JP4251886B2 - Initial setting method of cutter part in printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an initial setting method of a cutter unit in a printer, and more particularly to an initial setting method of a cutter unit equipped in various printers for price tags or other information displays such as a label printer and a tag printer. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In conventional label printers and tag printers, when the power is turned on, the cutter operation of the cutter unit is performed in advance for one cycle prior to the printing operation of the printing unit, thereby determining the home position of the cutter. There is something.
An outline will be given based on FIG. 3 and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a main part of a conventional tag printer 1 (printer). The tag printer 1 includes a printing unit 2, a detection unit 3, a cutter unit 4, an input unit 5, and a display. Part 6 and control part 7.
[0003]
The printing unit 2 includes a thermal head 8 and a platen roller 9, and a belt-like printing paper 10 (label or tag) is placed between the thermal head 8 and a predetermined printing speed as the platen roller 9 rotates. And printing information of a predetermined pattern from the heat generating element 11 of the thermal head 8 to enable printing on the printing paper 10.
The printing paper 10 has a heat-sensitive coloring layer on its surface and can be colored by heating. However, any type of printing paper can be used according to the method of the printing unit 2, and in the case of plain paper May use an ink ribbon (not shown).
[0004]
The detection unit 3 includes a sensor 12 of any type such as a reflection type or a transmission type. ) Is detected.
[0005]
The cutter unit 4 includes a fixed blade 13 and a movable blade 14 that reciprocates with respect to the fixed blade 13, and cuts the printed printing paper 10 transferred between the fixed blade 13 into a predetermined length.
[0006]
The input unit 5 inputs data or commands necessary for the tag printer 1.
The display unit 6 displays data or commands necessary for the tag printer 1.
[0007]
The control unit 7 controls the entire tag printer 1 and is connected to an external personal computer 15 to enable data transmission / reception.
4 is a block diagram of the control unit 7. The control unit 7 includes a CPU 16, a ROM 17, a RAM 18, a print control unit 19, a motor control unit 20, a sensor control unit 21, and a cutter control unit 22. And an internal interface 23, an external interface 24, and a bus 25 for connecting them.
[0008]
The ROM 17 stores various software for overall control.
The RAM 18 stores various data.
The print control unit 19 controls the thermal head 8.
The motor control unit 20 controls the rotation of the platen roller 9 via the stepping motor 26.
The sensor control unit 21 controls the sensor 12.
The cutter control unit 22 controls the movable blade 14 of the cutter unit 4.
[0009]
In the tag printer 1 having such a configuration, since a predetermined interval is required between the printing unit 2 and the cutter unit 4, the printing paper 10 is removed after the cutting operation in the cutter unit 4 following the printing operation in the printing unit 2. The feed portion is once back-fed to the upstream side (to the print unit 2 side) by an interval L1 therebetween, and the leading end portion 10B of the print sheet 10 is returned to the position of the heating element 11 of the thermal head 8 in the print unit 2 and then the print unit. By performing the printing on the printing paper 10 according to No. 2, the printing area of the printing paper 10 can be used effectively, and the useless use thereof is avoided.
Furthermore, when the power is turned off, the position of the printing paper 10 after the operation of the cutter unit 4 is stopped at the position of the movable blade 14 of the cutter unit 4 with its leading end 10B as shown in the figure.
In such a state, the power is turned on to start the tag printer 1 and the initial setting (initial setting) operation of the cutter unit 4 is performed. That is, the movable blade 14 is reciprocated by one cycle while the printing paper 10 is on the fixed blade 13.
However, the state of the printing paper 10 at the stop position of the cutter unit 4 is slightly slightly at each stop, for example, slightly protruding downstream from the movable blade 14 or slightly inclined with respect to the transfer direction. This is different and unstable or uncertain, and the initial setting operation of the cutter unit 4 causes a problem that the front end portion 10B of the printing paper 10 is slightly cut to generate elongated chips 10D.
Therefore, there exists a problem that this chip | tip 10D accumulates in the lower part of the cutter part 4, and a malfunction generate | occur | produces in the operation | movement of the cutter part 4.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-11448
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been considered in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an initial setting method of a cutter unit in a printer, which relates to a cutter unit provided in a printer that performs backfeed of printing paper.
[0012]
Another object of the present invention is to provide an initial setting method of a cutter unit in a printer that prevents generation of chips of printing paper when the cutter unit is initially set.
[0013]
Further, the present invention provides an initial set of a cutter unit in a printer in which no trouble occurs in the operation of the cutter unit even when the cutter unit is driven for one cycle while the front end portion of the printing paper is positioned in the cutter unit. It is an object to provide a method.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
That is, the present invention pays attention to the fact that when the power is turned on, the printing paper is first slightly back-fed upstream in the transport direction, and then the initial setting operation of the cutter unit is performed. A printing unit that performs printing, a cutter unit that cuts the printing paper printed in the printing unit into a predetermined length , and a detection hole formed between the printing unit and the cutter unit to detect a detection hole formed in the printing paper An initial setting method of a cutter unit in a printer having a detection unit, and a control unit that controls the cutter unit to drive and set the cutter unit for one cycle when the power is turned on. ,
The control unit, when the power is turned on, back-feeds the printing paper, the tip of which is positioned at the cutter unit, toward the printing unit until a detection hole is positioned at the detection unit. The initial setting method of the cutter unit in the printer is characterized in that the initial setting of the printing unit is performed and the printing paper is further fed back to the printing unit .
[0015]
The control unit can back-feed the printing paper toward the printing unit at a transfer speed slower than the printing speed of the printing unit when the power is turned on.
[0018]
In the initial setting method of the cutter unit in the printer according to the present invention, the printing paper is slightly back-feeded upstream in the transfer direction before the operation of the cutter unit when the power is turned on, and then the initial setting operation of the cutter unit Therefore, during the initial setting operation of the cutter unit, there is no printing paper in that portion, and no chips are generated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a malfunction from occurring in the operation of the cutter unit.
Further, by lowering the transfer speed of the back feed of the printing paper from the normal printing speed, the printing paper can be accurately positioned at a predetermined portion of the printing portion (for example, the heating element portion of the thermal head). The print position can be set accurately at the initial movement.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, an initial setting method of the cutter unit in the printer according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. However, the same parts as those in FIGS. 3 and 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the tag printer 1 mainly showing the print unit 2, the detection unit 3, and the cutter unit 4 as in FIG. The plane is shown.
As illustrated, an interval between the movable blade 14 of the cutter unit 4 and the sensor 12 of the detection unit 3 is L2. The distance between the sensor 12 and the heating element 11 of the thermal head 8 in the printing unit 2 is L3. When the detection hole 10A is at the position of the sensor 12 (when the sensor 12 detects the detection hole 10A), the distance between the leading end portion 10B of the printing paper 10 and the cutter portion 4 (movable blade 14) is L4. To do.
[0020]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the initial setting method of the cutter unit 4. When the power is turned on and the tag printer 1 is turned on in step S 1, the printing paper 10 is placed on the sensor 12 portion of the detection unit 3. It is determined whether or not there is (step S2).
If the printing paper 10 is detected by the sensor 12, the printing paper 10 is back-fed by a predetermined length (interval L4) in step S3 and transferred upstream until the detection hole 10A is positioned at the sensor 12.
The backfeed transfer speed is desirably slower than the normal printing paper 10 printing speed, and the accuracy of setting the printing paper 10 in the printing unit 2 when the power is turned on can be improved.
[0021]
When the detection hole 10A of the printing paper 10 is detected in step S4, the cutter operation by the initial setting of the detection unit 3 is performed for one cycle in step S5. However, the printing paper 10 (tip portion 10B) is located in the cutter unit 4. Therefore, the chips 10D (FIG. 3) are not generated unlike the conventional case.
The length of the back feed in step S3 is arbitrary. When the cutter operation in step S5 is performed, the leading edge 10B of the printing paper 10 is cut by the fixed blade 13 and the movable blade 14 and the chips 10D are not generated. However, as described above, when the sensor 12 detects the detection hole 10A, the distance L4 between the front end portion 10B of the printing paper 10 and the cutter unit 4 is set, so that the printing paper 10 has a predetermined upstream position. It is possible to reliably realize that the chips 10D are not generated by being located at the site. Further, the back feed length can be defined by the number of steps of the stepping motor 26 or the number of dots for printing.
[0022]
In step S6, the printing paper 10 is further back-fed to the upstream side (printing unit 2 side).
If the leading edge 10B of the printing paper 10 is detected in step S7, backfeed is further performed in step S8.
In this state, the printing paper 10 is back-fed by the interval L3, and the leading end portion 10B of the printing paper 10 is positioned at the portion of the heating element 11 of the thermal head 8 in the printing unit 2. 3, after the initial setting of the cutter unit 4 is completed, it is necessary to back-feed the printing paper 10 to the printing unit 2. In the present invention, the initial setting of the cutter unit 4 is performed. The printing paper 10 can be set on the printing unit 2 together with the setting.
[0023]
That is, as described above, after the setting of the printing unit 2 and the cutter unit 4 is completed, as a normal operation, a predetermined printing operation (step S9) and a cutter operation (step S10) are performed by receiving a supply of a printing signal. Do.
It should be noted that after the initial cut operation of the cutter unit 4 in step S5, the supply of the print signal is awaited, and after receiving the print signal, the back feed is performed in steps S6 to S8, and the process proceeds to the print operation of step S9. It can also be controlled.
[0024]
If the printing paper 10 is not present in step S2, the printing paper 10 is front-feeded downstream in step S11. In step S12, it is determined whether the printing paper 10 is present, and the printing paper 10 must be detected. If an error is detected (step S13), and the print sheet 10 is present, the process proceeds to step S8.
[0025]
Thus, as explained in step S5 and step S6, when the cutter initial operation of the cutter unit 4 is performed, there is no printing paper 10 in the movable blade 14, and the cutting of the printing paper 10 as in the past is performed. It is possible to prevent generation of defects in the operation of the cutter unit 4 without generating the waste 10D.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the timing of the back feed of the printing paper is made earlier than the timing of the initial setting of the cutter unit, thereby avoiding the trouble of the cutter unit without generating the chips of the printing paper. it can.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 explains an initial setting method of a cutter unit in a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and schematically shows a tag printer 1 mainly showing a printing unit 2, a detection unit 3 and a cutter unit 4; It is a side view.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the initial setting method of the cutter unit 4;
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a main part of a conventional tag printer 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control unit 7;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Tag printer (printer)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Printing part 3 Detection part 4 Cutter part 5 Input part 6 Display part 7 Control part 8 Thermal head 9 Platen roller 10 Printing paper 10A Detection hole 10B of printing paper 10 Front end part 10C of printing paper 10 Mark to be detected of printing paper 10 10D Chips of printing paper 10 (Fig. 3)
11 Heating element 12 Sensor 13 Fixed blade 14 Movable blade 15 PC 16 CPU (FIG. 4)
17 ROM
18 RAM
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 19 Print control part 20 Motor control part 21 Sensor control part 22 Cutter control part 23 Internal interface 24 External interface 25 Bus | bath 26 Stepping motor L1 The space | interval between the printing part 2 (heating element 11) and the cutter part 4 (movable blade 14) (Figure 3)
L2 Interval between the movable blade 14 of the cutter unit 4 and the sensor 12 of the detection unit 3 (FIG. 1)
The distance between the L3 sensor 12 and the heating element 11 of the thermal head 8 in the printing unit 2 (FIG. 1)
L4 The distance between the leading end portion 10B of the printing paper 10 and the cutter portion 4 (movable blade 14) when the detection hole 10A is at the position of the sensor 12 (FIG. 1)

Claims (2)

A printing section for printing on printing paper;
A cutter unit for cutting the printing paper printed in the printing unit into a predetermined length;
A detection unit that is provided between the printing unit and the cutter unit and detects a detection hole formed in the printing paper ;
A control unit for controlling the cutter unit to drive and set the cutter unit for one cycle when the power is turned on, and an initial setting method for the cutter unit in a printer having:
The controller is
At the time of turning on the power, after feeding back the printing paper whose tip is located in the cutter part toward the printing part until the detection hole is located in the detection part ,
Do the initial setting of the cutter part ,
Further, the initial setting method of the cutter unit in the printer, wherein the printing paper is controlled to be fed back to the printing unit . The controller is
2. The initial setting method of a cutter unit in a printer according to claim 1, wherein when the power is turned on, the printing paper is back-feeded toward the printing unit at a transfer speed slower than a printing speed by the printing unit.

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