JP7140809B2 - Printing device and printing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and printing method.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, printing apparatuses having a plurality of printing units are known. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-200002 discloses an image output device having a plurality of printers.

Japanese Patent No. 5454209

In order to make it difficult to see the output ports of multiple printers, in conventional image output devices, a front panel is provided in front of the multiple printers, and the printed paper reaches the print output ports below the multiple printers. is configured to drop A conventional image output device has a problem that the size of the device is increased due to such a configuration.

In order to reduce the size of the device, it is conceivable to provide a paper ejection opening near the ejection openings of a plurality of printers. It may stick to the upper part of the exit. As a result, there has been a problem that the paper discharged from each of the printers may not be stored in the same position.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points. intended to

In a first aspect of the present invention, a housing, a first printing unit that is housed in the housing and prints on a first sheet of paper, and a printing unit that is housed in the housing below the first printing unit a second printing unit that prints on a second paper different from the first paper; a discharge section having an opening for discharging one of the printed second sheets, wherein the discharge section discharges the first sheet printed by the first printing unit in the housing. A first plate portion extending downward from a position above a first discharge port as it separates from the housing; and a second plate portion extending away from the housing from a position below the outlet.

A plurality of first protrusions are formed on the lower surface of the first plate portion in the width direction of the discharge portion, and a plurality of second protrusions are formed on the upper surface of the second plate portion in the width direction. A part may be formed. Further, in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the height direction of the housing, the tip of the first plate may be further away from the housing than the tip of the second plate.

Further, the position of the tip of the first plate portion in the height direction of the housing may be lower than the position of the first discharge port. Further, the position of the tip of the first plate portion in the height direction of the housing may be above the position of the second discharge port.

Further, the first printing unit prints on a lower surface of the first paper in the height direction of the housing, and prints the first paper with the printed surface facing the second plate portion. 1 discharge port, the second printing unit prints on the upper surface of the second paper in the height direction of the housing, and prints the second paper with the printed surface facing the first plate portion. 2 sheets may be ejected from the second ejection port. Further, the first printing unit and the second printing unit may have the same structure, and may be arranged in the housing so as to be symmetrical to each other.

and a control unit for controlling the first printing unit and the second printing unit. The control unit includes a data receiving unit for receiving print data from an external device executing application software, and a data transmission section for transmitting to a master printing unit of the first printing unit or the second printing unit.

The control section further includes a state monitoring section that monitors the states of the first printing unit and the second printing unit, and the data transmission section detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit. The print data may be transmitted to a sub-printing unit different from the master printing unit out of the first printing unit or the second printing unit when the monitoring unit detects it.

The control unit further includes a transport control unit that controls transport of the first sheet in the first printing unit and transport of the second sheet in the second printing unit, and the transport control unit The master printing unit may be caused to reversely feed the paper when the state monitoring unit detects that the master printing unit has an abnormality.

Further, the first printing unit has a first transport section that transports the first paper and a first transport control section that controls the first transport section, and the second printing unit has the second paper and a second transport control unit that controls the second transport unit, and the first transport control unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the first printing unit. and the second transport control unit causes the first transport unit to reverse feed the paper, and the second transport control unit reverse feeds the paper to the second transport unit when it is detected that an abnormality has occurred in the second printing unit. can be

Further, the state monitoring section may notify the application software that an abnormality has occurred when an abnormality has occurred in both the first printing unit and the second printing unit. Also, the control section may determine the master printing unit based on an instruction from the application software. Further, the control unit transmits the print data to either a first print library that executes processing for causing the first printing unit to print, or a second print library that executes processing for causing the second printing unit to print. The print data may be sent to the master printing unit by doing so.

In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of printing by a printing device, wherein the printing device includes a housing, a first printing unit housed in the housing and printing on a first sheet of paper; a second printing unit that is housed in the housing below the first printing unit and that prints on a second sheet different from the first sheet; and a second printing unit provided in the housing, wherein the first printing unit a discharge unit having an opening for discharging one of the printed first paper or the second printed paper by the second printing unit, wherein the printing apparatus executes application software; A printing method is provided for performing a data receiving step of receiving print data from a device and a data transmitting step of transmitting said print data to a master printing unit of said first printing unit or said second printing unit.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the size of a printing apparatus having a plurality of printing units, and to accommodate the sheets ejected from the plurality of printing units at the same position. .

1 shows the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX of FIG. 1; It is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the first outlet and the second outlet in the housing. 1 shows an example of the structure of a first printing unit. The structure of the discharge part is shown. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ of FIG. 5; 4 shows the configuration of a control unit; 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of operation of a control unit; 4 shows the configuration of a printing apparatus as a modified example.

[Overview of Printing Apparatus S]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus S according to this embodiment. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the first discharge port 121 and the second discharge port 122 in the housing 1. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the first discharge port 121 and the second discharge port 122 in the YY line cross section of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the first printing unit 2. As shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the first printing unit 2 with the thermal head 23 opened.

The printing device S is a printing device having a plurality of printing units. Each sheet printed by a plurality of printing units is cut off by an auto-cutter 261, which is provided in each printing unit and will be described later.

In the case where an ejection port is provided near the ejection port of a plurality of printing units in order to reduce the size of a printing apparatus having a plurality of printing units, static electricity causes the paper ejected from the upper printing unit to move above the ejection port. It may stick to. On the other hand, static electricity may cause the paper ejected from the lower printing unit to stick to the lower part of the outlet. As a result, there has been a problem that the sheets discharged from each of the plurality of printing units may not be accommodated at the same position (substantially overlapped position). By devising the shape of the outlet, the printing apparatus S allows the sheets ejected from a plurality of printing units to be accommodated at the same position. Details of the printer S will be described below.

[Configuration of printing device S]
The printing device S has a housing 1 , a first printing unit 2 , a second printing unit 3 , a discharge section 4 and a control section 5 . A housing 1 accommodates a first printing unit 2 and a second printing unit 3 . The housing 1 has a bottom plate 11 , a front plate 12 and a right side plate 13 . The housing 1 is provided with a first shaft 14 , a second shaft 15 , a first tension bar 16 and a second tension bar 17 .

The bottom plate 11 is a plate that forms the bottom surface of the housing 1 . The front plate 12 is a plate that forms the front surface of the housing 1 . The front plate 12 is connected to the front end of the bottom plate 11 . The front plate 12 is perpendicular to the bottom plate 11 . The front plate 12 has a first outlet 121 and a second outlet 122 . The first discharge port 121 is an opening through which the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 is discharged. The first paper A is the paper on which the first printing unit 2 prints. The second discharge port 122 is an opening through which the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 is discharged. The second paper B is the paper on which the second printing unit 3 prints.

In this embodiment, roll paper is used as the paper, but any paper can be used as long as it can pass through the printing unit. In this embodiment, the front plate 12 is formed with the first discharge port 121 and the second discharge port 122, but the present invention is not limited to this. Even if the front plate 12 is formed with, for example, one discharge port for discharging the first paper A after printing by the first printing unit 2 and the second paper B after printing by the second printing unit 3. good.

The right side plate 13 is a plate that forms the right side of the housing 1 . The right side plate 13 is connected to the right end of the bottom plate 11 . The right side plate 13 is perpendicular to the bottom plate 11 . The first shaft 14 supports the first paper A wound in a roll on the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the first shaft 14 . The second shaft 15 supports the second paper B wound in a roll on the outside of the outer peripheral surface of the second shaft 15 . The second shaft 15 is provided below the first shaft 14 in the height direction of the housing 1 . The right end of the first shaft 14 in the longitudinal direction is connected to the right side plate 13 . A right end in the longitudinal direction of the second shaft 15 is connected to the right side plate 13 .

The first tension bar 16 and the second tension bar 17 function to prevent bending of the paper. The first tension bar 16 has a rod-like portion for preventing the first sheet A from bending. The first tension bar 16 is connected to the right side plate 13 so as to be movable in the height direction of the housing 1 . The first tension bar 16 pushes upward an area between the area where the first paper A is rolled and the area where the first printing unit 2 is inserted, and pushes the area upward. in contact with the underside.

The second tension bar 17 has a rod-like portion for preventing the second paper B from bending. The second tension bar 17 is provided below the first tension bar 16 in the height direction of the housing 1 . The second tension bar 17 is connected to the right side plate 13 so as to be movable in the height direction of the housing 1 . The second tension bar 17 pushes downward the area between the area where the second paper B is rolled and the area where the second printing unit 3 is inserted. touches the top surface.

The first printing unit 2 is housed in the housing 1 and prints on the first paper A. As shown in FIG. The first printing unit 2 may have a structure as shown in FIG. 4 as an example. As shown in FIG. 4 , the first printing unit 2 has a thermal head 23 , a head open lever 24 , a platen roller 25 , a cutter mechanism 26 and a paper-out sensor 27 . The thermal head 23 is provided with a plurality of thermal head heating elements 231 . The thermal head heating element 231 includes a resistor that serves as a heat source during printing. The thermal head 23 is a device for energizing a plurality of thermal head heating elements 231 selected according to data to heat the plurality of thermal head heating elements 231, thereby causing the first paper A to react and record. be.

The head open lever 24 is an operation unit for switching between the state in which the thermal head 23 is opened and the state in which the thermal head 23 is closed. The head open lever 24 has a first claw portion 241 and a second claw portion 242 . By changing the length between the first claw portion 241 and the second claw portion 242, the head open lever 24 can switch between the state in which the thermal head 23 is opened and the state in which the thermal head 23 is closed. can.

The platen roller 25 is a component that conveys the first paper A and presses the first paper A against the plurality of thermal head heating elements 231 of the thermal head 23 . The cutter mechanism 26 is a mechanism for controlling the operation of the auto cutter 261 to cut off the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 . The auto cutter 261 is a component for cutting off the first paper A after printing by the first printing unit 2 . The no-paper sensor 27 is a component for detecting the absence of the first paper A in the first printing unit 2 . Further, a paper presence/absence sensor may be provided instead of the paper absence sensor 27 . The paper presence/absence sensor is a component for detecting whether or not the first paper A is present in the first printing unit 2 .

The first printing unit 2 has, for example, the thermal head 23, the platen roller 25, the auto cutter 261, and the paper-out sensor 27 as described above, and it is sufficient that these are controlled to function. The first printing unit 2 may have a self-paper backfeed function, which will be described later, if necessary.

The second printing unit 3 is housed in the housing 1 below the first printing unit 2 . The second printing unit 3 prints on a second sheet B different from the first sheet A. FIG. The second printing unit 3 has the same structure as the first printing unit 2, but is not limited to this. The second printing unit 3 may have a different structure than the first printing unit 2 .

In the first printing unit 2, the thermal head 23 is positioned below the first paper A, and the platen roller 25 is positioned above the thermal head 23 so as to sandwich the first paper A during printing. It is provided and configured to print on the lower surface of the first paper A. In the second printing unit 3, the thermal head 23 is positioned above the second paper B, and the platen roller 25 is positioned below the thermal head 23 so as to sandwich the second paper B during printing. It is provided and configured to print on the upper surface of the second paper B. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 are arranged vertically in this way, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 may be arranged at the same position in the height direction, for example. In this case, the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 may be arranged side by side, for example, in a horizontal plane orthogonal to the height direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 have the same structure and are arranged in the housing 1 so as to be symmetrical with each other. That is, the first printing unit 2 is arranged in the housing 1 in a state in which the ejection port for ejecting the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 of the first printing unit 2 is located at the lower side in the height direction of the housing 1. Located on body 1. In addition, the second printing unit 3 is arranged in the housing 1 in a state in which the ejection port for ejecting the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 of the second printing unit 3 is positioned above in the height direction of the housing 1 . Located on body 1.

Since the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 are arranged in the housing 1 in this manner, the printing apparatus S can print the first paper after the first printing unit 2 of the first printing unit 2 has printed. It is possible to reduce the distance between the discharge port for discharging A and the discharge port for discharging the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 of the second printing unit 3 . Therefore, in the printing apparatus S, since the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 are arranged in the housing 1 in this way, it is possible to reduce the size of the ejection section 4, which will be described later.

The discharge section 4 is provided in the housing 1 . The discharge part 4 has an opening 41 . The opening 41 is an opening for discharging either the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 or the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 .

[Structure of discharge unit 4]
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of the discharge section 4. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line ZZ of FIG.
The discharge portion 4 has a first plate portion 42 , a second plate portion 43 , a left side plate portion 44 , a right side plate portion 45 and a fixing portion 46 . Each part of the discharge part 4 is made of resin, for example, but is not limited to this. Each part of the discharge part 4 may be made of, for example, metal (sheet metal, SUS, etc.), coated sheet metal, or the like.

The first plate portion 42 is a plate-like portion that extends downward from a position above the first discharge port 121 in the housing 1 as it separates from the housing 1 . The first sheet A ejected from the first ejection port 121 moves away from the housing 1 while being attracted to the first plate portion 42 by static electricity. After changing the direction of movement downward along the first plate portion 42 , the first sheet A drops due to gravity and is accommodated on the second plate portion 43 . If the first plate portion 42 is made of, for example, metal (sheet metal, SUS, etc.), sheet metal coated, or the like, the first sheet A ejected from the first ejection port 121 will be pushed onto the first plate by static electricity. The portion 42 makes it easier to attract.

The first plate portion 42 has a plurality of first convex portions 421 . The multiple first protrusions 421 linearly extend away from the first discharge port 121 . The plurality of first convex portions 421 are arranged on the lower surface of the first plate portion 42 at positions separated from each other in the width direction of the discharge portion 4 . The number of multiple first protrusions 421 is arbitrary. Since the first plate portion 42 has a plurality of first convex portions 421, the first sheet A printed by the first printing unit 2 discharged from the first discharge port 121 is stuck to the first plate portion 42 by static electricity. It can be made difficult to stick.

The position of the tip of the first plate portion 42 in the height direction of the housing 1 is below the position of the first discharge port 121 . By locating the tip of the first plate portion 42 in this way, the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 ejected from the first ejection port 121 is separated from the first plate portion 42. , easily fall toward the second plate portion 43 . As a result, the first sheet A can be easily placed at the same position as the second sheet B printed by the second printing unit 3 .

Further, the position of the tip of the first plate portion 42 in the height direction of the housing 1 is above the position of the second discharge port 122 . By locating the tip of the first plate portion 42 in this way, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 discharged from the second discharge port 122 is stuck to the first plate portion 42 by static electricity. It can be made difficult to stick.

The second plate portion 43 is a plate-like portion extending away from the housing 1 from a position below the second outlet 122 in the housing 1 . The second plate portion 43 has a plurality of second convex portions 431 . The multiple second protrusions 431 linearly extend away from the second discharge port 122 . The plurality of second convex portions 431 are arranged on the upper surface of the second plate portion 43 at positions separated from each other in the width direction of the discharge portion 4 . The number of the plurality of second protrusions 431 is arbitrary. Since the second plate portion 43 has a plurality of second convex portions 431, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 discharged from the second discharge port 122 is stuck to the second plate portion 43 by static electricity. It can be made difficult to stick.

In the printing apparatus S, as described above, the plurality of first convex portions 421 are formed on the lower surface of the first plate portion 42, and the plurality of second convex portions 431 are formed on the upper surface of the second plate portion 43. there is Therefore, in the printing apparatus S, it is possible to prevent the contact area between the first plate portion 42 and the first sheet A and the contact area between the second plate portion 43 and the second sheet B from increasing. In the printing apparatus S, the first plate portion 42 and the second plate portion 43 have such structures, so that the first sheet A comes into close contact with the first plate portion 42, and the second sheet B does not come into contact with the second plate portion. 43 can be prevented.

By configuring the first plate portion 42 and the second plate portion 43 as described above, the first sheet A after printing by the first printing unit 2 and the second sheet A after printing by the second printing unit 3 The paper B is less likely to stick to the first plate portion 42 and the second plate portion 43 due to static electricity. As a result, in the printing apparatus S, the first paper A and the second paper B ejected by the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 are easily accommodated in the same position.

In the horizontal direction orthogonal to the height direction of the housing 1 , the tip of the first plate portion 42 is farther from the housing 1 than the tip of the second plate portion 43 . Since the first plate portion 42 and the second plate portion 43 have such shapes, the first discharge port 121 and the second discharge port 122 cannot be seen when the user views the printing apparatus S from above. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to notice that the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 are provided inside.

The first printing unit 2 prints on the lower surface of the first paper A in the height direction of the housing 1, and prints the first paper A through the first discharge port with the printed surface facing the second plate portion 43. 121 to discharge. The second printing unit 3 prints on the surface of the upper side of the second paper B in the height direction of the housing 1, and prints the second paper B with the printed surface facing the first plate portion 42 through the second discharge port. 122 to discharge. By arranging the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 in this way, the distance between the first ejection port 121 and the second ejection port 122 can be reduced, so that the size of the printing apparatus S can be reduced. can be realized, and the first sheet A and the second sheet B can be easily accommodated at the same position.

The left side plate portion 44 is a plate-like portion that extends away from the housing 1 from a position to the left of the first discharge port 121 and the second discharge port 122 in the housing 1 . The right side plate portion 45 is a plate-like portion that extends away from the housing 1 from a position to the right of the first discharge port 121 and the second discharge port 122 in the housing 1 .

The fixing portion 46 is a portion for fixing the discharge portion 4 to the housing 1 . The discharge portion 4 is provided with a first fixing portion 461 and a second fixing portion 462 as the fixing portion 46 . The first fixing portion 461 is provided at the end portion of the first plate portion 42 on the housing 1 side. The second fixing portion 462 is provided at the end portion of the second plate portion 43 on the housing 1 side.

The ejection part 4 is formed, for example, by inserting bolts into a plurality of holes formed in the first fixing part 461 and a plurality of holes formed in the front plate 12 and tightening nuts on the inserted bolts. , are fixed to the housing 1 . In addition, the ejecting part 4 inserts bolts into, for example, a plurality of holes formed in the second fixing part 462 and a plurality of holes formed in the front plate 12, and tightens nuts on the inserted bolts. Thus, it is fixed to the housing 1 .

The control section 5 controls the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 . The control unit 5 is provided on the right side plate 13 . Details of the control unit 5 will be described later.

[Performance Test of Discharge Portion 4]
Next, the results of the performance test of the discharge part 4 will be shown. In the performance test, the most effective discharge section 4 for cutting off the printed first sheet A discharged from the first printing unit 2 and the printed second sheet B discharged from the second printing unit 3 was selected. A test was conducted using a prototype to evaluate the shape.

In the performance test, three ejection portions 4 having different angles of the first plate portion 42 with respect to the horizontal direction orthogonal to the height direction of the housing 1 (hereinafter referred to as "the angle of the first plate portion 42") were prepared. . Six discharge portions 4 having different lengths of the second plate portion 43 in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the height direction of the housing 1 (hereinafter referred to as "the length of the second plate portion 43") were prepared. In the first printing unit 2, when the roll paper is used, the curl of the paper is formed upward, so paper jams (paper jams) are likely to occur. In the case of the second printing unit 3, since the curl of the paper is formed downward, the problem of paper jam does not occur, but sticking to the housing 1 due to static electricity was evaluated.

In the performance test, the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 was discharged from the first discharge port 121 in the housing 1 using three discharge units 4 having the first plate portion 42 at different angles. I observed the situation. Also, the second sheet B printed by the second printing unit 3 is ejected from the second ejection port 122 of the housing 1 by using the six ejection units 4 having different lengths of the second plate portions 43. observed. The performance test was conducted in a room temperature environment.

Table 1 shows the results of a paper jam performance test in the discharge section 4 with different angles of the first plate section 42 .
The judgment item indicates performance evaluation. ◯ indicates good performance, x indicates poor performance, and Δ indicates intermediate performance between ◯ and x. The remarks item shows the state of the first paper A after printing by the first printing unit 2 . In the horizontal direction orthogonal to the height direction of the housing 1, the length of the first plate portion 42 is 24.5 mm. In addition, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 17 mm in the horizontal direction orthogonal to the height direction of the housing 1 .

Examples 1 to 3 are the results of the performance test of the discharge portion 4 with different angles of the first plate portion 42 . In Example 1, the angle of the first plate portion 42 is 37 degrees. In Example 2, the angle of the first plate portion 42 is 33 degrees. In Example 3, the angle of the first plate portion 42 is 31 degrees.

In Example 1, a paper jam occurred on the first paper A after printing by the first printing unit 2 . In Example 2, a slight paper jam occurred on the first paper A after printing by the first printing unit 2 . In Example 3, no paper jam occurred on the first paper A after printing by the first printing unit 2 .

The larger the angle of the first plate portion 42, the easier it is to prevent the first sheet A from sticking to the first plate portion 42 due to curling of the paper and static electricity. However, in Examples 1 and 2, there is a large difference between the transport direction of the first paper A ejected from the first ejection port 121 and the direction in which the first paper A is transported within the first printing unit 2. As a result, paper jams are likely to occur. On the other hand, when the angle is 31 degrees, it is possible to prevent paper jams while preventing paper from curling and sticking due to static electricity. From the results of Examples 1 to 3, it was found that the angle of the first plate portion 42 is preferably less than 37 degrees, and more preferably 33 degrees or less. Furthermore, it was found that the angle of the first plate portion 42 is more preferably 31 degrees or less.

Table 2 shows the results of a performance test of sticking to the housing 1 in the discharge section 4 having different lengths of the second plate section 43 .
The judgment item indicates performance evaluation. ◯ indicates good performance, x indicates poor performance, and Δ indicates intermediate performance between ◯ and x. The remarks item shows the state of the second paper B after printing by the second printing unit 3 . In the horizontal direction orthogonal to the height direction of the housing 1, the length of the first plate portion 42 is 24.5 mm. The length of the discharge section 4 from the wall surface of the housing 1 is set according to the minimum unit print length of the paper. Therefore, if the minimum unit print length of the paper differs, the lengths of the first plate portion 42 and the second plate portion 43 from the wall surface of the housing 1 will also differ.

Examples 4 to 9 are the results of the performance test of the discharge portion 4 with the second plate portion 43 having different lengths. In Example 4, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 24.5 mm. In Example 5, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 20 mm. In Example 6, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 18 mm. In Example 7, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 17 mm. In Example 8, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 14 mm. In Example 9, the length of the second plate portion 43 is 10 mm.

In Example 4, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 could not be cut off. Further, in Example 4, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 stuck to the housing 1 . In Example 5, it was not possible to cut off the second paper B after printing by the second printing unit 3 . Further, in Example 5, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 stuck to the housing 1 . In Example 6, there were some cases where the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 could not be cut off. Further, in Example 6, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 stuck to the housing 1 .

In Example 7, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 could be cut off. Further, in Example 7, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 did not stick to the housing 1 . In Example 8, there were some cases where the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 could not be cut off. Further, in Example 8, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 was slightly stuck to the housing 1 . In Example 9, it was not possible to cut off the second paper B after printing by the second printing unit 3 . Further, in Example 9, the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 stuck to the housing 1 .

From the results of Examples 4 to 9, it was found that the length of the second plate portion 43 is preferably greater than 10 mm and less than 20 mm. Furthermore, it was found that the length of the second plate portion 43 is more preferably 14 mm or more and 18 mm or less.

[Details of control unit 5]
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 5. As shown in FIG.
The control unit 5 has, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory).

The control unit 5 executes print processing based on instructions from application software executed by the external device T. FIG. The external device T is, for example, a computer, but may also be a control unit provided in an electronic device such as a vending machine or a ticket vending machine. The application software can accept user operations via a user interface that the external device T has. The application software accepts, from the user, an operation to select, for example, the master printing unit that executes print processing in the initial state from among the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 .

The CPU of the control unit 5 executes the first print library 51, the second print library 52, and the clustering library 58 stored in the ROM. The CPU causes the first printing unit 2 to print by executing the first printing library 51 . The CPU causes the second printing unit 3 to print by executing the second printing library 52 .

The first print library 51 and the second print library 52 are used for transmission of print data between the control section 5 and the first print unit 2 and the second print unit 3, reception of print unit status, and transmission/reception of print unit control information. be done. Although different for each printer unit, the interface with the control section 5 is standardized.

The clustering library 58 includes an external device T, a data reception unit 53, a data transmission unit 54, a state monitoring unit 55, a transport control unit 56, a clustering control unit 57, a print data block storage area 571, a status storage area 551, and a first print library. 51, refers to various public functions used between the second print library 52;

The control unit 5 includes a data receiving unit 53 , a data transmitting unit 54 , a state monitoring unit 55 , a transport control unit 56 , a clustering control unit 57 , a print data block saving area 571 and a status saving area 551 . In addition to these, the first print library 51 and the second print library 52 cause the control unit 5 to function and link the external device T and each printing unit, thereby printing the print data block transmitted by the external device T. .

The data receiving unit 53 receives print data from the external device T that has executed the application software. The data receiving unit 53 receives the print data block for which the public function value of the clustering library 58 for printing is accepted from the external device T, assigns a print JOBID, and stores it in the print data block storage area 571 . The print data block here means the print range (number of vertical line feeds, number of horizontal print characters), characters, images, locations of characters and images within the print range, occupied lines and widths, their attribute codes, print control codes, etc. A set of information.

The data receiving unit 53 receives the above-described print data blocks collectively or partly as a package. Also, if the external device T generates image data as if the print data block were printed on a sheet of paper, this may be received. As a result, communication between the external device T and the data receiving unit 53 is extremely reduced, and the communication load and control load on the external device T are reduced.

The data transmission unit 54 retrieves the print data block from the print data block storage area 571 and sends it to the first print unit 2 or the second print unit 3 for master printing via the first print library 51 or the second print library 52 . Send to unit. At this time, the data transmission unit 54 decomposes the above-described information in the print data block to determine the print range (the number of vertical line feeds, the number of horizontal print characters), characters, images, locations of characters and images within the print range, and occupied lines. Sending a command with the width, these attribute codes, and the print control code to the master printing unit of the first printing unit 2 or the second printing unit 3 via the first printing library 51 or the second printing library 52 can be Of course, the image data may be transmitted as if it were printed on paper.

When the master printing unit normally completes printing, the first printing unit 2 sets the completion of printing in the status storage area 551 via the first print library 51 as print completion information. The status monitoring unit 55 notifies the clustering control unit 57 of completion of printing. The clustering control unit 57 erases the print data blocks for which printing has been completed from the print data block storage area 571 .

When the master printing unit is abnormally stopped during printing, the first printing unit 2 sets the occurrence of the abnormality as printing abnormality information in the status storage area 551 via the first print library 51.例文帳に追加The status monitoring unit 55 notifies the clustering control unit 57 of the print abnormality. The clustering control unit 57 switches the printing unit and transmits the print data block for which printing failed to the data transmission unit 54 .

The data transmission section 54 transmits the print data block to a sub-printing unit different from the master printing unit, either the first printing unit 2 or the second printing unit 3 . With the data transmission unit 54 transmitting the print data in this way, the printing device S can print in the sub printing unit even if an abnormality occurs in the master printing unit.

The state monitoring section 55 monitors the states of the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 . The state monitoring section 55 detects from the status storage area 551 that an abnormality has occurred in the first printing unit 2 or the second printing unit 3 and notifies the clustering control section 57 of it. The clustering control unit 57 notifies the external device T through the data receiving unit 53 that, for example, an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit and printing has been switched to another printing unit.

Further, when an abnormality occurs in both the first printing unit 2 and the second printing unit 3 according to the abnormality information set in the status saving area 551, the status monitoring unit 55 notifies the clustering control unit 57 of the occurrence of the abnormality. , and the clustering control unit 57 notifies the application software on the external device T via the data receiving unit 53 . As a result, the application software on the external device T can notify the user that the printer S cannot print.

The transport control unit 56 controls transport of the first paper A in the first printing unit 2 and transport of the second paper B in the second printing unit 3 . When the status monitoring unit 55 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit, the transport control unit 56 reversely feeds the paper to the master printing unit, collects it in the printing device S, and restores the paper when the abnormality was detected. is prevented from being discharged from the discharge port.

In the printing apparatus S, when an abnormality occurs in a printing unit during printing among the plurality of printing units, the printing apparatus S is controlled by the transport control unit 56 in this way so that the printing unit does not discharge the paper being printed to the user side. It can be taken inside. Furthermore, even if an abnormality occurs in one of the plurality of printing units that is currently printing, the printing apparatus S can print using another printing unit. In addition, a collection mechanism, such as a collection box, may be provided in the printing apparatus S to collect paper when an abnormality is detected.

The clustering control unit 57 controls the data reception unit 53, the data transmission unit 54, the state monitoring unit 55, the transport control unit 56, and the print data block storage area 571 via the clustering library 58, and at the same time indirectly controls the first It controls the print library 51 and the second print library 52 and monitors the status storage area 551 via the state monitor 55 .

The print data block storage area 571 is a storage area for the print data block received by the data receiving unit 53 from the external device T, as described above. Each time the printing unit completes printing, the printed print data block is erased. The print data block for which the master printing unit failed to print is saved, and the clustering control section 57 changes the print destination to the sub printing unit and prints it. Management of the print data block storage area 571 is performed by the clustering control unit 57 .

The status saving area 551 is an area for managing the status of the printing apparatus S. FIG. A status storage area 551 contains status information such as the name of the printing unit, the display of the master printing unit, the operation mode, the remaining amount of paper in each printer unit, the generation and completion of JOBID (for each block of print data), and whether or not it is waiting for maintenance. to save. For example, an abnormality of the master printing unit is set as abnormality information by the master printing unit via the first print library 51, and a maintenance waiting state is set. Information in the status storage area 551 is notified to the clustering control unit 57 via the state monitoring unit 55 .

[Operation Flowchart of Control Unit 5]
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation flow of the control unit 5. As shown in FIG.
First, the data receiving unit 53 receives a print data block through function communication from the external device T executing the application software (S10). The data receiving unit 53 then stores the print data block in the print data block storage area 571 . Next, the control section 5 determines the master printing unit based on instructions from the application software or self-determination (S11).

The clustering control section 57 monitors whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit via the state monitoring section 55 (S12). If the state monitoring unit 55 does not detect that the master printing unit is abnormal (NO in S12), the process proceeds to S13. On the other hand, if the state monitoring unit 55 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (YES in S12), the process proceeds to S18. Although the details will be described later, when an abnormality occurs in the master printing unit, the data transmission unit 54 transmits the print data block to the sub printing unit via the second print library 52 (S18), and then S19. proceed to

Next, the data transmission section 54 transmits the print data block to the master printing unit via the first print library 51 (S13). The master printing unit prints the print data block (S14). During this time, the state monitoring section 55 monitors whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (S15).

If the status monitoring unit 55 does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (NO in S 15 ), the clustering control unit 57 deletes the successfully printed print data block from the print data block storage area 571 . The clustering control unit 57 monitors whether the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (S16).

When the clustering control unit 57 detects that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (YES in S16), the clustering control unit 57 determines via the state monitoring unit 55 that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit. (S12).

Then, if the state monitoring unit 55 does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (NO in S12), the clustering control unit 57 extracts the next print data block from the print data block storage area 571, and transmits the data. 54. The data transmission unit 54 transmits the next print data block to the master print unit via the first print library 51 (S13). If the clustering control unit 57 does not detect that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (NO in S16), the process ends.

On the other hand, if the status monitoring unit 55 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (YES in S<b>15 ), the master printing unit stores an abnormality in the status storage area 551 of the control unit 5 via the first print library 51 . set information. The transport control unit 56 reversely feeds the paper to the master printing unit in which the abnormality has occurred, and takes in the paper in the middle of printing into the master printing unit (S17). The state monitoring unit 55 monitors the status storage area 551 and notifies the clustering control unit 57 of the abnormality. The clustering control section 57 notifies the external device T of the abnormality of the master printing unit via the data receiving section 53 .

On the other hand, the clustering control unit 57 transmits the print data block for which printing has failed to the data transmission unit 54 by designating another print unit. The data transmission section 54 transmits the print data block to the sub print unit via the second print library 52 (S18). Next, the sub-printing unit prints the print data block (S19). During this time, the state monitoring section 55 monitors whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the sub-printing unit (S20).

At this time, if the status monitoring unit 55 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the sub printing unit during printing by the sub printing unit, the sub printing unit is sent to the status storage area of the control unit 5 via the second print library 52. Abnormal information is set in 551 in the same manner as described above. When status monitoring portion 55 monitors status storage area 551 and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the sub printing unit (YES in S20), clustering control portion 57 sends data to an external device via data receiving portion 53. The abnormality of the sub-printing unit is notified to T (S21). The application software on the external device T informs the maintenance system (not shown) that two printing units have failed and become unusable. At the same time, the transport control section 56 loads the printing paper in the middle of printing into the second printing unit 3 .

On the other hand, if state monitoring unit 55 monitors status storage area 551 and does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the sub print unit (NO in S20), clustering control unit 57 causes print data block storage area 571 to print. Delete the print data block that succeeded in

The clustering control unit 57 monitors whether the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (S16). When the clustering control unit 57 detects that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (YES in S16), the clustering control unit 57 determines via the state monitoring unit 55 that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit. (S12).

Then, if the state monitoring unit 55 does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (NO in S12), the clustering control unit 57 extracts the next print data block from the print data block storage area 571, and transmits the data. 54. The data transmission unit 54 transmits the next print data block to the master print unit via the first print library 51 (S13). If the clustering control unit 57 does not detect that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (NO in S16), the process ends.

[Modification]
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printing apparatus Sa as a modified example.
In the above-described embodiment, the transport control unit 56 of the control unit 5 causes the master printing unit to reverse feed the paper when the state monitoring unit 55 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit. Although an example of feeding the paper after printing has been shown, the present invention is not limited to this.

When detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the first printing unit 2a, the first transport control unit 22a causes the first transport unit 21a to reversely feed the first paper A, and the second transport control unit 32a controls the second The second sheet B may be reversely fed to the second conveying section 31a when it is detected that an abnormality has occurred in the printing unit 3a. In this case, each printing unit sets the abnormality information of the first printing unit 2a or the second printing unit 3a in the status saving area 551 via the first printing library 51 and the second printing library 52. FIG.

In the printing apparatus Sa, compared with the printing apparatus S, the first printing unit 2a includes a first transport section 21a and a first transport control section 22a, and the second printing unit 3a includes a second transport section 31a and a second transport control section 22a. 2 transfer control section 32a, and the control section 5a does not have a transfer control section. As shown in FIG. 9, the first printing unit 2a has a first transport section 21a and a first transport control section 22a. The first transport section 21a transports the first paper A. As shown in FIG. The first transport control section 22a controls the first transport section 21a. The first transport control section 22a causes the first transport section 21a to feed the sheet in reverse when it detects that the first printing unit 2a has an abnormality.

The second printing unit 3a has a second transport section 31a and a second transport control section 32a. The second transport section 31a transports the second paper B. As shown in FIG. The second transport control section 32a controls the second transport section 31a. The second transport control section 32a causes the second transport section 31a to reversely feed the paper when it detects that the second printing unit 3a has an abnormality.

The first printing unit 2a and the second printing unit 3a thus have a first transport control section 22a and a second transport control section 32a, respectively. Therefore, in the printing apparatus Sa, when an abnormality occurs in the first printing unit 2a or the second printing unit 3a, the first printing unit 2a or the second printing unit 3a itself can reverse feed the paper. Therefore, the load of processing performed by the control unit 5 can be reduced.

In the modified example, the "sheet reverse feed" in the flow chart of FIG. shall be replaced.

[Operation Flowchart of Control Unit 5a]
The operation flow of the control unit 5a will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the data receiving unit 53 receives a print data block through function communication from the external device T executing the application software (S10). The data receiving unit 53 then stores the print data block in the print data block storage area 571 . Next, the control section 5a determines the master printing unit based on instructions from the application software or self-determination (S11).

The clustering control section 57 monitors whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit via the state monitoring section 55 (S12). If the state monitoring unit 55 does not detect that the master printing unit is abnormal (NO in S12), the process proceeds to S13. On the other hand, if the state monitoring unit 55 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (YES in S12), the process proceeds to S18.

Next, the data transmission section 54 transmits the print data block to the master printing unit via the first print library 51 (S13). The master printing unit prints the print data block (S14). During this time, the state monitoring section 55 monitors whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (S15).

If the status monitoring unit 55 does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (NO in S 15 ), the clustering control unit 57 deletes the successfully printed print data block from the print data block storage area 571 . The clustering control unit 57 monitors whether the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (S16).

When the clustering control unit 57 detects that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (YES in S16), the clustering control unit 57 determines via the state monitoring unit 55 that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit. (S12).

Then, if the state monitoring unit 55 does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (NO in S12), the clustering control unit 57 extracts the next print data block from the print data block storage area 571, and transmits the data. 54. The data transmission unit 54 transmits the next print data block to the master print unit via the first print library 51 (S13). If the clustering control unit 57 does not detect that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (NO in S16), the process ends.

On the other hand, when an abnormality occurs in the master printing unit, the master printing unit sets abnormality information in the status storage area 551 of the control section 5a via the first print library 51. FIG. By monitoring the set abnormality information, state monitoring unit 55 detects an abnormality (YES in S15). At the same time, the first transport control section 22a reversely feeds the paper to the master printing unit in which the abnormality has occurred, and takes in the paper in the middle of printing into the master printing unit (S17). The state monitoring unit 55 monitors the status storage area 551 and notifies the clustering control unit 57 of the abnormality. The clustering control section 57 notifies the external device T of the abnormality of the master printing unit via the data receiving section 53 .

On the other hand, the clustering control unit 57 transmits the print data block for which printing has failed to the data transmission unit 54 by designating another print unit. The data transmission section 54 transmits the print data block to the sub print unit via the second print library 52 (S18). Next, the sub-printing unit prints the print data block (S19). During this time, the state monitoring section 55 monitors whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the sub-printing unit (S20).

At this time, if an abnormality occurs in the sub-printing unit during printing by the sub-printing unit, the sub-printing unit sets the abnormality information in the status storage area 551 of the control unit 5a via the second print library 52 in the same manner as described above. . When status monitoring portion 55 monitors status storage area 551 and detects that an abnormality has occurred in the sub printing unit (YES in S20), clustering control portion 57 sends data to an external device via data receiving portion 53. The abnormality of the sub-printing unit is notified to T (S21). The application software on the external device T informs the maintenance system (not shown) that two printing units have failed and become unusable. At the same time, the second transport control section 32a loads the printing paper in the middle of printing into the second printing unit 3a.

On the other hand, if state monitoring unit 55 monitors status storage area 551 and does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the sub print unit (NO in S20), clustering control unit 57 causes print data block storage area 571 to print. Delete the print data block that succeeded in

The clustering control unit 57 monitors whether the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (S16). When the clustering control unit 57 detects that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (YES in S16), the clustering control unit 57 determines via the state monitoring unit 55 that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit. (S12).

Then, if the state monitoring unit 55 does not detect that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit (NO in S12), the clustering control unit 57 extracts the next print data block from the print data block storage area 571, and transmits the data. 54. The data transmission unit 54 transmits the next print data block to the master print unit via the first print library 51 (S13). If the clustering control unit 57 does not detect that the next print data block is stored in the print data block storage area 571 (NO in S16), the process ends.

By configuring the printing device S as described above, for example, different print data blocks can be printed simultaneously by different printing units, thereby making it possible to quickly supply printed paper to the user in front of the printing device S. Also, for example, it is possible to print adult ticket forms and child ticket forms at the same time.

Also, the printing apparatus S may be configured with different types of printing units. In this case, if the paper widths are the same, no particular problem occurs. However, if the print paper widths are different, it will be necessary to alternately print with another printing unit when the master printing unit malfunctions. In this case, the print data block taken out from the print data block storage area 571 needs to be processed by a conversion unit (not shown) that expands or reduces the print width. After that, the print data block after the processing is transmitted to the data transmission unit 54 . As a result, the printer S can be continuously operated.

In addition, it is possible to construct a printing apparatus that does not have the control unit 5 by providing the printing unit with a reverse feed function for feeding the paper in reverse. In this case, the external device T controls the switching of the printing units and retransmits the print data.

[Effects of printing device S according to the present embodiment]
The printing apparatus S according to the present embodiment includes a housing 1, a first printing unit 2 that is housed in the housing 1, and a first printing unit 2 that prints on a first paper A; a second printing unit 3 which is housed and which prints on a second paper B different from the first paper A; Further, the printing device S is provided in the housing 1, and the first printing unit 2 discharges either the first printed paper A or the second printing unit 3 printed second paper B. has an outlet 4 with an opening 41 of .

The discharge unit 4 extends downward from a position above a first discharge port 121 for discharging the first paper A printed by the first printing unit 2 in the housing 1 as it separates from the housing 1 . A second plate extending away from the housing 1 from a position below the first plate portion 42 and the second discharge port 122 for discharging the second paper B printed by the second printing unit 3 in the housing 1. a portion 43;

Since the first plate portion 42 extends downward as it separates from the housing 1 , the first sheet A ejected from the first discharge port 121 is attracted to the first plate portion 42 by static electricity and leaves the housing 1 . Move away. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the first paper A discharged from the upper first printing unit 2 from causing a paper jam at the first discharge port 121 due to paper curl and static electricity, and to prevent the first paper A from sticking to the upper side thereof. .

Since the first plate portion 42 is inclined downward, the first sheet A falls toward the second plate portion 43 . As a result, in the printing apparatus S, the first sheet A ejected by the first printing unit 2 does not stick to the housing 1, and the second sheet B ejected by the second printing unit 3 is accommodated at the same position. It becomes easy to be accommodated in the position of

In addition, in the conventional printing apparatus, when an abnormality occurs in a printing unit, it is necessary to stop printing and repair it. Therefore, even if an abnormality occurs in one printing unit, printing can be continued using another printing unit.

The printing device S can reduce the communication load between the printing device S and the external device T by receiving functions for executing printing and print data blocks from the application software of the external device T. FIG. Further, when printing is abnormal, the printing device S selects a printing unit to execute printing even though the printing device S has a plurality of printing units, so the application software of the external device T , there is no need to control which print unit prints. Therefore, it is easy to print using the printing apparatus S by using conventional application software.

Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist thereof. be. For example, all or part of the device can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in arbitrary units. In addition, new embodiments resulting from arbitrary combinations of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effect of the new embodiment caused by the combination has the effect of the original embodiment.

S, Sa... Printing apparatus 1... Case 11... Bottom plate 12... Front plate 121... First outlet 122... Second outlet 13... Right side plate 14... First shaft 15 Second shaft 16 First tension bar 17 Second tension bars 2, 2a First printing unit 21a First conveying unit 22a First transport control unit 23 Thermal head 231 Thermal head heating element 24 Head open lever 241 First claw 242 Second claw 25 Platen Roller 26...Cutter mechanism 261...Auto cutter 27...No paper sensors 3, 3a...Second printing unit 31a...Second conveying section 32a...Second conveying control section 4... Ejection part 41... Opening 42... First plate part 421... First convex part 43... Second plate part 431... Second convex part 44... Left side plate part 45... Right side plate portion 46...fixing portion 461...first fixing portion 462...second fixing portions 5, 5a...control portion 51...first print library 52...second print library 53 Data receiving unit 54 Data transmitting unit 55 Status monitoring unit 551 Status saving area 56 Transport control unit 57 Clustering control unit 571 Print data block storage Area 58 Clustering library A First sheet B Second sheet T External device

Claims (15)

a housing;
a first printing unit that is housed in the housing and prints on a first sheet of paper;
a second printing unit that is housed in the housing below the first printing unit and that prints on a second paper that is different from the first paper;
a discharge unit provided in the housing and having an opening for discharging the first paper printed by the first printing unit or the second paper printed by the second printing unit;
a first discharge port for discharging the first sheet printed by the first printing unit toward the opening;
a second discharge port provided below the first discharge port for discharging the second sheet printed by the second printing unit toward the opening;
with
The discharge unit is
a first plate portion extending downward from a position above the first outlet as it moves away from the housing;
a second plate portion extending away from the housing from a position below the second discharge port;
has
A plurality of first convex portions are formed on the lower surface of the first plate portion, which are arranged at positions apart from each other in the width direction of the discharge portion and linearly extend in a direction away from the first discharge port. has been
A plurality of second convex portions are formed on the upper surface of the second plate portion, which are arranged at positions apart from each other in the width direction and linearly extend in a direction away from the second discharge port. printer. In a horizontal direction perpendicular to the height direction of the housing, the tip of the first plate is further away from the housing than the tip of the second plate.
A printing device according to claim 1 . The position of the tip of the first plate portion in the height direction of the housing is lower than the position of the first discharge port,
3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 . The position of the tip of the first plate portion in the height direction of the housing is above the position of the second outlet,
A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The first printing unit prints on the lower surface of the first paper in the height direction of the housing, and ejects the first paper with the printed surface facing the second plate portion. discharged from the outlet,
The second printing unit prints on an upper surface of the second paper in the height direction of the housing, and ejects the second paper with the printed surface facing the first plate portion. eject from the outlet
A printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The first printing unit and the second printing unit have the same structure and are arranged in the housing so as to be symmetrical with each other.
A printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . further comprising a control unit that controls the first printing unit and the second printing unit;
The control unit
a data receiving unit that receives print data from an external device executing application software;
a data transmission unit configured to transmit the print data to a master printing unit of the first printing unit or the second printing unit;
having
A printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . the control unit further includes a state monitoring unit that monitors states of the first printing unit and the second printing unit;
The data transmission section, when the state monitoring section detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit, selects a sub-printing unit, which is different from the master printing unit, from among the first printing unit and the second printing unit. sending the print data to
8. A printing device according to claim 7 . The control unit further includes a transport control unit that controls transport of the first paper in the first printing unit and transport of the second paper in the second printing unit,
The transport control unit reverse feeds the paper to the master printing unit when the state monitoring unit detects that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit.
9. A printing device according to claim 8 . The first printing unit has a first transport section that transports the first paper and a first transport control section that controls the first transport section,
The second printing unit has a second transport section that transports the second paper and a second transport control section that controls the second transport section,
The first transport control unit causes the first transport unit to reversely feed the paper when detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the first printing unit,
The second transport control unit reverse feeds the paper to the second transport unit when detecting that an abnormality has occurred in the second printing unit.
10. The printing device according to claim 8 or 9 . When an abnormality occurs in both the first printing unit and the second printing unit, the status monitoring unit notifies the application software of the occurrence of the abnormality.
A printing device according to any one of claims 8 to 10 . the control unit determines the master printing unit based on instructions from the application software;
A printing device according to any one of claims 7 to 11 . The control unit transmits the print data to either a first print library that executes processing for causing the first printing unit to print, or a second print library that executes processing for causing the second printing unit to print. sending the print data to the master printing unit by
A printing device according to any one of claims 7 to 12 . A method of printing by a printing device, comprising:
The printing device
a housing;
a first printing unit that is housed in the housing and prints on a first sheet of paper;
a second printing unit that is housed in the housing below the first printing unit and that prints on a second paper that is different from the first paper;
a discharge unit provided in the housing and having an opening for discharging the first paper printed by the first printing unit or the second paper printed by the second printing unit;
a first discharge port for discharging the first sheet printed by the first printing unit toward the opening;
a second discharge port provided below the first discharge port for discharging the second sheet printed by the second printing unit toward the opening;
a control unit that executes a first print library corresponding to the first printing unit and a second print library corresponding to the second printing unit;
with
The control unit
a data receiving step of receiving print data from an external device executing application software;
a data saving step of saving the print data in a print data saving area;
determining a master printing unit by the controller based on instructions from the application software or self-determination;
monitoring whether an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit;
a data transmission step of transmitting the print data via the first print library or the second print library to the master print unit of the first print unit or the second print unit;
a printing step of printing the print data by the master printing unit;
deleting the successfully printed print data from the print data storage area if no abnormality in the master printing unit is detected; and deleting the print data if an abnormality in the master printing unit is detected. not deleting the print data from the storage area;
print method to perform. The control unit
When it is detected that an abnormality has occurred in the master printing unit, the print data for which printing failed is transferred from the print data storage area to a sub of the first printing unit or the second printing unit different from the master printing unit. perform the step of sending to the printing unit,
15. The method of printing according to claim 14.

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