JPH01123767A - Electrothermal transfer color recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a failure in printing or a breakage of an ink ribbon by incorporating in advance a return passage electrode in contact with the ribbon in an ink ribbon cassette, and electrically connecting the electrode to a recording electrode through the ribbon at the time of attaching or detaching the cassette. CONSTITUTION:When a cassette 12 is set on a carriage 20, a protrusion 26 exposed with the lower part of the cassette is brought into contact with a leaf spring 27 for the carriage to be electrically connected. When a recording electrode 2 is brought into pressure contact with the resistance layer of an ink ribbon 11 in this state, a closed circuit from a recording electrode driver 23 through a signal cable 31, the electrode 2, the resistance layer of the ribbon 11 and a conductive layer to a return passage electrode 10, and further from the protrusion 26 through the spring 27 to the driver 23 is formed, and a current corresponding to a recording signal is fed to be recorded. Thus, since the constitution of the return passage electrode is extremely simple and a modified section includes only part of a roller to be made of metal as compared with a conventional ribbon cassette, its cost is reduced and it can be easily used.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (A Field of Application of Togami) This invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, and in particular, the present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, and particularly relates to a thermal transfer recording device that injects a recording current into an ink ribbon to generate heat inside the ink ribbon. The present invention relates to an electrothermal transfer recording device that performs recording by transferring a coloring material layer onto recording paper.

(Conventional technology) The thermal transfer recording device records on plain paper and prints without noise.

Features include high reliability and no maintenance.

Widely used as IOA-related hard copy devices, such as personal computer printers, word processor printers, color printers, etc. Conventional thermal transfer recording uses a thermal head as a heat source, transfers the heat generated by the thermal head to an ink ribbon with a heat-transferable coloring material layer, and transfers the coloring material layer from the ink ribbon to recording paper. and record it.
A resistive ink ribbon having a resistive support and a heat transferable color material layer provided thereon was used.

Record 1 on a resistant support! Inject the flow,
This is a device that generates heat in a resistive support and uses the heat to transfer a p color material layer onto a recording paper to perform recording.

With the former device, when high-speed recording is performed, the print will smudge due to heat accumulation in the thermal head, which is the heat source.

This method has the disadvantage that high-speed recording is limited because deterioration in print quality such as smearing occurs. on the other hand,? In the former device, heat is generated inside the ink ribbon, so there is no problem of heat accumulation in the recording head, and the generated heat is transferred to the coloring material layer with less loss compared to the former device. Therefore, it has excellent high-speed recording performance.

FIG. 7 shows a thermal transfer recording device t (hereinafter abbreviated as 1 current transfer recording device F) using a conventional resistive ink ribbon.
1 is a recording head assembly. 2 is the recording head 2
Four recording electrodes (not shown) are provided. The recording head 2 is held from above and below by a recording head support 3.4. The recording head support 3 is a recording head support 3.
A spring (not shown) serving as a recording head biasing means connected to the recording head 4 biases the recording head against the platen 5 during recording, and moves it away from the platen 5 during non-recording. The recording head assembly will be explained using FIG. 8. The recording head 2 has a recording electrode unit 9 stacked on an alumina substrate 6 and a recording electrode unit 9 in which a tungsten electrode 8 as a recording electrode is formed on a polyimide sheet 7. The recording head 2 is supported at the top by a recording head support 3.4.

10 is the return trip 1! It is the ultimate roller Kinka, and the record 1 of Vdo 2 to the record! The ink ribbon 11 is sandwiched between the opposite roller 10' which is in contact with the resistive ink ribbon 11 on a wide surface of the pole 8. 12 is an ink ribbon cassette. A resistive ink ribbon 11 is stored in an ink ribbon cassette 12. FIG. 9 shows an example of the structure of a resistive ink ribbon used in the current transfer recording apparatus of the present invention.

The resistive ink ribbon shown in FIG. 9-(a) has a resistive support book 131, a conductive layer 14. It consists of a heat-transferable coloring material layer 15.

The resistive ink ribbon shown in sgci figure-+b) consists of a resistive support 13 and a heat-transferable colorant layer 15. Figure i49-(e
), a strength-reinforcing support layer 16 is provided between a resistive support 13 and a heat-transferable colorant layer 15.

The resistive ink ribbon used in this current transfer recording device basically consists of a resistive support that generates Joule heat when electricity is applied from the recording electrode, and a coloring material layer that can be transferred to recording paper by the generated heat. Various types of resistive ink ribbons can be used. This ink ribbon cassette 12 stores the ink ribbon shown in FIG. 9-ta). The ink ribbon 11 is an ink ribbon cassette 12
Pull out the recording head 2. It passes through the return path electrode IO and is rewound into the tray cassette 12. 20 is a carriage, and a recording header door seven assembly 1. Return electrode io.

It is equipped with an ink ribbon cassette 12. The carriage 20 is guided by a carriage guide 14 at an angle θ, and is moved from side to side along the platen 5 via a carriage drive belt 15 by a carriage movement motor. A platen driving motor 17 drives the platen via a timing belt 18.

19 is recording paper.

Next, the recording principle of the transfer recording apparatus will be explained with reference to FIG. In FIG. 10, an ink ribbon 11 and a recording paper 19 are shown.
moves and records l! The extremely 8% return path will be explained assuming that the koshiki 10 is fixed. As long as the relationship between the recording electrode 8° return voltage ff1lo and the ink ribbon 11 is relatively moved, the recording principle described below can be applied only to the example shown in FIG.

The recording single pole drive circuit 23 applies a recording signal area pressure to the recording IL pole 8 in response to the signal 22 from the recording signal source 2). record i
At the i-poles 8 to f), a stream is injected into the resistive support 13.

The injected current flows through the conductive layer 14 and again through the resistive support 13 to the return electrode 10 . At this time, Joule heat is generated in the resistive support 13 under the recording IIL pole 8. The generated heat is transferred to the heat transferable coloring material layer 15 and is
A melted part 24 is formed and the %mm area 24 is adhered to the recording paper 19.

The ink ribbon 11 and the recording paper 19 are affected respectively.

Moving in the direction of the arrows A$P and B, the melting portion 24 is transferred onto the recording paper 19 and an image 25 is formed.

In this type of electrical transfer recording, the inside of the ink ribbon serves as a conductive path, so the ink ribbon and the return path! It is necessary to ensure stable electrical contact with the poles. Moreover, since the ink ribbon cassette must be able to be easily attached and detached, the conventional method for setting the cassette is shown in Figure 6 (I
BM Quietwriter) After setting the ribbon freely, the user manually operates the ribbon attachment/detachment lever to A-+8 to connect the return electrode 10.
When the ribbon was pressed against A-+B by the facing roller 61 and the cassette 2 was removed, the reverse operation was performed.

However, in such a case, when removing the t1 cassette, the cassette was lifted without releasing the lever 60. The sloppy ribbon remains in pressure contact with the return path $IrA10 and the opposing roller 61, and this ribbon breaks. Also, if you forget to press the ribbon and record, printing may not be possible. In response to this, it is possible to automate such a pressure welding mechanism, but new problems arise in that the cost increases considerably and the structure becomes complicated.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the case of the conventional method in which the pressure contact mechanism between the return electrode and the ink ribbon is located on the carriage side and is manually operated when attaching or removing the cassette, the pressure contact mechanism is released when the cassette is removed. The ribbon often broke because I lifted the cassette without doing so, or I forgot to press the cassette to the exact position I set it in, resulting in printing failures.

On the other hand, if this type of pressure 1 (fi Ill) is automated, it will become quite complicated and lead to an increase in cost.Also, if you want to make the printer smaller, the space for this part will become smaller and this It becomes difficult to install such a mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrically conductive transfer recording apparatus that eliminates the need for such troublesome operation of levers when attaching and detaching a cassette, and that does not increase costs due to automation.

[Eighth aspect of the invention] (Means for solving the problems) Therefore, the present invention provides a current transfer method characterized in that a return path electrode is provided in an ink ribbon cassette, and the return path r4 poles are electrically connected to a recording electrode. It is a recording device.

(Function) Since the return electrode and the ink ribbon are pressed into contact with each other in the ink ribbon cassette in advance, the user's effort when attaching and detaching the cassette is saved and errors are reduced.

(Execution row) This invention will be explained in detail using the implementation row and drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an a-ton transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention. A return electrode 10 is installed in advance inside the ink ribbon cassette 12.

This return trip 1! The pole 10 is pressed against the unused resistance layer side of the ink ribbon 11 by a metal roller. Roller 2B,
28' serves to push the ribbon closer to the return electrode than to ensure contact between the ink ribbon 11 and the return path teM10. are doing. Reference numeral 26 denotes a metal protrusion electrically connected to the return side 10, which protrudes from the bottom of the cassette 12, and a metal plate spring 27 is placed on the carriage 20 at a position where it contacts this metal protrusion 26. . 29 and 29' are claws for attaching the ribbon cassette 12 to the carriage 20, and are made of elastic plastic. When the cassette 12 is pushed in lightly, the claws catch on the cassette and prevent it from coming off. If you hold it in place, but lift it up slightly, it will come off and you can insert and remove the cassette with a single touch. 30 is the drive #h axis for ribbon winding @p.

A signal cable 31 is connected to each electrode of the recording head 2, and is connected to the recording electrode drive circuit 23. GND@ of this recording electrode drive circuit 23 is connected to a leaf spring 27.

When the cassette 12 is set on the carriage 20, the four protrusions 26 at the bottom of the cassette and the leaf spring 2 on the carriage side
7 and are electrically connected.

At this time, this contact is maintained even if the carriage vibrates somewhat due to the elasticity of the leaf spring 27. In this state, when the pole 2 is pressed against the resistance layer side of the ink ribbon 11, the recording is carried out from the pole drive circuit 23 to the signal cable 31. record ill pole 2,
A resistance layer of the ink ribbon 11.

A closed circuit is formed which passes through the conductive layer to the return path 1X pole 10, and then returns from the protrusion 26 to the leaf spring 27 49, to the recording electrode, and to the drive circuit 23, through which a current according to the recording signal is passed.
and recorded.

The cross section of the attachment part of the return path fIL pole 10 is shown in Figure 2.
Return trip 1! A metal shaft slightly thinner than the central sleeve hole of the pole roller 10' is inserted from the bottom of the cassette, and this and the projection 26 are integrally molded. This shaft has adhesive 324
It is fixed to the cassette by twisting. Return path i-pole roller 1
0' can freely rotate around this axis.

One-air contact between the shaft and the roller is sufficient even if the roller is lightly pressed against the shaft by the tension of the ink ribbon.

The material of the return path 11fIA10', the protrusion 26 and the spring plate 27 is Cu-? Any metal such as Fe may be used.

In this way, the structure of the part that makes the return trip is extremely simple.

Compared to conventional ribbon cassettes, the only improvement is that some of the rollers are made of metal, so there is very little cost increase and it is easier to use from the user's perspective. In particular, the Baso Ribbon Cassette & 1 is a thermal transfer printer using a thermal head currently used in word processors, etc.
The cassette can be set by simply pushing it in from the top, whereas in the field of electrical transfer, conventional methods required an extra lever operation when attaching and detaching the cassette.With the present invention, the user can easily set the cassette by simply pushing it in from the top. You can attach and detach the cover in exactly the same way as a thermal transfer printer using an electric transfer printer without worrying about whether it is an electric transfer printer.

Figure 3 shows an example of a pond's ellipse regarding the shape of the poles for the return route.

(a) shows the conductive brush 33. lb) is a metal leaf spring 3
This is an example using 4.

The 4th picture of the son-in-law has 12 ribbon cassettes and 1 record! Pole drive circuit 23
In another embodiment, a conductive brush 35 is embedded in the shaft of the electrode roller 10' and protrudes from the bottom of the carriage. In this case, there is no need to make any special arrangements for the carriage portion that the brush 35 comes into contact with, as long as the gear ridge is made of metal and connected to the GND of the recording voltage drive circuit 23. Further, in this example, the return path @pole is a roller, but it may be combined with a conductive brush or a plate spring as shown in FIG. 3.

Figure 5 shows the printing area is divided into two layers, upper and lower, using an ink ribbon with an ink ribbon having a width of 2 or more, and after recording on one side, the cassette is turned upside down and the other printing area is used to record. This is an example in which the present invention is applied to a double width ink ribbon cassette.

In this example, the print area is the lower half of the ribbon width in the situation shown in Figure 1, and the ribbon is swiped in the direction of the solid arrow. At this time, on the return trip, the rollers 36 of the unused ink ribs, yy, and H are used, and the protrusions 37 are in contact with the plate springs on the carriage side. After using the ink ribbon on this side, turn the cassette 12 upside down so that the unused opening is facing down. At this time, the ribbon will be wound in the direction of the dotted arrow.9. At the return path IIL pole, the protrusion 37' of the roller 36' on the unused ink ribbon side comes into contact with the plate spring on the run-out side. Unused here means that even if half of one side of the ink ribbon is used, the ink ribbon to be printed is still unused (an undamaged current path can be ensured).

Furthermore, as another example, the cassette case itself may be made of conductive resin.

In the example above, all the return electrodes are installed on the unused ink ribbon side, but if you are only recording with a low pixel density, such as recording only 5 characters, then the return electrodes are connected to the used ink ribbon. It may be installed on the ribbon side. However, when recording with a high pixel density such as graphic recording,
! It is preferable to install the return electrode on the side of the unused ink ribbon.

As described above, the present invention can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to this invention, since the return electrode and the ink ribbon are in pressure contact with each other in the ink ribbon cassette in advance, the user can attach and detach the ribbon cassette without operating the mechanism that presses the return path between the ink ribbon and the ink ribbon. No more mistakes or having to cut the ribbon. Further, since there is no need to provide the above-mentioned pressure contact mechanism on the carriage side, the cost can be reduced and the size can be further easily reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a selected part of the return path 11L, Figs. 3 and 4 are views showing the shape of the return path electrode part, Figure 5 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention using a double-width ink ribbon cassette, and the sixth figure is a diagram for explaining a method for attaching and detaching one of the conventional ribbon cassettes for electrical transfer. FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a one-transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a recording head, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the formation of a resistive ink ribbon, and a first θ diagram 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the recording operation of a conventional current transfer recording device, and the gtt diagram is a diagram showing the principle of the recording operation when the return electrode is installed on the unused ink ribbon side. 1... Recording head assembly, 2... Recording head,
10...Return electrode, 11...Resistive ink ribbon,
-... Ink ribbon cassette, 13... Resistive support, 15... Coloring material layer, 19... Recording paper, 23...
Recording 1tFf & drive circuit. Agent Patent Attorney Ken Ken Chika Den Hikaru Yama 2 Otsuj Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) using an ink ribbon consisting of at least a resistive support and a heat transferable coloring material layer provided on the support, and having a recording electrode and a return electrode in pressure contact with the resistive support; The ink ribbon and the return electrode are placed in the same cassette in an electrical transfer recording device that performs recording by selectively transferring a coloring material layer to a recording paper using heat generated in a resistive support by applying electricity in response to a recording signal. An electrical transfer recording apparatus characterized in that the return electrode and the recording electrode are electrically connected via the ink ribbon when the cassette is loaded so as to be in pressure contact with each other. (2) The current transfer recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the return electrode is provided on the unused ink ribbon side.