JP4821137B2 - Cleaning sheet - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide a cleaning cassette and a cleaning sheet for removing dirt from a thermal head and a platen, which perform printing for a printing device, by making the thermal head generate heat and pressing it on the platen through a medium to be printed. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] On the cleaning sheet (30), a slightly adhesive layer (31), coated with an adhesive having slight adhesiveness for cleaning a platen roller, is formed on one side of a base material (32), which is formed of a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate, and on the other side, an abrasive layer (33), coated with an abrasive for cleaning the thermal head, is formed.

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning sheet, and more specifically, a thermal head of a printing apparatus that prints on a printing medium by causing a thermal head to generate heat and press the printing medium between the platen and the platen. It is related with the cleaning sheet which removes.

  Conventionally, in a printing apparatus that heats a thermal head and presses a printing medium between the platen and prints on the printing medium, foreign matters such as paper dust and dust adhere to the thermal head and the platen. In addition, the ink on the ink ribbon is not transferred to the print medium due to the inhibition of heat generation by the thermal head, and there is a portion (so-called white line) where printing cannot be performed in parallel with the direction of travel of the print medium on the adhered foreign matter. Has occurred and has a problem of affecting the printing result. In order to solve this problem, a cleaning cassette is used in which a tape coated with an abrasive is applied to the surface of the print medium on the thermal head side. However, even if foreign matter on the thermal head side only is removed, if there is foreign matter on the platen side, the foreign matter may adhere to the thermal head and affect the printing result. It was.

Therefore, cleaning cassettes and ink ribbons that remove foreign matters on both the thermal head and the platen have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). In Patent Document 1, a cleaning liquid container that stores a cleaning liquid such as alcohol is provided in a cleaning cassette on which a cleaning tape having a surface of Japanese paper or the like is attached, and the cleaning liquid is supplied when the cleaning tape is sent out. The cleaning cassette that removes foreign matter from both the thermal head and the platen roller, and the rotational drive speed of the winding reel that determines the traveling speed of the cleaning tape, and the rotational drive speed of the platen roller are different. There has been proposed a cleaning cassette that includes a conveying roller that rotates in such a manner as to remove foreign matters on both the thermal head and the platen roller using only a cleaning tape without using a cleaner liquid. Further, in Patent Document 2, a heat-sensitive adhesive for removing foreign matter is applied to both sides of an ink ribbon for thermal transfer recording at intervals for each length of the ink layer used for recording a predetermined number of times. The printing medium is conveyed while being pressed between the thermal head and the platen, and after performing thermal transfer recording over the length range of the ink layer, only the printing medium is removed from between the thermal head and the platen. After that, an ink ribbon that removes foreign matters on both the thermal head and the platen with the heat-sensitive adhesive has been proposed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-76738 JP 2002-166666 A

  However, in the cleaning cassette as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to specially include a cleaner liquid container and a transport roller for storing the cleaner liquid, and there is a problem that the structure becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost and the manufacturing process are troublesome. Furthermore, there is a problem that it takes time and effort for the user to replenish the cleaner liquid. Further, in order to remove foreign matter using an ink ribbon as in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to once remove the print medium from between the thermal head and the platen every time thermal transfer recording is performed. The portion of the ribbon to which the heat-sensitive adhesive has been applied must correspond to the thermal head, and the thermal head must be separately controlled to remove foreign matter. Therefore, in this printing apparatus, it is necessary to detect the ink layer and the heat-sensitive adhesive on the ink ribbon in the series of controls, and the thermal head must control heat generation separately for thermal transfer and foreign matter removal. There is a problem of not becoming.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and it is possible to reliably remove any dirt on the thermal head and the platen simply by running the cleaning sheet between the thermal head and the platen. It is intended to provide a cleaning sheet that can be used.

In the cleaning sheet according to the first aspect of the present invention, a tape-like print medium is run between a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements and a platen roller in contact with the thermal head to print on the print medium. A cleaning sheet used in a printing apparatus for running between the thermal head and the platen roller to clean the surfaces thereof, and one surface is coated with an abrasive and the other is A pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to the surface, and the application area of the pressure-sensitive adhesive is inclined from one side in the width direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet and from the front in the conveyance direction to the other side in the width direction and rearward in the conveyance direction. extending, coating regions of said abrasive is suited the other widthwise side and from said transport direction front to the one widthwise side and the transport direction rear Is extended so as to be inclined Te, the extending direction of the application region in the extending direction and the abrasive coating region of the adhesive has a structure which is characterized by crossing.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the configuration of the invention of claim 1, at least the adhesive is applied to the surface of the cleaning sheet to which the adhesive is applied. A protective sheet, which is a peelable sheet, is attached to cover the existing area.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 3, in addition to the structure of the invention of claim 1 or 2, the application area of the adhesive is at least the platen in the transport direction of the cleaning sheet. The roller has an outer peripheral length, and has at least a length in the direction in which the heat generating elements arranged in the thermal head are arranged in the width direction of the cleaning sheet. .

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 4, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the application area of the abrasive is a predetermined width portion in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet. It is a region.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 5, in addition to the configuration of the invention of any one of claims 1 to 4, the front end portion in the transport direction of the surface of the cleaning sheet on which the adhesive is applied To a predetermined range, an adhesive non-application area where the adhesive is not applied is provided.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 6, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the application area of the adhesive is from a rear end portion in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet. It is a predetermined range region, and the abrasive application region is also a predetermined range region from the rear end in the cleaning sheet conveyance direction.

In the cleaning sheet according to the first aspect, the abrasive is applied to one surface, and the adhesive is applied to the other surface. Therefore, both the thermal head and the platen roller can be cleaned at the same time, but in this case, the surface of the thermal head is forcibly cleaned by the abrasive and the surface of the platen roller also rotates itself. Regardless, the entire surface is uniformly cleaned with the adhesive, so that both can be reliably and rationally cleaned.
Further, the adhesive application region extends so as to incline from one side in the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet and from the front in the conveyance direction to the other side in the width direction and rearward in the conveyance direction. Is not provided in the full width on the front end side in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet, so that the front end portion in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet is stuck to the platen roller, and the cleaning sheet can be prevented from being wound around the platen roller.
In addition, the polishing agent coating region extends from the other side in the width direction and the front side in the transport direction so as to incline toward the one side in the width direction and the rear side in the transport direction. The amount of wear of the thermal head can be reduced as compared with the case where the agent is applied. Moreover, the application area | region of an abrasive | polishing agent can be reduced and cost can be reduced.
In addition, since the extending direction of the adhesive application area and the extending direction of the abrasive application area intersect, it is possible to prevent the sheet from being shifted to one side when the cleaning sheet is conveyed. .

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, a protective sheet, which is a peelable sheet, is attached to the surface of the cleaning sheet on which the adhesive is applied, and at least Since the area where the adhesive is applied is covered with the protective sheet, if the protective sheet is removed immediately before use, adhesion of dust in the air to the adhesive and drying can be avoided.

  In the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 3, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1 or 2, the cleaning sheet has at least a length of the outer periphery of the platen roller in the conveying direction of the cleaning sheet. In the width direction of the sheet, since the adhesive is applied at least to the region having the length in the direction of the arrangement of the heating elements arranged in the thermal head, the platen roller rotates once and the outer circumference of the platen roller is All face the adhesive and can remove foreign matter. In addition, since the adhesive is applied at least as long as the length of the heating elements arranged in the thermal head in the direction of arrangement, it is possible to remove foreign matter in all areas where the heating elements abut. Will not be affected.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 4, in addition to the effect of the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the application area of the abrasive is an area of a predetermined width portion in the cleaning sheet conveyance direction. Therefore, the amount of wear of the thermal head can be minimized as compared with the case where an abrasive is applied to the entire surface of the cleaning sheet. Moreover, the application area | region of an abrasive | polishing agent can be reduced and cost can be reduced.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 5, in addition to the effects of the invention of any one of claims 1 to 4, a predetermined value is provided from the front end in the transport direction of the surface of the cleaning sheet on which the adhesive is applied. Since the adhesive non-application area | region which does not apply | coat the said adhesive is provided in the range, this adhesive non-application area | region does not stick to a platen roller. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the cleaning sheet from being wrapped around the platen roller due to the tip of the cleaning sheet sticking to the platen roller.

  Further, in the cleaning sheet of the invention according to claim 6, in addition to the effect of the invention of any one of claims 1 to 5, the adhesive application region is within a predetermined range from the rear end portion in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet. In addition, since the abrasive application region is also a region within a predetermined range from the rear end in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet, the foreign matter adhering to the platen roller at the end of the passage of the cleaning sheet is an adhesive. The foreign matter adhered to the thermal head is scraped off by the abrasive. Therefore, the substrate portion of the cleaning sheet does not pass through after cleaning the platen roller and the thermal head, and the platen roller and the thermal head are not soiled again.

  Hereinafter, a cleaning cassette and a cleaning sheet of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the cleaning cassette 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the cleaning cassette 10 shown together with the platen roller 3 and the thermal head 2 of the tape printer, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a tape-like cleaning sheet 30 mounted on the cleaning cassette 10. The cleaning cassette 10 according to the present embodiment travels a tape-shaped print medium and an ink ribbon between a thermal head 2 having a plurality of heat generating elements and a platen roller 3 in contact with the thermal head 2. In a known tape printer that prints on the print medium via the ink ribbon, the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 are used for cleaning. If foreign matter adheres to the platen roller 3 or the thermal head 2, heat generation by the thermal head 2 is hindered, and transfer to the print medium is not performed, causing a problem in the printing result. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning cassette 10 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. In FIG. 1, the upper surface is open. Here, in the cleaning cassette 10, a side facing a platen roller 3 described later is a front part, and the opposite side is a rear part. The cleaning cassette 10 has a cassette bottom surface 11, cassette side surfaces 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, and 12g. A tape spool 20 on which a tape-like cleaning sheet 30 is wound on the cassette bottom surface 11 is used. A take-up spool 22 and the like on which the used cleaning sheet 30 is taken up are provided. Further, the cassette side surface 12a is erected at the left end of the cassette bottom surface 11, the cassette side surface 12b is erected at the rear end, and the cassette side surface 12c is erected at the right end. And in the front part in FIG. 1 of the cassette bottom face 11, the cassette side surface is not erected at about 約 to the left, and is open. A first spool 21 that guides the cleaning sheet 30 is provided at the front left end of the cassette bottom 11. In addition, a cassette side surface 12g is erected at about 1/3 of the center. A cassette side surface 12f is provided in the forward direction in FIG. 1 from the right end of the cassette side surface 12g, and a cassette side surface 12e is provided in the substantially left direction from the front end of the cassette side surface 12f. Further, a cassette side surface 12d is erected in an arc shape to the left from a front portion of the cassette side surface 12c erected at the right end of the cassette bottom surface 11. The left end of the cassette side surface 12d is bent slightly to the left rear in FIG. 1, and the discharge port 14 for the cleaning sheet 30 is between that end and the left end of the cassette side surface 12e.

  When the cleaning cassette 10 is set in the tape printer, as shown in FIG. 1, the thermal head 2 is disposed at a position surrounded by the cassette side surfaces 12e, 12f, and 12g. Further, a tape spool 20 is provided on the right front side of the cassette bottom surface 11, which is a position surrounded by the cassette side surfaces 12c, 12d, and 12f. The cleaning sheet 30 wound around the tape spool 20 in a left-handed manner passes through the front side of the corner portion 16 formed by the cassette side surface 12f and the cassette side surface 12e, and the front side of the left end 15 of the cassette side surface 12e. 14 is discharged to the outside of the cleaning cassette 10, passes through the front side of the thermal head 2 in FIG. 1, and is again introduced into the cleaning cassette 10 via the left side of the first spool 21. A platen roller 3 is provided at a position facing the thermal head 2 across the cleaning sheet 30. When printing is performed on a printing medium (not shown) or cleaning is performed, the platen roller 3 is moved to the thermal head 2 side, and the printing medium or the cleaning sheet 30 is moved to the thermal head 2 and the platen roller. 3 is pressed between the two.

  Further, a second spool 23 is provided on the right rear side of the first spool 21, and a guide wall 17 having a curve in a lateral direction in FIG. The take-up spool 22 is provided on the right side. Therefore, the cleaning sheet 30 introduced into the cleaning cassette 10 by the first spool 21 is wound counterclockwise on the take-up spool 22 via the front side of the second spool 23 and the front side of the guide wall 17.

  Next, the cleaning sheet 30 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning sheet 30 is formed with a slightly adhesive layer 31 in which a slightly adhesive for cleaning the platen roller 3 is applied to one surface of a substrate 32 formed of a resin such as polyethylene terephthalate. A polishing layer 33 coated with an abrasive for cleaning the thermal head 2 is formed on the other surface. In the slightly adhesive layer 31, for example, water-based adhesives RE-339, RE-330, and T-700 manufactured by Soken Chemical Co., Ltd. are used as the slightly adhesive. In the polishing layer 33, abrasive grains such as aluminum oxide are fixed to the substrate 32 with a thermosetting polymer adhesive as an abrasive. Note that a slightly adhesive layer 31 is formed on the platen roller 3 side (front side) of the cleaning sheet 30 at a position between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 in FIG. 1, and on the thermal head 2 side (rear side). A polishing layer 33 is formed. By using such a cleaning sheet 30, foreign matter adhering to the surface of the thermal head 2 is scraped off by abrasive grains such as aluminum oxide, and the surface of the thermal head 2 is cleaned to be free of foreign matter. Further, the foreign matter adhering to the surface of the platen roller 3 is adhered to the fine adhesive and moves to the cleaning sheet 30. Therefore, the surface of the platen roller 3 is also cleaned so that there is no foreign matter.

  The cleaning cassette of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Needless to say, the arrangement of the tape spool 20 and the take-up spool 22 of the cleaning cassette 10 is not limited to the arrangement of the above embodiment. Further, the used cleaning sheet 30 may be discharged outside without being wound in the cassette. Further, the pressure-sensitive adhesive and the abrasive are not limited to the examples given in the above embodiment, and may be any material that can remove the foreign matter attached to the thermal head 2 or the platen roller 3.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a printing apparatus 100 that uses a cleaning sheet according to a second embodiment, which is another embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the printing apparatus 100 that uses the cleaning sheet according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the printing mechanism unit 111 as viewed from the direction of the arrows along the two-dot chain line AA shown in FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cleaning sheet 200, and FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning sheet 200 in the direction of the arrows along the two-dot chain line BB shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning sheet 200 according to the present embodiment is a cut sheet-like printing medium between a thermal head 125 having a plurality of heating elements and a platen roller 122 abutting on the thermal head 125. Is used in the printing apparatus 100 that prints on the print medium by running the printer. In the printing apparatus 100, the printing medium is based on a thermal coloring type having a coloring layer in which a dye and a developer are chemically bonded by heating of a thermal head, or a perforated layer punched by heating. Various thermal papers such as thermal perforated type laminated on the material are used. Therefore, as in the printing apparatus of the first embodiment, if foreign matter adheres to the platen roller 122 or the thermal head 125, heat generation by the thermal head 125 is hindered, transfer to the paper is not performed, and the printing result is defective. appear. Therefore, it becomes necessary to clean the thermal head 125 and the platen roller 122.

  First, the printing apparatus 100 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the main body case 102 of the printing apparatus 100 has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, a length of about 16 cm in the longitudinal direction and a length of about 10 cm in the lateral direction, and a large size of about A6 size. Now, it has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a thickness of about 2 cm and an open upper surface. The main body case 102 has case side surfaces 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d. An AC for receiving power supply from the right-hand direction in the figure along the longitudinal direction of the case side surface 102a is provided at a substantially middle portion of the case side surface 102a. An adapter connector 162, a USB connector 131 for performing communication with an external device based on the USB standard, and a power switch 166 for turning on / off the power of the printing apparatus 100 are provided. Further, on the upper surface of the main body case 102, a fixed cover 103 having a size that occupies about ¼ of the upper surface of the main body near one edge in the longitudinal direction of the main body case 102, and a storage portion 105 is formed in a portion other than the fixed cover 103 Has been. Inside the main body case 102 covered with the fixed cover 103, a printing mechanism unit 111 described later is provided. Further, the print mechanism unit 111 is provided with a paper discharge port 128 for discharging the print medium from the printing apparatus 100 after printing at the edge of the fixed cover 103 on the storage unit 105 side. Further, a case cover 104 is provided so as to cover the storage unit 105.

  The case cover 104 is bonded to one end of the cover side surface 104b, a cover upper surface 104a formed in a substantially rectangular shape with a size that covers the storage unit 105, a cover side surface 104b bonded to both longitudinal side surfaces thereof. On the free end side of the cover upper surface 104 a, a claw 104 h and lock pieces 104 e and 104 f for preventing the case cover 104 from being opened, and a cover housed in the housing portion 105 are formed. A sheet presser 104d for suppressing the print medium and a spring 104g for pressing the print medium against the paper feed roller 120 (see FIG. 4) are provided. In addition, a slide groove 102e is provided at one end portion (left hand direction in the drawing) of both outer side surfaces of the main body case 102, and the opening / closing shaft 104c of the case cover 104 and the slide groove 102e of the main body case 102 are related. Are combined. The case cover 104 is slid by the length of the slide groove 102e in a direction away from the fixed cover 103, and is opened using the opening / closing shaft 104c as a rotation shaft. Further, on the upper surface of the case cover 104, the cut paper 106a to be discharged (see FIG. 4) is guided between the wall surface and the upper surface 104a of the cover and continuously discharged, whereby the cut paper 106a is main body. A paper discharge receiving cover 113 is provided to prevent scattering outside the case 102.

  The storage unit 105 is disposed in a portion of the upper surface of the main body case 102 excluding the fixed cover 103 at a position where the upper surface is lower than the upper surface of the fixed cover 103 by the thickness of the case cover 104 and opens toward the fixed cover 103. A top surface portion 105f provided in a letter shape, a bottom surface portion 105a that faces the opening and forms a bottom surface of a recess provided inside the top surface portion 105f, and side surface portions 105b, 105c that surround four sides of the bottom surface portion 105a, 105d and 105e. On the bottom surface portion 105a, for example, a sheet of a size that covers about half of the cut paper 106a in the longitudinal direction in a state where a plurality of cut papers 106a, which are sheets cut to a predetermined size, are stacked. The paper package stored in the case is stored. In addition to the cut paper 106a, an auxiliary sheet 106c (see FIG. 4) that protects the exposed portion of the cut paper 106a from the paper case from the external pressure is laminated in addition to the cut paper 106a. Attached to one side of the cut paper 106a.

  Next, the structure of the printing mechanism unit 111 of the printing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the printing mechanism unit 111 separates the stacked cut sheets 106 a and feeds paper in the transport direction, the separation unit 121 and the guide plate 127, and the cut sheet 106 a with a spring 124. The paper guide 123 that presses in the direction of the platen roller 122 with the urging force of the platen, the platen roller 122 that conveys the cut paper 106a to the thermal head 125, and the urging force of the spring 126 presses in the direction of the platen roller 122, and on the platen roller 122 And a thermal head 125 that performs thermal printing on the cut sheet 106a. The separation unit 121 includes a claw retainer 121a that engages the claw 104h to prevent the case cover 104 from being opened by an inadvertent external force applied to the case cover 104, and a multi-feed for the cut paper 106a. An inclined surface 121b and an inclined surface 121c for guiding the cut paper 106a to be discharged out of the main body case 102 while correcting the warp generated on the cut paper 106a are provided.

  Next, the printing mechanism of the printing apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. The stacked cut sheets 106a are pressed against the sheet feeding roller 120 by applying a biasing force of a spring 104g provided on the case cover 104 via the sheet presser 104d and the auxiliary sheet 106c. As the sheet feed roller 120 rotates, the lowermost cut sheet 106 a is conveyed by a frictional force with the sheet feed roller 120. Here, a plurality of sheets of cut paper 106a may be double-fed due to the influence of frictional force with the upper cut paper 106a. Therefore, in order to prevent a plurality of sheets from being conveyed while being double-fed, a downwardly inclined surface 121b is formed on the surface of the separating unit 121 facing the sheet feeding roller 120. When the end portion of the conveyed cut paper 106a comes into contact with the inclined surface 121b, the multi-feed cut paper 106a is separated into single sheets by the frictional force between the front end surface of the cut paper 106a in the conveying direction and the inclined surface 121b.

  Next, when the separated cut paper 106 a is guided by the inclined surface 121 b and contacts the guide plate 127, the cut paper 106 a is conveyed in the horizontal direction according to the surface direction of the guide plate 127 and guided to the paper guide 123. The paper guide 123 has an arcuate cross-sectional shape, and the transport direction of the transported cut paper 106 a is corrected in a direction along the concave surface portion of the paper guide 123. The outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 122 that rotates in conjunction with the paper feed roller 120 is in close contact with the inner surface of the paper guide 123, and the cut paper 106a is pressed by the paper guide 123 so as to be in close contact with the platen roller 122. 122 is conveyed on the outer peripheral surface by the frictional force generated in

  On the upper part of the platen roller 122, the thermal head 125 faces the platen roller 122 and is pressed by the urging force of the spring 126 so as to come into line contact with the platen roller 122. For this reason, the conveyed cut sheet 106 a is sandwiched between the thermal head 125 and the platen roller 122. In the thermal head 125, a plurality of heating elements (not shown) arranged in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the cut sheet 106a on the surface side of the thermal head 125 facing the platen roller 122 are heated based on the print data. Then, the heat sensitive layer of the cut paper 106a reacts with this thermal energy, and line printing is performed. The printed cut sheet 106 a is conveyed by the platen roller 122, guided by the upper inclined surface 121 c of the separation unit 121, and discharged from the discharge port 128 to the outside of the printing apparatus 100.

  Next, the cleaning sheet 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning sheet 200 is conveyed in the direction of arrow C, and is a sheet that is substantially the same size as the A7 size that is the paper size used in the printing apparatus 100. As the base material 202, for example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used to form a substantially A7 size sheet, and a fine pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 201 coated with a fine pressure-sensitive adhesive for cleaning the platen roller 122 is formed on one surface. The other layer is formed with a polishing layer 203 coated with an abrasive for cleaning the thermal head 125. A protective sheet 209 for protecting the fine adhesive layer 201 is attached to the surface of the fine adhesive layer 201. In the slightly adhesive layer 201, for example, water-based adhesives RE-339, RE-330, and T-700 manufactured by Soken Chemical Co., Ltd. are used as the slightly adhesive. In the polishing layer 203, abrasive grains such as aluminum oxide are fixed to the substrate 202 with a thermosetting polymer adhesive as an abrasive.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the slightly adhesive layer 201 is formed from end to end in the lateral direction of the base material 202, but in the longitudinal direction of the base material 202, It is formed in a predetermined width portion (for example, a length of about 1/5). This is because the slightly adhesive layer 201 is for cleaning the platen roller 122, and does not need to be formed in the entire longitudinal direction of the base material 202, and requires at least the length of one circumference of the platen roller 122. This is because it is sufficient. Similarly, the polishing layer 203 for cleaning the thermal head 125 does not have to be formed in the entire longitudinal direction of the base material 202. Therefore, a predetermined width portion in the longitudinal direction of the base material 202 is also formed on the back surface of the slightly adhesive layer 201. (For example, the length is about 1/5). The length of the cleaning sheet 200 in the longitudinal direction may be shorter than the length of the A7 size in the longitudinal direction as long as the cleaning sheet has a length that normally passes through the printing mechanism 111 and is sent out.

  The protective sheet 209 of the cleaning sheet 200 is peeled off and set in the storage unit 105 of the printing apparatus 100 with the slightly adhesive layer 201 facing up, and a sheet feeding instruction is given to the printing apparatus 100. Then, the cleaning sheet 200 passes between the platen roller 122 and the thermal head 125, and the foreign matter adhering to the platen roller 122 adheres to the slightly adhesive layer 201 and the foreign matter on the platen roller 122 is removed. In this case, regardless of the rotation of the platen roller 122, the slightly adhesive layer 201 sequentially adheres over the entire circumference of the platen roller 122, so that foreign matters are reliably removed. Further, foreign particles adhering to the thermal head 125 are scraped off and removed by the abrasive grains fixed to the polishing layer 203.

  As described above, in the cleaning sheet 200 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, no adhesive is applied to a predetermined range from the front end of the cleaning sheet 200 in the conveyance direction (arrow C direction). An adhesive non-application area 202a is provided. Since the adhesive non-application area 202 a does not stick to the platen roller 122, the leading end of the cleaning sheet 200 in the conveyance direction (arrow C direction) sticks to the platen roller 122, and the cleaning sheet 200 is attached to the platen roller 122. Can be prevented from being wound around. Further, since the polishing layer 203 is also formed only in a predetermined range in the longitudinal direction of the base material 202, the wear amount of the thermal head 125 can be minimized. Moreover, the application area | region of an abrasive | polishing agent can be reduced and cost can be reduced.

  Next, a cleaning sheet 300 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cleaning sheet 300. The cleaning sheet 300 is different from the cleaning sheet 200 of the second embodiment only in the positions where the polishing layer 303, the slightly adhesive layer 301, and the protective sheet 309 are provided. This is the same as the cleaning sheet 200. In the cleaning sheet 300 of the third embodiment, the position where the polishing layer 303 and the slightly adhesive layer 301 are provided is provided on the rear end side in the conveyance direction (arrow C direction) of the cleaning sheet 300. Therefore, the protective sheet 309 is also provided on the rear end side of the cleaning sheet 300. In the cleaning sheet 300 according to the third embodiment, at the end of the passage of the cleaning sheet 300, the foreign matter adhering to the platen roller 122 adheres to the slightly adhesive layer 301, and the foreign matter is removed. The foreign matter adhering to the thermal head 125 is scraped off. Accordingly, after the foreign matter on the platen roller 122 is removed by the slightly adhesive layer 301 and the foreign matter adhering to the thermal head 125 is scraped off by the polishing layer 303, the substrate 302 portion of the cleaning sheet 300 passes and passes through the platen roller. There is no possibility of soiling 122 or the thermal head 125 again.

  Next, a cleaning sheet 400 according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cleaning sheet 400. The cleaning sheet 400 is different from the cleaning sheet 200 of the second embodiment only in the positions where the polishing layer 403, the slightly adhesive layer 401, and the protective sheet 409 are provided. This is the same as the cleaning sheet 200. In the cleaning sheet 400 of the fourth embodiment, the extending direction of the polishing layer 403 and the slightly adhesive layer 401 is provided so as to be inclined with respect to the conveying direction (arrow C direction) of the cleaning sheet 400. Yes. Therefore, since the slightly adhesive layer 401 is not provided in the full width on the front end side in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet 400, the front end portion in the conveyance direction (arrow C direction) of the cleaning sheet 400 is adhered to the platen roller 122, and the cleaning sheet 400 400 can be prevented from being wound around the platen roller 122.

  Next, a cleaning sheet 500 according to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cleaning sheet 500. This cleaning sheet 500 is different from the cleaning sheet 200 of the second embodiment only in the positions where the polishing layer 503, the slightly adhesive layer 501 and the protective sheet 509 are provided. This is the same as the cleaning sheet 200. In the cleaning sheet 500 of the fifth embodiment, the extending direction of the polishing layer 503 and the slightly adhesive layer 501 is provided so as to be inclined with respect to the conveying direction (arrow C direction) of the cleaning sheet 500. Yes. Further, when the cleaning sheet 500 is viewed in plan, the extending direction of the polishing layer 503 and the extending direction of the slightly adhesive layer 501 intersect each other. Accordingly, since the slightly adhesive layer 501 is not provided in the full width on the front end side in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet 500, the front end portion in the conveyance direction (arrow C direction) of the cleaning sheet 500 is adhered to the platen roller 122, and the cleaning sheet 500 can be prevented from being wound around the platen roller 122. Further, since the extending direction of the polishing layer 503 and the extending direction of the slightly adhesive layer 501 intersect each other, when the cleaning sheet 500 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow C, the cleaning sheet 500 approaches one side. It can prevent the “offset of the sheet”.

  The cleaning sheet of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the extending direction of the polishing layer or the slightly adhesive layer may be zigzag. In addition, the cleaning sheets 200 to 500 in the second to fifth embodiments are used not only in the printing apparatus 100 of the above embodiment, but also a printing medium set between the platen roller and the thermal head. On the other hand, it can be used in a printing apparatus that performs printing by generating heat from a thermal head. Further, it goes without saying that the size of the cleaning sheet may be appropriately determined according to the length of the heating elements of the thermal head of the printing apparatus used in the arrangement direction, the width of the platen roller, and the outer periphery. Further, a slightly adhesive layer or a polishing layer may be provided on the entire surface of the cleaning sheet.

  The cleaning sheet of the present invention is a printing apparatus in which a printing medium is run between a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements and a platen roller in contact with the thermal head, and printing is performed by heat generation of the heating elements. It can be used for cleaning the thermal head and the platen roller.

2 is a plan view of the cleaning cassette 10. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a tape-shaped cleaning sheet 30 mounted on the cleaning cassette 10. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the printing apparatus 100 which uses the cleaning sheet of 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the printing mechanism unit 111 as viewed from the direction of the arrows along the two-dot chain line AA shown in FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cleaning sheet 200. FIG. FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cleaning sheet 200 in the direction of the arrows along the two-dot chain line BB shown in FIG. 5. 4 is a perspective view of a cleaning sheet 300. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cleaning sheet 400. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cleaning sheet 500. FIG.

2 Thermal Head 3 Platen Roller 10 Cleaning Cassette 20 Tape Spool 30 Cleaning Sheet 31 Slightly Adhesive Layer 32 Base Material 33 Polishing Layer 100 Printing Device 111 Printing Mechanism Unit 122 Platen Roller 125 Thermal Head 200 Cleaning Sheet 201 Slightly Adhesive Layer 202 Base Material 203 Polishing Layer 209 Protective sheet 300 Cleaning sheet 301 Slightly adhesive layer 302 Base material 303 Polishing layer 309 Protective sheet 400 Cleaning sheet 401 Slightly adhesive layer 402 Base material 403 Polishing layer 409 Protective sheet 500 Cleaning sheet 501 Slightly adhesive layer 502 Base material 503 Polishing layer 509 Protective sheet

Claims (6)

Used in a printing apparatus for printing on a print medium by running a tape-like print medium between a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements and a platen roller in contact with the thermal head; A cleaning sheet for cleaning between the platen roller and the surface thereof,
An abrasive is applied to one surface, and an adhesive is applied to the other surface,
The application area of the adhesive extends so as to incline from the front side in the width direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the cleaning sheet toward the other side in the width direction and the rear side in the transport direction ,
The abrasive application region extends from the other side in the width direction and the front in the transport direction so as to incline toward the one side in the width direction and the rear in the transport direction ,
A cleaning sheet, wherein an extending direction of the adhesive application region intersects with an extending direction of the abrasive application region.   The protective sheet, which is a peelable sheet, is attached to a surface of the cleaning sheet to which the adhesive is applied so as to cover at least a region to which the adhesive is applied. The cleaning sheet described in 1. The application area of the adhesive is
At least the length of the outer periphery of the platen roller in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet, and at least the length in the arrangement direction of the heating elements arranged in the thermal head in the width direction of the cleaning sheet. The cleaning sheet according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning sheet has.   The cleaning sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the abrasive application region is a region of a predetermined width portion in the conveyance direction of the cleaning sheet.   The adhesive non-application area | region which does not apply | coat the said adhesive is provided in the predetermined range from the front-end | tip part of the conveyance direction of the surface by which the adhesive of the said cleaning sheet was apply | coated. The cleaning sheet in any one.   The adhesive application area is a predetermined area from the rear end of the cleaning sheet in the conveyance direction, and the abrasive application area is also within a predetermined range from the rear edge of the cleaning sheet in the conveyance direction. The cleaning sheet according to claim 1, which is a region.

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