Recorder, recording method, and memory medium

The present invention relates to a recording device using an ink sheet coated with a heat sublimation ink or the like, and more specifically, a recording device capable of recording an image matching the sizes of a recording paper and an ink sheet. , Recording method, storage medium.

[0002] [Conventional Techniques] Today, with the widespread use of video, digital cameras, and the like, there is an increasing demand for color printers that record color images input from them. There are various recording methods for the color printer, but the color of the thermal recording method in which an ink sheet coated with heat-sublimable or heat-meltable ink is selectively heated by a thermal head and an ink image is transferred and recorded on a recording paper. Printers are widely used. In particular, a thermal sublimation type thermal transfer recording device can obtain a high-quality full-color image comparable to a silver halide photograph, and is therefore expected as a high-quality recording device, especially a color printer for a digital camera. Normally, this type of recording device stores the recording paper in a paper feed cassette, takes out the recording paper one by one by the rotation of the paper feed roller from the paper feed cassette, and conveys this to the thermal head section to ink the thermal head. By pressing the platen through the sheet and the recording paper to drive the thermal head, the ink of the ink sheet is transferred to the recording paper and an image is recorded.

[0003] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] There are various sizes of images that a user wants to record, and it is preferable that there are many types of recording paper sizes (sizes) corresponding to a recording device.

[0004] In a recording device that supports a plurality of recording papers of different sizes, the user specifies the paper size by inputting a key or the like, selects the paper of the specified size, and performs recording control according to the size. It is generally known to do. However, if the user makes a mistake in the specification or forgets to specify the specification, the recording is not performed on the paper of the size intended by the user, and as a result, the recording paper is wasted. In particular, in the above-mentioned thermal sublimation type recording device, it is usual to use a dedicated recording paper in order to achieve high-quality recording, and this dedicated recording paper is more expensive than plain paper and is a recording paper. The burden on the user due to the waste of paper is greater than that of plain paper. Further, when recording is performed on a recording paper smaller than the size of the image to be recorded, recording is performed on a portion without paper, and ink adheres to the platen inside the recording device and its surroundings. Next, there was a possibility that the recording paper used for recording would be soiled.

[0005] In Japanese Patent Publication No. 06-030922, a measure is provided in which a dedicated array sensor is arranged in the moving path of the recording paper, the vertical and horizontal sizes of the recording paper are detected, and the size of the image to be recorded is automatically determined. Proposed. However, this method requires an expensive dedicated array sensor, which can be automatically resized without alerting or warning the user, and can result in unwanted printouts.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and even if recording papers and ink sheets of different sizes are mounted, or when the paper feed cassette is replaced in the middle, or when the user We provide a recording device, recording method, and recording medium that can record small images that are inconveniently incompatible with the size of the recording paper and do not stain the platen even when the size of the recording paper to be used is not specified. The purpose is to do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the recording device is used as the following (1).<u style="single">、(2</u>)<u style="single">Configure</u>, The recording method is as follows (<u style="single">3</u>). (1) The first recording paper and the second recording paper having a size different from that of the first recording paper and the orientation in the longitudinal direction can be selectively used, and the first recording paper is used. The first ink sheet cassette for accommodating the first ink sheet corresponding to paper and the first ink sheet corresponding to the second recording paper have a size corresponding to one sheet of recording paper and a longitudinal direction. A recording device to which a second ink sheet cassette accommodating a second ink sheet having a different orientation is selectively mounted, which can accommodate the recording paper and can be moved according to the size of the accommodating recording paper. Using a recording paper cassette provided with various guide members, a first detecting means for detecting the size of the recording paper housed in the recording paper cassette, and a sensor for identifying the type of the mounted ink sheet cassette. A second detection means for detecting the size of the ink sheet, an image processing means for performing reduction / enlargement and rotation processing of the image to be recorded, and detection results by the first detection means and the second detection means. When the second ink sheet cassette is attached and is detected to be the first recording paper, or when the first ink sheet cassette is attached and the second recording paper is used. The image processing means has a control means for prohibiting recording when it is detected, and when either the recording paper or the ink sheet is changed after the recording is prohibited by the control means. A recording device characterized in that recording is performed after performing rotation processing for changing the size of an image and changing the orientation of the image. (2) In the recording device according to (1), the recording paper accommodated in the recording paper cassette by the first detecting means detecting an end portion of the guide member of the recording paper cassette. Recording device characterized by detecting the size of<u style="single">Place.</u> (<u style="single">3</u>) By using a recording paper cassette that can accommodate the recording paper and is provided with a guide member that can be moved according to the size of the recording paper to be accommodated, the first recording paper and the first recording paper are 1 A second chart paper having different sheet sizes and longitudinal orientations can be selectively used, and a first ink sheet cassette that accommodates a first ink sheet corresponding to the first chart paper. , The second ink sheet cassette corresponding to the second recording paper and accommodating the second ink sheet having a size corresponding to one recording paper and a different orientation in the longitudinal direction from the first ink sheet. A recording method in a recording device that is selectively mounted, in which a first detection step of detecting the size of the recording paper accommodated in the recording paper cassette and a type of the mounted ink sheet cassette are identified. The second ink sheet cassette comprises a second detection step of detecting the size of the ink sheet using a sensor, and based on the detection results of the first detection means and the second detection means. When it is attached and detected to be the first recording paper, or when the first ink sheet cassette is attached and detected to be the second recording paper, recording is prohibited and the above is described. After prohibiting recording by the control means, when either the recording paper or the ink sheet is changed, the image processing means changes the size of the image and rotates the image to change the orientation of the image. A recording method characterized by recording from.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples of a recording device. The present invention is not limited to the form of a recording device, but can be similarly implemented in the form of a recording method and also in the form of a storage medium such as a CD-ROM containing a program for realizing this recording method. ..

[Example] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the recording device of the embodiment. First, the overall configuration of the recording device will be described. The paper cassette 2 loaded with the recording paper P is separately fed by the paper feed roller 3 one by one to the apparatus main body 1, and the transport rollers 4 are sandwiched and transported to the recording unit so that the recording paper P can be reciprocated. .. In the recording unit, the platen roller 5 and the thermal head 6 that generates heat according to the recording information face each other across the recording paper transport path, and are heat-meltable and stored in the ink sheet cassette (also called an ink cassette) 7. Alternatively, the ink sheet 8 coated with the heat sublimable ink is pressed against the recording paper P by the thermal head 6, and the heat generating element of the thermal head is selectively heated to record a required image on the recording paper P. As shown in 2a of FIG. 2, the ink sheet 8 is provided with ink portions of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) arranged side by side in a size substantially equal to that of the recording paper P shown in 2b. Yes, after transferring one color at a time, the recording paper P is returned to the recording start position P1 and recording is performed sequentially by the ink unit corresponding to each color. In this way, the recording paper P is reciprocated by the number of colors by the transport roller pair 4, and finally guided to the paper ejection roller pair 9, and is discharged to the outside of the housing to complete the recording.

[0020] In FIG. 1, the recording paper P housed in the paper cassette 2 is assumed to be A7 size, which is about half the size of the standard A6 size Ps shown in 2d, as shown in 2b of FIG. Although it is shown, the position before the start of recording (solid line) and the position immediately after recording (broken line) in the case of A6 size are also shown.

[0021] As shown in 2a-2b and 2c-2d of FIG. 2, the size of each ink portion of the ink sheet 8 must be changed according to the size of the recording paper. In short, the ink sheet cassette containing the recording paper and the ink sheet must basically be used in the same size. Therefore, the recording device of FIG. 1 is provided with a sensor 10 for identifying the type of ink sheet cassette. Normally, it is better to prepare a paper cassette for each paper size to facilitate identification of the recording paper, but for cost reasons, it usually moves along the guide groove 12 as shown in FIG. It is used because it is cheaper to have the user set the possible guide plate 11 depending on the type of recording paper.

Although the recording paper size detection sensor is not shown in FIG. 1, for example, the recording paper is detected by detecting the presence or absence of an end portion 13 that moves along the guide groove 12 of the guide plate 11 shown in FIG. The size can be detected. In this case, if the user forgets to set the guide plate 11 even if he / she sets half the size of A7 size recording paper, it will be misunderstood that the standard size A6 ink sheet cassette is set, which is a problem. The length of the recording paper can be measured by counting the time it passes through the tip detection sensor 14 of the recording paper when the paper is conveyed to the recording start position of P1 in advance. It is possible to discriminate the difference between the two and eject the paper to avoid erroneous recording.

As shown in FIG. 4, the image control unit includes an ink sheet cassette detecting means 15, a recording paper size detecting means 16, a buffer memory 17, an image processing unit 18 for reducing / enlarging or rotating an image, a thermal head 19, and the like. It is configured to include the thermal control unit 20, the transfer motor 21, and the drive control palace generator 22 thereof.

[0024] In the recording apparatus having such a configuration, the input image can be obtained from both the recording paper and the ink sheet cassette currently mounted on the recording apparatus without inputting the recording paper size to be recorded. The type can be judged from the output contents of the detection means 15 and 16 and edited to the optimum size and orientation for recording.

[0025] Specifically, when the recording paper and the ink sheet have the same A6 size, for example, 2d and 2c in FIG. 2, the recording is performed as it is, and 2b and 2c, 2d and 2a in FIG. 2 are recorded. If at least one of the size and orientation is different, a warning is issued or an error is displayed and recording is prohibited.

[0026] If the recording paper is subsequently changed from the standard size A6 size to the faster and cheaper A7 (half size) sets 2a, 2b, the recording device is from the recording paper size detecting means 16. Image rotation processing is performed to automatically resize and change the recording direction according to the information.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the length of the recording paper such as the sticker paper containing the half cut 23 of (B) is slightly changed as compared with the A7 size of (A) for exclusive use (specific). ), When the dedicated size is detected by the detection means 16 or the tip detection sensor 14, the same image can be automatically recorded in a specific format for recording in multiple frames.

[0028] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the recording operation of the recording paper and the ink sheet suitable for the respective sizes is performed without requiring the operation by the user, and the recording is mounted on the recording device. If recording cannot be performed due to the wrong paper size, the recording operation can be stopped. Furthermore, using a recording paper of a specific size, multiple images smaller than the size of the recording paper are placed side by side on the recording paper for recording. It is possible to automatically perform recording in a specific format as it is done.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to perform recording suitable for the size of the recording paper and the size of the ink sheet without requiring complicated operations by the user. In addition, even if the size of the recording paper and ink sheet is set incorrectly and recording cannot be performed, a warning is issued before the recording operation starts and the recording paper is ejected to always record properly. This can be done without recording a small image that is incompatible with the recording paper or recording at a position beyond the area of the recording paper to stain the inside of the recording device.

[Brief description of drawings] [Fig. 1] Cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment [Fig. 2] Explanatory view of ink sheets and recording papers of different sizes [Fig. 3] Perspective view of a recording paper cassette [Fig. 4] Control unit Block diagram showing the configuration of [Fig. 5] Explanatory diagram of recording in a specific format [Explanation of symbols] 15 Ink sheet cassette detecting means 16 Recording paper size detecting means 18 Image processing unit