Hitachi, Ltd.

Seizi Okunomiya

Hiroshi Shimizu

Mikio Shiraishi

Takeshi Nomura

Toshihiko Gotoh

Naohiro Ozawa

Kentaro Hamma

A thermal transfer recording apparatus wherein it comprises a power transmitting device for transmitting power from a driving motor of the apparatus to a platen roller of the apparatus, which device can change rotational speed of the platen roller to rotate the platen roller at high speed, thereby shortening a non-printing time such as required for introduction and ejection of a recording paper to reduce the total recording time of the thermal transfer recording apparatus. Further, the power transmitting device has a neutral position where the platen roller can be freely rotated, thereby easily restoring the recording apparatus to its normal conditions even when the recording paper and/or an inked ribbon is jammed.

Thermal transfer recording apparatus

An inked sheet cassette suitable for use in printer such as a multi-color thermal transfer-type printer. The cassette has a cassette case encasing an inked sheet constituted by a thin web-like film or paper sheet with at least one type of ink applied thereto, and a pair of reels disposed in the cassette case and constituting a supply reel and a take-up reel on which are wound the respective ends of the inked sheet. The cassette has a window provided at least in one of a portion of said cassette case adjacent to the supply reel and portion adjacent to said take-up reel so as to enable the user to visually check the diameter of the roll of the inked sheet on the reel adjacent to said window. Disclosed also is a printer suitable for use in combination with this cassette.

Inked sheet cassette and thermal transfer-type recording apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Katsuta, Japan

Seizi Okunomiya