JP2667091B2 - Label printing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printing apparatus for printing an input character string on a heading label of a document or the like via a printing means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At an exhibition, for example, the same heading label is often attached to a large number of samples. Also, with the diversification of information, the demand for suitable filing using heading labels according to the type of information and the like is increasing, and moreover, the same information may be owned and stored by a plurality of persons and a plurality of places. Heretofore, this type of label has been created by hand, and there have been problems such as frequent creation and appearance.

In order to solve such a problem, there has been proposed a printing apparatus which efficiently prints the same contents at both the upper and lower positions of a lined label by appropriately selecting the printing direction (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-178948). Gazette).

Further, a label printing apparatus has been proposed in which the number of input characters and the number of lines are stored in one label and the number of labels is calculated so as to set an integer number of sheets on one sheet (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-1986). -175722).

Further, there has been proposed a label printer which automatically calculates a character to be changed to full-width and half-width so that printing can be suitably performed within a predetermined label width (JP-A-63-18963).
276).

Further, a label printer has been proposed in which a print format of a cut-sheet label can be input and printing can be performed on labels of various sizes (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-1).
No. 58072).

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 948, a process for suitably printing one heading label is described in detail. However, the position and size detection of a plurality of arranged heading labels or each label is performed. No description is given as to how to print.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-175722,
JP-A-63-189276 and JP-A-62-15
No. 8072 relates to how to suitably perform printing on one label, and does not relate to printing processing for a large number of arranged labels.

Further, many of the conventional label printing apparatuses have a function of registering a character string input for printing on a label in a memory or the like. However, the number of characters in this character string matches the size of the input area of the label that was the target of printing at the time of input, so when reading the registered character string from memory etc. and printing it on another label, the character string There is a problem that the print may run off the printout.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a label printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a storage unit, a registration processing unit, and a read-out processing unit, and the storage unit is arranged on a label sheet. Label information for specifying the dimensions and arrangement position of each label, an identification code corresponding to each label information, and character size information defining a plurality of character sizes as character sizes to be printed are stored and registered. The processing means registers the input character string, the character size of the character string, and the identification code of the label used for printing this character string in the storage means, and the reading processing means registers the identification code of the label desired to be printed. Is input, first processing means for accepting this input, and when there is an instruction to read a character string registered by the registration processing means, this character string and the text of this character string Second processing means for reading from the storage means the identification code of the label used for printing the size and this character string, and the identification code read from the storage means by the second processing means and input by the first processing means When the identification code is different from the identification code, the printing area of the label is determined from the label information corresponding to the input identification code, and the length of the character string read from the storage means in the column direction is determined by the length of the printing area. A square whose one side is the shorter of the width of one character that fits in the horizontal length and the length of one character that fits in the vertical direction of this print area in the row direction of this character string The third processing means for selecting the largest character size that fits in the area from the character size information, the identification code of the label read by the second processing means and the identification code input by the first processing means are the same. In the case of the second The character size read by the processing means is defined as the size of the character string read by the second processing means, and the identification code of the label read by the second processing means and the character code read by the first processing means are input. And a fourth processing means for setting the character size selected by the third processing means to the size of the character string read by the second processing means when the identification code is different.

[0012]

According to the label printing apparatus of the present invention, a character string input for printing on a label can be registered in the storage means by the registration processing means. In the registration processing means, in addition to the character string, the character size of the character string and the identification code of the label on which the character string is printed are registered in the storage means.

[0013] Then, when an instruction to read a character string is issued to print the character string registered in the storage means on the same or different label, the read processing means causes the registered character string and the character size of this character string to be printed. And the identification code of the label on which this character string is printed is read from the storage means. When the identification code of the label to be printed is the same as the identification code read from the storage unit, the character size read from the storage unit is set as the size of the character string read from the storage unit.

If the identification code of the label to be printed is different from the identification code read from the storage means, the printing area of the label is determined from the label information corresponding to the identification code of the label to be printed. Then, the largest character size in which the character string read from the storage means fits in this print area is selected from the character size information, and this character size is set as the size of the character string.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a label printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 4 show the appearance and internal mechanism of the label printing apparatus 1. FIG. A label printing device (hereinafter, referred to as a device) 1 is a device that performs printing on each of a large number of labels 4a regularly arranged on a label sheet 4, and includes an upper half body 2 and a lower half body 3, An insertion port 5 for the label sheet 4 is formed in the middle.

In the upper half 2 of the apparatus 1, a large number of keys 6 capable of inputting characters and the like are arranged. Is provided. When the number of characters and the number of lines are further input, the screen is scrolled right and left and up and down by the cursor keys. As shown in FIG. 4, the keys 6 arranged include character keys such as alphabets, “functions”,
A function key for performing each processing such as “cancel”, “conversion”, “execution”, and “print” and a cursor key with arrows on all sides are provided. The contents of each key are indicated on the head.

The lower half 3 has an insertion slot 5 and this insertion slot 5.
And a feed path 11 extending rearward from the feed path, and a guide roller 9 for guiding the inserted label sheet 4 is provided on the upper surface of the feed path 11. In addition, the guide roller 9
Behind the paper feed motor 16, a paper feed roller 8 which is driven to rotate by a sheet feed motor 16 and feeds the inserted label sheet 4 is provided at a total of three places, and further provided with a printing unit 20 for printing. I have.

A side wall 18 for positioning is formed on one side, for example, the left side, of the insertion port 5 and the feeding path 11, and the left side of the label sheet 4 is inserted in contact with the side wall 18. It is. As shown in FIG. 5, a sheet sensor 19 such as a photo-interrupter having a pair of light-emitting elements 19a and light-receiving elements 19b on the upper and lower surfaces is provided on the side wall 18 on the downstream side of the feed path of the paper feed roller 8. And detects whether or not the left side of the inserted and fed label sheet 4 exactly matches the side wall 18.

The printing section 20 has a label sheet 4
Spiral shaft 1 disposed in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction
2, the rotation of the carriage motor 14 is transmitted to the helical shaft 12 via the gear train 15, and the printing unit 20 reciprocates along the rotating helical shaft 12. . On the upper part of the printing unit 20, a rack 13 is installed in parallel with the spiral shaft 12. The teeth of the rack 13 are formed at a lower portion so as to face the printing unit 20.
The gears in the printing unit 20 are in mesh with the rack 13. From the lower part of the printing unit 20, a thermal head 2 composed of a dot array capable of printing one character, for example, is provided.
The lower plate 3 of the thermal head 28 is provided with a rubber platen 17. In addition,
The printing unit 20 also functions as a cassette holder for mounting a ribbon cassette (not shown) of the ink ribbon, and includes a winding shaft 25 for winding the ink ribbon.

The liquid crystal display section 7 displays an input character string or an edited character string, a code number, a character label, or a respective selection screen. The character label refers to a character string created for label printing or a character string already created.

Next, a control block diagram of the label printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

The apparatus 1 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) 30 for controlling the entire apparatus, and an RO
And a storage unit 31 composed of M, RAM, and the like.

The CPU 30 is synchronized with the head drive unit 36 for driving the thermal head 28 in and out and outputting a character signal, the carriage motor drive unit 37 for controlling the drive of the carriage motor 14, the paper feed roller 8 and the paper discharge roller 23. A sheet feed motor drive unit 38 for driving the sheet feed motor 16 to be driven and a display drive unit 39 for driving the liquid crystal display unit 7 are connected to each other.

The CPU 30 has a counter for counting the number of sheets and a timer for synchronizing with the sheet feeding. The CPU 30 receives input information from the key input section 6 'and a detection signal from the sheet sensor 19, respectively. A control signal is output to a required circuit unit, and in addition to character input and editing processing as described later,
It comprehensively controls the label sheet type selection, display control, and print processing control.

The CPU 30 monitors the detection signal from the sheet sensor 19, and the label sheet 4 is accurately inserted and fed depending on whether or not the signal for detecting the front end of the left side of the label sheet 4 is input. The sheet feed motor 1 from the time when the detection signal is generated.
The position of the label sheet being fed is indirectly measured by the rotation pulse 6 or time management.

The storage unit 31 includes a program for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus such as editing and printing, a dictionary memory for converting kana / kanji characters, the array position of labels arranged on various label sheets, and the labels. Label information in which vertical and horizontal dimensions are registered, a code number as an identification code for specifying the type of label sheet, and a character size table (Table 1) as shown below are stored.

[0028]

[Table 1]

Table 1 shows the character size, from the SS size to the 3L size. In this type of label printing apparatus, the types of label sheets that can be printed are various and hundreds, and a large number of character sizes to be printed thereon are required. Therefore, horizontally long characters and vertically long characters other than square characters can be designated as the character size.
Thus, the selection operation is facilitated by making the character size selectable using the symbol of the size division.

Further, there are various kinds of label sheets such as ordinary square label, lined label, tack index label, box label and cassette label, and there are various sticking positions on the label sheet.
Each is standardized. When an external input / output device such as an expansion cartridge shown as the auxiliary storage unit 40 in FIG. 6 is connected to increase the number of types of label sheets or print on a desired non-standardized label sheet. Can be newly registered.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a label sheet and a label. Labels R ₁ , R ₂ ,... Having the same dimensions are regularly attached on the label sheet 4 at regular intervals. The positions of the labels on the label sheet 4 are designated as 1, 2, 3,... In the column direction, and A, B, C,.

The seat number is selected by inputting an identification code of one character or two characters (including numbers). This facilitates the selection operation. A table (not shown) storing the sheet numbers in the present embodiment is represented by label dimensions,
Are stored as dimensions based on the corner position of the front edge of the left side of the label sheet 4 detected. The type of dimensions is the data required to identify the label position on the label sheet from the label sheet's vertical and horizontal dimensions, label shape, label vertical and horizontal dimensions, label vertical and horizontal spacing, number of labels on one sheet, etc. Has been adopted. The dimensions are usually specified in units of millimeters (mm). In this embodiment, the dimensions are coded to reduce the memory capacity. The CPU 30 calculates the print position, that is, the label position, based on the label information corresponding to the designated sheet number (identification code).

The apparatus 1 configured as described above is configured to automatically set the character size according to the number of characters and the number of lines of the input character string. In the automatic setting of the character size, the character size is set so that it can be suitably printed in the label automatically in accordance with the character string input on the character input screen. 1 is selected.

Hereinafter, the process of automatically setting the character size will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

First, by inputting the code number of the label sheet to be printed, all information such as the vertical and horizontal dimensions and arrangement position of the label to be used is specified (# 10).
2). The print area of the label is determined based on the label information, and the length of the print area in the vertical and horizontal directions is compared (# 104). By this comparison, the shorter length is selected, and if the size in the horizontal direction is short as shown in FIG. 10A, a square area S having this horizontal length 1 as one side is assumed (# 106), and FIG.
If the size in the vertical direction is short as shown in FIG. 5, a square area S having this vertical length l as one side is assumed (# 10).
8). Then, the character size of the largest square character that fits in this square area S is selected from Table 1, and this character size is set to an initial value (# 110).

After the initial value of the character size is determined in this way, input of characters (including symbols and the like) is waited, and each time the input character increases or decreases by one character, the character string of the created character string is The horizontal length is calculated. When a character string is created in a plurality of lines, it is calculated for each line (# 202).
Then, the horizontal length of the character string and the set horizontal length of the print area are compared for each line, and it is determined whether or not the created character string can be printed within the set horizontal dimension of the label ( # 204). If the length of the character string in the horizontal direction is larger than the print area, a character size that is one size smaller than the set character size is selected from Table 1, and all character sizes over all lines are changed to this new character size. The size is changed (# 206). And after this, again, # 202, # 20
4 is repeated. In this manner, a suitable character size is temporarily determined based on the horizontal length of the character string in each line and the horizontal length of the print area.

Next, the vertical length of the determined character size is added over the entire line to obtain the total vertical length (# 20).
8) The total vertical length is compared with the vertical length of the print area. Thus, it is determined whether the created character string can be printed within the set vertical dimension of the label (# 21).
0). If the total vertical length of the created character string is larger, a character size that is one size smaller than the determined character size is selected from Table 1, and all character sizes over all lines are changed to the new character size. It is changed (# 212). Thereafter, the processes of # 208 and # 210 are repeated again. In this way, the maximum character size that can be printed in the print area is finally set. Note that the above-described equations are stored in the ROM of the storage unit 31 in advance.
A conversion table storing the calculation results may be used.

As described above, in the created character label, the same character size is set for all lines, and when the number of characters is different for each line, the character size is different for each line. The set inconvenience has been eliminated.
When the character size is switched from the S size shown in Table 1 to an extremely small SS size, the character size is not switched immediately but switched to SS-size horizontally long characters.

The automatic setting of the character size is performed when one character is input or deleted, when the size of the input character is changed, when the character decoration of the input character is changed, when a line feed or line feed is performed. This is always performed when the state of the input character or the state of the input line changes, for example, when they are combined.

The character size of each character is set in advance.
Alternatively, it can be manually set to a specific size as needed. In this case, in the above-mentioned # 202,
The length of the character string is calculated for each line by adding the horizontal length of the set character and the horizontal length of each character being automatically set. In # 208, the longest vertical size character is calculated for each line. After being extracted every time, it is added over all rows.

The character labels created in this way are stored in the storage unit 31, and under the control of the CPU 30, print processing is performed on each of the arranged labels based on the stored data and the label information that has been set. Is applied.

Next, a process for registering an input character string in the storage unit 31 and a process for reading a character string registered in the storage unit 31 will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a process of inputting a character string and registering it in the storage unit 31. First, when a code number of a label for which a character string is to be printed is input (# 300), the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the printing range of the label corresponding to this code number are stored in the storage unit 3.
1 (# 301). Then, the maximum number of lines (L _max ) at which characters of the minimum character size can be printed is calculated from the vertical dimension of the printing range (# 30).
2). Further, the maximum number of characters (M _max ) at which characters having the minimum character size can be printed is calculated from the horizontal dimension of the printing range (# 303). Thereafter, an input operation and an edit operation of a character string to be printed are performed (# 304). If there is an instruction to register the edited character string after the input editing work is completed (# 305), a registration process is performed (# 305).
306). The registration process is a process of registering the edited character string and a group of information on the character string in the storage unit 31 as a label file. Information about the character string includes information on the character size of the character string, information on the character decoration of the character string,
The information includes a code number of a label for printing a character string and information for distinguishing between an automatic character size and a user-specified character size.

If there is an instruction to print the label after the processing of # 304, the character string edited by the input editing work is printed on the label corresponding to the code number input at # 300. Is done.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing a process of reading a character string registered in the storage unit 31. First, when the code number of the label for which the character string is desired to be printed is input (# 350), the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the printing range of the label corresponding to this code number are read from the storage unit 31. (# 351). Then, the maximum number of lines (L _max ) on which characters of the minimum character size can be printed is calculated from the vertical dimension of the printing range (# 352). Also, from the horizontal dimension of the print area,
The maximum number of characters (M _max ) at which characters of the minimum character size can be printed is calculated (# 353). Next, when a registered character for specifying a label file is input (# 354), a search for a label file is performed using the registered character (# 355). The registration character is an arbitrary two-digit character given in advance when the label file is registered. As a result of the search, if the label file cannot be found (# 356), a message indicating that the label file does not exist is displayed and the process is terminated (# 35).
7). If a label file is found as a result of the search (# 356), the first seven characters of the character string in the label file are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (# 35).
8). The search can also be performed by designating one of the two-digit registered characters. In this case, a plurality of label files may be searched, and the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays the first seven characters of the plurality of character strings. The user can designate a predetermined label file by operating the cursor up and down (# 359). Next, # 350
It is checked whether or not the code number input in step 1 matches the code number in the searched label file (#
360). If they match, this label file is read (# 361). If they do not match, the following processing is performed. First, the number of lines of the character string in the label file designated in # 359 is calculated (#
362). When the number of lines is larger than the maximum number of lines (L _max ) calculated in # 352 (# 363), a message "This label cannot be read" is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (# 364). , And returns the process to step # 358. If the maximum number of lines calculated in # 362 is equal to or smaller than the maximum number of lines ( _Lmax ) calculated in # 352 (# 363), the maximum number of character strings in the label file specified in # 359 is determined. The number of characters in the line is calculated (# 36)
5). If the maximum number of characters is larger than the maximum number of characters (M _max ) calculated in # 353 (# 366), a message "This label cannot be read" is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7.
Is displayed (# 364), and the process is returned to # 358. When the maximum number of characters calculated in # 365 is equal to or less than the maximum number of characters (M _max ) calculated in # 353 (# 3)
In 66), the label file is read (#
367). Then, the information on the character size and character decoration in the label file is cleared, and the character size of the character string in the label file is set to the automatic character size (# 36).
8). The reason why the character decoration information is cleared is that the character size may be substantially increased depending on the character decoration. Then, the character size of this character string is set so as to be within the print range of the label read from the storage unit 31 in # 351 (# 369). The character string in the label file is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 at the character size set in this manner.

Thereafter, editing processing of a character string displayed on the liquid crystal display section 7, registration processing of a label file in the storage section 31, or printing processing is performed.

[0047]

According to the label printing apparatus of the present invention, when the character string registered in the storage means is read and printed on the label, the character size of the character string is read by the reading processing means so that the character string is stored in the printing area of the label. Is adjusted. For this reason, the character string can be printed on various labels without being aware of the number of characters and the character size of the character string read from the storage means.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a label printing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal mechanism of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an internal mechanism of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a key arrangement of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a sheet sensor.

FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a positional relationship of a label with respect to a label sheet.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating setting of an initial value of a character size in automatic character size setting.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating automatic setting of a character size.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a method of setting an initial value of a character size corresponding to the shape of a label.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process of inputting a character string and registering the character string in a storage unit.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a process of reading a character string registered in a storage unit.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a process of reading a character string registered in a storage unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Label printing device, 4 ... Label sheet, 4a ... Label, 6 '... Key input part, 7 ... Liquid crystal display part, 30 ... CP
U, 31 ... storage unit.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-316279 (JP, A) JP-A-63-70370 (JP, A) JP-A-3-74718 (JP, A) Jpn. , U) Japanese Utility Model Hei 4-45748 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Application Showa 63-139957 (JP, U)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A label printing device for inputting a desired character string and printing the input character string on each label arranged on a label sheet, the label printing device comprising a storage means and a registration process. Means, read processing means, the storage means, label information for specifying the dimensions and arrangement position of each label arranged on the label sheet, an identification code corresponding to each label information, The character size information defining a plurality of character sizes as the character size to be printed is stored, and the registration processing means uses the input character string, the character size of this character string, and the printing of this character string. The identification code of the label to be used is registered in the storage means, and the reading processing means receives the input when the identification code of the label to be printed is input. (1) when there is an instruction to read the character string registered by the registration processing means, the character string, the character size of the character string, and the identification code of the label used for printing the character string A second processing means for reading out from the storage means; and when the identification code read from the storage means by the second processing means is different from the identification code inputted by the first processing means, The print area of the label is discriminated from the label information corresponding to the generated identification code, and the length in the column direction of the character string read from the storage means is one character within the horizontal length of the print area. And the length of the character string in the row direction are within the vertical length of this print area. The maximum character size that can be accommodated in the square area whose side is the shorter of the vertical widths of one character is Font size information And if the identification code read by the second processing means and the identification code input by the first processing means are the same, the second processing means The read character size is the size of the character string read by the second processing means,
When the identification code read by the second processing means is different from the identification code input by the first processing means, the character size selected by the third processing means is changed by the second processing. And a fourth processing means for setting the size of the character string read by the means. 2. The label printing apparatus comprises display means, and the read processing means sets the maximum number of characters and the maximum number of lines that can be printed using the characters of the minimum character size in the printing area determined by the third processing means, respectively. If the number of characters in one line of the character string read by the second processing means is larger than the calculated maximum number of characters, or the number of lines of the character string read by the second processing means is calculated. When the number of lines is larger than the maximum number of lines, a fifth processing means for displaying a message indicating that the character string cannot be read from the storage means on the display means is performed instead of the fourth processing means. The label printing device according to claim 1.