JPH02158356A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make a density constant without relying on the number of printing times to obtain a high-quality printed matter by controlling a printing energy according to the number of printing times of a multi-time use ink ribbon. CONSTITUTION:The number of printing times of a multi-time use ink ribbon set in a printing mechanism 1 is read by a circuit judging means 2, and the time information is outputted to a table selection means 3. The table selection means 3 outputs an address signal in order to select a suitable table according to the time information. A memory means 5 converts a signal from N bits to M bits (M is a natural number, M >= N) by using a selected table and outputs the result to a control means 6.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is a mark using a multi-time ink ribbon [Prior Art] Conventional printing devices of this type have a multi-time ink ribbon that can transfer the same area more than once. We have achieved low running costs by using ink ribbons.

[Problem M to be solved by the invention] However, when printing the same area many times, there is a problem that the density varies depending on the number of printings.

The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to obtain high-quality prints with constant density regardless of the number of printings. Means] The printing apparatus of the present invention includes a storage means for storing a plurality of data conversion tables, a determination means for determining how many times the multi-time ink ribbon has been printed, and a table in the storage means is selected by the determination means. The apparatus is characterized in that it comprises a selection means, a control means for controlling printing energy based on an output signal output from the storage means, a printing head, and a printing mechanism.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail based on an example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a printing mechanism that includes a multi-time ink ribbon and performs the mechanical operations necessary for printing; 2 is a means for determining the number of times the multi-time ink ribbon has been printed from the printing mechanism in 1; and 3 is a 20-circuit judgment unit. 4 is an N-bit (
5 is a storage means that has a plurality of data conversion tables and converts the 4ON bit data using the table selected by the selection means 3; 6 is a conversion data outputted by the storage means 5; 7 is a printing head that applies energy to the multi-time ink ribbon.

Here, in order to explain in detail, the printing gutter 7 is thermally
'\An example of this is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 will be explained. 11 is a heating element, 12 is a driver circuit that drives the 110 heating element, 16 is an AND gate circuit that has a one-to-one relationship with the heating element, 14 is a plurality of enable signals that control the 16 AND gate circuits, 15 is 1
A latch circuit that is connected to the AND gate circuit No. 3 and stores the same number of data as the heating elements No. 11, No. 16 is a latch signal that controls the launch circuit No. 15, and No. 17 is a latch circuit that connects serially input data to the No. 15 launch circuits in parallel. A shift register circuit 18 outputs serial data input to the shift register 17, and a shift clock 19 synchronizes with the serial data.

In addition, the storage means 5 is a ROM in this embodiment, and there is a data conversion table for correcting the relationship between the number of printings and the density as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 6 (as shown by the solid line in FIG. (increase the data value to increase the value.).

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention configured as described above will be explained below.

The circuit determining means 2 reads the number of times the multi-time ink ribbon of the printing mechanism 1 is used for printing, and outputs the number of times information to the table selection means 6. The table selection means 3 outputs an address signal to select an appropriate table based on the number of times information. The storage means 5 converts the 4ON bit signal using the selected table and converts it into M bits (M is a natural number 2).
M≧N) and outputs it to the control means B. Hereinafter, the explanation will be made according to the time chart shown in FIG. The control means 6 performs parallel-to-serial conversion on the M-bit data to generate serial data 8 and a serial clock 19 synchronized with the serial data 1BK. The same number of serial data 18 as the number of heating elements 11 (hereinafter referred to as data for one line) is transferred to the shift register circuit 17. The transferred data for one line is stored in the launch circuit 15 by the latch signal 16. Next, the gate is opened by the enable signal 14, the AND gate circuit 16 is enabled, and the driver circuit 12 is driven according to the data stored in the heat generating element 11.
generates heat. This heat generation melts the ink and prints it on the object to be transferred. (Hereinafter, the period from this serial data transfer to the generation of heat will be referred to as a basic cycle.) This basic cycle is repeated 2 to the power of M times to generate heat according to the data value output from the storage means 5 and form a pixel. (As shown in R1 in Figure 4, if the data value is 4, heat will be generated for four times the basic cycle. Since the printing energy is proportional to the heat generation time, the longer the heat generation time, the higher the density. 5 shows another embodiment. 101 is a correction value selection means for selecting an appropriate value from the printing number information outputted by the 20 number of times determination means; 102 is a printing means 7 based on the output of 101; This is an applied voltage setting means for setting the voltage applied to.

This example will be explained. As in the embodiment described above, the number of times of printing is determined by the number of times determination means 2, and the correction value selection means 101 selects an appropriate correction value from the input number of printing information and outputs it to the printing voltage setting means 102. The printing voltage setting means 102 sets the applied voltage based on this correction value and outputs it to the printing means 7. In the subsequent operation, heat is generated to form one pixel as described in the previous embodiment.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the printing apparatus of the present invention has the effect of controlling the printing energy by the number of printings of the multi-time ink ribbon, keeping the density constant, and producing high-quality printed matter. .

1......Printing mechanism 2...Circuit judgment means 6...Chiefle selection means 4...N bits Data 5...
... Storage means 6 ... Control means 7 ... - Printing head 101 ... Correction value selection means 102 ... Applied voltage setting means

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printing device which is an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the thermal head, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between printing energy, number of printings, and density, and Fig. 4 explains the specific operation of the thermal head. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing another embodiment.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printing device using a multi-time ink ribbon capable of transferring the same location at least twice or more, the present invention includes a storage means for storing a plurality of data conversion tables, and a determining means for determining how many times the multi-time ink ribbon has been printed. , a selection means for selecting a table in the storage means by the determination means, a control means for controlling printing energy based on an output signal output from the storage means, and a printing head;
A printing device comprising a printing mechanism.