JP5178312B2 - Printing apparatus and control method of printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints an image on printing paper, and more particularly to a printing apparatus that prints special color inks such as gold and silver after normal printing.

  With the widespread use of input devices that record images, such as digital cameras and digital video cameras, thermal sublimation printers are often used as devices that output images recorded thereon. In a thermal sublimation type printer, after printing three colors of Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan, an overcoat process is performed, and a process is performed so that the image is not smudged even if it is touched by a human hand. Compared with an ink jet printer, a thermal sublimation printer expresses one pixel by thermal control of a thermal head, so it can express more gradations, and a home printer can also obtain a high-quality image. It is becoming possible.

  In recent years, printing methods such as Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, etc., in addition to commonly used process colors, print “special colors” such as gold and silver to give the image a glossy and fluorescent feel and enjoy photo printing. is there. As a technique related to such special color printing, Patent Document 1 discloses that, in the case of special color printing, special color printing is executed after normal printing is completed.

JP 2003-110971 A

  In the technique described in Patent Document 1, since the special color printing is performed after the normal printing using the two printing heads, that is, the printing head for normal printing and the printing head for special color printing, the printing apparatus becomes expensive. End up.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a printing apparatus that performs normal printing and spot color printing with a single print head.

The printing apparatus of the present invention includes a mounting unit that can attach and detach a cartridge in which an ink sheet is stored, and an ink that is applied to the ink sheet that is stored in the cartridge that is mounted in the mounting unit. A thermal head for printing, a selection means for selecting a normal color printing mode or a special color printing mode for printing a special color after completion of normal printing, and when the special color printing mode is selected, it is mounted on the mounting means after normal printing is completed. Display means for prompting the user to replace the cartridge for printing from the cartridge for normal printing with the cartridge for special color, storage means for storing the printing paper wound in a roll, and the printing paper after the printing is finished When the cutting means for cutting and the spot color printing mode are selected, an instruction to stop spot color printing is given after the end of normal printing. And when the normal printing mode is selected, the cutting paper is cut by the cutting means every time the normal printing of one sheet is completed, and the spot color printing mode is selected. When the special color printing is finished without cutting the printing paper every time one normal printing is finished, the cutting means cuts the printing paper, and the instruction means instructs to stop the special color printing. In addition, the image forming apparatus includes a control unit that cuts and discharges sheets one by one by the cutting unit without executing spot color printing .
The control method of the printing apparatus of the present invention includes a mounting unit that can attach and detach an ink cartridge that stores an ink sheet, and an ink that is applied to the ink sheet that is stored in the ink cartridge that is mounted in the mounting unit. The thermal head that prints the image by transferring it to the printing paper, the storage means that stores the printing paper wound in a roll shape, the cutting means that cuts the printing paper after printing, and the spot color printing mode are selected. And a selection method for selecting a normal color printing mode for printing a special color after the normal printing mode or the normal printing, When the spot color printing mode is selected, after the normal printing is finished, the cartridge mounted on the mounting means is set to the normal printing cartridge. Have a display step of performing display to prompt it to replace the cartridge for spot color from when the normal print mode is selected, the print sheet by the cutting means each time one normal printing is completed When the special color printing mode is selected, the printing paper is not cut every time one normal printing is finished, and the printing paper is cut by the cutting means after the special color printing is finished. When the instruction unit instructs to stop the special color printing, the cutting unit cuts the sheet one by one and discharges it without executing the special color printing .

  According to the present invention, after the normal printing is completed, a display for exchanging the cartridge from the normal printing cartridge to the special color cartridge is performed, and the user exchanges the cartridge, whereby both the normal printing and the special color printing are performed by one thermal head. Can be executed.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a roll paper type printer 1 which is a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  In the roll paper type printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as the printer 1), a roll paper 10 that is a printing medium is a printing paper wound in a roll shape, and is housed inside the casing of the printer 1. . The ink cartridge 11 is an ink cartridge used for normal printing. The ink cartridge 11 includes an ink sheet 11a in which a yellow, yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat (OC) dye is applied to a plastic sheet, a take-up shaft 11b of the ink sheet 11a, and a supply shaft 11c. Consists of. The ink cartridge storage unit 12 is a member for storing and holding the ink cartridge 11, and can detachably store the ink cartridge 11 for normal printing or the ink cartridge 11 'for spot color printing. When the ink cartridge 11 for normal printing is replaced with the ink cartridge 11 ′ for special color printing, the user takes out the ink cartridge 11 for normal printing from the ink cartridge storage unit 12, and the ink cartridge 11 for special color printing. Wear '.

  The grip roller 13 is arranged on the front and rear sides of the ink cartridge 11 or the ink cartridge storage unit 12, and feeds and conveys the roll paper 10 stored in the printer 1. Each of the grip rollers 13 includes a pair of upper and lower rollers, and the roll paper 10 is conveyed by passing between these rollers. The paper discharge port 14 is an opening for discharging the roll paper 10 onto which the ink has been transferred to the outside.

  The paper cutting unit 15 cuts the conveyed roll paper 10 at a predetermined location (predetermined cutting position). The platen roller 16 is a roller for pressing the roll paper 10 to the ink sheet 11a. The thermal head 17 heats the ink applied to the ink sheet 11 a by heating the ink sheet 11 a drawn from the ink cartridge mounted in the ink cartridge storage unit 12 and applies heat to the roll paper 10 pressed by the platen roller 16. Spread. When the ink cartridge 11 for normal printing is stored in the ink cartridge storage unit 12, the ink cartridge 11 'for normal yellow, magenta, cyan, OC printing, or special color printing is stored. Perform special color printing.

  The paper storage space 18 is a space for temporarily storing the roll paper 10 in the middle of printing. For example, the paper storage space 18 is wound up and stored by a winding mechanism provided therein. A paper transport path changing unit (hereinafter referred to as a flapper) 19 switches the transport path of the roll paper 10 fed out by the grip roller 13 according to the printing mode of the printer 1.

  The ink sheet 11a is configured by sequentially arranging Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and overcoat dyes as shown in FIG. On the other hand, special color ink sheets such as gold and silver are composed of only one color. In the present embodiment, the ink sheet 11a has a configuration of three colors of Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan (that is, YMC), but other configurations may be used. For example, a configuration of four colors (that is, YMCK) of Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black (black) may be used.

  Next, the electrical configuration of the printer 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of the printer 1.

  In FIG. 3, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 101 controls the entire system. The ROM 102 is configured by a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, for example, and stores a program in which operation procedures for the CPU 101 to execute various processes are described. The RAM 103 is used as a temporary work memory for the CPU 101.

  The operation control unit 104 receives operation information of the operation unit 105 such as various buttons disposed on the surface of the casing of the printer 1 and transmits the operation information to the CPU 101. Specific operation information includes, for example, operation information such as power ON / OFF, selection of a print mode, which will be described later, and selection of an image to be printed.

  The image data input control unit 107 reads the data input from the image data input unit 106 and writes the input data to a storage unit (not shown) inside the printer 1. The image data input unit 106 inputs data from a recording medium such as a memory stick (registered trademark) or a compact flash (registered trademark).

  The display control unit 109 controls the display device 108. The display device 108 is a device that displays an interface used for displaying data input from the image data input unit 106 and performing various settings, and includes, for example, a liquid crystal display device, a touch panel, and the like.

  The printer engine control unit 111 is an operation control unit of the printer engine 110 including a paper transport unit including the grip roller 13 and the flapper 19 and the thermal head 17. The image processing unit 112 is a circuit that converts data read to the storage unit inside the printer 1 via the image data input unit 106 and the image data input control unit 107 into printable data.

  Next, processing of the printer 1 configured as described above will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the control flow of the printer 1.

  First, in step S101, when the printer is turned on by the user (Power-ON), the process is started. In step S102, the CPU 101 reads an operation program from the ROM 102 and performs an initialization process.

  In step S <b> 103, the CPU 101 displays data input from the image data input unit 106 on the display device 108. An example of the display format at this time is index display. The CPU 101 temporarily stores the images to be printed and the number of sheets designated by the user via the operation unit 105, and then displays a print mode selection screen as shown in FIG. To do. In this way, it is possible to select an image to be printed, set the number of prints, and select a normal print mode or a spot color print mode.

  In step S <b> 104, the CPU 101 confirms the print mode selected by the user on the selection screen displayed in step S <b> 103, and determines whether to print in the “with spot color” mode. If “with spot color” is selected, the process proceeds to step S105. If “no spot color”, that is, normal printing is selected, the process proceeds to the normal printing mode at step S116. The normal printing mode “without spot color” executes normal printing, and the spot color printing mode “with spot color” executes spot color printing after the end of normal printing.

  Here, the procedure of the normal printing process when “no spot color” is selected will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, in step S <b> 201, the printer engine control unit 111 that has received a command from the CPU 101 detects an ink cartridge stored in the ink cartridge storage unit 12. Then, after confirming that the ink cartridges for normal printing (Y, M, C, OC) are accommodated, the designated number of images is printed in step S103. When printing, yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat are printed one side at a time.

  Next, in step S202, the printer engine control unit 111 causes the paper cutting unit 15 to cut the roll paper 10 at a predetermined cutting position every time printing of one data is completed, in other words, for each printing process for one image. Disconnect with.

  In step S203, the printer engine control unit 111 discharges the cut roll paper 10 from the paper discharge port 14 to the outside.

  Next, in step S204, the printer engine control unit 111 confirms whether or not printing of the designated data is completed. If not, the process returns to step S201 and repeats a predetermined printing operation. When the printing of the designated data is completed, the printing process is terminated.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the printing procedure and printing operation when “with special color” is selected after step S <b> 105 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

  First, in step S <b> 105, the CPU 101 confirms the spot color image / characters stored in the ROM 102 in the printer 1 in advance, which is selected by the user via the interface on the display device 108. Then, according to the button operation of the operation unit 105, a spot color image / character is laid out at an arbitrary position on the print data. In the present embodiment, the spot color image / character data is read out from the inside of the printer 1. However, data prepared in advance by the user is input from the image data input unit 106 and is selected and laid out. It is good as a form.

  In step S106, first, the ink cartridge stored in the ink cartridge storage unit 12 is detected, and it is confirmed that the ink cartridges for normal printing (Y, M, C, OC) are stored. When it is confirmed that the ink cartridge for normal printing is stored, the printer engine control unit 111 that has received a command from the CPU 101 prints the image designated in step S103 in the same manner as in step S201 of the normal printing process. I will do it. However, in the special color printing mode, the specified number of sheets are continuously printed on the roll paper 10 without cutting the sheet every time printing of one image of Y, M, C, and OC is completed. In step S108, the printer engine control unit 111 tilts the flapper 19 as shown in FIG. 7A to convey the printed roll paper 10 to the paper storage space 18 (in the direction of the arrow in the figure). To store.

  Next, in step S108, the printer engine control unit 111 checks whether printing for the number of prints designated in step S103 has been completed. If not, the process returns to step S106 to continue the printing operation. If the designated number of prints has been completed, the process advances to step S109 to pull back the printed roll paper 10 by a predetermined length.

  Next, in step S110, the CPU 101 waits for the completion of the pull-back, and when the completion is confirmed, in order to prompt the display device 108 to replace the ink cartridge 11 for normal printing with the ink cartridge 11 'for special colors as shown in FIG. Is displayed. By performing this display, the user can know that the ink cartridge needs to be replaced and the replacement timing. In response to this display, the user will be described below assuming that the ink cartridge has been replaced with a special color ink cartridge 11 '.

  In step S111, when the CPU 101 detects replacement of the special color ink cartridge 11 ', the CPU 101 instructs the printer engine control unit 111 to start printing of the special color. Upon receiving an instruction from the CPU 101, the printer engine control unit 111 performs spot color printing. The spot color printing operation itself is the same as the YMC and OC printing operation in step S106 described above. The spot color ink applied to the ink sheet 11a is transferred to the roll paper by the thermal head 17 to perform the spot color printing. Do.

  Next, in step S112, the printer engine control unit 111 tilts the flapper 19 as shown in FIG. 7A, conveys the printed roll paper 10 to the paper storage space 18, and temporarily stores it.

  Next, in step S113, the CPU 101 confirms whether or not the special color printing of the designated image data has been completed. If not, the flow of steps S111 to S112 is repeated. When printing is completed, in step S114, the printer engine control unit 111 pulls back the roll paper 10 on which the special color in the paper storage space 18 has been printed by a predetermined length.

  In step S115, the printer engine controller 111 cuts the flapper 19 at a predetermined position of the printed roll paper by the paper cutting unit 15 while the flapper 19 is raised as shown in FIG. The paper is discharged while finishing printing.

  In the present embodiment, the printed roll paper 10 is completely cut and discharged. However, instead of cutting completely, the paper is discharged after performing processing such as perforation. It doesn't matter. In this embodiment, the roll paper is cut after all the designated number of spot color printing is finished as in steps S111 to S115. However, other modes may be used. For example, the sheet may be cut and ejected every time one spot color printing is finished, and this process may be repeated until the designated number of spot color printings is finished. In addition, the printing of the spot color is automatically started in response to the detection of the replacement with the ink cartridge for the spot color in steps S110 and S111 of the present embodiment, but the spot color printing is performed by the user operating the print start button. May be started. Further, at this time, a special color print stop button may be prepared so that special color print can be canceled by operating the special color print stop button when there is no ink cartridge for the special color to be replaced. When the special color printing is stopped at this timing, the normal printed roll paper is cut and discharged one by one by the paper cutting unit 15, and the special color printing cannot be executed. It can be obtained as a printed matter as a print mode.

As described above, in the present embodiment, in the special color printing mode, the normal printing ink cartridge and the special color printing ink cartridge are exchanged during printing, so that the normal YMC, OC printing and printing can be performed on one thermal head from 17. Both special color printing such as gold and silver was made feasible.
Further, a plurality of Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and overcoat dyes were continuously printed on the roll paper 10 as a printing medium, and then the roll paper 10 was pulled back, and then the special color printing was continuously performed. After the special color printing, the roll paper 10 is pulled back and discharged while being cut at a predetermined location. With such printing control, even when a plurality of images are continuously printed with special colors, the number of times the user replaces the ink cartridge 11 can be reduced to one, and wasteful replacement time can be reduced. Therefore, the total printing time can be shortened.
In the present embodiment, the roll paper 10 is not cut until spot color printing is performed. As a result, even when the images to be printed are different in size, the plurality of images can be continuously spot-colored by replacing the ink cartridge 11 once. In addition, this enables continuous printing of spot color printing even in a situation where a plurality of images to be printed have a mixture of a general aspect ratio and a special ratio such as a panoramic image. It can be performed.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and may be configured as shown in FIG. 9, for example. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a roll paper type printer according to another embodiment. Here, in this figure, parts common to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

  The difference between the configuration shown in FIG. 1 and the printer according to the present embodiment is that the printer 1 according to the present embodiment further has a paper discharge port 20. The paper discharge port 20 is provided below the roll paper 10, and accordingly, a flapper 19 for guiding the roll paper 10 to the paper discharge port 20 is also provided on the roll paper 10 side of the paper cutting unit 15. . According to such a configuration, the roll paper 10 which has been printed in the special color and stored in the paper storage space 18 can be cut and discharged while being pulled back, so that the operation of the apparatus can be simplified and further printing can be performed. Realize efficiency.

  In order to realize the present invention, a storage medium in which a program code (computer program) of software that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments may be used. In this case, the object of the present invention is achieved by supplying the storage medium to the system or apparatus, and the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reads and executes the program code stored in the storage medium.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

  Needless to say, the OS (basic system or operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code.

  Further, the program code read from the storage medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. In this case, based on the instruction of the written program code, the CPU or the like provided in the function expansion board or function expansion unit may perform part or all of the actual processing.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a roll paper type printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the structure of the ink sheet used with the roll paper type printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a roll paper type printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a flowchart explaining the control flow of the roll paper type printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the control flow of normal printing of the roll paper type printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the selection screen of the printing mode displayed with the roll paper type printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the operation | movement in the special color printing of the roll paper type printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining the operation | movement in the special color printing of the roll paper type printer which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing explaining schematic structure of the roll paper type printer which concerns on other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Roll paper type printer 10 Roll paper 11, 11 'Ink cartridge 11a Ink sheet 11b Winding shaft 11c Supply shaft 12 Ink cartridge storage part 13 Grip roller 14, 20 Paper discharge port 15 Paper cutting part 16 Platen roller 17 Thermal head 18 Paper storage space 19 Paper transport path changing section (Flapper)
101 CPU
102 ROM
103 RAM
104 Operation Control Unit 105 Operation Unit 106 Data Input Unit 107 Data Input Control Unit 108 Display Device 109 Display Control Unit 110 Printer Engine 111 Printer Engine Control Unit 112 Image Processing Unit

Claims (5)

A mounting means for attaching and detaching a cartridge storing an ink sheet;
A thermal head that prints an image by transferring ink applied to an ink sheet stored in a cartridge mounted on the mounting means onto a printing paper;
A selection means for selecting a normal color printing mode or a special color printing mode for printing a special color after the normal printing is completed;
Display means for performing display for prompting replacement of the cartridge mounted on the mounting means from the cartridge for normal printing to the cartridge for spot color after the end of normal printing when the spot color printing mode is selected ;
Storage means for storing printing paper wound in a roll;
Cutting means for cutting the printing paper after printing is completed;
When the spot color printing mode is selected, an instruction means for instructing the stop of the spot color printing after the normal printing ends,
When the normal printing mode is selected, the cutting unit cuts the printing paper every time normal printing of one sheet is completed, and when the special color printing mode is selected, one normal printing is performed. Cutting the printing paper by the cutting means after the spot color printing is finished without cutting the printing paper every time
A printing apparatus comprising: control means for cutting and discharging sheets one by one by the cutting means without executing spot color printing when the instruction means instructs to stop spot color printing . Furthermore, it has a print number setting means for setting the print number,
When a plurality of prints are set by the print number setting means, the display means performs a display for prompting replacement with a special color cartridge after normal printing of all the set plurality of sheets is completed. The printing apparatus according to claim 1. The normal printing is yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat printing, or yellow, magenta, cyan, black, and overcoat printing. or printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing of silver. In response to the cartridge for spot color to the mounting means usually after completion of printing mounted, printed according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it has a print control means for starting the special color printing apparatus. A mounting unit that can attach and detach an ink cartridge in which an ink sheet is stored, and a thermal head that prints an image by transferring the ink applied to the ink sheet stored in the ink cartridge mounted in the mounting unit onto a printing sheet. Selecting means for selecting a normal color printing mode or a special color printing mode for printing a special color after completion of normal printing; storage means for storing printing paper wound in a roll; and cutting means for cutting the printing paper after completion of printing And when the spot color printing mode is selected, a control method for a printing apparatus comprising: instruction means for instructing stop of spot color printing after the end of normal printing ,
When the spot color printing mode is selected, a display step for performing a display for prompting the user to replace the cartridge mounted on the mounting unit from the cartridge for normal printing to the cartridge for spot color after the end of normal printing ,
When the normal printing mode is selected, the cutting unit cuts the printing paper every time normal printing of one sheet is completed, and when the special color printing mode is selected, one normal printing is performed. Cutting the printing paper by the cutting means after the spot color printing is finished without cutting the printing paper every time
A method for controlling a printing apparatus, wherein when the instruction unit instructs to stop spot color printing, the cutting unit cuts and discharges the sheets one by one without executing the spot color printing .

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