JP3585159B2 - Printing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that can print not only on a single sheet but also on a printing medium such as a copy slip on which a plurality of sheets are bound.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Some printing apparatuses used conventionally can print not only on a single sheet but also on a printing medium such as a copy slip in which a plurality of sheets are bound. In such a printing apparatus, it is necessary to adjust the pressing force of the thermal head against the platen depending on the number of sheets constituting the printing medium. The pressure contact force of the thermal head is adjusted to be stronger as the number of sheets constituting the print medium is larger and to be weaker as the number of sheets is smaller.
[0003]
Therefore, conventionally, a thermal head is fixed to a head bracket, and an urging member such as a leaf spring is provided between one end of the head bracket and a frame that rotatably supports the other end of the head bracket. A structure is provided in which one end of the bracket is urged in a direction away from the frame, and the pressure of the thermal head against the platen is adjusted by adjusting the angle of the frame with respect to the platen. At this time, the angle of the frame is adjusted manually by an operator using a lever or the like provided in the printing apparatus.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the conventional printing apparatus does not have a mechanism for detecting the position of the frame or the lever, even if the pressure contact force of the thermal head does not match the number of sheets constituting the printing medium, it is detected and notified as an error. I can't.
[0005]
For this reason, even if the operator forgets to switch the lever, the printing operation is started as it is. Then, if the press-contact force of the thermal head is too weak when the number of sheets constituting the print medium is large, the rotational force of the platen is difficult to be transmitted to the print medium, and the print medium is difficult to be conveyed. In addition, when the number of sheets constituting the print medium is small, the print medium is conveyed quickly. In this case, if the press-contact force of the thermal head is too strong, the rotation of the platen is hindered, and the motor for rotating the platen is prevented. Is out of step.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a first object of the present invention to detect, when the pressing force of a thermal head against a platen does not match the number of sheets constituting a printing medium, detect this and notify an operator to urge correction.
[0007]
A second object of the present invention is to prevent printing from being started in a state in which the adjustment state of the adjustment mechanism is not suitable for the number of sheets constituting a print medium.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the biasing mechanism presses a thermal head, which prints on a print medium interposed between the platen and the platen, against the platen, and the biasing mechanism depends on the number of sheets constituting the print medium. and adjusting mechanism for adjusting the biasing force of the means for controlling the printing speed according to the sheet number information specifying the number of the sheets to be received with Printout data, of the paper specified by the previous SL sheet number information When the number of sheets is large, the adjustment mechanism sets the urging force to be strong, and when the number of sheets is small, the adjustment mechanism sets the urging force to be weak. The pressed state checking means for determining whether the state matches the state, and the paper number information does not match the adjustment state by the adjusting mechanism by the pressed state checking means. And an error notifying means for notifying the operator when it is determined.
[0009]
Therefore, when the number of sheets constituting the print medium to be printed does not match the adjustment state by the adjustment mechanism, the operator can be prompted to correct the adjustment state.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which a cut sheet formed of one sheet and a copy slip formed by binding two to four sheets are used as print media (not shown).
[0011]
First, FIGS. 1 to 3 are side views showing a schematic structure of a printing unit 1 provided in the printing apparatus of the present embodiment. The printing unit 1 includes a thermal head 2, a platen 3, and an urging mechanism 4 that urges the thermal head 2 in a direction in which the thermal head 2 is pressed against the platen 3. FIG. 1 shows a state in which no pressing force is applied to the platen 3 to the thermal head 2, and FIG. 2 shows a state suitable for a case where the number of sheets constituting a print medium is one or two. Reference numeral 3 indicates a state suitable for a case where the number of sheets constituting the print medium is three or four.
[0012]
The thermal head 2 is fixed to a head bracket 5, and the head bracket 5 is rotatable at both ends by a support (not shown) fixedly provided inside a housing (not shown) of the printing apparatus. One end is rotatably supported by the supported shaft 6.
[0013]
Both ends of the platen 3 are rotatably supported by a support (not shown) fixedly provided inside the housing of the printing apparatus.
[0014]
The head bracket 5 is urged by the urging mechanism 4 in a direction in which the thermal head 2 is pressed against the platen 3. The urging mechanism 4 includes a frame 8 having one end fixed to a shaft 7 whose both ends are rotatably supported by a support portion (not shown) fixedly provided inside the housing of the printing apparatus. 8 and a leaf spring 9 located between the head bracket 5. The leaf spring 9 has one end fixed to the shaft 7 together with one end of the frame 8 with a screw 10.
[0015]
The frame 8 is pressed by the cam 11 from the side opposite to the side of the frame 8 facing the head bracket 5, and when the cam 11 rotates, the frame 8 approaches and separates from the head bracket. The biasing force of 9 is adjusted. The cam 11 is fixed to a rotation shaft 12, and the rotation shaft 12 is rotated by an operator manually operating a lever 13 attached to the rotation shaft 12. Here, the adjusting mechanism 14 is configured by the cam 11 and the lever 13.
[0016]
The lever 13 is switched between a release position (see FIG. 1), a weak pressing position (see FIG. 2), and a strong pressing position (see FIG. 3). In the release position, the frame 8 is located farthest from the platen 3, and the leaf spring 9 is separated from the thermal head 2. Therefore, the biasing force of the biasing mechanism 4 is not applied to the thermal head 2, and the thermal head 2 Are not pressed against the platen 3. In this state, a print medium such as a cut sheet or a copy slip is fed between the thermal head 2 and the platen 3.
[0017]
At the strong pressing position, the frame 8 is closest to the platen 3 and the thermal head 2 is pressed against the platen 3 most strongly. This state is suitable when a copy slip in which three or four sheets are bound is used as a print medium.
[0018]
In the weak pressing position, the frame 8 is located between the release position and the strong pressing position, and is suitable when a copy slip in which a single sheet or two sheets are bound is used as a print medium.
[0019]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the electrical connection of each unit included in the printing apparatus. A ROM 16 and a RAM 17 are connected via a system bus 18 to a CPU 15 that executes various arithmetic processes and centrally controls each unit.
[0020]
The ROM 16 is a medium storing various programs, and the CPU 15 controls each unit according to the programs.
[0021]
The RAM 17 temporarily stores various types of variable information. Further, a part of the area of the RAM 17 is used as a print buffer or used as various counter areas.
[0022]
The CPU 15 is further connected to a thermal head controller 19 for controlling the thermal head 2, an external interface 20, a motor 21 for rotating the platen 3, various sensors 22 such as a sensor for detecting a paper position, and a head position detection sensor 23. ing.
[0023]
The head position detection sensor 23 has a configuration as shown in FIG. 5 and includes a circular common pattern 24 attached to a support member (not shown) and three position detection elements 25 and 26 disposed around the common pattern 24. , 27 and a slider 28. The slider 28 is attached to the rotation shaft 12, rotates in response to the rotation of the lever 13, and slides on the common pattern 24 and the position detection elements 25, 26, 27. The common pattern 24 is connected to a power supply.
[0024]
The positions where the position detecting elements 25, 26, and 27 are disposed correspond to the switching positions of the lever 13 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, that is, the release position, the weak pressing position, and the strong pressing position. . The slider 28 is in contact with any one of the three position detecting elements 25, 26, 27 and the common pattern 24 at the same time. As a result, current flows from the common pattern 24 to any one of the position detection elements 25, 26, and 27 via the slider 28. Therefore, since the lever 13 is located at a position corresponding to the position detecting element through which the current has flowed, it is checked whether a current is flowing through each of the position detecting elements 25, 26, and 27. It is possible to electrically detect which switching position is currently located.
[0025]
An example of the lever position detection process executed according to the program stored in the ROM 16 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0026]
The printing device first receives print data (step S1), and subsequently receives a print command (step S2). Here, the print data is received, and information on the number of sheets constituting the print medium is also received. If the number is one, the print medium is a single sheet, and if it is two or more (up to four), it is a copy slip.
[0027]
Next, the head position detection sensor 23 detects whether the lever 13 has been switched to the release position, the weak pressing position, or the strong pressing position, and specifies the position of the thermal head 2 (step S3).
[0028]
Then, it is determined whether or not the detection result of the head position detection sensor 23 matches the information on the number of sheets constituting the print medium received together with the print data (step S4). If they match (Y in step S4), the printing operation is started (step S5).
[0029]
In step S4, if the detection result of the head position detection sensor 23 does not match the information on the number of sheets constituting the print medium received with the print data (N in step S4), error information is transmitted (step S4). S6) The operator is prompted to correct the switching position of the lever 13.
[0030]
Here, the means for executing step S4 corresponds to a pressed state checking means for determining whether or not the number of sheets received together with the print data and the adjustment state by the adjustment mechanism match. The means for executing step S6 corresponds to an error notifying means for notifying the operator when the pressure contact state checking means determines that the information on the number of sheets does not match the adjustment state by the adjusting mechanism.
[0031]
Then, it is determined again whether or not the detection result of the head position detection sensor 23 matches the information of the number of sheets constituting the print medium received together with the print data, until the correction of the switching position of the lever 13 is confirmed. A standby state is set (step S7).
[0032]
In step S7, when the detection result of the head position detection sensor 23 matches the information on the number of sheets constituting the print medium received with the print data (Y in step S7), a print start confirmation message is transmitted (step S8). When the printing start operation is completed (Y in step S9), the printing operation is started (step S5).
[0033]
In such a configuration, when printing and issuing a print medium such as a cut sheet or a copy slip, the operator first positions the lever 13 at the release position shown in FIG. The print medium is fed during the interval. Next, when the fed print medium is a single-sheet or two-sheet copy slip, the lever 13 is switched to the weak pressing position shown in FIG. The position is switched to the strong pressing position shown in FIG.
[0034]
When printing on a print medium, when the switching position of the lever 13 does not match the information on the number of sheets constituting the print medium received together with the print data, the printing apparatus sounds an error buzzer or turns on an error lamp. Then, the operator is notified of the fact, and waits for correction of the switching position of the lever 13 by the operator, confirms the correction, and starts printing.
[0035]
According to the present embodiment, when the pressure contact state between the thermal head 2 and the platen 3 is not suitable for the number of sheets constituting the print medium, it can be detected, and the operator can correct the state. Can be prompted, and further, after correction, confirmation can be made and printing can be started.
[0036]
In the present embodiment, the number of sheets constituting the print medium is one to four, but in practice, the number of sheets is not limited to one to four. Further, in this embodiment, the pressure contact state between the thermal head and the platen is switched in three stages. However, the present invention is not limited to three stages.
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether the information on the number of sheets of paper received together with the print data and the state of adjustment of the pressing force between the thermal head and the platen match, and the state of adjusting the number of sheets of paper and the adjusting state of the pressing force are determined. When it is determined that does not match, the operator is notified of this fact.If the number of sheets constituting the print medium to be printed does not match the adjustment state of the pressing force, the operator is notified. Correction of the adjustment state can be prompted. Therefore, even if the operator forgets to switch the lever and adjusts the pressing force incorrectly, there is no inconvenience that the printing operation is started as it is, and the printing medium is not conveyed because the pressing force is too weak. In addition, it is possible to prevent a disadvantage that the motor for rotating the platen loses synchronism due to too high a pressing force.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic structure of a printing unit provided in an embodiment of a printing apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic structure of a printing unit.
FIG. 3 is a side view showing a schematic structure of a printing unit.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical connection of each unit included in the printing apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a side view schematically showing a configuration of a head position detection sensor.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a lever position detection process.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Thermal head 3 Platen 4 Energizing mechanism 14 Adjusting mechanism S4 Pressure contact state checking means S6 Error notifying means

Claims (1)

A biasing mechanism for pressing a thermal head for printing on a print medium interposed between the platen and the platen,
An adjusting mechanism for adjusting the urging force of the urging mechanism by the number of sheets constituting the print medium ;
Means for controlling the printing speed according to the sheet number information specifying the number of the sheets to be received with Printout data,
Wherein the adjusting mechanism is set weaker the biasing force when the number of the paper set the adjustment mechanism often the number of the sheets to be designated strongly the urging force by the previous SL sheet number information is small with a pressure contact state confirmation means and adjustment state by the adjusting mechanism and the sheet number information to determine whether to match,
An error notifying unit that notifies an operator of the fact that it is determined that the number-of-sheets information and the adjustment state by the adjustment mechanism do not match by the pressure-contact state checking unit ;
A printing device comprising:

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