JPH05124229A - Printing control circuit in impact-type printer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce an energy consumed by a printing head by analyzing the continuity of printing data per pin in an impact-type printer device. CONSTITUTION:A data holding circuit part (1-1 to 1-2n-1) holds printing data for N dots for every pin on a printing head. An analyzing circuit part 2 analyzes the data held in the data holding circuits (1-1 to 1-2n-1). In the presence of the continuity of printing data per pin on the printing head, the analyzing circuit part 2 issues a control signal to a control circuit part 3 to reduce a printing energy to be applied to dots disposed between the right-end and left-end dots in the continuous printing dot train. The control circuit part 3 drives the printing head in accordance with the control signal from the analyzing circuit part 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an impact printer, and more particularly to a print control circuit in consideration of energy saving in printing by the printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional print control circuit in a printer apparatus is configured to control a print head drive-on time when the print head is high or for the second and subsequent prints in continuous printing. The response characteristics of the print head were improved.

[0003]

The control of the print head in the conventional printer device is performed when the above conditions are satisfied, and is performed to improve the characteristics of the print head. Therefore, there is a problem that the energy consumption of the print head is large. An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a print control circuit in which the amount of energy consumption in the print head is reduced.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the print control circuit of the impact type printer device according to the present invention is a print head 1 in an impact type printer device.
A data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each pin and the data held in the data holding circuit are analyzed. If the dots are continuous, the dots in the middle part sandwiched between the dots at both ends are An analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives with energy smaller than the dot drive energy, and the print-on time when the print head is driven according to the control signal from the analysis circuit unit and that is driven with the small energy. And a control circuit section for shortening the control. Further, the data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each pin of the print head and the data held in the data holding circuit are analyzed, and when the dots are continuous, an intermediate portion sandwiched between the dots at both ends is analyzed. An analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives the dots with energy smaller than the drive energy of the dots on both ends,
The print head is driven according to a control signal from the analysis circuit section, and when the print head is driven with the small energy, the control circuit section is configured to reduce the drive voltage of the print head. Further, the data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each pin of the print head and the data held in the data holding circuit are analyzed, and when the dots are continuous, an intermediate portion sandwiched between the dots at both ends is analyzed. When an analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives the dots with energy smaller than the drive energy of the dots at both ends, and the print head is driven according to the control signal from the analysis circuit unit and is driven with the small energy Is composed of a control circuit unit for reducing the inclination of the drive current of the print head.

[0005]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of a print control circuit of an impact type printer device according to the present invention. The print data is stored in the data holding circuit 1-1 by the first print timing signal. Then, at the next print timing signal, the print data stored in the data holding circuit 1-1 is sent to the data holding circuit 1-2, and the second print data is stored in the data holding circuit 1-1.
Hereinafter, the data holding circuit shifts the data by one each time the print timing signal is input. The analysis circuit unit 2 judges the data for n before and after the print data held in the data holding circuit unit, outputs a print control signal to the control circuit unit 3 when printing is continued, and Reduce energy consumption.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of a print result when n in FIG. 1 is set to 1. A conventional example is shown in the upper part and a case according to the present invention is shown in the lower part. When the number of dots is 2 dots or less, normal control, that is, energy consumption control is not performed. In the case of three or more consecutive dots, the analysis circuit unit 2 gives a control signal to the control circuit unit 3 in order to perform energy-saving control on the dots sandwiched between the dots at the left end and the right end. By controlling in this way, in the present invention, the middle dot a in 3-dot continuous printing, the middle two dots b and c in 4-dot continuous printing, and the middle three dots d and e in 5-dot continuous printing. , F are respectively energy-saving controlled. In the conventional example, energy-saving printing is not performed even in continuous printing. Note that the print dots controlled at this time are not all the same. Also, the control signal is controlled so that the print is not too light.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a print timing signal and its drive current waveform for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the drive on time of the print head is controlled, and the analysis circuit unit 2 sends the control signal (1) and the control signal (2) to the control circuit unit 3. If the drive-on time width of the control signal (1) at the normal time is T10, the drive-on time width T11 of the control signal (1) at the time of print head energy control is shorter than T10. As a result, the drive energy of the print head can be S1> S2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a print timing signal and its drive current waveform for explaining the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the drive voltage of the print head is controlled, and the analysis circuit section 2 sends a control signal (2), a control signal (3) and a voltage control signal (1) to the control circuit section 3. If the print head drive voltage according to the control signal (1) in the normal state is V10, the print head drive voltage V11 according to the control signal (1) during the print head energy control is smaller than V10. As a result, the drive energy of the print head can be S1> S2.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a print timing signal and its drive current waveform for explaining the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the rising of the current waveform when the print head is turned on is controlled, and the analysis circuit unit 2 sends the control signal (2), the control signal (3) and the time constant control signal (1) to the control circuit unit 3. ) Is sent. If the time constant τ10 of the print head drive current according to the control signal (1) in the normal state is set, the time constant τ11 of the print head drive current according to the control signal (1) during the print head energy control is set to be larger than τ10. As a result, the drive energy of the print head is reduced to S
It can be 1> S2.

[0010]

As described above, the present invention analyzes the data held by the data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each pin of the print head and the data held in the data holding circuit, and the dots are continuous. In the case of printing, an analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives the dots in the middle portion sandwiched by the dots at both ends with energy smaller than the drive energy of the dots at both ends, and prints according to the control signal from the analysis circuit unit. When the head is driven and is driven with the small energy, the control circuit section controls the drive on time, the drive voltage or the drive current to reduce the inclination of the print head. This has the effect of reducing energy consumption.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a print control circuit of an impact printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a printing result in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing timings and print head current waveforms for explaining the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a timing and a print head current waveform for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing timing and print head current waveforms for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1-1 to 1-1n-1 2 ... Analysis circuit unit 3 ... Control circuit unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In an impact type printer, a data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each print head pin, and analyzing the data held in the data holding circuit, if dots are continuous, An analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives the intermediate dot sandwiched between the dots at both ends with energy smaller than the drive energy of the dots at both ends; and the print head is driven according to the control signal from the analysis circuit unit. A printing control circuit comprising: a control circuit section for shortening the drive-on time when driving with the small energy. 2. In an impact type printer device, a data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each print head pin, and analyzing the data held in the data holding circuit, and when dots are continuous, An analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives the intermediate dot sandwiched between the dots at both ends with energy smaller than the drive energy of the dots at both ends; and the print head is driven according to the control signal from the analysis circuit unit. A print control circuit comprising: a control circuit unit that reduces the drive voltage of the print head when driven with the small energy. 3. In an impact type printer device, a data holding circuit capable of holding N dots of print data for each pin of the print head, and the data held in the data holding circuit are analyzed, and when dots are continuous, An analysis circuit unit that outputs a control signal that drives the intermediate dot sandwiched between the dots at both ends with energy smaller than the drive energy of the dots at both ends; and the print head is driven according to the control signal from the analysis circuit unit. A print control circuit comprising: a control circuit unit that reduces the inclination of the drive current of the print head when driven with the small energy.