Layer transferring device including heat roller provided in main casing and movable relative to pressure roller provided at cover

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11400699-B2
Application number	US-202117443592-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2021
Priority date	Jan 30, 2019
Publication date	Aug 2, 2022
Grant date	Aug 2, 2022

Abstract

A layer transferring device includes: a main casing having an opening and accommodating a heat roller, a motor, and a first transmission gear therein; a film cartridge; and a cover at which a pressure roller and a second transmission gear is provided and movable about a pivot axis to open and close the opening. The heat roller is movable toward and away from the pressure roller when the cover is closed. When the film cartridge is attached to the main casing and the cover is closed, the multilayer film contacts and passes through between the pressure roller and the heat roller. When the cover is closed, the first transmission gear for receiving a driving force from the motor and the second transmission gear for transmitting a driving force to the pressure roller are positioned between the pivot axis and the heat roller and in meshing engagement with each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A layer transferring device comprising:
a main casing formed with an opening;
a cover pivotally movable about a pivot axis extending in a first direction between:
a closed position where the cover closes the opening; and
an open position where the cover opens the opening;

a pressure roller provided at the cover;
a heat roller provided in the main casing, the heat roller being movable in a second direction crossing the first direction while the cover is at the closed position between:
a first position where the heat roller is in proximity to the pressure roller; and
a second position where the heat roller is in separation from the pressure roller;

a film cartridge attachable to the main casing through the opening while the cover is at the open position, the film cartridge comprising a multilayer film passing through a portion between the pressure roller and the heat roller in a third direction crossing both the first direction and the second direction in a state where the film cartridge is attached to the main casing and the cover is at the closed position;
a motor provided in the main casing;
a first transmission gear provided in the main casing and configured to receive a driving force from the motor; and
a second transmission gear provided at the cover and configured to transmit a driving force to the pressure roller, the second transmission gear being in meshing engagement with the first transmission gear while the cover is at the closed position, the second transmission gear and the first transmission gear being positioned between the heat roller and the pivot axis of the cover while the cover is at the closed position.

2. The layer transferring device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first transmission gear is rotatable about a first axis extending in the first direction,
wherein the second transmission gear is rotatable about a second axis extending in the first direction, and
wherein a distance between the second axis of the second transmission gear and the pivot axis of the cover is different from a distance between the first axis of the first transmission gear and the pivot axis of the cover.

3. The layer transferring device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the main casing comprises a main side wall which is one side wall in the first direction of the main casing,
wherein the cover comprises a cover side wall which is one side wall in the first direction of the cover,
wherein the first transmission gear is covered with the main side wall in the first direction, and
wherein the second transmission gear is covered with the cover side wall in the first direction.

4. The layer transferring device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the multilayer film comprises:
a supporting layer making contact with the heat roller at the first position in the state where the film cartridge is attached to the main casing and the cover is at the closed position; and
a supported layer comprising a transfer layer for being transferred onto a sheet, the supported layer making contact with the pressure roller in the state where the film cartridge is attached to the main casing and the cover is at the closed position.

5. The layer transferring device according to claim 4 , further comprising a sheet discharging roller provided at the cover and configured to discharge the sheet passed through the portion between the pressure roller and the heat roller to an outside of the main casing,
wherein a driving force from the motor is transmitted to both the pressure roller and the sheet discharging roller through the second transmission gear.

6. The layer transferring device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the sheet discharging roller is positioned opposite to the pivot axis of the cover with respect to the pressure roller.

7. The layer transferring device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the number of gears for transmitting a driving force from the motor to the pressure roller is smaller than the number of gears for transmitting a driving force from the motor to the sheet discharging roller.

8. The layer transferring device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the film cartridge further comprises:
a feed reel around which the multilayer film is wounded; and
a take-up reel for taking up the supporting layer of the multilayer film,

the layer transferring device further comprising:
a conveying roller extending in the first direction and configured to convey a sheet toward the pressure roller;
a first gear train provided in the main casing and configured to receive a driving force from the motor, the first gear train comprising the first transmission gear;
a second gear train provided at the cover and configured to transmit a driving force to the pressure roller, the second gear train comprising the second transmission gear and a clutch;
a third gear train provided at the cover and connected to the second gear train, the third gear train comprising a first conveying roller gear coupled to one end portion in the first direction of the conveying roller and rotatable together with the conveying roller;
a fourth gear train provided in the main casing and connected to the first gear train, the fourth gear train being configured to transmit a driving force from the first gear train to the take-up reel; and
a fifth gear train provided at the cover and configured to transmit a driving force to the sheet discharging roller, the fifth gear train comprising a second conveying roller gear coupled to another end portion in the first direction of the conveying roller and rotatable together with the conveying roller.

9. The layer transferring device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the clutch is switchable between a transmission state where a driving force is transmitted from second gear train to the pressure roller and an interruption state where transmission of the driving force to the pressure roller is interrupted.

10. The layer transferring device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the fourth gear train comprises a clutch switchable between a transmission state where a driving force is transmitted from fourth gear train to the take-up reel and an interruption state where transmission of the driving force to the take-up reel is interrupted.

Assignees

• Broiher Kogyo Kk
• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yamamoto Tomoya

Classifications

• B65C9/24

  by heat · CPC title

• B41F13/008

  Mechanical features of drives, e.g. gears, clutches · CPC title

• B65C9/00

  Details of labelling machines or apparatus {(attaching articles to carriers B65B15/00; cards of samples G09F5/04)} · CPC title

• B41J2/325

  by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet · CPC title

• B41F16/0026 Primary

  with means for applying print under heat and pressure, e.g. using heat activable adhesive · CPC title