JP2002361954A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To highly accurately position a printing medium to a printing part by preventing a displacement of the printing medium. SOLUTION: A transfer control circuit 21 has a means which sends a label paper 1 in an opposite direction when a separation sensor 9 detects that the label paper 1 is transferred to a separation point on a transfer path 4 and a label 3a of the leading end side is taken out of a mount 2 and when the detection signal is received via a separation detection circuit 32, and sends back and returns a label 3b to be printed next to a detection position of a pitch sensor 5, and a means which drives a transfer motor 22 forward after the label 3b is returned, thereby transferring the label paper 1 to a thermal head 6 and positioning a printing start position of the label paper 1 to be printed 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 label printer, and more particularly to an improvement in conveyance of a printing medium suitable for positioning a printing medium at a predetermined position with respect to a printing unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional label printer is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1C, for example, a label paper 1 with a plurality of labels 3a, 3b, 3c... 3n (not shown) is temporarily attached on a mount 2 as a print medium. In FIG. 2A, the leading end side of the backing paper 2 passes through a pitch sensor 5, a thermal head 6 as a printing unit and a platen roller 7 on the transport path 4, a peeling pin 8 at a peeling point, and a Z direction from the right side. Has been drawn to.

In this label printer, when the first label 3a on the mount 2 is printed by the thermal head 6 while being transported in the forward direction, the mount 2 is bent at a sharp angle in the Z direction. Along with the transport of the label 2 in the forward direction, the label 3a is sent out in the Y direction while being peeled off from the backing sheet 2, and stops. At this time, the first printed label 3
a, the second label 3b to be printed, and the third label 3c have the positional relationship shown in FIG. 4B on the transport path 4, and the leading end side of the second label 3b is It is in a state of being transported to the peeling pin 8 side which is a peeling point on the transport path 4.

When the printed label 3a is taken out by a user (or a take-out roller or the like),
When the peeling sensor 9 detects that the label 3a has run out, the label paper 1 with the backing paper is conveyed in the reverse direction as shown in FIG. The label 3b is printed by the thermal head 6 when the label paper 1 with the backing paper is further transported in the forward direction.

In this way, when the second label 3b is printed while being transported in the forward direction and reaches the peeling pin 8, the same operation as in the case of the first label 3a shown in FIG. And is sent out in the Y direction while being peeled off from the backing paper 2. Further, when the label 3b is taken out by the user or the like, the peeling sensor 9 detects the label 3b, so that the next label 3c is returned in the opposite direction by the distance a, as in the case of the label 3b described above. Will be printed.

In this type of label printer, the platen roller 7 is driven by a transport motor (not shown) constituted by a stepping motor, and the transport of the label paper 1 with the backing paper is all performed based on the number of steps of the transport motor. The transfer is controlled.

[0007]

By the way, the conventional label printer, when transporting the label paper 1 with the backing paper, firstly
When the detection sensor (see FIG. 3) provided on the label paper 1 with the backing paper is detected by the pitch sensor 5, the label 3a on the leading end side is printed while being conveyed, and the label 3b to be printed next is printed. After being conveyed by a preset amount (the number of steps) to the peeling point as shown by the arrow b, the printed label 3a on the leading end side is taken out.
This time, the label 3b is once fed backward by the distance a and returned to the point A, and then printed while being sent again in the forward direction, and the amount of movement to such a peeling point and the peeling point All of the return amounts from to the point A are transported based on the number of steps.

However, when the label paper 1 with the backing paper is conveyed in the reverse direction, the load in the label conveyance is different from that when the label paper 1 with the backing paper is conveyed in the forward direction. However, there is a problem in that the print position cannot be accurately positioned with respect to the print portion, and the print position varies. Such a problem occurs when the outer diameter of the label paper 1 with the backing sheet wound in a roll shape is reduced from a large state to a small state, or when the diameter of the ink ribbon used as the printing unit changes, the load on the transport system is reduced. Not only occurs due to the change, but also when the label paper 1 with the mount is transported in the reverse direction, the slip of the label paper 1 with the mount increases due to the mechanical load of the transport system.

In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to increase the torque of the motor and reduce the transport speed of the label paper 1 with the backing paper. However, doing so causes a problem such as a reduction in the processing speed. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a label printer which can position a printing medium with high accuracy without variation with respect to a printing unit, and can thereby improve the printing accuracy of the printing medium.

[0011]

Means for Solving the Problems To solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means. In the present invention, a transport path of a print medium on which a plurality of labels are temporarily attached on a backing paper, a printing unit installed on the transport path and sequentially printing on each label of the print medium, and an upstream of a print unit on the transport path Side, and a pitch sensor that detects a detection mark for transport control provided on the print medium, and a label that is installed at a peeling point downstream of the printing portion on the transport path and the printed label is removed from the backing paper A peeling sensor for detecting that the print medium is printed on the printing medium, the label printer including a transport control circuit for controlling the transport of the printing medium on the transport path based on the detection of the pitch sensor and the peeling sensor. When the label is sent to the outlet of the transport path and the next label to be printed is transported to the peeling point, the printed label is removed. Means that the leading edge of the label to be printed next is returned from the peeling point to the detection position of the pitch sensor by returning the leading end of the label to be printed next, and the label to be printed. Means for transporting the leading end of the printing section in a forward direction to a predetermined position of the printing section.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main part of a transport path showing an embodiment of a label printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device of the label printer, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship with a label sheet. As shown in FIG. 1, the label printer of this embodiment uses, as a print medium, a label paper 1 with a plurality of labels 3 temporarily attached on a mount 2, and the label paper 1 with the mount is used in the label printer. Is transported on a transport path 4 provided in the printer. In the case of the label paper 1 with the backing paper, FIG.
As shown in (b) and (c), a detection mark 11 for conveyance control is provided on the back of the backing paper 2. A plurality of detection marks 11 on the mount 2 are provided in accordance with the number of each label 3, and the position is set relatively to the label 3. Hereinafter, the label paper 1 with a backing sheet is simply referred to as the label paper 1. In FIG. 3, among the labels 3, the upstream label is the label 3a, and the downstream labels are the labels 3b, 3c,. (Not shown).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 (a), the transport path 4 includes a passage 4a having a desired length, and an outlet 4c and an intake passage 4b provided at a separation point at a downstream end of the passage 4a. And In this case, the intake passage 4
b is formed at an acute angle to the passage 4a of the transport path 4. A peeling pin 8 is provided at a peeling point on the downstream side of the passage 4a.

Then, the label 3a on the leading end side (first sheet) on the label paper 1 is printed while being transported in the forward direction,
3A and 3B, when the sheet 2 is conveyed to the peeling point side of the passage 4a, the backing sheet 2 of the label paper 1 is bent by the peeling pin 8 and guided to the take-in passage 4b side. , Label 3a on the front end side from mount 2
While being gradually peeled off from the tip, is sent out in the direction of the outlet 4c and stops. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3B, the leading end of the next unprinted label 3b is moved as the label 3a on the leading end side is sent out while being peeled off at the outlet 4c and stopped. It is designed to be transported to the peeling point.

On the transport path 4, a thermal head 6 and a platen roller 7 as a printing unit, a pitch sensor 5 installed upstream of the thermal head 6 and a platen roller 7, and the peeling pin installed at a peeling point of the transport path 4 8 and a peeling sensor 9. The thermal head 6 is, as shown in FIG.
A predetermined position of the label 3 to be printed on the label paper 1 is heated to print necessary data, and the platen roller 7 rotates and conveys the label paper 1 by sandwiching the label paper 1 with the thermal head 6. .

The pitch sensor 5 detects a detection mark 11 provided on the back surface of the backing paper 2 of the label paper 1 in order to control the transport of the label paper 1. It is composed of
The peeling pins 8 take in the backing paper 2 of the label paper 1 from the passage 4a and guide it to the passage 4b, whereby the label 3 temporarily attached and printed on the backing paper 2 can be peeled off from the leading end. .

When the printed label 3 is sent out in a state of being peeled to the take-out port 4c, and is taken out by a user (or a conveying roller) or the like, the peeling sensor 9 detects the printed label 3 when it is taken out. Type. Then, the pitch sensor 5 and the peeling sensor 9
Based on this detection, a transport control circuit 21, which will be described later, drives a transport motor 22, as shown in FIG. 2, so that the label paper 1 can be transported.

As shown in FIG. 2, such a transport control circuit 21 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) 2.
3 is connected via a data bus 24, and controls the transport of the transport motor 22 based on a command from the CPU 23. The transport motor 22 is constituted by a stepping motor.

The CPU 23 has a data bus 24 and a ROM 25 and a RAM 2 in addition to the transport control circuit 21.
6 is connected, and a display unit circuit 27 for performing a display necessary for the operation is connected. Further, a pitch detection circuit 28, an error detection circuit 29, a thermal head circuit 30, a cutter control circuit 31, and a peeling detection circuit 32 are respectively connected. It is connected. When the pitch sensor 5 detects the detection mark 11 provided on the label sheet 1, the pitch detection circuit 28
Select the number of pitches required to convey label paper 1 and CPU
By sending it to 23, the transport control circuit 21 controls the transport motor 22 based on the pitch number.

The error detection circuit 29 is provided at the paper end 3
When it is detected that the paper has run out by 3 and when it is detected by the ribbon end 34 that the ink ribbon has run to the end end, the fact is outputted to the CPU 23. In this case, the CPU 23 causes the display unit (not shown) to display the fact via the display unit circuit 27. Therefore, this label printer is adapted to the case where the thermal head 6 is used as a printing unit. Depending on the label material to be used, the printing portion may be thermally transferred to a normal label using an ink ribbon, or may be directly printed using thermochromic thermal paper.

When data to be printed is input from the CPU 23, the thermal head circuit 30 controls each dot portion of the thermal head 6 based on the data. The cutter control circuit 31 operates the cutter 35 when the thermal paper is printed and discharged, for example, when using thermal paper in which one sheet of paper is wound in a roll shape as a print medium. Cuts the thermal paper.

When one sheet of thermal paper is used as the thermal paper, the leading end of the thermal paper is printed on the transport path 4 by the thermal head 6, and
When the printed portion is transported in the direction of the outlet 4c and cut by a cutter (not shown) provided at a specific position on the transport path 4, the remaining leading end of the roll-shaped thermal paper is removed. The label paper is returned by a predetermined distance from the peeling point at the specific position, and is conveyed in the forward direction and printed therefrom. Therefore, it is conveyed along the same locus as the label paper 1.

The peeling detection circuit 32 functions when the label paper 1 is used. When the peeling sensor 9 detects that the label 3 has been taken out, the CPU 23 detects the detected content. Thereby, the CPU 23 operates the transport control circuit 21 based on the signal from the peeling detection circuit 32. Further, host data is input to the data bus 24 from a higher-level device such as a personal computer via the interface circuit 36, and a CP is generated based on the host data.
U23 performs various processes by selectively controlling each of the above circuits.

In this embodiment, FIG.
As shown in (a) and (b), the printed label 3a on the label paper 1 is sent to the outlet 4c, and the leading end of the next unprinted label 3b is transported to the peeling point. When the label 3a on the front end side is taken out and the peeling sensor 9 detects the label 3a, the transport control circuit 21 moves the next unprinted label 3b to the distance B as shown in FIG. The pitch sensor 5 moves the detection mark 1 on the leading end side of the label 3b.
1 is detected, and the label 3b is stopped.
The label 3b is transported in the forward direction by the distance C so that the printing start position of the label 3b is positioned at a desired position with respect to the thermal head 6.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3B, the transport control circuit 21 controls the label 3a printed on the transport path 4.
When the peeling sensor 9 detects that the label paper 1 has been taken out, and receives the detection signal of the peeling sensor 9 via the peeling detection circuit 32, the label paper 1 is sent in the reverse direction by driving the transport motor 22 in the reverse direction. Label 3b to be printed on
Means for returning the leading end of the label paper 1 to the detection position of the pitch sensor 5 and returning the leading end of the label paper 1 by the distance B, and then, after returning the label 3b, the transport motor 22 is driven forward to rotate the leading end of the label paper 1. And a means for transporting the label C by a distance C in the forward direction so as to position the printing start position of the label paper 3b at a predetermined position with respect to the thermal head 6.

Since the label printer according to the embodiment is configured as described above, its operation will be described below.
First, in operation, it is assumed that the label paper 1 is used, the label paper 1 is set on the transport path 4 in the label printer in advance, and data to be printed is also input to the CPU 23. In this state, when the label printer is driven, as shown in FIG.
The transfer control circuit 21 is controlled by the transfer motor 22
, The label paper 1 is sequentially conveyed and printed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3B.

At the time of the transport, the label 3a on the leading end side of the label paper 1 is printed, and the label paper 1 is transported to the peeling pin 8 side of the peeling point, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the label 3a is sent to the outlet 4c along the Y direction while the label 3a is peeled from the backing paper 2. At this time, the label 3b next to the printed and peeled label 3a moves along with the transport of the leading label 3a, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the sheet is conveyed in the forward direction through the pitch sensor 5 and the thermal head 6 to the peeling pin 8 side of the peeling point.

In this state, when the printed and peeled label 3a is removed by a user (or a transport roller or the like) and the peel sensor 9 detects that the label 3a has been removed, the transport control is performed. When the circuit 21 operates, the entire label paper 1 is transported in the reverse direction, and the leading end of the label 3b to be printed next is reversely fed as shown in FIG. At this time, when the pitch sensor 5 detects the detection mark 11 provided on the front end side of the label 3b to be printed on the backing paper 2, the reverse feeding of the label 3b is stopped, and then the label 3b is moved from that position.
After b is conveyed toward the thermal head 6 by the distance C in the forward direction and positioned, the label 3b is printed.

When the label 3b is printed and sent out while being peeled off the take-out port 4c and stopped, the next label 3c to be printed is similarly conveyed to the peeling point, and then the label 3b is taken out. , Label 3c is conveyed along the same trajectory as label 3b,
In this way, the subsequent labels are sequentially transported, printed, peeled, and taken out in a similar manner.

As a result, when the printed label 3a is taken out, the next label 3b to be printed is sent backward and returns to the detection position of the pitch sensor 5, so that the type of load due to the difference in the transport direction is related. The deviation that occurs from
Since the payment is made and the label 3b is newly transported in the forward direction with a predetermined number of steps, the label paper is transported in the forward direction and the reverse direction simply based on the pitch according to the set distance as in the prior art. In comparison, it is not affected by slippage or the like at the time of reverse feeding, and can be accurately positioned with respect to the thermal head 6, and can be positioned with high accuracy without variation in the printing start position of the label 3b.

Further, since the label paper 1 is transported to the position of the thermal head 6 in a sequential feed, even if an error occurs during the transport of the distance therebetween, the error is a very small value, which is a problematic level. It will not lead to an error.

In this embodiment, the transport control circuit 2
1 indicates that the label 3b to be printed is on the transport path 4 as described above.
After being transported to the upper peeling point, the label paper 1 is sent in the reverse direction, and the label 3b to be printed next is sent back to the position of the pitch sensor 5 and returned. When the label 3b returns, This time, means for transporting the label paper 1 in the forward direction toward the thermal head 6 and transporting the label paper 1 so as to position the printing start position of the label paper 1 at a predetermined position on the thermal head 6 are provided. In this case, the label paper 1 can be accurately conveyed.

In the illustrated embodiment, FIG.
As shown in (c), an example is shown in which the pitch sensor 5 returns the label 3 by detecting the detection mark 11 on the backing sheet 2, but as shown in FIG. , The gap between the label 3b and the label 3c can be detected.
The same effect can be obtained even if the configuration is made to return b. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, an example in which the label paper 1 corresponding to the thermal head 6 is used has been described. However, similar effects can be obtained when paper corresponding to the ink ribbon is used.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a printed label is sent out and a printing medium to be printed next is sequentially fed to a peeling point on a transport path, printing is performed. When the label is taken out, return the leading end of the label to be printed next to the detection position of the pitch sensor, and then print the print medium by sequentially moving the print start position of the print medium toward the print unit. The position of the print medium to be printed is prevented from shifting with respect to the print section, and the print medium can be positioned accurately. As a result, the printing precision can be improved without variation in print precision. There is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of a transport path showing an embodiment of a label printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device of the label printer.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between each component on a transport path and a label sheet with a backing sheet.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a main part showing the contents of conveyance of a conventional label printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Label paper with mount 2 Mount 3 Mark 21 Transport control circuit 22 Transport motor 23 Central processing unit (CPU) 24 Data bus 25 ROM 26 RAM 27 Display circuit 28 Pitch detection circuit 29 Error detection circuit 30 Thermal head circuit 31 Cutter control circuit 32 Peeling detection circuit 33 Paper end 34 Ribbon end 35 Cutter 36 Interface circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transport path for a print medium on which a plurality of labels are temporarily attached on a backing paper, a printing section provided on the transport path and sequentially printing on each label of the print medium, and a printing section on the transport path. A pitch sensor that is installed on the upstream side and detects a detection mark for conveyance control provided on the print medium,
The print medium is transported on the transport path based on the detection of the peel sensor, the pitch sensor, and the peel sensor that are installed at the peeling point downstream of the printing section on the transport path and detect that the printed label is removed from the backing paper. In a label printer comprising a transport control circuit for controlling, the transport control circuit, while the printed label of the print medium is sent out to the outlet of the transport path, the next label to be printed was transported to the peeling point In the state, when the peeling sensor detects that the printed label has been taken out, the leading end of the label to be printed next passes from the peeling point to the detection position of the pitch sensor through the printing unit. A means for transporting the leading end of the label to be printed back in a forward direction to a predetermined position of the printing section. Label printer.