JPH04348953A - Thermal ink jet recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the constitution of an ink feeding means, and feed a heat melting ink stably. CONSTITUTION:The function to drive a perforated film 3 and the function to feed a heat melting ink 2 to the perforated film 3 for an ink feeding means are united by integrally forming the heat melting ink into a ring shape on the outer periphery of a driving roller 1 with a comparatively small diameter; and the contact area of the perforated film 3 is made larger.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a thermal ink jet recording device, and in particular, a thermal head is brought into contact with the back side of a perforated film having a large number of micropores, while a recording paper is placed facing the front side with a required gap. The hot melt ink filled in the micropores by the ink supply means is
The present invention relates to a thermal inkjet recording device in which vapor bubbles generated by heat applied from a thermal head are ejected toward recording paper.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional thermal ink jet recording apparatus, as shown in FIG. The loop-shaped perforated film 3 is made to run in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure by the drive roller 1 while the thermal head 6 is in contact with the back side of the film, and the heating element (not shown) on the thermal head 6 is moved by the control device 8 according to the recording pattern. By energizing and generating heat, the hot melt ink 2 is melted, and its low boiling point components are vaporized to generate steam bubbles, and the pressure of the steam bubbles causes the hot melt ink 2 to melt.
is ejected from the micro holes, and the ejected heat-melting ink 2 reaches the recording paper 9 placed on the surface of the perforated film 3 facing the thermal head 6 with a required gap, adheres thereto, forms a recording spot, and forms an image. Configured to perform recording.

[0003]The ink supply means is the heater 4.
The heat-melting ink 2 in the ink tank is supplied to an ink supply body 10 made of a porous material or the like through a tube 11 having a pump 12 interposed therebetween.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 5 indicates a scraper that is excessively attached to the perforated film 3, and reference numeral 7 indicates a tension roller that tensions the perforated film 3.

[0005] In this conventional thermal ink jet recording apparatus, a hot melt ink 2 is used to form a recording spot corresponding to one heating element on a thermal head 6.
The micropores that eject ink are not fixed, and the density of the micropores is finer than the recording density, and one recording spot is made up of ink droplets ejected from multiple micropores. To perform highly reliable printing without any missing dots without greatly affecting printing results even if some microholes become clogged and jetting of hot melt ink 2 becomes impossible. Can be done. Furthermore, since the hot-melt ink 2 is used, it is easy to maintain, and clogging itself is difficult to occur.

[0006]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention This conventional thermal ink jet recording apparatus has a disadvantage in that it takes time and effort to assemble because the structure of the ink supply means is complicated. Furthermore, since the hot melt ink is supplied to the perforated film by an ink supply body made of a porous material or the like, it is difficult to stably supply the hot melt ink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal ink jet recording apparatus that can simplify the configuration of an ink supply means and stably supply hot melt ink.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the thermal inkjet recording device of the present invention, a thermal head is brought into contact with the back side of a perforated film having a large number of micropores, and a recording paper is placed on the front side facing each other with a required gap. In a thermal inkjet recording apparatus, in which the hot melt ink filled in micropores by an ink supply means is jetted toward a recording paper by vapor bubbles generated by heat applied from a thermal head, the ink supply means: At least the outer peripheral portion thereof is formed of heat-melting ink and is formed in the shape of a roller that allows the perforated film to be driven.

[0009]

[Function] In the above means, the function of driving the perforated film and the function of supplying hot melt ink to the perforated film are integrated, and the contact area with the perforated film is increased.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a thermal ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, the same components as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the thermal ink jet recording apparatus of this embodiment, the ink supply means for supplying the hot melt ink 2 to the perforated film 3 is different from that shown in FIG.

That is, the heat-melting ink 2 is integrally formed in a ring shape around the outer periphery of the drive roller 1 having a relatively small diameter. An arc-shaped heater 4 is provided.

In the thermal ink jet recording apparatus having the above configuration, the hot melt ink 2 is heated by the heater 4, the melted hot melt ink 2 is supplied to the perforated film 3, and the excessive hot melt ink 2 adhering to the film is uniformly removed by the scraper 5. The heat-melting ink 2 is supplied to the perforated film 3 by scraping it off to a certain amount and simultaneously filling it into the micropores.

[0015]

As explained above, in the present invention, a thermal head is brought into contact with the back surface of a perforated film having a large number of micropores, and a recording paper is placed facing the front surface with a required gap, and the ink In a thermal inkjet recording device in which hot-melt ink filled in micropores by a supply means is jetted toward a recording paper by vapor bubbles generated by heat applied from a thermal head, the ink supply means is arranged so that the ink supply means covers at least an outer peripheral portion of the recording paper. is formed from heat-melting ink and is shaped like a roller that can drive the perforated film, so that the function of driving the perforated film and the function of supplying the perforated film with the heat-meltable ink are integrated. Because the area of contact with the perforated film is increased, the configuration of the ink supply means can be simplified, and a stable ink supply can be achieved, resulting in highly reliable and high print quality. have an effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a thermal inkjet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional thermal inkjet recording device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Drive roller 2 Heat melt ink 3 Perforated film 4 Heater 5 Scraper 6 Thermal head 7 Tension roller 8 Control device 9 Recording paper

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A thermal head is brought into contact with the back surface of a perforated film having a large number of micropores, while recording paper is placed on the front surface facing each other with a required gap, and the micropores are filled with an ink supply means. In a thermal inkjet recording device in which heat-melting ink is jetted toward recording paper by vapor bubbles generated by heat applied from a thermal head, the ink supplying means has at least an outer peripheral portion formed of heat-melting ink, and A thermal inkjet recording device characterized by being formed in the shape of a roller that can drive a perforated film.