Typewriting machines – Typing by other than type-face or type-die – Thermal
Utility Patent
1999-02-24
2001-01-02
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Typing by other than type-face or type-die
Thermal
C396S001000, C396S002000
Utility Patent
active
06168325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a printer, and more particularly to a printer suitable for an electronic picture printing system, which is placed in arcades and on the streets and prints a picture showing a user as a main subject onto recording paper for producing a peel-off sticker provided to the user.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic picture printing system such as an electronic photo booth system disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5-161064, which has built-in imaging means and printing means, is well known and is placed in arcades and on the streets. The electronic picture printing system takes a picture with the imaging means after a user deposits money into the electronic picture printing system and selects a background frame. Then, paper starts feeding to the printing means after the user presses a printing instruction button. The picture is printed on the paper upon completion of the feeding, and the printed paper is ejected upon completion of the printing.
In the electronic picture printing system in arcades, the reduction of the time required for one use immediately increases the profit. For this reason, there is a desire to reduce the time for printing on the printer in the electronic picture printing system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object the provision of a printer that reduces the time for printing.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to a printer comprising: a paper storage part for storing paper; a paper feeder for feeding the paper to a printing part from the paper storage part; a printing data receiving part for receiving printing data representing an image to be printed; the printing part for printing the image represented by the printing data on the paper fed by the paper feeder; and a controller for directing, upon receiving a preparatory signal, the paper feeder to prepare for the printing by transporting the paper to a printing preparation position before the receiving of the printing data is completed.
Conventionally, the paper starts feeding after the transfer of the printing data is completed. According to the present invention, the paper starts feeding upon receiving the preparatory signal before the transfer of the printing data is completed. Specifically, the controller directs the paper feeder to prepare for printing in response to the input of the preparatory signal so that the paper can start feeding before the input of the printing data or during the input of the printing data. As soon as the input of the printing data is completed, the printing part starts printing. This reduces the printing time.
The present invention is directed to the printer further comprising: a mechanism for shifting the printing part between a standby state, and a retracted state where the printing is impossible; wherein the controller directs, upon receiving the preparatory signal, the shifting mechanism to prepare for the printing by shifting the printing part to the standby state before the receiving of the printing data is completed.
According to the present invention, the printing part shifts to the standby state at the early stage to prepare for printing. Since the printing part prepares for printing before or during the input of the printing data, the printing time is reduced.
For example, the printing part comprises a thermal head for selectively heating the paper in a pattern corresponding to the image to be printed; and the printing preparation position of the paper and the standby state of the printing part are a position of the paper and a state of the printing part, respectively, ready for the thermal head to heat the paper.
It is preferable that if a predetermined time has elapsed without a printing start instruction in the state where the paper is set at the printing preparation position, the controller directs the paper feeder to cancel the preparation by restoring the paper from the printing preparation position to a state prior to the receiving of the preparatory signal.
This is particularly advantageous if roll paper (continuous paper) is used. If a precut sheet of paper is used, a complicated mechanism is required to restore the sheet of paper. In this case, it is preferable that the paper feeder comprises a pinch roller and a capstan roller for pinching the paper to feed; and if a predetermined time has elapsed without a printing start instruction in a state where the paper is set at the printing preparation position, the controller directs the paper feeder to make the pinch roller and the capstan roller release the paper.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to a printer comprising: a paper storage part for storing heat-sensitive paper comprising a base and a color producing layer formed on the base; a paper feeder for feeding the paper to a printing part from the paper storage part; a printing data receiving part for receiving printing data representing an image to be printed; the printing part for printing the image represented by the printing data on the paper fed by the paper feeder, the printing part comprising a thermal head for selectively heating the paper in a pattern corresponding to the image to be printed such that the color producing layer produces a color; a fixing lamp for throwing a light of a predetermined wavelength onto the paper to stop an action of the color producing layer after the thermal head heats and activates the color producing layer; and a controller for pre-lighting the fixing lamp upon receiving a preparatory signal before the receiving of the printing data is completed.
According to the present invention, the fixing lamp is lighted in response to the input of the preparatory signal, and the fixing lamp is lighted before or during the input of the printing data. Conventionally, the fixing lamp is lighted after the input of the printing data is completed, and the printing stops until the intensity of light emitted from the fixing lamp becomes constant. The present invention can stabilize the intensity of light emitted from the fixing lamp quickly and shorten the suspension period. This reduces the printing time as a whole.
The intensity of light emitted from the fixing lamp is closely related to the temperature around the fixing lamp. The higher the temperature is, the higher the intensity is. At a high temperature, the intensity is stabilized at a prescribed value. Accordingly, the printer preferably further comprises a temperature measuring part for measuring a temperature around the fixing lamp; wherein the controller stops the pre-lighting of the fixing lamp if the temperature measured by the temperature measuring part is higher than a predetermined temperature.
The printer of the present invention is preferably used as a printing means for a system that is activated in response to the deposit of money and provides a printing service in accordance with the control of the user. For example, the present invention is used as a printing means for the electronic picture printing system, which comprises a money receiving part for receiving and counting the deposited money corresponding to the charge, an imaging means for imaging a subject in accordance with an instruction from a control part when the money receiving part receives the deposited money amounting to the charge, and the printing means for printing the image including the subject captured by the imaging means. In this case, it is possible to reduce the time from the deposit of money until the completion of printing.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to the printer further comprising a money receiver for receiving deposited money, the money receiver counting the deposited money, the money receiver outputting the preparatory signal to the controller when the deposited money amounts to a predetermined charge.
The printer is preferably constructed in such
Chau Minh
Fuji Photo Film Co. , Ltd.
Hilten John S.
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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