JPH0220379A - Method for detecting residual quantity of ribbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow an operator to know the residual quantity of a ribbon and to estimate the proper replacing period of a transfer ribbon by converting the interval between the marks of the ribbon to a numerical value by a counter to display said value on an operation panel. CONSTITUTION:The marks 14 of a black part are provided to a ribbon 8a on the single side of the ribbon width thereof from the beginning thereof to the end thereof so that the mark intervals C become narrow gradually. The marks 14 are detected by the optical sensor 11 provided to a ribbon running passage and the intervals C of the output pulses thereof are converted to numerical values by a counter. The data of the counter is once stored in a latch and subsequently read by a control part and, at the same time, said data is set and held to a memory. The control part converts the data to a proper value easy to display on an operation panel therein to display ribbon quantity on the display part of the operation panel. A non-volatile RAM module having backup function is used in the memory so as to be able to display the counter data on the display part by the control part when printing is reopened after a power supply is cut off.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] Regarding a method for detecting the amount of ribbon remaining in a thermal transfer ribbon used in a printer using a thermal transfer method, the present invention enables an operator to detect the remaining amount of ribbon and predict an appropriate ribbon replacement time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting the remaining amount of ribbon in a printing device comprising a ribbon feeding mechanism, a paper conveying mechanism, a print head mechanism, and a control section, wherein the ribbon fed by the ribbon feeding mechanism A mark is attached to one side of the width of the ribbon so that the mark interval gradually narrows from the beginning to the end of the ribbon, and this mark is detected by an optical sensor provided in the ribbon path of the ribbon feeding mechanism, and the detection interval is is quantified by a counter, the counter information is read into the control section and set in the memory, and the count information is displayed on the display section via the control section to detect the remaining amount of ribbon.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a method for detecting the remaining amount of a thermal transfer ribbon used in a printing device using a thermal transfer method.

A thermal printer using a thermal transfer method uses a thermal transfer ribbon, and in recent years, this ribbon has been made into a cassette and mounted on a head, making it easy to replace the ribbon. Since the remaining amount of ribbon decreases in proportion to the number of times the ribbon is used, it is necessary to replace the ribbon, and in order to know when to replace the ribbon, it is necessary to detect the remaining amount of ribbon.

[Conventional technology]

An outline of a conventional line printer using a thermal transfer method is shown in FIG. 2(A), and FIG. 2(B) is an enlarged view of the printing section shown in FIG. 2(A).

In Fig. 2 (a) and (b), 1 is the head, and the heating element 2
The heating element 2 has the size of the paper width.

3 is a platen, and the paper 4 is fed by rotation of the platen 3. A pick roller 5 takes out the sheets 4 on the hopper 6 one by one and sends them between the platen 3 and the head 1 by a feed roller rough. At this time, the ribbon 8 is connected to the platen 3 and the paper 4.
In between, the print head 1 is fed by the same feed amount as the platen 3, and printing is performed by heating the head 1.

Conventionally, the end of the ribbon 8 is pasted with a silver tape 10 or aluminum tape as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3(c), a switch is used to detect the two needles 13 by bringing them into contact, and the operator is notified.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) In line printers that use conventional thermal transfer methods, it is sufficient to have a so-called "ribbon end" that indicates the end of the ribbon. Since the end of the ribbon is not detected until the end of the ribbon is consumed, the operator cannot know how much ribbon is left.When the device detects the end of the ribbon during printing, it suddenly stops printing, but this stop Since the position of the head in one row is uncertain at the time, the operator wants to know the remaining amount of ribbon in order to predict the appropriate ribbon replacement time.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for detecting the remaining amount of ribbon by which an operator can detect the remaining amount of ribbon and predict an appropriate ribbon replacement time.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above problem lies in the method for detecting the amount of ribbon remaining in a printing device that is composed of a ribbon feeding mechanism, a paper conveying mechanism, a print head mechanism, and a control section, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. On one side of the ribbon width of the ribbon 8a fed by the mechanism, from the beginning A to the end B of the ribbon 8a,
A mark 14 is attached such that the mark interval C becomes gradually narrower, and this mark 14 is detected by an optical sensor 11 provided in the ribbon path of the ribbon feeding mechanism.The detected interval is quantified by a counter 15, and the counter information is obtained. This problem is solved by the ribbon remaining amount detection method of the present invention, which reads the count information into the control section 17 and also sets it in the memory 20, displays the count information on the display section 19 via the control section 17, and detects the ribbon remaining amount. Ru.

[Effect]

That is, since the marks 14 are attached such that the mark interval C becomes gradually narrower from the beginning A to the end B of the ribbon 8a, the transmitted light is detected by the optical sensor 11 as shown in FIGS. The optical sensor 11 as shown in Fig. 1(d) obtained by
The interval C of the output pulse D of is calculated by counter 1 in FIG.
After quantifying in step 5, the data is held in lunch 16,
At the same time as the control unit reads the count information, the memory 20
Also set and hold. The control section 17 internally converts the value into a value that is easy to display on the operation panel 18 and displays it on the display section 19 of the operation panel 18 . In addition, even if printing is interrupted between marks 14 and 14 and resumed after the power is turned off, the memory 20 has a backup function so that the counter information in the memory 20 can be displayed on the display so that printing can continue. The amount of ribbon can be displayed.

This allows the operator to reliably detect the remaining amount of ribbon 8a and predict the appropriate time to replace the ribbon.

〔Example〕

FIGS. 1A to 1E are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1(a) is a display showing the remaining amount of ribbon, and the ribbon 8a usually does not use the entire ribbon width for printing, but has a margin of about one mark on both sides. By utilizing the margin on one side of the ribbon width, the present invention gradually narrows the mark 1.
4 is attached.

In the example, the size of the mark 14 is 5 mm x 5 mm black printing (using the same ink as thermal transfer), and the mark interval C
was set to a maximum of 30Ω to a minimum of 1c+n. In addition, the ribbon 8a
The base material is a transparent polyester film (3 to 6 μm thick)
), and a mark 14 in black is provided on the display.

This mark 14 is formed by applying ink (the same ink used for thermal transfer). Or, contrary to the above, the base material may be black and the mark may be printed in white.

This mark 14 is detected by an optical sensor (transmissive type) 11 provided on the ribbon running path as shown in FIGS. , Figure 1 (
Quantify using the counter 15 in (e).

After the data of the counter 15 is temporarily stored in the latch 16, the control section 17 reads the data and simultaneously sets and holds the data in the memory 20.

The control unit 16 internally converts it into an appropriate value that is easy to display on the operation panel 18, and displays it on the display unit 19 of the operation panel 18.
Display the amount of ribbon. For example, if the count value of the mark interval C is shortened to 100.90, -, the control unit 1
7 is set to a value that can be displayed on the display section 19,
The display area 19 in FIG. 1(E) is filled in sequentially, and finally, ribbon replacement 21 is displayed at the ribbon end 22. and,
When the ribbon 8a is replaced, the ribbon replacement 21 display returns to its original state.

Note that the latch 16 holds the previous counter information when reading the mark, but that information disappears when the power is turned off. Therefore, if the power is cut off after printing is interrupted between the marks 14 and 14, the counter information is retained and the counter information can be displayed on the display section 19 by the control section 17 when printing is resumed. A non-volatile RAM module with a backup function in the memory 20 or El!
FROM was used.

As described above, the distance between the marks 14 on the ribbon 8a is quantified using the counter 15, and the distance is displayed on the operation panel 18.
By displaying this information, the operator can know the amount of ribbon remaining and predict the appropriate time to replace the transfer ribbon.

In the above embodiment, a transmission type optical sensor is used to detect the mark 14 indicating the amount of ribbon, but it is also possible to form a mark by applying a metal film and detect the reflected light with a reflection type optical sensor. .

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, by providing a ribbon with a simple display of the remaining amount of ribbon and detecting it, the operator can know the remaining amount of ribbon and predict the appropriate ribbon replacement time. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 (A) to (E) are diagrams explaining one embodiment of the present invention, Figures 2 (A) and (B) are diagrams explaining a conventional line printer, and Figures 3 (A) to (H) are diagrams explaining an embodiment of the present invention. ) is an explanatory diagram of a conventional ribbon remaining amount detection method. In the figure, 8a is a ribbon, 11 is an optical sensor, 14 is a mark, 15 is a counter, 16 is a latch, 17 is a control section, 18 is an operation panel, 21 is a ribbon replacement, and 22 is a ribbon end.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A method for detecting the amount of ribbon remaining in a printing device comprising a ribbon feeding mechanism, a paper feeding mechanism, a print head mechanism, and a control section, the method comprising: one side of the ribbon width of the ribbon (8a) fed by the ribbon feeding mechanism; , from the beginning (A) to the end (B) of the ribbon (8a).
), a mark (14) is attached such that the mark interval (C) becomes gradually narrower, and this mark (14) is detected by an optical sensor (11) provided in the ribbon path of the ribbon feeding mechanism. Quantify the interval with a counter (15),
The counter information is read into the control section (17) and set in the memory (20), and the count information is sent to the display section (1) via the control section (17).
9) A method for detecting a remaining amount of ribbon, which is characterized in that the remaining amount of ribbon is detected.