A heat transfer printing system and method that conserves consumables

Abstract

The application provides a heat transfer printing system and method for saving consumables, comprising a transmission module, a printing module and a state switching module; the transmission module is used for transmitting a to-be-printed medium from an input end to a printing area and from the printing area to an output end; the printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used for printing on the to-be-printed medium; and the state switching module is used for switching the ribbon working state of the printing module: when the printing module works normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the to-be-printed medium; and when the printing module does not work, the stroke of the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to be smaller than the stroke of the to-be-printed medium. The excessive movement of the ribbon in the non-working state is avoided, and the consumption of the ribbon is reduced. Not only the waste of consumables is reduced, but also the service life of the ribbon is prolonged, the cost of frequent replacement of the ribbon is reduced, and thus the economic benefit of the system is improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

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

[0002] A thermal transfer overprinter (TTO) is a printer using thermal transfer technology, which uses a special thermal transfer ribbon to transfer the coating on the thermal transfer ribbon to paper or other materials through heating, thereby printing a high-definition pattern.

[0003] In related technologies, a plurality of printing areas are usually provided in the thermal transfer printer, and a plurality of printing modules provided in different printing areas are used to realize separate or simultaneous printing of multiple patterns in the feeding direction of the to-be-printed medium. In response to the demand for miniaturization of the thermal transfer printer, the integration of the ribbon and the transmission structure of the to-be-printed medium inside the thermal transfer printer is also increasingly required. In the existing thermal transfer printer, the feeding drive of the to-be-printed medium and the rotation of the ribbon in the printing module are usually synchronously transmitted by the same set of gear transmission systems to ensure the synchronization and integration.

[0004] However, in the conventional thermal transfer printing system, the ribbon is a disposable consumable, and the one-way linear feeding mechanism results in an effective utilization rate of less than 30%, especially in the case of intermittent printing or local pattern, resulting in a large amount of waste of unused areas. SUMMARY

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

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present application provides a thermal transfer printing system for saving consumables, comprising a transmission module, a printing module and a state switching module.

[0007] The transmission module is used to transmit the to-be-printed medium from the input end to the printing area and from the printing area to the output end.

[0008] The printing module is provided in the printing area and is used for printing on the to-be-printed medium.

[0009] The state switching module is used to switch the ribbon working state of the printing module.

[0010] When the printing module is working normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the to-be-printed medium.

[0011] When the printing module is not working, the stroke of the ribbon of the printing module is less than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0012] Preferably, the printing module has a plurality of printing modules, and the state switching module simultaneously controls the working states of the ribbons of the plurality of printing modules.

[0013] Preferably, the printing module is provided with a ribbon control mechanism for controlling the unidirectional rotation of the ribbon.

[0014] Preferably, the state switching module further comprises a separation mechanism, and when the printing module is not working, the separation mechanism separates the ribbon of the printing module from the medium to be printed.

[0015] Preferably, the transmission module drives the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position of the printing area or the input end when the printing task is completed, and waits for the next printing task.

[0016] Preferably, the printing module has two printing modules, namely a first printing module and a second printing module.

[0017] The transmission module is sequentially provided with two printing areas, and the first printing module and the second printing module are arranged on the two printing areas, respectively.

[0018] The state switching module controls the first printing module and the second printing module to switch among a full printing state, a first printing state, a second printing state, and a non-printing state.

[0019] The full printing state is that the first printing module and the second printing module work normally.

[0020] The first printing state is that the first printing module works normally and the second printing module does not work.

[0021] The second printing state is that the first printing module does not work and the second printing module works normally.

[0022] The non-printing state is that the first printing module and the second printing module do not work.

[0023] Preferably, the transmission module drives the ribbons of the first printing module and the second printing module to rotate through a ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0024] The state switching module controls the first printing module and the second printing module to switch among the full printing state, the first printing state, the second printing state, and the non-printing state and the connection state of the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0025] In the full printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0026] In the first printing state, the first printing module is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is disconnected with the ribbon transmission mechanism;

[0027] In the second printing state, the first printing module is disconnected with the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism;

[0028] In the non-printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are disconnected with the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0029] Preferably, the transmission module drives the to-be-printed medium from the output end to the starting position of any one of the printing areas or the input end when a printing task is completed, and waits for the next printing task.

[0030] Preferably, the printing modules are three, which are the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module;

[0031] The transmission module is sequentially provided with three printing areas, and the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module are arranged on the three printing areas respectively;

[0032] 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;

[0033] The ribbon corresponding to the printing module in the working state moves synchronously with the to-be-printed medium, and the stroke of the ribbon corresponding to the printing module in the non-working state is smaller than the stroke of the to-be-printed medium.

[0034] 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;

[0035] 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-printing state and the connection state with the ribbon transmission mechanism respectively:

[0036] The printing module in the working state is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism;

[0037] The printing module in the non-working state is disconnected with the ribbon transmission mechanism.

[0038] Preferably, the transmission module drives the to-be-printed medium from the output end to the starting position of any one of the printing areas or the input end when a printing task is completed, and waits for the next printing task.

[0039] The present invention also provides a consumable-saving thermal transfer printing method, comprising the following steps: allowing the printing medium 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 traveling speed of the ribbon less than the traveling speed of the printing medium.

[0040] 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.

[0041] Preferably, after completing a printing task, the printing medium 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, waiting for the next printing task.

[0042] Preferably, multiple 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 modules in sequence. During the printing process, the rotation speed of the ribbon in each printing module is dynamically adjusted: when any printing module is in a non-printing state, the traveling speed of the ribbon of the corresponding printing module is made less than the traveling speed of the medium to be printed.

[0043] Preferably, when any 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.

[0044] Preferably, after completing a printing task, 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, waiting for the next printing task.

[0045] The beneficial effects of the present invention include at least the following:

[0046] In traditional thermal transfer printing systems, the ribbon's travel is synchronized with the travel of the printing media. This means that after a print job is completed, the ribbon continues to move at the same speed as the media, resulting in unnecessary ribbon waste. This system, however, introduces a state switching module to dynamically adjust the ribbon travel. Specifically, when the printing module is not in operation, the system sets the ribbon's travel speed to be less than the speed of the printing media, thus preventing excessive ribbon movement in non-working states and reducing ribbon consumption. This not only reduces consumable waste but also extends the ribbon's lifespan, lowers the cost of frequent ribbon replacements, and improves the system's economic efficiency.

[0047] The working state of the printing module is controlled by introducing a state switching module, so that the state of the ribbon can be dynamically adjusted according to actual printing tasks, and device failure caused by excessive use or long idle time is avoided. By identifying the requirements of the printing task, the working state of each module is automatically adjusted to ensure that each printing task can be successfully performed, printing interruption caused by device abnormalities is avoided, and the overall reliability of the system is improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0048] Figure 1 A system structure schematic diagram of the embodiment of the present application is shown in the figure.

[0049] Figure 2 A structure schematic diagram of the state switching module in embodiment 2 is shown in the figure.

[0050] Figure 3 A structure schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism in embodiment 7 is shown in the figure.

[0051] Figure 4 A structure schematic diagram of the linear slide rail in embodiment 8 is shown in the figure.

[0052] Figure 5 A structure schematic diagram of the separation using the lifting mechanism in embodiment 7 in embodiment 11 is shown in the figure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0054] Embodiment 1

[0055] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing device is described, and the present embodiment provides a heat transfer printing system for saving consumables, which comprises a transmission module, a printing module and a state switching module.

[0056] The transmission module is used for transmitting the medium to be printed from the input end to the printing area and from the printing area to the output end.

[0057] The printing module is arranged in the printing area and is used for printing on the medium to be printed.

[0058] The state switching module is used for switching the working state of the ribbon of the printing module.

[0059] When the printing module is working normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the medium to be printed.

[0060] When the printing module is not working, the stroke of the ribbon controlled by the printing module is less than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0061] Exemplarily, in the embodiment of the present application, a printing area is arranged along the feeding direction of the thermal transfer printing system, and the medium to be printed enters the printing area along the feeding direction to be printed by the printing module.

[0062] 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 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.

[0063] 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. Then, according to the image data to be printed, specific heating elements are activated to generate heat. The heat melts the pigment on the ribbon and transfers it to the medium.

[0064] In the conventional thermal transfer printing system, the ribbon and the medium to be printed, such as label paper and synthetic material, move synchronously. The print head is driven by the control system to activate the heating elements according to the preset printing data to melt the heat-sensitive pigment on the ribbon and transfer it to the surface of the medium, thereby forming 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 image blank parts, causing significant waste.

[0065] Based on the above problems, the thermal transfer printing system of the embodiment further adds a state switching module for switching the working state of the ribbon of the printing module.

[0066] The core function of the state switching module is to adjust the relative motion relationship between the ribbon of the printing module and the medium to be printed to optimize the utilization rate of the ribbon. In the normal printing state, such as the label and text area, the module controls the synchronous movement of the ribbon and the printing medium through the driving system to ensure that the pigment of the ribbon is accurately transferred to the surface of the printing medium when the print head is heated. When printing is not needed, such as label gaps, blank intervals or non-printing parts of the image, the state switching module controls the stroke of the ribbon to be less than the movement distance of the medium, for example, the ribbon only moves 3 mm when the medium moves 10 mm, thereby reducing the consumption of the ribbon in the non-working section, especially suitable for industrial printing systems in high-frequency gap scenarios such as logistics labels and batch tickets.

[0067] Embodiment 2

[0068] The embodiment provides an implementation of a state switching module, as shown in Figure 2

[0069] ​In this embodiment, the rotation of the ribbon in the transmission module and the printing module is driven by the transmission module driving motor and the printing module driving motor respectively; first, a pretreatment technology is adopted to perform full-width scanning on the printing data before the execution of the printing task, to identify the blank area or other scenes that do not need to be printed and generate control instructions, for example, when it is detected that there is no valid pixel in the interval of 120-150 mm of the Y-axis coordinate of the medium, the instruction will mark the interval as a non-working state.

[0070] In normal printing, the two driving motors maintain synchronization; in the non-working state, the rotation speed of the driving motor of the ribbon is less than the rotation speed of the transmission module, so that the stroke of the ribbon is less than the stroke of the medium to be printed.

[0071] Embodiment 3

[0072] This embodiment passes another state switching module embodiment, which 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.

[0073] In the normal working mode, the printing system provides power for the transmission module through a single driving motor, the transmission module transmits the power to the ribbon transmission mechanism, and finally the ribbon transmission mechanism transmits the power to the ribbon transmission shaft, thereby maintaining the synchronization of the printing medium and the ribbon.

[0074] In the non-working mode, the ribbon transmission mechanism is disconnected 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.

[0075] Exemplarily, one embodiment of the ribbon transmission mechanism is described below. The ribbon transmission mechanism is a transmission gear set, wherein the power input end of the transmission gear set is engaged with the driving gear of the transmission module, and the power output end of the transmission gear set is engaged with the ribbon driving gear on the ribbon transmission shaft. When the driving motor operates, the driving gear of the transmission module rotates, and then transmits power to the transmission gear set, thereby driving the ribbon transmission shaft to rotate. It should be noted that the transmission ratio of the driving gear and the ribbon driving gear is greater than or equal to the ribbon rewinding line speed when the ribbon recovery end diameter is the smallest.

[0076] In order to realize the disconnection of the ribbon transmission mechanism from the ribbon transmission shaft or the transmission module, any key node in the transmission path can be cut off, for example, an electromagnetic clutch is additionally installed on the side of the driving gear; a rotatable connecting rod is arranged between the transmission gear sets, and the transmission gear sets change positions through the rotation of the connecting rod, thereby being disconnected from the driving gear or the ribbon driving gear to interrupt the power transmission; a start separation device is designed at the ribbon driving gear to terminate the power output. The specific implementation is not described in detail here.

[0077] By the driving mode of the present embodiment driven by a single driving source, the multi-motor scheme is replaced by optimizing the mechanical transmission chain, which can save the number of motors used, thereby saving the internal space occupation of the printing system.

[0078] Embodiment 4

[0079] The present embodiment is based on embodiment 1, and a plurality of printing areas are arranged along the feeding direction of the thermal transfer printing system. Each printing area is provided with a matching printing module, and multi-functional integration and multi-color collaborative printing are achieved through modular design. Each printing module supports differentiated configuration - for example, the first printing module uses black resin color band to print text, the second printing module carries red wax color band to generate bar code, and the third printing module adds anti-fake marks or circuit patterns through special color bands such as fluorescent ink or conductive silver paste to realize multi-color superposition or function expansion.

[0080] Embodiment 5

[0081] The present embodiment is based on embodiment 1, and further provided with a color band control mechanism for controlling the one-way movement of the color band. By limiting the rotation direction of the color band transmission shaft, it can only rotate in a single direction or the color band transmission shaft remains prohibited when rotating in the opposite direction, so that the color band can only move along the feeding direction, fundamentally avoiding the problems of printing misalignment, ghosting and material waste caused by accidental back rolling or reverse sliding of the color band.

[0082] It can be achieved by installing ratchet mechanism, one-way bearing and wedge mechanism between the color band transmission shaft and its power source, which will not be described in detail in the present embodiment.

[0083] For example, a precisely machined ratchet structure is integrated on the color band transmission shaft. When the transmission shaft attempts to rotate in the opposite direction, the pawl will be embedded in the ratchet tooth groove to form a physical lock; a one-way bearing is integrated on the color band transmission shaft. When rotating in the forward direction, the one-way bearing rotates freely, and when rotating in the reverse direction, the one-way bearing is locked.

[0084] Embodiment 6

[0085] The present embodiment further provides a separation mechanism based on the state switching module in embodiment 1. When the state switching module is switched, the separation mechanism separates the printing medium to be printed and the printing module, thereby avoiding the wear of the print head of the printing module in the non-working state.

[0086] Embodiment 7

[0087] The present embodiment is a specific implementation of the separation mechanism in embodiment 6 as shown in Figure 3 , which aims to achieve efficient separation of the printing module through the lifting mechanism to reduce wear and prolong service life.

[0088] In this solution, a support bracket plate is arranged on the printing module, and a lifting mechanism is integrated inside the printing system to achieve precise control of the printing module. When the printing module is in a non-working state, the system starts the lifting mechanism, which first abuts against the support bracket plate of the printing module. Then, the lifting mechanism continues to move and transmits the lifting power to the entire printing module through the support bracket plate, finally driving the whole printing module to rise. As the printing module rises, the print head gradually moves away from the medium to be printed, effectively avoiding friction between the print head and the medium surface. 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, achieving the overall separation of the printing module.

[0089] The lifting mechanism of this embodiment not only ensures that the print head does not come into unnecessary contact with the medium to be printed in a non-working state, thereby significantly reducing the wear of the print head and improving the service life of the equipment; in addition, it also effectively prevents the risk of ribbon breakage caused by long-term friction, improving the stability and reliability of the printing system.

[0090] Embodiment 8

[0091] 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 wear of the print head and improve the stability of the equipment.

[0092] In this embodiment, the printing module is installed on a linear slide rail and slides along the slide rail through a driving mechanism such as a stepper motor, air cylinder or manual adjustment mechanism. When the printing module is in a working state, the driving mechanism makes it slide downward, so that the print head maintains appropriate 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, causing the printing module to move away from the medium to be printed along the slide rail, thereby moving the print head away from the medium to be printed and achieving 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 wear.

[0093] Exemplarily, the linear slide rail can also be used in the form as shown in Figure 4 The linear slide rail body is pre-set with several convex blocks with a lifting function, i.e. lifting ends, and the driving mechanism controls the lateral displacement of the slide rail to achieve working mode switching. When the printing module is in a working state, the driving mechanism pushes the slide rail to move to a position where the lifting end does not contact the support bracket plate, at which time the printing module maintains normal contact pressure with the medium to be printed to ensure printing quality; when switching to a non-working state, the driving mechanism adjusts the displacement of the slide rail to make the lifting end abut against the support bracket plate and lift the printing module, thereby physically separating the print head from the medium.

[0094] Embodiment 9

[0095] The printing system of the embodiment can accurately drive the printing medium located at the output end after the previous printing task to perform a back adjustment under the instruction control of the host computer or the control device when receiving the next printing task. The back adjustment ensures that the printing medium can return to the first printing position required by the new task, i.e., the starting position of the printing area or the input end of the first printing area, to prepare for the subsequent printing task.

[0096] After completing the back adjustment, the transmission module continues to perform forward feeding to push the printing medium to the appropriate printing position according to the predetermined printing process, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of the printing task. This bidirectional control transmission mechanism not only optimizes the utilization rate of the printing medium and effectively reduces the waste of consumables caused by insufficient use of materials, but also improves the working efficiency of the printing system.

[0097] Embodiment 10

[0098] This embodiment is based on Embodiment 4 and describes the case where two printing modules are provided. In this embodiment, the two printing modules are referred to as the first printing module and the second printing module, and intelligent control of multiple printing states is achieved through a state switching module to adapt to different printing requirements.

[0099] On the transmission module, two printing areas are provided in sequence along the feeding direction, wherein the first printing module is provided in the first printing area and the second printing module is provided in the second printing area. The printing medium is driven by the transmission module to pass through the two printing areas in sequence along the feeding direction and complete the corresponding printing task in different printing states.

[0100] 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:

[0101] 1) Full printing state: the first printing module and the second printing module work simultaneously, which can be used for efficient double-zone printing.

[0102] 2) First printing state: only the first printing module works, and the second printing module enters a non-working state.

[0103] 3) Second printing state: only the second printing module works, and the first printing module enters a non-working state.

[0104] 4) Non-printing state: the first printing module and the second printing module do not work.

[0105] Through the flexible switching of the four printing states, the system can adapt to the requirements of different printing tasks and can select different printing states according to different printing contents to optimize the utilization of printing resources.

[0106] The design of the present embodiment not only improves the adaptability of the printing device, but also brings significant advantages in terms of saving consumables, reducing equipment wear and tear, and improving production efficiency.

[0107] Embodiment 11

[0108] The present embodiment is based on the ribbon drive mechanism of Embodiment 3, and describes the ribbon drive control and state switching of the double printing module of Embodiment 10. This scheme realizes flexible control of the ribbon drive mechanism by sharing the drive system, ensures the accurate operation of the ribbon under different printing states, and improves the adaptability and energy efficiency of the equipment.

[0109] In the first printing module and the second printing module, independent ribbon drive mechanisms are respectively arranged, which adopt a transmission gear set to realize power transmission. The entire transmission system is powered by a transmission module, wherein: the power input ends of the transmission gear sets of the first printing module and the second printing module are in transmission connection with the transmission module; when the driving motor operates, the driving 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 drive shafts to operate and realizing synchronous transmission of the ribbons.

[0110] In order to adapt to different printing needs, the transmission path of the ribbon drive mechanism can be adjusted by controlling the connection and disconnection of the key transmission nodes, realizing the switching of the following four printing states. The connection and disconnection of the key transmission nodes are described in Embodiment 3, and therefore will not be described in detail.

[0111] 1) In the full printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are connected with the ribbon drive mechanism;

[0112] 2) In the first printing state, the first printing module is connected with the ribbon drive mechanism, and the second printing module is disconnected with the ribbon drive mechanism;

[0113] 3) In the second printing state, the first printing module is disconnected with the ribbon drive mechanism, and the second printing module is connected with the ribbon drive mechanism;

[0114] 4) In the non-printing state, the first printing module and the second printing module are disconnected with the ribbon drive mechanism.

[0115] Through the scheme of the embodiment, flexible switching of multiple printing states can be realized under the driving of a single power source, and the following advantages are achieved: only the corresponding ribbon transmission mechanism is driven when work is needed, unnecessary energy consumption is avoided; the transmission path is automatically disconnected in the non-working state, friction between the ribbon and the print head is reduced, the service life of the equipment is prolonged, and the consumption of consumables is reduced; different application requirements such as double-zone parallel printing, separate printing in each zone, and intelligent scheduling printing can be met, and the versatility of the system is improved; compared with the independent driving mode, the shared power transmission reduces the additional driving components, and the system complexity and maintenance cost are reduced.

[0116] As one of the optional embodiments, Figure 5 A printing module separation device based on the lifting mechanism of embodiment 7 is shown, and the two printing modules are transmissionally connected between the corresponding lifting mechanisms. The device precisely corresponds to the four working states of the printing system through the stroke control of the lifting mechanism.

[0117] Embodiment 12

[0118] In this embodiment, there are three printing modules, namely a first printing module, a second printing module, and a third printing module.

[0119] 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, which is used to meet more complex printing requirements.

[0120] 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:

[0121] 1) Working state: corresponding to the normal working mode of the printing module, the ribbon moves synchronously with the medium to be printed, ensuring the smooth progress of the printing task.

[0122] 2) Non-working state: corresponding to the standby or shutdown state of the printing module, the stroke of the ribbon is less than that of the medium to be printed, avoiding unnecessary consumption of the ribbon and improving the efficiency of the printing system.

[0123] Embodiment 13

[0124] The embodiment provides a heat transfer printing method for saving consumables, which is suitable for a heat transfer printing system. The heat transfer printing system includes a printing module, which can dynamically adjust the transmission mode of the ribbon to reduce the waste of the ribbon and improve the printing efficiency.

[0125] In the printing process, the medium to be printed first enters the printing area of the printing module and moves forward at a set feeding speed under the control of the transmission module. When the printing module is in the 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 and ensuring the stability and consistency of the printing quality.

[0126] To further optimize the utilization of the ribbon, the present embodiment introduces a dynamic ribbon adjustment mechanism. When the printing module is in a non-printing state, the ribbon's travel speed is no longer synchronized with the printing medium, but is made less than the printing medium's travel speed or zero. This control method can effectively reduce the ribbon consumption in the non-printing state, avoid waste caused by excessive movement of the ribbon, and reduce the operating cost of the device.

[0127] A plurality of printing modules are arranged on the printing path of the printing medium, and the printing medium will enter the printing area of each printing module in turn. During printing, the system dynamically adjusts the rotation speed of the ribbon according to the working state of each printing module. Specifically, when any one of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the system makes the travel speed of the ribbon of that module less than the travel speed of the printing medium. The purpose of this adjustment 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 precise consumable control while ensuring that the printing quality is not affected.

[0128] When any one of the printing modules is in a non-printing state, the system separates the printhead of that printing module from the printing medium through a control mechanism. This design can effectively avoid contact between the printhead and the medium in the non-printing state, thereby reducing the wear of the printhead and the waste of the ribbon. At the same time, this also helps to prolong the service life of the printhead and the ribbon, reducing maintenance costs. In addition, the separation of the printhead can also avoid misoperation or printing quality problems caused by contact between the printhead and the printing medium, ensuring that each printing task can be performed under optimal conditions.

[0129] This method not only reduces consumable consumption while ensuring printing quality, but also prolongs the service life of the ribbon, reducing the need for frequent ribbon replacement. In addition, due to the reduced movement of the ribbon, the friction between the printhead and the ribbon is also reduced, further reducing the wear of the printhead and improving the overall reliability of the printing system.

[0130] After completing the printing task, the printing medium is conveyed from the output end of the printing system to the starting position of the printing area of the printing module by the transmission module, or directly returned to the input end of the printing system, waiting for the next printing task. This design avoids waste or jamming caused by the medium staying at the output end after the printing task is completed. Through this operation, the printing medium will be repositioned to the appropriate starting position, preparing for the smooth progress of the next printing task.

[0131] The thermal transfer printing method of the embodiment is suitable for industrial label printing, packaging printing, bill printing and other application scenarios with high requirements for printing quality and cost control, and is particularly suitable for production environments that work continuously for a long time. By reasonably optimizing the transmission mode of the ribbon, the method can significantly improve the economy and sustainability of the printing system without affecting the printing effect.

[0132] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any manner. In order to make the description simple, all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are not described, and only the preferred embodiments of the present application are expressed. The description is more specific and detailed, but it should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present application. As long as the combination of these technical features does not exist, it should be considered as the scope of the present application.

[0133] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, without departing from the concept of the present application, a number of modifications and improvements can be made, which are within the scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system, characterized by: The transmission module, the printing module and the state switching module are included. The transmission module is used for transmitting 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 for switching the ribbon working state of the printing module. When the printing module works normally, the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to move synchronously with the medium to be printed. When the printing module does not work, the stroke of the ribbon of the printing module is controlled to be smaller than the stroke of the medium to be printed. When the printing module is arranged in multiple, the printing modules are all provided with ribbon transmission mechanisms, and the ribbon transmission mechanisms are all driven by the same transmission module. The state switching module further includes a separation mechanism, and when the printing module does not work, the ribbon of the printing module is separated from the medium to be printed through the separation mechanism. The separation mechanism includes a linear slide rail, the printing module is installed on the linear slide rail, and a plurality of convex blocks with a lifting function are prearranged on the linear slide rail body.

2. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that: The printing module has multiple, and the state switching module simultaneously controls the ribbon working state of the multiple printing modules.

3. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The printing module is provided with a ribbon control mechanism, and the ribbon control mechanism is used for controlling the one-way rotation of the ribbon.

4. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein: When the printing task is completed, the transmission module transmits the medium to be printed from the output end to the starting position of the printing area or the input end, and waits for the next printing task.

5. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 2, wherein: The printing module has two, which are a first printing module and a second printing module. The transmission module is sequentially provided with two printing areas, and the first printing module and the second printing module are arranged on the two printing areas respectively. The state switching module controls the first printing module and the second printing module to switch among a full printing state, a first printing state, a second printing state and a non-printing state. The full printing state is that the first printing module and the second printing module work normally. The first printing state is that the first printing module works normally and the second printing module does not work. The second printing state is that the first printing module does not work and the second printing module works normally. The non-printing state is that the first printing module and the second printing module do not work.

6. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 5, wherein: The transmission module drives the ribbon of the first printing module and the second printing module to rotate through the ribbon transmission mechanism. The state switching module controls the first printing module and the second printing module to connect with 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 connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism. In the first printing state, the first printing module is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is disconnected with the ribbon transmission mechanism. In the second printing state, the first printing module is disconnected with the ribbon transmission mechanism, and the second printing module is connected with the ribbon transmission mechanism. In the non-printing state, the first and second printing modules are disconnected from the ribbon drive mechanism.

7. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 6, wherein: The drive module drives the waiting printing medium from the output end to the starting position of any one of the printing areas or the input end when a printing task is completed, waiting for the next printing task.

8. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that: The printing module has three, namely the first printing module, the second printing module and the third printing module. The drive module is sequentially provided with three printing areas, and the first, second and third printing modules are arranged on the three printing areas respectively. The state switching module controls the first, second and third printing modules to switch between the working state and the non-working state. The ribbon of the corresponding printing module in the working state moves synchronously with the printing medium, and the ribbon of the corresponding printing module in the non-working state has a stroke smaller than that of the printing medium.

9. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 8, wherein: The drive module drives the ribbons of the first, second and third printing modules to rotate through the ribbon drive mechanism. The state switching module controls the first, second and third printing modules to switch between the working state and the non-working state and the connection state with the ribbon drive mechanism: The corresponding printing module in the working state is connected with the ribbon drive mechanism. The corresponding printing module in the non-working state is disconnected from the ribbon drive mechanism.

10. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing system as claimed in claim 9, wherein: The drive module drives the waiting printing medium from the output end to the starting position of any one of the printing areas or the input end when a printing task is completed, waiting for the next printing task.

11. A method of saving consumables for thermal transfer printing, suitable for use in a thermal transfer printing system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, the thermal transfer printing system comprising a print module, characterised by: The steps include: The printing medium enters 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 the non-printing state, the advancing speed of the ribbon is less than that of the printing medium.

12. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 11, wherein: When the printing module is in the non-printing state, the print head of the printing module is separated from the printing medium.

13. A method of thermal transfer printing according to claim 12, wherein: After completing a printing task, the printing medium is driven from the output end of the thermal transfer printing system to the starting position of the printing area of the printing module or the input end of the thermal transfer printing system, waiting for the next printing task.

14. A method of saving consumables for thermal transfer printing, suitable for use in a thermal transfer printing system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: A plurality of printing modules are arranged on the printing path of the printing medium, so that the printing medium 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 the non-printing state, the advancing speed of the ribbon of the printing module corresponding to the non-printing state is less than that of the printing medium.

15. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 14, wherein: When any one of the printing modules is in the non-printing state, the print head of the printing module is separated from the printing medium.

16. A consumable saving thermal transfer printing method according to claim 15, wherein: After completing a printing task, the printing medium is driven from the output end of the thermal transfer printing system to the starting position of the printing area of any one of the printing modules or the input end of the thermal transfer printing system, waiting for the next printing task.

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