JPH09214649A - Cut paper thermal transfer type facsimile equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constitute a cut paper feeding/thermal transfer type facsimile equipment so that the equipment is made compact and at low cost. SOLUTION: A casing is composed of the upper and lower three stages of a lower casing 1, an intermediate casing 2 and an upper casing 3. In the lower casing 1, a recording paper carrier route is formed and a paper feeding roller 5 and a platen roller 8 for record, etc., are arranged. On the upper part, an ink ribbon cassette is assembled. On the lower part of the intermediate casing 2, a transfer head 9 is arranged. The space between the upper part of the intermediate casing 2 and the upper casing 3 is made the carrier route of an original and a contact sensor 14, etc., is arranged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for compacting a personal facsimile machine of the type that feeds ordinary cut sheets.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a personal type facsimile apparatus has mainly adopted a heat-sensitive recording method for recording on a heat-sensitive roll paper, but the heat-sensitive roll paper has a problem that the recorded contents cannot be stored for a long time. There is. Other recording methods include a thermal transfer type, an electrophotographic type, and an inkjet type. The electrophotographic type and the inkjet type are
Since the machine is large and expensive, it is unsuitable as a personal type.Therefore, it is desired to use a thermal transfer type that is used for a personal word processor and that records on cut paper with an ink ribbon. Became.

[0003]

However, in the case of adopting the cut paper thermal transfer type as described above, there is a tendency that the apparatus becomes large in size as compared with the heat sensitive type for feeding the roll paper, and especially the ink is used. Arrangement of the ribbon conveyance path and the paper feed line, and further the arrangement relationship between these and the reading system,
And, a device suitable for a personal type cannot be realized without devising the structure of the device casing and the structure of the reading system that enable it.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems and to provide a facsimile apparatus which is compact in size suitable as a personal type and excellent in saving recorded contents, the present invention provides the following means. It is used. First of all, a cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus is adopted which employs a contact image sensor as a reading system and a thermal transfer method by feeding cut sheets as a recording system.

Secondly, in the above-mentioned cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus, a recording paper conveyance path is arranged in the lower part, an ink ribbon conveyance path having an ink ribbon cassette accommodating part is arranged in the middle part, and a document conveyance path is arranged in the upper part. To do.

Thirdly, in the above-mentioned cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile machine, the casing of the device is a lower casing, an intermediate casing which can be opened and closed with respect to the lower casing, and the intermediate casing. An openable and closable upper casing is provided, and a recording paper and ink ribbon conveying path is provided between the lower casing and the intermediate casing, and a document is conveyed between the intermediate casing and the upper casing. Use as a route.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a side sectional view of a cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a state in which an intermediate housing 2 and an upper housing 3 are also opened,
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the recording paper conveyance path in the lower housing, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lower housing 1.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the casing structure of the facsimile apparatus according to the present invention has a lower casing 1 at the bottom,
The intermediate housing 2 is arranged in the middle, and the upper housing 3 is arranged in the upper portion to form a three-tiered structure. As a schematic configuration of the facsimile apparatus, a transport path (arrow P in FIG. 1) for cut recording paper (cut paper) and a transport path for the ink ribbon IR are provided between the lower housing 1 and the intermediate housing 2. The lower housing 1 and the lower part of the intermediate housing 2 form a recording system. Then, a document conveyance path (arrow MS in FIG. 1) is formed between the intermediate housing 2 and the upper housing 3, and a reading system is constituted by the upper portion of the intermediate housing 2 and the upper housing 3. .

1 to 10, the structure of the recording paper conveyance path between the lower housing 1 and the intermediate housing 2 and the recording system will be described. First, the lower housing 1 in the lowermost stage is a frame that constitutes a recording paper conveyance path and also serves as a chassis. In the shape as shown in FIG. 4, the central portion is pushed up by resin molding,
The complicated shape of the recording paper conveyance path is easily and inexpensively configured.

The structure of the recording paper conveying path formed in the lower housing 1 and the recording system member (recording paper conveying member) arranged along the recording paper conveying path will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. An inclined recording paper guide portion 1a is formed at the back of the upper housing 1 in the recording paper conveyance path so that the recording paper container 4 is arranged, and the vertically long hole 1b is provided in the recording paper storage path. It is an escape portion of a pressing spring 4b that presses the push-up plate 4a provided on the body 4 from below.

A pickup portion 1c is formed in front of the pickup portion 1c, and a paper feed roller 5 is arranged above the pickup portion 1c. A centrally elongated hole 1d is arranged at the bottom portion and is biased upward by a spring. The separation pad 6 is fitted from below and is pressed against the paper feed roller 5 above it. A plurality of recording papers are inserted and accommodated in the recording paper accommodation body 4 in a stacked state.
By the rotation of and the pressing force of the push-up plate 4a and the separation pad 6, one of the uppermost layers among them is separated and conveyed forward. The upper part of the paper feed roller 5 is covered with a paper feed guide frame 7. Further, the recording paper is appropriately replenished.

A curved inclined portion in front of the pickup portion 1c is a transfer portion 1e, and a recording platen roller 8 is horizontally supported on the transfer portion 1e. The upper end of the recording platen roller 8 is in pressure contact with the transfer head 9 vertically provided from the intermediate housing 2. The front is opened to form a paper discharge portion 1f, and the paper discharge rollers 10 and 11 are pivotally supported in a centrally elongated hole 1g. A flat ink ribbon drive unit 1h is formed in front of the paper discharge unit 1f.

As described above, the recording paper is conveyed in front of the space between the paper feed roller 5 and the separation pad 6 and between the recording platen roller 8 and the transfer head 9 (more accurately, the ink ribbon IR and the recording ribbon passing therethrough). Between the platen roller 8)
The transfer head 9 transfers the ink of the ink ribbon IR onto the recording paper. The recording paper that has passed between the recording platen roller 8 and the transfer head 9 is discharged from below the ink ribbon drive unit 1h to the front through the paper discharge unit 1f from between the discharge rollers 10 and 11.

As shown in FIG. 1, the recording paper insertion path (point P1) between the paper feed roller 5 and the separation pad 6 shown in FIG. The recording platen roller 8 / transfer head 9
Front-to-back distance L1 or paper ejection roller 10.1
The front-rear distance L2 up to one point (point P2) is desired to be shortened as much as possible in order to shorten the transport time and make it compact. The shortening of the front-rear distance L1 shortens the rotation time (idling time) of the paper feed roller 5 until the recording sheet is conveyed to the transfer position, and the shortening of the front-rear distance L2 shortens the time until discharging. This leads to a reduction in time.

On the other hand, however, in the ink ribbon cassette 12, which will be described later, a conveyance path for the ink ribbon IR from the take-up roller 12b to the take-up roller 12a via the recording platen roller 8 and the transfer head 9 is also secured. There must be. Since the ink ribbon IR and the recording paper conveyance must be linked, the recording paper conveyance amount is also limited to the ink ribbon IR conveyance amount.

Therefore, in order to secure a sufficient transport amount and to shorten the front-rear distance (L1, L2) of the transport path of the recording paper as much as possible, the recording paper transport path forming portion of the lower casing 1, that is, the pickup portion. The 1c, the transfer section 1e, and the paper discharge section 1f are inclined or curved as shown in FIGS.

Next, the conveyance path of the ink ribbon will be described. In the ink ribbon cassette 12, the take-up roller 12a portion is arranged above the ink ribbon drive section 1h in the lower housing 1 as shown in FIG. 2, and the take-up roller 12b portion is placed on the paper feed guide frame 7. It is arranged and assembled on the lower housing 1. When the intermediate housing 2 is closed as shown in FIG. 1, the transfer head 9 vertically provided from the intermediate housing 2 presses the upper end of the recording platen roller 8 with the ink ribbon IR interposed therebetween. That is, when the intermediate housing 2 is closed, the transport path of the ink ribbon IR is naturally formed along the upper side of the recording paper transport path. The take-up roller 12a is driven to rotate in association with the paper feed roller 5 for recording paper conveyance and the recording platen roller 8,
In synchronization with the conveyance of the recording paper, the ink ribbon IR wound around the take-up roller 12b is moved to the take-up roller 12a.
It is rolled up.

Next, the structure of the intermediate housing 2 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate housing 2 has a shape in which vertical plate-shaped side frame portions 2a are arranged on both left and right sides, and a middle frame portion 2b is installed between both side frame portions 2a and 2a. It is integrally molded. The middle frame portion 2b serves as a partition that distinguishes the members arranged in the intermediate housing 2 into a recording system and a reading system.

Explaining with the intermediate casing 2 closed, a recording system member, that is, the transfer head 9 and a member for tensioning the ink ribbon IR are disposed below the middle frame portion 2b. . Therefore, when the intermediate housing 2 is closed, the transport path of the recording paper and the ink ribbon IR is formed between the lower housing 1 and the lower housing 1, and the recording system is formed.
The document separating roller 13 and the contact sensor (contact image sensor, CIS) 1 are provided above the middle frame portion 2b.
4, and reading system members such as the reading platen roller 15 are provided.

As described above, the members of the recording system and the reading system are arranged above and below the intermediate housing 2 to realize a compact single unit. In addition, the ink ribbon cassette 12
There is an opening between the take-up roller 12a and the take-up roller 12b, and when the intermediate housing 2 is closed, the middle frame portion 2b with the recording system member and the reading system member attached is fitted into this opening. To do. Therefore, the reading system member arranged in the intermediate housing 2 does not project above the ink ribbon cassette 12 and contributes to downsizing of the apparatus.

Finally, the configuration of the document feeding path formed between the intermediate housing 2 and the upper housing 3 and the reading system will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the intermediate casing 2, as described above, the document separating roller 13, the upper portion of the middle frame 2b,
A contact sensor 14 and a reading system member such as a reading platen roller 15 that is pressed against the upper end of the contact sensor 14 are provided.
The upper part of the intermediate housing 2 is covered with a resin original cover 16. The document exterior cover 16 forms a document transport path, and includes a document separation roller 13, a contact sensor 14,
The reading platen roller 15 includes the document exterior cover 16
It is arranged along the document transport path at the opening.

In the closed state of the upper housing 3, the upper portion serves as an operating section, and the lower portion is provided with a document separating pad 17 of a reading system member and the like.
7 is in pressure contact with the upper end of the document separating roller 13.

In the intermediate housing 2, a document can be placed on the upper surface of the document outer cover 16 behind the document separating roller 13, and a document insertion port is formed between the document and the bottom of the upper housing 3. There is. A plurality of documents can be inserted in a stack in this insertion port, and when the document separation roller 13 rotates, the lowermost document is separated and conveyed forward by the rotation and the suppression of the document separation pad 17. It is inserted between the contact sensor 14 and the reading platen roller 15, is read by the contact sensor 14, and is discharged to the front.

[0024]

As described above, the present invention has the following advantages. First, when the recording system is of a thermal transfer type by feeding cut paper as in claim 1, the printing is clearer and is suitable for long-term storage, as compared with the thermal type by feeding roll paper. As described above, when the thermal transfer is performed by feeding the cut paper to the recording system, the recording system becomes large in size, but by adopting the contact image sensor (CIS) in the reading system, the space can be reduced. This is to compensate for the above-mentioned problems in the recording system.

Further, in the case of roll paper feeding, the facsimile machine tends to be long in the front and back (the roll paper conveying direction) because of the space for accommodating the roll paper. In this case, as in claim 2, the recording paper conveyance path is formed in the lower stage, the ink ribbon conveyance path including the ink ribbon cassette accommodating portion is formed in the middle stage, and the original conveyance path is formed in the upper stage, that is, in the vertical direction in parallel. By forming the transport path, the length in the front and rear (the transport direction of the recording paper) is shortened and becomes compact as compared with the roll paper feed type, and the installation space in the horizontal direction can be reduced.

Further, when the recording paper, the ink ribbon, and the original conveying path are provided on the upper and lower sides as described above, the casing structure is a three-stage structure including a lower casing, an intermediate casing, and an upper casing. By forming a conveyance path for the recording paper and the ink ribbon between the lower case and the intermediate case, and a conveyance path for the document between the middle case and the upper case, the upper and lower sides of each conveyance path are configured. Since the respective members of the recording system and the reading system to be arranged can be assembled in the respective housings, the assembling work becomes easy and the size is made compact. Then, when the housing is opened, the recording paper, the ink ribbon, and the original document that pass through each transport path can be easily opened, and when closed, the structures of the reading system and the recording system are immediately above and below each transport path. Done.

As described above, it is possible to provide a cut sheet feeding type thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus which is compact, has a simple assembling configuration of each component, is easy to assemble, and is low in cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a state in which an intermediate housing 2 and an upper housing 3 are also opened.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a configuration of a recording paper conveyance path in the lower housing 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lower housing 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Lower Case 2 Intermediate Case 3 Upper Case 4 Recording Paper Container 5 Paper Feed Roller 8 Recording Platen Roller 9 Transfer Head 12 Ink Ribbon Cassette 13 Original Separation Roller 14 Contact Sensor (Contact Image Sensor) 15 Read Platen Roller

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus, wherein a contact image sensor is adopted as a reading system, and a thermal transfer system by feeding cut sheets is adopted as a recording system. 2. The cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording paper conveyance path is arranged in a lower portion, an ink ribbon conveyance path having an ink ribbon cassette accommodating portion is arranged in a middle portion, and a document conveyance path is arranged in an upper portion. A cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile machine characterized in that 3. The cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the housing of the apparatus is a lower housing, an intermediate housing which can be opened and closed with respect to the lower housing, and an intermediate housing. An upper casing that can be opened and closed by means of an upper and lower casing, and a conveyance path for recording paper and an ink ribbon between the lower casing and the intermediate casing, and an original document between the intermediate casing and the upper casing. A cut sheet thermal transfer type facsimile machine characterized by being used as a conveyance path.