JP5400081B2 - Label printer and program - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments described herein relate generally to a label printer and a program.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, label printer printing methods include cue printing and tail printing depending on the printing direction when the label is carried out. In cue printing, printing starts from the top line of the print image. On the other hand, in the print-out printing, printing is started from the lowermost line of the print image, and sequentially sent from the lower part of the printed label to the label issuing port.

  Therefore, if a label issuance port is provided on the front panel of the label printer, it is difficult to see the label and the label is flipped upside down because it is issued from the label issuance in the state that the label characters are turned upside down. It is necessary to paste on the product. On the other hand, in the sticking out printing, the characters on the label are issued without being turned upside down, so that the label is easy to see and can be attached to the product as it is.

  However, since the printout is printed at the bottom of the label, if the length of the print image is shorter than the label length (label pitch), a margin will remain at the top of the label, and the cue print will be printed at each label. As with the time, there was a problem that the top edge of the printed image could not be aligned.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a label printer and a program capable of aligning the layout of a print image regardless of the print direction.

The label printer of the embodiment includes a motor, a detection unit, a head, a print area length calculation unit, a blank length calculation unit, a conveyance control unit, and a print control unit. The motor conveys a print medium divided into a plurality of sections by marks provided at predetermined intervals along the conveyance direction by rotating a roller. The detection means detects the mark. The head prints a print image on the print medium. The print area length calculating means obtains how many of the plurality of sections the print image fits, sets an area in the section where the print image is arranged as a print area, and transports the print area The print area length which is the length in the direction is calculated. The blank length calculating means, said a print area length, based on the print image length and a length before Ki搬 feeding direction of the printing image, wherein the conveying direction length of the margins portion which is not printed in the print area Calculate the blank length. The transport control means controls the motor at the start of printing to transport the print medium in the transport direction by the blank length from the rear end of the mark provided at the front end of the print area . The print control unit drives the head after the print medium is conveyed by the blank length, and starts printing the print image from the lower end of the print image. The conveyance control means conveys the print medium to the mark at the rear end of the print area after the print image is printed.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the label printer of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the label printer. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the back side of the label sheet. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a layout of a print image in the case of performing cue printing. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a blank portion generated at the bottom of the label when the print-out printing is performed by the conventional printing method. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a print image and a blank portion when two minimum label sections are used. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a label printed by the label printer of the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of print-out printing performed by the label printer.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a label printer 1 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the label printer 1 is provided with a label issuing port 3 on the front panel of the main body 2. Further, label paper 4 wound in a roll shape can be set inside the main body 2. In the label paper 4, a label is attached to the mount. When the thermal head 10 (see FIG. 2) provided in the main body 2 prints a print image on the label, the pulse motor 12 (see FIG. 2) provided in the main body 2 conveys the label paper 4 to the label issuing port 3. Then, the label paper 4 is discharged from the label issuing port 3 as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the label printer 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the label printer 1 includes a CPU 5, a ROM 6, a RAM 7, a communication I / F (Interface) 8, a head driver 9, a motor driver 11, and a sensor 13. Are connected by a bus or an interface. A serval head 10 is connected to the head driver 9, and a pulse motor 12 is connected to the motor driver 11.

  The ROM 6 stores a program executed by the label printer 1, other programs, and various data. The RAM 7 is a development memory that temporarily stores programs and data when the CPU 5 executes the various programs.

  The communication I / F 8 connects the label printer 1 and a host computer (not shown) and controls data communication between the label printer 1 and the host computer. The host computer transmits print data to the RAM 7 via the communication I / F 8.

  The thermal head 10 is provided with a heating element in a line shape in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the label paper 4. The head driver 9 prints a print image on the label on the label paper 4 by switching on / off of energization of the heat generating element of the thermal head 10 based on the print data.

  The pulse motor 12 rotates a platen roller (not shown) for transporting the label paper 4. The motor driver 11 controls the rotation of the pulse motor 12 to rotate the platen roller and convey the label paper 4 in contact with the platen roller toward the label issuing port 3.

  The sensor 13 is a sensor such as a reflected light sensor, and detects a black mark 30 (see FIG. 3) printed on the back surface of the label paper 4.

  The program of the present embodiment stored in the ROM 6 has a module configuration including a calculation unit 21, a conveyance control unit 22, and a print control unit 23. The CPU 5 reads the program according to the present embodiment from the ROM 6 and executes it to load the above-described units onto the main storage device, and the calculation unit 21, the conveyance control unit 22, and the print control unit 23 onto the main storage device. Generate.

  The conveyance control unit 22 controls the conveyance of the label paper 4 by controlling the motor driver 11. The print control unit 23 sends print data received from the host computer to the head driver 9 and causes the thermal head 10 to print a print image corresponding to the print data on the label. The calculation unit 21 calculates the length of the blank portion generated in the label at the time of print out. A more detailed operation of each part will be described later.

  Next, the configuration of the label paper 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the back surface of the label paper 4. The label paper 4 used in the present embodiment is provided with perforations 31 (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d) at equal intervals as shown in the figure, and the label paper 4 and the label paper along the perforations 31. The label affixed on the surface of 4 can be cut off.

  In FIG. 3, one section of the smallest unit that is sandwiched between two perforations 31 and can be cut is referred to as a minimum label section 32 (32a, 32b, 32c). As shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, three label sections 32 (32a to 32c) of the minimum label section 32 are set as the label pitch. Usually, the label pitch is the length of one label, but for a label of a type wound in a roll shape as in the present embodiment, it indicates the maximum label length that can be printed at one time. Note that the number of minimum label sections 32 included in the label pitch can be changed by setting.

  That is, the label pitch may be a plurality of sections other than the minimum label section 32 corresponding to three sections, two sections, or four sections or more. The label printer 1 can print print images by developing print data for one or more and three or less minimum label sections 32.

  Further, black marks 30 (30a to 30h) are printed on both ends of the perforation 31 on the back surface of the label paper 4. The black mark 30 is a mark for indicating the position of a print area that can be printed on the label paper 4. In FIG. 3, a perforation 31 is provided at a position that bisects the black mark 30 in the conveyance direction (vertical direction in the figure) of the label paper 4. Thereby, the black mark 30 can be used for detecting the position of the perforation 31.

  Further, when the label is cut at the perforations 31a and 31d, the black marks 30a and 30b located at the upper end of the label serve as an index of the print start position, and the black marks 30g and 30h located at the lower end of the label are printed. It becomes an index of the stop position. That is, the CPU 5 can detect the black mark 30 by the sensor 13 to detect the label printing area, the position of the perforation 31, and the like.

  Here, considering that the labels are cut off at the perforations 31a and 31d, it is not preferable to print to the marginal position of the perforations 31a and 31d. Therefore, when printing a label using the minimum label sections 32a to 32c as shown in FIG. 3, the area on the label from the lower end of the black marks 30a, 30b to the upper end of the black marks 30g, 30f is printed. It is set as a print area that can be performed.

  Next, the printing process performed by the label printer 1 will be described. Upon receiving a command from the host computer, the label printer 1 can perform printing processing by switching the printing direction between cue printing and tail printing.

  First, the cue printing operation performed by the label printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a layout of a print image in the case of performing cue printing. Note that the arrows in the figure indicate the conveyance direction of the label paper 4.

  The conveyance control unit 22 conveys the label paper 4 and adjusts the center position of the black mark 30 a, that is, the position of the perforation 31 a to the home position of the thermal head 10. The print control unit 23 prints the print image on the print area of the label paper 4 line by line from the upper end 33 of the print image based on the print data. When the print image is printed for one line, the transport control unit 22 transports the label paper 4 for one line in the transport direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing. After printing for all lines, the conveyance control unit 22 conveys and processes the label paper 4 so that the next perforation 31c at the rear end (left end in the figure) of the print image is on the home position of the thermal head 10. Exit.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the length of the print image in the conveyance direction of the label paper 4 is referred to as a print image length. In FIG. 4, since the print image length is shorter than the print area length, a blank portion is generated near the rear end of the print area (near the left end in the figure). On the other hand, since printing is started from the rear end (left end in the figure) of the black mark 30a, no extra blank portion is generated at the upper part of the label (right part of the label in the figure). Therefore, in the cue printing, the upper end 33 of the print image can be aligned even if the print image length is different for each label.

  The tip of the black mark 30 is the tip of the black mark 30 that reaches the home position of the thermal head 10 first when the label paper 4 is transported in the transport direction. That is, when the transport direction is the direction shown in FIG. 4, the tip of each black mark 30 is the right end of each black mark 30. On the other hand, the rear end of the black mark 30 is the rear end portion of the black mark 30 that finally passes through the home position of the thermal head 10 when the label paper 4 is transported in the transport direction. That is, when the transport direction is the direction shown in FIG. 4, the rear end of each black mark 30 is the left end portion of each black mark 30.

  The upper part of the label refers to the upper part of the label when the characters or illustrations printed on the label are viewed vertically. The lower part of the label refers to the case where the characters or illustrations printed on the label are viewed vertically. Refers to the bottom of the label.

  Next, problems in the case of performing the print out by the conventional printing method will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining a blank portion generated at the bottom of the label (the right side portion of the label in the figure) when the print-out printing is performed by the conventional printing method. When the print data is expanded in units of label pitch, that is, when the print image is printed out using three minimum label sections, the print area is from the rear end of the black mark 30a (the left end of the black mark 30a in the figure) to the black mark. Up to the tip of 30d (the right end of the black mark 30d in the figure). Therefore, when the print image length is shorter than the print area length, a large blank portion is generated at the lower portion of the label (the right portion of the label in the figure).

  In the printing method described with reference to FIG. 5, the minimum label section 32 may be blank for one section or more, so an alternative is also possible in which the print area length is reduced according to the print image length.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a print image and a blank portion when the minimum label section 32 is used for two sections (32a to 32b). In this alternative, as shown in FIG. 6, printing is started at the rear end of the first black mark 30a (the left end of the black mark 30a in the figure). Then, after the printing is finished, the perforation 31c is transported to the home position of the thermal head 10. According to this alternative, the print area can be accommodated in the minimum label sections 32a to 32b. However, when the print image length is shorter than the print area length, as shown in the drawing, a blank portion is generated at the upper portion of the label (the left portion of the label in the figure).

  That is, in this alternative, the length of the blank portion above the label changes according to the print image length. Therefore, when the print image length of each label is different, the upper end 33 of the print image cannot be aligned.

  On the other hand, the label printer 1 of this embodiment prints a label as shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a label printed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in the label printed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment, the label is printed at the bottom of the label (the right side of the label in FIG. 7 ) in the same manner as the label printed by cue printing shown in FIG. Although there is a blank portion, there is no extra blank portion at the top of the label (the left portion of the label in FIG. 7 ). As described above, in the label printed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment, the upper end 33 of the print image of each label is aligned and printed, as in the case of cue printing.

  Next, a description will be given of the print-out operation performed by the label printer 1 when issuing such a label.

The calculating unit 21 calculates a blank length that is a length in the transport direction of a blank portion that is not printed in the print area, based on the print area length and the print image length, at the time of printout. That is, the calculation unit 21 calculates the blank length using the following equation (1).
(Blank length) = (print area length)-(print image length) (1)
Note that the calculation unit 21 may calculate the above-described blank length using other sizes related to the print area such as the label pitch in addition to the print area length.

  The conveyance control unit 22 conveys the label paper 4 and aligns the center position of the black mark 30a with the home position of the thermal head 10, and then the label paper 4 is shown by the arrow in the figure by the blank length calculated by the calculation unit 21. Transport in the transport direction shown.

  The print control unit 23 starts printing the print image after the label sheet 4 is conveyed by the blank length described above. That is, the print control unit 23 prints the print image on the print area of the label paper 4 line by line from the lower end of the print image based on the print data.

  When the print image is printed for one line, the transport control unit 22 transports the label paper 4 for one line in the transport direction. After the printing for all lines is completed, the conveyance control unit 22 conveys the label paper 4 and aligns the center position of the next black mark 30c at the rear end (left side in the figure) of the print image with the home position of the thermal head 10, The process ends.

  Next, the procedure of the print out printing performed by the label printer 1 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the margin printing performed by the label printer 1.

  First, the label printer 1 receives label print data from the host computer via the communication I / F 8 (step S1). Then, the label printer 1 calculates the print image length from the received print data (step S2).

  Next, the label printer 1 obtains the print area length from the print image length (step S3). That is, the number of print images that can be accommodated in the minimum label section 32 is obtained. As shown in FIG. 7, when the print image fits in the two minimum label sections 32a and 32b, the print area length is the length from the rear end of the black mark 30a (left end in the figure) to the front end of the black mark 30c (right end in the figure). It becomes.

  Next, the label printer 1 calculates a blank length using the formula (1) (step S4). The label printer 1 conveys the label paper 4 by the calculated blank length (step S5), and then starts printing from the lower end of the print image (step S6). Then, the label printer 1 determines whether the print image has been printed for all lines (step S7). If printing for all lines has not been completed (step S7: No), printing for all lines has been completed. Printing processing and label transport processing are performed in parallel. When printing for all lines is completed (step S7: Yes), the center position of the next black mark 30 at the rear end of the print image is conveyed to the home position of the thermal head 10 (step S8), and a label is issued. The label paper 4 is carried out to the mouth 3 and the processing is finished.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, at the time of printing out, the label paper 4 is transported by the blank length of the label and printing is started, so that no extra blank portion is formed above the label. Accordingly, as in the case of cue printing, the upper end 33 of the print image can be aligned in each label, and the layout of the print image can be aligned regardless of the print direction (cue print or cue print).

  In the above description, the layout is such that the upper end 33 of the print image is aligned regardless of the print direction, but the label layout may be aligned with other layouts. As another example, at the time of cue printing, a label may be printed so that the lower end of the print image is aligned, and the label paper 4 may be conveyed first by the blank length before printing of the print image is started. As a result, a layout in which the lower end of the print image is aligned regardless of the print direction can be obtained.

  The program executed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment is provided by being incorporated in advance in a ROM or the like. A program executed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment is a file in an installable format or an executable format, and is a computer such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk (FD), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk). You may comprise so that it may record and provide on a readable recording medium.

  Furthermore, the program executed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment may be provided by being stored on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloaded via the network. Further, the program executed by the label printer 1 of the present embodiment may be configured to be provided or distributed via a network such as the Internet.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, the constituent elements over different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Label printer 2 Main body 3 Label issuing port 4 Label paper 30 (30a-30h) Black mark 31 (31a-31d) Perforation 32 (32a-32c) Minimum label area 33 Upper end of print image

Japanese Patent No. 2544820

Claims (2)

A motor for rotating a roller to convey a print medium divided into a plurality of sections by marks provided at predetermined intervals along the conveyance direction; and
Detecting means for detecting the mark;
A head for printing a print image on the print medium;
A print area which is the length of the print area in the transport direction is determined by determining how many of the plurality of sections the print image fits, and setting an area in which the print image is arranged in the section. A printing area length calculating means for calculating the length;
The calculating and printing area length, on the basis of the print image length and a length before Ki搬 feeding direction of the print image, the blank length is the length in the transport direction of the margins portion which is not printed in the print area Blank length calculation means to
Transport control means for controlling the motor at the start of printing to transport the print medium in the transport direction by the blank length from the rear end of the mark provided at the front end of the print area ;
Print control means for driving the head after the print medium has been conveyed by the blank length and starting printing of the print image from the lower end of the print image ;
The transport control means transports the print medium to the mark at the rear end of the print area after printing the print image . A motor that conveys a print medium that is divided into a plurality of sections by marks provided at predetermined intervals along the conveyance direction, and conveys the print medium by rotating a roller, a detection unit that detects the mark, and the print medium A label printer comprising: a head for printing a print image;
A print area which is the length of the print area in the transport direction is determined by determining how many of the plurality of sections the print image fits, and setting an area in which the print image is arranged in the section. A printing area length calculating means for calculating the length;
Based on the print area length and the print image length that is the length in the transport direction of the print image, the blank length that calculates the blank length that is the length in the transport direction of the blank portion that is not printed in the print area A calculation means;
Transport control means for controlling the motor at the start of printing to transport the print medium in the transport direction by the blank length from the rear end of the mark provided at the front end of the print area;
After the printing medium is conveyed by the blank length, the head is driven to function as a print control means for starting printing of the print image from the lower end of the print image,
The program in which the conveyance control unit conveys the print medium to the mark at the rear end of the print area after printing the print image.

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