JPS60206685A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a transfer material to be fitted in a single stroke without making hands smeared, by a construction wherein a transfer material is wound around a pair of winding cores, and the cores are rotatably clamped respectively by the first and second bearing supports provided in a ribbon cassette, in a thermal transfer recorder. CONSTITUTION:Pairs of the first and second bearing supports 45a, 45b, 49a, 49b are provided oppositely to each other respectively in winding core containing parts 33a, 33b of the ribbon cassette, and cylindrical winding cores 31, 32 with the transfer material wound therearound are fitted respectively, upon which they are clamped by being pressed by springs 46a, 46b, respectively. Accordingly, the cores 31, 32 can be easily fitted without making the hands dirty or wrinkling the transfer material. Projected parts 47a, 47b, 51a, 51b provided on the bearing supports are truncated conical in shape, so that the axes of the cores 31, 32 can be automatically positioned. A locking means 60 is provided for the second bearing supports 49a, 49b, and is operated in the condition wherein the cassette is detached from a main body of the device, whereby the transfer material is prevented from sagging, and fitting is facilitated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used, for example, in a printer or a copying machine.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Thermal transfer type image forming apparatuses are the LJ1 type, are inexpensive, have little noise, and can use plain paper as the transfer material. It is being put into practical use not only for recording the output of computers and word processors, but also as a photographing device.

However, in thermal transfer type image forming apparatuses, the thermal transfer material is not made into cassettes, but is set by winding both ends around two cores. When you change something to a different color midway through and use it immediately.

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

It is very troublesome to replace the thermal transfer material, and there are also disadvantages such as getting your hands dirty and creating wrinkles in the thermal transfer material.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its overall purpose is to enable transfer material to be loaded into a cassette with one touch without getting hands dirty or wrinkled.
The present invention aims to provide an extremely convenient image forming apparatus.

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, a transfer material is wound around a pair of cores, and the transfer material is wound around a first core provided in a ribbon cassette. It is rotatably pressed and held by a second bearing support.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 23. FIG. 1 shows the external appearance of the image forming apparatus. In the figure, 1 is the apparatus main body, and the upper surface 111 of this apparatus main body l is shown.
A processing board Jm is formed in the section, and the left side of the main body 1 of the apparatus is a document scanning section (scanner section) 4 that scans the document 3 set on the document table 2, and the right side is an image forming section. The above-mentioned operation section 1 is the section (printer section) 5.
A display section 6, numeric keypad 7..., key buttons 8, etc. are arranged in a. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the document scanning section 4 optically scans the document 3 set on the document table 2 by reciprocating the movable scanning section 9 of the exposure optical system 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 10 is arranged approximately in the center of the image forming section 5, and a thermal head 11 as a recording head is arranged in front of the platen 10 (towards the left in the state of FIG. 3). .

The thermal head 11 is attached to a heat radiation 'M113 integrally formed on the rear end surface of the holder 12, and is connected to a thermal transfer material cassette and a thermal transfer ribbon cassette (hereinafter simply referred to as ribbon cassette) via this holder 12. A cassette (referred to as a cassette) 14 is held, and a thermal transfer ribbon 15 as a thermal transfer material is interposed between the thermal head 11 and the platen 10.

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 taken out paper P is aligned at its leading edge by a pair of registration rollers 18 disposed diagonally above the paper feed σ-roller 16, and then transported toward the platen 10 by pressing rollers 19 and 20. It will be wrapped around and sent accurately.

On the other hand, the thermal head 1 presses the paper P against the platen 10 via the thermal transfer ribbon 15 as a thermal transfer material, and as shown in FIG. The image is then transferred onto the paper P.

The thermal transfer ribbon 15 has yellow (2), magenta (B), and cyan (C) ink portions 21*, 21b, approximately the same size as the paper P, as shown by range A in FIG.
21c or as shown by the area opening, each ink section 2 of yellow (■, magenta (goods), cyan (C), I black (B))
1*, 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.

A thermal transfer ribbon containing a black ink portion 21d is used when it is desired to print black clearly, and even a ribbon without a black ink portion 21d can produce approximately black by printing in three colors.

In this way, the paper P is reciprocated by the number of colors by the rotation of the platen 100, but the path of the paper P at this time is guided by the guides 23 and 24 of ml and m2 arranged sequentially along the lower surface of the paper output tray 22. You will be led upwards.

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

First, the paper P fed from the paper feed cassette 17 passes through the registration roller 18 and the arrangement portion of the first distribution guide 25, and is wound around the platen 10. (6th
(See Figure 0)) Next, the platen 1o drives a pulse motor (not shown) 2. It rotates as a driving source to transport the paper P at a predetermined speed, and a heat-generating confectionery (not shown) of a thermal head 11 formed in the shape of a line head along the axial direction of the platen 10 generates heat according to image information. Then, the ink 21 on the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is transferred to the paper P.

Furthermore, the leading edge of the paper P that has passed through the platen 1o is located at the second
The paper is sent onto a first guide 23 provided along the lower surface of the paper discharge tray 22 by a sorting guide 26 . (Refer to Fig. 6 ←) In this way, the paper P onto which two inks of one color have been transferred is transported backwards by reversing the platen 1o, and the rotational displacement of the ml distribution guide 25 The action 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 two inks of all colors have been transferred is
The paper is guided by the second sorting guide 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.
1 color conversion section 28. Memory section 299 Image forming section 5. and an overall control section 3o.

The green color detected by the document scanning unit 4.

The values of the yellow and red color components are converted by the color conversion unit 28 into the colors magenta, yellow, and cyan (C) of the printing medium, and the color converted values are stored in the memory unit 29. Then, each color is stored together with position information on the document. The image forming section 5 uses the values read out from the memory section 29 to display magenta (B), yellow (Y), cyan (C) #black (B) [black is magenta (B), yellow (1), and cyan C]. AND output output part character medium to paper P
Transfer on top. Note that the overall control section 30 includes a document scanning section 41.
Color conversion section 28. Memory section 29. 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.

As shown in FIG. 8, the ribbon cassette 14 has two parallel winding cores 31 around which both ends of the thermal transfer ribbon 150 are wound.
．． 32, and the intermediate part of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is enclosed by a case 33 so that a part thereof is exposed so as to be interposed between the platen 10 and the thermal head 11.

A slit 34 is formed between the core accommodating portions 331L and 33b of the case 33 along the axial direction of the cores 31 and 32, and is open at one end.

Further, the ribbon cassette 140 case 33 is configured to hold the thermal transfer ribbon 1 as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10.
A space 40 for accommodating a heat sink 13 and a thermal head 1 attached to the heat sink 13 integrally formed on the rear end surface of the holder 12 between the back surface of the exposed portion of the holder 12 and the case 33. The cross section forming the is shaped like a box.

The width dimension 7R (see FIG. 9) of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is the width of the core 3.
Maximum winding diameter 7 due to 1,32! s (see FIG. 8), and the cutting depth AB (see Exo drawing) of the slit 34 formed in the case 33 is more than half of the width dimension of the thermal transfer ribbon 15/(H, that is, AB>T #H is set.

In this way, the ribbon cassette 14 extends the total length of the case 33 by 4
If it is c, it consists of a range of 6A where the upper and lower parts are connected and a range of 1B that is divided into two by the slit 34. Further, the width δC of the slit 34 is set to be slightly wider than the thickness JH of the holder 12, and the cutting depth AB of the slit 34 is set to be approximately the same as the width 6H of the holder 12.

Therefore, when installing the ribbon cassette 14, the holder 12
The opening end surface of the slit 34 is opposed to the end surface of the ribbon cassette 14, and the ribbon cassette 14 is pushed in along its longitudinal direction (in the axial direction of the platen) to engage the holder 12 and the slit 34 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Also, when removing it, just pull it out in the opposite direction.

On the other hand, the case 33 of the ribbon cassette 14 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 13, a frame 41 and this frame 4
A pair of covers 43h and 43b are rotatably provided on the upper and lower parts of the cover 1 through support pins 42 and 42, respectively. It opens and closes in the direction of the arrow.

In addition, the above pair of volumes;:st, sz are from Figure 14 to Volume 1
As shown in FIG. 5, it is removably attached within the case 33.

That is, the core accommodating portion 33a is provided on the inner surface of one side plate of the frame 41 (closed end side of the slit 34).

Shaft portions 44 & corresponding to the central portions of 33b, respectively.

44b is provided. This shaft part is 44m.

44b includes a first bearing support 45m, 45b, which is movable in the axial direction and rotatable around the axis.
are each held securely. These first bearing supports 45 a I45 b are respectively connected to the shaft portion 44 a,
The shaft portion 44a is connected to the coil springs 46m and 46b that are fitted into the coil 44b.

44b is biased toward the distal end thereof.

Further, these first bearing supports 45*, 45b are formed with truncated conical protrusions 41m, 47b that are fitted into one end of the cylindrical winding cores 3j, 32, respectively. The diameter of the base end portions of 47a and 47b is larger than the inner diameter of the winding core.

On the other hand, the other side plate of the frame 4 (the open end side of the slit 34) is provided with through holes 48a and 48b corresponding to the center portions of the winding core accommodating portions 33a and 33b, respectively, and the through holes 4Bm
, 48b have the first bearing supports 45a, 48b, respectively.
The shaft portions 50m, 50b of the second bearing supports 49&, 49b are rotatably held in opposition to the bearing support 5b. These second bearing supports 49a, 49b are provided with a cylindrical winding core 3 in the same manner as the first bearing supports 45m, '45b.
1.32, respectively, are formed with truncated conical protrusions 51m and 51b that fit into the other end portions. These protrusions 51m
, 51b is formed with a protrusion 53 that engages with a notch 52 formed at the other end of the winding cores 31, 32. In addition, in FIG. 15, a notch 52 on the winding core 31 side is shown.
Only the protrusion 53 of the second bearing support 49h is shown.

In the above configuration, when the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is attached to the ribbon cassette 14, as shown in FIG.
m, 43b, first, first bearing supports 45*, 4
5b in the direction of the arrow X shown in FIG.
．． 32 notches 52 and second bearing supports 49h, 49
b is engaged with the protrusion 53. In this state, the winding core is 31°32
one end of which is fitted into the first bearing supports 45h and 45b,
When the operating force on the first bearing supports 45 & 45b in the direction of arrow X is released, the winding core is rotated by the force of the coil springs 46a, 46b.

31 and 32 are the first and second bearing supports 45a.

45b, 49m, and 49b.

Also, if you perform the operation in reverse to the above, the winding core will be 3.

32 can be removed.

Furthermore, the shaft portions 5 of the second bearing supports 49m and 49b
0m, 50b is exposed from the other side plate of the frame 4, and this exposed shaft portion 50a.

As shown in FIG. 16, driving force receiving ends 54a and 54b are provided on the end faces of the sob, respectively.

These driving force receiving end portions 54*, 54b each have a shape in which a plurality of engagement grooves 56 are formed at equal intervals around a recessed portion 55 having the same front shape, and the ribbon cassette 14 is connected to the ribbon cassette 14 as shown in FIG. When the ribbon drive motor 57.5B is attached to the main body 1, it is engaged with a coupling provided on the drive shaft of the ribbon drive motor 57.5B. Since the couplings provided to the ribbon drive motors 57 and 5B have the same configuration, only the motor 57 side will be explained with reference to FIG.

That is, a cup link 57b is held on the drive shaft 57a of the ribbon drive motor 57 so as to be movable in the axial direction, and this coupling 57b is attached to the drive shaft 57a.
A coil spring 57c fitted into the drive shaft 57m is biased toward the distal end of the drive shaft 57m. Therefore, when the locking protrusion 57d of the coupling 57b of the ribbon cassette 14 does not engage with the recess 55 and the engagement groove 56 of the driving force receiving end 54h, the coupling 57b is connected to the coil. The ribbon cassette 14 is displaced against the biasing force of the spring 57c so that it does not interfere with the mounting operation of the ribbon cassette 14.

Further, the lever 57f of the switch 57e is pushed by the displacement operation of the coupling 57b, and the motor 57 rotates.
The locking protrusion 57d of the coupling 57b is connected to the driving force receiving end 5.
4h of the recess 65 and the engagement groove 56 are engaged with each other, and at this time, the coupling 57b
The switch 57e is turned off by the return operation of the motor 5.
7 is now stopped.

Note that when the switch 57e is off, the coupling 57b
A slight gap is formed between the opposing surfaces of the lever 571 of the switch 57e and the motor 57 during normal operation.
It is designed so that it does not interfere with the rotation of the

On the other hand, the second bearing supports 49g and 49b have an 18th
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 19, a locking means 60 is provided in each case. Note that the drawing shows the second bearing support 49b.
Only the side is shown.

That is, a flange 6 is provided around the proximal ends of the protrusions 51a and 51b of the second bearing supports 49m and 49b, and the surface of the flange 61 facing the inner surface of the ribbon case 14 has a high friction coefficient. A pad 62 is attached. A lock lever 63 formed in a semicircular arc shape is provided between the flange 6 and the ribbon case 14, and this lock lever 63 is rotatably supported by a support portion 64, and has both ends with a coefficient of friction. A high pad 65 is attached.

Also, both ends of this lock lever 63 have coil springs 66.
is constantly urged in the direction of the flange 6 by
When the ribbon cassette 14 is not installed in the apparatus main body 1, its pad 65 is pressed against the pad 62 of the flange 6, and the second bearing support 49&.

49b is prevented from rotating. Therefore, the thermal transfer ribbon 15 does not loosen during transportation of the ribbon force set 74 or the like.

Further, the suppressing portion 63m of the lock lever 63 is connected to the frame 41.
It is disposed in a through hole 67 provided in the other side plate, and as shown in FIG. 14, a lock release tool 69 is provided protruding from the inner surface of the motor frame 68. Therefore, when the ribbon cassette J4 is inserted into the apparatus main body 1, the lock release tool 69 releases the lock lever 63 from the suppressing portion 6.
3h is pressed, and the lock lever 63 moves to the fulcrum part 64.64.
It is rotated around. Therefore, the pad 65 is spaced apart from the pad 62 of the flange 61, and the winding cores 31, 32
rotation is possible.

Next, the ribbon drive motors 57 and 58 will be explained. These ribbon drive motors 57 and 58 are constituted by C (direct current) brushless motors as shown in FIG. That is, on the printed circuit board 71, six coils 72 wound in a substantially trapezoidal shape are arranged at equal intervals so as to form a circular shape. A rotor 73 is provided facing these coils 22 arranged in a circular shape. A magnetized permanent magnet 74 is disposed at a portion of the rotor 73 that faces the coil shifter 2, as shown in FIG. 2(c). Also, this rotor 73
The shaft portion 75 passes through a case 76 attached to the printed circuit board 7 and is rotatably held by an E-ring 77. Further, three Hall elements 78 are provided between adjacent coils 72. This Hall element 78 detects the position of the permanent magnet 74 of the rotor, and this detection output signal is used for phase switching timing of the motor.

In the above configuration, the coil 72 is connected as shown in FIG. 21, and by supplying signals to each terminal U, V, and W at the timing shown in FIG. 22, the magnetic force generated by the coil 72 and the permanent It is rotated by the interaction of magnetic forces with magnets.

As shown in FIG. 23, the #4M ribbon drive motors 57 and 58 are mounted on a motor frame 82 on one side of the frame block 8 to which the ribbon cassette 14 is attached.
Then, the platen drive motor 83 and the thermal head drive motor 84 are removed. In addition, in the same figure, 85,
Reference numerals 136 and 87 denote pulleys that transmit the power of the platen drive motor 83 to the platen 10, and these pulleys 8.
It is a belt that is wrapped around 5,86.

According to the above embodiment, a pair of first,
Second bearing support 45a.

45b, 49h, 49b are provided, and these first and second bearing supports 45m, 45b, 49h.

Both ends of the cylindrical winding core 31 and 32 are pressed and clamped by 49b. Therefore, it is extremely easy to attach and detach the winding cores 31 and 32.

Moreover, since the winding cores 31 and 32 are cylindrical, they are simple in structure and easy to manufacture.

Furthermore, first and second bearing supports 45IL.

45b, 49&, protrusions 47& provided on 49b.

47b, 511L, and 51b are shaped like truncated cones.

Therefore, the axis of the winding cores is automatically determined when the winding cores 31 and 32 are attached, which is convenient.

Further, a locking means 60 is provided on the second bearing supports 49m and 49b, and when the ribbon cassette 14 is removed from the apparatus main body 1, the second bearing supports 49h
, 49b are locked. Therefore, since there is no slack in the thermal transfer ribbon 15, there is an advantage that when the ribbon cassette 14 is placed in the apparatus main body 1, the thermal transfer ribbon 15 will not get caught on the peripheral part or be damaged.

Furthermore, since the ribbon drive motors 57 and 5B are DC brushless motors, it is possible to form the image forming section 5 into a J-shape. Furthermore, since these motors 57, 5B are provided on the same motor frame 82 as the platen drive motor 83, it is possible to ensure the positional accuracy of these motors 57, 58, and 83.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and for example, the present invention can be applied to
A ribbon cassette that can be divided into two from the
It is also possible to do so.

In addition, as a locking means for the second bearing supports 49m and 49b, several engaging teeth are provided along the periphery of the flanges 6 and 620, and the tip of the long puller is engaged with the retaining teeth. It is also possible to have a configuration.

It goes without saying that other modifications can be made to the glaze without departing from the gist of the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to avoid getting your hands dirty,
The transfer material can be loaded into the cassette with one touch without creating wrinkles, and an extremely convenient image forming apparatus can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and 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, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inside of the heat transfer ribbon. A plan view showing the application state, Fig. 6G) to Fig. 6) are explanatory diagrams explaining the movement of the paper during multicolor transfer, Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts, and Fig. 8 is a diagram of the ribbon cassette. The vertical side Yjn diagram, FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic perspective views of the ribbon cassette, FIGS. 11 and 12 are perspective views showing the ribbon cassette installed, and FIG. 13 shows the cover of the ribbon cassette. Vertical side view showing the open state, 1st
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the ribbon cassette with the core attached, Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the ribbon cassette with the core removed, Fig. 16 is a side view of the ribbon cassette, and Fig. 17. is a schematic perspective view showing the winding core drive section, No. 18
Figures 19 and 19 show the locking means for the winding core, Figure 18 is a partially cutaway longitudinal sectional front view, Figure 19 is a longitudinal sectional side view thereof, and Figure 20 shows the six components of the motor. and
Figure (-) is a side sectional view, Figure (b) is an exploded perspective view, Figure (c) is a plan view showing the magnetized state of the rotor, Figure 21 is a circuit diagram showing the motor connections, and Figure 21 is a circuit diagram showing the motor connections. FIG. 22 is a waveform diagram showing the driving timing of the motor, and FIG. 23 is a perspective view shown for explaining the plate arrangement of the motor. No. Mounting body, 5. Image forming section, 10 River platen, 14. Ribbon cassette, 15. Thermal transfer ribbon, 31, 32-. Winding core, 45a, 45b... No. 1
bearing supports, 46a, 46b...coil springs, 47
m, 4? b-Protrusion, 49 a, 49 b--Second bearing support, 54h, 54b... Driving force receiving end, 57
．． 58... Ribbon drive motor, 57b... Coupling, 60... Lock means, 82... Motor frame,
83 River platen drive motor Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 6 (a) a) 7c:1 (b)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) an image forming section that transfers a colorant of a transfer material to a recording medium;
An image forming apparatus including a motor for driving the transfer material, a pair of cores around which the transfer material is wound, a cassette in which the cores are housed, and both ends of the core provided in the cassette. 1. The 1st. An image forming apparatus comprising: a second bearing support. 2) The first bearing support is movably provided on a shaft provided in the cassette, and is urged toward the distal end of the shaft by an elastic member. The image forming apparatus described in . 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bearing support is detachably engaged with the drive shaft of the motor and rotationally driven by the motor. 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bearing support is locked by a locking means when not in use. 5) The winding core is formed in a cylindrical shape with both ends open, and the first. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second bearing support has a truncated conical protrusion, and the protrusion is fitted to both ends of the core. 6) The image forming apparatus according to item 1 of the patent application, wherein the motor is a DC brushless motor and is mounted on the same frame as the platen drive motor.