JP7441560B2 - Label printer, program, and label issuing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a label printer, a program, and a label issuing method.

2. Description of the Related Art Label printers that print on labels without liners (linerless label paper) are known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
The label printer described in Patent Document 1 prints on a liner-less label with an adhesive layer formed on the adhesive side using a printing means consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller, and then feeds it to a cutting means or a tearing means. After being conveyed and cut or broken, it is conveyed back to the printing means and the next printing is performed. The label printer performs control to back-feed the leading edge of the label without a liner and stop the back-feeding so that the leading edge of the label protrudes at least 3 mm from the tangent position between the label without liner and the platen roller.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-278515

However, in the label issuing device described in Patent Document 1, for example, when printing is not performed for a long time, the adhesive layer (glue surface) of the label and the platen roller become strong due to the nip pressure between the thermal head and the platen roller. There is a risk that the label may get caught in the platen roller.

Incidentally, there is known a label printer that, when printing a label, first peels off the linerless label paper from the platen roller by backfeeding the linerless label paper, and then prints. This label printer has a problem in that it takes time to start printing because it is necessary to once backfeed the linerless label paper and then feed the leading edge of the label paper to the print start position.

In addition, in order to prevent the linerless label paper from wrapping around the platen roller, a V-groove is provided on the platen roller to reduce the contact area between the platen roller and the adhesive surface of the label, reducing wrapping around the platen roller. Label printers are also known. In this label printer, the label is less likely to be wrapped around the platen roller, but the provision of the V-groove reduces the pressure (nip pressure), which may cause distortion in printing. Further, in this case, since a platen roller provided with a V-groove is used, there is a problem that the manufacturing cost is high.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has a simple structure that can prevent label paper from getting caught up in the platen roller and can start printing on the paper in a short time. The object of the present invention is to provide a printer, a program, and a label issuing method, and to provide a label printer, a program, and a label issuing method that can print from the edge of paper.

The label printer of the present invention is a label printer that issues a sheet-shaped label by feeding out a sheet of paper from a paper roll that is wound with a strip of paper having an adhesive side on one side and a printing side on the other side. , a conveyance means for conveying the paper, a printing means consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller, a cutting means for cutting the paper, and when the paper roll is set, a leading end of the paper after being cut by the cutting means; and control means for controlling the conveyance means so that the conveyance means waits upstream of an area where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width.
Further, the program of the present invention can be applied to a label printer that issues sheet-shaped labels by feeding out a sheet of paper from a paper roll that is formed by winding a strip of paper that has an adhesive side on one side and a printed side on the other side. A computer equipped in The present invention is characterized by comprising a program for controlling the conveying means so that the leading end waits on the upstream side of an area where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. .
Further, in the label issuing method of the present invention, a sheet-shaped label is issued by unwinding a paper roll formed by winding a band-shaped paper having an adhesive side on one side and a printed side on the other side. In a label issuing method for a label printer, a conveying step for conveying the paper, a printing step consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller, a cutting step for cutting the paper, and a cutting step in the cutting step when setting the paper roll. and a control step of controlling the conveying step so that the leading end of the paper is kept on standby on the upstream side of an area where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. .

According to the label printer described above, when setting the paper roll, the control unit transports the paper to the cutting means and then controls the control unit on the upstream side of the area where the thermal head and the platen roller press the leading edge of the paper with a predetermined nip width. In addition, since the conveying means is controlled so as to wait at a position above the platen roller, it is possible to prevent the paper from wrapping around the platen roller due to strong adhesion, and the printing unit can immediately start printing on the paper from the standby position. In addition, printing can be performed from the leading edge of the paper.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a label printer, a program, and a label issuing method that have a simple structure and can prevent label paper from getting caught in the platen roller, and can start printing on paper in a short time. It is possible to provide a label printer, a program, and a label issuing method. Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a label printer, a program, and a label issuing method that can print from the edge of paper.

1 is an overall diagram showing an example of the configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of a printing section and a label sticking section of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a transparent side view and (b) is a transparent top view. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of a standby position of a label leading end of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a top view and (b) is a side view. FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention during paper cutting, in which (a) is a top view and (b) is a side view. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A label printer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall diagram showing an example of the configuration of a label printer 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the printing section 3 and the label pasting section 64 of the label printer 100. Specifically, FIG. 2(a) is a transparent side view thereof, and FIG. 2(b) is a transparent top view thereof. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the standby position t of the label leading end 4t of the label printer 100. Specifically, FIG. 3(a) is a top view, and FIG. 3(b) is a side view. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the label printer 100 when cutting paper. Specifically, FIG. 4(a) is a top view, and FIG. 4(b) is a side view. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the label printer 100.

In the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, paper 4c is fed out from the paper roll 4, and the printing unit 3 prints on the paper. The label printer 100 sets the standby position t of the leading edge 4t of the linerless label paper to a position t away from the nip width LN (for example, about 1.4 mm width) between the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b (in the label printing direction). upstream side). In the label printer 100, when the printing unit 3 starts printing on paper, the paper is conveyed from the standby position t to the printing unit 3 using the feed roller 7, which is a paper conveying means, and printing is performed.
Note that the leading end 4t of the linerless label paper is positioned at the upstream end position of the area where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width, or slightly downstream from the upstream end position. It may also be controlled so that it is positioned. Specifically, even within the nip width LN (for example, about 1.4 mm width), the upstream region within the nip width where the influence of nip pressure is small (from the center position of the nip width between the thermal head 3a and platen roller 3b) The leading end portion 4t of the linerless label paper may be positioned at a position within the remaining area of the nip width of 0.1 mm upstream of the position moved 0.6 mm upstream.
In this way, in the standby state before printing starts, the leading edge 4t of the linerless label paper is located upstream in the label printing direction from the position 3N where the platen roller 3b and thermal head 3a press with the predetermined nip width LN. Because of this arrangement, the adhesive surface of the paper (label paper) is not adhesively fixed to the platen roller 3b in the standby state, and the paper can be prevented from being caught in the platen roller 3b. In addition, in the standby state before printing, the leading end 4t of the paper 4c fed out from the paper roll 4 is waiting at a position slightly upstream of the printing section (standby position t), so that when printing starts, the paper transport Due to the paper conveyance operation of the second paper sheet, printing can be started by the printing unit 3 in a short time from the leading edge 4t of the paper. Therefore, the printing area of the paper can be increased.

An example in which the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention is adopted as the label printing and pasting apparatus 100A will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the embodiment of the present invention, a support 2 is erected on the side of a conveyor table 72 equipped with a conveyor 71 that conveys the product a, and a label printing and pasting device is attached to the support 2 via a bracket. 100A is arranged above the conveyor 71, and above the column 2, a console equipped with a display/operation section 53 is arranged.
As shown in FIG. 2, the label printing and pasting device 100A includes a printing device main body in which a label supply section 61, a printing section 3, a cutter section 63, etc. are arranged inside a box-shaped case 110, and a box attached to the side of the case 110. The label pasting device is comprised of a label pasting section 64 arranged inside a case 111 having a shape.
In the label supply section 61, a roll set 5 (label roll loading section) includes a label roll 4 in which a long liner-less label paper 4c (the front surface is composed of a printing surface 4b and the back surface is an adhesive surface 4a) is wound into a roll. ) is rotatably set.

The label roll 4 pulled out from the label supply section 61 is guided into the printing section 3 by the feed roller 7, and the thermal head 3a, platen roller 3b, etc. in the printing section 3 displays the product name, price, expiration date, and so on. Product data such as a barcode is printed on the printing surface 4b of the paper.

After that, the label roll 4 transports the printed label paper 4c to the label issuing port, and the cutter section 63 cuts the label paper to a predetermined length into sheet-like labels.The cut sheet-like labels are then transferred to the label pasting section. At 64, it is attached to the top surface of the product.

Note that the label roll 4 set in the label supply section 61 is pulled out by driving rotation of the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 that constitute the printing section 3.

The printing unit 3 is composed of a platen roller 3b and a feed roller 7 that pull out the label roll 4, and a thermal head 3a that is arranged opposite to the platen roller 3b. Required product data is printed on the label paper 4c of the roll 4 by the thermal head 3a. The printing is performed by moving the label paper 4c one dot line at a time using the platen roller 3b to print data for one dot line supplied from the shift register.

A stepping motor can be used as a drive unit for the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 that move the label roll 4.

The label pasting section 64 uses a box-shaped case 111 attached to the side of the case 110, an air cylinder (not shown) housed inside the case 111, and a driving force of the air cylinder to move the inside of the case 111 up and down. It includes a movable support member 13, a plurality of rod-shaped label pressure bonding members 24 suspended from the support member 13, a label holding face plate (adsorption surface) 15 disposed at the bottom of the case 111, and the like.

The case 111 is equipped with an exhaust device (fan) 16 that sucks out the air inside the case 111, and is configured to apply suction force (negative pressure) to the through hole 17 formed in the label holding face plate. ing.

In addition to the suction means provided on the label pressure bonding member 24, this suction force acts as an auxiliary suction force for suctioning and holding the printed label paper 4c on the lower surface of the label holding face plate.

The label roll 4 is made of a long strip of mount-less label paper 4c, which has a printing surface on one side (top surface) and an adhesive surface coated with an adhesive on the other side (bottom surface), and is rolled by applying a peeling process to the printing surface. and is rotatably supported by the label roll loading section 5. Then, the liner-less label paper 4c pulled out from the label roll 4 passes through the feed roller 7 between the upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7, which are arranged between the feed roller 7 and the printing section 3. The label paper 4c is supplied between the print head 3a of the printing unit 3 and the platen roller 3b, and is drawn out by driving rotation of the platen roller 3b.

The print head of the print unit 3 is composed of a thermal head 3a and the like, and selectively generates heat by a heating element of the thermal head 3a to print on the print surface of the mount-less label paper 4c being transferred. Further, the surface of the platen roller 3b that clamps the liner-less label paper 4c with the thermal head 3a is coated with a release agent, which is applied to the adhesive surface of the liner-less label paper 4c on the opposite side from the printing surface. This prevents the adhesive from adhering to the label paper 4c, thereby allowing smooth delivery of the liner-less label paper 4c. Note that the configuration that makes it difficult for the adhesive applied to the adhesive surface of the liner-less label paper 4c to adhere to the platen roller 3b is not limited to the above configuration, and the platen roller 3b itself or the outermost layer of the platen roller 3b can be easily peeled off. It may be composed of members. The platen roller 3b is configured to be driven and rotated by a drive motor 59 (stepping motor).

The cutter unit 63 that cuts the liner-less label paper 4c on which data for one label has been printed by the printing unit 3 is composed of a pair of upper and lower band-shaped blades that cut the liner-less label paper 4c by shearing action. . Specifically, a fixed blade 63b is arranged below the liner-less label paper 4c that is sent out in a straight line, and a movable blade is arranged above the liner-less label paper 4c and moves back and forth toward the fixed blade 63b. 63a, and the movable blade 63a is configured to be driven by a motor 58 (stepping motor).
The cutter section 63 is disposed downstream of the printing section 3 and close to the platen roller 3b.

The liner-less label paper 4c printed by the printing unit 3 is sent downstream through between the fixed blade 63b and the movable blade 63a of the cutter unit 63. A label receiver supported substantially horizontally is arranged near the downstream side of the cutter section 63.
In addition, in the case of automatic pasting by a machine, the backing paper-less label L cut into sheets of a predetermined length by the cutter section 63 is not pasted manually until it is sucked by the suction means (applicator) of the label pasting section. In some cases, the label is held in a substantially horizontal position in a standby position until it is removed by an operator.

A label detection means for detecting whether or not a liner-less label paper 4c on which predetermined items have been printed by the printing unit 3 has been sent out on the label receiver, and whether or not there is a liner-less label L that has been cut and sent out. 56 is arranged at a position substantially directly above the cutter section 63 in the label receiver.
The label detection means 56 is composed of a reflective optical sensor, and detects the presence or absence of the mount-less label paper 4c or the mount-less label L on the label receiver based on a change (difference) in the level of the reflected light received.
The detection timing of the label detecting means 56 is controlled so as to occur after the drive rotation of the platen roller 3b which sends out the liner-less label paper 4c from the position of the print head 3a toward the label receiver.

The feed roller 7 assists in backfeeding (pulling back) the liner-less label paper 4c, which is performed by driving and rotating the platen roller 3b of the printing section 3 in the opposite direction. When the liner-less label paper 4c is placed on the transport path of the liner-less label paper 4c, and the liner-less label paper is back-fed, the liner-less label paper located upstream of the platen roller 3b is forcibly pulled, and the liner-less label paper is placed on the platen roller 3b. This prevents the paper 4c from wrapping around.
The feed roller 7 is composed of an upper roller 7a placed on the print side (upper side) of the liner-less label paper 4c, and a lower roller 7b placed on the adhesive side (lower side) of the liner-less label paper 4c. has been done. The upper roller 7a is rotatably supported by a fixed member (not shown), and the lower roller 7b is attached to a platen support frame 41 that supports the platen roller 3b of the printing unit 3 and can be opened and closed vertically. The closing movement causes the mount-less label paper 4c to be held between the upper roller 7a, and the opening movement of the platen support frame 41 allows the holding state to be released.

Further, the upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 are composed of a plurality of short rollers (three in the illustrated example) having approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the platen roller 3b, which are spaced at a predetermined interval on the shafts 10 and 11. It is composed of attached split-type rollers, and each roller has a circumferential groove 12 formed on its outer peripheral surface. By providing the circumferential groove 12 in this manner, the contact area between the feed roller 7 and the liner-less label paper 4c is reduced, and winding of the liner-less label paper 4c around the feed roller 7 can be suppressed. .
The short rollers are drawn out from each label roll at intervals corresponding to the roll width of the label roll 4 set in the label roll loading section 5 with one end in the axial direction as a reference (the illustrated example is the left end reference). It is arranged so as to be able to sandwich at least both sides of the mount-less label paper 4c in the width direction. The upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 may be constituted by a single roller having substantially the same length as the platen roller 3b.

The feed roller 7 is configured to rotate synchronously with the rotation of the platen roller 3b of the printing section 3, which feeds out the liner-less label paper 4c from the label roll 4 set in the label roll loading section 5.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, a toothed pulley 14 is fixed to the end of the shaft of the platen roller 3b, and the toothed pulley 14 is fixed to the rotating shaft of a drive motor 59 (stepping motor). The belt 18 is wound around the drive pulley 59a via the idle pulleys 19, 19', and the platen roller 3b is driven to rotate in the forward and reverse directions by the forward and reverse rotation of the drive motor 59. A power transmission pulley 20 is fixed to the shaft of the platen roller 3b, a driven pulley 21 is fixed to the shaft 11 of the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7, and a transmission belt 22 is connected between the power transmission pulley 20 and the driven pulley 21. The rotating force of the platen roller 3b is transmitted to the lower roller 7b of the feed roller 7 (specifically, the shaft 11 supporting the lower roller 7b).

In addition, the pressure between the upper roller 7a and the lower roller 7b, which constitute the feed roller 7, which sandwich the liner-less label paper 4c, is caused by the pressure between the print head 3a and the platen roller 3b in the printing section 3. The pressure is set lower than the clamping pressure. The clamping pressure of the upper and lower rollers 7a and 7b may be fixed at a constant pressure, but may also be adjustable in strength within a predetermined pressure. As a structure that allows the pressure to be adjusted, for example, a spring member that biases in the contact direction may be provided on one of the upper and lower rollers, and the elastic force of the spring member may be freely adjusted.

The label pasting section 64 and the printing section 3 print and issue sheets of label paper 4c, which are cut by the cutter section 63 and continuously issued, at appropriately set intervals. When the predetermined information is printed on the label paper 4c by the printing section 3, the printed label paper 4c is cut into leaf-shaped labels at the position of the cutter section 63 and is sucked to the label holding face plate of the label pasting section 64. Retained.

The leading end 4t of the label paper 4c is positioned at an upstream standby position t facing the label issuing direction away from the nip width LN formed by the thermal head 3a and platen roller 3b.

In addition, when initially setting the linerless label roll, the leading end 4t of the label paper 4c is fed to the cutter section 63 by the feed roller 7, and after cutting the leading end of a predetermined width, the leading end of the label paper 4c after being cut is 4t is positioned at an upstream standby position t facing the label issuing direction away from the nip width LN formed by the thermal head 3a and platen roller 3b.

<Electrical configuration of label printer 100>
As shown in FIG. 5, the label printer 100 (printing device) includes a control unit 9 (CPU), a flash memory 51, a RAM 52, a display/operation unit 53, an interface circuit 54, a stepping motor 59 that rotates the platen roller 3b, It includes a thermal head 3a (print head), a cutter drive motor 58, a label detection sensor 56, a detection section 57 (paper detection sensor), and the like.

The control unit 9 (CPU) is a central processing unit that executes programs stored in storage units such as the flash memory 51 and the RAM 52 and controls the operation of the label printer 100.

The flash memory 51 and RAM 52 as storage units store control programs, data, and the like.
The flash memory 51 is a read-only memory that stores a control program for the label printer 100, control data, and the like.

The RAM 52 has a work area for temporarily calling and processing data. The work area includes a dot development area for developing print data into dot data, a call format area for calling and storing one format data from a label format file, a call product area for calling and storing product data, etc.

In addition to a label format file in which a label printing format is set, a product file in which various product data for label printing are set, etc., the RAM 52 also contains a judgment means based on the detection result of the label detection sensor 56. Files containing judgment details are stored, and the files are backed up by a battery so that they are retained even when the power is turned off.

The determination file based on the detection result of the label detection sensor 56 is sent to the platen roller 3b of the liner-less label paper 4c if the detection data of the label detection sensor 56 detects the presence or absence of the liner-less label paper 4c before the cutter unit 63 operates. If the detection data of the label detection sensor 56 detects the presence or absence of the liner-less label L after the cutter unit 63 is operated, it is detected whether or not the liner-less label L sent to the label receiver has been removed. It is then determined whether the next label can be issued.

Specifically, if the label detection sensor 56 detects the presence or absence of the liner-less label paper 4c before the cutter unit 63 operates, if the presence or absence of the liner-less label paper 4c is “○ (present),” the printed liner-less label paper 4c is correctly placed on the label receiver. This indicates that it has been fed out, and in the case of "x (none)", it is determined that the printed liner-less label paper 4c has not been fed out onto the label receiver, that is, it has been wrapped around the platen roller 3b.

The display/operation unit 53 is an input device for operating the label printer 100 (paperless label printer), and is a touch panel integrated with the display unit, and displays various menu screens and data. . As the display/operation unit 53, for example, a liquid crystal display or the like can be adopted.

A stepping motor 59 that drives and rotates the platen roller 3b, a thermal head (print head 3a), and a cutter drive motor 58 constitute the printing section of the label issuing section, and print liner-less labels based on instructions from the control section 9 (CPU). The product name, price, unit price, bar code, etc. are printed on the paper 4c, and the printed mount-less label paper 4c is cut into sheets by a cutter section 63 to issue a mount-less label L.

As shown in FIG. 2, the paper detection sensor 57 detects the presence or absence of the liner-less label paper 4c supplied to the printing unit 3, and uses the output signal to drive the print head (thermal head) 3a and platen roller 3b. is controlled. Paper detection sensor 57 is arranged between platen roller 3b and feed roller 7. This paper detection sensor 57 has a light emitting part 57a and a light receiving part 57b. For example, the light emitting part 57a is arranged above the paper 4c, and the light receiving part 57b is arranged below the paper 4c. The control unit 9 detects the presence or absence of the paper 4c and the position of the leading edge of the paper 4c based on the light intensity received by the light receiving unit 57b.

The label detection sensor 56 (detection section) detects the presence or absence of the mount-less label paper 4c or the mount-less label L on the label receiver, and the control section 9 controls operations such as driving and stopping the printing section 3 based on the detection result. control.

The control unit 9 moves the leading end 4t of the paper 4c fed out from the paper roll to a standby position t upstream in the paper transport direction from a position 3N where the thermal head 3a and platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width LN. The conveying means such as the motor 59 is controlled so that the motor 59 is placed on standby.

Further, the control unit 9 drives the feed roller 7 so that the leading end 4t of the paper 4c fed out from the paper roll 4 waits at the standby position t based on the detection of the paper by the detection unit 57 (paper detection sensor). do.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In step S11, the control unit 9 (CPU) performs printing preprocessing such as initializing various parameters and reading a label file.
When initially setting the linerless label roll, the leading end of the label paper 4c fed out from the label roll 4 is fed to the cutter section 63 by the feed roller 7, and after the leading end is cut by the cutter section 63 to a predetermined length. , the cut tip portion 4t is positioned at a standby position t upstream in the sheet conveyance direction from the position 3N where the thermal head 3a and platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width LN.

In step S13, the control section 9 rotates the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 using the stepping motor 59, and performs printing processing using the thermal head 3a of the printing section 3.

In step S15, the control section 9 performs a process of cutting the paper printed by the printing section 3 using the cutter section 63.

In step S17, the control unit 9 uses the stepping motor 59 to drive the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 to backfeed the paper.

In step S19, the control unit 9 performs a process of stopping the leading edge portion 4t of the paper, which is formed by cutting the paper by the cutter unit 63, at a standby position t upstream of the thermal head 3a in the transport direction.

The control section 9 performs a process of attaching the label printed by the printing section 3 to the article a using the label attaching section 64.

In step S21, the control unit 9 determines whether or not the issuance of all labels has been completed, and if the issuance of all labels has been completed, the series of processes is completed; otherwise, the process of step S11 is performed. Proceed to.

As described above, the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention extracts the paper from a paper roll formed by winding a strip of paper with an adhesive surface on one side and a printing surface on the other side. , and issue a sheet-like label. Specifically, the label printer 100 includes a conveying means for conveying paper such as a feed roller 7, a printing section 3 consisting of a thermal head 3a and a platen roller 3b, and a predetermined nip width LN between the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b. a control unit 9 (CPU) that controls the conveying means so that the leading edge 4t of the paper fed out from the paper roll waits at a standby position t upstream in the paper conveyance direction from the position 3N pressed by the paper roll. . Note that the leading end 4t of the linerless label paper is positioned at the upstream end position of the area where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width, or slightly downstream from the upstream end position. It may also be controlled so that it is located. Specifically, even within the nip width LN (for example, about 1.4 mm width), the upstream region within the nip width where the influence of nip pressure is small (from the center position of the nip width between the thermal head 3a and platen roller 3b) For example, the leading end portion 4t of the linerless label paper may be positioned at a position within the remaining nip width region of 0.1 mm upstream from the position moved 0.6 mm upstream.
In this way, the label printer 100 backfeeds the leading edge 4c of the paper 4c being fed out from the paper roll 4 to the standby position t after issuing a sheet-like label.

According to the above-mentioned label printer 100, the linerless paper does not get wrapped around the platen roller 3b during printing, and printing can be started immediately upon receiving a printing instruction. Furthermore, printing can be performed from the leading edge position of linerless paper.

Furthermore, compared to a general label printer, it is possible to eliminate backfeed at the time of starting printing of a label, so the speed of the entire printing process can be improved.

Furthermore, the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a cutter section 63 that is disposed downstream of the printing section 3 in the paper conveyance direction and serves as a cutting means for cutting the paper printed by the printing section. The control unit 9 (CPU) drives the platen roller 3b and the feed roller 7 to convey the paper in the conveyance direction, and after the printing unit 3 prints on the paper, the paper printed by the printing unit 3 is transferred to the cutter unit 63. After cutting with the paper roll (cutting means), the conveyance means is controlled so that the leading edge 4t of the paper fed out from the paper roll (the leading edge of the paper formed by cutting the paper by the cutter unit 63) is returned to the standby position t. (backfeed), a process is performed in which the leading end 4t of the paper fed out from the paper roll is made to wait at the above-mentioned standby position t.
In this way, simply by allowing the leading end portion 4t formed by cutting the paper with the cutter section 63 to wait at the above-mentioned standby position t, it is possible to easily prevent the label paper 4c from being caught in the platen roller 3b.

Note that this process of backfeeding the paper and waiting until the leading edge 4t of the paper cut by the cutter unit 63 reaches the above-mentioned standby position t may be performed every time a label is issued, or it may be determined that the waiting time is long. In this case, the above processing may be performed.

Further, in the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 9 (CPU) controls the label printer 100 to be slightly upstream in the paper conveyance direction from a position 3N where the thermal head 3a and the platen roller 3b press with a predetermined nip width LN. The conveyance means is controlled so that the leading end 4t of the paper is placed on standby at a side position, preferably at a position above the platen roller 3b.
By doing this, the control unit 9 can transport the leading end 4t of the paper from the standby position t to the thermal head 3a of the printing unit 3 in a short time by the transport means, so that the printing unit 3 can transfer the leading edge 4t to the paper. Printing can be started from a standby state in a short time.

Further, the label printer 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a feed roller 7, which is disposed upstream of the printing unit 3 in the label transport direction, as a transport means. The label printer 100 also includes a detection unit 57 that is arranged between the printing unit 3 and the feed roller 7 and detects paper. Based on the detection of the paper by the detection unit 57, the control unit 9 drives the feed roller 7 so that the leading end 4t of the paper fed out from the paper roll waits at the standby position t.
For example, if a stepping motor is used as the driving means for driving the feed roller 7 and platen roller 7, the feeding distance of the paper can be determined with high accuracy based on the drive signal output to the stepping motor and the detection signal from the detection unit 57. can be controlled.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the design may be changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. are also included in the present invention.
Moreover, the embodiments shown in the above-mentioned figures can be combined with each other as long as there is no particular contradiction or problem in the purpose, structure, etc.
Further, the contents of each figure can be an independent embodiment, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to one embodiment in which each figure is combined.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, and some or all of the embodiments of the present invention will be described as in the following supplementary notes.
[Additional note 1]
In a label printer that issues a sheet-shaped label by unwinding a paper roll formed by winding a strip of paper with an adhesive side on one side and a printed side on the other side,
a conveyance means for conveying the paper;
A printing section consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller,
The conveying means is controlled so that the leading end of the paper fed out from the paper roll is held at a standby position upstream in the paper conveyance direction from a position where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. A label printer characterized in that it has a control unit that does.
[Additional note 2]
a cutting unit disposed downstream of the printing unit in the conveying direction of the paper, the cutting unit cutting the paper printed by the printing unit;
The control unit controls the transport unit to return the leading end of the paper fed out from the paper roll to the standby position after the paper printed by the printing unit is cut by the cutting unit. The label printer according to appendix 1, characterized in that:
[Additional note 3]
The control unit causes the leading edge of the paper fed out from the paper roll to stand by at a position slightly upstream in the paper transport direction from a position where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. The label printer according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the conveying means is controlled in such a manner that
[Additional note 4]
The control unit is configured to control the paper fed out from the paper roll at a position upstream in the paper transport direction from a position where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width, and at a position above the platen roller. The label printer according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 3, wherein the conveying means is controlled so that the leading end of the label printer is placed on standby.
[Additional note 5]
The conveying means includes a feed roller disposed upstream of the printing section in the label conveying direction,
The label printer includes a detection unit that detects the paper, disposed between the printing unit and the feed roller,
Supplementary note 1, wherein the control unit drives the feed roller so that the leading end of the paper fed out from the paper roll waits at the standby position based on the detection of the paper by the detection unit. The label printer according to any one of Appendix 4.

1 Label roll (linerless label roll, printing media, paper roll)
1a Paper (backing paper-less label)
2 Support 3 Printing section 3a Print head (thermal head)
3b Platen roller 4 Label roll 4a Adhesive surface 4b Printing surface 4c Label paper 4t Tip portion 5 Roll set (roll loading section)
6 Paper detection sensor 7 Feed roller (label transport section: guide section)
7a Upper roller 7b Lower roller 9 Control unit (CPU)
10, 11 shaft 12 circumferential groove 13 support member 14 toothed pulley 18 belt 19, 19' idle pulley 20 power transmission pulley 21 driven pulley 22 transmission belt 24 label crimping member 41 platen support frame 51 flash memory 52 RAM
53 Display/operation section 54 Interface (I/F)
56 Label detection sensor (label detection means)
57 Paper detection sensor (detection section)
58 Cutter drive motor 59 Stepping motor 59a Drive pulley 61 Label supply section 63 Cutter section (cutting means)
63a Movable blade 63b Fixed blade 64 Label pasting section 71 Conveyor 72 Conveyance table 100 Label printer (printing device)
100A Label printing and pasting device 110 Case 111 Case t Standby position LN Nip width

Claims (4)

In a label printer that issues a sheet-shaped label by unwinding a paper roll formed by winding a strip of paper with an adhesive side on one side and a printed side on the other side,
a conveyance means for conveying the paper;
A printing means consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller,
a cutting means for cutting the paper;
When setting the paper roll, the conveying means is arranged so that, after cutting by the cutting means, the leading end of the paper waits upstream of an area where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. A label printer comprising: a control means for controlling the printer. detection means for detecting the paper or the label;
After printing by the printing unit, determining whether or not the paper is wrapped based on whether or not the detection unit detects the paper;
The present invention is characterized by comprising a determination unit that determines whether or not the printing unit can print on the paper based on whether or not the detection unit detects removal of the label after cutting by the cutting unit. The label printer according to claim 1. A computer installed in a label printer that issues a sheet-shaped label by feeding out a paper roll formed by winding a strip of paper with an adhesive side on one side and a printed side on the other side,
a conveyance means for conveying the paper;
Printing means consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller,
cutting means for cutting the paper;
When setting the paper roll, the conveying means is arranged so that, after cutting by the cutting means, the leading end of the paper waits upstream of an area where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. control means for controlling;
A program that functions as In a label issuing method for a label printer, in which a sheet-shaped label is issued by unwinding a sheet of paper from a paper roll formed by winding a strip of paper having an adhesive side on one side and a printed side on the other side,
a conveyance step of conveying the paper;
A printing step consisting of a thermal head and a platen roller,
a cutting step of cutting the paper;
When setting the paper roll, after cutting in the cutting step, the conveying step is carried out so that the leading end of the paper waits upstream of an area where the thermal head and the platen roller press with a predetermined nip width. a control step for controlling;
A label issuing method for a label printer, characterized by having the following.

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