JP2011056803A - Thermal printer and printing method using thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal printer preventing the occurrence of smudge while suppressing the delay of a printing time. <P>SOLUTION: The thermal printer 1 includes: a thermal head 36; a conveying mechanism 12 moving acceptance paper 11 along a conveying path 23; a platen member 25 arranged in the conveying path 23 and facing the thermal head 36; a lifting mechanism 41 moving the thermal head 36 between a printable position A where the thermal head 36 comes into press-contact with the platen member 25 across an ink ribbon 13 and the acceptance paper 11 and a non-printing position B where the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen member 25; a printing control part 52 performing a printing operation; a timer part 56 measuring the time elapsed from the completion of the printing operation; and a lifting mechanism control part 58 controlling the lifting mechanism 41. The lifting mechanism control part 58 separates the thermal head 36 from the platen member 25, when the elapsed time exceeds a separation time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal printer that performs printing by thermally transferring ink from a thermal transfer ink ribbon to a receiving paper using a thermal head, and a printing method using the thermal printer.

  Thermal printer used in the label printer, bar code printers, etc., the line thermal head (hereinafter, referred to as a thermal head) and a. The thermal head is configured by arranging a plurality of heating elements in a direction (main scanning direction) orthogonal to the receiving paper transport direction.

  In a thermal printer that uses a thermal transfer ink ribbon (hereinafter referred to as an ink ribbon), the thermal head is in pressure contact with the platen roller with the overlapping receiving paper and the ink ribbon sandwiched therebetween. Then, the platen roller is rotated by the drive motor to convey the receiving paper along the conveying path, and the ink is thermally transferred from the ink ribbon to the receiving paper by bringing the heating element of the thermal head into contact with the ink ribbon. Yes. The ink ribbon is taken up by a ribbon take-up roller while moving along the transport path.

  Thermal head, even after printing, and is fixed in a state of pressure contact with the platen roller. For this reason, the ink ribbon and the receiving paper existing between the thermal head and the platen roller always continue to receive pressure from the thermal head even in a stopped state after the printing is finished.

  If the pressure from the thermal head continues to act on the ink ribbon and the receiving paper even though it is stopped, ink bleeding (so-called smudge) of the ink ribbon with respect to the receiving paper occurs. The Smudge order to prevent the ink ribbon having a resistant smudge protective layer on the ink layer has been known.

  On the other hand, if an ink ribbon having only an ink layer is used, smudging may occur and print image quality may be deteriorated. In order to use an ink ribbon having only such an ink layer, for example, a thermal printer disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 lifts a thermal head and stops a platen roller in a state where the ink ribbon and the receiving paper after printing are stopped. Smudge is prevented by pressing the thermal head against the platen roller during printing.

  In the thermal printer disclosed in Patent Document 1, the thermal head is pressed against the platen roller every time printing is performed, and the thermal head is separated from the platen roller every time printing is completed. For this reason, the thermal head is always separated from the platen roller in a state where the ink ribbon and the receiving paper after the printing is stopped. In such a thermal printer, in order to perform printing, the operation of pressing the thermal head against the platen roller is necessary, and printing takes time.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a thermal printer and a printing method using the thermal printer that can prevent the occurrence of smudge while suppressing a delay in printing time.

  The thermal printer of the present invention includes a thermal head having a heating element that thermally transfers ink of an ink ribbon to a receiving paper, a transport mechanism that moves the receiving paper along a transport path, and the thermal head that is disposed in the transport path; An opposing platen member, a lifting mechanism, a printing control unit that performs a printing operation for generating heat from the heating element of the thermal head, a time measuring unit that measures an elapsed time after the printing operation is completed, and the lifting mechanism And a lifting mechanism controller for controlling the movement.

  The lifting mechanism moves the thermal head between a printable position in pressure contact with the platen member with the ink ribbon and the receiving paper interposed therebetween and a non-printing position away from the platen member.

  The lifting mechanism control unit moves the thermal head to the non-printing position when the elapsed time exceeds a head separation time for moving the thermal head to the non-printing position, and performs the printing operation when performing the printing operation. The lifting mechanism is controlled to move the thermal head to the printable position when the thermal head is in the non-printing position.

  In the printing method of the present invention, the thermal head is disposed at a printable position in pressure contact with the platen member with an ink ribbon and a receiving paper sandwiched therebetween, and the receiving is performed in a state where the thermal head is disposed at the printable position. Moving the paper, generating a print operation for printing on the receiving paper by generating heat from the heat generating element of the thermal head, measuring an elapsed time after the print operation is finished by the time measuring unit, and an elapsed time of the head When the separation time is exceeded, the thermal head is arranged at a non-printing position away from the platen member.

  According to the thermal printer of the present invention, the number of times the thermal head is separated from the platen roller is minimized because the thermal head is separated from the platen roller based on the type of the selected ink ribbon and receiving paper and the measured temperature. Can be suppressed. For this reason, it is possible to prevent smudge from occurring while suppressing a delay in printing time.

1 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a label printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view schematically showing the periphery of a thermal head of the label printer shown in FIG. 1. The block diagram which shows the electrical connection of the label printer shown by FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of print control of the label printer shown in FIG. 1. 2 is a graph showing an example of a head separation time calculation unit of the label printer shown in FIG.

A label printer as an example of a thermal printer according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 schematically shows the inside of the label printer 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of the label printer 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical connection of the main parts of the label printer 1. The label printer 1 includes a housing 2. Inside the housing 2 are housed a transport mechanism 12 for transporting a label paper 11 as an example of a receiving paper, an ink ribbon feed mechanism 14 for supplying an ink ribbon 13, and the like.

  The housing 2 includes a main body case 2a located on the lower side in FIG. 1 and a cover 2b provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction with respect to the main body case 2a via a hinge portion (not shown). . On the front surface 2c side of the housing 2, a label discharge port 17, an external input device 18, a display unit 19 (shown in FIG. 3), and the like are arranged.

  Label paper roll 11a into the receiving paper accommodating portion 21 formed in the housing 2 are accommodated. The label paper roll 11a is a roll of the label paper 11 with a mount, and is wound so that the mount 11b faces outward. The label paper 11 is provided with an adhesive layer on the surface in contact with the mount 11b so that the label paper 11 can be peeled off from the mount 11b as required.

  A conveyance path 23 for conveying the label paper 11 is formed inside the housing 2. The transport path 23 extends in a substantially horizontal direction from the lower surface of the label paper roll 11 a set in the receiving paper storage unit 21 toward the label discharge port 17. A platen roller 25 which is an example of a platen member, a guide roller 26, a pinch roller 27, and the like are disposed in the middle of the conveyance path 23.

  The platen roller 25, the guide roller 26, and the like constitute a part of the transport mechanism 12 for transporting the label paper 11, and are configured to rotate in a predetermined direction by driving means including a motor and a gear (not shown). An arrow F in FIG. 1 indicates the conveyance direction of the label paper 11.

  The label discharge port 17 is formed near the end of the transport path 23. A mount peeling guide 31 is provided in the vicinity of the label discharge port 17. The mount peeling guide 31 is configured to peel the label 11c of the label sheet 11 from the mount 11b by bending the label sheet 11 provided with the mount 11b at a steep angle just before the label discharge port 17. The label 11c peeled off from the mount 11b can be taken out from the label discharge port 17. Below the transport path 23, a mount take-up mechanism 32 for taking up the peeled mount 11b is provided. Mount winding mechanism 32 includes a mount take-up roller 34 which is rotated by a drive means including a motor and gears (not shown).

  A thermal head 36 is provided in the middle of the transport path 23. The thermal head 36, as shown enlarged in FIG. 2 are arranged to face upwardly of the platen roller 25. Between the platen roller 25 and the thermal head 36, the label paper 11 with the mount 11b and the ink ribbon 13 are sandwiched.

  The thermal head 36 is fixed to the lower surface of the head bracket 38. A heating element 39 is provided at the tip of the lower surface of the thermal head 36. A plurality of heat generating elements 39 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the direction (main scanning direction) perpendicular to the transport direction of the label paper 11 along the axial direction of the platen roller 25.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal head 36 is attached to the mechanism 41 lifting through the head bracket 38. The lifting mechanism 41 includes a drive unit 43 and a mechanism unit 44. The drive means 43 is an actuator using, for example, a self-holding solenoid or a permanent magnet. Mechanism 44, by driving the driving unit 43 to move the thermal head 36 mounted on the head bracket 38.

  The ink ribbon feeding mechanism 14 is configured to supply the ink ribbon 13 fed from the ink ribbon roll 13 a in the label printer 1 toward the label paper 11 on the transport path 23. The ink ribbon 13 supplied toward the label paper 11 passes between the platen roller 25 and the thermal head 36 in a state of being overlaid on the label paper 11, and then turns upward to change the ink ribbon take-up roller 47. It is designed to be wound on.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the thermal head 36 is moved by a lifting mechanism 41 so that the printable position A is in pressure contact with the platen roller 25 with the overlapping ink ribbon 13 and label paper 11 interposed therebetween, and non-printing away from the platen roller 25. Move between position B. At the printable position A, the heat generating element 39 is in contact with the ink ribbon 13.

  The external input device 18 is an input key for manually inputting data by an operator, for example. The external input device 18 is not limited to this, but includes a terminal or an antenna for inputting data from a host computer (not shown), a reader for reading the RFID tag provided on the label paper roll 11a and the ink ribbon roll 13a to be used, and the like. It may be used.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the label printer 1 includes a temperature detection unit 51, a print control unit 52, and a head operation control unit 53. The temperature detection means 51 is a temperature sensor such as a thermistor or a thermocouple.

  The temperature detection unit 51 measures the temperature inside the housing 2. The print control unit 52 performs a printing operation in which the plurality of heating elements 39 of the thermal head 36 are heated according to the received control signal, and the ink of the ink ribbon 13 is thermally transferred to the label 11c.

  The head operation control unit 53 includes a timing unit 56, a head separation time calculation unit 57, and a lifting mechanism control unit 58 that controls the lifting mechanism 41. The head separation time calculation unit 57 calculates a head separation time for moving the thermal head 36 to the non-printing position B and separating it from the platen roller 25. Timer unit 56 measures the elapsed time from receipt of the signal indicating the end print from print control unit 52.

  The head separation time calculation unit 57 includes a plurality of head separation time calculation units 62 stored in the head separation time calculation unit storage 61, a head separation time calculation unit selection unit 63, and a head separation time calculation unit 64. Yes. The head separation time calculation means 62 is, for example, a relational expression between temperature and head separation time.

  The head separation time calculation unit selection unit 63 is connected to the external input device 18, the head separation time calculation unit storage 61, and the head separation time calculation unit 64. Head away time calculating section 64 includes a temperature sensing means 51 is connected to a lifting mechanism controller 58. The timer 56 is connected to the print controller 52 and the lifting mechanism controller 58.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing when printing is performed using the label printer 1. Hereinafter, an example of a printing method by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to this flowchart.

  First, in step S10 for selecting the types of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11, the operator operates the external input device 18 to select the types of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 used for printing. For example, information such as model numbers of the plurality of ink ribbons 13 and the label paper 11 is displayed on the display unit 19. The operator selects the types of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 set in the label printer 1 from the information displayed on the display unit 19 and inputs them to the external input device 18.

  Information of the ink ribbon 13 and label paper 11 selected is sent to the head away time calculating unit selecting unit 63. In step S11 for selecting the head separation time calculation unit 62, the head separation time calculation unit selection unit 63 selects the optimum head separation from the head separation time calculation unit storage 61 in accordance with the received information on the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11. The time calculation means 62 is selected.

  FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the temperature and the head separation time for each of the first to third head separation times calculating means 62a, 62b and 62c. The graph indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 5 is the first head separation time calculation means 62a. The graph shown by the solid line in FIG. 5 is the second head separation time calculation means 62b. A graph indicated by a broken line in FIG. 5 is the third head separation time calculation unit 62c.

  For example, the head separation time calculation unit selection unit 63 selects one of the first to third head separation time calculation units 62a, 62b, and 62c corresponding to the selected combination of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11. The calculation means 62 is selected. Head away time calculating unit selecting unit 63, the head away time calculating unit 62 selects, and transmits to the head away time calculation unit 64.

  After step S11, it is determined in step S12 whether the head has been lifted. That is, it is determined whether the thermal head 36 is located at the printable position A where the thermal head 36 is in pressure contact with the platen roller 25 or at the non-printing position B away from the platen roller 25.

  When the thermal head 36 is located at the non-printing position B, the process proceeds to step S13. In step S <b> 13, the lifting mechanism control unit 58 operates the lifting mechanism 41 to move the thermal head 36 to the printable position A. When the thermal head 36 moves to the printable position A, the thermal head 36 comes into pressure contact with the platen roller 25 with the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 overlapped.

  If the thermal head 36 is located at the printable position A, in step S14, the print control unit 52 receives a print command and starts printing. In step S15, the print control unit 52 performs a printing operation according to the received print data. When the printing operation is completed in step S16, the printing control unit 52 transmits a signal notifying the timing unit 56 of the completion of the printing operation.

  When printing is started in step S14, the temperature detection means 51 measures the temperature inside the housing 2 in step S17. The temperature detection means 51 transmits the measured temperature data to the head separation time calculation unit 64.

  In step S <b> 18, the head separation time calculation unit 64 calculates the head separation time using the head separation time calculation unit 62 received from the head separation time calculation unit selection unit 63 and the temperature data received from the temperature detection unit 51. calculate. The head separation time calculation unit 64 transmits the calculated head separation time data to the lifting mechanism control unit 58.

  Step S18 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. For example, when the head separation time calculation unit selection unit 63 selects the second head separation time calculation unit 62b and the temperature measured by the temperature detection unit 51 is 30 ° C., the head separation time calculated by the head separation time calculation unit 64 Is 60 seconds.

  When the temperature measured by the temperature detection means 51 is higher than 40 ° C., the head separation time calculation means selection unit 63 selects any one of the first to third head separation time calculation means 62a, 62b, 62c. The head separation time calculated by the separation time calculation unit 64 is 0 second.

  When the print control unit 52 transmits a signal notifying the end of the printing operation to the time measuring unit 56 in step S16, the time measuring unit 56 starts measuring the elapsed time after the end of the printing operation in step S19. Timer unit 56 starts the measurement of the elapsed time, it continues to send the mechanism control unit 58 lifts the data of the elapsed time.

  In step S <b> 20, the lifting mechanism control unit 58 determines whether or not the elapsed time received from the time measuring unit 56 exceeds the head separation time received from the head separation time calculation unit 64.

  More specifically, when the head separation time calculated by the head separation time calculation unit 64 is 60 seconds, the lifting mechanism control unit 58 determines whether or not the elapsed time from the end of the printing operation exceeds 60 seconds. Determine.

  When it is determined that the elapsed time does not exceed the head separation time, the lifting mechanism control unit 58 determines whether or not there is a next print command in step S21. If there is no next print command, the process returns to step S20 to make a determination again. If the next print command, the flow returns to step S12, carries out printing based on the print instruction received.

  In step S20, when the elapsed time exceeds the head separation time, the process proceeds to step S22. In step S <b> 22, the lifting mechanism control unit 58 operates the lifting mechanism 41. When the lifting mechanism 41 moves the thermal head 36 to the non-printing position B and separates it from the platen roller 25, the operation is completed.

  When the head separation time calculated by the head separation time calculation unit 64 is 0 second, the lifting mechanism control unit 58 operates the lifting mechanism 41 when the printing operation is completed, and moves the thermal head 36 away from the platen roller 25.

  When printing is performed again after the thermal head 36 is moved to the non-printing position B in step S22, the thermal head 36 is moved to the printable position A in step S13 and is in pressure contact with the platen roller 25. To do.

  According to the label printer 1 having the above-described configuration, the thermal head 36 is moved to the non-printing position B and separated from the platen roller 25 only when the elapsed time from the end of printing exceeds the calculated head separation time. Let Thereby, when there is a possibility of smudge, the number of times that the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25 and the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25 can be minimized.

  More particularly, the time to smudge occurs, combinations and the ink ribbon 13 and label paper 11 used, depend on the temperature. According to the label printer 1 configured as described above, the optimum head separation time calculating means 62 is selected depending on the combination of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11, and the head separation time is calculated according to the temperature. Accordingly, since the thermal head 36 is moved to the non-printing position B and separated from the platen roller 25 only under conditions where smudging may occur, the number of times the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25 is minimized. be able to.

  When the thermal head 36 is in the non-printing position B, it takes time to move the thermal head 36 to the printable position A for the printing operation, and the printing time is delayed. Further, when the thermal head 36 is moved to the printable position A and brought into pressure contact with the platen roller 25, the thermal head 36, the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 vibrate, so that time is required for the vibration to calm down. Thus, the printing time is further delayed. However, by minimizing the number of times the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25, these delays can be suppressed, and the occurrence of smudge can be prevented.

  Further, when the thermal head 36 is moved to the printable position A and brought into pressure contact with the platen roller 25, the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 which are sandwiched between the thermal head 36 and the platen roller 25 are not pinched properly. There is a risk of printing failure and feeding wrinkles. However, these problems can be suppressed by minimizing the number of times the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25.

As described above, the printing method of the label printer 1 of the present embodiment includes the following steps.
(1) inputting information of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 by the external input device 18;
(2) storing a plurality of head separation time calculation means 62 in the head separation time calculation unit 57;
(3) selecting one of the plurality of head separation time calculation means 62 stored in the head separation time calculation unit 57 according to the input information of the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11;
(4) disposing the thermal head 36 at a printable position A in pressure contact with the platen roller 25 with the ink ribbon 13 and the label paper 11 sandwiched therebetween;
(5) The label paper 11 is moved in a state where the thermal head 36 is disposed at the printable position A, and the printing operation for causing the heating element 39 of the thermal head 36 to generate heat and printing on the label paper 11 is performed.
(6) measuring the elapsed time from the end of the printing operation by the timer 56;
(7) detecting the temperature by the temperature detecting means 51;
(8) calculating the head separation time by the detected temperature and the selected head separation time calculating means 62;
(9) When the elapsed time exceeds the head separation time, the thermal head 36 is disposed at the non-printing position B away from the platen roller 25.

  By the printing method having the steps (1) to (9) described above, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of smudge while suppressing the delay of the printing time.

  In the above-described embodiment, the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25 only when the elapsed time after the completion of printing exceeds the head separation time. However, the thermal head 36 is separated from the platen roller 25 every time printing is completed. It is good also as a structure which can be switched to the mode to carry out, the mode which keeps the state in which the thermal head 36 press-contacts the platen roller 25 even if printing is complete | finished.

  Furthermore, when implementing this invention, it cannot be overemphasized that the component of invention can be variously changed and implemented in the range which does not deviate from the summary of invention. For example, the thermal printer of the present invention is not limited to a label printer, and may be another printer such as a barcode printer. Further, the thermal head may be moved to a non-printing position when the elapsed time after the printing exceeds a preset head separation time regardless of the temperature, the type of ink ribbon, and the receiving paper.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Label printer, 11 ... Label paper, 12 ... Conveyance mechanism, 13 ... Ink ribbon, 14 ... Ink ribbon feeding mechanism, 23 ... Conveyance path, 25 ... Platen roller, 36 ... Thermal head, 39 ... Heating element, 41 ... Lifting Mechanism 52 ... Print control unit 56 ... Time measuring unit 58 ... Lift mechanism control unit

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-157244

Claims (5)

A thermal head having a heating element that thermally transfers the ink of the ink ribbon to the receiving paper;
A transport mechanism for moving the receiving paper along a transport path;
A platen member disposed in the transport path and facing the thermal head;
A lifting mechanism for moving the thermal head between a printable position in pressure contact with the platen member across the ink ribbon and the receiving paper, and a non-printing position away from the platen member;
A print control unit that performs a print operation to generate heat in the heat generating element of the thermal head;
A time measuring unit for measuring an elapsed time from the end of the printing operation;
When the elapsed time exceeds a head separation time for moving the thermal head to the non-printing position, the thermal head is moved to the non-printing position, and the thermal head is moved to the non-printing position when performing the printing operation. A lifting mechanism control unit that controls the lifting mechanism to move the thermal head to the printable position when
A thermal printer characterized by comprising: Temperature detection means for detecting temperature;
A head separation time calculation unit that calculates the head separation time according to the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit;
The thermal printer according to claim 1, further comprising:   The head separation time calculation unit includes a plurality of head separation time calculation means, selects one of the plurality of head separation time calculation means, and uses the selected head separation time calculation means. The thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the head separation time is calculated. An external input device for inputting information of the ink ribbon and the receiving paper to the head separation calculation unit;
The head separation time calculation unit selects one of the plurality of head separation times calculation means according to the information of the ink ribbon and the receiving paper input from the external input device. Item 4. The thermal printer according to item 3. Disposing the thermal head at a printable position in pressure contact with the platen member with the ink ribbon and receiving paper sandwiched therebetween;
Moving the receiving paper in a state in which the thermal head is disposed at the printable position, and performing a printing operation for printing on the receiving paper by generating heat from a heating element of the thermal head;
Measuring the elapsed time from the end of the printing operation by the time measuring unit;
Disposing the thermal head in a non-printing position away from the platen member when the elapsed time exceeds the head separation time;
A printing method for a thermal printer, comprising:

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