JP2018158558A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately determine the kind of ink ribbons.SOLUTION: A printing device 1 includes: a ribbon supply roll RA which supplies an ink ribbon R; a thermal head 3 which heats the ink ribbon R and transfers ink onto an image receiving body P; a ribbon which winds roll RB winding the ink ribbon R after ink transfer; a control section 7 which acquires a ribbon kind input result input from an external device 100; a projection section 66 which projects light to the ink ribbon R on a conveyance path; a light-receiving section 67 which receives reflected light reflected by the ink ribbon R; a ribbon type determination section 65 which determines an actual kind of the ink ribbon R according to a light-receiving result in the light-receiving section 67; a collation section 74 which collates the acquired ribbon kind with the determined ribbon kind; and a notification section 75 which outputs the collation result.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a thermal transfer type printing apparatus that performs printing by heating an ink ribbon.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is known a thermal transfer type printing apparatus that performs printing by heating a thermal head at a predetermined printing portion provided in an intermediate portion while winding an ink ribbon wound around a supply roll with a winding roll. At this time, the printing apparatus obtains an appropriate printing result at a desired place by synchronizing the printing medium conveyance speed and the printing speed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-215944 A

  Here, in the printing apparatus, it is necessary to change the type such as the width and color of the ink ribbon depending on the type of printing medium to be printed and the printing content. At this time, since the operator performs printing using the print data corresponding to the print contents, the operator performs an operation of selecting (or creating) the print data and outputting (or transmitting) to the printing apparatus. Therefore, it is necessary to select or specify the type of ink ribbon by the operator.

  It should be noted that YMCK multi-color ink cartridge types are read on the bar code information pasted on the ink cartridge, and whether the ink cartridge is set at an appropriate position, or whether a recommended manufacturer's ink cartridge is set. A printing apparatus that determines the above is well known.

  However, in a printing apparatus that simply recognizes the type of ink (color), manufacturer, etc., whether or not the ink cartridge is properly set is irrelevant to the content of the print data. (Color) is basically one type.

  Therefore, if it is possible to recognize before the start of printing whether the width and color of the ink ribbon in the printing apparatus matches the ink ribbon specified by the operator, the type of ink ribbon can be accurately determined. More desirable printing results can be obtained.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of accurately determining the type of ink ribbon.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a ribbon supply roll that supplies an ink ribbon, a thermal head that heats the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon supply roll to transfer ink to an image receiver, A ribbon take-up roll that winds up the ink ribbon after ink transfer, and a ribbon type acquisition unit that acquires a type input result of the ink ribbon that is input via an operation unit; In a ribbon transport path that is fed from a ribbon supply roll and passes through the thermal head to the ribbon take-up roll, a light projecting unit that projects light onto the ink ribbon, and a transport path for light projected from the light projecting unit Receiving reflected light reflected by the ink ribbon or transmitted light transmitted through the ink ribbon in the transport path. A light receiving means, a ribbon type determining means for determining an actual type of the ink ribbon in accordance with a light reception result by the light receiving means, and the type input result of the ink ribbon acquired by the ribbon type acquiring means; A collating unit that collates the actual type of the ink ribbon determined by the ribbon type determining unit, and an output unit that outputs a collation result by the collating unit.

  In the printing apparatus of the present invention, various ink ribbons are used depending on the type of the image receptor. The type of ink ribbon to be used is acquired by the ribbon type acquisition means by the operator inputting it via the operation unit each time.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, by utilizing the fact that the optical transparency varies depending on the type of ink ribbon, the ink ribbon actually mounted on the printing apparatus matches the type of ink ribbon acquired above. It is confirmed whether or not. That is, light is projected from the light projecting means to the ink ribbon in the ribbon transport path of the ribbon supply roll, the thermal head, and the ribbon take-up roll, and the reflected light or transmitted light is received by the light receiving means, and depending on the light reception result Thus, the actual type of the ink ribbon is determined by the ribbon type determining means. Then, the collation unit collates the determined actual type of the ink ribbon with the acquired ink ribbon type, and outputs the collation result from the output unit.

  Thus, for example, if the collation result is incompatible, an appropriate alarm notification is given to the operator, so that the type of ink ribbon that is installed at that time (the operator can input via the operation unit). It can be recognized that it is different from the desired type of ink ribbon. As a result, since the ink ribbon can be replaced with a correct ink ribbon before printing is started by the thermal head, it is possible to prevent printing defects and the like from occurring.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a relationship between a printing apparatus and an operation unit. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the printing apparatus in a continuous system. It is a figure which shows operation | movement of a supply sensor part and a winding sensor part. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the printing apparatus. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the main process of a ribbon kind detection. It is a graph which shows an example of a ribbon characteristic. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the printing apparatus in an intermittent system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the printing operation of the thermal head in an intermittent system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the relationship of the printing result of the ink ribbon and image receiver in an intermittent system. It is explanatory drawing which shows the outline | summary of the printing apparatus in another intermittent system.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in this example, the printing apparatus 1 performs desired printing based on print data output from an external device 100 such as a personal computer (so-called notebook personal computer) as an operation unit via a network line NW. Execute the process. Accordingly, the external device 100 is used that has an operation panel such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor for an operator to perform an input operation in order to cause the printing apparatus 1 to execute a predetermined process.

  Note that the external device 100 as the operation means is not limited to a personal computer. Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 may be an integrated type in which an operation unit that an operator performs necessary operations such as a keyboard and a monitor screen is integrally provided as an operation unit.

  Further, the printing apparatus 1 and the external device 100 include not only wireless or wired various network lines (intranet / Internet) but also direct connection using, for example, a serial cable.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the thermal transfer type printing apparatus 1 using the ink ribbon R has a box-shaped housing 10. A substrate 11 is fixed inside the housing 10. The substrate 11 includes a ribbon mounting unit 2, a thermal head 3, a supply sensor unit 4, a winding sensor unit 5, guide shafts 61 to 64, a control unit 7 (see FIG. 4 to be described later), and a supply motor 81 (see FIG. 4 to be described later). ), A take-up motor 82 (see FIG. 4 to be described later), an advancing / retracting motor 83 (see FIG. 4 to be described later), a drive motor 84 (see FIG. 4 to be described later), a ribbon assembly 9 and a casing 10. Housed inside. Hereinafter, in order to help understand the description of FIG. 2, the upper side, the lower side, the left side, the right side, the front side, and the rear side of the printing apparatus 1 are defined. The upper side, lower side, left side, right side, front side, and rear side of the printing apparatus 1 correspond to the upper side, lower side, left side, right side, front side, and depth side of the paper surface of FIG. It is assumed that the front surface of the substrate 11 faces the front side and the back surface of the substrate 11 faces the rear side.

<Ribbon assembly 9>
The printing apparatus 1 performs printing on the image receiver P by heating the ink ribbon R of the ribbon assembly 9 accommodated in the housing 10 with the thermal head 3. The ribbon assembly 9 includes a core shaft 90A, a core shaft 90B, and an ink ribbon R. Each of the core shaft 90A and the core shaft 90B has a cylindrical shape (or a bobbin shape). The ink ribbon R is a belt-like film, and an ink layer is applied to the surface of a base material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The ink layer includes, for example, a pigment component such as carbon and a binder component such as wax and resin. The ink is melted by heating and transferred to the image receiving member P. The ink ribbon R may have functional layers such as a back coat layer, a release layer, and an adhesive layer as necessary. The ink ribbon R has one end connected to the side surface of the core shaft 90A and the other end connected to the side surface of the core shaft 90B.

  The ribbon assembly 9 is mounted on a ribbon mounting portion 2 (described later) of the printing apparatus 1 with the ink ribbon R wound around the core shaft 90A. The ink ribbon R wound around the core shaft 90A is referred to as “ribbon supply roll RA”. The ink ribbon R is unwound from the ribbon supply roll RA of the core shaft 90A in the course of printing by the thermal head 3, and is guided by a supply sensor unit 4, a thermal head 3, and guide shafts 61 to 64, which will be described later. It is wound up by 90B. The ink ribbon R wound around the core shaft 90B is referred to as a “ribbon take-up roll RB”. The respective rotation directions of the core shaft 90A and the core shaft 90B when the ink ribbon R is fed from the ribbon supply roll RA and wound on the ribbon take-up roll RB are referred to as “normal rotation directions”. The ink ribbon R is fed out from the ribbon take-up roll RB when the core shaft 90 </ b> A and the core shaft 90 </ b> B rotate in the direction opposite to the normal rotation direction (hereinafter referred to as “reverse direction”). It may be wound up by RA. Note that the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB are detachable from the printing apparatus 1 and can be used by exchanging various ribbons.

<Ribbon mounting part 2>
The ribbon mounting portion 2 has a supply spool 21 and a take-up spool 22. Each of the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 is rotatable around a rotation shaft extending in the front-rear direction. The supply spool 21 is provided at a substantially vertical center of the substrate 11 and on the right side of the horizontal center. The take-up spool 22 is provided at a substantially vertical center of the substrate 11 and on the left side of the horizontal center. A core shaft 90A of a ribbon assembly 9 in which an ink ribbon R (for example, before thermal transfer) is wound as a ribbon supply roll RA is mounted on the supply spool 21. A core shaft 90B of a ribbon assembly 9 for winding the ink ribbon R (for example, after thermal transfer) as a ribbon take-up roll RB is mounted on the take-up spool 22. The supply spool 21 rotates using the supply motor 81 as a drive source. When the rotation shaft of the supply spool 21 and the supply motor 81 are directly connected, the rotation amount of the supply motor 81 is equal to the rotation amount of the supply spool 21. The take-up spool 22 rotates using the take-up motor 82 as a drive source. When the rotary shaft of the take-up spool 22 and the take-up motor 82 are directly connected, the rotation amount of the take-up motor 82 is equal to the rotation amount of the take-up spool 22. Since the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 are rotated by different driving sources, they can be rotated at different rotational speeds.

  As shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, when the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 rotate counterclockwise when the printing apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side, the core shaft 90A and the core shaft 90B rotate in the forward rotation direction. To do. At this time, the ink ribbon R is unwound from the ribbon supply roll RA and taken up by the ribbon take-up roll RB. Conversely, when the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 rotate clockwise with the printing apparatus 1 viewed from the front side, the core shaft 90A and the core shaft 90B rotate in the reverse direction. The ink ribbon R is unwound from the ribbon take-up roll RB and taken up by the ribbon supply roll RA. Thus, the forward rotation direction of the core shaft 90A and the core shaft 90B is not limited to the clockwise direction. For example, depending on the winding state of the ink ribbon R, at least one of the forward rotation directions of the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon winding roll RB may be the clockwise direction.

  The ink ribbon R stretched between the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB in response to the rotation of the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 passes through the guide shafts 61 to 64 inside the housing 10. Be transported. The ink ribbon R is guided by contacting the supply sensor unit 4, the winding sensor unit 5, and the guide shafts 61 to 64. The thermal head 3 has a printing position (solid line in the figure, hereinafter also referred to as “printing position 3A”) in contact with the ink ribbon R stretched between the guide shaft 61 and the guide shaft 62, and the guide shaft 61 and the guide shaft. 62, and can move forward and backward to a print standby position (indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure, hereinafter also referred to as “print standby position 3B”) that is not in contact with the ink ribbon R stretched between. In the following description, the thermal head 3 is at the printing position 3A, and the ink ribbon R passes along the thermal head 3, the supply sensor unit 4, the winding sensor unit 5, and the guide shafts 61 to 64 while being conveyed. The route is called “conveyance route”.

<Supply sensor unit 4>
The supply sensor unit 4 is provided near the upper right corner of the substrate 11. The supply sensor unit 4 has a function as a tension arm that maintains the tension of the ink ribbon R by changing the length of the transport path of the ink ribbon R, and a function as a position sensor that detects the position of the tension arm. . Note that the tension arm includes not only a configuration that rotates about a predetermined fulcrum but also a configuration that moves linearly. As shown in FIG. 3, the supply sensor unit 4 includes a supply side support portion 41, a supply side guide shaft 42, a supply side magnet 43, a supply side magnetic sensor 44, and a supply side spring 45. A tension arm 4 </ b> A is configured by the supply side support portion 41, the supply side guide shaft 42, and the supply side spring 45. The supply side magnet 43 and the supply side magnetic sensor 44 constitute a position sensor 4B.

  The supply side support part 41 is supported on the rear side of the substrate 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The supply side guide shaft 42 has a cylindrical shape and extends from the front surface of the supply side support portion 41 toward the front side. The supply-side guide shaft 42 projects forward from the front surface of the substrate 11. The supply-side guide shaft 42 can rotate around a rotation shaft extending in the front-rear direction. The supply-side support 41 or the supply-side guide shaft 42 is restricted to move in the vertical direction (or left-right direction) within a predetermined range by, for example, a long hole provided in the substrate 11 extending in the vertical direction (or left-right direction). ing.

  For example, when the long hole is a long axis in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 3, the supply-side guide shaft 42 has an upper reference position O (1) as the supply-side support portion 41 moves in the vertical direction. ) To the maximum position Lm (1) at the lower end in the vertical direction. A position separated from the reference position O (1) by Ls (1) is defined as a reference position Ls (1). The supply-side magnet 43 extends from the rear surface of the supply-side support portion 41 toward the rear side. The supply side magnet 43 is a permanent magnet. The supply-side guide shaft 42 and the supply-side magnet 43 can move in the vertical direction according to the movement of the supply-side support portion 41.

  The supply-side magnetic sensor 44 is provided on the substrate 10 </ b> B that extends rearward from the rear surface of the substrate 11. The supply-side magnetic sensor 44 faces the lower side of the supply-side magnet 43. The supply-side magnetic sensor 44 is for detecting the magnetic force of the supply-side magnet 43, and is constituted by a Hall element, for example. The magnitude of the magnetic force detected by the supply side magnetic sensor 44 changes according to the movement of the supply side magnet 43 in the vertical direction. The supply side spring 45 is a coil spring. One end portion of the supply side spring 45 is connected to the upper surface of the supply side support portion 41. The other end of the supply-side spring 45 is connected to a substrate 10 </ b> C that extends rearward from the rear surface of the substrate 11. The supply side spring 45 is a tension spring that urges the supply side support portion 41, the supply side guide shaft 42, and the supply side magnet 43 upward. The spring constant of the supply side spring 45 is expressed as “k”.

  The transport path of the ink ribbon R extends obliquely to the upper right from the ribbon supply roll RA mounted on the supply spool 21, changes its direction by contacting the supply-side guide shaft 42, and extends downward to a guide shaft 61 described later. Extend.

  A downward (or inward) force corresponding to the tension of the ink ribbon R acts on the supply side guide shaft 42. More specifically, the supply-side guide shaft 42 includes a downward component of the tension of the ink ribbon R extending from the supply-side guide shaft 42 toward the ribbon supply roll RA, and the supply-side guide shaft 42 toward the guide shaft 61. The resultant force with the tension of the extending ink ribbon R acts downward. The supply-side guide shaft 42 stops in a state where the tension and the biasing force of the supply-side spring 45 are balanced. As shown in FIG. 3, the smaller the downward force F acting on the supply side guide shaft 42 in accordance with the tension of the ink ribbon R, the higher the supply side guide shaft 42 moves upward due to the urging force of the supply side spring 45. As the downward force F acting on the supply side guide shaft 42 in accordance with the tension of the ink ribbon R is larger, the supply side guide shaft 42 and the supply side magnet 43 move downward against the urging force of the supply side spring 45. . That is, the length of the transport path of the ink ribbon R changes according to the amount of tension acting on the ink ribbon R. The supply-side magnetic sensor 44 detects a magnetic force that changes according to the vertical position of the supply-side magnet 43. The magnetic force detected by the supply-side magnetic sensor 44 changes according to the length of the transport path. Accordingly, the supply-side magnetic sensor 44 is provided in the transport path and functions as a tension sensor that detects the tension of the transported ink ribbon R. The supply sensor unit 4 outputs a signal indicating a value corresponding to the magnetic force detected by the supply-side magnetic sensor 44 to the control unit 7. Based on the output signal, the control unit 7 can specify the vertical position when the reference position O (1) of the supply side guide shaft 42 is used as a reference.

<Guide shaft 61>
As shown in FIG. 2, the guide shaft 61 is provided near the lower right corner of the substrate 11. The guide shaft 61 has a cylindrical shape and extends from the front surface of the substrate 11 toward the front side. The guide shaft 61 is, for example, a roller that can rotate around a rotation shaft extending in the front-rear direction. The ink ribbon R contacts a part of the peripheral surface of the guide shaft 61. The transport path of the ink ribbon R extends downward from the supply-side guide shaft 42 of the supply sensor unit 4, changes direction by contacting the guide shaft 61, and extends toward the left side to the thermal head 3 described later.

<Thermal head 3>
The thermal head 3 is provided in front of the front surface of the substrate 11 in the front-rear direction. The thermal head 3 is provided approximately at the center in the left-right direction of the substrate 11. The thermal head 3 has a heating unit 73 (see FIG. 4 described later) composed of a plurality of heating elements arranged linearly in the front-rear direction. When the ink ribbon R is transported in contact with the supply sensor unit 4, the winding sensor unit 5, and the guide shafts 61 to 64, the thermal head 3 is adjacent to the ink ribbon R and has a head support mechanism 31 (head support). (Corresponding to the means) is supported so as to be swingable around the reference axis J along the center line (not shown) of the ink ribbon R in the width direction. Further, the head support mechanism 31 moves forward and backward with respect to the transport path of the ink ribbon R by being driven by an advance / retreat motor 83 of a head advance / retreat section 32 (see FIG. 4 described later). As a result, when printing is performed using the printing apparatus 1, the thermal head 3 can move in the vertical direction between the print position 3A and the print standby position 3B. The printing position 3A is a position where the lower end portion of the thermal head 3 is in contact with the roller-shaped platen Q. The print standby position 3B is not in contact with the ink ribbon R in which the lower end portion of the thermal head 3 is separated from the platen Q and extends in the left-right direction, and is adjacent to the transport path. The thermal head 3 that moves back and forth between the printing position 3A and the printing standby position 3B intersects the transport path of the ink ribbon R when the thermal head 3 is retracted to the printing standby position 3B. The fact that the thermal head 3 is adjacent to the conveyance path means that the movement path of the thermal head 3 that moves between the printing position 3A and the print standby position 3B intersects with the conveyance path. The advance / retreat motor 83 moves the thermal head 3 in the vertical direction via the head advance / retreat section 32. When the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB are attached to and detached from the printing apparatus 1, the thermal head 3 is moved to a storage position (not shown) above the print standby position 3B. When the printing method is an intermittent method, the thermal head 3 can be moved along the transport direction of the transport path or in the direction opposite to the transport direction. In this case, the thermal head 3 moves forward and backward with respect to the transport path of the ink ribbon R by being driven by a drive motor 84 of a head drive unit 33 (see FIG. 4 described later) as a head drive unit. Therefore, when the printing method is not the intermittent method, the head drive unit 33 and the drive motor 84 are not necessary.

  When the thermal head 3 has advanced to the printing position 3 </ b> A, the ink ribbon R extends from the guide shaft 61 toward the diagonally lower left side, and then contacts the lower end portion of the thermal head 3 to change its direction. A conveyance path extending diagonally upward to the left is formed. As the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 rotate, the ink ribbon R moves in the left-right direction between the guide shaft 61 and the thermal head 3.

<Guide shaft 62>
The guide shaft 62 has a cylindrical shape and extends from the front surface of the substrate 11 toward the front side. The guide shaft 62 is, for example, a roller that can rotate about a rotation shaft that extends in the front-rear direction. The guide shaft 62 is provided near the lower left corner of the substrate 11. The ink ribbon R contacts a part of the peripheral surface of the guide shaft 62.

<Guide shaft 63>
The guide shaft 63 has a cylindrical shape and extends from the front surface of the substrate 11 toward the front side. The guide shaft 63 is, for example, a roller that can rotate around a rotation shaft that extends in the front-rear direction. The guide shaft 63 is diagonally left upward with respect to the lower end of the thermal head 3 that has advanced to the printing position 3A in the substrate 11, in other words, diagonally left with respect to the lower end of the thermal head 3 retracted to the printing standby position 3B. It is provided at a lower position, and functions as a turning roller that turns the ink ribbon R in the transport path at a predetermined angle or more (for example, 90 ° or more). At this time, the ribbon type determining unit 65 projects the ink ribbon R from the light projecting unit 66 to the ink ribbon in a predetermined region (for example, within a radius of 10 cm) near the guide shaft 63 in the transport path. It is desirable to arrange for light.

<Guide shaft 64>
The guide shaft 64 is cylindrical and extends from the front surface of the substrate 11 toward the front side. The guide shaft 64 is, for example, a roller that can rotate around a rotation shaft that extends in the front-rear direction. The guide shaft 64 is located between the guide shaft 63 and the guide shaft 62 and is formed between the guide shaft 63 and the guide shaft 64 with respect to the ink ribbon R in the transport path when the thermal head 3 is advanced to the printing position 3A. Make the gap horizontal.

  When the thermal head 3 is at the printing position 3A, the transport path of the ink ribbon R extends from the guide shaft 61 to the lower end portion of the thermal head 3 in a diagonally downward left direction, and from the lower end portion of the thermal head 3 to the diagonally upper left side. Extends toward the guide shaft 63, changes its direction, extends horizontally between the guide shaft 63 and the guide shaft 64, and extends obliquely downward to the left from the guide shaft 64 toward the guide shaft 62. The transport path of the ink ribbon R further changes its direction by contacting the guide shaft 62 and extends upward toward the winding-side guide shaft 52 of the winding sensor unit 5. When the thermal head 3 is in the print standby position 3B, the ink ribbon R is in a non-contact state with the guide shaft 63, and is in a non-tensioned state between the guide shaft 64 and the guide shaft 61 and is not in contact with the thermal head 3. Is in a state. Accordingly, it can be said that the ink ribbon R at this time is partially retracted from the transport path.

<Winding sensor unit 5>
The winding sensor unit 5 is provided near the upper left corner of the substrate 11. The configuration of the winding sensor unit 5 is substantially the same as that of the supply sensor unit 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the winding sensor unit 5 includes a winding side support 51, a winding side guide shaft 52, a winding side magnet 53, a winding side magnetic sensor 54, and a winding side spring 55. These correspond to the supply-side regulating part 40, the supply-side support part 41, the supply-side guide shaft 42, the supply-side magnet 43, the supply-side magnetic sensor 44, and the supply-side spring 45, respectively. The spring constant k of the winding side spring 55 is equal to the spring constant k of the supply side spring 45 of the supply sensor unit 4. The substrate 10 </ b> D on which the winding-side magnetic sensor 54 is provided corresponds to the substrate 10 </ b> B in the supply sensor unit 4. The board 10 </ b> E to which the winding side spring 55 is connected corresponds to the board 10 </ b> C in the supply sensor unit 4. The reference position O (2), the maximum position Lm (2), and the reference position Ls (2) in the winding sensor unit 5 are the reference position O (1) and the maximum position Lm (1) in the supply sensor unit 4, respectively. , And the reference position Ls (1). The tension arm 5A is configured by the winding side support portion 51, the winding side guide shaft 52, and the winding side spring 55, and the position sensor 5B is configured by the winding side magnet 53 and the winding side magnetic sensor 54.

  A downward force corresponding to the tension of the ink ribbon R acts on the winding side guide shaft 52. More specifically, the winding side guide shaft 52 includes a downward component of the tension of the ink ribbon R extending from the winding side guide shaft 52 toward the ribbon winding roll RB, and a guide from the winding side guide shaft 52. A resultant force with the tension of the ink ribbon R extending toward the shaft 62 acts downward. The winding side guide shaft 52 is stationary in a state where the tension and the urging force of the winding side spring 55 are balanced.

  The transport path of the ink ribbon R extends upward from the guide shaft 62 to the take-up guide shaft 52, changes the direction by contacting the take-up guide shaft 52, and the ribbon take-up roll RB mounted on the take-up spool 22. It extends toward the upper right side.

  The supply side spring 45 and the take-up side spring 55 have the same spring constant k. Further, a downward component of the tension of the ink ribbon R extending from the supply-side guide shaft 42 toward the ribbon supply roll RA, and the tension of the ink ribbon R extending from the winding-side guide shaft 52 toward the ribbon take-up roll RB. The downward component is substantially the same. This is because the amount of change according to the diameter of each of the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB in the direction of the ink ribbon R extending from each of the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB is sufficiently small. . For this reason, the downward components of the tension depending on the direction of the ink ribbon R extending from each of the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB can be regarded as substantially the same. Accordingly, the amount of movement of the supply side guide shaft 42 from the reference position O (1) of the supply sensor unit 4 and the amount of movement of the winding sensor unit 5 from the reference position O (2) of the winding side guide shaft 52 are: It becomes almost the same.

  Unlike the supply sensor unit 4, the winding side guide shaft 52 is provided with a speed sensor unit 52 </ b> A (see FIG. 4) that can detect the rotation speed of the winding side guide shaft 52.

<Electrical Configuration of Printing Apparatus 1>
The electrical configuration of the printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The printing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 7. The control unit 7 includes a CPU that controls the printing apparatus 1 and various drive circuits that operate in accordance with instructions from the CPU. The various drive circuits include, for example, a circuit for supplying a signal (for example, drive current) to the supply motor 81, the take-up motor 82, the advance / retreat motor 83, and the drive motor 84, and a signal ( For example, a circuit for supplying a drive current), a supply sensor unit 4, a take-up sensor unit 5, a circuit for driving the speed sensor unit 52A and A / D conversion of the received output signal are included. . The control unit 7 includes a storage unit 71, a thermal head 3 (heating unit 73), a supply sensor unit 4, a take-up sensor unit 5, a supply motor 81, a take-up motor 82, a head advance / retreat unit 32 (advance / retreat motor 83), and head drive. The unit 33 (drive motor 84), the speed sensor unit 52A, and the communication interface (communication I / F) 72 are electrically connected via an interface circuit (not shown). The control unit 7 is electrically connected to the ribbon type determination unit 65, the collation unit 74, and the notification unit 75 as ribbon type determination means via an interface circuit (not shown) and controls them. The specific functions of the ribbon type determination unit 65, the collation unit 74 as the collation unit, and the notification unit 75 as the output unit will be described later. At this time, the ribbon type determination unit 65 includes an optical sensor having a light projecting unit 66 as a light projecting unit that irradiates measurement illumination light and a light receiving unit 67 as a light receiving unit that receives the illumination light. Used. In addition, the notification unit 75 also has a function as a warning unit that sounds a sound output, a buzzer sound, or the like as necessary. Note that if a monitor or speaker that the external device 100 has as a standard is used, an error display by the monitor functions as an output unit, and an error sound by the speaker or an error voice guide output functions as a warning notification signal. It is also possible to make it.

  The storage unit 71 includes various storage media such as a ROM, a RAM, and a flash memory. The storage unit 71 stores a program for processing executed by the control unit 7. The storage unit 71 stores each main drive control data related to the printing process, print data received from the external device 100, a plurality of types of available ribbon width information, a ribbon width corresponding to each ribbon, a ribbon supply roll RA, and a ribbon. Various table data relating to the roll diameter of the take-up roll RB, print setting information, the specified number of times, the total length of the ink ribbon R of the ribbon assembly 9, the initial supply diameter, the initial take-up diameter, the medium speed V, and the like are stored. When the unused ribbon assembly 9 is used, the diameter of the ribbon supply roll RA in the unused state is set as the initial supply diameter, and the diameter of the core shaft 90B is set as the initial winding diameter. The diameter of the ribbon supply roll RA in the unused state and the diameter of the core shaft 90 </ b> B may be set by an operator input received via the operation unit (for example, the external device 100) of the printing apparatus 1. Alternatively, the diameter of the ribbon supply roll RA in the unused state and the diameter of the core shaft 90B are calculated from a comparison between the rotation speed detected by the speed sensor 52A and the rotation speeds of the supply motor 81 and the take-up motor 82. May be. When the control unit 7 calculates the diameters of the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB, the control unit 7 updates the storage in the storage unit 71 to the initial supply diameter and the initial winding diameter corresponding to the calculated diameter. The storage unit 71 stores the type input result of the ink ribbon R input by the operator via the external device 100 by the function as the ribbon type acquisition unit by the control unit 7 through the communication I / F 72.

  The medium speed V is received from the external device 100 via the communication I / F 72, for example. The control unit 7 stores the received medium speed V in the storage unit 71. Alternatively, the printing apparatus 1 may include a speed sensor (not shown) that measures the speed of the image receiving member P, and the medium speed V may be determined based on the output from the speed sensor and stored in the storage unit 71. The print data stored in the storage unit 71 may be received from the external device 100 via the communication I / F 72. The control unit 7 may store the received print data in the storage unit 71.

  The thermal head 3 is, for example, a line thermal head having a plurality of heating elements (heating units 73) arranged in a line. Each of the plurality of heating elements (heating unit 73) selectively generates heat according to a signal output from the control unit 7. The supply motor 81 and the winding motor 82 are stepping motors that rotate in synchronization with a pulse signal. Common motors are used as the supply motor 81 and the take-up motor 82. The supply motor 81 rotates the supply spool 21 in accordance with the pulse signal output from the control unit 7. The take-up motor 82 rotates the take-up spool 22 in accordance with the pulse signal output from the control unit 7. The advance / retreat motor 83 rotates in accordance with the pulse signal output from the control unit 7, and moves the thermal head 3 to the printing position 3A (see FIG. 2), the printing standby position 3B (see FIG. 2), and printing (not shown). Move between standby positions. The advance / retreat motor 83 may employ, for example, a mechanism for executing a linear motion such as a solenoid when the thermal head 3 is merely moved back and forth between the print position 3A and the print standby position 3B.

  The supply sensor unit 4 outputs a signal indicating a value corresponding to the position of the supply side guide shaft 42 to the control unit 7. The winding sensor unit 5 outputs a signal corresponding to the position of the winding side guide shaft 52 to the control unit 7. The speed sensor unit 52 </ b> A is a rotation sensor that outputs a signal indicating the amount of rotation of the take-up guide shaft 52 to the control unit 7, for example. Specifically, the take-up guide shaft 52 is configured to be able to rotate following the conveyance of the ink ribbon R by a frictional force acting between the take-up guide shaft 52 and the ink ribbon R. The speed sensor unit 52 </ b> A includes, for example, a permanent magnet that rotates integrally with the winding-side guide shaft 52 and a magnetic sensor such as a Hall element provided on the substrate 11. The amount of rotation of the winding side guide shaft 52 is detected based on the magnetic force from the permanent magnet detected by the magnetic sensor. The rotation speed is specified by dividing the rotation amount by time. Since the diameter of the winding-side guide shaft 52 is known, the rotation amount or the rotation speed of the ink ribbon R is specified from the rotation amount or the rotation speed of the winding-side guide shaft 52. The communication I / F 72 is an interface element for performing communication with the external device 100 connected to the printing apparatus 1. The external device 100 is a terminal device used for an operator to give various instructions to the printing apparatus 1.

  The program executed by the control unit 7 may be downloaded from the external device 100 via the communication I / F 72, for example. The control unit 7 may store the program acquired from the external device 100 via the communication I / F 72 in the storage unit 71. Various types of information stored in the storage unit 71 may be changeable via the external device 100.

<Outline of printing operation by printing apparatus 1>
As shown in FIG. 2, the image receptor P is transported in a predetermined direction D (see an arrow) at a predetermined transport speed (hereinafter referred to as “medium speed V”). The printing apparatus 1 receives the image in such a direction that the lower end of the printing apparatus 1 faces the printing surface (the upper surface in FIG. 2) of the image receiving member P and the direction from the right side to the left side of the printing apparatus 1 coincides with the direction D. It is arranged close to the body P. A platen Q is disposed on the opposite side of the image receiving member P from the printing apparatus 1.

  The printing operation by the printing apparatus 1 is started. The supply motor 81 and the take-up motor 82 are driven, and the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 are rotated. The core shaft 90A and the core shaft 90B of the ribbon assembly 9 rotate in the forward direction. The ink ribbon R is fed from the ribbon supply roll RA of the supply spool 21 and taken up as a ribbon take-up roll RB of the take-up spool 22. The portion of the ink ribbon R that contacts the image receiver P is conveyed to the left side.

  When the transport speed of the ink ribbon R (hereinafter referred to as “ribbon speed v”) increases to a predetermined speed, the thermal head 3 moves from the print standby position 3B to the print position 3A. The thermal head 3 contacts the platen Q from above via the ink ribbon R and the image receiver P. The ink ribbon R is pressed against the printing surface of the image receiving member P according to the movement of the thermal head 3. The platen Q comes into contact with the surface of the image receiver P opposite to the printing surface, and presses the ink ribbon R and the image receiver P against the thermal head 3. The ribbon speed v is preferably the same as the medium speed V of the image receiving member P, but a ribbon speed v slightly lower than the medium speed V is allowed.

  In such a configuration, a thermal printer (TTO) using the thermal head 3 as the industrial printing apparatus 1 is for printing, for example, a shelf life or a barcode on the image receiving member P with the ink ink ribbon R. It is necessary to prevent printing defects. For this purpose, it is necessary to set the ink ribbon R in the printing apparatus 1 that matches the printing pattern + printing speed with respect to the image receiving member P before the start of printing. In order to realize this, it is very effective to check whether the most suitable ribbon type ink ribbon R is mounted on the printing apparatus 1 with respect to the ribbon type that the operator used for the external device 100. is there.

  For this reason, as a method of comparing the ribbon type specified by the operator with the ribbon type that is mounted, the mounted ink using the difference in reflectance (transmittance) using the wavelength of any light By calculating the layer thickness constituting the ribbon R, the type of the mounted ink ribbon R is determined. In order to use this discrimination method, it is desirable that the mounted ink ribbon R is in a state of the uniformly tensioned ink ribbon R in which no wrinkles are generated.

  Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 uses the ribbon type designated by the operator using the ribbon type designation data and the ribbon type that is mounted before the actual printing is performed, for example, immediately after receiving the print data from the external device 100. Was matched.

  At this time, the thermal head 3 before the start of printing is in a print standby position 3B away from the ink ribbon R. For this reason, the controller 7 controls the head advance / retreat unit 33 without driving the heating unit 73 to drive the advance / retreat motor 83 to move the thermal head 3 to the printing position 3A. Thereby, the control part 7 performs collation of the ribbon type after making the mounted ink ribbon R into a tension | tensile_strength state.

  Therefore, the printing apparatus 1 heats the ribbon supply roll RA for supplying the ink ribbon R, the ink ribbon R fed from the ribbon supply roll RA, and transfers the ink to the image receiving member P, and the ink A ribbon take-up roll RB that takes up the ink ribbon R after transfer, and serves as a ribbon type acquisition unit that acquires the type input result of the ink ribbon R input via the external device 100 as an operation unit. Light projection that projects onto the ink ribbon R in the ribbon transport path (indicated by a solid ink ribbon R in FIG. 2) that is fed out from the control unit 7 and the ribbon supply roll RA, through the thermal head 3, and to the ribbon take-up roll RB. Portion 66 and the reflected light reflected by the ink ribbon R in the transport path of the light projected from the light projecting section 66 or the light reflected in the transport path. A light receiving unit 67 that receives the transmitted light that has passed through the ribbon R, a ribbon type determining unit 65 that determines the actual type of the ink ribbon R according to the light reception result of the light receiving unit 67, and the ink acquired by the control unit 7. As a collation unit 74 as collation means for collating the ribbon R type input result and the actual type of the ink ribbon R determined by the ribbon type determination unit 65, and as output means for outputting the collation result by the collation unit 74 A notification unit 75 (or a notification unit of the external device 100).

  In the printing apparatus 1, various ink ribbons R are properly used depending on the type of the image receiver P. The ribbon type of the ink ribbon R to be used is acquired by the control unit 7 as the operator inputs it through the operation unit each time.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, the ink ribbon R actually attached to the printing apparatus 1 is acquired by utilizing the fact that the optical reflection characteristics (transmission characteristics) differ depending on the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R. Whether the ink ribbon R matches the ribbon type is checked. That is, light is projected from the light projecting unit 66 to the ink ribbon R in the ribbon transport path of the ribbon supply roll RA to the thermal head 3 to the ribbon take-up roll RB, and the reflected light or transmitted light is received by the light receiving unit 67. The actual type of the ink ribbon R is determined by the ribbon type determination unit 65 according to the light reception result. Then, the collation unit 74 collates the determined actual type of the ink ribbon R with the acquired ribbon type of the ink ribbon R, and outputs a collation result from the notification unit 75. The reflection characteristic (transmission characteristic) corresponding to the ribbon type is acquired in advance from the ribbon manufacturer, and stored in the storage unit 71 in a table format in which the ribbon type and the wavelength of light emitted from the light projecting unit 66 are associated with each other. Shall. Therefore, it is desirable to arrange a plurality of pairs of the light projecting unit 66 and the light receiving unit 67 along the ribbon width direction so as to project light having different wavelengths.

  Thereby, for example, when the collation result is incompatible, an appropriate alarm notification is given to the operator, so that the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R mounted at that time (the operator selects the operation unit). It can be recognized that it is different from the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R which is originally intended to be used. As a result, it is possible to replace the ink ribbon R with the correct ink ribbon R before printing is started by the thermal head 3, so that it is possible to prevent printing defects and the like from occurring.

  In the printing apparatus 1, the light projecting unit 66 projects a plurality of types of light having different wavelengths, and the ribbon type determining unit 65 is determined according to the wavelength value of each of the plurality of types of light. Based on the layer thickness of the ink ribbon R, the actual type of the ink ribbon R is determined.

  Accordingly, when a plurality of types of light are projected onto the ink ribbon R, for example, the thickness dimension of the ink ribbon R is known from the different wavelengths of each light and the refractive index of the ink ribbon R. Can do. In the present invention, the light projecting unit 66 projects a plurality of types of light, and the ribbon type determining unit 65 determines the layer thickness (of the ink ribbon R) by utilizing the relationship between the light projecting unit 66 and the printer 1. The ribbon type of the ink ribbon R that is actually mounted can be determined with high accuracy.

  Then, the notification unit 75 outputs the ribbon type input result of the ink ribbon R acquired by the control unit 7 and the actual ink ribbon R determined by the ribbon type determination unit 65 in the collation result output from the collation unit 74. When the type is incompatible, it also functions as warning means for outputting a corresponding warning notification signal.

  Thereby, before starting printing with the thermal head 3, it can replace | exchange with the correct ink ribbon R reliably, and it can prevent reliably that a printing defect etc. arise.

  Next, the sibling verification routine by the control unit 7 will be described with reference to FIG. This collation routine is performed in actual printing, that is, in a state where the heating unit 73 of the thermal head 3 is not heated.

(Step S1)
In step S1, the control unit 7 receives print data from the external device 100 via the communication I / F 72, and proceeds to step S2. The control unit 7 stores the received print data in the storage unit 71.

(Step S2)
In step S2, the control unit 7 controls the head advancing / retreating unit 33 to move the thermal head 3 from the printing standby position 3B to the printing position 3A (down / advance), and the process proceeds to step S3. The head advancing / retreating unit 33 drives the advancing / retreating motor 83 according to a control signal from the control unit 7 to move (lower / advance) the thermal head 3 from the print standby position 3B to the print position 3A.

(Step S3)
In step S3, the control unit 7 irradiates light for detection (detection light) from each of a plurality of (for example, two pairs) light projecting units 66 arranged in the ribbon width direction, and proceeds to step S4. In addition, the wavelength of the light irradiated from the light projection part 66 should just be 2 or more types.

(Step S4)
In step S4, the control unit 7 causes the light receiving unit 67 to receive the reflected light reflected by the ink ribbon R, stores the light reception result in the storage unit 71, and proceeds to step S5.

(Step S5)
In step S5, the control unit 7 calculates the reflectance (transmittance) of each reflected light received by the light receiving unit 67 by the ribbon type determining unit 65, and proceeds to step S6. Here, the reflectance (transmittance) of the reflected light indicates the wavelength dependence of optical interference caused by the thickness d and the refractive index n of the ink ribbon R.

(Step S6)
In step S6, the control unit 7 calculates the maximum value λ1 and the minimum value λ2 of the interference light from the wavelength dependence based on optical interference (for example, see the graph of wavelength characteristics shown in FIG. 6), and the calculation A result is memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 71, and it transfers to step S7. In FIG. 6, the symbols λ1, λ2, and λ3 are attached to the peaks of the graph, but these are merely examples. In the following description, the maximum value λ1 and the minimum value λ2 will be described.

(Step S7)
In step S7, the control unit 7 causes the ribbon type determination unit 65 to calculate the optical film thickness (nd) that is the ribbon type, and then stores the calculation result in the storage unit 71 and proceeds to step S8. The optical film thickness nd is
nd = λ1 · λ2 / 4 (λ1-λ2) Equation 1
Can be calculated.

(Step S8)
In Step S8, the control unit 7 determines the ribbon type based on the optical film thickness nd calculated by the Bon type determination unit 65, and proceeds to Step S9.

(Step S9)
In step S9, the control unit 7 collates the ribbon type specified by the ribbon type determination unit 65 by the collation unit 74 with the ribbon type specified by the operator stored in the storage unit 71 in a table format, and the process proceeds to step S10. Transition. For this collation, for example, the optical film thickness nd calculated by the ribbon type determination unit 65 and the optical film thickness nd corresponding to the ribbon type specified by the operator stored in the table unit in the storage unit 71 are collated. You may do it. Therefore, the routine of step S8 described above may be omitted.

  By the way, the control unit 7 can use, for example, data known by the manufacturer for the ribbon type stored in the storage unit 71. Therefore, for example, using the above-described peak wavelengths λ1, λ2, and λ3, the combination of the peak values of the detected peak wavelengths λ1, λ2, and λ3 in the mounted ink ribbon R and the operator stored in the storage table are designated. The collation is also possible by collating the collation unit 74 with a combination of peak values of the peak wavelengths λ1, λ2, and λ3 corresponding to the ribbon type. Therefore, the routines of step S7 and step S8 described above may be omitted. In addition, the control unit 7 controls the head advance / retreat unit 32 to drive the advance / retreat motor 83 until the coincidence / mismatch determination is completed, thereby temporarily moving the thermal head 3 to the printing position (until actual printing is performed). The routine moves from 3A to the print standby position 3B (ascending / retreating). The interrupt routine after step S4 can be used. Further, only when the control unit 7 determines that they do not match in step S10 described later, the thermal head 3 is temporarily printed from the printing position 3A (until actual printing is performed) in consideration of replacement of the ribbon R. You may move (rise / retreat) to the standby position 3B.

(Step S10)
In step S10, the control part 7 is based on the title result collated in step S9. It is determined whether or not the ribbon type of the mounted ink ribbon 9 matches the ribbon type designated by the operator. If the control unit 7 determines that the ribbon types match (Yes), the control unit 7 proceeds to step S11. If the control unit 7 does not determine that the ribbon types match (No), the control unit 7 proceeds to step S12.

(Step S11)
In step S <b> 11, the control unit 7 outputs to the notification unit 75 that the ribbon types match. The notification unit 75 outputs a ribbon matching voice or the like to the operator as necessary. If they match, no notification is required. When this routine ends, the control unit 7 starts executing a known printing process.

(Step S12)
In step S12, the control unit 7 outputs to the notification unit 75 that the ribbon types do not match, and proceeds to step S13.

(Step S13)
In step S13, the control unit 7 notifies the notification unit 75 of an error notification for prompting the operator to replace the ink ribbon R or the like from the notification unit 7, and ends this routine. In addition, since it is highly likely that the ink ribbon R is exchanged when this step S13 is performed, the above-described routines may be performed again. Further, if necessary, forced printing may be executed without feeling the ink ribbon R by operating the external device 100 by the operator.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and technical idea of the present invention. Hereinafter, such modifications will be described in order.

  In the above embodiment, the case of the continuous method (CM) is described as the printing method, but the case of the intermittent method (IM) is described as the printing method. As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, when the intermittent method is used, wrinkles of the ink ribbon R can be reduced by the thermal head 3 moving with respect to the ink ribbon R. Therefore, light of an arbitrary wavelength is irradiated from the light emitting unit 66 onto the surface of the ink ribbon R immediately after the thermal head 3 moves, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving unit 67. In FIG. 7, the same configuration as that of the above embodiment is omitted, and only the main part is shown. At this time, the above-described guide shaft 64 is eliminated, and the platen Q is formed in a block shape (a plate shape or the like is also possible). Further, the arrangement of the ribbon type determination unit 65 is set between the thermal head 4 and the guide shaft 63. Further, the thermal head 3 can be moved up and down between the print standby position 3B and the print position 3A in FIG. 7A, and as shown in FIG. 7B, the thermal head 3 is moved to the print execution position 3C along the transport direction. It can be moved. The print execution position 3C is not a fixed position, and can be reciprocated along the transport direction by driving the drive motor 84 as the control unit 7 controls the head drive unit 33.

  Here, an example of a printing operation in the intermittent method will be described. The thermal head 3 is heated based on the print data stored in the storage unit 71. As shown in FIG. 8A, the ink in the predetermined area 91 of the ink ribbon R is transferred to the printing surface of the image receiving member P according to the printing data. As described above, the print image G1 for one block is formed on the image receiver P. Note that during the printing of the print image G, the image receiver P and the ink ribbon R are continuously conveyed. In order to facilitate understanding, in FIG. 8, the ink ribbon R and the image receiver P are shown in a straight line and are separated from each other. In practice, however, the ink ribbon R and the image receiver P may be bent. Further, the ink ribbon R and the image receiver P are in contact with each other at least at a position where the thermal head 3 is in contact with the ink ribbon R. The thermal head 3 is indicated by a simple square.

  After the print image G1 is formed, the heating of the thermal head 3 is stopped. As shown in FIG. 8B, the thermal head 3 moves from the printing position 3A to the printing standby position 3B. The driving of the supply motor 81 and the take-up motor 82 is stopped, and the conveyance of the ink ribbon R is stopped. Thus, the printing operation for the print image G1 is completed. The image receiver P is continuously conveyed at the medium speed V.

  After the image receiver P is conveyed by a predetermined distance L, the printing operation for the next one block is started. As shown in FIG. 8C, the supply spool 21 and the take-up spool 22 are driven, and the ink ribbon R is conveyed. The thermal head 3 moves from the print standby position 3B to the print position 3A. The thermal head 3 is heated after moving to the printing position 3A, and the ink in the predetermined area 92 of the ink ribbon R is transferred to the printing surface of the image receiving member P. Thus, the print image G2 is formed on the image receiver P. After the print image G2 is formed, the heating of the thermal head 3 is stopped. As shown in FIG. 8D, the thermal head 3 moves from the printing position 3A to the printing standby position 3B (see FIG. 2). The conveyance of the ink ribbon R is stopped. Thus, the printing operation for the print image G2 is completed. The description of printing the next one block (print image G3) (see FIG. 8E) is omitted.

  The printing apparatus 1 repeats the printing operation for each block described above for the specified number of times stored in the storage unit 71. As a result, print images G1, G2, G3... Are formed on the image receiver P.

<Printing mode>
A specific example of the printing mode of the printing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. A direction in which the ink ribbon R is transported is referred to as a “transport direction”, and a direction orthogonal to the transport direction is referred to as a “width direction”. The transport direction coincides with the direction in which the ink ribbon R extends and corresponds to the sub-scanning direction. The width direction coincides with the direction along the width of the ink ribbon R and corresponds to the main scanning direction. Note that the alignment direction of the plurality of heating elements of the thermal head 3 coincides with the main scanning direction.

  FIG. 9 illustrates a case where the character string “Expiration date: 2016.09.15” is printed as a print image for one block. A plurality of predetermined regions 96 of the ink ribbon R are heated in turn by the thermal head 3 one by one in order to print a character string. After heating by the thermal head 3, the image receptor P is conveyed by a predetermined distance L to one side in the conveyance direction. By repeating these processes, print images G1, G2, and G3 are printed on the image receiver P with a predetermined distance L in the transport direction. The positions in the transport direction of the print images G1, G2, and G3 are different.

  The plurality of predetermined regions 96 of the ink ribbon R are arranged in a line along the transport direction of the ink ribbon R. That is, each of the plurality of predetermined regions 96 is arranged only in the width direction with respect to the ink ribbon R, and a plurality of the predetermined regions 96 are not arranged in parallel in the width direction. The length in the width direction of the predetermined region 96 is referred to as “print width” and is expressed as “wa” (mm). The length of the thermal head 3 in the width direction is referred to as “head width” and is expressed as “wb” (mm). The maximum value of the ribbon width of the ink ribbon R of the ribbon assembly 9 to be used, that is, the largest ribbon width 130 mm among the three ribbon widths indicated by the width information is referred to as “maximum ribbon width”, and “w” (mm ).

<Printing conditions (acceleration of supply motor 81 and winding motor 82)>
In the printing apparatus 1, the ink ribbon R is transported between the state in which the ink ribbon R is transported during the printing operation (referred to as “transported state” in FIGS. 8A, 8C, and 8E) and two successive printing operations. Printing is performed while alternately switching between the states in which the conveyance of R is stopped (FIGS. 8B and 8D are referred to as “stopped state”). Here, the supply motor 81 and the take-up motor 82 require time for acceleration / deceleration. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8F, the time from when the printing operation for one block is completed until the printing operation for the next one block is started (referred to as “cycle time Ts”). In addition to the time in the stop state, the time required for transition between the transport state and the stop state (referred to as “transition time Tt”) is included.

  The printing apparatus 1 includes a head drive unit 33 as a head drive unit that moves the thermal head 3 relative to the stationary image receptor P. The light projecting unit 66 is driven by a drive motor 84 of the head drive unit 33. When 3 moves to one side along a predetermined movement direction, light is projected onto the ink ribbon R located on the other side of the thermal head 3 along the movement direction.

  In the present invention, a head drive unit 33 is provided for moving the thermal head 3 relative to the stationary image receiver P during printing. When the thermal head 3 is moved by the head drive unit 33, the thermal head 3 is moved so as to spread the ink ribbon R while being in contact with the ink ribbon R.

  On the other hand, when the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R is determined based on the optical detection result for the ink ribbon R as described above, light is applied as much as possible on the surface of the ink ribbon R from the viewpoint of ensuring high accuracy. It is preferable. Therefore, by utilizing the “pushing out (equalizing)” action of the ink ribbon R by the thermal head 3, the light projecting unit 66 projects light to the other side which is the rear side when the thermal head 3 moves to one side. To do. As a result, light is applied to the ink ribbon R in a state where the thermal head 3 is pushed and wrinkled by the movement of the thermal head 3, so that highly accurate optical detection can be performed, and the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R Can be determined accurately.

  The control unit 7 includes a supply motor 81 as a ribbon supply roll drive unit that rotates the ribbon supply roll RA, a take-up motor 82 as a ribbon take-up roll drive unit that rotates the ribbon take-up roll RB, a supply motor 81, The winding motor 82 and the light projecting unit 66 are controlled in cooperation, and the tension of the ink ribbon R in the transport path is in a predetermined high tension state (the magnitude of the tension, the length of the ink ribbon R, the amount of head movement, etc.) Function as cooperation control means for projecting light onto the ink ribbon R in the state of (default).

  The supply motor 81 feeds out the ink ribbon R by rotationally driving the ribbon supply roll RA, and the take-up motor 82 winds up the ink ribbon R by rotationally driving the ribbon take-up roll RB. At this time, from the viewpoint of a highly accurate optical detection result for the ink ribbon R, it is preferable to shine the light on the surface of the ink ribbon R as much as possible.

  Therefore, the control unit 7 as the cooperation control unit controls the supply motor 81 and the take-up motor 82, for example, relative to the ink ribbon R positioned between the ribbon supply roll RA and the ribbon take-up roll RB. By applying a force toward both ends, the ink ribbon R in the transport path can be brought into a state where a relatively high tension is generated. And the control part 7 controls the light projection part 66 so that light projection is performed in the state which became such a high tension state. As a result, the light strikes in a state where the wrinkles of the ink ribbon R are stretched by a high tension, so that highly accurate optical detection can be performed and the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R can be accurately determined. Can do.

  Even in such a configuration, it is possible to accurately check the ribbon type being mounted determined by the ribbon type determination unit 65 using light of a plurality of wavelengths and the ribbon type input by the user.

  In order to increase the detection accuracy of the ribbon type determination unit 65, a light emitting unit 66 and a light receiving unit 67 may be provided in the thermal head 3, as shown in FIG. 10 is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 7 except that the ribbon type stagnation portion 65 is directly arranged on the thermal head 3. FIG. 10A shows the thermal head 3 at the printing position 3A, and FIG. 10B shows the thermal head 3 at the printing execution position 3C.

  The control unit 7 controls the head driving unit 33 to drive the driving motor 84 in the same manner as the printing operation (without head heating), and drives the driving motor 84 in the same manner as the printing operation, and irradiates the light emitting unit 66 any number of times during that time By receiving the reflected light of the light by the light receiving unit 67, the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R can be determined by the ribbon type determining unit 65 based on a plurality of measurement results. As a result, the ribbon type of the ink ribbon R can be determined with high accuracy before the start of printing, and printing defects associated with differences in ribbon type can be avoided.

  Specifically, the light receiving unit 67 receives reflected light reflected by the ink ribbon R in the transport path of the light projected from the light projecting unit 66, and the light projecting unit 66 and the light receiving unit 67 are connected to the thermal head 3. It is fixed to the other part.

  Thereby, it can project light reliably by the light projection part 66 provided in the said back side of the thermal head 3 with respect to the other side used as the back side when the thermal head 3 moves to one side, and The reflected light at that time can be reliably received by the light receiving portion 67 provided on the rear side of the thermal head 3.

  In addition to the aspects described above, modifications and applications of fine parts and the like are possible. For example, the spring constants k of the supply side spring 45 of the supply sensor unit 4 and the winding side spring 55 of the winding sensor unit 5 may be different from each other.

  The supply sensor unit 4 and the winding sensor unit 5 may be provided at positions different from those in the above embodiment. The supply sensor unit 4 and the winding sensor unit 5 may have only functions as the position sensors 4B and 5B. The tension arm may be provided in the printing apparatus 1 as a configuration different from the supply sensor unit 4 and the winding sensor unit 5. The printing apparatus 1 may have only one of the supply sensor unit 4 and the winding sensor unit 5. The printing apparatus 1 may not include both the supply sensor unit 4 and the winding sensor unit 5.

  The supply-side roller shaft 42 of the supply sensor unit 4 and the winding-side roller shaft 52 of the winding sensor unit 5 have a tension function that puts the ink ribbon R in a tension state. Therefore, the arrangement of the ribbon type determination unit 65 (light projection by the light projection unit 66) may be in the vicinity of the supply side guide shaft 42 of the supply sensor 4 or the winding side guide shaft 52 of the winding sensor 5 (near the sensor).

  As described above, the guide shaft 63 (the supply-side roller shaft 42 and the take-up-side roller shaft 52) as a turning roller for turning the transport direction of the ink ribbon R at a predetermined angle or more (for example, 90 ° or more) in the transport path. The light projecting unit 66 can project light onto the ink ribbon R located in a predetermined region (for example, within a radius of 10 cm) in the vicinity of the guide shaft 63 in the transport path.

  Therefore, from the viewpoint of a highly accurate optical detection result for the ink ribbon R, it is preferable to shine the light on the surface of the ink ribbon R as much as possible. Therefore, in the present invention, the guide shaft 63 (the direction in which the ink ribbon R is transported is greater than a predetermined angle, for example, 90 °, 135 °, etc.), which causes a relatively high tension in the transport path of the ink ribbon R. The light projecting unit 66 projects light in the vicinity of the roller). As a result, the light strikes in a state where the wrinkles of the ink ribbon R are stretched by high tension, so that highly accurate optical detection can be performed and the type of the ink ribbon R can be determined accurately. it can.

  The rotation shaft of the supply motor 81 may be directly connected to the supply spool 21 or may be connected via a transmission means such as a gear.

  The print image printed on the image receiver P is not limited to a character string, and may be a figure, a symbol, or the like. Needless to say, the ribbon width indicated by the width information is not limited to 34 mm, 55 mm, and 130 mm.

  In the above description, when there is a description such as “vertical”, “parallel”, “plane”, “horizontal”, etc., the description is not strict. That is, these “vertical”, “parallel”, “plane” and “horizontal” are acceptable in design and manufacturing tolerances and errors, and are “substantially vertical”, “substantially parallel”, “substantially plane”, “ It means “substantially horizontal”.

  In addition, in the above description, when there are descriptions such as “same”, “equal”, “different”, etc., in terms of external dimensions, size, and speed, the descriptions are not strict. That is, the terms “identical”, “equal”, and “different” mean that “tolerance and error in manufacturing are allowed in design and that they are“ substantially identical ”,“ substantially equal ”,“ substantially different ”. .

  In addition, in the above, the arrow shown in the figure of FIG. 4 shows an example of a signal flow, and does not limit the signal flow direction.

  Further, the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 does not limit the present invention to the procedure shown in the above-described flow, and the procedure may be added / deleted or the order may be changed without departing from the spirit and technical idea of the invention. Good.

  In addition to those already described above, the methods according to the above-described embodiments and modifications may be used in appropriate combination.

  In addition, although not illustrated one by one, the present invention is implemented with various modifications within a range not departing from the gist thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printing apparatus 3 Thermal head 7 Control part (ribbon kind acquisition means)
65 Ribbon type determining unit (ribbon type determining means)
66 Projection unit (projection means)
67 Light receiving part (light receiving means)
74 Verification part (Verification means)
75 Notification unit (output means)
100 External equipment (operation means)
RA Ribbon supply roll RB Ribbon take-up roll P Image receptor

Claims (7)

A ribbon supply roll for supplying ink ribbon;
A thermal head that heats the ink ribbon fed from the ribbon supply roll and transfers the ink to an image receiver;
A ribbon take-up roll for taking up the ink ribbon after transfer of the ink;
A printing device comprising:
Ribbon type acquisition means for acquiring the type input result of the ink ribbon input via the operation means;
A light projecting means for projecting light onto the ink ribbon in a ribbon transport path that is fed from the ribbon supply roll and passes through the thermal head to reach the ribbon take-up roll;
A light receiving means for receiving reflected light reflected by the ink ribbon in the transport path, or transmitted light transmitted through the ink ribbon in the transport path, of the light projected from the light projecting means;
Ribbon type determining means for determining the actual type of the ink ribbon according to the light reception result of the light receiving means;
Collation means for collating the type input result of the ink ribbon acquired by the ribbon type acquisition means with the actual type of the ink ribbon determined by the ribbon type determination means;
Output means for outputting a collation result by the collation means;
A printing apparatus comprising: The printing apparatus according to claim 1.
The light projecting means is
Project multiple types of light with different wavelengths,
The ribbon type determining means includes
A printing apparatus comprising: determining an actual type of the ink ribbon based on a layer thickness of the ink ribbon determined corresponding to the wavelength value of each of the plurality of types of light. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
When the type input result of the ink ribbon acquired by the ribbon type acquisition unit and the actual type of the ink ribbon determined by the ribbon type determination unit are incompatible, a corresponding warning notification signal A printing apparatus comprising warning means for outputting. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A head driving means for moving the thermal head relative to the image receiving member in a stationary state;
The light projecting means is
When the thermal head is moved to one side along a predetermined movement direction by the head driving means, the light projection is performed on the ink ribbon located on the other side of the thermal head along the movement direction. A printing apparatus characterized by the above. The printing apparatus according to claim 4.
The light receiving means is
Receiving the reflected light reflected from the ink ribbon in the transport path of the light projected from the light projecting means;
The light projecting means and the light receiving means are:
A printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus is fixed to the other side of the thermal head. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
A turning roller for turning the ink ribbon in a conveying direction at a predetermined angle or more in the conveying path;
The light projecting means is
A printing apparatus that performs the light projection on the ink ribbon located in a predetermined region in the vicinity of the turning roller in the transport path. The printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Ribbon supply roll driving means for rotating the ribbon supply roll;
Ribbon take-up roll driving means for rotating the ribbon take-up roll;
The ribbon supply roll driving means, the ribbon take-up roll driving means, and the light projecting means are controlled in cooperation so that the tension of the ink ribbon in the transport path is in a predetermined high tension state. Linkage control means for projecting light onto the ink ribbon;
A printing apparatus comprising:

Images