JPS60217185A - Ink sheet detecting mechanism for thermal transfer type printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to enhance reliability and stability of an ink sheet detecting mechanism, by a construciton wherein elasticity is imparted to a support for a reflecting part of a photo-sensor reflector, and the position thereof is restricted by a reflector stopper when pressing a thermal line head. CONSTITUTION:In a printing operation, a driving unit 6 for a thermal line head 7 is moved downward to bring an ink sheet 12 and a recording paper 13 into close contact with each other in cooperation with a platen 8. After the printing operation, the unit 6 is moved upward, the paper 13 is fed, and the ink sheet 12 is taken up by a roll 4. At this time, a mark on the ink sheet 12 is detected by a photo-sensor 9, and the taking-up amount is regulated. The reflector 10 is fitted to the unit 6 with elasticity, and a fitting part thereof is verticlly moved together with the head 7, while the lowest position of a main body thereof is restricted by the reflector stopper 11. Accordinly, since the sensing distance of the photo-sensor can be shortened, reliability and stability of the operation of the sensor are enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a reflector for a seven-point sensor for determining the position of an ink sheet in a thermal transfer type multicolor printing system.

(Prior art) Conventionally, the reflector of the photocell for ink sheet detection was attached to the housing, but with this method, 1. It was extremely difficult to determine the relative position of the photocell and the cell on the main body side. be.

2. The sensing distance of Senna is long, and the reliability threshold and stability are low.

8. It is difficult to inspect the product once it is commercialized.

4. Even after inspection and adjustment, n1 accuracy cannot be achieved due to the distortion of the casing.

There are drawbacks such as, but it is difficult to obtain continuous and stable printing.
It was extremely difficult.

(Object of the Invention) In order to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention provides an ink sheet with high reliability and stability by attaching a reflective plate to the main body of the printing device and shortening the sensing distance. It provides a detection mechanism.

(Structure of the invention) Examples will be described in detail below using pronation.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention.

A thermal transfer printing device main body 2 is housed inside the housing 1 . The inside includes an ink sheet supply roll 8, an ink sheet take-up roll 4, an i-supply roll 5, a thermal line head drive unit 6, a thermal line head 7, and a printer 2.
It consists of a photo sensor 9, a reflector 10, a reflector stopper 11, and the like.

Between the thermal line head 7 and the platen 8, an ink sheet 12 is placed on the side of the thermal line head 7, and an ink sheet 12 is placed between the thermal line head 7 and the platen 8.
A recording paper 13 passes along the side, and is fed from left to right in FIG. 1 by a motor (not shown).

During printing operation, the thermal line head drive unit 6
The ink sheet 12 and recording paper 13 are brought into close contact together with the platen 8.

After the printing operation, the thermal line head drive unit 6 rises and the recording paper 13 is sent, and the n1 ink sheet 12 is taken up by the ink sheet winding roll 4, but at this time, the marks on the ink sheet are Detected by 9,
The amount of winding is specified. The reflector plate 10 is attached to the thermal line head drive unit 6 with elasticity. Although the mounting portion of the reflector 10 moves up and down together with the thermal line head, the reflector 100 main body defines the lowest lowered position by the reflector stopper 11.

FIG. 2 is a sketch of one embodiment of this reflective plate 10. A reflecting section A and elastic supporting sections B, B integrally extend from both ends of the reflecting section A, and are fixed to the thermal head drive unit 6 at the extending end C with a clip or the like.

In this embodiment, ~2 extensions are provided from both ends of the reflective section A, but the number of extensions is not limited to two, and may be 8 or more.

FIG. 8 shows a state in which the thermal head drive unit 6 is raised. The reflector lO is in contact with the reflector stopper 11 at point D, or is at rest in a slightly floating state.

g Figure 4C shows the printing state with the thermal tie/head drive unit 6 lowered. Even if the mounting part of the reflector plate 10 is lowered, the lowering of the reflector part is stopped by the reflector stopper 11, and the extended part provided with elasticity bends to absorb the displacement rL.

When printing is completed and the state returns to the state shown in FIG. 8, the elasticity of the extended portion causes the deflection to return to its original state, so the distance tl between the reflective portion and the photosensor 9 hardly changes.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, 1. The sensing distance of the photosensor is short enough to kill the sensor, improving the reliability and stability of the sensor operation.

2. Since it is attached to the printer body, the 6-position accuracy is improved.

8. It is easy to inspect the relative position and relative angle of the photo-seat/stool, and adjustment is easy or unnecessary. There are other effects.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an example of the structure of a reflector according to the present invention. FIG. 8 and FIG. 4 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the reflector according to the present invention. 16. Housing 26. Transfer type printing device main body 80. Ink sheet supply roll 40. Ink sheet winding 90-roll 500 paper supply roll 61. +-maru line head drive two knits 70. Thermal line head 86. Platen 9. Photo sensor 10. Reflector 1100 Reflector stopper 120. Ink sheet 130. Recording paper A01 reflective part B10 elastic extension C1, mounting part D0
0 reflection maximum descending position above specified point Applicant Seiko Electronic Industries Co., Ltd. Agent Patent Attorney Mogami

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a thermal transfer printing device that uses a photo sensor to detect the position of an ink sheet, elasticity is added to the support of the reflective part of the photoreflector, and when the thermal lie/head is suppressed, the position can be determined by applying it to a reflector stopper. The ink sheet detection mechanism of thermal transfer printing equipment is characterized by the regulation tube.