JPS6337964A - Transfer type thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform good printing to rough paper and to extend the life of a printer and to also reduce running cost, by automatically selecting a printing mode suitable for the degree of smoothness of transfer paper. CONSTITUTION:A cartridge detection sensor 13 detects a printing means suitable for transfer paper 1 from the marker 12 provided to an ink cartridge 3. At the time of a rough paper mode, a ribbon 10 reaches a first thermal head 5 and unnecessary ink is thermally transferred to the back surface of the used ink ribbon 10. The ink ribbon 10 having only necessary ink left thereon reaches a second thermal head 6 to receive the character pattern thereof and a heat generator is turned ON to transfer the remaining ink pattern to the transfer paper 1. At the time of a usual mode, the first thermal head 5 is not used and the heat generating element of the second thermal head 6 is allowed to generate heat to transfer the character pattern to the transfer paper 1. The markers showing the distinction between rough paper and smooth paper are applied to the ink cartridge to be detected by the cartridge sensor and separate ink ribbons are respectively used to enhance economical efficiency.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a transfer type thermal printer, and more particularly to a transfer type thermal printer that can perform good printing in accordance with the smoothness of transfer paper.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, various methods for performing good printing on rough paper have been proposed, and among these methods, a method using an intermediate transfer member has excellent printing quality.

For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 61-36190 and Japanese Patent Application No. 1 [Sho 6
In the method described in No. 0-200340, the unnecessary ink portions other than the literature part of the ink ribbon are printed on the back side of the used ribbon, a pattern is created on the ribbon, and then a thermal printer for transfer is printed. The head transfers the image onto the transfer paper.

According to this method, it is possible to perform good printing on rough paper, but since two thermal heads are used and the lighting rate of the heating element of each head is high, the load on the head is large. No consideration was given to labor saving.

Purpose An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer type thermal printer that can improve the above-mentioned problems and perform good printing in accordance with the smoothness of the transfer paper.

Configuration In order to achieve the above object, the transfer type thermal printer of the present invention includes a plurality of types of printing means corresponding to the smoothness of the transfer paper, an ink cartridge, and a transfer paper selected from among the plurality of types of printing means. When the ink cartridge corresponding to the transfer paper is set, the detection means detects a printing means corresponding to the smoothness of the transfer paper from among the plurality of types of printing means mentioned above. It is characterized in that it detects the printed printing means and prints using the printing means.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a transfer type thermal printer in a first embodiment of the present invention.

The transfer type thermal printer of this embodiment uses transfer paper l.

Platen 2. and two types of ink cartridges 3, of which one type of ink cartridge 3 is used for transfer paper.
Print by moving from the left side to the right side.

Further, one type of ink cartridge 3 has an integral structure with a thermal head 6, and the other ink cartridge 3 has a thermal head 5. It has an integral structure with and 6.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the printing section in the transfer type thermal printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer type thermal printer of this embodiment includes a transfer paper 1, a platen 2, and a platen 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink cartridge 3 includes an ink ribbon supply roller 4, a thermal roller 5, 6, .
Guide roller 7, platen roller 89, take-up roller 9. An ink ribbon 10 and a marker 12 are provided. Also,
A guide pin 11 is provided to maintain the crawling shape of the ink ribbon 10 when the ink cartridge 3 is removed.

Each ink cartridge 3 corresponds to two types of printing modes suitable for the transfer paper 1, namely, a rough paper mode and a normal mode. When the ink cartridge 3 is set, the cartridge detection sensor 13 detects printing means suitable for the transfer paper 1 from the marker 12 provided on the ink cartridge 3.

If the detection result is the rough paper mode, the ribbon 10 supplied from the ink ribbon supply roller 4 reaches the first thermal head 5 and thermally transfers unnecessary ink to the back surface of the used ink ribbon 10.

In this way, only the necessary ink remains on the ink ribbon 10.
That is, the ink ribbon 10 on which a character pattern is formed
reaches the second thermal head 6. The second thermal radar 6 receives the character pattern, turns on the heating element over a width wider than the width where the character pattern is formed, and transfers the remaining ink pattern onto the transfer paper 1.

The base film of the ink ribbon 10 passes through the guide roller 7, reaches the first thermal pad 5 again, receives unnecessary ink from the newly supplied ink ribbon 10, and reaches the take-up roller 9. .

According to this mode, character patterns are created on the smooth back side of the ink ribbon, so character quality (sharpness)
is high.

If the detection result is the normal mode, the first thermal head 5 is not used, and the second thermal head 6 transfers the character pattern onto the transfer paper 1 by causing its heating element to generate heat.

In this example, the ink ribbon for rough paper is generally
The structure is complicated, including a release layer, and the cost is high.
For ink cartridges and rough paper.

Alternatively, markers are added to distinguish smooth paper, and a cartridge detection sensor detects these markers, allowing separate ink ribbons to be used for each, increasing economic efficiency. Note that it is also possible to use the same ink cartridge and switch between rough paper mode and smooth paper mode by manually operating a reset switch or the like.

Further, in this embodiment, the platen roller is a component of the ink cartridge, but it can also be a component of the main body. In this case, a guide pin is required to maintain the rotation of the ink ribbon around the platen roller.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the rough paper mode in a transfer type thermal printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the normal mode in the transfer type thermal printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the home position change mechanism in the transfer type thermal printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

The transfer type thermal printer of this embodiment is a serial printer, and the transfer paper 1. Platen 2. and 2
These ink cartridges 3 correspond to a rough paper mode for printing on rough paper and a normal mode for printing on regular paper.

Also, as shown in #3 @, one type of ink cartridge 3
have an integral structure with the thermal heads 37 and 38, and the other ink cartridge 3 has an integral structure with the thermal head 38, as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ink cartridge 3 in the rough paper mode has an ink ribbon supply roller 4° and an ink ribbon 1
0. Intermediate transfer roller 36. Thermal head 37.38.
Guide roller 7, ink ribbon take-up roller 9. and a marker 41, and this ink cartridge 3 runs from the left side to the right side of the transfer paper I supported on the platen 2 to print one line.

The ink ribbon 10 supplied from the ink ribbon supply roller 4 reaches the first thermal head 37, and the thermal head 37 generates heat due to the negative pattern of the print pattern. That is, the unnecessary ink portion on the ink ribbon 10 is thermally melted and transferred to the intermediate transfer roller 3G. As a result, only the necessary print pattern remains on the ink ribbon 10.

Ink ribbon 1 with only the necessary printing pattern obtained in this way
0 reaches the second thermal head 38, which generates heat over the entire width of the ink ribbon 10, including the print pattern, and thermally transfers the print pattern onto the transfer paper 1. After the transfer, the ink ribbon 10 is guided by the guide rollers 7 and taken up by the ink ribbon take-up roller 9.

On the other hand, the intermediate transfer roller 36 to which the unnecessary ink has been transferred is
It rotates at almost the same speed as the ink ribbon 10, removes unnecessary ink adhered by the blade 42, and returns contact with the ink ribbon IO.

In this way, since the image receiving surface when forming a character pattern is the highly smooth surface of the intermediate transfer roller 36, good ink transfer is performed and a highly sharp character pattern can be left on the ink ribbon 10. Can be done. Furthermore, by using ink that has a high degree of cohesion when melted, it is possible to prevent the character pattern remaining on the ink ribbon 10 from deteriorating when it is transferred to the transfer paper 1.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ink cartridge 3 in the normal mode has an ink ribbon supply roller 4. ink ribbon 10
．． Thermal head 38. Guide roller 7, ink ribbon take-up roller 9. and a marker 41, and uses only the second thermal head 38 to transfer the character pattern onto the transfer paper l supported by the platen 2.

When printing in these modes, a print signal transmitted from the outside is applied to the first thermal head 37 in the rough paper mode, and applied to the second thermal head 38 in the normal mode. . Therefore, the printing start position in each mode, that is,
The home positions shift according to the distance between the two thermal heads and do not match.

In order to match these, the serial printer of this embodiment is equipped with a home position changing mechanism as shown in FIG.

The home position changing mechanism in this embodiment includes a marker sensor 43 that detects a marker 41 attached to the ink cartridge 3. The ink cartridge 3 is
In order to return to its home position, it moves to the left with respect to the platen 2 by the driving means of the serial printer, and stops when its marker sensor 43 detects the marker 41. Therefore, by changing the length of each marker 41 in the rough paper mode and the normal mode, the home positions in both modes can be adjusted to match.

Note that in order to match the home positions, it is also possible to apply a delayed print signal to the second thermal head 38 in the normal mode.

Effects According to the present invention, since a printing mode suitable for transfer paper can be automatically selected, it is possible to perform good printing even on rough paper, and the life of the printer can be extended. , and can reduce running costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a transfer type thermal printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the printing section of the transfer type thermal printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the rough paper mode in the transfer type thermal printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the normal mode in the transfer type thermal printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a home position changing mechanism in a transfer type thermal printer according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 1: Transfer paper, 2 Nibraten, 3: Ink cartridge,
4: Ink ribbon supply roller, 5, 6° 37.38: Thermal head, 7: Guide roller. 8: Nibra tenkoro, 9: Ink ribbon take-up roller,
10: Ink ribbon, 11 guide pin. 12.41: Marker, 13; Cartridge detection sensor, 36: Intermediate transfer roller, 42:':/Rade, 43:
marker sensor. Patent applicant: Rico Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 83 Cow Figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A transfer type thermal printer equipped with an ink cartridge, which has a plurality of types of printing means depending on the smoothness of the transfer paper, and from among the plurality of types of printing means, the transfer paper is A transfer type thermal printer is characterized in that it performs printing by selecting a corresponding printing method. 2. The transfer type according to claim 1, wherein the ink cartridge corresponds to the plurality of types of printing means, and printing is performed using a plurality of types of ink cartridges corresponding to the respective printing means. Thermal printer. 3. It has means for detecting the types of the plurality of types of ink cartridges, and when the ink cartridges are set,
3. The transfer type thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the type of the ink cartridge is detected and the printing means corresponding to the cartridge is automatically selected.