JP2008100369A - Recording paper - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide recording paper by which margin pieces cut from recording paper bodies after printing can be effectively used. <P>SOLUTION: The recording paper 100 is used in a printer of a sublimation type thermotransfer system and has marginal strips 120 capable of being cut out of a printing portion 110 of the recording paper 100 in both the end portions in a conveying direction F. Cutting portions 121b arranged in near portions of both end portions and a pair of cutting portions 121c arranged in central portions are formed in the marginal strips 120 by perforation machining. A user cuts off the marginal strips 120 from the recording paper 100 after printing, tear cutting portions 121b along perforation lines, remove the cutting pieces 121b, and folds and bends the marginal strips 120 in the central portions and inserting the cutting portions 121c each other, thereby the user can make photo stands. A print portion 110 can be shown in a standing condition by inserting the same into the portions of the stand members where the cutting pieces 121c are removed such that the marginal strips 120 can be effectively used. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording paper used for a sublimation type thermal transfer printer or the like.

  In recent years, various printers such as so-called inkjet printers and thermal transfer printers have been proposed so that images of electronic devices such as digital still cameras can be printed easily. Among such printers, for example, an ink jet printer may be clogged in the nozzles of the print head due to drying of the ink if it has not been used for a long period of time. When ink clogging occurs, not only the recording paper is wasted due to printing failure, but also a large amount of ink is consumed to clean the print head and eliminate clogging of the ink. For this reason, the inkjet printer has a problem that it is not economical because it requires a running cost for a user who is less frequently used. On the other hand, thermal transfer printers, especially sublimation thermal transfer printers that use ink ribbons, can always print with substantially constant image quality even when they have not been used for a long time. For users with low frequency, the running cost is relatively low and economical.

  By the way, when performing color printing in a small sublimation thermal transfer printer, for example, three colors of ink are transferred from the ink ribbon to the recording paper one by one while reciprocating the recording paper inside the printer, and a color image is printed on the recording paper. It is formed. For recording paper used in such printers, conventionally, ink of each color is transferred so as not to deviate from each other to obtain a good print result, and for example, when performing borderless printing on recording paper, etc. In order to print on the end of the recording paper in the conveyance direction without a margin, a blank piece that is separated from the recording paper main body after printing is provided at the end of the recording paper in the conveyance direction. That is, by providing this blank piece, even when the printer repeatedly reciprocates the recording paper, the blank piece is firmly held by the printer and the recording paper does not shift. In addition, the image is printed in advance so that the image slightly protrudes into the blank piece, and then the blank piece is cut off after printing to obtain a recording sheet on which the image is printed on the entire recording sheet. However, the blank piece provided on the recording paper in this way has to be discarded because it has no purpose of use when it is separated from the recording paper main body after printing.

Here, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 show a recording paper in which the recording paper is previously cut and bent, and this portion is assembled after printing so that a printed matter can be erected. Yes. Patent Document 3 describes a configuration in which a cut line and a fold line are provided on a business card, which can be assembled and set up on a table. However, according to Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, dedicated paper with cuts and fold lines must be used in advance, and there is no versatility, and the actual printed range is larger than the recording paper size. It has the problem of becoming smaller. Further, Patent Document 3 does not show a structure for effectively using the margin part at the end of the recording paper as described above.
JP-A-7-299972 JP 2000-238473 A Noto 3124119

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a recording paper that can effectively use blank pieces separated from the recording paper main body after printing without impairing the versatility of the recording paper. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is used in a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, and after an image is formed by the printer along the perforations formed in advance in both ends in the transport direction. , A recording sheet on which a blank piece that is cut into a strip shape whose longitudinal direction is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction is disposed, and the blank piece is provided in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the blank piece. A widthwise central portion of the blank piece so as to face a notch formed at the other end in the width direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction from one side of the piece to the other side. A pair of incisions formed by perforation processing and a side portion of the margin piece where the image of the recording paper is to be formed are disposed symmetrically with a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the margin piece interposed therebetween. Each of the other with a predetermined width dimension A cut piece that has a substantially rectangular shape extending to the vicinity of the portion, and is provided with a perforation so that the blank piece can be cut from the blank piece after the blank piece is cut off from the recording paper; In addition, the marginal piece has a bent portion that is processed to be more difficult to tear than the cut portion along the width direction on the longitudinal center side than the pair of cut pieces, After the image is formed by the printer, the user cuts off the recording paper main body on which the image is formed, the perforation of the cut portion is torn, the cut piece is cut, and the cut portion is cut off based on the bent portion. The cut pieces of each of a pair of photo stand members that are bent and are configured as photo stand members by inserting the cut portions at both ends into each other, and comprising two blank pieces of the recording paper Take The excluded and configured insertion groove by inserting the recording paper on which an image has been formed, allowing display at a standing state the recording sheet is one that is effective can utilize the margin strips.

  The invention of claim 2 is a recording paper used in a sublimation type thermal transfer printer and having a blank piece arranged at the end so as to be cut in a strip shape, and the blank piece is at least in the longitudinal direction of the blank piece. A marginal portion of the margin piece is formed symmetrically across a notch portion formed from one side portion of the margin piece toward the other side portion and a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the margin piece. The recording paper is inserted from one side of the piece toward the other side so that the recording paper can be inserted, and is separated from the recording paper main body and bent at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction. A portion of the blank piece in the vicinity of the other end in the longitudinal direction is inserted into the cut portion to constitute a photo stand member, and the recording paper is formed by inserting the recording paper on which an image is formed into the insertion portion. It is configured to be able to exhibit in a standing state It is those who are.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second aspect, the notch portion and / or the insertion portion is pre-perforated, and the photo stand member is obtained by tearing the perforation. Can be configured.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention of the second or third aspect, the blank piece is closer to a longitudinal center portion side than the pair of insertion portions, along a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. It further includes a bent portion that has been processed so as to be harder to tear than the cut portion, and is configured to be bent based on the bent portion.

  According to the present invention, the cut portion and the insertion portion are arranged in the blank piece of the recording paper, and after the image is formed on the recording paper, the blank piece is separated from the recording paper main body and the simple photostunt member is provided. Since it is configured, it is possible to effectively utilize the blank pieces that have only been discarded. Since the blank piece is completely separated from the portion of the recording paper where the image is formed, the blank piece may be discarded when arranging the recording paper on which the image is formed into an album or the like.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a recording sheet according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the recording paper 100 is made of thick paper having a substantially rectangular photographic size (for example, L plate size), and a coating layer is formed on the upper surface, and ink is printed when printed by, for example, a sublimation thermal transfer method. It is comprised so that may adhere easily. An arrow F direction in the figure indicates a conveyance direction of the recording paper 100 when printing is performed by a printer as described below. A central portion in the conveyance direction of the recording paper 100 is a print unit (recording paper main body) 110 on which an image is printed. ing. The marginal piece 120 has a longitudinal direction that is substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording paper 100. At the boundary between the blank piece 120 and the print unit 110, a cut line 121a is formed by perforating the recording paper 100 so as to penetrate the recording paper 100 at a predetermined pitch, and the blank piece 120 is formed along the cut line 121a. The printing unit 110 can be separated.

  In the present embodiment, each margin piece 120 of the recording paper 100 includes two cut portions 121b, two cut pieces (insert portions) 121c, and two bent portions 121d as shown in the figure. Is provided. The notches 121b are located in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the blank piece 120 from the one side of the blank piece 120 to the other side, respectively, in the width direction of the blank piece 120, that is, the longitudinal direction of the blank piece 120. Are formed in a substantially linear shape up to the center in the width direction of the blank piece 120 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction. The two cut portions 121b are formed on different side portions of the blank piece 120 so as to face the cut portion 121b formed at the other end of the blank piece 120, respectively. That is, one of the two cut portions 121b is formed on the side portion that is the end portion of the recording paper 100, and the other is formed on the side portion that is the cut line 121a side. The cut pieces 121c are arranged in a pair substantially symmetrically with the marginal piece 120 in the longitudinal direction at the center in the longitudinal direction of the margin piece 120 on the side of the margin piece 120 on the print unit 110 side, that is, the side of the cut line 121a. As shown in the drawing, each of the cut pieces 121c has a predetermined width dimension slightly thicker than the thickness of the recording paper 100 and extends in a substantially rectangular shape to the vicinity of the other side portion of the blank piece 120. Both the cut portion 121b and the cut piece 121c are arranged by being subjected to the same perforation processing as the cut line 121a. By cutting along the perforation formed by this processing, the cut portion 121b is cut. In addition, the cut piece 121c can be removed from the blank piece 120.

  The bent portion 121d is formed in a straight line shape along the width direction of the blank piece 120, closer to the center in the longitudinal direction than the pair of cut pieces 121c of each blank piece 120. For example, the folding part 121d is configured such that the cuts are finer and harder to tear than the perforation process such as the cut line 121a and the cut part 121b, and the margin piece 120 is bent in the direction in which the crease is attached in the width direction. At this time, it is configured such that it can be easily bent by being bent along the bent portion 121d.

  Next, a printer using the recording paper 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 show the printer 1 that prints an image on a recording paper 100 by a sublimation thermal transfer system. The printer 1 includes a housing 10 having a paper supply / discharge port 10a and a temporary paper discharge port 10b on the front and back sides, a paper feed cassette 11 mounted on the paper supply / discharge port 10a and on which a recording paper 100 is placed, A pickup roller 21 that picks up the recording paper 100 one by one from the paper feed cassette 11 and pulls it into the housing 10 and feed rollers 22 and 23 that reciprocate the recording paper 100 in the predetermined transport direction F inside the housing 10. And a thermal head 31 and an ink ribbon roll 32 which are provided at predetermined positions facing the recording paper transport mechanism 20 and in which minute heating elements are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction F. The first reel 33 to be mounted, the second reel 34 on which the used portion of the ink ribbon 35 is taken up, and the like on the recording paper 100 conveyed by the recording paper conveying mechanism 20 An image forming unit (image forming unit) 30 for printing an image, a control circuit unit 40 provided at the upper part inside the housing 10 and equipped with a CPU, a memory, a power supply circuit, etc. And a paper discharge tray 12 on which an image is formed by the image forming unit 30 and discharged from the housing 10 by the recording paper transport mechanism 20 is placed. Yes.

  The pickup roller 21 and the feed rollers 22 and 23 of the recording paper transport mechanism 20 rotate about a direction orthogonal to the transport direction F, and contact the recording paper 100 to transport the recording paper 100 in the transport direction. In the printer 1, a lift panel 11 a that rotates up and down is disposed on the lower casing 10 side of the paper feed cassette 11, and the pickup roller 21 rises when the lift panel 11 a is raised. Is fed from the paper cassette 11 into the housing 10. The feed rollers 22 and 23 reciprocate the recording paper 100 a plurality of times in the conveyance direction inside the housing 10 while the image forming unit 30 prints an image on the recording paper 100. The recording paper transport mechanism 20 has a platen roller 25 that supports the back surface of the recording paper 100 on which an image is printed and a driven gear attached to the rotation shafts of the feed rollers 22 and 23 at a position facing the thermal head 31. (Not shown), a motor (not shown) for generating a driving force, a driving gear (not shown) for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the driven gear, and the feed rollers 22 and 23. Press rollers 27 and 28 that press the recording paper 100 against the feed rollers 22 and 23, and a discharge roller 29 that is disposed above the pickup roller 21 and discharges the recording paper 100 onto the paper discharge tray 12. have.

  In the printer 1, the minimum size in the transport direction F of the recording paper 100 that can be printed by the printer 1 is limited according to the distance between the axes of the two feed rollers 22 and 23 in the transport direction F. On the other hand, the arrangement length of the minute heating elements of the thermal head 31 in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction F determines the maximum size in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction F of the recording paper 100 that can be printed by the printer 1. Generally, since the size of the recording paper is determined by a standard such as JIS, the maximum size and the minimum size of the recording paper 100 that can be printed are determined from the standard. In the present embodiment, the printer 1 is configured so as to correspond only to, for example, a photographic size L-size recording paper 100, and is used for, for example, color printing of an image taken with a digital still camera. It is not limited to this.

  The thermal head 31 of the image forming unit 30 can move up and down. When an image is printed on the recording paper 100 conveyed in front of the housing 10 by the image forming unit 30 as described later, an ink ribbon is used. 35, and descends so as to be in close contact with the recording paper 100. On the other hand, when the recording paper 100 is conveyed to the rear of the housing 10, the thermal head 31 is raised to a predetermined position so as not to prevent the movement of the recording paper 100. The first reel 33 and the second reel 34 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow R in the drawing. For example, three types of inks of three primary colors (Y, M, and C) and an overcoat coating agent are sequentially arranged on a ribbon having a width corresponding to the arrangement length of the micro heating elements of the thermal head 31. And is applied in a rectangular shape corresponding to the size of the recording paper 100. The ink ribbon 35 is set so that a predetermined margin is expected and the size of the rectangular area on the ink ribbon 35 is slightly larger than the size of the print area of the recording paper 100. The number of ink colors on the ink ribbon 35 is not limited to the above three colors, and may be four colors including black (B), or five or more colors including further intermediate colors, or only black. It may be one color.

  When printing an image on the recording paper 100 fed into the housing 10, the recording paper P is first transported to a predetermined reference position in the transport direction F so as to be exposed to the outside from the temporary paper discharge port 10b. As a result, the recording paper P is printed so that the front end of the printing unit 110 on which the image of the recording paper P is printed and the position of each rectangular area applied on the ink ribbon 35 match the conveyance direction of the recording paper P. P is positioned. Then, while conveying both in the same direction at the same speed, the heating / non-heating of each heating element of the thermal head 31 is controlled using the image data, and the ink on the ink ribbon 35 is transferred onto the recording paper 100. When the recording paper 100 is transported to the front side of the housing 10 and an image of the color is formed on the recording paper 100, the recording paper transport mechanism 20 is moved in the reverse direction while the ink ribbon 35 is stopped at the same position. By driving, the position of the recording paper 100 is adjusted to the reference position. Then, the next color image or overcoat is formed on the recording paper 100 in the same procedure. In this embodiment, after the recording paper 100 is fed and conveyed to the reference position, an image is printed while the recording paper 100 is reciprocated three times in the order of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), for example. Finally, the entire surface of the recording paper 100 is overcoated while the recording paper 100 is conveyed to the front of the housing 10, and the recording paper 100 is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 12 by the paper discharge roller 29, and printing is completed. To do.

  At this time, an image to be printed is formed on the printing unit 110 at the center of the recording paper 100. In practice, the image is printed so as to protrude from the margin piece 120 by a slight amount from the print unit 110. The user separates the marginal pieces 120 at both ends of the recording paper 100 discharged to the paper discharge tray 12 from the recording paper 100 by tearing the perforation of the cut line 121a, so that there is no margin in the entire area of the printing unit 110. It is comprised so that the printed matter printed can be obtained.

  Here, with this recording paper 100, it is possible to assemble a simple pair of photo stand members 220 for displaying the printed matter in an upright state using the two blank pieces 120 separated from the recording paper 100. It is configured. Below, the assembly procedure of the photo stand member 220 is demonstrated, referring FIG. 4 (a), (b), (c). First, as shown in FIG. 4A, the user tears the perforation of the cut portion 121b in the blank piece 120 cut from the recording paper 100 to form the cut 120b, and the cut piece 121c is cut into the perforation. The insertion groove (insertion portion) 120c is formed by cutting from the blank piece 120 along. And as shown in FIG.4 (b), the blank piece 120 is bend | folded so that the both ends of the blank piece 120 may face the same side based on the bending part 121d. As a result, two folds 120d are formed in the blank piece 120. Finally, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), the notches 120b of the notches 121b at both ends are inserted into each other while twisting the blank piece 120. Through such a procedure, the photo stand member 220 is configured from the blank piece 120.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of use of the photo stand member 220. The user arranges a pair of the photo stand members 220 assembled from the two blank pieces 120 as described above, and inserts the print unit 110 on which the image is formed in the insertion groove 120c as indicated by an arrow in the figure. As a result, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure, the print unit 110 can be displayed in an upright state. Since the photo stand member 220 is configured to be bent, the print unit 110 can be held in an upright state by itself, but the print unit 110 is more stable by being used in a pair as described above. Can be held and displayed. When the user does not need the photo stand member 220, the user can simply discard the blank piece 120 separated from the recording paper 100 without assembling the photo stand member 220. In addition, the material of the photo stand member 220 is paper, and the disposal cost is low compared to the case where a material such as synthetic resin is used, so when the photo stand member 220 assembled in this way is no longer necessary, It can be easily discarded.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the cut portion 121b and the cut piece 121c are arranged on the blank piece 120 of the recording paper 100, and after the image is formed on the recording paper 100, the blank piece 120 is printed on the print portion 110. Since the simple photo stand member 220 is constructed separately from the above, the blank piece 120 that has only been discarded can be used effectively. Since the blank piece 120 is completely separated from the print unit 110, when the print unit 110 is displayed using a photo frame or stored in an album or the like after printing, the blank piece 120 is an obstacle. In addition, the recording paper 100 can be used for various purposes, and the versatility of the recording paper 100 is not impaired. Since the cut portion 121b and the cut piece 121c are arranged with perforation, the strength of the recording paper 100 is maintained until the photo stand member 220 is assembled by tearing the perforation. It is hard to tear and print defects are less likely to occur. In addition, a bent portion 121d is formed at the center of the blank piece 120 so as to be more difficult to tear than the cut portion 121b. The photo stand is bent by the bent portion 121d. Since the member 220 is configured, the photo stand member 220 can be assembled more easily and reliably. Furthermore, since a pair of photo stand members 220 can be constructed from a single recording paper 100, the print unit 110 can be reliably supported and displayed in an upright state.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the structure of the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible suitably in the range which does not change the meaning of invention. For example, the configuration of the photo stand member 220 is not limited to the above. For example, the blank piece is formed with an insertion portion such as the above-described cut portion 121b instead of the above-described cut piece 121c. The printing unit 110 may be supported by inserting the printing unit 110 into the cut formed by the unit 121b. The sublimation type thermal transfer printer 1 has been described as an example of a printer using the recording paper 100. However, the present invention is not limited to other types of printers that print images using a thermal head, for example, TA (Thermo The present invention can be widely applied to recording paper used in an Autochrome printer, an inkjet printer, or the like.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a recording sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a sublimation type thermal transfer printer using the recording paper. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of the printer. (A) is a perspective view showing a blank piece of the recording paper, (b) is a perspective view showing a state in which (a) is bent along a bent portion, and (c) is a photo stand member assembled from (b). FIG. The perspective view which shows one usage example of the said photo stand member.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 10 Case 11 Paper feed cassette 20 Recording paper conveyance mechanism 30 Image formation part (image formation means)
31 Thermal Head 35 Ink Ribbon 100 Recording Paper 110 Print Unit (Recording Paper Body)
120 Margin piece 120b Cut (cut)
120c Insertion groove (insertion part)
121b Cut portion 121c Cut piece 121d Bending portion F (Recording paper) conveyance direction

Claims (4)

Used in a sublimation type thermal transfer printer, a belt-like shape in which the direction substantially perpendicular to the transport direction is the longitudinal direction after an image is formed by the printer along the perforations formed in advance in both ends of the transport direction A recording paper on which a blank piece to be separated is arranged,
The margin piece is
Cuts formed at the other end in the width direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction from one side of the margin to the other side of the margin in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the margin. A notch formed by perforation up to the center in the width direction of the blank piece so as to face the notch, and
A pair of the marginal pieces are arranged symmetrically on the side of the part on which the image of the recording paper is formed, with the marginal center portion in the longitudinal direction of the marginal piece interposed therebetween, each having a predetermined width dimension on the other side. A cut piece that has a substantially rectangular shape extending to the vicinity of the portion, and is provided with a perforation so that the blank piece can be cut from the blank piece after the blank piece is cut off from the recording paper; ,
It has a bent portion that is processed so as to be harder to tear than the cut portion along the width direction, in the longitudinal direction center portion side than the pair of cut pieces of the blank piece,
After the image is formed by the printer, the user cuts off the recording paper main body on which the image is formed, the perforation of the cut portion is torn, the cut piece is cut, and the cut portion is cut off based on the bent portion. It is bent and is configured as a photo stand member by inserting the cut portions at both ends into each other.
By inserting the recording paper on which the image is formed into the insertion groove formed by removing the cut pieces of the two sets of photo stand members each composed of two blank pieces of the recording paper, A recording paper characterized in that it can be displayed with the recording paper upright, and the margins can be used effectively. A recording paper that is used in a sublimation type thermal transfer printer and has a blank piece that can be cut in a strip shape at the end,
The margin piece is
At least in the vicinity of one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the blank piece, a cut portion formed from one side portion of the blank piece toward the other side portion;
A pair of symmetrically sandwiched marginal longitudinal center portions of the blank piece, and an insertion portion arranged so that the recording paper can be inserted from one side portion of the margin piece to the other side portion. Have
It is cut off from the recording paper main body, bent at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction, and a portion near the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the blank piece is inserted into the cut portion to constitute a photo stand member.
A recording paper, wherein the recording paper on which an image is formed is inserted into the insertion portion so that the recording paper can be displayed in an upright state.   3. The notch part and / or the insertion part is pre-perforated, and the photo stand member can be configured by tearing the perforation. Recording paper as described. The margin piece has a bent portion that is processed to be more difficult to tear than the cut portion along a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction on the center side in the longitudinal direction from the pair of insertion portions. In addition,
The recording paper according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the recording paper is configured to be bent based on the bent portion.

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