JP2718603B2 - 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]

Incidentally, many conventional label printing apparatuses have a function of setting the number of sheets for printing an input character string on a plurality of labels. But,
In such a conventional label printing apparatus, complicated settings such as printing a plurality of character strings on different numbers of labels, respectively, cannot be performed. Therefore, it is necessary to set the number of labels to be printed for each character string and repeat the printing process.
The operation was complicated and problematic.

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

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a label printing apparatus of the present invention inputs a desired character string and converts the input character string into each label arranged on a label sheet. In a label printing device for printing, a storage means having a plurality of storage areas for storing a character string to be printed on a label and the number of labels printed on the label, and a character corresponding to each storage area of the storage means, Display means for selectively displaying a plurality of input screens having columns and input columns for the number of prints; switching means for switching the input screen displayed on the display means to another input screen; and input screen displayed on the display means When a character string and the number of prints are input to each of the input fields, the input character string and the number of prints are displayed in each of the input fields of the input screen, and these character strings and the number of prints are displayed. A processing unit that stores the number of characters in a storage area corresponding to the input screen; and, when a printing instruction is given, reads out all the character strings and the number of prints stored in each storage area of the storage unit, and reads the read printout. A printing means for printing each character string on a label by the number of sheets is provided, and the input screen to be displayed on the display means can be switched by the switching means, so that a character string to be printed on the label and a label for printing this character string It is characterized in that the correspondence with the number of sheets is easily grasped visually.

[0010]

According to the label printing apparatus of the present invention, when a character string and the number of prints are input to each input field of the input screen displayed on the display means, the character string and the print number are printed by the processing means. The number of copies is displayed in each input field of the input screen. Further, these character strings and the number of prints are stored in the storage area corresponding to the input screen by the processing means. The input screen displayed on the display means can be switched by the switching means, and a character string and the number of prints can be input to each input field of another input screen. And
When there is a print instruction, all the character strings and the number of prints stored in each storage area of the storage means are read, and each character string is printed on the label by the number of prints read by the printing means. The input screen displayed on the display means here is
Since they can be switched to each other by the switching means,
The correspondence between the character string to be printed on the label and the number of labels to be printed on this character string can be easily grasped visually. As a result, an input error in the number of printed sheets can be easily detected,
For example, it is possible to prevent a mistake such as printing a character string on a label more than necessary due to input of a large number of prints.

[0011]

[0012]

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 port 5 and the insertion port 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 label sheet 4 is inserted while the left side of the label sheet 4 is 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 unit 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 a storage unit 31 composed of M, RAM, and the like.

The CPU 30 synchronizes a head drive unit 36 for driving the thermal head 28 into and out and outputting a character signal, a carriage motor drive unit 37 for controlling the drive of the carriage motor 14, a paper feed roller 8 and a 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 includes a counter for counting the number of sheets and a timer for synchronizing with 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.

Further, the CPU 30 monitors the detection signal from the sheet sensor 19, and the insertion and feeding of the label sheet 4 can be accurately performed depending on whether or not a 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 stores programs for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus, such as editing and printing, a dictionary memory for kana / kanji conversion, etc., as well as the arrangement positions of labels arranged on various label sheets and the label positions. 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.

[0025]

[Table 1]

Table 1 shows the character size, ranging 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.

There are various types of label sheets, such as ordinary square labels, labels with lines, tack index labels, box labels, cassette labels, and the like, and there are also various sticking positions on the label sheets.
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 such that the character size is automatically set 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 processing for 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 changed. 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 determined vertical length of the character size is added over the entire line to determine 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 differs for each line, the character size differs 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
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 already been set. Is applied.

Next, a process of designating the number of labels for each character label and a process of printing a character label whose number is designated individually on a label will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the label printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, a plurality of character labels can be created by switching a plurality of input screens. FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which character labels are created using a plurality of input screens. Conceptually, it is considered that a plurality of input screens 301 to 303 are superimposed and a predetermined portion of the uppermost input screen 301 is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7. In this case, the character labels “AAAAA, BBBB, CCCC, DDDD” and the number of labels “20” on the input screen 301 are actually stored in the temporary storage area 311 of the storage unit 31. Similarly, the number of character labels and labels on the input screen 302 is stored in the temporary storage area 312, and the number of character labels and labels on the input screen 303 is stored in the temporary storage area 313. When the cursor key with the arrow pointing upward is pressed, the screen displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 scrolls up, and when the cursor key with the arrow pointing downward is pressed, the liquid crystal display unit is pressed. The screen displayed in 7 scrolls down. By such a key operation, a desired character string on the input screen 301 can be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7. The input screens can be switched by simultaneously pressing the shift key and a cursor key with an arrow pointing upward or downward. When the input screen 301 and the input screen 302 are exchanged and the input screen 302 is superimposed on the top,
The contents of the input screen 302 are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7.

Next, specific examples of the number-of-sheets designation processing and the printing processing are shown in FIGS. First, the first input screen 3
01 is displayed. In this case, the second and third lines of the input screen 301 are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7, and the cursor 7a is positioned at the top (FIG. 12A). And "A
"AAA", "BBBB", "CCCC", "DDDD"
Is input, the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays “CCCC” on the fourth line and “DDDD” on the fifth line of the input screen 301 (FIG. 12B). Next, the screen is switched to the second input screen 302 by simultaneously pressing the shift key and the cursor key with an arrow pointing upward or downward. In this case, the liquid crystal display 7
Displays the second and third lines of the input screen 302 (FIG. 12C). And "aaaa", "bbbb",
When "cccc" and "dddd" are input, the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays "cccc" on the fourth line and "dddd" on the fifth line of the input screen 301 (FIG. 12D).

When the display is switched to the first input screen 301 again, the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays “AA” on the second line of the input screen 301.
"AA" and the third line "BBBB" are displayed (FIG. 12).
(E)). Next, when a cursor key having an arrow pointing upward is pressed, the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays the first line “1 individual number” and the second line “AAAA” on the input screen 301 (FIG. 12). (F)). On this screen, the cursor 7a is positioned above "1" of "1 individual number", and the number of labels to be printed can be set. When the user inputs “20” on this screen, “1 individual sheet” on the liquid crystal display section 7 is displayed.
Is changed to "20 individual sheets" (FIG. 13 (g)).

Further, when the display is switched to the second input screen 302, the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays “a” in the second line of the input screen 302.
"aaa" and the third line "bbbb" are displayed (FIG. 13
(H)). Next, when a cursor key with an arrow pointing upward is pressed, the liquid crystal display unit 7 displays the first line “1 individual number” and the second line “aaaa” on the input screen 302 (FIG. 13). (I)). On this screen, the cursor 7a is positioned above "1" of "1 individual number", and the number of labels to be printed can be set. When the user inputs “30” on this screen, “1 individual sheet” on the liquid crystal display section 7 is displayed.
Is changed to "30 individual sheets" (FIG. 13 (j)).

After performing the above-described designation of the number of sheets for each character label, when printing processing is performed on the label, the character label “AAAAA / BBBB / CCCC / DDDD” input on the input screen 301 is printed on 20 labels. Input screen 30
"Aaa / bbbb / cccc / ddd"
The d ″ character label is printed on 30 labels (see FIG. 1).
3 (k)).

Next, the process of designating the number of sheets to be printed for each character label will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. First, when the key input by the user (# 401) is the input of a cursor key with an arrow pointing upward (# 402), it is checked whether the current cursor position is the first line of the input screen (# 403). ). If the cursor position is already at the first line, the process returns to step # 401. If the cursor position is not the first line, the cursor is moved up by one line (# 404). Next, it is determined whether or not the cursor has moved to the first line of the input screen by this movement (# 405). The data input when the cursor is positioned on the first line of the input screen is handled as data of the number of labels to be printed (# 406), and this data is stored in the temporary storage area of the storage unit 31 (# 406). #
407). The data input when the cursor is positioned on the second and subsequent lines of the input screen is treated as character string data to be printed on a label (# 408), and this data is stored in the temporary storage area of the storage unit 31. (# 40
9). After these processes, the process returns to # 401.

Also, key input by the user (# 401)
Is a cursor key input with an arrow pointing downward (# 410), it is checked whether the current cursor position is the last line of the input screen (# 411). If the cursor position is already at the last line, the process returns to step # 401. Also,
If the cursor position is not the last line, the cursor is moved down by one line (# 412). After the movement of the cursor, the input character string data (# 413) is stored in the temporary storage area of the storage unit 31 (# 414). After this process, the process returns to # 401.

Further, a key input by the user (# 40)
As 1), if the shift key and the cursor key with an arrow pointing upward are pressed simultaneously (# 415), it is checked whether the current input screen is the first input screen (# 416). If it is the first input screen, the process returns to # 401. Also,
If it is not the first input screen, the input screen is switched to the previous screen (# 417). Then, the position of the cursor is moved to the beginning of the second line of the input screen (# 41).
8).

Similarly, key input by the user (# 40
As 1), when the shift key and the cursor key with an arrow pointing down are pressed simultaneously (# 419), it is checked whether the current input screen is the last input screen (# 420). If it is the last input screen, the process returns to # 401. Also,
If it is not the last input screen, the input screen is switched to the next screen (# 421). Then, the position of the cursor is moved to the head of the second line of the input screen (# 42).
2).

Key input by user (# 401)
Is "End key", the process ends (# 4).
23).

Next, the printing process of a plurality of character strings in which the number of labels to be printed is specified will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in accordance with a print instruction from the user (# 501), data of a character string and the number of labels are read from a predetermined temporary storage area of the storage unit 31 (# 502). Then, the character string is printed on the label by the read number (# 503). This printing process is performed until the data in all the temporary storage areas of the storage unit 31 is printed on the label (# 504).

[0051]

According to the label printing apparatus of the present invention, the number of labels to be printed can be set for each character string by inputting a character string and the number of labels to be printed in each of the input fields of a plurality of input screens. Can be specified. Then, when there is a print instruction, all the character strings and the number of prints stored in each storage area of the storage means are read, and each character string is printed on the label by the number of prints read by the printing means. .

The input screen displayed on the display means here is:
Since it can be switched alternately by the switching means,
The correspondence between the character string to be printed on the label and the number of labels printed on the label can be easily grasped visually. As a result, an input error in the number of printed sheets can be easily detected,
For example, it is possible to prevent a mistake such as printing a character string on a label more than necessary due to input of a large number of prints.

[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.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of setting an initial value of a character size according to the shape of a label.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing a state of character input on a plurality of input screens.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a number designation process.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of a printing process.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a number designation process.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a number designation process.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a printing process.

[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 front page (56) References JP-A-4-59370 (JP, A) JP-A-62-113169 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A label printing apparatus for inputting a desired character string and printing the input character string on each label arranged on a label sheet, wherein the character string to be printed on the label and the character string are printed. Storage means having a plurality of storage areas for storing the number of prints of the label, and a plurality of input screens corresponding to the respective storage areas of the storage means and having input fields for a character string and the number of prints are selectively provided. Display means for displaying; a switching means for switching the input screen displayed on the display means to another input screen; a character string and a character string for each input field of the input screen displayed on the display means. When the number of prints is input, the input character string and the number of prints are displayed in the respective input fields of the input screen, and these character strings and the number of prints are corresponded to the input screen. Processing means for storing the character string and the number of prints stored in each storage area of the storage means when there is a print instruction, and reading each character string by the read number of prints. Printing means for printing on the label, the input screen to be displayed on the display means can be switched by the switching means, the character string to be printed on the label and the label to print this character string A label printing apparatus characterized by making it easy to visually grasp the correspondence with the number of printed sheets.