JPH01291978A - Feeding mechanism of color ribbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the detection of an unused part of an ink ribbon element, by a construction wherein a rewinding mechanism for rewinding a color ribbon after the end of the color ribbon and a ribbon sensor for detecting the unused part of the ink ribbon element are provided so as to exfoliate ink as a mark of being already used from the upper part of the ink ribbon element used and to rewind the color ribbon after the end of the use thereof. CONSTITUTION:A color ribbon 2 is rolled up by a roll-up mechanism in a color ribbon feeding mechanism, and an ink ribbon element of a specified color is supplied to a printing head 3. This color ribbon feeding mechanism is provided with a mark head 4 for attaching a mark of being already used to the upper part of the ink ribbon element already used in the course of running for printing, a rewinding mechanism for rewinding the color ribbon 2 after the end of the color ribbon 2, and a ribbon sensor 1 for detecting an unused part of the ink ribbon element. In the case when an unused color ribbon 2 is used, the ink ribbon element of the specified color is detected by the ribbon sensor 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color ribbon feeding mechanism, and more particularly to a color ribbon feeding mechanism used in a thermal transfer type serial printer.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, when this type of thermal transfer serial printer is equipped with a black ink ribbon, it winds up the ink ribbon while printing, stops winding the ink ribbon as soon as printing is completed, and continues printing only during printing. The ribbon is being fed.

In the case of a color ribbon feeding mechanism of a thermal transfer serial printer that uses a color ribbon that has ink ribbon parts of different colors periodically and continuously in the longitudinal direction, the ink ribbon part of a specified color is first searched for while winding up. The color ribbon is wound up while printing in the same way as a black ink ribbon, and when the designated color area is used up, the color ribbon is fed to the next area of the same color.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The color ribbon feeding mechanism of the conventional thermal transfer serial printer described in 1. When a color ribbon is attached and an attempt is made to print using only a certain color, the specified color is When the area of the ink ribbon area of the specified color is finished, printing is started while winding up the color ribbon and searching for the ink ribbon area of the next area of the specified color. There was a drawback that the colored ribbons were left unused in some areas.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and as a means for solving the problems, the present invention has ink ribbon portions of different colors periodically and continuously in the longitudinal direction. In a color ribbon feeding mechanism that winds up a color ribbon and supplies an ink ribbon portion of a specified color, a mark head for marking a used ink ribbon portion on the top of the used ink ribbon portion during printing;
The present invention is configured to include a rewind mechanism that rewinds the color ribbon after the color ribbon is finished, and a ribbon sensor that detects an unused portion of the ink ribbon section.

[Example] Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the head and the vicinity of the color ribbon of a color ribbon feeding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the color ribbon.

This figure 2 shows the case of a color ribbon 2 of four colors: yellow 9, magenta 10. The ink ribbon portions of each color are periodically and continuously repeated in the longitudinal direction in the order of cyan 11, black 12, etc. Moreover, a barcode 8 indicating the color is included at the beginning of each color.

Then, this color ribbon 2 is wound up by a winding mechanism (not shown) in the color ribbon feeding mechanism shown in FIG. 1, and an ink ribbon portion of a designated color is supplied to the pad 3 for printing. Note that 5 and 6 are ribbon rollers.

This color ribbon feeding mechanism also includes a marking pad 4 for attaching a used mark to the top of the used ink ribbon section during printing, and a rewind mechanism (for rewinding the color ribbon 2 after the color ribbon 2 is finished). (not shown) and a ribbon sensor l for detecting an unused part of the ink ribbon section.
The ink ribbon used for printing is checked between the ribbon sensor 1 and the ribbon roller 5, and a part of the ink is removed in order to mark it as used.The rad 4 is used to remove part of the ink, and the wiping roller is used to wipe off the ink that has been removed by 2m. 7, the ink ribbon 2 is wound around ribbon rollers 5 and 6, and is brought into contact with the print head 3 between the ribbon rollers 5 and 6 in the ink ribbon path.

When using an unused color ribbon 2, the ribbon sensor l detects the ink ribbon portion of the designated color. At this time, do not wipe off the ink at RAD 4 to the mark.

When an ink ribbon part of the color to be printed is found, printing is performed, and at the same time, a signal is sent to a mark pad 4 to remove ink from the upper part of the ink ribbon part as a used mark, and the ink is transferred to a wiping roller 7.

The wiping roller 7 rotates as the ink ribbon moves and removes ink. When the end of color ribbon 2 is detected, it is rewinded and returned to the beginning.

When using the color ribbon 2 that has been used twice, first the ink ribbon portion of the designated color is detected. A sensor 1 detects whether there is a used mark on the upper part of the ink ribbon section.

If there is no used mark, place a used mark on the top of the ink ribbon at the same time as printing. If it has been used, the color ribbon 2 is sent to the unused part and a used mark is placed on the upper part of the ink ribbon part, and at the same time printing is performed.

By rewinding the color ribbon 2 again after it is finished, the color ribbon 2 can be used repeatedly without waste.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the color ribbon feeding mechanism of the present invention has the following effects:
Since it is equipped with a rewind mechanism that rewinds the color ribbon after the color ribbon is finished, and a ribbon sensor that detects the unused portion of the ink ribbon section, the ink is peeled off from the top of the used ink ribbon section as a used mark. By rewinding the color ribbon after use and detecting the unused portion, the color ink ribbon can be used without waste.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the head and the vicinity of the color ribbon of a color ribbon feeding mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the color ribbon. 1: Ribbon sensor 2: Color ribbon 4: Mark head 7: Wiping roller 9: Yellow 10:
Magenta 11 Nijian 12 Ni Black

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a color ribbon feeding mechanism that winds up a color ribbon having ink ribbon parts of different colors periodically and continuously in the longitudinal direction and supplies an ink ribbon part of a specified color, the upper part of the used ink ribbon part during printing. A color ribbon comprising: a mark head for marking the color ribbon as used; a rewind mechanism for rewinding the color ribbon after the color ribbon is finished; and a ribbon sensor for detecting an unused portion of the ink ribbon section. Feeding mechanism.