JPS60220778A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit the confirmation of recording by visual observation of transferred recordings of each color in order by a method in which the tip of an image receiving paper is pressingly held and an optical opening is provided on a casing to enable the periphery of the drum to be visualized. CONSTITUTION:During the period of waiting state or recording completed state, a paper holder 42 is separated from a notch 45 against a spring 44 with the contact of an arm 46. When an image receiving paper 52 is put between the holder 42 and the notch 45, the arm 46 is turned, the paper 52 is held by the spring 44, and each color ink of a transfer paper 35 is orderly recorded by a thermal head 31 with rotation of the drum 40. In this case, the paper 52 wound around the drum 40, cyanine C, yellow Y and Magenta M are orderly observed from an opening window 54 to confirm the condition of recording. Since the window 54 is present nearly above the notch 45, the sufficient insertion of the paper 52 can be visually confirmed and the mal-holding of the paper 52 by the holder 42 can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus that winds an image receiving paper around a drum and performs recording with a recording head such as a thermal head.

Conventional configurations and their problems In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for devices that make color hard copies of displays such as CRTs, and as a method that requires no maintenance, color transfer paper is used to sequentially transfer and record onto image receiving paper. The device is damaged.

The paper holding mechanism of a conventional thermal transfer recording device will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus. 1st
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a thermal head, which is fixed to an arm 3 which is attached to a shaft 2. 4 is a sheet guide fixed to the thermal head 1. 6 is a transfer paper with cyan C, yellow Y, and magenta M as shown in Figure 2.
dye is applied to one side. The transfer paper 6 is wound on a supply reel 6, passes through a guide roller 7.8, and the other end is wound on a take-up reel 9. 10 is a drum rotatably supported on a shaft 11. 12 is a paper holder rotatably mounted on a shaft 13 and biased at one end by a spring 14;
It is pressed against the notch 16 of the drum 1o. The arm 16 is rotatably attached to a shaft 17, and in the state shown in FIG.
It is rotated in a direction to release the paper holder 12 (the drive mechanism is not shown). 2o is a rotatably supported suppression roller that is always pressed against the drum 10 by a spring member (not shown). 22 is image receiving paper, and 23 is a paper guide. Reference numeral 21 denotes a housing that forms an opening 18 between which the image receiving paper 22 is inserted and discharged between the paper guide 23 and covers the drum 1o and the like.

The operation of the thermal transfer recording apparatus configured as above will be explained below.

FIG. 1 shows a standby state or a recording completion state.

At this time, the paper holder 12 is separated from the notch portion 16 against the force of the spring 14 due to the arm 16 being brought into contact with the paper holder 12 . When the image receiving paper 22 is inserted between the paper holder 12 and the notch 16 in this state, the arm 16 rotates and is released from the paper holder 12. Therefore, the paper holder 12
The image receiving paper 22 is held between the leaf spring 14 and the notch 16.

In this state, the drum 10 rotates and stops at the recording start position. The head 1 presses the transfer paper 6 and the image receiving paper 22 against the drum 10 by rotating the arm 3.

Thereafter, the drum 10 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the dye on the transfer paper 6 is thermally transferred and recorded onto the image receiving paper 22 by a signal applied to the thermal head 1. When recording of the first color, cyan C, is completed, the thermal head 1 is separated from the drum 10, and the transfer paper 6 is wound up by the take-up reel 9 until the dye of the next color is finished.

(The drive device is not shown). When the next dye yellow Y reaches a predetermined position, the thermal head 1 is brought into pressure contact with the drum 1o again and yellow oy is recorded in the same manner. Magenta M is recorded in the same way, and when the recording is completed, the drum 1o is rotated in the opposite direction of the arrow, the image receiving paper 22 is ejected, the paper holder 12 is rotated by the rotation of the arm 16, and the image receiving paper is It is released, the recording is completed, and a beautiful image is obtained.

However, in the above configuration, cyan C is used.

The problem is that the process of recording yellow Y and magenta M cannot be confirmed, and it cannot be confirmed whether or not what the recorder intended has been recorded until the recording paper 22 is discharged from the opening 18. was there.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording device that allows confirmation of the process of sequential recording of magenta and magenta.

Structure of the Invention The present invention clamps the leading edge of the image receiving paper under pressure and provides an optical opening in the vicinity of the outer circumferential surface of the drum so that the outer circumferential surface of the drum being wound can be seen, so that the state during recording can be observed. This is what I did.

Description of examples The present invention will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

31 is a thermal head, and arm 3 is attached to the shaft 32.
It is fixed at 3. 34 is a sheet guide fixed to the thermal head 31.

36 is a transfer paper coated with cyan C, yellow Y, and magenta M dyes on one side (Fig. 2). The transfer paper 36 is wound around a supply reel 36 and guided by guide rollers 37 and 38.
The other end is taken up and wound around a coil 39.

4o is a drum rotatably supported by a shaft 41; 4
A paper holder 2 is rotatably attached to a shaft 43, has one end urged by a spring 44, and is pressed into contact with a notch 46 of the drum 4o. The arm 46 is rotatably attached to a shaft 47, and in the state shown in FIG. 3, it is rotated in a direction to release the paper holder 42 (the drive mechanism is not shown).

60 is a rotatably supported suppression roller that is always connected to the drum 4.
o is pressed by a spring member (not shown). 62 is image receiving paper, and 63 is a paper guide. Reference numeral 61 denotes a housing that forms an opening 48 between which the image receiving paper 62 is inserted and discharged between the paper guide 63 and covers the drum 40 and the like. 64 is an open window made of a transparent material such as acrylic. The opening window 64 is configured such that the housing 61 is opened on the road side of the notch 46 when recording is completed or the drum 40 is in a standby state.

The operation of the thermal transfer recording apparatus configured as above will be explained below.

FIG. 3 shows a standby state or a recording completion state.

At this time, the paper holder 12 is separated from the notch portion 46 against the force of the spring 44 due to the arm 46 being brought into contact with the paper holder 12 . When the image receiving paper 62 is inserted between the paper holder 42 and the notch 46 in this state, the arm 46 rotates and is released from the paper holder 42, so that the paper holder 42 is pushed by the spring 44. The image receiving paper 52 is held between the notch portion 46 and the notch portion 46 .

In this state, the drum 40 rotates and stops at the recording start position (the position shown in FIG. 4). The head 31 presses and holds the transfer paper 36 and the image receiving paper 62 against the drum 4o by the rotation of the arm 33. Thereafter, the drum 4o rotates in the direction of the arrow, and the transfer paper 30 is thermally heated by the signal applied to the thermal head 31.
The dye strength is transferred and recorded on the second image receiving paper 62. When recording of the first color, cyan C, is completed, the thermal dye 31 is separated from the drum 40, and the transfer paper 35 is wound up by the take-up reel 39 until the dye of the next color is finished. (The driving device is not shown.) When the next dye Y - Y reaches a predetermined position, the thermal head 31 is brought into pressure contact with the drum 40 again and yellow Y is recorded in the same manner. Magenta M is recorded in the same way, and when the recording is completed, the drum 40 is rotated in the opposite direction of arrow A, the image receiving paper 52 is ejected, the paper holder 42 is rotated by the rotation of the arm 46, and the image receiving paper is released. The recording is completed and a beautiful image is obtained.

At this time, cyan C, yellow Y, and magenta/IM can be sequentially observed on the image receiving paper 52 wound around the drum 4o through the opening window 54, and the recording state can be confirmed during recording. Further, since the opening window 54 is located on the path of the notch 46, it is possible to visually confirm that the image-receiving paper 62 has been inserted sufficiently, and it is therefore possible to prevent the paper holder 42 from holding the image-receiving paper 52 incorrectly.

Effects of the Invention The thermal transfer recording device of the present invention clamps the leading edge of the image-receiving paper under pressure and has an optical opening in the casing so that the outer periphery of the drum can be viewed. When Y and magenta V are sequentially transferred and recorded, a cyan image, an image overlaid with yellow, and an image completed with overlapping magenta can be observed in sequence, and the effect is great.

Particularly when the recording time is from several tens of seconds to several minutes, this has a great psychological effect of giving the user operating the thermal transfer recording device a sense of security that the recording is being performed as instructed. Note that if the optical aperture is made of a transparent material such as acrylic, dust and the like will not enter the apparatus and cause deterioration of the recorded image quality. Further, if the optical opening is located in the notch of the drum during standby, that is, in the path of the paper holder, the receiving paper can be inserted reliably, which is highly effective.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a principle diagram of a conventional thermal transfer recording device;
The figure is a plan view of a transfer paper, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are principle diagrams of a thermal transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 31... Thermal head, 36... Transfer paper, 4o... Drum, 62... Image receiving paper, 42... Paper holder, 64... ...opening window,
61... Housing. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao (1st person)
Figure 2 Figure 3 313, j

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A drum that holds and winds the leading edge of the image-receiving paper, a recording head that holds the image-receiving paper in pressure contact with the drum and performs recording while rotating the drum, a casing that covers the drum, and the drum. and an optical opening formed in the casing so that the outer circumferential surface of the drum can be seen in the vicinity of the off-road use. (2) When the drum is stopped at a position where the leading edge of the image receiving paper can be held by the drum, the position where the leading edge of the image receiving paper is held is opposed to the optical opening. The thermal transfer recording device according to item 1. (3) The thermal transfer recording device according to claim 1, wherein the optical opening is made of a transparent resin plate such as acrylic resin.