JP3775613B2

JP3775613B2 - How to create uneven images

Info

Publication number: JP3775613B2
Application number: JP13383097A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 充沢野; 和明金城
Original assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd
Current assignee: Fujifilm Holdings Corp
Priority date: 1997-05-23
Filing date: 1997-05-23
Publication date: 2006-05-17
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-23
Also published as: JPH10324010A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、凹凸画像を作成する方法に関するものである。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
従来のサーマルヘッドを用いた印刷システムでは、平坦な２次元のモノクロもしくはカラーの画像のみであった。
凹凸印刷の分野では、インパクト方式のように記録ベースを直接変形させて凹凸を設けるシステムがあるが、点字しか表現することが出来ない。
また、松本興産（株）製の立体コピーシステムのようにカプセルペーパーなる発泡性シートに通常のプリントにより黒トナーを印字し、印字されたカプセルペーパーを別装置にて露光するとトナー部分が光を吸収、発熱しその部分のみが発泡するシステムがあるが、これはモノクロのみしかできず凸部は常に黒くなってしまう、また装置が大型化するという問題がある。
さらに特開昭６３−２９９９７８号公報には、熱発泡性物質が塗布された熱転写記録媒体を被転写体に熱転写すると同時もしくは熱転写後に加熱し発泡させる方法が開示されているが、印字されている部分しか凸にできない。
これらのシステムは、目の不自由な人の点字プリンタとして実際に使用されている。
【０００３】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
しかし従来の方式では点字部分もしくは印字されている部分しか凸にできない。従って、濃淡またはカラーの画像を任意に凹凸にすることが出来ない。
本発明は、上記課題を解決するものであり、特にデジタルカラー画像に凹凸をもたせるものである。
【０００４】
上記課題を解決するために、請求項１記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、サーマルプリンターを用いて、該サーマルプリンターのサーマルヘッドで、記録シート上の熱膨張性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間にカバーリボンを介在させて前記カバーリボンの上から前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して更に強い熱量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記熱膨張性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記画像のエッジ情報に基づき前記熱膨張性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより該画像のエッジ部だけ凸部または凹部の画像を作成することを特徴としている。
また、請求項２記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、サーマルプリンターを用いて、該サーマルプリンターのサーマルヘッドで、記録シート上の熱膨張性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間にカバーリボンを介在させて前記カバーリボンの上から前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して更に強い熱量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記熱膨張性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記画像の濃淡情報に基づき前記熱膨張性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより、濃い部分だけ凸部または凹部の画像を作成することを特徴としている。
さらに、請求項３記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、サーマルプリンターを用いて、該サーマルプリンターのサーマルヘッドで、記録シート上の熱膨張性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間にカバーリボンを介在させて前記カバーリボンの上から前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して更に強い熱量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記熱膨張性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記サーマルヘッドの面積階調方式を使用して前記熱膨張性の素材の加熱面積を制御することにより、画像濃度に応じて凸部または凹部の面積が変調された画像を形成することを特徴としている。
そして、請求項４記載の発明は、請求項１〜３のいずれか１項記載の凹凸画像の作成方法において、前記熱膨張性の素材が熱発泡性素材であることを特徴としている。
【０００５】
また、請求項５記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、サーマルプリンターを用いて、該サーマルプリンターのサーマルヘッドで、記録シート上の熱収縮性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間にカバーリボンを介在させて前記カバーリボンの上から前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して更に強い熱量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記熱収縮性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記画像のエッジ情報に基づき前記熱収縮性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより該画像のエッジ部だけ凸部または凹部の画像を作成することを特徴としている。
また、請求項６記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、サーマルプリンターを用いて、該サーマルプリンターのサーマルヘッドで、記録シート上の熱収縮性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間にカバーリボンを介在させて前記カバーリボンの上から前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して更に強い熱量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記熱収縮性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記画像の濃淡情報に基づき前記熱収縮性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより凹部または凸部の画像を作成することを特徴としている。
そして、請求項７記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、サーマルプリンターを用いて、該サーマルプリンターのサーマルヘッドで、記録シート上の熱収縮性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間にカバーリボンを介在させて前記カバーリボンの上から前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して更に強い熱量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記熱収縮性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記サーマルヘッドの面積階調方式を使用して前記熱収縮性の素材の加熱面積を制御することにより、画像濃度に応じて凹部または凸部の面積が変調された画像を形成することを特徴としている。
【０００６】
さらに、請求項８記載の発明は、請求項１〜７のいずれか１項記載の凹凸画像の作成方法において、前記サーマルヘッドの代わりにレーザヘッドを用いて、該レーザヘッドで記録シート上の素材を加熱することを特徴としている。
【０００７】
また、請求項９記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、ＬＥＤヘッドで記録シート上の光膨張性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記ＬＥＤヘッドと前記記録シートの間に透明カバーリボンを介在させて前記透明カバーリボンの上から前記ＬＥＤヘッドを照射して光量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記光熱膨張性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記画像のエッジ情報に基づき前記光膨張性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより該画像のエッジ部だけ凸部または凹部の画像を作成することを特徴としている。
そして、請求項１０記載の発明は、凹凸画像の作成方法に係り、ＬＥＤヘッドで記録シート上の光収縮性の素材を加熱することにより凸画像を作成する凹凸画像の作成方法において、まず、サーマルヘッドと前記記録シートの間に印刷リボンを介在させて２次元画像情報に応じて前記サーマルヘッドを加熱して濃淡またはカラーの画像を前記記録シート上に転写しておき、次に、前記印刷リボンを前記記録シートから除去した後、前記ＬＥＤヘッドと前記記録シートの間に透明カバーリボンを介在させて前記透明カバーリボンの上から前記ＬＥＤヘッドを照射して光量を３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき前記光熱収縮性の素材に与えるよう制御する際に、前記画像のエッジ情報に基づき前記光収縮性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより該画像のエッジ部だけ凸部または凹部の画像を作成することを特徴としている。
【０００８】
【発明の実施の形態】
図１を参照して、本発明の凹凸印刷装置の基本構成を説明する概念図である。
図１において、１は画像を印刷するためのサーマルヘッド、２はプラテン、３はリボン、４は熱膨張性の記録シート、５は３次元画像情報を持った画像データ・画素の位置を表す２次元画素位置データに対応する画素の階調を表す階調データ・画素の色を表すカラーデータ・画像の輪郭を表す輪郭データ等を記憶していてその都度必要なデータに基づく印刷制御信号を発する印刷制御部である。
【０００９】
次に、上述の凹凸印刷装置による凹凸画像の作成方法を説明する。本発明の凹凸画像の作成方法は次の２ステップ▲１▼と▲２▼を取る。すなわち、
▲１▼まず２次元画像情報に応じて濃淡又はカラーの画像を記録シート４に行なうステップ。
、▲２▼そのあと、３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づき熱膨張性の素材をかなり強く加熱するステップ、である。
▲１▼のステップの２次元画像情報に応じて濃淡又はカラーの画像を記録シート４に行なう方法は従来公知のプリント方法である。すなわち、凹凸印刷装置に記録シート４をセットし、凹凸印刷装置を起動し、記録シート４をサーマルヘッド１とプラテン２との間へ送る。サーマルヘッド１は、印刷制御部５に蓄えられている２次元画像情報に応じて濃淡またはカラーの画像を熱転写リボン３から記録シート４に転写する。
【００１０】
次に、熱転写リボン３に代えて透明フイルムよりなるカバーリボンをセットし、印刷の終わった記録シート４を再度凹凸印刷装置にセットする。この時の位置合わせはプリントの先頭にマークを入れ、このマークを光学センサで読み取って位置合わせを行なう。位置合わせが終わったら凹凸印刷装置を起動し、記録シート４をサーマルヘッド１とプラテン２との間へ送る。サーマルヘッド１は、印刷制御部５に蓄えられている３次元画像情報を持った画像データに基づきその上から更に強い熱量を制御することにより、濃淡またはカラーの画像に同期した凹凸画像を作成する
【００１１】
熱膨張性素材としては、熱発泡性のものが適当である。例えば、熱発泡性のものとしては、松本油脂製造社製のマイクロスフェア−ＲＱ−５１１、−３０、−５０、日本フェライト社製のエクスパンセルＷＶ８２０等がある。
【００１２】
記録シート４をここでは熱膨張性素材だけで構成しているが、耐熱・強度が要求されるときはポリエステル、ポリカーボネート、ナイロン等のプラスチックフィルム支持体の上に熱膨張性素材をコーテイングしたものを用いてもよい。
【００１３】
【実施例】
本発明の凹凸印刷の実施例は次の通りである。

Ｂ）工程
・記録シートと熱転写リボンをセットし、ＶＤＳ法を用いた熱転写を実施して、カラー画像を作成した。この時のストローブは最大２．５ｍｓｅｃであった。
・次に、転写リボンをはずし、カバーリボンをセットし、副走査速度を半分の６．０５ｍｍ／ｓｅｃに落とし、ストローブを最大５．０ｍｓｅｃにして印刷した。
Ｃ）結果
・カラー画像と凹凸が同期した画像ができた。
【００１４】
画像のエッジ情報に基づき熱膨張性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより、該エッジ部だけを凸部または凹部の画像で作成するようにしてもよい。
【００１５】
画像の濃淡情報に基づき前記熱膨張性の素材の加熱量を制御することにより、濃淡に比例した突出度の凸部または凹部の画像を作成するようにしてもよい。
【００１６】
サーマルヘッドにはＬＯＵＶＥＲ法やＶＤＳ法といった公知の面積階調方式を使用して加熱面積を制御しているが、この技法をここに応用して前記熱膨張性の素材の加熱面積を制御するようにすると、画像濃度に応じて凸部または凹部の面積が変調された画像を形成することも可能となる。
【００１７】
また、図１、図２に示された凹凸印刷装置において、サーマルヘッド１に代えてレーザヘッドを用いてもよい。
【００１８】
以上は、熱膨張性の素材について述べてきたが、逆に、熱収縮性の素材を加熱することにより、紙面より窪んだ凹凸画像を作成することも可能である。
熱収縮性物質としては、ポリエチレン若しくはポリプロピレン等の架橋ポリオレフィン系樹脂、フッ素樹脂、合成ゴム等を含む樹脂、ポリ塩化ビニール等の合成樹脂、ポリエステル系樹脂、ポリアミド系樹脂、等の熱可塑性の単独ないし共重合体樹脂を１軸方向または２軸方向のいずれかに延伸加工されて充分な熱処理を施されていない熱収縮性をまだ残しているものが適当である。
【００１９】
さらには、サーマルヘッドやレーザヘッドに代えてＬＥＤヘッド、液晶ヘッド、ＤＭＤヘッドなどを用いることも可能である。そしてそれらを用いる場合には記録シート１は光膨張性素材又は光収縮性素材を用いることとなる。
【００２０】
以上、図１の本発明の凹凸印刷装置及び凹凸画像の作成方法の実施例について説明したが凹凸印刷装置としては、図２に示すような、凹凸を形成するためのサーマルヘッド６を印刷のためのサーマルヘッド１とは別に設けたほうが、リボンを掛け替える手間と時間と熟練性が省略できるのでよい。
【００２１】
図２において、まず、同図に向かって左側から凹凸印刷装置に記録シート４をセットし、凹凸印刷装置を起動し、記録シート４をサーマルヘッド１とプラテン２との間へ送る。サーマルヘッド１は、印刷制御部５に蓄えられている２次元画像情報に応じて濃淡またはカラーの画像を熱転写リボン３から記録シート４に転写する。転写された記録シート４は次にサーマルヘッド６とプラテン７との間へ送られ、先の濃淡またはカラーの画像と位置合わせされた後、サーマルヘッド６は印刷制御部５からそこに蓄えられている３次元画像情報に応じた凹凸データを受け取り、記録シート４の上へ更に強い熱量を制御することにより、濃淡またはカラーの画像に同期した凹凸画像が作成される。このようにして、図２に示す凹凸印刷装置によれば、リボンを掛け替える手間と時間と熟練性が省略できるので便利である。
【００２２】
また、上記実施例１、２では画像の形成は熱転写方式を例示してが、この方法は一般に知られた他のカラープリント方式、例えば、電子写真、銀塩写真、インクジェット、昇華熱転写、サーモオートクローム、オフセット印刷、スクリーン印刷などでも良い。
【００２３】
【発明の効果】
本発明によれば、中間階調データ等の諸データに基づいて、加熱量を制御できるサーマルヘッドあるいはレーザヘッドを有する印刷装置を用いて、熱発泡性あるいは熱収縮性のシートに印刷の他にこの印刷と同期した凹凸の形成をするようにしたので、従来の凹凸印刷装置においてはできなかった中間階調等に応じた高さの凸部あるいは凹部を有する凹凸画像も簡単に作成することができる。また、請求項１〜４の方法によればスタンプにも用いることができる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明凹凸印刷装置の第１実施例の概念図。
【図２】本発明凹凸印刷装置の第２実施例の概念図。
【符号の説明】
１− サーマルヘッド
２− プラテン
３− 印刷リボン
４− シート
５− 印刷制御部
６− サーマルヘッド
７− プラテン
８− カバーリボン[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for creating an uneven image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional printing system using a thermal head has only a flat two-dimensional monochrome or color image.
In the field of concavo-convex printing, there is a system in which concavo-convex is provided by directly deforming the recording base as in the impact method, but only Braille can be expressed.
In addition, black toner is printed on the foamed sheet of capsule paper by normal printing, as in the three-dimensional copy system manufactured by Matsumoto Kosan Co., Ltd., and the toner part absorbs light when the printed capsule paper is exposed by another device. However, there is a system in which heat is generated and only that portion is foamed, but this can only be monochrome, and the convex portion is always black, and the apparatus becomes large.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-299978 discloses a method in which a thermal transfer recording medium coated with a thermally foamable substance is thermally transferred to a transfer medium and heated and foamed at the same time after thermal transfer. Only part can be convex.
These systems are actually used as blind printers for blind people.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional method, only the Braille part or the printed part can be convex. Therefore, it is not possible to make unevenness or color images arbitrarily uneven.
The present invention solves the above-described problems, and in particular, provides unevenness in a digital color image.
[0004]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 relates to a method for producing a concavo-convex image, wherein a thermal printer is used to heat a thermally expandable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer. In the method of creating a concavo-convex image by which a convex image is created, first, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated in accordance with two-dimensional image information to produce a light or shade color or color. The image is transferred onto the recording sheet, and then the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, and then a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the cover ribbon is placed over the cover ribbon. controls to provide to the thermal expansion of the material on the basis of a stronger heat by heating the thermal head to the image data having a three-dimensional image information When the is characterized in that to create the image of the projections or recesses by an edge portion of the image by controlling the heating amount of the thermal expansion of the material based on the edge information of the image.
The invention described in claim 2 relates to a method for creating a concavo-convex image, and creates a convex image by heating a thermally expandable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer using a thermal printer. In the method for creating a concavo-convex image, first, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information so that a grayscale or color image is formed on the recording sheet. Next, after removing the print ribbon from the recording sheet, the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon with a cover ribbon interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet. When controlling to apply a stronger heat amount to the thermally expandable material based on image data having three-dimensional image information, By controlling the heating amount of the thermal expansion of the material on the basis of the information, it is characterized in that to create the image of the dark part by projections or recesses.
Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 relates to a method for creating a concavo-convex image, and creates a convex image by heating a thermally expandable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer using a thermal printer. In the method for creating a concavo-convex image, first, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information so that a grayscale or color image is formed on the recording sheet. Next, after removing the print ribbon from the recording sheet, the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon with a cover ribbon interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet. When the thermal energy is controlled to be applied to the thermally expandable material based on image data having three-dimensional image information, By controlling the heating area of the material of the heat-expandable using an area gray scale method of the head, the area of the projections or recesses in accordance with the image density is characterized by forming a modulated image.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the method for creating a concavo-convex image according to any one of the first to third aspects, the thermally expandable material is a thermally foamable material.
[0005]
The invention according to claim 5 relates to a method of creating a concavo-convex image, and uses a thermal printer to create a convex image by heating a heat-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer. In the method for creating a concavo-convex image, first, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information so that a grayscale or color image is formed on the recording sheet. Next, after removing the print ribbon from the recording sheet, the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon with a cover ribbon interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet. When controlling to apply a stronger heat amount to the heat-shrinkable material based on image data having three-dimensional image information, It is characterized by creating an image of projections or recesses by an edge portion of the image by controlling the heating amount of the heat shrinkable material based on di information.
The invention according to claim 6 relates to a method for creating a concavo-convex image, and uses a thermal printer to create a convex image by heating a heat-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer. In the method for creating a concavo-convex image, first, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information so that a grayscale or color image is formed on the recording sheet. Next, after removing the print ribbon from the recording sheet, the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon with a cover ribbon interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet. When control is performed so that a stronger amount of heat is applied to the heat-shrinkable material based on image data having three-dimensional image information, the density of the image is increased. It is characterized by creating an image of the recesses or protrusions by controlling the amount of heating of the heat shrinkable material based on the information.
The invention described in claim 7 relates to a method for creating a concavo-convex image, and uses a thermal printer to create a convex image by heating a heat-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer. In the method for creating a concavo-convex image, first, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information so that a grayscale or color image is formed on the recording sheet. Next, after removing the print ribbon from the recording sheet, the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon with a cover ribbon interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet. When the thermal energy is controlled to be applied to the heat-shrinkable material based on image data having three-dimensional image information, By controlling the heating area of the heat shrinkable material by using an area gray scale method of the head, the area of the recesses or projections in accordance with the image density is characterized by forming a modulated image.
[0006]
Further, the invention according to claim 8 is the method for producing a concavo-convex image according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a laser head is used in place of the thermal head, and the material on the recording sheet by the laser head. It is characterized by heating.
[0007]
The invention according to claim 9 relates to a method for producing a concavo-convex image, and in the method for producing a concavo-convex image in which a convex image is produced by heating a light-expandable material on a recording sheet with an LED head. A printing ribbon is interposed between the head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet, and then the printing ribbon Is removed from the recording sheet, and a transparent cover ribbon is interposed between the LED head and the recording sheet to irradiate the LED head from above the transparent cover ribbon to obtain a light quantity having three-dimensional image information. By controlling the amount of heating of the photoexpandable material based on edge information of the image when controlling to give to the photothermally expandable material based on the data, An image of a convex portion or a concave portion is created only at the edge portion of the image.
The invention according to claim 10 relates to a method for producing a concavo-convex image, and in the method for producing a concavo-convex image in which a convex image is produced by heating a light-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with an LED head. A printing ribbon is interposed between the head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet, and then the printing ribbon Is removed from the recording sheet, and a transparent cover ribbon is interposed between the LED head and the recording sheet to irradiate the LED head from above the transparent cover ribbon to obtain a light quantity having three-dimensional image information. Controlling the amount of heating of the light-shrinkable material based on edge information of the image when controlling to give to the light-heat-shrinkable material based on data Thus, an image of a convex portion or a concave portion is created only at the edge portion of the image.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1, it is a conceptual diagram explaining the basic composition of the uneven | corrugated printing apparatus of this invention.
In FIG. 1, 1 is a thermal head for printing an image, 2 is a platen, 3 is a ribbon, 4 is a thermally expandable recording sheet, and 5 is a position 2 of image data / pixel having three-dimensional image information. Gradation data representing the gradation of the pixel corresponding to the dimensional pixel position data, color data representing the color of the pixel, contour data representing the contour of the image, etc. are stored, and a print control signal based on the necessary data is issued each time. A print control unit;
[0009]
Next, a method for creating a concavo-convex image by the above concavo-convex printing apparatus will be described. The method for creating a concavo-convex image according to the present invention takes the following two steps (1) and (2). That is,
(1) First, a step of performing a grayscale or color image on the recording sheet 4 in accordance with the two-dimensional image information.
(2) Then, the step of heating the thermally expandable material considerably strongly based on the image data having the three-dimensional image information.
A method of performing a grayscale or color image on the recording sheet 4 in accordance with the two-dimensional image information in step (1) is a conventionally known printing method. That is, the recording sheet 4 is set in the uneven printing apparatus, the uneven printing apparatus is activated, and the recording sheet 4 is sent between the thermal head 1 and the platen 2. The thermal head 1 transfers a grayscale or color image from the thermal transfer ribbon 3 to the recording sheet 4 in accordance with the two-dimensional image information stored in the print control unit 5.
[0010]
Next, instead of the thermal transfer ribbon 3, a cover ribbon made of a transparent film is set, and the printed recording sheet 4 is set again in the uneven printing apparatus. At this time, a mark is placed at the head of the print, and this mark is read by an optical sensor for alignment. When the alignment is completed, the uneven printing apparatus is started and the recording sheet 4 is sent between the thermal head 1 and the platen 2. The thermal head 1 creates a concavo-convex image synchronized with a grayscale or color image by controlling a stronger amount of heat based on the image data having the three-dimensional image information stored in the print control unit 5. [0011]
As the thermally expandable material, a thermally foamable material is suitable. Examples of thermally foamable materials include Microsphere-RQ-511, -30, and -50 manufactured by Matsumoto Yushi Co., Ltd., EXPANSELL WV820 manufactured by Nippon Ferrite Co., Ltd., and the like.
[0012]
Here, the recording sheet 4 is composed only of a heat-expandable material. However, when heat resistance and strength are required, a recording film 4 coated with a heat-expandable material on a plastic film support such as polyester, polycarbonate, or nylon is used. It may be used.
[0013]
【Example】
Examples of the uneven printing of the present invention are as follows.

B) Process / Recording sheet and thermal transfer ribbon were set, and thermal transfer using the VDS method was performed to create a color image. The strobe at this time was a maximum of 2.5 msec.
Next, the transfer ribbon was removed, the cover ribbon was set, the sub-scanning speed was reduced to half of 6.05 mm / sec, and the strobe was printed at a maximum of 5.0 msec.
C) Results • An image in which the color image and the unevenness were synchronized was obtained.
[0014]
By controlling the heating amount of the thermally expandable material based on the edge information of the image, only the edge portion may be created as an image of a convex portion or a concave portion.
[0015]
By controlling the heating amount of the thermally expandable material based on the density information of the image, an image of a convex portion or a concave portion having a degree of protrusion proportional to the density may be created.
[0016]
For the thermal head, the heating area is controlled by using a known area gradation method such as LOUVER method or VDS method, but this technique is applied here to control the heating area of the thermally expandable material. Then, it is possible to form an image in which the area of the convex portion or the concave portion is modulated according to the image density.
[0017]
In the uneven printing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a laser head may be used in place of the thermal head 1.
[0018]
The thermal expansion material has been described above, but conversely, it is also possible to create an uneven image recessed from the paper surface by heating the heat shrinkable material.
Examples of the heat-shrinkable material include crosslinked polyolefin resins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, fluororesins, resins including synthetic rubber, synthetic resins such as polyvinyl chloride, polyester resins, polyamide resins, and the like, which are thermoplastic alone or It is appropriate that the copolymer resin is stretched in either a uniaxial direction or a biaxial direction and still has a heat shrinkability that has not been subjected to sufficient heat treatment.
[0019]
Furthermore, an LED head, a liquid crystal head, a DMD head, or the like can be used instead of the thermal head or the laser head. When these are used, the recording sheet 1 uses a light-expandable material or a light-shrinkable material.
[0020]
The embodiment of the concavo-convex printing apparatus and concavo-convex image creating method of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 has been described above. However, as the concavo-convex printing apparatus, the thermal head 6 for forming the concavo-convex as shown in FIG. If it is provided separately from the thermal head 1, the labor, time and skill of changing the ribbon can be omitted.
[0021]
In FIG. 2, first, the recording sheet 4 is set in the uneven printing apparatus from the left side in the drawing, the uneven printing apparatus is started, and the recording sheet 4 is sent between the thermal head 1 and the platen 2. The thermal head 1 transfers a grayscale or color image from the thermal transfer ribbon 3 to the recording sheet 4 in accordance with the two-dimensional image information stored in the print control unit 5. The transferred recording sheet 4 is then sent between the thermal head 6 and the platen 7, and after being aligned with the previous shade or color image, the thermal head 6 is stored there from the print controller 5. By receiving unevenness data corresponding to the existing 3D image information and controlling the amount of heat more intensely onto the recording sheet 4, an unevenness image synchronized with a grayscale or color image is created. Thus, according to the concavo-convex printing apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the labor, time and skill of changing the ribbon can be omitted, which is convenient.
[0022]
In Examples 1 and 2, the image formation is exemplified by the thermal transfer method, but this method may be any other commonly known color printing method, such as electrophotography, silver salt photography, inkjet, sublimation thermal transfer, thermoauto. Chrome, offset printing, screen printing, etc. may be used.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in addition to printing on a heat-foamable or heat-shrinkable sheet, a printing apparatus having a thermal head or a laser head capable of controlling the amount of heating based on various data such as halftone data is used. Since the unevenness is formed in synchronization with the printing, it is possible to easily create an uneven image having a convex portion or a concave portion having a height corresponding to a halftone or the like, which was not possible with a conventional uneven printing apparatus. it can. Moreover, according to the method of Claims 1-4 , it can be used also for a stamp.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a first embodiment of an uneven printing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a second embodiment of the uneven printing apparatus of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1- Thermal head 2- Platen 3- Printing ribbon 4- Sheet 5- Print control unit 6- Thermal head 7- Platen 8- Cover ribbon

Claims

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image using a thermal printer, a convex image is created by heating a thermally expandable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer.
First, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon to further increase the amount of heat. When controlling to give to the thermally expandable material based on image data having image information, only the edge portion of the image is controlled by controlling the heating amount of the thermally expandable material based on the edge information of the image. A method for creating a concavo-convex image, wherein an image of a convex portion or a concave portion is created.

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image using a thermal printer, a convex image is created by heating a thermally expandable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer.
First, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon to further increase the amount of heat. When controlling to give to the thermally expandable material based on image data having image information, by controlling the heating amount of the thermally expandable material based on the shade information of the image, only a dark portion is a convex portion Alternatively, a method for creating a concavo-convex image, characterized by creating an image of a recess.

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image using a thermal printer, a convex image is created by heating a thermally expandable material on a recording sheet with a thermal head of the thermal printer.
First, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon to further increase the amount of heat. When controlling to give the thermally expandable material based on image data having image information, by controlling the heating area of the thermally expandable material using the area gradation method of the thermal head, A method for producing a concavo-convex image, comprising forming an image in which an area of a convex portion or a concave portion is modulated in accordance with an image density.

The method for creating a concavo-convex image according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thermally expandable material is a thermally foamable material.

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image using a thermal printer, a convex image is created by heating a heat-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with the thermal head of the thermal printer.
First, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon to further increase the amount of heat. When controlling to give to the heat-shrinkable material based on image data having image information, only the edge portion of the image is controlled by controlling the heating amount of the heat-shrinkable material based on the edge information of the image. A method for creating a concavo-convex image, wherein an image of a convex portion or a concave portion is created.

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image using a thermal printer, a convex image is created by heating a heat-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with the thermal head of the thermal printer.
First, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon to further increase the amount of heat. When controlling to give to the heat-shrinkable material based on image data having image information, the image of the concave portion or the convex portion is controlled by controlling the heating amount of the heat-shrinkable material based on the density information of the image. A method of creating a concavo-convex image, characterized in that

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image using a thermal printer, a convex image is created by heating a heat-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with the thermal head of the thermal printer.
First, a print ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a cover ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated from above the cover ribbon to further increase the amount of heat. When controlling to give to the heat shrinkable material based on image data having image information, by controlling the heating area of the heat shrinkable material using the area gradation method of the thermal head, A method for producing a concavo-convex image, comprising forming an image in which an area of a concave portion or a convex portion is modulated in accordance with an image density.

The method for producing a concavo-convex image according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a material on a recording sheet is heated with a laser head instead of the thermal head.

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image in which a convex image is created by heating a light-expandable material on a recording sheet with an LED head,
First, a printing ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a transparent cover ribbon is interposed between the LED head and the recording sheet, and the LED head is irradiated from above the transparent cover ribbon so that the amount of light is three-dimensional. When controlling to give to the photothermal expansible material based on image data having image information, only the edge portion of the image is controlled by controlling the heating amount of the photoexpandable material based on the edge information of the image. A method for creating a concavo-convex image, wherein an image of a convex portion or a concave portion is created.

In the method of creating a concavo-convex image in which a convex image is created by heating a light-shrinkable material on a recording sheet with an LED head,
First, a printing ribbon is interposed between the thermal head and the recording sheet, and the thermal head is heated according to two-dimensional image information to transfer a grayscale or color image onto the recording sheet,
Next, after the printing ribbon is removed from the recording sheet, a transparent cover ribbon is interposed between the LED head and the recording sheet, and the LED head is irradiated from above the transparent cover ribbon so that the amount of light is three-dimensional. When controlling to give to the photothermal shrinkable material based on image data having image information, only the edge portion of the image is controlled by controlling the heating amount of the photoshrinkable material based on the edge information of the image. A method for creating a concavo-convex image, wherein an image of a convex portion or a concave portion is created.