JPH04263958A - Wire dot line printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the number of wire dot pins driven at the same time in a dot line printer performing printing using dot pins. CONSTITUTION:In a wire dot line printer printing a character by simultaneously driving many wire dot pins 20, many wire dot pins 20 are divided into M groups (31,32,33-) and, by arranging the wire dot pins of each group so as to shift them by a (1/M) dot pitch, the driving timings of the wire dot pins 20 are shifted to drive the wire dot pins 20.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wire dot line printer that prints using dots. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the increasing speed and performance of electronic computers, there is a demand for high-speed output devices. High-speed wire dot line printers were developed to meet these demands, and are equipped with a large number of pins (100 to 300), allowing for greater variety of characters than conventional type line printers. It has excellent printing of kanji characters and can be achieved at a low price.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A wire dot line printer has pins for printing a large number of dots in order to print a large number of characters line by line. Wire dot line printers can be configured using a multi-head type in which a large number of serial dot printer heads are lined up, and a shuttle type in which pins are configured in consideration of space efficiency for wire dot line printers.

In the case of a multi-head type, this large number of pins (
The arrangement method (100 to 300 pins) is a concentrated type in which the pins are gathered around the head, and characters are printed on a head-by-head basis. Shuttle-type wire dot line printers, in which pins are configured with space efficiency in mind, perform printing by moving the shuttle laterally, and the dot pins are arranged in a straight line or diagonally repeating type with equal pitches. However, both methods
Because the arrangement pitch is regular, when a specific printing pattern that matches the rules comes (A), a large number of pins are excited at the same time, which increases the current capacity required for the device's power supply. B) Repeated periodic strikes caused mechanical parts to resonate, resulting in deterioration of print quality; and (C) Simultaneous strikes increased the noise generated by the printer.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control circuit for a wire dot line printer. In the figure, 10 is a CPU that issues printing commands, 11 is a print data buffer that receives characters to be printed, 12 is a character pattern storage unit that stores dot patterns of characters, and 13 is a storage unit that stores characters as images of dot patterns. an image buffer; 14 is a pin position detection circuit that detects the position of a pin for printing dots;
Reference numeral 15 is a verification circuit that matches the image buffer 13 and the pin position detection circuit 14 to detect the position where a dot should be printed, and 16 is a pin drive circuit that drives a pin for printing a dot.

To explain the operation in the figure, first, CP
U10 issues a print command and print data buffer 1
Send one line of print character data to 1. The print character data sent to the print data buffer 11 is converted into a dot pattern stored in the character pattern storage section 12 and temporarily stored in the image buffer 13.

[0006] In both the multi-head type and the shuttle type, the dot pins for printing are driven in the lateral direction by a drive mechanism (not shown) to change their position. Also,
The paper is driven vertically. The changing position is detected by the pin position detection circuit 14, and the matching circuit 15 compares it with the dot that is the image in the image buffer 13.
When they match, a signal is sent to the pin drive circuit 16 to drive the dot pins and print dots. image buffer 13
When all the dots to be printed in the line have been printed, it is assumed that the printing of that line has been completed, and a termination notification is sent to the CPU 10.
10 sends a print command and print data for the next line.

The operation of the wire dot line printer is as described above, and the current consumption at that time is shown in FIG. As explained above, in conventional wire dot line printers, a large number of dot pins operate simultaneously, and a large pulse current is consumed at a timing corresponding to the dot pitch, so a power supply with sufficient current capacity is required. Additionally, there is a problem in that noise is large due to the simultaneous operation of a large number of dot pins.

However, regarding the arrangement of dot pins in wire dot line printers, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-10
Although there have been proposals for pin arrangement methods for high-speed printing, such as in the case of 9671, no proposal has been made to overcome the drawbacks of the dot pins operating simultaneously as described above.

[0009]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] When the dot pins of a wire dot line printer operate simultaneously as described above,
(A) Since a large number of pins are excited at the same time, the current capacity required for the device's power supply increases; (B) Due to repeated periodic blows, mechanical parts resonate, resulting in poor print quality. (C) Since the printers are struck at the same time, the noise generated by the printer increases. In view of these points, the present invention has the following features:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for avoiding simultaneous operation of dot pins without reducing printing speed by devising the arrangement of dot pins.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] The above problems are solved by a wire dot line printer configured as follows. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

In a wire dot line printer that prints characters by simultaneously driving a plurality of wire dot pins 20, the plurality of wire dot pins 20 are divided into M groups (31
, 32, 33 ~) By arranging the wire dot pins 20 of each set so as to be shifted by (1/M) dot pitch, the drive timing of the wire dot pins 20 is shifted and driven.

0012

[Operation] A plurality of wire dot pins 20 are divided into M groups (
31, 32, 33~), each set of wire dot pins 20
By shifting the arrangement of the wire dot pins 20 by 1/M pitch from the dot pitch, the drive timing of the wire dot pins 20 is shifted.
The number of 0's decreases.

[0013]

Embodiment FIGS. 2 and 3 show examples of the arrangement of wire dot pins in an embodiment of the present invention. In (A) of FIG.
G1 is the upper set of wire dot pins divided into two sets, G2 is the lower set, P1 is the interval between the wire dot pins in the same set, which is 24 pitches, and P2 is the upper set and lower set. This is a shift in the position of the wire dot pins, which is 3.5 pitches. The reason why the wire dot pins are divided into two sets (upper and lower) is to arrange a drive circuit so that the wire dot pins can be driven from above and below. By dividing the wire dot pins into two sets (upper and lower) in this way, half of the wire dot pins that previously operated at the same time now operate at timings shifted by half a pitch, and the fluctuation in drive current consumption of the wire dot pins is reduced compared to before. much less. FIG. 2B shows an example in which the wire dot pins are divided into even and odd numbers. In the figure, 20A indicates odd-numbered wire dot pins, and 20B indicates even-numbered wire dot pins. In the figure, P1 is the spacing between odd numbers of wire dot pins, which is 24 pitches, and P2 is the gap between odd and even numbers, which is 3.5 pitches. By configuring as shown in the figure, the operation timings of the odd-numbered and even-numbered wire dot pins are shifted by half a pitch, so that the effect of suppressing fluctuations in driving current consumption of the wire dot pins described above similarly occurs. FIG. 3C shows an example of an arrangement in which the wire dot pins are divided into M groups and the intervals between the groups are shifted by 1/M dot pitch. In the first set and the second set, the wire dot pins of the second set are arranged at a distance indicated by P4 from the first set, that is, at a position shifted by 1/M dot pitch. Similarly, the Mth set has an interval between the first set and P5, that is, (M-1)/M
Shift the dot pitch. In each set, the pins are arranged at a standard pitch of P1.

With this configuration, the wire dot pins are distributed into M groups and operated, so that the load can be distributed much more than when the wire dot pins are divided into two groups (A) and (B). FIG. 3D shows an embodiment in which the wire dot pins are divided into M groups, each group is divided into two groups, and the intervals between the two groups are shifted by 1/2 dot pitch. In the figure, 63 is the front set of wire dot pins divided into two, 64 is the back set, and P6 is the interval between the front set and the back set. When dividing into a front group 63 and a rear group 64 and shifting the interval P6 between them by 1/2 dot pitch, the operations of the front group 63 and the rear group 64 will be shifted by half a pitch, so each group will do the same thing. By arranging the wire dot pins, half of the wire dot pins can be made to operate at timings shifted by half a pitch, and a similar effect can be obtained.

The state in which the wire dot pins described above are operated in divided manner is shown in the current consumption graph of the embodiment of the present invention in FIG. This figure is about current consumption,
The number of wire dot pins that operate at the same time is halved, and the load can be stabilized because the load can be distributed by operating at timings that are shifted by half a cycle, which was not the case in the past. Similar effects have been seen in mechanical vibration, shock, and noise, reducing these problems.

[0016]

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, it is no longer necessary to drive a large number of dot pins at the same time, and therefore the current capacity of the power supply is small, the mechanical strength can be low, and the invention is compact. This has the remarkable industrial effect of being able to provide inexpensive printers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

[Figure 1] Principle diagram of the present invention

[Fig. 2] Arrangement of wire dot pins in the embodiment of the present invention (Part 1)

[Figure 3] Arrangement of wire dot pins in the embodiment of the present invention (Part 2)

[Figure 4] Current consumption in the embodiment of the present invention

[Figure 5]
Configuration diagram of control circuit of wire dot line printer

[Figure 6] Current consumption of conventional wire dot line printer

[Explanation of symbols]

10 CPUs
11 Print data buffer 12 Character pattern storage section 13
Image buffer 14 Pin position detection circuit 1
5 Verification circuit 16 Pin drive circuit 20 Wire dot pin 31 First set
32 Second group 33 Group I

Claims (5)

[Claims] Claim 1: In a wire dot line printer that prints characters by simultaneously driving a plurality of wire dot pins (20), the plurality of wire dot pins (20) are divided into M groups (31, 32, 33 -). , by shifting the arrangement of each set of wire dot pins (20) by (1/M) dot pitch, the wire dot pins (20)
A wire dot line printer characterized in that the drive timing is shifted. 2. In a wire dot line printer that prints characters by simultaneously driving a plurality of wire dot pins, the plurality of wire dot pins are divided into two sets of odd numbers and even numbers, and each set of wire dot pins is A wire dot line printer characterized in that the drive timing of the wire dot pins is shifted and driven by arranging the dots by shifting the dot pitch by (1/2). 3. In a wire dot line printer that prints characters by simultaneously driving a plurality of wire dot pins, the plurality of wire dot pins are divided into two upper and lower sets based on their arrangement, and each set of wire dot pins is arranged. above (1/
2) A wire dot line printer characterized in that the drive timing of the wire dot pins is shifted by arranging the dots by shifting the dot pitch. 4. In a wire dot line printer that prints characters by simultaneously driving a plurality of wire dot pins, the plurality of wire dot pins are divided horizontally into M groups, and within each group, a predetermined dot is printed. A wire dot line printer characterized in that the wire dot pins are arranged at a pitch, and the distance between each set is shifted by (1/M) dot pitch, thereby driving the wire dot pins at different timings. 5. In a wire dot line printer that prints characters by simultaneously driving a plurality of wire dot pins, the plurality of wire dot pins are divided into a plurality of sets in the horizontal direction, and each set has a predetermined dot pitch. A wire characterized in that the drive timing of the wire dot pins is shifted and driven by arranging the dot pins at one location in each set and shifting the interval between the dot pins by (1/2) dot pitch. dot line printer.