JP2899282B2 - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printer. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of a thermal transfer color printer.
In the figure, 1 is a lower cabinet, 2 is a circuit unit, and 3 is a power supply panel. Reference numeral 5 denotes a capstan roller, which contacts the pinch roller 4 to apply a driving force. Reference numeral 6 denotes a platen roller, which forms a paper feed mechanism together with the pinch roller 4 and the capstan roller 5. Here, the capstan roller 5,
The platen roller 6 is driven by a main motor 7. Reference numeral 8 denotes a pinch roller lever that causes the pinch roller 4 to contact the capstan roller 5 or cancels the contact by interlocking with the operation of the cam. Reference numeral 9 denotes a peeling roller for separating the ink film and the paper, reference numeral 10 denotes a paper feed roller for bringing the paper into contact with the platen roller 6, and reference numeral 11 denotes a paper guide for guiding the paper. Reference numeral 12 denotes a paper support for storing paper wound in a roll. Reference numeral 13 denotes a cover frame, which includes a lock lever 14 and a lock lever shaft.
It is opened and closed by engagement and disengagement with 15. Cover frame
A ribbon feed gear 13 for positioning one end of a ribbon feed in which an ink film is wound in a roll shape, and a ribbon feed retainer 17 for applying a pressing force to the other end of the ribbon feed are arranged at 13. Reference numeral 18 denotes a head hold, to which a head 19 is fixed, and which is fixed to a head arm 20 linked to the operation of the cam. Reference numeral 21 denotes a cooling fan for radiating heat from the main motor 7, the circuit section 2, and the like, and reference numeral 22 denotes an operation panel. 23 is a top cover and 24 is an upper cabinet. By the way, in the conventional thermal transfer color printer, paper feeding and printing are performed as shown in FIG. First, at the time of sheet feeding, the sheet 25 is moved from the paper holder 26 in the direction A by the clockwise rotation driving force of the capstan roller 5 and the counterclockwise rotation driving force of the platen roller 6 as shown in FIG. It is sent out for one screen. At this time, the head 19 is located at a position distant from the platen roller 6, and the ink film 27 is in a stopped state, so that printing is not performed. In FIG. 2A, reference numeral 28 denotes an ink film supply holder, and reference numeral 29 denotes an ink film take-up holder. Next, during printing, the platen roller 6 rotates clockwise as shown in FIG.
Rotates counterclockwise, and the paper 25 is rewound in the direction B by one screen. At this time, the head 19 is in contact with the platen roller 6, the ink film supply holder 28 and the ink film take-up holder 29 are rotating counterclockwise, and the ink film 27 is rewound in the direction B in conjunction with the paper 25. . In this way, heat is applied from the head 19 to the ink film 27, and predetermined printing is performed on the paper 25. Note that yellow, magenta, and cyan are sequentially arranged for each screen on the ink film 27, and color printing is performed by repeating the above operation three times. Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, at the time of printing, when the next printing is performed again after printing is completed, if wrinkles remain on the ink film 27, printing errors due to the wrinkles or color misregistration occurs in the case of color. There was a problem. The present invention is to provide a thermal transfer printer capable of reliably removing such wrinkles of the ink film 27 and solving the problem. Means for Solving the Problems The thermal transfer printer of the present invention performs a margin transport in which the paper and the ink film are transported as they are, after reaching the final end on which the paper can be printed as a printer during the printing operation of one screen, After the start of the margin transport, the pressure contact between the head and the platen roller is released, and the margin transport is continued even after the release,
This is to allow time to reliably remove the paper and the ink film and to reliably remove wrinkles of the ink film. In this way, the margin is conveyed in the latter half of the printing operation, and the pressure contact between the head and the platen roller is released during the margin conveyance.
The ink film is peeled from the paper and conveyed, and wrinkles and sagging of the ink film are eliminated, and good printing without adversely affecting the printing of the next screen is enabled. Embodiment FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a sequence control of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. . This flowchart relates to the time of printing, and shows from the start of feeding of one screen of the paper 25 to the end of printing, and FIG. 2 expresses the feeding dimensions of the paper 25. The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. First, with the head 19 pressed against the platen roller 6, the paper 25
And the ink film 27 is sent. Figure 1 shows margin feed
This is the stage 31 in which the portion of the margin feed 40 in FIG. 2 is fed, which is the operation mode in FIG. 4b. Next, when it is sent to the printable range, a print signal is applied to the head 19, and heat corresponding to the signal is generated in the head 19, and the ink film 27 is heated.
Is applied to the ink, the ink is melted, and predetermined printing is performed on the paper 25. FIG. 1 shows the stage of actual printing 32, and FIG. 2 corresponds to the feed position of the actual printing screen 41. This state is the same as FIG. 4b. Next, the stripping feed 42 shown in FIG.
Will be described. The operation of the actual printing screen 41 in FIG.
When the printing operation is performed for each dot of the head and the continuous conveyance operation of the paper 25 and the ink film 27 is repeatedly executed, the end of the actual printing screen 41 in FIG. In FIG. 1, the operation shifts to the operation of the one-line paper feed 33, and the print signal is not applied to the head 19 during the operation of the stripping feed. At the start of the operation of the one-line paper feed 33, the platen roller 6 rotates clockwise and the capstan roller 5 rotates counterclockwise to feed the paper 25, and the ink film supply holder 28 and the ink film take-up holder 29 Rotating in the counterclockwise direction, the ink film 27 continues the continuous conveyance operation interlocked with the paper 25 from the previous stage, and the state of FIG. 4B is maintained. Immediately after the operation of the one-line paper feed 33 is started, the process proceeds to the remaining 10.5 mm 34 in the next stage. If the remaining 10.5 mm has not yet been reached immediately after the start of the operation of the one-line paper feed 33, the judgment is N, and is the next step, head raised? ,
The process proceeds to the next stripping feed end? 38 stage, and this determination is also N. Therefore, the first loop operation returning to the first one-line paper feed 33 is repeated for a while until the remaining 10.5 mm34 determination becomes Y. The ink film 25 and the ink film 27 interlock and continue a continuous transport operation. On the other hand, since the leading end position of the stripping feed 42 in FIG. 2 is set at a position approximately 10.5 mm from the end of one screen, when reaching the position 10.5 mm from the end, the determination of the remaining 10.5 mm 34 becomes Y, The process proceeds to the next stage head rising start 35. At the stage of the head rising start 35, the lifting operation of the head 19 starts, so that the release of the pressure contact between the head 19 and the platen roller 6 is started, and the process proceeds to? 36 if the head has risen. Since it takes a certain amount of time to complete the ascent of the head 19, the judgment is N immediately after shifting to
The process proceeds to the end of stripping feed? 38, and the judgment at this stage is naturally N. Therefore, the second loop operation returns to the one-line paper feed 33, and the transporting operation of the paper 25 and the continuous transporting operation of the ink film 27 continue repeatedly. Is done. If the second loop operation is continuously repeated, the head 19 starts to move upward at the head rising start 35, so that
The head 19 gradually rises away from the platen roller 6, but it takes some time to complete the raising of the head 19. Therefore, the head has been raised for a while.
And the end of the stripping and sending?
The second loop operation returning to line paper feed 33 continues.
During the second loop operation, the pressure contact between the head 19 and the platen roller 6 is released, and the conveyance operation of the paper 25 is different from the previous loop operation only with the driving force due to the rotation of the capstan roller 5 in the counterclockwise direction. The transport operation of the ink film 27 becomes a driving force for rotating the ink film supply holder 28 and the ink film take-up holder 29 in the counterclockwise direction. The action of gradually increasing the action point where the action is applied and the action of releasing the paper 25 and the ink film 27 from the restraining force due to the pressure contact between the head 19 and the platen roller 6 are newly generated. As a result, the ink film 27 is peeled off from the paper 25,
The tension is applied by the counterclockwise rotating force of the ink film supply holder 28 and the ink film take-up holder 29, and the paper 25 is taken up by the ink film take-up holder 29. It is conveyed by a clockwise rotation driving force and is rewound. When the second loop operation is repeated, the head
19 completes the ascent, and the loop operation becomes the third operation as follows. That is, during the second loop operation, whether the head has risen? 36 is determined to be Y, the head 19 is stopped in the operation of the head vertical movement stop 37,
Until the end of 42 is reached, the determination at the stage of stripping-feed-end-38 is N, so the third loop operation returns to the one-line paper feed 33, and thereafter, the third loop operation is repeated. At this time, the paper 25 peeled from the ink film 27 travels along the same transport path as the first operation loop in the capstan roller 5.
The ink film 27 is separated from the paper 25 by the driving force of the ink film, and the tension is urged by the counterclockwise rotating force of the ink film take-up holder 29, so that the ink film supply holder
From 28, the ink film is taken up by the ink film take-up holder 29 via the heating surface of the head 19. If the above-mentioned third loop operation is repeated, the end of the stripping feed 42 is reached. At this point, the determination of the stripping feed end-38 in FIG. 1 becomes Y, and the process proceeds to the end 39 stage. Then, the third loop operation is stopped, and the operation of the one-line paper feed 33, which is always included in each loop operation, is eliminated, so that the platen roller 6, capstan roller 5, ink film supply holder 28, ink film take-up holder 29, Is stopped, and various other printing end operations are executed to complete the entire screen during printing. As described above, the operation of the stripping feed 42 is performed in the margin conveyance in which the paper 25 and the ink film 27 are continuously conveyed in the same direction as during printing without applying a print signal to the head 19 over the entire period of the stripping feed 42. The operation is characterized in that the pressure contact between the head 19 and the platen roller 6 is released during the margin conveyance, and the margin conveyance is continued even after the head 19 is separated from the platen roller 6. By this operation, the paper 25 and the ink film 27 are continuously conveyed in the same direction, and when the head 19 is lifted and the head 19 is separated from the platen roller 6, the distance between the paper 25 and the ink film 27 is increased. Paper adhered during printing
Since the ink film 27 and the ink film 27 are reliably separated from each other and the ink film 27 has time to be sent alone, its slack is corrected, and the ink film 27 is set in a state without wrinkles and slack. Advantageous Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, prior to printing,
Because wrinkles and slack of the ink film 27 can be corrected,
Printing is always performed in a good state, and a high-quality thermal transfer printer can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a sequence control in a printing state according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a feed size for one screen of paper or ink film in the state of FIG. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of a thermal transfer color printer, and FIGS. 4a and 4b are schematic views of the operation of a conventional thermal transfer color printer for sheet feeding and printing. 4 ... Pinch roller, 5 ... Capstan roller, 6
... platen roller, 19 ... head, 20 ... head arm, 25 ... paper, 27 ... ink film, 30, 31 ... cam.

   ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page    (72) Inventor Masaharu Ushihara               1006 Kadoma Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial               Inside the corporation (72) Inventor Taichi Ito               1006 Kadoma Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial               Inside the corporation (72) Inventor Masazumi Tanaka               1006 Kadoma Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial               Inside the corporation                (56) References JP-A-60-2391 (JP, A)                 JP-A-61-102277 (JP, A)                 JP-A-58-194591 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] Supplying a capstan roller energized by a rotational driving force for conveying the paper, a pinch roller for press-fitting the paper between the capstan roller and being installed opposite to the capstan roller and conveying the paper, and supplying an ink film An ink film supply holder, an ink film take-up holder energized with a rotational driving force for winding the ink film, and a platen roller disposed opposite to a print head and energized with a rotational driving force for conveying paper The head and the platen roller are disposed between the ink film supply holder and the ink film take-up holder, and the head performs an operation of pressing or releasing the platen roller. The sheet is transported between the platen rollers and in contact with the platen roller. The ink film performs a conveying operation in contact with the head, and the ink film is simultaneously transferred from the platen roller to the pinch roller during the entire printing operation for one screen. Performs an operation of continuously transporting from the supply holder to the ink film take-up holder via the head, and in the printing operation for one screen, a period in which margin transportation is performed after the end of the actual printing operation period. A thermal transfer printer comprising: an operation for releasing the pressure contact of the head after the start of the margin transport period; and the margin transport period continues even after the release operation.