JPH05212857A - Label printer of optical disk - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simply and inexpensively apply label printing to an optical disk and to enable multikind small-quantity production or multikind mixed production. CONSTITUTION:A latent image is formed on the surface of a charged photosensitive drum 9 by laser beam and toner is bonded to the latent image part by a toner developing device 10 to develop an image as a toner image and the toner image is transferred to a transfer drum 11. This process is repeated with respect to respective colors to form a full-color toner image on the transfer drum and the toner image on the transfer drum is transfered to an optical disk 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel optical disc label printing apparatus. Specifically, it is intended to provide a novel optical disc label printing apparatus capable of easily and inexpensively printing a label on an optical disc, and capable of high-mix low-volume production and high-mix mixed production. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, offset printing or screen printing has been used to print a label on an optical disk such as a CD, LD or CD ROM.

For example, in the case of screen printing,
First, the CDs set in the supply stack are sequentially conveyed to the feeding section, and from there, are fed to the screen printing machine. Then, a predetermined image is printed by screen printing with UV ink (ultraviolet curable ink) in a screen printing machine, and the printed CD is dried by a UV dryer and then sent to a discharge stack. In this way, monochrome printing is performed.

When performing multicolor printing, the screen printing machine is changed by the number of the colors and the above procedure is repeated.

[0005]

The above-mentioned conventional label printing apparatus for optical discs requires a plate for printing, and there is a problem that production of a small amount is too costly.

Further, in order to obtain a desired color tone or tone, a test print is required, and at least about 500 CDs.
Need to be used for proof.

Further, one printing machine can print only one color, and in order to print another color, it is necessary to replace the plate or perform a test printing every time when the color is changed, which leads to multicolor printing. It is not suitable for high-mix low-volume production and multi-product mixed production.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the label printing apparatus for an optical disc according to the present invention,
A desired image is printed on an optical disk by an electrophotographic process.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention, a plate for printing is not necessary and adjustment is easy, which enables high-mix low-volume production and high-mix mixed production. It can be realized at low cost.

In addition, full-color printing can be performed with one device, and unmanned operation is possible.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention will be described below with reference to the respective embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment 1 of the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention.

Reference numeral 2 denotes a printer section, in which a supply stack 3 is arranged on the inlet side and a discharge stack 4 is arranged on the outlet side, and a transfer section 5 is arranged at an intermediate position between these, and the transfer section 5 and the discharge stack 4 are arranged. The fixing unit 6 is arranged at a position between and. Then, the optical discs 7 such as CDs are conveyed by the conveyor belts 8, 8 between the supply stack 3, the transfer unit 5, the fixing unit 6 and the discharge stack 4.

The transfer unit 5 develops a latent image by irradiation of a laser beam, develops the latent image, and develops the latent image into a toner image, and the latent image on the photosensitive drum 9 is developed as a toner image. And a transfer drum 11 for transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 9 and further transferring the toner image on the optical disk 7.

Reference numeral 12 is a laser unit for irradiating a laser beam to form a latent image on the photosensitive drum 9.

Image data is sent to a host computer 14 from an input device 13 such as a document scanner, film scanner, still video, computer or the like. The host computer 14 edits images and characters as needed, and the completed image data for printing is sent to the controller 15.

The controller 15 controls the printer unit 2 including the laser unit 12, the photosensitive drum 9, the developing device 10, the transfer drum 11 and the like to form an image by a toner image on the optical disk 7.

The photosensitive drum 9 is made of a photosensitive material such as OPC and is adapted to rotate in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

First, a black latent image is formed on such a photosensitive drum 9. That is, the photosensitive drum 9 is uniformly charged positively by the charging scorotron 16,
The charged laser beam is applied to the charged surface by the laser unit 12 corresponding to the black latent image, and the portion irradiated with the laser beam loses its charge and a predetermined latent image (relatively negatively charged) is formed. It is formed.

This latent image is developed with black toner (plus charge) by the four-color developing device 10. The four-color developing device 10 is rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow in the drawing, and is provided with four color toners of black K, magenta M, cyan C, and yellow Y, and these positively charged toners are applied to the photosensitive drum 9.
The black toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9 and is attached to the negatively charged latent image.

The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 9 by the four-color developing device 10 is transferred to the surface of the transfer drum 11. That is, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 9 is transferred to the surface of the transfer drum 11 by applying a negative high voltage (about −5 kV) to the transfer corotron 17.

The material of the surface of the transfer drum 11 is soft to some extent so as not to damage the surface of the photosensitive drum 9.
Moreover, a material having a high transfer efficiency, for example, a plastic such as an acrylic resin is used.

After the transfer of the black toner image onto the transfer drum 11, the photosensitive drum 9 is removed from the charge removal corotron 18 by AC.
By applying a high voltage (about 5 kV), the cleaner 19 cleans the residual toner after transfer. Further, the light is removed by photosensitization by the optical static eliminator 20.

Next, for example, a latent image corresponding to magenta is formed by the charging by the charging scorotron 16 and the laser beam from the laser unit 12.

The four-color developing device 10 moves 90 in the direction of the arrow.
The magenta toner M is rotated to the position where it faces the surface of the photosensitive drum 9, and thus, a magenta toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9 this time.

The magenta toner image on the photosensitive drum 9 is transferred by the transfer corotron 17 onto the surface of the transfer drum 11 on which the black toner image has already been formed. Then, the photosensitive drum 9 after the transfer is cleaned and discharged again.

Thereafter, similarly, a cyan toner image and a yellow toner image are sequentially formed and transferred to the transfer drum 11, and a full-color image is formed on the surface of the transfer drum 11.

As described above, the operation of forming the toner image on the photosensitive drum 9 and transferring the toner image to the transfer drum 11 is repeated four times. During these operations, the photosensitive drum 9 and the transfer drum 1 are operated.
It is possible to rotate 1 and 1 in synchronism with each other to continuously operate them.

The optical disk 7 stands by on the supply stack 3 or the conveyor belt 8 until a full-color toner image is formed on the transfer drum 11.

The optical disk 7 is conveyed from the supply stack 3 by the conveyor belt 8, and the surface on which the image is printed is charged by the charging scorotron 21 in the opposite polarity to the toner, that is, in the negative polarity. In the optical disc 7, as shown in FIG. 2, an aluminum vapor deposition layer 23 is formed on one surface of a substrate 22 made of a polycarbonate resin, and a UV resin layer 24 is further formed on the aluminum vapor deposition layer 23. And the UV
An image is printed on the upper surface of the resin layer 24.

The charged optical disk 7 is brought into contact with the transfer drum 11 carrying the toner image in the transfer section 5. As described above, the print surface is charged with the opposite polarity to the toner, so the toner is attracted and transferred to the optical disk 7 side by the electrostatic force. At this time, by applying a positive high voltage (about +5 kV) to the transfer corotron 25, the transfer drum 11 is charged to the same polarity as the toner, and the toner is easily separated from the transfer drum 11.
Further, a negative bias voltage (about -1 to -2 kV) is applied to the transfer roller 26 located on the opposite side of the transfer drum 11 with the optical disk 7 interposed therebetween, and urges the transfer of the toner to the optical disk 7.

After the transfer of the toner image, the transfer drum 11 is contacted with a cleaner 27 which is provided on the surface of the transfer drum 11 so as to be separable from the surface of the transfer drum 11.

The optical disc 7 onto which the image has been transferred is further conveyed by the conveyor belt 8 and heated by the heat roller 28 of the fixing section 6 to fix the toner image. The temperature of the heat roller 28 is the melting point (2) of the polycarbonate of the substrate 22 of the optical disc 7.
20 ° C ~ 230 ° C), usually 150
It is set to about 180 ° C.

The optical disc 7 on which the toner image is fixed is conveyed to the discharge stack 4 by the conveying belt 8 and accumulated.

The printing procedure of the label printing apparatus 1 for the optical disk according to the first embodiment is as follows.

(1) Image data input by the input device 13, (2) Input device 13 to the host computer 14
Data transfer, (3) image editing by the host computer 14, (4) data transfer from the host computer 14 to the controller 15, and (5) data and control signals from the controller 15 to the printer unit 2.

[Start of printing] (6) Charging scorotron 16, photo-electrifier 20, photosensitive drum 9, cleaner 19,
The static eliminating corotron 18 is turned on, and (7) the photosensitive drum 9 and the transfer drum 11 start rotating.

(8) Writing start by laser beam (black), (9) Black developing device ON, (10) Transfer corotron 17 ON, transfer start to transfer drum 11, (1)
1) Writing with a laser beam is completed, (12) Black development is completed, and the black developing device is turned off.

(13) The developing device 10 is rotated 1/4 rotation, (1
4) Start writing with a laser beam (magenta), (1
5) Magenta developing device turned on, (16) laser beam writing ended, (17) magenta developing ended, magenta developing device turned off.

(18) Rotate the developing device 10 by 1/4 rotation, (1
9) Start writing with a laser beam (cyan), (2
0) cyan developing device turned on, (21) laser beam writing completed, (22) cyan development completed, cyan developing device O
FF.

(23) Rotate the developing device 10 by 1/4 rotation, (2
4) Start writing with a laser beam (yellow), (2
5) Yellow developing device turned on, (26) laser beam writing completed, (27) yellow development completed, yellow developing device off.

(28) The developing device 10 is rotated 1/4 rotation.

(29) Transfer completion to transfer drum 11, transfer corotron 17 OFF, (30) charging scorotron 2
1, transfer corotron 25, transfer roller 26 ON, (3
1) Cleaner 27 Contact the transfer drum 11.

(32) Start of transportation of the optical disk 7,
(33) The toner image is transferred from the transfer drum 11 to the optical disk 7, and (34) the transfer is completed.

(35) Transfer corotron 25, transfer roller 26 OFF, (36) Cleaning of the transfer residual toner is completed, and cleaner 27 is separated from transfer drum 11.

(37) The fixing unit 6 fixes the toner on the optical disk 7, and (38) the ejection stack 4 stores the optical disk 7. To continue printing, return to (8). To finish printing, turn off each part of the printer unit 2.
F

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment 1A of the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention.

This embodiment 1A is different from the first embodiment in that a transfer belt 29 is used instead of the transfer drum 11, and other points are the same as in the first embodiment. is there.

The transfer belt 29 is formed of a dielectric plastic sheet such as PET.

The transfer belt 29 is laid between two transfer rollers 30 and 31, one transfer roller 30 is in contact with the photosensitive drum 9 via the transfer belt 29, and the other transfer roller 31 is It is in contact with the transfer roller 26 via the transfer belt 29.

Thus, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 9 is transferred to the transfer roller 30 by a voltage (-) having a polarity opposite to that of the toner.
It is transferred to the transfer belt 29 by applying about 1 kV). By repeating this four times, a full-color toner image is formed on the transfer belt 29. During this time, the optical disk 7 stands by on the supply stack 3 or on the conveyor belt 8.

After the full-color toner image is formed on the transfer belt 29, the optical disk 7 whose surface is negatively charged by the charging scorotron 21 is carried by the conveyor belt 8 and abuts on the transfer belt 29. Then, the toner image is attracted by the electrostatic force of the optical disk 7 and attached to the surface 24 of the optical disk 7. At this time, the same positive high voltage as the toner (about +1 kV) is applied to the transfer roller 31 opposite to the optical disk 7 via the transfer belt 29, so that the toner is easily separated from the transfer belt 29. Further, a voltage (about −1 kV) having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the transfer roller 26, which is opposed to the transfer belt 29 via the optical disk 7, to urge the transfer of the toner to the optical disk 7.

The transfer belt 29 which has finished transferring the toner image onto the optical disk 7 is cleaned by the cleaner 27 to prepare for the next transfer.

Then, the optical disc 7 on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing unit 6 by the conveyor belt 8 and the toner image is fixed, and then is stacked on the discharge stack 4.

FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment 1B of the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention.

In the third embodiment 1B, four pairs of laser units, photosensitive drums, and associated devices and members are provided for each color of toner.
Further, the full-color toner image transferred to the optical disk 7 is formed on the transfer belt.

Reference numeral 32 is a transfer belt, and the transfer roller 3 is placed opposite to the transfer roller 26 with the optical disk 7 sandwiched between two support rollers 33, 33 which are spaced apart in the horizontal direction.
4 is installed so as to travel in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure.

Support rollers 33 and 3 of transfer belt 32
The transfer belt 32 so that it contacts the portion located between the transfer belt 32 and
Photosensitive drum 9 for black in order from the upstream side in the traveling direction of
A photosensitive drum 9M for K, a photosensitive drum 9M for magenta, a photosensitive drum 9C for cyan, and a photosensitive drum 9Y for yellow are provided.

Each of the photosensitive drums 9, 9, ... Has a black developing device 10K and a magenta developing device 1, respectively.
0M, cyan developing device 10C, yellow developing device 10Y
Are separately attached to the respective photosensitive drums 9,
A black laser unit 12K, a magenta laser unit 12M for forming a latent image on 9, ...
A cyan laser unit 12C and a yellow laser unit 12Y are provided.

In addition to the above, the photosensitive drums 9, 9, ...
A charging scorotron 16, a transfer corotron 17, an electrostatic charge corotron 18, a cleaner 19, and an optical static eliminator 20 are attached to each of the same as in the first and second embodiments.

In the label printing apparatus 1B for the optical disc, first, a black toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 9K. Then, this black toner image is immediately transferred onto the transfer belt 32 by the transfer corotron 17.

Next, a magenta toner image is formed on the second photosensitive drum 9M, and this magenta toner image is also transferred onto the transfer belt 32 by the transfer corotron 17. At this time, the operation timing is adjusted so that the magenta toner image exactly overlaps the black toner image.
At the same time, a black toner image is formed on the black photosensitive drum 9K, and this black toner image is transferred to a position upstream of the portion of the transfer belt 32 to which the magenta toner image is transferred.

By the same procedure, cyan and yellow toner images are superposed on the transfer belt 32, and a full-color toner image is formed on the transfer belt 32.

In this way, full-color toner images are successively and continuously formed.

After that, the procedure is substantially the same as in the second embodiment. The optical disc 7 is carried from the supply stack 3 by the conveyor belt 8 and the surface thereof is charged by the charging scorotron 21 in the opposite polarity to the toner. The disk 7 is brought into contact with the transfer belt 32 on which the toner image is formed and attracts the toner image by electrostatic force. At this time, a voltage having the same polarity as the toner is applied to the transfer roller 34 located on the back side of the transfer belt 32, so that the toner image is easily separated from the transfer belt 32. In addition, a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the transfer roller 26 located on the back side of the optical disc 7, and biases the transfer of the toner to the optical disc 7.

The portion of the transfer belt 32 which has finished transferring the toner image to the optical disk 7 is cleaned by the cleaner 27 to prepare for the next transfer. In addition, this cleaner 2
7 does not have to be detachable from the transfer belt 32. That is, this cleaner 27 contacts only the part of the transfer belt 32 that has been transferred.

After that, as in the first and second embodiments, the optical disk 7 on which the toner image is adhered is sent to the fixing section 6 by the conveyor belt 8, and the toner is transferred to the optical disk 7.
Then, the optical disc 7 after the toner is fixed is accumulated in the discharge stack 4.

In the label printing apparatus 1B for optical discs according to the third embodiment, the photosensitive drums 9, 9, ...
. Formation of a toner image on the transfer belt 32, transfer of the toner image to the transfer belt 32, optical disk 7 of the toner image on the transfer belt 32
Each of the steps of transfer to toner and fixing of toner to the optical disk 7 can be continuously performed, and while the toner image is formed on the transfer drum 11 or the transfer belt 29 as in the first and second embodiments, the optical process is performed. It is not necessary to keep the disk 7 on standby without flowing it. Therefore, the printing speed can be increased to about 4 times.

The optical disk 7 on which the toner image is printed by the label printing device 1, 1A or 1B for the optical disk is coated with UV (ultraviolet curing) resin on the surface on which the toner image is formed. , The image is prevented from peeling. If the toner image is printed on the aluminum vapor deposition layer before the UV resin layer 24 of the optical disk 7 is formed and then the UV resin is coated, the UV resin coating step can be omitted. ..

In addition, the photosensitive drum 9 and the transfer belt 29 have one
The number of toner images formed at one time is not limited to one, and the number of toner images that can be formed at one time may be formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 9 or the transfer belt 29. 5 shows an example of printing on a plurality of optical discs 7, 7, ... At a time, and FIG. 5A shows an example of printing on 6 optical discs 7, 7 ,. b) shows examples of printing on two optical disks 7, 7 at a time. In FIG. 5, arrows indicate the transport direction of the optical discs 7, 7, ...
The length of the rectangle surrounding the optical discs 7, 7, ... Across the transport direction corresponds to the width of the photosensitive drum 9, and the length along the transport direction is the circumference of the photosensitive drum 9 for one rotation. It is a corresponding length.

The above-described optical disc label printing apparatuses 1, 1A and 1B according to the present invention have the following advantages.

Since the electric image data replaces the plate, the plate required for the conventional apparatus using screen printing becomes unnecessary.

Conventionally, one printing machine was capable of printing only one color, but the above-mentioned apparatus is capable of printing four full colors in one machine.

Further, conventionally, the density and color tone of the print are actually printed and adjusted while observing the print result, so that a considerable number of optical disks for adjustment (about 500 when there are many) are wasted. Was becoming. In the label printing apparatus 1, 1A, 1B for each optical disc, the density of each color can be digitally corrected, and the print results can be confirmed by printing one by one. It is also possible to make adjustments such as color correction while checking the image on the monitor, so the number of optical discs for test printing is much smaller than before.

Further, the conventional apparatus is not suitable for so-called high-mix low-volume production, and in the case of production of 1000 sheets or less, the production cost per sheet is high. The label printing apparatus of the invention optical disc is suitable for small-volume production. For example, production of several hundreds of sheets, or even several tens of sheets can be performed at low cost.
In addition, by managing with a computer, it is possible to mix a plurality of types of software, sort the images corresponding to each, and print continuously.

Furthermore, the personnel required for the replacement of the conventional plate and the adjustment of the image are not needed, and the unmanned process can be promoted.

[0077]

As is apparent from the above description, the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention is characterized in that a desired image is printed on the optical disc by an electrophotographic process.

Therefore, according to the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention, the plate for printing is not necessary and the adjustment is easy, which makes it possible to perform the multi-product small-quantity production and the multi-product mixed production. It can be realized at low cost.

Further, full-color printing can be performed with one device, and unmanned operation is possible.

It should be noted that the specific shapes and structures shown in the above embodiments are merely examples for embodying the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is limitedly interpreted by these. It is not something that will be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a first embodiment of a label printing apparatus for an optical disc according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the outline of an optical disc.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a second embodiment of the optical disc of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a third embodiment of the label printing apparatus for an optical disc of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the number of optical discs that can be printed at one time.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Label printing device for optical disc 1A Label printing device for optical disc 1B Label printing device for optical disc 7 Optical disc

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A label printing apparatus for an optical disc, wherein a desired image is printed on the optical disc by an electrophotographic process.