JPS6049982A - Thermal transfer recording ink carrier cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make reverse image patterns illegible and enable to maintain secrecy, by a method wherein when the trailing end of an ink film is detected, an ink-dissolving liquid bag provided in the vicinity of a take-up core is broken to wet reverse image patterns on the ink film with a small quantity of the solution. CONSTITUTION:When the trailing end of the ink film 20 is detected, a solenoid 29 of a mechanism 27 for breaking an ink-dissolving liquid container 22 is energized, whereby a needle 23 retracted by a spring 28 is pushed out by a lever 30 to pierce the container 22 provided in a cassette 17. Then, the solution leaks out to a used ink film containing part to dissolve the residual ink on the ink film, resulting in a pasted condition. Thereafter, the cassette 17 is taken out. In this case, a shutter 32 is moved upward as a bar 31 fitted to a frame 26 and the cassette 17 are separated away from each other, thereby closing an inlet of the used ink film. Accordingly, the residual ink patterns on the used ink film are made to be illegible, and secrecy can be maintained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an ink carrier cassette for thermal transfer recording.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] Thermal transfer recording method is a method in which low melting point ink is uniformly applied to one side of a thin base film to a thickness of 3 to 10 μm so that the ink side of the ink film faces the plain paper. Recording in which the ink is softened or melted by heating it from the back side of the ink film using heating means arranged with elements that selectively generate heat according to recording signals from a thermal head or the like, and the ink is transferred onto plain paper. It is the law.

A feature of this recording method is that a negative image remains on the used ink film, and the recorded content can also be seen from this film. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional transfer device embodying the above.

Plain paper 9 is held by platen roller 1 and roller 2 and then the paper is fed. On the other hand, the ink film 3 is pulled out from the supply roll 4, supported by the transfer guide roller 6, and moved around the outer periphery of the platen roller l so that it comes into close contact with the plain paper 9.
A runs. The used ink film is wound up with a take-up roll 5. When all the ink films have been used, it is detected by an END sensor (not shown) and the user is notified to replace the ink film with a new one.

The used ink film wound up on the take-up roll 5 at the time of replacement is conventionally disposed of as garbage, or
The remaining negative images on used ink film were processed by special incineration. In other words, if the user is not always careful in disposing of the used ink film, the confidentiality of the recorded images cannot be maintained.

[Object of the invention] The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks and makes residual ink on a used ink film recorded by thermal transfer unreadable.
To provide an ink film cassette that can maintain confidentiality.

[Summary of the Invention] The ink film for thermal transfer is stored in a cassette for easy handling1, and the used ink film is wound around one winding in the cassette and a core. An ink reservoir is provided in the same container near the winding and the core. When the end of the ink film is detected, an automatic mechanism installed in the thermal transfer recording device tears this bag open and sprays only the windings of the 9 cassettes and the P side with a small amount of solution, removing the reverse image remaining on the base layer of the ink film. In addition to making the pattern unreadable,
The ink roll itself becomes hardened as if it had been glued on.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the residual ink pattern on the used ink film becomes easily unreadable to others.
It becomes possible to secure the confidentiality of the recorded matter recorded by the thermal transfer recording device.

Furthermore, when discarding used ink film, it can be disposed of with peace of mind, which is also a useful function for users.

[Embodiments of the Invention] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of an ink film cassette according to the invention, and Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of an ink film cassette according to the invention. The operation will be explained with reference to FIG. The ink film α0) of FIG. 2 is wound into a roll (L4) through a portion of the cassette that is partially released from the supply roll on one side of the cassette. A solution retainer a5 is provided in a part of the container on the winding and side sides, and a shutter αe is provided at the lower part of the inlet of the used ink film. The shutter α6) automatically closes when the cassette (lI) is taken out from the recording device to prevent the solution from leaking outside. When inserting a cassette, the structure is reversed and opens at the same time as insertion. (For example, it may have a structure similar to the shutter used in video tape cassettes.

) The manner in which the mechanism of the present invention operates when the cassette shown in FIG. 2 is attached (inserted) to a thermal transfer recording device will be explained with reference to FIG.

A-A cross section fJs in Fig. 2 represents the right side in Fig. 3, and the winding of the cassette ση and the used ink film winding core (1d4) are provided coaxially on one side of the driving hub H, and this winding The ink film (A) is wound around the outer periphery of the core (lG (paper tube). The solution reservoir is located inside the cassette αη and near the take-up roll.
A small hole through which a needle for tearing the ink solution container (2) passes is provided in a part of the cassette α7). This hole (24) is covered with a pad (c) to prevent fluid leakage even if the needle (c) passes through it.

When attaching this cassette αD to the recording device (move the cassette αD in the direction of arrow (a)), insert the small hole provided in a part of the recording device frame (a) into the cassette) (17
) holes @ match. When the end of the ink film (a) is detected, the ink solution container breaking mechanism () is activated.

When the termination is detected, a termination detection signal is supplied to the solenoid wire. Then, the solenoid is energized and pulled in by the spring (C), and the needle (C) is pushed out via the lever (30) by the energization of the solenoid (A). This pushed out needle (C) breaks through the ink solution container (2) in the cassette (171).Then, the solution leaks into the used ink film storage area. Since the ink film is rolled up from a used ink film, there are enough gaps in the roll ink film, and the liquid can spread sufficiently.The ink remaining on the used ink film is dissolved and the ink is left in a sticky state.

After this, the cassette (17) is taken out by hand, but at this time the cassette (17) is attached to the frame (c).
1) and the cassette (17), the shutter 04 goes up and closes the used ink film entrance. In addition, when the drive knob (18) is in a state where the cassette αη is attached and is in a loose state, the claws of the drive shaft (c) engage with each other to transmit the winding rotational force. Fig. 4 shows another embodiment. It shows.

There is a driving hub (c) on the ink film winding side of the cassette (34), and the winding core (g) and the used ink film 07) are located coaxially with this driving knob 0→. A small chamber 0 is provided in a part of the container of the winding section, and the solution is stored in this part. The needle (8), spring (41), and pad (c) are all attached approximately coaxially. Normally, the key that does not press the needle (4I) from the outside is located inside the outer case of the cassette to prevent the solution from being torn and prevents malfunction.This cassette (2
) is attached at an appropriate position relative to the frame t43 of the recording device. When the transfer ink film is used up and the end is detected, for example optically, an end detection signal is supplied to the solenoid (46). is pushed through the lever (47) against the four springs.

This action pushes the needle (l[) in the cassette C34),
Melt/l! The film bag containing the ink film is torn, and the liquid spreads into the winding container, especially the used ink film, and dissolves the ink in the used ink film into an illegible state. Although other parts are not shown, they are the same as the example in FIG. 3.

As described above, according to the present invention, a used ink film can be easily disposed of using a simple mechanism, and recorded matter can be kept confidential.

The present invention can be used in thermal transfer printers using black-and-white ink films, color thermal transfer printers using multicolor inks, and color copying devices such as thermal transfer facsimile machines.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a thermal transfer recording device, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an ink film cassette according to an embodiment of the present invention,
3 and 4 are sectional views for explaining the operation of the cassette shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3.10... Ink film, 11, 17, 34... Cassette, n, 38... Solution bag, 40... Needle, 29, 46 Solenoid.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a thermal transfer recording device comprising an ink carrier coated with visible ink to be transferred to recording paper and a heating means that selectively heats the ink carrier from the back side, the ink carrier is housed in a cassette. When the ink carrier of the used ink carrier is almost used, it is provided with a means for injecting an ink-soluble liquid stored in a part of the cassette, and the remaining image is removed by reverse printing (turning) on the used ink film. An ink carrier cassette for thermal transfer recording, characterized in that it is unreadable.