JPH04216979A - Method for erasion of recorded material for thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make erasion of recorded material on recording paper executed surely without making the recording paper stained by a method wherein an area from which the recorded material is to be erased is divided into a plurality of small units for erasion, and the erasion of the recorded material in the area from which the recorded material is to be erased is executed by making erasing operations several times on each of the units for the erasion. CONSTITUTION:A part of ink comprising recorded material 32 is transferred to an ink ribbon with only heat-generating elements facing each of small areas 34c on positions on odd number orders heated up continuously. Then the inks inside the small areas 34c on the odd number orders from the top are transferred to the ink ribbon, while the inks of the recorded material 32 in the small areas 34c on the even number orders from the top are left as they are on the recording paper. In a second operation in a first erasion of the recorded material, units on which the erasion is made are formed of the small areas 34c on the even number orders in each of the small areas 34c. In the first operation in the second erasion of the recorded material, the units on which the erasion is made are formed only of a plurality of small areas 34d that are arranged in zigzag forms.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer that performs printing by melting ink on an ink ribbon and transferring it to paper using heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head, and in particular, relates to a thermal transfer printer that prints by melting ink on an ink ribbon and transferring it to paper by the heat generated by a heating element of a thermal head. The present invention relates to a record erasing method in a thermal transfer printer that can be used.

0002

[Prior Art] An ink ribbon and paper are sandwiched between a thermal head and a platen mounted on a reciprocating carriage, and by controlling the position at which the ink ribbon is peeled from the paper, printing and recording on the paper are performed. Thermal transfer printers that allow selective erasing have been known for some time.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a general thermal transfer printer of this type, in which a platen rubber 2 is disposed along the length of a platen 1 extending in the horizontal direction to define a printing position. An arc-shaped paper guide 4 is arranged below the platen 1 to guide the paper 3 wound around the platen 1 and the platen rubber 2 along the platen rubber 2. A cylindrical paper feeding mechanism 5 is provided. At a position facing the platen rubber 2, a thermal head 6 having a plurality of heating elements 6a arranged vertically at the rear end in the printing direction is arranged. The carriage 8 is mounted on a carriage holder 7 that is movable in the left-right direction in FIG. Further, a ribbon cassette 9 having two winding cores 9a and 9b provided therein is mounted on the carriage 8, and an ink ribbon 10 is mounted on the winding cores 9a and 9b inside this ribbon cassette 9. The ink ribbon 10 is stored in a wound state, and a portion of the ink ribbon 10 is interposed between the paper 3 and the thermal head 6.

Further, at one end of the platen 1, a pulse motor 11 as a driving source and a gear group 12 for transmitting the rotational driving force of the pulse motor 11 are arranged. The signal is transmitted via the mechanism 13 to the paper feeding mechanism 5 for the paper 3 and the moving mechanism for the carriage 8 .

Furthermore, a guide mechanism 14 for the ink ribbon 10 is provided at a predetermined position on the downstream side of the carriage 8 in the direction in which the ink ribbon is fed. This guide mechanism 14
As shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b, the solenoid 16 includes a solenoid 16 having a plunger 15, a rotatable connecting shaft 18 connected to the plunger 15 by a pin 17, and a protrusion 19, and is rotatably connected to a rotating shaft 20. A lever 22 is biased counterclockwise in the figure by a lever return spring 21 in a supported state, and an arm drive spring whose one end is coupled to the protrusion 19 and the other end is coupled to a protrusion 24 provided on the arm 23. 25, a hole 26 into which the protrusion 19 is loosely fitted, and a slit 2 into which the protrusion 24 is slidably supported.
7, and an arm 23 that is rotatably supported by a rotary shaft 31 and has a rotary shaft 30 that rotatably supports the protrusion 24 and a roller 29 that is an ink ribbon guide. . When the solenoid 16 is OFF, the lever 22 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure about the rotation shaft 20 to the stroke limit of the plunger 15 of the solenoid 16 by the lever return spring 21. Moreover, with this, the lever 22
A stopper 28 rotatably held by a protrusion 19 provided at the end of the arm 2 at the base of the slit 27
The arm 23 is rotated clockwise in the figure around the rotation shaft 31, and the roller 29 is kept separated from the paper 3. has been done.

On the other hand, when the solenoid 16 is turned on from this separated state, the plunger 15 of the solenoid 16 rotates the lever 22 clockwise in the figure about the rotation shaft 20 against the lever return spring 21. is sucked into the solenoid 16. At this time, the protrusion 19 to which one end of the arm drive spring 25 is coupled moves as the lever 22 rotates clockwise, but the protrusion 24 to which the other end of the arm drive spring 25 is coupled moves. Since the arm 23 remains in place due to its inertia, the arm drive spring 25 will be stretched beyond its natural length, and this will cause the arm drive spring 25 to have a tensile force.
As the protrusion 24 is pulled and moved, the arm 23 rotates counterclockwise in the figure.
A roller 29 supported at the end of the paper 3 presses against the paper 3.

According to the above-described configuration, the pulse motor 11
is driven, the gear group 12 and the clutch mechanism 13 are driven, the paper feed mechanism 5 is rotated, and the paper 3 is set at the printing position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5b, for example, a rotating mechanism (not shown) of the carriage 8 is activated to rotate the thermal head 6, thereby placing the thermal head 6 in a state separated from the platen rubber 2, that is, in a head-up state. is maintained.

When the pulse motor 11 is driven from this state, the aforementioned rotation mechanism in the carriage 8 (not shown) is activated, and as shown in FIG. and paper 3
The head comes into contact with the platen rubber 2 through the head, and becomes in a state in which transfer to the paper 3, that is, a printing operation, or erasing of the recording on the paper 3, that is, a collection operation is possible, that is, a head-down state.

When printing, the ink ribbon 10 is pressed against the paper 3 by the thermal head 6, and at this time, the solenoid 16 of the guide mechanism 14 is turned off, so that the roller 29 moves from the paper 3 to the paper 3. are in a separated state. Then, by driving the pulse motor 11 and applying printing energy to the thermal head 6 while moving the carriage 8 along the platen 1, the heating element 6a of the thermal head 6 selectively generates heat. , the ink on the ink ribbon 10 at the opposing portion is melted, and while the ink is in a molten state, the ink ribbon 10 is peeled off from the paper 3, thereby transferring the ink to the paper 3 and printing is performed.

When erasing the recording transferred to the paper 3, the ink ribbon 10 is pressed by the thermal head 6 so that the ink layer side faces the recording to be erased on the paper 3. Further, the solenoid 16 of the guide mechanism 14 is turned on, and the roller 29 is pressed against the paper 3 by the same operation as described above, and the ink ribbon 10 is moved by the roller 29 to the rear side of the thermal head 6 in the printing direction. It is also pressed against the paper 3. That is, even after the ink ribbon 10 passes through the thermal head 6, it is kept in contact with the paper 3 for a while. From this state, when the heating element 6a selectively generates heat by applying erasing energy higher than that during printing to the thermal head 6, even the recording ink on the paper 3 is melted, and the ink ribbon 10 is melted. The recorded ink and the recording ink to be erased are bonded together, and the ink ribbon 10, which has passed through the heating element 6a of the thermal head 6, remains in contact with the paper 3 for a while by the roller 29, and the ink ribbon When the ink ribbon 10 is peeled off from the paper 3 after the temperature of the paper 10 decreases and the release layer and ink solidify, the ink recorded on the paper 3 is transferred to the ink ribbon 1.
The ink is integrated with the ink of No. 0, separated from the paper 3, and transferred to the ink ribbon 10, thereby completing erasing.

By the way, regarding the erasure of the record 32 printed on the paper 3 mentioned above, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
There is a method in which a recording/erasing area 33b corresponding to one section of printing is formed at the time of erasing without storing 2, and all the heating elements 6a of the thermal head 6 generate heat to erase the data.

Among these, in the method shown in FIG. 7, if the pitch accuracy of the thermal head 6 or the paper conveyance accuracy is poor,
There is a problem that the heat generation timing of the heating element 6a of the thermal head 6 with respect to the recording 32 to be erased may be shifted, and a part of the recording 32 to be erased remains on the paper 3.

In addition, in the method shown in FIG. 8, each heating element 6a of the thermal head 6 generates heat continuously, so heat is accumulated in each heating element 6a, and the temperature of the heating element 6a exceeds an appropriate temperature, and the ink ribbon 10 There is a problem that if the ink ribbon 10 is heated too much, the ink on the ink ribbon 10 is melted and the paper 3 is stained.

[0014] As a method for overcoming the problems in the method shown in FIG. 7 and the method shown in FIG.
The one described in Publication No. 72 has already been proposed by the present applicant.

[0015] In the method described in this publication, record erasure in the record erasure area 33b corresponding to one section of printing is performed in multiple times, and by doing this, the paper 3
A part of the recording 32 to be erased is not left on the recording sheet 3, and since all the heating elements 6a do not continuously generate heat, the paper 3 is not smudged due to melting of the ink on the ink ribbon 10.

[0016]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, no matter which method is used, the characteristics of the paper and ink used,
Alternatively, depending on environmental conditions or the like, ink may remain in the recording/erasing area during recording/erasing.

For example, if paper with poor smoothness is used,
Ink that has entered the recesses of the paper tends to remain without being erased. In addition, in recent years, in order to reduce energy consumption, printing has been performed using ink with a low melting point and less power applied to the thermal head. This increases the adhesion to the paper, making it difficult for the ink to separate from the paper. Furthermore, when printing or erasing is performed in a high temperature location, the ink tends to melt, and the adhesion of the ink to the paper increases, making it difficult for the ink to separate from the paper.

The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned problems with the conventional printers, and provides a recording method for a thermal transfer printer that enables recording on paper to be erased reliably and without staining the paper, and further reduces damage to the paper. The purpose is to provide an erasure method.

[0019]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a record erasing method in a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention includes sandwiching an ink ribbon and paper between a thermal head and a platen mounted on a reciprocating carriage,
In a thermal transfer printer that can selectively print on paper and erase records on the paper by controlling the position at which the ink ribbon is peeled from the paper, the recording erasing area on the paper is made up of multiple small areas. The recording and erasing area is divided into a plurality of erasing units, and the recording and erasing area is erased multiple times for each erasing unit, and the same recording and erasing area on the paper is erased from a plurality of small areas having different shapes from the small area. The paper is divided into a plurality of new erasing units, and the erasing of the recording on the recording erasing area is performed multiple times for each new erasing unit, so that erasing of the same recording and erasing area on the paper is repeated multiple times. It is characterized by the fact that

[0020]

[Operation] According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the recording erasing area on the paper is divided into a plurality of erasing units each consisting of a plurality of small areas, and recording erasing of the recording erasing area is performed in multiple erasing units for each erasing unit. By repeating one recording erase operation performed in separate sections several times with different shapes of the small areas, the recording erase operation is repeated in the same recording erase area on the paper. The boundary between each small area during record erasure is canceled out by multiple record erases, improving the record erasability, and the record on the paper can be erased reliably and without staining the paper. Moreover, since the recorded/erased area on the paper is erased in multiple steps, less energy is required to energize the thermal head each time, and damage to the paper can be reduced.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be explained below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the record erasing method in a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. In order to erase the record 32 on the paper, in this embodiment, the same recording area on the paper is Record erasure is repeated twice.

That is, the first recording erasure is performed as shown in FIG. 1a.
, b, a slightly vertically elongated rectangular recording/erasing area 33b corresponding to one section of printing is divided in a direction perpendicular to the running direction of the carriage (not shown), which is the horizontal direction in the figure, and the carriage is moved. A plurality of elongated small areas 34c, 34c, .

[0024] Also, the second recording erasure is as shown in Figs. 1d and e.
As shown in FIG. 2, the recording/erasing area 33b is divided into several dozen small areas 34d, 34d, etc. in a staggered manner vertically and horizontally, and these small areas 34d are divided into two erasing units and erased twice. Recording and erasing is performed separately.

According to the above-mentioned configuration, in the first recording erasure that is performed first, erasing is performed only in the odd-numbered small areas 34c from the top, which are indicated by diagonal lines in FIG. 1A, out of each area 34c. Each of the odd-numbered small areas 34c forms a unit and erases only within each small area 34c constituting this erase unit.
Only the heat generating element of the thermal head facing the head continuously generates heat to transfer a part of the ink constituting the recording 32 to the ink ribbon. Then, the ink in the odd-numbered small areas 34c from the top is transferred to the ink ribbon and removed, while the ink of the recording 32 in the even-numbered small areas 34c from the top remains as it is on the paper. become.

[0026] In the second time of the first record erasing that is performed next, in each area 34c, the area shown in FIG.
The even-numbered small areas 34c are formed so that an erasing unit is formed only within the even-numbered small areas 34c from the top, which are indicated by diagonal lines in FIG. Only the heating element of the opposing thermal head continuously generates heat, and the remainder of the ink constituting the recording 32 is transferred to the ink ribbon, resulting in the recording 32.
The first recording and erasing operation using the division pattern shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b is completed. . At this time, as mentioned above, each small area 3
4c, one or more linear ink residues 35 may occur as shown in FIG. 1c. In order to completely erase this remaining ink 35, a second recording and erasing operation is performed on the same recording and erasing area using a staggered division pattern as shown in FIGS. 1d and 1e.

In the first recording erasure of this second time, an erasing unit is formed only by a plurality of small areas 34d arranged in a staggered manner as shown by diagonal lines in FIG. Each subregion 3, indicated by diagonal lines in FIG.
Only the heating element of the thermal head facing 4d continuously generates heat, and a portion of the remaining ink 35 in each small area 34d is transferred to the ink ribbon.

In the second recording erasure that is performed next, an erasing unit is formed only by the staggered small areas 34d shown with diagonal lines in FIG. 1e, and each small area constituting this erasing unit is In order to perform erasing only within the area 34d, only the heating elements of the thermal head facing each of the small areas 34d indicated by diagonal lines in FIG. By transferring to the ribbon, the recording erasing area 3
Complete erasure of records in step 3b.

As described above, according to this embodiment, first, the first
The residual ink 35 remaining at the boundary between the small areas 34c due to the erasure using the divided pattern shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b in the second record erasure can be completely erased as shown in FIG. 1f.

Furthermore, since the recording 32 in the entire area of the recording erasing area 33b, which corresponds to one section of printing, is repeatedly removed multiple times, the paper may be rough paper, or the pitch accuracy of the thermal head or the paper conveyance accuracy may be affected. At worst, there is no risk that part of the recording 32 will remain on the paper, and the recording on the paper can be completely removed.

Furthermore, the erasure of the record 32 is performed by dividing the entire area of the recording erasure area 33b of the paper into multiple eras and in each erasing unit consisting of a plurality of small areas spaced apart. Even if a specific heating element of the thermal head continues to generate heat during erasing, the heat of the heating element that is generating heat can escape toward the neighboring heating element that is not generating heat, so it will continue to generate heat. There is no risk that the temperature of the heating element used will exceed the appropriate temperature, and therefore there is no risk of the ink on the ink ribbon melting and staining the paper. Moreover, since the thermal head energizes less energy each time, there is less damage to the paper.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the recording erasing method in a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention. In this embodiment, like the first embodiment described above, first, FIGS.
By performing the first erasing in two parts using the divided pattern consisting of a plurality of small areas 33c as shown in FIG. In order to erase the remaining ink 35, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the recording erasing area 33b on the paper is divided into a plurality of small areas 34e formed by dividing the recording erasing area 33b into horizontal convex shapes facing each other in different directions. These small areas 34e are formed into a plurality of small areas 3 shown by diagonal lines in FIG. 2a.
4e and a small area 34e indicated by diagonal lines in FIG. 2b.
By performing the first erasure, the second recording erasure is performed.

That is, after the first record erasure similar to that of the first embodiment described above, which is carried out according to the small area 34c in FIGS. Once completed, perform a second erasing of records. In the first recording erasure of this second recording erasure, as shown by diagonal lines in FIG.
In order to erase ink only in each small area 34e constituting this erasing unit, only the heating element of the thermal head facing each small area 34e indicated by diagonal lines in FIG. 3 ink remaining in 34e
Transfer a part of 5 to the ink ribbon.

In the second recording and erasing operation to be performed next, as shown by diagonal lines in FIG. 2b, an erasing unit is formed only by a plurality of small areas 34e in the shape of a horizontally convex shape facing left, and this erasing unit is Each small area 34e is configured such that ink is erased only within each small area 34e constituting the area.
Only the heating element of the thermal head facing 4e continuously generates heat, and the remaining ink 35 is transferred to the ink ribbon.
After completing the second recording erasure using the division patterns shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, as in the first embodiment, the remaining ink remaining at the boundary between each small area 34c during erasing using the division patterns shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b is removed. 35 can be completely erased.

According to this embodiment, as in the first embodiment described above, no ink remains in the recording/erasing area 33b.
The recording 32 in the recording erasing area 33b can be completely erased, there is no risk of staining the paper due to the temperature generated by the thermal head, and there is little damage to the paper.

It should be noted that instead of the horizontal projecting small regions 34e shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the small regions 34f shown in FIGS. A small area can be adopted. Further, erasing of recording in one recording erasing area may be repeated three or more times. Furthermore, the small areas of each erasing unit are divided in such a way that the boundaries between the odd-numbered area where the first erasure is performed and the even-numbered area where the second erasure is performed overlap by about one to several dots. If this is done, the certainty of erasure will be further improved. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes can be made as necessary.

[0037]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, records on paper can be erased reliably and without staining the paper, and damage to the paper can be reduced. play.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

[Fig. 1] Figs. 1a, b, c, d, e, and f are explanatory diagrams showing a first embodiment of a recording erasing method in a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention.

[Figure 2] Figures 2a and 2b are explanatory diagrams showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 3] Figures 3a and 3b are explanatory diagrams showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] Plan view showing a general thermal transfer printer

[Figure 5]
Figures 5a and b are side views in different states of Figure 4.

[Figure 6] Figure 6
a and b are enlarged plan views of the main parts of Fig. 4 in different states.

[Fig. 7] Explanatory diagram showing a conventional record erasing method

[Fig. 8] Explanatory diagram showing a conventional record erasing method

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional record erasing method.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional record erasing method.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 Paper 6 Thermal head 6a Heat generating element 10 Ink ribbon 32 Recording 33a, 33b Recording erasure area 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e, 34f
Small area 35 Ink remaining

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: An ink ribbon and paper are sandwiched between a thermal head and a platen mounted on a reciprocating carriage, and the position at which the ink ribbon is peeled from the paper is controlled, thereby printing on the paper and recording on the paper. In a thermal transfer printer capable of selectively erasing, a recording erasure area on paper is divided into a plurality of erasing units each consisting of a plurality of small areas, and the recording erasing area is erased multiple times for each erasing unit. Furthermore, the same recording erasing area on the paper is divided into a plurality of new erasing units each consisting of a plurality of small areas having different shapes from the previous small area, and recording erasing in the recording erasing area is performed in each new erasing unit. A method for erasing records in a thermal transfer printer, characterized in that erasing records in the same record erasing area on a sheet of paper is repeated multiple times by dividing the process into multiple units.