JPS61171368A - Color thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent recorded image quality from being lowered and machine cost from being raised, by controlling driving positions of heating elements in a line-type thermal head in accordance with position information sent from a detecting mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A positional deviation of a recording paper 4 in the digit place direction is recognized by the detecting mechanism 7, and the positions of heating elements to be driven are converted by a controlling part 8 so that the positions coincide with recording positions for the first tone. By controlling the positions of the heating elements to be driven in the line-type thermal head for each tone in this manner, it is possible to record images with high quality and without misregistration of colors, even where a cut paper is used as the recording medium and multicolor overlap recording is conducted. In addition, there is no need to restrict the form of the recording medium or to provide a tractor mechanism, so that the machine cost can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color thermal transfer printer that performs multicolor recording on recording paper.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of color thermal transfer printer has a predetermined area,
Using an ink film coated with ink of multiple tones in pitch and order, overlapping transfer recording was performed multiple times by returning only the recording paper to the initial position each time according to the recorded image quality corresponding to each tone.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the conventional overlapping transfer recording method described above, an ink film and a recording paper are pressed against a heating element of a line-type thermal head by a platen, and the first color tone is transferred and recorded while simultaneously being fed.

In order to perform transfer recording of the next color tone, the ink film is stopped and only the recording paper is returned to its initial position.
Transfer recording is performed in the same manner as above. By repeating the above operations to transfer and record all the tones, a multicolor image can be obtained by superimposing the transferred recording paper.
Because the heating element of the thermal head is driven back and forth multiple times, when using cut paper, the recording paper shifts in the digit direction due to the precision of the recording paper conveyance system, and the recording position for each color tone shifts, causing the recorded image to become distorted. The drawback was that the quality deteriorated significantly.

If fan-hold paper is used to avoid the father's entry, the form of the recording paper is limited and the uses of the device are narrowed, and at the same time, a tractor mechanism is required, which significantly increases the cost of the device.

The present invention provides an apparatus that solves the above problems.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides an ink film in which ink of a plurality of tones is applied in a predetermined area, pitch, and order in the feeding direction to the heating element of a line-type thermal head, a line-type thermal head, and cut paper for recording to be transferred to a line-type thermal head. A drive mechanism that reciprocates on the heat generating element of the thermal head, a detection mechanism that recognizes the position of the cut paper in the digit direction, and a control unit that controls the drive position of the heat generating element of the line type thermal head based on the position information of the detection mechanism. This is a color thermal transfer printer characterized by having the following features.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention apparatus includes a line type thermal head 1 and a platen roller 2.
, an ink film 3 coated with a plurality of tones in a predetermined area, pitch, and order; a pair of feed rollers 5 that drive the recording paper 4 in the forward direction; a pair of return rollers 6 that drive the recording paper 4 in the reverse direction; and a column of the recording paper 4. It consists of a detection mechanism 7 that recognizes the directional position, and a control section 8 that controls the driving position of the heating element based on the position information.

Further, both ends of the ink film 3 are wound around rollers 3ay3b.

In the embodiment, in the transfer recording operation of the first color tone, the ink film 3 and the recording paper 4 are pressed against the line type thermal head 1 by the platen roller 2, and the forward direction Df is
・Before moving on to the recording operation for the next color tone, the line type thermal head 1 is moved by a drive mechanism (not shown). The ink film 3 and the recording paper 4 are brought into pressure contact again by being oscillated around the retraction shaft 11, and the recording paper 4 is transported in the reverse direction DH by the pair of return rollers 6 and returned to the initial position. - At this time, the detection mechanism 7 recognizes the shift in the digit direction of the recording paper 4, and the control unit 8 changes the position of the element to be driven in the heating element so that it matches the recording position of the first color tone. drive The above operation is performed for each color tone to form a multicolor recorded image.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention recognizes the deviation of the recording paper in the digit direction using a detection mechanism and controls the position of the heating element of the line-type thermal head to be driven for each color tone. Even when overlapping multiple colors are recorded using this method, there is no color shift and high quality recorded images can be obtained. Further, since there is no need to limit the form of the recording medium and no need to provide a tractor mechanism, there is an effect that the cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An ink film coated with multiple tones of ink in a predetermined area, pitch, and order in the feeding direction, a line-type thermal head, and a cut paper for transfer recording are reciprocated on the heating element of the line-type thermal head. a drive mechanism that causes
A color thermal transfer comprising: a detection mechanism that recognizes the position of the cut paper in the digit direction; and a control section that controls the drive position of a heating element of a line type thermal head based on position information output from the detection mechanism. printer.