JP2768366B2 - Printer shuttle reversal controller - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Summary] The present invention relates to a shuttle reversal control device of a shuttle type printer that performs printing while a shuttle having a print head reciprocates on a printing paper, and a short time even when the shuttle is driven at high speed. In order to complete the reversal and save energy, the speed of the shuttle is reduced to a speed that can be controlled sufficiently from the target value in the constant speed control range before the transition from the constant speed control range to the reverse control range. After that, the shuttle reversal control device of the printer is characterized in that the reversal operation is started.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to a shuttle-type wire dot printer, and more particularly to a shuttle reversal control device for such a printer.

In a shuttle type wire dot printer, a shuttle having a plurality of print heads performs printing while reciprocating in a horizontal direction on printing paper, and printing on a predetermined line is completed, and the shuttle moves in one direction. The printing paper is fed during the reversal from the movement to the other direction movement. It is necessary to smoothly control the speed change of the shuttle at the time of such reversal, to shorten the time required for the reversal and reduce the power consumption.

[Conventional technology]

In a conventional shuttle-type wire dot printer, the shuttle reversal control is generally performed such that when the printing of a predetermined line is completed and the reversal excitation is started, the speed of the shuttle once becomes zero and is accelerated again to reach a constant speed which is the target value of the control. . In this case, since the paper is fed during the time required for reversing,
If the reversal time is too short, the next printing is started before the paper feeding is completed, and the printing is disturbed. Conversely, if the time required for the reversal is too long, the printing speed will decrease.

For this reason, control is performed to keep the reversal time constant.However, in a printer having several speed modes, it is necessary to complete the reversal control within a predetermined time because the speed at the start of reversal in the high-speed mode is considerably high. Moreover, there is a disadvantage that the temperature of the motor coil rises and the reversal time is extended if the shuttle operation is repeated for a long time. As a countermeasure, it is conceivable to increase the torque of the motor, but this leads to an increase in cost and power consumption.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

As described above, in the conventional shuttle inversion control, especially when printing is performed by reciprocating the shuttle at a high speed, it takes time for the inversion control, which leads to an increase in the temperature of the motor coil and an increase in power consumption.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a shuttle reversal control device capable of completing reversal in a short time and with energy saving even when the shuttle is driven at high speed.

[Means for solving the problem]

To solve such a problem, according to the present invention,
In a shuttle type printer in which a shuttle having a print head performs printing while reciprocating on printing paper, as shown in FIG. = N), the speed (Tφ) at which the speed of the shuttle can be controlled more than the target value (Tc) in the constant speed control range.
A shuttle reversal control device for a printer, characterized in that the reversal operation is started after decelerating to a shuttle speed. That is, in the present invention, means for detecting the start point (A) of the shuttle driving means and the predetermined inversion control area between the constant speed control area in one direction and the constant speed control area in the opposite direction. And a predetermined time point (I = n) before the shift start time point
Means for setting the shuttle speed at the time point (I = n) from the target value (Tc) in the constant speed control range to the target value capable of completely reversing the shuttle within the predetermined reversal control range. Means for applying a reversing magnetic field to the shuttle driving means so as to attenuate the control speed (Tφ) lower than (Tc).

[Action]

According to the present invention, before the inversion start time (A) (I =
Since the shuttle speed is reduced to a speed (Tφ) at which the shuttle speed can be sufficiently controlled in n), a reversal magnetic field is applied from the speed Tφ to the shuttle drive motor (not shown) at the reversal start time (A). The time until the speed becomes zero is shortened. Therefore, at the printing start time (B) of the next line, as shown in FIG. 1, the speed of the shuttle can reach the target value (Tc). Also, when the temperature of the coil (not shown) of the shuttle drive motor becomes high and the drive motor torque decreases, the shuttle deceleration and acceleration decrease, and as shown in FIG. If the time at which the speed becomes zero in the reversal area is set so as to be at or before the middle of the reversal area, the shuttle speed will be printed at the printing start time (B) of the next line. A value close to the startable target value (Tc) can be reached. The speed (Tφ) that can be sufficiently controlled is a speed at which the reversal can be completely performed within a predetermined reversal time, that is, the speed of the shuttle is once reduced to zero within a predetermined reversal time after the reversal is started, and printing is performed again. It is an initial speed that can start up to the speed at which it can be started, and in printers that can print in two-stage and three-stage speed modes such as high-speed mode and medium-speed / low-speed mode,
When the high-speed mode is the target value (Tc), Tφ can be the speed of the medium speed or low-speed mode. Also, the shuttle deceleration start time (I = n) is a speed (Tφ) at which the shuttle speed can be sufficiently controlled before (x) before the reversal start time (A).
Set to reach. That is, it is preferable that x = 0 when the torque decrease due to the high temperature of the coil of the drive motor is saturated. The control speed (Tφ) is empirically determined by various speed modes and other conditions as described above.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a shuttle reversal control device that can be used in the present invention, and includes a microprocessor unit (MPU), a program ROM (ROM), and a work ram (RA).
M), a control circuit including a timer, an input port and an output port, a shuttle drive motor, a motor control circuit for driving the motor, and a sensor for detecting the movement of the shuttle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a shuttle portion of the shuttle-type wire dot line printer. A plurality (for example, 14) of shuttles 10 are arranged at predetermined intervals in a printing direction indicated by an arrow P.
The printhead 11 has a predetermined length slightly shorter than the above-described interval, and reciprocates on the shaft 12 to thereby provide a platen.
The printing is performed in the horizontal direction on the printing paper 14 on the printing paper 13.
Reference numeral 15 denotes a linear drive motor for reciprocatingly driving the shuttle, and reference numeral 16 denotes a sensor for detecting the speed of the shuttle 10, which outputs a signal having a cycle corresponding to the speed of the shuttle.

FIG. 5 is a main routine of the shuttle control flow according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a subroutine of an inversion control portion indicated by * in FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing signals at the time of constant speed control, FIG. (A) And (b) is a figure which shows the deceleration and inversion control before inversion. First, the speed (T) is set to the target speed (Tc) in the initial setting. This speed (Tc) is a speed in a constant speed control region corresponding to a target printing speed, for example, when printing is performed in the high-speed mode. Prior to the start of printing, the drive motor is accelerated and excited. As described above, the sensor always outputs a signal with a cycle according to the speed of the shuttle,
The period is measured by a timer.

In the constant speed control area after the start of printing, as shown in FIG.
Acceleration / deceleration control is performed so that the shuttle speed (T) becomes the target speed (Tc) speed. That is, T <Tc (for example, T =
At Td), acceleration excitation is performed. Conversely, T> Tc (eg, T =
At Tf), deceleration excitation is performed. This operation is repeated.

The reversal control is performed by a print end signal. In the present invention, as shown by a broken line area in FIG. 3, the shuttle speed is set before the print end (that is, reversal start) point (A) (I = n). Is reduced to a speed (Tφ) that can be sufficiently controlled. In other words, when I = n, the timer is set to I = 0 at the time of starting printing, and as shown in FIG. 8 (a), when the timer reaches I = n, the drive motor is turned off. The shuttle is decelerated and the speed of the shuttle is reduced from the target speed (Tc) to Tφ.

The operation shifts to the normal inversion control from the end of printing. That is,
As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the drive motor is reversely excited by a print end signal. Eventually, the speed of the shuttle reaches zero and reverses. Reversal excitation continues until the shuttle reaches a certain speed (eg, a period T = TA as shown in FIG. 6). The cycle (TA) in this case is a speed at which the constant speed control as shown in FIG. 7 can be started. Thereafter, constant speed control is performed toward the target speed (Tc) until the timer reaches I = n.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the speed of the shuttle is reduced to a speed at which the shuttle speed can be sufficiently controlled before the transition from the constant speed control region to the reverse control region. Can be reduced to zero, and at the start of printing the next line, the shuttle speed can reach the target value or a value close to the target value.
Therefore, even in the case of the inversion in the high-speed mode, the time required for the inversion does not increase. As a result, high-speed printing can be performed without increasing the torque of the motor, and costs can be reduced, such as reduction in power consumption.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the shuttle speed in shuttle reversal control (at room temperature of the coil) of the printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the shuttle speed when the coil is at a high temperature, and FIG. 3 is a shuttle reversal control used in the present invention. Block diagram of the device,
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a shuttle portion of the shuttle type wire dot line printer, FIG. 5 is a main routine of a shuttle control flow according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a subroutine of an inversion control portion indicated by * in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing signals at the time of constant speed control, and FIGS. 8 (a) and (b) are diagrams showing deceleration and reversal control before reversal. 10 Shuttle, 11 Printhead, 12 Shaft, 13 Platen, 14 Printing paper, 15 Drive motor, 16 Sensor.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-63-118264 (JP, A) JP-A-63-231968 (JP, A) JP-A-62-7563 (JP, A) (58) Field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 19/18 B41J 2/245

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A shuttle (10) provided with a print head (11).
In the shuttle type printer which performs printing while reciprocating on the printing paper (14), a predetermined distance between the shuttle driving means and the constant speed control area in one direction and the constant speed control area in the opposite direction is controlled. Means for detecting the start time (A) of the reversal control area, and a predetermined time (I =
means for setting the speed of the shuttle at the time (I = n) from the target value (Tc) in the constant speed control range, and enabling the shuttle to be completely reversed within the predetermined reversal control range. Means for applying a reversal magnetic field to the shuttle driving means to attenuate the control speed (Tφ) lower than the target value (Tc);
A shuttle reversal control device for a printer, comprising: