JPS63172666A - Method and apparatus for thermal transfer recording - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a favorable record with few or little breakage of small- width lines or voids in recorded images, even when a recording paper with low smoothness is used, by reheating an ink melted and transferred onto a recording paper, over the entire part of the paper. CONSTITUTION:Recording is sequentially conducted, a recording paper is fed straight toward a recording paper feeding passage 9 under the stiffness thereof, and is separated from an ink ribbon 20. The paper 20 thus separated is fed along the passage 9 to an automatic cutter 13, and is cut when it is fed by a recording length. The paper 20 thus cut is fed by discharging rollers 10, and is fed between a heated roller 15 and a pressure roller 16. When passed through the heated roller 15, the paper 20 is heated by the roller 15 to a temperature (about 100 deg.C) not lower than the melting point of an ink. By the heating, the ink on the paper is melted, and the melted ink flows into recessed parts of the surface of the paper, whereby breakage of lines and formation of voids in a recorded image are obviated. The paper 20 passed between the heated roller 15 and the pressure roller 16 is discharged onto a stacker 3 by discharging rollers 11, 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Object of the Invention) (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording method and apparatus.

(Prior art) The thermal transfer recording method uses an ink ribbon having a heat-melting ink layer, overlaps the recording paper and interposes it between a thermal head and a platen, and transfers information according to recorded information. The ink on the ink ribbon is melted by a heat-generating resistive element that is selectively heated, and the ink is transferred to recording paper.

This thermal transfer recording method can use plain paper as the recording paper and does not require a developing device, so running costs can be relatively low, and VtWl
It has the advantage of being simple and compact, and can be manufactured at low cost.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the thermal recording transfer method, if the ink layer of the ink ribbon and the surface of the recording paper are not in close contact, even if the ink is melted, it will not be transferred to the recording paper.

For this reason, when paper with low smoothness, such as rough paper, is used as recording paper, ink is not transferred to the recesses on the surface of the recording paper, resulting in cuts in line II and white spots in black areas. etc. occur.

Therefore, the present invention provides a thermal transfer recording method and an 8-position system that can obtain recorded images without broken thin lines, white spots in solid black areas, etc. even when paper with low smoothness is used as recording paper. It is an object.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) The thermal transfer recording method according to the present invention involves heating the recording paper after recording is completed.

Further, in the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention, a heating means is disposed in the recording paper conveyance path for discharging the recording paper out of the apparatus after recording is completed.

(Function) According to the thermal transfer recording method and apparatus according to the present invention, even if there are cuts, white spots, etc. in the recorded image after recording is completed,
By subsequently heating the recording paper, the ink is melted again, and the ink flows into the broken lines and white areas, eliminating the broken lines and white areas.

(Example) The figure conceptually shows a thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention.

In this recording apparatus, a recording paper storage section 1 and a recording section 2 are arranged substantially horizontally, and a stacker 3 is arranged above the recording paper storage section 1 and the recording section 2. A holder 4 is installed in the recording paper storage section 1, and a roll of recording paper 5 is held in the holder 4.

In the recording section 2, a platen roller 6 and a thermal head 7 are arranged above and below.

A paper guide 8 is arranged between the recording paper storage section 1 and the recording section 2, and a recording paper conveyance path 9 is formed between the recording section 2 and the stacker 3.

The recording paper conveyance path 9 is composed of a horizontal section 9a and a curved section 9b, and the recording paper 5 coming out of the recording section 2 passes through the horizontal section 9a.
The sheet enters, changes its course at the curved portion 9b, and is guided onto the stacker 3.

A discharge row 510 is provided along the entire length of the recording paper conveyance path 9.
．． 11 and 12 are installed, and an auto cutter 13 and a heating means 14 are installed in the horizontal portion 9a. Heating means 1
4 is composed of a heat roller 15 and a pressure roller 16.

Furthermore, this recording apparatus has an ink ribbon storage section 17. The ink ribbon storage section 17 includes an ink ribbon feeding holder 18 and an ink ribbon take-up holder 19. The feeding holder 18 is located below the vapor guide 8, and the take-up holder 19 is located below the recording paper conveyance path 9. ing. The ink ribbon 20 is held by the feed holder 18, and its tip is gripped by the take-up holder 19. The take-up holder 19 is linked to a rotation drive means such as a motor (not shown), and by operating the rotation drive means, the ink ribbon 20 is wound up by the take-up holder 19.

In this thermal transfer recording system, recording is performed in the following manner, and the recording paper on which recording has been completed is discharged to the stacker 3.

When the recording apparatus is inactive, the leading edge of the recording paper 5 is positioned beyond the gap between the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 7, that is, between the platen roller 6 and the autocutter 13. Therefore, the leading end of the recording paper 5 is interposed between the platen roller 6 and the ink ribbon 20.

This recording device is activated by a recording start signal, and the thermal head 7 is driven based on recording information.

The ink of the ink ribbon 20 is melted and transferred onto the recording paper 5 according to the principle of the thermal transfer recording method. Recording is performed for each scanning line, and when one line of scanning recording is completed, the recording paper 5 is fed by a distance corresponding to the scanning line pitch by a platen roller 6 driven by a stepping motor (not shown), and the ink is similarly fed. The ribbon 20 is also wound onto the roll of the take-up holder 19.

In this way, recording is performed sequentially, and the recording paper moves straight toward the recording paper conveyance path 9 due to its rigidity, and the ink ribbon 2
Separated from 0. The separated recording paper 20 enters the automatic cutter 13 along the recording paper conveyance path 9, and is cut at the point where it has traveled by the recording length.

Thereafter, the cut recording paper 20 is conveyed by a discharge row 510 and fed between the heat roller 15 and the pressure roller 16. Then, the recording paper 20 is transferred to the heat roller 15
The ink is melted by the heat roller 15 when passing through the I! It is heated above the temperature (approximately 100°C). By this heating, the ink on the recording paper is melted and flows into the recesses on the recording paper, eliminating line breaks and white spots on the recording surface. The recording paper 20 that has passed between the heat roller 15 and the pressure roller 16 is discharged onto the stacker 3 by discharge rollers 11 and 12.

The above recording device can be applied to a copying machine, a facsimile receiving device, and a printer device.

In the above embodiment, a roll of recording paper is used as the recording paper 5, but it goes without saying that cut recording paper can be used instead of the roll of recording paper. In this case, the autocutter 13 is not required.

Further, in the above embodiment, the heat roller 15 is used as the heating means 14, but it is possible to use other heating means such as a heat plate, an infrared lamp, a xenon flash, an oven, or an 8-frequency heating means. It is also possible to replace it.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the method and apparatus of the present invention, the ink that has been melted and transferred to the recording paper is heated again over the entire recording paper, so that the ink that has been melted and transferred to the recording paper is heated again. Even when using low-smooth recording paper, such as rough paper, which was difficult to record well with conventional devices, the ink flows into the cut-out areas, and even when using recording paper with low smoothness, such as rough paper, [141 cutouts and white spots in solid black areas are difficult to record. A record can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawing is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Recording paper storage part, 2... Recording part, 3... Stacker, 5... Recording paper, 6... Platen roller, 7...
...Thermal head, 9...Recording paper conveyance path, 9th generation...Horizontal part, 9b...Curved part, 10.11.12...Ejection roller, 13...Auto cutter, 14... - Heating means, 15... Heat roller, 16... Pressure roller, 1
7... Ink ribbon storage section, 20... Ink ribbon.

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) An ink ribbon having a heat-melting ink layer and a recording paper are overlapped and interposed between a thermal head and a platen, and the ink on the ink ribbon is melted by the heat of the thermal head, and the ink is A thermal transfer recording method in which recording is performed by transferring onto recording paper, the method comprising heating the recording paper after recording is completed to melt ink on the recording paper. (2) The ink on the recording paper is melted while the recording paper is being conveyed.
) The thermal transfer recording method described in section 2. (3) A thermal head and a platen roller are provided, and an ink ribbon having a heat-melting ink layer and a recording paper are overlapped and interposed between the thermal head and the platen roller, and the ink ribbon and the Recording is performed by transferring ink to the recording paper using the thermal head while conveying the recording paper, and the recording paper is peeled off from the ink ribbon and guided to a recording paper conveyance path, and then passed through the recording paper conveyance path. 1. A thermal transfer recording device that discharges a sheet of paper outside the device, characterized in that a heating means is disposed in the recording paper conveyance path. (4) The thermal transfer recording apparatus according to claim (3), wherein the heating means is constituted by a heat roller.