JP2000052629A - Device for detecting condition of ink ribbon in thermal transfer printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To always detect correctly the remaining quantity of an ink ribbon or the condition of and ink ribbon such as cutting by disposing means for detecting the remaining quantity of an ink ribbon housed in a ribbon cassette by detection signals from ink ribbon-kind-detecting means and angular velocity detecting means. SOLUTION: A firmware 25 is connected to CPU 27 for conducting each kind of controls of a thermal transfer printer, and data of a ribbon cassette 12 mounted on a carriage 5 to use is inputted from CPU 27 to the firmware 25. When a detection signal on the angular velocity of a delivery bobbin from an angular velocity photosensor 24 is inputted under this state, the remaining quantity of an ink ribbon wound around a delivery reel fitted in the delivery bobbin can be detected from data of the ribbon cassette 12 used and data of an angular velocity of the delivery bobbin. A signal or the like of the remaining quantity of the ink ribbon calculated by the firmware 25 is inputted into a driver 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink ribbon status detecting apparatus for detecting the status of an ink ribbon, such as the remaining amount of an ink ribbon or the cutting of an ink ribbon, in a thermal transfer printer. The present invention relates to a device for detecting the state of an ink ribbon in a thermal transfer printer capable of accurately detecting the remaining amount of an ink ribbon in accordance with the film thickness of the ribbon.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a conventional general thermal transfer printer. A plate-like platen 2 has a substantially vertical recording surface substantially at the center of a frame 1 of the thermal transfer printer. A carriage shaft 3 is disposed below the frame 1 in front of the platen 2 in parallel with the platen 2.

A flange-shaped guide portion 4 is formed at the front edge of the frame 1. A carriage 5 is provided on the carriage shaft 3 and the guide portion 4 by the carriage shaft 3 and the guide portion. 4 so as to reciprocate freely. At the tip of the carriage 5, a thermal head 6 is mounted so as to face the platen 2 and a number of heating elements are arranged in a line. An ink ribbon is provided on the upper surface of the carriage 5. A ribbon cassette (shown in FIG. 1) which is wound around a delivery reel and a take-up reel from both ends, and is exposed to the outside of the intermediate portion of the ink ribbon to guide it between the thermal head 6 and the platen 2. (Not shown).

Further, the carriage 5 is provided with a delivery bobbin 7 and a take-up bobbin 8 which are fitted to the respective reels of the ribbon cassette, and move the carriage 5 along the platen 2. Thus, the winding bobbin 8 is driven to rotate, and the rotation of the winding bobbin 8 winds the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette.

[0005] Behind the platen 2, there is formed a paper insertion slot 9 for feeding paper (not shown) forward of the platen 2. Near the paper insertion slot 9, the paper is inserted at a predetermined speed. A paper feed roller 10 for conveying is provided. Below this paper feed roller 10, this paper feed roller 10 is provided.
A press roller 11 is rotatably disposed to press the sheet inserted between the paper feed roller 10 and the press roller 11 from the sheet insertion opening 9. It is designed to be transported.

In the above-described conventional thermal transfer printer, paper is inserted from the paper insertion slot 9 and the paper is sandwiched between the paper feed roller 10 and the pressure roller 11 to form the paper feed roller. The paper is conveyed at a predetermined speed in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the carriage 5 by rotating the roller 10. On the other hand, by driving the carriage 5, the winding bobbin 8 is rotated and the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette is wound, and the respective heating elements of the thermal head 6 are selectively driven based on a desired recording signal. By driving, desired recording can be performed on the paper.

In the conventional thermal printer described above, a ribbon end detecting device (not shown) for detecting that the total length of the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette contributes to recording is provided. When the remaining amount of the ink ribbon becomes zero by the ribbon end detecting device, the ribbon cassette is replaced when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon becomes zero by the ribbon end detecting device. And restarted the printer.

However, in this thermal transfer printer, it was not possible to detect that the end of the ink ribbon was near until the ink ribbon was completely completed. Therefore, a new ribbon cassette is prepared at the time when the ink ribbon is completed, and the replacement operation of the ribbon cassette is performed. Therefore, the efficiency of the replacement operation is low.

In view of the above, a thermal transfer printer capable of detecting the remaining amount of an ink ribbon has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 4-1.
As described in Japanese Patent No. 4475, the thermal transfer printer described in this publication has a speed detecting device for detecting the rotation speed of the delivery bobbin on the rotation axis of the delivery bobbin. And a speed judging circuit for judging the remaining amount of the ink ribbon and the drive abnormality of the carriage based on the speed signal from the speed detecting device. When printing is performed while rotating the take-up bobbin by pulling out the ink ribbon by moving the carriage, the rotation speed of the carriage sending-out bobbin is detected by a speed detection device. The determination circuit determines that the end of the ink ribbon is near.

[0010]

In recent years, there are various types of ink ribbons stored in a ribbon cassette, such as a color ink ribbon and a metallic ink ribbon. On the other hand, the thermal transfer mode for transferring the ink of the ink ribbon to the paper includes a thermal melting mode and a thermal sublimation mode. In both these modes, the traveling speed of the carriage, that is, the traveling speed of the ink ribbon is different.

As described above, if the type of ink ribbon is different, the film thickness of the ink ribbon may be different. Even if the ink ribbons having different film thicknesses are wound to the same diameter, the remaining amount is the same. Of course it is not long. Also, if the running speed of the ink ribbon is different,
The consumption rate of the ink ribbon will also be different.

For this reason, if the type of the ink ribbon is different or the recording mode is different, the thermal transfer printer described in the above-mentioned publication can simply detect that the rotation speed of the sending-out bobbin has exceeded a certain value. In some cases, it cannot be uniformly determined that the end of the ink ribbon is close.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides a method for detecting the state of an ink ribbon in a thermal transfer printer which can always accurately detect the state of the ink ribbon, such as the remaining amount or cutting of the ink ribbon, irrespective of the type and recording mode of the ink ribbon. It is intended to provide a device.

[0014]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal transfer printer for detecting the type of an ink ribbon contained in a ribbon cassette. Ink ribbon type detecting means, an angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin, and the remaining amount of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette is calculated based on detection signals from the ink ribbon type detecting means and the angular velocity detecting means. And an ink ribbon remaining amount calculating means. By adopting such a configuration, in the ink ribbon remaining amount calculating means, data on the relationship between the type of the ink ribbon, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon in each recording mode, and the angular velocity of the sending bobbin is input in advance. Therefore, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon can be calculated from the input data, the type of the ink ribbon detected by the ink ribbon type detecting means, and the angular velocity of the delivery bobbin detected by the angular velocity detecting means. Further, when the angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin continues to be 0 for a predetermined time, the cutting of the ink ribbon can be detected.

A feature of the ink ribbon state detecting device in the thermal transfer printer of the present invention according to claim 2 is that it further comprises display means for displaying the remaining amount of the ink ribbon based on the calculation result of the ink ribbon remaining amount calculating means. It is in. By adopting such a configuration, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon can be constantly monitored by the display means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal transfer printer, wherein the state of the ink ribbon is detected when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is 0 based on the calculation result of the ink ribbon remaining amount calculating means. Another feature is that it further has an alarming means for issuing an alarm when each is issued. By adopting such a configuration, an alarm is issued when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon becomes 0 and when the ink ribbon is cut, so that the user can immediately exchange the ribbon cassette. .

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a thermal transfer printer provided with an ink ribbon state detecting device according to the present invention. The description will be given with reference numerals.
This thermal transfer printer is provided with a cassette exchange mechanism for exchanging and using a plurality of ribbon cassettes.

In FIG. 1, a flat platen 2 is disposed on a frame 1 of a thermal transfer printer so that a recording surface thereof is substantially vertical, and a front side of the platen 2 of the frame 1 is provided. Below, a carriage shaft 3 is disposed in parallel with the platen 2.

A flange-shaped guide portion 4 is formed at the front end of the frame 1. A carriage 5 is provided on the carriage shaft 3 and the guide portion 4 to provide the carriage shaft 3 and the guide portion. 4 so as to reciprocate freely. At the leading end of the carriage 5, a thermal head 6 is mounted so as to be opposed to the platen 2 and has a number of heating elements arranged in an array. An ink ribbon ( (Not shown) is wound around a delivery reel and a take-up reel from both ends thereof, and the intermediate portion of the ink ribbon is exposed to the outside and guided between the thermal head 6 and the platen 2. The ribbon cassette 12 (FIG. 3) to be mounted is mounted.

Further, the carriage 5 is provided with a delivery bobbin 7 and a take-up bobbin 8, which are fitted to the respective reels of the ribbon cassette 12, and move the carriage 5 along the platen 2. By this, the winding bobbin 8 is driven to rotate, and the rotation of the winding bobbin 8 winds the ink ribbon of the ribbon cassette 12.

Behind the platen 2, there is formed a paper insertion slot 9 for feeding paper (not shown) forward of the platen 2. Near the paper insertion slot 9, the paper is inserted at a predetermined speed. A paper feed roller 10 for conveying is provided. Below this paper feed roller 10, this paper feed roller 10 is provided.
A pressure roller (not shown) that is pressed against the paper is rotatably disposed, and a paper inserted from the paper insertion port 9 is inserted between the paper feed roller 10 and the pressure roller. It is designed to be pinched and transported.

The carriage 5 includes a ribbon cassette 12
2 and 3, the carriage lower part 5A directly supported by the carriage shaft 3 and the carriage lower part 5A by a drive mechanism 13 using a worm screw. And a carriage upper part 5B which can be moved up and down so as to come and go.

On the other hand, above the carriage 5, a casing 14 having a plurality of ribbon cassette storage portions 15 (only one is shown) capable of storing a maximum of two ribbon cassettes 12, respectively, is provided. The carriage upper part 5
B rises to exchange the ribbon cassette 12 with the casing 14.

At the rear of the carriage lower portion 5A, the type of each ribbon cassette 12 accommodated in each ribbon cassette accommodating portion 15 of the casing 14, that is, the type of ink ribbon accommodated in each ribbon cassette 12 is identified. A support 16 having photo sensors 17 for identification as ink ribbon type identification means is provided upright.

Each identification photo sensor 17 reads the ribbon cassette type identification code 19 written on the back of the ribbon cassette 12 and determines the type of the ribbon cassette 12, that is, the type of the ink ribbon contained in the ribbon cassette 12. To be identified. Further, each ribbon cassette 12 identified by the identification photosensor 17 is identified.
Is stored in the firmware 25 of FIG. 6 described later.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an angular velocity detecting means 20 for detecting the angular velocity of the delivery bobbin 7 is provided in the lower portion 5A of the carriage. The angular velocity detecting means 20 has a reflecting plate 22 fitted on the rotating shaft 21 of the delivery bobbin 7 and rotating integrally with the rotating shaft 21. The reflector 22 has an annular shape, and a total of eight recesses 23 are formed on the outer peripheral edge of the reflector 22 at an angle of 45 degrees.

On the other hand, a reflection type angular velocity photosensor 24 for irradiating light toward the outer peripheral edge of the reflection plate 22 is provided in the carriage lower portion 5A near the reflection plate 22. The light from the photo sensor 24 is reflected by the reflection plate 2
2 passes through the reflection plate 22 through the respective concave portions 23,
The angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin 7 is detected by detecting not returning to the photo sensor 24. In detecting the angular velocity, the average angular velocity or the maximum angular velocity of several drive pulses of a stepping motor (not shown) for driving the carriage 5 is detected.

As shown in FIG. 6, the detection signals from the identification photosensor 17 and the angular velocity photosensor 24 are input to firmware 25 as ink ribbon remaining amount calculation means together with a driver 26 described later. Has become. In the firmware 25, data on the relationship between the type of the ink ribbon, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon corresponding to each recording mode, and the angular velocity of the sending bobbin 7 is input in advance.

That is, when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon wound around the delivery reel of the ribbon cassette 12 fitted to the delivery bobbin 7 becomes shorter, the outer diameter of the ink ribbon wound around the delivery reel becomes smaller. Therefore, the angular velocity of the delivery bobbin 7 during recording increases, but the outer diameter of the ink ribbon wound around the delivery reel is the same because the film thickness of the ink ribbon varies depending on the type of the ink ribbon. Also, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is different, and the traveling speed of the carriage 5 is different depending on the recording mode such as the heat melting recording and the thermal sublimation recording. As a result, the consumption amount of the ink ribbon in the second unit is different. Data on the relationship between the type and the remaining amount of the ink ribbon corresponding to both the recording mode in which the ink ribbon is used and the angular velocity of the sending bobbin 7 Is input to the firmware 25 in terms of the pre-computed.

On the other hand, the firmware 25 is connected to a CPU 27 for performing various controls of the thermal transfer printer, and data of the ribbon cassette 12 used by being mounted on the carriage 5 is transmitted from the CPU 27 to the firmware 2.
5, and in this state, when a detection signal about the angular velocity of the sending bobbin 7 is input from the angular velocity photosensor 24, the data is sent from the data of the ribbon cassette 12 to be used and the angular velocity data of the sending bobbin 7. The remaining amount of the ink ribbon wound around the delivery reel of the ribbon cassette 12 fitted to the bobbin 7 can be calculated.

The firmware 25 includes the C
Even if the number of drive pulses of a stepping motor (not shown) that drives the carriage 5 input from the PU 27 is counted, the angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin 7 from the angular velocity photosensor 24 is continuously 0, and When the remaining amount of the tape is not 0, it is determined that the ink ribbon has been cut.

A signal about the remaining amount of the ink ribbon calculated by the firmware 25 and a signal for cutting the ink ribbon are output to the driver 26. The driver 26 has a monitor 28 as display means for displaying the remaining amount of the ink ribbon stored in the used ribbon cassette 12, and a monitor 28 for displaying the remaining amount of the ink ribbon.
And an alarm 29 which is an alarm means for generating an alarm sound when the ink ribbon is cut, respectively.

Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment will be described.

When each ribbon cassette 12 is stored again in each ribbon cassette storage section 15 of the casing 14,
The carriage 5 is run once, and the type of the ink ribbon stored in each ribbon cassette 12 is identified by each identification photosensor 17 mounted on the carriage. Data on the ink ribbon identified by each identification photosensor 17 is input to and stored in the firmware 25 in advance.

When recording, data of the ribbon cassette 12 mounted on the carriage 5 and used is input from the CPU 27 to the firmware 25.

When the recording is performed, a detection signal about the angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin 7 from the angular velocity photosensor 24 is continuously input to the firmware 25. From the data on the angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin 7 from the sensor 24 and the data of the used ribbon cassette 12 previously input from the CPU 27, the sending-out reel of the ribbon cassette 12 fitted to the sending-out bobbin 7 The remaining amount of the wound ink ribbon is calculated.

The data on the remaining amount of the ink ribbon calculated by the firmware 25 is output to the driver 26, and the monitor 28 displays the remaining amount of the ink ribbon.
Therefore, the user can recognize the remaining amount of the ink ribbon during recording. When the remaining amount of the ink ribbon becomes small, the replacement of the ribbon cassette is performed by preparing the replacement ribbon cassette 12 in advance. Can be done quickly.

When the remaining amount of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette 12 becomes zero or the ink ribbon is cut off, a signal of the state is sent to the driver 26 from the firmware 25 which has calculated the state. Then, the driver 26 issues an alarm by sound indicating that the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is 0 or the ink ribbon is cut off by an alarm. Therefore, the user can easily recognize the state.

As described above, according to the ink ribbon state detecting device in the thermal transfer printer of the present embodiment, the user can accurately know the remaining amount of the ink ribbon according to the type of the ink ribbon and the recording mode. The user can exchange the ribbon cassette 12 efficiently.

Further, since the user can immediately know the cutting of the ink ribbon, the printer can be stopped immediately. Therefore, even if special paper for special recording, which has a bad influence on the thermal head 6 due to friction, is used, there is no possibility that the thermal head 6 will be worn.

Further, in the thermal transfer printer provided with the cassette exchanging mechanism of this embodiment, the winding bobbin 8 is generally rotated every time the ribbon cassette 12 is exchanged to remove the slack of the ink ribbon. Bobbin 1
7 is detected by the angular velocity photosensor 24, the start of rotation of the delivery bobbin 17 can be recognized by the angular velocity photosensor 24. Therefore, when the delivery bobbin 17 starts to rotate, slackness is reduced. Since they are eliminated and become opposed, slack removal can be performed in a minimum time.

Further, it is also possible to detect only the remaining amount of the ink ribbon without driving the thermal head 6.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made as necessary.

[0044]

As described above, according to the apparatus for detecting the state of the ink ribbon in the thermal transfer printer of the present invention, regardless of the type of ink ribbon and the recording mode, the ink ribbon such as the remaining amount of the ink ribbon or the cutting is always accurate. Can be detected.

That is, the ink ribbon type detecting means for detecting the type of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette, the angular velocity detecting means for detecting the angular velocity of the sending bobbin, and the ink ribbon type detecting means and the angular velocity detecting means. Means for calculating the remaining amount of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette based on the detection signal of the ink ribbon. The remaining amount of the ink ribbon can be calculated based on the type of ink ribbon detected by the means and the angular velocity of the sending bobbin detected by the angular velocity detecting means, and the angular velocity of the sending bobbin has been kept at 0 for a predetermined time. In this case, the cutting of the ink ribbon can be detected.

Further, the display device further includes a display unit for displaying the remaining amount of the ink ribbon based on the calculation result of the ink ribbon remaining amount calculation unit, so that the display unit can constantly monitor the remaining amount of the ink ribbon.

Further, an alarm means for issuing an alarm when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is 0 and when the ink ribbon is cut off based on the calculation result of the ink ribbon remaining amount calculating means is further provided. 0 remaining
Since the alarm is issued when the ink ribbon is cut and when the ink ribbon is cut, the user can immediately exchange the ribbon cassette.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a thermal transfer printer equipped with an ink ribbon state detecting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the carriage of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the angular velocity detecting means of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a main part of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the ink ribbon state detecting device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional thermal transfer printer.

[Description of Signs] 5 Carriage 5A Carriage lower part 5B Carriage upper part 6 Thermal head 7 Delivery bobbin 8 Winding bobbin 12 Ribbon cassette 13 Drive mechanism 14 Casing 15 Ribbon cassette accommodating part 17 Identification photo sensor 19 Ribbon cassette type identification code 20 Angular velocity Detecting means 22 Reflector 24 Photosensor for angular velocity 25 Firmware 26 Driver 27 CPU 28 Monitor 29 Alarm

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hideki Man 1-7 Yukitani Otsukacho, Ota-ku, Tokyo Alps Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C068 AA01 AA06 AA08 AA15 MM02 MM15 NN01 NN10 NN11 NN17 NN18

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head is mounted on a carriage reciprocally movable along a platen, and a delivery bobbin and a take-up bobbin fitted to each reel of a ribbon cassette are provided on an upper surface of the carriage. And
An ink ribbon state detection device in a thermal transfer printer that performs desired recording while winding the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette by moving the carriage to rotate the winding bobbin; An ink ribbon type detecting means for detecting a type of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette; an angular velocity detecting means for detecting an angular velocity of the sending-out bobbin; and a detection signal from the ink ribbon type detecting means and the angular velocity detecting means. An ink ribbon remaining amount calculating means for calculating a remaining amount of the ink ribbon stored in the ribbon cassette, wherein the state of the ink ribbon in the thermal transfer printer is detected. 2. The ink ribbon status detecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying a remaining amount of the ink ribbon based on a calculation result of the ink ribbon remaining amount calculating unit. apparatus. 3. An alarm unit for issuing an alarm when the remaining amount of the ink ribbon is 0 and when the ink ribbon is cut off, based on the calculation result of the ink ribbon remaining amount calculating unit. An apparatus for detecting a state of an ink ribbon in the thermal transfer printer according to claim 1.