JPH0673985B2 - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer that prints images and the like.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as printer systems, there are an electrostatic printer that charges ink on a printing paper to print, and an inkjet printer that ejects ink onto the printing paper to print, but these printers are maintained.・ It was troublesome because the maintenance had to be done frequently. For these methods,
A thermal transfer printer that prints by thermally transferring the ink applied to the ink ribbon onto printing paper requires little maintenance and is easy to maintain. As such a thermal transfer printer, one having a structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is known.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, 1 is a transfer target sheet, 2 and 2
Denote the feed holes provided on both sides of the paper 1, and the sprocket pins 4, 4 of the platen roll 3 and the sprocket pins 6 of the guide roll 5,
6 is engaged. Further, 7 is an ink ribbon, which passes under the platen roll 3 and is wound up by a winding roll 8. The guide roll 5 serves to assist the conveyance of the sheet 1, and 5a indicates its axis. Pulleys 5b are provided at both ends of the shaft 5a (only the front side is shown in the figure), and the rotational force of the platen roll 3 is transmitted to the pulleys 5b by a transmission belt 9, so that the guide roll 5 rotates. It has become. In this case, the platen roll 3 and the guide roll 5 are configured to have the same peripheral speed. As shown in the figure, the paper 1 has the sprocket pins 6, 6 ...
After being engaged with, the ink ribbon 7 is sent upward through the lower surface of the platen roll 3, the ink ribbon 7 passes over the shaft 5a of the guide roll 5, and then contacts the sheet 1 below the platen roll 3. It is wound around and then the winding roll 8
Wound up by. Further, 10 is a thermal head for performing heat generation printing, which is urged toward the platen roll 3 to press the ink ribbon 7 against the paper 1 during printing.

Printing by the above printer is performed as follows. First, the print start position of the paper 1 is conveyed to the print position of the thermal head 10, and then the thermal head 10 is urged toward the platen roll 3 to bring the ink ribbon 7 and the paper 1 into a pressure contact state. Then, the platen roll 3 and the guide roll 5
And are rotated stepwise in the direction of arrow Y1 shown in the figure
And the ink ribbon 7 are overlapped and conveyed one line at a time to the delivery side (the upper side of the drawing), and the ink of the ink ribbon 7 is thermally transferred to the paper 1 by the thermal head 10 for printing.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] By the way, the conventional thermal transfer printers are mainly those for A3 and A4, and those for A2 and above have the following problems and are difficult to put into practical use.

(1) If the thermal head is longer than the width of A2 paper, it is difficult to manufacture and the manufacturing cost is high.

(2) In the case of an ink ribbon having a width greater than that of A2 paper, wrinkles were not completely generated during ribbon winding or printing because of the wide width.

Considering the points (3) and (2), it is conceivable to use a thermal paper as the printing paper without using an ink ribbon, but the thermal paper has a problem in storage and is currently capable of color printing. There was a problem that there was no thermal paper.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to use a thermal head having a length equal to or less than the width of A3 paper and an ink ribbon having a width equal to or less than the width of A3 paper.
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printer capable of printing on printing paper of A2 size or more.

[Means to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention relates to a platen having an axial length longer than the width of printing paper of A2 or more, and a plurality of thermal heads having a length obtained by dividing the axial length of the platen into several parts. A plurality of thermal heads arranged in proximity to the periphery of the platen so as to complement each other in each row, and a plurality of ink ribbons in the same number as the thermal heads. It is characterized by comprising a plurality of ink ribbons respectively arranged between the respective thermal heads and the platen.

[Operation] According to the present invention, it is possible to print a paper having a width corresponding to the axial length of the platen by using a plurality of small thermal heads obtained by dividing the axial length of the platen into several parts. As with the thermal head, multiple narrow width heads are used, so the ink ribbon does not wrinkle when printing or winding the ribbon, and you can print on A2 or larger printing paper that corresponds to the length of the platen. it can. Also,
Since it is a thermal transfer type, there is almost no need for maintenance and maintenance.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1A and 1B are a side view and a front view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In these figures, 40
Is a platen, and its axial length is formed to be longer than the width of A2 paper. Five line-shaped thermal heads 11 to 15 are arranged close to each other above and laterally of the platen 40. Each of the thermal heads 11 to 15 has a heat generating portion having a length that is ⅕ of the axial length of the platen 40 on the tip surface. In these thermal heads 11 to 15, the thermal head 11,
Reference numerals 13 and 15 are arranged above the platen 40 in FIG. 1 so that their respective tip surfaces are close to the upper surface of the platen 40. The thermal head 11 is located at the left end of the platen 40 in FIG. Is arranged at the center and the thermal head 15 is arranged at the right end, and they are arranged in a straight line at equal intervals in the axial direction of the platen 40. Further, the thermal heads 12 and 14 have platen 40
Are located close to the sides of the thermal head.
As shown in FIG. 1B, the thermal head 14 complements the interval between the thermal heads 13 and 15 so that 12 complements the interval between the thermal heads 11 and 13 at the central position on the left side of the platen 40. The platen 40 is arranged at the center of the right part. These thermal heads 11-15 are platen 40
It is possible to approach and separate from. Further, the ink ribbons 16 to 20 drawn out from the ribbon rolls 21 to 25 are respectively wound around the front end surfaces of the thermal heads 11 to 15. These ink ribbons 16 to 20 are wound on winding rolls 26 to 30 which are rotationally driven by a ribbon winding mechanism (not shown). Also,
Reference numerals 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b are guide rollers for guiding the sheet 41. The guide rollers 31a, 31b are in close proximity to each other below the platen 40, and the guide rollers 32a, 32b are in close proximity to each other in FIG. ) Is located to the left of the platen 40. Further, pulleys (not shown) are provided at both ends of the shafts A, B of the guide rollers 31a, 32a, and the rotational force of the platen 40 is transmitted by the transmission belts (not shown).
32a rotates. As a result, the paper 41 is guided to
The guide rollers 32a, 32b are sandwiched between a and 31b, pass between the thermal heads 12, 14 and the platen 40 from below the platen 40, and further pass between the thermal heads 11, 13, 15 and the platen 40. It is pinched by and carried to the left of the platen 40. The printing paper 41 is A2 paper.

In the above configuration, first, the platen 40 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Y2 and guided by the guide rollers 31a, 31b, 32a, 32b to align the print start position of the paper 41 with the line of the thermal heads 12, 14. Next, the thermal heads 12 and 14 are urged toward the platen roll 40 to bring the ink ribbons 19 and 20 and the paper 41 into pressure contact with the platen 40. Next, thermal head
12 and 14 are driven, and the first line of the intermediate portions 41a and 41b of the paper 41 is printed. Then, the paper 41 is fed by one line, the thermal heads 12 and 14 are driven again, and the intermediate portion of the paper 41 is fed.
The second line of 41a and 41b is printed. The above operation is repeated, printing is performed on the intermediate portions 41a and 41b of the paper 41, the paper 41 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow Y3, and when the leading end of the paper 41 reaches the line of the thermal heads 11, 13, and 15, the thermal head
11, 13, 15 are urged to the platen 40 side, and the ink ribbon 1
The sheets 6, 17, 18 and the sheet 41 are brought into pressure contact with the platen 40. Then, when the paper 41 is further conveyed in the direction of the arrow Y3 and the print start position of the paper 41 reaches the line of the thermal heads 11, 13, and 15, the thermal heads 11, 13, and 15 are driven, and printing is performed in the same manner as above. From the first line of the paper 41, the remaining portions 41c, 41d, 41e of the intermediate portions 41a, 41b printed by the thermal heads 12, 14 are printed. When the above operation is repeated and the last row of the intermediate portions 41a and 41b of the first page of the paper 41 is printed by the thermal heads 12 and 14, the thermal heads 12 and 14 are separated from the platen 40. Next, the thermal heads 11, 13, 15 up to the last line of the first page of paper 41
When printing is performed by the thermal heads 11, 13,
15 is separated from the platen 40. Next, the paper 41 is conveyed by a predetermined amount, and the printing of one page is completed.

Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, the five thermal heads 11 to 15 of A3 size or less are arranged in two rows, and each row complements the other row, so that the printing paper 41 for A2 is arranged. Printing can be performed without using a thermal head for A2, and ribbon inks 16 to 20 that are less than the width of A3 paper are used, and each ink ribbon 16 to 20 wrinkles during printing and winding. Almost never. Moreover, there is almost no need for maintenance and maintenance just by replacing the used ink ribbon.

In the above embodiment, the ink ribbons 16 to 20 were coated with a single color ink, but by using a color ink ribbon sequentially coated with a plurality of colors of ink, reversing the paper feeding direction causes color change. Printing may be performed.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a platen having an axial length longer than the width of a printing sheet of A2 or more, and a plurality of thermal plates having a length obtained by dividing the axial length of the platen into several parts. A plurality of thermal heads that are arranged in a plurality of rows in the vicinity of the periphery of the platen and that complement each other in each row, and a plurality of thermal heads in the same number as the thermal heads. Ink ribbons of the above, and since a plurality of ink ribbons arranged respectively between the thermal heads and the platen are provided, print on A2 or larger paper with an inexpensive thermal head of A3 or smaller. Further, as the ink ribbon, a ribbon having a width of A3 or less can be used, and printing can be performed without wrinkling of the ink ribbon during printing or winding of the ribbon. In addition, since it is a thermal transfer type, it has an effect of requiring almost no maintenance or maintenance.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are a side view and a front view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are a perspective view and a side view showing the configuration of a conventional thermal transfer printer. is there. 11-15 …… Thermal head, 16-20 …… Ink ribbon,
40 …… Platen, 41 …… Printing paper.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A platen having an axial length longer than the width of the printing paper of A2 or more, and (b) a plurality of thermal heads having a length obtained by dividing the axial length of the platen into several parts. A plurality of thermal heads arranged in a plurality of rows close to the periphery of the platen and so as to complement each other in each row; and (c) a plurality of ink ribbons in the same number as the thermal heads. A thermal transfer printer comprising a plurality of ink ribbons arranged between each of the thermal heads and the platen.