JP4874556B2 - Intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus that primarily transfers an image on a film and then secondarily transfers the image on the film onto the surface of a recording medium.

As an apparatus of this type in the past, for example, there is an indirect transfer printer described in Patent Document 1. In this indirect transfer printer, a color ribbon is brought into contact with an intermediate transfer film fed by a platen roller by a thermal head, and an image is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer film. Subsequently, the intermediate transfer film is brought into contact with the transfer object such as an ID card by a heat roller, and the image on the intermediate transfer film is secondarily transferred onto the surface of the transfer object.
JP 2000-127468 A

  However, in the indirect transfer printer as described above, when the primary transfer of the image onto the intermediate transfer film and the secondary transfer of the image onto the surface of the transfer object are repeated, the running line of the intermediate transfer film May gradually deviate from the normal driving line. When the running line of the intermediate transfer film deviates from the normal running line, the print quality of the image on the surface of the transfer target body is deteriorated, or in the worst case, the intermediate transfer film is cut.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus capable of suppressing the deviation of the film running line from the regular running line. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, an intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention primarily transfers an image onto a film by bringing an ink ribbon into contact with the film fed by a platen roller with a thermal head and then transferring the image onto a recording medium. On the other hand, in the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing device that transfers the image to the surface of the recording medium by bringing the film into contact with the heat roller, it can be moved to the thermal head side and the platen roller side, and when it moves to the platen roller side A pair of contact rollers that are pressed against the platen roller with a film interposed therebetween on the upstream side and the downstream side of the primary transfer position where the image is primarily transferred, a first drive unit that moves the contact roller, and a platen roller An upstream bobbin around which the film is wound before the image is primarily transferred, A second driving means for rotating the belt, a downstream bobbin disposed on the downstream side of the platen roller, around which the film after the secondary transfer of the image is wound, and a third driving means for rotating the downstream bobbin The first driving means is controlled so that the contact roller moves toward the thermal head after the image is secondarily transferred onto the surface of the recording medium and until the next image is primarily transferred onto the film. After the film is unwound from the platen roller , the third driving means is controlled so that the film is wound by a predetermined amount by the downstream bobbin, and then the film is wound by the upstream bobbin by a predetermined amount. And a control means for controlling the second drive means.

  In this intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus, the contact roller moves to the thermal head side after the image on the film is secondarily transferred to the surface of the recording medium until the next image is primarily transferred onto the film. Then, the film is unwound from the platen roller. In this state, the film is wound by a predetermined amount by the downstream bobbin, and then the film is wound by the predetermined amount by the upstream bobbin. In this way, when the film is reciprocated with the film being unwound on the platen roller, the film travel line becomes normal through the primary transfer of the image onto the film and the secondary transfer of the image onto the surface of the recording medium. Even if there is a slight deviation from the travel line, the slight deviation can be corrected. Therefore, according to the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus, it is possible to prevent the film travel line from deviating from the normal travel line.

  Further, in the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus, the control unit is configured to draw out a portion of the film wound around the upstream bobbin for the first time by winding the film by a predetermined amount by the downstream bobbin. It is preferable to control the third driving means. In this way, by pulling out the portion of the film wound around the upstream bobbin for the first time, and then winding the film on the upstream bobbin by a predetermined amount, it is possible to more reliably correct the slight deviation of the film running line. can do.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can suppress that the travel line of a film shifts | deviates from a regular travel line.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of an intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  The intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 temporarily transfers an image onto a transparent film F having a thickness of about 20 μm (primary transfer), and then transfers the image on the film F to a card such as a credit card or an IC card. (Recording medium) An apparatus for reheat transfer (secondary transfer) to the surface of S, also called a card printer.

  As shown in the figure, the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 has a stock section 2 for setting cards S to be printed in a stacked state. The cards S are fed one by one from the bottom of the stock unit 2 by the advance / retreat movement of the feeding claws 3, and the fed cards S are once loaded into the reversing unit 4.

  When the card S is loaded in the reversing unit 4, the reversing unit 4 rotates 90 degrees from the horizontal state. When the card S is fed upward by the feed roller 6, the card S is loaded into the magnetic reading / writing unit 7. The magnetic reading / writing unit 7 writes predetermined information in the magnetic stripe of the card S and reads predetermined information from the magnetic stripe. On the other hand, when the card S is sent downward by the feed roller 6, the card S is loaded in the non-contact IC reading / writing unit 8. In the non-contact IC reading / writing unit 8, predetermined information is written in the IC of the card S, or predetermined information is read from the IC.

  Thereafter, when the card S is reloaded into the reversing unit 4 from the magnetic reading / writing unit 7 or the non-contact IC reading / writing unit 8, the reversing unit 4 returns to the horizontal state, and the card S is fed by the feed roller 6. It is sent to the opposite side of the stock part 2. The card S sent out from the reversing unit 4 passes through the detachable cleaning roller 10 and is then transported to the position immediately before the image printing position by the transport roller 11 while being supported on both sides by the guide grooves 12.

  Note that when there is no need for magnetic detection or non-contact IC detection, the reversing unit 4 is kept horizontal. The card S determined to be inappropriate by the magnetic reading / writing unit 7 or the non-contact IC reading / writing unit 8 is discharged into the eject box 9 by the feed roller 6 after the reversing unit 4 rotates.

  Further, in order to enable image printing on the card S, the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 includes a primary transfer portion A that thermally transfers an image to the film F, a region where the image is thermally transferred on the film F, and the surface of the card S. Are brought into contact with each other, and a secondary transfer portion B that thermally transfers the image to the surface of the card S and a warp correction portion C that corrects the warp of the card S after the image is thermally transferred are provided.

  Furthermore, the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 has a film cartridge 13 and a ribbon cartridge 14 that can be exchanged by inserting and removing. In the film cartridge 13, the film F is wound around a pair of upper and lower bobbins 15 and 16. On the other hand, in the ribbon cartridge 14, the ink ribbon R is wound around a pair of upper and lower bobbins 17 and 18. The ink ribbon R is periodically coated with four colors of yellow or magenta, cyan, and black that are meltable or sublimable.

  The film F is wound from the bobbin (upstream bobbin) 15 to the bobbin (downstream bobbin) 16 through the primary transfer of the image onto the film F and the secondary transfer of the image onto the surface of the card S. To go. That is, the bobbin 15 disposed on the upstream side of the platen roller 20 is wound with the film F before the image is primarily transferred, and the bobbin 16 disposed on the downstream side of the platen roller 20 receives the secondary image. The film F after being transferred is wound.

  In the primary transfer portion A described above, the pair of contact rollers 31 and 32 are pressed against the platen roller 20 with the film F interposed between the upstream side and the downstream side of the primary transfer position P where the image is primarily transferred onto the film F. As a result, the film F is wound around the substantially half circumferential surface of the platen roller 20. At the primary transfer position P, while the ink ribbon R is pressed against the film F on the platen roller 20 by the thermal head 21, the film F and the ink ribbon R are moved downstream at the same speed by the forward rotation of the platen roller 20. By being sent, the yellow ink of the ink ribbon R is thermally transferred onto the film F.

  Subsequently, the thermal head 21 is moved backward by the rack and pinion drive mechanism 22 so that the film F and the ink ribbon R are separated from each other. In this state, the platen roller 20 reverses, and the film F is returned to the upstream side to return to the original position. Thereafter, the above-described thermal transfer operation is repeated, and ink is layered on the film F in the order of magenta, cyan, and black, and a desired color image is formed on the film F.

  When the image is formed on the film F, the region where the image is thermally transferred on the film F moves to the front of the heat roller 23 by the normal rotation of the platen roller 20 or the like. At this time, the leading edge of the card S is aligned with the leading edge of the area on the film F where the image has been thermally transferred, and the card S and the film F are fed into the secondary transfer portion B in a superposed state.

  In the secondary transfer portion B, the card S and the film F that have been aligned are sandwiched between the heat roller 23 and the pressing roller 24 in a state where they are overlapped. The card S and the film F are conveyed under pressure by the cooperation of the heat roller 23 and the pressure roller 24 heated to 160 to 200 ° C., and the image on the film F is gradually transferred to the surface of the card S. To go.

  At this time, the film F is wound around the bobbin 16 while being peeled off from the card S. Further, since the card S heated by the heat roller 23 is warped, the card S is sent to the warp correction unit C and subjected to pressure treatment, and then discharged out of the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 in a straight state. The

  Next, the configuration of the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 relating to the traveling of the film F will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 relating to the traveling of the film F.

  As shown in the figure, the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 is connected between a drive motor (second drive means) 33 that rotates the bobbin 15 on the upstream side, and a rotation shaft of the bobbin 15 and a rotation shaft of the drive motor 33. Torque limiter 34, a drive motor (third drive means) 35 for rotating the bobbin 16 on the downstream side, and a torque limiter 36 connected between the rotation shaft of the bobbin 16 and the rotation shaft of the drive motor 35. And a rotary encoder 37 attached to the rotating shaft of the bobbin 16.

  Further, the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 includes a drive motor 38 that rotates the platen roller 20 and a drive motor (first motor) that moves the contact rollers 31 and 32 to the thermal head 21 (not shown) side and the platen roller 20 side. Drive means) 39 and a control unit (control means) 41 for controlling the drive motors 33, 35, 38, 39.

  The drive motor 39 and the contact rollers 31 and 32 are connected via various links. When the drive motor 39 is rotated forward by the control unit 41, the contact rollers 31 and 32 are moved to the platen roller 20 side. On the other hand, when the drive motor 39 is reversed by the control unit 41, the contact rollers 31 and 32 move to the thermal head 21 side.

  When the contact rollers 31 and 32 move to the platen roller 20 side, the contact rollers 31 and 32 are pressed against the platen roller 20 with the film F interposed therebetween as described above. On the other hand, the film F is wound. On the other hand, when the contact rollers 31 and 32 move to the thermal head 21 side, the contact rollers 31 and 32 are separated from the platen roller 20 and the film F, whereby the winding of the film F around the platen roller 20 is released. The film F is separated from the platen roller 20.

  Next, the operation of the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 relating to the traveling of the film F will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 relating to the traveling of the film F. In addition, FIGS. 4-9 is referred suitably.

  First, the drive motor 39 is rotated forward by the controller 41, the contact rollers 31, 32 are moved to the platen roller 20 side, and the film F is wound around the platen roller 20 (step S102). In this state, as described above, the image is primarily transferred onto the film F by the cooperation of the platen roller 20 and the thermal head 21 (step S104) (see FIG. 4). Subsequently, the heat roller 23 and the pressure roller 24 are transferred. The image on the film F is secondarily transferred onto the surface of the card S (step S106) (see FIG. 5).

  Thereafter, the drive motor 38 is reversed by the control unit 41, the platen roller 20 is reversed, and the film F is rewound upstream by a predetermined amount (step S108) (see FIG. 6). This is because, in order to effectively use the film F, the next image is primarily transferred to an upstream region on the film F, which is in a continuous positional relationship with the region where the previous image is primarily transferred. At this time, in order to prevent the film F from slackening, the drive motor 33 is also reversed by the control unit 41, the bobbin 15 is reversed, and the film F is wound around the bobbin 15.

  Subsequent to step S108, the control motor 41 reverses the drive motor 39 to move the contact rollers 31 and 32 toward the thermal head 21, and the winding of the film F around the platen roller 20 is released (step S110) ( (See FIG. 7). In this state, the drive motor 35 is rotated forward by the control unit 41, the bobbin 16 is rotated forward, and the film F is wound up by a predetermined amount by the downstream bobbin 16 (step S112) (see FIG. 8). At this time, the connection between the rotating shaft of the upstream bobbin 15 and the rotating shaft of the drive motor 33 is released by the torque limiter 34.

  It should be noted that the predetermined amount of film F taken up in step S112 is set such that the portion of the film F wound around the upstream bobbin 15 is drawn out for the first time. In order to make the predetermined amount constant, the count of the rotary encoder 37 with respect to the predetermined amount is stored by the control unit 41 in step S104, and in step S112, the film F is wound by the bobbin 16 by the stored count. The drive motor 35 is rotated forward by the control unit 41. Accordingly, a certain amount of film F is surely wound on the bobbin 16 every time in step S112 without being influenced by the winding diameter of the film F on the bobbin 16.

  Subsequent to step S112, the control motor 41 reverses the drive motor 33 to reverse the bobbin 15, and the upstream bobbin 15 winds up the film F by a predetermined amount (step S114) (see FIG. 9). At this time, the connection between the rotary shaft of the downstream bobbin 16 and the rotary shaft of the drive motor 35 is released by the torque limiter 36. In step S114 as well, the drive motor 33 is reversed by the control unit 41 so that the film F is wound by the bobbin 15 by the count stored in step S104. And after step S114, it returns to step S102 and the operation | movement mentioned above is repeated.

  As described above, in the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus 1, after the image on the film F is secondarily transferred onto the surface of the card S, the next image is primarily transferred onto the film F. The contact rollers 31 and 32 are moved to the thermal head 21 side to release the winding of the film F around the platen roller 20. In this state, the film F is wound by a predetermined amount by the downstream bobbin 16, and then the upstream A predetermined amount of film F is taken up by the bobbin 15 on the side. Thus, when the film F is reciprocated in a state where the winding of the film F around the platen roller 20 is released, the film F is transferred through the primary transfer of the image onto the film F and the secondary transfer of the image onto the surface of the card S. Even if the travel line is slightly deviated from the normal travel line, the slight deviation can be corrected. Therefore, according to the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1, it is possible to suppress the travel line of the film F from deviating from the regular travel line.

  Further, in the thermal transfer printing apparatus 1, when the downstream bobbin 16 winds up the film F by a predetermined amount (see step S112), the first portion of the film wound around the upstream bobbin 15 is pulled out. . As described above, when a portion of the film F wound around the upstream bobbin 15 is pulled out for the first time and then the upstream bobbin 15 winds up the film F by a predetermined amount, A slight deviation can be corrected more reliably.

1 is a front view of an embodiment of an intermediate transfer thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the present invention. It is a block diagram of the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus regarding the running of the film. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus regarding the driving | running | working of a film. It is a figure for demonstrating the state by which the image is primarily transferred on the film. It is a figure for demonstrating the state in which the image is secondary-transferred on the surface of a card | curd. It is a figure for demonstrating the state by which the film is rewound by the predetermined amount upstream. It is a figure for demonstrating the state from which the winding of the film with respect to the platen roller was cancelled | released. It is a figure for demonstrating the state by which the film is wound up by predetermined amount with the bobbin of the downstream side. It is a figure for demonstrating the state by which the film is wound up predetermined amount with the bobbin of the upstream.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus, 15 ... Bobbin (upstream bobbin), 16 ... Bobbin (downstream bobbin), 20 ... Platen roller, 21 ... Thermal head, 23 ... Heat roller, 31, 32 ... Contact roller, 33 ... Drive motor (second drive means), 35 ... Drive motor (third drive means), 39 ... Drive motor (first drive means), 41 ... Control unit (control means), S ... Card (recording) Medium), F ... film, R ... ink ribbon, P ... primary transfer position.

Claims (2)

An ink ribbon is brought into contact with a film fed by a platen roller by a thermal head to primarily transfer an image on the film, and then the film is brought into contact with a recording medium by a heat roller to place the image on the surface of the recording medium. In the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing device for secondary transfer,
It is movable to the thermal head side and the platen roller side, and when moved to the platen roller side, the film is interposed between the upstream side and the downstream side of the primary transfer position where the image is primarily transferred. A pair of abutment rollers pressed against the platen roller;
First driving means for moving the contact roller;
An upstream bobbin disposed on the upstream side of the platen roller, on which the film before the image is primarily transferred is wound,
Second driving means for rotating the upstream bobbin;
A downstream bobbin disposed on the downstream side of the platen roller and wound with the film after the image is secondarily transferred;
Third driving means for rotating the downstream bobbin;
The first roller is moved so that the contact roller moves toward the thermal head after the image is secondarily transferred onto the surface of the recording medium until the next image is primarily transferred onto the film. after releasing the winding of the film to the platen roller by controlling the drive means, the film by the downstream bobbin controls the third drive means as retracted by a predetermined amount, followed by the upstream An intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the second drive means so that the film is wound by a predetermined amount by a side bobbin.   The control means controls the third driving means so that a portion of the film wound around the upstream bobbin is pulled out for the first time when the film is wound by a predetermined amount by the downstream bobbin. The intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate transfer type thermal transfer printing apparatus is controlled.

Images