JP2022189245A - Electronic equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide electronic equipment capable of recognizing a contour shape of an object regardless of a state of light in the periphery of the object.SOLUTION: A printing device 100, which is electronic equipment, includes an imaging part 5 for imaging a nail T, which is an object disposed in the device, an external light take-in part 15 capable of taking in external light SL inside the device, and a light blocking member 16 for blocking the light of a first wavelength region of the external light SL. The light blocking member 16 causes the light of a second wavelength region other than the light of the first wavelength region to be transmitted inside the device by being disposed at a position corresponding to the external light take-in part 15 at least at the time of imaging by the imaging part 5.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to electronic equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a printing apparatus (“drawing system” in Patent Document 1) as an electronic device that allows users to enjoy nail art by printing on nails (see Patent Document 1, etc.).
In such an electronic device (printing device), it is necessary to accurately recognize the contour shape of the nail to be printed and to generate printing data that matches the contour shape.

In this respect, Patent Document 1 discloses that a finger including a nail is photographed using a mobile device having a camera function, and the shape of the nail, which becomes a print area (drawing area), is recognized from the photographed image, and the shape of the nail is matched. Generating data for printing (drawing data) is described.

JP 2016-101195 A

However, photographing an object such as a fingernail depends on the light conditions around the object nail or finger.
That is, when the surroundings of the object are too dark, an image sufficient for recognizing the contour shape of the object cannot be obtained unless the sensitivity of the imaging device is increased.
Also, if the intensity of the light incident on the periphery of the object is too strong, the entire object becomes whitish. In this case, for example, when the target is a nail, the contour of the nail (the contour shape of the target) is likely to be erroneously recognized, for example, the range of the finger is widely recognized as the nail.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and has the advantage of providing an electronic device capable of recognizing the contour shape of an object without being influenced by the light conditions around the object. be.

In order to solve the above problems, the electronic device of the present invention includes:
a photographing unit for photographing an object placed in the device;
an external light capturing section capable of capturing external light into the device;
a light shielding member that blocks light in a first wavelength range of the external light;
with
The light shielding member is arranged at a position corresponding to the external light taking-in part at least when the photographing part is used to capture light in the second wavelength range other than the light in the first wavelength range. It is characterized by being permeable.

According to the present invention, it is possible to recognize the contour shape of an object without being influenced by the light conditions around the object.

1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a printing device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover portion of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is opened; FIG. 1A and 1B are schematic plan views showing the internal configuration of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, where FIG. indicates a state. 1A and 1B are schematic cross-sectional views showing the internal configuration of a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, where (a) shows a state in which incident light is not blocked, and (b) shows a state in which incident light is blocked by a print head; ing. 3 is a block diagram of main parts showing a functional configuration in the embodiment; FIG. It is a flow chart which shows processing of this embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment;

[First Embodiment]
A first embodiment of an electronic device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG.
Although various technically desirable limitations are attached to the embodiments described below for carrying out the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments and illustrated examples.
Further, in the following embodiments, an example in which the electronic device is a printing device that prints on fingernails as targets (print targets) will be described, but the electronic device in the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the electronic device may be a device that recognizes the contour shape of an object placed in the device, and may not have a mechanism for printing. Further, the print target of the printing device as an electronic device is not limited to the fingernails, and for example, the toe nails may be the print target. In addition, objects other than nails, such as nail tips, surfaces of various accessories, and test printing paper, may be printed.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a printing apparatus according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover portion of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is opened. 3A and 3B are schematic plan views showing the internal configuration of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIGS. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the device; FIG. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of main parts showing the functional configuration in this embodiment.
In the following embodiments, up and down, left and right, and front and back refer to directions shown in FIGS. Also, the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction refer to the directions shown in each figure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 100 has a housing 1 that is substantially box-shaped.
The housing 1 includes an upper housing 11 that is approximately the upper half in the height direction and a lower housing 12 that is approximately the lower half.
An opening 121 is formed on the front side of the lower housing 12 (the front side of the printing apparatus 100, the front side in FIG. 1 and the like).

The front side of the upper housing 11 is a front wall portion 14 (see FIG. 2).
A portion of the front wall portion 14 is cut out to form an opening 141 . The opening 141 functions as an ejection opening when a print head 41 (cartridge), which will be described later, is attached to or detached from the apparatus, and is formed to a size that does not get caught when the print head 41 is attached or detached. .
The cover portion 13 is rotatably connected to the upper housing 11 via a hinge mechanism 131 provided at the upper end portion of the front wall portion 14 or the like.
The cover part 13 is opened (that is, the front wall part 14) from the closed state (the state shown in FIG. 1) in which the front side (that is, the front wall part 14) of the upper housing 11 is covered. is exposed) to the open state (the state shown in FIG. 2). In addition, the specific configuration and the like of the hinge mechanism 131 are not particularly limited.

On the side surface of the upper housing 11 and closer to the front side of the apparatus, an external light intake section 15 capable of taking in the external light SL into the apparatus is provided. The external light intake section 15 is, for example, a small window provided on the side surface of the upper housing 11 . The specific position and size of the external light intake section 15 are appropriately adjusted depending on the size of the device, the specific arrangement of each section, the performance of the imaging device 51 described later, and the like.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. An external light taking-in portion 15 is provided at a position where the finger placement portion 3 can be viewed from an obliquely upward direction.

A light shielding member 16 is provided corresponding to the external light intake portion 15 .
The light blocking member 16 blocks light in a predetermined wavelength range (hereinafter referred to as "light in the first wavelength range") of the external light SL, and is, for example, a polarizing plate that transmits light in a specific wavelength range.
The light shielding member 16 is arranged at a position corresponding to the external light intake unit 15 at least when the photographing unit 5 takes an image, thereby shielding the "light in the first wavelength range" from the external light SL. Other light (this is referred to as "light in the second wavelength range") is transmitted.
In this embodiment, the light shielding member 16 that mainly transmits light in the blue wavelength range as the "light in the second wavelength range" is applied.

When the nail T is to be printed as in the present embodiment, when the nail T and the surrounding skin (finger portion) are illuminated with light including a red component such as red light, recognition of the contour shape of the nail T is affected. , and correct recognition becomes difficult.
In this regard, since blue is the opposite color (or complementary color) to the color of the human nail T or the skin, etc., the contour shape of the nail T can be recognized relatively better with blue light than with light containing a red component, such as red light. does not affect
For this reason, the light shielding member 16 blocks red light (“light in the first wavelength range”) containing a red component in the external light SL, and blocks other blue light (“light in the second wavelength range” mainly composed of blue components). light”) is transmitted. Here, the red light that is "light in the first wavelength range" refers to, for example, light of 625 to 780 nm that is generally recognized as red, and the blue light that is "light in the second wavelength range" For example, it refers to light of 450 to 485 nm, which is generally recognized as blue.
Details of the external light intake portion 15 and the light shielding member 16 will be described later.

An operation unit 73 (see FIG. 5) is provided on the upper surface and side surfaces of the housing 1 . The operation unit 73 is, for example, an operation button (power switch button) for turning on/off the power of the printing apparatus 100 . When the operation portion 73 is operated, an operation signal is output to the control device 7, and the control device 7 performs control according to the operation signal to operate each portion of the printing apparatus 100. FIG. For example, if the operation unit 73 is a power switch button, the power of the printing apparatus 100 is turned on/off according to the button operation.
Instead of the operation unit 73, each unit of the printing apparatus 100 may operate according to an operation signal input from an operation unit 83 of the terminal device 8, which will be described later.
Further, the shape and arrangement of each part of the housing 1 are not limited to the illustrated example, and a display part, a lamp, an indicator, and the like may be provided.

A photographing unit 5 is provided in the housing 1 (see FIG. 5, etc.).
The photographing unit 5 is mounted, for example, on a substrate (not shown) attached to the inner side of the top surface of the housing 1 . Although the specific position of the photographing unit 5 is not particularly limited, for example, as shown in FIGS.
The photographing unit 5 of the present embodiment obtains a nail image by photographing the nail T, which is an object to be printed, and is provided with a photographing device 51 .

The photographing device 51 is, for example, a compact camera including a solid-state imaging device having pixels of about 2 million pixels or more, a lens, and the like.
It should be noted that the photographing by the photographing device 51 may be either still image photographing or moving image photographing. The operation of the photographing unit 5 is controlled by a control unit 71 of the control device 7, which will be described later. The unit 71 appropriately extracts the frame and obtains it as a still image (nail image).
Further, when the photographing device 51 is capable of photographing a moving image, for example, the photographing unit 5 photographs even during printing on the nail T, and an image of the nail T photographed by the photographing unit 5 (a design on the nail T) is obtained. is being printed) may be displayed as a live view on the display unit 85 of the external terminal device 8 or the like.
Furthermore, in this embodiment, as will be described later, the sensitivity (ISO sensitivity) of the photographing device 51 can be adjusted according to the situation such as the intensity of light entering the device and various photographing environments. , the control unit 71 controls such sensitivity adjustment.
Image data acquired by the photographing unit 5 is stored in a storage unit 72 or the like, which will be described later. Note that the image data may be transmitted to the terminal device 8, which will be described later, as appropriate.

An illuminance sensor 6 (see FIG. 5) is provided in the housing 1 to measure the illuminance of light entering the device.
As the illuminance sensor 6, a sensor having high sensitivity to the light in the wavelength range transmitted by the light shielding member 16 (that is, the "light in the second wavelength range", light in the blue wavelength range in this embodiment) is applied. be.
In this embodiment, the photographing unit 5 is controlled so as to perform photographing when the illuminance sensor 6 detects illuminance suitable for photographing.
A specific configuration of the illuminance sensor 6 is not particularly limited.

An apparatus main body 2 is accommodated in the housing 1 . The apparatus main body 2 includes a substantially flat base upper plate 21 to which various structures are assembled.
A finger placement portion 3 is provided on the front side (near side) of the base upper plate 21 and substantially in the center in the left-right direction.
The finger placement part 3 is a box-shaped member having an opening 31 (see FIG. 2) that opens to the front side of the apparatus, and a finger U (see FIGS. 3A and 3B, etc.) is inserted through the opening 31. ready to be inserted.
A finger holding member 32 is arranged inside the finger placement portion 3 to hold the inserted finger U from below. The finger holding member 32 of this embodiment has a shape in which substantially the central portion in the width direction (horizontal direction) is depressed. As a result, when the finger U is placed on the finger holding member 32, the pad of the finger U is received by the finger holding member 32, and the finger U can be prevented from rattling in the horizontal direction.

The back side (rear side in the Y direction) of the top surface of the finger placement portion 3 is an opening 33 that opens upward. The nail T of the finger U inserted into the finger placement portion 3 (the “target” of printing in this embodiment) is exposed from the opening 33 .
In this embodiment, the area where the opening 33 is provided is the printing operation area Ar3, and printing is performed by the printing unit 4 described later within the range of this printing operation area Ar3.
Further, the front side of the top surface of the finger placement portion 3 (the front side in the Y direction) serves as a finger presser 34 that prevents the finger U from being lifted up and regulates the position of the finger U in the upward direction.
The finger U is supported from below by the finger holding member 32 and the upper side of the finger U is pressed by the finger presser 34, so that the surface of the nail T of the finger U (printing target surface) is aligned with the printing unit 4 in the height direction. (for example, a height position about 2 to 3 mm below the ink ejection surface 411 of the print head 41, which will be described later).

A lower plate 22 is provided below the base upper plate 21 .
A space between the base upper plate 21 and the lower plate 22 constitutes a retraction space in which fingers corresponding to nails other than those to be printed are retracted.

A standby area (home position) Ar2 is provided on one side of the base plate 21, which is located in the movable area Ar1 of the print head 41 and is located on the rear side of the device relative to the finger placement section 3. A maintenance area Ar4 is provided on the other side.
In this embodiment, the standby area Ar2 is arranged on the right side, and the maintenance area Ar4 is arranged on the left side. Note that the arrangement of the standby area Ar2 and the maintenance area Ar4 is not particularly limited, and for example, the left and right sides may be reversed.
The standby area Ar2 is provided with a cap mechanism (not shown) for covering the ink ejection surface 411 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) of the print head 41 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) to protect it from drying when not printing. It is

The maintenance area Ar4 is provided with a maintenance mechanism (not shown) that performs maintenance such as cleaning of the ink ejection surface 411 of the print head 41 during non-printing. As the maintenance mechanism, for example, a purge section, a wipe section, and the like are provided (both of which are not shown in detail).
The purge section forcibly ejects ink from ejection openings (not shown) of nozzles formed on the ink ejection surface 411 of the print head 41 to remove air, impurities, and viscosity in ink flow paths such as inside the nozzles. It receives the ink that is forcibly ejected from the ink ejection surface 411 during the so-called purging process, in which the rising ink or the like is discharged to the outside together with the ink.
The wiping unit includes, for example, a cleaning blade that wipes off ink or the like adhering to the ink ejection surface 411, and cleans the ink ejection surface 411 on the lower surface of the print head 41 by wiping.

Further, the base upper plate 21 is provided with a printing unit 4 for printing on the nail T to be printed.
The printing unit 4 includes a print head (cartridge) 41 for printing. The lower surface of the print head 41 is an ink ejection surface 411 (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) for ejecting ink.
In this embodiment, the print head 41 incorporates an ink reservoir (not shown), and is a head-integrated type having an ink-jet ejection mechanism that ejects fine droplets of ink from the ink ejection surface 711 to print on an object to be printed. It's an ink cartridge.

The print head 41 appropriately ejects predetermined ink from an ink ejection surface 411 (ejection ports formed in the ink ejection surface 411) under the control of a control unit 71 (see FIG. 5) described later to perform printing. It's becoming
The ink reservoirs are provided for, for example, cyan (C; CYAN), magenta (M; MAGENTA), and yellow (Y; YELLOW) inks. In addition, the ink that can be ejected from the print head 41 is not limited to the example shown here, and an ink storage section that stores ink of another color may be provided. Further, it may be configured so as to be capable of ejecting a base liquid agent, an overcoat liquid agent, or the like.

The print head 41 is mounted on a carriage 451 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B) while being held by a holder 42 (see FIG. 2). The carriage 451 is provided over substantially the entire lateral direction (X direction) of the base upper plate 21, and an X direction guide shaft 455 extending in the lateral direction (X direction) of the apparatus is provided in the carriage 451. It is By operating the X-direction movement motor 45 (see FIG. 5), the print head 41 held by the holder 42 moves in the X-direction along the X-direction guide shaft 455 .
In this embodiment, the carriage 451, the X-direction guide shaft 455, the X-direction movement motor 45, and the like are provided to constitute an X-direction movement mechanism for moving the print head 41 in the X direction.

Y-direction guide shafts 475 extending in the front-rear direction (Y-direction) of the apparatus are provided on both sides of the base upper plate 21 . Both ends of the carriage 451 in the longitudinal direction are attached to the pair of Y-direction guide shafts 475 respectively. When the Y-direction movement motor 47 (see FIG. 5) operates, the print head 41 moves in the Y-direction together with the carriage 451 along the Y-direction guide shaft 475 .
In this embodiment, the Y-direction guide shaft 475, the Y-direction movement motor 47, and the like are included to constitute a Y-direction movement mechanism for moving the print head 41 in the Y direction.

In the present embodiment, the print head 41 is arranged at a “first position” that does not block the external light SL from the external light intake unit 15 during non-printing, and the print head 41 is placed at the “first position” where the external light SL is received from the external light intake unit 15 during printing. It is arranged at the “second position” where the external light SL can be blocked.
As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the external light taking-in portion 15 of the present embodiment is the side portion of the housing 1 and the front side of the device corresponding to the finger placement portion 3 (see FIG. 3). (a) and FIG. 3(b)).
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the print head 41 is lowered together with the carriage 451 toward the back side in the Y direction (that is, when arranged in the standby area Ar2 or the maintenance area Ar4), The external light SL entering from the light intake unit 15 is not blocked by the print head 41 or the like, and the finger U and the nail T are illuminated by the external light SL. In this way, the position where the print head 41 is lowered to the back side in the Y direction (the position corresponding to the standby area Ar2 and the maintenance area Ar4) is the "first position of
A user who has inserted his or her finger U into the device may want to visually confirm the positions of the finger U or nail T and the like. In such a case, by arranging the print head 41 at the "first position" on the back side of the apparatus (position shown in FIG. 3A), the user can look inside the apparatus through the external light intake section 15. By inserting the finger, one's own finger U and nail T placed on the finger placement portion 3 can be seen.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the print head 41 is arranged on the front side in the Y direction together with the carriage 451 (that is, it is arranged in the printing operation area Ar3 or in an area to the right of the printing operation area Ar3). ), the external light SL entering from the external light intake unit 15 is blocked by the print head 41 and the like, and the finger U and the nail T are not illuminated by the external light SL. In this way, the front position of the print head 41 in the Y direction (the position within the printing operation area Ar3 or the position between the printing operation area Ar3 and the external light intake section 15) is This is the "second position" that blocks the light SL.

When the finger U and the nail T are illuminated by the external light SL, the entire area within the angle of view glows white when photographed by the photographing unit 5. Difficult to get images.
Further, when the light contains a red component (for example, red light or white light), even if a nail image is obtained, it is difficult to correctly identify the area of the nail T from the image. This is difficult, and there is a risk of erroneous recognition of the outline shape, such as recognizing the finger U as the nail T as well.
For this reason, when photographing is performed by the photographing unit 5, it is preferable that the nail T and the finger U are not exposed to the light, especially the external light SL including the red component, as much as possible.
Therefore, when photographing, the print head 41 is moved to the front side of the apparatus (the position shown in FIG. 3B), and the print head 41 is placed at the "second position" to prevent false recognition of the contour of the nail. This makes it possible to take pictures that are less prone to blur.

As described above, the light shielding member 16 that transmits the light in the blue wavelength range as the "light in the second wavelength range" is arranged in the external light intake section 15 of the present embodiment.
As described above, blue is the opposite color (or complementary color) to the color of human nails T and skin. Light has relatively little effect on recognition of the contour shape of the nail T. However, even if the blue light has a high intensity, it is reflected by the fingernail T or the like when incident, and the whole becomes whitish.
Therefore, even if the blue light passes through the light shielding member 16, it is preferable to block the light as much as possible when the photographing device 51 is used for photographing.

Here, the positions and sizes of the external light intake section 15 and the light shielding member 16 will be described in detail in relation to the photographing device 51 and the like.
In FIGS. 4A and 4B, the angle of view of the imaging device 51 and the image of the spread of the incident light entering from the external light intake section 15 are indicated by dashed lines. Further, the photographing device 51 is arranged such that the center of the angle of view indicated by the alternate long and short dash line passes through the center of the nail T. As shown in FIG.

The external light intake portion 15 of the present embodiment has, for example, a diameter approximately the same as the diameter of the lens of the photographing device 51 (for example, about 5.2 mm). The angle θ of incident light (the center of the incident light is indicated by a dashed line in the figure) with respect to the surface on which the finger U) is placed is, for example, about 23.6 degrees.
The light shielding member 16 is fitted in the external light intake portion 15 which is the hole. In addition, the light shielding member 16 may be provided corresponding to the external light intake portion 15, and is not limited to the case where it is fitted in the external light intake portion 15 as shown in the illustrated example.

The external light SL such as white in the daytime and reddish external light SL in the evening pass through the light shielding member 16 fitted in the external light intake portion 15 and become light of blue wavelength components. , enter the device.
As described above, the positions and sizes of the external light intake portion 15 and the light shielding member 16 are appropriately adjusted according to various conditions, and are not limited to those illustrated here. For example, here, it is assumed that the photographing device 51 having performance equivalent to that used in a general smart phone or the like is applied. Even if the conditions are the same, it is also possible to make the size of the external light intake portion 15 smaller than the example shown here.

As shown in FIG. 4A, when the print head 41 is arranged on the left side of the finger placement portion 3, even when the print head 41 is lowered to the back side in the Y direction, the front side in the Y direction 2, the external light SL entering from the external light intake unit 15 is not blocked by the print head 41 or the like, and the finger U and the nail T are illuminated by the external light SL.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the print head 41 is protruding to the front side in the Y direction and is arranged on the right side of the printing operation area Ar3 and the finger placement section 3, In this case, the print head 41 is arranged between the external light intake portion 15 and the nail T. As shown in FIG. Therefore, the external light SL entering from the external light intake unit 15 is blocked by the print head 41 and the like, and the finger U and the nail T are not exposed to the external light SL.

The printing device 100 also includes a communication unit 74 (see FIG. 5).
The communication unit 74 is for communicating between the printing device 100 and various external devices such as the terminal device 8, for example.
Communication via the communication unit 74 may use a network line such as the Internet, or wireless communication based on a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). can be anything. When communicating via a network, the network used for communication may use any line. Further, the communication between the printing apparatus 100 and the terminal apparatus 8 or the like is not limited to wireless communication, and a configuration in which various data can be transmitted and received between the two through a wired connection may be employed.
The communication unit 74 includes a wireless communication module or the like capable of communicating with the communication unit 84 or the like of the terminal device 8 as a communication partner, and its operation is controlled by the control unit 71 . The communication unit 74 may be any unit that can communicate with the terminal device 8 or the like.

The printing device 100 further includes a control device 7 .
The control device 7 includes, for example, a control unit 71 configured by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and a memory configured by ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. (none of which is shown). 72 .
Part or all of the storage unit 72 may be configured separately and provided outside the control device 7 .

The storage unit 72 stores various programs for operating the printing apparatus 100 (for example, programs for adjusting the photographing device, printing processing, etc.) and various data. , for example, in a work area of the RAM, and the program is executed in the control unit 71, whereby each unit of the printing apparatus 100 is centrally controlled.
Further, in the present embodiment, the environment (intensity and wavelength range of incident light (external light SL) acquired by the illuminance sensor 6 at the time of photographing, etc.) when an image is photographed by the photographing device 51 at the time of factory shipment of the apparatus, etc. The storage unit 72 may store set values (that is, values confirmed at the time of shipment that photography, nail recognition, etc. can be performed properly).

In particular, in the present embodiment, the control unit 71 functions as an information acquisition unit that acquires information about the nail T, including the contour shape of the nail T, from the image captured by the imaging unit 5 (the nail image acquired by the imaging device 51). do.
The information including the contour shape of the nail T is, for example, data representing the contour line defining the area of the nail T by X, Y coordinates or the like.
The method by which the control unit 71 acquires information about the nail T is not particularly limited. For example, the nail T is recognized from the image by performing various image analysis processes. Note that machine learning may be performed for nail recognition to improve the recognition accuracy.

The control unit 71 also generates print data by matching design data to the acquired contour shape of the nail T. FIG. Note that the control unit 71 may acquire information such as the degree of curvature of the nail T as information on the nail T. FIG. In this case, depending on the degree of curvature of the nail T, etc., curvature correction or the like may be performed as appropriate. As a result, print data more suitable for the nail T can be obtained.
The control unit 71 also functions as a print control unit that controls the printing operation of the printing unit 4 so as to print based on the generated print data in the print range set based on the information about the nail T.

Further, the control unit 71 may operate the photographing unit 5 (the photographing device 51 of the photographing unit 5) to photograph the image of the nail T even during printing on the nail T. FIG. When an image of the nail T is obtained during printing, the control unit 71 may function as an image output unit that outputs the image (image data) of the nail T captured by the imaging device 51 to the terminal device 8 or the like.
Note that the destination to which the control unit 71 as an image output unit outputs an image is not limited to an external device such as the terminal device 8 or the like. For example, if the printing apparatus 100 itself has a display unit, the display unit may be used as the image output destination.
When the image is output, the display unit 85 or the like displays a live view of how the nail T is printed based on the image.

Further, in the present embodiment, the intensity of the incident light detected by the illuminance sensor 6 is sent to the control unit 71, and the control unit 71 detects the light incident on the nail T or the like based on the detection result. Determine whether the illuminance is suitable. For example, the control unit 71 determines whether or not it is possible to appropriately detect nail information such as the contour shape of the nail T from the nail image captured by the imaging device 51 (that is, whether or not an appropriate image without blown-out highlights can be acquired). or not).
Specifically, for example, an illuminance value is stored in advance in the storage unit 72 or the like, and the control unit 71 functions as a comparison unit that compares the prestored illuminance value with the value acquired by the illuminance sensor 6. do. Then, the imaging device 51 is controlled so as to perform imaging when the comparison result is within the allowable range.

The control unit 71 also functions as a shooting control unit that adjusts the shooting sensitivity of the shooting device 51 of the shooting unit 5 (that is, the ISO sensitivity of the camera) when the comparison result determined by the comparison unit is not within the allowable range. That is, when the nail information cannot be detected appropriately, the control unit 71 appropriately adjusts the sensitivity of the photographing device 51 so that the irradiation intensity detected by the illuminance sensor 6 is the illuminance suitable for photographing. The photographing device 51 is controlled so as to perform photographing when it becomes.
Specifically, if the detected illuminance is too high, adjustments are made to reduce the sensitivity of the imaging device 51, and if the detected illuminance is too low, the light captured by the imaging device 51 is electronically amplified. to adjust the sensitivity.

Further, the printing apparatus 100 of this embodiment cooperates with an external device such as the terminal device 8 and operates according to instructions input from the terminal device 8 or the like.
As the terminal device 8, for example, a mobile terminal device such as a smart phone or a tablet is assumed, but the terminal device 8 is not limited to this. The terminal device 8 is not particularly limited as long as it can communicate with the printing device 100, and may be, for example, a notebook or stationary personal computer, a game terminal device, or the like.
Specifically, the terminal device 8 includes an operation unit 83, a communication unit 84, a display unit 85, a control device 80, and the like.

The operation unit 83 can perform various inputs and settings according to the user's operation. When the operation unit 83 is operated, an input signal corresponding to the operation is transmitted to the control device 80. be done. For example, in this embodiment, the user can select a nail design to be printed on the nail T by operating the operation unit 83 . In this embodiment, a touch panel is integrally provided on the surface of the display unit 85, and the user can also perform various operations such as input and setting by touching the touch panel.
Note that the operation unit 83 for performing operations such as various inputs and settings is not limited to a touch panel. For example, various operation buttons, a keyboard, a pointing device, etc. may be provided as the operation unit 83 .
Various inputs and settings may be performed in the printing apparatus 100 by operating the operation unit 83 .

The communication unit 84 communicates with the communication unit 74 of the printing device 100 . For example, when data such as a nail image is transmitted from the printing apparatus 100, it is received. The communication unit 84 includes a wireless communication module or the like capable of communicating with the communication unit 74 of the printing apparatus 100 .
Note that the communication unit 84 may be any device that can communicate with the printing device 100, and one that conforms to the communication standard of the communication device 74 of the printing device 100 is applied.

The display unit 85 is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electroluminescence display, or another flat display.
As described above, a touch panel for performing various inputs may be integrally formed on the surface of the display section 85 . In this case, the touch panel also functions as the operation unit 12 or the like.
In the present embodiment, the display unit 85 can display nail designs input/selected by the user from the operation unit 83, images transmitted from the printing apparatus 100, and the like.

Further, the display unit 85 can display various guidance screens, warning display screens, etc. under the control of the control unit 81 .
Furthermore, if the imaging device 51 is capable of capturing a moving image that can be displayed in live view, the display unit 85 may display the moving image in live view at any time.

The control device 80 is a computer including a control unit 81 configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown) and a storage unit 82 configured by a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) not shown. is.

The storage unit 82 stores various programs, various data, and the like for operating each unit of the terminal device 8 .
Specifically, in the ROM or the like of the present embodiment, various programs such as a nail print application program for performing nail printing using the printing apparatus 100 are stored in addition to an operation program for centrally controlling each section of the terminal device 8. (none of which are shown) are stored, and the terminal device 8 is controlled by the control device 80 developing these programs in, for example, the work area of the RAM and executing them.
Further, nail design data, image data of the nail T, and the like are stored in the storage unit 82 of the present embodiment.

The control unit 81 comprehensively controls the operation of each unit of the terminal device 8 . The control unit 81 cooperates with the programs stored in the storage unit 82 to realize various functions for printing on nails.

The operation of the printing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

When the printer 100 is to be used for printing, the operation unit 12 is operated to turn on the power, thereby activating the printer 100 . Further, in this embodiment, the terminal device 8 is also activated in a mode that interlocks with the printing device 100 .
When the printing apparatus 100 is activated, the print head 41 is in a waiting state in the waiting area Ar2 (that is, arranged in the "first position").

When the terminal device 8 is activated, a message is displayed on the display section 85 of the terminal device 8 prompting the user to place the finger U on the finger placement section 3 of the printing device 100 (step S1).
Then, when the finger U is placed on the finger placing section 3, the finger U (the finger U including the nail T) is photographed by the photographing device 51 of the photographing section 5 to obtain a nail image (step S2). When the nail image is acquired, the control unit 71 recognizes the contour shape of the nail T from the nail image by performing image analysis or the like (step S3).

The control unit 71 determines whether or not the contour shape and the like of the nail T can be appropriately recognized from the nail image (step S4). The illuminance sensor 6 measures the intensity of incident light (blue light that has passed through the light shielding member 16 in this embodiment) that has entered from the intake section 15 . The measurement result is sent to the control unit 71, and the control unit 71 acquires the illuminance (this is referred to as the 'first illuminance') when the print head 41 is at the 'first position' (step S5). .

Next, the control unit 71 operates the Y-direction movement motor 47 to move the print head 41 from the "first position" to the "second position" and block the incident light from the external light intake unit 15. (step S6).
In this state, the intensity of the incident light (blue light) is measured again by the illuminance sensor 6 . The measurement result is sent to the control unit 71, and the control unit 71 acquires the illuminance (this is referred to as the 'second illuminance') when the print head 41 is at the 'second position' (step S7). .

Further, the control unit 71 sets the thus obtained first illuminance and second illuminance as the second illuminance/first illuminance, which is the relative value of the intensity of blue light (incident light in the blue wavelength range). is calculated and compared with the relative value of the first illuminance and the second illuminance at the time of shipment (second illuminance/first illuminance) stored in the storage unit 72 or the like (step S8). Thereby, the degree of influence on contour recognition (recognition of the contour shape of the nail T) is determined (step S9).
That is, at the time of shipment, the state of each part of the device, such as the sensitivity of the photographing device 51, is adjusted so that an image that can recognize the contour of the nail T with high precision can be obtained. For this reason, by comparing the illuminance situation at the time of shipment with the current situation, it is possible to determine how much the current usage environment (illuminance in the device, degree of brightness and darkness, etc.) affects the recognition of the contour shape of the nail T. can determine whether

After determining the degree of influence, the control unit 71 adjusts the sensitivity of the photographing device 51 according to the degree of influence (step S10).
Specifically, when the illuminance is too low to capture a sufficient nail image for recognizing the contour of the nail (such as when the image is too dark and unclear), the sensitivity of the imaging device 51 is adjusted to increase. I do. When photographing is performed in a state in which the light transmitted by the light shielding member 16 is limited to blue light among the external light SL as in the present embodiment, the sensitivity is adjusted so as to particularly increase the sensitivity of blue. When the light shielding member 16 transmits light of other colors, adjustment is made so as to increase the sensitivity of the photographing device 51 for light of each color.

In addition, for example, when the illuminance is too high and the nail T and its surroundings are too bright and it is not possible to obtain a nail image that allows correct contour recognition (when the entire image is overexposed and unclear, etc.). performs adjustment to lower the sensitivity of the imaging device 51 .
Then, the process returns to step S2 and the subsequent processes are repeated.
By comparing the illuminance of the blue light at the time of shipment and the degree of the current illuminance in this way, it is possible to correct the sensitivity of the photographing device 51 so as to achieve the set value (ideal value) at the time of shipment. Even when the printing apparatus 100 is used in a bright and dark environment, stable performance can be maintained.

On the other hand, if an appropriate nail image can be acquired and the contour shape of the nail T can be appropriately recognized from this nail image (step S4; YES), the control unit 71 causes the terminal device 8 to After removing the finger U and applying the base to the nail T, the display unit 85 or the like displays a message prompting the user to place the finger U on the finger placement unit 3 again via the control unit 81 (step S11).
Then, the control unit 71 generates print data according to the recognized contour shape, and prints the nail design on the nail T of the finger U placed on the finger placement unit 3 based on the print data (step S12). . Note that the nail T may be printed by the photographing unit 5 during printing, and the state of the nail T being printed may be displayed as a live view on the display unit 8 or the like at any time.
As a result, the sensitivity of the photographing device 51 can be optimized according to the situation even when the conditions and environments such as the brightness of the nail T and its surroundings vary depending on the location where the printing device 100 is used. , it is possible to perform accurate nail recognition under any environment.

The undercoat is applied by hand-applying a base liquid such as white by the user. Note that application of the undercoat is not limited to hand-coating, and may be performed by the printing apparatus 100, or may be performed by a dedicated printer for the undercoat.
After the undercoat is applied, the nail T may be photographed again by the imaging device 51 before printing, and area recognition (white recognition) may be performed to recognize the area where the undercoat is applied. In this case, display data may be generated by matching the design to the recognized white area, and a preview of the finished image after printing may be displayed on the display unit 85 or the like.
By displaying the design in the white area, the user can more appropriately imagine the finish.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the photographing unit 5 (the photographing device 51 of the photographing unit 5) that photographs an object arranged in the apparatus and the external light SL that can be taken into the apparatus. A light capturing portion 15 and a light shielding member 16 for blocking “light in the first wavelength band” of the external light are provided. By being arranged at the position corresponding to 15, the "light in the second wavelength range" other than the "light in the first wavelength range" is transmitted into the device.
As a result, the place where the outside light SL is incident can be narrowed down to the outside light intake section 15, and the amount of light entering the device can be suppressed.
In addition, the light shielding member 16 allows light in a specific wavelength range (that is, "light in the second wavelength range") to enter the device from the external light SL.
For this reason, incident light can be limited to light in a wavelength range that has little effect on imaging, and the risk of erroneously recognizing the outline of an object while taking in external light SL and using it as illumination during imaging can be avoided. It is possible to avoid this and achieve high-precision contour recognition.

Further, the object in this embodiment is the nail T, which is the object to be printed.
When the nail T is illuminated with light of a color close to the skin (a color containing many red components), the outline of the skin and the nail T is likely to be erroneously recognized.
In this respect, by providing a light shielding member 16 that blocks "light in the first wavelength range" and transmits "light in the second wavelength range" into the apparatus, the external light SL is taken in during imaging. It is possible to avoid the risk of erroneously recognizing the contour of the nail while using it as illumination, and to realize highly accurate recognition of the contour of the nail.

In addition, the external light intake part 15 is provided at a position where the object (claw T in this embodiment) can be seen on the front or side of the device (in this embodiment, the right side of the device as shown in FIG. 1). ing.
As a result, the outside light SL can be taken into the apparatus, and the user can look inside the apparatus through the outside light taking-in section 15 and check the inside of the apparatus.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the light shielding member 16 uses "light in the second wavelength range", which is light in a wavelength range other than "light in the first wavelength range", as light in the wavelength range opposite or complementary to the target color. It allows light to pass through.
The printing apparatus 100 is assumed to be used in various environments such as indoors at home or in a store under fluorescent lights, or under natural light outdoors. There are various wavelength ranges of light, such as white light and red light, which contain a red component.
For example, when the object is the nail T, the color of the nail T and the skin contains many red components. For this reason, when the light shielding member 16 transmits blue light, which is the opposite color (or complementary color), the blue light makes the contour shape of the nail T different from the surrounding skin, compared to red light containing a red component. It is difficult to influence when distinguishing and recognizing.
In this way, by allowing only the light in the wavelength range opposite or complementary to the target color out of the external light SL to enter the apparatus, the outline of the target can be accurately recognized even under various environments. can be done.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 71 functions as a comparison unit that compares the value of illuminance stored in advance with the value acquired by the illuminance sensor, and the photographing unit 5 performs the comparison of the control unit 71 as a comparison unit. If the result is acceptable, take the picture.
As a result, it is possible to avoid photographing in an environment in which highly accurate contour recognition cannot be performed.

In addition, the illuminance sensor 6 of the present embodiment has high sensitivity to the "light in the second wavelength range" that the light blocking member 16 transmits into the device.
In this embodiment, the light shielding member 16 allows only light in a specific wavelength range (that is, "light in the second wavelength range") to enter the device from the external light SL. For this reason, for example, when photographing under the blazing sun of the setting sun, which has a lot of red components, the illuminance of the outside light SL itself may be high, but the amount of light taken into the apparatus via the light shielding member 16 may be small.
In this respect, by measuring the illuminance of incident light with the illuminance sensor 6, which has high sensitivity to the light in the wavelength range transmitted by the light shielding member 16, the amount of light actually taken into the device through the light shielding member 16 can be determined. Illuminance can be measured appropriately This will prevent situations in which the inside of the device is too dark, or conversely too bright, resulting in overexposed highlights, making it impossible to acquire nail images properly. can be prevented. By enabling acquisition of an image (nail image) suitable for target recognition (nail recognition in this embodiment), erroneous recognition of the outline of the target is also prevented.

In this embodiment, the control unit 71 also functions as an imaging control unit that adjusts the imaging sensitivity of the imaging unit 5 when the comparison result determined by the comparison unit is not within the allowable range.
This makes it possible to easily improve the situation by increasing or decreasing the shooting sensitivity in situations where only images that are not suitable for high-precision contour recognition can be captured, and to create images that are suitable for high-precision contour recognition. can be taken.

Further, the photographing unit 5 of the present embodiment photographs the nail T even while the printing unit 4 is printing, and the photographed image of the nail T is output to the terminal by the control unit 71 as an image output unit. Output to the display unit 85 of the device 8 or the like.
As a result, an image showing how the design is printed on the nail T is displayed on the display unit 85 or the like, and the user can confirm the printing process in real time. Therefore, the user does not feel uneasy even if there is a sound of the printing unit 4 operating inside the apparatus, and can wait for the completion of printing with peace of mind.

Further, in this embodiment, the printing unit 4 is provided with the print head 41 that performs the printing operation. position”, and is arranged at a “second position” that can block the outside light SL taken in from the outside light taking part 15 during printing.
As a result, until the printing operation is started, the user can easily see the fingernail T or the like illuminated by the external light SL when looking into the inside of the apparatus through the external light intake unit 15. When the photographing device 51 of 5 is photographing the nail T being printed, it is possible to appropriately photograph by suppressing the light entering the device.

Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 71 as the information acquisition unit acquires information about the nail T including the contour shape of the nail T based on the image (nail image) captured by the imaging device 51 of the imaging unit 5. .
Accordingly, information such as the contour of the nail can be obtained from the nail image. The light source for photographing the nail image is external light SL, the amount of light of which is limited by the external light intake section 15 and the wavelength range of the transmitted light is narrowed by the light shielding member 16 . Therefore, it is possible to photograph a nail image in which the contour of the nail or the like can be accurately recognized without providing a separate light source in the apparatus.

Further, in the present embodiment, the printing operation by the printing unit 4 is performed by the control unit 71 as a printing control unit so that printing is performed in the printing range (that is, the inner area of the contour of the nail) set based on the information regarding the nail T. controlled.
As a result, a well-finished nail print that matches the contour shape of the nail T that has been accurately recognized can be realized.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Since this embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in the configuration of the external light intake section, the differences from the first embodiment will be described below.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the printing apparatus according to this embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 7, in the printing apparatus 200 of the present embodiment, the outside light intake section 18 is provided not on the side of the upper housing 11 but on the cover section 17 arranged on the front side of the apparatus.
Specifically, the external light intake portion 18 is formed in the cover portion 17 at a substantially central portion in the width direction of the housing 1 (the lateral direction of the printing apparatus 200, the X direction in FIG. 7).
A light shielding member 19 is fitted in the external light intake portion 18 .
As in the first embodiment, the light shielding member 19 is arranged at a position corresponding to the external light capturing unit 18 at least when the image capturing unit 5 captures an image, thereby blocking the external light SL from the "first wavelength range. "light in the second wavelength region" other than red light, which is "light", is transmitted through the device, and in this embodiment, light in the blue wavelength region is mainly transmitted as the "light in the second wavelength region". applies.

From the external light intake section 18, the inside of the device, particularly the finger placement section 3 where the nail T to be printed is arranged, can be viewed from the outside of the device through the light shielding member 19. FIG.
In particular, since the external light intake section 18 of the present embodiment is provided larger than the external light intake section of the first embodiment, it is easy to see the inside of the apparatus.
On the other hand, a large amount of external light SL also enters, but the light shielding member 19 provided corresponding to the external light intake portion 18 transmits blue light that relatively does not affect recognition of the contour shape of the nail T. Therefore, even if there is a large amount of incident external light SL, if the sensitivity of the imaging device 51 is adjusted to decrease, it is possible to recognize the contour of the nail without degrading the accuracy so much.

Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 200 according to this embodiment will be described.
In the first embodiment, by moving the print head 41 to the "second position", it is possible to block the external light SL entering from the external light intake portion on the side surface. On the other hand, in this embodiment, even if the print head 41 is moved, the external light SL cannot be blocked.
Therefore, when the contour shape of the nail T and the like cannot be appropriately recognized from the nail image acquired by the imaging unit 5, the user is positioned so as to cover the front of the device to block the external light SL. , it is preferable to perform photographing by the photographing unit 5 in this state.

Specifically, therefore, the control unit 71 causes the illuminance sensor 6 to measure the intensity of the incident light (in this embodiment, blue light that has passed through the light shielding member 19) coming from the external light intake unit 18, and the measurement result is photographed. For example, a message instructing the user's standing position (for example, "Please move closer to the front of the apparatus") is displayed on the display unit 85 so that the illuminance is suitable for the display.
Then, when the nail T is photographed with an illuminance suitable for photographing and the contour of the nail can be recognized from the nail image, print data is generated according to this, the printing unit 4 is operated, and the inside of the contour of the nail is operated. Print with the area as the print range.

Other points are the same as those of the first embodiment, so description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the same effects as those of the first embodiment.
That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the external light intake section 18 is provided at the front position of the apparatus from which the finger placement section 3 can be seen. Therefore, it is easy to visually check the inside of the device, especially the state of the nail T and the finger U.
Even when the external light intake section 18 is provided on the front of the device, the light blocking member 19 reduces the light entering the device to light in a wavelength range such as blue light that does not affect the recognition of the contour shape of the nail T. can be squeezed. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately recognize the contour of the nail.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiments, only the external light SL captured through the external light capturing units 15 and 18 is used for capturing images by the image capturing unit 5, but an illumination device may be provided in the device. .
For example, the photographing unit 5 may include an illumination device in addition to the photographing device 51 . In this case, for example, a plurality of LEDs are arranged so as to surround the photographing device 51 . In this case, it is preferable to use an LED that emits blue light that does not easily affect the recognition of the contour of the nail.
Note that the light source of the lighting device is not limited to an LED as long as it can illuminate the object to be photographed by the photographing device 51 .
When the lighting device is provided in the apparatus, even when the printing apparatus 100 is used in a dark room where the external light SL cannot be relied upon, the light necessary for taking a picture can be obtained. . If the illumination device is composed of an LED or the like that emits blue light, it does not affect the recognition of the contour of the nail.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the light shielding members 16 and 19 mainly transmit light in the blue wavelength range as "light in the second wavelength range". is not limited to light in the blue wavelength range. For example, light with a wavelength of green may be used.
In this case, the illuminance sensor 6 is also provided with a high sensitivity to the light in the wavelength range (for example, green light) transmitted by the light shielding member. Further, the sensitivity adjustment of the photographing device 51 also adjusts the sensitivity to the light in the wavelength range transmitted by the light shielding member.

Further, for example, a transparent member that does not limit the wavelength range of light to be transmitted may be further provided, and the light shielding member and the transparent member may be exchangeable.
For example, the light shielding members 16 and 19 may be detachable, and the user may selectively fit either the light shielding member or the transparent member to the external light intake portion as necessary.
Note that "exchanging the light shielding member and the transparent member" is not limited to the case of selectively fitting the external light intake portion. For example, a flip-up mechanism for moving the light shielding member from a position where it does not interfere with the external light intake portion to a position where it does not interfere with it, or a mechanism for sliding up, down, left and right, etc. is provided to move the light shielding member to a position corresponding to the external light intake portion. When placed, the light shielding member is placed, and when it is moved, only the transparent member is fitted. Like a light control lens, one member can be used as both a light shielding member and a transparent member. It also includes a wide range of configurations and the like.

By making the light shielding member and the transparent member interchangeable in this way, when the user wants to check the state of the nail T inside the device, the transparent member can be arranged at a position corresponding to the external light intake section, and the photographing can be performed. When it is desired to block the external light SL as much as possible, such as when performing photographing with the unit 5, the light blocking member can be arranged at a position corresponding to the external light intake unit.
A user who wants to see the inside of the device feels uncomfortable that his or her nail T or finger U looks blue due to the blue light passing through the light shielding member when looking into the device through the external light intake section. There is also the problem of eye fatigue if the user continues to look at the blue light intensively.
In this respect, if the light-shielding member and the transparent member can be exchanged as appropriate, there is a demand from the user to view the inside of the device and a demand to restrict incident light other than blue light as much as possible so as not to cause erroneous recognition of the contour of the nail. can be compatible.

Furthermore, a shutter or the like for blocking the incidence of the external light SL may be provided in the external light intake section together with the light shielding member or the like.
In particular, as shown in the second embodiment, when the outside light intake section 18 is provided widely, the amount of incoming outside light SL is too large even with the light shielding member, making it difficult to perform proper photographing. Difficult cases can arise.
In this case, the external light SL may be blocked from entering from the external light intake section by closing the shutter.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the "first illuminance" when the print head 41 is at the "first position" and the "second illuminance" when the print head 41 is at the "second position" The case where the relative value of the intensity of blue light and the illuminance (intensity of blue light) at the time of shipment are compared to determine the degree of influence on contour recognition (recognition of contour shape of nail T) has been described. The method for determining the degree of influence on contour recognition is not limited to this.
For example, as in the embodiment, when the light entering the device from the external light intake units 15 and 18 is blue light that does not affect the contour recognition of the nail T, the "first illuminance" and " The illuminance sensor 6 acquires the "first illuminance" in which the incident light from the external light intake units 15 and 18 is not blocked, instead of the relative value to the "second illuminance". 1st illuminance".

In addition, since red light (light in the long wavelength range) is closer to skin color, it is more likely to cause malfunctions in recognizing nail contours. When arranging the light receiving portion and the illuminance sensor, etc., the light incident from the external light receiving portion need not be limited to blue light. not limited to For example, it may be red, white, or the like.
Further, if the sensitivity of the photographing device 51 can be adjusted, the light may contain some red component.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the case of determining the degree of influence on contour recognition is determined by comparing the illuminance (intensity of blue light) with the set value at the time of shipment. The object of comparison is not limited to the set value at the time of shipment, and determination may be made, for example, by comparison with a predetermined ideal value which is assumed not to cause erroneous recognition in contour recognition.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the adjustment of the sensitivity of the imaging device 51 is performed in consideration of the degree of influence on contour recognition. , the set value may be appropriately changed according to the use environment of the device.
For example, if the venue where the printing device is used or the interior of the store where the device is installed has warm colors such as red or orange, it is possible to customize the sensitivity adjustment as appropriate in consideration of various usage environments. good.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the printing device cooperates with the terminal device 8 to input various instructions and display images and messages on the terminal device 8 side. Not limited.
For example, the printing apparatus may be provided with a display section or the like so that the printing apparatus can complete the printing operation by itself without cooperation with the terminal device.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the control unit 71 of the printing device recognizes the contour shape of the nail T from the nail image acquired by the photographing device 51, etc., and generates print data was exemplified. 71 is not limited to this.
For example, the nail image acquired by the photographing device 51 may be sent to the terminal device side, and the control unit 81 of the terminal device may recognize the contour shape of the nail T from the nail image and generate print data. In this case, the control unit 71 of the printing device receives the print data from the terminal device 8 and operates the printing unit 4 to perform the printing operation.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalent ranges thereof. .
The invention described in the scope of claims originally attached to the application form of this application is additionally described below. The claim numbers in the appendix are as in the claims originally attached to the filing of this application.
[Appendix]
<Claim 1>
a photographing unit for photographing an object placed in the device;
an external light capturing section capable of capturing external light into the device;
a light shielding member that blocks light in a first wavelength range of the external light;
with
The light shielding member is arranged at a position corresponding to the external light taking-in part at least when the photographing part is used to capture light in the second wavelength range other than the light in the first wavelength range. permeate,
An electronic device characterized by:
<Claim 2>
2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the target is a nail to be printed.
<Claim 3>
3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the external light intake section is provided on the front or side of the device at a position where the object can be seen.
<Claim 4>
4. The light shielding member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the light in the second wavelength band transmits light in a wavelength band opposite or complementary to the target color. The electronic device described in .
<Claim 5>
A comparison unit that compares a value of illuminance stored in advance with a value acquired by the illuminance sensor, and the photographing unit performs photographing when the comparison result of the comparison unit is within an allowable range. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
<Claim 6>
6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the illuminance sensor has high sensitivity to light in the second wavelength band.
<Claim 7>
7. The electronic device according to claim 5, further comprising a photographing control unit that adjusts the photographing sensitivity of the photographing unit when the comparison result of the comparing unit is not within the allowable range.
<Claim 8>
8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a transparent member that is replaceable with the light shielding member and does not limit the wavelength range of light to be transmitted.
<Claim 9>
The imaging unit also performs imaging during printing on the target nail,
The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an image output unit that outputs an image of the nail photographed by the photographing unit during the printing.
<Claim 10>
having a print head that performs a printing operation;
The print head is arranged at a first position that does not block external light from the external light intake section during non-printing, and a second position that blocks external light received from the external light intake section during printing. 10. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the electronic device is arranged at a position of .
<Claim 11>
11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising an information acquisition unit that acquires information about the nail including the contour shape of the target nail based on the image captured by the image capturing unit. The electronic equipment described in the paragraph.
<Claim 12>
12. The electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising a print control section that controls a printing operation so as to print in a print range set based on the information about the nail.

1 Housing 2 Apparatus Main Body 3 Finger Placement Part 4 Printing Part 41 Print Head 5 Imaging Part 51 Imaging Device 6 Illuminance Sensor 15 Ambient Light Receiving Part 16 Light Shielding Member 71 Control Part 100 Printing Device Ar1 Movable Area Ar2 Standby Area Ar3 Printing Operation Area Ar4 Maintenance area SL Outside light T Nail U Finger

Claims (12)

a photographing unit for photographing an object placed in the device;
an external light capturing section capable of capturing external light into the device;
a light shielding member that blocks light in a first wavelength range of the external light;
with
The light shielding member is arranged at a position corresponding to the external light taking-in part at least when the photographing part is used to capture light in the second wavelength range other than the light in the first wavelength range. permeate,
An electronic device characterized by: 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the target is a nail to be printed. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the external light intake section is provided on the front or side of the device at a position where the object can be seen. 4. The light shielding member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the light in the second wavelength band transmits light in a wavelength band opposite or complementary to the target color. The electronic device described in . A comparison unit that compares a value of illuminance stored in advance with a value acquired by the illuminance sensor, and the photographing unit performs photographing when the comparison result of the comparison unit is within an allowable range. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the illuminance sensor has high sensitivity to light in the second wavelength band. 7. The electronic device according to claim 5, further comprising a photographing control unit that adjusts the photographing sensitivity of the photographing unit when the comparison result of the comparing unit is not within the allowable range. 8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a transparent member that is replaceable with the light shielding member and does not limit the wavelength range of light to be transmitted. The imaging unit also performs imaging during printing on the target nail,
The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an image output unit that outputs an image of the nail photographed by the photographing unit during the printing. having a print head that performs a printing operation;
The print head is arranged at a first position that does not block external light from the external light intake section during non-printing, and a second position that blocks external light received from the external light intake section during printing. 10. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the electronic device is arranged at a position of . 11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising an information acquisition unit that acquires information about the nail including the contour shape of the target nail based on the image captured by the image capturing unit. The electronic equipment described in the paragraph. 12. The electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising a print control section that controls a printing operation so as to print in a print range set based on the information about the nail.

Images