JPH011573A - transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a transfer type printer, and more particularly to a transfer type printer having a print head pressing mechanism within a carriage.

Conventional technology Conventionally, in this type of transfer printer, a printer driven by a motor presses the print head against the platen by compressing a pressure spring, and releases the compression of the pressure spring to release the print head. A print head pressing mechanism was mounted inside the carriage, which caused the print head to separate from the platen by being pulled back by a spring.

In such conventional transfer printers, the operation of pressing the print head against the platen was performed by a print head pressing mechanism installed in the kill ridge, so the operation of pressing the print head against the platen was performed by a print head pressing mechanism installed in the kill ridge. This has the disadvantage of complicating the mechanism and increasing the small size and volume of the carriage.

In addition, with this print head pressing mechanism, if the power to the printer is turned on during printing, the cam will be fixed at the position where the print head is pressed against the platen, so the print head will remain pressed against the platen. There is a drawback that it becomes difficult.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional ones, and it simplifies the mechanism inside the carriage and improves the key i?
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a transfer type printer that can reduce the ridge weight and volume, and can prevent the print head from remaining pressed against the platen when the power source is bright during printing operation. .

Structure of the Invention A transfer type printer according to the present invention is a transfer type printer that uses a spring that presses a print head against a platen during a printing operation, and is characterized in that the material of the spring is a shape memory alloy.

Embodiment Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a 7'7 type printer according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a print head 1, a head support 2,
A pin 3, a release spring 4, a pressure spring 5, a ribbon feed roller 7 and a strut 9.10 are mounted within the gear ridge 8. A driver circuit 6 and a platen 11 are provided outside the carriage 8.

The print head 1 is attached to a head support 2,
Pressing the print head 1 against the platen 11 using the bin 3 provided on the head length boat 2 as a fulcrum J3 and the platen 1
In the figure, a reciprocating motion of arrow A is being performed.

In this head report 2, print head 1 is attached to platen 11.
A release spring 4 for pulling the print head 1 back from the platen 11 and a pressure spring 5 for pressing the print head 1 against the platen 11 are attached 1", and one end of the release spring 4 and the pressure spring 5 are respectively attached to a V ridge. It is attached to the column 9.10 in 8.

The pressure spring 5 for pressing the print head 1 against the platen 11 is made of a unidirectional shape memory alloy (for example,
It is made of a titanium-nickel alloy) and is in an extended state by a release spring 4 at room temperature. Therefore, the print head 1 is pulled back by the release spring 4 and is separated from the platen 11.

By inputting this print command to the printer, the control section (not shown) drives the driver circuit 6 to output the pressure spring 5.
Start energizing.

The pressure spring 5 generates heat due to this energization due to its own resistance, and when the temperature exceeds a certain level, it exerts a shape memory effect and tries to return to the memorized shape. The force of returning to the memorized shape becomes greater than the tensile force of the release spring 4, and the print head 1 is pressed against the platen 11 with a predetermined pressing force.

When the printing command is no longer input, the control section stops driving the driver circuit 6, and the power supply from the driver circuit 6 to the pressure spring 5 is stopped. By stopping this energization, the pressure spring 5 stops generating heat, and the temperature of the pressure spring 5 decreases.

When the temperature of the pressure spring 5 decreases to room temperature, the pressure spring 5 is expanded by the release spring 4, and the print head 1 is pulled back by the release spring 4 and separated from the platen 11.

Even when the power of the printer is cut off during printing operation, the print head 1 is pulled back by the release spring 4 and separated from the platen 11 when the pressure spring 5 cools down to room temperature, similar to the operation described above. becomes.

In this way, the print head 1 is moved to the platen 11 during printing operation.
By using a shape memory alloy as the material of the pressure spring 5 that presses against the carriage 8, the mechanism inside the carriage 8 can be bent, the size and volume of the carriage 8 can be reduced, and the power supply can be cut off during printing operation. This can prevent the print head 1 from remaining pressed against the platen 11 at times.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure spring 5 is made of a unidirectional shape memory alloy, but a bidirectional shape memory alloy may also be used, and the material is not limited to this.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the material of the spring that presses the print head against the platen during printing is made of a shape memory alloy, thereby simplifying the mechanism inside the carriage and reducing the weight of the carriage. Also, the volume can be reduced, and the print head can be prevented from remaining pressed against the platen when the power is turned off during a printing operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of one embodiment of the Kibenmei. Explanation of symbols of main parts 1...Print head 4...Release spring 5...Pressure spring 6... Driver circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transfer type printer having a spring that presses a print head against a platen during a printing operation, wherein the spring is made of a shape memory alloy.