JPH04166378A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain good recording on all of many kinds of recording papers different in surface smoothness by providing an immediate peeling means peeling a thermal transfer ink ribbon from recording paper by the edge of a recording head and a post-peeling means peeling the same on the side further downstream from the edge of the recording head. CONSTITUTION:When paper having high smoothness is used as recording paper 2, an interface peeling type thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is used to transfer the ink of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 to the recording paper 2 by the heat generated in a recording head 15 and a peeling roller 29 is supported on both outside surfaces of the recording head 15 and a platen 11 along with a ribbon guide roller 32 by peeling plates 35 freely revolvable in directions E, F and keeps a balance on the platen 11 in the axial direction to stably peel the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13. Next, in the case of recording paper 2 low in smoothness, the respective peeling plates 35 are revolved in a direction F by a drive mechanism or manual operation and the peeling roller 29 is revolved to the position of the ribbon guide roller 32 at the time of post-peeling to form an intended ribbon peel angle.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer that heats and melts or sublimates a thermal transfer ink ribbon using a recording head to transfer the ink ribbon onto recording paper. [Prior art] The prior art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-146760 shown in Fig. 4.
known as a "thermal transfer printer". By rotating the platen 39 clockwise, A
Print paper 40 and ink sheet 41 entering from the direction
is thermally transferred at the pressure contact portion between the thermal head 42 and the platen 39, and then sent to the position of the exposure roller 43. Thereafter, the ink sheet 41 was peeled off by a peeling roller 43, and the ink sheet 41 was sent in the B direction, and the printing paper 40 was sent in the C direction. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, when recording is performed on various types of printing papers with different surface smoothness using the conventional technology, it is found that the problem is good for all printing papers, especially printing papers with low smoothness. There was a problem in that it was not possible to make accurate records. A thermal transfer printer handles various types of printing paper with different surface smoothness, and in order to obtain good records on all printing papers, when recording on printing paper with low smoothness, it is necessary to
Generally, an undercoat layer is provided between the base film that holds the ink and the ink layer so that the ink can be easily transferred, and the ink is transferred in a bridge shape to the concave portions of the printing paper, so it is formed using ink with a high self-cohesive force. It is necessary to peel the ink sheet from the printing paper before the ink re-solidifies or while the proper ink cohesive force is maintained, and the ink sheet must be peeled off from the printing paper at the edge of the thermal head, that is, near the heating element of the thermal head. It is desirable to peel it off (immediately peel off). Additionally, when recording on highly smooth printing paper, the ink tends to separate between the base film and the ink layer.
In addition, by using an interfacial release type ink sheet whose self-cohesive force of the ink is lower than that for rough paper, and by installing a peeling roller as in the conventional technology, the ink is cooled and re-solidified before being printed on the printing paper. It is necessary to peel it off. As described above, in a thermal transfer printer that handles various types of printing paper with different degrees of smoothness, a printer that can simultaneously realize both immediate peeling and post-peeling is desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve these conventional problems and to provide a thermal transfer printer that can obtain good recording on all types of printing paper having different surface smoothness. [Means for Solving the Problems] In a thermal transfer printer that transfers a thermal transfer ink ribbon to a recording paper by heating and melting or sublimating it with a recording head, the thermal transfer ink ribbon is transferred from the recording paper after being recorded by the recording head. The present invention is characterized in that it has both an immediate peeling means for performing the peeling at the edge of the recording head and a post-peeling means for performing the peeling further downstream from the edge of the recording head. [Embodiment] An embodiment of a thermal transfer printer capable of monochrome and color thermal transfer recording according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention during monochrome and color thermal transfer recording. First, monochrome thermal transfer recording will be explained with reference to FIG. When a recording start signal is input, a plurality of sheets of recording paper 2 set in the hopper 1 are rotated counterclockwise by a feed roller 3 made of a rubber material with a high friction coefficient, and the recording paper 2 is moved along the upper surface of a paper guide 4 to the right in the figure. Paper is fed in the direction. Furthermore, the paper path selection plate 5 that overlaps with the upper surface of the paper guide 4 is pushed up by its own weight, and after passing through the BOF sensor 6 which is the detection means of the recording paper 2, the second paper feed roller 7, which is stationary and in a pressed state, and the second The recording paper 2 collides with the paper presser roller 8 and comes to rest in a slightly buckled state.
Align the tips of the Immediately after this, the stepping motor 9 starts rotating, and the rotation is transmitted to the second paper feed roller rough via the paper feed gear 10, and the ink ribbon is stored in the platen 11 and the ink ribbon cassette 12.
After the recording paper 2 is conveyed for a predetermined number of steps between the recording heads 15 that apply pressure by the head pressure spring 14 via the supported thermal transfer ink ribbon 13, the recording paper 2 is stacked. The hopper 1 is separated from the feed roller 3, and the monochrome paper feeding operation is stopped. Here, the platen 11 and the platen pressure roller 16 that presses and releases the recording head 15 of the platen 11
The pose position is the pose state shown in FIG. 2(a) and the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure. The recording operation then begins, and the platen pressure roller 16, whose rotating shaft is eccentric to the central axis, receives driving force from a DC motor (not shown), and the platen 11 moves to the position shown by the solid line, as shown in FIG. 2(b). It stands still in the pose state and at the position shown by the solid line in the figure. A constant pressure is applied to the recording head 15 through the recording paper 2 and the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13, power supply to the recording head 15 is started, and recording is executed. During this recording, the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is transported by a train of wheels including a paper feed gear 10, a ribbon reduction gear A 17, a ribbon reduction gear B 18, and a ribbon gear 19, using a stepping motor 9 as a ribbon driving means as a driving source. . In other words, the drive source for conveying the recording paper 2 and the drive source for conveying the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 are shared. As recording progresses, the leading edge of the recording paper 2 moves to the first paper feeding port 20, which serves as the main paper transport means during color recording, to the bow state j:; in FIG. point de fi τ・
1st paper pushing λ roller 2
1 and 1, and it is fixed on its child's side)'
The sheet is guided by the h1140 guide 22 and rotated in the counterclockwise printing direction. 8 When the green color is finished, the number 11, the first paper 1
．． λ[j-la't), 1 is shown in FIG. -・The stacker 24 does not fall in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure.
Then, place the recording request 12 with the recording side facing down.
-Scrolling/Scooking: Execute and tilt in the direction of the arrow B knob in the figure: With the two, it is possible to form two states of face-up stacking in which loading is carried out with the ξ house side A1-'-) . Next, No. 7 Rah, then: lz; transcription record (': Please explain. Recording paper 2's paper feed number 11 is from hopper] to the first "8 string, feed D - rough" is monochrome thermal transfer recording. It is about the same time as the 7th paper feed 111 - rough and the second paper push λ roller 8
τ buckling at rest [y 7:': The recording paper 2 is transferred to the second paper feed port, which is driven by a new feed gear 10 using the slider 1 as a drive source. --- Several books were published on the anti-chronological rotation of U7.
A. - Shift value: Hopper 1 is spaced A from feed loaf 3. Further G', second paper feed D-Rough rotation

['Figure 2 (a)
and the platen 11 in the pose state shown by the dashed line in the figure.
The thermal transfer ink ribbon j, 3 supported by the ink ribbon cassette 12 is interposed between the recording head 5 and the recording head 5 which is subjected to pressure by the head pressure spring 14.
Paper holding roller 2], during the second paper feed, between 1 and 20, there is a conveyor belt 1. Ru. Furthermore, the leading edge of recording paper 2 is
2 and the recording paper leading edge detector
Upon detection by the sensor 25, the stepping motor 9
rotation stops. The iron moves to the state shown in FIG. 2(d) and grips the recording paper 2 at the first paper presser opening 21''?'.
In order to minimize the recording start position on the stretched recording paper 2, the stepping Tanabata 9 is reversed and the leading edge of the green paper 2 is transferred to the main transport means "C". Paper feed roller 2
0 and the first paper presser 1i-221; i - c' paper f
Perform N+. The paper feed ψj of the recording paper 2 is completed, and the next recording operation begins. Color recording starts from the right, but first, the color thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is first The thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 for color recording has a hot melting interval of 4!
The ink is coated in sequential order with red, magenta, and cyan, and a transparent part is cast at the border of each color to identify the beginning of the ink. This is detected by a reflective marker sensor (not shown) and the ribbon is moved to the beginning of the ribbon.The ribbon reduction gear C27 is used to transport the ribbon at 17:00 when the ribbon is frequently detected. , ribbon reduction gear D2
8. The information is transmitted to the ribbon gear 19 and winding is started at a speed that is two times higher than the recording speed. At the time of starting the ribbon, the ribbon reduction gear [8], which is the ribbon drive means [tau]' during recording, is released from the gear train with the ribbon gear [9] by a drive release means (not shown). When the first color ribbon is located Nr, the pause state shifts to the state shown in FIG. 2(c), and the recording head 15 starts to be energized and recording of the first color begins. , 2, the conveyance of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is transmitted by stepping (J). During recording, the train of drive transmission from the target motor 2G is released. - When the recording of color [1] is completed, the state shifts to the state shown in Fig. 2 (d), the paper returns to 1, the leading edge of the recording paper 2 passes the TOF sensor 25, and - the color recording start position W is reached. When the stepping motor 9 is returned, the rotation of the stepping motor 9 stops, but at the same time as the paper is returned, the second color cue of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is being executed.
) Return to the state of second color recording 1. = move. Thereafter, recording of the third color is executed in the same manner. When the next recording of the three-color plane is completed in this way, the state shifts to the state shown in FIG. Here, the τ' thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is unwound from the supply core 30, passed through the ribbon guide roller 3, heated and melted by the recording head 15, and transferred the ink to the recording paper 2, and then transferred to the ribbon peeling roller 29. The recording paper 2 is separated from the recording paper 2, and is wound around a ribbon winding core 33 while being guided by a ribbon guide roller 32.In addition, in this thermal transfer printer, the recording paper 2 is made of paper with low smoothness, such as bond paper. to coated paper with high smoothness, it is possible to record on the former by using the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 for rough paper, and for the latter by using the interfacial peeling type thermal transfer ink ribbon 13.Furthermore, this thermal transfer printer It is also possible to perform thermal recording using thermal paper as the recording paper 2 by detaching the ink ribbon cassette 12 containing the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 from the thermal transfer printer main body.Thermal recording is the same as the monochrome thermal transfer recording described above. The sequence is the same as that for the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 except for the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13. Details regarding the ribbon peeling portion, which is a feature of the present invention, will now be explained based on FIG. When using the interfacial peeling type thermal transfer ink ribbon 13, after the ink of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is transferred to the recording paper 2 by the heat generated by the recording head 15, thermal transfer is performed to obtain good recording. The ink ribbon 13 needs to be peeled (post-peeled) from the recording paper 2 at point C in the figure after it has completely cooled and the ink has stabilized, using the following post-peeling means. A spring shaft a36 is supported together with the guide roller 32 by a peeling plate 35 that is rotatable in directions E and F in the figure on both outer surfaces of the recording head 15 and platen 11, and is fixed to one end of the peeling plate 35.
Then, the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 is moved in the axial direction of the platen 11 by the elastic force of the peeling spring 38, which is attached to a spring shaft b37 fixed to a frame (not shown) of the thermal transfer platen 11.
It is biased with a pressing force that exceeds the winding force. Further, the peeling plates 35 are independently constructed on both outer surfaces of the recording head 15, and maintain balance in the axial direction on the platen 11 during recording to stably peel off the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13. . Next, when recording on the recording paper 2 with low smoothness, use the thermal transfer ink ribbon 13 for rough paper, and in order to obtain good recording, the ink is in a semi-molten state when the edge of the recording head 15 is moved. It is necessary to peel off (immediate peeling) at a certain point, and the following immediate peeling method is used. Each peeling plate 35 is rotated in the direction F in the figure by a drive mechanism (not shown) or manually,
Using a locking mechanism (not shown) at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure,
Fix it while leaving a slight fluctuation. Here, the peeling roller 29 rotates to the position of the ribbon guide roller b32 at the time of post-peeling described above, and forms the intended ribbon peeling angle. [Effect of the invention 1 As described above, by realizing a thermal transfer printer equipped with a ribbon peeling mechanism that achieves both post-stitching and immediate peeling, high-quality recording can be made over a wide range of recording paper ranging from high-smoothness to low-smoothness recording paper. It has become possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a pose state diagram of a thermal transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a detailed perspective view of an embodiment showing a ribbon peeling section according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a conventional thermal transfer printer. 2... Recording paper 13... Thermal transfer ink ribbon 15... Recording head 29... Ribbon peeling roller 31... Ribbon guide roller a 32... Ribbon guide roller b 34... Peeling plate shaft 35 ...Peeling plate 36...Spring shaft a 37...Spring shaft b 38...Peeling spring and above Applicant Seiko Epson Corporation Representative Patent Attorney Kizobe Suzuki and 1 other person Figure 1 7. ' $-jlf 77,
lIjs75M (4*A33, each location is suitable for use (a) (b) (c) (d)
Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a thermal transfer printer that heats and melts or sublimates a thermal transfer ink ribbon with a recording head and transfers it to a recording paper, peeling of the thermal transfer ink ribbon from the recording paper after recording by the recording head is performed at the edge of the recording head. A thermal transfer printer characterized in that it has both immediate stripping means and post-peeling means that is carried out further downstream from the edge of the recording head.