JPH0723017B2 - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Field of Industrial Application> The present invention relates to a thermal recording apparatus used in a facsimile, a printer, etc., and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of imparting a predetermined back tension to an ink sheet. is there.

<Prior Art> In recent years, the thermal transfer recording method using an ink sheet has been widely used in facsimiles and the like because recording on plain paper is possible.

In the above-mentioned thermal transfer type facsimile or the like, as shown in FIG. 3, the ink sheet 1 and the recording sheet 7 are simultaneously conveyed by the platen roller 4 and transferred and recorded by the recording head 5, and then the recording sheet 7 is cut by the cutter 8. The recording sheet 7 and the ink sheet 1 are rewound so that the leading end of the recording sheet 7 that has been cut and remains in the apparatus is at the position of the recording head 5.

Further, the driving force of the motor 3 is transmitted to the supply roll 2 of the ink sheet 1 via a one-way clutch, and when the sheet is wound, the driving force is transmitted to the supply roll 2 to wind up the ink sheet 1. , The driving force is cut off by the one-way clutch when the sheet is fed out,
The supply roll 2 is driven to rotate as the ink sheet 1 is fed by the rotation of the platen roller 4.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In the above configuration, the supply roll 2 is driven to rotate when the ink sheet 1 is fed out, and back tension is applied to the sheet by the rotational load at this time. However, it is difficult to apply a constant load to the rotation of the roll 2, and therefore it is not easy to set the back tension, and there is a problem that an image dropout occurs due to insufficient back tension.

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus which solves the above-mentioned conventional problems and can always apply a constant back tension to an ink sheet that is fed.

<Means for Solving Problems> The means of the present invention for solving the above conventional problems is a thermal transfer recording apparatus for thermally transferring ink of an ink sheet to a recording sheet according to image information, and the ink sheet is roll-shaped. A sliding member that includes a connecting member that rotates according to the rotation of the shaft member of the supply roll that is wound around, and a pressure contact member that is capable of sliding contact with the connecting member while elastically pressure contacting the connecting member,
The pressure contact member includes clutch means for transmitting rotation in only one direction, and restriction means for restricting rotation of the pressure contact member in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation transmitted by the clutch means. In a state where the member does not receive the rotation transmission from the clutch means, when the ink sheet is fed from the supply roll, the pressure contact member whose rotation is regulated by the regulating means, and the ink contact by the feeding of the ink sheet It is characterized in that a predetermined back tension can be applied to the ink sheet fed from the supply roll by sliding friction between the connecting member that rotates according to the rotation of the shaft member of the supply roll and the connection member. Become.

<Operation> According to the above means, when the supply roll is driven to rotate in association with the feeding of the ink sheet, the rotational force is transmitted to the sliding means. However, since the press contact member of the sliding means is restricted in rotation by the restricting means, a slip occurs between the connecting member and the press contact member, and as a result, a constant load corresponding to the slip is applied to the rotation of the supply roll. Therefore, a certain back tension is applied to the ink sheet.

<Example> Next, an example of a thermal transfer recording apparatus to which the above means is applied will be described.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of the apparatus, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a driving force transmission system to a supply roll. In the figure, 1 is an ink film in which a heat-melting ink is applied on a base film, and is a supply roll 2 wound in a roll shape.
The platen roller 4 is rotated by the motor 3 in the direction of arrow a, and the recording head 5 generates heat according to the image information. At the same time when the ink sheet is conveyed, the recording sheet 7 wound in a roll is conveyed between the platen roller 4 and the recording head 5 in close contact with the ink sheet 1, and a predetermined image is formed by the recording head 5 which generates heat at that time. The recording sheet 7 on which the image is thermally transferred and image-recorded is cut from the rear end of the image by a cutter 8 and discharged to the outside of the apparatus.

The ink sheet 1 is conveyed by transmitting a rotational driving force to the platen roller 4, the supply roll 2 and the winding roll 6. The rotational driving force of the motor 3 is applied to the supplying roll 2 and the winding roll 6 by the clutch means. 9 and the sliding means 10 are configured to be transmitted.

Here, the structure for transmitting the driving force to the supply roll 2 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 2, in the supply roll 2, a spindle 2b having a gear 2a formed on the outer peripheral portion is fitted to one end of a reel 2c which is a core around which the ink sheet 1 is wound.
Both ends of are rotatably supported by a spindle 2d.

The driving force of the motor 3 is transmitted to the supply reel 2 through the clutch means 9 and the sliding means 10. The sliding means 10 is composed of a connecting member 10a and a pressure contact member 10b which is in pressure contact with the connecting member 10a. . The connecting member 10a has a gear 10c on the outer peripheral portion.
The gear 10c is formed so as to mesh with the gear 2a of the spindle 2b, and is in pressure contact with the pressure contact member 10b fixed to the drive transmission shaft 11 by the spring 10d. In addition, 1
Reference numeral 0e is a flat washer for preventing the spring 10d from coming off, and is attached to the tip of the transmission shaft 11 with a screw 10f.

Next, the clutch means 9 is attached to the drive transmission shaft 11, and when the motor 3 rotates so as to rotate the platen roller 4 in the direction of arrow a as shown in FIG. 1, that is, in the direction in which the ink sheet 1 is fed out. When it rotates, it becomes a free state and the driving force of the motor 3 is not transmitted to the transmission shaft 11. On the contrary, the motor 3 rotates the platen roller 4 in the arrow-a direction (the minus sign indicates the opposite direction). Then, when the ink sheet 1 is rewound, it is configured by a so-called one-way clutch that is configured to be in a locked state and transmit the driving force of the motor 3 to the transmission shaft 11.

Further, the drive transmission shaft 11 has the shaft 11 and the clutch means 9
There is provided a restriction means 12 for restricting rotation in the direction opposite to the rotation direction via the. A shaft gear 12a is fixed to the transmission shaft 11 of the restricting means 12, and a restricting gear 12b is attached to the fixed shaft 12c by meshing with the gear 12a. A one-way clutch 12 is provided between the restriction gear 12b and the fixed shaft 12c.
When the motor 3 rotates the platen roller 4 in the -a direction and the ink sheet 1 is rewound, that is, when the transmission shaft 11 rotates in the arrow -b direction, the one-way clutch 12d becomes free. Regulation gear 1
Although 2b is freely rotated, when the transmission shaft 11 is about to rotate in the b direction, it is in a locked state and the restriction gear 12b is in a non-rotatable state so as to restrict the rotation of the transmission shaft 11.

The clutch means 9 and the sliding means 10 are also provided on the take-up roll 6.

Next, the operation of conveying the ink sheet 1 when recording is performed by the apparatus configured as described above will be described.

First, in the case of recording, the motor 3 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow α to rotate the platen roller 4 in the direction of the arrow a, the ink sheet 1 and the recording sheet 7 are fed, and a predetermined image is recorded. At this time, the one-way clutch of the clutch means 9 on the side of the supply roll 2 becomes free, and the driving force of the motor 3 is not transmitted to the transmission shaft 11. Therefore, the supply roll 2 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow c as the ink sheet 1 is fed out, and the rotation of the supply roll 2 is changed from the spindle 2b to the connecting member.
Transmitted to 10a. With the rotation of the connecting member 10a, the pressure contact member 10b, which is in pressure contact with the connection member 10a, also tries to rotate in the direction of the arrow b. When trying to rotate in the b direction, the one-way clutch 12d of the restricting means 12 is locked and restricts the rotation. Therefore, the connecting member 10a rotates while sliding with respect to the pressure contact member 10b, and as a result, a load corresponding to the sliding frictional force between the connecting member 10a and the pressure contact member 10b is applied when the ink sheet 1 is fed out, whereby a predetermined back tension is applied. Is given.

During this recording, the driving force of the motor 3 is transmitted to the winding roll 6. At this time, the clutch means 9 on the take-up roll 6 side is in a locked state, and the drive transmission shaft rotates at a speed slightly higher than the conveyance speed of the ink sheet 1. Therefore, the winding roll 6 receives a sliding frictional load by the sliding means 10 and winds the ink sheet 1 to be wound while applying front tension.

Next, when the ink sheet 1 is rewound, the motor 3 rotates in the direction of the arrow -.alpha., The clutch means 9 on the side of the take-up roll 6 becomes free state, and the platen roller 4 rotating in the direction of -a causes the ink sheet 1 to rotate. 1 is rewound. When the motor 3 rotates in the -α direction, the clutch means 9 on the side of the supply roll 2 is locked and the transmission shaft 11
Rotates in the direction of arrow -b. In this case, the one-way clutch 12d of the regulating means 12 is in a free state, the rotation of the transmission shaft 11 is transmitted to the supply roll 2 via the sliding means 10, and the supply roll 2 is rotated in the direction of arrow -c and rewound. Take up the ink sheet 1. Also in this case, a speed slightly higher than the rewinding speed of the ink sheet 1 is transmitted to the transmission shaft 11, and a sliding friction load is applied by the sliding means 10, so that the ink sheet 1 is tensioned.

The sliding means 10 that produces the sliding friction load is a connecting member.
It can be changed by changing the materials of 10a and the pressure contact member 10b. For example, if both are made of a metal material such as stainless steel or iron, the sliding friction load between them is small, and if one is made of a plastic material such as polyacetal resin or ABC resin, the sliding friction load between them is large.

<Effect of the Invention> As described above, according to the present invention, the pressure contact member that is in pressure contact with the connecting member that rotates together with the supply roll that rotates when the ink sheet is fed out is restricted by the restricting means so as not to rotate freely. In addition, a certain sliding friction load is generated between the two, and a predetermined back tension can always be applied to the ink sheet that is fed out.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a driving force transmission system in a supply roll, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a conventional technique. 1 is an ink sheet, 2 is a supply roll, 2a is a gear, 2b is a spindle, 2c is a reel, 2d is a spindle, 3 is a motor, 4 is a platen roller, 5 is a recording head, 6 is a take-up roll, and 7 is recording. Sheet, 8 cutter, 9 clutch means, 10 sliding means, 10a connecting member, 10b pressure contact member, 10
c is a gear, 10d is a spring, 10e is a flat washer, 10f is a screw,
Reference numeral 11 is a drive transmission shaft, 12 is a restriction means, 12a is a shaft gear, 12b is a restriction gear, 12c is a fixed shaft, and 12d is a one-way clutch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A thermal transfer recording apparatus for thermally transferring ink of an ink sheet onto a recording sheet according to image information, a connecting member which rotates in response to rotation of a shaft member of a supply roll wound with the ink sheet in a roll shape, A sliding means including a pressure contact member that is in elastic contact with the connection member and is capable of sliding contact with the connection member; clutch means for transmitting rotation in only one direction to the pressure contact member; and the pressure contact member is the clutch. Restricting means for restricting rotation in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation transmitted by the means, wherein the ink sheet is in a state in which the pressure contact member does not receive rotation transmission from the clutch means. When being fed from the supply roll, rotation of the pressure contact member whose rotation is regulated by the regulating means and rotation of the shaft member of the supply roll by feeding the ink sheet are performed. The connecting member and the thermal transfer recording apparatus characterized by enabling applying a predetermined back tension by sliding friction, with respect to the ink sheet fed from the supply roll during the rotating in response to.