JP4039917B2 - Printing apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that performs printing on a printing medium wound in a roll shape, and a control method thereof, and in particular, a printing apparatus that has a cutter for cutting a printing medium for separating a printed printing medium and the printing apparatus It relates to a control method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a printing apparatus that performs printing on a print medium wound in a roll shape, the print medium is supplied toward the print head, and the print head sequentially prints the supplied print medium. When printing is completed, the printed part is cut using a cutter. Usually, a cutter for cutting a printed medium to be printed is installed at a predetermined distance from the print head along the supply direction of the medium to be printed.
[0003]
Examples of such a printing apparatus include a roll paper feed type printer, a roll paper feed type fax machine, and a tape printing apparatus. In particular, a POS cash register printer that issues a receipt is a typical example. .
[0004]
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the basic principle of a conventional roll paper feed type printer, and FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of printing by a conventional roll paper feed type printer.
[0005]
In the roll paper feed type printer 101 shown in FIG. 14, the print head 53 and the cutter 54 are set apart by a predetermined distance L along the paper feed direction of the paper 52.
[0006]
In the roll paper feed printer 101 illustrated in FIG. 14, a paper 52 as a printing medium is fed from a roll paper 51 in which the paper is wound in a roll shape, and the fed paper 52 is fed by the print head 53. On the other hand, printing is performed according to predetermined print data (referred to herein as “first print data”). These processes are controlled by a control unit (not shown) in the roll paper feed type printer 101. When printing according to the first print data is completed, the control unit receives a cutting instruction command. Then, the paper is fed until the end portion of the printed paper 55 reaches the downstream side in the paper feeding direction with respect to the cutter 54, the cutting process is executed by the cutter 54, and the printed paper 55 is separated. Then, printing according to the second print data following the first print data is started. As a result, in the subsequent printing, a non-printed blank area (hereinafter referred to as “print blank area”) corresponding to the distance L between the print head 53 and the cutter 54 occurs. Here, the length along the supply direction of the print margin area from the cutting line by the cutter on the paper to the next print start line is referred to as “margin length”.
[0007]
As described above, in the roll paper feed type printer 101 having the mechanism shown in FIG. 14, there is a predetermined distance L between the print head 53 and the cutter 54. Therefore, a print margin area m having a margin length L and surrounded by a dotted line is necessarily generated.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in a printing apparatus that performs printing on a printing medium wound in a roll shape, the print head and the cutter are set apart by a predetermined distance along the supply direction of the printing medium. When the next printing is started after cutting and separating the printed medium, it corresponds to the distance between the print head and the cutter between the cutting line by the cutter on the printing medium and the next printing start line. A printing margin area having a length to be generated is generated.
[0009]
For example, a POS cash register printer that issues a receipt often prints a store name or a logo mark on a print margin area on a receipt and uses it effectively. Often considered useless. Therefore, in this case, in order to reduce the print margin area, a process for adjusting the desired margin length by returning the printing medium to the opposite direction to the original supply direction is performed. However, it is very time consuming to execute such a process every time printing according to one print data is completed, particularly when printing a large amount of print data.
[0010]
In addition, a motor is used as a supply unit that supplies the print medium toward the print head. However, in order to adjust the print margin area of the print medium, the forward and reverse rotation directions of the motor must be switched as appropriate. This complicates the motor drive circuit. Furthermore, there is a problem that frequent switching between the forward and reverse rotation directions of the motor leads to an increase in noise and vibration of the motor.
[0011]
Therefore, in view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to set the length along the supply direction of the print medium in the print blank area generated when printing on the print medium wound in a roll shape. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a control method therefor that can be easily made shorter than the distance between the print head and the cutter.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, in a printing apparatus that prints on a printing medium wound in a roll shape, first, from the cutting line by the cutter on the printing medium to the next printing start line. The margin length along the supply direction of the print margin area is set. Here, the margin length is set shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter along the supply direction of the print medium.
[0013]
When printing according to certain print data is completed and a cutting instruction command for instructing the cutter to cut the printing medium is received, the cutting process is not performed immediately but the cutting process is suspended.
[0014]
Next, new print data is received. When the print medium moves by the margin length, printing for the new print data is started. Further, the cutting process is suspended until the print medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the separation distance between the print head and the cutter.
[0015]
Then, when the print medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the separation distance between the print head and the cutter, the printing process currently being executed is temporarily interrupted, and the print medium is cut by the cutter. Execute the process.
[0016]
After the cutting process is completed and the print medium that has been printed with the previous print data is cut off, the interrupted print process is resumed and the remaining print process is executed.
[0017]
As described above, according to the present invention, during the printing process according to certain print data, the cutting process for separating the print medium that has been printed according to the previous print data enters the middle. Thereafter, as long as the print data continues, the above process is repeated.
[0018]
FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.
[0019]
The print head 11, the supply means 12 for supplying the print medium 42 to be printed by the print head 11 from the print medium 41 wound in a roll shape toward the print head 11, and the supply direction of the print medium 42 And a cutter 13 that is installed at a predetermined distance L from the print head 11 and cuts the printed print medium 43, the printing apparatus 1 starts from the cutting line by the cutter 13 on the print medium. A setting unit 14 that sets a margin length that is shorter than a predetermined distance L and that is a margin length along the supply direction of the print margin area until the first print start line, and a printing process according to the first print data. When the cutting instruction command for instructing the cutter 13 to cut the print medium 42 is received, the mark is printed until the print medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the predetermined distance L. The cutting of the medium is suspended, and the first control unit 15 that controls to execute the print process according to the second print data following the first print data, and a predetermined value during execution of the print process according to the second print data When the printing medium is moved by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the distance L, the second control is performed to interrupt the printing process according to the second print data being executed and to cut the printing medium. Means 16 and third control means for controlling to resume the printing process according to the interrupted second print data and to execute the remaining printing process after cutting the printed print medium 43 according to the first print data. 17. Each of these means is realized in the control unit 18 in the printing apparatus 1.
[0020]
Note that the setting means 14 sets the margin length of the print medium regardless of whether it is shorter or longer than the distance L along the supply direction between the print head and the cutter, and between the print head and the cutter. A determination means (not shown) for determining whether the margin length is shorter than the distance L along the supply direction may be further provided. When it is determined by the determination means that the margin length is short, the control of the first control means 15, the second control means 16 and the third control means 17 is followed. In addition, when the determination unit determines that the margin length is not short, it is preferable to perform control so that the cutting process is performed according to the cutting instruction command as in the past.
[0021]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the control method of the printing apparatus according to the present invention.
[0022]
A control method for a printing apparatus according to the present invention is a margin length along a supply direction of a print margin area between a cutting line by a cutter on a printing medium and a next printing start line, and includes a print head and a cutter. The setting step S101 for setting a margin length shorter than the distance along the supply direction between them and the cutting process command for instructing the cutter to cut the printing medium after receiving the print processing according to the first print data are received. The cutting of the print medium is suspended until the print medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the distance along the print medium supply direction between the print head and the cutter, and the first print data The first control step S102 for controlling to execute the print processing according to the second print data following the print data, and the print head during execution of the print processing according to the second print data being executed When the printing medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the distance along the supply direction with the cutter, the printing process according to the second print data is interrupted and the printing medium is cut. The second control step S103, and after cutting the printed medium to be printed according to the first print data, the print processing according to the interrupted second print data is restarted and the remaining print processing is executed. 3 control step S104.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a printing apparatus control method according to a modification of the present invention.
[0024]
According to this modification, in step S101, the margin length of the printing medium is set regardless of whether it is shorter or longer than the distance along the supply direction between the print head and the cutter. Then, in a determination step S105, it is determined whether the margin length is shorter than the distance along the supply direction between the print head and the cutter.
[0025]
If it is determined in the determination step S105 that the time is short, the process proceeds to step S102, and the subsequent steps are as described with reference to FIG.
[0026]
If it is determined in the determination step S105 that it is not short, the process proceeds to a fourth control step S106. In the fourth control step S106, the cutting process is executed according to the cutting instruction command as usual.
[0027]
According to the present invention, in a printing apparatus that performs printing on a printing medium wound in a roll shape, the length of the print margin area along the supply direction of the printing medium is set between the print head and the cutter along the supply direction. It is possible to easily shorten the distance. In other words, it is possible to efficiently realize printing in which the margin length, which is the length of the printing margin area in the paper feeding direction, is even shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter.
[0028]
In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily adjust the printing medium to a desired margin length without performing processing for returning the printing medium in the direction opposite to the original supply direction. It can be shortened. This is particularly effective when printing a plurality of print data. Furthermore, since the switching operation itself of the forward / reverse rotation direction of the motor that supplies the print medium to the print head is reduced, the structure of the motor drive circuit becomes relatively simple, and the noise and vibration of the motor can be reduced.
[0029]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As an embodiment of the printing apparatus of the present invention, a roll paper feed type printer which is a thermal printer will be described as an example. In this case, the printing medium is thermal paper.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of a roll paper feed type printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0031]
The roll paper feed type printer 1 of the present embodiment is roughly composed of a main control unit 21, a drive unit 22, an interface unit 23, and a detection unit 24.
[0032]
Of these, the main control unit 21 supervises control of each unit.
[0033]
The drive unit 22 includes a thermal head 31 as a print head, a paper feed motor 32 as a thermal paper supply unit, and a cutter drive motor 33. The paper feed motor 32 feeds the thermal paper to be printed by the thermal head 31 from the thermal paper wound in a roll shape toward the thermal head 31. In this embodiment, the cutter driving motor 33 is, for example, a stepping motor. That is, the cutter (guillotine cutter) is reciprocated by rotating the stepping motor in one direction to cut the printed thermal paper. After the cutting is completed, the cutter is stopped at a predetermined position.
[0034]
Further, the interface unit 23 includes a power interface 34 and a signal interface 35. When AC power is supplied via the power interface 34, a voltage converter (not shown) such as a rectifier is provided. The signal interface 35 may be an RS232C interface, a USB interface, or a Centronics interface, and is used for communication with a host device such as a computer connected to the outside.
[0035]
The detection unit 24 includes various sensors in order to detect parameters necessary for various controls.
[0036]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the roll paper feed type printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. 6 to 11 are schematic views (part 1 to part 6) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed type printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
[0037]
In the roll paper feed type printer in this embodiment, the distance along the paper feed direction between the print head and the cutter is 23.2 mm. The margin length, which is the length of the printing margin area in the paper feeding direction, is set to 4.5 mm.
[0038]
Here, a case where two sheets of papers on which alphabets “A” to “I” are printed and sheets on which numbers “0” to “8” are printed is obtained using a roll paper feed type printer. Let's take an example. In this case, as in the case of a normal roll paper feed type printer, the print start command is printed before the print data indicating printing of alphabets “A” to “I”, and numbers “0” to “8” are printed. A print end command is provided after the print data indicating the print data, and data including a cut instruction command is provided after each print data is sent from the external host device to the roll paper feed printer. Come.
[0039]
Note that the distance along the paper feeding direction between the print head and the cutter does not limit the present invention, and may be another distance. Also, the rotation direction of the paper feed motor that feeds the thermal paper from the print head to the cutter is defined as normal rotation, and the rotation direction of the paper feed motor that returns the thermal paper from the cutter to the print head is defined as reverse rotation. . In the roll paper feed type printer in this embodiment, the resolution is 0.125 mm per step, but this is not a parameter that limits the present invention.
[0040]
FIG. 6A shows an initial state of the roll paper feeding type printer 1 and the thermal paper before the operation start in this embodiment. Here, as an initial state, it is assumed that the leading edge of the thermal paper 2 is set near the cutter of the roll paper feed type printer.
[0041]
First, in step S201 in FIG. 5, a margin length that is the length of the print margin area in the paper feeding direction is set. In this embodiment, the margin length is 4.5 mm.
[0042]
In step S202, a print start command is received from an external host device (not shown) connected to the roll paper feed printer 1, and a series of print processing is started. Specifically, first, the margin length of the print margin area set in step S201 is secured on the thermal paper 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 6B, the paper feed motor is reversed to return the thermal paper 2 by 20 mm, and the paper feed motor is rotated forward to feed 1.3 mm. As a result, the thermal paper 2 is returned by 18.7 mm (= 23.2-4.5 mm) as compared with the initial state shown in FIG. The reason why the paper feeding motor is rotated in the forward direction in this way is to remove the slack of the thermal paper 2 and the rotational play of the rotation transmission mechanism portion that occur during the reverse rotation. From this state, the print head starts printing according to the received print data (in this embodiment, printing from alphabets “A” to “I”). In this embodiment, the distance along the paper feeding direction between the print head and the cutter is 23.2 mm, and as described above, the thermal paper 2 is returned 18.7 mm from the state shown in FIG. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6B, the print start line of the print head is 4.5 mm upstream from the leading edge of the thermal paper in the paper feeding direction. After the print margin area is secured in this way, actual printing by the print head is started. Here, FIG. 6C shows that letters “A” to “I” are printed in accordance with the print data after the print margin area having a margin length of 4.5 mm.
[0043]
After the printing process is completed, in step S204, a cutting instruction command is received following the above-described print data.
[0044]
In step S205, the thermal paper 2 is fed by the length corresponding to the margin. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
[0045]
Next, in step S206, a reservation is made to execute the cutting process instructed by the cutting instruction command after the thermal paper 2 has further moved 18.7 mm.
[0046]
As an alternative example of steps S205 and S206, when a cutting instruction command is received, a reservation is first made that the cutting process is executed after the thermal paper 2 has moved 23.2 mm, and then the margin length is set. Only 4.5 mm may be fed.
[0047]
In step S207, it is determined whether there is a next printing process. Specifically, whether there is new print data following the previous print data (in this embodiment, printing from alphabets “A” to “I”) and / or whether a print end command has been received Whether or not is determined. If there is a next printing process, the process proceeds to step S208. If there is no next printing process, the process proceeds to step S214.
[0048]
In step S208, printing of the print data following the previous print data (in the present embodiment, printing of numbers “0” to “8”) is started. Here, since the thermal paper 2 is already fed by 4.5 mm in step S205, the next print data from the print end line of the print by the previous print data (printing from alphabet "A" to "I"). A print margin area having a margin length of 4.5 mm is already secured between the print start line (printing numbers “0” to “8”).
[0049]
In step S209, it is determined whether or not the thermal paper 2 has been fed 18.7 mm (= 23.2-4.5 mm). If it is fed, the process proceeds to step S210, and if it is not fed, the process proceeds to step S213. In step S213, the currently executed printing process is continued.
[0050]
If it is determined in step S209 that the thermal paper 2 has been fed 18.7 mm, the printing process currently being executed is interrupted in step S210. In the example shown in FIG. 7B, the printing process is interrupted when the printing of the numeral “5” is completed.
[0051]
Next, in step S211, the thermal paper 2 is cut. This disconnection process has been reserved for execution in step S206 described above.
[0052]
When the cutting process is completed and the printed thermal paper 2, that is, the thermal paper 2-1 printed with the letters “A” to “I” in this case, is cut off, the interrupted printing process is resumed in step S 212. FIG. 8 shows that the remaining numbers “6”, “7”, and “8” are printed by resuming the interrupted printing process. Thereafter, the process returns to step S203, and the printing process is terminated.
[0053]
Thereafter, as long as the print data continues, the above steps are repeated to perform printing with a margin area shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter. Next, printing for the desired print data is performed. Is completed, and the process of ending the operation of the roll paper feed printer 1 will be described.
[0054]
When the printing process of the numbers “0” to “8” is completed (step S203), a disconnection instruction command is received in step S204. Usually, a print end command is also received at this stage.
[0055]
In step S205, the thermal paper 2 is fed by the length corresponding to the margin. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
[0056]
In step S206, a reservation is made to execute the cutting process instructed by the cutting instruction command after the thermal paper 2 has been fed 18.7 mm.
[0057]
In step S207, it is determined whether or not there is a next printing process. At this stage, there is no new print data following the print data (printing of alphabets “0” to “8” in the present embodiment), and since the print end command has already been received, the next print processing is performed. It is determined that there is not, and the process proceeds to step S214.
[0058]
In step S214, an end process is executed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10, after the thermal paper 2 is fed 18.7 mm, the cutting process reserved in Step S206 is executed, and the numbers “0” to “8” are printed. The thermal paper 2-2 is cut off.
[0059]
As a result, the operation of the roll paper feed type printer is completed. As shown in FIG. 11, the thermal paper 2-1 printed with the letters “A” to “I” and the numbers “0” to “8” are printed. Can be obtained.
[0060]
As described above, according to this embodiment, when printing according to certain print data is completed and a cutting instruction command for instructing the cutter to cut the printing medium is received, the cutting process is not performed immediately, The cutting process is suspended until the print medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the separation distance between the print head and the cutter. In other words, this cutting process reservation (reservation) is more efficient realization of printing with a print margin area having a margin length shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter along the paper feeding direction. Is possible.
[0061]
Here, a more specific example of the suspension (reservation) of the disconnection process will be described.
[0062]
FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining suspension of the cutting process of the roll paper feed type printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The operation flow shown in FIG. 12 corresponds to each processing after step S206 in FIG. 5 already described.
[0063]
Normally, the print data includes print data for each horizontal line (referred to as “one raster”) and line feed data for instructing to rotate the paper feed motor forward and perform one step line feed after the end of printing for one raster. Prepare.
[0064]
As already described, in step S206 in FIG. 5, a reservation is made to execute the cutting process specified by the cutting instruction command after feeding 18.7 mm of thermal paper. Since the resolution of the roll paper feed type printer of this embodiment is 0.125 mm per step, feeding 18.7 mm of thermal paper is equivalent to 150 step line feed. Accordingly, the line feed amount (number of line feed steps) until the cutting process is executed is set to “150” as the reservation process in step S206 of FIG. Then, this is counted down for each line break of the paper, and the cutting process is executed when it becomes “0”. Here, the line feed amount until the cutting process is executed is referred to as a “cutting pending count amount”.
[0065]
First, in step S301 in FIG. 12, it is determined whether or not line feed data exists in the print data. If there is no line feed data, it means that printing has already been completed. If there is line feed data, the process proceeds to step S302.
[0066]
In step S302, data for one raster is printed.
[0067]
Next, in step S303, the paper feed motor is rotated in the forward direction so that the sheet is fed forward by 1 step.
[0068]
Next, in step S304, it is determined whether or not the disconnection pending count amount is “0”. As described above, in this embodiment, the initial value of the disconnection pending count amount is set to “150” as the reservation processing in step S206 of FIG. If it is determined in step S304 that the disconnection hold count amount is “0”, the process returns to step S301 because there is no disconnection hold already. If it is determined that the disconnection pending count amount is not “0”, the process proceeds to step S305.
[0069]
In step S305, “1” is subtracted from the cutting suspension count amount.
[0070]
Next, in step S306, it is determined whether or not the disconnection pending count amount is “0”.
[0071]
If it is determined in step S306 that the disconnection pending count amount is not “0”, it means that it is not yet the timing to execute the disconnection process, so the disconnection process is suspended and the process returns to step S301.
[0072]
If it is determined in step S306 that the cutting hold count amount is “0”, this means that the sheet has been line-breaked by 150 steps, and thus the process proceeds to step S307, where the printing process is temporarily interrupted and the cutting process is executed.
[0073]
As described above, in this embodiment, even when a disconnection instruction command is received, the disconnection process is not performed immediately, and the disconnection pending count amount set in step S206 of FIG. 5 is counted down to “0”. The disconnection process is suspended (reserved) in such a flow that the disconnection process is executed for the first time. Note that the operation flow for holding (reserving) the cutting process shown in FIG. 12 is an example, and other methods may be used as long as it is possible to determine and manage whether or not a predetermined distance has been fed. . For example, a method of determining the paper feed distance by setting the final reaching value of the cutting hold count amount and counting up the cutting processing count amount from a certain appropriate initial value, or the paper feed speed of the paper feed motor For example, a method of calculating a sheet feeding distance from a combination of a clock and a clock may be used.
[0074]
As already described with reference to FIG. 5, if the roll paper feed type printer according to the present embodiment is a normal end process, a print end command is received when printing according to desired print data is completed. However, a print termination command during the print process, such as when it is forcibly terminated during printing or when a completely new group of print data is received during printing according to the print data that should have been the final one. May be irregular. Here, a more specific embodiment of the end process of the roll paper feed type printer that can cope with such a case will be described.
[0075]
FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the end processing of the roll paper feed type printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. The operation flow shown in FIG. 13 corresponds to the processing of steps S207 and S214 of FIG. 5 already described.
[0076]
First, in step S401, a print end command is received.
[0077]
Subsequently, in step S402, it is determined whether or not the disconnection pending count amount is “150”.
[0078]
If the disconnection pending count amount is “150”, the process proceeds to step S403. In this case, as already described with reference to FIG. 5, the printing process is terminated in step S203, the cutting instruction command is received in S204, and the margin length (4.5 mm in this embodiment, ie, 36 steps in this embodiment) is received in S205. )), And in step S206, the cutting hold count amount is set to “150” as a reservation for cutting processing, and a series of operations such as completion of printing according to the final print data and normal termination are applicable. . In this case, in step S403, the distance obtained by subtracting the margin length (4.5 mm or 36 steps in this embodiment) from the separation distance (23.2 mm or 186 steps in the present embodiment) between the print head and the cutter (in this embodiment). In this embodiment, if paper is fed by 18.7 mm (ie, 150 steps), when the cutting process is executed in step S405, the printed paper is normally ejected and the operation of the roll paper feed printer is terminated. Can be made.
[0079]
If it is determined in step S402 that the disconnection pending count amount is not “150”, the process proceeds to step S404. In this case, a series of processes at the time of normal termination as in the above-described case has not been performed, and the disconnection pending count amount is not set to “150” in step S206, that is, the disconnection process is not reserved. means. This is the case when the current print processing is forcibly terminated for some reason, or when a completely new group of print data is received during printing according to the print data that should have been the final one. Applicable. Therefore, in order to normally discharge the currently processed sheet without cutting it halfway, at least a separation distance between the print head and the cutter (23.2 mm in this embodiment, that is, 186 steps) in step S404. , And then the cutting process is executed in step S405.
[0080]
According to the method described above, in any case, the paper being processed can be normally discharged without being cut halfway.
[0081]
As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the margin length, which is the length of the print margin area in the paper feeding direction, is set in advance to be shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter.
[0082]
In addition to this, printing such as a conventional roll paper feeding type printer that has the distance along the feeding direction between the print head and the cutter as the margin length of the printing margin area can be further selected as an option. Also good.
[0083]
That is, as a modification of the present invention, a process for comparing the margin length of the preset print margin area with the separation distance between the print head and the cutter is further provided, and the margin length is between the print head and the cutter. If the distance is shorter than the separation distance, the above-described processing according to the present invention is executed (for example, referred to as “margin reduction printing mode”). Otherwise, the conventional printing processing is executed to separate the print head from the cutter. The print mode may be switched such that a print process having the distance as the margin length of the print margin area can be executed (for example, referred to as “normal print mode”).
[0084]
More specifically, before operating the roll paper feed printer, the margin length of the print margin area is set in advance using a host device such as a computer connected to the roll paper feed printer. It can be so. When the roll paper feed printer starts operation, it is first determined whether the preset margin length is shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter, and the margin reduction print mode Alternatively, any one of the normal print modes may be switched. Further, in this case, when the roll paper feed printer is in the margin reduction print mode at the end of the operation, it may be returned to the normal print mode.
[0085]
The printing apparatus according to the present invention has been described by taking the roll paper feed type printer as an example. However, the printing apparatus is a printing apparatus that performs printing on a printing medium wound in a roll shape. Other devices may be used as long as they are installed at a predetermined distance along the print medium supply direction. For example, a roll paper feed fax machine, a tape printer, a label printer, a receipt It may be a POS cash register printer that issues. If the present invention is applied to such a printing apparatus, printing in which the margin length, which is the length of the printing margin area in the paper feeding direction, is slightly shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter can be efficiently performed. Can be realized.
[0086]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in a printing apparatus that prints on a printing medium wound in a roll shape, the length along the printing medium supply direction of the printing blank area is printed along the supply direction. It can be easily made shorter than the distance between the head and the cutter. That is, it is possible to efficiently realize printing in which the margin length, which is the length of the printing margin area in the paper feeding direction, is slightly shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter.
[0087]
Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to adjust the print medium to a desired margin length without performing processing for returning the print medium in the direction opposite to the original supply direction, thereby reducing the entire operation time of the printing apparatus. be able to. This is particularly effective when printing is followed by a plurality of print data. Further, since the switching operation itself of the forward / reverse rotation direction of the motor for supplying the printing medium toward the print head is reduced, the structure of the motor drive circuit becomes relatively easy, and the noise and vibration of the motor can be reduced.
[0088]
Furthermore, a process for comparing the margin length of the preset print margin area with the separation distance between the print head and the cutter is further provided, and the margin length is shorter than the separation distance between the print head and the cutter. If the above-described processing according to the present invention is executed, otherwise the conventional printing processing is executed, and the printing processing having the separation distance between the print head and the cutter as the margin length of the printing margin area can be executed. If it does in this way, since the printing apparatus which prints on the to-be-printed medium wound by roll shape can be easily applied to various uses, versatility increases.
[0089]
A printing apparatus that performs printing on a printing medium wound in a roll shape to which the present invention can be applied is an apparatus in which a printing head and a cutter are installed at a predetermined distance along the supply direction of the printing medium. For example, a roll paper feed printer, a roll paper feed fax machine, a tape printer, a label printer, and a POS cash register printer that issues a receipt may be used.
[0090]
For example, when a large amount of sticker labels are printed by a roll paper feed type printer, in the conventional example, the print head and the cutter are spaced apart each time one sticker label is printed. In order to remove the printing blank area, it is necessary to reverse the paper feed motor to adjust the size of the print margin area, but according to the present invention, there is no need to reverse the paper feed motor many times. It is possible to print efficiently and in a short time.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a printing apparatus control method according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control method of a printing apparatus according to a modification of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of a roll paper feeding type printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the roll paper feed type printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram (part 1) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram (part 2) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram (part 3) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram (part 4) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram (part 5) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram (part 6) illustrating a series of operations of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the suspension of the cutting process of the roll paper feed type printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an end process of the roll paper feed printer according to the embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 is a basic principle diagram of a conventional roll paper feeding type printer.
FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating an example of printing by a conventional roll paper feed type printer.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Printing device
11 ... Print head
12 ... Supply means
13 ... Cutter
14: Setting means
15: First control means
16 Second control means
17 ... Third control means
21 ... Main control section
22 ... Drive unit
23. Interface part
24. Detection unit
31 ... Thermal head
32 ... Feeding motor
33 ... Cutter driving motor
34 ... Power supply interface
35 ... Signal interface

Claims (5)

A print head; supply means for supplying the print medium to be printed by the print head from the print medium wound in a roll shape toward the print head; and the printing along the supply direction of the print medium A printing apparatus provided with a cutter that is installed at a predetermined distance from a head and cuts the printed medium to be printed;
Setting means for setting a margin length along the supply direction of a printing margin area between a cutting line by the cutter on the printing medium and a next printing start line;
Determination means for determining whether the margin length is shorter than the predetermined distance;
And print processing according to the first print data is completed, in a case where the cutting of the printing medium receiving the termination instruction command to instruct the cutter, short and said judging means than the distance the blank length of the predetermined when that has been determined by, the distance obtained by subtracting a predetermined said margin length from a distance the first and executes the reservation processing of the print medium to execute cutting of the printing medium after moving If the determination means determines that the margin length is not shorter than the predetermined distance, the cutting instruction command is controlled to execute the printing process according to the second print data following the print data. First control means for controlling to execute the cutting of the printing medium according to
The distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the predetermined distance during the execution of the printing process according to the second print data , when the determination unit determines that the margin length is shorter than the predetermined distance. when only the moves the printing medium, interrupts the printing process according to the second print data being executed, perform the cutting of the first print data to be printed I follow the printed the print medium Second control means for controlling to do,
The controls so that after the cutting of the first print data to be printed I follow the printed the printing medium, to resume printing process according interrupted the second print data to perform the rest of the printing process And a control unit. 3. A printing apparatus comprising: A print head; supply means for supplying the print medium to be printed by the print head from the print medium wound in a roll shape toward the print head; and the printing along the supply direction of the print medium A control method for a printing apparatus comprising a cutter that is installed at a predetermined distance from a head and that cuts the printed medium to be printed,
A setting step of setting a margin length along the supply direction of a printing margin area between a cutting line by the cutter on the printing medium and a next printing start line;
A determination step of determining whether the margin length is shorter than the predetermined distance;
If the margin length in said determining step is determined to shorter than the predetermined distance, the print processing according to the first print data is completed, the cutting instruction to cut the printing medium to the cutter When a command is received, a reservation process is executed in which the printing medium is cut after the printing medium has moved by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the predetermined distance, and the first printing is performed. A first control step for controlling to execute a printing process according to the second print data following the data;
When it is determined in the determination step that the margin length is shorter than the predetermined distance, only the distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the predetermined distance during execution of the printing process according to the second print data. when the printing medium is moved, interrupting the printing process according to the second print data, and controls to execute the cutting of the first print data to be printed I follow the printed the print medium A second control step;
After cutting the first of the printing medium printed printed in the print data I follow in the second control step, the rest of the printing to resume printing process according the interrupted second print data A third control step for controlling to execute the process;
When it is determined in the determination step that the margin length is not shorter than the predetermined distance, the printing process according to the first print data is completed, and the cutting that instructs the cutter to cut the printing medium And a fourth control step for controlling to execute a cutting process in accordance with the cutting instruction command when an instruction command is received . A print head; a supply means for supplying a print medium to be printed by the print head from the print medium wound in a roll shape toward the print head; and the supply direction of the print medium along the supply direction. A control method for a printing apparatus comprising a cutter that is installed at a predetermined distance from a print head and that cuts the printed medium to be printed,
A first step of setting a margin length along the supply direction of a printing margin area between a cutting line by the cutter on the printing medium and a next printing start line;
A determination step of determining whether the margin length is shorter than the predetermined distance;
A second step of executing printing on the print medium according to the first print data;
A third step of receiving a cutting instruction command for instructing the cutter to cut the print medium after printing in the second step;
When receiving the disconnection instruction command in the third step, wherein, when the blank length in the judgment step was Tei is judged shorter than the predetermined distance, the margin length before Symbol predetermined distance of A fourth step of executing a printing process on the printing medium in accordance with second printing data following the first printing data until the printing medium moves by a distance obtained by subtracting
When the printing medium is moved by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the predetermined distance in the fourth step, the printing process according to the second print data being executed is interrupted, and the printing medium A fifth step of performing cutting;
A sixth step of restarting the printing process according to the interrupted second print data after the cutting of the print medium in the fifth step and executing the remaining printing process;
When the cutting instruction command is received in the third step, if it is determined in the determining step that the margin length is not shorter than the predetermined distance, a cutting process is executed according to the cutting instruction command And a seventh step of controlling the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus further comprises a start step of moving the print medium by a distance obtained by subtracting the margin length from the predetermined distance so that the print head is positioned at the print start line when a print start command is received. 4. A method for controlling a printing apparatus according to 2 or 3 . When receiving the print end command, after a predetermined distance above the printing medium is moved, the printing apparatus according the any of claims 2-4, further comprising an end step of cutting the printing medium Control method.

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