JP3094351B2 - Printing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FA).
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus capable of printing on plain paper using a thermal paper and an ink ribbon used as a medium for such as X).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, most facsimile machines mainly print on thermal paper having a low running cost. However, plain paper printing using a thermal transfer ribbon as a medium has been demanded due to the problem of storage stability.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a facsimile apparatus using a conventional printing apparatus. The FAX apparatus includes a control unit 1, a keyboard 2 for reading keys input from a print key or the like, a key input control unit 3 for encoding the input keys, and whether the printing paper is plain paper or not. Print paper type setting switch 4 for setting whether it is paper
A memory unit 8 for storing FAX data temporarily stored in a buffer 7 via a communication device control unit 6 in which a control unit 1 controls a FAX 5; and a thermal printer 9 for printing on plain paper using thermal paper and an ink ribbon as a medium. A print control unit 10 for printing FAX data stored in the memory unit 8
It is composed of

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for changing the printing paper from plain paper to thermal paper for printing. The printing paper of the thermal printer 9 is changed from plain paper to thermal paper (S61). Remove the ink ribbon of the thermal printer 9
(S62) After the print paper type setting switch 4 is switched from plain paper to thermal paper (S63), a print key is input from the keyboard 2 and FAX data stored in the memory unit 8 is printed by the thermal printer 9. (S64).

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for changing the printing paper from thermal paper to plain paper and printing. The printing paper of the thermal printer 9 is changed from thermal paper to plain paper (S71). After setting the ink ribbon of the thermal printer 9 (S72) and switching the print paper type setting switch 4 from thermal paper to plain paper (S73), a print key is input from the keyboard 2 and stored in the memory unit 8. FAX data was printed by the thermal printer 9 (S74).

[0006]

However, in the above-described conventional procedure for switching between plain paper and photosensitive paper, printing is performed every time the user changes the printing paper from plain paper to thermal paper or vice versa. It was necessary to switch the paper type setting switch. Also, even if you make a mistake or forget this switch and try to print on plain paper, you can print without the ink ribbon set, and you will not be able to obtain the print result. In spite of this, there is a problem that printing is performed with the ink ribbon set and the ink ribbon is wastefully used. Furthermore, it is difficult to distinguish the thermal paper from the plain paper at a glance, and once removed from the package, it is indistinguishable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problem, and determines whether a sheet to be printed is plain paper or heat-sensitive paper without setting a printing apparatus indicating the type of printing paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing device that can perform the printing.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention, plain paper, respectively printable printing thermal paper or <br/> ink ribbon as a medium
In the apparatus, to face the ink ribbon when the sheet sensor for detecting the presence of a the paper is set on the apparatus body, the ink ribbon to the apparatus main body is set to incremental
If no paper is loaded and paper is loaded
Is installed so that it faces the paper, and the black part is detected.
The ribbon sensor that can be used and the detection output of these paper sensor and ribbon sensor are input and the ink ribbon is set.
If paper is not loaded and paper is loaded,
Printing is performed, and the printed portion at this time is
Paper so that it faces the paper
Characterized in that a con <br/> Control unit for discriminating the printing paper type based on the service of the detection result. The present invention
Roll paper or ink ribbon made of thermal paper
Printer that can print on roll paper made of plain paper
The roll paper is set in the main unit.
A paper sensor to be detected, and an ink ribbon
When is set, it faces the ink ribbon and the ink
If the ribbon is not set and roll paper is set
Is installed so that it faces the paper,
And the roll paper is plain paper.
A memory section for storing information indicating whether the paper is thermal paper or thermal paper;
A control unit, wherein the control unit is
The paper sensor detects that roll paper has been set, and
If there is a ribbon, roll paper is usually
Save the information that it is paper and there is no ink ribbon
Printed a test print pattern on roll paper and printed
Roll paper is colored black by printing the test print pattern
If the ribbon sensor detects that
The memory unit stores information that the roll paper is thermal paper.
It is characterized by having. The present invention also provides an error message.
Start printing with a display that can display the page
In this case, the control unit outputs the output signal of the ribbon sensor.
The ribbon sensor and the ribbon sensor
Is detected, the information in the memory section indicates the thermal paper.
Error message on the display
And, the ribbon sensor detects the attachment of the ink ribbon
If the information in the memory section indicates plain paper
Displaying an error message on the display.
Features.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the paper sensor detects that the printing paper has been set in the thermal printer and the ribbon sensor detects that the ink ribbon has been set in the thermal printer, the control unit operates as follows. ,
The print paper type is determined to be plain paper, and if the ribbon sensor detects that the ink ribbon is not set in the thermal printer, after printing a test print pattern on the print paper, the printed portion is detected by the ribbon sensor. If the printed portion is black, it is determined that the printing paper type is thermal paper.If the printed portion does not develop black, the printing paper type is plain paper or thermal paper is not properly installed. By notifying the user and setting a printing device that indicates the type of printing paper by outputting a predetermined error message to the display, the user can print on plain paper or heat-sensitive paper. Can be determined.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, in which the present invention is applied to a facsimile apparatus. Each block (11, 12, 16, 17) in the chain line shown in FIG. 1 is a portion added to the conventional printing apparatus (FIG. 5), and the printing paper type setting switch 4 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, a main part of the facsimile apparatus is a screen display controller for displaying a received facsimile data name or an error message on the display 11.
12, a memory unit 8 for storing FAX data temporarily stored in a buffer 7 via a communication device control unit 6 in which a control unit 1 controls a FAX 5, and a thermal head 13 for printing
Platen roller 14 for feeding roll paper, ribbon take-up roller 15 for winding ink ribbon, paper sensor 16 for detecting roll paper set, presence / absence of ink ribbon, and whiteness of roll paper And a print control unit 10 for printing FAX data stored in the memory unit 8 by a thermal printer 9 comprising a ribbon sensor 17 for detecting black / black.

The same blocks as those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the thermal printer 9 shown in FIG. 1. The roll paper 18 rotates according to the rotation of the platen roller 14, and printing is performed by the thermal head 13. The setting of the roll paper 18 is detected by the paper sensor 16. The ink ribbon 19 rotates according to the rotation of the ribbon take-up roller 15, and is taken up. The presence / absence of the ink ribbon 19 is detected by the ribbon sensor 17.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a test print pattern on the roll paper 18 described later.

The operation of the printing apparatus configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for automatically determining whether the printing paper is plain paper or thermal paper. The control unit 1 detects that the roll paper 18 has been set by the paper sensor 16 via the print control unit 10 (S31). Then, the control section 1 detects whether or not the ink ribbon 19 is present by the ribbon sensor 17 via the print control section 10 (S32). If there is an ink ribbon 19 (YES in S32), the control unit 1
Saves the information that the roll paper 18 is plain paper in the memory unit 8 (S33). When there is no ink ribbon 19 (N of S32
O), the control section 1 prints the test print pattern 20 on the roll paper 18 via the print control section 10 (S34).

The control unit 1 reverses the platen roller 14 via the print control unit 10 so that the black solid portion of the test print pattern 20 printed on the roll paper 18 is positioned on the ribbon sensor 17 (S35). When the ribbon sensor 17 detects that the portion printed on the roll paper 18 is colored black (YES in S36), the control unit 1 sets the memory unit 8
Information that the roll paper 18 is thermal paper (S3
7).

If the black color is not detected in (S36) (NO in S36), the control section 1 stores information that the roll paper 18 is plain paper in the memory section 8 (S33). . The information of the roll paper 18 stored in the memory unit 8 is stored until the next roll paper is replaced.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure for printing FAX data. From the facsimile data names stored in the memory section 8 displayed on the display 11, the facsimile data name to be printed is selected with the keyboard 2 (S4).
1). The control unit 1 monitors the detection output from the ribbon sensor 17 via the print control unit 10 and checks whether the ink ribbon 19 is present (S42).

When it is detected that there is no ink ribbon 19 (S42)
(NO), the control section 1 checks the information of the roll paper 18 stored in the memory section 8 (S43). When the information that the roll paper 18 is thermal paper is stored (YE in S43)
S), the selected FAX data stored in the memory unit 8 is printed (S44).

If information indicating that the roll paper 18 is plain paper is stored (NO in S43), an A message is displayed on the display 11 (S45), and input from the keyboard 2 is awaited. If there is an [Execute] key input from the keyboard 2 (YES in S46), the process returns to (S42). If there is an [Cancel] key input from the keyboard 2 (NO in S46), the printing process is stopped.

When it is detected that the ink ribbon 19 is present (S42)
The control unit 1 checks the information on the roll paper 18 stored in the memory unit 8 (S47). And roll paper 1
If the information that 8 is plain paper is stored (S47
NO), returning to (S44), and printing the selected FAX data stored in the memory unit 8 (S44).

When the information that the roll paper 18 is a thermal paper is stored (YES in S47), a message B is displayed on the display 11 (S48), and the input from the keyboard 2 is awaited. If there is an [Execute] key input from the keyboard 2 (YES in S46), the process returns to (S42). If there is a [Cancel] key input, the printing process is stopped.

[0024]

As described above, the printing apparatus of the present invention eliminates the need for the user to switch the setting of the printing apparatus indicating the type of printing paper in accordance with the paper to be printed, and to perform printing. It is possible to prevent the printing result from being obtained and the wasteful use of the ribbon caused by the difference between the setting of the apparatus and the paper to be printed. Furthermore, detection of the presence or absence of the ink ribbon and black
Used as a ribbon sensor for detecting color parts
Therefore, manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention when applied to a facsimile apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the thermal printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure of automatic determination of a print sheet according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a printing control procedure according to the present exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a facsimile apparatus using a conventional printing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a conventional control procedure for changing printing paper from plain paper to thermal paper and printing.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a conventional control procedure for changing the printing paper from thermal paper to plain paper for printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control part, 2 ... Keyboard, 3 ... Key input control part, 5 ... FAX, 6 ... Communication device control part, 7 ...
Buffer 8 memory part 9 thermal printer
10 Print control unit, 11 Display, 12 Screen display control unit, 13 Thermal head, 14 Platen roller, 15 Ribbon take-up roller, 16 Paper sensor, 17 Ribbon sensor, 18 Roll paper, 19 … Ink ribbon, 20… Test print pattern.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI B41J 35/28 H04N 1/00 106B H04N 1/00 106 108C 108 1/23 102Z 1/23 102 B41J 3/20 117A (56) References JP-A-1-242279 (JP, A) JP-A-4-4659 (JP, A) JP-A-3-68254 (JP, A) JP-A-61-171270 (JP, A) −101660 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 17/36 B41J 2/325 B41J 17/32 B41J 29/42 B41J 29/48 B41J 35/28 H04N 1 / 00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A respective printable printing apparatus on plain paper thermal paper or an ink ribbon as a medium, the apparatus main body
And the paper sensor to detect that the paper has been set, before
In the case where the ink ribbon to the serial device body has been set
When the ink ribbon is not set facing the ribbon
And when paper is loaded,
And a ribbon sensor that can detect the black part ,
The detection output of these paper sensor and ribbon sensor is input, and when the ink ribbon is not set and the paper is
When it is set, print on the paper and
Paper so that the printed part faces the ribbon sensor
It is conveyed to the printing apparatus characterized by comprising a control unit for determining <br/> printing paper type based on the ribbon sensor detection results. 2. Roll paper or incremental paper made of thermal paper
Printable on roll paper made of plain paper using Bonn as a medium
Roll paper is set in the printer
Paper sensor that detects that
When the ink ribbon is set, it faces the ink ribbon.
If the ink ribbon is not set and roll paper
Is set so that it faces the paper when it is set.
Ribbon sensor that can detect black parts and roll paper
Stores information indicating whether the paper is plain paper or thermal paper
Comprising: a memory unit, a control unit, said control unit is a roll paper in the paper sensor
Detects that it has been set, and if there is an ink ribbon
The information that the roll paper is plain paper is stored in the memory section.
The test print pattern if there is no ink ribbon.
Test print pattern printed on roll paper and printed
Check that the roll paper is colored black by printing.
If a paper sensor detects the
Characterized by storing information that the paper is thermal paper
Printing device. And a display capable of displaying an error message. When starting printing, the control unit monitors an output signal of the ribbon sensor. When the ribbon sensor detects attachment of an ink ribbon, the control unit monitors the output signal. If the information in the memory section indicates thermal paper, an error message is displayed on the display.If the ribbon sensor does not detect the mounting of the ink ribbon, an error message is displayed if the information in the memory section indicates plain paper. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information is displayed on the display.