JPH0323140A - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure the stopping of a recording sheet at the predetermined position by providing a detection means at the predetermined position of an insertion guide part for detecting a mark formed on the recording sheet. CONSTITUTION:A recording sheet 1 stacked and stored with the back thereof up in a sheet feed case 2, is identified for the specified sheet size discrimination mark formed on the back with a discrimination sensor 10. When the sheet 1 is judged to be specified type, a motor 3 starts to rotate and the sheet 1 is fed to an insertion guide part 6 on the turn of a sheet feed roller 4. Then, when the leading edge of the sheet 1 reaches a space between a platen 5 and a clamper 7, a detection sensor 8 detects a mark formed on the back of the sheet 1, thereby stopping the rotation of the motor 3. A position for mounting the aforesaid sensor 8 onto the insertion guide part 6 is preliminarily so set as to allow the operation of the sensor 8. According to the aforesaid construction, the recording sheet 1 is stopped at the predetermined position between the platen 5 and the clamper 7, and secured to the platen 5 with the clamper 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Objective of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, and particularly to a means for stopping recording paper at a predetermined position on the outer periphery of a platen.

(Prior Art) As a thermal transfer recording device, one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-257280 is known. This thermal transfer recording device uses a plurality of heating elements, which are recording elements, corresponding to transfer positions. A recording head with one line distributed in the main scanning direction (
Multicolor ink sheets and recording paper are interposed between the thermal head) and a cylindrical platen, and color recording is performed by thermal transfer while feeding these ink sheets and recording paper in the sub-scanning direction. It is something to do.

In the thermal transfer recording apparatus as described above, it is necessary to take out recording sheets one by one from a paper feed case in which recording sheets are stocked and move them to a predetermined position. Conventionally, this paper feeding means was constructed as shown in FIG. In the figure, recording paper 1 is stacked and stocked in a paper feed case 2 with its back side up, and a paper feed roller 4 rotated by a motor 3 is in contact with the upper surface of the recording paper. An insertion guide section 6 is provided between the paper feed case 2 and the platen 5 to guide the recording paper 1 and insert it between the platen 5 and a recording head (not shown), and the tip of the insertion guide section 6 is connected to the platen. It extends to the vicinity of the lower end of 5. Further, at the bottom of the platen 5, there is a clamper 7, which is a mechanism for fixing the recording paper 1 to the outer periphery of the platen 5, and a detection sensor 8, such as an optical sensor, that detects the leading edge of the recording paper 1 that has moved to a predetermined position. is provided. When the detection sensor 8 detects the leading edge of the recording paper 1, the rotation of the motor 3 is stopped and the feeding of the recording paper 1 is stopped.

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional paper feeding means, the detection sensor 8 must be arranged and fixed at a position where it does not interfere with the clamper 7, and is located away from the tip of the insertion guide section 6. For this reason, the detection sensor 8 needs to have a long focus.
Moreover, since the leading edge of the recording paper sags down as shown by the dotted line, it becomes difficult to regulate its position on the optical axis of the detection sensor 8. As a result, the output of the detection sensor 8 tends to become unstable.

(Problem U to be Solved by the Invention> As described above, in the conventional thermal transfer recording device, the detection sensor that detects the leading edge of the recording paper must be installed avoiding the clamper, and it is separated from the leading edge of the insertion guide section. , there was a problem that the detection sensor needed a long focal length, which increased the cost.Also, because the position of the leading edge of the recording paper on the optical axis of the detection sensor fluctuated, the output of the detection sensor became unstable. There was also.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and is an inexpensive thermal transfer recording device that can stably detect the leading edge of the recording paper and accurately stop the recording paper at a predetermined position on the outer periphery of the platen. The purpose is to provide equipment.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention supplies recording paper between a cylindrical platen and a recording head through an insertion guide section, and performs thermal transfer. A thermal transfer recording device that performs recording according to the present invention, wherein a detection means for detecting a mark formed on the recording paper is provided at a predetermined position of the insertion guide section, and when the mark is detected, the supply of the recording paper is stopped. It was designed to do so.

<Function> According to the above configuration, since the detection means is provided in the insertion guide part, the distance to the recording paper is short and there is little variation, so an inexpensive short focal length detection means can be used. becomes possible.

At the same time, the leading edge of the recording paper can be detected reliably, the detection output is stable, and the recording paper can be accurately stopped at a predetermined position.

(Embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. Parts that are the same or equivalent to the conventional example shown in FIG. The feature of this embodiment is that a detection sensor 8 such as an optical sensor is provided at a predetermined position of the insertion guide section 6.
The main feature is that a designated paper identification mark 9 printed on the back side of the recording paper 1 as shown in FIG. 2 is detected. In addition,
Reference numeral 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a discrimination sensor that is provided on the paper feed case 2 and detects a designated paper discrimination mark 9 to determine whether or not the recording paper 1 is designated paper.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. The recording paper 1 stacked and stored in the paper feed case 2 with its back side facing up is detected by the discrimination sensor 10.
The designated paper discrimination mark 9 formed on the back side is discriminated by this, and if it is the designated paper, the motor 3 starts rotating and the recording paper 1 is fed to the insertion guide section 6 by the rotation of the paper feed roller 4. Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when the leading edge of the recording paper 1 reaches between the platen 5 and the clamper 7, the detection sensor 8
detects the mark 9 formed on the back side of the recording paper 1 and stops the rotation of the motor 3. Insertion guide part 6 of detection sensor 8
The mounting position is set in advance to a position where the above operation is possible. In this way, the recording paper 1 can be stopped at a predetermined position between the platen 5 and the clamper 7, and the recording paper 1 can be fixed to the platen 5 by the clamper 7.

According to this embodiment, since the detection sensor 8 is attached to the insertion guide section 6, it can be brought close to the recording paper 1 without interfering with the clamper 7. Therefore, the leading edge of the recording paper 1 can be accurately detected using the inexpensive short focal length detection sensor 8, and the recording paper 1 can be stably stopped at a predetermined position.

In the above embodiment, the case where the designated paper discrimination mark 9 is printed on the recording paper has been explained, but for the recording paper 1 on which this mark 9 is not printed, by printing the detection mark at a predetermined position, Similar effects and effects can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, since the recording paper detection means is provided in the recording paper insertion guide section of the thermal transfer recording device,
The recording paper can be reliably stopped at a predetermined position using an inexpensive detection means.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 3
The figure is a side view of a main part explaining the operation of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a side view showing the schematic structure of a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus. 1... Recording paper 5... Platen 6... Insertion guide section 8... Detection sensor (detection means) 9... Mark

Claims (1)

[Claims] A thermal transfer recording device that performs recording by thermal transfer by supplying a recording paper between a cylindrical platen and a recording head through an insertion guide section, the recording paper being formed at a predetermined position of the insertion guide section. 1. A thermal transfer recording apparatus, comprising: a detection means for detecting a mark, and the supply of the recording paper is stopped when the mark is detected.