JP2652933B2 - Recording ribbon - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a recording ribbon, and more particularly, to a recording ribbon provided with an optical pattern having an end mark or near end mark function at or near the end.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a thermal transfer method is known as a simple printing method and an image forming method. In this method, a colored transfer layer is formed on a base film, and an image such as a character, a figure, or a pattern is heated in an image form from the back surface by a thermal head, and the colored transfer layer is thermally transferred to the surface of the material to be transferred. Things.

This thermal transfer system is roughly classified into two types, a wax type and a sublimation transfer type, depending on the configuration of the colored transfer layer.

The wax type uses a thermal transfer sheet in which a colored transfer layer capable of being easily softened and transferred by heating is formed on a base film, and the colored wax layer is transferred to a material to be transferred. In the type, an image is formed by supporting a dye which sublimates or migrates by heat on a base film with a suitable binder, and heats only the dye in the dye layer to the surface of the material to be transferred by heating from the back surface. Things.

Both types are capable of forming mono-color and multi-color images, and in the case of multi-color images, for example, prepare a three-color or four-color thermal transfer sheet of yellow, magenta, cyan and, if necessary, black Then, a color image is reproduced by aligning each color on the surface of the same material to be transferred and performing thermal transfer.

In any case, a thermal head is used as a heating means.

In order to form a color image, a so-called separate type continuous thermal transfer ribbon in which yellow, magenta, cyan, and black colored areas are provided in sections on a continuous base film is also widely used.

In the case where printing or an image is continuously formed by the recording ribbon as described above, when the recording ribbon is exhausted, the printer automatically stops, and it is necessary to replace the recording ribbon.

At this time, in order to notify the printer that the recording ribbon has run out, at or near the end of the recording ribbon, a portion that produces an optically different response from the recording ribbon, for example, a black recording ribbon is used. In such a case, a light reflecting member such as an aluminum vapor-deposited surface is provided, and the printer is stopped by optically detecting by an optical detecting means incorporated in the printer.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the end detection method as described above, when the recording ribbon is a black recording ribbon, the difference in response to light between the black recording ribbon and the aluminum-deposited surface is large. In the detection of the end, a malfunction does not occur much, but when the recording ribbon is other than black, for example, a yellow or magenta recording ribbon, a large difference does not occur, so that the malfunction easily occurs.

Further, when the recording ribbon is a line-type continuous recording ribbon provided with colored regions of three or four colors, the response to light is different for yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively. The difference in clear response from the aluminum deposition surface is further reduced,
Malfunctions are likely to occur.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a recording ribbon that can clearly notify the printer of the end of the recording ribbon without causing a malfunction of the printer regardless of the type of recording ribbon. is there.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The above object is achieved by the present invention described below. That is, the present invention provides a film in which black ink is regularly printed on the vapor-deposited surface of an aluminum vapor-deposited film at the end of a recording ribbon to provide a regular optical pattern including a light-reflective portion and a light-absorbing portion. Are connected to each other.

(Example) Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to preferred examples.

The examples shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b show an example in which the present invention is applied to a line-type thermal transfer ribbon in which four colored regions of yellow, magenta, cyan and black are sequentially formed. Fig. 1b is a view showing the cross section and the detecting means, and Fig. 1b is a view showing the plane.

In this embodiment, on the surface of the base film 1, four colored transfer layers of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (Bk) form one unit and are successively successively formed. An aluminum vapor-deposited film 2 is connected to the end of the film, and the end of the film 2 is fixed to the core 3 of the ribbon. A black ink layer having a fixed width is printed on the aluminum vapor-deposited film 2 at a fixed interval to form a light absorbing portion 4.

The recording ribbon as described above is sent in the direction of the arrow, and a regular optical pattern composed of the light reflecting portion 2 (evaporated film) and the light absorbing portion 4 is formed between the light source 5 and the light receiving sensor 6. When the light comes, the light reaching the sensor 6 is intermittently intermittently transmitted, so that an electric signal corresponding to the light is sent to the printer and collated with information previously stored in the printer, so that the printer can print the recording ribbon. The printer stops when it detects the end.

Until this state is reached, the sensor 6 generates various degrees of light reception between the light source 5 and the detection sensor 6 by passing through the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black regions. Since the light receiving pattern is significantly different from the light receiving pattern, no error is made in the comparison with the signal indicating the end recorded in the printer in advance.

On the other hand, when the end mark is simply a transparent film, the difference between the end mark and yellow or magenta, which has low light absorption, is small, and it is likely to cause a malfunction. In addition, if the end mark is black, it cannot be distinguished from the black transfer area, and even if the end mark is an aluminum-deposited surface, if the recording ribbon is loose or drip, The light absorbency or light reflectivity of the part changes, and depending on the angle, a malfunction similarly occurs.

The optical pattern of the end mark or the near-end mark in the above example has a stripe shape. However, the number of the stripes is not limited to the illustrated example. For example, the number of black and aluminum deposition surfaces is at least one, preferably two. There is no upper limit, but generally about 10 black and aluminum vapor deposition surfaces in total are sufficient. Also, the width of the stripe is not particularly limited, but each is about 1 mm to 10 cm,
If it is too narrow, a clear light receiving pattern will not be formed,
Also, if it is too wide, it is uneconomical, so several mm to several cm
The degree is preferred.

As described above, the recording ribbon of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as its end mark or near-end mark has the above-described configuration.For example, the recording ribbon itself may be in a tape shape for a serial printer, or may be in a tape shape for a line printer. Or a wax type in which a colored layer is directly transferred to a recording medium by a thermal head, or a sublimation transfer type in which only a dye is sublimated and transferred. A ribbon for an impact printer impregnated with ink may be used without any particular limitation.

(Effects) According to the present invention as described above, a regular optical pattern showing extreme response to light irradiation is provided at or near the end of the recording ribbon, so that the recording ribbon has any color. Or, for any combination of colors, the detection device incorporated in the printer clearly detects that it is at or near the end of the recording ribbon,
There is no malfunction of the printer.

The detection mark of the present invention is economically advantageous and convenient in handling. In other words, since the base material of the ink layer and the base material of the detection mark are not continuous, if the recording ribbon is produced in a small number of types, the detection marks are separately mass-produced,
It is only necessary to connect this to the end of an arbitrary recording ribbon, and there is no need to prepare various detection marks according to the type of the ribbon even if the ink ribbon is produced in various kinds and in small quantities.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a recording ribbon of the present invention. 1: base film 2: light reflective part 3: core 4: light absorbing part 5: light source 6: sensor

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A film provided with a regular optical pattern comprising a light-reflective portion and a light-absorbing portion by regularly pattern-printing black ink on the vapor-deposited surface of an aluminum-deposited film at the end of a recording ribbon. A recording ribbon characterized by being connected. 2. The recording ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the recording ribbon is a thermal transfer ribbon for forming a color image. 3. The recording ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the recording ribbon is a wax-type thermal transfer ribbon. 4. The recording ribbon according to claim 1, wherein the recording ribbon is a sublimation transfer type thermal transfer ribbon. 5. A recording ribbon according to claim 1, wherein said recording ribbon has a transfer area for yellow, magenta, cyan and black.