JPS6480578A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform favorable color printing with a simple and compact construction, by providing a status switching mechanism for switching the correlative status of a thermal head, pinch rollers and a ribbon guide by a single motor. CONSTITUTION:A thermal head 7, a pinch roller 9 and a driven pinch roller 10 on the lower printing position side of the head 7, and a ribbon guide 11 on the higher printing position side of the hed 7 are mounted on a carriage 3, and are switched to positions relative to a platen 1 by a status controlling mechanism 13 driven by a single status switching motor 12. At the time of printing, the head 7 is lowered to perform printing through an ink ribbon 8, and the ribbon 8 used for printing is released by the pinch rollers 9, 10. At the time of returning and at the time of saving the ribbon, the head 7 is moved upward, the pinch rollers 9, 10 are brought into contact with each other and locked to clamp the ribbon 8 therebetween, and are moved toward the lower or higher printing position side. Thus, a simple and compact construction can be contrived.