JP5784675B2 - Electronic bulletin board control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic bulletin board for posting information for guidance at a wedding hall or a hotel, and a control method therefor.

  Examples of the electronic bulletin board provided with the posting medium include a flat display device using liquid crystal or organic EL, an electrophotographic electronic bulletin board, an electrophoretic electronic display device, etc., all of which are expensive. There are some problems such as double-sided posting, which tends to increase in size and weight, requires electricity during posting, and is not suitable for energy saving.

  For that purpose, black and white (W / B) display is sufficient, compact, lightweight, inexpensive, simple, energy-saving, eco-friendly and highly durable. Information for wedding halls and hotels is required. It is not suitable for an electronic bulletin board that posts a message.

  On the other hand, printers are known that use rewritable sheets that can be recolored and erased by heat and can be used repeatedly.

  This printer is not economical because electrophotographic laser beam printers (LBP), ink jet printers (IJP), etc. use plain paper as printing sheets, and printed sheets must be discarded when they are no longer needed. On the other hand, since the rewritable sheet can be used repeatedly (the number of reuse is about 1000), it is excellent in economic efficiency.

  However, printers that use this sheet are compact, lightweight, inexpensive, simple, energy-saving, eco-friendly, and highly durable.

  In this type of printer, when writing (or printing) information on a rewritable sheet and when erasing the written information, the amount of heat energy applied to the rewritable sheet and the temperature control rule are different. The printing unit) and the erasing unit are separate and are arranged in a separated manner along the conveyance direction of the rewritable sheet.

  In particular, the erasing unit is provided with a pair of heat rollers, for example, because it is necessary to apply heat for a longer time at a relatively low temperature during erasing (Patent Document 1).

  The rewritable sheet is nipped between the pair of heat rollers and conveyed.

  The surface of this heat roller is covered with one metal roller with an elastic material of a predetermined thickness in order to increase the contact time between the rewritable sheet and the heat roller and to give a predetermined amount of heat. By pressing, the surface coating layer of the elastic material is distorted along the peripheral surface of the other roller, and a predetermined amount of heat is applied to the rewritable sheet so that the rewritable sheet is in surface contact when passing between the rollers.

JP 2004-142111 A

  For this reason, this type of printer is restricted to further reduce the size and weight.

  The present invention was created based on the results of intensive studies and research aimed at optimizing the principle of this printer for an electronic bulletin board.

  One object of the present invention is to provide an electronic bulletin apparatus that is small, light, inexpensive, simple, energy-saving, eco-friendly and highly durable, and a method for controlling the electronic bulletin apparatus that facilitates the realization thereof. is there.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic bulletin apparatus capable of realizing a printing speed from a high speed to a low speed by a simple operation, and a method for controlling the electronic bulletin apparatus capable of easily realizing the apparatus.

  One aspect of the present invention is that a rewritable medium that develops color when heat is applied and can maintain and erase the color depending on the temperature drop speed, a heating resistor, and a heat conductive material for the heating resistor The color development / decoloration head having a thermoelectric converter integrally joined via the heat generating resistor is turned on and off to maintain the color development state. The color development / decoloration head is set to be in a decolored state by relaxing the temperature lowering speed than the temperature lowering speed at the time of forming the color maintaining state by ON / OFF of heat generation due to heat generation and ON / OFF of heat generation by the thermoelectric converter. The first mode for controlling the heat generation, ON / OFF of heat generation by the heating resistor and ON / OFF of heat absorption by the thermoelectric converter are set to a color maintenance state, and this color maintenance state is set to O of heat generation by the heating resistor. And a second mode for controlling the coloring / decoloring head so as to be in a decoloring state by relaxing the temperature lowering speed from the temperature lowering speed at the time of forming the color maintaining state by -OFF. It is in the control method of the electronic bulletin board.

  Another aspect of the present invention is an electronic bulletin apparatus that electronically displays information on a rewritable medium that develops color when heat is applied and can maintain and erase the color depending on the temperature drop speed difference. A thermoelectric conversion body integrally joined to the heat generating resistor via a heat conducting body, the thermoelectric conversion body having a heat generation function and an active cooling function. There is provided an electronic bulletin board provided with a head installation section for mounting the head and a control section for controlling the head.

  Yet another aspect of the present invention is an electronic bulletin apparatus that displays colors on a rewritable medium that develops color when heat is applied and can maintain and erase the color depending on the temperature drop speed. A thermoelectric converter integrally joined to the heating resistor via a heat conductive body, and the thermoelectric converter has both a heat generation function and an active cooling function. An electronic bulletin apparatus comprising a head and a control unit that controls the head.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to easily realize an electronic bulletin board that is small, light, inexpensive, simple, energy-saving, eco-friendly and excellent in high durability.

  Further, according to the present invention, an electronic bulletin board capable of realizing a printing speed from a high speed to a low speed can be easily realized by a simple operation.

It is a typical explanatory view of the principal part of the recording and decoloring part of the electronic bulletin apparatus for explaining the present invention. (A), (b), (c), and (d) is a figure which shows the example of the drive timing of the head for coloring / decoloring. It is a figure which shows roughly the principal part of the electronic bulletin board which concerns on one embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for more specifically explaining a main part shown in FIG. 3.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of a main part of a recording unit of an electronic bulletin apparatus for explaining the present invention.

  The main part 100 of the recording / erasing part of the electronic bulletin board according to the present invention is composed of a coloring / erasing head 101 and a conveying roller 112.

  The color-decoloring / erasing head 101 includes a thermoelectric converter 102 and a heating resistor 103 laminated thereon via a good thermal conductor 104.

  The heating resistor 103 is provided with electrodes 105 and 106. When a current is turned on and off through the electrodes 105 and 106 according to a control signal, the heating resistor 103 repeatedly generates and extinguishes information (printing). / Write).

  The surface shape of the heating resistor 103 is convex so as to be in line contact with an appropriate line width when the rewritable sheet 111 is held between the heating rollers 103. By adopting such a shape, a predetermined amount of heat can be instantaneously supplied to a predetermined position (writing position) of the rewritable sheet 111, and the supply of heat can be instantaneously stopped, so that a clear visible image can be formed. .

  The main part of the coloring / decoloring head 101 is composed of a thermoelectric converter 102 and a heating resistor 103.

  The thermoelectric converter 102 and the heating resistor 103 are closely overlapped with each other through a good thermal conductor 104 having excellent thermal conductivity.

  Lead electrodes 107 and 108 are electrically connected to the thermoelectric converter 102 and are driven to be turned on and off via the lead electrodes 107 and 108.

  The thermoelectric converter 102 exhibits a so-called Peltier effect. When a current is passed through the lead electrodes 107 and 108, heat is dissipated on the surfaces A109 and B110 depending on the direction of the flow of carriers flowing in the thermoelectric converter 102. Endotherm occurs.

  That is, when heat is radiated on the surface A109, heat is absorbed on the surface B110, and when the carrier flow direction is reversed, heat is absorbed on the surface A109 and heat is radiated on the surface B110.

  The degree of heat dissipation and heat absorption varies depending on the magnitude of the current flowing through the thermoelectric converter 102.

  In the present invention, the heating resistor 103 has an upward convex shape so as to be in line contact with the rewritable sheet 111. However, the thermoelectric converter 102 has a surface C113 as shown in the figure, and the rewritable sheet 111 has a surface C113. And a predetermined area, the influence range of the thermal effect on the rewritable sheet 111 is increased, the effect of erasing in the erasing mode is ensured, and erasing can be performed instantaneously.

  The area of the surface C113 is determined depending on the thermal performance of the thermoelectric converter 102 and the heating resistor 103, but is desirably designed so that the erasing time can be shortened as much as possible.

  As the heating resistor 103, a so-called ordinary thermal head is used.

  The thermal conductor 104 is composed of an adhesive having excellent thermal conductivity, a thin film having excellent thermal conductivity such as SiCN (nitrogen-containing silicon carbide), a plastic sheet having good thermal conductivity, or a hybrid type material thereof. The

  The good thermal conductor 104 is desirably electrically insulating in order to prevent a leak current that may occur between the thermoelectric converter 102 and the heating resistor 103.

  Although FIG. 1 shows an example of a structure in which the thermoelectric converter 102 and the heating resistor 103 are integrally laminated via the heat good conductor 104, the thermoelectric converter and the heat generating resistor are also connected to the heat good conductor. It is good also as a structure integrally juxtaposed on the suitable body via.

  In the case of this juxtaposed structure, it is convenient that the heating resistor has an upper convex shape as in the heating resistor 103 shown in FIG. 1 because line contact with the rewritable sheet can be ensured. The thermoelectric converter may be configured to be in contact with or non-contact with the rewritable sheet, but preferably has a facing surface with a desired area so as to face the rewritable sheet.

  In the above description, it is needless to say that the thermoelectric converter and the heating resistor have a length corresponding to at least the width of the rewritable sheet (the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the rewritable sheet shown in FIG. 1). It is obvious.

  FIG. 2 is a drive timing chart for explaining a preferable example of the drive timing of the coloring / erasing head 101.

  FIG. 2 shows four typical examples.

  In FIG. 2, the lower side shows the driving timing of the thermoelectric converter 102, and the upper side shows the driving timing of the heating resistor 103.

  FIG. 2A shows an example in which the driving resistor 103 is turned off and the thermoelectric converter 102 is turned on simultaneously or substantially simultaneously.

  FIG. 2B is an example in which the driving of the thermoelectric converter 102 is turned on after a predetermined time delay from the timing of turning off the heating resistor 103.

  FIG. 2C shows an example in which the drive of the thermoelectric converter 102 is turned on for a predetermined time before the drive OFF of the heating resistor 103 is driven.

  That is, in this example, the driving ON time of the heating resistor 103 and the driving ON time of the thermoelectric converter 102 are partially overlapped.

  In FIG. 2D, the timing of driving ON of the thermoelectric converter 102 and the timing of driving ON of the heating resistor 103 are simultaneously or substantially simultaneously, and the timing of driving OFF of the thermoelectric converter 102 is preceded by a predetermined time. In this example, the heating resistor 103 is driven off.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining a configuration of a main part of an electronic bulletin apparatus as an example of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the apparatus shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, the same parts as those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in FIG.

  A main part 300 of the electronic bulletin board is composed of a head part 101, a rewritable sheet 111, a conveyance roller 112, and an image reading sensor 301.

  The rewritable sheet 111 is an endless sheet so as to circulate using an upper conveyance roller (not shown) provided at the upper part of the apparatus and a conveyance roller 112 as a circulation axis. The posting information is written on the right side surface of FIG. 3 and / or the left side surface of FIG. 3 of the rewritable sheet 111 that can circulate. That is, the posting information posting can be selected from either single-sided posting or double-sided posting.

  The image reading sensor 301 is used to read an image written on the rewritable sheet 111, and at the same time, can be used to detect the density of the image.

  In FIG. 4, the same reference numerals used in FIGS. 1 and 3 are given to the same components as those shown in FIGS.

  The temperature detection sensor 402 detects the temperature near the heat generation position of the heat generation resistor 103 of the head unit 101 as necessary.

  The temperature detected by the temperature sensor 402 is transferred to the control unit 405 as detection data.

  The control unit (controller) 405 is provided with a microcomputer element such as a central processing element, a memory element, an A / D conversion element, and the like.

  The control unit 405 sends a control signal to the transport roller drive unit 403 and the head drive unit 404, and the corresponding drive signal is output by the transport roller drive unit 403 and the head drive unit 404, so that the transport roller 112 and the head unit 101 are set in a predetermined manner. It is driven under the driving conditions. The driving is performed from a motor (not shown) through driving force transmission means such as a reduction gear. Of course, the rotational axis of the transport roller 112 and the rotational shaft of a pulse motor or the like can be matched to transmit the rotational force of the motor directly to the transport roller 112.

  Based on the detection data transferred to the temperature sensor 402, the head unit 101 is controlled by the control unit 405 via the head driving unit 404, and the amount of heat when the heating resistor 103 and the thermoelectric converter 102 generate and absorb heat is controlled. Is done.

  The image reading sensor 301 reads an image written on the rewritable sheet 111 and sends the data to the control unit 405.

  Based on the data, the control unit 405 compares the image written on the rewritable sheet 111 with appropriate grayscale and sharpness, or with preset proper grayscale and sharpness data. Can be judged automatically.

  When the density or / and the sharpness of the written image is not as desired, an image erasing data signal is sent from the control unit 405 to the head driving unit 404, and the head unit 101 is driven by the head based on the signal. An image erasing data signal is sent from the unit 404.

  As a result, the head unit 101 is driven in the erasing mode, and the image written on the rewritable sheet 111 is erased.

  Then, a data signal for image recording is sent again from the control unit 405 to the head drive unit 404, and a data signal for image recording is sent from the head drive unit 404 to the head unit 101 based on the signal.

  As a result, the head unit 101 is driven in the recording mode, and an image is written again on the rewritable sheet 111 with desired density and sharpness.

  Also, the control unit 405 that has received the image data written on the rewritable sheet 111 read by the image reading sensor 301 displays an image based on the image data on a display panel (not shown) attached to the input unit 401. It is also possible to display the shading and clarity numerically.

  The operator can read the numerical value display and input the numerical value so that the desired image density and sharpness can be obtained by a touch operation on the display panel.

  Based on the input from the operator on the display panel, the control unit 405 sends a corrected data signal to the head drive unit 404, and the head drive unit 404 sends a drive signal based on the signal to the head unit 101. By sending, the head unit 101 is driven and a new image is written on the rewritable sheet 111.

  Further, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, display data (stored in advance in the storage unit 406 by operating on an operation panel having a display unit such as a touch panel provided in the input unit (input interface) 401 ( Character string data, image data, and the like), and the control unit 405 drives the head unit 101 via the head driving unit 404 based on the read data, and character strings, images, and the like based on the character string data and image data. Can be written on the rewritable sheet 111.

  The display data can be handled in the same manner as described above by storing it in a storage medium such as an SD memory or a USB memory, and mounting the storage medium in the slot 407. In this case, it is convenient because various display data can be read and displayed by changing the storage medium.

  Furthermore, desired display data can be received from the outside by wireless / wired communication means via the communication input / output unit (communication input / output interface) 408 and stored in the storage unit 406.

  Sound data such as music and voice can be stored together with the display data, read out as necessary, and transmitted from a speaker (not shown).

  These display data and sound data can be displayed or sounded for a predetermined time at a predetermined time in conjunction with a clock function incorporated in the apparatus and notified to an observer (viewer).

  The present invention is suitably applied to general information on hotels, inns, wedding halls, etc., bulletin corners of universities and vocational schools, or information and displanes used in government offices, hospitals, general company waiting rooms, offices, showrooms, etc. Is done.

  When applied, the communication input / output unit 408 is used to connect to a campus LAN, the Internet, or a communication line, thereby enabling remote operation, simultaneous operation / individual operation of a plurality of devices. Alternatively, it can be connected to a PC and controlled by the PC or posted on the PC.

  Furthermore, data in the storage unit 406 in the apparatus can be transferred to another apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 ... Recording and erasing part 101 ... Head part 102 ... Thermoelectric converter 103 ... Heating resistor 104 ... Thermally good conductor 105, 106, 107, 108 ... Electrode 109 ... Surface A
110 ... surface B
111 ... Rewritable sheet 112 ... Conveying roller 113 ... Surface C
300 ... Main apparatus 301 ... Image reading sensor 401 ... Input unit 402 ... Temperature sensing sensor 403 ... Conveying roller driving unit 404 ... Head driving unit 405 ... Control unit 406 ..Storage unit 407 ... slot unit 408 ... communication input / output unit

Claims (1)

  When heat is applied, the color develops and is integrally bonded to the rewritable medium capable of maintaining and erasing the color depending on the temperature drop speed, and the heat generating resistor through the heat conductive material. The coloring / decoloring head having a thermoelectric conversion body is turned on and off by the heating resistor so as to maintain the coloring state. The coloring maintenance state is turned on and off by the heating resistor and the heating A first mode for controlling the coloring / decoloring head so as to make the decoloring state by relaxing the temperature lowering speed than the temperature lowering speed at the time of forming the color maintaining state by ON-OFF of heat generation by the thermoelectric converter; Color development is maintained by ON / OFF of heat generation by the heating resistor and ON / OFF of heat absorption by the thermoelectric converter, and the color maintenance state is lowered by ON / OFF of heat generation by the heating resistor. And a second mode for controlling the coloring / decoloring head so as to make the erasing state by relaxing the speed from the temperature lowering speed at the time of forming the coloring maintaining state. Control method.

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