JPH07276751A - Color ink ribbon for heat transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid uselessness of a color ink ribbon and simplify the handling. CONSTITUTION:A color ink ribbon 10 is used for a print format wherein like a new year's post card, a full color image recording region and a monochromic image recording region wherein letters and line pictures are recorded are divided by a unit with a plurality of lines. In the color ink ribbon 10, monochromic ink region with an area of seven lines is formed in front of and back of full color ink regions each with an area of seven lines. The full color ink region is used for recording a full color image with an area of seven lines and for recording of each line, three ink areas such as an yellow ink area, a mazenta ink area and a cyan ink area being continuously formed, are used. In the monochromic ink area, a black ink area is continuously formed for recording a monochromic image with seven lines.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color ink ribbon used in a serial type thermal transfer printer. The present invention relates to a color ink ribbon used for recording.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A serial type thermal transfer printer is provided with a reciprocating head carriage on which a color ink ribbon cassette is mounted. A thermal head is attached to this head carriage. While the head carriage moves in the width direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording paper, the color ink ribbon pulled out from the color ink ribbon cassette is superposed on the recording paper, and from behind it. By pressing and heating, the ink of the color ink ribbon is transferred to the recording paper.

There are three types of color ink ribbons, one of three colors formed by repeating a yellow ink area, a magenta ink area, and a cyan ink area in a predetermined order, and the other four colors of which a black ink area is added. . Three
In the case of recording a full-color image with the color color ink ribbon, the head carriage is reciprocated three times, and then the recording paper is fed by about one line in the main scanning direction. With four color ink ribbons, the head carriage is reciprocated four times before paper feed.

Further, as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-109865, a yellow ink area, a magenta ink area, and a cyan ink area are repeatedly formed on one side track, and a black ink is formed on another side track. A double type color ink ribbon in which areas are continuously formed is also known.

[0005]

In many cases, a recording sheet is divided into two parts, one of which records a full-color image and the other of which a monochrome image is recorded. For example, in a New Year's card or a postcard, a full-color image is often recorded in the upper half of the postcard, and a monochrome image such as black characters is often recorded in the lower half. In the color ribbon of three colors, black is represented by a mixed color of yellow ink, magenta ink, and cyan ink, so that it takes time to record black characters.
On the other hand, with the color ink ribbon of four colors, black can be directly recorded using black ink, so that black characters can be recorded at high speed. However, since the yellow ink area, the magenta ink area, and the cyan ink area are idle-fed without being used, the color ink ribbon is wasted.

In the double type color ink ribbon,
When recording a full-color image and black characters, it is necessary to reverse the front and back of the color ink ribbon cassette and set it on the head carriage, which causes a problem of complicated operation. Further, since the front and back of the color ink ribbon cassette are reversed depending on the image to be recorded, it is impossible to know how much each track is used, and the color ink ribbon is eventually wasted.

The present invention provides a color ink ribbon which eliminates waste of the color ink ribbon and can record an image in which a full-color image and a monochrome image which are spread over a plurality of lines are mixed without complicating the operation. It is intended to be provided.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention forms a monochrome ink region before and after a full color ink region. The full-color ink area is used to record a full-color image of M (integer of 2 or more) rows, and for recording one row, three inks of a yellow ink area, a magenta ink area, and a cyan ink area. Area is used. In the monochrome ink area, for example, a black ink area is continuously formed so that a monochrome image of N (integer of 2 or more) lines is recorded. If M and N are the same, the monochrome ink area is approximately 1/3 the length of the full-color ink area.

Since most black characters are contained in the monochrome image, it is preferable to use the black ink area as the monochrome ink area.

[0010]

The color ink ribbon of the present invention is used for recording in a print format in which a recording area is divided into at least two in a unit of a plurality of lines and full-color images and monochrome images are alternately arranged. A full-color image for M rows is recorded on a recording sheet by three-color line sequential recording using the full-color ink area. Next, using the monochrome ink area,
A monochrome image of N lines, such as characters and line drawings, is recorded. The order of recording the full-color image and the monochrome image may be reversed. Further, if one image, for example, a full-color image is continuous, a monochrome image may be divided so as to sandwich the full-color image. Furthermore, M rows, N rows,
It may be divided into M rows, N rows ... In the present invention, since the entire ink area is not fed in an idle manner, the waste of the color ink ribbon is reduced. Further, it is not necessary to reverse the front and back of the color ink ribbon cassette depending on the type of image.

[0011]

1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, the color ink ribbon 10 has M rows, for example, 7 rows of full-color ink areas and N rows, for example, 7 rows of monochrome ink areas alternately formed. Has been done. In this embodiment, in order to record a monochrome image such as a character or a line drawing in black, the monochrome ink area is composed of one black ink area 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the full-color ink area is composed of a yellow ink area 13, a magenta ink area 14, and a cyan ink area 15 which are arranged in the order of thermal recording. These ink areas 13 to 1
The order of 5 may be appropriately changed in consideration of the characteristics of the ink. As is well known, three adjacent ink areas 13 to 15 are used for recording one line. In this embodiment, since the full-color image has seven lines, seven ink areas 13 to 15 of each color are provided.

As shown in FIG. 3, each ink area 13 to.
The lengths of all 15 are L. Further, in order to perform cueing and color identification of the ink areas 13 to 15,
In front of the yellow ink area 13, for example, there are two black bars.
A book mark 17 is formed. In front of the magenta ink area 14 and the cyan ink area 15, a mark 18 having one black bar is formed. In front of the black ink area 11, a mark 19 having three black bars is formed.

FIG. 4 shows a print format in which the color ink ribbon of the present invention is used. The postcard 22 is divided into a full-color image recording area and a monochrome image recording area in units of a plurality of lines. A full-color image 23 is recorded in the full-color image recording area for 7 lines,
Black characters 24 are recorded in the monochrome image recording area for 7 lines. Each row is L in length. In general, since the length of the heating element array of the thermal head is smaller than the width of the color ink ribbon 10, the width of one line is smaller than the width of the color ink ribbon 10.

When printing the postcard 22, first, the full-color ink area is used to record the fracolor image 23, and then the monochrome ink area is used to record the black character 24. When the full-color image 23 is recorded, the yellow ink area 13 is cued so that the leading portion of the yellow ink area 13, which is the first of the full-color ink areas, faces the thermal head. This cueing is performed by feeding the color ink ribbon 10 by the distance between the mark sensor and the thermal head with reference to the time point when the mark sensor detects the mark 17 during the feeding of the color ink ribbon 10. .

After cueing the yellow ink area 13,
The back surface of the yellow ink area 13 is pressed against the postcard 22 by the thermal head, and while the color ink ribbon 10 is being wound up, the thermal head is moved in the sub-scanning direction to transfer the yellow ink to the first line. Next, after cueing the magenta ink area 14 with the mark 18 as a reference,
The magenta ink is transferred to the first line. Similarly, the cyan ink area 15 is used to print cyan ink on the first line.

After recording the first line using the three ink areas 13 to 15, the postcard 22 is fed by one line in the main scanning direction. Next, in the same way as the recording of the first line, the second line is recorded using three ink areas. Similarly,
The 2nd to 7th lines are recorded in order.

When the postcard 22 is fed by one line after the recording of the seventh line of the full-color image recording area is completed, the thermal head faces the first line of the monochrome image recording area. After the black ink area 11 is cueed with the mark 19 as a reference, the first line of the black character 24 is recorded. This first
After the printing of the line, the postcard 22 is fed by one line in the main scanning direction, and then the color ink ribbon 10 is not idly fed, and the printing of the second line is started as it is. Thus, the first to seventh lines of the monochrome image recording area are recorded. As a result, the greeting text is recorded in black characters 24.

FIG. 5 shows a print format in which the monochrome image recording area is divided. The postcard 26
The monochrome image recording area is divided so as to sandwich the full-color image recording area. That is, there is a monochrome image recording area for one line at the top of the postcard 26, and 7
A full-color image recording area for lines is located. Below this, a monochrome image recording area for 6 lines is located. Of course,
The full-color image recording area may be divided and the monochrome image recording area may be sandwiched.

In this print format, recording on the postcard 26 is performed using the end portion of the black ink area 11 which has been unused in the previous print. Then, after the recording of the monochrome image recording area for one line is completed, the full color image is recorded in the full color image recording area for seven lines using the full color ink area. Finally, black characters are printed in the monochrome image recording area for 6 lines using the monochrome ink area.

At the time when the recording of this black character is completed, 1
There is a black ink area where lines can be recorded.
Therefore, when the print example shown in FIG. 5 is repeated, no waste of the ink ribbon occurs. Of course, when printing the postcard shown in FIG. 4, the remaining one line of the black ink area is idly fed.

FIG. 6 shows a thermal transfer printer using the color ink ribbon of the present invention. A paper feed port 31 is formed in the upper part of the box-shaped printer body 30, and recording paper, for example, a postcard 22, is inserted from this. This postcard 22
Are nipped by a pair of feed rollers 32 and 33 and intermittently fed line by line.

A color ink ribbon cassette 36 is set on the head carriage 35. As is well known, the color ink ribbon cassette 36 includes two reels, and the color ink ribbon 10 is wound around the outer periphery with both ends fixed. A notch 37 is formed on the front side of the color ink ribbon cassette 36.

The head carriage 35 is provided with a thermal head 40, a mark sensor 41, and reel shafts 42 and 43. As is well known, the thermal head 40 is provided with a heating element array having a width of one row, and the heating element array is inserted into the notch 37 of the color ink ribbon cassette 36. The heating element array is composed of a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction which is the feeding direction of the postcard 22.

The mark sensor 41 enters a notch (not shown) formed in the front corner of the color ink ribbon cassette 36, detects the marks 17 to 19, and is used to find the head of each ink area. In addition, when recording one line in the order of yellow, magenta, and cyan, it is also confirmed whether or not the head of the yellow ink area is cued at the start of recording one line. The reel shafts 42 and 43 are fitted to the hub of the reel of the color ink ribbon cassette 36. One reel shaft 42 is driven by a pulse motor (not shown) in the head carriage 35, and the color ink ribbon 1
Wind up 0 by the length of one ink dot.

The head carriage 35 is inserted into a guide rod 45 and is slidably supported by a guide rail 46. A part of the timing belt 47 is fixed to the head carriage 35. The timing belt 47 is wound around pulleys 48 and 49. One pulley 48 is connected to the pulse motor 50. The platen 51 is arranged to receive the back of the postcard 22.

The printer body 30 is provided with a print key 52 for instructing the start of printing and a display 53. The display 53 is used for displaying warnings of operating procedures and various troubles.

Image data for one frame is input to the thermal transfer printer from a still video camera or the like. When the print key 52 is operated, the reel shaft 42 is rotated by the pulse motor built in the head carriage 35,
Roll up the color ink ribbon 10. During the winding of the color ink ribbon 10, from the time when the mark sensor 41 detects the passage of the mark, the color ink ribbon 10 is fed by a predetermined amount, and then the rotation of the reel shaft 42 is stopped to make a full-color ink region. The inside of the yellow ink area 13 is cued.

Next, the pulse motor 50 is driven to rotate the pair of feed rollers 32 and 33. These feed rollers 32 and 33 are used for the postcard 2 inserted from the paper feed port 31.
2 is nipped and conveyed toward the head carriage 35. When the full-color image recording area of the postcard 22 faces the thermal head 40, the rotation of the pulse motor 50 is stopped.

After setting the postcard 22, the thermal head 4
0 is moved toward the print position, and the color ink ribbon 10 is pressed against the postcard 22. The image data of each pixel of the first row of the yellow image is converted into drive data for each pixel of one column arranged in the main scanning direction, and the thermal head 40 is converted.
Sent to. The thermal head 40 selectively causes each heating element of the heating element array to generate heat, heats the yellow ink area 13 from behind, and transfers the melted or softened yellow ink to the postcard 22.

Each heating element generates heat so that the area of the ink dot recorded in the pixel on the postcard 22 changes according to the image data of each pixel. At the same time, the pulse motor 50 is driven, the timing belt 47 is rotated, and the head carriage 35 is moved by a fixed amount in the sub-scanning direction. In synchronization with the movement of the head carriage 35, the pulse motor in the head carriage 35 is rotated to wind up the color ink ribbon 10 by a constant amount.

Similarly, while the head carriage 35 is moved in the sub-scanning direction and the color ink ribbon 10 is rolled up, one row of yellow images is recorded one column at a time. When the recording of one line of the yellow image is completed, the movement of the head carriage 35 and the winding of the color ink ribbon 10 are temporarily stopped. After that, the thermal head 40 is retracted, the pulse motor 50 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the head carriage 35 is returned to the initial position.

While the head carriage 35 is being returned, the reel shaft 42 is rotated to idle feed the color ink ribbon 10, and the magenta ink area 14 based on the mark 18 is used.
To cue. By using the magenta ink area 14, the first line of the magenta image is recorded on the postcard 22 while moving the head carriage 35 in the sub-scanning direction. Similarly, after cueing the cyan ink area 15, the first row of the cyan image is sequentially recorded for each column.

Recording of the three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan completes the recording of the first line of the full-color image 23. As described above, the head carriage 35 is returned and the color ink ribbon 10 is wound up. The pulse motor 50 rotates the pair of feed rollers 32 and 33 to feed the postcard 22 by one line.

In the same manner as the above-mentioned procedure, the recording of the second line of the full color image is performed by recording the three colors of yellow, magenta and cyan. Hereinafter, in the same manner, the recording is performed up to the 7th line by the 3-color line sequential recording.

After recording the full-color image 23, the black ink area 11 is cued, and then the head carriage 35 is moved and the color ink ribbon 10 is moved.
While winding, the black characters 24 for one line are recorded in the monochrome image recording area. After recording one line, the head carriage 35 is returned to record the second line of the black character 24 without idly feeding the color ink ribbon 10. Hereinafter, similarly, up to the seventh line of the black character 24 is recorded.

Although the above-mentioned embodiment is a melting type in which the ink of the color ink ribbon is melted and transferred to the recording paper, the present invention can be applied to a sublimation type color ink ribbon cassette in which the ink is transferred by sublimation. You can Further, although the black ink is applied to the monochrome ink area, this may be another color such as green.

[0038]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the yellow ink area, the magenta ink area,
Since monochrome ink areas for recording monochrome images of N rows are formed before and after the M rows of full-color ink areas in which the cyan ink areas are formed in a predetermined order, M rows of full-color images and N rows of monochrome images are formed. When recording an image in which the monochrome image and the monochrome image are mixed in a unit of a plurality of lines, waste of the color ink ribbon can be eliminated. Further, since it is not necessary to change the track of the color ink ribbon according to the type of image, the printing operation is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a color ink ribbon of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a full-color ink area.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing each ink area in detail.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a print format for printing with the color ink ribbon of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing another print format.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a serial type thermal transfer printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Color Ink Ribbon 11 Black Ink Area 13 Yellow Ink Area 14 Magenta Ink Area 15 Cyan Ink Area 22, 26 Postcard 23 Full Color Image 24 Black Character 35 Head Carriage 36 Color Ink Ribbon Cassette 40 Thermal Head

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An ink area for one line consisting of a yellow ink area, a magenta ink area, and a cyan ink area arranged in a predetermined order is formed for M (integer of 2 or more) rows, and N (2) before or after this is formed. A thermal transfer printer characterized in that by forming monochrome ink areas for the above (integer) lines, a full-color image of M lines and a monochrome image of N lines are recorded on a recording sheet in a state of being divided into a plurality of lines. Color ink ribbon. 2. The color ink ribbon for a thermal transfer printer according to claim 1, wherein the monochrome ink area is a black ink area and is used for recording black characters.