JP3966990B2 - Rotating drum for image recording apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is a recording used for an image recording apparatus that records information such as images and characters using toner sheets of various colors such as K (black), C (cyan), M (magenta), and Y (yellow) on a recording medium. Relates to a rotating drum.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the conventional image recording apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7, a recording medium 30 constituted by superposing and adhering a toner sheet using heat-meltable, heat-adhesive or sublimable toner on an image-receiving sheet is rotated for recording. Each KCMY color image is recorded while being fixed on the drum 20 and irradiating a laser beam or the like from the optical head 10 and moving the moving stage 40 parallel to the axial direction of the recording rotary drum 2. 21 is a suction hole. The suction hole 21 restricts the recording medium 30 to a predetermined correct position on the recording rotating drum 20 by registration, and at the same time, the rotating drum 20 rotates at a considerably high speed during recording, so that the recording medium 30 rotates. This is a suction hole for securely mounting the recording medium 30 on the rotating drum 20 so as not to float or turn over from the drum 20. After this adsorption, it is as shown in FIG. That is, the air blower 50 (or a vacuum pump or the like) that is an external suction source is sucked through the suction pipe to reduce the pressure by sucking the air inside the recording rotary drum 20 and opens a large number of suction holes that open on the surface of the rotary drum 20. The recording medium 30 is vacuum-sucked through the hole 21 or the like so as to be securely held and fixed.
[0003]
FIG. 9 is a cut-out partial view of such a conventional recording rotary drum 20, and the rectangle indicated by the outermost thick line is a view in which the rotary drum 20 is cut to the axis along the axial direction and developed. A thin line rectangle on the inside indicates the recording medium 30 to be adsorbed on the rotary drum 20. The recording medium 30 includes an image receiving sheet and a toner sheet placed on the image receiving sheet so as to cover the entire surface of the image receiving sheet, and is set on the rotary drum 20.
In general, the toner sheet is larger than the image receiving sheet. Therefore, a step is generated between the image receiving sheet and the toner sheet at the edge of the image receiving sheet. Therefore, a correction sheet is inserted into the edge portion. In some cases, the height may be corrected.
A large number of circles on FIG. In FIG. 9, the circles representing the suction holes 21 are drawn large for easy understanding of the arrangement relationship provided on the rotary drum 20, but the actual size is smaller and the number is larger.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above conventional example, by increasing the adsorption force of the recording medium, the defects such as the occurrence of image unevenness due to poor adhesion and the weakness to dust and scratches are generally eliminated. However, as shown in FIG. When the medium 30L is set, the suction holes 21 on the rotary drum 20 are all covered and closed by the recording medium 30L, so there is no problem with suction / suction through the suction holes 21, but the recording medium to be set 10 is as small as 30S, the suction holes 21 of more than half in FIG. 10 cannot be covered and blocked by the recording medium 30S, so that the recording medium's suction force becomes weak and normal image recording is difficult. There was a problem of becoming.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention provides a recording rotary drum for an image recording apparatus that can perform the same stable suction regardless of the size of the recording medium and can perform high-quality image recording regardless of the size of the recording medium. The purpose is to do.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a recording rotary drum having a plurality of suction holes for sucking and fixing a recording medium at a predetermined position. The inside of the drum is shielded from the outside air, and when the recording medium is set, the suction hole is opened by the recording medium from the outside of the recording rotating drum to open the suction hole and enable the suction suction of the recording medium. It is characterized in that it was provided. Further, the present invention provides a fixing member that is fixed to the inside of the recording rotating drum, a lower enlarged portion having a cross section larger than the suction hole area that is movably attached to the fixing member, and the blocking member. A movable piece that extends from a lower enlarged portion and includes a shaft-shaped tip having a smaller cross section than the suction hole area, and a biasing member that biases the movable piece toward the recording rotating drum, and The length of the shaft-shaped tip is longer than the thickness of the recording rotary drum. Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that the biasing member is realized by a spring or a magnetic force. With the configuration described above, when the recording medium is set on the rotating drum, the shaft-shaped tip of the tip of the hole closing member is pushed down by the recording medium, so that the movable adsorbed on the inner surface of the recording rotating drum The lower enlarged portion of the piece is separated to open a suction hole, so that the recording medium can be sucked from the recording rotary drum. Since only the suction holes in the area covered by the size of the recording medium are opened as described above, the suction fixing can be surely performed regardless of the size of the recording medium, so that high-quality image recording becomes possible.
[0007]
In the invention, it is preferable that the recording medium includes an image receiving sheet and a toner sheet placed on the image receiving sheet so as to cover the image receiving sheet.
The present invention further provides a recording rotary drum in which a step correction sheet is provided on an outer edge of the image receiving sheet, and the length of the shaft-shaped tip is the sum of the thickness of the recording rotary drum and the thickness of the step correction sheet. It is characterized by a longer configuration. With the configuration described above, the present invention can be applied even when a step correction sheet is set on a rotating drum in addition to a recording medium, and there is a disadvantage that the toner sheet is wrinkled at the outer edge of the image receiving sheet. In addition, since it can be reliably suctioned and fixed regardless of the size of the recording medium, high-quality image recording becomes possible.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a recording rotary drum of an image recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an image recording apparatus using the recording rotary drum shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a recording medium used in the image recording apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a recording process of the image recording apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view when the recording medium 30 is set on the recording rotary drum 2, and 1 is a hole-sealing member that is the gist of the present invention, and the fixed member 3, the movable piece 4, and the urging force. It consists of the member 5. Reference numeral 2 denotes a recording rotary drum having a large number of suction holes 21. Reference numeral 3 denotes a fixed member fixed to the inside of the recording rotary drum 2, and reference numeral 4 denotes a movable piece having an inverted T-shaped cross section that is attached to the bottom surface of the fixed member 3 by a biasing member such as a spring 5 upward. This has a lower enlarged portion 4a larger than the suction hole area and an axial tip 4b. As described above, 21 is the same suction hole on the rotary drum 2 as in the prior art, and 30 is a recording medium placed on the recording rotary drum 2.
[0009]
Next, the operation will be described.
The fixing member 3 of the blocking member 1 is formed, for example, in an overall U-shaped cross section, and an opening 3a through which air freely flows between the inside and the outside of the fixing member 3 is formed at an arbitrary location. Yes. The movable piece 4 is also attached to the bottom side of the fixed member 3 through the spring 5 in a biased state toward the recording rotary drum 2.
FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a state where the recording medium 30 is not set on the recording rotary drum 2. Normally, as shown in FIG. 1B, all the suction holes 21 on the recording rotary drum 2 are all closed by the blocking member 1. Specifically, the upper portion of the fixed member 3 is attached to the inner surface of the rotary drum 2 so as to cover the suction hole 21, the shaft-like tip portion of the movable piece 4 is inserted into the suction hole 21, and the lower enlarged portion 4 a of the movable piece 4. The spring 5 is inserted into the fixing member 3 so as to completely close the suction hole 21. In this state, the inside of the rotary drum 2 is completely blocked from the outside air.
[0010]
Next, when the recording medium 30 is placed and set on the rotary drum 2, the state shown in FIG. 1A is obtained, and the axial shape of the tip of the movable piece 4 whose head protrudes from the suction hole 21 by the recording medium 30. The upper end of the tip portion 4b is pushed down, and the lower enlarged portion 4a of the movable piece 4 moves away from the inner surface of the rotating drum and opens the suction hole 21. Thus, an air passage is formed between the inside of the rotary drum 2 and the recording medium 30, such as a vacuum pump → the inside of the rotary drum 2 → the opening 3 a → the inside of the fixing member 3 → the suction hole 21 → the recording medium 30. The suction of the recording medium 30 becomes possible by the suction source. This state is the state shown in FIG.
[0011]
At this time, since only the suction holes 21 in the area covered by the recording medium 30 are opened, the recording medium 30 can be set automatically and stably regardless of the size of the recording medium 30. For example, when the small-sized recording medium 30S shown in FIG. 10 is set, the suction holes 21 outside the outer region are still closed by the respective blocking members 1 (that is, the state shown in FIG. 1b). On the other hand, since only the suction holes 21 in the region of the size 30S are opened (that is, the state of FIG. 1a), the recording medium 30S can be sucked efficiently, and the size of the recording medium 30 is large or small. Regardless of the type, it can be automatically set and set stably.
[0012]
Next, the entire image recording operation will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, the recording medium 30 is set on the recording rotating drum 2 of the image recording apparatus, and the movable piece 4 of the blocking member 1 that has blocked the suction hole 21 within the size range of the recording medium 30 is formed. The suction hole 21 is opened by pushing the tip, and suction is performed in a state where suction suction is possible with a suction source, and the recording medium 30 is registered at the correct position.
[0013]
The details of the recording medium 30 are composed of an image receiving sheet and a toner sheet, as shown in FIG. The image receiving sheet receives a support such as a PET (polyethylene terephthalate), TAC (triacetyl cellulose) or PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) base through which a laser beam is transmitted, a step absorption cushion layer, and a toner to be peeled and transferred. The toner sheet is composed of a toner layer containing gold, silver, and gray toners called special colors in addition to KCMY colors, and photothermal conversion that converts laser energy into heat using an infrared absorbing dye such as carbon. It consists of a layer and a support.
[0014]
In the image recording procedure using the recording medium shown in FIG. 3 in the image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 2, first, as shown in the process diagram of FIG. 4, the image receiving sheet is wound around the rotating drum 2 (FIG. 4a). A K toner sheet is wound thereon (FIG. 4b) and laminated if necessary (FIG. 4c). Recording is performed by irradiating a laser beam with K-color image / character data (FIG. 4d). Then, the K toner sheet is peeled off from the image receiving sheet to complete the K process (FIG. 4e). Similarly, the above processes are performed in the order of C, M, and Y, and a necessary color image is completed (FIG. 4f).
[0015]
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a recording rotary drum according to the second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a type using the step correction sheet 8 in the recording rotary drum 2. On the other hand, FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the recording rotary drum 2 of the conventional image recording apparatus corresponding to FIG. In FIG. 5, 6 is an image receiving sheet, 7 is a toner sheet superimposed thereon, and 8 is a step correction sheet for correcting a step between the toner sheet 7 and the image receiving sheet 6. That is, the step correction sheet 8 in FIG. 6 is inserted between the recording rotary drum 2 and the toner sheet 7 at the outer edge of the image receiving sheet 6, and by inserting this, the image receiving sheet 6 and the step correction sheet are inserted. Thus, the toner sheet 7 covering the both sides is not wrinkled and the adsorption force is not reduced. Reference numeral 8a denotes a hole 8a corresponding to the suction holes A and B of the recording rotary drum 2 provided in the step correction sheet 8, through which the toner sheet 7 is sucked onto the step correction sheet 8, and therefore also the recording rotary drum 2 It will be securely attached to the top.
[0016]
When the present invention is applied as it is to a recording rotary drum of the type using the level difference correction sheet 8 as shown in FIG. 6, the movable piece of the image receiving sheet 6 is pushed downward, so that the image receiving sheet 6 is in an attracted state. However, under the step correction sheet 8, the movable piece protrudes to the hole 8 a portion of the step correction sheet 8, so that the suction holes A and B are closed, and the toner sheet 7 is not sucked onto the step correction sheet 8. There arises a disadvantage that the recording drum cannot be mounted on the recording drum 2.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for solving this problem. In the present embodiment, the length of the shaft tip 4b is at least longer than the sum of the thickness of the recording rotary drum 2 and the thickness of the step correction sheet 8. It is composed.
With this configuration, when the recording medium (6, 7) is not mounted on the step correction sheet 8, the cylindrical shaft 4b of the movable piece 4 protrudes in all the holes, so that the rotating drum is rotated by the lower enlarged portion 4a. 2 The suction hole 21 is closed from the inner surface.
Next, when the image receiving sheet 6 and the level difference correcting sheet 8 are mounted on the outer edge of the image receiving sheet 6 and the toner sheet 7 is placed on both of them, the image receiving sheet 6 is placed below the image receiving sheet 6 by the image receiving sheet 6. The movable piece 4 is pushed down, and the lower enlarged portion 4a is separated to enter the suction state. Further, below the step correction sheet 8, the cylindrical shaft 4 b of the movable piece 4 passes through the hole 8 a of the step correction sheet 8 and protrudes from the surface of the step correction sheet 8. (See Figure 5a)
Since the toner sheet 7 is placed in this state, the cylindrical shaft 4b of the movable piece 4 is pushed down by the toner sheet 7, and the lower enlarged portion 4a is separated to attract the toner sheet 7. In this way, both the image receiving sheet 6 and the toner sheet 7 are reliably attracted to the recording rotary drum 2, and the level difference correction sheet 8 between the recording rotary drum 2 and the toner sheet 7 is also reliably attached to the recording rotary drum 2. It will be attached.
Thus, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the present invention can be similarly applied to a case using a step correction sheet.
[0017]
In the above description, an example in which a spring is used as the biasing member 5 has been shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a magnet such as that shown in FIG. You may use the repulsive force of magnetic force. In FIG. 11, the upper part of the fixed member 3 is attached to the inner surface of the rotary drum 2 so as to cover the suction hole 21, and the shaft-like tip 4 b of the movable piece 4 is inserted into the suction hole 21. One of the two magnets 9a is inserted into the fixing member 3 at the lower part of the fixing member 3 and the other 9b of the magnet 9 is set to have the opposite surfaces having the same polarity. In this state, the two magnets 9a and 9b repel each other, the lower enlarged portion 4a of the movable piece 4 comes into contact with the inner surface of the rotating drum 2, and the inside of the rotating drum 2 is completely blocked from the outside air.
In this state, when a recording medium is next set on the recording rotary drum 2, the axial tip 4b of the movable piece 4 is pushed downward by the recording medium by overcoming the repulsive force of the two magnets 9a and 9b. Therefore, the lower enlarged portion 4 a of the movable piece 4 is separated from the inner surface of the rotating drum 2, and the recording medium is adsorbed on the rotating drum 2.
As described above, the use of the permanent magnet is more effective because the corrosion and wear of the spring 4 does not occur.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when the recording medium is not set, each suction hole is blocked by the blocking member, and the recording rotary drum is blocked from the outside air, so that the recording medium is rotated for recording. When set on the drum, the suction holes in the range of the size of the recording medium are opened by the movable piece being pushed down by the recording medium so that suction suction is possible, and the suction holes outside the size of the recording medium remain closed. Therefore, when using multiple size recording media, small size recording media can be fixed stably and securely with the same simple operation as large size recording media, regardless of the size of the recording media. There is an effect that high-quality image recording becomes possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a recording rotary drum of an image recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a configuration diagram of an image recording apparatus using the recording rotary drum shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is a diagram showing a structure of a recording medium used in the image recording apparatus shown in FIG.
4 is a diagram showing a recording process of the image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 2. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a recording rotary drum of an image recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a sectional view of a recording rotary drum of a conventional image recording apparatus corresponding to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a conventional image recording apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the principle of sucking air inside the recording rotary drum 20;
FIG. 9 is a cut-away partial view of a conventional recording rotary drum 20;
10 is a cut-out partial view of the recording rotary drum 20 showing a case where a large recording medium 30L and a small recording medium 30S are set on the recording rotary drum 20 of FIG.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a recording rotary drum of an image recording apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Blocking member 2 Recording rotary drum 3 Fixed member 3a Opening 4 Movable piece 4a Lower enlarged part 4b Axis tip part 5 Spring 6 Image receiving sheet 7 Toner sheet 8 Step correction sheets 9, 9a, 9b Permanent magnet

Claims (4)

In a recording rotating drum having a plurality of suction holes for sucking and fixing a recording medium at a predetermined position, when the recording medium is not set, the suction hole is closed to block the inside of the recording rotating drum from outside air, and the recording medium When the recording medium is set, each suction hole is provided with a blocking member that is pushed from the outside of the recording rotating drum to open the suction hole and enables the suction suction of the recording medium.
The blocking member extends from a fixing member fixed to the inside of the recording rotary drum, a lower enlarged portion that is movably attached to the fixing member, and has a cross section larger than the suction hole area and the lower enlarged portion. A movable piece comprising a shaft-shaped tip having a smaller cross section than the suction hole area; and a biasing member that biases the movable piece toward the recording rotating drum, and the shaft-shaped tip. The recording drum of the image recording apparatus is characterized in that the length of the recording drum is longer than the thickness of the recording drum. It said biasing member, the recording rotating drum of the image recording apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that it is realized by a spring or magnetic force. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium includes an image receiving sheet and a toner sheet placed on the image receiving sheet so as to cover the image receiving sheet. Rotating drum. The recording rotary drum of the image recording apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a step correction sheet on an outer edge of the image receiving sheet, wherein the length of the shaft-shaped tip is determined by the thickness of the recording rotary drum. A rotating drum for recording of an image recording apparatus, wherein the rotating drum is configured to be longer than a sum of thicknesses of the step correction sheets.

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