JP2014014982A - Image forming device and program for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the possibility that a printing medium is deformed.SOLUTION: A printing area is divided into a plurality of divided areas by virtual lines perpendicular to a predetermined direction, and heating means is configured so as to be able to heat each of the plurality of divided areas. Controlling means heats and dries a first ink area at a first temperature by using the heating means corresponding to the first ink area, in printing subsequent to first printing, repeats a series of operations until discharging first ink onto a vacant divided area adjacent to the first ink area formed at previous time and forming a new first ink area while discharging second ink onto the first ink area formed at the previous time and forming a second ink overlapping area. In the printing subsequent to the first printing, the controlling means lowers the first temperature than a second temperature when a period of time required to dry the first ink area is less than a difference between a period of time required to form the first ink area and a period of time required to form the second ink overlapping area and dries the first ink area.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a program thereof.

  A head having a first nozzle for ejecting the first ink and a second nozzle for ejecting the second ink; a moving means for moving the head relative to the print medium; and a transport means for transporting the print medium in a predetermined direction. An image forming apparatus having a heating unit for heating a print medium is already well known.

  In such an image forming apparatus, the head performs one-pass printing that discharges at least the first ink or the second ink while moving relative to the print area of the print medium in the predetermined direction, and then the head moves to the print area. The head and the moving means are controlled so that a series of operations of relative movement of the predetermined movement amount in the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction is repeated, and the print medium is heated and discharged to the print medium. The heating means is controlled so that the ink or the second ink is dried.

  In some image forming apparatuses, the print area is divided into a plurality of divided areas by virtual lines orthogonal to the predetermined direction. In such an image forming apparatus, in the first printing on the printing area, the control unit performs the series of operations until the head ejects the first ink to the predetermined divided area of the printing area to form the first ink area. The first ink area is heated and dried using the heating means while repeating the above, and in the second and subsequent printings, after controlling the conveying means so that the print medium is conveyed in the predetermined direction, the head is controlled. Discharges the second ink to the previously formed first ink region to form the second ink overlapping region, and also discharges the first ink to a separate divided region adjacent to the previously formed first ink region. The above-described series of operations is repeated until the first ink area is formed, and the first ink area and the second ink overlapping area are heated and dried using the heating means.

JP 2002-38063 A

By the way, conventionally, in the second and subsequent printings, there is no difference between the temperature when heating the first ink region and the temperature when heating the second ink overlap region.
Therefore, in the specific case, the following inconvenience occurred.
That is, when there is a time difference between the time required for forming the first ink region and the time required for forming the second ink overlap region, this time difference can be applied to the drying time of the first ink region. However, when the time required for drying the first ink region is smaller than the time difference, the drying ends earlier than the time difference elapses. This means that the first ink area can be dried at a lower temperature, and in this case, the possibility that the print medium is deformed (for example, bent or shrunk) is reduced. Can do.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the possibility of deformation of the print medium.

The main present invention includes a head having a first nozzle that ejects a first ink and a second nozzle that ejects a second ink;
Moving means for moving the head relative to the print medium;
Conveying means for conveying the print medium in a predetermined direction;
Heating means for heating the print medium;
The head performs at least one pass of ejecting the first ink or the second ink while moving relative to the print area of the print medium in the predetermined direction, and then the head is applied to the print area. Controlling the head and the moving means so that a series of operations of relatively moving a predetermined movement amount in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction is repeated;
Control means for controlling the heating means so that the printing medium is heated and the first ink or the second ink discharged to the printing medium is dried;
With
The print area is divided into a plurality of divided areas by virtual lines orthogonal to the predetermined direction,
The heating means is configured to be capable of heating for each of the plurality of divided regions,
In the initial printing on the print area, the control unit repeats the series of operations until the head ejects the first ink to form a first ink area in a predetermined divided area of the print area. Using the heating means corresponding to the first ink region to heat and dry the first ink region at a first temperature;
In the second and subsequent printings, after controlling the transport means so that the print medium is transported by a predetermined transport amount in the predetermined direction, the head discharges the second ink to the first ink region formed last time. A series of operations until the second ink overlapping area is formed and the first ink is ejected to a newly divided area adjacent to the previously formed first ink area to form a new first ink area. Is repeated,
While heating and drying the first ink region at the first temperature using the heating means corresponding to the first ink region,
Using the heating means corresponding to the second ink overlap region, the second ink overlap region is heated at a second temperature and dried;
In the second and subsequent printings,
When the time required for drying the first ink region is smaller than the difference between the time required for forming the first ink region and the time required for forming the second ink overlapping region, the first temperature Lower than the second temperature to dry the first ink area,
An image forming apparatus.

  Other features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

It is a block showing the structure of a printing system. It is a schematic sectional drawing of a printer. It is a schematic plan view of a printer. It is explanatory drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of the some head in a head unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows arrangement | positioning of the several nozzle formed in the 1st head. It is explanatory drawing which shows the mode of printing. It is a flowchart of an overlap printing routine. (A)-(e) is explanatory drawing of the procedure which produces frame data from the print job for overlap printing. (A)-(f) is explanatory drawing of the image printed sequentially on a printing medium. (A)-(f) is explanatory drawing of the procedure which produces the frame data in other embodiment. It is a table of excess time and heating temperature fall value.

  At least the following will be made clear by the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

A head having a first nozzle for discharging the first ink and a second nozzle for discharging the second ink;
Moving means for moving the head relative to the print medium;
Conveying means for conveying the print medium in a predetermined direction;
Heating means for heating the print medium;
The head performs at least one pass of ejecting the first ink or the second ink while moving relative to the print area of the print medium in the predetermined direction, and then the head is applied to the print area. Controlling the head and the moving means so that a series of operations of relatively moving a predetermined movement amount in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction is repeated;
Control means for controlling the heating means so that the printing medium is heated and the first ink or the second ink discharged to the printing medium is dried;
With
The print area is divided into a plurality of divided areas by virtual lines orthogonal to the predetermined direction,
The heating means is configured to be capable of heating for each of the plurality of divided regions,
In the initial printing on the print area, the control unit repeats the series of operations until the head ejects the first ink to form a first ink area in a predetermined divided area of the print area. Using the heating means corresponding to the first ink region to heat and dry the first ink region at a first temperature;
In the second and subsequent printings, after controlling the transport means so that the print medium is transported by a predetermined transport amount in the predetermined direction, the head discharges the second ink to the first ink region formed last time. A series of operations until the second ink overlapping area is formed and the first ink is ejected to a newly divided area adjacent to the previously formed first ink area to form a new first ink area. Is repeated,
While heating and drying the first ink region at the first temperature using the heating means corresponding to the first ink region,
Using the heating means corresponding to the second ink overlap region, the second ink overlap region is heated at a second temperature and dried;
In the second and subsequent printings,
When the time required for drying the first ink region is smaller than the difference between the time required for forming the first ink region and the time required for forming the second ink overlapping region, the first temperature Lower than the second temperature to dry the first ink area,
Image forming apparatus.
According to such an image forming apparatus, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the print medium is deformed.

  Further, based on the difference between the number of passes required for forming the first ink region and the number of passes required for forming the second ink overlap region, the time required for forming the first ink region and the second It is good also as obtaining the difference with the time required for formation of an ink overlap area | region.

  One of the first ink and the second ink may be a special ink and the other may be a color ink or a black ink. Examples of the special ink include white, metallic, colorless and transparent, and a color (corporate color) that symbolizes an organization such as a company or an organization.

The divided area may be an area obtained by dividing the print area into two by the virtual line.
In such a case, printing control is simplified as compared with the case where the print area is divided into three or more divided areas by virtual lines.

In addition, the divided area may be an area obtained by dividing the print area at equal intervals by the virtual line.
In such a case, printing control is simplified as compared with the case where the print area is divided into divided areas with different intervals by virtual lines.

  Next, a program for causing one or more computers to function as control means of the image forming apparatus described above. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, a hard disk, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flexible disk, a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), etc.), or a transmission medium. It may be distributed from one computer to another computer via (a communication network such as the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network)), or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer or each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, the same effects as those of the image forming apparatus described above can be obtained.

=== Regarding Example of Image Forming Apparatus ===
Next, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a printing system 1 including an ink jet printer 10, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the printer 10, and FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the printer 10.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing system 1 includes a printer 10 and a personal computer PC.

  The printer 10 is communicably connected to the personal computer PC, inputs a print job from the personal computer PC, and prints an image on a print medium S such as paper, cloth, or transparent film based on the print job. The printer 10 includes a controller 20 that executes various controls and outputs commands, and a unit group 30 that executes various processes while exchanging signals with the controller 20.

  The controller 20 includes a CPU 22 that controls the entire printer 10, a unit control circuit 24 that controls each unit of the unit group 30, an interface unit (I / F) 26, and a memory 28.

  The CPU 22 executes various programs stored in the memory 28 based on detection signals input from various detectors provided in the unit group 30 and print jobs received from the personal computer PC via the interface unit 26. Each unit of the unit group 30 is controlled via the unit control circuit 24 while temporarily storing data in the memory 28.

  A copy counter (not shown) is provided in a predetermined area of the memory 28 and counts the number of times of printing.

  The unit group 30 includes a transport unit 40 that transports the print medium S, a moving unit 50 that moves the head unit 60, a head unit 60 that drives a head 62 described later so that ink is ejected from the nozzles, and heating that heats the print medium. A unit 200 and the like are included.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transport unit 40 includes an upstream roller 42, a pair of downstream rollers 44 (also referred to as both rollers 42 and 44), a winding mechanism 46, and a platen 48. The roll-shaped print medium S is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side in the conveyance direction along the X direction by the motor-driven upstream roller 42 and the downstream roller 44, and the roll-shaped winding mechanism 46 It is to be wound up.

  The print medium S is vacuum-adsorbed on the platen 48 in a print area (also referred to as a frame) between the rollers 42 and 44. Thereby, the position of the printing medium S during printing is fixed. The size of the print area (frame size) is 36 inches wide and 18 inches long here.

The print area is divided into equal areas L1 and E2 by a virtual line L in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the moving unit 50 includes an X-axis stage 52 and a Y-axis stage 54. The head unit 60, which will be described later, is printed in the transport direction (X direction) of the print medium S. The medium S is freely moved in the width direction (Y direction). The moving unit 50 moves the head unit 60 in the X direction by the X axis stage 52 and moves the head unit 60 in the Y direction together with the X axis stage 52 by the Y axis stage 54.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the head unit 60 includes a total of 15 heads 62 having a plurality of nozzles, and ejects ink from the nozzles toward the print medium S by a drive signal from the controller 20. Each head 62 ejects ink by pressure using a piezo element.

  The heating unit 200 is provided in the platen 48 and can be heated for each of the divided regions E1 and E2. By heating at the temperature instructed by the controller, the heating medium 200 is heated on the platen 48, Allow the ink to dry.

  The head unit 60 will be described in more detail. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of the plurality of heads 62 in the head unit 60. In the drawing, the arrangement of the head 62 is shown as seen through the top surface of the printer 10.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the head unit 60 has 15 heads 62. The fifteen heads 62 are arranged in two rows arranged in a staggered manner along the Y direction. For convenience of explanation, the fifteen heads 62 are referred to as a first head 62a, a second head 62b,..., A fourteenth head 62n, and a fifteenth head 62o from the upper end side in the Y direction toward the lower end side. The odd-numbered heads 62a, 62c, 62e,..., 62o are arranged in a straight line so as to be parallel to the Y direction, and the even-numbered heads 62b, 62d, 62f,. On the side, a straight line is formed so as to be parallel to the Y direction.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of a plurality of nozzles formed in the first head 62a. In the drawing, the nozzle arrangement is shown as seen through the top surface of the first head 62a. The second head 62b to the fifteenth head 62o have the same configuration as the first head 62a.

  The first head 62a has eight nozzle rows that eject eight colors of ink. Specifically, in order from the left side of FIG. 5, an Mk row for ejecting mat black ink, a Gr row for ejecting green ink, an Or row for ejecting orange ink, a Wh row for ejecting white ink, and a photo black ink are ejected. Pk column, Cy column that discharges cyan ink, Ma column that discharges magenta ink, and Ye column that discharges yellow ink.

  Each nozzle row has 180 nozzles. The 180 nozzles are arranged at a constant nozzle pitch (1/180 inch) along the Y direction. For convenience of explanation, the nozzles are sequentially referred to as # 1, # 2,...

  When the relative position in the Y direction of each nozzle row of the first head 62a and each nozzle row of the second head 62b is relatively viewed, the fourth nozzle from the lower end side in the Y direction of the first head 62a. The Y coordinate positions of # 177, # 178, # 179, and # 180 are the respective nozzles # 1, # 2, # 3, and # 4 from the upper end side in the Y direction of the second head 62b to the fourth nozzles. It coincides with the Y coordinate position. In this way, two nozzles having the same Y coordinate position can form dots while interpolating each other. This relationship is the same between the α-th head and the (α + 1) -th head (α is an integer from 1 to 14).

The procedure for printing on the print medium S using such a head unit 60 will be outlined below.
2 and 3, the controller 20 controls the transport unit 40 so that a new surface of the print medium S is supplied to the frame that is the printing area, and moves so that the head unit 60 comes to the initial position P1. The unit 50 is controlled.

  The controller 20 controls the moving unit 50 so that the head unit 60 moves from the most upstream position in the X direction of the frame to the most downstream position, and at the same time, the head unit 60 discharges ink from the nozzles of the moving head 62. To control. Thereby, dot rows arranged in the X direction are formed. This operation is referred to as one pass.

  After forming a dot row for one pass in this way, the controller 20 controls the moving unit 50 so that the head unit 60 moves to the lower end side by a quarter of the inter-nozzle distance along the Y direction.

  Thereafter, the controller 20 executes the next one pass again to form dots in the X direction, and then moves the head unit 60 to the lower end side along the Y direction by the same amount as before.

  In one pass at this time, the head unit 60 moves from the most downstream to the most upstream along the X direction. Then, when the operation of the number of passes determined according to the width direction of the frame is finished, the image is completed in the frame.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state of printing. FIG. 6 illustrates a nozzle row in which five nozzles are arranged in a row along the Y direction for convenience of explanation. FIG. 6 shows a state in which dot rows in the X direction for a total of four passes from pass 1 to pass 4 are sequentially formed.

  Next, an operation of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment, particularly an operation when printing a color on the background after printing white on the background will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an overlay printing routine, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a procedure for creating each frame data from a print job for overlay printing, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of images that are sequentially printed on the print medium S. It should be noted that printing the first printing area of the roll-shaped print medium S is printing the first frame, printing the second printing area is printing the second frame, and printing the third printing area. Printing is referred to as third frame printing.

  When the controller 20 acquires a print job for overprinting from the personal computer PC, the controller 20 executes the overprinting routine shown in FIG. An example of image data included in the print job is shown in FIG. This image data 80 is obtained by drawing an orange star pentagon 84 or star heptagon 86 on a white background 82.

  When the overlay printing routine is started, the controller 20 first acquires the frame size from the print job (step S100). Here, the frame size is 36 inches in the horizontal (X direction) length and 18 inches in the vertical (Y direction) length.

  In step S100, a copy counter provided in a predetermined area of the memory 28 is set to an initial value of zero.

Next, the controller 20 obtains a time corresponding to the difference between the number of passes for printing white and the number of passes for printing color, and the time required for drying the white ink and the time corresponding to the difference in the number of passes. (Difference in time required for printing) is compared (step S300).
In the present embodiment, the time required for drying the white ink is 7.4 seconds.

  Here, assuming that the time required for printing one pass is 3.8 seconds, the number of passes for printing white is 6 passes, and the number of passes for printing color is 8 passes, the difference in the number of passes is 2 passes. The time corresponding to the difference in the number of passes (difference in time required for printing) is 7.6 seconds (2 passes × 3.8 seconds), and 7.4 seconds of the time required for drying the white ink is 0.2 seconds. Exceeded (this overtime is called overtime for convenience).

  Next, the controller 20 refers to the table of the excess time and the heating temperature decrease value shown in FIG. 11, and the difference (excess) between the time required for drying the white ink and the time corresponding to the difference in the number of passes. A falling temperature corresponding to (time) is acquired (step S302). In this embodiment, since the excess time is 0.2 seconds, the heating temperature decrease value is 3 degrees. Therefore, the heating temperature of the heating unit 200 is lowered from the heating temperature set in advance over the entire frame by 3 degrees from the heating temperature of the area where the white background is printed.

  Next, the controller 20 creates frame data for printing the first frame (step S102). The frame data is created by first dividing the long side of the frame into two equal intervals, then creating the left and right halves of the divided frame data, and finally connecting the two.

  For example, if the print job includes the image data 80 in FIG. 8A, the image data 80 is used for color printing except for white background image data 80a and white as shown in FIG. 8B. This is divided into image data 80b. Then, the image data 80a and the image data 80b are divided into two at equal intervals in the long side direction of the image data 80a and 80b, and right half and left half image data are created.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8C, the right half of the image data 80a for white background printing is set as the left half of the frame data, the blank data is set as the right half of the frame data, and the two are connected to each other. Frame data F1.

  Next, the controller 20 performs a halftone (HT) process on the frame data F1 of the first frame (step S104). The HT process is a process of converting to a gradation value that can be expressed by the printer 10 in accordance with the gradation value for each color.

  In this embodiment, the gradation values that can be expressed by the printer 10 are four values of small dots, medium dots, large dots, and no dots, and the HT process is performed using a known dither method.

  Also, HT data is created so that one frame is printed in eight passes, white is printed in the first to sixth passes, and colors other than white are printed in the first to eighth passes.

  Next, the controller 20 creates frame data F2 for printing the second frame (step S106). For example, as shown in FIG. 8D, the left half of the image data 80a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the right half of the image data 80b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F2 of the second frame is obtained.

  Next, the controller 20 executes the HT process for the frame data F2 of the second frame (step S108). Again, it is assumed that one frame is printed in 8 passes, of which HT data is printed so that white is printed from the 1st pass to the 6th pass, and colors other than white are printed from the 1st pass to the 8th pass. create.

  Next, the controller 20 creates frame data F3 for printing the third frame (step S110). For example, as shown in FIG. 8E, the right half of the image data 80a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the left half of the image data 80b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F3 of the third frame is obtained.

  Next, the controller 20 executes the HT process for the frame data F3 of the third frame (step S112). Again, HT data is created so that one frame is printed in eight passes, white is printed in the first through sixth passes, and colors other than white are printed in the first through eighth passes.

  Next, the controller 20 prints the first frame of HT data on the print medium S (step S114). As a result, of the first print area divided into two at equal intervals by the virtual line L, a white background is printed by ejecting white ink as the first ink in the divided area E1 which is the left half. The first ink area is formed, and nothing is printed in the divided area E2 which is the right half.

  An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. At this time, since the HT process is performed so that the HT data of the first frame is printed in 8 passes, the printing operation is also performed in the 7th and 8th passes, but the white printing is completed in 6 passes. And the 8th pass is spent on drying.

  The divided area E1 for printing the white background is heated at the first temperature obtained by lowering the heating temperature by 3 degrees by the heating unit, so that it is not necessary for 7.4 seconds but for two passes (= 7). .8 seconds), the white ink is slowly dried at a low temperature.

  For example, even if the difference in the number of passes is 0, actually, the time for the head unit 60 to reciprocate for the pass printing operation or the time for the print medium S to be transported by the transport unit 40 is used. It does not mean that the time used to dry the ink will be zero because it exists and those times are devoted to drying.

  Next, the controller 20 drives the transport unit 40 to transport the print medium S from the upstream side to the downstream side along the X direction by half the lateral length of one frame (printing area), that is, 18 inches. (Step S118). After the conveyance, the print medium S that appears in the print area has a first ink area in which a white background is printed in the divided area E2, but nothing is printed in the divided area E1 (this state) Is called Sarachi). An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG.

  Next, the controller 20 prints the HT data of the second frame (step S120). Thereby, a white background is printed in the divided area E1 in the print area, and a new first ink area is formed.

  In the divided area E2, the color ink excluding white is ejected on the white background (first ink area) printed in steps S114 and S116, and the right half of the image data 80b for color printing is superimposed and printed. As a result, a second ink overlapping region is formed.

  An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. Again, the heating temperature of the divided area E1 for printing the white background is lowered by 3 degrees from the preset heating temperature (the heating temperature of the divided area E2 for printing the color, the second temperature) over the entire frame. For this reason, the white ink is slowly dried at a low temperature for 2 passes (= 7.8 seconds) instead of the originally required 7.4 seconds.

  Subsequently, the controller 20 drives the transport unit 40 to transport the print medium S from the upstream side to the downstream side along the X direction by half of the lateral length of one frame (printing area), that is, 18 inches. (Step S122). After the conveyance, the print medium S that appears in the print area has a first ink area in which a white background is printed in the divided area E2, but nothing is printed in the divided area E1 (further ground). ). An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG.

  Next, the controller 20 prints frame data of the third frame (step S124). As a result, of the print areas, a white background is printed in the divided area E1, and the left half of the image data 80b for color printing is printed over the white background in the divided area E2.

  An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. Again, the heating temperature of the divided area E1 for printing a white background is lowered by 3 degrees. For this reason, the white ink is slowly dried at a low temperature for 2 passes (= 7.8 seconds) instead of the originally required 7.4 seconds.

  Subsequently, the controller 20 drives the transport unit 40 to transport the print medium S from the upstream side to the downstream side along the X direction by half of the lateral length of one frame (printing area), that is, 18 inches. (Step S126). After the conveyance, the print medium S that appears in the print area has a first ink area in which a white background is printed in the divided area E2, but nothing is printed in the divided area E1 (further ground). ).

  An example of the situation at this time is shown in FIG. An image (see FIG. 8A) included in the print job is printed on the downstream side of the print area of the print medium S.

  Thereafter, the controller 20 increments the value n of the copy counter by 1 (step S128). Then, it is determined whether or not n matches the designated number of copies designated in the print job (step S130). If it does not match (step S130: NO), the process returns to step S120, and steps S120 to S126 are performed again. Is executed.

  As a result, the image included in the print job is printed again on the print medium S (see FIGS. 9C to 9F). That is, the image included in the print job is printed on the print medium S by the number of designated copy times.

  On the other hand, if the value of the copy counter matches the designated number of copies specified in the print job in step S130 (step S130: YES), this routine is terminated.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The head 62 included in the head unit 60 of the present embodiment corresponds to the head of the present invention, the moving unit 50 corresponds to the moving means, the transport unit 40 corresponds to the transport means, and the heating unit 200 corresponds to the heating means. The controller 20 corresponds to control means. Further, the X direction of the present embodiment corresponds to the predetermined direction of the present invention, the half of the horizontal length of the frame (printing area) corresponds to the predetermined moving amount, and the left half and the right half of the printing area are divided respectively. Corresponds to the area, white ink corresponds to the first ink, and color inks excluding the white ink (matte black ink, green ink, orange ink, photo black ink, cyan ink, magenta ink, yellow ink) become the second ink. Equivalent to.

  According to this embodiment described in detail above, the time required for drying the first ink region (divided region E1) is equal to the time required for forming the first ink region and the second ink overlapping region (divided region E2). When the difference from the time required for formation is smaller, the first temperature (temperature for heating the first ink region) is set lower than the second temperature (temperature for heating the second ink region), and the first temperature is set. One ink area is dried. Therefore, the possibility that the print medium S is deformed can be reduced.

  That is, when there is a time difference between the time required for forming the first ink area and the time required for forming the second ink overlapping area, as described above, this time difference is set as the drying time of the first ink area. However, when the time required for drying the first ink region is smaller than this time difference, the drying ends earlier than the time difference elapses.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the heating unit 20 is configured to be capable of heating for each of a plurality of divided regions (for example, the divided regions E1 and E2). The first ink region is heated at the first temperature using the heating unit 20 corresponding to the first ink region, and the second ink region is set to the second temperature using the heating unit 20 corresponding to the second ink region. The first temperature was made lower than the second temperature. Thus, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the printing medium is deformed (for example, bent or shrunk) while appropriately maintaining that the time difference is applied to the drying time of the first ink region. It becomes.

  Furthermore, by dividing the print area (frame) into two at equal intervals (equally divided) by the virtual line L, print control can be simplified.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the embodiment described above, a white background is formed with white ink and then a color image is formed on the white background. However, when the print medium S is a transparent film or the like, the color image is formed after the color image is formed. A white background may be formed on the top.

  Specifically, the above-described image data 80 (see FIG. 10A) is reversed left and right to become image data 90 (see FIG. 10B), and the image data 90 is as shown in FIG. 10C. It is divided into image data 90a for white background printing and image data 90b for color printing excluding white. Then, the image data 90a and the image data 90b are divided into two so as to be equally spaced in the long side direction of the image data, and right half and left half image data are created.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 10 (d), the right half of the image data 90a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the blank data is the right half of the frame data, and the two are connected to each other to connect the first frame. Frame data F1.

  As shown in FIG. 10E, the left half of the image data 90a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the right half of the image data 90b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F2 of the second frame is obtained.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10F, the right half of the image data 90a for white background printing is the left half of the frame data, the left half of the image data 90b for color printing is the right half of the frame data, By connecting them, the frame data F3 of the third frame is obtained.

  Using the frame data F1 to F3 created in this way, steps S114 to S130 of the overprinting routine are executed to print the image data 90 on the transparent film for the designated number of copies. However, here, the color image is printed in the first pass to the eighth pass, and the white image is printed in the third pass to the eighth pass. Since the white background is not printed during the printing time of the first pass and the second pass of the color image, the color image that is going to be printed with the white background overlaid using the printing time for the two passes (color image printed last time) Is dried. When the image data 90 printed on the transparent film is viewed from the side opposite to the printing surface, the image data 80 is reversed horizontally.

  In the above-described embodiment, a white background is formed with white ink and then a color image is formed on the white background. However, instead of the white ink as the first ink, another special ink such as metallic or colorless and transparent, A color (corporate color) symbolizing an organization such as a group may be adopted. Further, a gray scale image may be employed instead of the color image.

  In the above-described embodiment, the controller 20 of the ink jet printer 10 executes the overprinting routine, but the printer driver of the personal computer PC may execute the overprinting routine. In this case, after creating the HT data, the printer driver may rearrange the HT data in the order of data to be transferred to the printer 10 and transfer the rearranged print data to the printer 10. Even in this case, the same effect as the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  In the above-described embodiment, the head 62 employs a piezo method in which the piezoelectric element is deformed by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element to pressurize the ink. However, a voltage is applied to the heating resistor (for example, a heater). It is also possible to employ a system in which the ink is pressurized by bubbles generated by heating the ink by applying.

  In the above-described embodiment, the print area (frame) is divided into two at equal intervals by the virtual line L. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The print area (frame) may be divided into two at different intervals, or the print area may be divided into three or more divided areas, which have similar effects.

  10 printer, 20 controller, 24 unit control circuit, 26 interface unit, 28 memory, 30 unit group, 40 transport unit, 42 upstream roller, 44 downstream roller, 46 take-up mechanism, 48 platen, 50 moving unit, 52 X Axis stage, 54 Y-axis stage, 60 head unit, 62, 62a to 62o head, 80 image data, 80a image data for white background printing, 80b image data for color printing, 82 white background, 84 star pentagon, 86 star Heptagon, 90 image data, 90a image data for white background printing, 90b image data for color printing, F1 to F3 frame data, L virtual line, PC personal computer, S printing medium, 200 heating unit

Claims (6)

A head having a first nozzle for discharging the first ink and a second nozzle for discharging the second ink;
Moving means for moving the head relative to the print medium;
Conveying means for conveying the print medium in a predetermined direction;
Heating means for heating the print medium;
The head performs at least one pass of ejecting the first ink or the second ink while moving relative to the print area of the print medium in the predetermined direction, and then the head is applied to the print area. Controlling the head and the moving means so that a series of operations of relatively moving a predetermined movement amount in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction is repeated;
Control means for controlling the heating means so that the printing medium is heated and the first ink or the second ink discharged to the printing medium is dried;
With
The print area is divided into a plurality of divided areas by virtual lines orthogonal to the predetermined direction,
The heating means is configured to be capable of heating for each of the plurality of divided regions,
In the initial printing on the print area, the control unit repeats the series of operations until the head ejects the first ink to form a first ink area in a predetermined divided area of the print area. Using the heating means corresponding to the first ink region to heat and dry the first ink region at a first temperature;
In the second and subsequent printings, after controlling the transport means so that the print medium is transported by a predetermined transport amount in the predetermined direction, the head discharges the second ink to the first ink region formed last time. A series of operations until the second ink overlapping area is formed and the first ink is ejected to a newly divided area adjacent to the previously formed first ink area to form a new first ink area. Is repeated,
While heating and drying the first ink region at the first temperature using the heating means corresponding to the first ink region,
Using the heating means corresponding to the second ink overlap region, the second ink overlap region is heated at a second temperature and dried;
In the second and subsequent printings,
When the time required for drying the first ink region is smaller than the difference between the time required for forming the first ink region and the time required for forming the second ink overlapping region, the first temperature Lower than the second temperature to dry the first ink area,
Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.
Based on the difference between the number of passes required for forming the first ink region and the number of passes required for forming the second ink overlapping region, the time required for forming the first ink region and the second ink overlapping Get the difference from the time required to form the region,
Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
One of the first ink and the second ink is a special ink, and the other is a color ink or a black ink.
Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The divided area is an area obtained by dividing the print area into two by the virtual line.
Image forming apparatus. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The divided area is an area obtained by dividing the print area at equal intervals by the virtual line.
Image forming apparatus. A program for causing one or more computers to function as control means of the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.