JPS61114866A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent misregister from occuring during overlap transfer recording such as color recording and enable to perform overlap transfer recording with high image quality, by starting recording through detecting the position of a recording paper. CONSTITUTION:A thermal head 4 comprises a metallic plate 6, a ceramic sub strate 7 provided with a plurality of heating elements 5 in a line direction and a head cover 8 which serves also as a guide. The heating elements 5 are heated by transfer energy supplied as recording signals, whereby an ink 11b on a transfer paper 11 is melted or sublimed, and an image is transferred onto the recording paper 18. The transfer paper 11 is wound around a platen roller 1, the recording paper 18 is retentively pressed against the roller 1 by a pressing force of the transfer paper 11, and the passage time of the recording paper 18 is accurately detected from the transfer paper 11 side by a reflection-type optical sensor. Accordingly, since recording is started through detecting the position of the recording paper, misregistration will not occur even in the case of overlap transfer recording.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a thermal head having a large number of heating elements that generate heat in response to transfer energy, which is a calligraphic signal, and a recording material that can be transferred by heat, formed on a film. a carrier, and a means for bringing a recording material surface of the carrier and a recording medium into close contact with each other and pressing and feeding the thermal head,
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device that operates a thermal head in response to a graphic signal to record graphic information on a recording medium, and particularly to a thermal transfer recording device suitable for overlapping transfer recording such as color recording.

[Background of the invention]

When overlapping recording by thermal transfer recording is performed, the recording medium is generally forwarded and reversed. In particular, in the case of color recording by thermal transfer recording, for example, JP-A-57-1742
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 76, four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are multi-transferred using a carrier in which -r yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are sequentially formed on a film. In such devices, a pulse motor is used to feed the recording medium, and a certain number of pulses are input to the pulse motor to record the first color, yellow, while conveying the carrier and the recording medium, and then the first color is completed. Thereafter, the same number of pulses as during recording are input to the pulse motor to feed the recording medium backwards from the base point. Thereafter, this operation is repeated nine times for each of the second color, magenta, the third color, cyan, and the fourth color, black, and one overlapping transfer recording is performed. In this way, in conventional overlapping transfer recording, the recording medium is returned to the base point for each color, but the slippage between the platen roller, which is the means for conveying the recording medium, and the recording medium causes feeding errors in the recording medium. When color recording is performed by multicolor printing, color misregistration occurs, resulting in a significant deterioration in image quality.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention provides overlapping transfer recording in thermal transfer recording,
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording device that can accurately detect a recording start position and perform high-quality overlapping transfer recording.

[Summary of the invention]

In a thermal transfer recording device that uses a pulse motor as a medium conveyance means, when performing multiple transfer recording such as color recording, the reciprocating movement of the recording medium is controlled by the number of pulses input to the pulse motor to perform multiple transfer recording. . The present invention
The position of the recording medium (transfer paper) is accurately detected by a sensor, and recording is started based on this position signal. This prevents positional shift when performing multiple transfer recording and enables high-quality images to be obtained. It is characterized by what it did.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present invention will be explained below.

FIG. 1 shows the basic configuration of a thermal transfer recording device. A recording paper (transfer paper) 18 that is a recording medium and a transfer paper (ink sheet) 11 with ink llb coated on a base film lla that is a carrier are moved by a platen roller. 1 and is pressed against the thermal head 4. When the platen roller 1 is rotated in this state, the recording paper 18 and the transfer paper 11 move in the forward direction or in the reverse direction.

The thermal head 4 includes a metal plate 6, a ceramic substrate 7 on which a plurality of heating elements 5 are formed in the line direction, and a head cover 8 which also serves as a guide. The heating element 5 of this thermal head 4 is heated by transfer energy which is a calligraphy signal,
The ink 11b on the transfer paper 11 is melted or sublimated to transfer the image onto the recording paper 18. The spring 9 applies pressure to the transfer paper 11 and the recording paper 18 and presses them against the platen roller 1. The platen roller 1 is a rubber roller made up of a metal shaft 3 and rubber 2, and is driven by a pulse motor 32.

The transfer paper 11 is wound around a shaft 12.15 of a brake drum 10 to which an electromagnetic brake 30 is connected and a winding drum 14 to which a torque motor 31 is connected. Then, by driving the torque motor 31 to rotate the winding drum 14 in the direction of the arrow, the transfer paper 11 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow while being applied with a constant tension.

Next, a thermal transfer color recording apparatus will be described as a specific embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 has the following mechanism added to the basic configuration shown in FIG. 1. For color recording, the transfer paper 11 is made by sequentially forming on a base film lla three color inks of yellow, magenta, and cyan, or four color inks of these three colors plus black. use something An auxiliary mechanism for reciprocating the recording paper 18 in the recording direction (forward direction) 40 or the return direction (reverse direction) 41 serves as a mechanism for transferring the color ink on the transfer paper 11 to the recording paper 18 in layers several times. A spring 37 is provided for pressing the roller 36 and the auxiliary roller 36 against the platen roller 1. Also 1
After the color transfer recording is completed, it is necessary to move only the recording paper 18 in the reverse direction 41. Therefore, the thermal head 4 is fixed to the two-rotation shaft 38, and rotates as shown by arrows 34 and 35 as the rotation shaft 38 rotates. This allows the thermal head 4 to be separated from the platen roller l. Although not shown, this rotating shaft 38 is driven by a motor or the like. The peeling guide 33 is attached to the transfer paper 11 due to the ink adhesion.
This is for peeling off the recording paper 18 stuck to the platen roller 1, and is disposed on the downstream side of the platen roller 1.

In thermal transfer recording, the recording paper 18 is wound around the platen roller 1 by the pressing force of the transfer paper 11. Therefore, the wrapping for wrapping the transfer paper 11 around the platen roller 1 while aligning it with the recording paper 18 on the downstream side of the recording section is done at the guide 16 and the downstream side of the recording section, and the above-mentioned wrapping is done near the guide 16. A reflective optical sensor 19 is provided as a recording paper position detection means for detecting the position of the recording paper 18 through the transfer paper 11. This reflective optical sensor 19 includes an optical fiber 20 having a light emitting/receiving section 212 and a light emitting/receiving port 23.
．． It consists of a signal line 22. Further, in FIG. 2, the angle of winding around the platen roller 1 is indicated by 30.

Next, the recording operation in the structure shown in FIG. 2 will be explained.

When recording the first color, the platen roller 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 42, and the recording paper 18 is inserted between the platen roller 1 and the auxiliary roller 36. Recording paper 18 is inserted between platen roller 1 and thermal head 4 using transfer paper 11 as a guide. Note @Paper 18 is 1 Transfer paper 1 after passing through heating element 5
The light emitted from the light emitting element of the light emitting/receiving section 21 of the 6 reflective optical sensor 19, which moves so as to wrap around the platen roller due to the pressing force of 1, passes through the optical fiber 20 and becomes a narrow beam from the light emitting/receiving port 23, and the light is transferred to the transfer paper. 11, and if there is a white recording paper 18, it is reflected by the recording paper 18. If there is no recording paper, the light is absorbed by the platen roller 11 and is not reflected. When the recording paper 18 comes to the position of the sensor 19, the light reflected by the recording paper 18 passes through the transfer paper 11 again, enters the first light emitting light receiving port 23, passes through the optical fiber 20, and is detected by the light receiving element of the light emitting light receiving portion 21. and becomes an electrical signal. This detection signal is used as a recording start signal to cause the heating element 5 to generate heat in accordance with the image signal to create a transferred image. When recording of the first color is completed in this way, rotate the thermal head 4 in the direction of arrow 34 and release it from the platen roller 1. Then, rotate the platen roller 1 in the direction of arrow 43 and return the recording paper 18. It is moved in the direction (reverse direction) 41. Recording paper 18 is sensor 1
The movement is stopped at a position past the light emitting/receiving port 23 of 9. Next, the winding drum 14 is rotated, and the transfer paper 11 is moved so that the second color ink is positioned on the heating element S of the thermal head 4, which is a recording section. Then, the thermal head 4 is moved in the direction of arrow 35 and pressed against the platen roller 1. In this way, the recording operation for the second color begins.

For the second color, the platen roller 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow 42 in the same manner as the first color, and the heating element 5 of the thermal head 4 is set at the recording start position when the sensor 19 detects the recording paper 18.
Sends an image signal to and starts transfer recording. A color image can be created by multiple-transferring color ink several times using the same procedure.

According to the above embodiment, the transfer paper 11 is transferred to the platen roller 1.
The transfer paper 11 is pressed by force, and the recording paper 18 is restrained from being pressed against the platen roller 1, and a reflective optical sensor is used to accurately detect the point at which the recording paper passes from the transfer paper 11 side. There is.

With conventional devices, the recording paper curls toward the platen roller, making accurate positioning impossible, especially in color recording where the recording paper is moved back and forth several times to perform multiple transfers.

In this embodiment, the recording start position is determined by detecting the position of the recording paper as described above.

This has the effect of preventing positional shift even when multiple transfers are performed.

Next, another embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a recording example in which the reflective optical sensor 19 and the transfer paper 11 shown in FIG. The operation starts from the time when the sensor 19 detects the recording paper 18, and after the delay circuit or the platen roller 1 has rotated to an angle 44, recording is started. Even with this configuration, the same effects as the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 can be achieved.

Next, an embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. In FIG. 4, a sensor 19 for detecting the position of the recording paper 18 is installed on the side of the platen roller 1, and the position of the recording paper 18 is directly detected from the platen opening roller 1 side. FIG. 5 shows the positional relationship among the sensor 19, the recording paper 18, and the platen roller 1 when FIG. 4 is viewed from the platen roller 1 side. With this configuration, the sensor 19 can be installed close to the heating element 5 of the thermal head 4. Therefore, after the sensor 19 detects the recording paper 18 and starts recording, the distance between the sensor 19, which cannot record an image, and the heating element 5 of the thermal head 4 is short, and the effective recording area can be increased.

Next, still another embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described using FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows a sensor 19 that detects the recording paper 18.
This is an example in which a thermal head 4 is incorporated. sensor 19
is held by the metal plate 7 of the thermal head 4 on its main body side, and the optical fiber 20 is held by the metal plate 6 of the thermal head 4. It is fitted into a hole drilled in the ceramic substrate 7. Alternatively, the sensor 19 may be incorporated by holding the sensor 19 inside the thermal head cover 8 and fitting the optical fiber 20 into a hole made in the thermal rad force bar 8, as shown by the broken line in the figure.

Even with configuration 2, the effective recording area increases because the sensor 19 can be installed close to the heating element 5 of the thermal head 4, as in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Further, the sensor section can also be formed on the ceramic substrate 7 of the thermal head 4 by thin film or thick film technology.

Next, still another embodiment of the recording apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the transfer paper 11 is transferred to the platen roller 1.
For wrapping the guide 16 on the thermal head 4
It is characterized by being attached to. For winding, the guide 16 is a metal roller 50. A rotating shaft 51 and a bearing of the metal roller 50 are formed by a body 52. Although not shown,
The sensor is arranged and operates in the same manner as described in the previous embodiment. According to this configuration, the platen roller 1
The positional relationship between the guide 16 and the winding can be easily determined. Further, when setting the transfer paper 11, since the guide 16 is integrated with the thermal head 4, it is easy to wrap the transfer paper 11 because there is no obstruction by simply separating the thermal head 4 from the platen roller 1.

In each of the embodiments described above, the sensor 19 may be installed at either the upstream side or the downstream side of the recording section. That is, if it is installed on the downstream side, it will be shown. The sensor 19 detects the recording paper 18 that has passed through the recording section. If installed on the upstream side, the sensor 19 will detect the recording paper 18 before it passes through the recording section. In either case, the effect of detecting the recording paper 18 by the sensor 19 and starting recording is the same.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show examples of applying ink to the transfer paper 11 when the position of the recording paper 18 is detected through the transfer paper 11. FIG. In this way, the present invention is characterized in that the ink llb is not applied to the portion of the base film 11a through which the light from the optical sensor 19 passes.

In each of the embodiments described above, an optical reflection type sensor is used as the recording paper detection means, but other types include an optical transmission sensor, a capacitance type sensor, a magnetic sensor (magnetism is applied to the recording type), Ultrasonic sensors etc. can be used.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since the start of recording is performed by detecting the position of the recording paper, it is possible to prevent positional shift in overlapping transfer recording, especially during color recording, and to perform high-quality overlapping transfer recording. I can do it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic configuration of a thermal transfer recording device of the present invention;
2 and 3 are cross-sectional side views of essential parts showing an example in which the recording apparatus of the present invention is applied to thermal transfer color recording, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of essential parts showing another example of the recording apparatus of the present invention. 5 is a front view of FIG. 4, FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of main parts showing still other examples of the recording device of the present invention, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are views of the main parts used in the recording device of the present invention. FIG. 1...Platen roller, 4...Thermal head, 5
...Heating element, 10...Brake drum, 11...
Transfer paper, 14... Winding drum, 16... Winding guide, 18... Recording paper, 19... Optical sensor, 30
... Electromagnetic brake, 31 ... Torque motor, 32.
...ノ (Rusmota. 1 concave 2nd @ 4 years old 5" 6 years old 712) 8 years old 21 years old 1 day old

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head having a heating element that generates heat in response to transfer energy that is a calligraphic signal, a carrier on which a recording material that can be transferred by heat is formed on a film, and a recording material surface of the carrier and a recording medium are brought into close contact. In a thermal transfer recording device, the thermal head is actuated in response to a calligraphy signal, and the thermal head is actuated in response to a calligraphy signal to record calligraphy information on a recording medium in a recording section. , a pressing means for pressing the carrier and the recording medium against the pressing conveyance means by a certain amount, and a position detecting means for detecting the position of the recording medium, and based on a signal from the position detecting means, the thermal A thermal transfer recording device characterized by being configured to operate a recording section of a head.