JPH01241476A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To sharply reduce imperfection in printing and thereby to obtain a print of high quality at all times, by providing a mechanism for cleaning the end part of a recording head which comes into contact with a resistance layer. CONSTITUTION:In a state wherein a magazine 220 is accommodated in a case, the magazine receives a force in the direction of an arrow B. When an operation is made to take out the magazine positioned by a positioning pawl 160, the magazine moves along a magazine guide 101 in the direction of the arrow B, and a cleaner 230 comes into contact with the end face of a recording head 120 at a point A. In the case when the magazine is accommodated, i.e. moved in the direction of an arrow C, the cleaner comes also into contact with the recording head at the point A. By a series of these operations, an electrode part of the recording head is cleaned.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a cleaning mechanism for a recording head of a printing apparatus using an energized heat transfer lf recording method.

[Prior art] As a printing device using the conventional electrical thermal transfer recording method,
"Printing Device" (Japanese Patent Application No. 186496/1983). This invention makes it possible to modulate the area of printed dots using one recording element, and to create a line recording head with a simple structure, thereby realizing a high-speed, high-quality, low-cost full-color printing device. Also, "Printing device" (Patent application Sho 6O-234
841), a recording head polishing mechanism was provided to improve the durability of the printing device.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in conventional printing devices, immediately after the recording head is ground, the shavings of the recording head generated by polishing, the abrasive material used for polishing, etc. T! , fi, and the image quality of the printed matter may be significantly deteriorated. Further, even during printing, dust on the ink film may adhere to the vicinity of the recording electrode, which may lead to a noticeable reduction in quality. This situation is shown in FIG. 121 is a recording electrode, and 122 is a base substrate. 500 is head shavings etc. attached around the electrode.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to maintain high quality prints even when directly polishing the recording head, and also to maintain high quality prints during the printing process. In case of deterioration, it should be possible to immediately improve it.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, a mechanism is provided for cleaning the end portion of the recording head that comes into contact with the resistance layer.

[Function] As mentioned above, if the printing device is equipped with a mechanism for cleaning the end of the recording head that comes into contact with the resistance layer, it is possible to maintain high quality prints even immediately after polishing the recording head. , Also, if the image quality deteriorates during printing,
It can be improved immediately.

[Example] Hereinafter, one example will be described in detail based on the present example. FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view of the printing apparatus of this embodiment. 100 is a case. 200 is an ink film, which is formed into a roll like a supply roll 201 and a take-up roll 202. 210 is an ink film cassette in which an ink film is stored. 220 is a magazine that stores ink film cassettes.

230 is a cleaner, and an elastic part 23 with rich spring properties
2 and a cushion portion 231 made of foam material. In this example, a 0.2 mm PET film was used for the elastic portion. In addition, the cushion part has a length of 1m.
It is made of urethane foam material and is fixed to the PET film with double-sided tape. The cleaner made in this way is fixed to the rear of the magazine.

A magazine guide 101 is a guide for the magazine 220. A paper guide 102 guides the recording paper 300. 110 is a head frame. A recording head 120, a film pressing roller 113, and a film peeling roller 112 are attached to the head frame. The head frame is rotatably attached to a head frame shaft 111. The film peeling roller 112 and the film pressing roller 113 are for guiding the ink film. 130 is a platen, and 140 is a thread feed roller. 141 is a paper press roller. 150 is a roller for guiding a roll of recording paper. 1
60 is a positioning claw for positioning the magazine. 1
61 is a spring for urging the positioning claw.

The two-dot chain line in the figure shows the magazine housed in the case. In this state, the magazine is receiving a force in the direction of arrow B in the figure, and is positioned by the positioning pawl 160. At this time, when the magazine is taken out, the magazine moves along the magazine guide 101 in the direction of arrow B. At point A, the cleaner 230 contacts the end of the recording head.

Also, when storing the magazine, that is, when moving it in the direction of arrow C, the cleaner comes into contact with the recording head at point A. Through this series of operations, the electrode portion of the recording head is cleaned.

In this embodiment, after head polishing, full energization printing is performed. If polishing scum or the like is attached to the head at this time, it can be found in the print. If a printing defect is found, the magazine can be removed and cleaned as described above. The same applies if a defect occurs during printing.

[Effects of the Invention] In the electrical thermal transfer recording method, the recording electrode and the resistance layer constantly slide, causing wear of the recording electrode.

This abrasion causes deterioration in image quality, so it is necessary to regularly abrade the recording electrode and its vicinity. but,
At this time, polishing scum from the head, abrasive material, and the like may adhere to the vicinity of the recording electrode, resulting in poor printing. According to the present invention, since defects can be discovered before regular printing is performed, printing defects can be prevented by performing a cleaning operation.

Also, during printing, if dust or the like adhering to the ink film gets around the recording electrode and print defects occur,
By repeating the cleaning operation, the defect can be removed.

Therefore, printing defects caused by dust or the like adhering to the recording electrodes can be drastically reduced, and a printing apparatus that can always provide high-quality prints can be realized.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the causes of printing defects in the conventional example. 100... Case 110... Head frame 120... Recording head 130... Platen 200... Ink film 220... Magazine 230... Cleaner 300... Recording Paper 500... More than garbage Applicant Seiko Epson Co., Ltd. Attorney Kizobu Tsuchi Suzuki (and 1 other person)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) an ink film having a resistive layer and a melting ink layer;
A recording head having a plurality of recording electrodes and a base substrate supporting the recording electrodes, a mechanism for bringing the recording electrodes into contact with the resistive layer and relatively scanning the recording electrodes, and applying a voltage to the resistive layer via the recording electrodes. , in a printing apparatus provided with a circuit for generating heat in the resistive layer and a mechanism for polishing an end of the recording head that comes into contact with the resistive layer, cleaning an end of the recording head that comes into contact with the resistive layer; A printing device characterized by being provided with a mechanism for. 2) The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning mechanism is linked to an operation of setting the ink film in the printing device.