JPS60245583A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an erroneous action of a ribbon sensor from occurring due to sagging of an ink ribbon and prevent frictional transfer from occurring, by adding a ribbon taking-up operation to a home position detecting operation. CONSTITUTION:In conformity with the home position detecting operation at the time of throwing in a power source and at the time of resetting, an electric current is supplied only to a ribbon take-up controlling solenoid 31 when a carriage 5 is moved rightward, thereby absorbing the sag of the ink ribbon 16 generaged when fitting a ribbon cassette 7. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an erroneous action of a reflection-type ribbon sensor 35 from occurring due to sagging of the ink ribbon 16, and to prevent frictional transfer from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer, and more particularly to a thermal transfer printer having a ribbon cassette for storing an ink ribbon.

[Background of the invention]

In the conventional apparatus, as described in Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-30010, the ink ribbon is prevented from sagging using a mechanical fishing force mechanism. According to the invention, it is possible to do so with a controlled mechanism.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a control mechanism that prevents a ribbon detection sensor from malfunctioning due to sagging of an ink ribbon and prevents the transfer phenomenon.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to make the ribbon cassette simple and compact, when a mechanical ink ribbon sagging prevention mechanism is not provided in the ribbon cassette, malfunction of a small reflective ribbon detection sensor and a toshiki transfer phenomenon become problems. Therefore, we focused on the home position detection operation at power-on and reset, and added a home position detection operation (te) and ribbon winding operation to absorb the slack of the ink ribbon.

[Embodiments of the invention]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows an external view of a thermal transfer printer.

A shaft (1) 4 is fixed between the side plate (1) 1 and the side plate (2) 2. Also, a carriage 5 is slidable on the shaft (1) 4.
A ribbon cassette 7 and a thermal head 15 are mounted on the carriage 5, and an ink ribbon 16 is stored in the ribbon cassette.

The carriage 5 is configured to be movable in the left and right directions in the figure by a carriage motor 8 via a timing belt 10. The line feed motor 11 transmits driving force to gears (1) (1) 12 fastened to the shaft of the platen 18, and feeds the paper 14. Paper can also be fed in the same way by turning the platen knob 13 by hand. 6 is a home position sensor, and 9 is a flat cable for energizing the thermal head 15 and the like. Carriage motor 8, line feed motor 11, home position sensor 6,
The thermal head 15 and the like are controlled by a controller 21.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the carriage 5 seen from above, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the carriage 5.

32 is a head pressing solenoid, and 31 is a ribbon winding operation control solenoid. Both solenoids are independently operable. In the printing state, both solenoids are energized and the carriage 5 is pressed while pressing the thermal head 15.
moves to the right and winds up the ink ribbon 16. In the non-printing state, both solenoids are not energized, and the carriage 5 only moves to the right when skipping and to the left when returning. Also, when starting printing, first energize the ribbon winding control solenoid 31 to remove the slack in the ink ribbon 16 that has loosened due to inertia at the end of printing, and after winding it up sufficiently, energize the head pressing solenoid 32 to start printing. Move to. this is,
If the ink ribbon 16 is slack, the ribbon winding force is not transmitted sufficiently, and the moment the thermal head 15 is pressed, the ink ribbon 16 is dragged by the movement of the thermal head and does not stand still against the paper, causing ink to slip off. ``A transcription phenomenon occurs.

Conventionally, when power is turned on and when resetting, the home position has been detected by moving the carriage 5 left and right. In the present invention, in accordance with the home position detection operation at power-on and reset, only the ribbon winding control solenoid 1/noid 31 is energized when the carriage 5 moves in the right direction, and this occurs when the ribbon cassette 7 is installed. Control was performed to absorb the slack of the ink ribbon 16. As a result, as in the ribbon cassette 7 shown in FIG.
This makes it possible to prevent malfunctions and the above-mentioned rubbing transfer phenomenon.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a ribbon detection sensor, particularly a reflective sensor, from malfunctioning, and it is also possible to prevent a rubbing transfer phenomenon.

Further, there is no need for mechanical prevention of ink ribbon sagging, a small reflective type ribbon detection sensor can be used, and a small, lightweight and compact ribbon cassette and carriage can be used.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of the thermal transfer printer, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the carriage, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the carriage, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inside of the ribbon cassette. 5... Carriage, 6... Home position sensor, 7... Ribbon cassette, 8... Carriage motor, 9... Flat couple, 10... Timing belt, 11... Line feed motor, 14...M,
15=-・Thermal head, 16... Ink ribbon,
18...Platen, 21...Controller, 31...Solenoid for ribbon winding control, 32...Solenoid for head pressing, 33...Makitorijikku, 34...Skip lever, 35... Ribbon detection sensor. Part I m 21 Jealousy 2 m Me 4 m

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head, an ink ribbon, a ribbon cassette for storing the ink ribbon, a carriage for moving the thermal head and the ribbon cassette, a thermal head pressing mechanism provided on the carriage, and an ink ribbon winding mechanism. 1. A thermal transfer printer having a mechanism and a controller for controlling printing operations, characterized in that the thermal transfer printer has an operation for winding up an appropriate amount of ink ribbon and absorbing slack in the ink ribbon at power-on and reset. 2. The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, wherein the slack absorbing operation is performed by turning on and off an independent ribbon winding control solenoid.