JP2002307784A - Printer with sequential number issuance mode - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer having a sequentially number issuance mode which can achieve saving resources by eliminating waste in forming labels. SOLUTION: The label printer 1 has a sequential number printing function part 6 for attaching a sequential number obtained by addition or subtraction to a number printed to the label 5 to a label 5 to be issued next. In the label printer 1, there is set a reissue/stop key 12a whereby it can be selected whether to continue sequential numbers, and the sequential number printing function part 6 is provided at the sequential number issuance mode. When continuing sequential numbers is selected, the sequential number printing function part 6 carries out again sequentially printing a numeral calculated by adding/ subtracting an integer to a last number when printing sequential numbers ends. When not continuing sequential numbers is selected, the sequential number printing function part 6 repeatedly prints the final number when printing sequential numbers ends.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer with a serial number issuing mode which can contribute to resource saving.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer apparatus for printing on a label includes a conveying means for conveying the label, a printing means for printing on the label, and a cutting means at a predetermined interval downstream of the conveying means. Are mainly provided. The transport, printing, and cutting of these labels are controlled by a control unit provided in the printer. As such a printer device, there is known a printer device having a serial number printing function of adding a continuous number obtained by adding or subtracting an arbitrary integer to or from a number printed on a label to a label to be issued next. .

However, in such a conventional printer, the number of labels becomes insufficient after printing, for example, "1, 2, 3" by using the serial number printing function, and the number of labels becomes "4, 4" again. When it is necessary to print "5, 6", there is a problem that it is necessary to print again "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6" and the first "1". For this reason, the labels printed with "1, 2, 3" are created two by two, and the labels are wasted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer with a serial number issuing mode which can solve the above-mentioned problems and can save resources by eliminating waste of label production.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a continuous number obtained by adding and subtracting an integer to and from a number printed on a label is issued next. In a printer device having a serial number printing function unit for performing serial number printing on labels to be provided, an input key capable of selecting whether or not to continue the serial number is provided, and the serial number printing function unit When is selected, the serial number printing is performed again by performing the serial number printing of the number calculated by adding and subtracting the integer to the last number when the serial number printing is completed, and when the not to continue the serial number is selected, The printer device is provided with a serial number issuance mode, which has a serial number issuance mode for repeatedly printing the last number when printing is completed. According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the serial number is being printed or when the printing of the serial number is completed, the input key is selected and pressed in the serial number issuing mode provided in the serial number printing function unit. When the serial number continuation is selected, the serial number printing of the number calculated by adding or subtracting the integer to the last number at the end of the serial number printing is performed again. If the number is not to be continued, the last number at the time of termination is repeatedly printed. For this reason, the serial number printing is performed first, followed by the number printed until it stops,
Since you can create labels with serial numbers printed,
It is possible to contribute to resource saving without wasting the label printed first.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3
1 shows a printer with a serial number issuing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the overall configuration will be described.
In the printer of this embodiment, the control unit 2 of the label printer 1 as a printer for printing the label 5
In addition to the normal mode in which the label 5 is printed based on the input print data, a continuous number obtained by adding or subtracting an integer to or from the number printed on the label 5 is issued next. A serial number issuance mode for label 5 is provided. The print data includes the type and size of the label, characters and figures to be printed on the label 5, a bar code (hereinafter, referred to as characters, etc.), the typeface of the characters to be printed on the label, and the size of the characters to be printed on the label. As shown in FIG. 3, the label printer 1 is provided with an input key unit 12 composed of numeric keys and the like, and a display unit 13 composed of a liquid crystal panel and the like. ing. Of these, the input key section 12 is provided with a reissue / stop key 12a as an input key capable of selecting whether or not to continue the serial number when the serial number printing is completed.
It is connected to the control unit 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 2 mainly includes a ROM (Read Only Memory).
ory) 14, RAM (Random Access)
Memory) 15, CPU (Central Pro)
sessing Unit) 16 is provided. Among them, the RAM 15 is provided with a serial number printing function unit 6 for adding a continuous number obtained by adding one to the number printed on the label 5 to the label 5 to be issued next. The control unit 2 includes a motor control unit 18 that controls a motor 17 that rotationally drives a platen roller as a conveyance unit.
Is provided. The label 5 is configured to be conveyed by being inserted between a thermal head 19 as a printing unit and a platen roller (not shown). The thermal head 19 is provided with a plurality of heating elements capable of performing gradation printing in accordance with the strength of the applied voltage. The control unit 2 is provided with a print control unit 20 that is connected to the thermal head 19 and controls printing by changing the applied voltage. The CPU 16 and each of these circuit units 20, 1
8 is connected by a data bus and a control bus. Further, the ROM 14 stores in advance control programs for various units (not shown) of the label printer 1, various fixed data, control table data necessary for controlling each unit of the label printer 1, IO constants, and the like. RAM1
In 5, the print data and each mode instruction information of the execution process are supplied and temporarily stored. This RAM1
5, the reissue / stop key 12a
If the serial number continuation is selected by pushing down, the serial number printing of the number calculated by adding or subtracting any integer to the last number when the serial number printing is completed is performed again, and If it is selected that the serial number is not to be continued, a transition is made to a reissue mode in which the last number when serial number printing is completed is repeatedly printed. CPU16
Then, a rotation drive control signal is generated based on the control program stored in the ROM 14, and the rotation drive control signal is supplied to the motor control unit 18. In the motor control unit 18,
The transport of the label 5 is controlled by controlling the rotation of the platen roller by the motor 17 based on the rotation drive control signal. Also, CPU
At 16, a print control signal is generated based on the print data stored in the RAM 15, and the print control signal is supplied to the print control unit 20. The print control unit 20 supplied with the print control signal from the CPU 16 drives the thermal head 19 based on the print control signal, and
Is configured to perform printing. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, when serial number printing is started in Step 1, the print control unit 20 supplied with the print control signal from the CPU 16 drives the thermal head 19 based on this print control signal to perform printing on the label 5. The printed label 5 uses a platen roller that is rotationally driven by a motor 17 under the control of the motor control unit 18.
The next label 5 is moved to a printable position on the thermal head 19. When the label 5 is positioned at a printable position of the thermal head 19, the serial number printing function unit 6 of the RAM 15 adds +1 to the printed number, and adds the next printed number to the serial number of the previously printed number. Number. And S
In step 2, by repeating this printing and transporting, for example, serial numbers "1, 2, 3" are printed on three labels, and the printing stops. In Step 3, printing of serial numbers for the number of sheets input first is completed, and if reprinting is required due to additional sheets or printing failure, the reissue / stop key 12
When “a” is selected and pressed, the mode shifts to the reissue mode. In Step 4, a selection is made as to whether to continue the serial number or to ignore it. If “continuation of serial number” is selected in Step 4, the process proceeds to Step 5, and the next Step 6
After the first reissue key is pressed, the value of the number of prints is added to the data at the start of the serial number, and one label 5 is issued. After the second reissue / stop key 12a is pressed, an integer 1 is added (+1) to the value calculated after the first reissue key is pressed, and one label 5 is issued. In this way, the integer number 1 is added to the last number when the serial number printing is completed, and the serial number printing of the calculated numbers is performed again. In other words, after stopping at "1, 2, 3", each time the reissue / stop key 12a is pressed, "4",
"5", "6" ... are printed. Therefore, the serial number printing is performed first, and the number “3” printed before the stop is performed.
, A label 5 on which serial numbers “4”, “5”, “6”... Are printed can be created, and the first printed number “1”,
It is possible to contribute to resource saving without wasting the labels 5 of “2” and “3”. For example, when a plurality of products are piled up in a product display shelf or basket at a supermarket, etc., the label serial number is printed slightly smaller than the expected number of products, and then the serial number is continued for the shortage of products. By issuing additional labels according to the above, it is possible to issue labels with serial numbers printed in the same number as the number of products. Serial number printing for a certain number is performed, and when serial number printing is completed, additional printing is performed to continue the serial number and prevent the occurrence of surplus and insufficient labels. In addition, when the number of print digits is 3 digits and the print data is “999” in the addition serial number, +1
In addition, the subtraction is configured to be “000”, and the subtraction is configured to be “999” by −1 in the case of “000”. If "ignore" is selected in Step 4, the process proceeds to Step 7, and in the next Step 8,
One label 5 is issued in which the value at the start of the serial number and the value obtained by performing the calculation of (number of prints-1) is added as a number. On the Step 7 side, when re-issuing again,
When the reissue key is pressed for the first time, the calculated value continues to be printed. Therefore, when "ignore" is selected, the last number at the time of termination is repeatedly printed.
That is, after stopping at “1, 2, 3”, each time the reissue key 12a is pressed, “3”, “3”, “3”,.
Is printed. Therefore, even when the last number “3” is printed and the ink runs out and the print becomes lighter, the label “3” can be issued again after the ink is replaced, so that the usability is good. As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and even if there is a design change within a range that does not change the gist of the present invention, Included in the present invention.
For example, in the embodiment, when the reissue key 12a is pressed,
It is configured to add the integer 1, but if it is an integer, it is configured to add not only positive integers but also negative integers such as 2, 3, 4,. Is also good. In this case, it is the same as the subtraction, and the label 5 having the number immediately before the number at which the serial number printing is stopped can be issued, so that the usability is further improved. In this embodiment, the reissue key 1
Although the label 5 printed one by one is issued each time 2a is pressed, the present invention is not particularly limited to this. May be issued. Further, the input key unit 12 is configured by a numeric keypad independent of the liquid crystal panel of the display unit 13. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a liquid crystal panel as a display unit and a touch panel as an input key unit are integrally provided. It is a matter of course that it may be possible. In this embodiment, the case where the label printer 1 is used alone has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the label 5 may be connected to a host computer via an interface unit, and the label 5 may be printed based on the input print data under the control of a controller of the host computer.

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
When the serial number printing is completed, the reissue / stop key is selected and pressed in the serial number issuing mode provided in the serial number printing function unit, and the serial number continuation is selected. If the serial number printing is completed, the last number at the end of the serial number printing is added and subtracted by an integer, and the serial number printing of the number calculated is performed again. The last number is printed repeatedly. For this reason, it is possible to create a label with a serial number printed next to the number printed before the serial number printing is performed and then stopped, so that the first printed label is wasted. In addition, a practically useful effect of contributing to resource saving can be exhibited.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printer device with a serial number issuing mode according to an embodiment of the present invention and illustrating a configuration of a control unit.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a printer with a serial number issuing mode according to the embodiment and illustrating an operation order in the serial number issuing mode.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a printer with a serial number issuing mode according to the embodiment and illustrating an overall configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 label printer (printer device) 6 serial number printing function part 12a reissue / stop key (input key)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printer device having a serial number printing function unit for performing serial number printing of a continuous number obtained by adding and subtracting an integer to and from a number printed on a label. In addition to providing an input key capable of selecting whether or not to continue the serial number, the serial number printing function unit sets an integer as the last number when the serial number printing is completed when the serial number printing is selected. A serial number issue mode is provided to repeat the serial number printing of the numbers calculated by performing the addition and subtraction of the number, and to repeatedly print the last number when the serial number printing is completed if the user does not select to continue the serial number. A printer with a serial number issuing mode.