JPH04111464U - color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a color printer that can improve the reliability of ribbon shifting without causing a significant decrease in printing speed, and can perform high-quality printing at high speed without color mixture. do. [Structure] The color ribbon 1 has a band-shaped color gamut 1a to 1d of a plurality of colors formed at predetermined widths in the vertical direction. Print head 2 arranged to face color ribbon 1
Two color sensors 5a and 5b are arranged. The control device 7 includes color sensors 5a, 5b and a color identification circuit 6a,
Compare the color signal detected by 6b with the specified printing color,
If they match, printing is performed as is, and if they do not match, a ribbon winding mechanism drive signal is generated to wind up the color ribbon 1, and then printing is performed.

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

0001 [Purpose of invention]

0002

[Industrial application field]

This invention relates to a color printer that can print in multiple different colors. do.

0003

[Conventional technology]

Generally, in a color printer using an ink ribbon, the ribbon is formed by a predetermined width in the vertical direction. A color ribbon with a band-like color gamut of multiple colors is used, and a ribbon shift mechanism is used. Shift the color ribbon vertically relative to the print head to select the desired print color. configured to select.

0004 However, such color printers print color ribbons that are not rigid. Because it shifts up and down against the frictional resistance with the tip of the color head, it allows accurate color rotation. It may not be possible to shift the color, and color mixing is likely to occur. Therefore, before starting printing, Activate the ribbon winding mechanism to apply tension to the color ribbon and shift the ribbon. Color printers have also been developed to improve reliability. However, this With color printers like this, the ribbon is wound up every time the ribbon is shifted. As a result, printing speed decreases significantly.

[0005]

[Problem that the idea aims to solve]

As mentioned above, in conventional color printers, when the ribbon is shifted, the ribbon Color printers that do not wind the ribbon tend to have unreliable ribbon shifts and color mixing. Color printers that wind up the ribbon every time the ribbon shifts With printers, ribbon shift reliability can be improved and color mixing can be prevented, but ribbon Since the ribbon is wound up each time a ribbon shift is performed, the printing speed will decrease significantly. There was a problem that

[0006] The present invention was developed in response to such conventional circumstances, and it significantly reduces printing speed. It can improve the reliability of ribbon shift without causing under-contamination, and there is no color mixing. Aims to provide a color printer that can perform high-quality printing at high speed It is.

[0007] [Structure of the idea]

[0008]

[Means to solve the problem]

In other words, the color printer of the present invention has a plurality of printers each having a predetermined width in the vertical direction. A color ribbon cartridge that accommodates a color ribbon having a band-like color gamut; Multiple colors can be printed using the color gamut of the color ribbon placed at a fixed printing position. The print head configured to be able to perform the print head and the color ribbon cartridge are moved up and down. a ribbon shift machine that positions the color gamut of a predetermined color at the print position of the print head; a ribbon winding mechanism that winds up the color ribbon, and a ribbon winding mechanism that winds up the color ribbon, and a ribbon winding mechanism that winds up the color ribbon, and a color sensor that detects the color of the color ribbon located at a printing position; and a color sensor that detects the color of the color ribbon located at a printing position. the ribbon winding mechanism according to the color of the colored ribbon detected by the and control means for selectively winding up the color ribbon according to the method. It is characterized by

[0009]

[Effect]

In the color printer of the present invention with the above configuration, the print head is printed by a color sensor. Detecting the color of the color ribbon located at the position. And the control means is this color sensor Depending on the color of the colored ribbon detected by the - Selectively wind up the ribbon. In other words, the color sensor Is the color gamut of the specified color ribbon accurately shifted to the printing position of the print head? is detected, and if the color is shifted correctly, the color ribbon is moved by the ribbon winding mechanism. If printing is performed as is without winding the printer, and the printer is not shifted correctly. The color ribbon is wound up by a ribbon winding mechanism.

0010 Therefore, ribbon shift reliability can be improved without significantly reducing printing speed. It is possible to perform high-quality printing without color mixture at high speed.

[0011]

【Example】

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A color printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

0012 FIGS. 1 and 2 show the main structure of a color printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, the color ribbon 1 is formed with a predetermined width in the vertical direction. A band-like color gamut of multiple colors, namely black 1a, cyan 1b, magenta 1c, It has a color gamut of yellow 1d.

[0013] A print head 2 is disposed so as to face the color ribbon 1. A plurality of printing pins 4 are provided at the tip of the print head 2 so as to protrude from the tip guide 3. are arranged regularly. Also, at the tip of this print head 2, there is a and the two color sensors 5a and 5b so that they are at the same height as the lowest printing pin 4. is installed.

[0014] Detection signals from these color sensors 5a and 5b are input to color identification circuits 6a and 6b. Ru. The color identification circuits 6a and 6b detect this from the detection signals of the color sensors 5a and 5b, respectively. The color of the color ribbon 1 located in front of these color sensors 5a and 5b is identified, and this A color signal that is the identification result is output to the control device 7.

[0015] The control device 7 identifies these colors each time the color ribbon 1 is shifted. The color signals from circuits 6a and 6b are compared with the designated printing color, and if they match, the color signals are Print as is, and if it does not match, generate a ribbon winding mechanism drive signal. The ribbon winding mechanism winds up color ribbon 1, and then prints. go In the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the color sensors 5a, 5b and the color identification circuit 6 In a and 6b, cyan 1b is detected as the color of color ribbon 1, so the printing finger If the fixed color is cyan, wind up color ribbon 1 using the ribbon winding mechanism. Execute printing as is.

[0016] Figure 3 shows the overall configuration of the color printer of this embodiment. The ribbon 1 is housed in a color ribbon cartridge 10. color ribbon 1 The shift for color selection is based on color ribbon cartridge 1 relative to print head 2. This is executed by moving 0 up and down as follows.

[0017] That is, in the figure, the pinion gear 11 is a ribbon shift motor (not shown). The driving force of this motor is transmitted to the idle gear 12. Eye When the dollar gear 12 rotates, the drive gear 13 rotates around the shaft 14, As a result, the shift plate 15 connected to the drive gear 13 is connected to the shaft 14. to move the shift arm 16 up and down. In other words, shift plate 1 5 descends, the tip of the shift arm 16 rises, and the color ribbon cartridge 10 and, conversely, when the shift plate 15 rises, the shift arm 16 The tip descends and the color ribbon car is removed by the action of a return spring (not shown). The cartridge 10 is configured to be lowered.

[0018] In the figure, 17 indicates the print head 2 and the color ribbon cartridge 1. 0 is mounted, and 18 is a carriage for moving this carriage 17. It's a rail.

[0019] As explained above, in the color printer of this embodiment, the color sensors 5a and 5b Therefore, the shift state of color ribbon 1 is detected, and if it is shifted accurately, Printing can be performed as is without winding up the color ribbon 1 using the ribbon winding mechanism. If the color is not shifted correctly, try resetting the color using the ribbon winding mechanism. Wind up Bonn 1.

[0020] Therefore, ribbon shift reliability can be improved without significantly reducing printing speed. It is possible to perform high-quality printing without color mixture at high speed.

[0021]

[Effect of the idea]

As explained above, according to the color printer of the present invention, the printing speed is significantly reduced. It can improve the reliability of ribbon shift without causing under-contamination, and there is no color mixing. High-quality printing can be performed at high speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the main part configuration of a color printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a print head of the color printer shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a color printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 color ribbon 1a black 1b cyan 1c magenta 1d yellow 2 Print head 5a, 5b color sensor 6a, 6b color identification circuit 7 Control device

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A color ribbon cartridge containing a color ribbon having a band-like color gamut of a plurality of colors formed at a predetermined width in the vertical direction; a print head configured to be capable of printing in multiple colors; a ribbon shift mechanism that moves the color ribbon cartridge up and down to position the color gamut of a predetermined color at a print position of the print head; and the color ribbon. a ribbon winding mechanism for winding up the color ribbon; a color sensor for detecting the color of the color ribbon located at the printing position of the print head; 1. A color printer comprising a control means for selectively winding up a color ribbon.