JPH07148954A - Thermal transfer recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a good color image even when ink paper is replaced and to easily confirm an ink paper manufacturing period. CONSTITUTION:A mark 9 discriminating data such as the gamma-correction characteristics, kind and manufacturing period of the ink paper stored in a cassette 6 is applied to the casette 6 and detected by a detector 16 to be decoded by a decoding circuit 17. The decoded data of the kind, manufacturing period or the like of the ink paper are displayed on a display device 18. The decoded gamma-correction data is supplied to a gamma-correction circuit 13. A memory storing gamma-correction data at every kind of the ink paper is provided to the gamma-correction circuit 13 and the gamma-correction data corresponding to the mark decoded by the decoding circuit 17 is selected to be read. On the basis of the read gamma-correction data, thermal transfer recording is performed by a thermal head 7.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording images, characters and the like, and more particularly to a thermal transfer recording apparatus suitable for multi-color multi-gradation recording. . Various methods have been proposed for recording images and characters in accordance with signals in communication devices and terminal output devices of electronic computers. For example, as disclosed in JP-A-57-169370, an ink paper having a thermally sublimable ink layer is used, and the ink layer is selectively controlled by a thermal head or the like in accordance with an input signal and energization time is controlled. There is known a thermal transfer recording method in which ink is heated and transferred to the surface of a recording paper by a density gradation method. Since this method is a relatively small and inexpensive apparatus and can obtain a relatively stable multi-tone color image, several companies have announced a thermal transfer recording apparatus employing this method. However, the ink paper and the recording paper to which both are applied are determined in advance, and the input signal-current-carrying time characteristic (γ correction characteristic) is adjusted according to the current-carrying time-recording density characteristic. Has been set. Therefore, if another ink paper having a different recording density characteristic with respect to the normal time is used, the density characteristic changes, and one type of γ correction characteristic does not perform proper correction.
No consideration was given to the fact that a good color image could not be obtained. When such a thermal transfer recording apparatus is not used frequently, the type of ink paper set in the thermal transfer recording apparatus is forgotten, or the expiration date of the ink paper expires. There is. In such a case, it is necessary to check the ink paper to be used, but this has the inconvenience of once removing the ink cassette from the thermal transfer recording device and checking it, and no consideration was given to this point. . An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording apparatus capable of obtaining a good color image even if the ink paper is changed and easily confirming the type of the ink paper in use and the manufacturing time. To do. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides multi-gradation density information for each of the three colors and γ correction information that defines the energization time to the head of the ink paper. Memory means for recording each type, detection means for detecting this mark from a cassette provided with a mark for identifying the γ correction characteristics of the stored ink paper and the type and manufacturing time information of the ink paper, Reading means for selecting and reading from the memory the γ correction information corresponding to the mark detected by the detecting means; and means for controlling the energization time to the head according to the input signal based on the γ correction information read by the reading means. A display unit for displaying the type of ink paper and the manufacturing time information represented by the mark detected by the detection unit. When the cassette is set, the mark attached to the cassette is detected by the detecting means. On the other hand, the γ correction information corresponding to this mark is read from the memory means, the energization time for the input signal of the head is controlled according to the γ correction information, and the ink stored in the set cassette is controlled. Regardless of the type of paper,
A good multi-tone color image can be obtained, and on the other hand, the type of ink paper indicated by the mark detected by the detection means and the time of manufacture of the ink paper are displayed on the display means, and the ink content is displayed. It is possible to easily know the type of paper and the time of manufacture of ink paper. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an outline of a mechanical portion of an embodiment of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, a drum 1 whose surface is covered with an elastic body such as rubber is supported by chassis 2 and 2'of a recording apparatus. The recording paper 3 is loaded into the apparatus through the loading port 4. A guide plate (not shown) is provided inside the apparatus, and an end portion of the recording paper 3 is guided and held by a recording paper support mechanism portion provided with a chuck or the like provided on the drum 1. Ink paper 5
Is a cassette 6 mounted at the position shown in the drawing from outside the mechanism section.
Is stored via a supply reel, a take-up reel, etc., and at the time of recording, as the thermal head 7 moves from the position indicated by the broken line to the position indicated by the solid line, only the portion necessary for recording is pulled out toward the drum 1 to the outside. Drum 1
It is pressed together with the recording paper 3 on top. Recording is performed by energizing the thermal head 7 as the drum 1 rotates, and the used ink paper 5 is taken up by the take-up reel 8. The recording paper 3'after recording is discharged to the outside of the apparatus from the end opposite to the held end. The holding operation is released during discharging, and the discharging operation ends. In a part of the cassette 6, the energization time vs. recording density characteristic of the ink paper 5 housed inside or an appropriate input signal vs. energization time characteristic (γ correction characteristic) is detected as information and is sent to the thermal head 7. A mark 9 for determining the energization time is attached. When the cassette 6 of the chassis 2 is mounted,
A detector 16 for the mark 9 is provided at a position facing the mark 9.
Is provided. Therefore, prior to recording, when the cassette is mounted, the information marked on the mark 9 can be detected. In general, the ink paper 5 is cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow which are the three primary colors of color hard copy.
With the ink surface of (Y) as one set, a plurality of screens, that is, a plurality of sets are prepared in one cassette. FIG. 2 shows an example of the relationship between the energization time to the thermal head 7 and the densities of these three primary color inks. That is, in order to obtain the same density for a certain input signal level, for example, 1.0, the energization time for each ink of C, M and Y is 14 msec and 18 mse, respectively.
c and 20 msec are required separately. Therefore, in order to obtain the maximum density with, for example, 32 floor lengths and obtain the same density in each gradation, it is necessary to set the energization time to the head to 32 ways for each of C, M, and Y. The energization time vs. density characteristic in FIG. 2 is determined by the type of ink paper 5, and changes if the type of ink paper 5 changes. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, since the ink paper 5 is stored in the cassette 6, information about the energization time vs. density characteristic or the γ correction characteristic of the stored ink paper 5 is provided in the cassette 6. Digital information is given to the mark 9, the information is read by the detecting means prior to printing, and the energizing time of the head for a given input signal is controlled accordingly, so that the type of the stored ink paper 5 is changed. The optimum color image can be obtained. Next, FIG. 3 shows a main block diagram of a signal system of an embodiment of the thermal transfer apparatus according to the present invention. Input signals 10 of R, G and B which are A / D converted to 32 gradations, that is, 5 bits each, are first stored in a memory 11. At the time of printing, the R, G, and B signals are sequentially read from the memory 11, converted by the color conversion circuit 12 into C, M, or Y gradation signals which are complementary color signals, and by the γ correction circuit 13. The energization time to the head corresponding to the gradation signal of the ink is selected as described later. In the pulse width modulation circuit 14 in the next stage, it is converted into energization pulse data according to energization time data selected for each printing dot, and is usually mounted on a thermal head, and a head driver including a shift register, a latch, etc. The thermal head 7 is energized via 15. Prior to the above-mentioned printing, the mark 9 indicating the type of the ink paper stored in the cassette 6 is detected by the detector 16 and decoded by the decoding circuit 17 including the microprocessor in the next stage as the information of the density and the head energization time. , Is input to the γ correction circuit 13. The mark 9 on the cassette 6 and the detector 16 are composed of an optical mark such as a bar code, a reflection sticker and the like and a reading device therefor. Alternatively, a magnetic detector may be used as the detector 16. Further, if the relationship between the energization time and the density as shown in FIG. 2, that is, several types of γ correction characteristics are previously stored in the γ correction circuit 13, the mark 9 has all the information. There is no need, and it is sufficient if it is possible to determine which of the several types stored in memory. Therefore, in addition to the above-mentioned optical mark and its reading device, a means having a smaller amount of information transmission, for example, an unevenness having a predetermined size and pitch, a mechanical switch is used as the detector 16, and the decoding circuit 17 is provided with an ink paper. 5
It is also possible to select the type of γ correction corresponding to the above from among those stored in the γ correction circuit 13. Further, in the present embodiment, the ink paper 5 of the three primary colors is used and its γ correction characteristic is marked. However, for example, in the case of an ink paper of one black color, the discrimination information is marked together with the γ correction information, By reading this, it is possible to automatically discriminate between a black monochrome print and a color print. Although not necessary in the case of the conventionally known wax ink, the ink paper 5 is composed of a sublimable ink, and the color development guarantee period after manufacture is due to natural sublimation of the ink. Ink paper 5
It is also possible to mark the manufacturing time of the .gamma. Correction characteristic or the ink type at the same time and to confirm or display this at the time of recording. In this case, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 3, the ink type signal determined by the decoding circuit 17,
The black color signal, the manufacturing time signal and the like are input to the display device 18 provided in the thermal transfer device and displayed to that effect. It is obvious that it is possible to connect the system controller circuit of the present thermal transfer recording device instead of the display device 18 to control the operation of the device itself such as black color recording. As described above, according to the present invention,
Even if the type of ink paper is changed, γ correction can be performed, so optimum energization time control can always be performed according to the ink paper to obtain a high-quality multi-gradation color image. It is possible to easily confirm the type and the manufacturing time of ink paper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a mechanical portion of an embodiment of a thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram showing the relationship between the energization time to the thermal head and the densities of ink paper and recording paper. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a main part of a signal system of an embodiment of the thermal transfer recording apparatus according to the present invention. [Explanation of Codes] 3 Recording Paper 5 Ink Paper 6 Cassette 7 Thermal Head 9 Mark 16 Detector 17 Decoding Circuit 18 Display Device

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording heat on a recording paper by applying heat to a recording paper on which ink papers are superposed, multi-gradation density information for each of the three colors and energizing time to the head are defined. Memory means for recording correction information for each type of the ink paper, and a cassette provided with a mark for identifying the γ correction characteristics of the stored ink paper and the information of the type and manufacturing time of the ink paper Detecting means for detecting the mark; reading means for selecting and reading the γ correction information corresponding to the mark detected by the detecting means from the memory; and a reading means for reading the γ correction information according to the input signal based on the γ correction information read by the reading means. A means for controlling the energization time to the head; and a display means for displaying information on the type of ink paper and the manufacturing time indicated by the mark detected by the detection means. A thermal transfer recording device characterized by.