JP6996337B2 - Manufacturing method for print system, image receiving sheet and printed matter - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing system, a receiving sheet, and a method for manufacturing a printed matter.

A thermal transfer printing device that creates a printed matter by sandwiching a thermal transfer sheet and an image receiving sheet between a thermal head and a platen roll, applying heat from the thermal head to the thermal transfer sheet, and transferring the ink of the thermal transfer sheet to the image receiving sheet. Are known.

There are pearl-like and metallic-like image-receiving sheets, and such image-receiving sheets are used to increase the added value of printed matter. Customers have different taste preferences, and yellowish pearl-like prints are desired, and bluish pearl-like prints are desired.

In order to meet the customer's request, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of image receiving sheets having different colors and replace the image receiving sheets in the thermal transfer printing device according to the request, but there is a problem that a large cost is required.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-335436

An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system capable of producing a printed matter having a color to meet a customer's request at low cost, an image receiving sheet used in the printing system, and a method for manufacturing the printed matter.

The print system according to the present invention is a print system including a thermal transfer printer and an operation unit that accepts selection of a color of a printed matter. The thermal transfer printer is provided with a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer. A first supply unit that supplies the thermal transfer sheet, and a second supply unit that supplies an image receiving sheet having a receiving layer on the substrate and a layer containing a special pigment on the receiving layer surface side of the substrate. The thermal head and the platen roll are provided, and the thermal transfer sheet and the image receiving sheet are overlapped with each other to be conveyed between the thermal head and the platen roll, and the thermal head heats the thermal transfer sheet. At least one of the yellow dye layer, the magenta dye layer, and the cyan dye layer based on the color tones accepted by the printing unit, which transfers the dye to the image receiving sheet and prints the image to produce a printed matter, and the operation unit. The dye is transferred to the image receiving sheet at a predetermined image gradation or higher to adjust the ground color of the image receiving sheet, and the printing unit is controlled so as to print the image in the area including the portion where the ground color is adjusted. It is provided with a control device for the operation.

In one aspect of the present invention, the dye layer used for adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet is reused at the time of printing the image.

In one aspect of the present invention, the ground color of the entire area for one screen of the image receiving sheet is adjusted.

In one aspect of the present invention, the operation unit receives an input of a portion for adjusting the ground color in the image.

In one aspect of the present invention, a person area is extracted from the image, and the ground color of the portion of the image receiving sheet corresponding to the person area is adjusted.

In one aspect of the present invention, the special pigment is a pearl pigment or a metal powder pigment.

In one aspect of the present invention, the intermediate layer and the receiving layer are laminated on the base material, and the intermediate layer contains the special pigment.

The image receiving sheet according to the present invention is an image receiving sheet used in the printing system according to the present invention, in which a receiving layer is provided on a base material, and a layer containing a special pigment is provided on the receiving layer surface side of the base material. It is something that is.

The method for producing a printed matter according to the present invention comprises a step of accepting selection of a color of the printed matter, and based on the selected color, from at least one of a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer of a thermal transfer sheet. The dye is transferred to an image receiving sheet in which a receiving layer is provided on the base material and a layer containing a special pigment is provided on the receiving layer surface side of the base material at a predetermined image gradation or higher. A step of adjusting the ground color and a step of heating the thermal transfer sheet, transferring a dye to a region including a portion of the image receiving sheet whose ground color has been adjusted, and printing an image to manufacture a printed matter. Is.

In one aspect of the present invention, the dye layer used for adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet is reused at the time of printing the image.

According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a printed matter having a color to meet the customer's request at low cost.

It is a schematic block diagram of the thermal transfer printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the thermal transfer sheet. It is sectional drawing of the image receiving sheet. It is a figure which shows the example of the selection screen. It is a flowchart explaining the thermal transfer printing method which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a schematic block diagram of the print system which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a schematic block diagram of the print system which concerns on the same embodiment.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a thermal transfer printing apparatus (thermal transfer printer) according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a thermal transfer sheet used in the thermal transfer printing apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a cross section of an image receiving sheet. It is a figure. The thermal transfer printing device transfers yellow, magenta, and cyan colorants from the thermal transfer sheet to the image receiving sheet, and prints an image. The image to be printed is, for example, a person image, a landscape image, characters, or the like.

The thermal transfer printing apparatus is provided with a Y layer 51 containing a yellow dye (Y), an M layer 52 containing a magenta dye (M), a C layer 53 containing a cyan dye (C), and a protective (OP) layer 54 in a surface-sequential manner. Using the heat transfer sheet 5 obtained, a thermal head 1 is provided which sublimates and transfers Y, M, and C colorants onto the image receiving sheet 7 to print an image, and forms a protective layer on the image.

The thermal head 1 has a plurality of heating elements. Heat is generated by passing an electric current through the heating element.

A supply unit 3 (first supply unit) formed by winding the thermal transfer sheet 5 is provided on the downstream side of the thermal head 1, and a recovery unit 4 is provided on the upstream side of the thermal head 1. The thermal transfer sheet 5 unwound from the supply unit 3 passes through the thermal head 1 and is collected by the recovery unit 4.

A rotatable platen roll 2 is provided on the lower side of the thermal head 1. The printing unit 10 including the thermal head 1 and the platen roll 2 sandwiches the image receiving sheet 7 and the thermal transfer sheet 5, heats the thermal transfer sheet 5, and thermally transfers the ink onto the image receiving sheet 7 to form an image.

In the thermal transfer sheet 5, the Y layer 51, the M layer 52, the C layer 53, and the OP layer 54 are sequentially formed on one surface of the base material layer from the recovery unit 4 side. In other words, a plurality of sets including the Y layer 51, the M layer 52, the C layer 53, and the OP layer 54 are continuously provided. For the Y layer 51, the M layer 52, and the C layer 53, it is preferable to use a material in which a sublimation dye is melted or dispersed in a binder resin. It is preferable to use a transparent material having adhesiveness, light resistance and the like for the OP layer 54.

The base material layer of the thermal transfer sheet 5 is a layer for supporting the coloring material layer, and a conventionally known material having a certain degree of heat resistance and strength can be used. For example, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, polyethylene naphthalate film, polystyrene film, polypropylene (PP) film, polycarbonate film and the like can be mentioned.

A back surface layer is provided on the other surface of the base material layer, that is, the surface opposite to the surface on which the color material layer is provided. The thermal head 1 heats the thermal transfer sheet 5 from the back layer side. The back layer has a function of improving heat resistance so that the thermal transfer sheet 5 is not deformed by heat during thermal transfer, and improving the running performance of the thermal head 1 during thermal transfer to suppress sticking and the like. The back layer can be generally formed by applying a binder resin to which a slipper, a surfactant, an inorganic particle, an organic particle, a pigment or the like is added, and drying the binder resin.

In addition to the OP layer 54, the thermal transfer sheet 5 includes a melt layer containing a color material such as a pigment and carbon black together with a binder resin, and the Y layer 51, the M layer 52, and the C layer 53, which are dye layers for sublimation transfer. It may be provided sequentially on the surface.

On the upstream side of the thermal head 1, a rotationally driveable capstan roller 9a for transporting the image receiving sheet 7 and a pinch roller 9b for crimping the image receiving sheet 7 to the capstan roller 9a are provided.

The image receiving sheet 7 is wound around the image receiving paper roll 6 (second supply unit), and is unwound from the image receiving paper roll 6. The image receiving sheet 7 is unwound (conveyed to the front side) and wound (conveyed to the rear side) by the image receiving paper roll 6, the capstan roller 9a, the pinch roller 9b, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the image receiving sheet 7 has a structure in which an intermediate layer 72 and a receiving layer 73 are sequentially provided on the base material 71. The intermediate layer 72 is composed of at least a binder resin and a colorant, and the colorant contains a special pigment such as a pearl pigment or a metal powder pigment. As a result, the image receiving sheet 7 is a receiving sheet with high design and decoration such as pearl tone and metallic tone.

The selection unit 15 presents candidates for the color of the imprint that can be produced, and accepts the selection of the color of the imprint from the customer. The selection unit 15 may be configured by a display means such as a display and an input means such as a mouse or a button, or may be configured by a touch panel. For example, the selection unit 15 displays a selection screen as shown in FIG. 4 on the touch panel, and accepts selection of various settings from the customer.

The control device 14 controls the drive of each part of the thermal transfer printing device to perform printing processing, and manufactures a printed matter having a selected color through the selection unit 15.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a thermal transfer printing method according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, when the customer accepts the color selection (step S1), the dye is applied to the entire surface of the printing area for one screen of the image receiving sheet 7 in low gradation so as to have the color selected by the customer. Transferring is performed to adjust the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 (step S2). After that, the thermal transfer sheet 5 is rewound (step S3), the dye is transferred based on the image data, and the image is printed (step S4).

The transfer of the dye for adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 is performed at a predetermined image gradation or higher, that is, at a low gradation of 200/255 gradation or higher, for example, 225/255 gradation or higher. The image gradation is an index different from the energy gradation of the heating energy by the thermal head 1, and as the gradation value of the image gradation increases, the gradation value of the energy gradation decreases. Therefore, the 225/255 gradation in the image gradation is the transfer of the dye with low energy.

For example, by transferring the yellow dye to the silver pearl-like image receiving sheet 7 at a low gradation, the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 can be adjusted to the yellow pearl tone. In this case, first, the image receiving sheet 7 and the Y layer 51 are aligned, and the thermal head 1 and the platen roll 2 are brought into contact with each other via the image receiving sheet 7 and the thermal transfer sheet 5. Next, the capstan roller 9a and the recovery unit 4 are rotationally driven to feed the image receiving sheet 7 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 to the rear side. During this period, the entire Y layer 51 is sequentially heated by the thermal head 1, and Y is sublimated and transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 5 onto the image receiving sheet 7. As a result, the ground color of the entire surface of the printing area for one screen of the image receiving sheet 7 is adjusted to a yellow pearl tone. After that, by imprinting the image, a yellow pearl-like imprint is manufactured.

Similarly, by transferring the magenta dye to the silver pearl-like image receiving sheet 7 at a low gradation, the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 can be adjusted to the magenta pearl tone. After that, by imprinting the image, a magenta pearl-like imprint is manufactured.

By transferring the cyan dye to the silver pearl-like image receiving sheet 7 at a low gradation, the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 can be adjusted to the magenta pearl tone. After that, by imprinting the image, a magenta pearl-like imprint is manufactured.

By transferring the yellow dye and the magenta dye to the silver pearl-like image receiving sheet 7 at a low gradation, the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 can be adjusted to the red pearl tone. After that, by imprinting the image, a red pearl-like imprint is manufactured.

By transferring the magenta dye and the cyan dye to the silver pearl-like image receiving sheet 7 at a low gradation, the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 can be adjusted to a blue pearl tone. After that, by imprinting the image, a blue pearl-like imprint is manufactured.

By transferring the yellow dye and the cyan dye to the silver pearl-like image receiving sheet 7 at a low gradation, the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 can be adjusted to the green pearl tone. After that, by imprinting the image, a green pearl-like imprint is manufactured.

Even with the metallic image receiving sheet 7, the ground color can be adjusted in the same manner.

Since the dye transfer for ground color adjustment is performed at low gradation, sufficient dye remains on the thermal transfer sheet 5, the thermal transfer sheet 5 is rewound, and the same dye layer is reused in the subsequent image printing. do.

In the image printing process, first, the image receiving sheet 7 and the Y layer 51 are aligned, and the thermal head 1 comes into contact with the platen roll 2 via the image receiving sheet 7 and the thermal transfer sheet 5. Next, the capstan roller 9a and the thermal transfer sheet recovery unit 4 are rotationally driven, and the image receiving sheet 7 and the thermal transfer sheet 5 are fed to the rear side. During this time, the region of the Y layer 51 is selectively and sequentially heated by the thermal head 1 based on the image data input from the customer, and Y is sublimated and transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 5 onto the image receiving sheet 7. The switch element of the thermal head 1 is repeatedly turned on as many times as the number of times corresponding to each pixel value of the image data, and a current flows through the heating element.

For example, when the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 is adjusted to a yellow pearl tone, the Y layer 51 used for the ground color adjustment and the Y layer 51 used for the printing of the image are the same.

After the sublimation transfer of Y, the thermal head 1 rises and separates from the platen roll 2. Next, the image receiving sheet 7 and the M layer 52 are aligned. In this case, the image receiving sheet 7 is sent to the front side by a distance corresponding to the print size, and the thermal transfer sheet 5 is sent to the rear side by a distance corresponding to the margin between the Y layer 51 and the M layer 52.

Similar to the method of sublimation transfer of Y, M and C are sequentially sublimated and transferred onto the image receiving sheet 7, and a screen having an image is formed on the image receiving sheet 7. Next, the OP layer 54 is transferred onto the screen by the thermal head 1 to form a protective layer.

After that, in the image receiving sheet 7 on which the protective layer is formed, the rear edge of the screen is cut by the cutter 8 provided on the downstream side, and a printed sheet sheet (printed matter) 7a on which the screen is formed is produced. Will be done. The printed sheet sheet 7a is discharged from an discharge port (not shown).

In this way, by transferring the dye at a low gradation so as to have the color selected by the customer, adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7, and then printing the image, the color can be adjusted according to the customer's request. Can manufacture stamps. Only one type of image receiving sheet 7 (for example, silver pearl tone) is required to be loaded in the thermal transfer printing device, and it is not necessary to replace the image receiving sheet 7 according to the color desired by the customer, so that the cost can be suppressed. Further, since the same dye layer is used for adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet 7 and printing the image, no extra cost is incurred for the thermal transfer sheet 5.

As described above, the image receiving sheet 7 has a structure in which the base material 71, the intermediate layer 72, and the receiving layer 73 are laminated.

[Base material]
Paper, plastic film, etc. can be used as the base material 71, and various types of paper alone or processed paper can be used as the paper, for example, high-quality paper, coated paper, art paper, cast-coated paper, paperboard, etc. In addition, impregnated paper such as resin emulsion and synthetic rubber latex, synthetic resin inner sheet paper and the like can be mentioned, and as synthetic paper, polystyrene-based synthetic paper, polyolefin-based synthetic paper and the like can be satisfactorily used.

In the plastic film, a polyolefin resin film such as polypropylene, a polycarbonate film, a polyethylene naphthalate film, a polyester resin film such as a polyethylene terephthalate film, a hard polyvinyl chloride film, a polystyrene film, a polyamide film, a polyacrylonitrile film, and a polymethacrylate. Films, polyether ether ketone films, polyether sulfone films, polyarylate films, etc. can be used. As these plastic films, not only a transparent film but also a white opaque film formed by adding a white pigment, a filler or the like, or a foamed film can be used. Although each of these materials can be used alone, it may be used as a laminate in combination with other materials.

Further, a back surface layer can be formed on the back surface of the base material for improving printer transportability and controlling curl of the image receiving sheet. For example, various fillers can be added to a resin coating liquid for coating. Can be formed. As a back surface layer, an acrylic filler as an additive in a resin such as an acrylic resin, a cellulose resin, a polycarbonate resin, a polyvinyl acetal resin, a polyvinyl alcohol resin, a polyamide resin, a polystyrene resin, a polyester resin, or a halogenated polymer. , Polypolymer-based fillers, Fluorine-based fillers, organic fillers such as polyethylene wax, and inorganic fillers such as silicon dioxide and metal oxides can be added.

[Middle layer]
The intermediate layer 72 is composed of at least a binder resin and a colorant, and the colorant contains a special pigment. Examples of the binder resin used for the intermediate layer 72 include polyurethane resin, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, polyamide resin, acrylic resin, polystyrene resin, polysulphon resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, and polyvinyl acetate resin. Examples thereof include vinyl chloride vinyl acetate copolymer resin, polyvinyl acetal resin, polyvinyl alcohol resin, epoxy resin, cellulose resin, ethylene vinyl acetate resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin and the like. Among these resins, those having active hydrogen can be further used as a binder for those cured isocyanates.

As the special pigment contained in the colorant, pigments that are metals and metal oxides and other color pigments can be used. For example, metal powder pigments such as aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel, silver and tin, and a mixture of these metal powder pigments and pigments having a chromatic color can be mentioned. Examples of the metal oxide include aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide and the like. Among these, aluminum, aluminum oxide, and rutile-type titanium oxide are particularly preferably used because they have a silvery and white design and are excellent in decorativeness. The size of the metal and the metal oxide is about 0.1 μm or more and 30 μm or less in average particle size. In addition, as mica, mycobite-based mica K ₂ Al (AlSi ₃ O ₁₀ ) ₂ (OH) ₄ (white mica) and flugobite-based mica K ₂ Mg (AlSi), which are generally used as fillers for plastics and brighteners. ₃ O ₁₀ ) ₂ (OH) ₄ (gold mica) and other pearl mica and colored mica are also preferably used as colorants, and are excellent in design and decorativeness.

In addition, a plastic pigment can be used as a colorant for the intermediate layer. Plastic pigments are made by depositing aluminum, gold, silver, copper, nickel, chromium, tin, titanium, their oxides, alloys containing these as the main components, etc. on a plastic film such as polyethylene terephthalate, and then depositing them. The vapor-filmed film is crushed into a flat shape, and has polarizability and metallic luster. The above-mentioned mica and plastic pigments have an average particle size of 0.1 μm or more and 30 μm or less.

Further, as a special pigment, a fluorescent pigment having fluorescence can be used, specifically, an inorganic fluorescent pigment obtained by heat-treating zinc sulfide, zinc silicate, cadmium sulfide, calcium tungstate, cadmium tungstate, etc., or a pigment. Dye-type pigments and organic fluorescent pigments, which are obtained by dissolving a fluorescent dye in an initial condensate of a synthetic resin, advancing the condensation, fixing the fluorescent dye in the resin in the form of a solid solution, and then crushing the dye can be used.

[Receptive layer]
The receiving layer 73 is formed on the intermediate layer 72 and has a function of receiving the coloring material transferred from the thermal transfer sheet 5 by heating. The receiving layer 73 receives the dye, develops the color, and at the same time receives the dye once. It is desirable not to re-sublimate. The receiving layer is generally composed mainly of a thermoplastic resin. Examples of the material for forming the receiving layer include a polyolefin resin such as polypropylene, a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, a halogenated polymer such as polyvinylidene chloride, a polyvinyl acetate, and a polyacrylic. Examples include polyester resins such as esters, polystyrene resins, polyamide resins, copolymer resins of olefins such as ethylene and propylene with other vinyl monomers, cellulose resins such as ionomers and cellulose diacetates, and polycarbonate resins. Of these, particularly preferred are polyester resins, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers and mixtures thereof.

At the time of image printing, a mold release agent can be mixed with the receiving layer for the purpose of preventing fusion between the dye layer of the thermal transfer sheet and the receiving layer of the image receiving sheet, deterioration of printing sensitivity, and the like. Examples of the mold release agent include silicone oil, phosphoric acid ester-based surfactant, and fluorine-based surfactant, and among them, silicone oil is preferable. As the silicone oil, modified silicone oils such as epoxy-modified, vinyl-modified, alkyl-modified, amino-modified, carboxyl-modified, alcohol-modified, fluorine-modified, alkylaralkylpolyether-modified, epoxy-polyether-modified, and polyether-modified are desirable.

A special pigment-containing layer different from the intermediate layer 72 may be provided on the receiving layer surface side of the base material 71, or the receiving layer 73 may contain a special pigment.

In the above embodiment, an example will be described in which a dye is transferred to the entire area of one screen of the image receiving sheet 7 with low gradation to adjust the ground color based on the color tone selected by the customer, and then the image is printed. However, the ground color may be adjusted by partially transferring the dye to a low gradation instead of the whole.

For example, the part for adjusting the ground color is input by the customer using an input device such as a display, a mouse, or a touch panel. Alternatively, the thermal transfer printing device or a computer connected to the thermal transfer printing device may extract a person region from the input image and transfer the dye to the extracted region with low gradation to adjust the ground color.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the ground color is adjusted by the first dye transfer and the image is printed by the second dye transfer has been described, but the image data is adjusted (corrected) in advance so that the ground color is selected by the customer. However, by performing the printing process using the adjusted image data, it may be possible to print an image whose background color has been adjusted by one dye transfer.

The thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the above embodiment can be applied to, for example, a printing system as shown in FIG. This printing system has a first touch panel 110A, a second touch panel 110B, a data input unit 111, and a charging unit 112, and a thermal transfer printing device is housed in a housing 101 to print an image input by a user. Output.

The first touch panel 110A is provided on the top plate 101A portion of the housing 101, and the second touch panel 110B is provided on the upper portion of the housing 101. The screens of the top plate 101A and the first touch panel 110A are slightly tilted so that the front side is low and the back side is high so that the input operation to the first touch panel 110A can be easily performed. The display screen of the second touch panel 110B is in a state of standing substantially vertically. The display screens of the first touch panel 110A and the second touch panel 110B have the same size.

The first touch panel 110A and the second touch panel 110B are operation units that display information including images and accept input of various instructions from the user, and have the functions of the above-mentioned selection unit 15. The first touch panel 10A is a selection screen for inputting image data to an image printing device (for example, use of a storage medium, infrared communication from a mobile terminal, or wireless communication from a smartphone), a display screen for precautions, and an image to be printed. Displays basic operation screens such as an image selection screen and a confirmation screen for order details and billing amount. The second touch panel 10B displays a color selection screen for the printed matter and a ground color adjustment area selection screen for partially changing the color (adjusting the ground color). The color tone selection screen and the ground color adjustment area selection screen may be displayed on the first touch panel 10A.

The data input unit 111 accepts the input of image data by reading the image data from the storage medium in which the image data taken by a digital camera or the like is stored. The data input unit 111 has a data reading device corresponding to various storage media. Further, the data input unit 111 can accept the input of image data from the mobile terminal by infrared communication or wireless communication. For example, the data input unit 111 is provided on the upper part of the housing 101, specifically, between the top plate 101A of the housing 101 and the second touch panel 110B.

The billing unit 112 has a coin slot 112A, a bill slot 112B, and a change return slot 112C provided on the front side of the housing 101, and identifies and counts coins inserted from the coin slot 112A and the bill slot 112B. Then, the change is discharged from the change return port 112C. Further, the billing unit 112 may have a payment function using electronic money. Further, the billing unit 112 may have a receipt printer that prints and outputs the billing amount, the input amount, the change amount, and the like on the receipt.

A transparent opening / closing door 102 is provided on the front surface side of the housing 101 so as to be openable / closable. On the back surface side of the opening / closing door 102, an integrated portion (not shown) for accumulating the imprints produced by the thermal transfer printing device is provided, and when the opening / closing door 102 is opened, the imprints accumulated in the accumulating portion can be taken out. It has become like.

According to this print system, it is possible to produce a printed matter having a color tone according to the user's request by using the image provided by the user.

Further, the thermal transfer printing apparatus according to the above embodiment can be applied to, for example, a printing system as shown in FIG. 7. This print system captures a user and prints out the captured image.

As shown in FIG. 7, the print system includes a photographing device 212 that photographs a user P and generates captured image data, an arithmetic control device 211 that controls each part of the print system, and a printer 214 that prints a printed matter. The strobe 215 that emits light when the photographing device 212 is photographed is provided. The printer 214 corresponds to the thermal transfer printing device according to the above embodiment.

In addition, the print system accepts various operations from the user P, and displays a preview display of the captured image, a color selection screen of the printed matter, and a ground color adjustment area selection screen when the color is partially changed. It is provided with a touch panel 213 having the function of the selection unit 15 described above.

According to this print system, it is possible to produce a printed matter having a color tone according to the request of the user P by using the image taken by the user P.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment as it is, and at the implementation stage, the components can be modified and embodied within a range that does not deviate from the gist thereof. In addition, various inventions can be formed by an appropriate combination of the plurality of components disclosed in the above-described embodiment. For example, some components may be removed from all the components shown in the embodiments. In addition, components across different embodiments may be combined as appropriate.

1 Thermal head 2 Platen roll 3 Supply unit 4 Recovery unit 5 Thermal transfer sheet 6 Image receiving paper roll 7 Image receiving sheet 10 Printing unit 14 Control device 15 Selection unit 71 Base material 72 Intermediate layer 73 Receiving layer

Claims (10)

It is a printing system including a thermal transfer printer and an operation unit that accepts the selection of the color of the printed matter.
The thermal transfer printer is
A first supply unit that supplies a thermal transfer sheet provided with a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer, and
A second supply unit for supplying an image receiving sheet having a receiving layer provided on the base material and a layer containing a special pigment on the receiving layer surface side of the base material.
It has a thermal head and a platen roll, and the thermal transfer sheet and the image receiving sheet are overlapped with each other to be conveyed between the thermal head and the platen roll, and the thermal head heats the thermal transfer sheet to receive the image. The printing department that transfers the dye to the sheet and prints the image to create a printed matter,
Based on the color tint received by the operation unit, the dye is transferred from at least one of the yellow dye layer, the magenta dye layer, and the cyan dye layer to the image receiving sheet at a predetermined image gradation or higher, and the ground of the image receiving sheet. A control device that adjusts the color and controls the printing unit so as to print the image in an area including a portion for which the ground color has been adjusted.
A printing system characterized by being equipped with. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the dye layer used for adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet is reused at the time of printing the image. The printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ground color of the entire area of one screen of the image receiving sheet is adjusted. The printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation unit receives an input of a portion for adjusting the ground color in the image. The printing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a person area is extracted from the image, and the ground color of a portion of the image receiving sheet corresponding to the person area is adjusted. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the special pigment is a pearl pigment or a metal powder pigment. The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein an intermediate layer and the receiving layer are laminated on the substrate, and the intermediate layer contains the special pigment. The image receiving sheet used in the printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a receiving layer is provided on a base material, and a layer containing a special pigment is provided on the receiving layer surface side of the base material. An image receiving sheet characterized by being provided. The process of accepting the selection of the color of the imprint and
Based on the selected color, a receiving layer is provided on the substrate from at least one of the yellow dye layer, the magenta dye layer, and the cyan dye layer of the thermal transfer sheet at a predetermined image gradation or higher, and the substrate is provided. A step of transferring a dye to an image receiving sheet provided with a layer containing a special pigment on the surface side of the receiving layer to adjust the ground color of the image receiving sheet.
A step of heating the thermal transfer sheet, transferring a dye to a region including a portion of the image receiving sheet whose ground color has been adjusted, and printing an image to manufacture a printed matter.
A method for manufacturing a printed matter. The method for manufacturing a printed matter according to claim 9, wherein the dye layer used for adjusting the ground color of the image receiving sheet is reused at the time of printing the image.

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