JPH02281982A - Printing command signal generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To vary the interval of the issuance of a printing command signal in an area having the fluctuation of the speed of a printing head carrier to perform printing at equal intervals by determining a printing start timing and a printing finish timing respectively for turning ON/OFF a next printing command signal using the position signal and speed signal of the printing head carrier. CONSTITUTION:The quantities of state (position and speed) of a printing head carrier are detected by a printing head carrier state quantity detector 1. A printing position trigger signal generator 2 issues a signal every time when the printing head carrier moves by a dot gap. With the signal serving as a trigger, a next printing time prediction device 3 receives the quantities of state of the printing head carrier and determines a time required for the printing head carrier to move from a previous printing position to a next printing position. Based on the obtained time and the frequency characteristics of a printing mechanism, timings to turn ON/OFF a printing command signal 7 are respectively determined. In this manner, the timings to turn ON/OFF the printing command signal 7 are varied. In this manner, the frequency characteristics of the printing mechanism can be improved to conduct an accurate printing action even with an irregular printing time interval.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a device for generating a print command signal in a printer that performs serial printing.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a serial printer has a printing means that moves a print head carrier at a constant speed, generates a print command signal at regular intervals, and performs printing. The reason why such a printing means is used is that, taking a dot serial printer as an example, the time interval between firing of the print hammer of the print head is limited by its frequency characteristics. In other words, to increase printing speed,
Since printing is performed using the printable area that appears in the region twice the resonance frequency of printing hammer striking, printing command signals can only be generated at fixed time intervals. and,
In order to print at regular intervals, a method is used to move the print head at a constant speed and print at regular intervals.
Printing is performed only in a constant speed range.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The conventional printing means described above cannot print at irregular time intervals. In other words, because the time interval between firing of the printing hammer is limited by electrical and mechanical physical conditions, printing will not be possible even if a printing command signal is issued outside that time interval, and printing will not be possible. Even if the printer is moved, printing may occur at a position deviated from the predetermined position. These will result in errors in printed text and printing, so when controlling the print position of a serial printer, the print head carrier is moved at a constant speed as much as possible and a print command signal is generated at fixed intervals. Printing is being done.

However, as the printing speed increases, the range of acceleration and deceleration of movement of the print head carrier increases, so there is a problem that printing efficiency deteriorates when printing only in a constant speed range.

Another possible method is to detect the position of the print head carrier, generate a trigger signal each time it reaches the print position, and use this signal as a trigger to perform printing. However, the printing mechanism has a limit on the printing time interval, such as the limit on the time interval between printing hammers in the aforementioned dot serial printer, so accurate printing cannot be achieved simply by generating a print command signal. There is a problem.

An object of the present invention is to provide a print command signal generating device that solves these problems.

[Means to solve the problem]

The printing command generation method of the present invention includes: (A) a print head carrier state detector that has a minimum positional resolution equal to the printing dot interval and outputs information on the shape R amount of the print head carrier of the serial printer; (B) a print position trigger signal generator that receives information on the state quantity of the print head carrier and outputs a trigger signal every time the print head carrier moves by a print dot interval along a print line; Receive the signal, use the trigger signal as a trigger to acquire information on the state quantity of the print head carrier, determine the time required for the print head carrier to move from the print position to the next print position, and determine the determined result. and the dynamic characteristics of the printing mechanism, determine the start point of the printing command signal that turns on the printing command signal that drives the printing mechanism, and the end point of the printing command signal that turns off the printing command signal, and determine the printing command signal that drives the printing mechanism. a next print command signal occurrence time predictor that outputs a print start time signal indicating information on the signal start time and a print end time signal indicating information on the end time of the print command signal; (D) receiving the print start time signal; a print start signal generator that outputs a print start signal; (E) a print end signal generator that receives the print end time signal and outputs a print end signal; (F) receives the print start signal and outputs the print command; and a print command signal generator that turns on the signal, receives the print end signal, and turns off the print command signal.

[Effect]

A print head carrier-shaped Rfi detector detects the state quantities (position, speed) of the print head carrier, and generates a print position trigger signal every time the print head carrier moves by the dot interval. Using this signal as a trigger, the next printing time predictor captures the state quantity of the print head carrier and determines the time required for the print head carrier to move from the previous printing position to the next printing position. Furthermore, the time from the determined previous printing point to the next printing point and the printing R
Based on the frequency characteristics of the structure, it is determined when to turn on the print command signal and when to turn it off.

In this way, by changing the point at which the print command signal is turned on and turned off, it is possible to improve the frequency characteristics of the printing mechanism so that accurate printing can be performed even at irregular printing time intervals. can.

In this way, the time interval between generation of print command signals can be made variable in the range where the speed of the print head carrier varies, and printing can be performed at equal intervals.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the printing command signal generating device of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a moving mechanism for a print head carrier of a dot serial printer, and FIG. 8 is a side view thereof. First, the printing method of the dot serial printer will be explained with reference to these figures.

As shown in Fig. 8, the printing mechanism of the dot serial printer connects the printing bin of the print head to the printing target (paper, etc.) 51.
The configuration is such that printing is performed by pressing the ink ribbon 55 which is superimposed on the ink ribbon 55 and transferring the ink to the printing target.

When printing a certain print pattern, first insert the printing object (paper, etc.) 51 through the printing object insertion slot 52, set it so as to wrap it around the platen 46, and then press the veil roller 5.
3. The pressing force of the roller 54 brings the printing object 51 into close contact with the platen 46. At this time, by rotating the platen 46, the printing object 51 is sent in the row direction, and the printing rows are changed in order.

Next, the print head 40 is moved to the side opposite to the printing side with respect to the printing start point of the line to be printed now. and,
From there, the print head carrier 45 is moved toward the printing side, and a print command signal is generated at a predetermined time according to the print pattern to cause the printing mechanism to perform a printing operation. When one line of printing is completed, the print head carrier 45 is stopped,
The printing object 51 is advanced by one line and printing of the next line is repeated.

The print head 40 is fixed to a print head carrier 45. Therefore, the print head 40 moves the print head carrier 45 into a linear guide 4 parallel to the axis of the platen 46.
7 to print one line.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the rotational motion of the motor 41 is converted into linear motion by the motor pulley 42, idler pulley 44, and belt 43, and the print head carrier 45 is moved.

In the above-described printing operation of printing one dot in the direction of movement of the print head carrier 45, the present invention generates a printing command signal using the following device configuration.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

The print head carrier state quantity detector 1 detects the state flffl of the print head carrier 45 at any time. The print head carrier state quantity detector 1 has a resolution equal to the print dot interval, and generates a pulse signal every time the print head carrier 45 moves by the print dot interval. The pulse signal is inputted into the print position trigger signal generator 2, and a print position trigger signal is output that differentiates the moving direction of the print head carrier 45.

Using this signal as a trigger, the state quantities of the position and velocity of the print head carrier 45 are taken in from the print head carrier state quantity detector 1 into the next print command signal generation point predictor 3. Then, the time required for the print head carrier 45 to move from the previous printing position to the next printing position is determined based on the captured state quantity of the print head carrier.

Furthermore, from the relationship between the time from the previous printing time to the next printing time, which is determined in advance based on the frequency characteristics of the printing v1 structure, and the time point when the print command signal is turned on, the printing start time point at which the print command signal is turned on is determined. decide. Further, the print end time point at which the print command signal is turned off is determined from the relationship between the state quantity of the print head carrier 45, which is determined in advance, and the time point at which the print command signal is turned off.

The print start signal generator 4 generates and outputs a trigger signal as a print start signal when the print start time obtained by the next print command signal generation time predictor 3 comes. This trigger signal causes the print command signal generator 6 to turn on the print command signal 7.

Further, the print end signal generator 5 generates and outputs a trigger signal as a print end signal when the print end time obtained by the next print command signal generation point predictor 3 comes. This trigger signal causes the print command signal generator 6 to turn off the print command signal 7.

Next, each block will be explained in detail using figures.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the print head carrier-shaped B amount detector 1 shown in FIG.

A linear sensor 21 detects the state quantity of the print head carrier 20 . For example, using an optical linear sensor,
A two-phase pulse signal whose phase is reversed depending on the direction of movement is output from the sensor. This two-phase signal is received by a positive/negative movement signal separator 22, and a movement direction signal 32 is output in which the movement direction of the print head carrier 45 is determined based on the phase shift. Here, regarding the moving direction of the print head carrier 45, assuming that movement in one direction is positive and movement in the other direction is negative, the movement direction signal 32 indicates that when the print head carrier 45 is moving in the positive direction, A positive signal, and a negative signal when moving in the negative direction.

In addition, by using a linear sensor 21 whose resolution is equal to the dot printing interval, the positive and negative moving signal separator 22
Every time the print head carrier 45 moves by a print dot from 1 to 3, a positive direction movement pulse signal 30 and a negative direction movement pulse signal 31 are outputted depending on the direction of movement. The forward movement pulse signal 30 is a pulse signal that is output every time the print head carrier moves in the forward direction by the print dot interval,
The negative direction movement pulse signal 31 is transmitted to the print head carrier 45.
This is a pulse signal that is output every time the dot moves in the negative direction by the printing dot interval. The counter 23 is an integration counter that receives the positive direction movement pulse signal 30 and the negative direction movement pulse signal 31, and increases the count value when the former is received, and decreases the count value when the latter is received.

Then, the count value is outputted as a position signal 28 of the print head carrier 45. Further, the positive direction movement pulse signal 30 and the negative direction movement pulse signal 31 are mixed by a mixer 24 and subjected to F/V conversion by an F/V converter 25. Since the print head carrier 45 is moving in the forward direction, when the moving direction signal 32 is a positive signal, the signal is output as is as two speed signals of the print head carrier 45 by the multiplexer 26, and the print head carrier 45 is When the moving direction signal 32 is a negative signal because it is moving in the negative direction, it is inverted by the inverter 27 and the signal is outputted by the multiplexer 26 as the speed signal 29 of the print head carrier 45.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the print position trigger signal generator 2 of FIG. 1.

This print position trigger signal generator 2 triggers the next print command signal generation point predictor 3 every time the print head carrier 45 moves by the print dot interval. Therefore, either the positive direction movement pulse signal 30 or the negative direction movement pulse signal 31 output from the positive/negative movement signal separator 22 is
The selection is made by the multiplexer 80 in accordance with the moving direction signal 32. While the print head carrier 45 is moving in the positive direction, the positive direction movement pulse signal 30 is selected, and while the print head carrier 45 is moving in the negative direction, the negative direction movement pulse signal 31 is selected and becomes the print position trigger signal 81, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the next print command signal generation point predictor 3. As shown in FIG.

The next print command signal occurrence time predictor 3 detects the print head carrier 4 obtained by the Radcarrier state quantity detector 1 for printing.
Using the position signal 28 and two speed signals of No. 5, a print start time signal 93 for turning on the next print command signal and a print end time signal 94 for turning off the print command signal are output.

The next print command signal generation point predictor 3 will be described below.

First, the next printing time calculator 90 determines the time from the previous printing time to the next printing time. The time is determined based on the condition of the printing end carrier 45 at the time of the previous printing. Therefore, the position signal 28 and two speed signals of the print head carrier 45 obtained by the print head carrier state quantity detector 1 are taken in as a trigger, and the print position trigger signal 81 received from the print position trigger signal generator 2 is taken as a trigger.
This is the state quantity at the time of the previous printing. If the print dot interval is small and the print head carrier 45 is moving at high speed, the time it takes to move by the print dot interval (is sufficiently small. In that case, it can be assumed that the fluctuation in the movement speed during that time is sufficiently small. Therefore, the time from the previous printing point to the next printing point is the difference between the next printing position and the previous printing position, that is,
The geometry is determined by using the printing dot interval and moving speed as parameters. As an example of the configuration, since the printing dot interval is fixed in the next printing time calculation unit 90, the time from the previous printing time (force at the time of previous printing) to the next printing time is calculated in advance according to various moving speeds and stored in the ROM. Then, during the movement, you can draw out the compositional power (there is).

The print command signal start time calculator 91 determines the time to turn on the print command signal according to the time from the previous print time to the next print time obtained by the next print time calculator 90. The operation of this print command signal start time calculator 91 is as follows.
The process is started using a signal delayed by the time when the operation of the next printing time calculator 90 ends as a trigger. This delay is performed by a delay device 95.

The point at which the print command signal is turned on is determined by the frequency characteristics of the printing mechanism and the time from the previous printing time to the next printing time. The time from the previous printing time during which a normal printing operation can be performed at the next printing time is limited by the frequency characteristics of the printing mechanism. Therefore, the point in time at which the print command signal is turned on is determined based on data obtained through experiments or analysis in advance, and is set as the print start point signal 93.

The print command signal end time calculator 92 determines the time point at which the print command signal is turned off in accordance with the speed signal 29. The operation of the print command signal end time calculator 92 is triggered by a trigger signal obtained from the same delay device 95 as the print command signal start time calculator 91. If the point at which the print command signal is turned off is variable according to the speed of the print head carrier, the shape of the print dots will be normal. Therefore, the relationship between the moving speed and the time point at which the print command signal is turned off is determined in advance, and the time point at which the print command signal is turned off is determined and used as the print end time signal 94.

Note that the printing start point signal 93 and the printing end point signal 94
The trigger signal 97 that causes the print start signal generator 4 and the print end signal generator 5 to start counting time based on
The trigger signal obtained by the delay device 95 is delayed by the delay device 96 by the time required for the operations of the print command signal start time calculation unit 91 and the print command signal end time calculation unit 92 to complete their operations.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the print start signal generator 4. As shown in FIG.

The print start signal generator 4 generates a trigger signal 101 when the print command signal generator 6 turns on the print command signal in response to the print start time signal 93. Therefore, the print start signal 93 is taken into the timer 100, and the trigger signal 9
Counting is started at 7, and a trigger signal 101 is output when the counting ends.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the print end signal generator 5. As shown in FIG.

The print end signal generator 5 generates a trigger signal 103 when the print command signal generator 6 turns off the print signal in response to the print end time signal 94.

Therefore, the print end point signal 94 is input into the timer 102 and counting is started using the trigger signal 97, and when the counting is finished, the trigger signal 103 is output.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention enables printing with a variable period longer than the shortest period determined by the dynamic characteristics of the printing mechanism, and the print head carrier is limited from the above-mentioned shortest printing period due to the acceleration/deceleration state, etc. When the print head carrier is moving with fluctuations at a speed lower than the maximum movement speed during printing, it is possible to compensate for the frequency characteristics of the printing mechanism and print at equal intervals, making it possible to print even in the acceleration/deceleration range. This has the effect of making it possible to perform

Trigger signal generator, 3... Next print command signal generation time predictor, 4... Print start signal generator, 5... Print end signal generator, 6... Print command signal generator, 7.・・・
Print command signal.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (A) A print head carrier state detector that has a minimum positional resolution equal to the dot interval of printing and outputs information on the state quantity of a print head carrier of a serial printer; (B) the print head carrier; (C) a print position trigger signal generator that receives state quantity information of and outputs a trigger signal every time the print head carrier moves by a print dot interval along a print line; A trigger signal is used as a trigger to obtain information on the state quantity of the print head carrier, determine the time required for the print head carrier to move from the print position to the next print position, and calculate the determined result and the dynamic characteristics of the print mechanism. Based on this, a print command signal start point for turning on a print command signal that drives the printing mechanism and a print command signal end point for turning off the print command signal are determined, and information on the print command signal start time is determined. a next print command signal occurrence time predictor that outputs a print start time signal indicating the print start time signal and a print end time signal indicating the end time of the print command signal; (D) receives the print start time signal and outputs a print start signal; a print start signal generator; (E) a print end signal generator that receives the print end point signal and outputs a print end signal; (F) receives the print start signal and turns on the print command signal; A printing command signal generating device comprising: a printing command signal generator that receives a printing end signal and turns off the printing command signal.