JPH07329383A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a winding condition from being uneven, and the position accuracy of back-feed from being degraded by a change in the winding diameter of base paper in a label printer which carries a label sheet with a sheet carrying mechanism, prints an image on a label, and winds the base paper peeled-off from the label with a base paper winding mechanism. CONSTITUTION:A rotary encoder 32 is connected to a rotating part such as the DC motor 31 of a base paper winding mechanism 13, and a winding diameter detection means is mounted, which detects the winding diameter of base paper which the base paper winding mechanism 13 winds based on its measuring results. A winding adjustment means is mounted, which adjusts driving power supplied to the base paper winding mechanism 13 based on its detecting results, to correct the winding torque of the base paper winding mechanism 13 constantly according to the winding diameter of the base paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printer in which a label sheet is sequentially conveyed to print an image on the label, the label is peeled off and a mount is wound up.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a label printer is designed so that label sheets are successively conveyed to print an image on the label, and the label is peeled from a mount and issued. Therefore, such a label printer is equipped with a pair of sheet guides, a rotatable feed roller, a drive motor, and the like, which is a sheet transport mechanism that sequentially transports label sheets in which a large number of labels are removably attached at regular intervals on the surface of a mount. Is forming. An image printing mechanism for printing an image on a label of a label sheet sequentially conveyed by such a sheet conveying mechanism is formed by a thermal head or the like, and the label sheet passing through the position of such an image printing mechanism is abruptly formed. A label peeling member that bends at an angle and peels the label from the mount is arranged at the label issuing port.

Some of such label printers have a mount paper winding mechanism for sequentially winding the mount paper from which the label has been peeled off.

In such a label printer, the label on which the image is printed as described above is conveyed to the position of the label peeling member and peeled from the mount, and then the head of the next label is arranged at the printing position. Sometimes backfeed label sheets. When this back feed is executed, the mount take-up mechanism maintains the stretched state of the mount,
It is designed to generate a minute winding torque.

[0005]

In the label printer as described above, it is possible to sequentially issue the labels on which the images are printed, and the unnecessary mounts are sequentially wound by a separate mount winding mechanism. You can also

In the mount winding mechanism as described above, the drive torque generated by the drive motor is always constant, but when the mount diameter is changed by sequentially winding the mount, the winding operation of the mount is changed. The load torque and the inertia torque at the start and stop of the winding operation fluctuate. Therefore, when the take-up roller that winds up such a mount is rotationally driven by a drive motor having a constant drive torque, the condition of winding the mount tends to be uneven due to fluctuations in the take-up torque.

Moreover, as described above, the minute winding torque generated by the mount winding mechanism when the label printer performs the back feed is always constant, but as described above, when the winding diameter of the mount changes, Since the load torque of the back feed acting on the printer varies, the positioning accuracy at the time of this back feed may decrease and the print position of the label may vary.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A label conveying mechanism for sequentially conveying a label sheet having a large number of labels releasably attached on a surface of a continuous paper mount, and the label sheet sequentially conveyed by the sheet conveying mechanism An image printing mechanism for printing an image on the label is provided, and a label peeling member that bends the label sheet passing through the position of the image printing mechanism at a sharp angle to peel the label from the mount,
A label printer provided with a mount paper winding mechanism for sequentially winding the mount paper from which the label has been peeled by the label peeling member, and a power supply means for supplying drive power to the mount paper winding mechanism. A rotary encoder is connected to the rotating part, and a roll diameter detecting means for detecting the roll diameter of the mount wound by the mount winding mechanism according to the measurement result of the rotary encoder is provided, and according to the detection result of the roll diameter detecting means, The mount winding mechanism is provided with winding adjusting means for adjusting the drive power supplied by the power supply means.

[0009]

When the roll diameter detecting means detects the roll diameter of the mount according to the measurement result of the rotary encoder connected to the rotating part of the mount winding mechanism, the drive power supplied by the power supply means to the mount winding mechanism is detected according to the detection result. By adjusting the take-up adjusting means, the take-up torque of the mount take-up mechanism can be made constant in correspondence with the gradually changing roll diameter of the mount.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the directions such as front and rear and up and down in the present embodiment are defined for convenience in order to simplify the description, and this does not limit the actual installation or use direction of the device.

First, in the label printer 1 illustrated in this embodiment, mechanically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a large number of labels 3 are releasably affixed at regular intervals on the surface of a mount 2 made of continuous paper. The label sheet 4 is set on the sheet conveying mechanism 5, and the sheet conveying mechanism 5
Here, it is configured by the supply roller 6, the sheet guides 7 and 8, the guide roller 9, the pinch roller 10, and the platen roller 11.

Further, in the label printer 1, a label peeling member 12 for peeling the label 3 by bending the mount 2 of the label sheet 4 at a steep angle is provided in front of the platen roller 11. Further, a mount take-up mechanism 13 that winds up the mount 2 on which the label 3 of the label sheet 4 is peeled is provided below the label peeling member 12, and the mount take-up mechanism 13 is
Here, the mount guides 14 and 15 and the winding roller 16 are used.

Further, in the label printer 1, a thermal head 17 as an image printing mechanism is press-contacted to the platen roller 11 so that the thermal head 17 and the platen roller 11 can be spaced apart from each other by the label sheet. 4 is passing. Supply roller 18
A ribbon transport mechanism 22 that sequentially transports the ink ribbon 21 wound into a roll is constituted by the winding roller 19, the guide frame 20, and the ribbon transport mechanism 2.
The ink ribbon 21 conveyed by 2 passes through the gap between the thermal head 17 and the platen roller 11 while overlapping the label sheet 4.

A transmissive photosensor 23 for detecting the ink ribbon 21 is disposed behind the thermal head 17, and the label is provided behind the thermal head 17 and in front of the guide roller 9. Sheet 4
Photosensors 24, which are a combination of a transmissive type and a reflective type, which detect light, are arranged in parallel.

Here, in the label printer 1, various kinds of data such as a control program are fixed to a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 25 that executes various kinds of data processing in a circuit manner, as illustrated in FIG. ROM (R
ead only memory) 26, RAM (Random Access Memory) 2 for temporarily storing various data such as print data in an updatable manner
7. I / F (Interface) 28 for receiving various data such as print data from a host computer (not shown), reference clock 29 for constantly outputting a clock pulse, the thermal head 17, the photo sensors 23, 24, the A pulse motor 30 that rotationally drives the supply roller 6 and the platen roller 11 of the sheet conveying mechanism 5, the mount paper winding mechanism 13
DC (Direct Current) that drives the take-up roller 16 of
A motor 31, a photosensor 32 of a rotary encoder (not shown) directly connected to a rotating shaft that is a rotating portion of the DC motor 31, and a winding roller 1 of the ribbon transport mechanism 22.
DC motor 33 for driving 9 to rotate, this DC motor 33
A photo sensor 34 of a rotary encoder (not shown) directly connected to the feeding roller 1 of the ribbon transport mechanism 22.
The DC motor 35 for rotating 8 is connected to the system bus 36.
The structure is connected with.

Further, in the label printer 1, the thermal head 17, the pulse motor 30 of the sheet conveying mechanism 5, the DC motor 31 of the mount winding mechanism 13 and the DC motors 33 and 35 of the ribbon conveying mechanism 22 are used. Power supply means for supplying drive power is provided as a power supply circuit (not shown) connected to a commercial power supply.

Therefore, in the label printer 1, the CPU 25 executes various data processes according to the measurement result of the photo sensor 32 of the mount take-up mechanism 13 and the storage data of the ROM 26 and the RAM 27. Such data processing corresponds to a roll diameter detecting means for detecting the roll diameter of the mount 2, and a drive for supplying the power supply circuit to the DC motor 31 of the mount winding mechanism 13 according to the detection result of the roll diameter detecting means. A winding adjustment means for adjusting the electric power is provided.

More specifically, in the label printer 1, an arithmetic expression for calculating the winding diameter of the mount 2 according to the measurement result of the photo sensor 32 in a normal printing operation is preset in the RAM 27. The CPU 25 calculates the winding diameter of the backing sheet 2 according to the following equation. Then, a table defining the relationship between the winding diameter of the mount 2 and the drive voltage, which is the drive power of the DC motor 31 supplied during the normal printing operation, is preset in the RAM 27, and according to the table of the RAM 27, The CPU 25 uses the DC motor 31
The drive voltage to be supplied to is adjusted.

Since the label printer 1 also performs back feeding for adjusting the position of the label sheet 4, the winding diameter of the mount 2 and the drive of the DC motor 31 in this back feeding. The table that defines the relationship with the drive voltage, which is the voltage, is also the RA
It is preset to M27. Therefore, at the time of executing this back feed, according to the winding diameter of the mount 2 calculated in the immediately preceding printing operation and the table of the RAM 27, the C
The PU 25 adjusts the drive voltage supplied to the DC motor 31.

Further, in the label printer 1, since the roll diameter of the mount 2 wound by the mount winding mechanism 13 is structurally limited, this limit value is preset in the RAM 27. Therefore, the actual winding diameter of the backing sheet 2 calculated according to the measurement result of the photo sensor 32 is compared with the limit value of the winding diameter, and when this coincidence is detected, the sheet conveying mechanism 5, the backing sheet winding mechanism 13 or the above Driving of the ribbon transport mechanism 22, the thermal head 17, etc. is stopped.

In such a structure, the label printer 1 has the thermal head 17 in synchronization with the conveyance of the label sheet 4 by the platen roller 11 of the sheet conveyance mechanism 5 and the conveyance of the ink ribbon 21 by the ribbon conveyance mechanism 22. The heating element (not shown) is selectively driven to generate heat according to the print data. By doing so, the ink of the ink ribbon 21 is transferred to the label 3 by the heat scan of the thermal head 17, and the image of the dot matrix is printed on the label 3 with the ink.

In the label printer 1, the label sheet 4 that has passed through the thermal head 17 is bent at a sharp angle by the label peeling member 12 to peel the label 3 from the mount 2, and the front half of the label 3 is exposed to the outside. It is designed to stop in a protruding state. Therefore, when the user takes out this label 3, the label printer 1 that has detected this will
The label sheet 4 is back-fed in order to arrange the next label 3 at the printing position, and then the above-described operation is restarted. Further, since the mount 2 having the label 3 peeled off in this manner is sequentially wound by the mount winding mechanism 13, it is possible to prevent unnecessary mounts from being discharged to the outside of the apparatus and clutter the surroundings. Further, when the back feed as described above is executed, the mount take-up mechanism 13 maintains the stretched state of the mount 2 satisfactorily.
It is designed to generate a minute winding torque.

Here, in the label printer 1, when the roll diameter of the mount sheet 2 wound by the take-up roller 16 by the mount winding mechanism 13 changes as described above, this roll diameter is detected and D is detected.
The drive torque of the C motor 31 is adjusted.

More specifically, since the printing speed is constant when the roll diameter of the mount 2 changes, the rotation speed of the DC motor 31 changes according to the roll diameter of the mount 2 when driven by the reference voltage. The tension acting on 2 changes. Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the rotation speed of the DC motor 31 is measured by the photosensor 32, and the winding diameter “φ” of the mount 2 is calculated according to the measurement result. Then, the CPU 25 adjusts the drive voltage “V” supplied to the DC motor 31 according to the calculated winding diameter of the mount 2, so that the mount torque of the mount winding mechanism 13 is kept constant and the mount 2 is wound on the roll 1.
It is designed to be wound evenly on 6.

Further, in the label printer 1, the roll diameter of the mount 2 detected at the time of issuing the label 3 is R as described above.
The minute winding torque, which is stored in the AM 27 and is generated by the mount winding mechanism 13 when the back feed is executed, is also adjusted according to the winding diameter of the mount 2.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the RAM 2 is constantly detected by detecting the winding diameter of the mount 2 during normal feeding.
Since it is stored in 7, R when executing the back feed
CPU2 according to the winding diameter of the mount 2 read from AM27
5 adjusts the drive voltage supplied to the DC motor 31. By doing so, the load torque acting on the sheet conveying mechanism 5 from the mount winding mechanism 13 at the time of performing the back feed can be made constant, so that the positioning accuracy of the back feed can be maintained good and the print position can be maintained. Fluctuation can be prevented.

Further, in the label printer 1, as described above, the winding diameter of the mount 2 and R which are detected at the time of normal feeding are set.
The limit value set in the AM 27 is constantly compared, and when this coincidence is detected, the CPU 25 stops driving the sheet transport mechanism 5, the mount winding mechanism 13, the ribbon transport mechanism 22, the thermal head 17, and the like. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the backing sheet 2 from being wound multiple times more than the structural limit, and a dedicated photo sensor or the like is not required to realize such a thing. The structure can be simplified, which contributes to reduction in size and weight of the label printer 1 and improvement in productivity.

In the label printer 1 of this embodiment,
Although the adjustment of the drive power of the mount take-up mechanism 13 as the drive voltage of the DC motor 31 has been illustrated, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. It is also possible to change the duty ratio of the pulse or the pulse.

Further, in the label printer 1 of this embodiment,
Although the winding diameter of the mount 2 is calculated by an arithmetic expression according to the measurement result of the photo sensor 32, it is also possible to detect this according to a table in which the relationship between the measurement result and the winding diameter is set in advance. Similarly, the detection of the drive power of the DC motor 31 according to the winding diameter of the mount 2 according to the table is illustrated, but this can be calculated according to a preset arithmetic expression. Further, the drive source of the mount winding mechanism 13 is not limited to the DC motor 31 and various motors can be used.

[0030]

As described above, the present invention is provided with a sheet conveying mechanism for sequentially conveying a label sheet having a large number of labels releasably attached on the surface of a continuous paper, and the sheet conveying mechanism sequentially conveys the label sheets. An image printing mechanism for printing an image on the label of the label sheet is provided, and a label peeling member for bending the label sheet passing through the position of the image printing mechanism at a sharp angle to peel the label from the mount, A label printer having a mount paper winding mechanism for sequentially winding the mount paper from which the label has been peeled off by the label peeling member, and a power supply means for supplying drive power to the mount paper winding mechanism. A rotary encoder is connected to the rotating part, and the roll diameter of the mount wound by the mount winding mechanism is detected according to the measurement result of the rotary encoder. By providing a winding diameter detecting means for adjusting the drive power supplied by the power supply means to the mount winding mechanism according to the detection result of the winding diameter detecting means, Since the winding torque of the mount winding mechanism can be made constant according to the winding diameter, the mount can be wound uniformly by the mount winding mechanism.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit structure of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view illustrating an internal structure.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram illustrating a relationship between a measurement result of a photo sensor of a rotary encoder and a drive voltage which is a drive power of a pulse motor of a mount winding mechanism when a normal feed is performed.

FIG. 4 is a time chart exemplifying the relationship between the measurement result of the photo sensor of the rotary encoder at the time of executing the normal feed and the drive voltage of the pulse motor of the mount winding mechanism at the time of executing the back feed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Label Printer 2 Mount 3 Label 4 Label Sheet 5 Sheet Conveying Mechanism 12 Label Peeling Member 13 Mount Rewinding Mechanism 17 Image Printing Mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sheet transport mechanism for sequentially transporting a label sheet having a large number of labels releasably attached on a surface of a continuous paper mount, and an image is displayed on the label of the label sheet sequentially transported by the sheet transport mechanism. An image printing mechanism is provided for printing, a label peeling member that bends the label sheet that has passed through the position of the image printing mechanism at a steep angle to peel the label from the mount, and the label is peeled by the label peeling member is used. In a label printer provided with a mount winding mechanism for sequentially winding the peeled mount, and a power supply means for supplying drive power to the mount winding mechanism, a rotary encoder is connected to the rotating part of the mount winding mechanism. A roll diameter detecting means for detecting the roll diameter of the mount wound by the mount winding mechanism according to the measurement result of the rotary encoder, A label printer, characterized in that winding control means for adjusting drive power supplied by the power supply means is provided to the mount winding mechanism according to the detection result of the winding diameter detecting means.