JP2002079699A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer wherein an optimum application energy corresponding to direct thermal printing or thermal transfer printing using an ink ribbon is surely switched, thereby improving the printing quality. SOLUTION: In the printer, a voltage corresponding to the direct thermal printing or the thermal transfer printing using the ink ribbon is alternatively applied to a thermal head 6. A thermal transfer ink ribbon unit 3 is detachably attached to a device body 1 and it is detected whether or not the thermal transfer ink ribbon unit 3 is attached. The voltage suitable for the thermal transfer printing is selected based on the detected signal to be applied to the thermal head 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer,
The present invention relates to a printer that switches a voltage corresponding to direct thermal printing and ink ribbon thermal transfer printing and applies the voltage to a thermal head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a thermal printer is used for a printer and a thermal printer directly prints on the thermal paper (direct thermal printing), a thermal transfer ink ribbon is used and printing is performed on the paper via the thermal transfer ink ribbon. (Ink ribbon thermal transfer printing). These two selections are made manually by a changeover switch.

Incidentally, the applied energy to the thermal head is different between direct thermal printing and ink ribbon thermal transfer printing. For example, direct thermal printing requires larger applied energy. If the ink ribbon thermal transfer printing is performed in the direct thermal printing state, that is, in the state where the applied energy of the thermal head is large, due to erroneous operation of the changeover switch, the applied energy to the thermal head becomes too large, and appropriate print quality can be obtained. May not be.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to reliably switch the optimum applied energy corresponding to each of direct thermal printing and ink ribbon thermal transfer printing. It is another object of the present invention to provide a printer capable of improving print quality.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printer in which a voltage corresponding to direct thermal printing or ink ribbon thermal transfer printing is switched and applied to a thermal head. The ink ribbon unit is detachably disposed, and the state in which the thermal transfer ink ribbon unit is mounted is detected,
A voltage suitable for the ink ribbon thermal transfer printing is selected based on the detection signal and applied to the thermal head.

According to the present invention, the thermal transfer ink ribbon is unitized and mounted on the apparatus main body, and the fact that the thermal transfer ink ribbon unit is mounted on the main body is confirmed by a sensor or the like. Since the voltage applied to the head is reduced, it is not necessary to apply an excessive voltage to the thermal head in the case of ink ribbon thermal transfer printing. Accordingly, it is possible to apply optimum applied energy corresponding to each of the case of direct thermal printing and the case of thermal transfer printing of ink ribbon, and it is possible to improve the printing quality.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a printer according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 conceptually shows a printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a control procedure of the thermal head.

This printer can perform ink ribbon thermal transfer printing (hereinafter referred to as thermal transfer printing) and direct thermal printing (hereinafter referred to as direct printing).

In this printer, a paper roll 2 in which a paper A is wound in a roll shape is loaded in an apparatus main body 1.

The printer also includes a thermal transfer ink ribbon unit (hereinafter, referred to as an ink ribbon unit) 3 which is detachably held on the apparatus main body 1. The ink ribbon unit 3 includes a thermal transfer ink ribbon (hereinafter, referred to as an ink ribbon unit).
An ink ribbon supply reel 4a in which B is wound in a roll shape and a reel 4b for winding the ink ribbon B are provided.

When direct printing is performed by this printer, the paper A is pulled out from the paper roll 2, the leading end thereof is guided between the platen roller 5 and the thermal head 6, and the paper A is set by the platen roller 5. Is printed by the thermal head 6 while moving.

When performing thermal transfer printing, the ink ribbon unit 3 is attached to the apparatus main body 1 and the reel 4a
The ink ribbon B fed out of the printer is wound around the reel 4b through the space between the platen roller 5 and the thermal head 6. On the other hand, a paper roll 2 in which the paper A is wound in a roll shape is loaded in the apparatus main body 1, and the leading end of the paper A is guided between the platen roller 5 and the thermal head 6 and set. Then, while the paper A is moved by the platen roller 5 and the ink ribbon B is wound on the reel 4b,
Printing is performed on the paper A via the ink ribbon B by the thermal head 6.

The printer is provided with a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the ink ribbon unit 3, for example, a photo sensor 7. And the signal of the sensor 7 is
It is input to the CPU 8a of the control unit 8, and the CPU 8a determines the presence or absence of the ink ribbon unit 3. Then, the voltage applied to the thermal head 6 is determined by the thermal head controller 8 based on the presence or absence of the ink ribbon unit 3.

The control procedure in the control section 8 will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

When the power is turned on (step 11), a printing standby state is set (step 12). Then, the presence or absence of the ink ribbon unit 3 is determined (step 13).
If it is confirmed in step 13 that the ink ribbon unit 3 does not exist, the control unit 8 sets the applied energy for direct printing (step 1).
4). In step 13, the ink ribbon unit 3
Is confirmed, it is further confirmed whether or not the direct print switch 9 is in the OFF state (step 1).
5) If the direct print switch 9 is ON, the applied energy for direct printing is set (step 1).
4) When the direct print switch 9 is OFF,
The transfer printing applied energy is set by the control unit 8 (step 16). Then, in either case, printing is started (step 17). This state continues until the print end signal is sent from the control unit 8, and ends with the print end signal (step 18) (step 19).

In the above embodiment, step 15
, A control for forcibly performing direct printing by a manual operation is inserted. If you do this,
Direct printing can be performed while the ink ribbon unit 3 is mounted on the apparatus main body 1.

In the above embodiment, the photo sensor 7
Although the presence of the ink ribbon unit 3 is directly confirmed by the user, for example, when the plug of the ink ribbon unit 3 is inserted into the outlet of the apparatus main body 1 without directly confirming the presence of the ink ribbon unit 3, The presence of the ink ribbon unit 3 may be confirmed by an activated switch.

[0019]

As described above, according to the printer of the present invention, the thermal transfer ink ribbon is unitized and mounted on the apparatus main body, and the thermal transfer ink ribbon unit is mounted on the main body. Is checked by a sensor or the like, and thereby the voltage applied to the thermal head is reduced. Therefore, in the case of thermal transfer printing of the ink ribbon, an excessive voltage is not applied to the thermal head. Accordingly, it is possible to apply the optimum applied energy corresponding to each of the case of the direct thermal printing and the case of the thermal transfer printing of the ink ribbon, and it is possible to improve the printing quality.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a printer according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a thermal head of the printer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Device body, 2 ... Paper roll, 3 ... Thermal transfer ink ribbon unit, 4a ... Ink ribbon delivery reel, 4b
... Ink ribbon take-up reel, 5 ... Platen roller,
6: thermal head, 7: sensor, 8: control unit, 8a ...
CPU, 8b: thermal head driver, 9: direct print switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer in which a voltage corresponding to direct thermal printing or ink ribbon thermal transfer printing is switched and applied to a thermal head, a thermal transfer ink ribbon unit is detachably provided in an apparatus main body, and the thermal transfer ink ribbon is provided. A printer wherein a state in which a unit is mounted is detected, and a voltage suitable for the ink ribbon thermal transfer printing is selected based on the detection signal and applied to a thermal head.