JPS61160258A - Thermal transfer recording method and apparatus thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce running cost by using a base film even a number of times, by a method wherein the ink which is fused by heating is supplied onto the surface of base film travelling in an endless manner by a recording pattern and transferred to be recorded on a recording paper from the back of base film by using a thermal head. CONSTITUTION:The ink 21 of the recording pattern according to a recording signal is supplied onto the surface 16a of base film 16 travelling, in an endless belt manner, with a drive roll 17 from an ink impregnated material 20 by the heat energy of the first thermal head 18. Thereafter, the base film 16 is travelled and the ink 21 is moved to the position of the second thermal head 19. The recording paper 15 is let to meet this position. The ink 21a is fused by heating from the back 16b of base film 16 with the second thermal head 19 and transferred to be printed on the recording paper 15. Therefore, the base film 16 can be used even a number of times, the apparatus being simple and the running cost can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording method and apparatus for melting solid ink at room temperature using thermal energy used in printers, facsimile machines, etc., and transferring the ink to recording paper.

[Background of the invention]

Figures 2 to 4 show conventional examples, Figure 2 is a diagram of the principle of thermal transfer recording, Figure 3 is a plan view of a used thermal transfer film,
FIG. 4 is a principle diagram of another conventional example. In Figure 2, 1
is a thermal transfer film, in which a base film 2 is coated with a heat-melting ink 3, the ink 3 side of the thermal transfer film 1 is overlapped with a recording paper 4, and by heating from the base film 2 side with a thermal head 5, The ink 3α in the heated portion is melted, transferred to the recording paper 4, and recorded. At this time, a peeled portion 6 is generated in the portion of the thermal transfer film 1 where the ink 3α was present. Therefore II! l! 1 After use, as shown in FIG. 3, a peeled part 6 remains on the thermal transfer film 1, which is a trace of letters formed by transfer and peeling of the ink 3, and the film cannot be used.

As described above, since the thermal transfer film 1 is a disposable type that can be used only once, the cost of the thermal transfer film 1 is high, which is the biggest weakness of the thermal transfer recording method. Further, even in a heat transfer film that can be used repeatedly and was devised to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, the print density gradually becomes thinner with each repeated use, making it impossible to obtain high-quality prints. In order to eliminate these drawbacks and reduce the running cost of the thermal transfer method, 1.
Thermal transfer film that is disposable after just one use 1
Recycling methods have also been proposed to make it reusable. By providing an ink coating device, the thermal transfer film 1 that has been used once can be recycled so that it can be reused. This method will be explained below with reference to FIG. 4. The heater 8 heats the hot melt ink 3 in the ink tank 9.
The thermal transfer film 1 is guided into the ink tank 9 by moving in the direction of the arrow through the drive roller 10, and the melted ink 3 is transferred to the ink roll 11 and the opposing roll 12.
Thermal transfer film 10 is coated on the base film 2, and the character traces 7 are filled with ink 3 as seen on the left side of FIG. Recording is performed on the recording paper 4 by the thermal head 5. However, in the pouring method, it is necessary to keep the ink 3 melted, and therefore an ink tank 9 and a heater 8 are required, and a considerable amount of heat is required to melt the ink 3. This will result in a significant cost increase. Furthermore, after turning on the power of the printer, it is necessary to preheat and melt the ink 3, so that printing cannot be performed immediately and the printing speed decreases. Furthermore, it is necessary to remelt the ink 3 remaining on the base film 2 without being printed, which has various disadvantages such as being time consuming.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks,
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer method and apparatus that can reduce running costs, regardless of the method of recycling a thermal transfer film that involves applying ink to the entire surface of a base film.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the method of the present invention supplies ink, which is solid at room temperature and melts when heated, to the surface of an endlessly running base film in a recording pattern according to a recording signal. The recording pattern is transferred and recorded onto the recording paper from the back side of the base film using thermal energy using a thermal head, and the apparatus of the present invention includes an endless base film and a thermal head arranged opposite to each other with the base film in between. meltable ink-impregnated body,
a first thermal head that transfers the heat-melting ink as a recording pattern onto the base film; and a second thermal head that is disposed facing the recording paper while sandwiching the base film and that transfers the recording pattern on the base film onto the recording paper. This structure has a thermal head, which has the feature that running costs can be reduced without relying on the conventional method of laminating a thermal transfer film.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention. In the drawing, 14 is a platen roll, 15 is a recording paper, and 16 is a platen roll.
is a base film, 17 is a drive roll for driving the base film, 18 is a first thermal head for recording, 19 is a second thermal head for transfer, and 20 is an ink-impregnated body made of microporous material such as sponge. , the impregnated body 20 includes:
It is impregnated with heat-melting ink 21 that is solid at room temperature and melts when heated. The recording method is as follows.

That is, on the surface 16 (l) of the base film 16 running like an endless belt by the IIE moving roll 17, ink 21 with a recording pattern according to the recording signal is applied to the base film 16 from the ink-impregnated body 20 by the thermal energy of the first thermal head 18. After being supplied onto the surface of the film 16, the drive roll 17 runs the base film 16, and the ink 21
Move the recording paper 15 to the position of the second thermal head 19, align the recording paper 15 with this position, and place the back side 16 of the base film 16.
b) When heated by the second thermal head 19, the heated portion of the ink 21a is melted and the recording paper 1 is heated.
5 and printing is performed.

The recording method and apparatus of the present invention have the above-mentioned configuration,
Instead of using the conventional method of recycling thermal transfer film, only the ink 21 necessary for transfer recording is supplied to the base film 16 running in the form of an endless belt using the thermal energy of the first thermal head 18 for recording. Since the ink 21 supplied to the printer is transferred to the recording paper 15 by the second thermal head 19 for recording, the base film 16 can be used any number of times, and the running cost is reduced because the device is simple. can also be reduced.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, if the method and apparatus of the present invention fail,
Regardless of the method of recycling the thermal transfer film that applies ink to the entire surface of the base film, only the ink necessary for transfer recording is supplied to the base film by the thermal energy of the first thermal head for recording, and this ink is used for transfer recording. Since the image can be transferred onto the recording paper using the thermal energy of the second thermal head, the apparatus is simple, the base film can be used any number of times, and running costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a principle diagram of an apparatus for carrying out the method of the present invention, Figs. 2 and 3 show a conventional example, Fig. 2 is a principle diagram, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of a used thermal transfer film. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the principle of another conventional example. 15...We Recording paper, 16...Base film, 16α...Surface, 16b...
・Back side, 18.19...Thermal head, 20
...Ink immersion body, 21...Ink. ?

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Ink, which is solid at room temperature and melts when heated, is supplied to the surface of the base film that runs in an endless manner in a recording pattern according to the recording signal, and this recording pattern is applied from the back side of the base film using a thermal head. A thermal transfer recording method characterized by transferring and recording onto recording paper using thermal energy. (2) Ink that is solid at room temperature and melts when heated is supplied to the surface of the base film that runs in an endless manner in a recording pattern according to the recording signal, and this recording pattern is applied from the back side of the base film using a thermal head. In an apparatus for carrying out a thermal transfer recording method in which transfer recording is performed on a recording paper using thermal energy, an endless base film, a body impregnated with a heat-melt ink placed oppositely across the base film, and the heat-melt ink used as a recording pattern are used. A first thermal head that transfers onto the base film, and a second thermal head that is placed facing the recording paper while sandwiching the base film and that transfers the recording pattern on the base film onto the recording paper.
A thermal transfer recording device characterized by having a thermal head.