JP2003073001A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect and display the residual number of labels. SOLUTION: The outer periphery and outer diameter of a paper sheet 1 is calculated on the basis of a paper sheet feed distance when a slit plate 4 fixed to a label sheet scroll shaft 3 is rotated by 360/16 degrees, and the number of labels which can be printed on the sheet 1 is calculated and displayed on the basis of the outer diameter of the label sheet scroll shaft 3, the outer diameter of the sheet 1 taken up by the label sheet scroll shaft 3, the thickness of the sheet 1 and the label pitch of labels achieved by cutting out the sheet 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device,
In particular, the present invention relates to a printing device that prints print data on a paper wound in a roll.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A label printer as a conventional printing apparatus conveys a roll of paper in a feed direction,
Printing is performed using a thermal head or the like. This paper is cut into a predetermined size and used as a label or a tag. Further, there is a device provided with an end sensor for detecting the end of the paper. In this case, it can be recognized that the paper is exhausted based on the output signal from the end sensor. When the paper runs out, the operator loads a new paper into the label printer.

[0003]

However, the conventional label printer does not have a function of detecting the remaining amount of the paper wound in a roll around the label paper winding shaft. Therefore,
The operator could not know the current remaining number of labels. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to manage the paper supply and it is not possible to determine whether or not it is possible to print on the required number of labels with the current remaining amount of paper.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to detect the remaining amount of paper wound in a roll on a winding shaft and notify the operator. is there.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus which conveys a predetermined sheet of a plurality of print media wound in a roll around a predetermined winding shaft in a feeding direction and predetermined on the medium. A printing device that prints the print data of, a transporting unit that transports the paper in the feed direction, a printing unit that prints the print data on the medium, and an angle at which the winding shaft rotates by transporting the paper by the transporting unit. Of the paper wound on the winding shaft based on the first measuring means for measuring the distance, the transport distance that the transport means transports the paper, and the rotation angle of the winding shaft measured by the first measuring means. Based on the first calculation means for calculating the length of the outer circumference, the length of the outer circumference of the paper calculated by the first calculation means, the diameter of the winding shaft, and the thickness of the paper, the paper is wound around the winding shaft. Second calculation means for calculating the length of the sheet Characterized in that it comprises. Also,
Second measuring means for measuring the size of the medium in the feeding direction,
Third calculating means for calculating the number of media contained in the paper wound around the winding shaft based on the length of the paper and the size of the medium in the feeding direction measured by the second measuring means. Further provision can be made. Also, the third
Display means for displaying the number of media calculated by the calculation means may be further provided. In the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the conveying unit conveys the sheet in the feeding direction, the printing unit prints the print data on the medium, and the first measuring unit conveys the sheet by the conveying unit. The rotation angle of the winding shaft is measured, and the first calculating means determines the rotation distance of the winding shaft based on the conveyance distance of the sheet conveyed by the conveying means and the rotation angle of the winding shaft measured by the first measuring means. The second calculating means calculates the length of the outer circumference of the wound paper, and the second calculating means based on the length of the outer circumference of the paper calculated by the first calculating means, the diameter of the winding shaft, and the thickness of the paper. Then, the length of the paper wound around the winding shaft is calculated.

[0006]

1 shows an example of the configuration of an embodiment of a printer to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer includes a control unit 10 that controls each unit, a conveyance roller 17 that conveys the sheet 1, a thermal head 5 that prints on the sheet 1, and a stepping device that is driven by the control of the control unit 10. A motor (hereinafter, simply referred to as a motor) 7 and a rotation driving force of a motor 7 transmitted via a belt 8 rotate the paper 1 in the feeding direction, and at the same time, the paper 1 is transferred to a thermal head 5. Platen roller 6 that presses, a light emitting portion that emits predetermined light, and the reflected light from the paper 1 of the light emitted from the light emitting portion is received, and it corresponds to the intensity of the received light (amount of light received per unit time) And a light-receiving unit that outputs an electric signal, and the light-emitting unit and the light-receiving unit are arranged side by side on the back side of the sheet 1 to receive an identification mark (hereinafter referred to as an eye mark) printed on the back side of the sheet 1. Part of Eye mark sensor 13 for detecting based on the amount
And the rotary cutter 12 for separating the paper 1 at a predetermined position
And a label paper winding shaft 3 for feeding the paper 1 and a slit plate 4 attached to the label paper winding shaft 3 and concentrically provided with circular holes at regular intervals. And a slit sensor 14 that detects the hole by irradiating the slit plate 4 with light.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration example of the embodiment shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the control unit 10 stores a predetermined control program in a ROM (re
A CPU (central processing) that operates according to a control program stored in the ROM 22 and controls each unit.
unit) 21 and various data necessary for the CPU 21 to operate, and a RAM (random access m) having a drawing area for developing bitmap image data corresponding to print data.
23), a motor control unit 24 that supplies a pulse signal to the stepping motor 7 to rotate the stepping motor 7, and under the control of the CPU 21, characters, figures, and barcodes to be printed developed in the drawing area of the RAM 23. Generates a control signal corresponding to the bitmap image data of the print data such as, and supplies it to the thermal head 5,
The thermal head controller 25 for performing the printing operation and the CP
Under the control of U21, the light emitting unit of the eye mark sensor 13 is controlled to emit light, and the electric signal output from the light receiving unit is received, converted into digital data, and supplied to the CPU 21 as eye mark detection data. Under the control of the mark sensor control unit 33 and the CPU 21, the slit sensor 14 is controlled so that light is emitted from the light emitting unit 14a, and an electric signal output from the light receiving unit 14b is received and converted into digital data for slit detection. Slit sensor control unit 3 supplied to CPU 21 as data
4, a cutter controller 32 that controls the rotary cutter 12 and separates the sheet 1 at a predetermined position, an external interface 27, and an interface 30. And
An input unit 28 for inputting settings, numerical values, and the like regarding printing operation and printing mode, and a display unit 29 for displaying input data and various information input from the input unit 28 are provided via an interface 30. It is connected. Input unit 28
The input data input from the CPU 21 is supplied to the CPU 21 via the interface 30, and the display data corresponding to various information displayed on the display unit 29 is supplied from the CPU 21 via the interface 30. Further, various data can be transmitted / received to / from an externally connected device via the external interface 27.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed configuration example of the label paper roll 3, the slit plate 4, and the light emitting portion 14a and the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14 shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the slit plate 4 is provided with eight holes through which light passes at equal intervals. The slit plate 4 is fixed to the label paper winding shaft 3, and when the paper 1 is conveyed in the feeding direction, the label paper winding shaft 3 and the slit plate 4 rotate.
The light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 and the slit sensor 1
The light receiving portion 14b of No. 4 is fixed to a casing (not shown) of the printer so as to face each other across the hole of the slit plate 4. Therefore, the light emitted from the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 passes through the hole of the slit plate 4 and is received by the light receiving portion 14b.

Further, the diameter of the hole portion of the slit plate 4 is set such that the circumference of a circle having a radius from the center of the hole portion to the center of the label paper winding shaft 3 is divided into 16 equal parts. Also, eight holes are provided. Therefore, the portion that does not pass light between the end of one hole and the end of the next hole also has a circle whose radius is the length from the center of the hole to the center of the label paper winding shaft 3. The size is divided into 16 equal parts. Further, in the case of this example, the outer diameter (diameter) of the paper 1 wound in a roll on the label paper winding shaft 3 is represented by D, and the outer diameter of the label paper winding shaft 3 is represented by d.

FIG. 4 shows the light receiving portion 14 of the slit sensor 14.
The change over time of the electric signal output from b is shown. As shown in the figure, while the light emitted from the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 is applied to the hole of the slit plate 4,
A high-level electric signal is output from the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14, and the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 is output.
While the light emitted from the device is irradiated between the holes of the slit plate 4, the light receiving part 14b outputs a low-level electric signal.

Next, referring to the flowchart of FIG.
The operation of this embodiment will be described. First, in step S1, the CPU 21 determines that the motor control unit 24
Commanding that the paper 1 be conveyed in the feed direction by one step. The motor control unit 24, which has received the command from the CPU 21, supplies a pulse signal to the stepping motor 7 and conveys the paper 1 in the feeding direction by one step.

Next, in step S2, the CPU 21
Thus, it is determined whether or not the slit sensor 14 detects light. That is, the light receiving portion 14 of the slit sensor 14
It is determined whether or not b receives the light emitted from the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 through the hole of the slit plate 4 and outputs a high level electric signal. As a result, when it is determined that the slit sensor 14 does not detect bright (detects dark), the process proceeds to step S10. On the other hand, when it is determined that the slit sensor 14 detects light, the process proceeds to step S3.

In step S3, it is determined whether or not the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14 has previously detected darkness. That is, the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14 is
The light emitted from the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 is blocked by the portion between the holes of the slit plate 4 and cannot be received, and it is determined whether or not a low level electric signal is output. . As a result, when it is determined that the light receiving unit 14b of the slit sensor 14 does not detect the darkness last time, the process proceeds to step S9, and the light receiving unit 14b outputs the high-level electric signal (when light is detected, The stepping motor 7 causes the value of the bright counter (bright count value) for counting the number of steps in which the sheet 1 is conveyed to 1
Only increase.

Thereafter, the process returns to step S1 and step S
The processes after 1 are repeatedly executed. Steps S1 and S
By repeating the processing of S2, S3, and S9, while the light emitted from the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 passes through the hole of the slit plate 4 and is received by the light receiving portion 14b, the paper is step by step. 1 is conveyed, the number of steps is counted, and it is set as a bright count value.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S3 that the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14 has detected darkness last time, the process proceeds to step S4, and the bright count value is cleared to 0.

Next, in step S5, the CPU 21
Thus, the outer circumference of the paper 1 wound around the label paper winding shaft 3 is calculated. That is, as shown in the following equation, a value obtained by multiplying the count value of the dark counter (dark count value) by the transport distance of the sheet 1 per step is 16
Then, the outer circumference of the sheet 1 is calculated. Outer periphery of paper 1 = dark count value x transport distance per step x 16

Here, the dark count value is the label paper reel 3
Corresponds to the number of steps in which the sheet 1 is conveyed while the sheet rotates by (360/16) degrees. That is, it corresponds to the distance that the paper 1 is conveyed while the label paper winding shaft 3 rotates by (360/16) degrees.

Next, in step S6, the CPU 21
Calculates the remaining number of labels from the outer circumference of the sheet 1 calculated in step S5. That is, the area of the region surrounded by the outer circumference of the paper 1 and the outer circumference of the label paper winding shaft 3 is obtained, and the area is calculated by the label pitch (the length between the label tip and the next label tip) and the label thickness. The remaining number of labels is calculated by dividing by the value obtained by multiplying by.

Next, in step S7, the CPU 21
Creates display data for displaying the remaining number of labels calculated in step S6, and the interface 30
Is supplied to the display unit 29 via. The display unit 29 is a CPU
21 displays the number of remaining labels (printable number) of the label corresponding to the display data supplied via the interface 30.

Next, in step S8, the dark count value is cleared. After that, the process returns to step S1, and the processes after step S1 are repeatedly executed.

Further, in step S10,
It is determined whether or not the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14 detects light. As a result, last time, the slit sensor 14
When it is determined that the light receiving unit 14b does not detect light, the process proceeds to step S16, and the count value (dark count value) of a predetermined dark counter for counting dark is incremented by one.

Thereafter, the process returns to step S1 and step S
The processes after 1 are repeatedly executed. Steps S1 and S
By repeating the processing of 2, S10 and S16,
While the light emitted from the light emitting portion 14a of the slit sensor 14 does not pass through the hole of the slit plate 4 and is not received by the light receiving portion 14b, the sheet 1 is conveyed step by step, and the number of steps is counted, The dark count value is used.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the light receiving portion 14b of the slit sensor 14 has detected the brightness last time, step S1
Proceeding to 1, the dark count value is cleared and set to 0.

Next, in step S12, the CPU 2
1, the outer circumference of the paper 1 wound around the label paper winding shaft 3 is calculated. That is, as shown in the following equation, the outer circumference of the sheet 1 is calculated by multiplying the value obtained by multiplying the count value of the bright count by the transport distance of the sheet 1 per step by 16. Outer edge of paper 1 = bright count value x transport distance per step x 16

Here, the bright count corresponds to the number of steps in which the sheet 1 is conveyed while the label paper winding shaft 3 is rotated by (360/16) degrees.

Next, in step S13, the CPU 2
In step 1, the remaining number of labels is calculated from the outer circumference of the sheet 1 calculated in step S12. That is, the area of the region surrounded by the outer circumference of the paper 1 and the outer circumference of the label paper winding shaft 3 is obtained, and the area is divided by the value obtained by multiplying the label pitch and the thickness of the label,
Calculate the remaining number of labels.

Next, in step S14, the CPU 2
1 creates display data for displaying the remaining number of labels calculated in step S13 and supplies it to the display unit 29 via the interface 30. The display unit 29 is C
The remaining number of labels (printable number) corresponding to the display data supplied from the PU 21 via the interface 30 is displayed.

Next, in step S15, the bright count value is cleared. After that, the process returns to step S1, and the processes after step S1 are repeatedly executed. In this way, the remaining number of labels is automatically calculated by the label printer and displayed on the display unit 29. In addition, data indicating the calculated remaining number of labels is stored in the external interface 2
It is also possible to send to a host computer connected to the computer 7.

For example, in FIG. 3, the outer diameter (d) of the label paper winding shaft 3 is 75 mm (mm), and the outer diameter (D) of the paper 1 wound in a roll on the label paper winding shaft 3 is 220 mm. To do. At this time, in order to rotate the label paper roll 3 and the slit plate 4 by (360/16) degrees,
It is necessary to convey the paper 1 by 43.20 (= 220 × π / 16) mm in the feed direction.

Therefore, the label paper winding shaft 3 and the slit plate 4
Paper 1 that was conveyed while rotating by (360/16) degrees
The outer diameter and outer circumference of the paper 1 wound around the label paper winding shaft 3 can be calculated by measuring the length of the paper. Specifically, while the output signal of the slit sensor 14 shown in FIG. 4 is at a high level, the step count of the stepping motor 7 is rotated, that is, the bright count value or the dark count value obtained in FIG. The outer circumference (= D × π) of the sheet 1 can be calculated by multiplying the obtained distance by 16 and the transportation distance of the sheet 1 per step.

For example, the bright count value is 314, and the transport distance per step is 0.125 mm (200 dpi).
(Corresponding to dot per inch), the transport distance of the sheet 1 is 39.25, which is obtained by multiplying the bright count value and the transport distance per step. Therefore, the value 628 obtained by multiplying this value by 16 becomes the outer circumference of the sheet 1.

The outer diameter (D) of the sheet 1 can be obtained by dividing the outer circumference of the sheet 1 by π. In the above example,
Outer diameter (D) of paper 1 is 200 (= 628 / 3.14) m
m.

Therefore, the area S1 of the paper 1 wound around the label paper winding shaft 3 (hatched portion in FIG. 6) can be obtained by the following equation. S1 = π × (D / 2) 2−π × (d /
2) 2

On the other hand, the thickness of the label is t, the label paper reel 3
When the total length of the paper 1 wound on the paper is represented by m, the area S2 of the paper 1 wound on the label paper winding shaft 3 is expressed by the following equation. S2 = m × t

When the label pitch is P and the number of labels included in the paper 1 is Z, the total length (m) of the paper 1 is
It is expressed by the following equation. m = P × Z

Since the area S1 and the area S2 can be regarded as the same, there is a relationship represented by the following equation. S1 = π × (D / 2) 2−π × (d / 2) 2 = S2 = P × Z × t

That is, π × (D / 2) 2−π × (d / 2) 2 =
P x Z x t

Therefore, the remaining number Z of labels can be obtained from the following equation. Z = (π × (D / 2) 2 −π × (d /
2) 2) / (P x t)

Generally, among the outer diameter (D) of the paper 1, the thickness t of the paper 1, the label pitch P, the number of labels Z, and the outer diameter (d) of the label paper winding shaft 3, There is a relationship represented by a formula. D2 = (4 × t × P × Z) / π +
d2

For example, the outer diameter D of the paper 1 is 200 mm, the label pitch P is 53 mm, and the outer diameter d of the label paper winding shaft 3 is 8.
When the thickness t of the paper 1 is 3 mm and the thickness t of the paper 1 is 0.16 mm, there is a relation expressed by the following equation. 2002 = (4 x 0.16 x 53 x Z) / π +
862

Therefore, 40000 = (33.92 × Z) / π + 7396 ≈ 10.80 x Z + 7396 And Z ≈ (40000-7396) /10.80 = 3019 (sheets) Becomes

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the remaining amount of the sheet 1 wound in a roll shape and the remaining number of labels can be detected and displayed, so that the operator is about to print. It is possible to confirm whether or not the number of labels is within the remaining number of labels at the present time, and it is possible to improve work efficiency.

When the printer and the host computer are connected online and the printer can be remotely controlled from the host computer, the printable sheet number detected by the printer is returned to the host computer as status information, so that the host computer can be controlled. It becomes possible for the computer to efficiently manage the supply of media to the printer.

In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the label printer has been described.
The present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to other printing devices such as a tag printer.

Further, it is needless to say that the configurations and operations of the above-described embodiments are examples, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0046]

As described above, according to the printing apparatus of the present invention, the conveying means conveys the paper in the feeding direction, the printing means prints the print data on the medium, and the first measuring means: The angle at which the winding shaft rotates due to the paper being conveyed by the conveying means is measured, and the first computing means calculates the conveying distance over which the conveying means conveys the paper and the winding shaft measured by the first measuring means. Based on the rotated angle, the length of the outer circumference of the paper wound around the winding shaft is calculated, and the second calculation means
Since the length of the paper wound on the winding shaft is calculated based on the outer peripheral length of the paper calculated by the first calculating means, the diameter of the winding shaft, and the thickness of the paper.
It is possible to detect the remaining amount of paper and notify the operator or the host computer. Further, the second measuring means measures the size of the medium in the feeding direction, and the third computing means based on the length of the paper and the size of the medium in the feeding direction measured by the second measuring means. Then, by calculating the number of media contained in the paper wound on the winding shaft, the number of remaining media can be notified to the operator or the host computer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an embodiment of a label printer to which a printing apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a control unit in FIG.

3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration example of a label paper winding shaft, a slit plate, and a slit sensor in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a change over time in a level of an output signal from a light receiving portion of the slit sensor.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining an operation when detecting the remaining number of labels in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outer diameter of a label paper winding shaft and an outer diameter of a wound paper.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 sheet 3 Label paper roll 4 slit plate 5 thermal head 6 Platen roller 7 Stepping motor 8 belts 10 Control unit 12 rotary cutter 13 Eye mark sensor 14 Slit sensor 14a light emitting unit 14b Light receiving part 17 Conveyor roller 21 CPU 22 ROM 23 RAM 24 Motor control unit 25 Thermal head controller 27 External interface 28 Input section 29 Display 30 interfaces 32 cutter control unit 33 Eye mark sensor controller 34 Slit sensor control unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A predetermined sheet made of a plurality of print media wound in a roll on a predetermined winding shaft is conveyed in a feed direction,
A printing device that prints predetermined print data on the medium, the transporting unit transporting the paper in the feeding direction, the printing unit printing the print data on the medium, and the transporting unit transports the paper. By the first measuring means for measuring the angle of rotation of the winding shaft, the conveying distance by which the conveying means conveys the sheet, and the winding shaft measured by the first measuring means rotated. First calculating means for calculating the length of the outer circumference of the paper wound on the winding shaft based on the angle; and the length of the outer circumference of the paper calculated by the first calculating means, A printing apparatus comprising: a second calculation unit that calculates a length of the paper wound around the winding shaft based on a diameter of the winding shaft and a thickness of the paper. 2. A second measuring unit for measuring the size of the medium in the feeding direction, a length of the sheet, and a size of the medium in the feeding direction measured by the second measuring unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a third computing unit that computes the number of the media contained in the paper wound around the winding shaft. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays the number of the media calculated by the third calculation unit.