JPH0447625B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer using a transfer film.

<Prior art> A thermal transfer printer places a transfer film coated with ink on the surface between a thermal printing head and an image receiving paper, and heats the transfer film from the back side with the thermal printing head. The ink is transferred to the image receiving paper that is in close contact with the surface and the desired pattern is printed on the image receiving paper, but unlike thermal printers, there is no need to use specific paper such as thermal paper. , there are no particular restrictions on the receiving paper that should be used, and plain paper can be used.
Various types of plain paper are used by users.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> By the way, if the image-receiving paper used is low in smoothness and the paper surface is rough, the adhesion between the ink-applied surface of the transfer film and the surface of the image-receiving paper is poor. However, the ink was not completely transferred to the surface of the image-receiving paper, resulting in poor dot reproducibility and unclear print patterns, resulting in a significant drop in print quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable a thermal transfer printer to obtain a clear print pattern with excellent dot reproducibility even if the image receiving paper has low smoothness.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is a thermal transfer printer in which a transfer film is interposed between a thermal printing head and an image receiving paper. The present invention is characterized by comprising an operating section for issuing commands, and a control circuit that causes the thermal printing head to perform overprint printing based on the overprint printing command from the operating section.

<Example> Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an example shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a serial type thermal transfer printer embodying the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a serial type thermal printing head, 2 a transfer film, and 3 an image receiving paper. The thermal printing head 1 has heating elements 5 arranged in a row on a substrate 4, and is slid in a direction A across the image-receiving paper 3 by a sliding means 6. The relevant parts generate heat. 8 is a sliding drive unit that supplies electricity to the sliding means 6; 9 is a platen; 10 is a motor that rotates the platen; 11 is a paper feed drive unit that drives the motor;
Reference numeral 12 denotes a control circuit for controlling the printing operation of the thermal printing head 1 and the paper feeding operation of the platen 9. The control circuit 12 includes an operation section 13 for commanding overlapping printing according to the smoothness of the image receiving paper 3. It is connected.

Next, the method of overlapping printing will be explained. As shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 2, a plurality of (two in this embodiment) heating elements are mounted on the single substrate 4 of the thermal printing head 1 at intervals along the sliding direction of the thermal printing head 1. 5a and 5b are arranged side by side, and when the printing pattern is unclear due to low smoothness of the image receiving paper 3, the heating element 5b of the succeeding stage prints the same pattern at the location printed by the heating element 5a of the preceding stage. In this method, overprinting is performed in one stroke of the thermal printing head 1, so the printing speed remains the same whether or not overprinting is performed.

If the user visually or tactually checks the smoothness of the image receiving paper and determines that the smoothness is low, or if the printed pattern is unclear after actually printing, the user operates the operation unit 13. Overstriking is performed using the above-mentioned appropriate method. As a result, the printing operation of the thermal printing head 1 and the paper feeding operation of the platen 9 are changed under the control of the control circuit 12, and the printing pattern becomes clearer due to overprinting, and the printing quality is maintained at a high level.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment, showing a line type thermal transfer printer embodying the present invention, in which the same parts as in the embodiment of FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals. That is, 1' is a line-type thermal printing head, 2 is a transfer film, 3 is an image receiving paper, 4 is a substrate of the thermal printing head 1', 5 is a heating element of the thermal printing head 1', 7 is a heat generating drive unit, and 9 1 is a platen, 10 is a motor for rotating the platen 9, 11 is a paper feed drive section, 12 is a control circuit, and 13 is an operation section.

In this embodiment as well, by operating the operating section 13, the printing operation of the thermal printing head 1' changes, and the sharpness of the printing pattern changes.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, the same pattern is overprinted by each heating element of the thermal printing head by operation of the operation unit, and overlapping printing is performed at the desired location on the image receiving paper. This allows printing to match the smoothness of receiving paper with low smoothness and rough surface, resulting in good dot reproducibility and clear printing patterns, achieving a high level of printing quality. can be kept.

In particular, in the present invention, since overprint printing is performed using a plurality of rows of heating elements, overprint printing can be performed in one process of the thermal printing head, and this has the advantage that overprint printing can be performed with almost no reduction in printing speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a serial type thermal transfer printer embodying the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a thermal printing head, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment. 1, 1'... Thermal printing head, 2... Transfer film, 3... Receiving paper, 12... Control circuit, 13...
Operation section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A thermal transfer printer in which a transfer film is interposed between a thermal printing head and an image receiving paper, wherein a first heating element in the form of a belt is provided in the thermal printing head perpendicularly to the scanning direction thereof, and A second heating element is provided in the thermal printing head parallel to and on the same plane as the first heating element with a certain gap therebetween, and both of the heating elements are connected to an operation unit via a control circuit, and the image receiving paper is smoothed. The thermal transfer printer is characterized in that the same pattern can be appropriately overprinted and printed using both of the heating elements in response to a printing command from the operation unit depending on the printing time.