JP7468084B2 - Foil transfer film cartridge and foil transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a foil transfer film cartridge having a supply reel on which foil film is wound, and a foil transfer device that transfers foil to a sheet.

A conventional foil transfer device is known that includes a cartridge having a supply reel on which foil film is wound, a take-up reel for taking up the foil film, and a housing body to which the cartridge can be detached (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-290685

In foil transfer devices, it is desirable to be able to change the widthwise position of the foil film to achieve a variety of foil transfers. However, if multiple types of cartridges were manufactured according to the widthwise position of the foil film, the number of cartridges that a user would possess would increase, creating a problem of reduced convenience for the user.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a foil transfer film cartridge and a foil transfer device that can improve user convenience.

To solve the above problem, the foil transfer film cartridge of the present invention includes a supply reel on which a foil film of a first width is wound, and a supply shaft that is longer than the first width in the width direction of the foil film and supports the supply reel so that it can move in the width direction between a first position and a second position different from the first position.

With this configuration, the widthwise position of the foil film can be changed in one foil transfer film cartridge, eliminating the need for users to carry multiple cartridges and improving user convenience.

The foil transfer film cartridge may also include a lever that can move in the width direction together with the supply reel, and a supply case that houses the supply reel and has an opening that exposes the lever.

With this configuration, the widthwise position of the foil film can be easily changed by operating the lever exposed from the supply case.

Also, when the supply reel is in the first position, the foil film is a first distance away from one end of the supply shaft, and when the supply reel is in the second position, the foil film is a second distance away from one end of the supply shaft that is greater than the first distance, and the lever may be located within the first distance from one end of the supply shaft when the supply reel is in the first position.

This configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the dead space within the first distance from one end of the supply shaft.

The foil transfer film cartridge may also have a flange located at one end of the supply reel and rotating together with the supply reel, and the lever may engage with the flange in the width direction.

The foil transfer film cartridge may also have a supply positioning portion that positions the supply reel at the first position or the second position.

This configuration makes it possible to prevent the foil film located at the first or second position from moving in the width direction during foil transfer.

The supply positioning portion may also have a first protrusion and a hole into which the first protrusion fits.

The supply positioning portion may also have a first protrusion formed on the lever, a first hole formed on the supply case into which the first protrusion fits and which is located at a position corresponding to the first position, and a second hole formed on the supply case into which the first protrusion fits and which is located at a position corresponding to the second position.

The supply shaft may be rotatable together with the supply reel and the flange, and the lever may be configured not to engage with the flange in the direction of rotation of the flange.

The foil transfer film cartridge may also include a take-up reel for taking up the foil film, and a take-up shaft that is longer than the first width in the width direction and supports the take-up reel movably in the width direction between a third position and a fourth position different from the third position.

With this configuration, both the supply reel and the take-up reel can be moved in the width direction to change the widthwise position of the foil film.

The foil transfer film cartridge may also include a winding positioning section that positions the winding reel at the third position or the fourth position.

This configuration prevents the foil film located at the third or fourth position from moving in the width direction during foil transfer.

The winding positioning portion may also have a second protrusion and a hole into which the second protrusion fits.

The winding positioning section may also have the second protrusion that is movable in the width direction together with the winding reel, a third hole formed in the winding shaft into which the second protrusion fits and which is located at a position corresponding to the third position, and a fourth hole formed in the winding shaft into which the second protrusion fits and which is located at a position corresponding to the fourth position.

Furthermore, when the take-up reel is located at the third position, the foil film is a third distance away from one end of the take-up shaft, and when the take-up reel is located at the fourth position, the foil film is a fourth distance away from one end of the take-up shaft that is greater than the third distance, and the second protrusion is located within the range of the third distance from one end of the take-up shaft when the take-up reel is located at the third position.

This configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the dead space within a range of a third distance from one end of the winding shaft.

The foil transfer device according to the present invention is a foil transfer device that includes the foil transfer film cartridge and a housing body to which the foil transfer film cartridge can be attached and detached, and also includes a sensor that can detect the lever, and a control unit that determines the position of the supply reel in the width direction based on information from the sensor.

With this configuration, the sensor detects the lever, allowing the control unit to grasp the widthwise position of the foil film.

The foil transfer device may also include a heating element for heating the foil film, a first heater for heating a first portion of the heating element more strongly than a second portion of the heating element aligned with the first portion in the width direction, and a second heater for heating the second portion more strongly than the first portion, and is configured such that when the supply reel is located at the first position, the foil film overlaps only the first portion, and when the supply reel is located at the second position, the foil film overlaps the first portion and the second portion, and the control unit may be configured to control the first heater with a predetermined power consumption during foil transfer and control the second heater with a first power consumption or a second power consumption smaller than the first power consumption, and to control the second heater with the second power consumption when it is determined that the supply reel is located at the first position, and to control the second heater with the first power consumption when it is determined that the supply reel is located at the second position.

This configuration allows appropriate heater control to be performed depending on the position of the foil film.

The sensor may also include a first actuator that comes into contact with the lever and moves when the foil transfer film cartridge is attached to the housing body with the supply reel in the first position, a first sensor that detects the position of the first actuator, a second actuator that comes into contact with the lever and moves when the foil transfer film cartridge is attached to the housing body with the supply reel in the second position, and a second sensor that detects the position of the second actuator.

The housing body may be configured to allow a second foil transfer film cartridge having a foil film with a second width larger than the first width to be detachably attached thereto, and when the second foil transfer film cartridge is attached to the housing body, the first actuator and the second actuator may be configured to move in contact with the second foil transfer film cartridge.

With this configuration, the position and width of the foil film can be determined using two actuators.

The present invention provides a foil transfer film cartridge and a foil transfer device that can improve user convenience.

1 is a diagram showing a foil transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the foil transfer device with the cover open. FIG. 1A is a diagram for explaining the position of a sheet sensor in a sheet transport path, and FIG. 1B is a table showing the determination results of the sheet sensor for each sheet. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the foil transfer film cartridge on the supply reel side. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the supply reel is located at a first position, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the supply reel is located at a second position. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the foil transfer film cartridge on the take-up reel side. 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the take-up reel is located at a third position, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the take-up reel is located at a fourth position. 1A shows a centered cartridge, FIG. 1B shows a side-biased cartridge, and FIG. 1C shows a second foil transfer film cartridge. 1A to 1C are diagrams showing a sensor for detecting a lever, etc. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a table for determining the type of foil transfer film cartridge. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of a control unit.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
In the following description, directions will be described in terms of the directions shown in Fig. 1. That is, the right side of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "front", the left side of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "rear", the front side of the paper surface of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "left", and the back side of the paper surface of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "right". Also, the top and bottom of Fig. 1 will be referred to as "top and bottom".

As shown in FIG. 1, the foil transfer device 1 can perform foil transfer by forming a toner image on a sheet S using an image forming device such as a laser printer, superimposing a foil film F made up of multiple layers on the surface of the sheet on which the toner image has been formed, and transferring at least one layer of the foil film F onto the toner image. The foil transfer device 1 includes a housing 2, a sheet tray 3, a sheet transport unit 10, a film supply unit 30, a transfer unit 50, and a control unit 80.

The housing 2 is made of resin or the like, and includes a housing main body 21 and a cover 22 .
The housing body 21 has an opening 21A (see FIG. 2) at the top. The opening 21A has a size that allows a film unit FU, which will be described later, to pass through.
The housing body 21 also has a first holding portion GD1 and a second holding portion GD2 that detachably hold the film unit FU.
The cover 22 is a member for opening and closing the opening 21A. A rear end of the cover 22 is rotatably supported by the housing body 21. The cover 22 is rotatable between a closed position (position in FIG. 1 ) in which the opening 21A is closed and an open position (position in FIG. 2 ) in which the opening 21A is opened.

The sheet tray 3 is a tray on which sheets S, such as paper and overhead projector film, are placed. The sheet tray 3 is provided at the rear of the housing 2. The sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3 with the surface on which the toner image is formed facing down.

The sheet conveying section 10 includes a sheet supply mechanism 11 and a sheet discharge mechanism 12. The sheet supply mechanism 11 is a mechanism that conveys the sheets S on the sheet tray 3 toward the transfer section 50 one by one. The sheet supply mechanism 11 includes a supply roller 11A and a retard roller 11B. The supply roller 11A conveys the sheets S on the sheet tray 3 toward the transfer section 50. The retard roller 11B faces the supply roller 11A. The retard roller 11B rotates in a direction to return the sheets, separating the sheets S one by one.

The sheet discharge mechanism 12 is a mechanism that discharges the sheet S that has passed through the transfer unit 50 to the outside of the housing 2. The sheet discharge mechanism 12 is equipped with multiple transport rollers.

The film supply unit 30 supplies the foil film F so that it is superimposed on the sheet S transported from the sheet supply mechanism 11. The film supply unit 30 includes a film unit FU and a drive source such as a motor (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the film unit FU can be attached to and detached from the housing body 21 by passing through the opening 21A in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the supply reel 31 (described later). As shown in FIG. 1, the film unit FU includes the supply reel 31, the take-up reel 35, a first guide shaft 41, a second guide shaft 42, and a third guide shaft 43. The foil film F is wound around the supply reel 31.

The foil film F is a film made up of multiple layers. More specifically, the foil film F has a support layer and a supported layer. The support layer is a tape-like transparent substrate made of a polymeric material, and supports the supported layer. The supported layer has, for example, a release layer, a transfer layer, and an adhesive layer. The release layer is a layer that makes it easier to release the transfer layer from the support layer, and is disposed between the support layer and the transfer layer.

The transfer layer is the layer that is transferred to the toner image and contains foil. The foil is a thin metal such as gold, silver, copper, or aluminum. The transfer layer is disposed between the release layer and the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer is a layer that facilitates adhesion of the transfer layer to the toner image.

One end of the foil film F is fixed to the supply reel 31 .
The take-up reel 35 is a member for taking up the foil film F. To the take-up reel 35, the other end of the foil film F is fixed.

1 and the like, for the sake of convenience, the foil film F is shown wound to its maximum on both the supply reel 31 and the take-up reel 35. In reality, when the film unit FU is new, the diameter of the roll of foil film F wound on the supply reel 31 is at its maximum, and the take-up reel 35 has no foil film F wound thereon, or the diameter of the roll of foil film F wound on the take-up reel 35 is at its minimum. Also, at the end of the life of the film unit FU (when the foil film F has been used up), the diameter of the roll of foil film F wound on the take-up reel 35 is at its maximum, and the supply reel 31 has no foil film F wound thereon, or the diameter of the roll of foil film F wound on the supply reel 31 is at its minimum.

The first guide shaft 41 is a shaft for changing the traveling direction of the foil film F pulled out from the supply reel 31.
The second guide shaft 42 is a shaft for changing the traveling direction of the foil film F guided by the first guide shaft 41.
The third guide shaft 43 is a shaft that changes the traveling direction of the foil film F guided by the second guide shaft 42 and guides it to the take-up reel 35.

When the film unit FU is set in the foil transfer device 1 by being attached to the housing main body 21, the take-up reel 35 is driven to rotate counterclockwise as shown in the figure by a drive source (not shown) provided in the housing 2. When the take-up reel 35 rotates, the foil film F wound around the supply reel 31 is pulled out, and the pulled-out foil film F is wound onto the take-up reel 35. In more detail, during foil transfer, the foil film F is fed out by the pressure roller 51 and heating member 61 described below, and the foil film F is pulled out from the supply reel 31. Then, the foil film F fed out from the pressure roller 51 and heating member 61 is wound onto the take-up reel 35.

The first guide shaft 41 guides the foil film F pulled out from the supply reel 31 so that it overlaps the sheet S, which is transported with the toner image facing down. The first guide shaft 41 changes the transport direction of the foil film F pulled out from the supply reel 31 and guides the foil film F approximately parallel to the transport direction of the sheet S.

The second guide shaft 42 comes into contact with the foil film F that has passed through the transfer section 50, and changes the conveying direction of the foil film F that has passed through the transfer section 50 to a direction different from the conveying direction of the sheet S. The foil film F that has passed through the transfer section 50 and is conveyed overlapping the sheet S is guided in a direction different from the sheet S as it passes through the second guide shaft 42, and is peeled off from the sheet S.

The transfer unit 50 is a section for transferring a transfer layer onto the toner image formed on the sheet S by heating and pressurizing the sheet S and the foil film F in a superimposed state. The transfer unit 50 includes a pressure roller 51 and a heating unit 60. The transfer unit 50 heats and presses the sheet S and the foil film F in a superimposed state at the nip portion between the pressure roller 51 and the heating unit 60.

The pressure roller 51 is a roller in which the circumference of a cylindrical core metal is covered with a rubber layer made of silicone rubber. The pressure roller 51 is placed on the upper side of the foil film F and can come into contact with the back surface of the sheet S (the surface opposite to the surface on which the toner image is formed).

The pressure roller 51 is rotatably supported at both ends by the cover 22. The pressure roller 51 sandwiches the sheet S and the foil film F between itself and the heating member 61, and is driven to rotate by a drive source (not shown).

The heating section 60 is a member disposed below the foil film F and in contact with the foil film F to heat the foil film F and the sheet S. The heating section 60 extends along the width direction of the foil film F (hereinafter simply referred to as the "width direction"), which is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the foil film F. As shown in FIG. 3, the heating section 60 has a heating member 61, a first heater 62, and a second heater 63.

The heating member 61 is a roller made of a cylindrical metal tube. The heating member 61 comes into contact with the foil film F and heats the foil film F and the sheet S.

The first heater 62 heats the heating member 61. The first heater 62 has a higher output at the center 62A in the width direction than at both ends 62B in the width direction. Therefore, the first heater 62 heats the first portion 61A, which is the center in the width direction, of the heating member 61 more strongly than the second portion 61B, which is both ends in the width direction. The first portion 61A and the second portion 61B of the heating member 61 are aligned in the width direction. In this embodiment, the width of the first portion 61A is 150 to 180 mm, and an A5 size sheet S can be heated by the first heater 62 alone.

The second heater 63 heats the heating member 61. The output of the second heater 63 is higher at both ends 63B in the width direction than at the center 63A in the width direction. Therefore, the second heater 63 heats the second portion 61B of the heating member 61 more strongly than the first portion 61A.

As shown in FIG. 4(a), the foil transfer device 1 further includes a sheet sensor 90 that detects the passage of the sheet S. The sheet sensor 90 is disposed upstream of the heating section 60 in the conveying direction of the sheet S. The sheet sensor 90 includes a central sheet sensor 91 and a side sheet sensor 92. The central sheet sensor 91 and the side sheet sensor 92 are supported by the housing body 21 so as to be swingable. The central sheet sensor 91 and the side sheet sensor 92 swing and turn ON when they come into contact with the sheet S (see FIG. 1).

The central sheet sensor 91 is disposed at a position in the width direction corresponding to the first portion 61A of the heating member 61. The central sheet sensor 91 can detect whether the sheet S passes over the surface of the first portion 61A. In this embodiment, the central sheet sensor 91 is located in the center of the transport path of the sheet S in the width direction.

The side sheet sensor 92 is disposed at a position in the width direction corresponding to the second portion 61B of the heating member 61. The side sheet sensor 92 can detect whether the sheet S passes over the surface of the second portion 61B. In this embodiment, the side sheet sensor 92 is positioned in the width direction at a distance D1, specifically 75 to 80 mm, from the center of the transport path of the sheet S.

4A and 4B, when the sheet S is a sheet SH1 passing over the surfaces of the first portion 61A and the second portions 61B on both sides, both the center sheet sensor 91 and the side sheet sensor 92 are turned ON. The sheet SH1 is, for example, A4 size (width 210 mm) or letter size (width 215.9 mm).
When the sheet S is a sheet SH2 that passes over the surface of the first portion 61A but does not pass over the surface of the second portion 61B, only the center sheet sensor 91 is turned ON. The sheet SH2 is, for example, an A5 size (148 mm) or A6 size (105 mm) that is centered.
When the sheet S is a sheet SH3 that passes over the surface of the first portion 61A and the second portion 61B on one side, both the center sheet sensor 91 and the side sheet sensor 92 are turned ON. The sheet SH3 is, for example, an A5 size (148 mm) or A6 size (105 mm) that is shifted to one side.

Returning to FIG. 1, the foil transfer device 1 is equipped with a contact/separation mechanism 70 that moves at least one of the heating unit 60 and the pressure roller 51 between a contact position where the pressure roller 51 presses the heating unit 60 and a separation position where the heating unit 60 and the pressure roller 51 are separated. In this embodiment, the contact/separation mechanism 70 moves the heating unit 60 between the contact position and the separation position.

When the cover 22 is open or when foil transfer is not being performed on the sheet S in the transfer unit 50, the heating unit 60 is located in a separated position away from the foil film F. When foil transfer control is being performed with the cover 22 closed, the control unit 80 controls the contact/separation mechanism 70 to move the heating unit 60 to a contact position in contact with the foil film F.

The control unit 80 has a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, etc., and is configured to perform various controls based on a previously prepared program. The ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, etc. store data necessary for foil transfer control, such as an optimal control table for the attached foil film F. Then, for example, when a user operates the operation panel 85 provided on the cover 22 of the housing 2 to perform foil transfer onto the sheet S, the control unit 80 receives a signal from the operation panel 85 and performs foil transfer control.

When foil transfer is performed in the foil transfer device 1 configured in this manner, the sheets S placed on the sheet tray 3 with their front surfaces facing down are transported one by one by the sheet supply mechanism 11 toward the transfer unit 50. The sheets S are overlapped with the foil film F supplied from the supply reel 31 on the upstream side of the transfer unit 50 in the sheet transport direction, and are transported to the transfer unit 50 with the toner image on the sheet S and the foil film F in contact with each other.

In the transfer section 50, as the sheet S and foil film F pass through the nip between the pressure roller 51 and the heating section 60, they are heated and pressurized by the heating section 60 and the pressure roller 51, and the foil is transferred onto the toner image.

After the foil is transferred, the sheet S and foil film F are transported in close contact to the second guide shaft 42. When the sheet S and foil film F pass the second guide shaft 42, the transport direction of the foil film F changes to a direction different from the transport direction of the sheet S, so the foil film F is peeled off from the sheet S.

The foil film F peeled off from the sheet S is wound up on the take-up reel 35. Meanwhile, the sheet S from which the foil film F has been peeled off is discharged by the sheet discharge mechanism 12 to the outside of the housing 2 with the surface on which the foil has been transferred facing down.

The film unit FU will now be described in detail.
2, the film unit FU includes a holder 100 made of resin or the like, and a foil transfer film cartridge FC that is detachably attached to the holder 100. The foil transfer film cartridge FC includes the above-mentioned supply reel 31 and take-up reel 35. The foil transfer film cartridge FC is detachably attached to the housing body 21 while attached to the holder 100. In the following description, the attachment and detachment of the foil transfer film cartridge FC to and from the housing body 21 via the holder 100 is also simply referred to as "the foil transfer film cartridge FC being attached to and detached from the housing body 21."

As shown in FIG. 5, the foil transfer film cartridge FC includes a supply reel 31, a supply shaft 32, a lever 33, and a supply case 34. The supply reel 31, the supply shaft 32, the lever 33, and the supply case 34 are made of resin or the like. The supply reel 31 has a first member M1 and a second member M2.

The first member M1 is a substantially cylindrical member. A foil film F of a first width B1 is wound around the first member M1.

The second member M2 is a substantially cylindrical member. The second member M2 rotates together with the first member M1 by being fitted into an opening at one axial end of the first member M1. The second member M2 has a flange FL at one axial end, more specifically, at the end opposite the first member M1. In other words, the flange FL is located at one axial end of the supply reel 31. The flange FL protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the second member M2 and is formed in a ring shape that follows the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the second member M2.

The supply shaft 32 is a shaft that is longer than the first width B1 in the width direction of the foil film F. More specifically, the supply shaft 32 is longer than the supply reel 31 in the width direction. The supply shaft 32 is capable of passing through the holes of the supply reel 31. More specifically, the supply shaft 32 is arranged to be disposed inside the first member M1 and inside the second member M2. The supply shaft 32 engages with the supply reel 31 in the circumferential direction of the supply shaft 32, thereby being capable of rotating together with the supply reel 31 including the flange FL.

More specifically, the supply shaft 32 has a groove 32A on its outer circumferential surface that extends in the axial direction. The supply reel 31 has a protrusion (not shown) on its inner circumferential surface that fits into the groove 32A. When the protrusion fits into the groove 32A, the groove 32A and the protrusion engage in the circumferential direction of the supply shaft 32, allowing both the supply shaft 32 and the supply reel 31 to rotate. Furthermore, when the protrusion fits into the groove 32A in this way, the supply shaft 32 supports the supply reel 31 so that it can move in the width direction between a first position and a second position different from the first position.

The lever 33 is a member that engages with the supply reel 31 in the width direction and is movable in the width direction together with the supply reel 31. The lever 33 has a first lever member M3, a second lever member M4, and a third lever member M5.

The first lever member M3 has a groove M31 that engages with the flange FL in the width direction. The groove M31 is configured not to engage with the flange FL in the direction of rotation of the flange FL. More specifically, the bottom surface of the groove M31 is spaced apart from the outer peripheral surface of the flange FL, and each side surface of the groove M31 sandwiches the flange FL in the width direction.

The second lever member M4 is a fan-shaped member having an outer peripheral surface M41 that conforms to the outer peripheral surface of the supply case 34. The second lever member M4 is fixed to the first lever member M3.

The third lever member M5 is supported by the first lever member M3 so as to be movable in the radial direction of the supply reel 31. A first protrusion M51 is formed on the third lever member M5. The first protrusion M51 constitutes a supply positioning portion for positioning the supply reel 31 at the first position or the second position. A first spring SP1 is provided between the first lever member M3 and the third lever member M5, which biases the first protrusion M51 radially outward of the supply case 34.

The supply case 34 is a supply case that houses the supply reel 31. The supply case 34 has a first case member C1, a second case member C2, a third case member C3, and a fourth case member C4.

The first case member C1 and the second case member C2 are substantially semi-cylindrical members. The second case member C2 has an outer peripheral wall C21, a first side wall C22, and a second side wall C23. The outer peripheral wall C21 has an opening H1 for exposing the fourth lever member M4 of the lever 33. One circumferential end C211 of the outer peripheral wall C21 forms the edge of the film opening H2 through which the foil film F passes.

Here, the film opening H2 is an opening that is formed as a rectangular hole that is long in the width direction when the first case member C1 and the second case member C2 are combined. The film opening H2 has a width length greater than the first width B1 so that the foil film F can move in the width direction.

The first side wall C22 rotatably supports one end of the supply shaft 32. The second side wall C23 has a hole H3 through which the other end of the supply shaft 32 passes.

The third case member C3 is a cover that covers the gear G1. The third case member C3 is fixed to one axial end of the first case member C1 and the second case member C2. Here, the gear G1, together with the gear G2, is a gear for applying a load to the supply shaft 32. The gear G2 is fixed to one end of the supply shaft 32 and is connected to the gear G1 via a gear not shown. The gear G1 is connected to a load mechanism provided in the housing main body 21.

The fourth case member C4 has a support part C41 that rotatably supports the other end of the supply shaft 32. The fourth case member C4 is fixed to the other axial ends of the first case member C1 and the second case member C2.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), the outer peripheral wall C21 of the second case member C2 is formed with a first hole H11 and a second hole H12 into which the first protrusion M51 fits. The first hole H11 and the second hole H12, together with the first protrusion M51, constitute a supply positioning portion for positioning the supply reel 31 at the first position or the second position. The tip of the first protrusion M51 is formed into a curved shape so that it can easily come out of the holes H11 and H12 when the supply reel 31 is moved in the width direction.

The first hole H11 is located at a position that engages with the first protrusion M51 when the supply reel 31 is located at the first position in FIG. 6(a). In other words, the first hole H11 is located at a position that corresponds to the first position.

The second hole H12 is located at a position that engages with the first protrusion M51 when the supply reel 31 is located at the second position in FIG. 6(b). In other words, the second hole H12 is located at a position that corresponds to the second position.

In this embodiment, the first position is the center position in the axial direction of the supply shaft 32, and the second position is a position closer to the other end than the center in the axial direction of the supply shaft 32. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6(a), when the supply reel 31 is in the first position, the foil film F is a first distance D11 away from one end of the supply shaft 32. Also, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the supply reel 31 is in the second position, the foil film F is a second distance D12 away from one end of the supply shaft 32, which is greater than the first distance D11. When the supply reel 31 is in the first position, the lever 33 is located within the range of the first distance D11 from one end of the supply shaft 32.

As shown in FIG. 7, the foil transfer film cartridge FC includes a take-up reel 35 and a take-up shaft 36. The take-up reel 35 and the take-up shaft 36 are made of resin or the like.

The take-up reel 35 includes a first reel member M6, a second reel member M7, and a third reel member M8. The first reel member M6 includes a semi-cylindrical base portion M61, a semi-circular flange portion M62, and a bulge portion M63.

The flange portion M62 is provided at one end and the other end in the axial direction of the base portion M61. The flange portion M62 extends from the outer peripheral surface of the base portion M61. The bulge portion M63 bulges in the axial direction from the surface of one of the flange portions M62 opposite the base portion M61. The bulge portion M63 has a protrusion M631 that protrudes toward the winding shaft 36.

The second reel member M7 has a structure that is approximately the same as that of the first reel member M6. In more detail, the second reel member M7 has a base portion M71, flange portions M72 provided at one and the other axial ends of the base portion M71, and a bulge portion M73 having a protrusion M731, which are structures that are approximately the same as those of the first reel member M6.

The second reel member M7 can be assembled to the first reel member M6 so that each circumferential end of the base portion M71 aligns with each circumferential end of the base portion M61 of the first reel member M6. When the first reel member M6 and the second reel member M7 are assembled, the base portions M61 and M71 are cylindrical, with the winding shaft 36 disposed inside.

The third reel member M8 is supported by the protrusion M631 of the first reel member M6 so that it can move in the radial direction of the take-up reel 35. More specifically, the protrusion M631 has a recess that movably supports the third reel member M8. The third reel member M8 is formed with a second protrusion M81. The second protrusion M81 constitutes a winding positioning portion for positioning the take-up reel 35 at the third or fourth position. The second protrusion M81 is movable in the width direction together with the take-up reel 35. A second spring SP2 is provided between the third reel member M8 and the first reel member M6 to bias the second protrusion M81 toward the take-up shaft 36.

The winding shaft 36 is a shaft that is longer in the width direction than the first width B1. More specifically, the winding shaft 36 is longer in the width direction than the winding reel 35. The winding shaft 36 is engaged with the winding reel 35 in the circumferential direction of the winding shaft 36, and is thereby capable of rotating together with the winding reel 35.

More specifically, the winding shaft 36 has a groove 36A extending in the axial direction on its outer circumferential surface. The protrusion M631 of the first reel member M6 is configured to fit into the groove 36A. When the protrusion M631 fits into the groove 36A, the groove 36A and the protrusion M631 engage in the circumferential direction of the winding shaft 36, so that both the winding shaft 36 and the winding reel 35 can rotate. When the protrusion M631 fits into the groove 36A in this way, the winding shaft 36 supports the winding reel 35 so that it can move in the width direction between a third position and a fourth position different from the third position. Although not shown, the winding shaft 36 also has a groove extending in the axial direction, into which the protrusion M731 of the second reel member M7 fits.

An input member 37 is provided at one end of the winding shaft 36 for inputting a driving force to the winding shaft 36. The input member 37 has a gear 37A to which a driving force is input from a driving source provided in the housing body 21, and an axle portion 37B rotatably supported by the holder 100 (see FIG. 2). A cap 38 having an axle portion 38A rotatably supported by the holder 100 is provided at the other end of the winding shaft 36.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), the bottom wall 36B of the groove 36A of the winding shaft 36 is formed with a third hole H13 and a fourth hole H14 into which the second protrusion M81 fits. The third hole H13 and the fourth hole H14, together with the second protrusion M81, constitute a winding positioning portion for positioning the winding reel 35 at the third or fourth position. In this embodiment, the third hole H13 and the fourth hole H14 are through holes, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the third hole H13 and the fourth hole H14 may be concave holes. In addition, the tip of the second protrusion M81 is formed into a curved shape so that it is easily removed from each hole H13, H14 when the winding reel 35 is moved in the width direction.

The third hole H13 is located at a position that engages with the second protrusion M81 when the take-up reel 35 is located at the third position in FIG. 8(a). In other words, the third hole H13 is located at a position that corresponds to the third position.

The fourth hole H14 is located at a position that engages with the second protrusion M81 when the take-up reel 35 is located at the fourth position in FIG. 8(b). In other words, the fourth hole H14 is located at a position that corresponds to the fourth position.

In this embodiment, the third position is the center position in the axial direction of the winding shaft 36, and the fourth position is a position closer to the other end than the center in the axial direction of the winding shaft 36. In more detail, the first position and the third position are set so that when the supply reel 31 is located in the first position and the winding reel 35 is located in the third position, the foil film F is located in the center in the axial direction of the supply shaft 32 and the winding shaft 36, and both ends in the width direction of the foil film F are aligned with the transport direction. In addition, when the supply reel 31 is located in the second position and the winding reel 35 is located in the fourth position, the second position and the fourth position are set so that the foil film F is located in a position closer to the other end than the center in the axial direction of the supply shaft 32 and the winding shaft 36, and both ends in the width direction of the foil film F are aligned with the transport direction.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), when the take-up reel 35 is in the third position, the foil film F is a third distance D13 away from one end of the take-up shaft 36. Also, as shown in FIG. 8(b), when the take-up reel 35 is in the fourth position, the foil film F is a fourth distance D14 away from one end of the take-up shaft 36, which is greater than the third distance D13. The second protrusion M81 is located within the range of the third distance D13 from one end of the take-up shaft 36 when the take-up reel 35 is in the third position.

As shown in FIG. 9(a), when the supply reel 31 is located in the first position and the take-up reel 35 is located in the third position, when the foil transfer film cartridge FC is attached to the housing body 21, the foil film F is located in the center in the width direction and overlaps only the first portion 61A of the heating section 60. At this time, the lever 33, which can move in the width direction together with the supply reel 31, is located at the first lever position corresponding to the first position, more specifically, at a position close to one axial end of the supply case 34.

The lever 33 in the first lever position is capable of pressing a first actuator A1 (see FIG. 10(a)) described below when the foil transfer film cartridge FC is attached to the housing body 21. In the following description, the foil transfer film cartridge FC in which the foil film F is positioned in the center of the width direction is also referred to as the "centered cartridge FC1."

As shown in FIG. 9(b), when the supply reel 31 is located in the second position and the take-up reel 35 is located in the fourth position, when the foil transfer film cartridge FC is attached to the housing body 21, the foil film F overlaps the first portion 61A of the heating section 60 and the second portion 61B on the other end side of the heating section 60. At this time, the lever 33, which can move in the width direction together with the supply reel 31, is positioned at a second lever position corresponding to the second position, more specifically, at a position closer to the other end of the axial direction of the supply case 34 than the first lever position.

The lever 33 in the second lever position is capable of pressing a second actuator A2 (see FIG. 10(a)) described below when the foil transfer film cartridge FC is attached to the housing body 21. In the following description, the foil transfer film cartridge FC in which the foil film F is biased toward the other end in the width direction is also referred to as the "biased cartridge FC2."

For the sake of convenience, FIG. 9 illustrates the conveying direction of sheet S as going from bottom to top in the figure. On the other hand, FIG. 4(a) illustrates the conveying direction of sheet S as going from top to bottom in the figure. Therefore, the shifting cartridge FC2 in FIG. 9(b) is mounted upside down in the housing main body 21 shown in FIG. 4(a). When the shifting cartridge FC2 is mounted in the housing main body 21 in this way, the foil film F is disposed at a position corresponding to the shifted sheet SH3.

The second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 shown in FIG. 9(c) is detachably attached to the housing body 21. More specifically, the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is detachably attached to the holder 100 (see FIG. 2) described above.

The second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 has a foil film F with a second width B2 that is larger than the first width B1. The second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is slightly different in structure from the foil transfer film cartridge FC, but is basically substantially similar in structure to the foil transfer film cartridge FC, so substantially similar components are given the same reference numerals and descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

The second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 differs from the foil transfer film cartridge FC in that the widthwise size of the supply reel 31 and take-up reel 35 is increased to accommodate the foil film F of the second width B2. The second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 also differs from the foil transfer film cartridge FC in that the supply reel 31 and take-up reel 35 do not move in the widthwise direction.

The supply case 34 of the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is formed with a protruding portion 34A that protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the supply case 34. The protruding portion 34A is formed in the width direction over a range from a position corresponding to the first lever position to a position corresponding to the second lever position. This allows the protruding portion 34A to press both the first actuator A1 and the second actuator A2 (see FIG. 10(a)) described below when the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is attached to the housing body 21.

As shown in Figures 10(a) to (c), the housing body 21 is equipped with a sensor SE that can detect the lever 33 and the protrusion 34A. The sensor SE is equipped with a first actuator A1, a first sensor SE1, a second actuator A2, and a second sensor SE2.

The first actuator A1 is a member that rotates in contact with the lever 33 when the foil transfer film cartridge FC with the supply reel 31 in the first position, i.e., the centering cartridge FC1, is attached to the housing body 21. In other words, the first actuator A1 is disposed at a position corresponding to the lever 33 in the first lever position.

The second actuator A2 is a member that rotates in contact with the lever 33 when the foil transfer film cartridge FC with the supply reel 31 in the second position, i.e., the offset cartridge FC2, is attached to the housing body 21. In other words, the second actuator A2 is disposed at a position corresponding to the lever 33 in the second lever position.

The first actuator A1 and the second actuator A2 are each rotatable between a non-detection position shown in FIG. 10(b) and a detection position shown in FIG. 10(c). When a foil transfer film cartridge FC is attached to the housing body 21, one of the first actuator A1 and the second actuator A2 remains in the non-detection position, while the other rotates to the detection position. When a second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is attached to the housing body 21, both the first actuator A1 and the second actuator A2 come into contact with the protrusion 34A (see FIG. 9(c)) of the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 and rotate to the detection position.

The first sensor SE1 is a sensor that detects the position of the first actuator A1. The second sensor SE2 is a sensor that detects the position of the second actuator A2. The first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2 can be, for example, optical sensors having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element.

In this embodiment, when the actuators (A1, A2) are located in the non-detection position, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit is blocked by the actuator, and the optical sensors (SE1, SE2) are in an OFF state where they do not output a signal. Also, when the actuators (A1, A2) are located in the detection position, the light emitted from the light-emitting unit is received by the light-receiving unit, and the optical sensors (SE1, SE2) are in an ON state where they output a signal.

The control unit 80 can determine the widthwise position and size of the supply reel 31 based on information from the sensor SE. In more detail, the control unit 80 determines the type of foil transfer film cartridge FC based on the combination of signals output from the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, when the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2 are both OFF, the control unit 80 determines that neither the foil transfer film cartridge FC nor the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is attached to the housing main body 21. When the first sensor SE1 is ON and the second sensor SE2 is OFF, the control unit 80 determines that the centering cartridge FC1 is attached to the housing main body 21, that is, the supply reel 31 is located at the first position and the width of the foil film F is the first width B1.

When the first sensor SE1 is OFF and the second sensor SE2 is ON, the control unit 80 determines that the offset cartridge FC2 is attached to the housing main body 21, that is, the supply reel 31 is located at the second position and the width of the foil film F is the first width B1. When the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2 are both ON, the control unit 80 determines that the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 is attached to the housing main body 21, that is, the width of the foil film F is the second width B2.

The control unit 80 has a function of controlling the first heater 62 at a predetermined power consumption during foil transfer, and controlling the second heater 63 at a first power consumption or a second power consumption lower than the first power consumption. When the control unit 80 determines that the supply reel 31 is located at the first position, it has a function of controlling the second heater 63 at the second power consumption. When the control unit 80 determines that the supply reel 31 is located at the second position, it has a function of controlling the second heater 63 at the first power consumption.

Next, an example of the operation of the control unit 80 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 12. The process shown in Fig. 12 is started when the power of the foil transfer device 1 is turned on and at least one of the first sensor SE1 and the second sensor SE2 is turned on.
12, the control unit 80 first determines whether or not there is a foil transfer command (S1). If it is determined in step S1 that there is no foil transfer command (S1, No), the control unit 80 waits until there is a foil transfer command.

In step S1, if the control unit 80 determines that there is a foil transfer command (S1, Yes), it determines whether the foil transfer film cartridge attached to the housing main body 21 is the offset cartridge FC2 or the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 (S2).

In step S2, if the control unit 80 determines that the attached foil transfer film cartridge is not the offset cartridge FC2 or the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3, in other words, that the foil transfer film cartridge is the centered cartridge FC1 (S2, No), it turns on the first heater 62 and turns off the second heater 63 (S21). In other words, when the supply reel 31 is located in the first position, the control unit 80 controls the second heater 63 to the second power consumption, specifically 0.

On the other hand, in step S2, if the control unit 80 determines that the foil transfer film cartridge is the offset cartridge FC2 or the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3 (S2, Yes), it turns on the first heater 62 and the second heater 63 (S11). In other words, when the supply reel 31 is located in the second position, the control unit 80 controls the second heater 63 at a first power consumption greater than 0.

After step S11 or step S21, when the temperature of the heating member 61 reaches a predetermined temperature, the conveyance of the sheet S is started (S12). After step S12, the control unit 80 judges whether the foil transfer is complete (S13). In order to judge whether the foil transfer is complete, for example, the judgment may be made based on the elapsed time since the central sheet sensor 91 was turned off.

In step S13, if the control unit 80 determines that the foil transfer is not complete (S13, No), it waits until the foil transfer is complete, and if it determines that the foil transfer is complete (S13, Yes), it determines whether there is another sheet to which foil transfer is to be performed (S14).

In step S14, if the control unit 80 determines that there is a sheet to which foil is to be transferred next (S14, Yes), it proceeds to step S2. If the control unit 80 determines that there is no sheet to which foil is to be transferred next (S14, No), it turns off the first heater 62 and the second heater 63 that were turned on, and ends this control.

As described above, the following effects can be obtained in this embodiment.
Since the widthwise position of the foil film F can be changed in one foil transfer film cartridge FC, the user does not need to carry a large number of cartridges, improving user convenience.

The lever 33 for moving the supply reel 31 is exposed from the supply case 34, so the user can easily change the widthwise position of the foil film F by operating the lever 33 exposed from the supply case 34.

When the supply reel 31 is in the first position, the lever 33 is located within a range of the first distance D11 from one end of the supply shaft 32, so that the dead space within the range of the first distance D11 from one end of the supply shaft 32 can be effectively utilized.

When the winding reel 35 is in the third position, the second protrusion M81 is located within the range of the third distance D13 from one end of the winding shaft 36, so that the dead space within the range of the third distance D13 from one end of the winding shaft 36 can be effectively utilized.

Since it has a supply positioning section that positions the supply reel 31 at the first or second position, it is possible to prevent the foil film F located at the first or second position from moving in the width direction during foil transfer.

Since it has a winding positioning section that positions the winding reel 35 at the third or fourth position, it is possible to prevent the foil film F located at the third or fourth position from moving in the width direction during foil transfer.

The control unit 80 can grasp the widthwise position of the foil film F because it has a sensor SE that can detect the lever 33.

When the supply reel 31 is located in the first position, the second heater 63 is controlled with the second power consumption, and when the supply reel 31 is located in the second position, the second heater 63 is controlled with the first power consumption that is greater than the second power consumption, so that appropriate heater control can be performed according to the position of the foil film F.

The first actuator A1 and the second actuator A2 can rotate by contacting the lever 33 located at the first lever position or the second lever position, and can also rotate by contacting the second foil transfer film cartridge FC3, so that the position and width of the foil film F can be determined by the two actuators A1 and A2.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The specific configuration can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the foil transfer film cartridge FC has a take-up reel 35, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the foil transfer film cartridge does not have to have a take-up reel. In this case, the take-up reel only needs to be provided on the housing body so that it can move in the width direction.

In the above embodiment, a lever is provided to engage with the supply reel, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the lever may be omitted. In this case, for example, an opening for directly operating the supply reel may be provided in the supply case.

The supply positioning section and the winding positioning section are not limited to the structure of the above embodiment, and for example, the relationship of the protrusions and recesses may be reversed from that of the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the sensor is composed of an actuator and an optical sensor, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the sensor may be composed of, for example, only an optical sensor. Also, the actuator may be capable of moving linearly, for example.

In the above embodiment, the lever 33 is engaged with the supply reel 31, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the lever may be integrally formed with the supply reel.

In the above embodiment, the heating member 61 is a roller made of a metal tube formed into a cylindrical shape, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the heating member may be a film or a belt. Also, a heater that heats the heating member may be disposed outside the heating member.

In the above embodiment, the second heater 63 has a higher output at both end portions 63B than at the center portion 63A, and heats the second portions 61B, which are both end portions of the heating member 61, more strongly than the first portion 61A, but the second heater 63 may have a higher output at only one end portion 63B than at the center portion 63A, and heat only one of the second portions 61B of the heating member 61 more strongly than the first portion 61A. In this case, a third heater may be disposed such that only the other end portion of both end portions in the width direction has a higher output than the center portion, and heats only the other of the second portions 61B of the heating member 61 more strongly than the first portion 61A.
In addition, in the case where the second heater 63 has an output of only one of the two end portions 63B higher than the output of the central portion 63A and heats only one of the second portions 61B of the heating member 61 more strongly than the first portion 61A, the first heater 62 may have an output of the central portion 62A and an output of the other of the two end portions 62B higher than the output of one of the ends and heats the other of the first portion 61A and the second portion 61B more strongly than one of the second portions 61B.

In the above embodiment, the film unit FU with the foil transfer film cartridge FC attached to the holder 100 was attached to the housing body 21, but the foil transfer film cartridge FC may be attached directly to the housing body 21 without being attached to a holder. In this case, for example, the part corresponding to the holder 100 in the above embodiment may be formed integrally with the housing body.

In the above embodiment, the foil transfer device 1 is configured so that the heating section 60 can be moved by the contact/separation mechanism 70, but it is also possible to move the pressure member by the contact/separation mechanism, or to move both the heating member and the pressure member by the contact/separation mechanism.

Furthermore, the elements described in the above embodiments and variations may be implemented in any combination.

31 Supply reel 32 Supply shaft B1 First width F Foil film FC Foil transfer film cartridge

Claims (17)

a supply reel on which the first width of foil film is wound;
a supply shaft that is longer than the first width in a width direction of the foil film and that supports the supply reel movably in the width direction between a first position and a second position different from the first position;
a lever movable in the width direction together with the supply reel . 2. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a supply case for accommodating said supply reel, said supply case having an opening for exposing said lever. when the supply reel is in the first position, the foil film is spaced a first distance from one end of the supply shaft, and when the supply reel is in the second position, the foil film is spaced a second distance from one end of the supply shaft that is greater than the first distance;
3. The foil transfer film cartridge of claim 2, wherein the lever is located within the first distance from one end of the supply shaft when the supply reel is in the first position. a flange located at one end of the supply reel and adapted to rotate with the supply reel;
4. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the lever engages with the flange in the width direction. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 4, characterized in that it has a supply positioning part that positions the supply reel at the first position or the second position. The supply positioning unit includes:
A first protrusion;
6. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising a hole into which the first protrusion fits. The supply positioning unit includes:
The first protrusion formed on the lever;
a first hole formed in the supply case, into which the first protrusion fits, the first hole being located at a position corresponding to the first position;
The foil transfer film cartridge as described in claim 6, characterized in that it has a second hole formed in the supply case, into which the first protrusion fits, the second hole being located at a position corresponding to the second position. the supply shaft is rotatable with the supply reel and the flange;
8. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the lever does not engage with the flange in a rotational direction of the flange. a take-up reel for taking up the foil film;
A foil transfer film cartridge as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is provided with a winding shaft that is longer than the first width in the width direction and supports the winding reel so that it can move in the width direction between a third position and a fourth position different from the third position. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 9, characterized in that it is provided with a winding positioning part that positions the winding reel at the third position or the fourth position. The winding positioning unit is
A second protrusion;
11. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 10, further comprising a hole into which the second protrusion fits. The winding positioning unit is
the second protrusion movable together with the take-up reel in the width direction;
a third hole formed in the winding shaft, into which the second protrusion fits, the third hole being located at a position corresponding to the third position;
The foil transfer film cartridge as described in claim 11, characterized in that it has a fourth hole formed in the winding shaft, into which the second protrusion fits, the fourth hole being located at a position corresponding to the fourth position. when the take-up reel is in the third position, the foil film is spaced a third distance from one end of the take-up shaft; when the take-up reel is in the fourth position, the foil film is spaced a fourth distance from one end of the take-up shaft that is greater than the third distance;
13. The foil transfer film cartridge according to claim 12, wherein the second protrusion is located within the range of the third distance from one end of the take-up shaft when the take-up reel is located at the third position. A foil transfer film cartridge according to any one of claims 2 to 8,
a housing body to which the foil transfer film cartridge can be detachably attached,
A sensor capable of detecting the lever;
a control unit that determines a position of the supply reel in the width direction based on information from the sensor. A heating member for heating the foil film;
a first heater that heats a first portion of the heating member more strongly than a second portion of the heating member that is aligned with the first portion in the width direction;
a second heater that heats the second portion more strongly than the first portion;
the foil film overlaps only the first portion when the supply reel is in the first position, and the foil film overlaps both the first portion and the second portion when the supply reel is in the second position;
The control unit is
During foil transfer, the first heater is controlled at a predetermined power consumption, and the second heater is controlled at a first power consumption or a second power consumption smaller than the first power consumption;
When it is determined that the supply reel is located at the first position, the second heater is controlled at the second power consumption;
15. The foil transfer device according to claim 14, wherein when it is determined that the supply reel is located at the second position, the second heater is controlled at the first power consumption. The sensor includes:
a first actuator that comes into contact with the lever and moves when the foil transfer film cartridge with the supply reel located at the first position is attached to the housing body;
a first sensor that detects a position of the first actuator;
a second actuator that comes into contact with the lever and moves when the foil transfer film cartridge with the supply reel located at the second position is attached to the housing body;
16. The foil transfer device according to claim 14, further comprising: a second sensor that detects a position of the second actuator. The housing body includes:
a second foil transfer film cartridge having a foil film with a second width larger than the first width is detachably attached;
The foil transfer device according to claim 16, characterized in that when the second foil transfer film cartridge is attached to the housing main body, the first actuator and the second actuator move in contact with the second foil transfer film cartridge.

Images