JP3141522B2 - Tape 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 tape printing apparatus capable of printing characters such as characters input from input means such as a keyboard on a tape, and more particularly to a tape printing apparatus for printing a plurality of character sizes for each predetermined block when printing characters. The present invention relates to a tape printer capable of automatically setting a maximum character size that can be printed on a tape from a printer and performing printing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various types of tape printers of this type have been proposed in the prior art. For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-18512,
In Japanese Patent Application No. 4-19495, an auto mode is set through a mode setting means for setting an auto mode in which characters and the like can be printed on a tape with a maximum size.
A tape printer capable of printing a character or the like of a maximum size within an allowable area of a tape width is described. According to such a tape printer, characters and the like can be printed by making the most of the print allowable area of the tape.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional tape printing apparatus, the maximum character size can be set according to the tape width of the tape to be used. However, such a character size is uniquely determined by the tape width. It is something that is decided on a regular basis. Therefore, only one type of character size can be set for each tape.

On the other hand, the content of a text (document) to be printed on a tape is generally a combination of various characters, from which the character size of each character should be determined uniquely. It should be determined not for each character but for each character. In particular, in such a tape printer, characters are generally grouped into one unit in a text, that is, characters are often input for each block, and printing is performed with a common maximum character size in block units of such characters. It is desirable to do so.

According to this, in the conventional printing apparatus, the character size of each character in the text is determined only depending on the tape width of the tape to be used. Is determined, and each character is printed with that character size.

In this case, there is a problem that the printing of each character cannot be performed with the character size common to the above-described character blocks, and the appearance of the printed character becomes extremely poor. In particular, when the input characters are only uppercase letters, the problem remains that only small uppercase letters can be printed over the entirety of the tape in consideration of the tape width of the tape to be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and divides a character input in a text into a plurality of blocks and uses a tape of a tape used for each block. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape printer capable of printing with a maximum character size common to each block of characters by automatically determining a maximum character size that can be printed on a tape in consideration of a width. I do.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a character input device for inputting a character such as a character or a symbol, and code data corresponding to the character input from the character input device. A text memory, and block setting means for dividing the code data stored in the text memory into a plurality of blocks, and inputting a block mark for each block;
A block detection unit that detects a block mark input by the block setting unit; a storage unit that stores a tape width of each tape having a plurality of types of tape widths and a plurality of character sizes in association with each other; Tape width detecting means for detecting the tape width of the tape, detection results of the tape width detecting means, storage contents of the storage means,
An automatic size setting unit configured to automatically set, for each block, a maximum character size that can be printed on a tape from the plurality of character sizes based on a type of code data in the block, and stored in the text memory. Print control means for printing the detected character on each of the tapes by a print means, wherein the print control means, based on the character size set by the automatic size setting means, when the detection means detects a block mark. Printing control of the printing means is performed for each block.

[0009]

According to the present invention having the above structure, the code data corresponding to the character input from the character input means is stored in the text memory, and divided into predetermined blocks of the character via the block setting means. A block mark is entered. Then, the automatic size setting unit refers to the block mark based on the detection result of the tape width detecting unit and the storage content of the storage unit that associates the tape width with the character size and stores the tape width and the character size. Set the maximum character size that can be printed in.

Thereafter, when a block mark is detected by the block detecting means, a character is printed for each block based on the character size set as described above via the printing means under the control of the printing control means. It is what is done.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the tape printing apparatus shown with the storage cover of the tape cassette storage section opened. In FIG. 1, a character input key 2 for inputting a character such as a character over a plurality of lines, a print key 3, an underline key 4A for giving an underline to the character, and a tape printing device 1 are arranged so as to surround the character. A character modifier key 4 composed of a frame key 4B for giving a frame, a character size set key 5 for setting the character size of the character, a numeric key N (keys 1 to 0 are provided), a predetermined block of the character A keyboard 6 provided with various keys such as a new block key B for inputting a new block mark every time, a liquid crystal display 7 for displaying characters and the like input from the keyboard 6, and a cassette for accommodating a tape cassette 13 described later. Storage section 8
Are arranged.

The cassette housing 8 is driven to rotate by a pulse motor (not shown),
A ribbon winding shaft 9 for rotating the ribbon winding spool 21 to wind the thermal ink ribbon 17 is provided upright.
Further, a tape feed roller shaft 10 for rotating a tape feed roller 27 to be described later, which is rotatably driven by a tape feed motor 40 to be described later via an appropriate transmission mechanism, is provided obliquely forward (on the keyboard 6 side). Has been established.

Further, a thermal head 11 for performing printing on a film tape 15 described later via a thermal ink ribbon 17 is fixedly provided in front of the cassette housing section 8. Behind the cassette housing portion 8, various tapes such as a film tape 15 stored in the tape cassette 13 (the tape width of each tape is one tape cassette 1)
No. 3 has the same tape width). A tape width detector K for detecting the tape width is provided.

The tape width detector K includes three photocouplers P1, P2, and P3. The photocouplers P1, P2, and P3 have a back surface of the tape cassette 13 when the tape cassette 13 is mounted on the cassette storage unit 8. A discriminating member (not shown) provided in the tape cassette 13 is inserted and the discriminating member selectively shuts off the photocouplers P1, P2, and P3. This is to detect the tape width.

In this embodiment, the film tape 15
6mm, 9mm, 12mm, etc.
There are five types, 18 mm and 24 mm, and each of the photocouplers P1, P2, and P3 adjusts the tape width in the tape cassette 13 by a combination of an "H" signal and an "L" signal generated based on selective blocking by a discriminating member. It is to detect. The configuration of the tape width detector K is the same as that described in Japanese Patent Application Nos. Hei 3-217860 and Hei 3-217861, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Further, the cassette storage section 8 includes a storage cover 1 rotatably supported behind the tape printer 1.
2, the tape cassette 13 is exchanged in the open state.

Next, the configuration of the tape cassette 13 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the tape cassette 13 is stored in the cassette storage section 8 (the tape cassette 13 is shown without the upper case).

In FIG. 2, a tape spool 16 around which a transparent film tape 15 is wound
A ribbon spool 18 around which the thermal ink ribbon 17 is wound, and an adhesive tape spool 20 around which a double-sided adhesive tape 19 with release paper is wound with the release paper side facing out, are provided. 20 is rotatably supported in cooperation with a support portion provided on the lower surface of the upper case (not shown).

A ribbon take-up spool 21 is similarly rotatably supported between the spools 16, 18, and 20, and the ribbon take-up spool 21 is engaged with the ribbon take-up shaft 9 to form a ribbon take-up spool. By driving the take-up shaft 9, the thermal ink ribbon 17 used for printing is wound up.

Further, the thermal head 11 is disposed in a concave portion 22 provided in the lower case 14, and the thermal head 11 is opposed to a position where a platen roller 24 rotatably supported by a roller holder 23 can be pressed against the thermal head 11. Are located. The thermal head 11 includes a number of heating elements (the thermal head 1 of the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment).
1 is provided with 128 heating elements), and prints characters and the like on the film tape 15 via the thermal ink ribbon 17.

The tape discharge section 25 of the lower case 14
(The lower left side in FIGS. 1 and 2), the tape pressing roller 26
Is rotatably supported, and a tape feed roller 27 rotatably supported by the roller holder 23 is opposed to the tape press roller 26 at a position where the tape feed roller 27 can be pressed.

In the cassette housing section 8, a roller holder 23 is pivotally supported by a support shaft 28 in front of the tape cassette 13 (lower side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and the roller holder 23 is not shown. The print position and the release position can be switched by a manual switching mechanism (FIGS. 1 and 2 both show a state where the print position is switched to the print position).

In the roller holder 23, the platen roller 24 and the tape feed roller 27 are rotatable, and when the roller holder 23 is switched to the printing position, the thermal head 11 and the pressing roller 2 are moved.
6 are arranged so as to be pressed against. The tape feed roller 27 is driven to rotate by the above-described tape feed roller shaft 10, and at the same time, the press roller 26 is driven to rotate in conjunction with the tape feed roller 27 by a gear mechanism (not shown).

The pressure contact roller 26 and the tape feed roller 27 cooperate with each other to form an adhesive of the double-sided adhesive tape 19 on the film tape 15 on which characters and the like are printed by the thermal head 11 via the thermal ink ribbon 17. The surface is pressure-bonded, and finally the tape T is created and the tape T is sent out in the direction of arrow J.

Next, a control system of the tape printing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a control block diagram of the tape printing apparatus 1, and the control apparatus 3
It is configured with 0 as the core. The control device 30 is a CPU 3
1, a ROM 32, a CGROM 33, and a RAM 34, which are connected to each other via a bus 35 and also to an input / output interface 36.

Here, the ROM 32 stores various programs, and includes a tape printing control program, a character size setting processing program, a printing processing program, a character size discriminating processing program, which will be described later, and other control of the tape printing apparatus 1. Various necessary programs are stored. The CPU 31 performs various calculations based on various programs stored in the ROM 32.

As shown in FIG. 4, the ROM 32 stores a table in which the tape widths of the various tapes described above are associated with character size data indicating various character sizes. In the table shown in FIG. 4, the type of the tape width is 24 mm, 18 mm, 12
There are five types: mm, 9 mm, and 6 mm, and the maximum character size that can be printed on each tape indicates the number of points for each of the three character modes (big size, decorative big size, and normal size) for each tape width. Indicated by character size code.

As will be described later, the big size is composed of only uppercase letters without character decoration such as underline in the block designated by the new block key B, and the character size setting key. 5
This is the character mode selected when the auto size is set by. The big size for decoration is the underline key 4 of the big size selection conditions.
A, character mode selected when character modification is performed by pressing the frame key 4B. Further, the normal size is a character mode that is selected when all characters are not uppercase when the automatic size is set by the character size setting key 5.

The CGROM 33 stores dot pattern data corresponding to each character input from the keyboard 6, and stores the dot pattern data in the CGR.
The data is read from the OM 33 and transferred to the expansion buffer 42 described later. Further, the RAM 34 stores the CPU 31
The RAM 34 is provided with various memories as shown in FIG. 4 for temporarily storing various calculation results calculated by the above.

In FIG. 4, a text memory 41 sequentially stores code data corresponding to characters input from the keyboard 6 as document data.
The expansion buffer 42 stores a CGROM corresponding to the character code data stored in the text memory 41.
The dot pattern data read from the memory 33 is developed and stored.

Further, the print buffer 43 transfers and stores the dot data stored in the development buffer 42 at the time of printing, and the thermal head 11 performs dot printing in accordance with the dot data stored in the print buffer 43. Things. Also, the character size memory 45
Is for storing character size data relating to the character size set in a character size setting process described later.

Further, the set flag F44 is set to OFF when characters in each block are all uppercase letters by character size determination described later, and is set to ON otherwise. Things.

Returning to FIG. 3, the description of the control block diagram will be continued. The keyboard 6 is controlled via the input / output interface 36, and the liquid crystal display 7 and the display controller 37 are controlled via the input / output interface 36, respectively. When a character is input from the keyboard 6, the above-described character data is sequentially stored in the text memory 41, and is also transmitted via the keyboard 6 based on a dot pattern generation control program and a display control program. A dot pattern corresponding to the input character is displayed on the liquid crystal display 7.

The thermal head 11 has a drive circuit 38.
, And prints the dot data transferred from the development buffer 42 to the print buffer 43. In synchronization with this, the tape feed motor 40 controls the feed of the tape T via the drive circuit 39. is there.

Next, the operation of the tape printer 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the print control program. First, in step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1, initialization such as clearing of various memories is performed.
In S2, it is determined whether a key input has been made from any key on the keyboard 6. If there is a key input (S2: YES), the process proceeds to S3, and if there is no key input (S2: NO), the process waits until there is a key input.

In S3, it is determined whether or not the key input is a key input from the print key 3, and if it is a key input from the print key 3 (S3: YES), a printing process described later is performed in S4. Return to S2. On the other hand, if it is determined that the input is not a key input from the print key 3 (S3: N
O) In S5, it is determined whether or not the key input is from the character size set key 5.

If the key input is from the character size set key 5 (S5: YES), a character size setting process described later is performed in S6, and thereafter, the process returns to S2. If it is determined that the input is not a key input from the character size set key 5 (S5: NO), it is determined in S7 whether there is a key input from a document editing key such as the character input key 2.

When there is a key input from the document editing key (S7: YES), the document is edited in S8, and the created text (document) data is stored in the text memory 41. Thereafter, the process returns to S2. Also, S
If it is determined in step 7 that there is no key input from the document editing key (S7: NO), other processing corresponding to the input key is performed in S9. For example, when there is a key input from the new block key B, block processing of text data stored in the text memory 41 is performed.

Next, the character size setting process performed in S6 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the character size setting processing program. When the character size setting key 5 is pressed, the liquid crystal display 7 is set to the character size setting screen shown in FIG. 8 in S10. In the character size setting screen of FIG. 8, six fixed sizes are used as character sizes (there are first to sixth character sizes, the number on the left indicates the size number, and the number on the right indicates the number of points of the character). And the automatic size (the seventh character size) are displayed.
Each character size is selected by the numeric keys N on the keyboard 6.

At S11, it is determined whether a key input has been made from any key. If a key input has been made (S11: YES), the flow shifts to S12, and if no key input has been made (S11: NO). ) Waits for a key input.

In S12, it is determined whether or not there is a key input from the numeric keys N of 1 to 7 corresponding to the character size type. If there is a key input from the numeric key N (S12: YES), character size data indicating the character size corresponding to the pressed numeric key N is stored in the character size memory 45, and the process returns. On the other hand, when there is a key input from a key other than the numeric keys N of 1 to 7 (S12: NO), a buzzer (not shown) sounds to notify that an invalid key has been pressed. , And returns to S11 to wait for a key input.

Next, the printing process performed in S4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of the print processing program. In S20, the tape width of various tapes is detected by the tape width detector K. Here, it is detected which of the five types of tape width the tape width of the tape contained in the tape cassette 13 mounted in the tape storage unit 8 corresponds to as described above.

At S21, the text memory 4
It is determined whether or not there is text data in 1; if there is text data (S21: YES), the process proceeds to S22, whereas if there is no text data (S21:
(NO), error processing is performed by sounding a buzzer or the like in S34, and the process returns to the print control program shown in FIG.

Here, it is assumed that a text composed of text data (character data) as schematically shown in FIG. 11 is created in the text memory 41. In FIG. 11, the text data is composed of two block data “ABCD” and “ABCDg”, and is divided by a new block mark (code) M input from a new block key B.

Next, in S22, it is determined whether the character size data stored in the character size memory 45 indicates the auto size. If the character size data does not indicate the auto size, that is, if the character size data indicates any fixed size (S22: N
O) Subsequently, in S33, it is determined whether or not the character having the fixed size falls within the tape width detected in S20. When entering the tape width (S33: YE
In S), the process shifts to S28, and when the tape width does not fit (S)
33: NO), after performing error processing in S34,
The process returns to the print control program shown in FIG.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S22 that the data is character size data indicating the auto size (S2
2: YES), character size determination in S23 (here, as described above, if the characters in the block are only uppercase, the character mode such as big size is selected, so the characters in the block are uppercase. Is determined).

Referring to FIG. 10, the character size discriminating process for capital letter discrimination will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the character size determination processing program. In S40, the set flag F is turned off and a text pointer (not shown) is set at the first position (top position) of the text data.

Subsequently, in S41, it is determined whether or not there is a new block code (mark) M in the text data. When there is no new block code M (S41: N
O), it is determined whether or not the character code in the text data is a capital letter in S42, and as long as the character code is a capital letter (S42: YES), S41 and S42 are repeated until a new block code M is detected.
That is, in S41 and S42, it is determined whether or not all the character codes in the block are capital letters.

On the other hand, if a code other than uppercase letters is detected in the character codes in the block (S42: N
O) In S43, after the set flag F set OFF in S40 is set ON, the process returns to S41. S
If the new block code M is detected in S41 (S41: YES), the character size determination processing is terminated,
The process returns to the print processing program shown in FIG.

Here, returning to FIG. 9 again and continuing the description,
After the character size determination processing, in S24, it is determined whether or not the set flag F is set to ON, that is, whether or not all the character codes in the block are uppercase.

If it is determined that all the character codes in the block are uppercase letters by detecting the OFF of the set flag F (S24: NO), the process proceeds to S25.
In S25, it is determined whether or not the character code has been subjected to character modification. When there is character modification (S25:
YES), after the decorative big size is selected from the table stored in the ROM 32 in S26 and the character size data indicating the decorative big size corresponding to the detected tape width is stored in the character size memory 45 in S20. The process moves to S28. On the other hand, when the character is not modified (S25: NO), the big size is selected from the table of the ROM 32 in S27,
After the character size data indicating the big size corresponding to the tape width detected in step 20 is stored in the character size memory 45, the process proceeds to S28.

On the other hand, if it is determined in S24 that the set flag F is ON (S24: YES), a normal size is selected from the table of the ROM 32 in S31, and corresponds to the tape width detected in S20. After the character size data indicating the normal size to be stored is stored in the character size memory 45, the process proceeds to S28.

In S28, the above-described determination is made, and the dot pattern data corresponding to the data of the block divided by the block code M is stored in the CGROM 33.
, And the dot pattern data is enlarged based on the character size data stored in the character size memory 45, and is expanded in the expansion buffer 42.

In S29, it is determined whether or not the next text data exists in the text memory 41. If the text data exists (S29: YES), the determination is made again on the text data of the next block. Returning to step S22, if the next text data does not exist (S29: NO), the data in the development buffer 42 is transferred to the print buffer 43, and the data in the print buffer 43 is transferred via the thermal head 11. Printed.

FIG. 12 shows an example in which each character is printed as described above. In FIG. 12, the character "ABCD" in the first half block is printed based on the big size, and the character "ABCDg" in the second half block is printed based on the normal size.

As described above in detail, in the tape printer according to the present embodiment, when the automatic size is selected by the character size set key 5, each block of the text data divided via the new block key B It is determined whether or not all of the character data is upper case.
From the table of the ROM 32 when the character code has a character decoration, and the character mode of the big size at the time of decoration is selected from the table of the ROM 32. Select the normal size character mode from the table and print the characters with the maximum character size according to the tape width for each block, so select the maximum character size that can be printed for each block. Printing can be performed.

As a result, the character size is not determined only by the tape width of the tape used as in the above-described conventional tape printing apparatus. Therefore, the printing of a very good-looking character can be performed for each block of text. This can be performed, and it is possible to prevent uppercase characters from being printed in a smaller size as a whole. still,
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0059]

As described above, the present invention divides a character input in a text into a plurality of blocks and prints a tape in consideration of a tape width of a tape used for each block. By automatically determining the maximum character size, it is possible to provide a tape printer capable of printing with a maximum character size common to each block of characters,
The industrial effect is great.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tape printer in which a storage cover of a tape cassette storage unit is opened.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a state where a tape cassette is stored in a cassette storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the tape printer.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the contents of a table stored in a ROM.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the contents of a RAM.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a tape print control program.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a character size setting processing program.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing types of character sizes displayed on a liquid crystal display.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a print processing program.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a character size determination processing program.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the contents of text stored in a text memory for each block.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an example of text printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tape printer 2 character input key 3 print key 4 character modifier key 4A underline key 4B frame key 5 character size set key 6 keyboard 11 thermal head 30 controller 31 CPU 32 ROM 33 CGROM 34 RAM 41 text memory 42 expansion buffer 43 Print buffer 44 Set flag F B Break key K Tape width detector N Numeric key

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-64875 (JP, A) JP-A-3-211066 (JP, A) JP-A-4-182153 (JP, A) JP-A-5- 185654 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 3-72461 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 5-18853 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/485 B41J 3 / 36 B41J 21/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A character input means for inputting a character such as a character or a symbol, a text memory for storing code data corresponding to a character input from the character input means, and a code data stored in the text memory Is divided into a plurality of blocks, block setting means for inputting a block mark for each block, block detecting means for detecting the block mark input by the block setting means, and each tape having a plurality of types of tape widths Storage means for storing the tape width of each tape in association with each of a plurality of character sizes; tape width detection means for detecting the tape width of each tape; detection results of the tape width detection means; storage of the storage means Based on the content and the type of code data in the block, Auto size setting means for automatically setting the maximum character size that can be printed on the tape from the character size for each block; and printing control means for printing the characters stored in the text memory on each of the tapes by the printing means. Wherein the print control means performs print control of the print means for each block based on the character size set by the automatic size setting means when the detection means detects a block mark. Tape printing device.