JPS6254243A - Copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically copy a book, etc., and to copy a thick original by heating and thermal-transferring a separated intermediate transfer film and an overlapped transfer sheet. CONSTITUTION:On a copying web 24 which makes suitable the position of the leaf-shaped intermediate transfer film, is supplied and stopped on a contact glass 25, the picture surface to copy the original is overlapped in the downward direction. With the energy charged on a capacitor 30, a flash lamp 31 is flashed, and after transferring is executed on an intermediate transferring film 12, the pressure by a pressuring plate 29 is released and the original is removed. When the copying web 24 is wound, the intermediate transferring film is separated in a separating part 33, and an ink film 15 is wound to a collecting roll 27. The intermediate transferring film 12 separated from the ink film 15 is conveyed while the film is guided up to the position of a heating roller 19 and a pressuring roller 20, a transferring sheet 18 in a paper supplying cassette 36 is sent and in the same manner, conveyed up to the position of roller pairs 19 and 20.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field This invention relates to a thermal transfer copying apparatus that performs copying by thermal transfer using a heat-melting ink film. (As shown in Figure 8ζ, the ink sheet 4 is sandwiched between the original 1 and the transfer paper 5, and the light source 6 exposes the original 1 to light, and this light is absorbed by the image area 3 of the original 1. The heat generated during this process melts the ink on the ink sheet 4 and transfers it to the transfer paper 5.

However, in the conventional method, since the light beam 6 passes through the original 1, it is not possible to copy originals or books that are printed on both sides of the paper, and The original has a disadvantage in that the transmittance of the irradiated light is poor, and the heat generated in the image area 3 is easily diffused, making it impossible to obtain a clear copy.

Further, in the past, there has been no copying device that automatically and continuously delivers thermal transfer copies.

In addition, the ink image remains on the used ink sheet 4 after transfer, and there is a possibility that the information of the copy will be leaked to the outside by the used ink sheet.

Purpose The present invention solves the drawbacks of copying using the thermal transfer method as described above, and makes it possible to automatically and continuously copy double-sided originals, books, etc., and copy thick originals. Thermal transfer method W? The purpose is to provide equipment.

Structure A copying apparatus according to the present invention includes a roll-shaped copying web in which an intermediate transfer film is laminated on the ink layer side of a continuous ink film having an ink layer formed on a support, and this copying web is supplied onto a contact glass. a supply roll for
A collection roll that winds up the ink film from above the contact glass, a peeling section that peels off the intermediate transfer film of the copy web and the ink film between the contact glass and the collection roll, and a conveyance section that separates the intermediate transfer film from the ink film. Supply the transfer sheet in synchronization with 1
A transfer sheet supply unit that overlaps the transfer sheet on the ink image side of the intermediate transfer film, a heating unit that heats the intermediary transfer film and transfer sheet by bringing them into close contact with each other, and a contact glass copying unit. A light source is placed on the opposite side of the web conveyance path, and the document is superimposed on the contact glass so that the image surface faces the copying web that is waiting with the intermediate transfer film in the proper position. The original is exposed to light by activating the light source to generate heat in the image area of the original, and the heat selectively melts the ink on the ink sheet and transfers it to the intermediate transfer film. After that, the collection roll is driven to wind up the ink film, and as the ink film is wound up, it is carried out from above the contact glass, and the intermediate transfer film that is peeled off from the ink film in the peeling section and the intermediate transfer film that is supplied from the transfer sheet supply section and The transfer film is characterized in that a transfer sheet superimposed on the transfer film is heated in a heating section to perform thermal transfer from the intermediate transfer film to the transfer sheet.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that, in the copying apparatus described above, the collection roller of the collection section that winds up the used ink film is disposed near the heating section or at a position in contact with the heating roller of the heating section.

The present invention will be explained below based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

Before explaining the copying apparatus according to the present invention, the principle of the copying method in this copying apparatus will be explained.

In FIG. 5, an intermediate transfer film 12 is placed on the light source 11 side, and a supporting film 1 is placed on the intermediate transfer film 12.
The ink film 15 on which the ink layer 14 is formed on one side of the ink film 15 is superimposed on the ink film 15 with the ink layer 14 facing the intermediate transfer film 12, and the original 16 is placed on the ink film 15, and the original H8 side is the ink film] 5. [Supporting film] Lay them together in the direction in which they will be joined with 3, making sure that no air pockets are formed between them.
make them stick together. In FIG. 5V, the films are shown spaced apart from each other for the sake of explanation.

In this state, when flash exposure is performed using a light source II such as a xenon lamp, the light ray α passes through the intermediate transfer film 12 and the ink film 5 and reaches the original 16. A part of the light ray α that reaches the original 16 is scattered in the background part (for example, the inside) of the original 16, and a part is transmitted and does not generate heat, but the irradiated light α is not absorbed in the image part (for example, the black part) 16a. and generates a fever. The heat β generated in the image area 16a is transmitted to the ink layer 4 through the ink support film 13, and melts the ink in the opposite portion of the image area 16aV. This melted ink 17 is then transferred to the intermediate transfer film 12 which is in close contact with the intermediate transfer film 12 to form a mirror image of the image area 16a.

Next, the intermediate transfer film 12 on which the mirror image 12a has been formed is peeled off from the ink film 15, and as shown in FIG. Knead together to make them stick together.
By passing between the heating roller 19 and the pressure roller 20, the ink on the intermediate transfer film 12 is melted and transferred to the transfer sheet 18, and the original @16 is transferred onto the transfer sheet 18.
This is to obtain a copy of the image.

The copying apparatus according to the present invention performs the above-mentioned repeating process, and will be described below with reference to FIG. Although the intermediate transfer film may be in the form of a sheet or a continuous web, an example using a sheet intermediate transfer film will be shown below.

A copying web 24 is guided by an intermediate roller 23 from a supply roll 22 mounted in a rotatable V in the casing 21 onto a contact glass 25, further guided by an intermediate roller 26, and transferred to a collection roll 2717. It is designed to be rolled up.

This composite web 24 is made by laminating the above-mentioned intermediate transfer film 12 and ink film 15,
The contact glass 25 is wound around the supply roll 22 with the medium rotation 7-def film 12 facing downward.

The upper part of the contact glass 25 has a lower surface (C elastic body 2
A pressure plate 29 having a pressure plate 8 is attached so as to be openable and closable. Further, a flash lamp "3" connected to a capacitor 30 is disposed below the contact glass 25, and a reflector 3 is arranged around the flash lamp 31.
2 is arranged so as to reflect the light beam of the flash lamp 3 in the direction of the contact glass 25.

An intermediate portion V between the intermediate roller 26 and the collecting roll 27 transfers the intermediate transfer film J2 of the copying web 24 to the ink film 1.
A peeling part 33 for peeling off from 5 is provided. The ink film 15 from which the intermediate transfer film 12 has been peeled off by the peeling section 33 is wound up onto a recovery roll 27 .

In addition, the intermediate transfer film 12 peeled off from the ink film 5 is placed in the front position where it is almost inserted into the heating roller 19 and the pressure roller 20, and the transfer sheet 18 is fed from the paper feed cassette 36 by the paper feed roller 37vc. The paper is overlapped with the heating roller 19 and the pressure opening/roller 20, is conveyed while being pressurized and heated, and is ejected into the paper ejection tray 35 by a pair of paper ejection rollers 34P. It looks like this.

In the above-mentioned copying apparatus, a sheet of intermediate transfer film is properly positioned on a contact glass 25 and placed on top of a copying web 24 which is fed and stopped, with the image surface to be copied of the document facing downward. In order to make the stop position of the intermediate transfer film appropriate, it is necessary to place a mark on the copy web and detect it, or to detect the conveyance amount of the copy web.
Conventionally known techniques can be used. In this state, the original surface of the original is opposed to the support film 13 of the ink film 15. Then, close the pressure plate 29 and press the original,
It is brought into close contact with the copying web 24 so that there are no gaps such as air pockets.

Next, the energy charged in the capacitor 30 causes the flash lamp 31 to flash, and after the transfer is performed on the intermediate transfer film 2, the suppression by the pressure plate 29 is released and the original is removed. When the collection roll 27 is rotationally driven to take up the copy web 24, the intermediate transfer film is peeled off at the peeling section 33, and the ink film 15 is removed from the collection roll 24.
It is wound up at 7. At this time, the next intermediate transfer film is sent out from the simultaneous V-shaped paper feeding roll 22, and when this intermediate transfer film reaches the proper position on the contact glass, the conveyance of one copy web is stopped. As can be seen from the drawing, the peeling section 33 is designed to peel the intermediate transfer film 12 from the ink film 15 at an acute angle, so that peeling is easy and the ink image is less likely to be disturbed during peeling. .

Intermediate transfer film 1 peeled off from ink film 15
2 is guided and conveyed to the position of the heating roller 19 and the pressure roller 20, and reaches the position of the roller pair 19 and 20. Around this time, the transfer sheet 18 in the paper feed cassette 36 is sent out by the simultaneous rotation of the paper feed roller 37, and similarly conveyed to the position of the roller pair 19 and 20.

It is detected that the intermediate transfer film 12 and the transfer sheet 18 are both positioned on the roller pair 19.20, or the roller pair 19.20 is moved in synchronization with the conveyance of either one of the sheets. '20 is given rotational drive.

The intermediate transfer film 12 and the transfer sheet 18 are overlapped and held between the heating roller 9 and the pressure roller 20. Then, the ink on the intermediate transfer film 12 is melted and transferred to the transfer sheet 18 by the heat from the heating roll 19 and fixed, and then a pair of paper ejection rollers 34 transfer the ink to the paper ejection tray 3.
The paper is ejected within 5 minutes.

In another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, the same parts as in the embodiment of FIG. to 2
7',] 9', and 20'.

In FIG. 2, the recovery roll 27' is the heating roll 1 of the heating section.
Since the collection roll 27' is elastically suppressed so as to be in constant contact with the collection roll 27', and the axis of the collection roll 27' is movable in the direction A,
The collection roll 27' moves in the direction of the arrow depending on the amount of ink film wound onto it. Due to this configuration of the collection roll 27', the collected ink film is wound up onto the collection roll 27' with the surface where the ink remains inside, and immediately comes into pressure contact with the heating roller 19' which is in a heated state, and the heating roller 19' The heat reaches the inner surface of the ink film and melts the remaining ink on the inner surface. Each section of the ink film is then heated again by the heating roller 19' with a new section of ink film superimposed thereon, and this is repeated several times. Therefore, the residual ink on the ink film no longer retains its original shape, and the information on the ink film completely disappears.

The transfer sheet 18 is transferred from the paper feed cassette 36 to the paper feed roller 3
7vc, but in that case the transfer sheet 18 is fed by heating roller 19' and collecting roll 27'.
A heating roller 19' and a pressure roller 20 are sandwiched between
', and is superimposed on the intermediate transfer film 12 here. Therefore, the transfer sheet 18 is preheated between the heating roller 19' and the collecting roll 27' before entering the heating section. Although the transfer sheet is at room temperature within the paper feed center 36, the width of the room temperature itself is wide, so conventionally it was necessary to set the temperature of the heating roller to a high temperature. On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, preheating can be performed between the heating roller 19' and the collecting roll 27', so it is possible to set the heating roller 19' at a lower temperature than before. ing. In the conventional example, the surface temperature of one heating port was required to be 85 to 160 U at a linear velocity of 50 to 150 cm/SeC, but in this embodiment it is possible to set it to 80 to 135 C.

In both of the above embodiments, the copying web 24 is
3, the ink film 15 is stretched, and the intermediate transfer film 2 and the ink film 15 are
However, in order to roughly improve this adhesion, back tension may be applied to the rotating shaft of the supply roll 22.

Further, pressing the original onto the copying web 24 using the contact glass 25 may be performed manually, or automatically by operating a handle or by vacuum contact.

The feeding of the transfer sheet 18 is performed in synchronization with the conveyance of the intermediate transfer film 12, and this synchronization can be performed by a known method such as using a detection sensor.

Note that paper feeding may be performed by manually feeding the paper, regardless of the paper feeding power. Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
It is also possible to make the distance between the two intermediate transfer films longer than the length of the intermediate transfer film 2, and carry out falling conveyance using a free fall ring.

In the above embodiment, the intermediate transfer film 12 and the 7f sheet 18 are discharged in an overlapping manner.
A separating device may be provided near the discharge portions of the heat roller and pressure roller to separate them, and in this case, an internal tray may be provided within the intermediate transfer film 1211 device to prevent them from being discharged to the outside.

In order to improve the separation between the twisted ink film 15 and the intermediate transfer film 12, and between the intermediate transfer film 12 and the transfer sheet 18, it is better that the ink is not transferred to the leading edge of the intermediate transfer film 12 or the transfer sheet 18. Therefore, for example, a third
It is preferable to provide masks 40 as shown in the figure. Furthermore, by masking the periphery of the image, it is possible to prevent the surrounding ink from melting and staining the pressure plate and other parts.

Thermal transfer from the intermediate transfer film 2 to the transfer sheet 18 can be performed using a 10-hole type or a heating plate with an intermediate transfer film and a transfer sheet, in addition to the one described in the above embodiment. It may also be something that presses the deck.

! In each of the above embodiments V, the thermal transfer from the -f film to the intermediate transfer film was carried out by exposing the entire surface to flash light at once, but this required a very large amount of energy at once. There is a risk that the increased size of capacitors, lamps, etc. will lead to higher costs, and increases in volume and weight. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the Franche lamp 31 is moved in the longitudinal direction of the copy sheet, the document surface is divided into several sections, and the flash is repeated for each section (for example, A, B, and C). , the entire surface of the document may be exposed to light. By doing this, the capacitor and the lamp 3 can be made smaller. Furthermore, since the flashing time of the Franche lamp is about several m5ec, the lamp 3 does not need to be stopped arbitrarily, and it is possible to flash until the point has been moved. The shattered lamp 3J can be moved using various known techniques, such as being pulled by a wire 42 on a rail 4, as shown in the drawing, and the flash timing can be determined by a timer, or as shown in the drawing. Switch S corresponds to each section V.
1 , 32 , and 33 may be arranged to perform the operation in conjunction with the movement of the lamp 31. Also, flash exposure
It is efficient if this is done on both the outbound and return trips of ramp 3. The lamp 31 may be moved by manual handle operation. Effects As described above, according to the present invention, in thermal transfer copying, there is no need for light to pass through the original as in the past, so it is possible to copy double-sided originals, books, etc. Copying can be easily performed, and continuous copying can be performed using a roll-shaped copying web in which an intermediate transfer film and an ink film are overlapped in advance, and thermal transfer from the intermediate transfer film to the transfer sheet is possible. This method has an excellent effect in that it can also be performed automatically. Furthermore, the present invention also has the effect of preventing information leakage in copies from a used ink film.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing another embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of the contact glass in the same embodiment V. Figure 4 is a schematic configuration diagram 1 showing another example of the exposure method in the same embodiment.
Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the first step of copying in the present invention, Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of the second step, and Figs. 7 and 8 are explanatory diagrams showing the conventional duplication method. ]1...Light source, 12...Intermediate transfer film, 13.
...Support film, 14...Ink layer-15...Ink film, 1G...Original, 18...Transfer sheet, ]9...jJIM roller, 20...Pressure roller, 22... ... Supply roll, 25 ... Contact glass, 27 ... Iil + roll, 31 ... Flash lamp, 33 ... Peeling part, 36 ... Paper feeding force top no.
-137... Paper feed roller effect Figure 6 Figure 8

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A supply unit for supplying a copy web formed by overlapping an intermediate transfer film on an ink film with an ink layer formed on a strip-shaped support film onto a contact glass, and a supply unit disposed on the opposite side of the contact glass from the copy web. A light source, a collection unit that winds up the copy web from the contact glass, a peeling unit that peels the intermediate transfer film from the ink film between the contact glass and the collection unit, and a system that synchronizes the conveyance of the peeled intermediate transfer film. a transfer sheet supply section that supplies a transfer sheet and superimposes the transfer sheet on the transfer ink image surface side of the intermediate transfer film; and a heating section that heats the superimposed intermediate transfer film and transfer sheet while bringing them into close contact with each other. The surface of the original is brought into close contact with a copying web waiting on a contact glass with the intermediate transfer film facing the contact glass, and the image area of the original is heated by irradiating light from a light source, and the image area of the original is heated. After the ink in the ink layer is melted and the image is transferred to the intermediate transfer film using A heating section heats the peeled intermediate transfer film and the transfer sheet supplied from the transfer sheet supply section and superimposed on the intermediate transfer film, thereby thermally transferring the image from the intermediate transfer film to the transfer sheet. A copying device that uses (2) A copy according to claim 1, wherein the collection roller of the collection section that winds up the used ink film is arranged near the heating section or at a position in contact with the heating roller of the heating section. Device.