JPH1191145A - Thermal transfer type recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress a rise tendency of a printing density, restrict heating of recording papers, prevent shrinkage because of evaporation of contained moisture, enhance printing position accuracy and improve image quality, by setting a cooling device for cooling the interior of an apparatus. SOLUTION: In a thermal transfer type recording apparatus 10, a recording paper 1 after heated by a thermal recording head 15 in the apparatus can be cooled by an air blow nozzle 60, a ventilation device 70, a cooling device such as a cooling medium chamber provided at a platen roller 32 or the like. When the recording paper 1 is reciprocated at a movement path between an initial position and a draw-out position for every time of recording to achieve color printing, the recording paper 1 is cooled with air by the air blow nozzle 60 installed along the movement path. A ventilation flow is formed along the movement path by the ventilation device 70, thereby cooling the recording paper. Moreover, the cooling medium chamber set at the platen roller 32 in touch with the recording paper 1 cools the recording paper. Accordingly, heating of the recording paper 1 at the time of color printing is restricted, and a shrinkage of the paper due to evaporation of contained water is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus for printing characters, figures, photographs and the like on recording paper, and more particularly to a sublimation type thermal transfer recording apparatus for color printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a recording apparatus (printer), there are a sublimation type thermal transfer type recording apparatus and a fusion type thermal transfer type recording apparatus. In these thermal transfer recording apparatuses, a recording paper and a transfer film are sandwiched between a thermal recording head and a platen roller, and the ink on the transfer film is transferred to the recording paper by heating.

[0003]

However, in the conventional thermal transfer type recording apparatus, the temperature inside the apparatus rises due to the heating energy of the thermal recording head, and the print density tends to be higher than a set value. Heating causes the water content of the recording paper to evaporate, causing the paper to shrink, resulting in poor print position accuracy and poor image quality.

[0004] In particular, when performing color printing on recording paper four times in total for yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, or three times in total for yellow, magenta, and cyan, recording is performed for each of those recordings. When the paper is reciprocated between the initial position and the pull-out position, the shrinkage of the recording paper between the previous recording and the next recording of the color printing deteriorates the alignment accuracy between those recordings, and the color printing becomes poor. Loss image quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to improve the printing position accuracy in a thermal transfer type recording apparatus and improve the image quality.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a recording paper and a transfer film are sandwiched between a thermal recording head and a platen roller, and the ink on the transfer film is transferred to the recording paper by heating. In the thermal transfer recording apparatus, a cooling device for cooling the inside of the apparatus is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording paper feeding device for feeding a recording paper, a transfer film feeding device for feeding a transfer film, and a device for transferring the recording paper and the transfer film to a platen roller. A thermal recording head that transfers the ink on the transfer film to the recording paper by heating the recording paper between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording by the thermal recording head. In a thermal transfer type recording apparatus which can reciprocate along a moving path, an air blowing nozzle for air-cooling the recording sheet is provided along a moving path of the recording sheet after being heated by the thermal recording head.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording paper feeding device for feeding a recording paper, a transfer film feeding device for feeding a transfer film, and a device for transferring the recording paper and the transfer film to a platen roller. A thermal recording head that transfers the ink on the transfer film to the recording paper by heating the recording paper between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording by the thermal recording head. In a thermal transfer type recording apparatus which can reciprocate along a moving path, a ventilation device for forming a ventilation flow is provided along a moving path of the recording paper after being heated by a thermal recording head.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording paper feeding device for feeding a recording paper, a transfer film feeding device for feeding a transfer film, and a device for transferring the recording paper and the transfer film to a platen roller. A thermal recording head that transfers the ink on the transfer film to the recording paper by heating the recording paper between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording by the thermal recording head. In a thermal transfer type recording apparatus which can reciprocate along a moving path, a platen roller in contact with a recording sheet is provided with a refrigerant chamber.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the following operations are provided. The inside of the device can be cooled by a cooling device. As a result, the temperature rise in the thermal transfer type recording apparatus is suppressed to suppress the tendency of the print density to increase, and thus, the heating of the recording paper is suppressed to prevent shrinkage due to evaporation of the contained water, and as a result, the printing position accuracy is improved, Image quality can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the following operations are provided. When the recording paper is reciprocated in the movement path between the initial position and the draw-out position for each recording for color printing, the recording paper is air-cooled by an air blowing nozzle provided along the movement path. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the heating of the recording paper at the time of color printing, prevent shrinkage due to evaporation of the contained water, improve the alignment accuracy between the previous recording and the next recording of the color printing, and improve the color image quality.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the following operations are provided. When the recording paper was reciprocated in the movement path between the initial position and the draw-out position for each recording for color printing, a ventilation flow was formed along the movement path by the ventilation device. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the heating of the recording paper at the time of color printing, prevent shrinkage due to evaporation of the contained water, improve the alignment accuracy between the previous recording and the next recording of the color printing, and improve the color image quality.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the following operations are provided. When the recording paper was reciprocated in the movement path between the initial position and the draw-out position for each recording for color printing, a cooling chamber was provided on a platen roller in contact with the recording paper. This suppresses the heating of the recording paper during color printing to prevent shrinkage due to evaporation of the contained water, and enhances the alignment accuracy between the previous recording and the next recording of color printing,
Color image quality can be improved.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a thermal transfer type recording apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a platen roller.

The color sublimation type thermal transfer recording apparatus 10
As shown in FIG. 1, a recording paper supply unit 12 and a recording paper pull-out unit 13 that constitute a recording paper feeding device, a ribbon cassette 14 that constitutes a transfer film feeding device, a thermal recording head 15, and a recording paper discharge A section 16, a cutting section 17, a stacker section 18, and an electrical component 19 are provided.

The case 11 has a lower door 11A on the front side of the recording paper supply section 12, and an upper door 11B around the ribbon cassette 14, the recording paper discharge section 16 and the cutting section 17.

The recording paper supply unit 12 includes a recording paper unwinding shaft 21 to which the core 1A of the rolled recording paper 1 can be attached and detached, a tension applying device 22 connected to the recording paper unwinding shaft 21, and a recording paper winding motor 23. Is provided. The tension applying device 22 applies a load torque to the recording paper unwinding shaft 21,
A back tension is applied to the recording paper 1 pulled out from the recording paper unwinding shaft 21 by the recording paper draw-out section 13 so as to stabilize the drawing state of the recording paper 1. Recording paper take-up motor 23
Is a process of rewinding the recording paper 1 to the recording paper unwinding shaft 21 by the return movement of the recording paper unwinding unit 13,
The recording paper unwinding shaft 21 is driven to rotate in the reverse direction so that the recording paper 1 can rewind the recording paper 1 in a stable winding form.

The recording paper draw-out section 13 has a clamp device 31 for clamping the leading end of the recording paper 1, and the recording paper 1 clamped by the clamp device 31 is fed to a recording paper unwinding shaft 21.
From around the platen roller 32. The recording paper drawer 13 linearly reciprocates the recording paper 1 between the initial position A and the drawing position B each time the thermal recording head 15 performs recording. The clamp moving unit 33 attaches a timing belt to a gear provided outside the clamp device 31 and causes the clamp device 31 held by the timing belt to reciprocate linearly by rotating the timing belt with a pulse motor or the like. The pull-out speed and the pull-back speed of the recording paper 1 between the initial position A and the pull-out position B are regulated by the moving speed of the clamp device 31 by the clamp moving unit 33.

The ribbon cassette 14 has a ribbon take-out shaft 41 and a ribbon take-up shaft 41 for detachably attaching the take-up core 2A and the take-up core 2B of the sublimation type ink ribbon 2 having yellow, magenta, cyan, and black dye layers in order of surface. A shaft 42 is provided. The ribbon 2 wound around the ribbon winding shaft 42 unwound from the ribbon unwinding shaft 41 is wound around the platen roller 32 and a ribbon winding motor 43 is provided. The ribbon 2 is pressed together with the recording paper 1 by the platen roller 32 by the thermal recording head 15 during printing, and
The recording paper 1 is moved out of the ribbon unwinding shaft 41 by being moved along with the recording paper 1 pulled out by the third clamp device 31, and is also wound up loosely on the ribbon winding shaft 42 driven by the ribbon winding motor 43.

The thermal recording head 15 is lowered from the standby position at the time of printing, and the recording paper 1 and the ribbon 2 are supplied to the platen roller 32.
And printing is performed by a sublimation type thermal transfer system.

The recording paper ejection unit 16 returns to the initial position after the printing by the thermal recording head 15 is completed.
The recording paper 1 discharged by the third clamp device 31 is guided from the discharge guide 51 to the stacker 18.

The cutting section 17 cuts the recording paper 1 into a predetermined size by a cutter 52 provided in the recording paper discharge section 16.

The stacker section 18 accumulates the recording paper 1 cut by the cutting section 17 and discharged by the recording paper discharge section 16 on a tray 53.

Accordingly, the printing operation by the recording device 10 is performed as follows. (1) The leading end of the recording paper 1 is clamped by the clamp device 31 of the recording paper drawer 13 and the thermal recording head 1 is clamped.
5 is lowered from the standby position, and the recording paper 1 and the ribbon 2 are pressed between the platen roller 32.

(2) The recording paper 1 is pulled out from the initial position by the clamp device 31 of the recording paper drawer 13, and printing is performed during the pulling. The ribbon 2 moves along with the recording paper 1 and is wound up from the ribbon unwinding shaft 41 to the ribbon winding shaft 42. Clamping device 31 for recording paper drawer 13
Is reached, the thermal recording head 15 is raised to the standby position, and the recording paper 1 is pulled back. Recording paper 1
Is pulled back by the clamping device 3 of the recording paper drawer 13.
1 is returned to the initial position, and the recording paper winding motor 23 rotates the recording paper unwinding shaft 21 in the reverse direction.

(3) If the print is multicolor, the above-mentioned (2) is performed using the ribbons 2 of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black.
repeat.

(4) After the above (2) and (3), the recording paper drawer 13 positioned at the initial position and the recording paper discharger 16
Is performed. That is, the recording paper drawer 13
The leading end of the recording paper 1 is fed to a discharge guide 51 of the recording paper discharge unit 16 by a paper discharge roller provided in the clamping device 31 of FIG. Cut the tray 53 of the stacker section 18
To accumulate.

In the printing in the above (2) and (3), the sublimation dye of the ribbon 2 sublimated by heating from the back surface of the dye layer of the ribbon 2 by the thermal recording head 15 receives the recording paper 1. It is transferred to the layer and colored.

However, the recording apparatus 10 is provided with the following cooling units (A) to (C) in order to cool the recording paper 1 inside the apparatus, particularly after the recording paper 1 has been heated by the thermal recording head 15. (A) Air blowing nozzle 60 (FIG. 1) The air blowing nozzles 60 are installed above and below the moving path (moving path from the initial position to the pull-out position) of the recording paper 1 after being heated by the thermal recording head 15. Then, the recording paper 1 is air-cooled.

(B) Ventilation device 70 (FIG. 1) The ventilation device 70 forms a ventilation flow along the movement path of the recording paper 1 after being heated by the thermal recording head 15 (the movement path from the initial position to the draw-out position). . Specifically, the ventilation device 70 is installed in each of the motor-type ventilation fan 71 embedded in the case wall on the front side of the draw-out position of the recording paper 1 in the case 11, the lower door 11A, and the upper door 11B. Case 1 consisting of ventilation ports 72A and 72B
1, a ventilation flow is formed from the ventilation ports 72 </ b> A and 72 </ b> B to the ventilation fan 71 along the moving path of the recording paper 1.

(C) Refrigerant chamber 80 of platen roller 32 (FIG. 2)
0 is built in. A refrigerant supply pipe and a refrigerant discharge pipe (not shown) are connected to the refrigerant chamber 80, and cool the platen roller 32 by circulating a refrigerant such as cooling water and ammonia gas, and thereby cool the recording paper 1.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the following effects are obtained. The recording paper 1 heated by the thermal recording head 15, particularly the recording paper 1, can be cooled by a cooling device such as the air blowing nozzle 60, the ventilation device 70, and the refrigerant chamber 80 of the platen roller 32. Thereby, the heating of the recording paper 1 in the thermal transfer recording apparatus 10 is suppressed, and the shrinkage due to the evaporation of the contained water is prevented, and as a result, the printing position accuracy can be improved and the image quality can be improved. In addition, by suppressing a rise in temperature inside the apparatus, a rise in print density can be suppressed.

When the recording paper 1 is reciprocated in the movement path between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording for color printing, the recording paper is moved by the air blowing nozzle 60 provided along the movement path. Air cool 1. Thus, the heating of the recording paper 1 during color printing is suppressed to prevent shrinkage due to the evaporation of the contained water, the alignment accuracy between the previous printing and the next printing of the color printing is increased, and the color image quality can be improved.

When the recording paper 1 is reciprocated in the movement path between the initial position and the draw-out position for each recording for color printing, a ventilation flow is formed along the movement path by the ventilation device 70. . Thus, the heating of the recording paper 1 during color printing is suppressed to prevent shrinkage due to the evaporation of the contained water, the alignment accuracy between the previous printing and the next printing of the color printing is increased, and the color image quality can be improved.

When the recording paper 1 is reciprocated along the movement path between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording for color printing, a cooling chamber 80 is provided in the platen roller 32 with which the recording paper 1 contacts. Was. Thus, the heating of the recording paper 1 during color printing is suppressed to prevent shrinkage due to the evaporation of the contained water, the alignment accuracy between the previous printing and the next printing of the color printing is increased, and the color image quality can be improved.

In particular, the recording paper 1 for sublimation-type thermal transfer has a back surface in contact with the platen roller 32 as a non-coat layer, and a surface in contact with the ink ribbon 2 as a sublimation dye receiving layer. Easy to evaporate from. Therefore, the platen roller 32 provided with the refrigerant chamber 80
Of the recording paper 1 due to evaporation of moisture is effectively prevented.

In the above-described embodiment, the apparatus provided with the above-described cooling devices (A) to (C) in order to cool the recording paper 1 in the apparatus, particularly, the recording paper 1 heated by the thermal recording head 15 is used. Although described, any one of them may be used.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the design can be changed without departing from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is also included in the present invention. For example, the present invention can be widely applied not only to a sublimation type thermal transfer type recording device but also to a fusion type thermal transfer type recording device using a molten type ink ribbon which is melted by heating.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing position accuracy in the thermal transfer type recording apparatus can be improved, and the image quality can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a thermal transfer recording apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a platen roller.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Recording paper 2 Ink ribbon (transfer film) 10 Thermal transfer type recording device 11 Case 12 Recording paper supply part (recording paper feeding device) 13 Recording paper drawer (recording paper feeding device) 14 Ribbon cassette (transfer film feeding device) 15) Thermal recording head 32 Platen roller 60 Air blowing nozzle 70 Ventilation device 80 Refrigerant chamber

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuhiro Hamajima 1-1-1 Ichigaya Kagacho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A thermal transfer type recording apparatus in which a recording paper and a transfer film are sandwiched between a thermal recording head and a platen roller, and the ink on the transfer film is transferred to the recording paper by heating. A thermal transfer recording device, comprising: 2. A recording paper feeding device for feeding a recording paper, a transfer film feeding device for feeding a transfer film, and an ink on the transfer film with the recording paper and the transfer film sandwiched between a platen roller. The thermal recording head that transfers the recording paper to the recording paper by heating is stored in the case, and the recording paper can be reciprocated along the movement path between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording by the thermal recording head. In the thermal transfer type recording apparatus, the recording paper after heating by the thermal recording head is moved along a moving path,
A thermal transfer type recording apparatus comprising an air blowing nozzle for air-cooling recording paper. 3. A recording paper feeding device for feeding recording paper, a transfer film feeding device for feeding a transfer film, and an ink on the transfer film with the recording paper and the transfer film sandwiched between a platen roller. The thermal recording head that transfers the recording paper to the recording paper by heating is stored in the case, and the recording paper can be reciprocated along the movement path between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording by the thermal recording head. A thermal transfer recording apparatus, comprising: a ventilation device that forms a ventilation flow along a moving path of the recording paper after being heated by a thermal recording head. 4. A recording paper feeding device for feeding recording paper, a transfer film feeding device for feeding a transfer film, and an ink on the transfer film with the recording paper and the transfer film sandwiched between a platen roller. The thermal recording head that transfers the recording paper to the recording paper by heating is stored in the case, and the recording paper can be reciprocated along the movement path between the initial position and the pull-out position for each recording by the thermal recording head. A thermal transfer type recording apparatus comprising: a platen roller in contact with a recording sheet; and a refrigerant chamber.