JPH05112051A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use a small-sized ribbon cartridge to make a printer small in size as a whole by a method wherein the ribbon cartridge is locked in a ribbon cartridge containing part by a locking means which can engage with/disengage from a cutout part formed in the ribbon cartridge. CONSTITUTION:A recessed groove part 13a extending horizontally in a transverse direction is formed on a position opposed to a bonding frame part 96 on the back side of a ribbon cartridge 90. A cutout part 13b is formed on a position opposed to a cutout part 96b of the bonding frame part 96 on the back side of the recessed groove part 13a. A locking part 110a provided at the top end of a locking lever 110 can engage with/disengage from the cutout part 96b of the ribbon cartridge 90 from the cutout part 13b of the groove part 13a of a ribbon containing part 13. Since the ribbon cartridge 90 is locked in a ribbon cartridge containing part 13 using the cutout part 96b formed in the bonding frame part 96 in this manner, a mechanism for locking the ribbon cartridge 90 is simplified, and the size of a printer is reduced.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer such as a sublimation type thermal transfer type color video printer which can clearly print a color image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional sublimation type thermal transfer type color video printer comprises a ribbon cartridge, a dedicated printing paper, a thermal head, an ink ribbon, a mechanism for pressing the printing paper against a platen, a mechanism for running the printing paper and the ink ribbon. It had been. Then, the Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) dyes on the ink ribbon are thermally transferred to the photographic paper sequentially by a thermal head that is pressed against the platen via the photographic paper and the ink ribbon. Was.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional printer, a twin reel type ribbon cartridge having two ribbon reels for supply and take-up is adopted for disposable and loading purposes. There was a limit to the size of the ribbon cartridge, and there was a limit to the size of the printer as a whole. Further, in order to load and position the twin reel type ribbon cartridge in the ribbon cartridge storage portion in the printer body, a positioning hole is provided in a part of the ribbon cartridge, and the printer hole is provided in the positioning hole. It was done by passing the pin provided on the body side. As a result, a space for providing a positioning hole is required on the ribbon cartridge side, and a space for providing a pin is required on the printer body side, which makes it difficult to downsize the entire printer. Furthermore, since the positioning pin provided on the printer body side has a sharpened tip in consideration of the time of inserting the ribbon cartridge,
There was a concern about safety.

Therefore, the present invention provides a printer which can solve the above problems.

[0005]

In a printer having a ribbon cartridge accommodating portion for loading a ribbon cartridge in a printer body, a locking means for engaging and disengaging a notch formed in the ribbon cartridge is arranged,
The ribbon cartridge loaded in the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion is also positioned by the ribbon withdrawing means for withdrawing the ink ribbon from the ribbon cartridge.

[0006]

The ribbon cartridge is downsized because the ribbon cartridge is locked in the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion by the locking means that engages and disengages with the notch portion formed in the ribbon cartridge, and only a part of the ribbon cartridge is notched. As a result, the entire printer is downsized. Further, since the ribbon cartridge loaded in the ribbon cartridge storage portion is also positioned by the ribbon withdrawing means for withdrawing the ink ribbon from the ribbon cartridge,
The installation space of the ribbon cartridge storage section and the ribbon cartridge positioning parts can be reduced, and the overall size and weight of the printer can be reduced. Further, as compared with the conventional positioning of the ribbon cartridge using the pin insertion method, pins such as pointed pins are not required, so that the safety at the time of loading the ribbon cartridge can be improved.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a sublimation type thermal transfer type color video printer, in which a chassis 3 having a side face is arranged at the bottom of a printer body 2. Left and right side plates 4 and 6 are fixed to the left and right sides of the chassis 3 via front and rear connecting shafts 7 and 8 and screws 9. A left middle plate 5 is provided inside the left plate 4. At the front center between the left middle side plate 5 and the right side plate 6, a paper feed guide plate 11 for guiding the photographic paper 10 to the platen 21 side of the printer main body 2 which will be described later is provided, and both ends are provided below it. A ribbon cartridge storage portion 13 having a substantially cylindrical shape with an opening is provided. A pair of paper feed rollers 12 made of rubber or the like is provided in front of the paper feed guide plate 11 between the left middle side plate 5 and the right side plate 6.
A and 12a are lightly brought into contact with each other to be rotatably supported, and a paper discharge guide plate 14 is provided above the a and 12a.
Further, a paper feed roller 12b is also rotatably supported on the platen 21 side of the paper feed guide plate 11. As shown in FIGS. 21 and 25, the paper feeding roller 12b holds the photographic printing paper 10 between the platen 21 and the paper feeding / discharging position and feeds the paper.

Further, a long thermal head 16 is screwed to the rear corner portion of the rear chassis 3 between the left middle side plate 5 and the right side plate 6 via a sub chassis 15 having a substantially L-shaped side surface. It is fixed so that it is inclined at a predetermined angle. Between the left middle side plate 5 and the right side plate 6 above the thermal head 16, the bearing portion 19 attached to the right side plate 6 and the left middle side plate 5 are provided.
The take-up ribbon reel 17 is rotatably supported via a take-up reel stand 69 which will be described later. A substantially L-shaped retractable claw (locking portion) 18 is provided at the center of the take-up ribbon reel 17 so as to be retractable. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 10, the claw 18 is provided with a torsion coil spring 18 before winding an ink ribbon 94 described later.
The winding body 1 of the take-up ribbon reel 17 by the urging force of a.
The concave portion 17b formed at the center of 7a is projected onto the outer peripheral surface thereof. Then, between the take-up ribbon reel 17 and the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13,
A platen 21 having a rubber outer periphery is attached to the platen swing mechanism 30.
Is provided so as to come into contact with and separate from the thermal head 16, and the platen 21 is provided so as to be rotated by the platen rotating mechanism 20 with respect to the platen swinging mechanism 30.

As shown in FIG. 7, the platen drive mechanism 30 includes a support shaft 31 that is bridged over the left middle plate 5 and the right plate 6.
A pair of support arms 32, 32 rotatably supported in the front-rear direction and rotatably supporting the platen 21 via a shaft 22 between respective central portions, and outside the pair of support arms 32, 32. The tension coil springs 36, 36 are swingably supported in the front-rear direction via the support shaft 31, and are provided between both ends of the connecting shaft 33 between the tips of the pair of support arms 32, 32 and both ends of the connecting shaft 35 between the tips. The left middle side plate 5 is fixed by fixing a pair of sub-support arms 34, 34 interposing therebetween and a link 38 loosely fitted in the center of the connecting shaft 35 between the tips of the pair of sub-support arms 34, 34. And a drive shaft 37 rotatably wound around the right side plate 6, and a cam follower having a base end portion fixed to the inner surface side of the right side plate 6 of the drive shaft 37 and protruding to the outer surface side of the right side plate 6 at the tip end side. Fix the pin 40 as A driving arm 39 is rotatably supported via a shaft 42 on the outer surface upper portion of the right side plate 6, said right side 6
A cam gear 41 having a first cam groove 41a into which the pin 40 is inserted and fitted on the inner surface facing the outer surface of the right side plate 6, and the cam gear 41 mounted on the upper part of the outer surface of the right side plate 6 via the drive gear 44. It is composed of a rotating motor 43.

The support shaft 3 of the pair of support arms 32, 32.
A pair of long holes 3 is provided on one side and on the winding ribbon reel 17 side.
2a and 32b are formed. A pair of these long holes 32
A pair of pinch rollers 4 for pressing and feeding the photographic paper 10 to the platen 21 between a, 32a and 32b, 32b.
Both ends of 5, 5 are slidably supported. Both ends of each of these pinch rollers 45 and the shaft 22 of the platen 21.
Tensile coil springs 46, 46 are respectively interposed between both ends of the. The positions of the pair of pinch rollers 45, 45 are regulated by the pair of long holes 32a, 32b of the pair of support arms 32, 32, and the photographic printing paper 10 is pressed against the platen 21. Incidentally, in FIG. 7, reference numeral 4
Reference numeral 8 denotes a stopper vertically projecting from the outer surface of the support arm 32, and the sub-support arm 34 is locked to the stopper 48 by the pulling force of the tension coil spring 36.

The platen 21 includes a pair of support arms 3
A platen rotating mechanism 20 is rotatable (rotatable) in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction about a shaft 22 spanned between Nos. 2 and 32. This platen rotating mechanism 20
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 and 9, the platen 21
A platen gear 23 fixed to the inner surface side of the support arm 32 of the left middle plate 5, and a first gear 24 rotatably supported by the support shaft 31 and meshing with the platen gear 23.
A second gear 25, which is rotatably supported by a capstan shaft 50 described later, and meshes with the first gear 24, and the left middle side plate 5.
Mounted on the outer surface of the left middle side plate 5 and the third to sixth gears 26 to 29 that are rotatably supported via the shafts 26a to 29a protruding to the inner surface of the second gear 25 and mesh with the second gear 25. The drive gear 47a provided on the inner surface side is provided with the sixth gear 29.
And a stepping motor 47 meshed with. As a result, the platen 21 is attached to the thermal head 1.
It is possible to rotate while swinging to the 6 side. That is, the platen gear 23 swings around the first gear 24 while meshing with the first gear 24 rotatably supported by the support shaft 31, and also rotates via the gears 24 to 29. It has become.

A capstan shaft (ribbon pull-out means) 50 is rotatably supported above the ribbon inlet / outlet of the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion 13 between the left middle side plate 5 and the right side plate 6, and the capstan shaft is also rotatably supported. Below the 50, a pinch roller (ribbon pull-out means) 5 that abuts on the capstan shaft 50 to wind up and wind up the ink ribbon 94.
1 is provided. A supply reel base 52 is provided on the inner surface of the left middle plate 5 of the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13 so as to project therefrom. The capstan shaft 50 and the supply reel base 52 are mounted between the left side plate 4 and the left middle side plate 5.
It is designed to be rotated by one motor 53. That is, as shown in FIG. 18, the first intermediate gear 55 pivotally supported on the outer surface side of the left middle side plate 5 meshes with the drive gear 54 driven by the motor 53. The first intermediate gear 55 is connected to one end of the capstan shaft 50 protruding to the outer surface side of the left middle plate 5 through a second intermediate gear 56 (so-called a one-way clutch) pivotally supported on the inner surface side of the left side plate 4. The fixed gear 57 meshes. This causes the capstan shaft 50 to rotate. The first intermediate gear 55 is meshed with one of a pair of intermediate gears 58, 58 pivotally supported on the inner and outer surfaces of the left middle plate 5. A gear 59 fixed to the supply reel base 52 meshes with the other intermediate gear 58. As a result, the supply reel base 52 is rotated.

The pinch roller 51 is rotatably supported by an oscillating plate 61 which oscillates in the vertical direction via a shaft 60 which is hung between the left middle side plate 5 and the right side plate 6. A tip end side of the swing plate 61 is notched in a concave shape, and a pair of bearings fixed to both sides thereof (positions facing a pair of ribbon guide portions 91a, 91a of a lower case 91 of a ribbon cartridge 90 described later). The pinch roller 51 is rotatably supported via the plates 61a and 61a. As shown in FIG. 6, the oscillating plate 61 is provided with a capstan shaft 5 via a torsion coil spring 60a wound around the shaft 60.
Always urged to the 0 side.

Then, as shown in FIG.
A substantially fan-shaped rack 62 is formed at the end of the right plate 6 on the right side 6 side. The rack 62 is meshed with a rack 64a of a slider 64 that slides in the vertical direction along a pair of pins 63, 63 protruding on the inner surface of the right side plate 6. This slider 6
As shown in FIG. 15, a moving plate 65 which moves vertically along the pins 63, 63 is superposed on the plate 4. At the upper end of the moving plate 65, a pin 66 as a cam follower that extends inward and is inserted into the long groove 6a of the right side plate 6 and extends to the outer surface side thereof is provided in a protruding manner. One end 66a of the pin 66 is loosely fitted in the second cam groove 41b formed on the inner surface of the cam gear 41, and
A tension coil spring 67 is interposed between the other end 66b of 6 and the lower end 64b of the slider 64. The pair of elongated slots 64d, 64d and 65d, 65d formed in the slider 64 and the moving plate 65 are respectively inserted in the pair of pins 63, 63, and the slider 64 and the moving plate 65 are paired. The washers 68 and 68 prevent the stopper from coming off. Further, the central flange portion 66c of the pin 66 functions as a so-called limiter in which the tip 64c of the slider 64 is hit by the pulling biasing force of the pulling coil spring 67.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the chassis 3
A ribbon guide plate 71 is pivotally supported by a pin on a bracket 70 which is erected below the platen 21. The ribbon guide plate 71 is urged downward by the torsion coil spring 72 on the tip end 71a side. Further, a ribbon guiding guide 73 is biased upward by a tension coil spring 74 on the bracket 70. A ribbon guide roller 75 is pivotally supported on the tip of the ribbon guide 73. A ribbon guide plate 77 is rotatably (swingably) supported above the thermal head 16 of the chassis 3 via a shaft 76. This ribbon guide plate 77 is a torsion coil spring 7.
8, the ribbon guide roller 79 is urged toward the platen 21 side.

Further, a ribbon guide braking plate (ribbon guide braking means) 80 is supported on the shaft 76 so as to be swingable in the front-rear direction. The protrusion 80a protruding from one end of the ribbon guide braking plate 80 abuts on the cam protrusion 41c formed on the outer surface of the cam gear 41, and its tip 80b side contacts the winding body 17a of the winding ribbon reel 17. It can be contacted and separated. The ribbon guide braking plate 80 is constantly urged toward the winding drum portion 17a of the winding ribbon reel 17 by a torsion coil spring (not shown), and the ink wound around the winding drum portion 17a of the winding ribbon reel 17 is wound. When the ribbon 94 is rewound, it comes into direct contact with the ink ribbon 94 to apply back tension.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, an inverted U-shaped base end portion 17 of the take-up ribbon reel 17 on the left middle side plate 5 side.
The c is detachably attached to a winding reel stand 69 having a gear 81 as an exterior. The gear 81 is a gear 8 inside the pair of gears 82 and 83 protruding to the inner and outer surfaces of the left middle plate 5.
It meshes with 2. The outer gear 83 (so-called one-way clutch included) is meshed with a drive gear 85 driven by a motor 84 mounted on the outer surface side of the left middle side plate 5. By driving the motor 84, the take-up ribbon reel 17 is rotated via the take-up reel stand 69. That is, the take-up reel stand 69 is rotatably supported by the shaft 86 that stands upright on the inner surface of the left middle plate 5. The gear 81 is slidably supported on the outer peripheral surface of the winding reel stand 69, and a compression coil spring 87 is provided between the flange portion 69a at the base end of the winding reel stand 69 and the gear 81. Intervening. A felt 88 is fixed to the gear 81 on the side of the base end portion 17c of the take-up ribbon reel 17. The pin-shaped tip portion 17d of the take-up ribbon reel 17 is detachably attached to a bearing portion 19 screwed to the right side plate 6. The bearing portion 19 includes a lower support plate 19a screwed to the right side plate 6.
The center of the lower support plate 19a, which is attached to the lower support plate 19a by a pair of screws 19c, 19c, is an upper support plate 19b having a semicylindrical shape. Further, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, a pair of optical sensors 9 are provided below the take-up ribbon reel 17 and below the platen 21 in the printer body 2.
7,98 are arranged. This pair of optical sensors 97,
Reference numeral 98 is for sensing the cut state of the ink ribbon 94 wound around the winding drum portion 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17 as shown in FIG. Usually, the pair of optical sensors 97, 98 reads a marker (not shown) of the ink ribbon 94 and uses it for printing. However, when the ink ribbon 94 is cut, this marker cannot be read. This is monitored by the CPU 100 of the system control of the control system as shown in FIG. 16, and if the marker cannot pass through between the pair of optical sensors 97 and 98 within a predetermined time, it is judged that the ink ribbon has run out, and the system The control CPU 100 allows the motor drive circuit 10 for hoisting and rewinding.
Motors 84 and 53 for rotating the take-up reel stand 69 and the supply reel stand 52 are driven via 1, 102, respectively. At the same time, alarm 103
Is to be turned on. Incidentally, the gear 82 and the gear 83 are adapted to sandwich the left middle side plate 5 through the shaft 89 and the bearing 89a and rotate simultaneously.

FIG. 19 shows a ribbon cartridge 90 stored and held in the ribbon cartridge storage section 13. The ribbon cartridge 90 is formed in a cylindrical shape by a lower case 91 and an upper case 92.
1, 92 is a single reel type in which only the supply ribbon reel 93 is rotatably housed (one ribbon reel for supply). This ribbon cartridge 9
A pair of ribbon guide parts 9 are provided on both front sides of the lower case 91.
1a and 91a are integrally formed by protruding molding. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a rectangular cutout portion 96b is formed in the joint flange portion 96 on the back side of each of the cases 91 and 92. Further, an ink ribbon 94 in which a colored area including dye application portions of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) is continuous is wound between a pair of collar portions (not shown) of the supply ribbon reel 93. is there. This ink ribbon 94
A ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is fixed to the tip of the. At the tip of the ribbon pull-out sheet 95, pull-out engagement holes (engagement portions) 95a that are inserted into and engaged with the claws 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17 are formed, and these claws 18 and the pull-out engagement are performed. An optical sensor (detection means) indicates the locked state with the hole 95a.
A black marker 95b used for detection by 99 is provided. The optical sensor 99 is composed of a light emitting portion, a light receiving portion, and the like (not shown). As shown in FIG. 10, the platen 21 and the winding ribbon reel 17 in the printer body 2 are provided.
It is attached via a predetermined means to a position near the take-up ribbon reel 17 facing the claw 18 between them.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion 13 is formed of a synthetic resin in a substantially semi-cylindrical shape, and is laterally provided at a position facing the joining flange portion 96 on the back side of the ribbon cartridge 90. Concave groove 13 extending horizontally to
a is formed. The notch 96 of the joint flange 96 on the rear side of the ribbon cartridge 96 in the concave groove 13a.
A notch 13b is formed at a position facing b. Further, from the cutout portion 13b of the groove portion 13a of the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13 to the cutout portion 96b of the ribbon cartridge 90 stored in the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13, the lock portion 110a at the tip of the lock lever (lock means) 110 is provided. Can be engaged and disengaged freely. This lock lever 1
The central portion 110b of 10 is supported rotatably in the front-rear direction about a shaft 111 fixed to the inner surface of the right side plate 6 via a bracket 112. The lock portion 110a of the lock lever 110 is formed by bending in a taper shape, and is always inserted into the cutout portion 13b of the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13 by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 113 wound around the shaft 111. Has been done. Due to the taper shape of the lock portion 110a, when the ribbon cartridge 90 is stored in the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13, the lock portion 110 of the lock lever 110 is in the middle thereof.
6a is moved in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 6 against the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 113, and then inserted into the notch 96b of the ribbon cartridge 90 and returned to the original position to lock the ribbon cartridge 90, The ribbon cartridge 90 is securely locked by the biasing force of the leaf spring 13c. The base end portion 110c of the lock lever 110 projects outward from the opening 6b of the right side plate 6, and the lock lever 110 is twisted by the coil spring 1 by an operation lever (not shown) attached to the base end portion 110c.
The lock state can be released by being rotated to the arrow side in FIG. 6 against the biasing force of 13.

In the drawing, reference numeral 186 is a synthetic resin guide plate, and the photographic printing paper 1 fed from the paper feed guide plate 11
0 is guided to the pinch roller 45 below the platen 21. Further, reference numeral 187 is a fence plate made of synthetic resin, which prevents the leading end of the printing paper 10 from sticking to the outer peripheral surface of the platen 21 when the printing paper 10 is wound around the platen 21 and the printing operation is repeated. .. further,
Reference numerals 188 and 189 denote paper discharge rollers for paper discharge feeding.

According to the color printer 1 of the above embodiment,
Before feeding the photographic paper 10 from the front side of the printer body 2 to the paper feed guide plate 11, the ribbon cartridge 9 is placed in the ribbon cartridge storage portion 13 on the right side of the printer body 2.
When 0 is loaded, the ribbon cartridge 90 is locked by the lock lever 110. When the ink ribbon 94 is pulled out from the ribbon cartridge 90, the swing plate 61 swings upward by the slider 64 shown in FIG. Thereby, the pair of bearing plates 6 of the swing plate 61
The pinch roller 51, which is rotatably supported via 1a and 61a, rises to the capstan shaft 50 side and hits against the capstan shaft 50, and as shown in FIG. Is positioned between the groove portion 13a and the pair of bearing plates 61a and 61a of the oscillating plate 61 which abut on the lower surface side of the pair of ribbon guide portions 91a and 91a of the lower case 91 of the ribbon cartridge 90. That is, the ribbon cartridge 90 is easily positioned by the pinch roller 51 contacting the capstan shaft 50.

Next, the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 of the ribbon cartridge 90 is sandwiched between the capstan shaft 50 and the pinch roller 51 and is sent to the platen 21 side by the rotation of the capstan shaft 50. The ribbon pull-out sheet 95 sent to the platen 21 is sent to the take-up ribbon reel 17 by the counterclockwise rotation of the platen 21. At this time, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the tip 80b side of the ribbon guide braking plate 80 hits the winding body 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17 to guide the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 to the winding body 17a. To do. by this,
The pull-out engagement hole 95a of the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is chucked (hooked) by the claw 18 in the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 10 projecting from the winding body portion 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17 to form the ink ribbon 94. Take-up ribbon reel 1
7 is automatically loaded.

The winding body 1 of the take-up ribbon reel 17
When the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 of the ink ribbon 94 is started to be wound around 7a, the elastic force of the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 causes the claw 18 to sink into the recess 17b of the winding body 17a as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. Take-up ribbon reel 1
The winding is continued by the counterclockwise rotation of 7. The winding state of the ribbon pulling sheet 95 is confirmed by reading the marker 95b provided on the ribbon pulling sheet 95 with the optical sensor 99 provided in the printer body 2. With this optical sensor 99, the ribbon pull-out sheet 9
When it is detected that 5 is not chucked by the claw 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17, the ink ribbon 94 is pulled back to some extent until the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is securely chucked by the claw 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17. The chucking operation is repeated again. As a result, the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 at the tip of the ink ribbon 94 can be reliably chucked on the claw 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17, and the ink ribbon 94 is attached to the winding body portion 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17. It can be reliably wound. As a result, the ink ribbon 94 can be easily and surely wound up by a simple chucking mechanism including the claws 18 and the like protruding and retracting in the recess 17b at the center of the winding body 17a of the winding ribbon reel 17.

The ribbon guide braking plate 80 has an ink ribbon 94 on the winding body 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17.
10 is sufficiently wound, it moves in a direction away from the winding drum portion 17a of the winding ink ribbon 17 and separates from the winding ribbon reel 17, as shown by a one-dot chain in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG. 21, when the photographic paper 10 is fed from the paper feed guide plate 11, the photographic paper 10 is rotated counterclockwise by the platen 21 and the platen 21 and the lower side of the platen 21. The sheet is sandwiched between the pinch rollers 45 and the sheet feeding is completed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 22, the platen 21, which holds the photographic printing paper 10 with the pinch rollers 45 below the platen 21, is swung downward by the platen swinging mechanism 30 to cause ink to be transferred to the thermal head 16. Pressure contact is made via the ribbon 94. When the platen 21 is rotated counterclockwise in this state, the printing paper 10 is sent to the pinch roller 45 above the platen 21 due to the friction of the surface of the platen 21, and the transfer of the image for one color (yellow) is completed. To do.

When the printing for one color is completed, the platen 21 is separated from the thermal head 16 by the platen swinging mechanism 30 as shown in FIG. The pinch roller 45 on the lower side of the platen 21 is returned to, and the ink ribbon 94 is fed as shown in FIG. 24 to start the transfer of the next color (magenta).

In this way, after the operations shown in FIGS. 21 to 24 are repeated several times to complete the transfer of the last color (cyan) and the series of printing operations, as shown in FIG.
When the platen 21 is separated from the thermal head 16 by the platen swing mechanism 30, the platen 21 is ejected by the paper discharge roller 188.
When the platen 21 rotates counterclockwise, the printing paper 10 is discharged onto the discharge guide plate 14. Before performing the above series of printing operations, the printing paper 10 is wound around the platen 21, the ink ribbon 94 is pressed against the platen 21, and the printing is performed by rotating the platen 21 to a predetermined printing length.
Is repeated 2-3 times. This is a sublimation thermal transfer color video printer, so each color of the ribbon (Y,
M, C), or plain paper, before transferring each color,
This is for transferring the receiving layer. In the operations shown in FIGS. 21 to 23, the thermal head 16, the printing paper 10 and the ink ribbon 94 are pressed by the platen 21 during the printing shown in FIG. In the paper mode, the paper return mode shown in FIG. 23, and the ink ribbon feed mode shown in FIG. 24, the non-contact state is set.

When the ink ribbon 94 is cut before and after the platen 21 for some reason during this printing, the optical sensors 97 and 98 sense the cut state of the ink ribbon 94, for example, as shown in FIG. , The winding reel base 69 is rotated counterclockwise via the motor 84, and the supply reel base 52 is rotated clockwise via the motor 53. As a result, the cut ink ribbon 9
4 is a take-up ribbon reel 17 and a ribbon cartridge 9
Each of them is wound around the supply ribbon reel 93 of 0. When the ink ribbons 94 cut by the ribbon reels 17 and 93 have been wound up, the winding ribbon reels 17 are removed from the winding reel stand 69 and cut, as shown by the solid line in FIG. Ink ribbon 9
Remove 4. The take-up ribbon reel 17 from which the cut ink ribbon 94 has been removed is attached to the take-up reel stand 69 and the bearing portion 19 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
Prepare the next print. When the tip portion 17d of the take-up ribbon reel 17 is attached to or detached from the bearing portion 19, the screw 19
This is done by attaching and detaching the upper support plate 19b of the bearing portion 19 which is c-stopped. Next, the platen 21 and the thermal head 1
Printing is restarted by replacing the cut ink ribbon 94 between 6 and the ribbon cartridge 90 in which the cut ink ribbon 94 is rewound with a new ribbon cartridge 90.

After the ink ribbon 94 has been used up, or when the ribbon cartridge 90 is to be replaced, the supply ribbon reel 9 of the ribbon cartridge 90.
After the ink ribbon 94 is completely rewound on the cartridge 3, the ribbon cartridge 90 is removed from the ribbon cartridge housing portion 13. When rewinding the ink ribbon 94, as shown in FIG.
As shown in the solid line 0 and FIG. 12, the ribbon guide braking plate 8
No. 0 end 80b is the winding body 1 of the take-up ribbon reel 17
The ink ribbon 94 wound around 7a is pressed to apply back tension to the ink ribbon 94 to prevent the ink ribbon 94 from being loosened when rewound to the supply ribbon reel 93. The ink ribbon 94 is rewound on the supply ribbon reel 93 in the ribbon cartridge 90 by rotating the supply reel base 52 clockwise by the motor 53. Immediately before the completion of the rewinding of the ink ribbon 94, the claw 18 is erected from the recess 17b of the winding body 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17 by the urging force of the torsion coil spring 18a, and the ribbon pull-out joined to the tip of the ink ribbon 94 is pulled out. The withdrawal engagement hole 95a of the seat 95 is smoothly separated from the pawl 18. Then, the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 passes between the platen 21 and each pinch roller 45 and between the capstan shaft 50 and the pinch roller 51, and is completely wound around the supply ribbon reel 93.

As described above, the thermal head 16 is directly fixed to the chassis 3 via the sub-chassis 15, and the platen 21 is swung with respect to the thermal head 16 by the platen swinging mechanism 30 to contact the thermal head 16. Since they are configured to be separated from each other, the chassis 3 can be used as a heat dissipation plate, and a high heat dissipation effect can be obtained. As a result, a conventional motor fan for forced air cooling and the like are not required, so that the installation space for the motor fan can be saved, and the printer main body 2 can be made ultra-miniaturized and thin, and portability is improved. In addition to being able to improve, low power consumption can be achieved. Further, since the platen 21 is rotatable with respect to the platen swinging mechanism 30 by the platen rotating mechanism 20, the rotation of the platen 21 causes the printing paper 10 in the paper feeding mode, the printing mode, and the paper discharging mode. It is possible to easily and surely feed the paper. Further, the platen rotating mechanism 20, the platen swinging mechanism 30, the ribbon feed mechanism including the ribbon guide plates 71 and 77 and the ribbon guide rollers 75 and 79 and the like can be separated for each block, and the structure is easy to assemble.

Further, since the motor fan and its drive circuit are not required, the cost can be reduced accordingly. Further, the platen 21 is attached to the platen swing mechanism 3 with respect to the thermal head 16 having a large mounting space.
Since the printing operation is performed by pressing or not pressing the thermal head 16 at 0, the printer 1 as a whole can be made smaller, thinner and lighter in combination with the size reduction of the ribbon cartridge 90.

Further, a single reel type ribbon cartridge 90 is adopted, and the ribbon cartridge 90 is locked in the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion 13 by utilizing the cutout portion 96b formed in the joint flange portion 96 of the ribbon cartridge 90. The mechanism for locking the ribbon cartridge 90 can be simplified, and the size and weight of the printer as a whole can be reduced in this respect as well. When the ribbon cartridge 90 is positioned in the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion 13, the capstan shaft 50 and the pinch roller 51, which are the ribbon drawing-out means, are used without providing a positioning pin or the like. Since the capstan shaft 50 and the pinch roller 51 also function as the shafts for positioning and pulling out the ribbon, the ribbon cartridge housing portion 13
The mounting space and the number of positioning components of the ribbon cartridge 90 can be greatly reduced, and the overall size and weight of the printer 1 can be further reduced. Further, since there is no pointed pin as compared with the conventional pin insertion type positioning means of the ribbon cartridge, it is safe to store and load the ribbon cartridge 90 in the ribbon cartridge storage section 13.

Further, when the ink ribbon 94 of the ribbon cartridge 90 is wound up, the ribbon pulling sheet 95 in which the claw 18 protruding and retracting in the recess 17b formed in the center of the winding ribbon reel 17 is joined to the tip of the ink ribbon 94. Since it is carried out by being locked in the pull-out engaging hole 95a of the above, the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 of the ink ribbon 94 sent from between the capstan shaft 50 and the pinch roller 51 and between the platen 21 and each pinch roller 45 is removed. The ink ribbon 94 can be loaded by smoothly and easily hooked by the claw 18 located at the center of the winding body 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17, and there is no winding unevenness or horizontal deviation even after loading, Winding body part 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17
The center alignment of the ink ribbon 94 with respect to is surely performed, and the margin of the width of the ink ribbon 94 can be reduced accordingly. In addition, at the end of rewinding, the ink ribbon 94 can be quickly separated from the winding body portion 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17 and smoothly rewound.

In the chucking state of the claw 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17 and the pull-out engagement hole 95a of the ribbon pull-out sheet 95, the marker 95b provided on the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is provided inside the printer main body 2. Optical sensor 99
It is detected by reading with the optical sensor 99, and the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is taken up by the optical sensor 99.
If it is detected that the nail 18 is not chucked, the ink ribbon 94 is pulled back to some extent and the above-mentioned chucking is performed again until the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is securely chucked by the nail 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17. Since the operation is repeated, the above-mentioned ribbon pull-out sheet 95
The ink ribbon 94 can be reliably chucked on the claw 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17, and the ink ribbon 94 can be surely wound around the winding body portion 17a of the take-up ribbon reel 17.

Further, when the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is chucked by the claws 18 of the take-up ribbon reel 17,
Since the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is reliably guided to the claw 18 by the ribbon guide braking plate 80, the ink ribbon 94 can be easily introduced into the winding drum portion 17a of the winding ribbon reel 17. Further, since the ink ribbon 94 is rewound by applying the ribbon guide braking plate 80 to the ink ribbon 94, the ink ribbon 94 can be rewound onto the supply ribbon reel 93 in the ribbon cartridge 90 without slack. .. Since the back tension is applied to the ink ribbon 94 and the ribbon pull-out sheet 95 is guided by one ribbon guide braking plate 80, the number of parts can be reduced from this point as well, and the cost and the cost can be reduced. It can be made smaller and lighter. Since the ribbon guide braking plate 80 is directly brought into pressure contact with the ink ribbon 94 when the ink ribbon 94 is rewound, a constant back tension is applied to the ink ribbon 94 without depending on the ribbon winding diameter. You can Since this ribbon cartridge 90 is of a temporary type (disposable), there is no problem even if the ribbon guide braking plate 80 is brought into direct contact with the ink ribbon 94 during rewinding.

Furthermore, since the take-up ribbon reel 17 is detachably provided between the bearing portion 19 attached to the printer body 2 and the take-up reel stand 69, it is easy to take emergency measures when the ink ribbon is cut. Therefore, when the ink ribbon is cut, the take-up ribbon reel 17 and the ribbon cartridge 90 on which the cut ink ribbon 94 is wound can be easily removed from the printer body 2 and replaced. The ink ribbon 94 may be wound up,
Since it can be rewound, the ink ribbon 94
Can be rewound and used twice or more to reduce the running cost, or the printing start point of the ink ribbon 94 can be set at an arbitrary position.

According to the above-described embodiment, the photographic paper is manually fed to the paper feed guide plate. However, the printer body is detachably provided with a paper feed tray for storing a plurality of photographic papers. Then, the sheet may be automatically fed. Further, the claws for chucking (hanging) the ribbon pull-out sheet of the ink ribbon are always urged by the metal torsion coil spring so as to be in a standing state from a tilted state. The claw may be erected and biased by an elastic member such as a manufactured spring. Further, although the chucking state of the claw and the ribbon pulling sheet is detected by an optical sensor, the detecting means is not limited to the optical type, and the ribbon pulling sheet may be magnetically detected by applying a magnetic material to the ribbon pulling sheet. Alternatively, it may be detected by a change in electric resistance or a chemical change.

[0040]

As described above, according to the printer of the present invention, the ribbon cartridge is locked in the ribbon cartridge accommodating portion by the locking means that engages and disengages with the notch formed in the ribbon cartridge. Since it is only necessary to cut out a part of it, it is possible to downsize the ribbon cartridge and downsize the entire printer. Further, since the ribbon cartridge loaded in the ribbon cartridge housing portion is also positioned by the ribbon withdrawing means for withdrawing the ink ribbon from the ribbon cartridge, the mounting space of the ribbon cartridge housing portion and the number of parts such as ribbon cartridge positioning components are reduced. The number of printers can be reduced, and the size and weight of the entire printer can be reduced. Further, as compared to the conventional pin insertion type positioning means for the ribbon cartridge, pins such as pointed pins are not required, so that the safety at the time of loading the ribbon cartridge can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a right side view of a color video printer showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the printer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of the printer.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a drive system of the printer.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a partial section of the ribbon cartridge storage portion of the printer.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the ribbon cartridge storage section.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a platen swing mechanism of the printer.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a platen rotation mechanism used in the printer.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the platen rotating mechanism.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an ink ribbon withdrawal state of the printer.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a ribbon guide braking plate used in the printer when guiding an ink ribbon.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the ribbon guide braking plate when braking an ink ribbon.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a take-up ribbon reel used in the printer and a drive system thereof.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a detached state of the winding ribbon reel.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a pinch roller driving mechanism used in the printer.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a control system used in the printer.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of an ink ribbon winding and rewinding state of the printer.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a cut state of the ink ribbon.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a ribbon cartridge used in the printer.

FIG. 20 is a schematic explanatory view showing an automatic loading state of the ink ribbon of the printer.

FIG. 21 is a schematic explanatory view showing a paper feeding state of the printer.

FIG. 22 is a schematic explanatory view showing a printing state of the printer.

FIG. 23 is a schematic explanatory view showing a paper returning state of the printer.

FIG. 24 is a schematic explanatory view showing an ink ribbon feeding state of the printer.

FIG. 25 is a schematic explanatory view showing a discharged state of the printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer, 2 ... Printer main body, 13 ... Ribbon cartridge storage part, 50 ... Capstan shaft (ribbon drawing means), 51 ... Pinch roller (ribbon drawing means), 90 ...
Ribbon cartridge, 96b ... Notch, 110 ... Lock lever (locking means).

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hideki Ito 6-735 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Shin Iima 6-35 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Mutsuko Narita 6-735 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony Corporation (72) Inventor Miyuki Kaguma 6-735 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Sony -Inside the corporation

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer having a ribbon cartridge housing portion for loading a ribbon cartridge in a printer body, wherein lock means for engaging and disengaging a notch formed in the ribbon cartridge is arranged while the ribbon cartridge housing portion is housed. A printer characterized in that the ribbon cartridge that is loaded into the printer portion is also positioned by a ribbon withdrawing means that withdraws an ink ribbon from the ribbon cartridge.