Patent ID: 7381001
Filing Date: 2008-06-03
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. A thermal transfer printer comprising: a thermal head; a platen roller; a head up/down mechanism which brings the thermal head into contact with the platen roller and separates the thermal head from the platen roller; a head guide which can come in contact with and be separated from the platen roller independently of the thermal head; an ink ribbon which is drawn between the thermal head and the platen roller and which is received in a ribbon cassette with both ends wound on a feed reel and a take-up reel, respectively; a paper feed roller which is disposed downstream of the platen roller in a conveyance direction of a recording paper and can convey the recording paper; a peeling member which is rotatably supported by the head guide between the paper feed roller and the platen roller and can peel the ink ribbon adhered onto the recording paper during printing; an optical ribbon detecting sensor which is disposed in the head guide between the thermal head and the peeling member, and can detect a color discernment marker corresponding to an ink surface of a desired color formed on the surface of the ink ribbon; and a reflective plate which can reflect light irradiated from the ribbon detecting sensor, the reflective plate being disposed in a drawing path of the ink ribbon which faces the ribbon detecting sensor.