JP6119827B2 - Nail printing apparatus and printing control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a nail printing apparatus and a printing control method.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, nail printing apparatuses that perform printing on finger nails have been proposed. For example, the nail printing apparatus positions a finger corresponding to a nail part to be printed on a finger placing table provided in the apparatus main body, and uses an ink jet print head or the like for the nail part of the positioned finger. And a printing apparatus for printing images such as pictures.

  When printing on the nail portion by the nail printing apparatus, it is necessary to accurately grasp the nail region of the nail portion to be printed. For this reason, for example, an apparatus that performs printing after measuring the shape of the nail portion in detail using a non-contact measuring means has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3016147

However, in such a configuration, since the dedicated measuring device is provided, the cost of the device is increased, and the device itself is increased in size to be unsuitable for personal use.
In addition, if the shape of the nail portion is measured in detail every time printing is performed, it takes time to perform measurement every time nail printing is performed, and there is a problem that the time required for printing processing becomes longer and the usability is poor. .
In particular, when an individual user uses a nail printing apparatus, there is a demand to easily and promptly perform printing suitable for his nail portion by omitting complicated procedures as much as possible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and provides a nail printing apparatus and a printing control method capable of performing nail printing suitable for one's nail portion, omitting complicated procedures as much as possible. It is intended.

In order to solve the problem, the nail printing apparatus according to claim 1,
A printing finger placement unit having a placement surface on which a printing finger that is a finger including a nail part to be printed is placed;
Printing means having a print head for printing on the nail part by jetting ink while moving in one direction along the width direction of the nail part, parallel to the surface direction of the placement surface;
A height acquisition means for acquiring a height dimension of the nail portion of the printing finger from one end in the width direction of the nail portion;
Print-related information acquisition means for acquiring print-related information having a set value of the number of times of ejection when the print head ejects the ink when the printing means performs the printing on the nail portion;
A plurality of types of ejection number basic tables each having a set value of the number of ejections each time the print head moves by a specific distance in the one direction, each corresponding to a plurality of different height dimensions. Memorizing basic table storage means;
Table selection for selecting a specific injection frequency basic table corresponding to the height dimension acquired by the height acquisition unit from the plurality of types of injection frequency basic tables stored in the basic table storage unit Means,
Print control means for controlling the printing means to perform the printing on the nail portion of the printing finger according to the printing-related information;
With
Setting values of the injection number in the printing-related information, the number of injections of each of the print head at an end side of the width direction of the claw portion is moved by the specified distance in the direction of the one, the pawl Is set to a value that is greater than the number of ejections each time the print head moves by the specific distance in the one direction at the center in the width direction of the part ,
The print-related information includes information on the specific injection number basic table selected by the table selection unit .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the nail printing apparatus according to the first aspect, the set value of the number of ejections in the print-related information is a print based on image data having the same tone color. The print density at the central part of the claw part and the print density at the end part side are set to values equivalent to each other when the central part and the end part side of the part are performed. It is a feature .

Further, the invention according to claim 3 is the nail print apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The print-related information acquisition means includes an imaging means for obtaining a nail image by photographing the printing finger placed on the printing finger placement portion,
The printing related information includes the fingernail image of the printing finger acquired by the photographing unit.

The print control method according to claim 4 is :
A height acquisition step of acquiring a height dimension of the nail portion of the printing finger including the nail portion to be printed placed on the placement surface from the one end portion in the width direction of the nail portion; ,
A printing head that prints on the nail part by ejecting ink while moving in one direction along the width direction of the nail part, parallel to the surface direction of the placement surface. A printing-related information acquisition step of acquiring printing-related information having a setting value of the number of times of ejection when the print head ejects the ink when the printing unit performs the printing on the nail portion;
A printing control step for controlling the printing means to perform the printing on the nail portion of the printing finger according to the printing-related information;
Including
The printing control method further includes:
The print head has a set value of the number of times of ejection each time the print head moves a specific distance in the one direction, and the set value of the number of times of ejection on the end side in the width direction of the claw portion A basic table storage step of storing in the basic table storage means a plurality of types of injection number basic tables corresponding to each of the plurality of height dimensions, each of which is greater than the number of injections at the central portion in the width direction of the section. When,
Table selection for selecting a specific injection frequency basic table corresponding to the height dimension acquired by the height acquisition step from the plurality of types of injection frequency basic tables stored in the basic table storage means And including steps,
The printing related information includes information of the specific ejection number basic table selected in the table selection step .
The print control method according to claim 5 is the print control method according to claim 4 ,
The set value of the number of ejections in the print-related information is determined when the printing based on the image data having the same gradation color is performed on the central part and the end side of the nail part. It is characterized in that the print density in the printing density and the end portion side of the central portion is set to become equal value.
A print control method according to claim 6 is the print control method according to claim 4 or 5 ,
The print-related information acquisition step includes an imaging step of capturing the print finger is placed on the mounting surface to obtain a nail image,
The printing-related information includes the fingernail image of the printing finger acquired by the photographing step .

According to the present invention, the print pitch acquired for the user's print finger is set to a value finer than the center at both ends in the width direction of the nail when printing by the printing means on the nail of the print finger. Print-related information including the value of the user is stored in association with the personal identification information of the user, and if the registration process has already been performed for the print finger, the print-related information registered for the print finger According to the information, printing processing for the printing finger is performed.
For this reason, once the registration process has been completed, it is possible to save the troublesome work of measuring the shape of the nail part and making various settings each time it is printed. There is an effect that it can be easily performed without taking time.

1 is a perspective view conceptually showing an example of a nail print apparatus according to the present embodiment, showing a state where a lid is opened. FIG. It is the perspective view which showed notionally the apparatus main body of the nail print apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a printing finger fixing unit of the nail printing apparatus in FIG. 1 and illustrates a fixing mode when a pinky finger is inserted from a forefinger as a printing finger into a printing finger insertion unit. It is sectional drawing of the front side of the nail print apparatus of FIG. It is a sectional side view of the nail print apparatus of FIG. (A) is the top view of the finger | toe which shows a reference point, (B) is the side view which looked at the finger | toe shown to (A) from the side. (A) is sectional drawing which shows the state which image | photographs a reference | standard point from the top, (B) is sectional drawing which shows the state which rotated the finger | toe shown to (A) and was in the side. It is a principal part block diagram which showed the control structure of the nail print apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is the figure which showed the example of a structure of the personal registration register and ROM of RAM in this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of a nail | claw area | region. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a classification | category of a nail | claw shape pattern. (A) is sectional drawing which shows an example of the nail | claw part which corresponds to the nail | claw shape pattern A, (B) is sectional drawing which shows an example of the claw part which corresponds to the nail | claw shape pattern B, (C) is a nail | claw shape pattern. It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the nail | claw part which corresponds to C. (A) is a top view which shows an example of the nail | claw area | region where the lattice-like nail design was given, (B) is a perspective view of the nail | claw area | region shown to (A). It is an enlarged view of A point of the nail | claw area | region shown in FIG. 13 (B) at the time of printing, without performing pitch adjustment. It is a figure which shows an example of the injection frequency basic table. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the height of a nail | claw part and a required density | concentration rate. It is a figure which shows an example of the injection frequency adjustment table of a line length of 10,000 micrometers part. It is a figure which shows an example of the injection frequency adjustment table of a line length 8000 micrometers part. It is a figure which shows an example of the injection frequency adjustment table of a line length 5000 micrometer part. It is a figure which shows an example of the injection frequency adjustment table of a line length 200 micrometer part. (A) is an enlarged view of point A in the nail region shown in FIG. 13 (B) when printing is performed with adjustment of the number of ejections, and (B) is thinned out by adjusting the number of ejections. It is an enlarged view of A point of the nail | claw area | region shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram explaining thinning printing. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an overall flow of print control processing in the present embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the personal nail | claw registration process in the printing control process of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the nail | claw printing process in the printing control process of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the nail | claw printing process in the printing control process of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of a registration inquiry screen. It is a figure which shows an example of a nail | claw shape registration inquiry screen. It is a figure which shows an example of a user selection screen. It is a figure which shows an example of an image conversion basic table. It is a figure which shows an example of the image conversion adjustment table of a line length 10000 micrometers part. It is a figure which shows an example of the image conversion adjustment table of a line length 10000 micrometers part. It is a figure which shows an example of the image conversion adjustment table of a line length 5000 micrometers part. (A) is a conceptual diagram of image conversion, and (B) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of allocation of unit pixel data. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the case where it printed by applying an image conversion adjustment table. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of point A in the nail region shown in FIG. 13B when printing is performed by applying an image conversion adjustment table. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the means to measure the height dimension of a nail | claw part. It is a top view explaining the means for measuring the height dimension of a nail | claw part. It is principal part sectional drawing which looked at the means for measuring the height dimension of the nail | claw part of FIG. 38 from the front.

[First Embodiment]
First, a first embodiment of a nail print apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a nail print apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an internal configuration of the nail print apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the nail printing apparatus 1 includes a case body 2 and a lid body 4. The case body 2 and the lid body 4 are connected to each other via a hinge 3 provided at the rear end portion of the upper surface of the case body 2.

The case body 2 is formed in an oval shape in plan view. The case main body 2 is provided with an opening / closing plate 2c on the front side so as to be able to rise and fall. The opening / closing plate 2 c is connected to the case body 2 via a hinge (not shown) provided at the lower front end of the case body 2. The opening / closing plate 2 c is for opening and closing the front surface of the case body 2.
An operation unit 12 to be described later is installed on the top plate 2f of the case body 2, and a display unit 13 is set almost at the center of the top plate 2f.
Note that the shapes and configurations of the case body 2 and the lid body 4 are not limited to those illustrated here.

Further, the case main body 2 accommodates the apparatus main body 10 of the nail printing apparatus 1. The apparatus main body 10 includes a printing finger fixing unit 20 constituting a printing finger fixing unit shown in FIG. 2, a photographing unit 30 constituting a photographing unit, a printing unit 40 constituting a printing unit, and a control unit. A control device 50 (see FIG. 8) is provided. The printing finger fixing unit 20, the photographing unit 30, the printing unit 40, and the control device 50 are provided in the machine casing 11.
The machine casing 11 includes a lower machine casing 11a and an upper machine casing 11b. The lower machine casing 11a is formed in a box shape and installed below the inside of the case body 2, and the upper machine casing 11b is installed above the lower machine casing 11a and inside the case body 2.

The printing finger fixing unit 20 is provided on the lower machine casing 11 a in the machine casing 11. The printing finger fixing unit 20 is configured by the printing finger insertion unit 20a, the non-printing finger insertion unit 20b, and the gripping unit 20c provided in the lower machine casing 11a.
Here, the printing finger insertion part 20a is a finger insertion part for inserting a finger (hereinafter referred to as “printing finger”) U1 corresponding to the nail part T to be printed (see FIG. 3). The bottom surface (printing finger placement surface) of the printing finger insertion unit 20a functions as a finger placement unit that places the printing finger U1. Photographing and printing of the printing finger U1 are performed in a state where the printing finger U1 is placed on the printing finger placement surface of the printing finger insertion unit 20a as the finger placement means.
Further, the non-printing finger insertion unit 20b is a finger insertion unit for inserting a finger other than the printing finger (hereinafter referred to as “non-printing finger”) U2 (see FIG. 3).
The gripping portion 20c is a portion that can be sandwiched between the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion portion 20a and the non-printing finger U2 inserted into the non-printing finger insertion portion 20b. In the present embodiment, the grip portion 20c is constituted by a partition wall 21 that partitions the printing finger insertion portion 20a and the non-printing finger insertion portion 20b.

  The upper surface of the partition wall 21 constitutes a flat printing finger placement surface. A bulging portion 22 is formed at the finger insertion side end of the partition wall 21. The bulging portion 22 is a portion where the base U3 of the printing finger U1 and the non-printing finger U2 contacts when the printing finger U1 and the non-printing finger U2 are inserted deeply into the printing finger insertion portion 20a and the non-printing finger insertion portion 20b. Is formed. The bulging portion 22 can strongly hold the partition wall 21 (the gripping portion 20c) between the printing finger U1 and the non-printing finger U2 in a state where the entire belly of the printing finger U1 is in contact with the printing finger placement surface. In addition, the cross-section in the finger insertion direction is circular so as to bulge downward from the lower surface of the partition wall 21. The shape of the bulging portion 22 is not limited to a circular cross section, and may be a non-circular shape such as an elliptical cross section or a polygonal shape.

For example, when four fingers (index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger) other than the thumb of the left hand are the print fingers U1, the user places four print fingers on the print finger insertion portion 20a as shown in FIG. U1 is inserted, and the thumb that is the non-printing finger U2 is inserted into the non-printing finger insertion portion 20b. In this case, when the user holds the gripping portion 20c between the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion portion 20a and the non-printing finger U2 inserted into the non-printing finger insertion portion 20b, the printing finger U1 holds the gripping portion. It is fixed on 20c.
When only the thumb becomes the printing finger U1, the thumb (printing finger U1) is inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a, and the four fingers other than the thumb (non-printing finger U2) are inserted into the non-printing finger insertion unit. Insert into 20b. Also in this case, the printing finger U1 is fixed by the user holding the grip portion 20c between the printing finger U1 and the non-printing finger U2.

4 is a front sectional view of the nail printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the nail printing apparatus 1.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the photographing unit 30 is provided in the upper machine casing 11 b in the machine casing 11. In the present embodiment, the photographing unit 30 includes a camera 32, an illumination lamp 33, and slit light irradiation means 35.
That is, a camera 32 having about 2 million pixels or more with a built-in driver is installed on the lower surface of the central portion of the substrate 31 installed in the upper machine casing 11b. An illumination lamp 33 such as a white LED is installed on the substrate 31 so as to surround the camera 32.
The photographing unit 30 illuminates the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a, which is a finger placement unit, with an illumination lamp 33, and the nail of the nail portion T (printing object) of the printing finger U1 by the camera 32. It functions as a photographing means for photographing a region Ta (print target surface) and obtaining a fingernail image including a nail region image that is a print target region image.
In the present embodiment, the fingernail image of the printing finger U1 acquired by the photographing unit 30 is included in printing-related information described later, and the photographing unit 30 that acquires the fingernail image includes the printing-related information. It functions as a printing related information acquisition means for acquiring the.

In the present embodiment, the imaging unit 30 measures the height dimension of the nail portion T of the user's printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a together with the height dimension measurement unit 512 described later. It constitutes a length measuring means (claw shape obtaining means). The height dimension measuring unit functions as a printing related information acquiring unit that acquires the nail height dimension as the printing related information.
Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6 (A) and 7 (A), the end portions in the width direction of the nail portion T are separated from the skin of the nail bed of the finger (this is referred to as “stress point Sp”). 6 (A), (B), and FIG. 10, the left stress point is SpL and the right stress point is SpR). An image around the reference point Cp is acquired by the camera 32 or the like. When the user rotates the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a clockwise or counterclockwise, the imaging unit 30 tracks the position of the reference point Cp with the camera 32 or the like and surrounds the reference point Cp. Keep getting images from time to time. Then, as shown in FIGS. 6B and 7B, the image capturing unit 30 captures an image with the reference point Cp at the end, that is, with the printing finger U1 lying directly beside. From this image, the height dimension measuring unit 512 acquires the dimension in the height direction of the claw T. When measuring the height direction dimension of the claw portion T by such a method, a special apparatus or the like for measuring the height direction dimension is not required, so the apparatus is not increased in size and the apparatus cost. Can also be suppressed.

The printing unit 40 is a printing unit that ejects ink onto a nail region Ta (see FIG. 6 and the like) that is a printing target surface of the nail unit T that is a printing target and prints a color, a pattern, and the like. , Mainly provided in the upper machine casing 11b.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, two guide rods 41 are installed in parallel on both side plates of the upper machine casing 11b. A main carriage 42 is slidably installed on the guide rod 41. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, two guide rods 44 are installed in parallel on the front wall 42a and the rear wall 42b of the main carriage 42. A sub carriage 45 is slidably installed on the guide rod 44. A print head 46 is mounted at the center of the lower surface of the sub carriage 45.
In the present embodiment, the print head 46 is an ink jet type print head that performs printing by atomizing ink and spraying it directly onto a print medium. The recording method of the print head 46 is not limited to the ink jet method.

The main carriage 42 is connected to a motor 43 through power transmission means (not shown), and is configured to move in the left-right direction along the guide rod 41 by forward and reverse rotation of the motor 43. The sub-carriage 45 is connected to a motor 47 via a power transmission means (not shown), and is configured to move in the front-rear direction along the guide rod 44 by forward and reverse rotation of the motor 47.
Further, the lower machine casing 11 a is provided with an ink cartridge 48 for supplying ink to the print head 46. The ink cartridge 48 is connected to the print head 46 via an ink supply pipe (not shown), and supplies ink to the print head 46 as appropriate. Note that an ink cartridge may be mounted on the print head 46 itself.

  The printing unit 40 includes the guide rod 41, the main carriage 42, the motor 43, the guide rod 44, the sub carriage 45, the print head 46, the motor 47, the ink cartridge 48, and the like. The motor 43, the print head 46, and the motor 47 of the printing unit 40 are connected to a control unit 51 of a control device 50 described later, and are controlled by the control unit 51.

The operation unit 12 is input means for the user to make various inputs.
For example, a power switch button for turning on the power of the nail printing apparatus 1, a stop switch button for stopping the operation, and other operation buttons 121 for performing various inputs are arranged on the operation unit 12.

In the present embodiment, the operation unit 12 functions as identification information input means for inputting personal identification information of a user.
Here, the personal identification information is information that can identify the user, and is, for example, the user's name, an arbitrarily set password, a code number, or the like. The personal identification information may be any information that can identify the user, and is not limited to that exemplified here. For example, personal identification information may be configured by combining a plurality of pieces of information.

The display unit 13 is a display unit configured with, for example, a liquid crystal panel (a liquid crystal display (LCD)).
A touch panel may be integrally formed on the surface of the display unit 13. In this case, various inputs can also be performed by touching the surface of the display unit 13 by a touch operation with a stylus pen or a fingertip (not shown). Can function as identification information input means.

  The display unit 13 includes, for example, a fingernail image obtained by photographing the printing finger U1, a nail region Ta therein, a nail design image as an image to be printed on the nail region Ta of the printing finger U1, a thumbnail image for design confirmation, Various instruction screens are displayed.

  The control device 50 is provided in the upper machine casing 11b. The control device 50 is installed on a substrate 31 and, as shown in FIG. 8, a control unit 51 configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or the like (not shown) and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 52 as storage means. And a computer having a RAM 53 (Random Access Memory) and the like. The storage means is not limited to the ROM 52 and the RAM 53 in the control device 50, and other storage means may be provided.

The ROM 52 includes a user registration program for performing a user registration process, a registration presence / absence determination program for determining whether or not a print finger has already been registered, and a nail height for measuring a dimension in the height direction of the nail portion T. Corresponds to measurement program, nail width measurement program that measures the dimension in the width direction of the nail part T, table selection program that classifies the shape of the user's nail part T and selects the optimum table, and the shape of the user's nail part T Various programs such as a table generation program for generating a pitch adjustment table, a print data generation program for generating print data, and a print program for performing print processing are stored. A program is executed to control each unit of the nail printing apparatus 1.
In the present embodiment, the ROM 52 includes original image data, pattern classification data, a pitch adjustment basic table, and the like (see FIG. 9).

  Here, the original image data is original image data of an image (nail design) to be printed on the nail region Ta of the nail portion T of the printing finger U1 that is the printing target surface, and the ROM 52 stores the original image data. It functions as original image data storage means.

The pattern classification data is used for the table selection unit 51 (to be described later) to classify the nail portion T, which is an object to be printed, according to the height dimension in the ink ejection direction from the recording head 46 of the printing unit 40. Necessary data.
In the present embodiment, the table selection unit 513 has a stress point at a position close to the center of 1000 μm from the end in the cross-section in the width direction of the claw T in SpL and SpR (see FIG. 10) (hereinafter referred to as “reference position P”). (See FIG. 11)), the claw T is classified into three nail shape patterns A to C according to the height dimension, and the pattern classification data is the nail at the reference position P. This is a threshold value of the height dimension of the portion T.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of nail shape patterns classified by the table selection unit 513 in the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, threshold data of the three nail shape patterns A to C are stored in the ROM 52 as pattern classification data.
That is, as shown in FIG. 11, in the nail shape pattern A, whether or not the height dimension of the nail part T at the reference position P is higher than 2000 μm is a threshold value, and this height dimension is higher than 2000 μm. In this case, the nail shape pattern A is classified. Further, the nail shape pattern B has a threshold value that the height dimension of the nail portion T at the reference position P is 1000 μm or more and 2000 μm or less, and when this height dimension takes a value within this range. It is classified as a nail shape pattern B. The nail shape pattern C has a threshold value as to whether or not the height dimension of the nail portion T at the reference position P is lower than 1000 μm. If this height dimension is lower than 1000 μm, the nail shape pattern C Classified as C.

The position of the reference position P and the threshold value are examples and are not limited to the above numerical values.
Further, the method of setting the threshold value for classifying the nail shape pattern is not limited to the example illustrated here. For example, the threshold value may be set according to the rising angle α at the cross-sectional end of the claw T and the straight line connecting the ends of the cross-section of the claw in the width direction.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the height dimension of the claw portion T at the reference position P is large, the rising angle α at the end portion is also large, and the height dimension of the claw portion T at the reference position P is large. When it is small, the rising angle α at the end is also small. For example, in the present embodiment, in the nail shape pattern A, the rising angle α is 60 degrees or more (see FIG. 12A), and in the nail shape pattern B, the rising angle α is 45 degrees or more (see FIG. B)), in the nail shape pattern C, the rising angle α is less than 45 degrees (see FIG. 12C). For this reason, by defining the value of the rising angle α as a threshold value, it is possible to perform nail shape pattern classification as in the case of defining the value of the height dimension of the claw portion T at the reference position P as a threshold value.
In the present embodiment, the case where the nail shape patterns are classified into three types A to C is taken as an example. However, the number of nail shape patterns is not limited to this, and may be smaller or more. A threshold value of the nail shape pattern may be set so that the shape of the nail portion T can be classified more finely.
The result of the table selection unit 513 classifying the nail shape of the nail portion T of the user's printing finger U1 into any of the nail shape patterns A to C is stored in the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53 as the printing related information of the user. Also good.

As shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C, when a constant interval Δx is engraved horizontally in the width direction of the cross section of the claw portion T, if the surface length of the claw portion T per Δx is ΔL, ΔL can be expressed by an equation: ΔL = Δx / cos α. 12A shows the case of the nail shape pattern A, FIG. 12B shows the case of the nail shape pattern B, and FIG. 12C shows the case of the nail shape pattern C. Represents.
When the height dimension of the nail portion T at the reference position P is large and the rising angle α at the end portion is also large as in the nail shape pattern A shown in FIG. 12A, the surface length of the end portion of the nail portion T is large. The length ΔL becomes longer.
On the other hand, when the height dimension of the claw portion T at the reference position P is small and the rising angle α at the end portion is small as in the claw shape pattern C shown in FIG. The length ΔL is shortened.
Further, the value of ΔL approaches the value of Δx, which is a length dimension obtained by horizontally engraving a certain interval in the width direction of the cross section of the claw portion T as it goes to the center portion in the width direction of the claw portion T.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 13 (A) and (B), the central portion in the width direction (Wt in FIGS. 13 (A) and 13 (B) and the like) rises high, and decreases as it goes to the end in the width direction Wt. When printing a lattice pattern (an enlarged view of a portion A in FIG. 13B is shown in FIG. 14) on the entire nail region Ta (print target surface) of the nail portion T (print target) having a shape, FIG. As shown in FIG. 14, when the value of ΔL is large, when printing is performed at the same printing pitch as that where the value of ΔL is small, the width of the nail portion T is uniform in the length direction Ht of the nail portion T. The print density becomes lighter toward the end in the direction Wt, and the design also extends in the width direction (height direction) Wt of the nail portion T.
For this reason, in order to print an image without elongation or distortion at the same print density as that of the flat portion at the end portion in the width direction Wt, the portion where the value of ΔL is large is larger than the portion where the value of ΔL is small. It is necessary to adjust the print pitch to be fine.

The pitch adjustment basic table is a table for adjusting the printing pitch as described above, and the printing unit 40 has both ends in the width direction Wt of the nail area Ta, which is the print target surface, in the width direction Wt than in the center. 5 is a table associated with the print pitch so that the print pitch becomes finer. In the present embodiment, the ROM 52 functions as a basic table storage unit that stores a pitch adjustment basic table.
In the present embodiment, as the pitch adjustment basic table, the number of ink ejections at the time of printing by the printing unit 40 is greater at both ends in the width direction Wt than at the center in the width direction Wt of the nail region Ta (print target surface). A basic table of the number of injections associated with each other so as to increase is stored.

  FIG. 15 is an example of the injection number basic table as the pitch adjustment basic table. As shown in FIG. 15, three types of injection number basic tables are prepared according to the nail shape patterns A to C. The basic table of the number of times of ejection is a recording density (hereinafter referred to as “recording density” required for printing in the entire nail portion T having a nail region Ta that is a printing target surface having a curved shape in which both end portions in the width direction Wt are low and the vicinity of the central portion is raised. In other words, the number of ink ejections is adjusted so as to ensure the “required density”.

Here, the necessary concentration in the nail portion T will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 16 shows the density ratio necessary for securing the necessary concentration for the claw portion T having a curved shape in which both ends in the width direction Wt, which is the shape of the general claw portion T, are low and the vicinity of the center portion is high. 4 is a graph showing an example of a relationship between a required concentration rate to be shown and a height dimension of a cross section of a claw portion T. In FIG. 16, the dimension in the width direction of the claw T is 8000 μm, and the dimension in the height direction of the cross section of the claw T is about 3000 μm in the vicinity of the highest central part.
Here, the necessary concentration rate means the actual surface of the nail portion corresponding to this Δx when a constant interval Δx is cut horizontally in the cross-sectional width direction of the nail portion T (see FIGS. 12A to 12C). (ΔL / Δx) obtained by dividing the length dimension ΔL (see FIGS. 12A to 12C) by Δx.
When printing on a flat surface (that is, when the constant interval Δx horizontally engraved in the cross-sectional width direction of the nail portion T and the actual length dimension ΔL of the nail surface corresponding thereto are substantially equal), The necessary density ratio is “1”, and the value of the necessary density ratio increases as the actual length dimension ΔL of the nail surface corresponding to Δx increases.
Although there are individual differences in the height and swell of the nail portion T, even in a portion where the nail region is curved and curved, other than the vicinity of both ends of the nail portion T, for example, as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. Then, the necessary concentration rate (ΔL / Δx) shows a substantially constant “1”. In other words, in this region, it is sufficient to print with a recording density substantially equal to that for printing on a flat surface. On the other hand, the required concentration rate is large in the range from the left and right end portions to 1000 μm toward the center portion, and the value of the required concentration rate is about “4” around the end portion. ing.

  In the ejection number basic table, as shown in FIG. 15, corresponding to the required density rate in the nail portion T, the central portion of the nail portion T and the vicinity thereof have the same number of times as the number of ink ejections on the plane. “1” indicating a certain average number of times of injection (referred to as “reference number of times of injection”), and an average number of times of injection that is twice to four times the reference number of times of injection at the end of the claw T. Any of “2”, “3”, and “4” is associated with each other.

As shown in FIG. 16, the portion where the necessary density ratio in the nail portion T is other than “1” (that is, the portion where the pitch adjustment is necessary) extends from the end in the width direction of the nail portion T to the center portion. Therefore, in the injection number basic table, the number of injections for 2000 μm from one end to the center in the width direction is 100 μm as one unit (hereinafter referred to as “1 item”). As shown in FIG. 15, there are 1 to 20 items.
Further, since the claw portion T is substantially symmetric with respect to the central portion in the width direction, the injection number basic table is composed of only 2000 μm (1 to 20 items) from one end portion to the central portion. The opposite side of the claw portion T is dealt with by applying the numerical values associated in the injection number basic table while being horizontally reversed.

  In this embodiment, the case where the pitch adjustment basic table is an ejection number basic table that adjusts the number of times ink is ejected from the recording head 46 is exemplified. However, the pitch adjustment basic table can adjust the ink ejection amount. What is necessary is just to be a thing, and it is not limited to what was illustrated here. The ink ejection amount is obtained by multiplying the amount of ink per ejection and the number of ejections, and may be any one that adjusts the ejection amount by adjusting both or one of them.

As shown in FIG. 15, for example, in the injection number basic table corresponding to the nail shape pattern A, the term “1” in FIG. 4 ”(that is, four times the reference injection number, which is the number of injections in the plane), and the next eight injections (“ 2 ”to“ 9 ”in FIG. 15) next to“ 3 ” ”(That is, three times the reference number of injections that is the number of injections in the plane), and the next four items (“ 10 ”to“ 13 ”in FIG. 15) that are adjacent to this, 2 ”(that is, twice the number of reference injections that is the number of injections in the plane), and“ 1 ”that is the reference number of injections is associated with each other.
Further, for example, in the injection number basic table corresponding to the nail shape pattern B, the number of injections “3” (in the two ends (“1” and “2” in FIG. 15) in the width direction of the nail portion T) ( In other words, the number of injections in the plane, which is three times the reference number of injections, is associated, and the adjacent six terms (“3” to “8” in FIG. 15) have the number of injections “2” (that is, in the plane). The number of injections is twice the reference number of injections), and in addition to this, “1”, which is the reference number of injections, is associated with each other.
In addition, about each numerical value (number of times of injection), it is here from the 1st term to the 10th term ("1" to "10" in FIG. 15) of the claw portion T in the width direction (that is, the width of the claw portion T). Is determined in consideration of the shape of the claw T so that the average value of the number of injections (from the end of the direction to 1000 μm) becomes the average value of the “necessary concentration rate” within the range. The average value is desirably 3 or more for the nail shape pattern A, 1.5 to 3.0 for the nail shape pattern B, and 1 to 1.5 for the nail shape pattern C.
Further, printing is performed from the first to the tenth items (from “1” to “10” in FIG. 15) at the end of the nail portion T in the width direction (that is, from the end of the nail portion T in the width direction to 1000 μm). The average value of the recording density of the ink to be ejected from the portion 40 is at least twice that of the plane portion in the nail shape pattern A, 1.5 to 2 times that of the plane portion in the nail shape pattern B, and flat in the nail shape pattern C. It is desirable to make it less than 1.5 times the portion.

The RAM 53 includes a storage area for storing various data and a work area (not shown) for developing programs and the like when the control unit 51 performs various processes.
In the present embodiment, the storage area of the RAM 53 includes a nail area image as a print target area image photographed by the photographing unit 30, and a length dimension in the width direction of the nail area image measured by the width dimension measuring unit 511 (FIG. 10). Reference), the height dimension of the nail part T in the ink ejection direction of the printing unit 40 acquired by the height dimension measurement part 512, the pattern classification result of the shape of the user's nail part T by the table selection part 513, the adjustment table creation part An injection number adjustment table (see FIGS. 17 to 20) as a pitch adjustment table corresponding to the shape of the user's claw T generated by the user 514 based on the injection number basic table, and generated by the print data generation unit 515 A personal registration register 53a is provided in which printing data and the like are associated with the personal identification information of the user and stored for each finger. (See Figure 9).
Note that the print-related information may be a part of the information listed here.
Further, the printing related information is not limited to that exemplified here. For example, the history of the nail design selected by the user in the past, the tendency of the nail design selected by the user in the past (for example, the profile for each design such as light / dark, flashy / adult, warm / cold, etc.) May be.
Here, each finger may be registered for all ten fingers of both hands, and if there is no significant difference between the left and right fingers, five fingers on either the left or right hand May be registered (5 fingers from thumb to little finger).

  In terms of functionality, the control unit 51 includes a width dimension measurement unit 511, a height dimension measurement unit 512, a table selection unit 513, an adjustment table creation unit 514, a print data generation unit 515, a print control unit 516, A display control unit 517, a user registration unit 518, a registration presence / absence determination unit 519, and the like are provided. These width dimension measurement unit 511, height dimension measurement unit 512, table selection unit 513, adjustment table creation unit 514, print data generation unit 515, print control unit 516, display control unit 517, user registration unit 518, registration presence determination The functions as the unit 519 and the like are realized by the cooperation of the CPU and the program stored in the ROM 52.

The user registration unit 518 associates the personal identification information of the user input in the operation unit 12 serving as the identification information input unit with the print related information acquired by the print related information acquisition unit for the user corresponding to the personal identification information. This is user registration means for performing registration processing to be stored in the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53 as already registered information.
When new print related information is acquired for the same user, the user registration unit 518 preferably stores the print related information in association with the personal identification information of the user in a cumulative manner.
In the present embodiment, as printing-related information, the length dimension in the width direction of the nail part T measured by the width dimension measuring part 511, the height dimension of the nail part T acquired by the height dimension measuring part 512, and table selection Information on the user's nail shape such as the injection number basic table (pitch adjustment basic table) selected as a table to be applied to the nail portion T by the unit 513 is acquired, and the user registration unit 518 Is stored in the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53 in association with the personal identification information of the user.
Note that the registration process performed by the user registration unit 518 is not limited to registration of information related to the user's nail shape. Registration of information on the nail shape is one of registration processes (personal registration mode) performed by the user registration unit 518, and various other information is registered in association with the personal identification information of the user. It may be. As other information, for example, as described above, the history of the nail design selected by the user in the past, and the tendency of the nail design selected by the user in the past (for example, bright / dark, flashy / adult, warm / cold, etc.) , Profiles for each design). When such information is stored in association with the user's personal identification information, the nail print device 1 automatically creates a nail design that matches the user's past trends and preferences when performing nail printing from the next time onward. You may comprise so that it may pick up or display on the display part 13 preferentially.

The registration presence / absence determination unit 519 determines whether the already registered information stored in the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53 by the user registration unit 518 matches the information acquired for the print finger U1 inserted in the print finger insertion unit 20a. Is a registration presence / absence determination unit that determines whether or not the user registration unit 518 has already performed registration processing on the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a.
In the present embodiment, when the printing finger U1 is inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a, a confirmation screen (see FIG. 26) for inquiring the user as to whether or not the registration has been performed is displayed. If there is an input that there is, the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 determines that the printing finger U1 has been registered.
Note that the method by which the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 determines whether or not the printing finger U1 is registered is not limited to this. For example, when the printing finger U1 is inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a, the fingernail image of the printing finger acquired by the imaging unit 30 and any of the registration processes already performed by the user registration unit 518 The fingernail image of the printing finger U1 is compared to determine whether or not they match, and if they match, the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a is displayed by the user registration unit 518. It may be determined that the finger has already been registered.
In this case, the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 includes, for example, information on the shape of the nail part T such as the height dimension and the width dimension of the nail part T acquired for the printing finger U1 inserted in the printing finger insertion part 20a. Compared with information on the user's nail portion T that has already undergone registration processing, it is determined whether or not both match, and if they match, the user's nail portion T that has already undergone registration processing Judge that there is.

The width dimension measuring unit 511 is a width dimension measuring unit that measures the length dimension in the width direction of the nail region image (that is, the print target region image) obtained by the imaging unit 30 serving as an imaging unit. The width dimension measuring unit 511 functions as a printing related information acquisition unit that acquires the width dimension of the nail as printing related information.
The method by which the width dimension measuring unit 511 measures the length dimension in the width direction of the nail region image is not particularly limited. For example, the number of pixels having a reference length is measured in advance and stored in the ROM 52 or the like. A method of obtaining the length dimension in the width direction of the nail region image from the number of pixels of the nail region image by comparing the number of pixels of the nail region image acquired by the photographing unit 30 with the reference number of pixels. by.
In the present embodiment, the width dimension measuring unit 511 first has a length (that is, a0, b0) of lines connecting the left and right stress points SpL, SpR from the nail region image (referred to as “reference lines a0, b0”). The length dimension between b0) is acquired as the width dimension of the reference lines a0 and b0. Further, the width dimension of the nail region image is obtained at a plurality of positions above and below the reference lines a0 and b0 in the same manner as the width dimension of the reference lines a0 and b0. For example, FIG. 10 shows an example in which the width dimensions of the lines a1, b1, lines a2, b2, and lines a3, b3 below the reference lines a0, b0 are acquired in addition to the width dimensions of the reference lines a0, b0. The width of the reference lines a0 and b0 is 10000 μm, the width of the lines a1 and b1 is 8000 μm, the width of the lines a2 and b2 is 5000 μm, and the width of the lines a3 and b3 is 200 μm. ing.
Note that the number of line width dimensions acquired by the width dimension measuring unit 511 is not particularly limited, but the shape of the nail region image can be grasped more accurately as the width dimensions are acquired for more parts. High printing can be performed.

The height dimension measuring unit 512 acquires a nail region image including the slit image photographed by the photographing unit 30, analyzes the slit image, and thereby the nail in the ink ejection direction of the printing unit 40 which is a printing unit. The height dimension of the portion T (printed object) is calculated, and the height dimension measuring means for measuring the dimension in the height direction of the claw portion T together with the photographing unit 30 is configured. In the present embodiment, the height dimension measuring means is located at a position 1000 μm from the end in the width direction of the claw T on the line connecting at least the left and right stress points SpL and SpR (“reference position P” in FIG. 11). Measure the height dimension of.
A method for the height dimension measuring unit 512 to measure the height dimension of the nail portion T in the ink ejecting direction of the printing unit 40 is not particularly limited, but in the present embodiment, from the difference in appearance of the slit image due to the difference in height. The height of the claw portion T is calculated. As described above, the method by which the height dimension measuring unit measures the height dimension of the nail portion T is not particularly limited. For example, the photographing unit 30 shoots the side surface of the nail portion T by irradiating spot light. In this case, the height dimension measuring unit 512 calculates the height of the claw portion T based on the obtained spot light image.
In order to perform printing with higher accuracy, the height dimension measuring unit 512 measures a plurality of height dimensions of the nail part T that is a printing object, and the plurality of height dimensions of the nail part T are measured. It is preferable to obtain In this case, the imaging unit 30 performs imaging by irradiating slit light at a plurality of locations of the nail portion T, and the height dimension measuring unit 512 determines the height of the nail portion T of each unit based on the obtained slit image. Is calculated.

The table selection unit 513 is stored in the ROM 52 as the basic table storage unit according to the height dimension of the nail part T acquired by the photographing unit as the height dimension measurement unit and the height dimension measurement unit 512. It is a table selection means for selecting an injection number basic table suitable for the claw portion T from the types of injection number basic tables.
As described above, in the present embodiment, three types of injection count basic tables are stored in the ROM 52 corresponding to the three types of nail shape patterns A to C, and the table selection unit 513 is configured so that the height of the nail portion T is determined. The shape of the claw T is classified according to the dimensions, and the injection number basic table that best matches the shape is selected. For example, if the height of the reference position P of the nail portion T to be printed is higher than 2000 μm, the nail shape pattern A is classified (see FIG. 11), and the table selection unit 513 ejects the pattern A corresponding to the nail shape pattern A. The number basic table (see FIG. 15) is selected. Further, if the height of the reference position P of the nail portion T is 1000 μm or more and 200 or less, it is classified as a nail shape pattern B (see FIG. 11), and the table selection unit 513 performs the number of ejections of the pattern B corresponding to the nail shape pattern B A basic table (see FIG. 15) is selected. Further, if the height of the reference position P of the claw portion T is lower than 1000 μm, it is classified into a claw shape pattern C (see FIG. 11), and the table selection unit 513 is a basic table of the number of times of ejection of the pattern C corresponding to the claw shape pattern C 15) is selected.
For example, when printing is performed on the claw portion T of the user's thumb, the claw shape pattern of the thumb of the back is classified as A as shown in FIG. Of these, the injection number basic table A corresponding to the nail shape pattern A is applied.

The adjustment table creating unit 514 is a nail region image (print target region image) measured by the width dimension measuring unit 511 based on the injection number basic table (pitch adjustment basic table) stored in the ROM 52 as basic table storage means. ) Is a pitch adjustment table creating means for creating an ejection number adjustment table which is an individual pitch adjustment table applied to the printing of the nail region Ta (print target surface) corresponding to the length dimension in the width direction.
The adjustment table creation unit 514 first creates a reference injection frequency adjustment table, and based on this, creates an injection frequency adjustment table for each line.

  For example, when creating the injection number adjustment table for each line for the claw T shown in FIG. 10, the adjustment table creation unit 514 first uses the injection number basic table as a reference injection number adjustment table. An injection number adjustment table (see FIG. 17) for the reference lines a0 and b0 is created. As described above, in the present embodiment, the basic table of the number of times of ejection has a unit of 100 μm from the end in the width direction of the claw portion T to 100 μm as one unit (one term), and the value of the number of times of ink ejection in each term. (1 to 20 items in FIG. 15), the values of the number of injections assigned to the 1 to 20 items are respectively set to the left and right ends of the reference lines a0 and b0 from the end to the center. The items are assigned in the order of 1 to 20 items (see FIG. 17). As a result, as shown in FIG. 17, the values of the number of injections for terms 1 to 20 and 81 to 100 of the reference lines a0 and b0 having a width dimension of 10,000 μm are determined, and the remaining 21 to 80 terms are determined. For this part, the number of injections “1” is assigned. As a result, the number of injections “2” or more is assigned to positions 1300 μm from both ends of the claw portion T (namely, items 1 to 13 and items 88 to 100), and the other central portion of the claw portion T ( That is, the injection frequency adjustment tables a0 and b0 to which the injection frequency “1” is assigned are created in the items 14 to 87).

Next, an injection frequency adjustment table for the portions of the claw T with other width dimensions ax and bx is created with reference to the injection frequency adjustment tables a0 and b0.
Specifically, when the width dimensions of ax and bx are larger than a0 and b0 created as a reference injection number adjustment table (ax, bx length> a0, b0 length), the injection number adjustment table a0. , B0, the portion to which the value “1” of the number of injections is assigned (that is, the term to which the number of injections “1” is assigned) is increased by a necessary length, and the injection number adjustment tables ax and bx of the lengths ax and bx are increased. create.
On the other hand, when the width dimension of ax, bx is smaller than a0, b0 in which the reference injection number adjustment table is created (ax, bx length <a0, b0 length), ax, bx length / a0 , B0 length ratio, the entire injection count adjustment tables a0, b0 are reduced. That is, the number of locations to which the value “1” of the number of injections in the central portion of the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0 is assigned is reduced. In addition, for both end portions to which the value “2” or more of the number of injections is assigned, the total number is reduced by the ratio of ax, bx length / a0, b0 length. However, as a reduction method, the reduction is performed from the portion where the number of injections at both ends is large.

That is, for example, as shown in FIG. 18, in the case of lines a1 and b1 having a width dimension of 8000 μm, the entire table is reduced by a ratio of 8000 μm / 10000 μm, and in the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0, items 14 to 87 are reduced. The portion to which the value “1” of the number of injections that is 74 terms up to the term is assigned is reduced to 60 terms from 11 terms to 70 terms. As for the end portion, in the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0, the portions where the number of injection times “1” or more in 13 items is assigned to both ends from 1 to 13 and 88 to 100, respectively. Are reduced to 10 terms from 1 to 10 terms and from 71 to 80 terms, respectively. When the number of terms is decreased, the number of injections at the end is reduced from the portion to which the values “4” and “3” are assigned.
Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 19, in the case of the lines a2 and b2 having a width dimension of 5000 μm, the entire table is reduced by a ratio of 5000 μm / 10000 μm, and from the 14th to 87th in the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0. The portion to which the value “1” of the number of injections that is 74 terms up to the term is assigned is reduced to 37 terms from 8 terms to 43 terms. As for the end portion, in the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0, the portions where the number of injection times “1” or more in 13 items is assigned to both ends from 1 to 13 and 88 to 100, respectively. Are reduced to 7 terms from 1 to 7 terms and 44 to 50 terms, respectively. When the number of terms is decreased, the number of injections at the end is reduced from the portion to which the values “4” and “3” are assigned.
Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 20, in the case of the lines a3 and b3 having a width dimension of 200 μm, the entire injection number adjustment table has two terms, and the entire table is reduced by a ratio of 200 μm / 10000 μm. As a result, in the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0, all the portions to which the value “1” of 74 items from the 14th item to the 87th item is assigned are deleted, and the injection number value “ 3 "is assigned.
When the width dimensions of ax and bx are the same as the width dimensions of a0 and b0 that create the reference injection number adjustment table, the injection number adjustment tables a0 and b0 are directly used as the injection number adjustment tables ax and bx. To do.

The print data generation unit 515 generates original image data stored in the ROM 52 serving as the original image data storage unit according to the ejection number basic table (pitch adjustment basic table) stored in the ROM 52 serving as the basic table storage unit. To printing data generating means for generating printing data corresponding to the width dimension of the nail area Ta (print target area) measured by the width dimension measuring unit 511.
In the present embodiment, the printing data generation unit 515 generates printing data in accordance with the ejection number adjustment table for each line created based on the ejection number basic table.

  In the present embodiment, the print data generation unit 515 generates print data for each line of the original image data while referring to the ejection number adjustment table created by the adjustment table creation unit 514. In the case where the number of ink ejections is not adjusted, the print density decreases as it goes to the end as shown in FIG. 14, but in this way, the number of ink ejections is adjusted to increase as it goes to the end. As a result, as shown in FIG. 21A, the printing density can be kept constant up to the end.

The printing control unit 516 outputs the printing data generated by the printing data generation unit 515 to the printing unit 40, and applies the nail area Ta (print target surface) of the nail portion T (print target) according to the print data. It is a printing control means for controlling the printing unit 40 to perform printing.
For example, when ink is ejected to the width dimensions a2 and b2 at a resolution of 20 μm, the recording head 46 is moved from the left end of the claw T to the right side with reference to the ejection number adjustment tables a2 and b2 shown in FIG. When heading, the initial number of ink ejections to the nail area Ta is the value “3” in the ejection number adjustment tables a2 and b2. Therefore, for example, when the number of ejections per pixel is 4, printing is performed for 100 μm (one item in the ejection number adjustment tables a2 and b2) by ejecting ink 12 times (4 times × 3). Then, referring to the value “3” of the next injection number adjustment tables a2 and b2, printing is performed in the same manner. In this way, printing is performed on the entire nail region Ta according to the width dimension of the nail region Ta.

If printing is performed as it is in accordance with the printing data, as shown in FIG. 21A, the design is extended or distorted at the end portion, and the printed shape is broken.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the print control unit 516 thins out the print data as appropriate when outputting the print data generated by the print data generation unit 515 to the print unit 40, so that the design of the end portion can be designed. It avoids stretching and distortion.

  Specifically, for example, when the value “4” of the number of ejections is assigned to the end of the claw T as in the ejection number adjustment tables a0 and b0 illustrated in FIG. 17, the number of ink ejections per pixel is set. If it is four times, the ink for 16 pixels (4 times × 4) is originally ejected at the end portion. In this case, as shown in FIG. 22, the print control unit 516 prints the print data by thinning out the pixels 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16. By outputting to the section 40, the total number of pixels ejected with ink is 16, which is the same as in the case of a plane, but since there are only printing data of 1, 5, 9, 13 pixels, In this case, an image compressed to ¼ is printed, and the image is printed in a stretched state on the surface of the nail region Ta that is the actual print target surface. As a result, although the resolution is slightly reduced by thinning out the pixels, it is possible to print in a good state where the printing density is uniform up to the end and the design is not stretched, distorted or collapsed.

  In the present embodiment, the printing control unit 516 determines that the registration finger determination unit 519 determines that the printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a has already been registered by the user registration unit 518. When this is done, the printing unit 40 is controlled to perform the printing process for the printing finger U1 in accordance with the printing related information corresponding to the printing finger U1.

  The display control unit 517 is a display control unit that displays various displays on the display unit 13 as a display unit. In the present embodiment, the display control unit 517 causes the display unit 13 to display a design selection screen, a design confirmation screen, various instruction screens, a confirmation screen, and the like as described above.

In addition to these functional units, the control unit 51 extracts nail contour extracting means for extracting the contour of the nail portion T from the nail region image of the nail portion T included in the fingernail image photographed by the photographing unit 30. The contour of the nail portion T may be extracted from the fingernail image.
Further, when a plurality of fingernail images corresponding to the plurality of printing fingers U1 (images of the printing finger U1 including the nail region image for the nail portion T) are acquired by the imaging unit 30 for the plurality of printing fingers U1, A finger type detection unit as a finger type detection unit that detects the type of each finger from the fingernail image may be provided in the control unit 51. In this case, the finger type detection unit detects the finger type of each fingernail image based on, for example, the arrangement of the fingernail image, the length dimension, the width dimension, and the like.

  Next, the print control process in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 23, as an overall flow of the print control process, first, when the print finger U1 is inserted into the print finger insertion unit 20a, the control unit 51 displays a registration presence confirmation screen as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the display unit 13 (step S1). The registration confirmation screen includes a “YES” button 131 that is operated when user registration is performed, a “NO” button 132 that is operated when user registration is not performed, and a “user registration” that is operated when user registration is already performed. The “completed” button 133 is displayed, and the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 determines whether or not the printing finger U1 has been registered (step S2). Specifically, it is determined whether or not the user has operated the “user registered” button 133, and if the user has operated the “user registered” button 133 (step S2; YES), the registered print-related A nail print process (see FIG. 25) is performed according to the information (step S3). As described above, the nail region image of the user's nail portion T (image of the nail region Ta that is the print target region) is acquired by the photographing unit 30, and the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 obtains the nail obtained from this image. It may be determined whether or not the user has been registered by comparing whether or not the information such as the height and shape of the part T matches any of the registered printing-related information.
On the other hand, if the “user registered” button 133 is not operated (step S2; NO), whether or not to perform user registration is further determined (that is, the “YES” button 131 is displayed on the registration presence confirmation screen in FIG. 27). It is determined whether or not an operation has been performed (step S4). When the “YES” button 131 is not operated (step S4; NO), the nail printing process (see FIG. 25) is immediately performed without performing user registration (step S3). By making it possible to perform printing without registering in this way, for example, when a user's friend uses the nail print apparatus 1 only once, it is simple without performing user registration. Printing processing can be performed.
When the “YES” button 131 is operated (step S4; YES), an inquiry screen (see FIG. 28) for inquiring whether or not to perform nail shape registration is displayed on the display unit 13 (step S5). On the inquiry screen, a “YES” button 135 that is operated when the user registers the nail shape and a “NO” button 136 that is operated when the user does not perform the nail shape registration are displayed. It is determined whether or not the “YES” button 135 has been operated (step S6). When the “YES” button 135 is operated (step S6; YES), personal nail registration processing (see FIG. 24) is performed (step S7). On the other hand, when the “YES” button 135 is not operated (step S6; NO), registration processing other than nail shape registration such as registration of a favorite nail design is performed (step S8).

Next, the personal nail registration process (step S7 in FIG. 23) will be described.
When performing the personal nail registration process, first, when the user inserts the printing finger U1 to be printed into the printing finger insertion unit 20a and the printing finger U1 is set, as shown in FIG. Thus, the nail region image of the nail portion T of the printing finger U1 is acquired (step S11). Then, for example, the width dimension between the stress points SpL and SpR of the claw portion T is acquired by the width dimension measuring unit 511 (step S12), and the center position (that is, on the line connecting the stress points SpL and SpR) The position information of the reference point Cp that is the center point) is acquired (step S13). Then, a finger rotation instruction screen for instructing to rotate the finger is displayed on the display unit 13 (step S14). The imaging unit 30 acquires a rotating finger image as needed (step S15), and the control unit 51 always determines from this image whether or not the reference point Cp has reached the end of the finger image (step S16). When it is determined that the reference point Cp does not come to the end of the finger image (step S16; NO), the finger image acquisition (step S15) by the photographing unit 30 and the determination of step S16 are repeated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the reference point Cp has reached the end of the finger image (step S16; YES), the length between the reference point Cp and the stress points SpL and SpR of the nail T at this time is determined by the nail. It is acquired as a dimension H in the height direction of the portion T (FIG. 6B) (step S17).
When the dimension H in the height direction of the claw portion T is acquired, the table selection unit 513 selects a claw shape pattern corresponding to the height dimension (step S18). The selected nail shape pattern is stored as print-related information in the storage unit such as the personal registration register 53a of the RAM in association with the personal identification information of the user by the user registration unit 518 (step S19).
The control unit 51 always determines whether or not the height dimension acquisition and the nail shape pattern selection have been completed for all the fingers of the user (step S20), and if not completed for all the fingers (step S20; NO) repeats the processing from step S11 to step S19 until completion. On the other hand, when all the fingers are completed (step S20; YES), the personal nail registration process is terminated. Note that all fingers may be 10 fingers of both hands, and if there is no significant difference between the left and right fingers, all fingers will be recognized when processing has been completed for 5 fingers of either left or right hand. It is good also as a thing which the process about was completed.

When performing the nail printing process, as shown in FIG. 25, first, a user selection screen (see FIG. 29) is displayed on the display unit 13 (step S31), and the individual user is identified (step S32). A user selection button 137 is displayed on the user selection screen, and the user selects the user himself from among them. The registration presence / absence determination unit 519 determines whether or not the user selected on the user selection screen has already registered the nail shape (step S33). If the user is not registered (step S33; NO) Is applied with a nail shape pattern (for example, a nail shape pattern B shown in FIG. 12B) determined by default, and the processes in and after step S37 are performed.
On the other hand, if the user is a registered user (step S33; YES), first, the user selects a nail design to be printed on the nail portion T (step S34). Next, the printing related information of the nail portion T of the selected user is read from the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53, and the nail shape pattern included in the printing related information is read (step S35). Then, the table selection unit 513 selects an injection number basic table (for example, the injection number basic table of pattern A corresponding to the nail shape pattern A, see FIG. 15) as a pitch adjustment basic table corresponding to the nail shape pattern. (Step S36).
Next, as shown in FIG. 26, the width dimension measuring unit 511 is configured so that the reference line a0, which is a line connecting the stress lines SpL and SpR in the width direction of the claw part T (in this embodiment, the reference line a0, The length of b0) is measured (step S37). The measured width dimension is stored in storage means such as the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53 (step S38). The width dimension measuring unit 511 may acquire a plurality of lengths in the width direction for lines other than the reference line.
Next, based on the injection number basic table, the adjustment table creation unit 514 first starts the injection number adjustment tables a0, b0 (in the present embodiment, the reference number a0, b0 (reference lines a0, b0)). 17) is created (step S39). Furthermore, the adjustment table creation unit 514 creates an injection count adjustment table (see FIGS. 18 to 20) corresponding to the length dimension in the width direction of each location to be printed (step S40). Then, the print data generation unit 515 generates print data from the original image data while referring to the created ejection number adjustment table (step S41), and the print control unit 516 outputs the print data to the print unit. The ink is output from the recording head 46 to eject the ejection number ink corresponding to the ejection number adjustment table, and printing is sequentially performed for each line (step S42). At this time, the print control unit 516 can print out a good image without stretching at the end of the nail portion T by appropriately thinning out the printing data and outputting it to the printing unit 40. The control unit 51 determines whether or not printing has been completed for all fingers (step S43). If printing has been completed for all fingers (step S43; YES), the process ends, and all If printing has not been completed for the finger (step S43; NO), the processing from step S40 to step S42 is repeated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, user registration processing is performed in which print-related information such as a nail shape pattern is acquired for a user's print finger and stored in association with the user's personal identification information. For a registered user, printing can be performed using the registered printing related information. For this reason, once registered, it is possible to save the trouble of measuring the height and width dimension of the nail portion T every time printing is performed, and a nail print suitable for the nail portion T is easily and quickly performed. be able to.
In addition, information on the height dimension of the nail portion T is included as print-related information, and printing at the time of printing by the printing unit 40 is performed at both ends in the width direction rather than the center portion in the width direction of the nail region (print target surface). A pitch adjustment basic table corresponding to the height dimension of the user's claw T can be selected and applied from a plurality of types of pitch adjustment basic tables associated with each other so that the pitch becomes fine. Therefore, the original image data can be converted in accordance with the shape of the user's nail portion T to generate printing data, and even when the nail portion T having a curved shape is printed, the print density is uniform up to the end. Thus, it is possible to print a high-definition image that does not cause expansion or distortion of the image.
Further, as a technique for the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 to determine whether or not the user's printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a has already been registered, an image of the printing finger U1 captured by the imaging unit 30 is used. And a fingernail image of a printing finger that has already undergone registration processing, and if they match, it is determined that the printing finger U1 is a finger that has already undergone registration processing. In this case, it is possible to automatically determine whether or not the user has already entered whether or not the user is already registered. For this reason, a user's effort can be saved and a quicker process can be performed.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the nail print apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, since the pitch adjustment basic table provided in the nail printing apparatus is different from that in the first embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be particularly described below.

  The nail print apparatus according to the present embodiment has almost the same apparatus configuration as that of the first embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, the ROM 52 of the control device 50 of the nail printing apparatus has more units at both end portions in the width direction than the center portion in the width direction of the nail region Ta that is the print target surface, as a pitch adjustment basic table. An image conversion basic table for redistributing the pixels in the original image data so that the pixel data is allocated is stored.

FIG. 30 is an example of an image conversion basic table as a pitch adjustment basic table.
As shown in FIG. 30, three types of image conversion basic tables are prepared according to the nail shape patterns A to C, similarly to the injection number basic table. The image conversion basic table is a recording density (hereinafter referred to as “required”) for the entire nail portion T having a nail region Ta which is a printing target surface having a curved shape in which both end portions in the width direction are low and the vicinity of the central portion is raised. The allocation amount of the unit pixel data is adjusted so as to ensure “density”.

  In the present embodiment, the table selection unit 513 of the control unit 51 selects the user's nail portion T from the three types of image conversion basic tables (see FIG. 30) corresponding to the nail shape patterns A to C stored in the ROM 52. An appropriate image conversion basic table is selected according to the height of the image. Similar to the basic table of the number of injections shown in the first embodiment, the image conversion basic table is divided into 100 μm increments from the edge in the width direction of the nail portion to 2000 μm, and the number of unit pixel data in each term. A value is designated (1 to 20 items in FIG. 30).

Further, the adjustment table creation unit 514 creates an image conversion adjustment table corresponding to the width dimension of the user's claw T based on the image conversion basic table selected by the table selection unit 513.
Similar to the first embodiment, the adjustment table creation unit 514 first creates an image conversion adjustment table for the reference lines a0 and b0 of the claw portion T. 31 and 32 show an example of an image conversion adjustment table when the reference lines a0 and b0 are 10000 μm. For example, “a1” in FIG. 26 is associated with “4” as shown in FIG. 32 according to the image conversion basic table shown in FIG. 30, and “a2” in FIG. 31 is the image conversion shown in FIG. According to the basic table, it is associated with “3” as shown in FIG.
In other words, the adjustment table creation unit 514 sets the value of the number of unit pixel data assigned to each item of items 1 to 20 of the image conversion basic table to the left and right ends of the reference lines a0 and b0 from the end to the center. They are assigned in the order of 1 to 20 items toward the part (see FIG. 32). As a result, as shown in FIG. 32, the values of the unit pixel data numbers for the 1st to 20th terms and the 81st to 100th terms of the reference lines a0 and b0 having a width dimension of 10,000 μm are determined. The unit pixel data number “1” is assigned to the 80th section. As a result, the unit pixel data number “2” or more is assigned to a position 1300 μm from both ends (namely, items 1 to 13 and items 88 to 100), and the other central portion of the nail portion T (ie, 14 to 87), image conversion adjustment tables a0 and b0 to which the number of unit pixel data “1” is assigned are created.
Further, the adjustment table creation unit 514 creates individual image conversion adjustment tables corresponding to the width dimensions ax and bx by reducing the image conversion adjustment table for the reference lines a0 and b0 serving as the reference. To do.
FIG. 33 shows an example of the image conversion adjustment table when the width dimension of a2 and b2 is 5000 μm (see FIG. 10). Note that the method of creating the image conversion adjustment table corresponding to the width dimensions ax and bx is the same as that described in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 34A and 34B are explanatory diagrams schematically showing conversion of original image data based on the image conversion adjustment table.
For example, as shown in FIG. 34 (A) and FIG. 34 (B), the image conversion adjustment table is composed of 8 terms from T1 to T8, and “3” is set to T1 and T8 that hit the end of the claw T. When the unit image data of “2” is allocated to T2 and T7 and “1” is allocated to the other central portion, the sum of the allocation numbers allocated to each term is “14”. It has become.
Therefore, in this case, the original image data to be printed in the nail area Ta is divided into 14 blocks, and the total number of unit pixel data is “14”. Since the value of “3” is associated with the term T1 of the image conversion table, the image data for 3 blocks is allocated among the unit pixel data divided into 14 blocks. As a result, as shown in FIG. 34A, in the area on the nail portion T corresponding to the term of T1, the print definition is higher than that of T3 and T4 associated with the value of “1”. It will be printed with 3 times the fineness.
That is, as shown in FIG. 34A, a curved shape in which the distance from the printing unit 40 in the ink ejection direction is a small distance L1 at the center in the width direction, and becomes a larger distance L2 toward the end in the width direction. When printing is performed on the nail portion T having the nail region Ta, the print pitch P2 at the both end portions in the width direction is printed by the printing unit 40 rather than the print pitch P1 at the center portion in the width direction of the nail region Ta. Print data corresponding to the width dimension of the nail area image is generated from the original image data of the image to be printed on the nail area Ta according to the pitch adjustment basic table associated with the print pitch so that the print pitch becomes fine. Then, printing is performed on the nail area Ta according to the printing data.

Further, for example, when the value of “4” is associated with the region at the end portion and the number of times of ejection per pixel is 4, as shown in FIG. In the part, a total of 16 pixels (4 × 4) is printed (jetted). For this reason, the same fineness as printing on the plane up to the end of the nail portion T can be ensured.
In this way, by converting the original image data based on the image conversion basic table, printing according to the shape of the nail portion T is possible, and the design to be printed (design represented by the original image data) is nail. When printing on the portion T, for example, a high-definition image can be printed without causing deformation such as elongation or distortion or a decrease in print density as shown in FIG.

  If the printing accuracy cannot be realized in the performance of the nail printing apparatus (that is, if the printing resolution is insufficient), for example, in areas corresponding to the terms T1, T2, T7, and T8. By properly thinning out the image data to the required resolution, the printed design can be printed correctly so as not to stretch or distort.

  Since other configurations are the same as those shown in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

Next, the print control process in this embodiment will be described.
Also in the present embodiment, before the nail printing process is performed, the user registration process is performed in advance, and the nail portion T height information, the nail shape pattern classification result corresponding to the nail portion T height, and the like are printed. The related information is stored in the personal registration register 53a of the RAM 53 in association with personal identification information such as the user's name.

When the nail printing process (see FIG. 27) is performed, first, it is determined whether or not the user has been registered. If the user has not registered, the nail printing process is applied to the default nail shape pattern. On the other hand, if the user has already been registered, the image conversion basic table to be applied is selected according to the result of classification of the nail shape patterns included in the printing related information.
Next, the width dimension measuring unit 511 measures the length of a reference line in the width direction of the claw portion T (in this embodiment, reference lines a0 and b0 that are lines connecting the stress lines SpL and SpR). To do. The measured width dimension is stored in storage means such as the personal registration register 53a of the RAM. The width dimension measuring unit 511 may acquire a plurality of lengths in the width direction for lines other than the reference line.
Next, based on the selected image conversion basic table, the adjustment table creation unit 514 first sets the image conversion adjustment table a0 corresponding to the length of the reference lines (in this embodiment, the reference lines a0 and b0). , B0 (see FIGS. 31 and 32). Further, the adjustment table creation unit 514 creates an image conversion adjustment table (see FIG. 33) corresponding to the length dimension in the width direction of each location to be printed. Then, the print data generation unit 515 generates print data from the original image data while referring to the created image conversion adjustment table, and the print control unit 516 outputs the print data to the printing unit 40. Then, ink is ejected from the recording head 46 in accordance with the number of unit pixel data corresponding to the image conversion adjustment table, and printing is sequentially performed for each line.
Since other processes are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof will be omitted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, user registration processing is performed in which print-related information such as a nail shape pattern is acquired for a user's print finger and stored in association with the user's personal identification information. For a registered user, printing can be performed using the registered printing related information. For this reason, once registered, it is possible to save the trouble of measuring the height and width dimension of the nail portion T every time printing is performed, and a nail print suitable for the nail portion T is easily and quickly performed. be able to.
In addition, information on the height dimension of the nail portion T is included as print-related information, and printing at the time of printing by the printing unit 40 is performed at both ends in the width direction rather than the center portion in the width direction of the nail region (print target surface). A pitch adjustment basic table corresponding to the height dimension of the user's claw T can be selected and applied from a plurality of types of pitch adjustment basic tables associated with each other so that the pitch becomes fine. Therefore, the original image data can be converted in accordance with the shape of the user's nail portion T to generate printing data, and even when the nail portion T having a curved shape is printed, the print density is uniform up to the end. Thus, it is possible to print a high-definition image that does not cause expansion or distortion of the image.
Further, as a technique for the registration presence / absence determination unit 519 to determine whether or not the user's printing finger U1 inserted into the printing finger insertion unit 20a has already been registered, an image of the printing finger U1 captured by the imaging unit 30 is used. And a fingernail image of a printing finger that has already undergone registration processing, and if they match, it is determined that the printing finger U1 is a finger that has already undergone registration processing. In this case, it is possible to automatically determine whether or not the user has already entered whether or not the user is already registered. For this reason, a user's effort can be saved and a quicker process can be performed.
In addition, a plurality of image conversion basic tables as pitch adjustment basic tables (three types corresponding to nail shape patterns A to C in the present embodiment) are provided according to the height of the print object (nail portion T), An image conversion basic table that matches the height of the user's nail portion T acquired and registered in advance can be selected. For this reason, it is possible to perform pitch adjustment (adjustment of the number of assigned unit pixel data) that matches the shape of the user's nail portion T, and more reliably, a high-definition image without print density reduction, design elongation, distortion, etc. Can be printed.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, the shape of the user's claw portion T is classified into the claw shape patterns A to C, and the pitch adjustment basic table is provided with three types corresponding to the claw shape patterns A to C. However, it is not an essential element of the present invention to classify the shape of the user's nail portion T into nail shape patterns A to C.
For example, only one type of ejection number basic table or image conversion basic table as a pitch adjustment basic table is provided, and based on this, both end portions in the width direction are closer to the center portion in the width direction of the nail region that is the print target surface You may make it perform pitch adjustment so that the printing pitch at the time of the printing by the printing part 40 may become fine.
In this case, it is not necessary to acquire the dimension in the height direction of the nail portion T, and when the nail region image is acquired by the imaging unit 30, the user's nail region Ta is determined from the original image data by referring to the pitch adjustment basic table. Printing data corresponding to the length dimension in the width direction can be generated, and nail printing processing can be performed according to the printing data.

Moreover, in this embodiment, when acquiring the height of the nail | claw part, it was set as the structure which a user himself rotates a finger | toe, However, The structure which acquires the height of the nail | claw part T is not limited to this.
For example, as shown in FIG. 37, a jig 71 that can be supported in a state where the finger is placed sideways is provided, fixed in a state where the finger is placed sideways, and photographing is performed by the photographing unit 30, and the reference point Cp is determined. The length between the stress points SpL and SpR of the nail portion T may be acquired as the dimension H (FIG. 6B) in the height direction of the nail portion T. In this case, it is not necessary to perform a finger rotation operation by the user.

In the present embodiment, the user rotates the printing finger U1, the image of the reference point Cp of the printing finger U1 is tracked by the imaging unit 30 with the camera 32 or the like, and the reference point Cp is at the end. However, the method of acquiring the height dimension of the claw portion T is not limited to this.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 38 and 39, as a lighting unit separate from the illumination lamp 33, the slit light irradiation unit 35 configured to be able to irradiate the slit light to the nail portion T of the printing finger U1 from an oblique direction. And the dimension in the height direction of the claw T may be acquired by photographing a slit image. That is, when the slit light is irradiated, a slit image appears on the surface of the nail portion T, and this is photographed by the camera 32 to obtain a nail region image including the slit image. Then, the acquired slit image is analyzed in the height dimension measuring unit 512, and the height of the nail portion T is calculated. In addition, without providing the separate slit light irradiation means 35, at least a part of the illumination lamp 33 may be configured to be able to irradiate the claw part T with the slit light from an oblique direction. Moreover, the light to irradiate is not limited to slit light, The height of the nail | claw part T may be calculated by irradiating spot light from the diagonal direction and analyzing the appearance of the shadow.

In each of the above embodiments, the printing target surface having a curved shape in which the distance from the printing unit in the ink ejection direction of the recording head that is the printing unit is small at the center in the width direction and increases toward the end in the width direction. An example of a device that performs printing on a print object having a nail height and registering nail height information as print-related information has been described as an example. The information is not limited to registering information as printing related information.
That is, for example, information on the nail shape, such as the length and width of the user's nails, and the tendency of the nail design selected by the user are registered as printing-related information, and once registered, they are registered at the time of printing. By performing printing based on the information thus obtained, it becomes possible to easily and quickly perform nail printing that matches the user's nail shape and preferences.

In each of the above embodiments, the injection number adjustment table or the image conversion adjustment table for the reference lines a0 and b0 is created as a reference pitch adjustment table (injection number adjustment table or image conversion adjustment table). Although an example in which individual injection number adjustment tables or image conversion adjustment tables are created for a1, b1, lines a2, b2, etc. and printing data is created with reference to these tables has been described, reference lines a0, b0 It is not essential to create a table other than the injection number adjustment table or the image conversion adjustment table.
After creating the reference ejection number adjustment table or image conversion adjustment table, refer to the reference ejection number adjustment table or image conversion adjustment table during printing and refer to the reference ejection number adjustment table or image conversion adjustment table according to the width dimension for each print location. Printing may be performed by setting the number of assigned pixel data.
Further, without creating a reference injection number adjustment table or image conversion adjustment table, the user's nail region Ta is directly referred to from the original image data by directly referring to the injection number basic table or the image conversion basic table as the pitch adjustment basic table. The printing data corresponding to the length dimension in the width direction may be generated, and the nail printing process may be performed according to the printing data.
That is, the number of times of ejection and the number of unit pixels allocated may be obtained from the value of the pitch adjustment basic table, the printing width, and the printing position. In this case, the number of ejections and the number of unit pixels allocated each time may change linearly with respect to the printing position. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the adjustment table creation unit 514.
Further, without providing the print data generation unit 515, the print control unit 516 refers to the pitch adjustment basic table or the pitch adjustment table generated based on this at any time during printing, and print data to the printing unit 40. You may make it output.

  Further, although the ejection number adjustment table or the image conversion adjustment table is a table in which values are specified in increments of 100 μm, it may be a data table for one line in accordance with the ejection resolution of the printing unit 40.

Further, in the first embodiment, the injection number basic table is provided as the pitch adjustment basic table, and in the first embodiment, the image conversion basic table is provided as the pitch adjustment basic table. The basic table is not necessarily one of the injection number basic table and the image conversion basic table, and may be applied by multiplying both.
For example, when an image conversion basic table is provided as a pitch adjustment basic table, it is not necessary to adjust the number of ejections when printing is performed without thinning out image data, and printing is performed in the same manner as a flat portion. This is sufficient, but if the printing resolution of the printing unit 40 is insufficient, it is necessary to thin out the image data. In this case, it is preferable to adjust so that the print density of the portion where the image data is thinned out does not decrease by applying the ejection number basic table together and adjusting the number of ink ejections.

  Further, the injection number basic table may be used as the image conversion basic table.

  Further, the height dimension measuring unit 512 may measure the height dimensions at a plurality of locations on the claw portion T that is a printing object, and obtain the height dimensions at the plurality of locations. In this case, an injection number basic table (pitch adjustment basic table) corresponding to the height is applied to portions having different heights. In this way, by finely changing and applying the basic table of the number of times of injection (pitch adjustment basic table) according to the height, it is possible to perform a pitch adjustment that more closely matches the shape of the user's nail portion T, and to reduce the print density. And high-definition images without any design stretch or distortion.

  In addition, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to this embodiment, and can be changed suitably.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes the scope of the invention described in the claims and equivalents thereof. .
The invention described in the scope of claims attached to the application of this application will be added below. The item numbers of the claims described in the appendix are as set forth in the claims attached to the application of this application.
[Appendix]
<Claim 1>
In a nail printing apparatus comprising a printing means for printing on a user's nail part,
A printing finger insertion unit for inserting a printing finger that is a finger corresponding to the nail unit to be printed;
Print-related information acquisition means for acquiring print-related information for the user's print finger inserted in the print finger insertion unit;
Identification information input means for inputting the user's personal identification information;
A registration process in which the personal identification information input by the identification information input unit and the user associated with the personal identification information are associated with the print related information acquired by the print related information acquisition unit and stored as registered information User registration means to perform;
By determining whether or not the already registered information stored by the user registration means matches the information acquired for the printing finger inserted in the printing finger insertion unit, it is inserted into the printing finger insertion unit. A registration presence / absence determination unit that determines whether or not a printing finger has already been registered by the user registration unit;
When it is determined by the registration presence / absence determination unit that the registration process has already been performed, the printing unit is configured to perform the printing process for the printing finger according to the printing related information corresponding to the printing finger. And a printing control means for controlling the nail printing apparatus.
<Claim 2>
The printing related information acquisition means includes a height acquisition means for acquiring a height dimension of the nail portion of the printing finger,
Basic table storage means for storing a pitch adjustment basic table associated with each other so that the printing pitch at the time of printing by the printing means is finer at both ends in the width direction than at the center in the width direction of the printing target surface. When,
Table selection means for selecting a pitch adjustment basic table corresponding to the height dimension of the claw portion acquired by the height acquisition means from the plurality of types of pitch adjustment basic tables stored in the basic table storage means; Further comprising
2. The nail printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing related information includes information of a pitch adjustment basic table selected by the table selection means.
<Claim 3>
The printing related information acquisition unit includes an imaging unit that acquires a fingernail image by imaging a printing finger inserted into the printing finger insertion unit,
The printing related information includes a fingernail image of a printing finger acquired by the photographing unit,
The registration presence / absence determination unit is configured such that when the printing finger is inserted into the printing finger insertion unit, the finger nail image of the printing finger acquired by the photographing unit has already been registered by the user registration unit. It is determined whether or not the finger nail image of the print finger matches, and if both match, the print finger inserted into the print finger insertion unit is already registered by the user registration unit. The nail print apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nail print apparatus is determined to be.
<Claim 4>
In a printing control method of a nail printing apparatus that prints on a user's nail portion by a printing means,
A print-related information acquisition step of acquiring print-related information for a user's print finger inserted into a print finger insertion unit that inserts a print finger that is a finger corresponding to a nail part to be printed;
An identification information input step for inputting personal identification information of the user;
A registration process in which the personal identification information input in the identification information input step and the user corresponding to the personal identification information are associated with the print related information acquired in the print related information acquisition step and stored as already registered information A user registration step to perform;
By determining whether or not the registered information stored in the user registration step matches the information acquired for the printing finger inserted in the printing finger insertion unit, the information is inserted into the printing finger insertion unit. A registration presence / absence determination step for determining whether or not a printing finger has already been registered in the user registration step;
When it is determined that the registration process has already been performed in the registration presence / absence determination step, the printing unit is controlled to perform printing for the printing finger according to the printing related information corresponding to the printing finger. A printing control method comprising: a printing control step.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nail printing apparatus 2 Case main body 20a Printing finger insertion part 30 Imaging | photography part 40 Printing part 50 Control apparatus 52 ROM
53 RAM
51 Control Unit 511 Width Dimension Measurement Unit 512 Height Dimension Measurement Unit 513 Table Selection Unit 514 Adjustment Table Creation Unit 515 Print Data Generation Unit 516 Print Control Unit 518 User Registration Unit 519 Registration Presence Judgment Unit T Nail Ta Nail Area U1 Printing Finger U2 non-printing finger

Claims (6)

A printing finger placement unit having a placement surface on which a printing finger that is a finger including a nail part to be printed is placed;
Printing means having a print head for printing on the nail part by jetting ink while moving in one direction along the width direction of the nail part, parallel to the surface direction of the placement surface;
A height acquisition means for acquiring a height dimension of the nail portion of the printing finger from one end in the width direction of the nail portion;
Print-related information acquisition means for acquiring print-related information having a set value of the number of times of ejection when the print head ejects the ink when the printing means performs the printing on the nail portion;
A plurality of types of ejection number basic tables corresponding to each of a plurality of different height dimensions, each having a set value of the number of ejections each time the print head moves a specific distance in the one direction, are stored. Basic table storage means, and
Table selection for selecting a specific injection frequency basic table corresponding to the height dimension acquired by the height acquisition unit from the plurality of types of injection frequency basic tables stored in the basic table storage unit Means,
Print control means for controlling the printing means to perform the printing on the nail portion of the printing finger according to the printing-related information;
With
Setting values of the injection number in the printing-related information, the number of injections of each of the print head at an end side of the width direction of the claw portion is moved by the specified distance in the direction of the one, the pawl Is set to a value that is greater than the number of ejections each time the print head moves by the specific distance in the one direction at the center in the width direction of the part ,
The nail printing apparatus , wherein the printing related information includes information of the specific ejection number basic table selected by the table selecting means .   The set value of the number of ejections in the print-related information is determined when the printing based on the image data having the same gradation color is performed on the central part and the end side of the nail part. The nail printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a printing density at a center portion and a printing density at the end portion side are set to be equal to each other. The print-related information acquisition means includes an imaging means for obtaining a nail image by photographing the printing finger placed on the printing finger placement portion,
The printing-related information, nail printing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises the fingernail image of the printing finger acquired by the imaging means. In the printing control method of the nail printing apparatus,
A height acquisition step of acquiring a height dimension of the nail portion of the printing finger including the nail portion to be printed placed on the placement surface from the one end portion in the width direction of the nail portion; ,
A printing head that prints on the nail part by ejecting ink while moving in one direction along the width direction of the nail part, parallel to the surface direction of the placement surface. A printing-related information acquisition step of acquiring printing-related information having a setting value of the number of times of ejection when the print head ejects the ink when the printing unit performs the printing on the nail portion;
A printing control step for controlling the printing means to perform the printing on the nail portion of the printing finger according to the printing-related information;
Including
The printing control method further includes:
The print head has a set value of the number of times of ejection each time the print head moves a specific distance in the one direction, and the set value of the number of times of ejection on the end side in the width direction of the claw portion A basic table storage step of storing in the basic table storage means a plurality of types of injection number basic tables corresponding to each of the plurality of height dimensions, each of which is greater than the number of injections at the central portion in the width direction of the section. When,
Table selection for selecting a specific injection frequency basic table corresponding to the height dimension acquired by the height acquisition step from the plurality of types of injection frequency basic tables stored in the basic table storage means And including steps,
The printing control method , wherein the printing related information includes information of the specific ejection number basic table selected by the table selection step . The set value of the number of ejections in the print-related information is determined when the printing based on the image data having the same gradation color is performed on the central part and the end side of the nail part. The print control method according to claim 4 , wherein the print density at the center and the print density at the end are set to be equal to each other. The print-related information acquisition step includes an imaging step of capturing the print finger is placed on the mounting surface to obtain a nail image,
The print control method according to claim 4 , wherein the print-related information includes the fingernail image of the print finger acquired by the photographing step .

Images