JP2644073B2 - Print head gap adjustment mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print head gap adjusting mechanism in a passbook processing apparatus used in a metal engine or the like.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in an impact type printer, in order to enable printing on a plurality of types of print media having different media thicknesses, and to prevent a reduction in processing speed due to a print head being retracted from a platen during a line feed operation, A method of maintaining a fixed distance between the print head and the print medium to ensure an optimal impact force is employed, and a print head gap adjustment mechanism is known as a means for this.

Hereinafter, a serial printer having a conventional print head gap adjusting mechanism, which is incorporated in a passbook processing apparatus, will be described as an example.

First, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a passbook as a print medium in the passbook processing apparatus.

Passbook 1 is a cover 1 on which customer names and account numbers are printed
a, a back cover 1b paired with the cover 1a in series, a plurality of inner sheets 1c on which transaction contents are printed, and the like. The center hold 1d can be opened or closed as a fold line.

1e is a page code in which information such as a page is incorporated, and MS1 is a magnetic stripe on which various types of customer information and transaction information are magnetically recorded.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a passbook processing apparatus, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a printing unit provided in the passbook processing apparatus.

In the drawing, reference numeral 2 denotes an insertion / return port for inserting and returning the passbook 1 after processing, and reference numeral 3 denotes a printing unit which includes a print head 4 and the like, and performs printing processing on the passbook 1.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a magnetic read / write unit for reading or writing the magnetic stripe MS1 of the passbook 1, reference numeral 6 denotes a page turning unit for turning pages of the passbook 1 by the page turning roller 7, and reference numeral 8 denotes confirmation of pages of the passbook 1 whose page has been changed. This is a page / line detection unit that detects a printing agent line.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a transport path connecting the above-described units, and reference numeral 10 denotes a transport roller that pinches and presses the passbook 1 from above and below and moves along the transport path 9 by rotating and driving the passbook 1.

The transport roller 10 is coupled to a stepping motor 10a by a toothed belt (not shown) or the like, and is driven to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the stepping motor 10a.

S1 and S2 are optical sensors provided in the conveyance path 9,
The passbook 1 is provided so as to oppose the optical axis so as to be blocked, and is used for detecting insertion of the passbook 1 and for determining a printing position.

 Next, details of the printing unit 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a stepping motor for moving the print head 4 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the passbook 1 to adjust the print head gap. A motor gear 12 is fixed to the shaft.

Reference numerals 13a and 13b denote idle gears which are concentrically attached to both ends of the idle shaft 14, and the idle gear 13a meshes with the motor gear 12.

Reference numerals 15a and 15b denote driven gears meshing with the idle gears 13a and 13b, respectively, and cams 16a located on the left side with respect to the conveying direction of the passbook 1 from the insertion / return port 2 on the shafts of the driven gears 15a and 15b and located on the right side. The cam 16b is fixed. When the stepping motor 11 rotates clockwise, the cams 16a and 16b form a cam surface such that the idle gear rotates clockwise through the 13a and 13b and the driven gears 15a and 15b, and the diameter thereof increases with the clockwise rotation. ing.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a slit disk, which has slits provided at an equal pitch near the outer periphery on the disk, and has a cam 16.
It is fixed coaxially with a.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a slit detecting element arranged at a predetermined interval corresponding to the slit of the slit disk 17, and is used together with the slit disk 17 to detect the rotation angles and rotation directions of the cams 16a and 16b.

The idle gears 13a and 13b, the driven gears 15a and 15b, the cams 16a and the cams 16b described above have the same number of teeth and the same cam curve, and are provided symmetrically.

19 is a main shaft for supporting a carriage 20 on which the print head 4 is mounted so as to be movable in the printing direction, and 21 is a carriage.
The main frame 19 and the guide frame 21 serve as guides for moving the print head 4 in the printing direction. The guide frame supports the carriage 20 movably in the printing direction via rollers 22 provided on the printing head 4.

A coil spring 23 biases the main shaft 19 in the directions of the cams 16a and 16b.
The cams 16a and 16b are always in close contact with each other.

Reference numeral 24 denotes a platen provided to face the print head 4, and the direction in which the print head 4 moves by the rotation of the cams 16 and 16b is set in a direction orthogonal to the platen 24 by a guide provided in a side frame (not shown). It is regulated to be.

 The operation of the above-described conventional technique will be described below.

When the passbook 1 is inserted from the insertion / return port 2 and the insertion is detected by the optical sensor S1, the passbook processing device sandwiches the passbook 1 with the transport roller 10, and the stepping motor 10
The transporter 9 is transported to the magnetic read / write unit 5 by a.

Next, information magnetically recorded on the magnetic stripe MS1 of the passbook 1 is read by the magnetic read / write unit 5, and the information is sent to a central processing unit (not shown). The conveyance is started, and the page / line detection unit 8
Pass through.

At this time, the detection of the page code 1e and the printing agent line is executed, and after the leading end of the passbook 1 is detected by the optical sensor S2, the step number corresponding to the distance from the leading end of the passbook 1 to the printing position to be printed is stepped. It is controlled so as to be given to the motor 10a.

The printing unit 3 operates to execute a printing process on the passbook 1 that has been transported to the platen 24 and stopped in this way.

Next, the printing process will be described. First, the carriage 20 is moved to a predetermined print head cap adjustment position of the passbook 1 by a moving means (not shown).

Next, when the stepping motor 11 is rotated right, the motor gear 12, the idle gears 13a, 13b and the driven gears 15a, 15b
The cam 16a and cam 16b on the shaft of
The main shaft 19 is pushed down against the force of 3.

The carriage 20 supported by the main shaft 19 collides with the passbook 1, and the collision causes the stepping motor 11 to move.
However, the carriage 20 cannot be lowered even if it attempts to rotate, and the rotation of the stepping motor 11 is forcibly stopped.

Here, the slit of the slit disk 17 arranged coaxially with the cam 16a generates an ON / OFF signal by the slit detecting element 18 by rotating, and the stepping motor
The operation amount from the start of rotation to the forced stop in step 11 is detected.

The stepping motor 11 loses synchronism after the carriage 20 collides with the bankbook 1 and turns ON / OFF from the slit detecting element 18 even if a rotation command is given to the stepping motor 11 for a predetermined number of steps.
If no signal is generated, the right rotation command is terminated.

Then, a predetermined number of steps is selected so that an optimum print head gap is obtained, and when the stepping motor 11 is rotated counterclockwise, the carriage 20 rises by a small amount, and the space between the print head 4 and the passbook 1 is increased. The optimum print head gap is set, and the printer is ready for printing.

Thereafter, the carriage 20 is moved to the printing start position to execute the printing process, and when the printing process is completed, a left rotation command is given to the stepping motor 11 again, and the carriage 20 is moved.
Is upper limit apart from the passbook 1 and returned to the origin position.

Next, the passbook 1 is conveyed to the magnetic read / write unit 5 and writes information to the magnetic stripe MS1.
And the entire process ends.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, the conventional technique having the above configuration has the following problems.

That is, the magnetic stripe provided in the passbook is
In general, there is a thickness of about 0.1 mm, and recently a multi-passbook having a plurality of magnetic stripes is used, and the gap adjustment of the print head may be performed at a set position of the magnetic stripe, In this case, there is a problem that the gap between the print head and the passbook at the place where printing is performed becomes larger than the optimum value, resulting in print fading and missing characters.

Also, in order to set the print head gap, it is necessary to bring the carriage and passbook into contact once. However, if the gap adjustment is performed at the location of the magnetic stripe, the magnetic stripe comes into contact with the carriage, and the magnetic stripe is damaged. There is also a problem that causes.

Also, in addition to the magnetic stripe, a seal stamp is pasted on the passbook, and if the print head gap adjustment is performed at this location, the gap also becomes larger by the thickness of the seal stamp,
There is a problem that printing becomes faint and missing letters, and recently, reusable ones, that is, those that can be peeled off and replaced with a new passbook, have begun to be used. The attachment position may be slightly displaced, and the above problem is very likely to occur.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a print head gap adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting a print head gap in consideration of a step on a passbook.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a transport path for transporting a passbook, a print head for printing on the passbook, a platen provided to face the print head, and a print head for a stopped passbook. After once contacting, the print head is separated by a very small amount, and the print head gap adjustment mechanism of the passbook processing apparatus including a print head gap adjustment mechanism for providing a print head gap between the print head and the passbook. Determination means for measuring the length of the passbook in the transport direction of the passbook, recognition means for recognizing the print start line position from the front end of the passbook, and storage means for storing a plurality of print gap adjustment devices for the passbook At the same time, based on the length of the passbook in the transport direction determined by the determination means and the length from the leading end of the passbook to the print start line position recognized by the recognition means, In response is set to be provided with control means for selecting the print head gap adjustment position and.

(Operation)

According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, based on the length of the conveyed passbook in the conveying direction and the length from the leading end of the passbook to the print start position, the storage unit considers the step on the passbook so that there is no step beforehand. A plurality of print head gap adjustment positions are stored so that the print head gap can be adjusted at various locations.

Therefore, according to this, the print head gap adjustment is not performed at a step having a step, such as a magnetic stripe setting position or a seal sticking position, so that print fading or deprinting does not occur.

Also, the print head descends to the magnetic stripe setting location,
Since there is no collision, damage to the magnetic stripe can be prevented.

〔Example〕

 Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a main part showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a passbook as a printing medium used in the present embodiment. I do.

A passbook 1 is a passbook 1 used in this embodiment.
Means that a plurality of (two in this embodiment) magnetic stripes MS1 and MS2 enabling multi-subject transactions are arranged in a state where the passbook 1 is closed as shown in FIG. It is provided in such a position.

FIG. 2 (b) shows a state in which the last page of the passbook 1 is opened, and a seal 1f for protecting a customer's notification stamp is attached to the last page of the passbook 1.

FIG. 2 (c) shows an opened state on the page where the transaction content is printed, 1d is the center hold which is the center of the return, and the printed line of the passbook 1 is the center hold 1d
From the first line to the 12th line, and from the 13th line
It is divided into 12 lines up to the 24th line.

Here, the configuration of the passbook processing apparatus for processing the above-mentioned passbook 1 is almost the same as that of the conventional one, so the same numbers are given and the detailed description is omitted. However, two magnetic stripes are provided in the passbook 1. Since the passbook 1 is used in different subjects from both the front cover 1a and the back cover 1b, the passbook 1 has an inversion mechanism for the passbook 1 and two magnetic stripe processing units (not shown). The printing process from the back cover 1b is a device capable of performing reverse printing, reverse transport control, and the like.

In FIG. 1, S1 and S2 are optical sensors composed of a pair of light emitting elements and light receiving elements arranged at a fixed distance on the transport path 9 as described in FIG. The optical axis is transmitted vertically, and the output signal is turned on when the optical axis is interrupted by passage of the passbook 1, and turned off when the optical axis is transmitted.

Reference numeral 30 denotes an amplifier circuit for the optical sensors S1 and S2, which amplifies the output signals of the optical sensors S1 and S2 and sends the amplified signal to a processing unit at a subsequent stage.

10a is a stepping motor for carrying the passbook shown in FIG. 8, and 10b is a stepping motor for moving the carriage 20 supporting the print head 4 in a lateral direction, which is not shown in FIGS. .

31 is a medium length determining unit, which is sent from the optical sensor S1
The length of the conveyed passbook 1 is determined and stored based on the ON / OFF signal and the number of steps of the stepping motor 10a.

Reference numeral 32 denotes a gap adjustment position storage unit, which stores a plurality of positions for adjusting the print head gap with respect to the passbook 1 in consideration of steps such as a magnetic stripe on the passbook 1 except for those having a step. .

Reference numeral 33 denotes a driver circuit for driving the stepping motors 10a and 10b, which is connected to the medium length determination unit 31 and the gap adjustment position storage unit 32. 34 is a page / line detector 8
Is a print start line recognizing unit for recognizing the length from the leading end of the passbook 1 to the print start line from the printed line detected by. As a means for recognizing the length up to the print start line, there is a method other than the detection of the printed line by the page / line detection unit 8, a method of recognizing the information based on information of a magnetic stripe or data of a central processing unit.

 Reference numeral 35 denotes a control unit for controlling each of the above-described parts.

In addition, in the passbook processing apparatus, a control unit for operating the print head 4 up and down and the magnetic read / write unit 5 are provided, but the description thereof is omitted here.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram in which the print head gap adjustment position in the present embodiment, which is stored in the gap adjustment position storage unit 32, is combined with the XX cross-sectional view of FIG.

Here, in adjusting the print head gap between the print head 4 and the passbook 1, the carriage 20 supporting the print head 4 is once brought into contact with the passbook 1 and then increased by a predetermined amount to increase the print head gap. I try to adjust it. In the present embodiment, the print head gap adjustment positions are set at three positions: B facing the center of the passbook 1, and A or C facing both ends where the magnetic stripes MS1 and MS2 are provided.

FIG. 4 is a selection designation table of a print head gap adjustment portion in the present embodiment.

Here, l ₁ indicates the length of the passbook 1 in the closed state, l ₂ indicates the length of the passbook 1 in the open state, and n indicates the length from the end of the passbook 1 to the printing start position.

Passbook 1 having up to print start position when it is determined that l ₁ length length n is l _1> n <When l _2/2, the print head gap adjustment position B is selected. This is the passbook 1 in the above condition
Is closed, and the magnetic stripes MS1, MS2
When the passbook 1 is closed, the customer name and account number are printed on the cover 1a.
This is because the seal 1f is not pasted.

When the length of the passbook 1 is a _{l 1 <n> l 2/} 2 when it is determined that l _1, the print start position will be not on the passbook, considered to any error or this occurs .

The length of the passbook 1 is determined to l _2, the length n to the print start position if the _{l 1> n <l 2/} 2, the print head gap adjustment position A is selected. This is the case of the passbook 1
Is open, and the print start position n is a position from the first line to the twelfth line.

The length of the passbook 1 is determined to l _2, the length n to the print start position if the _{l 1 <n> l 2/} 2, the print head gap adjustment position C is selected. This is the case of the passbook 1
Is open and the print position n exceeds the center hold 1d
This is because the positions are from the 13th line to the 24th line.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the passbook 1 is inserted through the insertion / return port 2 and the optical axis of the optical sensor S1 is cut off (SA1), it is recognized that the passbook 1 has been inserted, and the transport roller 10 clamps and press-contacts the passbook 1 (SA1). SA2). Next, a low-speed reverse command is issued to the stepping motor 10a (SA3), and the passbook 1 is returned to a position where it can be pinched by the transport roller 10 and to a position where the tip of the passbook 1 passes and the optical axis of the optical sensor S1 is transmitted. (SA4), the driving of the stepping motor 10a is stopped. This operation is executed to detect the leading end of the passbook 1 (SA5).

Next, a normal rotation command is issued to the stepping motor 10a, and the passbook 1 starts to be conveyed into the passbook processing device (SA
6).

First, upon detecting the interruption of the optical axis of the optical sensor S1 by the front end of the passbook 1 (SA7), the control unit 35 sets the count of the medium length determination unit 31 to "0", and from this point on, the counter is given to the stepping motor 10a. The counting of the number of steps to be started is started (SA8).

When the transport is continued (SA9) and the rear end of the passbook 1 passes through the optical sensor S1, that is, when the optical axis of the optical sensor S1 is again in the transmission state (SA10), the control unit 35 counts the medium length determination unit 31. (SA11).

By multiplying this count value by the transport amount per step, the length of the passbook 1 can be determined, and l ₁ shown in FIG. 2 (a) or l ₁ shown in FIGS. 2 (b) and 2 (c). ₂ is recognized, and the result is stored in the medium length determining unit 31.

The transport of the passbook 1 is continued (SA12), the information of the magnetic stripe MS1 or MS2 is read by the magnetic read / write unit 5, and the information is sent to the central processing unit (not shown), and at the same time, the page / line detection is performed. The page code 1e is read by the unit 8, the printed line is detected, the length n to the print start line is recognized by the print start line recognition unit 34, and if there is no inconvenience in processing based on information from the central processing unit. Is transported to the printing unit.

 Next, the transport operation to the printing position will be described.

Here, FIG. 6 is a side view showing the positional relationship between the passbook 1 and the print head 4.

Assuming that the length from the optical sensor S2 to the print center of the print head 4 is k, when the leading end of the passbook 1 is transported from the optical sensor S2 to the position of n + k, the print center of the print head 4 becomes the print start line of the passbook 1. Control unit 35
After the passbook 1 cuts off the optical axis of the optical sensor S2 via the driver circuit 33 (SA13), the stepping motor 10a is given a step number such that it is transported by k + n, and then the driving of the stepping motor 10a is stopped. (SA14).

Next, when the printing operation starts, the print head gap is adjusted first.

The control unit 35 recognizes the length of the passbook 1 to be processed in response to the medium length determination unit 31 (SA15).

If the length of the passbook 1 is recognized to be l ₁ in SA15, n
There is determined whether satisfies the condition of _{l 1> n <l 2/} 2 (SA1
6). If this condition is satisfied, in response to the gap adjustment position storage unit 32, the stepping motor 10b is driven via the driver circuit 33 to move the carriage 20 supporting the print head 4 to the position A (SA17). .

In the case where n in SA16 does not meet the condition of _{l 1> n <l 2/} 2 is when an error occurs.

If the length of the passbook 1 is recognized as a l ₂ at SA15, n
There _{l 1> n <l 2/} 2 or, n is l ₁ <n> determines it meets any of the conditions of l _2/2 (SA18).

In SA18, if n is determined to satisfy the condition of _{l 1> n <l 2/} 2, in response to the gap adjustment position storage unit 32, the stepping motor 10b via a driver circuit 33
To drive the carriage 20 supporting the print head 4 to B
To the position (SA19).

In SA18, if n is determined to satisfy the condition of _{l 1 <n> l 2/} 2, in response to the gap adjustment position storage unit 32, drives the stepping motor 10b via a driver circuit 33, The carriage 20 supporting the print head 4 is moved to the position C (SA20).

When the carriage 20 has moved to the predetermined print head gap adjustment position, when the stepping motor 11 is rotated clockwise as described in the conventional example, the cam 16 is coaxial with the modal gear 12, idle gears 13a, 13b and driven gears 15a, 15b.
a, the cam 16b rotates, and the main shaft 19 is pushed down against the force of the coil spring 23.

The carriage 20 supported by the main shaft 19 collides with the passbook 1, and the collision causes the stepping motor 11 to move.
However, the carriage 20 cannot be lowered even if it attempts to rotate, and the rotation of the stepping motor 11 is forcibly stopped.

Here, the slit of the slit disk 17 arranged coaxially with the cam 16a generates an ON / OFF signal by the slit detecting element 18 by rotating, and the stepping motor
The operation amount from the start of rotation to the forced stop in step 11 is detected.

The stepping motor 11 steps out after the carriage 20 collides with the passbook 1 and ends the right rotation command if no ON / OFF signal from the slit detection element 18 is generated even if a rotation command is given to the stepping motor for a predetermined number of steps. Let it.

Then, a predetermined number of steps is selected so that an optimum print head gap is obtained, and when the stepping motor 11 is rotated counterclockwise, the carriage 20 rises by a small amount, and the space between the print head 4 and the passbook 1 is increased. The optimal print head gap is set and the printer is ready for printing (SA2
1).

Thereafter, the carriage 20 is moved to the printing start position to execute the printing process (SA22). When the printing process is completed, a left rotation command is given to the stepping motor 11 again, and the carriage 20 rises away from the passbook 1, It is returned to the home position.

Next, the passbook 1 is conveyed to the magnetic read / write unit 5, where information is written into the magnetic stripe MS1 or MS2, discharged from the insertion / return port 2, and the entire process ends (SA23).

When the print line continuously extends over the center hold 1d, the print head gap is adjusted at the position A, printing is performed up to the twelfth line, and the print head gap is adjusted again at the position C. If printing is performed from the thirteenth line, even if the thickness of the middle sheet 1c is different across the center hold 1d, an optimum print head gap can be obtained in both cases.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention provides a transport path for transporting a passbook, a print head for printing on the passbook, a platen provided opposite the print head, and a print head for a stopped passbook. The print head gap adjusting mechanism of the passbook processing apparatus having a print head gap adjusting mechanism for providing a print head gap between the print head and the passbook after separating the print head by a small amount after the contact once, Determination means for measuring the length of the passbook in the transport direction, recognition means for recognizing a print start line position from the front end of the passbook, and storage means for storing a plurality of print gap adjustment positions for the passbook. Along with the length of the passbook in the transport direction determined by the determination means and the length from the leading end of the passbook to the print start line position recognized by the recognition means, Answer to is obtained by the provision of control means for selecting the print head gap adjustment position.

Therefore, according to this, since the print head gap adjustment is not performed at a step where there is a step, such as a magnetic stripe setting position and a seal stamp attaching position, there is an effect that printing fading, deprinting or the like does not occur.

Also, the print head descends to the magnetic stripe setting location,
Since there is no collision, there is also an effect that damage to the magnetic stripe can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part control block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a passbook processed in this embodiment, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a print head gap adjustment position, FIG. 4 is a selection designation table of a print head gap adjustment position, and FIG. 6 is a side view showing a positional relationship between a passbook and a print head, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a passbook processed in a conventional row, and FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram of a passbook processing apparatus. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the printing unit. 31 Medium length determination unit 32 Gap adjustment position storage unit 34 Print start line recognition unit 35 Control unit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A transport path for transporting a passbook, a print head for printing on the passbook, a platen provided opposite the print head, and a print head once contacting the stopped passbook. Thereafter, the print head is separated by a very small amount, and the print head gap adjusting mechanism of the passbook processing apparatus including a print head gap adjusting mechanism for providing a print head gap between the print head and the passbook is conveyed along a conveying path. Determining means for measuring the length of the passbook in the transport direction; recognizing means for recognizing a print start line position from the front end of the passbook; and storage means for storing a plurality of print gap adjustment positions for the passbook. Prints in response to the storage means from the length of the passbook in the transport direction determined by the means and the length from the passbook tip to the print start line position recognized by the recognition means A print head gap adjustment mechanism comprising a control unit for selecting a head gap adjustment position.