JPH05177877A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a printer which can set one of a bottom end mode for printing characters and symbols of various sizes in the same printing line in a bottom end true-up state, a center mode for printing them in a center true-up state, and a top end mode for printing them in a top end true-up state. CONSTITUTION:When a mode setting key is operated after the input of characters, a mode setting control is started. When a bottom end mode key is operated (S31: Yes), a bottom end mode flag is set and a center mode flag is reset (S32). When a center mode key is operated (S31: No, S33: Yes), the center mode flag is set and the bottom end mode flag is reset (S34). When a top end mode key is operated (S31, S33: No, S35: Yes), both the bottom end mode flag and the center mode flag are reset (S36). Then, printing is conducted in accordance with the flags.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer, and in particular, it can print characters and symbols of various character sizes on the same print line in one mode selected from bottom-aligned, center-aligned and top-aligned. Printing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various printers having a print head for printing a dot pattern on a print medium have been developed and put into practical use. Furthermore, the applicant of the present application is a print head that prints in a dot pattern, has a plurality of print elements arranged in a row and is fixedly provided, and uses a tape as a print medium. We proposed and put into practical use a tape printer that is configured to print on paper. For example, you can print the "title" or "contents" of a file on a tape and attach the tape to a specified location in the file, or "name"
Can be printed on a tape and attached to a name plate, and this printing device can be applied to various purposes. In general, conventional printers, including the tape printer, can set the size of characters and symbols at the time of printing to various sizes, and print characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line with bottom alignment. Is configured.

[0003]

By the way, in the conventional printing apparatus, since characters and symbols of various sizes on the same printing line can be printed only by aligning the bottom edges, it is said that the degree of freedom of the printing layout is insufficient. There's a problem. In particular, in a tape printer, since the printed tape is used for various purposes, it is desirable to be able to perform center alignment and top alignment in addition to bottom alignment.

An object of the present invention is to provide one of a lower end mode for printing characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line by bottom alignment, a center mode for center alignment printing, and an upper end mode for top alignment printing. Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can be set alternatively.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printer including a print means including a print head for printing a dot pattern on a print medium, as shown in a functional block diagram of FIG.
Input means for inputting characters and symbols and various commands,
Data storage means for storing the input character or symbol data, and print control means for receiving the data of the data storage means, creating dot pattern data using the data read from the character generator, and printing the dot pattern data on the printing means. In the provided printing device, the size designation means for storing the size designation data for designating the character size in the data storage means along with the character or symbol data and the characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line are aligned at the bottom. And a mode setting unit for selectively setting one of a lower end mode for printing at, a center mode for printing at center alignment, and an upper end mode for printing at upper end alignment, the print control unit comprising:
The dot pattern data has a size designated by the size designation data for each character or symbol, and the dot pattern data for the mode set by the mode setting means is created and printed by the printing means. It is a thing.

A printer according to a second aspect is the printer according to the first aspect, wherein the print medium is a tape,
The printing means has a plurality of printing elements arranged in a row and fixedly provided, and a plurality of the tapes in synchronization with the printing operation of each dot row of the printing head. And a tape feeding means for feeding the printing element in a direction orthogonal to the column direction.

[0007]

In the printer according to the first aspect, the characters and symbols input by the input means are stored in the data storage means. The size designation data for designating the character size of a character or a symbol is stored in the data storage unit in association with the character or symbol data by the size designation unit. 1 of the lower end mode, the center mode, and the upper end mode by the mode setting means
If one of them is selectively set, the print control means sets the dot pattern data specified by the size specification data for each of the characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line, and is set by the mode setting means. Mode dot pattern data is created, and based on this dot pattern data, printing is performed in the mode set by the printing means. In this way, characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line can be printed in the mode set by the mode setting means, the degree of freedom in the print layout can be increased, and the practicality of the printing apparatus can be improved.

In the printing apparatus according to the second aspect, basically the same operation as that of the first aspect can be obtained. In addition, the printing medium is a tape, the printing means has a plurality of printing elements arranged in a row and is fixedly provided, and the printing operation of each dot row of this printing head. Since the tape feeding means feeds the tape in a direction orthogonal to the column direction of the plurality of printing elements in synchronization with the above, one of the lower end mode, the center mode and the upper end mode is selected for the tape as the printing medium. It is possible to greatly improve the practicality of a printing device that prints on a tape.

[0009]

According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained as described in the above section. According to the printing apparatus of the first aspect, the size designating unit and the mode setting unit are provided, and the printing control unit is the dot pattern data for setting each character or symbol to the size designated by the size designating data. Since the dot pattern data for the mode set by the mode setting unit is created and printed by the printing unit, characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line can be displayed in the mode set by the mode setting unit. Printing is possible, the degree of freedom of the printing layout is increased, and the practicality of the printing device can be improved.

According to the printing device of the second aspect, basically the same effect as that of the first aspect can be obtained. In addition, since the print medium is a tape and the printing means is configured to print on the tape, one of the lower end mode, the center mode and the upper end mode is selected and printed on the tape as the print medium. Therefore, the practicality of a printing device using a tape as a printing medium can be significantly improved.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to an English-only printing device (hereinafter referred to as a tape printing device) that can use a printing tape as a printing medium and can print a large number of characters such as alphabetic characters and symbols on the printing tape. This is the case. As shown in FIG. 2, a keyboard 3 is arranged in the front part of the main body frame 2 of the tape printer 1, a printing mechanism PM is arranged in the main body frame 2 behind the keyboard 3, and the keyboard 3 A liquid crystal display 4 capable of displaying characters and symbols is provided on the rear side.

On the keyboard 3, character keys for inputting alphabets, numbers and symbols (hereinafter referred to as characters),
Cursor move key, document creation key for creating document data, creation end key for instructing the end of document creation, size key for setting the size specification mode when specifying the character size for printing, the same A mode setting key for setting a print mode when printing characters of various sizes on a print line, a lower end mode key for setting the print mode to a lower end mode for printing with the lower end aligned, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, a center mode key for setting the print mode to a center mode for printing with center alignment, and an upper end mode for setting the print mode to an upper end mode for printing with upper end alignment, as shown in FIG. A key, a print key for instructing printing, a space key for providing a space between characters, a power key for turning the power on and off, and the like are provided.

Next, the printing mechanism PM will be briefly described. As shown in FIG. 3, a rectangular tape storage cassette CS is detachably attached to the main body frame 2, and a printing tape 5 made of a transparent film and having a width of about 24 mm is wound around the tape storage cassette CS. Mounted tape spool 6, ribbon supply spool 8 on which an ink ribbon 7 is wound, and take-up spool 9 on which the ink ribbon 7 is wound.
And a supply spool 11 in which a double-sided tape 10 having the same width as the printing tape 5 is wound with the release paper outside, and a joining roller 12 for joining the printing tape 5 and the double-sided tape 10 are rotatable. It is provided in. A thermal head 13 is fixedly provided upright at a position where the printing tape 5 and the ink ribbon 7 overlap each other.
A platen roller 14 for pressing the ink ribbon 7 and the ink ribbon 7 against the thermal head 13, a printing tape 5 and a double-sided tape 10.
A feed roller 15 that presses and against the joining roller 12 is rotatably supported by a support body 16. The thermal head 13 is provided with a heating element group 13a (see FIG. 8) including 128 heating elements arranged in a row in the vertical direction. While the tape feed motor 24 is rotationally driven to synchronously rotate the joining roller 12 and the take-up spool 9 in predetermined directions, respectively, in synchronization with this, the heating element group 13a is energized a plurality of times at predetermined timing. Characters in a dot pattern composed of a plurality of dot rows are printed on the printing tape 5, and then the double-sided tape 10 is attached to the printing surface of the printing tape 5 and fed in the feeding direction A. For details of the printing mechanism PM, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
─ 106555 gazette.

As shown in FIG. 8, the printing tape 5 includes:
The print area PE corresponding to the heating element group 13a is set,
In this print area PE, it is possible to print with various character sizes every 5 points from a minimum of 10 points to a maximum of 50 points. Further, among the plurality of characters of various sizes, the maximum size character is printed such that the vertical width is uniform around the center line CL, and the character "A" in FIG.
Even when printed with a character size of 50 points, the characters are printed at the lower limit line BL and the upper limit line TL.
Further, each is printed inside by a predetermined number of dots dT.

Next, the control system of the tape printer 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, a display controller (LCD) having a keyboard 3 and a display RAM for outputting display data to a liquid crystal display (LCD) 4.
C) 23, a drive circuit 25 for driving the thermal head 13, a drive circuit 26 for driving the tape feed motor 24, and a drive circuit 21 for the warning buzzer 20. Each is connected to the interface 27. The control device C includes a CPU 29 and the CPU 29.
And an input / output interface 27, a CGROM 30, a ROM 31, and a RAM 40 that are connected to each other via a bus 28 such as a data bus.

The CGROM 30 has a minimum of 10 points and a maximum of 50 points for each of a large number of characters.
The dot pattern data of character size at every point is stored in association with the code data, and the character code data of a predetermined size to be displayed on the display 4 is output from the CGROM 30 to the display controller 23. The ROM 31 has a tape print control control program including data input process control, display process control, print process control, mode setting process control for setting a print mode peculiar to the present application, and a print reference position table of FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the number of upward dots from the lower printing limit line BL is stored as the printing reference position data for each character size in each of the lower end mode, the center mode, and the upper end mode.

The print reference position is set on the basis of the largest size character in one line of characters. For example,
When the character size of "A" is 30 points and the character size of "D" is 15 points and the character string "AD" is printed in the lower end mode, as shown in FIG. , The character "D" other than the maximum size is arranged at the print reference position which is shifted upward from the print lower limit line BL by the set dot B30. When printing these character strings "AD" in the center mode, as shown in FIG. 11, the character "D" is moved upward by C dots (for example, 64 dots) set from the print lower limit line BL. It is arranged at the shifted print reference position. Further, when printing these character strings "AD" in the lower end mode, as shown in FIG. 12, the character "D" is at the print reference position shifted upward by the dot T30 set from the print lower limit line BL. It is arranged.

In the line buffer 41 of the RAM 40, as shown in FIG. 13, for each character input from the keyboard 3, character code data and character modification data such as size designating data designating character size are temporarily stored. Are stored in the memory. The data transferred from the line buffer 41 is stored in the text memory 42. Size designation data is temporarily stored in the size memory 43. The flag memory 44 stores flag data of a lower end mode flag BF set when the print mode is set to the lower end mode and a center mode flag CF set when the print mode is set to the center mode. Is stored. The print reference position memory 45 stores data of one print reference position read from the print reference position table. A print pointer (this content is referred to as a print pointer P) 46 stores one address of the text memory 42 for reading character code data to be printed. The print buffer 47 stores print data of a plurality of characters expanded into dot pattern data.

Next, the tape print control routine executed by the controller C of the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
A description will be given based on the flowchart of FIG. In the figure, reference numeral Si (i = 10, 11, 12, ...) Indicates each step. Further, in the following description, as shown in FIG. 7, when printing one line of the character string “ABCDEFGHIJKL”, each character of “ABC” is set to 30 points and “D
When printing each character of "EF" at 25 points, each character of "GHI" at 20 points, and each character of "JKL" at a character size of 30 points, and setting the print mode to the upper end mode Will be described. This control is started when the power is turned on by operating the power key,
First, initialization such as clearing each of the memories 41 to 47 is executed (S10), and the document creation key is operated (S10).
11. S12: Yes), data input processing control (see FIG. 15) for input processing of data input by operating the character keys is started (S13).

When the data input processing control is started, the size key is operated and the size designation mode is instructed (S2
(0: Yes), as shown in FIG. 18, the character size of every 5 points from 10 points to 50 points is sequentially displayed on the display 4 by the operation of the cursor movement key (S21), and the numeral key indicating the character size is operated. Thus, the character size is set (S22). That is, when the number key “5” is operated to set the character size of each character of the first “ABC” to 30 points, the size designation data indicating 30 points is stored in the size memory 43.

Next, when the character key is operated (S20:
No, S23: Yes), the character code data of the character is sequentially stored in the line buffer 41 (S24), and the character is further displayed on the display 4 (S25). In this way, when each character of “ABC” is input, and then the size key is operated to set the character size of each character of “DEF” to 25 points (S20: Yes),
The size designation data stored in the size memory 43 is stored in the line buffer 41 in association with the character code data of each character “ABC”. Hereinafter, similarly, S21
Up to S25 are repeated, and the character code data and the size designation data are stored in the line buffer 41. In this way, when the character input is completed and the creation end key is operated (S20 / S23: No, S26: Yes), the size designation data stored in the size memory 43 is stored in the line buffer 41. The data in the line buffer 41, which is stored in association with each code data, is transferred to the text memory 42 (S27), and then the process proceeds to S11. When any key other than the creation end key is operated (S26: No), the buzzer 20 is sounded for a warning (S28), and then the process proceeds to S20.

Next, when the mode setting key is operated (S
11: Yes, S12: No, S14: Yes), the mode setting process control (see FIG. 16) for setting the print mode is started (S15). When this control is started, the character code data is stored in the text memory 42 (S30: Yes), and the lower end mode key is operated (S31: Yes), the lower end mode flag BF is set and the center mode flag is set. When CF is reset (S32) and the center mode key is operated (S31: No, S33: Yes), the center mode flag CF is set, the lower end mode flag BF is reset (S34), and the upper end mode key is pressed. When operated (S31 / S33: No, S35: Ye
s), lower end mode flag BF and center mode flag C
Both F are reset (S36). In this example,
Since the print mode is set to the upper end mode, both the lower end mode flag BF and the center mode flag CF are reset. In addition, in S30, when the character code data is not stored in the text memory 42, the buzzer 20 sounds for a warning (S37). And the S
After the processing of any one of S32, S34, S36 and S37 is completed, the process returns and shifts to S11.

Next, when the print key is operated (S11:
Yes, S12 / S14: No, S16: Yes), and the print processing control (FIG. 17) is started (S17). When this control is started, first, the maximum character size is retrieved from the size designation data for each character in the text memory 42 (S40). In this case, "ABC" and "JKL"
The maximum character size of 30 points is searched from the size specification data of each character. Next, when the lower end mode flag BF is set (S41: Yes),
Based on the retrieved maximum character size, the data of the print reference position in the lower edge mode corresponding to the character size is read from the print reference position table, and the print reference position memory 45 is displayed.
(S41: No, S43: Ye) when the center mode flag CF is set (S42).
s), based on the retrieved maximum character size, the data of the print reference position in the center mode corresponding to that character size is read from the print reference position table and stored in the print reference position memory 45 (S44), Mode flag B
When both F and the center mode flag CF are reset (S41 / S43: No), based on the retrieved maximum character size, the data of the print reference position of the upper end mode corresponding to that character size is read from the print reference position table. It is read and stored in the print reference position memory 45 (S45).

Next, the head address of the text memory 42 is set in the print pointer P (S46), and then
The data designated by the print pointer P is read (S
47), based on this data, it is expanded into the print buffer 47 as dot pattern data (S48). That is, in this case, 30-point dot pattern data is generated from the CGROM 30 based on the character code data of the first character "A" and the size designation data of the character modification data. Based on the print reference position data stored in the position memory 45, the dot pattern data is expanded in the print buffer 47 as shown in FIG. Next, the print pointer P
Is incremented (S49), and the text memory 42 is
If character code data exists in (S50: Ye
s) and S47, S47 to S50 are repeated, and for each character of "BCDEFGHLJKL", the print buffer 4 is aligned to the upper end based on the data of the print reference position.
The dot pattern data is expanded to 7. In S50, the space input between characters is determined as character code data, and the process proceeds to S47.

In this way, when all the characters are developed as dot pattern data (S50: No), the tape feed motor 24 is rotationally driven, the joining roller 12 and the take-up spool 9 are synchronously rotationally driven, and printing is performed. The heating element group 13a is energized at a predetermined timing based on the dot pattern data of the buffer 47, characters are printed on the printing tape 5 by a plurality of dot rows, and the double-sided tape 10 is printed on the printing surface of the printing tape 5. Attached (S
51). After that, when printing of all characters is completed, execution of a predetermined amount of tape feeding processing and cutting processing is instructed (S5
2) Then, this control is terminated and the process returns.

As described above, since characters of various sizes on one print line can be selectively set to one of the lower end mode, the center mode and the upper end mode for printing, the printing layout is free. The tape printer 1 can be more practically used.

It should be noted that the printing is not limited to one line printing, but it is also possible to print on two or more lines. In this case, the print reference position may be set in the same manner for each print mode according to the number of print lines. Further, a CGROM may be separately provided for printing, and the contour line data for each character may be stored in the CGROM instead of the dot pattern data.
In addition to the character size, various character sizes can be set as the character size. Although the tape printer has been described in the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the tape printer and can be applied to various printers such as a word processor and a typewriter.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tape printer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a printing mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control system of the tape printer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of printing in a lower edge mode.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of printing in a center mode.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of printing in an upper end mode.

FIG. 8 is a partial front view of a printing mechanism showing a printing tape and a thermal head.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a table of data of character size and print reference position.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a print reference position in the lower edge mode.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a print reference position in the center mode.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a print reference position in an upper end mode.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing data in a line buffer.

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of a tape print control routine.

FIG. 15 is a schematic flowchart of a subroutine of data input processing control.

FIG. 16 is a schematic flowchart of a subroutine of mode setting processing control.

FIG. 17 is a schematic flowchart of a print processing control subroutine.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing a character size designation screen.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing dot pattern data in a print buffer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 tape printer 3 keyboard 29 CPU 30 CGROM 31 ROM 40 RAM C controller PM printing mechanism

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A printing means including a print head for printing a dot pattern on a print medium, an input means for inputting characters and symbols and various commands, and a data storage for storing data of the inputted characters and symbols. And a print control device that receives the data of the data storage device and creates dot pattern data using the data read from the character generator to print the data on the printing device. Size designating means for storing data in the data storage means along with data of characters and symbols, and bottom mode for printing characters and symbols of various sizes on the same print line with bottom alignment, center mode for printing with center alignment And a mode setting means for selectively setting one of the upper end mode for printing by aligning the upper end. The control means is to generate dot pattern data in which the size of each character or symbol is the size designated by the size designation data, and the dot pattern data for the mode set by the mode setting means is created and printed by the printing means. A printing device characterized by being configured in. 2. The printing medium is a tape, the printing means has a plurality of printing elements arranged in a row and is fixedly provided, and each dot of the printing head. 2. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising a tape feeding unit that feeds the tape in a direction orthogonal to a column direction of the plurality of printing elements in synchronization with a printing operation of the column.