CA2040247A1 - Polychromatic label printer - Google Patents

Polychromatic label printer

Info

Publication number
CA2040247A1
CA2040247A1 CA002040247A CA2040247A CA2040247A1 CA 2040247 A1 CA2040247 A1 CA 2040247A1 CA 002040247 A CA002040247 A CA 002040247A CA 2040247 A CA2040247 A CA 2040247A CA 2040247 A1 CA2040247 A1 CA 2040247A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
polychromatic
labels
continuum
roller
printing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002040247A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Yasuhiro Yamaguchi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP10622790A external-priority patent/JPH044162A/en
Priority claimed from JP10622890A external-priority patent/JPH044163A/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2040247A1 publication Critical patent/CA2040247A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41JTYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/54Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed with two or more sets of type or printing elements

Landscapes

  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Handling Of Sheets (AREA)
  • Printers Characterized By Their Purpose (AREA)
  • Dot-Matrix Printers And Others (AREA)
  • Labeling Devices (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A polychromatic label printer of the present invention includes a holding means for holding a continuum of labels, a moving means for moving the continuum of labels as it is unwound from the holding means and three sets of printing units for printing each label in yellow, red and blue respectively.

Description

~an~7 TITLE OF T~E INVENTION
POLYC~ROM~TIC LABEL PRINTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVE~TION
Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a polychromatic label printer and, in particular, to a polychromatic label printer for polychromatic printing of, for example, a picture, characters and bar code.
Description of thè Prior Art:
As label printers for printing a picture, characters, bar code et cetera there are known two alternatives of monochromatic label printer using, for example, dark-pale black/gray and polychromatic label printer using a multiplicity of colors. With a polychromatic printer three primary colors of yellow, red and blue are printed on a sheet of label and various colors are produced through synthesis of the three primary colors.
For printing the three primary colors, namely yellow, red and blue, on a single sheet of paper a single common head~ has hitherto been used. In this case, first a continuum of labels lS moved forward and characters, for example, are prlnted in yeliow~ Next, the label printed in yellow is moved back into the printer and the characters are printed this time in yellow. And then, the label printed in both yellow and red is again moved back into the printer and .,. ~ .
' ' .

~Q2~7 the characters are printed this time in blue. Thus, polychromatic printing in three primary colors is done by printing three primary colors one upon another by moving back the label twice.
With this type of polychromatic label printer, however, the label printed had to be moved back twice, this being time-consuming and inefficient.
SUMMA~Y OF T~E INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is, there-fore, to provide a polychromatic label printer for efficient polychromatic printing without the necessity of moving back a continuum of labels repeatedly.
The polychromatic printing of the present invention comprising a holding means for holding the continuum of labels, a moving means for moving said continuum of Iabels unwound from said holding means, and three sets of printing means for printing each of said continuum of labels in yellow, red and bIue respectively provided to correspond to said moving means. As yellow, red and blue are printed by the three sets of printing units successively, polychromatic printing is performed through synthesis of the three primary colors.
According to the present invention, polychromatic dyeing printing is feasible by the use of a polychromatic label printer without the necessity of moving back the 2~2~7 printed label, this meaning a marked improvement in printing efficiency.
The aforementioned and other objects, features, phases and advantages will be better understood from reading of the detailed description of preferred embodiments of this invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an illustratory view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an illustratory vlew showing a continuum of labels.
Fig. 3 is an illustratory view showing another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is an illustratory view showing another example o~ continuum of labels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 is an illustratory view showing an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a polychromatic printer 10 includes a holding roller 12, which holds thereon a continuum of labels 14 in roll form.
As shown in Fig. 2~ a continuum of labels 14 includes a belt-like sheet material 16 of release paper. To one principal surface of the sheet material 16 there are tentatively stuck a plurality of labels 20, each thereof having a layer of adhesive layer 1~ thereon.

2 ~ ~

The continuum of labels 14 is led from the holding roller 12 to a roller 30 via roller 22, roller 24, roller 26 and roller 28. On the path of the continuum of labels 14 to the roller 22 there is provided a sensor 32 for detection of each label 20 on the sheet material 16. Above the roller 22 there are provided a printing unit 34a for, for example, yellow.
The printing unit 34a includes a holding roller 36a.
This holding roller 36a has held thereon a heat~sensitive ink ribbon 38a in roll form. This ink ribbon 38a is a yellow one. The ink ribbon 38a, with one end thereof unrolled, is led via roller 40a and roller 42a to the winding reel 44a to be wound thereby. On the path of the ink ribbon 38a there is provided a thermal head 46a. And above this thermal head 46a there is disposed a drive circuit 48a.
Above the roller 26 there is provided another printing unit 34b, this being for red. This printiny unit 34b includes a holding roller 36b, a heat-sensitive t~pe ink ribbon 38b, a roller 40b, another roller 42b, a winding reel 44b, a thermal head 46b and a drive circuit 48b. This ink ribbon 38b is a red one.
Above the roller 30 there is provided still another printing unit 34c, this being for blue. This printing unit 34c includes a holding roller 36c, a heat sensitive type ink .

~d~247 ribbon 38c, a roller 40c, another roller 42c, a winding reel 44c, a thermal head 46c and a drive circuit 48c. This ink ribbon 38c is a blue one.
The roller 24 has connected thereto one end of a compensation shaft 50 which is, for example, bar-like. Amid the compensation shaft 50 there is formed a fulcrum 51. And above and under the other end of this compensation shaft 50 there are disposed position detection sensor 52a and sensor 52b for detecting the position of the roller 24.
Similarly, the roller 28 has connected thereto one end of a compensation shaft 54 and amid this compensation shaft 54 there is formed a fulcrum 55. And above and under the other end of this compensation shaft 54 there are disposed position detecting sensor 56a and sensor 56b for detecting the position of the roller 28.
There is provided a CPU 58 for controlling the three drive units 48a, 48b, 48c.
~ The continuum of labels 14 is first led through between the printing unit 34a and the roller 22. As the continuum of labels 14 is led from the holding roller 12 to the roller 22, the position of each label 20 is detected by the sensor 32. Informations corresponding to the picture, characters or bar code to be printed are given by the CPU 58 to the drive circuit 48a. And, according to the informations given, the drive circuit 48a controls the movement of the ., ., , .. , 1)~

2 0 ~ 7 thermal head 46a. Since the ink ribbon 38a is of the heat-sensltive type, the portions in contact with the thermal head 46a are printed on the label 20. This ink ribbon 38a is a yellow one, hence this printing unit 34a prints on the label 20 only the yellow portions of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 14 is then led through between the printing unit 34b and the roller 26 via the roller 24.
In the same manner as the printing unit 34a this printing unit 34b prints on the label 20 only the red portions of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 14 is finally led through between the printing unit 34c and the roller 30. In the same manner as the printing units 34a, 34b thi~ printing unit 34c prints on the label 20 only the blue portions of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
Since any color can be produced by synthesis of the three primary colors of yellow, red and blue, polychromatic printing is feasible by the use of this polychromatic label printer 10.
Since the position of the label 20 is detectable by means of the sensor 32, the drive oircuits 48a, 48b, 48c are controllable by the CPU 58 according to the position of the label 20 detected. Hence positional deviation of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed in the course , ' ~'~ ' , :

,' ' ~ ,.... .

2 ~ 7 of printing by the three printing units 34a, 34b, 34c can be prevented without fail.
With this polychromatic label printer 10, when the feed rate or peripheral speed of the roller 22 is higher than that of the roller 26, the length of the continuum of labels 14 between the roller 22 and the roller 26 increases with simultaneous lowering of the roller 24. Then, since the fulcrum 51 is formed on the compensation shaft 50, the other end of the compensation shaft 50 comes into contact with the position detecting sensor 52b. And upon receipt of the information to the effect from the position detection sensor 52b, the feed rates of the rollers 22 and 26 are adjusted accordingly.
When, con~ersely, the feed rate of the roller 22 is lower than that of the roller 26, the other end of the compensation shaf~t 50 comes into contact with the position detection sensor 52a. And upon receipt of the infoxmation to the effect from the detection sensor 52a, the feed rates of the rollers 22 and 26 are adjusted accordingly.
Similarly, the feed rates of the rollers 26 and 30 are adjusted by means of the compensation shaft 54 and the position detection sensors 56a, 56b. And slackening of the moviny continuum of labels 14 can thus be precluded.
The labels 20 printed in three primary colors of yellow, red and blue are then sent to the next step . . .

' : . , ~' ' ' ~h~ R~
~ v ~

successively.
Thus, with this polychromatic label printer 10, unlike with the conventional counterparts, there is no necessity of repeatedly moving back labels being printed, and the time required for printing can thus be shortened.
Fig. 3 is an illustratory ~iew showing another embodiment of the present invention. A polychromatic label printer 110 includes a holding roller 112, which has held thereon a continuum of labels 114 in roll form.
As shown in Fig. 4, the continuum of labels 114 includes a belt-like sheet material 116 of release paper.
The belt-like sheet material 116 has tentatively stuck to one principal sur~ace thereof a plurality of labels 120 with each one layer of adhesive layer 118 formed thereon.
The continuum of labels 114 is led from the holding roller 112 via a roller 122 onto a rotating drum 124 and further to a roller 126. On the path of the continuum of la~els 114 to the roller 122 there is provided a sensor for detecting each label 120 on the sheet material 116. On the path the continuum of labels 114 there are arranged three printing units 13Oa, 13Ob, 130c along the outer periphery of ~ -the rotating drum 124. In this case the printing unit 130a may, for example, be for yellow, the printing unit 130b for red and the printiny unit 130c ~or blue.
The printing unit L30a includes a holding roller 132a.
::

2~2~7 The holding roller 132a has held thereon a length of ink ribbon 134a of, for example, heat-sensitive type in roll form. This ink ribbon 134a is a yellow one. The ink ribbon 134a, with one end thereof unwound, is wound by a winding reel 140a via rollers 136a, 138a. On the path of the ink ribbon 134a there is provided a thermal head 142a. And above this thermal head 142a there is disposed a drive circuit 144a.
Similarly, the printing unit 130b includes a holding roller 132b, a heat~sensitive type ink ribbon 134b, a roller 136b, another roller 138b, a winding reel 140b, a thermal head 142b and a drive circuit 144b. This ink ribbon 134b is a red one.
Also similarly, the printing unit 134c includes a holding roller 132c, a heat-sensitive type ink ribbon 134c, a roller 136c, another roller 138c, a winding reel 140c, a thermal head 142c and a drive circuit 144c. This ink ribbon 13 4C lS a blue one.
There is provided a CPU 146 for controlling the three drive circuits 144a, 144b, 144c.
The continuum of labels 114 is first led through the printing unit 130a. As the continuum of labels 114 is led from the holding roller 112 to the roller 122, the position of each label 120 is detected by the sensor 128~
Informations corresponding to the picture, characters or bar 2 ~

code to be printed are given by the CPU 146 to the drive circuit 144a. And, according to the informations given, the drive circuit 144a controls the movement of the thermal head 46a. Since the ink ribbon 134a is of the heat-sensitive type, the portions in contact with the thermal head 142a are printed on the label 120. This ink ribbon 134a is a yellow one, hence this printing unit 130a prints on the label 120 only the yellow portions of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 114 is then led through the printing unit 130b. In the same manner as the printing unit 130a this printing unit 130b prints on the label 120 only the red portions of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 114 is finally led through the printing unit 130c. In the same manner as the printing units 130a, 130b this printing unit 130c prints on the label 120 only the blue portions of the picture, characters or bar code to be printedO
The iabels 120 thus printed in yellow, red and blue are then led to the next step via the roller 126 as a continuum of labels 114. Since any color can be produced by synthesis of the three primary colors of yellow, red and blue, polychromatic printing is feasible by the use of this polychromatic label printer 110.

2 ~

Since the position of each label 120 is detectable by means of the sensor 128, the drive circuits 144a, 144b, 144c are controllable by the CP~ 14~ according to the position of the label 20 detected. Hence positional deviation of the picture, characters or bar code to be printed in the course of printing by the three prlnting units 130a, 130b, 130c can be prevented without fail.
Thus, with this polychromatic label printer 110, unlike with the conventional counterparts, there is no necessity of repeatedly moving back the continuum of labels, hence the time required for printing can be substantially shortened.
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it is apparent that it is for the purpose of illustration or by way of examples and not to be understood as of limiting nature, and the true spirit and the scope of this invention are defined only by the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. A polychromatic label printer comprising:
a holding means for holding a continuum of labels;
a moving means for moving said continuum of labels unwound from said holding means; and three sets of printing means for printing each of said continuum of labels in yellow, red and blue respectively provided to correspond to said moving means.
2. A polychromatic label printer according to claim 1, wherein said moving means includes three rollers and said three sets of printing means are provided to correspond to said three rollers.
3. A polychromatic label printer according to claim 1, wherein said moving means includes a rotating drum and said three sets of printing means are arranged on the path of said continuum of labels along the outer periphery of said rotating drum.
4. A polychromatic label printer according to claim 1, wherein said moving means includes a sensor for detection of each of said continuum of labels on the path thereof.
5. A polychromatic label printer according to claim 1, wherein said moving means includes a compensation means for compensating moving distance of said continuum of labels in each of three sets of printing means.
6. A polychromatic label printer according to claim 5, wherein said compensation means includes a roller coming into contact with said continuum of labels and a compensation shaft for changing the position of said roller.
7. A polychromatic label printer according to claim 6, wherein said compensation means includes a sensor for detecting the position of said compensation shaft.
8. polychromatic label printer corresponding to claim 5, wherein said compensation means includes a CPU.
CA002040247A 1990-04-20 1991-04-11 Polychromatic label printer Abandoned CA2040247A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP10622790A JPH044162A (en) 1990-04-20 1990-04-20 Multicolor label printer
JP106227/1990 1990-04-20
JP10622890A JPH044163A (en) 1990-04-20 1990-04-20 Multicolor label printer
JP106228/1990 1990-04-20

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2040247A1 true CA2040247A1 (en) 1991-10-21

Family

ID=26446372

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002040247A Abandoned CA2040247A1 (en) 1990-04-20 1991-04-11 Polychromatic label printer

Country Status (7)

Country Link
BE (1) BE1003608A6 (en)
CA (1) CA2040247A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2661133A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2254829A (en)
IT (1) IT1256998B (en)
LU (1) LU87918A1 (en)
NL (1) NL9100692A (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5379056A (en) * 1992-01-10 1995-01-03 Markem Corporation Multi-color thermal transfer printer with arcuate print head arrangement and printing pressure adjustment
US5765481A (en) * 1997-03-11 1998-06-16 Gerber Scientific Products, Inc. Apparatus and method for working on a length of web material
US7960656B2 (en) 2006-06-02 2011-06-14 Touchstone Research Laboratory, Ltd. Carbon bonded carbon foam EMI shielding enclosures
DE102017222700A1 (en) * 2017-07-17 2019-01-17 Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Ag Printing machine with twin printing unit and method for operating such a printing press

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0050481B1 (en) * 1980-10-16 1986-09-10 Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Multi-colour image recording device
WO1984000925A1 (en) * 1982-08-31 1984-03-15 Orlovskoe N Proizv Ob Av Device for polychromatic printing
DE3935347A1 (en) * 1989-10-24 1991-04-25 Ancker Joergensen As DEVICE FOR PRINTING A RECORD CARRIER

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1256998B (en) 1995-12-27
LU87918A1 (en) 1992-03-03
GB9108122D0 (en) 1991-06-05
NL9100692A (en) 1991-11-18
ITMI911042A0 (en) 1991-04-16
GB2254829A (en) 1992-10-21
ITMI911042A1 (en) 1992-10-16
FR2661133A1 (en) 1991-10-25
BE1003608A6 (en) 1992-05-05

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4738555A (en) Method, apparatus and thermal print ribbon to provide a protective layer over thermally-printed areas on a record medium
US4815872A (en) Method, apparatus and thermal print ribbon to provide a protective layer over thermally-printed areas on a record medium
CA2161858C (en) Roll paper terminal end detecting unit and method
EP0263871B1 (en) Identifying color dye frames in carrier used in thermal printer
US4551729A (en) Method of making thermal transfer type multicolor printing
US5611629A (en) Multiple print head nonimpact printing apparatus
US4385302A (en) Multicolor recording apparatus
KR100289880B1 (en) Ink ribbon
CA2040247A1 (en) Polychromatic label printer
US6152621A (en) Multicolor thermal transfer imaging process
US7352379B2 (en) Sheet for forming an image, image forming method, and image forming apparatus
JPH085235B2 (en) Thermal transfer recorder
JP2870574B2 (en) Thermal transfer printing equipment
JPS61177260A (en) Color printer
GB2282567A (en) Multi-ribbon printer
JP2895839B2 (en) Thermal transfer recording device and thermal ink sheet
US6250826B1 (en) Ink ribbon, cartridge containing ink ribbon, and method of discriminating failure location from ink ribbon base film
JP2512551B2 (en) Printer
US5287124A (en) Color video printer having a multicolor printing mode and a monochromatic printing mode
JPH03138178A (en) Ink cassette for thermal transfer printer
JPS60232988A (en) Printer
JPH10217516A (en) Method for thermal transfer recording and apparatus for recording
JP3447140B2 (en) Thermal printer print control method
JPH04357069A (en) Transfer ribbon of thermal recording apparatus
JP4876746B2 (en) Printing method

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued