such a defect of the winding is avoided as much as possible.

In the above embodiment, the ink ribbon 10 having the YMC three-color ink areas 4, 5, and 6 has been described. However, an ink ribbon composed of only a single-color ink area such as B (black) is sufficient. Effect.

[0024]

As described above, according to the ink ribbon of the present invention, since the end detection mark does not come into contact with the surrounding ink area, the ink area causes a chemical change and the print density deteriorates. Nothing. Also, since the end detection mark is wound without overlapping the ink area,
Despite the influence of the thickness of the end detection mark itself, problems such as wrinkling and breaking of the ribbon and peeling of the ink layer of the YMC ink are avoided as much as possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ink ribbon of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the ink ribbon of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ribbon 2 ... Sending spool 3 ... Take-up spool 4, 5, 6 ... Ink area 7, 8 ... Mark detection sensor 9 ... End detection seal 10 ... Ink ribbon

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 31/00 B41J 17/36 B41J 31/05 B41J 31/10

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An ink ribbon having a ribbon wound in a roll and a plurality of ink regions formed on the ribbon, wherein the use of the ink ribbon is terminated between the ink regions on the ribbon. Attach a sticker to inform you,
An ink ribbon, wherein the seal is configured to face between ink regions when the ribbon is wound. 2. The ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of ink areas are made of at least three colors of ink. 3. When the interval between the ink areas is p and the ribbon is wound with an innermost diameter d, π · d = n
3. The ink ribbon according to claim 1, wherein p (where n is an arbitrary natural number) is satisfied.