JP2000190605A - Printing device and tape cassette used in the device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: Color printing is performed by adjusting the print position of a tape without requiring printing of a position mark on the back surface of the tape during manufacturing. A position mark (T) attached to a printing surface of a tape (T) is provided.
By detecting m (1) with the tape sensor 35, the printing position of the tape T is adjusted, and the thermal head 26 prints an image using a plurality of color inks in the same printing area in color. Further, at the time of printing, the position mark Tm (2) is printed by the thermal head 26 on the print area next to the print area currently being printed, and is used for the transport control of the next tape T. Thus, it is possible to perform color printing while properly controlling the conveyance of the tape T without printing a plurality of marks on the tape T in advance.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for performing color printing using inks of a plurality of colors and a tape cassette used in the printing apparatus for storing a tape as a printing medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a tape printer that prints a color image by transferring yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) inks held by a color ink ribbon sequentially on a printing medium tape and transferring the inks. Has been put to practical use.

In this tape printer, a transport mechanism for transporting a color ink ribbon (hereinafter, referred to as an ink ribbon) and a print medium tape (hereinafter, referred to as a tape), and heating elements are arranged in the width direction of the tape and the ink ribbon. It is equipped with a printing mechanism including a thermal head, a cutter mechanism provided at a tape outlet, sensors for detecting marks attached to the ink ribbon and the tape, and the transport mechanism includes a tape and an ink ribbon. Are simultaneously transported to the downstream side, and only the tape is reversely transported to the upstream side.

In this tape printer, cueing of each color ink on the ink ribbon, printing with each color ink,
A color image is printed while repeating the reverse transport of the tape to the printing start position. This printing process is, specifically,
Cueing of Y ink, reverse conveyance of tape, printing with Y ink and cueing of M ink, reverse conveyance of tape,
The printing is performed according to the procedure of printing with M ink, cueing of C ink, reverse transport of the tape, and printing with C ink. Of these procedures, the odd numbers transport the tape and the ink ribbon to the downstream side at the same time, and the even numbers reversely transport the tape only upstream by the same amount as the downstream transport amount.

Here, the head of each color ink is detected by detecting a cue mark added to the head of each color ink area, and the transport amount of the tape is controlled at a constant pitch along the longitudinal direction of the back surface of the tape. This is performed by counting the number of position marks that have been set during reciprocating conveyance.

[0006]

As described above, conventionally, the transport of a tape accompanying the printing of Y, M, and C is detected by detecting the number of position marks printed at an equal pitch along the longitudinal direction of the back surface of the tape. It was done by doing. For this reason, when manufacturing the tape, it is necessary to print a plurality of the position marks at the same pitch on the back surface of the tape, and there is a problem that the printing process is troublesome and costly.

[0007] Further, as a printing tape, there is a magnet-type printing tape which is attracted to a printing tape made of an iron material such as a white board.

In a tape cartridge in which such a magnetic tape is housed in a cartridge, in order to control the transport amount of the magnetic tape, the above-described position mark is formed on the back surface of the magnetic tape, that is, on the magnetized surface (magnet surface). It is necessary to print several at the pitch. However, since the magnetized surface is generally black, the position mark must be printed in white or the like.In addition, it is necessary to print a stable position mark in order to improve the detection accuracy of the position mark, and to print a predetermined thickness. Need to be done. as a result,
There has been a problem that the magnetizing force on the adherend is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and a printing apparatus capable of performing color printing by aligning a printing position of a tape without requiring printing of a position mark on the back surface of the tape at the time of manufacturing, and the same. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape cassette containing a tape as a print medium supplied to a tape cassette.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising: a conveying means for reciprocating a long tape in a longitudinal direction; and a printing means provided on a printing surface at a leading end of the tape conveyed by the conveying means. Detecting means for detecting a mark indicating a printing start position, and positioning using the mark detected by the detecting means, using a plurality of color inks in the same print area of the tape conveyed by the conveying means. Printing means for printing the mark, and mark printing means for printing the mark on the area of the tape which is located downstream from the printing area used for the current printing and used for the next printing. Features.

[0011] According to the printing apparatus configured as described above,
Positioning for starting printing of the tape is performed based on the mark provided on the printing surface of the tape, and an image using a plurality of colors of ink is printed in color in the same printing area of the tape.
At this time, a mark serving as a reference for alignment of the print start is printed on an area on the tape to be used in the next printing. Therefore, even if a plurality of marks are not printed on the tape in advance, it is possible to perform overprinting with a plurality of color inks at the time of the current printing by using the marks already printed on the leading end of the tape during the previous printing. .

A cutting means for cutting the tape;
By controlling the cutting means, and after the image is printed on the tape by the printing means, cutting control means for cutting off the marked portion at the leading end of the tape from the print area of the image, Can be prevented from removing the mark on the tape on which the mark is printed and causing the mark to deteriorate the appearance of the printed image.

Further, when a magnetic tape including a magnetic layer is used as the tape, the mark is printed on the printing surface side, so that the magnetizing force on the back surface is not impaired.

[0014] The tape cassette according to the present invention is a long-length print medium supplied to a printing apparatus which prints an image with a plurality of color inks by aligning a print start position with reference to a mark printed on a print medium during previous printing. A tape cassette accommodating a lengthy tape, wherein the mark is preliminarily printed on a printing surface at a leading end of the tape in an unused state.

In a printing apparatus in which an image is printed with a plurality of colors of ink by aligning a printing start position with reference to a mark printed on a print medium at the time of previous printing, the tape is immediately replaced with a new tape cassette. Is unused,
The tape cassette was not involved in the previous print. Therefore, there are no marks printed by the printing device. Therefore, by printing a mark on the tip of an unused tape in advance, in the first printing immediately after replacing the tape with a new tape cassette, printing with each ink of a plurality of colors based on the previously printed mark is performed. Printing alignment can be performed. In the second and subsequent printing using the new tape cassette, marks printed by the printing apparatus are used.

Further, by storing an ink ribbon in which a plurality of colors of ink are repeatedly held in a predetermined length in the tape cassette, it is possible to adjust the printing position of the tape based on the mark while passing the ink ribbon through the ink ribbon. Color printing by thermal transfer.

[0017]

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a color printer according to an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard 12 and a liquid crystal display section 13 are provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 11, and a cassette accommodating section 15 covered by a lid 14 which can be opened and closed is provided.

The keyboard 12 includes a power key 12a and character / symbol input keys 1 for inputting data of characters and symbols.
2b, a print key 12c operated when executing printing processing of an input character string, and the like. Reference numeral 16 denotes a tape discharge port from which the printed tape T is discharged to the outside of the apparatus main body 11.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the color printer of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the color printer comprises a control unit 21, a keyboard 12, a ROM 22, a RAM
23, a character generator 24, a display unit 13, and a printer unit 25.

The control unit 21 is constituted by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and includes a keyboard 12, a ROM 22, and a RAM.
23, a character generator 24, a display section 13, and a thermal head drive circuit 2 for driving the thermal head 26
8, a motor drive circuit 29 for driving a step motor 27 for driving the platen roller 30, the tape supply shaft 32, and the ink ribbon take-up shaft 31, and a DC motor 3 for driving the cutter 33
Motor drive circuit 33b for driving the tape 3a, a tape sensor 3 for detecting a position mark Tm attached to the printing surface of the tape T
5. A ribbon sensor 34 for detecting a cue mark of the ink ribbon R and an input / output control unit (I / O) 36 are connected. The control unit 21 executes a program stored in the ROM 22 in response to a control signal input from the keyboard 12.

The ROM 22 stores in advance various processing programs including a printing process executed by the CPU 21, and also stores necessary data in advance.

The RAM 23 is used as a work area for a processing program executed by the CPU 21. The RAM 23 includes, for example, an input buffer 23 a for storing code data input in response to an operation of a character / symbol input key 12 b of the keyboard 12, and a printer unit 2.
5. A print buffer 23 for storing bitmap data (print image data) corresponding to an image (character string) to be printed.
b, a display buffer 23c for storing bitmap data corresponding to an image (character string) to be displayed on the display unit 13 and the like are provided.

The character generator 24 stores in advance a bitmap pattern corresponding to a character, number or symbol code input from the character / symbol input key 12b.

The display unit 13 is composed of a liquid crystal display device, and displays characters input from the keyboard 12, images corresponding to printed images (character strings), and the like.

The printer section 25 prints an image based on the print data on the tape T by a thermal transfer method.

As shown in the block diagram of the circuit configuration of FIG. 2, the external perspective view of FIG. 3, and the schematic sectional view of FIG.
7, thermal head drive circuit 28, motor drive circuit 2
9, platen roller 30, ink ribbon take-up shaft 31, tape supply shaft 32, cutter 33, DC motor 33a, ribbon sensor 34, tape sensor 35, motor drive circuit 33
b.

3, 4 and 5
As shown in the figure, a strip-shaped tape T wound on each reel, and yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C)
A cartridge 41 containing an ink ribbon R of a predetermined width W in which the three colors of ink are repeatedly arranged with a constant length L is detachably mounted.

The ink ribbon R has a width corresponding to the width of the tape T. .. At the boundaries of the inks of Y, M, C, Y,... Of the ink ribbon R are provided with cue marks M1 to M3 for cueing the inks of the respective colors. The cue marks M1 to M3 have different lengths, and the difference between the lengths determines which color is the boundary between which colors.

As for the tape T, an adhesive is applied to the back surface of a tape material having a printing surface, and a release paper is adhered thereto. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a position mark Tm used for print position alignment when printing an image using a plurality of color inks is provided on the leading end of the unused (new) tape T.
(1) is printed on the printing surface side in advance. The position mark Tm (1) is used as a reference position when printing is performed using the tape T for the first time. In subsequent printing, the same position mark Tm (2) is printed by the printer unit 25. ) Are printed on the printing surface of the tape T each time (see FIG. 7).

The thermal head 2 shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4
Reference numeral 6 includes a plurality of heating elements 26a arranged in one row in the width direction of the tape T. When the thermal head driving circuit 28 drives the thermal head 26 in accordance with print data described later, the heating element 26a generates heat, and the ink ribbon R
Are thermally transferred to the tape T.

The thermal head 26 includes a step motor 2
7 and a driving mechanism (not shown) to rotate around the shaft 26b. At the time of cueing of ink and printing of an image,
The heating element 26a is pressed by the platen roller 30 via the ink ribbon R and the tape T. The heating element 26 a is released from the platen roller 30 when the ink is not caught or when an image is printed, such as when the tape T is rewound, which will be described later. That is, in the state where the thermal head 26 is pressed by the platen roller 30, the conveyance and discharge of the tape T and the conveyance and winding of the ink ribbon R are the same in the direction of the arrow A by the rotational driving of the platen roller 30 and the ink ribbon winding shaft 31. Is carried out with the amount of conveyance. When the thermal head 26 is released from the platen roller 30, only the tape T is reversely conveyed in the direction of arrow B as the tape T is rewound by driving the tape supply shaft 32. The thermal head 26 is in a state where the heating element 26a is released from the platen roller 30 in an initial state such as when the cartridge 41 is attached and detached.

The stepping motor 27 includes a motor driving circuit 2
9 drives a thermal head 26, a platen roller 30, an ink ribbon winding shaft 31, and a tape supply shaft 32 via a driving mechanism (not shown). The DC motor 33a is driven by a motor drive circuit 33b to drive the cutter 33.

The platen roller 30 includes a step motor 2
7, and is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow C in FIG. Thus, the tape T and the ink ribbon R are transported together in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG.

The ink ribbon take-up shaft 31 is driven by the step motor 27 together with the platen roller 30.
The used ink ribbon is wound up when printing, and the ink ribbon is also wound up when cueing the ink.

When the image is printed, the tape supply shaft 32 is released, and the rotation of the platen roller 13 in FIG.
Is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow E. Tape supply shaft 32
Is driven by the step motor 27 when the printing of the image with the ink of any of the colors Y, M, and C is completed, and when the cueing of the next ink is completed, the image is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow F in FIG. Is done. As a result, the transport position of the ink ribbon R where the cue of the ink has been performed is kept as it is,
Only the tape T is reversely transported in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG.
Rewind.

The cutter 33 is automatically operated by driving the DC motor 33a after printing on the tape T is completed, and cuts the tape T on which an image is printed at an appropriate position. The drive control is also performed when the position mark Tm printed on the tape T is separated from the print image.

The ribbon sensor 34 is constituted by a light transmission type or a light reflection type sensor, and is disposed on the transport path of the ink ribbon R partially exposed from the cartridge 41 when the cartridge 41 is mounted on the printer unit 25. Is done. The ribbon sensor 34 detects Y,
Detecting black cue marks M1 to M3 provided at the head of the M and C ink areas, and detecting Y, M and C of the ink ribbon R
Are detected.

The tape sensor 35 is constituted by a light reflection type sensor, and a black position mark Tm attached to a printing surface of the tape T passing therethrough as the tape T is conveyed.
Is detected.

The control section 11 controls the conveyance of the ink ribbon R (conveyance in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 4) based on the detection signals of the cue marks M1 to M3 output from the ribbon sensor 34. The transport control of the tape T (the transport in the direction of arrow A and the reverse transport in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4) is performed based on the detection signal of the position mark Tm output from the tape sensor 35.

Next, the operation of the printer unit 25 during color printing will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the printing process of the color printer. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state of transport of the tape T corresponding to one color printing in the printing process of the color printer. In the initial state, FIG.
It is assumed that the leading end of the tape T is set at the tape cutting position by the cutter 33 as shown in FIG.

The keyboard 12 has a print key 12c, and a print operation is started by operating the print key 12c.
When the printing operation is started, an initial setting process is performed (step A1).

When printing the print data stored in the print buffer 23c in the RAM 23 in the printer unit 25 in color, first, the cueing process of the yellow ink Y is performed (step A2).

That is, when the motor drive circuit 29 drives the step motor 27 one step at a time, the ink ribbon take-up shaft 31 and the platen roller 30 are rotated, and the ink ribbon R is transported in the direction shown by the arrow A in FIG. You. When the cue mark M1 of the ink ribbon R reaches the position of the ribbon sensor 34, the detection signal is output from the ribbon sensor 34 to the control unit 21. Thus, under the control of the control unit 21, the driving of the motor drive circuit 29 is stopped, and the conveyance of the ink ribbon R is stopped.

Here, with the transport of the ink ribbon R, the tape T is also transported following the ink ribbon R as shown in FIG. Is performed, the tape T is returned by at least an amount corresponding to the transport amount in the cueing process of the yellow ink Y.

That is, the motor drive circuit 29 drives the step motor 27 so that the thermal head 26
Is released from the platen roller 30, the ribbon supply shaft 32 is rotated, and only the tape T is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG.
(Step A3). On this occasion,
Position mark T pre-printed on the printing surface at the tip of tape T
When m (1) is detected by the tape sensor 35, the detection signal is output to the control unit 21. As a result, the motor drive circuit 29 is stopped, and the reverse transport of the tape T is stopped at the position (print start position) shown in FIG.

Here, the position mark Tm (1) is
If the tape cassette is new and has just been replaced and the tape T has not been used at all, it has been printed in advance when the tape cassette was manufactured, and the tape cassette has already been set in this printing apparatus. If the tape T has been used for printing, it has been formed on the tape T during the previous printing. As described below, color printing is performed with each of the Y, M, and C color inks by performing positioning based on the position mark Tm (1).

When the reverse transport of the tape T in step A3 is completed, the position mark Tm (1) of the tape T corresponds to the position of the tape sensor 35 (FIG. 7 (c)). At that time, the position on the tape T corresponding to the thermal head 26 becomes the printing start position, and the color printing is performed.

First, printing with the yellow ink Y is performed.

That is, the motor drive circuit 29 drives the step motor 27 so that the thermal head 26
Is driven to press the heating element 26 a against the platen roller 30 via the ink ribbon R and the tape T. This allows
In this state, the thermal head drive circuit 28
By driving the thermal head 26 in accordance with the print data stored in the print buffer 23b, the heating element 26a generates heat, and the Y ink arranged on the ink ribbon R is transferred to the tape T. Also, the motor drive circuit 29
By driving the step motor 27, the platen roller 30 and the ink ribbon take-up shaft 31 are rotated, and the ink ribbon R and the tape T are transported together in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. As a result, FIG.
As shown in (e), the image of Y color is printed on the tape T by the thermal head 26 with the transport of the ink ribbon R and the tape T (step A4).

After the printing of the Y color image is completed, when the tape T is transported a predetermined distance while the tape T and the ink ribbon R are subsequently transported to the downstream side, as shown in FIG. A new position mark Tm to be used as a reference for alignment at the time of next printing by the thermal head 26
(2) is printed at a predetermined position on the tape T in Y color (step A5). This new position mark Tm (2) is performed on an area used by the next printing operation which is located on the downstream side of the printing area P of the tape T currently being printed. That is, FIG.
Assuming that margins of appropriate lengths are set on the upstream side and the downstream side of the current print area indicated by oblique lines (e) and (f), the next print is performed further downstream from the margin area set on the downstream side. Area used at that time, and the position mark Tm
(2) will be printed. These position marks are printed on the edge of the tape T in the width direction. This position is, for example, a position corresponding to the upper and lower margins of the print area in the tape width direction as shown in FIG. 7, and the tape sensor 35 scans the mark reading scan along the longitudinal edge of the tape T. Is performed. Since the scanning line of the tape sensor 35 is out of the print area, the tape sensor 35 detects only the mark without detecting the print image.

The position mark may be printed at the center of the tape T in the width direction. In that case, the tape sensor 35
The scanning line passes through the printing area, but a mark in a form that can be distinguished from the print image may be printed, for example, by providing a plurality of lines at predetermined intervals or at different intervals.

Returning to FIG. 6, after printing the position mark Tm (2) using the Y color ink, the magenta ink M
Is performed (step A6). The cueing process of the magenta ink M is performed by transporting the ink ribbon R in the direction of the arrow A and detecting the cue mark M2 provided on the ink ribbon R by the ribbon sensor 34. With the transport of the ink ribbon R, the tape T is also transported following the ink ribbon R (FIG. 7 (g)).

Next, the motor drive circuit 29 drives the stepping motor 27 to release the thermal head 26 from the platen roller 30 and rotate the ribbon supply shaft 32 so that only the tape T is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. (Step A)
7). At this time, the transport of the tape T in the reverse direction
Position mark Tm (1) pre-printed on the printing surface at the tip of
Is detected by the tape sensor 35. When the detection signal of the position mark Tm (1) is output to the control unit 21 by the tape sensor 35, the motor drive circuit 29 is stopped, and the tape T is reversed at the position (print start position) shown in FIG. The transport is stopped.

Next, the motor driving circuit 29 drives the stepping motor 27 to drive the thermal head 26, and the heating element 26 via the ink ribbon R and the tape T.
a is pressed against the platen roller 30. Thus, in this state, the thermal head driving circuit 28 drives the thermal head 26 in accordance with the print data stored in the print buffer 23b in the RAM 23, so that the heating element 2
6a is heated to transfer the M ink arranged on the ink ribbon R to the tape T, and the motor drive circuit 29 drives the step motor 27 to rotate the platen roller 30 and the ink ribbon winding shaft 31. ,
The ink ribbon R and the tape T are transported together in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7 (i), the print data of M color is printed on the tape T so as to overlap the print area P printed with the Y ink (step A8).

After the printing of the image of M color is completed, when the tape T is transported by a predetermined distance, the position mark Tm of M color is added to the position mark Tm (2) already printed in Y color.
Are overprinted (step A9).

After printing the position mark Tm (2) with the M color ink, the cueing process of the magenta ink C is performed (step A10). The cueing process of the magenta ink C is performed by transporting the ink ribbon R in the direction of arrow A and detecting the cue mark M3 provided on the ink ribbon R by the ribbon sensor 34. With the transport of the ink ribbon R, the tape T is also transported following the ink ribbon R.

Next, the motor drive circuit 29 drives the stepping motor 27 to release the thermal head 26 from the platen roller 30 and rotate the ribbon supply shaft 32 so that only the tape T is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG. (Step A1)
1). At this time, the transport of the tape T in the reverse direction
Position mark Tm (1) pre-printed on the printing surface at the tip of
Is detected by the tape sensor 35. When the detection signal of the position mark Tm (1) is output to the control unit 21 by the tape sensor 35, the motor drive circuit 29 is stopped, and the reverse transport of the tape T is stopped.

Next, the print data of the color C is printed over the same print area P of the tape T in the same manner as the print data of the colors Y and M (step A12). Here, at the time of overprinting with the C ink which is the final color of the color printing, as shown in FIG.
7, the tape T and the ink ribbon R are conveyed together, and from the start of printing of the tape T, the tape T has a distance (GH) obtained by subtracting the set margin H from the distance G between the head and the cutter. Printing is interrupted at the point when the motor is transported by the corresponding number of motor drive steps (step A13). Then, the cutter 33 is driven by the DC motor 33a, and the unnecessary tape portion before the leading margin is cut and separated. The unnecessary tape portion has a position mark Tm (1).

After the cutting of the unnecessary tape portion, the C printing process is restarted, and the remaining print data is overprinted with the C ink. When the overprinting of the print data is completed, the motor drive circuit 29 drives the platen roller 30 by continuously driving the step motor 27, and the tape T is
Is transported in the direction indicated by arrow A. When the tape T is conveyed by a predetermined distance, the thermal head 26 prints the position mark Tm (2) in C color at the same position as the previous time. Thus, the position mark Tm (2) is completed as a black mark (step A16).

After printing the position mark Tm (2) with the C color ink, as shown in FIG. 7 (k), the end position where the set margin H is further set from the end position of the color print area P on the tape T is the cutter. 33, and the printed tape T
Is discharged including the set margin H, the motor drive circuit 29 stops driving the step motor 27 to stop the transport of the tape T (step A17). In this state, the motor drive circuit 33b further operates the cutter 33 by driving the DC motor 33a to cut the tape T (step A18).

By the above operation, 1 for the tape T
The color printing of one sheet is completed. Thereafter, when printing is continuously performed, the ink ribbon R and the tape T are printed as described above.
The transport of the tape T in the opposite direction is performed based on the position mark Tm (2). Further, a position mark Tm (3) is printed on the area used for the next printing of the tape T every time printing of Y, M, C is performed.

As described above, by controlling the transport of the tape T based on the position mark Tm printed on the printing surface of the tape T, the printing position of each color ink in color printing can be adjusted. It is not necessary to print a plurality of position marks at the same pitch on the back surface of the tape at the time of tape manufacture, and the labor and cost for the printing process can be reduced accordingly.

In the above-described embodiment, when the tape T is conveyed in the reverse direction and the printing start is aligned, the amount of conveyance of the tape T in the forward direction due to the cueing of the ink on the ink ribbon and the downstream of the printing area P The position mark Tm (2) used at the next printing depends on the length of the margin on the side, the length from the rear end of the margin to the position mark Tm (2), the distance between the head and the tape sensor, and the like. It may pass through the installation position of. For example, at the time of tape reverse transport in step A7 or step A11. In that case, step A
7, the Y position mark Tm (2) of the Y color ink passes through the installation position of the tape sensor 35 prior to the black position mark Tm (1) at the time of step A.
When the tape 11 is reversely conveyed, the red position mark Tm (2) in which the Y color ink and the M color ink are overprinted passes the installation position of the tape sensor 35 prior to the black position mark Tm (1). Become.

If the reverse transport is stopped by detecting the position mark Tm (2) preceding the black position mark Tm (1) during the reverse transport of the tape in step A7 or step A11, the printing start position is completely different, and Does not work.

As described above, the position mark Tm (2) in step A7 or step A11 is Y or red and has a different color from the black position mark Tm (1).

Therefore, for example, when a mark is detected by the tape sensor 35 composed of a reflection type optical sensor, the amount of light reflected from each mark of a different color is different, and the amount of light reflected from a black mark is smaller than that of Y or red. Because there are few,
By comparing the level of the detection signal at the light receiving portion of the sensor with a threshold value appropriately set, the Y color, the red mark, and the black mark can be identified. Then, the reverse conveyance is stopped only when the black mark is detected.

Also, for example, the total number of line-shaped marks may be changed or the thickness may be changed between odd-numbered printing and even-numbered printing during printing by the printing apparatus. May be identified by changing. In this case, the printing apparatus counts the total number of printings by the printing apparatus, and switches the flag between “0” and “1” depending on whether the count value is an odd number or an even number. The printing of the position mark is executed by changing the type according to the value of the flag. Thus, different types of position marks are printed during continuous printing, thereby preventing malfunction.

In the above embodiment, step A13
To stop printing with C color ink, and position mark Tm (1)
Was removed, but the position mark T
m (1) may be left.

The method of providing the position mark Tm on the tape printing surface side is effective for a magnet tape (magnetic tape) 42 as shown in FIGS.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration in the case where the magnet tape 42 is accommodated in the case of the cartridge 41. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the magnet tape 42.

As shown in FIG. 8, inside the case of the cartridge 41, a magnetic tape pan wound around the tape core 43 with the recording receiver (the surface on which the ink ribbon R is printed) of the magnetic tape 42 facing inside. Cake 44
And a ribbon pancake 47 wound around a ribbon core 46 with the ink surface of the ink ribbon R inside, and a ribbon for winding up the ink ribbon R unwound from the ribbon pancake 47 and used for printing on the magnetic tape 42. The take-up core 48 is housed, and its upper surface is covered by a cover (not shown).

The ink ribbon R is made of a magnetic tape 42
And has a width corresponding to the width of
At the boundaries between the Y, M, C, Y,... Inks of the ink ribbon R, black cue marks M1 to M3 for cueing the inks of the respective colors are provided. The cue marks M1 to M3 have different lengths, and the difference between the lengths determines which color is the boundary between which colors.

As shown in FIG.
Is processed into a long tape shape, and is made of a ferrite substrate (magnetic layer) 50 (for example, having a thickness of 0.1 mm) joined by using, for example, chlorinated polyethylene as a binder.
3 mm), a recording receiver 51 (for example, a thickness of 38 μm) based on a film made of, for example, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and provided with a layer for receiving ink or the like on one side, a substrate 50 and a recording receptor. An adhesive layer 52 (for example, having a thickness of 15 μm)
m). An ink receiving layer 55 is provided on the surface of the recording receptor 51 opposite to the surface facing the adhesive layer 52.
Is provided, and the adhesive layer 52 of the substrate 50 is provided.
A magnetized surface 53 is provided on a surface opposite to the surface opposite to.

As described above, since the back surface of the magnet tape 42 is the magnetized surface 53 (magnet surface), there is a problem in printing the position mark by the conventional method there.
In other words, since the magnetized surface 53 is generally black, it is necessary to print a position mark such as white, and it is necessary to print the position mark with a predetermined thickness in order to improve the detection accuracy of the position mark. The magnetic force decreases.

On the other hand, according to the method of the present invention, the ink receiving layer 55 (the printing surface) which is the surface of the magnet tape 42
In this method, the position mark Tm described above is printed to perform alignment, so that the printing of the position mark Tm does not impair the magnetizing force of the magnet tape 42.
As in the case of the normal tape T, the tape transport control can be correctly performed based on the position mark Tm on the printing surface.

In the above embodiment, a printer using a color ink ribbon has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be applied to, for example, an ink jet type color printer.

[0081]

As described above, according to the present invention, the printing position of the tape is adjusted based on the mark provided on the printing surface of the tape, and a plurality of colors of ink are used in the same printing area of the tape. The image was printed in color, and the mark was printed on the area of the tape which was located downstream of the print area used for the current printing and used for the next print, so that the longitudinal direction of the tape was determined in advance. Without printing the marks at regular intervals along, the print position can be aligned based on the marks printed during the previous printing, and color printing can be performed.

Further, by controlling the transport of the tape on the basis of the marks printed on the tape printing surface, it is not necessary to print a plurality of marks in advance during tape manufacturing, and the labor and cost involved in the printing process are reduced accordingly. Can be reduced.

The method of printing a mark on the tape printing surface side by a predetermined printing control can eliminate the inconvenience of printing the mark on the back surface like a magnetic tape.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a color printer according to an embodiment of a printing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic circuit of the color printer.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of the color printer in which a cover of a printer unit is opened.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a printer section of the color printer.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a configuration of an ink ribbon incorporated in a cartridge mounted on a printer unit of the color printer.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a printing process of the color printer.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state of transport movement of the tape T corresponding to one color printing in the printing process of the color printer.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which a magnet tape is accommodated in a case of a cartridge mounted on a printer unit of the color printer.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of the magnet tape.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Device main body, 12 ... Keyboard, 12a ... Power key, 12b ... Character / symbol input key, 12c ... Print key, 13 ... Liquid crystal display part, 14 ... Printer cover, 15 ... Cassette storage part, 16 ... Tape ejection Exit: 21: Control unit (CPU), 22: ROM, 23: RAM, 23a: Input buffer, 23b: Print buffer, 23c: Display buffer, 24: Character generator, 25: Printer unit, 26: Thermal head, 26a ... Heating element, 27 Step motor, 28 Thermal head drive circuit, 29 Motor drive circuit, 30 Platen roller, 31 Ink ribbon take-up shaft, 32 Tape feed shaft, 33 Cutter, 33a DC motor, 33b ... Motor drive circuit 34 ... Ribbon sensor 34a ... Ribbon mark detection unit 5 ... tape sensor, 35a ... tape mark detector, 41 ... cartridge, T ... tape, Tm ... position mark, R ... ink ribbon, M1 to M3 ... ink cue mark.

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat II (reference) B41M 5/26 B41M 5/26 A F term (reference) 2C055 CC01 CC05 2C068 AA05 BD04 BD23 BD31 EE27 EE59 KK14 KK27 2H111 AA01 AA26 AA31 AA53 BA14 CA05 CA25

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A conveying means for reciprocating a long tape in a longitudinal direction, and a detecting means for detecting a mark indicating a print start position on a printing surface at a leading end of the tape conveyed by the conveying means. And printing means for positioning an image based on the mark detected by the detection means and printing an image using a plurality of colors of ink in the same print area of the tape conveyed by the conveyance means. And a mark printing means for printing the mark on an area of the tape to be used at the time of next printing, which is located at a position deviating downstream from the printing area to be used. 2. A cutting means for cutting the tape, and controlling the cutting means to remove a portion of the tape on which the mark is attached at the tip of the tape after an image is printed on the tape by the printing means. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting control unit that separates the image from a print area of the image. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tape is a magnetic tape including a magnetic layer. 4. A long tape as a printing medium supplied to a printing apparatus which prints an image with a plurality of colors of ink by adjusting a printing start position based on a mark printed on a printing medium at the time of previous printing. A tape cassette, wherein the mark is preliminarily printed on a printing surface at a leading end of the tape cassette in an unused state. 5. The tape cassette according to claim 4, further comprising an ink ribbon holding a plurality of inks of a predetermined length repeatedly for thermally transferring an image to the tape.