JP4522239B2 - Label feeding device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a label feed device which is a device for feeding a label to a print head.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are printers that can print on different sheet lengths of cut sheet paper (cut sheet) and continuous form paper.
This printer is extremely suitable for, for example, continuous printing of pay statements using continuous form paper with perforations, and printing of bills, delivery forms, etc. each time using single form paper. In general, a printer is used to input a sheet designation according to the application, and to use a single form sheet and a continuous form sheet properly (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition to such a printer, there is a label printer capable of printing on a double-leaf label continuously attached to a belt-like mount.
This printer is extremely suitable for continuously printing labels to be affixed to products with a large quantity.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-187468 (page 3, FIG. 2)

  By the way, the latter so-called label printer has recently printed a line-shaped reference mark on the back surface of the mount in the width direction of the mount as illustrated in FIG. 3A in order to accurately recognize the print start position. A reference mark detection sensor for detecting a reference mark at a predetermined interval from the print head is provided on the upstream side of the transport path with respect to the print head. Based on the detection by the reference mark detection sensor, control is performed so that printing deviation does not occur in each label.

  In such a high-precision label printer, like the former single-sheet / continuous-sheet paper printer, printing of labels having different lengths, that is, a double-leaf label continuously stuck on a belt-like mount, and a single-leaf label There is a desire to print on both labels.

  However, in this type of high-precision label printer, the above-described reference mark detection sensor is provided, as described above, in order to prevent printing misalignment with respect to each of the double-leaf labels. In this case, the single-leaf label tip is inserted to the position of the print head, so that the single-leaf label tip becomes the print standard, which is rather harmful.

  On the other hand, because of the need to avoid contact between multiple labels before printing and the ink ribbon, this type of label printer prints so that the end of the print head on the label issuing port side is low. The head is inclined and attached, and the double-leaf label is guided to the print head at a required inclination angle so as to retract toward the print head.

  Therefore, if a conveyance path for guiding a single-leaf label is provided, the conveyance path entrance is at the lower position with the print head as the upper position. In other words, the label entry section is provided at the lower portion of the label printer, and it is manually fed. However, it becomes very difficult to feed paper.

  Accordingly, the present invention complicates the structure of a double-leaf label and a single-leaf label, both of which are continuously attached to a belt-like mount, particularly in a high-precision label printer provided with a reference mark detection sensor. An object of the present invention is to provide a label feeding device that can be printed easily without any problems.

In order to achieve the above technical problem, the label feeding apparatus according to the present invention has the following technical means.
That is, in the label feeding device according to claim 1, the reference marks for determining the printing start point are continuously pasted on the surface of the mount on which the printing is started at a predetermined interval with a certain relationship with the reference marks. A double-leaf label, a reference mark detection sensor for detecting the reference mark provided on the upstream side of a print head for performing printing, and a label entrance for inserting the single-leaf label are provided in the housing, and the single-leaf label A conveyance path formed with a recess so that the single-leaf label is fed into the print head, and a single-leaf label that detects the single-leaf label in the conveyance path A detection sensor is provided, and when the single leaf label detection sensor detects the single leaf label, the operation of the reference mark detection sensor is stopped. To,
The single-leaf label is fed into the print head along the conveyance path in which the concave portion is formed, and is set from the reference mark detection sensor to the label entrance portion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the label feeding device according to the first aspect, wherein a cover that can be opened and closed is provided at a single-leaf label entrance portion through which the single-leaf label is manually inserted, and a cover detection sensor that detects an open / closed state of the cover. The reference mark detection sensor is provided at or near the cover and stops the operation of the reference mark detection sensor when the cover detection sensor detects an open state of the cover.

According to the present invention, by providing a single-leaf label conveyance path, even in a label printer using a double-leaf label, a single-leaf label can be printed, and the conveyance path is formed in a concave curve so that the print head direction is Since the single-leaf label is guided to the print head at a required inclination angle so as to rise from below toward the print head, it is possible to provide a label entrance at the top of the label printer. Can be inserted easily from the label entrance.
In addition, a single-leaf label detection sensor that detects a single-leaf label is provided in the transport path, or a cover detection sensor that detects the open / closed state of the cover is provided at or near the cover. Therefore, a single-leaf label can be easily printed even in a high-precision type label printer in which the printing start position is accurate.

Next, an embodiment of a label feed device according to the present invention will be described. The present embodiment exemplifies a so-called label printer in which the label feed device according to the present invention is incorporated, and a detailed description of components other than the label feed device, which is a main part, is omitted. In the figure, symbol A indicates a label printer.
The label printer A according to the present embodiment includes a print head unit 1, a supply reel unit 2, a conveyance path 3, and a sensor unit 4.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the print head unit 1 has a box-shaped casing a1 in which a label issuing port a2 is provided, and an end on the label carry-out direction side is near the label issuing port a2. A thermal type print head 11 provided so as to be inclined, a platen roller 12 pivotally mounted so as to face the print head 11, and a print head provided near the upstream side of the platen roller 12. A guide plate 13 inclined at a required inclination angle so as to rise from below toward the direction 11, a conveyance roller provided so as to face the guide plate 13 and conveying a label, and an ink ribbon on the print head 11 And an ink ribbon supply mechanism 14 provided so as to be in contact with the print head surface and to be interlocked with the platen roller 12.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (1), the supply reel unit 2 includes a mount 5b in which a line-shaped reference mark 5a for determining a printing start point is printed on the back surface at a predetermined interval, and the reference mark 5a and a fixed mark. In this way, the double-leaf label 5c continuously stuck on the surface of the mount 5b and wound together with the mount 5b is supported so as to be able to be fed out.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyance path 3 includes an angle member 31 having a concave shape formed in a concave curve, and a single-leaf label provided on the right end of the guide plate 13 and the wall surface of the housing a <b> 1. It is constructed so as to connect the label entrance a3 into which 5d is inserted.
In this manner, the single-leaf label 5d as shown in FIG. 3 (2) is printed by being inclined at a required inclination angle so that the left portion of the conveyance path 3 is substantially continuous with the right end portion of the guide plate 13. The head 11 is guided from below and sent to the print head 11.

  The sensor unit 4 opens and closes a reference mark detection sensor 41 that is an optical sensor that is provided on the guide plate 13 and detects a reference mark 5a, and a cover 6 that covers a single-leaf label entrance a3 through which a single-leaf label 5d is manually inserted. A cover detection sensor 42 comprising an optical sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the cover 6 is provided on the outer wall of the housing a1 so as to detect the open / closed state of the cover 6. When the cover detection sensor 42 detects the open state of the cover 6, the control unit stops the operation of the reference mark detection sensor 41 and switches to the printing mode for the single-leaf label 5 d. When the cover detection sensor 42 detects the closed state of the cover 6, the print mode is switched to the double-leaf label 5c.

  Further, instead of the cover detection sensor 42, as illustrated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, a single leaf label detection sensor for detecting a single leaf label 5d on the upstream side of the conveyance path 3 (near the single leaf label entrance a3). 43 may be provided. Also in this case, similarly to the cover detection sensor 42, when the single-leaf label detection sensor 43 detects the single-leaf label 5d, the control unit (not shown) stops the operation of the reference mark detection sensor 41, and the single-leaf label 5d. It is configured to switch to the print mode.

  Next, the operation of the label printer A according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. First, when printing on the double-leaf label 5c, the double-leaf label 5c wound together with the mount is supported on the supply reel unit 2, and between the transport roller and the guide plate 13, and between the print head 11 and The double-leaf label 5c is set on the label printer A through the double-leaf label 5c with the mount 5b fed between the platen roller 12 and the platen roller 12.

  Then, triggered by an action such as pressing a print start button, the supply reel unit 2 and the print head unit 1 are synchronized, and printing starts based on desired print data. At this time, in order to accurately recognize the printing start position of each of the double-leaf labels 5c, the line-shaped reference mark 5a printed on the back surface of the mount 5b in the width direction of the mount 5b is used as the reference mark detection sensor 41 described above. Is detected, and control is performed so that printing misregistration does not occur individually on the double-leaf label 5c that is continuously stuck with a certain relationship with the reference mark 5a.

  Next, when printing is performed on the single-leaf label 5d, first, the double-leaf label 5c passed between the transport roller and the guide plate 13 and between the print head 11 and the platen roller 12 is retracted. Let me.

  Then, the cover 6 is opened so as to be lifted upward, and the single-leaf label 5d is inserted from the exposed single-leaf label entrance a3 until it is positioned between the print head 11 and the platen roller 12, and the label is set. At this time, the single-leaf label 5d is guided to the print head 11 at a required inclination angle along the conveyance path 3 formed with a concave curve, and the leading edge of the single-leaf label contacts the print head 11 and the platen roller 12. Guided until touching.

  Next, triggered by an action such as pressing a print start button, the print head unit 1 operates to start printing based on desired print data. At this time, by opening the cover 6 so as to lift upward, the cover detection sensor 42 detects the open state of the cover 6, and by detecting the sensor, the operation of the reference mark detection sensor 41 is stopped and the single-leaf label is detected. The print mode is switched to the 5d print mode, and the single-label label tip is printed as a print start reference without causing the reference mark detection sensor 41 to malfunction.

  The cover 6 can be maintained in an open state and a closed state, and the cover 6 is closed again to switch to the above-described print mode of the double-leaf label 5c.

  As described above, the label printer A according to the present embodiment can print not only the double-leaf label 5c but also the single-leaf label 5d, and the conveyance path 3 is formed in a concave curve, so that the label entrance can be formed at the top of the label printer. The portion a3 can be provided, and the single-leaf label 5d can be easily inserted when manually feeding.

  In addition, since the cover detection sensor 42 for detecting the open / closed state of the cover 6 is provided, the operation of the reference mark detection sensor 41 is stopped by the detection of the sensor, and the print mode of the single-leaf label 5d is switched. Even in a high-precision type label printer, the single-leaf label 5d can be printed easily. Further, after the single-leaf label printing, the control unit is controlled to operate the reference mark detection sensor by closing the cover 6 after printing.

  The label printer according to this embodiment has been described above. However, the above-described embodiment shows an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 is a longitudinal front view schematically showing a label printer A according to an embodiment. It is sectional drawing which follows the XX line in FIG. It is the outline of the label used for the label printer concerning this Embodiment, (1) It is a reverse view of the double-leaf label stuck on the mount. (2) It is a front view of a single-leaf label.

Explanation of symbols

A label printer a1 housing a2 label issuing port a3 label entrance 1 print head 11 print head 12 platen roller 13 guide plate 14 ink ribbon supply mechanism 2 supply reel 3 transport path 31 angle material 4 sensor unit 41 reference mark detection sensor 42 Cover detection sensor 43 Single leaf label detection sensor 5a Reference mark 5b Mount 5c Double leaf label 5d Single leaf label 6 Cover

Claims (2)

A double-leaf label continuously attached to the surface of the mount on which a reference mark for determining a printing start point is printed at a predetermined interval, with a fixed relationship with the reference mark;
A reference mark detection sensor that is provided on the upstream side of a print head that performs printing and detects the reference mark;
A concave portion formed so that a label entrance for inserting a single-leaf label is provided in the housing, and the single-leaf label is guided from below to the print head so that the single-leaf label is fed into the print head. Transported path,
A single-leaf label detection sensor for detecting the single-leaf label is provided in the conveyance path, and when the single-leaf label detection sensor detects the single-leaf label, the operation of the reference mark detection sensor is stopped.
The label feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the single-leaf label is fed to the print head along the conveyance path in which the concave portion is formed, and is set from the reference mark detection sensor to the label entrance. An openable / closable cover is provided at a single-leaf label entrance where the single-leaf label is manually inserted, and a cover detection sensor for detecting an open / closed state of the cover is provided at or near the cover. 2. The label feeding device according to claim 1, wherein when the open state of the cover is detected, the operation of the reference mark detection sensor is stopped.

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