JPS62104756A - Multi-color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a multi-color printing even when one print line to be printed with each color is not constant by a method in which the number of columns for one print line is counted by a column counter for each printing color from printing color data stored in memory, the maximum column number is obtained by a maximum column number acquirer, and the printing head is continuously moved for the maxim column number and returned. CONSTITUTION:When print color data are input from a computer 1 to a multi- color printer 2, a data selector 23 is driven, Y-buffer memory 22c is selected according to color codes, and yellow print color data are stored in the order of receiving up to a frame end code by a printer controller 27. The number of columns is counted by a column register 26, and Magenta print color data and cyan print color data are stored in M-buffer memory 22a and C-buffer memory 22c and column number to be printed is counted by the register 26. In the printer controller 27, when the ending of receiving one data block is judged by data END code, the maxinum column number (=m) of counted column numbers by the column register is obtained and at the same time printing is started.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to multicolor printing waves.

[Conventional technology]

In a monochrome printing device whose main scanning direction is unidirectional, print data is stored in a buffer on the one hand, read out from this buffer in the order in which it is stored, and the print head is driven according to the read print data. Perform printing. When data reading for one print line is completed and a carriage return code is read out, the print head is returned and line feeding is performed.

Next, an example will be described in which such a print head driving method is applied to a multicolor printing device whose main scanning direction is unidirectional, for example, a device that performs color printing using printing colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan.

First, to explain the configuration, in FIG. 5, four guides 1151 supported on the machine frame (not shown) of the color printing device
Il:I+ A carriage 52 movable in the t'J direction
A printing pad 53 is fixed to the carriage 52 of the printer. The printing pad 53 has three first to third printing parts 53a to 53c arranged in a row in a direction (sub-scanning direction) orthogonal to the axial direction (main-scanning direction) of the guide shaft 51. , each of the printing parts 53a to 53c is composed of a predetermined number (9 in the case of a 9×7 dot matrix) of heating elements 54, and the predetermined number of heating elements 54 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the printing direction. . The ink ribbon 55 is disposed along the guide shaft 51 in front of the printing pad 53, and has yellow, magenta, and cyan printing color bands arranged from bottom to top in a direction perpendicular to the printing line direction. The layout is configured according to the width of the printing direction. Each of the printing color bands 55a to 55c is
- The third mark 53a and the magenta printing color band 55b are the second
The printed cyan character portion 53b and the printed color band 55c of 哄==～ correspond to the third printed portion 5me, respectively. The recording paper 56 is disposed in front of the ink ribbon 55, and is sequentially fed upward in the printing direction by a paper feeding device (not shown). Next, one effect will be explained.

When main scanning and sub-scanning are performed based on each printing color data of yellow, magenta, and cyan, each printing band 55 is
Each of the printing colors a to 55c is separately thermally transferred to each corresponding line (three lines at the same time) of the recording paper 56. Therefore, one line of multicolor printing requires yellow thermal transfer and paper feed for one printing line (width D).

The process is completed in one cycle: magenta thermal transfer, paper feed for one print line, and cyan thermal transfer.

In this cycle, if we look at a certain line, we can see that yellow is printed first, then magenta, and finally cyan.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, when the carriage return need and line feed codes are read, the carriage return and line feed are performed regardless of the length of the printed line. For this reason, for example, as shown in Figure 8, if the amount of stored data is not constant, that is, if one print line is not constant, printing will be performed based on the yellow data indicated by diagonal lines in the figure. There was a problem in that the carriage return was performed without the camera being fully loaded.

[Means for solving problems]

A multicolor printing device according to the present invention includes a plurality of print heads,
A data storage means that is provided corresponding to the number of print heads and temporarily stores print color data, a data read means that reads out the print color data from the data, and a data storage means that reads out the print color data from the print color data, and a data storage means that reads out the print color data from the print color data. comprising a print head driving means for driving and a moving means for moving the print head, and counting the number of columns for one print line for each print color from the print color data stored in the storage means by a column counting means; The maximum number of columns among the counted columns is determined by the maximum number of columns obtaining means, and the print head is controlled by the control means to continuously move in the main scanning direction by the moving means by the determined maximum number of columns, and then return. , even if one print line printed by each print color is not constant, multicolor printing can be performed.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the invention. In the figure, 53
．． 53a, 53b, and 53c indicate the same parts as in FIGS. 5 and 6, and l is a host computer. Reference numeral 2 denotes a multicolor printing device, which includes a data receiving section 21 that receives print data from the host computer 1, and stores the received print data in one of backup memories 22a to 22C (data storage means) according to the color code. Data selector 23 to select
and the first to third printing units 53a to 53a individually based on the print data stored in the backup memories 22a to 22c.
Driver (print driving means) 24 that drives 53c
a to 24c, a carriage motor (moving means) 25 for moving the pad 53 to the printing, and the /< interface memory 2.
1 from the print color data stored in 2a-22c, respectively.
A column register (column counting means) 26 that counts the number of columns for each printed line, and a 7-huffer memory 22 that calculates the maximum number of columns among the counted columns.
Printer control unit C/ii 1 dog column acquisition means, data that reads print data from a to 22c, further moves the print head continuously in the main scanning direction by the maximum number of columns, and then controls the carriage motor 25 to return. It is composed of a readout means, a control means) 27, a register 28 for storing the maximum number of columns, and a feed motor 29 for line feed.

Next, the operation will be explained based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Now, print color data in the frame format shown in FIG. (STEP-1)

Then, according to the control code, the data receiving section 21 drives the data selector 23, and the data selector 23 selects the memory 22c of Y/<, , 7, according to the color code (yellow) (STEP
-3 to 6), and this selected Y/<, to the file memory 22c.

The printer control unit 27 stores the yellow print color data in the order in which it is received, with one frame including the frame end code (STEP-7 to STEP-9). At this time, the column register 26 counts the columns (
STEP-10).

Next, the magenta print color data and the cyan print color data are stored in the M/<rough memory 22b and C buffer memory 22 in the same manner as the yellow print color data.
c (STEP-11 to 13.5 TEP-1
5-17).

In the same manner as when yellow print data is stored in the 7-huffer memory, the column register 26 counts the number of columns in which printing is lost based on the magenta and cyan print data (STEP-14, 18).

Then, when the printer control unit 27 determines the end of reception of the l data block consisting of three frames based on the data END code (STEP-4), the printer control unit 27 determines the maximum number of columns among the number of columns counted by the column register. (=
m) is obtained (STEP-1!9), and at the same time, printing is started.

When printing, first, each of the seven buffer memories 22a to 22
The print color data is read from c, and each dry/< 24
a to 24c, and then each driver 24a to 24c prints W53a based on the print color data.
~53 c is controlled to generate heat (STEP-20 to 26)
. When printing of one column is completed, 1 is subtracted from the number of set columns in the register 28 each time printing is completed (STE
P-27), and similarly 1 from the column register 26.
<(STEP-27) Then, when the column register 26 becomes zero (STEP-34), the head corresponding to the register that became zero is released.
~33), and when the register 28 becomes zero (STEP-
34) The carriage is returned by the printer control section, and line feeding is performed by the feed motor 29. Thereafter, the above operations are repeated to perform multicolor printing.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it has the advantage that multicolor printing can be performed even when the number of printing lines printed by each printing color is not constant.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a print data bronxmant, and FIGS.
The figures are respectively operation flowcharts, Figure 5 is a perspective view of main parts of the multicolor printing device, Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the printing section of the print head shown in Figure 5, and Figure 7 is a diagram showing the printing color information on the ink ribbon. 1? A diagram showing an example, the first damp area is 1 = high sofa 1 = 4 pieces of water and 11 lines. In the figure, 22a to 22C are C, M, and Y pads. 24a to 24c are drivers, 25 is a carriage motor, 26 is a column register, 27 is a printer control unit, and 53 is a print head. Applicant: Tokyo Juuki Shigyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of print heads, a data storage means provided corresponding to the number of print heads and temporarily storing print color data, a data reading means for reading out the stored print color data, and a read print color. A multi-color printing device comprising print head drive means for respectively driving the print heads based on data, and moving means for moving the print heads, the multi-color printing device having one print head for each print color based on the print color data stored in the storage means. a column counting means for counting the number of columns for a printed line; a maximum column number obtaining means for obtaining the maximum number of columns among the counted columns; and continuously moving the print head by the maximum number of columns in the main scanning direction; and a control means for controlling the moving means so as to return after that.