JPH03278976A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate an assembling operation and perform a high-quality printing by a method wherein a thermal head is pressed to one side of a case as an upper unit, and the upper unit is pressed to a lower unit in the same direction as the thermal head pressing direction. CONSTITUTION:As an upper unit 13, a case 21 is composed by connecting a front board 101 to a rear board 102 with stays 103, 104, 105. The case 21 is connected to a lower unit 12 by a support shaft 18. A coil spring SP2 is set on the support shaft 18 to elastically abut the front board 101 of the upper unit 13 against a front board 15a of the lower unit 12 for absorbing a horizontal play. Holders 111F, 111B fix the both ends of a thermal head 117. A coil spring SP1 set on a slide shaft 110 is provided between a support board 109B and the holder 111B to horizontally press the holder in the same direction as the pressing direction of the coil spring SP2 acting to the upper unit 13. In this manner, a play generated during assembling can be absorbed, and a high-quality printing can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a recording device, and particularly to a recording device that records information such as images on a recording medium such as a flat card.

(Prior art) Credit cards and ID cards require printing images unique to each card directly onto flat cards made of synthetic resin, and recording devices (printing devices) for such cards are large-sized. It also has the disadvantage of being complicated.

Therefore, the present applicant proposed a recording device capable of printing images on recording media such as cards with a small and simple configuration in Japanese Patent Application No. 72634/1984 (filed on March 24, 1999). did. This recording device has a card insertion slot on the front of the device housing, prints when it detects that a card has been inserted into the insertion slot, and waits until the card is ejected from the insertion slot after printing is completed. This makes it impossible to insert a new card.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, after printing is completed, the printed surface of the card described above is generally coated with an overcoat device to protect it. For cards having external recording terminals, predetermined information is recorded using, for example, a magnetic recording device before or after printing. Therefore, when creating such cards, if the above-mentioned recording device can be connected to an overcoat device or magnetic recording device that coats the printed surface after printing, it will make it easier to create cards in a consistent manner. It is thought that this can be done efficiently.

However, in the recording device according to the above-mentioned prior application, the card is inserted through the insertion slot of the device housing, and the printed card is ejected from the insertion slot again, so that it cannot be connected to the above-mentioned overcoat device. A supply/discharge device for receiving and passing cards must be interposed between the devices, and the overall configuration may become relatively large. In addition, although the above device is designed to be compact, the thermal head drive mechanism and the stage drive mechanism for transporting cards such as platens are assembled in the housing, making the assembly work complicated. , registration errors occur during printing due to assembly errors, and the printing quality tends to deteriorate in some cases.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to enable easy assembly and high-quality printing.

For this purpose, in a recording device that uses a thermal head to print predetermined information on a recording medium placed on a platen via transfer paper, a line is placed above the lower unit equipped with the platen on which the recording medium is placed. The upper unit is rotatably supported, and the thermal head is elastically biased toward one side of the housing of the upper unit in the line direction by a first elastic means. . A recording apparatus, wherein the upper unit is elastically biased against the lower unit by a second elastic means in the same direction as the biasing direction of the thermal head.

A recording medium is mounted on a platen, and a transfer paper cartridge is installed in which a guide roller is placed between a pair of supply side rolls and a take-up side roll around which transfer paper is wound, and the transfer paper is attached to the transfer paper cartridge. In a recording device that prints predetermined information with a thermal head via a transfer paper, an O-ra that cooperates with the guide roller to sandwich the transfer paper, and a roller that rotationally drives the guide roller. An object of the present invention is to provide a recording apparatus characterized by comprising a drive mechanism equipped with a detection means for detecting the amount of travel of the transfer paper.

(Function) The thermal head disposed on the upper unit side is always urged in one direction of the housing by the first elastic means, and this upper unit is urged in the same direction by the second elastic means to the lower unit. Because it is energized, it absorbs assembly errors and enables high-quality printing without registration misalignment.

In addition, the guide roller of the transfer paper cartridge is driven by a drive mechanism equipped with a detection means of the device, and can feed the transfer paper in cooperation with the rollers of the device, so the transfer paper can be reliably transported without slipping. This improves the reliability of the device.

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

1 to 10 show a recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a lower unit, FIG. 2 is a front view of the recording device, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts of the upper unit, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the transfer paper cartridge, FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 5, and FIGS. 7 and 8. 9 and 10 are front views showing different states for explaining the operation.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 indicates a recording device, and the recording device 11 consists of a lower unit (lower unit) 12, an upper unit (upper unit) 13, and a transfer paper cartridge 14. An upper unit 13 is attached to the support shaft 18 so as to be expandable, and a transfer paper cartridge 14 shown in FIG. 5 is detachably attached between the lower unit 12 and the upper unit 13. The O unit 12 and the upper unit 13 are connected to a gas spring 20 that acts as a damper.
are interconnected by.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lower unit 12 has a generally box-shaped housing 15 that is open at the top, and a stage (platen) 16 on which a card is placed inside the housing 15 is moved in the left-right direction ( x1° x2). In the housing 15, the support shaft 18 is installed in the upper right portion, and a beam member 19 is installed in the upper left portion in the front-rear direction, and the lower end portion of the gas spring 20 is rotatably connected to the right inner bottom portion. The support shaft 18 rotatably passes through the right side of the casing 21 of the upper unit 13 to swingably connect the lower unit 12 and the upper unit 13, and the support shaft 18 rotatably couples the lower unit 12 and the upper unit 13.
There are two square holes 19a spaced apart in the front and back as shown in FIG.
are formed, and can be locked with lock claws 22F and 22B of the upper unit 13, which will be described later. The upper end of the gas spring 20 is swingably connected to the housing 21 of the upper unit 13 to urge the upper unit 13 upward. The above-mentioned upper unit 13 rotates clockwise in FIG. 2 about the support shaft 18 to open the upper part of the lower unit 12 when the transfer paper cartridge 14 is attached or removed or during maintenance.

The housing 15 also has a front plate 15 as shown in FIG.
A card insertion slot 23 communicating with a card ejection port 24 of a magnetic recording device (not shown) is formed in a, and a card ejection port 24 connected to a card reception port of an overcoat device (not shown) is formed in the rear plate 15b. There is. A guide member 25 is provided at one card insertion port 23, and a delivery mechanism 26 is provided at the card ejection port 24. The delivery mechanism 26 includes a pair of driven discharge rollers 27 and a pair of driven discharge rollers 26 disposed above and below the card discharge port 24, and a guide member 29 disposed inside the housing of these rollers 27 and 28. It consists of The driven ejecting roller 27 is rotatably supported at the upper part of the card ejecting port 24 and comes into elastic contact with the driving ejecting roller 26 by a spring 34, and the driven ejecting roller 28 is a rotating roller supported rotatably at the lower part of the card ejecting port 24. It is fixed to the shaft 30. This rotating shaft 30
A pulley 31 is fixedly installed on the left end thereof, and is connected to the drive mechanism of the above-mentioned overcoat device (not shown) by a timing belt 32 wound around the pulley 31. A card (recording medium) 33 ejected from a magnetic recording device that records predetermined data on a magnetic stripe is guided by the guide member 25 and inserted into the other card insertion slot 23 described above. From there, the card 33 after printing is sent out to the overcoat device by the sending device 1lI26.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stage 16 consists of a substrate 36 to which a flat rubber plate 35 is attached, which is sandwiched between the upper surface of the holder member 37 and the holder member 37 by a pair of left and right guide members 38L and 38R. , the card 33 is placed on the upper surface of the flat rubber plate 35. The upper ends of the guide members 38L and 38R are bent in opposite directions above the left and right edges of the flat rubber plate.
5, a gap is formed into which the side edge of the card 33 can be inserted. The holder member 37 is separated from the guide rod 3 in the front and back.
9F and 39B are inserted so as to be slidable in the left and right direction, and a ball screw shaft 40 is inserted between these guide rods 39F and 398.
are screwed together and moved left and right by the rotation of the ball screw shaft 40.

This stage 16 holds the card 33 inserted through the card insertion slot 23 on the flat rubber plate with the left and right side edges fitted into the gaps between the guide members 38L, 38R and the flat rubber plate 35. In addition, 41F and 41B are the guide members 3 on the right side.
Detection levers 42F and 42B provided on 8R so as to be swingable and spaced apart from each other in the front and rear are limit switches that detect the swinging of the detection levers 41F and 41B. Detection lever 41F,
41B swings in contact with the card 33 inserted onto the flat rubber plate 35, and limit switches 42F and 42B are connected to a control circuit.

The above-mentioned flat rubber plate 35, substrate 36 and holder member 37
Two notches extending in the left-right direction are formed spaced apart from each other in the front and rear, and rows 543F43B slightly protruding from the upper surface of the flat rubber plate 35 are rotatably provided in these notches. As shown in FIG. 3, these rows 543F
, 43B have both ends biased upward by springs 44F, 44B, and a driven pulley 45F at the left end.

45B is fixedly installed. Spring 44F.

44B indicates rollers 43F, 43B and guide members 32L, 3 when the card 33 is not placed on the flat rubber plate 35.
2R is provided so that the gap between the card 33 and the card 33 is smaller than the thickness of the card 33.
As shown in the figure, a timing belt 47F is disposed between idler pulleys 46F and 46B supported on the left side of the holder member 37.

47B is attached. Idler pulley 46F.

46B is supported so as to be able to rotate integrally with a transmission pulley 48, and a timing belt 50 is hung between the transmission pulley 48 and a drive pulley 49.

The drive pulley 49 is supported on the left side of the holder member 37 so as to be rotatable together with the driven gear 51.
is meshed with a drive gear 53 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 52. The motor 52 is fixedly installed on the left side of the holder member 37 and connected to a control circuit (not shown), and is energized by the control circuit when inserting or ejecting the card 33 and drives the roller 4 .
Drives 3F and 43B.

Further, at the rear of the stage 16, a position regulating member 54 is provided between the stage 16 and the card ejection port 24 via a moving mechanism 55. This movement 1i111155 consists of a rotation shaft 56, a drive arm 58, and a solenoid 57. The position regulating member 54 has a substantially flat plate shape, has a base end fixed to the rotation shaft 56 and extends forward, and has a stopper portion 54a projecting upwardly formed at the distal end on the stage 16 side. Rotation axis 56
is rotatably supported by a bracket (not shown) or the like, and a drive arm 58 that engages with a solenoid 57 is fixed to the right end. The solenoid 57 is fixed on the right side of the stage 16 and connected to a control circuit, and is energized when the card 33 is ejected, etc., and drives the rotation shaft 56, that is, the position regulating member 54, by the drive arm 58. The position regulating member 54 regulates the position of the card 33 by positioning the stopper portion 54a above the upper surface of the flat rubber plate 35 and protruding so as to come into contact with the card 33 when the card 33 is inserted. When the card 33 is ejected, etc., the solenoid 57 rotates the stopper portion 54a in the clockwise direction in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the feeding mechanism 17 includes a motor 59 and the like that drives a ball screw shaft 40 inserted through the stage 10 and having the aforementioned guide rods 39F and 39B as guide shafts. The guide rods 39F and 39B have one end connected to a cross member 60 installed in the housing 15 in the front and back.
, a bracket 6 whose other end is attached to the bottom of the housing 15
1F.

61B, and the ball screw shaft 40 is rotatably supported by the cross member 60 at one end and the bracket 62 at the other end. A driven pulley 63 is fixed to the right end of the ball screw shaft 40, and a timing belt 63 is connected between the driven pulley 63 and the drive pulley 54.
5 is attached. The drive pulley 64 is the holder 66
The rotating shaft 67 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 67, and the rotating shaft 67 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 59 via a coupling 68. A disk 69 having a slit is fixed to the rotating shaft 67, and two photosensors 70 and 71 connected to a control circuit are arranged adjacent to the disk 69. The photosensors 70 and 71 move the stage 16 by the rotation of the rotation shaft 67 using light transmitted through the slit of the disk 69.
In particular, the photosensor 71 detects only a specific slit in the disk 69. This feeder 11i17
rotates the ball screw shaft 40 by the motor 59,
This rotation of the ball screw shaft 40 moves the stage 16 left and right (X
2. Move it back and forth to X+).

Note that 73 is provided on the front plate of the housing 15 and
a photosensor for detecting a detection plate 72 fixedly attached to 6;
4 is a microswitch 75 fixed to the cross member 60 by a bracket 76 on the left side of the photosensor 73;
is a microswitch provided on the front plate of the housing 15 to the right of the photosensor 73. The photo sensor 73 detects by the detection plate 73 that the stage 16 is at a position (start position) where the card 33 can be inserted and ejected. Further, the microswitch 74 comes into contact with the stage 16 when the stage 16 moves to the left beyond the start position, and is activated.Similarly, the microswitch 75 is activated when the stage 16 moves to the right beyond a specified range. When these microswitches 74 and 75 are activated, the motor 5
The power supply to 9 is forcibly stopped.

Furthermore, within the housing 15, two guide rollers 77 and 78 (see FIG. 2) are rotatably disposed at the center between the front and rear plates. The left guide roller 77 comes into contact with the transfer paper when the transfer paper cartridge 14 is installed. Both ends of the right guide roller 78 are rotatably supported by arms 79F and 79B, and these arms 79F and 79B are connected to shafts 79F on the front and rear plates 15a and 15b of the housing 15, respectively.
+.

79B1 so that it can swing freely. As shown in FIG. 2, springs 60F, 60B are stretched between these arms 79F, 79B and the housing 15, and rollers 78
is biased in a direction to displace upward (counterclockwise), but its rotational position is regulated by stoppers 83F and 83B located at one end. When the transfer paper cartridge 14 is installed, this roller 78 moves the transfer paper 82 between the tension controller 0 and the tension controller 81 of the transfer paper cartridge 14.
Press down.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, within the housing 15, a rotating shaft 86 having a driving gear 84 on the rear plate is supported, and is meshed with a driven gear 85 of the transfer paper cartridge 14. The drive gear 84 is fixed to a rotating shaft 86 that rotatably passes through the rear plate of the housing 15. A worm wheel 87 was fixed to the end of the first shaft 86 that protruded outside the housing 15, and a gear 89 on the same axis of the worm 88 that meshed with the worm wheel 87 was fixed to the output shaft of the motor 90. It is rotationally driven by meshing with the gear 91. Further, a disk 92 having a slit is provided at the end of the worm 88.
is fixedly installed, and the rotation of this disk 92 is detected by a 7-axis sensor 93. The above-mentioned motor 90, gears 89, 91, worm 88, worm wheel 87 and drive gear 84
etc. constitute the drive mechanism 94 of the transfer paper cartridge 14.

In addition, 95 is a rotary encoder provided on the housing 15, 96 is a limit switch provided on the beam O standber 60, and 98 is a light receiving unit fixedly installed on the stay 97. The detection gear 95a of the rotary encoder 95 meshes with the gear of the transfer paper cartridge 14 to detect the remaining amount of transfer paper 82, and the limit switch 96 contacts the transfer paper cartridge 14 mounted at a predetermined position to detect the remaining amount of the transfer paper 82.
4 is attached, and the light receiving unit 98 detects the light from the light emitting unit provided in the upper unit 14.

Next, the upper unit 13 will be explained.

The upper unit 13 includes a front plate 101 as shown in FIG.
A rectangular housing 21 is constructed by connecting the and rear plate 102 with stays 103, 104 and 105.

As mentioned above, this housing 21 has a support shaft 18 on the cloth part.
is rotatably passed through the front plate 101 and the rear plate 102 and is connected to the lower unit 12 by a support shaft 18, and a pair of lock claws 22F and 22B are provided on the left side. Further, the support shaft 18 is provided with a coil spring (second elastic means) SP.
2 is mounted, and this coil spring SP2 causes the front plate (side surface) 101 of the upper unit 13 to elastically abut against the front plate 15a of the OA unit 12 to absorb horizontal play.

The lock claws 22F and 22B are connected to each other by a connecting member 106, are swingably supported by a rotating shaft 107 installed between the front plate 101 and the rear plate 102, and are stretched between the stay 104. It is biased by springs 108F and 108B in the direction of engagement with the square hole 19a of the zero arm unit 12. These lock claws 22F.

22B is locked in the square hole 19a with the upper unit 13 closing the upper part of the lower unit 12, and the stay 10
By inserting a finger into the hole 103a formed in the hole 103a and pushing the connecting member 106, the connecting member 106 is rotated in the direction of detaching from the square hole 19a against the springs 108F and 108B. Note that the gas spring 20 described above is connected to the lower part of the stay 105.

Furthermore, support plates 109F and 109B are fixed to the center of the inner surfaces of the front plate 101 and the rear plate 102, respectively.

These support plates 109F and 109B have a swing shaft 110.
A pair of holders 111F and 111B (one holder 111F is not shown) are swingably constructed by a swinging wheel 110, and a pressing shaft 113 with a pressing cam 112 fixed in the center is mounted so as to be swingable. A stay 114 and guides 0-5115 and 116 are also installed rotatably. The holders 111F and 111B are the thermal head 1
Both ends of 17 are fixed, and holders 111F and 111B
The support plate 109F is centered around the swing shaft 110 inserted through the support plate 109F.
, 109B, and the engagement shaft 118
is installed so as to be able to engage with the pressing cam 112. Further, a coil spring (first elastic means) SP2 mounted on the swing shaft 110 is disposed between the support plate 109B and one holder 111B, and the coil spring SP2 is biased to act on the upper unit. The holder (line direction of the thermal head) is urged horizontally in the Y direction in the same direction as the direction. Support plates 10 are provided at both ends of this engagement shaft 118.
Spring 119F, 119 between 9F, 109B
A spring 119F (one spring 119F is not shown) is mounted to bias the thermal head 117 in a direction away from the transfer paper 82. As described later, the pressing cam 11
2 is driven by a pressure mechanism 120, which will be described later, to press the engagement shaft 118 and adjust the contact pressure between the thermal head 117 and the transfer paper 82.

A light emitting unit 121 is fixed to the stay 114 so as to face the light receiving unit 98 described above (see FIG. 2).

These light receiving and emitting units 98 and 121 are connected to the first part of the transfer paper 82.
The transfer paper 82 is detected by detecting a color such as yellow. The guide rollers 115 and '116 are rotatably supported, come into contact with the transfer paper 82, and guide the movement of the transfer paper 82.

One end of the pressing shaft 113 of the thermal head 117 passes through the support plate 109F and is rotatably supported by the front plate 101, and the other end passes through the support plate 109B and the rear plate 102. At the end of the pressing shaft 113 passing through the rear plate 102,
An arm 122 is fixedly installed, and a connecting member 124 having a spring 123 compressed therebetween is rotatably inserted between the arm 122 and the arm 122.

This connecting member 124 is connected via a plunger 126 of an actuator 125. Actuator 12
Reference numeral 5 includes a linear solenoid or the like, which generates a tensile force depending on the current value applied to the solenoid. The above-mentioned arm 122, connecting member 124, 127, spring 12
3 and pressurized by actuator 125 11111
Configure i120.

This pressure mechanism 120 swings the thermal head 117 around the swing shaft 110 to bring it closer to the stage 16, and also adjusts the contact pressure of the thermal head 117.

As shown in FIG. 5, the transfer paper cartridge 14 is assembled into a frame 1 by installing stays 1321 and 132R between opposite ends of a pair of front and rear side plates 131F and 131B.
33 are configured. The side plates 131F and 131B have flanges 134F and 134B on the left ends of opposing surfaces, respectively.
is rotatable, and a flange 13 is provided at the right end of the opposing surface.
5F and 135B are provided rotatably and movably in the axial direction. The flanges 134F and 135F are each compressed with a spring 1361.136R between the side plate 131F and biased toward the opposing flanges 134F and 134B, and the flange 135B is connected to the torque limiter mechanism 137.
is connected to the aforementioned drive mechanism 94 via this torque limiter mechanism 137, and a gear 136 is fixed to the flange 134B.
39 and meshes with the detection gear 95a of the encoder 95 described above. These flanges 135F.

Between 135B and 135B, a winding roll 140 is connected to a spring 136R.
Similarly, the flanges 134F, 1
A supply roll 141 is held between the rollers 140 and 34B by the elastic force of a spring 136, and a transfer paper 82 is hung between these rollers 140 and 141 so that the paper can be fed from the supply roller 141 to the take-up roll 140. . The transfer paper 82 is divided in the paper feeding direction and provided with ink layers of yellow, magenta, cyan, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 6, the torque limiter mechanism 137 includes a pad 14 fixed to the side plate 131B side of the flange 135B.
2. A sleeve 143 is rotatably and axially movably inserted between the pad 142 and the side plate 131B, and the sleeve 143 is fitted between the sleeve 143 and the side plate 131B to connect the sleeve 143 to the pad 142. It is composed of a spring 144 that biases toward the target. sleeve 1
A take-up gear 145 is fixed to the outer periphery of the side plate 131B. This torque limiter mechanism 13
7 limits the maximum value of the torque transmitted to the flange 135B, that is, the take-up roll 140, to a value defined by the elastic force of the spring 144, the friction coefficient of the pad 142, etc.

In addition, a winding o-le 140 is provided on the side plates 131F and 131B.
Tension control roller (guide roller) 1 on the side
48 is rotatably installed so as to be able to come into contact with the transfer paper 82. The tension control row 5148 has its contact portion with the transfer paper 82 covered with rubber or the like, and its rear end is covered with the side plate 131B.
It penetrates freely and rotates freely.

At the rear end of this tension control roller 148,
The transmission gear 149 is connected to the side plate 131B inside the side plate 131B.
A driven gear 85 is fixed on the outside (shown in FIG. 6), and a transmission gear 149 on the inside meshes with an idler gear 147 and is connected to the take-up gear 145 through idler gears 146 and 147 so that power can be transmitted. 85 is driven by meshing with the drive gear 84 of the drive mechanism 94 described above when the transfer paper cartridge 14 is installed. Therefore, when the transfer paper cartridge 14 shown in FIG. 5 is installed, the guide roller 78 on the lower unit 12 side and the tension controller 148 are pressed into contact with each other via the transfer paper. At this time, since the tension controller 148 has a rubber surface, the frictional force with the transfer paper is large, and the tension controller 148 can reliably feed the transfer paper a certain amount without slipping.

Next, the operation of the recording apparatus of this embodiment will be explained.

First, when the card 33 is inserted, the stage 16
The detection plate 72 stops at the starting position detected by the photosensor 73, and the thermal head 117 rotates clockwise around the swing axis 110 from the operating position shown in FIG. As shown by the chain line, it is in a state separated from the stage 16, and the transfer! l182 is roll 140,
It is stopped in a state where it is wrapped between 141 and 141. (7th
(See figure) In this state, the transfer paper 82 changes color between yellow and magenta to the light receiving and emitting unit 98.1.
21 to determine the stop position, and the tip of the yellow ink layer is located slightly closer to the take-up roll 140 than the thermal head 117.

Here, when the card 33 is inserted into the card insertion slot 23 from a magnetic recording device or the like that records predetermined information on the card 33, the card 33 is sent onto the flat rubber plate 35 of the stage 16 and passed through the detection lever 41F. Limit switch 42
F is activated, and the motor 52 is rotated by the activation of this limit switch 42F, and the card 33 is moved between the rollers 43F and 4.
3B toward the position MN member 54 (see FIG. 1). Then, the card 33 is the limit switch 42B
When activated, the motor 52 stops, but the card 33 moves due to inertia until it comes into contact with the position regulating member 54, and stops when it comes into contact with the position regulating member 54.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the motor 59 is energized to move the stage 16 to the right in the x1 direction.
Almost at the same time (or with a slight time delay) as the right movement of 6, the actuator 125 is energized and the pressurizer 1p1
120 rotates the thermal head 117 toward the stage 16, and the thermal head 117 presses the card 33 on the stage 16 via the transfer paper 82. At this time, the moving distance of the stage 16 is measured by the photosensor 70, the stage 16 is moved, and the thermal head 11 is moved.
An electric current is applied to 7 to form an image on the card (see Figure 8). Then, when the stage 16 further moves a predetermined distance, the power supply to the thermal head 117 is stopped (see FIG. 9). In this state, a yellow image is formed on the card 33.

Next, the stage 16 is returned to the left by energizing the motor 59 in the opposite direction, and at the same time (or with a slight delay) the energization to the actuator 125 is stopped as shown by the chain line in FIG. The head 117 is moved in a direction away from the stage 16 by the elastic force of springs 119F and 119B. While the stage 16 is moving, the motor 59 is energized and the transfer paper 82 is wound around the take-up roll 140, so that the tip of the magenta ink layer is slightly closer to the take-up roll 140 than the thermal head 117. Stop at a position on the side. This transcription 1t8
2, the distance is controlled based on the output pulse of the encoder 95. When the stage 16 returns to the start position described above (see FIG. 7), a magenta image is formed in the same manner as the yellow recording described above, and cyan and black images are sequentially overprinted in the same manner. In this printing process, the upper unit 13 and the lower unit 12 are always biased in the positional direction by the coil spring SP2, and the thermal head 117 is also biased horizontally in the same direction, so that high quality printing without registration deviation is possible. Enables printing.

After that, when the recording of the last color is completed and the stage 16 is located at the start position again, the solenoid 57 is energized and the stopper portion 54a is moved down by the downward movement of the position regulating member 54, and then the motor 52 is energized. Roll the card 33 to the roller 43
The card is sent out to the card ejection port 24 by F and 43B. The card 33 is then discharged from the card discharge port 24 by rollers 27 and 28 and supplied to an overcoat device (not shown) for covering the image printing surface.

As described above, the recording apparatus of this embodiment inserts the card 33 from the card insertion slot 23 on the front side of the housing 15, places it on the stage 16, and prints the card 33 placed on the stage 16. Card ejection port 24 on the rear side of the housing 15
discharge from.

Further, the card 33 can be efficiently created by directly connecting the recording device to the overcoat device or the magnetic recording device. A position regulating member 54 is movably provided on the stage 16, and when the card 33 is inserted, the position regulating member 54 comes into contact with the card 33 to define the position of the card 33, and when the card 33 is ejected, the position regulating member 54 is brought into contact with the card 33 to regulate the position. Since the member 54 is retracted to a position where it does not interfere with the card 33,
The position of the card 33 on the stage 16 can be accurately defined, and printing defects can be effectively prevented.

- In the above-mentioned embodiment, a recording device connected to a magnetic recording device and an overcoat device is exemplified, but a device in which the card 33 is inserted manually, etc., or a device connected to a card feeding device, etc. It's okay to be in

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the recording apparatus according to the present invention, in claim 1, the position of the thermal head distributed to the upper unit is regulated by the second elastic means; This upper unit is also the first unit for the lower unit.
Since both positions are controlled by elastic means, high-quality printing is possible by absorbing backlash that occurs during assembly of the device. It also has the advantage of eliminating registration errors and improving the reliability of the device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 10 show a recording device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a plan view of a lower unit, FIG. 2 is a front view of the recording device, and FIG. 3 includes a card feeding device. A left side view of the stage, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the main parts of the upper unit, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the transfer paper cartridge, FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of FIG. 5, and FIGS. 7 and 8. , FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 are front views showing different states for explaining the operation. 11... Recording device, 12... Lower unit, 13.
... Upper unit, 15... Housing, 16... Stage (platen), 23... Card insertion slot, 24... Card ejection port, 33-... Card (recording medium), 54... Position regulating member, 55... Moving mechanism, 78... Guide roller, 92... Disc, 93...
...Photo sensor, 94...Drive mechanism, 117...
Thermal head, 140.141... Roll, 148
Tension controller (guide roller) SPl, SP2...Coil spring.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a recording device that uses a thermal head to print predetermined information on a recording medium placed on a platen via transfer paper, a line is placed on the lower unit equipped with the platen on which the recording medium is placed. The upper unit is rotatably supported, and the thermal head is elastically biased toward one side of the housing of the upper unit in the line direction by a first elastic means. . A recording apparatus, wherein the upper unit is elastically biased against the lower unit by a second elastic means in the same direction as the biasing direction of the thermal head. (2) A transfer paper cartridge with a guide roller attached to the transfer paper is installed between a pair of supply rolls and a take-up roll on which transfer paper is wound, and the transfer paper is transferred to a recording medium placed on a platen. In a recording device that prints predetermined information with a thermal head through paper, a roller that cooperates with the guide roller to sandwich the transfer paper, and a roller that rotationally drives the guide roller to control the traveling distance of the transfer paper. 1. A recording device comprising: a drive mechanism equipped with a detection means for detection.