Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6753894
-
Patent Number
6,753,894
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, November 14, 200122 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 22, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 400 223
- 400 234
- 400 225
- 347 197
- 347 217
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
An image recording apparatus for producing a finished sheet of recording medium with an image printed thereon includes an image recorder with a platen drum, a clamper, a movable guide provided in an entrance side around said platen drum and a fixed guide adjacent to said movable guide. A paper feed has a recording medium wound up in a roll state for providing recording medium sheets upon cutting, a paper feed side cutter, paper feed rollers and a paper feed side slide guide. A thermal transfer ink ribbon with heatable coloring materials is heated by a thermal head. A paper discharge has a paper discharge side slide guide with a tip portion for receiving the recording medium and also having a paper discharge side cutter. A paper waste patting bar is rotatably provided between an exit of said paper discharge side slide guide and said paper discharge cutter and a paper discharge roller is provided for discharging the finished recording medium. A single interlocked driving system may be connected to said paper feed side cutter and said paper discharge side cutter to be synchronously operated. A tension switch may be provided for switching tension of the ink ribbon to a larger value or a smaller value provided in the ribbon feed-out side. The ribbon may be provided for use with a wind-up core for winding up said ink ribbon and a feed-out side core. The ribbon may be part of a cassette with a chip which operates when a power is supplied in a non-contact form to a portion of this ribbon cassette and also which incorporates therein a coil and a semiconductor circuit each capable of receiving and transmitting data in a non-contact form.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer type of image recording apparatus for recording a color image with an image recording means comprising a thermal head and a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon in an image recording medium wound around a platen drum based on image data recorded in an image data recording means or transmitted through a communication means and also relates to a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon and a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon cassette used in this image recording apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional type of image recording apparatus is shown in FIG.
1
. The image recording apparatus shown in
FIG. 1
comprises a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
, an image recording medium
501
, a platen drum
502
, a thermal head
503
, a damper
504
, a platen drum driving motor
505
, and a recording medium hopper
506
. A contact section between the damper
504
and the recording medium
501
is covered with a frictional member
509
such as rubber adhered thereto. In
FIG. 1
, the thermal head
503
, a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
, recording medium
501
, and platen drum
502
are arranged in this order. The thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
is colored with different colors cyclically and a wound around in the feeder core
507
in a rolled form, and is wound up around a winder core
508
in the opposite side. For instance, the three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan form one group. In some ribbons, black or a transparent overcoat material for coating the surface is added to the three colors described above. The following description of operations assumes a three-color ribbon. At first, a header section of the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
with a given color is positioned at the starting position. Then the recording medium
501
is carried from the recording medium hopper
506
to the damper
504
and is wound around the platen drum
502
. Then recording medium
501
carried thereto is held between the platen drum
502
and damper
504
each loading a pressure thereto to hold it. The a rear surface of the damper
504
, namely a section contacting the recording medium
501
is made from a frictional member
509
such as rubber, and holds the recording medium
501
by means of the frictional force. When the recording medium
501
is firmly held, the thermal head
503
is moved to the platen drum
502
and a pressure is loaded to the thermal head
503
so that the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
and recording medium
501
are closely adhered to each other. Then the platen drum driving motor
505
rotates with the thermal head
503
energized and heated in synchronism to start of rotation thereof according to an arbitrary dot so that the heated color material is transferred from the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
onto the recording medium
501
and an image is formed thereon. After processing with the first color is finished, the thermal head
503
releases the pressure, moves away from the platen drum
502
, and feeds the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
to position a section with the next color at its starting position with the platen drum
502
rotating in the image-forming direction to position the recording medium
501
at its starting position. Further, the same operations as those described above are repeated to form a image for a next color, and thus the operation sequence is repeated required times to form a color image.
The most important requirement in this operation sequence is that positioning of the recording medium
501
at its starting position is performed by controlling a position of the platen drum
502
. Therefore, to prevent change in a positional relation between the platen drum
502
and the recording medium
501
to be wounded therearound for each color, the platen drum
502
and the recording medium
501
are held by such a tool as the damper
504
with the frictional member
509
such as rubber adhered thereto.
In the conventional type of image recording apparatus as described above, recording medium
501
are fed one by one from the recording medium hopper
506
to the platen drum
502
, and a header section of this recording medium
501
is clamped by the damper
504
to the platen drum
502
with a rear edge section of the recording medium
501
held by a pinch roller between the pinch roller and the platen drum
502
. Because of this configuration, a load by the pinch roller gives effects over the platen drum
502
so that a driving load for the platen drum
502
disadvantageously increases.
In some of the image recording apparatuses based on the conventional technology, the recording medium
501
are not fed one by one, and the recording medium wound up into a roll form is cut into sheets, which are fed one by one. In this roll system, the recording medium
501
fed out from a roll is cut into a sheet of recording medium
501
, which is wound around the platen drum
502
, and then an image is recorded on this recording medium
501
with the thermal head
503
and thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
, and when the recording medium
501
with the image recorded thereon is to be discharged, the platen drum
502
is rotated in the reverse direction to liberate the recording medium
501
with the image printed thereon from the platen drum
502
, and a blank section having been held by the dampers
504
is cut off with a discharge cutter to form a sheet of recording medium
501
with the image having been recorded therein, but in this system, the paper feed means, recording means, paper discharge means and drive means are independently provided respectively, and operations of each means are controlled by a control circuit.
Because of this configuration, the size of the apparatus as a whole becomes larger, and two or more driving motors and two or more driving mechanisms including those for a paper feed cutter and a paper discharge cutter are required, which in turn makes the cost higher and also makes the size larger. In addition, although a time required for recording can be reduced by performing paper feed and paper discharge at the same time, a complicated control mechanism is required to control the two or more motors and the driving mechanisms synchronously, and a synchronism error easily occurs, and therefore it is necessary to make to some extent lower an operating speed in the operation sequence, and at present it takes about 30 seconds to finish a sheet of recording medium with an image recording apparatus using a normal type of thermal head and ink ribbon.
Further paper waste generated in cutting operations by the paper discharge cutter may sometimes be taken together with the recording medium in the paper discharge side, which may in turn cause the so-called paper jamming.
In the conventional type of image recording apparatus shown in
FIG. 1
, a two-roll type of ink ribbon having the ribbon cores
507
and
508
both in the feed-out side and in the wind-up side or a ribbon cassette with the two-roll type of ink ribbon incorporated therein is used for the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
500
. When a ribbon core of this ribbon cassette is set in the image recording apparatus, the core
508
in the wind-up side is engaged with a core boss in the wind-up side driven directly or via a clutch mechanism by a motor, while the core
507
in the feed-out side is engaged with a core boss in the feed-out side loading a prespecified torque via a frictional clutch or the like to the core
507
in the feed-out side to give tension to the ribbon.
As clearly shown by the configuration, a torque loaded by the frictional clutch or the like to the conventional type of core
507
in the feed-out side is always kept at a constant level, so that the problems as described below occur.
1. When positioning a recording medium at its starting position, a torque loaded to the core
508
in the wind-up side is required to be larger than that loaded to the core
507
in the feed-out side. Therefore, when a ribbon wound into a roll with many turns is used, a difference between diameters of turns is in inverse proportion to the ribbon tension, so that a adjustment width in setting torques in the wind-up side and feed-out side is very narrow. As a result, sometimes the ribbon gets wrinkled due to shortage of tension to cause mismatching between images with different colors respectively, and further such troubles such as break of the ribbon often occur due to the excessive tension, so that a ribbon with the narrow adjustment width can not be used.
2. When a torque in the feed-out side is set smaller, the problem (1) is solved, but positioning of a recording medium at its starting position can not be performed correctly because of shortage of the tension, or mismatching between images with different colors often occur due to the insufficient tension during printing an image, which makes it impossible to obtain a high quality image.
3. The ribbon tension is adjusted for printing an image, so that the tension is generally excessive for positioning of a recording medium at its starting position, and therefore sometimes the speed for positioning of a recording medium at its starting position may become lower, and the electric energy consumed by a motor for positioning of a recording medium at its starting position may become larger.
As described above, in the conventional type of image recording apparatus based on the conventional technology, as a torque is loaded to the core in the feed-out side with a single frictional clutch by referring to the ribbon tension set for printing an image as a reference, the ribbon tension in operations for positioning at its starting position is generally excessive, so that the excessive tension must be released for positioning the ink ribbon at its starting position. On the other hand, a sufficient tension is required to be loaded to the ribbon for recording a high quality image in printing an image.
In a case of the conventional type of ribbon cassette, ribbon cores are provided also in both the ribbon wind-up side and ribbon feed-out side, and when the ribbon is used to its end, generally the ribbon cassette is disposed as waste together with the used ink ribbon film. A ribbon core generally uses components made from plastics such as vinyl chloride or a paper tube, but when such recent requirements as environmental contamination by industrial and municipal wastes and product cost reduction are taken into considerations, a structure based on the considerations to simplification and the possibility of recycled use is desired. Even when the costs for transporting and packaging the ink ribbon are taken into considerations, it is desirable to abolish a ribbon core in the wind-up side and also to minimize a package of ink ribbon. In addition, when the needs for home use and convenience for general users are taken into considerations, the attachment method should preferably be as simple as possible.
Next, in the conventional type of image recording apparatus, a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon is accommodated in a ribbon cassette, and this ribbon cassette has a protrusion such as a pin or a notch provided to indicates a type of the ribbon, and data concerning the ribbon such as a physical type of the ribbon is read with a detection switch, and in other cases a bar code seal is provided to indicates the ribbon type and the bar code seal is read with a bar code sensor or other appropriate means. When a physical means such as a pin is used to indicate a type of ribbon, the data is limited to a bit number of pins or the like, and a number of sensors are required. For instance, when 256-bit data is to be expressed, at least eight pins and sensors are required. Further, although bar code is used in some cases, a quantity of data expressed by the bar code is limited to at most 1 Kb, and the quantity of data is too small to use the bar code for transmitting information on color materials used in the thermal transfer type of image recording apparatus generally requiring at least 2 Kb for one color. Further, when an expression method based on the conventional technology is employed, the data can not be updated, and a number of remaining ribbon sheets changing from time to time can not be recorded at all. It was also tried to use an IC based on the contact system, but in this case an electrical contact is required, and the reliability is low because of deposition of dust, oil, and other foreign materials on the contact point, so that it has not been used in the thermal transfer type of ribbon cassette.
As described above, there have been several problems in the image recording apparatus based on the conventional technology. One of the problems is that non-uniformity in production of ribbons or a difference in the coloring characteristics due to change of a coloring material is not reflected as data to a ribbon cassette, and in some cases when a ribbon cassette is exchanged with another one, an image with different color tone may be produced with the other image recording apparatus even for the same image data.
The second problem is that, although a residual quantity of a ribbon in a ribbon cassette decreases as production of images goes on, it becomes impossible to detect the residual quantity at a certain point of times. In the conventional technology, detection of the residual quantity of a ribbon is performed by measuring an external form of the ribbon with a sensor or by putting an end marker on a ribbon and detecting the end marker. In this case, for instance, when detection is performed by measuring an external form of a ribbon, it is difficult to accurately check a residual quantity of ribbon having the thickness of only several microns, and an error of around 20% always occurs. When the detection is performed by checking the end marker, it is possible only to check whether the current sheet is a final one or not, and it is at present impossible to print how many sheets of images can be printed. Further, when only the physical detection is performed in the state where a ribbon has been set, if the ribbon has partially been used, a count on a number of sheets of images already print shown by the apparatus is completely different from the actual result. As described above, with the conventional system, how many sheets of images can be printed can not accurately been detected at all.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a thermal transfer type of image recording apparatus in which an image recording medium having been wound up into a roll is cut into a sheet of recording medium; the recording medium cut as described above is wound around a platen drum; coloring matters on the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon are heated by a thermal head and transcribed onto the recording medium; the recording medium with an image already printed thereon is released from the platen drum; and a blank space for being held by the damper on the released recording medium with an image already printed thereon is cut off to provide a finally finished recording medium with an image already printed thereon. A paper feed means in this apparatus feeds out a recording medium would up into a roll state holding it between paper feed rollers, passes the recording medium between a rotary blade and a fixed blade of the paper feed cutter, feeds out the recording medium by a prespecified quantity holding the recording paper with paper feed rollers in the paper feed side onto a slide guide in the paper feed side, fixes a tip of the recording medium with a damper on to the platen drum, and cuts the recording medium with the cutter in the paper feed side into a sheet of recording medium. The image recording means of the image recording apparatus has the configuration in which a platen drum with a damper is positioned in front of the slide guide in the paper feed side of the paper feed means; a movable guide positioned in the entrance side opposite to an exit for the slide guide in the paper feed side and a guide device constituting a fixed guide are provided around this platen drum. The paper discharge means of the image recording apparatus has the configuration in which a paper discharge side slide guide with a paper discharge side roller with an inlet port for receiving a recording medium with an image already printed thereon released from the platen drum when the platen drum is rotated in the reverse direction from its rear side is provided in front of an entrance for the movable guide of the image recording means; a paper discharge side cutter comprising a rotary blade and a fixed cutter is provided at an exit of the slide guide in the paper discharge side; a paper waste patting bar is rotatably provided between the exit of the slide guide in the paper discharge side and the cutter in the paper discharge side; and further a paper discharge roller for discharging the recording medium with an image already printed thereon from inside of the apparatus is provided in the discharge side of the paper discharge side cutter.
With the configuration as described above, size reduction of an image recording apparatus is possible. Further in the image recording apparatus described above, the configuration is allowable in which drive systems for a cutter mechanism, a platen drum, a thermal transfer mechanism, and a paper discharge mechanism are provided in a series and all of the drive systems can be driven by one drive motor.
The image recording apparatus according to the present invention is an image recording apparatus based on a thermal sublimation system in which an ink ribbon in a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon cassette is heated and an image is recorded by transferring the heated color materials onto a recording medium, and this image recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a tension switch means for setting a tension of the ink ribbon to either a large value or a small value is provided in the ribbon feed-out side and the tension switch means is switched to the large value side when recording an image and to the small value side when the ribbon is positioned to its starting position.
Further the image recording apparatus according to the present invention has also the configuration in which a tension cam switch is attached to a thermal head up/down camshaft for driving the thermal head up and down so that the tension switch means can be switched in synchronism to up/down movement of the thermal head.
The tension switch means comprises a main frictional clutch for setting the tension to the larger side in synchronism to up/down movement of the thermal head and a sub frictional clutch for setting the tension to the smaller side.
The image recording apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that a ribbon wind-up core is provided in the image recording apparatus side and therefore an ink ribbon based on a simple structure not having a ribbon core in the wind-up side is used. This ink ribbon can easily be loaded on and off.
The image recording apparatus according to the present invention incorporates, in a portion of the ribbon cassette, an IC chip in which a coil and a semiconductor integrated circuit each capable of operating, receiving and transmitting data in a non-contact form when a power is supplied are integrated with each other, so that the image recording apparatus can read, record and rewrite data concerning the ribbon. Because of this feature, a quantity of data, which is not achievable with such methods as bar code, can be read, recorded, and rewritten without causing the problems such as a contact fault which may occur when a contact type of IC chip is used.
When data concerning characteristics of coloring materials applied on a ribbon accommodated in a ribbon cassette is recorded, it becomes possible to correct a difference in the coloring characteristics due to non-uniformity of ribbons generated during production thereof or change of the coloring materials by making use of the availability of a large quantity of data for the image recording apparatus to read the data for providing optimal control.
Further, a residual quantity of a ribbon set in a ribbon cassette becomes smaller as a number of printed images increases, and the residual quantity of a ribbon in a ribbon cassette based on the conventional technology is detected by measuring an external form of the ribbon with a sensor or by previously putting a marker indicating a header or an end of the ribbon and checking the marker, but an accurate residual quantity of ribbon at a given point of time can not be detected at all. With the present invention, however, a number of used ribbon sheets may be written in an IC chip inside the ribbon cassette each time the ribbon is used, so that an accurate residual quantity of ribbon can be detected. Therefore, such a case as that where a ribbon comes to its end and printing is disabled during a printing operation never occurs, and even if a ribbon cassette is exchanged with a new one during a printing operation, the ribbon can be used up to the final one sheet without fail.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1
is an explanatory view showing a thermal sublimation type of image recording apparatus based on the conventional technology;
FIG. 2
is an explanatory view showing a side view of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in which a recording medium is fed out from a roll and the recording medium with an image already printed thereon is sent from its rear edge side to the paper discharge side and only one drive motor is used therein;
FIG. 3
is an explanatory view showing the image recording apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.
2
and shows a drive motor, a paper feed side cutter and a paper discharge side cutter driven by the motor, and a movable guide arranged outside the platen drum each viewed from the top side;
FIG. 4
is an explanatory view showing the first embodiment in which each of the components shown in
FIG. 2
is shown in the developed state;
FIG. 5
is an explanatory view showing a key section of a ribbon tension device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6
is an explanatory view showing a main frictional clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7
is an explanatory view showing a sub frictional clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8
is an explanatory view showing effects of the sub frictional clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention in an operation for positioning a recording medium at its starting position;
FIG. 9
is an explanatory view showing effects of the main frictional clutch according to the second embodiment of the present invention during a printing operation;
FIG. 10
is an explanatory view showing a ribbon wind-up core and an ink ribbon according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11
is an explanatory view showing a ribbon wind-up core and an ink ribbon according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12
is an explanatory view showing how to remove a used ribbon from the ribbon wind-up core according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13A
is an explanatory view showing a disassembled state of an example of a ribbon wind-up core shrinking or extending in the peripheral direction according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13B
is an explanatory view showing the same in the assembled state;
FIG. 14A
is an explanatory view showing operations of the ribbon wind-up core shrinking and extending in the peripheral direction according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14B
is an explanatory view showing the state where the core has been drawn out;
FIG. 15
is an explanatory view showing an example of a ribbon wind-up core as well as of an ink ribbon accommodated in a cassette-like vessel according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16
is an explanatory view showing the inside of a main portion of an example of the image recording apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17
is an explanatory view showing an example of a ribbon wind-up core for automatic loading as well as of an ink ribbon according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 18
is an explanatory view showing an example of the image recording apparatus using an example of the ribbon cassette according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 19
is an explanatory view showing an example of the ribbon cassette according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 20
is a general concept view showing a ribbon cassette according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 21
is an explanatory view showing a state where paper is being fed in a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 22
is an explanatory view showing a state where an image is just to be printed in the fifth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 23
is an explanatory view showing a state where paper is reversed and discharged in the fifth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 24A
is a side view showing configuration of the platen drum according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 24B
is a cross-sectional view showing the platen drum according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention taken along the line A-A′ in
FIG. 24A
;
FIG. 25A
is an explanatory view showing another configuration of the platen drum according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 25B
is a cross-sectional view showing the platen drum according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention taken along the line B-B′ in FIG.
25
A.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings in particular, a first embodiment will be described first with reference to
FIG. 2
to FIG.
4
.
FIG. 2
is a side view showing a paper feed means
1
, an image recording means
20
, a paper discharge means
40
, and a drive means
60
;
FIG. 3
is a flat view showing a cutter in the paper feed side, a movable guide, a drive motor, and a drive system in the paper feed side; and
FIG. 4
is a developed perspective view in which the paper feed means
1
, image recording means
20
, paper discharge means
40
, and drive means
60
are shown in the disassembled state respectively.
In each of these figures, the paper feed means
1
comprises a recording medium
3
wound around a feed side core
2
, feed-out rollers
4
,
4
a
for feeding out the recording medium
3
, and a paper feed side cutter
6
comprising a rotary blade
7
and a fixed blade
7
a
and capable of feeding out the recording medium
3
inserted from insert guides
5
,
5
a
with paper feed side rollers
8
,
8
a
of a paper feed side slide guide
9
at a prespecified rate, stopping a tip of this recording medium
3
at the platen drum, and cutting the recording medium
3
.
The image recording means
20
comprises, in addition to a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon and a thermal head not shown in the figure, a platen drum
21
, a solenoid-driven damper
22
holding a tip of the recording medium
3
a
therebetween and fixing the tip onto a surface of this platen drum
21
, a movable guide
24
with a pinch roller
24
a
provided around the platen drum
21
and constructed so that only the tip of the entrance side is a little raised from a shaft
25
in the rear edge side, and a fixed guide
26
following this movable guide
24
, and a rear edge side of the recording medium wound around the platen drum
21
is guided by these guides
24
,
26
. The reference numeral
24
b
indicates a spring pulling the movable guide
24
to the platen drum
21
. The reference numeral
24
c
indicates an arm receiving pin which a tip of a movable guide drive driving arm described hereinafter engages.
The paper discharge means
40
includes a top and bottom paper discharge side slide guides
41
,
41
a
for receiving and guiding the recording medium
3
a
with an image already printed thereon released from the platen drum
21
when the platen drum
21
rotates in the reverse direction. A paper discharge side cutter
42
comprises a paper discharge side rotary blade
43
and a fixed blade
43
a
with each attached to a rotary shaft
43
b
and cutting a blank space of the recording medium
3
a
serving as a space for being held by the damper
22
. Paper discharge side rollers
44
,
44
a
for feed out the recording medium with an image already printed thereon into between the rotary blade
43
and fixed blade
43
a
in the paper discharge side. A patting bar
45
is attached to a rotary shaft
46
for patting off paper waste generated in cutting the recording medium in the front section (entrance side) of the rotary blade
43
and fixed blade
43
a
in the paper discharge side of the paper discharge means
40
. A lever
48
is attached to this rotary shaft
46
for rotating the rotary shaft
46
of this patting bar
45
supported by a bearing
49
, and this lever
48
contacts an engagement piece
69
a
of a cutter drive lever
69
in the paper discharge side, and when this engagement piece
69
a
rotates, the lever
48
, rotary shaft
46
, and the patting bar
45
rotates. The reference numeral
50
indicates a return spring for returning the rotary shaft
46
(bar
45
) to the original position, while the reference numerals
51
,
51
a indicates a paper discharge roller provided in the exit side of the paper discharge side cutter
42
, and the recording medium with an image already printed thereon is discharged by this roller from inside of the machine to the outside.
The drive means
60
includes a drive motor
61
; a worm
63
attached to a rotary shaft
62
of this drive motor
61
; a worm wheel
64
engaging this worm
63
and rotatably attached to a shaft
65
; a drive bar
66
with an edge thereof rotatably linked to a radium section of the worm wheel
64
with a shaft
67
. A rotary lever
69
of the paper discharge side cutter with a tip of this drive bar
66
is rotatably coupled thereto with a pin
68
and also with the base section thereof fixed to the rotary shaft
43
b
of the rotary blade
43
of the paper discharge side cutter
42
. A paper feed side cutter drive lever is
71
rotatably coupled to a far end side of the paper discharge side cutter rotary lever
69
with a pin
70
. A paper feed side cutter rotary lever
72
is rotatably coupled to a tip of this paper feed side cutter drive lever
71
with a pin
73
with the base section thereof fixed to the rotary shaft
7
b
of the paper feed side rotary blade
7
. An arm drive lever
74
is fixed to the rotary shaft
7
b
of the paper feed side rotary blade
7
. A movable guide drive arm
75
is rotatably coupled to this arm drive lever
74
with a pin
74
a
for opening an entrance of the movable guide
24
by raising a receiving pin
24
c
attached to the entrance side of the movable guide
24
at the other end against a force of the spring
24
b
. The reference numeral
76
indicates a slide guide lengthy hole provided in the movable guide drive arm
75
, while the reference numeral
77
indicates a slide guide screw positioned in this slide guide lengthy hole
76
.
Operations of the image recording apparatus with the configuration described above are described below. The recording medium
3
wound around the feed-out side core
2
is fed out by the feed-out rollers
4
,
4
a
, passes through between the paper feed side rotary blade
7
and fixed blade
7
a
and also between the rollers
8
,
8
a
, and reaches the platen drum via the paper feed guide
9
with the tip thereof stopped by the damper
22
.
When the recording medium is completely clamped, the drive motor
61
rotates, and rotation of this motor
61
makes a worm gear
63
and resultantly a worm wheel
64
by 180 degrees, and rotation of the worm gear
63
and worm wheel
64
by 180 degrees drives the drive bar
66
, paper discharge side cutter rotary lever
69
, paper feed side cutter drive lever
71
, paper feed side cutter rotary lever
72
, arm drive lever
74
, and movable guide drive arm
75
in this order respectively. As a result, the discharge side rotary blade
43
and paper feed side rotary blade
7
are rotated simultaneously, and in the paper feed side, a rear edge section of one sheet of recording medium
3
is cut off, while a space for being held by the damper is simultaneously cut in the paper discharge side. Further the patting bar
45
rotates for the cut paper waste to be patted off, and at the same time the movable guide arm
75
slides and pushes up the receiving pin
24
c
so that the movable guide
24
opens (at the position indicated by the one-dot and dash line in FIG.
2
). When the movable guide
24
is opened, a platen motor (not shown) for driving the platen drum
21
rotates the platen drum
21
counterclockwise in
FIG. 2
, and then stops once. Then the drive motor
61
drives to rotate the worm wheel
64
further by 180 degrees, when the paper feed side cutter
6
, paper discharge side cutter
42
, movable guide arm
65
, and patting bar
45
return to the original positions (to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG.
2
).
The recording process is described below. A thermal transfer type of ink ribbon fed out from a ribbon cassette and a thermal head (not shown) come down to the recording medium
3
a
wound around the platen drum
21
with the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon pressed onto the recording medium
3
a
and the platen motor rotates the platen drum
21
. In synchronism to rotation of the platen drum
21
, the thermal head is energized according to a given dot for heat emission, and because of the generated heat, coloring materials on the ink ribbon are transferred onto the recording medium
3
a
, thus an image being recorded. After printing with a first color is finished, the thermal head releases the pressure and becomes separated from the platen drum
21
with the ribbon in the ribbon cassette fed out and positioned at its starting position for the next color, and then the platen drum
21
rotates with the recording medium
3
a
positioned at its starting position for printing with the next color. Then the same sequence of operations as that described above is repeated and a color image is recorded on the recording medium
3
a.
When the platen drum
21
is rotated in the reverse direction, the recording medium
3
a
with an image already recorded thereon is released from the platen drum
21
being guided by the fixed guide
26
and movable guide
24
because a rear edge side of the recording medium
3
a
is free, and the rear edge of the released recording medium
3
a
with an image already recorded thereon enters an entrance of the paper discharge side slide guides
41
,
41
a
, and is held and drawn by the rollers
44
,
44
a
with the tip thereof removed from the damper
22
. Then the recording medium
3
a
passes through between the rotary blade
43
and fixed blade
43
a
both in the paper discharge side, and moves to a prespecified position for cutting being held by the paper discharge rollers
51
,
51
a
, when the rotary blade
43
in the paper discharge side described above rotates with the blank space being held by the damper
22
(Refer to
FIG. 4
) being cut off. The paper waste
3
b
cut off as described above is immediately patted off down by the patting bar
45
and is discharged from inside of the apparatus.
In the present invention, as described above, the paper feed means, recording means, and paper discharge means are arranged so that the recording medium fed out from a roll moves forward from the paper feed means to the recording means and then moves backward from the recording means to the paper discharge means, and because of this configuration, every of the means and drive systems can be incorporated within a small space. Therefore size reduction of an image recording apparatus is possible with the efficient movement of a recording medium, and a time required for recording can substantially be reduced. A time required for recording (finishing) an image on a sheet of recording medium is in a range from 14 seconds to 15 seconds. Further the paper discharge cutter, movable guide, paper discharge cutter, patting bar for patting off paper waste are moved by a single motor in synchronism to one drive system, so that the following effects can be obtained.
1. Any paper waste generated by cutting off blank sections is patted off, so that paper jamming is eliminated.
2. All of the four components are driven by a single motor, which in turn enables size reduction, cost reduction, and power saving of an image recording apparatus.
3. The rotation of a single motor is delivered via a link mechanism for one drive system to all of the four components, so that all of the four components can be operated synchronously and accurately. Therefore, image recording can be performed at a higher speed with synchronism control performed more easily, and also such components can be more simplified.
4. In a guide formed around the platen drum, a pinch roller is attached to the movable guide formed around the platen drum, so that a high quality color image can be obtained without giving any damage to the recording medium.
A second embodiment includes a ribbon tension control as described in detail below with reference to
FIG. 5
to FIG.
9
. In the image recording apparatus shown in
FIG. 5
to
FIG. 9
, such main components as the platen drum and paper feeder are basically the same as those described in the first embodiment, so that the components are not shown and only the key section is shown.
In
FIG. 5
the reference numeral
100
indicates a feed-out core incorporated in a ribbon cassette (not shown), the reference numeral
101
indicates a wind-up core, and the reference numeral
102
indicates a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon known in the technological field. Further the reference numeral
103
indicates a core boss which the core
100
in the feed-out side engages, and this coreboss
103
is coupled via a rotary shaft
104
to a main frictional clutch
105
.
As shown in FIG.
5
and
FIG. 6
, this main frictional clutch
105
comprises a main frictional disk
106
having a felt
108
fixed with a pin
107
to the rotary shaft
104
in the feed-out side, a slide frictional disk
109
having a felt
110
pushed out by an elasticity-controllable spring
111
to the main frictional disk
106
, and a main frictional clutch gear
112
held between the main frictional disk
106
and slide frictional disk
109
via the felts
108
and
110
and also disconnectably attached to the rotary shaft
104
in the feed-out side.
In
FIG. 6
, the reference numeral
113
is a holder for the spring
111
, and elasticity of the spring
111
can be adjusted by sliding this holder
113
with such a tool as a screw on the rotary shaft
104
in the feed-out side. The reference numeral
114
indicates a bearing attached to the frame a.
The reference numeral
115
indicates a sub frictional clutch, and as shown in FIG.
5
and
FIG. 7
, this sub frictional clutch
115
has a main frictional clutch gear
112
and a sub frictional clutch gear
116
engaging each other, and this sub frictional clutch gear
116
is disengageably connected to the sub clutch shaft
117
. The reference numeral
118
indicates a cylindrical shaft
118
attached with a pin
118
a
to the sub clutch shaft
117
, and a receiving disk plate
118
b
is formed in the side of the sub frictional clutch gear
116
of this cylindrical shaft
118
. The reference numeral
119
indicates a sub frictional clutch disk disengageably attached to the cylindrical shaft
118
with the engagement claw
119
a
engaged in a groove of the sub frictional clutch gear
116
, and a felt
120
is provided between this sub frictional clutch disk
119
and the receiving disk plate
118
b.
The reference numeral
121
indicates a sub frictional disk removably attached to the cylindrical shaft
118
, and this sub frictional disk
121
is pushed via the felt
123
by the spring
122
to the sub frictional clutch disk
119
. Elasticity of the spring
122
can be adjusted by the spring receiver
124
.
In
FIG. 8
, the reference numeral
125
indicates a switch arm rotatably attached by the arm rotary shaft
126
to the frame a, and a stop gear
127
is disengageably attached to the main frictional clutch gear
112
at a tip of this arm
125
, while a cam receiving pin
128
is attached to the opposite side. An arm pulling spring
129
is provided on the arm
125
for giving a force to turn the arm
125
clockwise around the arm rotary shaft
126
in FIG.
5
and FIG.
8
and have the stop gear
127
engaged with the main frictional clutch gear
112
.
The reference numeral
130
indicates a thermal head up/down cam shaft with a cam
132
for moving up and down the thermal head
131
attached thereto, and when this cam shaft
130
rotates, the thermal head
131
escapes upward for positioning the ribbon at its starting position, and descends and contact the ribbon for heating it when an image is printed thereon.
The reference numeral
133
indicates a clutch switch cam attached to the cam shaft
132
, and this cam
133
engages the cam receiving pin
128
of the arm
125
, pulls the arm
125
when the thermal head
131
is up and the ribbon is to be positioned at its starting position to lower the cam receiving pin
128
against a power of the spring
129
and rotate the arm
125
counterclockwise about the rotary shaft
126
, and separates the stop gear
127
from the main frictional clutch gear
112
to provide controls so that the main clutch gear
112
rotates against a certain degree of frictional resistance by the main frictional disk
106
and slide frictional disk
109
. As a result, the main frictional clutch gear
112
rotates the sub frictional clutch gear
116
, which in turn rotates the sub frictional clutch disk
19
and the cylindrical shaft
118
, and when the sub frictional clutch disk
119
and the cylindrical shaft
118
rotate, a small torque is loaded to the sub frictional clutch disk
119
by the felt
123
in the side of sub frictional disk
121
, receiving disk plate
118
b
, and the felt
120
within the sub frictional clutch disk
119
, namely the sub frictional clutch disk
119
is weakly braked, and this braking force is delivered from the sub frictional clutch gear
116
to the main frictional clutch gear
112
and main frictional disk
106
to the pin
107
, rotary shaft
104
, core boss
103
in the feed-out side, core
100
in the feed-out side and to the ribbon
102
, and a small tension for positioning the ribbon at its starting position is generated in the ribbon
102
(Refer to FIG.
6
and FIG.
8
).
On the contrary, when the cam shaft
130
rotates to make the thermal head
131
descend, as shown in FIG.
5
and
FIG. 9
, the clutch switch cam
133
escapes from the cam receiving pin
128
, and as a result, the arm
125
rotates clockwise because of a force by the spring
129
, and the stop gear
127
engages the main frictional clutch gear
112
to fix this main frictional clutch gear
112
. As a result, the main frictional disk
106
and slide frictional disk
109
contact and presses the main frictional clutch gear
112
via the felts
108
,
110
, and this friction generates a large torque to the rotary shaft
104
, namely the rotary shaft
104
is strongly braked, and this braking force is delivered from the rotary shaft
104
to the core boss
103
in the feed-out side to the core
100
in the feed-out side, and then to the ribbon
102
, thus a large tension being generated in printing an image.
The reference numeral
134
indicates a core boss in the wind-up side rotated by a drive motor (not shown), and this core boss rotates the wind-up side core
101
to wind up the ribbon
102
. The tension to the ribbon
102
is decided by this wind-up torque and the braking effect by the main frictional clutch
105
or by the sub frictional clutch
115
.
As described above, with the present invention, when a ribbon is to be positioned at its starting position, it is possible to accurately position the ribbon at its starting position by switching from a large load (torque) by the main frictional clutch to a small load (torque) by the sub frictional clutch to reduce the ribbon tension. Further the following effects are provided.
1. A ribbon tension can be set lower when positioning a ribbon at its starting position, so that only a small driving force is required for carrying the ribbon, which enables high speed operations and power saving.
2. A ribbon tension can be set lower when positioning a ribbon at its starting position, so that a ribbon hardly breaks, and also a ribbon which easily breaks can be used.
3. As a sufficiently large tension can be given by the main frictional clutch to a ribbon for printing an image, the capability of transcription is improved, and a high quality color image without any color mismatch can be obtained.
A third embodiment includes an ink ribbon not having a ribbon core in the wind-up side used in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention as described with reference to
FIG. 10
to FIG.
17
. In FIG.
10
and
FIG. 11
, the ribbon wind-up cores
200
a
,
200
b
are attached to the image recording apparatus, and are driven by a motor or the like not shown in the figures. The ink ribbon
204
comprises a ribbon core
201
in the feed-out side, an ink ribbon film
202
, a ribbon leader clip
203
a
, or a ribbon leader tape
203
b
. In the ribbon wind-up core
200
a
, a ribbon leader clip
203
a
is inserted into a groove
203
c
provided in the ribbon wind-up core
200
a
to fix a tip of the ink ribbon film
202
. When the ink ribbon film
202
is completely used to its end, the ribbon film
202
is wound back to the ribbon core
201
and is removed together with the used ink ribbon. The ribbon wind-up core
200
b
shown in
FIG. 11
is a ribbon wind-up core based on the divided system, and after the ink ribbon film
202
is completely used to its end, a clamp screw
205
is removed as shown in
FIG. 12
, the core is divided, and the used ink ribbon film
202
is removed. An example of a ribbon wind-up core which can extend and shrink in the peripheral direction is shown in
FIGS. 13A
,
13
B and
FIGS. 14A
,
14
B. The ribbon wind-up core comprises a surface coating
207
such as rubber, a comb-shaped cylinder
208
which can extend and shrink in the peripheral direction, a shaft
209
, a flange, and a pulley
210
. After the ink ribbon film
202
is completely used to its end, when the comb-shaped cylinder
208
is drawn out in the axial direction as shown in
FIG. 14B
, the ink ribbon film
202
shrinks in the peripheral direction due to a shrinking force of the coating
207
such as rubber, and it becomes possible to easily pull out the wound-up ink ribbon film
202
. An example of the ink ribbon film
202
accommodated in a cassette-shaped vessel is shown in FIG.
15
. Shown in this figure is the ink ribbon
204
shown in
FIG. 10
accommodated in the cassette-shaped vessel
206
.
Further, an example of an image recording apparatus having an automatic loading mechanism and an example of an ink ribbon each according to the present invention are shown in FIG.
16
and in
FIG. 17
respectively. Herein an ink ribbon
212
having a ribbon leader tape
213
is used, and the image recording apparatus has a ribbon wind-up core
211
which can extend or shrink in the peripheral direction or which can be divided. The coating
207
such as rubber for making higher a friction coefficient with the ribbon leader tape
213
is provided on a surface of the ribbon wind-up core
211
. Further rotatable ribbon guides
217
a
,
217
b
,
217
c
having rollers
218
a
,
218
b
,
218
c
respectively are provided at a tip of a basic body of the image reporting apparatus, and the ribbon leader tape
213
or the ink ribbon film
214
is pressed to the ribbon wind-up core
211
by a spring or the like now shown in the figures and is used as a guide for setting a ribbon because of the form.
An example of an operation for automatic loading in the present invention is described below. At first, a cover
221
is opened as shown in
FIG. 16
, and the ink ribbon
212
shown in
FIG. 17
is set therein by inserting the feed-out side ribbon core
215
into the ribbon attachment boss
220
supported in the cantilevered form. Then the ribbon leader tape
213
is hung over the ribbon wind-up core
211
in the slacked state as shown in FIG.
16
. The cover
221
is shut in this state, when a roller
218
c
at a tip of the ribbon guide
217
c
presses the ribbon leader tape
213
to the ribbon wind-up core
211
. When the ribbon wind-up core
210
is driven in this state in the winding-up direction, the ribbon leader tape
213
is wound around the ribbon wind-up core
211
and passes under the ribbon guides
217
a
and
217
b
sequentially. When the ribbon leader tape is wound up more, the ribbon leader tape
213
suppresses itself, and is wound around the ribbon wind-up core
211
without slacking because of the difference between friction coefficients of the ribbon leader tapes
213
and a coating
216
such as rubber on a surface of the ribbon wind-up core. Then the ink ribbon is wound up by a required quantity and positioned at its starting position, thus automatic loading of the ink ribbon
212
being finished. In
FIG. 16
, designated at the reference numeral
230
is a thermal head, at
231
a recording medium guide.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the image recording apparatus according to the present invention can be changed according to a size and a form of the product and characteristics of components such as an ink ribbon.
A fourth embodiment includes a ribbon cassette as described below with reference to
FIG. 18
to FIG.
20
.
FIG. 18
is a view showing one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 19
is a simplified view showing one embodiment of a ribbon cassette
300
according to the present invention.
This ribbon cassette comprises, as shown in
FIG. 18
a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
301
, a recording medium
311
, a platen drum
312
, a thermal head
313
, a ribbon cassette
300
, and a non-contact IC chip
303
each as a main component.
Shown in
FIG. 19
are a ribbon cassette
300
, a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
301
, a ribbon wind-up mechanism
302
, a non-contact IC chip
303
attached to the ribbon cassette
300
, a power supply/data collection antenna and a circuit section
304
. The thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
301
are colored with different colors cyclically, and for instance, three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan form one group. In some cases, other colors including black may be used, or a surface of the ink ribbon
301
may be coated with a transparent coating material. At first, a section with a desired color of the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
301
is positioned at its starting position. Then a recording medium
311
from a recording medium hopper
315
is wound around a platen drum
312
and is carried up to a thermal head
313
. Then the recording medium
311
and the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
301
transferred thereto are held between the platen drum
312
and thermal head
313
with a pressure loaded thereto by the thermal head
313
. A platen drum drive motor
316
rotates the platen drum
312
, and the thermal head
313
is energized and emits heat in synchronism to rotation of the platen drum
312
according to a given dot so that heated coloring materials are transferred from the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
300
closely contacted to the recording medium
311
to the recording medium
311
, thus an image being formed on the recording medium
311
. As shown in FIG.
18
and
FIG. 19
, the ribbon cassette
300
with the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
301
set therein has an IC chip in which such data as those concerning characteristics of the ribbon and a residual quantity of the ribbon are recorded, namely a chip
303
in which a coil and a semiconductor circuit are integrated with each other incorporated therein. In the image recording apparatus, the data recorded in this IC chip
303
is read with the circuit section
304
to obtain data on printing conditions or a residual quantity of ribbon so that optimal image quality or operations can be obtained. In addition, data on such factors as a residual quantity of ribbon changing from time to time is written in the IC chip
303
for recording.
The ribbon cassette according to the present invention is not limited to the looking glass type ribbon cassette as shown in FIG.
19
. In another embodiment of the present invention the IC chip
303
is incorporated in the ribbon insertion side of the reader tape type of single ribbon cassette
330
shown in FIG.
20
.
When the ribbon cassette
330
incorporating the IC chip
303
as described above is mounted in an image recording apparatus, the apparatus supplies a power with, for instance, an electromagnetic wave in a non-contact form to the IC chip
303
within the ribbon cassette
330
, and data can be obtained in a non-contact form with the circuit section
304
(Refer to
FIG. 19
) from the IC chip
303
within the ribbon cassette
330
, and further data can be written in the IC chip
303
within the ribbon cassette
330
similarly in a non-contact form.
A fifth embodiment of the invention includes a guide for a recording medium formed on the periphery of the platen drum in the image recording apparatus as described with reference to
FIG. 21
to FIG.
24
.
FIG. 21
,
FIG. 22
, and
FIG. 23
are general views showing the state where paper is being fed, the state where printing is just started, and the state where the printed paper is just discharged respectively. In
FIG. 21
, this image recording apparatus comprises a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
, a recording medium
401
, a platen drum
402
, a thermal head
403
, a damper
404
, a platen drum drive motor
405
, a form guide
406
arranged so that it surrounds the platen drum
402
by about 220 degrees, a form guide
407
with a spring provided at an entrance of the form guide
406
, and a platen drive belt
408
each as a main component. In
FIG. 21
, the thermal head
403
, thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
, recording medium
401
, and platen drum
402
are provided in this sequence. The platen drum
402
comprises a drum
409
made from resins, a rubber-made molded item
410
, and a metallic shaft
411
as shown in FIG.
24
A and
FIG. 24B
, or comprises a plastic drum
409
integrated with the shaft
411
a and a rubber-made molded item
410
as shown in FIG.
25
A and FIG.
25
B.
The thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
is the same as that based on the conventional technology which is fed out from the feed-out side core
400
a
and wound around the wind-up side core
400
b
. Namely the ink ribbon may be monochrome (for instance, black) one, or maybe colored with different colors cyclically (for instance, yellow, magenta, and cyan in this order). In some cases, a black ribbon or that coated with an overcoating material for protecting the surface thereof may be used. The following is a description of a case where a three-color ribbon is used.
At first, when a image printing operation is started, the thermal head
403
and damper
404
are off from the platen drum
402
, so that the recording medium
401
can be carried. The recording medium
401
is carried in this state, namely paper feeding is performed with a tip thereof fixed onto the platen drum
402
with the damper
404
, and the printing operation is started.
FIG. 22
shows the state. The thermal head
403
and damper
404
may be operated and the recording medium
401
may be carried either manually or automatically.
After the printing operation is started, at first the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
is positioned at its starting position for a desired color. Then positioning of the platen drum
402
, namely positioning of a form at its starting position is performed by the platen drum drive motor
405
so that the recording medium
401
is positioned at the starting position for printing.
The damper
404
passes over the form guide
407
having the springing capability before a heater line of the thermal head
403
enters the printing range, so that no bad effect is given to the image quality even if the thermal head
403
goes over the form guide
407
with the springing capability. After the form is positioned at its starting position, to achieve close contact between the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
and the recording medium
401
, the thermal head
403
is moved toward the platen drum
402
to load an appropriate pressure.
FIG. 22
shows this state. Then the platen drum
402
is driven by the drive motor
405
. The thermal head
403
is energized according to a given dot in synchronism to rotation of the motor
405
for heat emission. The coloring materials are transferred from the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
onto the recording medium
401
because of this heat and a pressure between the thermal head
403
and the platen drum
402
. An image is formed. After printing with a first color is finished, the thermal head
403
is separated from the platen drum
402
, the thermal transfer type of ink ribbon
400
is fed out for positioning it at its starting position for the next color. At the same time the platen drum
402
is rotated, and then the form is positioned again at its starting position. In this step, the form enters between the platen drum
402
and the form guide
406
, and is restricted at the minimum required without any damage given to a surface of the form. Further the same operation sequence as that described above is repeated to form an image with the next color. This operation sequence is repeated the required times to form a color image. Although it is possible to rotate the platen drum
402
in the reverse direction for discharging the form in the paper discharge step after formation of the color image, as the form guide
407
has the springing capability in this configuration, the form can smoothly be discharged without a rear edge of the form contacting the thermal head
403
. This state is shown in FIG.
23
. It should be noted that the paper discharging step is not limited to that described above.
As described above, in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, a pinch roller for pressing a form to the platen drum
402
is not provided. The form guide
406
is employed, so that it becomes possible to retain a form without having any bad effect over the image quality. Also, the number of components is reduced, thus image printing is performed under stable conditions. Further as the movable guide
407
having the springing capability is used in a portion of the form guide
406
, it is possible to get the form guide
407
close to a surface of the platen drum
402
without affecting the image quality, so that the excellent performance applicable to practical use can be realized with a small number of components.
By changing a method of producing the platen drum
402
, it is possible to mold a core of the platen drum
402
and a rubber-made surface portion thereof separately, so that the manufacture is very easy with the weight reduced. Especially, when produced in mass, mass production can be performed by producing both the resin-made drum and rubber-made surface portion with different dies respectively. This enables improvement in production yield and simplification of inspection process.
With the combinations described above, improvement of image quality can be achieved together with reduction of a number of components in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention. Further a production process adapted to mass production can be employed, so that, in addition to improvement of production yield and simplification of inspection step, also cost reduction can be achieved. Because of the features described above, it is expected that the present invention will make a large contribution to the popularization of this type of image recording apparatus applicable to use as an image recording apparatus available in laboratories and capable of giving an excellent quality product, better than that of a silver chloride picture.
Although the form guide
407
having the springing capability is used to evade the damper
404
in this embodiment, the movable guide
24
is used in the first embodiment.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
Claims
- 1. An image recording apparatus for recording an image by heating a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon with a thermal head and transferring the heated coloring material on a sheet-formed recording medium wound around a platen drum, said image recording apparatus comprising:a tension switch means for switching tension of the ink ribbon to a larger value or a smaller value provided in the ribbon feed-out side, wherein said tension switch means is switched to a larger value when an image is to be recorded, and to a smaller value when the ribbon is to be positioned at its starting position; a tension switch cam on a thermal head up/down cam shaft for diving the thermal head, wherein said tension switch means can be switched in synchronism to upward or downward movement of the thermal head.
- 2. The image recording apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tension switch means comprises a main frictional clutch for controlling the tension to the larger value in synchronism to up/down movement of the thermal head and a sub frictional clutch for controlling the tension to the smaller value side.
- 3. An image recording apparatus for recording an image by heating a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon with a thermal head and transferring the heated coloring material on a sheet-formed recording medium wound around a platen drum, said image recording apparatus comprising:a tension switch means for switching tension of the ink ribbon to a larger value or a smaller value provided in the ribbon feed-out side, wherein said tension switch means is switched to a larger value when an image is to be recorded, and to a smaller value when the ribbon is to be positioned at its starting position, wherein said tension switch means comprises a main frictional clutch for controlling the tension to the larger value in synchronism to up/down movement of the thermal head and a sub frictional clutch for controlling the tension to the smaller value side.
- 4. An image recording apparatus using a sheet-formed recording medium, the apparatus comprising:a platen drum for receiving the sheet-formed recording medium being wound around said platen drum; a thermal transfer type of ink ribbon; a thermal head heating said thermal transfer type of ink ribbon and transferring heated coloring material onto the sheet-formed recording medium around said platen drum; a tension switch means for switching tension of said ink ribbon to a larger value or a smaller value provided in a ribbon feed-out side, wherein said tension switch means is switched to a larger value when an image is to be recorded, and to a smaller value when the ribbon is to be positioned at a starting position.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2001-161614 |
May 2001 |
JP |
|
2001-173913 |
Jun 2001 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5080512 |
Schofield et al. |
Jan 1992 |
A |