JPH1029331A - Thermal transfer recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of quickly printing on both sides of a recording material without providing a plurality of recording means such as a thermal head and without inverting the recording material. I do. SOLUTION: An image for one screen is recorded by a thermal head 1 on a dyeing layer of a dyeing sheet 17 in which a dyeing layer is formed on a film substrate, and the dyeing sheet 17 on which the image is recorded is formed. After the dyeing layer is bonded to the recording material 15 by heat and pressure by the heating means 11 in a state where the dyeing layer and the recording material 15 are in close contact with each other, one screen to be recorded by the thermal head 1 in this tight contact state. Image of the recording material 15
Then, the recording material 15 is peeled off together with the dyed layer from the dyed sheet 17 to obtain the recording material 15 recorded on both surfaces.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus for printing digital image data having gradations on a card or the like (such as a card printer) (international patent classification B41J2).
/ 325), and is particularly characterized by means for rapidly printing on both sides of cards.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional sublimation type color printer is described in, for example, a magazine "Television Technology", September 1989, p.
It is shown on pages 15 to 27. The outline will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of a printing unit of the thermal sublimation type printer, 1 is a thermal head, 2 is an ink sheet having a color material layer coated with a color material, and is wound between a supply reel 7 and a take-up reel 8. I have. Reference numeral 3 denotes a recording material such as a card having a surface coated with a dyeing layer in advance, and reference numeral 4 denotes a platen.

The recording material 3 is first fed in the direction of a platen 4 by a capstan 5 and a pinch roller 6. Then, the ink sheet 2 and the recording material 3 are sandwiched between the thermal head 1 and the platen 4, and electricity is selectively supplied to the thermal head 1 in accordance with an image signal. The image is selectively transferred to the deposition layer, and an image for one line is formed on the recording material 3. The capstan 5 and the pinch roller 6 are rotated in synchronization with this period, and the recording material 3 is advanced by one line in the direction opposite to the feeding direction. By repeating this, an image can be printed on the recording material 3.

[0004]

However, in the printer having the above-mentioned structure, when printing is performed on both sides of the recording material by using only one recording means such as a thermal head, the recording material is always reversed after printing on one side once. If not, there is a problem that another side cannot be printed.

[0005]

Accordingly, the present invention provides a dyeing sheet having a dyeing layer formed on a film substrate and an ink sheet having a coloring material layer formed thereon, by adhering the two layers to each other. Moving in a state, selectively heating the color material layer according to an image signal for one screen to be recorded by the first heating means, and applying the color material layer on the dyeing layer in accordance with the image signal. The coloring material layer is transferred by the second heating means in a state where the coloring material layer is transferred to the dyeing layer and the recording material is brought into close contact with the dyeing layer of the dyeing sheet. After joining the adhesion layer to the recording material, peeling the film substrate from the dyed sheet,
In the thermal transfer recording apparatus for fixing the dyed layer on which the color material layer has been transferred onto the recording material, the other surface of the recording material is further brought into close contact with the color material layer of the ink sheet. The heating means selectively heats the color material layer in accordance with an image signal for one screen to be recorded, and selectively transfers the color material layer directly to the other surface in accordance with the image signal. It is characterized by having direct transfer means.

According to this configuration, the recording material such as a card is recorded on one side by using the same recording thermal head, and the recording material is quickly recorded without an operation of reversing and recording again. It is possible to record and print on both sides of the material.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of a card printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Components similar to those in the conventional example shown in FIG. The points will be mainly described.

Reference numeral 17 designates the dyeing layer 18 as shown in FIG.
This is a dyed sheet applied to a film substrate 19 such as a T film, and is wound between the supply reel 9 and the take-up reel 10, where the ink sheet 2 and the dyed sheet 17 are integrated. Built in the cartridge.

The recording starts after the sensor 22 reads the markers 22 that have been printed on the dyeing sheet 17 at regular intervals for each section corresponding to one screen. This marker 22
To determine the recording start position, and the printing method is the same as in the conventional case. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the ink sheet 2 and the dyeing sheet 17 are sandwiched between the thermal head 1 and the platen 4, and are selectively energized in accordance with an image to be recorded on the thermal head 1. Sheet 2
Is transferred to the dyeing layer 18 to form an image of one line on the dyeing sheet 17. During this period, the capstan 5 and the pinch roller 6 are rotated in synchronization with each other to
1 and the ink sheet 2 for one line each, FIG.
In the direction opposite to the arrow 16. By repeating this, the image 20 can be printed on the dyeing layer 18 of the dyeing sheet 17.

After printing on the dyed sheet 17 is completed in this way, the recording material 15 is conveyed in the direction of arrow 16 and
After being positioned at a predetermined position of the printed dyeing layer 18, the halogen lamp 1 is put together with the dyeing sheet 17.
2 is fed from the direction of arrow 16 between the heat roller 11 and the pressure roller 13 in which the heat transfer roller 11 and the pressure roller 13 are incorporated.
7 is bonded to the recording material 15 together with the printed image 20. After this joining, the recording material 15 is stuck to the dyeing sheet 17, so that the dyeing sheet 17 is conveyed by being wound up on the supply reel 9, so that the recording material 15 can be conveyed to the thermal head 1. The capstan 5 and the pinch roller 6 are separated from each other and are not used.

When printing is not performed on the back surface of the recording material 15 after passing between the heat roller 11 and the pressure roller 13,
The recording material 15 is fed in the direction opposite to the arrow 16 by winding the dyeing sheet 17 toward the take-up reel 10 as it is,
The recording material 15 is separated from the film base material 19 of the dye sheet 17 by using the rigidity of the recording material 15 by the separation roller 14,
The dyed layer 18 together with the printed image is discharged in a state of being joined to the recording material 15, and the recording is completed.

When printing is also performed on the back surface of the recording material 15, especially when the recording material 15 is made of vinyl chloride, as shown in FIG. 3, vinyl chloride can directly receive the dye of the ink sheet 2, so that Heat roller 1 as described above
In the same manner as in the conventional printing method, based on the same marker 22 as when printing on the front surface, the printing is performed on the dyeing sheet 17 on which the recording material 15 is pasted after passing between the printing roller 1 and the pressure roller 13. The head 1 is selectively energized to directly transfer the dye of the ink sheet 2 to the back surface of the recording material 15. Here, the recording material 15 is not sandwiched between the capstan 5 and the pinch roller 6 at the time of printing on the back surface, and when the printing on the back surface is completed, the dyeing sheet 17 is taken up on the take-up reel 10 side to thereby perform recording. The material 15 is separated from the film base 1 of the dyed sheet 17 by utilizing the rigidity of the recording material 15 by the separation roller 14.
9 and the dyed layer 18 together with the printed image
Are discharged in a state where they are joined to each other, and double-sided recording is completed.

When printing on the back surface of the recording material 15, the recording material 15 is made of an ink sheet 2 such as plain paper or plastic.
If the dye is not acceptable, printing and paper ejection are performed as described above using the melt-type ink.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is necessary to perform an operation of recording a recording material such as a card on one side and then reversing the recording material by using the same recording thermal head. No recording can be performed quickly on both sides of the recording material.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an outline of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a recording unit during front side printing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary cross-sectional view illustrating a recording unit during back printing according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional sublimation type printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermal head 2 Ink sheet 11 Heat roller 13 Pressure roller 15 Recording member 17 Dyeing sheet 18 Dyeing layer

Claims (3)

[Claims] A first heating means for moving a dyeing sheet having a dyeing layer formed on a film substrate and an ink sheet having a coloring material layer in a state where the two layers are brought into close contact with each other; The color material layer is selectively heated in accordance with the image signal for one screen to be recorded, and the color material layer is selectively transferred onto the dyeing layer in accordance with the image signal. After the dyeing layer is transferred to the dyeing layer and the recording material is brought into close contact with the dyeing layer of the dyeing sheet, the dyeing layer is bonded to the recording material by heat and pressure by the second heating means. In a thermal transfer recording apparatus for peeling a film base material from the dyed sheet and fixing the dyed layer on which the color material layer has been transferred onto the recording material, further, the other surface of the recording material and the ink sheet The color material layer is brought into close contact, and in this contact state, one screen to be recorded by the first heating means. Thermal transfer recording, comprising direct transfer means for selectively heating the color material layer in accordance with an image signal and selectively transferring the color material layer directly to the other surface in accordance with the image signal. apparatus. 2. The transfer operation by the direct transfer means is performed in a state where a dyeing layer of a dyed sheet and a recording material are joined and a film base material is not peeled off from the dyed sheet. 2. The thermal transfer recording device according to 1. 3. A recording start position for recording on said dyed sheet by a first heating means is detected by a marker provided on said dyed sheet, and said recording is performed by said second heating means. 3. The thermal transfer recording according to claim 2, wherein a marker of the dyed sheet is also used for detecting a recording start position for recording by the first heating means on the opposite surface after the transfer to the material. apparatus.