Multifunctional thermal transfer printer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a multifunctional thermal transfer printer which comprises a printing assembly, a feeding assembly, a writing assembly and a conveying assembly. Through integrated integration of the printing assembly, the writing assembly and the conveying assembly, the card manufacturing process is completed in the same equipment, and efficiency loss and damage risks caused by repeated card transfer are avoided; meanwhile, the height-adjustable conveying channel is arranged, so that the printer can flexibly adapt to the processing requirements of the cards with different thicknesses, and the application range of the equipment is remarkably widened; besides, a first identification module and a second identification module which are matched with each other are respectively arranged on the feeding roller and the mounting seat, a strict printing material belt identification and management mechanism is established, the problem that the printing quality is influenced due to wrong selection of material belt models is effectively prevented, and the reliability and the printing effect of card manufacturing are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of printing equipment manufacturing, and in particular to a multifunctional thermal transfer printer. Background Technology

[0002] Thermal transfer printers are widely used in the field of ID card production, enabling the printing of clear text, patterns, and photos on the surface of ID cards. As the application scenarios for ID cards continue to expand, the functional requirements for ID card production equipment are also increasing. In addition to basic printing functions, they need to possess multiple capabilities such as data writing and multi-format adaptation. Currently, most ID card printers on the market can only process ID cards of a single format, and they lack effective identification and management mechanisms for the use of printing tapes, easily leading to the problem of incorrect tape selection and affecting print quality.

[0003] Existing card printers typically have their printing and data writing modules distributed across different devices, requiring multiple transfers of cards between different machines to complete the entire production process. This not only reduces work efficiency but also easily leads to card damage or information errors. Furthermore, because the height of the conveyor channel is often fixed and cannot be adjusted to accommodate cards of varying thicknesses, the printer is limited in processing different card sizes and cannot meet diverse card production needs. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, this utility model provides a multi-functional thermal transfer printer with high integration and strong applicability.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is:

[0006] A multifunctional thermal transfer printer includes: a printing component for thermal transfer printing of identification cards; a feeding component including a feeding roller and a mounting base, wherein the feeding roller is provided with a first identification module and the mounting base is provided with a corresponding second identification module, and the two identification modules provide printing tape to the printing component when they match; a writing component for writing data to the identification cards; and a conveying component disposed between the writing component and the printing component, having a conveying channel with adjustable height for conveying identification cards of different thicknesses; wherein the writing component, the conveying component, and the printing component are arranged sequentially along the card conveying direction.

[0007] Furthermore, the first identification module is a first radio frequency identification chip, which is fixed to the axial end of the feeding roller; the second identification module is an induction coil, which is fixed on the mounting base at a position opposite to the first radio frequency identification chip; the first radio frequency identification chip and the induction coil form an interactive verification path through electromagnetic induction coupling.

[0008] Furthermore, the writing component includes a second radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, which is movably disposed at the entrance of the card delivery channel; the second RFID chip can dynamically adjust its relative spatial position according to the physical position of the chip inside the card, so as to establish directional communication coupling with the chip.

[0009] Furthermore, the writing component also includes a partition and a cover plate. The second RFID chip is detachably mounted on the mounting surface of the partition. The partition is provided with a signal port, and the projection area of ​​the signal port covers the antenna radiation area of ​​the second RFID chip. The cover plate is detachably connected to the partition to form a closed accommodating space.

[0010] Furthermore, the conveying assembly includes a fixed first conveying roller and a movable second conveying roller, with the first conveying roller located below as the driving roller and the second conveying roller located above as the driven roller; the second conveying roller is connected by an elastic component and can move up and down relative to the first conveying roller to form the adjustable height conveying channel.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes two opposing upright plates, with the first conveyor roller and the printing assembly disposed between the two upright plates; both ends of the first conveyor roller are fixedly connected to the upright plates; the upright plates are provided with guide grooves, and both ends of the second conveyor roller are provided with bushings, which are slidably disposed in the guide grooves; the guide grooves have opposing parallel sidewalls, and the outer wall of the bushings is symmetrically provided with parallel guide planes that slide in contact with the sidewalls.

[0012] Furthermore, the bushing protrudes from the end of the upright plate and has an annular groove; the elastic component is a helical torsion spring, with an axially extending fixed arm and an abutting arm at its two ends, respectively. The fixed arm is fixedly connected to the upright plate, and the abutting arm is embedded in the annular groove and abuts against the bushing; the helical torsion spring has an annular elastic energy storage part, which provides clamping force through radial compression deformation.

[0013] Furthermore, the print head of the printing assembly is connected to the upright plate via a rotatable bracket; the rotatable bracket includes a laterally extending adjustment bar, the print head is fixed on the adjustment bar, and the vertical distance between the print head and the card is adjusted by rotating the adjustment bar.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a platform set at the card entry point. The platform has a horizontally extending through groove and two horizontally movable limiting parts. The two limiting parts are arranged opposite each other to form a card positioning channel. A limiting post with a screw structure is fixed at the bottom of the limiting part. The limiting post passes through the through groove and is slidably connected to the platform. The lower end of the limiting post has an abutment part with a diameter greater than the width of the through groove. The abutment part is locked to the bottom surface of the platform by screwing.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a housing and a display screen disposed on the housing, the display screen being electrically connected to the printing assembly, the feeding assembly, the writing assembly, and the conveying assembly; the display screen is configured to display printing parameters and receive user input to adjust at least one parameter of printhead pressure, conveying channel height, and conveying speed.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0017] This utility model's multi-functional thermal transfer printer integrates the printing, writing, and conveying components, enabling the card production process to be completed within a single device. This avoids the efficiency loss and damage risks associated with multiple card transfers. Furthermore, by setting an adjustable-height conveying channel, the printer can flexibly adapt to the processing needs of cards of varying thicknesses, significantly expanding the device's applicability. In addition, by establishing mutually matching first and second identification modules on the feed roller and mounting base, a strict printing tape identification and management mechanism is established, effectively preventing print quality issues caused by incorrect tape selection and improving the reliability and printing effect of card production. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the upright plate of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the writing component of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding assembly of this utility model.

[0026] in,

[0027] 100. Outer shell;

[0028] 200. Vertical plate; 210. Guide groove;

[0029] 300. Printing assembly; 310. Print head; 320. Adjustment bar;

[0030] 400. Feeding assembly; 410. First identification module; 420. Second identification module;

[0031] 500, Writing component; 510, Separator; 520, Cover plate; 530, Second RFID chip;

[0032] 600, Conveying assembly; 610, First conveying roller; 620, Second conveying roller; 621, Bushing; 6211, Annular groove; 630, Elastic assembly;

[0033] 700, platform; 710, through groove; 720, limiting part; 730, limiting post;

[0034] 800, Display screen. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The following will clearly and completely describe the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of this utility model in conjunction with embodiments and accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, features, and effects of this utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are all within the scope of protection of this utility model. Furthermore, all connections / linkages involved in the patent do not simply refer to direct contact between components, but rather to the ability to form a better connection structure by adding or reducing connecting accessories according to specific implementation conditions. The various technical features in this utility model can be combined interactively without contradicting each other.

[0036] Reference Figure 1-7A multi-functional thermal transfer printer for printing ID cards includes a printing component 300, a feeding component 400, a writing component 500, and a conveying component 600. The printing component 300 performs thermal transfer printing on the ID cards. The feeding component 400 includes a feeding roller and a mounting base. The feeding roller is equipped with a first identification module 410, and the mounting base is equipped with a corresponding second identification module 420. When the two identification modules match, they provide printing tape to the printing component 300. The writing component 500 writes data to the ID cards. The conveying component 600 is located between the writing component 500 and the printing component 300, and has an adjustable-height conveying channel for conveying ID cards of different thicknesses. The writing component 500, the conveying component 600, and the printing component 300 are arranged sequentially along the ID card conveying direction.

[0037] Understandably, when this multi-functional thermal transfer printer produces ID cards, the writing component 500 first writes data onto the blank ID card, such as employee numbers and access permissions, into the card's chip. Then, the card moves towards the printing component 300 via the conveying component 600. The conveying channel of the conveying component 600 can be height-adjusted according to the card's thickness, allowing it to smoothly convey ID cards of different sizes, such as student IDs and work IDs, with thicknesses ranging from 0.3mm to 1.0mm. The printing component 300 uses thermal transfer technology to print on the card's surface, capable of printing photos, text, and patterns, thus completing the entire ID card production process. Throughout the process, the various components are arranged in an orderly manner along the card's conveying direction, ensuring the continuity and efficiency of ID card production. It should be noted that before printing, the first identification module 410 on the feed roller in the feed assembly 400 will match and identify with the second identification module 420 on the mounting base. Only when the two identification modules match successfully will the feed assembly 400 provide the correct printing tape to the printing assembly 300. This can avoid printing quality problems caused by using the wrong tape.

[0038] In some embodiments, the first identification module 410 is a first radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, fixed to the axial end of the feed roller; the second identification module 420 is an induction coil, fixed on the mounting base at a position opposite to the first RFID chip; the first RFID chip and the induction coil form an interactive verification path through electromagnetic induction coupling. Specifically, by fixing the first RFID chip as the first identification module 410 to the axial end of the feed roller, and simultaneously fixing the induction coil as the second identification module 420 on the mounting base, when the feed roller is installed in place, the first RFID chip and the induction coil will be in a relative position, and the two will generate a coupling effect through electromagnetic induction to form an interactive verification path. When the operator loads the feed roller containing the correct ribbon into the mounting base, the first RFID chip at the end of the feed roller will enter the sensing range of the induction coil. The electromagnetic field generated by the induction coil will activate the first RFID chip and transmit identification information. The printer will confirm the correct ribbon model through this interactive verification path before allowing printing to begin. This effectively prevents printing quality problems caused by using the wrong ribbon and ensures that the printing effect of each card meets the expected standard.

[0039] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 , 6 The writing component 500 includes a second radio frequency identification (RFID) chip 530, which is movably disposed at the entrance of the card delivery channel. The second RFID chip 530 can dynamically adjust its relative spatial position according to the physical position of the chip in the card to establish directional communication coupling with the chip.

[0040] Understandably, data is written using a movable second RFID chip 530, which is positioned at the entrance of the card delivery channel. This second RFID chip 530 can adjust its position according to the specific location of the chip in different cards, thereby achieving precise data writing. Since different batches or types of access cards may have differences in chip position, the second RFID chip 530 automatically adjusts its spatial position based on the physical location of the chip in the card to be written, ensuring optimal communication coupling with the chip within the card. This improves the success rate and stability of data writing. Specifically, when a card enters the card delivery channel, the second RFID chip 530 first detects the specific location of the chip within the card, then moves to the most suitable position, establishes stable directional communication coupling, and then accurately writes the data into the card chip, thus ensuring that each card is correctly written with the required data information.

[0041] Furthermore, refer to Figure 6The writing component 500 further includes a partition 510 and a cover plate 520. The second RFID chip 530 is detachably mounted on the mounting surface of the partition 510. The partition 510 has a signal port, and the projection area of ​​the signal port covers the antenna radiation area of ​​the second RFID chip 530. The cover plate 520 is detachably connected to the partition 510 to form a closed accommodating space. It is understood that the writing component 500 includes a partition 510 and a cover plate 520, wherein the second RFID chip 530 is detachably mounted on the mounting surface of the partition 510, and the projection area of ​​the signal port designed on the partition 510 completely covers the antenna radiation area of ​​the second RFID chip 530, ensuring effective transmission of radio frequency signals. The enclosed space formed by the detachable connection between the cover plate 520 and the partition plate 510 not only protects the second RFID chip 530 from external environmental influences, but also effectively shields against external electromagnetic interference. For example, when the printer is used in a complex office environment, this enclosed design can ensure that the data writing process is not interfered with by surrounding electronic devices, thus guaranteeing the data writing quality and accuracy of each card.

[0042] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 2 , 3 The conveying assembly 600 includes a fixed first conveying roller 610 and a movable second conveying roller 620. The first conveying roller 610 is located below as the driving roller, and the second conveying roller 620 is located above as the driven roller. The second conveying roller 620 is connected via an elastic component 630 and can move up and down relative to the first conveying roller 610 to form the height-adjustable conveying channel. It is understood that the second conveying roller 620 can move up and down relative to the first conveying roller 610 to form a height-adjustable conveying channel. When printing different types of cards, such as switching from thinner cards to thicker cards made of special materials, the second conveying roller 620 will automatically adjust its distance from the first conveying roller 610 under the action of the elastic component 630, achieving adaptive clamping of cards of different thicknesses. Adaptive adjustment ensures that cards of different specifications receive appropriate clamping force, thereby guaranteeing the stability and reliability of card conveying.

[0043] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2-5The printer also includes two opposing upright plates 200, with the first conveyor roller 610 and the printing assembly 300 positioned between the two upright plates 200. Both ends of the first conveyor roller 610 are fixedly connected to the upright plates 200. Each upright plate 200 has a guide groove 210, and both ends of the second conveyor roller 620 have bushings 621 slidably disposed within the guide groove 210. The guide groove 210 has parallel sidewalls arranged opposite to each other, and the outer wall of each bushing 621 is symmetrically provided with parallel guide planes that slide in contact with the sidewalls. It can be understood that the multi-functional thermal transfer printer has two opposing upright plates 200, which support and fix the conveyor assembly 600 and the printing assembly 300. The two ends of the first conveyor roller 610 are fixedly connected to the upright plates 200 to ensure its stability, while the guide grooves 210 designed on the upright plates 200 provide guiding support for the movement of the second conveyor roller 620. The bushings 621 at both ends of the second conveyor roller 620 can slide freely within the guide groove 210. The two parallel sidewalls of the guide groove 210 cooperate with the parallel guide planes symmetrically arranged on the outer wall of the bushing 621 to form a sliding guide mechanism. In use, the second conveyor roller 620 slides up and down within the guide groove 210 through the bushings 621 at both ends. Since the guide planes of the bushings 621 and the sidewalls of the guide groove 210 always maintain sliding contact, it can be ensured that the second conveyor roller 620 always remains horizontal when adjusting its height, avoiding tilting or deviation, thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of the card conveying process.

[0044] Furthermore, refer to Figure 2The bushing 621, protruding from the end of the upright plate 200, has an annular groove 6211. The elastic component 630 is a helical torsion spring, with an axially extending fixed arm and an abutting arm at its two ends. The fixed arm is fixedly connected to the upright plate 200, and the abutting arm is embedded in the annular groove 6211 and abuts against the bushing 621. The helical torsion spring has an annular elastic energy storage portion, which provides clamping force through radial compression deformation. Specifically, by providing an annular groove 6211 at the end of the bushing 621 protruding from the upright plate 200 and using a helical torsion spring as the elastic component 630, the two ends of the helical torsion spring are designed as an axially extending fixed arm and an abutting arm. The fixed arm is fixedly connected to the upright plate 200 to provide stable support, while the abutting arm is embedded in the annular groove 6211 of the bushing 621 and maintains abutment against the bushing 621. The annular elastic energy storage portion of the helical torsion spring provides appropriate clamping force through radial compression deformation. The second conveyor roller 620 will automatically adjust its position under the action of the helical torsion spring. At this time, the annular elastic energy storage part of the helical torsion spring will generate corresponding radial compression deformation, and transmit the pressure to the bushing 621 through the abutment arm, thereby enabling the second conveyor roller 620 to apply a suitable clamping force to the card. The design of the annular card groove 6211 ensures that the abutment arm can always act stably on the bushing 621, avoiding the deviation of the direction of the spring force, thus ensuring that cards of different thicknesses can obtain a stable and uniform clamping force during the conveying process.

[0045] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3 The print head 310 of the printing assembly 300 is connected to the upright plate 200 via a rotatable bracket. The rotatable bracket includes a laterally extending adjusting bar 320, on which the print head 310 is fixed. The vertical distance between the print head 310 and the card is adjusted by rotating the adjusting bar 320. Understandably, during use, the operator can adjust the height of the print head 310 by rotating the adjusting bar 320 to maintain the optimal printing distance between the print head 310 and the card surface. Specifically, when processing thicker cards, the print head 310 can be moved upwards by rotating the adjusting bar 320 clockwise, increasing the vertical distance between the print head 310 and the card; when processing thinner cards, the print head 310 can be moved downwards by rotating the adjusting bar 320 counterclockwise, decreasing the vertical distance. This adjustable design ensures optimal printing results for cards of different thicknesses, avoiding printing quality problems caused by improper printing distance.

[0046] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1-3It also includes a platform 700 set at the card entry point. The platform 700 is provided with a horizontally extending through groove 710 and two horizontally movable limiting parts 720. The two limiting parts 720 are arranged opposite each other to form a card positioning channel. A limiting post 730 with a screw structure is fixed at the bottom of the limiting part 720. The limiting post 730 passes through the through groove 710 and is slidably connected to the platform 700. The lower end of the limiting post 730 is provided with an abutment part with a diameter greater than the width of the through groove 710. The abutment part is locked to the bottom surface of the platform 700 by screwing. Understandably, each limiting part 720 has a fixed limiting post 730 with a screw structure at its bottom. These limiting posts 730 pass through the through slot 710 on the platform 700 and maintain a sliding connection with the platform 700. The lower end of the limiting post 730 is designed with an abutment part with a diameter larger than the width of the through slot 710. By rotating the screw, the abutment part can be locked to the bottom surface of the platform 700. In use, the operator can first loosen the locking state of the limiting post 730, then move the two limiting parts 720 laterally to adjust the width of the card positioning channel to match the width of the card to be processed. After adjustment, the limiting post 730 is rotated to lock the abutment part to the bottom surface of the platform 700, thereby fixing the position of the limiting part 720. This adjustable positioning structure ensures that cards of different sizes can obtain accurate entry positions and avoids card deviation when entering the conveying channel.

[0047] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 1-3 The system also includes a housing 100 and a display screen 800 mounted on the housing 100. The display screen 800 is electrically connected to the printing assembly 300, the feeding assembly 400, the writing assembly 500, and the conveying assembly 600. The display screen 800 is configured to display printing parameters and receive user input to adjust at least one parameter, such as printhead 310 pressure, conveyor channel height, and conveyor speed. Understandably, during use, operators can view the current printing parameter status through the display screen 800 interface and adjust parameters such as printhead 310 pressure, conveyor channel height, or conveyor speed as needed. Specifically, when processing thicker access cards, the printhead 310 pressure can be increased through the display screen 800 to ensure print clarity, while simultaneously increasing the conveyor channel height to accommodate the card thickness, and possibly reducing the conveyor speed to ensure print quality. Conversely, when processing thinner employee ID cards, the printhead 310 pressure and conveyor channel height can be reduced accordingly, and the conveyor speed can be appropriately increased to improve printing efficiency. This intelligent parameter adjustment interface allows the printer to more flexibly adapt to the printing needs of different types of cards, ensuring print quality while improving operational convenience.

[0048] The above is a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present utility model. However, the present utility model is not limited to the described embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present utility model. All such equivalent modifications or substitutions are included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-functional thermal transfer printer, characterized in that, Printing component for thermal transfer printing of ID cards; The feeding assembly includes a feeding roller and a mounting base. The feeding roller is provided with a first identification module, and the mounting base is provided with a corresponding second identification module. When the two identification modules match, they provide printing tape to the printing assembly. The writing component is used to write data to the card; A transmission component, disposed between the writing component and the printing component, has an adjustable-height transmission channel for transmitting cards of different thicknesses; The writing component, the transmitting component, and the printing component are arranged sequentially along the card transmission direction.

2. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first identification module is a first radio frequency identification chip, which is fixed to the axial end of the feeding roller; The second identification module is an induction coil, which is fixed on the mounting base at a position opposite to the first radio frequency identification chip; The first radio frequency identification chip and the induction coil form an interactive verification path through electromagnetic induction coupling.

3. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The writing component includes a second radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, which is movably disposed at the entrance of the card delivery channel; The second radio frequency identification chip can dynamically adjust its relative spatial position according to the physical position of the chip in the card in order to establish directional communication coupling with the chip.

4. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 3, characterized in that, The writing component also includes a partition and a cover plate. The second RFID chip is detachably mounted on the mounting surface of the partition. The partition is provided with a signal port, and the projection area of ​​the signal port covers the antenna radiation area of ​​the second RFID chip. The cover plate and the partition plate are detachably connected to form a closed accommodating space.

5. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveying assembly includes a fixed first conveying roller and a movable second conveying roller, with the first conveying roller located below as the driving roller and the second conveying roller located above as the driven roller. The second conveyor roller is connected by an elastic component and can move up and down relative to the first conveyor roller to form the adjustable height conveying channel.

6. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes two opposing upright plates, with the first conveyor roller and the printing assembly disposed between the two upright plates; both ends of the first conveyor roller are fixedly connected to the upright plates; the upright plates are provided with guide grooves, and both ends of the second conveyor roller are provided with bushings, which are slidably disposed in the guide grooves; The guide groove has parallel sidewalls arranged opposite to each other, and the outer wall of the bushing is symmetrically provided with parallel guide planes that slide in contact with the sidewalls.

7. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The end of the bushing that protrudes from the vertical plate is provided with an annular groove; The elastic component is a helical torsion spring, with an axially extending fixed arm and an abutting arm at its two ends, respectively. The fixed arm is fixedly connected to the upright plate, and the abutting arm is embedded in the annular groove and abuts against the bushing. The helical torsion spring is provided with an annular elastic energy storage section, which provides clamping force through radial compression deformation.

8. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 6, characterized in that, The print head of the printing assembly is connected to the upright plate via a rotatable bracket; The rotatable bracket includes a laterally extending adjustment bar, and the print head is fixed on the adjustment bar. The vertical distance between the print head and the card is adjusted by rotating the adjustment bar.

9. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a platform set at the card entry point, the platform having a horizontally extending through slot and two horizontally movable limiting parts, the two limiting parts being arranged opposite each other to form a card positioning channel; The bottom of the limiting part is fixed with a limiting post of screw structure. The limiting post passes through the through groove and is slidably connected to the platform. The lower end of the limiting post is provided with an abutting part with a diameter greater than the width of the through groove. The abutting part is locked to the bottom surface of the platform by screwing.

10. The multifunctional thermal transfer printer according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, It also includes a housing and a display screen disposed on the housing, the display screen being electrically connected to the printing assembly, the feeding assembly, the writing assembly, and the conveying assembly; The display screen is configured to display printing parameters and receive user input to adjust at least one parameter, such as printhead pressure, conveyor channel height, and conveyor speed.

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