JP2000128418A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To appropriately cut off a machine glazed paper without damaging a machine glazed paper or cutter and to make process after printing more efficient. SOLUTION: The operating condition of a change-over panel switch is read in (step 51), and it is determined whether or not a machine glazed paper is cut off by a cutter (step 6). When the machine glazed paper is not cut off, a cut-out line is printed over the machine glazed paper at its line feed position by means of a printing head (step 7), and when the machine glazed paper is cut off, a command is given to a cutter driving circuit to drive the cutter and to cut off the machine glazed paper at its line feed position (step 8).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus for printing on roll paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some printing apparatuses for printing on roll paper automatically cut a page break position on roll paper with a cutter.

[0003]

However, in the conventional printing apparatus, it is good if the type of roll paper is specified, but if various types of roll paper are used, the roll paper may be too thick. May not be cut, and at this time, there is a problem that the roll paper and the cutter are damaged. On the other hand, to avoid damaging the roll paper and cutter, do not cut the roll paper after printing with a cutter, but leave it as it is. There is also a problem that it has to be cut after cutting, which is very troublesome.

[0004] The present invention focuses on such a conventional problem, and provides a printing apparatus capable of cutting the roll paper appropriately without damaging the roll paper or the cutter and improving the efficiency of processing after printing. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus, comprising: a page break instructing unit for notifying a position of a page break on roll paper; Cutting means for cutting the position of the page break, print control means for printing a cut line at the position of the page break on the roll paper notified from the page break instruction means by the printing mechanism, the cutting means and the printing By giving an instruction to one of the control means,
Switching control means for cutting the roll paper or printing a cut line on the roll paper.

A second printing apparatus for achieving the above object is the first printing apparatus, which cuts the roll paper or cuts the roll paper in the first printing apparatus according to an operation of a host device or an operation of an operator. Is input, and a switch instruction input means for notifying the switch control means of the input content is provided.

A third printing apparatus for achieving the above object is any one of the first and second printing apparatuses, further comprising a thickness detecting means for detecting a thickness of the roll paper, The switching control means stores in advance a threshold value concerning the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutting means, and when the thickness of the roll paper detected by the thickness detecting means exceeds the threshold value, Instructs the print instructing means to print a cut line on the roll paper, and if the thickness of the roll paper detected by the thickness detecting means is equal to or less than the threshold, the cutting is performed. Means for instructing the means to cut the roll paper.

[0008] A fourth printing apparatus for achieving the above object is any one of the first and second printing apparatuses,
Thickness information input means for inputting the thickness information of the roll paper from a host device, wherein the switching control means previously stores a threshold value relating to the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutting means, If the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the length information exceeds the threshold value,
Instructing to print a cut line on the roll paper, and when the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information is equal to or less than the threshold value, instructing the cutting means to cut the roll paper. To be performed.

[0009] A fifth printing apparatus for achieving the above object is any one of the first and second printing apparatuses,
A thickness detection unit for detecting the thickness of the roll paper, and a hardness information input unit for inputting the hardness information of the roll paper from a host device, the switching control unit, for each hardness of the roll paper A threshold value relating to the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutting means is stored in advance, and the thickness of the roll paper detected by the thickness detection means exceeds the threshold value according to the hardness information. In this case, the print instruction unit is instructed to print a cut line on the roll paper, and the thickness of the roll paper detected by the thickness detection unit is the threshold value according to the hardness information. In the following case, the cutting means is instructed to cut the roll paper.

[0010] A sixth printing apparatus for achieving the above object is the above-mentioned first or second printing apparatus,
A roll paper information input unit for inputting hardness information and thickness information of the roll paper from a host device; and the switching control unit includes a roll paper thickness cuttable by the cutting unit for each roll paper hardness. A threshold value related to the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information exceeds the threshold value according to the hardness information. To print a cut line, and when the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information is equal to or less than the threshold value according to the hardness information, the roll paper is instructed to the cutting means. The user is instructed to disconnect.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Various embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment receives print data from a host computer 30 as a host device and prints the data on a roll paper S. A set roller 11,
A feed roller 12 for feeding the roll paper S set on the roll paper set roller 11, a print head 13 for printing on the roll paper S, a head moving mechanism 14 for moving the print head 13, and cutting the roll paper S Cutter 15
And a cutter driving mechanism 1 for driving the cutter 15
6 and the winding roller 1 for winding the printed roll paper S
7, a control circuit 20 for controlling the operation of each of the operating mechanisms 12, 13, 14, and 16, an interface circuit 25 for receiving data from the host computer 30, and a switching panel for setting whether or not to cut the roll paper S. Switch 26
And

The control circuit 20 includes a ROM in which various programs are stored and a RAM in which various data are stored.
And a CPU that executes programs and the like stored in a ROM or the like. The setting of whether to cut the roll paper S by operating the switch panel switch 26 is stored in the RAM of the control circuit 20.

In this embodiment, the cutting means has a cutter 15 and a cutter driving mechanism 16, and the page break instructing means, the printing control means and the switching control means have a control circuit 20. The switching instruction input means includes a switching panel switch 26.

Next, the control operation of the control circuit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the control circuit 20 receives the print condition data and print data sent from the host computer 30 via the interface circuit 25 (steps 1 and 2). The print condition data includes paper size data and the like.

When print data is received, the feed roller 1
2. The print head 13 and the head moving mechanism 14 are driven to print characters and the like on the roll paper S (step 3). In this printing process, the control circuit 20 sequentially determines whether or not the page is to be changed, and continues printing until the page is changed (step 4). The determination as to whether or not a page break is made based on the paper size data included in the printing condition data and the amount of roll paper fed by the feed roller 12.

When the control circuit 20 determines that a page break has been reached, the setting contents stored in the RAM of the control circuit 20 are read by operating the switch panel switch 26 (step 5), and the roll paper S is cut by the cutter 15. It is determined whether or not to perform (step 6). The operator sets the roll paper S
If the user does not want to cut the paper, the cutter 15 does not operate, and a cut line is printed by the print head 13 at a page break on the roll paper S (step 7). If the operator wants to print the roll paper S,
An operation instruction is given to the cutter driving circuit 16 to cut the page break position on the roll paper S (step 8).

As described above, in the present embodiment, if the operator determines that the roll paper S can be cut by the cutter 15, the operator selects cutting with the switch panel switch 26, and a page break on the roll paper S is performed. Is cut, and the operator determines that the cutter 15 cannot cut the roll paper S, and if the cut line is selected by the changeover panel switch 26, the roll paper S is not cut and the cut line Is printed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the roll paper S and the cutter 15 from being damaged. Further, even if the roll paper S is not cut by the cutter 15, a cut line is drawn at a page break, so that the subsequent processing becomes very easy.

In the present embodiment, the switching setting is performed by the switching panel switch 26 (switching instruction input means) provided in the printing apparatus 10. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the switching setting is performed on the printing condition setting screen of the host computer 30. You may be able to. In this case, the switching instruction from the host computer 30 is received as a part of the printing conditions when the printing conditions are received in step 1. In this case, the interface circuit 25 constitutes a switching instruction input unit.

Next, a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 4, the printing apparatus 10a according to the present embodiment is the same as the printing apparatus 10a according to the first embodiment.
Of the roll paper S
The second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment except that a thickness sensor 18 for detecting the thickness is provided.

As the thickness sensor 18, for example, even if a probe comes into contact with the roll paper S and the thickness of the roll paper S is detected based on the amount of movement of the probe, an optical signal And the like, which receives the reflected light from the roll paper S and detects the thickness of the roll paper from the deviation of the incident position of the reflected light that changes according to the thickness of the roll paper.

The memory of the control circuit 20 includes a cutter 1
The threshold value of the roll paper thickness that can be cut at 5 is stored in advance.

Next, the control operation of the control circuit 20 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, steps 11 to 14 are the same as steps 1 to 4 of the first embodiment, in which print condition data is received (step 11), print data is received (step 12), and printing (step 11). Step 13),
A page break is determined (step 14).

When the control circuit 20 determines that a page break has been reached, it reads the value of the thickness sensor 18 (step 15) and determines whether the thickness of the roll paper S exceeds the thickness threshold. (Step 16). If the thickness of the roll paper S exceeds the thickness threshold, the cut head is printed by the print head 13 at the page break on the roll paper S without operating the cutter 15 (step 17). If the thickness of the roll paper S does not exceed the thickness threshold, an operation instruction is given to the cutter driving circuit 16 to cut the page break position on the roll paper S (step 18).

As described above, in the present embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, it is possible to prevent the roll paper S and the cutter 15 from being damaged, and to cut the roll paper S with the cutter 15. If not, a cut line is drawn at the page break, making subsequent processing very easy. In this embodiment, the operator does not have to set whether or not to cut the roll paper, so that the burden on the operator can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the roll paper thickness is detected by the sensor 18, but the roll paper thickness information is received from the host computer 30, and the thickness indicated by the thickness information is compared with a threshold value. It may be determined whether or not to disconnect. In this case, the thickness information of the roll paper is supplied as a part of the printing condition data via the interface circuit 20 (thickness information input means) in step 11.
It is sent to the control circuit 25.

Next, a printing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

The hardware configuration of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the printing apparatus 10a according to the second embodiment.

However, the memory in the control circuit 20 has
The threshold map is stored as shown in FIG. In this map, the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutter 15 is stored in advance for each hardness of the roll paper, and the thickest thickness that can be cut by the cutter 15 is the threshold. . Note that, in the same figure, a mark “○” indicates that the cutting can be performed by the cutter 15.

Next, the operation of the control circuit 20 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, in steps 21 to 25, similarly to steps 11 to 15 of the second embodiment, reception of print condition data (step 21), reception of print data (step 22), and printing (step 21). Step 2
3) Perform page break determination (step 24) and read thickness sensor value (step 25). However, in step 21, paper hardness data as well as paper size data are received as print condition data.

After reading the value of the thickness sensor 18 (step 25), the control circuit 20 extracts a threshold value relating to the sheet thickness according to the sheet hardness data received in step 21 (step 26). Next, it is determined whether or not the thickness of the roll paper S exceeds a thickness threshold (step 2).
7). If the thickness of the roll paper S exceeds the thickness threshold, the cut head is printed by the print head 13 at a page break on the roll paper S without operating the cutter 15 (step 28). If the thickness of the roll paper S does not exceed the thickness threshold value, an operation instruction is given to the cutter driving circuit 16,
Cut the page break position on the roll paper S (step 2
9).

As described above, in the present embodiment, similarly to the first and second embodiments, it is possible to prevent the roll paper S and the cutter 15 from being damaged, and further, it is possible to prevent the roll paper S from being damaged by the cutter. Even when cutting is not performed at step 15, a cut line is drawn at a page break, so that subsequent processing is very easy. In this embodiment, the operator does not need to set whether or not to cut the roll paper.
The burden on the operator can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the thickness of the roll paper is also detected by the sensor 18. However, the thickness information of the roll paper is received from the host computer 30, and the thickness indicated by the thickness information is compared with a threshold value. It may be determined whether or not to disconnect. In this case, the roll paper thickness information is sent to the control circuit 20 via the interface circuit 25 (roll paper information input means) together with the paper hardness data as part of the printing condition data in step 11.

In the second and third embodiments described above, the switching panel switch 26 in the first embodiment is not provided.
This switching panel switch 26 may be provided. In this case, when the operator selects the cut line, the cut line is printed, and when the operator selects the cut, the comparison result between the sheet thickness and the threshold is given priority over the selection of the operator. It is preferable to determine whether to cut or print the cutout line based on the cut. This is to prevent the cutter and the roll paper from being damaged by attempting to cut the roll paper that cannot be cut due to an operator's selection error.

[0040]

According to the present invention, roll paper that can be cut by the cutting device is cut by the cutting device, and cut lines are printed on the roll paper that cannot be cut by the cutting device. The efficiency of post-printing processing can be improved without damaging the cutter or cutter.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of a control circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a print condition setting screen of a host computer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of a control circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a threshold map according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a control operation of a control circuit according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 10a Printing device 11 Roll paper set roller 12 Feed roller 13 Print head 14 Head moving mechanism 15 Cutter 16 Cutter driving mechanism 17 Winding roller 18 Thickness sensor 20 Control circuit 25 Interface Circuit 26: Switching panel switch 30: Host computer

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus comprising a printing mechanism for performing printing on roll paper, comprising: a page break instruction unit for notifying a position of a page break on the roll paper; and the roll notified from the page break instruction unit. Cutting means for cutting the position of a page break on paper; printing control means for causing the printing mechanism to print a cut line at the position of the page break on the roll paper notified from the page break instruction means; A printing control means for giving an instruction to one of the printing control means and cutting the roll paper or printing a cut line on the roll paper. . 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein whether the roll paper is cut or a cut line is printed on the roll paper is input from a host device or according to an operation of an operator. A printing apparatus, comprising: a switch instruction input unit for notifying the switch control unit of the content. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a thickness detecting unit that detects a thickness of the roll paper, wherein the switching control unit is capable of cutting by the cutting unit. A threshold value for the thickness of the roll paper is stored in advance, and when the thickness of the roll paper detected by the thickness detection means exceeds the threshold value, the print instruction means is An instruction is issued to print a cut line on the roll paper, and when the thickness of the roll paper detected by the thickness detecting means is equal to or smaller than the threshold value, the cutting means cuts the roll paper. A printing device. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a thickness information input unit configured to input thickness information of the roll paper from a host device. A threshold value regarding the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutting means is stored in advance, and when the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information exceeds the threshold value, Instructing the cutting means to cut the roll paper when the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information is equal to or less than the threshold value. A printing device for instructing. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thickness information of the roll paper is detected, and hardness information of the roll paper is input from a host device. Hardness information input means, wherein the switching control means stores in advance a threshold value relating to the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutting means for each hardness of the roll paper, and detects the thickness by the thickness detection means. If the obtained thickness of the roll paper exceeds the threshold value according to the hardness information, the print instruction unit is instructed to print a cut line on the roll paper, When the thickness of the roll paper detected by the detection means is equal to or less than the threshold value according to the hardness information, the control unit instructs the cutting means to cut the roll paper. Printing device. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: roll paper information input means for inputting hardness information and thickness information of the roll paper from a host device. The means stores in advance a threshold value relating to the thickness of the roll paper that can be cut by the cutting means for each hardness of the roll paper, and the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information corresponds to the hardness information. If the threshold value is exceeded, the print instruction unit is instructed to print a cut line on the roll paper, and the thickness of the roll paper indicated by the thickness information is included in the hardness information. If the value is equal to or less than the corresponding threshold value, the printing apparatus instructs the cutting means to cut the roll paper.