JPH1016341A - Thermal transfer sheet cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an erroneous mounting from occurring by mistaking a feed side for a winding side by a method wherein torque limiters for feeding and for winding are made capable of being used again. SOLUTION: A feed torque limiter 6 controlling rotation of a feed side sheet roll, and a winding side torque limiter 7 controlling rotation of a winding side sheet roll 5 are stored in a thermal transfer sheet cassette 1. Further, they are respectively different in size, sizes of feed side and winding side torque limitter storing parts 8, 9 conform to sizes of respective torque limitters, and respective parts are assembled, and integrally bonded to be fixed. Though the torque limitters 6, 7 and a used thermal transfer sheet 10 are detached, and the taken out torque limitters and a new thermal transfer sheet are stored when the cassette 1 is used again, they are not misplaced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet cassette for accommodating a thermal transfer sheet roll in which a thermal transfer sheet used for sublimation type thermal transfer recording or thermal fusion transfer recording using a thermal head is wound around a bobbin.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A thermal transfer sheet roll used for sublimation-type thermal transfer recording and heat-sensitive fusion transfer recording is supplied by a supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll wound on a supply-side bobbin, and is supplied to a heat transfer printer or a cassette winding side. The front end of the thermal transfer sheet was adhered and fixed to the bobbin with a double-sided adhesive tape or the like. Such an adhesive fixing method is performed not only on the winding bobbin but also on the supply bobbin by the same method. The thermal transfer sheet is subjected to thermal transfer recording by a thermal head, and is used by being wound up on a take-up side thermal transfer sheet roll from a used portion after the recording.

In a recent thermal transfer recording apparatus, a supply bobbin and a take-up bobbin are housed and removably mounted on a main body of the thermal transfer recording apparatus in order to improve workability of a thermal transfer sheet loading operation. A thermal transfer sheet cassette is used. The thermal transfer sheet cassette is a consumable item,
When the thermal transfer sheet stored inside is used up, it is replaced with a new cassette. At the time of thermal transfer printing, appropriate tension is applied to the thermal transfer sheet to eliminate slack,
Also, a torque limiter has been provided directly on the bobbin on the supply side and the winding side so that wrinkles do not occur on the thermal transfer sheet. (Refer to JP-A-7-329385)

[0004]

As described above, since the used thermal transfer sheet cassette is disposable, the torque limiter in the cassette is also disposable. However, in response to global environmental issues, effective use of resources and waste disposal issues, and due to demands for lowering prices of consumables such as thermal transfer sheet cassettes, cassettes are reused and refilled thermal transfer sheet rolls are used. Then, the following problems occurred. A: A conventionally used torque limiter provided on a bobbin is inexpensive and reduces the cost of parts as compared with a torque limiter provided in the thermal transfer printer main body. Therefore, the durability of the torque limiter is such that it only operates normally until the use of the stored thermal transfer sheet is completed, and the durability when the thermal transfer sheet is replaced and the cassette and the torque limiter are reused. There is no sex.

[0005] B: The torque value of the supply-side torque limiter is set to be larger than the torque value of the winding-side torque limiter. The reason is that when the thermal head is lowered and pressed against the platen roll during printing, unused thermal transfer sheets are not pulled out from the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll, so that unused thermal transfer sheets are not wasted. In order to However, since the supply-side torque limiter and the winding-side torque limiter could not be distinguished from each other in appearance, they could be erroneously mounted when the torque limiter was mounted in the cassette. When installed incorrectly, various problems occurred. That is, specifically, when the thermal transfer sheet is wound up, there occurs a problem that the images of the respective colors are shifted due to idle rotation.

C: Since the supply-side bobbin and the winding-side bobbin could not be identified, the thermal transfer sheet roll was erroneously mounted on the cassette. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems,
The purpose is to replace the thermal transfer sheet stored in the cassette and refill the cassette, including the torque limiter, so that the torque limiter and bobbin supply side and winding side can be mismounted. An object of the present invention is to provide a heat transfer sheet cassette in which the heat transfer is prevented.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a supply-side heat transfer sheet roll on which a thermal transfer sheet is wound on a supply-side bobbin, and an end of the heat transfer sheet on a winding side. A pair of winding-side thermal transfer sheet rolls that are bonded to a bobbin and wind up a used thermal transfer sheet, a supply torque limiter that controls the rotation of the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll, and controls the rotation of the winding-side thermal transfer sheet roll. In the thermal transfer sheet cassette accommodating the winding torque limiter, the supply and winding torque limiters can be reused. Further, the size of the supply torque limiter and the size of the take-up torque limiter are different, and the torque limiter accommodating portions of the thermal transfer sheet cassette match the size of the corresponding torque limiters. I do. Further, the surface hues of the supply-side bobbin and the supply torque limiter are of the same system, the surface hues of the winding-side bobbin and the winding torque limiter are of the same system, and It is characterized in that the surface has a different hue from the side. further,
The number of ribs provided on the supply-side bobbin and the number of notches of the supply torque limiter are the same, and the number of ribs provided on the take-up bobbin and the number of notches of the take-up torque limiter are the same, Further, the number of ribs and notches is different between the supply side and the winding side.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, a thermal transfer sheet cassette 1 of the present invention includes a supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll 4 in which a thermal transfer sheet 10 is wound around a supply-side bobbin 2, an end portion of the rolled-up thermal transfer sheet 10, and a winding side. This is a pair of winding forms in which the thermal transfer sheet 10 unwound from the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll 4 is adhered to the bobbin 3 and wound around the take-up side thermal transfer sheet roll 5. Further, the thermal transfer sheet cassette 1 accommodates a supply torque limiter 6 for controlling the rotation of the supply side thermal transfer sheet roll 4 and a winding side torque limiter 7 for controlling the rotation of the winding side thermal transfer sheet roll 5. I have.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, in the thermal transfer sheet cassette 1 of the present invention, the size of the supply torque limiter 6 and the size of the take-up side torque limiter 7 are different.
The size of each of the torque limiter storage sections 8 and 9 on the supply side and the winding side matches the size of each torque limiter.

(Torque Limiter) In the thermal transfer sheet cassette of the present invention, the torque limiter can be reused. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the torque limiters 6 and 7 include a geared housing 20, an inner ring 21, and a friction piece 2.
2, a retainer 23, a coil spring 24, and a shield plate 25. In the conventional torque limiter, the housing with the gear, the inner ring, the friction piece, the retainer, the coil spring, and the shield plate are individually separate and separate, and are merely assembled. The major difference is that the parts are assembled, glued and fixed together.

The friction piece 22 of the torque limiter of the present invention has conventionally been made of a material such as disposable silicon. Stainless steel and special plastics, for example, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, fluorine resin, polyimide resin, and the like are preferably used. Further, in the present invention, in order to prevent the torque limiters on the supply side and the winding side from being erroneously mounted, the sizes of the torque limiters on the supply side and the winding side are made different. Specifically, it is preferable that the diameter of the tip portion shown by p in FIG. 3 be different between the torque limiter on the supply side and the torque limiter on the winding side. Further, in the present invention, when the thermal head is lowered and pressed against the platen roll during printing, an unused thermal transfer sheet is not pulled out from the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll, and the unused thermal transfer sheet can be wasted. Preferably, the torque value of the supply-side torque limiter is set to be larger than the torque value of the winding-side torque limiter. Such adjustment of the torque value can be performed by changing the urging force of the coil spring of the torque limiter.

That is, the torque value of the torque limiter is adjusted, for example, by inserting two coil springs of the same type into the supply side torque limiter and one coil spring (supply side torque) into the winding side torque limiter. (Same type as the one put in the limiter). The portion that directly meshes with the driving gear is the gear 13
Since the portion having the outer diameter p is not a portion that directly contacts the driving gear, the size of the gear 13 of each torque limiter is reduced even if the size of each driving gear on the supply side and the winding side is the same. The size of the outer diameter p at the tip has no relation to the size of the drive gear. In this manner, the gear 13 having a size capable of meshing with the driving side gears on the supply side and the winding side may be selected.

(Torque Limiter Storage Unit) In the present invention, it is preferable that the size of the torque limiter storage unit on the supply side and the winding side be adjusted to the size of each corresponding torque limiter. This not only makes the supply and take-up torque limiters different in size, but also
By adjusting the size of each torque limiter accommodating portion to the size of each corresponding torque limiter, erroneous mounting of the supply side and the winding side of the torque limiter can be more completely prevented. In other words, when the thermal transfer sheet cassette is reused, the torque limiter and the used thermal transfer sheet inside the cassette are removed, and the removed torque limiter and the new thermal transfer sheet are stored in the cassette. Since the size of the limiter storage section is different between the winding side and the supply side, there is no mistake in inserting the torque limiter.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which the size of the torque limiter storage section differs between the winding side and the supply side. That is, the supply-side torque limiter storage unit 8 is provided on the lower half 15 side of the thermal transfer sheet cassette 1.
And a winding-side torque limiter storage unit 9 are provided.
The supply side torque limiter storage section 8 and the winding side torque limiter storage section 9 are different in size, and the winding side torque limiter storage section 9 is designed to be larger than the supply side torque limiter storage section 8. I have. It is shown in FIG.
This is because the outer diameter p of the leading end of the winding-side torque limiter 7 is designed to be larger than the outer diameter p of the leading end of the supply-side torque limiter 6 as shown in FIG.

(Bobbin) The bobbin can be produced by a general plastic molding method such as injection molding or extrusion molding. Bobbins are generally made of polystyrene, vinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polyester, A
Although it is composed of molding resin such as BS, it is necessary to prepare it in a thermal transfer printer and use it repeatedly.
It can also be made of a durable metal such as aluminum, iron, and stainless steel. In the present invention, in order to prevent the bobbin on the supply side and the winding side from being erroneously mounted, it is preferable to change the hue on the surface of the bobbin on the supply side and the winding side so that the bobbins can be identified. Further, it is preferable that the hues on the surfaces of the winding bobbin and the winding torque limiter are adjusted to the same system, and the hues of the surfaces of the supply bobbin and the supply torque limiter are adjusted to the same system.

Further, as shown in FIG.
The number of the notches 11 and the number of the ribs 12 formed in the engagement portion between the shaft and the torque limiters 6 and 7 are made the same, and the bobbin and the torque limiter are moved in the direction of the arrow so that they can be engaged with each other. It is preferable that the numbers of ribs and notches are different between the side and the winding side. As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the supply side and the winding side have different hues and / or numbers of ribs and notches on the surfaces of the bobbin and the torque limiter, the torque limiter is engaged with different bobbins that do not correspond to each other. Can be prevented.

(Upper half, lower half) The thermal transfer sheet cassette of the present invention refills the thermal transfer sheet roll to be stored and reuses the upper half and the lower half. Cannot be fixed by welding. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the upper half 14 and the lower half 15 forming the outer frame can be fixed using the fastener 16. The method of fixing the upper half and the lower half is not limited to the slide method as in the above-described fastener 16, and any method can be used as long as it can be freely opened and closed, such as engagement between the convex and concave portions. The lower half forming the outer frame of the thermal transfer sheet cassette of the present invention may be provided with a supply-side opening 17 as shown in FIG.

First, the thermal transfer sheet rolls 4 and 5 on the supply side and the winding side, and the torque limiters 6 and 7 on the supply side and the winding side.
The upper half 14 and the lower half 15 for storing the sheets are combined and fixed, and the thermal transfer sheet cassette 1 is prepared. Then, in order to rotate the thermal transfer sheet roll of the thermal transfer sheet cassette 1, the drive gear from the printer main body and the gear 13 of the supply-side torque limiter 6 are engaged to rotate the thermal transfer sheet roll. A gear 13 of the supply-side torque limiter 6 is provided at a position close to the outer peripheral surface in the supply-side opening 17 so that a driving gear from the printer main body and the gear 13 are easily meshed.
The upper half 14, the lower half 15, and the fastener 16 are made of a resin such as polystyrene, ABS, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyacetal, polycarbonate, or polyester, and are generally formed by injection molding or extrusion molding. Can be created by law.

[0019]

The present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples and comparative examples. (Example 1) A supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll in which a sublimation-type thermal transfer sheet is wound on a supply-side bobbin, and an end portion of the sublimation-type thermal transfer sheet is adhered to a take-up bobbin, and the wound-up thermal transfer sheet is wound up. A pair of winding forms of a roll are prepared. Then, a supply torque limiter for controlling the rotation of the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll, and a winding torque limiter for controlling the rotation of the take-up thermal transfer sheet roll, together with the pair of thermal transfer sheet rolls, the upper half and The thermal transfer sheet cassette of Example 1 was stored in the lower half. Each bobbin and each half is a molded product made of polystyrene, and each torque limiter has a friction piece made of a polytetrafluoroethylene fluororesin.

Example 2 A thermal transfer sheet cassette as shown in FIG. 1 was prepared. That is, the outer size combining the upper half and the lower half of the thermal transfer sheet cassette is
It is 205 mm long, 160 mm wide and 45 mm high. Also, the outer diameter p at the tip of the supply torque limiter is 12 m.
m, the outer diameter p at the tip of the winding torque limiter is 14 m
At m, a lower half and an upper half having a torque limiter storage portion corresponding to the size of the supply and take-up torque limiters are used. Further, a pair of thermal transfer sheet rolls in which a sublimation type thermal transfer sheet is wound around a supply side bobbin and a winding side bobbin are prepared. However, the hues of the surfaces of the supply-side bobbin and the supply torque limiter are white, and the hues of the surfaces of the take-up bobbin and the take-up torque limiter are black. The above-described torque limiter and a pair of thermal transfer sheet rolls were housed in the upper half and the lower half to prepare a thermal transfer sheet cassette of Example 2. Each bobbin and each half is a molded product made of polystyrene, and each torque limiter has a friction piece made of a polytetrafluoroethylene fluororesin.

(Comparative Example) A thermal transfer sheet cassette of a comparative example was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 except that the friction pieces of the supply and take-up torque limiters were made of silicone.

Using the thermal transfer sheet cassettes of the above Examples and Comparative Examples, printing was performed on a commercially available sublimation type thermal transfer image receiving sheet by a sublimation type thermal transfer printer. At that time, the thermal transfer sheets stored in the thermal transfer sheet cassette in each example were exchanged, and printing was repeatedly performed under the condition that the torque limiter, the upper half, and the lower half were reused. (Evaluation Results) In the thermal transfer sheet cassettes of Example 1 and Example 2, printing was possible without any problem even if the thermal transfer sheet was replaced and refilled. Further, in Example 2, there was no erroneous mounting between the supply side and the winding side of the torque limiter and the bobbin, and the distinction between the supply side and the winding side was clear. On the other hand, in the thermal transfer sheet cassette of the comparative example, when the thermal transfer sheet was replaced and refilled, the thermal transfer sheet roll idled, resulting in significant color misregistration of the image.

[0023]

Accordingly, in the present invention, the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll on which the thermal transfer sheet is wound around the supply-side bobbin, and the end of the thermal transfer sheet are adhered to the take-up side bobbin. Transfer cassette that houses a pair of take-up side thermal transfer sheet rolls, a supply torque limiter that controls the rotation of the supply side heat transfer sheet roll, and a take-up torque limiter that controls the rotation of the take-up side thermal transfer sheet roll. In the above, the supply and take-up torque limiters are reusable, so that when exchanging and refilling the thermal transfer sheet stored in the cassette, it is possible to reuse the cassette including the torque limiter. In addition, it is possible to prevent erroneous mounting between the supply side and the winding side of the torque limiter and the bobbin.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment showing the inside of a thermal transfer sheet cassette of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one embodiment showing an engagement state between a bobbin and a torque limiter according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a partial sectional view showing a configuration example of a torque limiter of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the thermal transfer sheet cassette of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 thermal transfer sheet cassette 2 supply side bobbin 3 take-up side bobbin 4 supply-side heat transfer sheet roll 5 take-up side thermal transfer sheet roll 6 supply torque limiter 7 take-up side torque limiter 8 supply torque limiter storage section 9 take-up side torque limiter Storage section 10 Thermal transfer sheet 11 Notch 12 Rib 13 Gear 14 Upper half 15 Lower half 16 Fastener 17 Supply side opening 20 Geared housing 21 Inner ring 22 Friction piece 23 Retainer 24 Coil spring 25 Shield plate p Outer diameter of tip end

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll on which a thermal transfer sheet has been wound on a supply-side bobbin, and an end portion of the thermal transfer sheet adhered to the take-up bobbin, and a take-up side thermal transfer for winding up a used thermal transfer sheet. In a thermal transfer sheet cassette containing a pair of sheet rolls, a supply torque limiter for controlling the rotation of the supply-side thermal transfer sheet roll, and a winding torque limiter for controlling the rotation of the take-up thermal transfer sheet roll, A thermal transfer sheet cassette, wherein the winding torque limiter is reusable. 2. The supply torque limiter and the take-up torque limiter have different sizes, and the size of the torque limiter housing of the thermal transfer sheet cassette matches the size of the corresponding torque limiter. The thermal transfer sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The supply-side bobbin and the supply torque limiter have the same surface hue, and the winding-side bobbin and the winding torque limiter have the same surface hue. 2. The thermal transfer sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein the surface and the winding side have different hues on the surface. 4. The number of ribs provided on the supply-side bobbin and the number of notches of the supply torque limiter are the same, the number of ribs provided on the take-up bobbin, and the number of notches of the take-up torque limiter. 2. The thermal transfer sheet cassette according to claim 1, wherein the number of ribs and notches is different between the supply side and the winding side.