JPH04265768A - Color printing method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a color printing method and a device therefore by printing a mark on a record medium at the time of printing of a first color, reading out said mark when the printing of a next color starts, and automatically adjusting hte position where the printing of the next color starts based on the information recorded on said mark. CONSTITUTION:An ink part 31 comprising magnetic material is provided on an ink sheet 17 and said part is transferred to a non-record region of a record sheet 11 and the number of transfer steps of the record sheet required for the sheet to reach a recording start position is written into an ink part 41 of magnetic material having been transferred. And prior to the start of recording, wherein next color is used, the number of transfer steps written into the part 41 is read out so that the record sheet is transferred from the position where the reading has been made by a distance corresponding to the number of transfer steps having been read out by a magnetic head 16 to position the record sheet, thereby starting a transfer and record process using ink of next color.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color printing method and apparatus for printing color images by overlappingly transferring inks of different colors onto a recording medium.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional color thermal transfer printers perform overlapping recording for each color, so it is necessary to detect the position of a recording sheet and accurately adjust the recording position. Assuming that the horizontal position of this recording sheet is generally fixed by a guide etc., it will hardly shift.
The positional deviation of the recording sheet in the conveying direction is detected. This has been done by optically detecting the leading edge of the recording sheet, or by detecting the starting point of a drum or the like in the conveying mechanism using a microswitch, an optical encoder, or the like. However, with such an optical sensor, it is difficult to detect a highly transparent recording sheet, and high accuracy cannot be expected when a mechanical microswitch is used.

0003

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] Furthermore, when it is necessary to perform overlapping printing with high precision, it is necessary to overprint marks called registration marks for each color in the margins of the printing range of the recording sheet. By performing trial printing and visually confirming the positional deviation of each color of the registration mark, the overall color deviation was detected and the printing timing for the second and subsequent colors was manually adjusted. However, such trial printing is troublesome for the operator and has poor operability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example. When printing the first color, a mark is printed on the recording medium, and when printing the next color is started, the mark is read and the information recorded on the mark is read. An object of the present invention is to provide a color printing method and apparatus that can automatically adjust the printing start position of the next color based on the information obtained.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the color printing method of the present invention has the following configuration. In other words, it is a color printing method in which a color image is printed by transferring ink of different colors onto a recording medium in an overlapping manner, in which a magnetic ink portion is provided on an ink sheet, and the magnetic ink portion is transferred to a non-recording area of the recording medium. a step of writing the number of conveyance steps of the recording medium up to the recording start position on the transferred magnetic ink, and a step of
The recording medium is positioned by reading the number of conveyance steps written on the magnetic ink portion and conveying the recording medium by the number of conveyance steps read from the read position.

In order to achieve the above object, the color printing apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, it is a color printing device that prints a color image on a recording medium by overlappingly transferring ink of different colors onto the recording medium, and includes a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium, and a head of the ink portion to be recorded first. an ink sheet coated with magnetic ink near the portion; means for transferring and recording the magnetic ink outside the recording range of the recording medium; and recording the magnetic ink on the portion of the magnetic ink transferred to the recording medium up to the recording start position. a writing means for writing the number of conveyance steps carried by the medium conveyance means; a reading means for reading the number of conveyance steps written by the writing means before starting transfer recording with ink of the next color; and a reading means for reading the number of conveyance steps written by the writing means; and recording means for transporting the recording medium from a reading position by the reading means by the number of steps and performing transfer recording with ink of the next color.

[0007]

[Operation] With the above structure, a magnetic ink portion is provided on an ink sheet, the magnetic ink portion is transferred to a non-recording area of a recording medium, and the transferred magnetic ink is applied to the recording medium up to the recording start position. Write the number of transport steps. Then, before starting recording in the next color, the number of conveyance steps written on the magnetic ink area is read, and the recording medium is positioned by conveying the number of conveyance steps read from the read position. , operates to start transfer/recording processing using ink of the next color.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <Description of color thermal transfer printer (Figures 1 and 2)> Figure 1 is a side view showing the configuration of the color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment, and Figure 2 is the position of the recording sheet winding drum, ink sheet, and recording head. It is a figure showing a relationship.

In FIG. 1, 11 indicates a recording sheet;
It is wound around the drum roller 14 and recorded. The recording sheet 11 is stored in a recording sheet cassette 26, and is conveyed from the cassette 26 into the apparatus by rotationally driving a sheet feed motor 112 (FIG. 5) to rotate a paper feed roller 13. 21 and 22 are auxiliary rollers for conveying the recording sheet, and the recording sheet 11 that has passed through these rollers
is fed by a certain amount through a paper sensor (not shown), hits the paper presser 30 of the drum roller 14, and stops. Next, the drum paper presser 30 is attached to the paper presser magnet 10.
9 (FIG. 5), and the leading end of the recording sheet 11 is fixed to the drum roller 14. Next, with this recording sheet 11 held by the paper presser 30, the recording sheet conveyance motor 12 is rotationally driven to rotate the drum roller 14 by a predetermined amount to position the recording sheet 11 in the state shown in FIG. . Note that 22 and 23 are auxiliary rollers for conveying the recording sheet 11. 14a is a drum clutch.

Reference numeral 17 denotes an ink sheet for color recording, which is stretched between an ink sheet supply roller 18 and a take-up roller 19. Reference numeral 15 denotes a thermal head which can take both a down state in which it contacts the ink sheet 17 by means of a solenoid 27 and an up state in which it is separated from the ink sheet 17.

This ink sheet 17 has a portion 31 (FIG. 3) coated with magnetic ink at the leading right end portion of yellow, which is the first color to be transferred and recorded, and this portion 31 is used as a thermal head. 17, the solenoid 27 is driven and the thermal head 15 is placed in the down state. In this way, Y (yellow), M (magenta)
, C (cyan), and when one page of color recording is completed, the dispenser 24 is moved to the drum roller 1.
By approaching the 4 side, the recorded recording sheet 11
is peeled off from the drum roller 14, and the auxiliary roller 22,
23, the paper can be discharged onto a paper discharge tray 28. 2
Reference numeral 9 indicates the recorded recording sheet discharged in this manner. Note that 25 is a printed circuit board on which a control circuit such as a CPU is mounted.

FIG. 2 shows the drum roller 14 and recording sheet 11.
This is a diagram showing the relationship between the ink sheet 17 and the ink sheet 17, and is similar to FIG.
Parts common to the above are indicated by the same numbers and their explanations will be omitted. In FIG. 2, a drum clutch 14a is used to transmit the rotation of the recording sheet conveyance motor 12 to the drum 14. 16 is a magnetic head, recording sheet 1
Ink sheet 1 is placed outside the recording range 42 (Fig. 4) at the right end of ink sheet 1.
Mark 41 transferred and recorded with magnetic ink portion 31 of No. 7
(Figure 4) is being read.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the color ink sheet 17 of the embodiment.
Ink is applied one after another in order, and a color mark indicating the color of the ink is provided on the left end of this ink sheet 17, and a color mark indicating the color of the ink is provided on the right end of the ink sheet 17, and on the right end of the yellow ink, there is a part coated with magnetic ink. 31 are provided.

FIG. 4 shows a recording sheet 11 recorded in this way.
, 41 indicates a mark portion transferred by the above-described magnetic ink portion 31, and 42 indicates a recording range where a normal image is recorded. <Explanation of configuration and operation of thermal transfer printer (Figures 5 and 6)
)> The figure is a block diagram showing the schematic configuration of the thermal transfer printer according to the embodiment, and FIGS. 6-1 to 6-3 show the control unit 101
3 is a flowchart showing one page's worth of recording processing executed in FIG.

In FIG. 5, 101 is a control unit that controls the entire device, for example, a CPU 12 such as a microprocessor.
1. ROM 122 that stores control programs and various data for the CPU 121; RAM 123 that is used as a work area for the CPU 121 and temporarily stores various data;
etc. Reference numeral 102 denotes an input unit that controls the interface between this printer and a host computer 103, which is an external device. 115 is the mechanical part of the printer;
104 is a head driver for driving the thermal head 15; 105, 107, and 111 are motor drivers, each of which rotates a corresponding motor according to a signal from the control unit 101.

Reference numeral 106 denotes an ink sheet conveying motor which rotates an ink sheet winding roller 19 to wind up a predetermined amount of the ink sheet 17. Reference numeral 108 is used to read the color mark attached to the ink sheet 17 and detect whether the ink color portion of the ink sheet 17 to be recorded next is accurately positioned. Reference numeral 109 denotes a paper holding magnet, which can be used to fix the recording sheet 14 to the drum 14 by closing the paper holding 30 of the drum 14 described above, or to hold the recording sheet 11 on the drum 14 by opening the paper holding 30.
It can be moved away from. Reference numeral 112 denotes a sheet feed motor that rotates the paper feed roller 13 to feed the cassette 26.
The recording sheet 11 housed in the recording sheet 11 can be transported into the apparatus.

Next, the recording process by the thermal transfer printer of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. Although the control program for executing this process is stored in the ROM 122, it may also be input from an external device such as a floppy disk, stored in the RAM 123, and executed.

First, in step S1, when a recording operation is started in response to an instruction from the host computer 103, the sheet feed motor 112 is driven to rotate, the paper feed roller 13 is rotated, and the recording sheet 11 is loaded from the recording sheet cassette 26.
One sheet of paper is transported into the device. As a result, the recording sheet 11
is conveyed until it hits the paper presser 30 and stops,
When stopped, the paper presser 30 is closed by the magnet 109, thereby fixing it to the drum 14. Next, the ink sheet conveyance motor 106 is driven to rotate so that the yellow ink portion of the ink sheet comes to the recording position. This is achieved by detecting the color marks on the ink sheet 17 with the mark sensor 108.

In step S5, the thermal head 15 is lowered to remove the magnetic ink portion 3 of the ink sheet 17.
The heating element of the thermal head 15 located at 1 is driven to generate heat, and the magnetic ink is transferred outside the recording range 42 of the recording sheet 11. Then, in steps S6 and S7, the drum 14 is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the recording sheet 11 is conveyed until the magnetic ink portion 41 reaches the reading position by the magnetic head 16. Then, the number of clocks to be applied to the recording sheet transport motor 12 for rotationally driving the drum 14 is written in the magnetic ink portion 41 transferred to the recording sheet 11 by the magnetic head 16 . In step S9, the recording sheet transport motor 12 is rotated by the number of clocks corresponding to the written clock number to rotate the drum 14, and then, in steps S10 and S11, image data to be recorded in yellow on the thermal head 15 is transfer,
The thermal head 15 is energized to record an image.

When one page of yellow ink has been recorded in this manner, the process proceeds to step S12, where the thermal head 15 is raised, the drum 14 is rotated by a predetermined amount, and the recording sheet 11 is again conveyed to the recording start position shown in FIG. do. Further, in step S14, the ink sheet 17 is conveyed, and when the mark sensor 108 detects a magenta color mark, the thermal head 15 is lowered in step S15, and the magnetic head 16 is moved to the magnetic ink portion 41 in step S8. Read the number of clocks written to. In this way, the process proceeds to step S18,
Rotate the drum 14 by the number of clocks read,
The leading position of the recording sheet 11 is determined.

In steps S18 and S19, one page of magenta is recorded, and when one page of magenta has been recorded, the process advances to step S20.
Similar to steps S12 to S17 described above, step S2
In steps 0 to S25, the recording sheet 11 is positioned for recording with ink of the next color.

When cyan color recording is completed in steps S26 and S27, the process proceeds to step S28, in which the dispenser 24 is brought closer to the drum 14, and in step S29, the drum 14 is rotated by a predetermined amount. This allows step S
The recording sheet 11 that has been recorded at 30 is moved to the auxiliary rollers 22, 2.
3 and is discharged toward the paper discharge tray 28, and the recording process of one page of color images is completed.

[0023] The present invention may be applied to a printing system consisting of a plurality of devices, a printing device consisting of a single device, or a method for supplying a program to a system or device. Needless to say, it can also be applied to cases where this is achieved by

As explained above, according to this embodiment, magnetic ink is applied near the leading position of the first color on the ink sheet, and this ink is transferred outside the recording range of the recording sheet. The number of driving steps of the recording sheet conveyance motor is written in the ink area, and this number of steps can be used to position the recording sheet when printing the second and subsequent colors. This has the effect of preventing color shift, etc. that may occur.

[0025] Although this embodiment shows an example of a drum roller type line printer, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to, for example, a color printing device using a friction roller type. It is possible.

[0026]

Effects of the Invention As explained above, according to the present invention, a mark is printed on the recording medium when printing the first color, and when printing the next color is started, the mark is read and the mark recorded on the mark is read. This has the effect of automatically adjusting the printing start position of the next color based on the information.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of a color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship among a drum, an ink sheet, and a recording head in the color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of an ink sheet used in the color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a recording sheet printed by the color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing recording processing by the color thermal transfer printer of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Record sheet 12 Recording sheet conveyance motor 14 Drum 15 Thermal head 16 Magnetic head 17 Ink sheet 30 Paper presser 31 Magnetic ink part 41 Ink transfer part 101 Control section 121 CPU 122 ROM

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A color printing method for printing a color image by overlappingly transferring inks of different colors onto a recording medium, the method comprising:
A step of providing a magnetic ink portion on an ink sheet, transferring the magnetic ink portion to a non-recording area of a recording medium, and a step of writing the number of conveyance steps of the recording medium to the recording start position on the transferred magnetic ink. and a step of positioning the recording medium by reading the number of conveyance steps written on the magnetic ink portion and conveying the recording medium by the read number of conveyance steps from the read position before starting recording in the next color. A color printing method comprising: 2. A color printing device that prints a color image on a recording medium by overlappingly transferring inks of different colors onto a recording medium, the apparatus comprising: a recording medium conveying means for conveying the recording medium; and an ink to be recorded first. an ink sheet coated with magnetic ink near the beginning of a portion; a means for transferring and recording the magnetic ink outside the recording range of the recording medium; and a recording start position on the magnetic ink portion transferred to the recording medium. writing means for writing the number of conveyance steps to be conveyed by the recording medium conveyance means until the start of transfer recording with ink of the next color, reading means for reading the number of conveyance steps written by the writing means before the start of transfer recording with ink of the next color, and the reading means 1. A color printing apparatus comprising: a recording means for transporting the recording medium from a reading position by the reading means by the number of steps read by the reading means and performing transfer recording with ink of the next color.