JP2894146B2 - 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 serial printer for bidirectional printing such as a passbook printer used in an automatic transaction apparatus, and more particularly to a unidirectional printing when only one of the sensors at the end of a printing line fails. The present invention relates to a printer capable of switching and continuing printing.

In recent years, automatic deposit and payment machines (Aut
Automatic transaction devices such as omatic teller machines (ATMs) and bookkeeping machines are widely used. These devices incorporate a passbook printer that prints the details of the transaction on the passbook,
Usually, a serial printer such as a wire dot printer is used as the passbook printer, and transaction contents are printed on the passbook by bidirectional printing.

[0003] If the printer fails, the operation of the automatic transaction apparatus and the like is stopped and the transaction becomes impossible. Therefore, in the case of a minor failure, there is a demand for a method capable of performing bookkeeping and continuing the transaction.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a wire dot printer used in a passbook printer. As shown in the drawing, a platen 1, a print head 2a, a carrier 3 mounted with a ribbon cassette (not shown) for supplying an ink ribbon to the front surface of the print head 2a, a feed screw 4 screwed to the carrier 3, and a carrier 3 are slidable. It comprises a guide shaft 5 which is movably fitted, and a transport path 6 shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure for transporting the passbook 7a by a feed roller not shown.

The feed screw 4 is connected to a space motor (hereinafter referred to as an S motor) M via a plurality of gears (or belts and pulleys), not shown, and moves the carrier 3 right and left by forward and reverse rotation of the S motor M. Then, the print head 2a mounted on the carrier 3 reciprocates in the directions of arrows A and B on the upper surface of the platen 1 via a predetermined gap.

[0006] With such a configuration, the passbook 7a conveyed through the conveyance path 6 has its print lines sent to the print position above the platen 1, and the printhead 2a performs printing while the carrier 3 moves. When one line is printed, the passbook
The predetermined line feed of 7a is performed, the moving direction of the carrier 3 is reversed, and printing is performed similarly.

Here, the following method is used as means for confirming that the print head 2a has been moved at a constant speed and printing has been performed at a predetermined dot interval. As shown in FIG. 7, when the print head 2a is at the left end, it is turned ON.
A left end sensor 8a and a right end sensor 9a which is turned on when the print head 2a is at the right end are provided. As shown in the time chart of FIG.
The movement times T ₁ and T ₂ from the start of the movement of 2a to the arrival at the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a are measured.

The measured moving times T ₁ and T ₂ are equal to predetermined times.
(Theoretical value _{± α = T U, T L} ) within _{(T L ≦ T 1 ≦ T} U, T L ≦ T
If ₂ ≦ T _U), the dot interval in which printing is determined to be normal, beyond a predetermined time (T ₁ <T _L or _{T 1> T U, T 2} <
If T _L or T ₂ > T _U ), printing is stopped upon determining that the dot interval is defective due to a failure of the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a, a failure of the S-motor M, or a lack of oil in a mechanical component.

[0009]

According to the above-mentioned conventional method, when one of the left end sensor and the right end sensor for confirming that the print head has executed printing at a predetermined dot interval fails, printing is stopped. Therefore, there is a problem that bookkeeping cannot be performed and continuation of transactions of the automatic transaction device or the like becomes impossible.

An object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can continue printing when a minor failure occurs in the printer.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. In the figure, 2 is a print head, 7 is a print medium, 8 and 9 are first and second detection means for detecting the left end and the right end when the print head 2 moves one line.
20 indicates that when there is an abnormality in the one-line printing movement of the print head 2,
This is a determining means for determining whether only one of the first detecting means 8 and the second detecting means 9 has failed.

If the result of the judgment by the judging means 20 is that only one of the first detecting means 8 and the second detecting means 9 has failed, the line printing operation of the print head 2 is switched to one-way printing. To continue printing.

[0013]

The line head is printed in the forward and reverse directions by the print head 2, and the right and left ends of the one line printing movement are detected by the first detecting means 8 and the second detecting means 9 to determine whether the line printing operation is correct or not. As a result, when there is an abnormality in the line printing operation,
Depending on whether only one of the first detecting means 8 and the second detecting means 9 has failed (for example, whether the first detecting means 8 and the second detecting means 9 have failed, or The drive system of the head 2), and if only one of the first detection means 8 and the second detection means 9 has failed, the line printing operation of the print head 2 is changed to one-way printing. By switching and performing printing, printing can be continued.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the wire dot printer described in the conventional example will be described below with reference to FIGS. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the drawings.

The printing paper 2a, left end sensor 8a and right end sensor 9a in FIG. 2 correspond to the printing medium 2, the first detecting means 8 and the second detecting means 9 in FIG.
20a corresponds to the determination means 20 of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a CPU, 11 is a ROM, 12 is RA
M and 13 are interface circuits, 14 is a sensor detection circuit, 15
Indicates a timer, 16 indicates a print head driver, and 17 indicates a motor driver.

The CPU 10 controls each section based on a control program stored in the ROM 11. The ROM 11 stores forward / reverse movement times T ₁ , T _{2 in} order to determine whether the movement of the print head 2a is correct or not.
In addition to the measurement control program described above, when it is determined that the movement of the print head 2a by the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a is correct, when it is determined that there is an abnormality, the motor driver 17 is further instructed to move the print head 2a in the opposite direction. the program is measured reverse / forward direction of the movement time T _3, T ₄ the timer 15, and the moving time of the printing head 2a on the basis of T _3, T ₄ when going out abnormality determination of the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a A program is provided for controlling the switching of the failed left end sensor 8a or right end sensor 9a to one-way printing in the direction of the end of the line.

[0018] RAM12 is print data area 18 for storing the print data received by the interface circuit 13, the printing heads 2a to store the predetermined time T _L, T _U when moving from the right end to the left end, or from the left end to the right end This is a memory including a time setting area 19 and a determination unit 20a.

The determination unit 20a is a program determines the cause of the failure, first, by comparing the moving time of the printing head 2a by left sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a T _1, T ₂ a predetermined time T _L, and T _U , the presence or absence of abnormality _{(T L ≦ T 1 ≦ T} U, T L ≦ T 2 ≦ T U
If normal, T ₁ <T _L or T ₁ > T _U , T ₂ <T _L or T ₂
> T _U ), and when it is determined to be abnormal, the print head is further moved in the opposite direction to determine whether the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a has failed or the drive system of the print head 2a has failed. Travel time T ₃ (T ₄ ) measured by moving 2a
Is compared with predetermined times T _L , T _U, and T _L ≦ T ₃ (T ₄ ) ≦ T _U
If so, failure of the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a, T ₃ (T ₄ )
<T _L or _{T 3 (T 4)> T} U if determined that the failure of the drive system of the printing head 2a. Also when the left sensor 8a not detected even beyond failed for a predetermined time T _U determines that stops the measurement, time measurement impossible (failure both left sensor 8a and the right end sensor 9a).

The interface circuit 13 receives print data from a higher-level device (not shown) and transmits a print result. The sensor detection circuit 14 includes a left end sensor 8a and a right end sensor
The detection signal of 9a is transmitted to the CPU 10.

The timer 15 has movement times T ₁ , T ₂ from when the print head 2a starts line printing movement to when it is detected by the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a (when there is an abnormality,
T ₃ and T ₄ ) are measured.

Having such a configuration and function, the operation will be described next with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. Normal control in which the left end sensor 8a and the right end sensor 9a are not out of order is controlled as shown in the time chart of FIG. 8 described in the conventional example, and when the left end sensor 8a and the right end sensor 9a are out of order, as shown in the time chart of FIG. Control. FIG. 5 shows an example when the right end sensor 9a is out of order.

(1) First, when print data is received from the host device (not shown) to the interface circuit 13, the print data is temporarily stored in the print data area 18 of the RAM 12, immediately read out, and the print head 2a is moved to the left end. At a certain time, the timer 15 is started at the same time as the movement is started by turning on the S motor signal in the positive direction, and the time measurement is started. Print head
When 2a is at the right end, the reverse S motor signal is turned ON.

(2) When the print head 2a starts moving, printing is performed based on the print data read from the print data area 18. When the print head 2a reaches the right end sensor 9a during forward printing and the left end sensor 8a during reverse printing, the S motor signal is turned off based on the detection signal, and the movement of the print head 2a is stopped. stop time measurement 15, the movement time T ₁ is sent to the judging section 20a measured. The determination unit 20a determines the predetermined time T _L , T from the time setting area 19.
It reads the _U, comparing the movement time T ₁ and the predetermined time T _L, T _U
(Or _{T L ≦ T 1 ≦ T U} , T 1 <T L or T _1> T _U or) to.

[0025] (3) If _{T L ≦ T 1 ≦ T U} , the right end sensor 9a
It is determined that there is no failure in the print head 2a or the drive system of the print head 2a. (4) If T ₁ <T _L or T _1> T _U, the flow of the abnormality determination to the (11) is performed.

(5) If it is determined that there is no failure and there is print data of the next line, the timer 15 is started at the same time as turning on the S-motor signal for reverse printing in the flow of (1) to start time measurement. I do.

(6) When reverse printing is performed based on the print data and the print head 2a reaches the left end sensor 8a, the S motor signal is turned off based on the detection signal, and the print head
2a stops the movement of the stops time measurement of the timer 15, the movement time T ₂ is sent to the judging section 20a measured. Predetermined time from the determination unit 20a is the time setting area 19 T _L, reads T _U, comparing the movement time T ₂ and a predetermined time _{T L, T U (T L} ≦ T 2
Do ≦ T _U, T ₂ or <T _L or T _2> T _U) is.

[0028] (7) If _{T L ≦ T 2 ≦ T U} , the determination unit 20a determines that there is no fault in the drive system of the failure or the print head 2a of the left sensor 8a. (8) If T ₂ <T _L or T _2> T _U, the flow of the abnormality determination to the (18) is performed.

(9) If it is determined that there is no failure and there is print data for the next line, the flow following the (1) S motor signal ON in the positive direction is performed. (Refer to FIG. 8) (10) If all the print data is printed without any abnormality, the process ends normally.

(11) If it is determined in the above (4) that there is an abnormality, as shown in FIG. 5, the S-motor signal in the reverse direction is turned ON, and at the same time, the timer 15 is started to start time measurement. At this time, printing is not performed only by moving the print head 2a.

(12) When the print head 2a reaches the left end sensor 8a, the S-motor signal is turned off based on the detection signal to stop the movement of the print head 2a, stop the timer 15 from measuring the time, and perform the measurement. moving time T ₃ is sent to the determination section 20a. The determination unit 20a determines the predetermined time from the time setting area 19.
T _L, reads T _U, the movement time T ₃ and the predetermined time T _L, T _U
(T _L ≤ T ₃ ≤ T _U , T _L > T ₃ or T ₃ > T _U )
I do. Incidentally, the frequency if less is not detected a failure also left sensor 8a, since time measurement of the timer 15 becomes abnormally long, measurement stops when it exceeds a predetermined time T _U,
The determination unit 20a cannot measure the time (the left end sensor 8a and the right end sensor
9a), and take the same action as (17).

[0032] (13) result of comparison, if _{T L ≦ T 3 ≦ T U} , the determination unit 20a determines the right end sensor 9a is a failure. (14) If there is print data of the next line, the S motor signal is turned on in the forward direction for printing, and at the same time, the timer 15 is started to start time measurement. If the printing of all print data has been completed, the process ends normally.

(15) One line is printed, and a predetermined time T _U
, The S motor signal is turned off, and at the same time, the measurement by the timer 15 is stopped. (16) The following steps (11) to (11) are performed in order to confirm that the dot interval of one line of printed characters is correct.

(17) If T ₃ <T
If _L or T _3> T _U, determines that failure of the drive system of the printing head 2a, the operation of the printer was stopped and aborted transactions. (18) If it is determined in the above (8) that there is an abnormality, the timer 15 is started at the same time when the S motor signal in the forward direction is turned ON to start time measurement.

(19) When the print head 2a reaches the right end sensor 9a, the S-motor signal is turned off based on the detection signal to stop the movement of the print head 2a, stop the timer 15 from measuring the time, and perform the measurement. moving time T ₄ is sent to the determination section 20a. The determination unit 20a determines the predetermined time from the time setting area 19.
T _L, reads T _U, the movement time T ₄ and the predetermined time T _L, T _U
(T _L ≤ T ₄ ≤ T _U or T ₄ <T _L or T ₄ > T _U )
I do.

[0036] (20) If _{T L ≦ T 4 ≦ T U} , the determination unit 20a
Determines that the left end sensor 8a has failed. (21) If there is print data of the next line, the S-motor signal in the reverse direction is turned ON, and at the same time, the timer 15 is started to start time measurement. If the printing of all print data has been completed, the process ends normally.

(22) One line is printed, and a predetermined time T _U
, The S motor signal is turned off, and at the same time, the measurement by the timer 15 is stopped. (23) The flow of (18) to (18) above is performed to confirm that the dot interval of one line of printed characters is correct.

(24) If T ₄ <
If T _L or T ₄ > T _U , it is determined that the drive system of the print head 2a has failed, the operation of the printer is stopped, and the transaction is terminated. In this way, the forward / backward line printing travel time T
If _1, T ₂ is not within the range of the predetermined time T _L, T _U, left sensor 8a, or failure of the right end sensor 9a, in order to determine a failure of the drive system of the printing head 2a, the printing in the opposite direction the head reverse / forward direction of the movement time T _3, T ₄ was measured by moving the 2a, the predetermined time T _L, if within the range of T _U, determines that the failure of the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a. The moving time T _3, T ₄ a predetermined time
T _L, the time beyond the range of T _U (less than T _L, or greater than T _U), determines that the failure of the drive system of the printing head 2a.

Further, when it is determined that the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a has failed, the line printing starting from the sensor can be stopped, and the printing can be switched to one-way printing to continue printing.

Therefore, in the case of a minor failure such as a failure of the left end sensor 8a or the right end sensor 9a, printing on the passbook 7a can be continued, so that transactions can be continued without stopping the apparatus.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, when there is an abnormality in the line printing operation of the print head, the first detecting means for detecting the right end and the left end when the print head is moved by one line printing, By providing a determination means for determining whether or not the failure is only one of the second detection means,
It is possible to determine whether both the first detecting means and the second detecting means have failed, or whether the drive system of the print head has failed. If only one of the first detecting means and the second detecting means has failed, the line printing operation of the print head is switched to one-way printing to continue printing, so that in the case of a minor failure, There is an effect that printing can be continued without stopping the printer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart (part 1) of an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an embodiment (part 2).

FIG. 5 is a time chart of printing control when the right end sensor fails.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wire dot printer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for detecting the left and right edges of a print line.

FIG. 8 is a time chart of print control during normal printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

2,2a is the print head, 7 is the print medium, 7a
Is a passbook, 8 is a first detecting means, 8a is a left end sensor,
9 is a second detection means, 11 is a ROM,
12 is a RAM, 15 is a timer, 20 is a judgment means, 20a is a judgment unit,

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing head (2) is moved in a direction orthogonal to a feeding direction of a printing medium (7) to perform line printing on the printing medium (7) in forward and reverse directions, and the printing head (2) is moved. A first detecting means (8) for detecting the right end and the left end when one line is printed and moved;
The first detecting means (8) and the second detecting means (9).
A printer that determines the correctness of the line printing operation based on the detection output by the detecting means (9), wherein when there is an abnormality in the line printing operation of the print head (2),
Determining means (20) for determining whether only one of the first detecting means (8) and the second detecting means (9) is faulty; If the result is a failure of only one of the first detecting means (8) and the second detecting means (9), the line printing operation of the print head (2) is switched to one-way printing. A printer that continues printing.