JP2003072127A - Thermal recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal recorder capable of surely preventing deformation of a printed dot due to bleeding by a simple operation in a case of a staggered printing pattern. SOLUTION: When printing data of one line (128 dots) is for 64 dots, printing data for one independent dot and printing data for continuous two dots is extracted from the printing data of one line. Any dot to be printed having a dot to be printed at the next position but one is removed from the extracted dots to be printed and then the remaining dots are set as the printing data for heating (S1-S5). When printing data of one line is for dots of less than 64 and the ambient temperature is not higher than 20 deg.C, printing data for one independent dot is extracted from the printing of one line. A dot to be printed having a dot to be printed at the next position but one is removed from the extracted, dots to be printed and then the remaining dots are set as the printing data for heating (S7: YES-S9). When the temperature is not lower than 20 deg.C, the heating is not executed (S10).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording in which a plurality of heating elements mounted on a thermal head are selectively driven to generate heat and recording is performed while moving the thermal head and a print medium relatively. With regard to the apparatus, in particular, by considering the presence or absence of heat generation driving of two heat generating elements above and below each of the heat generating elements of the thermal head to be caused to generate heat, crushing due to bleeding of print dots in a staggered print pattern by a simple process. The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording apparatus capable of reliably preventing the above-mentioned problem, effectively preventing the printing from being blurred due to the voltage fluctuation of the driving power source, and enabling high-quality printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various thermal recording apparatuses using a thermal head have been proposed. For example, JP-A-11
In the method of driving a thermal head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1015, a thermal head is formed by connecting heating resistance elements for the number of dots in one line in parallel to a driving power source, and selectively heating each heating resistance element. In a method of driving a thermal head, in which print data is input, the heating resistance element to which the print data is input is energized by the drive power source to print one line, and this is repeated in a predetermined print cycle, in each print cycle. , Each heating resistance element is divided into a predetermined number of blocks, and the ratio of the number of heating resistance elements to which the print data is input to the total number of heating resistance elements in each block is a predetermined value While deriving the following blocks, whether the total number of the heating resistance elements to which print data is input among the heating resistance elements is equal to or more than a predetermined set value. And a method of driving the thermal head that accelerates the start of energization by the drive power supply to the heating resistance element to which the print data is input in the derived block earlier than the other blocks Has been adopted. As a result, the total number of heat generating resistance elements to which print data is input among the heat generating resistance elements is equal to or greater than a predetermined set value, and print data for each of the heat generating resistance elements in each block is input. In a block in which the ratio of the number of heating resistance elements is equal to or less than a predetermined specified value, it is predicted that print fading will occur due to voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply. Then, to the heat generating resistance elements of the block in which it is predicted that print fading will occur, energy is applied to these heat generating resistance elements to the extent that energization is started earlier than other heat generating resistance elements and print fading does not occur. As a result, blurring of printing due to voltage fluctuations of the driving power supply is prevented. In addition, it does not limit the print dots or change the print cycle, does not require complicated processing, does not increase the time until the end of printing, and can reliably prevent print blurring. .

[0003]

However, in the method of driving a thermal head disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-1015, each heating resistance element is divided into a predetermined number of blocks, and the printing is faint in block units. For the heating resistance elements of the block where it is predicted that the heat will occur, energization will start before the other heating resistance elements, so the heating states of the heating elements adjacent to the top and bottom of the heating element to be currently heated should be considered at all. It has not been.

Here, a change in the heat storage state of the heating element by the above-described conventional thermal head driving method will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 for an example in which the print pattern is a staggered pattern. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing an example of changes in the surface temperature of a heating element of one block in the case of staggered pattern printing of a conventional thermal head, and FIG. 8A is a diagram showing an initial state at the time of staggered pattern printing. , (B) are diagrams showing a state in which a predetermined length is printed at the time of staggered pattern printing. FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing an example in which a staggered pattern is printed on a black base tape with a white ink ribbon for a predetermined length by a conventional thermal head driving method.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the heating resistance element of the thermal head 100 is divided into four blocks and a staggered pattern is printed in block units, each block constitutes one block. Heating resistor elements 101, 10
3 and the respective heating resistance elements 102 and 104 are driven to generate heat alternately. Further, in the case of printing a staggered pattern, in the above-described method of driving the thermal head, it is predicted that the block will have print fading, so that the energization is started before the other heating resistance elements. Therefore, in the initial state, each heating resistance element 101, 102, 103, 104
Does not store heat, the heating resistance elements 101, 10
3, the head surface temperature distribution when the heating resistance elements 102 and 104 are stopped and the heating resistance elements 102 and 104 are stopped is determined as shown in the temperature curve 105. As the temperature rises to a high temperature, the surface temperature of each heating resistance element 102, 104 drops to a predetermined low temperature at which printing is not performed. In addition, each heating resistance element 102, 1
When 04 is driven to generate heat and each of the heating resistance elements 101 and 103 is stopped, the same surface temperature distribution is obtained.

However, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the zigzag pattern is printed for a predetermined length, each heating resistance element 1
Since 01, 102, 103, and 104 are energized earlier than the other heat generating resistance elements, the down time is short, and heat is accumulated, each heat generating resistance element 101, 103 is driven to generate heat, and each heat generating resistance element 102. , 104, the head surface temperature distribution is as shown in the temperature curve 106. Although the surface temperature of each heating resistance element 101, 103 has risen to a predetermined high temperature for printing, Elements 102, 10
The surface temperature of No. 4 is greatly affected by the influence, and has not dropped to a predetermined low temperature at which printing is not performed. Such an overall increase in the surface temperature of each heating resistance element 101, 102, 103, 104 becomes more remarkable as the printing length of the zigzag pattern becomes longer. The surface temperature distribution is similar when the heating resistance elements 102 and 104 are driven to generate heat and the heating resistance elements 101 and 103 are stopped.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the black base tape 107 is relatively moved in the direction of arrow 108 (leftward in FIG. 9) with respect to the fixed thermal head 100 by the driving method of the thermal head. While printing the zigzag pattern with the white ink ribbon, the high-quality zigzag pattern is printed in the initial state.However, as the print length of the zigzag pattern becomes longer, the print bleeds and blurs. There is a problem that problems such as Such a problem is caused by the increase in the density of the heating elements of the thermal head, and the heating elements that should be currently heated are affected by the heat storage state of the heating elements adjacent to each other in the upper and lower sides of the thermal head. Occurs, and when the print pattern is a zigzag pattern, there is a problem that the problem remarkably occurs.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and considers the presence / absence of heat driving of the two heating elements above and below each heating element of the thermal head to be heated. This makes it possible to reliably prevent crushing due to print dot bleeding in the case of a zigzag print pattern with simple processing, and to effectively prevent print blurring due to voltage fluctuations in the drive power supply, enabling high-quality printing. The purpose is to provide a device.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a thermal recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is directed to a thermal recording head provided with a plurality of heat generating elements, and heat generating driving means for selectively driving the heat generating elements to generate heat. A thermal recording device for recording while moving the thermal head and the print medium relative to each other, in the thermal element to be heated of the thermal head, the thermal head and the print medium of the heating element First heating element extracting means for extracting, as a first heating element, a heating element in which a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the above are driven, and the thermal head and print target from each of the first heating elements. First to determine whether or not two heat generating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction with the medium are heat generating elements that should generate heat
A second heat generating element, which is a second heat generating element and which is determined by the determining means and the two heat generating elements located next to each other by the first determining means to be heat generating elements.
Heat generating element extracting means, third heat generating element extracting means for extracting, as a third heat generating element, a heat generating element excluding the second heat generating element from the first heat generating element, and the third heat generating element,
And a control means for controlling the heat generation drive means so that the energization of the heat generation element is started earlier than the other heat generation elements to be heated.

In the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to claim 1 having such a feature, the thermal head of the thermal head intersects in the relative feeding direction of the thermal head and the printing medium from among the heating elements to be heated. A heating element in which a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the heating direction are not driven to generate heat is extracted as the first heating element. In addition, the first determining means determines whether or not the two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element should be heated. To be judged. Then, the first heating element, which is determined by the first determination means to be the heating element to which the two heating elements located adjacent to each first heating element should be heated, is extracted as the second heating element. Furthermore, the heat generating element which should be made to generate heat except this 2nd heat generating element from this 1st heat generating element is extracted as a 3rd heat generating element. Then, the third heating element is driven to generate heat so that the energization is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated. Thus, the energization start timing of each heating element to be heated is set in consideration of the heating states of the two heating elements above and below each heating element to be heated, so that the zigzag print pattern of the staggered print pattern can be set by a simple process. In this case, it is possible to reliably prevent crushing due to bleeding of the print dots due to the influence of heat generation of the heat generating element located in the vicinity, and to effectively eliminate the print fading by accelerating the start of energization of the heat generating element extracted as the third heat generating element. Therefore, high quality printing is possible.

The heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the first heating element extraction means selects the heating element from among the heating elements to be heated. A heating element in which a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium is not driven to generate heat is extracted as the first heating element, and the heat is generated from the heating elements to be heated. Only two heat generating elements that are driven to generate heat adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction between the thermal head and the print medium are extracted as the first heat generating element.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the thermal recording apparatus according to the first aspect, the thermal head of the heating element and the print medium are selected from the heating elements to be heated. A heating element in which a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction crossing the relative feed direction with is not driven to generate heat is extracted as the first heating element, and
From the heating elements to be heated, the two heating elements that are driven to generate heat only adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head of the heating element and the print medium, It is extracted as the first heating element. Also,
The first determining means determines whether or not the two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element should be heated. It Then, the first heating element, which is determined by the first determination means to be the heating element to which the two heating elements located adjacent to each first heating element should be heated, is extracted as the second heating element. Furthermore,
The heat generating element to be generated by excluding the second heat generating element from the first heat generating element is extracted as the third heat generating element. Then, the third heating element is driven to generate heat so that the energization is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated. As a result, the heat generation state of each of the heat generation elements to be generated is considered in consideration of the heat generation states of one heat generation element driven alone and two heat generation elements above and below the heat generation element driven independently. Since the energization start timing of the heating elements to be made to be set is set, it is possible to more surely prevent the collapse due to the bleeding of the print dots due to the influence of the heat generation of the heating elements located in the vicinity in the case of the zigzag print pattern with a simple process. By facilitating the start of energization of the heat generating element extracted as the third heat generating element, it is possible to more effectively prevent the blurring of the printing, and it is possible to perform high-quality printing.

A heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the first or second aspect, further comprising counting means for counting the number of heat-generating elements to be caused to generate heat by the thermal head. The control means is
When the number of heating elements counted by the counting means is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, the heating driving means is controlled so that the energization of the third heating element is started earlier than other heating elements to be heated. Is characterized by.

In the thermal recording apparatus according to claim 3 having such a feature, in the thermal recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head is not less than a predetermined number. In this case, heat is driven so that the energization of the third heating element is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated.
As a result, even if a drive power source with a small capacity is used, it is possible to effectively prevent fading of the print due to voltage fluctuation, which enables high-quality printing and reduces the manufacturing cost required for the drive power source. Can be planned.

A thermal recording apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the thermal recording apparatus according to the third aspect, further comprising temperature detecting means for detecting an environmental temperature, and the number counted by the counting means is less than the predetermined number. In the case of, and
When the environmental temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit is lower than a predetermined temperature, the first heating element extracting unit selects the thermal head of the heating element and the print medium from among the heating elements to be heated. The pair of heat generating elements adjacent to each other in the direction crossing the relative feed direction are extracted as the first heat generating element, and the control means causes the third heat generating element to start energizing to generate another heat. It is characterized in that the heat generation driving means is controlled so as to be earlier than the heat generating element to be generated.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the thermal recording apparatus according to the third aspect, when the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head is less than a predetermined number, and When the environmental temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction crossing the relative feed direction between the thermal head of the heating element and the print medium generate heat from the heating elements to be heated. The heating element that is not driven is extracted as the first heating element. In addition, the first determining means determines whether or not the two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element should be heated. To be judged. Then, the first heating element, which is determined by the first determination means to be the heating element to which the two heating elements located adjacent to each first heating element should be heated, is extracted as the second heating element. Furthermore, the heat generating element which should be made to generate heat except this 2nd heat generating element from this 1st heat generating element is extracted as a 3rd heat generating element. Then, the third heating element is driven to generate heat so that the energization is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated. As a result, when the number of heat generating elements to be generated in the thermal head is less than the predetermined number and when the environmental temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, one of the heat generating elements to be generated heat is generated independently. Since it suffices to consider the energization start time of only the driven heating elements, it is possible to reliably prevent the crushing due to the bleeding of the print dots in the case of the staggered print pattern with a simpler process, and to effectively reduce the blurring of the print. It is possible to prevent it and enable high-quality printing. Further, even if a driving power source having a small capacity is used, it is possible to effectively prevent the printing from being blurred due to the voltage fluctuation. Therefore, it is possible to perform high-quality printing and reduce the manufacturing cost required for the driving power source. be able to.

Further, the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to a fifth aspect is the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the number counted by the counting means is less than the predetermined number and the temperature detecting means operates. When the detected ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the control means controls the heat generation driving means so that the energization of all the heat generating elements to be heated is started substantially at the same time.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the fourth aspect, the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head is less than a predetermined number, and When the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature, it is sufficient to set the energization start timings of the heating elements to be heated to be almost the same,
In the case of a zigzag print pattern, it is possible to reliably prevent the print dots from being crushed due to blurring, and it is possible to more effectively prevent blurring of the prints and perform high-quality printing with simpler processing.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A thermal recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings based on an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied as a tape printer. First, the schematic configuration of the tape printer according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a tape printer according to the present embodiment, (A) is a schematic upper external view, and (B) is a schematic right side external view. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the control arrangement of the tape printer according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tape printer 1 has a character input key 2 for creating a text consisting of document data, a print key 3 for instructing the printing of the text, and a line feed command and various processing commands. A keyboard 6 provided with a return key R for instructing execution and selection, a cursor key C for moving a cursor up and down, left and right on a liquid crystal display 7 for displaying characters such as characters over a plurality of lines, and
A cassette housing portion 8 for housing a tape cassette 35 (see FIG. 3) described later is provided so as to be covered with a housing cover 8A. Further, below the keyboard 6, a control board 12 which constitutes a control circuit section is arranged.
A thermistor 13 for detecting the environmental temperature is attached to the lower surface of the tip of the. Also, the cassette storage section 8
A label discharge port 16 through which a printed tape is discharged is formed on the left side surface of the cassette storage unit 8 and a power supply adapter is attached to the right side surface of the cassette storage unit 1.
7 is provided. Since the thermistor 13 is provided at a location apart from the thermal head 9, it is not affected by the heat generation drive of the thermal head 9.

Further, in the cassette housing portion 8, a thermal head 9 which is attached to a heat radiating plate 9A having a substantially L-shaped side cross section and is erected, a platen roller 10 facing the thermal head 9, and a platen roller. Tape feeding roller 11 on the downstream side of 10 and this tape feeding roller 1
In addition to the tape drive roller shaft 14 opposed to the tape drive roller 1, a ribbon take-up shaft 15 for feeding the ink ribbon housed in the tape cassette 35 is further arranged.
The ribbon take-up shaft 15 is a tape feed motor 30 (see FIG. 2) including a stepping motor described later.
Is driven to rotate via an appropriate drive mechanism, and is inserted into an ink ribbon take-up reel 44 (see FIG. 3) that winds up the ink ribbon 43 (see FIG. 3) after printing, as described later. The ink ribbon take-up reel 44 is rotationally driven in synchronization. Also, the tape drive roller shaft 14
Is rotationally driven from the tape feed motor 30 via an appropriate transmission mechanism to rotationally drive a tape drive roller 53 (see FIG. 3) described later.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the control configuration of the tape printer 1 is configured with a control circuit section 20 formed on the control board 12 as a core. The control circuit unit 20 includes a CPU 21 that controls each device, an input / output interface 23, a CGROM 24, ROMs 25 and 26, and a RAM 2 that are connected to the CPU 21 via a data bus 22.
7 and 7. A timer 21A is provided inside the CPU 21.

In the CGROM 24, dot pattern data for display is stored for each of a large number of characters in association with code data.

Further, a ROM (dot pattern data memory) 25 is provided with respect to each of a large number of characters for printing characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols.
The dot pattern data for printing is classified by typeface (Gothic typeface, Mincho typeface, etc.), and there are 6 types (16, 24, 32, 48, 64, 96 dot size) of printed characters for each typeface. The minutes and the code data are stored in association with each other. Further, graphic pattern data for printing a graphic image including gradation expression is also stored.

Further, the ROM 26 reads out the display drive control program for controlling the LCDC 28 corresponding to the code data of characters such as letters and numbers inputted from the keyboard 6, and the data of the print buffer 27B to read the thermal head 9 and the tape. A print drive control program that drives the feed motor 30, a pulse number determination program that determines the number of pulses corresponding to the amount of forming energy of each print dot, and the presence / absence of preheating of each heating element of the thermal head 9 described later are set. A drive control program for the thermal head 9 (see FIG. 5) and other various programs necessary for controlling the tape printer are stored. Then, the CPU 21
Various calculations are performed based on various programs stored in the ROM 26.

Further, the RAM 27 is provided with a text memory 27A, a print buffer 27B, a counter 27C, a preheating buffer 27D, etc., and the text memory 2
The document data input from the keyboard 6 is stored in 7A. Further, the print buffer 27B stores a dot pattern for printing such as a plurality of characters and symbols and the number of applied pulses which is the amount of energy for forming each dot, and the thermal head 9 is stored in the print buffer 27B. Dots are printed according to the dot pattern data that has been set. The counter 27C has one line (128 dots) printed by the thermal head 9.
A count value N of the number of print dots for minutes is stored. Also,
The pre-heating buffer 27D stores print dots derived for pre-heating among print dots for one line (128 dots) printed by the thermal head 9.

Further, the input / output interface 23 has a video RA for outputting display data to the keyboard 6, the thermistor 13 and a liquid crystal display (LCD) 7.
Display controller having M28A (hereinafter referred to as L
28, a drive circuit 29 for driving the thermal head 9, and a drive circuit 31 for driving the tape feed motor 30 are connected to each other. Therefore,
When a character or the like is input via the character keys of the keyboard 6, the text (document data) is stored in the text memory 27.
While being sequentially stored in A, a dot pattern corresponding to a character or the like input via the keyboard 6 based on the dot pattern generation control program and the display drive control program is displayed on the LCD 7. Further, the thermal head 9 is driven via the drive circuit 29 to print the dot pattern data having the presence / absence of pre-heating stored in the print buffer 27B, and the tape feed motor 30 is driven in synchronization with this. The tape feeding control is performed via the circuit 31. Here, the thermal head 9 has a plurality of heating elements (in this embodiment, 1
28 heating elements) are provided, and each heating element is selectively driven to generate heat via the drive circuit 29 to print characters and the like on the tape (see FIG. 4).

Next, the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment
The schematic configuration of the tape cassette 35 mounted on the disk will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view when the cover of the tape cassette 35 mounted in the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment is removed. As shown in FIG. 3, the tape cassette 35 is a print-receiving tape 3 made of a transparent tape or the like.
6, an ink ribbon 43 for printing on the print-receiving tape 36, and a double-sided adhesive tape 46 attached to the back of the print-receiving tape 36 on which the print is made, respectively, a tape spool 37, a reel 42, and a tape spool 47. Wrapped around,
Cassette boss 3 which is erected on the bottom surface of the cassette body 35B
8, the reel boss 50, and the cassette boss 48 are rotatably fitted and housed, and further, an ink ribbon take-up reel 44 for taking up the used ink ribbon 43 is provided.

Then, an unused ink ribbon 43 wound around the reel 42 and pulled out from the reel 42.
Is overlapped with the print-receiving tape 36, and the print-receiving tape 3
6 enters the opening 52 together with 6, and passes between the thermal head 9 and the platen roller 10. Thereafter, the ink ribbon 43 is separated from the print-receiving tape 36, and the ink ribbon take-up reel 4 is driven to rotate by the ribbon take-up shaft 15.
4, the ink ribbon take-up reel 44 winds the ink ribbon.

The double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 46 is housed by being wound around a tape spool 47 with the release paper on the outside, with the release paper on one side. Then, the double-sided adhesive tape 46 pulled out from the tape spool 47 passes between the tape driving roller 53 and the tape feeding roller 11, and the adhesive surface on the side where the release paper is not superposed is attached to the print-receiving tape 36. Be worn. Further, spacers 46A are inserted at both upper and lower ends of the double-sided adhesive tape 46.

As a result, the print-receiving tape 36 wound around the tape spool 37 and pulled out from the tape spool 37 passes through the opening 52 into which the thermal head 9 of the tape cassette 35 is inserted. After that, the print-receiving tape 36 to which the double-sided adhesive tape 46 is attached is rotatably provided on one side lower part (lower left side in FIG. 3) of the tape cassette 35, and is rotated by the drive of the tape feed motor 30. It passes between the tape drive roller 53 and the tape feed roller 11 arranged opposite to the tape drive roller 53, is fed to the outside of the tape cassette 35, and is ejected from the label ejection port 16 of the tape printer 1. To be done. In this case, the double-sided adhesive tape 46 is pressed against the print-receiving tape 36 by the tape drive roller 53 and the tape feed roller 11.

The heat generation drive of the thermal head 9 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a drive circuit configuration of the thermal head 9 of the tape printer 1 according to this embodiment. Each heating element R of the thermal head 9
Since a configuration in which 1, R2, R3, ..., R128 are selectively preheated is known (see JP-A-11-1015, etc.),
Here, the outline will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the thermal head 9 has 128 heating elements R1, R2, R3 ,.
.., R128 are arranged in a line in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the print tape 36, and 128 print dots are printed per line. In addition, each heating element R1, R2, R
, ..., R128 are connected in parallel to the driving power supply 61. The print data created by the control circuit unit 20 is serially transmitted to the head driver 29A included in the drive circuit 29, and the heating elements R1, R2, R3, ... It is selectively input to R128.

Reference numeral 62 is a strobe generator, which outputs a strobe signal having a predetermined pulse width at every constant printing cycle under the control of the control circuit unit 20. G1, G2, G3,
, G128 is a gate, and the strobe signal from the strobe generating section 62 is input to one of the input terminals, and the print data from the control circuit section 20 is input to the other input terminal. When both the strobe signal and the print data are input, these gate G
The outputs of 1 to G128 are inverted from, for example, a high level to a low level, and a current from the drive power supply 61 flows through each of the heating elements R1 to R128.

The print data includes "main print data" for one line (128 dots) for printing characters such as characters and symbols input by operating the keyboard 6 and "pre-heat print" to be described later. Data creation process "(Fig. 5
It is composed of "pre-heat print data" created by the reference). This "preheating print data" is used to accelerate the start of energization by the driving power supply 61 to the heating elements derived for preheating among the heating elements to which the "main print data" is input, earlier than other heating elements. , Control circuit section 20
Is data for driving the strobe generator 62 to generate a sub-strobe signal. Then, the sub-strobe signal is supplied to the gates G1 to G128 connected to the heating elements derived for preheating. Of the gates G1 to G128, the control circuit unit 2 is operated as described above.
Preheating is performed by energizing the heating element derived from preheating through the gate to which both the preheating print data created by 0 and the sub-strobe signal are input. Further, following the sub-strobe signal, the strobe generator 6
The main strobe signal is generated from 2 and each gate G1
To G128, main print data is supplied from the control circuit section 20, and the heating element is energized through the gate of each of the gates G1 to G128 to which both the main print data and the main strobe signal are input. Done,
Printing for one line is performed.

Next, the "preheated print data creation process" for creating the preheated print data will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the preheated print data creation process of the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, first, in step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1, the CPU 21 reads the count value N stored in the counter 27C. That is, the number of dots to be printed out of 128 print dots for one line (128 dots) is read.

Subsequently, in S2, the CPU 21 executes a determination process for determining whether or not this count value is 64 or more, that is, whether or not the number of print dots for one line is 64 or more. That is, the determination process of determining whether or not the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 is equal to or more than a predetermined value is executed.

When the number of print dots for one line is 64 or more (S2: YES), in S3, the CPU 21 prints one dot alone from the print data for one line. It is sequentially extracted and stored in the preheating buffer 27D. As a result, the driving power source 61
Of the heat generating elements R1, R2, R3, ..., R128 of the thermal head 9 that are adjacent to each other and are driven to generate heat. The print dots corresponding to the heating elements that are not heated are extracted and stored in the pre-heating buffer 27D. That is, it is determined that the voltage fluctuation of the drive power supply 61 is equal to or more than the predetermined value, and the print dots that are highly likely to be the print dots in the staggered pattern are extracted.

Next, in S4, the CPU 21 sequentially extracts the print dots continuously printed for only 2 dots from the print data for one line, and the pre-heating buffer 27D.
Remember. As a result, only two of the heating elements R1, R2, R3, ..., R128 of the thermal head 9 to be heated are adjacently driven to generate heat.
The print dots corresponding to the individual heating elements are extracted and stored in the preheating buffer 27D. That is, print dots that are likely to cause print blur due to the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 are extracted.

Then, in S5, for each print dot stored in the preheating buffer 27D, the CPU 21 determines that if there are two print dots next to each other in the column direction of one line from this print dot, After the process of removing the print dots from the preheating buffer 27D is executed, the preheating print data creation process is ended. As a result, each heating element R1, R2, R3, ..., R128 of the thermal head 9 is
Of the heating elements to be heated, when the heating elements located adjacent to the two heating elements to be preheated are driven to generate heat, the print dots corresponding to the heating elements to be preheated are preheated. It is removed from the buffer 27D. That is, the energization pause time of the heating elements corresponding to the print dots that are likely to be staggered print dots is lengthened to prevent the surface temperature of the heating elements from rising due to heat accumulation.

On the other hand, if the number of print dots for one line is less than 64 in S2 (S2: N
In O) and S6, the CPU 21 executes a process of measuring the environmental temperature via the thermistor 13. As a result, it is determined that the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 is smaller than the predetermined value, and the environmental temperature is measured. Further, since the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 is smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined that print dots that are printed consecutively in only two dots do not cause print fading.

Subsequently, in S7, the CPU 21 executes a judgment process for judging whether or not the environmental temperature is lower than 20.degree. That is, the determination process for determining whether or not the preheating of the print dots printed by one dot alone is necessary is executed.

When the environmental temperature is lower than 20 ° C. (S7: YES), in S8, the CPU 21 sequentially extracts print dots to be printed by one dot from the print data for one line, and It is stored in the heating buffer 27D. That is, since the environmental temperature is low, the print dot printed by one dot alone is stored in the preheat buffer 27D as preheat print data. As a result, the thermal head 9
, R128 of the heating elements R1, R2, R3, ..., R128 of FIG. Memorized in. That is, print dots that are highly likely to be print dots in a staggered pattern are extracted.

Next, in S9, the CPU 21 determines, for each print dot stored in the preheating buffer 27D,
If there are two print dots that are printed next to each other in the column direction of one line from this print dot, the process for removing the print dots from the preheating buffer 27D is executed, and then the preheating print data creation process is ended. . As a result, among the heating elements R1, R2, R3, ..., R128 of the thermal head 9, which are to be heated, the heating elements located next to the two heating elements to be preheated are driven to generate heat. In this case, the print dots corresponding to the heating element to be preheated are removed from the preheating buffer 27D. That is, the energization pause time of the heating elements corresponding to the print dots that are likely to be staggered print dots is lengthened to prevent the surface temperature of the heating elements from rising due to heat accumulation.

On the other hand, if the environmental temperature is 20 ° C. or higher in S7 (S7: NO), the CPU is determined in S10.
21 initializes the preheating buffer 27D and then ends the preheating print data creation process. That is, since the environmental temperature is high, the preheating print data is not created. The preheating buffer 27D is initialized at the time of starting.

Next, an example of the preheated print data created by the preheated print data creation process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 shows a tape printer 1 according to this embodiment.
It is a figure which shows typically an example of the pre-heating print data produced by the pre-heating print data producing process. In Figure 6,
Of the print data for one line (128 dots), each heating element R from the top to the 17th from the top of the thermal head 9
Print dots D corresponding to 1, R2, R3, ..., R17
The print data from 1 to D17 are shown. Also,
Black circles indicate print dots that are printed, and white circles indicate non-print dots that are not printed. Therefore, the print dots to be printed are the print dots D3, D6, D8, D1.
The non-printing dots which are 0, D11, D14, D15 and are not printed are the print dots D1, D2, D4, D5, D.
7, D9, D12, D13, D16 and D17.
The number of print dots for one line is 64 or more.

Therefore, in S3 of the preheating print data creation process, the print dots D3, D6, D8 and D1 are printed.
Each print dot D from 0, D11, D14, D15
3, D6, D8 are stored in the preheat buffer 27D.
Then, in S4 of the preheating print data creation process, the print dots D3, D6, D8, D10, D11,
Print dots D10 and D1 from D14 and D15
1, D14, D15 are stored in the preheating buffer 27D. Therefore, the print dots D3, D6, D8, D10, D1 are selected from the print dots D3, D6, D8, D10, D11, D14, D15 in the pre-heating buffer 27D.
1, D14, D15 are stored. Then, in S5 of the preheating print data creation process, the print dots D6 and D8 are removed from the preheating process buffer 27D. That is, the print dots stored in the preheating buffer 27D are the print dots D3, D6, D8, D10, D11,
Print dots D3, D10, D1 of D14, D15
1, D14 and D15. Therefore, each print dot D
Preheating print data is output to the heating elements R3, R10, R11, R14, and R15 corresponding to D3, D10, D11, D14, and D15, and gates G3, G10, and G1.
Substrobe signals are output to 1, G14 and G15 to preheat the heating elements R3, R10, R11, R14 and R15.

Next, the preheating print data creation process (S
1 to S10), preheating print data is created, and an example in which a staggered pattern is printed on a black base tape with a white ink ribbon for a predetermined length will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a lower edge portion of an example in which preheating print data is created by the tape printing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment and a staggered pattern is printed on a black base tape with a white ink ribbon for a predetermined length. . As shown in FIG. 7, the black base tape 6
4 is conveyed in the direction of arrow 65 (leftward in FIG. 7). Further, in the fixed thermal head 9, the heating elements R1, R2, R3, ..., R128 are arranged in a line in a direction (vertical direction in FIG. 7) substantially orthogonal to the direction of the arrow 65. There is. Therefore, while the black base tape 64 is being conveyed in the direction of arrow 65, the zigzag pattern is printed on the black base tape 64 by the white ink ribbon for each line (128 dots). In this case, in the above preheated print data creation process, only the print dots at the lower end of the print data for one line are not stored in the preheat buffer, that is, only the heating element corresponding to the lower print dot is printed. Since the heating elements that are heated and correspond to the other print dots are not preheated, high-quality zigzag pattern printing is performed. That is,
In a zigzag print pattern, it is possible to reliably prevent the print dots from being blurred due to a simple process, and it is possible to effectively prevent the print from being blurred due to the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61, thereby enabling high-quality printing.

As described in detail above, in the tape printer 1 of this embodiment, the print key 3 of the keyboard 6 is used.
When is pressed and the print start is instructed, if the print data for one line (128 dots) is 64 or more, the print data for one dot and Print dots that are continuous only with dots are extracted (S1 to S4). Then, from the extracted print dots, those having print dots at positions two adjacent to each print dot are removed, and the remaining print dots are used as preheated print data (S5). On the other hand, the print data for one line (128 dots) is less than 64 and the ambient temperature is 20 ° C.
If it is less than (S2: NO, S7: YES), the print data of one dot alone is extracted from the print data of the one line (128 dots), and 2 of each print dot is extracted from the extracted print dots. The remaining print dots are used as the preheat print data except for the print dots that are located next to each other (S8 to S9). On the other hand, when the print data for one line (128 dots) is less than 64 and the environmental temperature is 20 ° C. or higher (S2: NO, S7: NO), the print for one line (128 dots) is performed. All the data are print data without preheating (S10). Then, the control circuit unit 20
Sends preheating print data to the head driver 29A and sends a sub-strobe signal to the strobe generating section 62. After that, the main print data is sent to the head driver 29A and the main strobe signal is sent to the strobe generating section 62. Then, all print data is printed.

Therefore, when it is determined that the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the print dots that are likely to be the print dots of the staggered pattern and the print dots that are likely to cause the print faint. After and are extracted,
Since the print dots of the staggered pattern are removed from the extracted print dots and the remaining print dots are preheated, the energization down time of the heating element corresponding to the print dots that are likely to be the print dots of the staggered pattern To prevent the surface temperature of the heating element from rising due to heat accumulation,
In the case of a staggered print pattern with simple processing, it is possible to reliably prevent crushing due to bleeding of print dots due to the effect of heat generation of the heating elements located in the vicinity, and it is possible to effectively prevent blurring of printing and to achieve high-quality printing. It will be possible. Further, even if the driving power source 61 having a small capacity is used, it is possible to effectively prevent the printing from being blurred due to the voltage fluctuation.
It is possible to perform high-quality printing and reduce the manufacturing cost required for the drive power supply 61. When the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 is less than a predetermined value and the environmental temperature is less than 20 ° C., the print dots that are likely to be the zigzag pattern print dots are extracted and then extracted. The print dots of the staggered pattern are removed from the print dots, and the remaining print dots are preheated.Therefore, it is highly possible that the print dots of the staggered pattern are likely to be printed. It is possible to prevent the surface temperature of the heating element from rising due to heat storage, and it is possible to reliably prevent the crushing due to the bleeding of the print dots due to the influence of the heat generation of the heating elements located in the vicinity in the case of the zigzag print pattern with a simple process. At the same time, it is possible to effectively prevent blurring of printing of continuous printing dots only for two, and it is possible to perform high-quality printing. Further, when the voltage fluctuation of the driving power supply 61 is less than a predetermined value and the environmental temperature is 20 ° C. or higher, the preheating print data is not created. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the print dots from being crushed due to the heat generated by the heat generating element, and effectively prevent the print dots from being printed continuously by only two print dots, thereby enabling high-quality printing.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0051]

As described above, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the heating element of the thermal head to be heated is moved in the relative feed direction between the thermal head and the print medium. The heating element in which the pair of heating elements adjacent in the intersecting direction are not driven to generate heat is
It is extracted as a heating element. In addition, the first determining means determines whether or not the two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element should be heated. To be judged. Then, the first heating element which is determined by the first determination means to be the heating element to which the two heating elements located adjacent to each first heating element should be heated is the second heating element.
It is extracted as a heating element. Furthermore, the heat generating element which should be made to generate heat except this 2nd heat generating element from this 1st heat generating element is extracted as a 3rd heat generating element. Then, the third heating element is driven to generate heat so that the energization is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated. Thus, the energization start timing of each heating element to be heated is set in consideration of the heating states of the two heating elements above and below each heating element to be heated, so that the zigzag print pattern of the staggered print pattern can be set by a simple process. In this case, it is possible to reliably prevent crushing due to bleeding of the print dots due to the influence of heat generation of the heat generating element located in the vicinity, and to effectively eliminate the print fading by accelerating the start of energization of the heat generating element extracted as the third heat generating element. It is possible to provide a heat-sensitive recording apparatus that can prevent the above-mentioned problems and can perform high-quality printing.

Further, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the second aspect, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the first aspect, among the heat-generating elements to be heated, the thermal head of the heat-generating elements and the print medium are relative to each other. A heating element in which a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the feeding direction is not driven to generate heat is extracted as a first heating element, and the heating head of the heating element and the thermal head of the heating element are selected from the heating elements to be heated. Only two heat generating elements that are adjacently driven to generate heat in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction with the print medium are extracted as the first heat generating element. In addition, the first determining means determines whether or not the two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element should be heated. To be judged. Then, the first heating element, which is determined by the first determination means to be the heating element to which the two heating elements located adjacent to each first heating element should be heated, is extracted as the second heating element. Furthermore, the heat generating element which should be made to generate heat except this 2nd heat generating element from this 1st heat generating element is extracted as a 3rd heat generating element. Then, the third heating element is driven to generate heat so that the energization is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated. As a result, the heat generation state of each of the heat generation elements to be generated is considered in consideration of the heat generation states of one heat generation element driven alone and two heat generation elements above and below the heat generation element driven independently. Since the energization start timing of the heating elements to be made to be set is set, it is possible to more surely prevent the collapse due to the bleeding of the print dots due to the influence of the heat generation of the heating elements located in the vicinity in the case of the zigzag print pattern with a simple process. By facilitating the start of energization of the heating element extracted as the third heating element, it is possible to provide a thermal recording apparatus capable of more effectively preventing print fading and enabling high-quality printing.

Further, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the third aspect, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the first or second aspect, when the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head is equal to or more than a predetermined number, The third heater element is driven to generate heat so that the third heater element starts to be energized earlier than other heater elements to be heated. As a result, even if a drive power source with a small capacity is used, it is possible to effectively prevent fading of the print due to voltage fluctuation, which enables high-quality printing and reduces the manufacturing cost required for the drive power source. It is possible to provide a heat-sensitive recording device that can be realized.

Further, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the fourth aspect, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the third aspect, when the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head is less than a predetermined number, and at the ambient temperature. Is lower than a predetermined temperature, a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction crossing the relative feed direction of the thermal head of the heating element and the print medium are not driven from among the heating elements to be heated. The element is extracted as the first heating element. In addition, the first determining means determines whether or not the two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element should be heated. To be judged. Then, the first heating element, which is determined by the first determination means to be the heating element to which the two heating elements located adjacent to each first heating element should be heated, is extracted as the second heating element. Furthermore, the heat generating element which should be made to generate heat except this 2nd heat generating element from this 1st heat generating element is extracted as a 3rd heat generating element. Then, the third heating element is driven to generate heat so that the energization is started earlier than the other heating elements to be heated. As a result, when the number of heat generating elements to be generated by the thermal head is less than the predetermined number,
In addition, when the environmental temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, it is sufficient to consider the energization start timing of only the heating element that is driven to generate heat by itself, among the heating elements that should be heated.
To provide a thermal recording device capable of surely preventing crushing due to bleeding of printing dots in a case of a zigzag printing pattern by simpler processing, and more effectively preventing blurring of printing, and capable of high-quality printing. You can Further, even if a driving power source having a small capacity is used, it is possible to effectively prevent the printing from being blurred due to the voltage fluctuation. Therefore, it is possible to perform high-quality printing and reduce the manufacturing cost required for the driving power source. It is possible to provide a heat-sensitive recording device capable of performing the above.

Further, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the fifth aspect, in the heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to the fourth aspect, when the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head is less than a predetermined number, and at the ambient temperature. Is higher than a predetermined temperature, it suffices to set the energization start timings of the heating elements that are to be made to heat at substantially the same time. It is possible to provide a heat-sensitive recording apparatus capable of reliably preventing the occurrence of printing defects and more effectively preventing printing blurring and enabling high-quality printing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic external view of a tape printer according to the present embodiment, where (A) is a schematic upper external view and (B) is a schematic right lateral external view.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the tape printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a case where a cover of a tape cassette mounted on the tape printer according to the present embodiment is removed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a drive circuit configuration of a thermal head of the tape printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a preheated print data creation process of the tape printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of preheated print data created by preheated print data creation processing of the tape printer according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a lower edge portion of an example in which preheating print data is created by the tape printing apparatus according to the present embodiment and a staggered pattern is printed on a black base tape with a white ink ribbon for a predetermined length. .

FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing an example of changes in the surface temperature of a heating element of one block in the case of staggered pattern printing of a conventional thermal head. FIG. 8A shows an initial state during staggered pattern printing. FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a state in which a predetermined length is printed during the zigzag pattern printing.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing an example in which a staggered pattern is printed on a black base tape with a white ink ribbon for a predetermined length by a conventional thermal head driving method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 tape printer 6 keyboard 9,100 thermal head 12 Control board 13 Thermistor 20 Control circuit section 28, 29 drive circuit 29A head driver 35 tape cassette 36 Printed tape 43 Ink ribbon 61 Drive power supply 62 Strobe generator 64,107 Black base tape 65 and 108 arrows 101-104 Heating resistor element 105, 106 temperature curve D1 to D17 print dots G1 to G128 gates R1-R128 heating element

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C055 CC00 CC01 CC05                 2C066 AA03 AB07 AC01 CA07 CA09                       CA16 CA21 CC02 CC05 CF03                       CF07 CF08

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head provided with a plurality of heating elements, and a heating drive means for selectively driving the heating elements to generate heat, and recording is performed while relatively moving the thermal head and the print medium. In the thermal recording apparatus, a pair of heating elements adjacent to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium of the heating elements out of the heating elements to be heated by the thermal head are not driven to generate heat. A first heating element extracting means for extracting an element as a first heating element, and two heating elements located next to each other in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction of the thermal head and the print medium from each first heating element. First determining means for determining whether or not the heating elements are to be heated, and two heating elements positioned adjacent to each other are generated by the first determining means. Second heating element extracting means for extracting the first heating element determined to be a heating element as a second heating element, and a heating element to be heated excluding the second heating element from the first heating element. A third heating element extracting means for extracting as three heating elements, and a control means for controlling the heating driving means so as to start the energization of the third heating element earlier than other heating elements to be heated. A thermal recording device characterized by the above. 2. The first heating element extracting means includes a pair of heat generating elements, which are adjacent to each other in a direction intersecting a relative feed direction between the thermal head of the heating element and a print medium, among the heating elements to be heated. A heat-generating element whose element is not driven to generate heat is extracted as a first heat-generating element, and two heat-generating elements are to be generated in the direction intersecting the relative feed direction between the thermal head of the heat-generating element and the print medium. 2. The two heating elements that are driven to generate heat adjacent to each other are extracted as the first heating element.
The heat-sensitive recording device according to. 3. A counting unit that counts the number of heating elements to be heated by the thermal head, wherein the control unit is configured to: when the number of heating elements counted by the counting unit is equal to or more than a predetermined number. Third
3. The heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat-generating drive means is controlled so that the start of energization of the heat-generating element is made earlier than that of other heat-generating elements to be heated. 4. A temperature detecting unit for detecting an environmental temperature, wherein the number counted by the counting unit is less than the predetermined number, and the environmental temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit is lower than the predetermined temperature. In this case, the first heating element extraction means includes a pair of heating elements that are adjacent to each other in the direction crossing the relative feed direction of the thermal head of the heating element and the print medium from among the heating elements to be heated. Is extracted as a first heat generating element, and the control means controls the heat generating drive means so that the start of energization of the third heat generating element is made earlier than other heat generating elements to be heated. The heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to claim 3, wherein 5. When the number counted by the counting means is less than the predetermined number and the environmental temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the control means is 5. The heat-sensitive recording apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the heat-generating driving means is controlled so that energization of the heat-generating elements to be heated is started substantially at the same time.