JPH07125367A - Heat-sensitive transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent incapability of printing through running-out of material such as a thermal transfer sheet or a sheet to be thermally transferred. CONSTITUTION:Thermal transfer sheets 4 and sheets to be thermally transferred 5 are charged respectively in plurality of sheets, a detecting device detecting running out of at least one side out of the transfer sheet 4 and thermal transferred sheet 5 is provided and an exchanging device exchanging automatically respectively the thermal transfer sheet 4 and thermal transferred sheet 5 through the detected result are provided. In the case where thermal transfer sheet 4 or the thermal transferred sheet 5 in recording runs out, the state is detected and operation is performed so as to exchange materials automatically by detecting this.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer used for recording an image by melt transfer or sublimation transfer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional thermal transfer printers of this type are
Both the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet are passed between the platen roller and the thermal head in a pressed state, and heat is selectively applied by the thermal head to record an image on the thermal transfer sheet. Then, as the heat transfer sheet, a continuous one wound in a roll shape is used, while as the heat transfer sheet, a continuous one wound in a roll shape or a sheet shape stacked in a stacker. Is used.

[0003]

In the conventional thermal transfer printer as described above, when the thermal transfer sheet or the thermal transfer sheet is exhausted, printing is impossible unless these materials are replaced with new ones or replenished. . In particular, in an unmanned printing system, running out of material is a major problem for stable operation of the system, but in order to prevent this, it is necessary to check the remaining amount of material frequently and the load of maintenance Will increase the system operation cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printer capable of preventing printing failure due to material shortage.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides at least respective conveying means for conveying a loaded thermal transfer sheet and a thermal transfer sheet,
The platen roller disposed in the conveyance path of the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet, the transported thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet are pressed against the surface by the platen roller, and a plurality of heating resistors generate heat according to the image information. In a thermal transfer printer having a recording unit having a thermal head for recording an image on the thermal transfer sheet, a plurality of thermal transfer sheets and a plurality of thermal transfer sheets are loaded, and The present invention is characterized in that a material shortage detecting means is provided for detecting that at least one of the sheets is gone, and an exchanging means is provided for automatically exchanging the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet based on the detection result.

[0006]

In the thermal transfer printer of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, when the thermal transfer sheet or the thermal transfer sheet being recorded runs out, it is detected and the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet are automatically replaced. Works.

[0007]

1 is a schematic side view showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view.

As shown in these figures, the thermal head 2 of the recording unit 1 is disposed so as to face the platen roller 3, and the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are set so as to pass between them. ing. Then, the thermal head 2 is pressed against the heat-transferred sheet 5 via the heat-transfer sheet 4, and the platen roller 3 is rotated in this state to convey the heat-transferred sheet 5 and the heat-transferred sheet 4 to the feeding speed of the heat-transferred sheet 5. An image is recorded on the heat-transferred sheet 5 by energizing the thermal head 2 and causing a plurality of heat-generating resistors to generate heat in accordance with the image information while synchronizing with each other. It is cut into a predetermined length by the cutter 6 and discharged.

The thermal transfer sheet 4 is stretched on the feeding-side bobbin 7 and the winding-side bobbin 8 and is attached to the cassette case 9.
It is stored inside. Two cassette cases 9 (9a, 9b) are loaded at the A position and the B position as shown in FIG. It is supported so that it can move between and the standby position beside it. That is,
The exchange means for the thermal transfer sheet 4 reciprocates one set cassette case 9a between the A position and the C position, and reciprocally moves the other cassette case 9b between the B position and the A position. .

As the heat transfer sheet 5, a roll wound on a bobbin 10 is used, and the printer is loaded with two rolls 11a and 11b.
In the figure, the heat-transferred sheet 5 fed from the lower roll 11a is used for recording, and the heat-transferred sheet 5 of the upper roll 11b is in a standby state. Ie the upper roll 1
The heat-transferred sheet 5 is slightly fed out from 1b, and its leading end is set on the switching plate 13 via the nip roller 12.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining an example of the material shortage detecting means of the thermal transfer sheet 4. As shown in FIG.
The microswitch 1 is placed close to the transport path of the thermal transfer sheet 4.
Place 4 As the thermal transfer sheet 4 is used, the winding diameter on the payout side bobbin 7 side becomes smaller, so the transport path is gradually displaced upward, and at the roll end, the thermal transfer sheet 4 is moved to the microswitch 14 as shown in FIG. 3B. The material of the thermal transfer sheet 4 can be contacted and detected.

FIG. 4 is a view for explaining an example of a material shortage detecting means for the heat transfer sheet 5. Figure 4
As shown in (a), the heat transfer sheet 5 from the roll 11
Is fed out and pressed against a thermal head (not shown) together with a thermal transfer sheet (not shown) by the platen roller 3. When the heat-transferred sheet 5 and the bobbin 10 are fixed by weak adhesion, when the roll end is reached, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the heat-transferred sheet 5 is separated from the bobbin 10, so that the bobbin 10 becomes free and stops rotating, and only the platen roller 3 rotates.
Further, when the heat transfer sheet 5 and the bobbin 10 are fixed by strong adhesion, at the roll end, the bobbin 10 is constrained and rotation is stopped as shown in FIG. 4C, and only the platen roller 3 is rotated. Will be done. In both cases of weak adhesion and strong adhesion, the rotation of the bobbin 10 is stopped and only the platen roller 3 is rotated. Therefore, it is possible to detect the material shortage of the heat transfer sheet 5 by monitoring the rotation of both. Of course, the rotation of the bobbin 10 may be monitored to detect the material shortage.

Although the means for detecting the material shortage of the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the material for the thermal transfer sheet 5 have been described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, any of the detecting means can be applied to the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5, respectively. Is. In addition to this, the number of used screens of the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 is counted, or the thermal transfer sheet 4,
By detecting the end mark provided on the heat-transferred sheet 5, it is possible to detect the breakage of the sheet.

The replacement of the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 is carried out by detecting that the material is exhausted or nearly exhausted by the detection means provided in each. In this case, it is not necessary to replace both at the same time. If the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are always replaced at the same time, the material shortage detection means may be provided in only one of the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5.

Next, an operation example in which the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are simultaneously replaced when a material shortage is detected will be described.

When an image is recorded in the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the detection means as described above detects that the thermal transfer sheet 4 or the thermal transfer sheet 5 is gone, the thermal transfer sheet 4 is detected based on the detection result. The exchanging means is driven to move the used cassette case 9a at the A position to the C position and the cassette case 9b at the B position to the A position. At the same time, the remaining portion of the heat-transferred sheet 5 on the roll 11a is wound around or sent out on the bobbin 10, and then the nip roller 12 feeds the heat-transferred sheet 5 from the roll 11b. Printing is continued with the material thus replaced.
At the time of regular inspection, the cassette case 9a at the C position and the lower roll 11a are replaced with new ones.

In this state, when it is detected that the thermal transfer sheet 4 or the thermal transfer sheet 5 has run out due to further printing, the used cassette case 9b at the A position is moved to the B position.
At the same time that the new cassette case at the position C moves to the position A, and at the same time, the heat transfer sheet is unwound from the new roll, and printing is continuously performed with the replaced material. At the time of regular inspection, the cassette case 9b at the position B and the upper roll 11b are replaced with new ones. By repeating this cycle, printing is continued without causing a state in which printing cannot be performed due to a material shortage.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view.

In this embodiment, as the thermal transfer sheet 4, the one accommodated in the cassette case 9 is used as in the case of the previous embodiments, and two cassette cases (9a, 9a) are used.
b) It is loaded, but as the heat-transferred sheet 5, a sheet-shaped sheet accumulated in the stacker 15 is used. Then, two stackers 15 (15a, 15b) are loaded at the D position and the E position as shown in FIG. It is movably supported between the standby positions beside it. That is, the thermal transfer sheet 5
The replacement means is to set one of the set stacker 15a to D
The stacker 15b is reciprocated between the position and the F position, and the other stacker 15b is reciprocated between the E position and the D position in conjunction with this. The material shortage detecting means for the thermal transfer sheet 4 is the same as that described above, but the material shortage for the thermal transfer sheet 5 can be detected by detecting the presence or absence of the sheet in the stacker 15 with a transmission sensor, for example. .

Also in the present embodiment, the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are exchanged by detecting that the material is or is almost exhausted by the detection means provided in each. In this case, it is not necessary to replace both of them at the same time as in the previous embodiment. If the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are always replaced at the same time, the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are replaced. It is also the same that the out-of-material detecting means may be provided in only one of the five.

An example of operation in which the thermal transfer sheet 4 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are simultaneously replaced when a material shortage is detected will be described.

When an image is recorded in the state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and it is detected that the thermal transfer sheet 4 or the thermal transfer sheet 5 has run out, the detection means causes the replacement means of the thermal transfer sheet 4 to be driven. Then, the used cassette case 9a at the A position is moved to the C position, and the cassette case 9b at the B position is moved to the A position. At the same time, the exchange means for the thermal transfer sheet 5 is driven to move the used stacker 15a at the D position to the F position and the used stacker 15b at the E position to the D position. Printing is continued with the material thus replaced. Then, at the time of regular inspection, the cassette case 9a at the C position may be replaced with a new one, and the thermal transfer sheet 5 may be replenished into the stacker 15a at the F position.

In this state, when it is detected that the thermal transfer sheet 4 or the thermal transfer sheet 5 has run out due to further printing, the used cassette case 9b at the position A is moved to the B position.
Position, the new cassette case at the C position moves to the A position, and at the same time, the stacker 15b at the D position moves to the E position and the stacker 15a supplied with the sheets at the F position moves to the D position. The printed material is continuously printed with the replaced material. At the time of regular inspection, the cassette case 9b at the B position is replaced with a new one, and the heat transfer sheet 5 is replenished in the stacker 15b at the E position. By repeating this cycle, printing is continued without causing a state in which printing cannot be performed due to a material shortage.

[0024]

As described above, in the thermal transfer printer of the present invention, a plurality of thermal transfer sheets and a plurality of thermal transfer sheets are loaded, and at least one of the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet is eliminated. A material out-of-stock detecting means for detecting is provided, and a replacement means for automatically exchanging the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet with the detection result is provided, so that when the thermal transfer sheet or the thermal transfer sheet during recording is lost. Detecting this, it operates so as to automatically replace the material, so it is possible to prevent printing failure due to material shortage, and in particular, to reduce the maintenance load in the unattended system, It is possible to reduce operating costs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an example of a material shortage detection unit of a thermal transfer sheet.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a material shortage detection unit of a heat transfer target sheet.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing another embodiment of the thermal transfer printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Recording Section 2 Thermal Head 3 Platen Roller 4 Thermal Transfer Sheet 5 Thermal Transfer Sheet 9 (9a, 9b) Cassette Case 11a, 11b Roll 15 (15a, 15b) Stacker

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. At least respective conveying means for conveying the loaded thermal transfer sheet and thermal transfer sheet, a platen roller disposed in the middle of the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet conveyance path, and a thermal transfer sheet to be conveyed. A heat-sensitive transfer printer including a recording unit having a thermal head for recording an image on the heat-transferred sheet, in which a heat-transferred sheet is pressed against the surface by a platen roller, and a plurality of heating resistors generate heat in accordance with image information. In the above, a plurality of thermal transfer sheets and a plurality of thermal transfer sheets are loaded respectively, and a material shortage detection means is provided for detecting that at least one of the thermal transfer sheet and the thermal transfer sheet being recorded is gone. It is characterized in that an exchange means for automatically exchanging the sheet and the thermal transfer sheet is provided. Thermal transfer printer.