JP5679755B2 - Printing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a thermal transfer type printing apparatus that divides and prints an image exceeding the panel size of a dye layer of an ink sheet.

  In a printing apparatus, the dye of a dye layer such as Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) provided on an ink sheet is thermally transferred to a printed material such as paper, thereby transferring the printed material to the printed material. Some print color images. Various techniques have been proposed for such printing apparatuses.

  For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 disclose a technique for thermally transferring (printing) an OP (overcoat) layer on a region where a color image is printed in order to improve the weather resistance and fingerprint resistance of a printed material. Has been.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing multi-panel printing in which an image exceeding the panel size of the dye layer is divided into a plurality of images not exceeding the panel size and printed. According to this technology, it is possible to print an image that exceeds the maximum size (panel size) that a conventional printing apparatus can print on a substrate.

JP 2004-82610 A JP 2010-58342 A

  In a printing apparatus that performs multi-panel printing, when an OP layer is thermally transferred to a printing material in correspondence with a plurality of images as division units, light is irregularly reflected at the joint between the OP layers, and the joint is visually recognized. It has become. Further, neither Patent Document 1 nor Patent Document 2 prevents the joint between OP layers from being visually recognized.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. In the thermal transfer type printing apparatus, when printing OP layers corresponding to a plurality of images in multi-panel printing, the OP layers are connected to each other. It aims at providing the technique which suppresses that the joint line of this is visually recognized.

The printing apparatus according to the present invention is a thermal transfer type that performs multi-panel printing in which an image exceeding the panel size of the dye layer and the OP layer provided on the ink sheet is divided into a plurality of images not exceeding the panel size and printed. It is a printing device. In this printing apparatus, each OP layer corresponding to the plurality of images in the multi-panel printing is transferred as a mat OP having a plurality of projections and depressions on the surface of the OP layer before and after the seam, and is transferred to a printing material. And an image density analysis unit for analyzing the density of an image printed in a region where a seam between the OP layers can be formed in the printed material . The printing apparatus changes the shape of the joint in plan view based on the density analyzed by the image density analysis unit.

  According to the present invention, each OP layer corresponding to a plurality of images in multi-panel printing is thermally transferred to paper as a mat OP having a plurality of irregularities on the surface of the OP layer. In the plurality of irregularities formed on the surface of the OP layer, light is irregularly reflected in the same manner as the joint between the OP layers. Therefore, the seam becomes inconspicuous and the seam between the OP layers can be suppressed from being visually recognized.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer thermally transferred by the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer thermally transferred by the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer that is thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer that is thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment. 6 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an OP layer thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an OP layer thermally transferred by a printing apparatus according to a sixth embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of a premise printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of an ink sheet. It is sectional drawing which shows a mode that the dye of a dye layer is thermally transferred. It is sectional drawing which shows a mode that OP layer is thermally transferred. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of multi-panel printing. It is sectional drawing which shows the joint line of OP layer in multi-panel printing. It is sectional drawing which shows the joint line of OP layer in multi-panel printing. It is sectional drawing which shows the joint line of OP layer in multi-panel printing. It is sectional drawing which shows that the joint line of OP layer is visually recognized.

<Embodiment 1>
First, before describing the thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the first embodiment, a prerequisite printing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as “premise printing apparatus”) will be described.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the premise printing apparatus. As shown in FIG. 12, the premise printing apparatus is provided with a paper roll 32 in which a belt-shaped paper 31 (printed material) is wound into a hollow roll, and a dye to be thermally transferred to the paper 31. A band-shaped ink sheet 41 is attached. As shown in FIG. 12, the premise printing apparatus includes a transport mechanism 100 that transports the paper 31 drawn from the paper roll 32, and a dye or the like of the ink sheet 41 on the paper 31 transported by the transport mechanism 100. And a thermal head 27 for thermal transfer.

  The transport mechanism 100 includes a guide roller 11, a grip roller 12 and a pinch roller 13 that face each other, and a platen roller 14 that faces the thermal head 27. The paper 31 pulled out from the paper roll 32 is in contact with the guide roller 11, and then passed between the grip roller 12 and the pinch roller 13 and between the platen roller 14 and the thermal head 27 in order. Of these, the grip roller 12 is in pressure contact with the pinch roller 13 via the paper 31. In this state, the grip roller 12 receives the driving force of a motor (not shown in FIG. 12) and rotates around the axial direction. Then, the paper 31 is conveyed in the band direction.

  The ink sheet 41 drawn out from the supply ink bobbin 42 is nipped by the platen roller 14 and the thermal head 27 in a state of being overlapped with the paper 31, and then wound around the take-up ink bobbin 43. As the ink sheet 41 is successively wound around the take-up ink bobbin 43, the ink sheet 41 moves from the supply ink bobbin 42 toward the take-up ink bobbin 43.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the structure of a general ink sheet 41. As shown in FIG. 13, the ink sheet 41 has panel-like (square-shaped) dye layers 44Y ₁ , 44M ₁ , 44C ₁ made of yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes, and a surface for protecting the paper 31. A panel-like OP (overcoat) layer 45OP ₁ is provided in order from the take-up ink bobbin 43 toward the supply ink bobbin 42. Then, the dye layers 44Y ₂ , 44M ₂ , 44C ₂ and OP layers 45OP ₂ ,... Are repeatedly provided after the dye layers 44Y ₁ , 44M ₁ , 44C ₁ and the OP layer 45OP ₁ .

Hereinafter, when it is not necessary to distinguish the dye layers 44Y ₁ , 44M ₁ , 44C ₁ , 44Y ₂ ,..., They are referred to as “dye layers 44”, and the OP layers 45OP ₁ , 45OP ₂ ,. When it is not necessary to do this, each is described as an “OP layer 45”.

  FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing how the dye layer 44 provided on the ink sheet 41 is thermally transferred to the paper 31 by the thermal head 27. The ink sheet 41 has an ink sheet base material 46 provided with the above-described dye layer 44 on the main surface, and the paper 31 has a receiving layer 33 and a paper base material 34.

  When the thermal head 27 is heated while being in contact with the ink sheet substrate 46, a part of the dye in the dye layer 44 undergoes a phase change (melting or sublimation) and is thermally transferred and fixed to the receiving layer 33. By performing this thermal transfer while the paper 31 and the ink sheet 41 are conveyed, an image of the same color as the dye of the dye layer 44 is printed on the paper 31 in a size not exceeding the panel size of the dye layer 44. The Hereinafter, in this printing, the direction in which the thermal head 27 prints the paper may be referred to as “printing direction”.

  The dye layer 44 to be thermally transferred is shifted in a direction from the take-up ink bobbin 43 toward the supply ink bobbin 42. For example, when the ink sheet 41 shown in FIG. 13 is used, yellow, magenta, and cyan dye layers are thermally transferred in this order, so that yellow, magenta, and cyan images are printed on the paper 31 in order. The premise printing apparatus prints these three color images on the same area of the paper 31 so that a color image not exceeding the panel size can be photo-printed on the paper 31.

  FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the OP layer 45 provided on the ink sheet 41 is thermally transferred to the paper 31 by the thermal head 27. An OP layer 45 is provided on the ink sheet substrate 46, and an adhesive layer 47 made of an adhesive is provided on the OP layer 45. When the thermal head 27 is heated while being in contact with the ink sheet substrate 46, the adhesive force of the adhesive layer 47 becomes strong, and the OP layer 45 is adhered (thermal transfer) to the paper 31. Then, the OP layer 45 bonded to the paper 31 is peeled off from the ink sheet substrate 46. The transfer thickness of the OP layer 45 is preferably about 2 μm, for example.

  The thermal transfer of the OP layer 45 is performed in an area where a color image is printed, and the area is covered and protected by the OP layer 45. Therefore, weather resistance and fingerprint resistance of the printed surface of the paper 31 are improved. In addition to the type of OP layer 45 that is thermally transferred in units of the panel size shown in FIG. 15, there is a type that can be thermally transferred in units of dots by changing the phase, such as the dye layer 44 shown in FIG. .

  When the size of the image (original image) to be printed is long, it may exceed the size of one screen of the ink sheet 41 (panel size of the dye layer 44). In such a case, an ink sheet 41 having the same panel size as that of the original image may be newly created. On the other hand, the initial cost such as the mold cost of the ink sheet cylinder and the type of the ink sheet 41 are different. The management cost increases due to the increase. However, if these costs can be reduced by using the existing ink sheet 41, it is very advantageous in terms of cost. In this premise printing apparatus, it is possible to print an image exceeding the panel size using the existing ink sheet 41.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a method in which the premise printing apparatus uses an existing ink sheet 41 to print an original image that exceeds the panel size of the ink sheet 41.

The premise printing apparatus performs multi-panel printing in which an image exceeding the panel size of the dye layer 44 and the OP layer 45 provided on the ink sheet 41 is divided into a plurality of divided images 15 that do not exceed the panel size and printed. . In other words, the premise printing apparatus converts the original image into the first divided image 15 ₁ , second divided image 15 ₂ ,..., N-th divided image 15 _N which does not exceed the size of one screen (one panel size). The paper is divided and printed in order in the band direction of the paper 31. At this time, the feed amount of the paper 31 by the transport mechanism 100 is adjusted so that the divided images 15 are in contact with each other without a gap.

Specifically, the dye layer 44Y _1, 44M _1, 44C ₁ and OP layer 45OP ₁ shown in FIG. 13 are used in this order, to print a first image 15 ₁ to the paper 31. Thereafter, the dye layer 44Y _2, 44M _2, 44C ₂ and OP layer 45OP ₂ used in this order, to print a second image 15 ₂ continuing from the first image 15 ₁ of the printing direction rear end portion . The premise printing apparatus repeats this printing until the entire original image is printed. Thereafter, the premise printing apparatus discharges the paper 31 and cuts it.

In the premise printing apparatus that performs multi-panel printing as described above, an original image having a length of N × L mm in the printing direction is obtained using the existing ink sheet 41 that can be printed with a maximum length of L mm in the printing direction. It can be printed on paper 31. In Patent Document 1, as an example of such a printing, the first image 15 ₁ of the panel size corresponding to half since the first printing of the original image size, second image 15 of the same panel size ₂ method of printing in contact with the first image 15 ₁ is disclosed.

  Next, the seam when the OP layer 45 is thermally transferred corresponding to the plurality of divided images 15 in the multi-panel printing will be described.

17 to 19 show the rear end portion of the OP layer 45OP _{n of the} n-th divided image 15 _n (n = 1,..., N−1) thermally transferred in the multi-panel printing and the (n + 1) th after the thermal transfer. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a joint between the tip of the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1 of the} divided image 15 _{n + 1} . The seam between the OP layer 45, when the tip portion of the rear end portion and the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1} of the OP layer 45OP _n is formed adjacent (FIG. 17), on the rear end portion of the OP layer 45OP _n when the distal end portion of the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1} is formed by superimposed (Fig. 18), when the distal end portion of the rear end portion and the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1} of the OP layer 45OP _n are separated from each other (Fig. 19) Is assumed.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a light path at the joint shown in FIG. In this figure, the arrow indicates the traveling direction of light. As shown in FIG. 20, at the joint between the OP layer 45OP _n and the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1} , light is irregularly reflected at a step formed by overlapping the end portions thereof. Therefore, when the paper 31 is viewed in plan, the seam corresponding to the step is clearly recognized. Such a problem occurs not only in the seam shown in FIG. 18, but also in the seam shown in FIGS.

  Therefore, the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment aims to suppress the visibility of the joint between the OP layers 45. Hereinafter, such a printing apparatus will be described. In the following description, the same components as those in the above-described premise printing apparatus are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description will be made with a focus on differences from the premise printing apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The printing apparatus includes a motor control unit 21, a motor 22, a memory controller 23, a memory 24, a host PC 25, a thermal head controller 26, a thermal head 27, and a CPU 28 that controls these in an integrated manner. . The memory controller 23, the host PC 25, the thermal head controller 26, and the CPU 28 can input / output data and the like via the control bus 110.

  The CPU 28 controls the motor control unit 21, and the motor control unit 21 drives the motor 22 according to the control of the CPU 28. The driving force of the driven motor 22 is transmitted to the grip roller 12 described above, and the grip roller 12 rotates around its axial direction. The transport mechanism 100 described above includes a motor control unit 21 and a motor 22.

  The memory controller 23 stores the image data input from the host PC 25 in the memory 24, as indicated by an arrow F1 in FIG. The memory controller 23 outputs the image data stored in the memory 24 to the thermal head controller 26 under the control of the CPU 28, for example. The CPU 28 controls the thermal head controller 26, and the thermal head controller 26 controls the thermal head 27 based on the image data from the memory controller 23 as indicated by an arrow F2 in FIG. The thermal head 27 transfers the dye layer 44 and the like of the ink sheet 41 to the paper 31 under the control of the memory controller 23.

2 and 3 are views showing the OP layer 45 thermally transferred by the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the dotted line portion of the lower diagram of FIG. As shown in these drawings, the thermal head 27 serving as a transfer portion according to the present embodiment is provided with OP layers OP45 _n and OP45 _{n +} corresponding to a plurality of divided images 15 _n and 15 _{n + 1} in multi-panel printing. ₁ is thermally transferred to the paper 31 as a mat OP having a plurality of quadrangular recesses formed on the surfaces of the OP layers OP45 _n and OP45 _{n + 1} . Here, a plurality of quadrangular concave portions are provided on the surface of the OP layer 45. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of quadrangular convex portions are provided on the surface of the OP layer 45. Also good. Therefore, in the following description, when the concave portion and the convex portion are not distinguished, the concave and convex portions 48 are described.

  Next, a method for forming the OP layer 45 with the unevenness 48 called the mat OP in the field of the sublimation printer will be described.

  The thermal head 27 changes the transfer density (thickness after transfer) of the OP layer 45 by changing the thermal energy during transfer of the OP layer 45 for each position of the OP layer 45. Specifically, the thermal head 27 lowers the thermal energy during transfer at the position where the concave portion is formed, and increases the thermal energy during transfer at the position where the convex portion is formed. As the OP layer 45, a layer that can be thermally transferred in dot units like the dye layer 44 shown in FIG. 14 is used.

  In the thermal head according to the present embodiment, the OP layer 45 (mat OP) is thermally transferred onto the paper 31 so as to overlap before and after the joint 49. The shape of the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 is a linear shape extending in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the OP layers 45 in plan view.

  According to the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment as described above, each OP layer 45 corresponding to a plurality of images in multi-panel printing is used as a mat OP in which a plurality of irregularities 48 are provided on the surface of the OP layer 45. 31 is thermally transferred. In the plurality of projections and depressions 48 provided on the surface of the OP layer 45, light is irregularly reflected in the same manner as the joint 49 between the OP layers 45. Therefore, the seam 49 becomes inconspicuous, and the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 can be suppressed from being visually recognized.

<Embodiment 2>
4 and 5 are views showing the OP layer 45 thermally transferred by the thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the second embodiment, similarly to FIGS. 2 and 3 described above. Hereinafter, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the same constituent elements as those of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different portions from the printing apparatus will be mainly described.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the shape of the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 according to the present embodiment has a linear shape in plan view. In the present embodiment, the plurality of irregularities 48 applied by the thermal head 27 includes a linear shape parallel to the seam 49 in plan view. Specifically, the plurality of irregularities 48 include linear irregularities parallel to the seam 49 and linear irregularities perpendicular to the seam 49 in plan view.

  According to the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment as described above, since the shape of the plurality of irregularities 48 is a mat pattern having a high correlation with the shape of the seam 49 between the OP layers 45, the OP layers 45 It is possible to further suppress visual recognition of the seam 49.

<Embodiment 3>
6 and 7 are views showing the paper 31 on which the OP layer 45 is thermally transferred by the thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the third embodiment, as in FIGS. Hereinafter, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the same constituent elements as those of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different portions from the printing apparatus will be mainly described.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shape of the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 according to the present embodiment has a linear shape in plan view. In the present embodiment, the plurality of irregularities 48 applied by the thermal head 27 includes a linear shape parallel to the seam 49 in plan view. Specifically, each of the plurality of irregularities 48 has an H shape in plan view, and two of them are parallel to the joint 49 between the OP layers 45.

  The linear unevenness provided by the thermal head 27 is aligned with the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 in a plan view. In the present embodiment, the boundary between the concave portion and the convex portion forming the unevenness is aligned with the tip of the end portion forming the joint 49 of the OP layer 45. In general sublimation printers, the paper 31 is transported by the grip roller 12 and the pinch roller 13 so that the paper can be transported with high accuracy of about 80 μm per pulse. It is possible to align the seam 49 between the OP layers 45.

  According to the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment as described above, since the plurality of irregularities 48 have a mat pattern that is aligned with the seam 49 between the OP layers 45, the seam 49 is further prevented from being visually recognized. Can do.

<Embodiment 4>
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the paper 31 on which the OP layer 45 is thermally transferred by the thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. In FIG. 8, illustration of the above-described irregularities 48 is omitted. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the image density is high inside each of the triangle, rectangle, and ellipse. Hereinafter, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the same constituent elements as those of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different portions from the printing apparatus will be mainly described.

  In general, it is known that the reflection luminance of the printing surface increases in a low density portion of a printed image printed on the paper 31. Therefore, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 can be formed in a portion where the density of the printed image is relatively low. Hereinafter, the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the present embodiment. This printing apparatus is obtained by adding an image density analysis unit 29 to the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment. The image density analysis unit 29 analyzes the density of an image printed on a region of the paper 31 where a joint 49 between the OP layers 45 can be formed. That is, the image density analysis unit 29 overlaps an area where the OP layer 45OP _n can be transferred and an area where the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1} can be transferred (between the two dotted lines shown in FIG. 8). The density of the image printed in the area). The image density analysis unit 29 includes, for example, a camera that acquires an image printed on the paper 31 and a CPU 28 that analyzes the image.

Printing apparatus according to this embodiment, the control of the CPU 28 (control unit), the low concentration portion of the analyzed print image in the image density analyzer 29, and the rear end of the OP layer 45OP _n, OP layer 45OP _n Thermal transfer so that the tip of ₊₁ overlaps. That is, this printing apparatus changes the shape of the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 in plan view based on the density analyzed by the image density analysis unit 29.

  As the OP layer 45, a layer that can be thermally transferred in dot units like the dye layer 44 shown in FIG. 14 is used. In addition, when the width of the overlap region in the printing direction is short, the shape of the seam 49 can hardly be changed from the linear shape, and as a result, the seam 49 is placed on a portion where the density of the printed image is high. The possibility of being formed increases. Therefore, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the width of the overlap region in the printing direction is sufficiently long.

  By the above operation of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 is formed so as not to overlap with a high density triangle, rectangle, or ellipse as shown in FIG. According to such a printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, since the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 can be formed on a portion where the density of the printed image is low, the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 is formed. Visibility can be further suppressed.

<Embodiment 5>
FIG. 10 is a view showing the paper 31 on which the OP layer 45 is thermally transferred by the thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment, as in FIG. However, in this figure, the width in the printing direction of the seam 49 is slightly expanded for easy understanding. Hereinafter, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the same constituent elements as those of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different portions from the printing apparatus will be mainly described.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment controls an image to be printed in a region 35 in which a joint 49 between OP layers 45 of the paper 31 is formed under the control of the CPU 28 (control unit). Reduce the concentration. Therefore, since the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 can be formed on a portion where the density of the printed image is low, the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 can be further suppressed from being visually recognized.

<Embodiment 6>
FIG. 11 is a view showing the paper 31 on which the OP layer 45 is thermally transferred by the thermal transfer type printing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment, as in FIG. Hereinafter, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the same constituent elements as those of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different portions from the printing apparatus will be mainly described.

  Generally, in the horizontally long paper 31 (printed material), an image is arranged so as to be orthogonal to the sub-scanning direction (horizontal width direction), while an observer who observes the printed material is also orthogonal to the horizontal width direction. Observe. That is, it is considered that the viewer's line of sight becomes careful in the image arrangement direction or its vertical direction (printing direction or its vertical direction). Therefore, it is considered that if the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 is inclined with respect to the image arrangement direction, the observer cannot easily see the joint 49.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, on the diagonal line so as to form the seam 49 on the diagonal line of the overlap region, under the control of the CPU 28 (control unit). and the rear end portion of the OP layer 45OP _n, and a distal end portion of the OP layer 45OP _{n + 1} disposed. That is, in this printing apparatus, the shape of the joint 49 between the OP layers 45 is a linear shape extending in a direction inclined from the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction (printing direction) of the OP layers 45 in plan view.

  As the OP layer 45, a layer that can be thermally transferred in dot units like the dye layer 44 shown in FIG. 14 is used. Further, when the width of the over region in the printing direction is short, the angle formed by the straight line direction of the seam 49 and the printing direction and the vertical direction cannot be sufficiently increased. Therefore, in the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, the width of the overlap region in the printing direction is sufficiently long.

  According to the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment as described above, since the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 is inclined from the image arrangement direction or the horizontal direction, the seam 49 between the OP layers 45 is visually recognized. It can be suppressed more.

  15 divided images, 27 thermal head, 29 image density analysis section, 31 paper, 41 ink sheet, 44 dye layer, 45 OP layer, 48 unevenness, 49 seam.

Claims (5)

A thermal transfer type printing apparatus that performs multi-panel printing that divides and prints an image that exceeds the panel size of the dye layer and OP layer provided on the ink sheet into a plurality of images that do not exceed the panel size,
A transfer section that heat-transfers each OP layer corresponding to the plurality of images in the multi-panel printing to a printed material by overlapping the surface of the OP layer as a mat OP having a plurality of irregularities before and after the seam ;
An image density analysis unit for analyzing the density of an image printed in a region where a joint between the OP layers can be formed in the printed material;
The image based on the concentration that is analyzed in the concentration analyzer, to change the shape of the seam in a plan view, the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
Wherein the plurality of irregularities to be applied by the pre-Symbol transfer unit includes a parallel concave convex shape of the seam in a plan view, the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
Before SL irregularities Ru applied by the transfer unit are flush with the front KiTsugi technique th shape in plan view, the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The lower the density of the printed should do images before area KiTsugi technique eyes are formed out of the substrate, the printing apparatus. A thermal transfer type printing apparatus that performs multi-panel printing that divides and prints an image that exceeds the panel size of the dye layer and OP layer provided on the ink sheet into a plurality of images that do not exceed the panel size ,
Each OP layer corresponding to the plurality of images in the multi-panel printing includes a transfer unit that heat-transfers the OP layer as a mat OP having a plurality of irregularities on the surface of the OP layer before and after the joint,
A printing apparatus in which a shape of a seam between the OP layers is a linear shape extending in a direction inclined from a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the OP layers in a plan view .