JPH0880648A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To realize the easy discrimination between the sizes and kinds of photographic papers by a method wherein a size detecting means for detecting the size of the photographic paper housed in the housing part of photographic paper and a kind detecting means for discriminating the kinds of the photographic papers delivered to a platen side are provided on a chassis. CONSTITUTION: This printer is equipped with the housing part 2 of photographic paper, the delivering means 4 of photographic paper for delivering photographic papers 3...3 housed in the housing part 2 of photographic paper and a platen 5, onto which the photographic paper is wound at the predetermined angle of contact and further equipped with an ink ribbon 6, which is put upon the photographic paper sent to the platen 5 side, a thermal head 7, which pushed the ink ribbon under the state being put upon the photographic papers 3... against the platen 5 for heating, and a chassis 8, on which the housing part 2 of photographic paper and the thermal head 7 are provided. In this case, the size of the photographic paper housed in the housing part 2 of photographic paper is detected with a size detecting means 9 and the kind of photographic paper sent to the platen 5 side is detected with a kind detecting means 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer for thermally transferring an image of a video, a computer or the like onto a printing paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer shown in FIG. 19 is known as a printer for thermally transferring an image such as a video onto a printing paper.

The printer 101 includes a printing paper storage unit 10
2 and the photographic paper 1 stored in the photographic paper storage unit 102
03 ... 103 for sending the photographic paper sending means 104, and the photographic paper 10 sent by the photographic paper sending means 104
3 is wound at a predetermined winding angle, an ink ribbon 106 to be superposed on the printing paper 103 sent to the platen 105 side, and the ink ribbon 106.
With the photographic paper 103 superposed on the platen 105
A thermal head 107 that heats while pressing it against, and a chassis (housing) 108 in which the photographic printing paper storage unit 102 to the thermal head 107 are provided are provided.

The printing paper storage section 102 is a chassis 10
8 is provided with a tray insertion portion 111 and a paper feed tray 112 inserted into the tray insertion portion 111.

The photographic printing paper 103 is cut into a predetermined size.

The photographic printing paper 103 is placed on the paper feeding tray 112 in a state in which a large number of the photographic printing papers 103 are piled up.
It is inserted into the tray insertion section 111 together with the paper feed tray 112.

The photographic paper feeding means 104 includes a paper feed lever 121 arranged at the bottom of the paper feed tray 112, a pickup roller 122 arranged above the paper feed lever 121, and a front portion of the pickup roller 122. The paper feed roller 123 arranged in the (paper feed direction) and the paper feed roller 12 in a state of being in contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feed roller 123.
3, a separating roller 124 arranged below the sheet feeding roller 123, a pinch roller 125 arranged in front of the separating roller 124, and a capstan roller 126 arranged below the pinch roller 125. There is.

Printing paper 1 by the printing paper sending means 104
The sending of 03 is performed as follows.

First, the printing papers 103 ... 103 placed on the paper feed tray 112 in a state of being superposed on each other.
One end of the paper is pushed up by the paper feed lever 121, the uppermost photographic paper 103 is pressed against the pickup roller 122, and the pickup roller 122 is rotated in one direction.

By the rotation of the pickup roller 122, the uppermost photographic paper 103 in contact with the pickup roller 122 is sent to the paper feed roller 123 and the separation roller 124 side.

When two sheets of photographic printing paper 103 that have been sent overlap each other, the photographic printing paper 103 below is separated by the separation roller 1.
Only the uppermost printing paper 103 separated by 24 is sandwiched between the paper feed roller 123 and the separation roller 124 and sent between the pinch roller 125 and the capstan roller 126.

The printing paper 103 sandwiched between the pinch roller 125 and the capstan roller 126 is sent to a predetermined position by the pinch roller 125 and the capstan roller 126.

The printing paper 103 sent to a predetermined position is
The vicinity of the terminal end in the feeding direction is ready to be wound around the platen 105.

After that, the thermal head 107 is moved to the platen 105 side, and the ink ribbon 106 and the printing paper 103 are pressed onto the platen 105.

Then, while moving the printing paper 103 toward the paper discharge rollers 127 and 128 by the capstan roller 126, the ink ribbon 106 is moved by the thermal head 107.
The ink is thermally transferred onto the printing paper 103 to print an image or the like.

Reference numeral 129 is a head drive mechanism for bringing the thermal head 107 into and out of contact with the platen 105 side.

[0017]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional printer, a large number of printing papers 103 ... 103 are placed on a paper feed tray 112 in a state of being superimposed on each other, and the paper feed tray 112 is inserted into the tray insertion portion 111. By inserting
103 can be easily and easily stored in the photographic paper storage unit 102, and the photographic papers 103 ... 103 stored in the photographic paper storage unit 102 can be easily and easily stored.
The printing paper feeding means 104 causes the platens 105 to be fed one by one.
Although there is an advantage that it can be sent to the side, there are also the following problems.

(1) The size (size) of the photographic paper 103 stored in the photographic paper storage unit 102 cannot be identified.

(2) Platen 1 from printing paper storage unit 102
The type of the printing paper 103 sent to the 05 side, for example, it is plain paper or a transparent OHP sheet (hereinafter referred to as OHP sheet).
Can not be identified).

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above conventional problems and to provide a printer capable of easily identifying the size and type of printing paper.

[0021]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographic paper storing section, a photographic paper feeding means for feeding the photographic paper stored in the photographic paper storing section, and a photographic paper feeding means for feeding the photographic paper. The platen for winding the photographic paper at a predetermined winding angle, the ink ribbon to be superposed on the photographic paper sent to the platen side, and the ink ribbon being pressed to the platen in a state of being superposed on the photographic paper. In a printer provided with a thermal head for heating and a chassis provided with the printing paper storage unit or the thermal head, in the chassis, size detection means for detecting the size of the printing paper stored in the printing paper storage unit, The type detecting means for detecting the type of the printing paper sent to the platen side by the printing paper sending means is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first aspect, the photographic paper storage section is composed of a tray insertion section provided on the chassis and a paper feed tray inserted into and removed from the tray insertion section. The paper feed tray is provided with positioning means for setting the contained printing paper at a predetermined position according to its size.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the printer according to the first or second aspect, size detecting means for detecting the size of the photographic paper stored in the photographic paper storage section is arranged at the rear end side of the tray insertion section. A plurality of mechanical sensors each of which is pressed according to its size by the photographic paper on the paper feed tray inserted in the tray insertion section,
The type detecting means is composed of a photosensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion arranged on the lower surface side, sandwiching the printing paper fed to the platen side by the printing paper feeding means.

[0024]

In the printer according to the first aspect, the size (size) of the photographic paper stored in the photographic paper storage section is detected by the size detecting means, and the photographic paper is the photographic paper sending means. When the sheet is sent to the platen side, the type detecting means detects the type, for example, plain paper or OHP.

In the printer of the second aspect, the photographic paper placed on the paper feed tray is set in a state of being positioned at a predetermined position according to the size by the photographic paper positioning means.

In the printer of the third aspect, the photographic paper is set on the paper feed tray at a predetermined position by the photographic paper positioning means, and the paper feed tray is inserted into the tray insertion section.
A plurality of mechanical sensors provided at the rear end of the tray insertion portion are pressed by the end surface of the printing paper, and the size of the printing paper is detected by the pressed mechanical sensors. When the printing paper sent out to the platen side by the printing paper sending means is plain paper, the detection light emitted from the light emitting portion toward the light receiving portion is shut off to detect that the printing paper is not OHP.

[0027]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a printer of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This printer 1 is A5 size (105m /
m × 148.5m / m), A4 size (210m / m × 29)
7m / m) or letter size (8.5 inches x 11 inches) and A4 plus size (222m / m x 322.4m)
/ M) of three sizes of plain paper and OHP, and is configured as a color printer that prints an image of a video or computer by a thermal transfer method.

As shown in FIG. 7 and below, the printer 1
The photographic paper storage unit 2, photographic paper delivery means 4 for delivering the photographic papers 3 ... 3 stored in the photographic paper storage unit 2, and the photographic paper 3 delivered by the photographic paper delivery unit 4 are predetermined. Platen 5 to be wound at the winding angle, the ink ribbon 6 to be superposed on the printing paper 3 sent to the platen 5 side, and the ink ribbon 6 being pressed to the platen 5 while being superposed on the printing paper 3 It is provided with a thermal head 7 for heating by heating and a chassis 8 (housing) provided with the photographic printing paper storage section 2 to the thermal head 7.

The chassis 8 is sent to the platen 5 side by the size detecting means 9 for detecting the size of the printing paper 3 stored in the printing paper housing 2 and the printing paper sending means 4. A type detecting means 10 for detecting the type of the printing paper 3 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the photographic paper storage unit 2 is
Includes a tray insertion portion 11 provided on the chassis 8 and a paper feed tray 12 that is inserted into and removed from the tray insertion portion 11.

The paper feed tray 12 is formed to have a size capable of accommodating three types of photographic paper 3 of A5 size, letter size, and A4 plus size, and these three types of photographic paper 3 are First and second photographic printing paper positioning means 13 and 14, which will be described next, set or position the printing paper at predetermined positions.

The first printing paper positioning means 13 positions the printing paper of letter size (or A4 size) and A4 plus size.

The first photographic printing paper positioning means 13 is provided with a first side surface plate 21 arranged to face one side surface (hereinafter referred to as a positioning reference surface) 12a of the paper feed tray 12,
The photographic printing paper positioning reference surface 12a is constituted by second and third side plates 22 and 23 which are arranged to face each other inside the side surfaces 12b and 12c which are continuous with each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first side plate 21
Are erected on the first base plate 24.

The first base plate 24 is for moving the first side plate 21 toward or away from the photographic paper positioning reference surface 12a of the paper feed tray 12.

The first base plate 24 has a plurality of slide guide holes 25 ... 25, and slide guide pins 26 ... 26 provided upright on the bottom surface of the paper feed tray 12 in these slide guide holes 25 ... 25. Is slidably mounted on the bottom surface by inserting.

The second and third side plates 22 and 23 are
It is provided upright on the second and third base plates 27, 28.

The second and third base plates 27, 2
Reference numeral 8 is for causing the second and third side plates 22 and 23 to approach and separate from each other.

The second and third base plates 27, 2
8 has first and second slide guide pins 29 and 30 at approximately the center in the length direction.

The above first and second slide guide pins 2
9 and 30 are the first and the second provided on the bottom surface of the paper feed tray 12.
Of the first and second slide plates which are inserted into the slide guide holes 31 and 32 of the first base plate 24.
Is inserted into the long holes 33 and 34 for slide operation.

Long holes 3 for the first and second slide operations
3, 34, the distance d between the leading end portions 33a, 34a on the photographic paper positioning reference surface 12a side of the paper feed tray 12 is the widest, and the distance d gradually narrows as the distance from the photographic paper positioning reference surface 12a increases. Is formed.

A first stopper fitting is provided in which the first side plate 21 is provided on the bottom surface of the paper feed tray 12 and at a position farthest from the printing paper positioning reference surface 12a of the paper feed tray 12. After moving to the position of the fitting hole 35, the lower end of the stopper 36 provided on one side surface of the first side plate 21 is fitted into the first stopper fitting hole 35, and the first side When the face plate 21 is locked, as shown in FIG. 2, the first and second end portions 33a and 34a of the first and second elongated holes 33 and 34 for sliding operation are attached to the first and second portions.
The slide guide pins 29 and 30 are positioned so that the second and third side plates 22 and 23 are farthest from each other.

In this state, the first, second, third
The side plates 21, 22, 23 and the photographic paper positioning reference surface 12a of the paper feed tray 12 form a photographic paper accommodating space having a size corresponding to the size of the A4 plus size photographic paper 3.

From this state, the stopper 36 is pulled out from the first stopper fitting hole 35, the first side plate 21 is moved to the position of the second stopper fitting hole 37, and the lower end of the stopper 36 is moved. Is fitted into the second stopper fitting hole 37 and the first side plate 21 is locked, the elongated holes 33, 3 for the first and second sliding operations are formed.
The first and second slide guide pins 29, 30 are located at the other end portions 33b, 34b of the No. 4, and the second and third side surface plates 22, 23 are in the state of being closest to each other.

In this state, the first, second, third
The side plates 21, 22, 23 and the photographic paper positioning reference surface 12a of the paper feed tray 12 form a photographic paper accommodating space having a size corresponding to the size of the letter-size photographic paper 3.

The second printing paper positioning means 14 for positioning the printing paper 3 of A5 size is formed by attaching the partition wall 41 to the bottom surface 12a of the paper feed tray 12 so that it can be raised and lowered and rotated by the pivotal support portion 42. Has been done.

When the partition wall 41 is erected, the partition wall 41 and the printing paper positioning reference surface 1 of the paper feed tray 12 are raised.
A photographic printing paper housing space having a size corresponding to the size of the A5 sized printing paper 3 is formed between the printing paper 2a and 2a.

Next, the size detecting means 9 for detecting the size of the printing paper 3 accommodated in the paper feed tray 12 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the size detecting means 9 is used.
Is composed of first, second, and third mechanical sensors 51, 52, 53 provided at the rear end of the tray insertion portion 11.

The first, second and third mechanical sensors 51,
Reference numerals 52 and 53 denote a rotating body 62 that is rotatably attached to a rear end portion of the tray insertion portion 11 of the chassis 8 by a shaft 61.
And a light blocking member 63 provided on the free end side of the rotating body 62.
And a spring (not shown) that imparts a clockwise turning force to the rotating body 62.

When the rotating plate 62 is rotated counterclockwise against the spring force of the spring, the light shielding member 6
3 intrudes between the light emitting portion 64 and the light receiving portion 65 of the photo sensor to block the light emitted from the light emitting portion 64 toward the light receiving portion 65.

The first, second and third mechanical sensors 51,
Reference numerals 52 and 53 denote the first, second, and third rotating body introducing hole portions 7 provided on the side surface 12b side of the paper feed tray 12.
It is provided at positions corresponding to the positions 1, 72, 73 (see FIG. 1).

The first, second, and third rotating body introducing hole portions 7
1,72,73 are A4 size, letter size, A5
It is provided at a position corresponding to the printing paper storage space of each size. Then, when the paper feed tray 12 is inserted into the tray insertion portion 11 in a state in which the photographic paper 3 is not accommodated in the paper feed tray 12, as shown in FIG.
The tip ends of the rotating bodies 62 of the third mechanical sensors 51, 52, 53 are inserted into the photographic paper accommodating portion of the paper feed tray 12 from the first, second, and third rotating body introducing hole portions 71, 72, 73, respectively. Upon entering, the rotating bodies 62 are kept in a non-pressed state.

The A4 plus size printing paper 3 is accommodated in the paper feed tray 12, and the paper feed tray 12 is inserted into the tray insertion section 1
1 is inserted into the first, second, third, as shown in FIG.
Of the mechanical sensor 51, 52, 53 is pressed by one end surface (back end surface) of the A4 plus size photographic printing paper 3 and rotated counterclockwise against the spring force of the spring. The light shielding member 63 shields between the light emitting portion 64 and the light receiving portion 65 of the photo sensor. As a result, the first, second, and third mechanical sensors 51, 52, and 53 are turned on, and the A4 plus printing paper 3 is placed on the paper feed tray 12.
It is detected that the

The first side plate 21 is moved to the position of the second stopper fitting hole 37 and locked to form a photographic paper accommodating space having a size corresponding to the size of a letter size photographic paper. The letter size photographic paper 3 is stored in this,
When the paper feed tray 12 is inserted into the tray insertion portion 11,
As shown in FIG. 5, the second and third mechanical sensors 52, 5
The tip end of the rotating body 62 of No. 3 is pressed by one end surface of the letter-size printing paper 3 and rotates counterclockwise against the spring force of the spring, so that the light shielding member 63 of the photo sensor is rotated. The space between the light emitting portion 64 and the light receiving portion 65 is shielded.

As a result, the second and third mechanical sensors 5
It is detected that the sheets 2 and 53 are turned on and the letter-size printing paper 3 is stored in the paper feed tray 12.

The second printing paper positioning means 14 is also used.
The partition wall 41 is erected to form a photographic paper storage space having a size corresponding to the size of the A5 size photographic paper, the A5 size photographic paper 3 is accommodated therein, and the paper feed tray 12 is inserted into the tray insertion portion. 11, the tip end portion of the rotating body 62 of the third mechanical sensor 53 is pressed by the one end surface of the A5 size photographic printing paper 3 as shown in FIG. 6, and counteracts against the spring force of the spring. By rotating clockwise, the light shielding member 63 shields between the light emitting portion 64 and the light receiving portion 65 of the photo sensor. As a result, the third mechanical sensor 53 is turned on, and it is detected that the A5 size printing paper 3 is stored in the paper feed tray 12.

As described above, the first, second, third
The size of the photographic printing paper 3 accommodated in the paper feed tray 12 is detected and identified depending on which one of the sensors 51, 52 and 53 is pressed.

Next, the type detecting means 10 for detecting the type of the printing paper 3 (whether it is plain paper or OHP) will be described.

As shown in FIG. 7, the type detecting means 1
Reference numeral 0 is a photo sensor having a light emitting portion 71 and a light receiving portion 72.

The light emitting section 71 and the light receiving section 72 are arranged so as to face each other so as to sandwich the printing paper 3 sent from the printing paper storage section 2 to the platen 5 side by the printing paper sending means 4.

When the printing paper 3 sent out between the light emitting portion 71 and the light receiving portion 72 is plain paper, the detection light from the light emitting portion 71 is blocked by the printing paper and reaches the light receiving portion 72. If the photographic printing paper 3 is not OHP, the detection light from the light emitting portion 71 passes through the photographic printing paper 3 and reaches the light receiving portion 72. Therefore, by detecting this difference, the photographic printing paper 3 is detected.
Identify whether it is plain paper or OHP.

Reference numeral 73 is a lotus zero sensor provided near the light receiving portion 72 of the type detecting means 10.

The photographic paper sending means 2 comprises a paper feed tray 12
The paper feed lever 81 arranged at the bottom of the
Of the pickup roller 82, the paper feed roller 83 arranged in front of the pickup roller 82 (the printing paper feeding direction), and the paper feed roller in a state of being in contact with the peripheral surface of the paper feed roller 83. A separation roller 84 arranged below 83, a paper feed guide 85, a pinch roller 86,
A capstan 87, a paper ejection guide 88, a paper ejection pinch roller 89, a paper ejection roller 90 and the like are provided. Reference numeral 91 is a paper edge sensor, and 92 is a path switching point constituent member.

Next, the printing process of the printer 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 7 shows the initial state.

In this state, the photographic printing paper 3 having a desired size is accommodated in the paper feed tray 12, and the paper feed tray 12 is inserted into the tray insertion section 11.

When the paper feed tray 12 is inserted into the tray insertion portion 11, the size detecting means 9 automatically detects the size of the printing paper 3.

The paper feed tray 12 and the ink ribbon 6 are ready to be taken out.

When the print key is pressed in the initial state, as shown in FIG. 8, the paper feed lever 81 and the thermal head 7 are moved to the so-called middle position to prevent the paper feed tray 12 and the ink ribbon 6 from coming off. At the same time, the ink ribbon 6 is rolled up to find the yellow cue.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the paper feed lever 8
1 is raised to the up position, and the pickup roller 82 and the paper feed roller 83 are rotated to feed the photographic printing paper 3 from the paper feed tray 12. When the photographic printing paper 3 delivered from the paper feeding tray 12 passes through the pass zero sensor 73, it is detected by the type detection means 10 as plain paper or OHP,
To be identified.

When the printing paper 3 is plain paper, since the friction with the ink ribbon 6 is large, the printing paper 3 is fed while moving the ink ribbon 6.

When the printing paper 3 is an OHP, the printing paper 3 is fed while applying back tension to the ink ribbon 6 by a ribbon supply motor (not shown). When the photographic paper 3 reaches the position of the paper edge sensor 91, the ribbon take-up motor is stopped, the load motor (not shown) further feeds the photographic paper 3, and the leading end of the photographic paper 3 is abutted against the paper discharge roller 90, and further. The paper is fed and loosened slightly to stop the rotation of the paper feed roller 83.

Next, the ribbon supply motor is rotated to remove the slack of the ink ribbon 6, and then the paper discharge roller 90
Is rotated slightly to move the photographic printing paper 3 by about ten and several m / m to correct the bending (tilt) of the photographic printing paper 3, and then the pinch roller 86 is pressed against the capstan 87 (FIG. 1).
0).

Next, the printing paper 3 is cueed.

When the printing paper 3 is plain paper, the printing paper 3 is returned while returning the ink ribbon 6 to the ink ribbon cueing position.
Bring back. Ink ribbon 6 when the printing paper 3 is OHP
Returns only the photographic printing paper 3 as it is.

At this time, the capstan 87 and the paper feed roller 83 are simultaneously rotated in the reverse direction, and the photographic paper 3 is returned until just before it is removed from the capstan 87 by passing the paper edge sensor 91.

Then, while applying back tension to the ink ribbon 6 with the ribbon supply motor, the paper feed roller 83
Then, the capstan 87 is moved to set the image so that the image comes to the center of the printing paper 3, and then the thermal head 7 is pressed against the platen 5 (FIG. 11).

Next, yellow printing is performed.

The ribbon take-up motor and the ribbon supply motor are rotated so that the tension is calculated from the diameter of the ink ribbon. 1 m of capstan 87
After performing a blank feed of about / m, yellow printing is executed. At this time, the paper feed roller 83 is rotated at the printing speed until the printing paper 3 comes off the separating roller 84.

After the yellow printing is completed, the ink ribbon 6 and the printing paper 3 are peeled off.

When the trailing edge of the photographic printing paper 3 has not reached the position of the path switching point constituting member 92 after the yellow printing is completed, the photographic printing paper 3 is further fed by about 10 m / m while moving the ink ribbon 6. After the yellow printing, the ink ribbon 6 and the printing paper 3 are peeled off. After that, the thermal head 7 is set to the middle position, and the photographic printing paper 3 is fed until the front end of the photographic printing paper 3 reaches the position of the paper feed guide 85.

When the yellow printing is completed, the printing paper 3
If the trailing end of the print head exceeds the path switching point forming member 92, the thermal head 7 is moved to the middle position, the ribbon take-up motor is slightly reversed, the ink ribbon 6 is loosened, and the ink is supplied by the ribbon supply motor. Printing paper 3 while applying back tension to the ribbon 6
Is returned about 30 m / m, and the ink ribbon 6 and the printing paper 3 after yellow printing are peeled off (see FIG. 12).

Next, the photographic printing paper 3 is returned and magenta is cued.

When the printing paper 3 is plain paper, the capstan 87 is reversed while feeding the ink ribbon 6 to the next ribbon code, and the printing paper 3 is returned to the printing position.

When the printing paper 3 is OHP, the capstan 8 is used.
After reversing 7 and returning the printing paper 3 to the printing position, the ink ribbon 6 is sent to the ribbon code. After that, the ink ribbon 6 is sent from the ribbon code to the point where the image is actually printed (see FIG. 13).

Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the thermal head 7 is pressed against the platen 5 to perform magenta printing. After the completion of magenta printing, cyan printing is performed in the same manner.

After the yellow printing, the magenta printing, and the cyan printing are finished, the paper discharge operation is performed as shown in FIG.

10 m / m of photographic printing paper 3 with a capstan 87
After sending around, thermal head 7 and pinch roller 86
Is separated from the photographic paper 3 and the paper discharge pinch roller 89 is
Is crimped.

The slack of the ink ribbon 6 is removed by the ribbon supply motor, after which the capstan 87 and the paper discharge roller 90 rotate, and the photographic printing paper 3 is conveyed until it completely comes out of the paper discharge roller 90.

The photographic printing paper 3 which has come out of the paper discharge roller 90 is
It is accommodated in a paper discharge tray 95 as shown in FIG.

An inclined surface 96 for positioning is provided on one side of the paper discharge tray 95, and the photographic printing paper 3 coming out of the paper discharge roller 90 is positioned by hitting the inclined surface 96 and is discharged. It is designed to be placed in 95.

After the paper discharge operation is completed, a standby preparation operation for the next printing is performed.

In the standby preparation operation, the ink ribbon 6 is fed to find the next yellow portion.

Next, as shown in FIG. 17, the thermal head 7 and the paper feed lever 81 are moved to the home position to unlock the paper feed tray 12 and the ink ribbon 6, so that the next printing operation can be started at any time. The standby preparation operation ends.

In the embodiment, three sizes of A5 size, letter size, and A4 plus size photographic paper are used, but A4 size photographic paper may be used instead of letter size. The size of the printing paper is not limited to that of the embodiment.

The size is not limited to three, and four or more sizes may be detected.

Further, the structure of the size detecting means 9 is not limited to that of the embodiment, and it is essential that the size detecting means 9 can be surely pressed by the side surface of the printing paper.

[0099]

The printer of the present invention has the following effects.

(1) In the printer according to the first aspect, the size and type of the photographic paper stored in the photographic paper storage section are detected by the size detecting means and the type detecting means, and the size and type of the photographic paper are detected. The printing operation can be performed according to the size type.

(2) In the printer according to the second aspect, the printing papers of different sizes can be accommodated in the paper feed tray in a state of being positioned at a predetermined position.

(3) The printer according to claim 3 can identify the size of the printing paper accommodated in the paper feed tray at the same time when the paper feed tray is inserted into the tray insertion portion. Almost at the same time as sending the printing paper to the platen side, it is possible to identify whether the printing paper is plain paper or OHP.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of a paper feed tray.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a size detecting unit.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the size of the printing paper is being detected.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the size of the printing paper is being detected.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a state in which the size of the printing paper is being detected.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 12 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 13 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 14 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 15 is a side view showing the process of printing.

FIG. 16 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing a printing process.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a paper discharge tray.

FIG. 19 is a side view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer 2 ... Printing paper storage part 3 ... Printing paper 4 ... Printing paper sending means 5 ... Platen 6 ... Ink ribbon 7 ... Thermal head 8 ... Chassis 9 ... Size detection means 10 ... Kind detection means 11 ... Tray insertion part 12 ... Paper feed trays 51, 52, 53 ... First, second and third mechanical sensors 71 ... Photosensor light emitting section 72 ... Photosensor light receiving section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photographic paper storage unit, photographic paper delivery means for delivering the photographic paper stored in the photographic paper storage unit, and photographic paper delivered by the photographic paper delivery unit at a predetermined winding angle. A platen to be wound around, an ink ribbon to be superposed on the printing paper sent to the platen side, a thermal head to press the platen to heat the ink ribbon in a state of being superposed on the printing paper, and the printing paper storage section To a chassis provided with a thermal head, a size detection means for detecting the size of the printing paper stored in the printing paper storage portion, and a type of the printing paper sent to the platen side by the printing paper sending means. And a type detecting means for performing the printer. 2. The photographic paper storage portion according to claim 1, comprising a tray insertion portion provided on the chassis and a paper feed tray inserted into and removed from the tray insertion portion, and the paper feed tray is accommodated. A printer having photographic paper positioning means for setting photographic paper at a predetermined position according to its size. 3. The size detecting means according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the size detecting means is arranged at a rear end side of the tray insertion portion and is arranged in accordance with the size of the printing paper on the paper feed tray inserted in the tray insertion portion. The type detection means consists of a plurality of mechanical sensors that are each pressed. A printer comprising a photo sensor.