JPH0441272A - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a take-up reel from winding an ink sheet more than the extent necessary for tightening of its slackness by making the rotation of the take-up reel stop with a driving means that works on an output signal from a rotation-detecting means detecting the rotation of a roll-out reel that rolls out the ink sheet. CONSTITUTION:At completion of recording, a head lever 35 turns counterclockwise and makes a thermal head 29 return. An ink sheet 36 slackens by the return of the thermal head 29. The slackness is tightened as the ink sheet is wound up by rotation of a take-up bobbin 38 driven with a take-up reel 39. A roll-out bobbin 37 does not rotate until the slackness of the ink sheet 36 becomes nonexistent As the slackness of the ink sheet 36 becomes nonexistent, the roll-out bobbin 37 starts rotation, being drawn with the ink sheet 36. A roll-out reel 41 and a reflecting plate rotate likewise. A reflex sensor detects the start of rotation of the roll-out reel 41 and outputs a signal to a control unit. The control unit then works on this signal and stops the rotation of the take-up reel 39. Thereby the ink sheet 36 is prevented from being wound up excessively with the take-up bobbin 38.

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. 7 is a cross-sectional side view showing such a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 178168/1983.

A platen roller 2, an ink cassette 1 having an ink sheet 3 provided therein, and a thermal head 5 are disposed within the frame 1. Recording paper 6 is placed on the platen roller 2.
is wound. On the other hand, the ink sheet 3 is coated with yellow, cyan, magenta, and other inks cyclically in a predetermined order, and during recording, the ink sheet 3 and the recording paper 6 are transferred to the platen roller by the thermal head 5. is pressed against. And platen roller 2
The thermal head 5 rotates, and the thermal head 5 rotates according to the video signal.
A heating element (not shown) generates heat. Due to this heat, the ink applied to the ink sheet 3 sublimates and is transferred and recorded onto the recording paper.

In this way, when the recording of the first color (for example, cyan) is completed, the thermal head 5 separates from the platen roller 2, and the recording paper 6 is conveyed by a recording paper conveying means (not shown) to the same position as the recording start position of the first color. do. Further, the ink sheet 3 is wound up by the winding rule 7 until the second color (for example, yellow) comes to the recording start position. Again, the thermal head 5 presses the ink sheet 3 and recording paper 6 against the platen roller 2, and performs transfer recording of the second color based on the video signal. Similarly, transfer recording of the third color (magenta) is also performed. be exposed. When recording is completed, the thermal head 5 separates from the platen roller 2 and returns to the stop position indicated by the two-dot chain line.

However, after printing is completed, as described above, the thermal head returns to the stop position, which causes slack in the ink sheet 3. This slack is taken up by the take-up reel 7. ing. In this case, in order to prevent the amount of winding by the winding reel 7 from becoming larger than the amount of slack, either brake the supply reel 8 or predict the amount of slack in advance and adjust the amount of winding. It has been decided.

However, this method of applying a brake to the supply reel 8 requires a brake member to be provided on the supply reel 8 and a drive device to drive this brake member, which increases the cost. In the method of winding up the material, the amount of slack is not necessarily constant, and excess winding may occur. Therefore, in consideration of this extra winding amount, it is necessary to make the ink sheet 3 longer than necessary, which increases the printing price per transfer recording.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional thermal transfer recording device described above, the method of applying a brake to the supply reel when winding up slack in the ink sheet after printing ends increases the cost of the device. Therefore, the method of predicting the amount of slack in advance and winding it up has a problem in that the printing price per printing becomes high.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and includes:
An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording device that can reduce device costs and printing costs.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) A thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention includes a take-up reel for winding up an ink sheet, a driving means for rotationally driving the take-up reel, and a drive means for rotationally driving the take-up reel, and a a supply reel that rotates and supplies the ink sheet by being wound up by the take-up reel; a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of the supply reel; and a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of the supply reel; The reel is equipped with a control device that stops the rotation of the reel.

(Function) In the present invention, the slack in the ink sheet is removed when the take-up reel rotates and winds up the ink sheet. It is detected that the slack has been removed. The control means stops the rotation of the take-up reel by the drive means based on the output of the rotation detection means, thereby preventing the take-up reel from winding up the ink sheet in excess of the amount of slack.

(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 the thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the structure of the supply reel, and FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining the pattern of the reflective plate. FIG.

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 fed from the paper feed case 22 is fed between a paper feed guide 25 and a switching guide 26, and is conveyed to the platen roller 27 side.

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 when the recording paper 21 comes into sliding contact with the recording paper 2, the recording paper 2
It is designed so that it does not become a burden on the transportation of item 1.

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 21. As the thermal head 29, a line-type thermal head in which a large number of heating elements are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording paper 21 is adopted.

An ink cassette 35 having an ink sheet 36 is disposed between the thermal head 29 and the platen roller 27. The ink cassette 35 has a supply bobbin 37 and a take-up bobbin 38, and the ink sheet 36 has both bobbins 37.
It is wound and stored in 38 pieces. Bobbins 37 and 38 are engaged with supply reel 41 and take-up reel 39, respectively. The ink cassette 35 exposes the ink sheet 36 between both bobbins 37 and 38, and as the thermal head 29 moves toward the platen roller 27 in this area, the ink sheet 36 is pressed by the thermal head 29 and is pressed against the platen. It is adapted to be pressed against a roller 27. Ink bands of three colors, yellow, magenta, and cyan, are sequentially and cyclically applied to the ink sheet 36 in the traveling direction of the ink sheet 36 in sizes based on the size of the recording paper 21.

Note that a mark for color discrimination is formed on the ink sheet 36, and a sensor 60 is provided at the tip of the head plate 30 to detect this mark. A reflective plate 61 is disposed on the platen roller 27 side, and when the thermal head 29 moves to the platen roller 27 side, the sensor 60 and the reflective plate 61 face each other, and the sensor 6
0 detects the mark on the ink sheet 36.

In FIG. 2, two bobbins, a supply bobbin 37 and a take-up bobbin 38 (see FIG. 1), are rotatably arranged in the ink cassette 35. The tip of the supply bobbin 37 is exposed through an opening 40 provided in the housing of the ink cassette 35, and the tip 4 of the supply reel 41 is exposed at this tip.
An engagement hole 43 matching the shape of 2 is provided. On the other hand, the supply reel 41 is provided with a tip 42 protruding from a frame 44 on the rear side of the apparatus toward the front side of the apparatus.

The ink cassette 35 is inserted into the apparatus from the front side of the casing 20 of the apparatus, so that the engagement hole 43 of the supply bobbin 36 engages with the tip 42 of the supply reel 41. Note that the tip of the take-up bobbin 38 (not shown) is also attached to the take-up reel 3.
The winding bobbin 38 is engaged with the winding loop 39 when the ink cassette 35 is installed. The supply reel 41 is rotatable around a reel shaft 46 embedded in the plate 45, and rotates when the ink sheet 36 is wound onto the take-up bobbin 38 and the supply bobbin 37 rotates. It has become.

A disc-shaped reflector 47 is attached to the rear end of the supply reel 41.As shown in FIG. The zero reflection plate 47 rotates together with the supply reel 41. A reflection type sensor 49 is provided on the plate 45 at a position facing the reflection plate 47. The zero reflection type sensor 49 sends a signal to the reflection plate 47 and detects a change in the reflected signal. Thereby, the reflective sensor 49 outputs a signal indicating the rotating state of the reflecting plate 47, that is, the rotating state of the supply reel 41, to a control device (not shown).

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 swings around a support shaft 52 by a direct current motor (not shown) or the like to be sufficiently separated from the capstan 50, and the pinch roller 51 holds the recording paper conveyed upward by the paper feed guide 25 or the like. 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.
The recording paper 21 is pressed against the capstan 50.

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 substantially 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 placed in these paper ejection guides 53 and 54.
The paper is guided by the paper discharge case 23 and fed into the paper discharge case 23.

Next, the operation of the thermal transfer recording apparatus configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6. 4 to 6 are front views of the recording section 24 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 shows the recording paper 21 when it is fed, FIG. 5 shows it when recording, and FIG. 6 shows the second time. The figure shows the time when recording paper is being conveyed for recording.

Before the power is turned on, the state is shown in FIG. 1, and the thermal head 29 is sufficiently separated from the platen roller 27 and does not press the ink sheet 36.

When paper feeding is started, the thermal head 29 is moved to the vicinity of the platen roller 27 by rotation of the head lever 33, as shown in FIG. As the thermal head 29 moves, the ink sheet 36 is pressed and unwound. On the other hand, the recording paper 21 in the paper feed case 22 is
6 and the paper feed guide 25, and is transported upward through the gap between the ink sheet 36 and the platen roller 27, and passes between the capstan 50 and the pinch roller 51.

A reel motor (not shown) rotates the take-up reel 39 to rotate the take-up bobbin 38 of the ink cassette 35, and winds up the ink sheet 36 until a mark on the ink sheet 36 is detected by the sensor 60 and the reflective plate 61. The pinch roller 51 rotates around a spindle 52 and moves toward the capstan 50 to sandwich the capstan 50 and the recording paper 21.Then, the capstan 50 rotates in the opposite direction to supply a fixed amount of the recording paper 21. Return it to the side and locate the print start position.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the head lever 33 further rotates to press the thermal head 29 onto the platen roller 27 via the ink sheet 36 and the recording paper 21.Then, the capstan 50 rotates forward, and The thermal head 29 is energized and printing starts.

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. . ink sheet 3
6 is pulled out from the supply bobbin 37 and wound onto the take-up bobbin 38. Further, the recording paper 21 is conveyed as the capstan 50 rotates, and is guided by paper discharge guides 53 and 54 to advance. Note that the broken line in FIG. 5 indicates the recording paper 21.
It shows the progress of the process. As the ink sheet 36 advances, the supply reel 41 rotates and the reflection plate 47 also rotates. As a result, the reflective sensor 49 outputs a signal indicating the rotational state of the supply reel 41.

Based on this signal, a control device (not shown) detects, for example, that the ink sheet 36 has not been cut.

When printing of the first color is completed, 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. The recording paper 21 is reversely transported by the transporting force of the capstan 50, and the recording paper 21 is returned to the same printing start position as the first printing. In this case, the switching guide 26 transfers the recording paper 21 that has been reversely conveyed with the platen roller 50 side facing downward.
The recording paper 21 is passed above the paper feed case 22.
This prevents the paper from moving to the side and causing paper jams. Further, the take-up reel 39 winds up the ink sheet 36 until a mark indicating the next color on the ink sheet 36 is detected by the sensor 60 and the reflection plate 61. From then on,
By similar operations, printing of the second and third colors is performed.

When printing is completed, the head lever 33 rotates counterclockwise toward the plane of the paper to return the thermal head 29 to position n in FIG. The return of the thermal head 29 causes the ink sheet 36 to slack, and this slack is taken up by the rotation of the take-up bobbin 38 by the take-up reel 39. The supply bobbin 37 does not rotate until the ink sheet 36 is no longer slack.

When the slack in the ink sheet 36 is gone, the supply bobbin 3
7 is pulled by the ink sheet 36 and starts rotating. Then, the supply reel 41 and the reflection plate 47 also rotate. The reflective sensor 49 detects that the supply reel 41 has started rotating and outputs a signal to the control device. The control device uses this signal to stop the rotation of the winding wheel 39. In this way, more ink sheets 36 than necessary are prevented from being wound around the winding bobbin 38.

As described above, in this embodiment, the reflection plate 47 that rotates integrally with the supply reel 41 is provided, and by detecting the rotation of the reflection plate 47 with the reflection type sensor 49, the supply bobbin 37 starts rotating and the slack is removed. The removal is detected, and the winding by the winding reel 39 is thereby stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the ink sheet 36 from being wound up excessively. Further, there is no need to provide a brake device for stopping the supply reel 41, and slack in the ink sheet 36 can be removed with an extremely simple configuration.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent excessive winding when removing slack from an ink sheet with a simple configuration, and to reduce the equipment cost and printing cost. can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the thermal transfer recording device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining the structure of the supply reel, and FIG. 3 is an explanation for explaining the pattern of the reflective plate. 4 to 6 are front views for explaining the operation of the embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a sectional side view showing a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus. 36... Ink sheet, 39... Take-up reel, 41... Supply reel. Figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A take-up reel for winding up an ink sheet, a driving means for rotationally driving the take-up reel, and a drive means for rotating the ink sheet as it is wound by the take-up reel. The invention is characterized by comprising a supply reel for supplying the supply reel, a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of the supply reel, and a control device for stopping the rotation of the take-up reel by the drive means based on the output of the rotation detection means. Thermal transfer recording device.