JP2010052245A - Apparatus and head for printing - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To suppress a decrease in image quality due to mixing of a plurality of inks and the like while suppressing a decrease in printing speed when printing is performed with a plurality of layers of ink or the like superimposed.
A print head 250 of a printer 200 includes nozzle rows 251 to 257 in which a plurality of nozzles are formed side by side in the sub-scanning direction. The nozzle row 251 that discharges the metallic ink S is arranged at the leading end in the scanning direction that discharges ink in unidirectional printing. The nozzle rows 252 to 257 corresponding to the color inks are arranged at equal intervals. The separation distance between the nozzle row 251 and the adjacent nozzle row 252 is the separation distance between the nozzle rows 252 to 257, respectively. Bigger than that.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing technique in which an image layer representing an image and a special gloss layer which is a layer different from the image layer are formed on a print medium in an overlapping manner.

  Conventionally, a method is known in which an undercoat layer is first formed on a print medium, and printing is further performed on the undercoat layer (for example, Patent Document 1 below). Such a method can be used for various printing methods, for example, when reproducing metallic colors of various tones.

Special Table 2002-530229

  In order to reproduce the metallic color, for example, when printing on an opaque printing medium, a layer of metallic ink may be formed on the printing medium, and the color ink may be superimposed on the layer and printed.

  In the case where such metallic color printing is performed by an ink jet printer, it is necessary to discharge the color ink onto the metallic ink discharged onto the printing medium after it has dried. This is because if the color ink is superimposed before the metallic ink is dried, the two inks are mixed and the image quality is lowered. Therefore, for example, in the case of a serial printer that performs printing by ejecting ink onto a print medium from a nozzle row arranged on the bottom surface of the print head while moving the print head in the main scanning direction, the print head has one raster. A method in which the metallic ink layer is formed by the first reciprocating operation and the color ink image is formed by the second reciprocating operation, and one nozzle row is used for the metallic ink and the color ink. A method of dividing into two in the scanning direction is taken.

  However, in this method, since a sufficient time can be secured from the formation of the metallic ink layer until the color ink is superposed on the layer and the color ink is ejected, the deterioration of the image quality can be suppressed, but the printing speed is remarkably high. It was causing a decline. This problem is not limited to metallic ink color printing, but is a common problem when printing is performed with a plurality of inks superimposed.

  In light of the above-described problems, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve image quality by mixing a plurality of inks while suppressing a decrease in printing speed when printing with a plurality of ink layers superimposed. It is to suppress the decrease of.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

Application Example 1 A printing apparatus that forms an image layer representing an image and a special gloss layer that is different from the image layer on a print medium,
First connection means connectable to a storage container for storing a special gloss material forming the special gloss layer;
Second connection means connectable to a storage container for storing image ink forming the image layer;
A nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along a predetermined direction and a special gloss nozzle row that discharges the special glossy material, and a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged in a predetermined direction and a plurality of nozzles that eject the image ink A print head arranged in a direction intersecting with the arrangement direction of the nozzles in the nozzle row,
Printing means for performing printing by ejecting the special glossy material or the image ink from the special gloss nozzle row and the image nozzle row onto the print medium while moving the print head relative to the print medium. ,
The print head includes at least one of the special gloss nozzle rows arranged as an end special gloss nozzle row at at least one end in the arrangement direction of the nozzle rows, and the plurality of image nozzle rows can be combined. A basic nozzle array for ejecting three primary color inks for color expression is included, and the first nozzle array and the end special nozzle arranged at positions closest to the end special gloss nozzle array in the basic color nozzle array; A printing apparatus in which a separation distance from a gloss nozzle row is larger than a separation distance between second nozzle rows excluding the edge special gloss nozzle row from the special gloss nozzle row and the image nozzle row.

  In the printing apparatus having such a configuration, the end special gloss nozzle row is arranged at least at one end of the print head nozzle row in the arrangement direction, and the end special gloss nozzle row and the basic color nozzle row are the most. Since the separation distance from the first nozzle row at a position close to the edge special glossy nozzle row is larger than the separation distance between the second nozzle rows, when performing printing by moving the print head relative to the print medium In addition, the special glossy material is ejected from the end special glossy nozzle row to a predetermined position on the print medium until the three primary color inks are ejected from the basic color nozzle row, or after the three primary color inks are ejected. Time can be taken before the glossy material is discharged. Therefore, after one of the special glossy materials or the three primary color inks ejected first is dried on the print medium, the other later ejected ink can be landed on the print medium. Does not deteriorate the image quality. In addition, since the three primary color inks and the special gloss material can be discharged simultaneously, it is possible to suppress a decrease in printing speed. In the present application, the connection portion includes a connection portion between the storage container and the printing apparatus when the special glossy material or image ink storage container and the printing apparatus are integrally configured so as not to be removable.

Application Example 2 In the printing apparatus according to Application Example 1, the print head includes a basic color nozzle row from among a plurality of image nozzle rows between the edge special glossy nozzle row and the first nozzle row. A printing apparatus in which at least one of the removed nozzle rows is arranged as a buffer nozzle row.

  In the printing apparatus having such a configuration, since the buffer nozzle row is arranged between the end special gloss nozzle row and the first nozzle row, the print head is moved relative to the print medium so that the buffer nozzle row is arranged. When printing is performed with little or no ink corresponding to the ink, the special glossy material is ejected to a predetermined position on the print medium, and then ink other than the ink corresponding to the buffer nozzle row, that is, mainly It can take time until the ink that forms the image layer is ejected, or until the special gloss material is ejected after the ink that mainly forms the image layer is ejected. Therefore, one of the special glossy material or the ink that mainly forms the image layer, which is ejected first, is dried on the print medium, and the other ejected later can be landed on the print medium. It is possible to suppress deterioration in image quality due to mixing of the ink forming the layer and the special gloss material. In addition, since the ink for forming the image layer and the special gloss material can be discharged at the same time, a decrease in printing speed can be suppressed.

Application Example 3 The printing apparatus according to Application Example 2, wherein the buffer nozzle row is a special color nozzle row that discharges a special color ink that is an ink other than the three primary color inks and the black ink.
In the printing apparatus having such a configuration, the buffer nozzle row discharges special color ink. Since the special color ink is generally used less frequently, the effect of the application example 2 is easily obtained.

Application Example 4 The printing apparatus according to Application Example 3, wherein the special color ink is a light ink in which the concentration of the coloring components of the three primary color inks is reduced.
The printing apparatus having such a configuration can be applied to a printing apparatus using light ink, and has high versatility.

Application Example 5 In the application example 2, the printing unit reduces the amount of ink ejected from the buffer nozzle row when the image layer and the special glossy layer are superimposed and printed. Printing device.
Since the printing apparatus having such a configuration reduces the amount of ink ejected from the buffer nozzle row, even if it is originally intended to print an image with a relatively high use frequency of the ink corresponding to the buffer nozzle, the buffer nozzle The effect of Application Example 2 can be obtained while realizing a certain level of color expression using ink corresponding to the columns (such as three primary color inks).

[Application Example 6] The printing apparatus according to any one of Application Example 1 to Application Example 5, wherein the print head includes an end special gloss nozzle row and an end special gloss nozzle row among the second nozzle rows. A printing apparatus in which a separation distance from a nozzle row arranged at the closest position is larger than a separation distance between second nozzle rows.

  In the printing apparatus having such a configuration, the end special gloss nozzle row and the nozzle row arranged at the closest position to the end special gloss nozzle row in the second nozzle row are separated from each other in comparison with the other nozzle rows. Therefore, when printing is performed by moving the print head relative to the print medium, the special gloss material is ejected from the end special gloss nozzle row to a predetermined position on the print medium, and then the image ink is fed from the image nozzle row. It is possible to take time until the special glossy material is discharged after the image ink is discharged or after the image ink is discharged. Therefore, after one of the special glossy material or image ink ejected first is dried on the print medium, the other later ejected can be landed on the print medium, and the image ink and the special glossy material are separated from each other. The image quality does not deteriorate when mixed. That is, since all the inks connected to the printing apparatus are not mixed with the special gloss material, the effect of suppressing the deterioration of image quality is higher than in the above application example. Alternatively, it can be applied to image printing of any color expression.

The above-described printing apparatus can also be applied to the special gloss material of Application Example 7 or Application Example 8.
[Application Example 7] The printing apparatus according to any one of Application Examples 1 to 6, wherein the special gloss material is an ink in which the optical characteristic of the ink printed on the surface of the print medium has a reflection angle dependency.
Application Example 8 The printing apparatus according to any one of Application Examples 1 to 7, wherein the special gloss material is an ink containing a pigment that expresses a metallic feeling.

The present invention can also be realized as a print head according to Application Example 9.
Application Example 9 A print head including a nozzle row group in which a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along a predetermined direction is arranged in a direction intersecting the nozzle arrangement direction in the nozzle row, The separation distance between the end nozzle row arranged at at least one end in the arrangement direction and the nozzle row adjacent to the end nozzle row is larger than the separation distance between the nozzle rows excluding the end nozzle row from the nozzle row group. Big print head.

A. Printing system overview:
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing system 10 as an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a printing system 10 according to the present embodiment includes a computer 100 serving as a print control apparatus, a printer 200 that actually prints an image under the control of the computer 100, and the like. The printing system 10 functions as a printing device in a broad sense as a whole.

  The printer 200 according to this embodiment includes cyan ink C, magenta ink M, yellow ink Y, black ink K, light cyan ink Lc, and light magenta ink Lm as color inks. Metallic ink S is provided. Note that the light cyan ink Lc and the light magenta ink Lm are inks in which the densities of the color components of the cyan ink C and the magenta ink M are reduced. Further, in the present embodiment, the term “color ink” includes black ink.

  The metallic ink is an ink in which a printed material exhibits a metallic feeling. As such a metallic ink, for example, an oil-based ink composition containing a metallic pigment that exhibits a metallic feeling, an organic solvent, and a resin can be used. . In order to produce a visually metallic texture effectively, the above-mentioned metal pigment is preferably tabular grains, the major axis on the plane of the tabular grains is X, the minor axis is Y, When the thickness is Z, the 50% average particle diameter R50 of the equivalent circle diameter determined from the area of the XY plane of the tabular grains is 0.5 to 3 μm, and the condition of R50 / Z> 5 is satisfied. It is preferable. Such a metal pigment can be formed of, for example, aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or can be formed by crushing a metal vapor-deposited film. The concentration of the metal pigment contained in the metallic ink can be set to 0.1 to 10.0% by weight, for example. Of course, the metallic ink is not limited to such a composition, and any other composition can be adopted as long as it is a composition that produces a metallic feeling.

  In this example, the composition of the metallic ink S is 1.5% by weight of an aluminum pigment, 20% by weight of glycerin, 40% by weight of triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and 0.1% by weight of BYK-UV3500 (manufactured by Big Chemie Japan Co., Ltd.). It was.

  A predetermined operating system is installed in the computer 100, and the application program 20 operates under this operating system. A video driver 22 and a printer driver 24 are incorporated in the operating system. The application program 20 inputs image data ORG from the digital camera 120 through the peripheral device interface 108, for example. Then, the application program 20 displays an image represented by the image data ORG on the display 114 via the video driver 22. The application program 20 outputs the image data ORG to the printer 200 via the printer driver 24. Image data ORG input from the digital camera 120 by the application program 20 is data composed of three color components of red (R), green (G), and blue (B).

  The application program 20 according to the present embodiment has a metallic color area (hereinafter referred to as “color area”) for an arbitrary area in the image data ORG, in addition to an area composed of R, G, B color components (hereinafter referred to as “color area”). (Hereinafter referred to as “metallic area”). The metallic area and the color area may overlap each other. That is, each area may be designated so that a color image is formed on a metallic color as a background color.

  Inside the printer driver 24, a color conversion module 42, a halftone module 44, and a print control module 46 are provided.

  The color conversion module 42, in accordance with a color conversion table LUT prepared in advance, for the color region in the image data ORG, color components (cyan (C), magenta (that can be expressed by the printer 200) for the color components R, G, B thereof. M), yellow (Y), black (K), light cyan (Lc), and light magenta (Lm).

  The halftone module 44 performs a halftone process in which the gradation of the image data color-converted by the color conversion module 42 is represented by dot distribution. In the present embodiment, a known systematic dither method is used as the halftone process. As the halftone process, an error diffusion method, a density pattern method, and other halftone techniques can be used in addition to the systematic dither method.

  The print control module 46 rearranges the data arrangement of the halftone-processed image data in the order to be transferred to the printer 200, and outputs the print data to the printer 200 as well as various print start commands and print end commands. Is output to the printer 200 to control the printer 200. Further, the print control module 46 performs dot formation with metallic ink in the metallic area designated by the application program 20.

B. Device configuration:
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a computer 100 as a print control apparatus. The computer 100 is a well-known computer configured by connecting a ROM 104, a RAM 106, and the like with a bus 116 around a CPU 102.

  The computer 100 includes a disk controller 109 for reading data such as the flexible disk 124 and the compact disk 126, a peripheral device interface 108 for exchanging data with peripheral devices, and a video interface 112 for driving the display 114. It is connected. A printer 200 and a hard disk 118 are connected to the peripheral device interface 108. Further, if the digital camera 120 or the color scanner 122 is connected to the peripheral device interface 108, it is possible to perform image processing on an image captured by the digital camera 120 or the color scanner 122. If the network interface card 110 is installed, the computer 100 can be connected to the communication line 300 to obtain data stored in the storage device 310 connected to the communication line. When the computer 100 obtains image data to be printed, the printer driver 24 controls the printer 200 to print the image data.

  Next, the configuration of the printer 200 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the printer 200 is mounted on the carriage 240, a mechanism for transporting the print medium P by the paper feed motor 235, a mechanism for reciprocating the carriage 240 in the axial direction of the platen 236 by the carriage motor 230. A mechanism for driving the print head 250 to discharge ink and forming dots, and a control circuit 260 that controls the exchange of signals with the paper feed motor 235, the carriage motor 230, the print head 250, and the operation panel 266. ing.

  The mechanism for reciprocating the carriage 240 in the axial direction of the platen 236 is an endless drive between the carriage motor 230 and a slide shaft 233 that is installed in parallel with the platen 236 axis and slidably holds the carriage 240. A pulley 232 for stretching the belt 231 and a position detection sensor 234 for detecting the origin position of the carriage 240 are included.

  In the carriage 240, color ink ink cartridges 242 containing cyan ink C, magenta ink M, yellow ink Y, black ink K, light cyan ink Lc, and light magenta ink Lm as color inks, respectively. ˜247 are mounted. In addition, an ink cartridge 241 for metallic ink containing metallic ink S is mounted on the carriage 240. The print head 250 below the carriage 240 is formed with six types of nozzle rows 252 to 257 corresponding to the above-described color inks and nozzle rows 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S. When these ink cartridges 241 to 247 are mounted on the carriage 240 from above, ink can be supplied from each cartridge to the nozzle rows 251 to 257. The nozzle row 251 corresponds to the special gloss nozzle row in the claims and also corresponds to the end special gloss nozzle row. The nozzle row 252 corresponds to the first nozzle row in the claims. The nozzle rows 252 to 257 correspond to the image nozzle row in the claims and also correspond to the second nozzle row. The nozzle rows 252 to 254 correspond to basic color nozzle rows. The carriage 240 corresponds to the first connection means and the second connection means in the claims. The first connection means and the second connection means of the claims may be individually configured, but may be integrally configured as in the present embodiment.

  The control circuit 260 of the printer 200 is configured by connecting a CPU, ROM, RAM, PIF (peripheral device interface) and the like to each other via a bus, and controls the operations of the carriage motor 230 and the paper feed motor 235. The main scanning operation and the sub scanning operation of the carriage 240 are controlled. When print data output from the computer 100 is received via the PIF, each color is supplied by supplying a drive signal corresponding to the print data to the print head 250 in accordance with the movement of the carriage 240 in the main scanning or sub scanning. It is possible to drive the head. The control circuit 260 corresponds to the printing unit in the claims.

  The printer 200 having the above hardware configuration drives the carriage motor 230 to reciprocate the print head 250 (nozzle rows 251 to 257 for each color) in the main scanning direction with respect to the print medium P. By driving the paper feed motor 235, the print medium P is moved in the sub-scanning direction. The control circuit 260 performs printing by driving the nozzles at an appropriate timing based on the print data in accordance with the movement of the carriage 240 reciprocally (main scanning) or the movement of paper feeding of the printing medium (sub scanning). Ink dots of appropriate colors are formed at appropriate positions on the medium P. In this way, the printer 200 can print a color image on the print medium P. In the above-described configuration, each color ink is stored in a detachable cartridge mounted on the printer 200. However, the ink is stored in an ink storage tank configured separately from the printer 200, and the storage tank. And the printer 200 may be connected. Or you may accommodate in the storage container comprised integrally with the printer 200 so that attachment or detachment is impossible.

  Note that the printer 200 of the present embodiment has a basic setting of unidirectional printing capable of high-quality printing by ejecting ink only in the forward path of the reciprocation of the print head 250 in the main scanning direction. Further, the printer 200 can use an opaque print medium such as plain paper or coated paper as a print medium P, or a transparent print medium such as an OHP film.

C. Print head details:
Details of the print head 250 described above are shown in FIG. This figure schematically shows the bottom surface of the print head 250 (the surface facing the print medium P). As illustrated, the print head 250 includes nozzle rows 251 to 257 in which a plurality of nozzles are formed side by side in the sub-scanning direction. In this embodiment, each nozzle row is formed of 180 nozzles. These nozzle rows 251 to 257 correspond to the ink colors of the cartridges mounted on the carriage 240, the nozzle row 251 ejects the metallic ink S, and the nozzle rows 252 to 257 respectively have cyan ink C and magenta. Ink M, yellow ink Y, black ink K, light cyan ink Lc, and light magenta ink Lm are ejected. In this embodiment, the nozzle row corresponding to each ink color is configured by arranging the nozzles in a single row, but the arrangement of the nozzles in one nozzle row is not particularly limited. A plurality of rows of nozzles may be arranged in a staggered pattern.

  Further, as shown in the figure, in the print head 250, the nozzle row 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S is arranged at one end of the nozzle rows 251 to 257 of the respective colors in the arrangement direction. The nozzle rows 252 to 257 corresponding to the color inks are arranged at equal intervals with a separation distance D2, but are arranged at positions closest to the nozzle row 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle row 251. The separation distance D1 from the nozzle row 252 is ensured to be larger than the separation distance D2. In this embodiment, the separation distance D1 is twice the separation distance D2.

D. Printing process:
Next, print processing executed by the computer 100 by the operation of the printer driver 24 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the printing process in this embodiment. When the printing process is started, the computer 100 inputs image data in which a metallic area and a color area are designated from the application program 20 by the printer driver 24 (step S400).

  When the image data is input, the computer 100 converts the RGB format image data into the CMYKLcLm format image data for the color area in the image data (step S410). When the image data in the CMYKLcLm format is obtained, the computer 100 performs halftone processing using the halftone module 44 and generates data that can be transferred to the printer 200 (step S420).

  Subsequent to the halftone process, the computer 100 controls the printer 200 to print the metallic area using the metallic ink, and at the same time, print the color area subjected to the halftone process using the color ink (step S430). Note that the print medium P1 used in the present embodiment is an opaque print medium. In this embodiment, the computer 100 performs unidirectional printing by ejecting ink only in the forward path of the reciprocation of the print head 250 in the main scanning direction.

  Step S430 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The scanning direction of the print head 250 illustrated in FIG. 6A is the forward movement of the reciprocating movement in the main scanning direction, that is, the scanning direction in which ink is ejected. As shown in the drawing, the print head 250 according to the present embodiment includes a nozzle row 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S at the end on the head side in the scanning direction for ejecting ink, so that the print head 250 is located at a predetermined print position on the print medium P1. First, the nozzle row 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S reaches before the other nozzle rows, and the metallic ink S is ejected before the color ink. Thereafter, as the print head 250 moves, the nozzle rows 252 to 257 reach the predetermined position, and the color ink is ejected.

  As shown in FIG. 6B, the printed matter printed in this manner is such that the metallic ink layer MR in which dots are formed by the metallic ink S is positioned on the print medium P1, and is superimposed on the color ink layer MR. The color ink layer CR in which dots are formed by ink is positioned. Such a printed matter is observed as a metallic color when viewed from the color ink layer CR side toward the printing medium P1.

  Here, as described above, the separation distance D1 between the nozzle row 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle row 252 adjacent thereto is secured larger than the separation distance D2 of each of the nozzle rows 252 to 257. After the metallic ink S is ejected to the predetermined position of the print medium P1, the time from when the print head 250 is further moved until the color ink is ejected from any one of the nozzle rows 252 to 257 to the predetermined position is: Compared with the case where the print heads in which the nozzle rows 251 to 257 are arranged at equal intervals are used, the print heads 250 become longer by an extra long separation distance (D1-D2). In other words, after the metallic ink S is ejected and landed on the print medium P1, the color ink is ejected to the same position of the print medium P1 and is formed by the previously landed metallic ink S. The layer can be dried.

  Therefore, in the printing system 10 of the present embodiment, the metallic ink layer MR formed on the printing medium P1 is dried, and then the color ink layer CR is formed on the printed ink P, so that the metallic ink S Color ink is not mixed and image quality does not deteriorate. Further, since the metallic ink S and the color ink can be ejected on the same raster in one main scanning operation, it is possible to suppress a decrease in printing speed. In addition, since there is no restriction on the use of color ink, it can be applied to image printing of any color expression.

  In this embodiment, the separation distance D1 between the nozzle row 251 corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle row 252 adjacent to the nozzle row 251 is twice the separation distance D2 of each of the nozzle rows 252 to 257. The distance D1 may be appropriately set in consideration of the drying speed of the metallic ink S to be used.

E. Variation:
A modification of the above embodiment will be described.
E-1. Modification 1:
In the embodiment, the configuration in which the metallic ink layer MR and the color ink layer CR are formed in this order on the opaque print medium P1 to perform the printing of the metallic color has been described, but the formation order of each ink layer is reversed. There may be. For example, when printing on the transparent print medium P2, the color ink layer CR and the metallic ink layer MR may be formed in this order on the print medium P2. In this way, when the printed material is observed from the print medium P2 side toward the metallic ink layer MR side, it is observed as a metallic color.

  In such a case, since the formation order of the metallic ink layer MR and the color ink layer CR is reversed from that in the embodiment, the arrangement of the nozzle rows 251 to 257 in the print head 250 is, for example, two-fold symmetrical with the arrangement shown in FIG. That is, the nozzle row 251 may be arranged at the end on the tail side in the head scanning direction for ejecting ink. Alternatively, printing may be performed by ejecting ink in the return path of the reciprocation of the print head 250 in the main scanning direction using the print head 250 having the nozzle array arrangement illustrated in FIG. 6.

E-2. Modification 2:
In the embodiment and the first modification, the configuration in which metallic color printing is performed by one-way printing has been illustrated, but the printer 200 may be configured to perform bidirectional printing. In such a case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the nozzle arrangement of the print head 250b as the second modification is such that nozzle rows 251b and 258b corresponding to the metallic ink S are provided at both ends in the main scanning direction of the print head 250b. The nozzle rows 252b to 257b corresponding to the color inks are arranged therebetween, and the separation distance between the nozzle row 251b and the adjacent nozzle row 252b and the separation distance between the nozzle row 258b and the adjacent nozzle row 257b are as follows. The distance between the nozzle rows 252b to 257b may be larger than the separation distance.

  When bi-directional printing is performed using such a print head 250b, step S430 shown in FIG. 5 can be replaced with the process of FIG. 8, for example. Specifically, following the halftone process, the computer 100 determines whether the raster to be printed includes a metallic area (step S431). As a result, if it is not the metallic region (step S431: NO), only the nozzle rows 252b to 257b corresponding to the color ink are used among the nozzle rows 251b to 258b provided in the print head 250b, and the nozzle row corresponding to the metallic ink S is used. 251b and 258b decide not to use (step S435).

  On the other hand, if the raster to be printed includes a metallic region (step S431: YES), the computer 100 performs the forward scanning operation of the reciprocating motion in the main scanning direction in the scanning operation of the print head 250b. Whether or not (step S432). As a result, if the operation is forward (step S432: YES), the computer 100 causes the nozzle rows 252b to 257b corresponding to the color ink and the nozzle corresponding to the metallic ink S to be illustrated in FIG. Of the rows 251b and 258b, it is determined that the nozzle row 251b on the head side in the scanning direction of the print head 250b is used (the nozzle row 258b on the tail side in the scanning direction is not used) (step S433).

  On the other hand, if the scanning operation of the print head 250b to be performed is not the forward movement of the reciprocating movement in the main scanning direction, that is, if it is the backward movement (step S432: NO), the computer 100 performs FIG. As shown in FIG. 5B, the nozzle rows 252b to 257b corresponding to the color ink and the nozzle row 258b on the head side in the scanning direction of the print head 250b among the nozzle rows 251b and 258b corresponding to the metallic ink S are used. It is determined that the nozzle row 251b at the end in the scanning direction is not used (step S434).

  When the used nozzle row is determined, the computer 100 controls the printer 200 to perform printing by ejecting metallic ink or color ink from the used nozzle row determined in steps S433 to S435 while scanning the print head 250b once. It executes (step S436).

  When the print head 250b is scanned once, the computer 100 determines whether or not printing of all rasters is completed (step S437). As a result, if printing has not been completed (step S437: NO), the computer 100 returns the process to step S431, and continues the printing process for a raster that has not been printed. On the other hand, if it is determined that printing has been completed (step S437: YES), the computer 100 ends the printing process.

  Even if printing is performed in this manner, the metallic ink layer MR and the color ink layer CR can be formed in this order on the opaque print medium P1 to perform printing in the metallic color. In addition, since the color ink layer CR is formed on the metallic ink layer MR formed on the print medium P1 after being dried, the metallic ink S and the color ink are mixed to deteriorate the image quality. There is nothing. Further, since the metallic ink S and the color ink can be ejected simultaneously on the same raster in one main scan, it is possible to suppress a decrease in printing speed. In the case where the formation order of the metallic ink layer MR and the color ink layer CR is reversed, the nozzle row 251b and the nozzle row 258b may be used and not used in each scanning direction.

E-3. Modification 3:
In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the separation distance between the nozzle row corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle row corresponding to the color ink adjacent thereto is larger than the separation distance between the nozzle rows corresponding to the color ink. The configuration for securing the time from the ejection of the metallic ink S to the drying on the print medium by taking a large amount is shown. However, the configuration for securing the drying time of the metallic ink S is limited to the above configuration. It is not something that can be done.

  FIG. 9 shows details of a print head 250c as a third modification. The print head 250c is different from the embodiment in that all the nozzle rows 251c to 257c are arranged at equal intervals. Further, the nozzle row 251c corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle rows 252c to 255c corresponding to the process color inks (black ink K, three primary colors cyan ink C, magenta ink M, yellow ink Y) among the color inks. Is different from the embodiment in that nozzle rows 256c and 257c corresponding to light ink (light cyan ink Lc, light magenta ink Lm) are arranged.

  When metallic color printing is performed by the print head 250c having such a nozzle array, the image to be printed in the metallic region does not use the light cyan ink Lc and / or the light magenta ink Lm at all, or is almost the same. If not used, the separation between the nozzle array 251c corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle array 252c adjacent to the nozzle array 252c corresponding to the process color ink to be mainly used is substantially increased. Can do. Accordingly, it is possible to secure a time for the landed metallic ink S to dry after the metallic ink S has landed on the print medium and before the color ink has landed on the portion. Play.

  If the image to be printed uses light cyan ink Lc and / or light magenta ink Lm, the computer 100 determines whether the light cyan ink Lc and / or light cyan ink in step S410 of the printing process shown in FIG. The image data may be converted so that the amount of magenta ink Lm used is reduced and process color ink is mainly used. Such control can be realized by a configuration in which the computer 100 stores two types of LUTs and switches the LUT to be used depending on whether metallic color printing is performed or normal color printing is performed. Note that “reducing the amount of use” includes making the amount of use zero.

  Such image data conversion control may be performed only for the metallic area. In this way, in the non-metallic area, it is possible to exhibit a color expression with high gradation and no problem in graininess, and also in the metallic area, the mixing of the metallic ink S and the color ink is suppressed, and the deterioration of the image quality is suppressed. it can.

  Of course, the configuration shown in the embodiment and the configuration of this modification may be combined. That is, in the nozzle row arrangement of the print head 250c shown in FIG. 9, the separation distance between the nozzle row 251c and the nozzle row 256c may be larger than the separation distance between other nozzle rows. In this way, the metallic ink S that has landed first can be dried more reliably, and mixing of the metallic ink S and the color ink can be suppressed.

  In this modification, the nozzle rows 256c and 257c corresponding to the light cyan ink Lc and the light magenta ink Lm are composed of the nozzle row 251c corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle rows 252c to 255c corresponding to the process color ink. However, the nozzle row arranged between the nozzle row 251c and the nozzle rows 252c to 255c is not limited to the one corresponding to the light ink, and is an ink that is neither the primary color ink nor the black ink K. Anything corresponding to a certain spot color ink may be used. In the present application, the special color ink refers to various inks other than process color inks, such as light cyan ink, light magenta ink, blue ink, red ink, green ink, orange ink, and clear ink. In the case where composite black using three primary color inks is used instead of the black ink K, a nozzle row corresponding to the black ink K may be disposed between the nozzle row 251c and the nozzle rows 252c to 255c.

  Further, as illustrated in the second modification, when the nozzle rows corresponding to the metallic ink S are arranged at both ends in the scanning direction of the print head, the nozzle row corresponding to the process color ink is provided at the center of the print head. The nozzle row corresponding to the special color ink may be arranged between the nozzle row corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle row corresponding to the process color ink. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 10A, the nozzle row 251d corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle row corresponding to the process color ink, which are arranged at one end in the scanning direction of the print head 250d. 256d corresponding to the light cyan ink Lc is arranged between 252d to 255d, and the light magenta ink is disposed between the nozzle row 258d corresponding to the metallic ink S and the nozzle rows 252d to 255d corresponding to the process color ink. 257d corresponding to Lm may be arranged.

  With such a nozzle arrangement, the metallic ink S to be used is used in both the forward path (see FIG. 10A) and the backward path (see FIG. 10B) of the reciprocating movement of the print head 250d in the main scanning direction. Since the nozzle row 256d or 257d corresponding to the special color ink is disposed between the nozzle row 251d or 258d corresponding to the ink and the nozzle rows 252d to 255d corresponding to the process color ink, the unidirectional printing described above is performed. The same effect as the case can be produced.

E-4. Modification 4:
In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the metallic ink S layer and the color ink layer are formed on the print medium so as to be superimposed on each other, and the metallic color printing is exemplified. The present invention is not limited to the combination of the ink S layer and the color ink layer, and may be any one that superimposes an image layer representing an image and various special glossy layers. A special gloss material is an ink that exhibits a special gloss on the surface of a print medium that has undergone printing. In addition to a metallic ink containing a pigment that expresses a metallic feeling, the optical properties of the ink printed on the surface of the print medium are reflected. The ink may have angle dependency and may have various appearances depending on the viewing angle. Specifically, as the ink, in addition to the metallic ink, a pearly ink containing a pigment that develops a pearly luster after fixing on the medium surface, a so-called lame sensation caused by irregular reflection after fixing on the medium surface. A laminar ink or a pigmented ink containing a pigment having fine irregularities so as to express a textured background can be used.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the special gloss material, and can be applied to a case where an image layer and an auxiliary layer that assists the image layer are overlapped. As the auxiliary layer, for example, a layer for assisting the expression of the image layer can be used. Here, “assisting the expression of the image layer” means to exhibit or change the color expression of the image layer. As an auxiliary material for forming the auxiliary layer, for example, the color expression of the image layer is exhibited. For example, white ink used as a base or various inks with concealment may be used.

  The auxiliary layer may be a layer that protects or hides the image layer, for example. As an auxiliary layer for protecting or concealing the image layer, an overcoat agent for protecting the image layer by preventing ink peeling or deterioration, or forming a layer of porous fine particles, etc. You may form with an undercoat agent etc. for improving fixability. Or you may form with an ink with small fixing power for creating a scratch card.

  As described above, when printing is performed with various layers and image layers superimposed, the order of forming the auxiliary layers and the image layers on the print medium is taken into consideration, as in the above-described embodiments and modifications. It is only necessary to determine which nozzle row to use among the nozzle rows corresponding to the auxiliary layers arranged at both ends of the print head 250. Further, the image layer is not limited to the color inks of a plurality of colors as in the embodiment, and may be a single color ink such as black ink K, for example.

  Further, there may be a plurality of nozzle rows arranged at one end of the print head 250 in the arrangement direction of the nozzle rows and ejecting the special glossy material and the auxiliary material. For example, the print head 250 may include a nozzle row corresponding to metallic ink and a nozzle row corresponding to white ink at one end. Of course, you may provide the some nozzle row corresponding to the same kind of special gloss material and auxiliary material.

E-5. Modification 5:
In the above-described embodiment, the printing process illustrated in FIG. 5 is performed in the printing system 10 (broadly defined printing apparatus) configured by the computer 100 and the printer 200. The CPU in the control circuit 260 of the printer 200 is A process equivalent to the printing process may be executed. In this way, image data can be input from a digital camera, various memory cards, and the like, and suitable printing can be performed by the printer 200 without using the computer 100.

E-6. Modification 6:
In the above-described embodiments and modifications, the configuration of the serial type ink jet printer that performs printing by ejecting ink while the print head moves in the main scanning direction has been described. However, the present invention cannot move the print head. The present invention can also be applied to a line printer that performs printing in raster units using nozzles that are fixed to the print medium and arranged over the width of the print medium in the direction perpendicular to the feed direction of the print medium.

  Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 11A, in a print head 250e of a line printer having nozzle rows corresponding to the respective colors arranged over the paper width, a nozzle row 251e corresponding to the metallic ink S is used. Is arranged at the end of the print medium in the feed direction, and the separation distance between the nozzle row 251e and the nozzle row 252e adjacent to the nozzle row 251e among the nozzle rows 252e to 257e corresponding to the color ink is set as the nozzle row. You may make it larger than each separation distance of 252e-257e. If it carries out like this, there exists an effect similar to an Example.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11B, in the print head 250f, the nozzle row 251f corresponding to the metallic ink S is arranged at the end of the print medium in the feed direction, and the nozzle row 251f and the color ink Nozzles corresponding to light ink (light cyan ink Lc, light magenta ink Lm) between nozzle rows 252f to 255f corresponding to process color inks (cyan ink C, magenta ink M, yellow ink Y, black ink K) Rows 256f and 257f may be arranged. If it carries out like this, there exists an effect similar to the modification 3. In the above example, when the overlapping order of the metallic ink S and the color ink is reversed, the feeding direction of the printing medium may be opposite to the illustrated direction.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to such embodiment, Of course, in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can implement in a various aspect. For example, the present invention can be realized as a printing head, a printing method using the printing head, a program, and the like in addition to the configuration as a printing apparatus.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing system 10 as an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a configuration diagram of a computer 100 as a print control apparatus. 2 is a configuration diagram of a printer 200. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing details of the print head 250. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a printing process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the condition of the printing in a printing process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the condition of the printing in the detail of the printing head 250b as a modification, and printing processing. It is a flowchart which shows the detail of step S430 in the printing process as a modification. It is explanatory drawing which shows the condition of the printing in the detail of the printing head 250c as a modification, and printing processing. It is explanatory drawing which shows the detail of the printing head 250d as a modification, and the printing condition in a printing process. It is explanatory drawing which shows the condition of the printing in the detail of the printing heads 250e and 250f as a modification, and printing processing.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printing system 20 ... Application program 22 ... Video driver 24 ... Printer driver 42 ... Color conversion module 44 ... Halftone module 46 ... Print control module 100 ... Computer 102 ... CPU
104 ... ROM
106 ... RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 108 ... Peripheral device interface 109 ... Disk controller 110 ... Network interface card 112 ... Video interface 114 ... Display 116 ... Bus 118 ... Hard disk 120 ... Digital camera 122 ... Color scanner 124 ... Flexible disk 126 ... Compact disk 200 ... Printer 230 ... Carriage motor 231 ... Drive belt 232 ... Pulley 233 ... Slide shaft 234 ... Position detection sensor 235 ... Paper feed motor 236 ... Platen 240 ... Carriage 241 to 247 ... Ink cartridges 250, 250b, 250c, 250d, 250e, 250f ... Print head 251 257, 251b to 258b, 251c to 257c, 251d to 258d, 251e to 257e, 251f to 257f ... Nozzle array 260 ... Control circuit 266 ... Operation panel 300 ... Communication line 310 ... Storage device ORG ... Image data LUT ... Color conversion table S ... Metallic ink C ... Cyan ink M ... Magenta ink Y ... Yellow ink K ... Black ink Lc ... Light cyan ink Lm ... Light magenta ink P, P1, P2 ... Print medium MR ... Metallic ink layer CR ... Color ink layer

Claims (9)

A printing apparatus that forms an image layer representing an image and a special gloss layer that is different from the image layer on a print medium,
First connection means connectable to a storage container for storing a special gloss material forming the special gloss layer;
Second connection means connectable to a storage container for storing image ink forming the image layer;
A nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along a predetermined direction and a special gloss nozzle row that discharges the special glossy material, and a nozzle row in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged in a predetermined direction and a plurality of nozzles that eject the image ink A print head arranged in a direction intersecting with the arrangement direction of the nozzles in the nozzle row,
Printing means for performing printing by ejecting the special glossy material or the image ink from the special gloss nozzle row and the image nozzle row onto the print medium while moving the print head relative to the print medium. ,
The print head includes at least one of the special gloss nozzle rows arranged as an end special gloss nozzle row at at least one end in the arrangement direction of the nozzle rows, and the plurality of image nozzle rows can be combined. A basic nozzle array for ejecting three primary color inks for color expression is included, and the first nozzle array and the end special nozzle arranged at positions closest to the end special gloss nozzle array in the basic color nozzle array; A printing apparatus in which a separation distance from a gloss nozzle row is larger than a separation distance between second nozzle rows excluding the edge special gloss nozzle row from the special gloss nozzle row and the image nozzle row. The printing apparatus according to claim 1,
The print head includes a buffer nozzle for at least one of the plurality of image nozzle rows excluding the basic color nozzle row between the end special gloss nozzle row and the first nozzle row. Printing devices arranged as rows.   The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the buffer nozzle row is a special color nozzle row that discharges a special color ink that is an ink other than the three primary color inks and the black ink.   The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the special color ink is a light ink in which a concentration of a coloring component of the three primary color inks is reduced.   5. The printing according to claim 2, wherein the printing unit reduces the amount of ink ejected from the buffer nozzle row when the image layer and the special glossy layer are superimposed and printed. apparatus. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The print head is configured such that a separation distance between the end special gloss nozzle row and a nozzle row arranged at a position closest to the end special gloss nozzle row in the second nozzle row is set to the second nozzle. Printing device that is larger than the separation distance between rows.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the special glossy material is an ink whose optical properties printed on the surface of the print medium have a reflection angle dependency.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the special gloss material is an ink containing a pigment that develops a metallic feeling. A print head comprising a nozzle row group in which a plurality of nozzles are arranged along a predetermined direction and arranged in a direction crossing the nozzle arrangement direction in the nozzle row,
The separation distance between the end nozzle row arranged at at least one end in the arrangement direction of the nozzle row and the nozzle row adjacent to the end nozzle row is a nozzle obtained by removing the end nozzle row from the nozzle row group. Print head larger than the separation between rows.

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