JPS60101066A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the unwinding of recording paper without providing a press roller, by unwinding the recording paper by the rotary friction of a platen roller, around which the recording paper is wound, generated by applying an ink sheet to said roller under tension. CONSTITUTION:After the recording of a first color is finished, recording paper 15 is returned to the original position in order to perform the recording of a second color. At this time, a thermal head 11A is separated from a platen roller 17 and a brake lever 19a tightens a brake belt 18A in cooperation with the separation of said thermal head 11A to fix an ink sheet supply roll 14. In this state, tension force is added to an ink sheet 12 by a wind-up roll 13 to tension the same along guide edges 11C, 11B provided to the thermal head 11A. Therefore, the recording paper15 is pressed to the platen roller 17 by the ink sheet 12 and returned to a D4-direction by the rotation of the platen roller 17 in a D3-direction and the friction force thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a recording apparatus such as a thermal transfer recording type color printer using heat-melting ink or heat-sublimating ink.

Conventional configurations and their problems In recent years, personal computers and CAD systems have
Colorization of RT displays is rapidly progressing. A color printer using a thermal transfer recording method is expected to be used as a hard copy device for these color systems, and efforts are being made to improve image quality and simplify the device.

Regarding conventional recording devices, a color printer using heat-melting ink/ζ thermal transfer recording method is listed below.
do.

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a conventional color printer using a thermal transfer recording method. Reference numeral 1 denotes a thermal head, here a line head, which can move to a position indicated by a dotted line 1A. 2 is an ink sheet for thermal transfer recording coated with hot-melt ink, 3 is a take-up roll for the ink sheet 20, 4 is a supply roll for the ink sheet 2, 5 is a recording paper, 6 is a supply port for the recording paper 6, A platen roller 7 brings the ink sheet 2 and the recording paper 6 into close contact with the thermal head 1 and transfers them, and the outer periphery of the platen roller is molded with a rubber material.

A pressure roller 8 presses the recording paper 5 against the platen roller 7. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the ink sheet 2 shown in FIG. 1, on which heat-fusible ink of each color is applied: yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C).

The operation of the conventional recording apparatus configured as described above will now be described. The principle of a thermal transfer recording color printer is simple; as shown in Figure 1, an ink sheet 2 and recording paper 5 are brought into close contact with each other and pressed against a thermal head 1, and the heat generated by the thermal head 1 heats the ink sheet 2. , ink 7 - The heat-melting ink applied to the sheet 2 is melted and transferred onto the recording paper 6. At this time, the yellow (7
), magenta), cyan (q) and are transferred onto the recording paper 5. Therefore, since the ink sheet 2 is advanced only in one direction as shown by arrow A in FIG. Each time you change the color of the sheet 20, it is necessary to return it to the original position -.When returning the recording paper 6, move the thermal head 1 to the position indicated by the dotted line 1A, and then move the recording paper Q only to the platen roller 7 and pressure roller 8. This operation is repeated to transfer and record the heat-melting ink of each color from the ink sheet 2 onto the recording paper 5.

Now, in the recording apparatus as described above, since the pressing roller 8 was provided to rewind the recording paper 6, there were several problems. The first is that during recording, the recording paper 6 is fed at two locations: the pressed part of the thermal head 1 and the pressed part of the pressure roller 8, so that the recording paper 5 tends to be stretched or loosened between them. It is. Second, when rewinding the recording paper 5, the platen roller 7 is deformed due to the suppression by the suppression roller 8, and the same feed amount as during recording is likely to result in vertical or lateral deviation. It is. Thirdly, when loading the recording paper 6, it is necessary to sandwich the recording paper 6 between the suppression roller 8 and the platen roller 7, and for this purpose, a mechanism etc. for separating the pressure roller 8 from the platen roller 7 is required. Met.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention solves the conventional problems as described above, and an object thereof is to provide a recording device that can be applied to a thermal transfer recording device, etc., which can improve color alignment in order to obtain higher resolution image quality. 1. Structure of the Invention The present invention has a structure in which, when the recording head is released from being suppressed, the recording paper is wound around the platen roller using an ink sheet tensioner, and only the recording paper is rewound by the rotational friction of the platen roller. It is a recording device with By rewinding the recording paper without using a suppression roller, the disadvantages of providing a suppression roller as described in the conventional example are eliminated, and a rewinding force can be applied to the recording paper with a simpler configuration. It is.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of a recording apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a thermal head, 12 is an ink sheet for thermal transfer recording, 13 is a take-up roll for the ink sheet 12, and 14 is a supply roll for the ink sheet 12. 16 is a recording paper, 16 is a supply roll for the recording paper 15, and 17 is a platen roller that brings the recording paper 16 and ink sheet 12 into close contact with each other and presses them against the thermal gutter 11. The outer periphery of the platen roller is molded with a rubber material. be.

The platen roller 17 is driven and rotated clockwise and counterclockwise by a stepping motor or the like. A brake belt 18 can brake the ink sheet supply roll 14. 19 has a brake belt 18 attached to one end,
It is a brake lever that operates at the throat 11 to the thermal on the other end, and is centered around the fulcrum 2o. J1 is movable. FIG. 3 shows the brake belt 18 in a relaxed state.

Regarding the recording device of one embodiment configured as above,
The operation will be explained below. During recording, first, as shown in FIG. 3, the ink sheet 12 and the recording paper 16 are sandwiched between the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 17 and brought into close contact with each other, and the platen roller 17 is rotated in the direction of arrow D1, and the ink sheet 12 is moved in the direction of the arrow D1. Wind it up in the D2 direction and record. At this time, the recording paper 16 is being transported by the frictional force of the platen roller 17, and when the recording paper 16 is transported by a predetermined recording length, the rotation of the platen roller 17 is stopped, and recording of the first color in color recording, for example, yellow, is completed. . Next, the recording paper 16 is returned to its original position in order to record the second color. The operation at this time will be explained using FIG. The numbers of each part in Fig. 4 correspond to those in Fig. 3. First, the thermal head 11A
moves away from the platen roller 17, and in conjunction with this, the brake lever 19A tightens the brake bell (18A),
Fix the ink sheet supply roll 14. In this state, tension is applied to the ink sheet 12 by the take-up roll 13, and the ink sheet 12 is stretched along the guide edge 11C211B provided in the thermal head 11A. Therefore, the recording paper 16 is pressed against the platen roller 17 by the ink sheet 12, and the platen roller 17
Due to the rotation in the direction of arrow D3 and its frictional force, arrow D4
returned to the direction. While the recording paper 16 is being rewound, the ink sheet 12 is stopped while slipping against the recording paper 16, maintaining the state shown in FIG. Thermal head 1 as shown
1 presses the platen roller 17 to start recording the second color of color recording.

As described above, according to this embodiment, by providing the concave thermal head 11 and the ink sheet roll brakes 18 and 19 that operate in conjunction with the thermal head 11, the recording paper 15 can be pressed against the platen roller 17 with a relatively strong pressing force. This winding allows the frictional force of the platen roller 17 to be uniformly transmitted to the recording paper 16, making it possible to rewind only the recording paper 15 with high precision.

Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 6 shows a side view of a recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 21 is a thermal head, which is movable at position 1 indicated by a dotted line 21A.

22 is an ink sheet for color recording coated with heat-melting ink, 23 is a take-up roll for the ink sheet 22, 24 is a supply roll for the ink sheet 22, 26 is a recording paper, 26
2 is a recording paper supply roll, and 27 is a platen roller, the outer periphery of which is molded with a rubber material. 28 is a gear turn roller, 29 is a pinch roller, and the recording paper 26
is held between a capstan roller 28 and a pinch roller 29, and can be reciprocated by the rotation of the capstan roller 28. 30 and 31 are guide posts for the ink sheet 22.

The operation of the recording apparatus of another embodiment configured as described above will be described below. Since the feeding direction of the recording paper 26 during recording is in the direction of the arrow E1, it is first necessary to feed the recording paper 26 in the direction of the arrow F1 during recording. To do this, first move the thermal head 21 to the position indicated by the dotted line 21A, stop the supply roll 24 of the ink sheet 22 or the take-up roll 23 with a brake mechanism (explanatory path), etc., and then transfer the ink sheet 22 to the platen roller 27, which is the recording paper. 26 and stretch it so as to wrap it. At this time, the winding angle can be set in advance using the guide posts 30 and 31, and the tension of the ink sheet 22 is set by the torque of either the supply roll 24 or the take-up roll 23, which is the roll on which the brake is not activated. do. In this state, if only the platen roller 27 is rotated in the direction of arrow F2 while keeping the capstan 28 and pinch roller 29 fixed, the platen roller 27 will slip on the recording paper 25 and will not touch the recording paper 26 in the direction of arrow F1. This will provide transport power. The recording paper 25 is in a state where there is no slack between the platen roller 27 and the capstan 28, and at this time, the capstan 28,
The pinch roller 29 is rotated to feed out the recording paper 25 by a predetermined length in the direction of arrow F1. Next, capstan 28
The rotation of the platen roller 27 is stopped, the platen roller 27 is set to a neutral state using a clutch, etc., the thermal head 21A is returned to the position indicated by the solid line 21 and pressed, and then the capstan 28 is rotated to draw the recording paper 26 in the direction of the arrow E1. , enters the record of the first color. At this time, the ink sheet 22 passes through the platen roller 27 and is then wound up by the take-up roll 23. When a predetermined length of recording is completed in this way, the thermal head 21 moves again to the position indicated by the dotted line 21A as in the beginning, and the recording paper 25 is fed out by a predetermined length in the direction of the arrow F1 as in the beginning. Enter, and move on to the second color record.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the platen roller 27
In an apparatus in which the recording paper 26 and the recording paper 26 need to slip smoothly, the wrapping angle of the ink sheet 22 around the platen roller 27 is changed to the dotted line 21A when the thermal head 21 separates, without using a pressing roller like in the conventional example. By setting the ink sheet 220 so that it wraps around at certain times, the wrapping of the ink sheet 220 applies a light frictional force to the recording paper 26 and the platen roller 27, so that uniform and smooth slipping can be achieved.

Note that in the present invention, the ink sheet and the recording paper are made to slide. If hot-melt ink with a low melting point is used, there is a possibility that the recording paper will be stained with the ink.

Therefore, it is preferable to use an ink sheet as shown in FIG.

In the figure, Y is yellow, M is magenta, C is cyan, and B1. B2. B3 is a blank section in which no ink is applied. This blank section B11
By pressing the recording paper with each of B21B3 and sliding it, the recording paper can be kept clean even in the case of heat-melting ink having a low melting point.

Effects of the Invention The recording apparatus of the present invention has a simple structure and can easily connect the recording paper and platen by providing a winding means for winding the ink/tot together with the recording paper around the platen roller when the recording head is released from being suppressed. By pressing the roller with uniform pressure, it is possible to accurately obtain the rewinding force or slip force of the recording paper, and it is also easier to load the recording paper without using a suppression roller as in the past. Its industrial value is high.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional thermal transfer recording type recording apparatus, FIG. 2 is a plan view of an ink sheet for thermal transfer recording in the conventional example, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a side view of a recording apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a top view of an ink sheet used in the embodiment of the present invention. 11.11A, 21.218...Thermal, Nod, 11C, 11B...Guide, Noji, 12
．． 22... Ink/-t, 17.27...
...Platen roller, 19...Brake leno<-
'130.31...Kitebost 0 Name of agent Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 1st
Figure 4 3 rffl Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Bt β2 B3

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An ink sheet coated with ink, a recording paper that is reciprocated and recorded multiple times, a recording head that overlaps and abuts the ink sheet and the recording paper to perform transfer recording, and an image facing the recording head. A recording apparatus comprising: a platen roller for wrapping the ink sheet and the recording paper; and an ink sheet winding means for stretching the ink sheet and wrapping it around the platen roller when the recording head is separated. (2) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ink sheet is provided with ink-free sections at regular intervals, and the ink-free sections come into contact with the recording paper when the recording head is separated.