JPS62179954A - Color recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the recording of a color image due to face sequence at a high speed and to constitute the titled apparatus inexpensively in a small size, by a method wherein recording paper is fed through a recording paper recirculation passage, a recording paper supply passage and a recording paper delivery passage to be passed on a thermal head a number of times corresponding to the number of coloring times in a circulatory manner and each solid color ink of an ink ribbon is melted in face sequence by said thermal head to be adhered to the recording paper and, further, the position of the recording paper is corrected by the recording position correcting means arranged to the recording paper recirculation passage. CONSTITUTION:An ink ribbon sensor 72 detects the start part of the leading end of the color of an ink ribbon 51 to be recorded at first according to a face sequence system. Among the image signals separated into three or four colors accumulated in a page memory 86, the image signal corresponding to a yellow color is read at first under the control of a system control part 83 to be sent to a thermal head 12 and a heat generating resistor is heated by the driver mounted to the thermal head 12 to melt the yellow color solid ink layer of the ink ribbon 51 and yellow ink is transferred to the recording paper 7 contacted with the ink ribbon under pressure to perform the recording of a yellow image. A recording paper feed system 20 is constituted by mounting a recording paper position correcting means 38 correcting the skew generated in the recording paper 7 in a recording paper recirculation passage 21.

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 that is ejected from small diameter nozzles independent for each color according to the image signal to be recorded, and is attached to the recording paper for recording. Not only is it difficult to increase the speed, but the nozzle is easily clogged, and the reliability of the device is poor. 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. After toner is applied and developed, it is transferred to plain paper, and the process is extremely complicated because the process is repeated for each color, and! The drawback is that the device is also large and expensive. Furthermore, the electrostatic recording method uses a multi-squillous head to create an electrostatic latent image in accordance with an image signal on six sheets of electrostatic recording paper that come into contact with it, producing a phenomenon similar to that in the electrophotographic method ( -This process is repeated for each color, which is a complex process similar to that of electrophotography, making it difficult to miniaturize the device.

- The thermal transfer recording method heats an ink ribbon, which has a heat-melting solid ink layer containing a coloring material on a base film such as paper or resin, using a thermal head that is energized in response to an image signal. The ink layer is melted, brought into contact, and transferred onto plain recording paper, and does not require development or fixing, so the process is simple and the device can be made smaller.

To perform color recording using this method, as shown in FIG.
is used to repeatedly scan the same recording paper for each color. This is generally called a field-sequential recording method, and the methods shown in FIG. 8 and the method shown in FIG. 9 are conventionally known for conveying the recording paper for this purpose. In the method shown in FIG. 8, for the distribution of one color (for example, cyan), the recording paper 104 is conveyed by a platen roller 101 connected to a stepping motor (not shown) and a feed roller 103 that cooperates with a pinch roller 102. While conveying the ink ribbon A at the same speed as the recording paper 104 by a conveying device that does not operate, the thermal head 105 cooperates with the platen roller 101 to bring the recording paper 104 and the ink ribbon A into close contact and pressure. A color image is obtained on the recording paper 104 by selective energization, and when recording of one color is completed, the platen roller 101 and the thermal head 105 are separated by non-disclosed means, and the feed roller 103 is rotated in the reverse direction. and return the recording paper 104 until the tip p; Convey in the same direction.

Thereafter, the platen roller 101 and the thermal head 105 are brought into pressure contact, and the recording paper 104 and the ink ribbon An are held together to start magenta recording. By repeating these processes as many times as the number of colors 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 color images sequentially using a relatively simple mechanism, but it requires time to return the recording paper for each color, which is a waste of time for recording. There is a problem in that the recording speed is limited and 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. 9, a recording paper 202 is wound around a drum-shaped platen 201 connected to a stepping motor (not shown), and an ink ribbon A whose length for one color is approximately equal to the length of the drum-shaped platen 201 is transferred to a heat-sensitive plate. 203, the drum-shaped platen 201 rotates once in the same direction for each color of recording, and at the same time, the ink ribbon A is conveyed at the same speed by a drive device (not shown) to perform color distribution. Recording of color image 1'S1 is completed by 3 to 4 rotations of 201. The recording paper 202 on which recording has been completed is peeled off from the drum-shaped platen 201 and taken out. According to this method, unlike the method shown in FIG. 8 described above, wasted time not directly involved in recording due to the reciprocating of the recording paper can be minimized, so it has the advantage of increasing speed. However, it requires a complicated mechanism for winding the recording paper around a drum-shaped platen and peeling it off, it requires the use of a specially shaped thermal head, and it is difficult to record one page regardless of the paper size. The time required for recording is constant, and in other words, the disadvantage of this method is that it cannot take advantage of the advantage of being suitable for high speed when using short recording paper. Further, since the drum re-platen has a large diameter, it is difficult to miniaturize the device, and there are also drawbacks such as the need for a large rotational driving force.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a color recording apparatus using a heat-sensitive transfer recording method, which eliminates the drawbacks of the conventional apparatus and is capable of recording a color image at high speed in one plane.

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 image recording apparatus that can always minimize wasted time not involved in recording, regardless of the size of recording paper.

Yet another object is to provide a color recording device that can produce high quality color recordings.

[Summary of the invention]

Therefore, in the present invention, a recording paper circulation path having an inlet facing the recording paper discharge side of the thermal head and an outlet facing the recording paper supply side of the thermal head, and a recording paper circulation path for transporting single-sheet recording paper from the recording paper storage section to the recording paper storage section are provided. A recording paper supply path that guides the recording paper to the circulation path and a recording paper discharge path that guides the recording paper from the recording paper circulation path to the outside of the apparatus are formed, and a recording paper position correction means is disposed in the recording paper circulation path, The recording paper is conveyed through each path and circulated over a thermal head for the number of times it is colored.The thermal head melts and adheres the solid ink of each color of the ink ribbon to the recording paper surface sequentially, and then the recording paper is printed. The above object is achieved by correcting the position of the recording paper by means of a recording paper position correction means in the paper circulation path.

[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 paper output tray 2 is integrally formed in the upper part of the housing 1, a recording paper storage section 5 is arranged directly below the paper output tray 2, and a recording section 10 is arranged on the left side of the housing 1. It has been placed. In this apparatus, a recording paper transport system 20 is arranged in the center, an ink ribbon transport system 50 is arranged on the left side of the recording section 10, and a control system 80 is arranged in a space below the recording paper transport system 20. ing.

The recording paper storage section 5 has a paper feed cassette 6 loaded into the housing 1. A plate 8 on which single sheet recording papers 7 are stacked is housed at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 6, and this plate 8 is urged upward by a spring 9.

iFa section 1 upper platen roller 11 and thermal head 12
It is composed of. The platen roller 11 is a rubber roller having a metal shaft 11a at the center.
a is supported by a frame 3.4 (see FIG. 4.5) of the housing 1, and is rotationally driven by a stepping motor 13. Further, the thermal head 12 is configured to move minute heating resistors at a predetermined density (for example, 16 pieces/rrm) over a recording width (for example, A4
By arranging them in a row (e.g., 3456 pieces) corresponding to the size of the ink ribbon (6 mm), and applying pulse current to the ink ribbon according to the image information to be recorded, the temperature of the ink ribbon in contact with the ink ribbon is raised minutely locally. , which has the function of melting a solid ink layer and transferring it to recording paper to form a visible image, is rotatably supported around a support shaft 14 fixed to the frames 3 and 4 of the housing 1. The printing plate spring 15 presses the printing plate against the platen roller 11 so as to generate the optimum pressure for recording.

The recording paper transport system 20 transports the recording paper 7 from the recording paper storage section 5 through the recording section 10 to the paper discharge tray 2, and has an entrance 21a facing the recording paper discharge side of the thermal head 12. The recording paper circulation path 21 is formed entirely in a loop shape, with the river mouth 21b facing the recording paper supply side of the thermal head 12.
a recording paper supply path 22 that guides the recording paper 7 in the recording paper storage section 5 to the recording paper circulation path 21;
A recording paper transport means 26, 26', which is a recording paper discharge path 23 that guides the recording paper from the recording paper supply path 2 to the recording paper supply path 2, is provided.
2, a recording paper conveying means 29 consisting of a feed roller 27 and a pinch roller 28 is disposed. Further, a recording paper conveying means 32 consisting of a feed roller 30 and a pinch roller 31 is also arranged in the recording paper ejection path 23.
Further, a feed roller 33 is disposed above the paper feed cassette 6 of the recording paper storage section 5.

The shafts 24a, 24'a of the feed rollers 24°24' of the conveyance means 26.26' are connected to the stepping motor 34.
is linked to. On the other hand, the shaft 25a of the pinch rollers 25, 25' of the conveying means 26°26'.

25'a is supported by the housing frames 3, 4 such that the pinch rollers 25, 25' move toward and away from the feed rollers 24, 24'. Furthermore, pinch roller 25,
One end of a spring 35, 35' is in contact with the shafts 25a, 25'a of 25', and the biasing force of the spring 35°35' causes the pinch rollers 25, 25' to be moved to the feed roller 24.2.
4' and press it 1~.

In addition, the shafts 25cl, 25' of the pinch rollers 25, 25'
aL is the plunger 3 of the electromagnetic solenoid 36, 36'.
6a.

36'a is engaged. This electromagnetic solenoid 36°3
6' is excited and draws the plungers 36a and 36'a, and the pinch roller 2 resists the biasing force of the springs 35 and 35'.
5 and 25' are separated from the feed rollers 24 and 24'.

Of the conveying means 26 and 26', the conveying means 26' also serves as a recording paper skew mechanism of a recording paper position correction means 38, which will be described later, and includes a feed roller 24' and a pinch roller 26.
5' is formed into a tapered shape.

One-way clutches 27b and 33b are disposed on the shaft 27a of the feed roller 27 and the shaft 33a of the feed roller 33 of the conveying means 29, respectively.

33b has a different operating direction. Each feed roller 27.33 has a one-way clutch 27b, 33b.
It is linked to a stepping motor 34 via. The feed roller 27 is driven when the stepping motor 34 rotates in the forward direction and the one-way clutch 27b is locked, and the feed roller 33 is driven when the stepping motor 34 rotates in the reverse direction and the one-way clutch 33b is locked. It is driven by Note that the recording paper conveyance system stage 29 is used as an aligning roller, and a paper feed sensor 37 for detecting the front and rear ends of the recording paper 7 is disposed in front of the recording paper conveyance means 29. It is set up.

Furthermore, this recording paper conveyance system 20 includes a recording paper circulation path 21
The recording paper position correcting means 38 is provided with a recording paper position correcting means 38 for correcting the skew occurring in the recording paper 7. One plate 39 is stacked and the other is shown in Fig. 2 and @
The drive machine s40 of the play i-39 shown in Figure 3, the tapered)7C-troller 24', and the pinch roller 25'
It consists of a recording paper skew feeding mechanism equipped with a recording paper skew feeding mechanism. The plate 39 is equipped with thrust bearings 39a at the upper and lower ends.
This thrust bearing 39a is mounted above or below the recording paper circulation path 21 in the width direction of the recording paper circulation path 21.
The rod 41 is fitted into the rod 41. Then, the plate 39 is guided by the rod 41 and moved within the notch 21a formed in the recording paper circulation path 21. The passive mechanism 40 of the plate 39 includes a rack 42 disposed on the plate 39, a pinion 43 meshed with the rack 42, and a stepping motor 44 that rotationally drives the 5/R pinion 43. ing. By driving the nutepping motor 44, the pinion 43 is rotated, thereby moving the rack 42 to the left in FIG. 39 and push the recording paper 7 to the left.

Further, a color misregistration prevention sensor 48 for detecting the leading edge of the recording paper 7 is disposed at the exit of the recording paper circulation path 21, and the sensor detects the leading edge of the recording paper 7 immediately before recording. Based on this signal, an ink ribbon, which will be described later, is activated to prevent color misregistration during overlapping recording.

Furthermore, this recording paper conveyance system 20 includes a recording paper ejection path 2.
A path switching means 45 is provided at the entrance of No. 3, that is, at the meeting point of the recording paper circulation path 21 and the recording paper discharge path 23. This course switching means 45 has a flapper 46, and the cough flapper 46 is rotatably arranged by the east ++462~・4)
. This flapper 46 is biased by a spring 47,
As shown by the solid line, it is positioned so as to close the recording paper ejection path 23 and open the recording paper circulation path 21. The flapper 46 also includes a plunger 4 of an electromagnetic solenoid 48.
88 is locked, and this flapper 46 opens the recording paper ejection path 23 and closes the recording paper circulation path 21, as shown by the broken line, by exciting the lillenoid 48.

Further, the ink ribbon transport system 50 includes an ink ribbon 5
1, the platen roller 11 of the recording section 10 and the thermal head 1
It is conveyed through two spaces.

The ink ribbon 51 applies a heat-melting solid ink layer containing a coloring material corresponding to the color to be recorded on a base film such as paper or wood in a sequential manner to a length slightly longer than the maximum recording length. The strip is divided into strips of three colors, for example, yellow, magenta, cyan, or black as shown in Figure 7, and its width is equal to or equal to the width of the recording paper i. Or slightly larger. This ink ribbon 51 is wound around a supply roll 52 and taken up by a take-up roll 53. Then, the supply roll 52
The take-up roll 53 is housed in a cassette case 54 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Supply roll 52 and take-up roll 53Fi in this cassette case 54
, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the housing frame 3.
4 is loaded.

The housing frames 3 and 4 each have two shafts 55°56.57.
, 58 are implanted, and reels 59, 58 are installed on their shafts.
60, 61, and 62 are loosely fitted. Among these reels, the reels 59 and 60 on the side of the housing frame 3 are provided with one or more protrusions 59a, 60a at their ends.

60a is fitted into the grooves 52a and 53a formed on the end faces of the supply roll 52 and the take-up roll 53, thereby connecting the supply roll 52 and the take-up roll 53 to the reel 59.60.
to be locked. In addition, reel 59.60 and housing frame 3
1tjl155, 56 between the joint member 63.6
4 is loosely fitted. This joint member 63, 64 is provided with circles &63a, 64a at the ends, and a friction plate 63b on the disc.

64b is attached. And this joint member 63°6
4 is achieved by compression coil springs 65 and 66 disposed between the joint member and the housing frame 3.
Forced to the right in the figure (friction brake) 63
b, 64b to supply reel 59.60 to roll 52
and is brought into pressure contact with the winding roll 53. On the other hand, the reels 61.62 are urged to the left in FIGS. 4 and 5 by compression coil springs 67.68 disposed between the reels and the housing frame 4. The end face of 62 is pressed against the end faces of supply roll 52 and take-up roll 53. Further, in such an ink ribbon holding means, a sprocket 69 is fixed to the joint member 64 on the take-up roll 53 side.

This sprocket 69 is linked to a sprocket (not shown) of the stepping motor 130 shown in FIG. 1 via a chain.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ink ribbon 51 wound around the supply roll 52 and the take-up roll 53 is in contact with the guide bar 70, 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 71.

Further, the ink ribbon transport system 50 includes an ink ribbon 5
An ink ribbon detector 72 is provided for detecting one color position. This ink ribbon detector 72 has a light emitting element 72a and a light receiving element 72b arranged between the ink ribbon 51, and the ink ribbon 51 is disposed between these elements 72a and 72b.
It detects when the tip of each color divided into 1 has reached, and stops the stepping motor 13 based on the signal.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the above-mentioned single and double system 80 is equipped with an electronic circuit and a power supply circuit for operating the recording device, and is connected to a remote location via a transmission line. a circuit control unit 81 that controls the connection with the color facsimile transmitter according to a predetermined procedure and inputs facsimile signals; a modem 82 that detects and demodulates the facsimile number 116 to obtain code data; and a 1γ code. A system control unit 83 centered on a microprocessor that controls the entire device including the operation panel based on the data, and a decoding unit 84 that restores the image signal to be recorded from the encoded data in a predetermined order. , a color conversion circuit 85 that converts an image signal into a recording signal for each color, a page memory 86 that temporarily stores recording signal sounds for each color described above for sequential recording of planes, and a UK pattern for recording, for example, gradation. A recording control unit 87 that controls the energizing pulse width to the heating resistor of the heat-sensitive head and the filL, a mechanism control unit 88 that controls the motor, solenoid, various detectors, etc., and electronic circuits, the heat-sensitive head, the motor, and the solenoid. It is comprised of a power supply 89 that supplies the various voltages and currents necessary for these operations.

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

First, a facsimile signal containing color information is sent from a color facsimile transmitter located at a remote location via a transmission line.
Of the electronic circuit having the block configuration shown in FIG. 6, it is received via the line control section 81, demodulated and decoded by the modem 82, decoding section 84 and color conversion circuit 85, and separated into colors such as cyan, magenta, and yellow. The resulting image signal is stored in the page memory 86.

Mechanism control unit 8 based on control signals from system control unit 83
8 functions, the motor 34 starts rotating in the direction of the arrow A, and the feed roller 33 connected to the motor 34 via the one-way clamper 33b rotates to remove the recording paper 7 stacked in the paper feed cassette 6. One sheet of the uppermost layer is compared by using the difference in the friction coefficient between the recording paper/rubber feed roller and the recording paper, and the recording paper 4 is placed on the lying feed path 22. When the leading edge of the recording paper 7 is detected by the paper feed sensor 37, a counter in the mechanism control unit 88 starts counting based on the detection, and after a certain period of time has elapsed, the rotation of the Tanabata 34 is stopped and the feed roller 33 is stopped. Stops the recording paper feeding operation. During this time, the leading edge of the recording paper 7 hits the aligning cloth (recording paper conveying means) 29, and the posture of the recording paper 7 is adjusted.

Next, in order to rotate the motor 34 in the direction opposite to the arrow 11A, the aligning roller 29 connected to the motor 34 via the one-way clamp 27b is rotated. Therefore, the recording paper 7& is fed to the recording paper circulation path 21 via the recording paper supply path 22 by the aligning roller 29 (
Further, the recording paper is transported toward the thermal head 12 by the recording paper transport means 26 . When the paper feed sensor 37 detects the trailing edge of the recording paper 7, a counter in the mechanism control unit 88 starts counting, and after a certain period of time has passed, the rotation of the stellar motor 34 is stopped and the aligning roller 29 and The rotation of the feed roller 24 is stopped and the recording paper 7 is stopped. At this time, the leading edge of the recording paper 7 is slightly in front of the color blur prevention sensor 48, and the trailing edge of the recording paper 7 is
It has already passed through the aligning roller 29.

Next, by the action of the mechanism control section 88, the electromagnetic solenoid 3
6, the pinch roller 25 is separated from the feed roller 24, and at the same time, the stepping motor 4
4 to move the plate 39 into the recording paper circulation path 21 and move the recording paper 7 to a specified position. continue,
The electromagnetic solenoid 3 is separated from the pinch roller 25.
6 is demagnetized and the pinch roller 25 is reset. Next, the feed roller 24 is rotated to transport the recording paper 7 again.

On the other hand, the platen roller 11 is rotated by the biasing force of the stepping motor 13, and as described above, for example, the thermal head is biased by the leaf spring 15 to the ink ribbon 51 colored in yellow, magenta, and cyan. 12 and feed it. At this time, the winding roll 53iL connected to the rotating motor 13 rotates while slipping at the friction joint 64. In addition, since the supply roll 52 is similarly braked by the *discharge joint 63, the ink ribbon 51 is maintained at a predetermined tension while the platen roller
It is fed at a speed equal to the circumferential speed of 1.

Then, when the ink ribbon sensor 72 detects the leading edge of the first color of the ink ribbon to be recorded, for example, the beginning of yellow, using the field sequential method, and a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the conveyance of the ink ribbon 51 is stopped. In order to synchronize with the recording paper 7, it waits until the recording paper 7 reaches a predetermined position.

The recording paper 7 whose position has been corrected by the action of the recording paper position correction means 38 is conveyed again toward the recording position. On the way, when the color misregistration prevention sensor 48 detects the leading edge of the recording paper 7, the ink ribbon 51 is simultaneously started to be conveyed at the same speed as the recording paper 7.

Eventually, the leading edge of the recording paper 7 enters and is held between the rotating platen roller 11 and the fed ink ribbon 51. The predetermined time period mentioned above is determined so that the leading edge of the recording paper 7 and the beginning of the yellow color of the ink ribbon 51 coincide and overlap.

The leading edge of the recording paper 7 and the beginning of the yellow color of the ink ribbon 51, which are aligned and overlapped in this way, are located directly above or slightly beyond the heating resistor row of the thermal head 12 under the control of the system control section 83 described above. page memory 86
Among the image signals accumulated in the three or four colors, the 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 51 and transfer it to the recording paper 7 that is pressed against it to record a yellow image. The recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 51 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 is completed, the recording paper 7 and the ink ribbon 51, which remain in close contact with each other, are fed as they are and reach the guide bar 71. At this point, the ink ribbon 51 is suddenly rotated, but the recording paper 7 tries to move straight due to its rigidity and peels off from the ink ribbon 51.

The separated recording paper 7 is guided by the flapper 46 and advances through the recording paper circulation path 21. At this time, the recording paper 7 is moved toward the plate 39 in the recording paper circulation path 21 by a recording paper skew mechanism, that is, a tapered feed roller 24' and a pinch roller 25'.

Then, after a certain period of time has passed after yellow recording is completed, the trailing edge of the recording paper 7 has fully escaped the platen roller 11, and then, as in the case of the unrecorded recording paper mentioned above, , the recording paper is stopped, and the electromagnetic lenses 36, 36
' is energized to separate the pinch rollers 25, 25' from the feed rollers 24, 24'. Next, the recording paper position correcting means 38 is operated to correct the position of the recording paper 7. Next, the pinch rollers 25 and 25' are returned to normal position, and the conveyance of the recording paper 7 is started again. When the color misregistration prevention sensor 48 detects the leading edge of the recording paper 7, the ink ribbon 51 is simultaneously moved between the recording paper 7 and the recording paper 7. Start conveying at the same speed. Note that at this time, the ink ribbon 51 is still being fed even after recording yellow, and the ink ribbon sensor 72 detects the next recording color.
For example, after a certain period of time has elapsed since the starting edge of magenta color is detected, the feeding of the ink ribbon 51 is stopped and the ink ribbon 51 is on standby.

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 thermal head 12, the electromagnetic solenoid 48 of the path switching means 45 is energized, thereby moving the flap 46 to the position shown by the broken line in the figure. Further, the feed roller 30 starts rotating by a motor (not shown). However, the recording paper 7 on which recording of all colors has been completed is fed while being in close contact with the ink ribbon 51. As described in the case of yellow recording, the ink ribbon 51 is rapidly rotated by the kite bar 71, so that the recording paper 7 is peeled off. 46, the recording paper discharge path 23 is entered. Thereafter, the recording paper 7 is fed through the recording paper discharge path 23 by the cooperative action of the feed roller 30 and the pinch roller 31, and is discharged and placed on the tray 2. Further, the electromagnetic solenoid 48 is energized and demagnetized after a certain period of time, that is, after a time sufficient for the trailing edge of the recording paper 7 to pass through the 7 flapper 46. Therefore, the flapper 46 is returned to its original state by the biasing force of the spring 47.

It should be noted that after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the last color recording is completed, that is, when the trailing edge of the recording paper 7 passes the seventh lapper 46, the stepping motors 13, 34 stop rotating based on the command from the system control section 83, and therefore the platen Roller 11. The rotation of the feed rollers 24, 24' is also stopped, and the feeding of the ink ribbon 51 is also stopped. On the other hand, when the recording paper 7 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 30 also stops.

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

Although the details of color recording were not explained, color reproduction in thermal transfer recording is performed by subtractive color mixing, and when three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan are used as the colors of the solid ink layer of the ink ribbon, recording In addition to white, the background color of paper, eight colors can be reproduced and recorded.

Furthermore, if gradation recording is performed using a pseudo halftone recording method such as the rotation 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 It can also be preferably applied to color reproduction recording of the above-mentioned collapse.

In the above embodiment, the recording paper position correcting means 8 are installed upstream and downstream of the recording paper circulation path 21, but if the recording paper 7 is highly flexible, - It can be anywhere.

Further, in the recording paper position correcting means 38 shown in the above embodiment, when the recording paper 7 is conveyed to the recording paper circulation path 21, the skew mechanism, that is, the feed roller 24'.

Although the recording paper 7 is pushed to one side by the pinch roller 25', this skew mechanism is not necessarily required.

In addition, the recording paper conveyance means 26° 26' shown in the above embodiment
, 29, 32, the recording paper position correcting means 38, and the path switching means 45 are merely examples, and it goes without saying that similar effects can be obtained by using other mechanisms. Further, the operation timing of each controlled element, such as the stepping motors 13 and 34, and the magnetic switching solenoids 36 and 48, in the above iL1 embodiment is not limited to the above embodiment.

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 described above in detail, according to the present invention, the recording paper is fed to the recording section along the recording paper circulation path for each recording of one color in the TJu 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, there is no need for a specially shaped thermal head unlike the conventional drum platen method, which circulates the recording paper in the same way. Wrap it around the 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 skew of the recording paper that occurs during conveyance is corrected, the color cast can be made extremely small, which has the advantage of providing high quality color recording.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view 7'111 conceptually showing a color recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the main parts of the recording paper position correcting means, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the correction means, FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a structure for holding an ink ribbon supply roll, and FIG. 5 is a structure for holding an ink ribbon take-up roll. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the control system of the color recording apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 1, FIG. 8, and FIG. 9 are conceptual diagrams showing conventional color recording systems. l... Loading case, 2... Paper ejection tray, 5... Recording paper storage section, 7... Single sheet recording paper, 10... Recording section, 1
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Platen roller, 12...Line scanning type thermal head, 13...Stepping motor, 20...Recording paper conveyance system. 21... Recording paper circulation path, 21a... Entrance, 21b...
...Exit, 22... Recording paper storage section, 26! 9?
32--Recording paper conveying means, 38--Recording paper position correction means, 39--Plate, 40--Drive mechanism, 46
... course switching means, 50 ... ink ribbon conveyance system,
51... Ink ribbon, 52... Supply roll, 53
... Winding roll, 80... Control system. Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 80-cho Yoshu Figure 7 Figure 9

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A line-scanning thermal head, single-sheet recording paper, and a recording paper accommodating section for stacking and accommodating the recording paper, the entrance facing the recording paper ejection side of the thermal head, and the exit facing the recording paper of the thermal head. A recording paper circulation path facing the paper supply side and guiding the recording paper discharged from the thermal head back to the thermal head; a recording paper supply path that guides the recording paper circulation path to the recording paper circulation path; a recording paper discharge path that has an entrance facing the recording paper circulation path and guides the recording paper in the recording paper circulation path out of the apparatus; and the recording paper discharge path. a path switching means disposed at the entrance of the recording paper path and selectively guiding the recording paper to the recording paper ejection path; and conveying the recording paper in the recording paper circulation path, the recording paper supply path, and the recording paper ejection path. a color ink ribbon configured by applying solid ink layers of a plurality of colors in strips, and an ink ribbon conveyance means to convey the ink ribbon, and the recording paper is transported from the recording paper storage section to the recording paper storage section. The recording paper fed to the circulation path is circulated and passed over the thermal head for the number of times of coloring, and after the solid ink of each color of the ink ribbon is melted and adhered to the recording paper one after the other, the recording paper is printed via the recording paper discharge path. A color recording device configured to eject paper to the outside of the device, comprising: a plate disposed on a side of the recording paper circulation path; and a drive mechanism that moves the plate in a manner that it can freely appear and retract from the recording paper circulation path. further comprising recording paper position correcting means for abutting the plate against one side end of the recording paper in the recording paper circulation path and pushing the recording paper to correct the position of the recording paper in the width direction. A color recording device featuring: (2) A collar according to claim (1), characterized in that the plate of the recording paper position correcting means is installed across an inlet side portion and an outlet side portion of the recording paper circulation path. Recording device.