JP2007331345A - Printer, and print position control method for the printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer which can reduce the number of print positioning steps generated for every printer. <P>SOLUTION: The printer is composed of a CCD sensor 32 for detecting the position of a print sheet 42 (position of an edge of the print sheet 42) in a line direction (main scanning direction) with respect to a thermal head 30, and a deviation L from a reference position S of the print sheet 42 with respect to the thermal head 30 is detected by the CCD sensor 32. Then an energized range (energizing element 31A) in a heat element 31 is set according to the deviation "L" of the print sheet 42 from the reference position S, and therefore a print image 60 is printed at the center of the print sheet 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer and a print position control method in the printer, and more particularly, in a sublimation printer, a printer capable of automatically correcting the position of an image to be printed in accordance with the position of a print sheet, and the printer The present invention relates to a print position control method.

  A dye sublimation printer presses a thermal head against an ink ribbon coated with a dye or pigment and heats the thermal head to transfer the ink ribbon dye or pigment onto a recording medium such as paper to form an image. It is used for printing purposes.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the printing unit of the sublimation printer. As shown in FIG. 3A, an ink ribbon roll 43 (unused portion) wound around a supply core 44 on the unwinding side is provided on the upper surface side of the print paper 42 unwound from the roll paper 41 (supply side). ), The ink ribbon guide roll 46, the thermal head 30, the ink ribbon guide roll 47, and the winding core 48 on the winding side are arranged in this order. The ink ribbon 45 unwound from the ink ribbon roll 43 is superposed on the print paper 42 guided by the guide roll 46 and unwound from the roll paper 41, and is conveyed between the thermal head 30 and the platen roll 49. After that, it is wound around the winding core 48 via the guide roll 47.

  On the lower surface side of the print paper 42, a platen roll 49 is disposed at a position facing the thermal head 30, and the platen roll 49 causes the print paper 42 to be a heating resistor 31 of the thermal head 30 (see FIG. 3B). Is moderately pressed. A feed roll 51 is disposed at a position facing the pinch roll 50. The print paper 42 is conveyed by sandwiching the print paper 42 between the pinch roll 50 and the feed roll 51 and rotationally driving the feed roll 51.

  The thermal head 30 includes a plurality of heating resistors 31 arranged in a line corresponding to each dot of the image to be formed as shown in FIG. 3B (a plurality of heating resistors may be arranged in a plurality of lines). By applying a pulse current to these heating resistors 31, the dye or pigment of the ink ribbon 45 is transferred to the print paper 42, and a print image 60 is formed.

  In FIG. 3B, the individual heating resistors 31 are shown in a large size and a small number for ease of viewing, but in actuality, the heating resistors corresponding to each dod such as 200 dpi are used. 31 are densely arranged in the line direction (main scanning direction). Further, the heating resistors 31 are arranged so that the number thereof is larger than the number of dots of the image to be printed, and the range of heating resistors to be energized in the arranged heating resistors 31 (energization range). By setting, an image having a predetermined width is printed.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an ink ribbon. As shown in FIG. 4, the ink ribbon includes three ink layers of Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan), and OP (overcoat layer) is periodically arranged. Then, a region indicated by a dotted line in the ink layer of the ink ribbon is printed on the printing paper.

  In the sublimation type printer configured as described above, the print density (gradation) is changed by the intensity of heat applied from the thermal head 30 to the ink ribbon 45. When a strong heat is applied to the ink ribbon, printing is performed at a high density. When a weak heat is applied, printing is performed at a low density.

  By the way, in the printer which records using the thermal head as described above, there is a case where a “deviation” occurs between the positions of the thermal head and the print paper due to variations in component accuracy and mounting accuracy (for example, deviation of about several mm). .

  For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the edge of the print paper 42 is shifted to the right by the shift amount “L” from the original reference position (position indicated by the dotted line S), the print image 60 is displayed. On the print paper 42, printing is performed with a shift of "L" from the center to the left side, resulting in an unnatural print state.

  For this purpose, a test print is performed after the printer is assembled, the amount of deviation “L” is measured, and the energizing range of the thermal head (the energizing element 31A) is shifted according to the measured amount of deviation, etc. Change the setting. Then, after the setting is changed, confirmation printing is performed again. For example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the energization start dot in the energization range (the energization element 31A) of the heating resistor 31 is shifted from the element 33a to the element 33b. As a result, the print image 60 is printed on the central portion of the print paper 42.

  As described above, in a printer using a thermal head, it is necessary to adjust the print position for each printer, resulting in an increase in the cost of the printer due to an increase in man-hours. Further, there is a possibility that the quality may be deteriorated due to a setting error of the print position.

  As described above, in a printer using a thermal head, it is necessary to adjust the print position for each printer, resulting in an increase in cost due to an increase in man-hours.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printer and a print position control method in the printer that can reduce the number of man-hours required for print alignment. There is.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. The printer of the present invention presses an ink ribbon against a print sheet by a thermal head in which heating resistors are arranged for each dot in the line direction of an image to be formed. By applying heat to the ink ribbon by the heat generating resistor of the thermal head, the ink of the ink ribbon is transferred to a sheet for printing, and the number of the heat generating resistors is the number of dots of the image to be printed. And a printer that prints an image of a predetermined width by setting the energization range of the arranged heating resistors. A print paper detection sensor for detecting a position of the print paper in a line direction with respect to the thermal head; Depending on the position of the print paper detected by cement sheet detection sensor, characterized in that it comprises a heating resistor energization control means for energizing to set the energization range of the heating resistor.
With such a configuration, a print paper detection sensor for detecting the position of the print paper in the line direction (main scanning direction) with respect to the thermal head (for example, the position of the end of the print paper) is provided. The positional relationship between the heating resistor of the thermal head and the printing paper is measured, and the energization range of the heating resistor is set based on the measurement result. Then, by energizing the heating resistor within the energization range, the image to be printed is set at the center of the sheet.
As a result, the position of the image to be printed can be automatically corrected according to the position of the print paper, so that the number of print alignment man-hours generated for each printer can be reduced. For this reason, the cost of the printer can be reduced.

In the printer of the present invention, the ink ribbon is pressed against the print paper by the thermal head in which the heating resistors are arranged for each dot in the line direction of the image to be formed, and the heating ribbon is pressed against the ink ribbon by the heating head. By applying heat, the ink of the ink ribbon is transferred to the paper for printing, and the number of the heating resistors is larger than the number of dots of the image to be printed, and the print range is larger than the width of the image to be printed. Is a printer that prints an image of a predetermined width by setting a current-carrying range of the arranged heating resistors, and is attached to the thermal head, and the print with respect to the thermal head A print paper detection sensor for detecting the position of the end of the paper in the line direction, and the print paper detection sensor. Based on a signal from the sensor, a print paper edge detection means for detecting a deviation amount from a reference position of the edge of the print paper with respect to the thermal head, and an edge of the print paper detected by the print paper edge detection means An energizing range setting means for setting an energizing range in the heating resistor according to an amount of deviation from the reference position, and heat generation for energizing the heating resistor within the range set by the energizing range setting means And a resistor energization control means.
With such a configuration, the print head detection sensor for detecting the end of the print paper is attached to the thermal head, and the amount of deviation from the reference position of the end of the print paper with respect to the thermal head is detected. Then, the energization range of the heating resistor is set according to the amount of deviation so that the image to be printed is at the center of the paper.
As a result, the position of the image to be printed can be automatically corrected according to the position of the print paper, and the number of print alignment steps generated for each printer can be reduced. For this reason, the cost of the printer can be reduced.

The printer according to the present invention is characterized in that the print paper detection sensor is a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor for detecting the position of one end of the print paper.
With such a configuration, the print paper detection sensor is configured by a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor, so that the position of the print paper can be detected using a commercially available inexpensive sensor.

Further, the print position control method of the present invention presses an ink ribbon against a print sheet by a thermal head in which a heating resistor is arranged for each dot in the line direction of an image to be formed, and the ink ribbon is pressed by the heating resistor of the thermal head. When heat is applied to the ink ribbon, the ink ribbon ink is transferred onto the paper for printing, and the number of the heating resistors is larger than the number of dots of the image to be printed, and the print range is the image to be printed. A print position control method in a printer that prints an image of a predetermined width by setting a current-carrying range of the arranged heating resistors, the print head controlling method for the thermal head The procedure for detecting the position of the print paper in the line direction by the print paper detection sensor and the Depending on the position of the print paper detected by the print paper detecting sensor, characterized in that it comprises a heating resistor energization control procedure for energizing to set the energization range of the heating resistor.
By such a procedure, a print paper detection sensor for detecting the position of the print paper in the line direction (main scanning direction) (for example, the position of the end of the print paper) with respect to the thermal head is provided. The positional relationship between the heating resistor of the thermal head and the printing paper is measured, and the energization range of the heating resistor is set based on the measurement result. Then, by energizing the heating resistor within the energization range, the image to be printed is set at the center of the sheet.
As a result, the position of the image to be printed can be automatically corrected according to the position of the printing paper, so that the number of print alignment steps that occurs for each printer can be reduced. For this reason, the cost of the printer can be reduced.

  In the present invention, a sensor for detecting the position of the print paper is provided in the thermal head so that the position of the image to be printed is automatically corrected in accordance with the position of the print paper. The number of print alignment steps can be reduced, and the cost of the printer can be reduced.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a print position control method in the printer of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, in the present invention, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) sensor 32 for detecting the position of the edge (end) of the print paper is provided on the thermal head 30 with a predetermined accuracy (for example, 0). The edge position of the print paper 42 is detected. Then, the amount of deviation “L” between the reference position (position indicated by the dotted line S) and the position of the end of the print paper 42 is detected.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1B, the energization range (energization element 31A) of the heating resistor 31 is shifted to the right by the amount of deviation “L”. That is, the energization start dot in the energization range (the energization element 31A) of the heating resistor 31 is shifted from the element 33a to the element 33b. As a result, the print image 60 is moved to the right on the print paper 42 by the amount of deviation “L”, and the print image 60 can be printed on the central portion of the print paper 42.

  The CCD sensor 32 for detecting the print paper is not limited to the CCD sensor, but may be another type of sensor such as a CMOS sensor, and may be any sensor that can detect the edge of the print paper 42.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a system configuration example of the printer according to the present invention.
In the printer 1 illustrated in FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a main control unit that includes a CPU and the like and controls each unit of the printer. An image buffer 12 receives an image to be printed from an external host (host computer) 2 as image data such as YMC (yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C)) and temporarily stores the image.

  A print control unit 13 performs processing necessary for printing the image data transmitted from the host 2. The print image data generation unit 14 in the print control unit 13 is a processing unit for converting the YMC input image data received from the host 2 into print image data corresponding to the ink color of the ink ribbon. Further, the ink ribbon winding / rewinding processing unit 16 transmits a command signal to the motor drive control unit 18 so that the ink surface of the ink ribbon is at an appropriate position during printing, so that the winding of the ink ribbon is performed. A processing unit for performing take-up / rewind control. The roll paper drive processing unit 17 is a processing unit that transmits a command signal to the motor drive control unit 18 to perform print paper feed control, and performs print paper cut processing and the like.

  Reference numeral 15 denotes an energization pulse generator that energizes the heat generating resistor 31 in the thermal head 30 with an energization pulse pattern corresponding to the gradation (density). Reference numeral 31 denotes a thermal head in which heating resistors are arranged for each dot to be printed. Reference numeral 31 denotes a heating resistor corresponding to each dot.

  The heating resistors 31 are arranged in the line direction (main scanning direction), and the number thereof is larger than the number of dots of the print target image (the print range is wider than the width of the print target image). By setting the range (energization range) of the heating resistor to be energized in the generated heating resistor 31, an image having a predetermined width is printed.

  A motor drive control unit 18 controls the drive of an ink ribbon winding motor that transports the ink ribbon, an ink ribbon rewinding motor that rewinds the ink ribbon, a roll paper driving motor that transports print paper, and the like.

  The printer 1 of the present invention is characterized by the provision of the CCD sensor 32 in the thermal head 30 and the thermal head print position control processing unit 21 in the print control unit 13. The print paper edge detection processing unit 22 in the thermal head print position control processing unit 21 is based on the position detection signal of the print paper 42 from the CCD sensor 32 from the reference position of the end of the print paper 42 with respect to the thermal head 30. A process for detecting the amount of deviation is performed. The energization range setting processing unit 23 sets the energization range in the heating resistor 31 according to the amount of deviation from the reference position of the edge of the print paper 42 detected by the CCD sensor 32 and the print paper edge detection processing unit 22. Perform the setting process. The heating resistor energization control processing unit 24 is a processing unit for energizing each heating resistor 31 within the energization range set by the energization range setting processing unit 23.

  As described above, in the printer of the present invention, the thermal head 30 is provided with the CCD sensor 32 for detecting the print paper, and the position of the end of the print paper 42 with respect to the thermal head 30 is detected, so that the print position of the image is obtained. Can be automatically corrected to be in the center of the print paper 42. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of man-hours required for print alignment that occurs for each printer, and to reduce the cost of the printer.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the printer of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is.

  In the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of print alignment man-hours generated for each printer and to reduce the cost of the printer. Therefore, the present invention is useful for sublimation printers and the like.

It is a figure for demonstrating the printing position control method by this invention. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration example of a printer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a print unit of a printer. FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of an ink ribbon. It is a figure for demonstrating the conventional printing position adjustment method.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer 2 ... Host 11 ... Main control part 12 ... Image buffer 13 ... Print control part 14 ... Print image data generation part 15 ... Current supply pulse generation part 16 ... Ink ribbon winding / rewinding processing part 17 ... Roll paper drive Processing unit 18: Motor drive control unit 21 ... Thermal head print position control processing unit 22 ... Print paper edge detection processing unit 23 ... Energization range setting processing unit 24 ... Heating resistor energization control processing unit 30 ... Thermal head 31 ... Heating resistance Body 31A ... Current-carrying element 32 ... CCD sensor 41 ... Roll paper 42 ... Print paper 43 ... Ink ribbon roll 44 ... Supply core 45 ... Ink ribbon 46, 47 ... Ink ribbon guide roll 48 ... Winding core 49 ... Platen roll 50 ... Pinch roll 51 ... Feed roll 60 ... Print image

Claims (4)

The ink ribbon is pressed against the print paper by the thermal head in which the heating resistors are arranged for each dot in the line direction of the image to be formed, and heat is applied to the ink ribbon by the heating head of the thermal head, whereby the ink The ribbon ink is transferred onto the paper for printing, and the heating resistors are arranged so that the number of the heating resistors is larger than the number of dots of the image to be printed and the print range is wider than the width of the image to be printed. A printer that prints an image of a predetermined width by setting an energization range of the heating resistors arranged;
A print paper detection sensor for detecting the position of the print paper in the line direction with respect to the thermal head;
A printer comprising: a heating resistor energization control unit configured to set the energization range of the heating resistor in accordance with the position of the print sheet detected by the print sheet detection sensor. The ink ribbon is pressed against the print paper by the thermal head in which the heating resistors are arranged for each dot in the line direction of the image to be formed, and heat is applied to the ink ribbon by the heating head of the thermal head, whereby the ink The ribbon ink is transferred onto the paper for printing, and the heating resistors are arranged so that the number of the heating resistors is larger than the number of dots of the image to be printed and the print range is wider than the width of the image to be printed. A printer that prints an image of a predetermined width by setting an energization range of the heating resistors arranged;
A print paper detection sensor attached to the thermal head for detecting the position of the end of the print paper in the line direction with respect to the thermal head;
Based on a signal from the print paper detection sensor, a print paper edge detection means for detecting a deviation amount from a reference position of the print paper edge with respect to the thermal head;
Energization range setting means for setting an energization range in the heating resistor in accordance with the amount of deviation from the reference position of the end of the print paper detected by the print paper edge detection means;
A printer comprising: a heating resistor energization control unit configured to energize the heating resistor within a range set by the energization range setting unit. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the print paper detection sensor is a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor for detecting the position of one end of the print paper. The ink ribbon is pressed against the print paper by the thermal head in which the heating resistors are arranged for each dot in the line direction of the image to be formed, and heat is applied to the ink ribbon by the heating head of the thermal head, whereby the ink The ribbon ink is transferred onto the paper for printing, and the heating resistors are arranged so that the number of the heating resistors is larger than the number of dots of the image to be printed and the print range is wider than the width of the image to be printed. A printing position control method in a printer that prints an image of a predetermined width by setting a current-carrying range of the arranged heating resistors,
A procedure for detecting a position of the print paper in the line direction with respect to the thermal head by a print paper detection sensor;
And a heating resistor energization control procedure for energizing the heating resistor by setting an energization range of the heating resistor according to the position of the print sheet detected by the print sheet detection sensor.

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