JP2003095235A - Roll-shaped printing medium discriminating mechanism for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a roll-shaped printing medium discriminating mechanism for a printer, which can find an error in loading of a printing medium before a printing operation and avoid a wrong and wasteful printing operation, when the printing media, different in type and incompatible with printing contents such as a width, a shop name and a printing color, are charged in an operation for loading the printing medium. SOLUTION: This mechanism is equipped with: an optical reader (bar code reader 20) which is mounted on the printing medium such as a continuous label body 6 and can read an identification code indicating the type of the printing medium; a printing-medium type data input mechanism (printing content input mechanism 24) for inputting type data on the printing medium 6; and a discrimination circuit 21 for discriminating the compatibility of the printing medium 6 which is charged into a charging mechanism (continuous-label-body feeding shaft 7) by comparing the read identification code with the type data.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a roll-shaped printing medium discriminating mechanism of a printing apparatus. The present invention relates to a roll-shaped print-medium discriminating mechanism of a printing device that can be prevented. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a print-receiving medium of this type of printing apparatus, a label continuum in which a plurality of label pieces are temporarily attached on a band-shaped mount, a tag continuum without an adhesive layer, and the like are known. There is. [0003] Generally, such a medium to be printed is wound around a winding core in a roll shape and is loaded on a loading mechanism of a printing apparatus, for example, a rotatable supply shaft. However, a single printing apparatus is generally capable of printing on different types of printing media, such as the pitch and width, or the store name and printing color of the user of the printing media. In this case, unless the correct type of print-receiving medium is loaded, the type of the loaded print-receiving medium does not conform to the print content, and thus the printed print-receiving medium may be wasted. [0005] Among the types of the printing medium, the printing apparatus detects the pitch by a sensor of the printing medium in many cases, and when the pitch is wrong, it is possible to determine before the printing operation. However, there has been no mechanism for easily determining the width of the printing medium, the printing of the store name, and the printing color. In addition, such a loading error is often found after the start or end of the printing operation, and some countermeasures have been desired. [0008] Of course, if the above-described loading error is not noticed, the user will use the same type of print medium while printing it on the print medium, which may cause other problems in the subsequent processing. It is a problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has problems in width, store name, and printing color such as width, store name, and printing color in loading operations of a printing medium. If a different print medium is loaded,
An object of the present invention is to provide a roll-shaped print medium determining mechanism of a printing apparatus that can detect a loading error prior to a printing operation and can avoid an erroneous and useless printing operation. That is, the present invention focuses on attaching an identification code to a print-receiving medium, and includes a mechanism for loading a roll-shaped print-receiving medium, and a mechanism for unwinding from the loading mechanism. A printing mechanism for printing predetermined information on a printing medium, and a printing medium type data input mechanism for inputting type data relating to the type of the printing medium, and a roll-shaped printing medium determination mechanism of a printing apparatus, comprising: An optical reader provided at the front of the printing mechanism and capable of reading an identification code representing the type of the print-receiving medium, and the identification code printed by being attached to the leading end of the roll-shaped print-receiving medium. Comparing the content of the identification code read by the optical reader with the content of the type data after setting the identification label and the medium to be printed; A discriminating circuit for discriminating the suitability of the print medium loaded in the loading mechanism. A bar code can be used as the identification code, and a bar code reader can be used as the optical reader. The attachment portion of the identification code may be the inner peripheral surface of the core of the roll-shaped print-receiving medium, the leading edge of the roll, or the trailing edge after printing is completed. As the print medium type data input mechanism,
A print content input mechanism for inputting print content of predetermined information, such as a keyboard or a personal computer, can also serve as a print content input mechanism.Before the print medium loading operation, type data relating to the type of the print target medium is input. Shall be kept. In the roll-shaped print medium determining mechanism of the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the identification code attached to the print medium and indicating its type is read by an optical reader to determine the contents of the identification code. Since the compatibility of the printing medium loaded in the loading mechanism is determined, it is possible to determine the type of the printing medium, particularly its width, shop name, printing color, etc., before starting printing. It is possible to prevent printing incompatibility due to mistakes. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a roll-shaped print medium determining mechanism 30 of a printing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a roll-shaped print medium determining mechanism 30.
FIG. 1 is an overall schematic view of a printing device 31 equipped with a device frame 3 and a label continuous body 6 (medium to be printed) in which a number of label pieces 5 are temporarily attached on a band-shaped mount 4. Printing mechanism 10 having label continuous body supply shaft 7 (loading mechanism), thermal print head 8 and platen 9
A peeling mechanism 12 having a peeling plate 11, a mount winding shaft 13, a carbon ribbon supply shaft 15 for a carbon ribbon 14 for thermal transfer, a carbon ribbon winding shaft 16, a rotary drive motor 17, a label continuous body 6 sensors 18
, A sensor 19 of the carbon ribbon 14, a bar code reader 20, a determination circuit 21, a head drive circuit 22
, An alarm generator 23, and a print content input mechanism 24 having a function of a print medium type data input mechanism. The roll-shaped print medium determining mechanism 30 includes:
Bar code reader 20, discriminating circuit 21, head driving circuit 22, alarm generator 23, print content input mechanism 2
4 to construct this. In the case of the roll-shaped print medium discrimination mechanism 30, the bar code reader 20 is provided at the front of the printing mechanism 10 or at the portion of the peeling mechanism 12. In addition to inputting predetermined print contents by the print contents input mechanism 24, type data relating to the type of the label continuity 6, in particular, its width, store name, print color, etc. are input in advance. Such type data can be encoded, and the number and the like are arbitrarily selected. Of course, a conventional keyboard can be adopted as the print content input mechanism 24, or a personal computer may be used as the personal computer to transmit the type data of the label continuum 6 together with predetermined print data. When the rotary drive motor 17 is driven, the label continuous body 6 is supplied from the label continuous body supply shaft 7 of the label continuous body 6, and the carbon ribbon 14 for thermal transfer is supplied from the carbon ribbon supply shaft 15, respectively. 8 to supply a print signal to the label strip 5 of the backing sheet 4.
A predetermined printing is performed on the top. The printed label continuum 6 is attached to the release plate 11
At this point, only the mount 4 turns rearward, and the label piece 5 is peeled off from the mount 4. The backing sheet 4 from which the label pieces 5 have been peeled off is taken up by a backing sheet take-up shaft 13, and the carbon ribbon 14 for thermal transfer is taken up by a carbon ribbon take-up shaft 16. As shown in FIG. 2, an identification label 27 having an identification code 26 printed on the leading end of the label continuous body 6 wound around a core 25 is arranged in parallel with the length direction of the label continuous body 6. It should be pasted. As shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 2, the direction of attaching the identification code 26 may be perpendicular to the length direction of the label continuum 6. In the roll-shaped printing medium discrimination mechanism 30 having such a configuration, after the label continuum 6 is set on the printing device 31, the identification code 26 of the identification label 27 located at the part of the peeling mechanism 12 is read by the bar code reader 20. Can be read, and the type of the label continuum 6 can be determined. The discrimination circuit 21 compares the content of the type data previously input from the print content input mechanism 24 with the content of the read identification code, and determines the width of the label continuum 6 currently loaded, the name of the store, or It is determined whether or not the type, such as the print color, matches the print content. As a result of the determination, if the print job is compatible, a normal printing operation is started. If the print operation is not compatible, an alarm is issued by the alarm generator 23 and the head drive circuit 2 is activated.
The printing operation in the printing mechanism 10 via 2 is stopped. By the alarm from the alarm generator 23, the operator can confirm that the type of the label continuum 6 to be loaded is wrong, and can reload the label continuity 6 of the correct type. In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, when printing of a predetermined print content is started or when printing is completed, the identification code 26 is printed by the printing mechanism 1.
0 may be printed on the label continuum 6 itself. That is, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 3, the first label piece 5 at the start of printing is used as an identification label 27A, and the identification code 26 is printed here. As shown in FIG. 2, it is attached to the tip of the label continuous body 6. Alternatively, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, after the printing of one group is completed, an identification code 26 is printed with the next label piece 5 as an identification label 27B.
The label is held at the leading end of the label continuous body 6 as it is. In this way, the label continuum 6 on which predetermined printing has been completed is removed from the label continuity supply shaft 7, and the identification label 27A or the identification label 27B is read by the bar code reader 20 at the time of the next printing operation. This makes it possible to prevent the issuance of an incorrect label in advance. FIG. 4 is an overall schematic view showing a printing apparatus 2 equipped with a roll-shaped print medium discrimination mechanism 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the continuous label body 6 in the form of a roll. An identification label 27 on which an identification code 26 in the form of a bar code is printed is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the core 25. The identification code 26 is printed in advance by encoding the type of the label continuum 6, particularly its width, the name of the shop, or the printing color. However, it is assumed that the printing direction of the bar code is along the rotation direction RL of the core 25. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main part of the label continuous body supply shaft 7. The label continuous body supply shaft 7 is provided with a fixed supply shaft 7 A provided on the apparatus frame 3 and the fixed supply shaft 7 A. This is constituted by a rotatable rotary supply shaft 7B, and the barcode reader 20 is attached to the fixed supply shaft 7A. The fixed supply shaft 7A and the rotary supply shaft 7B
By inserting and fixing the core 25 in the portion, the roll-shaped label continuous body 6 can be loaded on the label continuous body supply shaft 7. As the bar code reader 20, any one can be adopted. The bar code reader 20 is composed of an illumination system, a reading optical system, an image pickup system, and the like having a generally known configuration.
D (Issue diode) and the imaging system can use a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). In the roll-shaped printing medium discrimination mechanism 1 having such a configuration, after the core 25 of the label continuous body 6 is inserted and fixed to the label continuous body supply shaft 7, the rotation driving motor 17 is rotated.
When the printing operation is started by rotating the bar code reader 20, the identification code 2 of the identification label 27 on the inner peripheral surface of the bar code reader 20 in a fixed state and the core 25 that has started to rotate.
The identification code 26 is read by the mutual movement with the reference numeral 6, and is input to the determination circuit 21. Since the reading operation of the identification code 26 by the bar code reader 20 requires only a short transfer distance, the reading operation is sufficiently performed at the transfer distance for detecting the pitch of the label continuous body 6 by the sensor 18 of the label continuous body 6. Can be completed. In the present invention, the printing direction or the mounting direction of the identification code 26 on the identification label 27 is arbitrary. For example, the printing direction or the mounting direction is changed according to the label continuity supply shaft 7 of the core 25 of the label continuity 6.
Insertion direction. FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing a third embodiment of the present invention. The identification code 26 is printed along the axial direction AX of the supply shaft 7. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, it is premised that the power of the bar code reader 20 is turned on. However, when the label continuum 6 is inserted into and fixed to the label continuity supply shaft 7, the identification label is turned on. 27 is read by the barcode reader 20. In the case of this embodiment, the label continuous body supply shaft 7 does not need to be configured separately from the fixed supply shaft 7A and the rotary supply shaft 7B, and the label continuous body is provided completely before the start of printing. Six types of discrimination and loading errors can be found. When attaching the identification label 27 to the inner peripheral surface of the winding core 25, a concave portion (not shown) is formed in the attached portion, and the identification label 27 and the peripheral surface of the label continuous member supply shaft 7 are formed. The identification label 27 may be prevented from being displaced or peeled off from the mounting position due to the sliding contact with the label. As described above, according to the present invention, an identification code is attached to a printing medium such as a label continuum, and the identification code is optically read by an optical reader. The type can be determined. This allows the operator to find a loading error when loading a print medium such as a continuous label body, and prevent waste of the print medium due to erroneous printing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram of a printing device 31 equipped with a roll-shaped print medium determination mechanism 30 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the label continuous body 6; FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modification of printing of the identification code 26 using the label continuum 6; FIG. 4 is an overall schematic view showing a printing apparatus 2 equipped with a roll-shaped print medium determination mechanism 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the continuous label body 6 in a roll form. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of a part of the label continuous body supply shaft 7; FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view of a continuous label body 6 in a roll form. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part of a part of the label continuous body supply shaft 7; [Description of Signs] 1 Roll-shaped print-medium discriminating mechanism 2 of printing device 2 Printing device 3 Device frame 4 Strip-shaped backing sheet 5 Label strip 6 Label continuum (medium to be printed) 7 Label continuity supply shaft (loading mechanism) 7A Fixed supply shaft 7B of label continuous member supply shaft 7 Rotation supply shaft 8 of label continuous member supply shaft 7 Thermal print head 9 Platen 10 Printing mechanism 11 Peeling plate 12 Peeling mechanism 13 Mount winding shaft 14 Carbon ribbon for thermal transfer 15 Carbon ribbon Supply shaft 16 Carbon ribbon take-up shaft 17 Rotary drive motor 18 Sensor for label continuous body 6 Sensor 19 for carbon ribbon 14 Barcode reader (optical reader) 21 Discrimination circuit 22 Head drive circuit 23 Alarm generator 24 Print content input Mechanism (printed medium type data input mechanism) 25 Core 26 of label continuous body 6 Barcode According axial identification code 27 identifying label 27A identification label 27B identification label 30 rolled printing medium of the printing apparatus 31 determines mechanism 31 printer RL rotational direction AX label strip supply shaft 7 of the winding core 25

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A loading mechanism for a roll-shaped print-receiving medium,
A roll-shaped printing apparatus for a printing apparatus, comprising: a printing mechanism for printing predetermined information on the printing medium fed from the loading mechanism; and a printing medium type data input mechanism for inputting type data relating to the type of the printing medium. An optical reader that is a print medium discrimination mechanism and is provided at a front portion of the print mechanism and can read an identification code representing a type of the print target medium,
An identification label attached to the foremost portion of the roll-shaped print medium and printed with the identification code, and the content of the identification code and the type data read by the optical reader after setting the print medium. A discriminating circuit for discriminating the suitability of the printing medium loaded in the loading mechanism by comparing the content with the content, and a roll-shaped printing medium determining mechanism for a printing apparatus, comprising: