JPS6179369A - Thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a recording picture with high quality by using a prescribed range of adjacent heating blocks as a region heated overlappingly and heating heating elements every other heating element in the overlapped heating region to decrease the change in the difference of heating value between the center and both ends. CONSTITUTION:Recording paper 3 is supported in a running enable way in a direction nearly orthogonal to a recording line R at the lower face of a heating head 2 having a heating elements group 1 arranged in a line and forming the recording line R. A heat sensing ink ribbon 6 is inserted between the heating elements group 1 and the recording paper 3. Each heating element corresponding to each comb tooth in the group 1 is divided into plural heating blocks by a heating region control section 7 and heated by a heating head drive section 7a. At least two heating elements at adjacent boundary regions of the heating block are used as the overlapped heating region, heating elements of the odd number order are heated from the end at heating block heating control in the overlapped heating region and the heating of all the heating elements of the overlapped heating region is finished when the adjacent heating blocks are heated so as to reduce the change in the heating value at the boundary.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to a thermal printer that performs recording by dividing a material into a plurality of blocks in the recording width direction and generating heat, especially at the boundary position of each heat generating block. This is to provide a thermal printer that reduces changes in heat generation.

[Prior art] In recent years, efforts have been made to commercialize transfer-type thermal color printers, and some of them have even come to fruition! ``!'! Machines are also becoming available.

In these color printers, for example, a multi-slider pen type is often used as a heat generating head.
Between the heat generating head and the recording paper, there are three colors of yellow (hereinafter referred to as Y), magenta (hereinafter referred to as M), and cyan (hereinafter referred to as C), or four colors that are the above three colors plus black, or Some printers use an ink ribbon coated with more heat-sensitive ink in an alternating array at a constant width, and perform color recording by transferring the heat-sensitive ink from the ink ribbon onto recording paper using a heat-generating head.

In such a color printer, when recording image information on recording paper, for example, when transferring only Y on the ink ribbon, the heating element of the heating head located in the section of the ink ribbon where Y is coated is turned off. A plurality of them are simultaneously generated to generate heat, Y is transferred, and then the Y application section of the ink ribbon is moved to a position adjacent to the previously recorded Y section, and the heating element of the heating head of the moved Y application section of the ink ribbon is activated. It generated heat and transferred Y.

However, in the case of continuous recording in this manner, the heat generation t11 generated by the heat generating element in the central portion becomes larger than the amount of heat generated by the heat generating elements at both ends of the heat generating head that are simultaneously heated. This means that for the heating elements at both ends, the adjacent heating element is the one on the inside, but the other heating element is adjacent to the two heating elements on both sides, and the amount of heat generated by the heating element on one side is higher. This is because the additional amount of heat generated causes a sudden change in the amount of heat generated.

As a result, the amount of heat applied to the ink ribbon is no longer constant,
The difference in the transfer amount of the ink ribbon in both *11 areas was large, and the recording surface became uneven, sometimes resulting in vertical stripes.

Particularly, in cases where pixels to be recorded require gradation, such as in a full-color printer, it has been difficult to obtain a high-quality recorded image with correct gradation due to the non-uniformity of the amount of heat generated.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and at the same time reduces the change in the amount of heat generated at the boundary between adjacent heat generating elements to improve the transfer of the ink ribbon. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a thermal printer capable of stabilizing the quantity and obtaining high-quality recorded images.

[Summary of the Invention] A heating head consisting of linearly arranged heating elements is made to generate heat in accordance with recorded information, and thermal ink on a thermal transfer ink ribbon is transferred to a recording medium to record an image. At least two or more heating elements in adjacent boundary areas are defined as overlapping heating areas, and in this overlapping heating area, odd-numbered heating elements from the ends are made to generate heat when controlling each other's heat generating blocks, and each adjacent heating block Control is performed so that all heating elements in the overlapping heating area stop generating heat when they both generate heat, minimizing changes in the amount of heat generated at the boundary.
The objects of the present invention are achieved by a thermal printer that can be used.

[Example] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block lk of a recording information processing section according to an embodiment of the invention, 2 is a heat generating head, 7 is a heat generating area control section, and a heat generating head drive section 7a (1fi1) is shown. 11 is a video interface, 12 is a video RAM, 13 is a video RAM control circuit for controlling reading/writing of the video RAM 12, 14 is a color avoidance selection circuit, and 15 is a color interval system i+'11 circuit.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the recording section of the large embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the recording lines R are arranged in a straight line.
A recording paper 3 is supported on the lower surface of a heat-generating head 2 having a heating element group 1 that is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the recording line R. The paper is fed by a rotationally driven feed roller 5.

A heat-sensitive ink ribbon 6 is interposed between the heating element group 1 of the heating head 2 and the recording paper 3, and the ribbon is driven by an appropriate ribbon driving means (not shown) to form an acute angle with respect to the recording line R. The ribbon travels along the oblique ribbon travel tRtr at O.

On the other hand, the heating element group 1 installed in the heating head 2 is formed by forming a conductive φ film into a comb-teeth shape using photolithography technology, and a resistor as a heating element is attached to the tip of each comb-teeth. A so-called multi-stylus pen is used, which is fixed to a comb so that each comb tooth can generate heat. In the heating element group 1, each heating element corresponding to each comb tooth (some corresponding to two comb teeth) is divided into a plurality of heat generating blocks by the heat generating area control unit 7 and selectively generates heat. It is controlled and heat is generated by the heat generating head drive section 7a.

Since the recording information for the large embodiment is sent as a video signal, this is received by the video interface 11+. For example, when recording still images displayed on a CRT display device, the video interface 11 receives each horizontal scanning line of the CRT.
, are sequentially stored in the video RAM 12 under the control of the video RAM control circuit 13.

When the recorded data for one column is completed, the video RAM 12
The recorded data is sequentially read out, and the color selection circuit 14 selects R (red) from the video signal.

Each color signal of G (green) and B (blue) is Y.

M and C, and under the control of the color interval control circuit 15, recording color information to be generated that corresponds to the color interval of the thermal ink ribbon 6 is sent to the heat generation area control section 7.

To read the recorded data from this video RAM 12,
This is performed at any time by the step of the transfer mode described later, and the overlapping heating area is defined as, for example, six heating elements each at the boundary between a heating block that generates heat at the same time and an adjacent heating block. The odd-numbered heating element from the end of the heating block is made to generate heat, and at the end of the heating control of both adjacent heating blocks, all the heating elements are finished, and the recording process at 11 o'clock (hereinafter referred to as (referred to as exothermic scanning) is completed. After that, the thermal ink ribbon 6 is moved to the next position.

Next, the recording process for one column will be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the following description, an example will be described in which the heat-sensitive ink ribbon 6 has three color sections, and the ink application width of each color section is constant.

6 sides of the heat-sensitive ink ribbon"- are color sections Y, M,
C are arranged sequentially and repeatedly, and the special color sections Y, M, and C react to the heat from the heating element group 1 to generate picture elements of a color unique to the section on the recording paper 3. The recording is displayed (transferred) on the second recording surface.

In the case of three colors, each of the color intervals Y, M, and C has the following values.
It is impregnated with yellow ink, magenta ink and cyan ink.

During the recording operation, the heat generating area control unit 7 controls each heat generating element of the heat generating element group l forming the recording line R to each color section Y of the heat sensitive ink ribbon 6 while keeping the heat sensitive ink ribbon 6 still.
Records occupying positions corresponding to the central parts of each of , M, and C! ! a Line-shaped heating area N with distance #p of Rl
l + N2 +...+N It is divided into 7 and controlled to be able to generate heat.

That is, the heat generating area N l + N2 +..., N7
As for the heating elements in the area, the heat generating state is turned on or off depending on the special recording information signal S1 from the color advance selection circuit 14 that is supplied to each of the heating elements in the area. , a clearance area (n'l+n2) with a distance ΔA between two areas adjacent to the heat generating area.
, (n'2+n3)..., the recording information signal S
Regardless of 1, it remains in a non-fever state.

As a result, each boundary line between adjacent color sections is located so as to divide the central part of the clearance area (n'1+n2), (n'2+n3)..., and the distance Ht
One heat generation region (for example, one heat generation region N2) has a front end clearance region (for example, region n2) of a distance ΔH/2 at its front end and a distance ΔU/2 at its rear end.
completely contained within the color interval (eg, color interval M) of the corresponding distance #L with a trailing edge clearance area of 2 (eg, area n'2).

As shown in Figure 4, the heat generation area of distance beauty is
It is composed of a solid heating area of , and a heating area of distance #12 that generates heat at every odd numbered area from each end of both ends. In this example, the distance is 5(
u J12)" are equal.

In this way, a certain range of heat generating blocks adjacent to each other is set as an area where heat is generated by overlapping each other, and in this overlapping heat generating area, every other heating element is made to generate heat, so that the amount of heat generated in the center part and the heat generated at both ends are Changes in the amount difference will be reduced.

In the explanation of this embodiment below, the overlapping heating area is assumed to be for six heating elements, but it is sufficient that the overlapping heating area is for two or more heating elements, and the overlapping heating area is an even number of heating elements, and Even if the odd-numbered heating elements are made to generate heat, the same effect can be obtained even if the even-numbered heating elements are made to generate heat from the end.

In addition, when the overlapping heating area is a heating area for an odd number of heating elements, for example, the left end of the heating block generates heat from the odd numbered (or even numbered) heating element, and the right end causes the even numbered (or odd numbered) heating element to generate heat. It is exactly the same even if it is controlled.

During the recording operation, each time one heating scan is completed, the heat-sensitive ink ribbon 6 is moved to the left (or right) along the ribbon running line r by a distance (U U2). As the ribbon 6 travels, each heat generating region N,, N2.

..., N7 also rotates #f along the recording line R in the same direction as the ribbon 6! It is only necessary to run the vehicle by # (Hiki-Hiki).

Then, when the heat generation operation for - columns, that is, the recording operation for - columns is completed, the recording paper 3 is fed one pitch in one direction (or in the other direction), and the next recording operation is performed.

In the following description of this embodiment, R, G,
Although we have described an example in which conversion from B to Y, M, and C is performed at the time of reading from the video RAM 12, the conversion described in "-" is performed before storage from the video interface 11 to the video RAM 2, and the converted Y, M, C to video RA
It may be stored in M12.

In addition, an example has been explained in which the heating head has a capacity for the recording width of 6M recording bodies, and the heating element of the head is fixed to one row.
Even in thermal printers where the heating head is smaller than the recording width and the necessary recording is performed by moving the head, the heating elements adjacent to each other in the heating block are set as overlapping heating areas, and every other heating element in the area is made to generate heat. By doing so, uniform printing quality can be obtained.

It goes without saying that even if the recording medium is a heat-sensitive recording medium and the recording body is directly colored by a heat-generating head, exactly the same effect can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, even in the case of recording image data, etc., there is a stripe pattern on the recording surface with little change in the amount of heat generated even at the boundary of the heat generating area where the heating means simultaneously generates heat. It is possible to provide a thermal printer that can perform high-grade and high-quality recording without generating patterns.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a recording control section of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a recording section of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagram of a heat generating head, a thermal ribbon, and a recording surface of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the heat generating area control of the heat generating head of this embodiment. In the figure, ■... Heat generating element group, 2... Heat generating head, 6...
・Thermal ink ribbon, 7... Heat generating area control section, 7a・
... Heat generating head drive unit, L... Color section width, A... Heat generating area width, 11... Solid heat generating area, p2... Duplicate heat generating area, △ Tori... Non-heat generating area width. .

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A heat generating means in which a plurality of heat generating elements are arranged in at least one row, a driving means for causing the heat generating elements of the heat generating means to generate heat, and a position of the heat generating element at which heat should be generated is specified and controlled for the driving means. control means, the control means divides the recording material in the recording width direction into a plurality of blocks, and causes the heat generating means to generate heat in plural blocks in units of blocks, so that at least two of the heat generating elements at adjacent block boundaries are divided into a plurality of blocks. is defined as an overlapping heating area, and in the overlapping heating area, every other heating element is made to generate heat when the heating blocks of each other generate heat, and the heating elements in the overlapping heating area overlap when the adjacent blocks generate heat. A thermal printer characterized in that the thermal printer is controlled so that no heat is generated, and the change in the amount of heat generated at a boundary position is reduced even if the heat generation timing of each heat generation block is different. (2) The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes odd-numbered heating elements to generate heat from the ends of the heating blocks in the overlapping heating area. (3) The thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the control means causes even-numbered heating elements to generate heat from the ends of the heating blocks in the overlapping heating area.