JPS6241055A - Drive method of thermal transfer serial printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable high-speed recording to be performed on recording paper with high smoothness and also satisfactory printing quality to be provided on rough paper with low smoothness by dividing a heating resistor array into an even-number data line and an odd-number data line to drive them when performing recording on recording paper with high smoothness and driving only the thermal resistor array closest to the edge of a radiator plate when performing recording on recording paper with low smoothness. CONSTITUTION:Both front and rear thermal resistor arrays 5a, 5b are driven to perform recording on recording paper with high smoothness 14 at high speed. That is, an even-number data line is recorded with the front thermal resistor array 5a, whilst an odd-number data line is recorded with the rear thermal resistor array 5b. Compared to a thermal head having only a single thermal resistor array, the thermal head of the titled printer is capable of recording at doubled speed. For rough paper with low smoothness, only the rear thermal resistor array 5b is driven. In the device with a thermal head of this constitution, the distance between the end of the rear thermal resistor array 5b and the edge of a radiator plate 1 is short, thus making it feasible to peel an ink ribbon 12 off the recording paper 14 right after printing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device.

[Prior Art] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional example of a thermal head for a thermal transfer serial printer device. In Figure 0, (1) is a heat sink, (2) is a substrate, and (3) is a driver circuit (IC ),
(4) is the wiring pattern, (5a).

(5b) is a heating resistor array, (6) is a heating resistor element, (7
) is F P C (Flexible Pr1nted
(8) is a common electrode.

Next, the operation will be explained. Input data serially from the connector part on the FPC (7) and connect it to the driver IC.
Convert to parallel data in (3) and wiring pattern (4)
When a current is passed through the heating resistance element (6), the heating resistance element (6) generates heat.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the recording section of a conventional thermal transfer serial printer using the thermal head shown in FIG. 3. In FIG.
) solid ink on top! ! ) (13) wo is formed. A thermal head (10) is arranged on the base film (12) side of the ink ribbon (11), and the solid ink W
A recording paper (14) and a platen roller (15) are arranged on the j(+3) side.

In the above configuration, when the heating resistive element (8) of the thermal head (10) is heated by electricity, the solid ink layer (13) is heated and melted through the base film (12) of the ink ribbon (11). The melted portion (IB) of the ink layer (13) is transferred onto the recording paper (14).

Here, the reason why there are two heating resistor rows (5a) and (5b) is to perform high-speed recording. If the front heating resistor row (5a) records even rows of data, and the 1gt row heating resistor row (5b) records odd rows of data, when recording is performed with a thermal head that has only one row of heating resistors. It can record at twice the speed.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In conventional thermal transfer serial printer devices, the distance (8) from the end of the heating resistor element (8) in the thermal head (1G) to the edge of the heat sink (1) is relatively large, ranging from several mm to 1 cm. There was a recording paper (14) immediately after the transfer.
The ink ribbon (11) cannot be peeled off from the
Indeed, the ink ribbon (11) for rough paper recording with low smoothness needs to be separated from the base film (12) immediately after transfer, before the molten ink (16) cools and hardens. That is, with the method of driving all the heat generating resistor arrays using the conventional device, it is possible to record on the above-mentioned highly smooth recording paper, but it is not possible to record on rough paper with low smoothness.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to perform high-speed recording on highly smooth recording paper, and to obtain good printing quality even on rough paper with low smoothness. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device.

[Means for Solving the Problems] A method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device according to the present invention provides a method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device according to the present invention. is set at a position where the end of the heating resistor element constituting it in the moving direction is close to the edge of the heat sink,
When recording on highly smooth recording paper, all heating resistor arrays are driven separately for even and odd columns of data.
When recording on recording paper with low smoothness, only the heating resistor rows near the edges of the heat sink are driven.

[Effect]

In this invention, even-numbered columns of data are recorded on a highly smooth recording paper using half of the plurality of rows of heating resistor rows,
High-speed recording is possible by making full use of recording odd-numbered columns of data in the remaining half, and for rough paper with low smoothness, one of the multiple rows of heating resistor rows is placed close to the edge of the heat sink. If the ink ribbon is driven in a limited manner only in the rows where the ink is being transferred, the ink ribbon can be peeled off from the recording paper immediately after the transfer, and therefore proper transfer to the rough paper becomes possible.

[Embodiments of the invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a thermal helad of an apparatus to which the method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer according to the present invention is applied, and parts that are the same as those of the conventional one are given the same reference numerals and a description thereof will be omitted.

In the same figure, there are two rows of heating resistor rows (5a).

Among (5b), the rear heating resistor row (5b) in the head movement direction is formed at the end of the substrate (2), and
The edge of the substrate (2) is attached to match the edge of the heat sink (1). The distance (9) from the end of the heating resistor row (5b) in the head movement direction to the edge of the heat sink (1) is set to a close distance of one layer or less.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a recording section of a thermal transfer serial printer device equipped with the thermal head shown in FIG. 81. A method of driving this device will be explained with reference to FIG. The principle of recording is the same as that of the conventional column, so it will be omitted, and how to use the recording mode will be explained.

First, high-speed recording is performed on a highly smooth recording paper (14) by making full use of the heating resistor arrays (5a) and (5b) in both the front and rear rows. In other words, the front heating resistor row (
In 5a), even numbered columns of data are recorded, and in the rear heating resistor row (5b), odd numbered columns of data are recorded. That is, 1
When compared to a thermal head that has only one row of heat-generating resistor pairs, it can record at twice the speed.

Further, for rough paper with low smoothness, only the rear heating resistor row (5b) is driven. In order to record rough paper, the ink ribbon (1B) is heated and melted onto the recording paper (14) before it cools and solidifies.
1) must be peeled off from the recording paper (10).In an apparatus equipped with a thermal head having the above configuration, the distance (9 ) is short, so immediately after recording, insert the recording paper (1
4) It is possible to peel off the ink ribbon (12) from the ink ribbon (12).

In addition, in the above embodiment, two rows of heating resistor rows (5a),
(5b) (7) Of these, only the rear row (5b) is connected to the heat sink (1
), but the two rows may be placed near the front and rear ends of the heat sink (1) in the head movement direction. In that case, the thermal head (lO) is moved from left to right. Not only the time, but also the movement from right to left can be recorded on rough paper. At this time, bidirectional printing is possible by driving the side corresponding to the rear of the two heating resistor rows (5a) and (5b) at the time of movement (l)J.

In addition, in the above embodiment, when recording on rough paper, the case was shown in which recording was performed using only the rear row heating resistor row (5b), but as in the case of recording on highly smooth recording paper, the front row generates heat. It is also conceivable to use the resistor array (5a) for high-speed printing. When recording even-numbered rows with the heating resistor Fl (5a) in the front row and recording odd-numbered rows with the heating resistor row (5b) in the back row, the ink (18a) heated and melted by the heating resistor Fl (5a) in the front row is printed on the back row. Since the ink ribbon (5b) is heated again when it reaches the front and rear of the ink ribbon (5b), it is equivalent to heating the ink ribbon (11) immediately before peeling it off from the recording paper (14).

Note that the number of rows of heating resistors is not limited to two rows, but if there are multiple rows, the same effects as in the above embodiment can be achieved.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, by dividing the plurality of heating resistor arrays into those for even-numbered columns and those for odd-numbered columns and driving them all, highly smooth recording paper can be printed at high speed. Also, by driving only one of the multiple heating resistor rows at least at the position where the ink ribbon is peeled off from the recording paper, good recording is possible even on recording paper with low smoothness. , becomes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a thermal head of a device to which the method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device according to the present invention is applied;
Figure 2 is a configuration diagram of the recording section of a thermal transfer serial printer equipped with the same thermal head, Figure 3 is a configuration diagram of the thermal head of a conventional thermal transfer serial printer, and Figure 4 is a recording unit of a conventional thermal transfer serial printer. FIG. (1)... Heat sink, (2)... Board, (3)...
Driver circuit, (5a), (5b)... Heating resistor row, (6)... Heating resistor element, (8)... Distance from the end of the heating resistor element to the edge of the heat sink , (■0
)... Thermal head, (11)... Ink ribbon, (14)... Recording paper. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) An electrically insulating board fixed on a heat sink, a driver circuit set on this board, and a driver circuit arranged in parallel on the board and driven by external data via the driver circuit. A thermal head equipped with a plurality of rows of heating resistors is set to be movable along the recording paper, and the solid ink of the ink ribbon interposed between the heating resistor elements and the recording paper is heated by applying electricity to the heating resistor elements. In a method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device that melts a layer and transfers the melted portion to the recording paper, at least one of the plurality of heating resistor rows is located at a position in the direction of movement of the thermal head at which the ink ribbon is peeled off from the recording paper. When a row is set at a position where the ends of the individual heating resistor elements constituting the row in the moving direction are close to the edge of the heat sink, and when recording is performed on highly smooth recording paper, all Drive the heating resistor rows separately for even and odd rows of data, and when recording on recording paper with low smoothness, drive only the heating resistor row closest to the edge of the heat sink. A method for driving a thermal transfer serial printer device characterized by: (2) Of the multiple heating resistor rows, the two rows located at both the front and rear ends in the direction of movement of the thermal head are positioned so that the ends of the individual heating resistor elements that make up the rows are close to the edge of the heat sink. When recording on recording paper with high smoothness, all heating resistor rows are driven separately for even and odd columns of data, and when recording on recording paper with low smoothness, 2. The method of driving a thermal transfer serial printer device according to claim 1, wherein said two rows of heating resistor rows are driven.