JP2003191582A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a battery driven printer in which the timing for replacing the battery can be informed appropriately by judging the residual quantity of the battery based on the type of a plurality of sections operating with battery power and the operating state thereof. <P>SOLUTION: Correspondence tables T1-T3 of the operating state at a plurality of operating sections, e.g. a thermal head 6 and a cutter 7, and comparison voltage levels are provided. A control section 16 acquires a comparison voltage level corresponding to the actual operating state of a printer and compares it with the voltage level of a battery b. If it is lower than the comparison voltage level, processing at the time of battery consumption, e.g. information of battery consumption or interruption of operation at the operating section, is carried out. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery-operable printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as the above printer, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No.
The one described in Japanese Patent No. 134019 is known.
This conventional printer is a printer provided with a printer head 16 which is operated by a voltage supplied from a nickel-cadmium battery 11, detects the voltage value of the battery 11, and at the time of printing, the voltage of the battery 11 and a first stop. Voltage V1 (10
V) and compares the voltage of the battery 11 with the second
The final voltage V2 (12V) of the battery 11 is compared, and when the voltage of the battery 11 is smaller than the final voltages V1 and V2 as a result of the comparison, the switch 21 of the battery 11 is cut off or a notification is given by a display lamp, a buzzer or the like. Thus, the battery replacement is instructed (battery exhaustion process). this is,
In consideration of the large difference in the voltage drop of the battery 11 due to the internal resistance of the battery 11 during printing and non-printing, two types of final voltages are required to replace or charge the battery.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional printer, only the supply of electric power to the printer head is considered as a factor of the battery voltage drop. On the other hand, in addition to the printer head, the printer usually has a plurality of operating units that are operated by battery power, such as a transport roller for transporting the print medium, a cutter for cutting the print medium, a printer head cleaning unit, and a carriage. I have it. When operating the operating parts other than the thermal head independently or when operating multiple operating parts at the same time, the voltage drop of the battery caused by the power supply to each operating part other than the thermal head is taken into consideration when setting the final voltage. Therefore, there is a problem that a battery replacement instruction is given before the battery is sufficiently discharged.

Further, in the above conventional printer, the first end voltage V1 (10V) is set in consideration of the maximum voltage drop due to the supply of electric power to the printer head. Therefore, when printing is performed in which the voltage drop is not the maximum, that is, when small characters are printed on the print medium, in an operating state in which some of the heating elements of the thermal head 16 are energized for printing. , In spite of the fact that printing is actually performed, the voltage drop is small,
The voltage of the battery 11 does not become lower than the first cutoff voltage V1. Therefore, when such printing is continuously performed, there is a problem that it is determined that the battery is not exhausted and the battery is continuously used even though the battery is exhausted. If the printer is continuously used in such a state, the battery exhaustion process may not be performed normally, such as the printer suddenly stopping when the operation unit that requires a large amount of power is operated. In particular, if the print medium discharge process is set as the battery exhaustion process, the print medium will remain in the printer due to the sudden stop of the printer, and the operator will try to force it to discharge and the printer will malfunction. Could lead to.

In view of the above problems, the present invention determines the remaining battery level based on the type and operating state of the operating part that is operating among a plurality of operating parts that operate on battery power. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of appropriately performing battery consumption processing such as notification of battery replacement time and discharge of a print medium.

[0006]

Therefore, the printer of the present invention is a printer comprising a plurality of operating parts which are operated by the electric power of a battery and a control part which controls the respective operating parts. Voltage value detecting means for detecting the voltage value of the battery,
A voltage value comparing means for comparing the voltage value detected by the voltage value detecting means with a predetermined comparison voltage value, and the voltage value of the battery is smaller than the comparison voltage value as a result of the comparison by the voltage value comparing means. In this case, in the case where a predetermined battery exhaustion process is performed under the control of the control unit, the comparison voltage value is changed according to the type and operating state of the operating unit that is operating when the voltage value detecting unit detects the voltage. The comparison voltage value changing means is provided.

According to this, the battery consumption is judged by the comparison voltage value according to the type of the operating portion and the operating state at the time of detecting the voltage, so that it is possible to instruct an appropriate time for battery replacement. . A printer head having a plurality of printing elements, a print medium cutting unit that cuts a print medium, or the like can be considered as the operating unit. When one of the operating units is a printer head, the comparison voltage value changing unit is The comparison voltage value is changed to a smaller value as the number of printing elements that are energized at the time of voltage detection by the voltage value detection means increases. When one of the operating units is the print medium cutting unit, the comparison voltage value changing unit sets the comparison voltage value when the print medium cutting process is performed by the print medium cutting unit when the print medium is not cut. It should be changed to a value smaller than the comparison voltage value in. When a constant current control motor is used as a drive source for the print medium cutting unit, the comparison voltage value changing unit increases the torque generated by the constant current control motor when the print medium cutting unit cuts the print medium. The comparison voltage value may be changed to a smaller value.

[0008] Further, as the battery exhaustion process, it is preferable to stop the operation of the operating portion, eject the printed medium to the outside of the printer, and inform the battery exhaustion by the informing means for informing the battery exhaustion. .

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a desired length on which a desired character is printed by printing and cutting a long medium M such as a vinyl chloride tube or label. It is a thermal printer for a long medium for obtaining a printed matter.

The long medium thermal printer 1 is provided with conveying rollers 2a and 2b, a platen roller 3 and a pinch roller 4. Of these four rollers, the conveying roller 2a and the platen roller 3 are connected to a stepping motor 5, and when the stepping motor 5 is driven, the conveying roller 2a and the platen roller 3 rotate. The transport rollers 2a and 2b are provided on the upstream side of the transport path of the long medium M with respect to the thermal head 6 (printer head) that prints on the long medium M so as to face each other. With the long medium M sandwiched between the two transport rollers 2a and 2b,
By driving the stepping motor 5, the carrying roller 2a
When is rotated, the long medium M is conveyed to the thermal head 6 side. The platen roller 3 is provided facing the thermal head 6, and the pinch roller 4 is provided downstream of the thermal head 6 in the transport path of the long medium M and facing the platen roller 3. . When the platen roller 3 is rotated by the driving of the stepping motor 5 in a state where the long medium M is sandwiched between the platen roller 3 and the pinch roller 4, a cutter (print medium cutting unit) 7 which is one of the operating parts. The long medium M is conveyed to the side. At the time of printing, the thermal head 6, which is one of the operating parts, presses the long medium M while sandwiching the ink ribbon 81 of the ink ribbon cassette 8 and heats the thermal head 6 so that the ink of the ink ribbon 81 is removed. Characters and the like are printed on the long medium M by melting. A plurality of heating elements (printing elements) are arranged in a row on the thermal head 6, and the heating elements are supplied with electric power from the battery b to generate heat. Cutter 7
Includes a cutter blade 7a and a cutter blade receiving base 7b. The cutter blade receiving base 7b has a whole cutting surface composed of a flat surface,
By providing a semi-cut surface having ridges at both ends and setting the full-cut surface and the semi-cut surface perpendicular to the cutter blade 7a, the long medium M is fully cut and half-cut, respectively. The term “half-cutting” as used herein includes general cutting of the long medium M partially, and the cutting ratio does not matter. The half-cutting method may be changed depending on the type of the long medium M. For example, when the long medium M is a label with release paper, only the label may be cut without cutting the release paper,
Perforations may be provided in the case of roll paper or ribbon tape. The thermal head 6 and the cutter 7 are connected to a stepping motor 9, and when the stepping motor 9 is driven, the thermal head 6 is brought into contact with and separated from the platen roller 3 or the cutter 7 is operated to operate the long medium. M is cut. The stepping motors 5 and 9 operate at the voltage of the battery b set in the long medium thermal printer 1.

The long medium thermal printer 1 can print and cut various long mediums M by changing the attachment attached to the attachment attaching portion 10. For example, when the label cassette 11 shown in FIG. 2A is attached to the attachment attaching portion 10,
The label is pulled out from the inside of the cassette, and the label can be printed and cut. Also, FIG.
When the tube attachment 12 shown in (b) is attached to the attachment attachment portion 10, the tube insertion opening 12
By inserting the tube from a, the tube can be printed and cut.

Further, the thermal printer 1 for a long medium is
An input unit 13 for inputting the type of the long medium M, character data, print setting conditions such as character size and format, and the input unit 1.
A display unit 14 for displaying various data input by 3 and operation instructions to the operator, and a buzzer (notifying means) 1
5 and sensors (not shown) for detecting the front end or the rear end of the long medium M.

Referring to FIG. 3, reference numeral 16 is a control unit provided inside the long medium thermal printer 1, and the control unit 16 has the stepping motors 5 and 9, various sensors, and an input unit. 13, the display unit 14, and the buzzer 15, which are connected to the stepping motors 5 and 9, the display unit 14, and the buzzer 1 on the basis of inputs from the sensors and the input unit 13.
Control 5 Further, the control unit 16 includes a ROM 17 that stores a print control program and the like, and a RAM 18 that stores various data and the like input by the input unit 13. Further, the control unit 16 is configured to detect the voltage value of the battery b (voltage value detection means). Specifically, the battery of the battery b is detected by the A / D converter included in the CPU in the control unit 16. RAM 18 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, a character data storage area 181 for storing character data, a setting information storage area 182 for storing various settings such as a print medium size and print density, and a print image expansion area 183 for expanding print data. And other areas. Further, an external storage device 19 such as a RAM card can be connected to the long medium thermal printer 1, and print data and the like can be stored in the external storage device 19.

The ROM 17 stores three tables T1, T2, T3 (comparison voltage value changing means) as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to 5 (c). Tables T1, T2, T
In 3, the operating state of the operating unit (the thermal head 6, the cutter 7) and the first and second comparison voltage values are associated with each other. The table T1 shows that when the cutter 7 is not operating,
That is, it is a table during non-cutting processing in which normal printing is performed, and tables T2 and T3 are tables when the cutter 7 is operating, that is, during cutting processing. Of the tables T2 and T3 during the cutting process, the table T2 is, when the cutter 7 is idle, that is, when the blade edge of the cutter 7 does not cut the long medium M, specifically,
When the cutter 7 is moving in the direction of the long medium M without contacting the long medium M, or when the cutter 7 is in contact with the long medium M, the long medium M is compressed without being cut. Or the cutter is moving in the opposite direction to the long medium M after cutting the long medium M. The table T3 is a table when the blade edge of the cutter 7 is in contact with the long medium M to cut the long medium M.

In the tables T1, T2, T3, the first comparison voltage value is compared with the voltage value of the battery b detected by the control section 16 by the control section 16 (voltage value comparison means), and the result of the comparison. When the voltage value of the battery b is smaller than the first comparison voltage value, the buzzer 15 and the display unit 14 notify the battery b of exhaustion for the purpose of urging the battery replacement (battery exhaustion process). It is a value. Further, the second comparison voltage value is compared with the voltage value of the battery b detected by the control unit 16 by the control unit 16 (voltage value comparison means), and as a result of the comparison, the voltage value of the battery b is the second value. When the voltage is smaller than the comparison voltage value, the thermal head 6 and the cutter 7 are stopped by the control of the control unit 16 (processing when the battery is exhausted), and the conveyance roller 2a and the platen roller 3 are rotated to perform printing. It is a value corresponding to the minimum battery remaining amount required for discharging the long medium M to the outside of the long medium thermal printer 1 (processing when the battery is exhausted).

In common to all the tables T1, T2 and T3, the larger the printing rate of the thermal head 6, that is, the proportion of all the heating elements of the thermal head 6 that are energized and driven is, the larger the comparison becomes. The voltage values V1 and V2 are small values. This is because the voltage drop of the battery b is large when the number of heating elements to which power is supplied is large. Further, when the printing rates are the same in the table T1, the table T2, and the table T3, the table T2 and the table T3 have a comparative voltage value V higher than that of the table T1.
The value of 1 · V2 is small. This is a long medium M
This is because, when the cutter 7 is operated during the disconnection process, a large voltage drop occurs in the battery b as compared with the case where the cutter 7 is not operated. Further, when the printing rates are the same in table T2 and table T3, table T3
Of the comparison voltage values V1 and V2 are smaller than those of the table T2. This is because the stepping motor 9 operates the cutter 7 when the long medium M of the table T3 is cut, rather than when the cutter 7 of the table T2 is idle.
This is because the large torque is generated, the large electric power is supplied for that, and a large voltage drop occurs in the battery b.

Next, the operation of the long medium thermal printer 1 during the printing process will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

When the operator presses the print execution button (not shown) of the input unit 13 after the setting of the type and size of the long print medium M, the input of the character data to be printed, the setting of the print density, etc. are completed. The printing process is started. The character data input before the start of the printing process is stored in the character data storage area 181 of the RAM 18, and the type and size of the long print medium M, the setting of the print density, and the like are set in the setting information storage area 18
It is stored in 2. Here, as shown in FIG. 7, character data obtained by adding a natural number (sequentially counting up) to “A” such as characters “A1”, “A2”, “A3”, ... For each block. Print on a vinyl chloride tube and use the cutter 7 between each block of the vinyl chloride tube.
A half cut hc, that is, a case of partially cutting will be described.

When the printing process is started, the control section 16
The character data "A1" is developed as a print image in the print image development area 184 (S1). When the development of the character data "A1" is completed, the next character data "A2" is subsequently developed, and the tube is moved to the cue of the tube, that is, the initial print position of the tube is moved to the position of the thermal head 6. Is carried (S2). When the cueing is completed, the control unit 16 reads the print image of “A1” from the print image development area 184 and divides the print image into line data that can be printed by one line of the heating element of the thermal head 6. The divided line data is sequentially processed from the printing direction, and electric power is supplied to each heating element of the thermal head 6 based on the line data. Simultaneously with the supply of electric power to the thermal head 6, the conveying rollers 2a and the platen roller 3 are rotated by driving the stepping motors 5 and 9, the vinyl chloride tube is conveyed, and printing and half-cutting between blocks are started. (S3).

During printing, the control unit 16 calculates the printing rate of the thermal head 6 based on the processed line data, searches the table T stored in the ROM 17,
The first comparison voltage value V1 and the second comparison voltage value V2 corresponding to the calculated printing rate are read (S4). Specifically, during non-cutting processing, that is, during normal printing, the table T1
The table T2 is used when the cutter 7 is moved during the cutting process.
However, the table T3 is searched during the cutting process and during the medium cutting, and the first comparison voltage value V1 and the second comparison voltage value V2 corresponding to the printing rate of the thermal head 6 are acquired. For example, during normal printing, if the print ratio is 50%, 4.6 V is acquired as the first comparison voltage value and V1 and 4.4 V is acquired as the second comparison voltage value V2, and if the print ratio is 90%, the first comparison voltage value is acquired.
4.2V is acquired as the comparison voltage value V1, and 4.0V is acquired as the second comparison voltage value V2. Further, at the time of cutting processing and at the time of cutting the medium, if the printing rate is 50%, 4.2V is acquired as the first comparison voltage value and V1, and 4.0V is acquired as the second comparison voltage value V2, and the printing rate is If it is 90%, 3.8V is acquired as the first comparison voltage value V1 and 3.6V is acquired as the second comparison voltage value V2.

Subsequently, the control unit 16 controls the voltage value Vb of the battery b.
Is detected and the read second comparison voltage value V2 and first read comparison voltage value V1 are sequentially compared (S5, S6).

The voltage value Vb of the battery b is the first comparison voltage value V1.
And the second comparison voltage value V2 are both greater than,
If printing is not completed for all the character data, printing and half-cut hc between blocks are continued (S3 to S).
9). When printing of all the character data is completed, it is conveyed at the end, that is, the tube is conveyed until the end of the block on which the last character data is printed faces the cutter 7, and the end is completely cut by the cutter 7. (S10), the printing process ends.

In S5, when the voltage value Vb of the battery b is smaller than the second comparison voltage value V2, the control unit 16
The operation of the operating parts (the thermal head 6 and the cutter 7) is stopped by the control of (S7). Specifically, the thermal head 6 is stopped in a state in which the pressure on the long medium M is released,
The cutter 7 stops at an initial position where it does not contact the long medium M (S7). Then, at the end, the tube is conveyed until the end of the block on which the last character data is printed faces the cutter 7, and the end is fully cut by the cutter 7 (S10), and the printing process is completed. finish.

In S6, when the voltage value Vb of the battery b is smaller than the first comparison voltage value V1, the control unit 16
The buzzer 15 sounds and the battery level "low" is displayed on the display unit 14 by the control of the above, and the user of the long medium thermal printer 1 is informed that the battery level is low (S8). Prompt battery replacement. Then, printing and half-cutting between blocks are continued (S3 to S9).

In the thermal printer 1 for printing on the long medium M such as the tube and the label described in the present embodiment, the same printed matter or similar printed matter is often produced repeatedly by one printing process, and once. There are few cases where the font size to be printed is changed during the printing process. Therefore, when a small number of characters having a low printing rate on average are printed to produce a large number of printed matter, the state in which the voltage drop of the battery b is relatively small continues, but the comparative voltage value V1. V2
Is set to a higher value, it is possible to detect the voltage value of the battery b for leaving the minimum electric power required for transportation and full cutting at the end of S10.

Although a normal battery is used in the present embodiment, when a secondary battery is used instead of this,
Since shallow charge and discharge are not repeated, the battery capacity does not decrease due to the memory effect, and the life of the battery does not decrease due to overdischarge.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the battery consumption is judged by the comparison voltage value according to the type of the operating portion and the operating state of the operating portion at the time of voltage detection. It can prompt the user of the printer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of an embodiment of the present invention

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a label cassette and a tube attachment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the present invention.

FIG. 4 Internal state diagram of RAM

FIG. 5: Table of comparative voltage values

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing print processing of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the tube after the printing process.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 Platen roller 6 thermal head 7 cutter 16 Control unit

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2C061 HV04 HV23 HV33 HV44                 2C065 CZ02 CZ09 CZ14 CZ17 CZ18                 2G016 CB01 CB12 CC01 CC03 CC04                       CC06 CC07 CC16 CC27 CC28                       CE00 CE07 CF07                 2G035 AA21 AB03 AC01 AC16 AD23                       AD26 AD64 AD65

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A printer comprising a plurality of operating units that are operated by battery power and a control unit that controls the operating units, the voltage value detecting unit detecting a voltage value of the battery. A voltage value comparing means for comparing the voltage value detected by the voltage value detecting means with a predetermined comparison voltage value, and the voltage value of the battery is higher than the comparison voltage value as a result of the comparison by the voltage value comparing means. In the case where the predetermined battery exhaustion process is performed by the control of the control unit when the value is small, the comparison voltage value is set in accordance with the type and the operating state of the operating unit that is operating when the voltage is detected by the voltage value detecting means. A printer comprising a comparison voltage value changing means for changing the comparison voltage value. 2. One of the operating parts is a printer head having a plurality of printing elements, and the comparison voltage value changing means is a printing element which is energized when the voltage is detected by the voltage value detecting means. A printer characterized by changing the comparison voltage value to a smaller value as the number increases. 3. One of the operating units is a print medium cutting unit that cuts a print medium, and the comparison voltage value changing unit is the comparison unit when the print medium cutting process is performed by the print medium cutting unit. The printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the voltage value is changed to a value smaller than a comparison voltage value at the time of non-cutting processing of the print medium. 4. A constant current control motor is used as a drive source of the print medium cutting unit, and the comparison voltage value changing unit generates a torque generated by the constant current control motor when the print medium cutting process is performed by the print medium cutting unit. The printer according to claim 3, wherein the comparison voltage value is changed to a smaller value as is larger. 5. The battery exhaustion process is a stop of the operation of the operating unit.
The printer according to item. 6. The printer according to claim 1, wherein the battery exhaustion process is a process of ejecting a printed medium to the outside of the printer. 7. The notification means for notifying the consumption of the battery is further provided, and the processing at the time of battery consumption is notification of the consumption of the battery by the notification means. The printer described in.