Consumable-saving thermal transfer printing system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a consumable-saving thermal transfer printing system and method. The consumable-saving thermal transfer printing system comprises a transmission module, a printing module and a state switching module. The transmission module is used for transmitting a to-be-printed medium to the printing area from the input end and transmitting the to-be-printed medium to the output end from the printing area; the printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used for printing on the to-be-printed medium; the state switching module is used for switching the working state of a color tape of the printing module; when the printing module works normally, the color tape of the printing module and a medium to be printed are controlled to move synchronously; and when the printing module does not work, controlling the stroke of the colored tape of the printing module to be smaller than the stroke of the to-be-printed medium. Excessive movement of the colored tape in a non-working state is avoided, and consumption of the colored tape is reduced. Therefore, the waste of consumables is reduced, the service life of the colored tape is prolonged, and the cost of frequently replacing the colored tape is reduced, so that the economic benefit of the system is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of printers, and in particular to a thermal transfer printing system and method for saving consumables. Background Art

[0002] Thermal transfer overprinter (TTO) is a printer that uses thermal transfer technology. It uses a dedicated thermal transfer ribbon and works similarly to the print head of a fax machine. The coating on the thermal transfer ribbon is heated and transferred to paper or other types of materials, thereby printing a pattern with higher definition.

[0003] In the related art, a thermal transfer printer is usually provided with multiple printing areas, and the printing modules arranged in different printing areas are used to realize the separate or simultaneous printing of multiple patterns in the feeding direction of the medium to be printed. In response to the demand for miniaturization of thermal transfer printers, the requirements for the integration and integration of the transmission structure of the ribbon inside the thermal transfer printer and the medium to be printed are becoming increasingly higher. In existing thermal transfer printers, the feed drive for the medium to be printed and the rotation of the ribbon in the printing module are often synchronously driven through the same set of gear transmission systems to ensure working synchronization and integration.

[0004] However, in traditional thermal transfer printing systems, the ribbon is a disposable consumable and its unidirectional linear feeding mechanism results in an effective utilization rate of less than 30%, especially in intermittent printing or local pattern scenarios, resulting in a large amount of waste of unused areas. Summary of the invention

[0005] The invention provides a consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system and method to solve the technical problem of consumables waste in the prior art.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a thermal transfer printing system that saves consumables, including a transmission module, a printing module, and a state switching module; The transmission module is used to transmit the medium to be printed from the input end to the printing area, and from the printing area to the output end; The printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used for printing on the medium to be printed; The state switching module is used to switch the ribbon working state of the printing module: When the printing module is operating normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the medium to be printed; When the printing module is not working, the stroke of the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to be smaller than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0007] Preferably, there are multiple printing modules, and the state switching module controls the ribbon working states of multiple printing modules simultaneously.

[0008] Preferably, a ribbon control mechanism is provided in the printing module, and the ribbon control mechanism is used to control the unidirectional rotation of the ribbon.

[0009] Preferably, the state switching module further comprises a separation mechanism; when the printing module is not working, the separation mechanism is used to separate the ribbon of the printing module from the medium to be printed.

[0010] Preferably, when a printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position or the input end of the printing area to wait for the next printing task.

[0011] Preferably, there are two printing modules, namely a first printing module and a second printing module; The transmission module is provided with two printing areas in sequence, and the first printing module and the second printing module are respectively provided on the two printing areas; The state switching module controls the first printing module and the second printing module to switch between the full printing state, the first printing state, the second printing state, and the non-printing state. The full printing state is: the first printing module and the second printing module work normally; The first printing state is: the first printing module works normally, and the second printing module does not work; The second printing state is: the first printing module is not working, and the second printing module is working normally; The non-printing state is that both the first printing module and the second printing module are not working.

[0012] Preferably, the transmission module drives the ribbons of the first printing module and the second printing module to rotate respectively through the ribbon transmission mechanism; The state switching module controls the connection state between the first printing module and the second printing module and the ribbon transmission mechanism in the full printing state, the first printing state, the second printing state, and the non-printing state: In the full printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are both connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism; In the first printing state, the first printing module is connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism; In the second printing state, the first printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism; In the non-printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0013] Preferably, when a printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position or input end of any printing area to wait for the next printing task.

[0014] Preferably, there are three printing modules, namely a first printing module, a second printing module and a third printing module; The transmission module is provided with three printing areas in sequence, and the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module are respectively provided on the three printing areas; The state switching module controls the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module to switch between the working state and the non-working state respectively; When in working state, the ribbon of the corresponding printing module moves synchronously with the medium to be printed; when in non-working state, the stroke of the ribbon of the corresponding printing module is smaller than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0015] Preferably, the transmission module drives the ribbons of the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module to rotate respectively through the ribbon transmission mechanism; The state switching module controls the connection state of the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module with the ribbon transmission mechanism in the working state and the non-printing state respectively: When in working state, the corresponding printing module is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism; When in a non-working state, the corresponding printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0016] Preferably, when a printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position or input end of any printing area to wait for the next printing task.

[0017] The present invention also provides a thermal transfer printing method for saving consumables, comprising the following steps: allowing the medium to be printed to enter the printing area of ​​the printing module, and dynamically adjusting the rotation speed of the ribbon in the printing module during the printing process: when the printing module is in a non-printing state, making the travel speed of the ribbon less than the travel speed of the medium to be printed.

[0018] Preferably, when the printing module is in a non-printing state, the print head of the printing module is separated from the medium to be printed.

[0019] Preferably, after the printing task is completed, the medium to be printed is transferred from the output end of the printing system to the starting position of the printing area of ​​the printing module or the input end of the printing system to wait for the next printing task.

[0020] Preferably, a plurality of printing modules are arranged on the printing path of the medium to be printed, so that the medium to be printed enters the printing area of ​​the printing module in sequence, and the rotation speed of the ribbon in each printing module is dynamically adjusted during the printing process: when any one of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the travel speed of the ribbon corresponding to the printing module is made smaller than the travel speed of the medium to be printed.

[0021] Preferably, when any one of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the print head of the printing module is separated from the medium to be printed.

[0022] Preferably, after the printing task is completed, the medium to be printed is transferred from the output end of the printing system to the starting position of the printing area of ​​any printing module or the input end of the printing system to wait for the next printing task.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the present invention include at least: In traditional thermal transfer printing systems, the travel of the ribbon is synchronized with the travel of the medium to be printed, which means that after the printing task is completed, the ribbon will continue to move at the same speed as the medium, causing unnecessary waste of ribbon. However, this system realizes dynamic adjustment of the ribbon travel by introducing a state switching module. Specifically, when the printing module is not working, the system will make the travel speed of the ribbon lower than the travel speed of the medium to be printed, thereby avoiding excessive movement of the ribbon in the non-working state and reducing the consumption of the ribbon. Not only does it reduce the waste of consumables, but it also extends the service life of the ribbon and reduces the cost of frequent ribbon replacement, thereby improving the economic benefits of the system.

[0024] By introducing a status switching module to control the working status of the printing module, the system can dynamically adjust the status of the ribbon according to the actual printing task, avoiding equipment failures caused by excessive use or long-term idling. By identifying the needs of the printing task, the working status of each module is automatically adjusted to ensure that each printing task can proceed smoothly, avoiding printing interruptions caused by equipment abnormalities, and improving the overall reliability of the system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the system structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the state switching module in Example 2; Figure 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the lifting mechanism in Example 7; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the linear slide rail in Example 8; Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of Example 11 using the lifting mechanism in Example 7 for separation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following is a clear and complete description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] An implementation of a printing device is described below. This embodiment provides a thermal transfer printing system that saves consumables, including a transmission module, a printing module, and a state switching module.

[0029] The transmission module is used to transmit the medium to be printed from the input end to the printing area, and from the printing area to the output end; The printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used for printing on the medium to be printed; The status switching module is used to switch the ribbon working status of the printing module: When the printing module is operating normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the medium to be printed; When the printing module is not working, the stroke of the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to be smaller than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0030] Illustratively, in an embodiment of the present invention, a printing area is provided along the feeding direction of the thermal transfer printing system, and the printing medium enters the printing area along the feeding direction and is printed by the printing module.

[0031] The transmission module is used to transmit the medium to be printed from the input end of the thermal transfer printing system to the printing area, and then transmit the medium from the printing area to the output end of the thermal transfer printing system after the corresponding printing work is completed in the printing area.

[0032] The printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used to print on the medium to be printed. The printing module includes a print head and a ribbon arranged around the print head. The medium to be printed enters the printing system along the feeding direction and passes under the ribbon. When printing starts, the print head presses the ribbon and the medium to be printed, and then according to the image data to be printed, a specific heating element is activated to generate heat. The heat melts the pigment on the ribbon and transfers it to the medium.

[0033] In traditional thermal transfer printing systems, the ribbon moves synchronously with the media to be printed, such as label paper and synthetic materials. Driven by the control system, the print head activates the heating element row by row or column by column according to the preset printing data, melts the heat-sensitive pigment on the ribbon and transfers it to the surface of the media, and finally forms a complete image or text. As a result, the ribbon continues to be consumed even in areas that do not need to be printed, such as label gaps or blank parts of the image, resulting in significant waste.

[0034] Based on the above problems, the thermal transfer printing system of this embodiment further adds a state switching module for switching the ribbon working state of the printing module.

[0035] The core function of the state switching module is to adjust the relative movement relationship between the ribbon of the printing module and the medium to be printed to optimize the utilization of the ribbon: in normal printing conditions, such as labels and graphic areas, the module controls the synchronous movement of the ribbon and the printing medium through the drive system to ensure that the ribbon pigment is accurately transferred to the surface of the printing medium when the print head is heated; when no printing is required, such as label gaps, blank intervals or non-printing parts of the image, the state switching module controls the ribbon stroke to be less than the medium movement distance. For example, when the medium moves 10mm, the ribbon only moves 3mm, thereby reducing the ribbon consumption in the non-working section. It is especially suitable for industrial printing systems with high-frequency gap scenarios such as logistics labels and batch tickets.

[0036] Example 2

[0037] This embodiment provides an implementation of a state switching module, such as Figure 2 shown.

[0038] In this embodiment, the transmission module driving motor and the printing module driving motor are used to drive the rotation of the ribbon in the transmission module and the printing module respectively; first, the preprocessing technology is used to scan the entire print data before the printing task is executed, and the blank areas or other scenes that do not need to be printed are identified to generate control instructions. For example, when it is detected that there are no valid pixels in the 120-150mm interval of the Y-axis coordinate of the medium, the instruction will mark the interval as a non-working state.

[0039] During normal printing, the two drive motors maintain synchronization; when not in operation, the speed of the drive motor of the ribbon is lower than the speed of the transmission module, so that the stroke of the ribbon is lower than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0040] Example 3

[0041] This embodiment adopts another implementation method of the state switching module, and realizes the function of the state switching module by setting a ribbon transmission mechanism between the ribbon transmission shaft of the printing module and the transmission module.

[0042] In normal working mode, the printing system provides power to the transmission module through a single drive motor, and the transmission module transmits the power to the ribbon transmission mechanism, which finally transmits the power to the ribbon transmission shaft, thereby maintaining the synchronization between the printing medium and the ribbon.

[0043] In the non-working mode, the ribbon transmission mechanism is disengaged from the ribbon transmission shaft or the transmission module, so that the ribbon transmission shaft loses the power source, thereby reducing the stroke of the ribbon and achieving the purpose of saving the ribbon.

[0044] Exemplarily, an embodiment of a ribbon transmission mechanism is described below, in which the ribbon transmission mechanism is a transmission gear set, wherein the power input end of the transmission gear set is meshed with the active driving gear of the transmission module, and the power output end of the transmission gear set is meshed with the ribbon driving gear on the ribbon transmission shaft; when the drive motor is running, the active driving gear of the transmission module rotates, and then the power is transmitted to the transmission gear set, thereby driving the ribbon transmission shaft to rotate. It should be noted that the transmission ratio of the active driving gear and the ribbon driving gear is ensured here that the ribbon rewinding linear speed when the diameter of the ribbon recovery end is the smallest is greater than or equal to the printing speed.

[0045] In order to achieve the separation of the ribbon transmission mechanism from the ribbon transmission shaft or transmission module, any key node in the transmission path can be cut off, such as installing an electromagnetic clutch on the active drive gear side; a rotatable connecting rod is set between the transmission gear sets, and the transmission gear sets are changed in position by the rotation of the connecting rod, thereby separating from the active drive gear or the ribbon drive gear to interrupt power transmission; a start-up separation device is designed at the ribbon drive gear to terminate power output. The specific implementation method will not be described in detail here.

[0046] By using a single driving source to drive the system in this embodiment and optimizing the mechanical transmission chain to replace the multi-motor solution, the number of motors used can be reduced, thereby saving the internal space occupied by the printing system.

[0047] Example 4

[0048] Based on Example 1, this embodiment is provided with multiple printing areas along the feeding direction of the thermal transfer printing system, and each printing area is provided with a matching printing module, and multi-functional integration and multi-color collaborative printing are realized through modular design. Each printing module supports differentiated configurations - for example, the first printing module uses a black resin-based ribbon to print text, the second printing module is equipped with a red wax-based ribbon to generate a barcode, and the third printing module uses a special ribbon such as fluorescent ink or conductive silver paste to add anti-counterfeiting logos or circuit patterns. To achieve multi-color overlay or function expansion.

[0049] Example 5

[0050] Based on Example 1, this embodiment is further provided with a ribbon control mechanism for controlling the unidirectional movement of the ribbon. By limiting the rotation direction of the ribbon drive shaft, the ribbon can only rotate in a single direction or the ribbon drive shaft remains prohibited when rotating in the reverse direction, so that the ribbon can only move along the feeding direction, fundamentally avoiding the problems of printing misalignment, ghosting and material waste caused by accidental rewinding or reverse sliding of the ribbon.

[0051] This can be achieved by installing a ratchet mechanism, a one-way bearing, an inclined wedge mechanism and other structures between the ribbon drive shaft and its power source, and this embodiment will not be described in detail here.

[0052] For example, a precision-machined ratchet structure is integrated on the ribbon drive shaft. When the drive shaft attempts to rotate in the opposite direction, the ratchet pawl will embed into the ratchet tooth groove to form a physical lock. A one-way bearing is integrated on the ribbon drive shaft. During forward rotation, the one-way bearing rotates freely, and during reverse rotation, the one-way bearing is locked.

[0053] Example 6

[0054] This embodiment further provides a separation mechanism based on the state switching module in embodiment 1. When the state switching module switches state, the separation mechanism is used to separate the medium to be printed and the printing module, thereby avoiding wear of the print head of the printing module in the non-working state.

[0055] Example 7

[0056] This embodiment is a specific implementation of the separation mechanism in Embodiment 6. Figure 3 As shown, the lifting mechanism is designed to achieve efficient separation of the printing module to reduce wear and increase service life.

[0057] In this solution, precise control of the printing module is achieved by providing a bracket ear plate on the printing module and integrating a lifting mechanism inside the printing system. When the printing module is in a non-working state, the system starts the lifting mechanism so that it first contacts the bracket ear plate of the printing module. Subsequently, the lifting mechanism continues to move and transmits the lifting power to the entire printing module through the bracket ear plate, eventually driving it to rise as a whole. As the printing module is lifted, the print head gradually moves away from the medium to be printed, thereby effectively avoiding friction between the print head and the surface of the medium. At the same time, due to the rise of the print head, the downward pressure originally applied to the ribbon disappears, causing the ribbon to also move away from the medium to be printed synchronously, thereby achieving the overall separation of the printing module.

[0058] The lifting mechanism of this embodiment not only ensures that the print head will not have unnecessary contact with the medium to be printed when not in operation, thereby significantly reducing the wear of the print head and increasing the service life of the equipment; in addition, it also effectively prevents the risk of the ribbon breaking due to long-term friction, thereby improving the stability and reliability of the printing system.

[0059] Example 8

[0060] This embodiment is another specific implementation of the separation mechanism in Embodiment 6, which uses a linear slide rail structure to achieve precise separation of the printing module to reduce the wear of the print head and improve the stability of the equipment.

[0061] In this embodiment, the printing module is mounted on a linear slide rail and is slidable along the slide rail by a driving mechanism, such as a stepper motor, a cylinder or a manual adjustment mechanism. When the printing module is in a working state, the driving mechanism causes it to slide downward so that the print head maintains proper contact with the medium to be printed to ensure normal printing operation; when the printing module enters a non-working state, the driving mechanism moves in the opposite direction so that the printing module moves away from the medium to be printed along the slide rail, thereby moving the print head away from the medium to be printed to achieve physical separation. At the same time, due to the backward movement of the print head, the ribbon also loses pressure and moves away from the medium, further reducing friction and loss.

[0062] For example, the linear guide rail can also be used as follows Figure 4 The form shown is used as a separation mechanism, and a number of protrusions with a lifting function, namely the lifting ends, are preset on the linear slide rail body, and the lateral displacement of the slide rail is controlled by the driving mechanism to achieve the switching of the working mode. When the printing module is in the working state, the driving mechanism pushes the slide rail to move to the non-contact position between the lifting end and the bracket ear frame plate. At this time, the printing module and the medium to be printed maintain normal contact pressure to ensure the printing quality; when it is necessary to switch to the non-working state, the driving mechanism adjusts the displacement of the slide rail so that the lifting end abuts against the bracket ear frame plate and lifts the printing module, thereby physically separating the print head from the medium.

[0063] Example 9

[0064] In the printing system of this embodiment, when receiving the next printing task, the transmission module can accurately drive the medium to be printed that is still at the output end after the previous printing task to be retracted and adjusted under the command control of the host computer or the control device. The retraction operation ensures that the medium can return to the first printing position required for the new task, that is, the starting position of the printing area or the input end of the first printing area, to prepare for the subsequent printing task.

[0065] After the retraction is completed, the transmission module continues to perform forward feeding, pushing the medium to be printed to the appropriate printing position according to the predetermined printing process, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of the printing task. This two-way controlled transmission mechanism not only optimizes the utilization rate of the printing medium, effectively reduces the waste of consumables caused by insufficient use of materials, but also improves the working efficiency of the printing system.

[0066] Example 10

[0067] This embodiment describes the case where there are two printing modules based on Embodiment 4. In this embodiment, the two printing modules are respectively called the first printing module and the second printing module, and the state switching module realizes intelligent control of multiple printing states to meet different printing requirements.

[0068] On the transmission module, two printing areas are sequentially arranged along the feeding direction, wherein: the first printing module is arranged in the first printing area, and the second printing module is arranged in the second printing area. Driven by the transmission module, the medium to be printed sequentially passes through the two printing areas along the feeding direction, and completes the corresponding printing task under different printing states.

[0069] The state switching module can flexibly control the first printing module and the second printing module to switch between the following four states to meet different printing requirements: 1) Full printing state: The first printing module and the second printing module work simultaneously, which can be used for efficient dual-zone printing.

[0070] 2) First printing state: only the first printing module is working, while the second printing module is in a non-working state.

[0071] 3) Second printing state: Only the second printing module works, while the first printing module enters a non-working state.

[0072] 4) Non-printing state: Both the first printing module and the second printing module are not working.

[0073] Through the flexible switching of these four printing states, the system can adapt to the needs of different printing tasks. Different printing states can be selected according to different printing contents to optimize the utilization of printing resources.

[0074] The design of this embodiment not only improves the adaptability of the printing device, but also brings significant advantages in saving consumables, reducing equipment wear, and improving production efficiency.

[0075] Embodiment 11

[0076] This embodiment is based on the ribbon transmission mechanism of embodiment 3, and describes the ribbon transmission control and state switching of the dual printing module of embodiment 10. This solution realizes flexible control of the ribbon transmission mechanism by sharing the transmission system, ensures the precise operation of the ribbon under different printing states, and improves the adaptability and energy efficiency of the equipment.

[0077] Independent ribbon transmission mechanisms are provided on the first printing module and the second printing module, respectively, and the mechanisms use transmission gear sets to achieve power transmission. The entire transmission system is powered by the transmission module, wherein: the power input ends of the transmission gear sets of the first printing module and the second printing module are both transmission-connected to the transmission module; when the drive motor is running, the active drive gear in the transmission module starts to rotate, and sequentially transmits power to the transmission gear sets of the first printing module and the second printing module, thereby driving the respective ribbon transmission shafts to operate, and achieving synchronous transmission of the ribbon.

[0078] In order to adapt to different printing requirements, the transmission path of the ribbon transmission mechanism can be adjusted by controlling the connection and disconnection of key transmission nodes to achieve the switching of the following four printing states. The connection and disconnection of key transmission nodes have been explained in Example 3, so they will not be elaborated on.

[0079] 1) In the full printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are both connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism; 2) In the first printing state, the first printing module is connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism; 3) In the second printing state, the first printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism; 4) In the non-printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0080] Through the solution of this embodiment, flexible switching of multiple printing states can be achieved under the drive of a single power source, which has the following advantages: the corresponding ribbon transmission mechanism is driven only when it is needed to avoid unnecessary energy consumption; the transmission path is automatically disconnected in the non-working state to reduce the friction between the ribbon and the print head, extend the life of the equipment, and reduce consumables consumption; it can meet different application requirements such as dual-zone parallel printing, partitioned independent printing and intelligent scheduling printing, and improve the versatility of the system; compared with the independent drive method, shared power transmission reduces additional drive components, reduces system complexity and maintenance costs.

[0081] As one of the optional implementation schemes, Figure 5 A printing module separation device based on the lifting mechanism of Example 7 is demonstrated. The lifting mechanisms corresponding to the two printing modules are connected by transmission. The device forms an accurate correspondence with the four working states of the printing system through the stroke control of the lifting mechanism.

[0082] Example 12

[0083] In this embodiment, there are three printing modules, namely a first printing module, a second printing module and a third printing module; Correspondingly, three printing areas are sequentially arranged on the transmission module along the feeding direction, and each printing module corresponds to an independent printing area to meet more complex printing requirements.

[0084] The state switching module is used to independently control the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module, and switch between the following two states: 1) Working status: The corresponding printing module is in normal working mode, and the ribbon and the medium to be printed move synchronously to ensure the smooth progress of the printing task.

[0085] 2) Non-working state: The corresponding printing module is in standby or closed state, and the stroke of its ribbon is shorter than the stroke of the medium to be printed, thus avoiding unnecessary ribbon consumption and improving the efficiency of the printing system.

[0086] Example 13

[0087] The present embodiment provides a thermal transfer printing method for saving consumables, which is applicable to a thermal transfer printing system. The thermal transfer printing system includes a printing module that can dynamically adjust the transmission mode of the ribbon to reduce the waste of the ribbon and improve printing efficiency.

[0088] During the printing process, the medium to be printed first enters the printing area of ​​the printing module and moves forward at the set feed speed under the control of the transmission module. When the printing module is in working state, the ribbon moves synchronously with the medium to be printed, ensuring that the printed content can be accurately transferred to the surface of the medium, ensuring the stability and consistency of the printing quality.

[0089] In order to further optimize the utilization rate of the ribbon, this embodiment introduces a dynamic ribbon adjustment mechanism. When the printing module is in a non-printing state, the travel speed of the ribbon is no longer synchronized with the medium to be printed, but the travel speed of the ribbon is less than the travel speed of the medium to be printed or is zero. This control method can effectively reduce the consumption of the ribbon in the non-printing state, avoid waste caused by excessive movement of the ribbon, and reduce the operating cost of the device.

[0090] A plurality of printing modules are arranged on the printing path of the medium to be printed, and the medium to be printed will enter the printing area of ​​each printing module in turn. During the printing process, the system will dynamically adjust the rotation speed of the ribbon according to the working status of each printing module. Specifically, when any printing module is in a non-printing state, the system will make the movement speed of the ribbon of the module lower than the movement speed of the medium to be printed. The purpose of this adjustment method is to avoid excessive movement of the ribbon in the non-printing state, thereby reducing the waste of the ribbon and improving the overall efficiency and economy of the printing system. Through this dynamic adjustment, the system can achieve more accurate control of consumables while ensuring that the printing quality is not affected.

[0091] When any of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the system will separate the print head of the printing module from the medium to be printed through a control mechanism. This design can effectively avoid contact between the print head and the medium in the non-printing state, thereby reducing the wear of the print head and the waste of the ribbon. At the same time, this also helps to extend the service life of the print head and the ribbon and reduce maintenance costs. In addition, the separation of the print head can also avoid misoperation or print quality problems caused by the contact between the print head and the medium to be printed, ensuring that each printing task can be carried out under the best conditions.

[0092] This method can not only reduce the consumption of consumables while ensuring the printing quality, but also extend the service life of the ribbon and reduce the need for frequent ribbon replacement. In addition, since the movement of the ribbon is reduced, the friction between the print head and the ribbon is also reduced accordingly, thereby further reducing the wear of the print head and improving the overall reliability of the printing system.

[0093] After the printing task is completed, the medium to be printed is transferred from the output end of the printing system to the starting position of the printing area of ​​the printing module through the transmission module, or directly returned to the input end of the printing system to wait for the next printing task. This design avoids waste or jamming caused by the medium being left at the output end after the printing task is completed. Through this operation, the medium to be printed will be repositioned to the appropriate starting position, ready for the smooth progress of the next printing task.

[0094] The thermal transfer printing method of this embodiment is suitable for application scenarios with high requirements for printing quality and cost control, such as industrial label printing, package printing, and ticket printing, and is particularly suitable for production environments with long-term continuous work. By reasonably optimizing the transmission mode of the ribbon, this method can significantly improve the economy and sustainability of the printing system without affecting the printing effect.

[0095] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. Only the preferred embodiments of the present invention are expressed. The description is more specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as limiting the scope of the present invention. As long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered as within the scope of this specification.

[0096] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A thermal transfer printing system that saves consumables, characterized by: Including transmission module, printing module and state switching module; The transmission module is used to transmit the medium to be printed from the input end to the printing area, and from the printing area to the output end; The printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used for printing on the medium to be printed; The state switching module is used to switch the ribbon working state of the printing module: When the printing module is operating normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the medium to be printed; When the printing module is not working, the stroke of the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to be smaller than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

2. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple printing modules, and the state switching module controls the ribbon working states of multiple printing modules simultaneously.

3. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The printing module is provided with a ribbon control mechanism, and the ribbon control mechanism is used to control the unidirectional rotation of the ribbon.

4. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The state switching module further comprises a separation mechanism; when the printing module is not working, the separation mechanism is used to separate the ribbon of the printing module from the medium to be printed.

5. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: When a printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position or the input end of the printing area, waiting for the next printing task.

6. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: There are two printing modules, namely a first printing module and a second printing module; The transmission module is provided with two printing areas in sequence, and the first printing module and the second printing module are respectively provided on the two printing areas; The state switching module controls the first printing module and the second printing module to switch between the full printing state, the first printing state, the second printing state, and the non-printing state. The full printing state is: the first printing module and the second printing module work normally; The first printing state is: the first printing module works normally, and the second printing module does not work; The second printing state is: the first printing module is not working, and the second printing module is working normally; The non-printing state is that both the first printing module and the second printing module are not working.

7. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The transmission module drives the ribbons of the first printing module and the second printing module to rotate respectively through the ribbon transmission mechanism; The state switching module controls the connection state between the first printing module and the second printing module and the ribbon transmission mechanism in the full printing state, the first printing state, the second printing state, and the non-printing state: In the full printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are both connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism; In the first printing state, the first printing module is connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism; In the second printing state, the first printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is connected to the ribbon transmission mechanism; In the non-printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism.

8. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that: When a printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position or input end of any printing area to wait for the next printing task.

9. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: There are three printing modules, namely a first printing module, a second printing module and a third printing module; The transmission module is provided with three printing areas in sequence, and the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module are respectively provided on the three printing areas; The state switching module controls the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module to switch between the working state and the non-working state respectively; The ribbon corresponding to the printing module in the working state moves synchronously with the medium to be printed; In a non-working state, the stroke of the ribbon corresponding to the printing module is shorter than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

10. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that: The transmission module drives the ribbons of the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module to rotate respectively through the ribbon transmission mechanism; The state switching module controls the connection state of the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module with the ribbon transmission mechanism in the working state and the non-printing state respectively: When in working state, the corresponding printing module is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism; When in a non-working state, the corresponding printing module is disconnected from the ribbon transmission mechanism.

11. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that: When a printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position or input end of any printing area to wait for the next printing task.

12. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing method, applicable to a thermal transfer printing system, the thermal transfer printing system comprising a printing module, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The medium to be printed is allowed to enter the printing area of ​​the printing module, and the rotation speed of the ribbon in the printing module is dynamically adjusted during the printing process: when the printing module is in a non-printing state, the traveling speed of the ribbon is made lower than the traveling speed of the medium to be printed.

13. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 12, characterized in that: When the printing module is in a non-printing state, the print head of the printing module is separated from the medium to be printed.

14. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 13, characterized in that: After the printing task is completed, the medium to be printed is transported from the output end of the printing system to the starting position of the printing area of ​​the printing module or the input end of the printing system to wait for the next printing task.

15. A thermal transfer printing method for saving consumables, applicable to a thermal transfer printing system, characterized in that: A plurality of printing modules are arranged on the printing path of the medium to be printed, so that the medium to be printed enters the printing area of ​​the printing module in sequence, and the rotation speed of the ribbon in each printing module is dynamically adjusted during the printing process: when any one of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the traveling speed of the ribbon corresponding to the printing module is made smaller than the traveling speed of the medium to be printed.

16. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 15, characterized in that: When any one of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the print head of the printing module is separated from the medium to be printed.

17. A consumables-saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 16, characterized in that: After the printing task is completed, the medium to be printed is transported from the output end of the printing system to the starting position of the printing area of ​​any printing module or the input end of the printing system to wait for the next printing task.

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