JPS61295060A - Color recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable miniaturization and the high speed recording of a color image without using a thermal head having a special shape, by passing recording paper on a thermal head so as to recirculate the same by the number of coloring times and successively adhering the solid ink of each color of an ink ribbon to the surface of the recording paper in a molten state. CONSTITUTION:A recording paper feed path 31 for guiding single recording paper 22 from a recording paper receiving part 20 to a line scanning type thermal head 12, a recording paper discharge path 32 for guiding the recording paper from the thermal head to the outside of the apparatus and a recording paper recirculation path 33 of which the inlet 33a is faced to the recording paper discharge path 32 and the outlet 33b is faced to the recording paper feed path 31 are formed. A flapper 52 is arranged to the meeting part of the recording paper discharge path and the recording paper recirculation path and, by driving said flapper to one side, the recording paper fed out from the thermal head is guided to the recording paper recirculation path to be again fed to the thermal head and this operation is repeated to successively adhere the solid ink of each color of an ink ribbon to the surface of the recording paper in a molten state and, by driving the flapper to the other side, the recording paper discharge path is opened to discharge the recording paper out of the apparatus.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a color recording device, and more particularly to a color recording device using a thermal transfer recording method.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Conventionally, there are inkjet recording methods, electrophotographic methods, electrostatic recording methods, and thermal transfer recording methods as means for recording color information. Among these, the inkjet recording method uses colored ink and ejects it from small diameter nozzles independent for each color according to the image signal to be recorded to adhere to the recording paper and record, but multi-nozzle technology There were problems in that the speed could not be increased because of the difficulty of the process, and the nozzle was easily clogged, resulting in poor reliability of the device. In contrast, in electrophotography, a photoconductor drum that has been uniformly charged in advance is scanned and exposed in a dark place with a light beam such as a laser beam modulated by an image signal to obtain an electrostatic latent image, and toner is selectively applied to this latent image. After being applied and developed, the process is transferred onto plain paper, and since the process is repeated for each color, the process is extremely complicated, and the disadvantage is that the apparatus is large and expensive.

Furthermore, the electrostatic recording method uses a multi-stylus head,
An electrostatic latent image is created in accordance with the image signal on the electrostatic recording paper that comes into contact with this, and development is performed in the same way as in electrophotography.
This process is repeated for each color, which is a complex process similar to that of electrophotography, making it difficult to miniaturize the device.

On the other hand, in the thermal transfer recording method, an ink ribbon, which has a heat-melting solid ink layer containing a coloring material on a base film such as paper or resin, is heated by a thermal head that is energized in accordance with an image signal. The ink layer is melted, brought into contact, and transferred onto plain recording paper, and as it does not require development or fixing, the process is simple and the device can be made smaller. To perform color recording using this method, as shown in FIG. Repeatedly scan the same recording paper. This is generally called a field-sequential recording system, and the method shown in FIG. 6 and the method shown in FIG. 7 are conventionally known for conveying the recording paper for this purpose. The method shown in Figure 6 is 1
For example, to record a cyan color, a platen roller 101 and a pinch roller 1 are connected to a stenciling motor (not shown).
The recording paper 104 is conveyed by a feed roller 103 that cooperates with the recording paper 102, and selectively energized according to the image signal of the thermal head 105, which is conveyed (not shown) and brings the recording paper 104 and the ink ribbon A into close contact with each other under pressure. by recording paper 1
1. When color recording is completed, the platen roller 101 and the thermal head 105 are separated by means not shown, and the feed roller 103 is rotated in the opposite direction so that the leading edge of the recording paper 104 is thermally sensitive. Return it until it reaches the vicinity of the head 105. During this time, the ink ribbon A is conveyed in the same direction as during recording until the next color to be recorded, for example magenta, reaches the recording position of the thermal head 105. Thereafter, the platen roller 101 and the thermal head 105 are brought into pressure contact, the recording paper 104 and the ink ribbon A are held between them, and magenta recording is started. Thereafter, by repeating these processes as many times as the number of color circles of the ink ribbon A to be recorded, that is, three or four times, a color image is finally obtained on the recording paper 105. This method has the advantage of being able to record hot color images in a sequential manner using a relatively simple mechanism, but it requires time to return the recording paper to each color, which is difficult for recording. This is a waste of time and therefore limits the recording speed, which is disadvantageous for high-speed recording. In addition, a space may be required to temporarily accommodate the recording paper that is reciprocated, which is a disadvantage for downsizing the apparatus. In the method shown in FIG. 7, a recording paper 202 is wound around a drum-shaped platen 201 connected to a nutenobbing motor (not shown), and the length of one color is approximately the length of the drum-shaped platen 2.
Thermal head 203 is pressed through the ink ribbon A, which has a circumference approximately equal to the circumference of 01, and the drum-shaped platen 201 is rotated once in the same direction for each color of recording.
3 to 4 of the drum-shaped platen 201.
The rotation completes the recording of a color image. The recording paper 202 on which recording has been completed is peeled off from the drum-shaped platen 201 and taken out. This method has the advantage of increasing speed because it can minimize the wasted time that is not directly involved in recording due to the reciprocation of the recording paper as in the method shown in FIG. 6 described above. However, it requires a complicated mechanism for winding and peeling the recording paper around a drum-shaped platen, the use of a specially shaped thermal head, and the time required to record one page regardless of the paper size. is constant, in other words, the disadvantage of this method is that it cannot take advantage of the advantage of being suitable for high speeds with short recording paper. In addition, the drum-shaped platen has a large diameter, which is disadvantageous for downsizing the device and requires a large rotational driving force.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION] An object of the present invention is to provide a color recording apparatus using a thermal transfer recording method that eliminates the drawbacks of the conventional apparatus described above and is capable of performing color image recording in a field-sequential manner at high speed.

Another object is to provide a small, inexpensive color recording device constructed without using a specially shaped thermal head.

Still another object is to provide a color recording apparatus that can always minimize wasted time not involved in recording, regardless of the size of the recording paper.

Yet another object is to provide a color recording device with a simple structure.

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, a recording paper feeding path that guides the single sheet recording paper from the recording paper storage section to the line scanning type thermal head, a recording paper ejection path that guides the recording paper from the thermal head to the outside of the apparatus, and an inlet for the recording paper ejection path are provided. A recording paper circulation path is formed with its exit facing the recording paper feeding path, and a flapper is disposed at the meeting point of the recording paper ejection path and the recording paper circulation path, and this flapper is placed on one side. By driving the ink ribbon, the recording paper sent out from the thermal head is guided to the recording paper circulation path and re-feeded to the thermal head, and this operation is repeated to melt and adhere the solid ink of each color of the ink ribbon to the recording paper one after the other. By driving the flapper in the other direction, the recording paper discharge path is opened and the recording paper is discharged from the apparatus, thereby achieving the above object.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a color facsimile receiving device as a recording device.

In this device, a recording unit 10 is located in the center of a housing 1, a recording paper storage unit 20 is located on the right side, and a paper ejection tray 2 integrally formed with the housing 1 is located in the upper part. . In this apparatus, a recording section 10, a recording paper storage section 2
A recording paper transport system 30 is arranged in a space surrounded by 0 and the paper discharge tray 2, an ink ribbon transport system 60 is arranged in a space below the recording section 10, and a control system 90 is arranged in a space below the recording paper storage section 20. It is located.

The recording unit 10 includes a platen roller 11 and a thermal head 12. The platen row 211 is a rubber roller having a metal shaft 11a at the center.
are supported by frames 3 and 4 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) of the housing 1, and are rotationally driven by a stenopung motor 13.

Further, the thermal head 12 has a predetermined density (for example, 16 heads,
/+m) and the number of minute heating resistors corresponding to the recording width (e.g. 216i+m equivalent to A4 size) (e.g. 345
6) - Arranged in a row and pulsed with electricity according to the image information to be recorded, the contacting ink ribbon is heated minutely locally, melting the solid ink layer and transferring it to the recording paper, making it visible. It has the function of forming an image, and is rotatably supported around a support shaft 14 fixed to the frames 3 and 4 of the housing 1, and is biased by a leaf spring 15 to create an image that is optimal for recording. Platen roller 1 to generate pressure
It is pressed to 1.

The recording paper storage section 20 has a paper feed cassette 21 loaded into the housing 1 . A plate 23 on which single sheet recording papers 22 are stacked is housed at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 21, and this plate 23 is urged upward by a spring 24.

The recording paper transport system 30 transports the recording paper 22 from the recording paper storage section 20 to the recording paper output tray 2 via the recording section 10. 10, a recording paper ejection path 32 that guides the recording paper 22 from the paper storage section 20 to the paper ejection tray 2, an entrance 33a facing the recording paper ejection path 32, and an exit 33b. facing the recording paper feeding path 31, and has a recording paper circulation path 33 formed entirely in a loop shape. A recording paper transport means 36 consisting of a feed roller 34 and a pinch roller 35 is disposed in the recording paper feed path 31 and the recording paper circulation path 33, and a recording paper ejection path 32
A recording paper conveying means 39 consisting of a feed roller 37 and a pinch roller 38 is also provided, and a feed roller 40 is further provided above the paper feed cassette 21 of the recording paper storage section 20.

The shaft 34a of the feed roller 34 of the conveying means 36 is connected to the stepping motor 13 that rotationally drives the platen roller 11.
The feed roller 34 is rotated together with the platen roller 11 by the stepping motor 13. In addition, the pinch roller 3 of the conveying means 36
5 is supported by the housing frames 3 and 4 so that the pinch roller 35 moves toward and away from the feed roller 34. One end of a spring 41 is in contact with the shaft 35a of the countersunk pinch roller 35, and the other end of the spring 41 is in contact with the shaft 35a of the countersunk pinch roller 35.
The plunger 42a of the electromagnetic solenoid 42 is in contact with it.

This electromagnetic solenoid 42 is excited and the plunger 42
By protruding a, the biasing force of the spring 41 is strengthened, and by demagnetizing the biasing force of the spring 41, the biasing force of the spring 41 is weakened. That is,
In this conveying means 36, the pressure contact force of the pinch roller 35 against the feed roller 34 is changed in two stages by the electromagnetic trenoid 42.

Further, a feed roller 40 disposed in the recording paper storage section 20
The shaft 40a is linked to a stepping motor 43, and the feed roller 40 is connected to the stepping motor 43.
Rotationally driven by 3.

The shaft 40a of the feed roller 40 is supported by the housing frames 3 and 4 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. moreover,
One end of a spring 44 is in contact with the shaft 40a of the feed roller 40, and an electromagnetic solenoid 45 is connected to the other end of the spring 44.
The plunger 45a is in contact with the plunger 45a. The electromagnetic solenoid 45 is energized to project the plunger 42a, thereby increasing the biasing force of the spring 44, and demagnetized to weaken the biasing force of the spring 44. That is, the feed roller 40
is pressed against the recording paper 22 in the paper feed cassette 21 by the biasing force of the spring 44, and the pressure contact force is changed in two stages by the electromagnetic solenoid 45.

Further, the recording paper conveyance system 30 includes a recording paper aligning means 46 in the recording paper feeding path 31 for adjusting the posture of the recording paper 22 and timing the feeding of the recording paper to the recording section 10. The recording paper aligning means 46 has a flapper 47 disposed on the downstream side and a recording paper detector 48 on the upstream side with the conveying means 36 disposed in the recording paper feeding path 31 interposed therebetween. flapper 4
7 is disposed near the feed roller 34 by a shaft 47a, is biased by a spring 49, and is positioned in a position that does not interfere with the advance of the recording paper 22, as shown by the solid line. Further, the plunger 50a of the electromagnetic solenoid 50 is locked to this flanno N647, and by energizing the electromagnetic solenoid, the flapper 47 is positioned within the recording paper feeding path 31 as shown by the broken line. . The recording paper detector 48 is provided with a light emitting element 48a and a light receiving element 48b with the recording paper feeding path 31 in between.

It is detected that the leading edge of the recording paper 22 has reached the space 48b, and the electromagnetic solenoid 50 is thereby excited. Note that this demagnetization of the electromagnetic solenoid 50 is performed based on a signal from a detector of the ink ribbon, which will be described later.

Furthermore, this recording paper conveyance system 30 includes a recording paper ejection path 3.
2 and the recording paper circulation path 33 are provided with a path switching means 51. This course switching means 51 has a flapper 52, and the flapper 52 is rotatably arranged around a shaft 52,a. This flapper 52 is biased by a spring 53 and is moved to the recording paper ejection path 3 as shown by a solid line.
2 and opens the entrance 33a of the recording paper circulation path 33. In addition, this flapper 52 has
The plunger 54a of the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is locked, and by energizing the electromagnetic solenoid 54, the flapper 52 opens the recording paper discharge path 32 and opens the inlet 33a of the recording paper circulation path 33, as shown by the broken line. Obstruction.

Further, the ink ribbon transport system 60 includes an ink ribbon 6
1, the platen roller 11 of the recording section 10 and the thermal head 1
It is conveyed through two spaces.

The ink ribbon 61 has a heat-melting solid ink layer containing a coloring material corresponding to the color to be recorded in a field sequential manner on a base film such as paper or resin, each having a length slightly longer than the maximum recording length. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the strips are painted in four colors with the addition of yellow, magenta, cyan, or black, and the width is equal to or equal to the width of the recording paper 22. Or slightly larger. This ink ribbon 61 is wound around a supply roll 62 and taken up by a take-up roll 63. And supply roll 6
2 and the take-up roll 63 are housed in a cassette case 64 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The supply roll 62 and take-up roll 63 in this cassette case 64 are connected to the housing frame 3, as shown in FIGS.
4 is loaded.

The housing frames 3 and 4 each have two shafts 65 and 66°67.
．． 68 are implanted, and reels 69,
70, 71, and 72 are loosely fitted.

Among these reels, the reel 69 on the housing frame 3 side
．． 70 has one or more protrusions 69a at its end.

70a, and the protrusions 69a, 70a are formed on the end surfaces of the supply roll 62 and the take-up roll 63.
a, 63a, thereby locking the supply roll 62 and take-up roll 63 to the reel 69.70. Also, the shaft 6 between the reels 69 and 70 and the housing frame 3
5.66, a joint member 73.74 is loosely fitted.

This joint member 73, 74 has disks 73a, 74a at one end, and friction plates 73b, 74b.
is attached. The joint members 73 and 74 are compressed coil springs 75 and 76 disposed between the joint members and the housing frame 3! Therefore, it is biased to the right in FIGS. 2 and 3, and friction play) 73b
, 74b, the reel 69°70 is brought into pressure contact with the supply roll 62 and the take-up roll 63. On the other hand, reel 7
1.72 is biased to the left in FIGS. 2 and 3 by a compression coil spring 77.78 disposed between the reel and the housing frame 4, and the reel 71.72 The end faces are pressed against the end faces of the supply roll 62 and the take-up roll 63. Furthermore, in such an ink ribbon holding means, a sprocket 79 is fixed to the joint member 74 on the take-up roll 63 side. And this sprocket 7
9 is connected to a sprocket (not shown) of the stepping motor 80 shown in FIG. 1 via a chain.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink ribbon 61 wound around the supply roll 62 and the take-up roll 63 is in contact with the guide bar 81, and is connected to the platen roller 11 and the thermal head 1.
2, and is arranged so as to be in contact with the guide bar 82.

Further, the ink ribbon transport system 60 includes an ink ribbon 6
An ink ribbon detector 83 is provided for detecting the position of one color. This ink ribbon detector 83 has a light emitting element 83a and a light receiving element 83b arranged with the ink ribbon 61 in between, and the ink ribbon 83b is disposed between these elements 83a and 83b.
The system detects when the leading edge of each color divided into 1 reaches, and uses that signal to demagnetize the electromagnetic solenoid 50 of the recording paper aligning means 46 in the recording paper transport system 30 described above.

Further, the control system 90 described above, as shown in FIG.
Equipped with an electronic circuit and a power supply circuit to operate the recording device, it controls the connection to a color facsimile transmitter placed in a remote location via a transmission line according to a prescribed procedure, and inputs facsimile signals. Line control section 91
A modem 92 for detecting and demodulating the facsimile signal to obtain coded data, and a microprocessor for controlling the entire apparatus including the operation panel based on the coded data.

a system control unit 93 centered on the code data, a decoding unit 94 that restores an image signal to be recorded according to a predetermined method procedure from code data, and a color conversion circuit 95 that converts the image signal into recording signals for each color. A page memory 96 that temporarily stores the recording signals for each color described above for sequential recording, and recording control that includes, for example, density pattern conversion for gradation recording and control of the energizing pulse width to the heating resistor of the thermal head. Section 97,
It also includes a mechanism control section 98 that controls motors, solenoids, various detectors, etc., and a power source 99 that supplies various voltages and currents necessary for the operation of electronic circuits, thermal heads, motors, solenoids, etc.

The operation of the color facsimile receiving apparatus described above will be explained below.

First, a facsimile signal containing color information is received from a JY Schiller facsimile transmitting device located at a remote location through a transmission line, and is received via a line control section 91 of the electronic circuit having the block configuration shown in FIG. , decoding section 94
The color conversion circuit 95 demodulates and decodes the cyan,
Image signals separated into colors such as magenta and yellow are stored in a page memory 96. The mechanism control unit 98 functions based on a control signal from the system control unit 93 and the motor 43 starts rotating, and the feed roller 40 connected to the motor 43
rotates to take out one of the top layers of the recording paper 22 stacked heavily in the paper feed cassette 21 by utilizing the difference in the coefficient of friction between the recording paper/rubber feed roller and the recording paper.
It is guided to the recording paper feeding path 31. When the leading edge of the recording paper 22 is detected by the recording paper detector 48, the flapper 47 is closed via the mechanism control unit 98 as shown by the broken line in the figure, and the stepping motor 13 and the motor 8 are
0 at a predetermined speed. The recording paper 22 is then bitten into and fed by the feed roller 34 and the pinch roller 35, but as monitored by the system control unit 93, just before it reaches the flapper 47 whose tip is closed, the recording paper 22 is again bitten by the mechanism control unit 98.
energizes the electromagnetic solenoid 42 through the pinch roller 3.
5 to the feed roller 34 is weakened. at the same time,
Similarly, by energizing the electromagnetic solenoid 45, the feed roller 40 is also lifted upward. Thus, recording paper 2
The feed roller 2 is fed by the weak frictional force between the still rotating feed rollers 34 and 40, and soon its tip hits the flapper 47 and stops. Feed roller 3 acts on the recording paper 22 whose feeding has been stopped.
Since the frictional force between the recording paper 22 and the feed roller 40 is weak, slip occurs at the contact portion, and the recording paper 22 does not buckle. On the other hand, the platen roller 11 is driven by a stepping motor 13.
Since it is connected to the feed roller 34, it rotates at the same circumferential speed, and as mentioned above, for example, yellow, magenta,
The thermal head 12 has an ink ribbon 61 painted in each color of cyan urged upward in the figure by a leaf spring 15.
It is fed by holding it between the two.

At this time, the winding roll 6 connected to the rotating motor 80
3 rotates while slipping at a friction joint 74. Also,
Since the supply roll 62 is similarly braked by a friction joint 73, the ink ribbon 61 is fed at a speed equal to the circumferential speed of the platen roller 11 while maintaining a predetermined tension. Then, the ink ribbon detector 83 detects the leading edge of the first color of the ink ribbon to be printed, for example, the beginning of yellow, using a field sequential method. This detection signal is the system control 9
3 and starts timing. After a predetermined period of time has elapsed while continuing to feed the ink ribbon 61, the system control section 93 issues a control signal to the recording paper aligning means 4 via the mechanism control section 98.
The electromagnetic solenoid 50 of No. 6 is demagnetized to open the flapper 47, and the electromagnetic solenoid 42 of the recording paper conveying means 36 is also demagnetized to force the pinch roller 35 into strong pressure contact with the feed roller 34.

Therefore, the recording paper 22, which had been stopped with its leading edge abutted against the flapper 47, starts feeding again. Then, the leading edge of the recording paper 22 is attached to the rotating platen roller 11.
and the ink ribbon 61 that is being fed. The predetermined time period mentioned above is determined so that the leading edge of the recording paper 22 and the beginning of the yellow color of the ink ribbon 61 coincide and overlap. In this way, the recording paper 2 overlapped in agreement.
Under the control of the system control unit 93, the page memory 96ζ is stored from the point where the tip of the ink ribbon 2 and the beginning of the yellow color of the ink ribbon 61 are directly above or slightly beyond the heating resistor row of the thermal head 12. From the image signals separated into three or four colors, an image signal corresponding to yellow is first read out and sent to the thermal head 12. Then, a driver mounted on the thermal head 12 heats a heating resistor to melt the yellow solid ink layer of the ink ribbon 61 and transfer it to the recording paper 22 that is pressed against it to record a yellow image. The recording paper 22 and the ink ribbon 61 are fed by the platen roller 11 while recording is performed sequentially at each scanning pitch as described above so that they are in close contact with each other and no misalignment occurs. After recording, the recording paper 22 and the ink ribbon 61, which remain in close contact with each other, are fed as they are and reach the guide bar 82. At this point, the ink ribbon 61 is suddenly rotated, but the recording paper 22 tries to move straight due to its rigidity and peels off from the ink ribbon 61. The peeled recording paper 22 is
The flapper 52 (guided by the flapper 52 enters the upper side in the figure, that is, the recording paper circulation path 33. As the yellow recording progresses, the recording paper 22 is pinched by the feed roller 34, which rotates in synchronization with the platen roller 11 at an equal circumferential speed. The recording paper conveying means 36 consisting of rollers 35 sends the recording paper through the recording paper circulation path 33. When the leading edge of the recording paper 22 is detected by the recording paper detector 48, the previously mentioned unrecorded recording paper is fed. As in the case, the flapper 47 is closed and the electromagnetic solenoid 42 is energized to weaken the pressing force of the pinch row 235 against the feed roller 34. From now on, the recording paper 22
is fed by the weak frictional force of the feed roller, and stops when its tip hits the flapper 47. Note that when the pinch roller separates, recording of yellow color has been completed, and the rear end of the recording paper 22 has sufficiently escaped from the platen roller 11.

On the other hand, the ink ribbon 61 is still being fed, and when the ink ribbon detector 83 detects the starting edge of the next recording color, for example, magenta, the electromagnetic solenoid 50 of the recording paper aligning means 46 is demagnetized by the signal, and the flapper 47 is demagnetized. At the same time, each electromagnetic solenoid 42 of the recording paper conveying means 36 is also demagnetized, all the pinch rollers 35 are strongly pressed against the feed roller 34, and feeding of the recording paper 22 is restarted.

Then, when the leading edge of the recording paper reaches the heating resistor array of the thermal head 12, magenta recording is started in the same way as yellow recording. Thereafter, magenta and then cyan are recorded in the same process as yellow.

When recording of the last color, for example, cyan, is started by the heat-sensitive head 12, the electromagnetic solenoid 54 of the path switching means 51 is energized based on the recording start signal, thereby moving the flapper 52 to the position shown by the broken line in the figure. It works like that.

Further, the feed roller 37 starts rotating by a motor (not shown).

However, the recording paper 22 on which recording of all colors has been completed is fed while being in close contact with the ink ribbon 61. As described in the case of yellow color recording, since the ink ribbon 61 is rapidly rotated by the idle bar 82, the recording paper 2
2 is peeled off, but the peeled leading edge of the recording paper enters the recording paper ejection path 32 by the flapper 52 which has been moved to the position shown by the broken line in the figure.

Thereafter, the recording paper 22 is fed through the recording paper discharge path 32 by the cooperation of the feed roller 37 and the pinch roller 38, and is discharged and placed on the tray 2-F. Further, the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is demagnetized after being energized for a certain period of time, that is, after a time sufficient for the rear end of the recording paper 22 to pass through the flapper 52 . Therefore, flapper 5
2 is returned to its original state by the biasing force of the spring 53.

Incidentally, after a predetermined period of time has passed after the last color recording is completed, that is, when the rear end of the recording paper 22 passes the flapper 52, the stepping motor 13 and the motor 80 stop rotating based on the command from the system control unit 93, and the platen row h・11,
The rotation of the feed roller 34 also stops, and the feeding of the ink ribbon 61 also stops. On the other hand, when the recording paper 22 on which color recording has been completed is discharged onto the tray 2, the motor (not shown) also stops rotating, and therefore the rotation of the feed roller 37 also stops.

With the above steps, the receiving and recording operation for one letter in color facsimile communication is completed.

Although I did not explain the details of color recording, color reproduction in thermal transfer recording is performed by subtractive color mixing, and when using the three colors yellow, magenta, and cyan as the colors of the solid ink layer of the ink ribbon, In addition to white, eight colors can be reproduced and recorded.

Furthermore, if gradation recording is performed using a pseudo-halftone recording method such as the density pattern method, a large number of colors can be reproduced even with the three-color ink ribbon, and the color recording apparatus described in detail of the present invention can reproduce this. can be preferably applied to any of the above-mentioned color reproduction recordings.

In addition, in the course switching means 51 of the above embodiment, the flapper 5
2 is biased by a spring 53 in the direction of closing the recording paper ejection path 32, and the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is energized to open the recording paper ejection path 32. The recording paper circulation path 33 may be opened by applying a force in a direction to close the path 33 and energizing an electromagnetic solenoid.

Further, in the above embodiment, the operation of the flapper 52, that is, the excitation of the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is performed when the last color is recorded on the thermal head 1.
24, the flapper 52 is operated based on the recording start signal when the last color recording is started, after the trailing edge of the recording paper 22 enters the recording paper circulation path 33#. It is sufficient that the excitation signal of the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is generated before the leading edge of the recording paper 22 passes through the thermal head 12 and reaches the flapper 52. Therefore, the excitation signal of the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is not controlled by other signals, such as the signal of the ink ribbon detector 83, or the recording paper circulation path. It may also be a signal from a recording paper detector disposed at 33. Further, although the electromagnetic solenoid 54 is demagnetized in a timed manner, a demagnetization signal may be obtained from a recording paper detector disposed in the recording paper discharge path 32.

Note that the recording paper conveying means 36°39 shown in the above embodiment,
The mechanisms of the recording paper aligning means 46 are merely examples, and it goes without saying that similar effects can be achieved with other mechanisms. In addition, each controlled element in the above embodiment, for example, the stepping motors 13 and 80
, 43, electromagnetic solenoids 42, 45, 50, etc., are not limited to the above embodiments.

In the above embodiment, a facsimile machine has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to other recording devices, such as printers.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above in detail, according to the present invention, recording paper is fed to the recording section along the recording paper circulation path for each recording of one color in the field sequential color recording system. This has the advantage that the wasted time required for reciprocating the recording paper can be minimized, and color recording can therefore be performed at high speed.

In addition, since recording is performed using a small diameter platen roller,
Similarly, there is no need for a specially shaped thermal head unlike the conventional drum platen method that circulates the recording paper, and the recording paper can be wound around a drum-shaped platen.
A complicated mechanism for peeling is no longer required, making the device more compact and
It has the advantage of being inexpensive to configure.

Furthermore, since the path switching means is constituted by a flapper and its driving means, the structure is simple and the operation is reliable.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view conceptually showing a color recording device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a structure for holding an ink ribbon supply roll, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing an ink ribbon take-up roll. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control system of the color recording device according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 shows a part of a conventional color recording ink ribbon. The plan view, FIGS. 6 and 7 are conceptual diagrams showing a conventional color recording system. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Device housing, 2...Paper output tray, 10...Recording section, 11...Platen roller, 12.Line scanning type thermal head, 13...Stepping motor, 20...Recording paper storage section , 22... Single sheet recording paper, 30... Recording paper transport system, 31... Recording paper feeding path, 32... Recording paper ejection path.
33... Recording paper circulation path, 33a... Entrance, 331)
. . . Exit, 36. 39 . . . Recording paper conveyance means, 51.
- Route switching means, 52... Flapper, 53... Spring, 54... Electromagnetic solenoid, 54a... Plunger, 60... Ink ribbon transport system, 61... Ink ribbon, 62... Supply Roll, 63... Winding roll, 80... Motor, 90... Control system.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) a line-scanning thermal head, a single sheet of recording paper, a recording paper storage section for stacking and accommodating the recording paper, and a recording paper feeding path for guiding the recording paper in the recording paper storage section to the thermal head; a recording paper ejection path for guiding the recording paper from the thermal head to the outside of the apparatus; an entrance facing the recording paper ejection path; an exit facing the recording paper feeding path; a recording paper circulation path for circulatingly guiding the recording paper to the recording paper feeding path; a path switching means disposed at the entrance of the recording paper circulation path for selectively guiding the recording paper to the recording paper circulation path; A recording paper transport means for transporting recording paper through a paper feed path, the recording paper circulation path, and the recording paper ejection path; a color ink ribbon formed by applying solid ink layers of a plurality of colors in strips; and the ink. and an ink ribbon conveyance means for conveying the ribbon,
The recording paper fed from the recording paper storage section is circulated and passed over the thermal head the number of times it is colored, and the solid ink of each color of the ink ribbon is melted and adhered to the recording paper one after the other, and the recording paper is discharged from the apparatus. In the color recording apparatus, the path switching means includes a flapper and a driving means for the flapper, and the flapper is configured to move the flapper so that the trailing edge of the recording paper is It is characterized in that it is operated to close the entrance of the recording paper circulation path after the recording paper enters the recording paper circulation path and before the leading edge of the recording paper passes through the thermal head and reaches the flapper. Color recording device. (2) The means for driving the flapper includes a spring that biases the flapper in one direction, and an electromagnetic solenoid that is energized and moves the flapper in the other direction against the biasing force of the spring. Characteristic Claim No. 1
) The color recording device described in item 2. (3) The flapper closes the recording paper circulation path by the biasing force of the spring, and is opened by exciting the electromagnetic solenoid. color recording device. (4) The flapper opens the recording paper circulation path by the urging force of the spring, and closes by energizing the electromagnetic solenoid. color recording device.