JPS6058888A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To melt an ink forming residual patterns on an ink carrier to thereby make the residual patterns illegible, by a method wherein an ink carrier used up for transferring an ink is reheated independently of recording patterns. CONSTITUTION:An ink film 18 used up for transferring by a thermal head 16 is separated from an ordinary paper 10 by a transferring roller 14, and the used-up ink film is brought into contact with a heater roller 21 between support rollers 19, 19. The heater roller 21 is rotated in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the ink film 18, whereby the residual ink is melted and spread, and residual negative patterns of the ink are made to be illegible.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] This invention relates to thermal transfer recording devices, and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording device having the ability to remove negative images from used ink carriers (films).

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Thermal transfer recording method involves coating one side of a thin base film with a low melting point ink uniformly to a thickness of 3 to 10 μin, then placing the ink film in close contact with the plain paper so that the ink side faces the plain paper, and printing the ink according to the recording signal. This is a recording method in which the ink is softened or melted by heating the ink film from the back side using a heating means arranged with selective heating elements, and the ink is transferred onto plain paper. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional transfer device embodying the above. Platen roller (1) and roller (2)
While holding the recording paper (9) with the handle, feed the paper. On the other hand, the ink film (3) is pulled out from the supply roll (4), supported by the transfer guide roller (6), and transferred to the plain paper (9).
It runs along the outer periphery of the platen roller (1) so as to be in close contact with each other.

The used ink film is rolled up with a roll and roll (5). When all the ink film has been used, it is detected by an end sensor (not shown) and the user is notified to replace it with a new ink film.

Ru. Conventionally, the used ink film wound around the take-up roll (5) at the time of replacement is either disposed of as trash or specially incinerated, and the remaining negative images on the used ink film are processed. The user of the pickpocket has the disadvantage that unless he/she always takes care to dispose of the used ink film, the orange-tightness of the recorded surface cannot be maintained.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention provides a thermal transfer recording device that can maintain confidentiality by eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks and making the remaining ink on a used ink film that has been thermally transferred unreadable. With the goal.

[Summary of the invention]

In this invention, the ink carrier on which the ink has been transferred is heated by 7 degrees regardless of the recorded pattern, and is dissolved with the ink forming the afterimage pattern on the ink phase.

In particular, a heating roller is provided between the position where the ink carrier and the recording medium are separated after ink transfer and the means for winding up the ink phase, and a heating roller is provided in accordance with the movement of the ink carrier (when recording by thermal transfer is performed). @) It is preferable to bring this heating roller into contact with the ink carrier and rotate it in a direction opposite to the fixed direction of the ink carrier.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, since the recorded ink phase is heated again, the ink forming the afterimage pattern on the ink carrier melts and the Atsushi image pattern becomes undecipherable, thereby maintaining security.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Stripe Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the ink film processing machine (1 type) according to the present invention. When thermal transfer recording starts, the plain paper surround is held by two rows 2a4 and a platen roller 0υ, and a precise paper feeding system is carried out. The main drive motor 07), such as a DC motor or a pulse motor, is used as the drive source for this purpose.

The ink film 03 is arranged so that the side that comes into contact with the heating element array of the thermal head 4 fixed on the holding plate α4 is the base film surface 7, and the transfer roller (14
Supported by 1. Transfer roller Q4 to plain paper (l[)
and ink film 4 are separated. The peeled used ink film α barrel passes through two support rollers (I) and is wound up on a winding roller cll.

A heater roller 12υ is provided between these two support rollers α field. The length of the heater roller QI) is preferably approximately the same as the width of the ink film Q3). The direction of rotation of this heater roller Qυ is the used ink film (1
1() is rotated in the opposite direction to the direction in which it is unwound.

The motor (24) is configured so that the ink film winding, the white roll, and the heater roller (2I) rotate and stop at the same time.By rotating the heater roller C! The remaining ink on the ink film is melted and the ink is painted onto the film again as if it had been stretched. As a result, the remaining negative pattern of ink becomes unreadable.

Further, as described above, by applying the ink while melting it, the ink does not adhere to the heater roller clD and solidify, and the outer circumference of the heater roller CD always maintains a constant outer diameter.

In order to perform this operation only when thermal transfer recording is performed, the heater roll r2+1 is brought into contact with and out of contact with the ink film aυ in synchronization with the upper and lower mechanisms (not shown) of the thermal head ([1]). This is an effective operation when recording after a while after the recording device has been stopped.If the ink film (l and heater roller R21) are always in contact with each other, the ink film and heater roller will be in a bonded state when restarted. This is because it is difficult to record immediately.Also, when using an ink film stored in a cassette, this is to prevent the film from becoming unable to separate from the heater roller when the cassette is removed. There is also.

The heat absorption of the heater roller +213 does not necessarily mean that it is sufficient if the ink melts, but it is desirable to set it so that the melting point of the ink used is lower than the softening point of the paste material of the ink film. Specifically, it is preferable to set the temperature at 70 to 90° C., use a temperature detection element such as a thermistor to maintain the temperature at a substantially constant temperature, and also provide an overheating prevention circuit. As another embodiment, it is also possible to separate the heater and roller.As shown in FIG.
In between, a two-plate heater Q41 is provided on the base film side of the ink film (18), and a roller (C) is provided on the ink surface side.

This roller (c) is the heater roller (2) shown in FIG.
Similarly to 1), the ink film a8 is rotated in the opposite direction to the running direction to spread out the remaining ink. Further, the roller (C) and the heater (24) may be brought into contact with the ink film by a mechanism for moving them apart and approaching each other in opposite directions.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described below, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments in any way.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment.

1, -11...Platen roller, 8,16...Serial head)', 3,13.18...Ink film,
21... Heater roller, 24... Plate heater.

Agent Patent Attorney Kensuke Chika (and 1 other person) No. 1!
Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 3

Claims (5)

[Claims] (1) A thermal transfer recording device comprising a heating resistor that selectively generates heat according to a recording pattern, an ink carrier heated by the heating resistor, and a recording medium to which the ink of the ink carrier is transferred. A thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention, further comprising an erasing means for pressing the surface of the ink carrier containing ink that has been molten by heating the ink carrier to which the ink has been transferred again. (2) The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the erasing means includes a heater having approximately the same width as the ink carrier. (3) The thermal transfer recording device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the erasing means is a rotating roller. (4) The thermal transfer recording device according to claim 3, wherein the rotation direction of the roller is opposite to the direction in which the ink carrier is conveyed. (5) The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the erasing means is driven only when ink is transferred, and is released from pressure when ink is not transferred.