EP0311981A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermal transfer printer
Assignee: Toshiba TEC Corp
•
Filing: 1988-10-11
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-10-11
Abstract
Abstract A thermal transfer printer comprises a pair of fixed frames (2) for rotatably supporting a platen (1), a pair of movable frames (11) supporting a thermal head (15), the movable frames being connected to the fixed frames so as to be rockable around a shaft 12, between a position where the thermal head is pressed against the platen and a position where the thermal head is moved away from the platen. The ink ribbon (R) is supported by a supply roll (41) and a take-up roll (42) and may be atternately transported in one direction such that the ink ribbon is directed toward the region between the thermal head and the platen or in the direction opposite thereto. The movable frame is provided with operating member (51) adapted to drive the supply roll (41) to move the ink ribbon in the opposite direction, thereby applying a tension of the opposite direction to the ink ribbon, when the movable frame is rocked so that the thermal head is pressed against the platen.
Inventors
- 👤 Tsugio Shiozaki
- 👤 Osamu Koizumi
- 👤 Ikuzo Sugiura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:48
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J17/00; B41J17/02; B41J17/22; B41J17/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A thermal transfer printer comprising: platen (1); platen supporting means (2) for supporting the platen; a thermal head (15); ink ribbon supply means (41, 42, 46, 47) for feeding an ink ribbon (R) between the platen and the thermal head; and thermal head supporting means (11, 16) movable relatively to the platen supporting means and supporting the thermal head, said thermal head supporting means being moved so as to press the thermal head against the platen across the ink ribbon and a paper sheet; characterized by further comprising ink ribbon looseness removing means (49, 50, 51) for applying a tension of at least one direction to the ink ribbon, situated between the thermal head and the platen, by moving when the thermal head supporting means is moved so that the thermal head is pressed against the platen, said direction of the tension being an ink ribbon feeding direction or the direction opposite thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A thermal transfer printer comprising: platen (1); platen supporting means (2) for supporting the platen; a thermal head (15); ink ribbon supply means (41, 42, 46, 47) for feeding an ink ribbon (R) between the platen and the thermal head; and thermal head supporting means (11, 16) movable relatively to the platen supporting means and supporting the thermal head, said thermal head supporting means being moved so as to press the thermal head against the platen across the ink ribbon and a paper sheet; characterized by further comprising ink ribbon looseness removing means (49, 50, 51) for applying a tension of at least one direction to the ink ribbon, situated between the thermal head and the platen, by moving when the thermal head supporting means is moved so that the thermal head is pressed against the platen, said direction of the tension being an ink ribbon feeding direction or the direction opposite thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
84 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that said ink ribbon supply means includes a rotatable ink ribbon supply roll (41) wound with the ink ribbon, and an ink ribbon take-up roll (42) for taking up the ink ribbon transported between the platen and the thermal head; and said ink ribbon looseness removing means includes a ribbon rewinding mechanism (66) for rotating the ink ribbon supply roll, thereby causing the ink ribbon to be rewound on the ink ribbon supply roll.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 2, characterized in that said ribbon rewinding mechanism (66) includes an operating member (51) attached to the thermal head supporting means and movable together therewith, and a drive member (49, 50) attached to the platen supporting means and adapted to be actuated by the operating member, thereby rotating the ribbon supply roll in one direction, when the thermal head supporting means is moving to cause the thermal head thereon to be pressed by the platen, and to prevent the ribbon supply roll from rotating in the other direction when the thermal head supporting means is moved in a direction such that the thermal head leaves the platen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
167 words
A thermal transfer printer comprising: a platen (1); a fixed frame (2) for supporting the platen; a thermal head (15); a movable frame (11) having an axis and supporting the thermal head, said movable frame being connected to the fixed frame so as to be rockable around the axis, between a position where the thermal head is pressed against the platen and a position where the thermal head is moved away from the platen; an ink ribbon (R); and drive means (41, 42, 46, 47) for alternatively transporting the ink ribbon in one direction such that the ink ribbon is directed toward the region between the thermal head and the platen or in the direction opposite thereto; characterized by further comprising operating means (51) adapted to drive the drive means to move the ink ribbon in said opposite direction, thereby applying a tension of the opposite direction to the ink ribbon, when the movable frame is rocked so that the thermal head is pressed against the platen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
167 words
A thermal transfer printer comprising: a platen (1); a fixed frame (2) for supporting the platen; a thermal head (15); a movable frame (11) having an axis and supporting the thermal head, said movable frame being connected to the fixed frame so as to be rockable around the axis, between a position where the thermal head is pressed against the platen and a position where the thermal head is moved away from the platen; an ink ribbon (R); and drive means (41, 42, 46, 47) for alternatively transporting the ink ribbon in one direction such that the ink ribbon is directed toward the region between the thermal head and the platen or in the direction opposite thereto; characterized by further comprising operating means (51) adapted to drive the drive means to move the ink ribbon in said opposite direction, thereby applying a tension of the opposite direction to the ink ribbon, when the movable frame is rocked so that the thermal head is pressed against the platen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 4, characterized in that said drive means includes an ink ribbon supply roll (41) wound with the ink ribbon and capable of being rockably mounted on the fixed frame, an ink ribbon take-up roll (42) capable of being rockably mounted on the fixed frame and adapted to take up the ink ribbon transported between the platen and the thermal head, a first drive mechanism (46, 47) for rotating the ink ribbon take-up roll in one direction to cause the take-up roll to take up the ink ribbon, and a second drive mechanism (49, 50) capable of rotating the ink ribbon supply roll so that the ink ribbon moves in said opposite direction; and said operating means includes an operating member (51) attached to the movable frame and adapted to drive the second drive mechanism by utilizing the force of rocking motion of the movable frame, thereby rocking the ink ribbon supply roll.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 5, characterized by further comprising means (48) for preventing the ink ribbon take-up roll from rotating while the ink ribbon supply roll (41) is rocking in a rewinding direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said second drive mechanism includes a rotating member (49, 50) rotatably mounted on the fixed frame and adapted to be rotated by the operating member, thereby rotating the ink ribbon supply roll in the rewinding direction, when the movable frame is rocking in one direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that said operating member includes a first gear (51), and said rotating member includes a second gear (50) mounted on the fixed frame so as to be rotatable together with the ink ribbon supply roll and capable of meshing with the first gear.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 8, characterized in that said first gear and said movable frame have an axis in common, and are rotatable around said axis, and said first and second gears are always in mesh with each other.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The thermal transfer printer according to claim 8, characterized in that said second drive mechanism includes a one-way clutch (49a) adapted to disconnect the second gear from the ink ribbon supply roll while the movable frame is rocking in the other direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The thermal transfer printer according to any one of preceding claims 4, characterized in that said thermal head includes an elongate line thermal head.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.