JPH05116443A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate an interruption of an action during printing by providing an indication part indicating printing ribbon remaining amount data and a control part controlling the writing/reading of the printing ribbon remaining amount data to/from a storage part and the output of the data to the indication part. CONSTITUTION:A control part 1 reads the output of a photo-transistor 24, converts the output value to a residual amount of 16 stages (16/16 representing an unused state-1/16 representing a used-up state) of a printing ribbon 22 on a pay-out reel 21, and writes the data as 4-bit remaining amount data in a storage part 3. After the start of a printing action, the control part 1 repeats the aforesaid action at every issuance of a command of taking up the printing ribbon 22 and rewrites the data in the storage part 3. When the remaining amount of the printing ribbon 22 is to be indicated at the start of a printing operation, the control part reads the remaining amount data from the storage part 3 on an instruction from a control panel and outputs the data on the indication part 4. In this manner, the remaining amount of the printing ribbon 22 is indicated on the indication part 4 by such a message as 'Ribbon remaining amount is 7-16'.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer which uses a print ribbon wound in one direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The printing ribbons of printers can be repeatedly used by reversing the running direction in the form of loops, and the ink used for printing cannot be replenished like ribbons of thermal transfer printers. Some of them cannot be repeatedly used because they are wound in a certain direction.

Conventionally, such a print ribbon that cannot be used repeatedly has a final end fixed to the shaft of a feeding reel.
When the reel has been unwound to the end, it is detected that the reel is not rotatable and the printing ribbon is running out, and the printing operation is stopped.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional method for detecting the remaining amount of the print ribbon, only the state where the remaining amount of the print ribbon is zero is detected, and the remaining amount of the print ribbon in use is externally identified. However, there is a drawback in that the printing operation may be started without knowing the remaining amount of the printing ribbon, and the printing ribbon may run out during operation, causing the printer to stop and interrupt the work.

[0005]

A printer of the present invention is a printer using a print ribbon wound in a fixed direction, and a remaining amount detecting section for detecting the remaining amount of the fed print ribbon, and the remaining amount. A storage unit that stores the remaining amount data of the print ribbon detected by the detection unit, a display unit that displays the remaining amount data of the print ribbon read from the storage unit, and the storage unit that stores the remaining amount data of the print ribbon And a control unit that controls writing and reading between the input and output and output control to the display unit.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an embodiment of the printer of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the remaining amount detecting section in FIG.

The mechanism for detecting and displaying the remaining amount of the print ribbon of the printer according to the present embodiment includes a remaining amount detecting section 2 for detecting the remaining amount of the printed ribbon as shown in FIG. Is stored in the rewritable storage unit 3, a display unit 4 for displaying the remaining data of the print ribbon, and a control unit 1 of the microprocessor for controlling the detection / display of the remaining amount of the print ribbon. Then, the remaining amount detecting unit 2
As shown in FIG. 2, it comprises a feeding reel 21 in which an unused printing ribbon 22 is wound, a light source 23, and a phototransistor 24 for receiving the light emitted from the light source 23. See also FIG.
The display unit 4 shown in is composed of a liquid crystal display plate capable of displaying alphanumeric characters.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When the feeding reel 21 with the unused print ribbon 22 wound therein is attached to a print unit (not shown) of the printer, the light beam emitted from the light source 23 is emitted toward the phototransistor 24. The phototransistor 24 is blocked and does not reach the phototransistor 24, and the output of the phototransistor 24 becomes zero. Print ribbon 2 from reel 21 for delivery
As the number 2 is fed out and the remaining amount of the print ribbon 22 decreases, the amount of light rays reaching the phototransistor 24 from the light source 23 increases, so that the output of the phototransistor 24 also increases. When the positions of the light source 23 and the phototransistor 24 coincide with each other, the control unit 1 reads the output of the phototransistor 24 and outputs the output value to the remaining amount of the feeding reel 21 of the print ribbon 22 (when unused, 16/16 ~ Zero amount 1/1
The value is converted into 16-step numerical value 6) and is written in the storage unit 3 as 4-bit remaining amount data. After the printing operation is started, the control unit 1 repeats the above-mentioned operation each time a winding command for the print ribbon 22 is issued to rewrite the data in the storage unit 3. When the remaining amount of the print ribbon 22 is displayed at the start of the printing operation, when the control unit 1 reads out the remaining amount data from the storage unit 3 and outputs it to the display unit 4 according to an instruction from an operation panel (not shown), the display is performed. In the section 4, the remaining amount of the print ribbon 22 is displayed as "Ribbon Norico 7/16" or the like.

[0009]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the remaining amount of the print ribbon can be detected and displayed at any time, the operation stop due to the absence of the print ribbon during printing can be avoided, and the print ribbon can be avoided. It has a great effect on efficient operation of printing work such as prediction of replacement time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an embodiment of a printer of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a configuration example of a remaining amount detecting unit in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 2 Remaining amount detection part 3 Storage part 4 Display part 21 Feeding reel 22 Print ribbon 23 Light source 24 Phototransistor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a printer using a print ribbon wound in a fixed direction, a remaining amount detecting unit for detecting a remaining amount of the fed printing ribbon, and a remaining amount of the printing ribbon detected by the remaining amount detecting unit. A storage unit for storing quantity data,
A control unit that controls writing and reading between a display unit that displays the remaining amount data of the print ribbon read from the storage unit and the storage unit and output control to the display unit. A printer comprising: