JPH04156343A - Transferring for paper in thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain recording of good quality without contaminating recording paper with ink by slightly sending the recording paper back immediately after the recording due to a thermal transfer printer before transferring and discharging the same. CONSTITUTION:When a paper feed roller 9 is slightly sent back in the paper discharge operation after the completion of color recording, recording paper 1 is slacked. At this time, a platen 6 is not rotated. When the recording paper 1 is slackened, the platen 6 is released in an n-direction and a paper press roller 10 is released in a p-direction and the recording paper 1 is discharged to a discharge tray 16 by the rotation of paper discharge rollers 15 in directions (f), (g) to complete a series of operations. When the platen 6 is slightly rotated in a k-direction in the paper discharge operation after monochromatic recording, the slackened recording paper 1 returns to a circular shape. When the recording paper 1 is returned, the platen 6 is released in the n-direction and the recording paper 1 is discharged to the discharge tray 16 by the rotation of the paper discharge rollers 15 in the directions (f), (g) to complete a series of operations.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer. [Prior Art] A conventional paper conveyance method for monochrome and color thermal transfer printers is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. This will be briefly explained using FIGS. , 7, and 8.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a conventional thermal transfer printer.
a paper feed roller 33 for feeding recording paper 31; an ink ribbon 38 wound around a supply core 42 and a winding core 43;
EOF sensor 34 for detecting edges of recording paper 31
and a TOF sensor 35, a platen 36 made of rubber molded around a metal core, a recording head 37, and a paper feed roller 39.
, a paper holding roller 40 , a paper discharge roller 41 for discharging the recording paper 31 , and the like.

The paper feeding method is to feed the recording paper 31 by manually rotating the paper feeding roller 33 in the direction of arrow a in the figure using a recording start signal. B
After passing through the OF sensor 34, the paper is transported between the platen 36 and the head 37, which are disabled for paper feeding, to the paper feed roller 39 and paper press roller 40, which are paper transport means, and then TO
The paper feeding operation ends when the F sensor 35 detects the recording paper 31.

Next, the recording method will be shown. Since the recording operation methods are different when using a color ink ribbon and a monochrome ink ribbon, we will first explain the recording method when using a color ink ribbon.

In the case of color recording, during recording, a paper press roller 40 is pressed by a drive means (not shown) against a paper feed roller 39, which is the main paper transport means, and a platen 36 is pressed against a recording head 37 by a drive means (not shown).

Move the paper feed roller 39 in the direction of arrow d in the figure.
The arrow e in the figure indicates the paper presser roller 40 that rotates with the rotation of
Direction, arrow C in the figure of the platen 36 driven by the recording paper 31
By rotating the recording paper 31 in the direction, recording is performed according to the recording signal while conveying the recording paper 31. At the same time, the ink ribbon 38 is wound up in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. - After recording the color, the platen 36 pressing against the recording head 37 is released upward in the figure, the paper is returned by the paper feed roller 39, and the edge of the recording paper 31 is detected by the TOF sensor 35. Recording of the second color is started again. This process is repeated several times, and the color recording is completed.

In the case of monochrome recording, the platen 36 is connected to the recording head 37.
Recording is performed by rotating the platen 36 in the direction of arrow C in the figure by driving the recording paper 31 conveying means from a motor (not shown), and simultaneously winding the ink ribbon 38 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. At this time, the paper press roller 39 is released from the paper feed roller 40, and the recording paper 31
The paper passes between the paper discharge rollers 41 and is conveyed.

The paper ejecting operation after the color recording is completed is as shown in the flowchart in FIG. paper, and the series of operations ends.

Further, the paper ejecting operation after monochrome recording is completed is as shown in FIG. 6(b), after releasing the platen 36, the paper ejecting roller 41
As the recording paper 31 is rotated, the recording paper 31 is ejected, and the series of operations ends.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, there are several problems with the conventional paper ejecting operation after recording, and the fifth
The explanation will be made based on FIGS. 7 and 8, which are enlarged views of the middle part of the figure.

Immediately after color recording, the recording paper 31 is gripped by the grip force between the paper feed roller 39, which is the main paper conveying means, and the paper pressing roller 40, as shown in FIG. , the recording paper 31 is pulled from both sides as shown in section B in the figure, and when the platen 36 is released in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the recording paper 31 instantly moves in the direction of the arrow j in the figure.

At this time, since the recording paper 31 rubs against the ink surface of the ink ribbon 38, ink adheres to the non-printing surface of the recording paper 31, causing quality deterioration.

Furthermore, since the recording paper 31 immediately after monochrome recording is driven by the platen as shown in FIG. When the pressure between
The rubber surface of the platen 36 has become deformed as shown in the figure. Furthermore, a platen 3 is used to eject the recording paper 31.
6, the repulsive force of the deformed platen 36 causes the platen 36 to instantaneously rotate in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow C in the figure, and at the same time, the recording paper 31 also rotates in the opposite direction to the ejecting direction. Due to the movement in the direction, the ink surfaces of the recording paper 31 and the ink ribbon 38 rub against each other, causing ink to adhere to the non-printing surface of the recording paper 31, causing quality deterioration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer that eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art and provides high-quality recording without ink stains adhering to the recording paper.

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] A paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention is a paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer in which recording paper is conveyed by a platen and a paper feed roller, in which the number of recordings fL is
It is characterized by transporting and ejecting the recording paper after running it slightly backwards.

[Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2(a) and 2(b), 3, and 4.

FIG. 1 is a main cross-sectional view showing the structure of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. Inside the main body 5, a plurality of sheets of recording paper 1 are set in a paper feed tray 2, and a paper supply for feeding the recording paper 1 is provided. B for detecting the edge of the paper roller 3, the ink ribbon 8 wound around the supply core 17 and the take-up core 18, and the recording paper 1;
OF sensor 13 and TOF sensor 14;
Paper press roller 12, paper roller 15 that discharges the recording paper 1
, first paper guide 4, second paper guide] 9, paper output tray 16
, a head pressure spring 20, and the like.

The paper feeding method is to rotate the paper feed roller 3 in the direction of arrow a in the figure by manual input of a recording start signal, and move the recording paper 1 to the first paper guide 4.
Feed the paper along the top surface. BOF sensor] After passing through 3,
The recording paper 1 collides with the second paper feed roller 11 and the second paper press roller 12 which are stationary and in a suppressed state, and comes to rest in a slightly buckled state, and the leading edge of the recording paper 1 is parallelized, and at the same time, the recording paper is loaded onto the paper feed tray 2. The paper 1 is separated from the paper feed roller 3 by a method not shown.

The recording paper 1 is conveyed a predetermined number of steps through the platen 6 and the ink ribbon 8 by the rotation of the second paper feed roller 11, and is transported between the paper feed roller 9 and the paper presser roller 10, which are released when not recording. The paper feeding operation ends when the TOF sensor] 4 detects the recording paper 1.

Next, the recording method will be shown. Since the recording operation methods are different when using a color ink ribbon and a monochrome ink ribbon, we will first explain the recording method when using a color ink ribbon.

In the case of color recording, the paper presser roller] 0, which is released during paper feeding, is pressed against the paper feed roller 9, which is the main paper conveyance means, by a drive means (not shown), and the platen 6 is pressed against the recording head 7.
is pressed by a driving means (not shown). By rotating the platen 6 that follows the recording paper 1 in the direction of arrow C in the figure, the paper feed roller 9 in the direction of arrow d in the figure, and the paper presser roller 10 that follows the rotation of the paper feed roller 9 in the direction of arrow e in the figure, Recording is performed according to recording signals while conveying the recording paper 1. At the same time, the ink ribbon 8 is wound up in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. Recording paper 1
is guided by a second paper guide 9 fixed in parallel with the paper presser roller 10, and is conveyed passing between paper discharge rollers 15. - After finishing recording the color, the platen 6 pressing against the recording head 7 is released upward in the figure, the paper is returned by the paper feed roller 9, and the edge of the recording paper 1 is detected by the TOF sensor.
After detection in step 4, recording of the second color is started again. The shutter stops a few times and color recording ends.

In the case of monochrome recording, the platen 6 is pressed against the recording head 7, and the platen 6 is rotated in the direction of arrow C in the figure by driving the recording paper 1 conveying means from a motor (not shown).
At the same time, recording is performed by winding up the ink ribbon 8 in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure.

At this time, the paper press roller 9 is released from the paper feed roller 10, and the recording paper 1 is guided by the second paper guide 19 fixed in parallel with the paper press roller 9, and passes between the paper discharge rollers 15. and transported.

The paper ejecting operation after color recording is completed is as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2(a). When the paper feed roller 9 is moved backward by 4 mm, the recording paper 1 is moved to the enlarged view of section A in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the paper guide 14 bends from the dotted line part to the solid line part in the figure. At this time, the platen 6 is not rotating.

When the recording paper 1 is bent, move the platen 6 in the direction of arrow n in the figure.
direction, release the paper presser roller 10 in the direction of arrow p in the figure,
The recording paper 1 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 16 by rotation of the paper discharge roller 15 in the direction of the arrow f9g in the figure, and the series of operations is completed.

Further, the sheet ejecting operation after monochrome recording is performed as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2(b), by rotating the platen 6 by 4 mm in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the enlarged view of section A in FIG. Fourth
The platen 6, which had been bent, returns to its circular shape as shown by the dotted line in the figure. After returning, the platen 6 is released in the direction of the arrow n in the figure, and the recording paper]- is ejected to the paper ejection [ray] 6 by rotating the paper ejection roller ]5 in the direction of the arrows f and g in the figure. The operation ends.

By carrying out the paper ejection operation after color recording or monochrome recording as described above, the amount of relative movement between the recording paper 1 and the ink ribbon 8 is eliminated, and the ink ribbon 8 and the recording paper 1 do not slip.

In this embodiment, the paper return length after recording is 4 mm in order not to reduce the paper transport time per sheet and due to the hardness of the platen.
However, under other conditions, appropriate amounts of return can be obtained.

[Effect of the invention 1] As described above, according to the present invention, by slightly rotating the paper feed roller in the reverse direction and returning the recording i1E immediately after recording, the rubbing between the recording paper and the ink ribbon can be prevented in both color recording and monochrome convex recording. Therefore, there is no ink adhering to the non-printing area, which has the effect that good recording quality can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a main sectional view showing the structure of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are flowcharts showing an embodiment of a paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views showing an embodiment of the paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the structure of a conventional thermal transfer printer. FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are flowcharts showing one operation of a paper conveyance method of a conventional thermal transfer printer. FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views showing a paper conveyance method of a conventional thermal transfer printer. 1... Recording paper 2... Paper feed tray = 12- 3... Paper feed roller 4... First paper guide 5... Main body 6... Platen 7... Recording head 8. ... Ink ribbon 9 ... Paper feed roller 10 ... Paper press roller 11 ... Second paper feed roller 12 ... Second paper press roller 13 ... BOF sensor] 4 ... TOF sensor 15 ... Paper discharge roller 16 ... Paper discharge tray 17 ... Supply core 18 ... Winding core 19 ... Second paper guide 20 ... Head pressure spring or more 1 ... Warming Board/'i':' s figure 4] ゛-fork-fork 1 Bow 6 (b)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) In a paper conveyance method of a thermal transfer printer in which recording paper is conveyed by a platen and a paper feed roller, immediately after recording in the thermal transfer printer, the recording paper is slightly reversed, and then conveyed.
A paper conveyance method for a thermal transfer printer characterized by ejecting paper. 2) The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, wherein in the paper conveyance method of the thermal transfer printer, the recording paper is moved in the reverse direction in a recording state in which the platen and the recording head are pressed through the ribbon and the recording paper. paper conveyance method.