JP2536387B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly to a printer having a line thermal head and a platen, which prints on printing paper (including materials other than paper) by these head and platen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of printer, printing is performed in a state where the head is pressed against the platen (head-down state) via the printing paper. Further, the paper is fed and returned in a state where the head and the platen are separated (head-up state).

Further, in a conventional printer, printing was performed on printing paper of a single type of thickness. Therefore, the distance (gap) between the head and the platen is fixed to a constant value in the head-down state and the head-up state.

[0004]

With the recent development of high-quality printing technology, there are various types of printing paper such as heat-sensitive paper, fusing paper, sublimation paper and the like. If a printer that can use these multiple types of paper can be realized, a single printer can perform printing according to various needs such as color, monochrome, and image quality.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional printer, since the distance between the head and the platen is fixed at the time of paper feeding and paper returning, even if an attempt is made to print on a plurality of kinds of paper, the paper type Therefore, a paper jam may occur. In particular, when performing color printing, there is a drawback that paper jams are likely to occur because paper conveyance and paper return are repeated.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and the purpose thereof is to achieve color and monochrome, high-density and low-density image quality, etc. by one machine without causing paper jams. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printer capable of performing printing according to various needs.

[0007]

A printer according to the present invention has a line head and a platen, and conveys and returns the printing paper to reciprocate the paper while the line head and the platen move the printing paper against the printing paper. Te a printer for printing, means for detecting the indicia construction paper type when the printing paper to the own device is set, the detection result and the transport and return of the printing paper of the <br/> detecting means
Further characterized by having a gap control means for varying the distance between the platen and the line head in correspondence with each operation of the printing.

[0008]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention. In the figure, a printer according to the present invention includes a paper feed roller 11 and a paper guide 20 for feeding and conveying a paper, a line thermal head 31 for printing an image on the paper, and a position facing the head 31. A platen roller 30 provided and a gap control mechanism 3 for changing the distance between the head 31 and the roller 30.
5 and a capstan roller 22 and a pinch roller 21 for carrying and returning the paper as indicated by arrow Y2. In the figure, 10 is a paper feed cassette for feeding printing paper, and 40 is an ink ribbon.

Further, the printer according to the present embodiment has a paper discrimination sensor 12 for detecting the type of paper and a ribbon discrimination sensor 41 for detecting the presence or absence of the ink ribbon 40.
And the gap control mechanism 35 according to the detection result of each sensor.
And a CPU 50 for controlling the.

The gap control mechanism 35 is driven by a motor (not shown) to move the position of the head 31 with respect to the platen roller 30 as shown by an arrow Y1, and the rotational position of the drive motor of this moving mechanism. It is configured to include sensors 33 and 34 for detecting. In this example, the gap control mechanism 35 can change and control the gap in four stages.

As shown in FIG. 2, the moving mechanism 37 has a rotating shaft 36 that rotates at a lower speed than the rotation of the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37, and a position that is separated from the rotating shaft 36 by a predetermined angle. 3 which is provided and rotates around the rotating shaft 36
It is configured to include a plurality of blocking plates a, b and c. Then, the interrupting sensor 33 or 34 detects that the interrupting sensor 33 or 34 is interrupted by these three interrupting plates a, b, c, and the CPU 50 controls the moving mechanism 37 according to the detection result.

Here, when the rotary shaft 36 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Y3, the waveform diagram of the sensor 33 or 34 is as shown in FIG. That is, in the state shown in FIG. 2, the sensor 33 detects interruption by the interruption plate a, but when the rotation shaft 36 is rotated in the direction of the arrow Y3, the sensor 34 causes the interruption plates d, c ,. The interruption by each of b will be detected in order. Since the rotation shaft 36 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the drive motor for moving the position of the line thermal head 31, if the rotation of the drive motor is controlled according to the detection result of the sensor 33 or 34, the head 31
The distance (gap) between the roller and the roller 30 can be freely controlled.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the drive motor is controlled corresponding to three states of the initial state () of the printer, the conveyance state (~) of each sheet, and the printing state (), and the gap is controlled. Can be changed.

In this example, the sublimation paper has a thickness of 200 [μ
m], the thickness of the fused paper is 80 [μm], and the thickness of the thermal paper is 50 [μm]. The gap when the sensor 33 detects the blocking plate a is sufficiently wide as 5 [mm] or more. The gap when the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate d is 3 [mm], the gap when the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate c is 2 [mm], and the gap when the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate b. Shall be zero.

In such a structure, the line thermal head 31 is initially in the initial state (a) by the gap control mechanism 35. This is the "initial value" in FIG.

Next, the head 31 has the gap control mechanism 3
5, the sheet 60 is positioned at a gap larger than the sheet thickness of the sheet 60, that is, at the intermediate position (c) with respect to the platen roller 30.

On the other hand, the paper is fed by the paper feed roller 11 and conveyed to the specified position through the gap set as described above.

Next, the line thermal head 31 starts printing after the gap control mechanism 35 enters the printing state, that is, the head-down state (b). After the printing is completed, the line thermal head 31 is headed up again to the intermediate position (c), and the paper 60 is returned by the capstan roller 22. The printing is completed by performing the above printing operation and paper returning operation several times, and the paper is ejected.

Now, the function of instructing the state of the gap in the CPU 50 will be described.

When printing paper is set in the paper feeding cassette,
The sheet determination sensor 12 determines the type of sheet. For example,
A marker (black or the like) is attached to the end of the sublimation paper, and by detecting this, it is possible to determine whether the sublimation paper or another paper.

The ribbon discriminating sensor 41 detects the presence or absence of the ink ribbon 40. Printing can be performed on a sublimation paper or a fused paper only when the ink ribbon 40 is set. The thermal paper can be printed even if the ink ribbon 40 is not set.

The paper discrimination sensor 12 detects sublimation paper,
When the ribbon discrimination sensor 41 detects an ink ribbon, the sublimation paper is printed. In this case, CPU5
0 first rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 33 detects the blocking plate a. This is the initial state (head-up state).

Next, the CPU 50 rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate d. This is the intermediate position.

In this state, the paper 60 is the paper feed roller 1.
The sheet is fed by 1, and is conveyed to a specified position through the gap set at the intermediate position.

Further, the CPU 50 rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate b. This is the head-down state, and printing is performed in this state.

When returning the paper, the CPU 50 causes the sensor 3
The drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 is reversely rotated until 4 detects the blocking plate d. At the intermediate position, the sheet is returned in this state.

That is, in the case of sublimation paper, the sensor 34
The paper is conveyed at the gap when the blocking plate d is detected (Fig.
The gap is 3 [mm] because the "return" and the paper return ("return" in FIG. 3) are performed.

Printing of the sublimation paper is completed by repeating the above operation.

If the paper discrimination sensor 12 does not detect the sublimation paper, it means that the fused paper or the heat-sensitive paper is set in the paper feed cassette. In this case, when the ribbon discrimination sensor 41 detects the ink ribbon, printing can be performed on the fused paper or the thermal paper, but when the ink ribbon is not detected, printing can be performed only on the thermal paper.

When printing an image on a fused sheet or a thermal sheet, the CPU 50 first rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 33 detects the blocking plate a. This is the initial state (head-up state).

Next, the CPU 50 rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate c. This is the intermediate position, and the sheet is conveyed in this state.

In this state, the paper 60 is fed by the paper feed roller 1.
The sheet is fed by 1, and is conveyed to a specified position through the gap set at the intermediate position.

Further, the CPU 50 rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate b. This is the head-down state, and printing is performed in this state.

Further, the CPU 50 rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate b. This is the head-down state, and printing is performed in this state.

When the paper is returned, the gap between the fused paper and the thermal paper is different. This is because a paper jam may occur depending on the paper quality.

First, in the case of the fused paper, the CPU 50 reversely rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate c. This is the intermediate position, and the paper is returned in this state. That is, in the case of the fused paper, the paper is conveyed (“go” in FIG. 3) and the paper is returned (“return” in FIG. 3) at the gap when the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate c. Is 2 [mm].

On the other hand, in the case of thermal paper, the CPU 50 reversely rotates the drive motor of the moving mechanism 37 until the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate d. This is the intermediate position, and the paper is returned in this state. In other words, in the case of thermal paper, the paper is conveyed (“going” in FIG. 3) at the gap when the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate c, so the gap becomes 2 [mm]. Further, since the sheet is returned (“return” in FIG. 3) at the gap when the sensor 34 detects the blocking plate d, the gap becomes 3 [mm].

By repeating the above operation, printing on the fused paper or the thermal paper is completed.

In short, software or firmware for changing and controlling the gap according to the detection result of the type of paper is prepared, and the CPU 50 controls the gap control mechanism 37 based on this.

In this embodiment, four barrier plates are provided and the gap is controlled in four stages, but the number of barrier plates is not limited to four, and may be three or five. . If it is necessary to control in multiple stages, the number of blocking plates may be increased. In this case, the arrangement of the sensors 33 and 34 may be changed as needed.

Furthermore, if each of the blocking plates is made detachable and can be attached to any position on the side surface of the rotary shaft, the gap can be more freely changed and controlled according to the type of paper. For example, a mounting pin may be provided on the blocking plate and a pin hole may be provided on the rotary shaft side.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention, the type of the set sheet is detected and the gap is controlled to be changed according to the detection result, so that the sheet can be conveyed and returned reliably. Therefore, there is an effect that one printer can print on a plurality of types of paper. Further, according to the present invention, since one printer can print on a plurality of types of paper, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of printers.
There is also an effect that space saving can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a main part of a gap control mechanism in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a table showing a relationship between each sensor and the gap of the gap control mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram showing a detection result of each sensor in the gap control mechanism of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Paper Feed Cassette 11 Paper Feed Roller 12 Paper Discrimination Sensor 20 Paper Guide 21 Pinch Roller 22 Capstan Roller 30 Platen Roller 31 Line Thermal Head 33, 34 Sensor 35 Gap Control Mechanism 37 Moving Mechanism 40 Ink Ribbon 41 Ribbon Discrimination Sensor 50 CPU 60 Paper

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A printer having a line head and a platen, wherein the printing paper is reciprocated by conveying and returning the printing paper, and the printing is performed on the printing paper by the line head and the platen. there, the detection means for detecting the indicia construction paper type when the printing paper to the own device is set, detection results and the printing paper of the detecting means transportable
Printer, characterized in that the feed and return further includes a change allowed to gap control means the distance between the platen and the line head in correspondence with each operation of the printing. 2. The gap control means controls the moving means in accordance with a moving means driven by a motor to move the position of the head with respect to the platen, and a detection result of the detecting means and a rotational position of the motor. have a movement control unit, said printing paper conveyance and the return and
The printer according to claim 1, wherein the distance is controlled during printing . 3. The movement control means is provided at positions separated from each other by a predetermined angle around a rotation shaft that rotates in response to rotation of the motor, and rotates about the rotation shaft (N is 2 or more). An integer) blocking plate and a blocking sensor for detecting that the blocking has been performed by the blocking plate, and the rotation position of the motor is detected based on the detection result of the blocking sensor. 2. The printer described in 2.