JP7340905B2 - printer - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a printer that prints on a print medium.

A paper feeding device for copying machines, printers, etc. that is capable of feeding paper through at least two systems has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). According to the paper feeding device of Patent Document 1, since the printing medium can be inserted and ejected from one side of the device, it can be used while being stored on a shelf or the like, thereby saving space.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 02-178129

In recent years, IC tag media such as tags and labels have come into use, which allow normal printing on the surface and incorporate an IC chip and antenna compatible with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology.

Along with this, it is desired that the paper feeding device described in Patent Document 1 also be compatible with IC tag media.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to make an IC tag medium applicable to a printer that inserts and ejects a print medium in the same insertion/ejection section.

According to an aspect of the present invention, either an IC tag medium having an IC chip and an antenna or a print medium having no IC chip and antenna is inserted and ejected in the same insertion/ejection section. The printer includes a print head that prints on the medium, and a platen roller that is arranged opposite to the print head and conveys the medium while holding the medium between the print head. a printing section; and an IC writing section that is disposed downstream of the printing section in the insertion direction of the medium in the insertion/ejection section and writes predetermined information on the IC tag medium; It is possible to switch between an IC tag mode for writing and printing and a printing mode for printing on the print medium, and in the IC tag mode, when the IC tag medium is inserted, the write standby position of the IC tag medium is changed. In the print mode, when the print medium is inserted, the upstream end of the print medium in the insertion direction is brought into contact with the print head and the platen roller. The print medium is conveyed to a print standby position in a pinched state , and the print medium is transferred from the print standby position to the insertion direction without conveying the print medium downstream from the print standby position in the insertion direction. A printer is provided in which the print medium is conveyed in a direction opposite to that of the print medium and the printing unit prints on the print medium.

According to these aspects, the IC tag medium can be applied to a printer that inserts and ejects the medium in the same insertion/ejection section.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the outline of a printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the printing operation of the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Printer description]
Hereinafter, a printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described using the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the outline of a printer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Further, FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer 1 according to this embodiment.

The printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a device that prints characters, figures, etc. on a medium P, and inserts and ejects the medium P in the same insertion and ejection section 10F provided in the casing 10. be.

In this embodiment, insertion means carrying the medium P into the casing 10 from the outside for printing. The insertion direction is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow F1. Moreover, ejection means to carry out the medium P on which printing has been completed to the outside of the casing 10. The discharge direction is indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow F2.

In this embodiment, the medium P is an IC tag medium P1 that has an IC chip and an antenna that are compatible with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, can write information by wireless communication, and can print information on its surface. , a print medium P2 that is not equipped with an IC chip or an antenna and is only capable of printing can be used.

In this embodiment, both the IC tag medium P1 and the print medium P2 are single sheets. In the following description, when the medium P is written, it includes both the IC tag medium P1 and the print medium P2.

The printer 1 according to this embodiment includes a printing section 11 that prints characters, symbols, etc. on the medium P, and an IC writing section 12 that writes predetermined information on the IC tag medium P1.

The printing unit 11 includes a print head 21 and a platen roller 22.

The print head 21 prints on the medium P by thermal transfer with printing ink applied to an ink ribbon R, which will be described later.

The platen roller 22 is arranged to face the print head 21. The platen roller 22 conveys the medium P in the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2 while holding the medium P between it and the print head 21.

The IC writing section 12 is arranged downstream of the printing section 11 in the insertion direction F1 in which the medium P is taken in from the insertion/ejection section 10F. The antenna sensitivity, radio wave output, installation location, etc. of the IC writing section 12 are set so that predetermined information can be written to the IC tag medium P1 taken up to the print standby position W2, which will be described later.

The IC writing unit 12 writes in the UHF band (300 MHz to 3 GHz, especially 860 MHz to 960 MHz), microwave (1 to 300 GHz, especially around 2.4 GHz), and HF band (3 MHz to 30 MHz, especially 13 It is possible to transmit signals corresponding to radio waves in a specific frequency band, such as .56 MHz).

The IC tag medium P1 is provided with an antenna that conforms to these RFID standards.

The printer 1 according to the present embodiment has an IC tag mode (first mode) for writing and printing on the IC tag medium P1, and a print mode (second mode) for printing on the print medium P2. In the printer 1, the IC tag mode and the print mode can be switched.

The printer 1 further includes a ribbon supply section 31 that supplies an ink ribbon R coated with printing ink to be transferred onto the medium P.

The ribbon supply unit 31 includes a shaft on which a supply roll 32 on which the ink ribbon R is wound into a roll shape and a winding roll 33 on which the ink ribbon R is wound after being used for printing can be mounted (see FIG. 1). (Axes not shown).

At least one of the shafts to which the supply roll 32 and the take-up roll 33 are inserted is connected to a drive section (not shown), and conveys the ink ribbon R in the insertion direction F1 or the discharge direction F2. In FIG. 1, the movement of the ink ribbon R when conveying the medium P in the insertion direction F1 is indicated by a white arrow. Furthermore, the movement of the ink ribbon R when conveying the medium P in the discharge direction F2 is indicated by a black arrow.

The ribbon supply unit 31 also includes tension rollers 34 and 35 that apply a predetermined tension to the ink ribbon R sent out from the supply roll 32 or to the ink ribbon R that passes through the printing unit 11 and heads toward the take-up roll 33.

The ink ribbon R pulled out from the supply roll 32 is supplied between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22. The ink ribbon R is conveyed along with the medium P in the direction of the black arrow or the white arrow while being held between the platen roller 22 and the print head 21 .

The printer 1 according to this embodiment includes a sensor 41 that detects that the medium P is inserted into the casing 10 from the insertion/ejection section 10F.

The printer 1 also includes nip rollers 51 and 52 that nip and convey the medium P, nip rollers 53 and 54, and nip rollers 55 and 56.

The nip rollers 51 and 52 are arranged upstream of the printing section 11 in the insertion direction F1. That is, the nip rollers 51 and 52 are arranged between the insertion and ejection section 10F side and the printing section 11, and convey the medium P in the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2.

The distance between the nip rollers 51, 52 and the printing unit 11 in the insertion direction F1 is set to be narrower than the one having the smallest longitudinal length among the various media P usable in the printer 1.

The nip rollers 53 and 54 are arranged downstream of the printing section 11 in the insertion direction F1. That is, the nip rollers 53 and 54 are arranged between the printing section 11 and the IC writing section 12, and convey the medium P in the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2.

The interval between the printing section and the nip rollers 53 and 54 in the insertion direction F1 is set to be narrower than the one having the smallest length in the longitudinal direction among the various media P that can be used in the printer 1.

The nip rollers 55 and 56 are arranged downstream of the IC writing section 12 in the insertion direction F1. When the size of the medium P is larger than the distance between the nip rollers 53 and 54 and the nip rollers 55 and 56, the nip rollers 55 and 56 nip the medium P when conveying it in the insertion direction F1.

Further, the nip rollers 55 and 56 transport the medium P toward the printing section 11 when the medium P is inserted from an opening 10R, which will be described later.

At least one of the nip rollers 51 and 52, the nip rollers 53 and 54, and the nip rollers 55 and 56 is connected to a motor 71 (motor 71 in FIG. 2) not shown in FIG. 1.

Rotation by the motor 71 in the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2 is transmitted to at least one of the nip rollers 51 and 52, the nip rollers 53 and 54, and the nip rollers 55 and 56, respectively. Further, the rotational direction of the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2 is configured to be interlocked with the platen roller 22.

The printer 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with an opening 10R on the downstream side surface of the casing 10 in the insertion direction F1. The medium P can also be inserted through the opening 10R.

The printer 1 can print while conveying the medium P inserted through the opening 10R in the discharge direction F2. A sensor 61 is arranged in the opening 10R to detect that the medium P is inserted through the opening 10R.

Next, the configuration of the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 1 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 101, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102 that controls each part according to various control programs stored in the ROM 101, and a RAM as a work area for the CPU 102. (Random Access Memory) 103. These ROM 101, CPU 102, RAM 103, and each component described later are connected by an internal bus 104.

In the printer 1, the ROM 101, CPU 102, and RAM 103 constitute a controller 105.

The ROM 101 stores a control program for executing printing operations in the printer 1, various fixed data for the control program, control table data, IO constants, a motor control program, and the like.

Further, the RAM 103 has a work area that stores various data necessary for the operation of the CPU 102, and a print development area where print data is developed.

The printer 1 also includes an operation unit 106 that accepts operation input from the user. The operation unit 106 is connected to the controller 105 via an interface 111 and an internal bus 104. Further, the operation unit 106 accepts an input for selecting the IC tag mode or the print mode. The operation unit 106 may be a keyboard or a touch panel.

The printer 1 also includes a display section 107 that displays print data and the like. The display unit 107 is connected to the controller 105 via an interface 112 and an internal bus 104. The display unit 107 displays information regarding the IC tag mode or print mode selected on the operation unit 106. Information necessary for operation input and print data are also displayed.

The printer 1 also includes a storage unit 108 in which print data and the like are stored.

Further, the printer 1 includes an input terminal 109 for acquiring print data and the like from an external device. Input terminal 109 is connected to controller 105 via interface 113 and internal bus 104 .

In the printer 1 in this embodiment, the controller 105 executes a predetermined printing operation on the medium P based on a control program stored in the ROM 101. In the printer 1, the controller 105 controls the ribbon supply section 31 that supplies the ink ribbon R to the printing section 11.

The printer 1 also includes the sensors 41 and 61 shown in FIG. 1 and the print head 21 as a configuration for printing. It also includes a motor 71 that drives at least one of each of the platen roller 22, nip rollers 51 and 52, nip rollers 53 and 54, and nip rollers 55 and 56.

The printer 1 also includes a sensor control circuit 114 for controlling the sensor 41, a print head control circuit 115 for controlling the operation of the print head 21, and a motor control circuit 116 for controlling the operation of the motor 71. .

Based on the control signal from the CPU 102, the print head control circuit 115 supplies the print head 21 with signals corresponding to printing data such as characters, symbols, and bar codes to be printed developed in the print development area of the RAM 103. Perform printing operation.

The motor control circuit 116 generates a control signal for the motor 71 based on the control signal from the CPU 102, and rotates the platen roller 22 in the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2.

According to the printer 1 having the configuration described above, the nip rollers 51 and 52 take in the medium P from the insertion/discharge section 10F in the insertion direction F1, print on the medium P, and convey the printed medium P in the discharge direction F2. By doing so, it can be discharged from the insertion and discharge section 10F.

[Explanation of printing operation]
Next, the printing operation on the IC tag medium P1 and the print medium P2 by the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the printing operation of the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The printer 1 according to the present embodiment is capable of switching between an IC tag mode (first mode) for writing and printing on the IC tag medium P1 and a print mode (second mode) for printing on the print medium P2.

<IC tag mode (1st mode)>
When the IC tag mode is selected and the IC tag medium P1 is inserted from the insertion/ejection section 10F, the sensor 41 detects the insertion. The detection of the insertion initiates the acquisition phase.

When insertion is detected, the pressure of the print head 21 on the platen roller 22 is released. That is, the sandwiched state between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22 is released. Thereby, the medium P conveyed from the insertion/ejection section 10F side can be inserted between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22.

Subsequently, the nip rollers 51 and 52 transport the IC tag medium P1 to the printing section 11 in the insertion direction F1.

When the IC tag medium P1 reaches the printing section 11, the print head 21 is pressed against the platen roller 22. The IC tag medium P1, together with the ink ribbon R, is conveyed to the nip rollers 53 and 54 by the rotation of the platen roller 22 while being held between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22.

When the IC tag medium P1 is conveyed to the nip rollers 53 and 54 by the rotation of the platen roller 22, and the IC tag medium P1 is delivered to the nip rollers 53 and 54, the nipping state between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22 is released. .

At this time, the ink ribbon R has a used area in the insertion direction F1 corresponding to the transport distance from when the print head 21 is pressed against the platen roller 22 until the IC tag medium P1 reaches the nip rollers 53 and 54. is rewound to.

In the printer 1 according to the present embodiment, after releasing the nipping state between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22, the controller 105 transports the IC tag medium P1 until it reaches the nip rollers 53 and 54. The ribbon supply unit 31 returns the ink ribbon R conveyed together with the IC tag medium P1 to the position before conveying it to the nip rollers 53 and 54 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction F1 (that is, in the direction of the black arrow). The rotation of the supply roll 32 or the take-up roll 33 is controlled. Thereby, the used area of the ink ribbon R rewound in the insertion direction F1 can be fed out until the unused area reaches the printing start position.

Further, the nip rollers 53 and 54 transport the IC tag medium P1 to the print standby position W1 (indicated by the upper part (a) in FIG. 3). The print standby position W1 is set at a position where the antenna provided on the IC writing section 12 and the antenna provided on the IC tag medium P1 match.

When the IC tag medium P1 reaches the print standby position W1, a discharge phase (printing process) is started. Prior to printing by the printing unit 11, the IC writing unit 12 writes predetermined information on the IC tag medium P1.

Thereafter, the IC tag medium P1 is conveyed to the printing unit 11 in the discharge direction F2 by nip rollers 53 and 54. The IC tag medium P1 is printed in the printing unit 11 while being conveyed in the discharge direction F2 while being held between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22.

When printing is completed, the IC tag medium P1 is conveyed by nip rollers 51 and 52 in the discharge direction F2 to the insertion and discharge section 10F.

The amount of rotation of the nip rollers 51 and 52 when the nip rollers 51 and 52 transport the IC tag medium P1 to the printing unit 11 in the capture phase of the IC tag mode described above, and the rotation amount of the nip rollers 51 and 52 when the IC tag medium P1 is transported by the platen roller 22 to the nip rollers 53 and 54. The amount of rotation of the platen roller 22 when transporting the ink ribbon R to the position F1, and the amount of feed of the ribbon supply unit 31 when feeding out the used area of the ink ribbon R rewound in the insertion direction F1 until the unused area reaches the printing start position are as follows. , is stored in advance in the ROM 101 or the storage unit 108 as work information for executing the IC tag mode.

<Print mode (second mode)>
When the printing mode is selected and the printing medium P2 is inserted from the insertion/ejection section 10F, the sensor 41 detects the insertion. The detection of the insertion initiates the acquisition phase.

When insertion is detected, the sandwiched state between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22 is released.

Subsequently, the nip rollers 51 and 52 transport the printing medium P2 to the printing section 11 in the insertion direction F1.

When the print medium P2 reaches the print section 11, the print head 21 is pressed against the platen roller 22. The print medium P2, together with the ink ribbon R, is conveyed to the nip rollers 53 and 54 by the rotation of the platen roller 22 while being held between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22.

As shown in FIG. 3B, the print medium P2 is rotated by the platen roller 22, so that the leading edge of the print medium P2 and the upstream end in the insertion direction F1 are sandwiched between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22. When the printing standby position W2 is reached, the ejection phase (printing process) is started.

When printing is completed, the print medium P2 is conveyed by nip rollers 51 and 52 in the discharge direction F2 to the insertion and discharge section 10F.

The amount of rotation of the nip rollers 51 and 52 when the nip rollers 51 and 52 transport the print medium P2 to the printing unit 11 in the capture phase of the print mode described above, and the rotation amount of the nip rollers 51 and 52 when the platen roller 22 transports the print medium P2 to the nip rollers 53 and 54. The amount of rotation of the platen roller 22 when the ink ribbon is rewound in the insertion direction F1 and the amount of feed of the ribbon supply unit 31 when feeding out the used area of the ink ribbon R rewound in the insertion direction F1 until the unused area reaches the print start position are determined by the print mode. The work information for executing the process is stored in the ROM 101 or the storage unit 108 in advance.

[effect]
As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the printer 1 that inserts and ejects the medium P includes the printing section 11 and the IC writing section 12, so that the IC tag medium P1 can be used. possible.

Further, in the printer 1, the IC writing section 12 is disposed downstream of the printing section 11 in the insertion direction F1 that takes in the medium P from the insertion/ejection section 10F, and can write the IC tag medium P1 in the IC tag mode and the print mode. The print standby position W1 and the print standby position W2 of the print medium P2 are made different.

As a result, when using the print medium P2, the print medium P2 is not conveyed to the IC write section 12, and is placed on the side of the print section 11 rather than the IC write section 12, that is, upstream in the insertion direction F1 of the print medium P2. The printer is left on standby with its side end sandwiched between the print head 21 and the platen roller 22.

As a result, in the case of the print mode, once the taking in of the normal medium P1 is completed, the operation of pressing the print head 21 and the platen roller 22 becomes unnecessary. Therefore, even if the IC writing section 12 is provided, the influence on the response of the printing operation in the printing mode can be suppressed.

As described above, in the printer 1, as the print head 21 and the platen roller 22 are rotated in order to convey the medium P in the insertion direction F1, the used area of the ink ribbon R is moved in the insertion direction. Even if it is rewound to F1, the process of sending it out to an unused area is executed.

Thereby, the printer 1 can use the platen roller 22 to convey the medium P during the capture phase. Therefore, the transport mechanism for the medium P is simplified.

Further, by performing the process of feeding the ink ribbon R to an unused area, printing defects such as white spots and blurring due to the used area of the ink ribbon R being used again for printing are prevented.

[Other embodiments]
The embodiments of the present invention described above can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In the printer 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the IC writing unit 12 may be attached to the print standby position W1 of the IC tag medium P1 so as to be movable in the insertion direction F1 or the ejection direction F2.

This allows the position of the IC writing section 12 to be changed so as to obtain good sensitivity to the antenna built into the IC tag medium P1, thereby reducing writing defects.

The printer 1 may be provided with an IC reading section that reads IC tags. The IC reading section is preferably located between the printing section 11 and the IC writing section 12.

By providing the IC reading section, if the IC reading section cannot read the information, it is possible to notify the user as a writing failure by the IC writing section 12. In the ejection phase, the printing unit 11 may print on the IC tag medium P1 that there is a writing failure.

Further, for example, when the above-mentioned IC tag mode is selected and the print medium P2 is inserted, the information cannot be read by the IC reading section. Further, when the print mode is selected and the IC tag medium P1 is inserted, the IC reading section reads that it is the IC tag medium P1. In such a case, the user can be notified of the incorrect insertion of the medium P.

In the print mode of the printer 1 according to the present embodiment, the print medium P2 is conveyed to the nip rollers 53 and 54 by the rotation of the platen roller 22, and when the print medium P2 is delivered to the nip rollers 53 and 54, the print head 21 The nipping state between the ink ribbon R and the platen roller 22 may be released, and the used area of the ink ribbon R may be fed out until the unused area reaches the printing start position.

In the printer 1 according to the present embodiment, at least one of the platen roller 22, the nip rollers 51 and 52, the nip rollers 53 and 54, and the nip rollers 55 and 56 are configured to be driven in conjunction with each other by a common motor. You can leave it there. Thereby, the printer 1 can be downsized.

Further, in the printer 1 according to the present embodiment, a paper feeding device capable of continuously feeding the IC tag medium P1 or the print medium P2 may be connected to the opening 10R. This enables continuous printing on the IC tag medium P1 or print medium P2.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above embodiments merely show a part of the application examples of the present invention, and the purpose is to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configuration of the above embodiments. isn't it.

1 Printer 10 Casing 10F Insertion/ejection section 10R Opening section 11 Print section 12 IC writing section 21 Print head 22 Platen roller 31 Ribbon supply section 32 Supply roll 33 Take-up roll 34, 35 Tension roller 41 Sensor 51, 52, 53, 54 ,55,56 Nip roller 61 Sensor 71 Motor 101 ROM
102 CPUs
103 RAM
104 Internal bus 105 Controller 106 Operation unit 107 Display unit 108 Storage unit 109 Input terminal 111 Interface 112 Interface 113 Interface 114 Sensor control circuit 115 Print head control circuit 116 Motor control circuit P Medium P1 IC tag medium P2 Print medium F1 Intake direction F2 Discharge direction W1, W2 Print standby position

Claims (3)

A printer that inserts and ejects either an IC tag medium having an IC chip and an antenna or a print medium not having the IC chip and the antenna as a medium in the same insertion/ejection section,
a printing unit that includes a print head that prints on the medium; and a platen roller that is disposed opposite to the print head and conveys the medium while holding the medium between the print head;
an IC writing section that is disposed downstream of the printing section in the insertion direction of the medium in the insertion/ejection section and writes predetermined information on the IC tag medium;
Equipped with
It is possible to switch between an IC tag mode for writing and printing on the IC tag medium and a printing mode for printing on the print medium,
In the IC tag mode, when the IC tag medium is inserted, the IC tag medium is transported in the insertion direction to a write standby position of the IC tag medium,
In the print mode, when the print medium is inserted, the print medium moves to a print standby position where the upstream end of the print medium in the insertion direction is held between the print head and the platen roller. and conveying the print medium from the print standby position in a direction opposite to the insertion direction without conveying the print medium downstream from the print standby position in the insertion direction of the print medium. A printer that prints at the printing section. The printer according to claim 1,
a ribbon supply unit that supplies an ink ribbon coated with printing ink to be transferred to the medium between the print head and the platen roller;
Conveyance, which is disposed on the downstream side in the insertion direction of the insertion and discharge section with respect to the platen roller and upstream of the IC writing section in the insertion direction, and transports the medium to the print standby position. Equipped with a
After the medium inserted from the insertion/ejection section is conveyed to the conveyance section in a state where it is held between the print head and the platen roller together with the ink ribbon,
The sandwiched state between the platen roller and the print head is released,
While the medium is being conveyed to the conveyance section, the ink ribbon conveyed together with the print medium is returned to a position before conveying the medium to the conveyance section in a direction opposite to the insertion direction. The printer according to claim 1 or 2,
In the printer, a print standby position of the IC tag medium in the IC tag mode is a position where an antenna provided on the IC writing section and an antenna provided on the IC tag medium match.

Images