JPS60174675A - Transfer material cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a transfer material to be replaced in a single action, by a construction wherein a transfer material is wound around a pair of winding cores, the cores are fitted into a casing to enclose the transfer material in the cassette, and the casing is constituted of a pair of split casings. CONSTITUTION:A thermal transfer ribbon 15 is enclosed in a cassette by fitting it into the casing 34 together with the winding cores 32, 33 around which both end parts of the ribbon 15 are wound, and the ribbon cassette 35 is detachably fitted to a frame block 29. The frame block 29 is formed in a U-shaped cross- sectional shape by die casting or from a plastic or the like, whereby it is provided with sufficient strength, and one of winding core containing parts of the ribbon cassette 35 is fitted into the U-shaped part, whereby accuracy in positioning the cassette 35 is enhanced. In addition, since the casing 34 is constituted of a pair of split casings 61a, 61b, the construction of molds for producing the casing 34 can be simplified.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a transfer material cassette provided in, for example, a thermal transfer type image forming apparatus.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Thermal transfer image forming devices are small, inexpensive, noiseless, and capable of forming images on plain paper, and in recent years have been put into practical use not only for recording the output of computers and word processors, but also for copying devices. .

However, in thermal transfer image forming apparatuses, the thermal transfer material is not packaged in cassettes, but is wound around two cores with both ends wound and set. (1) Currently in use If you want to replace it with a different color midway through, or use it immediately.

(11) When the thermal transfer material is used up and replaced with the next new thermal transfer material.

The replacement work is very troublesome, and there are also disadvantages such as getting your hands dirty and creating wrinkles in the thermal transfer material during the replacement work.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a transfer material that can be replaced with a single touch without getting the transfer material dirty or wrinkled, and that is highly manufacturable. The aim is to provide material cassettes.

[Summary of the invention]

2- In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a method in which a transfer material is wound around a pair of cores, the pair of cores are incorporated into a case to form a cassette, and the case is constituted by a pair of split cases. It is something.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. .

FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 2 shows its schematic configuration. In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 indicates a main body of an image forming apparatus, and an operation panel section 1a is formed on the upper front surface of the apparatus main body 1. As shown in FIG. Further, on the ± side of the apparatus main body, a document table 2 having a document holding cover 3 is provided on the left side.
The lower side is a document scanning section (scanner section) 4 that scans the document set on the document table 2, and the right side of the apparatus main body 1 is an image forming section (printer section) 5.

On the operation panel section 1a, a copy number setting section 7 consisting of a display section 6 and a numeric keypad 7, buttons 8, etc. are arranged.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the document scanning section 4 has a movable scanning section 9 of a fog light optical system that moves back and forth along the lower surface of the document table 2. This optical information is photoelectrically converted and input to the image forming section 5.

Further, the image forming section 5 has a configuration as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. That is, a platen 1° is located approximately at the center of the image forming section 5, and a thermal head 1° serving as a recording spatula l' is located in front of the platen 1o (toward the left in the state of FIG. 3). Platen 1o
It is arranged so that it can come into contact with and separate from it.

Further, a thermal transfer ribbon (ink ribbon) 15 as a transfer material is interposed between the thermal platen 11 and the platen 10.

And this heat transfer? Paper P with the tube 15 interposed
is pressed against the platen 10, and in this state, a heating element (not shown) formed in a line tod shape of the thermal heater 11 generates heat according to the image information, so that the colorant (ink) on the thermal transfer lithine 15 is heated. It is designed to be heated and melted and transferred to paper PK.

Further, a paper feed roller 16 is provided diagonally below the platen 10, and is adapted to sequentially take out sheets of paper P as a transfer material stored in a paper feed cassette 17 one by one. The leading edge of the taken out paper P is aligned by a registration roller 18 disposed diagonally above the paper feed roller 16, and then transported toward the platen 10 and wound around the platen 10 by pressing rollers 19 and 20. It will be hung and sent accurately.

On the other hand, the thermal heater 1 presses the paper P against the platen 10 via the thermal transfer retin 15 as a transfer material.
Heat transfer as shown in Figure 4? The ink 2 as a coloring agent on the paper 715 is heated and melted and transferred onto the paper P.

The twisted thermal transfer ribbon 15 is approximately the same size as the paper P, as shown by range 5-a in FIG.
, 21b, and 21c are arranged side by side, or yellow (7), magenta (goods), and shea 7 (
C) and black (B) ink portions 21h and 21b.

21c and 21d are arranged side by side, and after transferring one color at a time, the paper P is returned to its original position and accurately stacked one after another.

Thermal transfer ribbons containing the black ink portion 21d are used when it is desired to produce black clearly, and even those without the black ink portion 21c1 can produce intertwining points by overlapping three colors.

In this way, the paper P is reciprocated by the number of colors by the rotation of the platen 10, but the path of the paper P at this time is the first one that is sequentially arranged along the lower surface of the paper output tray 22. The second will be directed onto the id 23.24.

That is, the explanation will be made with reference to FIGS. 6(a) to 6).

First, the paper P supplied from the paper feed cassette 17 passes through the registration roller 18 and the first sorting portion of the paper P6-25, and is wound around the platen 10. (See FIG. 6(a)) Next, the platen 10 is rotated using an i4 pulse motor (not shown) as a driving source to transport the paper P at a predetermined speed and form a line tod shape along the axial direction of the platen 10. A heating element (not shown) of the thermal head 11 generates heat according to the image information, and the ink 21 of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is transferred onto the paper P.

Furthermore, the leading edge of the paper P that has passed through the platen 10 is located at the second
The first paper provided along the lower surface of the paper discharge tray 22 is sent onto the ID 23 by the distribution guide 26 . (See Portion c in Figure 6) In this way, the paper P onto which two inks of one color have been transferred is transported backwards by reversing the platen 10, and the paper P is fed backward by the rotation of the first distribution guy P25. The displacement operation sends it onto the second guide 24 provided along the lower surface of the first guide 23 . (See FIG. 6(c)) In this way, by reciprocating the paper P a plurality of times, a plurality of colors are transferred.

Finally, the paper P to which all the colors of ink 21 have been transferred is
The second sort is guided by the id 26 to a pair of paper discharge rollers 27 and discharged onto the paper discharge tray 22. (See Fig. 6)) The image forming apparatus also includes an original scanning unit 4 as shown in Fig. 7.
9 color conversion section 12. Memory section 132 image forming section 5. and an overall control section 14.

Then, the green (G) detected by the original scanning unit 4
), yellow (2), and cyan (C) are converted by the color conversion unit 12 into the color of the printing medium (magenta), yellow (2), and cyan (C).
These color-converted values are stored in the memory unit 13 for each color together with position information on the document. In the image forming section 5, magenta (goods), yellow (a), cyan (C), and black (B) are selected based on the values read out from the memory section 13.
[Black is magenta (B), yellow (7), cyan (C)
AND output and transfer the output secondary medium onto the paper P. The overall control section 14 includes an original scanning section 42, a color conversion section 12. Memory section 13. and controls the entire image forming section 5.

In addition, a pair of paper ejection rollers 27. Paper ejection tray 22° 1st. Second
The guides 23, 24 are unitized, and this unit can be removed if necessary.

Further, as shown in detail in FIG. 8, the thermal head 11 is attached to a head holder 31 which also serves as a heat sink and whose back is surrounded by a member 30 attached to a frame block 29. Further, the thermal transfer IJ, pn 15 is assembled into a case 34 together with the winding cores 32 and 33 wound at both ends to form a cassette, and this ribbon cassette 35 is detachably attached to the frame block 29. Ru.

The frame block 29 is integrally formed by die-casting or plastic, and has a substantially U-shaped cross section to provide sufficient strength. One core of the ribbon cassette 35 is stored in this U-shaped portion. When the parts are fitted together, the ribbon cassette 35 can be positioned more accurately.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the head holder 3 to which the thermal head 27 is attached is configured to be movable by a distance X in the direction toward and away from the platen 10. And Su? The configuration is such that a gap δ for the thermal transfer ribbon 15 to be inserted between the thermal transfer ribbon 15 and the platen 10 can be secured as necessary, and the paper P can be transported back and forth. The attaching/detaching operation of the hook set 35 can be easily and reliably performed.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, guide shafts 38 and 39 are attached to the head holder 31 via stays 36 and 37, and these guide shafts, ? 8.
The middle part of the frame block 29 is pivotally supported by a linear bearing embedded in bearing parts 29a and 29b formed in the frame block 29.

Further, the head holder 31 supported so as to be reciprocally movable in this manner is controlled to move toward and away from the 10-replaten 10 by the head moving mechanism 40. That is, as shown in FIG. 11, a head motor 42 is attached to a motor frame 41, and an arm 43 as shown in FIG. 12 is attached to a drive shaft 42a of this motor 42. The arm 43 has one end connected to the head holder 31 and the other end of a connecting rod 44, and the rotational movement of the arm 43 is converted into reciprocating movement and transmitted to the head holder 31. It looks like this.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the motor frame 41 to which the head motor 42 is attached is provided with a platen motor 45 consisting of a /'P pulse motor, and the driving force of the motor 45 is as follows. Pulley 46. Belt 47. The platen 10, which also serves as transfer material transfer means, is transferred in the forward or reverse direction via a power transmission mechanism consisting of a pulley 48 and a pulley 48. Furthermore, ribbon cassette 3
Gun motors 51 and 51 are attached to drive shafts with couplings 5 and 11 respectively attached to the positions corresponding to the cassette mounting portions 49 to which the cassettes 5 and 5 are attached.

On the other hand, the driving force receiving ends 32a and 33a of the winding core 32 and 33 around which both ends of the thermal transfer VZn 15 housed in the rechin cassette 35 are wound are connected to the driving force receiving ends 32a and 33a through the through holes formed in the end surface of the case 34. The 13th tip is exposed on the outside.
As shown in the figure, engagement recesses 52, 52 are formed.

When the ribbon cassette 35 is completely installed in the predetermined position, the coupling 50.50 engages with the engagement recess 52.52 of the winding core 32.33, so that the thermal transfer ribbon 15 can be wound. It has become.

Also, Su? The hook set 35 is thermally transferred as shown in FIGS. 8 and 12. It has two parallel winding cores 32 and 33 around which both ends of the ribbon 15 are wound, and the middle part of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is connected to the platen 1o and the thermal head 1.
1 and is enclosed by a case 12-34 with a portion thereof exposed.

Winding core accommodating portion J 4 a + 34 b of the case 34
A slit 53 is formed between them along the axial direction of the winding core 32.33 and is open at one end, and the driving force receiving end 32 a + of the winding core 32.33 is formed at the open end of the slit 53. 33a is provided.

Further, the case 34 of the ribbon cassette 35 has a thermal transfer lithine 1 as shown in FIGS. 8, 12, and 13.
The cross section forming a space for accommodating the member 31 integrally formed between the back surface of the exposed part of the head 5 and the case 34 and the thermal head 11 attached to the head holder 31 has a rectangular cross section. It is formed.

The width of the thermal transfer sleeve 15 is larger than the maximum winding diameter of the cores 32 and 33, and the cutting depth of the slit 53 formed in the case 34 is more than half the width of the thermal transfer sleeve 15. It is set.

The button cassette set 35 consists of 11 ranges in which the upper and lower parts are connected, and 12 ranges in which the upper and lower parts are divided into two by the slit 53, where L is the total length of the cases 34 to 13-. Further, the width t of the slit 53 is set to be slightly wider than the thickness of the cassette fitting portion 29a of the frame block 29, and the slit 53
The cutting depth 12 is set to be approximately the same as the width of the cassette insertion portion 29c.

Therefore, when installing the ribbon cassette 35, the opening end surface of the slit 53 is opposed to the end surface of the cassette fitting part 29c, and the ribbon cassette 35 is pushed in along its longitudinal direction (in the axial direction of the platen) as shown in FIG. The cassette fitting portion 29a and the slit 53 may be engaged with each other, and the cassette fitting portion 29a may be pulled out in the opposite direction to be removed.

The insertion and removal of the ribbon cassettes 35 and 35 is performed by opening the door body 55 to open the cassette insertion and removal port 54 formed on the front surface of the main body 1 of the apparatus. (See FIG. 1) On the other hand, the ribbon cassette 350 case 34=14- is composed of a pair of upper and lower divided cases 61a and 61b, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. The pair of winding cores 32 and 33 are connected to each of the divided cases 6, respectively.
It is set within 1m, 6Ib.

One end of the winding core 32, 33 is directly connected to each of the divided cases 6.
1 a r 6 l b, and the other end part (drive side) is held with a gap by a core valve part 63 shown in FIG. 19. That is, the winding core 32.33
The drive side of the frame 41 has a drive coupling 50 whose axis can move somewhat relative to the case 34.
．． 50 shafts 50a enable accurate positioning.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 16, the upper divided case 6
A recess 64 is formed in the lower part of the end plate of 1a, and a protrusion 65 is provided in a protruding manner in the upper part of the end plate of the lower divided case 61b. The upper and lower divided cases 61a and 61b are positioned by fitting the recess 64 and the protrusion 65, and are fixed by adhesive or screws to form a ribbon cassette 35. Moreover, at this time, the handle portion 66 of the resin cassette 35 is constructed at the same time.

Further, each of the divided cases 61a and 61b is provided with ribbon guides 67.67 for guiding the thermal transfer ribbon 15, as shown in FIG.
7 is such that the cassette is guided along the id 68.68.

The guides 67 and 67 are required to have a precision of 1 strength in order to accurately feed the thermal transfer ribbon 15, but the strength is reinforced by the cassette guides 68 and 68, and the precision is achieved by closely following the cassette guides 68 and 613. is achieved.

For this reason, the cassette guides 67 and 67 move up and down in such a way that a force that pinches the cassette guides 68 and 68 from above and below is applied to some extent. The distance 1111t of the cassette guide 67.67 is made smaller than the center distance of the cassette guide 68.68.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 19, an upper cover 69a and a lower cover 69b are detachably attached to each of the divided cases 61a and 61b.

The pair of winding cores 32 and 33 are upper and lower covers 69a.

Each divided case 61a from the state in which 69b is removed.

61b, and is held by attaching upper and lower covers 69* and 69b.

As described above, one thermal transfer reden 15 is attached to a pair of winding cores 32.
,．． 93 is wound and integrated into the case 34, thermal transfer is used? The ribbon 15 can be replaced with a single touch, and there is no risk of wrinkles on the thermal transfer ribbon 15 or dirty hands during the replacement work. Further, since the case 34 is configured by the pair of split cases 61h and 61b, the mold structure for manufacturing the case 34 can also be simplified.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be modified in various ways.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the present invention, the transfer material is wound around a pair of 17 cores, and the pair of cores are assembled into a case to form a cassette, so that the transfer material can be replaced with one touch. This can be done by hand, so it does not take much time and there is no risk of getting your hands dirty or wrinkles the transfer material during the replacement work.

Furthermore, since the case is constructed by a pair of split cases, the mold structure can be simplified and the manufacturability is also excellent.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway schematic perspective view, and FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal side view. , FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining the transfer operation state, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the ink application state of the thermal transfer recon, and FIG.
Figure 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts, Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the transfer machine, which is the main part, and Figure 9 is the platen. 1018- is a perspective view showing a state in which the thermal head and ribbon guide are separated from each other; FIG. 1018 is a perspective view showing a supported state of the head holder with the thermal head attached;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of each drive system of the thermal head; FIG. 12 is a schematic side view showing a mechanism for moving the thermal head toward and away from the platen; FIG. Figure 14 is sye? 15 is a partially cutaway front view, FIG. 16 is a side view showing the beam tensor cassette in an exploded state, and FIG. 17 is a partially cutaway front view. FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing the drive system of the beam tensile cassette, and FIG. 19 is a side sectional view showing the beam tensile cassette with the cover removed. P... Transfer material (paper), 15... Transfer material (thermal transfer ribbon), 21... Colorant (ink), 32.33...
- Winding core, 34...case, 61a, 61b...divided case. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue 19- Figure 4 Figure 5 A Figure 6

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a device that transfers the colorant of the transfer material to the transfer material, the transfer material is wound around a pair of cores, the pair of cores are assembled into a case to form a cassette, and the case is A transfer material cassette comprising a pair of divided cases. (2) The transfer material cassette according to claim 1, wherein the case is molded from a synthetic resin material.