JPH0441267A - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a high-definition thermal transfer recording device for making hard copies of television images and the like.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, images from personal computers, camera-integrated video tape recorders, electronic still cameras, and the like have been soft-copied using display devices capable of high-resolution display. Recently, thermal transfer recording devices that can display high-definition images in full color have been developed as devices for hard copying images from these information sources.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing such a conventional thermal transfer recording device. This device uses recording paper cut to a predetermined length.

The platen roller 1 is provided with a halter 3 which is biased in the axial direction of the platen roller 1 and clamps the leading edge of the recording paper 2. The recording paper 2 is held in pressure contact with the platen roller 1 by the holder 3 and wound. On the other hand, ink such as yellow, cyan, and magenta is applied cyclically to the ink sheet 4 in a predetermined order, and during recording, the ink sheet 4 and the recording paper 2 are transferred to the platen roller by the thermal head 5. is pressed against. and,
As the platen roller 1 rotates in the A direction, a heating element (not shown) of the thermal head 5 generates heat in response to the video signal. Due to this heat, the ink applied to the ink sheet 4 sublimates and is transferred and recorded onto the recording paper 2.

In this way, when the recording of the first color (for example, cyan) is completed, the thermal head 5 separates from the platen roller 1, and the platen roller 1 rotates in the direction A to print on the recording paper.
is conveyed to the same position as the recording start position of the first color. Further, the ink sheet 4 is wound up in the B direction until the second color (for example, yellow) comes to the recording start position. The thermal head 5 presses the ink sheet 4 and the recording paper 2 against the platen roller 1 again, and performs transfer recording of the second color based on the video signal. In the same manner, transfer recording of the third color (magenta) is also performed.

When recording is completed, the thermal head 5 separates from the platen roller 1, and the platen roller 1 rotates in the inward direction.

When the rear end of the recording paper 2 reaches the position where it is pressed by the pressure roller 6, the platen roller 1 rotates in the C direction, and the recording paper 2
The rear end of the recording paper 2 is guided between the recording paper guide members 7 and 8. Then, the recording paper 2 is released from the holder 3 and discharged.

In this way, each color is transferred sequentially, and there is a risk that color misregistration may occur. For this reason, in FIG. 8, the pressure roller 9
is provided to reliably press the recording paper 2 near the thermal head 5 against the platen roller 1 to prevent color misregistration. However, since the recording paper 2 is entirely wound around the platen roller 1, a platen roller whose circumference is longer than the length of the recording paper is required. Therefore, in order to be able to use large-sized recording paper, the platen roller also needs to be made large, which poses a problem of increasing the size of the apparatus.

Therefore, a reciprocating printing apparatus is sometimes adopted in which the recording paper is conveyed while being sandwiched between a platen roller and a pinch roller to prevent the occurrence of color misregistration.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing such a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 62-183641.

Recording paper 10 is stored in a paper cassette 11. The recording paper 10 is pulled out from the paper cassette 11 by a paper feed roller 12, is conveyed while being pinched by a platen roller 13 and a pinch roller 14, and is mounted in the gap between the platen roller 13 and the thermal head 15. An ink sheet (not shown) is also mounted in the gap between the platen roller 13 and the thermal head 15, and the thermal head 15 presses the ink sheet and the recording paper 10 against the platen roller 13 during recording.

As the platen roller 13 rotates, the thermal head 15 is energized and transfer recording is performed as in FIG. 8. When the recording of the first color is completed, the platen roller 13 rotates in the opposite direction to return the recording paper 10 to the recording start position of the first color. In this case, the recording paper 10 is transported between the guides 16 without being transported to the paper force rollers 1 to 11, thereby preventing paper jams from occurring. In this way, by pinching and conveying the recording paper 10 by the platen roller 13 and the pinch roller 14, the recording paper 10
0 is not wound around the platen roller 13, color misregistration is prevented from occurring.

However, the frictional force of the platen roller 13 changes depending on the environment. For this reason, the recording paper 10 is shifted by 3
There was a problem that a shift occurred in color registration. Further, in FIG. 9, when the recording paper is returned, the pinch roller 14 directs the traveling direction of the recording paper 10 toward the guide 16 side. That is,
By appropriately determining the positions of the platen roller 13 and the pinch roller 14, the conveyance direction of the recording paper 10 is determined, and the platen roller 13 is reversely rotated to move the recording paper 10 to the guide 1.
It is transported to the 6th side. However, platen roller 1
3 rotates in the opposite direction, the change in the frictional force of the platen roller 13 against the recording paper 10 becomes large, resulting in a large misregistration.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional thermal transfer recording device shown in FIG. In order to increase the size of the recording paper, it is necessary to increase the size of the platen roller, which causes the problem of increasing the size of the device.Furthermore, in the conventional example shown in FIG.
The recording paper is conveyed while being held between the platen roller and the pinch roller, and there is a problem in that the registration of the three colors may be misaligned due to changes in the frictional force of the platen roller.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and includes:
In addition to downsizing the device without causing color shift,
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording device that can transport recording paper without causing paper jams.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) A thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention includes a paper feed case for storing recording paper, a pinch roller and a capstan for conveying the recording paper in forward and reverse directions. , comprising a recording paper feeding means for guiding the recording paper from the paper feeding case between the pinch roller and the capstan, and a guide means capable of changing the conveyance path of the recording paper according to the operation mode. This is what I did.

(Function) In the present invention, when feeding recording paper, the recording paper from the paper feeding case is conveyed between the pinch roller and the capstan by the recording paper feeding means.

During recording, the recording paper is conveyed in the forward direction by a pinch roller and a capstan, and printing is performed.

When printing is completed, the pinch roller and capstan transport the recording paper in the opposite direction to print the second color.
The guide means changes the conveyance path of the recording paper. The recording paper is conveyed while being pinched by a pinch roller and a capstan, thereby preventing color misregistration. The conveyance path of the recording paper is different from that during paper feeding, and the recording paper is not conveyed to the paper feeding case side, thereby preventing the occurrence of paper jams and the like. Unlike in the past, there is no need to wrap the recording paper around the platen roller, and the platen roller can be made smaller, making it possible to downsize the apparatus.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention.

A paper feed case 22 that can accommodate a plurality of recording papers 21 is disposed on the lower side of one side of the housing 20 . A paper discharge case 23 is provided above the paper feed case 22 to which the recording paper 21 after printing is sent. Further, a recording section 24 is provided on the other side of the housing 20.
is transferred and recorded onto the recording paper 21 fed from the paper feed case 22.

The recording paper 21 is pulled out from the paper feed case 22 by a paper feed roller 43. That is, an opening 44 is formed in the upper part of the paper feeding case 22 on the side of the recording section 24, and a paper feeding roller 43 is disposed opposite to the opening 44. The recording paper 21 is
lifted in the direction of the opening 44 by the lever 45;
The six paper feed rollers 43 pressed by the paper feed rollers 43 are rotated by a DC motor (not shown), so that the recording paper 21 in contact with the paper feed rollers 43 is fed to the recording section 24 through the openings 44. It has become so.

Return guides 46 and 47 for guiding the recording paper 21, a paper feeding guide 25, and a switching guide 26 are arranged on the opening 44 side of the paper feeding case 22. Return guide 4
6 has a horizontal portion on the side of the opening 44 of the paper feed case 22, and has a sloped portion in the feeding direction of the recording paper 21 from the paper feed gauge 22. The paper feed guide 25 has a sloped portion at a position opposite to the sloped portion of the return guide 46, and after horizontally conveying the recording paper 21 guided by this sloped portion and the sloped portion of the return guide 46, it is transported diagonally upward. It is designed to be transported by

The return guide 47 is disposed at a position facing the paper feed guide 25 and guides the recording paper 21 between it and the return guide 46 when the recording paper 21 is returned.

In this embodiment, a switching guide 26 is provided between the paper feed guide 25 and the return guide 47. The switching guide 26 swings about a pivot 48 by a mode motor (not shown) or the like.

That is, due to this swinging, when the recording paper 21 is fed, the rear end of the switching guide 26 on the paper feed case 22 side comes into contact with the end of the return guide 46 on the slope side, and the tip 57 on the recording section 24 side comes into contact with the end of the return guide 46 on the slope side. is located above and guides the recording paper 21 together with the paper feed guide 25. Furthermore, when the recording paper 21 is returned, the tip 57 of the switching guide 26 is located below the paper feed guide 25, and the end on the paper feed case 22 side is located above.
Together with the return guide 47, the recording paper 21 is guided above the return guide 46.

The recording paper 21 conveyed by these guides 25, 26, and 46 is conveyed to the platen roller 27 side via a guide roller 49. The platen roller 27 has a cylindrical shape whose outer periphery is made of an elastic material, and is rotatable about a support shaft 28 .

The platen roller 27 is provided with a bearing such as a ball bearing, so that even if the recording paper 21 comes into sliding contact with the platen roller 27, it will not cause a load on the conveyance of the recording paper 21.

A thermal head 29 is arranged at a position facing this platen roller 27. That is, a "<"-shaped head plate 30 is provided below the platen roller 27 at the bottom of the casing 20 so as to be able to swing around a pivot 31, and the head plate 30 faces the platen roller 27. A thermal head 29 is attached to one side. Head lever 3 that rotates around a pivot 32
3 and the end of the head plate 30 are connected by a connecting member 34, and as the head lever 33 rotates, the head plate 30 swings to move the thermal head 29 toward the platen roller 27 or It is separated from the platen roller 27. As the two thermal heads, a line type thermal head in which a large number of heating elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording paper 21 is adopted.

An ink sheet 36 is disposed between the thermal head 29 and the platen roller 27. The ink sheet 36 is stored in two bobbins 37 and 38 of the ink cassette 35, and the exposed portion between the bobbins 37 and 38 is pressed against the platen roller 27 by movement of the thermal head 29. The ink sheet 36 is yellow,
Ink bands of several colors such as magenta and cyan are sequentially and cyclically applied in the traveling direction of the ink sheet 36 in sizes based on the size of the recording paper 21.

A capstan 50 is rotatably disposed above the platen roller 27. The capstan 50 is driven by a pulse motor (not shown) or the like and rotates at a constant pitch. Note that the capstan 50 has a relatively rough surface to increase friction with the back side of the recording surface of the recording paper 21, thereby preventing the recording paper 21 from shifting and color misregistration. .

A rotatable pinch roller 51 is disposed at a position facing the capstan 50 so as to be swingable about a support shaft 52 . The pinch roller 51 has a cylindrical shape whose outer periphery is made of an elastic material. The pinch roller 51 is provided with a bearing such as a ball bearing, so that even if the recording paper 21 comes into sliding contact with the pinch roller 51, there will be no load on the conveyance of the recording paper 21. When feeding the recording paper 21, the pinch roller 51 is swung around a spindle 52 by a DC motor (not shown), is sufficiently separated from the capstan 50, and is conveyed upward by the paper feed guide 25 and guide roller 49. The recorded paper 21 is passed between the capstan 50 and the capstan 50.

Further, when conveying the recording paper 21, the pinch roller 51 swings around the support shaft 52 and moves in the direction of the rotation axis of the capstan 50, and presses the recording paper 21 between it and the capstan 50. It is supposed to be done. By pinching and conveying the recording paper 21 between the capstan 50 and the pinch roller 51, occurrence of color misregistration is prevented.

Discharge guides 53 and 54 are provided above the pinch roller 51 and above the capstan 50, respectively, to guide the recording paper 21 toward the paper discharge case 23. Paper ejection guide 53
In the vicinity of the pinch roller 51, it faces obliquely upward toward the paper ejection case 23, and is bent at the upper part of the housing 20 to become approximately horizontal. On the other hand, the paper ejection guide 54 has a bent portion 55 above the capstan 50, and has a bent portion 55 above the capstan 50.
0 and is parallel to the guide 53. The recording paper 21 that has been printed is moved through these paper ejection guides 53.5.
4, the paper is fed between the paper ejection rollers 56, and the paper is sent into the paper ejection case 23 by the rotation of the paper ejection roller 56. Note that the paper ejection roller 56 has the same speed as the capstan 50. It is designed to rotate with
It is designed to rotate in forward and reverse directions depending on the time of recording, return, etc.

Next, the operation of the thermal transfer recording apparatus configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. Figure 2 is a front view showing the start of paper feeding, and Figures 3 to 7 are
2 is a front view of the recording unit 24 shown in the figure, showing the end of paper feeding, the start of recording, the time of recording, the time of return, and the time of ejection, respectively.

When the feeding of the recording paper 21 is started, as shown in FIG.
is pressed against the paper feed roller 43 and sent out from the opening 44 by the rotation of the paper feed roller 43. At the time of paper feeding, as shown in FIG. 2, the switching guide 26 has one end of the paper feeding case 22@ lowered and a leading end 57 on the side of the recording section 24 raised.
The switching guide 26 functions as a paper feeding guide. In this way, the recording paper 21 fed from the paper feed case 22 comes into contact with the slope of the return guide 46, and is guided by the slope between the paper feed guide 25 and the switching guide 26. After the recording paper 21 is conveyed approximately horizontally by the paper feed guide 25 and the switching guide 26, the recording paper 21
The sheet is pressed downward by the sheet feed guide 25, and is turned upward by the sheet feed guide 25 and advances diagonally upward.

On the other hand, the rotation of the head lever 33 moves the thermal head 29 to the vicinity of the platen roller 27.

As the thermal head 29 moves, the ink sheet 36 is pressed and unwound. The recording paper 21 conveyed by the paper feed guide 25 and the switching guide 26 advances between the thermal head 29 and the ink sheet 36 .

In this case, since the leading end 57 of the switching guide 26 presses the recording paper 21 downward, after the leading end of the recording paper 21 contacts the ink sheet 36, it slides on the surface of the ink sheet 36 and is guided upward. (switching guide 26
Since the leading edge 57 presses the recording paper 21 downward, the recording paper 21 advances more obliquely upward from the paper feed guide 25 than when there is no pressure, and the surface of the ink sheet 36 is moved upward. (becomes slippery).

After the recording paper 21 contacts the ink sheet 36, it slides on the surface of the ink sheet 36, and is guided upward while slidingly contacting the platen roller 27. In this case, the pinch roller 5
1 is sufficiently spaced from the capstan 50, and the recording paper 21 is guided between the capstan 50 and the pinch roller 51, as shown in FIG. When the leading edge of the recording paper 21 reaches a predetermined position, as shown in FIG. Press it onto the stun 50. Next, the capstan 50 rotates in the reverse direction to return the recording paper 21 by a certain amount to the supply side, and performs cueing of the printing start position.

When the recording paper 21 reaches the print start position, the capstan 50 stops rotating.Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the head lever 33 further rotates and the thermal head 2
9 is pressed against the platen roller 27 via the ink sheet 36 and the recording paper 21. Next, the capstan 50 rotates forward, and the thermal head 29 is energized to start printing.

As the capstan 50 rotates, the recording paper 21 and the ink sheet 36 advance, and the ink applied to the ink sheet 36 is transferred and printed onto the recording paper 21 by the heat of the thermal head 29 according to the video signal. .

The recording paper 21 is conveyed as the capstan 50 rotates, and is guided by paper discharge guides 53 and 54. Note that the broken line in FIG. 5 indicates the progress of the recording paper 21. Recording paper 21 guided by paper ejection guides 53 and 54
is guided between the paper discharge rollers 56 and advances.

When printing of the first color is completed, the return mode is entered, and as shown in FIG. 6, the thermal head 29 is separated from the platen roller 27, and the capstan 50 rotates in the reverse direction. Further, the switching guide 26 is swung by a mode motor or the like, and the leading end portion 57 is moved below the paper feeding guide 25. 1st
At the end of color printing 1 to 1, the end of the recording paper 21 is held by the paper feed guide 25, and the recording paper 21 is reversely conveyed by the conveying force of the capstan 50, and slides on the paper feed guide 25 until it reaches the tip of the switching guide 26. 57 and is guided above the switching guide 26. In this way, the rear end of the recording paper 21 advances between the switching guide 26 and the return guide 47, and is guided above the return guide 46. The leading edge of the recording paper 21 is returned to the same printing start position as in FIG. The recording paper 21 is not conveyed to the paper feed case 22 side, and paper jams and the like are prevented from occurring. Thereafter, the second and third colors are printed by similar operations.

When printing is completed, as shown in FIG. 7, the recording paper 21 is conveyed by the paper ejection roller 56 and fed into the paper ejection case 23. In this case, the recording section 24 is the same as that shown in FIG. The state will be restored. That is, the pinch roller 51
moves away from the capstan 50, the thermal head 29 moves away from the platen roller 27, and the tip 57 of the switching guide 26 moves upward. In this way, the next recording paper 21 can be fed.

In this way, in this embodiment, the paper ejection case 23 is disposed above the paper feed case 22, so that the overall length of the apparatus can be shortened. And capstan 5
The recording paper 21 is pinched and conveyed by the zero and pinch rollers 51, and the recording paper 21 is not wound around the platen roller 27, and it is possible to prevent the recording paper 21 from shifting when printing each color. Therefore, it is possible to make the device compact and obtain good registration. In addition, the state of the switching guide 26 is changed during paper feeding, recording, and return to change the conveyance path of the recording paper 21, making it easier for the recording paper 21 to advance reliably and preventing paper jams, etc. Preventing occurrence.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the apparatus can be downsized without causing color misregistration, and recording paper can be transported without causing paper jams.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 7 are front views for explaining the operation of the embodiment, and FIGS. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a thermal transfer recording device. 21... Recording paper, 22... Paper feed case, 25...
Paper feed guide, 26...Switching guide, 46, 47...
Return guide, 50...Capstan, 51...Pinch roller, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 7, Fig. 8

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A paper feed case for storing recording paper; a pinch roller and a capstan for transporting the recording paper in forward and reverse directions; and a pinch roller and a capstan for transporting the recording paper from the paper supply case between the pinch roller and the capstan. 1. A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising: a recording paper feeding means for guiding the recording paper; and a guide means capable of changing a conveyance path of the recording paper according to an operation mode.