JP2021146579A - Image print system and manufacturing method of printed matter - Google Patents

Abstract

To manufacture a printed matter in which a pattern looks differently due to the way of illumination.SOLUTION: An image print system comprises: an image processing device which acquires data of a first image and a second image, extracts a difference between the first image and the second image, and generates a monochromatic image in which the difference is black and portions other than the difference are white; and a printer which receives the first image and the monochromatic image from the image processing device, forms the first image on a transfer object body by heating a color material layer provided on a thermal transfer sheet, and transfers a protective layer provided on the thermal transfer sheet onto the first image formed on the transfer object body. The printer transfers the protective layer onto the image such that the surface state of the protective layer is different between a portion corresponding to white and a portion corresponding to black in the monochromatic image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an image printing system and a method for manufacturing a printed matter.

A thermal transfer sheet (ink ribbon) and photographic paper are sandwiched between the thermal head and the platen roll, heat is applied to the thermal transfer sheet from the thermal head, and the color material (dye, etc.) of the thermal transfer sheet is printed in a pattern corresponding to the image. Thermal transfer printers that transfer to paper are known.

After the color material is transferred, a protective layer made of a transparent film is transferred onto the image in order to protect the image. As for the protective layer transferred onto the printing paper, the protective layer surface becomes matte with low gloss by increasing the transfer energy at the time of forming the protective layer, and the protective layer surface has high gloss by lowering the transfer energy. It is known to be glossy. Conventionally, when the user selects matte or glossy, a protective layer having a uniform surface condition is formed on the image.

Japanese Patent No. 4142517 JP-A-2017-65095

An object of the present invention is to provide an image printing system capable of producing a photographic print in which a pattern changes depending on how light hits it, and a method for manufacturing the photographic print.

The image printing system according to the present invention acquires the data of the first image and the second image, extracts the difference between the first image and the second image, and sets the difference as black and the difference other than the difference as white. The image processing device that generates an image, the first image and the monochrome image are received from the image processing device, and the coloring material layer provided on the thermal transfer sheet is heated to form the first image on the transferred body. A printer that transfers a protective layer provided on a thermal transfer sheet onto the first image formed on the transferred body is provided, and the printer corresponds to a portion of the monochrome image corresponding to white and black. The protective layer is transferred onto the image so that the surface state of the protective layer is different from that of the portion.

In one aspect of the present invention, the image processing apparatus converts the second image into a first monochrome image, and changes the region of the first monochrome image other than the portion corresponding to the difference to white to make a second image. A monochrome image is generated, and the second monochrome image is transmitted to the printer.

In one aspect of the present invention, the printer provides the protective layer so that the white-corresponding portion of the monochrome image has a glossy tone and the black-corresponding portion has a matte tone having a lower gloss than the gloss tone. Transfer.

In one aspect of the present invention, the first image and the second image are two-dimensional code images showing different information.

In the method for producing a printed matter according to the present invention, a step of acquiring data of a first image and a second image, a step of extracting a difference between the first image and the second image, and the difference being black and the difference A step of generating a monochrome image in which other than white is white, a step of heating the color material layer of the thermal transfer sheet to form the first image on the transferred body, and a protective layer provided on the thermal transfer sheet as the transferred body. A step of producing a printed matter by transferring it onto an image formed in the image is provided so that the surface state of the protective layer differs between the white-corresponding portion and the black-corresponding portion of the monochrome image. The protective layer is transferred onto the image.

According to the present invention, it is possible to form a protective layer having a different surface state for each region on an image, and to produce a printed matter in which a pattern changes depending on how light is applied.

It is a schematic block diagram of the image printing system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram of a printer. It is a top view of the thermal transfer sheet used in a printer. It is a block diagram which shows the function of an image processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of the image used for making a print. It is a figure which shows the example of the difference extraction of an image. It is a figure which shows the change example of the appearance of a picture of a stamped object. It is a figure which shows the change example of the appearance of a picture of a stamped object. It is a figure which shows the change example of the appearance of a picture of a stamped object.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image printing system includes a printer 1 and an image processing device 2. The printer 1 receives data from the image processing device 2 and prints an image on photographic paper to manufacture a printed matter.

The printer 1 is a high-resolution color printer of a sublimation type thermal transfer method. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the printer 1, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the thermal transfer sheet 44 (ink ribbon) used in the printer 1. The printer 1 includes a thermal head 40 that heats a thermal transfer sheet 44, transfers a dye onto a photographic paper 45 to form an image, and transfers a protective layer onto the image.

A supply unit 42 formed by winding a thermal transfer sheet 44 is provided on the downstream side of the thermal head 40, and a recovery unit 41 is provided on the upstream side of the thermal head 40. The thermal transfer sheet 44 unwound from the supply unit 42 passes through the thermal head 40 and is collected by the recovery unit 41.

A rotatable platen roller 46 is provided on the lower side of the thermal head 40. Further, the thermal head 40 is connected to an elevating means 43 that allows the thermal head 40 to be elevated and retracted with respect to the platen roller 46.

The yellow dye layer 51, the magenta dye layer 52, the cyan dye layer 53, and the protective layer 54 are sequentially formed on one surface of the thermal transfer sheet 44. The thermal transfer sheet 44 may be provided with another color material layer such as a molten ink layer in addition to the dye layer or instead of the dye layer.

For the yellow dye layer 51, the magenta dye layer 52, and the cyan dye layer 53, it is preferable to use a material in which a sublimation dye is melted or dispersed in a binder resin. It is preferable to use a transparent material having adhesiveness, light resistance and the like for the protective layer 54.

When forming an image on the photographic paper 45, first, the photographic paper 45 and the yellow dye layer 51 are aligned with each other. Next, the thermal head 40 is lowered toward the platen roller 46 by the elevating means 43, and the photographic paper 45 and the thermal transfer sheet 44 are sandwiched between the thermal head 40 and the platen roller 46.

Next, the photographic paper 45 and the thermal transfer sheet 44 are sent to the rear side (upstream side of the thermal head 40). During this period, the yellow dye layer 51 is selectively and sequentially heated by the thermal head 40 based on the color image data, and the yellow dye is transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 44 onto the photographic paper 45.

The elevating means 43 raises the thermal head 40 and separates it from the platen roller 46. Next, the photographic paper 45 and the magenta dye layer 52 are aligned. The magenta dye and the cyan dye are sequentially transferred onto the photographic paper 45 in the same manner as in the method of transferring the yellow dye, and a color image is formed on the photographic paper 45.

Next, the thermal head 40 heats the protective layer 54 of the thermal transfer sheet 44, and transfers the protective layer 54 onto the photographic paper 45 so as to cover the image. The photographic paper 45 to which the protective layer is transferred is cut to a predetermined size by a cutting means (not shown) to produce a printed matter.

In the present embodiment, when the protective layer 54 is transferred, the thermal head 40 changes the transfer energy (energy applied to the thermal head 40) for each region based on a monochrome image showing a matte pattern described later. By increasing the transfer energy during transfer of the protective layer, the surface of the protective layer becomes matte with low glossiness, and by lowering the transfer energy, the surface of the protective layer becomes glossy with high glossiness.

For example, when the surface of the protective layer after transfer is made matte, the energy applied to the thermal head 40 is adjusted to high energy so that the glossiness of the surface of the protective layer after transfer is 40% or less. On the other hand, when the surface of the protective layer after transfer is glossy (glossy state), the energy applied to the thermal head 40 is adjusted to a low energy so that the glossiness of the protective layer surface after transfer becomes 70% or more. Will be done.

The image processing device 2 is a computer provided with a CPU, a storage unit, a communication device, and the like, and as shown in FIG. 4, functions of an image acquisition unit 21, an image conversion unit 22, a difference extraction unit 23, and a print processing unit 24. Have.

The image acquisition unit 21 acquires image data from a user terminal 3 such as a smartphone or a PC via a network. Alternatively, the image data may be acquired by reading the image data from a portable storage medium such as a memory card or a USB memory.

The image data to be acquired is an image for which the pattern is to be changed, and is two images, a first image before the change and a second image after the change. The two images are preferably images having many identical parts, such as a person image having a different facial expression. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the first image G1 before the change and the second image G2 after the change are acquired. In the example of FIG. 5, the mouth of the person is changing.

The image conversion unit 22 converts the changed second image into black and white to generate a black and white image (first monochrome image).

The difference extraction unit 23 compares the two images and extracts the difference between the two images, that is, the portion of the second image that has changed from the first image. Then, the difference extraction unit 23 whitens the region other than the portion corresponding to the extracted difference in the monochrome image generated by the image conversion unit 22. As a result, a monochrome image (second monochrome image) in which only the portion corresponding to the difference between the two images is black can be obtained. This monochrome image (second monochrome image) shows a matte pattern. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a black-and-white image D (matte pattern) in which only the mouth portion is black can be obtained from the first image G1 and the second image G2.

After the difference extraction unit 23 extracts the difference between the two images, the image conversion unit 22 may convert the difference into black and white.

The print processing unit 24 transmits the data of the first image to the printer 1 and instructs the printer 1 to form the first image. The printer 1 heats the yellow dye layer 51, the magenta dye layer 52, and the cyan dye layer 53 of the thermal transfer sheet 44 to form a first image on the photographic paper 45.

The print processing unit 24 transmits a monochrome image (second monochrome image) showing a matte pattern to the printer 1 and instructs the printer 1 to transfer the protective layer. The printer 1 protects the black part of the monochrome image by increasing the transfer energy by the thermal head 40 to make the surface of the protective layer matte, and lowering the transfer energy by the thermal head 40 in the white part of the monochrome image. Make the surface of the layer glossy.

As a result, a printed matter is produced in which the surface of the protective layer is finished so that the portion that does not change between the first image and the second image has a glossy tone and the portion that changes has a matte tone. Depending on how the light hits the printed matter, the color of the first image becomes partially difficult to see, and the matte pattern of the protective layer becomes emphasized. Therefore, the design of the printed matter seems to change. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, by changing the method of irradiating the printed matter P with light, the protective layer having a matte finish on the mouth is emphasized, and the facial expression seems to change.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a printed matter P1 manufactured by the same method. In this example, the image before the change is a person image in which the eyes are visible through the lens of the spectacles, and the image after the change is the image in which the lens of the spectacles is clouded (becomes sunglasses). The image processing device 2 generates a monochrome image (matte pattern) in which only the lens portion of the spectacles is black. The printer 1 manufactures the printed matter P1 by finishing the surface of the protective layer so that the lens portion of the spectacles has a matte tone and the other portions have a gloss tone. By changing the way the light is applied to the print P1, the glasses appear cloudy (changed to sunglasses).

The image processing device 2 may generate a monochrome image (matte pattern) in which only the lens portion of the spectacles is white and the other portions are black. The printer 1 manufactures a printed matter by finishing the surface of the protective layer so that the lens portion of the spectacles has a glossy tone and the other portions have a matte tone. In such photographic papers, depending on how the light hits, the light is strongly reflected by the lens portion where the protective layer is glossy, and it looks like it has changed to sunglasses.

As shown in FIG. 9, a part of the two-dimensional code may be changed. Two two-dimensional code images showing different information are input to the image processing device 2. The image processing device 2 extracts the difference between the two two-dimensional code images and generates a monochrome image as a matte pattern. The image processing device 2 outputs a two-dimensional code image before the change and a monochrome image (matte pattern) corresponding to the difference to the printer 1.

The printer 1 prints the two-dimensional code image before the change. Then, the printer 1 manufactures a printed matter by transferring the protective layer by adjusting the applied energy so that the portion corresponding to the difference is matte and the other portions are glossy. At first glance, only one two-dimensional code is printed on this photographic paper, but by changing the way the light is applied, the design of the two-dimensional code changes, and different information can be read.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the dye layer and the protective layer are sequentially provided on the same thermal transfer sheet has been described, but the thermal transfer sheet provided with the dye layer and the thermal transfer sheet provided with the protective layer are separate bodies. There may be. In this case, the printer includes a first thermal head for transferring the dye to the photographic paper to form an image, and a second thermal head for transferring the protective layer onto the photographic paper.

The printer 1 and the image processing device 2 may be housed in the same housing.

The transfer material for image formation and protective layer transfer may be a photographic paper containing a sticker paper, or may have a receiving layer provided on a card substrate.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiments. In addition, components across different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

1 Printer 2 Image processing device 3 User terminal 21 Image acquisition unit 22 Image conversion unit 23 Difference extraction unit 24 Print processing unit 40 Thermal head 41 Recovery unit 42 Supply unit 43 Lifting means 44 Thermal transfer sheet 45 Printing paper 46 Platen roller 51 Yellow dye layer 52 Magenta dye layer 53 Cyan dye layer 54 Protective layer

Claims (5)

An image processing device that acquires data of a first image and a second image, extracts a difference between the first image and the second image, and generates a monochrome image in which the difference is black and the difference other than the difference is white. ,
The first image and the monochrome image are received from the image processing apparatus, the color material layer provided on the thermal transfer sheet is heated to form the first image on the transferred body, and the protective layer provided on the thermal transfer sheet is formed. With a printer that transfers the image onto the first image formed on the image to be transferred.
With
The printer is an image printing system characterized in that the protective layer is transferred onto the image so that the white portion and the black portion of the monochrome image have different surface states. .. The image processing device converts the second image into a first monochrome image, changes the region of the first monochrome image other than the portion corresponding to the difference to white, and generates the second monochrome image. The image printing system according to claim 1, wherein a second monochrome image is transmitted to the printer. The printer is characterized in that the protective layer is transferred so that the white-corresponding portion of the monochrome image has a glossy tone and the black-corresponding portion has a matte tone having a lower gloss than the gloss tone. The image printing system according to claim 1 or 2. The image printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first image and the second image are two-dimensional code images showing different information. The process of acquiring the data of the first image and the second image, and
The step of extracting the difference between the first image and the second image, and
A process of generating a black-and-white image in which the difference is black and the difference other than the difference is white,
A step of heating the color material layer of the thermal transfer sheet to form the first image on the transferred body, and
A step of transferring a protective layer provided on a thermal transfer sheet onto an image formed on the transferred body to prepare a printed matter, and a step of producing a printed matter.
With
A method for producing a printed matter, which comprises transferring the protective layer onto the image so that the surface state of the protective layer differs between the white-corresponding portion and the black-corresponding portion of the monochrome image.

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