JPS60232988A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance printing speed and print efficiently, by a method wherein a controlling means for the feeding velocity of an ink sheet is provided, and the ink sheet is fed at a velocity higher than that in printing when a printing command color signal corresponding to an ink color detected by an ink color discriminating means is not inputted. CONSTITUTION:RGB information recording signals inputted from an image source to an external input terminal 20 are converted into YMC printing command color signals by an RGB-YMC converter 21, and the signals thus obtained are inputted into a microcomputer 22. An ink color of the ink sheet is discriminated by the ink color discriminating means 23 on the basis of a detection signal from a mark detector 9. In addition, based on the printing command color signal and the result of discrimination of the ink color, a controlling part 25 controls a thermal head 5 (serving as an ink printing mechanism) and a platen roller 6, and controls a take-up roll (serving as an ink sheet feeding mechanism) through a velocity-controlling means 24. When an RGB information signal (as a printing command color signal) corresponding to an ink color of the ink sheet is inputted, printing in the color is conducted, and when said signal is not inputted, the means 24 is controlled so as to feed the ink sheet at a higher velocity.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to printing devices, and more particularly to ink sheet speed adjustment in printing devices.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, as a printing device, a recording paper is placed on the ink-coated surface of an ink sheet coated with thermal transfer ink, and a thermal head is heated from the opposite side of the ink-coated surface in accordance with the printed pattern, thereby printing information. Some are recording. The above-mentioned printing device sequentially and repeatedly arranges a plurality of ink colors, for example, three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan, on an ink sheet in its longitudinal direction, identifies the ink colors by an identification means, and selects the three colors of ink. Multicolor printing is possible by selectively overlapping and transferring the images. FIGS. 1 and 2 are simplified configuration diagrams showing an example of the printing apparatus and an ink sheet.

In each figure, 1 is a main body, and 2 is an ink sheet. The ink sheet 2 is fed out from a supply roll 3, passes through a guide roll 4, is pressed onto a recording paper 7 by a thermal head 5 and a platen roller 6, and is transferred. The ink sheet 2 on which the transfer has been completed passes between the reflection plate 8 and the mark detector 9, passes through the guide roll 10, and is taken up by the take-up roll 11. On the other hand, three colors of ink, yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C, are sequentially and repeatedly applied to the ink sheet 2 along the longitudinal direction. Also, mark display areas 12 on both side edges of the ink sheet 2 are not coated with transfer ink.
．． 12 are formed, and marks 13 of different combinations are displayed on the mark display section 12 depending on each ink color. The device is configured as described above, and converts information recording signals such as RGB representing the five primary colors from an external image source into printing command color signals of Y (yellow), 1M (magenta), and C (cyan). The printing is then controlled by a microcomputer or the like based on the above signal and the detected ink color. For example, if R and B information recording signals are input from the image source, but no G signal is input, first the ink sheet 2 is taken up and conveyed by driving the roll 11.
When yellow Y is detected, the conveyance is stopped and the thermal head 5
is pressed against the platen roller 6 via the ink sheet 2 and the recording paper 7. Since the B signal corresponding to yellow Y is input here, the ink sheet 2 is heated by the thermal head 5 and printing is performed. When printing of yellow Y is completed, the ink carrier is conveyed, the next magenta M is detected, and the thermal head 5 is pressed in the same manner. But magenta M
Since the G signal corresponding to is not input, magenta M
will not be printed. Next, in the same way, the ink sheet 2 is transported to detect cyan C, and based on the R signal, cyan C is detected.
is printed, and printing of one image is completed.

However, in conventional printing devices, the ink sheet 2 is transported at the same speed as when printing even when printing is not performed from when an arbitrary mark is detected until when the next mark is detected. Therefore, since one printing time is required which is unnecessary in the first place, the printing speed becomes slow and printing cannot be performed effectively.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention is provided with a speed adjustment means for adjusting the feeding speed of the ink sheet, and if a printing command color signal corresponding to the ink color detected by the ink color identification means is not input, the ink sheet is rapidly fed. This is intended to eliminate the drawbacks, and will be explained in detail below using examples.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the printing apparatus according to the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent parts as in FIG. 1. In the same figure, 20 is an external input terminal, and RGB from an image source input to the external input terminal 20 is
The information recording signal is converted into a YMC printing command color signal by an RGB YMC conversion device 21 and input to the microcomputer 22 . The above microcomputer 2
The ink color identifying means 2 has an ink color identifying means 23, an ink sheet speed adjusting means 24, and a control section 25.
3 identifies the ink color of the ink sheet 2 based on the detection signal from the mark detector 9. Also, the control section 25
controls the take-up roll 11 as an ink sheet feeding mechanism via the thermal head 5 and plantain roller 6 as an ink printing mechanism and the speed adjustment means 24 based on the printing command color signal and the above ink color identification result. ing.

Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment configured as described above will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG. 81~Sll in the figure
shows each step of the flowchart. When the device is activated, in step 1 the external input, that is, RGB
It is determined whether or not an information recording signal has been input, and if there is no input, it waits until an input is received. When the information recording signal is input, the process proceeds to step 2. First, it is determined whether or not the B signal corresponding to the ink color yellow among RGB has been input. If it has not been input, the process branches to step 3 and the ink sheet is recorded. The yellow ink in step 4 is rapidly forwarded, and the yellow printing in step 4 is not performed.

If the B signal is input in step 2, the process advances to step 4, where yellow ink is printed and one color printing is completed. Similarly, in steps 5 and 8, the G signal corresponding to magenta and the R signal corresponding to cyan are
It is determined whether the signal is input. Each step 5.
If the signal is not manually input in step 8, the process proceeds to step 6 or step 9, where the ink sheet is fast-forwarded, and the printing in step 7 or step 10 is not performed.

On the other hand, if a signal is input, the process proceeds to step 7 or step 10, and printing of the corresponding ink is performed. When each of the above steps is completed, the printing of one image is completed, and the process proceeds to step 11, where the next ink color is applied and the process returns to the beginning.

As described above, according to this embodiment, if an RGB information signal as a printing command color signal corresponding to an ink color of an ink sheet is input, printing is performed in that ink color, and if not input, an ink color is printed. Since the sheet speed adjusting means is controlled to rapidly advance the sheet, the printing speed becomes faster and effective printing can be performed.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the printing apparatus according to the present invention, a stage is provided with an adjusting means for adjusting the feeding speed of the ink sheet,
If the printing command color signal corresponding to the ink color detected by the ink color identification means is not input, the ink sheet is fed faster than the printing speed, so the printing speed becomes faster and more efficient. This has the effect of making it possible to make accurate impressions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 are simplified configuration diagrams showing an example of a conventional printing device, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the printing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows the operation of the embodiment. It is a flowchart. 2... Ink sheet, 5... Thermal head, 6...
...Branch roller, 9...Mark detector, 20...
・External input terminal, 21...RGB YMC conversion device,
22... Microcomputer, 23... Ink color identification means, 24... Speed adjustment means, 25... Control section. In addition, in the figures, the same reference numerals are used for the same or equivalent parts. Agent: Masuo Oiwa (2 idiots) Continued from page 1 ■Inventor: Shunji Tsuboi

Claims (1)

[Claims] an ink sheet having multiple colors of ink sequentially arranged along the longitudinal direction and marks indicating the color of each ink;
a feeding mechanism that feeds the ink sheet in its longitudinal direction; a speed adjustment device that adjusts the feeding speed of the ink sheet;
an ink printing mechanism; an ink color identification means for detecting the mark to identify the ink color; and when the ink color identification means detects a color corresponding to the printing command color signal, the ink printing mechanism detects the ink color. control means for instructing to print the color on the recording paper, and the speed adjustment means prints the ink sheet if a printing command color signal corresponding to the ink color detected by the ink color identification means is not input. A printing device characterized by fast forwarding.