JP2004082443A - Booklet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the size and the manufacturing cost of a booklet printer capable of both printing and formation of braille points. <P>SOLUTION: A page turning device 4 turns pages of a booklet placed on a main conveying passage 3. An impact dot head 15 is provided on a booklet conveying passage 5. Both printing on the space of a booklet and formation of braille points are performed by controlling the same impact dot head 15. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a booklet printer that prints and forms Braille on the surface of a booklet such as a passbook.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a booklet printer that prints on a booklet such as a passbook, in addition to printing on the paper surface of the booklet, braille may be formed as necessary. In such a booklet printer, conventionally, an impact dot head for printing and an impact dot head for forming Braille are separately provided, and printing and formation of Braille are performed separately.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if impact dot heads are provided for printing and for forming Braille, respectively, as in the related art, the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated, the apparatus becomes large, and the manufacturing cost increases.
[0004]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a booklet printer capable of both printing and Braille formation, in which the size of the apparatus is reduced and the manufacturing cost is reduced.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The booklet printer of the present invention includes a transport path for transporting a booklet, a page turning device provided on the transport path for turning pages of the booklet, and an impact dot head provided on the transport path. The printing means controls the impact dot head to print on the paper of the booklet. The Braille forming means controls the impact dot head common to the printing means to form Braille on the paper surface of the booklet.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0007]
The configuration of the booklet printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In the printer main body 2, a main transport path 3 serving as a transport path for guiding a booklet is formed. A booklet transport path 5 serving as a transport path for transporting a booklet to the page turning device 4 is connected to the main transport path 3.
[0008]
The main transport path 3 is provided with a plurality of transport rollers 11 and 12 serving as a transport device. The driven transport roller 12 is pressed against the driven transport roller 11. A booklet issuing unit 13 that holds a closed new booklet and supplies the new booklet to the main transport path 3 is provided upstream of the main transport path 3 in the booklet transport direction. On the downstream side of the main transport path 3 in the booklet transport direction, a booklet issuing port 14 is formed.
[0009]
In the center of the main transport path 3, an impact dot head 15, a platen 16 facing the impact dot head 15, a reading device 17 for optically reading a page mark of a booklet, characters of a printed line, and the like, A reading device 18 for magnetically reading recorded information of a magnetic stripe formed on the back cover or the like is provided.
[0010]
The page turning device 4 on the booklet transport path 5 is a device having a well-known basic configuration for turning a page of a double-page spread book (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-213067).
[0011]
Here, the electrical connection of the control system of the booklet printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. A ROM 21 storing fixed data such as a program, a CPU 22 performing various calculations based on the program, and centrally controlling each unit; a RAM 23 storing variable data such as work data in an updatable manner; Are connected by a system bus 25.
[0012]
Further, a CCD sensor driving circuit 27 for driving a CCD sensor 26 provided in the reading device 17, an impact dot head driving circuit 28 for driving the impact dot head 15, and a magnetic sensor 29 provided for the reading device 18 are driven. A magnetic sensor drive circuit 30, a motor drive circuit 32 for driving various motors 31 of the page turning device 4, a sensor control circuit 34 for driving various sensors 33 of the page turning device 4, and a transport motor 35 for driving the transport roller 11 Is connected to the CPU 22 via the system bus 25.
[0013]
In such an apparatus configuration, the booklet printer 1 conveys the main book path 3 and the booklet conveyance path 5 with the double-page booklet facing upward, and turns the page to a required page by the page turning device 4, and Printing is performed on the page by the impact dot head 15. The impact dot head 15 can also form Braille on a desired page.
[0014]
The movement of the printing position on the booklet and the formation position of the braille is performed by sending the left and right rollers 11 and 12 of the impact dot head 15 for the movement of the booklet on the same line, and the line feed movement of the booklet is shown in FIG. This can be performed by a roller (not shown) that feeds the booklet in the vertical direction. Alternatively, the movement may be performed by moving the impact dot head 15.
[0015]
The formation of Braille performed by the impact dot head 15 will be specifically described. For example, the formation of 1.4 mm Braille dots on paper is performed by forming a plurality of wire dots (0.22 mm) with the impact dot head 15 and forming a single Braille dot.
[0016]
At this time, if a normal impact dot head 15 having a pin of φ0.22 mm capable of printing Chinese characters is used, it is considered that at least six rows are required. If these are printed one by one, the formation of the projections cannot be sharpened and it takes time. Therefore, one Braille dot is formed twice using the impact dot head 15 of 3 rows × 9 pins = 27 pins.
[0017]
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tip of an example of the impact dot head 15 in this case. As shown in FIG. 3, in the impact dot head 15, the arrangement of the pins 41 is 3 rows × 9 pins = 27 pins. Then, in the case of 2 × 3 dot Braille as shown in FIG. 4 (in FIG. 4, the hatched dot 42 is a dot actually formed), when the upper right dot 42 is formed, FIG. As shown, in order to form a dot 42 having a diameter D = φ1.4 mm, all the pins 41 in the rows a and b and the odd pins 41 in the row c are hit, followed by the even pins 41 and d in the row c. , E, etc., various hitting methods can be considered according to the performance of the impact dot head 15, such as hitting all the pins 41.
[0018]
Further, the required impact force by each pin 41 is different between the case of forming Braille with the impact dot head 15 and the case of performing normal printing, so that the energizing time, current or voltage when driving the impact dot head 15 is also different. different.
[0019]
In other words, when Braille is formed using all of the 3 rows × 9 pins = 27 pins, the electrical load of the impact dot head 15 and the impact dot head drive circuit 28 increases, so that only the outer portion of the Braille dots is used. It is possible to prevent the central portion from being formed (see FIG. 6), or to print the central portion other than the outer portion of the dot with a smaller impact force than the outer portion, thereby providing an electrical load. May be reduced. In order to form a 1.4 mm convex portion, the impact force in normal printing is not sufficient, and the energizing time, current, or voltage is increased.
[0020]
Further, when braille is formed on a page of a booklet that opens up and down like the booklet 51, the upper and lower sides or right and left of the braille to be formed from the back of the sheet of the page (the booklet is opened up and down like the booklet 51). In the case of printing in the binding direction, the booklet is turned upside down, and the booklet is opened right and left, and the booklet is printed in the direction perpendicular to the bookbinding direction. It is necessary to hit each pin 41 so as to form (braille).
[0021]
FIG. 8 to FIG. 11 show examples of Braille formed on the booklet which is the bankbook. FIG. 8 is a diagram in which “14-01-01” indicating January 01, 2002 is formed in Braille in the “date” column (total of eight digits) of the booklet. 01-01 "is formed. In FIG. 9, the letters “usually payable (ordinary deposit interest)” and “Shizokaginkoumishima” are formed in Braille in the “payment amount” column (total 13 digits) of the booklet. FIG. 10 shows a form in which a number mark and a following braille character “1,234,567,890” indicating 1,234,567,890 yen are formed in a column of “checked amount” (total 13 digits) of the booklet. are doing. FIG. 11 forms a braille representing a number mark (total of 13 digits) in the column of “subtraction balance” followed by “1,234,567,890” indicating 1,234,567,890 yen.
[0022]
FIG. 12 is a plan view of the booklet 51, which is a bankbook, in a two-page spread. In the booklet printer 1, as described above, both the printing and the formation of Braille can be performed on the same booklet 51 by the impact dot head 15. However, since the formation of Braille results in the formation of irregularities on the sheet, if a Braille projection is formed on one side of the same sheet, the other side (the side of the Braille recess) at the position where the Braille is formed due to the Braille irregularities. Printing becomes difficult. Also, it is difficult to form Braille at the corresponding positions on both sides of the same sheet, since the directions of the concavities and convexities are opposite on both sides, and the Braille is canceled each other.
[0023]
Therefore, in the booklet 51 of FIG. 12, three consecutive rows from the top of each page are set as one set, and the first and second lines of the set are set as Braille forming columns 52 and 53 dedicated to forming Braille. The print area 54 is used exclusively for printing, and the braille forming field 52 is used exclusively for printing braille on the upper page of the spread, and the braille forming field 53 is used for printing braille on the lower page of the spread. This is a dedicated column for As described above, the area control unit is realized by distinguishing the columns in which the braille is formed and printed.
[0024]
With this configuration, the formation of Braille and the printing do not overlap on both sides of the same sheet, and the formation of Braille does not overlap with each other, so that the printing and the formation of Braille can be performed satisfactorily.
[0025]
In this way, the booklet 51 in which one set of the braille forming fields 52 and 53 and the printing field 54 are successively arranged from the top in each page is designated as a Braille dedicated passbook, and the magnetic stripe formed on the back cover is distinguished from a normal passbook. The identification information is recorded and distributed as a passbook used by visually impaired persons or their families.
[0026]
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the booklet printer 1. The CPU 22 performs the following control based on the program stored in the ROM 21. As shown in FIG. 13, when a sensor (not shown) detects that a booklet (passbook) has been inserted into the booklet issuing port 14 with a spread (Y in step S1), it is recorded on a magnetic stripe formed on the back cover of the passbook. The reading information is read by the reading device 18 (step S2). Based on the read information, it is determined whether the passbook is the above-described booklet 51 or a normal passbook (step S3). Step S3 implements the selection means.
[0027]
When the passbook is the above-described booklet 51 (Y in step S3), it is necessary to print necessary information on the booklet 51 and to form Braille for the same information. Then, the position of the last page and the last printed line at the time of previous printing etc. are read from the magnetic stripe (step S4). In addition, a page recognition barcode printed at, for example, the upper right of the opened page of the booklet 51 inserted from the booklet issuing port 14 is read (step S5). Then, the position of the last page read from the magnetic stripe at the time of previous printing or the like is compared with the current page read from the recognition barcode (step S6), and the page is turned to open the next print position. It is determined whether or not is necessary.
[0028]
Then, information to be printed in each column of "date", "payment amount", "deposit amount", and "balance" is converted into a Braille code (step S7). Then, in order to form Braille in which the Braille to be formed is turned upside down or left and right, the Braille code of this Braille code is converted into a new Braille code which is turned upside down or left and right (step S8). That is, when converted into the braille code of Braille in FIG. 4 in step S7, it is converted into the braille code of Braille in FIG. Further, the same information as that converted into the Braille code in step S7 is converted into a character code (step S9).
[0029]
Next, when page turning is required in the judgment of step 6 (Y in step S10), the passbook is conveyed to the page turning device 4, and the page is turned to the next page where braille is to be formed (step S11). As described above, in order to form Braille, it is necessary to hit the back surface of the page on which the projection of Braille is formed with the pins 41 of the impact dot head 15, so that the back surface of the page on which Braille is to be formed is opened. Next, the page is turned.
[0030]
If the formation of Braille is to be performed on the upper page of the double-page spread, the previous printing, the back position of the Braille formation column 52 located immediately after the Braille formation position is set as the printing start position, and the formation of Braille is performed. When the lower page of the double-page spread is to be performed, the printing position by the impact dot head 15 is set so that the back surface position of the braille forming column 53 located immediately after the previous printing and braille forming position is set as the printing start position. The passbook is conveyed (step S12), and Braille is formed as follows.
[0031]
That is, the first row (1, 4 points) of Braille is formed by the impact dot head 15 based on the Braille code (step S13), and the passbook is fed 2.3 mm (step S14). Next, a second row (2, 5 points) of Braille is formed (step S15), and the passbook is sent 2.3 mm (step S16). Similarly, a third row (3, 6 points) of Braille is formed (step S17). When forming these braille characters, as described above, the energizing time, voltage, and the like for driving the impact dot head 15 are changed from those for printing. In this way, a Braille recess is formed on a page hit by the impact dot head 15, and a Braille projection is formed in the Braille formation field 52 or 53 on the back surface. The specific means for forming Braille performed in this manner is as described above. Steps S13 to S17 implement a Braille forming unit.
[0032]
Next, the passbook is conveyed again to the page turning apparatus 4 to turn the page, and the page in which the Braille projections are formed in the Braille forming fields 52 or 53 is opened (step S18). Then, the passbook is conveyed to the printing position by the impact dot head 15 so that the printing column 54 located immediately after the previous printing of the page and the braille forming position is set as the printing position (step S19). Printing is performed on the image 54 (step S20). Printing means is realized by step S20.
[0033]
When a series of printing and Braille formation are completed in this way, the passbook is conveyed to the reading device 18, the final printing position and Braille formation position are recorded on a magnetic stripe (step S 21), and the booklet is discharged to the booklet issuing port 14. (Step S22).
[0034]
The formation of Braille in steps S13 to S17 is continuously performed if Braille is required to be formed on a plurality of lines. Further, if Braille is also required for the next double-page spread, the page turning device 4 is required. After turning the page, Braille is also formed on the double-page spread. The printing in step S20 is also executed continuously if printing is necessary for a plurality of lines. Further, if printing is also required for the next double-page spread, the page turning device 4 turns the page and then turns the page. Printing is also performed on the page. In this case, when the printing and the formation of Braille extend over a plurality of facing pages, the normal printing is performed on the first facing page, then the page is turned over to the next facing page, and the printing of the facing page and the preceding page are performed. By repeating the operation of forming the lower page of the double-page spread of Braille, the speed of page turning can be increased, and the efficiency of a series of processes can be increased.
[0035]
If the passbook is a normal passbook (N in step S3), the position of the last page and the last print line at the time of previous printing or the like is read from the magnetic stripe (step S23). In addition, a page recognition barcode printed at, for example, the upper right corner of the opened page of the passbook inserted from the booklet issuing port 14 is read (step S24). Then, the position of the last page read from the magnetic stripe at the time of previous printing or the like is compared with the current page read from the recognition barcode (step S25), and the page is turned to open the next print position. It is determined whether or not is necessary.
[0036]
Next, information to be printed in each column of "date", "payment amount", "deposit amount", and "balance" is converted into a character code (step S26). If it is determined in step 25 that page turning is necessary (Y in step S27), the passbook is transported to the page turning device 4, and the page is turned to the next page to be printed (step S28).
[0037]
Then, the passbook is conveyed to the printing position of the impact dot head 15 so that the position immediately after the previous printing and the Braille forming position of the page is set as the printing position (step S29), and the printing is performed in the printing column 54. Perform (step S30). The printing in step S30 is also performed continuously if printing is necessary for a plurality of lines. Further, if printing is also required for the next double-page spread, the page is turned by the page-turning device 4 and then the double-page spread is performed. Printing is also performed on the page.
[0038]
According to the above processing, when the passbook is the booklet 51, the same information is displayed in each of the columns of “date”, “payment amount”, “deposit amount”, and “balance” in both print characters and braille. Will be recorded. Then, when storing the booklet 51 on which Braille is formed in this way, it is desirable to use a protective case 61 as shown in FIG. This protective case is a case in which the closed edge 51a of the booklet 51 is stored in the back, and a case main body 63 is widened from the back portion 62 in which the closed edge 51a is stored. For this reason, the booklet 51 is not tightly closed, and is stored with the pages slightly widened, so that the Braille does not collapse.
[0039]
As is apparent from the above description of the embodiment, the problem to be solved is that if the Braille is formed on one side on both sides at the same position on the paper, printing on the other side can be performed properly. There is a solution to the inability to do so. Therefore, in the invention according to claim 1, a positioning device that moves the relative position of the impact dot head and the booklet to determine the position of printing and Braille formation, and a printing area on the paper surface of the booklet by controlling the positioning device. An area control means is provided for distinguishing from the area for forming Braille and preventing overlapping of printing and Braille formation on both sides at the same position on the same sheet of booklet. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the printing and the formation of Braille from overlapping on both sides at the same position on the same sheet of the booklet, so that even if Braille is formed on one side of the sheet, printing can be performed properly on the other side. .
[0040]
The problem to be solved by the invention according to claim 3 is that if Braille is formed on one side and Braille is formed on the other side at the same position on the sheet, the previously formed Braille will not be readable. The point is to solve it. Therefore, in the invention described in claim 2, the area control means distinguishes the area of braille formation on both sides of the same position on the same sheet of the booklet, and sets the area for forming braille on both sides of the same position on the same sheet of the booklet. Avoid overlapping. This prevents the formation of Braille on both sides at the same position on the same sheet of the booklet, thereby preventing the Braille on one side of the previously formed sheet from becoming unreadable.
[0041]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the braille forming means changes the shape of the braille obtained by inverting the braille to be formed upside down or left and right. To form a Braille projection on the back surface of the hit page.
[0042]
The problem to be solved is that when printing and forming Braille are performed by the same impact dot head, both printing and Braille cannot be properly performed with the same impact force. Is in the solution. Therefore, in the invention according to claim 4, the Braille forming means controls the impact force of the pin separately from the case where printing by the printing means is performed by the impact dot head. Therefore, both printing and formation of Braille can be performed with an appropriate impact force, and both printing and formation of Braille can be performed properly.
[0043]
The problem to be solved by the invention according to claim 6 is that when both printing and formation of Braille are performed by the same impact dot head, both printing and formation of Braille cannot be performed properly with the same impact force. Is in the solution. Therefore, in the invention described in claim 5, the Braille forming means makes the impact force of the pin larger than when printing is performed by the printing means using an impact dot head. Accordingly, braille can be formed with a more appropriate impact force than in the case of printing, and braille can be formed properly.
[0044]
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fifth or sixth aspect, the Braille forming means controls the impact force of the pin by controlling the energizing time, current or voltage of the impact dot head.
[0045]
The invention described in claim 8 is to solve the problem that the electrical load on the impact dot head and its driving system is large due to the formation of Braille. Therefore, in the invention according to any one of claims 4 to 7, the Braille forming means forms the Braille dots only at the outer portion thereof, not at the central portion. Therefore, since the Braille is not formed at the center of the dot, the electrical load on the impact dot head and its driving system can be reduced.
[0046]
The invention described in claim 9 is to solve the problem that the electrical load on the impact dot head and its driving system is large due to the formation of Braille. Therefore, in the invention according to any one of claims 4 to 7, the Braille forming means makes the formation of the Braille dots larger at the outer portion than at the center portion. Therefore, since the Braille is not formed at the center of the dot, the electrical load on the impact dot head and its driving system can be reduced.
[0047]
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, there is provided a reading apparatus for reading predetermined information recorded in a booklet, and a reading apparatus for reading the same information according to the read information. And a selection means for selectively executing printing by the printing means and formation of Braille by the Braille forming means, and execution of only printing by the printing means.
[0048]
【The invention's effect】
According to the booklet printer of the present invention, both printing and Braille formation can be performed with a common impact dot head, so that the apparatus configuration can be simplified, the apparatus can be downsized, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the overall apparatus configuration of a booklet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical connection of the booklet printer.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a front end portion of the impact dot head of the booklet printer.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of Braille of 2 × 3 dots formed by an impact dot head.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a position where a pin of an impact dot head is hit when one dot of Braille is formed.
FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another example of a position where a pin of an impact dot head is hit when one dot of Braille is formed.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of Braille in which Braille in FIG. 5 is turned upside down.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of formation of Braille for a “year, month, day” column of a passbook.
FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an example of forming Braille for a “payment amount” column of a passbook.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of forming Braille for a “checked amount” column of a passbook.
FIG. 11 is a plan view showing an example of forming Braille for a “balance” column of a passbook.
FIG. 12 is a plan view of a spread of a passbook.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the booklet printer.
FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a protection case for storing a passbook.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Booklet printer 3 Transport path 4 Page turning device 5 Transport path 15 Impact dot head

Claims (10)

A transport path for transporting the booklet;
A page turning device that is provided on the transport path and turns a page of the booklet;
An impact dot head provided on the transport path;
Printing means for controlling the impact dot head to print on the paper of the booklet,
Braille forming means for controlling the impact dot head to form Braille on the paper surface of the booklet,
A booklet printer equipped with: A positioning device for moving the relative position between the impact dot head and the booklet to determine the printing and Braille formation positions;
By controlling the positioning device, the printing area and the Braille formation area on the paper surface of the booklet are distinguished from each other, and the overlap between the printing and the Braille formation on both sides at the same position on the same paper sheet of the booklet. Area control means for preventing;
The booklet printer according to claim 1, further comprising: The area control means distinguishes the area of the Braille formation on both sides of the same position on the same sheet of the booklet, and also prevents the formation of the Braille on both sides of the same position on the same sheet of the booklet.
The booklet printer according to claim 2. The Braille forming means, by hitting the Braille shape to be formed upside down or left and right with the pins of the impact dot head, to form a Braille projection on the back surface of the hit page,
The booklet printer according to claim 1. The Braille forming means controls the impact force of the pin separately from the case where the printing by the printing means is performed by the impact dot head,
The booklet printer according to claim 4. 6. The booklet printer according to claim 5, wherein the Braille forming unit makes the impact force of the pin larger than when the printing by the printing unit is performed by the impact dot head. The Braille forming means controls the impact force of the pin by controlling the energizing time, current or voltage of the impact dot head,
The booklet printer according to claim 5. The Braille forming means performs the formation of the Braille dots only at the outer portion thereof, not at the center portion.
The booklet printer according to any one of claims 4 to 7. The Braille forming means increases the impact force of the formation of the Braille dots in the outer shape part from the center part,
The booklet printer according to any one of claims 4 to 7. A reading device for reading predetermined information recorded in the booklet;
Selection means for selectively executing printing by the printing means and formation of braille by the braille forming means for the same information in accordance with the read information, and execution of only printing by the printing means,
The booklet printer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising:

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