JP2019148612A - Printer, imaging device with printer, and printing method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a printer capable of quickly and stably transporting an instant film and a film cover, an imaging device with a printer, and a printing method.SOLUTION: A printer according to one embodiment of the invention is configured so that a transport speed of an instant film and a transport speed of a film cover are different from each other. Thus, the instant film and the film cover can be transported and discharged at respective proper transport speeds, and the instant film and the film cover can be quickly and stably discharged. Also, since printing is performed by a line head while transporting the instant film, movement of the head and transport of the film during printing do not have to be performed individually, so that printing can be performed at high speed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer, an imaging device with a printer, and a printing method, and more particularly to a printer for an instant film, an imaging device with a printer, and a printing method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Instant film printers incorporating a self-developing solution are known. In this type of printer, a film pack is used in which a plurality of films are stacked and a film cover is stacked thereon and stored in a cartridge. In the printer, the film cover is discharged in advance to expose the film, and the film is sequentially conveyed during exposure and printing. Such a printer is described in, for example, Patent Document 1 below.

  The printer described in Patent Document 1 switches the gear train of the drive mechanism in accordance with a change in the conveyance speed of the instant film. Specifically, when the transport speed decreases due to the swelling of the developer pod part of the instant film, the gear is switched to a low-speed and high-torque gear train. The developer pod can be cleaved and the developer can be developed.

JP 2002-148706 A

  As described above, when the film and the cover are stacked and stored, the instant film and the film cover need to be carried out. However, if the film cover is discharged at the same speed as the instant film, depending on the material and / or thickness of the film cover, There is a possibility of poor discharge. On the other hand, if the instant film is discharged at the same speed as the film cover, the entire print may be delayed depending on the discharge speed. In this regard, Patent Document 1 described above describes that gear trains having different decelerations are used when the light shielding cover (film cover) is transported and when the instant film is transported. The purpose is to rupture the developer pod and develop the developer even in the state of the machine. “It is not possible to use a gear train with different deceleration rates when transporting the instant film and transporting the film cover. There is no description about “how is it related to the decrease in the conveyance speed”. Further, Patent Document 1 is such that the head is moved and exposed in a state where the instant film is fixed, the film is transported after the exposure, and development and development are performed. The unexposed film is exposed while being transported, developed and developed. It was not applicable to printers that perform deployment.

  As described above, the conventional technique has not been effective for the ejection failure of the instant film and the film cover and the reduction of the conveyance speed.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a printer, an imaging apparatus with a printer, and a printing method capable of discharging an instant film and a film cover at high speed and stably.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a printer according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores an instant film and a film cover, and a transport that transports the instant film and the film cover stored in the storage unit in the transport direction. An image data input unit that inputs image data, a line head that is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the instant film and is driven based on the input image data, and a conveyance speed of the instant film by the conveyance unit, A conveyance control unit for controlling the conveyance speed of the film cover, the conveyance control unit for controlling the conveyance unit to vary the conveyance speed of the instant film and the conveyance speed of the film cover at the same feeding position, and a line head And a print control unit for controlling the printing of the line image.

  In the first aspect, since the conveyance speed of the instant film and the conveyance speed of the film cover are made different, conveyance and discharge can be performed at a conveyance speed suitable for each, and the instant film and the film cover can be discharged at high speed and stably. .

  In addition, according to the first aspect, since printing is performed by the line head while transporting the instant film, it is not necessary to separately perform head movement and film transport during printing as in Patent Document 1 described above. The speed can be increased.

  In the first aspect, the film cover may be transported and discharged before printing such as when an instant film pack is loaded, and the instant film may be sequentially transported and discharged during printing.

  In the printer according to the second aspect, in the first aspect, the transport control unit controls the transport unit so that the transport speed of the instant film is faster than the transport speed of the film cover at the same feeding position. If the film cover is transported at a high speed, if the film cover material is hard, there is a possibility of poor discharge.On the other hand, if the instant film is transported at a low speed, the entire print will be slowed down, making it easier to use as a printer. Deteriorate. Therefore, the instant film and the film cover can be discharged at high speed and stably by making the relationship of the conveyance speed as in the second aspect.

  In the printer according to the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the transport control unit controls the transport unit to change the transport speed of the instant film and / or the transport speed of the film cover during the transport. The change profile may be set according to the configuration of the printer, the printing speed, the request for ejection failure, and the like.

  The printer according to a fourth aspect is the printer according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the transport unit includes a first transport mechanism that starts transport of the instant film and the film cover, and transport by the first transport mechanism. And a second transport mechanism that transports the instant film and the film cover, and the transport control unit controls the transport unit from the first transport mechanism of the instant film and the film cover to the second transport mechanism. The transfer speed after the transfer to is made faster than the transfer speed at least during the transfer.

  When the instant film and the film cover are transported by a plurality of transport mechanisms, if the transport speed at the time of transfer from the first transport mechanism to the second transport mechanism is too fast, defective delivery occurs and causes the discharge failure. There is a possibility. On the other hand, if the conveyance speed remains low after delivery, the conveyance and discharge of the instant film and the film cover are delayed. Even in such a situation, by setting the relationship of the transport speed to the fourth mode, it is possible to speed up the transport and discharge while reducing the delivery failure. In the fourth aspect, for example, a period in which the conveyance is performed by both the first conveyance mechanism and the second conveyance mechanism, such as a period from the start to the end of the transfer from the first conveyance mechanism to the second conveyance mechanism. There may be.

  A printer according to a fifth aspect is the printer according to the fourth aspect, wherein the first transport mechanism includes a moving member that contacts the end of the instant film and the film cover opposite to the transport direction and moves in the transport direction. The transport mechanism includes a capstan roller and a pinch roller that sandwich and transport the instant film and the film cover. The fifth aspect shows a specific configuration of the first and second transport mechanisms. The transport of the instant film and the film cover is started by the moving member of the first transport mechanism, and subsequently, the second transport mechanism. Transported by capstan roller and pinch roller. In the middle of the conveyance, the instant film and the film cover are transferred from the first conveyance mechanism to the second conveyance mechanism.

  The printer according to a sixth aspect is the printer according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the transport unit is configured to transport the film cover and the instant film at a transport speed according to the material and / or thickness of the film cover and the instant film. Each. Since the optimal transport speed of the film cover and the instant film varies depending on the material and / or thickness, the sixth embodiment transports at a transport speed considering this point. Thereby, a film cover and an instant film can be conveyed stably at high speed.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, an imaging device with a printer according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes a printer according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, an imaging unit that functions as an image data input unit, and . According to the seventh aspect, by including the printer according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, the image data acquired by the imaging unit can be printed at high speed and stably.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a printing method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention includes a storage unit that stores an instant film and a film cover, and a transport unit that transports the stored instant film and film cover in a transport direction. A printing method for a printer comprising: an image data input unit for inputting image data; and a line head that is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the instant film and driven based on the input image data. A conveyance process for conveying the film and the film cover, a conveyance control process for controlling the conveyance unit to make the conveyance speed of the instant film different from the conveyance speed of the film cover at the same feeding position, and printing of the line image by the line head A printing control process for controlling the printing. According to the printing method according to the eighth aspect, the film cover and the instant film can be conveyed at high speed and stably in the same manner as in the first aspect.

  In the printing method according to the ninth aspect, in the eighth aspect, in the conveyance control step, the conveyance unit is controlled so that the conveyance speed of the instant film is faster than the conveyance speed of the film cover at the same feeding position. According to the ninth aspect, the instant film and the film cover can be discharged at high speed and stably as in the second aspect.

  As described above, according to the printer, the imaging apparatus with a printer, and the printing method of the present invention, the instant film and the film cover can be discharged at high speed and stably.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a print system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating how an instant film pack is loaded into the printer. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the instant film pack. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the instant film as seen from the exposure surface side. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the instant film as viewed from the observation surface side. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a transport mechanism for an instant film and a film cover. FIG. 7 is another view showing a transport mechanism for an instant film and a film cover. FIG. 8 is still another view showing a transport mechanism for an instant film and a film cover. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating how the instant film and the film cover are conveyed. FIG. 11 is another view showing how the instant film and the film cover are conveyed. FIG. 12 is still another view showing how the instant film and the film cover are conveyed. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the conveyance speed of the instant film and the film cover. FIG. 14 is another diagram illustrating an example of the conveyance speed of the instant film and the film cover. FIG. 15 is still another diagram illustrating an example of the conveyance speed of the instant film and the film cover. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a camera with a printer according to the second embodiment. FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a camera with a printer according to the second embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a printer, an imaging apparatus with a printer, and a printing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First Embodiment>
<Configuration of print system>
FIG. 1 is an external view of a print system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The print system 100 includes a smartphone 200 and a printer 300 to which the printer according to the present invention is applied.

  The smartphone 200 includes a photographing optical system and a wireless communication unit (not shown), and transmits image data of an image photographed by the user via the photographing optical system and a printing instruction for the image data to the printer 300 by the wireless communication unit. At this time, data of so-called templates (characters, numbers, symbols, illustrations, etc.) may be transmitted together and printed together with images. If the smart phone 200 is a type capable of photographing and wireless communication, a generally used smart phone can be used. Data management and transmission of the image data, the print instruction, and the template described above may be performed by installing a dedicated application on the smartphone 200.

  The printer 300 is capable of wireless communication, and will be described later by image data received from the smartphone 200 by the wireless communication unit 75 (see FIG. 9; image data input unit), a template (when transmitted from the smartphone 200), and a print instruction. The instant film 10 to be printed is printed. The printed instant film 10 is discharged from a film discharge port 311 provided at the end of the printer 300. The printer 300 includes an operation unit and a display unit (not shown). Note that image data and templates can be input via a recording medium such as a memory card and / or a network such as the Internet, and a print instruction can be input via an operation unit (not shown) provided in the printer 300. Can do.

<Instant film pack loading>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating how the instant film pack 1 is loaded into the printer 300. The printer 300 is provided with a loading chamber 315 (storage unit), and the instant film pack 1 is loaded into the loading chamber 315. The loading chamber 315 is provided with a lid member 302 that can be opened and closed. The user closes the lid member 302 after loading the instant film pack 1. The lid member 302 is provided with a push-up member 304 biased by a spring (not shown). When the instant film pack 1 is loaded in the loading chamber 315 and the lid member 302 is closed, the push-up member 304 is moved to the instant film pack. 1 is inserted into a push-up member insertion portion 33 provided on the back surface of the light-shielding sheet 1, and the light shielding sheet 50 (see FIG. 3) is pushed up to the front side (opposite the opening surface of the push-up member insertion portion 33). Is pressed against the inner surface of the case 20.

<Composition of instant film pack>
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the instant film pack 1. The instant film pack 1 includes an instant film 10, a case 20 (see FIG. 2) that accommodates the instant film 10, a light shielding sheet 50, and a film cover 60. The case 20 includes a case body 22 and a case lid 24 that closes the back surface of the case body 22.

<Case body>
The case main body 22 has a flat rectangular box shape with an open back portion. The case body 22 has an exposure opening 26 for exposing an exposure area of the instant film 10, a discharge port 28 for discharging the instant film 10, a case flap material 29 for shielding the discharge port 28, and a claw member A claw opening 32 is provided for inserting 72 (see FIGS. 9-12). The exposure opening 26 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the exposure part 12 (see FIG. 4) of the instant film 10. The exposure opening 26 is disposed at a position where the exposure part 12 of the instant film 10 accommodated in the case 20 is exposed.

  The discharge port 28 is provided on the top surface of the case body 22 and has a slit shape that allows the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 to pass therethrough. The discharge port 28 is disposed at a position where the instant film 10 positioned at the top in the stacking direction can be discharged.

  The case flap material 29 is composed of a rectangular film piece, and is adhered to the case main body 22 along the long side of one side, thereby shielding the discharge port 28 so that it can be opened and closed.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the claw opening 32 is provided in the front portion 22 a and the bottom portion 22 c of the case body 22. The claw opening 32 has a slit shape, and is linearly arranged on the front portion 22a with the bottom surface 22c as a base point. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom surface portion 22 c of the case body 22 is provided with a notch-shaped inlet portion 32 a that constitutes a part of the claw opening portion 32. The front portion 22 a of the case body 22 is provided with a slit-shaped passage portion 32 b that constitutes a part of the claw opening portion 32. The passage portion 32 b is arranged linearly along the conveyance direction F of the instant film 10. The end point of the passage 32b is the exposure opening 26. In other words, the claw opening 32 is arranged in such a manner that the bottom surface 22c of the case body 22 and the exposure opening 26 are linearly connected. The width of the claw opening 32 is a width that allows the claw member 72 to be inserted.

<Case lid>
The case lid 24 has a rectangular plate shape, and is attached to the back surface portion of the case body 22 to close the back surface of the released case body 22. The case lid 24 includes a pair of push-up member insertion portions 33, a pair of film support portions 31, and a pair of light shielding sheet attachment portions 42. The push-up member insertion portion 33 is an opening for inserting the above-described push-up member 304 (see FIG. 2). The film support unit 31 is a support unit that instructs the instant film pack 1 accommodated in the case 20. The film support portion 31 is formed of an arc-shaped thin plate and is disposed inside the case lid 24 along the long sides on both sides of the case lid 24. The instant film 10 accommodated in the case 20 is supported in a convex shape by the film support portion 31. The light shielding sheet attachment portion 42 is an attachment portion for the light shielding sheet 50. The light shielding sheet mounting portion 42 is configured by a cylindrical pin, and is arranged in parallel with the central portion of the case lid 24.

<Shading sheet>
The light shielding sheet 50 supports the instant film 10 in the case 20 and shields it from light. The light shielding sheet 50 is configured by combining a first light shielding sheet 53 having a function as a leaf spring and a second light shielding sheet 54 having a function as a support plate. In the light shielding sheet 50 in which the first light shielding sheet 53 and the second light shielding sheet 54 are integrated, the fixing portion 53b of the first light shielding sheet 53 is inserted into the light shielding sheet mounting portion 42 of the case lid 24, and the inserted part is bonded. Is attached to the case lid 24. The light shielding sheet 50 attached to the case lid 24 is disposed between the pair of film support portions 31.

  As described above, when the instant film pack 1 is loaded into the loading chamber 315 and the lid member 302 is closed, the push-up member 304 is inserted into the push-up member insertion portion 33. The light shielding sheet 50 is pressed by the push-up member 304 inserted in the push-up member insertion portion 33 and presses the instant film 10 against the inner surface of the case 20. At this time, the first light shielding sheet 53 is elastically deformed to elastically press the instant film 10 and press against the inner surface of the case 20.

<Film cover>
The film cover 60 blocks light from the exposure opening 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the film cover 60 is placed on top of the laminated instant film 10 and accommodated in the case 20. The film cover 60 is provided with a notch 62 and a film cover skirt material 64. The notch 62 has a slit shape and is provided at the rear end of the film cover 60. The notch 62 is disposed along the feeding direction of the film cover 60. The position where the notch 62 is disposed is set to the same position as the claw opening 32. Thus, when the film cover 60 is accommodated in the case 20, the notch 62 is arranged so as to be continuous with the claw opening 32. The notch 62 has the same width as the claw opening 32. The “same width” includes almost the same width.

  The film cover skirt material 64 is an example of a light shielding member, and is attached to the film cover 60 to shield light from the claw opening 32 and the notch 62. The film cover skirt material 64 is formed of a rectangular sheet piece. The film cover skirt material 64 is attached to the back surface portion of the film cover 60 and shields the notch portion 62. At this time, a part of the film covers 60 and is attached. The protruding portion functions as a skirt portion for shielding the inlet portion 32 a of the claw opening portion 32. When the film cover 60 is accommodated in the case 20, the entrance portion 32 a of the claw opening portion 32 is shielded by the skirt portion, and light from the entrance portion 32 a is shielded.

  The film cover skirt material 64 is attached to the film cover 60 by adhesion. The film cover 60 attached to the case 20 is fixed by bonding the skirt portion of the film cover skirt material 64 to the inner surface of the case 20. The film cover skirt material 64 moves together with the film cover 60 when the claw member 72 starts conveying the film cover 60, and is discharged from the discharge port 28.

<Instant film>
The instant film 10 is a known self-developing type instant film and has a rectangular card shape. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the instant film 10 is configured such that one surface is an exposure surface 10a and the other surface is an observation surface 10b.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view of the instant film as viewed from the exposure surface 10a side. In FIG. 4, the direction indicated by the arrow is the feeding direction (conveying direction F) of the instant film 10. The feed direction is synonymous with the use direction of the instant film 10. When the instant film 10 is accommodated in the case 20, the feed direction of the instant film 10 is the discharge direction of the instant film 10. The exposure surface 10a includes an exposure unit 12, a pod unit 14, and a trap unit 16. The exposure unit 12 is an exposure region, and is disposed between the pod unit 14 and the trap unit 16 as a rectangular region. The pod portion 14 is disposed on the leading end side in the feeding direction of the instant film 10. The pod portion 14 incorporates a developing solution pod 14a containing a developing solution. The trap portion 16 is disposed on the rear end side in the feed direction of the instant film 10. The trap portion 16 contains an absorbent material 16a.

  FIG. 5 is a plan view of the instant film as viewed from the observation surface 10b side. In FIG. 5, the direction indicated by the arrow is the feeding direction (conveying direction F) of the instant film 10. The observation surface 10b is provided with an observation unit 18 that serves as an observation area for a photographed image. The observation unit 18 is arranged corresponding to the exposure unit 12 on the exposure surface side.

  After exposure, the instant film 10 is developed by developing the developing solution in the pod unit 14 on the exposure unit 12. The instant film 10 is passed between a pair of developing rollers 40 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), so that the developing solution in the pod unit 14 is squeezed out and developed on the exposure unit 12. At this time, the excessive development process is captured by the trap unit 16.

<Assembly of instant film pack>
The instant film pack 1 is assembled by housing the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 in the case main body 22 and closing the back surface of the case main body 22 with the case lid 24. At this time, first, the film cover 60 is accommodated in the case main body 22. Then, the skirt portion of the film cover skirt material 64 is bonded to the inner surface of the case 20. Thereby, the exposure opening 26 and the claw opening 32 are shielded by the film cover 60. Thereafter, the instant film 10 is accommodated in the case body 22 in a laminated state. The instant film 10 is laminated with the exposure surface 10a (see FIG. 4) facing up. Then, the exposure surface 10 a is accommodated in the case body 22 with the exposure opening 26 facing the side. Thereby, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 are accommodated in the case main body 22 in a state where the film cover 60 is placed on the exposure surface 10 a of the instant film 10 positioned at the uppermost position. Thereafter, the back surface of the case body 22 is closed with the case lid 24. Thus, the assembly of the instant film pack 1 is completed.

<Usage form of instant film pack>
The instant film pack 1 can be used with both the form in which the film cover 60 is removed and the form in which the film cover 60 is used without being removed. However, in the printer 300 of this embodiment, the instant film pack 1 is replaced with the printer 300. After loading, the film cover 60 is removed (discharged) and used. In this case, the instant film 10 is conveyed from the case 20 and then exposed by the exposure head 25 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), and the developing solution is developed by the developing roller 40 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Printed. Conveyance and exposure (printing) are sequentially performed from the instant film 10 positioned at the highest level in the case to the instant film 10 positioned at the lower level. The conveyance, discharge, and exposure of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 will be described later.

<Main printer configuration>
Next, the arrangement of main components related to conveyance, discharge, and exposure of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 in the printer 300 will be described. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of components relating to conveyance, discharge, and exposure, and FIG. 7 is a top view of the state shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 are viewed from the downstream side in the transport direction. In FIGS. 6 to 8, illustration of components that are not described is omitted as appropriate, and the shape, dimensions, and arrangement of the components are appropriately simplified. FIG. 9 shows a schematic configuration of the control system of the printer 300.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, on the downstream side in the transport direction F of the instant film pack 1, a film detection sensor 27 (transport unit, transport control unit), exposure head 25 (line head), capstan roller 35 ( A conveying unit), a pinch roller 39 (conveying unit), and a pair of developing rollers 40 (rollers 40a and 40b) are arranged in this order from the upstream side to the downstream side. Each position is fixed.

<Film detection sensor>
The film detection sensor 27 is a sensor for detecting the position of the instant film 10, and a photo interrupter type or photo reflector type sensor can be used. When the film detection sensor 27 detects the film cover 60 or the instant film 10, the system controller 45 (conveyance control unit, print control unit) starts counting the output pulses of the rotary encoder 36 by the pulse detection circuit 51. The position of the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 can be known from the count number of the output pulses. The position of the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 detected in this way is used for the control of the exposure start timing and the transport speed control when the instant film 10 is transferred from the claw member 72 to the capstan roller 35.

<Exposure head and exposure head drive unit>
The exposure head 25 is a line type exposure head, and the longitudinal direction is arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction F of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10. Inside the exposure head 25 is provided an LED array (not shown) in which minute LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) that emit red, green, and blue light in pixel units are arranged in the longitudinal direction. Light from the LED array passes through a microlens array (not shown) arranged on the front surface and is irradiated on the same line of the instant film 10. Accordingly, the instant film 10 is exposed to three colors simultaneously for each line. Note that an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) may be used as a light source instead of a normal LED. The exposure head drive unit 73 (see FIG. 9; the print control unit) drives the exposure head 25 based on the print data received from the smartphone 200.

  In the printer 300, the exposure head 25 and the exposure head driving unit 73 having the above-described configuration irradiate the exposure surface 10a of the instant film 10 conveyed by the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 line by line, thereby producing an instant. An image is recorded on the film 10. When the printer 300 receives the template data described above from the smartphone 200, the received template is recorded on the instant film 10 together with the image.

<Capstan Roller>
The capstan roller 35 (second transport mechanism) is connected to a DC (Direct-Current) motor 30 via a gear (not shown) provided in the capstan roller drive unit 34 (second transport mechanism). A cage (see FIG. 9) is incorporated on the exposure surface 10a side of the instant film 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the capstan roller 35 is disposed in the vicinity of the light emitting portion of the exposure head 25. As shown in FIG. 7, a pair of disc-shaped rollers 35a and 35b for gripping the ends of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 are disposed at the end of the capstan roller 35. The rollers 35a and 35b Securely holds the end of the instant film 10 by the projection 35c.

<Rotary encoder>
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a slit disk 37 constituting the rotary encoder 36 is disposed coaxially with the rotation axis of the capstan roller 35, and in the vicinity thereof, a slit 37a of the slit disk 37 is provided. A pulse generator 38 for detecting (see FIG. 7) is fixed. The rotary encoder 36 outputs an encoder signal including a pulse signal having a period corresponding to the rotational speed of the capstan roller 35 (conveying speed of the instant film 10).

<Pinch roller>
The pinch roller 39 (second transport mechanism) is made of an elastic material such as hard urethane, and is disposed to face the capstan roller 35. Further, the pinch roller 39 rotates following the capstan roller 35. The pinch roller 39 is connected to a coil spring (not shown) at both ends, and normally abuts against the capstan roller 35 by the bias of the coil spring. By rotating the pinch roller 39 and the capstan roller 35 while sandwiching the instant film 10 (see FIG. 8), the instant film 10 can be conveyed to the developing roller 40.

<Development roller>
As shown in FIG. 6, the two developing rollers 40 are configured as one set, and are arranged so as to face each other. The developing roller 40 is made of, for example, a metal member, and has the same diameter as the capstan roller 35. One roller 40a of the set of developing rollers 40 is disposed on the same side as the capstan roller 35, and is connected to the DC motor 30 via a reduction gear and a torque limiter (not shown) of the developing roller driving unit 41. Are connected (see FIG. 9). By incorporating the torque limiter, when the torque generated by the developing roller 40 exceeds the set torque, the torque generated by the developing roller 40 can be regulated. Similarly to the pinch roller 39, the roller 40b opposed to the roller 40a is connected to a coil spring (not shown) at both ends, and the urging force sandwiches the instant film 10 to rotate following the fixed side roller 40a. The developing roller 40 sandwiches and crushes the pod portion 14 provided on the instant film 10 (see FIG. 8) and develops the developing solution on the photosensitive layer inside the instant film 10.

<Exposure control (printing control)>
The system controller 45 (conveyance control unit, printing control unit) drives the exposure head driving unit 73 (printing control unit) in synchronization with the pulse signal detected by the pulse detection circuit 51 (printing control unit), thereby performing exposure. In addition to controlling the exposure timing of the head 25, the light emission amounts of red, green, and blue emitted from the exposure head 25 through the exposure control unit 47 (print control unit), the line memory 48, and the exposure head drive unit 73 are set. Control (printing control process).

  The system controller 45 sequentially supplies red, green, and blue image data for one line of the image data received via the wireless communication unit 75 to the line memory 48, and the exposure control unit 47 for one line. The red, green and blue image data are read from the line memory 48. Further, the system controller 45 obtains the current conveyance speed of the instant film 10 based on the pulse signal detected by the pulse detection circuit 51, and outputs information indicating the obtained conveyance speed to the exposure control unit 47.

  The exposure control unit 47 outputs a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal so that the amount of light emitted from each LED of the exposure head 25 becomes the amount of light emitted corresponding to each pixel value (for example, 0 to 255) of the image data. Then, the density correction circuit 47a (print control unit) corrects the PWM signal generated by the exposure control unit 47. The density correction circuit 47a (printing control unit) sets the density of the image printed on the instant film to the same density as when the instant film 10 is transported at the reference transport speed regardless of the transport speed of the instant film 10. The PWM signal is corrected so that the density correction information is calculated based on the information indicating the current conveyance speed input from the system controller 45, and the PWM signal is corrected based on the calculated density correction information (print control step). ).

  Here, the density correction information calculated in the density correction circuit 47a is information indicating a relationship between a preset reference transport speed of the instant film 10 and the current transport speed of the instant film 10, and is based on the density correction information. The correction can be performed by calculating density correction information on the pulse width subjected to pulse width modulation. That is, when the transport speed is high, the pulse width is corrected to be long, and when the transport speed is low, the pulse width is corrected to be short. The exposure control unit 47 outputs the PWM signal corrected by the density correction circuit 47a to the exposure head drive unit 73 (print control process).

  The exposure head drive unit 73 drives the exposure head 25 based on the corrected PWM signal to cause the exposure surface 10a of the instant film 10 to perform three-color simultaneous exposure. Since the exposure timing of the line image exposed on the instant film 10 by the exposure head 25 is synchronized with the pulse signal detected by the pulse detection circuit 51, the transport speed of the instant film 10 is faster than the reference transport speed and When the printing speed is slower than the reference conveyance speed, streaky unevenness occurs in the printed image. However, in the printer 300 according to the present embodiment, the exposure control unit 47 according to the conveyance speed of the instant film 10 as described above. Since density correction is performed, streaky unevenness can be prevented from occurring in an image printed on the instant film 10.

<Conveyance of film cover and instant film>
When the unused instant film pack 1 is loaded into the printer 300, the system controller 45 detects the loading of the unused instant film pack 1 and automatically conveys (discharges) the film cover 60. When driving and controlling the DC motor 30 (conveyance unit) via the driver 46 and receiving image data and a printing instruction from the smartphone 200, the unexposed instant film 10 is exposed while being conveyed, and development and development are performed. The DC motor 30 is driven and controlled via the motor driver 46. The motor driver 46 is supplied with DC power from a battery (not shown) or an AC (alternating current) adapter. The motor driver 46 drives the DC motor 30 based on a drive command input from the system controller 45. A driving power having a voltage corresponding to the speed is supplied to the DC motor 30.

  Further, the system controller 45 sends signals to the exposure control unit 47 and the line memory 48. The claw driving unit 71 (first transport mechanism) is activated by driving the DC motor 30, and the claw member 72 (moving member, first transport mechanism) enters from the claw opening 32 formed in the instant film pack 1. Then, it is locked to the rear end of the uppermost film cover 60 or the instant film 10 (see FIG. 10). And the front-end | tip of the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 is sent out to the conveyance direction F from the discharge port 28 (conveyance process). Also, the capstan roller 35 starts to rotate by driving the DC motor 30, and the pinch roller 39 rotates following the rotation of the capstan roller 35.

  The film cover 60 or the instant film 10 moves in the transport direction F as the claw member 72 moves (transport process). When the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 reaches the position of the film detection sensor 27, the film detection sensor 27 detects the film cover 60 or the instant film 10, whereby the system controller 45 outputs the output of the rotary encoder 36 by the pulse detection circuit 51. Start counting pulses. Based on the count number of the output pulses, the conveyance speed and the timing of exposure (printing) are controlled.

  The claw member 72 continues to move from the state shown in FIG. 10 and feeds the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 between the capstan roller 35 (second transport mechanism) and the pinch roller 39 (second transport mechanism) ( Refer to FIG. 11; conveying step). As a result, the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 begins to bite between the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39, and delivery from the claw member 72 to the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 begins. During the transfer, the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 is conveyed by the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 in addition to the claw member 72.

  When the conveyance is continued and the claw member 72 reaches the end of the moving range (see FIG. 12), the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 is completely bitten between the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39. Become. As a result, the delivery of the film cover 60 or the instant film 10 is completed, and the claw member 72 starts to retract in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction F. After the delivery, the transfer is continued by the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 (conveying step).

  In the above-described conveyance, the movement range (the distance between the position shown in FIG. 10 and the position shown in FIG. 12) and the movement speed of the claw member 72 include the rotation speed of the DC motor 30, the claw drive unit 71, And a link member or the like (not shown). Similarly, the rotational speed of the capstan roller 35 can be set by using a gear or the like (not shown) for the capstan roller driving unit 34 in addition to the rotational speed of the DC motor 30.

<Conveying speed of film cover and instant film>
Next, the conveyance speed of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 in this embodiment is demonstrated.

<Example 1>
FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating an example (Example 1) of the conveyance speed of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10. The horizontal axis indicates the position x (feed position) of the leading edge of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 with reference to the start of conveyance (state shown in FIG. 13, the distal end of the delivery start (see FIG. 11) and end the film in (see FIG. 12) when the cover 60 and the instant film 10 from each _{x 1} and _{x 2} are claw member 72 to the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 Position (feed position).

  In Example 1, the transport speed Vfc-1 of the film cover 60 and the transport speed Vf-1 of the instant film 10 are constant regardless of the feed position, and the transport speed Vfc-1 and the transport speed Vf-1 at the same feed position. Is different. Specifically, (conveying speed Vfc-1> conveying speed Vf-1). These conveyance speeds can be set according to the material and / or thickness of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 (the film cover 60 is a hard material and thicker, and the instant film 10 is softer than the film cover 60). . Such control of the conveyance speed can be performed mainly by the system controller 45 and the motor driver 46 changing the rotation speed of the DC motor 30 (conveyance control process).

  Thus, by changing the conveyance speed between the film cover 60 and the instant film 10, an appropriate conveyance speed can be set according to the material and / or thickness, and the instant film 10 can be discharged at high speed, while the film The cover 60 can be discharged stably.

<Example 2>
Another example (Example 2) of the film cover 60 and the transport speed of the instant film 10 is shown in FIG. The transport speed of Example 2 is the same as Example 1 in that the transport speed at the same feeding position is different between the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 (the transport speed of the instant film 10 is faster). 2 differs from Example 1 in that the conveyance speed Vfc-2 of the film cover 60 and the conveyance speed Vf-2 of the instant film 10 are changed during conveyance (after delivery). Specifically, in Example 2, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 both have a constant conveyance speed until the end of delivery, and the conveyance speed after delivery is higher than that until the end of delivery. Note also in Example 2, the delivery position of the instant film 10 and the film cover 60 is from _{x 1} to _{x 2.} Such control of the conveyance speed is performed mainly by the system controller 45 and the motor driver 46 changing the rotation speed of the DC motor 30 (conveyance control process). In Example 2, the specific conveyance speed can be set according to the material and / or thickness of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10.

  As in Example 2, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 are securely bited into the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 by making the speed relatively low until the delivery is completed, thereby preventing the conveyance failure and the discharge failure. Therefore, after delivery, it can be discharged in a short time by carrying at high speed. In Example 2, the speed of both the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 is changed during the conveyance, but only one of the conveyance speeds may be changed.

<Example 3>
Another example (Example 3) of the film cover 60 and the conveyance speed of the instant film 10 is shown in FIG. The conveyance speed of Example 3 is the same as Example 1 and Example 2 in that the conveyance speed at the same feeding position is different between the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 (the instant film 10 is faster). Although the point that the conveyance speed Vfc-3 of the cover 60 and the conveyance speed Vf-3 of the instant film 10 are changed during the conveyance (after completion of the delivery) is the same as in Example 2, in Example 3, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 are changed. Both are different from Example 2 in that the speed is reduced during delivery and the sheet is conveyed at high speeds otherwise. Delivery position the instant film 10 and the film cover 60 is from _{x 1} to _{x 2.} Such control of the conveyance speed is performed mainly by the system controller 45 and the motor driver 46 changing the rotation speed of the DC motor 30 (conveyance control process). In Example 3, the specific conveyance speed can be set according to the material and / or thickness of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10.

  By controlling the conveyance speed as in Example 3, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 are securely bited into the capstan roller 35 and the pinch roller 39 in the same manner as in Example 2 to prevent conveyance defects and discharge defects. It can be transported stably, and on the other hand, it can be discharged in a short time by transporting at high speed after delivery. In Example 3, the speed of the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 is changed during the conveyance, but only one of the conveyance speeds may be changed.

  In Examples 1 to 3, the conveyance speed in each section (before delivery, during delivery, and after delivery) may be changed without being constant. For example, you may decelerate before delivery and accelerate after delivery.

  As described above, according to the printer 300 and the printing method according to the first embodiment, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 can be discharged at high speed and stably.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 16 is an external perspective view of a camera with a printer 500 (printer, imaging apparatus with a printer) according to the second embodiment, as viewed from the front side. The camera with a printer 500 can capture an image of a subject and print it on the instant film 10 in accordance with a user operation.

  Similar to the printer 300 according to the first embodiment (see FIG. 2), the camera with a printer 500 is provided with a loading chamber 515 (housing portion) and loaded with a film pack, and the loading chamber 515 is an openable lid member. Closed at 509. As the film pack, the same instant film pack 1 as that of the printer 300 according to the first embodiment is used. When the instant film pack 1 is loaded and the lid member 509 is closed, the push-up member 520 provided on the lid member 509 is The light shielding sheet 50 (see FIG. 3) is inserted into the push-up member insertion portion 33 and pushed up to the front side (opposite the opening surface of the push-up member insertion portion 33), and the instant film 10 is pressed against the inner surface of the case 20. In the following description, the same components as those of the printer 300 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

<Camera body>
As shown in FIG. 16, an objective finder window 504 and a photographing lens 505 with a zoom function are exposed on the front surface of the camera body 503. A film discharge port 510 (dotted line in the figure) and a release button 506 are provided on the upper surface of the camera body 503 and are usually closed by a discharge port lid 511.

<Configuration of camera with printer>
FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the camera with printer 500. An imaging element 575 is disposed behind the photographing lens 505, and an optical image of the subject is formed on the imaging surface of the imaging element 575 by the photographing lens 505. The image sensor 575 is driven by an image sensor driver 576, converts an optical image into an electrical image signal, and outputs it. As the image sensor 575, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) type and a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) type image sensor can be used.

  Red, green, and blue color filters are arranged in a matrix on the front surface of the imaging surface of the image sensor 575, and an image signal output for each color is amplified by an amplifier 577 and then A / D (Analog to Digital) is converted by a converter 578. The A / D converter 578 digitally converts the imaging signal to generate image data, and inputs this to the image data processing circuit 579. As described above with respect to the first embodiment, template data together with image data may be input to the image data processing circuit 579 and printed on the instant film 10. The photographing lens 505, the image sensor 575, the image sensor driver 576, the A / D converter 578, and the image data processing circuit 579 are components of the image capturing unit (image data input unit).

  The image data processing circuit 579 performs signal processing such as white balance adjustment and gamma correction on the input image data, and outputs a video signal output terminal via a D / A (Digital to Analog) converter 580 and an amplifier 581. The data is output to 582 and displayed on the LCD panel 532 via an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) driver 554. Further, the image data output from the image data processing circuit 579 is printed on the instant film 10 using the exposure head 25 and the like under the control of the system controller 45 as in the printer 300 according to the first embodiment.

<Conveyance of film cover and instant film>
In the camera with a printer 500 according to the second embodiment, the configuration of a transport unit such as a transport mechanism, a transport control unit, and a print control unit is the same as that of the printer 300 according to the first embodiment, and is the same in FIG. The name and code | symbol are attached | subjected (detailed description is abbreviate | omitted). Further, specific conveyance control, conveyance speed control, and print processing can be performed in the same manner as in Examples 1 to 3 (see FIGS. 10 to 15) described in the first embodiment. Thereby, also in the camera with a printer 500 and the printing method according to the second embodiment, the film cover 60 and the instant film 10 can be discharged at high speed and stably as in the first embodiment.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instant film pack 10 Instant film 10a Exposure surface 10b Observation surface 12 Exposure part 14 Pod part 14a Development processing liquid pod 16 Trap part 16a Absorbent 18 Observation part 20 Case 22 Case main body 22a Front part 22c Bottom part 24 Case lid 25 Exposure head 26 Exposure opening 27 Film detection sensor 28 Ejection port 29 Case flap material 30 DC motor 31 Film support part 32 Claw opening part 32a Inlet part 32b Passage part 33 Push-up member insertion part 34 Capstan roller driving part 35 Capstan roller 35a Roller 35b Roller 35c Protrusion 36 Rotary encoder 37 Slit disk 37a Slit 38 Pulse generator 39 Pinch roller 40 Expanding roller 40a Roller 40b Roller 41 Expanding roller driving unit 42 Mounting part 45 System controller 46 Motor driver 47 Exposure control part 47a Density correction circuit 48 Line memory 50 Light shielding sheet 51 Pulse detection circuit 53 First light shielding sheet 53b Fixing part 54 Second light shielding sheet 60 Film cover 62 Notch part 64 Film cover skirt Material 71 Claw drive unit 72 Claw member 73 Exposure head drive unit 75 Wireless communication unit 100 Print system 200 Smartphone 300 Printer 302 Cover member 304 Push-up member 311 Film discharge port 315 Loading chamber 500 Camera with printer 503 Camera body 504 Objective finder window 505 Shooting lens 506 Release button 509 Lid member 510 Film discharge port 511 Lid 515 Loading chamber 520 Push-up member 532 LCD panel 554 Driver 575 Image sensor 576 Element driver 577 amplifier 578 A / D converter 579 the image data processing circuit 580 D / A converter 581 amplifier 582 output terminal F conveying direction V conveying speed x position

Claims (9)

A storage section for storing an instant film and a film cover;
A transport unit that transports the instant film and the film cover stored in the storage unit in a transport direction;
An image data input unit for inputting image data;
A line head arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the instant film and driven based on the input image data;
A transport control unit for controlling a transport speed of the instant film and a transport speed of the film cover by the transport unit, the transport control unit controlling the transport speed of the instant film and the film at the same feeding position; A transport control unit that varies the transport speed of the cover;
A printing control unit for controlling printing of a line image by the line head;
Printer with.   2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance control unit controls the conveyance unit to make the conveyance speed of the instant film faster than the conveyance speed of the film cover at the same feeding position.   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the conveyance control unit controls the conveyance unit to change the conveyance speed of the instant film and / or the conveyance speed of the film cover during conveyance. The transport unit includes a first transport mechanism that starts transporting the instant film and the film cover, and a second transport mechanism that transports the instant film and the film cover following transport by the first transport mechanism. And comprising
The transfer control unit controls the transfer unit to transfer at least the transfer speed after transfer of the instant film and the film cover from the first transfer mechanism to the second transfer mechanism. Faster than the transport speed during
The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The first transport mechanism includes a moving member that moves in the transport direction in contact with an end of the instant film and the film cover opposite to the transport direction,
The printer according to claim 4, wherein the second transport mechanism includes a capstan roller and a pinch roller that sandwich and transport the instant film and the film cover.   The said conveyance part each conveys the said film cover and the said instant film at the conveyance speed according to the raw material and / or thickness of the said film cover and the said instant film, respectively. Printer. A printer according to any one of claims 1 to 6;
An imaging unit functioning as the image data input unit;
An image pickup apparatus with a printer. A storage unit that stores the instant film and the film cover, a transport unit that transports the stored instant film and the film cover in a transport direction, an image data input unit that inputs image data, and the instant film A line head arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction and driven based on the input image data,
A transporting process for transporting the instant film and the film cover;
A transport control step of controlling the transport unit to vary the transport speed of the instant film and the transport speed of the film cover at the same feeding position;
A printing control process for controlling printing of a line image by the line head;
A printing method comprising:   The printing method according to claim 8, wherein, in the conveyance control step, the conveyance unit is controlled so that the conveyance speed of the instant film is faster than the conveyance speed of the film cover at the same feeding position.

Images