JP3170092B2 - LCD monitor for photo 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 liquid crystal panel monitor for simulating and displaying a finished image of a photographic printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to check the position of a frame set at a print position and to check the density and color of the frame,
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a photographic printer with a monitor provided with an imaging unit and a monitor so that a frame can be observed through the monitor (for example, JP-A-1-298339).

Further, with the recent development of liquid crystal technology, color liquid crystal panels have been provided at low cost.
The color liquid crystal panel is compact without a long depth unlike a CRT, and can be downsized and compact, and has advantages such as low voltage operation and low power consumption. For this reason, it is expected to be used as a monitor for a photographic printer.

[0004]

However, since the display contrast of the liquid crystal panel depends on the viewing direction, the viewing angle is restricted. Therefore, when obliquely observed at a position shifted from the normal observation position on the front of the panel, there is a disadvantage that color shift and the like occur. Therefore, when the monitor is used as a monitor for simulating and displaying the finish, it is necessary to always observe the monitor under a constant regular observation position. Also,
The physique and posture of the observer vary widely, and in many cases, even when the position is optimal for one observer, the optimal position is not obtained when changing to another observer. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the normal observation position.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display of a photographic printer in which a normal observation position of a liquid crystal panel can be easily known.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a panel frame to which a liquid crystal panel display is mounted, holding means for swingably holding the panel frame, and a liquid crystal panel mounted on the panel frame. A sight provided in front of the sight, and a normal observation position mark provided on the panel frame on the line of sight when looking at the panel frame via the sight while the observer is at the normal observation position of the liquid crystal panel. Is provided.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 is such that the normal observation position mark is displayed on a liquid crystal panel.

[0008]

[0009]

Before observing the liquid crystal panel display, the liquid crystal panel display is positioned by swinging the panel frame so that the sight is aligned with the regular observation position mark.
This positions the observer's eyes in front of the liquid crystal panel. In addition, instead of the sight, the observer's eyes are positioned in front of the liquid crystal panel by the observer positioning means in contact with a part of the face. With this positioning, the liquid crystal panel display is observed at the normal observation position, and the finished image of the photographic printer is accurately recognized.

[0010]

FIG. 2 shows an example of a photographic printer having a liquid crystal panel monitor according to the present invention. The printing light emitted from the light source 10 is transmitted to the well-known filter driving unit 11 and the diffusion box 1.
2, the frame of the negative film 14 held by the film carrier 13 is illuminated and
Bake on 5. The frame is imaged by the imaging device and displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 16.

When printing, the negative film 1 is used.
4 is set on the film carrier 13. After setting the negative film 14, the controller 17 sets a frame to be printed at a print position. This frame is imaged and simulated and displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 16. Observing the frame, the user operates the correction key of the keyboard 18 to input the correction data so as to obtain a good finish.

When the correction data is input, the controller 17 activates the filter driving unit 11 to move at least one of the red filter 20, the green filter 21, and the blue filter 22, and the amount of insertion into the printing optical path 21. To adjust the light quality and intensity of the printing light. When the correction key is operated as described above, the filter driving unit 11 is operated to change the illumination state of the frame, so that the color balance and the density of the simulated image displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 16 are changed.
After confirming the print finish and frame position,
8 is operated, the controller 17 controls the shutter driving unit 2
3 is driven to print this frame on the color paper 15. The exposed color paper 15 is developed by a paper processor 25, cut into individual frames, and discharged to a tray 26.

A half mirror 30, a zoom lens 31, and a shutter 32 are disposed in a printing optical path 27 connecting the negative film 14 and the color paper 15. A well-known variable paper mask 33 is disposed on the color paper 15, and the size of the opening changes according to the designated print size. The half mirror 30 splits the printing light and sends it to the imaging unit 35 and the scanner 36. It should be noted that a movable mirror may be used instead of the half mirror 30, and in this case, the mirror is moved in a sliding or rotating manner to insert or retract the mirror in the printing optical path 27.

At the time of monitoring, the light reflected by the half mirror 30 passes through the zoom lens 40 and the beam splitter 41 and passes through the color image sensor 42 of the scanner 36.
And the light reflected by the beam splitter 41 is incident on the color image sensor 43 of the color imaging unit 35. The zoom lens 40 is driven by a motor to adjust the focal length so that the simulated image displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 16 always has the same size even if the size of the frame changes according to the type of film or the like. I do.

As the color image sensors 42 and 43, a MOS type or a CCD type is used. The video signal output from the color image sensor 43 is sent to an image processing circuit 45 for simulating the characteristics of the color paper 15. The image is processed by the image processing circuit 45 and the image is synthesized with other information, and then sent to the color liquid crystal panel 16. On the color liquid crystal panel 16, a simulated image simulating the print finish of the frame to be printed is displayed.
Note that other images such as a position mark, a print size, and a printing magnification may be displayed together with the simulated image. The method of displaying other images and the method of displaying simulated images are described in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-298339 by the present applicant.

The color image sensor 42 performs three-color separation photometry on each point of the frame to be printed, and sends the photometry data to the characteristic calculator 46. As is well known, the characteristic value calculator 46 extracts various characteristic values such as LATD, maximum density, and minimum density, and sends them to the exposure calculator 47. The exposure calculator 47 calculates the basic exposure using a well-known exposure calculation formula and sends it to the controller 17. The basic exposure amount is sent to the image processing unit 45, and the simulated image is corrected based on the basic exposure amount. The controller 17 calculates the exposure amount from the exposure amount and the correction data input at the time of the positive test, and drives the filter driving unit 11 based on the calculated exposure amount.
Adjust its light quality and light intensity.

The liquid crystal panel monitor of the present invention comprises a color liquid crystal panel 16, a panel frame 50, a holder 51, a sight 52, and a normal observation position mark 53. The color liquid crystal panel 16 is attached to the panel frame 50. In addition, light-shielding covers 55 are provided on the upper portion and both side portions of the panel frame 50 to prevent unnecessary light from entering the color liquid crystal panel 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, the holding portion 51 holds the panel frame 50 so as to swing freely, and includes a ball-shaped engaging portion 57, a spherical receiving portion 58 for gripping the ball-shaped engaging portion 57, and a ball-shaped receiving portion. And a pressing portion 59 that presses the engaging portion 57 to hold the attitude of the panel frame 50 by friction. In addition,
The holding portion 51 includes, in addition to the ball-shaped engagement portion 57,
Other well-known swingable holding means may be used.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sighting device 52 is arranged to extend downward from the center of the tip of the upper light-shielding cover 55, and has a sighting hole 60 formed at the tip. The normal observation position mark 53 is attached to the center of the upper frame portion 50a of the panel frame 50, and the panel frame 50 is viewed through the aiming hole 60 in a state where the observer is at the normal observation position of the liquid crystal panel. Sometimes it is located on this field line L1. The mark 53 may be recorded by printing or other means, instead of being attached to the upper frame portion.

Next, the operation of the liquid crystal panel monitor of the present invention will be described. When performing printing, first, the user sits at a predetermined work position, and then attaches the panel frame 50 to the holding section 51.
And the aiming hole 60 of the aiming device 52 and the normal observation position mark 53 are positioned. In this positioning state, the observer faces the front of the color liquid crystal panel 16 and can observe the color liquid crystal panel 16 in an optimal state. Therefore, the display screen of the color liquid crystal panel 16 is not obliquely observed, and an accurate positive test can be performed without color shift or the like.

If the result of the positive test is not good, the necessary exposure correction data is input by operating the keyboard 18 and operating the density correction key and the color correction key. As a result, the filter driving unit 11 operates based on the exposure correction data, and the finished image after the exposure correction is displayed on the color liquid crystal panel 16. By operating the print key of the keyboard 18 in the finished state, the print mode is set, and the frame is printed and exposed on the color paper 15. Further, if the finished state is not good after observing the monitor, new exposure correction data is input again.

When the person performing the positive test changes or the position of the tester changes, the normal position observation mark 53 is adjusted again by the sight 52 so that the liquid crystal panel 1 is constantly adjusted.
The display screen of No. 6 can be observed from the correct direction, and an accurate positive test can be performed.

In the above embodiment, the normal observation position mark 53 is provided by being fixed to the panel frame 50. In addition, as shown in FIG. It may be displayed on the screen 72 so that the normal observation position is aligned. In this case, the sight 73 is attached to the upper part of the panel frame 74 by the hinge 7.
It is preferable that the light-shielding cover 76 be retractably mounted on the light-shielding cover 76 after positioning.

Further, the sights 52 and 7 as in the above embodiment are used.
Instead of using arm 3, as shown in FIG.
And the position of the eyes may be fixed by the chin rest pad 81 provided at the tip of the arm 80. In addition,
The same components as those in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. A concave portion 82 is formed in the chin rest pad 81, and the face is fixed by placing the chin on the concave portion 82, so that the eyes are positioned in front of the liquid crystal panel 16. The arm 80 may be stored as a folded structure below the liquid crystal panel 16 when not in use. In addition, instead of the chin rest pad 81, eyeglasses may be used to fix the eye position. When the liquid crystal panel 84 is fixed to the frame of the printer and the orientation of the panel cannot be changed, the arm 8
0 may be fixed to the machine frame of the printer.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the liquid crystal panel is held swingably by the panel frame, and the sight and the normal observation position mark are provided on the panel frame, it is possible to always easily know the optimum observation position with respect to the liquid crystal panel. Thereby, oblique observation of the liquid crystal panel is prevented, and the positive test can be reliably performed.

[0026]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of a liquid crystal panel monitor of a photographic printer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a photographic printer using a liquid crystal panel monitor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the entire liquid crystal panel monitor.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the whole of another liquid crystal panel monitor.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a face position fixing unit.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a face position fixing unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 14 negative film 15 color paper 16 color liquid crystal panel 50, 74 panel frame 51 holding part 52, 73 sight 53, 70 normal observation position mark 60 sight hole 80 arm 81 chin rest pad

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A liquid crystal panel monitor for simulating and displaying a finished image of a photographic printer, a liquid crystal panel, a panel frame to which the liquid crystal panel is attached, holding means for holding the panel frame so as to swing freely, and a panel frame. The sight provided in front of the liquid crystal panel and the normal observation provided on the panel frame on the line of sight when viewing the panel frame via the sight while the observer is at the normal observation position of the liquid crystal panel A liquid crystal panel monitor of a photographic printer, comprising a position mark. 2. A liquid crystal panel monitor which simulates and displays a finished image of a photographic printer, a liquid crystal panel, a panel frame to which the liquid crystal panel is attached, holding means for holding the panel frame so as to swing freely, and a panel frame. A sight provided in front of the liquid crystal panel, and a normal sight displayed on the liquid crystal panel display screen on the line of sight when viewing the liquid crystal panel through the sight while the observer is at the normal observation position of the liquid crystal panel. A liquid crystal panel monitor of a photographic printer, comprising an observation position mark.