JPH07309039A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately set a printing start position by detecting the black mark printed on the rear surface of continuous paper and controlling the feed of the continuous paper on the basis of the count value based on the black mark. CONSTITUTION:When the black mark printed on the rear surface of continuous paper a is detected by a mark detection sensor 14, the count value corresponding to the distance from a thermal head 21 to the mark detection sensor 14 is set and subtracted corresponding to the feed of the continuous paper 1. When the home feed command from a host computer is received, the home feed operation of the continuous paper 1 is started and a counter is substrated and, when the count value becomes 0, the home feed operation is completed. By this constitution, regardless of the size of one continuous paper 1, the printing start position of one paper can be accurately set to the printing position of the thermal head 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer which prints by positioning a print start position on continuous paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printer is known which is connected to a host computer as a control device via a line and prints by a command and print data transmitted from the host computer.

Further, a printer is known that prints on a continuous paper in which a plurality of papers such as tickets and receipts are continuous. For such continuous paper, for example, perforations for cutting are provided at intervals (one pitch) for the length of one ticket.
).

In such a printer for printing on continuous paper, the number of lines printed on one continuous paper is recorded, and when a home feed command is received from the host computer, the remaining number of lines is printed. By feeding the continuous paper by the distance, the print start position of the next sheet of the continuous paper is positioned.

For example, if 11 lines can be printed on one sheet of paper and a home feed command is received from the host computer when 4 lines are printed on one sheet of continuous paper, the continuous paper Is fed for the remaining 7 lines, and the print start position of the next 1 sheet of paper after printing 4 lines is positioned.

[0006]

In such a conventional method, there is no problem if the length of each continuous sheet is accurate, but the length of the sheet varies from one sheet to another. In this case, even if the error is negligible for one sheet of paper, it is accumulated during printing and 1
There is a problem that the print start position of the sheets of paper is displaced from the print position of the print head.

Further, the print pitch amount of one line (or the length of one sheet of paper) is accurately calculated according to the size of one sheet of paper to be used, and the home feed is calculated based on this print pitch amount. There is a problem that the print start position of one sheet cannot be accurately positioned at the print start position of the print head unless the number of print lines for one sheet of paper is set.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer capable of accurately positioning the print start position of one sheet of paper at the print position of the print head regardless of the size of one sheet of paper. To do.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a plurality of sheets are continuously formed on the basis of a command transmitted from a control unit, which is connected to a control unit via a line and has a print head. In a printer that prints on continuous paper with a print head, a reflective optical sensor that detects black marks formed on continuous paper and a reflective optical sensor that detects black marks when the reflective optical sensor detects black marks Detection that sets the count value corresponding to the transport distance required to position the next print start position on the continuous paper to the print position of the print head from the black mark detection state by the optical sensor and sets the detection flag When a command instructing the positioning of the next print start position of continuous paper is received from the processing means and the control device via the line. Positioning control means that conveys continuous paper for a distance corresponding to the count value of the counter with the detection flag set, and positions the print start position of the continuous paper at the print position of the print head, and the print start position of the continuous paper. Is provided with a flag releasing means for releasing the detection flag when it is positioned at the printing position.

[0010]

In the present invention having such a structure, when the command for instructing the positioning of the next print start position of the continuous paper is received from the control device through the line, the positioning control means starts the conveyance of the continuous paper. It

At this time, if the black mark has not yet been detected by the reflective optical sensor, the detection flag is not set.

When a black mark is detected by the reflection type optical sensor, the count value corresponding to the transport distance required to position the next print start position of the continuous paper at the print position of the print head is displayed in the counter. The detection flag is set as well as set.

By the positioning control means, the continuous paper is conveyed by the distance corresponding to the count value of the counter, and the print start position of the next paper of the continuous paper is positioned at the print position of the print head. At this time, the detection flag is canceled by the flag canceling means.

If a black mark has already been detected by the reflective optical sensor when the home feed command is received, the detection flag has already been set and the counter indicates the next print start position of the continuous paper. A count value corresponding to the transport distance required to position the print head at the print position of the print head is set.

By the positioning control means, the continuous paper is conveyed by the distance corresponding to the count value of the counter, and the print start position of the next paper of the continuous paper is positioned at the print position of the print head. At this time, the detection flag is canceled by the flag canceling means.

[0016]

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

The continuous paper 1 used in the printer to which the present invention is applied is, as shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b),
Some perforations 2a are formed at intervals of the length of one sheet.

The back surface of the continuous paper 1 (non-printed surface
), Black marks 3a, 3b, 3c, ... Are printed on the leading edge of each sheet of paper, that is, on each perforation 2a.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of a main part of a printer to which the invention is applied.

Reference numeral 11 designates a CPU (centr
al processing unit).

A ROM (read only memory) 12 in which program data for processing performed by the CPU 11 is stored, a RAM (random access memory) 13 in which areas of various memories used when the CPU 11 performs processing are formed,
An analog / digital (A / D) converter 15 for converting an analog electric signal output from the mark detection sensor 14 as a reflection type optical sensor into digital data, and a data transmission control with a host computer as a control device are connected. The RS-232C driver 16 connected via the CPU is connected to the CPU 11 via the system bus 17, respectively.

The mark detection sensor 14 irradiates the back surface of the continuous paper 1 with light and detects the reflected light from the back surface of the continuous paper 1, and the continuous paper 1 changes depending on the detection level. The black marks 3a, 3b, ... Printed on the back surface of the are detected.

The CPU 11 is connected to the gate array 18 via the system bus 17, and the gate array 18 rotationally drives a rotating mechanism (not shown) such as a roller or a platen for conveying the continuous paper 1. Motor driver 20 for driving a pulse motor 19 for the purpose, a thermal head 21 as a print head, a feed key 2
2. An LED (light emitting diode) 23 is connected.

The RAM 13 is provided with an image buffer 24 for drawing (developing dots) the print data transmitted from the host computer, a sensor detection flag 25, and a counter 26.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of main processing performed by the CPU 11.

First, as step 1 (ST1) processing, it is determined whether or not there is unprocessed print data transmitted from the host computer to the RAM 13.

If there is unprocessed print data, the print data is drawn in the image buffer 24 and it is determined whether or not the interrupt is being activated. If the interrupt is being activated, the above step 1 is performed again.
If the interrupt is not being activated, an interrupt is activated and the process returns to step 1 again.

If there is no unprocessed print data in the above-mentioned step 1, it is judged whether or not there is an unprocessed command in the RAM 13. If there is no unprocessed command, the process returns to the above-mentioned step 1 again, and if there is an unprocessed command, it is determined whether or not the command is a home feed command. If it is not a home feed command, another command process is performed, and when this other command process is completed, the process returns to the above-mentioned step 1 again.

If the unprocessed command in the RAM 13 is a home feed command, the home feed command is set and a standby state is set until the interruption ends. If there is an interrupt in the waiting state, the interrupt is given priority and executed, and when the interrupt ends, the waiting state is released.

When the interruption ends, the process returns to the above-mentioned step 1 again.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the flow of the interrupt processing performed by the CPU 11.

First, the pulse motor 19 is rotated by one pulse to convey the continuous paper 1 by one step, and then the step 2 (S
As the processing of T2), it is determined whether or not there is unprocessed drawing data in the image buffer 24 that has not been output for printing.

If there is unprocessed drawing data, 1
Image data for a line is set in the thermal head 21 via the gate array 18, and the enable signal is turned on.
Then, printing for one line is executed.

Next, it is determined whether or not the black mark has been detected (detected) by the mark detection sensor 14. Here, if a black mark is detected, the counter 26
Is set to a count value 240 corresponding to the distance from the mark detection sensor 14 to the thermal head 21 (the distance from the sensor detection position to the print position), and the sensor detection flag 25
Data indicating ON is set in (detection processing means), the next interrupt is set, and this interrupt processing is ended.

If the black mark is not detected by the mark detecting sensor 14, the count value of the counter 26 is subtracted by -1 (subtracting means) to determine whether the count value of the counter 26 is 0 or not. To do. Here, if the count value of the counter 26 is not 0, the next interrupt is set and the interrupt process is ended. If the count value of the counter 26 is 0, data indicating OFF is set in the sensor detection flag 25 (flag canceling means), then the next interrupt is set, and this interrupt processing is ended. Has become.

If there is no unprocessed drawing data in the image buffer 24 in the process of step 2 described above, the RAM 1
It is determined whether or not there is an unprocessed home feed command in No. 3, and if there is no unprocessed home feed command, the conveyance (printing) stop control is performed and this interrupt processing is ended.

If there is a home feed command,
As the processing of step 3 (ST3), it is determined whether or not the data indicating ON is set in the sensor detection flag 25.

If data indicating ON is set in the sensor detection flag 25, subtraction processing of -1 is performed on the count value of the counter 26 (subtraction means) to determine whether the count value of the counter 26 is 0 or not. Determine whether or not. Here, if the count value of the counter 26 is 0, data indicating OFF is set in the sensor detection flag 25 (flag releasing means
), And control the conveyance (printing) stop (positioning control means
), The interrupt process is completed. Also,
If the count value of the counter 26 is not 0, the next interrupt is set and this interrupt processing is ended.

In the process of step 3 described above, if no data indicating ON is set in the sensor detection flag 25, a black mark is detected by the mark detection sensor 14.
Judge whether (detected) or not. If no black mark is detected, the next interrupt is set and the interrupt process is terminated.

When the sensor detection sensor 14 detects a black mark, the counter 26 is set with a count value 240 corresponding to the distance from the mark detection sensor 14 to the thermal head 21 (detection processing means), and the sensor detection is performed. Data indicating ON is set in the flag 25, the next interrupt is set, and this interrupt processing is ended.

The schematic positional relationship between the mark detection sensor 14 and the thermal head 21 is shown in FIG. That is, the platen 3 is opposed to the thermal head 21.
1 is arranged and the continuous paper 1 is the thermal head 2
1 is conveyed to the printing position and is inserted between the thermal head 21 and the platen 31.

The thermal head 21 of the continuous paper 1
The mark detection sensor 14 is arranged on the conveyance path to, and detects the black mark printed on the back surface of the continuous paper 1 conveyed on the conveyance path.

The distance HS from the black mark detection position by the mark detection sensor 14 to the print position by the thermal head 21 is designed to be 30 mm. The distance between black marks (black mark pitch) MP of the continuous paper 1 is 80 mm.

In the present embodiment having such a structure, when the black mark printed on the back surface of the continuous paper 1 is detected by the mark detection sensor 14 by the interrupt processing,
The counter 26 has a count value 240 corresponding to a distance of 30 mm from the mark detection sensor 14 to the thermal head 21.
Is set.

In the continuous paper 1 of this embodiment, since the black mark printing position is provided in the vicinity of the boundary (perforation 2a) between the sheets of continuous paper 1, the black mark is printed in the thermal head. When the black mark is located at the print position of 21, the positioning of the continuous paper 1 is completed. Therefore, the counter 26 is exactly the distance 30 from the mark detection sensor 14 to the thermal head 21.
The count value (240) corresponding to mm will be set.

In the case of continuous paper in which the black mark is not in the vicinity of the boundary between the sheets of continuous paper, printing of one sheet is started with respect to the distance from the mark detection sensor 14 to the thermal head 21. A count value 240 corresponding to the distance obtained by adding or subtracting the distance from the position (for example, the boundary between one sheet of paper) to the black mark is set.

The count value of the counter 26 is subtracted by -1 at the time of printing and feeding, as the continuous paper 1 is conveyed, that is, every time the pulse motor 19 is driven by one pulse.

When the home feed command transmitted from the host computer is received, the continuous paper 1
When the count value of the counter 26 becomes 0 after the conveyance of No. 2, the next interruption is not set and the conveyance of the continuous paper 1 is stopped.

For example, in the state as shown in FIG. 5B, that is, the black mark 3 on the next sheet of the continuous sheet 1.
When the home feed command is received before b is detected by the mark detection sensor 14, the continuous paper 1 is conveyed without the count value being set in the counter 26. As shown in FIG. 5C, when the black mark 3b is detected by the mark detection sensor 14, the counter 26
Is a count value 240 corresponding to the distance HS (30 mm) from the thermal head 21 to the mark detection sensor 14.
Is set, and the home feed operation of continuous paper 1 is started (the home feed operation is executed by setting the next interrupt).

In this home feed, the counter 2
With respect to the count value of 6, the subtraction processing of -1 is performed every one step conveyance of the continuous paper 1 by the one pulse drive of the pulse motor 19.

When the count value of the counter 26 becomes 0, the conveyance of the continuous paper 1 is stopped, and as shown in FIG. 5 (d), the printing of the vicinity of one sheet of paper near the black mark 3b is started. The position is set to the print position of the thermal head 21.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), when the black mark 3b on the next sheet of the continuous sheet 1 is detected by the mark detection sensor 14, the counter 26 is displayed regardless of the reception of the home feed command. Is the count value 240
Is set, and thereafter, a subtraction process of -1 is performed for each one-step conveyance of the continuous paper 1 by the one-pulse drive of the pulse motor 19.

After that, when the home feed command is received in the state as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the home feed operation of the continuous paper 1 is started.

Then, when the count value of the counter 26 becomes 0, the conveyance of the continuous paper 1 is stopped, and as shown in FIG. 6 (c), the printing in the vicinity of one sheet of paper near the black mark 3b is started. The position is set to the print position of the thermal head 21.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the continuous paper 1
A mark detecting sensor 14 for detecting a black mark printed on the back surface of the sheet, and a count value corresponding to the distance from the thermal head 21 to the mark detecting sensor 14 when the black mark is detected by the mark detecting sensor 14, A counter 26 whose count value is subtracted according to the conveyance of the continuous paper 1, and a sensor detection flag 2 which is turned on when a black mark is detected by the mark detection sensor 14 and is turned off when the count value of the counter 26 becomes 0.
5, the home feed operation of the continuous paper 1 is started when the home feed command is received from the host computer, and the home feed operation is ended when the count value of the counter 26 becomes 0 when the sensor detection flag is ON. By doing so, the print start position of each sheet of the continuous paper 1 can be accurately positioned at the print position of the thermal head 21 regardless of the size of the sheet of continuous paper 1.

[0056]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention,
Regardless of the size of one sheet of paper, the black mark printed on the back side of continuous paper is detected, the count value corresponding to the transport distance required for positioning is set in the counter, and the detection flag is set. It is possible to provide a printer capable of accurately positioning the print start position of one sheet of paper at the print position of the print head by controlling the transport of continuous paper based on the value.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating continuous paper used in a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of essential parts of the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a flow of main processing performed by the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow of interrupt processing performed by the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a home feed operation when a home feed command is received before the black mark is detected by the mark detection sensor in the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a home feed operation when a home feed command is received after the printer of the embodiment has already detected a black mark by a mark detection sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Continuous paper, 3a, 3b, 3c, ... Black mark, 11 ... CPU, 14 ... Mark detection sensor, 19 ... Pulse motor, 21 ... Thermal head, 25 ... Sensor detection flag, 26 ... Counter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The printing is performed on continuous paper, which is connected to a control device via a line, has a print head, and is formed by continuously forming a plurality of papers based on a command transmitted from the control device. In a printer that prints with a head, a reflective optical sensor that detects a black mark formed on the continuous paper, and the reflective optical sensor when the black mark is detected by the reflective optical sensor Detection by setting the count value corresponding to the transport distance required to position the next print start position of the continuous paper to the print position of the print head from the detection state of the black mark by the counter and setting the detection flag A command for instructing the positioning of the next print start position of the continuous paper from the processing means and the control device via the line. When the reception flag is received, the continuous paper is conveyed by the distance corresponding to the count value of the counter with the detection flag set, and the print start position of the continuous paper is positioned at the print position of the print head. A printer provided with a control means and a flag releasing means for releasing the detection flag when the print start position of the continuous paper is positioned at the print position.