JPH0698780B2 - Thermal recording device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a facsimile apparatus and a printer device for various terminals, which record an image by using a thermal head and which employ a thermal recording system including a thermal transfer recording system.

2. Description of the Related Art As a thermal head that has been used in a recording device of a conventional thermal recording system, a so-called planar type thermal head in which a heating element array 20 is formed on a substrate 21 provided with a glaze layer 21a as shown in FIG. is there.

In recent years, the development of thermal transfer recording systems has enabled multi-tone recording and full-color recording even in thermal recording systems.
A substrate 2 provided with a glaze layer 24a as shown in FIG. 8 as a thermal head suitable for such multicolor / multigradation recording.
An end face type thermal head in which a heating element array 23 is formed on the end face of No. 4 has been proposed by Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-138661.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In both the flat type and end face type thermal heads described above, the heat that is not effectively used as recording energy when the heating element is heated is accumulated in the glaze layer near the heating element. For example, when thermal transfer recording is performed, it causes a crushed print due to a heat storage phenomenon and a trailing.

Therefore, in the conventional thermal head, as shown in FIG. 7, the substrate 21 provided with the heating element 20 is fixed to the metal base 22 such as Al, or the heat radiation fin 25 is provided as shown in FIG. As a result, the heat accumulated in the glaze layer 21a is radiated to cool the heating element.

However, in the conventional cooling structure of the thermal head as described above, if an attempt is made to secure sufficient cooling capacity even when performing high-speed recording or continuous recording, the base 22
Also, the cooling fin 25 is increased in size, and the thermal head and a device using the thermal head cannot be reduced in size and weight.

Incidentally, in the field of recording equipment using a thermal recording method using a thermal head, there has been an increasing demand in recent years for a compact, lightweight equipment capable of high-speed, multi-color, multi-gradation recording. Further, particularly in the case of full-color image recording, delicate gradation expression power is required, and in order to meet these requirements, there is no deterioration in recording image quality due to the thermal storage phenomenon of the thermal head. A good thermal head was needed. Also, from the aspect of equipment configuration, the thermal head cooling member has been compacted to make the equipment compact and
It was necessary to reduce the weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to solve the above problems and requirements, and an object of the present invention is to provide a small-sized and light-weight thermal recording apparatus having excellent thermal radiation and cooling characteristics of a thermal head.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a platen roller, a thermal head having a heating element formed facing the platen roller, and one end of at least one flat surface of the thermal head. By providing a flexible heat dissipating member and a fixing member that tightly fixes the other end of the heat dissipating member to the apparatus housing, the heat generated on the thermal head during recording is dissipated. It is intended to constitute a small and lightweight thermal recording device that can quickly dissipate and cool heat without increasing the size.

Operation With the above configuration, the heat generated on the thermal head during recording is quickly dissipated through the flexible heat dissipating member, and the heat is also transferred to the apparatus housing through the heat dissipating member. Since the heat dissipation / cooling is performed to a minimum, the cooling structure of the thermal head can be made compact, and since the heat dissipation member is flexible, there is a large degree of freedom in the arrangement of the heat dissipation member. It is possible to reduce the size and weight of the conventional thermal recording device.

As described above, according to the present invention, not only a sufficient cooling capacity can be ensured even at the time of high-speed or continuous recording, or at the time of multi-color / multi-gradation recording, but also a small and lightweight thermal transfer recording system having a large degree of freedom in the equipment configuration. It is possible to provide a heat-sensitive recording apparatus including the above.

Example Hereinafter, a thermal head configuration and apparatus in an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a thermal head.
FIG. 4 shows a side view.

2 to 4, a substrate 2 (hereinafter referred to as a heating element substrate) provided with a heating element 1a constituting the thermal head 1 is a glass glaze layer 2a provided on a plate-shaped substrate such as ceramic and a glass. Heating element 1a provided on the glaze layer 2a
And an electrode 2b for energizing the heating element 1a.

The heating element substrate 2 is held on a flat surface 3a of a base 3 made of a metal plate such as Al. Further, a heat dissipation member 4 having flexibility is attached to the flat surface 3b of the base 3 by a fixing member 5. The heat dissipation member 4 is composed of a plurality of metals having good heat conductivity such as copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al), or a material having excellent heat dissipation and cooling characteristics such as a polymer material having excellent heat conductivity such as silicon. At the same time, a plurality of foils are springed to ensure flexibility, and the number of foils can be increased or decreased according to the need of heat radiation design.

The tip of the foil forming the heat dissipation member 4 is springed by the fixing member 6 and fixed to the device housing 14.

At this time, the plurality of foils may be provided in close contact with each other, but as shown in FIG. 4, the metal foils are fixed in such a state that each length of the metal foils is changed so as to form an air layer between the foils. May be.

A thermal recording apparatus using the thermal head configured as described above (a thermal transfer recording apparatus using an ink sheet is shown in the examples of the present invention, the basic recording principle and the direct recording apparatus using a thermal recording paper are The following describes the apparatus configuration / operation and the heat radiation / cooling state when recording is performed with the same operation.).

In FIG. 1, the thermal head 1 is arranged at a position facing a platen roller 8 provided on the machine frame 7, and pinch rollers 9 and 10 are pressed against the outer periphery of the platen roller 8. The machine frame 1 is rotatably provided with a support shaft 11 as a fulcrum, and is provided with an ink sheet guide 12 and a convex recording paper guide member 13.

An ink sheet cassette 17 accommodating a recording paper 15 and an ink sheet 16 is detachably provided in a housing machine 14 provided with the thermal head 1.

The recording paper 15 and the ink sheet 16 are the platen roller 8
Above, it is in pressure contact with the thermal head 1.

When recording, the recording paper 15 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A by the platen roller 8 and the pinch rollers 9 and 10, and the heating element 1a of the thermal head 1 is energized to record the ink sheet 16 coated with the ink layer with a recording signal. The ink is melted and the recording paper
The image is formed on the recording paper by transferring the image onto the recording paper.

At this time, along with the recording, thermal energy that has not been effectively used during recording is accumulated on the heating element plate 2 of the thermal head 1. However, this heat is transferred to the heat dissipation member 4 through the base 3 and is dissipated.

This is because the heat dissipating member 4 is composed of a plurality of metal foils and the like, and an air layer is formed between the respective foils, so that heat can be quickly conducted from the base 3. Since the heat radiation area in contact with air is large, heat radiation can be sufficiently and quickly performed.

Further, when performing high-speed recording or multi-color / multi-gradation recording, it is necessary to increase the heat dissipation ability from the heat dissipation member 4 in order to reduce the heat accumulation phenomenon on the heat generating element substrate 2 that accompanies the recording. In the above, the thermal head according to the present invention can be dealt with by increasing the number of metal foils or the like that form the heat dissipation member 4.

Further, even when it is difficult to increase the number of metal foils or the like that compose the heat dissipation member 4 due to restrictions on the device configuration, the metal foils and the like are spring-fitted and closely fixed to the housing frame 14 of the device. Since the casing machine frame 14 is used as a part of the heat dissipation member, the heat dissipation ability can be secured without increasing the number of metal foils or the like.

As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the heat unnecessary for recording generated on the heating element substrate of the thermal head is transmitted to the flexible heat dissipation member, and the heat is dissipated from the heat dissipation member itself and at the same time through the heat dissipation member. Since the heat can be transferred to the casing machine frame and heat can be dissipated from the casing machine frame surface, the temperature rise width of the thermal head accompanying recording can be reduced, and the deterioration of the image due to the heat accumulation phenomenon is small. A quality recorded image can be obtained.

Since the thermal head and the device housing are connected by a flexible heat dissipation member, there is no effect on the separation and contact between the thermal head platens during recording and the head rotation operation during paper loading. Since it does not exist, there is no restriction on the installation and design of the device, and it can contribute to the size and weight reduction of the device.

In addition, since the heat dissipation member is made of a flexible material such as metal foil, there is a large degree of freedom in the shape and arrangement of the heat dissipation member. For example, the heat dissipation area can be further increased by processing the metal foil etc. into a bellows shape. Is.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention in which a plurality of holes 18 and slits 19 are provided in a heat dissipation member such as a flexible metal foil. The flow of air flowing through the heat dissipation member 4 is made smooth,
The heat dissipation ability of the heat dissipation member can be improved. In this case, as shown in the first embodiment of the present invention, it is not necessary to form an air layer between the heat dissipating members such as the metal foil, and the degree of freedom of the device configuration can be further increased and the space can be saved. .

Needless to say, in any of the embodiments, the mounting position of the heat radiation member to the thermal head and the casing machine frame can be mounted on any position plane as long as a certain contact area can be secured.

As described above, according to the present invention, a flexible heat dissipating member is provided in close contact with at least one plane of the thermal head, and one end of the heat dissipating member is adhered to the apparatus housing with a fixing member. By providing the heat dissipating member, it is possible to increase the heat dissipating surface area and improve the heat dissipating ability without increasing the size of the heat dissipating member, and since the heat dissipating member is flexible, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the heat dissipating member is high. Since it is large and the heat dissipation capacity is easy to adjust and design, it is small and lightweight that can quickly dissipate the heat generated during recording that is unnecessary for recording through the heat dissipation member and the device housing. It is possible to provide a thermal recording apparatus suitable for high-speed recording and multi-color / multi-gradation recording.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a thermal recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a thermal head according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the same, and FIG. FIG. 6 and FIG. 6 are perspective views of the thermal head in the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views of the conventional thermal head. 1 ... Heating element, 2 ... Substrate, 3 ... Base, 4 ... Heat dissipation member, 5 ... Fixing member, 8 ... Platen roller, 14 ...
… Case machine frame.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A platen roller, a thermal head on which a heating element is formed so as to face the platen roller, a flexible heat-dissipating member having one end closely attached to at least one plane of the thermal head, and A heat-sensitive recording apparatus provided with a fixing member for closely fixing the other end of the heat-dissipating member to the apparatus housing.