Printer device for thermal printing or embossing

Abstract

The invention relates to a printer device for thermal printing or embossing of a carrier film coated with a coloring matter on a substrate, wherein the printer device has a roller arrangement for accommodating the carrier film and for moving the carrier film along a conveyor path, stepper motors for driving the roller arrangement, a thermal print head for printing or embossing the coloring matter from the carrier film onto the substrate, and a swivel arrangement, which can be deflected over a swivel range, for engaging with a swivel roller of the roller arrangement and for exerting a tensile force on the carrier film. The printer device is characterized in that, with regard to an engagement with the carrier film, the swivel roller is arranged along the conveyor path directly adjacent to the thermal print head.

Claims

1. A printer device for thermal printing or embossing of a carrier film coated with a coloring matter on a substrate, the printer device comprising: a roller arrangement for accommodating the carrier film and for moving the carrier film along a conveyor path; stepper motors for driving the roller arrangement; a thermal print head for printing or embossing the coloring matter from the carrier film onto the substrate; a swivel arrangement that can be deflected over a swivel range, for engaging with a swivel roller of the roller arrangement and for exerting a tensile force on the carrier film; a sensor arrangement for non-contact measurement of a deflection of the swivel arrangement, wherein, with regard to an engagement with the carrier film, the swivel roller is arranged along the conveyor path directly adjacent to the thermal print head, wherein the swivel arrangement has a dancer arm which is elongated and mounted about a swivel point, wherein the swivel arrangement engages with the roller arrangement on an engagement side of the dancer arm with regard to the swivel point, wherein the sensor arrangement is set up to measure the deflection on a measuring side of the dancer arm which lies opposite the engagement side, wherein the dancer arm is arranged on the side of a base plate of the printer device that is opposite a film magazine.

2. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel roller is arranged along the conveyor path directly adjacent to the thermal print head without another roller between the swivel roller and the thermal print head along the conveyor path.

3. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel arrangement exerts a substantially constant tensile force on the carrier film over at least one part of the swivel range.

4. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel arrangement exerts a tensile force in a substantially constant tension direction on the carrier film over at least one part of the swivel range.

5. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel roller deflects the carrier film as a result of its engagement by at least substantially 90.

6. The printer device according to claim 1, further comprising a removable film magazine that encompasses the roller arrangement and the carrier film, wherein the film magazine is fixed to a base plate of the printer device and the stepper motors are fixed to the base plate on a side of the base plate opposite the film magazine.

7. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel range defines a substantially linear swivel path of the dancer arm.

8. The printer device according to claim 7, wherein the swivel path runs substantially along the conveyor path.

9. The printer device according to claim 8, wherein the swivel path runs substantially along a linear print section of the conveyor path.

10. The printer device according to claim 1, further comprising a spring arrangement connected to the swivel arrangement for exerting the tensile force.

11. The printer device according to claim 10, wherein the tensile force is aligned substantially collinearly with the swivel path.

12. The printer device according to claim 1, further comprising a motor regulator arrangement for regulating a stepper motor speed of at least one of the stepper motors during movement of the carrier film.

13. The printer device according to claim 12, wherein the roller arrangement has an unwind roller for unwinding the carrier film and a rewind roller for rewinding the carrier film.

14. The printer device according to claim 13, wherein the motor regulator arrangement only regulates the stepper motor speed of the stepper motor to drive the unwind roller.

15. The printer device according to claim 1, further comprising a conveyor sensor arrangement with a conveyor Hall sensor for measuring a movement of the carrier film by the roller arrangement.

16. The printer device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement has a Hall sensor for the non-contact measurement of the deflection.

17. A printer device for thermal printing or embossing of a carrier film coated with a coloring matter on a substrate, the printer device comprising: a roller arrangement for accommodating the carrier film and for moving the carrier film along a conveyor path; stepper motors for driving the roller arrangement; a thermal print head for printing or embossing the coloring matter from the carrier film onto the substrate; a swivel arrangement that can be deflected over a swivel range, for engaging with a swivel roller of the roller arrangement and for exerting a tensile force on the carrier film; a sensor arrangement for non-contact measurement of a deflection of the swivel arrangement, wherein, with regard to an engagement with the carrier film, the swivel roller is arranged along the conveyor path directly adjacent to the thermal print head, wherein the swivel arrangement has a dancer arm which is elongated and mounted about a swivel point, wherein the swivel arrangement engages with the roller arrangement on an engagement side of the dancer arm with regard to the swivel point, wherein the sensor arrangement is set up to measure the deflection on a measuring side of the dancer arm which lies opposite the engagement side, wherein the measuring side of the dancer arm covers a longer path than the engagement side of the dancer arm when the swivel arrangement swivels.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further details, characteristics, objectives and advantages of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing of a preferred exemplary embodiment. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of a proposed printer device in section,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic rear view of the proposed printer device of FIG. 1 in section, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the proposed printer arrangement of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) A proposed printer device for thermal printing or embossing of a carrier film 1 coated with a coloring matter on a substrate 2 is shown in a front view in FIG. 1 and in a rear view in FIG. 2, in each case schematically and in section. FIG. 3 shows a corresponding perspective view. Here, the designation as front or as rear view is in principle arbitrary. The carrier film 1 is a special kind of film for the thermal printing method which has preferably absorbed a coloring matter on one side. In a known manner, local heating of the carrier film 1 leads to a partial or complete detachment of the coloring matter from the carrier film 1 and to a corresponding deposit on the substrate 2.

(6) The proposed printer device has a roller arrangement 3 for accommodating the carrier film 1 and for moving the carrier film 1 along a conveyor path 4, stepper motors 5a, b for driving the roller arrangement 3, a thermal print head 6 for printing or embossing the coloring matter from the carrier film 1 onto the substrate 2, and a swivel arrangement 8, which can be deflected over a swivel range 7, for engaging with a swivel roller 3a of the roller arrangement 3 and for exerting a tensile force on the carrier film 1. In particular, here, the swivel arrangement 8, which can be seen in FIG. 1, is rigidly connected at its swivel end 8awith regard to the swivel movementto the swivel roller 3a, as is clearly shown in FIG. 3.

(7) The proposed printer device is now characterized in that, with regard to an engagement with the carrier film 1, the swivel roller 3a is arranged along the conveyor path 4 directly adjacent to the thermal print head 6. As can be seen from FIG. 3, no structure, and in particular no deflector roller, which is in engagement with the carrier film 1, is provided between the swivel roller 3a and the thermal print head 6.

(8) Preferred, on the one hand, is that the swivel arrangement 8 exerts a substantially constant tensile force on the carrier film 1 over at least one part of the swivel range 7, preferably over the whole swivel range 7. Preferred, on the other hand, is also that the swivel arrangement 8 exerts a tensile force in a substantially constant tension direction 9 on the carrier film 1 over at least one part of the swivel range 7, preferably over the whole swivel range 7. As a result of this tensile force, a likewise substantially constant tensile force is imposed in the carrier film 1.

(9) Attention is drawn to the fact that this condition is not fulfilled with arrangements having a tension roller for compensating and buffering changes in the tension of the carrier film 1. This is because, with such arrangements, the tension must be compensated by small changes in the deflection of the tension roller and corresponding change in the deflection force. Therefore, particularly in such cases and notwithstanding the printer device proposed here, it is required that the tensile force is not constant but rather variable.

(10) According to the diagram in FIG. 2, it is further preferred that the swivel roller 3a deflects the carrier film 1 as a result of its engagement by at least substantially 90. Here, the deflector roller 3a especially deflects the carrier film 1 by substantially 90.

(11) In order to enable the carrier film 1 to be replaced quickly, according to a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the printer device has a removable film magazine 10, which film magazine 10 encompasses the roller arrangement 3 and the carrier film 1. The film magazine 10 can be seen in the rear view of FIG. 2 and in the perspective view of FIG. 3. Here, it can also be seen that the film magazine 10 is fixed to a base plate 11 of the printer device and that the stepper motors 5a, b are fixed to the base plate 11 on a side of the base plate 11 opposite the film magazine 10. This side opposite the film magazine 10 is shown in FIG. 1, wherein the base plate 11 runs in the respective, here identical, planes of the diagram of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. This relationship can be clearly seen from FIG. 3.

(12) In order to measure the position of the swivel arrangement 8 in the swivel range 7, it is preferably provided that the printer device has a sensor arrangement 12, in particular for non-contact measurement of a deflection of the swivel arrangement 8. As in the exemplary embodiment shown, for this purpose, the sensor arrangement 12 can have a Hall sensor 12a for the non-contact measurement of the deflection.

(13) Also as shown in FIG. 1, according to a preferred embodiment, with regard to the swivel arrangement 8, it can be provided that the swivel arrangement 8 has a dancer arm 14 which is elongated and mounted about a swivel point 13. Accordingly, the swivel roller 3a is then mounted about a roller swivel point 13a, which has a common swivel axis with the swivel point 13. Further, it is preferred that the swivel arrangement 8 engages with the roller arrangement 3 on an engagement side 14a of the dancer arm 14 with regard to the swivel point 13. It is preferred that the sensor arrangement 12 is set up to measure the deflection on a measuring side 14b of the dancer arm 14, which measuring side 14b lies opposite the engagement side 14a. In other words, the swivel point 13 divides the elongated dancer arm 14 into a section which forms the engagement side 14a and into a further section which forms the measuring side 14b.

(14) With regard to the dancer arm 14, it is now preferably provided that, on the one hand, according to the exemplary embodiment, the dancer arm 14 is arranged on the side of the base plate 11 opposite the film magazine 10. In this way, the film magazine 10 can be replaced without risking damage to the often sensitive sensor arrangement 12.

(15) On the other hand, it is likewise provided that the measuring side 14b of the dancer arm 14 covers a longer path than the engagement side 14a of the dancer arm when the swivel arrangement 8 swivels. In this way, the sensitivity of the sensor arrangement 12 for measuring even very small deflections of the swivel arrangement 8 is improved, thus enabling the tensile force exerted to be limited to a particularly narrow range. With a substantially straight dancer arm 14as shownthis covering of a longer path can be achieved, for example, in that the measuring side 14b is longer than the engagement side 14a.

(16) The tensile force can then be kept substantially constant, particularly with regard to magnitude and direction, when, as preferred, the swivel range 7 defines a substantially linear swivel path 7a, in particular of the dancer arm 14. Although the swivel arrangement 8 executes a rotary movement, a substantially linear swivel path 7a can be achieved by a limitation to short rotary movements. Preferably, at least one end stop 15, which limits the swivel range 7 to the substantially linear swivel path 7a, is provided.

(17) Likewise, it is preferred that the swivel path 7a runs substantially along the conveyor path 4. In this way, the influence of the swivel process on the geometry of the conveyor path 4 is particularly small. Here, the swivel path 7a can also run substantially along a linear print section 4a of the conveyor path 4. A linear print section 4a in this sense is understood to be a section of the conveyor path 4 which, firstly, runs substantially linearly and which, secondly, is used, at any rate in an extension thereof, for thermal printing or embossing on the substrate 2 by engagement with the thermal print head 6. FIG. 1 illustrates this situation clearly. Here, it can be seen that the swivel path 7a is substantially shorter than the linear print section 4a, but runs parallel to and along the linear print section 4a.

(18) It is preferred that the printer arrangement has a spring arrangement 16 connected to the swivel arrangement 8 for exerting the tensile force. This spring arrangement 16 can be seen in FIG. 1. The preferred variant, according to which the tensile force is aligned substantially collinearly with the swivel path 7a, can also be seen from FIG. 1. Preferably, the spring arrangement 16 comprises a wound torsion spring 16a.

(19) Although the described measures already enable the tensile force exerted on the carrier film 1and therefore also the tension in the carrier film 1to be substantially constant and therefore not settable by the stepper motors 5a, b, regulation of the motors is still conceivable. Namely, it is preferred that the printer device has a motor regulator arrangement 17 for regulating a stepper motor speed of at least one of the stepper motors 5a, b during the movement of the carrier film 1. In this way, the speed, for example, with which the carrier film 1 is moved, can therefore be adjusted.

(20) In this regard, it is further preferred that the roller arrangement 3 has an unwind roller 3b for unwinding the carrier film 1 and a rewind roller 3c for rewinding the carrier film. Basically, by reversing the direction of movement of the carrier film 1 along the conveyor path 4, the respective function of the unwind roller 3b and the rewind roller 3c can also be interchanged. Consequently, the appropriate arrangement can also be variable, in particular within a comparatively short period of time. In order to guarantee that the length of wound carrier film 1 corresponds to the length of unwound carrier film 1, it is advantageous when the motor regulator arrangement 17 only regulates the stepper motor speed of the stepper motor 5a to drive the unwind roller 3b. This means that regulation of the stepper motor speed of the stepper motor 5b to drive the rewind roller 3c does not occur. As therefore only one setpoint is provided instead of two setpoints, this enables the complexity of the regulator to be reduced. The speed of the stepper motor 5b can also be adjusted to stop the movement of the carrier film 1 or to set a different required set speed for this movement of the carrier film 1. According to this preferred embodiment, the stepper motor 5a is exclusively provided to drive the unwind roller 3b only for the above fine regulation by the motor regulator arrangement 17.

(21) The ratio between the length of wound and unwound carrier film 1 and the rotational speed of the unwind roller 3b and the rewind roller 3c changes as a result of unwinding and rewinding the carrier film from the unwind roller 3b and the rewind roller 3c. In order to carry out an appropriate measurement, it is preferred that the printer device has a conveyor sensor arrangement 18 with a conveyor Hall sensor 18a for measuring a movement of the carrier film 1 by the roller arrangement 3. The roller sensor arrangement 3 can have a conveyor sensor deflector roller 3d, on which the conveyor sensor arrangement 18as shown in FIG. 2 for exampleis arranged. This enables an optical measurement which is subject to interference to be avoided.