JPH0739662Y2 - Small printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a small printer for thermally transferring and printing document information created by, for example, key input by moving an apparatus body on a recording paper via an ink ribbon.

[Prior Art and its Problems] Generally, a printer is provided in an OA device such as a word processor or a personal computer. In this printer, if the ink ribbon cassette is completely stored in the printer main body, it is possible to visually check the mounting state of the cassette (presence or absence of cassette mounting, incomplete mounting of cassette, etc.) from the outside. Can not.

Therefore, the printing operation is started with the ink ribbon cassette not mounted, or the printing operation is performed despite the defective winding of the ink ribbon due to the incomplete mounting. In particular, when the ink ribbon cassette is in a poorly mounted state, not only printing errors but also cutting of the ink ribbon may occur.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. For example, even when the ink ribbon cassette cannot be visually inspected from the outside, it is possible to easily know the defective mounting state of the cassette to the printer body. The purpose is to provide.

[Summary of the Invention] That is, a small printer according to the present invention is provided with a moving distance detecting means of the printer body on the printing paper and an ink ribbon moving distance detecting means when the printer body moves. The moving distance and the moving distance of the ink ribbon are compared to determine the mounting state of the ink ribbon cassette.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an external structure of a small printer embodying the present invention. The apparatus main body 10 has a size that can be sufficiently held by a user's hand. First, a mode changeover switch 11 is provided on the left side surface of the device body 10. This mode switch 11 is for switching the power on / off, and switching between a word processing mode (document creation mode) WP and a printing mode (printing mode) PR.
Alternatively, the power is turned on when the print mode PR is specified. On the other hand, a key input unit 12 and a display unit 13 are provided on the front surface of the device body 10. In the key input unit 12, a character / symbol input key 14, a function key 15, a cursor key 16, a kana / kanji conversion key 17, a next candidate key 18, kanji selection keys 19a to 19f, and a print key 20 are arranged. Here, the display unit 13 is assumed to display all 16 characters in upper and lower two lines, for example. In addition, the device body 10
On the lower surface of the printer head, for example, a line-type thermal head having 48 dots per line, the print head portion HA having the line direction thereof oriented in the width direction of the apparatus main body 10 is provided, and further, on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 10. When printing, the alarm unit 6 is equipped with three warning LEDs 10a to 10c, which warn of insufficient ink ribbon remaining, extension during printing, and improper mounting of the ink ribbon cassette.
1 is provided.

The character / symbol input key 14 is used to input a kana of a created document or to input alphanumeric characters / symbols in combination with the function key 15. Specify the various functions required for document creation / printing with the character / symbol input keys 14, starting with the execution key 15a that delimits the start / end or move specification on the document with the cursor k, and insert, delete, shift key, etc. The key to be placed is placed. The characters and symbols input by the character / symbol input key 14 and the function key 15 are sequentially displayed on the display unit 13. A cursor key 16 moves a cursor k displayed on the display unit 13 together with the input document or the symbol in the left-right direction. The movement of the cursor specifies an input position, a functional range, and the like. The kana / kanji conversion key 17 is used to convert kana to kanji in the prepared document input by kana using the character / symbol input key 14 for each fixed phrase, idiom, and single kanji. A predetermined number of Kanji characters are displayed on the display unit 13 together with the converted kana document, and by operating the next candidate key 18, a large number of other homophones are displayed alternately. When the kanji to be converted by this kana / kanji conversion is displayed on the display unit 13, the desired kanji is selected and designated by the corresponding kanji selection keys 19a to 19f.

In other words, the word processor mode WP
Is specified, and key input operation of the above characters and symbols, and Kana /
A desired document is created by repeating the kanji conversion operation and kanji selection operation. When printing a document created by key input, after the print mode PR is specified by the mode changeover switch 11, the head portion HA is brought into contact with the surface A of the recording paper, and the apparatus main body 10 is held while pressing the print key 20. Move in the direction indicated by arrow X. As a result, the created document is printed. In this case, if the amount of ink and ribbon remaining for the print data is short,
LED 10a stretches when the distance of movement of the ink ribbon is very long with respect to the print data. LED 10b for warning warns that if the distance of movement of the ink ribbon is "0" and the movement distance of device body 10 exceeds the specified length, ribbon cassette Each of the unmounted warning LEDs 10c is driven to light.

FIG. 2 shows a printing unit 21 configured in the printer. In FIG. 2, 22 is an ink ribbon cassette, and this cassette 22 is located inside the apparatus main body 10 with the printing unit 21 at the center. , Is configured to be attachable and detachable with high precision. The ink ribbon cassette 22 is provided with two ribbon spools 23a and 23b, which serve as a supply spool and a take-up spool of the thermal transfer ink ribbon 24, respectively.
The thermal transfer ink ribbon 24 has transparent marks 24a provided at predetermined intervals along the ribbon moving direction on the edge portion thereof, and a part of the head mounting notch 25 is provided at the lower end of the ribbon cassette 22. The range is set and exposed. A ribbon loading notch 26 is formed in the print head portion HA of the print portion 21, and a thermal head 27 is formed in the center of the notch 26 by slightly projecting the head surface of the notch 26 from the lower surface of the apparatus body 10. Will be placed. The thermal head 27 includes slide stays 28a, 28b that are erected on a head mounting member 28.
The stay 28a,
The printing pressure in the downward direction is always maintained by the action of the spring that is integrally wound around 28b. Further, on the lower surface side of the apparatus main body 10 on which the thermal head 27 is arranged, two large and small openings 29 and 30 are formed on both sides of the ribbon loading notch 26, and rubber rollers 31 and 32 are arranged respectively on the openings 29 and 30. It
These rubber rollers 31 and 32 are used for the apparatus main body 1 during printing operation.
When 0 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow X, it rotates in contact with the recording paper A, and one rubber roller 31 has a gear 33 coaxially fixed to its side portion. The gear 33 has a smaller diameter than the rubber roller 31, and is connected to the winding gear 36 via gears 34, 35a, 35b. This winding gear 36 has
A ribbon winding shaft 37 is erected on the same axis, and the winding shaft 37
A stopper arm 38, which is in pressure contact with the winding gear 36, is attached to the base portion of the. The stopper arm 38 is rotated in the rotating direction of the gear 36 by the pressure contact force with the winding gear 36, and a stopper gear 39 fitted to the winding gear 36 is provided at the tip of the arm 38. To be Also, the winding shaft
An arm stopper 40 is provided in the rotation direction of the arm 38 corresponding to the winding rotation direction of 36. Here, when the winding gear 36 rotates in the ribbon winding direction (normal rotation),
The stopper arm 38 rotates to the arm stopper 40 and stops, and when the stopper arm 38 rotates in the opposite direction, the arm 38 rotates and stops until the stopper gear 39 at the tip thereof is fitted to the gear 35b. That is, the gears 35b, 36, the stopper arm 38, the stopper gear 39, and the arm stopper 40 constitute a reverse rotation prevention mechanism.

On the other hand, an encoder disc 41 is connected to the gear 35a. Here, the rotation of the rubber roller 31 is transmitted to the ribbon winding shaft 37 and the encoder disk 41.
This encoder disc 41 has a plurality of slits 41a, 41a.
, b are formed in a radial pattern with a constant interval, and LEDs 42a, 42b and photosensors 43a, 43b are arranged adjacent to each other at two positions facing each other with the slit forming portion of the encoder disk 41 in between. To be done. In this case, LEDs 42a, 42b
The projection light from the slit 41a of the encoder disc 41,
It is incident on the photosensors 43a, 43b through 41b, ..., When the encoder disk 41 is normally rotated by the movement of the apparatus body 10 in the X direction, the photosensors 43a → 43b are in that order, and when they are reversed, 43b → 43a. In this order, the projection light from the corresponding LEDs 42a, 42b enters. That is, encoder disk 4
An encoder 44 is configured by 1, the LEDs 42a and 42b, the photo sensors 43a and 43b, and the like. Further, an ink / ribbon mark detecting section 47 including a light emitting section 46a and a light receiving section 46b facing each other is provided upright at an upper position of the roller 32.
A mark detecting notch 22a is formed in the ink ribbon cassette 22 corresponding to the position 47. Then, the ink ribbon cassette 22 is attached to the printing unit 21 with the ribbon winding shaft 37 as a support shaft. In this case, as shown in FIG. 3, the thermal transfer ink ribbon 24 exposed in a partial area of the lower end portion of the ribbon cassette 22 is
Thermal head located in notch 26 for ribbon loading
It is set by touching the head surface of 27. The light emitting portion 46a of the ink ribbon mark detecting portion 47 is in the mark detecting notch 22a, and the light receiving portion 46b is in the ink notch 22a from the notch 22a.
It is set on the opposite side of the ribbon 24 and detects the passage of the mark 24a. Here, the back cover 10i of the apparatus main body 10 is configured to be openable and closable by the hinge 10j so that the ink ribbon cassette 22 can be easily replaced and the inside can be inspected. On the other hand, a circuit board 45 is arranged between the printing section 21 and the front panel of the apparatus main body 10, and the key and switch group in FIG. The ribbon mark detector 47 is connected.

FIG. 4 shows a structure of an electronic circuit formed on the circuit board 45. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 51 is a control unit, and the control unit 51 receives the mode change signal from the mode change switch 11. As various key input operation signals from the key input unit 12, a pulse signal according to the movement amount of the apparatus main body 10 from the encoder 44, according to the movement amount of the ink ribbon 24 from the ink ribbon mark detection unit 47 A pulse signal, that is, a device body movement amount detection signal and an ink ribbon movement amount detection signal are input. Then, the control unit 51 stores the conversion data (key input data) storage unit 52 in accordance with various key operation signals from the mode changeover switch 11 and the key input unit 12.
Display RAM 53, Kana / Kanji conversion unit 54, candidate Kanji storage unit 5
5, text data storage unit 56, thermal head drive circuit 57,
The ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60 is controlled. The conversion data storage unit 52 includes the character / memory input keys 14 from the key input unit 12.
And character / symbol data such as “kana” and “symbol” input by operating the function keys 15 are sequentially stored. The key input character / symbol data input to the conversion data storage unit 52 is a display character generator. 58 and RA for display
It is displayed on the display unit 13 via M53. When a conversion signal is output from the control unit 51 in response to the operation of the Kana / Kanji conversion key 17 of the key input unit 12, the Kana / Kanji conversion unit 54 stores the key input character symbol data stored in the conversion data storage unit 52. The Kanji character corresponding to the "kana" character in is searched. In this case, the Kanji characters are searched in the order of the fixed phrase, the compound word, and the single Kanji character, and the searched Kanji character is stored in the candidate Kanji character storage unit 55. It is read from the kanji storage unit 55 and displayed on the display unit 13. here,
When the kana searched by the kana / kanji conversion unit 54 has a plurality of homonyms or homophones, and the same number as the display on the display unit 13 (for example, 8 characters for one lower line)
In the above cases, the next candidate signal is input from the control unit 51 by operating the next candidate key 18 of the key input unit 12, and the other undisplayed candidate Kanji characters are read out and sequentially replaced and displayed. When a selection signal is input to the candidate kanji storage unit 55 from the control unit 51 by operating the Kanji selection keys 19a to 19f of the key input unit 12, the selected Kanji data is stored in the text data storage unit.
It is output to 56. On the other hand, of the key input data stored in the conversion data storage unit 52, the character / symbol data that does not require Kanji conversion is also transferred to and stored in the document data storage unit 56. That is, the text data storage unit 56 stores the text information created by operating the key input unit 12 as document character data including kana / kanji converted kanji, unconverted kana, katakana, symbols, and external characters.

Then, the character and symbol data of each character of the text data stored in the text data storage unit 56 is output and displayed on the display unit 13 via the display character generator 58 and the display RAM 53, and at the same time, for printing. It is called as an actual character via the character generator 59 and output to the thermal head drive circuit 57. The thermal head drive circuit 57 receives the encoder pulse from the encoder 44 when the print mode signal is output from the control unit 51, and the character data to be input to the printing character generator 59 in synchronization with this encoder pulse. Is transferred to the thermal head 27 line by line. In this case, the print quality by the thermal head 27 is, for example, 24 ×
Since there are 24 dots (full-width), the above-mentioned 1 line means 1/24 line of 1 character.

Here, in the encoder 44, when the encoder pulse is received in the order of the photosensors 43a → 43b in FIG. 2 due to the normal rotation of the encoder disk 41, the encoder pulse received by the photosensor 43a is output, and When the encoder pulse is received in the order of the photosensors 43b → 43a due to the reverse rotation of the encoder disk 41, the encoder pulse is not output. That is, when the encoder disk 41 rotates in the reverse direction, the thermal head 27 is not driven even when the print mode PR is set.

On the other hand, the movement amount detection signal of the apparatus body 10 output from the encoder 44 and the movement amount detection signal of the ink ribbon 24 output from the ink ribbon mark detection unit 47 are both supplied to the control unit 51. In addition, it is supplied to the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60. As shown in FIG. 5, the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60 counts the first counter CT1 that counts the mark detection pulses from the ink ribbon mark detection unit 47 and the encoder pulse from the encoder 44. A second counter CT2 is provided, and the moving distance of the ink ribbon 24, the moving distance of the apparatus main body 10, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 24, and the print length of the data to be printed next are obtained through the calculation unit 62. The moving distance of the ink ribbon 24 obtained by the computing unit 62 is the register A of the register unit 63.
The moving distance of the apparatus main body 10 is latched in the register B, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 24 is latched in the register C, and the printing length is latched in the register D. Here, for example, when the ink ribbon cassette 22 is attached, the remaining amount of the ink ribbon at that time is set by key input in the register C, and thereafter, the ink ribbon 24 by the first counter CT1 is set. It is subtracted according to the count data of the mark detection pulse. The print length set in the register D is calculated from the number of characters within the range, each character size, and the inter-character pitch, based on the specified print range that is delimited in advance when the document is created.

That is, in FIG. 4, the print text data for one segment read from the text data storage unit 56 is first given to the print length calculation unit 64, and this print length calculation unit 64 determines the number of characters in the above-mentioned segment range. The print length is calculated based on each character size and character pitch, and is latched in the register D of the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60 via the control unit 51. here,
The first counter CT1 of the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60,
The contents of the second counter CT2, register A, and register B are
Both are cleared every time one printing process is completed.

Then, the control unit 51 controls the warning LEDs 10a to 10c of the alarm unit 61 to blink according to the content of the register unit 63 in the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60.

Next, the operation of the printer having the above configuration will be described.

First, to create the desired document, switch the mode
Operate 11 to specify the word processor mode WP. Then, the control unit 51 is set to the word processor mode WP. Here, the user operates the key input unit 12 of the apparatus main body 10 to sequentially input desired characters, symbols and the like.

First, the character / symbol input key 14 and the function key 15 are operated to key-in the document information to be created, and the input document data is sequentially transferred to the converted data storage unit 52 which is addressed via the control unit 51. It At the same time, the input document data is displayed in the character generator 58 for display and the RA for display.
It is displayed on the display unit 13 via M53. When the kana / kanji conversion key 17 is operated after inputting the kana of the desired document, the kana / kanji conversion unit 54 performs kana / kanji conversion processing from the beginning of the input characters in the order of fixed phrase → compound words → single kanji. Done. Here, when the reading of a kana character matches any of the candidate kanji stored in the candidate kanji storage unit 55 in advance, the kana character to be converted is indicated by the cursor k, and
A candidate kanji string of the same sound is displayed in the lower part of the display. here,
When the user operates the kanji selection keys 19a to 19f to specify a desired kanji among the same-sound candidate kanji, the selection signal is output to the candidate kanji storage unit 55, and the kana character to be converted is kanji-converted. Next, the kana character to be converted is indicated by the cursor k. In this case, the converted Kanji data is transferred to and stored in the document data storage unit 56. After that, the kanji selection process is performed again in the same manner as described above to convert the kanji into a kanji.

Here, when the reading of the kana character that matches the kanji that does not need to be converted is displayed, the cursor key 16 is operated to indicate the desired kana character, and the candidate kanji that matches the reading is displayed. On the other hand, in the display state of the same-sound candidate kanji during the above series of kana / kanji conversion, if the desired kanji does not exist among the candidate kanji displayed on the display unit 13, the next candidate key 18 is operated to operate the control unit. The next candidate signal is output from 51 to the candidate Kanji storage unit 55. Then, other same-sound candidate kanji are replaced and displayed. If a desired kanji exists in the next candidate kanji, the kanji selection process similar to the above is repeated to perform kana / kanji conversion. If the desired Kanji is not displayed by operating the next candidate key 18 once,
Further, the next candidate key 18 is operated to display another homophone candidate kanji. Here, the kanji selected and designated by kana / kanji conversion are sequentially transferred from the candidate kanji storage unit 55 to the text data storage unit 56, but kana characters, symbols, etc. that do not require kana / kanji conversion are By operating the unchanged (non-conversion) key of the function key 15, the storage data in the conversion data storage unit 52 is transferred to the text data storage unit 56 as it is. By repeating the character / symbol input process, kana / kanji conversion process, and kanji selection process described above, a desired document is created and stored in the sentence data storage unit 56. When inputting the above-mentioned document, the delimitation of the print range is designated in advance for each arbitrary clause. In this way, the created text data in the text data storage unit 56 is written with a code that means a printing break for each designated printing range.

Next, the operation of printing out the document data created by key input as described above will be described. When printing document data, the mode selection switch 11
To the print mode PR position. By switching the mode changeover switch 11, the control unit 51 is set to the print mode, the text data storage unit 56 is in a read state, and the thermal head drive circuit 57 is in a state of waiting for input of an encoder pulse from the encoder 44. In this state, the user sets the print head portion HA to the recording paper A as shown in FIG.
And press the print key 20 to move the apparatus main body 10 in the direction of arrow X. The rubber rollers 31, 32 rotate as the apparatus body 10 moves, and the rotation is transmitted to the gears 34, 35a, 35b in FIG. And this gear 35a
The encoder disk 41 rotates with the rotation of the encoder disk 41, and the rotation of the encoder disk 41 causes the corresponding photosensors 43a, 43 from the LEDs 42a, 42b via the slits 41a, 41b ,.
The light sent to b is controlled intermittently. In this case, the device body 1
Since the encoder disk 41 is in the normal rotation state with the movement of 0 in the X direction, the pulse signal output from the photo sensor 43a becomes the output of the encoder 41, and the control unit 51 outputs the movement amount detection signal to the apparatus main body 10, And to the thermal head drive circuit 57. Further, the rotation of the rubber roller 31 is transmitted to the winding gear 36 and the ribbon winding shaft 36,
Further, it is transmitted to the take-up spool 23b in the ink ribbon cassette 22. As a result, the ribbon take-up spool 23b rotates, and the thermal transfer ink ribbon 24 guided from the ribbon delivery spool 23a through the ribbon loading notch 26 is taken up. In this case, the ribbon winding shaft 37 is
As the apparatus body 10 moves, the recording paper A and the ink ribbon 24
The ink ribbon 24 is recorded by the thermal head 27 which always has downward printing pressure by the springs of the slide stays 28a and 28b so as not to cause a slip between the ink ribbon 24 and the device main body 10. Lightly pressed against paper A. Here, at the time of printing movement of the apparatus main body 10 in the X direction, the winding gear 36 is in the normal rotation state, and the stopper arm 38
Is held in contact with the arm stopper 40.

On the other hand, the movement amount detection signal output as an encoder pulse from the photo sensor 43a is sent to the control unit 51 and the thermal head drive circuit 57 as the output signal of the encoder 44 as described above. Then, the control unit 51 causes the encoder
The memory addresses of the sentence data storage unit 56 are sequentially designated according to the movement amount detection signal from 44, the document data stored therein is read, and this document data is individually character dated through the printing character generator 59. Output to the thermal head drive circuit 57. The thermal head drive circuit 57 drives the thermal head 27 in synchronization with the movement amount detection signal from the encoder 44, that is, in synchronization with the reading timing of the document data by the control unit 51.
By driving the thermal head 27, the document data is thermally transferred onto the recording paper A via the ink ribbon 24. In this case, as the apparatus body 10 moves, the unused portion of the ink ribbon 24 is delivered from the pay-out spool 23a of the ink ribbon cassette 22, and the used portion after the thermal transfer by the thermal head 27 is used in the cassette. The winding spool 23b in 22 is sequentially wound up. By operating the apparatus body 10 in the X direction as described above, the created document data stored in the text data storage unit 56 is sequentially printed on the recording paper A.

Next, the warning operation executed along with the printing operation in the print mode PR will be described.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the warning operation associated with the above printing operation.
When the print key 20 is operated and the printing operation on the recording paper A is started after the print mode PR is designated by, the control unit 51 first determines whether the ink / ribbon mark detection unit 47 outputs a mark detection signal. Judged (step
S1). That is, as the apparatus main body 10 scans and moves relative to the recording paper A, the ink ribbon 24 starts to be wound, and the mark
24a is a light emitting unit 46a in the ink / ribbon mark detection unit 47.
When the light from the device is transmitted and received by the light receiving unit 46b, the detection signal is counted by the first counter CT1 of the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60, and the movement distance of the ink ribbon 24 is calculated by the calculation unit 62. It is calculated and latched in the register A (step S2). Here, for example, when it is determined that the print key 20 is not operated and the apparatus main body 10 is merely moved, the register A is determined from the remaining amount of the ribbon when the ink ribbon cassette 22 preset by key input is attached. The ribbon moving distance latched in is subtracted, and the ribbon remaining amount at each time is sequentially latched in the register C (steps S3, S).
Four). Here, in the specified state of the print mode PR,
The print length of the document data to be printed next based on the delimiter code in the text data storage unit 56 is calculated by the print length calculation unit 64 and set in the register D (steps S5, S).
6). Then, in the control unit 51, when the print length of the print-target document data latched in the register D is longer than the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 24 latched in the register C of the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60. When the determination is made, the ribbon remaining amount warning LED 10a of the alarm unit 61 is driven to light, and the user is informed that the remaining length of the ink ribbon 24 is not sufficient for this printing (steps S7 and S8). On the other hand, when it is determined in step S5 above that "No", that is, the print mode is not currently set, or when it is determined in step S7 that "No", that is, the ribbon remaining amount C for the print length D is sufficient, the ink ribbon 24 The remaining length is displayed on the display unit 13 (step S9).

On the other hand, in the step S3 or the step S10, when it is determined that the print key 20 is operated, the apparatus main body 10
When an encoder pulse is output from the encoder 44 in accordance with the operation movement of, the pulse signal is counted by the second counter CT2 in the ink ribbon winding state detection unit 60,
The moving distance of the apparatus main body 10 is calculated by the calculation unit 62 and latched in the register B (steps S11 and S12). Here, in the control unit 51, although the moving distance of the ink ribbon 24 latched in the register A is "0", the register B
When it is determined that the movement distance of the apparatus main body 10 latched by the device exceeds the predetermined distance X, the ribbon cassette non-mounting warning LED 10c in the alarm unit 61 is driven to light, and the ink ribbon
The user is informed of the unloaded state of the cassette 22 or the defective winding state of the ink ribbon 24 due to poor mounting (steps S13 and S14). Here, the predetermined distance X is set to a value that is at least larger than the distance between the marks 24a attached to the ink ribbon 24.

Further, in step S13 described above, if “No”, that is, if there is no mounting failure in the ink ribbon cassette 22, the print length of the print target document data to be printed next is calculated by the print length calculation unit 64. It is latched in the register D (steps S13 → S15). Then, in the control unit 51, the print length of the print target document data latched by the register D of the ink / ribbon winding state detection unit 60 is compared with the moving distance of the ink ribbon 24 latched by the register A. If it is determined that the moving distance A of the ink ribbon 24 is very long with respect to the print length D of the print data, the extension warning LED 10b in the alarm unit 61 is driven to light. The user is informed that the scanning movement speed of the apparatus main body 10 is too fast and the printed document will be stretched (steps S16 and S17). If it is determined in step S16 that "No", that is, the ribbon moving distance is not very long with respect to the document print length D and there is no fear of extension, the remaining ink ribbon 24 in steps S4 to S9 is left. The amount warning process or the remaining amount display process is executed.

Next, as described above, in the printer capable of performing the printing process by the manual operation, the printing error prevention operation when the device main body 10 is moved in the opposite direction to the X direction due to the user's operation error, for example. explain.

For example, when the apparatus main body 10 is moved backward on the recording paper A, the reverse movement of the rubber roller 31 is also transmitted to the winding gear 36 via the gears 34, 35a, 35b. When the winding gear 36 is rotated in the reverse direction, the stopper arm 38 is rotated and stopped until the stopper gear 39 provided at the tip of the winding gear 36 is fitted to the gear 35b. At this time, the gear 35b and the winding gear 36 are prevented from rotating in a state where the stopper gear 39 is pulled into each other. As a result, the reverse rotation of the rubber roller 31, the ribbon take-up shaft 37, and the encoder disk 41 is also prevented, and the ink main body 10 and the ink
Since the feeding operation of the ribbon 24 and the output operation of the encoder pulse are stopped, the printing error due to the reverse operation of the apparatus main body 10 can be surely prevented. In this case, further, the encoder 44 does not output any encoder pulse when the encoder disk 41 rotates in the reverse direction, so that the stopper arm 38 is separated from the arm stopper 40 and the stopper gear 38 is released.
Even if the apparatus main body 10 moves in a slightly opposite direction until it is stopped due to the fitting of 39, the thermal head 27 is not driven, and perfect printing error prevention is achieved.

Therefore, according to the printer having the above-described structure, not only can a desired document be created and the device body 10 can be moved on the recording paper A to print the created document, but also the ink corresponding to the print length of the print-target document data can be printed.・ When the remaining amount of the ribbon 24 is low, a warning indicating that the remaining amount of the ink ribbon 24 is insufficient is displayed. The warning of the mounting failure of 22 and the warning of the extension of printing when the moving distance of the ink ribbon 24 with respect to the print length of the document to be printed is very long are respectively issued by the alarm unit 61. Ink ribbon 24 and ink ribbon cassette 22
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of a printing error due to the remaining amount of the ribbon, the cassette mounting state, and the ribbon moving state even if the visual confirmation cannot be performed.

[Advantages of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the printer main body is provided with the moving distance detecting means on the printing paper and the ink ribbon moving distance detecting means when the printer main body moves. Since it is configured to judge the mounting state of the ink ribbon cassette by comparing the moving distance of the ink ribbon and the moving distance of the ink ribbon, even if the ink ribbon cassette cannot be visually inspected from the outside, it is possible to easily know the defective mounting state of the cassette to the printer body. It is possible to provide a small printer that enables

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external configuration diagram showing a small printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a printing unit of the small printer, and FIG. 3 is an ink cartridge corresponding to the printing unit of the small printer. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a mounted state of the ribbon cassette, FIG. 4 is a block configuration diagram showing an electronic circuit of the small printer, and FIG. 5 is a block configuration diagram showing an ink ribbon winding state detection unit of the small printer. The figure is a flow chart showing the warning operation associated with the printing process of the small printer. 10: Device body, 10a: Ribbon shortage warning LED, 10
b ... extension warning LED, 10c ... ribbon cassette not mounted warning LED, 10i ... back cover, 10j ... hinge, 11 ... mode selector switch, 12 ... key input section, 13 ... display section,
14 …… Character / symbol input key, 15 …… Function key, 15a ……
Enter key, 16 …… Cursor key, 17 …… Kana / Kanji conversion key, 18 …… Next candidate key, 19a-19f …… Kanji selection key,
20 …… Print key, 21 …… Print section, 22 …… Ink ribbon cassette, 22a …… Mark detection notch, 2
3a …… Supply spool, 23b …… Rewind spool, 24…
… Thermal transfer ink ribbon, 24a… Mark, 25… Head setting notch, 26… Ribbon loading notch, 27…
… Thermal head, 28 …… Head mounting member, 28a, 28b
...... Slide stays, 29,30 …… Openings, 31,32 …… Rubber rollers, 33,34,35a, 35b …… Gear, 36 …… Winding gear, 37
...... Ribbon winding shaft, 38 …… Stopper arm, 39 …… Stopper gear, 40 …… Arm stopper, 41 …… Encoder disk, 41a, 41b, …… Slit, 42a, 42b …… LED, 43
a, 43b ...... Photo sensor, 44 ...... Encoder, 45 ...... Circuit board, 46a ...... Light emitting part, 46b ...... Light receiving part, 47 ...... Ink / ribbon mark detection part, 51 ...... Control part, 52 ...... Conversion data storage unit, 53 ... Display RAM, 54 ... Kana / Kanji conversion unit, 55 ... Candidate Kanji storage unit, 56 ... Sentence data storage unit,
57 ... Thermal head drive circuit, 58 ... Display character generator, 59 ... Printing character generator, 60 ... Ink / ribbon winding state detection unit, 61 ... Alarm unit, 62 ... Computing unit, 63 ... … Register section, 64 …… Print length calculation section, CT1, CT2 …… Counter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A housing, a housing movement detecting means for detecting a moving distance of the housing on a printing paper, a printing means provided in the housing, the printing means and the printing paper when the housing is moved. An ink ribbon which is interposed between the ink ribbon and moves along with the movement of the housing, marks which are attached to the ink ribbon at predetermined intervals along the moving direction, and the ink ribbon which is housed and is detachable from the housing. An ink ribbon cassette, a ribbon movement detecting means for detecting the mark and detecting a movement distance of the ink ribbon, a case movement distance obtained by the case movement detecting means and a ribbon movement distance obtained by the ribbon movement detecting means are compared. A small printer comprising: a cassette mounting determination means for determining the mounting state of the ink ribbon cassette.