EP4023448A1 - Procédé de génération des données de commande destiné à l'impression directe thermique multicolore - Google Patents

Procédé de génération des données de commande destiné à l'impression directe thermique multicolore Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4023448A1
EP4023448A1 EP20218029.5A EP20218029A EP4023448A1 EP 4023448 A1 EP4023448 A1 EP 4023448A1 EP 20218029 A EP20218029 A EP 20218029A EP 4023448 A1 EP4023448 A1 EP 4023448A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
color
direct thermal
printing
paper
control data
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP20218029.5A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP4023448B1 (fr
Inventor
Jannasch Uwe
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.)
Bizerba SE and Co KG
Original Assignee
Bizerba SE and Co KG
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.)
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Priority to EP20218029.5A priority Critical patent/EP4023448B1/fr
Priority to US17/557,155 priority patent/US20220203703A1/en
Publication of EP4023448A1 publication Critical patent/EP4023448A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP4023448B1 publication Critical patent/EP4023448B1/fr
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Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • B41J2/35—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads providing current or voltage to the thermal head
    • B41J2/355—Control circuits for heating-element selection
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/315—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material
    • B41J2/32—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads
    • B41J2/325—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by selective application of heat to a heat sensitive printing or impression-transfer material using thermal heads by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J3/00—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed
    • B41J3/60—Typewriters or selective printing or marking mechanisms characterised by the purpose for which they are constructed for printing on both faces of the printing material

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method for creating control data for multi-color, in particular two-color, direct thermal printing.
  • Direct thermal printing papers that change color to different colors in response to different temperatures are known to those skilled in the art.
  • the direct thermal printing paper KLRB 46B from the company Kanzan is a paper which turns red at a temperature of 75°C to 80°C and turns black at a temperature of 95°C to 105°C.
  • the EP1866161B1 also shows a two-color direct thermal printing paper.
  • the EP1866161B1 also shows a printer for printing on such direct thermal printing paper, which comprises two print heads, the first print head applying a temperature to the direct thermal printing paper that triggers discoloration in the first color and the second print head applying a temperature to the direct thermal printing paper applied, which triggers a discoloration in the second color. From the EP3175993B1 a direct thermal printing paper is known which can be used for three-color printing.
  • Direct thermal printers with a print head whose thermocouples can generate two different temperatures are known to those skilled in the art DE60207488T2 and the DE60036515T2 known. In this way, a two-color print can be produced on the thermal direct printing paper. These printheads and their controls are expensive and complex.
  • the object of the invention is to enable more cost-effective multi-color direct thermal printing.
  • the thermal direct printing paper is continuously fed past the print head and printed one line after the other.
  • the control data for the print lines are control data that are sent one after the other to the print head, and the heat sources are correspondingly re-activated at intervals and heated or not heated to the printing temperature.
  • control data causes a plurality of adjacent heat sources to be heated to the printing temperature at the locations where the second color is to be formed on the direct thermal printing paper.
  • control data from a plurality of adjacent heat sources causes one portion to be heated to the printing temperature and the other portion of the heat sources not to be heated.
  • adjacent heat sources can be adjacent heat sources in both row direction and column direction.
  • Heat sources that are adjacent in the row direction are heat sources that are arranged next to one another on the print head. Heat sources that border one another in the direction of the columns is always the same heat source in the print head, but it is controlled line by line and thus in chronological succession. Even if it is only one from a hardware point of view If the heat source is heat, the heat source is directed to print pixels arranged next to one another in the column direction as a result of the line-by-line feed and printing of the direct thermal printing paper.
  • the original image is entered via the input/output device and includes, for example, text in black letters and text in red letters, it is already clear from the input which areas, namely the areas covered by the text, are in which color are present in the image data.
  • the original image is a graphic received electronically by the receiving device, an image recognition algorithm must be applied to identify the first color areas and the second color areas.
  • the regular raster is a raster which is repeated in rows and/or columns or arranged at an angle.
  • areas of the first color in the image data are mapped in different regular grids due to their brightness in the control pattern.
  • Dark first color areas include more active print pixels in the control pattern than light first color areas. This is the case when the second color is black. With more active print pixels, there is a higher proportion of black pixels in direct thermal printing and the area of the first color appears darker to the human eye.
  • At least parts of the active print pixels have a minimum spacing in the control pattern for areas that exceed a certain brightness.
  • the minimum distance is selected in such a way that the first color, the second color and the paper color overlap on the thermal direct printing paper.
  • the print pixels are arranged so far apart that an unprinted area remains between two areas printed by the print pixels on the direct thermal paper, and thus an area in the paper color, in particular a white area.
  • a white pixel can be included in the print and the brightness of the printed area increases.
  • a plurality of print pixels arranged in a regular grid are inactive print pixels in the control pattern for brightening an area in the second color. All other print pixels in the area are active print pixels.
  • An area of the second color includes only active print pixels. Inserting groups of inactive print pixels in a regular grid creates white areas that lighten the second color. However, the white areas are outlined with a narrow border of the first color. If the second color is black and the first color is red, then gray scale printing is possible with such a control pattern, where the gray scale printing will have a slight red cast.
  • the input/output device includes a display on which a graphical user interface is shown.
  • the input/output device is designed to receive inputs for creating a label layout, the inputs including characters, standard graphics, colors, sizes, alignments and/or positions.
  • the control device is designed to display the print image resulting from the created control data on the input/output device. In one embodiment, the control device is designed to compare the print image resulting from the created control data with the original image on the input/output device.
  • control device includes an object recognition device that recognizes at least one barcode in the image data from an original image received via the input/output device or receiving device.
  • the control device outputs an error message via the input/output device if the barcode does not have the second color and/or is not aligned in a printing direction is.
  • a barcode is particularly easy to read when it is printed in black and when the bars of the barcode are printed along the printing direction.
  • the two-color direct thermal printing paper in particular the Kanzan paper already mentioned, turns red in a first temperature range of 75°C to 80°C and black at a temperature of 95°C to 105°C when heat is applied. Since the paper slides under the print head and the heat sources are covered with a protective layer or glass, for example, and the paper as linerless paper has a protective layer, in particular silicone layer, over the thermoreactive one, the heat sources during printing may have to be slightly higher temperatures than those above mentioned discoloration temperatures.
  • the direct thermal printing paper is intended to be supplied with two discrete temperatures for two-color printing. However, direct thermal printheads, whose heat sources can generate two different temperatures, are technically complex and sometimes unreliable.
  • the advantage of this process is that only one discrete temperature, the printing temperature, has to be generated at the heat sources. If several adjacent pixels are heated to the printing temperature, the printing temperature and that is transferred Direct thermal paper below these pixels heats up to the higher temperature range where the second color is formed. If, from a group of adjacent heat sources, i.e. from a group of adjacent pixels, some are heated to the printing temperature and others are not, an average temperature is formed that is transferred to the direct thermal printing paper, which is in the lower temperature range of direct thermal printing paper falls and forms the first color. It can be observed that the active heat sources, i.e. the heat sources heated to the printing temperature, form pixels in the second color on the direct thermal printing paper.
  • spots in the first color form because the temperature on the thermal direct printing paper in these areas drops somewhat and corresponds to the lower temperature range.
  • the process makes use of the fact that a point heat source radiates heat in the immediate vicinity.
  • a combination of active and inactive heat sources creates a pixel pattern on the direct thermal printing paper that has a few pixels in the second color and around them pixels in the first color. Due to the small pixel size, however, the human eye cannot perceive the individual pixels. Rather, depending on the relationship between active and inactive heat sources and their geometric arrangement, the area appears as an area in the first color.
  • the unprinted direct thermal printing paper is usually white or has a whitish tint. This is not to be understood as a first or second color within the meaning of the invention.
  • the second color is black.
  • the first color is red.
  • the first color and the second color mean a reaction of the thermoreactive layer. At the pixel to which heat is applied, the color changes thermoreactive layer.
  • color effects can be achieved, such as a light red area or a dark red area.
  • these consist of individual red, white and black pixels and are not to be regarded as separate colors within the meaning of this disclosure.
  • the printing temperature is equal to or higher than the second temperature.
  • the heat source must transfer heat to the paper at the temperature of the higher temperature range. This is the second temperature. Due to the effects that can occur due to the protective layer on the print head and the protective layer on the direct thermal printing paper, the printing temperature may have to be slightly higher than the second temperature.
  • the step of moving the direct thermal printing paper line by line occurs during a line time from a line n to a next line n+1.
  • the movement of the direct thermal printing paper is continuous, ie the paper is moved past the print head at a constant or almost constant speed.
  • the movement of the direct thermal paper is stepped, that is, the direct thermal paper is moved to the next line n+1 and stopped until the line time expires, and then moved to line n+2.
  • the area on the direct thermal printing paper when printing an area, comprises multiple rows and multiple columns.
  • the rows from the print head's point of view correspond to a time when this row is under the heat sources of the print head.
  • the columns of the area correspond to certain heat sources of the print head as seen from the print head. If an area on the thermal direct printing paper is printed in the second color, then over the times that correspond to the lines of the area, all Heat sources corresponding to the columns of the rows heated to the printing temperature. All heat sources that correspond to the projection on the surface on the direct thermal printing paper are heated to the printing temperature and the surface changes color to the second color.
  • the area including multiple rows (n, n+1, n+2) and multiple columns, while printing the multiple rows (n, n+ 1, n+2), all heat sources corresponding to the multiple columns heated to the printing temperature.
  • the surface is printed in the first color
  • one part of the heat sources mentioned in the previous paragraph must be heated to the printing temperature (active heat sources) and another part is not heated (inactive heat sources), i.e. the other Some of the heat sources are not controlled electrically.
  • active heat sources the area including multiple rows (n, n+1, n+2) and multiple columns, while printing the multiple rows (n, n+ 1, n+2) from the heat sources corresponding to the several columns, a proportion is heated to the printing temperature, so that the projection of the heat sources onto the surface corresponds to a regular grid of active and inactive heat sources, with as many or more inactive than active ones heat sources are present.
  • a pure print in the first color ie an area that only has pixels in the first color
  • the human eye perceives the area in the first color when the pixels of the first color and the pixels of the second color are arranged in a regular grid and the pixels of the first color predominate. Therefore, there must be as many or more inactive heat sources in the grid on the projection of the area than active heat sources.
  • the heat sources corresponding to the multiple columns are heated to the printing temperature in such a way that the projection of the heat sources onto the surface has a regular Grid of active and inactive heat sources corresponds.
  • the paper color is white, although the white can have a slight reddish tinge.
  • the grid is arranged in such a way that the distance between two heat sources that are heated to the printing temperature exceeds a minimum distance in row direction and column direction, a white pixel appears on the surface. It is thus possible to create a grid that represents an overlay of pixels in the first color, in the second color and white pixels.
  • the second color is black. Hues in the first color, particularly red, can be printed at different levels of lightness. A screen containing more active heat sources will print a darker shade of the first color on the direct thermal paper than a screen with fewer active heat sources.
  • red tones can be generated in different brightnesses by selecting the grid with white and black pixels, from a bright red with a large proportion of white to a dark red that goes black transforms.
  • the fact that the printing of red pixels always causes a black pixel in the middle, which is surrounded by red pixels, means that there can be no pure red area and an area perceived by the human eye as a red area made up of a plurality of red pixels and a smaller number of black pixels and in particular also a smaller number of white pixels.
  • the regular raster is a raster which is repeated in rows and/or columns or arranged obliquely or alternately. Different effects can be achieved with different regular grids and in particular different brightnesses of the first color can be printed.
  • a repeating grid over several pixels in the row direction and in the column direction results in a small area with a specific lightness of the first color.
  • Various geometric shapes can be assembled from many small areas, resulting in many shapes and a large degree of freedom for prints in the first and second color.
  • the direct thermal printing paper is linerless paper.
  • the direct thermal printing paper comprises a silicone layer on the upper side.
  • Linerless paper is paper made from a continuous strip that does not include a carrier tape.
  • the paper layer on the back has an adhesive material, in particular an adhesive coating, in order to be able to stick labels that have been separated from the continuous strip to an object. So that the label web does not stick to itself when it is rolled up into a continuous roll, the top of the paper has a silicone layer from which the adhesive material can be removed.
  • This silicone layer on the thermal direct printing paper has the advantage that the heat from the heat source is distributed somewhat in the silicone layer and not only penetrates the paper at certain points under the heat source, but also in its surroundings.
  • an active heat source is electrically controlled by the controller during a printing interval.
  • the pressure interval is divided into a saturation interval and a subsequent cooling interval.
  • the saturation interval begins with a wait time.
  • the heat source is only supplied with electricity in the time after the waiting time has elapsed until the end of the saturation interval.
  • the waiting time in row n depends on the status of the heat source in at least one previous row n-1.
  • the print interval corresponds to line time.
  • the saturation interval is the same for all heat sources of the printhead.
  • the waiting time can be selected differently for each heat source and depends on the previous state of this heat source.
  • the printhead includes a temperature sensor on its surface. Depending on the temperature of the temperature sensor, the saturation interval, which is the same for all heat sources, is determined. For example, a longer saturation interval is chosen in a very cold environment than in a warm environment.
  • a computer program with program code means is proposed to the method for creating control data for operating a direct thermal printer to perform printing on direct thermal paper when running the program on a computer or on a computer of a direct thermal printer.
  • a computer program product with program code means that are stored on a computer-readable data carrier is proposed in order to carry out the method for creating control data for operating a direct thermal printer for printing direct thermal printing paper if the computer program runs on a computer or on a computer of a direct thermal printer.
  • a data processing device is proposed with an input/output device, a control device, in particular a CPU, and a transceiver for sending and receiving data via a network.
  • the control device executes a method for creating control data for operating a direct thermal printer for printing on direct thermal printing paper.
  • the transceiver is designed to send the control data and/or the control pattern to a direct thermal printer via the network.
  • a direct thermal printer for printing direct thermal printing paper comprises at least one thermoreactive layer. At least two colors can be formed with the at least one thermoreactive layer. A first color is formed upon application of a first temperature and a second color is formed upon application of a second temperature. The second temperature is higher than the first temperature.
  • the direct thermal printer includes a transport roller that moves the direct thermal printing paper along a paper path from a paper input to a paper output.
  • the direct thermal printer comprises a print head, which comprises heat sources which are arranged next to one another transversely to the paper path and can be controlled electrically. The printhead applies heat to the thermal direct printing paper at specific points.
  • the direct thermal printer includes a control device that controls a rotation of the transport roller and uses the transport roller to move the direct thermal printing paper line by line along the print head in the direction of a printing direction.
  • Each heat source of the print head is electrically connected to the controller and can be heated to a printing temperature.
  • the control device executes a method for creating control data for operating a direct thermal printer for printing on direct thermal printing paper.
  • the control device controls the heat sources with the control data.
  • control device is designed to heat selected heat sources of the print head to the printing temperature in each line of the direct thermal printing paper.
  • a plurality of adjacent heat sources are heated to the printing temperature at the points where the second color is to be formed on the direct thermal printing paper.
  • a portion is heated to the printing temperature by a plurality of adjacent heat sources and the other portion of the heat sources is not heated.
  • the pressure bar is a pressure bar based on thick film technology.
  • Examples of pressure bars based on thick film technology are the KD2004-DC91B from Rohm or the KPW-104-BZR from Kyocera.
  • the pressure bar is a pressure bar based on thin-film technology.
  • the printing temperature is equal to or higher than the second temperature.
  • the transport roller is a pressure roller that presses the direct thermal printing paper against the print head.
  • the direct thermal printer is a linerless printer and the direct thermal printing paper is a continuous paper made of linerless paper, which is provided with a silicone layer on its upper side.
  • the controller controls the transport roller so that the transport roller moves the direct thermal printing paper from a line n to a next line n+1 during a line time, the movement being stepwise or continuous during the line time.
  • the printer includes a paper path that leads from a paper receptacle 46, in which a paper roll 32 is mounted, via a print roller 40 and a print head 42 to a paper output 44.
  • the paper is wound onto a paper roll 32 in the form of an endless strip of direct thermal printing paper 34 .
  • the direct thermal printing paper 34 comprises an underside to which an adhesive layer is applied and an upper side 36 to which a silicone layer is applied.
  • the pressure roller 40 serves as a transport roller for the continuous strip of direct thermal printing paper 34. The pressure roller presses the direct thermal printing paper 34 with its upper side 36 against the print head 42.
  • the direct thermal printer 30 includes a control device 48 which is electrically connected to the print head 42 and the Pressure roller 40 is connected.
  • the control device 48 controls the print roller 40, which moves the direct thermal printing paper 34 past the print head 42 line by line.
  • the control device 48 also controls the print head 42, in particular the control device 48 controls the heat sources 52 of the print head 42, so that the desired print results in line n, which is located just below the print head 42 due to the transport of the direct thermal printing paper 34 .
  • the coordinated control of the print roller 40 and the print head 42 by the control device 48 results in line-by-line printing on the thermal direct printing paper 34.
  • the pixels in the column direction correspond to the individual heat sources 52
  • the pixels in the row direction n, n+1, n +2 correspond to the respective point in time t0, tz, 2tz at which the corresponding line n, n+1, n+2 is located under the print head 42.
  • the controller 48 is configured to heat or not heat each individual heat source 52 to a printing temperature.
  • the control device 48 is also connected to a transceiver 49 .
  • the direct thermal printer 30 is connected to a transceiver 76 of a data processing device 70 via a network.
  • the data processing device 70 includes an input/output device 72 with which an operator can operate the data processing device 70 .
  • the operator can use the input/output device 72 to input image data of an original image that is to be printed by the direct thermal printer 30 into the data processing device 70 .
  • the data processing device 70 includes a control device 74 which is designed to create control data.
  • the control data is data for controlling the direct thermal printer 30.
  • the control data is sent from the data processing device 70 via the transceiver 76 to the direct thermal printer.
  • the data processing device 70 is integrated into the direct thermal printer 30 .
  • the print head 42 shows a print head 42 in a view from below.
  • the direct thermal paper 34 is moved past the print head 42 line by line along a printing direction 60 by the print roller 40 .
  • the print head 42 comprises a print field 56 with a multiplicity of heat sources 52 arranged next to one another.
  • the heat sources emit heat at specific points.
  • the spacing 54 between the heat sources 52 is illustrated in FIG 2 presented relatively broadly. In practice, the distance 54 between two adjacent heat sources 52 is very small. It should in 2 only indicated that each heat source 52 is attached independently of the adjacent heat sources 52 and can be controlled separately by the control device.
  • the width of the print field 56 corresponds at least to the maximum printable paper width.
  • the pressure field 56 is covered with a cover that preferably conducts heat well, in order to protect the heat sources 52 from mechanical damage.
  • the heat sources 52 are in particular heating resistors.
  • the printhead 42 includes a temperature sensor 58 which measures the temperature 58 at the top of the print head and passes it on to the control device 48 as a parameter.
  • Typical values for the direct thermal paper width are 60 mm, 80 mm or 120 mm.
  • a typical resolution of applicant's linerless direct thermal printing paper is 200 dpi, in particular 300 dpi.
  • a typical printing speed, ie a typical transport speed at which the paper is moved along under the print head, is 100 mm/s to 400 mm/s, in particular 120 mm/s, 150 mm/s or 250 mm/s.
  • the print head comprises at least 960 heat sources 52.
  • the printing roller With a resolution of 300 dpi, 12 dots/mm, i.e. 12 lines/mm, are required in the transport direction. At a typical transport speed, i.e. printing speed, of 150 mm/s, the printing roller has to do 1800 lines/s, i.e. 1800 steps per second.
  • FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram for the activation of a heat source 52 by the control device 48 (lower part) and the associated heat development at the heat source 52 (upper part).
  • a pressure interval ti is shown.
  • a line n of the direct thermal printing paper is printed during a printing interval ti.
  • the print interval ti is typically at least 300 ⁇ s long. In any case, the print interval ti must not be longer than a line time tz and is in particular the same length as a line time tz.
  • the direct thermal printing paper 34 has been moved by the platen roller 40 from line n-1 to line n.
  • the direct thermal printing paper 34 is on line n at the beginning of the printing interval
  • the print interval consists of a saturation interval ts during which the heat source 52 is energized by the controller 48.
  • the pressure interval ti consists of a cooling interval ta following the saturation interval ts. If the print interval ti is shorter than the line time tz, then the direct thermal printing paper 34 is transported to the next line n+1 following the print interval ti and up to the end of the line time tz.
  • the direct thermal printing paper 34 is transported to the next line n+1 in the late part of the cooling interval ta and up to the end of the line time tz/print interval ti.
  • the saturation interval begins with a waiting time tw, tw', tw".
  • a current is applied to the heat source 52 by the control device 48.
  • the heat source 52 begins to heat up to the printing temperature TD and maintains the printing temperature TD until the end of the saturation interval ts.
  • the saturation interval ts is the same for all heat sources 52 of the print head, with the waiting time tw, tw', tw" being calculated separately for each heat source 52 of the print head on the basis of the preceding lines n-1, n-2, n-3 (History -Control).
  • the cooling interval ta no current is applied to the heat source 52 by the control device 48 and the temperature at the heat source 52 falls to its initial value during this time.
  • the control device 48 determines the length of the saturation interval ts.
  • a heat source is always heated to the printing temperature.
  • the method does not include a first temperature for printing the first color and a second temperature for printing the second colors.
  • the active heat sources 52 in one row are heated to the printing temperature TD.
  • the other heat sources 52 are inactive heat sources 52 and are not heated.
  • the direct thermal printing paper comprises a paper layer 12.
  • On the underside of the paper layer 12 is an adhesive layer 14, ie an adhesive layer applied.
  • a first thermoreactive layer 22 is applied above the paper layer 12, which forms a first color, in particular red, when heat is applied.
  • the first thermoreactive layer 22 turns red at a temperature of 70.degree. C. to 85.degree. C., in particular 75.degree. C. to 80.degree.
  • a second thermoreactive layer 20 is applied to the first thermoreactive layer 22 and forms a second color, in particular black, when heat is applied.
  • the second thermoreactive layer 20 turns black at a temperature of 90°C to 110°C, in particular 95°C to 105°C.
  • a silicone layer 16 is applied above the second thermoreactive layer 20, which prevents the adhesive layer 14 from adhering and allows the adhesive layer 14 to detach when an endless strip of the direct thermal printing paper 34 is rolled up into a roll.
  • Both the first thermoresponsive layer 22 and the second thermoresponsive layer 20 are transparent when no heat is applied to them.
  • thermoreactive layer 22 turns red and the second thermoreactive layer 20 remains transparent. A red print appears. If the direct thermal printing paper 34 is supplied with a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature, in particular 95° C. to 105° C., the first thermoreactive layer 22 turns red and the second thermoreactive layer 20 turns black. The second thermally responsive layer 20 covers the first thermally responsive layer 22 so that only the black color in the second thermally responsive layer 22 is visible. A black print is produced.
  • figure 5 shows a schematic representation of a direct thermal printing paper 34 for two-color printing in a second embodiment. Compared to 4 there is no separate first thermoresponsive layer and second thermoresponsive layer. A thermoreactive layer 18 is applied to the paper layer 12, which turns red when a first temperature is applied and turns black when a second temperature is applied.
  • Figures 6 to 15 show different control patterns for controlling the heat sources of the print head 42 (right graphic in landscape format) and the resulting printed image on direct thermal printing paper 34 (left graphic in landscape format).
  • the control patterns form regular grids.
  • the control data for the direct thermal printer are derived from the control patterns.
  • the print head is controlled with the control data resulting from a line t0, tz, 2*tz of the control pattern at the points in time at which the corresponding line n, n+1, n+2 of the direct thermal printing paper is under the print head located.
  • the drawings of the print head 42 each show 14 heat sources 52 lying next to one another, which are controlled by the control device 48 independently of one another, regularly and as a function of the line time.
  • a 1 means an active heat source, i.e.
  • the heat source 52 has a current and temperature profile as shown in 3 is shown schematically.
  • a 0 indicates an inactive heat source 52, that is, there is no heat output from this heat source.
  • the printed image on the direct thermal printing paper 34 is shown schematically.
  • a black area in the drawings indicates a black pixel.
  • a hatched area in the drawings indicates a red pixel.
  • a white area indicates an unprinted, i.e. white, area on the direct thermal printing paper 34.
  • Regular grids are shown in each case, which have been selected from a larger area. It is therefore a zoom view of an area that appears to be the same color.
  • a resolution of 300 dpi requires printing at around 12 dots/mm. That is, the in Figures 6 to 12
  • the fields shown have a size of approximately 1.16 mm * 1.16 mm ( ⁇ 1.36 mm 2 ) .
  • FIG. 6 shows a control pattern with a high proportion of black dots. 75% of the heat sources are active. That is, only 25% of heat sources are inactive. A black color forms on the active heat sources, which is superimposed on the red color formed on the inactive heat sources. The area shown has a dark red tone due to the superimposition of the black and red colors. The human eye does not recognize the individual pixels, but only an area that forms this shade of red.
  • Figures 7 to 12 each show areas that form different shades of red with different proportions of black pixels, red pixels and white pixels. In this case, individual heat sources in a row are activated by the control device. Under these heat sources, a black pixel is formed, red pixels are formed around it, and no discoloration of the white direct thermal printing paper takes place at a further distance. Different color effects can be achieved with different grids. For the human eye, red tones of different brightness are created.
  • Figures 13 to 15 do not show square print areas, but are extended by one or two lines to complete the display. No regular grids have been singled out that could be mentally extended beyond the edges of the drawings presented. Rather, closed forms are shown.
  • FIG. 13 shows a square black dot of 4x4 pixels (0.3 mm * 0.3 mm at 300 dpi).
  • the direct thermal printing paper is moved quickly under the print head by the platen roller. This in 3
  • the cooling interval ta shown is not large enough for the heat sources to have sufficiently cooled down at the point in time (6*tz, 7*tz ⁇ lines n+6, n+7). Therefore, the red color runs on a bit and after the black pixels have been printed in the transport direction, not only the pixels of the next line but also the pixels of the next but one line are colored red. The same effect occurs in 14 on.
  • FIG. 14 shows a section of a barcode consisting of two bars that is printed in black.
  • the black bars are of different lengths. It is therefore the lower left edge of a barcode.
  • the bars at the edge of the barcode are slightly longer than in the middle, since the number corresponding to the barcode is printed in the middle of the barcode. Due to the reaction of the direct thermal printing paper, it is advantageous to position the bars of a barcode lengthwise in the transport direction. The red feathering effect on the printed paper is therefore at the end of the bars and not distributed across the barcode. This makes it easier to scan the barcode.
  • the 15 shows schematically the printing of a number in black ink.
  • the number contains very few pixels and would in reality be printed with significantly more black pixels. In reality, the proportion of red is negligible, so that the number printed in black only has a very thin red border that is barely visible to the human eye.
  • step 16 shows a schematic representation of a method for creating control data for a direct thermal printer.
  • the controller 74 of the computing device 70 receives input from an operator.
  • the operator specifies image data of an original image, for example, by making a corresponding draft via the input/output device 72 .
  • the controller 74 identifies areas in the image data that are black and areas that are red.
  • control patterns in which all print pixels are active print pixels are created for the black areas.
  • step 106 the brightness of the red areas is determined.
  • step 108 a grid is defined for the red areas with a first lightness in order to print the red areas with the first lightness in the corresponding lightness.
  • the control pattern for these areas with the corresponding active print pixels is derived from the raster.
  • step 110 a grid is defined for the red areas with a second brightness in order to print the red areas with the second brightness in the corresponding brightness.
  • the control pattern for these areas with the corresponding active print pixels is derived from the raster. Steps analogous to steps 108, 110 are carried out for all further red areas with a different brightness.
  • step 112 the control patterns of the individual surfaces are connected and set a control pattern for printing.
  • the resulting printed image is shown to the operator with the input/output device for approval.
  • step 116 the control data for the direct thermal printer are derived from the control patterns, ie the data for controlling the print head for each line n, n+1, n+2 are determined.
  • step 118 the control data are sent from the data processing device 70 to the direct thermal printer 30 via the transceiver 76 .
  • DSP digital signal processor
  • ASIC application specific integrated circuit
  • FPGA field programmable gate array
  • ROM read only memory
  • RAM random access memory

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EP20218029.5A 2020-12-31 2020-12-31 Procédé de génération des données de commande destiné à l'impression directe thermique multicolore Active EP4023448B1 (fr)

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EP20218029.5A EP4023448B1 (fr) 2020-12-31 2020-12-31 Procédé de génération des données de commande destiné à l'impression directe thermique multicolore
US17/557,155 US20220203703A1 (en) 2020-12-31 2021-12-21 Method for creating control data for multi-color direct thermal printing

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE60207488T2 (de) 2001-06-14 2006-07-27 Seiko Epson Corp. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Steuerung eines Heizelementes in einem Thermokopf
EP1910086A1 (fr) * 2005-06-23 2008-04-16 Zink Imaging, LLC Techniques d'envoi d'impulsions sur une tete d'impression pour imprimantes couleur a impression directe, thermique, polychrome
DE60036515T2 (de) 1999-07-21 2008-06-26 Seiko Epson Corp. Thermodrucker und Steuerungsverfahren dafür
EP1866161B1 (fr) 2005-04-06 2014-10-22 Zink Imaging, Inc. Procede d'imagerie thermique mutlicouleurs et imprimante thermique
EP3175993A1 (fr) 2014-08-01 2017-06-07 Seiko Epson Corporation Support d'impression, unité de support d'impression et appareil d'impression

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE60036515T2 (de) 1999-07-21 2008-06-26 Seiko Epson Corp. Thermodrucker und Steuerungsverfahren dafür
DE60207488T2 (de) 2001-06-14 2006-07-27 Seiko Epson Corp. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Steuerung eines Heizelementes in einem Thermokopf
EP1866161B1 (fr) 2005-04-06 2014-10-22 Zink Imaging, Inc. Procede d'imagerie thermique mutlicouleurs et imprimante thermique
EP1910086A1 (fr) * 2005-06-23 2008-04-16 Zink Imaging, LLC Techniques d'envoi d'impulsions sur une tete d'impression pour imprimantes couleur a impression directe, thermique, polychrome
EP3175993A1 (fr) 2014-08-01 2017-06-07 Seiko Epson Corporation Support d'impression, unité de support d'impression et appareil d'impression

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