JPH0310882A - Color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the wasteful taking-up of a color ink ribbon even when black color is frequently used in color printing by arranging a plurality of ink ribbons respectively having hole parts in a superposed state and setting one of them to a black ink ribbon and using the other as a color ink ribbon. CONSTITUTION:Ink ribbons 4, 5 has holes 11, 12, 13 at a definite interval. When black printing is performed, the hole part 13 of the ink ribbon 5 is detected by a color ink ribbon color discriminating sensor 9 and, thereafter, the ink ribbon 5 is fed by definite quantity to stop the hole part 13 thereof at the position of a printing head 3 and a black ink ribbon 4 is fed by driving a taking-up roller 6 to perform printing. At the time of the transfer to color printing, after the hole part of the black ink ribbon 4 is detected by a reflection type sensor 8, the ink ribbon 4 is fed by definite quantity to stop the hole part 11 at the position of the printing head 3 and the color ink ribbon 5 is fed by driving a taking-up roller 7 to perform color printing. When the hole part of the ink ribbon on a printing side is detected by the sensor, said part is skipped to continue printing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a color printer, and more particularly to its color printing mechanism.

[Conventional technology]

In conventional color printing, the ink ribbon is divided into three colors (magenta, cyan, yellow) or four colors (magenta, cyan, yellow, black), and a sensor identifies and winds the ribbon according to the required color. Ta.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above-mentioned conventional printing mechanism has the drawback that even when printing in color, when black is used extensively, the color ink ribbon is wound up a lot, resulting in a lot of wasted ribbon.

[Means to solve the problem]

In the color printer of the present invention, a plurality of ink ribbons of different colors having holes are arranged in front of a print head, and the ink ribbon for printing is fed with the hole part of the ribbon not used for printing facing the print head. to select one of the plurality of ink ribbons and perform printing.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink ribbon of one embodiment of the present invention. The carrier section of the printer according to one embodiment of the present invention moves parallel to the platen 2 to perform printing. A printer carrier section is composed of a ribbon cassette 10 consisting of a black ink ribbon 41 take-up roller 6 and a color ink ribbon 51 take-up roller 7, a ribbon feed section (not shown), conventional reflective sensors 8 and 9, and a head 3. has been done. As shown in FIG. 2, the ink ribbons 4 and 5 are provided with holes 11 and 1 at regular intervals.
2.13. When performing black printing, the hole 13 of the ink ribbon 5 is detected by the conventional color ink ribbon color identification sensor 9, and then the ink ribbon 5 is fed a certain amount to stop the hole 13 at the position of the print head 3. Printing is carried out while feeding the black ink ribbon 4 by driving a take-up roller 6. When moving to color printing, the hole 11 of the black ink ribbon 4 is detected by the reflective sensor 8, the ink ribbon 4 is fed a certain amount, the hole 11 is stopped at the position of the print head 3, and the color ribbon 5 is moved to the take-up roller. Color printing is performed while feeding the ribbon by driving 7. If the sensor detects a hole in the ribbon on the printing side, that part is skipped and printing continues.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention enables color printing by arranging a plurality of ink ribbons, each having a hole, one on top of the other, one being a black ink ribbon and the other being a color ink ribbon. Even when black is frequently used, there is an effect that unnecessary winding of the color ink ribbon can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an ink ribbon of one embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Paper, 2... Platen, 3... Print head, 4... Black ink ribbon, 5... Color ink ribbon, 6... Take-up roller, 7... Take-up roller , 8...
・Reflective sensor, 9... Reflective sensor, 10... Ribbon cassette, 11... Hole, 12... Hole, 13...
·hole.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Ink ribbons of different colors having holes at regular intervals are arranged in front of a plurality of print heads, and the ribbons that do not perform printing have their holes facing the print head, and the ink ribbons that perform printing are fed to create a plurality of ink ribbons. A color printer that prints by selecting one of the ink ribbons.