JPH10100508A - Metallic character printing and printing method for label or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform thermal transfer printing in metallic color on a thick article or three-dimensional molding by horizontally movably providing a printing head, and adjustably constituting it in a vertical height. SOLUTION: A thermal ribbon 1 is a metallic color transfer metal deposited foil ribbon, unwound at a predetermined tension from a supply reel 2, and fed to a printing head 7 via a guide roll 3. At this time, slack or our of the ribbon 1 is detected by a ribbon detecting sensor 4. Then, the ribbon 1 is fed between a platen 6 and the head 7 via a guide mechanism 5, and wound on a ribbon winding roll 12 via ribbon drawing rolls 10, 12 after printing. A thick material M is placed between the platen 6 and the ribbon 1, and printed. The head 7 is longitudinally movably provided with respect to the material M, and is provided adjustably in a vertical direction corresponding to the thickness of the material M.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for performing metallic transfer printing on a label or the like for performing thermal transfer printing in a label printer using a thermal ribbon. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for printing and printing a metallic material such as a label on a thick object in a label printer using a metallic thermal ribbon.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional label printer, image data created by a personal computer is printed on the surface of a relatively thin sheet-like object such as a label by using a metallic thermal ribbon, which is equivalent to foil stamping. The effect was done.

[0003]

However, if the object to be printed is not only a label but also a thick object or a three-dimensional molded product by thermal transfer, it is difficult to send these objects onto a platen, and the thickness is small. Therefore, there remains a problem in securing a space for allowing the print head to pass below.

An object of the present invention is to provide a metallic printing / printing method for labels and the like which can be thermally transferred to thick objects and three-dimensional molded articles as well as labels in order to solve the above problems. With the goal.

[0005]

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the object of the invention, the method according to the present invention comprises, as a means, making the print head horizontally movable and vertically adjustable in height. The main point is.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, P indicates the entire label printer. In each part of the label printer, 1 is a thermal ribbon, 2 is an unwinding reel of the thermal ribbon, 3 is a guide roll, 4 is a ribbon detection sensor, 5 is a ribbon guide mechanism, 6 is a platen, 7 is a print head, and 8 is a print head. Solenoid, 9 is a guide roll, 10 and 11
Is a ribbon pulling roll, 12 is a ribbon take-up reel, and M is a thick material to be printed.

The thermal ribbon 1 is a metallic-colored transfer metal foil ribbon of a metallic color. The thermal ribbon 1 is unwound with a constant tension from an unwinding reel 2 and is smoothly fed by a guide roll 3 in the direction of a print head described later. The ribbon detecting sensor 4 detects a slack, a cut, or the like of the thermal ribbon 1. The thermal ribbon 1 runs between a platen 6 and a print head 7 via a guide mechanism 5. Then, it is finally wound up on a ribbon take-up reel 12 via a guide roll 9 and ribbon pulling rolls 10 and 11.

Printing is performed with a thick material M placed between the platen 6 and the thermal ribbon 1. The print head 7 can move back and forth above the platen 6 with respect to the material M. And print it. Also, the print head 7 is moved in the vertical direction as appropriate in accordance with the thickness of the material M, the height is adjusted and the print head 7 is fixed at a set position.

Subsequently, a thick material M is inserted between the thermal ribbon 1 and the platen 6 from the right in the figure. Since the material M has a large thickness and various shapes, it can be manually inserted. When the material M is inserted, the platen 6 automatically rotates in the counterclockwise direction, and at the same time, the solenoid 8 is energized to move the print head 7 in the front-rear direction in the figure, and the image data previously created by a personal computer (not shown). Is printed on the material M based on the. The material M continues to move and is discharged outside the printer.

[0011]

As described above, in the method of the present invention, the print head can be moved in the horizontal direction and the height can be adjusted in the vertical direction. It is now possible to perform thermal transfer printing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a label printer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermal ribbon 2 Ribbon unwinding reel 6 Platen 7 Print head M material P Label printer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printing / printing method in which image data created by a personal computer is obtained by using a metallic thermal ribbon to obtain an effect equivalent to foil stamping on a surface of paper or the like. A metallic printing / printing method for a label or the like, characterized in that thermal transfer printing can be performed on a thick object and a three-dimensional molded product by adjusting a height in a vertical direction.