foil transfer device

Abstract

A foil transfer apparatus is disclosed that can suppress wasteful foil feeding and suppress sheet crimping marks. The foil transfer apparatus includes a heating roller, a pressure roller, a crimping separation mechanism, a conveying roller, and a control unit. The crimping separation mechanism moves the heating roller between a crimping position and a separation position. The control unit performs a first process, a second process, a third process, and a fourth process when the foil is crimped onto the sheet at a position away from the front end of the sheet. The first process begins sheet feeding with the heating roller in the separation position (time t1). The second process stops sheet feeding before the foil transfer area on the sheet reaches the transfer position between the heating roller and the pressure roller (time t3). The third process begins moving the heating roller from the separation position to the crimping position while the sheet is stopped (time t3). The fourth process restarts sheet feeding before the heating roller reaches the crimping position (time t4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foil transfer apparatus for transferring foil onto a sheet. Background Technology

[0002] Conventionally, foil transfer apparatuses include a feed roll wound with foil, a take-up roll for taking up the foil, a heating roller for heating the foil and sheet, and a pressure roller that holds the foil and sheet between the heating roller and the heating roller (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-290685). In this technology, by using rotating heating rollers and pressure rollers to feed the foil and sheet, a toner image (hereinafter also referred to as "foil transfer") can be transferred from the foil onto the sheet.

[0003] In existing technology, for example, when sheet feeding begins while the heating roller and pressure roller are pressed together after receiving a foil transfer instruction, the foil is wasted. Therefore, separating the heating roller and pressure roller beforehand and pressing them together just before foil transfer can prevent the wasteful feeding of the foil. In this case, when the heating roller and pressure roller are pressed together while the sheet is being fed, wrinkles will form on the sheet due to the resistance applied during the pressing. Therefore, a method of pressing the heating roller and pressure roller together while the sheet feeding is stopped can be considered.

[0004] However, if the heating roller and the pressure roller are pressed together while the sheet is not being conveyed, the sheet will have pressing marks due to the heat and pressure it receives from the heating roller and the pressure roller during pressing, even though it is not being conveyed.

[0005] The aim is to reduce waste during foil delivery and to prevent crimp marks from forming on the sheet. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address this, an improvement has been proposed in a foil transfer apparatus that transfers foil onto a sheet by overlapping it with a foil-containing film. In one embodiment, the foil transfer apparatus includes a heating roller, a pressure roller, a pressing and separating mechanism, a conveying roller, and a control unit. The heating roller heats the foil and the sheet. The pressure roller rotates while holding the foil and the sheet between itself and the heating roller, thereby conveying the foil and the sheet. The pressing and separating mechanism moves one of the heating roller and the pressure roller between a pressing position on the other roller and a separating position away from the other roller. The conveying roller conveys the sheet between the pressure roller and the heating roller.

[0007] The control unit is capable of executing a foil preservation mode, in which the foil is pressed onto a portion of the sheet in the sheet's transport direction to perform transfer printing. In this foil preservation mode, when the foil is pressed onto the sheet from a position away from the front end of the sheet, a first process, a second process, a third process, and a fourth process are executed. The first process involves controlling the transport rollers to start transporting the sheet while one roller is in a separated position. The second process involves controlling the transport rollers to stop transporting the sheet before the foil transfer area on the sheet, which is the area to be transferred, reaches the transfer position between the heating roller and the pressure roller. The third process involves controlling the pressing separation mechanism to start moving one roller from the separated position to the pressing position while the sheet is stopped. The fourth process involves controlling the transport rollers to restart sheet transport before one roller reaches the pressing position.

[0008] According to this structure, in the foil storage mode, when the foil is pressed onto the sheet from a position away from the front end of the sheet, after stopping the sheet feeding and starting the pressing, the sheet feeding is restarted before one of the rollers reaches the pressing position. Therefore, the time the sheet is pressed onto the heating roller in the stopped state can be shortened. Thus, the wasteful feeding of the foil can be suppressed, and the formation of pressing marks on the sheet can be suppressed.

[0009] Alternatively, in the above structure, it can be configured such that, in the fourth process, the control unit restarts the sheet feeding after one roller contacts the other roller and before reaching the pressing position.

[0010] According to this structure, since the sheet feeding does not restart until one roller contacts the other, the resistance when one roller contacts the other will not hinder the sheet feeding. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the formation of wrinkles in the sheet between the conveying roller and the pressure roller.

[0011] Alternatively, in the above structure, the foil transfer device may also have a separation sensor that detects the position of one of the rollers, and in the fourth process, the control unit restarts the sheet feeding based on the signal from the separation sensor.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above structure, the foil transfer apparatus may also be configured to include a sheet sensor that detects the sheet and is positioned upstream of the heating roller in the sheet conveying direction. In the second process, the control unit stops the sheet based on the time elapsed since the front end of the sheet detected by the sheet sensor has passed. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 (a) is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a foil transfer apparatus. Figure 1(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the foil.

[0014] Figure 2 This diagram shows the state of the foil transfer device with the cover open.

[0015] Figure 3 It is a diagram illustrating the connections between the control unit, various sensors, motors, and the touch panel.

[0016] Figure 4 (a) is a diagram showing the crimping area in the sheet where full transfer is performed. Figure 4 (b) is a diagram showing the foil transfer area and pressing range in the sheet on which the front-end transfer is performed.

[0017] Figure 5 (a) is a diagram showing the foil transfer area and lamination range in the sheet where central transfer is performed. Figure 5 (b) is a diagram showing the foil transfer area and pressing range in the sheet where the back-end transfer is performed.

[0018] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the actions performed by the control unit upon receiving a full transfer instruction, a front-end transfer instruction, a back-end transfer instruction, and a central transfer instruction.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a flowchart representing the front-end transfer process.

[0020] Figure 8 This is a flowchart representing the full transfer process.

[0021] Figure 9 This is a flowchart representing the central transfer process.

[0022] Figure 10 This is a flowchart representing the back-end transfer process.

[0023] Figure 11 It is a timing diagram for performing full transfer processing or front-end transfer processing.

[0024] Figure 12 It is a timing diagram for performing central transfer processing or back-end transfer processing. Detailed Implementation

[0025] One embodiment of the foil transfer apparatus is described in detail with reference to the appropriate accompanying drawings.

[0026] In the following explanation, direction is indicated by Figure 1 The directions shown are explained. That is, the directions indicated are... Figure 1 Set the right side to "front" and... Figure 1 Set the left side to "after" and... Figure 1 Set the front and back of the paper to "left". Figure 1The inside of the paper is designated as "right". Additionally, [the following text is incomplete and requires further context: "to designate the right side of the paper."] Figure 1 Set the top and bottom to "top and bottom".

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown in (a), the foil transfer apparatus 1 is an apparatus for transferring aluminum foil or the like onto the toner image on a sheet S after a toner image has been formed on the sheet S using an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer. The foil transfer apparatus 1 includes a housing 2, a sheet tray 3, a sheet conveying section 10, a film supply section 30, and a transfer section 50.

[0028] The housing 2 is made of resin or the like and has a housing body 21 and a cover 22. The housing body 21 has an opening 21A at the top (see reference). Figure 2 Opening 21A is for attaching and detaching the membrane unit FU (described later) from the housing body 21. Cover 22 is a component for opening and closing opening 21A. The rear end of cover 22 is rotatably supported on the housing body 21. Cover 22 can be in the closed position (closing opening 21A). Figure 1 (a) position) and the opening position of open opening 21A ( Figure 2 Rotate between (positions).

[0029] The sheet tray 3 is a tray for placing sheets S such as paper and OHP film. The sheet tray 3 is located at the rear of the housing 2. The sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3 with the side facing down so that the toner image is formed. A sheet tray sensor SS0 is provided on the sheet tray 3 to detect the presence of sheet S. When sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3, the sheet tray sensor SS0 is activated; when no sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3, the sheet tray sensor SS0 is deactivated.

[0030] The sheet conveying unit 10 has a sheet feeding mechanism 11 and a sheet discharging mechanism 12. The sheet feeding mechanism 11 is a mechanism that conveys the sheets S on the sheet tray 3 one by one to the transfer unit 50. The sheet feeding mechanism 11 includes a pick-up roller 11A, a delay roller 11B, and an upstream conveying roller 11C, which is an example of a conveying roller.

[0031] Pick-up roller 11A is used to supply the sheet S on the sheet tray 3 to the transfer section 50. Delay roller 11B is used to separate the sheet S conveyed by pick-up roller 11A into a single sheet.

[0032] The delay roller 11B is disposed above the pick-up roller 11A. The delay roller 11B enables the sheet S overlapping the sheet S delivered by the pick-up roller 11A to rotate in the direction of returning towards the sheet tray 3.

[0033] The upstream conveyor roller 11C consists of two rollers. By rotating each roller while the sheet S is sandwiched between the two rollers, the sheet S can be conveyed. The upstream conveyor roller 11C is positioned upstream of the transfer section 50 in the conveying direction of the sheet S (hereinafter also referred to as the "conveyor direction"), and conveys the sheet S fed by the pick-up roller 11A to the transfer section 50.

[0034] The sheet discharge mechanism 12 is a mechanism that discharges the sheet S that has passed through the transfer section 50 to the outside of the housing 2. The sheet discharge mechanism 12 includes a downstream conveying roller 12A and a discharge roller 12B.

[0035] The downstream conveyor roller 12A and the discharge roller 12B each consist of two rollers. Each roller rotates while the sheet S is sandwiched between them, thereby conveying the sheet S. The downstream conveyor roller 12A is positioned between the transfer section 50 and the discharge roller 12B, conveying the sheet S from the transfer section 50 to the discharge roller 12B. The discharge roller 12B is positioned downstream of the downstream conveyor roller 12A in the conveying direction of the sheet S, discharging the sheet S conveyed by the downstream conveyor roller 12A outside the housing 2.

[0036] The membrane supply unit 30 is a portion that supplies foil F in a manner that overlaps with the sheet S conveyed from the sheet supply mechanism 11. The membrane supply unit 30 has a membrane unit FU.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the membrane unit FU can be mounted and detached from the housing body 21 through the opening 21A in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the supply reel 31 (described later). The membrane unit FU includes a supply reel 31, a take-up reel 35, a first guide shaft 41, a second guide shaft 42, and a third guide shaft 43. A foil F is wound on the supply reel 31 of the membrane unit FU.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown in (b), the foil F is a multilayer film. Specifically, the foil F has a support layer F1 and a supported layer F2. The support layer F1 is a strip-shaped transparent substrate made of a polymer material, supporting the supported layer F2. The supported layer F2 has, for example, a release layer F21, a transfer layer F22, and an adhesive layer F23. The release layer F21 is a layer for easily peeling the transfer layer F22 from the support layer F1, and the release layer F21 is disposed between the support layer F1 and the transfer layer F22. The release layer F21 contains a transparent material that is easily peeled from the support layer F1, such as a wax-based resin.

[0039] Transfer layer F22 is the layer that transfers the toner image and contains foil. The foil refers to thin metals such as gold, silver, copper, and aluminum. Additionally, transfer layer F22 contains coloring materials such as gold, silver, and red, as well as thermoplastic resin. Transfer layer F22 is disposed between release layer F21 and adhesive layer F23.

[0040] The adhesive layer F23 is used to facilitate the adhesion of the transfer layer F22 to the toner image. The adhesive layer F23 contains a material that readily adheres to the toner image after it has been heated by the transfer section 50 (described later), such as a vinyl chloride-based resin or an acrylic resin.

[0041] The supply spool 31 is made of resin or the like and has a supply shaft portion 31A for winding the foil F. One end of the foil F is fixed to the supply shaft portion 31A.

[0042] The winding spool 35 is made of resin or the like and has a winding shaft portion 35A for winding the foil F. The other end of the foil F is fixed to the winding shaft portion 35A.

[0043] In addition, Figure 1 For simplicity, the illustration shows the foil F being wound to its maximum extent on both the supply reel 31 and the take-up reel 35. In reality, when the membrane unit FU is new, the diameter of the rolled foil F wound on the supply reel 31 is at its maximum, and the diameter of the rolled foil F wound on the take-up reel 35 is at its minimum, either when no foil F is wound on the take-up reel 35 or when the rolled foil F is wound on the take-up reel 35. Furthermore, when the membrane unit FU reaches the end of its lifespan (when the foil F is used up), the diameter of the rolled foil F wound on the take-up reel 35 is at its maximum, and the diameter of the rolled foil F wound on the supply reel 31 is at its minimum, either when no foil F is wound on the supply reel 31 or when the rolled foil F is wound on the supply reel 31.

[0044] The first guide shaft 41, the second guide shaft 42, and the third guide shaft 43 are shafts used to change the travel direction of the foil F. The first guide shaft 41, the second guide shaft 42, and the third guide shaft 43 are made of materials such as SUS (stainless steel).

[0045] The first guide shaft 41 is located upstream of the transfer section 50 in the conveying direction of the sheet S. The first guide shaft 41 changes the travel direction of the foil F pulled from the supply roll 31 to be approximately parallel to the conveying direction of the sheet S.

[0046] The foil F, guided by such a first guide shaft 41, causes the supported layer F2 (see reference) to... Figure 1 The sheet S is conveyed to the transfer section 50 with its (b) facing upward. In addition, the sheet S is overlapped on the foil F which is in the state of being supported by the F2 facing upward, and is conveyed to the transfer section 50 together with the foil F.

[0047] The second guide shaft 42 is located downstream of the transfer section 50 in the conveying direction of the sheet S. The second guide shaft 42 peels the foil F from the sheet S by changing the travel direction of the foil F that has passed through the transfer section 50 to a direction different from the conveying direction of the sheet S.

[0048] The third guide shaft 43 defines the angle (hereinafter also referred to as the "peeling angle") of the foil F when it is peeled from the sheet S. Here, the peeling angle is the angle between the portion of the foil F that is positioned between the first guide shaft 41 and the second guide shaft 42 and the portion that is positioned between the second guide shaft 42 and the third guide shaft 43. The third guide shaft 43 changes the travel direction of the foil F guided by the second guide shaft 42 and guides the foil F to the take-up reel 35.

[0049] The transfer section 50 is used to heat and pressurize the sheet S and foil F while they are overlapping, thereby transferring the transfer layer F22 onto the toner image formed on the sheet S. The transfer section 50 includes a pressure roller 51, a heating roller 61, and a pressing and separating mechanism 70. The transfer section 50 overlaps the sheet S and foil F and heats and presses them in the clamping portion of the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61.

[0050] The pressure roller 51 is a roller formed by covering the periphery of a cylindrical core with a rubber layer made of silicone rubber. The pressure roller 51 is disposed on the upper side of the foil F and can contact the back side of the sheet S (the side opposite to the side on which the colored powder image is formed).

[0051] The two ends of the pressure roller 51 are rotatably supported on the cover 22. The pressure roller 51 holds the sheet S and foil F between itself and the heating roller 61, and the heating roller 61 is driven to rotate by rotation. With the sheet S and foil F held between the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61, the sheet S and foil F are conveyed by the rotation of the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61. Alternatively, the pressure roller 51 can be driven to rotate by rotating the heating roller 61.

[0052] The heating roller 61 is a roller with a heater disposed inside a cylindrical metal tube. The heating roller 61 heats the foil F and the sheet S. The heating roller 61 is disposed on the underside of the foil F and is in contact with the foil F.

[0053] The pressing and separating mechanism 70 is a mechanism that moves one of the heating roller 61 and the pressure roller 51 between a pressing position where it is pressed against the other roller and a separating position where it is separated from the other roller. In this embodiment, the pressing and separating mechanism 70 moves the heating roller 61 between a pressing position where it is pressed against the other roller and a separating position where it is separated from the other roller. Figure 1 The crimping position is shown by the solid line and Figure 1 The heating roller 61 moves between the separation positions indicated by the double-dotted line, thereby contacting and separating from the foil F. Here, the pressing position is where the heating roller 61 presses against the pressure roller 51. The separation position is where the heating roller 61 moves away from the pressure roller 51.

[0054] In the foil transfer apparatus 1 configured in this way, the sheet S, with its surface facing down, is placed on the sheet tray 3 and then fed one sheet at a time to the transfer section 50 by the sheet supply mechanism 11. The sheet S overlaps with the foil F supplied from the supply roll 31 on the upstream side of the sheet transport direction of the transfer section 50, and is transported to the transfer section 50 while the toner image of the sheet S is in contact with the foil F.

[0055] In the transfer section 50, when the sheet S and foil F pass through the clamping part between the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61, they are heated and pressed by the heating roller 61 and the pressure roller 51, and a transfer layer F22, i.e., transfer foil, is transferred onto the toner image. The clamping part between the pressure roller 51 and the heating roller 61 is the transfer position.

[0056] After foil transfer, the sheet S and the foil F are conveyed to the second guide shaft 42 in close contact. As the sheet S and the foil F pass the second guide shaft 42, the conveying direction of the foil F changes to a different direction than that of the sheet S, thus the foil F is peeled off from the sheet S.

[0057] The foil F peeled from the sheet S is wound up by the winding reel 35. On the other hand, the sheet S with the foil F peeled off is discharged to the outside of the housing 2 by the sheet discharge mechanism 12 with the foil-coated surface facing down.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the foil transfer device 1 also includes a conveyor motor 80, a clutch 81, a pressing and separating motor 90, a cam CA, a separation sensor SA, a control unit 300, and a touch panel TP.

[0059] The conveyor motor 80 is used to drive the pickup roller 11A, the delay roller 11B, the upstream conveyor roller 11C, and the pressure roller 51. The pickup roller 11A is driven by the conveyor motor 80 via the clutch 81.

[0060] The pressing / separating motor 90 is a motor used to drive the cam CA to move the heating roller 61 between the pressing position and the separating position. When the heating roller 61 is in the separating position, when the cam CA is driven to rotate by the pressing / separating motor 90, the cam CA pushes upward against the frame supporting the heating roller 61, causing the heating roller 61 to move from the separating position to the pressing position. Conversely, when the heating roller 61 is in the pressing position, when the cam CA is driven to rotate by the pressing / separating motor 90, the upward push of the cam CA against the frame is released. When the upward push of the cam CA against the frame is released, the heating roller 61 moves from the pressing position to the separating position due to its own weight.

[0061] The separation sensor SA is a sensor that detects the position of the heating roller 61. Specifically, the separation sensor SA is activated when the heating roller 61 is in the separated position and deactivated when the heating roller 61 is not in the separated position by detecting the frame supporting the heating roller 61. The separation sensor SA is, for example, a light sensor and is located near the pressing and separating mechanism 70.

[0062] Additionally, a sheet sensor SS1 is provided between the pick-up roller 11A and the upstream conveying roller 11C. The sheet sensor SS1 is positioned upstream of the heating roller 61 in the sheet conveying direction and is a sensor for detecting the sheet S. The sheet sensor SS1 can detect the passage of the front and rear ends of the sheet S. For example, the sheet sensor SS1 can be a sensor consisting of, for instance, a rod that rotates upon contact with the sheet S and an optical sensor that detects the position of the rod. Furthermore, the front end of the sheet S, as referred to in this application, means the forward end of the sheet S in the conveying direction.

[0063] The control unit 300 includes a CPU, RAM, ROM, and input / output circuits. The control unit 300 performs various calculations and processing based on programs and data stored in the ROM, etc., thereby executing control.

[0064] A touch panel (TP) is a panel that displays buttons and other inputs that are operated by the user. Additionally, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the touch panel TP is disposed, for example, on the upper surface of the cover 22.

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, the touch panel TP displays an input section B1 and a start button B2. The input section B1 has multiple buttons for changing values ​​displayed on the touch panel TP. The start button B2 is used to perform foil transfer printing.

[0066] The control unit 300 is capable of performing a full transfer mode, in which the foil F is pressed against the entire range of the sheet S in the conveying direction to perform the transfer, and a foil preservation mode, in which the foil F is pressed against a portion of the sheet S in the conveying direction to perform the transfer. Furthermore, the full transfer mode includes a case where the foil F is pressed against the sheet S only within a portion of the sheet S in the width direction.

[0067] When performing foil transfer in foil preservation mode, the user can operate the input unit B1 to set the operation in foil preservation mode. Specifically, the front blank length L1 and the foil transfer length LT can be set. The front blank length L1 is the length from the front end of the sheet S to the start of foil transfer, and the foil transfer length LT is the length of the area where foil transfer is performed.

[0068] Then, the control unit 300 determines, based on the input transfer mode and user-defined input information, the pressing range of the heating roller 61 on the sheet S, so that the pressing range includes the foil transfer area TA to which the foil should be transferred. Specifically, the control unit 300 determines the time from when the sheet sensor SS1 detects the front end of the sheet S until the heating roller 61 begins pressing, and the time from a predetermined moment until the heating roller 61 begins to separate. This predetermined moment can be set according to the transfer mode as follows: when the conveyor motor 80 is turned on, when the sheet sensor SS1 detects the rear end of the sheet, when the separation sensor SA is turned off, etc.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown in (a), when the full transfer mode is selected, the front blank length L1 and foil transfer length LT are not set. The control unit 300 uses the entire area including the sheet S as the pressing range and executes the full transfer mode.

[0070] Foil storage modes include Figure 4 (b) shows the front-end transfer mode. Figure 5 The central transfer pattern shown in (a) Figure 5 The back-end transfer mode shown in (b) is as follows.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown in (b), when the front-end transfer mode is selected, the user does not set the front blank length L1 but only the foil transfer length LT. At this time, the range corresponding to the foil transfer length LT set by the user becomes the foil transfer area TA.

[0072] like Figure 5 As shown in (a), when the intermediate transfer mode is selected, the user sets the front blank length L1 and the foil transfer length LT. At this time, the range corresponding to the foil transfer length LT set by the user becomes the foil transfer area TA.

[0073] like Figure 5 As shown in (b), when the rear-end transfer mode is selected, the user only sets the front blank length L1 and does not set the foil transfer length LT. At this time, the area located behind the front blank length L1 in the transport direction is called the foil transfer area TA.

[0074] When the user sets the transfer mode and presses the start button B, the touch panel TP outputs the commands corresponding to each mode and the information of the foil transfer area TA to the control unit 300. In the following description, commands output to the control unit 300 when the full transfer mode is selected are called "full transfer commands," and commands output to the control unit 300 when the front transfer mode is selected are called "front transfer commands." Furthermore, commands output to the control unit 300 when the rear transfer mode is selected are called "rear transfer commands," and commands output to the control unit 300 when the center transfer mode is selected are called "center transfer commands."

[0075] When the control unit 300 receives a transfer command in each transfer mode, it positions the heating roller 61 in the disengaged position and drives the pickup roller 11A via the clutch 81 to supply the sheet S on the sheet tray 3 to the transfer unit 50. Then, the control unit 300 performs the processing corresponding to each transfer mode.

[0076] The following describes the processing performed by the control unit 300 in each transfer mode. Additionally, in the initial state before foil transfer is performed, the heating roller 61 is in the separation position, and the separation sensor SA is activated.

[0077] In each transfer mode, when the start button B6 is pressed while the sheet S is placed on the sheet tray 3, the control unit 300 drives the conveyor motor 80 to pick up the sheet S and convey it to the transfer unit 50. Then, the control unit 300 stops conveying the sheet S before the leading edge of the sheet S reaches the transfer position. Then, the control unit 300 moves the heating roller 61 from the separation position to the pressing position.

[0078] Here, in both full transfer mode and front-end transfer mode, the control unit 300 conveys the sheet S and performs foil transfer after the heating roller 61 reaches the pressing position.

[0079] On the other hand, when performing the central transfer mode and the rear transfer mode, that is, when the foil F begins to be pressed onto the sheet at a position away from the front end of the sheet S, the control unit 300 conveys the sheet S and performs foil transfer before the heating roller 61 reaches the pressing position. Specifically, when performing the central transfer mode and the rear transfer mode, the control unit 300 performs the first process, the second process, the third process, and the fourth process.

[0080] The first process involves the control unit 300 controlling the upstream conveying roller 11C to begin conveying the sheet S while the heating roller 61 is in the separated position.

[0081] The second process involves the control unit 300 controlling the upstream conveyor roller 11C to stop the conveying of the sheet S before the foil transfer area TA on the sheet S reaches the transfer position between the heating roller 61 and the pressure roller 51. In this second process, the control unit 300 stops the sheet S based on the time elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 detected the leading edge of the sheet S passing by. The control unit 300 stops the sheet S when time T11 has elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 detected the leading edge of the sheet S passing by. Time T11 is determined based on the user-set leading edge blank length L1, and is the time at which the sheet S can be stopped just before the foil transfer area TA reaches the transfer position.

[0082] The third process is that the control unit 300 controls the pressing and separating mechanism 70 to start the heating roller 61 from the separating position to the pressing position while the sheet S is stopped.

[0083] The fourth process involves the control unit 300 controlling the upstream conveying roller 11C to restart the conveying of the sheet S before reaching the pressing position. In this embodiment, the fourth process restarts the conveying of the sheet S after the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51. In this fourth process, the control unit 300 restarts the conveying of the sheet S based on a signal from the separation sensor SA. When time T22 has elapsed after the separation sensor SA changes from on to off, the control unit 300 restarts the conveying of the sheet S.

[0084] Next, refer to Figure 6 The flowchart illustrates an example of an action performed by the control unit 300. After the power to the foil transfer device 1 is turned on, the control unit 300 repeatedly performs... Figure 6 The processing is shown.

[0085] like Figure 6 As shown, the control unit 300 first determines whether a full transfer instruction exists (S101). If it is determined in step S101 that a full transfer instruction exists (yes), the control unit 300 executes the full transfer process (S102) and ends the process.

[0086] If it is determined in step S101 that there is no full transfer instruction (No), the control unit 300 determines whether there is a front-end transfer instruction (S103). If it is determined in step S103 that there is a front-end transfer instruction (Yes), the control unit 300 executes the front-end transfer process (S104) and ends the process.

[0087] If it is determined in step S103 that there is no front-end transfer instruction (No), the control unit 300 determines whether there is a back-end transfer instruction (S105). If it is determined in step S105 that there is a back-end transfer instruction (Yes), the control unit 300 executes the back-end transfer process (S106) and ends the process.

[0088] If it is determined in step S105 that there is no back-end transfer instruction (No), the control unit 300 determines whether there is a central transfer instruction (S107). If it is determined in step S107 that there is a central transfer instruction (Yes), the control unit 300 executes the central transfer process (S108) and ends the process. If it is determined in step S107 that there is no central transfer instruction (No), the control unit 300 ends the process.

[0089] Next, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 11 The flowchart illustrates an example of the front-end transfer process performed by the control unit 300. Figure 11 This indicates the action performed during full transfer processing or front-end transfer processing. Figure 11 In the diagram, solid lines represent front-end transfer processing, while dashed lines represent full transfer processing.

[0090] exist Figure 7 In the front-end transfer process shown, after the control unit 300 turns on the conveyor motor 80 (S1, t1), it determines whether the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on (S2).

[0091] In step S2, the control unit 300 waits until the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on. When it is determined that the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on (S2, yes, t2), the control unit 300 determines whether time T1 has elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 was turned on (S3).

[0092] In step S3, when the control unit 300 determines that time T1 has elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 was turned on (S3, Yes, t3), the control unit 300 determines that the leading edge of the sheet S has reached the position where it is about to reach the transfer position, and disconnects the conveyor motor 80 and turns on the pressing and separating motor 90 (S4, t3). Thus, with the conveying of the sheet S stopped, the heating roller 61 begins to move from the separating position to the pressing position. Time T1 is the time after the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on and when the leading edge of the sheet S is about to reach the transfer position, at which point the sheet S can be stopped.

[0093] After step S4, the control unit 300 determines whether the separation sensor SA is disconnected (S5). The control unit 300 waits until the separation sensor SA becomes disconnected. If the separation sensor SA is determined to be disconnected (S5, yes, t32), the control unit 300 determines whether time T2 has elapsed since the separation sensor became disconnected (S6). Time T2 is the time taken from the disconnection of the separation sensor SA to the heating roller 61 reaching the pressing position.

[0094] In step S6, the control unit 300 waits until time T2 has elapsed since the separation sensor SA became disconnected. If it is determined that time T2 has elapsed since the separation sensor SA became disconnected (S6, yes, t5), the pressure separation motor 90 is disconnected (S7, t5), and the conveying motor 80 is turned on (S8, t5), and the conveying of the sheet S is started again.

[0095] After step S8, the control unit 300 determines whether a set time TX has elapsed since the conveyor motor 80 was turned on (S9). The set time TX is a time determined based on the foil transfer length LT, and is sufficient time to perform foil transfer on the entire foil transfer area TA.

[0096] In step S9, the control unit 300 waits until a set time TX has elapsed since the conveyor motor 80 was turned on. If it is determined that a set time TX has elapsed since the conveyor motor 80 was turned on (S9, yes, t7), the pressing separation motor 90 is turned on to separate the heating roller 61 (S10, t7), and it is determined whether the sheet sensor SS1 is turned off (S11).

[0097] In step S11, the control unit 300 waits until the sheet sensor SS1 becomes off. If the sheet sensor SS1 is determined to be off (S11, Yes, t9), the control unit 300 determines whether there is a next sheet S (S12). The control unit 300 can determine the existence of a next sheet S by the sheet tray sensor SS0 becoming on.

[0098] In step S12, if the control unit 300 determines that there is a next sheet S (S12, Yes), it picks up the next sheet S (S13) and proceeds to step S2. On the other hand, if the control unit 300 determines that there is no next sheet S (S12, No) in step S12, it disconnects the conveyor motor 80 (S15) and ends the process.

[0099] Next, we will refer to Figure 8 The flowchart describes an example of a full transfer process performed by the control unit 300. The full transfer process differs from the front-end transfer process only in a part of the latter half; the other processes (S1 to S8) are the same as the front-end transfer process, so their description is omitted.

[0100] like Figure 8 As shown, in the full transfer process, after step S8, the control unit 300 determines whether the sheet sensor SS1 is disconnected (S11).

[0101] In step S11, the control unit 300 waits until the sheet sensor SS1 becomes disconnected. If the sheet sensor SS1 is determined to be disconnected (S11, yes, t9), the control unit 300 determines that there is a next sheet S (S12).

[0102] In step S12, if the control unit 300 determines that there is a next sheet S (S12, Yes), it picks up the next sheet S (S13) and proceeds to step S11. On the other hand, if the control unit 300 determines that there is no next sheet S (S12, No) in step S12, it separates the heating roller 61 (S14) and then disconnects the conveyor motor 80 (S15) to end the process.

[0103] Next, we will refer to Figure 9 and Figure 12 The flowchart describes an example of the central transfer process performed by the control unit 300. Figure 12 This illustrates the actions taken when performing central transfer processing or back-end transfer processing. Figure 12 In the diagram, solid lines represent the central transfer process, while dashed lines represent the rear transfer process.

[0104] exist Figure 9 In the central transfer process shown, the control unit 300 determines whether the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on (S2) after the conveyor motor 80 is turned on (S1, t1).

[0105] In step S2, the control unit 300 waits until the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on. When it is determined that the sheet sensor SS1 is turned on (S2, Yes, t2), the control unit 300 then determines whether time T11 has elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 was turned on (S31). Time T11 is the time determined as described above based on the user-set front blank length L1, and is the time at which the sheet S can be stopped when the foil transfer area TA is about to reach the transfer position.

[0106] In step S31, if the control unit 300 determines that time T11 has elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 was turned on (yes, t31), the control unit 300 determines that the foil transfer area TA has reached the position where it is about to reach the transfer position, and disconnects the conveyor motor 80 and turns on the pressing and separating motor 90 (S4, t31). As a result, with the sheet S stopped being conveyed, the heating roller 61 begins to move from the separating position to the pressing position.

[0107] After step S4, the control unit 300 determines whether the separation sensor SA is disconnected (S5). The control unit 300 waits until the separation sensor SA becomes disconnected, and if it determines that the separation sensor SA is disconnected (S5, yes, t32), it determines whether time T22 has elapsed since the separation sensor became disconnected (S61). Time T22 is the time required from the disconnection of the separation sensor SA to the contact of the heating roller 61.

[0108] In step S61, the control unit 300 waits until time T22 has elapsed since the separation sensor SA became disconnected. If it determines that time T22 has elapsed since the separation sensor SA became disconnected (S61, Yes, t40), it turns on the conveyor motor 80 (S62, t40). After that, it determines whether time T23 has elapsed since the separation sensor became disconnected (S63). Time T23 is the time taken from the disconnection of the separation sensor SA to the heating roller 61 reaching the pressing position. In addition, time T23 is a longer time than time T22.

[0109] In step S63, the control unit 300 waits until time T23 has elapsed since the separation sensor was disconnected. If it is determined that time T23 has elapsed since the separation sensor was disconnected (S63, Yes, t5), the pressure separation motor 90 is disconnected (S64), and the process proceeds to step S9.

[0110] Step S9 and beyond are the same as the front-end transfer process, so the explanation is omitted.

[0111] Next, we will refer to Figure 10 The flowchart describes an example of the back-end transfer process performed by the control unit 300. The back-end transfer process is only a part of the latter half of the process and is different from the central transfer process. The first half of the process (S1 to S5, S61 to S64) is the same as the central transfer process, so the description is omitted.

[0112] In the back-end transfer process, unlike the central transfer process where the heating roller 61 separates after the foil transfer area TA has passed the transfer position and while the sheet S is in the transfer position, the heating roller 61 separates after the rear end of the sheet S has passed the transfer position. Therefore, as Figure 10 As shown, after step S64, the control unit 300 determines whether the sheet sensor SS1 is disconnected (S71).

[0113] In step S71, the control unit 300 waits until the sheet sensor SS1 becomes disconnected. If it is determined that the sheet sensor SS1 is disconnected (S71, yes, t9), the control unit 300 determines whether there is a next sheet S (S72).

[0114] In step S72, if the control unit 300 determines that a next sheet S exists (S72, Yes), the control unit 300 picks up the next sheet S (S73) and determines whether the rear end of the sheet S has passed the transfer position (S74). Furthermore, whether the rear end of the sheet S has passed the transfer position can be determined by determining whether time T3 has elapsed since the sheet sensor SS1 became disconnected.

[0115] In step S74, the control unit 300 waits until the rear end of the sheet S passes the transfer position. If it is determined that the rear end of the sheet S has passed the transfer position (S74, yes, t9), the pressing and separating motor 90 is turned on (t10) to separate the heating roller 61 (S75). After the separation is completed, the pressing and separating motor 90 is turned off (t11) and the process moves to step S2.

[0116] On the other hand, in step S72, if the control unit 300 determines that there is no next sheet S (S72, No), it turns on the pressing separation motor 90 and causes the heating roller 61 to leave (S76), turns off the conveying motor 80 (S77), and ends the process.

[0117] According to the above-described implementation method, the following effects can be obtained.

[0118] In the foil transfer apparatus 1, the heating roller 61 and the pressure roller 51 are separated before foil transfer is performed, and then pressed together just before foil transfer is to be performed. Therefore, the wasteful feeding of the foil F can be suppressed. Furthermore, in the foil transfer apparatus 1, in foil storage mode, when the foil is pressed onto the sheet at a position away from the front end of the sheet, after stopping the sheet feeding and starting the pressing, the sheet feeding is restarted before the heating roller 61 reaches the pressing position. Therefore, the time spent pressing the sheet onto the heating roller 61 while the sheet is stopped can be shortened, thus suppressing the generation of pressing marks compared to restarting the sheet feeding after the heating roller 61 reaches the pressing position. As a result, the wasteful feeding of the foil F can be suppressed, and the generation of pressing marks on the sheet S can be suppressed.

[0119] Furthermore, in the fourth process, the control unit 300 restarts the feeding of the sheet S after the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51 but before reaching the pressing position. Therefore, since the feeding of the sheet S is not restarted before the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51, the resistance when the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51 does not hinder the feeding of the sheet S. As a result, wrinkles in the sheet S between the upstream conveying roller 11C and the pressure roller 51 can be suppressed more reliably.

[0120] Furthermore, the above embodiments can be implemented in various ways as illustrated below. In the following description, structures and processes that are substantially the same as those in the above embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0121] In the above embodiment, in the fourth process, the control unit 300 controls the upstream conveying roller 11C to restart the conveying of the sheet S when the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51. However, for example, it may also be as follows: Figure 12 Like the fine thread in the operation of the conveyor motor 80, the sheet S is conveyed again during the period (time t41) after the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51 and before the heating roller 61 reaches the pressing position. In this manner, compared with the above embodiment, it is possible to more reliably suppress the formation of wrinkles in the sheet S between the upstream conveyor roller 11C and the pressure roller 51.

[0122] In the above embodiment, in the fourth process, the control unit 300 controls the upstream conveying roller 11C to restart the conveying of the sheet S when the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51, but it can also be done as follows: Figure 12 Just like the fine thread in the operation of the conveyor motor 80, the control unit 300 restarts the conveying of the sheet S before the heating roller 61 contacts the pressure roller 51 (t42). In this case, compared with the above embodiment, it is possible to more reliably suppress the generation of crimp marks on the sheet S.

[0123] In the above embodiments, it is also possible to... Figures 7-9 In step S4, the conveyor motor 80 is disconnected, and the pressing separation motor 90 is simultaneously connected (see also...). Figure 11 At time t3, Figure 12 (At time t31), but it is also possible to disconnect the conveyor motor 80 and wait for a specified time before connecting the pressing and separating motor 90.

[0124] In the above embodiments, the control unit determines the pressing range by user input of each transfer processing mode, front blank length, and foil transfer length, but the control unit can also determine the pressing range by detecting the toner image of the sheet.

[0125] In the above embodiments, when the pressure roller 51 is stopped in each mode, all conveying rollers (11A to 12B) are stopped, but it is also possible to stop only the conveying rollers that are in contact with the sheet S.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the heating roller 61 is pressed against and separated from the pressure roller 51, but the pressure roller can also be pressed against and separated from the heating roller.

[0127] In the above embodiments, an apparatus for transferring foil onto a toner image formed on a sheet is exemplified as a foil transfer apparatus. However, any apparatus that transfers foil onto a sheet can be used.

[0128] In the above embodiment, a supply roll 31 and a take-up roll 35 are provided in the foil transfer film box FC, but for example, a supply roll may be provided in the foil transfer film box and a take-up roll may be provided in the housing.

[0129] In the above embodiment, an example of an input unit is a button displayed on a touch panel TP, but the input unit may also be a button (switch) that can be moved to a pressed position and a released position by the user's operation.

[0130] In the above embodiments, the control unit is configured to execute each mode based on the signal from the touch panel TP. However, for example, in the case where the image forming apparatus and the foil transfer apparatus are integrated, the control unit may also determine the size and position of the toner area on the sheet based on the image data contained in the printing transfer instruction, and select each mode based on the size and position of the toner area.

[0131] In the above embodiment, the sheet sensor is composed of a rod and a photoelectric sensor for detecting the position of the rod, but the sheet sensor may also be composed of only a photoelectric sensor.

[0132] In the above embodiments, the foil F consists of four layers, but as long as the foil has a transfer layer and a support layer, the number of layers can be arbitrary.

[0133] The elements described in the above embodiments and variations can also be combined in any way.

Claims

1. A foil transfer printing apparatus, comprising overlapping a sheet with a foil-containing film to transfer the foil onto the sheet, characterized in that, have: A heating roller that heats the foil and sheet; A pressure roller rotates while the foil and sheet are sandwiched between the heating roller, thereby conveying the foil and sheet; A pressing and separating mechanism that moves one of the heating roller and the pressure roller between a pressing position where it is pressed against the other roller and a separating position where it is separated from the other roller; A conveyor roller that conveys the sheet between the pressure roller and the heating roller; as well as Control Department The control unit is capable of executing a foil preservation mode in which the foil is pressed onto a portion of the sheet in the sheet's transport direction to perform a transfer. In this foil preservation mode, when the foil is pressed onto the sheet starting from a position away from the front end of the sheet, the control unit performs a first process, a second process, a third process, and a fourth process. In this first process, the control unit controls the conveying rollers to begin conveying the sheet while one of the rollers is in a separated position. In this second process, the control unit controls the conveying rollers to stop conveying the sheet before the foil transfer area on the sheet, which is the area where the foil to be transferred is reached, reaches the transfer position between the heating roller and the pressure roller. In this third process, the control unit controls the pressing and separating mechanism to cause one of the rollers to begin moving from the separating position to the pressing position while the sheet is stopped. In this fourth process, the control unit controls the conveying rollers to restart the sheet conveying before one of the rollers reaches the pressing position.

2. The foil transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the fourth process, the control unit restarts the sheet feeding after one roller contacts the other roller and before reaching the pressing position.

3. The foil transfer apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a separation sensor for detecting the position of one of the rollers. In the fourth process, the control unit restarts the sheet feeding based on the signal from the separation sensor.

4. The foil transfer apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a sheet sensor for detecting the sheet, which is positioned upstream of the heating roller in the sheet conveying direction. In the second process, the control unit stops the sheet based on the time elapsed since the front end of the sheet was detected passing by the sheet sensor.

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