JPH03166982A - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to remove dust attaching to a thermal transfer sheet during printing by providing a dust sticking roller which comes in contact with the thermal transfer sheet forward of a recording part. CONSTITUTION:A recording paper is fed by a platen roller 10 driven by a pulse motor which is controlled by a paper feed signal. That is, the recording paper is transported to the platen roller 10 from a recording paper roll 1 through an idler 5. However, the recording paper is put together with an ink ribbon fed from an ink ribbon roll 3 supplied from above the idler 5 in the idler 5. A rubber roller 6 comes in contact with the rear of the ink ribbon passing through the idler 5. The rubber roller removes dust sticking to the ink ribbon by allowing the dust to attach to the peripheral surface of the roller. The rubber roller uses synthetic rubber such as EPT, and removes the dust easily, if the rubber is made electroconductive and also removes static electricity. Another idea is that static electricity is discharged by making the idler electrically conductive.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device used in facsimile machines, printers, and the like.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, facsimile machines, printers, and the like have been known to perform thermal recording by arranging heating resistive elements in one row or in a plurality of rows in the width direction of recording paper. Thermosensitive recording paper is used as the recording paper, but since the recorded material cannot withstand long-term storage, recording is performed on plain paper using a thermal transfer sheet.

Many devices that can use thermal transfer sheets can also be used with conventional thermal recording paper, which is convenient. However, thermal transfer sheets tend to be electrically charged, and dust can adhere to the surface of the roll, causing problems during printing. The dust carried by the thermal head accumulates on the thermal head, and if printing is performed in this state, there is a problem that the dots will not be printed clearly and the printing will be defective. No conventional thermal transfer recording device has taken any measures against dust.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording device that has a simple configuration and is capable of removing dust attached to a thermal transfer sheet during printing. This is the purpose.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a thermal transfer recording device having a mechanism for superimposing and conveying a thermal transfer sheet and a recording paper to a recording section consisting of a thermal head in which a plurality of heating resistive elements are arranged and a platen roller. The apparatus is characterized in that a dust adhering roller that contacts the thermal transfer sheet is provided in front of the recording section.

As the dust adhesion roller, a rubber roller can be used. Conductive rubber may also be used.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a facsimile machine.

In the figure, 1 is a recording paper roll, 2 is a recorded recording paper, 3 is an ink ribbon roll, 4 is a used ink ribbon roll, 5 is an idler, 6 is a rubber roller 7 is a ribbon sensor, 8 is a paper sensor, 9 is thermal head, 10
1 is a platen roller, 11 is a drive roller, 12 is a paper guide, 13 is a paper sensor, 14 is a cutter guide, 15 is a movable cutter blade, 16 is a fixed cutter blade, 17 is a static electricity removal brush, 18 is a ribbon frame, 1
9 is the main frame.

The recording paper is fed by a platen roller 10 driven by a pulse motor (not shown) that is controlled by a paper feeding signal. That is, the recording paper roll 1 is conveyed toward the platen roller 10 via the idler 5, and at the idler 5, the ink ribbon from the ink ribbon roll 3 supplied from above overlaps with the recording paper.

A rubber roller 6 comes into contact with the back surface of the ink ribbon that has passed through the idler 5.

The rubber roller can remove dust adhering to the ink ribbon by adhering it to its peripheral surface. As the rubber roller, synthetic rubber such as EPT can be used, but if it is made conductive, dust can be easily removed and static electricity can be removed, but the idler may also be made conductive to dissipate static electricity. . Alternatively, a rubber roller may be used in the idler itself to function as a dust adhesion roller, and the rubber roller 6 may be omitted.

The polymer of the ink ribbon and recording paper from which dust has been removed passes through a ribbon sensor 7 and a Baber sensor 8 . These sensors detect the presence or absence of an ink ribbon or recording paper, and send signals to a CPU (not shown) to perform control or alarm. For example, at least the surface of the platen roller 10 is made of silicone rubber, and the diameter thereof is, for example, 18 mm. On the platen roller 10, a thermal head 9 faces and transports the overlapping ink ribbon and recording paper, and also performs printing and recording using a heating resistor. The recording paper that has passed through the thermal head 9 and platen roller 10 is guided by a paper guide 12 and a cutter guide 14, and then moved between a movable blade 15 and a fixed blade 1.
It is cut with a cutter consisting of 6 pieces, and the static electricity removal brush 1
It is grounded at 7 and discharged in the direction of the dotted arrow. The paper sensor 13 detects the presence or absence of recording paper and detects jammed recording paper.

On the other hand, the ink ribbon is directed upward by the drive roller 11 and wound onto the used ink ribbon roll 4. The used ink ribbon roll 4 is driven via a slip mechanism.

The drive roller 11 is driven in conjunction with the platen roller 10 or by an independent drive source so as to have a peripheral speed faster than the transport speed of the ink ribbon, for example, 1.2 times the peripheral speed. The drive roller 11 is made of stainless steel and has a diameter of 8 mm. However, appropriate values may be used for the material, diameter, etc.

By setting the circumferential speed of the drive roller 11 higher than the transport speed of the ink ribbon, the ink ribbon is pulled against the recording paper and the ink ribbon that have passed through the thermal head 9 and platen roller 10 and are released from the pressure contact force. It also receives some elongation and is easily peeled off from the recording paper.

If the shape of the drive roller 11 in the axial direction is made smaller on the inside than on the outside, either continuously as shown in FIG. 2(A) or stepwise as shown in FIG. 2(B), A force acts on the ink ribbon so that both ends are directed outward, making peeling easier and preventing the ink ribbon from wrinkling. As an example, while the outer diameter was 8 mm, the diameter of the smallest portion in both (A) and (B) was 7.6 mm, and good results were obtained.

Note that it is preferable to regularly remove attached dust from the dust adhering roller, and it is preferable to arrange the dust adhering roller so that it can be easily attached and detached.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, by providing a dust adhesion roller in a thermal transfer recording device, dust adhering to a thermal transfer sheet can be removed. This has the effect of making it possible to print clearly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a facsimile machine, and FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a driving roller.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a thermal transfer recording apparatus having a mechanism for overlapping and conveying a thermal transfer sheet and a recording paper, the recording section is composed of a thermal head in which a plurality of heat-generating resistive elements are arranged and a platen roller. A thermal transfer recording device characterized by being provided with a dust adhering roller.