JPH04182153A - Tape printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a tape printer capable of doing automatic layout of character rows for printing by a method wherein character and image information inputted from a character/image input unit are automatically laid out within a fixed length of a tape, and printing is made therewith. CONSTITUTION:A central processing unit(CPU) 7 is prepared to executes in accordance with programs written in a ROM 8, edition of a character row and printing information that are inputted from an input unit 1. A user of a tape printer inputs the character row to be printed and a margin by operation of a keyboard. With a printing key pushed down, the CPU 7 starts automatic operation. The automatic operation obtains first the number N of characters out of the inputted character row and obtains a value A by a calculation made by dividing the margin M by the number N of characters. Then a character size B that is below A, but nearest to A, is selected out of sizes of printable characters, and distances P between the characters are obtained lastly on a calculation formula. Then printing on a label is made with the obtained character size B and the distances P between the characters.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a tape printer that prints characters and figures on a tape, and particularly relates to a tape printer that has editing means for editing the characters and figures to be printed.

[Prior Art] In conventional tape printers, the size of printed characters and the spacing between characters (hereinafter referred to as character spacing) are
The user of the tape printer was determined and entered using an input device such as a keyboard.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, when trying to make a piece of tape (hereinafter referred to as a label) with characters or figures printed within a certain length using the conventional method, it is difficult to print on the label. Depending on the number of characters to be printed, it was necessary to determine the thickness of the characters to be printed and the spacing between the characters by some method, and then input the determined character size and spacing using an input device such as a keyboard.

The purpose of the present invention is to automatically calculate the size of the characters to be printed and the spacing between the characters based on the number of characters in the character string and the margin, by inputting the length of the label (hereinafter referred to as margin) and the character string to be printed on the label. An object of the present invention is to provide a tape printer having a function of printing labels, that is, an automatic layout function of character strings to be printed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the tape printer of the present invention includes: a character/graphic input device such as a keyboard; editing means for editing character/graphic information inputted by the input device; A tape printer having a printing device that prints text and graphics information edited by an editing means on a tape, and a tape feeding device that sends out the tape, the text and graphics information input from the text and graphics input device is printed on a tape in a specified manner. It features automatic layout and printing within the length.

[Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a structural diagram showing an embodiment of the tape printer of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a keyboard (input device) for inputting character strings to be printed and control commands, and 2 is a keyboard (input device) for inputting character strings to be printed and control commands. 3 is a display device for displaying character strings and other information; 3 is a printing device for thermal transfer printing of characters and figures on tape 6;
4 is a tape feeding device for feeding out the tape 6, and 5 is a cutting device for cutting the tape 6. 8 is a ROM in which a program for editing input characters, a program for controlling peripheral devices, and information and data necessary for printing are written, and 9 is for temporarily storing input characters and information. The RAM 7 controls peripheral devices such as the input device 1, display device 2, printing device 3, tape feed device 4, and cutting device 5 by a program written in the ROM 8, and controls the character strings and print information input from the input device 1. This is a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) that performs editing work.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the steps to determine the character size and character spacing used for printing in the tape printer of the present invention.
The explanation will be given below according to this figure. First, the user of the tape printer inputs the character string to be printed and the margin M (horizontal length of the label) using the keyboard (21 in the figure). In this example, the character string to be printed is the four kanji characters for "spring, summer, fall, and winter";
The margin M is 100 degrees. Next, press the print key on the keyboard to start printing (22 in the figure). Up to this point, the user has to do the work, and from here on, the CPU automatically proceeds with the work.

First, calculate the number of characters N from the input string, and then calculate the margin M.
The value A is calculated by dividing by the number of characters N (23 in the figure). Since the number of characters N = 4 and the margin M = 100, A = M/N = 100 mm / 4 = 25 squares. Next, from among the printable character sizes, a character size B that is smaller than A and closest to A is selected (24 in the figure). However, the character sizes that can be printed by the tape printer in this embodiment are 5 in. on a side, 10 in., 15 in.
, 20th order, 25th order of 5 types of square sizes. This 5
If a character size B that is less than A=25- and closest to A=25 mm is selected from among the types, E=20+m. Finally, character spacing P = 4 mm is obtained by calculation formula 25, and the obtained character size B = 20u and character spacing P = 4 am
Print a label with the character string "Spring/Summer/Autumn/Winter" (26 in the diagram).
.

FIG. 3 is an external view of the printed label at this time, and it is possible to obtain a printed label in which the input character strings are evenly laid out within the input margins.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, once the character string to be printed and the margin are input, the size and spacing of the characters to be printed can be automatically calculated based on the number of characters in the character string and the margin. Since this is determined, the user does not need to select the character size or character spacing when printing a label.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram showing an embodiment of the tape printer of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for determining the character size and character spacing used for printing in the tape printer of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows an example of a label printed by the tape printer of the present invention. 1: Keyboard 3: Printing device 4: Tape feeding device 10: Editing means and above Applicant Seiko Epson Corporation Representative Patent attorney Kizobe Suzuki @! 1 person name garden 1 map Zuko τzaifu 2゛
Gofqv Lu Changhang Diagram 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A character and graphic input device such as a keyboard, an editing device for editing character and graphic information inputted by the input device, and a printing device for printing the character and graphic information edited by the editing device on a tape. , a tape printer having a tape feeding device for feeding out the tape, characterized in that character and graphic information input from the character and graphic input device is automatically laid out and printed within a predetermined length of the tape. tape printer.