JPH0363154A - Ink cartridge and recorder using same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the number of components and to decrease an assembling cost by integrally molding a frame for holding a supply reel and a winding reel with first and second housings. CONSTITUTION:A cartridge 9' is integrally molded with first housing 9a, second housing 9b and doors 9c, 9d by plastic molding. A thin part 9e molded thinner than the housings 9a, 9b is provided at a connecting part of the housing 9a to the housing 9b, similar thin parts 9f, 9g are formed at the connecting parts of the housing 9a to the doors 9c, 9d formed substantially at the center. The thin part 9e is formed as a hinge when the housings 9a, 9b are opposed, after a supply reel 25 and a winding reel 26 are charged in the cartridge 9', to be closed. Thus, the number of components for forming an ink cartridge can be remarkably reduced to largely decrease an assembling cost.

Description

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

<Prior Art> Today, with the advancement and development of information processing technology, recording devices with various recording methods have been developed and put into practical use.

Among these, in order to facilitate miniaturization of facsimile machines, a so-called heat-sensitive recording method using a heat-sensitive sheet that develops color when heated is generally used.

Furthermore, in recent years, a facsimile device using a so-called thermal transfer recording method using an ink sheet has also been developed.

The ink sheet used in the thermal transfer recording type facsimile machine is a TI+FI sheet, so wrinkles are likely to occur. Therefore, in order to load the ink sheet into the main body of the recording device without causing wrinkles on the ink sheet, the ink sheet is A method has been proposed in which the ink cartridge is housed in a housing-like ink cartridge and then loaded into the main body of the apparatus or replaced.

The above-mentioned ink cartridge was constructed by connecting a first housing and a second housing so that they can be opened and closed using a hinge made of separate members.

Further, an opening for inserting the recording head is formed in either the first casing or the second casing, and a door that can be opened and closed is attached to the opening via a hinge made of a separate member, and a door is attached to the opening by a torsion spring. The field was urged to close the opening.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, the ink cartridge described above has a first housing, a second housing, a hinge portion connecting these, a door attached to the opening, a hinge portion attaching this to the cartridge, and a torsion spring. Since there are a large number of parts, assembly work is time-consuming and costs tend to be high.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and to provide an ink cartridge in which the number of parts is reduced and assembly costs are reduced by integrally molding the ink cartridge, and a recording device using the ink cartridge. There is a particular thing.

<Means for solving the problem> Representative means of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned tJH are as follows:
A supply reel for supplying an ink sheet, a take-up reel for taking up the ink sheet, and a frame for holding the supply reel and the take-up reel,
The frame body is characterized in that the first housing and the second housing are integrally molded with a thin wall portion interposed therebetween.

<Operation> According to the above means, the frame housing the ink sheet is moved to the first
Since the casing and the second casing are integrally molded through the thin wall portion, the number of parts constituting the ink cartridge can be significantly reduced, and assembly costs can be significantly reduced.

<Embodiment> An embodiment of a recording apparatus to which the above means is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The recording apparatus A according to this embodiment is configured as a recording system of a facsimile machine. FIG. 1(A) is an external perspective view of the facsimile device, FIG. 1(B) is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the facsimile device, and FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B) are perspective views of the recording bag ff1A.

First, Figure 1 (A), (B) and Figure 2 (A),
The overall configuration of the factor estimating device will be schematically explained using (B). Hereinafter, in FIG. 2(A), the arrow X direction will be taken as the left-right direction of the device, the arrow y direction will be taken as the front-back direction, and the explanation will be made assuming that the arrow 2 direction is the up-down direction.

The facsimile machine includes a recording device A as a recording system, a reading system B for reading an image written on a document,
It is composed of an operation panel C.

The recording device A forms an image on the recording sheet 1 in response to an image signal transmitted from another device or an image signal transmitted from a reading system B, which will be described later.

That is, the superposed recording sheet 1 and ink sheet 2 are used for recording as a recording means.
By pressing the recording sheet 1 toward the side and driving the platen roller 4 in the direction of the arrow, the recording sheet l is conveyed in the direction of the arrow a, and the ink sheet 2 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow by a drive mechanism 44, which will be described later. In the process of conveying the recording sheet 1 and the ink sheet 2, the recording head 3 is driven in accordance with an image signal to melt (including sublimation, hereinafter referred to as "intermediate") the ink applied to the ink sheet 2. The ink is transferred onto a recording sheet 1 to form an image. The recording sheet l on which a predetermined image has been formed is further conveyed in the direction of arrow a, cut by a cutter 5, conveyed by a pair of conveyance rollers 6, and discharged to the outside of the recording apparatus A.

The recording sheet 1 is stored in a roll holder 8 provided in the main body 7 of the apparatus. Said roll holder8. Platen roller 4. The cutter 5 and the pair of conveyance rollers 6 are each provided in the main body 7 of the apparatus.

Further, in this embodiment, the ink sheet 2 is loaded into an ink cartridge 9, which will be described later. The ink cartridge 9 is removably loaded into a recording cover 11 as a loading section which is configured to be rotatable in the main body 7 of the apparatus via a rotation shaft 10. Further, the recording head 3 is provided at a predetermined position on the recording cover 11.

The reading system B irradiates the original 12 with light, converts the reflected light into an electrical signal, and transmits this signal to another device or to the recording device A depending on the operation mode.

That is, the document mounting table 1 formed on the upper surface of the recording cover 11
3, a plurality of originals 12 are placed thereon, the originals 12 are preliminarily transported by a pre-conveying roller 14a and a pressing roller 14b, and separated and fed one by one by a separation roller 15a and a pressure contact piece tsb that is in pressure contact therewith. The document 12 is conveyed by a pair of conveying rollers 16 a and 16 b and is discharged onto a discharge tray 17 . And the manuscript 1
2 is conveyed, a light source 18 irradiates the document surface with light, and the reflected light reaches a photoelectric conversion element 21 such as a CCD via a mirror 19 and a lens 20, and the image signal is converted into an image signal in the copy mode. The data is transmitted to its own recording system, and in the case of transmission mode, it is configured to be transmitted to the recording system of another device.

The operation panel C is a panel for performing operations such as mode switching operations, copying operations, and sending operations, and is provided with keys corresponding to various operations. This operation panel C is provided above the document transport mechanism in the reading system B, and is configured to be rotatable with respect to the apparatus main body 7. still,
On the - side of operation panel C is a telephone ID for sending and receiving data.
is equipped with.

In FIG. 1(B), 22 is an electrical board;
3 is a power supply section.

Next, the configurations of the recording apparatus A, the ink cartridge 9, etc. will be specifically explained.

As the recording sheet 1, plain paper, plastic film, or other materials to which ink can be transferred can be used. In this embodiment, a long plain paper of 84 width or A4 width is used as the recording sheet 1. A sheet roll 1a containing a recording sheet 1 wound into a roll is stored in a roll holder 8 provided at a predetermined position of the main body 7 of the apparatus (substantially in the center of FIG. 1(B)).

There is a possibility that the recording sheet 1 may curl. In order to remove this curl, a decurl shaft 43 is provided near the platen roller 4 side of the roll holder 8. The decal shaft 43 rotates in accordance with the tension acting on the recording sheet 1, and is rotated by a guide shaft 2 which will be described later.
4 to remove curls from the recording sheet 1.

In this embodiment, in order to reduce running costs, a so-called multi-print method is adopted in which recording is performed by conveying the recording sheet 1 and the ink sheet 2 at different speeds.

In this multi-printing method, when the conveyance length of recording sheet 1 is taken as the conveyance length of ink sheet 2, the conveyance length of ink sheet 2 is shorter (
:(L/n:n>1), recording sheet 1
The usage efficiency of the ink sheet 2 is n times higher than that of the conventional recording method in which the conveyance length of the ink sheet 2 is kept the same.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the ink sheet 2 is composed of, for example, four layers, with n transferable ink layers provided on a mousse film, as shown in FIG. 14.

That is, the second N is a hese film that serves as a support for the ink sheet 2. In the case of multi-printing, thermal energy is applied to the same location many times, so aromatic polyamide films and capacitor paper with high heat resistance are advantageous, but conventional polyester films can also be used. As for the thickness of these materials, it is advantageous in terms of printing quality to be as thin as possible because of their role as a medium, but strength must be taken into consideration, and it is desirable that the thickness be approximately 3 μm to 8 μm.

The third layer is an ink layer containing an amount of ink that can be transferred onto the recording sheet 1 n times. This component mainly consists of resins such as EVA as an adhesive, carbon black and nigrosine dyes for coloring, and carbana wax and paraffin wax as binding materials, and is designed to withstand n times of use in the same location. It is blended. Sensitivity and density vary depending on the coating amount and can be selected arbitrarily, but it is preferably about 4 g/rrr to 8 g/rrr.

The fourth layer is a top coating layer for preventing pressure transfer of the third layer ink onto the recording sheet 1 in non-printing areas, and is made of transparent wax or the like. As a result, only the transparent fourth layer is pressure-transferred, and background smearing on the recording sheet 1 can be prevented.

The first layer is a heat-resistant coating layer that protects the base film of the second layer from the heat of the recording head 3, which is a thermal head. This heat-resistant coating layer is suitable for multi-printing where 0947 minutes of thermal energy may be applied to the same location (when black information is continuous), but whether or not to use it can be selected as appropriate. It is also effective for base films with relatively low heat resistance, such as polyester films.

Note that the structure of the ink sheet 2 is not limited to this embodiment, and may be composed of, for example, a porous ink-retaining layer containing ink provided on one side of a hese layer and a base layer. A heat-resistant ink layer having a microporous network structure may be provided on the film, and the ink may be contained in the ink layer. Examples of the base film material include, for example, polyamide, polyethylene,
It may be a film or paper made of polyester, polyvinyl chloride, triacetyl cellulose, Nycon, etc. Furthermore, although a heat-resistant coating layer is not necessarily required, examples of the material include silicone resin, epoxy resin, tunic resin, It may also be nitrocellulose or the like.

Further, as an example of the ink sheet 2 having heat sublimable ink, spacer particles formed of a guanamine resin and a fluororesin are formed on a base material formed of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, aromatic polyamide film, etc. An example is an ink sheet provided with a coloring material layer containing a dye.

In the recording apparatus A, a supply reel 25 and a take-up reel 2 configured as described later are attached to the recording cover 11 as a loading section.
6 are mounted independently, and the ink sheet 2 wound around the supply reel 25 is taken up on the take-up reel 26, thereby making it possible to convey the sheet 2 and perform image formation.

However, the ink sheet 2 in this embodiment is loaded and held in a cartridge 9' serving as a frame of an ink sheet cartridge 9 constructed as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6.

The ink cartridge 9 has a supply reel 25 and a take-up reel.
The ink sheet 2 is loaded by attaching the reel 26 to a predetermined position of the cartridge 9' and stretching the ink sheet 2 wound around the supply reel 25 to the take-up reel 26 side. By using this ink cartridge 9, the ink sheet 2 can be loaded into the recording apparatus A very easily and reliably in a stable state.

Normally, the ink sheet 2 loaded into the recording device is not removed until the sheet 2 is completely used. Then, the ink sheet 2 that has been completely used is disposed of. Therefore, the ink cartridge 9 loaded with the ink sheet 2 is also disposable and is required to be inexpensive.

Therefore, the cartridge 9' in this embodiment is integrally molded of plastic, thereby reducing the number of parts and assembly cost.

As shown in the figure, the cartridge 9' has a first housing 9a, a second housing 9b, and doors 9c and 9d that are integrally molded with a plastic bottom shape.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, which is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge 9', a thin wall portion 9e formed thinner than the wall thickness of the housings 9a and 9b is provided at the connecting portion between the first housing 9a and the second housing 9b. In addition, similar thin-walled portions 9f and 9 are provided at the connecting portions between the first housing 9a and the doors 9c and 9d formed approximately in the center of the housing 9a.
It is molded with g. Further, the doors 9c and 9d are connected by a vertical connecting piece 9h.

The thin portion 9e is connected to the supply reel 25 in the cartridge 9'.
After loading the take-up reel 26, the first housing 9a and the second
It is configured as a hinge when closing the housing 9b facing each other. Also, the thin section 9''.

Reference numeral 9g is configured as a hinge when the doors 9c and 9d are opened by fork members 3C provided on both sides of the recording head 30 when the ink cartridge 9 is installed in the recording apparatus A.

The thin portions 90 to 9g have flexibility and appropriate strength. That is, the thickness of the thin parts 9e to 9g is set appropriately depending on the plastic material used.

The thin wall portions 98 to 9g may be formed over the entire length,
Moreover, it may be formed intermittently with a predetermined length.

The undulating connecting piece 9h that connects the doors 9c and 9d connects the doors 9c and 9d when the ink cartridge 9 is in an unused state.
9d is kept closed to prevent dirt and dust from entering the inside of the cartridge 9. Furthermore, when the ink cartridge 9 is installed in the recording apparatus A, the fork member 3c provided on the recording head 3 comes into contact with the doors 9c and 9d.
, 9d are formed with dimensions that allow them to be easily broken when opening them.

As the molding material for the cartridge 9', resins such as polypropylene resin and ABS resin can be used.

In the cartridge 9', a window 9i+ for inserting the platen roller 4 is formed approximately in the center of the second housing 9b, and the shaft portion 4b of the platen roller 4 is inserted into the window 9h. A notch 912 is formed for this purpose.

Side plates 9a+ and 9b+ are formed upright on both side surfaces of the first housing 9a and the second housing 9b, respectively, and curved surfaces of 1/4 circle are formed on the thin wall portion 9e side and the open side, respectively. Further, on the open side curved surface, an engagement recess 9az is formed on the first housing 9a side, and a locking protrusion 9b that engages with the engagement recess 9 is formed on the second housing 9b side.

Furthermore, on the open side curved surfaces of the first housing 9a and the second housing 9b,
Locking protrusions 9a3 and 9b are formed, respectively, to engage with a locking spring 41 provided on the cover 11 when the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the recording cover 11.

Guide bins 9j are formed at predetermined positions on both sides of the side plate 9b+ of the second housing 9b to serve as a guide when the ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the recording cover 11.

At predetermined positions on the side plates 9a+ and 9b+, there is a supply
A U-groove 9k for loosely fitting the bearing 27 mounted on the take-up reel 25 and a U-groove 91 for loosely fitting the bearing 27 mounted on the take-up reel 26 are formed, respectively. Moreover, the reel gear 25 of the supply reel 25 is provided in the first housing 9a and the second housing 9b, respectively.
An opening 9m is formed to expose the reel gear 26C of the take-up reel 26.

In FIG. 4, when the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11, 9n comes into contact with a sensor 50 provided on the cover \-11, and the sensor 50 detects the presence or absence of the ink cartridge 9, or the ink cartridge 9. This is an identification section for identifying the size, etc. of the ink sheet 2 loaded in the ink sheet 2.

Both the supply reel 25 and the take-up reel 26 have reel shafts 25a, 26a that are longer than the width of the ink cartridge 9, as shown in FIG. The reel shafts 25a, 25b are provided with flanges 25b+, 25b having a length substantially equal to the inner dimension of the ink cartridge 9.
z, 26b+, and 26bz are provided.

The reel gear 25 is attached to the flanges 25b and 26bl.
c, 26C are integrally formed.

In this embodiment, the reel gears 25c and 26c are formed as helical gears.
The twisting direction of the teeth c is from the reel shaft 25a, 2 (ia to the flange 25bl, 26bl side to the flange 25bz, 2
6b! In other words, it is formed with a direction in which thrust can be generated on one end side in the axial direction.

Also, both ends of the reel shafts 25a and 26a are connected to reel gears 25c.
, 26c and the flanges 25bz, 26bt. A bearing 27 is rotatably mounted on this protruding end. Therefore, when each reel 25, 26 is attached to the cartridge Fuji 9' of the ink cartridge 9, each reel 25, 26 is inserted into the U groove 9 via the bearing 27, 9j! It is loosely fitted into. The bearing 27 protrudes from the cartridge 9' of the ink cartridge 9, and the bearing 27 protrudes from the cartridge 9' of the ink cartridge 9, and the bearing 27
Bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40 formed in the device main body 7 of A
a, 40b.

Next, a case will be described in which the ink cartridge 9 is manufactured by loading the ink sheet 2 into the cartridge 9' configured as described above.

As shown in FIG. 3, with the cartridge 9' open, the supply reel 25 having the ink sheet 2 and bearings 27 attached to both ends is attached to the U groove 9k on the second housing 9b side. Further, a winding wheel 26 with bearings 27 mounted on both ends is attached to the U groove 91.

Then, the leading end of the ink sheet 2 is pulled out from the supply reel 25 and attached to the reel shaft 26a of the take-up reel 26 using adhesive tape or the like. Thereafter, the first housing 9a is bent around the thin wall portion 9e to face the second housing, and the engagement recess 9a□ and the engagement protrusion 9bt are engaged.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an ink cartridge 9 loaded with an ink sheet 2 can be manufactured.

The ink cartridge 9 is mounted on the recording cover 11 via a mounting groove 28 configured as described below.

The recording head 3 and platen roller 4 constitute a recording section. The recording head 3 and platen roller 4
are arranged facing each other. The recording head 3 is swingably provided on the recording cover 11, and the platen roller 4 is rotatably provided on the apparatus main body 7.

In the case of this example, the recording throat 3 is a thermal head having a plurality of heating elements, and is swingably attached to a head support portion 3a provided on the recording cover 11. Further, the recording gutter 3 is urged toward the platen roller 4 by a spring 3b disposed between the head 3 and the recording cover 11. This biasing force presses the overlapping recording sheet 1 and ink sheet 2 against the platen roller 4 side.

Fork members 3c are provided on both sides of the recording gutter 3. When the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11, the fork member 3C opens the doors 9c and 9d formed on the cartridge 9, and also engages with the shaft portion 4b of the platen roller 4 so that the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11. It has a positioning function for setting the position of the gutter 3 for recording.

The platen roller 4 is provided on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording sheet 1. The platen roller 4 is formed with a roller portion 4a corresponding to the width dimension of the recording sheet l. Shaft portions 4b are formed on both sides of the roller portion 4a, and a fork member 3C provided on the recording head 3 can be engaged with the shaft portions 4b.

The platen roller 4 is driven by the driving force of a motor 29. The motor 29 is mounted on the side plate 7 of the device main body 7.
It is fixed to a. Further, the rotation of the motor 29 is transmitted to the platen roller 4 via gears 30a to 30c. When forming an image on the recording sheet 1, the platen roller 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow to transport the recording sheet 1 in the direction of the arrow a, and after the recording sheet 1 is cut by the counter 5, the platen roller 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow. 4 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow, and the recording sheet 1 is conveyed in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow 11.

The device main body 7 for installing the platen roller 4, etc., includes:
It is formed into a rigid U-shape.

Side plates 7a and 7b are formed on both sides of the device main body 7, and the side plates 7a and 7b are connected by a partition plate 7C. The partition plate 7C separates the recording device A and the reading system B.
It has the function of separating the

A recording cover 11 is attached to the apparatus main body 7 via a rotation shaft 10 so as to be openable and closable.

In conventional facsimile machines, the center of rotation of the recording cover relative to the main body of the machine is located below the operation panel. For this reason, when opening the recording cover, the document placed on the top surface of the cover! 3! In order to prevent interference between the end of the device and the end of the operation panel, the operation panel is provided at a position farther away than the document table, and therefore the length of the entire device is longer.

For this reason, in this embodiment, the center of rotation of the recording cover 11 with respect to the apparatus main body 7 is located at the end of the document mounting table 13 formed on the side of the operation panel C and on the upper surface of the recording cover 11. There is.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 (^) and (B), the upper surface of the recording cover 11 is the original! ! The document mounting table 13 is formed with an inclined portion 13a that slopes downward toward the reading system B. The horizontal portion 13b of the base 1&232a stand 13 is configured to have approximately the same height as the upper surface of the operation panel C.

The end of the recording cover 11 on the reading system B side, that is, the original! 3! At the end of the inclined portion 13a of the device 13, a shaft member 31 having rotating wheels IO on both sides is provided.

This shaft member 31 is configured to protrude toward the original table 13 side of the recording cover 11, and to position the rotation axis lO to the side of the operation panel C. Note that the original 1 is placed on the inclined portion 13a.
A slider 13c is provided to guide the document 12, and the slider 13c can be slid according to the size of the document 12.

A pair of brackets 32 are fixed to opposite ends of the side plates 7a and 7b of the apparatus main body 7 on the partition plate 7c side. The bracket 32 serves as a support for making the recording cover 11 rotatable relative to the apparatus main body 7. For this reason, the bracket 32 is formed with a shaft hole 10a into which the rotation shaft 10 provided on the recording cover 11 is inserted.

The shaft hole 10a may be formed as a round hole, but in this embodiment, an elongated hole is formed so that the recording cover 11 can be moved in the front-back direction with respect to the main body 7 of the apparatus.

The bracket 32 is as shown in the figure.
The shaft hole 10a formed in 2 is located on the side of the operation panel C and at the end of the operation panel C on the document table 13 side. In other words, the center of rotation of the recording cover 11 is positioned on the side of the operation panel C and at the end of the operation panel C on the document table I3 side.

By fitting the rotating shaft 10 of the recording cover 11 into the shaft hole 10a formed in the bracket 32, the apparatus main body 7
The recording cover 11 is attached so as to be openable and closable.
The center of rotation of the recording cover 11 should be on the side of the operation panel C and the document! ! It becomes possible to position the 2-position stand at the end of 13 examples.

As described above, the center of rotation of the recording cover 11 relative to the apparatus main body 7 is set to the side of the operation panel C and on the document R placing table 13.
By locating it at the end of the example, when the recording cover 11 is opened, the end of the operation panel C and the end of the document table 13 will not interfere with each other.

Therefore, it is possible to arrange the operation panel C close to the document a table 13 side, and therefore, it is possible to shorten the overall length of the apparatus.

When closing the recording cover 11, a rotational torque is applied to the rotational axis lO in accordance with the weight acting on the center of gravity of the recording cover 11 and the horizontal distance between the rotational axis lO and the center of gravity. Therefore, if the recording cover 11 is allowed to fall freely from the open state, there is a risk that an impact will be generated due to the rotational torque when the cover 11 is closed.

For this reason, conventional recording apparatuses are configured such that a torsion coil spring is attached to the rotating shaft of the recording cover, and the spring generates a braking force. However, since the rotating shaft is usually provided at the end of the recording cover, the distance between the rotating shaft and the center of gravity of the recording cover is long, and therefore it is necessary to increase the rigidity of the torsion coil spring. .

In this embodiment, a torsion coil spring 3G is attached to a shaft portion 33c provided on a cover stay 33 for maintaining the open position of the recording cover 11, and the spring 36 is configured to generate a braking force.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 (^) and (B), a cover stay 33 is rotatably attached to the side plate 7b of the main body 7, and a pin 34 is provided on the recording cover 11. There is.

No. 111 The cover stay 33 is attached to the mounting portion 3 provided on the side plate 7b.
It is attached to 5. The position of the mounting portion 35 is aligned with the rotation axis l, which is the center of rotation between the device main body 7 and the recording cover 11.
It is provided closer to the center of gravity G of the recording cover 11 than O. Further, the bin 34 is provided near the center of gravity of the recording cover 11.

The cover stay 33 has a plate member 3 formed with a groove 33a.
3b and a shaft portion 33 for attaching the torsion coil spring 36.
It is composed of c. The groove 33a is connected to the shaft portion 33.
An arcuate groove 33a+ is formed near c.
8. A substantially straight line 33a2 is formed continuously. A pin 34 provided on the recording cover 11 is fitted into the groove 33a, and the rotational force of the recording cover 11 is transmitted to the cover stay 33 via the pin 34. Note that the protrusion 33a formed at the end of the groove 33a2 is for engaging with the bottle 34 to maintain the open state of the recording cover 11.

A through hole 33d is formed axially through the shaft member 33c. By fitting the cover stay 33 to a shaft 35a provided in the mounting portion 35 through the through hole 33d, the stay 33 is rotatably attached to the device main body 7 about the shaft 35a.

A torsion coil spring 36 is attached to the outer periphery of the shaft member 33c. One arm 3 of the torsion coil spring 36
6a is a hole 35 formed on the mounting portion 35 provided on the side plate 7b.
b and is fixed to the device main body 7, and the other arm 36b is a free end. The recoil spring 36 is tightened when the cover stay 33 rotates in the closing direction of the recording cover 11, and the recording cover 11
The shaft member 33c is attached to the shaft member 33c so that the shaft member 33c loosens when the shaft member 33c rotates in the opening direction. The inner diameter of the torsion coil spring 36 is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the shaft member 33c. Therefore, the torsion coil spring 3
There is always 11 between 6 and the shaft member 33c! Friction load is acting.

By fitting the pin 34 provided on the recording cover 11 into the groove 33a of the cover stay 33 configured as described in 2.
It is possible to generate braking force by

That is, from the open state of the recording capacitor 11 shown in FIG.
During the transition of the recording cover 11 to the closed state shown in the figure (while the recording cover 11 is shifted from the open state to the closed state with constant angular velocity movement), the groove 33a2 of the cover stay 33 as shown in FIG. and the bin 34 are engaged. At this time, the cover stay 33 rotates as the recording cover 11 rotates, but this rotation angle is not large because the groove 3382 is linear. Then, as the rotation of the recording cover 11 progresses and the pin 34 engages with the arcuate groove 33al as shown in FIG. 3B, the rotation angle of the cover stay 33 increases. Therefore, the frictional load between the torsion coil spring 36 and the shaft portion 33c becomes large, and the spring 36 becomes tightened, so that a braking force acts on the cover stay 33. At this time, the rotational torque acting on the shaft portion 33c of the cover stay 33 is smaller than the rotational torque acting on the rotational shaft 10 of the recording cover 11, so that the torsion coil spring 36
It is possible to reduce the rigidity of

The recording apparatus A of this embodiment uses a thermal transfer method. As mentioned above, this recording method involves polymerizing the recording sheet 1 and the ink sheet 2, and heating the ink sheet 2 in an image pattern from the support sheet side to melt the ink and transfer it to the recording sheet 1 to form an image. is formed. Therefore, a sticking force of the molten ink acts between the recording sheet l and the ink layer. Then, the conveying force acting on the recording sheet 1 due to the sticking force is transmitted to the recording cover 11 via the ink sheet 2, and a force is applied to move the cover 11 in the conveying direction of the recording sheet (l).

When image formation is performed normally, the sticking force is small and does not pose a problem because the ink is melted.

However, if for some reason during image formation the recording sheet 1 and the ink sheet 2 are polymerized and the molten ink solidifies, a large sticking force is generated, which causes the recording cover 11 to stick to the recording sheet 1. There is a risk that the product may move in the transport direction.

For this reason, in this embodiment, the recording cover 11 is fixed to the apparatus main body 7, and the recording cover 11 is configured not to move in the front-back direction.

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8, shafts 37 are provided on the side plates 7a and 7b of the apparatus main body 7 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording sheet 1, respectively.

The shaft 37 is arranged with a predetermined degree of parallelism to the axial direction of the platen roller 4.

A pair of locking members 38 are fixed to both sides of the recording cover 11 at positions facing the shaft 37. This locking member 3
8 is formed into a fork shape having a U groove 38a that engages with the shaft 37. The inner diameter dimension of the U groove 38a is the shaft 37
It is formed with a predetermined fitting tolerance for the outer diameter dimension. A line connecting the centers of the pair of U grooves 38a is arranged parallel to the supply reel 25 and take-up reel 26 of the ink sheet 2. When closing the recording cover 11 with respect to the apparatus main body 7, by engaging the locking member 38 with the shaft 37, the recording cover 11 is accurately positioned with respect to the apparatus main body 7, and the 11 ? T
Prevents movement in the rear direction.

In the above configuration, the sticking force generated between the recording sheet 1 and the ink layer is transmitted to the recording cover 11 via the ink sheet 2, and is further transmitted from the locking member 38 to the apparatus main body 7 via the shaft 37. communicated. At this time, since the locking member 38 and the shaft 37 fit together with a predetermined tolerance, the recording cover 11 does not move in the front-back direction.

Next, the configuration of the loading portion of the recording cover 11 into which the ink cartridge 9 is removably loaded and the gear portion of the conveyance system for conveying the ink sheet 2 inside the ink cartridge 9 will be explained.

Generally, when performing positioning in multiple directions with one operation, skill in the operation is required. However, with office machines such as recording devices, it is difficult to require skilled operation.

For this reason, in conventional recording apparatuses, some allowance, ie, play, is provided in the axial direction of each reel in order to facilitate attachment of the take-up reel and the supply reel to the recording cover. However, due to the backlash that each reel has, the ink sheet being conveyed during image formation may be skewed, which may cause a jam. A spring means for applying lateral pressure to the reel is required, which increases the number of parts.

In this embodiment, by mounting the ink cartridge 9 on a recording cover 11 serving as a loading section and closing the cover 11, the longitudinal and vertical positions of each reel 25, 26 are adjusted to the bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40a, 40
b and the support member 42, and by applying thrust to each reel 25, 26, the position of each reel 25, 26 in the left and right direction can be set.

First, to explain in detail the structure of the part into which the ink cartridge 9 is loaded, the mounting groove 28 for removably loading the ink cartridge 9 faces both sides of the recording cover 11, as shown in FIG. It is provided. This mounting groove 28 is formed as a key-shaped groove for locking the guide pin 9j of the ink cartridge 9. Further, on both sides of the recording cover 11, each reel 25 is provided facing each other.
．． The bearing 27 is fitted to both ends of the bearing 26.
U-shaped bearing groove 39a for positioning 7,
39b, 40a.

40b are provided at predetermined intervals on the same extension line. The bearing grooves 39a and 40a are formed as U grooves passing through the recording cover 11, and the bearing groove 39b.

40b has an axial end closed (formed as a J groove). Also, near the open end side of the recording cover 11 is a locking spring for locking the locking protrusion 9b of the ink cartridge 9. 41 are provided.

Bearing grooves 39a, 39b formed in the recording cover 11,
Side plates 7a and 7b of the device main body 7 facing 40a and 40b
A support member 42 is provided. The support member 4
2 is in contact with bearings 27 fitted to both ends of each reel 25, 26, and the bearings 27 are inserted into the bearing grooves 39a, 39b.

By biasing toward 40a and 40b, each reel 2
5 and 26 to maintain their positions relative to the recording cover 11. The support member 42 includes a case 42a fixed to the side plates 7a and 7b, and a support piece 42b having one end housed in the case 42a and the other end having a contact surface with the bearing 27.
It is constituted by a spring housed in the case 42a.

Therefore, the guide pin 9j of the ink cartridge 9 is fitted into the key-shaped groove 28a and locked, and the ink cartridge 9 is rotated around the guide pin 9j, so that the locking protrusion 9b
The ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11 by locking s to the locking spring 39. At this time,
The bearing 27 has respective bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40a, 40.
Fits into b. And when the record cover 11 is closed,
Since the bearing 27 is supported by the support piece 42b of the support member 42 and is biased toward the bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40a, and 40b, the mounting position of each reel 25, 26 with respect to the recording cover 11 is set. Ru.

Also, as described above, the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11.
When installing the cartridge 9, the cartridge 9 can be brought into contact with a guide shaft 24 rotatably provided on the recording cover 11, and inserted along this guide shaft 24. Further, when the guide pin 9j of the ink cartridge 9 is inserted into the mounting groove 28 and the ink cartridge 9 is then rotated, the fork members 3 provided on both sides of the recording head 3
C comes into contact with 139c and 9d of the ink cartridge 9,
1. The connecting piece 9h connecting the doors 9c and 9d is broken and pushed open, thereby inserting the recording head 3 into the ink cartridge 9.

As described above, the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11.
When mounted, the position of each reel 25, 26 in the front-rear direction is set by bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40a, 40b. When the recording cover 11 is closed to the main body 7 of the apparatus, the vertical position of each reel 25, 26 is adjusted to the bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40a, 40b and the supporting member 4.
It is set by 2.

Further, when the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11, the sensor 50 provided on the cover 11 comes into contact with the identification part 9n of the ink cartridge 9, and detects the presence or absence of the ink cartridge 9 or the presence or absence of the ink sheet 2 loaded in the ink cartridge 9. It is configured to be able to detect size, etc.

Next, the configuration of the conveyance system for the ink sheet 2 will be explained.

That is, when the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 11, the reel gear 26c of the take-up rule 26 meshes with the driving force transmission gear 44a that constitutes the drive mechanism 44 of the take-up rule 26 provided in the recording cover 11. , and the reel gear 25c of the supply reel 25 is a tension transmission gear 45 that constitutes a back tension applying mechanism 45 provided in the device main body 7.
It is configured so that it can mesh with a.

The reel gears 25c and 26c of each of the reels 25 and 26 are constructed of helical gears as described above (see FIG. 3), and the driving force transmission gears 44a and 44a on the recording cover 11 side mesh with the reel gears 25c and 26c, respectively. The tension transmission gear 45a is also configured by a helical gear.

As shown in FIG.
By meshing them and applying a rotational force to the driving force transmission gear 44a, an axial thrust is generated in the winding wheel 25.

Also, the reel gear 25c of the supply reel 25 and the recording cover 1
The reel 26 is meshed with the tension transmission gear 45a on the first side.
When the ink sheet 2 wound around the ink sheet 2 is taken up by the take-up reel 26, the tension acting on the ink sheet 2 rotates the supply reel 25, and the rotational force is transferred from the reel gear 25c to the tension transmission gear 4 on the recording cover 11 side.
5a, it generates an axial thrust in the feeder 25.

The thrust force acting on each reel 25, 26 is
Bearing 27 fitted into bearing grooves 39b and 4ob formed in
transmitted to. The signal is then transmitted from the bearing 27 to the recording cover 11 and supported by the cover 11.

Supply reel 25 and take-up reel 26 configured as described above
In this case, an axial thrust is applied while the ink sheet 2 is being conveyed. Therefore, the reels 25 and 26 are always urged toward the bearing grooves 39b and 40b formed in the recording cover 11. Therefore, each reel 25, 26 does not move in the axial direction during conveyance of the ink sheet 2, which prevents the ink sheet 2 from being skewed, and there is no possibility of a jam occurring due to the skew. Also each reel 25 C+
Since the thrust of 26c is stopped by the bearing grooves 39b and 40b and does not act on the ink cartridge 9, there is no need to provide rigidity to the ink cartridge 9.

As mentioned above, it can be configured with a helical gear - Lugya 2
5c, 26c, driving force transmission gear 44a, tension transmission gear 4
In 5a, if the torsion angle of the helical gear is smaller than 3 degrees, sufficient axial thrust cannot be obtained, and if it is larger than 20 degrees, although the axial thrust becomes large, it interferes with the rotation of the gear. Therefore, it is set within the range of 3 degrees to 30 degrees, but even within this range, it is preferably set within the range of 4 degrees to 15 degrees, and most preferably within the range of 5 degrees to 10 degrees. It is.

Further, the number of teeth of the reel gears 25c and 26c is set to 52, for example, and the driving force transmission gear 44a and the tension transmission gear 45
It is preferable that the number of teeth of a is set to 12, for example. By setting the number of teeth of the gears 25c+26c+44a+45a in this way, it is possible to easily obtain an optimal ink sheet conveyance speed and to obtain an axial thrust.

As shown in FIG.
located on the side of the Further, the driving machine tl$44 is constructed as shown in FIG. 13.

In a conventional recording device using a one-time ink sheet, a drive mechanism for a take-up reel for conveying the ink sheet is provided on the main body of the device, and a driving force transmission gear constituting the drive mechanism is configured as a pendulum gear. Generally, the take-up reel is engaged with the gear, and a slip clutch is provided in the drive mechanism to transmit the rotation of the motor. For this reason, if the tension acting on the ink sheet becomes large, there is a risk that the meshing portion of the pendulum gear may skip or the slipping clutch may slip. That is, there is a possibility that the rotation of the drive motor constituting the drive mechanism may not be reliably transmitted to the take-up reel.

When a multi-print method is adopted in the recording apparatus A, since this recording method forms an image while shearing the ink within the ink layer, in order to convey the ink sheet 2, it is necessary to 2, the frictional force between the recording pad 3 and the shearing force of the ink is required. Therefore, the conveying force for the ink-12 is greater than the conveying force when using a conventional one-time ink sheet.

In addition, in the multi-print method, one print sheet per recording sheet.
Each time an image for a line is formed, fill the ink sheet 2 1/
It is necessary to reliably transport the image for n lives, and by reliably performing the transport, it becomes possible to improve the quality of the recorded image.

In order to satisfy the above conditions, in this embodiment, the drive mechanism 4
4 is provided on the recording cover 11.

The drive mechanism 44 has a bracket 46 fixed to the side surface (in this embodiment, the right side surface) of the recording cover 11.
A drive motor 44b is fixed to 6.

A motor gear 44c is attached to the shaft of the drive motor 44b. The bracket 46 also includes a first reduction gear 44d1, a second reduction gear 44e, and a driving force transmission gear 4.
Third reduction gears 44f integrally formed with the third reduction gears 4a are rotatably attached to each gear with a predetermined center-to-axis distance maintained therebetween. Therefore, drive motor 44b
The rotation is reliably transmitted to the driving force transmission gear 44a through each gear 44c to 44d to 44f while being decelerated.

As described above, in the drive mechanism 44 of this embodiment, it is possible to reliably transmit the rotation of the drive motor 44b to the drive force transmission gear 44a, and therefore the ink sheet 2 can be transported at a predetermined conveyance speed. This makes it possible to transport reliably.

Further, when the conveyance system for the ink sheet 2, that is, the take-up reel 26 and the drive mechanism 44 for the reel 26 are provided on the recording cover 11 as described above, the general feeding force against the ink sheet 2 acts on the recording cover 11. For this reason, the recording cover 11
There is a possibility that the ink sheet 2 may move in the transport direction of the ink sheet 2 with respect to the apparatus main body 7.

In this embodiment, the locking member 3 is attached to the recording cover 11 as described above.
8, a shaft 37 that engages with the locking member 38 is provided on the apparatus main body 7, and when the recording cover 11 is closed, the locking member 38 is engaged with the shaft 37. prevents movement in the front-back direction.

Next, the back tension applying mechanism 45 for applying back tension to the take-up reel 25 is shown in FIG. 2(A).
, as shown in (B), is provided on the side plate 7a of the device main body 7.

The back tension applying mechanism 45 has a rotating plate 45b2 configured to be rotatable about a rotational fulcrum 45b1 on the side 1i7a, and is fixed to the rotating plate 45b2.
It is composed of a slip clutch 45c connected to a tension transmission gear 45a, and a tension spring 45d that biases the rotating plate 45b2 upward.

In the bank tension applying mechanism 45 configured as described above, the reel gear 25c of the supply reel 25 and the tension transmission gear 45a mesh with each other, and when the ink sheet 2 wound around the reel 25 is rewound, the reel 25 rotates. do. The rotation of the supply reel 25 is transmitted from the reel gear 25c to the slip clutch 45c via the tension transmission gear 45a. Thereby, a predetermined bank tension is applied to the ink sheet 2.

Next, image formation in the recording apparatus A configured as described above will be explained.

First, as shown in FIG. 8, open the recording cover 11 and
The sheet roll la is stored in the roll holder 8, and the leading edge of the recording sheet l is pulled out to the platen roller 4. Next, the ink cartridge 9 is attached to the recording cover 1 as described above.
1, the ink sheet 2 is loaded, and the cover 11 is closed. By closing the recording cover 11, the supply reel 25 attached to the ink cartridge 9 is removed.
And the take-up reel 26 has bearing grooves 39a, 39b, 40a,
40b, each reel 25,26 is positioned in a predetermined position. At the same time, a locking member 3 provided on the recording cover 11
8 engages with the shaft 37 provided on the main body of the device,
The recording cover 11 is set at a predetermined position with respect to the apparatus main body 7, and its movement in the front and rear directions is restricted.

Original Ii formed on the top surface of the recording cover 11! When the original 12 is placed on the X table 13 and the copy mode is selected on the operation panel C, the original 12 is read by the reading system B, and both signals are transmitted to the recording device A. Ru. At the same time, the motor 29 causes the platen roller 4 to
is driven to transport the recording sheet 1 in the direction of arrow a, and the ink sheet 2 is transported in the direction of arrow tC by the drive motor 44b.

An image is then formed on the recording sheet 1 by driving the recording head 3 in accordance with the transmitted image signal. The recording sheet 1 on which a predetermined image has been formed is further conveyed in the direction of arrow a, and when the edge of the image reaches the cutter 5, the cutter 5 is driven to cut the recording sheet 1. The cut recording sheet is transported by a pair of transport rollers 6 and discharged to the outside of the apparatus.

Further, the recording sheet l is conveyed by the platen roller 4 in a direction opposite to the direction of arrow a.

In the manner described above, a predetermined image can be formed on the recording sheet l.

[Other Examples]

In the above embodiment, the case is shown in which the ink sheet 2 is applied to the ink sheet cartridge 9 stored in the cartridge holder 9', but it is also possible to print on the ink sheet reel (supply reel 251 take-up reel 26) that is not stored in the cartridge holder 9'. Of course, it can also be applied when loading a device.

In addition, the case where the multi-print method is adopted as the thermal transfer recording method is shown, but in the case of an ink sheet reel, an ink sheet retractor, or a recording device that completely transfers ink to the recording sheet l by one image recording. It can be similarly applied to

Further, in the above embodiment, a helical gear (reel gear 25C126C) is used as the gear means for generating thrust in the axial direction, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, a helical gear or the like can also be used to generate thrust in the axial direction. I can do it.

Further, although the case is shown in which the ink cartridge 9 (supply reel 251 take-up reel 26) is loaded on the recording cover 11 side, it may also be loaded on the apparatus main body 7 side.

Furthermore, although the ink cartridge 9 has been shown to be integrally molded from plastic, the first housing 9a, the second housing 9b, etc. may be formed as separate parts.

In addition, although a case is shown in which the cartridge 9', which is the frame of the ink sheet cartridge 9, is configured to almost completely cover the ink sheet 2 except for the part where the recording head 3 etc. are inserted, the ink sheet reel (supply reel) It may also consist of a frame portion that only holds the 251 take-up reel 26).

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, in the present invention, the frame body for storing the ink sheet is constructed by integrally molding the first housing and the second housing through the thin-walled portion, so the number of parts constituting the ink cartridge can be significantly reduced. It is possible to reduce the assembly cost significantly.

Further, an opening for inserting the recording head is formed in one of the housings constituting the cartridge, and a plurality of doors that can be opened and closed are integrally molded and attached to the opening through thin-walled parts,
When the door is connected by a thin section that can be cut and formed into an integral body, the sealing performance of the cartridge in an unused state is improved to prevent dust, etc. from entering the cartridge through the opening. Handling efficiency and safety can be improved.

Furthermore, when loading the ink cartridge cartridge into a recording device, the thin wall connecting the doors can be easily cut by pressing the plurality of doors, so the recording head can be inserted into the cartridge through the opening. It can be inserted to facilitate the loading work of the ink cartridge lithography.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 (^) is an external perspective view of the facsimile machine;
B) is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of the facsimile machine, Fig. 2 (A)
, (B) is a perspective view of the recording device, Figures 3 to 6 are explanatory diagrams of the ink car I-renoji, Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram with the recording cover closed, and Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram with the recording cover opened. 9(A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams showing how the recording cover is attached to the main body of the device, FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the cover stay, and FIGS. 11(A) and (B) are FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the take-up reel attached to the recording cover, FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the drive mechanism, and FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the ink sheet. A is a recording device, B is a reading system, C is an operation panel, 1 is a recording sheet, 2 is an ink sheet, 3 is a recording head, 4 is a platen roller, 5 is a counter, 6 is a pair of conveyance rollers, 7 is the main body of the device, 7a and 7b are side plates, 8 is a roll holder, 9
is an ink cartridge cartridge, 9' is a cartridge, 9a is a first housing, 9b is a second housing, 9e to 9g are thin parts, IO is a rotating shaft, 10a is a shaft hole, 11 is a recording cover, 13 is a document R Placement stand, 13a is an inclined part, 13b is a horizontal part, 25 is a supply reel, 25c, 26c are reel gears, 26 is a take-up reel, 27 is a bearing, 28 is a mounting groove, 29 is a motor, 31
3 is a shaft member, 32 is a plaque note, 33 is a cover stay, 3
3a is a groove, 33c is a shaft portion, 34 is a bottle, 35 is a mounting portion,
35a is a shaft, 36 is a torsion coil spring, 37 is a shaft, 38
39a, 39b, 40a, 40b are bearing grooves, 41 is a locking spring, 42 is a support member, 42b is a support piece,
44 is a drive mechanism, 44a is a driving force transmission gear, 44b is a drive motor, 44d to 44f are reduction gears, 45 is a bank tension applying mechanism, 45a is a tension transmission gear, 45bz
is a rotating plate, 45c is a sliding flange, and 46 is a bracket. Figure 1 (A)

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A supply reel for supplying an ink sheet, a take-up reel for winding up the ink sheet, and a frame body for holding the supply reel and the take-up reel, the frame body An ink cartridge characterized in that a first casing and a second casing are integrally molded with a thin wall portion interposed therebetween. (2) An opening for inserting a recording head is formed in one of the casings constituting the frame, and a plurality of doors that can be opened and closed are integrally molded and attached to the opening through thin-walled parts. (1) The ink cartridge described. (3) The ink cartridge according to claim (2), wherein the plurality of doors are connected by a cuttable thin wall portion and integrally formed. (4) a conveying means for conveying a recording sheet; a loading means for loading the ink cartridge according to claim (1); and heating the ink sheet housed in the ink cartridge in accordance with an image signal. A recording device comprising: a recording head for;