JP3106905B2 - Label printers and labels - 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 printer and a label for issuing a label to be attached to a product to be displayed at a store such as a supermarket.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an example of a label created by a conventional label printer. In this figure,
The label with price shown in FIG. 8 (a) simply displays the content of the product to the customer. In consideration of the product content including the price (or the price), if the customer is satisfied, the label with the price is purchased. belongs to. On the other hand, when the shop side purchases a large amount at a low price in an unusual manner, a separate POP label (advertising label) as shown in FIG. It was pasted on the product. As a result, it is possible to prominently display to the customer that the product is a bargain product, and it was possible to expect a larger amount of sales.

[0003]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional label, it is necessary to attach two labels (label with price and POP label) to one special sale product, and the workability is poor. There was a disadvantage that. Also,
If there is a mistake in combining the two labels at the time of pasting, the selling price indicated by the barcode of the priced label does not match the price of the POP label, causing a problem in the accounting processing in the POS register. There is a drawback that it occurs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a label printer and a label capable of issuing a label with improved workability for attaching a POP label, which have been made under such a background.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a label printer for printing at least a product name, a price, and a bar-coded product number on a label. Above, at least the product name column, POP column, barcode column , and price
Storage means for storing print format field, based on the stored contents of the storage means, wherein the one on the label, the product name is the trade name column, the said bar code field NONP
While printing the LU bar code, said the POP field in large bold letters compared to other characters, the NONPLU Bas
And printing means for printing a price equal to the price indicated by the code , and the POP column includes the quotient within the one label.
The largest compared to the item name column, bar code column, and price column
Issue a label that is both a column and a prominent color
Characterized in that that.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a label including at least a brand name column and a non-NPLU bar code.
The label has a bar code column and a POP column to be displayed , and the POP column includes the product name column, the bar code column,
It is also the largest column compared to the price column and stands out
It is colored with a color and is larger than the characters displayed in other columns.
The price indicated by the NONPLU barcode in bold letters
It is characterized by being printed with a price equal to .

[0007]

According to the label printer of the present invention, on one label, the product name is entered in the product name column and the NO.
The NPLU barcode is printed, and the price is printed in the POP column in large and thick characters compared to other characters. Therefore, the priced label and the POP label, which were conventionally issued separately, can be replaced by a single label. It can be shared. Also, P
Since the price printed in the OP column is equal to the price indicated by the NONPLU barcode, the selling price at the time of accounting in the POS register or the like always matches the price displayed in the POP column.

According to the label of the second aspect, POP
The columns are a product name column, a barcode column, and a single label.
It is the largest column compared to the price column, and it is colored with a conspicuous color, so compared to the case where it is not colored,
The POP column can be made more prominent.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the label printer.
In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of the label printer. A control unit shown in FIG. 2 is provided inside the main body 1, and a balance 2 is connected to the control unit. On the other hand, a label printing mechanism 3 and an operation unit 5 are provided on the front surface of the main body 1. The label printing mechanism unit 3 includes a thermal head that performs dot printing, a shift register that stores data for one dot line and supplies the data to the thermal head, and a stepping motor that moves the label one dot line at a time. In addition, arbitrary characters, numbers and images can be printed.

The operation panel of the operation unit 5 has a bellows 6 for adjusting the angle.
Attached to the main body so that its angle can be adjusted. The operation unit 5 includes a numeric keypad 7, a product number key 8, a label feed switch 9, a zero reset switch 10, a power switch 11, an operation / display unit 12,
A connector 13 for connecting the image scanner 14 is provided. Here, the product number key 8 is, together with the numeric keypad 7,
It is used when entering a product number described later. The operation / display unit 12 has a structure in which a touch panel 12a (see FIG. 2) is stacked on the upper surface of a liquid crystal display 12b (see FIG. 2), so that data can be displayed and input on the same surface. Has become.

The operating unit 5 includes the connector 1
3, an image scanner 14 can be connected. The image scanner 14 is 8 dots / mm
It has a line sensor having a resolution of .times. And reads an image up to a maximum width of 64 mm (512 dots) by moving on the image. Each dot that makes up the read image is based on a certain level (variable)
1 of "black"("1" signal) or "white"("0" signal)
It is converted into a bit signal and output as image data.

Reference numeral 20 shown in FIG. 2 denotes a C for controlling each part of the apparatus.
It is a PU (Central Processing Unit). Reference numeral 30 denotes a RAM (random access memory), which is provided with a working area used for various processes, a product file, a product data area (see FIG. 3), a format table (see FIG. 4), and the like. The area of the RAM 30 that stores the product file and the format table is provided with a battery backup so that the contents of the product file and the format table are not lost even when the main unit 1 is turned off. ing.

In the product file, a product number, a product name, a unit price, a tare weight, and the like are registered for each of a plurality of types of products. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a product data area according to the present embodiment. The product data area contains information about the products to be printed that are currently undergoing label printing.
This is an area for temporarily storing data required for the label printing. As shown in FIG. 3, each column of the product data area stores a number and a print content corresponding to the number.
The read image data stored in the column of the number 9 is image data read from the image scanner 14.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a format table according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a print format printed based on the format table. Each print column (POP column, product name column, price column, etc.) of the format table shown in FIG.
() Corresponds to each print column of the print format shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, in the format table, position data, typeface data, and input data corresponding to each print column are registered for each print column. Here, the position data is in the above print format (FIG. 5).
), And the typeface data is data for specifying a print typeface (Mincho, POP, square Gothic, etc.) in the above print format.

A format table (see FIG. 4)
Is data for designating from which column of the product data area (see FIG. 3) the print content is to be taken out. In the present embodiment, the numbers (1, 2, 3,...) Of the respective columns of the product data area are used for this designation. For example, since the print content (product name) to be printed in the product name column is stored in the column of the product data area No. 2, the input data corresponding to the product name column in the format table is "2".

Although FIG. 4 shows a format for one type of label, the format table can store a print format for each type of label for a plurality of types of labels. Then, at the time of label creation, the operator can arbitrarily select a desired print format from a plurality of types of formats stored in the format table. Therefore, each of the data in the format table is registered in advance using the touch panel. Of course, if the target print format is not registered in the format table, it is possible to input it on the spot when creating the label.

A reference numeral 40 shown in FIG.
R which stores various programs such as a print processing program and a display processing program, and character font data.
OM (read only memory). In particular, regarding the character font data, not only the size and thickness are different, but also a plurality of fonts such as a so-called POP font such as a price “980” shown in FIG. Character font data is stored.

As shown in FIG. 2, the load cell 2a of the scale 2 is provided via a load cell control section 21, the label printing mechanism section 3 is provided via a print control section 22, and the image scanner 1 is provided.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a touch panel 12a via the scanner control unit 23.
And various keys and switches 7 to 11 are connected via an operation control unit 24, and the liquid crystal display 12 b is connected via a display control unit 25.
Each is connected to the CPU 20. The scanner control unit 23 has a built-in buffer for storing image data input from the image scanner 14.

Next, the operation of the label printer having the above configuration will be described. After the power is turned on by the power switch 11, the operator uses the touch panel 12a to select one target print format from a plurality of print formats registered in the format table in advance. Thereafter, when a product number is input using the numeric keypad 7 and the product number key 8, the CPU 20 reads out product data corresponding to the product number from a product file in the RAM 30, and stores the product data in a product data area (FIG. 3). In addition, since the bargain price (see number 7 in FIG. 3) often changes every day or every moment, it is possible to input / set from the touch panel 12a in addition to the method of reading from the product file described above.

Next, when the operator places the product on the scale 2 and the weighing value is stabilized, the CPU 20 reads out the weighing result (ie, weight) from the load cell control unit 21. Thereafter, the CPU 20 reads out the unit price from the unit price column (refer to No. 3 in FIG. 3) of the product data area, calculates a price from the weight and the unit price, and converts the price into the price column (the number in FIG. 3) in the product data area. 6). When various data required for printing are arranged in the product data area, the CPU 20
The head value of the input data is read from the print format (see FIG. 4) selected earlier. As an example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the input data at the uppermost stage, that is, the input data “7” corresponding to “POP” is read.

Next, the CPU 20 refers to the column of the number specified by the input data in the product data area (see FIG. 3) and reads out the product data stored in the column. As an example, in the example shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
Since the input data corresponding to "P" is "7", the bargain price is read from the column of the product data area number "7", and the bargain price is read from the column. The price is read from the column of the number “6” by referring to the column.

Next, the CPU 20 reads out the position data and the typeface data corresponding to the input data from the format table, and assigns the previously read product data to the position specified by the position data by using the typeface data. Is printed in the typeface. As an example, in the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, position data “10, 10” and typeface data “POP” corresponding to “POP” are obtained from the format table.
Is read, and the previously read special price is printed in coordinates (10, 10) on the label paper in a POP font.

After the printing is completed, the CPU 20 determines whether or not the input data ("7") read earlier is the data at the end of the format table (in the example shown in FIG. 4, the lowermost row). If not, the process proceeds to the next column of the format table (in the example shown in FIG. 4, the column one row below, that is, the column of the product name column), and the same print processing (commodity corresponding to the input data) is performed on the column. Data reading / printing).
On the other hand, in the case of the end data, the printing process ends.

The bar code printed in the printing process is a NONPLU bar code. Of the numbers arranged below the bar code, 2 to 5 characters counted from the right represent the price. Therefore, in this embodiment, at the time of printing the bar code, the bargain price in the product data area (see number 7 in FIG. 3)
If the data of the special price is not 0, the special price is valid. On the other hand, when the data of the special sale price is 0, the price (normal price: see No. 6 in FIG. 3) is valid. The barcode is printed using the price (sale price or normal price) determined to be valid by this determination.

By the processing described above, a label in which the label with price and the POP label are integrated as shown in FIG. 6 is completed. The label shown in this figure is printed in the print format shown in FIG. 5 and has a POP column, a product name column, a barcode column, a unit price column, a weight column, a price column, etc. The POP column is the largest column. The price is printed in much larger and thicker characters than the characters in the column. However, in the present embodiment, as the label paper before printing, the “POP” is displayed in the POP column.
(Displayed in red), “1 pack”, “circle” are printed in advance, and only the POP column is colored with the entire column being yellow and the column being surrounded by a green frame. Use label paper that has been made. Also, in the label shown in FIG. 6, "expiration date", "processing date", "100 g equivalent (yen)", "net amount", and "price (yen)" are also printed in advance.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a label in which the POP column is positioned below the barcode, and the bargain price in the column is printed not in POP font but in large, easy-to-read square Gothic font. Such a change in printing can be easily performed by changing data in the format table (see FIG. 4). Comparing the label shown in FIG. 6 with the label shown in FIG. 7, the label shown in FIG. 6 uses a POP typeface that has a soft handwriting-like impression for printing the POP column. Even if you display a cheap price with a hard impression typeface often used for printing such as square gothic,
Isn't this product originally cheap because the price is fixed from the beginning? However, in the case of POP typeface, it is possible to give customers the impression that the price is changed quickly because of the handwriting style, so that it is very affordable. However, since the POP typeface is a typeface in which characters are slightly distorted, if the store determines that it is not suitable for price display, as shown in FIG. 7, a special sale price is printed in a legible square Gothic typeface, as shown in FIG. Can also. As a result, even if the price is displayed in the POP column after the “price (yen)” that has been printed in advance, the label has no uncomfortable feeling.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and changes in design and the like can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Even if there is, it is included in the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the special sale price is read from the product data area and the special sale price is printed in the POP column shown in FIG. For example, a normal price may be printed in the POP column instead of a special sale price. “Price of NONPLU barcode” may be specified in the input data item in the POP column of the format table. Further, in the embodiment, the example in which the normal price is printed in the price column shown in FIG. 5 has been described, but the normal price is not necessarily required to be printed. However, it is preferable to print the normal price because the discount amount can be determined by comparing the discount price with the special sale price.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which, for only the POP column, label paper is used which is entirely colored yellow in advance and is colored in advance by surrounding the column with a green frame. However, if the price can be made conspicuous by printing the price in the POP column in a large and thick typeface, the above-mentioned uncolored label paper may be used. Further, it is more preferable to use a color printer for the label printing mechanism unit 3 in the embodiment and print the price in the POP column in a conspicuous color.

Further, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the character font data registered in advance in the ROM 40 is used as the price character to be printed in the POP column. May be used. In this case, by preparing various types of original data (images to be read by the scanner), it is possible to perform flexible printing that is not restricted to fixed character fonts.

[0030]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a single label serves both as a price label and a POP label, and the price is printed in the POP column. The high special sale price is first noticed, and a bargain product is not overlooked, which leads to an increase in the sales volume of the product. In addition, since the operation of attaching the label to the product only needs to be performed once, it is possible to reduce the labor cost required for attaching the label, and to unify the label paper into one type, thereby reducing the cost for issuing the label. Can be.

The price printed in the POP column is NO
Since the price indicated by the NPLU barcode is equal to the price displayed in the POP column at the time of accounting in the POS register or the like, the price displayed in the POP column always indicates the barcode of the priced label that sometimes occurs in the conventional label. Price and PO
It is possible to prevent troubles caused by inconsistency with the price indicated by the P label. According to the label of the second aspect, the POP column includes the product name column and the bag within one label.
-It is the largest column compared to the code column and the price column
Both are colored in a conspicuous color, so that the POP column can be further conspicuous, and can be noticed by customers.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the label printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a product data area according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a format table according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a print format according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a label created by the label printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a label created by the label printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of (a) a label with a price and (b) a POP label created by a conventional label printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... body, 2 ... scale, 3 ... label printing mechanism,
5 ... operation unit, 12 ... operation / display unit, 12a ...
Touch panel, 12b liquid crystal display, 14 image scanner, 20 CPU, 30 RAM
40 ROM

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65C 9/46

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A label printer for printing at least a product name, a price, and a bar-coded product number on a label, wherein at least a product name column and a POP on one label are provided.
Storage means for storing a print format of a field, a barcode field , and a price field ;
In the product name field, the product name is displayed, and in the bar code field,
NONPLU bar code is printed and the POP
The column in large bold letters compared to other characters, the NON
And printing means for printing a price equal to the price indicated by the PLU barcode , wherein the POP column contains the quotient within the one label.
The largest compared to the item name column, bar code column, and price column
Issue a label that is both a column and a prominent color
Label printer, characterized in that that. 2. At least a brand name column, NONPLU bar
Bar code field that displays the code, has a POP section, the POP column the trade name column in said one label, bar
-It is the largest column compared to the code column and the price column
Both are colored in a conspicuous color, and the characters displayed in the other columns
Compared to the NONPLU bar code in large and thick characters
A label characterized by being printed with a price equal to the price indicated by the code.