JPH07398B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention selectively prints using a color ink ribbon or a black monochrome ink ribbon, or selectively prints using a thermal transfer paper without mounting the ink ribbon. Printers that can be used for.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, when performing a printing operation with a thermal transfer printer or a thermal printer that has both thermal transfer and thermal color development functions and selectively uses one of them, a black ink ribbon is used. , The operator determines whether to print using a color ink ribbon divided into multicolor inks at a fixed distance in the longitudinal direction or a thermal recording paper, and switches the switch to change the print control of the printer. And so on.

This is because bi-directional printing is performed in order to improve throughput when printing is done using thermo-sensitive recording paper with the thermo-sensitive coloring method, but when the bi-directional printing is done with the thermal transfer method, the ink ribbon is one time. However, it is difficult to carry out because it is necessary to change the ribbon feed speed when printing to the right direction and when printing to the left direction.In general, one-way printing from left to right is performed in the thermal transfer type. This is because when color printing is performed using a color ink ribbon, it is necessary to control the positioning of each color divided in the longitudinal direction.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Conventionally, in one thermal printer as described above, printing is performed by either a heat-sensitive coloring method using heat-sensitive recording paper or a heat transfer method using a black ink ribbon or a color ink ribbon. In some cases, the operator determines that
It was necessary to change the control so that it could handle it.

Therefore, the operator has to be troublesome to switch a switch or the like provided for changing the control. Further, there is a problem that printing cannot be performed due to operator's operation mistake, forgetting discrimination and control change.

(Means for Solving Problems) In the printer of the present invention, ink bands of a plurality of colors are divided in the length direction by a certain width and provided in a fixed array, and the ink bands of a predetermined color are band-shaped only at the beginning. The mounting portion to which the color ink ribbon provided with the identification portion or the black single color ink ribbon provided with only the black ink band is detachably mounted, and the ink of the ink ribbon mounted to the mounting portion is used as the printing paper. A print head for transferring, an ink ribbon feeding means for feeding the ink ribbon mounted on the mounting portion, and an optical device for outputting a signal of a level according to the density of the ink ribbon at the detection position, which is provided along the running path of the ink ribbon. A sensor and the presence or absence of an ink ribbon based on the output of the optical sensor when the ink ribbon is fed by the ink ribbon feeding means by a predetermined amount, When the color ink ribbon is attached, the determination unit determines whether or not the color ink ribbon is attached by determining the presence or absence of the identification unit based on the output of the optical sensor; When the identification portion is discriminated, the ink ribbon feeding by the ink ribbon feeding means is stopped to position the ink band of the predetermined color of the color ink ribbon, and before the printing by the ink band of each color of the color ink ribbon. And a control means for controlling the position of the ink band of each color of the color ink ribbon by operating the ink ribbon feeding means and feeding a predetermined amount of the ink ribbon.

(Operation) According to the present invention, the thermal printer is provided with a sensor for detecting the black ink portion of the ink ribbon, and the black ink portion of the ink ribbon is detected for a predetermined distance by the sensor before printing is started. Therefore, when the black ink portion is continuously detected on the surface of the ink ribbon, it is found that the black ink ribbon is loaded, and when the black ink portion is detected only on a part of the ink ribbon surface. It can be seen that the color ink ribbon is loaded, and when the black ink portion is not detected, it is known that the ink ribbon is not loaded.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a thermal printer showing an embodiment of the present invention, showing a case of a thermal transfer type.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a printer body, and 2 is an ink ribbon cassette that can be attached to the printer body 1. Three
Is a one-time type ink ribbon provided in the ink ribbon cassette 2. Reference numeral 4 is a ribbon photosensor for detecting the portion of the ink ribbon 3 having the black ink through the ink ribbon 3. That is, the ribbon photo sensor 4
Is to detect whether or not an ink ribbon having black ink is present at the detection position. Reference numeral 5 is a platen, and 6 is a thermal head movable along the platen 5 left and right.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the ink ribbon 3 of FIG. 1, in which (a) shows a color ribbon and (b) shows a black ribbon.

In FIG. 2, the color ribbon 3a according to the present embodiment is composed of three color ink bands, a yellow ink band 7, a magenta ink band 8, and a cyan ink band 9, each of which has a length of P mm. One set is formed and the set of ink bands is configured to be repeated in the longitudinal direction of the color ribbon 3a. Here, the length P mm of one color ink band is determined by the platen 5
It is set to be equal to the printable range above. Further, a black ink band 10 of Q mm is provided between the above ink band set and the next ink band set. That is, the ribbon belt 10 shown in FIG.
The ink band 10 is arranged so that the yellow ink band 7 can be positioned at the position where is detected.

The black ribbon 3b is covered with black ink over the entire surface of the ink ribbon.

Next, the type of ink ribbon installed in the printer (whether the color ribbon is a black ribbon) or whether the printer has an ink ribbon installed (when the ink ribbon is not installed, the thermal recording paper is installed). (It is considered that it has been done), about the procedure for automatically determining
Description will be given according to the flowchart of FIG.

Turn on the power source (not shown) of the printer and set it to the initial state before starting the printing operation.

The ribbon photo sensor 4 detects the presence or absence of a black ink portion of the ink ribbon at the detection position.

When it is detected that there is a black ink portion, the control unit (not shown) receives a signal from the ribbon photo sensor 4 and feeds the ink ribbon to the left by Q + 1 mm (ribbon winding direction). Control to drive. Here, the feed distance of Q + 1 mm is such that the Q mm black ink band 10 provided on the color ribbon 3a is not detected again by the ribbon photo sensor 4 after feeding.
In other words, it is set to be larger than Q mm.

At the position of, the ribbon photosensor 4 performs the detection similarly to the above.

In, when it is detected that there is a black ink portion, it is determined that the black ribbon 3b is installed in the printer,
When it is detected that there is no black ink portion, it is determined that the color ribbon 3a is installed in the printer.

When it is detected that there is no black ink portion in
Is defined as = O and the ribbon take-up mechanism is driven to drive the ink ribbon Q-
Control is performed to feed 1 mm to the left. Here, the feed distance of Q-1mm is the black ink band 1 of the color ribbon 3a.
It is set so as not to exceed 0, that is, smaller than Q mm.

At the position of, ribbon photo sensor 4
Is detected.

When it is detected that there is a black ink portion, it is determined that the color ribbon 3a is installed in the printer.

If it is detected that there is no black ink part, N =
Counted as N + 1.

When N is M or more, it is determined that there is no ribbon, that is, the thermal recording paper is installed.

 When N is less than M, the process returns to.

Here, the operations up to are repeated up to M times are provided at both ends of the three color ink bands 7 to 9 of the color ribbon 3a by the feed of Q-1 mm assuming that the color ink ribbon is loaded. This is because either one of the black ink strips 10 that are formed is detected by the ribbon photosensor 4, and in this embodiment, {P (mm) ×
M is determined by the calculation of 3 (color) + Q (mm)} / Q-1 (mm).

By the above operation, when it is determined which of the black ribbon 3b, the color ribbon 3a, and the thermal recording paper is installed,
A control unit (not shown) controls the printing drive so as to enable the printing operation using the determined one.

Next, the printing operation after the discrimination is performed by the above-described discrimination method and the print driving control is further performed, will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described with reference to the drawing.

First, when it is determined that the black ribbon 3b is installed, the thermal head 6 performs printing while moving from the point A in the direction of the arrow B, and interrupts the printing when the point C is reached.
Returns to point A. After that, a line feed is performed on the recording medium, and the same printing operation is performed again. The black ribbon 3b is indicated by an arrow D as the thermal head 6 moves in the direction of an arrow B.
It is extended to the direction. Then, when the thermal head 6 returns from the point C to the point A, the ribbon winding mechanism is driven and is wound in the direction of arrow E.

Next, when the installation of the color ribbon 3a is determined, the position where the black ink band 10 provided on the color ribbon 3a is detected by the ribbon photosensor 4, that is, the black ink band 10 in and of the flowchart of FIG. Is detected and the position of the yellow ink band 7 is determined at the position where it is determined that the color ink ribbon is mounted, and when it is desired to use another color ink band, the color ribbon 3a is wound by a predetermined amount. By driving the ribbon winding mechanism, the ink band of a desired color is positioned. Then, a printing operation similar to that of the black ribbon 3b is performed. Further, after the printing is interrupted, the thermal head 6
When returning to the point, the ink band of the color required in the next printing is positioned. When two or more colors are overprinted on one line, the same print data is used for printing without a line feed on the recording medium.

Next, when it is determined that the thermal recording paper is installed, the thermal head 6 prints while moving from the point A in the direction of the arrow B, a line feed is performed at the point C, and then the C Printing is performed while moving from the point in the direction of arrow F, a line is fed at the point A, and the same printing operation is repeated again.

The length of each of the yellow, magenta, and cyan ink bands is determined by the length of the platen 5 and the like, and the length of the black ink band 10 is a range in which the ribbon photosensor 4 can detect the black ink band. It is determined based on.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4A, the color ribbon 3c is a combination of two color ink bands of yellow and magenta, and the yellow, magenta and cyan ink bands shown in FIG. The number of colors of ink bands provided on the color ribbon is not limited as in the color ribbon 3d having four colors. Further, the color of each ink band provided on the color ribbon is not limited to yellow, magenta, and cyan as in this embodiment.

(Effects of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is automatically determined whether a black ribbon, a color ribbon, or a thermal recording paper is installed in the printer. In response to this, the control is performed so that the installed one can be used, so that the operator does not need to discriminate and switch the control by himself, and it is not bothersome. Further, since there is no fear of operator's operation mistake or forgetting to make a judgment or change of control, there is no problem that printing becomes impossible. Further, when the color ink ribbon is attached, it is possible to determine that the color ink ribbon is attached, and at the same time, to position the predetermined color of the color ribbon. You can position the color.

Further, the ribbon photosensor used for carrying out the present invention may be the one that has been conventionally used for positioning the color of the color ribbon when the color ribbon is used in the thermal transfer system, and may be used as it is. It can be easily implemented without requiring any special mechanism.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a schematic plan view of a printer showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the ink ribbon showing the features of the ink ribbon used in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the automatic ink ribbon discrimination method, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial view showing another ink ribbon used in FIG. 3 ... Ink ribbon, 4 ... Ribbon photo sensor, 7 ...
… Yellow ink band, 8 …… Magenta ink band, 9 ……
Cyan ink band, 10 ... black ink band, 11 ... blue ink band.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A color in which a plurality of color ink bands are provided in a row of a certain color divided into a certain width in the length direction, and a band-shaped identification portion is provided only at the beginning of the ink band of a predetermined color. An ink ribbon or a black monochromatic ink ribbon provided with only a black ink band is detachably mounted, a print head for transferring the ink of the ink ribbon mounted in the mounting portion to a print sheet, and the mounting. Ink ribbon feeding means for feeding the ink ribbon attached to the section, an optical sensor provided along the running path of the ink ribbon for outputting a signal of a level according to the density of the ink ribbon at the detection position, and the ink ribbon feeding means When the ink ribbon is fed by a predetermined amount, the presence or absence of the ink ribbon is determined based on the output of the optical sensor, and when the ink ribbon is mounted, the optical sensor is detected. Discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the color ink ribbon is mounted by discriminating the presence or absence of the discriminating portion on the basis of the output of the sensor; Control for stopping the feeding of the ink ribbon by the ink ribbon feeding means to position the ink band of a predetermined color of the color ink ribbon, and operating the ink ribbon feeding means before printing with the ink band of each color of the color ink ribbon And a control means for controlling the position of the ink band of each color of the color ink ribbon by feeding a predetermined amount of the ink ribbon.