JPS6295273A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain excellent printing quality by performing proper printing operation, by providing a detection means for detecting the kind of an ink ribbon and a change-over means for changing the quantity of heat generated from a heat generator corresponding to the detection result. CONSTITUTION:For example, when a disposable type ink ribbon 8a is used to perform printing because no discrimination hole is formed to the cartridge 8 of said ribbon 8a, a microswitch 11 is closed. By this closing operation, power is supplied to each heat generator 4 of a printing head 5 from a first power source terminal 13 through a diode 15 to generate a relatively small quantity of heat. For example, when a multi-ink ribbon 9a is used to perform printing, because a discrimination hole 10 is formed in a cartridge 9 of said ribbon 9a, the microswitch 11 is held to an open state. Therefore, high voltage is applied to each heat generator 4 of the printing head 5 from a second power source terminal 14 and the ink of a porous layer is sufficiently melted and can be sufficiently transferred to printing paper.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer that transfers ink to printing paper by energizing a heating element of a print head.

[Technical Background of the Invention] Conventionally, ink ribbons used in printers of this type have generally been made by coating a polyester base film with a heat-melting ink layer. However, since the ink layer of this ink ribbon completely peels off from the base film during printing, it cannot be used repeatedly and has the disadvantage of increasing printing cost when printing in large quantities.

Therefore, in recent years, so-called multi-ink ribbons have been developed in which a porous layer impregnated with heat-melting ink is formed on a base film. Since this multi-ink ribbon can be used repeatedly, it has the advantage of reducing printing costs when printing in large quantities.

However, the thickness of the base film of a multi-ink ribbon is about 7.5μ, compared to 3 to 5μ for normal disposable types, so when using this multi-ink ribbon, the thickness of the print head It is necessary to raise the heat generation temperature of the heating element. Therefore, in order to make a thermal transfer printer compatible with both types of ink ribbons, it has been considered to set a wide adjustment range of the applied voltage adjustment means for the first section of printing density.

[Problems with the Background Art] However, in the case of the 14-layer ink ribbon described in 1-1, it is necessary to adjust the applied voltage adjustment means one by one while performing trial printing until an appropriate amount of heat is obtained depending on the type of ink ribbon. figure,
There is a problem that not only is it troublesome, but the ink ribbon and printing paper are wasted during this time. Moreover, because the applied voltage range is wide, if you mistakenly use a regular disposable ink ribbon while adjusting it for a multi-ink ribbon, the amount of heat generated by the heating element will be too high, causing the base film to melt and adhere to the print head. , there is a risk that the ink ribbon may eventually break.

[Objective of Invention 1] An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printer that can perform printing operations appropriate to the type of ink ribbon and obtain excellent print quality even when different types of ink ribbons are used. It is on offer.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention provides 10 detection stages for detecting the type of ink ribbon, and a switching means for changing the amount of heat generated by the heating element according to the detected type of ink ribbon. The feature is that the amount of heat generated according to the amount of heat can be automatically obtained.

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

First, in Figures 2 and 3, 1 is a carriage;
This is movable along the guide bar 2 in the left and right (J) directions in FIG. 2, and is driven via the drive belt 3. At the center of the front part of the carriage 1 are a number of heating elements 4 (shown only in FIG. 1).
A print head 5 is provided upright, and moves to the right as the carriage 1 moves (while facing the platen 6 in front of the carriage 1). Reference numeral 7 denotes an ink ribbon take-up shaft driven by a motor (not shown) provided on the carriage 1. The carriage 1 includes, for example, FIGS. 4 and 5.
A cartridge 8 or 9 as shown is selectively installed. The cartridge 8 houses a so-called disposable ink ribbon 8a, which is a base film coated with a heat-melting ink layer. On the other hand, the cartridge 9 houses a so-called multi-type ink ribbon 9a in which a porous layer impregnated with heat-melting ink is formed on a base film, and only the cartridge 9 containing this multi-type ink ribbon 9a -1, Identification holes 1o are formed at predetermined locations on each lower surface.

The base films of the disposable ink ribbon 8a and the multi-ink ribbon 9a are both made of polyester, and the latter is thicker than the former. Furthermore, when the carriage 1 is equipped with a cart nozzle 9 that stores, for example, a multi-ink ribbon 9a, the configuration shown in FIG. Pressure welding is possible.

Now, in Figures 2 and 3, 11 is the carriage 1.
This is a normally open type microswitch that corresponds to the detection means provided in the. The actuator 11a of this is the carriage 1
The actuator 11a protrudes at a position corresponding to the identification hole 10 of the cartridge 9, and when the cartridge 8 of the disposable ink ribbon 8a is loaded into the carriage 1, the actuator 11a is pressed against the lower surface of the cartridge 8. Opening works. Furthermore, when the cartridge 9 containing the multi-ink ribbon 9a is placed in the carriage 1, the actuator 11a enters the identification hole 10 of the cartridge 9 and is not pressed, thus maintaining the open state. In FIG. 1 showing the electrical configuration, 12
13 and 14 are first and second power supply terminals, and the voltage of the second power supply terminal 14 is the same as that of the first power supply terminal 13. It is set to approximately 1°7 times the amount of The first and second power supply terminals 13 and 14 are collectively connected to the one terminal side of each heating element 4 of the print head 5 via a diode 15 and a collector-emitter of an NPN transistor 16, respectively. ing. The base of the transistor 16 is connected to the second power supply terminal 14 via a resistor 17, and
It can be grounded via the microswitch 11, and when the microswitch 11 is open, the transistor 1
6 is in the on state.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. To print with the disposable ink ribbon 8a, the carriage 1
Attach cartridge 8 to. Since this cartridge 8 does not have an identification hole 10 formed therein, when the cartridge 8 is installed, the actuator 11a is pressed and the microswitch 11 is opened. As a result, the transistor 16 is turned off, so that each heating element 4 of the print head 5 is connected to the first power terminal 13 via the diode 15.
Power is supplied to the melon, which generates heat at a relatively low heat level. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink ribbon 8a from being overheated, melting the base film, and further causing the ink ribbon 8a to be cut due to the hard contact with the print head 5.

When printing is performed using the multi-ink ribbon 9a, the cartridge 9 containing the ink ribbon 9a in the first slot may be mounted on the carriage 1. Since the identification hole 10 is formed in the cartridge 9, the actuator 11a is not pressed even when the cartridge 9 is mounted, and the microswitch 11 remains open. Therefore, the transistor 16 remains on and the second
Since the power supply terminal 14 is at a potential of 1:; higher than the first power supply terminal 13, the diode 15 maintains the off state.

With this, a high voltage is applied to each heating element 4 of the print head 5 from the second 7u source terminal 14, and each heating element 4 generates heat at its high heat generation port, so that the base film of the multi-ink ribbon 9a is Even if the ink is relatively thick, the ink in the porous layer can be melted sufficiently and transferred to the printing paper reliably, and good print quality can be obtained from the moment printing starts. I can do it.

Incidentally, FIG. 7 shows the relationship between applied voltage and print density for various ink ribbons that were tested by the present inventors. From the same figure, if the applied voltage that obtains the intermediate density between the upper limit printing density and the do limit printing iQ degree is used as the slip application voltage, the 14Q applied voltage of the multi-ink ribbon 9a is that of the disposable type ink ribbon 8a. Approximately 1.7 times or more of F
(preferably 1°3 times the amount 1-) was found to be appropriate.

In the embodiment described in Section 1, the microswitch 11 is used as the detection means, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a photo sensor that detects a predetermined pattern or color formed on an ink ribbon may also be used. good. Further, the type of ink ribbon is not limited to the disposable type and the multi-type, and it goes without saying that the ink ribbon may be compatible with, for example, an ink ribbon for correction. Furthermore, the method of changing the amount of heat generated by the heating element is not limited to changing the applied voltage, but may also be, for example, changing the energization duty ratio.

[Effects of the Invention] As stated above, the present invention is characterized in that the type of ink ribbon is detected and the amount of heat generated by the heating element is changed accordingly. Even when using an ink ribbon, it can automatically print with the appropriate amount of heat depending on the type of ink ribbon, so it has the excellent effect of always being able to print with excellent quality. be.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of the main part, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the carriage, and FIG.
4 is a bottom view of a cartridge that stores a disposable ink ribbon, 5 is a bottom view of a cartridge that stores a multi-ink ribbon, and 6
The figure is a plan view showing a state in which a cartridge is loaded into a carriage, and FIG. 7 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between print density and applied voltage of various ink ribbons. In the drawing, 1 is a carriage, 4 is a heating element, 5 is a print head, 8a is a disposable ink ribbon, 9a is a multi-ink ribbon, 10 is an identification hole, 11 is a microswitch (detection means), 16 is a transistor (switching means).

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An ink ribbon is brought into pressure contact with printing paper by a print head having a heating element, and the heating element is energized to transfer ink to the printing paper, wherein the type of the ink ribbon is A thermal transfer printer comprising: a detection means for detecting the ink ribbon; and a switching means for changing the amount of heat generated in the heating element according to the type of the detected ink ribbon. 2. The voltage applied to the heating element when using an ink ribbon with a porous layer formed on a base film that can be impregnated with hot-melt ink is as follows: When using an ink ribbon with a hot-melt ink layer formed on a base film Approximately 1.
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer printer is 7 times or less.