JPS62179975A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable a single recorder to perform both transfer of images with high gradation by using a sublimable ink and transfer of clear characters of line patterns by using a fusible ink, by providing color areas of the sublimable ink and color areas of the fusible ink on a partitioned basis on an ink sheet. CONSTITUTION:An ink sheet 10 is provided alternately with black sublimable ink areas 11 and black fusible ink areas 12, and is provided with color discrimination marks 13b and ink discrimination marks 141, 142 so that lines and characters for monochroic gradated images can be transferred. An ink sheet 15 is provided sequentially with yellow, magenta and cyan sublimable ink areas 11y, 11m, 11c and black fusible ink areas 12, and is provided with color discrimination marks 13y, 13m, 13c, 13b and ink discrimination marks 131, 142 so that color graded images, lines and characters can be transferred. Since the fusible ink and the sublimable ink differ in thermal characteristics, energization time of a thermal head for the fusible ink is set to be different from that for the sublimable ink. In addition, a line-feed time for a paper when using the fusible ink is set to be different from that when using the sublimable ink. Accordingly, a printing operation including both transfer by use of the sublimable inks and transfer by use of the fusible ink can be performed by a single recorder and the same ink sheet.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording device that thermally transfers ink from an ink sheet to paper using a thermal head, and can be applied not only to printers but also to copiers, facsimile machines, and the like.

Prior Art Conventional thermal transfer printers include sublimation transfer printers using sublimation ink sheets and melt transfer printers using meltable ink sheets, and these are used depending on the purpose. In other words, the former is capable of analog-like continuous gradation expression, similar to silver halide photography, but the latter is used in a binary manner,
Although it is possible to clearly transfer characters and line drawings, it is several steps inferior to the former in terms of high gradation, so when you need a high gradation image, use the former, and when you need clear characters and line drawings, use the latter. Ta. Also.

High-density dots are arranged in a matrix and the gradation is increased by melt transfer, but in this case, not only does the cost of the thermal head itself become high, but also the addition of a matrix circuit causes electrical problems. There were also disadvantages such as complication.

Purpose An object of the present invention is to enable a single recording device to print a mixture of high-gradation image transfer using sublimable ink and clear character/line drawing transfer using meltable ink.

Structure To achieve this object, the present invention provides a recording device that thermally transfers ink from an ink sheet to paper using a thermal head, and in which a color is applied to an ink sheet (10) using sublimation ink, as shown in FIG. 1, for example. A surface (11) and a colored surface (12) made of meltable ink are formed into sections.

Next, the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an ink sheet used in a printer according to the invention. This ink sheet (10) is
In order to transfer monochrome gradation images, lines, and characters, black sublimable ink surfaces (11) and meltable ink surfaces (12) of the same color are alternately formed, and each color surface (11).
(12) is provided with a color discrimination mark (13b) and ink discrimination marks (14,) and (14□) for distinguishing whether the ink is sublimable ink or meltable ink, for example, by length or shortness.

FIG. 2 shows another example of the ink sheet. This ink sheet (15) has sublimation ink surfaces (lly), (l1m), (11
c) and a black meltable ink surface (12) are sequentially formed, and each color surface (lly) ・(l1m) ・(llc)
And (12) is a color discrimination mark (13y), (13m), (13c), (13y), (13m), (13c), (
13b) and an ink discrimination mark (
14□) and (142) are applied.

Because melting ink and sublimation ink have different thermal properties,
The energization time of the thermal head (16) shown in FIG.
They need to be different as shown in the figure.

For example, the variable range is set at 5 Ils for meltable ink and from 5 to 20 Ils for sublimable ink. Furthermore, the line feed times of the sheets (17) must also be made different as shown in FIG.

In Figure 3, ink sheet (10) or (15)
Color discrimination mark (13y), (1311), (13c)
・(13b) and ink identification mark (14□)・(142
) are detected by sensors (18) and (19), respectively. In the case of image input, the color is separated into three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan by the single color conversion unit (20) and stored in the memory (21), and in the case of text or line input, it is stored as is in the memory (21). . Memory (21
) The image data stored in the image data reading unit (22
) and input to the thermal conversion unit (24) via the gradation conversion unit (23). In the case of character/line data,
The data is read out by the character/line data reading section (25) and inputted as is to the thermal conversion section (24). The line feed mechanism (26) that feeds the paper (17) feeds image data and characters.
The line data is controlled differently as shown in FIG.

Effects As explained above, according to the present invention, high vlil image transfer using sublimable ink and melting ink are performed using one recording device and the same ink sheet. It is economical because it can print a mixture of clear text and line drawing transfers.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the first ink sheet used in the printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the second example of the ink sheet, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram of the control circuit, Figure 4 is a line graph showing the thermal characteristics of meltable ink and sublimable ink, and Figure 5 is the energization time of the thermal head during character/line output and image output, and paper line feed. It is a timing chart showing a time relationship.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a thermal transfer recording device that thermally transfers ink from an ink sheet to paper using a thermal head, a color surface formed by sublimable ink and a color surface formed by meltable ink are formed on the ink sheet. A thermal transfer recording device featuring: 2. The above-mentioned patent, characterized in that the thermal energy application form of the thermal head and the line feed speed of the paper are different between when transferring using the color surface of the sublimable ink and when transferring using the color surface of the meltable ink. A thermal transfer recording device according to claim 1. 3. The thermal transfer recording according to claim 1, characterized in that the ink sheet is provided with a mark for distinguishing between the color surface of the sublimable ink and the color surface of the meltable ink using a sensor. Device.