JPH0796309B2 - Image recorder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus for recording an image containing characters, symbols, etc. on a recording material. In particular, it relates to an image recording device for recording image information stored in a memory.

[Prior art]

In this type of conventional device, a buffer memory that stores input image data for several lines is used to form a visible image such as a print or a display on a display device.

For example, in a device having a dot tomato head, printing is performed by moving heads arranged in the same direction as the moving direction of the recording paper in a direction perpendicular to it as shown in FIG. 7 (a). . Therefore, in this type of apparatus, the buffer memory shown above has a width corresponding to the number of dots of the head and a capacity corresponding to the printing width as shown in FIG. 8 (a).

Further, as shown in FIG. 7 (b), in an apparatus having a fixed printing head (full multihead) for one line, which is orthogonal to the moving direction of the recording paper, as shown in FIG. 8 (b). As shown in the drawing, the buffer memory of full multi-head size is provided for one line, or the buffer memory of full multi-head size for several lines is provided as shown in FIG. 8 (c).

In any case, when reading / writing data from / to the buffer memory, the area as described above is used, and when the image data is sent to the recording device or the like, the data stored in the memory area is read in one direction.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

At that time, it is sufficient in the case of normal recording in which the recorded information is visually recognized from the recording surface side of the recording paper, but it is normally recorded and the picture or character is viewed from the back side of the recording surface. When recorded in (described later), the image becomes a mirror image when viewed.

When recording on such a normal paper visually recognized from the recording surface side and a back print paper visually recognizable from the back side of the recording surface, it is necessary to perform suitable recording respectively. At this time, by recording the image as a mirror image, it can be visually recognized as an erect image.

However, such a recording setting suitable for each recording sheet can be performed only by one conventional method,
When an appropriate recording instruction could not be given, the recorded image sometimes became a mirror image when viewed.

[Purpose] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to print on a regular paper whose recording material is viewed from the recording surface side and a back print paper which is viewed from the back surface of the recording surface. An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus that can be operated so as to perform recording suitable for a recording material.

The present invention relates to a recording unit for recording on a recording medium, an erect image recording mode for recording an erect image based on image information input from an input unit, and a mirror image recording mode for recording a mirror image based on input image information. In an image recording device equipped with
Either the erect image recording mode or the mirror image recording mode is selected according to a mode selection signal input from the input unit and a mode selection signal output by a mode switching unit provided in the image recording apparatus. The above-mentioned object is achieved by adopting a configuration having a mode selection means.

〔Example〕

 FIG. 1 shows a control block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a control unit, 2 is an input unit for generating image information, and a reading device, a character generator and the like are used. Reference numeral 3 is an image recording device, 4 is a memory reading circuit for controlling a read address from the frame memory 5, 6 is a printing paper detection circuit for detecting whether the printing paper is normal paper or back printing paper, and 7 is a recording unit such as a recording head. , 8 are memory writing circuits for storing the image information from the input unit in the memory 5.

The memory writing circuit 8 stores one screen of image information from the input unit 2 in the frame memory 5.

Then, the print paper detection circuit 6 inputs information on whether the print paper is a normal paper or a back print paper to the control unit 1.

In the case of normal paper, the control unit 1 selects MODE0 and reads out each line or several lines in the direction of the image information arrow α in the frame memory 5, as shown in FIG. 2 (a).

The recording unit 7 then prints in the direction of the arrow α to form an upright image on the regular paper P.

On the other hand, in the case of back printing paper, the control unit 1 selects MODE1 and reads the image information in the frame memory 5 in the direction of arrow β opposite to arrow α, as shown in FIG. 2 (b). Then, the recording unit 7 prints in the direction of the arrow α as in the case of MODE0, and forms a mirror image of the erect image on the back print paper P '. Therefore, when the back print paper P'is viewed from the back side, it becomes an upright image. Thus, the erect image can be visually recognized on both the regular paper and the back print paper without changing the printing direction of the recording unit.

A more detailed circuit diagram for performing the control as shown in FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the same functional elements as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In FIG. 6, the printing paper detection circuit 6 is a light emitting diode.
It is composed of an LD, a phototransistor PT, variable resistors VR1 and VR2, and a comparator 13, and detects on the recording surface side of the printing paper. The normal paper is normally coated, and the recording surface of the back print paper is provided with an ink transport layer, which will be described later. Therefore, the amount of light that is incident on the phototransistor PT from the light emitting diode LD is larger in normal paper. The comparator 13 compares the threshold value V _TH set by the variable resistor VR2 with the output of the amplifier 12 and outputs a high level signal in the case of the back print paper P ′ and a low level signal in the case of the normal paper P. Is output. In the mode selection section 14, for example, when the mode selection signals respectively input are ORed and any one of them is selected as MODE1, its output is sent to the main scanning address counter (memory counter) 15 which operates as an up / down counter. give. The external mode selection circuit 20 selects a mode by inputting a code from the input section 2. The mode switching switch 21 can be switched by an operator.

It is also possible to set the priority order and select the mode. The count value setting circuit 18 sets the X address of the frame memory 5 and sets the maximum value of the X address. This maximum value is set according to the image size. It is constant when the size is constant.

As described above, the mode selection signal from the mode switching means provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus such as the print paper detection circuit 6 or the mode switching switch 21 and the mode selection signal code-input from the input section 2 for generating image information. Accordingly, the mode selecting unit 14 can appropriately switch the mode of forming an erect image and the mode of forming a mirror image, and can appropriately form an image visually recognizable as an erect image on each sheet. .

The X counter 15 becomes an up counter when MODE0 is selected by a signal given from the mode selection unit 14, and operates as a down counter in the mode 1.

When it becomes an up counter, it counts up from 0, and when it reaches the count value given by 18, it outputs a count up signal to the Y address counter 16 from the terminal RO, resets itself, and counts up from 0 again. To be done.

When it becomes a down counter, the count value given at 18 is loaded and counted down, and when it reaches 0, a count up signal is issued from the terminal RO to the sub-scanning address counter (hereinafter referred to as Y counter) 16 and given again from 18. It counts down from the count value.

As described above, the Y counter 16 increments the count value by 1 each time the RO signal output from the X counter 15 is input.

Therefore, the operation of X counter 15 and Y counter 16 causes the fourth
When the frame memory 5 shown in the figure is in MODE ₀ , the read addresses (X, Y) are (A ₀ , A _{i + 1} ), (A ₁ , A _{i + 1} ), ... (A
_i , A _{i + 1} ), (A ₀ , A _{i + 2} ), (A ₁ , A _{i + 2} ) ...

On the other hand, in the case of MODE1, (A _i , A _{i + 1} ), (A _{i-1 ,,} A _{i + 1} ),
...... (A ₀ , A _{i + 1} ), (A _i , A _{i + 2} ), (A _i-1 , A _{i + 2} ) ... are read in this order.

Reference numeral 19 is a driver for the ink jet head, and the binarized image data of the frame memory 5 is output from here to the ink jet head IJH to drive the IJH.

As the ink jet IJH, a multi-head in which all heads are arranged in the main scanning direction may be used, or a multi-head in which a predetermined number of heads are arranged in the sub-scanning direction, or one head may be used.

Next, a back print paper to which the present invention can be applied will be described. In this embodiment, MODE0 is usually selected when recording on normal recording paper, and MODE1 is normally selected when recording on cross-printing paper.

The structure of the back print paper is shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 5, when, for example, a transparent film is used as the transparent layer 101 and the ink transporting layer 102 having a high ink transporting property is formed on one surface thereof, the ink applied to the ink transporting layer is the ink transporting layer. The image density 103 ′ on the surface of the ink transport layer of the formed image 103 as a result of being quickly passed through the inner surface of the transparent film to be stored therein.
It has been found that the image density 103 ″ of the image seen from the transparent film side is higher and the image 103 ″ is clearer.

Such an effect was achieved by using a highly transparent film as the transparent layer, and making the ink transporting layer preferably a structure of opaque to semitransparent ink transporting property.

FIG. 6 shows another preferred embodiment of the back print paper. In the above construction, the transparent film is used.
This is an example in which an ink holding layer 104 having a good ink holding property is formed between the 101 and the ink transporting layer 102. According to this embodiment, the ink applied to the ink transporting layer 102 can be quickly transferred. The image density on the surface of the ink transport layer 102 is 1 because it is densely accumulated in the ink holding layer 104.
The image density 103 ″ of the ink holding layer 104 is higher than that of 03 ′, and the image 103 of the ink holding layer 104 is the transparent film 101.
Since it is observed from the side, the density of the image 103 ″ measured from the transparent film 101 side becomes higher than that of the image 103 ′ measured from the ink transport layer 102 side.

In the present embodiment, the image density generally measured from the transparent layer 101 side is about 1.2 times or more, further 1.5 times or more, 2.0 times or more as compared with the image density measured from the ink transport layer 102 side. It's extremely easy.

In the case of an image formed by the ink using the recording material having the above-described structure, there is no problem that the image density and the surface gloss of the ink transport layer 102 become low.
102 is capable of freely increasing its ink absorbability such as mixing a large amount of filler or making it porous, and since it is not necessary to retain ink on the surface, it is also necessary to use a highly water-soluble material. Therefore, the water resistance and the blocking resistance can be freely increased.

Then, the ink applied from the ink transport layer 102 side reaches the interface with the transparent layer promptly, and when the formed image is observed through the transparent layer, the image density is very high and the glossy transparent as the transparent layer. High surface gloss is obtained by using the film. Therefore, unlike the prior art, a laminating step or the like is not required at all.

Further, the color material forming the image, for example, the dye, is not retained on the surface of the recording material, but is mostly present at the interface between the transparent layer and the ink transport layer, so that the influence from the outside world is not affected. Therefore, the migration of the dye due to moisture absorption and the discoloration and fading of the dye due to light are equally improved.

As for the material for forming the back print paper used in this embodiment as described above, Japanese Patent Application No.
Details on -283041.

[Effect]

As described above, according to the present invention, there are provided a recording mode for performing recording suitable for normal paper viewed from the recording surface side and a recording mode for performing recording suitable for back print paper visible from the back side of the recording surface. , An erect image on each sheet can be selected in accordance with a mode selection signal input from an input unit for inputting image information and a mode selection signal output by a mode switching unit provided in the image recording apparatus. It is possible to appropriately form an image that can be visually recognized as.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the reading order from the memory in each mode and the recorded image.
FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram of part of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of the frame memory 5, FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of back print paper, and FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). 8A to 8C are diagrams showing the relationship between the head and the recording paper, and FIGS. 8A to 8C are diagrams showing the capacity of the line buffer memory. In the figure, 4 is a memory reading circuit, 5 is a frame memory,
Reference numeral 6 denotes a printing paper detection circuit, and 7 denotes a recording unit.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-58-136480 (JP, A) JP-A-59-70079 (JP, A) JP-A 61-112663 (JP, A) JP-A 62- 149455 (JP, A) JP-A-60-67164 (JP, A)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A recording unit for recording on a recording medium, an erect image recording mode for recording an erect image based on image information input from an input unit, and a mirror image recording for recording a mirror image based on input image information. An image recording apparatus having a mode, the erect image recording mode or the erect image recording mode according to a mode selection signal input from the input unit and a mode selection signal output by a mode switching unit provided in the image recording apparatus. An image recording apparatus comprising a mode selection unit for selecting one of the mirror image recording modes. 2. The mode switching means has a light emitting means and a light receiving means, and outputs a mode selection signal based on the amount of reflected light from the recording medium.
The image recording device according to the item. 3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode switching unit is a switching unit that can be switched by an operator.