JP2009137222A - Printing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print color images, from which much more stage effect is drawn out, by proposing a new printing method for correcting irradiating heat quantity in a color thermosensitive system. <P>SOLUTION: Printing equipment having a selecting part 3 and a controlling part 4 executes color printing by irradiating a variable heat quantity from a printing head 8 against a printing paper 1 having an imaging layer 11 formed by laminating a plurality of thermosensitive primary color layers so as to melt the crystals in a primary color layer 11b in response to the heat quantity. The selecting part 3 selects one of printing modes in response to whether a peelable cover layer 12 exists on the imaging layer 11 or not. The controlling part 4 increasingly corrects the irradiating heat quantity in response to the selected printing mode. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints a color image on a printing paper having an imaging layer composed of a plurality of primary color layers.

  Conventionally, a technique for correcting a color to be developed according to a situation has been studied. For example, in Patent Document 1, when a non-genuine cartridge is installed in a printing apparatus (a so-called printer), a new color conversion table is corrected or recalculated based on ink characteristic information of the cartridge. A simple color conversion table is disclosed. Patent Document 2 discloses that a color conversion table is created by measuring a sheet and calculating a correction amount for printing a desired color on the sheet.

JP 2001-219624 A JP 2002-292909 A

  By the way, there is a heat sensitive system in which the heat sensitive sheet coated with a substance that causes a chemical reaction due to heat is applied with heat in accordance with the shape of characters, figures, etc., so that those shapes emerge. This method has the advantage of not requiring ink or toner, so it is mainly used for printing faxes and receipts, and is often used in automatic ticket machines. However, since the conventional thermal method can express only a single color such as white or black, it does not correct the amount of irradiation heat. In recent years, a thermal system capable of color development (hereinafter referred to as a color thermal system) has been developed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to print a color image that brings out a further effect by proposing a novel printing method for correcting the amount of irradiation heat in a color thermal system. That is.

  In order to solve this problem, the present invention irradiates a printing paper having an imaging layer in which a plurality of heat-sensitive primary color layers are laminated with a variable amount of heat from a print head, and dissolves crystals in the primary color layer according to the amount of heat. Thus, a printing apparatus that performs color printing is provided. The printing apparatus includes a selection unit and a control unit. The selection unit selects the first printing mode when a normal printing paper that does not include a peelable non-heat-sensitive layer is specified on the imaging layer, and performs special printing in which the non-heat-sensitive layer is interposed on the imaging layer. When the paper is designated, the second print mode is selected. When the first print mode is selected, the control unit controls the amount of heat applied to the print head according to the print data that defines the print content, and when the second print mode is selected, the non-thermosensitive layer. In order to compensate for a decrease in the amount of heat supplied to the imaging layer due to the presence of the irradiation, the amount of irradiation heat is incrementally corrected.

  Here, in the present invention, the special printing paper is preferably a scratch paper from which the non-heat-sensitive layer can be removed by scratch, or a postcard paper in which the imaging layer and the non-heat-sensitive layer are bonded together.

  In the present invention, the selection unit may select the first print mode or the second print mode based on the designation of the type of print paper by the user. By reading the type, the first print mode or the second print mode may be selected.

  According to the present invention, the amount of heat applied to the printing paper is incrementally corrected in accordance with the presence or absence of the non-thermal layer, so that the amount of heat supplied to the imaging layer is compensated regardless of the presence or absence of the non-thermal layer. As a result, the imaging layer can compensate for the development of a desired color regardless of the presence or absence of the non-thermosensitive layer, and can print a color image that further draws the effect produced by the printing paper.

(Printing paper)
Prior to the description of the printing apparatus of the present embodiment, the printing paper 1 used in the present embodiment will be described. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a normal printing paper 1 having only the imaging layer 11, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a special printing paper 1 having the imaging layer 11 and the cover layer 12. . The special printing paper 1 is provided such that a cover layer 12 is interposed on the imaging layer 11.

  The imaging layer 11 includes a polymer overcoat layer 11a, a primary color layer 11b, and a base layer 11c. The overcoat layer 11a and the base layer 11c protect the primary color layer 11b sandwiched therebetween. The primary color layer 11b is formed by laminating three heat-sensitive primary color layers of yellow, yellow (Magenta), and cyan (Cyan) having a crystal shape. The cover layer 12 is a non-thermosensitive layer that can be peeled from the imaging layer 11.

  The special printing paper in the present embodiment is a scratch paper from which the cover layer 12 can be removed by scratching, or a postcard paper in which the imaging layer 11 and the cover layer 12 are bonded together by, for example, UV varnishing. The cover layer 12 may be affixed to the entire printing paper 1 or may be affixed to the printing paper 1 in a predetermined region.

  Before printing on the printing paper 1 (before irradiating with heat), each of the three thermosensitive primary color layers constituting the primary color layer 11b is colorless and transparent. Therefore, the imaging layer 11 which is the surface of the printing paper 1 is also included. It looks like a white paper (white). As shown in FIG. 6A, when heat is applied from the upper part of the printing paper 1 (overcoat layer 11a), the crystals of the heat-sensitive primary color layer are dissolved (disintegrated) due to heat conduction, and color is generated accordingly. A color is formed in the imaging layer 11.

  The temperature at which the crystals of the heat-sensitive primary color layer dissolve varies from layer to layer. The color (hue, brightness, saturation) is expressed by changing the density or position of dots (dots) formed on the surface of the imaging layer 11. For example, when expressing dark yellow, the density of yellow spots is increased, and when expressing light yellow, the density of yellow spots is decreased.

  In FIG. 4A, the amount of heat irradiated from the top of the printing paper 1 is Q1, and in FIG. 4B, the amount of heat irradiated from the top of the printing paper 1 is Q2. When the heat quantity Q1 and the heat quantity Q2 are the same (Q1 = Q2), the color of the imaging layer 11 covered with the cover layer 12 is different from that in FIG. This is because the amount of heat supplied to the imaging layer 11 is different due to the heat insulation effect, heat reflection, and the like by the cover layer 12. In order for the imaging layer 11 in FIGS. 1A and 1B to produce the same color, the irradiation heat amount is incrementally corrected so that at least the heat amount Q2 exceeds the heat amount Q1 (Q1 <Q2). Make the amount of heat supplied the same. This is to compensate for a decrease in the amount of heat supplied to the imaging layer 11 due to the cover layer 12 being interposed.

(Printer)
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a printing apparatus that performs color printing on the printing paper 1 of FIG. 1 having an imaging layer 11 in which three heat-sensitive primary color layers (primary color layers 11b) are stacked. The printing apparatus includes an input unit 2, a selection unit 3, a control unit 4, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 5, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 6, a drive unit 7, and a print head 8. Each of the units 2 to 8 is configured as a single printing device connected to each other by a common internal bus. In addition, this invention is not limited to this, You may be comprised by several apparatus. For example, the drive unit 7 and the print head 8 are mounted on a thermal printer, the remaining units are mounted on a PC, and the thermal printer and the PC are connected to each other through an electric communication line.

  The input unit 2 receives image data composed of a plurality of gradation data and paper data. The image data is a color image such as a photograph taken by a digital camera or the like, or an illustration created by a PC or the like. The paper data is type information of the print paper 1 that is a print recording medium (print target). In the present embodiment, there are two types: a normal printing paper 1 (FIG. 1A) composed of an imaging layer 11 and a special printing paper 1 (FIG. 1B) composed of an imaging layer 11 and a cover layer 12. is there.

  The selection unit 3 selects a print mode based on the paper data input from the input unit 2. When the normal printing paper 1 in which the peelable cover layer 12 is not attached to the imaging layer 11 is designated, the first printing mode is selected, and when the special printing paper 1 is designated, the second printing mode 1 is designated. A print mode is selected. The selection unit 3 may select a print mode based on the designation of the type of the printing paper 1 by the user in the input unit 2 (so-called manual operation), or the input unit 2 is formed on the printing paper 1 in advance. The print mode may be selected by reading the type of printed paper. The selected print mode may be set for each print sheet, or may be set for each area obtained by dividing the print sheet 1.

  The control unit 4 sets the amount of heat Q applied to the printing paper 1 based on the image data input from the input unit 2 and the print mode selected by the selection unit 3. Specifically, when the first print mode is selected by the selection unit 3, the irradiation heat quantity Q of the print head 8 is controlled according to print data (image data) that defines print contents. When the second printing mode is selected by the selection unit 3, the irradiation heat quantity Q is incrementally corrected in order to compensate for the decrease in the heat supply quantity to the imaging layer 11 due to the cover layer 12 being interposed. The ROM 5 stores a control program (command) necessary for the control unit 4 to set the irradiation heat quantity Q, and the RAM 6 has a work space necessary for executing the control program executed by the control unit 4. Is secured.

  As a correction method, as shown in FIG. 3A, the color (gradation data) when the first print mode is selected and the amount of heat Q required to develop the color are obtained. Prepare the associated basic table. Then, when the second print mode is selected, as shown in FIG. 5B, the basic table corresponds to the basic table by correcting the basic table on the basis of the characteristic information of the printing paper 1 or calculating completely. Prepare the corrected table.

  The characteristic information of the printing paper 1 is, for example, the printing paper 1 such as the type, thickness, heat conduction characteristic, heat reflection characteristic, or special coefficient corresponding to the type of the printing paper 1 (imaging layer 11 and cover layer 12). Although it is peculiar information, it is not limited to this, The difference file corresponding to a basic table may be sufficient. Note that specific values related to these are set individually and specifically through an experimenter simulation or the like and stored in advance in the ROM 5 or sequentially stored in the RAM 6.

  When printing in an area without the cover layer 12 (first print mode), the heat quantity Q is set with reference to the basic table, and when printing in an area with the cover layer 12 (second print mode), correction The amount of heat Q is set with reference to the data. The correction table may be sequentially created according to the selection from the selection unit 3, but may be created in advance before printing on the printing paper 1. In this case, the correction table is stored in the RAM 6, and the control unit 4 calls the correction table sequentially as necessary.

  The drive unit 7 is provided for transporting the printing paper 1. For example, a transport roller such as a paper feed roller and a paper discharge roller, a motor drive circuit for driving the transport roller, and a print paper on the transport path are provided. 1 is constituted by a sensor circuit or the like that detects the conveyance state of one. The print head 8 prints a color image by irradiating the printing paper 1 with a heat quantity Q according to an instruction from the control unit 4. The printing paper 1 inserted from the insertion port of the printing apparatus is conveyed on the conveyance path by the conveyance roller of the driving unit 7. Then, the print head 8 irradiates a variable amount of heat in line units from the upper part of the printing paper 1 (the side where the cover layer 12 is pasted), and dissolves crystals in the primary color layer 11b according to the amount of heat, thereby producing a color image. Print. The printed printing paper 1 is discharged from the discharge port of the printing apparatus.

  According to the present embodiment, since the amount of heat applied to the printing paper 1 is incrementally corrected according to the presence or absence of the cover layer 12, the amount of heat supplied to the imaging layer 11 is compensated regardless of the presence or absence of the cover layer 12. As a result, the imaging layer 11 can compensate for a desired color regardless of the presence or absence of the cover layer 12, and can print a color image that further draws the effect of the printing paper 1.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, after a color image is printed on the printing paper 1, the color image is printed on the printing paper 1 to which the cover layer 12 has been attached without going through the conventional process of attaching the cover layer 12. Therefore, the printing process can be flexible.

  In the present embodiment, the number of correction tables created by the control unit 4 is one. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of correction tables may be created according to the type of the cover layer 12. In that case, the control unit 4 selects and reads out a correction table to be used according to the type information input by the input unit 2 and sets the heat quantity Q.

Cross section of printing paper Configuration diagram of printing device Illustration of various tables

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing paper 11 Imaging layer 11a Overcoat layer 11b Primary color layer 11c Base layer 12 Cover layer 2 Input part 3 Selection part 4 Control part 5 ROM
6 RAM
7 Drive unit 8 Print head

Claims (4)

In a printing apparatus that performs color printing by irradiating a printing paper having an imaging layer in which a plurality of heat-sensitive primary color layers are laminated with a variable amount of heat from a print head and dissolving crystals in the primary color layer according to the amount of heat. ,
When a normal printing paper without a peelable non-heat sensitive layer is specified on the imaging layer, the first printing mode is selected, and a special printing paper with the non-heat sensitive layer interposed on the imaging layer Is selected, a selection unit for selecting the second print mode;
When the first print mode is selected, the amount of heat applied to the print head is controlled in accordance with print data that defines print contents, and when the second print mode is selected, the non-thermosensitive layer And a control unit that incrementally corrects the irradiation heat amount to compensate for a decrease in the heat supply amount to the imaging layer due to the presence of the ink.   The special printing paper is a scratch paper from which the non-heat-sensitive layer can be removed by scratch, or a postcard paper in which the imaging layer and the non-heat-sensitive layer are bonded to each other. Printing device.   3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the first printing mode or the second printing mode based on designation of a type of the printing paper by a user. . 3. The selection unit according to claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the first print mode or the second print mode by reading a type of the print paper formed in advance on the print paper. The printing device described.

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