Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF T~E INVENTION
POLYC~ROM~TIC LABEL PRINTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVE~TION
Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a polychromatic label
printer and, in particular, to a polychromatic label printer
for polychromatic printing of, for example, a picture,
characters and bar code.
Description of thè Prior Art:
As label printers for printing a picture, characters,
bar code et cetera there are known two alternatives of
monochromatic label printer using, for example, dark-pale
black/gray and polychromatic label printer using a
multiplicity of colors. With a polychromatic printer three
primary colors of yellow, red and blue are printed on a
sheet of label and various colors are produced through
synthesis of the three primary colors.
For printing the three primary colors, namely yellow,
red and blue, on a single sheet of paper a single common
head~ has hitherto been used. In this case, first a
continuum of labels lS moved forward and characters, for
example, are prlnted in yeliow~ Next, the label printed in
yellow is moved back into the printer and the characters are
printed this time in yellow. And then, the label printed in
both yellow and red is again moved back into the printer and
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the characters are printed this time in blue. Thus,
polychromatic printing in three primary colors is done by
printing three primary colors one upon another by moving
back the label twice.
With this type of polychromatic label printer, however,
the label printed had to be moved back twice, this being
time-consuming and inefficient.
SUMMA~Y OF T~E INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is, there-
fore, to provide a polychromatic label printer for efficient
polychromatic printing without the necessity of moving back
a continuum of labels repeatedly.
The polychromatic printing of the present invention
comprising a holding means for holding the continuum of
labels, a moving means for moving said continuum of Iabels
unwound from said holding means, and three sets of printing
means for printing each of said continuum of labels in
yellow, red and bIue respectively provided to correspond to
said moving means. As yellow, red and blue are printed
by the three sets of printing units successively,
polychromatic printing is performed through synthesis of the
three primary colors.
According to the present invention, polychromatic
dyeing printing is feasible by the use of a polychromatic
label printer without the necessity of moving back the
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printed label, this meaning a marked improvement in printing
efficiency.
The aforementioned and other objects, features, phases
and advantages will be better understood from reading of the
detailed description of preferred embodiments of this
invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an illustratory view showing an embodiment of
the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an illustratory vlew showing a continuum of
labels.
Fig. 3 is an illustratory view showing another
embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is an illustratory view showing another example
o~ continuum of labels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Fig. 1 is an illustratory view showing an embodiment of
the present invention. As shown in the figure, a
polychromatic printer 10 includes a holding roller 12, which
holds thereon a continuum of labels 14 in roll form.
As shown in Fig. 2~ a continuum of labels 14 includes a
belt-like sheet material 16 of release paper. To one
principal surface of the sheet material 16 there are
tentatively stuck a plurality of labels 20, each thereof
having a layer of adhesive layer 1~ thereon.
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The continuum of labels 14 is led from the holding
roller 12 to a roller 30 via roller 22, roller 24, roller 26
and roller 28. On the path of the continuum of labels 14 to
the roller 22 there is provided a sensor 32 for detection of
each label 20 on the sheet material 16. Above the roller 22
there are provided a printing unit 34a for, for example,
yellow.
The printing unit 34a includes a holding roller 36a.
This holding roller 36a has held thereon a heat~sensitive
ink ribbon 38a in roll form. This ink ribbon 38a is a
yellow one. The ink ribbon 38a, with one end thereof
unrolled, is led via roller 40a and roller 42a to the
winding reel 44a to be wound thereby. On the path of the
ink ribbon 38a there is provided a thermal head 46a. And
above this thermal head 46a there is disposed a drive
circuit 48a.
Above the roller 26 there is provided another printing
unit 34b, this being for red. This printiny unit 34b
includes a holding roller 36b, a heat-sensitive t~pe ink
ribbon 38b, a roller 40b, another roller 42b, a winding reel
44b, a thermal head 46b and a drive circuit 48b. This ink
ribbon 38b is a red one.
Above the roller 30 there is provided still another
printing unit 34c, this being for blue. This printing unit
34c includes a holding roller 36c, a heat sensitive type ink
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ribbon 38c, a roller 40c, another roller 42c, a winding reel
44c, a thermal head 46c and a drive circuit 48c. This ink
ribbon 38c is a blue one.
The roller 24 has connected thereto one end of a
compensation shaft 50 which is, for example, bar-like. Amid
the compensation shaft 50 there is formed a fulcrum 51. And
above and under the other end of this compensation shaft 50
there are disposed position detection sensor 52a and sensor
52b for detecting the position of the roller 24.
Similarly, the roller 28 has connected thereto one end
of a compensation shaft 54 and amid this compensation shaft
54 there is formed a fulcrum 55. And above and under the
other end of this compensation shaft 54 there are disposed
position detecting sensor 56a and sensor 56b for detecting
the position of the roller 28.
There is provided a CPU 58 for controlling the three
drive units 48a, 48b, 48c.
~ The continuum of labels 14 is first led through between
the printing unit 34a and the roller 22. As the continuum
of labels 14 is led from the holding roller 12 to the roller
22, the position of each label 20 is detected by the sensor
32. Informations corresponding to the picture, characters
or bar code to be printed are given by the CPU 58 to the
drive circuit 48a. And, according to the informations
given, the drive circuit 48a controls the movement of the
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thermal head 46a. Since the ink ribbon 38a is of the heat-
sensltive type, the portions in contact with the thermal
head 46a are printed on the label 20. This ink ribbon 38a
is a yellow one, hence this printing unit 34a prints on the
label 20 only the yellow portions of the picture, characters
or bar code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 14 is then led through between
the printing unit 34b and the roller 26 via the roller 24.
In the same manner as the printing unit 34a this printing
unit 34b prints on the label 20 only the red portions of the
picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 14 is finally led through
between the printing unit 34c and the roller 30. In the
same manner as the printing units 34a, 34b thi~ printing
unit 34c prints on the label 20 only the blue portions of
the picture, characters or bar code to be printed.
Since any color can be produced by synthesis of the
three primary colors of yellow, red and blue, polychromatic
printing is feasible by the use of this polychromatic label
printer 10.
Since the position of the label 20 is detectable by
means of the sensor 32, the drive oircuits 48a, 48b, 48c are
controllable by the CPU 58 according to the position of the
label 20 detected. Hence positional deviation of the
picture, characters or bar code to be printed in the course
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of printing by the three printing units 34a, 34b, 34c can be
prevented without fail.
With this polychromatic label printer 10, when the feed
rate or peripheral speed of the roller 22 is higher than
that of the roller 26, the length of the continuum of labels
14 between the roller 22 and the roller 26 increases with
simultaneous lowering of the roller 24. Then, since the
fulcrum 51 is formed on the compensation shaft 50, the other
end of the compensation shaft 50 comes into contact with the
position detecting sensor 52b. And upon receipt of the
information to the effect from the position detection sensor
52b, the feed rates of the rollers 22 and 26 are adjusted
accordingly.
When, con~ersely, the feed rate of the roller 22 is
lower than that of the roller 26, the other end of the
compensation shaf~t 50 comes into contact with the position
detection sensor 52a. And upon receipt of the infoxmation
to the effect from the detection sensor 52a, the feed rates
of the rollers 22 and 26 are adjusted accordingly.
Similarly, the feed rates of the rollers 26 and 30 are
adjusted by means of the compensation shaft 54 and the
position detection sensors 56a, 56b. And slackening of the
moviny continuum of labels 14 can thus be precluded.
The labels 20 printed in three primary colors of
yellow, red and blue are then sent to the next step
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successively.
Thus, with this polychromatic label printer 10, unlike
with the conventional counterparts, there is no necessity of
repeatedly moving back labels being printed, and the time
required for printing can thus be shortened.
Fig. 3 is an illustratory ~iew showing another
embodiment of the present invention. A polychromatic label
printer 110 includes a holding roller 112, which has held
thereon a continuum of labels 114 in roll form.
As shown in Fig. 4, the continuum of labels 114
includes a belt-like sheet material 116 of release paper.
The belt-like sheet material 116 has tentatively stuck to
one principal sur~ace thereof a plurality of labels 120 with
each one layer of adhesive layer 118 formed thereon.
The continuum of labels 114 is led from the holding
roller 112 via a roller 122 onto a rotating drum 124 and
further to a roller 126. On the path of the continuum of
la~els 114 to the roller 122 there is provided a sensor for
detecting each label 120 on the sheet material 116. On the
path the continuum of labels 114 there are arranged three
printing units 13Oa, 13Ob, 130c along the outer periphery of ~ -
the rotating drum 124. In this case the printing unit 130a
may, for example, be for yellow, the printing unit 130b for
red and the printiny unit 130c ~or blue.
The printing unit L30a includes a holding roller 132a.
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The holding roller 132a has held thereon a length of ink
ribbon 134a of, for example, heat-sensitive type in roll
form. This ink ribbon 134a is a yellow one. The ink ribbon
134a, with one end thereof unwound, is wound by a winding
reel 140a via rollers 136a, 138a. On the path of the ink
ribbon 134a there is provided a thermal head 142a. And above
this thermal head 142a there is disposed a drive circuit
144a.
Similarly, the printing unit 130b includes a holding
roller 132b, a heat~sensitive type ink ribbon 134b, a roller
136b, another roller 138b, a winding reel 140b, a thermal
head 142b and a drive circuit 144b. This ink ribbon 134b is
a red one.
Also similarly, the printing unit 134c includes a
holding roller 132c, a heat-sensitive type ink ribbon 134c,
a roller 136c, another roller 138c, a winding reel 140c, a
thermal head 142c and a drive circuit 144c. This ink ribbon
13 4C lS a blue one.
There is provided a CPU 146 for controlling the three
drive circuits 144a, 144b, 144c.
The continuum of labels 114 is first led through the
printing unit 130a. As the continuum of labels 114 is led
from the holding roller 112 to the roller 122, the position
of each label 120 is detected by the sensor 128~
Informations corresponding to the picture, characters or bar
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code to be printed are given by the CPU 146 to the drive
circuit 144a. And, according to the informations given, the
drive circuit 144a controls the movement of the thermal head
46a. Since the ink ribbon 134a is of the heat-sensitive
type, the portions in contact with the thermal head 142a are
printed on the label 120. This ink ribbon 134a is a yellow
one, hence this printing unit 130a prints on the label 120
only the yellow portions of the picture, characters or bar
code to be printed.
The continuum of labels 114 is then led through the
printing unit 130b. In the same manner as the printing unit
130a this printing unit 130b prints on the label 120 only
the red portions of the picture, characters or bar code to
be printed.
The continuum of labels 114 is finally led through the
printing unit 130c. In the same manner as the printing
units 130a, 130b this printing unit 130c prints on the label
120 only the blue portions of the picture, characters or bar
code to be printedO
The iabels 120 thus printed in yellow, red and blue are
then led to the next step via the roller 126 as a continuum
of labels 114. Since any color can be produced by synthesis
of the three primary colors of yellow, red and blue,
polychromatic printing is feasible by the use of this
polychromatic label printer 110.
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Since the position of each label 120 is detectable by
means of the sensor 128, the drive circuits 144a, 144b, 144c
are controllable by the CP~ 14~ according to the position of
the label 20 detected. Hence positional deviation of the
picture, characters or bar code to be printed in the course
of printing by the three prlnting units 130a, 130b, 130c can
be prevented without fail.
Thus, with this polychromatic label printer 110, unlike
with the conventional counterparts, there is no necessity of
repeatedly moving back the continuum of labels, hence the
time required for printing can be substantially shortened.
Although the present invention has been described in
detail, it is apparent that it is for the purpose of
illustration or by way of examples and not to be understood
as of limiting nature, and the true spirit and the scope of
this invention are defined only by the appended claims.
