JPS6480581A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent contamination of a paper and perform favorable printing, by slippably clamping an ink ribbon between a pinch roller and a driven pinch roller and separating the ribbon from the paper, at the time of printing in the direction toward the higher printing position. CONSTITUTION:At the time of a printing operation in which a thermal head 7 is moved toward the higher printing position side while pressing an ink ribbon 8 against a paper on a platen 1, a ribbon guide 11 separates the ribbon 8 on the higher printing position side from the paper, and guides the ribbon 8. In addition, a pinch roller 9 is lowered to clamp the ribbon 8 between it and a driven pinch roller 10 and separate the ribbon 8 from the paper, thereby guiding the ribbon 8 on the higher printing position side, and the pinch roller 9 is driven to rotate so as to slip when a fixed frictional force is exceeded, whereby the ribbon 8 is released from the paper with an appropriate tensile force. Thus, contamination of the paper by the ink ribbon can be prevented, and favorable printing can be performed.