JP2017149161A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a label printer capable of preventing a label sheet from being wound by a platen roller and starting printing in a short time.SOLUTION: A label printer 100 issues a sheet-like label by feeding a sheet from a sheet roll in which a belt-like sheet is wound having a glue surface formed on one surface and a printing surface formed on the other surface. The label printer 100 has: conveying means such as a feed roller 7; a printing unit 3 composed of a thermal head 3a and a platen roller 3b; and a control unit for controlling the conveying means so that a tip part 4t of the sheet fed from the sheet roll is made to be on standby at a standby position at an upstream side in a sheet conveying direction from a position in which the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press the sheet by a predetermined nip width.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a label printer.

A label printer that performs printing on a label without liner (linerless label paper) is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
The label printer described in Patent Document 1 prints on a non-mounting label having an adhesive layer formed on the sticking surface side by a printing means comprising a thermal head and a platen roller, and then feeds it to a cutting means or breaking means. After being transported and cut or broken, it is transported back to the printing means to perform the next printing. The label printer performs control to back transport the leading edge of the label without mount and stop the back transport so that the leading edge of the label protrudes at least 3 mm from the tangent position between the label without mounting sheet and the platen roller.

JP 2001-278515 A

  However, in the label issuing device described in Patent Document 1, for example, when printing is not performed for a long time, the adhesive layer (glue surface) of the label and the platen roller are strong due to the nip pressure between the thermal head and the platen roller. The label may be wound around the platen roller.

  By the way, when performing label printing, there is known a label printer that performs printing after first stripping the linerless label sheet from the platen roller by back feeding the linerless label sheet. This label printer has a problem that it takes time to start printing since it is necessary to feed the leading edge of the label paper to the printing start position after back feeding the linerless label paper once.

  In addition, in order to prevent the linerless label paper from being wrapped around the platen roller, a V-groove is provided in the platen roller to reduce the area where the platen roller and the adhesive surface of the label are in contact with each other, thereby reducing the winding around the platen roller. Label printers are also known. In this label printer, it is difficult for the label to be wound around the platen roller. However, when the V-groove is provided, the pressure (nip pressure) drops, and printing distortion may occur. In this case, since a platen roller provided with a V-groove is used, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost is high.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has a simple structure, can prevent the label paper from being caught on the platen roller, and can start printing on the paper in a short time. An object of the present invention is to provide a printer, to provide a label printer capable of printing from the edge of a sheet.

  The label printer of the present invention is a label printer that issues a sheet-like label by feeding the paper from a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper having a glue surface on one side and a printing surface formed on the other side. , A conveying means for conveying the paper, a printing means comprising a thermal head and a platen roller, a first detecting means arranged between the conveying means and the printing means for detecting the paper, and the first detection When the section detects the sheet, the upstream end position of the area where the thermal head and the platen roller press the leading end of the sheet fed from the sheet roll with a predetermined nip width or the upstream end And a first control means for controlling the conveying means so as to stand by at a position slightly downstream from the position.

  According to the label printer, the control unit waits at a standby position upstream in the paper transport direction from the position where the thermal head and the platen roller press the leading edge of the paper fed from the paper roll with a predetermined nip width. Since the conveyance means is controlled to prevent the paper from being wrapped around the platen roller, printing from the standby position to the paper can be started immediately from the standby position, and printing can be started from the leading edge of the paper. It can be performed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a label printer that can prevent label paper from being caught on a platen roller with a simple structure, and can provide a label printer that can start printing on paper in a short time. Can do. In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a label printer capable of printing from the edge of the paper.

1 is an overall view showing an example of a configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows an example of the printing part and label sticking part of the label printer which concern on embodiment of this invention, (a) is the permeation | transmission side view, (b) is a permeation | transmission top view. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an example of a standby position of a label leading end of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating an example of an operation at the time of paper cutting of the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the label printer according to the embodiment of the invention.

  A label printer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an example of the configuration of a label printer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the printing unit 3 and the label pasting unit 64 of the label printer 100. Specifically, FIG. 2A is a transparent side view thereof, and FIG. 2B is a transparent top view thereof. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the standby position t of the label leading end 4t of the label printer 100. Specifically, FIG. 3A is a top view and FIG. 3B is a side view. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the label printer 100 when cutting paper. Specifically, FIG. 4A is a top view and FIG. 4B is a side view. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electrical configuration of the label printer 100.

The label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention feeds the paper 4 c from the paper roll 4 and performs printing on the paper by the printing unit 3. The label printer 100 sets the standby position t of the leading end 4t of the linerless label sheet to a position t (in the label printing direction) away from the nip width LN (for example, about 1.4 mm width) between the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b. The control is performed so that it is on the upstream side. When the label printer 100 starts printing on a sheet by the printing unit 3, the sheet is conveyed from the standby position t to the printing unit 3 by the feed roller 7 or the like serving as a sheet conveying unit to perform printing.
Note that the leading edge 4t of the linerless label sheet is positioned at the upstream end position of the area where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width, or slightly downstream from the upstream end position. You may control so that it may be located. Specifically, even within the nip width LN (for example, about 1.4 mm width), in the upstream region within the nip width where the influence of the nip pressure is small (from the center position of the nip width by the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b). The leading end 4t of the linerless label sheet may be positioned at a position within the remaining region of 0.1 mm width of the nip width upstream from the position moved 0.6 mm upstream.
As described above, in the standby state before the start of printing, the leading edge 4t of the linerless label sheet is located upstream in the label issuing direction from the position 3N where the platen roller 3b and the thermal head 3a are pressed with the predetermined nip width LN. Therefore, the sheet (label sheet) can be prevented from being caught in the platen roller 3b without the adhesive surface of the sheet (label sheet) being bonded and fixed to the platen roller 3b in the standby state. In the standby state before printing, the leading end 4t of the paper 4c fed out from the paper roll 4 is waiting at a position slightly upstream (standby position t) of the printing unit. The printing operation can be started in a short time by the printing unit 3 from the leading end 4t of the sheet by the sheet conveying operation of the sheet. For this reason, the printing area of the paper can be increased.

  An example will be described in which the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention is employed in the label printing and pasting apparatus 100A.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the embodiment of the present invention, a column 2 is erected on the side of a conveyance table 72 provided with a conveyor 71 for conveying a product a, and a label printing sticking device is attached to the column 2 via a bracket. 100A is disposed above the conveyor 71, and a console including a display / operation unit 53 is disposed above the support column 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, the label printing and pasting apparatus 100A includes a printing apparatus main body in which a label supply unit 61, a printing unit 3, a cutter unit 63, and the like are arranged in a box-shaped case 110, and a box attached to the side of the case 110. It is comprised with the sticking apparatus which has arrange | positioned the label sticking part 64 in the shape case 111. FIG.
The label supply unit 61 includes a label roll 4 in which a long mount-less label paper 4c (the front surface is composed of a printing surface 4b and the back surface is composed of an adhesive surface 4a) wound in a roll shape is a roll set 5 (label roll loading unit). ) Is set to be rotatable.

  The label roll 4 drawn out from the label supply unit 61 is guided into the printing unit 3 by the feed roller 7, and the product name, price, expiration date, and the like of the product by the thermal head 3 a and the platen roller 3 b in the printing unit 3. Product data such as a barcode is printed on the printing surface 4b of the paper.

  Thereafter, the label roll 4 transports the printed label paper 4c to the label issuing port, and is cut into a sheet-like label by the cutter unit 63 at a predetermined length. The cut sheet-like label is a label attaching part. 64 is affixed to the upper surface of the product.

  The label roll 4 set in the label supply unit 61 is pulled out by the driving rotation of the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 constituting the printing unit 3.

  The printing unit 3 includes a platen roller 3b and a feed roller 7 that pull out the label roll 4, and a thermal head 3a that is arranged to face the platen roller 3b. The label that is pulled out by driving rotation of the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 is provided. The required product data is printed on the label paper 4c of the roll 4 by the thermal head 3a. The printing is performed by moving data for one dot line supplied from the shift register one dot line at a time by moving the label paper 4c with the platen roller 3b.

  As the platen roller 3b for moving the label roll 4 and the drive unit for the feed roller 7, a stepping motor can be employed.

  The label affixing portion 64 is moved up and down in the case 111 by a box-shaped case 111 attached to the side of the case 110, an air cylinder (not shown) housed in the case 111, and the driving force of the air cylinder. The support member 13 to be moved, a plurality of rod-shaped label crimping members 24 suspended from the support member 13, a label holding face plate (suction surface) 15 disposed at the bottom of the case 111, and the like.

  The case 111 is provided with an exhaust device (fan) 16 for sucking out air in the case 111, and thereby, an adsorbing force (negative pressure) is applied to the through hole 17 formed in the label holding face plate. ing.

  This suction force acts as an auxiliary suction force for sucking and holding the printed label paper 4c on the lower surface of the label holding face plate in addition to the suction means provided on the label pressing member 24.

  The label roll 4 is formed by stripping the strip-like mountless label paper 4c, which is an adhesive surface obtained by applying an adhesive on one surface (upper surface) and an adhesive agent on the other surface (lower surface), and peeling the print surface. And is rotatably supported by the label roll loading unit 5. Then, the mountless label paper 4c drawn from the label roll 4 passes between the upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 disposed between the feed roller 7 and the printing unit 3 via the feed roller 7. The paper is supplied between the print head 3a and the platen roller 3b of the printing unit 3, and the mountless label paper 4c is pulled out by driving rotation of the platen roller 3b.

  The print head of the printing unit 3 includes a thermal head 3a and the like, and prints on the printing surface of the mountless label paper 4c that is transferred by selectively generating heat from the heating element of the thermal head 3a. The platen roller 3b for attaching the mountless label paper 4c with the thermal head 3a is coated with a release agent on the surface, and is applied to the adhesive surface opposite to the printing surface of the mountless label paper 4c. The adhesive which is not attached is prevented from sticking, whereby the mountless label paper 4c is smoothly fed out. The configuration in which the adhesive applied to the adhesive surface of the mountless label paper 4c is less likely to adhere to the platen roller 3b is not limited to the above configuration, and the platen roller 3b itself or the outermost layer portion of the platen roller 3b is easily peelable. You may comprise with the member of. The platen roller 3b is configured to be driven and rotated by a drive motor 59 (stepping motor).

The cutter unit 63 that cuts the mountless label paper 4c on which data for one label has been printed by the printing unit 3 is composed of a pair of upper and lower belt-like blades that cut the mountless label paper 4c by a shearing action. . Specifically, a fixed blade 63b disposed below the mountless label paper 4c that is sent out linearly, and a movable blade that is disposed above the mountless label paper 4c and moves forward and backward toward the fixed blade 63b. The movable blade 63a is configured to be driven by a motor 58 (stepping motor).
The cutter unit 63 is disposed on the downstream side of the printing unit 3 and close to the platen roller 3b.

The mountless label paper 4c printed by the printing unit 3 is sent to the downstream side through the space between the fixed blade 63b and the movable blade 63a of the cutter unit 63. A label receiver that is supported substantially horizontally is disposed in the vicinity of the downstream side of the cutter portion 63.
Further, the mountless label L cut into a sheet of a predetermined length by the cutter unit 63 is manually pasted until it is sucked by a suction means (applicator) or the like of the label sticking unit in the case of automatic sticking by a machine. In some cases, the label holder is held in a substantially horizontal state until it is removed by the operator.

Label detecting means for detecting whether or not the mountless label paper 4c on which predetermined items are printed by the printing unit 3 has been sent on the label receiver and whether or not the mountless label L that has been cut and sent exists. 56 is arranged at a position almost directly above the cutter portion 63 in the label receiver.
The label detecting means 56 is constituted by a reflection type optical sensor, and the presence or absence of the mountless label sheet 4c or the mountless label L on the label receiver is detected by a change (difference) in the level of reflected light received.
The detection timing of the label detecting means 56 is controlled to be performed after the drive rotation of the platen roller 3b for sending the mountless label paper 4c from the position of the print head 3a toward the label receiver.

The feed roller 7 assists back-feeding (pulling back) of the mountless label paper 4c that is performed by driving the platen roller 3b in the reverse direction of the printing unit 3 between the printing unit 3 and the feed roller 7. When the mount-less label sheet 4c is arranged on the transport path of the mount-less label sheet 4c and is back-fed, the mount-less label sheet positioned on the upstream side of the platen roller 3b is forcibly pulled to mount the mount-less label on the platen roller 3b. The paper 4c is prevented from being wound.
The feed roller 7 includes an upper roller 7a disposed on the printing surface side (upper side) of the mountless label paper 4c and a lower roller 7b disposed on the adhesive surface side (lower side) of the mountless label paper 4c. Has been. The upper roller 7 a is rotatably supported by a fixing member (not shown), and the lower roller 7 b is attached to a platen support frame 41 that can open and close up and down to support the platen roller 3 b of the printing unit 3. The mountless label paper 4c is clamped by the upper roller 7a by the closing movement, and the clamping state can be released by opening the platen support frame 41.

The upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 include a plurality of short rollers (three in the illustrated example) having substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the platen roller 3b with a predetermined interval on the shafts 10 and 11. Each roller is composed of attached divided type rollers, and each roller has a circumferential groove 12 formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof. Thus, by providing the circumferential groove 12, the contact area between the feed roller 7 and the mountless label paper 4c is reduced, and it is possible to suppress the mountless label paper 4c from being wrapped around the feed roller 7. .
And the installation interval of a short roller is pulled out from each label roll corresponding to the roll width | variety of the label roll 4 set to the label roll loading part 5 by making one end of an axial direction into a reference | standard (illustration example is a left end reference | standard). It is arranged so that at least both sides in the width direction of the mountless label paper 4c can be sandwiched. The upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 may be constituted by a single roller having substantially the same length as the length of the platen roller 3b.

The feed roller 7 is configured to rotate in synchronization with the rotation of the platen roller 3b of the printing unit 3 that feeds the mountless label paper 4c from the label roll 4 set in the label roll loading unit 5.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the toothed pulley 14 is fixed to the end of the shaft of the platen roller 3b, and is fixed to the rotating shaft of the toothed pulley 14 and the drive motor 59 (stepping motor). The belt 18 is wound around the drive pulley 59a via idle pulleys 19 and 19 ', and the platen roller 3b is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 59. The power transmission pulley 20 is fixed to the shaft of the platen roller 3b, the driven pulley 21 is fixed to the shaft 11 of the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7, and the transmission belt 22 extends between the power transmission pulley 20 and the driven pulley 21. The rotational force of the platen roller 3b is transmitted to the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 (specifically, the shaft 11 that supports the lower roller 7b).

  Further, the pressure between the two rollers that sandwich the mountless label paper 4c between the upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b constituting the feed roller 7 is such that the mountless label paper 4c is printed between the print head 3a and the platen roller 3b in the printing unit 3. Is set to be lower than the pressure to pinch. The clamping pressure of the upper and lower rollers 7a and 7b may be fixed at a constant pressure, but may be adjustable in strength within a predetermined pressure. As a structure that can adjust the pressure, for example, a spring member that urges in the contact direction may be provided on one of the upper and lower rollers, and the elastic force of the spring member may be adjustable.

  The label sticking unit 64 and the printing unit 3 are printed and issued at appropriate intervals by the sheet-like label paper 4c that is cut and continuously issued by the cutter unit 63. When predetermined items are printed on the label paper 4 c by the printing unit 3, the printed label paper 4 c is cut into a sheet-like label at the position of the cutter unit 63 and adsorbed on the label holding face plate of the label applying unit 64. Retained.

  The leading end 4t of the label paper 4c is positioned at an upstream standby position t facing the label issuing direction away from the nip width LN formed by the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b.

  Further, when the linerless label roll is initially set, the leading end 4t of the label paper 4c is fed to the cutter unit 63 by the feed roller 7, the leading end of the predetermined width is cut, and then the leading end of the cut label paper 4c is cut. 4t is positioned at an upstream standby position t facing the label issuing direction away from the nip width LN formed by the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b.

<Electrical Configuration of Label Printer 100>
As shown in FIG. 5, the label printer 100 (printing apparatus) includes a control unit 9 (CPU), a flash memory 51, a RAM 52, a display / operation unit 53, an interface circuit 54, a stepping motor 59 that rotates the platen roller 3b, A thermal head 3a (printing head), a cutter driving motor 58, a label detection sensor 56, a detection unit 57 (paper detection sensor), and the like are provided.

  The control unit 9 (CPU) is a central processing unit that controls the operation of the label printer 100 by executing a program stored in a storage unit such as the flash memory 51 or the RAM 52.

The flash memory 51 and the RAM 52 as storage units store control programs, data, and the like.
The flash memory 51 is a read-only memory that stores a control program for the label printer 100, control data, and the like.

  The RAM 52 has a work area for temporarily calling and processing data. The work area includes a dot development area for developing print data into dot data, a call format area for calling and storing one format data from a label format file, a call product area for calling and storing product data, and the like.

  In addition to the label format file in which the label printing format is set and the product file in which various product data for label printing are set in the RAM 52, the RAM 52 uses a determination unit based on the detection result of the label detection sensor 56. A file in which the determination contents are set is stored, and is backed up by a battery so that the file is retained even when the power is turned off.

  The determination file based on the detection result of the label detection sensor 56 is sent to the platen roller 3b of the mountless label sheet 4c if the detection data of the label detection sensor 56 is the presence / absence detection of the mountless label sheet 4c before the operation of the cutter unit 63. If the detection data of the label detection sensor 56 is the presence / absence detection of the mountless label L after the operation of the cutter unit 63, the presence / absence of removal of the mountless label L sent to the label receiver is detected. Then, whether or not the next label issuance is determined.

  Specifically, when the presence / absence detection of the mountless label sheet 4c of the label detection sensor 56 before the operation of the cutter unit 63 is “◯ (Yes)”, the printed mountless label sheet 4c is normally on the label receiver. In the case of “× (none)”, it is determined that the printed mountless label paper 4c has not been sent on the label receiver, that is, has been wound around the platen roller 3b.

  The display / operation unit 53 is an input device for operating the label printer 100 (mountless label printer). The display / operation unit 53 is a touch panel configured integrally with the display unit, and displays various menu screens and data. . As the display / operation unit 53, for example, a liquid crystal display or the like can be employed.

  A stepping motor 59 that drives and rotates the platen roller 3b, a thermal head (printing head 3a), and a cutter driving motor 58 constitute a printing unit of a label issuing unit, and a mountless label based on a command from the control unit 9 (CPU) The product name, price, unit price, barcode, etc. are printed on the paper 4c, and the printed mountless label paper 4c is cut into a sheet by the cutter unit 63 to issue a mountless label L.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the paper detection sensor 57 detects the presence or absence of the mountless label paper 4c supplied to the printing unit 3, and drives the print head (thermal head) 3a and the platen roller 3b based on the output signals. Is controlled. The paper detection sensor 57 is disposed between the platen roller 3 b and the feed roller 7. The paper detection sensor 57 includes a light emitting unit 57a and a light receiving unit 57b. For example, the light emitting unit 57a is disposed above the paper 4c, and the light receiving unit 57b is disposed below the paper 4c. The control unit 9 detects the presence / absence of the sheet 4c and the leading end position of the sheet 4c based on the light intensity received by the light receiving unit 57b.

  The label detection sensor 56 (detection unit) detects the presence or absence of the mountless label paper 4c or the mountless label L on the label receiver, and the control unit 9 operates to drive and stop the printing unit 3 based on the detection result. To control.

  The control unit 9 has a leading end 4t of the paper 4c fed from the paper roll at a standby position t upstream of the position 3N where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b are pressed with a predetermined nip width LN in the paper transport direction. The conveying means such as the motor 59 is controlled so as to wait.

  Further, the control unit 9 drives the feed roller 7 so that the leading end 4t of the paper 4c fed out from the paper roll 4 waits at the standby position t based on the detection of the paper by the detection unit 57 (paper detection sensor). To do.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In step S11, the control unit 9 (CPU) performs pre-printing processing such as initialization of various parameters and reading of a label file.
When the linerless label roll is initially set, the leading end of the label paper 4c fed from the label roll 4 is fed to the cutter unit 63 by the feed roller 7, and the leading end is cut by a predetermined length by the cutter unit 63. Then, the cut end 4t is positioned at a standby position t upstream of the position 3N in the sheet transport direction from the position 3N where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width LN.

  In step S <b> 13, the control unit 9 rotationally drives the platen roller 3 b and the feed roller 7 by the stepping motor 59 and performs a printing process by the thermal head 3 a of the printing unit 3.

  In step S <b> 15, the control unit 9 performs processing for cutting the paper printed by the printing unit 3 using the cutter unit 63.

  In step S <b> 17, the control unit 9 drives the platen roller 3 b and the feed roller 7 by the stepping motor 59 to perform the process of back feeding the paper.

  In step S19, the control unit 9 performs a process of stopping the leading end 4t of the paper formed by cutting the paper of the cutter unit 63 at the standby position t on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the thermal head 3a.

  The control unit 9 performs a process of pasting the label printed by the printing unit 3 on the article a by the label pasting unit 64.

  In step S21, the control unit 9 determines whether or not all labels have been issued. If all labels have been issued, the control unit 9 ends the series of processes. Otherwise, the process of step S11 is performed. Proceed to

As described above, the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention uses a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper having a glue surface on one side and a printing surface on the other side. To issue a sheet-like label. More specifically, the label printer 100 includes a transport unit that transports paper such as the feed roller 7, the printing unit 3 including the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b, and the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b having a predetermined nip width LN. And a control unit 9 (CPU) for controlling the conveying means so that the leading end 4t of the paper fed out from the paper roll waits at a standby position t on the upstream side in the paper conveying direction from the position 3N pressed by . Note that the leading edge 4t of the linerless label sheet is positioned at the upstream end position of the area where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width, or slightly downstream from the upstream end position. You may control so that it may be located. Specifically, even within the nip width LN (for example, about 1.4 mm width), in the upstream region within the nip width where the influence of the nip pressure is small (from the center position of the nip width by the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b). For example, the leading end portion 4t of the linerless label sheet may be positioned at a position within the remaining area of the upstream nip width of 0.1 mm from the position moved 0.6 mm upstream).
As described above, the label printer 100 back-feeds the leading end 4c of the paper 4c fed from the paper roll 4 to the standby position t after issuing the sheet-like label.

  According to the label printer 100, the linerless paper does not wrap around the platen roller 3b at the time of printing, and printing can be started promptly together with a printing instruction. Further, printing can be performed from the leading end position of the linerless paper.

  Further, since the back feed at the start of label printing can be eliminated for a general label printer, the speed of the entire printing process can be improved.

Further, the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a cutter unit 63 that is disposed on the downstream side of the printing unit 3 in the paper transport direction and serves as a cutting unit that cuts the paper printed by the printing unit. The control unit 9 (CPU) drives the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 to convey the paper in the carrying direction, and after printing on the paper by the printing unit 3, the paper printed by the printing unit 3 is cut by the cutter unit 63. After cutting with the (cutting means), the transport means is controlled so that the leading edge 4t of the paper fed from the paper roll (the leading edge of the paper formed by cutting the paper of the cutter part 63) is returned to the standby position t. (Back feed) A process of waiting the leading edge 4t of the paper fed from the paper roll at the standby position t is performed.
As described above, the label paper 4c can be easily prevented from being caught in the platen roller 3b only by waiting the front end 4t formed by cutting the paper with the cutter 63 at the standby position t.

  Note that the process of causing the paper to be fed back and waiting until the leading edge 4t of the paper cut by the cutter unit 63 reaches the standby position t may be performed every time the label is issued, and it is determined that the standby time is long. In such a case, the above processing may be performed.

Further, in the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 9 (CPU) is slightly upstream in the sheet conveyance direction from the position 3N where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b are pressed with a predetermined nip width LN. The conveying means is controlled so that the leading edge 4t of the sheet is on standby at a position on the side, preferably above the platen roller 3b.
By doing so, the control unit 9 can transport the leading end 4t of the sheet from the standby position t to the thermal head 3a of the printing unit 3 by the conveying unit in a short time. Printing can be started in a short time from the standby state.

In addition, the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a feed roller 7 disposed upstream of the printing unit 3 in the label transport direction as a transport unit. The label printer 100 includes a detection unit 57 that is disposed between the printing unit 3 and the feed roller 7 and detects a sheet. Based on the detection of the sheet by the detection unit 57, the control unit 9 drives the feed roller 7 so that the leading end 4t of the sheet fed from the sheet roll is on standby at the standby position t.
For example, when a stepping motor is used as a driving means for driving the feed roller 7 and the platen roller 7, the sheet feed distance is highly accurate based on the drive signal output to the stepping motor and the detection signal from the detection unit 57. Can be controlled.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Is included in the present invention.
Further, the embodiments described in the above drawings can be combined with each other as long as there is no particular contradiction or problem in the purpose and configuration.
Moreover, the description content of each figure can become independent embodiment, respectively, and embodiment of this invention is not limited to one embodiment which combined each figure.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, some or all of embodiment of this invention is described as the following additional remarks.
[Appendix 1]
In a label printer that issues a sheet-like label by feeding out the paper from a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper having a glue surface on one surface and a printing surface formed on the other surface,
Conveying means for conveying the paper;
A printing section consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller;
Control the conveying means so that the leading edge of the sheet fed from the sheet roll waits at a standby position upstream in the sheet conveying direction from the position where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. A label printer.
[Appendix 2]
The cutting unit is arranged on the downstream side of the printing unit with respect to the conveyance direction of the paper, and cuts the paper printed by the printing unit,
The control unit controls the conveying unit to return the leading end portion of the sheet fed from the sheet roll to the standby position after the sheet printed by the printing unit is cut by the cutting unit. The label printer according to appendix 1, wherein:
[Appendix 3]
The control unit waits for the leading end portion of the paper fed from the paper roll at a position slightly upstream of the position in which the thermal head and the platen roller are pressed with a predetermined nip width in the paper conveyance direction. The label printer according to appendix 1 or appendix 2, which controls the conveying means as described above.
[Appendix 4]
The controller is configured to feed the sheet fed from the sheet roll upstream of the position in the sheet transport direction from the position where the thermal head and the platen roller are pressed with a predetermined nip width, and above the platen roller. 4. The label printer according to any one of appendix 1 to appendix 3, which controls the conveying means so as to make the leading end of the printer stand by.
[Appendix 5]
The transport unit has a feed roller disposed upstream of the printing unit in the label transport direction,
The label printer includes a detection unit that is disposed between the printing unit and the feed roller and detects the paper.
The control unit drives the feed roller based on detection of the paper by the detection unit so that the leading end of the paper fed out from the paper roll waits at the standby position. To a label printer according to any one of appendix 4.

1 Label roll (Linerless label roll, print media, paper roll)
1a paper (mountless label)
2 Prop 3 Print section 3a Print head (thermal head)
3b Platen roller 4 Label roll 4a Adhesive surface 4b Printing surface 4c Label paper 4t Tip 5 Roll set (roll loading unit)
6 Paper detection sensor 7 Feed roller (Label transport section: Guide section)
7a Upper roller 7b Lower roller 9 Control unit (CPU)
10, 11 shaft 12 circumferential groove 13 support member 14 toothed pulley 18 belt 19, 19 'idle pulley 20 power transmission pulley 21 driven pulley 22 transmission belt 24 label crimping member 41 platen support frame 51 flash memory 52 RAM
53 Display / Operation Unit 54 Interface (I / F)
56 Label detection sensor (label detection means)
57 Paper detection sensor (detection unit)
58 Cutter drive motor 59 Stepping motor 59a Drive pulley 61 Label supply part 63 Cutter part (cutting means)
63a Movable blade 63b Fixed blade 64 Label sticking portion 71 Conveyor 72 Transport table 100 Label printer (printing device)
100A Label printing affixing device 110 Case 111 Case t Standby position LN Nip width

Claims (6)

In a label printer that issues a sheet-like label by feeding out the paper from a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper having a glue surface on one surface and a printing surface formed on the other surface,
Conveying means for conveying the paper;
Printing means comprising a thermal head and a platen roller;
A first detection unit disposed between the conveying unit and the printing unit to detect the paper;
When the first detection unit detects the sheet, the upstream end position of a region where the thermal head and the platen roller press the leading end of the sheet fed from the sheet roll with a predetermined nip width, or A label printer comprising: a first control unit configured to control the transport unit so as to wait at a position slightly downstream from the upstream end position. Cutting means for cutting the paper;
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a second control unit configured to control the transport unit so that a leading end portion of a subsequent sheet is held at the standby position after the sheet is cut by a predetermined width by the cutting unit. Label printer.   The second detection unit is disposed downstream of the printing unit in the sheet conveyance direction and detects the sheet. The second control unit is configured to detect the second sheet when the second detection unit detects the sheet. 3. The label printer according to claim 2, wherein control of the control means is performed.   The label printer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveying means is constituted by a split type roller or a roller provided with a circumferential groove.   The said conveyance means consists of an upper roller and a lower roller, and the said platen roller and the said lower roller are attached to the support frame which can be opened and closed up and down. Label printer as described in.   The label printer according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a pressure with which the conveyance unit pinches the sheet is smaller than a pressure with which the thermal head and the platen roller are pressed with the nip width.

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