JPS6096474A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the cassette designing for a transfer material by determining the winding diameter thereof checking the rotational speed of a winding core to detect the winding diameter of the transfer material in a non-contact manner. CONSTITUTION:A disc plate 57 having slits 56... is mounted at an equal space on the driving shaft 51a of one ribbon motor 51. Optical detectors 58 for detecting rotational speed are provided at the position corresponding to the slits. The circumferential speed VP of the platen 10 is equal to the transfer speed V1 of a heat transfer ribbon 15. When the winding diameter of the heat transfer ribbon 15 at an intermediate position is represented by D, the rotational speed N of the winding core 32 is inversely proportional to D when the value V1 is constant. On the other hand, DELTAtproportional 1/N is given, when the time interval of the output signals from the detectors 58 is represented by DELTAt. Therefore, as DELTAtproportional D is derived, the relationship of DELTAt=A.D+B (A and B are constants) is obtained. The winding diameter of the heat transfer ribbon 15 can be converted by learning A, B and DELTAt. With such an arrangement, the winding diameter of the heat transfer ribbon 15 can be detected free from contact with the heat transfer ribbon 15 along with an easier cassette designing of the heat transfer ribbon 15.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a transfer type image forming apparatus that forms an image on the surface of the transfer material by transferring, for example, a colorant of a thermal transfer material to the transfer material. .

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Thermal transfer image forming devices are small, inexpensive, make little noise, and can use plain paper as the transfer material, so they have recently become popular not only for recording output from computers and word grocers, but also as copying devices. It is being put into practical use.

However, in conventional image forming apparatuses of this type, the outer diameter (winding diameter) of the thermal transfer material (ink film) is mechanically detected (directly using a lever, etc.), which causes the following problems.

(1) In order to continuously detect the winding diameter, the structure needs to come into contact and separate.

(2) It is necessary to apply extra force to the outer periphery of the thermal transfer material, which may reduce the running reliability of the thermal transfer material and cause damage to the thermal transfer material.

(3) It is inappropriate when making a thermal transfer material into a cassette.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a simple first method that does not contact the transfer material.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which can detect the winding diameter of a transfer material using a four-piece structure and which can easily convert the transfer material into a cassette.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a system in which a transfer material is interposed between a platen and a recording head, and the recording head is operated while transferring a material to be transferred as the platen rotates. , a drawing method forming device 1 for forming an image by transferring the colorant of the transfer interest onto a transfer target phase, a pair of winding cores each wound with both ends of the transfer target, and these winding cores. It comprises means for driving and transporting the transfer material at the same speed as the circumferential speed of the grating, and means for detecting the rotational speed of at least one of the cores, and based on the detection result, the winding of the transfer material is adjusted. The feature is that the diameter is converted.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 74.b In FIGS. A board portion la is formed. Further, a document table 2 is provided on the upper surface of the main body 1 on the left side thereof, and a document holding cover 3 is placed thereon. Document scanning unit (scanner unit) that scans the
4, and the right side of the apparatus main body 1 is an image forming section (f link section) 5.

The operation panel section 1a includes a display section 6, a numeric keypad 7...,
Keyphone 8 etc. are arranged.

The document scanning section 4 is set on the document table 2 so that the movable scanning section 9 of the exposure optical system reciprocates along the lower surface of the document table 2 as shown in FIG. This optical information is fully photoelectrically converted and input to both song forming sections 5.

In addition, the image forming 3Sli 5 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The configuration is as shown in the figure. That is, the platen 10 is located approximately at the center of the image forming section 5, and in front of the grating 10 (leftward in the state of FIG. t1. has been done.

Furthermore, a thermal transfer ribbon (increden) 15 is placed between the upstream thermal head 1 and the platen 10.
There is an intervening state.

Then, with this thermal transfer interposed 715, the paper P
is pressed against the grating 10, and in this state, a heating element (not shown) formed in a line tod shape of the thermal head 11 generates heat according to the image information, thereby causing the colorant (ink) on the bonnet 5 to be thermally transferred. ) is heated and melted and transferred onto the paper P.

Further, an FH lead-lead roller 16 with an oblique lower blade of a grating 1[theta] is provided to take out the sheets of paper P as a transfer material stored in the paper feed cassette 17 one by one. The leading edge of the taken out paper P is aligned by a registration roller 18 disposed diagonally above the paper feed roller 16, and then transported toward the grating 1o and wound around the platen 10 by pressing rollers 19 and 20. The item will be sent correctly.

On the other hand, the thermal head 1 presses the paper P against the platen 1o via the thermal transfer ribbon 15, and as shown in FIG. It is designed to be transcribed.

Further, the thermal transfer redden 15 has yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) ink portions 21a, which are approximately the same size as the paper P, as shown by range A in FIG.
2lb,, 21e are arranged side by side, or yellow (Y), magenta (M),
Cyan (C) and m (B) ink portions 21m and 21b
.

Heat transfer? The one with the black ink part 21d in it is used when it is desired to produce black clearly, and even the one without the black ink part 21df can produce intertwining points by overlapping three colors.

In this way, the paper P travels back and forth by the number of colors as the platen rotates 100 times, but the path of the paper P at this time is the first one that is sequentially arranged along the lower surface of the paper output tray 22. It will be guided onto the second guide 23.24.

That is, the explanation will be made with reference to FIGS. 6(-r) to 9.

First, the paper P fed from the paper feed cassette 17 is placed in the registration roller 18 and the first distribution guide 25 at the arrangement 6f.
, Mυ is wound around the grating 10.

(See FIG. 6(A)) Next, the platen 10 is rotated using a pulse motor (not shown) as a driving source to transport the paper P at a predetermined speed and form it into a lined shape along the axial direction of the platen 10. A heating element (not shown) of the dome 11 generates heat according to the circumstances of the paper, and the ink 21 of the thermal transfer ribbon J5 is transferred onto the paper P.

Furthermore, the leading edge of the paper P that has passed through the platen 10 is located at the second
The paper is sent onto a first guide 23 provided along the lower surface of the paper discharge tray 22 by a sorting guide 26 . (See FIG. 6(b)) In this way, the paper P onto which the ink 21 of one color has been transferred is transported backwards by reversing the platen 10, and the rotational displacement of the first distribution guide 25 As a result of the operation, it is fed onto a second guide 24 provided along the lower surface of the first guide 23 . (See FIG. 6 (-→)) In this way, by reciprocating the paper P a plurality of times, a plurality of colors are transferred.

Finally, the paper P to which all the colors of ink 21 have been transferred is
The paper is guided by the second sorting guide 26 to a pair of paper discharge rollers 27 and discharged onto the paper discharge tray 22 . (See Fig. 6)) The image forming apparatus also includes an original scanning unit 4 as shown in Fig. 7.
1 color conversion section 12. The configuration includes a memory section 131, an image forming section 5, and an overall control section 14.

Then, the green (G) detected by the original scanning unit 4
), yellow (Y), and cyan (C), the color conversion unit 12 converts the values of the color components of magenta (
M), yellow (Y), and cyan (C) K colors are converted, and the color-converted values are stored in the memory unit 13 for each color together with position information on the document. In the image forming section 5, magenta (M), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and black (B) are output according to the values read out from the memory section 13.
[Black 1 Magenta (M), Yellow (Y), Cyan (C)
AND output] is transferred onto the paper P. The overall control section 14 includes an original scanning section 4° color conversion section 12. The memory section 13 and the image forming section 5 are entirely controlled.

In addition, a pair of licking rollers 27. Paper ejection tray 22° 1st. Second
The guides 23 and 24 are made into a unit, and this unit can be removed as necessary.

Further, as shown in detail in FIG. 8, the thermal head 11 is attached to a head holder 31 which also serves as a heat dissipation plate and whose back portion is surrounded by a member 30 attached to a frame block 29. Further, the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is assembled into a case 34 together with the cores 32 and 33 wound at both ends to form a cassette, and this ribbon cassette 35 is detachably attached to the frame roller 29. . The frame block 29 is integrally formed by die-casting, plastic, etc. and has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and is designed to have sufficient strength and to fit into this U-shaped portion. By fitting one of the core storage portions of the hook cassette 35), the positioning accuracy of the ribbon cassette 35 is increased.

Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the head holder 31 to which the circle head 27 is attached is configured to be movable by a distance X in the direction toward and away from the platen 10. And Su? The structure is such that a gap δ for the thermal transfer retin 15 to enter between the print guide 61, 61 and the platen 10 can be secured according to the necessity, and the paper P is transferred during the transfer operation and the paper P is transferred.
The operation of attaching and detaching the link case 35 can be carried out easily and reliably.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the guide shafts 38 and 39 are attached to the head holder 31 via the stays 36 and 37, and
The bearing part 2 is formed in the frame block 29 at the middle part.
It is configured to be pivotally supported by linear bearings buried in 9m and 29b.

Furthermore, the movement of the head holder 31f, which is thus supported so as to be reciprocally movable, toward and away from the pf latin 10 is controlled by the head moving mechanism 4o. That is,
As shown in FIG. 11, a drive motor 42 is attached to the motor frame 41, and an arm 43 is attached to the drive shaft 42a of this motor 42, as shown in FIG. One end of this arm 43 is connected to the other end of a connecting rod 44 connected to the door holder 3, and when the rotational movement of the arm 43 is converted into a reciprocating movement, It is meant to be transmitted.

Furthermore, the motor frame 41 to which the head motor 42 is attached is made up of a noyarus motor as shown in FIG. A Latin motor 45 is provided, and the driving force of this motor 45 is transmitted through a power transmission mechanism consisting of a gouge 46, a belt 47, and a belt 48, and also serves as transfer material transport means! K is configured to transport Latin 1o in the forward or reverse direction. Furthermore, Su? As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, at a position corresponding to the cassette mounting portion 49 to which the cassette 35 is mounted, there is a rechin motor 5 with a coupling 50 attached to the drive shaft 51a.
1°5 is attached. The above force, shilling 5°, is slidably mounted on the drive shaft 51a, and is further urged toward the winding cores 32 and 33 by a spring 5Jb, and the driving force is transmitted from the drive shaft 51h by a pin 51c. It looks like this.

On the other hand, the driving force receiving ends 32m and 33h of the winding cores 32 and 33 around which both ends of the thermal transfer ribbon 150 housed in the ribbon cassette 35 are wound are connected to the outer surface through the through holes formed in the end surface of the case 34. The 13th part is exposed at the tip.
As shown in the figure and FIG. 14, engagement recesses sz and sjt are formed.

When the ribbon cassette 35 is completely installed in the predetermined position, the coupling 50.50 engages with the engagement recess 52.52 of the winding core 32, 3'3, and thermal transfer is performed. Can winding of the platen 15 be performed and thermal transfer be performed at the same speed as the circumferential speed of the platen 10? 15 is adapted to be transferred.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 12, the string cassette 35 has two parallel winding cores 32 and 33 around which both ends of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 are wound, and The middle part of the ribbon 15 is enclosed in a case 34 so that a part thereof is exposed so as to be interposed between the platen 10 and the thermal head 11.

A slit ( ) 53 is formed between the core accommodating portions 34 m and 34 h of the case 34 along the axial direction of the cores 32 and 33 and is open at one end. Driving force receiving end 32a of core 32.33
, 33m.

Further, the ribbon cassette 350 case 34 has a thermal transfer ribbon J as shown in FIGS. 8, 12 and 13.
The cross section forming a space for accommodating the member 31 integrally formed between the back surface of the exposed part of the head 5 and the case 34 and the thermal head 11 attached to the head holder 31 is formed in a toho-shaped shape. has been done.

The width dimension of thermal transfer +7, pn 15 is larger than the maximum winding diameter by the winding cores 32, 33, and the cutting depth of the slit 53 formed in the case 34 is larger than the width dimension of thermal transfer IJ, pn 15. It is set to more than half.

Like this? The hook set 35 has the total length of the case 34 as L.
Then, it consists of a range of tl where the lower part of one part is connected by 7/Ji, and a range of tz that is vertically divided into two by the slit 53. Further, the width of the slit 530 is set to be slightly wider than the thickness of the cassette fitting portion 29c of the frame block 29, and
The cutting depth tz is set to be approximately the same as the width of the cassette insertion portion 29C.

However, when the ribbon cassette 35 is loaded, the cassette
With the open end surface of the slit 53 facing the end surface of the 1ff1 joint portion 29C, push the ribbon cassette 35f along its longitudinal direction (in the axial direction of the platen) to engage the cassette fitting portion 29e and the slit 53f as shown in FIG. You can also pull it out in the opposite direction when removing it.

fix? Insertion and removal of the cassettes 35, 35 is performed by opening the cassette insertion/ejection port 54f and the JiI body 55 formed on the front surface of the main body 1 of the apparatus. (
(See FIG. 1) Furthermore, as shown in FIG.
A disk 57 having... at equal intervals is attached,
Further, an optical detector 58 for detecting the rotational speed is provided at a position corresponding to the slits 56.

Now, as shown in FIG. 8, the circumferential speed of the platen 10 is Vl, the transfer speed of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 is f: vs, the minimum winding diameter and the maximum winding diameter of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 are, D, Then, if the thickness of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 and paper P is ignored, V
p'' 11, and this relationship is generally established because the thermal transfer ribbon 15 and the platen 10 (including the paper P) are driven without any movement by the pressure of the thermal head 1.

In addition, let the winding diameter of the thermal transfer ribbon 15 in the middle be D, and N(
D when ppm), vr (am/s), p (its)
is inversely proportional to.

On the other hand, the rotational speed of the winding core 32 is Δtoc-, and the inverse ratio V is 11 when the detector 580 output A word ÷ sign. .

Therefore, it "" D (Dl riD<Dz)
Tonashi, Δt=A−D×B ((,LJ−L,A,
The relationship B tj[e) is obtained. Here, A,
B is a unique value determined from the S1 knot class, D 1 #D2, etc., and can be considered unchanging (Figure 16).

From the above, by knowing A, B and it, it,
-B, D-□, heat transfer? Can be converted into 3I with a diameter of 15 mm.

According to the above configuration, Renomer etc. can be used as thermal transfer one? Compared to the conventional winding diameter detection means located on the outer periphery of the thermal transfer IJ 71j, it is possible to detect the winding diameter of the thermal transfer IJ 71j without contacting the J5 and with a simple groove construction. Moreover, the thermal transfer ribbon 15 can be easily made into a cassette.

In the above embodiment, a slit disk was used as a means for detecting the rotational speed of the winding core, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be possible to use a power generation device such as a tachogenerator.

Further, although the paper feed cassette 17 is attached to and removed from the front side of the apparatus main body 1, and a part thereof protrudes from the front side of the apparatus main body 1, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 17, the paper feed cassette 17 may be completely housed in the main body 1 of the apparatus, or as shown in FIG. It may be applied to objects other than those of the cassette type. In short, it goes without saying that the present invention may be applied to any image forming apparatus that forms a predetermined image by transferring the colorant of the transfer material to the transfer material.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the transfer material is interposed between the platen and the recording head, and the recording head is operated while transferring the transferred material as the platen rotates, thereby achieving the transfer. In an image forming apparatus that transfers the colorant of a material onto a transfer material to form an image, a pair of winding cores are wound around both ends of the transfer material, and these cores are driven to form an image on the transfer material. and means for detecting the rotational speed of at least one of the cores, and converting the diameter of the transfer material based on the detection result. Therefore, the winding diameter of the transfer material can be detected without contacting the transfer material and with a simple structure, and furthermore, the transfer material can be easily made into a cassette, and other excellent effects are achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 16 show an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the external appearance of the image forming apparatus. Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway schematic perspective view, Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the markings, and Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the transfer operation state. Is the perspective view and Figure 5 thermal transfer? 6(a) to 6) are explanatory diagrams explaining the movement of the paper during multicolor transfer; FIG. 7 is a professional diagram showing the groove formation of the pleasant part; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the transfer mechanism, Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the thermal head and ribbon guide separated from the platen, and Fig. 10 shows the supported state of the head holder with the thermal head attached. 11 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of drive systems for the platen, thermal transfer ribbon, and thermal head. FIG. 12 is a schematic side view showing a mechanism for moving the thermal head toward and away from the platen. FIG. Schematic perspective view showing the installed state of the DEN cassette, 1st
Figure 4 is a partially cutaway side view showing the coupling and the driving force receiving end of the winding core, Figure 15 is a diagram showing the output signal of the detector,
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the relationship between the winding diameter of thermal transfer +7 and y and the transfer time width, and FIGS. 17 and 18 are schematic vertical sectional side views showing different types of image forming apparatuses to which the present invention can be applied. It is a diagram. 10...Platen, 1...Recording head (thermal head), 15...Transfer material (thermal transfer ribbon), P...
Transferred material (paper), 2... Colorant (ink), 32.
... Winding core, 33... Winding core, 5... Motor for tin, 56... Slit, 57... Disc, 58... Optical detector. Patent Attorney - Suzue Takehiko Figure 1 22 Figure 2 Figure 4 Figure 5 A10 Figure 6 (A) (B) tn8 Figure 9 @ Figure 15 Figure 17

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A transfer material is interposed between the grating and the recording head, and the recording head is operated while transferring the material to be transferred as the grating rotates. In a device that forms an image by transferring onto a transfer material, a pair of cores are wound around both ends of the transfer material, and these cores are driven to move the transfer material at the same circumferential speed as the platen. The present invention is characterized in that it comprises means for transferring at a speed and means for detecting the rotational speed of at least one of the cores, and the diameter of the roll of the transfer material is changed based on the detection result. Image forming device h′ cat. (2) ii as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the transfer mill is integrated with the winding core into a case to form a cassette! II image forming device.