JP2014048101A - Quality determination device for secondary battery used in printer, and the printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a quality determination device for a secondary battery capable of further accurately determining the deterioration of the second battery, even if printing is performed at various printing rates.SOLUTION: A quality determination device for a secondary battery includes: integrated power consumption obtaining means (S19, S22, and S25) for obtaining integrated power consumption by integrating power consumption of a printer; integrated power consumption determining means (S20) for determining whether the integrated power consumption from a predetermined timing reaches predetermined power amount or not; output voltage lowering amount obtaining means (S14, S32, and S34) for obtaining the lowering amount of output voltage of the secondary battery during a period until the integrated power consumption determining means determines that the integrated power consumption reaches the predetermined power amount; and quality determining means (S36) for determining the quality of the secondary battery on the basis of whether or not the lowering amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery obtained by the output voltage lowering amount obtaining means is predetermined amount or greater.

Description

  The present invention relates to a quality determination device for a secondary battery used as a power source for a printer such as a thermal printer (thermal printer, thermal transfer printer), and the printer.

  Conventionally, a secondary battery driven printer described in Patent Document 1 has been proposed. In this secondary battery drive printer, the relationship between the difference between the voltage of the secondary battery when the power is turned on and the current secondary battery voltage and the normal maximum issuance distance of the paper is stored in advance. That is, the relationship between the distance that the paper is fed during normal printing and the voltage drop of the secondary battery at that time is stored in advance. In the actual printing operation, the normal maximum issuance corresponding to the paper issuance distance corresponding to the actual voltage drop amount of the secondary battery (the difference between the voltage of the secondary battery when the power is turned on and the current secondary battery). When the distance is smaller than the distance, it is determined that the secondary battery is not good (has deteriorated).

  According to such a secondary battery drive printer, it is possible to notify the user that the secondary battery is in a deteriorated state, as distinguished from a case where the secondary battery simply drops in voltage.

JP 2007-168305 A

  However, when printing is performed at various printing rates in the above-described conventional secondary battery-powered printer, the relationship between the paper feed amount and the actual printing amount, that is, the power consumption amount, varies in various ways. In this case, the deterioration of the secondary battery cannot be accurately determined from the relationship between the simple sheet feed amount and the output voltage drop of the secondary battery.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the quality of the secondary battery that can more accurately determine the deterioration of the secondary battery even when printing is performed at various printing rates. A determination apparatus is provided.

  A quality determination device for a secondary battery according to the present invention is a quality determination device for a secondary battery used as a power source for a printer, and integrates power consumption in the printer to obtain an accumulated power consumption. The amount acquisition means, the integrated power consumption determination means for determining whether or not the integrated power consumption from a predetermined timing has reached the predetermined power amount, and the integrated power consumption determination means from the predetermined timing Output voltage reduction amount acquisition means for acquiring a reduction amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery until it is determined that the accumulated power consumption has reached the predetermined power amount; and the output voltage reduction amount acquisition means In other words, it is configured to include pass / fail judgment means for judging pass / fail of the secondary battery based on whether or not the amount of decrease in the output voltage of the secondary battery obtained is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount.

  With such a configuration, in a process in which the printer is operated by supplying power from the secondary battery, 2 from the predetermined timing until it is determined that the integrated power consumption at the printer has reached the predetermined power amount. The quality of the secondary battery is determined based on whether or not the amount of decrease in the output voltage of the secondary battery is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount.

  In the quality determination device for a secondary battery according to the present invention, when the quality determination means determines that the output voltage decrease amount of the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount by the output voltage decrease amount determination means. The secondary battery can be determined not to be good.

  With such a configuration, when the amount of decrease in the output voltage of the secondary battery from the predetermined timing until it is determined that the accumulated power consumption at the printer has reached the predetermined power amount is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount. It is determined that the secondary battery is not good.

  Moreover, in the quality determination apparatus for a secondary battery according to the present invention, the output voltage decrease amount acquisition unit detects a first output voltage value of the output voltage value of the secondary battery at the predetermined timing as a first output voltage value. A second detecting unit configured to detect an output voltage value of the secondary battery as a second output voltage value when it is determined by the detecting unit and the integrated power consumption determining unit that the integrated power consumption has reached the predetermined power amount; 2 output voltage detection means, and a voltage difference calculation means for calculating a voltage difference between the first output voltage value and the second output voltage value as the amount of decrease.

  With such a configuration, the first output voltage value of the secondary battery at a predetermined timing and the second output of the secondary battery when it is determined that the accumulated power consumption from the predetermined timing has reached the predetermined power amount. A voltage difference from the two output voltage values is acquired as a decrease amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery.

  Further, in the quality determination device for a secondary battery according to the present invention, the integrated power consumption acquisition unit calculates a power consumption required for the printing operation based on print data used for the printing operation of the printer. It is possible to have an operation power consumption calculation unit that integrates the power consumption obtained by the printing operation power consumption calculation unit.

  With such a configuration, the amount of power consumed by the printer by the printing operation based on the print data can be integrated.

  Furthermore, in the quality determination device for a secondary battery according to the present invention, the integrated power consumption acquisition means includes standby power consumption acquisition means for acquiring power consumption when the printer is in a standby state, The power consumption acquired by the standby power consumption acquisition unit can be integrated.

  With such a configuration, it is possible to integrate the standby power consumption required for the printer in the standby state.

  In the secondary battery quality determination device according to the present invention, the printer may be a thermal printer having a print mechanism including a thermal head that receives power supply from the secondary battery.

  With such a configuration, in the process of operating the print mechanism including the thermal head by supplying power from the secondary battery in the thermal printer, the accumulated power consumption in the thermal printer has reached the predetermined power amount from a predetermined timing. The determination of whether the secondary battery is good or bad is made based on whether or not the amount of decrease in the output voltage of the secondary battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

  The printer according to the present invention includes a secondary battery as a power source and one of the secondary battery quality determination devices described above.

  According to the secondary battery quality determination device according to the present invention, when the printer is operated by supplying power from the secondary battery, the accumulated power consumption by the printer reaches the predetermined power amount from a predetermined timing. Since the quality of the secondary battery is judged based on whether or not the amount of decrease in the output voltage of the secondary battery until the judgment is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, printing at various printing rates is performed. Even if there is a case, the state of printing at the various printing rates is reflected in the integrated power consumption, and the deterioration of the secondary battery can be determined more accurately.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a printer to which a secondary battery quality determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a flowchart (the 1) which shows the procedure of the process of a quality determination of a secondary battery. It is a flowchart (the 2) which shows the procedure of the process of a quality determination of a secondary battery. It is a flowchart (the 3) which shows the procedure of the process of a quality determination of a secondary battery. It is a figure which shows the state of the integrated power consumption during a printing operation, and the state of the voltage drop of a secondary battery.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  A printer to which a secondary battery quality determination apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied is configured as shown in FIG. This printer is a thermal printer (a thermal printer or a thermal transfer printer).

  In FIG. 1, this thermal printer has a print mechanism including a thermal head 13 and an actuator 14 such as a motor or solenoid as a power source. The thermal printer includes a processing unit 10, drive circuits 11 and 12, an operation unit 15, a display unit 16, and a storage unit 17. Print data input by an operation on the operation unit 15 is stored in the storage unit 17 from the processing unit 10. The display unit 16 displays various information such as messages under the control of the processing unit 10. The processing unit 10 reads out and outputs the print data stored in the storage unit 17 and outputs a control signal for the actuator 14 in the print mechanism. The drive circuit 11 drives the thermal head 13 in accordance with the print data from the processing unit 10, and the drive circuit 12 drives the actuator 14 in accordance with a control signal from the processing unit 10. As a result, in the thermal printer, for example, characters, marks, and the like represented by the print data are printed on each label Lb (see FIG. 5 described later) arranged on the conveyed paper according to the print operation procedure. .

  The thermal printer includes a secondary battery 20. The processing unit 10, the drive circuits 11 and 12, the thermal head 13, the actuator 14, the operation unit 15, the display unit 16, and the storage unit 17 described above are included in the secondary battery 20. Operates by supplying power from The thermal printer also includes a voltage detection circuit 18 that detects the output voltage of the secondary battery 20, and the voltage detection circuit 18 controls the output voltage value of the secondary battery 20 under the control of the processing unit 10. The output detection value is detected and provided to the processing unit 10. The voltage detection circuit 18 also operates by supplying power from the secondary battery 20.

  The quality determination device for the secondary battery 20 used as the power source of the thermal printer described above is realized as a function of the processing unit 10. When the power source of the thermal printer is turned on, the processing unit 10 executes a pass / fail judgment process for the secondary battery 20 in accordance with the procedure shown in FIGS.

  In FIG. 2, when the power is turned on, the processing unit 10 puts the motor (actuator 14) in a predetermined load state by exciting the motor (actuator 14) with a constant current (S11), and the state (predetermined load state). Then, the voltage detection circuit 18 is controlled to detect the output voltage value Vp1 (first output voltage value) of the secondary battery 20 (S12). Under the control of the processing unit 10, the voltage detection circuit 18 detects the output voltage value Vp1 of the secondary battery 20, and provides the output voltage value Vp1 to the processing unit 10 (first output voltage detection means). Thereafter, the processing unit 10 stops the operation of the motor (actuator 14) (S13), and stores the output voltage value Vp1 from the voltage detection circuit 18 in the storage unit 17 (S14: V = Vp1).

  When the processing unit 10 stores the output voltage value Vp1 of the secondary battery 20 when the power is turned on (S14), the integrated power consumption ΣP is reset (ΣP = 0) (S15), and the standby timer T is reset. (T = 0) (S16). The standby timer T is started immediately after the reset. Thereafter, the processing unit 10 checks whether the print data for one page (one label Lb) has been prepared (S17) and whether the standby timer T has reached a predetermined time To (T ≧ To) It is determined whether or not (S18). In this process, before the print data is prepared (NO in S17), if the standby time T reaches the predetermined time To (YES in S18), the processing unit 10 is in a state where the standby state continues for the predetermined time To. The standby power consumption Pstb (To) stored in advance in the storage unit 17 as the power consumption is acquired from the storage unit 17 (standby power consumption acquisition means), and the standby power consumption Pstb (To) is obtained as the integrated power consumption. Add (integrate) to ΣP to update the integrated power consumption ΣP (S19: integrated power consumption acquisition means).

  Then, the processing unit 10 determines whether or not the updated integrated power consumption ΣP has reached a predetermined power amount Pth (ΣP ≧ Pth) (S20: integrated power consumption determination means). Here, if the integrated power consumption ΣP has not reached the predetermined power amount Pth (NO in S20), the processing unit 10 resets the standby timer T (S16), and the processes described above (S17, S18, S19). Execute. Then, the processing (S16 to S20) is repeated in a situation where the integrated power consumption ΣP does not reach the predetermined power amount Pth (NO in S20). In the process, when the print data is prepared (YES in S17), the processing unit 10 shifts to the processing procedure shown in FIG. 3 and first, standby power consumption corresponding to the time T of the current standby timer T. Pstb (T) is calculated, for example, based on the power consumption per unit standby time (stored as a parameter in the storage unit 17) and the value of the standby timer T (S21: standby power consumption acquisition) Means), this standby power consumption Pstb (T) is added (integrated) to the integrated power consumption ΣP, and the integrated power consumption ΣP is updated (S22: integrated power consumption acquisition means).

  Thereafter, the processing unit 10 calculates the number of heating dots of the thermal head 13 based on the prepared printing data for one page (one label Lb) (S23), and is necessary for the printing operation from the number of heating dots. The printing power consumption amount Pprt is calculated (S24: printing operation power consumption amount calculation means). The processing unit 10 adds the printing power consumption amount Pprt to the integrated power consumption amount ΣP, and updates the integrated power consumption amount ΣP (S25: integrated power consumption amount acquisition means). Then, the processing unit 10 outputs a control signal together with the print data to control the print mechanism including the thermal printer 13 and the actuator 14 (S26). Thus, printing based on the print data is performed on the label Lb while the paper S is being sent.

  As described above, the processing unit 10 that has updated the integrated power consumption ΣP based on the print data (S25) returns to the process shown in FIG. 2, and whether or not the integrated power consumption ΣP has reached the predetermined power amount Pth. Is determined (S20). In a situation where the accumulated power consumption ΣP has not reached the predetermined power amount Pth (NO in S20), the same processing (S16 to S20, S21 to S26) as described above is repeatedly executed. In this process, the standby power consumption Pstb (To), Pstb (T) and the printing operation power consumption Pprt are sequentially added (integrated) to the integrated power consumption ΣP.

  When the integrated power consumption ΣP exceeds the predetermined power consumption Pth (YES in S20), the processing unit 10 shifts to the processing shown in FIG. 4 and puts the motor (actuator 14) in the predetermined load state described above ( S31), in this state (predetermined load state), the voltage detection circuit 18 is controlled to detect the output voltage value Vp2 (second output voltage value) of the secondary battery 20 (S32). Under the control of the processing unit 10, the voltage detection circuit 18 detects the output voltage value Vp2 of the secondary battery 20, and provides the output voltage value Vp2 to the processing unit 10 (second output voltage detection means). Thereafter, the processing unit 10 stops the operation of the motor (actuator 14) (S33).

  The processing unit 10 calculates a voltage difference ΔV between the output voltage value V (= Vp1) (see S14 in FIG. 2) stored in the storage unit 17 and the output voltage value Vp2 of the secondary battery 20 detected at the present time. It is calculated as a reduction amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 (S34: voltage difference calculation means (output voltage reduction amount acquisition means)). The processing unit 10 stores the output voltage value Vp2 (new first output voltage) detected at the present time in the storage unit 17 (S35: V = Vp2). Thereafter, the processing unit 10 determines whether or not the voltage difference ΔV (output voltage decrease amount) is equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage value Vth (predetermined decrease amount) (S36: pass / fail determination means).

  If the voltage difference Δ has not reached the predetermined voltage value Vth (NO in S36), the accumulated power consumption ΣP is determined to be the predetermined power from the timing when the previous output voltage value Vp1 is detected (see S12 in FIG. 2). The amount of decrease ΔV in the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 until it is determined that the amount Pth has been reached (YES in S20 in FIG. 2) does not reach the predetermined voltage value Vth, that is, the secondary battery 20 Is not yet deteriorated, the processing unit 10 returns to the processing shown in FIG. 2 and resets the integrated power consumption ΣP (ΣP = 0) (S15). Then, the process (S16-S20, S21-S26, S31-S36) mentioned above is repeated.

  In the process, when the integrated power consumption ΣP reaches the predetermined power amount Pth (YES in S20 in FIG. 2), the voltage difference ΔV (= V−Vp2) obtained as the decrease amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 is reached. ) Is equal to or higher than the predetermined voltage value Vth (YES in S36), the processing unit 10 causes the display unit 16 to display a battery error message on the assumption that the secondary battery 20 is not good (has deteriorated). The user who sees the message displayed on the display unit 16 can know that the secondary battery 20 has deteriorated and should be replaced.

  In the above-described quality determination device for the secondary battery 20 (function of the processing unit 10), the thermal printer, for example, as shown in FIG. In the process of sequentially performing printing on the label Lb arranged in S (time T1, T2, T3, T4), the printing operation power consumption Pprt and the standby power consumption Pstb (To), Pstb (T) are integrated. To go. Then, based on whether or not the amount of decrease ΔV in the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 when the accumulated power consumption ΣP reaches the predetermined power amount Pth (time T5 in FIG. 5) is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount Vth. The quality of the secondary battery 20 is determined. For example, as the characteristic Q1 shown in FIG. 5, when the output voltage value decreases and the integrated power consumption ΣP reaches the predetermined power amount Pth, the output voltage decrease amount ΔV1 reaches the predetermined amount Vth. The non-rechargeable secondary battery 20 is determined to be good (has not deteriorated) because the decrease in the output voltage V is small even if a certain amount of power (Pth) is consumed. On the other hand, as the characteristic Q2 shown in FIG. 5, when the output voltage value decreases and the integrated power consumption ΣP reaches the predetermined power amount Pth, the decrease amount ΔV2 of the output voltage V becomes the predetermined amount Vth. The reached secondary battery 20 is determined to be unsatisfactory (deteriorated) because the decrease in the output power V when a certain amount of power (Vth) is consumed is large.

  As described above, according to the quality determination device for the secondary battery 20 described above, the predetermined timing after the power supply of the secondary battery 20 is turned on in the process of operating the thermal printer by the power supply from the secondary battery 20. It is determined that the accumulated power consumption ΣP in the thermal printer has reached the predetermined power amount Pth from the timing when the power is turned on or the timing when the accumulated power consumption ΣP is reset (see S15 in FIG. 2). (See S20 in FIG. 2), the quality of the secondary battery 20 is determined based on whether or not the amount of decrease ΔV in the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount Vth. Even when printing is performed at various printing rates, the printing status at the various printing rates is reflected in the integrated power consumption ΣP, so that the deterioration of the secondary battery 20 can be more accurately determined. Can.

  The above-described quality determination device (function of the processing unit 10) of the secondary battery 20 is applied to the thermal printer, but can also be applied to other types of printers that operate on the secondary battery 20.

  In the above-described secondary battery quality determination device, when the output voltage decrease amount ΔV is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount Vth (YES in S36), the secondary battery 20 is not good (is deteriorated). However, the determination of the quality is not particularly limited as long as it is based on whether or not the output voltage decrease amount ΔV has reached the predetermined amount Vth. For example, by appropriately setting the determination criterion Pth of the integrated power consumption ΣP and the determination criterion Vth of the amount of decrease ΔV in the output voltage of the secondary battery 20, a predetermined timing (a timing when the power is turned on or an integration The amount of decrease ΔV in the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 from the time when the power consumption amount ΣP is reset to the time when it is determined that the cumulative power consumption amount ΣP has reached the predetermined power amount Pth Therefore, it can be determined that the secondary battery 20 is not good (has deteriorated) after a predetermined number of times. In that case, it is also possible to output a message indicating a higher urgency as the number of times that the decrease amount ΔV of the output voltage of the secondary battery 20 is determined to be equal to or greater than the predetermined amount Vth increases.

  In the above-described secondary battery quality determination device, the standby power consumption Pstb (To), Pstb (T) and the printing operation power consumption Pprt are stored in advance in the storage unit 17 and are calculated. However, it may be actually measured.

  Note that when it is determined that the secondary battery 20 is not good, a warning lamp may be lit instead of displaying a message on the display unit 16.

  Note that the integrated power consumption ΣP is not reset when the power is turned on, but a power-off determination circuit and a non-volatile memory that stores the integrated power consumption ΣP when the power is turned off are provided. When the power is turned on again by executing the process of S22 (see FIG. 3) and storing the accumulated power consumption ΣP in the non-volatile memory, the quality of the two batteries is determined using the accumulated power consumption ΣP before power-off. Can be determined.

  As described above, the secondary battery pass / fail determination device according to the present invention can more accurately determine the deterioration of the secondary battery even when printing is performed at various printing rates. It is useful as a quality determination device for a secondary battery used as a power source for a printer such as a thermal printer (thermal printer, thermal transfer printer).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Processing unit 11, 12 Drive circuit 13 Thermal head 14 Actuator 15 Operation part 16 Display part 17 Memory | storage part 18 Voltage detection circuit 20 Secondary battery

Claims (7)

A quality determination device for a secondary battery used as a power source for a printer,
Integrated power consumption acquisition means for acquiring the integrated power consumption by integrating the power consumption in the printer;
Integrated power consumption determining means for determining whether or not the integrated power consumption from a predetermined timing has reached a predetermined power amount;
An output for acquiring the amount of decrease in the output voltage of the secondary battery from the predetermined timing until the integrated power consumption determining unit determines that the integrated power consumption has reached the predetermined power amount. Voltage drop amount acquisition means;
2 having pass / fail determination means for determining pass / fail of the secondary battery based on whether or not the decrease amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery acquired by the output voltage decrease amount acquisition means is a predetermined amount or more. Secondary battery pass / fail judgment device.   The quality determination means determines that the secondary battery is not good when the output voltage reduction amount determination means determines that the reduction amount of the output voltage of the secondary battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount. 1. A secondary battery quality determination device according to 1. The output voltage drop amount acquisition means includes:
First output voltage detection means for detecting an output voltage value of the secondary battery at the predetermined timing as a first output voltage value;
Second output voltage detection for detecting the output voltage value of the secondary battery as a second output voltage value when the integrated power consumption determining means determines that the integrated power consumption has reached the predetermined power amount. Means,
The secondary battery quality determination device according to claim 1, further comprising: a voltage difference calculation unit that calculates a voltage difference between the first output voltage value and the second output voltage value as the amount of decrease.   The integrated power consumption acquisition unit includes a printing operation power consumption amount calculating unit that calculates a power consumption amount necessary for the printing operation based on print data used for a printing operation of the printer, and the printing operation power consumption The quality determination apparatus for a secondary battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the power consumption obtained by the quantity calculation means is integrated.   The integrated power consumption acquisition means has standby power consumption acquisition means for acquiring power consumption when the printer is in a standby state, and the power consumption acquired by the standby power consumption acquisition means is obtained. The quality determination apparatus of the secondary battery according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which performs integration.   The secondary battery pass / fail determination apparatus, wherein the printer is a thermal printer having a print mechanism including a thermal head that receives power from the secondary battery. A secondary battery as a power source;
A printer comprising the secondary battery quality determination device according to claim 1.

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