JP3242216B2 - Printers that use multiple drive power supplies - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to relates to a plurality of select one of the drive power available Help printer.

[0002]

Conventionally, this type of printer, its power input terminal, connecting power connector from the battery, one of the power connector from the AC power supply, which can be selected drive dynamic power, The printing operation was performed under the same control with any power supply without discriminating the type of the connected power supply.

[0003] The driving voltage of a battery decreases in proportion to the magnitude of the output load current due to the internal resistance of the battery, and the internal resistance of the battery increases as the amount of discharge increases even for the same battery.
The drive voltage drop in proportion to the output load current is further increased. Further, in the AC power supply, the amount of change in the drive voltage with respect to the output load current is specified, and in general, the battery has a greater decrease in the drive voltage in proportion to the output load current than the AC power supply.

Therefore, one of a plurality of drive power supplies is selected.
If the printer can be used with the AC power supply, if the battery is selected or the battery discharges a large amount, the printer will not be able to operate normally due to a voltage drop during operation. When the carriage is moved, step-out or the like may occur due to missing print of the print head or insufficient power of the motor.

[0005] Further, if control is performed according to the battery, when an AC power supply is selected, a current exceeding a prescribed level continues to flow through the motor and the head, so that the motor and the head generate more heat than prescribed and generate unpleasant noise.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, by providing a drive voltage detecting means for the power supply, the drive voltage data read before printing can be used to detect the impact force of the print head regardless of whether the AC power supply or the battery is selected. Print control, such as stopping printing when the drive voltage falls below a specified drive voltage during printing.

[0007]

However, the load current before printing is smaller than the load current during printing. The voltage drop between the driving voltage at the time of the load current before printing and the actual driving voltage during printing is larger when the battery is connected than when the AC power supply is connected. Therefore, unlike the conventional method, the drive voltage data before printing is read without determining the power supply, and the method of controlling the impact force of the print head by using the drive voltage data is as follows.
If control is performed in accordance with the AC power supply, the desired impact force of the print head cannot be obtained when a battery is selected or the battery discharge amount becomes large, resulting in missing prints, blurred prints, or insufficient motor power. Step-out occurs when the carriage moves.

Further, if control is performed according to the battery, when an AC power supply is selected, an impact force greater than the desired impact force of the print head is applied, causing printing bleeding, a hole in paper, or excessive motor power. Unpleasant noise or the like occurs when the carriage moves.

Further, in the prior art, if the drive voltage falls below the specified drive voltage during printing, the printer stops during printing, so that the user is forced to send print data to the printer again from the beginning after replacing the batteries. become. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems and to obtain a constant printing result regardless of a difference in power supply.

[0010]

According to the present invention, there are provided a plurality of driving power supplies.
Printer that can be used by selecting one of the sources
In the period between power-on and printing operation,
Or during idle periods when printing is not being performed.
At least two types of power are supplied under different load conditions,
Means for respectively detecting the drive voltage supplied from the source,
Based on the respective voltage data in both load states,
Determine the type and predict the voltage at the time of printing operation.
Means for performing the printing operation,
Ensure consistent print results regardless of differences
Storage means for storing control data for storage
From the control data corresponding to the predicted voltage
And a driving unit for performing a printing operation .

Further, the printer of the present invention further comprises
Compare the expected voltage and the proper voltage when the operation is performed
Means to make the predicted voltage deviate from the proper voltage
And a notifying means that operates at the time.

The printer according to the present invention includes a print head, a carriage motor for moving the print head along the print paper, and a paper feed motor for moving the print paper in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. An energization for supplying a lower current to the stop phase of the carriage motor than during the movement and an energization for supplying the same high current to each of the stop phases of the carriage motor and the paper feed motor as during the movement are performed. Is detected, and both voltage data
The power supply type is determined based on the
Predict the voltage at the time.

The storage means stores print head on-time data or motor energization control data according to the type of power supply.

Furthermore, the drive means, when the battery is selected as one of a plurality of drive power source, when the print data after power-on is not sent a predetermined time, executes the power saving control.

[0015]

[Action] on the configuration of the above, at least two kinds of it
Power supply based on the voltage data under different load conditions.
Of type and predicts voltage for printing operation
I do. Then, the control data corresponding to the predicted voltage
Data, i.e., a constant
Stores control data so that print results can be obtained
The printing operation is performed by reading from the means. By this
Therefore, not only the difference in power supply but also the difference in predicted voltage
Irrespective of this, a fixed printing result can be obtained.

For example, after the power is turned on, the energization for supplying a lower current to the stop phase of the carriage motor than during the movement, and the energization for supplying the same high current to each stop phase of the carriage motor and the paper feed motor as during the movement. To detect the respective drive voltages. Then, by comparing the respective voltage data, the type of the connected power supply (AC power supply or battery) is determined , and based on each voltage data,
The voltage at the time of actually performing the printing operation.
Reads out control data (print head on-time data and motor energization control data to obtain a constant print result regardless of the predicted voltage difference) according to the predicted voltage, and controls each of them. Executes the printing operation based on the data. When a battery is selected as one of the power supplies, power saving control is executed when print data has not been sent for a certain period of time after the power is turned on.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a printer will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the appearance of the printer is shown in FIG. In the illustrated printer, the print data sent from the external terminal 18 is received by the printer 1, and the print ribbon is moved by a plurality of pins of the print head 4 while moving the carriage on which the print head 4 is mounted in parallel with the print paper 7. The impact printing is performed on the printing paper 7 via the printing paper 5. Then, every time one line is printed, the printing paper 7 is fed at right angles to the moving direction of the carriage. The driving power of the printer 1 is supplied from a power terminal 9 when the power switch 8 is turned on. A power supply connector (AC power supply) 10 or a power supply connector (battery) 12 can be connected to the power supply terminal 9. The AC power supply 14 receives an AC from the power outlet 6, converts the AC into a DC of a printer drive voltage, and outputs the DC to the power connector 10. Battery 19 is
It can be charged from the charging terminal 16 and the power connector (battery) 1
2 outputs the printer drive voltage. The panel switch 2 is a switch for the user to control the printer. For example,
Examples include a paper feed switch and an online / offline switch of an external terminal. The panel display 3 notifies the user of the status of the printer. For example, a paper end state, a power supply error state in which the drive voltage has fallen below a specified drive voltage, and the like are displayed.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the printer. The AC power supply 14 or the battery 19 is connected to the carriage driving stepping motor (CA motor) 3 via the power switch 8.
5. Paper feed stepping motor (LF motor) 40,
It is connected to the print head 4 and to a 5V power supply circuit 20 for generating a 5V voltage to be supplied to each logic circuit described later. The external terminal 18 is connected to a CPU 24 that controls the entire printer via an interface circuit 23 that transmits and receives print data. The CPU 24 controls a print head on-time by setting on-time data in a ROM 26 described later.
4A built-in. A signal ton from the head-on timer 24A is transmitted to the head driver 4 through the extension I / O 30.
1 to drive the print head 4.

The CPU 24 outputs signals CA_A, CA_B, CA_C, CA_D, and CA_H through the extension I / O 30.
L to the CA motor driver 34 to output the signal CA_
A, CA_B, CA_C and CA_D control the excitation of the A phase, B phase, C phase and D phase of the CA motor 35. Signal CA_
The current value flowing to each phase of the CA motor 35 is controlled to iHIGH / iLOW by HL HIGH / LOW. Further, the signal LF_ from the CPU 24 through the extension I / O 30
A, LF_B, LF_C, and LF_D are output to the LF motor driver 39, and the A, B, and C phases of the LF motor 40 are output.
Phase and D phase excitation are controlled.

The ROM 26 stores programs for operating the CPU 24 and control data. The RAM 28 stores print data. ROM 26 and RAM 28 are CPU 24
Connected to. The panel switch 2 outputs a signal to the CPU through the panel switch receiver 33, and the panel display 3 informs the user of the status of the printer through the driver 29 based on the output of the CPU.

The drive voltage detection circuit 22 includes motors 35, 4
The voltage supplied to 0 is detected and output to the CPU 24.

FIG. 3 shows a printing time chart, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the U processing procedure, and FIG. 5 shows an output current-drive voltage characteristic by the power supply.

The power switch 8 is turned on (step S in FIG. 4).
After 1), print data is input from the external terminal 18 (step 2), and printing of the printer 1 starts. First, during the initial idling period T0 (FIG. 3) when the power is turned on, the CPU 24 sets the stop phase AB
The phase is energized with a current value iLOW lower than during printing and the LF motor 40 is not energized, that is, the power supply output current i0 having a lower current value than during printing is consumed, and a certain period Ta
Then, the drive voltage data from the drive voltage detection circuit 22 is read several times (step S3). The CPU 24 calculates the average value V0 data of the drive voltage data and stores the data in the address 28A of the RAM 28 (step S4). Then, CA
During the power supply period T1 before the motor 35 starts operating, the CPU 2
4 is a current value of iHIGH, which is the same as the current value during printing, in the stop phase AB phase of the CA motor 35, and is energized for a certain time t1, and during the same period T1, the stop phase AB phase of the LF motor 40 To the idle, and consequently the idling period T
The power supply output current i1 having a current value higher than that in the middle is consumed. Here, the CA motor 35 and the LF motor 40 consume a constant load current larger than the load current during printing. The CPU 24 reads the drive voltage data from the drive voltage detection circuit 22 several times at a certain cycle Tb during the energization period T1 with the power supply output current i1, and reads the average value V1.
Is calculated (step S5). The CPU 24 calculates the average value V1 and the address 2 of the RAM 28 during the idling period T0.
The difference dV from the voltage data V0 stored in 8A is calculated (step S6), and the type of the connected power supply is determined based on the result (steps S7, S8, S1).
0).

For example, when the average value of the driving voltage data during the idling period T0 is V0 and the average value of the driving voltage data during the conduction period T1 is V1, the difference dV (= | V0−V)
1 |) is compared with the value Vs for distinguishing between the battery and the AC power supply (step S7), and when dV <Vs, it can be determined that the power supply is the AC power supply (step S10). When dV ≧ Vs, it can be determined that the battery is a battery (step S8). However, from the driving voltage characteristics for the output current of the AC power supply and the battery, Vs
Are known in advance and stored in the data table 26A of the ROM 26.

If the type of power source is determined to be a battery, the CPU
24 predicts the operating voltages V2 and V3 from the drive voltage V1 and the type of power supply (step S8). Here, V2 is a drive voltage of the CA motor 35 during a period T2 from when the CA motor 35 starts operating to when the print head 4 operates, and V3 is a print voltage at which the print head 4 operates and prints. This is the drive voltage during the head operation period T3. Further, the output current i2 during the operation period T2 of the CA motor 35, and
It is assumed that the output current i3 during the operation period T3 of the print head 4 is known in advance by measurement. When the voltage V1 of the battery is known, the current-voltage characteristic curve of FIG. 5 is determined, and the value corresponding to this characteristic curve is stored in the data table 26B of the ROM 26. Voltage V2,
V3 is naturally obtained from the intersection of the characteristic curve and the currents i2 and i3.

Then, the CPU 24 sets the predicted voltage V3 at the time of printing to be the minimum print guarantee voltage V when the battery is selected.
limit (stored in the data table 26E of the ROM 26) (step S9), and V3 ≧ Vli
At mit, printing is performed as described later.

The CPU 24 also predicts the operating voltages V2 and V3 from the values corresponding to the characteristic curves in FIG. 5 when the power supply is determined to be AC (step S10). Next, the voltage V0 at the time of power source determination is changed to the specified minimum voltage Vac (m
in), is compared with a specified maximum voltage Vac (max) (step S11), and Vac (min) ≦ V0 ≦ Vac (ma)
At the time of x), printing is performed as described later.

When printing at the time of battery selection, the CP
U24 is the on-time data ton of the print head 4 corresponding to the desired print impact force at the voltage V3 (battery).
(Battery) is read from the data table 26C of the ROM 26, and is set in the head-on timer 24A (step S12). Similarly, when the AC power source is selected, the CPU 24 reads the on-time data ton (AC) corresponding to the desired printing impact force at the voltage V3 (AC) from the data table 26D of the ROM 26, and reads the head-on timer 2
4A is set (step S12).

Since the voltage V3 (battery) is lower than the voltage V3 (alternating current), the on-time of the battery is made longer than the on-time of the alternating current in order to keep the printing impact force substantially constant.

Similarly, the energization control data (rotational speed, voltage, pulse width, etc.) of the CA motor 35 and the LF motor 40 corresponding to the voltage V3 (battery) and the voltage V3 (alternating current) are stored in the data table 26F of the ROM 26. Read from

As described above, the control for making the impact force of the print head constant and the control for making the motor torque constant regardless of the power supply can be performed. However, the voltage V3 (battery) or V
It is assumed that the on-time data of the battery and the print head 4 and the energization control data of the motor corresponding to the desired printing impact force at 3 (AC) are measured in advance.

Then, one line is printed (step S14).
And return to step S2 to print the next line,
The above operation is repeated.

Further, when the driving voltage is out of the range of the specified driving voltage corresponding to each power supply, the printing operation can be stopped before printing, or the user can be notified of the state by the panel display 3. For example, when the battery is selected, in step S9, the predicted value V3
When it is determined that the (battery) voltage falls below the print guarantee voltage Vlimit, the print cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, the CPU 24 stops the print before executing the print, and informs the panel display 3 that the user cannot print in advance. Notify (step S15).

When the CPU 24 determines that the power supply is an AC power supply, V0 <Vac (min) or V0> Vac (m
ax), an abnormality in the AC power supply 14 or an abnormality in the printer 1 such as an element failure or a short circuit in the motor, the printing is stopped before printing is performed, and the user is in an abnormal state on the panel display 3. Is notified (step S15).

After the power is turned on, the CPU 24 stops printing data from the external terminal 18 (step S
2) Only when a battery is selected (step S16), when a certain time has elapsed (step S17), control for saving battery consumption (step S18), for example, turning off or blinking the display on the display panel. For example, the power supply to unnecessary elements and components is stopped, and the power switch 8 is turned off. For this purpose, the ROM 26 stores, in the data table 26G, elapsed time data from a state where no print data is received and a power saving program. As a result, the battery life can be extended only when the CPU 24 determines that the battery is used. When the CPU 24 determines that the power supply is an AC power supply, the power saving control is not performed.

In the flowchart of FIG. 4 of the above embodiment, the step of "whether there is print data" in step S2 is performed after steps S9 and S11 and in step S2.
12 can be placed before. Accordingly, steps S16 to S18 are also shifted to step S2. That is, the operations of steps S3 to S11 and S15 can be performed as initial settings after power is turned on.

[0038]

As described above, the present invention provides at least
Also for each type of voltage data under two different load conditions
The power supply type is determined based on the
Predict the voltage when performing the operation. And that predicted
The control data according to the voltage, that is, the predicted voltage
To ensure consistent print results regardless of differences
Control data from the storage means, and
Let it do. As a result, not only power differences but also predictions
Constant print result regardless of the applied voltage difference
be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a printer to which the present invention is applied and devices associated therewith.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a printer.

FIG. 3 is a printing time chart.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a CPU processing procedure;

FIG. 5 is an output current-voltage characteristic diagram of a power supply.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer 14 AC power supply 19 Battery 22 Voltage detection circuit 24 CPU 26 ROM 35 CA motor 40 LF motor

Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-4-74676 (JP, A) JP-A-61-172775 (JP, A) JP-A-62-111777 (JP, A) JP-A-5-112062 (JP, A) , A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 29/38

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for selecting and using one of a plurality of drive power supplies.
For printers that can be used , between the time the power is turned on and the time
At least two species during idle periods when no crops are made
Power from different power supply types
Means for detecting a driving voltage to be respectively, the based on the voltage data in both load conditions, the power supply
Determine the type and predict the voltage at the time of printing operation.
Means for performing the printing operation and the difference in the predicted voltage.
Storage means for storing control data for obtaining a constant print result, and the control according to the predicted voltage from the storage means.
Reading data, and having a drive means for causing the printing operation the printer. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: a notification unit that operates when the means for comparing the voltage and proper voltage is predicted when the printing operation is performed, the predicted voltage deviates from the proper voltage printer characterized in that it comprises a. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of driving power, flop, characterized in that an AC power source and the battery
Linta . 4. A print head according to claim 1, 2 or 3 , a carriage motor for moving the print head along the print paper, and a paper feed motor for moving the print paper in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction. The two types of energization under different load conditions are energization for supplying a lower current than during the movement of the carriage motor to the stop phase, and energization during the movement of the carriage motor and the paper feed motor to each stop phase. A printer characterized in that it comprises current supply for supplying substantially the same high current. 5. A printer according to claim 1 , wherein said storage means stores print head on-time data. 6. A printer according to claim 1 , wherein said storage means stores motor control data. 7. The method of claim 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, wherein the driving means, when the battery is selected as one of a plurality of driving power, printing data is constant after power-on when not sent time, printer and executes the power saving control.