JP3247550B2 - Printing apparatus and printing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of performing printing suitable for various types of paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a printing apparatus of this type, when printing is performed using one type of printing medium (for example, ink or the like), the amount of use is adjusted according to the quality of paper on which printing is performed. Was to be done.

In other printing apparatuses, prior to printing,
Printing has been performed after exchanging in advance for a special output medium prepared according to the quality of paper.

[0004] However, in these conventional printing apparatuses, it is difficult to cope with many sheets having different properties only by adjusting the amount of use of one type of printing medium. Even if it is prepared, it is necessary to replace it with a suitable print medium every time according to the quality of the paper, and there is a problem that the operation is troublesome.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a printing method capable of appropriately selecting and using a plurality of printing media having different properties.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A printing apparatus according to the present invention is a printing apparatus capable of printing using a first ink having a certain viscosity and a second ink having a higher viscosity than the first ink. A printing apparatus for printing on a plurality of types of paper having different qualities using a first printing instruction for printing on OHP paper and a first printing instruction for printing on plain paper. Selecting means for selecting any one of the print instruction of the second print instruction and the third print instruction for performing the emphasized printing by increasing the ink amount; Print control means for selecting an ink to be used based on the selected ink, and causing the print means to execute a printing operation using the selected ink, wherein the print control means comprises: When the OHP paper is Second having a relatively high viscosity
Causing the printing means to perform a printing operation using the ink of
(B) when the second print instruction is selected, causing the printing unit to execute a printing operation on the plain paper using the first ink having the relatively low viscosity; and (c)
When the third print instruction is selected, the printing unit is caused to execute emphasized printing using the first and second inks.

[0007] The printing method of the present invention uses a printing means capable of printing using a first ink having a certain viscosity and a second ink having a higher viscosity than the first ink, and a plurality of printing units having different qualities are used. A printing method for performing printing on OHP paper, a second printing instruction for performing printing on plain paper, and an ink. Third for increasing the amount and performing emphasized printing
Among the printing instructions, a selecting step for selecting any one of the printing instructions, and selecting an ink to be used based on the printing instruction selected in the selecting step, and performing a printing operation using the selected ink. A printing control step to be executed by the printing means, wherein the printing control step includes the step of: (a) having the relatively high viscosity with respect to the OHP paper when the first printing instruction is selected; Causing the printing unit to execute a printing operation using the second ink; and (b) when the second printing instruction is selected,
Causing the printing unit to execute a printing operation using the first ink having the relatively low viscosity, and (c) using the first and second inks when the third printing instruction is selected. Characterized in that the emphasis printing is performed by the printing means.

[0008]

According to the present invention, a printing medium suitable for paper can be selected from a plurality of printing media by a selection means and used for printing, and printing on various kinds of paper of different qualities can be performed satisfactorily and easily. Is possible.

If a plurality of print media are selected, it is possible to perform enhanced printing as needed.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the printing apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a symbol PA denotes a printing device. The printing apparatus PA includes a print medium instruction unit A, a data input unit B, a print data processing unit C,
A printing medium D containing a plurality of qualities of ink, a printing control unit E, and a printing unit F are schematically configured.

The print medium instruction means A includes a plurality of print mediums D.
And a print data processing unit C for selecting a print medium to be used for printing and generating print data corresponding to the selected print medium.

The data input means B is means for receiving data to be printed from an external information device such as a computer and outputting the data to the print data processing means C.

The print data processing means C is means for producing print data corresponding to the print medium selected by the print medium instruction means A in order to print the data obtained from the data input means B.

The print control means E includes a print data processing means C
Is a means for transferring the print medium D to the printing means F in accordance with an instruction from.

The printing means F includes a printing mechanism for printing on paper or the like under the control of the printing control means E, and a paper feeding mechanism for transporting the paper toward the printing mechanism.

In the printing apparatus PA having such a configuration, when the print data input from the data input means B is output to the printing means F as the output means, the print data is determined according to the quality of the selected paper or the like. For example, two types of inks (print media) having different qualities can be selected. Therefore, when outputting a character or a figure, an appropriate ink can be selected and used. In addition, by simultaneously using the selected two kinds of inks having different qualities, it is possible to perform emphasized printing with a high print density. Further, printing on OHP paper is possible by using ink having a higher viscosity than ink used for printing on plain paper.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention. The symbol CPU in FIG. 2 is a microprocessor. The microprocessor CPU controls each component connected to the BUS via the bus BUS to input data necessary for printing, set printing conditions, control a printing mechanism, create print data, and the like. It is. BUS is a common bus including an address bus, a control bus, and a data bus. Using this BUS, transfer of address signals, control signals, and various data between each crisis connected to the BUS is performed.

KEY is used to select the transfer condition of the external I / F,
This is a setting panel for selecting paper to be printed and setting operating conditions of the printing mechanism. This setting panel KEY
Are provided with various switches SW described later.

The IOP is an external data I / F for receiving print data from an external information device such as a personal computer or a workstation. As the external data I / F (IOP), SCSI, Centro, or the like is preferably used, but is not limited thereto. The selection of the interface IOP can be performed by operating the switch SW of the setting panel KEY.

The ROM is a read-only memory. In this ROM, the control procedure of the microprocessor CPU is stored in advance, so that it is possible to determine whether to print using a plurality of printing media (ink or the like) using a printing medium according to the quality of the paper. The predetermined processing can be performed based on the determination.

The RAM is used as a temporary storage for print data, a work memory for developing the print data in an output memory for printing, and a temporary storage for controlling each component.

The PRAM is an output memory and has a memory configuration corresponding to a plurality of print media. The output memory PRAM stores data corresponding to output data of each print medium, and is used for outputting the print medium to a printing mechanism described later.

CG is a character generator,
This is used to transfer a character pattern to be printed to the output memory PRAM.

The INK is composed of ink for printing on paper or the like. In this embodiment, two types of inks having different qualities are used, but the present invention is not limited to this.

PCTL is a print control unit. The print control unit PCTL sends out only appropriate ink corresponding to paper to be used from a plurality of print media INK to a printing mechanism described later when printing the print data stored in the output memory PRAM. belongs to.

PRT is a printing mechanism. This printing mechanism P
The RT includes a print head, a paper feed mechanism, and the like, and performs printing on paper or the like in accordance with an instruction from the print control unit PCTL.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a main part of the setting panel KEY in the printing apparatus shown in FIG.

When using OHP paper, SW1 in FIG. 3 is a printing medium 1 which will be described later and conforms to the quality of the OHP paper.
SW2 is a switch for selecting a printing medium 2 which will be described later, which is compatible with the quality of the plain paper when using the plain paper, and SW3 is a switch for simultaneously using the printing media 1 and 2 This switch is used to perform so-called emphasis printing in which the outline of characters and figures is clearly highlighted by increasing the amount of ink used. In particular, when printing is performed using paper having a high ink permeability such as Japanese paper, the outline and the bleeding can be appropriately expressed by simultaneously using, for example, two types of printing media (ink) as described above. There are advantages.

FIG. 4 shows a plurality of print media IN corresponding to the paper quality selected on the setting panel KEY shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a relationship between an output memory PRAM and a print control unit PCTL illustrated in FIG. 2 when outputting to a printing mechanism PRT that performs printing using K.

In the random access memory RAM, print data to be printed is stored in advance, and the output memory P
The RAM stores the output data 1 corresponding to the print medium 1 and the output data 2 corresponding to the print medium 2 used in accordance with the paper quality selected on the setting panel KEY.

First, the output data 1 of the output memory PRAM
When the print data 1 of the random access memory RAM is transferred to the printer 1, the print medium 1 is sent to the printing mechanism 1 by the output control 1 and printing is performed. Similarly, output memory PRAM
When the print data 2 of the random access memory RAM is transferred to the output data 2 of the other, the other print medium 2 is sent to the printing mechanism 2 by the output control 2 and printing is performed. By simultaneously transferring the above two print data 1 and 2 to the output data 1 and 2, printing using two types of print media can be performed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the output memory PRAM
Referring to FIG. 5, a description will be given of a processing procedure for transferring data to a printer and performing printing in accordance with the designated sheet quality using a plurality of print media.

In FIG. 5, when the power is turned on, the external data I / F, the random access memory RAM, the output memory PRAM, etc. are initialized, and the print data can be received (step S1).

Next, print data transferred from a personal computer (not shown) or the like connected to the external data I / F (IOP) is input (step S2).

Next, in the character generator CG or the like, print data is created for printing the input print data (step S3). This print data is stored in the random access memory RAM.

Next, the conditions set and instructed on the setting panel KEY are read (step S4). The instruction in this embodiment includes SW1, SW2 and SW as described above.
3, printing on OHP paper,
Printing on plain paper or emphasis printing can be selected.

Next, in accordance with the instruction read in step S4, the subsequent step S4 is performed according to the quality of the paper.
6, S8 and S10 are selected. That is, when OHP paper is selected, the output data 1 is set (step S6), the output data 2 is cleared (step S7), and the print data of the random access memory RAM is output data 1 in the output memory PRAM. Is forwarded to

When plain paper is selected, the output data 1 is cleared (step S8), the output data 2 is set (step S9), and the random access memory RAM is set.
Is the output data 2 in the output memory PRAM
Is forwarded to

In the case of highlight printing, the output data 1 and 2 are set together (steps S10 and S11), and the print data in the random access memory RAM is stored in the output memory P.
The data is transferred to output data 1 and 2 in the RAM.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the print data is arranged in the output memory PRAM, output is enabled (step S12), and output (printing) to the printing mechanism 1 and / or 2 is performed (printing). Step S13).

Here, the printing is actually performed when the data for one line is obtained in the case of a serial printer or when one page of data is obtained in the case of a laser printer. Since a known technique can be used for printing control, it will not be described in detail here.

In the above embodiment, the setting panel KEY is used to select a print medium. However, it is also possible to automatically determine the quality of paper using, for example, a photo sensor.

In the above embodiment, when a plurality of paper feed mechanisms constituting a part of the printing means are provided, the selection of the paper feed mechanism may be linked to the selection of the print medium. In other words, when a photo sensor that determines paper quality is used to select a print medium, the detection data is used to select a paper feed mechanism, and the paper is transported by a paper feed mechanism that is appropriate for the paper quality. can do.

Further, in the above embodiment, it is assumed that the same print medium is used for one page. However, in accordance with an instruction from a personal computer or the like, a partially different print medium is used. It is also possible to use a water-resistant print medium in order to prevent loss of information.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When printing on various types of paper of different quality, for example, according to the quality of the paper by panel operation or detection by a sensor,
A suitable print medium can be easily selected from a plurality of print medium inks and used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a setting panel KE in the printing apparatus shown in FIG.
It is a front view which shows the principal part of Y.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a case in which the image is output to a printing mechanism PRT that performs printing using a plurality of print media INK corresponding to the paper quality selected on the setting panel KEY illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a relationship between the output memory PRAM and the print control unit PCTL shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the printing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 PA Printer KEY Setting panel CPU Microprocessor IOP External data interface ROM Read only memory PRAM Output memory RAM Random access memory CG Character generator INK Ink PRT Printing mechanism

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/01 B41J 2/36 B41J 3/54 B65H 43/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing device capable of printing using a first ink having a certain viscosity and a second ink having a higher viscosity than the first ink, and printing on a plurality of types of paper having different qualities. A first printing instruction for printing on OHP paper, a second printing instruction for printing on plain paper, and increasing the ink amount. Selecting means for selecting any one of the third print instructions for performing the emphasized printing; and selecting ink to be used based on the print instruction selected by the selection means. Print control means for causing the print means to execute a print operation using the selected ink, the print control means comprising: (a) when the first print instruction is selected, The second having a relatively high viscosity (B) when the second print instruction is selected, the first ink having the relatively low viscosity is applied to the plain paper when the second print instruction is selected. Causing the printing means to execute the used printing operation, and (c) causing the printing means to execute the emphasized printing using the first and second inks when the third print instruction is selected. Printing device. 2. An output unit for outputting output data corresponding to the selected ink to the printing unit, the output unit comprising: (a) when the first print instruction is selected, Outputting second output data corresponding to the second ink to the printing means in order to print on the OHP paper using the second ink having the relatively high viscosity; When the print instruction of No. 2 is selected, the first output data corresponding to the first ink is written to the plain paper using the first ink having the relatively low viscosity. (C) when the third print instruction is selected, the first and second print instructions are output.
The first and second inks are used for emphasizing printing using
2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second output data corresponding to the first ink and the second ink are output to the printing unit. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the emphasized printing, a print density is increased by increasing an amount of ink using both the first ink and the second ink. . 4. A printing device capable of printing using a first ink having a certain viscosity and a second ink having a higher viscosity than the first ink is used to print a plurality of types of paper having different qualities. A first print instruction for printing on OHP paper, a second print instruction for printing on plain paper, and increasing the amount of ink. A selecting step for selecting any one of the third print instructions for performing the emphasized printing; and selecting an ink to be used based on the print instruction selected in the selecting step. And a printing control step of causing the printing unit to execute a printing operation using the selected ink. In the printing control step, (a) when the first print instruction is selected, Having a relatively high viscosity Causing the printing unit to execute a printing operation using the second ink, and (b) when the second printing instruction is selected, the first printing unit having the relatively low viscosity with respect to the plain paper. Causing the printing means to perform a printing operation using ink; and (c) causing the printing means to perform enhanced printing using the first and second inks when the third print instruction is selected. A printing method characterized by the above-mentioned. 5. An output step for outputting output data corresponding to the selected ink to the printing means, wherein: (a) when the first print instruction is selected, Outputting second output data corresponding to the second ink to the printing means in order to print on the OHP paper using the second ink having the relatively high viscosity; When the print instruction of No. 2 is selected, the first output data corresponding to the first ink is written to the plain paper using the first ink having the relatively low viscosity. (C) when the third print instruction is selected, the second print instruction corresponding to the first and second inks is printed in order to emphasize and print using the first and second inks. Outputting the first and second output data to the printing means. The printing method according to claim 4, characterized in that. 6. The printing method according to claim 4, wherein in the emphasized printing, a print density is increased by increasing an amount of ink using both the first ink and the second ink. .