JPH03231883A - Thermal transfer recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance printing grade by providing a heat-resistant org. membrane having a large number of dimples provided to the single surface thereof, an ink supply part supplying thermoplastic ink to the dimples and the head coming into contact with the rear of the heat-resistant org. membrane. CONSTITUTION:An org. membrane 1 subjected to dimple processing is fed by a roller 6 while the ink melted by a heater is supplied to the dimples 2 of the org. membrane 1 in an ink supply pat 5 and pressed to the recording paper set to a platen 4 by a thermal printing head 8. At this pressing time, the ink 3 melted by a heating element selectively heated on the basis of image and printing data is transferred to the recording paper 3. The membrane 1 to which the ink 3 is thus transferred is again fed to the ink supply part 5 by the roller 6 to receive the supply of the ink 3. Therefore, the membrane 1 is repeatedly used and the running cost of the apparatus is reduced. Since the membrane is formed from polyimide having the low coefficient of friction, the damage of the membrane by the friction of the head 8 is eliminated and, further, the contamination of the head part with ink is eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device, and particularly to a structure of a thermal transfer recording medium.

[Conventional technology]

As a thermal transfer recording medium for a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus, Japanese Patent Publication No. 5936879 discloses a transfer recording medium in which a solid ink exhibiting thermoplasticity is filled inside a carrier having through holes. Furthermore, a thermal transfer recording medium in which a heat-resistant organic film was coated on one side of a thin plate with many through holes was published in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6.
No. 2-48594.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional thermal transfer recording device described above, when the thermal transfer recording medium is formed of a thin metal plate having through holes, there is a drawback that the head is damaged by friction with the thermal print head that presses the thin metal plate.

Further, the head is stained by the ink that has seeped out around the through hole, causing a problem in that the thermal efficiency of the head is reduced, resulting in a loss of print quality.

On the other hand, when a heat-resistant organic film is applied to one side of a thin metal plate having through holes, there is a drawback that the film peels off due to the difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the thin metal plate and the organic film. In addition, molten ink penetrates through the interface between the thin metal plate and the organic film or the gap created as described above, resulting in the ink staining the head, reducing the thermal efficiency of the head, and resulting in poor print quality. .

Furthermore, in the case of a thermal transfer recording medium, a so-called ink ribbon, in which a heat-melting ink layer is formed on a support such as a heat-resistant resin, it is difficult to repeat transfer many times (10 or more times). Running costs are a major problem.

[Means to solve the problem]

The thermal transfer recording device of the present invention includes: a heat-resistant organic thin film provided with a large number of dimples on one side; an ink supply section that supplies thermoplastic ink to the dimples; It is configured to include a head that comes into contact with the back surface portion, melts the ink supplied into the dimples, and transfers the ink onto the recording paper.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail using a thermal transfer printer as an example with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a thermal transfer recording medium used in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of section B in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, the thermal transfer recording device of this embodiment has a platen 4, an ink supply section (ink tank) 5 filled with thermoplastic ink 3 made of dye and heat-melting wax, and a dimple-processed structure. It consists of an organic thin M1 made of polyimide resin and a thermal print head 8.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the organic thin film 1 of the thermal transfer recording medium used in this example has a thickness of 10 to 100 μm, which is made of polyimide resin that has heat resistance and low frictional force.
Dimples 2 having a hole diameter of 10 to 100 μm and a depth of 5 to 50 μm are formed in a staggered manner on one side by chemical etching or laser etching.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The dimpled organic thin film 1 is supplied with ink 3 that is thermally melted by a heater (not shown in this figure) in an ink supply section 5 and supplied to the dimples 2 . The organic thin film 1 supplied with the ink 3 is conveyed by a roller 6 and pressed against a recording paper set on a platen 4 using a thermal print head 8 shown in FIG. During this pressing, the ink 3 melted by the heating element 7 selectively heated by the image and printed information is transferred onto the recording paper.

The organic thin film 1 onto which the ink 3 has been transferred in this manner is conveyed again to the ink supply section 5 by the roller 6, and the ink 3 is supplied thereto. Therefore, the organic thin film 1 can be used repeatedly, and the running cost of the apparatus is reduced.

Furthermore, since polyimide with a small coefficient of friction is used for the organic thin film 1, there is no damage to the thermal print head due to friction, and there is no staining of the head portion with ink, making it possible to obtain high quality and high quality prints.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention provides a thermal transfer recording device that includes a heat-resistant organic thin film having a large number of dimples on one side, an ink supply unit that supplies thermoplastic ink to the dimples, and an ink supply unit that supplies thermoplastic ink to the dimples. The structure has a head that contacts the back side of the heat-resistant organic thin film and melts the ink supplied into the dimples. Because of this, there is almost no damage to the thermal print head due to friction, and the dimple structure rather than through holes prevents molten ink from penetrating into the thermal print head, staining the head, and reducing the thermal efficiency of the head. There is no possibility that the print quality will be lost.

Furthermore, ink can be resupplied from the ink tank section to the heat-resistant organic thin film provided with dimples after transfer, and transfer recording can be performed repeatedly, which has the effect of reducing running costs.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are a plan view and an A-A sectional view of an organic thin film 1 used in one embodiment of the present invention, respectively, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are a front view and a cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer recording device of this embodiment, respectively. It is an enlarged view of part B. 1... Organic thin film, 2... Dimple
), 3... ink, 4... platen, 5... ink supply section, 6... roller, 7... heating element, 8...
・Thermal print head.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a heat-resistant organic thin film having a large number of dimples on one side; an ink supply section that supplies thermoplastic ink to the dimples; A thermal transfer recording device comprising: a head that melts ink supplied therein and transfers the melted ink to recording paper.