JP2908848B2 - Printer device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer device having an inch cut function for feeding continuous print paper to be cut in inches in a forward direction and a back direction.

<Prior Art> FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of a general printer, and FIG.
The figure is an enlarged side view of the main part of the printer device.

In the printer device 1 shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
The print head 2 is mounted on a carriage 3, and a platen 4 is arranged to face the print head 2. further,
The carriage 3 is slidably and rotatably mounted on a shaft 5 provided between left and right side frames (not shown). On the other hand, the platen 4 is rotated in synchronism with the push tractor 6 and the feed roll 7 by the driving force of a motor (not shown), and the continuous printing paper 8 after printing.
Can be conveyed, that is, fed. On the upper side of the print head 2, an inch cutter 9 for cutting the continuous printing paper 8 on which printing has been completed is provided.

Then, the continuous printing paper 8 mounted on the printer 1 is stored in the push tractor 6 and the feed roll 7.
And between the print head 2 and the platen 4 and further to a print position P between the print head 2 and the platen 4. Also,
The continuous printing paper 8 printed between the print head 2 and the platen 4 is sent to the inch cutter 9 side, and can be cut by the inch cutter 9.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method in the inch cut function of the printer having the above configuration.

A control method in the inch cut function of the conventional printer will be described next with reference to FIG.

First, the print position P between the print head 2 and the platen 4
Is performed on the continuous printing paper 8 (step ST50).
When printing is completed, this is determined in step ST51.
When the continuous printing paper 8 is cut, if the continuous printing paper 8 is not conveyed after printing is completed, the continuous printing paper 8 is cut in a line above the last line on which printing is performed. Alternatively, other printed portions are cut off halfway. Therefore, when the end of printing is confirmed in step ST51, a distance l1 (see FIG. 6) serving as a blank portion is added to a distance l2 (see FIG. 6) from the printing position P to the inch cutter 9 in step ST52. The continuous printing paper 8 is fed forward by the distance L (see FIG. 6), and a step ST53 is executed.
Go to and wait for the next print instruction. Then, it is determined whether or not the print data serving as the next print instruction has been received.
Monitored in ST54. When the next printing is performed, a predetermined margin l3 smaller than the distance l2 is provided on the upper side of the continuous printing paper 8 and the printing is performed from the first line located immediately below the margin l3. The continuous printing paper 8 fed in the forward direction so that printing can be performed is fed back by the amount obtained by subtracting the upper margin l3 from the distance l2, and printing is performed from that position.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> Therefore, according to the control method of the inch cut function in the conventional printer, the next printing is performed without cutting the continuous printing paper 8 as well as the next printing without cutting. Even when printing is performed on a paper portion, a back feed is performed by an amount (l2−l3) obtained by subtracting the upper margin portion l3 from the distance l2 from the distance L where the feed is performed in the forward direction after the previous printing is completed. Printing is performed from the first line.

For this reason, a back feed operation must be performed every time the print paper portion changes, and printing cannot be continued immediately after the next line, so that the processing amount per unit time, that is, the throughput is reduced. was there.

Therefore, it is detected whether or not the continuous printing paper 8 has been cut using a sensor or the like. If the cut has not been performed, the back feed distance is set to the back feed distance L after the end of printing. It is also possible to print on the line immediately following the last print line. However, even in this case, the problem of the decrease in the throughput still remains, and a problem that the cost is increased by using a sensor or the like newly occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to improve the throughput and to make it possible to perform printing on the line immediately following the last line on which the previous printing was performed. Is to provide.

<Means for Solving the Problems> According to the present invention, in a printer apparatus having an inch cut function for feeding a print sheet in a forward direction and a back direction and performing an inch cut, the inch cut function is enabled or disabled. Or means to set to either, and whether the inch cut function is enabled or disabled,
It employs a configuration that includes means for judging either of them, and means for performing inch cutting when the inch cutting function is enabled, and not performing inch cutting when the inch cutting function is disabled. .

<Operation> In the printer apparatus having the above configuration, when the inch cut function is set to an effective state, inch cut is performed in which the print sheet is fed in the forward direction and the back direction every time the print sheet portion changes. On the other hand, when the inch cut function is set to the invalid state, the feed in the forward direction and the feed in the back direction related to the inch cut operation are not performed even if the printing paper portion changes. As a result, printing on the next printing paper portion can be performed smoothly, and printing can be performed on the line immediately following the previous printing.

Therefore, the same printer can be used as a printer having an inch cut function or a printer having no inch cut function.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the printer device of each embodiment according to the present invention, which will be described below, the general components shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be used as they are as the mechanism. Therefore, in the description of each embodiment of the present invention, it is assumed that the mechanism part uses the mechanism part shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 as it is, and the members corresponding to FIG. 5 and FIG. This will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a control circuit block diagram showing a first embodiment of the printer device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, the control circuit has a μCPU (central processing unit) 11, and an I / O (input / output) port 13 and a ROM 14 are connected to the μCPU 11 via a bus line 12. Also, the I / O port 13 has a paper feed motor 1
Paper feed motor drive circuit 1 for driving 5
6 and the dip switch 17 are connected.

The dip switch 17 constitutes a circuit capable of temporarily switching an inch cut function to a valid / invalid state, and has a common terminal C, an A terminal, and a B terminal. Among them, the common terminal C is connected to the I / O port 13, the A terminal is connected to a power source E maintained at a high level via a pull-up resistor R, and the B terminal is grounded. By switching the swing of the movable contact 18, the common terminal C can be selectively switched between the A terminal and the B terminal to be connectable.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a program stored in the ROM 14 to execute the control of the printer device according to the first embodiment in a predetermined procedure. Therefore, the operation of the printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described next with the program shown in FIG.

In the description of the operation, a movable contact is connected to the A terminal.
18 is connected and the output signal to the I / O port 13 is at a high level.
The case where the movable contact 18 is connected to the terminal and the output signal to the I / O port 13 is at the low level will be described as the inch cut function invalid state.

First, the case where the movable contact 18 of the DIP switch 17 is connected to the A terminal, the inch cut function is enabled, and the operator cuts the printed continuous printing paper 8 after printing is completed will be described.

In this case, when the printer device having the inch cut function receives print data from a host computer or the like (not shown), the printer device starts a printing operation with the print data (step ST1). Next, the process proceeds to step ST2, where it is checked whether or not all the printing operations of the printing data have been completed. If not, the remaining printing data is printed. Then, when all the printing operations of the printing data are completed, the μCPU 11 detects the state of the dip switch 17 via the I / O port 13. However, since the movable contact 18 is connected to the A terminal side and is connected to the power source E maintained at a high level via the pull-up resistor R, the DIP switch 17 here has the I / O port 13 Output signal goes high. As a result, μCPU11
Determines from this signal that the inch cut function is enabled. Then, the process proceeds from step ST3 to step ST4. Further, in this step ST4, in order to perform inch cutting, the μCPU 41 transmits the paper feed motor 15 via the I / O port 13 and the paper feed motor drive circuit 16.
Is rotated in the forward direction. In addition, when the paper feed motor 14 is driven, the platen 4 is also rotated in the forward direction, and the printed continuous printing paper 8 is printed.
Is the distance L in FIG. 6 (this is the distance l1 and the distance
l2) in the forward direction. When this feed ends, the next step ST5,6
And the standby state is continued until the next print data is input from the host computer. In this standby state, the operator cuts the printed continuous printing paper 8. On the other hand, when the next print data is received from the host computer in Step ST6, Step ST6 is executed.
Proceed to 7. Then, in this step ST7, the inch cutter 9 is used.
, That is, from the first line following the position where the continuous printing paper 8 has been cut, the distance of the lower margin of the printing from the distance L where the feed was performed after the previous printing was completed.
After the back feed is performed by a distance (l2-l3) obtained by subtracting l2 from the distance l3 of the upper margin of the next printing paper portion, the process returns to step ST1 again.

On the other hand, the movable contact 18 of the dip switch 17
The terminal is connected to the terminal and the inch cut function is disabled,
And continuous printing paper 8 that has been printed by the operator after printing is completed.
The following describes a case where printing is continuously performed on the next printing paper portion without cutting the image.

In this case, after the steps ST1 and ST2, since the output signal to the I / O port 13 is at the low level in the step ST3, the μCPU detects from this signal that the inch cut function is in an invalid state. . Then, after the printing in step ST2 is completed, the printer does not proceed to step ST4, but proceeds from step ST3 to steps ST8 and ST9. In steps ST8 and ST9, the standby state is continued until the next print data is input by the host computer or the like. On the other hand, when the next print data is received by the host computer or the like in step ST9, the forward feed and the back feed of the continuous printing paper 8 are not performed, and the printing operation shown in step ST1 starts from the next line after the previous printing. After that, the same operation is repeated.

Therefore, according to the printer device of the first embodiment, when the continuous printing paper 8 is not to be cut by inch, the movable contact of the dip switch 17 serving as a switching circuit
If 18 is connected to the B contact side, the feed and back feed in the forward direction, which perform the inch cut function, will not be performed, so printing on the next printing paper and printing on the line immediately following the previous printing will be performed. Printing can be performed smoothly and throughput can be improved. In the case of performing inch cutting, it is possible to perform inch cutting by connecting the movable contact 18 of the DIP switch 17 to the A contact side.

FIG. 3 is a control circuit block diagram showing a second embodiment of the printer device according to the present invention. In FIG. 3, components denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 indicate the same components as those in FIG.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a non-volatile memory 19 is connected to the I / O port 13 in place of the dip switch 17 connected in the first embodiment.

The nonvolatile memory 19 stores the menu contents of the printer. The menu includes a so-called FTO (“Form Tear”) function for switching between enabling and disabling the inch cut function and setting a standby time until the feed of the continuous printing paper 8 is performed after printing is completed. Off ”is stored. Then, the operator arbitrarily changes the menu contents by transmitting a command or the like from the operation panel or the host computer (not shown) of the printing apparatus to the printer apparatus side, and uses the printer apparatus with the changed menu contents. Is available.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a program stored in the ROM 14 for executing the control of the printer according to the second embodiment in a predetermined procedure. The operation of the printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention will now be described together with the program shown in FIG.

In describing this operation, the non-volatile memory
Inch cut function is enabled in the menu contents of 19,
A case will be described in which the time until the inch cut operation after printing is completed, that is, the FTO time Ts seconds is set, and the operator cuts the printed continuous printing paper 8 after finishing all printing.

In this case, the printer having the inch cut function receives print data from a computer (not shown) or the like. Then, a printing operation is started by the print data (step ST21), and a printing operation is started in step ST22.
Confirm that all the printing operations of the printing data have been completed. If the printing has not been completed, the remaining print data is printed. Then, when all the printing operations of the printing data are completed, the process proceeds to step ST23, where the printing data of the next line is received. At this time, if the data development has been completed, the next printing is performed. On the other hand, if the expansion of the received data of the print data of the next line is not completed or there is no print data of the next line, the process proceeds to step S24.
Then, in step ST24, the μCPU 11 sets the I / O port 13
The menu content of the non-volatile memory 19 is detected via the. Here, as described above, since the menu content of the nonvolatile memory 19 is in the enabled state of the inch cut function, μ
The CPU 11 detects that the inch cut function is valid. Then, the process proceeds to step ST25. In this step ST25, since the FTO time Ts seconds of the menu content has been set, this printer device enters a standby state. Then, when in this standby state, from step ST25 to step S30
Then, in step ST30, the print data of the next line is received, and it is confirmed whether the data development is completed. Also,
When the print data of the next line is received during the waiting time of Ts seconds set in the menu and data development is completed,
Return to ST21, and start printing the next line. When performing printing that requires a lot of time to send and receive and develop print data, such as graphic printing or DLL (short for “Down Line Loadable”) printing, increase the FTO time Ts seconds set in the menu, etc. This setting is also used when a lot of time is required for data development after setting and receiving print data.
Print data is received during Ts seconds and data development can be completed. After completion of the received data development, the process proceeds to the printing of the next line. Then, when all printing is completed, even after waiting for Ts seconds in step ST25, since there is no print data for the next line, the process proceeds to step ST26. Then, in step ST26, the μCPU 11 performs I / O to perform inch cutting.
The paper feed motor 15 is rotated in the forward direction via the port 13 and the paper feed motor drive circuit 16. The rotation of the paper feed motor 15 also rotates the platen 4 in the forward direction, so that the printed continuous paper 8 is fed in the forward direction by the distance L in FIG. When this feed is completed, the process proceeds to steps ST27 and ST28, and waits until the next print data is input by the host computer or the like. In this standby state, the operator cuts the printed continuous printing paper 8. Meanwhile, step ST
In 28, when the next print data is received by the host computer or the like, the process proceeds to step ST29. Then, in step ST29, printing is performed from the position of the inch cutter 9, that is, the first line following the position where the continuous printing paper 8 has been cut. The back feed is performed by a distance (l2-l3) obtained by subtracting the distance l2 of the lower margin from the distance l2 of the upper margin of the next printing paper portion, and then returns to step ST21 again.

On the other hand, when the menu content of the non-volatile memory 19 has the inch cut function disabled and the operator continuously prints on the next printing paper portion without cutting the printed continuous printing paper 8 after printing is completed. Will be described.

In this case, after steps ST21, ST22, ST23,
In ST24, μCPU 11 is connected to non-volatile memory via I / O port 13.
Detects the menu contents stored in 19. here,
As described above, the menu content is detected as an invalid state of the inch cut function. Then, in this printer device, after printing in step ST23, the process does not proceed to step ST25, but proceeds from step ST24 to step ST31. And
In this step ST31, the standby state is continued until the next print data is input from the host computer. On the other hand, when the next print data is received from the host computer in step ST23, the forward printing and the back feed of the continuous printing paper 8 are not performed, and the printing operation shown in step ST23 starts from the next line after the previous printing. Also,
After that, the same operation is repeated.

Therefore, according to the printer device of the second embodiment, the menu cut in the nonvolatile memory 19 can temporarily switch the inch cut function to invalid as in the first embodiment. As a result, the throughput can be improved. In addition, there is a waiting time between the end of printing and the transition to the inch cut operation, during which the print data of the next line can be established, so that graphic printing and DLL characters can be printed. It takes time to develop print data
Unnecessary inch-cut operation is not performed even when the development of the next line of print data cannot be established during printing of one line. That is, by eliminating this unnecessary operation, the operator does not mistake this operation for a malfunction of the printer.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the printer device of the present invention, the same printer device can be used as a printer device having an inch cut function or a printer device having no inch cut function. it can. In addition, in the case where the inch cut function is eliminated, the throughput can be improved, and at the same time, the effect can be obtained that the printing can be continued from the line following the previous printing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a control circuit block diagram showing a first embodiment of a printer device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control means of the printer device shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a control circuit block diagram showing a second embodiment of the printer device according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the printer device shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of the printer device, FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of a main part of the printer device shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure of the conventional printer device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer apparatus, 2 ... Print head, 3 ... Carriage, 4 ... Platen, 6 ... Push tractor, 7 ... Feed roll, 8 ... Continuous printing paper, 9 ... Inch cutter, 17 ... DIP switch (switching circuit), 19 ... Non-volatile memory (switching circuit).

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 11/42 B41J 11/66

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printer having an inch cut function for feeding a print sheet in a forward direction and a back direction to perform an inch cut, wherein the inch cut function is enabled or disabled. Means for setting whether the inch cut function is enabled or disabled, and means for determining whether the inch cut function is enabled.If the inch cut function is enabled, the inch cut function is performed, and the inch cut function is disabled. And a means not to perform inch cutting.