JP2017196785A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer configured so that the problem that stain of a paper adheres to a ribbon at initial operation during loading the paper is effective solved without wasting the ribbon and breaking the ribbon.SOLUTION: Receiving initial loading of a paper Pa, control means 7 performs initial control, where the initial control includes control by which a predetermined area of a tip of the fed-out paper is cut and then the tip of the paper is set at a printing start position and control by which a tip of a printing area applied with dye of a ribbon is set at a predetermined printing start position. The means executes: a step of feeding a non-use area which is not scheduled to be used of a ribbon Rb into a paper guide position A in advance when conveying the paper during the initial control; and a step of setting a subsequent printing area, positioned closer to a paper feed side than the non-use area, at the predetermined printing start position during a period after the feeding step until the initial control is finished.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer that efficiently and appropriately prevents paper stains from adhering to a use area of a dye ribbon (hereinafter referred to as “ribbon”) during an initial operation when paper is loaded.

  As this type of printer, a thermal printer shown in Patent Document 1 is known. Among such thermal printers, as shown in FIG. 24 (a), printing is performed by pressing the ribbon Rb with the paper Pa fed from the roll facing the ribbon Rb wound on the winding-side ribbon reel 32. In some cases, a ribbon Rb is provided with a transport structure in which a part of the ribbon Rb is used for guiding the paper Pa at the paper guide position A. In this apparatus, initial control for printing preparation is performed after initial loading of the paper Pa, and the initial control includes control for cutting a predetermined area at the leading edge of the fed paper Pa and setting the leading edge of the paper at a printing start position. , And a control for setting the printing area Z (see FIG. 26) to which the dye is applied in the ribbon Rb to a predetermined printing start position. Such control is performed because the outer circumference of the roll paper is soiled because the user touches the paper when the paper is replaced or when the paper is once removed from the printer and reset to the printer due to paper jam or the like. This is because it often adheres, and even when printing is performed in such a state, the dye does not appropriately develop color and often cannot be used, so that it is safe to discharge the cut.

  The operation from when the paper Pa is loaded until the printer enters a standby state will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, it is assumed that the ribbon Rb is a paint in which yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and overcode (OP) are sequentially applied as a paint. When the paper Pa is set in FIG. 24A and the initial control is started, the paper Pa is conveyed in the storing direction in order to detect the Y color head of the ribbon Rb in FIG. In c), the ribbon Rb is sent to a predetermined print start position (Y color print start position). Next, in order to cut the dirty portion g of the paper Pa in FIG. 25A, the paper Pa is transported to the cutting position and cut, and in FIG. 25B, the paper Pa is transported to the printing start position. ing.

JP 2012-20561 A

  However, if the paper Pa is transported for cutting and discharging in FIG. 25A after the ribbon Rb is set at the printing start position in FIG. 24C, the unused area of the ribbon Rb when the paper Pa has dirt g. As a result, the contamination g1 adheres to the paper Pa and is transferred again to the paper Pa in the printing process shown in FIG.

  Therefore, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 26, the ribbon is wound around the take-up ribbon reel 32 without using a set of unused print areas Z (a set of YMCOPs) that are partly soiled. There was a problem that Rb was wasted.

  On the other hand, it is conceivable to use the printed area (YMCOP area) of the ribbon Rb as a paper guide at the initial operation when loading the paper, but it breaks because it is damaged by heat. There is a fear.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 27, in the structure in which the pass line of the paper Pa toward the paper guide position A is bent at a position where the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 12 constituting the printing unit are opposed, the paper Pa is used. By repeating the inserting operation, there is a high possibility that the ribbon Rb that has been damaged by heat at the front end of the paper is pushed up and damaged. Once broken, the broken portion must be properly bonded and the ribbon Rb must be mounted on the printer body again. In some cases, the entire ribbon may be unusable.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that solves these problems.

  The present invention takes the following means in order to achieve such an object.

  That is, when performing printing by pressing the ribbon against the paper with the paper fed from the roll facing the ribbon wound on the take-up ribbon reel, the printer according to the present invention places a part of the ribbon at the paper guide position. In addition to having a transport structure used for the paper guide, the control means performs initial control upon receiving the initial loading of the paper, and the initial control cuts a predetermined area at the leading edge of the fed paper and starts printing the paper leading edge. In a printer including a control for setting a position and a control for setting a printing area of the ribbon to which a dye is applied to a predetermined printing start position, during the initial control, at least a part of the paper is conveyed A step of feeding a non-use area that is not scheduled to be used to the paper guide position in advance, and this step Wherein the configuration was possible to perform the step of setting the printing area where the located feed side of the non-use area to a predetermined print start position until initial control termination from.

  Here, “initial loading” includes not only the case of loading a new sheet but also the case of reloading a sheet after temporarily removing it for maintenance or the like. “Initial control” refers to control for making initial preparations necessary to start printing upon initial loading of paper. Further, the “printing area where the dye is applied” does not particularly limit whether or not it is used here.

  In this way, even if the non-use area is soiled by using the paper guide, the ribbon is not wasted and is not subjected to thermal damage since it is not used for printing. Since the non-use area is retracted from the paper guide position to the ribbon take-up side before printing starts, it is possible to avoid the possibility of re-staining the paper during printing.

  In order to further reduce the possibility of re-staining of the paper, it is desirable to move the ribbon only in the winding direction during the initial control.

  In particular, when the initial control includes control for transporting the paper a plurality of times in the reciprocating direction, the ribbon is moved in the take-up direction each time the paper is transported, and the unused area provided for the paper guide is controlled. It is effective to update the position sequentially.

  In this case, in order to ensure completeness, the initial control performs the non-printing area of the ribbon used for the paper guide even when the rear end of the leading predetermined area of the paper heading to the cutting position passes the paper guide position. It is preferable to move to the winding side.

  When the ribbon is configured with a plurality of dye application areas as a set of print areas and the print areas connected in the winding direction, a preferred non-use area is a non-use area is a set of print areas. Among these, those set in the inter-color region located at the boundary between colors.

  Here, “color” includes not only chromatic colors but also achromatic colors and overcoat layers. In addition, the “inter-color region located at the color-to-color boundary” refers to a portion where there is no color at the color-to-color boundary or a predetermined region including the color boundary when the colors are adjacent to each other. .

  According to the present invention described above, there is provided a printer that effectively prevents the contamination of the paper from adhering to the ribbon use area during the initial operation when the paper is loaded without wasting the ribbon and breaking the ribbon. be able to.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the printer which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention, and the control procedure at the time of initial control. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the schematic structure of the printer which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention, and the control procedure at the time of initial control. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of the initial control of the embodiment. The figure which shows the schematic structure of the conventional printer, and the control procedure at the time of initial control. The figure which shows the control procedure at the time of initial control of the prior art example. The figure explaining the handling of the ribbon at the time of initial control of the prior art example. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a printer structure of the conventional example.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>

  As shown in FIG. 2, the thermal printer which is the printer of this embodiment has yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and overcode (OP), which are paints of different dyes, sequentially applied. The printer performs color printing by using the ribbon Rb and sequentially printing each color on a paper Pa as a recording medium. In the present embodiment, Y, M, C, and OP are set as a set of print areas Z, and the print areas Z are configured to be continuous in the longitudinal direction of the ribbon Rb. In each color, the white squares are used areas U used for printing, and the used areas U and U are unused areas (intercolor areas) αY, αM, αC, and αOP that are not planned to be used.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the specific configuration of the thermal printer includes a printing unit 1, a paper transport unit 2 that transports the paper Pa, a ribbon transport unit 3 that transports the ribbon Rb, and a paper cut that cuts the paper Pa. Means 4, a ribbon sensor 5 for detecting the edge (boundary) of the dye, paper sensors 6a and 6b for detecting the leading edge position and the trailing edge position of the paper Pa, signals from these sensors 5, 6a and 6b, etc. And a control unit 7 for controlling the printing unit 1, the sheet conveying unit 2, the ribbon conveying unit 3, and the sheet cutting unit 4.

  The printing unit 1 is configured such that the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 12 can be relatively moved toward and away from each other, and can switch between a head-down state and a head-up state. The head down state is a state in which the ribbon Rb is pressed against the paper Pa by the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 12 as shown in FIG. 9, and the head up state is the thermal head 11 and the platen roller as shown in FIG. 12 is a state in which the pressure contact state between the ribbon Rb and the paper Pa is released.

  The paper conveying means 2 has a feed roller 21 and a pinch roller 22 and conveys the paper Pa while gripping the paper Pa by rotating the feed roller 21 with a motor (not shown) while holding the paper Pa between the two rollers 21 and 22. To do. Note that the paper Pa is fed out or rewound from the roll paper arranged at a position (not shown) to the thermal head 11.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ribbon transport means 3 includes a supply-side ribbon reel 31 that holds a ribbon Rb to be supplied to the thermal head 11, a take-up ribbon reel 32 that winds up the fed ribbon Rb, and a supply-side ribbon reel. 31, a ribbon drive unit (not shown) that rotationally drives the take-up ribbon reel 32, and the ribbon Rb is fed out from the supply-side ribbon reel 31 by rotating the take-up ribbon reel 32, and the fed ribbon Rb is rewound onto the take-up side ribbon reel 32. In order for the ribbon Rb to function as a paper guide around the thermal head 11, the ribbon Rb is fed to the paper Pa between the heat generating resistor portion 11 a provided in the thermal head 11 and the ribbon guide roller 33 provided in the vicinity thereof. On the other hand, a transport structure that is stretched substantially in parallel is employed. The position of the ribbon Rb is referred to as “paper guide position A”. Of course, when a ribbon peeling plate, a ribbon guide, or the like is provided between or around the heating resistor 11a and the take-up ribbon reel 32, the paper guide position A is a narrower range or a wider range than the above range. It may become. By the guide function of the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A, even when the paper Pa fed out from the roll paper is loaded with warping, the paper Pa is appropriately printed between the thermal head 11 and the platen roller 12. Can be positioned.

  The paper cutting means 4 arranges the pair of cutter blades 41 and 42 so as to be relatively close to and away from each other, and drives them to contact and separate with a drive mechanism (not shown) to cut the paper Pa.

  The ribbon sensor 5 includes a light emitting unit 51 and a light receiving unit 52 that are disposed at a position where the ribbon Rb from the supply side ribbon roller 31 to the thermal head 11 is sandwiched, and receives the light emitted from the light emitting unit 51. The edge of the dye is detected with the light receiving state.

  The paper sensors 6a and 6b are arranged around the printing position and detect the leading edge position and the trailing edge position of the paper Pa depending on whether the emitted light is reflected or not.

  The control means 7 is constituted by a normal microcomputer unit having a CPU, a memory and an interface as in the known thermal printer, and a necessary program (not shown) is written in the memory. , And functions as a print control unit 71, a paper transport unit control 72, a ribbon transport control unit 73, a paper cut control unit 74, and the like in cooperation with peripheral hardware resources.

  The print control unit 71 performs head-up and head-down of the thermal head 11, and energization control based on print data to the heating resistor unit 11a. The paper conveyance control unit 72 conveys a predetermined amount of paper in a predetermined direction at a predetermined timing according to an algorithm. From a detection position by the paper sensors 6a and 6b, an encoder (not shown) provided on the feed roller 21 is used as a base point. A sheet conveyance amount is acquired from the input rotation speed and a preset diameter of the feed roller 21 and used for control. Of course, instead of using the encoder, the rotation angle may be determined through a pulse signal for controlling the motor or a feedback signal from the motor to acquire the paper conveyance amount, or the paper Pa passing time between the paper sensors 6a and 6b. The sheet conveyance amount may be acquired from The ribbon transport control unit 73 feeds the ribbon Rb in a predetermined direction and a predetermined amount at a predetermined timing according to the algorithm. The ribbon feed amount is acquired from the set diameter of the ribbon roll RR and used for control. Of course, an encoder may be provided on the take-up side ribbon reel 32 to obtain the ribbon feed amount from the rotation speed and the preset take-up side ribbon roll diameter, or the current feed amount may be detected by a ribbon detection sensor. May be. Since the diameter of the ribbon roll RR decreases with use, a detection unit for detecting the diameter is provided for the ribbon roll RR, or the integrated value of the number of rotations of the supply side ribbon reel 31 from the initial loading and the feeding speed of the ribbon Rb. The ribbon feed amount may be determined by providing an arithmetic expression or a table representing the above relationship. The paper cut control unit 74 cuts the paper Pa by relatively moving the cutter blades 41 and 42 at a predetermined timing.

  Through such control means 7, for example, the ribbon Rb feeding operation to the Y color printing start position, the printing operation using the Y color, the ribbon Rb feeding operation to the M color printing start position, and the M color were used. By sequentially executing a ribbon Rb feeding operation to a predetermined printing start position, a printing operation through energization of the thermal head 11, and a reciprocating operation of the paper Pa, such as a printing operation. Printing is sequentially performed on Pa, and when printing is completed, one page is cut by the cutter 4.

  Then, the control means 7 of the present embodiment performs the initial control when the paper Pa is initially loaded. The initial control of the paper Pa fed out from the roll paper after the paper detection is performed. There is an algorithm that cuts the outer circumference of the roll paper that may be printed by the cutter 4 and then moves the paper Pa and the ribbon Rb to a predetermined print start position to complete the print preparation. At that time, in order to prevent the dirt adhering to the predetermined area on the front end of the paper Pa from being transferred to the use area of the ribbon Rb, a non-use area, which is an area that is not planned to be used, of the ribbon Rb, specifically Is configured to control the conveyance of the paper Pa with the inter-color regions αC and αOP shown in FIG. 2 positioned at the printing guide position A.

  The algorithm will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  First, when the paper Pa is initially loaded in the state where the ribbon Rb is loaded in FIG. 2, the initial control is started when the paper sensor 6a detects the paper Pa. When the ribbon Rb is in the state at the end of the previous printing, the ribbon sensor 5 detects the Y color head or the position determined as necessary for the printing area Z in the set of printing areas Z used at the previous printing. The ribbon Rb is rewound to the supply side ribbon reel 31 until it is finished.

  First, in order to detect the paper leading edge P in FIG. 3, the paper Pa is conveyed in the storing direction until the paper leading edge P is positioned at the position of the paper sensor 6b. At this time, if the paper Pa has dirt d, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as dirt d1.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, the ribbon sensor 5 detects the position of the ribbon Rb and winds the ribbon so that the first non-use area comes to the paper guide position A. The first non-use area here is set to an inter-color area αC between the overcoat OP and cyan C. Since the distance from the position of the ribbon sensor 5 to a predetermined portion of the paper guide position A (for example, an intermediate position between the heating resistor 11a of the thermal head 11 and the ribbon roll 33) is known in advance, the ribbon sensor 5 uses the overcoat OP and cyan. When the boundary of C is detected, the ribbon Rb is conveyed by a predetermined amount in the winding direction until the boundary reaches the intermediate position.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the paper Pa is transported by a predetermined distance toward the cutting position in order to cut the entire circumference of the roll paper, which is a predetermined front end area of the paper Pa that may be soiled. . The feed amount is the distance from the paper sensor 6b to the cutter 4 + the size of a predetermined area at the tip. At this time, if the stain d remains on the paper Pa, it adheres to the intercolor area αC at the paper guide position A as the stain d2.

  Then, in FIG. 6, the paper Pa is cut and discharged. In addition, when the sheet conveyance to the position as it is or after the sheet is cut is short after the sheet is cut, it may be skipped to the ribbon feeding operation of FIG. 9 described later.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the ribbon sensor 5 detects the Y color head of the ribbon Rb and sets the ribbon Rb at a position before the start of printing in preparation for printing. The position before the start of printing is a position where the intercolor region αOP at the boundary between the yellow Y and the overcoat OP, which is the second non-use region of the ribbon Rb, arrives at the paper guide position A.

  Next, in FIG. 8, the control means 7 transports the paper Pa to the printing start position as necessary. In FIG. 9, the Y color head Y0 belonging to the unused printing area Z moves the ribbon Rb slightly to the printing position. The paper is fed by a predetermined length until it reaches the print start position where it has passed, and the initial control is completed. Thereafter, when a print command is input, the head is lowered and printing is started. In FIG. 8, if the dirt d adheres to the paper Pa, this adheres as the dirt d3 to the intercolor region αOP at the paper guide position A, but is retracted from the printing position to the winding side by the ribbon feeding operation of FIG. 9. .

  Even if the stain d is re-transferred to the paper Pa, the stain d is diluted every time it is transferred, and is reduced to a level with no problem.

  As described above, in the printer of this embodiment, when performing printing by pressing the ribbon Rb against the paper Pa with the paper Pa fed from the roll facing the ribbon Rb wound on the take-up ribbon reel 32, the ribbon Rb is printed. Is fed to the paper guide position A to guide the paper Pa, and the control means 7 performs initial control in response to the initial loading of the paper Pa, and the leading edge of the paper Pa that is fed out to the initial control. This includes control for cutting a predetermined area and setting the front end of the paper at the print start position, and control for setting the front end of the print area Z to which the dye is applied in the ribbon Rb at the predetermined print start position.

  Then, a step of feeding the unused areas αC and αOP that are not to be used in the ribbon Rb to the sheet guide position A in advance during the sheet conveyance during the initial control and the period after this step until the end of the initial control is not used. A step of setting the printing area Z positioned on the feeding side from the areas αC and αOP, that is, the next unused printing area Z to a predetermined printing start position is executed.

  In this way, even if the non-use areas αC and αOP are soiled by the paper guide, the ribbon is not wasted. Further, since the non-use areas αC and αOP are not used for printing, they are not thermally damaged. There is no risk of breakage. Since the non-use areas αC and αOP are retracted from the paper guide position A to the ribbon take-up side before printing starts, the possibility of re-staining the paper Pa during printing can be effectively avoided.

  In particular, since the ribbon Rb is moved only in the winding direction during the initial control, the soiled non-printing areas αC and αOP do not return to the paper guide position A again during the initial operation, and the paper Pa is re-stained. This possibility is further reduced.

  More specifically, the initial control includes control for transporting the paper Pa a plurality of times in the reciprocating direction, and the ribbon Rb is moved in the winding direction every time the paper is transported and is not used for the paper guide. The positions of the areas αC and αOP are sequentially updated, and the non-use areas αC and αOP that are soiled each time the sheet is conveyed are retracted to the take-up side, so that the possibility of re-staining the paper Pa becomes more effective. It will be reduced.

  In particular, the ribbon Rb is formed by connecting a plurality of dye application areas as a set of print areas Z, and the print areas Z are connected in the winding direction, and the non-use areas are colors in the set of print areas Z. The inter-color regions αC and αOP located at the boundary between the colors are set, and since these inter-color regions αC and αOP are not used for printing, they are efficient without waste.

Note that it is possible to appropriately set which inter-color region of the set of print regions Z is used as the non-use region. Further, in FIG. 5, when the rear end of the leading predetermined area of the paper Pa toward the cutting position (one circumference of the unused paper roll) passes the paper guide position A, the paper conveyance is temporarily stopped and the paper guide is used. It is also effective to move the inter-color region, which is a non-printing region of the provided ribbon Rb, to the winding side, and then resume paper conveyance. In this way, the inter-color area, which is a non-use area that guides the predetermined area on the front end of the soiled paper Pa, is retracted when the predetermined area on the front end passes, and the contaminated portion d2 moves to the winding side. Further, it is possible to prevent the paper passing through the paper guide position A from being re-stained before the rear end of the predetermined front end region moves to the cutting position. When such control is included, it is necessary to use one extra inter-color region, so the inter-color region αM is first applied to the paper guide position A and sequentially updated to αC and αOP. It is good.
Second Embodiment

  As shown in FIG. 10, this embodiment uses a sensor 105 that combines ribbon detection and paper detection, and the sensor 105 detects the edge of the dye in the same manner as the light emitting unit 51 and the light receiving unit 52 of the above embodiment. In addition to the light-emitting unit 151 and the light-receiving unit 152, the light-receiving / emitting unit (not shown) that detects the paper by receiving the light reflected on the paper Pa. The light emitting unit 151 may also serve as a light receiving function. However, since the ribbon position cannot be detected unless the paper Pa is retracted, the number of parts is small, but the number of control steps is increased accordingly. 10, parts common to those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

  First, when the paper Pa is initially loaded in the state where the ribbon Rb is loaded in FIG. 10, the initial control is started when the paper sensor 105 detects the loading of the paper.

  In FIG. 11, in order to detect the position of the ribbon Rb, the paper Pa is conveyed in the storing direction. At this time, if the paper Pa has dirt e, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as dirt e1.

  Next, when the ribbon Rb is in the state at the end of the previous printing, the ribbon sensor 105 shown in FIG. 12 detects the position of the ribbon Rb, and the Y color in the set of print areas Z used at the previous printing is displayed. After the ribbon Rb is rewound to the supply side ribbon reel 31 side until the ribbon sensor 105 detects the position determined as necessary for the head or the print area Z, the first non-use area comes to the paper guide position A. In this way, the ribbon Rb is taken up by the take-up side ribbon reel 32. Here, the first non-use area is set to an inter-color area αM between cyan C and magenta M, which is an inter-color area adjacent to the embodiment. Also here, since the distance from the position of the sensor 105 to a predetermined portion of the paper guide position A (for example, an intermediate position between the heating resistor 11a of the thermal head 11 and the ribbon roll 33) is known in advance, the sensor 105 uses cyan C and magenta. When the boundary of M is detected, the ribbon Rb is conveyed by a predetermined amount until the boundary reaches the intermediate position.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 13, the paper Pa is transported by a predetermined distance toward the cutting position in order to cut one circumference of the roll paper, which is a predetermined area at the leading end of the paper Pa that may be soiled. . The feed amount is the distance from the sensor 105 to the cutter 4 + the size of the tip predetermined area, starting from when the sensor 105 detects the tip of the paper Pa. At this time, if the paper Pa has dirt e, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as dirt e2.

  In FIG. 14, the paper Pa is cut by the cutter 4.

  Further, in FIG. 15, the ribbon Rb is wound so that the second non-use area comes to the paper guide position A. The second non-use area here is set to an inter-color area αC between the overcoat OP and cyan C. Since the distance from the intercolor region αM to the intercolor region αC is known in advance, the ribbon Rb is conveyed by that distance.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 16, the paper Pa is conveyed in the storage direction in order to detect the Y color head of the ribbon Rb by the sensor 105. At this time, if the stain on the ribbon Rb is transferred to the paper Pa as the stain e when the paper is conveyed in FIG. 14, this adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as the stain e3.

  Further, in preparation for printing, the Y color leading edge of the ribbon Rb is detected by the sensor 105 as shown in FIG. 17, and the ribbon Rb is set at a position before the start of printing. This position before the start of printing is a position at which the intercolor region αOP at the boundary between the yellow Y and the overcoat OP, which is the third non-use area, arrives at the paper guide position A.

  Then, the control means 7 in FIG. 18 conveys the paper to the printing start position. At this time, if the paper Pa has dirt e, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as dirt e4. In FIG. 19, the ribbon Rb is sent by a predetermined length to the print start position where the Y color head slightly passes the print position. This completes the initial control. Thereafter, when a print command is input, the head is lowered and printing is started.

  Even if the stain e is re-transferred to the paper Pa, the stain e is diluted every time it is transferred, and is reduced to a level with no problem.

  Even if it is configured as described above, even if the non-use areas αM, αC, and αOP are soiled by the paper Pa, the ribbon is not wasted and is not subjected to printing because it is not used for printing. Since the non-use areas αM, αC, and αOP are retracted from the paper guide position A to the ribbon take-up side before printing starts, it is possible to avoid the possibility of re-staining the paper Pa during printing.

  In particular, it is the same as in the first embodiment in that the ribbon Rb is moved only in the winding direction during the initial control. The soiled non-printing areas αM, αC, αOP are returned to the paper guide position A again during the initial operation. There is no return, and the possibility of re-staining of the paper Pa is further reduced.

  More specifically, the initial control includes control for transporting the paper Pa a plurality of times in the reciprocating direction, and the ribbon Rb is moved in the winding direction every time the paper is transported and is not used for the paper guide. Similar to the first embodiment in that the positions of the areas αM, αC, and αOP are sequentially updated, and the non-use areas αM, αC, and αOP that are soiled each time the sheet is conveyed are retracted to the take-up side. The possibility of re-fouling of Pa is more effectively reduced.

Further, the ribbon Rb is configured such that a plurality of dye application areas are set as a set of print areas Z, and the print areas Z are connected in the winding direction, and the non-use areas are colors and colors in the set of print areas Z. This is also the same as in the above embodiment in that it is set in the inter-color region located at the boundary, and since the inter-color region of the ribbon Rb is not used for printing, it is efficient without waste.
<Third Embodiment>

  In the second embodiment, a portion of the print area Z that is one print area Z before the set of print areas Z to be used for printing and that has already been used for printing is indicated by the front end of the print area Z from the print position. However, in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 20, the sensor 205 that shares the detection of the ribbon Rb and the paper Pa is used, and from the end of the previous printing, The effect equivalent to the above is obtained without performing such rewinding.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part which is common in FIG.1 and FIG.2, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In this embodiment, when the paper Pa is initially loaded with the ribbon Rb loaded as shown in FIG. 20A, the initial control is started, and the Y color head of the ribbon Rb in FIG. 20B. Alternatively, the paper Pa is moved in the storage direction in order to detect a position determined as necessary for the print region Z. At this time, if the paper Pa has a stain f, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as the stain f1.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 21A, in order to confirm the current position of the ribbon Rb, the ribbon Rb is fed until the head of the Y color is detected. In FIG. Rewind ribbon Rb until it is in position. This non-use area is any inter-color area. Thereafter, in FIG. 22A, the paper Pa is moved by a predetermined distance in the cutting direction, and the paper Pa is cut and discharged by the cutter 4. At this time, if there is dirt f on the paper Pa, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as dirt f2. Then, in order to detect the Y color head of the ribbon in FIG. 22B, the paper Pa is conveyed again in the storing direction. Also at this time, if the paper Pa has a stain f, it adheres to the ribbon Rb at the paper guide position A as the stain f3. Finally, the ribbon Rb is sent to the Y color print start position in FIG. 23A, the paper Pa is conveyed to the print start position in FIG. 23B, and the initial operation is finished. Thereafter, when a print command is input, the head is lowered and printing is started.

  In this way, a part of the non-use area of the ribbon Rb is finally not used in the paper, even if it is not perfect in that the damaged part of the ribbon Rb is rewound to the paper guide position A side during the initial control. Since the dirt is copied and retracted from the printing position to the winding side, the operational effect according to the above-described embodiment is achieved.

  As mentioned above, although several embodiment of this invention was described, the specific structure of each part is not limited only to embodiment mentioned above.

  For example, when the ribbon is replaced together with the paper, a part of a set of print areas that are at the head on the winding side and are in an unused state among the continuous print areas may be set as the non-use area. When the ribbon is replaced with the paper, part of the set of print areas that are unused at the top of the take-up side of the ribbon is wound around the take-up ribbon reel and the YMCOP is not aligned. Since this is originally a non-use area, the ribbon is not wasted if it is used as a guide for soiled paper.

  Other configurations can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

7 ... Control means 32 ... Winding side ribbon reel A ... Paper guide position Pa ... Paper Rb ... Ribbon Z ... A set of printing areas αOP, αC, αM ... Non-use area (intercolor area)

Claims (5)

When carrying out printing by pressing the ribbon against the paper with the paper fed from the roll facing the ribbon wound on the take-up ribbon reel, a part of the ribbon is used as a guide for the paper at the paper guide position. The control means performs initial control in response to initial loading of the paper, and the initial control includes a control for cutting a predetermined area at the leading edge of the fed paper and setting the leading edge of the paper at a print start position; and Including a control for setting a printing area of the ribbon to which a dye is applied at a predetermined printing start position.
During the initial control, at least a part of the ribbon when the paper is transported, a step of feeding a non-use area that is not scheduled to be used to the paper guide position in advance, and after this step until the end of the initial control, A printer configured to execute the step of setting the print area positioned on the feeding side with respect to the use area at a predetermined print start position.   The printer according to claim 1, wherein the ribbon is moved only in a winding direction during the initial control.   The initial control includes control for transporting the paper a plurality of times in the reciprocating direction, and the ribbon is moved in the winding direction every time the paper is transported to sequentially update the position of the non-use area provided for the paper guide. The printer according to claim 2.   The initial control moves the non-printing area of the ribbon provided to the paper guide to the take-up side even when the rear end of the predetermined predetermined area of the paper heading to the cutting position passes the paper guide position. The printer described. The ribbon is configured by connecting a plurality of dye application areas as a set of print areas and connecting the print areas in the winding direction, and the non-use area is a color-to-color boundary in the set of print areas. The printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the printer is set in an inter-color region located in the area.

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