JPH02258274A - Video printer, image-receiving medium cassette thereof & dye sheet cassette - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent printing fault due to the incompatibility of dye with an image-reception medium by labelling a dye sheet and an image-reception medium cassette with their type identification mark, determining the mark and displaying the results. CONSTITUTION:This device has an image-reception paper code detector 16, which reads the type of the paper. In addition, the device has a dye code detector 18, which reads the type of a dye sheet. If some image-reception medium cassette and a compatible dye sheet cassette are placed in the printer, the output of the NOR gate is 1. The output of the NOR gate is 0, if the cassettes are not compatible. Consequently, logic state 1 means OK and logic state 0 means No Good. If the logic state is found as OK, a control circuit 12 permits the print of an image visualized by an image projection signal received by an input terminal 2, into a recording section 4. However, if the logic state is found as No good, the control circuit 12 stops or inhibits the operation of the recording section 4, and at the same time, actuates an error indicator 14.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a video printer and an image receiving medium and dye sheet cassette used therein.

For example, a thermal transfer printer records visible information by heating a heat-diffusible dye with a thermal head and transferring it to a transfer medium such as paper.The heat-diffusible dye is printed on a ribbon or The ribbon or sheet is coated with a binder, and the dye-coated side of the ribbon or sheet is brought into contact with a transfer medium, or receiver paper, and the opposite side is heated by a thermal head. The thermal head has a heating element array in which a large number of heating elements are arranged in a straight line, and each of them generates heat according to the information to be recorded. This causes the dye in the heated portion of the ribbon or sheet to diffuse and transfer to the receiver paper. Such thermal transfer printers are effectively applied to video printers, for example. This video printer is loaded with a dye sheet cassette holding a dye sheet inside and a bill-sized image-receiving paper to print visible information.

An image receiving layer is provided on the surface of this image receiving paper. This image-receiving layer is for permeating and retaining the transferred dye, and the state of permeation differs depending on the combination of materials for the image-receiving layer and the dye. Therefore, if visible information is printed on a certain type of image-receiving paper using a certain type of dye sheet, the hue or density may be abnormal. For example, if a dye sheet for plain paper is used to print on OHP image-receiving paper, the density will decrease and the brightness of the OHP-projected image will increase. Foreign matter such as fingerprints or dust may adhere to the dye or the surface of the image-receiving layer, which may cause problems such as printing defects or loading defects the next time the device is used.

■−−target The present invention overcomes these drawbacks of the prior art.

The object of the present invention is to prevent a dye sheet cassette and an image-receiving medium from being mismatched when they are loaded into a video printer, and also to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the dye layer and image-receiving layer during loading.

According to the present invention, a heating element array that is driven in response to a video signal representing an image and generates heat is pressed against an image receiving medium through a dye sheet holding dye, thereby transferring the dye to the image receiving medium. In a video printer that records an image on a receiving medium, the receiving medium is contained in a first cassette, the first cassette has a first indicia indicating the type of receiving medium, and the dye sheet is stored in a second cassette. the second cassette is provided with a second indication representing the type of dye sheet, a first detection means for detecting the first indication, and a second detection means for detecting the second indication. a determining means for determining the quality of the combination of the image receiving medium and the dye sheet based on the detected first and second indications; and a display means for displaying the result of the determination by the determining means.

In addition, in the image receiving medium cassette according to the present invention, a heating element array that is driven and generates heat according to a video signal representing one image is pressed through a dye sheet holding dye, whereby the dye is transferred and an image is recorded. The image receiving medium has a housing for accommodating the image receiving medium, and a display means formed on the surface of the housing to indicate the type of the image receiving medium.

The dye sheet cassette according to the present invention is a dye sheet that is pressed against an image receiving medium by a heating element array that is driven and generates heat according to a video signal representing an image, thereby transferring dye to the image receiving medium and recording an image on the image receiving medium. , a housing for accommodating the dye sheet, and a display means formed on the surface of the housing for indicating the type of dye sheet, which allows an operator to know whether the dye sheet is compatible with the image receiving medium.

Further, according to the present invention, the casing that accommodates the image receiving medium has a static eliminator that contacts the surface of the image receiving medium and eliminates static electricity at the opening through which the image receiving medium is delivered.

Furthermore, according to one aspect of the present invention, the casing that accommodates the dye sheet has, in the opening through which the dye sheet is delivered, static eliminating means that comes into contact with the surface of the dye sheet to eliminate static electricity therefrom. These can prevent printing defects caused by foreign matter such as dust and fingerprints adhering to the image receiving medium or dye sheet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Next, embodiments of a dye sheet cassette, an image receiving medium cassette, and a video printer using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, referring to FIG. 1, the video printer of the embodiment has an input terminal 2, and a recording section 4 records an image represented by a video signal input thereto on a receiving paper 24 (FIG. 3).

The recording unit 4 is the above-mentioned thermal transfer type image recording mechanism unit, which heats the dye sheet 22 (FIG. 2) coated with a heat-diffusible dye with a thermal head and prints it on a transfer medium such as paper, that is, an image receiving paper. The thermal head records visible information by diffusing and transferring the dye in the heated area.The thermal head uses a large number of resistance heating elements arranged in a row corresponding to one print line of the image to be recorded. The recording density is controlled by controlling the temperature and heating time by adjusting the number and width of pulses applied to each heating element of the heating element array 2B.

The apparatus has a receiver paper code detector 16, which is a detector that reads the type of receiver paper 24.The apparatus also has a dye code detector 18, which reads the type of dye sheet 22. The 0 judgment circuit 1O, which is a detector, compares the output voltage of the receiver paper code detector 1B and the output voltage of the dye code detector 18, and outputs a voltage according to the quality of the combination. is connected to the control circuit 12.

The control circuit 12 is a control function unit that controls the entire apparatus, and is connected to an operation unit 20 through which an operator gives instructions such as image recording. An error indicator 14 is connected to the control circuit 12 . The error indicator 14 notifies the operator of the incompatibility of the combination of the image receiving medium cassette 6 and the dye sheet cassette 8, which will be described later, by a sound such as a buzzer or a low frequency oscillator. Alternatively, instead of sound, light from an LE port or a lamp may be used, or it may be displayed on a liquid crystal display board.

Input terminal 2 is connected to drive circuit 30 . The drive circuit 30 is a circuit that drives the heat generating elements by converting the serial pulses of the color video signal received at the input 2 into parallel drive currents corresponding to the individual heat generating elements of the heat generating element array 2B. The body array 28 constitutes a thermal head.

Basically, the recording unit 4 has a thermal head arranged parallel to the generatrix of the platen drum so that the heating element array 2B is in sliding contact with the cylindrical peripheral surface of the platen drum. The platen drum is rotationally driven by the drum driving section 32, and has an image-receiving paper carrying function of supporting the image-receiving paper 24 on its peripheral surface. A dye sheet 22 is inserted between the image receiving paper 24 and the heating element array 2B, and is discharged by the dye sheet feeding section 34 in synchronization with the rotation of the platen drum. Thus, the recording section 4 constitutes a recording mechanism that drives the heating element array 26 in accordance with the video signal of the input 2 and records the image represented by the heating element array 26 on the image receiving paper 24.

The image-receiving paper 24 is made of, for example, synthetic paper as a base material, and a polyester-based synthetic resin material having a thickness of about 5 to 6 pm is coated thereon as an image-receiving layer. For example, a hand-sized cut sheet is used. Similarly, transmission-type image-receiving paper is made of a transparent base coated with a polyester material. The image-receiving paper 24 is supplied from the supply section to the platen drum by the image-receiving paper feeding section 28 of the recording section 4, and is conveyed to the discharge section via the peripheral surface thereof.

The image-receiving paper 24 includes, for example, plain paper, OHP paper, and sticker paper, and the dye sheet 22 also includes plain paper, OHP paper, and sticker paper.
0)! There is one for P paper and one for sticker paper. In order to record a good image, it is desirable to use a dye sheet 22 of a type suitable for each image-receiving paper 24. For example, it is preferable to use a dye sheet 22 for ordinary paper on an OHP image-receiving paper to record an image. When printed, the density of the dye transferred to the image-receiving layer is low (transmittance is high), so when projected onto a screen using OHP, the image becomes too bright.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, an identification hole 42 is provided on the side surface of the dye sheet cassette 8 to indicate the type of dye. Regarding the image-receiving paper 24, as shown in FIG. In the example, 8 cassettes of mutually compatible types are shown.
and 6 are provided with the same indication by identification holes 42 and 43.

In FIG. 5, white circles 7 and 7 are shown in FIG.
4 represents the state where the identification holes 42 and 43 are present, and the black circle 76 represents the state where there is no identification hole 42 or 43.
There are four combinations when there are two 43's, and the logical states shown in the figure represent normal paper, OHP paper, and sticker paper, respectively.Therefore, the cassettes 8 and 6 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are normal It is for paper. If necessary, 3 types can be arranged in order E to display 8 or more types.

The receiving paper code detector 16 is installed at the position of the identification hole 43 when both sets 6 and 8 are loaded in the printer.
A dye code detector 18 was provided at position 2, and its output was connected to the control circuit 12 via the determination circuit 1G.

The image-receiving medium cassette 6 is shown in FIG. 6. This is a box-shaped container, and is composed of a housing 51, a flip-up plate 50, a presser spring 52, a discharge port 54, and a static elimination brush 5B. Inside this housing 51, a required number of image receiving papers 24 are stored in a stacked state. An identification hole 43 is opened in the side surface of the housing 51 as shown in the figure. The flip-up plate 50 flips up the image-receiving paper 24 when the image-receiving medium cassette 6 is loaded into the video printer.
The arrow 53 is there to facilitate insertion into the recording section 4.
The static eliminating brush 56 is made of conductive fibers and is connected to the ground of the video printer when the image receiving medium cassette 6 is loaded into the video printer, and removes 71% of the static electricity charged on the image receiving paper 24. At the same time, dust on the surface is also removed.

The dye sheet cassette 8 is shown in FIG.
is supported by two reels 58 and Bo, and housed in a dye sheet cassette 8 forming a housing as shown in the figure. The flat surface of the dye sheet cassette 8 has an opening 72 as shown in the figure, so that the dye sheet 22 can be accessed from the outside. A static elimination brush 58 is provided vertically at one end of the opening 72 to remove the dye sheet 2.
2 is sandwiched between them. The static eliminating brush 5B is connected to ground when the cassette 8 is loaded into the printer. Two identification holes 42 are provided on the sides of the dye sheet cassette 8. In this case, the identification hole 42 indicates that the dye sheet cassette 8 is for ordinary paper. When the dye sheet cassette 8 is loaded into the recording section 4, the heating element array 2B and the platen drum access the dye sheet 22 through these openings 72, and the dye sheet 22
runs between the two. This traveling is carried out by the dye sheet feeding section 34 on the reels 58 and 6 in synchronization with the rotation of the drum.
This is done by driving 0.

An example of the dye code detector 18 is shown in FIG. 2. The dye code detector 18 consists of a microswitch 3B and a pull-up resistor 38. One terminal of the microswitch 36 is connected to the ground of the printer, and the other terminal is connected to a +5V power supply via a pull-up resistor 38. Outputs A and B are obtained from this connection point, respectively. The movable part 40 of the microswitch 3B is a dye sheet cassette 8.
When the identification hole 42 is provided at the position where the identification hole 42 is located when the microswitch 3B is loaded, as shown in Figure 6, the microswitch 3B is in the cutoff state, and the output A of the microswitch 36 is , B are both at high level rlJ, and when there are no two identification holes 42, outputs A and B of microswitch 3B are both at low level rQJ.

The type of dye is represented by the combination of presence/absence of the identification hole 42.

As shown in FIG. 3, the receiver paper code detector 1B is also a circuit similar to the dye code detector 18, and has similar functions. 2
The difference is that the outputs C and D of the microswitches 37 are outputs that indicate the type of image receiving paper 24.

As shown in FIG.
It consists of gate 48. As is well known, the exclusive OR gate outputs ``0'' when the inputs match.
'', and the output when the inputs do not match is rlJ.

In addition, the output of the two-manual NOR gate is "0" only when both inputs are "0". These gates are combined as shown in the figure, and the outputs A and B of the dye code detector 18 described above and the receiving paper code are detected. Outputs C and D of circuit 16 are connected to input ANDs of exclusive OR gates 44 and 4B, respectively. As a result, the determination circuit 10
The quality of the combination of dye sheet 22 and image receiving paper 24 is determined based on signals A-D depending on the presence or absence of identification holes 42 and 43, and the determination result Y is sent to control circuit 12.

Explain the operation. Image receiving medium cassette 6 in video printer
When the dye sheet cassette 8 is loaded, the movable part 41 of the microswitch 37 located at the identification hole 43 of the image receiving medium cassette 6 operates depending on the presence or absence of the identification hole 43. If there is, the movable part 41 will not operate and the microswitch 37 will be in the cutoff state, and if there is no identification hole 43, the movable part 41 will be operated and the microswitch 37 will be in the conductive state. Therefore, the microswitch 3B in the cutoff state outputs the logic rlJ, and the switch 36 in the conduction state outputs the logic rlJ.
The output of is "0".

The dye sheet cassette 8 also operates in the same manner as the identification hole 4.
2, the microswitch 36 outputs rlJ and W
&If there is no separate large hole 42, the microswitch 36 outputs "0".

When a certain image receiving medium cassette 6 and a matching dye sheet cassette 8 are set in the printer, the output Y of the NOR gate 48 becomes rlJ. If not the same, NO
The output Y of the R gate 48 becomes "0". Therefore, when the logic is "1", the judgment is OK, and when it is "0", it is judged as NG. 1 If the judgment is OK, the control circuit 12 inputs the input terminal 2.
If the determination is NG, the control circuit 12 stops or prohibits the operation of the recording unit 4 and at the same time activates the error indicator 14. Then, when the operator replaces the dye sheet cassette 8 or the image receiving medium cassette 6 with the correct one, the control circuit 12 performs a similar operation to turn off the error display on the error indicator 14, and the recording section 4 is restored. Printing becomes possible.

8 and 9 show another example of the dye code detector 18. In this embodiment, the outputs A, B of the two photosensors 62 are connected to the inputs of the determination circuit IO, thereby A dye code detector 1B similar to the embodiment of FIG.
is configured. The receiving paper code detector 1B may also be constructed of a photosensor similar to the photosensor 82. This detector 18 uses a reflective photosensor 62 instead of the microswitch 3B (FIG. 2), and the collector resistor 38 , a current limiting resistor 45. Dye sheet power set)
8a does not have an identification hole 42, but is provided with a need mark 64 instead, and the mark 64 indicates the type of dye sheet.The zero reflection type photosensor θ2 has an LED 88 and a phototransistor 70, and their cathodes and the emitter is connected to ground. 7 node and collector are current limiting resistor 45 and collector resistor 3, respectively.
9 to the +5V power supply, and the signal A from the collector
Or B is output.

When the cassette 8a is loaded into the video printer, the LHD B8 inside the reflective photosensor 62 emits light 68, which is reflected by the code mark 64 and absorbed by the code mark (not shown). The reflected light 88 enters the base of the phototransistor 70, thereby bringing the emitter and collector of the phototransistor 70 into a conductive state. Therefore, the output A or B of the reflective photosensor 82 becomes OV r OJ. When the light 68 is absorbed by the code mark, the phototransistor 70 is cut off and the output A or B becomes +5V r l J.

Effects According to the present invention, by displaying the types of the dye sheet and the image-receiving medium on the cassettes, determining this with a video printer, and displaying the determination results, problems caused by mismatching of the types of the dye and the image-receiving medium can be detected. Printing defects can be prevented. Further, by accommodating the image receiving medium in a cassette and providing a static eliminating brush on the image receiving medium cassette and the dye sheet cassette, it is possible to prevent printing defects due to adhesion of foreign matter such as dust and fingerprints.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a video printer in an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a code detector in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. A circuit diagram of the determination circuit, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the combination of identification holes in the same embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of an image receiving medium cassette applied to the same embodiment, and FIG. 7 is the same implementation. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another configuration example of the dye code detector; FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of the dye code detector shown in FIG. 8; It is an explanatory diagram. Explanation of codes for main parts, recording section, image receiving medium cassette, dye sheet cassette, judgment circuit, control circuit, error indicator, receiving paper code detector, dye code detector, identification hole, static elimination brush, reflective photosensor 4 . 6. 8. lOl. 12゜14゜+8゜18゜42, 43゜5B. 62゜Figure 1Figure 6Figure 54Discharge portFigure 22Dye sheetFigure 9

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A heating element array that is driven and generates heat according to a video signal representing an image is pressed against an image receiving medium through a dye sheet holding dye, thereby transferring the dye to the image receiving medium. in a video printer for recording the image on the image receiving medium, the image receiving medium is housed in a first cassette, the first cassette is provided with a first indicia representing the type of the image receiving medium, and the dye sheet is is housed in a second cassette, the second cassette is provided with a second indicia indicating the type of the dye sheet, and the printer includes: a first detection means for detecting the first indication; a second detection means for detecting an indication; a determination means for determining the quality of the combination of the image receiving medium and the dye sheet based on the detected first and second indications; and a determination by the determination means. A video printer characterized in that it has a display means for displaying the results of. 2. A heating element array that is driven and generates heat according to a video signal representing an image is pressed through a dye sheet holding dye, thereby accommodating an image receiving medium on which the dye is transferred and the image is recorded. An image-receiving medium cassette for a video printer, comprising: a housing; and display means formed on the surface of the housing to indicate the type of the image-receiving medium. 3. The image-receiving medium cassette according to claim 2, wherein the casing has a static eliminator in the opening through which the image-receiving medium is sent out, which contacts the surface of the image-receiving medium to eliminate static electricity therefrom. 4. A dye sheet that is pressed against an image receiving medium by a heating element array that is driven and generates heat according to a video signal representing an image, thereby transferring dye to the image receiving medium and recording the image on the image receiving medium, and the dye sheet; A dye sheet cassette for a video printer, comprising: a housing for storing sheets; and display means formed on the surface of the housing to display the type of the dye sheet. 5. The dye sheet cassette according to claim 4, wherein the casing has a charge eliminating means in the opening through which the dye sheet is delivered, which contacts the surface of the dye sheet to eliminate charge therefrom.