Incremental printing of symbolic information – Thermal marking apparatus or processes – With transfer medium or driving means therefor
Utility Patent
1997-11-24
2001-01-02
Le, N. (Department: 2861)
Incremental printing of symbolic information
Thermal marking apparatus or processes
With transfer medium or driving means therefor
Utility Patent
active
06169560
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image onto a recording medium by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet to the recording medium, and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording apparatus wherein the length of ink sheet to be used for the recording is L
(n>1) for a predetermined recording length L.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, a thermal transfer recording apparatus uses an ink sheet with the heat-fusible ink applied to the base film to heat selectively the ink sheet with a thermal head in accordance with an image signal, and record an image by transferring the fused ink onto a recording sheet. As this ink sheet in general allows the ink to be transferred entirely onto the recording sheet with one time of recording (one-time sheet), it is needed to convey the ink sheet by an amount corresponding to the recorded length and then to bring unused part of the ink sheet to the next recording position with accuracy, after one character or line has been recorded. Therefore, with increasing usage of the ink sheet, the running cost for the thermal transfer recording apparatus is greatly higher than for the thermal sensitizing recording apparatus.
To solve the above problem, a thermal transfer recording apparatus has been proposed in which a recording sheet and an ink sheet are conveyed with a difference of speed in recording, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,809, and or Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 62-58917.
In the above-mentioned conventional example, the ink sheet and the recording sheet are rubbed against each other during the thermal transfer recording, because the use length of the ink sheet is L
(n>1) for the conveyance length of the recording sheet L. Thus, there is a problem that if there is a slackness in the ink sheet in recording, the correct recording is not assured as the ink sheet and the recording sheet may be conveyed at the same speed. Further, as the ink sheet and the recording sheet may be adhered to each other, it is possible that the ink sheet is damaged or the recording sheet is stained.
In general, the ink sheet being extended between an ink sheet supply roll and an ink sheet take-up roll is pressed against the thermal head, and conveyed by rotating a shaft of the take-up roll. Such an ink sheet conveying mechanism has the advantage that the recording can be fairly made without causing wrinkles on the ink sheet, owing to its simple structure with the ability of conveying the ink sheet with substantially the same force across its width. On the contrary, there is not constant drawback that the travel amount of the ink sheet is not constant for a predetermined rotational amount of an ink sheet motor, because of varying diameter of the ink sheet take-up roll.
However, after the exchange of an ink sheet cartridge, the conveyance length of the ink sheet can not be made steady for that of the recording sheet unless the recording of one page has been terminated. That is, there is a fear that the image quality of recording for the first page after the exchange of the ink sheet cartridge can not be assured. Also, when the recording sheet is exchanged, the ink sheet within the ink sheet cartridge may be slackened, so that it may take some time to remove the slack from of the ink sheet in the first recording operation after the exchange of the recording sheet. Therefore, in the facsimile terminal equipment, when the first recording operation after the exchange of the recording sheet is the reception of facsimile signal, a transmission error may be caused if it takes some time to remove the slackness of the ink sheet.
On the other hand, there is a problem to be solved that if the slack of the ink sheet is unnecessarily made removed, some white streaks may arise on a recording image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was achieved on the basis of the above-described related art with a new view which has not been conventionally foreseen.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus which overcomes the above-mentioned technical problems associated with the related art, and improves the recording quality in such a way as to allow the proper separation between an ink sheet and a recording medium by removing the slack of the ink sheet prior to the start of recording for the page, while not removing the slack of ink sheet if it is unnecessary.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus wherein the conveyance length of the ink sheet is almost constant for that of the recording sheet, in recording, from the first page, after the power is turned on, after the ink sheet cartridge is exchanged or after the recording sheet is exchanged.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium, comprising,
ink sheet conveying means for conveying the ink sheet,
recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium,
recording means for recording onto the recording medium by acting on the ink sheet,
slackness removing means for removing the slackness of the ink sheet, and
control means for controlling the slackness removing means so as not to remove the slackness of the ink sheet, when it is impossible to record with the recording means.
Here, the control means can also control the slackness removing means so as not to remove the slackness of the ink sheet, when a reception acknowledge signal for a signal which is not associated with the physical page breakpoint is transmitted or the memory is received.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium, comprising,
ink sheet conveying means for conveying the ink sheet,
recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium,
recording means for recording onto the recording medium by acting on the ink sheet,
slackness removing means for removing the slackness of the ink sheet,
opening/closing detecting means for detecting the opening or closing of a cover for the apparatus, and
control means for controlling the slackness removing means so as not to remove the slackness of the ink sheet, when the opening/closing detecting means detects that the cover is turned from an open state to a closed state.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium, comprising,
ink sheet conveying means for conveying the ink sheet,
recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium,
recording means for recording onto the recording medium by acting on the ink sheet,
slackness removing means for removing the slackness of the ink sheet,
detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an ink sheet cartridge, and
control means for controlling the slackness removing means to remove the slackness of the ink sheet, when the detecting means detects that the ink sheet cartridge has been exchanged.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image by transferring the ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium, comprising,
ink sheet conveying means for conveying the ink sheet,
recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium,
recording means for recording onto the recording medium by acting on the ink sheet,
slackness removing means for removing the slackness of the ink sheet, and
control means for controlling the slackness removing means to remove the slackness of the ink sheet, when the power is detected to be turned on.
Here, the control means can control the slackness removing means to remove the slackness of the ink sheet, even during the proced
Awai Takashi
Ishida Yasushi
Kobayashi Makoto
Kondo Masaya
Ono Takeshi
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Le N.
Vo Anh T. N.
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