JPH0516511A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a printing device equipped with a means wherein the number of usage of a printing ribbon is counted and the end of the ribbon can be judged based on the counted value without providing a sensor for judging the end of ribbon. CONSTITUTION:A printing device checks, when printing is performed, whether or not a ribbon is in a ribbon end state (S9) and, if the ribbon is not in the ribbon end state, the printing is performed (S11) and the device actuates a ribbon counter as a printing ribbon winding motor is driven during the printing (S12). When an ribbon end is detected, the printing is stopped and a buzzer is sounded (S10).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus having means for discriminating a ribbon end.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of printing apparatus, an end mark such as silver paper is attached to the end of the printing ribbon, and the ribbon end can be discriminated by detecting it with a sensor provided in the apparatus. I was going.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned printing device, it is necessary to use a printing ribbon provided with an end mark, and it is necessary to provide a sensor for detecting the end mark. Therefore, the cost was very high.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is provided with means for discriminating the ribbon end with a simple structure without providing a sensor or the like for discriminating the ribbon end. It is intended to provide a printing device.

[0005]

In order to achieve this object, the printer of the present invention has an input means for inputting characters, symbols and various data, and records the data input by the input means. A printing means for printing on a medium via a print ribbon, a ribbon counter for storing a default value by a reset command inputted from the input means for detecting a usage amount of the print ribbon, and a printing means of the printing means. Ribbon counting means for counting the value of the ribbon counter in accordance with the printing operation, discriminating means for discriminating the ribbon end based on the value of the ribbon counter, and notifying when the discriminating means discriminates the ribbon end And a print control unit that controls the printing unit based on the determination result of the determination unit.

[0006]

In the printing apparatus of the present invention having the above structure, the default value is stored in the ribbon counter when the operator inputs a reset command. Then, when the printing operation is performed by the printing means, the ribbon count means counts the value of the ribbon counter accordingly, and the print control is performed until the determination means determines that the ribbon end is reached. The means causes the printing means to continue the printing operation.
After that, when the discriminating means discriminates the ribbon end, the print control means stops the printing operation of the printing means, and the notifying means informs the ribbon end.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an electronic typewriter to which the present invention is applied. A keyboard 3 is arranged in a front portion of a body frame 2 of the electronic typewriter 1, and a printing mechanism PM is arranged in the body frame 2 behind the keyboard 3.

The keyboard 3 is provided with a character key 5 including an alphabetic key and a symbol key 5, a ribbon count reset key 4 and various function keys other than this, as in a normal typewriter.

Further, in the printing mechanism PM, at least a platen 30 for feeding a print sheet, a motor for driving the platen 30, a drive circuit therefor, a carriage 34 supported by a guide 32 parallel to the platen 30 and the left and right thereof. Motor that reciprocates in the direction and its drive circuit, wheel cassette 3
6, a type wheel 38 housed in 6, a motor for driving the type wheel, its drive circuit, a print ribbon 42 housed in a ribbon cassette 40, a motor for winding the print ribbon 42, and its drive circuit, a print for striking a type 44 of the type wheel 38. A hammer, a solenoid 46 for driving the hammer, a drive circuit therefor, a ribbon switching mechanism for selectively arranging the print ribbon 42 or the correction ribbon 48 at a print position are provided, and this print mechanism PM is a conventional electronic typewriter. It is similar to the printing mechanism.

The illustration of the various motors and drive circuits is omitted.

Next, the overall configuration of the control system of the electronic typewriter will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.

The electronic typewriter 1 basically comprises a keyboard 3, a printing mechanism PM, an alarm mechanism AM, and a control device C.
Etc. The keyboard 3, the printing mechanism PM, and the alarm mechanism AM are connected to the main CPU (central processing unit) 50 of the control device C via a data bus or the like.

The alarm mechanism AM comprises a buzzer 12 and a drive circuit 13 for the buzzer 12.

The controller C has a CPU 50 and a CPU 5 thereof.
0 connected to 0 via a data bus, etc.
It is composed of an only memory) 60 and a RAM (random access memory) 70.

The ROM 60 has a program memory 62 in which a control program, a count program, a determination program, etc. are stored, and a ribbon counter reset value 6
3 etc. are stored.

The control program is a program for controlling the printing mechanism PM in accordance with the code data input from the respective character keys 5 of the keyboard 3 and various function keys.

The count program is printed, and the ribbon counter 7 is activated when the print ribbon winding motor is started.
It is a program that counts 2.

The discriminating program is a program for discriminating the ribbon end based on the value of the ribbon counter 72.

The ribbon counter reset value 63 is R when the ribbon counter reset key 4 on the keyboard 3 is pressed.
This is a default value stored in the ribbon counter 72 when the ribbon counter 72 of the AM 70 is reset. A large number of ribbon counter reset values 63 are prepared according to the type of ribbon cassette 40.

The RAM 70 is provided with a ribbon counter 72 and various memories and registers.

The ribbon counter 72 stores the ribbon counter reset value by the input of the ribbon counter reset key 4 of the keyboard 3, printing is performed, and the value is recorded as the ribbon winding motor is started. Is counted down by.

The CPU 50 causes the printing mechanism PM to print a character / symbol corresponding to the data input from each character key 5 based on the control program.

Next, the ribbon end determination control performed by the controller C of the electronic typewriter 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

First, when the electronic typewriter 1 is powered on, initialization is executed (S1). Then, it waits for a key input (S2), and when the key is input, it is checked whether the input key is the character key 5 (S3). If it is not the character key 5, it is checked whether or not it is the ribbon counter reset key 4 (S4). With the ribbon counter reset key 4, the ribbon counter reset value 63, which is the maximum printable character number of the print ribbon, is displayed on the ribbon counter 72.
Is set (S5), and the process returns to S2. When a key other than the ribbon counter reset key 4 is pressed, the process corresponding to that key is executed (S6), and the process returns to S2.

On the other hand, if a character key is input (S3.
YES), it is checked whether or not printing is possible, such as whether or not the carriage is on the light margin (S7). If printing is not possible, an unprintable alarm sounds (S8),
Return to S2. If printing is possible, it is checked whether or not it is the ribbon end based on the value of the ribbon counter (S
9). In the case of ribbon end, a ribbon end alarm is sounded (S10) and the process returns to S2. If it is not the ribbon end, the character corresponding to the input character key is printed (S11), and the ribbon counter is counted down with the start of the print ribbon winding motor (S12).
Return to 2.

As described above in detail, when printing is performed, the ribbon counter is counted down as the print ribbon winding motor is started, and the ribbon end is set based on the value of the ribbon counter each time printing is performed. to decide.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in detail above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example, in S12, the ribbon counter is counted down, but it may be counted up, and the notification method is not an alarm but LED or the like, or guidance display by LCD or the like. Good. Further, for example, when print data such as a character key or a symbol key is input from the keyboard 3, the code data is stored in the memory of the RAM 70, and when printing the data, the content of the memory is currently used. It may be determined whether or not the entire print ribbon can print, and print control may be performed accordingly.

Further, based on the input print data, it is possible to inform how many remaining characters can be printed by the print ribbon currently in use.

[0031]

As is clear from the above description,
According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, by providing the ribbon counter that counts according to the printing operation of the printing unit and the determination unit that determines the ribbon end based on the value of the ribbon counter, an end mark is attached to the printing ribbon. Since it is not necessary to use the above-mentioned one, and it is not necessary to provide a special sensor or the like for detecting the end mark, the entire apparatus can be constructed at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a claim correspondence diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic typewriter.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of an electronic typewriter.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of ribbon end determination control.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 keyboard (input means) 4 ribbon counter reset key 63 ribbon count reset value 72 ribbon counter AM alarm mechanism (informing means) PM printing mechanism (printing means) C controller

Claims (1)

Claim: What is claimed is: 1. Input means for inputting characters, symbols and various data, and printing for printing the data input by the input means on a recording medium via a print ribbon. Means, a ribbon counter for storing a default value by a reset command inputted from the input means for detecting the usage amount of the printing ribbon, and counting the value of the ribbon counter according to the printing operation of the printing means. Ribbon count means, a discrimination means for discriminating the ribbon end based on the value of the ribbon counter, an informing means for informing when the discrimination means discriminates the ribbon end, and a discrimination result of the discrimination means. A printing apparatus comprising: a printing control unit that controls the printing unit.