JP2002029125A - Ink jet printer and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate the need for collation work of image print and print order information. SOLUTION: Upon ending print of an image in the same order, order information prints 55 are printed out and sorted as one unit. Identification information 56, 57 of clients, identification information 58, 59 of print orders, bar codes 60, print results information 61, 62, and an index image 65 are printed on the order information print 55. The index image 65 includes a monochromatic reduced thumbnail image 66 obtained by subjecting an image printed on a recording sheet to outline extraction, image ID numbers 67, and the number of print sheets 68. Since a fact that an image print 50 has been recorded as ordered by a client can be confirmed from the order information print 55, collation work of each image print 50 and print order information from the client can be eliminated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink-jet printer and a printing method, and more particularly to an ink-jet printer and a printing method for printing a photographic image and an index image as one unit for each order.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A photographed image recorded on a photographed photo film is printed by a photo printer for each print order and stored in a sorting tray. Further, customer information for specifying the customer and print instruction information such as the number of prints and the print fee are output to a printer different from the photo printer. Then, the operator checks the print order received from the customer, the output print instruction information, the image prints stored in the sorting tray, the number of prints, and the like. To be stored.

[0003]

However, the above-described printing method requires two printers, a photo printer for printing a photographed image and a printer for printing print instruction information. Therefore, there is a problem of cost increase. In addition, there is a problem in that the image prints printed by different printers and the print instruction information are compared with each other, so that it is troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide an ink jet printer and a printing method which can eliminate the need for collating an image print with print instruction information such as print order information. I do.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an ink jet printer and a printing method according to the present invention use an ink jet head having a plurality of nozzles arranged thereon to discharge ink from each nozzle to a recording paper. In an ink jet printer for recording images, an index compressed image generating means for generating an information compressed image corresponding to the image to be recorded on the recording paper and listing the created information compressed image for each print order, and ordering the index image in the same order And control means for recording before or after the image printing. A means for inputting print instruction information; a first recording paper storage unit for storing the first recording paper; and a second recording paper storage for storing a second recording paper of a type different from the first recording paper. And recording an image on a first recording sheet to obtain an image print using an inkjet head, and recording an index image on a second recording sheet to obtain an index print. , And control means.

[0006] The index image includes print instruction information of the image, and the print instruction information includes customer information for specifying the orderer or order identification information for identifying each print order. The print instruction information includes image identification information or image print charge information.

In an ink-jet printing method in which ink is ejected from each nozzle and an image is recorded on a recording paper using an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles arranged, an information compressed image corresponding to the image to be recorded on the recording paper is created. Create an index image listing the created information compressed image for each print order, record this index image using an inkjet head before or after image printing of the same order, and use this index image as sort information Things.

[0008]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an ink jet printer embodying the present invention. The inkjet printer 10 includes a paper feed unit 11, an image recording unit 12, a recording paper reservoir 13, a cutting unit 14, a sorter 15, and a system controller 16. The system controller 16 includes an image processing device 17.
An image input device 18 and a data input device 19 provided outside the ink jet printer 10 are connected.
Hereinafter, each part will be described.

The image processing device 17 performs predetermined image processing on the image data input from the image input device 18 to create image recording data to be printed by the image recording section 12. Further, the image processing device 17 creates order information recording data for creating an order information print. The order information record data is formed by synthesizing an index image and print order information in the same order. The index image is a list of information compressed images (hereinafter, referred to as thumbnail images) configured by performing outline extraction processing, monochrome processing, and reduction processing based on the printed image data. The print order information includes customer information, order identification information, and print information input from the data input device 19.

The recording paper magazine 20 of the paper supply unit 11 accommodates roll recording paper 21 made of strip-shaped glossy paper for image recording. The roll recording paper 21 is sent out of the recording paper magazine 20 by the rotation of the paper feed roller 22, and is transported to the first transport roller pair 25 of the image recording unit 12. The conveyance of the recording paper is controlled by the system controller 16.

The image recording section 12 includes first and second pairs of transport rollers 25 and 26, a thermal head 27, and an ink jet head 28. The first and second transport roller pairs 25 and 26 are driven to rotate by a motor 29 and transport the roll recording paper 21 at a constant speed. The rotation of the motor 29 is controlled by the system controller 16 via the driver 30. A thermal head 27 and an ink-jet head 28 are arranged between the first and second transport roller pairs 25 and 26 in the recording paper feeding direction in the order parallel to the recording paper width direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the recording paper feeding direction. Are located in Further, platen rollers 31 and 32 are arranged below the thermal head 27 and the ink jet head 28 to support the roll recording paper 21.

The thermal head 27 is provided with a number of heating elements 33 arranged in a line in the main scanning direction.
The thermal head 27 can be moved up and down by a shift mechanism 34. When the printing by the ink jet head 28 is not performed, the thermal head 27 is raised and set to the retracted position. Further, during printing, the sheet is lowered to be set at an appropriate preheating position, and the roll recording paper 21 is held between the platen roller 31. Then, the heating element 33 preheats the roll recording paper 21. The preheating is performed to dry the ink ejected from the inkjet head 28 on the roll recording paper 21 in a short time. Each heating element 33 is connected to the system controller 1 via the thermal head driving unit 35.
6. The preheating energy of each heating element 33 of the thermal head 27 is
8 is determined according to the ink ejection amount for each pixel.

Although not shown, the inkjet head 28 is provided with nozzles for line recording of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) arranged in the main scanning direction. A piezo element is arranged in the ink flow path near the nozzle. A drive signal corresponding to the image recording data created by the image processing device 17 is
When the ink is supplied from the inkjet head driving unit 36 to each piezo element, ink droplets having a size and a quantity corresponding to the image recording data are released toward the roll recording paper 21 and adhere thereto. As a result, the Y, M, C, and Y corresponding to the image recording data created by the image processing device 17 are stored on the roll recording paper 21.
A full-color image is printed by K ink adhesion. A cut mark for cutting the roll recording paper 21 for each image by a cut unit 14 described later and a sort mark indicating a break of an order are printed on a boundary between the images. Further, when the printing of the images in the same order is completed, an order information print described later is printed based on the order information record data obtained by the image processing in the image processing device 17.

The ink adhering to the roll recording paper 21 dries in a short time because the roll recording paper 21 is preheated by the thermal head 27 described above. Accordingly, the ink adhering to the roll recording paper 21 does not dry and re-adhere to the second transport roller pair 26, and the roll recording paper 21 is not stained with the ink. Also,
Since the ink dries in a short time, the roll recording paper 21 does not absorb the ink and does not partially expand.

The recording paper reservoir 13 includes a second conveying roller pair 26 of the image recording section 12, a movable guide 38, and the cutting section 1.
The third transport roller pair 40 of FIG. When the roll recording paper 21 is being conveyed, the pair of conveying rollers 2
By providing a speed difference (including stopping one roller pair 40) between the rollers 6 and 40, the roll recording paper 21 hangs down between the two transport roller pairs 26 and 40 and is temporarily stored. The movable guide 38 is provided coaxially with the lower roller 26 a of the second transport roller pair 26, and
The tip 1 rotates between a guide position (indicated by a two-dot chain line) that guides the leading end of the cutting unit 14 to the third transport roller pair 40 and a retracted position (indicated by a solid line) that hangs vertically. As the roll recording paper 21 hangs down in the space where the movable guide 38 has retreated, the roll recording paper 21 is temporarily stored.

The cutting section 14 includes a third, fourth, and fifth transport roller pairs 40, 41, 42, a mark sensor 43, and a cutter 44. The third, fourth, and fifth transport roller pairs 40, 41, 42 are rotationally driven by a motor 45, and the rotation of the motor 45 is controlled by a system controller 16 via a driver 46. Mark sensor 43
Sends a detection signal to the system controller 16 upon detecting the above-mentioned cut mark or sort mark. The cutter 44 is controlled by the system controller 16 via a driver 47. System controller 16
When a detection signal of a cut mark or a sort mark is input from the mark sensor 43, the rotation of the motor 45 is controlled via the driver 46, and each image boundary portion recorded on the roll recording paper 21 is transmitted to the cutter 44. Send in order. Then, the front and rear of each image boundary portion are cut by the cutter 44.

The sorter 15 is configured by arranging a number of trays 49 on a belt conveyor (not shown). Then, a new tray 49 is set by driving the belt conveyor by the mounting pitch of each tray 49 for each print order by the system controller 16. In the cut section 14, the image prints 50 from which the image boundaries have been cut off are collected and sorted on one tray 49 for each print order.

As shown in FIG. 2, the order information print 55
Includes a name 56 identifying the customer, a telephone number 57, a reception date 58 identifying each print order, an order number 59, a bar code 60 indicating the order number 59, a total number of prints 61 indicating a print result, and A fee 62 and an index image 65 are printed. The index image 65 displays a thumbnail image 66 that has been subjected to contour extraction processing of an image printed on the roll recording paper 21 and has been reduced in monochrome, an image identification number 67, and the number of prints 68.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
When the power supply of the inkjet printer 10 is turned on, the paper feed roller 22 of the recording paper magazine 20 and the first and second transport roller pairs 25 and 26 rotate to transport the roll recording paper 21 to the image recording unit 12. At this time, the thermal head 2
Reference numeral 7 is set at the evacuation position so as not to obstruct the passage of the leading end of the roll recording paper 21. When the leading end of the roll recording paper 21 passes through the second transport roller pair 26, the feeding of the roll recording paper 21 is stopped, and the print standby state is set.

When the print key is operated to instruct the start of printing, the thermal head 27 is set at the recording position by the shift mechanism 34. Thereafter, the image processing apparatus 1
The roll recording paper 21 is preheated by the heating element 33 based on the image recording data created in step 7. In addition, each nozzle of the inkjet head 28 is controlled by the inkjet head driving unit 36, and predetermined ink droplets are ejected from each nozzle based on image recording data, and inkjet recording is performed. When the recording for one line is completed, the roll recording paper 21 is conveyed for one line, and the recording for the next one line is performed. Thus, the ink jet recording and the transport of the roll recording paper 21 are repeated until the recording of one image is completed.

At each image boundary portion, a cut mark is recorded by the ink jet head 28. When printing of the images in the same order is completed, order information recording data including the index image and the customer information, order identification information, and print information input from the data input device 19 are image-synthesized by the image processing device 17, and the order is placed. Information print 55
Is printed on the roll recording paper 21. Then, at the break of the order, a sort mark also serving as a cut mark is recorded by the ink jet head 28.

In the cut section 14, when the mark sensor 43 detects a cut mark or a sort mark, each image boundary portion is positioned on the cutter 44, and a blank portion including the cut mark or the sort mark is cut off. Then, the image print 50 and the order information print 55 are stored in the same tray 49 of the sorter 15. The system controller 16 drives the belt conveyor on which the tray 49 is arranged, sets a new tray 49, and starts printing for the next print order. In this manner, the image print 50 and the order information print 55 are sorted on the same tray 49 for each print order, and the image print 50 is recorded according to the order received from the customer by the order information print 55 stored in each tray 49. Since it is possible to confirm whether or not each image print 50 has been checked, there is no need to check each image print 50 with print order information from a customer.

In the above embodiment, the order information print 55
Although customer information, order identification information, and print information are printed in addition to the index image 65, an order information print 70 that prints only the index image 65 may be used as shown in FIG.

In the above embodiment, the image and the order information are printed on one roll recording paper. However, as shown in FIG. 4, a roll made of a strip-like glossy paper is used as the recording paper for image printing. The recording paper 21 and a cut recording paper 75 as a recording paper for order information printing may be provided, and printing may be performed on each recording paper according to data to be recorded. In this case, when the printing of the image in the same order on the roll recording paper 21 is completed and the image is cut for each image by the cutter 44, the roll recording paper 21 is rewound to the recording paper magazine 20. Then, the cut recording paper 75 stored in the second recording paper magazine 76 is conveyed to the image recording unit 12 by the rotation of the paper feed roller 77. In the image recording unit 12, an order information print 55 is printed based on the order information recording data obtained by the image synthesis in the image processing device 17. The order information print 55 is stored in the same tray 49 as the image print 50.

In this embodiment, one paper feed system uses roll recording paper and the other paper feed system uses cut recording paper, but both systems use roll recording paper or cut recording paper. Paper may be used. Further, a single paper feed system may be used, and only cut recording paper or roll recording paper may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, the index image is configured from monochrome thumbnail images. Alternatively, the index image may be configured from full-color thumbnail images.

In the above embodiment, the print order information is input by the data input device provided in the ink jet printer. However, the print order information is input by a device provided outside the ink jet printer, and the print order information is input to the ink jet printer. May be transferred to

In the above embodiment, print order information such as a customer name, an order number, and the number of prints is recorded. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various information for instructing printing may be used. The print instruction information includes print correction information, print number information, print size information, and the like, in addition to the print order information.

[0028]

As described above, according to the ink jet printer and the printing method of the present invention, one printer continuously prints image recording data and instruction information recording data in the same print order, and performs printing. Since the image print and the instruction information print are united for each order, it is not necessary to collate each image print with the print instruction information. Also, since the information compressed image obtained by reducing the image print is recorded in the instruction information print, it is not necessary to record the image identification symbol and the like in the image print.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an ink jet printer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an order information print.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an order information print according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an ink jet printer having two paper feeding systems.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 inkjet printer 16 system controller 17 image processing device 19 data input device 20 recording paper magazine 21 roll recording paper 27 thermal head 28 inkjet head 38 movable guide 43 mark sensor 44 cutter 49 tray 50 image print 55, 70 order information print 65 index image 75 Cut recording paper 76 Second recording paper magazine

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kiyotaka Kaneko 798, Miyadai, Kaisei-cho, Ashigara-gun, Kanagawa Photo Film Co., Ltd. Incorporated F term (reference) 2C061 AQ04 AQ05 AR01 AS06 JJ02 2C087 AA18 AC07 BA03 BA05 BD06 BD07 BD40 CA02 2H106 AA82 AB95 BA73 BA82 BA95 2H109 BA02 BA03 BA04 BA06 BA12

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An ink-jet printer that uses an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side to discharge ink from each of the nozzles to record an image on recording paper, wherein an information compressed image corresponding to the image is created. Means for creating an index image listing the created information compressed images for each print order; and
An ink jet printer comprising: means for controlling recording to be performed later. 2. A means for inputting print instruction information, a first recording paper storage section for storing first recording paper, and a second recording paper of a type different from the first recording paper. A second recording paper storage section, wherein the image is recorded on the first recording paper from the first recording paper storage section using the ink jet head to obtain an image print, and the second recording paper 2. The ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to record the index image on a second recording sheet from a storage unit to obtain an index print. 3. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein the index image includes print instruction information of the image. 4. The ink-jet printer according to claim 3, wherein the print instruction information is customer information for specifying an orderer or order identification information for identifying each print order. 5. The ink jet printer according to claim 4, wherein the print instruction information includes identification information of the image or print fee information of the image. 6. An ink-jet printing method in which an ink is ejected from each of the nozzles to record an image on a recording paper using an ink-jet head having a plurality of nozzles arranged therein, wherein an information compressed image corresponding to the image is created. Create an index image listing the created information compressed image for each print order, and use the inkjet head to print this index image before printing the same order image.
Alternatively, an ink jet printing method characterized in that the index image is recorded later and this index image is used as sort information.