JPS63112171A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable transfer recording with favorable printing quality, by moving a slide guide means under control to thereby change the timing for releasing a heat-fusible ink ribbon from a recording paper after transferring. CONSTITUTION:A slide guide means 21 capable of being moved under control in the longitudinal direction of a platen 1 is provided at a side end, as viewed in the feeding direction of a heat-fusible ink ribbon 3, of a thermal head 4. In the case of transfer recording by using a heat-fusible ink ribbon capable of being repeatedly used for transfer, the slide guide means 21 is shifted by an appropriate distance in the direction of an arrow A to retard the timing for releasing the ink ribbon after transferring, whereby sufficient permeation of an ink is ensured, resulting in clear printing. In the case of transfer recording on a recording paper poor in smoothness by the use of a heat-fusible ink ribbon for such recording papers, the slide guide means 21 is disposed in contact with the side end part of the head 4 or is detached to advance the timing for releasing the ink ribbon after transferring, whereby clear printing can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Required] The present invention provides a thermal head for a thermal transfer printer used as a print output device for data processing terminals, etc., in which an ink ribbon is attached to a side end in the transport direction of the ink ribbon. By attaching a slide guide so that it can be moved along the length of the platen while guiding the platen, and controlling the movement of the slide guide, the timing for peeling off the heat-melting ink ribbon after transfer from the recording paper can be arbitrarily determined. By changing the timing of peeling off the heat-melt ink ribbon after transfer from the recording paper, the timing of peeling off the heat-melt ink ribbon after transfer from the recording paper can be changed to a general heat-melt ink ribbon, a heat-melt ink ribbon that can be repeatedly transferred, or a record with poor paper surface smoothness. By controlling the performance of various ink ribbons such as heat-melting ink ribbons for paper, it is possible to always print and record with good print quality.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer used as a print output device for data processing terminals or word processors, and in particular, it relates to a thermal transfer printer that is used as a print output device for data processing terminals or word processors, and in particular, it can be used with a heat-melt ink ribbon that can be repeatedly transferred in addition to the general heat-melt ink ribbon. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer that enables transfer recording with good print quality.

Thermal transfer printers are small, inexpensive, easy to maintain, and have low printing noise, so they are widely used as printers for various data processing terminals and are also attracting attention as printers for office automation.

The general heat-melt ink ribbons used in these thermal transfer printers have the disadvantage of high running costs (printing costs) because they cannot be used repeatedly, so a heat-melt ink ribbon that can be used repeatedly has been developed. Various methods have been proposed.

For this reason, there is a need for a thermal transfer printer that can perform transfer recording with good print quality, regardless of the reusability of the heat-melting ink ribbon used or the smoothness of the recording paper. .

[Conventional technology]

As shown in FIG. 2, the printing mechanism in a conventional thermal transfer printer includes a head (not shown) that supports a thermal head 4 with a heat sink 5 via a heat-melting ink ribbon 3 against a platen 1 that guides a recording paper 2. The holder is configured to reciprocate along the length of the platen 1 at a constant speed.

During print recording, the thermal head 4 is pressed against the recording paper 2 on the platen 1 with a constant pressure via the heat-melting ink ribbon 3, and the platen 1 is pressed based on a print signal.
While moving in the length direction, that is, in the direction of arrow A,
Printing is performed by selectively generating heat from a plurality of heat generating parts 4a provided in the thermal head 4 and transferring heat-melting ink onto the recording paper 2.

In addition, in such a conventional thermal transfer printer, in order to transfer and record clear print onto the recording paper 2, the plurality of heat generating parts 4a in the thermal head 4 are provided on the end side of the head base as shown in the figure. After thermal transfer, the heat-melting ink ribbon 3 is designed to be quickly peeled off from the recording paper 2.

In particular, when transferring and recording clear prints on recording paper with poor paper surface smoothness, increase the resin content in the ink component of the heat-melting ink ribbon to increase adhesion to the recording paper or increase crosslinking properties. The timing of the peeling can be determined by applying a heat-melting ink ribbon using ink with We are dealing with this by speeding up the process.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, as shown in FIG. 3, the above-mentioned conventional thermal transfer printer has been constructed using a filler such as carbon black on a base material 11 such as a polyester film with an intermediate adhesive layer 12 made of a polyester resin or the like interposed therebetween. A reusable heat-melt ink aimed at reducing running costs, comprising an ink layer 13 filled with a heat-melt ink made of a coloring material, a low-melting wax material, and a resin material in a stone wall-like void. When a ribbon is applied, the ink layer 13 of the heat-melting ink ribbon is removed during thermal transfer.
The heat-melting ink oozes out from between the stone wall-like spaces inside and needs to be transferred to the recording paper 2 in a state where it has permeated to a certain extent, so it takes time for this permeation transfer to occur, and the recording at this time. Since the length of contact time of the heat-melting ink ribbon with the paper greatly affects the transfer characteristics, there is an inconvenience that clear print records cannot be obtained.

In view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, the present invention provides a heat-fusible ink ribbon that corresponds to the repeatability of transferability of the heat-fusible ink ribbon and the smoothness of the recording paper, with different peeling timings immediately after transfer to recording paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide a new thermal transfer printer that can perform transfer recording with good print quality even when the present invention is applied.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a slide guide attached to the side end of the thermal head in the transport direction of the heat-melting ink ribbon so that the ink ribbon can be guided and moved along the length direction of the platen. By controlling the movement of the slide guide, the timing at which the heat-fusible ink ribbon is peeled off after being transferred to the recording paper is changed.

C Effect] In the thermal transfer printer of the present invention, the slide guide attached to the side end of the thermal head in the transport direction of the heat-fusible ink ribbon is moved along the length direction of the platen while guiding the ink ribbon. By controlling this, it is possible to change the timing at which the heat-fusible ink ribbon is peeled off after being transferred to the recording paper.

That is, when performing transfer recording using a heat-melting ink ribbon that can be repeatedly transferred, transfer to the recording paper can be performed by moving the slide guide, which guides the ink ribbon, by an appropriate distance in the ink ribbon transport direction. The timing of subsequent peeling off of the hot-melt ink ribbon can be delayed, and a sufficient transfer time can be obtained to achieve the necessary and sufficient ink penetration.

In addition, when performing transfer recording using a heat-fusible ink ribbon for recording paper with poor paper surface smoothness, by arranging the slide guide in contact with the head side end, it is possible to improve the heat-fusible ink ribbon after transfer to the recording paper. The timing of peeling off the ink ribbon can be accelerated. As a result, print recording with good print quality becomes possible.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of essential parts showing an embodiment of a printing mechanism section in a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention.

In the figure, 1 is a platen that guides the recording paper 2;
3 is a heat-fusible ink ribbon; 4 is a thermal head disposed facing the platen 1 via the heat-fusible ink ribbon 3 and the recording paper 2; is supported for reciprocating movement along its length.

Further, at a side end of the thermal head 4 in the transfer direction of the heat-fusible ink ribbon 3, there is a slide guide 21 that can control movement along the length direction of the platen 1 while guiding the ink ribbon 3. Attached as shown.

By having such a configuration of the printing mechanism section, for example, when performing transfer recording using a heat-melting ink ribbon that can be repeatedly transferred, the slide guide tool 21 that guides the ink ribbon can be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow A in the figure. The ink ribbon is moved by an appropriate dimension in the direction of , and the timing of peeling off the heat-fusible ink ribbon after transfer from the recording paper is delayed. In this way, the necessary transfer time for sufficient ink penetration can be obtained, and clear print recording becomes possible.

Further, when performing transfer recording on recording paper with poor smoothness using a heat-melting ink ribbon for recording paper with poor paper surface smoothness, move the slide guide 21 in the direction of arrow B in the figure to By placing the ink ribbon in contact with the four side edges or by removing the slide guide 21, the timing of peeling off the heat-melting ink ribbon after transfer to the recording paper can be accelerated, and similarly clear print recording is possible. Become.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the thermal transfer printer according to the present invention, the timing of peeling off the heat-fusible ink ribbon after transfer, which has a large effect on the transfer characteristics to recording paper, can be adjusted to Depending on the performance of various types of heat-melt ink ribbons, such as general heat-melt ink ribbons, heat-melt ink ribbons that can be repeatedly transferred, or heat-melt ink ribbons for recording paper with poor paper surface smoothness. Since it can be easily controlled, it has the excellent advantage of always being able to record prints with good print quality, and is extremely advantageous when applied to this type of thermal transfer printer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of essential parts showing an embodiment of the printing mechanism in a thermal transfer printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of essential parts for explaining the printing mechanism in a conventional thermal transfer printer, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a heat-melting ink ribbon that can be repeatedly transferred. In FIG. 1, 1 is a platen, 2 is a recording paper, 3 is a thermofusible ink ribbon, 4 is a thermal head, 5 is a heat sink, and 21 is a slide guide.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A thermal head (4) is pressed against a recording paper (2) on a platen (1) with a heat-melting ink ribbon (3) interposed therebetween, and a plurality of heat generating parts (4a) of the thermal head (4) are pressed. )
In a device configuration that transfers heat-fusible ink to recording paper (2) by selectively generating heat based on a print signal, the side end of the heat-fusible ink ribbon (3) in the transport direction of the thermal head (4) 1. A thermal transfer printer characterized in that a means for changing the timing of peeling off the heat-fusible ink ribbon (3) after transfer from the recording paper (2) is provided in the section. (2) Means for changing the timing of peeling off the heat-fusible ink ribbon (3) after transfer from the recording paper (2) guides the heat-fusible ink ribbon (3) to be transferred to the platen (1). The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a slide guide (21) movably attached along the length direction of the printer.