JP7384019B2 - Printing device, control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The disclosure herein relates to a printing device, a control method, and a program.

2. Description of the Related Art Some printing apparatuses that print on tape-shaped print media cut and eject the printed portion of the print medium upon completion of printing (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-136473

The above-mentioned printing devices that cut and eject the printed portion of the print medium have a predetermined transport distance to ensure that the print medium is ejected after printing regardless of the print content. Some devices cut the printing medium by feeding the printing medium in a direction in which the printing medium is discharged from the discharge port of the device housing. However, after cutting, there may be a surplus of the printing medium on the side that includes the printed portion, and the printing medium may be wasted.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, one aspect of the present invention is to suppress wasteful consumption of the printing medium while reliably ejecting the printed portion of the printing medium to the outside of the printing device. The purpose is to provide technology that enables

A printing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a transport unit that transports a printing medium, a printing unit that prints on the printing medium based on input label data, and a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium. Then, a margin length is derived based on the label data, and based on the label length based on the label data and the margin length, the print unit applies the print medium to the print medium while the conveyance unit transports the print medium. a control unit that controls printing, and the control unit determines the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an output port for the printing medium provided on the outer surface of the device housing. The label length is calculated based on the length required for printing one label in the label data and the number of sheets to be printed, and the derived margin length is calculated based on the length required for printing one label in the label data and the number of sheets to be printed. This printing device sets a margin of a length corresponding to the value divided by the number of sheets to be printed adjacent to the downstream side of each area to be printed.

A control method according to one aspect of the present invention derives a label length and a margin length of a printing medium based on input label data, and a transport unit causes a transport unit to calculate a length of a print medium on the printing medium based on the label length and the margin length. A control method for controlling a printing device such that a printing section prints on the printing medium while conveying the label, and a cutting section cuts the printing medium, the printing device controlling the printing device according to the label length and the printing medium. The margin length is derived based on the distance from the position where the print medium is cut to the output port for the print medium provided on the outer surface of the device casing , and is necessary for printing one label in the label data. The label length is calculated based on the length and the number of sheets to be printed, and the margin length corresponding to the value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of sheets to be printed is calculated in each area to be printed. This is a control method that is set adjacent to the downstream side .

A program according to one aspect of the present invention derives a label length and a margin length of a print medium based on input label data, and causes a transport unit to transport the print medium based on the label length and the margin length. A program that causes a printing device to perform a process of printing on the printing medium by a printing unit and cutting the printing medium by a cutting unit while being conveyed, the program including the label length and the printing medium in the printing device. The margin length is derived based on the distance from the position where the medium is cut to the output port for the print medium provided on the outer surface of the device housing , and the margin length is calculated based on the distance required for printing one label in the label data. The label length is calculated based on the label length and the number of sheets to be printed, and the margin length corresponding to the value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of sheets to be printed is calculated as This is a program that includes processing to set the side adjacent to each other .

According to the above aspect, it is possible to reliably discharge the printed portion of the printing medium to the outside of the printing apparatus while suppressing wasteful consumption of the printing medium.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of a printing device. FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the printing device with the lid opened. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a conveyance path of a thermosensitive tape. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a printing device. 3 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by the printing device. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of additional margin length determination processing. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating a label when the number of sheets to be printed is one. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating a label when the number of printed sheets is two. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating multiple labels with different print contents. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an additional margin length setting table. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a minimum tape length setting table. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating another example of a printing device. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating a label using a mobile terminal.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following description, a thermal printer including a thermal head will be cited as an example of a printing device. Further, in the following description, detailed descriptions of configurations, functions, operations, etc. that are the same or equivalent to those of conventional printing devices will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the external configuration of a printing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the printing device with the lid opened. The X direction and Y direction in FIG. 2 correspond to the X direction and Y direction in FIG. 1, respectively. Further, in FIG. 2, some buttons (keys) on the input device 3 are omitted.

The printing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a label printer that prints on a long thermal tape 13. The heat-sensitive tape 13 includes a heat-sensitive layer that develops or changes color when heated, an adhesive layer laminated on the heat-sensitive layer, and a separator (release paper) that protects the adhesive layer. The thermal tape 13 is an example of a printing medium that can be printed using the thermal head 701. The heat-sensitive tape 13 is supplied from a tape roll 12 in which the heat-sensitive tape 13 is wound around a cylindrical core material. The tape roll 12 is housed in the medium adapter 11, and is supported by the medium adapter 11 in a rotatable state with the axial direction of the core material as a rotation axis. In the printing apparatus 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2, a direction perpendicular to each of the X direction and the Y direction is the axial direction of the core material of the tape roll 12 (that is, the rotation axis of the tape roll 12). The thermal tape 13 of the tape roll 12 is fed out of the medium adapter 11 from a draw-out port (not shown) provided in the medium adapter 11, and a character string or the like is printed on the fed-out portion. Note that the underlined number "9" in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates that the width of the thermal tape 13 is 9 mm.

Hereinafter, a thermal label printer that prints on the thermal tape 13 will be described as an example of the printing device 1, but the printing method of the printing device 1 is not particularly limited. For example, the printing device 1 may be a thermal transfer label printer that uses an ink ribbon. Further, the printing device 1 is not limited to a label printer, and may be any device that prints on a printing medium by driving a thermal head based on print data.

The printing device 1 includes a device housing 2, an input device 3, a lid 4, and a display device 5.

The device housing 2 includes a printed circuit board (not shown) including a part of a control circuit that controls the operation of the printing device 1, a media adapter 11, a platen roller 6, a printing unit 7, a cutter 8, a discharge roller 10, etc. accommodate. Although not shown, the device housing 2 is provided with a power cord connection terminal, an external device connection terminal, a recording medium insertion slot, and the like.

A lid 4 is attached to the device housing 2 so as to be openable and closable. An input device 3 is provided in an area of the device housing 2 that does not overlap the lid 4 in the XY plane view when the lid 4 is in a closed state. A user of the printing device 1 can operate the input device 3 to input characters, figures, etc. to be printed, select setting items, and execute functions such as printing and transporting the thermal tape 13. Further, the lid 4 is provided with a display device 5 such as a liquid crystal display, and the display device 5 displays information input through the input device 3 and various information regarding settings of the printing device 1.

In the device housing 2, an area below the lid 4 in the XY plane view (an area overlapping with the lid 4) when the lid 4 is in a closed state includes an adapter accommodating section 201, a platen roller 6, and a printing unit. 7, a cutter 8, and a discharge roller 10. The adapter accommodating portion 201 is a concave portion that defines a space in which the medium adapter 11 can be accommodated. The adapter accommodating section 201 is not limited to the medium adapter 11 accommodating the tape roll 12 of the thermal tape 13 having a width of 9 mm as shown in FIGS. ) is also formed in a shape that can accommodate the tape roll 12 of the thermal tape 13.

The platen roller 6 is a roller that conveys the thermal tape 13 supplied from the medium adapter 11. The platen roller 6 is connected to a transport motor (for example, a DC (direct current) motor), not shown, and is rotated by power from the transport motor. In the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the platen roller 6 can be rotated in a first direction (normal rotation direction) and a second direction (reverse rotation direction), as described later. In the printing apparatus 1, the platen roller 6 is rotated (normally or reversely) while the thermal tape 13 supplied from the medium adapter 11 is held between the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701 of the printing unit 7. The thermosensitive tape 13 is conveyed in a desired conveyance direction.

The printing unit 7 prints on the thermal tape 13 based on print data, and includes a thermal head (print head) 701. The thermal head 701 has a plurality of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the thermal tape 13 (that is, a direction parallel to the width direction of the thermal tape 13), and heats the thermal tape 13 with the heating elements. By doing this, printing is performed line by line. The printing unit 7 is an example of a printing section that drives a thermal head 701 based on print data and prints on a printing medium (for example, the thermal tape 13) based on input label data.

The cutter 8 is a cutting device that cuts the thermal tape 13, and is used, for example, to separate printed areas of the thermal tape 13 into individual pieces as labels.

The discharge roller 10 is a roller that conveys the thermal tape 13 toward the discharge port of the apparatus housing 2, and is disposed at a position between the cutter 8 and the tape discharge surface 202 of the apparatus housing 2. The tape ejection surface 202 is a surface of the device housing 2 facing outward, and is a surface that forms an open end that serves as an ejection port for the heat-sensitive tape 13. In the printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 2, a portion of the right side surface of the device housing 2 is displaced to the left, and the displaced portion is used as a tape ejection surface 202.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the conveyance path of the thermosensitive tape. In FIG. 3, among the conveyance paths of the thermal tape 13 in the printing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyance path from the printing position to the discharge port 203 of the apparatus housing 2 is shown as a horizontal straight path. It is schematically shown as .

As shown in FIG. 3, when printing on the thermal tape 13 with the printing device 1, the platen roller 6 is rotated with the thermal tape 13 sandwiched between the platen roller 6 and the thermal head 701, and the thermal tape 13 is printed on the thermal tape 13. Convey to the right or left. In the conveyance path illustrated in FIG. 3, when the platen roller 6 is rotated in the normal rotation direction (counterclockwise), the thermal tape 13 is moved in the right direction (the direction in which it is discharged from the discharge port 203 to the outside of the printing apparatus 1; hereinafter referred to as " When the thermosensitive tape 13 is rotated in the reverse direction (clockwise), the thermosensitive tape 13 is transported to the left (direction returning to the medium adapter 11).

When the printing device 1 includes the cutter 8, a position on the conveyance path between the position where heat is applied from the thermal head 701 to the thermosensitive tape 13 (hereinafter referred to as the "printing position") and the tape ejection surface 202, A cutter 8 is arranged. The cutter 8 includes two cutters, a full cutter 801 and a half cutter 802, for example. The full cutter 801 is a cutter that performs a full cut of cutting the entire thermal tape 13 and dividing the thermal tape 13 into two at the cutting position. The half cutter 802 is a cutter that performs a half cut to partially cut the thermosensitive tape 13. In the transport path illustrated in FIG. 3, the half cutter 802 is arranged between the full cutter 801 and the tape ejection surface 202, but the arrangement of the full cutter 801 and the half cutter 802 may be reversed.

Further, the discharge roller 10 is arranged at a position on the conveyance path between the position where the full cutter 801 fully cuts the thermal tape 13 (hereinafter referred to as "full cut position") and the tape discharge surface 202. The discharge roller 10 is a roller that conveys the thermal tape 13 in the discharge direction. For example, the discharge roller 10 conveys in the discharge direction the thermal tape 13 that has been fully cut by the full cutter 801 and is located closer to the tape discharge surface 202 than the full cut position. Further, the ejection roller 10 may transport the thermal tape 13 in the ejection direction without full cutting by the full cutter 801, for example, when the user of the printing apparatus 1 uses scissors or the like to cut the thermal tape 13. can. The discharge roller 10 is arranged at a distance L1 from the full cut position. In the following description, the position of the discharge roller 10 on the conveyance path is also referred to as the "discharge roller position."

When printing on the thermal tape 13 to create a label, the printing apparatus 1 can make a full cut at a position 1303 at a distance LT from the leading end 1301 of the thermal tape 13 using the full cutter 801. The full cut position 1303 is, for example, a position far from the leading end 1301 of the thermal tape 13 at the end in the conveyance direction (discharge direction) of the printed area of the thermal tape 13 (hereinafter also referred to as "label area"). This is the side end. Further, the distance LT is, for example, the length of the printing area determined based on the label data (hereinafter referred to as "label length"), and the front margin (hereinafter referred to as "label length") set on the side of the leading edge 1301 from the printing area. This is the sum of the length of the blank space including the ears (also called ears). In the following description, the distance LT from the leading end 1301 of the thermal tape 13 to the position (for example, position 1303) where it is fully cut by the full cutter is also referred to as "discharge tape length LT." In addition, in the following explanation, a position or area closer to the tip 1301 side than a predetermined position or area on the thermal tape 13 is referred to as a "downstream (side)" position or area; Alternatively, a position or area farther from the tip 1301 side than the area is referred to as an "upstream (side)" position or area.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, if the ejection tape length LT is longer than the distance L0 from the full cut position to the ejection surface 202 on the transport path, the tape is cut out by full cutting at position 1303, which is the downstream end of the label area. The thermal tape 13 having the discharge tape length LT is discharged to the outside of the printing apparatus 1 from the discharge port 203. Although not shown, even if the ejection tape length LT is shorter than the distance L0 from the full cut position to the ejection surface 202, the ejection tape length LT is greater than or equal to the distance L1 from the full cut position to the ejection roller position. If so, the thermal tape 13 cut out by full cutting can be discharged to the outside of the printing apparatus 1 from the discharge port 203. However, when creating a label by printing on the thermal tape 13, for example, the label length may be short and the discharge tape length LT may be shorter than the distance L1. In such a case, the thermal tape 13 having a discharge tape length LT (<L1), which is fully cut at a position 1303 that is the downstream end of the label area, is conveyed to the tape discharge surface 202 side by the discharge roller 10. This becomes difficult.

On the other hand, in order to reliably eject the thermal tape 13 of the ejection tape length LT cut out by the full cut, the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment has the ejection tape length LT set to a predetermined shortest tape length, as described later. Printing and full cutting are performed with the margin length set to be equal to or greater than Lmin.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of the printing device.

The printing apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. A processing section 28 is provided.

The control unit 21 controls various processes executable in the printing apparatus 1, including control of the discharge tape length LT in printing processing. In the printing device 1, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) included in the printing device 1 functions as the control unit 21 by executing various programs.

The input unit 22 receives input of characters, figures, etc. to be printed on the thermal tape 13, input of setting values and execution commands related to various processes, and the like. The input unit 22 is one of the functions of the input device 3 shown in FIG. 1, for example. The display unit 23 displays characters and figures corresponding to input from the input unit 22, selection menus for various settings, messages regarding various processes, and the like. The display unit 23 is one of the functions of the display device 5 shown in FIG. 1, for example.

The storage unit 24 stores programs, information, etc. that are necessary when the printing device 1 executes various processes. In the printing device 1 , storage devices such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory) included in the printing device 1 function as a storage unit 24 .

The tape type detection unit 25 detects the type of the thermal tape 13 supplied from the medium adapter 11. The tape type detection unit 25 detects the width of the thermosensitive tape 13, for example. The tape type detection section 25 detects whether or not the medium adapter 11 is accommodated in the adapter accommodating section 201, and detects which tape width of the tape roll 12 the medium adapter 11 is suitable for accommodating. You may go. The tape type detection unit 25 includes one or more sensors that detect the type of the thermosensitive tape 13 and the like.

The conveyance processing unit 26 carries out a process of conveying the thermosensitive tape 13 by a predetermined conveyance amount (conveyance length) in a predetermined conveyance direction. The conveyance processing section 26 is an example of a conveyance section that conveys a printing medium such as the thermal tape 13. The conveyance processing section 26 includes a platen roller 6, a discharge roller 10, a platen roller drive section 2601, and a discharge roller drive section 2602. The platen roller drive unit 2601 includes, for example, a DC motor that rotates the platen roller 6, and a control circuit that controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the DC motor. The discharge roller drive unit 2602 includes, for example, a DC motor that rotates the discharge roller 10 and a control circuit that controls the rotation of the DC motor. The conveyance processing section 26 controls the rotation direction and rotation speed of the platen roller 6 during printing under the control of the control section 21 . Further, the conveyance processing unit 26 controls the rotation of the discharge roller 10 when the thermal tape 13 after printing is fully cut and automatically discharged, or when a predetermined input operation is received.

The printing processing unit 27 applies thermal energy to the thermal tape 13 to print characters and figures on the thermal tape 13 . The print processing section 27 is an example of a printing section that prints on a printing medium such as the thermal tape 13 based on input label data, and includes a printing unit 7 including a thermal head 701. The print processing unit 27 performs printing using the thermal head 701 under the control of the control unit 21 .

The cut processing section 28 performs a process of cutting the thermosensitive tape 13. The cut processing section 28 is an example of a cutting section that cuts a printing medium such as the thermal tape 13, and includes the cutter 8. The cut processing unit 28 includes, for example, a full cutter 801 and a half cutter 802, and a control circuit that controls the operations of these cutters 801 and 802. The cut processing unit 28 performs, for example, a full cut process in which the entire heat-sensitive tape 13 is cut to divide the heat-sensitive tape 13 into two, and a part of the heat-sensitive tape 13 (for example, only the heat-sensitive layer and the adhesive layer) is cut. Half-cut processing can be performed.

In the printing device 1 of this embodiment, after editing a label design using the input device 3 and creating label data, printing can be performed on the thermal tape 13 based on the created label data. Further, the printing device 1 can cut out the printed area of the thermal tape 13 by full cut processing and discharge it from the discharge port 203. In order to reliably discharge the thermal tape 13 cut out by the full cut process from the discharge port 203, the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment performs a process according to the flowchart of FIG. 5, for example.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing performed by the printing apparatus.

When creating a label by printing on the thermal tape 13 with the printing device 1, first, the label design is edited (step S1), and label data for printing is created (step S2). The label design is edited using the input device 3. The control unit 21 creates label data for printing.

Next, the printing device 1 performs additional margin length determination processing based on the label data and the number of prints (step S3). The additional margin length determination process is based on the label data and the number of prints, and determines the margin to be added so that the length of the thermal tape 13 to be cut out and discharged by full cutting (discharge tape length LT) is equal to or greater than the shortest tape length Lmin. Includes processing to determine length. In the additional margin length determination process, if the label length based on the label data is shorter than the shortest tape length Lmin, or if the sum of the label length based on the label data and the length of the front margin (edge) secured in advance during printing is the shortest If the tape length is shorter than Lmin, add a margin. Note that the length of the added margin may be 0. Further, the additional margin length determining process may include a process of determining a position to add the margin when adding the margin.

Next, the printing device 1 performs printing and cutting based on the result of the additional margin length determination process (step S4). Step S4 is performed by the conveyance processing section 26, the print processing section 27, and the cut processing section 28 under the control of the control section 21. The control unit 21 controls the transport processing unit 26 and the print processing unit 27 so that the print processing unit 28 prints on the thermal tape 13 while the transport processing unit 26 transports the thermal tape 13 . When a margin is added in the additional margin length determination process, the control unit 21, based on the information such as the label data and the number of prints created in step S2, and the information on the length and position of the margin added in step S3, Print data is generated, and the print processing unit 27 is caused to print on the thermal tape 13 based on the print data. If no margin is added in the additional margin length determination process, the control unit 21 generates printing data based on the label data created in step S2 and information such as the number of prints, and generates printing data based on the printing data. The print processing unit 27 is caused to print on the thermal tape 13. Further, the control unit 21 causes the cut processing unit 28 to perform a full cut or a half cut of the thermal tape 13 based on the generated print data and information indicating the cutting position.

In step S4, the control unit 21 causes the platen roller driving unit 2601 of the conveyance processing unit 26 to cause the thermal tape 13 to be conveyed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined conveyance speed based on the printing data and the cutting timing. let The platen roller drive unit 2601 controls, for example, the direction and voltage of the current applied to the DC motor according to the conveyance direction and conveyance speed of the thermosensitive tape 13. When the printing and the set half-cut on the thermal tape 13 are completed, the conveyance processing unit 26 conveys the thermal tape 13 until the full cut position on the thermal tape 13 reaches the full cut position on the conveyance path. Thereafter, when the thermal tape 13 is fully cut by the full cutter 801, the process of step S4 is completed.

When the process of step S4 is completed, the printing apparatus 1 discharges the thermal tape 13 cut out by the full cut to the discharge port 203 (step S5), and ends the process of creating the label illustrated in FIG. 5. The control unit 21 causes the discharge roller drive unit 2602 of the conveyance processing unit 26 to execute step S5. The discharge roller drive unit 2602 applies current and voltage for conveying the thermal tape 13 in the discharge direction to the DC motor that rotates the discharge roller 10 .

In this manner, the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment creates label data for printing, performs additional margin length determination processing, and then executes printing and cutting. The printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment performs, for example, a process according to the flowchart of FIG. 6 as the additional margin length determination process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of additional margin length determination processing. “Length” and “tape length” in the additional margin length determination process illustrated in FIG. The number of lines may be the number of lines calculated by the printing length of one line by the thermal head 701.

In the additional margin length determination process illustrated in FIG. 6, the printing device 1 first calculates the required tape length LT0 of the thermal tape 13 necessary for creating a label based on the label data and the number of prints (step S301). In step S301, the control unit 601 of the printing apparatus 1 calculates the length of the area (label length) for printing one label based on the label data, and calculates the length of the area (label length) for printing one label based on the label length and the number of sheets to be printed. Calculate the length LT0. As will be described later, if the printing settings are such that a front margin (edge) is provided closer to the tip 1301 of the thermal tape 13 than the printing area, the required tape length LT0 is Includes the length of the front margin.

Next, the control unit 601 determines whether the calculated required tape length LT0 is greater than or equal to the shortest tape length Lmin (step S302). The shortest tape length Lmin is the minimum tape length required to reliably discharge the thermal tape 13 cut out by full cutting from the discharge port 203 of the device housing 2. The shortest tape length Lmin is, for example, greater than or equal to the longer of the distance L1 from the full cut position on the transport path to the discharge roller 10 and the distance L2 from the discharge roller 10 to the discharge port 203. In the printing apparatus 1 provided with the transport path illustrated in FIG. 3, the shortest tape length Lmin is set to a value greater than or equal to the distance L1 from the full cut position to the discharge roller 10. At this time, the shortest tape length Lmin may be a value greater than or equal to the distance L0 from the full cut position to the discharge port.

If LT0≧Lmin (step S302; YES), the control unit 601 sets the additional margin length LB to “0” (step S303), and ends the additional margin length determination process. In this case, the printing device 1 performs printing and cutting in step S4 with the required tape length LT0 as the above-mentioned discharge tape length LT, and cuts out the thermal tape 13 of the discharge tape length LT by full cutting after printing is completed. At this time, the leading end 1301 of the heat-sensitive tape 13 has reached the discharge port 203 side beyond the position of the discharge roller 10, and depending on the setting of the shortest tape length Lmin, the leading end 1301 can move from the discharge port 203 to the device housing 2. protruding to the outside. Therefore, by rotating (normally rotating) the discharge roller 10 after full cutting, the cut out thermal tape 13 can be reliably discharged from the discharge port 203.

On the other hand, if LT0<Lmin (step S302; NO), the control unit 601 calculates the additional margin length LB=Lmin-LT0 (step S304), and determines the position where the additional margin length LB is to be added. (Step S305), and the additional margin length determination process ends. For example, a margin corresponding to the additional margin length LB is added to the front margin (edge). In this case, the printing device 1 performs printing and cutting in step S4 with the tape length LT0 + LB, which is the required tape length LT0 plus the additional margin length LB, as the ejection tape length LT, and ejects it by full cutting after printing is completed. A thermal tape 13 having a tape length LT is cut out. The discharge tape length LT at this time is the shortest tape length Lmin. Therefore, the leading end 1301 of the thermosensitive tape 13 is located closer to the discharge port 203 than the position of the discharge roller 10, and depending on the setting of the shortest tape length Lmin, the leading end 1301 may be moved from the discharge port 203 to the outside of the device housing 2. It stands out. Therefore, by rotating (normally rotating) the discharge roller 10 after full cutting, the cut out thermal tape 13 can be reliably discharged from the discharge port 203.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating a label when the number of sheets to be printed is one. The discharge direction in FIGS. 7A and 7C is the opposite direction to the discharge direction in the conveyance path illustrated in FIG. That is, after printing is completed, the heat-sensitive tape 13 in FIGS. 7A and 7C is conveyed to the left and discharged from the discharge port 203 of the device housing 2 (not shown). Further, downstream and upstream in FIGS. 7A and 7C correspond to downstream and upstream in the printing medium 13 illustrated in FIG. 3, respectively.

FIG. 7(a) shows an example of a label to be created when one label is created. If one label is to be created, the required tape length LT0 is the sum of the label length LL and the length LM0 of the front margin 1350. The label length LL is the length of an area 1351 that is printed based on label data and cut out as one label. It includes margin areas M1 and M2 provided.

When creating one label including a front margin 1350 of length LM0 as illustrated in FIG. The sum LT0=LL+LM0 of the length LM0 is calculated (step S301). Although not shown, the label length LL is the sum of the length of the print area PA where the three characters "Aiu" are printed and the lengths of the margin areas M1 and M2 set on the downstream and upstream sides of the print area PA. It is.

Next, the control unit 601 compares the calculated required tape length LT0 and the shortest tape length Lmin in order to determine whether to add a margin (step S302). The table 31 in FIG. 7B shows an example of the relationship between the required tape length LT0 and the additional margin length LB when the front margin length LM0=3 mm and the shortest tape length Lmin=22 mm. When a front margin 1350 with a length of 3 mm is set and the label length LL is 19 mm or more, the required tape length LT0 is 22 mm or more, and LT0≧Lmin. Therefore, if the front margin 1350 with a length of 3 mm is set and the label length LL is 19 mm or more, the additional margin length LB becomes "0" (step S303). Here, if the shortest tape length Lmin is the distance L0 from the full cut position on the conveyance path to the discharge port 203 (discharge surface 202) of the device housing 2, then the area 1351 to be cut out as a label as illustrated in FIG. 7(a) When the upstream end position 1303 reaches the full cut position, the leading end 1301 of the thermosensitive tape 13 exceeds the discharge roller 10 and is located near the discharge port 203 of the apparatus housing 2. Therefore, by fully cutting the position 1303 of the heat-sensitive tape 13 with the full cutter 801 and then rotating the discharge roller 10 in the forward direction, the heat-sensitive tape 13 with the discharge tape length LT=LT0 including one label (area 1351) is produced. It is discharged from the discharge port 203.

Further, for example, when the label length LL illustrated in the table 31 is 15 mm, the required tape length LT0 including the length LM0 of the front margin 1350 is 18 mm. In this case, since LT0<Lmin, the control unit 601 calculates the additional margin length LB=Lmin−LT0=4 mm (step S304). Thereafter, the control unit 601 adds a margin 1360 corresponding to the additional margin length LB to the section from the tip 1301 of the thermal tape 13 to the full cut position 1303, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 7C. In FIG. 7C, a margin 1360 corresponding to the additional margin length LB is added to the front margin 1350. Therefore, in step S4, the printing apparatus 1 sets the length of the front margin to LM0+LB and determines the boundary between the front margin and the area 1351 to be cut out as a label (that is, the position 1302 that is the downstream end of the area 1351), A half cut at position 1302, printing within area 1351, and a full cut at position 1303, which is the upstream end of area 1351, are performed. At this time, the discharge tape length LT of the thermal tape 13 cut out by full cutting is equal to the shortest tape length Lmin. Therefore, after fully cutting the heat-sensitive tape 13 at position 1303 with the full cutter 801, by rotating the discharge roller 10 in the forward direction, the heat-sensitive tape 13 having the discharge tape length LT including one label (area 1351) is delivered to the discharge port 203. is discharged from.

Furthermore, even when the label length LL is even shorter, 7 mm, as in the table 31 illustrated in FIG. , the thermal tape 13 having the discharge tape length LT including one label (area 1351) can be reliably discharged from the discharge port 203. Further, by adding a margin 1360 corresponding to the additional margin length LB to the front margin 1350 and half-cutting a position 1302 that is a boundary between the margin and the area 1351, changes in the label length LL can be prevented.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating a label when the number of sheets to be printed is two. The discharge direction in FIGS. 8A and 8C is the opposite direction to the discharge direction in the conveyance path illustrated in FIG. That is, after printing is completed, the thermal tape 13 in FIGS. 8A and 8C is conveyed to the left and discharged from the discharge port 203 of the device housing 2, which is not shown. Further, the downstream and upstream in FIGS. 8A and 8C correspond to the downstream and upstream in the printing medium 13 illustrated in FIG. 3, respectively.

FIG. 8A shows an example of labels to be created when two labels with the same print content are created. “April” is printed on each of two areas 1351 and 1352 that are cut out as one label. Furthermore, the position 1303 that is the upstream end of the region 1351 that is closer to the tip 1301 of the heat-sensitive tape 13 is also the position of the downstream end of the region 1352 that is adjacent to the region 1351 on the upstream side. In this case, the required tape length LT0 is the sum of twice the label length LL and the length LM0 of the front margin 1350.

When creating two labels including a front margin 1350 of length LM0 as illustrated in FIG. LT0=2×LL+LM0 is calculated (step S301).

Next, the control unit 601 compares the calculated required tape length LT0 and the shortest tape length Lmin in order to determine whether to add a margin (step S302). The table 32 in FIG. 8B shows an example of the relationship between the required tape length LT0 and the additional margin length LB when the front margin length LM0=3 mm and the shortest tape length Lmin=22 mm. If the front margin 1350 with a length of 3 mm is set and the label length LL is 9.5 mm or more, LT0≧Lmin, so the additional margin length LB becomes “0” (step S303). In this case, by printing and cutting under the same control as a conventional printing device without adding a margin, the thermal tape 13 containing the two labels (area 1351 and area 1352) and having the discharge tape length LT=LT0 is printed and cut. is discharged from the discharge port 203.

Further, for example, when the label length LL illustrated in the table 32 is 8 mm, the required tape length LT0 including the length LM0 of the front margin 1350 is 19 mm. In this case, since LT0<Lmin, the control unit 601 calculates the additional margin length LB=Lmin−LT0=3 mm (step S304), and adds a margin of 3 mm (step S305). A margin corresponding to the additional margin length LB may be added to the front margin 1350, for example, as described with reference to FIG. 7(c). Further, a margin 1360 corresponding to the additional margin length LB may be added between the two regions 1351 and 1352 to be cut out as labels, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 8C. In addition, when adding a margin 1360 for the additional margin length LB, the margin is the sum of the initial value LM0 of the length of the front margin 1350 and the additional margin length LB divided by the number of prints (LM0 + LB) / 2 margins. may be provided adjacent to the downstream side of the regions 1351 and 1352 to be cut out as labels. By adding the margin 1360 of the additional margin length LB, the ejection tape length LT of the thermal tape 13 becomes the shortest tape length Lmin, so the thermal tape 13 including the area 1351 and the area 1352 cut out by full cutting can be reliably processed. Can be discharged.

Although FIG. 8 shows an example of creating two labels with the same printed content, it is also possible to create three or more labels with the same printed content if the discharge tape length LT is the shortest. By making the tape length Lmin or more, the fully cut thermal tape 13 can be reliably discharged.

If it is necessary to add a margin when creating multiple labels with the same printed content, the length of one label (label length LL) becomes shorter, and for example, the label on the ejected thermal tape 13 It may be difficult to separate the pieces one by one with scissors or the like. On the other hand, in the thermal tape 13 illustrated in FIG. 8C, a margin 1360 can be provided between the region 1351 and the region 1352. Therefore, it is easy to cut off the two labels (area 1351 and area 1352) of the thermal tape 13 discharged by fully cutting the upstream end of the area 1352 (area 1351 and area 1352) one by one using scissors or the like. Become.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating multiple labels with different print contents. The discharge direction in FIG. 9(a) is the opposite direction to the discharge direction in the conveyance path illustrated in FIG. That is, after printing is completed, the thermal tape 13 in FIG. 9A is conveyed to the left and discharged from the discharge port 203 of the device housing 2 (not shown). Further, the downstream and upstream in FIG. 9A correspond to the downstream and upstream in the printing medium 13 illustrated in FIG. 3, respectively.

FIG. 9A shows an example of labels to be created when three labels with different print contents are created. "01", "Aiu", and "ABC" are printed on each of the three areas 1351, 1352, and 1353 that are cut out as one label. Further, a position 1303 that is the upstream end of the region 1351 closest to the tip 1301 of the heat-sensitive tape 13 is also a downstream end of the region 1352 adjacent to the upstream side of the region 1351. The upstream end position 1304 is also the downstream end position of the region 1353 adjacent to the upstream side of the region 1352. In this case, the required tape length LT0 is the length of area 1351 (first label length) LL1, the length of area 1352 (second label length) LL2, and the length of area 1353 (third label length). This is the sum of LL3 and the length LM0 of the front margin 1350.

When creating three labels including a front margin 1350 of length LM0 as illustrated in FIG. LT0=LL1+LL2+LL3+LM0 is calculated (step S301).

Next, the control unit 601 compares the calculated required tape length LT0 and the shortest tape length Lmin in order to determine whether to add a margin (step S302). The table 33 in FIG. 9B shows an example of the relationship between the required tape length LT0 and the additional margin length LB when the front margin length LM0=3 mm and the shortest tape length Lmin=22 mm. More specifically, the table 33 shows the required tape length LT0 and the margin length when the first label length LL1 is 7 mm, the second label length LL2, and the third label length LL3 are each 12 mm. LM0+LB is shown. In this case, since LT0>Lmin, the control unit 601 of the printing apparatus 1 sets the additional margin length LB to "0" (step S303). In this case, by printing and cutting under the same control as a conventional printing device without adding margins, the output tape length LT including three labels (area 1351, area 1352, and area 1353) is LT0. The thermal tape 13 is discharged from the discharge port 203.

Although not shown, if the required tape length LT0 = LL1 + LL2 + LL3 + LM0 is shorter than the shortest tape length Lmin, as described above, by adding a margin for the additional margin length LB = Lmin - LT0, it is possible to print 3 copies. The thermal tape 13 containing the label can be reliably discharged.

Note that some conventional printing apparatuses execute printing and cutting as individual label creation processing for each print content, for example, when a plurality of labels with different print contents are successively created. In such a conventional printing device, when adding a margin by performing a process similar to the additional margin length determination process described above, for example, as illustrated in the table 34 of FIG. 9(c), each area to be printed is A margin equal to the additional margin length LB may be added to the image. For example, the label length LL1 for n=1 in the table 34 refers to the label length of the area 1351 in FIG. 9(a). When the label length LL1 of the area 1351 is 7 mm and the initial value LM0 of the length of the front margin 1350 is 3 mm, the required tape length LT0 is 10 mm. Therefore, in order to reliably discharge the thermal tape 13 that includes only the region 1351 as the region from which the label is cut out, the length of the front margin including the additional margin needs to be 15 mm. Further, although a detailed explanation will be omitted, in order to reliably discharge the thermal tape 13 that includes only the region 1352 or only the region 1353 as the region from which the label is cut out, the length of the front margin including the additional margin must be 10 mm each. Become. Therefore, when printing and cutting are performed as individual label creation processing for each print content in a conventional printing device, the discharge tape length LT is 66 mm. On the other hand, in the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the discharge tape length LT is the required tape length LT0 shown in the table 33 illustrated in FIG. 9(b), that is, 34 mm.

In this way, in the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the required tape length LT0 calculated based on the label data and the number of printed sheets is shorter than the shortest tape length Lmin for reliably discharging the thermal tape 13 cut out by full cutting. If it is short, a margin is added so that the length of the thermal tape 13 to be discharged (discharge tape length LT) becomes the shortest tape length Lmin. Further, the shortest tape length Lmin is less than or equal to the distance L0 from the full cut position on the transport path of the thermal tape 13 in the printing device 1 to the discharge port 203 (discharge surface 202) of the device housing 2, and The distance L1 from the discharge roller 10 to the discharge port 203 and the distance L2 from the discharge roller 10 to the discharge port 203 can be set to be greater than or equal to the longer one. As a result, when the required tape length LT0 calculated based on the label data and the number of printed sheets is less than the shortest tape length Lmin, the minimum necessary margin is added and the thermal tape 13 cut out by full cutting is inserted into the device housing. The body 2 can be reliably discharged from the discharge port 203. Furthermore, if the required tape length LT0 is greater than or equal to the shortest tape length Lmin, printing and cutting are performed on the thermal tape 13 without adding any margins. Therefore, the printing device 1 of the present embodiment can reliably discharge the printed portion of the thermal tape 13 to the outside of the printing device 1 while suppressing wasteful consumption of the thermal tape 13 (printing medium). Can be done.

In addition, in the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the shortest tape length Lmin is determined from the full cut position on the conveyance path of the thermal tape 13 in the printing apparatus 1 to the discharge port 203 (discharge surface 202) of the apparatus housing 2, as described above. ) can be made shorter than the distance L0. Therefore, in the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the amount of blank space added in order to reliably discharge the thermal tape 13 cut out by full cutting can be kept small, and wasteful consumption of the thermal tape 13 can be further reduced. It can be prevented.

Note that the method for determining the additional margin length LB in the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is not limited to the method of subtracting the required tape length LT0 from the shortest tape length Lmin as described above, but may be any other method.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an additional margin length setting table.

The table 35 illustrated in FIG. 10 shows the correspondence between the range of the required tape length LT0 and the additional margin length LB when the front margin length LM0 is 3 mm and the shortest tape length Lmin is 22 mm. Note that the range of the required tape length LT0 in the table 35 is obtained by dividing the required tape length LT0 in units of 1 mm when the minimum value of the label length LL in the printing apparatus 1 is 7 mm. The table 35 or information that can show a correspondence equivalent to the table 35 is stored in the storage unit 24 of the printing device 1.

When the front margin length LM0 and the shortest tape length Lmin in the printing device 1 are specific values, the printing device 1 uses the table 35 instead of making the determination in step S302 in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. The additional margin length LB can also be determined by For example, if the shortest tape length Lmin is 22 mm and the required tape length LT0 calculated in step S301 is 11.5 mm, by setting the additional margin length LB to 11 mm based on the table 35, the discharge tape length LT becomes 22.5 mm (≧Lmin). Further, the shortest tape length Lmin is set to be greater than or equal to the distance L1 from the full cut position to the discharge roller 10 on the conveyance path illustrated in FIG. 3, and shorter than the distance L0 from the full cut position to the discharge port 203. Thus, the additional margin length LB for each tape length LT0 can be shortened.

Even when determining the additional margin length LB using the table 35 in this way, the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment sets the shortest tape length Lmin to be less than the distance from the full cut position to the discharge port 203 (discharge surface 202). Can be shortened. Further, although the table 35 illustrated in FIG. 10 divides the required tape length LT0 into units of 1 mm, the unit of division is not limited to this and can be changed as appropriate, for example, in units of 0.5 mm or 0.1 mm. It may be a unit. Further, the division unit of the required tape length LT0 is not limited to the length range based on the SI unit system or the non-SI unit system, but may be the number of lines converted into the print length of one line by the thermal head 701.

Further, in the printing apparatus 1 capable of printing on multiple types of thermal tapes 13 having different tape widths, the shortest tape length Lmin may be changed depending on the tape width, for example.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the shortest tape length setting table.

The table 36 illustrated in FIG. 11 shows the relationship between the tape width of the thermal tape 13 that can be used for printing (label creation) in one printing apparatus 1 and the shortest tape length Lmin for each tape width. The value L1 of the shortest tape length Lmin in the table 36 is the distance L1 from the full cut position to the discharge roller 10 on the conveyance path illustrated in FIG.

A plurality of types of thermal tapes 13 having different tape widths may meander or undergo deformation such as curling during transportation due to differences in stiffness caused by the difference in tape width. Specifically, the narrower the tape width of the thermal tape 13, the more likely it is to meander or curl. If meandering or curling occurs in the thermal tape 13 closer to the discharge port 203 than the full cut position, for example, even if the length from the tip 1301 of the thermal tape 13 to the full cut position is approximately the same as the distance L1. , the tip portion 1301 may not reach (do not come into contact with) the discharge roller 10. In this way, if the leading end 1301 of the thermal tape 13 does not reach the discharge roller 10 due to meandering or curling, it becomes difficult to discharge the fully cut thermal tape 13 from the discharge port 203. For this reason, in the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, as shown in the table 36 illustrated in FIG. It may be longer than the shortest tape length Lmin in the case of the tape 13. By doing this, even if the narrow thermal tape 13 meanders or curls during conveyance, the leading edge of the thermal tape 13 can reach the discharge roller 10, and the tape can be completely cut and cut out. The thermosensitive tape 13 can be discharged from the discharge port 203. In addition, by making the shortest tape length Lmin of the thermal tape 13 with a narrow tape width shorter than the distance from the full cut position to the discharge port 203 (discharge surface 202) on the transport path, the thermal tape is wasted as a margin. 13 can be suppressed from increasing.

The embodiments described above are specific examples to facilitate understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The printing device, the control method, and the program can be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the scope of the claims.

For example, the printing device 1 is not limited to the one that edits label data using the input device 3 provided in the device housing 2, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, but can also communicate with a smartphone, etc. The device may also be one that can be used in combination with other portable electronic devices.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating another example of the printing device. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for creating a label using a mobile terminal.

The printing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 12 can communicate with a mobile terminal 40 such as a smartphone using, for example, short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The device casing 2 of the printing device 1 has a lid (not shown) to which the tape roll 12 can be attached and removed, and a housing section for accommodating the tape roll 12 is provided inside the device casing 2. . Further, the device housing 2 houses the thermal head 701, the platen roller 6, the cutter 8, the ejection roller 10, and other various electronic circuits as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. . In this type of printing apparatus 1, the thermal tape 13 supplied from the tape roll 12 to the printing position by the thermal head 701 is discharged from an opening (discharge port 203) formed in the discharge surface 202.

The printing device 1 that can be used in combination with the mobile terminal 40 allows the user of the mobile terminal 40 to edit the label design (step S1) using the mobile terminal 40, for example, as illustrated in FIG. can. After editing the label design, when the user of the mobile terminal 40 selects to print, the mobile terminal 40 creates label data (step S2) and sends the created label data to the printing device 1 (step S12). ). When the printing device 1 receives the label data (step S13), it performs additional margin length determination processing (step S3), prints and cuts (step S4), and discharges the thermal tape 13 (step S5).

Hereinafter, the invention described in the original claims of this application will be additionally described.
[Additional note 1]
a transport unit that transports the printing medium;
a printing unit that prints on the printing medium based on input label data;
a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium;
A margin length is derived based on the label data, and based on the label length based on the label data and the margin length, the print unit prints on the print medium while the conveyance unit transports the print medium. and a control unit for controlling the operation.
The control unit derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing.
A printing device characterized by:
[Additional note 2]
The printing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein the control unit calculates a label length necessary for the printing on the printing medium, and derives the margin length based on the calculated label length.
[Additional note 3]
The transport unit transports the cut printing medium between the position where the printing medium is cut on the printing medium transport path and the discharge port provided on the outer surface of the device housing. The printing device according to appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing device includes a discharge roller that discharges the discharge from the discharge port.
[Additional note 4]
The control unit is configured such that the label length is less than or equal to the distance from the cutting position to the discharge port, and the distance from the cutting position to the discharge roller is greater than the distance from the discharge roller to the discharge port. The printing apparatus according to appendix 3, characterized in that when the margin length is less than the shortest length corresponding to a predetermined distance that is longer than the longest distance, the margin length that is equal to or greater than the shortest length is derived.
[Additional note 5]
The printing apparatus according to appendix 4, wherein the control unit derives a value obtained by subtracting the label length from the shortest length as the margin length.
[Additional note 6]
The printing apparatus according to supplementary note 1, wherein the control unit calculates the label length based on the length required for printing one label in the label data and the number of sheets to be printed.
[Additional note 7]
The label data includes label data for multiple types of labels with different printing contents,
The printing apparatus according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the control unit calculates, as the label length, a length required when each of the plurality of types of labels is printed a predetermined number of times.
[Additional note 8]
The control unit sets a margin of a length corresponding to a value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of sheets or number of times the printing is performed, adjacent to the downstream side of each of the areas to be printed. The printing device according to appendix 6 or 7.
[Additional note 9]
According to supplementary note 1, the control unit calculates the label length including the length of a front margin set on the downstream side of an area to be printed based on the label data on the printing medium. printing device.
[Additional note 10]
The cutting unit includes a full cutter that cuts the entire printing medium and a half cutter that cuts a part of the printing medium,
9. The printing apparatus according to appendix 9, wherein the half cutter cuts a boundary between the printing area and the front margin on the printing medium.
[Additional note 11]
The transport unit is located in a direction opposite to the discharge port when viewed from the cutting position on the transport path of the print medium, and is capable of transporting the print medium in the direction of the discharge port and the opposite direction. The printing device according to appendix 10, characterized in that the printing device includes a platen roller.
[Additional note 12]
The cutting unit performs cutting with the half cutter before or after printing on the printing medium,
12. The printing apparatus according to appendix 11, wherein the conveyance unit conveys the printing medium by switching the rotation direction of the platen roller before or after performing the printing.
[Additional note 13]
The printing device is capable of selectively exchanging a plurality of types of printing media having different dimensions in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport by the transport unit,
Supplementary note 4, wherein the control unit sets the shortest length for at least one of the plurality of types of print media to a value different from the shortest length for other print media. Printing device as described.
[Additional note 14]
The label length and margin length of the printing medium are derived based on the input label data, and based on the label length and the margin length, the printing unit transports the printing medium while the conveyance unit is transporting the printing medium. A control method for controlling a printing device to perform printing on a printing medium and to cut the printing medium by a cutting unit, the method comprising:
The printing device derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing. A control method characterized by:
[Additional note 15]
The label length and margin length of the printing medium are derived based on the input label data, and based on the label length and the margin length, the printing unit transports the printing medium while the conveyance unit is transporting the printing medium. A program that causes a printing device to perform a process of printing on the medium and cutting the printing medium using a cutting unit, the program comprising:
A process of causing the printing device to derive the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to a discharge port for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing. A program characterized by including.

1 Printing device 2 Device housing 201 Adapter housing 202 Tape ejection surface 203 Ejection port 3 Input device 4 Lid 5 Display device 6 Platen roller 7 Printing unit 701 Thermal head 8 Cutter 801 Full cutter 802 Half cutter 10 Ejection roller 11 Media adapter 12 Tape roll 13 Thermal tape 1301 Tape tip 1302 Boundary 1303 to 1305 Downstream end 1350 Front margin 1360 Additional margin 21 Control section 22 Input section 23 Display section 24 Storage section 25 Tape type detection section 26 Conveyance processing section 2601 Platen roller drive section 2602 Discharge roller drive unit 27 Print processing unit 28 Cut processing units 31 to 36 Table 40 Mobile terminal

Claims (13)

a transport unit that transports the printing medium;
a printing unit that prints on the printing medium based on input label data;
a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium;
A margin length is derived based on the label data, and based on the label length based on the label data and the margin length, the print unit prints on the print medium while the conveyance unit transports the print medium. and a control unit for controlling the operation.
The control unit derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing,
Calculating the label length based on the length required to print one label in the label data and the number of sheets to be printed,
A margin corresponding to the value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of sheets to be printed is set adjacent to the downstream side of each area to be printed.
A printing device characterized by: The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates a label length necessary for the printing on the printing medium, and derives the margin length based on the calculated label length. The transport unit transports the cut printing medium between the position where the printing medium is cut on the printing medium transport path and the discharge port provided on the outer surface of the device housing. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge roller for discharging from a discharge port. The printing device is capable of selectively exchanging a plurality of types of printing media having different dimensions in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport by the transport unit,
The control unit is configured such that the label length is less than or equal to the distance from the cutting position to the discharge port, and the distance from the cutting position to the discharge roller is greater than the distance from the discharge roller to the discharge port. If it is less than the shortest length corresponding to a predetermined distance that is greater than or equal to the longer distance, derive the margin length that is greater than or equal to the shortest length ;
The shortest length for at least one of the plurality of types of print media is set to a value different from the shortest length for other print media.
The printing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the control unit derives a value obtained by subtracting the label length from the shortest length as the margin length. The label data includes label data for multiple types of labels with different printing contents,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates, as the label length, a length required to print each of the plurality of types of labels a predetermined number of times. The control unit sets a margin of a length corresponding to a value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of times of printing to be adjacent to the downstream side of each of the areas to be printed. 7. The printing device according to claim 6 . The control unit calculates the label length including the length of a front margin set on the downstream side of the area to be printed based on the label data on the printing medium ,
The cutting unit includes a full cutter that cuts the entire printing medium and a half cutter that cuts a part of the printing medium,
Before or after printing on the printing medium, cutting with the half cutter at the boundary between the printing area and the front margin on the printing medium,
The transport unit is located in a direction opposite to the discharge port when viewed from the cutting position on the transport path of the print medium, and is capable of transporting the print medium in the direction of the discharge port and the opposite direction. including a platen roller,
The transport unit transports the printing medium by switching the rotation direction of the platen roller before or after the printing.
The printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: a transport unit that transports the printing medium;
a printing unit that prints on the printing medium based on input label data;
a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium;
A margin length is derived based on the label data, and based on the label length based on the label data and the margin length, the print unit prints on the print medium while the conveyance unit transports the print medium. a control unit that controls the
Equipped with
The label data includes label data for multiple types of labels with different printing contents,
The control unit derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing,
Calculating the length required to print each of the plurality of types of labels a predetermined number of times as the label length,
A margin of a length corresponding to the value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of times of printing is set adjacent to the downstream side of each area to be printed.
A printing device characterized by: a transport unit that transports the printing medium;
a printing unit that prints on the printing medium based on input label data;
a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium;
A margin length is derived based on the label data, and based on the label length based on the label data and the margin length, the print unit prints on the print medium while the conveyance unit transports the print medium. a control unit that controls the
Equipped with
The control unit derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing,
Calculating the label length including the length of a front margin set on the downstream side of the area to be printed based on the label data on the printing medium;
The cutting unit includes a full cutter that cuts the entire printing medium and a half cutter that cuts a part of the printing medium,
Before or after printing on the printing medium, cutting with the half cutter at the boundary between the printing area and the front margin on the printing medium,
The transport unit is located in a direction opposite to the discharge port when viewed from the cutting position on the transport path of the print medium, and is capable of transporting the print medium in the direction of the discharge port and the opposite direction. including a platen roller,
The transport unit transports the printing medium by switching the rotation direction of the platen roller before or after the printing.
A printing device characterized by: a transport unit that transports the printing medium;
a printing unit that prints on the printing medium based on input label data;
a cutting unit that cuts the printing medium;
A margin length is derived based on the label data, and based on the label length based on the label data and the margin length, the print unit prints on the print medium while the conveyance unit transports the print medium. a control unit that controls the
Equipped with
A plurality of types of printing media having different dimensions in a direction perpendicular to the direction of transport by the transport unit can be selectively replaced;
The control unit derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing,
The transport unit transports the cut printing medium between the position where the printing medium is cut on the printing medium transport path and the discharge port provided on the outer surface of the device housing. Including a discharge roller that discharges from the discharge port,
The control unit is configured such that the label length is less than or equal to the distance from the cutting position to the discharge port, and the distance from the cutting position to the discharge roller is greater than the distance from the discharge roller to the discharge port. If it is less than the shortest length corresponding to a predetermined distance that is greater than or equal to the longer distance, derive the margin length that is greater than or equal to the shortest length;
The shortest length for at least one of the plurality of types of print media is set to a value different from the shortest length for other print media.
A printing device characterized by: The label length and margin length of the printing medium are derived based on the input label data, and based on the label length and the margin length, the printing unit prints the printing medium while the transport unit transports the printing medium. A control method for controlling a printing device to perform printing on a printing medium and to cut the printing medium by a cutting unit, the method comprising:
The printing device derives the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing ,
Calculating the label length based on the length required to print one label in the label data and the number of sheets to be printed,
A margin corresponding to the value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of sheets to be printed is set adjacent to the downstream side of each area to be printed.
A control method characterized by: The label length and margin length of the printing medium are derived based on the input label data, and based on the label length and the margin length, the printing unit prints the printing medium while the transport unit transports the printing medium. A program that causes a printing device to perform a process of printing on the printing medium and cutting the printing medium using a cutting unit, the program comprising:
causing the printing device to derive the margin length based on the label length and a distance from a position where the printing medium is cut to an outlet for the printing medium provided on an outer surface of the device housing ;
Calculating the label length based on the length required to print one label in the label data and the number of sheets to be printed,
A program comprising: a process of setting a margin having a length corresponding to a value obtained by dividing the derived margin length by the number of sheets to be printed adjacent to the downstream side of each of the areas to be printed.

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