JPH06179278A - Ribbon identifying device of thermal transfer color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the title ribbon identifying device unnecessary for preparing separate ribbon cassettes for three colors, four colors and a monochromatic color. CONSTITUTION:The ribbon identifying on device of a thermal transfer color printer is equipped with a spool 4 having a plurality of the flanges individually combined at every kinds of ink ribbons and attached to a supply core and a flange free spool 5. Further, a plurality of right and left sensors 8, 9 detecting the presence of the individual flanges 6 attached to a printer main body and a ribbon kind identifying circuit 10 for determining the kind of an ink ribbon on the basis of the output signals of the sensors 8, 9 are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer, and more particularly to a ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer that automatically identifies three-color, four-color and monochrome ink ribbons.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer of this type is provided with identification holes, projections, etc. in an ink ribbon cassette at different numbers or positions for three-color, four-color and monochrome ink ribbons. Holes and protrusions are automatically identified.

[0003]

In the conventional ribbon identification device of the thermal transfer color printer, it is necessary to prepare separate ribbon cassettes for three colors, four colors and monochrome.

[0004]

A ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention includes a plurality of identification means that are uniquely combined for each ink ribbon type and attached to an ink ribbon supply means, and a ribbon identification device attached to a printer body. A plurality of detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of each of the identifying means, and a determining means for determining the ink ribbon type based on the output signals of these detecting means are provided.

[0005]

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

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main configuration of an ink ribbon used in this embodiment. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the ribbon identification device of the thermal transfer color printer of this embodiment, the ink ribbon 1 is wound from the supply side core 3 to the winding side core 2. Spools 4 and 5 are fitted into both ends of the supply side core 3, respectively, and these are rotatably held by bearings 7 on the printer body side. A collar 6 is attached to the spool 4. The right sensor 8 and the left sensor 9 are optical coupling elements and detect the presence or absence of the collar 6 of the spools 4 and 5. The signals detected by the right sensor 8 and the left sensor 9 are sent to the ribbon type determination circuit 10. The ribbon type discriminating circuit 10 sends to the printer control circuit 11 a signal discriminating whether the attached ink ribbon 1 is of three colors, four colors or a monochrome ribbon.

FIG. 3 is a table showing the types of the ink ribbon 1, the types of spools to be mounted, and the output signals of the right sensor 8 and the left sensor 9 for detecting the presence or absence of a collar.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,
The operation of this embodiment will be described. When a user prints image data created by a personal computer or the like, first, the supply side core 3 of the ink ribbon 1 is attached to the bearing 7 of the printer body, and the winding side core 2 is a ribbon winding mechanism of the printer body (not shown). Attach to the section. Spools 4 and 5 are attached to the supply side core 3 of the ink ribbon 1 in advance according to the type of ribbon.

When a three-color ribbon is attached to the printer, the spool 4 has a collar 6 and the spool 5 does not have a collar. Here, the right sensor 8 sends a signal of "1" and the left sensor 9 sends a signal of "0" to the ribbon type discriminating circuit 10, and the ribbon type discriminating circuit 10 indicates that the attached ink ribbon 1 is a three-color ribbon. To determine. The printer control circuit 11 receives a signal from the ribbon type determination circuit 10 that the attached ink ribbon 1 is a three-color ribbon, and prints the image data sent from the personal computer by a process using three color inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan. The image data is decomposed into three colors so that the ink ribbon 1 is conveyed, the paper is conveyed, and a thermal head application pulse is controlled to perform a printing operation.

When a four-color ribbon is attached to the printer, the spools 4 and 5 are fitted in the supply core 3 in a configuration opposite to that of the three-color ribbon. The ribbon type determination circuit 10 determines that the ribbon is a four-color ribbon based on the signals from the right sensor 8 and the left sensor 9. The printer control circuit 11 receives a signal that the attached ink ribbon is a four-color ribbon from the ribbon type determination circuit 10, and prints the image data sent from the personal computer by a process using four color inks of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Do.

When a monochrome ribbon is attached to the printer, spools 4 and 5 both having a collar 6 are fitted in the supply core 3. The printer control circuit 11 receives a signal from the ribbon type determination circuit 10 that the attached ink ribbon 1 is a monochrome ribbon, and prints with one monochrome color.

Although the right sensor 8 and the left sensor 9 are optical coupling elements in this embodiment, they may be microswitches or the like.

Next, referring to FIG. 4 showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention, in the ribbon identification device of the thermal transfer color printer of this embodiment, the spool 16 and the spool 16 are provided on the supply side core 3 of the ink ribbon 1. 17 is fitted,
Bearings 7 on the printer body side rotatably hold them. The spool 16 is made of a conductive material, and the spool 17 is made of an insulating material. Spool 1
6 and 17 are electrodes 12 and 13 and electrodes 14 and 1
And 5 are pressed against each other with a predetermined force P. The electrodes 12 and 13 are connected to the right side energization sensor 18, and the electrodes 14 and 15 are connected to the left side energization sensor 19. The signals of the right side energization sensor 18 and the left side energization sensor 19 are transmitted to the ribbon type determination circuit 10. FIG. 5 is a relationship diagram between the electrodes 12 and 13 and the spool 16 shown in FIG. 4, and when the spool 16 is inserted into the electrodes 12 and 13 having a spring property, the state of FIG. 6 is obtained.

In this embodiment, when a three-color ribbon is attached to the printer, a current flows from the electrode 12 to the electrode 13 via the spool 16 and the right side energization sensor 1
8 outputs "1" and the spool 17 does not conduct electricity, so the left energization sensor 19 outputs "0". Even when a four-color ribbon and a monochrome ribbon are attached to the printer, the right side energization sensor 18 and the left side energization sensor 19 output the same output signals as the output signals from the right sensor 8 and the left sensor 9 of the first embodiment. . Based on these output signals, the ribbon type determination circuit 10 determines the ribbon type,
The printer control circuit 11 executes the printing work according to the ribbon type. Where spools 16 and 17
Is pressed against the electrodes 12 and 13 and the electrodes 14 and 15 having a spring property with a predetermined force P as shown in FIG. 6, the ink ribbon 1 is moved in the direction of arrow A by a ribbon winding mechanism (not shown). When sent, back tension in the direction of arrow BT is generated in the ink ribbon 1 due to the frictional force between the spool and the electrode. In the thermal transfer printer, this back tension is necessary to prevent wrinkles and skew of the ink ribbon 1 and to perform stable printing.

Next, referring to FIG. 7 showing the ink ribbon cassette of the third embodiment of the present invention, the spools 16 and 17 fitted in the end portion of the supply side core 3 of the ink ribbon 1 are the electrodes shown in FIG. The portions facing 12 and 13 and the electrodes 14 and 15 are arranged so as to be exposed to the outside of the cassette body 20. Further, the spool incorporated in the cassette body 20 may have a shape having the brim shown in FIG.

Next, referring to FIG. 8 showing the ink ribbon of the fourth embodiment of the present invention, a conductive agent 2 is added to the end of the supply side core 3 of the ink ribbon 1 according to the type of the ink ribbon 1.
1 is applied.

In the ribbon identification device of the thermal transfer color printer described above, the spool for identifying the ink ribbon type is fitted at both ends of the supply side core, but may be attached in one direction.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A plurality of identification means that are uniquely combined for each ink ribbon type and attached to the ink ribbon supply means, a plurality of detection means that are attached to the printer body and detect the presence or absence of each identification means, and a plurality of these detection means. By providing the determination means for determining the ink ribbon type based on the output signal, it is not necessary to prepare separate ribbon cassettes for three colors, four colors and monochrome.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main configuration of an ink ribbon used in this first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a table showing the types of ink ribbons, the types of spools to be mounted, and the output signals of the right sensor and the left sensor that detect the presence or absence of a collar.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between an electrode and a spool according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining back tension generation by the electrodes of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an ink ribbon cassette according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an ink ribbon of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Ink ribbon 2 Winding side core 3 Supply side core 4, 5, 16, 17 Spool 6 Collar 7 Bearing 8 Right sensor 9 Left sensor 10 Ribbon type discrimination circuit 11 Printer control circuit 12, 13, 14, 15 Electrode 18 Right side energization Sensor 19 Left side energization sensor 20 Cassette body 21 Conductive agent

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of identification means that are uniquely combined for each ink ribbon type and attached to an ink ribbon supply means, and a plurality of detection means attached to a printer body for detecting the presence or absence of each said identification means. And a discriminating unit for discriminating the ink ribbon type based on the output signals of these detecting units. 2. The ink ribbon supply means is a shaft-shaped core around which the ink ribbon is wound, the identification means is a spool with a collar and a spool without a collar fitted in the end portion of the core, and the detection means is the 2. The ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon identification device is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a collar. 3. The ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer according to claim 2, wherein the collar has a light-shielding or reflective surface characteristic, and the sensor is an optical coupling element. 4. The ink ribbon supply means is a shaft-shaped core around which the ink ribbon is wound, and the identification means is a spool of a conductive member or an insulative member, the surface or the whole of which is fitted into the end portion of the core. 2. The ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is a sensor that detects the conductivity of the spool. 5. The ink ribbon supply means is a shaft-shaped core around which the ink ribbon is wound, the identification means is a core material coated with a conductive material, and the detection means is the conductive material. 2. The ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon identification device is a sensor for detecting the conductivity of the ribbon. 6. The sensor for detecting the conductivity between a pair of spring-like electrodes, which generate a predetermined frictional force by pressing the detection means against the spool with a predetermined pressure. 4. A ribbon identification device for a thermal transfer color printer according to item 4.