JP2004291533A - Tape printing device and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an unnecessary half cutting operation. <P>SOLUTION: The tape printing device is configured to display a message to a display 2 (S41) when a tape cassette 8 is not set (S40: NO), and detect the kind of the set tape cassette 8 (S42) when the tape cassette 8 is set (S40: YES). In the tape printing device, printing, full cutting and half cutting are carried out (S44) when the tape cassette 8 is not a label tape 11 (S43: NO). The half cutting operation is prohibited, and printing and full cutting are carried out (S45) if the tape cassette 8 is the label tape 11 (S43: YES). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a program capable of printing print target data on a long tape-shaped print medium.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art There is known a printing apparatus that prints a desired character string on the surface of a print sheet on which a pressure-sensitive adhesive print sheet having an adhesive applied thereto in advance and a release paper are releasably overlapped. With this type of printing device, titles and titles can be printed on the tape surface neatly and neatly, and then can be adhered to the spine of a document file or the back of a video tape. Widely used regardless of use.
[0003]
As printing tapes used in this type of printing apparatus, there are printing tapes having different tape widths, and in addition to a normal printing tape, an adhesive print-receiving sheet having an adhesive applied to the back surface and a release paper are used. There is a label tape or the like in which a cutting line is formed in advance so as to be releasable and the printing sheet is divided into a label area where printing is performed and a surrounding area other than the label area, and the tape types are various.
[0004]
With a normal printing tape, the printing tape is cut according to the required length after printing.However, in the state where the printing tape is cut, the printing sheet is in close contact with the release paper because the printing sheet is in close contact with the release paper. The operation of peeling the release paper from the printing sheet is complicated. Therefore, there has been proposed a printing apparatus or the like having a half-cut mechanism that cuts only a sheet to be printed without cutting the release sheet (see Patent Document 1). By applying a half-cut to the printing tape, the release paper is peeled from the edge of the printing sheet simply by bending the position where the half-cut of the printing tape is applied, so the release paper is easily peeled from the printing sheet can do.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-277824
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the above-described label tape is formed in advance with a cutting line for separating the sheet to be printed in the label area from the release paper, it is not necessary to perform a half-cut on the label tape for easy release. Nevertheless, there is a problem that an unnecessary half-cut operation is performed if the setting for performing the half-cut is performed in the printing apparatus.
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tape printer and a program that do not perform an unnecessary half-cut operation.
[0008]
Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention
In order to achieve the above object, the tape printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein as a long tape-shaped print medium, a plurality of label areas to be printed on a long support tape are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the support tape. Labeled tape, and a tape printing apparatus that can use a normal tape that can be printed at an arbitrary position on a long tape-shaped image receiving medium, wherein the printing is performed from the side of a surface to be printed on the printing medium. A half-cut position storage unit for storing a half-cut position to be used, a determination unit for determining the type of the print medium in use, and the determination unit that the print medium in use is the label tape. If it is determined that the half cut is prohibited from being performed on the label tape from the side of the printing surface, regardless of the storage content of the half cut position storage means. Characterized in that it comprises a Fukatto inhibiting means.
[0009]
A program according to claim 4, wherein the label tape is a long tape-shaped print medium, in which a plurality of label areas to be printed on a long support tape are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the support tape; A tape printing apparatus that can use a normal tape that can be printed at an arbitrary position on an image-receiving medium, and a half-cut for storing a half-cut position that is applied from the side of a surface to be printed on the print medium A position storage unit, a determination unit for determining the type of the print medium in use, and the half-cut position storage when the determination unit determines that the print medium in use is the label tape. Functioning as half-cut prohibiting means for prohibiting the label tape from being half-cut from the side of the surface to be printed, irrespective of the storage contents of the means. And wherein the Rukoto.
[0010]
According to the first and fourth aspects, when the print medium in use is a label tape, unnecessary half-cut operation can be prevented from being performed regardless of the storage contents of the half-cut position storage means.
[0011]
The new half-cut position in the half-cut position storage means, irrespective of whether or not the determination means determines that the print medium in use is the label tape, in the tape printing apparatus according to claim 2. Further, a half-cut adding unit for enabling writing of the data is further provided.
The program according to claim 5, wherein the tape printer is provided with a new half-cut position in the half-cut position storage unit when the determination unit determines that the print medium in use is the label tape. Characterized by further functioning as a half-cut addition disabling means for disabling writing of data.
[0012]
According to the second and fifth aspects, since the half-cut position can be added regardless of whether the print medium in use is a label tape or not, the print data used for the label tape and the normal tape can be shared. Can be achieved. Further, the user is not confused because the operation procedure is not changed.
[0013]
In the tape printing apparatus according to claim 3, when the determination unit determines that the print medium in use is the label tape, writing of a new half-cut position to the half-cut position storage unit is performed. It is characterized by further comprising a half-cut addition disabling means for disabling.
The program according to claim 6, wherein, when the determination unit determines that the print medium in use is the label tape, the tape printing device sets a new half-cut position in the half-cut position storage unit. Further, it is characterized by further functioning as a half-cut addition disabling means for disabling writing.
[0014]
According to the third and sixth aspects, when the print medium being used is a label tape, the half-cut position cannot be added, so that the user can be prevented from performing unnecessary operations.
[0015]
The program described in claims 4 to 6 can be recorded on a removable recording medium such as a CD-ROM or an MO or a fixed recording medium such as a hard disk and can be distributed. It can be distributed via a communication network such as the Internet by means.
[0016]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
<First embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of a tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a display 2 and a keyboard 3 are arranged on a front surface of the tape printer 1. An openable / closable cover is provided at the rear of the tape printer 1, and a cassette mounting section 7 (see FIG. 4) having a print head 4 (see FIG. 3) is arranged inside the cover.
[0017]
The printing tape 10 which is a printing medium of the tape printing apparatus 1 has a printing surface on which characters and symbols are printed on the front surface side, and is a long tape-shaped printing medium having an adhesive material layer on the back surface side. It is a laminate in which a printing sheet and a release sheet having a release surface treated with a silicone resin or the like are peelable. The printing tape 10 is stored in a tape cassette 8 in a state of being wound in a roll shape, and the tape cassette 8 is removably mounted on the tape printing apparatus 1 by a cassette mounting unit 7. The printing tape 10 is pulled out of the tape cassette 8 inside the tape printing apparatus 1, printed, and then cut into an appropriate length. The cut printing tape 10 can be used as a label that can be attached to a desired article by peeling the release sheet from the printing target sheet.
[0018]
Next, a label tape 11, which is one of the printing tapes 10 used in the printing tape printing apparatus 1, will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is an external view of the label tape 11 as viewed from the printing surface side. The label tape 11 has a printing surface on the surface of the printing tape 10, a printing sheet having an adhesive layer on the back surface, and a release sheet having a release surface are superposed releasably, and the printing sheet is Has a label area 12 and a peripheral area 13 having a predetermined planar shape such as a rectangle with four corners chamfered in a curved shape, and the label area 12 and the peripheral area 13 can be separated from each other by a cutting line 14 Have been disconnected. The label region 12 can be used as a label by being peeled off from the release sheet and attached to an object. The label area 12 is not limited to a rectangular one, but may be of various shapes such as a circular one.
[0019]
Next, the configuration of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the tape printer 1. The tape printer 1 includes a display 2, a keyboard 3, a print head 4, a control unit 6, and a cassette mounting unit 7 (not shown). The display 2 is composed of a known liquid crystal display.
[0020]
The keyboard 3 is arranged on the surface of the tape printer 1 and has a text key and an enter key for inputting characters to be printed, a cursor key for moving a cursor, and a function assignment key (a function assignment key for calling various functions of the tape printer 1). Print key, cut setting key, etc.).
[0021]
The print head 4 is provided in the cassette mounting section 7 and is disposed at a position corresponding to a tape exposure section provided on a side surface of the tape cassette 8. A large number of heating elements electrically controlled by the control unit 6 are arranged in the print head 4 along the width direction of the print tape 10 (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the print tape).
[0022]
The control unit 6 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 61, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 62, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 63, a data bus 65, and an interface unit 66. The CPU 61 is a central processing unit that performs arithmetic processing according to various commands. The ROM 62 is a non-volatile read-only memory in which the CPU 61 executes each functional unit in FIG. 3 and stores an arithmetic program for operating the flowcharts in FIGS. 6 to 8 and 10. The RAM 63 is a volatile memory for temporarily storing data used when the CPU 61 executes a program.
[0023]
The interface unit 66 is a connection unit that directly and indirectly electrically connects the control unit 6 to a device separated as a module. The data bus 65 is a data transfer line group that electrically connects the CPU 61, the ROM 62, the RAM 63, and the interface unit 66, respectively. All the transfer data in the control unit 6 is transferred via the data bus 65.
[0024]
Next, the printing mechanism of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view showing the cassette mounting section 7 inside the tape printing apparatus 1. The tape cassette 8 is removably mounted on the cassette mounting section 7 in the tape printer 1. In addition, the tape cassette 8 is configured by assembling upper members (not shown) with each other above a box-shaped lower member 80 whose upper part is opened, and a first spool 82 and a A second spool 83, a third spool 84, a platen roller 85, a pressure roller 86, and a transport roller 87 are provided. The transport rollers 87 are arranged such that when the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the cassette mounting section 7, a rotational driving force transmission path is formed with a drive motor (not shown) disposed on the cassette mounting section 7. You. Inside the lower member 80, a head accommodating portion 89 which is a hollow portion for accommodating the print head 4 when the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the cassette mounting portion 7 is formed. When the tape cassette 8 is mounted, the print head 4 is inserted into the head accommodating portion 89 and is arranged at a position in contact with the platen roller 85. The printing tape 10 is assembled to the first spool 82 in a state wound in a roll shape. There are a plurality of types of printing tapes 10 having different widths and different shapes of label areas.
[0025]
Two holes 88 are formed on the outer bottom surface of the lower member 80 of the tape cassette 8. In the present embodiment, there are four places for discriminating the type of tape, of which only two holes at the center are provided with holes 88, and no holes are provided at two places on both sides. Accordingly, when the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the tape mounting unit 7, two of the four pins provided on the tape type detecting device (not shown) provided on the inner bottom surface of the tape mounting unit 7 have the center two on the bottom surface of the tape cassette 8. The two holes 88 provided on the tape cassette 8 are pressed by the bottom surface of the tape cassette 8 against the elastic force of the spring. Note that the arrangement pattern of the holes 88 formed in the tape cassette 8, that is, the combination of whether or not the holes 88 are formed in four places differs for each type of tape. The tape type determination unit 103, which will be described later, determines the type of the mounted tape cassette 8 by detecting whether or not each pin is pressed, and thereby determines the type of the mounted print tape 10. .
[0026]
When the drive motor (not shown) rotates when the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the tape mounting unit 7, the transport roller 87 connected to the drive motor rotates clockwise as indicated by an arrow in FIG. The printing tape 10 wound around the first spool 82 of the tape cassette 8 is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4 while being unwound by the driving force generated by the rotation of the transport roller 87. The printing tape 10 unwound from the first spool 82 is pressed against the print head 4 by the platen roller 85 while being guided by the second spool 83 and the third spool 84, and the pressure roller 86 is pressed against the transport roller 87.
[0027]
In this manner, while the printing tape 10 is being conveyed while being sandwiched between the platen roller 85 and the printing head 4, the heating elements disposed on the printing head 4 are selectively and intermittently energized. Is formed. After the desired image is formed, the print tape 10 passes between the conveying roller 87 and the pressure roller 86 pressed against each other as described above and is discharged to the outside. The printing tape 10 discharged to the outside is cut at a desired position by a tape cutter 71 provided near the discharge port.
[0028]
Next, the configuration of each functional unit of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The tape printer 1 includes a character string storage unit (character string storage unit) 91 configured by the RAM 63, a cut position storage unit (cut position storage unit) 92, and a cut execution unit (cut execution unit) configured by the CPU 61. 101, a cut position adding unit (including a half cut adding unit) 102, a tape type determining unit (determining unit) 103, and a half cut inhibiting unit (half cut inhibiting unit) 104.
[0029]
The character string storage unit 91 is configured on the RAM 63 and stores character string data to be printed, which is input from the keyboard 3 by the user. The character string data is composed of character data. Each character data is composed of a text code corresponding to the font data stored in the ROM 62, and data indicating the contents of character modification, character size, and the like.
[0030]
The cut position storage unit 92 is configured on the RAM 63 and stores the position where the print tape 10 is cut. There are two types of cuts to be made on the print tape: full cut and half cut. Full cutting is an operation of cutting a release sheet and a sheet to be printed. Half cutting is an operation of cutting only the sheet to be printed on the printing tape 10. The position at which the full cut is performed is stored as the full cut position, and the position at which the half cut is performed is stored as the half cut position in the cut position storage unit 92 by the cut position adding unit 102.
[0031]
The cut execution unit 101 causes the cutter 71 to perform a full cut or a half cut on the print tape 10. The full cut or the half cut is performed based on the full cut position and the half cut position stored in the cut position storage unit 92.
Specifically, after an image of a desired character string is formed on the print tape 10 by the print head 4 at the time of printing, the full cut position or the half cut position on the print tape 10 stored in the cut position storage unit 92 is stored. After the printing tape 10 is transported so that the position reaches the position of the tape cutter 71, the tape cutter 71 performs full cut or half cut.
[0032]
The cut position adding unit 102 stores the full cut position and the half cut position in the cut position storage unit 92 based on a user operation. A method of storing the full cut position and the half cut position by the cut position adding unit 102 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is an external view of a cut position setting screen 110 displayed when the full cut position and the half cut position are stored in the cut position storage unit 92. By pressing a cut setting key, which is one of the function assignment keys of the keyboard 3, a cut position setting screen 110 shown in FIGS. 5A to 5D is displayed on the display 2. Each time the cursor key is pressed, the setting contents of the position setting screen 110 are changed in the order of FIGS.
[0033]
The cut position setting screen 110 shows the setting contents of the full cut position and the half cut position. FIG. 5A shows the setting contents of performing the full cut between the character strings to be printed, and FIG. FIG. 5C shows a setting content for performing a half cut between printed character strings, and FIG. 5C shows a setting content for performing a half cut at one end and a full cut at the other end of the printed character string. (D) shows the setting contents in which the half cut and the full cut are not performed, respectively.
The user presses the cursor key to display the position setting screen 110 of the desired setting content on the display 2, and further presses the enter key to confirm the setting content. When the setting content is determined, the half-cut position and the full-cut position corresponding to the character string stored in the character string storage unit 91 are stored in the cut position storage unit 92, respectively.
[0034]
The tape type determination unit 103 determines the type of the printing tape 10 stored in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7. The tape cassette 8 indicates the type of the printing tape 10 housed in the arrangement pattern of the plurality of holes 88 provided on the outer bottom surface of the lower member 80. The determination of the type of the printing tape 10 is made by recognizing the arrangement pattern of the holes 88 using four pins provided on a tape type detecting device provided on the inner bottom surface of the tape mounting unit 7.
[0035]
The half-cut prohibiting unit 104 is a unit that, when the tape type determining unit 103 determines that the print tape 10 stored in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 is the label tape 11, the cut execution unit 101 This prohibits the tape 11 from being half-cut. The half-cut prohibition unit 104 prohibits the half-cut from being performed, ignoring the stored contents, even when the half-cut position is stored in the cut-position storage unit 92.
[0036]
Next, a processing procedure of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the overall processing procedure of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the overall processing procedure of the tape printer 1.
When the power is turned on, the control device starts operating. First, the process proceeds to step S10 (hereinafter, abbreviated as S10; other steps are the same), and the entire tape printer 1 is initialized. More specifically, the operation check and initialization of the CPU 61, the RAM 63, and the interface 66 are performed, and the operation check of the display 2 and the print head 4 connected to the interface 66 and the hardware initialization are performed. , And initializes the data stored in the RAM 63 and the functions of each unit. When these operations are completed, the operation screen is displayed on the display 2.
[0037]
Thereafter, the flow shifts to S11, where it is determined whether or not a key input from the keyboard 3 is performed by the user. The user performs a key input with the keyboard 3 while looking at the display screen displayed on the display 2, so that the character input of the character string stored in the character string storage unit 91 and the operation of the tape printer 1 can be performed. When the initialization is completed, the tape printer 1 is on standby in a state where a character string can be input, and the user can input a character string to be printed as a target using a text key arranged on the keyboard 3. Further, even in the input standby state, each function can be called by inputting a function assignment key for calling each function such as a print key. When a key is input by the user (S11: YES), the key code of the input key is stored in the work area of the RAM 63, and the process proceeds to S12. If a key has not been input by the user (S11: NO), the process returns to S11 and waits for a key input by the user.
[0038]
In S12, it is determined from the key code of the key input in S11 stored in the work area of the RAM 63 whether or not the input key is a text key. If the key input in S11 is a text key (S12: YES), the flow proceeds to S13 to perform an input editing process. Here, the input editing process is a work of deriving a text code corresponding to the key code from the key code stored in S11 and storing the text code in the character string storage unit 91 as character data. When the input editing process is completed, the process returns to S11 and waits for a key input by the user. If the key input in S11 is not a text key (S12: NO), the process proceeds to S14.
[0039]
In S14, it is determined whether the key input in S11 is a cut setting key. If the key input in S11 is a cut setting key (S14: YES), the flow proceeds to S15 to perform a cut position setting described later (see FIG. 7). When the setting of the cutting position is completed, the process returns to S11 and waits until a user inputs a key. If the key input in S11 is not the cut setting key (S14: NO), the process proceeds to S16.
[0040]
In S16, it is determined whether the key input in S11 is a print key. If the key input in S11 is a print key (S16: YES), the flow shifts to S17 to perform a printing process described later (see FIG. 8). When the printing process is completed, the process returns to S11 and waits for a key input by the user. If the key input in S11 is not the print key (S16: NO), the process proceeds to S18.
[0041]
In S18, other processing is executed. Other processes include processes for function call keys other than those described above, cursor key processes, and the like. When the other processes are completed, the process returns to S11 and waits until a user inputs a key. The end of the control system is realized by turning off the power switch of the tape printer 1.
[0042]
Next, the processing procedure of the cut position setting in S15 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for setting the cut position. First, the process proceeds to S30, where the cut position adding unit 102 displays the position setting screen 110 on the display 2, and stores the full cut position and the half cut position in the cut position storage unit 92 based on the operation of the user (FIG. 5). reference). When the full cut position and the half cut position are stored in the cut position storage unit 92, the cut position setting ends. Thereafter, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 7 ends, and the process proceeds to S11 of the flowchart of FIG.
[0043]
Next, the processing procedure of the printing process in S17 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for the printing processing. First, the process proceeds to S40, where the tape type determination unit 103 determines whether or not the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7. If it is determined that the tape cassette 8 is not mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 (S40: NO), the process proceeds to S41, and a message prompting the cassette mounting unit 7 to mount the tape cassette 8 is displayed on the display 2. . Thereafter, the process returns to S40, and repeats until the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the cassette mounting section 7. If the tape cassette 8 is mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 (S40: YES), the process proceeds to S42, where the tape type determination unit 103 stores the tape cassette 8 in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7. The type of the print tape 10 is detected.
[0044]
Thereafter, the flow shifts to S43, where it is determined whether or not the type of the printing tape 10 detected in S42 is the label tape 11. If the detected type of the print tape 10 is not the label tape 11 (S43: NO), the process proceeds to S44, in which a print image of the character string stored in the character string storage unit 91 is generated and printing is performed. . Here, the generation of the print image refers to the character data of the character stored in the character string storage unit 91, the set character size, the font shape, and the character decoration such as bold and italic, and the line such as the frame and the like. This is an operation of developing dot pattern data on the work area of the RAM 63 based on the presence or absence of the modification as dot pattern data according to the actual printing state. Data is transferred to the print head 4 based on the generated print image, and a desired character string image is formed on the print tape 10 by the heating element of the print head 4.
[0045]
When the full cut position or the half cut position is stored in the cut position storage unit 92, after the desired character string image is formed on the print tape 10, the cut execution unit 101 After the printing tape 10 is transported so that the full-cut position or the half-cut position on the printing tape 10 stored in 92 reaches the position of the tape cutter 71, the tape cutter 71 performs full-cut or half-cut. . Thereafter, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 8 ends, and the process proceeds to S11 of the flowchart of FIG.
[0046]
In S42, if the detected type of the printing tape 10 is the label tape 11 (S43: YES), the flow shifts to S45 to generate a print image of the character string stored in the character string storage unit 91. Execute printing.
Then, when the full cut position is stored in the cut position storage unit 92, the cut execution unit 101 stores the desired character string image on the print tape 10 and then stores it in the cut position storage unit 92. After the printing tape 10 is conveyed so that the full-cut position on the printing tape 10 reaches the position of the tape cutter 71, the tape cutter 71 performs full cutting.
When the half-cut position is stored in the cut-position storage unit 92, the half-cut prohibition unit 104 prohibits the cut execution unit 101 from performing the half-cut. Thereafter, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 8 ends, and the process proceeds to S11 of the flowchart of FIG.
[0047]
As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when the printing tape 10 containing the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting section 7 is the label tape 11, the half cut is performed. Since the prohibition unit 104 does not perform half-cut on the label tape 11, unnecessary half-cut can be prevented from being performed.
[0048]
Further, even when the printing tape 10 stored in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 is the label tape 11, the half cut position is stored in the cut position storage unit 92 by the cut position adding unit 102. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the setting of the half-cut position between the normal tape and the label tape 11, and data can be shared.
[0049]
Further, even if the printing tape 10 stored in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 is the label tape 11, the user is confused because the operation procedure for setting the cut position is the same. Disappears.
[0050]
<Second Embodiment of the Invention>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The second embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment, except for the configuration of each functional unit of the tape printing apparatus 1A and the processing procedure for setting the cut position, and according to the first embodiment. Since the description other than the configuration of each functional unit of the tape printer 1 and the processing procedure for setting the cut position can be applied, the details are omitted.
[0051]
The configuration of each functional unit of the tape printer 1A will be described with reference to FIG. The tape printer 1 includes a character string storage unit (character string storage unit) 91 configured by the RAM 63, a cut position storage unit (cut position storage unit) 92, and a cut execution unit (cut execution unit) configured by the CPU 61. 101, a cut position adding unit 102, a tape type determining unit (determining unit) 103, a half cut inhibiting unit (half cut inhibiting unit) 104, and a half cut position adding inhibiting unit (half cut adding impossible unit) 105. Have.
[0052]
Each functional unit other than the half cut position addition prohibition unit 105 is substantially equivalent to each functional unit according to the first embodiment, and the details of each functional unit according to the first embodiment can be applied. Is omitted.
[0053]
The half cut position addition prohibition unit 105 stores the half cut position in the cut position storage unit 92 by the cut position addition unit 102 when the printing tape 10 mounted by the tape type determination unit 103 is determined to be the label tape 11. It is prohibited to do so.
More specifically, on the cut position setting screen 110, the setting content for performing a full cut between the character strings to be printed shown in FIG. 5A and the setting content for not performing the half cut and the full cut shown in FIG. Make sure that only the content is displayed. As a result, the user cannot select the setting content for performing the half cut, and the cut position adding unit 102 does not store the half cut position in the cut position storage unit 92.
[0054]
Next, the processing procedure of the cut position setting in S15 in the flowchart of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for setting the cut position. First, the process proceeds to S50, where the tape type determination unit 103 detects the type of the printing tape 10 stored in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7. Thereafter, the flow shifts to S51, where it is determined whether or not the type of the printing tape 10 detected in S50 is the label tape 11. If the detected type of the printing tape 10 is not the label tape 11 (S51: NO), the process proceeds to S52, where the cut position adding unit 102 displays the position setting screen 110 on the display 2, and based on the user operation. Then, the full cut position and the half cut position are stored in the cut position storage unit 92 (see FIG. 5). When the full cut position and the half cut position are stored in the cut position storage unit 92, the cut position setting ends. Thereafter, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 7 ends, and the process proceeds to S11 of the flowchart of FIG. 6, and waits until a user inputs a key.
[0055]
If the detected type of the print tape 10 is the label tape 11 (S51: YES), the process proceeds to S53, where the half cut position addition prohibiting unit 105 sets the half cut position by the cut position adding unit 102 to the cut position storage unit. In order to prohibit storing the full cut position in the cut position storage unit 92, the cut position adding unit 102 displays a position setting screen 110 indicating the setting contents of the full cut on the display 2, and stores only the full cut position based on a user operation. 92 (see FIG. 5A). When the full cut position is stored in the cut position storage unit 92, the cut position setting ends. Thereafter, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 7 ends, and the process proceeds to S11 of the flowchart of FIG.
[0056]
As described above, according to the second embodiment of the present invention, when the printing tape 10 containing the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 is the label tape 11, the half cut is performed. Since the prohibition unit 104 does not perform half-cut on the label tape 11, unnecessary half-cut can be prevented from being performed.
[0057]
When the printing tape 10 stored in the tape cassette 8 mounted on the cassette mounting unit 7 is the label tape 11, the setting of the half cut position for the label tape 11 is prohibited by the half cut position addition prohibition unit 105. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from performing unnecessary operations.
[0058]
The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various design changes can be made within the scope of the appended claims. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the configuration is such that the user can set a desired half-cut position. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and a predetermined half-cut position can be set. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the user cannot set the half-cut position desired by the user.
[0059]
Further, in the first and second embodiments, the tape printing apparatus is configured to print a character string on a printing tape. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. May be configured as a tape printing apparatus capable of printing the image of (1).
[0060]
Further, in the first and second embodiments, the tape printer is configured as a stand-alone type. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The unit may be realized by a program functioning on a personal computer connected to the tape printing apparatus, or may be configured to incorporate the control unit or a part thereof into an apparatus other than the personal computer.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external view of a tape printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external view of a label tape printable by the tape printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from a printing surface side.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the tape printing apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a cassette mounting portion of the tape printing apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is an external view of a cut setting screen of the tape printing apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an overall processing procedure in the tape printing apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of a printing process in the tape printing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;
8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for setting a cut position in the tape printing apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a tape printer according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure for setting a cut position in the tape printing apparatus according to the second embodiment;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Tape printer
2 Display
3 keyboard
6 control unit
8 tape cassette
10 Printing tape
11 Label tape
101 Cut execution unit
102 Cut position addition section
104 Half cut prohibition section
105 Half cut position addition prohibition section

Claims (6)

As a long tape-shaped print medium, a label tape to be printed on a long support tape, a label tape in which a plurality of labels are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the support tape, and an arbitrary position on the long tape-shaped image receiving medium A printable normal tape and a usable tape printer,
Half-cut position storage means for storing a half-cut position applied from the side of the surface to be printed on the print medium,
Determining means for determining the type of the print medium in use;
When the determination unit determines that the printing medium in use is the label tape, regardless of the storage content of the half-cut position storage unit, the label tape is printed from the side of the surface to be printed. A tape printer comprising: a half-cut prohibiting unit for prohibiting a half-cut from being performed. Addition of a half-cut to enable writing of a new half-cut position to the half-cut position storage means regardless of whether or not the determination means determines that the print medium in use is the label tape. The tape printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a unit. When the determination unit determines that the print medium in use is the label tape, a half-cut addition disable unit for disabling writing of a new half-cut position to the half-cut position storage unit is provided. The tape printer according to claim 1, further comprising: As a long tape-shaped print medium, a label tape to be printed on a long support tape, a label tape in which a plurality of labels are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the support tape, and an arbitrary position on the long tape-shaped image receiving medium A tape printer that can use printable normal tape,
Half-cut position storage means for storing a half-cut position applied from the side of the surface to be printed on the print medium,
Determining means for determining the type of the print medium in use; and
When the determination unit determines that the printing medium in use is the label tape, regardless of the storage content of the half-cut position storage unit, the label tape is printed from the side of the surface to be printed. A program for functioning as half-cut prohibiting means for prohibiting a half-cut from being performed. The tape printing device,
Addition of a half-cut to enable writing of a new half-cut position to the half-cut position storage means, regardless of whether or not the determination means determines that the print medium in use is the label tape. The program according to claim 4, further causing the program to function as a means. The tape printing device,
When the determination unit determines that the print medium in use is the label tape, a half-cut addition disable unit for disabling writing of a new half-cut position to the half-cut position storage unit. The program according to claim 4, further causing the program to function.

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