JPS61125867A - Transfer-type thermal recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To record stable images with high quality through enhancing transferrability and adhesion of an ink, by a method wherein after smoothening a recording paper, transfer and application of a pressure are conducted, and heating is conducted, if required, before discharging the paper. CONSTITUTION:The recording paper 6 is passed between rollers 70, 71 while being smoothened by exerting a predetermined pressure thereon, and is fed to a thermal transfer recording part. Next, an ink of an IDF 4 melted at heating parts corresponding to image information of a thermal head 2 is transferred to the paper 6. In this case, since the paper 6 is provided with not less than a certain degree of smoothness, clear images can be recorded thereon with sufficient density. Then, the paper is passed between rollers 80, 81 while being clamped under a predetermined pressure, and is discharged to a discharging part. In this case, on the surface of the paper 6, dyeing with the ink is accelerated by a pressure exerted by the ink adhesion stabilizing means 8. In addition when a heating element is incorporated in at least one of the rollers 80, 81 to heat the ink simultaneously with pressing, the ink is fixed more firmly.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an ink donor film coated with a heat-melting or heat-sublimable ink, which is superimposed on a recording paper.
It relates to a transfer type thermal recording device that obtains a recording by transferring the ink to the recording paper using heat generated according to image information of a thermal recording head while conveying the ink, and in particular, the smoothness of the recording paper before the transfer. The present invention also relates to a method for obtaining stable recorded images with high image quality by improving the fixing properties of the ink to the recording paper after the transfer.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 conceptually shows an example of the configuration of the recording section of a conventional transfer type thermal recording device, which includes a rotatable platen roller 1 and a thermal recording head (hereinafter referred to as a thermal An ink donor film (hereinafter referred to as IDF) 4 wound around a supply roller 3 is interposed between the ink donor film (hereinafter referred to as a head) 2 so as to be wound and conveyed according to the rotation of a take-up roller 5. has been done. The IDF 4 is formed by applying heat-melting ink onto an ultra-thin film base paper, for example, and when recording is performed, the thermal head is wound by the winding K according to the rotation of the winding roller 5 as described above. 2.

At this time, the recording paper 6 fed by a paper feeding mechanism (not shown) is fed between the platen roller 1 and InF3,
In accordance with the conveyance of the IDF 4, the IDF 4 is conveyed between the platen row 21 and the thermal head 2 in an overlapping state, and the thermal head 2 is selectively heated in accordance with the image information, so that the IDF 4 is melted at the heat generating portion. The above ID
The image information is recorded by transferring the ink of F4 onto the recording paper 6. After this transfer is completed, the recording paper 6 is sequentially peeled off from the IDF 4, and the IDF 4 is
As the paper is transported, the paper is discharged to a discharge section (not shown). Such a transfer-type thermal recording device can use a compactly designed thermal head 2 or ordinary recording paper 6, so it is often used in Hinoki printers, facsimiles, etc. as a recording device that is advantageous for making the device more economical. ing.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, this type of conventional apparatus has a characteristic that the image quality is greatly influenced by the smoothness of the surface of the recording paper 60 used. That is, with relatively smooth paper with good surface smoothness, the adhesion of the IDF is high, so the recording density is high and a clear recorded image can be obtained.
With paper that is relatively rough and has poor smoothness, there is a problem in that the adhesion of the IDF weakens depending on the condition of the fibers on the surface of the paper, resulting in printing problems such as decreased density and lack of alignment. Also, when considering transfer recording, the adhesion force of the transfer ink to the recording paper 6 is greater than the pressure contact force of the thermal head 2 that is actually set against the platen roller 1, and this adhesion force Because the ink is relatively weak, for example, if pressure is applied to a small area by writing from the back of the recording paper after transfer, or if the back sides of the recording paper are rubbed while overlapped, the ink transferred to the recording paper may be transferred to other paper. Moreover, there is also the problem that the paper adheres as dirt on the paper surface, impairing the quality of the recorded image.

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, in the present invention, means for passing the recording paper while gripping it with a predetermined pressure are provided in the front and rear recording paper transport paths of the above-mentioned thermal transfer recording section, and if necessary, a heating means is provided in the rear means. It is also designed to have four functions.

[Effect]

With such a configuration, the recording paper is first smoothed and transferred by means at the front, and then pressure is applied by means at the rear, and if necessary, the recording paper is heated and discharged, thereby transferring the ink to the recording paper. The aim is to obtain stable recorded images with high image quality, rather than aiming to increase adhesiveness and adhesion.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention,
As a new configuration compared to the conventional device shown in FIG. 2, the front and rear paper conveyance paths of the thermal transfer recording section are constructed by interposing IDPa between the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2, respectively. A pair of rollers (70, 71 and 80, 8
1) constitutes a paper smoothing means 7 and an ink adhesion stabilizing means 8 for each pair of rollers. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of each of these rollers.

First, the recording paper 6 fed from the right side of the figure by a paper feeding mechanism (not shown) is held between rollers 70 and 71 constituting the paper smoothing means 7, and the recording paper 6 is fed at this time. The roller 70 is rotated according to
, 71 as described above while being smoothed by receiving a predetermined pressing force between the rollers 70 and 71, and then fed to the thermal transfer placement section.

At this time, when smoothing the recording paper 6, the paper smoothing means 7 does not exert any influence that would reduce the smoothness of the recording paper 6 which has smoothness above a certain level, and does not exert any influence to reduce the smoothness of the recording paper 6. It functions to raise the smoothness to the same level as the above-mentioned one only for those having a certain degree of smoothness. Next, in the thermal transfer recording section, the recording paper 6
On the other hand, the ink of the IDF 4 is transferred which is melted at the heat generating part according to the image information of the thermal head 2.
Since this recording paper 6 has been given a certain level of smoothness by the paper smoothing means 7 as described above, a clear recorded image with sufficient density can be obtained.

After the thermal transfer recording is performed in this manner, the recording paper 6 is transferred to the roller 80 constituting the ink adhesion stabilizing means 8.
, 81 through the paper smoothing means 7 while being gripped by a predetermined pressing force set in advance between these rollers 80 and 81. On the surface of the recording paper 6, the pressure of the ink adhesion stabilizing means 8 promotes the penetration of the ink transferred by the thermal transfer recording section into the recording paper 6, thereby making the ink more firmly fixed. By doing so, the recorded image is stabilized.In addition, in constructing the ink adhesion stabilizing roller 8, at least one of the rollers 80 and 81 has a built-in heating element, and the above-mentioned pressure contact is made. The fixing of the ink can be further strengthened by simultaneously using a heating method.

Based on these functions, the roller 70°7
1, 80, and 81 must be made of metal, for example, and must be formed with a certain degree of finishing accuracy.Furthermore, the pressure of these rollers 70 and 71 on the right and 80 and 81 must be applied to smoothen and stabilize ink adhesion. It is preferable to set them separately from each other.

In the above example, the paper smoothing means and the ink adhesion stabilization "R omoni@l!+6'mKEE1.'a6-"
Although an example in which the plate 10 is formed using 10 rollers has been shown, as shown in FIG. The same effects as above can be expected. Further, in the configurations shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rollers 70 and 71
It is also conceivable to use an elastic roller with optimized tear strength for at least one of (80, 81) or the row 29, or to provide a function of waterproofing dirt from ink or the like in order to maintain performance.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the transfer type thermal recording device of the present invention, a paper smoothing means and an ink adhesion stabilizing means are provided before and after the recording section, and recording is performed after smoothing the recording paper, and furthermore, after the recording, Because the ink is firmly fixed before being ejected, it is possible to obtain a high-quality recorded image that is stable against external factors, and is therefore particularly effective on paper with poor smoothness. It has a great effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall diagram of a transfer-type thermal recording device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional device of this kind, and FIG. 3 is a main part of the device of the present invention shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the structure shown in FIG. 3. 1...Platen roller, 2...Thermal head, 3
... Supply roller, 4... Ink donor film (I
DF ), 5, -, take-up roller, 6 - recording paper, 7 -
...Paper smoothing roller, 8...Ink adhesion stabilizing roller, 70°71, 80, 81, 9...Roller,
lO... plate.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) While an ink donor film coated with heat-melting or heat-sublimable ink and recording paper are overlapped and conveyed, the ink is transferred to the recording paper by heat generation according to the image information of the thermal recording head. A transfer type thermal recording apparatus having a recording section that obtains a record by recording, is characterized in that the recording paper transport paths in front and behind the recording section are each equipped with means for gripping the recording paper with a predetermined pressure and passing it through. Transfer type thermal recording device. (2) The transfer type thermal recording apparatus according to claim (1), wherein each of the means comprises a pair of rollers rotatably pressed against each other. (3) Each of the means comprises a plate-like thin plate pressed against a rotatably arranged roller.
1) The transfer type thermal recording device as described in item 1).