JPS58171979A - Heat transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain good-quality color heat transfer recordings by a method in which a paper and a specific heat-transfer ink ribbon are wound around the periphery of a cylindrical rotator in a closely contact state, heat transfer recording is made, and then the paper alone is repeatedly turned along the rotator and a different color of ink is thermally transferred to the paper. CONSTITUTION:A ribbon S provided with heat transfer layers Y, M, and C of different colors orderly in its longitudinal direction is contacted with an inlet roller 13 on the periphery of a cylindrical rotator 10 having a longer peripheral length than the length of a recording paper 25 and also separated from an outlet roller 14. A paper 25 is supplied to the periphery of the rotator 10 on the upstream side of the inlet roller 13 and closely contacted, together with the ribbon S, with the periphery, and heat is applied to them by a thermal head 20 to obtain a heat transfer recording. Afterwards, the ribbon S is separated from the outlet roller 14, and the paper 25 alone is turned with the rotator 10 and closely contacted with another color of heat transfer layer at the position of the inlet roller 13, where recording is made by picture signal corresponding to the color. These operations are repeated necessary times for color recording.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, particularly a color thermal transfer recording device.

First, FIG. 1 shows a general color thermal transfer recording apparatus.

In FIG. 1, a sheet labeled 1Fi is drawn out from a roll 3 and conveyed by roller pairs 2 to 2K. 4. ．． 4. ．． 43 is a thermal transfer sheet coated with a thermal transfer ink layer; sheet 4. is cyan, 4.
is magenta, 4. has a yellow thermal transfer ink layer. Each thermal transfer sheet is placed on supply roll 5. ~5. It is unwound from the winding roll 6° to 6. It is wound up. 7
．． ．． 7□, 7. 8. is a heat generating head (thermal head), and the platen roller 8. .

82.8. Press the recording sheet and the thermal transfer sheet between them.

Color description using the above three colors *For KII, first head 7,
is driven and the recording sheet (IK) is thermally transferred to record the cyan color, and then this cyan color is recorded in the 9th sheet area by the head 7.
, where the magenta color is thermally transferred and recorded over the cyan color ink.Next, the nine sheet areas recorded with these two colors are sent to the head 7, where the yellow color is recorded with cyan and maze. /Thermal transfer recording is performed over the red color ink. The sheet area on which recording has been completed is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter 9. In the above manner, while one head is being driven, the other two heads are at rest.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, each of the thermal transfer sheets 41 to 4 has storage rolls 6 to 6. It is wound around this roll by the drive of rolls 61 to 6. When you stand up strongly, the thermal transfer sheet 4. ~4.0 conveyance is sheet 4°~4.0. is very thin, so if the width is wide enough to cover BS, A4 size paper, etc. is roll 6, ~6. The recording sheet 1 is configured to move by the frictional force between the recording sheet 1 and the recording sheet 1 rather than by the tensile force of the recording sheet 1.

The device shown in FIG. 1 has the following problems.

That is, synchronized and close conveyance of the thermal transfer sheet and the recording sheet is mainly carried out by the heads 71 to 7. The first point is that since it relies on the frictional force between the two sheets of this IBf, the frictional force changes due to the heat generated during head operation, and slippage is likely to occur between the two sheets when making nine strokes, etc. Also head 7, ~7sK
Therefore, thermal transfer sheets with low elongation or shrinkage stress due to applied heat tend to cause wrinkles, and this occurs when the thermal transfer sheets are large size such as those that cover large size recording sheets such as B5 size and M4 size. Become I! l1llK
There are further problems, all of which degrade the quality of the recorded image. Before, head 7, ~7. Since the thermal transfer material of the thermal transfer sheet is melted in a heating bath and the two sheets are immediately separated, there is not enough time for the thermal transfer material to immerse onto the recording sheet, which inevitably causes transfer defects. For these reasons, it is not suitable for high-speed recording, and 3
In order to superimpose and transfer colors without color shift, the three heads must be positioned with extremely high precision fK, and for this reason reverse K
There is a drawback that color misregistration may occur due to device assembly errors. In addition, since five heads are arranged side by side, the device becomes large in size. When the paper is cut with a cutter after recording in three colors, the unused paper is inevitably pulled out to the cutter position, which is a great waste.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a color thermal transfer recording apparatus with a simple structure capable of solving the various disadvantages mentioned above.

A seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 is a cylindrical platen drum in which a thin elastic material (preferably rubber) layer 12 is provided on the circumferential surface of a rigid drum 11 made of aluminum or the like. The length of 100 circumferences of the drum is slightly longer than the length of the recording sheet. 15 is a rigid inlet roller disposed slightly away from the circumferential surface of the platen drum 100; 14 is a rigid outlet roller disposed slightly apart from the circumferential surface of the drum 10; both rollers 15,
14 is arranged parallel to the platen drum 1o. As shown in the figure, the rows 213 and 14 are connected to the drum 10.
The circumference of the drum 12 in the normal drum rotation direction of the rollers 15 to 14 is longer than that of the rollers 214 to 13 (the former in the figure). About 4 times the latter 1) 15'.

14' is a pinch roller which lightly pinches the thermal transfer sheet in relation to rollers 15 and 14, respectively, and rotates driven by frictional force. Is, 16 and 17 are guides and drivers which are provided in parallel with the drum 1o so as to lightly contact the drum 1o. The guide rollers 15, 16 are rotated at the same circumferential speed as the drum 10. These drums 12, rollers 15, 14.15'.

It is assumed that the peripheral surfaces of 14', 1B, 16, and 17 are finished smooth. Reference numeral 8 denotes a roll-shaped long transfer sheet, which has a width equal to or wider than that of a wide fav sheet such as B5 or M4 size. Thermal transfer sheet B is polyester film, capacitor paper, etc.
A base film with a thickness of 6 to 15 μm contains carnauba wax, ester wax, pigment, etc. as composition components6.
It is made by applying a solid transfer ink layer that melts under heat at 0 to 90°C to a thickness of about 5 μm. Thermal transfer sheet 8
is yellow Y% as shown in Figure 4! II.
It is made up of K arrays. Each area Y, kl, O has the same length with respect to the conveying force 1iiUK of the sheet 8, and this length is equal to or slightly longer than the length of the recording sheet, and is equivalent to 100 rotations of the platen drum. Preferably, the length is equal to the length, l! In other words, each of the regions Y, M, and O has a length and a width that are longer than the length and width of the recording sheet, and each has an area that can sufficiently cover the recording sheet. In addition, the length of the recording sheet or area YjJ, O refers to the length dimension in the conveyance direction, and the ★9 width refers to the dimension in the direction perpendicular to it. shall be.

Thermal transfer sheet 8, the supply roll 1 on which it is wound
8, the winding is applied to the entrance bolt 215, the direction is changed, the winding is wound around the platen drum 10, and then the winding is applied to the roller 14, the direction is changed, and the winding is wound around 90 rolls 19. 11-Guide gate between la 13 and 14-
215 and 16 lightly sandwich the thermal transfer sheet 8 between the drums 10 and 0 to ensure smooth sliding and smooth movement of the sheet 8. The thermal transfer sheet is placed on the outer drum 1 so that the transfer ink layer faces the peripheral surface of the drum 100.
It is wrapped around 0.

Since the rollers 15 and 14 are slightly apart from the drum 1o, the sheet S is stretched in the air for a short distance between the rollers 15% and the drums 10 and between the drums 10 and 214 as shown in the figure.

20 is a thermal head having a large number of minute heating elements (for example, electric resistors) on the tip surface, and this large number of heating elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the drum 100. As is well known, The plurality of heating elements of the thermal head are selectively heated by electric signals corresponding to recorded image information. Therefore, the thermal head 20 is connected to the shaft 2.
The thermal transfer sheet (8) is fixed to a support 21 that can rotate around 2 as a fulcrum, and is wound around the drum 10 by a spring 25 that elastically urges this support 21 clockwise in the figure. is under pressure. Tsuma F) head 20 on f-ma
0 The back side of the transfer sheet (the back side of the side with the thermal transfer ink layer) where the many heating elements are arranged and the lost end face is
! 51. Thus, the thermal transfer ink layer is instantly heated from the back side of the sheet 8 by the thermal head 20 and melted in a circular pattern corresponding to the image quality. The front end surface of this head 20 is evenly placed on the sheet 8 four times, and the sheet 8
In order to uniformly and quickly heat the rubber layer 12, it is appropriate that the hardness of the rubber layer 12 is between Fiso and 35 degrees sIf.

24 is B5. M4? This is a round paper feed cassette that accommodates cut sheets of plain paper such as Izu. A sheet (recording sheet) 25 in the cassette 24 is sent out by a paper feed roller 26 and reaches a pair of tying rollers 27 . Since the timing roller pair 27 does not rotate until it is driven by a signal to be described later, the cassette 24 is also conveyed and the recording sheet 25 is rotated with its tip stopped by the roller pair 27. It will wait until pair 27 is driven. When the roller pair 27 is driven in this direction, the sheet 25 starts to be transferred, is guided by the guide plate 28, and enters the position between the platen drum 10 and the thermal transfer sheet. and record sea) 2 S
The Fi thermal transfer sheet 8 is closely held between the peripheral surface of the platen drum 10, and as the drum 10 rotates forward, the thermal transfer sheet 8
The material is conveyed without slipping between the material and the material.

Now, the rollers 15, 14 and the platen drum 10 are rotationally driven in synchronization, and an example of the drive mechanism is schematically shown in FIG. 15, 14 is the fixed rotation axis. Axis 2! Gears 54,55 are respectively attached to the wheels via clutches 52,5!5. Timing pulleys 5 are connected to the front shaft 29 via clutches 56 and 57, respectively.
11.59 is installed. The above gears 54, 55
, 5B and 59 are fixed relative to the nine o'clock shaft 29 when their corresponding clutches are energized, and are free to rotate relative to the shaft 29 when their respective corresponding clutches are deenergized.

Gears 40 and 41 are fixed to the shaft 50.
is connected to gear 54 via idler gear train 42, and gear 41 is connected to gear 35 through idler gear train 43. Further, gears 44 and 45 are fixed to the shaft 51, and the gear 44 is connected to the gear 34 through an idler gear train 46.
The gears 45 are respectively connected to gears 55 via idler gear trains 47.

48 is a pulse motor, and a p-timing pulley 49 is fixed to its output shaft. A tying bell) 50 is attached to pulley 5B and 49. 51 is a motor (Do motor) that rotates in the opposite direction to the pulse motor 48.
(It may be an induction motor, etc.), and a timing pulley 52 is fixed to its protruding shaft. Pulley 39
A tie-building belt 53 is passed between the ends 52 and 52. The motor 51 is driven by the motor 4BK, and the motor 48 rotates the shaft 29 once in the opposite direction at high speed.

Returning to FIG. 2, 54 is a friend signal board fixed to the side surface KQ of the drum 1o. The path of this signal board 54 is composed of an emitter and a photoreceptor that face each other, and a signal plate is inserted between the two to amplify the light from the emitter and the photoreceptor forms a signal. Seven well-known automatic couplers 55 and 56 are arranged. Similarly, 57 is a signal plate fixedly protruding from the side surface of the drum 1o, and in the path of this signal 4N57, 7 automatic couplers 58 and 59 similar to those described above are arranged.

In the above, when the print command switch (not shown) is closed, the paper feed roller 26 is operated to convey the recording sheet 25 to the timing pulley 27 as described above. On the other hand, the fifth
The pulse motor 48 shown in the figure is operated, and the pulse motor 52,
56 is energized. As a result, pulley 49, belt 5o
1 pulley! The drum 10 starts normal rotation via I8, and in synchronization with one drum 10, the gear 54, gear train 46,
The roller 14 starts rotating via the gear 44, and the roller 15 starts rotating via the gear 54, the gear train 42, and the gear 4o. Here, the gear ratio of the gears 54 and 40 is the normal rotation of the roller 1s (
The circumferential speed (rotation in the direction of the arrow) is set to be slightly lower than the circumferential speed of the drum 100 (normal rotation) (rotation in the direction of the arrow), while the gear ratio of the gear 54.44 is low 21
The normal rotation circumferential speed of drum 4 (rotation in the direction of the arrow) is set to be the same as the normal rotation circumferential speed of drum 1G. Therefore, the thermal transfer sheet 8° is in a tensioned state with no sagging in the air-stretched portion between the roller 15 and the drum 10, and 4-21
4, it is transported at the same speed in synchronization with the tetram 1o. This enhances the effect of wrinkle-free adhesion of the thermal transfer sheet S to the circumferential surface of the drum 10 and to the recording sheet. In the above example, the circumferential speed of the roller 14 during forward rotation of the drum is set to be the same as the circumferential speed of the drum 1o, but this is to convey the thin thermal transfer sheet without adding undue stress as much as possible. However, the circumferential speed of the roller 14 may be slightly higher than the circumferential speed of the drum 1o, and in that case, the sheet s will be in a tensioned state at the mid-air cross section between the roller 14 and the drum 10, which will prevent the thermal transfer sheet from wrinkling. Contributes to the adhesion effect to the recording sheet. In this way, it is best to at least make the normal rotation circumferential speed of the roller 1S slightly slower than the normal rotation circumferential speed of the drum 1.0. It is also possible to make it the same as the circumferential speed, and the thermal transfer sheet speed can be set at the entrance and exit roller 13
, 14 K, the sheet S is wound while being pressed against the drum circumferential surface between the two rollers, so that the sheet S adheres to the drum surface, the recording sheet 25, and has a wrinkle prevention effect.
is also extremely high compared to the prior art. In any case, the heat transfer sheet is pulled by the frictional force caused by the rotation of the roller 13 and is fed out from the roll 18.
As the roll rotates, it is pulled by the frictional force and rolled out from the ram 10, and rolled up by the roll by 190 rotations of the roll. The conveyance of the thermal transfer sheet between the rollers 15, 14 is mainly effected by the frictional force between the drum surface and the recording sheet held between the drum surface and the recording sheet.

Now, as the drum 10 rotates forward, the signal plate 54 first moves to 7.
The signal reaches the Otokagura 55, and the timing roller 27 is driven by the signal obtained thereby. The timing roller 27 conveys the recording sheet 25 at the same speed as the normal peripheral speed of the drum 100. The recording sheet 25 is fed so that its leading edge coincides with the peripheral surface of the drum 10 and the leading edge of the signal distribution plate 54, directly above the drum radial direction K (hereinafter referred to as the sheet leading edge alignment position). . In other words, the drum surface rotation movement distance light between the sheet leading edge alignment position on the drum circumferential surface at the time when the photocoupler 55 forms the signal and the position where the thermal transfer sheet 13 and the drum circumferential surface start coming into close contact; The timing roller 27 is set to be equal to the recording sheet movement distance between the thermal transfer sheet date and the position where the drum surface starts to come into close contact with each other.

On the other hand, the thermal transfer sheet S has a leading edge of each of the areas Y, M, and C at a position between the sheet leading edge alignment position and the sheet trailing edge alignment position described later on the circumferential surface of the drum 10, or at the sheet leading edge alignment position. You can set it on the soso so that it matches.

Further, the distance between the respective leading ends of adjacent regions r, u, and c on the thermal transfer sheet 8 (in the sheet conveyance direction) is the distance between the leading end of region Y and the leading end of region Y, The distance between the tip of M and the tip of region C is equal to the circumference of the drum 10. Therefore, for each rotation of the drum 10, the thermal transfer sheet) S is transferred to each region Y, M, (j) at the same position on the circumferential surface of the drum 10 (for example, the seed tip alignment position t as described above).
conveyed to match. In other words, drum 10
Each rotation of mJa Y, M, O is recorded on recording sheet 25.
The recording sheet 25 is completely covered, and the recording sheet 25 does not deviate from or protrude from each area Y, M, and 0.

In any case, at the position where the thermal transfer sheet 8 and the circumferential surface of the drum 10 start to come into close contact with each other, the recording sheet 25 inserted between the two is closely held between them. The recording sheet 25 rotates together with the drum 10 and the thermal transfer sheet 8 and passes through the thermal head 20 due to the frictional force between the drum surface and the thermal transfer sheet. Thus, at the first rotation of the drum 100, the recording sheet 25 is aligned with the inil-color area YK of the thermal transfer sheet. Then, when the leading edge of the recording sheet 25, in other words, the sheet leading edge alignment position in the drum phase reaches the position of the leading edge surface of the thermal head 20, the signal plate 54 acts on the 7 automatic coupler 54, and the signal obtained by this This energizes the drive circuit of the thermal head 20. Thus, when the drum 10 rotates for the first time, the multiple heating elements of the thermal head 20 generate heat in response to the recorded image yellow color information signal, and the yellow color thermal transfer ink layer of the tilted castle Y of the thermal transfer sheet 8) is heated. Melt it in a heating bath and stick it to the recording sheet. In this way, the yellow color thermal transfer ink layer is adhered to the recording sheet in a pattern corresponding to the yellow color portion of the recorded image.
The forward rotation of is performed by the step motor as described above, and therefore the feeding of the recording sheet and thermal transfer belt integral with the drum 10 shown above is also step feeding, but the step feeding interval is determined according to the desired recording image resolution. There is no doubt that the setting corresponds to 1t.

When the drum 10 is rotated in the above manner,
The leading edge of the recording sheet eventually reaches the point where the distance between the thermal transfer sheet and the peripheral surface of the drum 10 begins. Since the thermal transfer sheet 8 is rapidly rotated in direction by the roller 14 near the separation start point, the recording sheet 25 is very easily separated from the thermal transfer sheet 8 by the force of its own waist. At that time, it is melted and distributed by the thermal head 20.

The recording sheet 25 that has come out from the starting point of separation between the thermal transfer sheet and the drum 10 is guided by a guide member 60, advances along the surface of the drum 10, and is held between the guide roller 17 and the drum 10.

The roller 17 connects to the gear ' through an idler gear (not shown).
54, and rotates at a circumferential speed slightly higher than the circumferential speed of the drum 10 in the opposite direction to the drum 100 rotations. In general, after the leading edge of the recording sheet 250 is separated from the thermal transfer sheet 8, it is sent to the row 217 with a slightly raised surface from the circumferential surface of the drum 100. - Recording sheet 25 by La 17
The drum chest is densely layered, and the tip of the sheet 25 is aligned precisely with the sheet tip alignment position on the drum circumferential surface.

In this way, the recording sheet 25 is reinserted into the left side plate 62 at the guide table*@starting part. During the second (b) rotation of the drum 10, the recording sheet 25 is conveyed in alignment with the maze/red color area M of the thermal transfer sheet 8. Then, when the signal plate 54 comes to the position of the photocoupler 56 again and the photocoupler 56 forms a signal, this signal causes the thermal head 20 to start driving with the maze/red color information signal of the successful image to be recorded1.
As a result, the magenta ink is recorded on top of the yellow ink that was impregnated in the previous recording.

The recording material separated from the thermal transfer sheet 6 as the drum 10 rotates is placed in the 2SFi guide member 60,
The guide roller 17 aligns the leading edge of the sheet with the peripheral surface of the drum 10 (-), and then the drum 10 and the thermal transfer sheet 8 come into close contact with each other again and are sent to the starting point. During the rotation, the recording cartridge 25 is conveyed as a single sheet to the color area C of the thermal transfer sheet.Then, the signal plate 54 is again conveyed to the photocoupler 56.
When the photocoupler 56 forms a signal at the position K, the thermal head 20 starts to be driven by the cyan color information signal of the successful image to be recorded. Sheer/color ink is further recorded over the yellow and magenta color inks.

When the rear end of the recording sheet 25 has finished passing through at least the leading end of the guide member 20, and the leading end of the recording sheet 25 has not yet reached the leading end of the guiding member 20, for example, the drum 10 reaches the rotational position shown in FIG. When the signal board 5
7 acts on the photocoupler 59, and the signal from the photocoupler 59 at this time activates the rotary solenoid 61 connected to the guide member 60, moving the guide member 60 from the solid line position in the figure to the drum 10 rotations i indicated by &ls. Rotate it until the tip touches the button. Then, the recording sheet 7-25, which has been thermally transferred and recorded in six colors, is rotated by the broken line tK, separated from the drum 10 by the companion guide portion i; iso, and sent to the paper discharge roller 65. By the fourth rotation of the drum 10, the recording sheet on which the color image +* of the three colors has been recorded is conveyed via the discharge roller 63 and discharged onto the tray 64. When the recording sheet 25 is discharged onto the tray 64, the lunoid 61Fi is deenergized by the operation of the timer, and the guide member 60Fi returns to the solid line position in the figure.

On the other hand, the trailing edge of the recording sheet 25 is conveyed in a state that coincides with the alignment position It (hereinafter referred to as the sheet trailing edge alignment position) in the drum radial direction of the tip of the signal plate 57 mentioned above on the circumferential surface of the drum 10. At the point when the rear end of the recording sheet 25 reaches the beginning of separation between the thermal transfer sheet S and the drum 10, the signal plate 57 acts on the photocoupler 58, and this Clutch 6 by the j9 signal obtained by IK
2, 66, the step motor 48 is deenergized, the normal rotation of the drum 10 and the normal rotation of the rollers 13 and 14 are stopped, and the feeding described up to the kneading of the heat transfer sheet S is stopped.

(The roller pair 65 rotates until the entire recording sheet is discharged onto the tray 64.) The signal from the photocoupler 58 is transmitted to -F clutches 52, 36 and step motor 48.
52 through the delay circuit.
．． 36. After a short delay from the stop of 48, the clutch 36°6
7. Operate the motor 51. This clutch 55.57
, and the motor 51, the drum 10 and the rollers 13, 14 rotate synchronously in the direction opposite to the arrow in FIG. 2 as described above, and the drum 10. The rollers 13 and 14 each rotate in reverse at a higher speed than when using the step motor 48. As a result, the rear end alignment position of the recording sheet and the entrance roller 13 in the drum phase at the time when the photocoupler 58 forms the signal.
The unused thermal transfer sheet (that is, the thermal transfer sheet S that has not yet been melted by the head 20) that has been fed out during this period is conveyed in the opposite direction to the normal rotation of the drum and rewound onto the roll 18. When the drum 10 reverses and returns to the angular position (home position) K at the start of forward rotation, the rear end of the No. d plate 57 acts on the photocoupler 59 to form a signal, and this signal causes the clutch 55, 57, the operation of the motor 5110 is stopped, and the rewinding of the sheet date is also stopped. In this way, when the drum 1o is rotated to eject the recording sheet for which the action of the thermal head has been completed, an unused thermal transfer sheet is fed out, but this unused sheet waste is transferred to the roll 18 [re-rolled]. It will be returned and used for the next recording sheet. As described above, by making the reverse speed of the drum 10 and rollers 13, 14 faster than the normal rotation stray current, the time required for F-opening and rewinding an unused sheet is shortened, and the time until the recording process can be restarted is shortened. I'm looking forward to it.

By the way, the gear ratio of the gear 45.35 is set so that the circumferential speed of the roller 14 during the above-mentioned reverse rotation is slightly slower than the circumferential speed of the drum 10, and the circumferential speed of the roller 15 during the above-mentioned reverse rotation is slightly slower than the circumferential speed of the drum 1o. The gear ratio of gear 41.55 is set so that the speed is the same as the speed of the vehicle. As a result, the thermal transfer sheet is pulled into a tight state in the air tension section between the roller 14 and the drum 1o, and the sheet is conveyed in synchronization with the drum 1o without being subjected to excessive force by the roller 13. From there, the sheet B is rewound with a cap tightly attached to the drum 10 without wrinkles. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively eliminate the cause of wrinkles Vζ on the sheet S when the drum 10 is rotated normally again.

Making the reverse circumferential speed of the roller 13 slightly faster than the reverse circumferential speed of the drum 10 contributes to obtaining the above effects. In this way, at least the reverse circumferential speed of the roller 14 is adjusted to the drum 1o.
However, even if the reverse peripheral speed of the roller 14 is the same as the reverse peripheral speed of the drum 10, the thermal transfer sheet is pressed against the drum 10 by the rollers 14 and 13. Although it is inferior to each of the above-mentioned knots, it has a sufficiently high wrinkle prevention effect.

In addition, in the embodiments in which the circumferential speed of the drum 10 is slightly different from that of the roller 15 or 14, whether during forward rotation or reverse rotation, a force that forcibly pulls the thermal transfer sheet was generated between the roller and the drum. In such a case, since the rollers L5 and 14 have smooth surfaces, slippage occurs between the rollers and the sheet, and this unreasonable force is released, thereby preventing damage and plastic deformation of the sheet.

When rewinding the unused thermal transfer sheet 8 by reversing the rollers 13, 14 and the drum 1o as described above, they are rotated counterclockwise to separate the head 2o from the drum and the thermal transfer sheet, Mourning is to eliminate movement resistance and further reduce the cause of wrinkles.

In addition, when recording roll 18.19 #i, the direction of the arrow in the figure (
,/- At the time of unwinding the sheet 8, the sheet 8 is completely turned in the opposite direction, but the sheet 8 is unwound from the roll 18 at a constant speed of 1, and is unwound onto the roll 19, or vice versa. It is also good to adopt a friction drive roller mechanism that contacts the circumferential surface of the thermal transfer sheet roll wrapped around the roller and rotates the roller at a constant speed with a friction force of I11.

- Also, in the above example, the rollers 13 and 14 are arranged in groups separated by 1 degree from the drum, and the roller 13 and the drum 10
The thermal transfer sheet is stretched in the air for a short length between the rollers 15, 14, and the drum 10, and one or both of the rollers 15, 14 are arranged so as to lightly contact the tram, and the thermal transfer sheet 8, and thermal transfer sheet S and recording sheet 2
The stacked body of No. 5 may be sandwiched between a roller and a drum. This method also has a sufficiently high effect of preventing wrinkles on the sheet.

In addition, in the above example, the drive timing of the roller 27, the drive timing of the head 20, the rollers 16 and 14, and the drum 10 are
The forward rotation stop, reverse rotation drive timing, and reverse rotation stop timing are controlled using a signal plate and a photocoupler. A microcomputer or the like may be used to control each operation by a microcomputer or the like.

In addition, in the above-mentioned 4, the thermal transfer force is as many times as required; after the recording sheet is finished and the rear layer of the recording sheet is removed from the contact area between the thermal transfer sheet and the drum, the drum 10 and roller 1!5. The used part was rewound to the position before the roller 13, but this was because the yellow color area i was printed on the thermal transfer sheet 13.
This is applied when a cyan area C is formed again immediately after ll Y K. However, thermal transfer sheet) 8
Then, in the yellow p-color area YKfi, no thermal transfer ink layer is provided before the cyan color gradient starts.
When using a thermal transfer sheet with a blank area (-1: length is preferably equal to or longer than 100 drum circumferences) of only the base film, use the rollers 15 and 1 described above.
4. Reverse operation of the drum 10 is not necessary.

In the above embodiment, a thermal head was used as a means for applying heat to the thermal transfer sheet, and the thermal head was brought into contact with the thermal transfer sheet, but as shown in FIG. In other words, in FIG. 5, 65 is a source (for example, a semiconductor laser) of the laser beam 66.

A beam 67 is modulated by a beam device 67 corresponding to the recorded information signal of each color, and a beam 66 is a vibrating mirror (galvano mirror).
) 68 parallel to the axis of the drum 10 and f#
The light is passed four times to the drum 10 by the lens 69 and focused onto the nine-heat transfer lens 8. The laser beam 66 applies heat to the laser beam 8 in nine patterns corresponding to the recorded information signals of each color.

Note that Fig. 5 has the same structure as Fig. 2 except for the heating means, but in order to avoid complication, parts that do not need to be explained in particular,
Regarding the means, ■Illustration is omitted.9.

In addition, the above is a recording sheet of three color thermal transfer ink layers) KIll
Although this embodiment uses K thermal transfer, the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus that performs KIII thermal transfer of a thermal transfer ink layer of two colors or four or more colors.

The present invention can also be applied to a transfer sheet having a heat sublimable transfer material layer.

In any case, according to the present invention, the ink layer of the thermal transfer sheet is conveyed a long distance from the thermal head position to the separation position of the recording sheet and the thermal transfer sheet while being in close contact with the transfer sheet 25. During this time, the nine ink layers melted by the thermal head fully re-solidify in a state where they are fully blended into the recording sheet and the ink layer that was previously thermally transferred. Therefore, nearly 100% of the interlayer, which is not melted by the bath, is transferred onto the recording sheet by the sumal head, and there is almost no omission of recorded information. In addition, the present invention can prevent wrinkles of the thermal transfer sheet in an apparatus using a wide thermal transfer sheet capable of covering a wide recording sheet of BS, M4 or larger size, and can also be used as a thermal transfer sheet. It effectively prevents slippage between the drum and the brass sheet and prevents color misregistration, and image information control is also easy to perform, which further improves transfer efficiency by 4, making it possible to obtain color thermal transfer images with excellent drawing quality. h. Therefore, the present invention greatly contributes to increasing the speed of color thermal transfer recording.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional thermal transfer recording device, Fig. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the present invention, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the drive mechanism of the device shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a thermal transfer sheet. Explanatory diagram, 5th
The figure is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a platen drum, 13 is an entrance roller, 14 is an exit roller, 20 is a thermal head, 25 is a recording sheet, 6
5 is a laser beam source, 6B is a vibration, and 18 is a thermal transfer sheet. Applicant Canon Co., Ltd. Agent Marushima Unagi -°de-yui

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) A cylindrical rotating body having a circumference that is longer than the length of the recording sheet, and positions that are close to or in contact with the rotating body and spaced apart from each other along the circumferential surface of the rotating body. an inlet roller and an outlet roller disposed in the inlet roller, and a heat application means for applying heat in a pattern corresponding to the recorded image information at a position between the inlet roller and the outlet roller, and a thermal transfer material layer of nine different colors. A thin film sheet with areas arranged in order in the sheet conveying direction is hung on the artificial roller, then wound along the circumferential surface of the rotating body and hung on the exit roller, and a recording sheet is placed between the thin film sheet and the rotating body. The rotary body is rotated to transport the thin film sheet and the recording sheet in close contact so that they pass through the □ heat turn application position, and the rotary body is repeatedly rotated for each rotation. A thermal transfer recording device characterized in that thermal transfer materials of different colors are thermally transferred onto the above-mentioned printing sheet by corresponding signals. (2) The thermal transfer recording device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral rotational speed of the entrance roller is slightly slower than the peripheral rotational speed of the rotating body. (5) The thermal transfer recording device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral rotational speed of the exit roller is equal to or significantly faster than the peripheral rotational speed of the rotating body.