Printing equipment

Abstract

To manufacture a printed matter having a three-dimensional effect such that a foreground image is lifted from a background image.SOLUTION: The printed matter manufacturing device includes a photographing unit 2 that photographs a user and generates a photographed image, an image processing unit 13 for cutting out a person image from the photographed image, and a printer 6 for producing a first card by forming a person image on a transparent first card base material and for producing a second card by forming a background image on a second card base material. The printer 6 transfers the receiving layer onto the support of an intermediate transfer medium 100, forms the person image on the transferred receiving layer, transfers a white layer to the area corresponding to the person image on the receiving layer, peels off the transfer layer including the white layer and the receiving layer on which the person image is formed from the support, and transfers the transfer layer to the first card base material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a print production device, a card set, and a card. [Background technology]

[0002] A service is known in which a foreground image of a customer taken at a tourist spot or a leisure facility is combined with a background image such as a landscape, and a print of the combined image is provided. Conventionally, the combined image was printed on one side of a receiving paper, resulting in a flat print with little sense of depth. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-208870 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a print production device capable of producing a print with a three-dimensional effect in which a foreground image appears to stand out from a background image.Another object of the present invention is to provide a card set and cards with a three-dimensional effect in which a foreground image appears to stand out from a background image. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A print production device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a photographing unit that photographs a user and generates a photographed image, an image processing unit that cuts out an image of the person from the photographed image, and a printer that forms the image of the person on a transparent first card substrate to produce a first card, and forms a background image on a second card substrate to produce a second card.

[0006] A print production device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a photographing unit that photographs a user and generates a photographed image, an image processing unit that cuts out an image of the person from the photographed image, and a printer that forms the image of the person on one side of a transparent card substrate and forms an inverted background image on the other side of the card substrate.

[0007] A print production device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a memory unit that stores a subject image and a background image, an image processing unit that causes a display unit to display a composite image obtained by combining the subject image and the background image, a position designation unit that accepts designation of a position of the subject image on the background image, and a printer that forms the subject image in an area of ​​a transparent first card substrate corresponding to the designated position to produce a first card, and forms the background image on a second card substrate to produce a second card.

[0008] A print production device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a memory unit that stores a subject image and a background image, and a printer that forms the subject image on one side of a transparent card substrate and forms an inverted background image on the other side of the card substrate.

[0009] A print production device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a memory unit that stores a subject image and a background image, an image processing unit that displays a composite image obtained by combining the subject image and the background image on a display unit, and a printer that forms the subject image on a transparent first card substrate to produce a first card, and forms the background image on a second card substrate to produce a second card.

[0010] A card set according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a first card having a subject image formed on one side of a transparent first card substrate, and a second card having a background image formed on one side of a second card substrate.

[0011] A card according to one aspect of the present invention has a subject image formed on one side of a transparent card substrate, and an inverted background image formed on the other side. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to produce a print having a three-dimensional effect in which a foreground image appears to stand out from a background image. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a print product production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of an editing screen. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3a is a plan view of a first card, and FIG. 3b is a plan view of a second card. [Figure 4] 4a is a cross-sectional view taken along line IVa-IVa in FIG. 3a, and FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view taken along line IVb-IVb in FIG. 3b. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5a is a perspective view of the stacked cards, and FIG. 5b is a plan view of the stacked cards as viewed from the first card side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a print production device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a printer. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] 10a to 10e are cross-sectional views illustrating the steps of a method for producing a print product. [Figure 11] 11a to 11e are cross-sectional views illustrating the steps of a method for producing a print product. [Figure 12] 12a and 12b are perspective views of the fixed base. [Figure 13] 13a to 13c are diagrams showing examples of image formation on a first card and a second card. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a card stack according to a modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a print according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a print production system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the print production system includes a print production device K that photographs a user U and prints the image on a transparent card substrate to produce a card (print), and a screen S that is installed behind the user U (subject).

[0016] The print production device K stores template data of a plurality of background images, and the user U selects a preferred background image by operating the touch panel 4 of the print production device K. The selection of the background image may be performed before or after photographing the user U.

[0017] The screen S is a color suitable for chromakey compositing, such as green or blue. The print production device K photographs the user U with a photographing unit 2 such as a digital camera, and cuts out a person image (subject image) from the photographed image. The print production device K displays on the touch panel 4 a composite image in which the person image is composited onto a background image selected by the user U.

[0018] 2, a composite image in which a person image G1 is in the foreground and is composited with a background image G2 is displayed on the touch panel 4. The user U can move the position of the person image G1 on the background image G2 by operating the touch panel 4. After moving the person image G1, the user U presses the done button B1.

[0019] When the completion button B1 is pressed, the print production device K prints the image onto a transparent card substrate. The print production device K prints the portrait image and the background image onto separate card substrates to produce two cards.

[0020] For example, a card C1 is produced on which a person image G1 as shown in Figs. 3a and 4a is printed, and a card C2 is produced on which a background image G2 as shown in Figs. 3b and 4b is printed.

[0021] Cards C1 and C2 are constructed by laminating a card substrate 50, a white layer 94, a receiving layer 95, and a peeling layer 102. In card C1, a person image G1 is formed using a coloring material such as a dye in a partial area of ​​the receiving layer 95, and a white layer 94 is provided to match the person image forming area. In card C2, a background image G2 is formed over the entire surface of the receiving layer 95, and a white layer 94 is also provided over the entire surface.

[0022] As shown in Figures 5a and 5b, cards C1 and C2 are stacked and viewed from the card C1 side. Specifically, cards C1 and C2 are stacked so that the surface of card C1 without an image faces the surface of card C2 with an image, and the stack of cards is viewed from the image surface of card C1. Because the person image G1 (foreground image) is positioned in front of the background image G2 by the thickness of card C1, the print (stack of cards) is a composite image with a three-dimensional feel, as if the person image G1 is floating above the background image G2.

[0023] Next, the configuration of the print production device K will be described. As shown in Fig. 6, the print production device K has an image capturing unit 2, a touch panel 4, a printer 6, and a control unit 10. The image capturing unit 2 is, for example, a digital camera. Instead of the touch panel 4, an operation unit such as a mouse or buttons, and a display unit such as a liquid crystal display may be provided.

[0024] The control unit 10 is a computer equipped with a communication unit, a storage unit, a CPU, etc., and the CPU executes the card production program in the storage unit to realize the functions of a background selection unit 11, a photographed image acquisition unit 12, an image processing unit 13, a position designation unit 14, and a print control unit 15, as shown in Fig. 7. The storage unit stores template data for a plurality of types of background images.

[0025] The background selection unit 11 displays background images on the touch panel 4 and accepts a selection of a background image from the user.

[0026] The photographed image acquisition unit 12 acquires, from the photographing unit 2, a photographed image of a user (subject).

[0027] The image processing unit 13 cuts out a person image (subject image) from the captured image by chromakey compositing, composites it on the selected background image, and displays the composite image on the touch panel 4. For example, a default position (initial position) for compositely combining the person image is set in the background image, and the image processing unit 13 composites the person image at this default position.

[0028] The method for cutting out the subject image from the captured image is not limited to chromakey, but may be other methods such as object contour extraction using a distance sensor or AI.

[0029] When the position specification unit 14 receives a specification of the position of the person image from the user via the touch panel 4, the image processing unit 13 moves the person image to the specified position to generate a composite image and displays it on the touch panel 4. An instruction to change not only the position of the person image but also the size of the person image may be received.

[0030] The image processing unit 13 generates portrait image data in which a portrait image is arranged at a position designated by a user. The image processing unit 13 also generates a transfer pattern (white layer pattern data) for transferring a white layer to the region of the portrait image.

[0031] The print control unit 15 transmits image data and white layer pattern data required for card production to the printer 6 and controls the print process. For example, the print control unit 15 transmits person image data required for producing card C1 and white layer pattern data indicating that a white layer is to be transferred to the person image area to the printer 6. The print control unit 15 also transmits background image data required for producing card C2 and white layer pattern data indicating that a white layer is to be transferred to the entire surface to the printer 6.

[0032] Next, the configuration of the printer 6 will be described. As shown in Fig. 8, the printer 6 is a card printer, and includes a supply unit 70 that supplies the intermediate transfer medium 100, a card storage unit 40 that stores the card substrate 50, a printing unit 60 that transfers a white layer and a receiving layer to the intermediate transfer medium 100 using a thermal transfer sheet 90 and prints an image on the receiving layer, and a transfer unit 80 that transfers the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer medium 100 onto the card substrate 50.

[0033] The card substrate 50 is a transparent substrate made of a synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PETG, or acrylic resin.

[0034] A winding of the intermediate transfer medium 100 wound in a ribbon shape is loaded into the supply unit 70. The supply unit 70 rotates the winding of the intermediate transfer medium 100 and transports the intermediate transfer medium 100 in a long strip shape to the printing unit 60 and the transfer unit 80 in that order.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 10a and 11a, an intermediate transfer medium 100 includes a support 101 and a release layer 102 provided on one surface of the support 101. As shown in FIG.

[0036] There are no particular limitations on the material of the support 101, and examples of the material include highly heat-resistant polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate, and stretched or unstretched plastic films such as polypropylene, polycarbonate, cellulose acetate, polyethylene derivatives, polyamide, and polymethylpentene.

[0037] Examples of components of the release layer 102 include waxes, silicone wax, silicone resins, silicone modified resins, fluororesins, fluoromodified resins, polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic resins, thermally crosslinkable epoxy-amino resins, and thermally crosslinkable alkyd-amino resins.

[0038] The printing unit 60 has a thermal head 63, a rotatable platen roll 64 provided below the thermal head 63, and a lifting means (not shown) for lifting the thermal head 63 relative to the platen roll 64. The intermediate transfer medium 100 supplied from the supply unit 70 passes between the thermal head 63 and the platen roll 64.

[0039] In the printing section 60, the thermal transfer sheet 90 passes from the supply roll 61 side, through a guide roll 65, between the thermal head 63 and the platen roll 64, and through a guide roll 66 before being taken up by a take-up roll 62. As shown in Fig. 9, the thermal transfer sheet 90 has a transfer-type receiving layer 95, a yellow color material layer 91 containing a yellow color material, a magenta color material layer 92 containing a magenta color material, a cyan color material layer 93 containing a cyan color material, and a white layer 94 repeatedly provided in surface order.

[0040] The white layer 94 functions as a concealing layer that conceals an image. The white layer 94 includes a white pigment and a resin material. Examples of the white pigment include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, zinc sulfide, barium sulfate, and calcium carbonate. Among these, titanium oxide is preferable from the viewpoint of whiteness.

[0041] The receiving layer 95 is a layer that receives the color material (sublimation dye) that migrates from the color material layer and maintains the formed image. The receiving layer 95 contains a resin material. The resin material is not limited as long as it is a resin that is easily dyed by the dye, and examples of the resin material include olefin resin, vinyl resin, (meth)acrylic resin, cellulose resin, ester resin, amide resin, carbonate resin, styrene resin, urethane resin, and ionomer resin.

[0042] The color materials contained in the yellow color material layer 91, the magenta color material layer 92, and the cyan color material layer 93 are, for example, sublimation dyes. The thermal transfer sheet 90 may include a color material layer containing a heat-meltable ink.

[0043] The thermal head 63 of the printing unit 60 heats the receptor layer 95 of the thermal transfer sheet 90, as shown in Figs. 10b and 11b, and transfers the receptor layer 95 onto the release layer 102 of the intermediate transfer medium 100.

[0044] Next, the thermal head 63 heats the yellow color material layer 91, the magenta color material layer 92, and the cyan color material layer 93 based on the image data, and transfers the dye to the receiving layer 95 to form an image. For example, as shown in Figs. 10c and 11c, a portrait image G1 and a background image G2 are formed on the receiving layer 95. The portrait image G1 is formed in a partial area of ​​the receiving layer 95. The background image G2 is formed over the entire surface of the receiving layer 95.

[0045] Next, the thermal head 63 heats the white layer 94 of the thermal transfer sheet 90 from the back side based on the white layer pattern data, and transfers the white layer 94 onto the receiving layer 95 so as to cover the image, as shown in Figures 10d and 11d. For example, when making a card C1, the white layer 94 is transferred so as to cover the person image G1, as shown in Figure 10d, and the white layer 94 is not transferred to areas other than the person image G1. When making a card C2, the white layer 94 is transferred onto the entire surface of the receiving layer 95, as shown in Figure 11d.

[0046] The intermediate transfer medium 100 on which an image is formed on the receptor layer 95 in the printing section 60 and the white layer 94 is transferred is transported to the transfer section 80 via a guide roll 72 .

[0047] The transfer section 80 includes a heat roller 81 and a pressure roll 82 provided below the heat roller 81. The transfer section 80 transfers the transfer layer of the intermediate transfer medium 100 to the card substrate 50 discharged from the card storage section 40. Specifically, the transfer section 80 overlaps the surface of the intermediate transfer medium 100 to which the white layer 94 has been transferred onto the card substrate 50 between the heat roller 81 and the pressure roll 82 and heats it. The transfer layer including the white layer 94, the receiving layer 95, and the peeling layer 102 is peeled off from the support 101 and transferred onto the card substrate 50. The intermediate transfer medium 100 from which the transfer layer has been peeled off is taken up by the take-up roll 71.

[0048] As a result, as shown in Fig. 10e, a card C1 is produced in which a person image G1 is formed on the card substrate 50, a white layer 94 is provided on the back side of the person image G1 (between the person image G1 and the card substrate 50), and other parts do not have the white layer 94. Also, as shown in Fig. 11e, a card C2 is produced in which a background image G2 is formed on the card substrate 50, and a white layer 94 is provided on the back side of the background image G2 (between the background image G2 and the card substrate 50).

[0049] The printer 6 produces cards C1 and C2 in that order. When the produced cards C1 and C2 are stacked and the stack of cards is viewed from the card C1 side, the person image G1 appears as a three-dimensional composite image floating above the background image G2.

[0050] The stack of cards C1 and C2 may be placed on a fixed base J1 having one groove as shown in Fig. 12a, or the cards C1 and C2 may be placed apart on a fixed base J2 having two grooves as shown in Fig. 12b.

[0051] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13a, the card set consisting of cards C1 and C2 has been described as forming images G1 and G2, which are non-inverted normal images, on the surface (front) of the card substrate 50, i.e., the surface on the near side in the direction in which the images are viewed. However, as shown in FIG. 13b, card C2 may have an inverted (left-right) image G2' formed on the back side of the card substrate 50. Image G2' is seen through the card substrate 50 of card C1 and the card substrate 50 of card C2. In the card stack configured as shown in FIG. 13b, image G1 is located in front of image G2' by the thickness of two card substrates 50, so that it appears as a composite image with a more three-dimensional feel.

[0052] When a reverse image is formed, the card is produced so that the card substrate 50, the receiving layer 95 on which the reverse image is formed, and the white layer 94 are laminated in this order.

[0053] As shown in Figure 13c, the card C1 may also have an inverted image G1' formed on the back side of the card substrate 50. The image G1' is seen through the card substrate 50 of the card C1.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 14, a card C3 may be produced by forming an effect image G3, such as a blurred image, on a card substrate 50, and cards C1, C3, and C2 may be laminated to produce a card stack.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 15, a person image G1 may be formed as a normal image on one side of a card substrate 50, and an inverted background image G2' may be formed on the other side. Even in such a card, the person image G1 is located in front of the background image G2', and it appears as a composite image with a three-dimensional effect. For example, two printers may be prepared, and the person image G1 may be formed on one side of the card substrate 50 by the first printer, and an inverted background image G2' may be formed on the other side of the card substrate 50 by the second printer. Alternatively, one printer may be used to form the person image G1 on one side of the card substrate 50, and then the card substrate 50 may be inverted and guided to the transfer unit 80, and an inverted background image G2' may be formed on the other side of the card substrate 50.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the white layer 94 of the card C1 may be omitted, so that in the card stack, the background image G2 can be seen through the person image G1.

[0057] The card storage unit 40 of the printer 6 may store and dispense transparent and white card substrates alternately. A transparent card substrate is used for card C1, and a white card substrate is used for card C2.

[0058] The print production device K may have two printers, a first printer for producing card C1 and a second printer for producing card C2. A white card substrate may be set in the second printer. The second printer may also print a background image on photographic paper instead of the card substrate.

[0059] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a user is photographed, a person image cut out from the photographed image is used as a foreground image, and the foreground image and background image are formed on different cards or different sides of the same card, but a subject image prepared in advance in the print producing device K may be used as the foreground image. In this case, the photographing unit 2 can be omitted. The subject image data is stored in the memory unit of the control unit 10 together with the background image data.

[0060] A plurality of subject images may be prepared in advance, and the user may select the subject image to be used as the foreground image. The subject images prepared in advance may be content images such as images of celebrities or athletes, or character images.

[0061] The user looks at a composite image in which the subject image is in the foreground and is combined with a background image, and specifies the position and size of the subject image on the background image. The print production device K prints the subject image and background image, whose positions have been specified, onto separate card substrates, and produces two cards. Alternatively, the print production device K forms a normal subject image on one side of a card substrate, and forms an inverted background image on the other side.

[0062] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 2. Filming Department 4. Touch Panel 6 Printers 10 Control section

Claims

1. an image capturing unit that captures an image of a user and generates a captured image; an image processing unit that cuts out a person image from the captured image; a printer for forming the portrait image on a transparent first card substrate to produce a first card, and for forming a background image on a transparent second card substrate to produce a second card; Equipped with The printer includes: transferring a receiving layer onto a support of an intermediate transfer medium, forming the portrait image on the transferred receiving layer, transferring a white layer onto an area on the receiving layer corresponding to the portrait image, peeling off the transfer layer including the white layer and the receiving layer on which the portrait image is formed from the support and transferring it to the first card substrate; A print production device laminates, in this order, a receiving layer on which an inverted image obtained by inverting the background image is formed and a white layer on the transparent second card base material.

2. A storage unit that stores template data for a plurality of background images; a background image selection unit that accepts a selection of a background image from a user; Further equipped with The print producing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the printer forms a selected background image on the second card substrate.

Images