JP2007307860A - Printer apparatus and ink sheet therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a printer apparatus, which reduces a cost per one print and inhibit the degradation of quality of an image by shortening an ink sheet length, and also to provide an ink sheet used for the printer apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: A printer body 1 comprises a thermal head 2, in which a minute resistor is allotted on a surface, which is made to generate heat by passing electricity to this minute resistor and transfers coloring material allotted to the ink sheet 4 on image receiving paper 5, and a platen roller 3, which is arranged to this thermal head 2 face to face, and to which the ink sheet 4 and the image receiving paper 5 are made to stick by pressure between the thermal heads 2. A plurality of coloring material layers 4A, 4B, and 4C are formed on the surface of the ink sheet 4, a magnetic recording domain 4D is formed, and positional information of the coloring material layers 4A, 4B, and 4C is recorded on the magnetic recording domain 4D. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer apparatus that obtains a color image by transferring a plurality of colorants formed on an ink sheet onto an image receiving paper by a thermal head, and an ink sheet used therefor.

  Generally, a thermal transfer printer includes a thermal transfer sheet feeding unit, a thermal transfer sheet conveyance unit, a thermal transfer ink sheet conveyance unit, and an image forming unit. A thermal transfer sheet is stored in the thermal transfer sheet feeding unit, and the stored thermal transfer sheet is conveyed to the image forming unit by the thermal transfer sheet conveyance unit.

  The thermal transfer ink sheet transported from the thermal transfer ink sheet transport section to the image forming section is brought into contact with the image forming layer of the thermal transfer sheet transported to the image forming section, and the contact section is a thermal provided in the image forming section. By heating with the head, the colorant formed on the thermal transfer ink sheet is transferred to the image forming layer of the thermal transfer sheet by thermal melting or sublimation to form a colorant image.

  Some thermal transfer printers configured as described above are provided with a magnetic head capable of reproducing, recording, and erasing magnetic information, and an image forming layer is provided on a base sheet as a thermal transfer sheet to be used. At the same time, a magnetic recording area for managing printing information such as the type of heat transfer sheet and the number of printable screens, date and time, contents, etc. is formed on either the front surface, the back surface, or the side surface. Magnetic information is reproduced / recorded / erased by a magnetic head. As a result, there is one that identifies the thermal transfer sheet itself, optimizes the printing conditions, and obtains high-quality image formation (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, in order to stabilize the image quality, a thermal recording sheet provided with a magnetic recording area and recording the printing characteristics of the thermal transfer sheet is known (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  On the other hand, with respect to the ink sheet, in order to make the printer device recognize the leading position of the colorant on the ink sheet, the ink sheet is provided with an identification mark such as a black mark, or in the blank section provided on the ink sheet. Are known in which a display capable of detecting the number of printable images with the naked eye and an optical sensor marker capable of being detected automatically are displayed (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

  In addition, as a method for causing the printer apparatus to recognize whether or not the ink ribbon sheet set satisfies a predetermined standard value, a method of attaching a magnetic seal to the gear portion of the ink cartridge and detecting the magnetic seal is also known (for example, , See Patent Document 4).

JP 2001-287470 A (paragraph 0012, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 4) JP-A-6-35111 (paragraph 0015, FIG. 1) JP-A-6-15937 (paragraph 0004, paragraph 0028, FIG. 1, FIG. 4) JP 2003-285491 (paragraph 0001, paragraph 0026, FIG. 5)

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 provides a thermal recording sheet with a magnetic recording area as an improvement measure to prevent image quality from being unstable due to variations in ink application, and prints of the thermal transfer sheet recorded in the magnetic recording area. The information is detected by the printer device, and does not cause the printer device to detect ink sheet information such as reduction of the ink sheet length.

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 provides a magnetic recording area on a thermal transfer sheet, detects the printing characteristics recorded in the magnetic recording area by a printer device, and stabilizes image quality. Also, the technology disclosed in the above does not cause the printer apparatus to detect ink sheet information such as reduction of the ink sheet length.

  Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a technique in which a display that can detect the remaining number of printable sheets with the naked eye and an optical sensor marker that can be automatically detected are displayed in a blank section provided in the ink sheet. The technique disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 1993-228102 detects the remaining number of printable sheets using an optical sensor composed of a light emitting part and a light receiving part, and reads information recorded in a magnetic recording area of an ink sheet. Also, it does not cause the printer apparatus to detect ink sheet information such as a reduction in ink sheet length.

  Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a technique in which an identification mark such as a black mark is attached in order to make the printer apparatus recognize the leading position of the colorant on the ink sheet. There is a problem that the length of one print of the sheet becomes long and the cost per print becomes high.

  The technique disclosed in Patent Document 4 is a technique in which a magnetic seal is attached to a gear portion of an ink cartridge so that the printer apparatus can recognize that the ink cartridge is a standard product. However, it is possible to recognize whether or not the ink cartridge is a standard product, but there is a problem that it is impossible to reduce the ink sheet length.

  The present invention has been made for the purpose of solving the problems of the techniques disclosed in the above-mentioned patent documents. The first object is to reduce the cost per print by shortening the ink sheet length. An object of the present invention is to obtain a printer apparatus that can reduce the image quality and prevent deterioration of the image quality.

  A second object is to stabilize the image quality by controlling the printer device based on the specific information of the colorant recorded in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet.

  The third purpose is to determine whether the ink sheet is a genuine product, display a warning if the ink sheet is not a regular product, and realize the purpose of performing the printing operation only with the regular product in combination with the first product. It is in.

  The fourth object is to realize the purpose of improving the convenience of the user together with the first object by the printer device recognizing and displaying the remaining amount of the ink sheet.

  In the printer device according to the present invention, a magnetic recording area is formed together with a plurality of colorant layers on the surface, and an ink sheet on which at least position information of the colorant layer is recorded in the magnetic recording area, and the colorant layer is heated. And a reading unit for reading information recorded in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet.

  According to the present invention, the magnetic recording area is formed together with the plurality of colorant layers on the surface of the ink sheet, and at least the position information of the colorant layer is recorded in the magnetic recording area. The necessary black marks can be eliminated, and the pattern length can be shortened without changing the width of the ink sheet, so that the cost per print can be reduced.

  Exemplary embodiments of a printer device and an ink sheet used therefor will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a printer main body 1 includes a thermal head 2 and a platen disposed to face the thermal head 2. A roller 3 is provided. The thermal head 2 is provided with a minute resistor on the surface, generates heat by energizing the minute resistor, and transfers the colorant disposed on the ink sheet 4 to the image receiving paper 5. The platen roller 3 presses the ink sheet 4 and the image receiving paper 5 with the thermal head 2, and the thermal head 2 is pressed against the platen roller 3 with a constant head pressure by an urging means (not shown). It is energized.

  As will be described later, a magnetic recording area is formed on the ink sheet 4 so that the printer body 1 recognizes the positions of a plurality of colorant layers disposed on the surface, and a plurality of colorant layers are formed in the magnetic recording area. Position information is recorded.

  Further, the printer main body 1 includes reading means for reading magnetic recording information of the ink sheet 4, for example, a sensor 6. The sensor 6 is fed between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3. It is arranged at a position immediately before Further, the printer main body 1 is provided with a winding bobbin 7 for winding the ink sheet 4, a supply bobbin 8 for supplying the ink sheet 4, and a guide roller 9 for guiding the ink sheet 4 between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3. ing. The take-up bobbin 7 and the supply bobbin 8 are driven by a motor via a gear train, a torque limiter, etc., not shown.

  Further, the image receiving paper 5 is sandwiched between a conveyance roller and a pinch roller (not shown), guided between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3, and overlapped with the ink sheet 4 between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3. As a result, the colorant disposed on the ink sheet 4 is color-printed on the image receiving paper 5 by a plurality of transfer operations. The printer body 10 and the ink sheet 4 constitute a printer device 10.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the ink sheet 4 used in the printer device 10 according to the first embodiment. The ink sheet 4 includes three types of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C). The colorant layers 4 </ b> A, 4 </ b> B, and 4 </ b> C are sequentially formed in an equal pattern, and are transferred to the image receiving paper 5 by the thermal head 2.

  The ink sheet 4 is formed with a magnetic recording area 4D having magnetic recording for causing the printer body 1 to read the positions of the colorant layers 4A, 4B, and 4C. The magnetic recording area 4D can be formed in the area where the sensor 6 is in contact by applying a magnetic paint obtained by dispersing magnetic powder in a binder resin in the presence of an organic solvent to the surface of the ink sheet 4 and drying it. Examples of the powder or binder resin include those disclosed in JP-A-2001-287470. The magnetic recording area 4D may be only the area in contact with the sensor 6 as shown in FIG. 2, or the entire surface of the ink sheet 4 may be used as the magnetic recording area.

  The printer apparatus according to the first embodiment is configured as described above, and the operation thereof will be described next.

  Since the printer 10 needs to transfer the color material 4A of a specific color to the image receiving paper 5 first, the ink sheet 4 is detected until the magnetic recording area 4D having the magnetic recording of the cueing information of the color material 4A is detected. Is wound with a winding bobbin 7. When the magnetic recording area 4D having the magnetic recording of the heading information of the colorant 4A is detected by the sensor 6, the driving of the winding bobbin 7 is stopped.

  After the head position of the colorant 4A on the ink sheet 4 is determined, a specific pressure is applied between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 to energize the minute resistor of the thermal head 2 so that the thermal head 2 generates heat appropriately. In this state, the ink sheet 4 and the image receiving paper 5 are driven in one direction by a motor (not shown), the colorant 4A of the ink sheet 4 is sequentially thermally transferred to the image receiving paper 5, and a predetermined image is transferred to the image receiving paper 5.

  When the image is transferred for one screen, the pressure between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 is released, and the image receiving paper 5 is returned to the print start position. The ink sheet 4 and the image receiving paper 5 are driven in one direction by a motor (not shown) while the pressure is again applied between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 3 to transfer the next colorant 4B to the image receiving paper 5. Similarly, a color print can be obtained by repeating a plurality of transfers.

  As described above, the printer apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment does not require an identification mark such as a black mark on the ink sheet 4 in order to make the printer main body 1 recognize the leading position of the colorant. Since the pattern length can be shortened without changing, the cost per print can be reduced.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In Embodiment 2, in addition to the position information of the colorant layer, colorant information unique to the ink sheet, for example, colorant variation information, is recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet, and this variation information is detected immediately before printing. By doing so, the image quality is stabilized.

  3 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the printer device 30 according to the second embodiment, colorant variation information, for example, colorant information unique to the ink sheet, for example, application variation for each lot of colorant is recorded in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet 31. Has been. The variation information is read by the sensor 6, and the read signal is input to the ink sheet current correction unit 32 provided in the printer device 30. The ink sheet current correction unit 32 can stabilize the image quality by correcting the current value supplied to the thermal head 2 to an appropriate value based on the input signal. Since the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted by giving the same reference numerals.

  As described above, according to the printer device 30 according to the second embodiment, in addition to the position information of the colorant layer, the colorant information unique to the ink sheet, for example, the colorant variation information, is previously added to the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet 31. In addition to the effect of the first embodiment, there is an effect of stabilizing the image quality.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
Next, a third embodiment will be described. In Embodiment 3, in addition to the position information of the colorant layer, the remaining amount information of the ink sheet is recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet, and this remaining amount information is displayed on the remaining amount display portion of the ink sheet for use. It is to make a person recognize.

  That is, FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. In the printer device 40 according to the third embodiment, the remaining amount information of the ink sheet 41 is recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet 41 in addition to the position information of the colorant layer. The remaining amount information is read by the sensor 6, and the read signal is input to the ink sheet remaining amount display unit 42. The ink sheet remaining amount display unit 42 displays the remaining amount of the ink sheet 41 based on the input signal and makes the user recognize it. The feeding of the ink sheet 41 can also be controlled by stopping the motor that drives the winding bobbin 7 that winds up the ink sheet 41 in conjunction with the remaining amount display of the ink sheet 41. Here, the ink sheet remaining amount display unit 42 may be provided in a display unit associated with the printer device 30 or may be provided in the printer device 30. Since the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted by giving the same reference numerals.

  As described above, according to the printer device 40 according to the third embodiment, the remaining amount information of the ink sheet is recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet 41 in addition to the position information of the colorant layer. Is displayed on the ink sheet remaining amount display section 42, so that in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, there is an effect of improving the convenience for the user.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. In the fourth embodiment, in addition to the position information of the colorant layer, quality information indicating that the ink sheet is genuine is recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet, and the quality information is displayed on the ink sheet quality display. It is displayed on the screen to make the user recognize it.

  That is, FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the same parts as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In the printer device 50 according to the fourth embodiment, in addition to the position information of the colorant layer, quality information indicating that the ink sheet is a genuine product is encoded and recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet 51. Yes. The quality information is read by the sensor 6, and the read signal is input to the ink sheet quality display unit 52. The ink sheet quality display unit 52 displays a warning when the ink sheet 51 is an irregular product based on the input signal. In addition, by transmitting information on the non-genuine product to the motor that drives the take-up bobbin 7 that winds up the ink sheet 51, the motor can be stopped and only the regular product can be printed.

  Note that the quality information is encrypted and recorded when the ink sheet 51, which is a consumable, is mounted on the printer device 50, the ink sheet 51, which is a regular product, must be mounted in order to stabilize the image quality. At this time, there is a problem that the non-genuine ink ribbon 51 is simply remodeled as if it were a regular ink ribbon 51, and the non-genuine ink ribbon 51 is mounted. This is because it is necessary to prevent discovery of the detection method.

  As described above, according to the printer device 50 according to the fourth embodiment, the quality information of the ink sheet is recorded in advance in the magnetic recording area 4D of the ink sheet 51 in addition to the position information of the colorant layer. By displaying on the ink sheet quality display section 52, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, it can be determined whether or not the ink sheet 51 is a genuine product. As a result, when it is not a regular product, a warning can be displayed, or a print operation can be performed only with a regular product, which can be used for counterfeit products.

Embodiment 5 FIG.
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. In the fifth embodiment, the printer apparatus of the first embodiment is provided with a recording head for writing information in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet or a recording head for erasing information, thereby preventing the used ink sheet from being used twice. It is.

  That is, FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a printer apparatus according to Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The printer device 60 according to the fifth embodiment includes writing means for writing information in the magnetic recording area 4D of the ink sheet 4 or erasing means 61 for erasing information. Since the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted by giving the same reference numerals.

  According to the printer device 60 according to the fifth embodiment, the printer device 10 according to the first embodiment further includes writing means for writing information in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet 4 or erasing means 61 for erasing information. Thus, since the information in the magnetic recording area of the used ink sheet can be rewritten or erased for each print pattern, it is possible to prevent the used ink sheet from being used twice. In the above description, the case where the writing means for writing information or the erasing means 61 for erasing information is provided has been described. However, both the writing means for writing information and the erasing means for erasing information may be provided.

  As described above, as information to be recorded in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet, in addition to the position information of the colorant layer illustrated and described in the first embodiment, in the second embodiment, colorant information unique to the ink sheet, for example, variation in colorant An embodiment in which information is recorded is illustrated and described. In an embodiment 3, an embodiment in which ink sheet remaining amount information is recorded is illustrated and described. In Embodiment 4, an ink sheet is a genuine product. Although the embodiment in which the quality information is encrypted and recorded has been illustrated and described, the embodiment is appropriately selected within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, such as recording the information in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet by appropriately combining the information. Obviously, it can be changed.

  According to the present invention, the ink sheet length can be shortened, the cost per print can be reduced, the deterioration of the image quality can be prevented, and the applicability to the printer apparatus is great.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a printer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a schematic plan view of an ink sheet used in the printer device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the printer apparatus concerning Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the printer apparatus concerning Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the printer apparatus concerning Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the printer apparatus concerning Embodiment 5 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer main body 2 Thermal head 3 Platen roller 4, 31, 41, 51 Ink sheet 4A, 4B, 4C Colorant layer 4D Magnetic recording area 5 Image receiving paper 6 Sensor 7 Winding bobbin 8 Supply bobbin 9 Guide roller 10, 30, 40 , 50, 60 Printer device 32 Ink sheet current correction unit 42 Ink sheet remaining amount display unit 52 Ink sheet quality display unit 61 Recording head

Claims (5)

  An ink sheet in which a magnetic recording area is formed together with a plurality of colorant layers on the surface, and at least position information of the colorant layer is recorded in the magnetic recording area, and a thermal head that transfers the colorant layer to image receiving paper by heat And a reading means for reading information recorded in the magnetic recording area of the ink sheet.   2. The printer apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a writing unit for writing to the magnetic recording area and an erasing unit for erasing information recorded in the magnetic recording area.   An ink sheet, wherein a magnetic recording area is formed on a surface together with a plurality of colorant layers, and unique information of a colorant constituting the plurality of colorant layers is recorded in the magnetic recording area.   4. The ink sheet according to claim 3, wherein encrypted information indicating that the ink sheet is a genuine product is recorded in the magnetic recording area.   5. The ink sheet according to claim 3, wherein remaining amount information of the ink sheet is recorded in the magnetic recording area.

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