JP4865151B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a printer, and more particularly, to a printer provided with communication means for inputting information to an IC chip included in a display tag such as a label or tag.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, display tags (labels and tags) including an IC chip and an antenna have been developed. This display tag can record a large amount of information on the IC chip and can transmit and receive a large amount of information in a non-contact manner via an antenna, so that it is excellent in terms of information management.
[0003]
The printer that prints on the display tag includes a communication unit that communicates with the IC chip in addition to a printing unit such as a thermal head. The communication means has a communication antenna, and communicates with the antenna of the display tag by using this communication antenna to write information on the IC chip and read information on the IC chip.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional printer, if a plurality of IC chips exist within the communicable range of the communication antenna, information is written in all the IC chips, and wrong information may be written in the IC chips. In particular, when a plurality of printers are arranged side by side, information may be erroneously written on the IC chip of the display tag set in the adjacent printer. Therefore, it is conceivable to reduce the output of the communication antenna.
[0005]
However, if the output is reduced, it is likely to be affected by external radio waves, so that there is a problem that information cannot be accurately written to the IC chip. Conversely, when the output of the communication antenna is increased, there is a risk of adversely affecting peripheral devices as described above.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a printer capable of accurately writing information on an IC chip of a display tag.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a printing means for printing on an IC label having a number of IC chips temporarily attached at predetermined intervals to a belt-like mount, and a communication means for communicating with the IC chip. , A shield case surrounding the antenna of the communication means is provided, and communication is performed by passing the IC chips one by one inside the shield case.
[0008]
According to the present invention, since the shield case surrounding the antenna of the communication means is provided and the display tag is passed through the shield case for communication, the IC can be accurately connected without being adversely affected by external noise. Information can be written. Further, it is possible to prevent information from being erroneously written to an IC outside the shield case, and to prevent adverse effects on devices outside the shield case.
[0009]
Further, since there is provided an electromagnetic wave absorbing means inside the to case, electromagnetic waves transmitted from the antenna of the communication unit is difficult to leak to the outside of the case.
[0010]
In addition , since the single display tag is put inside the case, it is possible to prevent information from being erroneously written to the IC of the display tag outside the case.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of a printer according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0012]
First, a label sheet of an IC label (corresponding to a display tag) on which printing is performed by the printer of this embodiment will be described.
[0013]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a label paper 12 wound in a roll shape. As shown in the figure, the label paper 12 is configured by temporarily attaching a large number of IC labels 14, 14... At a predetermined interval to a mount (release paper) 16 formed in a strip shape. The IC label 14 includes an upper layer (upper paper) 14A and a lower layer (inlet) 14B that are stacked, and the IC chip 22 and the antenna 24 are held in the lower layer 14B. On the other hand, the mount 16 is formed with perforations 20 for cutting the IC labels 14 one by one, and detection marks (not shown) are printed at predetermined intervals on the back surface. 1 is an example of the label paper 12, and the configuration of the label paper 12 is not limited to this. For example, the mount 16 may have no perforation 20 or the IC label 14 may be continuous in a strip shape. Moreover, it is not limited to what was wound in roll shape, The thing (for example, fan hold paper) folded in the zigzag shape at predetermined intervals may be sufficient.
[0014]
Next, the printer of this embodiment will be described.
[0015]
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic structure of the printer 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 10 mainly includes a supply unit 26, a communication unit 28, and a printing unit 30.
[0016]
A label paper 12 wound in a roll shape is mounted on the supply shaft 32 of the supply unit 26. The label paper 12 is fed out from the supply shaft 32 and first passes through the communication unit 28.
[0017]
The communication unit 28 includes an antenna 46 inside the shield case 50, communicates with the IC chip 22 (see FIG. 1) of the IC label 14 via the antenna 46, and writes information into the IC chip 22. The structure of the shield case 50 will be described in detail later.
[0018]
The label paper 12 that has passed through the communication unit 28 is sent to the printing unit 30. The printing unit 30 includes a platen roller 36 and a thermal head 38 that are arranged to face each other. The label paper 12 and the ink ribbon 40 are sandwiched between the platen roller 36 and the thermal head 38, and the platen roller 36 is rotated. The label paper 12 and the ink ribbon 40 are conveyed, and the heat generating elements of the thermal head 38 are heated to melt the ink on the ink ribbon 40 and thermally transfer it to the label paper 12. As a result, the surface of the IC label 14 is printed, and the IC label 14 is sent out from the takeout port 48.
[0019]
2 denote a supply reel and a take-up reel for the ink ribbon 40, respectively. Reference numeral 34 denotes a sensor for detecting a detection mark (not shown) on the label paper 12, and printing is performed based on the timing detected by the sensor 34. The printing method of the printing unit 30 is not limited to the thermal transfer type, and may be a thermal type or an ink jet type.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main parts of the printer 10 and the IC label 14.
[0021]
As shown in the figure, the CPU 52 constituting the control unit main body of the printer 10 is connected to a ROM 56 and a RAM 58 via a bus 54. The ROM 56 stores program data, and the RAM 58 has various memory areas. The CPU 52 is also connected to the head controller 60, and the thermal head 38 is controlled by the head controller 60.
[0022]
The CPU 52 is connected to the drive control controller 62 via the bus 54, and controls the motor driver 64 by the drive control controller 62 to drive the pulse motor 66 to convey the label paper 12. The drive controller 62 is connected to the sensor 34 via the A / D converter 68 and drives the pulse motor 66 based on the timing when the sensor 34 detects a detection mark (not shown) on the mount 16.
[0023]
The CPU 52 is connected to the antenna 46 via the communication means 72, and transmits / receives a signal from the antenna 46 to the antenna 24 of the IC label 14.
[0024]
On the other hand, the IC label 14 has a microprocessor (MPU) 74, and this MPU 74 transmits and receives signals from the antenna 24 to the antenna 46 of the printer 10 via the communication means 75.
[0025]
Next, the structure of the communication unit 28 that is a characteristic part of the present invention will be described.
[0026]
As shown in FIG. 4, the communication unit 28 includes a shield case 50 that surrounds the antenna 46. The shield case 50 is made of a metal plate and has an effect as an electromagnetic shield. The shield case 50 is formed in a box shape by a lower fixing portion 50A and an upper lid portion 50B. The lid portion 50B is rotatably supported by the fixed portion 50A via the rotation shaft 50C, and the internal antenna 46 and the like can be maintained by opening the lid portion 50B.
[0027]
Moreover, the cover part 50B is formed slightly larger than the fixed part 50A, and an outlet side opening 78 is formed between the cover part 50B and the fixed part 50A. In the outlet side opening 78, the lid part 50B and the fixing part 50A overlap in the horizontal direction, and the area of the electromagnetic wave path is narrow. Further, the fixed portion 50 </ b> A has an inlet side opening 77 formed on the side opposite to the outlet side opening 78.
[0028]
The label paper 12 is guided by guide rollers 76A, 76B, 76C, and 76D, and travels on a conveyance path that enters from the entrance side opening 77 and exits from the exit side opening 78. That is, the label sheet 12 is guided by the guide roller 76A and enters the shield case 50 through the entrance side opening 77, is guided by the guide rollers 76B and 76C, and then exits from the exit side opening 78 to the outside. Guided by
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 4, the shield case 50 is formed in such a size that only a single IC label 14 exists inside.
[0030]
Next, the operation of the printer 10 configured as described above will be described.
[0031]
The printer 10 communicates with the IC chip 22 of the IC label 14 through the antenna 46 of the communication means 28 and writes data to the IC chip 22. At that time, conventionally, when the output of the antenna 46 is small, there is a problem that it is easily affected by noise from the outside. Conversely, when the output of the antenna 46 is large, information is also transmitted to the IC chip 22 of another IC label 14. There was a problem of writing.
[0032]
On the other hand, in the printer 10 of the present embodiment, the antenna 46 is electromagnetically shielded by the shield case 50, and the single IC label 14 is sent into the shield case 50 to communicate with the IC chip 22. Therefore, since the external noise is not adversely affected, information can be accurately written in the IC chip 22. Further, since the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the antenna 46 is difficult to leak to the outside of the shield case 50, it is possible to prevent information from being erroneously written to the IC chip 22 existing outside the shield case 50, and to provide a device outside the shield case 50 ( Adverse effects on the thermal head 38 and the like) can be prevented.
[0033]
In particular, in this embodiment, the lid portion 50B and the fixing portion 50A are overlapped in the horizontal direction to narrow the area of the electromagnetic wave path of the outlet side opening 78, so that the effect of electromagnetic shielding is great. Therefore, information can be accurately written in the IC chip 22.
[0034]
By the way, the shield case 50 mentioned above prevents the bad influence by the electromagnetic waves inside and outside the shield case 50 by reflecting the electromagnetic waves. However, considering the influence of the reflected wave reflected by the shield case 50, it is more effective to absorb and block the electromagnetic wave without reflecting it. Therefore, if a member (not shown) that absorbs electromagnetic waves is provided inside the shield case 50, no reflected waves are generated, and the adverse effects of electromagnetic waves can be more effectively prevented. As a member that absorbs electromagnetic waves, for example, a material in which carbon is dispersed in foamed urethane or a material in which ferrite is sintered can be considered. It is more effective if this member is formed into a sheet and attached to the entire inner surface of the shield case 50. A member that absorbs electromagnetic waves may be affixed to the outside of the shield case 50, or the shield case 50 itself may be configured by an electromagnetic wave absorbing member.
[0035]
The shape of the shield case 50 is not limited to the embodiment described above. For example, the shield case 80 shown in FIG. 5 is formed such that the lower main body portion 80A is larger than the upper lid portion 80B. The label sheet 12 enters the shield case 80 through the gap between the main body 80A and the lid 80B, is guided by the guide rollers 82A and 82B, and then passes between the main body 80A and the lid 80B to the outside. Led. The shield case 80 can reduce the number of guide rollers 82A and 82B and can reduce the size of the shield case 80.
[0036]
The material of the shield cases 50 and 80 is not limited to metal, and any material having an electromagnetic shielding effect may be used. For example, a material in which the surface of a plastic plate is covered with a conductive paint or plating may be used.
[0037]
Further, the shield cases 50 and 80 may be grounded.
[0038]
【Effect of the invention】
As described above, according to the printer according to the present invention, since the shield case surrounding the antenna of the communication means is provided and the display tag is passed through the shield case to communicate, the adverse effect of noise from the outside is provided. Therefore, it is possible to write accurate information on the IC without receiving it, and to prevent erroneous writing of information on the IC outside the shield case.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a label sheet of an IC label on which printing is performed by a printer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure of the printer according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure of a communication unit. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure different from FIG.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Printer, 12 ... Label paper, 14 ... IC label, 22 ... IC chip, 24 ... Antenna, 26 ... Supply part, 28 ... Communication part, 30 ... Printing part, 34 ... Sensor, 46 ... Antenna, 50, 80 ... Shield case, 76A to 76D ... Guide roller

Claims (2)

In a printer comprising printing means for printing on an IC label having a number of IC chips temporarily attached at predetermined intervals to a mount formed in a strip shape , and communication means for communicating with the IC chips,
A printer comprising: a shield case surrounding an antenna of the communication means; and communicating by passing the IC chips one by one inside the shield case. 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein an electromagnetic wave absorbing means is provided inside the shield case.

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