JPH069253U - Color image reading / writing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To simplify the structure of a color image reading device and prevent the fluorescent lamp from being installed far from the original. A light source, a lens that is sent from the light source to an original document 13, receives the light reflected by the original document 13, and focuses the light.
It has a photoelectric conversion element that converts the light focused by the lens into an electric signal. Further, the thermal transfer film 18 having an ink layer of at least three primary colors is conveyed so as to cross the optical path passing through the light source, the original 13 and the lens. Since the light from the light source passes through the thermal transfer film 18 before and after the original 13 is irradiated, at least 3 light is generated by the ink layer.
It becomes the light of the primary color. The thermal head 20 receives an electric signal from the photoelectric conversion element, heats the thermal transfer film 18 for each of the three primary colors in response to the electric signal, and prints on the recording paper 21.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a color image reading / writing device using a contact image scanner.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, in a color image reading / writing apparatus in which a color image is read and the read information is printed by a thermal head, a color image scanner such as a contact image scanner is used. In the color image scanner, the light of the fluorescent lamp is transmitted through the color filter to illuminate the document, and the light reflected by the document is focused by the rod lens array.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a document reading device used in a conventional color image reading / writing device. In the figure, 11 is a fluorescent lamp, 12 is a color filter, 12B is a blue filter, 12G is a green filter, 12R is a red filter, 13 is a document, 14 is a rod lens array, and 15 is a CCD (charge coupled device).

The fluorescent lamp 11 is covered with a rotatably supported concentric color filter 12, and the color filter 12 includes a red filter 12R, a green filter 12G and a blue filter 12B. Then, when the fluorescent lamp 11 is turned on, the light passes through any one of the red color filter 12R, the green color filter 12G and the blue color filter 12B to become red light, green light or blue light, and illuminates the original document 13. , Reflected by the original 13. The light reflected by the original 13 is focused by the rod lens array 14 and enters the CCD 15.

The incident light at this time is image information from the original 13, and color image information including red image information, green image information and blue image information can be obtained by rotating the color filter 12. In this case, the color image information is converted into an electric signal by the CCD 15.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the above-mentioned conventional color image reading / writing apparatus, when the color image scanner is installed in a color printer, a color filter 12 and a rotation mechanism system for the color filter 12 are separately required in addition to the reading mechanism, and the color image is not printed. The structure of the image reading / writing device becomes complicated. Further, since the color filter 12 needs to have a certain thickness, the installation position of the fluorescent lamp 11 becomes far from the original 13 by that much.

The present invention solves the problems of the conventional color image reading / writing apparatus, simplifies the structure of the color image reading / writing apparatus, and places the fluorescent lamp far from the original. It is an object of the present invention to provide a color image reading / writing device that does not have a problem.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 Therefore, in the color image reading / writing apparatus of the present invention, a light source, a lens which is sent from the light source to a document and receives and reflects light reflected by the document, and a light which is focused by the lens are electrically converted. It has a photoelectric conversion element for converting into a signal. The thermal head receives an electric signal from the photoelectric conversion element, heats the thermal transfer film in response to the electric signal, and prints on the recording paper. The thermal transfer film has an ink layer of at least three primary colors.

The thermal transfer film is conveyed so as to traverse an optical path passing through the light source, the original and the lens.

[0010]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, as described above, the light source, the lens that is sent from the light source to the document, receives the light reflected by the document and focuses the light, and converts the light focused by the lens into an electrical signal. It has a photoelectric conversion element that operates. Therefore, the light from the light source illuminates the original, is reflected by the original, and is incident on the lens. Then, the light incident on the lens is focused and sent to the photoelectric conversion element. The photoelectric conversion element receives image information on a document as light, converts it into an electric signal, and outputs it to the thermal head.

Further, a thermal transfer film having an ink layer of at least three primary colors is conveyed so as to cross an optical path passing through the light source, the original document and the lens. The light from the light source passes through the thermal transfer film before and after illuminating the original, so that it has at least three primary colors due to the ink layer. The thermal head receives an electric signal from the photoelectric conversion element, heats the thermal transfer film for each of the three primary colors in response to the electric signal, and prints on the recording paper.

[0012]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic view of a color image reading / writing apparatus showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a fluorescent lamp that constitutes a white light source, 13 is a document, 14 is a rod lens array that receives and reflects light reflected by the document, 15 is a CCD, 18 is a thermal transfer film, and 19 is a take-up roller. , 20 is a thermal head of a fusion printer or a sublimation printer, and 21 is a recording paper.

In this case, three primary color inks of red (R), green (G), blue (B) or yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) used in a fusion printer or a sublimation printer. A layered thermal transfer film 18 is used in place of the color filter 12 (see FIG. 2). When the fluorescent lamp 11 is turned on, white light is transmitted through the thermal transfer film 18 and becomes a colored light source of red, green, blue or yellow, magenta, and cyan, and illuminates the original document 13.

Therefore, the thermal transfer film 18 is stretched between the pair of take-up rollers 19 and is conveyed by a conveying unit (not shown) so as to cross the optical path passing through the fluorescent lamp 11 and the document 13. There is. In this case, the thermal transfer film 18 used is one for ordinary color printing. Experiments have shown that even if a normal thermal transfer film 18 is used in place of the color filter 12, sufficient light for reading the original 13 is transmitted.

In the present embodiment, the thermal transfer film 18 is composed of ink layers of three primary colors, but a black (B) ink layer may be added. The light reflected by the original 13 is focused by the rod lens array 14 and is focused on the CCD 15 as a photoelectric conversion element. Therefore, when the thermal transfer film 18 is moved by rotating the take-up roller 19, the colors of red, green, blue or yellow, magenta and cyan are sequentially selected, and the original 13 is irradiated with light through the ink layer. To do.

Then, color image information including red image information, green image information, and blue image information can be obtained each time the color is changed. Then, the color image information by the light is converted into an electric signal by the CCD 15. The thermal head 20 receives the electrical signal for each of the three primary colors and heats the thermal transfer film 18 in response to the electrical signal.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a color image reading / writing apparatus showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a fluorescent lamp, 13 is a document, 14 is a rod lens array, 15 is a CCD, 18 is a thermal transfer film, 19 is a take-up roller, 20 is a thermal head, and 21 is recording paper.

When the fluorescent lamp 11 is turned on, white light passes through the thermal transfer film 18 to become colored light, which illuminates the original 13. The thermal transfer film 18 is stretched between a pair of take-up rollers 19 and is conveyed by a conveying means (not shown) so as to traverse an optical path passing through the fluorescent lamp 11 and the original 13 and an optical path passing through the original 13 and the rod lens array 14. Are arranged as follows.

If the thermal transfer film 18 at this time is red, white light passes through the red ink layer of the thermal transfer film 18 to become red light, and the red light is applied to the original 13. The reflected red light again passes through the red ink layer of the thermal transfer film 18 and enters the rod lens array 14. The light incident on the rod lens array 14 is focused and forms an image on the CCD 15. The red image information is converted into an electric signal by the CCD 15 by the red light. Then, by rotating the take-up roller 19, the thermal transfer film 18 can be moved to switch the color to green, blue or yellow, and magenta.

The electric signal converted by the CCD 15 is sent to the thermal head 20, and the thermal transfer film 18 is heated according to the electric signal to print on the recording paper 21. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made based on the spirit of the present invention, and they are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0021]

[Effect of device]

 As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a light source, a lens that receives light reflected by the original from the light source and focuses the light, and a light focused by the lens is converted into an electric signal. It has a photoelectric conversion element that operates. Further, a thermal transfer film having an ink layer of at least three primary colors is conveyed so as to cross an optical path passing through the light source, the original document and the lens. Then, the thermal head receives an electric signal from the photoelectric conversion element, heats the heat transfer film for each of the three primary colors in response to the electric signal, and prints on the recording paper.

Therefore, not only the color filter becomes unnecessary, but also the mechanism for rotating the color filter becomes unnecessary, and the cost can be reduced. Further, since it is not necessary to dispose a color filter between the fluorescent lamp and the original, the fluorescent lamp can be brought closer to the original, and the amount of light sent to the original can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a color image reading / reading system showing a first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a schematic diagram of a writing device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a document reading device used in a conventional color image reading / writing device.

FIG. 3 is a color image reading / reading system showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a schematic diagram of a writing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Fluorescent Lamp 13 Original 14 Rod Lens Array 15 CCD 18 Thermal Transfer Film 20 Thermal Head 21 Recording Paper

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. (a) a light source; (b) a lens which is sent from the light source to a document and receives and reflects the light reflected by the document; and (c) the light focused by the lens is converted into an electric signal. A photoelectric conversion element for conversion; (d) a thermal transfer film composed of ink layers of at least three primary colors; and (e) receiving the electrical signal, heating the thermal transfer film in response to the electrical signal, and printing on recording paper. A color image reading / writing apparatus, comprising: a thermal head; and (f) a conveying unit that conveys the thermal transfer film so as to traverse an optical path that passes through the light source, the document, and the lens.