JPS597078A - Transfer ribbon for thermal color transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a transfer ribbon capable of preventing printing with erring color even when erroneous setting of the transfer ribbon is made by providing a discriminating mark to show the kinds of colors in the boundary between color areas dividedly obtained for every given length of the ribbon. CONSTITUTION:A ribbon 3 is divided into lengths of sectional areas 3a, 3b,..., each of which is coated with each color of yellow, magenta, cyanine. Discriminating marks 4a, 4b,... to show the colors of each area are provided in the ends of near the boundaries between the color areas 3a, 3b,... and the marks 4a, 4b,... are detected by running the transfer ribbon 1a to know the colors of a picture to be transferred.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a transfer ribbon for a thermal color transfer printer, in which each of three primary colors is sequentially applied to a predetermined length, and particularly relates to a thermal color transfer ribbon that can prevent different color printing. This invention relates to a transfer ribbon for a printer.

As is well known, the thermal color transfer link used when printing an image on a color CR1 screen, etc.
As shown in the figure, each of the three primary colors (I1E) is coated in a corresponding manner and the transfer ribbon 1 is sequentially run while the thermal head is heated to perform color printing.

In other words, such a thermal color transfer printer performs the first printing when detecting mark 2a on transfer ribbon 1, printing a yellow image (hereinafter referred to as Y image) on plain paper, and then detecting mark 2b. When the mark 2C is detected, the second printing is performed to print a magenta color image (Y image) on the Y 11, and when the mark 2C is detected, the third printing is performed to print the Y image.

Color printing is performed by printing a cyan image (C image) on the M image.

By the way, such a thermal color transfer printer sends a print signal (yellow or another predetermined color) to the thermal head when the first mark on the transfer ribbon is detected after a print command is supplied. supply,
Similarly, when the second mark is detected, a magenta print signal is supplied, and when the 39th mark is detected, a cyan print signal is supplied to perform printing. Therefore, if yellow is not initially set, there is an inconvenience that the color will be printed in a color different from that on the CRT screen.

In view of the above points, the present invention provides a transfer ribbon for a thermal color transfer printer that can prevent printing in different colors even if there is a mistake in setting the transfer ribbon. It is characterized in that an identification mark indicating the type of color applied to each color area is provided at the boundary of each color area obtained by dividing.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a transfer ribbon of a thermal color transfer printer according to the present invention. In this figure, 3 is a ribbon made of capacitor paper, etc., and this ribbon 3 has a length! Each of these areas (
color area) 3a.

3b, . . . , each ink of yellow, magenta, cyan, . . . is applied, respectively. Also, each color area 3a, 3b...
Identification marks 4a, 4b, . . . indicating the color of each color area are located at the right end (right end in the figure) near the boundary of .
...is provided. The identification mark 4a is yellow, and the marks 6 provided on both sides of the identification center line 50
a, 6b. Similarly, the identification mark 4b indicates a magenta color and is composed of the mark 7a on the left side of the identification center line 5 (the left side in the figure), and the identification mark 4C indicates a cyan color and is composed of the mark 7a on the left side of the identification center line 5 (the left side in the figure). 5 (right side in the figure).

In this way, each color area 3a, 3 is attached to this transfer ribbon la.
b, . . ., each of these color areas 3a.

Identification marks 4g, 4b, . . . are provided to indicate the color of the ink applied to 3b, . . . , so run this transfer ribbon la. , identification marks 4a, 4b, ......... are detected,
By identifying this based on Table 1 shown below, the color of the transferred image can be known.

Table 1 FIG. 3 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a thermal color transfer printer that performs color printing using the above-mentioned transfer ribbon 1a. In this figure, 11 is a platen roller, and a thermal head 12 is provided on the left side of the platen roller 11 so as to be in contact with the platen roller 11. Further, a reel 13 for supplying the transfer ribbon is provided near the right of the platen roller 11, and when the reel 14 (transfer ribbon winding reel) near the left of the platen roller 11 is driven, +I- The transfer ribbon la wound around the platen roller 11
and the thermal head 12.
It is designed to be wound up. Further, a mark reader sensor 15 is provided at the upper left of the platen row 211, and the mark reading sensor 15 detects the identification marks 4a, 4b, . . . on the transfer ribbon 1a.
... is read, and the type of color printed by the thermal head 12 is detected. Also,
This continuous paper 16 is placed on the right side of the platen roller 211, and when a paper drive mechanism (not shown) is driven, the continuous paper 16 is moved to the platen roller! 1 and the transfer ribbon 1a, and is driven in the direction of arrow A.

Next, while referring to the color signal conversion table shown in Fig. 4,
The operation of the embodiment described above will be explained. First, when a printing command is supplied and the transfer ribbon drive mechanism is energized, the transfer ribbon la runs in the direction of arrow B, and the identification marks 4a, 4b, . . . Any one of them is detected by the mark reading sensor 15. Here, if the identification mark 4a is detected, the mark reading sensor 15 outputs the color detection signal "l", 1", so the thermal head 12 receives the color d, nr signal 81 using the conversion table shown in FIG. The yellow printing signal s2 obtained by conversion is supplied.The color to be printed is detected in the same manner based on the identification mark detected by the mark reading sensor 15.
The continuous paper 17 is printed with a print signal of a color corresponding to this detection result.

In this way, the transfer ribbon 1a is provided with identification marks 4a, 4b, . I can know the colors.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the identification marks 4a, 4b
, . . . are provided on the right side of the ribbon 3, and these identification marks 4a, 4b, . . .
may be provided on the left side of the ribbon 3.

As explained above, the transfer ribbon of the thermal color transfer printer according to the present invention has an identification mark indicating the type of color applied to each color area at the boundary of each color area obtained by dividing the ribbon into each predetermined length. Since the mark is provided, even if there is a mistake in setting the transfer ribbon, etc.
Printing in different colors can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a conventional transfer ribbon, f
Fig. Ic2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the transfer ribbon according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a thermal color transfer printer that performs color printing using the transfer ribbon la shown in Fig. 2; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a conversion table between color CRT signals and thermal color transfer printer signals. la...Transfer lipo y, 3...Ribbon, 3a
. 3b...,...color area, 4a, 4b
,···, ···Identifying mark. Applicant Shinko Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a transfer ribbon for a thermal color transfer printer, in which the ribbon is divided into sections of a predetermined length and the first to third colors are sequentially applied to each section, the colors applied to each section at the boundaries of the sections. A transfer ribbon for a thermal color transfer printer, characterized in that each ribbon is provided with an identification mark indicating its type.