JPS61179763A - Thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible not only to enhance printing quality but also to increase a printing speed, by providing a means for preliminarily warming paper in a range preventing ink from reaching the softening temp. thereof when the paper is contacted with ink prior to performing printing by a picture element electrode. CONSTITUTION:An ink ribbon 3 coated with heat-meltable ink 3a and a thermal head 4 having a picture element electrode 4a are arranged with respect to the paper 2 wound around a platen 1. The platen 1 made of rubber has a heat generating net 1a having a high resistance value wound around the layer near to the surface thereof and the surface thereof is heated to about 50 deg.C by the supply of a current. Because the paper 2 is contacted with the platen 1 for a relatively long time, the temp. thereof approaches 50 deg.C. The surface ink 3a does not reach a molten state at the point of time when the paper 2 is contacted with the ink ribbon 3 but, when the paper 2 advances and receives the heat from the picture element electrode 4a of the thermal head 4, the ink 3a of the ink ribbon 3 is transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to improving printing conditions in a thermal transfer printer in which heat-melting ink applied to a ribbon is selectively melted by pixel electrodes and adhered to paper. It is something.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Requests for thermal transfer printers include raising the temperature of pixel electrodes to improve print quality, increasing printing speed, extending the life of the head, and making the rise and fall of heat generation steeper. In conventional thermal transfer printers, in order to print on paper that is approximately at room temperature, the head must heat the ink, ribbon, and paper, which have a large heat capacity, from room temperature to above the melting temperature of the ink all at once. It was a heavy load.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention relates to an improvement in this point, and includes a means for pre-warming paper having a relatively large heat capacity to a range where the ink does not reach its softening point when the paper comes into contact with the ink, before printing is performed using the pixel electrodes. Ta.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the present invention applied to a line printer.

The point is that desired pixels are printed on the paper 2 wrapped around the platen 1 by energizing the thermal head 4 having the pixel electrode 4a from the back side 6b of the ink ribbon 6 coated with heat-melting ink 3a. Everything is the same as the conventional one. However, platen 1 has some workmanship. That is, a heating wire 1a having a high resistance value is wound around a layer close to the surface of the platen 1 made of rubber, and the surface is heated to about 50° C. by applying electricity.

When the paper 2 is sent and comes into contact with the platen 1, the temperature of the paper 2 also becomes close to 50° C. because the contact time is so long as to be long enough. Eventually, the ink 3a comes into contact with the ink ribbon B, but the ink 3a on the surface does not melt. Further, when heat from the pixel electrode 4a of the thermal head 4 is added, the ink 3a of the ink ribbon 6 is transferred to the paper 2.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a second embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a serial printer.

A thermal head 4 having a pixel electrode 4a brings a ribbon 3 coated with ink 3a into contact with the paper 2 to perform printing. 5 is a pedestal made of rubber. Reference numeral 26 denotes a thermal roller, which has a built-in heating wire 26a, sandwiches the paper 2, and comes into contact with the feed roller 21.

The paper 2 heated by contacting the thermal roller 26 reaches below the pixel electrode 4a before it cools down, and assists in heating the pixel electrode 4a.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a third embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a printer using a cassette type ink ribbon. The carrier 66 is configured to be movable left and right with respect to the paper 2, and includes a cassette 37 containing the ink ribbon 66, a thermal head 4, and a thermal printer containing the heating wire 38a.
It carries a lever 68. The thermal lever 38 is rotatably supported around a shaft 3Sl, and is pulled by a spring 40 and rotated clockwise.

The paper 2 heated by the heated thermal lever 68 is moved under the thermal head 64 by the movement of the carrier 66. Since the thermal head 4 is preheated, the temperature rise at the thermal head 4 is small.

A preheating means such as a heating platen, a thermal roller, a thermal lever, etc. is provided to preheat the paper, which has a relatively large heat capacity, before printing is performed using the thermal head. Therefore, the high temperature corresponding to the amount of preheating can be easily obtained, thereby improving print quality and speeding up printing.If the temperature is not increased, the heat generation load on the head can be reduced and the life of the head can be extended. It is also advantageous in making the temperature rise steeper.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing a third embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example. 1...Platen, 1a...Heating wire, 2
...Paper, 6...Ink ribbon, 4
...Thermal head, 26... Thermal roller, 26a, 68a... Heat generating wire, 3
8...Thermal lever, patent applicant Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.-1

Claims (1)

[Claims] In thermal transfer printers that print on paper by selectively melting heat-melting ink applied to a ribbon with pixel electrodes, the ink is heated to a softening point when the paper comes into contact with the ink before printing. A thermal transfer printer characterized in that it is provided with a preheating means for heating within a range that does not reach the temperature.