JP7600827B2 - Printers and Printing Systems - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printer and a printing system.

A type of printer known in the art is a label printer that uses roll paper, which is a long continuous piece of paper (backing paper) wound into a roll, and prints images onto labels (printing areas) arranged in a line along the length of the continuous paper.

In one example of a label printer, a scanner is provided, which reads the image printed on the label and judges whether the print result is good or bad from the read image data. If the print result is judged to be bad, the continuous paper is rewound and an invalid mark is printed over the image judged to be bad in order to notify the user of the bad print result (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2004-160981 A

For example, if serial numbers are printed on labels in numerical order, when the print result of an image containing serial number "N" (N: an integer equal to or greater than 1) is determined to be defective, an image containing serial numbers "N+1" and after will already be printed on the label located between the scanner and the print head. Therefore, if an invalid mark is printed on the label with the image containing serial number "N" and then the continuous paper is fed until a blank label reaches the printing position of the print head, and an image containing serial number "N" is reprinted on the blank label, the serial numbers printed on the labels will no longer be consecutive from the downstream side in the feed direction of the continuous paper, making it difficult for users to find the label with the image containing serial number "N" printed on it.

If an invalid mark is printed not only on labels printed with an image including serial number "N" but also on labels printed with images including serial numbers "N+1" and after, that is, on labels that are located between the scanner and print head at the time when the print result of the image including serial number "N" is determined to be defective, and an image including serial numbers after "N" is reprinted on a blank label, the serial numbers printed on the labels will be consecutive from the downstream side in the feed direction of the continuous paper. However, the labels that were located between the scanner and print head at the time when the print result of the image including serial number "N" is determined to be defective will become unusable regardless of the quality of the print result, and those labels and the printing on them will be wasted.

The object of the present invention is to provide a printer and printing system that, when an image of print data corresponding to a defective image whose print result does not meet the standards is reprinted, allows the user to easily grasp the position of the print area to be reprinted, and prevents the print area where the image has already been printed and the printing of the image from being wasted.

To achieve the above object, the printer according to the present invention includes a transport unit that transports a continuous paper having a plurality of print areas arranged in the direction in which the print areas are arranged, a printing unit that prints an image in the print area of the continuous paper transported in one direction of the arrangement by the transport unit, and a control unit, and the control unit causes the printing unit to print an image in the print area, and when the image printed in the print area is read by a reading unit provided downstream in one direction from the printing unit and a defective image is detected in which the print result determined from the image data read by the reading unit does not meet the standard, the control unit causes the printing unit to reprint an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image in a new print area, and causes the printing unit to overwrite the print area in which the defective image is printed with a specific image including information indicating the position of the print area in which the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image will be reprinted.

According to this configuration, an image is printed in the print area while the continuous paper is transported in one direction of the arrangement of the print areas. Then, the image in the print area is read by a reading unit provided downstream in one direction from the printing unit. If the print result determined from the image data read by the reading unit does not meet the criteria, an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image that does not meet the criteria is reprinted in a new print area. Also, in the print area where the defective image is printed, a specific image including information indicating the position of the print area where the defective image will be reprinted is printed by overwriting. This makes it easy for the user to grasp the position of the print area where the defective image will be reprinted.

When a defective image, whose print result does not meet the standard, is detected, an image is already printed in the printing area between the reading unit and the printing unit. For example, when an image including a serial number is printed in the printing area in numerical order, if an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted in a printing area located on the other side of the arrangement direction from the printing area where the image is already printed, the serial number printed in the printing area will no longer be consecutive from downstream to upstream in one direction. However, from the information contained in the specific image printed by overwriting in the printing area where the defective image is printed, the user can grasp the position of the printing area where the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image will be reprinted, and can easily find the printing area where the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image has been reprinted. Therefore, since it is not necessary to invalidate the printing area where an image is already printed when the defective image is detected, it is possible to prevent the printing area and printing in the printing area from being wasted.

The present invention can be realized not only in the form of a printer, but also in the form of a printing system including a printer and a specific image printer. In this case, the printer includes a transport unit that transports a continuous paper having a plurality of print areas in the direction in which the print areas are arranged, a printing unit that prints an image in the print area of the continuous paper transported in one direction of the arrangement direction by the transport unit, and a control unit. The control unit causes the printing unit to print an image in the print area, and when the image printed in the print area is read by a reading unit provided downstream in one direction from the printing unit and a defective image is detected in which the print result determined from the image data read by the reading unit does not satisfy the standard, the control unit causes the printing unit to reprint an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image in a new print area, and the specific image printer overwrites the print area in which the defective image is printed with a specific image including information indicating the position of the print area in which the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is to be reprinted.

According to the present invention, when an image of print data corresponding to a defective image whose print result does not meet the criteria is reprinted, the user can easily grasp the position of the print area to be reprinted, and it is possible to prevent the print area where the image has already been printed and the printing of the area from being wasted.

1 is a cross-sectional view diagrammatically illustrating a configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main part of the electrical configuration of the label printer. 13 is a flowchart showing the flow of a printing process. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of an inspection process. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of the label printer, in which (a) shows a state in which printing is temporarily stopped, and (b) shows a state after a VOID image has been printed on an NG label on which a defective image has been printed. 5C is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the label printer, and shows a state after the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image has been reprinted. FIG. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining another example of the operation of the label printer, in which (a) shows the state immediately after a defective image is detected, and (b) shows the state in which judgment of the print result continues even after the defective image is detected. 10A to 10D are diagrams for explaining another example of the operation of the label printer, in which (c) shows the state after the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image has been reprinted, and (d) shows the state in the middle of VOID images being printed together. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining another example of the operation of the label printer, and show a state after printing of a VOID image has been completed. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining the position and size of character information included in a VOID image.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings.

<Overall configuration of label printer>
1, the label printer 1 is a device that prints an image on a long continuous sheet of paper P. The printed continuous sheet of paper P is discharged from an outlet 12 formed on the side of a housing 11 that forms the outer shell of the label printer 1.

For the purposes of the following explanation, the front, back, left and right of the label printer 1 are defined as follows: the side where the discharge outlet 12 is formed is the front, the front side is defined as the front side of the label printer 1, the rear side is defined as the rear side of the label printer 1, and the left and right sides when the label printer 1 is viewed from the front side are defined as the left and right sides of the label printer 1. Furthermore, the top and bottom are defined when the label printer 1 is installed on a horizontal surface. The cross-sectional view shown in Figure 1 is a cross-section of the label printer 1 cut along a cutting line extending in the front-to-rear direction, viewed from the right side.

The continuous paper P may be die-cut paper with labels L (an example of a print area) affixed in a line along its length on a long backing, or it may be non-fixed-length paper (continuous paper) on which a base image that sets print areas at regular intervals has already been printed on the printing surface of a long piece of plain paper, or it may be non-fixed-length paper made of plain paper on which no such base image has been printed. In die-cut paper, the printing surface opposite the adhesive surface of each label L is the print area. Below, we will take the example of the continuous paper P being die-cut paper.

The exhaust port 12 is a rectangular opening that extends in the left-right direction and connects the inside and outside of the housing 11.

A roll holder 13 is provided within the housing 11 to hold the continuous paper P in the form of a roll R. When in the form of a roll R, the continuous paper P is wound around a roll core with the printed surface facing outward. The roll holder 13 is substantially cylindrical, and the roll R is held in the roll holder 13 by fitting the roll core onto the outside of the roll holder 13.

In addition, a direction-changing roller 14 is provided inside the housing 11, above and behind the roll holder 13. A transport path 15 along which the continuous paper P is transported is provided in front of the direction-changing roller 14. The transport path 15 extends from a position above the direction-changing roller 14 toward the front, and its front end is connected to the discharge opening 12. The continuous paper P is pulled out from the roll R toward the rear side of the direction-changing roller 14, and is redirected toward the front by being guided along the circumferential surface of the direction-changing roller 14, and is passed through the transport path 15 toward the discharge opening 12.

A transport roller 16 (an example of a transport unit) that transports the continuous paper P is provided on the transport path 15. The transport roller 16 is disposed in front of and spaced apart from the direction change roller 14. In addition, a transport roller 17 (an example of a transport unit) is disposed behind the discharge port 12 and in front of and spaced apart from the transport roller 16.

With the continuous paper P passing between the rollers of the transport roller 16, the power generated by the forward rotation of the motor M (see FIG. 2) is transmitted to the transport roller 16, which rotates to transport the continuous paper P in the feed direction toward the discharge outlet 12 along the transport path 15, which is one of the arrangement directions of the labels L. The transmission path of the driving force of the motor M is also connected to the roll holder 13 (an example of a transport section). The power generated by the reverse rotation of the motor M is transmitted to the roll holder 13, which rotates the roll holder 13 in the opposite direction to the direction in which the continuous paper P is transported in the feed direction, and the roll R rotates integrally with the roll holder 13 to transport the continuous paper P in the retraction direction opposite to the feed direction.

When the continuous paper P transported by the transport roller 16 slows down or stops, the roll holder 13 is driven forward or reverse by the driving force of the motor M to adjust the inertial force acting on the roll R. The direction change roller 14 is configured to apply tension to the continuous paper P between the roll holder 13 and the transport roller 16, and a mechanism for detecting the magnitude of the tension of the continuous paper P is provided in association with the direction change roller 14.

Between the transport rollers 16 and 17, a print head 21 (an example of a printing unit), a heater 22, and a CIS (Contact Image Sensor) unit 23 (an example of a reading unit) are arranged in this order in the feed direction.

The print head 21 is disposed facing the transport path 15 from above. The print head 21 prints an image, for example, by inkjet recording on the printing surface of the continuous paper P transported along the transport path 15. The printing position of the print head 21 is a position a predetermined distance downstream from the upstream end of the print head 21 in the feed direction (pullback direction), and the print head 21 prints an image on the printing surface of the continuous paper P at the printing position.

The heater 22 is disposed downstream of the print head 21 in the feed direction, facing the transport path 15 from above. The heater 22 heats the continuous paper P after printing by the print head 21, thereby fixing the ink to the continuous paper P.

The CIS unit 23 is disposed downstream of the print head 21 in the feed direction, facing the transport path 15 from above. The CIS unit 23 reads the print surface of the continuous paper P transported along the transport path 15. Specifically, the CIS unit 23 has a built-in light source, a rod lens array, and a linear image sensor (not shown), and a line of light is irradiated from the light source onto the print surface of the continuous paper P, and the light reflected from the print surface enters the linear image sensor through the rod lens array. As a result, one line of the original is read in the main scanning direction at the reading position of the CIS unit 23. The linear image sensor is configured with multiple image sensors (image sensors) arranged in a row in the main scanning direction, and the image data read by each image sensor becomes image data (pixel value) of one pixel. The main scanning direction is a direction that extends parallel to the transport path 15, perpendicular to the feed direction (pullback direction) of the continuous paper P in the transport path 15.

<Main parts of electrical configuration>
As shown in FIG. 2, the label printer 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 32, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 33.

The CPU 31 (an example of a control unit) controls the operation of the print head 21, heater 22, CIS unit 23, and motor M by executing programs for various processes.

The ROM 32 is a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The ROM 32 stores programs executed by the CPU 31 and various data.

RAM 33 is a volatile memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) and is used as a work area when CPU 31 executes programs.

An encoder is also provided in association with the motor M, and an encoder signal, which is a pulse signal synchronized with the rotation of the motor M, is input from the encoder to the CPU 31. The RAM 33 is used by the CPU 31 as a step number counter. The CPU 31 can grasp the position of the continuous paper P by counting the number of pulses of the encoder signal input from the encoder when the motor M is driven in the forward direction and the number of pulses of the encoder signal input from the encoder when the motor M is driven in the reverse direction, using the step number counter.

The label printer 1 is equipped with a USB interface 34 (an example of a reception unit). The USB interface 34 is an interface for data communication with a USB device such as a USB memory, and includes a USB connector to which a USB cable is connected and a USB controller that controls the USB connection with the USB device.

The label printer 1 is also provided with an operation panel 35 (an example of a reception unit). The operation panel 35 includes an operation unit that is operated for various settings, and a display unit for displaying information. The operation unit and the display unit may be provided separately, or may be in the form of a touch panel in which an operation unit such as a pressure-sensitive or capacitive transparent film switch is overlaid on a display unit such as a liquid crystal display.

<Printing process>
When printing is performed by the label printer 1, for example, a USB memory that stores print data is connected to the USB interface 34 (USB connector). Then, printing of an image related to the print data stored in the USB memory is instructed by pressing a print start button on the operation panel 35. The print data is information such as the position and type of characters and the position of figures in the image to be printed, written in a page description language.

When printing is instructed, the CPU 31 starts the printing process shown in FIG. 3.

In the printing process, the CPU 31 reads all print data to be printed from the USB memory into the RAM 33, and temporarily stores the data in the RAM 33 as a series of print data arranged in page order starting from the first page. Then, in response to the start of the printing operation, the CPU 31 reads the print data for the first page from the RAM 33 (S11). The CPU 31 also rotates the motor M in the forward direction. The forward rotation of the motor M rotates the transport rollers 16 and 17, and transports the continuous paper P in the feed direction. The CPU 31 then controls the print head 21 so that an image of the print data for the first page is printed on the label L that passes the printing position of the print head 21 (S12).

Then, the CPU 31 determines whether or not there is a VOID print request (S13). A VOID print request occurs when the print result is determined to be "NG" in the inspection process described below. When a VOID print request occurs, the CPU 31 turns on the VOID print flag set in the RAM 33. In addition, when VOID printing is performed in response to the VOID print request, the CPU 31 turns off the VOID print flag. The CPU 31 determines whether or not there is a VOID print request from the state of the VOID print flag.

If there is a VOID printing request (S13: YES), the CPU 31 controls the motor M and the print head 21 to execute VOID printing (S14). In VOID printing, the CPU 31 stops the motor M, which is rotating forward, once and then rotates it in the reverse direction by a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount is set to an amount by which the downstream end of the label L (hereinafter referred to as the "NG label L'") on which a defective image whose print result is determined to be "NG" in the inspection process is printed moves to a position that matches the printing position of the print head 21 or a position upstream of the printing position. As a result, the NG label L' is transported in the return direction to a position where printing by the print head 21 is possible. After that, the CPU 31 stops the motor M once and then rotates it forward. The forward rotation of the motor M transports the continuous paper P again in the sending direction. The CPU 31 then controls the print head 21 so that the VOID image, which is a specific image, is printed superimposed on the image of the NG label L'.

After VOID printing is completed, the CPU 31 determines whether a predetermined number of print data have been printed (S15). The predetermined number can be set to any number by the user operating the operation panel 35.

When the CPU 31 determines that a predetermined number of print data have been printed (S15: YES), it determines whether a reprint instruction has been issued (S16). A reprint instruction is issued during the inspection process described below. When a reprint instruction has not been issued (S16: NO), the CPU 31 determines whether printing of images of all print data to be printed has been completed (S18). If printing of images of all print data has not been completed (S18: NO), the CPU 31 reads the next page of print data from the USB memory (S11) and controls the print head 21 to print the images of the next page of print data (S12).

When it is determined that a predetermined number of print data have been printed, if there is an instruction to reprint (S16: YES), the CPU 31 performs the reprint (S17) and then determines whether printing of images for all of the print data to be printed has been completed (S18).

The inspection process and printing are carried out in parallel, but if it takes a long time before a decision can be made to issue a reprint command, printing may be stopped.

Then, the CPU 31 determines whether printing of images of all print data to be printed has been completed (S15). If there is no VOID printing request (S13: NO), the CPU 31 determines whether printing of images of all print data to be printed has been completed (S15) without performing VOID printing. If printing of images of all print data has not been completed (S15: NO), the CPU 31 reads the next page of print data from the USB memory (S11) and controls the print head 21 to print the next page of print data images (S12).

As the printing of the images of the print data for each page progresses, the CPU 31 determines that printing of all the images of the print data has been completed (S18: YES), and then determines whether there is any reprint data (S19). If there is any reprint data remaining that has not been printed (S19: NO), the CPU 31 controls the print head 21 to print the images of the reprint data (S20), and again determines whether there is any reprint data. Then, when there is no more reprint data (S19: NO), the CPU 31 ends the printing process.

<Inspection process>
The CPU 31 starts the inspection process shown in FIG.

In the inspection process, the CPU 31 judges the print result starting from the image of the print data of the first page (S21). Specifically, when the label L on which the image of the print data of the first page is printed approaches the reading position of the CIS unit 23, the CPU 31 controls the CIS unit 23 to have the CIS unit 23 read the image printed on the label L. Then, the CPU 31 judges from the data read by the CIS unit 23 (read data) whether the print result of the image is "OK" that satisfies a predetermined standard, or "NG" that the print result does not meet the predetermined standard. For example, if the image includes a barcode symbol, the CPU 31 checks from the read data whether the optical characteristics of the barcode symbol (reflectance, reflection density, PCS (Print Contrast Signal) value, etc.) meet the JIS standard (Japanese Industrial Standards). If the optical characteristics of the barcode symbol meet the JIS standard, the CPU 31 determines that the print result of the image containing the barcode symbol is "OK," and if the optical characteristics of the barcode symbol do not meet the JIS standard, the CPU 31 determines that the print result of the image containing the barcode symbol is "NG."

When the determination of the print result of one page is completed, the CPU 31 uses the RAM 33 as a determination number counter and increments (+1) the count value of the determination number counter (S22).

If the CPU 31 determines that the print result of the image on the label L is "NG" (S23: YES), it generates a VOID print request (S24) and turns on the VOID print flag set in the RAM 33. The CPU 31 also stores the print data in the RAM 33 as reprint data in order to reprint the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image whose print result was determined to be "NG" (S25). The CPU 31 then determines whether the count value of the determination number counter (hereinafter referred to as the "determination number") has reached a predetermined number (S26).

On the other hand, if the CPU 31 determines that the print result of the image on the label L is not "NG", i.e., is "OK" (S23: NO), it determines whether the number of judgments has reached a predetermined number without issuing a VOID print request or storing reprint data (S26).

If it is determined that the number of judgments has not reached the predetermined number (S26: NO), i.e., if the number of judgments is less than the predetermined number, the CPU 31 determines whether inspection of the images of all print data printed on the label L by the print process has been completed, i.e., whether judgment of the print results of the images of all print data has been completed (S31). All print data includes reprint data. If inspection of the images of all print data has not been completed (S31: NO), the CPU 31 judges the print result of the image of the next page (S21).

As the print result determination progresses, when the CPU 31 determines that the number of determinations has reached a predetermined number (S26: YES), it resets the number of determinations to 0 (S27). The CPU 31 also determines whether reprint data is stored in the RAM 33 (S28).

If there are no defective images with a print result of "NG" among the predetermined number of images whose print results have been judged, the CPU 31 judges that the reprint data is not stored in the RAM 33 (S28: NO). In this case (S28: NO), the CPU 31 judges again whether inspection of the images of all the print data printed on the label L by the printing process has been completed (S31).

If there is a defective image with a print result of "NG" among the specified number of images whose print results have been judged, the print data corresponding to that defective image is stored in RAM 33 as reprint data, and therefore CPU 31 determines that the reprint data is stored in RAM 33.

If it is determined that the reprint data is stored in RAM 33 (S28: YES), the CPU 31 inserts the reprint data at the beginning of the unprinted print data so that all reprint data stored in RAM 33 are read from RAM 33 in ascending page number order before the unprinted print data (S29). The CPU 31 then issues a reprint instruction (S30). In response to the issuance of this reprint instruction, the reprint data is reprinted (S18 in FIG. 3). The CPU 31 then again determines whether inspection of the images of all print data printed on the label L by the printing process has been completed (S31).

As the print result judgment progresses, when it is determined that inspection of the images of all print data has been completed (S31: YES), the CPU 31 ends the print process.

<Label printer operation>
Through the printing process and inspection process, the label printer 1 operates, for example, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The operations shown in Figures 5 and 6 are the operations when the predetermined number is set to "6" and the print result of the image of the print data for the second page is "NG".

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5(a), printing is paused when the image of the print data for the sixth page is printed on the label L. Meanwhile, the print results of the images printed on each label L are judged, starting from the label L on which the image of the print data for the first page is printed, to the label L on which the image of the print data for the sixth page is printed. If the print result of the image of the print data for the second page is judged to be "NG" during this process, a VOID print request is generated, and in response to the VOID print request, the NG label L' on which the defective image, which is the image of the print data for the second page, is printed is pulled back to a position where printing by the print head 21 is possible. Then, as shown in FIG. 5(b), a VOID image is printed superimposed on the defective image of the NG label L'. The image of the print data for the second page is stored in the RAM 33 as reprint data.

Because printing was paused when the image of the print data for page 6 was printed on label L, the print data for pages 7 and onward is unprinted print data. The print data for page 2, which is reprint data, is inserted at the beginning of the unprinted print data for pages 7 and onward. When an instruction to resume printing is subsequently issued and printing is resumed, the print data for page 2, which is reprint data, is first read from RAM 33. Then, the unprinted print data for pages 7 and onward is read from RAM 33. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the image of the print data for page 2, which was determined to be a defective image, is reprinted on the label L adjacent in the feed direction upstream of the label L on which the image of the print data for page 6 was printed, and the images of the print data for pages 7 and onward are printed on the label L upstream in the feed direction of the label L on which the defective image was reprinted.

From the position of the NG label L' and the position where the second page of print data is to be inserted, the CPU 31 can determine how many labels L after the NG label L' the label L on which the image of the second page of print data will be reprinted will be printed. The VOID image includes text information such as "5 labels after," indicating that the image of the second page of print data will be reprinted on the label L five labels after the NG label L', and it is preferable that the portion of the VOID image other than the text information is a pattern such as a black and white checkerboard that makes the defective image unrecognizable.

<Action and effect>
As described above, an image is printed on the label L while the continuous paper P is transported in the feed direction. Then, the image on the label L is read by the CIS unit 23 provided downstream in the feed direction from the print head 21. If the print result determined from the image data read by the CIS unit 23 is "NG" which does not meet the standard, the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image determined as "NG" is reprinted on a new label L. In addition, a VOID image including text information indicating the position on the label L where the defective image will be reprinted is overwritten on the label L on which the defective image is printed. This makes it easy for the user to know the position on the label L where the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image will be reprinted.

When a defective image whose print result does not meet the standard is detected, an image is already printed on the label L present between the CIS unit 23 and the print head 21. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, when images including serial numbers are printed on the label L in numerical order, if an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted on a label L located on the other side of the arrangement direction from the label L on which the image is already printed, the serial numbers printed on the label L will no longer be consecutive from downstream to upstream in one direction. However, from the character information contained in the VOID image printed by overwriting on the label L on which the defective image is printed, the user can grasp the position of the label L on which the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted, and can easily find the reprinted label L. Therefore, it is not necessary to invalidate the label L on which the image is already printed (for example, in the example shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the label L on which the image of the print data from the third page to the sixth page is printed) when the defective image is detected, and therefore it is possible to prevent the label L on which the image is already printed and the printing on that label L from going to waste.

In addition, when the print results of the images printed on a predetermined number of labels L are judged, and there is a defective image with a print result of "NG" among the predetermined number of images whose print results have been judged, after the print results of the predetermined number of images have been judged, the images of the print data corresponding to all of the defective images are reprinted on new labels L before the images of the new print data are printed on the labels L. As a result, the images of the print data corresponding to the defective images are reprinted all at once, so the time required to print a series of print data can be shortened compared to a configuration in which the images printed on the labels L are reprinted each time the print result is judged to be "NG".

Furthermore, the predetermined number can be set arbitrarily by the user. Therefore, the predetermined number can be set so that the label L on which the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted is reprinted in an area where the user can easily find it. This makes it even easier for the user to find the label L on which the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted.

<Modification>
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in other forms.

For example, in the above embodiment, whenever the print result of the image printed on the label L is determined to be "NG", a VOID image is printed over the defective image on the NG label L', but the printing of the VOID image may be performed all at once after the images of all the print data to be printed have been printed on the label L.

As an example, the print data to be printed is from page 1 to page 6, the specified number is set to a number equal to or greater than "6," and the print results for the images of the print data for pages 2 and 5 are "NG."

In this example, even if the print result of the image of the print data for the second page is judged to be "NG" as shown in FIG. 7 (a), the judgment of the print result of the image of the print data for the third page and onwards continues as shown in FIG. 7 (b). Even if the print result of the image of the print data for the fifth page is judged to be "NG", the print result of the image of the print data for the sixth page is judged. In this case, since there is no unprinted print data when the printing of the print data for the sixth page is completed, after the printing is resumed in response to the occurrence of a print resume instruction, the print data of the images of the second and fifth pages, which are defective images, are read out from the RAM 33 in this order as reprint data. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8 (c), the image of the print data for the second page, which was judged to be a defective image, is reprinted on the label L adjacent upstream in the feed direction to the label L on which the image of the print data for the sixth page is printed, and the image of the print data for the fifth page, which is a defective image, is reprinted on the label L adjacent upstream in the feed direction from that label L.

Then, after the image of the print data for page 5 is reprinted, a VOID image is printed over the defective image of page 2 as shown in FIG. 8 (d), and a VOID image is printed over the defective image of page 5 as shown in FIG. 9 (e). At this time, the VOID image printed on the NG label L' on which the defective image of page 2 is printed contains text information "5 sheets later", indicating that the image of the print data for page 2 will be reprinted on the label L five sheets later from the NG label L'. Also, the VOID image printed on the NG label L' on which the defective image of page 5 is printed contains text information "3 sheets later", indicating that the image of the print data for page 5 will be reprinted on the label L three sheets later from the NG label L'.

If the print result of the image reprinted on the label L is again "NG", a VOID image may be printed over the defective image whose print result was again determined to be "NG", and the defective image may be printed a third time on a new label L.

In a configuration in which the images of all print data to be printed are printed on the label L and then the VOID image is printed all at once, if the image of the print data corresponding to a defective image is reprinted multiple times, when the VOID image is printed on the defective image that was initially determined to have a print result of "NG", the continuous paper P may be pulled back a large distance, and the label L on which the image is printed may be pulled back to the roll R, causing the printed surface of the label L to overlap and come into contact with the back surface of the continuous paper P, resulting in possible soiling. In particular, when an image with a large ink-adhered area is printed on the label L, the ink is not yet dry and is rubbed and spread by the back surface of the continuous paper P, causing the printed surface to be soiled. To prevent this, when the continuous paper P is pulled back to print the VOID image, the heater 22 may be driven, and the label L on which the image has been printed may be heated by the heater 22. Also, heating by the heater 22 is not always performed when printing a VOID image, but heating by the heater 22 may be performed when the amount of retraction of the continuous paper P when printing a VOID image is large, for example, when the number of times the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted is greater than or equal to a predetermined number.

The text information indicating the position on the label L where the image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted in the VOID image is preferably printed so as to overlap the white portion of the label L on which the defective image is printed, so that it can be easily recognized. In that case, when the image printed on the label L is read by the CIS unit 23 to determine the print result of the image printed on the label L, the white portion of the label L is detected from the image data, and the position and size of the text information are adjusted so that the text information overlaps the white portion, as shown in FIG. 10.

In addition, if the label L on which the defective image is printed does not have a sufficient white area, such as when the background is not white, the characters indicating the text information may be printed as uncolored cut-out characters in an area filled with a color different from the background color (for example, a color complementary to the background color).

Although each of Figures 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 shows an example in which the VOID image is printed so as to overlap the entire defective image, the VOID image may be printed so as to overlap only a portion of the defective image. For example, in order to make a specific portion of the defective image unreadable, such as a portion where a barcode is printed, the VOID image may be printed so as to overlap that specific portion.

The print head 21 is not limited to a configuration that prints images using an inkjet recording method, but may be configured to print images on the printing surface of the continuous paper P using a thermal transfer method, or may be configured to print images using an electrophotographic method.

An image inspection device having a control unit (including a CPU) with functions similar to those of the CIS unit 23 and CPU 31 related to the inspection process may be attached externally to the label printer 1. Furthermore, the functions related to the inspection process of the CIS unit 23 and CPU 31 may be added as an option to a label printer that does not have the functions of the image inspection device according to the present invention.

The printing of the VOID image may be performed by a VOID image printer externally attached to the label printer 1, rather than by the print head 21. That is, the continuous paper P discharged from the discharge port 12 of the label printer 1 may be received by the VOID image printer, and a print head provided in the VOID image printer may print a VOID image on the label L on which the defective image is printed, superimposed on the defective image.

For example, in the above embodiment, the CPU 31 executes each process. However, the label printer 1 may be provided with multiple CPUs, and the multiple CPUs may cooperate to execute each process.

In addition, various design modifications may be made to the above-mentioned configuration within the scope of the claims.

1: Label printer 13: Roll holder 16, 17: Transport rollers 21: Print head 23: CIS unit 31: CPU
L: Label P: Continuous paper

Claims (8)

a conveying section that conveys a continuous sheet of paper having a plurality of print areas arranged in a direction in which the print areas are arranged;
a printing unit that prints an image in the printing area of the continuous paper that is transported in one of the arrangement directions by the transport unit;
A control unit,
The control unit is
causing the printing unit to print an image in the printing area;
the image printed in the printing area is read by a reading unit provided downstream in the one direction from the printing unit, and when a defective image is detected in which the print result determined from the image data read by the reading unit does not satisfy a standard, the printing unit is caused to reprint an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image in a new printing area;
A printer causes the printing unit to overwrite the printing area in which the defective image is printed with a specific image including information indicating the position of the printing area in which the image of the printing data corresponding to the defective image will be reprinted. 2. The printer of claim 1,
The control unit, when images printed in a predetermined number of the printing areas are read by the reading unit and a defective image is detected from the image data read by the reading unit, causes the printing unit to reprint images of the printing data corresponding to all of the detected defective images in new printing areas after the predetermined number of images have been read. 3. The printer according to claim 2,
A reception unit that receives setting information set by a user,
The predetermined number is included in the setting information received by the reception unit. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The control unit is
causing the printing unit to perform a series of printings in which images related to a series of print data are individually printed in the printing area in the order of the print data;
When the defective image is detected from the image data read by the reading unit, the printer causes the print data arranged in the order to be inserted with print data corresponding to the defective image, and causes the printing unit to print the unprinted image and the defective image individually in the printing area in the order of the print data after the insertion. 5. The printer according to claim 4,
The control unit of the printer creates information indicating the position of the printing area where the image of the printing data corresponding to the defective image is reprinted based on the position of the printing area where the defective image is printed and the position where the printing data corresponding to the defective image is inserted. 6. The printer according to claim 4,
The control unit inserts the print data corresponding to the defective image in the arranged order at a position away from the position of the print data corresponding to the defective image by a number of print data items corresponding to the distance between the reading unit and the printing unit. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The printer further comprises the reading unit. A printer;
A printing system including a specific image printer,
The printer includes:
a conveying section that conveys a continuous sheet of paper having a plurality of print areas arranged in a direction in which the print areas are arranged;
a printing unit that prints an image in the printing area of the continuous paper that is transported in one of the arrangement directions by the transport unit;
A control unit,
The control unit is
causing the printing unit to print an image in the printing area;
the image printed in the printing area is read by a reading unit provided downstream in the one direction from the printing unit, and when a defective image is detected in which the print result determined from the image data read by the reading unit does not satisfy a standard, the printing unit is caused to reprint an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image in a new printing area;
The specific image printer is
A printing system that overwrites the printing area where the defective image is printed with a specific image including information indicating a position of the printing area where an image of the print data corresponding to the defective image is to be reprinted.

Images