Drawing apparatus and method for controlling drawing by drawing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649859-B2
Application number	US-201615192972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

drawing apparatus including a drawing head on which at least one drawing tool is mounted, the drawing tool applying a drawing on a drawing subject; and an illumination device comprising at least one light source configured to radiate light on an area of the drawing subject where the drawing is applied. The drawing tool includes a first drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a first type ink which is colorless ink or a specific color ink which has substantially the same color as the drawing subject, and a second drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a second type ink different from the first type ink. In case where the drawing on a first drawn area of the drawing subject is applied by the first drawing tool, the imaging unit acquired the subject image by imaging the first drawn area where the light radiated from the light source is specularly reflected.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drawing apparatus comprising:
a drawing head on which at least one drawing tool is mounted, the drawing tool applying a drawing on a drawing subject;
an imaging unit which acquires a subject image by imaging the drawing subject; and
an illumination device comprising at least one light source configured to radiate light on an area of the drawing subject where the drawing is applied; wherein
the drawing tool includes a first drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a first type ink which is a colorless ink or a specific color ink which has substantially the same color as the drawing subject, and a second drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a second type ink which is not the colorless ink and not the specific color ink; and
in a case where the drawing on a first drawn area of the drawing subject is applied by the first drawing tool, the imaging unit acquires the subject image by imaging the first drawn area where the light radiated from the light source is specularly reflected.

2. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
in a case where the drawing on the drawing subject is applied by the first drawing tool, the imaging unit acquires the subject image during a period from immediately after applying the drawing until completion of drying of the first type ink used in the drawing.

3. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
in a case where the drawing on a second drawn area of the drawing subject is applied by the second drawing tool, the imaging unit acquires the subject image by imaging the second drawn area where the light radiated from the light source is diffusely reflected.

4. The drawing apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a movement portion configured to move a position of the imaging unit; wherein
in a case where the imaging unit acquires the subject image after the drawing is applied by the second drawing tool, the movement portion causes the imaging unit to be moved to a first position where light radiated from the light source diffusely reflects at the second drawn area and enters the imaging unit, and light radiated from the light source specularly reflects at the second drawn area and does not enter the imaging unit; and
in a case where the imaging unit acquires the subject image after the drawing is applied by the first drawing tool, causes the imaging unit to be moved to a second position different from the first position, where light radiated from the light source specularly reflects at the first drawn area and enters the imaging unit.

5. The drawing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:
the light source of the illumination device is provided at a position separated a set distance from the imaging unit and moves integrally with the imaging unit.

6. The drawing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein:
the illumination device comprises, as the light source, a first light source disposed at a position where a distance from the imaging unit is a first distance, and a second light source disposed at a position, namely a second position, where a distance from the imaging unit is shorter than the first distance;
the first position is set at a position where light radiated from the first light source diffusely reflects at the second drawn position and enters the imaging unit, and light radiated from the second light source specularly reflects at the first drawn area and does not enter the imaging unit; and
the second position is set at a position where light radiated from the second light source specularly reflects at the first drawn position and enters the imaging unit.

7. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a drawing position correction portion which determines from the subject image whether or not a drawing position by the drawing tool is displaced from an intended legitimate drawing position and, when it is determined that the drawing position is displaced, calculates a correction value for correcting the drawing position to the legitimate drawing position.

8. The drawing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a drawing tool determination portion which determines from the subject image whether or not at least one specific drawing tool, required for a drawing of a specific design image selected by a user as an image to be drawn by the drawing unit on a drawing subject surface different from the drawing subject, is mounted on the drawing head.

9. The drawing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:
the drawing subject is a piece of paper; and
the drawing subject surface is a surface of a nail of a finger of a hand or a surface of a nail of a toe of a foot.

10. A drawing apparatus comprising:
a drawing head on which at least one drawing tool is mounted, the drawing tool applying a drawing on a drawing subject;
an imaging unit which acquires a subject image by imaging the drawing subject; and
an illumination device comprising at least one light source configured to radiate light on an area of the drawing subject where the drawing is applied; wherein
the drawing tool includes at least a specific drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a specific ink which is a colorless ink or a specific color ink which has substantially the same color as the drawing subject; and
in a case where the drawing on a drawn area of the drawing subject is applied by the specific drawing tool, the imaging unit acquires the subject image by imaging the drawn area where the light radiated from the light source is specularly reflected.

11. The drawing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein:
the imaging unit acquires the subject image during a period from immediately after applying the drawing by using the specific drawing tool until completion of drying of the specific ink used in the drawing.

12. A method for controlling drawing by a drawing apparatus, the drawing apparatus comprising:
a drawing head on which at least one drawing tool is mounted, the drawing tool applying a drawing on a drawing subject; an imaging unit which acquires a subject image by imaging the drawing subject; and an illumination device comprising at least one light source configured to radiate light on an area of the drawing subject where the drawing is applied; wherein
the drawing tool includes a first drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a first type ink which is a colorless ink or a specific color ink which has substantially the same color as the drawing subject, and a second drawing tool that applies the drawing by using a second type ink which is not the colorless ink and not the specific color ink;
the method for controlling drawing comprising:
a step of applying the drawing on the drawing subject by using the drawing tool mounted on the drawing head; and
a step of acquiring the subject image using the imaging unit by imaging the area of the drawing subject where the drawing is applied, after the drawing has been applied on the drawing subject; wherein
in a case where the drawing on a first drawn area of the drawing subject is applied by the first drawing tool, the step of acquiring the subject image comprises a step of acquiring the subject image using the imaging unit by imaging the first drawn area where the light radiated from the light source is specularly reflected.

13. The method for controlling drawing by a drawing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein:
in a case where the drawing on the drawing subject is applied by the first drawing tool by using the first type ink, the step of acquiring the subject image is executed during a period from immediately after applying the drawing until completion

Assignees

• Casio Computer Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bitoh Hiroyasu

Classifications

• B41J3/44

  Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions · CPC title

• A45D29/22

  Finger-supports · CPC title

• A45D29/00

  Manicuring or pedicuring implements · CPC title

• B41J3/4073 Primary

  Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects (B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112) · CPC title

• B41J11/002 Primary

  Curing or drying the ink on the copy materials, e.g. by heating or irradiating · CPC title