JP5770980B2 - Thermal transfer printer with thermal transfer ribbon residual information leakage prevention mechanism and thermal transfer ribbon residual information leakage prevention method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism for a thermal transfer ribbon that can be used to easily conceal print marks remaining on a used thermal transfer ribbon after printing has been issued, and to a residual information leakage prevention method for a printed thermal transfer ribbon.

Label, voucher, tag, ticket, membership card, wristband, such as medical records, the contents of one piece by Help to print a different variable information printers, thermal transfer method using a thermal transfer ribbon, direct thermal method for coloring the thermal paper, There are an ink jet system, a toner system, etc., which are properly used according to the application. In particular, the thermal transfer method can be used for printing on many types of receivers, from paper and film to woven fabrics. In addition to being low cost, it is widely used because it provides weather resistance and durability after printing. ing.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the thermal transfer ribbon 90, and FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along line bb. As shown in these drawings, the thermal transfer ribbon 90 is obtained by coating a thermal transfer ink layer 35 on one side of a long belt-like base film 33, slitting it to a desired width, and winding it around a branch pipe 38.

  FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of a thermal transfer printer 20 that issues a thermal transfer label. The thermal transfer printer 20 is provided with a roll paper supply unit 40 and a printing unit 50 in a housing 22. A label roll 60 around which a thermal transfer label 61 is wound is rotatably supported on the supply shaft 41 of the roll paper supply means 40. A guide roll 42, a paper sensor 44 that detects the presence or absence of the thermal transfer label 61 on the path, and a timing mark sensor 46 that detects an interval of the thermal transfer label 61 are attached along the travel path of the thermal transfer label 61. A printing unit 50 including a platen roller 51 and a thermal head 52 is disposed downstream thereof, and an issue port 24 is provided in the casing 22 downstream of the printing unit 50.

  A supply shaft 55, a guide roll 56 and a take-up shaft 57 for the thermal transfer ribbon 90 are provided around the upper part of the printing unit 50 to form a travel path of the thermal transfer ribbon 90. The thermal transfer ribbon 90 is set on the supply shaft 55, guided between the platen roller 51 and the thermal head 52 by the guide roll 56, and pressed and held together with the thermal transfer label 61 by them. Then, the direction is changed upward by the turning member 53 downstream of the thermal head 52, and the guide member 54 passes through the guide roll 54 to the take-up shaft 57.

  When the platen roller 51 rotates, the thermal transfer label 61 passes through the guide roll 42, the paper sensor 44, and the timing mark sensor 46 to the printing unit 50, and the ink 35 is transferred from the thermal transfer ribbon 90 to the thermal transfer label 61 by the thermal scanning of the thermal head 52. After being melt-transferred, an image 92 such as a character or a barcode is printed as shown in FIG. The thermal transfer label 61 on which printing has been performed is discharged from the issuing port 24 to the outside. At the same time, the printed ribbon 91 is wound on the winding shaft 57.

  However, when printing is performed on paper or a label by the thermal transfer method, as shown in FIG. 7, a print mark 93 such as characters, images, and barcodes remains on the printed ribbon 91 as a negative inverted image. By rewinding the used thermal transfer ribbon 91 and visually observing the print mark 93, information such as printed characters, images, and barcodes can be read. There are various contents (information) such as printed characters, images, barcodes, etc., but some of them may include information that needs to be prevented from leaking information, such as confidential personal information. In such a case, information leakage has been prevented by burying the printed ribbon 91 as industrial waste or incineration so as not to touch the human eye.

  However, the thermal transfer ribbon 90 is a thermal transfer ink layer 35 formed by applying ink, which is a composition made of wax, synthetic resin, and carbon, to the PET film as the base film 33. The used thermal transfer ribbon is disposed of by landfill. However, there is a problem that information is leaked when dug up because the print mark remains forever without being corrupted or decomposed. Incineration is the most effective means, but although the thermal transfer ribbon is made of a flammable material, it takes a long time to incinerate because it is in the form of a closely wound roll. In addition, although there is a method of cutting with a shredder, the PET film used as the base film 33 is as thin as several microns and has a low waist. There are problems such as clogging and entanglement of the blade.

JP 2005-21728 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and can conceal print marks remaining on a used thermal transfer ribbon and prevent leakage of information such as printed characters, images, and barcodes. An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printer with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism for a thermal transfer ribbon and a residual information leakage prevention method.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration.

A first aspect of the present invention is a thermal transfer type printing in which a thermal transfer ribbon is supplied to a printing section in which a print head and a platen roller are arranged, and the ink of the thermal transfer ribbon is transferred to a printing paper by a heating action of a heating element of the print head. An apparatus comprising: a ribbon supply unit that supplies the thermal transfer ribbon toward the printing unit; and a ribbon winding unit that winds up the printed ribbon after ink transfer, the printing unit and the ribbon winding unit A pressure-sensitive adhesive coating means for applying an emulsion-based pressure-sensitive adhesive on the printed ribbon, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive coating means includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive supply source that operates in conjunction with the operation of the thermal transfer printing device, A coating roller that is pivotally supported by the support shaft and is in contact with the printed ribbon and can be driven to rotate as it is conveyed, and the coating roller is formed of a continuous porous sponge-like material in a roll shape. With porous roller Ri, characterized in that the adhesive supply source is connected to the coating roller through the liquid feed pipe of an internal shaft can be applied to the printed ribbon by discharging the adhesive from the micropores of the coating roller surface The thermal transfer printer with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a thermal transfer ribbon in which a thermal transfer ink layer is formed on one side of a base film is supplied to a printing portion where a print head and a platen roller are arranged. A thermal transfer type printing method for transferring ink to printing paper, between a ribbon supply unit that supplies the thermal transfer ribbon toward the printing unit and a ribbon take-up unit that winds up the printed ribbon after ink transfer An adhesive coating means for applying an emulsion-based adhesive on the printed ribbon, the adhesive coating means comprising an adhesive supply source that operates in conjunction with the operation of the thermal transfer printing device, and a spindle printed ribbon in contact with the axially supported, a driven rotatable application roller along with its transport, porous wherein the coating roller which forms a sponge-like material of a continuous porous roll form A roller, wherein the adhesive supply source via a support shaft inside the liquid feed tube supplying the adhesive to the application roller which is connected, one side of the printed ribbon by discharging the adhesive from the micropores of the coating roller surface Or, after applying adhesive on both sides, winding up, and sticking one side of the printed ribbon and the side adjacent to that side to form a block, preventing leakage of residual information on the thermal transfer ribbon Is the method.

  Since the thermal transfer ribbon that has been printed is wound up in a roll shape with an adhesive applied to the thermal transfer ribbon, the printed thermal transfer ribbon is agglomerated and integrated into a roll shape. Information such as printed characters cannot be seen.

  According to the thermal transfer printer with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention and the residual information leakage prevention method of the thermal transfer ribbon, the adhesive is applied to the used thermal transfer ribbon after printing, and wound while adhering. By forming the block, the print mark remaining on the used thermal transfer ribbon can be concealed. An effect is obtained that information leakage of printed characters, images, barcodes and the like can be prevented.

1 is a schematic side view showing a thermal transfer printer with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism for a thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention. The principal part expansion perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the thermal transfer printer with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon of this invention. The principal part expansion perspective view which shows one Embodiment of the thermal transfer printer with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon of this invention. The principal part side view which shows one Embodiment of the thermal transfer printer with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon of this invention. The perspective view which shows a thermal transfer ribbon, and the bb sectional view taken on the line. FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing a conventional thermal transfer printer. The principal part expansion perspective view of the printing means of the conventional thermal transfer printer for demonstrating the printing trace of a thermal transfer ribbon.

  Embodiments of a thermal transfer printer with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism and a thermal transfer ribbon residual information leakage prevention method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a thermal transfer printer 20 with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism of a thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention. The main part of the thermal transfer printer 20 includes a roll paper supply unit 40 and a printing unit 50 provided in the housing 22. A roll of a continuous label body 60 around which a thermal transfer label 61 is wound is rotatably supported on a supply shaft 41 of the roll paper supply means 40. In the housing 22, along the travel path of the label continuum 60, the guide roll 42, the paper sensor 44 that detects the presence or absence of the label continuum 60, and the timing provided on the back surface of the label continuum 60. A timing mark sensor 46 for detecting a mark (not shown) is attached. A printing unit 50 including a platen roller 51 and a thermal head 52 is disposed downstream of the timing mark sensor 46, and an issue port 24 is provided in the casing 22 adjacent thereto.

  A supply shaft 55 of the thermal transfer ribbon 2, a guide roll 56, and a take-up shaft 57 are provided above and around the printing unit 50 to form a travel path of the thermal transfer ribbon. The thermal transfer ribbon 2 is set on the supply shaft 55 as the thermal transfer ribbon roll 10, guided between the platen roller 51 and the thermal head 52 by the guide roll 56, and pressed and held together with the label continuum 60 by them. The printed thermal transfer ribbon 2 (printed ribbon 11) is turned upward by the turning member 53 downstream of the thermal head 52, and goes to the winding shaft 57 through the adhesive coating means 70 which is a free roller.

  FIG. 2 shows an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the adhesive coating means 70. The adhesive coating means 70 includes an adhesive supply source (not shown) and a coating roller 71 connected thereto. The coating roller 71 is a free roller, and in conjunction with the operation of the thermal transfer printer 20, the adhesive 8 is discharged from the adhesive supply source through the liquid feed pipe inside the support shaft 72 through the hole 73 on the roll surface in small amounts. is there. The coating roller 71 is in contact with the printed ribbon 11 and can be driven to rotate as it is conveyed.

  The surface of the coating roller 71 is formed of a non-adhesive material. As the surface material, for example, a non-adhesive material such as polytetrafluoroethylene is used, or the surface is coated with a non-adhesive compound such as silicone.

  As the pressure-sensitive adhesive, for example, an emulsion-based pressure-sensitive adhesive in which a pressure-sensitive adhesive is dispersed in water, or a solvent-based pressure-sensitive adhesive in which a pressure-sensitive adhesive is dissolved in a solvent can be used. Solvent-based adhesives tend to evaporate the solvent, but it is desirable to use emulsion-based adhesives from the viewpoints of the need for intake / exhaust facilities, work environment and safety.

  In the case of an emulsion-based pressure-sensitive adhesive, it is desirable that the solid concentration is 40% by weight or more in order to quickly evaporate water after coating. Moreover, in order to adhere | attach the ribbons with which printing was carried out, the adhesive force uses the adhesive of the strength called the strong adhesion of 600gf / 25mm or more.

  Next, the operation of the thermal transfer printer 20 with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon in FIG. 1 will be described, and the residual information leakage prevention method of the thermal transfer ribbon will be described.

  The thermal transfer printer 20 with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon operates as follows. Print data is sent from a host computer (not shown) to issue a print instruction. The platen roller 51 rotates, and the label continuum 60 is conveyed to the printing unit 50 together with the thermal transfer ribbon 2 through the guide roll 42, the paper sensor 44, and the timing mark sensor 46. When the timing mark sensor 46 detects a timing mark (not shown) on the back surface of the label continuous body 60, printing is started in accordance with the running of the thermal transfer label 61, and the thermal head 52 is placed on the surface of the thermal transfer label 61 as shown in FIG. Ink 6 is melted and transferred from the thermal transfer ribbon 2 by heat generation scanning, and an image 92 such as a barcode is printed. The printed label 61 is conveyed to the issue port 24. At this time, a reverse image of the image 92 is formed as a print mark 93 on the printed ribbon 11.

  At the same time as the platen roller 51 rotates and the continuous label body 60 is conveyed, the adhesive 8 is fed from the adhesive supply source to the coating roller 71 through the support shaft 72 and discharged from the hole 73 on the roller surface. start. The adhesive ribbon 8 is applied to the printed ribbon 11 when it touches the coating roller 71, and is wound around the winding shaft 57 while being bonded to the printed ribbon 11 on the inner circumference that has been wound up in advance. It becomes a roll-like lump. When the printing operation is stopped, the discharge of the adhesive 8 is also stopped. Here, even when the thermal transfer printer 20 has stopped operating for a long time and the adhesive has hardened on the surface of the coating roller 71, when the thermal transfer printer 20 resumes operation, the adhesive is peeled off from the coating roller 20 and the thermal transfer ribbon 2. It sticks to the side and goes away.

  Since the printed ribbon 11 coated with the adhesive 8 and wound up as described above becomes a lump solidified with the adhesive 8, it is difficult to read information from the print marks 93. The pressure-sensitive adhesive 8 may not be completely dried during the period from coating to winding. Even after the printed ribbon 11 is wound up into a lump, moisture and solvent continue to evaporate and the tackiness increases. Further, since both sides of the printed ribbon 11 are covered with the adhesive 8 even when the drying is insufficient, it is substantially impossible to read the printed mark 93 even when the printed ribbon 11 is rewound. Impossible.

  FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a thermal transfer printer with a function of preventing leakage of residual information of the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention. The thermal transfer printer 20 of FIG. 3 is obtained by replacing the coating roller 71 of the adhesive coating means 70 described above with reference to FIG. The porous roller 74 is formed by forming a continuous porous sponge-like material such as sponge in a roll shape, and an infinite number of fine holes 75 are formed on the surface. Similar to the adhesive coating means 70 of FIG. 2, the adhesive is supplied to the porous roller 74 from the adhesive supply source (not shown) through the support shaft 72, and a small amount of the adhesive 8 is supplied from the micropores 75 on the surface. It is a mechanism that exudes one by one. The porous roller 74 is also in contact with the printed ribbon 11 and can be driven to rotate as it is conveyed.

  At the same time as the platen roller 51 is rotated and the continuous label body 60 is conveyed, the adhesive 8 is fed from the adhesive supply source to the porous roller 74 through the support shaft 72, and the adhesive is supplied from the fine holes 75 on the surface. 8 begins to ooze. An adhesive 8 is applied to the printed ribbon 11 when it touches the porous roller 74, and is wound around the winding shaft 57 while being bonded to the printed ribbon 11 that has been wound around in advance, and rolled. It becomes a lump of shape. Since the number of the fine holes 75 through which the adhesive 8 oozes is large, the adhesive 8 is applied more uniformly. When the printing operation is stopped, the supply of the adhesive 8 is also stopped. The printed ribbon 11 that has been coated with the adhesive 8 and wound up is hardened by the adhesive 8 and becomes a lump, so that it is difficult to read information from the print marks 93.

  FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the thermal transfer printer with a residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the main part in the vicinity of the printing means 50 of the thermal transfer printer 20 described above, and the same reference numerals are given to the same constituent members.

  The thermal transfer printer 20 of FIG. 4 is provided with an adhesive applicator 78 composed of an adhesive tank 76 and a synthetic resin sponge 77 as an adhesive application means 70. The pressure-sensitive adhesive in the pressure-sensitive adhesive tank 76 has fluidity, enters the sponge 77 by its own weight and capillary action, and its tip is kept wet with the pressure-sensitive adhesive. When the tip of the sponge 77 is brought into contact with the printed ribbon 11 and the label continuous body 60 is conveyed, the adhesive that exudes from the tip of the sponge 77 is applied to the printed ribbon 11. The printed ribbon 11 coated with the pressure-sensitive adhesive 8 is wound while adhering to the printed ribbon 11 on the inner side of the previous winding, as in the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. It is wound around the take-up shaft 57 and becomes a roll-like lump. Information cannot be read from the print marks 93 of the mass-printed ribbon 11.

  As described above in detail, according to the thermal transfer printer with the residual information leakage prevention mechanism of the thermal transfer ribbon and the residual information leakage prevention method of the thermal transfer ribbon of the present invention, the printed thermal transfer ribbon is wound while being coated with an adhesive. The printed marks remaining on the used thermal transfer ribbon can be concealed by taking and solidifying with an adhesive to form a lump. It is difficult to interpret information from the print marks, and the effect of preventing leakage of information such as characters, images, and barcodes can be obtained.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is obvious that each embodiment can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, the number of constituent members, the number of constituent layers, positions, shapes, and the like described above are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be set to numbers, positions, shapes, and the like suitable for carrying out the present invention.

2 Thermal transfer ribbon 6 Ink layer (ink)
8 Adhesive 10 Thermal Transfer Ribbon Roll 11 Printed Ribbon 20 Thermal Transfer Printer 22 Case 24 Issuing Port 33 Base Film 35 Ink Layer (Ink)
38 Branch pipe 40 Roll paper supply means 41 Supply shaft 42 Guide roll 44 Paper sensor 46 Timing mark sensor 50 Printing means 51 Platen roller 52 Thermal head 53 Turning member 54 Guide roll 55 Supply shaft 56 Guide roll 57 Winding shaft 60 Label continuum 61 Thermal transfer label 70 Adhesive application means 71 Application roller 72 Support shaft 73 Hole 74 Porous roller 75 Fine hole 76 Adhesive tank 77 Sponge 78 Adhesive applicator 90 Thermal transfer ribbon 91 Printed ribbon 92 Image 93 Print trace

Claims (2)

A thermal transfer type printing apparatus that supplies a thermal transfer ribbon to a printing unit in which a print head and a platen roller are arranged, and transfers the ink of the thermal transfer ribbon to printing paper by a heating action of a heating element of the print head,
A ribbon supply unit for supplying the thermal transfer ribbon toward the printing unit;
A ribbon take-up portion that winds up the printed ribbon after ink transfer,
Between the printing part and the ribbon winding part, an adhesive coating means for coating the emulsion-based adhesive on the printed ribbon is arranged,
The pressure-sensitive adhesive coating means includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive supply source that operates in conjunction with the operation of the thermal transfer printing apparatus, a coating that is pivotally supported by a support shaft and is in contact with a printed ribbon, and can be driven and rotated as it is conveyed. Including rollers,
The coating roller is a porous roller in which a continuous porous sponge-like material is formed into a roll shape,
The pressure-sensitive adhesive supply source is connected to a coating roller via a liquid feeding pipe inside the support shaft, and can be coated on a printed ribbon by discharging the pressure-sensitive adhesive from a fine hole on the surface of the coating roller. Thermal transfer printer with a mechanism for preventing residual information leakage of the thermal transfer ribbon. A thermal transfer system that supplies a thermal transfer ribbon with a thermal transfer ink layer formed on one side of the base film to the print section where the print head and platen roller are arranged, and transfers the ink of the thermal transfer ribbon onto the printing paper by the heat generation of the heating element of the print head A printing method,
An adhesive that applies an emulsion-based adhesive to a printed ribbon between a ribbon supply unit that supplies the thermal transfer ribbon toward the printing unit and a ribbon take-up unit that winds up the printed ribbon after ink transfer Arrange the coating means,
The pressure-sensitive adhesive coating means includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive supply source that operates in conjunction with the operation of the thermal transfer printing device, a coating that is pivotally supported by a support shaft and in contact with a printed ribbon, and that can be driven to rotate along with its conveyance. With a construction roller,
The coating roller is a porous roller in which a continuous porous sponge-like material is formed into a roll shape,
Adhesive is supplied from the adhesive supply source to the coating roller connected via the liquid feeding pipe inside the spindle, and the adhesive is discharged from the fine holes on the surface of the coating roller to adhere to one or both sides of the printed ribbon. A method for preventing leakage of residual information on a thermal transfer ribbon, comprising: coating an agent, winding the adhesive, and bonding one surface of a printed ribbon and a surface adjacent to the surface with the adhesive.

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