JPH04305464A - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a high-efficiency video recorder in which printing time is shortened, by a method wherein an ink sheet start point search device and an image receiving paper start point search device are able to be respectively driven by motors and the motors are controlled so that they drive both start point search devices simultaneously. CONSTITUTION:When a main driver 12 begins operating, a sheet of image receiving paper 16 is sent out from a paper cassette 17 and stopped when it reaches the position of a sensor 15. Then, an ink sheet winding device 10 begins operating to wind an ink sheet 5 and stops when a mark on the ink sheet 5 reaches the position of a sensor 22. At the same time, a motor 13 is operated and the image receiving paper 4 is held between a capstan roller 7, which rotates counterclockwise, and a pinch roller 8 and carried toward the right to perform start point search. After that, the main driver 12 begins operating, a thermal head enters image recording preparation state, the image receiving paper 4 is transferred toward the left and image recording starts.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video printer equipped with an automatic paper feed/discharge device used in a full color printer.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Video printers are used to copy still images from moving images, such as videotape images or television images.

[0003] In recent years, with the improvement of printing technology, full-color printers have become popular as consumer equipment, but the printing time is around 80 seconds, and there is a desire to shorten the time. A conventional thermal transfer type video printer will be explained below.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a platen roller 6, which together with the thermal head 3 constitutes a print recording means, is connected to the thermal head via an image receiving paper 4 and an ink sheet 5 coated with yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes. 3
comes into contact with. The means for locating the beginning of the image receiving paper 4 is composed of a capstan roller 7 and a pinch roller 8. The capstan roller 7 works in conjunction with a motor 13 to accurately feed the image receiving paper 4.
The pinch roller 8 can press against the capstan roller 7 via the image receiving paper 4, and is transferred between an initial position and a rotating pressing position of the capstan roller 7. 9 is a sheet cassette in which the ink sheet 5 is wound; 10 is an ink sheet winding device (including a sheet motor); 11 is a pressure spring for pressing the thermal head 3 against the platen roller 6; 12 is a main drive device (mode motor); 13 is a motor for rotating the capstan roller 7, rubber belt 18, and paper discharge roller 26; 14 is an intermediate gear; and 15 is a sensor for detecting the image receiving paper 4. The paper feeding means for the image receiving paper 4 is as follows:
It is composed of a paper push-up device 16, a rubber belt 18, a paper feed roller 19, and a paper feed driven roller 20.
It rotates around c between an initial position and a position where the image receiving paper 4 is pressed against the rubber belt 18. The shaft 16e is a paper pushing plate 16b
It is attached to the main drive device 12 and engages with the slide plate 24. The left end 16d of the paper push-up board 16a connected to the paper push-up board 16b pushes up the image receiving paper 4, and the end 16f of the paper push-up board 16b engages with the switching guide 28 and pushes the switching guide 28 up. Note that the shaft 16c is supported by printer boards 1 and 2 at both ends. A rubber belt 18 is stretched between a paper feed roller 19 and a paper feed driven roller 20. 17 is a paper cassette, 19a is a paper feed roller shaft, 19b is a paper feed roller gear, 20a is a paper feed driven roller shaft, and 25 is a printer board. The paper ejection means for the image receiving paper 4 includes a paper ejection roller 26, a paper ejection roller shaft 26a, and a pulley 2.
6b and a paper discharge driven roller 27. 28 is a switching guide that rotates around a shaft 28a, 29a and 29
b is a paper guide, 30 is a paper receiving case, 31 is a round belt,
32 and 33 are bearings, 34 is an E-ring, 21 is a spring for pressing the pinch roller 8 against the capstan roller 7, and 22 is a sensor for detecting marks on the ink sheet 5.

As shown in FIG. 9, the ink sheet 5 has a yellow area 38 coated with a yellow dye, a magenta area 39 coated with a magenta dye, a cyan area 40 coated with a cyan dye, and areas between each area. A mark Y35 is placed on the transparent portion 23 at the tip of the yellow portion 38, a mark M36 is placed on the transparent portion 23 at the tip of the magenta portion 39, and a mark M36 is placed on the transparent portion 23 at the tip of the cyan portion 40. A mark C37 is provided at a predetermined position.

The operation of the conventional thermal transfer video printer configured as described above will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 9.

First, from the state shown in FIG.
When the slide plate 24 starts to operate, the slide plate 24 moves to the left as indicated by the arrow a. A paper push-up plate 16 is attached to the slide plate 24.
Press the shaft 16e of b. Therefore, the paper push-up board 16 rotates clockwise, and the image receiving paper 4 stored in the paper cassette 17 is pushed up by the left end 16d of the paper push-up board 16, and comes into contact with the paper feeder 18 as shown in FIG. Further, the end portion 16f rotates the switching guide 28 counterclockwise, so that the image receiving paper 4 can pass under the lower surface of the switching guide 28 and reach between the capstan roller 7 and the pinch roller 8. At the same time, the thermal head 3 also moves from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. Next, the motor 13 starts rotating, and the interlocking intermediate gear 14a and paper feed roller gear 19b also rotate, so the paper feed roller 19 starts rotating. The paper feed roller 19 rotates counterclockwise, and the rubber belt 18 also rotates in the paper feed driven roller 2.
0 and rotates counterclockwise. Therefore, the image receiving paper 4 in contact with the lower surface of the rubber belt 18 is transferred to the right as shown by the arrow b in FIG. It is sent to the position and stops. Next, the main drive device 12
The operation of the slide plate 24 is resumed, and the slide plate 24 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow a in FIG.
Since it moves in the opposite right direction as shown by , the paper pusher plate 16 rotates counterclockwise and becomes separated from the paper feeder 18, as shown in FIG. Further, the pinch roller 8 moves from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 5, and pinches the image receiving paper 4. At the same time, the switching guide 28 is ready to return to the position shown in FIG. After that, the ink sheet winding device 10 starts operating, and the ink sheet 5 is wound up.
The cue begins. And the ink sheet 5 shown in FIG.
The mark Y35 stops at the position of the sensor 22. next,
The motor 13 resumes rotation, and the image-receiving paper 4 is held between the capstan roller 7, which rotates clockwise, and the pinch roller 8, and is transferred to the right direction as indicated by arrow b in FIG. 4, to the position shown in FIG. reached and paused. Next, the main drive device 12 is activated, and the thermal head 3 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6, and becomes ready for print recording. In this state, the image-receiving paper 4 and the ink sheet 5 coated with yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes are sandwiched, and the image-receiving paper 4 is ready for thermal transfer by the thermal head 3. after that,
The motor 13 rotates in the reverse direction, the capstan roller 7 rotates counterclockwise, and the image receiving paper 4 begins to be transported in the left direction as shown by arrow c in FIG. Stop at a position. Further, upon completion of recording, the main drive device 12 operates in reverse, the thermal head 3 moves from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7, and the image receiving paper 4 and the ink sheet 5 become free. Thereafter, the ink sheet winding device 10 starts operating again, and the ink sheet 5 is wound up. Then, the mark M36 on the ink sheet 5 shown in FIG. 9 stops at the position of the sensor 22. Next, the motor 13 resumes rotation, and the image receiving paper 4 is held between the capstan roller 7, which rotates clockwise, and the pinch roller 8, and is transferred to the right as shown by the arrow d in FIG. 7, as shown in FIG. It reaches the desired position and pauses. Next, the main drive device 12 is activated, and the thermal head 3 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6, and becomes ready for print recording. Next, magenta is printed and recorded again in the same manner as the yellow print, and subsequently cyan is printed and recorded. When cyan print recording is completed, the thermal head 3 moves from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 3. At the same time, the pinch roller 8 also moves from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. Thereafter, the motor 13 starts rotating again and rotates the paper discharge roller 26 counterclockwise, so that the image receiving paper 4 is transported to the position shown in FIG. 8 and paper discharge is completed. As a whole, each motor is drive-controlled so that the mechanical control sequence shown in FIG. 10 is achieved.

[0008] Printing is performed using the above-described operation, and the printing time for the receiver paper is 80 seconds/sheet. In addition, 8
The breakdown of 0 seconds is the total value of printing time of 57 seconds and paper transport time (paper feeding, ink sheet beginning, image receiving paper beginning, paper ejection, and mechanical transfer of the thermal head, etc.) time of 23 seconds.

[0009]

However, the conventional configuration described above has the problem that the printing time is too long and the efficiency is poor. The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an efficient video printer that shortens printing time.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve this problem, the video printer of the present invention includes a print recording means consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller, a means for transporting the thermal head, a means for locating the beginning of an ink sheet, An image receiving paper cue means consisting of a capstan roller and a pinch roller;
It is equipped with a paper feeding means for image receiving paper, a paper ejecting means for image receiving paper, and a motor for driving each of the above-mentioned means, so as to simultaneously perform the beginning of the ink sheet and the beginning of the image receiving paper, and to raise the final thermal head. The printer has a configuration including a control means for controlling the drive of the motor after printing is completed.

[0011]

[Operation] With this configuration, the beginning of the ink sheet and the beginning of the image receiving paper are performed at the same time, and the thermal head is stopped slightly away from the platen roller just before paper ejection starts, and after the paper is ejected, the thermal head is moved again. I will do it.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The configuration of a video printer according to an embodiment of the present invention is the same as that of a conventional video printer, so a description thereof will be omitted.

The operation of an embodiment of a video printer configured similarly to a conventional video printer will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9.

First, from the state shown in FIG.
2 begins to operate, the slide plate 24 moves to the left as indicated by arrow a. The slide plate 24 is the paper push-up plate 16.
Press the shaft 16e of b. Therefore, the paper push-up board 16 rotates clockwise, and the image receiving paper 4 stored in the paper cassette 17 is pushed up by the left end 16d of the paper push-up board 16, and comes into contact with the paper feeder 18 as shown in FIG. Further, the end portion 16f rotates the switching guide 28 counterclockwise, so that the image receiving paper 4 can pass under the lower surface of the switching guide 28 and reach between the capstan roller 7 and the pinch roller 8. At the same time, the thermal head 3 also moves from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. Next, the motor 13 starts rotating, and the interlocking intermediate gear 14 and paper feed roller gear 19b also rotate, so the paper feed roller 19 starts rotating. The paper feed roller 19 rotates counterclockwise, and the rubber belt 18 also rotates as the paper feed driven roller 20 rotates.
It also rotates counterclockwise. Therefore, the image receiving paper 4 in contact with the lower surface of the rubber belt 18 is transferred to the right as shown by the arrow b in FIG. It is sent to the position and stops. Subsequently, the operation of the main drive device 12 is restarted, and this time the slide plate 24 moves in the opposite right direction as indicated by the arrow a in FIG. 3, so that the paper pushing plate 16 moves counterclockwise as shown in FIG. It rotates and becomes separated from the paper feeder 18. Further, the pinch roller 8 moves from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 5, and pinches the image receiving paper 4. At the same time, the switching guide 28 is ready to return to the position shown in FIG. Then, the cueing operations for the next ink sheet and the cueing operation for the image-receiving paper are performed simultaneously. That is, to locate the beginning of the ink sheet, the ink sheet winding device 10 starts operating, the ink sheet 5 is wound up, and the mark Y35 of the ink sheet 5 shown in FIG. 9 stops at the position of the sensor 22. On the other hand, the beginning of the image-receiving paper is started when the motor 13 starts rotating, and the image-receiving paper 4 is held between the capstan roller 7, which rotates clockwise, and the pinch roller 8, and the image-receiving paper 4 is moved to the right as shown by arrow b in FIG. The robot is moved to the position shown in FIG. 5 and stops. Next, the main drive device 12 is activated, and the thermal head 3 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6, and becomes ready for print recording. In this state, the image-receiving paper 4 and the ink sheet 5 coated with yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes are sandwiched, and the image-receiving paper 4 is ready for thermal transfer by the thermal head 3. Thereafter, the motor 13 rotates in the opposite direction, the capstan roller 7 rotates counterclockwise, and the image receiving paper 4
starts moving to the left as shown by arrow c in FIG. 5, and at the same time starts recording yellow prints and stops at the position shown in FIG. Further, upon completion of recording, the main drive device 12 operates in reverse, the thermal head 3 moves from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7, and the image receiving paper 4 and the ink sheet 5 become free. Thereafter, the beginning of the magenta ink sheet and the beginning of the image receiving paper are simultaneously performed. And the ink sheet is shown in Figure 9.
The mark M36 on the ink sheet 5, shown in , stops at the position of the sensor 22, and the image receiving paper 4 is held between the capstan roller 7, which rotates clockwise, and the pinch roller 8, and moves to the right as shown by the arrow d in FIG. direction, and reaches the position shown in FIG. 5, where it stops. Next, the main drive device 12 is activated, and the thermal head 3 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6, and becomes ready for print recording. Next, magenta is printed again in the same manner as yellow, and cyan is subsequently printed. When cyan print recording is completed, the thermal head 3 moves 2m from the position shown in Figure 6.
It rises about m and stops at the position shown in FIG. At the same time, the pinch roller 8 also moves from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7 and stops. Subsequently, the motor 13 rotates, and the paper discharge roller 26 that is interlocked with it rotates counterclockwise, and the receiving paper 4 is transferred from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8, and the paper discharge is completed. The print is completed at this point. Thereafter, the main drive device 12 rotates, and the thermal head 3 moves from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in FIG. 3, returning to the initial state. As a whole, each motor is drive-controlled so that the mechanical control sequence shown in FIG. 1 is achieved.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the conventional ink sheet starting time of 2.7 seconds can be shortened by simultaneously performing the ink sheet starting and the receiving paper starting. In addition, by moving the thermal head slightly away from the platen roller and stopping it just before paper ejection starts, ejecting the paper and completing the print, the time required to return the thermal head to its initial state can be taken outside of printing time. The overall printing time can be shortened.

[0016]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the description of the embodiments described above, the present invention is capable of simultaneously performing the beginning of the ink sheet and the beginning of the image receiving paper, and of moving the thermal head slightly away from the platen roller and stopping the thermal head immediately before the start of paper ejection. By transferring the thermal head again after printing is completed, the printing time is shortened, and an excellent and efficient video printer can be realized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a mechanical control sequence of a video printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] A schematic plan view showing the concept of the configuration of a video printer.

[Figure 3] Schematic cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Figure 2

[Fig. 4] Schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the end state of paper feeding of the video printer

[Fig. 5] Schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the end state of paper cue in a video printer

[Fig. 6] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the finished state of printing by the video printer.

[Fig. 7] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the position of the thermal head in the cue state of the ink sheet of the video printer.

[Fig. 8] A schematic cross-sectional diagram showing the position of the image receiving paper after the video printer finishes discharging the paper.

[Fig. 9] A schematic plan view showing the concept of the main parts of the ink sheet

[
Figure 10: An explanatory diagram of the mechanical control sequence of a conventional video printer

[Explanation of symbols]

3 Thermal head 4 Receiving paper 5 Ink sheet 6 Platen roller 7 Capstan roller 8 Pinch roller

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image recording means comprising a thermal head and a platen roller, an ink sheet positioning means, an image receiving paper positioning means comprising a capstan roller and a pinch roller, an image receiving paper feeding means, A motor is provided for driving each of the ink sheet and image receiving paper cueing means and the paper feeding means, and a control means is provided for driving and controlling the motor so as to simultaneously cue the ink sheet and the image receiving paper. video printer. 2. Print recording means consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller, means for transporting the thermal head, means for locating the beginning of an ink sheet, means for locating the beginning of an image receiving paper consisting of a capstan roller and a pinch roller, and an image receiving paper. a paper feeding means for the image receiving paper, a paper ejecting means for the image receiving paper, a transporting means for the thermal head, a motor for driving the cueing means, the paper feeding means, and the paper ejecting means, and a motor for driving the paper feeding means, the paper ejecting means for the image receiving paper, and a motor for driving the paper feeding means and the paper ejecting means. A video printer comprising a control means for driving and controlling the motor so as to immediately move the thermal head away from the platen roller and stop it, then eject the paper, and then transport the thermal head again.