JP2585917B2 - Toning and measuring device for printing ink and centralized supply system of printing ink using the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toning measuring device for mixing a large number of base inks of different colors to obtain a printing ink for producing a desired color of a printed material, and a centralized supply system using the same. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, at a site where a printing ink is used, such as a printing plant, a color sample of a printed material or the like is carried to an ink manufacturing plant in order to obtain a printing ink that produces a desired color of a printed material. In an ink manufacturing plant, a printing ink corresponding to a color sample was manufactured by blending base inks such as red, blue, yellow, transparent medium, and black.

[0003]

However, in such a method, it takes time and effort to transport a color sample to an ink manufacturing plant, which increases the number of steps required to obtain the printing ink and delays the delivery of the printing ink. there were.
In order to solve such a problem, there has been a place where a toning measuring device for printing ink is installed on site. However, in this case, another problem that a large amount of equipment cost is required has arisen.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the trouble and time required to transport a color sample to an ink manufacturing plant, thereby reducing the number of steps required to obtain the printing ink and shortening the delivery time of the printing ink. To provide a toning and measuring device. It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing ink centralized supply system which does not require a large amount of equipment cost in addition to the above objects.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a toning / measuring apparatus for a printing ink, comprising: a spectrophotometer for measuring a reflectance of a color sample such as a printed matter for each wavelength to obtain a wavelength pattern;
Data transmitting means for transmitting the data of the wavelength pattern obtained by the spectrophotometer via a communication line, data receiving means for receiving the data of the wavelength pattern via the communication line, and Input pattern storage means for storing the received wavelength pattern data as an input wavelength pattern; and a large number of registered wavelength patterns that have already been measured and the mixing ratio of the base ink used to produce the colors of the registered wavelength patterns. Registration pattern storage means for storing, a mixing ratio determination means for comparing the input wavelength pattern and the registered wavelength pattern and calculating a mixing ratio of a base ink for producing a color of the input wavelength pattern,
A base ink discharger for discharging the base ink, a discharge amount detector for detecting the discharge amount of the base ink, and a discharge amount detected by the discharge amount detector and a mixing ratio determined by the mixing ratio determining means. Measuring means for discharging a predetermined amount of base ink from the base ink discharger based on the measured amount.

In a centralized supply system for printing ink according to the present invention, a number of sites using printing ink are connected to a center by a communication line, and a spectrophotometer and data transmission means are installed at each of the sites. The center is provided with data receiving means, input pattern storing means, registered pattern storing means, mixing ratio determining means, base ink discharger, discharge amount detector, and measuring means.

[0007]

The operation of the printing ink toning / measuring device according to the present invention is as follows. When a color sample is measured with a spectrophotometer, a wavelength pattern consisting of the reflectance for each wavelength is obtained.
The data of this wavelength pattern is sent to the communication line by the data transmitting means and received by the data receiving means. The data received by the data receiving means is stored in the input pattern storage means as an input wavelength pattern. On the other hand, a large number of registered wavelength patterns and the mixing ratios of the printing inks are stored in registered pattern storage means. In the mixing ratio determining means,
A large number of registered wavelength patterns and input wavelength patterns are compared, and if necessary, the registered wavelength patterns and their blending ratios are corrected by calculation, and a pattern that matches the input wavelength pattern is selected from the large number of registered wavelength patterns. The mixing ratio of the registered wavelength pattern at this time is the mixing ratio of the input wavelength pattern. The mixing ratio is determined for each base ink. The discharge amount detector outputs the discharge amount of the base ink to the measuring means. The measuring means operates the base ink discharger such that the discharge amount of the base ink becomes a predetermined amount based on the mixing ratio.

The operation of the printing ink supply system according to the present invention is as follows. Many sites are connected to the center by communication lines. From each site, wavelength pattern data obtained by measuring a color sample with a spectrophotometer is transmitted to a communication line by data transmission means. At the center, the data of the wavelength pattern is received by the data receiving means from the communication line. The data of the wavelength pattern received by the data receiving means is stored in the input pattern storage means as an input wavelength pattern. Hereinafter, the operation is the same as that of the above-described toning metering device.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a toning measuring device according to the present invention. The toning metering device 2 transmits the data of the wavelength pattern obtained by the spectrophotometer 4 to the communication line 6 by measuring the reflectance of each color sample such as a printed matter for each wavelength to obtain a wavelength pattern. Data transmitting means 8 for transmitting data via the communication line 6; data receiving means 10 for receiving the data of the wavelength pattern via the communication line 6;
Input pattern storage means 14 for storing the data of the wavelength pattern received at 0 as an input wavelength pattern A;
The already measured registered wavelength patterns R1, R2,..., Rn
, Sn, the input wavelength pattern A, the registered wavelength pattern, and R1, R2. ,..., Rn to calculate a mixing ratio B of the base ink for producing the color of the input wavelength pattern A, a mixing ratio determining unit 18, a base ink discharger 20 for discharging the base ink, A predetermined amount of base ink is supplied to the base ink discharger 20 based on the discharge amount detector 22 for detecting the discharge amount, and the discharge amount detected by the discharge amount detector 22 and the mixing ratio B obtained by the mixing ratio determining means 18. And a weighing means 24 for discharging the liquid from the nozzle.

The mixing ratios of the base inks S1, S2,.
n refers to the proportion of the base inks such as red, blue, yellow, transparent medium, and black for producing a printing ink that produces the colors of the registered wavelength patterns R1, R2,..., Rn. For example, the blending ratio Sm of the registered wavelength pattern Rm is red: blue:
Yellow: black = 1: 2: 3: 1 is stored.
The registered wavelength pattern and the compounding ratio are the wavelength pattern of the color printed so far and the compounding ratio at that time, and have a large number of combinations and are made into a database.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram specifically showing one embodiment of the toning measuring device according to the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG.

As the communication line 6, a general telephone line is used. The data transmission means 8 includes a personal computer 26 and a modem 28. The personal computer 26 controls the spectrophotometer 4 and the modem 28 and stores the data of the wavelength pattern obtained by the spectrophotometer 4. Since the data of the wavelength pattern is a digital signal, the modem 28 modulates the data into an analog signal of a voice frequency band and sends the analog signal to the communication line 6. The data of the wavelength pattern includes the reflectance Y1 of the color sample at the light wavelength X1, the reflectance Y2 of the color sample at the light wavelength X2,.
.., X1, Y1, X2, Y2,...
Is an array of numbers like

The input pattern storage means 14, the registered pattern storage means 16, the mixture ratio determining means 18 and the weighing means 24 constitute a control unit 30 comprising a host computer. The control unit 30 is connected with peripheral devices such as a keyboard 32, a CRT 34, a printer 36, and a modem as the data receiving unit 10. This modem demodulates a wavelength pattern data composed of an analog signal into a digital signal.

The base ink discharger 20 comprises an ink tank 40, a pressure pump 42, an electromagnetic valve 44, and the like. The pressure pump 42 pushes out the base ink from the ink tank 40 and discharges it from a nozzle 46 via a pipe 45. It is to let. Below the nozzle 46 is a container 48 for receiving the base ink. Although not shown, the base ink ejector 20 is provided for each base ink such as red, blue, yellow, transparent medium, and black.

FIGS. 3 to 5 are flowcharts showing the outline of the operation of the toning device according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a graph showing an input wavelength pattern. Hereinafter, the operation of the toning and weighing device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The reflectance at each wavelength of the color sample 50 such as a printed matter is measured by the spectrophotometer 4 (step 101). The color sample 50 is not limited to a printed matter, and may be a photograph, an actual thing, or the like. An input wavelength pattern A as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained from the data.

The input wavelength pattern A is modulated into an analog signal via the personal computer 26 and the modem 28 and transmitted to the communication line 6 (step 102). The transmitted input wavelength pattern A is received by a modem as the data receiving means 10, demodulated into a digital signal (step 103), and stored in the input pattern storage means 14 (step 104). The input wavelength pattern A is displayed on the CRT 34.

The mixing ratio determining means 18 compares the input wavelength pattern A with the registered wavelength pattern and R1, R2,..., Rn (step 105). As a result, the registered wavelength pattern Ra that matches or is closest to the input wavelength pattern A
Is selected (step 106). Registered wavelength pattern R
If a coincides with the input wavelength pattern A, the blend ratio Sb of the registered wavelength pattern Ra becomes the blend ratio B of the input wavelength pattern A (steps 107 and 108). If the registered wavelength pattern Ra does not match the input wavelength pattern A, the registered wavelength pattern Ra and the blending ratio Sb are corrected by calculation (steps 107 and 109), and the corrected registered wavelength pattern Ra2 matches the input wavelength pattern A. I do. The corrected mixing ratio Sb2 at this time becomes the mixing ratio B of the input wavelength pattern A (step 110).

An example of the correction method will be described. The registration pattern storage means 16 stores wavelength patterns of various densities of the respective base inks.
The amount of the base ink is increased or decreased according to the Kubelka-Munk color mixing theory so that the color difference and the hue difference are minimized. In this way, by performing correction from the approximate color, the correction amount becomes smaller than that of calculating the composition by calculation from the beginning, so that the color becomes closer to the target color. If this is a printing ink,
This is because it does not agree with Kubelka-Munk's color mixing theory.

The compounding ratio B is a ratio for each base ink, and is a numerical value such as red: yellow: black = 3: 4: 1. Further, the amount of the printing ink after mixing is input from the keyboard 32, and a predetermined amount of each base ink is determined based on this amount and the mixing ratio B (step 111). Then, the base ink is discharged from the base ink discharger 20 (step 112). The discharge amount of the base ink is sequentially detected by the discharge amount detector 22 and output to the measuring means 24. When the discharge amount of the base ink reaches the predetermined amount, the measuring means 24 outputs a signal and closes the valve 44 to terminate the measurement (step 113). A plurality of base ink dischargers 20 are provided for each color, and discharge of the base ink is performed one by one or simultaneously.

As described above, the color sample 50 is converted into numerical data as reflectance data for each wavelength, and this data is transmitted to the ink manufacturing plant via the communication line 6, and the printing ink corresponding to the color sample 50 is manufactured based on this data. By doing so, the labor and time for transporting the color sample 50 to an ink manufacturing factory or the like can be eliminated.

Further, the input wavelength pattern A and the registered wavelength pattern are compared with R1, R2,..., Rn to obtain a mixing ratio B, and a predetermined amount of base ink is automatically ejected based on the mixing ratio B. Therefore, the operator need only measure the reflectance of the color sample 50 for each wavelength with the spectrophotometer 4. Therefore, it can be easily performed by anyone without requiring a wealth of experience or a sharp feeling, and the work time is reduced. Since a large number of registered wavelength patterns R1, R2,..., Rn are stored in a database, there is almost no error in the mixing ratio B, and waste of the base ink can be suppressed.

As the discharge amount detector 22, a weight meter, a flow meter, and the like are used. Since the weighing scale needs to place the container 48,
There is a problem that it becomes larger. In particular, this problem becomes remarkable in a device that discharges a large amount of base ink. On the other hand, when a flow meter or the like is used, the size can be extremely reduced regardless of the discharge amount of the base ink. This is because a weighing scale measures the entire discharge rate, so if the discharge rate is large, the weighing scale must be increased accordingly, whereas a flow meter measures the flow rate per hour and numerically integrates the value. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the flow meter if the flow rate per time does not change even if the discharge amount is large. As the flow meter, a flow meter composed of an oval (non-circular) gear is preferable because it can accurately respond to a highly viscous fluid such as a base ink.

After the valve 44 is closed, the base ink remaining in the pipe 45 from the valve 44 to the nozzle 46 may flow out. If the outflow amount is input to the measuring means 24 in advance, the measuring means 24 anticipates the outflow amount before the discharge amount of the base ink reaches the predetermined amount, and the valve 44
By closing, the accuracy of weighing can be improved. The outflow amount may be, for example, a value obtained by multiplying the length from the valve 44 to the nozzle 46 by the inner diameter of the pipe 45.
When the outflow amount is input to the measuring means 24, the outflow amount may be replaced with the time when the outflow amount is exhausted.

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the printing ink centralized supply system according to the present invention. 1 to 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The centralized supply system 60 for printing ink according to the present invention includes a plurality of sites 62a using printing ink,
Are connected to the center 64 by the communication line 6,
The spectrophotometer 4 and the data transmitting means 8 are installed at the sites 62a, 62b,..., And the data receiving means 10, the input pattern storing means 14, the registered pattern storing means 16, and the mixing ratio determining means 18 are provided at the center 64. And a base ink discharger 20, a discharge amount detector 22, and a metering means 24. Here, the sites 62a, 62b, ...
Is a printing factory, for example, and the center 64 is, for example, an ink manufacturing factory.

The data of the wavelength pattern obtained by measuring the color sample 50 (see FIG. 2) with the spectrophotometer 2 is transmitted from each site 62a, 62b,. Sent to line 6. In the center 64, the data of the wavelength pattern is received by the data receiving means 10 from the communication line 6. The data of the wavelength pattern received by the data receiving means 10 is the input wavelength pattern A
(See FIG. 1) is stored in the input pattern storage means 14. Hereinafter, the operation is the same as that of the toning measurement device 2 described above. Thus, it is not necessary to provide the toning / measuring device 2 for each of the sites 62a, 62b,.

[0028]

According to the printing ink toning / measuring device according to the present invention, the color sample is quantified as reflectance data for each wavelength, and this data is transmitted to an ink manufacturing factory or the like via a communication line. By producing a printing ink corresponding to a color sample based on the above, it is possible to eliminate the trouble and time required to transport the color sample to an ink manufacturing factory or the like. Therefore, the number of steps required to obtain the printing ink can be reduced, and the delivery time of the printing ink can be shortened.

Further, the mixing ratio is obtained by comparing and calculating the input wavelength pattern and the registered wavelength pattern, and a predetermined amount of the base ink is automatically ejected based on the mixing ratio. All you need to do is measure it with a photometer. Therefore, anyone can easily operate without requiring abundant experience or sharp feeling, and the work time can be reduced by automation. Further, since a large number of registered wavelength patterns are stored in a database, there is almost no error in the mixing ratio, and the waste of the base ink can be suppressed.

According to the printing ink supply system according to the present invention, only the spectrophotometer and the data transmission means need to be installed at the site, and there is no need to provide a toning and measuring device at each site, so that equipment costs are reduced. Can be suppressed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a printing ink toning measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram specifically showing one embodiment of a printing ink toning measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an embodiment of the printing ink toning measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of an embodiment of the printing ink toning measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the embodiment of the printing ink toning and measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing an input wavelength pattern of the printing ink toning measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of the printing ink centralized supply system according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... Toning and measuring device 4 ... Spectrophotometer 6 ... Communication line 8 ... Data transmitting means 10 ... Data receiving means 14 ... Input pattern storing means 16 ... Registered pattern storing means 18 ... Mixing ratio determining means 20 ... Base ink ejector 22 ... discharge amount detector 24 ... measuring means 50 ... color sample 60 ... centralized supply system 62a, 62b ... field
64 ... Center

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A spectrophotometer that obtains a wavelength pattern by measuring a reflectance of a color sample such as a printed matter for each wavelength, and transmits the wavelength pattern data obtained by the spectrophotometer via a communication line. Data transmitting means, data receiving means for receiving the data of the wavelength pattern via the communication line, input pattern storage means for storing the data of the wavelength pattern received by the data receiving means as an input wavelength pattern, Registered pattern storage means for storing a large number of already measured registered wavelength patterns and the mixing ratio of the base ink used to produce the colors of the registered wavelength patterns, and a comparison operation between the input wavelength patterns and the registered wavelength patterns Means for determining the compounding ratio of the base ink for producing the color of the input wavelength pattern, and a base for discharging the base ink. A ink discharger, a discharge amount detector for detecting a discharge amount of the base ink, and a predetermined amount of base ink based on the discharge amount detected by the discharge amount detector and the mixing ratio determined by the mixing ratio determining means. And a measuring means for discharging the ink from the base ink discharger. 2. A plurality of sites using printing ink are connected to a center by a communication line, a spectrophotometer and data transmission means are installed at each of the sites, and a data reception unit and an input pattern are provided at the center. 2. The printing ink centralized supply system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit, a registered pattern storage unit, a mixing ratio determination unit, a base ink discharger, a discharge amount detector, and a measurement unit.