JP2000015887A - Thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To output a panoramic image from a digital camera or the like in a conventional thermal printer of a hot-melt type or a thermal sublimation type, etc. Provided is a means for solving the problem that the length does not match the printing paper. For this purpose, a roll paper is used as the printing paper 101, and the length of the ink ribbon 102 is defined as L × n (n is an integer of 2 or more) based on a standard length L as one unit. Different colors yellow (Y), cyan (C),
Magenta (M) ink applied as one set,
When an ink ribbon 102 in which one or more sets of the inks are applied on a base material is used, and when the length N of the printing paper 101 is N ≦ L, and the transport speed of the ink ribbon 102 is V, N> When the transport speed of the ink ribbon 102 in the case of L is V
× L / N.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot-melt type or thermal sublimation which enables printing of an optimum size for an image size by using the same ink ribbon cassette for printing out a plurality of image sizes having different lengths. It relates to a thermal printer such as a mold.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the spread of digital cameras, needs for outputting panoramic images such as landscapes have been increasing. This kind of panoramic image is created by synthesizing a plurality of continuously shot images, and image data longer in the longitudinal direction than normal image data is created.
In order to print out this panoramic image, printers that support both standard paper and panoramic paper (equal in width and longer in length than standard paper) are available on the market. Have been.

[0003]

However, in the above-described panoramic image, the length of the synthesized image differs depending on the shooting conditions of the individual images to be synthesized. If the values do not match, there is a problem in that the image is cut out or a blank space is formed on the paper.

In order to solve this problem, a sublimation printer using roll paper has been developed. However, when the print paper is roll paper, the size of the output image is not constant.
There was also a three-cassette type in which the ink cassette was divided into three colors of yellow, cyan, and magenta, but the structure was complicated.
There was a problem that the size was increased.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal printer for solving these problems.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, in the present invention, an object is achieved by providing a thermal printer as described below.

A first drive means for moving a roll of paper to be printed, a second drive means for moving an ink ribbon having ink applied on a base material, and heat melting the ink on the ink ribbon Or a thermal head for sublimation printing on the printing paper, a cutting means for cutting a printed area of the printing paper from the roll, or a thermal sublimation type printer, wherein the ink ribbon is The length of L × n (n is an integer of 2 or more) based on the standard length L is defined as one unit, and one set of the inks coated with the different colors is used as one set. Is applied on the base material, and when the transport speed of the ink ribbon in the second drive unit when the length N of the printing paper is N ≦ L is V,
A thermal printer, wherein the transport speed of the ink ribbon in the second driving means when the length of the printing paper is N> L is V × L / N.

[0008]

According to the configuration of the present invention as described above, it is not necessary to provide ink cassettes having different specifications for printing paper of different sizes such as standard paper and panoramic paper, and it is possible to reduce the cost of the ink cassette. Become.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
An embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Configuration) FIG. 1 shows a simplified configuration diagram of a thermal printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes printing (use) paper, which is wound in a roll shape. Reference numeral 102 denotes an ink ribbon on which each color ink such as yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M) is applied. Reference numerals 103 and 104 denote a winding shaft and a supply shaft of the ink ribbon 102, respectively. 105 is a printing paper 101 on a platen roller 106
Reference numeral 107 denotes a thermal head for printing with the ink ribbon 102, 107 denotes a cutter for separating the printed area of the printing paper 101 from the roll, and 108 denotes a paper feed roller.

FIG. 2 shows an ink ribbon used in the embodiment of the present invention, in which ink application areas having a width W and a length L are provided in the order of yellow (Y), cyan (C), and magenta (M). A cue mark 201,
A color cue mark 202 is provided.

FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The flow of image processing and operation will be described below with reference to FIG.

(Operation) In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes an interface for exchanging data between the printer (image output device) of the present invention and an external device. come. The sent image data is sent to the image data analysis unit 302, and the length N of the image output result is calculated. Calculation result N
Is sent to the ink ribbon speed determining unit 303 to calculate and determine the transport speed V of the ink ribbon.
Sent to 5. The image output control unit 305 transports the ink ribbon, transports the printing paper 101, and prints the thermal head 10 at the speed determined by the ink ribbon speed determination unit 303.
The transfer printing from the ink ribbon 102 to the printing paper 101 is performed while the drive 5 is performed. The above is the flow of the simple processing, and the operation accompanying this processing will be described below.

Here, the operation of the printer when N ≦ L will be described first.

The printing paper 101 in FIG. 1 is wound in a roll shape, and the ink applied on the ink ribbon 102 is sublimated by a thermal head 105, made to be a platen roller, and pressed by a platen roller 106 to perform printing. Will be

First, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 of the operation of the printing paper, the length from the leading end of the printing paper 101 to the position between the platen roller 106 and the thermal head 105 is the length of the image. Until it reaches N, it is sent in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the ink ribbon 102 does not move.

When the printing paper 101 is fed to the length N, as shown in FIG.
Are sent together at the same speed V in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the transfer of the yellow ink is performed by the thermal head 105 and the platen roller 106.

When the transfer of the yellow ink is completed, the ink ribbon 102 is fed to the beginning of cyan (C) by the cue mark 201 in FIG. 2, while the printing paper 101 is again moved to the position shown in FIG. Sent to state.

Hereinafter, similarly, cyan (C) and magenta (M)
Is completed, the printing paper 101 is fed until the length from the upper end to the cutter 107 becomes N, and the printed area is cut off, as shown in FIG.

Next, the case where N> L will be described.
First, as in the case of N ≦ L, the length of the print paper 101 from the leading end of the paper to the position sandwiched between the platen roller 106 and the thermal head 105 is the image length N, as in the case of N ≦ L. Up to the direction of the arrow. At this time, the ink ribbon 102 does not move.

When the printing paper 101 is fed to the length N, as shown in FIG. 7, the printing paper 101 is conveyed at a speed V and the ink is conveyed at V1 obtained by the following equation.

V1 = V × N / L As a result, the printing paper 101 slips with respect to the ink ribbon 102, and the ink ribbon 102 advances L while the printing paper 101 advances the distance N.

At this time, transfer of yellow (Y) ink is performed by the thermal head 105 and the platen roller 106. When the transfer of the yellow (Y) ink is completed, the ink ribbon 102 moves to the cue mark 20 in FIG.
1, the printing paper 101 is fed up to the state shown in FIG. 4 again.

Similarly, when the transfer of cyan (C) and magenta (M) is completed, as shown in FIG.
Send 01 to separate the printed area.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the printing paper is supplied by roll paper, it is possible to remove the restriction on the length of the image, and it is possible to use the same ink cassette as before, so that the apparatus is not complicated and large. Thus, it is possible to provide a hot-melt type or hot-sublimation type printer using roll paper.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified configuration diagram of a printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an ink ribbon of the embodiment printer.

FIG. 3 is a simplified block diagram of a printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the embodiment (part 1).

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the embodiment (part 2).

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram of the embodiment (part 3).

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the embodiment (part 4).

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 101 printing paper 102 ink ribbon 103 take-up axis 104 supply axis 105 thermal head 106 platen roller 107 cutter 108 paper feed roller 201 cue mark 202 color cue mark 301 interface section 302 image data analysis section 303 ink ribbon speed determination section 304 image Processing unit 305 Image output control unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Kyogoku 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Takanobu Shiraiwa 3- 30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon (72) Inventor Shinya Hirai 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Canon Inc. (reference) 2C065 AA01 AC01 AD07 DA22 2C068 AA02 AA08 AA15 AA22 GG01 GH01 GK01 GK18 GL01 GM01 KK12 KK24

Claims (1)

[Claims] A first driving unit for moving a printing paper wound in a roll; a second driving unit for moving an ink ribbon having ink applied on a base material; In a hot-melt or hot-sublimation printer having a thermal head for printing on the printing paper by heat melting or sublimation, and a cutting unit for separating a printed area of the printing paper from the roll, The ribbon is L × n based on the standard length L.
(N is an integer of 2 or more) as one unit, and one set of the inks of different colors applied as one set, and one or more sets of the inks applied on the base material;
The second method in a case where the length N of the printing paper is N ≦ L.
When the transport speed of the ink ribbon in the drive unit is V, the transport speed of the ink ribbon in the second drive unit when the length of the printing paper is N> L is V.
× L / N.