JP2003266800A - Tape printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape printer in which operability can be enhanced at the time of print error and a printed label can be cut easily by feeding a tape automatically upon occurrence of such a print error as a character string or a character deviates from a print area. <P>SOLUTION: When a print key is depressed after a character string is inputted and the tape length and numbering are set, dot image data for printing the inputted character string is generated. If the print length of that dot image is shorter than the set tape length (S47: Yes), a print mechanism performs printing of the dot image on a tape (S49). Numbering is then performed (S51) and carry takes place and when the print length of dot image data for print exceeds the set tape length (S47: Yes), print processing is stopped (S54), the print tape is fed by a distance between print cut (S55), and a message for urging cutting is presented on a display (S56). <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 tape printer, and more particularly to feeding a tape without printing when a character string or characters to be printed do not fit in a print area set for printing on the tape. Regarding what you did.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the applicant of the present application has proposed that Kaikaihei 1-850.
As described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 50, a tape printer which is equipped with a keyboard, a display and a printing mechanism and can print input characters and symbols on a film-shaped tape (for example, a tape width of 12 mm and 24 mm) as a print medium. In addition to putting it into practical use, we have proposed this tape printer with various editing functions such as a fixed-length printing function for setting the printing area to be printed on the tape and a numbering printing function for sequentially performing numbering processing on input characters. This tape printer is suitable for producing various labels such as a file name label and a series of number labels.

That is, by using the fixed length printing function and the numbering printing function, for example, the input character string "No.
When the numbering printing function is applied to the number "1" in addition to the fixed length printing of "1", if the tape length, which is the length of the printing area, and the number of numbering processes are set, the dot image of the character string "No. 1" is set. Based on the data, when this character string “No. 1” fits within the rectangular print area consisting of the set tape length (horizontal dimension) and the printable width of the tape (vertical dimension), the character string “No. .1 ”is printed, and continuously printed on the tape while sequentially incrementing the numbers“ No. 2 ”,“ No. 3 ”...
It is possible to create a plurality of these number labels.

When the numbering printing function is applied to the input character "A" and the printing direction is set to the vertical writing direction, the dot image data of the vertical writing of the character "A" is used. When the character "A" fits vertically in the rectangular print area, the character "A" is printed vertically and the characters "B" and "C" continue.
The characters are sequentially counted and printed vertically on the tape, and a plurality of character labels can be created. However, for example, when a carry occurs and the total character string length becomes larger than the set tape length and does not fit in the print area, such as the character string “No. 10”,
When the character height, that is, the character width is larger than the printable width of the tape and does not fit in the print area like the vertical writing of the character “M”, the printing process is stopped.

[0005]

As described above, in a tape printing apparatus having a fixed length printing function and a numbering printing function, for example, a character string or a character to be printed is printed in a printing area set on the tape. When it does not fit, that is, when a printing error is detected, printing of the character string or character is stopped, so the character string of the last label printed before the character string of the label where the printing error is detected is printed by tape. Since it is inside the device, the tape feed key must be operated in order to feed and cut the final character string of the label out of the tape printing device, resulting in poor operability at the time of printing error. .

It is an object of the present invention to automatically feed a tape when a printing error occurs in which a character string or a character squeezes out of the printing area of the tape, so that the operability at the time of the printing error can be improved and the printing can be completed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape printer that can easily cut each label.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printer which comprises a tape feeding mechanism for feeding a tape as a printing medium contained in a tape cassette, and a character string such as input characters and symbols. After the printed character string, the printing means includes a printing means having a print head for printing the printed character string, and a character string changing means for changing the character string every time the input character string is printed. In the tape printing device that prints the character string changed by the character string changing unit following the end, the character string changed by the character string changing unit is
A printability determining means for determining whether or not the size of the print area for printing the character string on the tape is within the set print area, and a character string changing means following the trailing end of the previously printed character string. When printing the character string changed by, when the printability determination unit determines that the next character string does not fit within the set print area, the printing unit does not print the next character string. , And a tape feeding instruction means for instructing the tape feeding mechanism to feed a predetermined amount of tape.

Here, a print length setting means for setting the length of the print area is further provided, and the print permission / inhibition determination means is
It may be configured to determine whether or not the character string fits within the length of the printing area set by the printing length setting means (claim 2).

The character string changing means may be a numbering means for changing the character string by sequentially counting up the input character string or symbol each time a printing operation is performed. Good (Claim 3).

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printing apparatus including a tape feeding mechanism for feeding a tape as a printing medium housed in a tape cassette and a print head for printing a character string such as input characters and symbols on the tape. The printer is equipped with a printing unit and a numbering unit that counts up each time a printing operation for printing an input character or symbol is performed by the printing unit, and continues to the trailing end of the printed character string by the numbering unit. In a tape printing device that prints a character string that has been counted up, when printing a character string that has been counted up by a printing length setting unit that sets a printing length and a numbering unit, before printing the character string, The printability determination means for determining whether or not the character string fits within the print length set by the print length setting means, and the trailing end of the previously printed character string. Te, when printing the character string is counted up by numbering means, when it is determined by the print permission determining unit does not fit in the print set length without printing the next character string by the printing means,
The tape feeding mechanism is provided with a tape feeding instruction means for instructing the tape feeding mechanism to feed a predetermined amount of tape.

[0011]

In the tape printing apparatus according to the present invention, the printability determination means includes preset data relating to a print area in which each character string is printed on a tape as a print medium, and characters used by the print data creation means for printing. The dot image data of the row is received, and before the character string is printed, it is determined whether or not the character string fits within the print area, so the printability determination means does not fit the character string within the print area. If it is determined that the tape feeding command means feeds a predetermined amount of tape to the control means without printing the character string.

According to another aspect of the tape printing apparatus of the present invention, the print length setting means sets the length of the print area, and the print permission / inhibition determining means sets characters within the length of the print area set by the print length setting means. Determine if the column fits.

According to another aspect of the tape printing apparatus of the present invention, the numbering means, which is a character string changing means, sequentially counts up the input character string or symbol each time a printing operation is performed, and the character string is changed. To change.

According to another aspect of the tape printer of the present invention, the print length setting means sets the print length, and the printability determination means prints the character string counted up by the numbering means. First, it is determined whether or not the character string fits within the print length set by the print length setting means, and the tape feed command means operates similarly to the tape feed command means of claim 1.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is a case where the present invention is applied to a tape printing apparatus capable of printing a large number of characters such as numbers, alphabetic characters and symbols on a printing tape.

As shown in FIG. 2, a keyboard 3 is arranged in the front part of the main body frame 2 of the tape printer 1, a printing mechanism PM is arranged in the main body frame 2 behind the keyboard 3, and Immediately behind the keyboard 3, there is provided a liquid crystal display 22 capable of displaying one line of characters and symbols. Here, reference numeral 4 denotes a cover frame 6 when the tape cassette CS to be mounted on the printing mechanism PM is attached or detached.
Is a release button for releasing, and reference numeral 5 is a cutting operation button for manually cutting the printing tape 19.

On the keyboard (corresponding to the input means) 3, character keys for inputting alphabetic characters, numbers and symbols, space key, return key, cursor movement for moving the cursor K to the right or left side. Keys, numbering setting keys for setting the presence or absence of numbering processing and initial values, tape length setting keys for setting the tape length in the printing area to be printed on the printing tape 19, size setting keys for setting the size of the characters to be printed, various settings Execution key to command the end of processing, print key to command printing, power on
A power key for turning it off is provided.

Next, the printing mechanism PM will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 3. A rectangular tape cassette CS is detachably attached to the printing mechanism PM, and the tape cassette CS is a printing medium. A tape spool 8 around which a certain transparent laminated film tape 7 is wound, a ribbon supply spool 10 around which a print ribbon 9 is wound around, a take-up spool 11 around which this print ribbon 9 is wound up, and the same laminate film tape 7 A supply spool 13 in which a double-sided tape 12 having a width is wound with a release paper attached to the outside,
A joining roller 14 for joining the laminated film tape 7 and the double-sided tape 12 is rotatably provided. The double-sided tape 12 has pressure-sensitive adhesive layers formed on both sides of a base tape, and release paper is attached to the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one side of the base tape.

A thermal head 15 is erected at a position where the laminate film tape 7 and the print ribbon 9 overlap each other, and the platen roller 1 for pressing the laminate film tape 7 and the print ribbon 9 against the thermal head 15.
6 and a feed roller 17 that presses the laminated film tape 7 and the double-sided tape 12 against the joining roller 14 to create the printing tape 19 are rotatable on a support 18 pivotally attached to the body frame 2. Is pivoted to. In the thermal head 15, a heating element group composed of 128 heating elements is vertically arranged.

Therefore, when the tape feed motor 47 (see FIG. 4) is driven in the predetermined rotation direction, the joining roller 14 and the take-up spool 11 are driven in synchronization with each other in the predetermined rotation direction, and the heating elements are energized. At this time, characters and symbols are printed on the laminate film tape 7 by a plurality of dot rows, and the laminate film tape 7 is tape-fed in the tape feed direction A as the printing tape 19 with the double-sided tape 12 joined. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, it is fed out of the main body frame 2. For details of the printing mechanism PM, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-106555.

Next, the manual cutting device 30 for cutting the printing tape 19 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 3. A plate-shaped auxiliary frame 31 is erected immediately inside the main body frame 2. The fixed blade 32 is attached to the auxiliary frame 31.
Is fixed upwards. An operation lever 34 extending in the front-rear direction is attached to the pivot shaft 33 fixed to the auxiliary frame 31.
Is rotatably supported near the front end of the
A movable blade 35 is attached so as to face the fixed blade 32 at a portion corresponding to the front side of the pivot shaft 33.
Further, the rear end portion of the operation lever 34 is provided with the cutting operation button 5
The operating lever 34 is always located below the movable blade 35.
Is elastically biased by a spring member (not shown) in a direction away from the fixed blade 32. Further, the operation lever 34 is provided on the front end portion of the operation lever 34 by pressing the cutting operation button 5.
Disconnect switch 41 for detecting that the blade has rotated for disconnection
Is installed.

The printing tape 19 on which the document is printed by the thermal head 15 is fixed on the fixed blade 3 from the tape cassette CS.
2 extends to the outside of the main body frame 2 through between the movable blade 35 and the movable blade 35. Therefore, when the cutting operation button 5 is pressed downward, the movable blade 35 moves through the operation lever 34.
2 and approach the printing tape 19 with these double-edged blades 32 and 35.
Is disconnected. Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the cutting position CP of the manual cutting mechanism 30 is located downstream of the printing position PP of the thermal head 15 in the tape feeding direction A by about 25 mm. The distance between these two positions is defined as the print cutting distance α.

By the way, as the printing tape 19 fed from the tape cassette CS, tape widths are 6 mm and 9 m.
Five types are available: m, 12 mm, 18 mm, and 24 mm. Furthermore, for each tape width, the color of the base tape forming the double-sided tape 12 (hereinafter, simply referred to as the color of the double-sided tape 12, and the color of this base tape is the ground color of the tape) and the ink color of the printing ribbon 9 are "Black", "Red", "Blue", "Yellow"
... A plurality of types of tape cassettes CS that are arbitrarily combined from "white" are prepared.

Then, on the bottom wall of these tape cassettes CS, in order to detect any of these five types of tape widths, there are provided a first projecting piece 20 in which three projecting claws are combined, and both surfaces of these plural colors. In order to detect which combination of the color of the tape 12 and the ink color of the print ribbon 9, a second projecting piece 21 in which five projecting claws are combined is provided. Then, on the main body frame 2, a tape width sensor 43 (FIG. 4) for detecting the tape width from the state of the protruding claw of the first protruding piece 20.
2) and a tape color sensor 44 (see FIG. 4) for detecting the combined color of the double-sided tape 12 and the print ribbon 9 from the state of the protruding claws of the second protruding piece 21. Further, a cassette switch 42 (see FIG. 4) is attached to the main body frame 2 in order to detect that these plural types of tape cassettes CS are selectively mounted.

Next, the control system of the tape printer 1 is shown in FIG.
The block diagram of FIG. Control device C
The input / output interface 50 of the
A display controller (LCD) having a disconnect switch 41, a cassette switch 42, a tape width sensor 43, a tape color sensor 44, and a video RAM 24 for outputting display data to a liquid crystal display (LCD) 22.
C) 23, and a drive circuit 46 for the warning buzzer 45,
A drive circuit 48 for driving the thermal head 15 and a drive circuit 49 for driving the tape feed motor 47 are connected to each other. The control device C includes a CPU 52, an input / output interface 50, a CGROM 53, and an R connected to the CPU 52 via a bus 51 such as a data bus.
It is composed of OM 54/55 and RAM 60.

In the CGROM 53, dot pattern data for display is stored for each of numbers, alphabetic characters and symbols in correspondence with code data.
In a ROM (dot pattern data memory) 54, printing dot pattern data for each of a large number of characters for printing characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols is written in a typeface (Gothic typeface, Mincho typeface, etc.).
Each typeface is classified into 7 types (16, 24, 32,
Print character sizes of 48, 64, 96, and 128) are stored in association with code data.

In the ROM 55, a display drive control program for controlling the display controller 23 in correspondence with code data of characters such as characters, numbers and symbols input from the keyboard 3, and data in the print data buffer 66 are sequentially read out to perform thermal processing. A print drive control program for driving the head 15 and the tape feed motor 47, a control program for tape print control, which will be described later and is unique to the present application, are stored. Further, in the ROM 55, 5 of the printing tape 19
Printable width data TW corresponding to each type of tape width
Is previously stored as the number of dots.

A text memory (corresponding to a data storage means) 61 of the RAM 60 stores document data input from the keyboard 3. The set tape length data SL is stored in the tape length memory 62 in the number of dots. The printable width memory 63 stores printable width data TW corresponding to the tape width of the tape cassette CS mounted in the tape printer 1. The numbering character string memory 64 stores character string data used for the numbering process.

The numbering counter 65 stores a count value I for executing the numbering process. As shown in FIG. 11, the print data buffer 66 is provided with a memory capacity of 128 bits (16 bytes) in the vertical direction and a predetermined bit of about 50 characters in the horizontal direction, and is composed of characters and symbols. Dot image data for printing the document is stored as print data. The flag memory 67 stores flag data of the numbering flag NF that is set (data is “1”) when the numbering process is executed.

Next, the tape print control routine executed by the controller C of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. Incidentally, reference numeral S in the figure
i (i = 10, 11, 12, ...) Is each step. When the power is turned on by the power key, this control is started, first, the memories 61 to 66 of the RAM 60 are cleared, and the initial setting process such as setting the document input mode is executed (S10), and the document input screen is displayed. Is displayed on the display 22 (S11). Next, when a printable key such as an alphabetic character key, a numeric key, or a symbol key is operated (S12 / S13: Yes), the input code data is stored in the text memory 61 of the RAM 60 as document data. While the processing is executed, the display processing for displaying the character corresponding to the code data on the display 22 is executed (S17), S
Return to 12.

Next, when the numbering key is operated (S12: Yes, S13: No, S14: Yes), the numbering setting process control (see FIG. 6) is executed (S18).
When this control is started, the numbering setting screen for setting the presence / absence of the numbering process and the initial value of the number string and the character string to be used for the numbering is displayed on the display 22 (S25). Therefore, when performing the numbering process, If the item “YES” is selected, or if not, the item “NO” is selected, and the character string or number string to be the numbering target of the input document is input as the initial value. The numbering flag NF is set or reset depending on the presence / absence, and its initial value is stored in the numbering character string memory 64 (S26), and this control ends and the process returns to S11 of the tape printing control.

Next, when the tape length setting key is operated (S12: Yes, S13.S14: No, S15: Yes), the tape length setting process control for setting the tape length in the printing area to be printed on the printing tape 19 is performed. (See FIG. 7) is executed (S1
9). When this control starts, as the set tape length,
For example, a minimum tape length setting screen of "2 cm" is displayed on the display 22 (S30). When the cursor right movement key is operated (S31 / S32: Yes), the next set tape length is displayed (S35), and the process returns to S31. That is, for example, each time the cursor right movement key is operated, “2 cm” →
“3 cm” → “4 cm” → “5 cm” ... “30 cm” The set tape length is increased by 1 cm and displayed in sequence.

On the other hand, when the cursor left movement key is operated (S31: Yes, S32: No, S33: Yes), the set tape length is displayed in the reverse order of decreasing by, for example, 1 cm (S36). ), And returns to S31. Next, when the execution key is operated after the setting of the tape length is completed (S
31: Yes, S32 / S33: No, S34: Yes), the number of dots corresponding to the set tape length is the set tape length data SL.
Is stored in the tape length memory 62 of the RAM 60 (S
37), terminates this control, and returns to S11.

Next, in the tape print control, when the print key is operated (S12: Yes, S13 to S15: No,
S16: Yes), and print processing control (see FIG. 8) is executed (S20). When this control is started, first, the tape width signal from the tape width sensor 43 is read (S40), the printable width data TW (the number of dots) corresponding to the tape width signal is read from the ROM 55, and the printable width is read. Memory 63
(S41). Next, when the numbering flag NF in the flag memory 67 is set and the numbering process is performed (S42: Yes), the numbering number setting screen for setting the number of numbering processes is displayed on the display 22. When the number of times of processing is input and the execution key is operated (S43),
The set number of times N is stored in the numbering counter 65 of the RAM 60 as the count value I (S44).

Next, dot image data for printing of the document data stored in the text memory 61 is created and stored in the print data buffer 66 (S45). Next, based on the print dot image data stored in the print data buffer 66, the dot number data LL of the total character string length of the character string input as the document is obtained, and the maximum character of these character strings is determined. The height dot number MH is obtained (S46). Then, it is determined whether or not the character string of the document fits within the print area obtained by the set tape length data (horizontal length data) SL and the printable width data (vertical length data) TW. That is, the total character string length data LL is less than or equal to the set tape length data SL (S47: Ye
s) and when the maximum character height data MH is less than or equal to the printable width data TW (S48: Yes), the character string of the document fits within the print range, so the print dot image data in the print data buffer 66 is printed by the printing mechanism. It is output to PM and these character strings are printed on the printing tape 19 (S4
9).

Next, when the numbering flag NF is set (S50: Yes), the document numbering process control (see FIG. 9) is executed (S51). When this control is started, first, a character string for numbering processing stored in the numbering character string memory 64 of the RAM 60 is searched, and when this character string is a number (S6
0: Yes), for example, the number string is counted up based on the number arrangement order in the ASCII code system, and the counted number string is numbered in the character string memory 6
4 is stored and updated (S61), this control is terminated,
The process returns to S52 of the print processing control.

Next, the numbering count value I is decremented by one (S52), and when the numbering count value I is not "0", that is, when the numbering process is continued (S53: No), S45 and thereafter are repeatedly executed. It For example, while the character string “No. 1” is input as the document data, the set tape length SL is set to “2 cm”, the number of times of numbering processing is set to “10”, and the number “1” is set to the numbering character string. Sometimes, as shown in FIG. 10, the character string “No.
1 "is contained in the print area (illustrated by the one-dot chain line) set by the set tape length SL and the printable width TW.
As shown in FIG. 11, the character string “No. 1” is printed on the printing tape 19. In the same manner, the numbering process and the printing process are repeatedly executed, and the character strings “No. 2” to “No. 9” are sequentially printed.

By the way, when the total character string length LL of the character string obtained based on the printing dot image data stored in the print data buffer 66 is larger than the set tape length SL, that is, the character string has its printing range. If it does not fit in (S46, S47: No), the printing process is stopped (S5
4) The printing tape 19 is fed by a predetermined amount corresponding to the print cutting distance α (S55), and after the tape feeding is finished, a cutting message such as "cut the tape" is displayed on the display 22. Then, the control is terminated (S56), and the process returns to S11 of the tape printing control.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the number-processed character string is carried up to "No. 10", and the total character string is calculated based on the dot image data for printing in the print data buffer 66. When the character string length LL becomes larger than the set tape length SL, the character string “No.
10 "does not fit within the print area, the print tape 19 is fed by a predetermined amount (about 25 mm) corresponding to the distance between print cuts α, as shown in FIG.
o. Printing position PP0 and cutting position CP0 when printing 9 "
Are moved to the printing position PP1 and the cutting position CP1 by feeding a predetermined amount of the printing tape 19 in the tape feeding direction A, so that the printing tape 19 is cut at the cutting position CP1 by the manual cutting device 30. You can

That is, when a tape length error occurs, the printing tape 19 is automatically fed by a predetermined amount without printing the character string "No. 10". The final label character string "No. 9" printed before the column "No. 10" is fed out of the tape printing apparatus 1, no operation of the tape feed key is required, and a tape length error occurs. In addition to improving the operability at the time, each printed label "No. 1"-
"No. 9" can be easily cut.

On the other hand, in the vertical writing print mode, while the character "A" is input as the document data, the set tape length S
L is "1 cm" and numbering process is "1"
When "0" is set respectively and the number "A" is set as the numbering character string, the vertical character "A" of the first document has the maximum character height MH, that is, the character width, as shown in FIG. Since it is smaller than the printable width TW, when it falls within the print area set by the set tape length SL and the printable width TW (S40 to S41, S42: Yes, S43).
-S46, S47, S48: Yes), the vertically written character "A" is printed on the printing tape 19 (see FIG. 12).

Then, after the determination in S50 is Yes, the document numbering process control is executed (S51). That is, since the numbering character string is a character (S60: No), for example,
The characters are counted up based on the number arrangement order in the ASCII code system, and the counted characters are updated and stored in the numbering character string memory 64 (S
62) and terminates this control, and returns to S52 of the print processing control. Next, in the printing process control, the numbering count value I is decremented by one (S52), and when the numbering count value I is not "0" and the numbering process is continued (S53: No), the numbering is performed by S45 and thereafter. The process and the printing process are repeatedly executed, and the vertically written characters “B” to “L” are sequentially printed (see FIG. 12).

However, when the next vertically written character subjected to the numbering process is "M", the maximum character height MH (character width) obtained based on the print dot image data stored in the print data buffer 66 is obtained. ) Is the printable width T
When it is larger than W, that is, when the vertically written character does not fit in the print range (S46, S47: Yes, S48:
No), the printing process is stopped (S54), and the printing tape 19 is fed by a predetermined amount corresponding to the distance α between printing cuts (S54).
55) After the tape feeding is completed, a disconnection message such as "cut the tape" is displayed on the display 22 (S56), the control is terminated, and the process returns to S11 of the tape printing control.

As a result, for example, as shown in FIG.
When the numbered vertically written character is “M”, when the maximum character height MH (character width) becomes larger than the printable width TW based on the print dot image data in the print data buffer 66, Writing letter "M"
Since it does not fit within the printing area, the printing tape 19 is fed by a predetermined amount (about 25 mm) corresponding to the distance between printing cuts (about 25 mm), and the printing position PP0 when the immediately preceding vertical writing character “L” is printed. Since the cutting position CP0 is moved to the printing position PP1 and the cutting position CP1 by feeding the printing tape 19 in the tape feeding direction A by a predetermined amount, the printing tape 19 is moved to the cutting position CP1 by the manual cutting device 30. Can be cut.

That is, when a tape width error is detected, the printing tape 19 is automatically fed by a predetermined amount without printing the vertical writing character "M". The letter "L" of the final label printed before the letter "M" is fed out of the tape printer 1 and does not require any operation of the tape feed key, and the operability at the time of tape width error is improved. Can be improved,
The printed labels “A” to “L” can be easily cut.

By the way, in the print processing control, when the numbering flag NF is not set and the numbering processing is not executed, the printable width data TW is set.
Is stored in the printable width memory 63 (S40, S41, S4
2: No), dot image data is created for the document data in the text memory 61 (S45), and when the character string of the document fits within the print area determined by the set tape length SL and the printable width TW (S47. S48: Yes), after the dot image data is printed by the printing mechanism PM (S49), it is determined as No in S50, and the process returns to S11 through S55 and S56.

Here, the correspondence between each means described in the claims and the configuration in the above embodiment will be described. The printability determination means corresponds to S46 to S48 of the print processing control. The one corresponding to the tape feeding command means is S54 to S55 of the print processing control, the one corresponding to the numbering means is the document numbering processing control, and the one corresponding to the tape width detecting means is the tape width sensor. 43 and the first protruding piece 20.

In the case of a tape printer not equipped with the manual cutting device 30, the tape feed amount of the predetermined amount is set to such a feed amount that the final printing position is fed out of the tape printer. It may be configured as follows. It should be noted that, within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, various modifications may be made to the control of the above-described embodiment based on existing technology or technology obvious to those skilled in the art. In addition, the present invention is applied to various tape printers that are equipped with a keyboard and a display and that have various editing functions such as a copy printing function for inputting and printing document data stored in the text memory 61 a plurality of times repeatedly. Of course you can get it.

[0049]

According to the tape printing apparatus of the first aspect, the printability determination means and the tape feeding instruction means are provided, and the input character string is the print area for printing the label on the tape (the set print area). If a print error that does not fit in the) is generated, the specified amount of tape is automatically fed without printing.Therefore, depending on how the tape feed amount is set, the print is performed before the character string of the label where the print error occurred. The character string of the final label thus produced can be fed out of the tape printing apparatus, and each printed label can be easily cut without operating the tape feed key, and the operability when a printing error occurs can be improved.

According to the tape printing apparatus of the second aspect, since the print length setting means for setting the length of the print area is provided, it is possible to determine whether or not it is possible to print by storing the character string within the length of the print area. Becomes

According to the tape printing apparatus of the third aspect, the character string changing means is provided, and as the character string changing means, the inputted character strings and symbols are sequentially counted up each time the printing operation is executed. Then, since the numbering means for changing the character string is provided, it becomes easy to sequentially print the character string data of the numbering which is counted up for the character and the number to create a plurality of labels.

According to the tape printing apparatus of the fourth aspect, the printing length setting means for setting the printing length for printing the character string, the printability determining means, and the tape feeding instruction means are provided.
The same effect as in claim 1 is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing each configuration of claims 1 to 3.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tape printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a printing mechanism equipped with a tape cassette.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control system of the tape printer.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of tape printing control.

FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of numbering setting processing control.

FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of tape length setting processing control.

FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of print processing control.

FIG. 9 is a schematic flowchart of document numbering processing control.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of dot image data expanded in a print data buffer.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a print example of a character string subjected to numbering processing.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of vertical writing printing of characters subjected to numbering processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 tape printer 3 keyboard 15 Thermal head 19 printing tape 20 First protruding piece 43 Tape width sensor 52 CPU 55 ROM 60 RAM 61 Text memory 66 Print data buffer C control device PM printing mechanism

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Sachie Kanda, inventor             Brother, 15-1, Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya             Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshiyo Nagase             Brother, 15-1, Naeshiro-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya             Industry Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2C055 CC00 CC05

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printing method comprising: a tape feeding mechanism for feeding a tape as a printing medium contained in a tape cassette; and a printing means having a print head for printing a character string of inputted characters or symbols on the tape. Means and a character string changing means for changing the character string each time the printing operation of the input character string is executed, and the character string changing means is arranged to change the character string after the trailing end of the printed character string. In a tape printing device for printing a character string, it is determined whether or not the character string changed by the character string changing means is a print area for printing the character string on the tape and the size of the print area is set in the set print area. When printing the character string changed by the character string changing unit after the trailing edge of the previously printed character string and the character string changed last time, the next character string must fit within the set print area. Printability judgment And a tape feed command means for instructing the tape feed mechanism to feed a predetermined amount of tape without performing the printing of the next character string by the printing means. And a tape printer. 2. A print length setting means for setting the length of the print area is provided, and the print permission / inhibition determination means determines whether or not the character string fits within the length of the print area set by the print length setting means. The tape printing device according to claim 1, wherein the tape printing device determines whether 3. The character string changing unit is a numbering unit that changes the character string by sequentially counting up the input character string or symbol each time a printing operation is performed. The tape printer according to claim 1 or 2. 4. A tape feeding mechanism for feeding a tape as a printing medium stored in a tape cassette, a printing means having a print head for printing a character string of inputted characters and symbols on the tape, and inputting means. And a numbering means for counting up each time a printing operation for printing the printed characters or symbols by the printing means is performed, and following the trailing end of the printed character string, the character string counted up by the numbering means is displayed. In a tape printing device for printing, when printing a character string counted up by the numbering means and a character string counted up by the numbering unit, the character string is printed before the character string is printed. The printability determination means for determining whether the print length is within the print length set by the setting means, and the numbering hand following the trailing end of the previously printed character string. When printing the character string counted up by the step, when the printability determining unit determines that the print length does not fit within the set print length, the tape feeding mechanism does not print the next character string by the printing unit. A tape printing apparatus, comprising: a tape feeding command means for commanding to feed a predetermined amount of tape to the.