JP2003001873A - Label printing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To provide a label surface printing apparatus capable of editing an image without troublesome work when printing an original image on a label surface. SOLUTION: A scanner head 322 for reading a label image formed on a label surface of a first CD-R,
A print head 321 for printing the read label image on the label surface of the second CD-R, a tray 32a for mounting a CD-R used when reading the label image, and a print head for printing the label image. The tray 32a for mounting the CD-R to be used is shared.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label surface printing apparatus for printing an image on the label surface of a recording medium such as a CD-R.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a laboratory (photo shop), when a customer requests a simultaneous print or a reprint print, the negative film is developed and an image is printed on a photographic paper (paper) and exposed to produce a photographic print. Providing customers with photographic prints along with developed negative film. Further, in the field of photographic processing, due to the progress of digital technology, the image of the developed negative film is not converted into a photographic print, but the image of the negative film is read by a scanner and converted into digital data, and this image data is recorded onto a recording medium (CD. -R, etc.) is also becoming popular as a service of saving in a predetermined file format and returning it to the customer. Customers,
By loading such image data into a personal computer, it can be utilized for various purposes.

For example, as an example of the above service, a developed negative film image is read by a scanner,
It is known to record the read image data on a CD-R and provide it to the customer. When providing the CD-R to the customer, after writing the image data on the CD-R,
It is provided by printing an index image on the label side. The index image refers to an image in which reduced images of the CD-R are arranged in a predetermined format.

[0004]

As described above, a typical label image to be printed on the label surface is one that prints an index image, but some lab stores may want to print their own image. is there. In this case, there is a problem that the data for printing the label image cannot be created unless the operator of the laboratory can use the graphic software. In other words, the image must be edited to match the size and shape of the label surface of the recording medium, but such editing cannot be done without using graphic software, and even if it can be used, the work is troublesome. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to print an image on a label surface without the troublesome work of label surface printing. It is to provide a device.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, a label surface printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a scanner unit for reading a label image formed on a label surface of a first recording medium, and the read unit. A print data creating unit that creates data for printing a label image from the label image, and a printing unit that prints the label image on the label surface of the second recording medium based on the created data for printing the label image. It is characterized by having.

The action and effect of the label surface printing apparatus having this structure are as follows. First, the scanner unit is provided, and the label image formed on the label surface of the first recording medium can be read. An original label image is formed in advance on the label surface of the first recording medium. The method of forming is not limited to a particular method, and may be designed by handwriting directly on the label surface or by attaching a sticker on which an image is drawn to the label surface.

Then, the print data creating means creates data for printing the label image from the read label image. The range read by the scanner unit usually includes the range of the portion where the label surface does not exist. The print data creation unit can cut out data (print data) in a range necessary for printing from the read image data by using an image processing technique or the like. A label image can be printed on the label surface of the second recording medium using this print data. Therefore, the operator does not have to perform the troublesome work for creating the print data. As a result, when printing a unique image on the label side,
It is possible to provide a label surface printing apparatus capable of editing an image without performing a troublesome work.

In order to solve the above problems, another label surface printing apparatus according to the present invention is a scanner unit for reading a label image formed on the label surface of a recording medium, and an image for the label surface of the recording medium. A printing unit for additional printing, a direction detecting unit that analyzes the label image read by the scanner and detects the direction of the label image, a direction of the label image detected by the direction detecting unit, and the additional printing. When it is determined that the positional relationship with the direction of the image to be corrected is incorrect, the adjustment means for adjusting the positional relationship to the correct direction is provided.

The operation and effect of the label surface printing apparatus having this structure are as follows. When printing a unique image on the label side, not only printing on the label side, but also additional printing may be performed on the label side on which some image is printed. In this case, it is necessary to print the additional image so that the printed image and the additional image do not deviate from each other. Therefore, the present invention provides a label side printing apparatus capable of appropriately performing an additional image. Therefore, first, the scanner unit reads the label image of the recording medium having the label surface printed thereon. The read label image is analyzed to detect the direction of the label image. When the direction is detected, it is determined whether or not the direction and the direction of the image to be additionally printed have the correct positional relationship. If it is determined that the direction is not correct, the adjusting means adjusts the direction to the correct direction. . By additionally printing the image in the adjusted state, it is possible to correctly match the positional relationship between the printed image and the additional printing.

As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a tray for mounting the recording medium used when reading the label image, and a tray for mounting the recording medium used when printing the label image. There is one that shares the same.

When an image is read by the scanner unit or a label image is printed, a recording medium is mounted on a tray. By sharing this tray, the structure can be simplified. It also contributes to reducing the number of parts. As another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a drive mechanism for operating a print head provided in the printing unit and a drive mechanism for operating a scanner head provided in the scanner unit are shared. Can be given.

It is necessary to operate the print head when printing is performed by the printing unit, and it is necessary to operate the scanner head when reading is performed by the scanner unit. By the way, since both the print head and the scanner head operate on the label surface of the recording medium, the structure can be simplified by sharing the drive mechanism. It also contributes to reducing the number of parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a label surface printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a photographic processing system. The photographic film is roughly divided into a printer processor 1, a scanner device 2, and a CD-R writing device 3. Further, the printer processor 1 and the scanner device 2, and the scanner device 2 and the CD-R writing device 3
And are connected by communication cables 4 and 5.

The printer processor 1 includes a printer unit 1
It has A and a processor unit 1B, and creates a photographic print based on the image data transmitted from the scanner device 2. Two paper magazines 10a and 10b are mounted on the upper portion of the printer unit 1A. Paper (corresponding to a photographic photosensitive material) is accommodated in a roll shape in each of the paper magazines 10a and 10b, and the paper is pulled out from the paper magazine 10a or 10b into the apparatus. The paper conveyance path inside the apparatus is indicated by a broken line. The printer unit 1A includes a cutter 11 that cuts paper into a print size,
Digital exposure engine 1 that exposes images on paper
3 and a controller 12 that controls the operation of each part of the printer processor 1.

In the processor section 1B, the exposed paper is subjected to development processing and drying processing, and discharged as a finished photographic print to the outside of the apparatus. The discharged photographic prints are collected by a sorter (collection device) for each order.

The scanner device 2 is a device for taking in image data from an image forming medium. When the image forming medium is a negative film (photographic film), an image of the negative film can be obtained by setting the negative film on the negative carrier 20. A reading light source unit 21 for that purpose is also provided. The monitor 22 displays the read image. Further, the image data can be obtained from other than the photographic film as the image forming medium. For example, the image data can be obtained from a photographic print, an arbitrary printed matter, a storage medium of a digital camera, or the like. A driver device 23 for that purpose is provided.

The CD-R writing device 3 is a device for writing the image data acquired by the scanner device 2 on the CD-R in a predetermined file format. The file format may be JPEG, GIFF, bitmap, etc., but is not limited to a specific file format. The CD-R writing device 3 is roughly divided into a writing main body 30 (which functions as a label surface printing device), a personal computer main body 31, and a monitor 31M.

<Structure of CD-R Writing Device> FIG. 2 is an external view showing the structure of the writing main body 30. The writing main body unit 30 has a scanner printing unit 32 (corresponding to a scanner unit and a printing unit) having a function of reading an image on the label surface of the CD-R and a function of printing on the label surface of the CD-R, and a CD. A record section 33 for writing image data on the recording surface of -R and a CD-R stacking section 34 for stacking CD-Rs in the vertical direction (corresponding to a recording medium stacking section).
And a CD-R picker 35.

The scanner printing unit 32 has an arrow A in FIG.
The tray 32a that is movable in the direction is provided.
A CD-R can be mounted on a. The record unit 33 also includes a tray 33a. Similarly, the CD-R stacking unit 34 is also configured to be movable in the arrow B direction. The CD-R accumulating unit 34 includes a raw disk C1 (CD-R) in which no data is written and a printed disk C.
First stacking unit 34a for stacking 1 and processed disk C2 on which data is written and printed on the label surface
And a second stacking unit 34b for stacking.

The CD-R picker 35 is a CD-R.
It has a mechanism for grabbing the CD-R by using the hole in the central part of, and can be slid in the vertical direction (arrow C) by the guide part. The function of the CD-R picker 35 is that C which is stacked on top of the first stacking unit 34a.
Grasping D-R, the tray 32a of the scanner printing unit 32
Then, the CD-R whose label surface has been printed is grabbed and placed on the tray 33a of the record section 33.
Then, in the record unit 33, the CD-Rs for which the writing of data has been completed are grabbed and sequentially stacked on the second stacking unit 34b.

<Internal Configuration of Printing Unit> Next, the internal configuration of the scanner printing unit 32 will be described with reference to FIG. (A) is a diagram showing a state in which the tray 32a is closed (initial position), and (b) is a diagram showing a state in which the tray 32a moves from the initial position X1 toward the take-out position X2 (or the opposite direction). A print head 321 functioning as a printing unit and a scanner head 322 functioning as a scanner unit are provided as a unitized head unit, and are configured to be movable along a pair of guide rails 323 in the direction of arrow D. ing. The moving direction D of the head unit is the tray 3
This is a direction orthogonal to the moving direction A of 2a. When the label surface is printed by the print head 321, the CD-R is mounted on the tray 32a and the tray 32a is moved to the initial position X.
From 1 to take-out position X2 (or the opposite direction)
By moving the print head 321 back and forth in the direction of arrow D while moving at a constant speed, the label image is printed line by line or every predetermined line. The movement of the tray 32a does not have to be continuous, and may be an intermittent movement linked with the movement of the print head 321. As a method of the print head 321, an appropriate method such as an inkjet method or a thermal transfer method can be adopted.

The movement of the scanner head 322 is similar to the movement of the print head 321. As described above, the image reading on the label side and the printing of the image on the label side are performed in a state where the CD-R is mounted on the same tray 32a, so that compared to the configuration using a dedicated tray for each, The configuration can be simplified.

Further, the head unit is composed of the guide rail 3
Although it moves along the line 23, as a drive mechanism of the head unit, a ball screw mechanism, a rack and pinion mechanism, a belt mechanism or the like having an appropriate structure can be adopted.
In addition, the print head 321 and the scanner head 322
And can be driven by a common drive mechanism. This can simplify the configuration.

<Control Block Diagram> Next, referring to FIG.
The control block configuration of the -R writing device 3 will be described. The control unit 40 controls the operation of each unit of the CD-R writing device 3, and is configured by hardware such as a CPU and software such as a control program.

The image memory 41 temporarily stores the image data read by the scanner device 2 when the image data is transferred. The writing head 43 writes the image data stored in the image memory 41 to a CD in a predetermined file format.
-Write to R. The index image creating unit 42 creates index image data based on the image data for one order. The created index image data is
The index image is transferred to the print head 321, and the index image is printed on the label surface of the CD-R.

The control section 40 controls the drive mechanism 37 to control the printing of the label surface by the print head 321 or the scanner head 322 and the reading of the image on the label surface. It has already been explained that the index image is printed as the label image, but other images unique to the laboratory can be printed. In that case, the CD-R on which the unique image is formed is inserted into the scanner printing unit 32, and the label image is read by the scanner head 322. Therefore, the label image memory 47 is provided to store the read label image. The print data creation unit 48 edits the read label image using image processing technology or the like to create print data. This print data is transferred to the print head 321, and the label image is printed. The CD-R on which the label image is printed is, of course, a CD-R (a state in which nothing is printed on the label surface) different from the CD-R that has read the label image.

In some cases, the print head 321 may be used to perform additional printing on the printed label surface. In this case, it is necessary to match the directions of the printed image and the additional image. Therefore, a configuration is adopted in which the direction of the printed CD-R is detected, it is determined whether the detected direction is correct, and if it is incorrect, adjustment is made so that it is correct.

The image processing section 44 includes the scanner head 32.
Image processing is performed on the label image of the printed CD-R read in step 2. The direction detection unit 44 detects the direction of the label image based on the result of the image processing. The adjustment amount calculation unit 46 calculates an adjustment amount for correct adjustment when the direction of the label image is incorrect. here,
This adjustment amount corresponds to the rotation amount of the CD-R. CD-
The R rotation drive section 38 drives the CD-R to rotate. Based on the adjustment amount calculated by the adjustment amount calculation unit 46, the CD
-Rotate so that R is in the right direction. That is, the adjustment amount calculation unit 46 and the CD-R rotation drive unit 38 function as adjustment means. Also, when writing image data by the writing head 43, the CD-R is driven to rotate.

<Operation (First Embodiment)> Next, the CD-R
A procedure for printing a label image on the further label surface will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, an image (original image) to be printed is formed in advance on the label surface of the first CD-R (corresponding to the first recording medium). To form an image on this label side, you may draw the image directly on the label side,
It is also possible to attach a separately drawn image (seal etc.) to the label surface. After mounting the first CD-R on the tray 32a of the scanner printing unit 32, the tray 32a
Closed and insert the first CD-R (# 1). Next, the label image is read by the scanner head 322 while moving the tray 32a from the initial position X1 to the take-out position X2 (# 2). The read image data is stored in the label image memory 47 (# 3).
When the reading operation is completed, the first CD-R is placed on the tray 32.
Take out from a. The insertion and removal of the first CD-R may be performed manually by an operator, or may be automatically performed by using the CD-R picker 35.

Next, a second CD-R (corresponding to a second recording medium) on which the read label image is printed.
) Is also mounted on the tray 32a, and then the tray 3
2a is closed and the second CD-R is inserted (# 5). Since the image data of the label image read earlier includes image data of an area where the label surface does not exist, the area necessary for printing the label image is cut out to create print data. This is performed by the print data creation unit 48. Next, printing of the label image is started (# 6). The start command is given by an appropriate key input from the keyboard. As a result, the label image is printed line by line or every predetermined line by the print head 321 while moving the tray 32a from the initial position X1 to the take-out position X2. When the printing of the label image is completed, the tray 32a carrying the printed CD-R
Moves to the take-out position X2. CD-R picker 35
Grab the printed CD-R and take it out (#
7). After grasping the CD-R, the tray 32a is closed. The CD-R picker 35 stores the CD-R in the record section 3
The tray 33a of No. 3 is moved to a position just above the tray 33a. The tray 33a is opened, and the printed CD-R is mounted on the mounting surface of the tray 33a. When the tray 33a is closed,
Image data is written by the write head 43 (# 8). When the writing process is completed, the tray 33
a is opened. Again, the CD is picked up by the CD-R picker 35.
-R is grabbed, transferred to the CD-R stacking unit 34, and stacked. As described above, the unique label image can be printed. Also, instead of printing a unique label image, it can be applied to the following cases. That is, if image data is written to a CD-R on which a predetermined label image is printed in advance and printing is not performed on the label side, if the stock of the printed CD-R runs out, an additional order must be placed. I won't. However, it takes time until the printed CD-R is delivered after the additional order is placed, and the printed CD-R is sent to the customer.
Sometimes R cannot be provided. In such a case, if the label image is read in advance by the scanner printing unit and the label image data is stored, the label image is printed on the further CD-R so that the customer can print the printed CD- Image data can be written in R and provided.

<Operation (Second Embodiment)> Next, a procedure for printing an additional image on a CD-R on which a predetermined image has been printed will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, the data of the additional image is input in advance,
Save (# 10, 11). The input of the additional image can be performed using the scanner head 322. The input image data is stored in the label image memory 47. Examples of the additional image include, but are not limited to, an image for advertising a lab store and its service contents.

Next, a CD for printing the input additional image
-R is mounted on the tray 32a of the scanner printing unit 32,
Insert (# 12). A predetermined image is printed on the label surface of the CD-R in advance. The label image is read while moving the tray 32a from the initial position X1 toward the take-out position X2 at a constant speed (# 13). The image processing unit 44 performs image processing on the read label image, and the direction detection unit 45 detects the direction of the label image (# 14). The direction detection is performed, for example, by detecting the position of a specific mark or a specific pattern existing in the label image. It is determined whether or not the positional relationship between the detected direction of the label image and the direction of the pre-read additional image is correct (# 15). If the positional relationship is correct, the process proceeds to step # 18.

If the positional relationship is not correct, the adjustment amount calculation unit 46 calculates the adjustment amount (# 16). Here, this adjustment amount corresponds to the rotation amount of the CD-R. Printed CD
It is uncertain what direction the label image will face when the -R is placed on the tray 32a. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust so that the image of the label image has the correct orientation. When the adjustment amount is calculated, this adjustment amount data is sent to the CD-R rotation drive unit 38, and the CD-R is rotated by the amount corresponding to the adjustment amount (# 17). As a result, the positional relationship between the CD-R label image and the additional image can be adjusted to be correct. After the adjustment process is completed, print data based on the additional image is created, and the additional image is printed by the print head 321 (# 1
8). Hereinafter, in the same manner as in the case of FIG. 5, CD-R ejection (# 19), image data writing (# 20), and CD-R
The accumulation (# 21) is performed in the accumulation unit. In the above description, the positional relationship shift is adjusted by rotating the CD-R, but the adjustment can also be performed by rotating the additional image data to create print data (see FIG. 4). (See dashed line). <Other Embodiments> (1) In the present embodiment, the print head and the scanner head are configured to reciprocate in the direction orthogonal to the tray movement direction. If it is formed in a line shape having a sufficient length to cover the head, it is not necessary to move each head. This eliminates the need to provide a drive mechanism. Further, the moving direction of the head unit may be oblique to the moving direction of the tray.

(2) In this embodiment, after the label surface is printed by the scanner printing section 32, the record section 3 is printed.
At 3, the image data is written. in this case,
You must wait for the printing ink to dry before writing. Therefore, this may be reversed, and after the image data is written in the record unit 33, the label printing may be performed in the scanner printing unit 32. This allows
The waiting time does not delay writing of image data.

(3) The recording medium is not limited to the CD-R,
Other disks such as MO and DVD may be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a photo processing system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a CD-R writing device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of a scanner printing unit.

FIG. 4 is a control block configuration diagram of a CD-R writing device.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for printing a label image on a further label surface.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for printing an additional image on a printed CD-R.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 CD-R writing device 30 Writing unit 32 Scanner printing section 40 control unit 44 label image memory 45 Print data creation unit (print data creation means) 46 CD-R rotary drive 47 Direction detection unit (direction detection means) 48 Adjustment amount calculation unit 321 print head 322 Scanner head

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A scanner unit for reading a label image formed on a label surface of a first recording medium; a print data creating unit for creating data for printing a label image from the read label image; Based on the label image printing data
A label surface printing apparatus comprising: a printing unit that prints a label image on a label surface of a second recording medium. 2. A scanner unit for reading a label image formed on a label surface of a recording medium, a printing unit for additionally printing an image on the label surface of the recording medium, and a label image read by the scanner. When it is determined by analysis that the positional relationship between the direction detecting means for detecting the direction of the label image and the direction of the label image detected by the direction detecting means and the direction of the image to be additionally printed is incorrect. A label surface printing apparatus, further comprising: an adjusting unit that adjusts the positional relationship so that the positional relationship is correct. 3. A tray for mounting the recording medium used when reading the label image and a tray for mounting the recording medium used when printing the label image are shared. The label surface printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A drive mechanism for operating a print head provided in the printing section and a drive mechanism for operating a scanner head provided in the scanner section are shared. Label surface printing apparatus according to item 3.