JPH02147349A - Recording head and thermal transfer recorder using the same recording head - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a recording sheet or the like from being unnesscessarily in a sliding manner rubbed with a head substrate in thermal transfer recording by a method wherein chamfering is performed outside an area of a heating element line on an edge side of a substrate. CONSTITUTION:A chamfered part 9 is worked on an edge side 1a of a substrate 1 near a place where a heating element line of a recording head A is arranged. This champered part 9 is worked outside an area of the heating element line in a transit direction of the recording head A. Since an area part of the heating element line is an area where the recording head A presses an ink ribbon 10 and a recording sheet 11, chamfering is not required to be performed thereon. The heating element line is arranged by a length l2 at a position of a distance l1 from the edge side of the substrate 1. An inner line 9a of the chamfering is on an extended line of the heating element line, and the chamfered part 9 is composed by cutting the edge side 1a of the substrate at theta in angle. Further, the chamfer angle theta is preferably established within a range of about 20 to 50 deg..

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a recording head used in a thermal transfer recording method and a thermal transfer recording apparatus using the recording head.

<Prior Art> A serial type thermal transfer recording device uses a recording head in which a plurality of heating elements are arranged in a line near the edge of a substrate, and the recording head is tilted as shown in Fig. 5 to print ink. The ribbon 50 and the recording sheet 51 are moved while being pressed against the platen 52, and in synchronization with this, the heating element is selectively heated in accordance with the image signal, thereby transferring the molten ink onto the recording sheet 51. Make a record.

At this time, the edge of the recording head 53 on the heating element row side is the recording sheet)
51, the length of the recording head substrate in the heating element row direction (hereinafter referred to as rhead width 1), the ink ribbon width, and the platen width are designed to have the following relationship.

Head width > Ink ribbon width > Platen width This means that if the platen width is larger than the head width, the ink ribbon or recording sheet will be pressed even on the edge of the head other than the heating element row area in the running direction of the recording head. This is because wear on the edge of the head, an increase in head running load, and contamination due to rubbing of the ink ribbon occur.

<Invention tries to solve! ! However, today, thermal transfer recording devices have been developed that, like handheld writers, print by bringing an ink ribbon into direct contact with a recording sheet placed on a desk ring and pressing the ink ribbon with a recording head. In such a recording apparatus, since there is no platen, the edge of the recording head on the side of the heating element array presses the recording sheet over the entire area. Therefore, as described above, it is conceivable that the edge of the head may be worn out or that the recording sheet may be smeared due to rubbing of the ink ribbon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a recording head that can prevent the head substrate from unnecessarily rubbing against a recording sheet, etc. during thermal transfer recording, and a thermal transfer recording apparatus using the recording head. be.

<Means for Solving the Problems> A typical means for solving the above problems is to provide a recording head in which a plurality of heating elements that generate heat when energized are arranged in a row near the edge of the substrate. The recording head is configured by chamfering at least a portion of the edge of the substrate near the array of heating elements outside the area of the heating element array.

Further, a thermal transfer recording device is configured using the recording head,
The present invention is characterized in that a portion of the recording head that presses the thermal transfer medium is configured to be smaller than the width of the thermal transfer medium.

<Embodiment> Next, a recording head and a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention to which the above means is applied will be described.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view of a recording head, FIG. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view thereof, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a recording state.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, A is a serial type thermal recording head in which a plurality of heating elements that generate heat when energized are arranged in a line. Its structure is to form a partial glaze portion (glass) 2 near one edge 1a of a substrate 1 (AIto,), and provide a heat generating resistor layer (↑aJ) 3 on this glaze portion 2. On the resistor layer 3, there are individual electrodes (AI) 4 for individually applying current according to image signals, and a common electrode (A
I) 5 has been established. Furthermore, a protective layer (SiOi) 6 and a wear-resistant layer (Taxes) 7 are formed on the electrode 4.5.

In the above configuration, when electricity is applied between the electrodes 4 and 5, the heating element 3 in the current-carrying portion generates heat. Therefore, in thermal transfer recording, the heating elements 3 are
By selectively generating heat, the ink ribbon lO
can be heated in an image pattern.

In order to energize the heating element 3, the electrode 4.5 and the main body of the recording device are connected by a flexible cable 8.
This cable 8 is attached so as to be pulled out from the board edge 1b located at a position opposite to the board edge near where the row of heating elements 3 are formed.

By drawing out the cable 8 from the edge on the side perpendicular to the heating element row direction as described above, the electrode pattern can be formed in a small space. The recording head can be made smaller compared to the previous one.

Furthermore, a chamfered portion 9 is provided on the edge 1a of the substrate 1 near where the heating element array of the recording head A is arranged. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
It is not applied to the area (y area in FIG. 1), but is applied to areas other than the above-mentioned area. That is, since the region of the heating element array is the region where the recording head A presses the ink ribbon 10 and the recording sheet 11, it is not necessarily necessary to chamfer this region.

The heating element rows are arranged at a distance of 11 from the edge of the substrate 1 and have a length of 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the chamfered portion 9 is formed by cutting the substrate edge 1a at an angle θ, with the inner line 9a of the chamfer being on the extension line of the heating element array. There is. It should be noted that the distance within the distance of the heating element array from the edge of the substrate is approximately 0.
It is preferable to set it in a range of about 2 to 1 am, and the length 12 of the heating element row is determined according to the number of heating elements.

In this example, ffi, -o, swm, l, -4,5
It is set to van.

Further, the chamfering angle θ is preferably set in a range of about 20” to 50°, and in this embodiment, θ=45”.

When recording using the recording head A configured as described above, as shown in FIG.
φ×θ) Ink ribbon lO and recording sheet 1 in a tilted state
-11 is pressed against the platen 18, and recording is performed while running this recording head A in the direction of arrow a.At this time, since the chamfered portion 9 does not come into contact with the ink ribbon 10 and the recording sheet 11, The recording head A does not rub the ink ribbon 10 or the recording sticker l-11, therefore,
The recording pad A does not unnecessarily rub the ink ribbon 10, etc.

Next, an example of a thermal transfer recording apparatus B using the recording head A will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment in which recording is performed by moving a recording sheet 11 serving as a recording medium in a straight line. Its configuration is such that a recording sheet (11) inserted from the front of the device is transferred to a conveying means (1).
2, the ink ribbon 10 stored in the cassette 13 is selectively heated by the recording head A while the carriage 14 carrying the ink ribbon cassette 13 and the recording head A is traveling in the direction of arrow a. By this, an image is formed on the recording sheet 11, and the recording sheet number 1 is
The structure is such that it is discharged from the rear of the device.

Here, to specifically explain the configuration of each part, first, in the conveyance means 12, a conveyance roller 12b is fixed to a roller shaft 12a rotatably attached to both side plates 15a, 15b of the recording apparatus B, and the conveyance roller 12b is fixed to the roller shaft A transport motor 12c is connected to one end of the transport motor 12a. Therefore, the conveyance roller 12
b is configured to be driven and rotated by the drive of the transport motor 12c.

Further, a roller shaft 12d is rotatably attached to both side plates 15a and 15b in parallel with the roller shaft 12a, and a pinch roller 12e fixed to the roller shaft 12d is configured to come into pressure contact with the conveyance roller 12b. . Therefore, when the conveyance roller 12b rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, both rollers 12b and 12e are
The recording sheet 11 inserted between the two is conveyed in the direction of arrow C and is ejected from an ejection port (not shown) at the rear of the apparatus.

Note that one end of the roller shaft 12d is connected to the elongated hole 1 of the side plate 15a.
5a, and can be moved up and down along this elongated hole 15.
The roller shaft 12d protruding from a1 is pressed downward by the pressure spring 12f, and thereby the pinch roller 12e
is in pressure contact with the conveyance roller 12b. Furthermore, a release lever 12h rotatable about the shaft 12g is provided below the roller shaft 12d protruding from the elongated hole 15a+, and this lever 12h has an inclined surface 1211 on the front part.
The release button 12i is in contact with the release button 12i. Therefore, in the event that the recording sheet 11 is jammed, pressing the button 12i in the direction of the arrow d pushes the release lever 12h up along the inclined surface 1211 and rotates in the direction of the arrow e. Since the rollers 12b and 12e are separated by pushing up the roller shaft 12d, jam removal can be easily performed.

Next, the ink ribbon cassette 13 stores the ink ribbon 10, and the ink ribbon 10, which has a long base film coated with thermal transfer ink, is transferred to the supply reel 13.
a, and is guided so that it is once exposed at the recess 13b, and then wound around the take-up reel 13c. Note that the width l of the ink ribbon 10 is configured to be wider (12<22) than the length fft of the heating element row of the recording head A described above, and in this embodiment, the width j! ,=6.351m of ink ribbon 1
0 is used.

The cassette 13 can be attached to and detached from the carriage 14 by a known loading mechanism (not shown). A timing belt 16c suspended between pulleys 16a and 16b is connected to the carriage 14, and the one pulley 1
A carriage motor 16d is connected to the carriage motor 6a to constitute a traveling means. Therefore, the carriage 14 is configured to reciprocate along the guide shaft 17 by driving the motor 16d.

Furthermore, the carriage 14 is provided with a take-up shaft 14a that engages with the take-up lever 13c of the loaded ink ribbon cassette 13, and this take-up shaft 14a is connected to a friction clutch and a take-up motor (not shown). The take-up motor is driven when the carriage 14 travels in the recording direction (arrow a direction), and applies a constant rotational torque to the take-up reel 1.
3c, thereby winding up the ink ribbon lO fed out from the supply reel 13a onto the take-up reel 13c.

The carriage 14 is also equipped with the aforementioned recording rad A, and the recording rad A is configured to move its head up and down in the direction of arrow f by means of an up-down mechanism (not shown) comprising a solenoid or the like. . Furthermore, the recording head A is positioned in the recess 13b when the cassette 13 is loaded, and when the head is lowered, the ink-applied surface of the ink ribbon 10 exposed from the recess 13b is pressed against the conveyed recording sheet 11. It is configured.

In this embodiment, a platen 18 is attached to the travel area of the recording head A in order to support the back surface of the recording sheet 11 pressed by the recording head A.

When recording with the thermal transfer recording apparatus B configured as described above, first the recording sheet 11 is conveyed and set by the conveying means 12, and the carriage 14 is moved in the direction of arrow a with the recording head A lowered down. At the same time, in synchronization with this, the heating element 3 of the head A is caused to generate heat in accordance with the image signal. Due to this heat generation, the ink ribbon 10 is heated according to the image pattern, and the heated ink is transferred to the recording seam 1.
The image is recorded on the sheet 11.

After the - line recording is completed, head amplify the RAD A for recording, return the carriage 14 to the home position, drive the conveyance motor 12c to convey the recording seam 1 by one line, and record the next and subsequent lines. This is done in the same manner as above.

Incidentally, the recording operation can be easily performed by manually storing a program similar to that in conventional thermal transfer recording in a ROM or the like of a control system.

When recording is performed by the recording device, the recording head A
As described above, since the chamfered portion 9 of the head substrate 1 is chamfered, the ink ribbon IO and the recording sheet 11 are not rubbed by the chamfered portion 9 of the head substrate 1. Therefore, the head substrate 1 does not wear out unnecessarily, and even when the carriage 14 is running, the running load is light, so it is possible to downsize the carriage motor 16d.

Furthermore, in the ink ribbon 10 of this embodiment, the length of the heating element array of the recording head A is I! , and because the chamfered portion 9 of the recording head A is formed in a portion other than the region in the running direction of the heating element array, the widthwise end of the ink ribbon 10 may be rubbed by the head substrate. Therefore, during printing, the ink ribbon 10 is
A clear image can be obtained without applying excessive force to the recording sheet 11 and without rubbing unnecessary ink on the recording sheet 11.

[Other Examples]

Next, other embodiments of the recording head A and the thermal transfer recording apparatus B described above will be described.

il+ recording head In the embodiment described above, as shown in FIG.
When providing the chamfered portion 9 in the area, an example is shown in which the chamfered portion 9 is provided in a portion other than the region of the heating element row (excluding the y portion), but the chamfered portion 9 is also provided in the region of the heating element row (the y portion). may be formed.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the inner line 9 of the chamfered portion 9
a is on the extension line of the heating element array, but the inner line position and chamfer angle θ of the chamfered portion 9 are set appropriately so that the chamfered portion does not rub the ink ribbon 10 or the recording sheet 11. The inner line 9a may be
However, in order to ensure that the chamfered portion 9 does not rub the recording sheet 11 etc., the inner line 9a does not necessarily have to be on the extension line of the heating element row or on the extension line of the heating element row. Inside the board (
It is preferable to form it so that it is located in the direction of arrow a).

(2) Thermal transfer recording device The above-mentioned thermal transfer recording device is an example in which the platen 18 is provided, but when using the recording head A having the chamfered portion 9 described above, the recording sheet 11 can be printed without providing the platen 18. Even if the ink ribbon 10 is placed on a desk ring and recording is performed by pressing the ink ribbon 10 against the recording sheet 11 on the desk using the recording head A, the ink ribbon 10 and the recording sheet 11 are pressed against the recording sheet 11 on the desk by the chamfered portion 9 of the recording head A. Since there is no rubbing, the same effect as in the previous embodiment can be obtained.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, in the present invention, since the chamfered portion is provided on the edge of the recording head, when performing thermal transfer recording using this chamfer, there is no unnecessary rubbing of the thermal transfer medium or recording medium, and the recording head is improved. The running load on the disk can be reduced, and inconveniences such as the recording medium being stained with ink can be prevented.

Furthermore, if the cable connected to the recording head is attached to the end side opposite to the edge of the substrate on which the chamfer is formed, the recording head can be made smaller.

Furthermore, during the thermal transfer recording, a clearer image can be recorded by forming the thermal transfer medium wider than the area pressed by the recording pad.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory diagram of a recording head according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram of the recording head, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a recording state using the recording head, and FIG. 4 is a thermal transfer diagram. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the recording apparatus, and is an explanatory diagram when recording is performed using a conventional recording head. A is a recording head, B is a thermal transfer recording device, l is a substrate, 1a
is one side edge, lb is the other side edge, 2 is the glaze part, 3
is a heating element, 4 is an individual electrode, 5 is a common electrode, 6 is a protective layer,
7 is a wear-resistant layer, 8 is a cable, 9 is a chamfered portion, 9a is an inner line, 10 is an ink ribbon, 11 is a recording sheet, 1
2 is a conveyance means, 12a is a roller shaft, 12b is a conveyance roller, 12c is a motor, 12d is a roller shaft, 12e is a pinch roller, 12f is a pressing spring, 12g is a shaft, 12h is a release lever, 121 is a release button, 1211 is an inclination 13 is a cassette, 13a is a supply reel, 13b is a recess, 13c is a take-up reel, 14 is a carriage, 14a is a take-up shaft, 15a and 15b are side plates, 15al is a long hole, 16
a and 16b are pulleys, 16c is a belt, 16d is a motor, 17 is a guide shaft, and 18 is a platen.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) In a recording head in which a plurality of heating elements that generate heat when energized are arranged in a row near the edge of a substrate, the edge of the substrate near where the heating elements are arranged, at least the area of the row of heating elements. A recording head characterized by a chamfered outer part. (2) The recording head according to claim (1), wherein the inner line of the chamfer is on an extension line of the heating element array or on the inner side of the substrate than on the extension line. (3) The recording head according to claim (1), wherein a cable for supplying electricity to the heating element is attached to an edge of the substrate at a position opposite to the edge of the substrate where the chamfer is applied. (4) In a thermal transfer recording device that presses a thermal transfer medium containing thermal transferable ink against a recording medium and selectively heats it with a recording head to record on the recording medium, a conveying means for conveying the recording medium; , Claim (1) for heating the thermal transfer medium according to an image signal.
A thermal transfer recording comprising: the recording head described above; and a traveling means for causing the recording head to travel, wherein a portion of the recording head that presses the thermal transfer medium is configured to be smaller than a width of the thermal transfer medium. Device.