JPS58119884A - High-speed printer and printing method therewith - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make easier the separation of an image-forming element from a pressure-sensitive transfer ribbon as well as form clear-cut images by coating a continuous and thin silicone oil film on the back of the transfer ribbon. CONSTITUTION:Prior to the transfer of a transfer ribbon 14 into a printing portion 15, a silicone oil is coated on the ribbon by a coating roll 19 to form a practically continuous and thin silicone film. Thus, the surface of the silicone oil film of the transfer ribbon 14 is pressed on a type face 11 as an image forming element at the moment of printing impact at a printing portion 15, and thereby the separation of the type face 11 from the transfer ribbon 14 is made easier.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel high-speed printing device and a printing method using the device.

Transfer materials having a microporous ink layer containing a fluidized ink are well known, and typical examples thereof include US Pat. No. 5,057,879 and US Pat. No. 5,689, Specification No. 501 is mentioned.

These transfer materials have a microporous ink layer that is not transferred by a single impact pressure like a one-time wax carbon layer, but rather is transferred each time the transfer material is subjected to typing pressure, even in the same location. Even its microporous sponge-like binder material is able to function by exuding a bead-flowable ink.
It was originally developed for use in typewriters as an alternative to regular wax-based carbon paper.

Recently, it has been found that these transfer materials are preferably used in the form of ribbons in high speed typing devices or impact printing ATs and barcode Φ printers. Since these printing devices operate at high speeds, ordinary one-time transfer materials wear out quickly and must be replaced in a complicated manner, making them impractical. The micro-porous transfer material may be reversed and repeated several times depending on the printing device, but more commonly it is transported in a continuous crawling motion (or...plsg mtiom) through the device. When the device transfers characters at a rate of 20 or more characters per second, each section of the ribbon will receive several overlapping impacts before passing through the impact section (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,954). , No. 165 and No. 41
164.180).

This is the case in high-speed printing machines or bar code printers where the ribbon is in constant, gradual motion during impact (i.e., struck by the type member or printing surface without stopping the ribbon transport). Use of microporous transfer ribbons such as (U.S. Patent Jl.
5,924°5! ! (See specification No. 2) &: has a serious problem.

The copy sheet is also transported in a direction that is the same as or perpendicular to the ribbon transport direction. In either case, the ribbon moves slowly across the printing area when printed by the typing surface, and even if printing occurs instantaneously, the typing surface may emboss the back side of the ribbon and catch (vmg), y Break the bond between the ilm base material and the ink layer held by the base material 4! Ru. This disruption, rather than the desired leaching of ink from the microporous resin structure of the ink layer, causes solid particles of the resin structure to be transferred to the copy sheet, leaving a smudged image on the copy sheet. It will be formed.

In addition, especially in the case of a narrow ribbon, the ribbon may be damaged due to printing friction or catching on the printing surface against the ribbon being transported.

In high-speed impact printing devices, problems such as price increase when using microporous transfer ribbons are due to the spongy characteristics of the microporous resin layer of the ink and tap water used, type factors, and print handling! - or unavoidable due to the high pressure exerted by the bar code 7 ont.

While smooth plastic film substrates, particularly emboss-resistant films such as oriented polyethylene terephthalate, have extremely smooth backsides, the present invention provides a method for improving the use of microporous, ink-jetting layer film bases in high-speed printing equipment. Based on new findings that the use of transfer materials is substantially improved by applying a lubricious, substantially continuous, very thin film of a low friction composition comprising a liquid silicone oil to the back side of the transfer material. There is.

That is, the present inventors believe that the microporous ink ejection layer must be compressible in order to exude fluid ink from the ejection layer, but the back side of the polyester film substrate is coated with a thin continuous film of silicone oil. The above-mentioned compaction can be achieved by coating the printing element with a thin, continuous liquid film that imparts lubricity that reduces the effects of friction between the imaging element, such as the typeface, and the impacted surface of the transfer ribbon. Grabbing of the transfer ribbon by imaging elements such as type during high-speed printing operations
A new discovery has been made that the imaging element can smoothly contact and disengage from the backside of the ribbon, even if the ribbon is moving at impact, without causing any sagging (mggiq) or snags (mggiq).

The imaging element thus contacts the backside of the moving transfer ribbon, slides into contact within the transfer site, and slides off without loss of relative motion with the transfer ribbon. That is, the imaging element does not catch on the polyester film substrate or create distortions or embossing that would disrupt the bond between the film substrate and the microporous ink layer. The ink layer thus functions in the intended manner by leaching liquid ink onto the copy sheet to form an image, the image being absorbed into the surface of the copy sheet and solid in the microporous resin structure. Because it does not contain particles, it is uniform and clear and does not get smudged by contact.

Hereinafter, a high-speed printing device of the present invention and a printing method using the device will be explained using the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a high speed transfer ribbon including means for transporting the pressure sensitive transfer ribbon through the print station and means for applying a continuous film of liquid silicone oil to the back side of the ribbon at a position prior to entry of the ribbon into the print station. Schematic plan view showing one embodiment of a printing device, 8
2wJ is a schematic enlarged view showing the arrangement of the ribbon processed by the present invention at the moment of printing in the high-speed printing device of the present invention. The lubricating imparting silicone oil preferably used in the present invention has the following properties. have. That is, the silicone oil used must have a sufficiently low viscosity that it can be applied as a continuous thin coating layer without substantially increasing the thickness of the film substrate and without reducing print image sharpness or print quality. Must have. The silicone oil coating layer must also be inert to the microporous ink layer, especially to the exudable ink contained therein. Therefore, the coating layer provided on the back side of the ribbon absorbs the ink layer when the transfer ribbon is wound around the spool or roller.
No contamination.

Silicone oils that can be suitably employed in the present invention include liquid polysiloxanes having a viscosity of about 1000 to 50 (IP), especially dimethylpolysiloxane oil such as "200ν1uiJ", a registered trademark manufactured by Dow Corning. , methylphenylpolysiloxane oils, and Gollisahmidt AG
(lss axis, Gsrmny) methylsilix ->
t ik (viscosity 10000oP (25°cJ)
) etc. The silicone oil back coating layer according to the present invention may be applied by any appropriate means such as a gravure printing method using a gravure printing cylinder numbered 100 to 110, a felt applicator, or a porous roller. I can do it.

For convenience of explanation, reference is made to U.S. Pat.
No. 301, No. 8,057 #879, No. 4,164
The specifications of No. ゜180 and No. Jl L924t562 are listed below. The first two patents disclose film-based, microporous, reusable transfer members that may be advantageously employed in the present invention, and the latter two patents disclose pressure-sensitive transfer ribbons. A high speed printing device is disclosed that is moving during instantaneous pressure transfer operations.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a U.S. patent $4,164°180
1 shows a high-speed printing device of the type described in detail in that specification, but the first gl shows a modification of this printing device in accordance with the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the rotating print wheel (2) has a type face (b) which is an image forming element raised on its surface, and a type face (b) which is a support element for the type direction.
m+・r ba 處) (B) is separated from the surface of the print wheel ■ and is instantaneously driven towards the surface of the print wheel to press the transfer ribbon () against the copy sheet at the printing section). It is set up to make it happen. The print wheel is electronically and rapidly searched to direct the copy sheet (on the copy sheet) and transfer ribbon (on the transfer ribbon) to the appropriate type side as they pass through the print station at increasing speeds. The hammers (b) are electronically driven at one time to press the copy sheet against the ribbon interface surface in an area corresponding to a specific type direction (b) in the printing section (in the printing section) to transfer ink to the copy sheet. .

FIG. 1 shows means for feeding the transfer ribbon (through the printing section to the transfer ribbon) and means for treating the back side of the ribbon before it moves to the printing section. is drawn out from the supply roll), passed through the printing section (ro), moved over a series of idle four-rollers (roll), and after use is seen by the take-up roll (roller). Before the ribbon (on the ribbon) is moved into the print station (on the printing section), the printing reel is moved across the surface of a coating reel (b), which has a gravure surface, for example, and A predetermined amount of silicone oil is held on the surface, which is continuously supplied by an application roller. The applicator reeler is immersed in a silicone oil reservoir (1) contained in an oil reservoir (2).

The back side of the ribbon (as shown in Figure 2), i.e. the surface of the plastic film substrate that is printed by the type side (b) during printing, is pulled through the surface of the coating reel (2) under slight tension. . The coating reel (b) is operated at the same speed as the ribbon (b) to transfer a substantially uniform film of liquid silicone oil to the backside of the ribbon, as shown in FIG. The front side of the ribbon (i.e., the ink layer shown in Figure 2) is not contacted during the silicone oil application process, and the back side of the ribbon that holds the silicone oil film is also attached to the I-shaped part of the print wheel (G). (b) is not touched by any surface until it is touched by (b).

The 2nd m shows the deformation of the copy sheet (b) and the transfer ribbon at the moment of printing impact at the printing section).Han! - (b) violently collides with the back side of the copy sheet (to), pressing the surface of the copy sheet against the surface of the ink layer (2), and the type surface (
b) Press the silicone oil surface of the transfer ribbon. The applied pressure is instantaneous, but applies slight compression and deformation to the ribbon, sufficient to transfer the ink to the surface of the copy sheet and form a printed image.

As shown in Figure 2, the copy sheet () and the transfer ribbon () are mounted so that they can be continuously transported through the printing section, thereby exerting a pulling force between the legs of the impact. receive. Han! - Since the contact surface of (b) is smooth and the copy sheet is incompressible, it does not cause any problems with copy sheets. However, the contact surface of type surface (2) is relatively smooth. The plastic film base material and the ink layer (2) have the ability to be compressed and deformed to suit the contours of the typeface (2), so there are problems with the transfer ribbon. be. That is, the transfer ribbon () tends to bulge behind the point of contact between the print surface (b) and the typeface (b), as shown in FIG.

Han! - When (b) is returned and the threshold compression between the copy sheet (b) and the transfer ribbon is released, the copy sheet and ribbon begin forward motion again. If the type (on the ribbon) fails to slip out of contact with the type m (b), which is in contact with the ribbon (2) during printing, the ribbon may become stuck on the type surface. , causing tearing and damage. Even if the ribbon gets caught momentarily, distortion of the ribbon can destroy the bond between the ink layer and the film base material. The solid content of the ink layer is transferred, creating a smudged image and rendering it unusable (i.e., as the ribbon is moved slowly across the printing section, the initially printed areas of the ink layer are printed again). When printing, it is not possible to continuously form images with good print quality.

The silicone oil film related to the present invention is a transfer l
T-bond (0,227k) is applied as a continuous liquid film as thin as possible to the back side of
Form a slippery back coating layer having a weight up to F). The ribbon (B) has a thin film base material (2), and the film base material has a thickness of about 0.5 mm, for example.
Mill (0,0005 inches) (approximately 0-0076 mm)
arτ).

The transfer ribbon ring is prepared by first coating a film substrate with a thin layer of an undercoating composition such as vinyl resin, linear ester, polyurethane, etc. ,
It is preferably formed by coating a thin layer of a microporous resin ink layer composition as described in IOI or IOI B, OB 7.879. For example, film base material nc, Vit@l r@sim 5
1 part of a linear polyester such as 546 (part by weight, the same applies hereinafter), a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer (for example, Vl
It is coated with a thin layer of about 0.1 part of a vinyl resin such as myli t@vYHH), a solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone, and optionally a filler.

The coating layer is deposited on the film substrate by drying and evaporating the solvent to a thickness of about o,oooos~0.000
A 1 inch continuous thin bonding layer is obtained.

Next, an ink composition consisting of the following components is mixed in a ball mill and ground until sufficiently dispersed to obtain a uniform coating composition.

(Ingredients) (Part) Vinyl chloride
4illII car (Vinylit@V1'HEI)
12.0 mineral oil
7.0 Lanolin 7.0 Alkaline blue pigment toner 1.0
Untreated carbon black pigment 6.0
Inert filler 2.0 Sulfonated vegetable oil (IN lubricant) 1.5 Naphthotate vehicle 2.5
(&phholits vsials) Methyl ethyl ketone (solvent) 61.0 total
The 100.0 ink coating composition is applied as a uniform thin layer onto the tie layer on the film substrate in a single pass of the film through the coating equipment. This method is preferred insofar as the linear polyester tie layer is somewhat viscous and fillers are not added to reduce tackiness. Methyl ethyl ketone is evaporated first, then nutrite is evaporated to a thickness of about 0.0005~0,000
oa inch (about 0.0127~0.0205mm),
Preferably about 0.0006 inches (about 0.016211
Obtain the ink layer m). The ink layer is made of a finely porous vinyl copolymer and has a linear structure that does not transfer under pressure.
The pores contain a high viscosity pressure extrusion type ink consisting of mineral oil, lanolin, IIA agent and pigment.

The coated and dried film is then coated with the desired coating for use in a printing device such as a high speed electronic typewriter or high speed printing device which is modified to include the silicone oil application means of the present invention as described above. Cut into length and width. Typical ribbons are divided into widths of 1/4 inch (6-55 mm), V16 inch (7.94 mm), 1 inch (25.41 mm) and 11 inch (28.58 mm) depending on the printer.

Although a stretched polyester film is preferably used as the film base material of the transfer material in the present invention, a non-stretched polyethylene terephthalate polyester film can also be used in the same way as other films such as polyethylene, l-propylene, and nylon. It is. These films range in thickness from about 0.00015 inches (0.15 mils) to 0.0
01 inch (1 serving) (approximately 0.00581~0.025
It is preferable to use it in the range of about 0.00025 to 0.000 inches (about 0.00655 to 0.0127 inches).

Oil treatment to impart lubricity reduces film embossing and tension encountered when using these films.

It is obvious that various modifications and improvements may be made to the present invention within the scope of the claims set forth herein.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the high-speed printing device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of the ribbon processed by the present invention in one printing section in the high-speed printing device of the present invention. This is an enlarged view. (Main symbols on side E) tA Niblint wheel (B): Type direction (B): For the hammer): For the copy sheet): Pressure-sensitive transfer ribbon (B): Coating roll N, liquid film of silicone oil

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pressure-sensitive plate-ribbon J-co made of a flexible plastic film base holding an ink ejection layer on the front! - feeding a sheet through a printing section and applying an imaging pressure to the back side of the ribbon to transfer ink from the ink ejection layer to the copy sheet to form an image; a printing portion including an element and a support element spaced from the element; means for pressing the imaging element and the support element together to apply imaging pressure between the elements; and the ink ejection layer. a feeding means for feeding a 5C copy sheet through the printing section so that the ribbon faces the copy sheet and the back side of the ribbon faces the image forming element, the printing section means for applying a substantially continuous thin liquid film of silicone oil to the backside of the ribbon at a site prior to the transfer of the pressure sensitive transfer ribbon to the backside of the ribbon to be imaged by the imaging element; a high-speed printing device, wherein the ribbon is configured to carry a film of silicone oil on its backside; the pre-feeding means for imparting a substantially continuous feeding motion to the ribbon; Claim 1 consisting of:
Printing device as described in section. 3. A printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the image forming pressure is applied by means for moving a supporting element relative to the image forming element. 4. Claim 1, wherein the silicone oil applying means comprises a coating ruler, the front side of the roller is configured to form a continuous film of silicone oil, and is in contact with the back side of the transfer ribbon. Printing device as described. 5. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the coating roller has a gravure printing surface. Claim 1, comprising means for supplying 61 transfer ribbons to a silicone oil application means and a printing section, and a means for collecting the ribbons after the ribbons have passed through the printing section. Printing device 0 according to item 1 7 A pressure-sensitive transfer ribbon made of a flexible plastic film base holding an ink ejection layer on the front side and a copy sheet are overlapped and continuously fed through a printing section to perform cough printing. high speed printing in which a series of high speed printing pressures are applied by an imaging element to the back side of the transfer sheet to transfer ink from the ink ejection layer to a copy sheet to form a series of images on the copy sheet; A method of printing by a high speed apparatus, characterized in that the reverse side of the transfer ribbon is coated with a substantially continuous thin film of silicone oil to facilitate removal of the imaging element from the transfer ribbon. A printing method using a printing device.