JPS62211181A - Multicolor printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the contamination of a multicolor ink ribbon, by providing a ribbon color change-over mechanism part and a cleaning control part imparting the cleaning indication of a printing head corresponding to the information stored in a ribbon color memory part. CONSTITUTION:A multicolor ink ribbon 1 consists of a black color part 101, a cyan color part 102, a magenta color part 103, a yellow color part 104 and a head cleaning part 105. Now, when yellow being the lightest color is indicated by a ribbon color indicating order 901, the ribbon color thereof is stored in a ribbon color memory part 8 to be compared with the previous ribbon color. When the previous ribbon color is other than yellow, a cleaning order 801 is outputted to a head cleaning control part 7. The control part 7 allows a ribbon color change-over control part 5 to output a ribbon color change-over signal 501 to a mechanism part 3 and a cleaning part 10 is moved between a printing head 2 and printing paper. Thereafter, the control part 7 outputs a ribbon feed signal 601 to a mechanism part 4 through a ribbon feed control part 6 to perform ribbon feed while the cleaning part 105 is rubbed with the leading end of the head 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a multicolor printing device, and more particularly to a printing method that uses a multicolor ink ribbon to produce multiple colors.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of multicolor printing device, multicolor printing has been performed by switching multicolor ink ribbons arranged in the width direction.

[Problems to be Solved] When the above-mentioned conventional multicolor printing device prints using a light-colored ink ribbon, if the color of the ink ribbon used for previous printing was a dark color, the dark color Since the ink of the ink ribbon adheres to the print head, the light-colored ribbon becomes dirty, which not only prevents the color from developing properly, but also shortens the ribbon's lifespan when used repeatedly. .

[Means for Solving Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention cleans the print head using a cleaning ribbon when the current print color is lighter than the previous print color. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multicolor printing device that prevents ribbon contamination.

To this end, the present invention provides a printing device that prints using an ink ribbon in which multiple colors are arranged in the width direction, and a cleaning ribbon for cleaning ink adhering to the print head, and a space between the print head and printing paper. a ribbon color switching mechanism section for switching the color of the ink ribbon through the ink ribbon in response to a switching signal from a control section; a ribbon color storage section for storing the current print color and the previous print color; The present invention provides a multicolor printing device characterized in that it includes a head cleaning control section that gives an instruction to clean the print head according to stored information.

[Example] Next, the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the multicolor printing device of the present invention.

First, the configuration of the multicolor printing device of the present invention will be described in detail.

The multicolor ink ribbon 1 has a black part 101 and a cyan part 102.
, a magenta color portion 103, a yellow color portion 104, and a head cleaning portion 105, and is in the shape of one band. The order of shading is black, cyan, magenta, and yellow.

The head cleaning control section 7 receives the head cleaning command 801 output from the ribbon color storage section 8 and outputs a ribbon color switching command 701 to the ribbon color switching control section 5, and also outputs a ribbon color switching command 701 to the ribbon feeding control section 6.
A ribbon feed command 702 is output. The ribbon color switching control section 5 outputs a ribbon color switching signal 501 to the ribbon color switching mechanism section 3, and the ribbon feeding control section 6 outputs a ribbon color switching signal 501 to the ribbon color switching mechanism section 3.
A ribbon feed signal 601 is output to the ribbon feed mechanism section 4.

Furthermore, the operation of the multicolor printing device of the present invention will be explained in detail.

If the ribbon color instruction command 901 now specifies the lightest color yellow, that ribbon color is input to the ribbon color storage section 8 and compared with the previous ribbon color. Since yellow is the lightest color, a head cleaning command 801 is output to the head cleaning control unit 7 except that the previous ribbon color was yellow. Head cleaning command 801
The head cleaning control section 7 that has received the command first outputs a ribbon color switching command 701 to the ribbon color switching control section 5 so as to select the head cleaning section 105 .

The ribbon color switching control section 5 outputs a ribbon color switching signal 501 to the ribbon color switching mechanism section 3 to move the head cleaning section 105 between the print head 2 and the printing paper. After the above operation is completed,
The head cleaning control section 7 outputs a ribbon feeding command 702 to the ribbon feeding control section 6 again. Upon receiving the command, the ribbon feeding control section 6 outputs a ribbon feeding signal 601 to the ribbon feeding mechanism section 4 to feed the ribbon while rubbing the head cleaning section 105 against the tip of the print head 2.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention cleans the tip of the print head with a cleaning ribbon before printing with a light-colored ink ribbon, thereby preventing dirt on the light-colored ribbon and extending the life of the multicolor ribbon. It has a certain effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the multicolor printing device of the present invention. l: Multicolor ink ribbon 101: Black section 102 Rainbow section 103: Magenta section 104: Yellow section 105: Head cleaning section 2 Niblint head 3: Ribbon color switching mechanism section 4: Ribbon feeding mechanism section 5: Ribbon color switching control Section 501: Ribbon color switching signal 6: Ribbon feeding control section 601: Ribbon feeding signal 7: Head cleaning control section 701: Ribbon color switching command 702: Ribbon feeding command 8: Ribbon color storage section 801: Head cleaning command 901: Lipo 7 color instruction command

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printing device that performs printing using an ink ribbon with multiple colors arranged in the width direction, a cleaning ribbon is used to clean ink adhering to the print head, and the ink ribbon is passed between the print head and printing paper. a ribbon color switching mechanism unit that switches the ribbon color according to a switching signal from a control unit; a ribbon color storage unit that stores the current print color and the previous print color;
A multicolor printing device comprising: a head cleaning control section that gives an instruction to clean the print head according to information stored in the storage section.