Indirect transfer printer and indirect transfer film delivery method

Abstract

During the initialization process, control is performed as follows: when the indirect transfer film is being transported from the supply roll to the take-up roll, if a transferred sensor mark is detected, it is determined that the indirect transfer film was not replaced before the power was turned on. Based on the ratio of the rotation angle of the supply roll to the rotation angle of the take-up roll, the amount of unused indirect transfer film is estimated. If the estimated amount of unused film is greater than or equal to 2% below the remaining amount warning threshold, a transfer positioning is performed based on the last sensor mark in the sensor marks. If the estimated amount of unused film is less than 2%, during the period of transporting the indirect transfer film relative to the last sensor mark with a specified amount of film, if no end mark is detected, it is determined that the amount of unused film is greater than the amount required for recording the next recording medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an indirect transfer printer and an indirect transfer film delivery method, and particularly to an indirect transfer printer and an indirect transfer film delivery method that can eliminate unnecessary film delivery, thereby increasing the efficiency of the printing process and suppressing film delivery deviations. Background Technology

[0002] An indirect transfer printer is one in which, after the ink layer of the ink ribbon wound from the ribbon body is transferred onto an indirect transfer film in a primary transfer section using a thermal printhead, it is then transferred a second time onto the substrate in a secondary transfer section. With this indirect transfer method, even if the substrate of the substrate to which the final image is set is different (paper, plastic, etc.), printing is performed on the indirect transfer film during the primary transfer. Therefore, the printing object is fixed, resulting in a stable image, and thus it can be used practically for various substrates.

[0003] On the other hand, regarding the indirect transfer film in indirect transfer printers, during the initialization of unused portions during a single transfer, the detection of the transfer start position (also known as "positioning" or "starting position positioning") for various colors of ink, and the feeding of the indirect transfer film for a secondary transfer onto the substrate, the film undergoes multiple back-and-forth feeding processes within the printer. During these processes, feeding deviations and other factors can easily lead to winding deviations and wrinkles. To prevent these deviations and wrinkles, the printer requires extremely high assembly precision, resulting in significant manufacturing difficulties and contributing to increased costs.

[0004] As a method to prevent winding deviation during membrane transport, in applications such as the transport of photographic sensitizer films, for example... Figure 6 As shown, conventional methods employ methods such as setting regularly spaced perforated portions 201 on the film 200 and using a sprocket 202 for transport. Patent Document 1, etc., can be cited as an example of applying this method to a thermal transfer printer.

[0005] However, based on the considerations of increasing the speed and printing sensitivity of indirect transfer printers, the substrates used in ink ribbons and indirect transfer films need to be as thin as possible, ideally ranging from a few μm to tens of μm. Therefore, the method of providing perforations 201 in the substrate and using sprockets 202 for transport is difficult to adopt due to the risk of substrate breakage and wrinkling.

[0006] Therefore, regarding current indirect transfer printers, the following should be done: Figure 7 The example initialization action.

[0007] exist Figure 7In the diagram, 1 is the supply roll for the indirect transfer film 100, 4 is the take-up roll for the indirect transfer film 100, 52 is the pressure roller of the primary transfer section, and 91 is the heating roller of the secondary transfer section.

[0008] Figure 7 (a) indicates the state when the power of the indirect transfer printer, which is equipped with the indirect transfer film 100 in use, is turned on and enters the initialization operation. For the indirect transfer film 100 in use, during manufacturing, sensor marks m0, m1, m2... are set for each screen through printing or other means to serve as positioning marks when transferring the image from the ink ribbon in a single transfer section. In addition, for screens that have been used up, marks c0, c1, c2, c3, c4 indicating that the use has been completed are recorded during a single transfer.

[0009] If the initialization action is entered, then as follows: Figure 7 As shown in (b), after the sensor sn1 detects the sensor mark m4 that records the last mark c4 in the image on the indirect transfer film 100 in the positive direction, it is pulled out in 4.5 to 5 frames. After confirming whether there is enough indirect transfer film 100 left in the next recording, the indirect transfer film 100 needs to be wound back to locate the starting position of the transfer.

[0010] Regarding the printer initialization process described above, in order to confirm the length of the unused portion of the indirect transfer film, a back-and-forth movement of the indirect transfer film is performed along its length. This easily leads to winding deviations and wrinkles in the indirect transfer film, and the printer cannot be used during this period. Therefore, it is necessary to shorten this movement to suppress the generation of winding deviations and wrinkles, and also improve work efficiency.

[0011] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-188307 Summary of the Invention

[0012] Therefore, the present invention addresses the problem of providing an indirect transfer printer and an indirect transfer film conveying method that, by reducing the amount of indirect transfer film conveyed, which is the cause of conveying deviation, is less likely to cause conveying deviation, and can shorten the initialization process, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, an indirect transfer printer includes: a primary transfer unit that transfers an image from an ink ribbon to an indirect transfer film in a primary transfer; a secondary transfer unit that transfers an image from the indirect transfer film to a recording medium in a secondary transfer; a primary transfer alignment sensor; and a processor. The initialization operation of the indirect transfer printer sequentially includes the following steps: during the feeding and take-up of the indirect transfer film from the supply roll shaft, a sensor mark transferred along with the image during a previous primary transfer is detected using the primary transfer alignment sensor; the processor determines, based on the detection of the transferred sensor mark, that the indirect transfer film has not been replaced before the initialization operation; if it is determined that the indirect transfer film has not been replaced, the processor estimates the remaining amount of the indirect transfer film based on the ratio of the rotation angles of the supply roll shaft and the take-up roll shaft measured by a rotary encoder from the start to the end of the feeding; if it is estimated that the unused amount is greater than or equal to a remaining amount warning threshold, the processor determines the remaining amount based on the last transferred sensor mark. The sensor marks the positioning for one transfer; if it is estimated that the unused amount is less than the margin warning threshold, the indirect transfer film is conveyed with the amount of the lead image relative to the last sensor mark (the total of the number of printed images (2 images if it is two-sided, 1 image if it is one-sided) and the rotation error margin for one turn of winding (greater than or equal to 0.5 images and less than or equal to 2.5 images)); and during the conveying process, if the end mark indicating the end of the usable area of ​​the indirect transfer film is not detected by the sensor for one transfer alignment, the processor determines that the unused amount is more than the amount required for recording the next recording medium.

[0014] Specifically, the processor can also determine that the indirect transfer film was replaced before power was turned on if the sensor mark that was transferred along with the image in a previous transfer is not detected during the process of winding the roll from the supply roll to deliver the indirect transfer film in a specified amount of image.

[0015] In addition, the indirect transfer printer also has a first sensor that detects the sensor marks that were transferred along with the image during a previous transfer, and a single transfer alignment sensor that detects the final sensor marks.

[0016] Another solution of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems is a method for conveying the indirect transfer film during the initialization operation performed when the power is turned on in an indirect transfer printer that transfers an image from an ink ribbon to an indirect transfer film once and then transfers the image from the indirect transfer film to a recording medium a second time. In this conveying method, if a sensor mark that was transferred along with the image during a previous first transfer is detected while the indirect transfer film is being conveyed from the supply roll axis to a predetermined amount of image, it is determined that the indirect transfer film was not replaced before the power was turned on. Furthermore, if it is determined that the indirect transfer film has not been replaced, the unused amount of the indirect transfer film is estimated based on the ratio of the rotation angle of the supply roll to the rotation angle of the take-up roll during the transport process. On the other hand, if the estimated unused amount is greater than or equal to 2% of the remaining amount warning threshold, a transfer positioning is performed based on the last sensor mark in the sensor marking. If the estimated unused amount is less than 2% of the remaining amount warning threshold, during the transport of the indirect transfer film in the amount of three frames relative to the last sensor mark as the lead-in, if the end mark indicating the very end of the usable area of ​​the indirect transfer film is not detected, it is determined that the unused amount is more than the amount required for recording the next recording medium.

[0017] Furthermore, the margin warning threshold is a threshold for unused amount that needs to be checked to account for unused amount. The margin warning threshold can be set to a range greater than or equal to 1% and less than or equal to 5%. In particular, the margin warning threshold is preferably 2%. The margin warning threshold can be set according to the length of the transport route and the thickness of the indirect transfer film. The number of images in the leading section can be set to greater than or equal to 0.5 images or 4.5 images. In addition, it is preferable to set the number of images in the leading section to be longer than the length of the route until transfer. Regarding the number of images in the leading section, when the unused amount is greater than or equal to the margin warning threshold, it can be set to 0.5 images relative to the distance of the second sensor (for one transfer alignment). When the unused amount is greater than or equal to the margin warning threshold, it can be set to the sum of the number of printed images relative to the second sensor (for one transfer alignment) (2 images if it is two-sided, 1 image if it is single-sided) and the rotation error margin for one turn of winding. The roll-up error margin can be set to be greater than 0.5 frames and less than or equal to 2.5 frames.

[0018] According to the present invention, even if the indirect transfer film is not equipped with sensor marks for use during a single transfer during the manufacturing stage, the presence or absence of sensor marks can be confirmed during the initialization operation performed before printing begins when the power is turned on in the indirect transfer printer, even if the amount of indirect transfer film pulled out is small. If a sensor mark is detected, it is determined that the indirect transfer film was not replaced before the power was turned on. Furthermore, if the unused amount is greater than or equal to 2% of the margin warning threshold, the feeding of the indirect transfer film 10 for detecting the end mark, which is the last sensor mark, can be omitted, thus reducing the risk of defects caused by film winding deviation. On the other hand, if the unused amount of indirect transfer film is less than 2% of the margin warning threshold, it can be confirmed whether it exceeds the amount required for recording the subsequent recording medium. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram illustrating one method of the indirect transfer printer of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram illustrating one embodiment of the indirect transfer printer of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the conveying status when the margin of an indirect transfer film, which serves as an intermediate transfer medium, is greater than or equal to 2% of the margin warning threshold.

[0022] Figure 4 This is an explanatory diagram showing the conveying status when the remaining amount of the indirect transfer film is less than 2% of the remaining amount warning threshold.

[0023] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the initialization process of the indirect transfer printer of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating an example of a current sprocket-based conveying method.

[0025] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the initialization actions of the current indirect transfer printer. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, in the embodiments shown below, preferred technical limitations have been made for carrying out the invention, but these limitations are not essential elements of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram illustrating one method of the indirect transfer printer of the present invention.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, the indirect transfer printer 20 of the present invention includes a control board (processor) 21, a primary transfer unit 50, a secondary transfer unit 90, a first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1, and a second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2. The control board (processor) 21 has an arithmetic circuit consisting of a processing chip and a control chip, a memory such as volatile memory and non-volatile memory, an I / O interface, and a bus mounted on the printing board.

[0029] The first sensor (SN1, used for secondary transfer alignment) can be a photoelectric sensor. The second sensor (SN2, used for primary transfer alignment) can be a photoelectric sensor. The photoelectric sensor can be transmissive or reflective. The photoelectric sensor can be integrated with the light source. The light source for the photoelectric sensor can be an LED. The light source for the photoelectric sensor can be a laser diode. The photoelectric sensor can have a photodiode.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram illustrating one embodiment of the indirect transfer printer of the present invention.

[0031] In the indirect transfer printer 20, the intermediate transfer medium 60, wound into a roll, is wound out from the winding roller 70 and then taken up by the take-up roller 80 via the primary transfer section 50 and the secondary transfer section 90. On the other hand, the thermal transfer medium 11, wound into a roll, is wound out from the winding roller 30 and then taken up by the take-up roller 40 via the primary transfer section 50.

[0032] In the primary transfer section 50, the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer medium 60 and the thermal transfer ink layer of the thermal transfer medium 11 are held in a relative manner by the thermal head 51 and the pressure roller 52. The thermal head 51 and the pressure roller 52 are separated when only the intermediate transfer medium 60 and the thermal transfer medium 11 are being transported, but they are pressed together when the transfer recording from the thermal transfer medium 11 to the intermediate transfer medium 60 is being performed, so that the specified image information is transferred to the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer medium 60.

[0033] Next, in the secondary transfer section 90, the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer medium 60 and the recording medium 120 are arranged in a relative manner. The intermediate transfer medium 60 is hot-pressed onto the recording medium 120 pressed by the pressure roller 92 by the heating roller 91 heated by the heater H, thereby transferring the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer medium 60 together with the image recorded in the primary transfer section 50 onto the recording medium 120.

[0034] In addition, the recording medium 120 is housed in a stack (not shown) and is transported from the stack to the secondary transfer unit 90 by a conveying device.

[0035] The control board (processor) 21 can control the operation of the supply roll 1, the take-up roll 4, the primary transfer unit 50, the secondary transfer unit 90, and the conveying device based on the output from sensors such as SN1 and SN2.

[0036] Figure 3 This is an explanatory diagram showing the conveying status when the margin of an indirect transfer film, which serves as an intermediate transfer medium, is greater than or equal to 2% of the margin warning threshold.

[0037] like Figure 3 As illustrated, the indirect transfer film 10, which serves as an intermediate transfer medium 60, is conveyed from the supply roll 1 to the take-up roll 4.

[0038] An indirect transfer film 10 wound into a roll is provided on the supply spool 1. The supply spool 1 includes a shaft (not shown) that supports the roll of indirect transfer film 10 so that it can rotate. The supply spool 1 may also have a brake for adjusting the tension applied to the wound thermal transfer medium 11.

[0039] The take-up reel 4 takes up the indirect transfer film 10 that is wound from the supply reel 1. The take-up reel 4 has a motor (not shown) for taking up the film.

[0040] An indirect transfer film 10 wound into a roll is provided on a take-up reel 4. The indirect transfer film 10 may include: a substrate; and a cover layer disposed on one main surface of the substrate. The indirect transfer film 10 may also not include a cover layer. The take-up reel 4 has: a shaft (not shown) that supports the roller-like body composed of the indirect transfer film 10 for rotation; and a motor (not shown) that causes the shaft to rotate in a forward / reverse direction. The take-up reel 4 is capable of winding out and winding back the indirect transfer film 10.

[0041] The indirect transfer printer 20 has a primary transfer section 50 and a secondary transfer section 90 in the transport path of the indirect transfer film 10 from the supply roll 1 to the take-up roll 4. The primary transfer section 50 has a thermal head 51 and a pressure roller 52, and the secondary transfer section 90 has a heating roller 91 and a pressure roller 92.

[0042] Such as using Figure 2 As explained, the image is transferred from the thermal transfer medium 11 to the intermediate transfer medium 60 in the primary transfer unit 50, and then transferred a second time from the intermediate transfer medium 60 to the recording medium 120 in the secondary transfer unit 90. Therefore, the intermediate transfer medium 60 is... Figure 3In the case of the indirect transfer film 10 shown, at the primary transfer section 50, the thermal head 51 and the pressure roller 52 are positioned opposite each other, with the thermal transfer medium 11 and the intermediate transfer medium 60 spaced apart. The thermal head 51 applies thermal pressure to the thermal transfer medium 11, resulting in ink transfer from the thermal transfer medium 11 to the intermediate transfer medium 60. The intensity of the laser transmitted from or reflected from the thermal transfer medium 11 is detected by a photosensitive sensor (not shown). The output of this photosensitive sensor can be used for alignment of the thermal transfer medium 11 relative to the thermal head 51, etc.

[0043] At the secondary transfer section 90, the heating roller 91 and the pressure roller 92 are positioned opposite each other, separated by an intermediate transfer medium 60 and a recording medium 120 fed from the primary transfer section 50. The heating roller 91 applies thermal pressure to the intermediate transfer medium 60, causing the ink layer to transfer from the intermediate transfer medium 60 to the recording medium 120. When the intermediate transfer medium 60 includes an overlay layer, the heating roller 91 applies thermal pressure to the intermediate transfer medium 60, causing the laminate of the ink layer and the overlay layer to transfer from the intermediate transfer medium 60 to the recording medium 120.

[0044] Figure 2 Although not shown in the diagram, a first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 for detecting the position of the intermediate transfer medium 60 in the secondary transfer is disposed near the heating roller 91 of the secondary transfer section 90. Additionally, a second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2 for detecting the position of the intermediate transfer medium 60 in the primary transfer is disposed near the pressure roller 52 of the primary transfer section 50.

[0045] Furthermore, the indirect transfer printer 20 also includes a control unit (not shown) for controlling various parts of the indirect transfer printer 20, processing image information, and sensor information data, and controlling them. Regarding the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 and the second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2, in the illustrated configuration, the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 is positioned approximately 1.5 frames away from the standard waiting position marked by the last sensor after the printer operation is completed. However, besides the illustrated configuration, the positions of the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 and the second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2 can also be configured according to the configuration of the primary transfer unit 50 and the secondary transfer unit 90, the size of the recorded frames, etc. The standard waiting position marked by the last sensor after the printer operation is completed, which is the standard waiting position for an indirect transfer printer, will be described later.

[0046] For color overlaying during a single transfer, and for alignment of the primary transfer section 50 and the secondary transfer section 90, the system has the function of feeding the intermediate transfer medium 60 from the winding roller 70 toward the take-up roller 80 in the forward direction, and also has the function of feeding the intermediate transfer medium 60 in the opposite direction. That is, it can perform forward and reverse reciprocating feeding. Furthermore, a motor (not shown) for driving forward and reverse rotation can be connected to the winding roller 70 and the take-up roller 80. The motor can be a stepper motor. Alternatively, it can be an AC motor or a DC motor. Other known motors can also be connected. The motor can be directly connected to the winding roller 70 and the take-up roller 80, or it can be connected via gears. The motor can be electrically driven by a motor driver. The motor driver can be an inverter.

[0047] If you return to Figure 3 As explained, typically, in the unused state where all ink ribbons have not been transferred, the sensor markings on the indirect transfer film 10 are only start markings for sensor markings that serve as the starting point for optically detecting the usable area, and end markings for sensor markings that serve as the ending point for detecting the usable area. In other words, no other sensor markings are provided in between.

[0048] On the other hand, the indirect transfer film 10, formed midway through the transfer process, is configured as a sensor mark that serves as a positioning marker when transferring an image from the ink ribbon in the primary transfer unit 50, and is recorded for each frame. The image is transferred to the recording medium 120 along with the transfer layer in the secondary transfer unit 90, but the sensor mark is not transferred. Therefore, only the sensor mark remains in the area where the indirect transfer film 10 has been used. Figure 3 (a) indicates that the initialization operation is initiated with the indirect transfer film 10 installed in this state during use. The initialization operation can be set as an operation before the transfer begins. The initialization operation is performed when the power is turned on, when resuming from the waiting state, or when resuming from the sliding state.

[0049] At this time, sensor marks M, such as M0, M1, M2, M3, M4, etc., remain on the used image in the indirect transfer film 10. Each sensor mark M is formed at a predetermined location in either the forward start or rear end portion of each image, without overlapping with the image transferred in the second phase. In this embodiment, an example of sensor marks M being formed in the rear end portion is shown.

[0050] Regarding the initialization action, firstly, as Figure 3As shown in (b), while the indirect transfer film 10 is pulled out and conveyed in the forward direction with a predetermined number of frames, the sensor mark M is detected using the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1. The configuration of the heating roller 91 of the secondary transfer unit 90 and the sensor SN1 can be determined by pulling out the film in two frames. Furthermore, different number of frames can be preset based on the configuration of the heating roller 91 of the secondary transfer unit 90 and the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1, especially the span of their configuration. As a result, sensor marks M0 and M1 are detected. The control board (processor) 21 detects the sensor mark M through the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1, thereby determining that the indirect transfer film 10 has not been replaced since the last printer operation.

[0051] Simultaneously, the control board (processor) 21 detects the rotational speed of the supply roll 1 and the rotational angle of the take-up roll 4, and estimates the amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 remaining on the supply roll 1 based on their ratio. During periods when the amount of indirect transfer film 10 used is relatively small, the diameter of the indirect transfer film 10 on the supply roll 1 side is larger, and the diameter on the take-up roll 4 side is smaller. Therefore, when a specified length of indirect transfer film 10 has been transported, the rotational angle of the supply roll 1 is smaller than the rotational angle of the take-up roll 4. As the indirect transfer film 10 is used, the diameter of the indirect transfer film 10 on the supply roll 1 side gradually decreases, and therefore the rotational angle of the supply roll 1 gradually increases. If the indirect transfer film 10 is used up to the vicinity of its end, the diameter of the indirect transfer film 10 on the take-up roll 4 side increases. Therefore, the rotational angle of the supply roll 1 further increases, while conversely, the rotational angle of the take-up roll 4 further decreases. Therefore, by detecting the rotational speed of the supply reel 1 and the rotational angle of the take-up reel 4 and calculating their ratio, the amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 remaining on the supply reel 1 can be estimated. A known rotary encoder or similar device can be appropriately used to detect the rotational angle of the reel. The rotary encoder can be configured as an incremental or absolute encoder. This rotational angle detection can be based on, for example, the ratio of the rotational angle of the take-up reel to the rotational angle of the supply reel during the movement when transporting one image.

[0052] Furthermore, when the estimated remaining amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 supplied to reel 1 is determined to be greater than or equal to 2% of the remaining amount warning threshold of the reel in its initial unused state, it can be considered that, even considering the estimation error, there is at least a sufficient amount of indirect transfer film 10 remaining for the subsequent first and second transfers of the image. Therefore, the control board (processor) 21 controls the process in such a way that the winding out of the indirect transfer film 10 used to confirm the amount of remaining indirect transfer film 10 is omitted, and the starting position for the first transfer is positioned as follows: Figure 3As shown in (c), the indirect transfer film 10 is conveyed for initial position positioning until the last sensor mark M0 reaches the second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2. This initial position positioning operation moves the sensor mark M0 to a position in an unused area of ​​the indirect transfer film 10 that is not affected by residual heat generated from the heating roller 91. This unaffected position is, for example, near the exit of the supply roll 1.

[0053] Generally, the indirect transfer film 10 is wound in such a way that one turn can handle 300 to 500 sheets of recording medium 120. Therefore, 2% of it is equivalent to 6 to 10 sheets. Even if there is an error in estimation, it can be determined that a sufficient amount of indirect transfer film 10 has not been used and remains.

[0054] Moreover, such as Figure 4 As shown in (d), an image transfer is performed on the next frame P following sensor marker M0, and a new sensor marker Mx is transferred to the end of frame P. Then, as... Figure 4 As shown in (e), the indirect transfer film 10 is conveyed to the secondary transfer section 90 for secondary transfer, and transferred to the recording medium 120 using the heating roller 91. At this time, the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 can also be used to position the starting position of the secondary transfer alignment.

[0055] After the secondary transfer is completed, the control board (processor) 21 stops the indirect transfer film 10 at a position where the sensor mark Mx, which becomes the final sensor mark, is closer to the supply roll 1 than the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 and the heating roller 91. This prevents unused portions of the indirect transfer film 10 from being damaged by heat generated from the heating roller 91. Furthermore, the sensor mark Mx serves as the final sensor mark during the transfer of the next image.

[0056] Therefore, if the use of the indirect transfer printer 20 is terminated in this state, and if the indirect transfer film 10 is not replaced until the printer is used again, this position becomes the standard waiting position for the indirect transfer film 10, etc., at the start of the next initialization operation. Therefore, if the indirect transfer film 10 is also fed in the forward direction for two frames when the printer is used again, the control board (processor) 21 can detect the sensor mark Mx and determine that the indirect transfer film 10 has not been replaced.

[0057] As described above, regarding the indirect transfer printer 20 of the present invention, as the indirect transfer film 10, it is not necessary to pre-print sensor marks for each image during manufacturing, thus eliminating the need for a manufacturing process of printing sensor marks, and is also more advantageous in terms of cost.

[0058] Furthermore, regarding the handling of cases where the indirect transfer film 10 was replaced after the last printer operation, the configuration of the indirect transfer film 10 differs from the standard configuration described above, and therefore different handling can be implemented. For example, it is possible to consider feeding the indirect transfer film 10 in the reverse direction and winding it back, detecting the start mark or the sensor mark that has been wound up, etc., but there are no particular limitations.

[0059] On the other hand, if the control board (processor) 21 determines that the estimated amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 is less than 2% of the initial reserve warning threshold for the amount of indirect transfer film 10, it is possible that insufficient amount of indirect transfer film 10 remains, taking into account the possibility of estimation error. Therefore, as described below, the control board (processor) 21 pulls out the actual remaining amount of indirect transfer film 10 to the amount required for recording and confirms the reserve.

[0060] Figure 4 (a) and (b) represent the state upon entering the initialization operation, similar to the aforementioned cases. As previously described, the control board (processor) 21 controls the process in such a way that, based on the ratio of the rotational speed of the supply roll 1 to the rotational angle of the take-up roll 4, it estimates the amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 remaining on the supply roll 1. If it is determined that the estimated amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 is less than 2% of the initial amount, the control board (processor) 21 controls the process in such a way that, if... Figure 4 As shown in (c), the indirect transfer film 10 is further pulled out in the amount of 3 frames to confirm whether there is any residual indirect transfer film 10 of the actual amount used. Three frames are set because the front and back surfaces of the recording medium 120 are taken into account, and one frame is used as a margin.

[0061] The control board (processor) 21 controls the system in the following manner: if it detects that there are 3 remaining frames, then... Figure 4 As shown in (d), the starting position for one transfer is positioned by conveying the material in the reverse direction until sensor mark M0 reaches the second sensor (for one transfer alignment) SN2. Furthermore, as... Figure 4 As shown in (e), an image transfer is performed on the next frame P following the sensor mark M0, and a new sensor mark Mx is transferred to the end of that frame P. Subsequent operations are the same as described above and are therefore omitted. Regarding the initial position positioning, the sensor mark M0 is moved to a position in the unused area of ​​the indirect transfer film 10 that is not affected by the residual heat generated by the heating roller 91. This position, unaffected by the residual heat generated by the heating roller 91, is, for example, near the exit of the supply roll 1.

[0062] When the allowance of the indirect transfer film 10 is reduced to less than 2%, it is not easy to produce winding deviation or winding wrinkles. On this basis, even if it is assumed that winding deviation or winding wrinkles occur, their impact is limited. Therefore, even if the film is pulled out as described above, the actual impact is small.

[0063] As explained above, when the remaining amount of the indirect transfer film 10 at the initialization moment is greater than or equal to 2%, the pulling out and winding back of the indirect transfer film 10 used to confirm the remaining amount can be omitted. Therefore, the winding deviation and winding wrinkles that are prone to occur during transport by the heating roller 91 of the secondary transfer section 90 and the pressure roller 52 of the primary transfer section 50 can be suppressed. At the same time, the time required for pulling out and winding back the indirect transfer film 10 can also be saved. In addition, when the remaining amount is less than 2%, the required amount of indirect transfer film 10 is wound out and confirmed, so the situation where the indirect transfer film 10 becomes insufficient midway through recording will not occur.

[0064] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the initialization process of the indirect transfer printer of the present invention.

[0065] First, steps S0 to S7, which are the main initialization actions, will be explained.

[0066] Regarding the main initialization action, if the power supply of the indirect transfer printer 20 is turned on, the initialization action begins (S0), and the indirect transfer film 10 is delivered in a quantity of 2 frames (S1).

[0067] Correspondingly, if the sensor mark M is detected by the first sensor (for secondary transfer alignment) SN1 (S2: Yes), proceed to step S3; if it is not detected (S2: No), proceed to step S13.

[0068] In step S3, the control board (processor) 21 determines that the indirect transfer film 10 was not replaced before the power was turned on (S3). Then, the control board (processor) 21 estimates the amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 remaining on the supply roll 1 based on the ratio of the rotation angle of the supply roll 1 to the rotation angle of the take-up roll 4 (S4).

[0069] As a result of this prediction, if the amount of unused indirect transfer film 10 is greater than or equal to 2% of the remaining amount warning threshold (S4: Yes), proceed to step S5; if it is less than 2% of the remaining amount warning threshold (S4: No), proceed to step S8.

[0070] In step S5, the control board (processor) 21 controls the indirect transfer film 10 to be transported to the first transfer start position (S5). Then, if the second sensor (for first transfer alignment) SN2 detects the last sensor mark M of the indirect transfer film 10 (S6: Yes), the control board (processor) 21 controls the alignment for the first transfer start position and begins the transfer based on the first transfer section 50 (S7).

[0071] Next, steps S8 to S10, which are actions taken when the membrane balance is determined to be less than 2%, will be explained.

[0072] In step S8, the control board (processor) 21 controls the indirect transfer film 10 to be pulled out in three frames (S8). Correspondingly, if the end mark is detected by the second sensor (for single transfer alignment) SN2 (S9: Yes), the control board (processor) 21 determines that the indirect transfer film 10 has been completely used and ends the operation (S10).

[0073] On the other hand, if no end mark is detected in step S9 (S9: No), proceed to step S5.

[0074] Next, steps S11 to S12 will be described for handling the operation when the second sensor (SN2, used for one-time transfer alignment) produces an error.

[0075] In step S11, the control board (processor) 21 determines that the second sensor (used for one transfer alignment) SN2 has generated an error (S11), and the operation ends (S12).

[0076] Finally, steps S13 to S16 will be explained as actions performed when the indirect transfer film 10 is replaced before the power is turned on.

[0077] In step S13, the control board (processor) 21 determines that the indirect transfer film 10 was replaced before the power was turned on (S13). Then, the control board (processor) 21 controls the indirect transfer film 10 to be wound back. If the second sensor (for single transfer alignment) SN2 detects a start mark or sensor mark indicating the start of the usable area of ​​the indirect transfer film 10 (S14: Yes), then proceed to step S5.

[0078] On the other hand, if the second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2 fails to detect the start mark or sensor mark (S14: No) indicating the start of the usable area of ​​the indirect transfer film 10 in step S14, the control board (processor) 21 determines that the second sensor (for primary transfer alignment) SN2 has an error (S15) and ends the operation (S16).

[0079] As explained above, according to the present invention, even if the indirect transfer film 10, for use in a single transfer, is not equipped with sensor marks during the manufacturing stage, the presence or absence of sensor marks M can be confirmed during the initialization operation performed before printing begins when the power is turned on in the indirect transfer printer 20, even if the amount of indirect transfer film 10 pulled out is small. Furthermore, if sensor mark M is detected, it is determined that the indirect transfer film 10 was not replaced before the power was turned on, and if the unused amount is greater than or equal to the remaining amount warning threshold (e.g., 2%), the delivery of the indirect transfer film 10 for detecting the end mark, which is the last sensor mark, can be omitted, thus reducing the risk of defects caused by film winding deviation. On the other hand, if the unused amount of indirect transfer film 10 is less than the remaining amount warning threshold (e.g., 2%), it can be confirmed whether it exceeds the amount required for recording on the subsequent recording medium 120.

[0080] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made during the implementation phase without departing from its spirit. Additionally, the various embodiments can be combined appropriately to achieve combined effects. Moreover, the invention encompasses various stages within the above embodiments, and various inventions can be derived through appropriate combinations of the disclosed technical features.

[0081] Explanation of the label

[0082] 1…supply of reels,

[0083] 4… Winding up the reel,

[0084] 10…Indirect transfer film,

[0085] 11… Thermal transfer media,

[0086] 20…Indirect transfer printer,

[0087] 21…Control board (processor)

[0088] 30… out of the roller,

[0089] 40… take-up roller,

[0090] 50… One-time transfer section,

[0091] 51…thermal head,

[0092] 52…pressure roller,

[0093] 60… intermediate transfer media,

[0094] 70… out of the roller,

[0095] 80… take-up roller,

[0096] 90…Secondary Transfer Section

[0097] 91… Heating roller,

[0098] 92…pressure roller,

[0099] 100…indirect transfer film,

[0100] 120…recording media,

[0101] 200…membrane,

[0102] 201…perforated section,

[0103] 202…sprocket,

[0104] SN1…First sensor (used for secondary transfer alignment)

[0105] SN2…Second sensor (used for primary transfer alignment)

[0106] sn1…First sensor (used for secondary transfer alignment)

[0107] sn2…Second sensor (used for primary transfer alignment)

[0108] c(c0, c1, c2, c3, c4)... markers

[0109] H… heater,

[0110] M(M0, M1, M2, M3, M4)... Sensor markings,

[0111] m(m0, m1, m2, m3, m4, m5, m6, m7, m8, m9)... Sensor markings

Claims

1. An indirect transfer printer, characterized in that, The indirect transfer printer has: The primary transfer section transfers the image from the ink ribbon to the indirect transfer film in one step. A secondary transfer unit that transfers the image from the indirect transfer film to the recording medium a second time; Sensor for single-transfer alignment; and processor, The initialization process of the indirect transfer printer consists of the following steps in sequence: During the process of taking the roll from the supply roll and transporting the indirect transfer film, the sensor mark that was transferred along with the image during the previous transfer is detected by the primary transfer alignment sensor. The processor determines that the indirect transfer film was not replaced before the initialization action by detecting the sensor mark of the transfer. If it is determined that the indirect transfer film has not been replaced, the processor estimates the remaining amount of the indirect transfer film based on the ratio of the rotation angles of the supply roll and the take-up roll measured by the rotary encoder from the beginning to the end of the delivery. If it is estimated that the unused amount is greater than or equal to the remaining amount warning threshold, the positioning of the first transfer is performed based on the last sensor mark in the sensor marks; If it is estimated that the unused amount is less than the remaining amount warning threshold, the indirect transfer film is delivered with the total of the amount of printed image relative to the last sensor mark as the leading part and the rotation error margin of 1 turn. as well as During the conveying process, if the end mark representing the very end of the usable area of ​​the indirect transfer film is not detected by the primary transfer alignment sensor, the processor determines that the unused amount is greater than the amount required for recording on the subsequent recording medium.

2. The indirect transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the processor, during the process of conveying the indirect transfer film from the supply roll to the take-up roll in a specified amount of image, does not detect a sensor mark that was transferred along with the image in a previous transfer, it determines that the indirect transfer film was replaced before the power was turned on.

3. The indirect transfer printer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The indirect transfer printer also has a first sensor that detects the sensor marks transferred along with the image during the previous single transfer. The first transfer alignment uses a sensor to detect the final sensor mark.

4. The indirect transfer printer according to claim 2, characterized in that, The specified number of frames is 3.

5. A transport method for transporting the indirect transfer film during an initialization operation performed when the power of an indirect transfer printer is turned on, wherein the image is transferred once from an ink ribbon to an indirect transfer film and then transferred a second time from the indirect transfer film to a recording medium; characterized in that... The conveying method comprises the following steps: During the process of winding the indirect transfer film from the supply roll axis to deliver the specified image amount, if a sensor mark that was transferred along with the image in a previous transfer is detected, it is determined that the indirect transfer film was not replaced before the power was turned on. If it is determined that the indirect transfer film has not been replaced, the amount of unused indirect transfer film is estimated based on the ratio of the rotation angle of the supply roll to the rotation angle of the take-up roll during the conveying process. If it is estimated that the unused amount is greater than or equal to 2% of the remaining warning threshold, the location of the first transfer is performed based on the last sensor mark in the sensor marks; as well as If it is estimated that the unused amount is less than 2% of the margin warning threshold, and if no end mark representing the very end of the usable area of ​​the indirect transfer film is detected during the delivery of the indirect transfer film in the amount of three frames leading up to the last sensor mark, it is determined that the unused amount is more than the amount required for recording on the subsequent recording medium.

Images