JPH03248873A - Picture forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the quick movement of a thermal head unit as well as the miniaturization of a pressurizing mechanism by a method wherein the title device is provided with a retreating mechanism, capable of moving the thermal head unit to a retreating position, whereat the thermal head unit is not interfered by a transfer paper cartridge upon attaching and/or detaching the transfer paper cartridge, and moving the thermal head to an operating position capable of heating the transfer paper. CONSTITUTION:When a transfer paper cartridge 16 is removed, a lock lever 40 is turned counterclockwise to separate lock pawls 41, 41 from lock pins 42, 42 and, thereafter, an operating lever 37 is turned counterclockwise to pivot (retreating motion) the whole of the thermal head unit 18 counterclockwise about a supporting shaft 17 by a retreating mechanism 28. Accordingly, the thermal head 26 and the pressurizing mechanism 27 are pivoted integrally about the supporting shaft 17 and the thermal head 26 is separated far from a platen roller 19 to a retreating position whereby the transfer paper cartridge 16 can be removed without being interferred by the thermal head 26 and the like. Then, the pivoting of the thermal head unit 16 to the retreating position of the same can be effected by the manual operation of the operating lever 37 whereby the thermal head unit 16 can be pivoted quickly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a thermal transfer type image forming apparatus that prints images on a recording medium such as a card. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a thermal head is retracted to prevent interference when a transfer paper cartridge is attached or removed.

(Prior Art) A thermal transfer type image forming apparatus brings a recording medium (hereinafter referred to as a card) such as a card or recording paper into close contact with a transfer paper.
With the transfer paper and the card in close contact with each other, the transfer paper is heated by a thermal head to print an image on the card.

By the way, in recent thermal transfer type image forming apparatuses,
It has been proposed that a transfer paper cartridge is constructed by assembling a supply roller with transfer paper hung thereon and a take-up roller, and that the transfer paper cartridge, which is a consumable item, can be replaced by attaching and detaching the transfer paper cartridge. 84-72634). In the image forming apparatus of this prior application, the transfer paper cartridge is slid in and out of the front of the apparatus housing, and the thermal head is supported within the housing by a pressure mechanism so that the contact pressure with the transfer paper can be adjusted. This image forming apparatus uses a pressure mechanism to move the thermal head away from the platen roller to prevent interference with the transfer paper cartridge when installing or removing the transfer paper cartridge. Sometimes, before recording, a pressure mechanism moves the thermal head toward the transfer paper and brings it into contact with the paper, and the pressure mechanism adjusts the contact pressure between the thermal head and the transfer paper.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the image forming apparatus according to the above-mentioned prior application, the thermal head is avoided and the contact pressure is adjusted by the pressure mechanism. The range of position adjustment for the thermal head must also be widened; a lot of time is spent trying to avoid the thermal head, resulting in low work efficiency; and the pressure mechanism becomes larger, leading to an increase in the size of the entire device. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that provides high workability and can be downsized.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes a transfer paper cartridge that is configured by detachably assembling a supply roller and a take-up roller on which transfer paper is hung, and that is installed in the apparatus housing. An image forming apparatus that brings a recording medium into close contact with a transfer paper of a transfer paper cartridge that has been transferred, and heats the transfer paper that is in close contact with the recording medium with a thermal head to transfer ink on the transfer paper to the recording medium, the thermal head A pressure mechanism capable of pressing the transfer paper toward the transfer paper of the transfer paper cartridge installed in the device housing is provided, and this pressure mechanism and the thermal head are assembled to constitute a thermal head unit, and this thermal head The gist is that a retracting mechanism is provided that allows the unit to move between a retracted position where the unit does not interfere with the transfer paper cartridge when the transfer paper cartridge is attached and removed, and an operating position where the thermal head can heat the transfer paper.

This image forming apparatus is provided with a locking mechanism that prohibits movement of the thermal head unit by the avoidance mechanism at least in the operating position by manual operation of an operator, and when the locking mechanism prohibits movement of the thermal head unit, the locking mechanism The operator is arranged so as to block the insertion opening of the transfer paper cartridge.

(Function) In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the thermal head unit in which the thermal head and the pressure mechanism are assembled can be moved between the retracted position and the operating position by manual operation of the avoidance mechanism, and the thermal head unit can be quickly moved to the thermal head unit. can be moved to achieve high work efficiency. When installing or removing the transfer paper cartridge, the thermal head unit is placed in the retracted position to prevent interference, and when recording an image, the thermal head unit is placed in the operating position and the pressure mechanism makes contact with the thermal head. Adjust pressure.

Therefore, the adjustment range of the thermal head by the pressure mechanism can be reduced, and the pressure mechanism can be downsized, thereby making it possible to downsize the entire apparatus.

Furthermore, this image forming apparatus is provided with a locking mechanism that prohibits movement of the thermal head unit in the operating position, thereby preventing the thermal head unit from wobbling in the operating position and performing image formation with high reliability. Since the operator of the locking mechanism is arranged so as to block the insertion opening of the transfer paper cartridge when locked, erroneous operation can be prevented.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 5 show an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts, FIG. 2(a) is an external front view in the - state, and FIG. (b) is an external front view in another state, Fig. 3 (a) is an internal front view in the same state as Fig. 2 (a), and Fig. 3 (b) is a
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts, and FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged front view.

In FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, 11 is the device casing;
An operation section (not shown) is provided on the front surface of the housing 11, and a card insertion slot (not shown) and a cartridge insertion slot 14 are also formed. The operation section is provided with various switches such as a mode setting switch, and these switches are used to perform operations such as setting the print mode. The card insertion slot is formed to be able to insert a card as a recording medium, and the cartridge insertion slot 14 is formed into a transfer paper cartridge 16 (
(see Fig. 4) can be inserted. As described later, the transfer paper cartridge 16 is inserted into the cartridge insertion slot 1.
Attachment and removal into the housing 11 are performed through step 4.

Furthermore, a transfer mechanism for transferring the card, a platen roller 19, a thermal transfer unit 18, a control circuit (not shown), etc. are disposed inside the housing 11, and a transfer paper cartridge 16 is mounted on the platen roller 19. Arranged to be detachable. Although not shown, the transport mechanism transports a card inserted from the card insertion slot to a printing position on the platen roller 19, and also transports a card on which printing has been completed from the printing position to the card insertion slot and discharges it.

As shown in FIG. 4, the transfer paper cartridge 16 has a pair of side plates 12, 12 facing each other and held by a plurality of cross rods 13, and a rotating support shaft 15.17 is attached to each end of the side plates 12.12. These support shafts 15.
17 is provided with a supply roll 21 and a take-up reel 22, each of which has a transfer paper 20 wound around it. Support shaft 1
5° 17 are each connected to a gear 23.24 supported on the outside of the side plate 12, and are connected to a drive mechanism (not shown) via the gear 23.24 when the transfer paper cartridge 16 is installed in the housing 11. Concatenated. 25 is a handle.

The configuration on which this embodiment is based is described in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 64-72634 previously filed by the applicant, so the above-mentioned transfer mechanism, transfer paper cartridge 16, and related mechanisms will be described in detail. The explanation will be simplified and the explanation of the control circuit will also be omitted.

The thermal head unit 18 is formed by assembling a thermal head 26 and a pressure mechanism 27, and is rotatably supported by an evacuation mechanism 28. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the thermal head 26 extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the card is transferred by the transfer mechanism,
Both ends are fixed to mounting plates 29, 29, respectively.

A rotating shaft 30 rotatably passes through each of these two plates 29, 29 at one end, and is rotatably supported by the base member 3131, and the thermal head 26 is mounted at the other end as described above. Fixed. A connecting rod 32 is installed between these mounting plates 29, 29, and a pressing arm 33, which will be described later, engages with this connecting rod 32. These mounting plates 29, 29 and the thermal head 26 have a pressing arm 33 connected to a connecting rod 32.
By pressing , they rotate together around the rotation shaft 30 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2.3.

The base members 31.31 each have a substantially triangular plate shape and are arranged on the outside of the mounting plate 29.29. Between these base members 31 and 31, the above-mentioned rotation shaft 3 is located at the corner of
0, a support shaft 34 is installed at the other corner, a pressing shaft 35 is installed at the other corner, and a regulating shaft 36 is installed between the corners.

The support shaft 34 has one end rotatably passing through the base member 31 and the front surface of the housing 11 and is supported, an operating lever 37 is fixed to the end projecting outside the housing 11, and the other end is attached to the base member 34. It rotatably passes through the member 31 and is fixed to a bracket 38 of an actuator 39, which will be described later. The pressing shaft 35 has one end attached to the base member 3 (on the right side in FIG. 1).
1, and the other end is rotatably supported by the other base member 31.
The above-mentioned pressing arm 33 is fixed in the center between the base members 31 and 31, and is connected to the actuator 39 through the base members 31 and 31 in a rotatable manner. This pressing shaft 35 is an actuator 39
The pressing arm 33 is rotated by being driven by the pressing shaft 35.
The rotation presses the connecting rod 32.

The regulating shaft 36 has one end that rotatably passes through the base member 31 and a long hole 11a formed in the front surface of the housing 11, and is connected to the housing 1.
The other end protrudes from the front surface of the housing 11, and the other end rotatably penetrates the base member 31 and extends near the rear surface of the housing 11. A lock lever 40 is fixedly attached to the end of the regulating shaft 36 protruding from the front surface of the casing 11, and a lock claw 4141 is fixedly provided between each base member 31, 31 and the front and rear surfaces of the casing 11. ing. Each of the locking claws 41 and 41 is
A coil spring 43.43 is tensioned between the base member 31.31 and the lock pin 42.42 protruding from the inner surface of the lock pin 42. It is biased in the direction of locking with .42. The coil springs 43.43 are each wound around the outer periphery of the regulating shaft 36, and have one end hooked to the lock pawl 41.41 and the other end hooked to the outer surface of the base member 31.31. The lock lever 40 can be manually operated to
6 to lock claws 41, 41 and lock pins 42.
42, and lock claw 41 at the operating position described later.
．． 41 and the lock pins 42, 42 are disposed so as to be located in front of the cartridge insertion opening 14 in the locked state.

The actuator 39 is connected to a control circuit or accommodates a near solenoid in a box 44, and a bracket 38 coupled to the above-mentioned support shaft 34 is fixed to the lower part of the box 44. A plunger 45 driven by a solenoid protrudes from one side of the box 44.
A drive arm 46 is provided at the tip. The drive arm 46 has a base end connected to the plunger 45 in a swingable and longitudinally displacementable manner, and a distal end fixed to the end of the pressing shaft 35 described above. When the solenoid is energized, this actuator 39 biases the plunger 45 in the direction of recessing it into the box 144 with a force corresponding to the current value, and moves the pressing shaft 35 to the second and third positions.
Rotate counterclockwise in the figure.

The above-described mounting plates 29, 29, rotating shaft 30, connecting rod 32, pressing shaft 35, pressing arm 33, and actuator 39 constitute the pressing mechanism 27, and the supporting shaft 34, the base member 31, 31, and The operation lever 37 is the evacuation mechanism 2
7, and further includes a regulating shaft 36 and lock claws 41 and 41.
, the lock pin 4242, the spring 43, 43, and the lock lever 40 constitute the lock mechanism 47.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

In this image forming apparatus, as is well known, the transfer paper 20 and the card are compressed between the thermal head 26 and the platen roller 19, and the thermal head 26 is operated with the transfer paper 20 and the card in close contact with each other. The transfer paper 20 is heated to form an image on the card. The transfer paper 20, which is a consumable item, is replaced by attaching and detaching the transfer paper cartridge 16 in which the transfer paper 20 is installed as follows.

2 First, when forming an image (printing),
) and FIG. 3(b), in the thermal head unit 18, the thermal head 26 is connected to the platen roller 19.
The transfer paper 20 is interposed between the platen roller 19 and the thermal head 26 at a position directly above the platen roller 19 (operating position). The thermal head unit 18 is locked by the lock pins 42 and 42, and rotation of the thermal head unit 18 is prohibited. In this operating position, the lock mechanism 47 has a lock lever 40 that is connected to the cartridge insertion opening 14 of the housing 11.
, the operator can reliably and easily recognize that the thermal radar unit 18 is in the operating position, and erroneous operation can be effectively prevented.

When removing the transfer paper cartridge 16, the lock lever 40 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure to separate the lock claws 41 and 41 from the lock pins 42 and 42 (unlocking the lock mechanism 47). Thereafter, the operating lever 37 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure, and the retracting mechanism 28 causes the entire thermal head unit 18 to be rotated counterclockwise in the figure around the support shaft 17 (retracting operation). Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 3(a), the thermal head 26 and the pressurizing mechanism 27 rotate around the support shaft 17, and the thermal head 26 moves toward the platen roller 19.
(retracted position with a large distance from), transfer paper cartridge 1
6 can be removed without interfering with the thermal head 26 or the like. Since the thermal head unit 16 can be rotated to the retracted position by manual operation of the operating lever 37, the thermal head unit 16 can be rotated quickly.

Further, the insertion of the transfer paper cartridge 16 is performed in a state where the thermal head unit 18 is located at the above-mentioned retracted position, as in the case of removal. After inserting the transfer paper cartridge 16, the operating lever 37 is rotated clockwise in the figure to rotate the thermal head unit 18 to the operating position. Adjust the distance from the platen roller 19, that is, the contact pressure with the card. Here, this contact pressure is adjusted by controlling the current to the solenoid of the actuator 39, but since the thermal head 26 is in contact with or near the transfer paper 20 in the operating position, the thermal head 26 is moved a small distance. The contact pressure can be adjusted by only using the pressure mechanism 27, and the pressure mechanism 27 can be downsized, and the overall size can also be downsized.

In addition, in the embodiment described above, a card is used as a recording medium.
Further, although a cylindrical platen roller 19 is illustrated as an example, the present invention can also be applied to one using a recording medium such as paper, or one using a flat platen described in the specification of the earlier application mentioned above. .

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, a thermal head unit is configured by assembling a thermal head and a pressure mechanism that adjusts the contact pressure between the thermal head and the transfer paper. In addition, an avoidance mechanism is provided that allows the thermal head unit to be manually moved to a retracted position where it does not interfere with the transfer paper cartridge when the transfer paper cartridge is attached or removed, and an operating position where image formation on the recording medium is possible. The transfer paper cartridge can be quickly attached and detached, and
It is possible to achieve the effect that the pressure mechanism can be downsized and the overall size can also be downsized.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, a locking mechanism is provided that prohibits movement of the thermal head unit at its operating position, and the operating lever of this locking mechanism is arranged so as to block the insertion slot of the transfer paper cartridge. In addition to this, it is also possible to prevent erroneous operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 5 show an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts, FIG. Figure 6 (b) is an external front view in another state, Figure 3 (a) or an internal front view in a state similar to Figure 2 (a), and Figure 3 (b) is Figure 2 (b). ), FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts, and FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3(b). 11...Device housing, 14...Cartridge insertion slot,
16... Transfer paper cartridge, 18... Thermal head unit, 19... Platen roller, 2o...
Transfer paper, 26... Thermal head, 27... Pressure mechanism, 28... Evacuation mechanism, 39... Actuator,
4o...Lock lever-147...Lock mechanism. Patent applicant: Japan Victor Co., Ltd. So\=Leh, '\Yoshi) Qingo I7ji procedural amendment (spontaneous) September 1st, 1991, 2゜Patent application No. 101, No. 3, No. 1991゜ Image forming apparatus correction person 5, Detailed description of the invention column 6 of the specification subject to correction, Contents of correction (1) The detailed description of the invention is corrected as follows. ■It says "Figure 2 (a)" on page 7, line 6 of the specification,
Correct it to "Figure 2 (b)". ■In the 7th line of page 7 of the specification, the words ``principal parts'' have been corrected to ``cartridge.''

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Equipped with a transfer paper cartridge consisting of a supply roller and a take-up roller on which transfer paper is hung, which are removably assembled to the device housing, and records are recorded on the transfer paper of the transfer paper cartridge installed inside the device housing. An image forming apparatus that brings a medium into close contact with the recording medium and heats the transfer paper that is in close contact with the recording medium using a thermal head to transfer ink from the transfer paper to the recording medium, the thermal head being mounted inside the device housing. A pressure mechanism capable of pressing toward the transfer paper of the cartridge is provided, and this pressure mechanism and the thermal head are assembled to constitute a thermal head unit, and this thermal head unit is used to perform transfer when the transfer paper cartridge is attached or removed. An image forming apparatus comprising a retracting mechanism that is movable between a retracting position that does not interfere with the paper cartridge and an operating position where the thermal head can heat the transfer paper. (2) A locking mechanism is provided that prohibits movement of the thermal head unit by the evacuation mechanism at least in the operating position by manual operation of an operator, and when the locking mechanism prohibits movement of the thermal head unit, the operator The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is arranged so as to close an insertion opening of the transfer paper cartridge.