JP3266739B2 - Tape-shaped label making device - 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-shaped label producing apparatus provided with a tape cutting mechanism, and in particular, every time printing of one block of print data is completed, the tape is reversely fed and a label is produced. For cutting the front end for the purpose.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, the applicant of the present application has disclosed in
No. 94, proposes a tape printing device suitable for printing characters and marks of characters and symbols on a tape as a printing medium and creating a label suitable for attaching to the spine of a file did. This tape printer is
It is equipped with a keyboard, a display, a thermal printing type printing mechanism and a tape cutting mechanism, and can print on a tape (for example, tape width 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 mm) as a printing medium.
Characters and marks can be printed in various character sizes and typefaces, cut with a front margin on the front of the character string, and cut with a rear margin on the back of the character string. It is configured to create.

[0003] Here, in particular, when cutting is performed by providing a front margin on the front side of a character string to be printed, printing is performed while the tape feed motor is driven at a low speed, and the cutter of the tape cutting mechanism adjusts the front margin. When the provided cutting position is reached, printing by the thermal head and tape feeding are temporarily stopped, and cutting is performed at the front end position where the front margin amount is provided. Thereafter, the print control by the thermal head and the low-speed drive control of the tape feed motor are restarted, and the printing process is continued. Thereby, when cutting at this front end position,
A tape-shaped label is created without the print characters being cut off and the print quality being impaired.

[0004]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the tape printing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 94, a tape feed motor is driven at a low speed to provide a front margin amount at the front side of a character string to be printed and to cut the printing tape at the front end position. There is a problem in that the processing efficiency is reduced, and in particular, for decorative characters that are printed with lines, such as white characters, depending on the setting of this low speed, characters may still be divided. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a tape-like label producing apparatus capable of producing a tape-like label by cutting a tape so as not to lower the print processing efficiency and not to adversely affect the quality of printed characters. To provide.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape-shaped label producing apparatus comprising: a printing means including a print head for printing on a tape as a printing object; In a tape-shaped label producing apparatus including a tape feeding means capable of being transported automatically, a tape cutting means for cutting the tape at a position downstream of the printing position, and a print control means for controlling these means, the printing means is: A platen roller for holding the tape in cooperation with the print head;
Moving means for switching at least one of the print head and the platen roller between a holding position for holding the tape and a release position for not holding the tape; receiving printing information from the printing control means; After the printing is completed, the print head and platen roller are switched to the release position via the moving means, and the tape is reversed in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance determined by the print data and the edge margin length via the tape feeding means. The tape cutting means is provided with cutting control means for cutting the tape after feeding.

Here, the platen roller is configured to be pressed by a print head with a tape interposed therebetween, and the moving means is configured by platen driving means for switching the platen roller between a holding position and a release position. (Claim 2 dependent on Claim 1).

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape-shaped label producing apparatus, comprising: a printing means including a print head for printing on a tape as an object to be printed via an ink ribbon; Feeding means capable of transporting the ink ribbon to the tape, a ribbon feeding means for feeding the ink ribbon in the printing direction in synchronization with the tape, a tape cutting means for cutting the tape at a position downstream of the printing position, and a printing control for controlling these means In the tape-shaped label producing apparatus provided with means, the printing means cooperates with the print head, a platen roller for sandwiching the ink ribbon and the tape, at least one of the print head and the platen roller, the ink ribbon and the tape. A moving means for switching between a holding position for holding the ink ribbon and a release position for not holding the ink ribbon and the tape; Then, after the printing of the print data for each block is completed, the print head and the platen roller are switched to the release position via the moving means, and the print data and the end margin length are determined via the tape feeding means. The tape cutting means is provided with a cutting control means for cutting the tape after the tape is reversely fed in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance.

Here, the platen roller is configured to be pressed against the print head with the ink ribbon and the tape separated from each other, and the moving means switches the platen roller between a holding position and a release position. It may be constituted by means (claim 4 dependent on claim 3).

[0010]

In the tape-shaped label producing apparatus according to the first aspect, under the control of the print control means, the print head of the print means controls printing on the tape to be printed.
The transfer of the tape in the printing direction is controlled by the tape feeding means,
One block of print data is printed. here,
The tape feeding means can selectively transfer the tape in the printing direction and the anti-printing direction, and the printing means cooperates with the print head to hold the tape between the platen roller and the print head and the platen roller. At least one is provided with moving means for switching between a holding position for holding the tape and a release position for not holding the tape.
After printing information is received from the printing control means and printing of one block of printing data is completed, printing is performed via the tape feeding means while the print head and the platen roller are switched to the release position via the moving means. After the tape is reversely fed in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance determined by the data and the edge margin length, the tape cutting means cuts the tape.

As described above, after the printing of one block of printing data is completed, the tape is fed backward in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance determined by the printing data and the length of the margin at the end, and then the tape is cut. A tape-shaped label can be produced by cutting the tape so that the processing efficiency is not reduced, and any characters printed on the tape are not interrupted in the middle, and the quality of the printed characters is not adversely affected.

The tape-shaped label producing apparatus according to the third aspect operates in substantially the same manner as the first aspect, but differs in the following point. That is, under the control of the print control means, the print head of the printing means controls printing on the tape to be printed via the ink ribbon, and the tape feeding means controls the transfer of the tape in the printing direction. The ink ribbon is fed and controlled in the printing direction in synchronization with the tape, and print data of one block is printed. Here, the tape feeding means can selectively transfer the tape in the printing direction and the anti-printing direction, and the printing means cooperates with the print head to hold a platen roller for holding the ink ribbon and the tape together with a printing head. The cutting control means is provided with moving means for switching at least one of the head and the platen roller between a holding position for holding the ink ribbon and the tape and a release position for not holding the ink ribbon and the tape. Acts similarly.

As described above, after the printing of one block of print data is completed, the tape is fed backward in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance determined by the print data and the length of the end margin, and then the tape is cut. Create tape-shaped labels by cutting the tape without lowering processing efficiency, and without cutting off any characters printed on the tape with ink from the ink ribbon, without affecting the quality of the printed characters. it can.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to a tape-shaped label producing apparatus capable of printing a large number of characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols on a print tape as a print medium in two colors. As shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard 2 provided with various function keys in addition to character keys such as alphabetic characters, symbols, and numerals is provided at the front of a main body frame 8 of the tape-shaped label producing apparatus 1. A liquid crystal display 3 capable of displaying input characters and symbols is provided immediately behind the keyboard 2, and a thermal print 36 having a thermal head 36 is provided in the body frame 8 on the rear side. A mechanism PM is provided.

Next, the thermal printing mechanism PM will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the tape cassette 10 for two-color printing, which is detachably attached to the thermal printing mechanism PM, will be described with reference to FIG. Inside a cassette case 11 of the tape cassette 10, a tape spool 15 around which a receptor type printing tape 12 is wound, a ribbon spool 16 around which an ink ribbon 13 for two-color printing is wound, and an ink ribbon 13 And a tape take-up roller 18 for feeding the print tape 12.
Are provided rotatably.

The print tape 12 fed from the tape spool 15 is guided by four guide rollers 19, respectively, and is discharged from the opening 20 to the outside of the tape cassette 10 by the tape feed roller 18 through the thermal head 36. It is configured to be. On the other hand, the ink ribbon 13 wound around the ribbon spool 16 passes through the left guide wall 11a of the pair of guide walls 11a and 11b formed on the cassette case 11 and the opening 20.
The printing tape 12 is temporarily parallel to the partition wall 11.
The tape is guided by c and wound up by a ribbon take-up spool 17.

Incidentally, the tape cassette 10 includes:
A plurality of types are prepared according to the ink color of the ink ribbon 13, the type of the printing tape 12 such as the receptor type and the laminating type, and the tape width of the printing tape 12. In order to detect any one of the tape cassettes 10 of the type, a detection hole group combining the presence or absence of the six detection holes 21 to 26 is provided.

Next, the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 16
Will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. The main body frame 8 has a tape reversing drive cam 3 that can be engaged with the center of the tape spool 15.
0, a ribbon drive cam 31 engageable with the central portion of the ribbon take-up spool 17, and a tape drive cam 32 engaging with the central portion of the tape feed roller 18 are rotatably pivotally supported. A detection sensor 33 including a light emitting element 34 corresponding to the wall 11a and a light receiving element 35 corresponding to the guide wall 11b is provided.
6 and the six detection holes 21 to 26
6 detection switches (1st
To a sixth detection switch).

That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the detection sensor 33
A predetermined distance (for example, about 6.5 cm) from the thermal head 36
) Is provided at a reference position upstream, and identification marks M1 and M2 described later, which are marked on the ink ribbon 13 passing through the reference position, are detected.

Further, a tape driving motor 39 composed of a stepping motor is provided at the right end of the rear end of the main body frame 8.
Is attached, and the drive gear 4 of the tape drive motor 39 is mounted.
0, a gear 41 rotatably supported by the body frame 8
The gear 47 fixed to the tape drive cam 32 meshes with the gear 47. That is, the rotation of the tape drive motor 39 is controlled by the gears 40 to
The power is transmitted to the tape drive cam 32 via the switch 48.

On the other hand, the base end of a swing arm 50 is connected to the gear 45 via a slip mechanism, and the tip end of the swing arm 50 has a planetary gear 5 which always meshes with the gear 45.
1 is rotatably pivoted. When the gear 45 rotates in the counterclockwise rotation direction (rotation direction during normal printing) in FIG. 3, the swing arm 50 also rotates in the counterclockwise rotation direction, and the planetary gear 51 rotates the ribbon driving cam 31. Meshes with a ribbon drive gear 52 connected via a clutch spring (not shown), and the rotation of the ribbon drive gear 52 winds the ink ribbon 13 around the ribbon take-up spool 17.

Meanwhile, a platen holder 56 for supporting a rubber platen roller 55 is rotatably supported by a pivot shaft 57 erected on the main body frame 8 and supports a rubber pressing roller 58. The pressing holder 59 is rotatably supported by a pivot 60 erected on the main body frame 8. An opening hole 56a is formed in the platen holder 56, and a rising portion 61a at the front end of a platen drive lever 61 disposed in the front-rear direction on the lower surface side of the main body frame 8 is engaged with the opening hole 56a. . And
The rear end of the platen drive lever 61 is connected via a tension spring 63 to a lower end mounting portion 62a of an interlocking lever 62 that interlocks with the cover frame 9 (see FIG. 7). The thermal head 36 always presses the thermal head 36 by the spring force of the tension spring 63 via the platen holder 56.

Similarly, an opening hole 59a is formed in the pressing holder 59, and a rising portion 64a at the front end of a pressing roller driving lever 64 disposed on the lower surface of the main body frame 8 in the front-rear direction is formed in the opening hole 59a. It is engaged with the hole 59a. The rear end of the pressing roller drive lever 64 is attached to the lower end mounting portion 62a of the interlocking lever 62 by a tension spring 65.
The pressing roller 58 is always pressed against the tape feed roller 18 by the spring force of the tension spring 65 via the pressing roller driving lever 64 and the pressing holder 59.

Here, when the platen roller 55 is at a clamping position where the platen roller 55 clamps the ink ribbon 13 and the printing tape 12 while pressing the same, the platen gear 66 fixed to the lower end of the platen roller 55 is connected to the gear 47 as shown in FIG. The meshing intermediate gear 49 meshes with the pressing roller 58, as shown in FIG.
The pressing roller gear 67 fixed to the lower end of the pressing roller 58 is engaged with the gear 48 at the pressing position shown in FIG.

When the tape drive motor 39 is driven to rotate clockwise (normal printing direction),
As shown in FIG. 8, these gears 40 to 49 are each driven in a predetermined rotation direction, and the pressing roller 58 and the platen roller 55 are rotated counterclockwise, while the pressing roller 58 and the tape feed roller 18 are rotated. Are rotated in synchronization with each other, so that the printing tape 12 is sequentially fed while being printed by the thermal head 36. At the same time, the ribbon drive cam 31 is rotated by the rotation of the ribbon drive gear 52, and the ink ribbon 13 is wound on the ribbon take-up spool 17 which rotates while engaging with the ribbon drive cam 31.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, when the tape drive motor 39 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (a direction opposite to the normal printing direction), these gears 40 to 4 are rotated.
9 are driven in the rotation direction opposite to the printing direction, the pressing roller 58 and the platen roller 55 are rotated in the clockwise direction, and the gear 45 is rotated in the clockwise direction.
The swing arm 50 connected to the gear 45 rotates clockwise, and the planetary gear 51 rotates the reverse gear 69 counterclockwise via the intermediate gear 68, and the clutch spring (not shown) ) Through which the tape reverse drive cam 3 is connected
0 to rotate the print tape 12
5, the printing tape 12 alone can be fed backward without rewinding the ink ribbon 13. Here, the rewinding amount of the printing tape 12 by the cooperation of the pressing roller 58 and the tape feeding roller 18 is larger than the rewinding amount of the printing tape 12 by the tape spool 15, and the printing tape 12 There is no slack.

Next, when the printing tape 12 is fed backward,
The platen drive mechanism 70 that moves the platen roller 55 to a release position separated from the thermal head 36 will be described with reference to FIGS. A platen moving motor 71 composed of a DC motor is fixed to the right end of the front end of the main body frame 8.
Drive gear 72 attached to the first drive shaft
And a cam drive gear 74 meshed with the intermediate gear 73 is rotatably supported by the main body frame 8, and an eccentric cam 75 is integrally fixed to the cam drive gear 74.

On the other hand, the left end of a platen interlocking lever 77 is rotatably supported by a vertically supporting pivot shaft 76 fixed to the right end of the platen holder 56. The platen interlocking lever 77 is movable in the left-right direction between the bent wall 8a at the front end of the main body frame 8 and the eccentric cam 75. Further, the platen interlocking lever 77
The right end of the eccentric cam 7 is bent backward.
5 is opposed to the right cam surface.

Then, the platen moving motor 71 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
, The eccentric cam 75 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction via the intermediate gear 73 and the cam drive gear 74, and the eccentric cam 75 is rotated by the eccentric movement of the cam surface. The platen interlock lever 77 moves in the left-right direction via the contact portion 77a. That is, when the platen interlocking lever 77 is moved to the right to the maximum, FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, the platen holder 56 rotates counterclockwise about the pivot shaft 57, and
The platen roller 55 supported by 6 moves to the lease position released from the thermal head 36.

A thin plate-like switch drive cam 78 is fixed between the eccentric cam 75 and the cam drive gear 74, and the switch drive cam 78 is driven to rotate integrally with the eccentric cam 75. Further, the switch driving cam 7
A phase detection switch 79 that is closed when pressed by the protruding cam portion of the switch drive cam 78 is provided below the switch 8. That is, the phase detection switch 79 is opened (OF).
F state) is when the platen link lever 77 has moved to the left to the maximum, and the platen roller 55
At the holding position shown in FIG. Thereafter, the platen moving motor 71 is driven to rotate counterclockwise,
As shown in FIG. 6, the phase detection switch 79 is closed (ON).
State) is when the platen link lever 77 has moved to the right to the maximum, and the platen roller 55
This is at the time of the release position shown in FIG.

Next, by the cooperation of the pressing roller 58 and the tape feed roller 18, the print is made and the tape cassette 1 is printed.
A tape cutting mechanism 80 that cuts the print tape 12 fed out of the tape 0 will be described with reference to FIGS. A fixed blade 81 is fixed to the rising wall 8b at the left end of the main body frame 8, and a movable blade 83 is rotatable around a pivot shaft 82 attached to the rising wall 8b near the fixed blade 81. It is supported by.

On the other hand, a cutting motor 84 composed of a stepping motor is fixed to the left end of the rear end of the main body frame 8, and two intermediate gears 86 meshing with a driving gear 85 of the cutting motor 84 respectively. A driven gear 88 meshes with the driven gear 88, and a rotating plate 89 is fixed to the driven gear 88. The engaging pin 90 attached to the rotary plate 89 is slidably engaged in a forked portion of a swing arm 91 extending from the base of the movable blade 83. That is, when the cutting motor 84 is driven to rotate in a predetermined rotation direction and the rotating plate 89 makes one rotation via these gears 85 to 88, the movable blade 83 is reciprocated by the reciprocating swing of the forked portion of the swing arm 91. Rotates from a state opened by a predetermined angle with respect to the fixed blade 81 (shown by a solid line in FIG. 7) to a cutting state shown by a two-dot chain line, and then turns to an opened state again.

A notch 98a is formed at one position of the rotary plate 98, and a detection switch 92 is provided adjacent to the rotary plate 89. When the movable blade 83 is in an open state, At the completion of the cutting operation in which the movable blade 83 has reciprocated one time, the detection switch 92 is set to the notch 8
It is turned off by 9a, and the driving of the cutting motor 84 is stopped.

Next, the control system of the label producing apparatus 1 is shown in FIG.
0 is configured as shown in the block diagram. The input / output interface 95 of the control device CD includes a keyboard 2
A cassette switch 37, a detection sensor 33, a display controller (LCDC) 110 having a video RAM 111 for outputting display data to the liquid crystal display (LCD) 3, a drive circuit 113 for a warning buzzer 112, A drive circuit 114 for driving the thermal head 36 and a drive circuit 1 for the tape drive motor 39
15 and a drive circuit 116 for the platen moving motor 71
And a drive circuit 117 for the cutting motor 84 are connected to each other.

The control device CD includes a CPU 97 and this CP
An input / output interface 95 connected to U97 via a bus 96 such as a data bus;
And a ROM 99 and a RAM 100. The font ROM 98 stores display dot pattern data for each of a large number of characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols, and print dot pattern data for a plurality of print character sizes.

The ROM 99 has a display drive control program for controlling the display controller 110 in correspondence with character code data such as characters, symbols, and numbers input from the keyboard 2, and a dot for each dot row to be printed. The pattern data is sequentially transferred to the thermal head 3
6 and a print drive control program to be output to the tape drive motor 39 for printing, a control program for label creation control to be described later, which is unique to the present application, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 11, the ROM 99 discriminates the ink color, the tape width and the tape type based on the ON / OFF combination of each of the first to sixth detection switches of the cassette switch 37. A cassette type discrimination table TB is stored. As shown in FIG. 12, the receptor type printing tape 12 is formed by applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive 12b on the back surface of a printable thin film tape 12a in a layered manner and applying a release paper 1 to the pressure-sensitive adhesive 12b.
This is a tape to which 2c is adhered, and is to be printed on the surface of the film tape 12a. The laminate type printing tape 12 is printed on the back surface of a printable thin film transparent laminated film tape, and after printing, the back surface (printing surface) of the laminated film tape is printed.
And a tape to which the other surface of the double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive tape having a release paper adhered to one surface is adhered.

In the RAM 100, a text memory 101 for storing keyboard code data input from the keyboard 2 as document data, and dot pattern data corresponding to the character codes stored in the text memory 101 are developed and stored. Print data buffer 102, black ink 1 of black and red ink ribbon 13 for two colors
The flag data of the color flag CF that is set (data is “1”) when 3b corresponds to the thermal head 36 and is reset (data is “0”) when the red ink 13r corresponds to the thermal head 36 is stored. A flag memory 103 is provided.

Next, the routine of the print position initialization control and the label creation control performed by the control device CD of the label creation apparatus 1 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. In the figure, reference symbol Si (i = 10, 11,
12) are each step. Here, when this control is started, the text memory 101 is stored in FIG.
, Two lines of character strings “A to F” and “a to f”
, And color designation data are stored as document data composed of one block (first block).

It is assumed that a tape cassette 10 containing an ink ribbon 13 for two colors of black and red and a printing tape 12 of a receptor type is mounted on the thermal printing mechanism PM. Further, the front margin amount FY of the front margin provided at the front end of the tape-shaped label to be created and the rear margin amount RY of the rear margin provided at the rear end thereof are preset from the keyboard 2. However, the maximum tape length of the tape-shaped label is limited to about 20 cm.

The two color ink ribbons 13 for black and red are
As shown in FIG. 14, the black ink 13b and the red ink 13r
Are alternately applied by a length of 20 cm (predetermined amount B). One barcode-shaped identification mark M1 is marked at the start end of the color region of each black ink 13b, and 2 barcode-shaped identification marks are marked at the start end of each red ink 13r.
Each of the book barcode-shaped identification marks M2 is marked. Further, the end of the ink ribbon 13 is connected to an end tape 13e for sticking a silver foil to the end of the ink ribbon 13. The length of the end tape 13e is equal to the length of the ink applied between the black ink 13b and the red ink 13r, That is, the predetermined amount B (20c
m) is longer by α (for example, 5 to 10 cm).

First, the black ink 13b of the ink ribbon 13
Alternatively, print position initialization control for aligning the start end of the red ink 13r with the print position P of the thermal head 36 will be described with reference to FIG. When the power is supplied to the label producing apparatus 1 or when the tape cassette 10 is mounted, this control is started, and the detection signals from the first to sixth detection switches of the cassette switch 37 and the cassette type discrimination table TB For example, when the detection signal of the first detection switch is "ON" and the detection signal of the second detection switch is "OFF" and the two-color tape cassette 10 is mounted (S10: Yes), the tape drive motor 39 is driven at a low speed (S11). At this time, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, the rotation of the tape feed roller 18 and the pressing roller 58 causes the print tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 to be fed in synchronization with each other.

Then, based on the detection signal from the detection sensor 33, the color identification signal corresponding to the identification mark M1 of one barcode black ink 13b is not detected (S12:
(No), when the color identification signal corresponding to the identification mark M2 of the two barcode red inks 13r is not detected (S13: No), the tape feed amount between the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 is increased. When it is less than 20 cm from the start of feeding (S14: No), S12 to S14 are repeatedly executed.

When the color identification signal corresponding to the identification mark M1 is detected (S12: Yes), the drive of the tape drive motor 39 is stopped, and the feeding operation of the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 is stopped. The color flag CF is set (S18) because the black ink 13b corresponds to the thermal head 36 (S17). Further, the tape drive motor 39 is driven by a predetermined number of steps, and the print tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are synchronized with each other to correspond to the path length from the detection sensor 33 to the thermal head 36 in the transport path of the ink ribbon 13. A predetermined amount A (for example, 6.5 cm 2) is fed (S21), and the process returns to the main routine.

That is, at this time, as shown in FIG. 20, the starting end of the black ink 13b is located at the printing position P of the thermal head 36. Reference numeral C denotes a cutting position where the fixed blade 81 and the movable blade 83 cut in cooperation with each other, and reference numeral D denotes a detection position detected by the detection sensor 33. Symbol L is the distance between the printing and cutting positions (for example, about 2.0 cm) between the printing position P and the cutting position C, and symbol M is the distance between the detecting and printing positions between the detection position D and the printing position P. (This distance is slightly smaller than the predetermined amount A, for example, 6.5 cm
Weak).

On the other hand, when the color identification signal corresponding to the identification mark M2 is detected (S12: No, S13: Yes), the drive of the tape drive motor 39 is stopped (S19), and the red ink 13r is supplied to the thermal head 36. Accordingly, the color flag CF is reset (S20), and the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are fed in a predetermined amount A in synchronization with each other (S21), and the process returns to the main routine.

By the way, when this control is started,
If the two-color tape cassette 10 is not mounted (S10: No), an error message "No two-color tape cassette is mounted" is displayed on the display 3 (S22), and the process returns to the main routine. . Also,
If no color identification signal corresponding to the identification mark M1 or the identification mark M2 is detected and the tape feeding amount between the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 becomes 20 cm or more from the start of feeding (S14: Yes), the tape The drive of the drive motor 39 is stopped (S15), and since the ink ribbon 13 has been used up to the end, an error message of "ribbon end" is displayed on the display 3 (S16), and the process returns to the main routine.

Next, a label creation control routine will be described with reference to FIGS. This control is activated when the label creation key on the keyboard is operated,
First, when the color flag CF is set based on the data of the color flag CF and the start end of the black ink 13b is located at the print position P of the thermal head 36 (S30: Yes), the text memory 101 When black color designation data exists in the document data (S31: Yes
), The character string specified by the black color specification data
The dot pattern data is developed into dot pattern data and stored in the print data buffer 102, and the dot pattern data is sequentially printed on the print tape 12 by the thermal head 36 (S32). For example, as shown in FIG.
The character string “A to F” specified by the black color designation data is printed on the first line of the printing tape 12 with the black ink 13b.
Then, the printing position P1 at the end of printing is located at the right end position of the last character "F" as shown in FIG.

Next, in the text memory 101, when red color designation data exists in the print data in the same block (S33: Yes), the character string to be printed in red is
In order to print from the printing start position of the first block, the printing tape reverse feed control (see FIG. 18) is executed (S34). When this control is started, the next red ink 13
A predetermined amount B (20 cm in this embodiment) for printing by r
The remaining ink ribbon feed amount k (see FIG. 21) obtained by subtracting the feed amount of the print tape 12 at the time of the printing process in S32, that is, the ink ribbon feed amount j (see FIG. The print tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are fed by the ink ribbon feed amount k (S60). That is, as a result, the printing position P2 is shifted to the next red ink 13r as shown in FIG.
Is located at the beginning of the

Next, since the ink color corresponding to the thermal head 36 changes, when the color flag CF is set (S61: Yes), the color flag CF is reset (S62), and the color flag CF is set. If not (S61: No), the color flag CF is set (S63). Next, the platen moving motor 71
Is driven, as shown in FIG. 9, the platen interlock lever 77 moves to the right to the maximum, and the platen roller 55 is moved to the release position (S64). Next, the tape drive motor 39 is driven in reverse rotation by a predetermined number of steps, and only the printing tape 12 is fed back by a predetermined amount B (S6).
Five). Thereafter, the platen moving motor 71 is further driven, as shown in FIG. 8, the platen interlocking lever 77 moves to the left to the maximum, and the platen roller 55 is returned to the holding position (S66). Then, the process returns to S37 of the label creation control.

Next, in this label creation control, the character string indicated by the red color designation data is developed into dot pattern data and stored in the print data buffer 102, and the dot pattern data is stored in the thermal head 36. Are sequentially printed on the second line of the print tape 12 (S37). For example, as shown in FIG. 22, the character strings “a to f” specified by the red color designation data are printed on the second line of the print tape 12 with the red ink 13r. Then, the printing position P3 at the end of printing is located at the right end position of the last character "f" as shown in FIG. next,
In the text memory 101, when the black color designation data does not exist in the print data in the same block (S
38: No), S44 and the subsequent steps are executed, and the front end and the rear end are cut off in order to create a label in which the document data over these two lines are printed in two colors.

When the color flag CF is set (S30: Yes) and red color designation data is present (S31: No, S35: Yes), the start end of the red ink 13r is set to the thermal head 36. The printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are fed by a predetermined amount B so as to be positioned at the printing position P (S36), and the character string indicated by the red color designation data is transmitted by the thermal head 36 as described above. The printing process is sequentially performed on the printing tape 12 (S37), and S38 and subsequent steps are executed.

On the other hand, at the start of this control, when the color flag CF is not set and the start end of the red ink 13r is located at the print position P of the thermal head 36 (S30: No), the document data If the red color designation data exists (S40: Yes), S37 and subsequent steps are executed. However, when there is black color designation data (S
40: No, S41: Yes), the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are fed by a predetermined amount B so that the start end of the black ink 13b is located at the printing position P of the thermal head 36 (S42), and The character string indicated by the color designation data is sequentially printed on the print tape 12 by the thermal head 36 as described above (S32), and the steps from S33 are executed. If there is no black color designation data or red color designation data in the document data (S31 / S35: N
o, or S40 and S41: No), the cutting motor 84 is driven, and the print tape 12 is cut by one reciprocal movement of the movable blade 83 (S43), and this control ends, and the process returns to the main routine.

Next, by providing a front margin amount FY, a tape reverse feed amount Z for cutting the front end of the label to be created is represented by (print / print).
(Length between cutting positions-front margin FY)-printing length of the last printing line
ML, and is calculated (S44). When the tape feed amount Z is a negative number and the print tape 12 is fed back (S45: Yes), the platen moving motor 7
1 is driven, the platen interlocking lever 77 moves to the right to the maximum position, the platen roller 55 is moved to the release position (S46), and only the print tape 12 is reversed by the reverse rotation of the tape drive motor 39. The reverse feed is performed by the feed amount Z (S47), and the platen moving motor 71 is further driven to move the platen interlocking lever 77 to the left to the maximum.
The platen roller 55 is returned to the holding position (S4
8) The cutting motor 84 is driven, and the printing tape 12 is cut by one reciprocal movement of the movable blade 83 (S49). For example, as shown in FIG. 23, after the print tape 12 is reversely fed by the tape reverse feed amount Z, the print tape 12 is cut with a front margin amount FY.

Next, the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are fed to the rear end cutting position (S50), and the printing tape 12 is cut at the rear end cutting position (S51). For example,
As shown in FIG. 24, the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 1
3 is the front margin amount FY and the maximum print length of this block data
The label tape is fed by the label length LL obtained by adding the PL and the rear margin amount RY, and the printing tape 12 is cut at the rear end cutting position.
The printing position at this time is indicated by P4, and the cutting position is indicated by C4.

Next, for the next printing, the ink ribbon 13 is moved so that the printing position P coincides with the start end of the next ink.
The ribbon correction process control (see FIG. 19) for correcting the ink position is executed (S52). When this control is started, as shown in FIG. 24, the total movement amount of the ink ribbon 13 obtained by adding the print length ML of the last print line and the label length LL becomes 20.
cm or more, that is, when the printing position P at this time corresponds to the next different color ink (S70: Yes),
A variable X is obtained by an arithmetic expression (X = (ML + LL) −20) shown in the figure (S71), and the printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are obtained.
Is sent by the length obtained by subtracting the variable X from the ink application length of the black ink 13b or the red ink 13r (S72), the control is terminated, and the flow returns to the label creation control S53. . That is, as shown in FIG. 24, the print position P5 matches the start end of the next red ink 13r. In this case, the ink color corresponding to the printing position P5 is the same as the red ink 13r at the time of the final printing.

On the other hand, the total movement amount of the ink ribbon 13 is
When the distance is less than 20 cm (S70: No), the variable X is obtained by the illustrated equation (X = 20- (ML + LL)) (S73).
The printing tape 12 and the ink ribbon 13 are fed by the variable X (S74). Next, since the ink color corresponding to the printing position P5 is different from the ink color at the time of final printing,
When the color flag CF is set (S75:
Yes), the color flag CF is reset (S76), and when the color flag CF is not set (S76)
75: No), the color flag CF is set (S77), this control is terminated, and the process returns to S53.

In the label creation control, when the next block data exists in the text memory 101, S30 and the subsequent steps are repeatedly executed. When the next block data does not exist in the text memory 101, the control is terminated and the process returns to the main routine.

The operation of the tape cutting control included in the label creation control described above will be described. Black ink 13b
And the red ink 13r, the character string “A to
After the printing of "F" and "af" is completed, a front margin amount FY is provided from the current printing position P, and a tape reverse feed amount Z for cutting the front end of the label to be created is calculated. When the platen roller 55 is switched to the release position via the platen interlocking lever 77 by the driving of the platen moving motor 71, only the printing tape 12 is rotated by the tape drive motor 39 in the reverse rotation direction so that the tape reverse feed amount Z
The platen roller 55 is returned to the pressing position by the driving of the platen moving motor 71, the cutting motor 84 is driven, and the print tape 12 is moved to the front end position by the reciprocating movement of the movable blade 83. Cut at As a result, the print processing efficiency is not reduced, and any characters printed on the print tape 12 by the ink of the ink ribbon 13 are not interrupted in the middle, so that the print tape 12 is not adversely affected. Can be cut to produce tape-shaped labels.

Further, the platen roller 55 separates the thermal head 3 from the ink ribbon 13 and the print tape 12.
6 and a platen roller 5
5 is switched between the holding position and the release position, so that the thermal head 36 connected to a plurality of connection lines for supplying print data is switched between the holding position and the release position. Can also be configured with a simple mechanism.

Instead of the platen roller 55, the thermal head 36 can be switched between a holding position and a release position, or the printing tape 12 can be a reverse feed tape made of thermal paper or the like. Within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention, various modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment based on existing technology or technology obvious to those skilled in the art. In addition, the ink ribbon 13
The present invention is applied to various tape-shaped label producing apparatuses provided with a dot-type printing mechanism for printing on the printing tape 12 through the printer or printing on the printing tape 12 made of thermal paper without using the ink ribbon 13. Obviously you can get it.

[0062]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape-shaped label producing apparatus including a printing unit including a print head, a tape feeding unit, a tape cutting unit, and a printing control unit for controlling these units. Further, the printing means includes a platen roller and a moving means, and a cutting control means.
After the printing of the print data for the block is completed, the tape is fed back in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance determined by the print data and the edge margin length, and then the tape is cut. The tape-shaped label can be created by cutting the tape so that any character printed on the tape is not interrupted on the way and does not adversely affect the quality of the printed character.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the platen roller is configured to be pressed by a print head with a tape interposed therebetween, and the moving means includes a holding position and a release position for holding the platen roller. And a platen drive means that switches over a plurality of connection lines for supplying print data. The print head is switched over between a holding position and a release position with a simpler mechanism. Can be configured.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape-shaped label producing apparatus including a printing means including a print head, a tape feeding means, a ribbon feeding means, a tape cutting means, and a printing control means for controlling these means. The printing means further includes a platen roller and a moving means, and a cutting control means is provided. After the printing of one block of printing data is completed, the tape is turned over a predetermined distance determined by the printing data and the length of the margin at the end. Since the tape is cut after the paper is fed backward in the printing direction, the print processing efficiency is not reduced, and any characters printed on the tape with the ink of the ink ribbon are not interrupted in the middle, and the quality of the printed characters is improved. Tapes can be cut to produce tape-like labels without adverse effects.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the platen roller is configured to be pressed against the print head with the ink ribbon and the tape separated from each other, and the moving means is configured to hold the platen roller at the holding position. And the release position, the same effect as in the second aspect can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a label producing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tape cassette.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the thermal printing mechanism when a platen roller is at a pressing position.

FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 when a platen roller is at a release position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic front view of a notch of a thermal printing mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of a main part of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the thermal printing mechanism showing the cutting mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 when a print tape is fed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 at the time of reverse feeding of the print tape.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a control system of the label producing apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a table for explaining setting contents of a cassette type determination table.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a receptor type printing tape.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a text memory in which color designation data and character string codes are stored.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the ink ribbon.

FIG. 15 is a schematic flowchart of a print position initialization control routine.

FIG. 16 is a part of a schematic flowchart of a label creation control routine;

FIG. 17 is a part of a schematic flowchart of a label creation control routine;

FIG. 18 is a schematic flowchart of a print tape reverse feed control routine.

FIG. 19 is a schematic flowchart of a routine for controlling ribbon position correction processing.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a correspondence relationship between a printing position, an ink ribbon, and a printing tape at the start of printing.

FIG. 21 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 20 when a first-line character string is printed with black ink.

FIG. 22 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 20 when a second character string is printed with red ink.

FIG. 23 when cutting the front end of the tape-shaped label.
FIG.

FIG. 24 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 20 when the front end of the tape-shaped label is cut and when the ribbon position is corrected for the next printing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 tape-shaped label producing device 12 print tape 13 ink ribbon 15 tape spool 16 ribbon spool 18 tape feed roller 36 thermal head 39 tape drive motor 50 swing arm 52 ribbon drive gear 55 platen roller 56 platen holder 70 platen drive mechanism 71 platen movement Motor 75 Eccentric cam 77 Platen interlock lever 80 Cutting mechanism 81 Fixed blade 83 Movable blade 84 Cutting motor PM Thermal printing mechanism CD controller

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 3/36 B41J 11/14 B41J 11/42 B41J 11/66

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printing means including a print head for printing on a tape to be printed, a tape feeding means capable of selectively transporting the tape in a printing direction and a reverse printing direction, and a downstream position of a printing position. In a tape-shaped label producing apparatus provided with a tape cutting means for cutting the tape in, and a print control means for controlling these means, the printing means, a platen roller to pinch the tape in cooperation with a print head, Moving means for switching at least one of the print head and the platen roller between a holding position for holding the tape and a release position for not holding the tape; receiving printing information from the printing control means and printing one block each; After the data printing is completed, the print head and platen roller are switched to the release position via the moving means, and the data is printed via the tape feeding means. The predetermined distance the tape determined by the over data and the end margin length from the backward in the counter printing direction, the tape-shaped label producing apparatus characterized in that a cutting control means for cutting the tape into the tape cutting means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platen roller is configured to be pressed against a print head via a tape, and the moving unit includes a platen driving unit that switches the platen roller between a holding position and a release position. The tape-shaped label producing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A printing means including a print head for printing on a tape as an object to be printed via an ink ribbon, a tape feeding means capable of selectively transporting the tape in a printing direction and a reverse printing direction, Tape-type label producing apparatus comprising: a ribbon feeding means for feeding a ribbon in a printing direction in synchronization with a tape; a tape cutting means for cutting the tape at a position downstream of a printing position; and a printing control means for controlling these means. In the printing means, a platen roller for holding the ink ribbon and the tape in cooperation with the print head, at least one of the print head and the platen roller, a holding position for holding the ink ribbon and the tape, an ink ribbon and Moving means for switching to a release position where the tape is not clamped; receiving print information from the print control means; After the printing of the data is completed, the print head and the platen roller are switched to the release position via the moving means, and the tape is moved in the reverse printing direction by a predetermined distance determined by the print data and the edge margin length via the tape feeding means. A tape-shaped label producing apparatus characterized in that a cutting control means for cutting a tape by a tape cutting means after reverse feeding is provided. 4. The platen roller is configured to be pressed against a print head with an ink ribbon and a tape interposed therebetween, and the moving unit switches the platen roller between a clamping position and a release position. The tape-shaped label producing apparatus according to claim 3, comprising: