JP2997157B2 - Thermal transfer color printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer color printer using a sublimation recording method in which an external color source such as an ink ribbon is activated by heat to transfer and record on plain paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A thermal transfer printing method is a non-impact recording method, so it is excellent in quietness, and since all processes are solid-state, it is excellent in maintainability, and furthermore, it is possible to stably obtain a color image with high saturation. It is widely used as a personal use printer because of its advantages.

In the case of color printing using the thermal transfer recording method, a single area of an ink ribbon is used in which a predetermined area is divided into strips using yellow, magenta, and cyan as one unit, which are called three primary colors of printing. Or a line-sequential method in which the color is changed every time one line is recorded, and all the colors are recorded, and then the transfer-receiving paper is line-fed in the sub-scanning direction to perform the color recording.

[0004] The thermal transfer recording method includes a melt transfer method and a sublimation recording method (dye diffusion transfer recording method) depending on the type of ink material to be transferred. The melt transfer method is a method using the melting of a solid ink as the active state of the ink.

[0005] The sublimation recording method uses an ink ribbon coated with a sublimable dye having a large thermal diffusivity, and sublimates the sublimable dye from a solid to a gas immediately by the thermal energy of a thermal print head (hereinafter referred to as TPH). This is a method of transferring and recording on transfer paper. Although the sublimation recording method has a slower recording speed than the melt transfer method, it has high halftone reproduction characteristics (density gradation), and therefore digitally performs correction of uneven recording density and gradation correction for ideal gradation reproduction. be able to.

[0006]

In the sublimation recording method, when plain paper is used as the paper to be transferred, in order to efficiently capture the sublimed gaseous solid dye, the surface of the paper to be transferred is chemically treated in advance. It is necessary to perform a treatment to form a receiving layer.

FIG. 4 shows an ink ribbon 20 used in such a sublimation recording method, and an area 20 for forming a receiving layer.
a, yellow ink area 20b, magenta ink area 2
The 0c and cyan ink regions 20d are painted in a band shape in that order. At the time of color printing, first, the receiving layer is transferred, and then the ink layer is transferred in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan.

By the way, since the transfer of the receiving layer is an entire surface transfer, the transfer can be made constant irrespective of the transfer cycle of the ink layer. However, conventionally, the transfer cycle of the receiving layer is restricted to the image memory read time or the vertical synchronization cycle of the television signal, which is the transfer cycle of the ink layer, and is set to be the same as the transfer cycle of the ink layer.

Conventionally, the surface transfer is performed under the conditions of the transfer data and the transfer density set at the beginning of the transfer, so that the difference in the heat storage of the TPH becomes large at the beginning and end of one-screen transfer.
There is a disadvantage that the transfer quality of the receiving layer is deteriorated due to the unevenness due to heat.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to shorten the transfer cycle of the receiving layer to shorten the entire transfer recording time and to improve the transfer quality of the receiving layer.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention includes an ink ribbon having a receiving layer and a plurality of ink layers formed as a unit in that order, and an ink ribbon on a surface of plain paper used as a receiving paper. A thermal printhead for thermally transferring the ribbon receiving layer and each of the plurality of ink layers to them sequentially, a transport motor for transporting the transfer paper and the ink ribbon moving in close contact between the thermal printhead and the pressure platen; A gradation control means for outputting a gradation print timing signal to a print head, and a print control means for outputting a print cycle signal having a different cycle to the gradation control means, wherein the cycle of the print cycle signal is obtained by forming a receiving layer on plain paper. The cycle at the time of transfer and the cycle at the time of transferring each ink layer are set to be different.

Further, the thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention comprises an ink ribbon in which a receiving layer and a plurality of ink layers are formed as one unit in that order, and an ink ribbon receiving layer on a surface of plain paper used as a receiving paper. A thermal printhead that thermally transfers the plurality of ink layers to each of them sequentially, a transport motor that transports the transfer target paper and the ink ribbon moving in close contact between the thermal printhead and the pressure platen, and a thermal printhead. A gradation control unit that outputs a print timing signal; a temperature detection unit that detects a head temperature of the thermal print head; and a print control unit that outputs a print cycle signal to the gradation control unit and controls a transport motor. , The print control means responds to the detection result of the temperature detection means when transferring the receiving layer. Controls the transport motor, and is configured to transport a density of <br/> transfer way for each line so as to be variable.

Further, the thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention comprises an ink ribbon in which a receiving layer and a plurality of ink layers are formed as one unit in that order, and a receiving layer of the ink ribbon on a surface of plain paper used as a receiving paper. A thermal printhead that thermally transfers the plurality of ink layers to each of them sequentially, a transport motor that transports the transfer target paper and the ink ribbon moving in close contact between the thermal printhead and the pressure platen, and a thermal printhead. A gradation control unit that outputs a print timing signal; a temperature detection unit that detects a head temperature of the thermal print head; and a print control unit that outputs a print cycle signal to the gradation control unit and controls a transport motor. , the print control means, Lai in accordance with the detection result of the temperature detecting means
The correction data for correcting the transfer data of the receiving layer is output in a cycle, and the gradation control means is configured to form a gradation print timing signal by the transfer data of the receiving layer newly generated based on the correction data. .

[0014]

In the structure of the present invention, the transfer cycle when transferring the receptor layer to the surface of the transfer paper is different from the transfer cycle when transferring each ink layer. The overall color transfer recording time is reduced by setting the vertical synchronization time and the transfer cycle of the receiving layer to a shorter time.

Further, by detecting the head temperature of the thermal print head in real time at the time of transfer of the receiving layer, the recording density of the receiving layer is changed by changing the conveying density of the conveying motor line by line based on the detection result. In addition, the non-uniformity of the surface of the receiving layer due to heat is eliminated, and the transfer quality of the receiving layer is improved.

Further, the head temperature of the thermal print head is detected in real time at the time of transfer of the receiving layer, and the receiving layer transfer data set based on the detection result is transferred to a line.
By performing the correction by the period, the unevenness of the surface of the receiving layer due to heat is eliminated, and the transfer quality of the receiving layer is improved.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention, showing an embodiment applied to a video printer for hard-copying one screen of an NTSC television signal. is there.

In this embodiment, the image processing circuit 1 decomposes the input video signal S1 into red, green and blue color signals, which are the three primary colors of light, and A / D converts them into digital signals. One screen of image data is stored in the image memory.

The gradation control circuit 2 converts the color signal S2 read from the image processing circuit 1 into three primary colors of printing, yellow, magenta,
The color signals are converted into cyan color signals, and a gradation printing timing signal S3 is generated from the converted color signals and applied to the TPH3.

The sync separation circuit 4 extracts the vertical sync signal VD from the input video signal S1 and outputs the same to the printer control circuit 5. The printer control circuit 5 controls the operation of the entire printer, and includes a CPU 5a having a microcomputer configuration.
Based on the control signal CS from the CPU 5a, either the vertical synchronization signal VD from the synchronization separation circuit 4 or the time signal TS from the timer circuit 6 is selected, and the selected signal is sent to the gradation control circuit 2 as a printing cycle signal S4. And an output multiplexer 5b.

The CPU 5a outputs a transfer timing signal S5 to the image processing circuit 1 and the gradation control circuit 2, and further outputs a transport control signal S6 for controlling the movement of the ink ribbon and the paper to be transferred to the transport motor 7. .

In this configuration, when a print start signal ST is input to the printer control circuit 5 from an operation unit (not shown), the CPU 5a outputs a transfer timing signal S5,
Image data for one screen is stored in the image memory of the image processing circuit 1.

Next, the CPU 5a issues a control signal C
The time signal TS generated from the timer circuit 6 is selected by the multiplexer 5b by S and supplied to the gradation control circuit 2 as the printing cycle signal S4.

The tone control circuit 2 converts the tone print timing signal S3, which is synchronized with the print cycle signal S4 and the transfer timing signal S5 from the CPU 5a and is generated based on the transfer data of the receiving layer stored therein, into the TPH3. Output. In TPH3, heat is generated according to the timing signal S3, and the heat transfers the receiving layer 20a of the ink ribbon 20 to plain paper. In this way, the transfer of the receptor layer on one screen is performed line by line, and each time the transport motor 7 is driven to convey the paper, thereby transferring the receptor layer to the surface of plain paper.

When the transfer of the receiving layer onto the plain paper is completed, the CPU 5a selects the vertical synchronizing signal VD output from the synchronizing separation circuit 4 by the multiplexer 5b, and outputs it to the gradation control circuit 2 as the printing cycle signal S4. Then, color transfer recording is started.

That is, the color signal S2 stored in the image processing circuit 1 is read out, color-converted, a yellow color signal is first generated from the three primary colors of printing, and a gradation mark generated based on this color signal is generated. The image timing signal S3 is applied to TPH3. In TPH3, heat is generated in response to the timing signal S3, and the heat transfers the yellow area 20b of the ink ribbon 20 to plain paper to perform one-screen yellow transfer. When the yellow transfer recording is completed, magenta transfer recording is performed in the same manner, and finally, cyan transfer recording is performed, and color transfer recording is completed.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the timer circuit 6 is eliminated, a thermistor 10 and a temperature detection circuit 11 are provided for detecting the head temperature of the TPH 3, and the detection signal of the temperature detection circuit 11 is controlled by the printer. A transfer density setting circuit 12 is provided for inputting to the circuit 5 and for setting a transfer density of plain paper as a transfer paper. The transfer density setting circuit 12 controls the transfer motor 7. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In this configuration, when transferring the receiving layer to plain paper, the printer control circuit 5 determines the head temperature of the TPH 3 when transferring the first line based on detection signals from the thermistor 10 and the temperature detection circuit 11. And
Based on the determination result, the transfer density of the transfer layer of the plain paper is set in the transfer density setting circuit 12. Transport density setting circuit 1
2 drives the transport motor 7 based on the set density, changes the transport density, and changes the recording density of the receiving layer according to the head temperature.

The printer control circuit 5 detects the temperature of the TPH 3 in real time even during transfer of the receiving layer, and when it detects that the temperature has risen above a certain set value, instructs the conveyance density setting circuit 12 to change the density setting. The transport density of the transport motor 7 is varied for each line.

When the transfer of the receiving layer onto plain paper is completed, the printer control circuit 5 starts color transfer recording. In this color transfer recording, similarly to the above-described first embodiment, first, one-screen yellow transfer is performed on plain paper using the yellow area 20b of the ink ribbon 20, and then, the magenta area 20b is transferred.
c, one-screen transfer of magenta is performed, and finally, one-screen transfer of cyan is performed using the cyan area 20d, and the color transfer recording ends. In this embodiment, the same vertical synchronizing signal VD is used as the printing cycle signal S4 for both the transfer of the receiving layer and the transfer of the ink layer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is different from the above-described first embodiment in that the timer circuit 6 is eliminated, and a thermistor 10 and a temperature detection circuit 11 are provided in order to detect the temperature of the TPH 3 as in the above-described second embodiment. The detection signal of the detection circuit 11 is supplied to the printer control circuit 5.

Further, the present embodiment includes an arithmetic circuit 15 and a setting data storage circuit 16, and the arithmetic circuit 15 performs a process based on the correction value RD from the printer control circuit 5 and the setting data SD from the setting data storage circuit 16. Data CD for correcting the transfer data of the receiving layer stored in the tone control circuit 2
Is configured to generate

In this configuration, when transferring the receiving layer to plain paper, the printer control circuit 5 determines the head temperature of the TPH 3 when transferring the first line based on detection signals from the thermistor 10 and the temperature detection circuit 11. Then, the correction value RD of the transfer data is output to the arithmetic circuit 15 based on the determination result.

The arithmetic circuit 15 subtracts the correction value RD from the setting data SD from the setting data storage circuit 16,
The calculation result is used as the transfer data of the receiving layer as the gradation control circuit 2
Supply to The correction value RD is set to increase when the temperature of the thermistor 10 is high and to decrease when the temperature of the thermistor 10 is low.

The printer control circuit 5 detects the head temperature of the TPH 3 in real time during the transfer recording of the receiving layer, and changes the correction value RD in the line cycle to vary the transfer data of the receiving layer. The gradation control circuit 2 converts the gradation printing timing signal S3 generated based on the transfer data of the receiving layer into TP.
Output to H7 to thermally transfer the receiving layer to plain paper.

When the transfer of the receiving layer to the plain paper is completed, the printer control circuit 5 starts color transfer recording. In this color transfer recording, similarly to the first and second embodiments described above, first, one-screen yellow transfer is performed on plain paper using the yellow area 20b of the ink ribbon 20, and then magenta is transferred using the magenta area 20c. One-screen transfer is performed, and finally, one-screen transfer of cyan is performed using the cyan area 20d, and the color transfer recording ends. In this embodiment, the same vertical synchronizing signal VD is used as the printing cycle signal S4 for both the transfer of the receiving layer and the transfer of the ink layer.

[0037]

According to the present invention, it is possible to make the transfer cycle of the receiving layer different from the transfer cycle of the ink layer, and the color transfer recording time can be shortened by shortening the transfer cycle of the receiving layer as compared with the transfer cycle of the ink layer. It can be greatly reduced.

According to the present invention, the transfer density of the receiving layer or the transfer data of the receiving layer itself can be changed in line units according to the head temperature of the thermal print head. Therefore, the non-uniformity of the surface of the receiving layer due to heat is eliminated in units of lines, the transfer quality of the receiving layer is improved, and the smoothness of the surface is increased, so that the quality of the color image on plain paper is improved. In particular, when the transfer data of the receiving layer is corrected according to the head temperature, the thermal transfer of the receiving layer can be performed with the optimum data without changing the transfer time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of a thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the thermal transfer color printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating a part of an ink ribbon used in a thermal transfer color printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image processing circuit 2 Gradation control circuit 3 Thermal print head (TPH) 4 Synchronization separation circuit 5 Printer control circuit 6 Timer circuit 7 Transport motor 10 Thermistor 11 Temperature detection circuit 12 Transport density setting circuit 15 Arithmetic circuit 16 Setting data storage circuit 20 Ink ribbon 20a Receptive layer forming area 20b Yellow ink area 20c Magenta ink area 20d Cyan ink area

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/32-2/325 B41J 2/365

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An ink ribbon in which a receiving layer and a plurality of ink layers are formed as a unit in that order, and a receiving layer of the ink ribbon and the plurality of ink layers on a surface of plain paper used as a receiving paper. A thermal print head for thermally transferring the thermal print head to the thermal print head, a transport motor for transporting the transfer target paper and the ink ribbon moving in close contact between the thermal print head and the pressure platen, and gradation printing on the thermal print head. Gradation control means for outputting a timing signal; and a temperature for detecting a head temperature of the thermal print head.
Degree detection means, and outputs a printing cycle signal to the gradation control means, and
Print control means for controlling a transport motor, the print control means, when transferring the receiving layer
The transport motor according to the detection result of the temperature detection means.
A thermal transfer color printer, wherein the transfer density during transfer is variable for each line . 2. An ink ribbon in which a receiving layer and a plurality of ink layers are formed as one unit in that order, and a receiving layer of the ink ribbon and the plurality of ink layers on a surface of plain paper used as a receiving paper. A thermal print head for thermally transferring the thermal print head to the thermal print head, a transport motor for transporting the transfer target paper and the ink ribbon moving in close contact between the thermal print head and the pressure platen, and gradation printing on the thermal print head. and gradation control means for outputting a timing signal, a temperature detecting means for detecting the head temperature of the thermal print head, and print control means for controlling said conveying motor to output a printing cycle signal to the gradation control means The print control unit, the detection result of the temperature detection unit
To correct the transfer data of the receiving layer in the line cycle according to
And outputting the data.
Of the receiving layer transfer data newly generated based on the
Thermal transfer color printer, and forming a signed image timing signal.