JP2000001035A - Transfer printer, and transfer printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transfer printer equipped with a means by which refuge is prevented from adhering to a color ribbon, and a mechanism which can be set in a next arrangement starting color region being used at a previous time, at the start of a transfer work, and a transfer printing method using such a mechanism. SOLUTION: For a transfer printer which image-form/transfers images and characters on a body to be transferred by a heat transfer method, using a color ribbon comprising repetitions of a plurality of color ink region arrangements, a color ribbon 20 wherein at the end of a leading region of each color arrangement, a cueing mark is provided, a thermal head 30 which transfers images and character images including the cueing mark to an intermediate medium 10, a ribbon mark detection sensor 100 which reads and detects the cueing mark, and a color ribbon feed driving means 400 which performs the feeding control of the color ribbon 20 in both normal and reverse directions based on detection information, are provided. Also, for the transfer printing method, a transfer is performed by using such a mechanism.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for transferring desired character / image information in a transfer system in order to form different prints / images in color on an entire or partial surface of an object to be transferred such as an ID card or a passport. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer printer having a mechanism capable of appropriately controlling a position of a color ribbon used for transfer in a transfer printer for performing transfer, and a transfer printing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ID card represented by an identification card, an employee ID card, a driver's license, and a passbook for certifying a specific individual such as a passport and a visa (hereinafter referred to as an ID passbook).
Will identify the holder and not be counterfeited,
A transfer print in which a face photograph and personal attribute information are integrated with a protective layer together with a pattern such as a tint block and a fine pattern is applied to the entire surface or a partial area thereof.

As a transfer printer which is an apparatus for issuing such ID cards and ID passbooks, desired characters are printed by a thermal head from cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) color ribbons. .I Once the image has been formed on the intermediate medium, it is set at a predetermined position.
Thermal transfer systems that use a heat roller to transfer data to a transfer target such as a D card or a passbook that certifies IDs are manufactured by manufacturers and used by predetermined organizations.

By the way, in order to clearly express a character image up to a printed edge portion, a black (black) ink area of a color ribbon used for a transfer printer is generally used exclusively for a character image.

On the other hand, a full-color image is transferred and expressed by using a three-color cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) color ink area in a data processor. At (600), a separation operation is performed, and under the control of the thermal head driving means (500), the image is sequentially transferred by superimposing on the intermediate medium (10) for each color separation data, and thereafter, the image data is transferred from the intermediate medium (10). Transcript (7
0) is transferred and formed by a heat roller (60).

The above-mentioned thermal head driving means (500)
In order to control the feed of each color ink area of the color ribbon (20), a registration mark (2) at the end of the color ribbon (20) for identifying the position of each color ink area.
7), the registration mark (27) is read and detected by a ribbon detection sensor, and the feed control is sequentially performed to a predetermined position in the feed direction.

Further, the width of the intermediate medium (10) for temporarily forming a character / image image can correspond to various sizes, so that an ID card (I), which is a final transfer object (70), can be used.
Generally, an area wider than the width of the D-passbook is prepared and used, and the area of the intermediate medium that protrudes from the width of the transfer object (70) is taken up by the color ribbon take-up roller (54) without being transferred. ing.

In the transfer operation using the transfer printer, a trouble error occurs due to various causes such as a clogging of the intermediate medium (10) in the traveling path, and the operation is interrupted, and the color ribbon or the thermal head of the transfer printer is interrupted. There are many cases in which a cover that houses the is opened to take a countermeasure to remove the obstacle.

FIG.
As shown in (2), the color ribbon (20) pulled out from the color ribbon unwinding roller (52) in a tape shape is exposed to the atmosphere, and dust floating in the air is deposited on the color ribbon (20). Will be attached as garbage,
Ink that has been covered by the attached dust cannot be transferred normally, and the quality of the image on the finished transfer object has been considered as a pinhole or color shift. .

Conventionally, as a countermeasure against dust on the color ribbon (20), a cleaning roller (56) is provided on the front and rear sides of the color ribbon traveling path before and after the thermal head (30) as appropriate, but is not perfect.

The effect of the dust adhering on the color ribbon (20) is as follows. In the color ribbon using the dye ink, the halftone dots of the ink to be sublimated and transferred are very small, and the density difference between the halftone dots of uniform size is small. Because it is expressed as gradation, it is relatively insensitive to scattering and transfer of ink particles,
The color ribbon using pigment ink has the characteristic that the dot size of the ink to be melt-transferred is proportional to the magnitude of the thermal energy applied by the thermal head, and is easily affected because gradation is expressed by the dot size. ing.

On the other hand, pigment-based inks are superior to dye-based inks in terms of light fastness and the like, and the transfer object handled by the transfer printer of the present invention has a certain useful life like a passport or a license. Many are required.

When the transfer operation is resumed after the trouble-shooting process is completed, the used color ribbon section (2
It is necessary for the operator to adjust the position so that the thermal head printing starts from the yellow (Y) color area, which is the head of the color ink area array of the unused color ribbon part (22), by postponing 4). The used color ribbon part (24) is set and used for transfer, resulting in insufficient color development, or conversely, a large amount of unused part is advanced to the take-up roller (54) side, causing waste. There were quality and cost issues.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is provided with a means for preventing dust from being unnecessarily attached to a color ribbon (20) to be used, and at the start of a transfer operation, immediately after the color ribbon color ink area arrangement used last time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer printer having a mechanism capable of setting the next array start color area at a correct position, and to provide a transfer printing method using such a mechanism.

[0015]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention first comprises a plurality of color ink areas for forming an image and a black ink area for forming a character. In a transfer printer that uses a color ribbon (20) consisting of a repetition of a plurality of color ink region arrangements and forms / transfers images / characters onto a transfer target body by a thermal transfer method, the head region end of each color arrangement of the color ribbon (20) A color ribbon (20) provided with a cue mark (25a) in a portion; a thermal head (30) for transferring an image / character image including the cue mark (25a) to an intermediate medium (10); Ribbon mark detection sensor (100) for reading and detecting the mark (25a)
And a color ribbon feed driving means (400) for performing feed control in both forward and reverse directions for each color ink area array of the color ribbon based on the detection information.

Further, in the invention according to claim 2, a color ribbon (20) comprising a plurality of color ink regions arranged in a repetition of a plurality of color ink regions for image formation and a black ink region for character formation is used. In a transfer printing method for forming / transferring an image / character to a transfer target body by a thermal transfer method, a cueing mark (25a) provided at the leading end of each color array area of the color ribbon (20) during normal transfer.
Of the intermediate medium (1) by driving the thermal head (30).
0) a cue mark transfer step of transferring to a margin and invalidating the mark to less than a detection threshold, a cue mark detection step of detecting the presence or absence of a cue mark at the end of the color ribbon, and a cue mark detection step of detecting the cue mark (25a). A transfer printing method characterized by including a color ribbon feed step of performing feed control in both forward and reverse directions for each color ink area array of a color ribbon based on detection information.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the transfer printing method, when an error is detected by an internal sensor or when an interruption operation is performed by an operator, the used color ribbon portion (24) is temporarily removed. A transfer printing method characterized by including a rewinding retracting step of rewinding to a color ribbon unwinding roller (52) in a supply mechanism.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a transfer printer according to the present invention. A transfer target (70) such as an ID card or an ID passbook is placed on a stage (80). A rectangular area, such as an ID passbook, is a transfer printer that prints and forms a color image such as a character, an image, and a pattern on the entire page or a predetermined partial rectangular area. The thermal head (30) is driven by the thermal head driving means (500) to form an intermediate transfer image (12) on the intermediate medium (10) as an aggregate of halftone dots of each color from the color ribbon (20). You.

The color ribbon (20) pulled out from the color ribbon unwinding roller (52) in the form of a tape is set so that the surface that comes into contact with the intermediate medium (10) becomes the ink-coated surface, and the cleaning roller (56) is used. After passing under the thermal head (30) via the traveling path, the color ribbon is taken up and collected by the color ribbon take-up roller (54).

As shown in FIG. 3, the color ribbon used for the transfer has four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) color ink regions and black (Bk) black ink region. It consists of a repetition of the ink area arrangement, and there is a blank area where ink is not applied at both ends along the feeding direction in a strip shape, and a registration mark ( 27), and a cue mark (25a) having a shape different from that of the other areas is provided in the yellow ink area which is the head area of the four-color array.

The register mark (27), the cue mark (25a), and the black ink area for forming a character are coated with a pigment type black ink that is melt-transferred.

The vertical and horizontal dimensions of each color ink area of the color ribbon are designed and manufactured so as to have a size exceeding the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the transfer area of the transfer object. Normally, several types of transfer media are prepared and used separately for each object, and the color ink area arrangement is changed from yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (Bk) black ink to the finished color reproducibility. In general, the color is provided so as to be sequentially transferred from a light color.

In the transfer printer according to the present invention, a cue mark (25a) provided on the color ribbon in advance.
Is read and detected by a ribbon mark detection sensor (100) located in front of the thermal head on the traveling road, and is fed by a predetermined distance from the cueing mark (25a) that first appears, and a portion directly below the thermal head (30) When the start line of the yellow ink region of the unused color ribbon portion (22) coincides with the terminal line of the thermal head, the thermal head (30) turns on / off the heating for the transfer so that the color ribbon feed driving means (400). ) And the thermal head driving means (500) are adjusted to perform a transfer operation in cooperation under software control by the CPU (700).

Further, in the present invention, the conventional thermal head (3
The image formation by heating ON / OFF of 0) is limited to the transfer area width of the transfer object, but the heating is also turned on to the portion corresponding to the cue mark corresponding to the margin of the color ribbon, and the intermediate medium is turned on. The cue mark transfer that completely removes the cue mark (25a) from the used color ribbon portion (24) whose transfer operation has been normally completed by performing pseudo-transfer to the side or below the sensor reading detection threshold and invalidates it. Perform the operation of the process.

Transferring to a color ribbon blank portion which has not been conventionally subjected to transfer can be achieved by changing thermal driving software and by setting a cue mark (25a) at a predetermined position in the color ribbon blank portion. It can be easily realized only by providing with pigment-based black ink that can be easily removed by transfer. The thermal head (30) is originally wider than the color ribbon from the viewpoint of running the color ribbon and preventing wrinkles. It does not require any special modifications.

Of course, it is not necessary to be limited to pigment-based black ink.
Any color ink that can reduce the density to below the threshold value at which the sensor can identify the presence of the mark by reading the sensor by transfer is not particular about the color or material.

The intermediate transfer image (12) formed on the intermediate medium (10) is then transferred to a transfer target (70) set on a stage (80) by a heat roller (6).
0), while the portion corresponding to the cue mark pseudo-transferred to the intermediate medium (10) is transferred to the intermediate medium take-up roller (70) without being transferred to the transfer target (70). It is wound up and collected at 92).

In the meantime, when the operation is interrupted due to a trouble during the transfer operation and a cover (not shown) containing the color ribbon and the thermal head is opened to take a countermeasure to remove the obstacle, conventionally, the color ribbon is in an interrupted state. Although the dust adhesion problem as described in the above problem has occurred due to being exposed to the atmosphere as it is, in the transfer printing method of the present invention, before the transfer operation is interrupted and the locked cover is opened,
Upon receiving information from a cover opening / closing sensor (not shown) and an interrupt switch (not shown), the used color ribbon section (2
4) replace the color ribbon unwinding roller (5) in the supply mechanism.
In step 2), the unwinding operation is performed in a reverse direction, so that the unused color ribbon portion (22) is prevented from being exposed to the atmosphere, the obstacle is removed, and a restart button (not shown) is pressed. Forward the color ribbon (20) in the forward direction,
Since the cue mark (25b) already transferred by the ribbon mark detection sensor (100) is not detected, the cue mark (25b) is allowed to pass through, and the portion of the cue mark (25a) that appears first is the beginning of the unused color ribbon part (22). By including a rewind evacuation step for performing software control for judging that the area is an area, even if dust adheres, the used ribbon section is only contaminated and the unused color ribbon section (22) is protected.

In the description of this embodiment, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C),
Although an example in which the four-color ink area array of black (Bk) is repeated in this order has been described as an example, a multi-color area array including a special-color ink area such as light red or light indigo is not limited to this configuration. The present invention can also be applied to various color ribbons, such as those having a head area and a cue mark as a head arrangement other than the yellow area. The means for setting up is not limited to the stage, but may be roller feeding.

[0030]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects. That is, in the present invention, a ribbon mark detection sensor for detecting the presence / absence of a cue mark is provided by using a color ribbon provided with a cue mark at the end of the head region of each color array of the color ribbon, and based on the detection information. Equipped with a color ribbon drive unit that controls the feed of the color ribbon in both the forward and reverse directions, it automatically discriminates between the used and unused portions of the color ribbon and accurately locates the unused color ribbon. I can do it.

Furthermore, when the cover of the transfer printer is opened, dust floating in the atmosphere adheres to the surface of the unused color ribbon portion as dust, and there is an effect that the formed image does not become defective. .

According to the present invention, it is easy to set the color ribbon at the time of resetting the color ribbon and the like, and it is possible to eliminate the erroneous setting of the used color ribbon due to a human error and the unnecessary skipping of the unused portion. This has the effect of stabilizing quality and reducing costs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a transfer printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating a color ribbon supply mechanism and a driving unit thereof in the transfer printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state before and after transfer of a color ribbon in a thermal head unit according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 ... Intermediate medium 12... Intermediate transfer image 20... Color ribbon 22... Unused color ribbon part 23a. Transferred color ribbon part 24 ··· Used color ribbon part 25a ··· Cue mark 25b ··· Transferred cue mark part 27 ··· Registration mark 30 ··· Thermal Head 40 Platen roller 52 Color ribbon unwinding roller 54 Color ribbon winding roller 60 Heat roller 70 Transfer object 80 Stage 90... Intermediate medium take-up roll 92... Intermediate medium take-up roll 100... Ribbon mark detection sensor 400. Stage 500 .... thermal head driving means 600 .... The data processing device 700 ... CPU

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2C065 AA01 AB03 AC01 AD07 DC07 DC13 2C068 AA02 AA06 AA15 AA22 GG01 GH04 GN03 KK12 KK24 2H111 AA07 AA33 AA43 AB06 BA03 BA14 BB13

Claims (3)

[Claims] An image / character is transferred by a thermal transfer system using a color ribbon composed of a repetition of a plurality of color ink regions arranged in a plurality of color ink regions for image formation and a black ink region for character formation. A color ribbon having a cue mark provided at an end of a head region of each color array of a color ribbon, and a thermal head for transferring an image / character image including the cue mark to an intermediate medium. A ribbon mark detection sensor that reads and detects the cue mark, and a color ribbon feed drive unit that performs feed control for each of the color ink area arrays of the color ribbon in both forward and reverse directions based on the detection information. And a transfer printer. An image / character is transferred by a thermal transfer method using a color ribbon composed of a repetition of a plurality of color ink regions including a plurality of color ink regions for image formation and a plurality of black ink regions for character formation. In the transfer printing method of forming / transferring an image to the printer, at the time of normal transfer, a cue mark provided at the end of the leading region of each color array of the color ribbon is transferred to a margin of the intermediate medium by driving the thermal head and invalidated below the detection threshold. A cue mark transfer step; a cue mark detection step for detecting the presence or absence of a cue mark at the end of the color ribbon; and a feed control for each color ink area array of the color ribbon based on the cue mark detection information. A color ribbon feeding step of performing a transfer in both forward and reverse directions. 3. In the transfer printing method, when an error is detected by an internal sensor or when an interruption operation is performed by an operator, the used color ribbon portion is temporarily transferred to the color ribbon unwinding roller in the supply mechanism. 3. The transfer printing method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of rewinding and retracting.