JPH02269062A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive a compact construction and prevent slippage in printing or wrinkling of a paper from occurring, by disposing a plurality of line thermal heads in a staggered condition at different angles to a single platen serving also as a feeding roller, and pressing the thermal heads against the platen. CONSTITUTION:A main part of an enlarged size printing part 20 comprises a platen 21 so disposed as to have a center axis in the vertical direction, a plurality of line thermal heads 22a to 22d disposed opposite to the peripheral surface of the platen 21 and pressed against the peripheral surface, with a gap therebetween for permitting an A0 size rolled form paper 60 to pass therethrough, and a driving motor 23 for driving the platen 21 to rotate. The line thermal beads 22a to 22d are disposed in a staggered condition at different angles to the center axis of the platen 21. By this, a compact construction with a reduced number of component parts is realized, and slippage in printing, wrinkling of a paper or the like is prevented from occurring due to a difference in tension on the paper arising from an error in synchronism.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing device, and particularly to a printing device with an enlarged printing function.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic whiteboard device has been known as a printing device with a function of printing a reduced version of a document. This electronic whiteboard device is a device that prints originals such as characters and graphs written on a board portion on reduced-size paper and outputs the printout.

Conventionally, this type of electronic whiteboard device was mainly used for meetings, etc. i
It was used to print out manuscripts such as letters and graphs that were written on the board while discussing B, reduced to the required number of pages, and distributed to the participants.

However, electronic blackboard devices can be used not only in this way, but also as a bulletin board with various necessary information written in advance, such as writing report contents on multiple pages in advance and using it as a substitute for an overhead projector (OHP). It was sometimes used as such.

On the other hand, as opposed to electronic blackboard devices, there are devices such as overhead projectors and physical projectors that enlarge characters, graphs, etc. and display them to a large number of people.

An overherad projector is a device in which a document is written on a transparent sheet in advance and then enlarged and projected onto a screen, but it can only display what is written on the transparent sheet in advance, and it cannot be used in a bright room. There were also limits.

In addition, although a real projector has the advantage of being able to enlarge and project a normal original document onto a screen and show it to a large number of people over an overhead projector, there is still a limit to its use in a brightly lit room.

By the way, although conventional electronic blackboard devices can print the characters and graphs written on the board in a reduced size, they cannot enlarge the reduced size manuscript and print it on the board, like an over 7 dobro projector or a real projector. Since it was not possible to display the information on the screen, it was necessary to write down the necessary content in advance for reports at meetings, which required time and effort to prepare, and it was not possible to change the displayed content on the fly. Ta. In addition, even though the manuscript is prepared in advance, it is necessary to copy it onto the board before holding a meeting, so it is necessary to enlarge the manuscript in a short time using an overhead projector or physical projector, which can be used for a large number of people. could not be displayed. Therefore, it would be convenient if an electronic blackboard device could enlarge a document in a short time and display it to a large number of people. equipment is required.

In the case of such large-scale printing equipment, it is desirable to use a fixed line thermal head, as a movable print head would complicate the printing equipment.
Since a long line thermal head capable of printing on large-sized paper is not currently available, a plurality of line thermal heads are arranged alternately in a staggered pattern for use. In this case, multiple line thermal heads are
Generally, the paper is alternately pressed against the book platen, and a separate feed roller is provided to feed the paper.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in a printing device, if line thermal heads are alternately pressed against two platens and a separate feed roller is provided to feed paper, the number of parts increases, and the printing device A problem arises in that the size becomes larger than necessary.

In addition, it becomes difficult to synchronize multiple platens and synchronize multiple platens and feed rollers, resulting in differences in paper tension due to synchronization, resulting in misaligned prints and wrinkles in the paper. A problem arises in that this occurs.

Furthermore, since the distance between the plurality of line thermal heads in the sub-scanning direction increases, a problem arises in that it becomes difficult to control the driving of the plurality of line thermal heads in the printing control section.

In view of the above-mentioned points, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing device in which a plurality of line thermal heads are arranged in a staggered manner at different angles and pressed against one platen which also serves as a feed roller. It's about doing.

[Means for solving problems]

The printing device of the present invention has a first roller that also serves as a feed roller.
It is characterized by comprising a book platen and a plurality of line thermal heads arranged in a staggered manner at different angles with respect to the platen and pressed against the book platen.

[Effect]

In the printing apparatus of the present invention, one platen also serves as a feed roller to feed paper, and a plurality of line thermal heads are arranged in a staggered manner at different angles with respect to the platen, and are pressed against the paper. to print.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the main parts of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Reduced size original reading unit 1 that reads reduced size originals
0, an enlarged-format printing unit 20 that creates enlarged-size prints in, for example, AO size, an enlarged-size original reading unit 30 that reads enlarged-size originals in, for example, AO size, and, for example, A4-sized originals.
a reduced size print section 40 that creates a reduced size print, and an IS section that controls the operations of the reduced size document reading section 10, enlarged size print section 20, enlarged size document reading section 30, and reduced size print section 40. The main part is composed of 50.

The reduced-size original reading unit 10 includes a transparent original table 11 on which a reduced-sized original is placed, a light source 12 made of, for example, a fluorescent lamp that generates light to illuminate the reduced-sized original placed on the original table 11, and a light source 12 made of, for example, a fluorescent lamp. A driving motor 13 that reciprocates the document table 11 in the horizontal direction to scan the document placed on the document table 1, a reflecting member 14 that reflects light from the document, and the reflecting member 1
an imaging lens 15 that forms an image of the document reflected by 4;
A document image is formed by this imaging lens 15 onto the document table 1.
The main part thereof is composed of a line image sensor 16 that scans the original in line as the image sensor 1 moves.

The line image sensor 16 is, for example, a charge coupled device (C
OD), etc., and 12 lines/mm on a reduced size original
is used.

The enlarged format print section 20 is arranged in pressure contact with a platen 21 arranged so that its center axis is vertical, and facing the circumferential surface of the platen 21 with a gap through which an AO size roll paper 60 can be inserted. The main parts thereof include a plurality of (four in the figure) line thermal heads 228 to 22d and a drive motor 23 that rotationally drives the platen 21.

The line thermal heads 228 to 22d are so-called end face type thermal heads, and as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. It is located in

In this way, a plurality of line thermal heads 228 to 22d
The reason for arranging them in a staggered manner is that there is currently no line thermal head that can print across the entire width of an AO size, and that arranging multiple line thermal heads 22a to 22d in a straight line does not allow for each print. This is done in consideration of the possibility that there will be areas at both ends of the line thermal heads 22a to 22d that cannot be printed. As a result of arranging the plurality of line thermal heads 223 to 22cl in a staggered manner at different angles with respect to the central axis of the platen 21, the timing of providing print control information to the line thermal heads 22b and 22d of the preceding phase and the following phase can be changed. line thermal heads 22a and 2
Needless to say, it is necessary to shift the timing of giving print control information to 2C by the amount of the phase difference.

In addition, the line thermal heads 22a to 22d have an enlargement ratio of 400% when printing on AO size roll paper 60 based on image information read from an A4 size document at a density of 12 pages/mm. 3 tons) / mm
It is sufficient to have a recording density of .

Note that a line thermal head having a recording density of 6 dots/mm, 9 dots/mm, etc. may be used to simultaneously drive multiple dots adjacent to one dot of print control information. Of course. In this way, by configuring the enlarged format printing means with a plurality of line thermal heads 228 to 22d, one
Even if one line thermal head breaks down, there is no need to replace all the line thermal heads 22a to 22d, and only one broken line thermal head needs to be replaced, so maintenance of the printing apparatus of this embodiment is easy. This also has the advantage of reducing maintenance costs.

The platen 21 also serves as a feed roller, and rotates as the drive motor 23 drives to feed the roll paper 60. As a result of using one platen 21 for a plurality of line thermal heads 222 to 22d, the number of parts is reduced and the size is reduced, and it is necessary to synchronize between the platens and between the platen and the feed roller. This eliminates the occurrence of print misalignment, paper wrinkles, etc. due to differences in paper tension due to synchronization. Further, since the distance in the sub-scanning direction between the plurality of line thermal heads 228 to 22d is shortened, it becomes easier to control the driving of the plurality of line thermal spatulas F22a to 22d by the printing control section 57 or the like.

The roll paper 60 is made of thermal paper that can be printed by the line thermal head 22, and its surface is coated with a transparent film so that additions, corrections, deletions, etc. of the added manuscript portion can be made as appropriate. is desirable,
However, if there is no need to correct or delete the added manuscript part,
The surface does not necessarily need to be coated.

The enlarged-size document reading unit 30 irradiates the document written on the take-up roller 31 arranged so that the central axis is vertical, and the AO-size roll 60 wound around the take-up roller 31. A light source 3 made of, for example, a fluorescent lamp that generates light that
2, and a drive motor 3 that rotationally drives the winding roller 31.
3, an imaging lens 34 that forms an image of the document, and a take-up roller 31 on which the image of the document is formed by the imaging lens 34.
The main part thereof is composed of a line image sensor 35 that scans a line of a roll 60, which is an AO size original, as it rotates.

The line image sensor 35 is formed of, for example, a charge-coupled device (COD), like the line image sensor 16 in the reduced original reading section 10, and has a resolution of 3 lines/mm on the original surface.

The reduced size printing section 40 is opposed to and press-contacted to a platen 41 arranged so that its center axis is horizontal, with a gap that allows an A4 size heat-sensitive roll 61 to be inserted, for example, to the circumferential surface of the platen 41. A drive motor 4 that rotationally drives the arranged line thermal head 42 and the platen 41.
The main part is composed of 3.

The control section 50 includes an operation section 51 that instructs the operation of the reduced-format original reading section lO1, the enlargement/enlargement reprint section, the enlarged-format original reading section 30, and the reduced-format printing section 40 via a control circuit 52, etc.; a control circuit 52 that receives commands from and sends control signals to various parts, and a drive motor 13.
23. Motor drive unit 5 that controls the operations of 33 and 43
3, an amplifier circuit 54 that amplifies the image signals from the line image sensors 16 and 35, an AD conversion circuit 55 that AD converts the image signal from the amplifier circuit 54, and this A
A storage circuit 56 stores digital image information from the D conversion circuit 55, and the image information stored in the storage circuit 56 is sent to the line thermal heads 22a to 22d and 42 as a print control signal based on a control signal from the control circuit 52. Its main parts are composed of a print control section 57 that supplies power, and a power supply section 58 that supplies power to each section.

It is desirable that the storage circuit 56 has a capacity capable of storing image information for at least one document so that multiple copies can be made by scanning the document once.

For example, in order to store one page of image information obtained by reading an A4-sized document at a resolution of 12 lines/mm in each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, a capacity of at least about 9 Mbits is required. However, if the document is scanned every time it is printed, the capacity can be reduced (of course).

The printing apparatus of this embodiment, which includes the various parts described above, has an external appearance as shown in FIG.

That is, this printing device includes a printing device main body 71 formed of a horizontally long rectangular plate-shaped housing, and a pair of legs 72a extending so as to hang down from both ends of the lower surface of this main body 71.
and 72b, and the AO on the front of the main body 71, slightly to the right.
A large rectangular window 7 with approximately the same dimensions as the size of the paper.
3, an operation panel 74 provided at the lower left end of the front surface of the main body 71, a copying machine mounting table 75 extending forward from the left end of the lower edge of the front surface of the main body 71, and a reduced-size original reading device. section 10, reduction print section 40 and control section 50
A copying machine mounting stand 75 that houses the copying machine and can be detachably attached to the main body 71.
Its main part is composed of a copying machine 76 placed above.

Even when the copying machine 76 is removed from the printing apparatus main body 71, the reduced size document reading section 10 and the reduced size printing section 4
0 and the control unit 50, it can be used as an A4 size copying machine.

Note that a plurality of rollers 77 are attached to the lower ends of the legs 72a and 72b to allow the printing device to be easily moved.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

The operation of the printing device of this embodiment can be roughly divided into three operation modes depending on its usage: TI) enlarged print mode, +21 171 small print mode, and (3) normal size print mode. The operation will be explained for each.

(11 Enlarged Print Mode This mode is a mode in which the reduced size original reading section 10 reads a document and creates an enlarged print on the enlarged size print section 20.

First, an A4-sized original is placed on the original table 11, and an instruction for enlarged printing is given to the operation panel 74 (operation unit 51). Then, a control signal is given from the control circuit 52 to the motor drive unit 53, and the drive motors 13, 23 and 33 are rotated.

When the drive motor 13 is rotated, the document table 11 moves horizontally and the document is irradiated with light emitted from the light source 12, and the document is scanned line by line by the line image sensor 16 via the reflection member 14 and the imaging lens 15. is scanned to read the image information. The read image information is amplified by the amplifier circuit 54, converted to digital image information by the AD conversion circuit 55, and sequentially stored in the storage circuit 56.

The image information stored in the storage circuit 56 is read out from the storage circuit 56 based on a control signal from the control circuit 52,
The line thermal head 228 through the print control unit 57
22d.

The driven line thermal heads 22a to 22d move toward the platen 21 as the drive motors 23 and 33 rotate.
(An enlarged image of the document is printed on the AO size thermal roll paper 60 that is fed from 1 to the take-up roller 3L side.

(2) Reduction Print Mode This mode is a mode in which the enlarged size original reading section 30 reads the original and creates a reduced print on the reduced size printing section 40.

First, when an instruction for reduced printing is given to the operation panel 74 (operation section 51), a control signal is given from the control circuit 52 to the motor drive section 53, and the drive motors 23, 33 and 4 are
3 is rotated.

When the drive motors 23 and 33 are rotated, the roll paper 60 on which the original has been written is sequentially wound from the platen 21 side to the take-up roller 31 side, and the platen 21. t
An original written on the roll paper 60 that is wound around the take-up reroller 31 on the back side of the roll paper 60 stretched between the l-taking rollers 31 is transmitted to the line image sensor 35 by light from the light source 32 via the imaging lens 34. is read.

The read image information is amplified by the amplifier circuit 54 and
The data is converted into digital image information by the D conversion circuit 55 and sequentially stored in the storage circuit 56.

The image information stored in the storage circuit 56 is read out from the storage circuit 56 based on the control signal from the control circuit 52.
The line thermal head 42 is driven via the print control section 57.

The driven line thermal head 42 prints a reduced image of the original on A4 size thermal roll paper 61 that is fed between the platen 41 and the line thermal head 42 as the drive motor 43 rotates. .

(3) Same-size print mode This mode is a mode in which the reduced-size original reading section 10 reads a document and creates a same-size print on the reduced-size print section 40.

First, an A4-sized original is placed on the original platen If, and an instruction for full size printing is given to the operation panel 74 (operation unit 51). Then, a control signal is given from the control circuit 52 to the motor drive section 53, and the drive motors 13 and 43 are rotated.

When the drive motor 13 is rotated, the document table 11 is moved horizontally, and the document is illuminated by light emitted from the light source 12, and the document is scanned line by line by the line image sensor 16 via the reflection member I4 and the imaging lens 15. The image information is read by scanning. The read image information is amplified by the amplifier circuit 54, converted to digital image information by the AD conversion circuit 55, and sequentially stored in the storage circuit 56.

The image information stored in the storage circuit 56 is read out from the storage circuit 56 based on the *m signal from the control circuit 52,
The line thermal head 42 is driven via the print control section 57.

The driven line thermal head 42 prints a same-size image of the original on A4 size thermal roll paper 61 that is fed between the platen 41 and the line thermal head 42 as the drive motor 43 rotates. go.

Note that the same-size print mode may include a mode in which the enlarged-size original reading section 30 reads the original and creates a same-size print on the enlarged-size print section 20, but since the operation is similar to Habo, a detailed explanation will be provided. Omitted.

FIG. 4 shows that, whereas the printing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 uses a light source 32, an imaging lens 34, and a line image sensor 35 as an enlarged document reading section 30, A contact type line image sensor 81 is used. That is, in the printing apparatus of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. A transparent sheet 78 is stretched and pasted on the window 73 of 71 so as to face the front side of the roll paper 60.

In the printing apparatus of this embodiment, the line image sensor 81 moves from the left end to the right end of the window 73 of the main body 71 as the drive motor 82 rotates, and writes on the roll paper 60 and the transparent sheet 78. Read the written manuscript.

In addition, other parts and parts not specifically mentioned are:
Since the structure is similar to the corresponding members and parts in the printing apparatus of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3,
A detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

The printing device of this embodiment configured as described above can obtain the same functions and effects as the printing device of the embodiment shown in FIGS. The document portion is divided into the transparent sheet 78 and the additionally written document portion, and even if the roll paper 60 is not coated paper, there is an advantage that the additionally written portion of the document can be added, corrected, etc. freely.

In the above embodiment, after the enlarged print is displayed on the window section 73, it is taken up by the take-up reroller 31 for the next enlarged print operation, but the enlarged print can be easily taken out to the outside. You can do it like this,
In this way, the enlarged print taken out can be carried around and displayed at a desired location, and the range of use of the enlarged print function of the printing apparatus of the present invention is expanded.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a plurality of line thermal heads are arranged at different angles in a staggered manner and brought into pressure contact with one platen which also serves as a feed roller. The number of points is small, making it more compact, and there is no need to synchronize between platens or between the platen and feed roller, and due to synchronization, differences in paper tension occur, resulting in misaligned prints and wrinkles in the paper. This has the effect of leaving you with nothing to do.

Furthermore, since the distance in the sub-scanning direction between the plurality of line thermal heads is shortened, there is an effect that drive control of the plurality of line thermal heads in the printing control section or the like becomes easier.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the printing device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a printing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of essential parts of the printing device shown in FIG. In the figure, lO...Reduced size original reading section, 11...Original table, 12.32...Light source, 13, 23. 33. 43. 82.Drive motor, 14.Reflection member, 15.34.Imaging lens, 16.35.Line image sensor, 20.
Enlarged format print section, 21.41...Platen, 22a to 22d, 42...Line thermal head, 30...Enlarged format original reading section, 31...Take-up roller, 40. ...Reduced size print section, 50...Control section, 51...Mechanism section, 52...Control circuit, 53...Motor drive section, 54... ... Amplification circuit, 55 ... AD conversion circuit, 56 ... Memory circuit, 57 ... Print control section, 58 ... Power supply section, 60 ... Enlarged size thermal roll paper, 61...Reduced size thermal roll paper, 71...Printing device main body, 73...Window section, 74・-76・7th・81・.・Operation panel, ・Copy machine, ・Transparent sheet, ・Contact line image sensor patent applicant Silver Seiko Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] The present invention is characterized by comprising one platen which also serves as a feed roller, and a plurality of line thermal heads arranged in a staggered manner at different angles with respect to the platen and pressed against the platen. printing device.