Image producing device, transfer ribbon and image producing method

Abstract

An image producing device that produces an image by thermally transferring an image pattern from a transfer ribbon to a transfer medium. The device includes take-up means for taking up the transfer ribbon, supply means for supplying the transfer ribbon according to the taking up of the transfer ribbon performed by the take-up means, thermal transfer means for thermally transferring an image to the transfer medium by bringing the transfer ribbon that is between the supply means and the take-up means into contact with the transfer medium, and a regulating means for regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image producing device that produces an image by transferring an image pattern from a transfer ribbon to a transfer medium by thermal transfer, comprising:
 take-up means for taking up the transfer ribbon;   supply means for supplying the transfer ribbon according to the taking up of the transfer ribbon performed by the take-up means;   thermal transfer means for thermally transferring an image to the transfer medium by bringing the transfer ribbon that is between the supply means and the take-up means into contact with the transfer medium; and   regulating means for regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means.   
     
     
         2 . The image producing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the regulating means regulates supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means in a state in which the transfer ribbon and the transfer medium are in contact, after thermal transfer performed by the thermal transfer means is finished;   the take-up means starts taking up the transfer ribbon in a state in which the regulating means is regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means; and   the thermal transfer means releases contact between the transfer ribbon and the transfer medium caused by the thermal transfer means, after the take-up means has started taking up the transfer ribbon.   
     
     
         3 . The image producing device of  claim 1 :
 wherein the transfer ribbon includes an elongated substrate material on which panels having a diffraction grating structure are repeatedly formed in a feeding direction that is a lengthwise direction of the substrate material, and includes a detection mark having a reflective structure; and,   the image producing device further comprising:
 a first detection sensor that detects the detection mark; and 
 a controller that drives a thermal head included in the thermal transfer means, and causes the transfer head to thermally transfer the panels conforming to an image to be recorded, onto the transfer medium, while causing the transfer head to thermally transfer the detection mark onto the transfer medium; 
   the controller causes a ribbon feeding mechanism to feed the transfer ribbon during an initialization process; and   when the detection mark at the head in the feeding direction is detected by the first detection sensor, the controller determines a thermal transfer start position for the panel corresponding to the detected detection mark.   
     
     
         4 . The image producing device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the image producing device further comprises a second sensor that detects a transferred detection mark that is the detection mark thermally transferred to a transfer medium;
 the controller causes a sheet-feeding mechanism to feed the transfer medium during the initialization process; and 
 when the transferred detection mark at the head is detected by the second detection sensor, the controller determines a transfer start position for the transfer medium. 
   
     
     
         5 . The image producing device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the controller causes the thermal head to thermally transfer the detection mark to the transfer medium with a specific pattern generated according to data that indicates the number of the images that have been transferred to the transfer medium; and   during the initialization process, the controller generates data from the specific pattern detected by the detection sensor, the data indicating the number of the images that have been transferred.   
     
     
         6 . The image producing device of  claim 4 , wherein, during the initialization process, the controller causes the ribbon-feeding mechanism to feed the transfer ribbon in the feeding direction and in a direction opposite the feeding direction, and causes the first detection sensor to detect the detection mark at the head in the feeding direction. 
     
     
         7 . The image producing device of  claim 4 , wherein, during the initialization process, the controller causes the sheet-feeding mechanism to feed the transfer medium in the feeding direction and in a direction opposite the feeding direction, and causes the second detection sensor to detect the transferred detection mark at the head in the direction opposite the feeding direction of the transfer medium. 
     
     
         8 . A transfer ribbon used in the image producing device of  claim 3 , comprising:
 an elongated substrate material;   panels having a diffraction grating structure and repeatedly provided on the elongated substrate material; and   a detection mark having a reflective structure and formed on the panels.   
     
     
         9 . An image producing method performed by an image producing device that produces an image by thermally transferring an image pattern onto a transfer medium from a transfer ribbon, wherein:
 the image producing device comprises take-up means for taking up the transfer ribbon, and supply means for supplying the transfer ribbon according to the taking up of the transfer ribbon performed by the take-up means; and   the producing method comprises
 a thermal transfer step of bringing the transfer ribbon between the supply means and the take-up means into contact with the transfer medium to thermally transfer an image to the transfer medium; and 
 a regulating step of regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means, by using a regulating means for regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means, during a period when the thermal transfer step is not being performed. 
   
     
     
         10 . The image producing method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the step of regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the regulating means comprises:   a first step in which the regulating means regulates the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means in a state where the transfer ribbon and the transfer medium are in contact, after thermal transfer performed by the thermal transfer means is finished;   a second step in which the take-up means starts taking up the transfer ribbon in a state where the regulating means is regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means; and   a third step in which the thermal transfer means releases contact between the transfer ribbon and the transfer medium caused by the thermal transfer means, after the take-up means starts taking up the transfer ribbon.