JP3048484B2 - Color serial 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 recording type color serial printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Thermal printers are classified into thermal printers and thermal transfer printers. Among them, thermal printers tend to be widely used because thermal printers can thermally record images directly on thermal recording materials. Most facsimile machines have a built-in monochrome thermal printer.
Further, as described in JP-A-61-213169, a magenta thermosensitive coloring layer, a cyan thermosensitive coloring layer, and a yellow thermosensitive coloring layer are sequentially provided on a support to directly heat a full-color image. A color heat-sensitive recording material capable of recording has been proposed.

In order to record a color image on such a color thermosensitive recording material, a head carriage provided with one thermal recording head between two fixing lamps is moved in a direction in which the color thermosensitive recording material is fed. Has been proposed by the present applicant (Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 3-2).
91760). In this color serial printer, the first movement of the head carriage in the width direction first performs coloring and fixing of the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer.
The cyan heat-sensitive coloring layer is colored and fixed by the third movement in the width direction, and the magenta heat-sensitive coloring layer is colored by the third movement of the head carriage in the width direction.

[0004]

However, in the above-described color serial printer, it is necessary to move the head carriage one and a half times in the width direction in order to perform one-line thermal recording. There was a problem that it was not possible.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal recording type color serial printer capable of performing printing at a high speed.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color serial printer.
A predetermined distance along the direction of movement of the head carriage
To record the plurality of thermosensitive coloring layers respectively
A plurality of thermal recording heads and
Light source and equipment for fixing the thermosensitive coloring layer immediately after recording.
First, a thermal recording head that thermally records the uppermost thermosensitive coloring layer
Move the head carriage with the head on and use multiple colors once
Thermal recording by moving the head carriage. In addition,
The color serial printer according to claim 2, wherein the first carriage is provided at a predetermined interval along a moving direction of the head carriage, and performs the recording of the first to third thermosensitive coloring layers. To a third thermal recording head, a first light source provided between the third and second thermal recording heads for fixing a third thermosensitive coloring layer, and a second thermal recording head. A second light source for fixing the second heat-sensitive coloring layer, and moving the head carriage with the third thermal recording head at the top to move the three colors once. so
I'm recording heat.

[0007]

[Function] Each of a plurality of thermal recording heads and a light source is driven.
The head carriage in the thermal recording direction.
First, the upper thermosensitive coloring layer, which has high thermal sensitivity,
It is driven to generate heat within the range that does not thermally record the thermochromic layer,
Thermorecorded. This heat recording part is fixed by the light source
You. Also, the lower thermosensitive coloring layer is thermally recorded by the next thermal recording head.
Is recorded. Thereby, one movement of the head carriage
, Multiple colors are thermally recorded. Also, three thermal recording heads
Head and two light sources for one head carry.
As the carriage moves, three colors are recorded.

[0008]

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a color serial printer embodying the present invention.
Is sent to a print position where the head carriage 13 is located by the feed roller pairs 11 and 12. Feed roller pair 1
1 and 12 are intermittently rotated by a motor 14 and intermittently feed the color thermosensitive recording material 10 by one line. Note that the color thermosensitive recording material 10 is wound up and stored in a roll shape and loaded in the printer.

The head carriage 13 has a guide rod 15
Are inserted, and are slidably supported by the guide rail 16. A part of the timing belt 17 is fixed to the head carriage 13. The timing belt 17 is stretched between pulleys 18 and 19, and reciprocates the head carriage 13 in the width direction of the color thermosensitive recording material 10 by the forward and reverse rotation of the motor 20. When the head carriage 13 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing (hereinafter referred to as forward movement), the color thermosensitive recording material 10 is brought into contact with the three thermal recording heads at an appropriate pressure. Behind the recording material 10, a platen roller 21 is disposed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the head carriage 13 includes thermal recording heads 30 to 32 for thermally recording yellow, magenta, and cyan.
It is attached to the rectangular case body 33 in a state of protruding to the side. In the case body 33, magenta and a
Each fixing lamp 34 and 35 of the Yellow is built. The case main body 33 has an opening 36 between the thermal recording heads 30 and 31 and an opening 3 between the thermal recording heads 31 and 32.
7 are formed. Fixing lamps 34 and 35 are arranged to face these openings 36 and 37. The fixing lamps 34, 35 are formed with reflection films 34a, 35a on the inner surfaces except for the front, and the ultraviolet rays radiated from these are irradiated on the color thermosensitive recording material 10 through the openings 36, 37. .

In each of the thermal recording heads 30 to 32, a large number of heating elements are arranged in a line. Is controlled to occur. The head controller 40 receives yellow, magenta, and cyan image data from an image input unit 41 such as a TV camera, a video player, and a scanner, and writes the image data to a frame memory. The image data read from the frame memory is converted into yellow, magenta, and cyan drive signals in consideration of the coloring characteristics shown in FIG. 4, and sent to the thermal recording heads 30 to 32.

The lamp control unit 42 includes a head carriage 1
When the lamp 3 moves forward, it is driven via the controller 43 to cause the fixing lamps 34 and 35 to emit light. The controller 43 includes the head control unit 40,
The sequence of the drivers 44 and 45 is controlled. The driver 44 controls the motor 14 for rotating the feed roller pairs 11 and 12. The driver 45 also includes a motor 2 for moving the head carriage 13 in the width direction.
Control 0.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a color thermosensitive recording material. On the support 25, the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 2
6, magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 27, yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 2
8. A protective layer 29 is sequentially provided. The coloring characteristics of each of the thermosensitive coloring layers 26 to 28 depend on thermal energy as shown in FIG. 4, and a unique thermal energy is required for coloring. For example, the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 28 is colored with the lowest thermal energy, and the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 26
Is colored with the highest thermal energy. When each of the thermosensitive coloring layers 26 to 28 is irradiated with an ultraviolet ray having a specific wavelength, its coloring ability is lost. Therefore, the thermal recording of the color thermosensitive recording material 10 is performed in order from the surface layer, for example, in the order of the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 28, the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 27, and the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 26.

The operation of the thus configured color serial printer will be described. When a thermal recording is instructed to the controller 43, the motor 14 starts and the feed roller pair 1
Rotate 1,12. The feed roller pair 11 draws out the color thermosensitive recording material 10 from a supply reel (not shown) and sets the leading position of the color thermosensitive recording material 10 at a print position where the head carriage 13 is located.
Is transported. After the color thermosensitive recording material 10 is set at the printing position, the controller 43
0 and the lamp controller 42 are driven.

The frame memory of the head control unit 40 includes:
One frame of yellow, magenta, and cyan image data input from the image input unit 41 is recorded. At the time of printing, three lines of image data for one line are read from the frame memory and converted into yellow, magenta, and cyan drive signals in consideration of the coloring characteristics shown in FIG. The lamp control unit 42 includes fixing lamps 34 and 35.
Are respectively emitted.

Thereafter, the controller 43 rotates the motor 20 to move the head carriage 13 forward, and moves the thermal recording head 30 to a printing start position facing the pixels on the first row and first column of the color thermosensitive recording material 10. Confront each other. In synchronization with this timing, the head control unit 40 starts driving the thermal recording head 30 based on the yellow drive signal for one line. As a result, the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 28 at the printing start position is thermally recorded for one line. When the head carriage 13 moves forward, thermal recording is sequentially performed on the second and lower rows.
When the opening 36 faces the print start position,
The yellow thermosensitive coloring layer 28 by the ultraviolet rays of the fixing lamp 35
Light fixing is performed.

Further, the head carriage 13 is moved forward,
When the thermal recording head 31 faces the print start position,
The head controller 40 starts driving the thermal recording head 31 based on the magenta drive signal for one line, and thermally records the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 27. Further, the head carriage 13
Is moved forward and the opening 37 is opposed to the print start position, and the ultraviolet light of the fixing lamp 34 causes the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer 27 to be optically fixed. Similarly, when the thermal recording head 32 faces the print start position, the head control unit 40 starts driving the thermal recording head 32 based on the cyan drive signal for one line, and the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 27. Thermal recording of In this way, thermal recording of yellow, magenta, and cyan is performed on a plurality of pixels forming the first column of the first row.

Hereinafter, the color thermosensitive recording material 10
, Yellow, magenta, and cyan images are thermally recorded for one line each. Thus, the first line of the yellow, magenta, and cyan images is thermally recorded on the color thermosensitive recording material 10. During this time, the head controller 40 controls the thermal recording heads 30 to 32 for one line of yellow, magenta,
The heating elements are sequentially driven based on the respective cyan driving signals, and each heating element generates heat at a temperature corresponding to the density to be recorded.

When the thermal recording for the first row is completed and the head carriage 13 reaches the stroke end, the controller 4
3 is the movement of the head carriage 13 and each thermal recording head 3
The drive of 0 to 32 and the emission of the fixing lamps 34 and 35 are stopped, and the head carriage 13 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow in the figure (hereinafter, this movement is called backward movement).

When the return movement is completed and the head carriage 13 reaches the stroke end, the controller 43 stops the movement of the head carriage 13 and drives the motor 14 to rotate the pair of feed rollers 11 and 12, thereby causing the color thermosensitive recording material 10 to move. For one line. Thereafter, the controller 43 rotates the motor 20 to move the head carriage 13 forward. Thereby, the thermal recording of the second row is performed.

After the above operation is repeated, when the color thermosensitive recording material 10 is fed by the length of one frame by the rotation of the feed roller pairs 11 and 12, it is cut into a sheet by a cutter (not shown). The cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 26
Means that the heat energy required for color development is approximately 80 mJ
/ Mm ² or more, there is no color development under normal storage conditions. Therefore, light fixing is omitted for the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer 26.

In the above-described embodiment, the color thermosensitive recording material 10 is wound into a roll, and is cut into a predetermined length by a cutter.
A color thermosensitive recording sheet cut in advance at a predetermined length may be used. In the above-described embodiment, the thermal recording heads 30 to 32 are always brought into contact with the color thermal recording material 10 when the head carriage 13 reciprocates. You may make it retreat so that it may not contact .

[0023]

As described above, in the color serial printer according to the present invention, the head carriage has a moving method.
Are arranged at predetermined intervals along the direction, the plurality of thermosensitive coloring
Multiple thermal recording heads, each recording a layer,
Thermal coloring layer immediately after recording, located close to the recording head
Thermal recording of the top thermosensitive coloring layer
The head carriage moves with the thermal recording head
To record multiple colors by moving the head carriage once.
Since recording is performed, the printing speed can be increased. Ma
Using three thermal recording heads and two light sources
With one movement of the head carriage, three colors are thermally recorded.
Print speed, and can further increase the print speed.
it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main part of a color serial printer according to the present invention, partially cut away.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a color serial printer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a layer structure of a color thermosensitive recording material.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the color development characteristics of a color thermosensitive recording material.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 color thermal recording material 13 head carriage 25 support 26 cyan thermal coloring layer 27 magenta thermal coloring layer 28 yellow thermal coloring layer 30 yellow thermal recording head 31 magenta thermal recording head 32 cyan thermal recording head 34 yellow fixing lamp 35 Fixing lamp for cyan

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A thermal energy level required for coloring on a support.
Color thermosensitive with multiple thermosensitive coloring layers layered in ascending bell order
Using a recording material, the head carriage is moved to a color thermal recording material.
Color serial that moves in the width direction of the material and performs thermal recording
Printer, the head carriage is provided with a predetermined shape along the moving direction.
Arranged at intervals to record the plurality of thermosensitive coloring layers.
Multiple thermal recording heads and the proximity of this thermal recording head
Light source for fixing the thermosensitive coloring layer immediately after recording
Thermal recording head that thermally records the uppermost thermosensitive coloring layer
Move the head carriage with
A color serial printer which performs thermal recording by one movement of a head carriage . 2. A color thermosensitive recording material having first to third thermosensitive coloring layers formed on a support in the order of higher thermal energy level required for coloring, and a head carriage is moved in the width direction of the color thermosensitive recording material. In the color serial printer for performing thermal recording, the first to third thermal recording layers are provided on the head carriage at predetermined intervals along a moving direction thereof and perform recording of the first to third thermal coloring layers. Thermal recording head and third and second thermal recording heads
A first light source provided between the thermal recording heads for fixing the third thermosensitive coloring layer, and provided between the second and first thermal recording heads for fixing the second thermosensitive coloring layer. A second light source for performing the operation, and moving the head carriage with the third thermal recording head at the head, thereby making it possible to perform three colors of the head carriage once.
A color serial printer that performs thermal recording by moving .