KR20060129152A - Method of printing thermal media by aligning image - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of printing a thermal media by aligning an image is provided to align a print start position of the thermal media to perform a dual print operation. A method of printing a thermal media by aligning an image includes the steps of feeding the thermal media from a first path to a second path and stopping the thermal media under a thermal print head(S102), feeding the media from the second path to a third path to print a first surface(S106), rotating the thermal print head about a platen roller to opposite to the first surface(S107), feeding the thermal media from the third path to the second path and stopping the thermal media under the thermal device of the thermal print head(S110,S111), and feeding the media from the second path to the third path to print the second surface(S112).

Description

Method of printing thermal media by aligning image}

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a general thermal reaction paper.

2 is a view for explaining the configuration of a general thermal printer.

3 is a view for explaining a thermal type printing press applied to the image alignment printing method of the thermal reaction paper of the present invention.

4 is a plan view schematically showing some components of an apparatus to which an image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic partial side view of FIG. 4. FIG.

6 is a view showing an example of a thermal reaction paper applied to the present invention.

7 is a flowchart of an image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

8A to 8F are views for explaining an image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper according to the present invention.

* Description of Signs of Major Parts of Drawings *

10: thermal reaction paper 40: transfer section

41: Feeding Roller 42,62: Children Roller

45: encoder disc wheel 45a: slit

46: rotary encoder sensor 50: the image forming unit

51: thermal print head (TPH) 52: heating element

53: light sensor 55: platen roller

60: paper discharge unit 70: paper storage unit

72: pickup roller 80: control unit

The present invention relates to an image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper, and more particularly, to a method of printing by aligning a printing start position of a first side and a second side of a thermally reactive paper used in a thermal type printer.

Direct thermal printing presses use a paper (hereinafter referred to as a thermal reaction paper) that produces a predetermined color in response to heat, and an ink ribbon that transfers a predetermined color to the paper in response to heat for printing on ordinary paper. There is a way. The method of using the ink ribbon has to have a driving device for driving the ink ribbon, which is complicated in structure and expensive. In addition, since the ink ribbon must be continuously replaced as a consumable, the printing cost per sheet is high.

Referring to FIG. 1, the thermal reaction paper 10 is formed with ink layers of a predetermined color on both sides of a base sheet 11, that is, on the first surface 10a and the second surface 10b. Each ink layer is formed of layers of different colors. For example, yellow (Y) and magenta (M) layers are sequentially stacked on the first surface 10a, and cyan (C) layers are formed on the second surface 10b. It is preferable that the said base material 11 is a transparent material. Reference numeral 13 reflects light so that a color image is visible from the first surface 10a as a reflective layer. US Patent Publication No. 2003/0125206 describes one example of the thermal reaction paper 10.

A thermal printhead (TPH) in which a heating element is disposed at a predetermined resolution in a direction perpendicular to a printing paper's advancing direction is used in a thermal type printer using the thermally-reactive paper 10.

2 is a view for explaining the configuration of a general thermal printer.

Referring to FIG. 2, the thermal type printing machine includes a feeding roller 2 for conveying the thermal reaction paper 10, a platen 3 for supporting one side of the paper 10, and a sheet of paper on the platen 3 ( The thermal print head 4 which forms an image in 1) is provided.

On the other hand, if the TPH is not aligned from the printing paper when the TPH is rotated to print the second side after printing the first side, color printing is disturbed.

Therefore, there is a need for a method of aligning a print start position of a sheet when printing the first and second sides.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a method of aligning a printing start position of a thermal reaction paper used in a thermal printer.

The image alignment printing method of the thermally reactive paper of the present invention for achieving the above object is a first path through which thermally reactive paper having first and second surfaces is supplied, and a second path provided with a thermal print head and a platen roller. And a third path branched from the first and second paths and the connection part, a feeding roller positioned between the first path and the second path, and an edge detection sensor positioned on the first path side from the feeding roller. An image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper using a printing press, wherein the thermally reactive paper is fed from the first path to the second path, wherein the first path side edge of the thermally reacted paper is formed by the edge detection sensor. Stopping when the print start position is located below the heat transfer element of the thermal print head after being detected; A second step of printing the first surface while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path; A third step of rotating the thermal print head around the platen roller to face the second surface; The thermal path paper is fed from the third path to the second path, and the first path side end of the thermal path paper passes the edge detection sensor, and a printing start position is located below the heat transfer element of the thermal print head. Stopping when done; And a fifth step of printing the second surface while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path again.

In order to achieve the above object, an image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper of the present invention includes a first path through which a thermally reactive paper having first and second surfaces is supplied, and a second path provided with a thermal print head and a platen roller. A third path branched from the first and second paths and the connecting part, a feeding roller positioned between the first path and the second path, and an edge detection sensor positioned on the first path side from the feeding roller; An image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper using a printing machine, comprising: feeding the thermally reactive paper from the first path to the second path, wherein the first path side edge of the thermally reacted paper is connected to the edge detection sensor; Stopping after the printing start position has passed the lower portion of the heating element of the thermal print head by a predetermined distance after being detected by the method; A second step of printing the first surface from when the printing start position reaches the lower portion of the heat transfer element of the thermal print head while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path; A third step of rotating the thermal print head around the platen roller to face the second surface; The thermal reaction sheet is fed from the third path to the second path, and after the first path side edge of the thermal reaction paper is detected by the edge detection sensor, the printing start position is the heating element of the thermal print head. Stopping the lower part after passing a predetermined distance; And a fifth step of printing the second surface from when the printing start position reaches the lower portion of the heat transfer element of the thermal print head while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path again. Characterized in that.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail preferred embodiments of the image alignment printing method of the thermal reaction paper of the present invention.

3 is a view for explaining a thermal type printing press applied to the image alignment printing method of the thermal reaction paper of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the thermal type printer has at least first, second, and third paths and transfers the thermally reacted paper 10 through this transfer path. The pickup roller 72 picks up the paper 10 from the paper storage unit 70 and transfers it to the first path. The first path is a paper feed path for feeding the paper 10 to the second path. The second path is an area which is back fed in the direction of arrow B for printing on the sheet 10 and forward fed in the direction of arrow F (printing direction) for printing. In addition, the third path is a path where the paper 10 which is being printed is located, and the paper 10 printed only on the first surface is a position where the printing is completed on the first or second surface or the position where the paper 10 is returned to the second path. 10) is the final discharge path.

A paper guide 65 is provided between the first path and the third path. The paper guide 65 guides the paper 10 from the first path to the second path, and guides the paper 10 from the second path to the third path. In addition, the paper guide 65 prevents the paper 10 from the second path to proceed only to the third path and to proceed to the first path.

In the second path, image formation by the image forming unit 50 is performed. The position of the thermal printhead (TPH) 51 and the platen roller 55 of the image forming section 50 is moved to a predetermined position before the image formation on the first and second surfaces of the paper 10. It must be decided. That is, for example, when the image is formed on the first side of the paper 10, the TPH 51 is located in the C portion, and when the image is formed on the second side of the paper 10, the TPH ( 51) shall be located in the D part. The position change of the TPH 51 preferably rotates the platen roller 55 and the TPH 51 about the rotation axis of the platen roller 55. The position change of the TPH 51 is caused when the interference with the recording paper 10 does not occur, for example, before the paper 10 is fed from the first path, or by the image formation on the first surface. ) Is not returned to the second path after being transferred to the third path.

When the paper 10, which has already been imaged on the first surface, is back fed with the second path, the image is formed on the second surface by the rotated TPH 51, and in this process, the paper 10 is conveyed. 40 is gradually advanced, and after the formation of the chemical conversion on the second surface is completed, the second path is further advanced to be discharged through the paper discharge unit 60. The transfer part 40 includes a feeding roller 41 for transferring paper, and an idle roller 42 for pushing the paper 10 entering therebetween toward the feeding roller 41.

Reference numeral 53 is an optical sensor for detecting the edge of the sheet 53, the role of which will be described later. The paper discharge unit 60 is composed of a discharge roller 61 and an idle roller 62, the discharge roller 61 and the pickup roller 72 may be arranged to serve as two rollers with one roller. have.

4 is a plan view schematically illustrating some components of an apparatus to which an image alignment printing method of a thermal reaction paper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of FIG. 4.

4 and 5 together, the thermal print head 51, the feeding roller 41 and the light sensor 53 are sequentially arranged in the paper feed direction. The thermal reaction paper 10 entering between the platen roller 55 and the TPH 51 is controlled by the driving of the feeding roller 41.

In the TPH 51, a plurality of heating elements 52 are arranged in a line or a plurality of rows in a direction perpendicular to the paper conveying direction. Each heating element 52 generates heat at a predetermined time and a predetermined temperature for each color according to a voltage application signal.

The paper 10 is conveyed by the feeding roller 41 in the arrow B direction in the back feeding direction and in the arrow F direction in the printing progress direction. The encoder disc wheel 45 is attached to the outer periphery of one side of the feeding roller 41. Slits (45a) are formed at regular intervals at the edge of the encoder disk wheel 45, the rotary encoder sensor 46 consisting of a light emitting portion 46a and a light receiving portion (46b) is mounted on both sides of the slit (45a). have. The light emitting unit 46a of the rotary encoder sensor 46 emits light every predetermined time, and each time the slit 45a meets, the light receiving unit 46b generates a pulse signal, and the control unit 80 generates the pulse signal. By counting, the conveyance distance of the paper 10 conveyed by the feeding roller 41 is measured, and the driving distance of the paper 10 conveyed to the feeding roller 41 is controlled by driving the driving motor 47.

On the other hand, the thermal printer is a rotating means 57 for rotating the TPH 51 and the platen roller 55 to print the second surface after the first surface of the image forming paper 10 is printed, The moving means 59 is provided to move the TPH 51 apart from and close to a predetermined height from the printing path. When backfeeding the paper 10, the platen roller 55 moves the TPH 51 using the shank moving means 59 so that the paper 10 easily passes between the TPH 51 and the platen roller 55. Spaced apart, for example from 1 to 2 mm.

On the other hand, the photosensor 53 is disposed in front of the feeding roller 41 in the forward feeding direction, and transmits the light output value of the paper 10 conveyed downward to the control unit 80, the control unit 80 is the transmission The edge of the paper 10 is detected from the light output value thus obtained.

6 is a view showing an example of a thermal reaction paper applied to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the thermal reaction paper 10 is divided into a printing area PR and post-printing cutting areas TR1 and TR2. The horizontal length L1 of the print area PR is 6 inches, the vertical length L2 is 4 inches, and the horizontal length L3 of the first cut area TR1 is approximately 1 inch, and the second cut area TR2 ), The horizontal length L4 is 1/3 inch. The arrow direction F indicates the direction in which the paper 10 is conveyed during forward feeding for printing. Reference numeral FE denotes a front edge, and RE denotes a rear edge. The dotted line in the figure is a tear-off line, the dashed-dotted line indicates the start and end positions of the actual print area for borderless printing, and the length L5 is approximately 2 mm. Reference numeral SP indicates the print start position.

An image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

7 is a flowchart of an image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

When a print command is input from the computer connected to the printer to the control unit 80, the pick-up roller 72 picks up a sheet of paper 10 from the paper storage unit 70 and enters the first path (step 101).

The paper 10 entering the first path is supplied to the feeding roller 41 by the paper guide 65, and the feeding roller 41 backfeeds the paper 10 to the second path in the direction of arrow B ( Step 102). At this time, the TPH 51 is raised to allow the paper 10 to pass easily.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the front end FE of the paper 10 is detected by the light sensor 53 during backfeeding (step 103), the paper 10 is moved from the light sensor 53 to the first distance ( D1) further backfeed (step 104). In this case, as shown in FIG. 8B, the printing start position SP of the paper 10 goes further beyond the heat transfer element 52 of the TPH 51 by a third distance D3. The first distance D1 is a moving distance of the paper 10 with the rotary encoder sensor 46, that is, a first distance D1, from the time when the front end FE of the paper 10 is detected by the optical sensor 53. Is measured.

Subsequently, when printing on the first side is started, the paper 10 is forward-fed in the third distance D3 in the direction of the arrow F, and as shown in FIG. 8C, the printing start position SP of the paper 10 is TPH ( The lower portion of the heat transfer element 52 of 51 is made to be disposed (step 105).

Subsequently, the control unit 80 transmits the color image data corresponding to the printed layer of the first surface, for example, yellow and magenta image data, to the TPH 51 to perform a printing operation (step 106).

When the printing operation on the first surface is finished, the paper 10 is forward fed a predetermined distance so that the paper 10 does not come into contact with the image forming unit 50 when the image forming unit 50 is rotated. Subsequently, the image forming unit 50 is rotated to rotate the position so that the TPH 51, which was positioned corresponding to the first surface of the paper 10, corresponds to the second surface of the paper 10 (step 107). 8D shows a state in which the position of the TPH 51 is rotated.

Subsequently, the TPH 51 is slightly lowered to form a gap between the platen roller 52 and the TPH 51 to allow the paper 10 to pass through without resistance, and then to prepare for image formation on the second surface. The paper 10 is fed back to the second path by the transfer unit 40 (step 108).

When the tip FE of the paper 10 is detected by the light sensor 53 (step 109), as shown in FIG. 8E, the paper 10 is further removed from the light sensor 53 by a second distance D2. Backfeeding (step 110). At this time, the printing start position (SP) of the paper 10 goes further the fourth distance (D4) past the TPH (51). The second distance D2 is a moving distance of the paper 10 by the rotary encoder sensor 46 from the time when the front end FE of the paper 10 is detected by the optical sensor 53.

Subsequently, when printing on the second surface is started, the TPH 51 is raised to closely adhere to the paper 10 on which the back feeding is completed, and then the paper 10 is fed by the feeding roller 41 to the fourth distance D4. As shown in Fig. 8F, the printing start position SP of the paper 10 is arranged under the heat transfer element 52 of the TPH 51 (step 111).

Subsequently, the control unit 80 transmits the color image data corresponding to the printed layer of the second surface, for example, cyan image data, to the TPH 51 to perform a printing operation (step 112).

When the printing on the second side is completed, the paper 10 is transferred to the third path, and then the paper feeding stops by the feeder 40 and the paper discharger 60 discharges the paper 10 to the outside. (Step 113).

In the above embodiment, after the first and second distances are transferred during backfeeding, printing firing is performed on the first and second surfaces, respectively, at the time when the third and fourth distances are forward-feeded, respectively. It is not. That is, backfeeding is performed by the fifth distance minus the third distance from the first distance and the sixth distance minus the fourth distance so that the printing start position is disposed under the heating element of the TPH, and then the corresponding printing surface. You can also fire printing at the start of printing.

According to the image alignment printing method of the thermally reactive paper described above, duplex printing can be performed by aligning a printing start position of the thermally reactive paper.

For the purpose of understanding the present invention, it has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but this is only exemplary, those skilled in the art that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible from this. Will understand. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined only in the appended claims.

Claims (6)

A first path through which thermally reactive paper having first and second surfaces is supplied, a second path provided with a thermal print head and a platen roller, a third path branched from the first and second paths and a connecting portion, and the first path In the image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper using a printing machine having a feeding roller positioned between a path and the second path and an edge detection sensor positioned from the feeding roller on the first path side, The thermal reaction sheet is fed from the first path to the second path, and after the first path side edge of the thermal reaction paper is detected by the edge detection sensor, the printing start position is the heating element of the thermal print head. Stopping when located below; A second step of printing the first surface while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path; A third step of rotating the thermal print head around the platen roller to face the second surface; The thermal path paper is fed from the third path to the second path, and the first path side end of the thermal path paper passes the edge detection sensor, and a printing start position is located below the heat transfer element of the thermal print head. Stopping when done; And And a fifth step of printing the second surface while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path again. The method of claim 1, And the edge detection sensor is an optical sensor. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The thermal reaction paper has a printing area and a cutting area in which the tip is formed, And the printing start position is formed in the cutting area. A first path through which thermally reactive paper having first and second surfaces is supplied, a second path provided with a thermal print head and a platen roller, a third path branched from the first and second paths and a connecting portion, and the first path In the image alignment printing method of a thermally reactive paper using a printing machine having a feeding roller positioned between a path and the second path and an edge detection sensor positioned from the feeding roller on the first path side, The thermal reaction sheet is fed from the first path to the second path, and after the first path side edge of the thermal reaction paper is detected by the edge detection sensor, the printing start position is the heating element of the thermal print head. Stopping the lower part after passing a predetermined distance; A second step of printing the first surface from when the printing start position reaches the lower portion of the heat transfer element of the thermal print head while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path; A third step of rotating the thermal print head around the platen roller to face the second surface; The thermal reaction sheet is fed from the third path to the second path, and after the first path side edge of the thermal reaction paper is detected by the edge detection sensor, the printing start position is the heating element of the thermal print head. Stopping the lower part after passing a predetermined distance; And A fifth step of printing the second surface from the time when the print start position reaches the lower portion of the heat transfer element of the thermal print head while feeding the paper from the second path to the third path again; The image alignment printing method of the thermally reactive paper, characterized in that. The method of claim 4, wherein And the edge detection sensor is an optical sensor. The method according to claim 4 or 5, The thermal reaction paper has a printing area and a cutting area in which the tip is formed, And the printing start position is formed in the cutting area.

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