JPH06246939A - Toner-melting transfer recording method and its apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize a toner-melting transfer recording method and its apparatus of a new recording system wherein articles of consumption are not generated in a printing process, high quality printing becomes capable of being performed irrespective of any kind of recording paper, and miniaturization and low cost of an apparatus constitution can be achieved. CONSTITUTION:A toner cartridge 2 equipped with an elastic roller 7 for charging application of toner is provided in a transfer area of a toner-carrying film 3 which is circumferentially transferred. The elastic roller 7 for charging and application of toner is rotated in a sliding contact state with a toner-carrying film 3 having a charged property of a reversed polarity to a charged polarity of a toner 10. The toner 10 is attracted to the toner-carrying film 3 by this rotary operation. The attracted toner 10 is carried to a position of a thermal head 4, and melted and transferred to recording paper 5 by selective heating according to a printing data.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a non-impact serial recording type toner melt transfer recording method using toner and a toner melt transfer recording apparatus used for the same, and more specifically, it is adsorbed on a toner carrying film. Melt transfer of toner to recording paper by thermal head,
The present invention relates to a toner melt transfer recording method suitable for a serial recording type printer and a toner melt transfer recording apparatus used for the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of a printer using a thermal head, there is a printer using a transfer film having an ink layer coated on a base film. This printer has a configuration in which a thermal head selectively heats a transfer film in accordance with print data, and prints (records) on a recording sheet that is passed between the thermal head and the platen roller.

Another example of a printer uses toner instead of a transfer film. As a typical example of such a printer, there is a printer to which an electrophotographic method is applied. One example thereof is Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-15.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5971.

Further, as a non-impact recording type printer, there is an ink jet recording type printer for recording by ejecting ink onto recording paper.

[0005]

By the way, in the recording type printer using the above-mentioned transfer film, since the ink layer in the transfer portion is removed by printing, the portion used for printing cannot be reused. Therefore, when printing progresses and there is no printable area, it is necessary to replace with a new transfer film. That is, since the transfer film is a consumable item and cannot be reused, there is a drawback that the running cost is high.

On the other hand, the above-mentioned printer to which the electrophotographic method is applied requires a corona charger for charging the dielectric film and requires a high voltage, which is not preferable in that ozone is generated.

Further, in the ink jet recording type printer, there is a problem that the recorded characters and images are blurred depending on the kind of the recording paper, or the characters become unreadable when the recording paper is wet by mistake. . For this reason, there is concern that the inkjet method will be used as an important official document recording method.

The present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and does not generate consumables in the printing process.
Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide an economical toner melt transfer recording method capable of enjoying good printing quality and a toner melt transfer recording apparatus used for carrying out the method.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner melt transfer recording method which can reduce the size and cost of the apparatus and a toner melt transfer recording apparatus used for the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toner melt transfer recording method and a toner melt transfer used for carrying out the method, which makes it possible to perform recording on an important official document with confidence regardless of the type of recording paper. To provide a recording device.

[0011]

In the toner melt transfer recording method of the present invention, the step of adhering the toner in the toner cartridge to the peripheral surface of the toner charge applying elastic roller and the orbital movement of the toner charge applying elastic roller. The toner transport film is rotated while being in sliding contact with the toner transport film, the toner and the toner transport film are charged with opposite polarities, and the toner is attracted to the toner transport film. And the step of selectively heating the toner transport film with the thermal head to melt transfer the toner onto the recording paper, thereby achieving the above object.

Further, the toner melt transfer recording apparatus of the present invention includes a toner conveying film which moves in a circular manner, a toner cartridge which is provided in a moving region of the toner conveying film and accommodates toner, and in the vicinity of the toner cartridge. For toner charging application, which is provided so as to be slidably contactable with the toner transport film, and charges the toner attached to the peripheral surface from the toner cartridge and the toner transport film to the opposite characteristics and attracts the toner to the toner transport film. A thermal roller that is arranged opposite to the platen with the recording paper sandwiched between the elastic roller and the moving area of the toner carrying film, and selectively heats the toner carrying film having adsorbed the toner to melt transfer the toner to the recording paper. Equipped with a head,
Thereby, the above object is achieved.

[0013]

In the above structure, the toner in the toner box is sufficiently contained in the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller for charging the toner, and the elastic roller for charging the toner is applied to the toner transport film transported to this position. When slidingly contacting and rotating, the toner and the toner transport film are charged with opposite polarities. Therefore, the toner is adsorbed on the toner transport film. Therefore, the material of the toner carrying film is selected to have a charging property opposite to the charging polarity of the toner.

The toner adsorbed on the toner carrying film is carried to the position of the thermal head, which is the printing section, where it is selectively heated by the thermal head in accordance with the print data (print information) and recorded on the recording paper. It is melt-transferred. The toner in the non-printing portion that does not contribute to printing is conveyed while being adsorbed on the toner conveying film and reaches the toner cartridge. Then, the toner cartridge charges and applies new toner to the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller for toner charging application.

According to this structure, the endless toner carrying film is not a consumable item and can be repeatedly used.

[0016]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a toner melt transfer recording apparatus used for carrying out the toner melt transfer recording method of the present invention. The print cartridge 1 is arranged to face the platen roller 6, which is rotatable about its axis, at a predetermined interval. Recording paper such as plain paper is passed between the platen roller 6 and the print cartridge 1 in the front-back direction of the paper.

In the print cartridge 1, a pair of rollers 11 and 12 composed of a driving roller and a driven roller are arranged to face each other with a predetermined distance in the left-right direction in the drawing. Both rollers 1
A thermal head 4 is provided at an intermediate position in the facing direction between the first and the second heaters 12 and 12, which is close to the platen roller 6. An endless toner transport film 3 is wound around the rollers 11 and 12 and the thermal head 4 in a loop. The toner-conveying film 3 orbits as the rollers 11 and 12 rotate.

As the material of the toner carrying film 3, a material having excellent heat resistance and having a charging property opposite to the charging polarity of the toner 10 described later is selected. For example, when a toner for positive charging is used as the toner 10, a polyethylene film having a negative charging order is preferable.
When a toner for negative charging is used as the toner 10, a nylon-based film having a positive charging order is preferable.

In addition, between the thermal head 4 and the roller 12 on the left side in the drawing, a toner cartridge 2 for containing the toner 10 therein is arranged at a position desired in the moving area of the toner transport film 3. There is. An elastic roller 7 for applying toner charging is provided rotatably in a clockwise direction indicated by an arrow in a desired portion of the toner cartridge 2 in the moving area of the toner transport film 3. The toner 10 in the toner cartridge 2 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic roller 7 for applying the toner charge.
Is sufficiently adhered (applied), and the toner charging application elastic roller 7 supplies the toner 10 on the outer peripheral surface to the toner transport film 3 by its rotation. Therefore, the material for the toner charging elastic roller 7 is preferably one that can sufficiently contain the toner 10 on its outer peripheral surface, and for example, urethane sponge is preferable. The sponge shape can sufficiently contain the toner 10 in the toner cartridge 2, and as a result, the toner 10 can be stably applied to the toner transport film 3.

The elastic roller 7 for applying the toner charge rotates while being in contact with the toner transport film 3. That is,
The toner transport film 3 is rotated in a state of being in sliding contact with the toner transport film 3. By this sliding contact rotation operation, the toner transport film 3 is charged with a polarity opposite to that of the toner 10, and the toner 10 on the toner charging elastic roller 7 is charged. Are adsorbed on the toner transport film 3.

The attracted toner 10 is transported to the position of the thermal head 4 as the toner transport film 3 moves around. Then, the thermal head 4 selectively heats the toner transport film 3 in accordance with the print data, the toner 10 at the heated portion is melt-transferred onto the recording paper 5, and printing is performed by this.

The thermal head 4 is movable along with the print cartridge 1 in the axial direction of the platen roller 6, so that printing in the main scanning direction is performed. Printing in the sub-scanning direction is performed by rotating the platen roller 6.

The printing process will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, when the toner charging application elastic roller 7 having the toner 10 in the toner cartridge 2 attached to the outer peripheral surface thereof is rotated toward the toner transport film 3 side, the toner charging application elastic roller 7 is replaced with the toner. It rotates while being in sliding contact with the surface of the transport film 3. By selecting the material of the toner transport film 3 as described above, the toner 10 and the toner transport film 3 are given the triboelectric charges of opposite polarities by the rotation operation of the toner charging elastic roller 7, and the toner 10 becomes the toner. It is adsorbed on the transport film 3. Then, the attracted toner 10 is transported to the position of the thermal head 4 which is the printing unit as the toner transport film 3 moves.

The toner 10 conveyed to this position is
As shown in FIG. 2B, the heater 8 provided in the thermal head 4 selectively heats the toner 10 in accordance with the print data, and the toner 10 in the heating portion is melt-transferred onto the recording paper 5. Then, in the process shown in FIG. 2C, the toner 10 melt-transferred onto the recording paper 5 is fixed.

The toner 10 in the non-printing portion which has not been heated by the heater 8 is collected while being adsorbed on the toner transport film 3 and reaches the toner cartridge 2, where a new toner 10 is applied to the toner charging elastic roller 7. Is charged and applied. In the same manner, the next printing operation is performed.

[0027]

According to the present invention as described above, the toner in the toner cartridge is attracted to the toner transport film which is circulated by the elastic roller for toner charge application, and subsequently the toner transport film and the toner are printed by the thermal head. According to the configuration, the printing operation is performed by selectively heating, so that no consumable product is generated in the printing process. Therefore, it is possible to realize an economical printing device without running cost. Also, since toner is used, high quality printing is possible.

Further, unlike a device to which the electrophotographic method is applied, a corona charger is not required, so that a high voltage is unnecessary and ozone is not generated.

Further, unlike the ink jet recording method, there is no problem of being weak against water, and high quality printing can be performed regardless of the type of recording paper such as postcard or plain paper. As a result, it is possible to print important official documents with confidence.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a toner melt transfer recording apparatus used for carrying out a toner melt transfer recording method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle explanatory view showing a printing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Print Cartridge 2 Toner Cartridge 3 Toner Conveying Film 4 Thermal Head 5 Recording Paper 6 Platen Roller 7 Elastic Roller for Applying Toner Charging 8 Heater 10 Toner

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A step of adhering toner in a toner cartridge to a peripheral surface of an elastic roller for applying toner charge, and rotating the elastic roller for applying toner charge in a state in which the elastic roller for apply toner charge is slidably contacted with a toner transport film which is orbiting. A step of adsorbing the toner to the toner conveying film by charging the toner and the toner conveying film to opposite polarities, and conveying the adsorbed toner to the position of a thermal head, and the thermal head conveying the toner conveying film. And fusing the toner selectively onto the recording paper to melt-transfer the toner onto the recording paper. 2. A toner transport film which moves in a circular manner, a toner cartridge which is provided in a moving region of the toner transport film and stores toner, and a toner cartridge which is provided in the vicinity of the toner cartridge so as to be capable of sliding contact with the toner transport film. An elastic roller for applying a toner charge to charge the toner attached to the peripheral surface from the toner cartridge and the toner transport film to the opposite characteristics to attract the toner to the toner transport film; and a movement of the toner transport film. In the area, a toner fusion transfer recording apparatus provided with a thermal head which is arranged to face the platen with the recording paper sandwiched therebetween, and which selectively heats the toner transport film having adsorbed the toner to melt-transfer the toner to the recording paper. .