JP2005041115A - Variable information printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a variable information printing system enabled to carry out supplement printing if there is insufficiency, by checking whether or not all of variable information printed matter corresponding to variable information data expected to be printed are made properly. <P>SOLUTION: The variable information printing system can print variable information by every part based on the variable information data composed of a plurality of parts of data. The variable information printing system is equipped with a printing completion data generating part which reads the printed variable information in the variable information printed matter having the variable information printed, and which generates data for specifying to which of the plurality of parts of data the variable information corresponds. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention belongs to the technical field of a variable information printing system capable of printing variable information in partial units. In particular, the present invention relates to a variable information printing system that checks whether or not all variable information printed matter corresponding to variable information data to be printed has been properly formed, and can perform supplementary printing if there is a shortage.

  For example, in the production of direct mail, information (fixed information) common to each is printed in advance by a printing machine. Then, individual information (variable information) is printed (generally printed) on the printed matter by the printer. Thereby, direct mail on which fixed information and variable information are printed is obtained. The variable information includes a destination, an individual name, usage details (credit, telephone, member facility), and the like.

  Also in the manufacture of paper containers, individual information (variable information) is printed by a printer in the state of a sheet (carton blank) or in the state of being assembled into a box. The variable information is an individual picture, a two-dimensional code, an ID number, a series of manufacturing numbers, and the like. In many cases, variable information includes essential and important information compared to fixed information. Therefore, there must be no gaps and no doubles.

  However, the conventional variable information printing system has a problem that it cannot be confirmed whether the original data to be printed matches the actual printed matter. Further, there is a problem that it is impossible to inspect whether or not the print quality is appropriate although the presence of the actual product is confirmed. In addition, there is a problem in that it is not possible to create a list of items that have reached the accumulation unit.

  To provide a variable information printing system that checks whether all variable information printed matter corresponding to variable information data scheduled to be printed has been properly formed and can perform supplementary printing if there is a shortage. .

  A variable information printing system according to a first aspect of the present invention is a variable information printing system capable of printing variable information in partial units based on variable information data composed of a plurality of sets of data, wherein the variable information is printed. The variable information printed matter includes a print completion data generation unit that reads the printed variable information and generates data that identifies which of the plurality of copies corresponds to the data.

  The variable information printing system according to claim 2 of the present invention is the variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for reading the printed variable information is a barcode reader for reading the printed barcode. It is a thing.

  The variable information printing system according to claim 3 of the present invention is the variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for reading the printed variable information is a two-dimensional code reader for reading the printed two-dimensional code. It is what you have.

  The variable information printing system according to claim 4 of the present invention is the variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for reading the printed variable information is an OCR or an OCV for reading the printed characters. It is a thing.

  A variable information printing system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the variable information printing system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the print quality of the printed variable information is inspected, and the data of the plurality of copies is obtained. A print quality data generation unit that generates print quality data corresponding to data that specifies which one of the print quality data is included.

  A variable information printing system according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the variable information printing system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the variable information printed matter is accumulated based on the print completion data or the print quality data. An integrated information generation unit that generates data indicating whether the data is integrated in the unit is provided.

  According to the variable information printing system of the first aspect of the present invention, the print completion data generation unit reads the variable information printed on the variable information printed matter and generates data specifying which of a plurality of sets of data corresponds to. The That is, the actual variable information printed matter can be known. Therefore, it is possible to provide a variable information printing system capable of checking whether or not all variable information printed matter corresponding to variable information data to be printed exists and performing supplementary printing if there is a shortage.

  According to the variable information printing system of the second aspect of the present invention, the bar code printed on the variable information printed matter is read and data specifying which of a plurality of sets of data is generated.

  According to the variable information printing system of the third aspect of the present invention, the two-dimensional code printed on the variable information printed matter is read and data specifying which of a plurality of sets of data is generated.

  According to the variable information printing system of claim 4 of the present invention, the OCR character or OCV character printed on the variable information printed matter is read and data specifying which of a plurality of sets of data is generated is generated. .

  According to the variable information printing system of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the print quality of the variable information printed by the print quality data generation unit is inspected, and the variable information printing system is made to correspond to the data specifying which of the plural sets of data corresponds to. Print quality data is generated. Therefore, it is possible to check whether or not all the variable information printed matter corresponding to the variable information data to be printed is of appropriate quality, and if there is an inappropriate one, it can be removed and supplementary printed.

  According to the variable information printing system of the sixth aspect of the present invention, the variable information printed matter accumulated in the accumulation unit is specified.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described. An example of the configuration of the variable information printing system of the present invention is shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, 1 is a supply unit, 2 is a positioning unit, 3 is an inkjet printing unit, 4 is a UV curing unit, 5 is an inspection unit, 6 is a discharge unit, 7 is a stacking unit, 10 is a PC for volume management, 11 Two-dimensional handy code reader, 12 is a LAN interface, 13 is an I / O interface, 20 is a print data output personal computer, 21 is an inkjet control unit, 22 is an inkjet head, 30 is a two-dimensional code reader, and 40 is an inkjet quality inspection unit. It is.

  The supply unit 1 separates and feeds the stacked sheets one by one. For example, the supply unit 1 includes a rotor having a vacuum suction mechanism. The rotor contacts the surface of the uppermost sheet among the stacked sheets, adsorbs only the contact portion and rotates, and feeds only the uppermost sheet to the positioning unit 2. From the positioning unit 2 to the inspection unit 5 via the inkjet printing unit 3 and the UV curing unit 4, the sheet is placed on a conveyor and conveyed at a predetermined speed.

  The positioning unit 2 performs positioning in the width direction (perpendicular to the conveying direction) of the sheet fed from the supply unit 1. The positioning mechanism in the positioning unit 2 applies a force in the width direction to the sheet being conveyed by the conveyor. For example, a flat plate for positioning is applied to the side edge of the sheet. As a result, the position and orientation of the sheet on the conveyor belt are adjusted.

  The ink jet printing unit 3 further performs printing by an ink jet printer on the conveyed sheet. The ink jet printing unit 3 is provided with a trigger sensor for detecting that the sheet has reached a predetermined position of the ink jet printing unit 3. As the trigger sensor, for example, a photoelectric sensor having a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit can be used. The photoelectric sensor detects that the sheet has reached a predetermined position by blocking the light beam between the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit.

  The conveyor is provided with a rotary encoder that detects the rotation of a roller that drives the conveyor. The rotary encoder equally divides one rotation of the roller and outputs a predetermined number of pulse signals per one rotation. Therefore, by counting the pulses, the rotation amount of the roller, that is, the conveyance amount (distance) by the conveyor belt can be detected. When it is detected by the trigger sensor that the sheet has reached a predetermined position, the position of the conveyed sheet in the inkjet printing unit 3 can be accurately detected by counting using the trigger sensor as a reference.

The ink jet printing unit 3 is provided with an ink jet (IJ) head 22. Printing by the inkjet head 22 is controlled by the inkjet control unit 21. The ink jet control unit 21 inputs print content data (one copy of data) from the print data output personal computer 20. In addition, the ink jet control unit 21 inputs sheet position data in the ink jet printing unit 3. The ink jet control unit 21 controls printing in synchronization so that predetermined printing is performed at a predetermined position of the sheet conveyed by the ink jet head 22. The UV curing unit 4 applies UV to the ink on the sheet on which printing has been performed. Harden. The UV curing unit 4 is provided with a UV lamp (ultraviolet lamp), and below the sheet, the ultraviolet ray is irradiated onto the sheet that is carried on the conveyor belt. As an ink-jet ink used for printing, an ink having a property of being cured by ultraviolet rays is used. The printed ink is cured while the sheet passes through the UV curing unit 4.

  The inspection unit 5 inspects characters, designs, etc. printed on the sheet. The inspection unit 5 is provided with a two-dimensional code reader 30 and an inkjet (IJ) quality inspection device 40. The two-dimensional code reader 30 reads the two-dimensional code printed on the sheet. The read code data is output to the volume management personal computer 10 via the I / O interface 13. The ink jet (IJ) quality inspection device 40 inspects the print quality. Inspect for defective dots and ink stains that are particularly likely to occur in ink jet printing. The inspection data relating to the quality determination of the inspection result is output to the volume management personal computer 10 via the I / O interface 13.

  The discharge unit 6 discharges the sheets so as to flow in a shifted manner. The conveyor of the discharge unit 6 is independent of the conveyor up to the inspection unit 5, and the conveyance speed is set to be slow. Therefore, the sheets fed from the inspection unit 5 are shifted and stacked on the conveyor of the discharge unit 6.

  The stacking unit 7 forms a stack by stacking sheets that are transported out of stack.

  The volume management personal computer 10 is a personal computer that manages information when printing with the variable information printing system, that is, a volume management file that manages print data including variable information, an item information file, and the like. FIG. 1 shows an example of printing variable information as a two-dimensional code after converting the variable information in the volume management file into a two-dimensional code. A file obtained by converting variable information into a two-dimensional code is stored as an image file in the PC 10 for volume management. Variable information that is uniquely determined for each record is converted to a two-dimensional code to determine which print data in the output management file corresponds to each sheet printed by converting variable information into a two-dimensional code. . Further, in the volume management personal computer 10, the code data obtained by reading the two-dimensional code printed on the sheet by the two-dimensional code reader 30 and the inspection data obtained as a result of the quality inspection by the inkjet quality inspection device 40 are stored in the I / O 13. Is input via. Also, the print data of the volume management file and the image file converted into the corresponding two-dimensional code are transferred to the print data output personal computer 20 via the LAN 12.

  The volume management personal computer 10 has a print completion data generation unit, prints the print data on a sheet as a two-dimensional code, and completes printing from the code data read by the two-dimensional code reader 30. Data for specifying a record is generated as print completion data. Further, the production management personal computer 10 has a print quality data generation unit, and generates print quality data by associating the inspection data with the print completion data from the input inspection data. Further, the volume management personal computer 10 has an integrated information generation unit, and generates integrated data indicating which print completion data corresponding to variable information printed matter is integrated in the integration unit.

  The yield management personal computer 10 registers the generated print completion data, print quality data, integrated data, and the like in the yield management file.

  Further, the code data read by the two-dimensional handy code reader 11 is input to the volume management personal computer 10. Reading by the two-dimensional handy code reader 11 is performed, for example, when registering and managing a variable information printed matter that is artificially extracted from the production line.

  The print data output personal computer 20 is a personal computer for operating the ink jet printer. The print data output personal computer 20 causes the ink jet printer to perform a print operation based on the print data input from the work volume management personal computer 10. The print data is variable information data composed of a plurality of sets of data. The print data output personal computer 20 outputs the data to the ink jet control unit 21 as one piece of data in the order in which the plural pieces of data are arranged.

  The printing operation performed by the inkjet head 22 under the control of the inkjet control unit 21 and the operations of the two-dimensional code reader 30 and the inkjet quality inspection device 40 are as described above.

  Next, the operation of the variable information printing system according to the present invention will be described. In particular, in the variable information printing system of the present invention, it is checked whether or not all variable information printed matter corresponding to the variable information data to be printed can be properly made, and if there is a shortage, supplementary printing can be performed. The operation will be described.

  Information prepared when printing is performed in the variable information printing system of the present invention is shown as a pictorial diagram in FIG. As shown in Fig. 2, the image file and the item information file generated by converting the volume management file and the print data registered in the volume management file into a two-dimensional code can be written on a magneto-optical disk. A certain MO (magneto-optical disk) is used as a storage medium and input is made to the volume management system 10. The information stored in the MO is generated in another place such as a computer room.

  Other information includes print position layout information. This information is information using an article such as a printed tressing paper or a printed sheet (work, blank) as a medium. Such an article is necessary when an operator checks the printing state or sets printing conditions.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the contents of the print data, the volume management file, and the item information file. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a QR code is used as a two-dimensional code. As shown in FIG. 3, the variable information part of the volume management file is converted to QR code image data, and the image data is obtained from a plurality of files with file names such as “QR # 0AAB1.bmp”. Composed. The volume management file is generated based on a database such as customer information. The typeface, size, layout, etc. for printing variable information for each record are defined in separate files, and are not described here.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 3, the volume management file is a tabular format having three attribute correspondences of the serial number (Serial NO), variable information, and the file name of the image file generated when the variable information is converted into a QR code. It is data of. The attribute values of the serial number (Serial NO) are “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”,. The serial number is a print data serial number printed on each sheet.

  The variable information attribute values are `` http://www.aa.co.jp/text1.html '', `` http://www.aa.co.jp/text2.html '', `` http: // www. aa.co.jp/text3.html ”, and so on. The variable information is a character string before being converted into a QR code.

  The attribute values of the file name of the two-dimensional code are “QR # 0AAB1.bmp”, “QR # 0ABB1.bmp”, “QR # 0ABCC.bmp”, and so on, which are the image file names of the QR code. The volume management file consists of three fields, and only one field of variable information to be printed as print data is provided, but several fields are provided by mixing variable information and fixed information. You may make it convert into a dimension code. The variable information to be converted into the two-dimensional code may be anything as long as the information is uniquely determined for each record.

  The QR code is a kind of two-dimensional code. Other two-dimensional codes include Code 49 (CODE49), Code 16K (CODE16K), PDF 417 (PDF417), Ultra Code (ULTRA CODE), Data Matrix (DATA MATRIX), Veri Code (VERI CODE), Maxi Code (MAXI CODE), CP code (CP CODE), code one (CODE 1), box figure code, Aztec code (AZTECH CODE), etc. are known. These names include registered trademarks.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, the item information file includes information on items such as “item name: 15th Cleopatra”, “MO disk NO: 1”, “serial number: 1 to 1000”. It is an embedded file.

  The overall operation of the variable information printing system of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a series of operations from the start of production to the end of production.

  First, in step S1 in FIG. 4, the volume management file and the item information file described above are generated, and a file in which variable information of the volume management file is converted into a QR code is generated. In general, the creation is performed in another part, for example, in a computer room or the like, stored in the storage medium MO, and input to the volume management personal computer 10. The volume management file and the QR code image file are input from the volume management personal computer 10 to the print data output personal computer 20 via the LAN.

  Next, in step S2, printing is started. From the print data output personal computer 20, print data (variable information) composed of a plurality of sets of data is output to the inkjet control unit 21 as a part of the data in order from the top using a QR code. For reference, FIG. 5 shows print data composed of a plurality of sets of data as a pictorial diagram. The input inkjet control unit 21 monitors (monitors) the detection signal of the trigger sensor and the pulse signal of the rotary encoder and stands by. That is, the inkjet control unit 21 waits for the printing start by the inkjet head 22 until the conditions for starting printing are satisfied.

  On the other hand, the supply unit 1 sends the sheets separated from the stack one by one to the positioning unit 2. Each sheet is conveyed to the inkjet printing unit 3 while being positioned in the left-right direction in the positioning unit 2. When the leading edge portion of the sheet is detected by the trigger sensor of the inkjet printing unit 3 and a detection signal is output, the inkjet control unit 21 counts the pulse signal of the rotary encoder from the output of the detection signal as a starting point. Then, the inkjet control unit 21 performs printing control of the inkjet head 22 in synchronization with the count value. That is, a part of the data is printed on each sheet in order from the top of the print data in synchronization with the conveyance of the sheet.

  Each printed sheet is conveyed by a conveyor, and the ink is cured in the UV curing unit 4. Further, it is conveyed to the inspection unit 5, and the QR code printed on the sheet is read by the two-dimensional code reader 30 of the inspection unit 5. The read data is output to the volume management system 10. In addition, quality inspection of characters, designs, etc. printed on the sheet is performed by the ink jet inspection device 40 of the inspection unit 5. Data of inspection results (good / bad judgment, defect type, etc.) by the ink jet inspection apparatus 40 is output to the volume management system 10.

  Each sheet on which the QR code has been read and the quality inspection of characters, patterns, etc. has been performed is conveyed by a conveyor, reaches the stacking section 7 via the discharge section 6, and is stacked in the stacking section 7 to stack the stack. Form.

  Next, in step S3, printing of each sheet based on all the print data is finished. From step S2 (print start) to step S3 (print end) (process A in FIG. 4), as described above, the print data output personal computer 20 puts each sheet as shown in FIG. Data to be printed is sequentially output to the inkjet control unit 21, and the inkjet control unit 21 controls the printing operation by the inkjet head 22 in synchronization with the conveyance of each sheet. That is, printing is performed as a series of operations regardless of whether printing is performed properly. Therefore, even if the printed sheet is pulled out or the print quality is inappropriate and this is detected by the inspection unit 5, unless the operator forcibly terminates or operates the automatic stop mechanism. A series of printing operations is continued.

  On the other hand, from this step S2 (print start) to step S3 (print end) (process A in FIG. 4), the volume management system 10 is obtained by the two-dimensional code reader 30 and the inkjet quality inspection device 40 in the inspection section 5. Data is input, and data on whether or not printing on each sheet has been performed properly is tabulated.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the volume management system 10 creates a regular paper file based on the data read by the two-dimensional code reader 30. For example, it is assumed that the two-dimensional code reader 30 reads a QR code and the code data is “http://www.aa.co.jp/text1.html”. By comparing this code data with the data of the QR code reading contents in the volume management file (see FIG. 3), the code data “http://www.aa.co.jp/text1.html” It can be seen that it is related to “1” of Serial NO). Therefore, the serial number “1” is registered in the regular paper file. This regular paper file is a file obtained by reading the QR code printed on the sheet and totaling the TOUSHI numbers of the corresponding volume management files. Therefore, the serial numbers of the volume management file are not collected for the sheets extracted after printing.

  The handling of data detected by the inkjet quality inspection device 40 is not limited. For example, inspection result data is registered in correspondence with the serial numbers counted in the regular paper file in the volume management system 10. If data with a defective inspection result is registered in the regular paper file, the sheet corresponding to the defect can be extracted from the stack produced by the stacking unit 7 in a later process or the like by referring to the regular paper file. it can.

  Further, for example, when the inspection result is defective, the serial numbers are not counted in the regular paper file. Then, defective sheets are automatically rejected (not shown) between the inspection unit 5 and the discharge unit 6 so that the defective sheets are not stacked on the stack formed by the stacking unit 7. As a result, correspondence between the normal paper file and the sheets of the integrated body can be taken.

  In addition, for example, when the inspection result is defective, since the same defect often occurs continuously in the ink jet printing system, printing by the variable information printing system is stopped. Then, an operation for removing the cause of the failure is performed, and the operation is resumed after the operation is completed.

Next, in step S4 in FIG. 4, print data for printing out again the portion that has been extracted and has been deficient due to defective printing is created (process B in FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 7, the volume management system 10 is created in the process of FIG. 4A from among the serial numbers associated with each of the print data (see FIG. 5) made up of a plurality of copies created in step S1. Extract serial numbers that are not tabulated in the original paper file and create a reproduction file. Further, the volume management system 10 extracts only the print data corresponding to the serial number registered in the reproduction file and uses it as reproduction print data.
I
Next, in step S5, printing of the shortage is started. From the print data output personal computer 20, part of the print data for reproduction consisting of a plurality of sets of data is output to the inkjet control unit 21 in order from the top. Subsequent operations are the same as the operations in step S2 described above, and a description thereof is omitted.

  Next, in step S6, printing of each sheet based on all the reproduction print data is finished. Although the operation from step S5 (start of insufficient printing) to step S6 (end of printing of insufficient data) (process C in FIG. 4) is different depending on whether it is print data or print data for reproduction. This is the same as the operation from step S2 (printing start) to step S3 (printing end) described above (process A in FIG. 4).

  Also in the process C, the work volume management system 10 inputs data obtained by the two-dimensional code reader 30 and the ink jet quality inspection device 40 in the inspection unit 5, and printing on each sheet is performed properly. Data about whether or not That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the volume management system 10 creates a regular paper file based on the data read by the two-dimensional code reader 30.

  Next, in step S7, the volume management system 10 compares the reproduction file (see FIG. 7) with the regular paper file (see FIG. 8), and whether or not everything in the reproduction file exists in the regular paper file. Determine whether. When it exists, it progresses to step S8, and production is complete | finished in step S8. If it does not exist, there is a shortage of sheets to be printed properly, so the process returns to step S4 described above and the subsequent steps are repeated.

  As described above, the embodiment has been described in which variable information uniquely determined for each record of the volume management file is converted into a two-dimensional code, but the present invention is not limited to this. The variable information may be printed as it is. At that time, it is configured so as to be compared with the original variable information after being read by OCR, OCV (Optical Character Verification).

It is a figure which shows an example of the structure in the variable information printing system of this invention. It is a pictorial diagram which shows the information prepared when printing in the variable information printing system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the contents of print data, a volume management file, and an item information file. It is a flowchart which shows the whole process of the operation | movement in the variable information printing system of this invention. FIG. 6 is a pictorial diagram showing print data composed of a plurality of sets of data. It is explanatory drawing of the process in which the volume management system produces a regular paper file based on the data read with the two-dimensional code reader. It is explanatory drawing of the process in which the volume management system produces the reproduction file and the printing data for reproduction. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a process of creating a regular paper file based on data read by the volume management system with the two-dimensional code reader 30. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Supply part 2 Positioning part 3 Inkjet printing part 4 UV hardening part 5 Inspection part 6 Discharge part 7 Stacking part 10 Volume management personal computer 11 Two-dimensional handy code reader 12 LAN interface 13 I / O interface 20 Print data output personal computer 21 Inkjet Control unit 22 Inkjet head 30 Two-dimensional code reader 40 Inkjet quality inspection unit

Claims (6)

A variable information printing system capable of printing variable information in partial units based on variable information data composed of a plurality of sets of data, wherein the printed variable information is read in a variable information printed matter on which the variable information is printed. A variable information printing system, further comprising a print completion data generation unit that generates data specifying which of the plurality of sets of data corresponds to. 2. The variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for reading the printed variable information is a barcode reader for reading the printed barcode. 2. The variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for reading the printed variable information is a two-dimensional code reader for reading the printed two-dimensional code. 2. The variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the means for reading the printed variable information is OCR or OCV for reading the printed characters. The variable information printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the print quality of the printed variable information is inspected, and the print quality is made to correspond to data for specifying which of the plurality of sets of data corresponds to. A variable information printing system comprising a print quality data generation unit for generating the data. 6. The variable information printing system according to claim 1, wherein the variable information printing system generates data indicating whether the variable information printed matter is accumulated in an accumulation unit based on the print completion data or the print quality data. A variable information printing system comprising a section.

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