JP2686003B2 - Toning and measuring device for printing ink - 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 and metering device for mixing a large number of base inks of different colors to obtain a printing ink which produces a desired color of a printed matter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when obtaining a printing ink corresponding to a desired color of a printed matter, a base ink such as red, blue, yellow, transparent medium or black is blended by repeating trial and error by experience and intuition of an expert. Was.

[0003]

However, in such a method, there is a problem that the waste of the base ink is large and the working time is long. Moreover, the shortage of human resources in recent years has made it increasingly difficult to secure skilled personnel.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a toning and measuring device for a printing ink, which can eliminate the waste of the base ink, reduce the working time, and can be easily operated by anyone without requiring special skill. There are things.

A color-measuring device for printing ink according to the present invention comprises a spectrophotometer for measuring a reflectance for each wavelength of a color of a printed matter to obtain a wavelength pattern, and an input for storing the wavelength pattern as an input wavelength pattern. A large number of pattern storage means, registered wavelength patterns including the already measured mixture ratios of various base ink mixtures and reflectance patterns, and the mixture ratios of the base inks used for producing the colors of the registered wavelength patterns. Registered pattern storage means for storing, blending ratio determining means for calculating the blending ratio of the base ink for producing the color of the input wavelength pattern by comparing and calculating the input wavelength pattern and the registered wavelength pattern, and ejecting the base ink Base ink ejector, a flow meter that detects the discharge amount of the base ink, the discharge amount detected by this flow meter, and the above-mentioned compounding ratio determining device. A predetermined amount of base ink based on the determined was compounded ratio is characterized in that a metering means for discharging from the base ink dispenser.

The base ink ejector comprises a valve, and the expected outflow amount of the base ink after the valve is closed is preliminarily input to the measuring means in consideration of the viscosity, elasticity and plasticity of the base ink. You may be allowed to.

[0007]

According to the toning and weighing apparatus of the first to third aspects, the input wavelength pattern obtained by measuring the color of the printed matter with the spectrophotometer is stored in the input pattern storage means.
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. The mixture ratio determining means compares a large number of registered wavelength patterns with the input wavelength pattern, corrects the registered wavelength pattern and its mixture ratio by calculation as necessary, and matches the input wavelength pattern among the large number of registered wavelength patterns. What is done is selected. 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.

According to the toning and measuring apparatus of the second aspect, the discharge amount of the printing ink is detected by the flow meter.

According to the third aspect of the toning and measuring apparatus, before the discharge of the printing ink reaches a predetermined amount, the outflow amount of the printing ink after the valve is closed, in which the viscosity, elasticity and plasticity are taken into consideration, is calculated. In anticipation, the metering means closes the valve.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a toning measuring device according to the present invention. The toning and metering device 10 includes a spectrophotometer 12 that obtains a wavelength pattern by measuring reflectance for each wavelength of a color of a printed matter, an input pattern storage unit 14 that stores the wavelength pattern as an input wavelength pattern A, and Registered pattern storage means 16 that stores a large number of measured registered wavelength patterns R1, R2, ..., Rn and the blending ratios S1, S2, ..., Sn of the base ink used to produce the colors of this registered wavelength pattern. , The input wavelength pattern A, the registered wavelength pattern and R1, R2, ..., Rn are calculated to obtain the mixture ratio B of the base ink for producing the color of the input wavelength pattern A, and the base ink. Base ink ejector 20 for ejecting the ink, an ejection amount detector 22 for detecting the ejection amount of the base ink, and an ejection amount detected by the ejection amount detector 22 and a mixture ratio determining means. A predetermined amount of base ink based on the mixing ratio B obtained by 8 and a metering means 24 for discharging from the base ink dispenser 20.

Mixing ratio of base ink S1, S2, ..., S
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 and weighing apparatus according to the present invention. The same parts as those in FIG. The input pattern storage means 14, the registered pattern storage means 16, the mixture ratio determination means 18, and the weighing means 24 constitute a control unit 30 composed of a computer. The control unit 30 includes a keyboard 32,
Peripheral devices such as the CRT 34 and the printer 36 are connected. The base ink ejector 20 is composed of an ink tank 40, a pressure feed pump 42, an electromagnetic valve 44, etc., and the pressure feed pump 42 pushes out the base ink from the ink tank 40 and ejects it from a nozzle 46 via a pipe 45. is there. 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.

3 to 6 are flowcharts showing the outline of the operation of the toning and weighing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a graph showing the input wavelength pattern. The operation of the toning and weighing apparatus 10 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The reflectance of each color of the printed matter 50 to be obtained from each wavelength is measured by the spectrophotometer 12 (step 1).
01). The object to be measured is not limited to the printed matter 50, and may be a photograph, an actual article, or the like. Figure 6 from the data
The input wavelength pattern A as shown in is obtained and stored in the input pattern storage means 14 (step 102). The input wavelength pattern A is displayed on the CRT 34.

The blending ratio determining means 18 compares the input wavelength pattern A with the registered wavelength pattern R1, R2, ..., Rn (step 103). As a result, the registered wavelength pattern Ra that matches or is closest to the input wavelength pattern A
Is selected (step 104). Registered wavelength pattern R
When a matches the input wavelength pattern A, the mixture ratio Sb of the registered wavelength pattern Ra becomes the mixture ratio B of the input wavelength pattern A (step 105). When the registered wavelength pattern Ra does not match the input wavelength pattern A, the registered wavelength pattern Ra and the mixture ratio Sb are corrected by calculation (step 106), and the corrected registered wavelength pattern Ra2 matches the input wavelength pattern A. The corrected mixture ratio Sb2 at this time becomes the mixture ratio B of the input wavelength pattern A (step 107).

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 mixing 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 blending is input from the keyboard 32, and the predetermined amount of each base ink is determined based on this amount and the blending ratio B (step 108). Then, the base ink is ejected from the base ink ejector 20 (step 109). 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 a predetermined amount, the measuring unit 24 outputs a signal and closes the valve 44 to end the measurement. 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.

In this way, the input wavelength pattern A, the registered wavelength pattern, and R1, R2, ..., Rn are compared and calculated to obtain the mixture ratio B, and a predetermined amount of the base ink is automatically obtained based on the mixture ratio B. Since the ink is ejected, the operator only needs to measure the reflectance for each wavelength of the color of the printed matter 50 with the spectrophotometer 12. 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 scale, a flow meter or the like is 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 closing the valve 44, the base ink remaining in the pipe 45 from the valve 44 to the nozzle 46 may flow out. This residual amount is determined by the viscosity / elasticity and plasticity of the base ink. Therefore, if the outflow amount in consideration of these properties is input to the measuring means 24 in advance, the discharge amount of the base ink will reach a predetermined amount. The metering means 24 closes the valve 44 in anticipation of the outflow amount, whereby the accuracy of metering can be improved. The outflow amount is determined by, for example, the length from the valve 44 to the nozzle 46 and the pipe 45.
The value can be multiplied by the inner diameter of 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.

[0021]

According to the toning and weighing apparatus of the present invention,
The composition ratio is calculated by comparing and calculating the input wavelength pattern and the registered wavelength pattern, and a predetermined amount of base ink is automatically ejected based on this composition ratio, so the operator measures the color of the printed matter with a spectrophotometer. All you have to do is 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.

When the flow meter is used, the size of the flow meter does not change depending on the total discharge amount of the base ink, so that the size of the device that discharges a large amount of the base ink can be extremely reduced.

The outflow amount of the base ink in which the viscosity, elasticity and plasticity are added after the valve is closed is inputted in advance to the measuring means, and the measuring means measures the outflow amount before the discharge amount of the base ink reaches a predetermined amount. By closing the valve in anticipation,
The accuracy of weighing can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a toning and weighing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram specifically showing one embodiment of the toning and weighing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of an embodiment of the toning and weighing apparatus according to the present invention.

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

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of one embodiment of the toning and weighing apparatus according to the present invention.

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

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Toning and measuring device 12 ... Spectrophotometer 14 ... Input pattern storage means 16 ... Registered pattern storage means 18 ... Mixing ratio determining means 20 ... Base ink ejector 22 ... Ejection amount detector 24 ... Measuring means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP 61-19675 (JP, A) JP 61-171528 (JP, A) JP 1-61620 (JP, A) JP 4- 314768 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Sho 43-21008 (JP, B1)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A spectrophotometer that obtains a wavelength pattern by measuring reflectance for each wavelength of a color of a printed matter, an input pattern storage unit that stores the wavelength pattern as an input wavelength pattern, and various previously measured bases. Registered pattern storage means for storing a large number of registered wavelength patterns including a mixture ratio of an ink mixture and a reflectance pattern, and a mixture ratio of a base ink used for producing a color of the registered wavelength pattern; Mixing ratio determining means for calculating the mixing ratio of the base ink for producing the color of the input wavelength pattern by comparing and calculating the pattern and the registered wavelength pattern, a base ink ejector for ejecting the base ink, and an ejection of the base ink A flowmeter that detects the amount, and a predetermined amount based on the discharge amount detected by this flowmeter and the blending ratio obtained by the blending ratio determining means. Toning metering device for a printing ink characterized by comprising a metering means for discharging from the base ink dispenser the Suinki. 2. The base ink ejector has a valve, and the prospective outflow amount of the base ink after closing the valve takes into consideration the viscosity, elasticity and plasticity of the base ink, and then the measuring means is preliminarily provided with the measuring means. The color matching measuring device for printing ink according to claim 1, which is input.