JPH08174933A - Printer and control method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a printer capable of surely and easily setting a slip paper, preventing interference with an ink ribbon to prevent a stain or a misprint and simply and surely exchanging the ink ribbon. CONSTITUTION: A mask plate 40 is provided at a print paper side with respect to a print head 23 and an ink ribbon 31. A gap between the print head 23 and mask plate 40 is adjusted in two levels by controlling to guide a lead section 45 in an upper section of the mask plate 40 along a mask guide 50. When the print head 23 is set on a position under a paper feed roller 25b in the right side, the gap between the mask plate 40 and print head 23 becomes small because of a projection part of the mask guide and a gap with a paper guide so that it is easy to set a form. On the other hand, when the print head is set on a central section, the gap between the mask plate 40 and print head 23 becomes large so that it is easy to exchange the ink ribbon 31.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a control method therefor capable of printing single-cut printing paper such as form paper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Printers having various functions have been developed, and various types of paper are printed. In recent years, printers that can perform journal printing by using roll paper, at the same time as validation printing for performing authentication on form paper, and slip printing for printing on various cut papers have appeared.

A printer having a validation printing function for performing authentication or the like on a form sheet formed by stacking a plurality of cut sheet sheets is mainly a dot printer capable of overprinting. In this type, the printing paper is fed into the platen gap, which is the gap between the printing platen and the printing head, and printing is performed on this printing paper using the printing head and the ink ribbon inserted between the printing head and the printing paper. I do.

[0004]

In such a printer, in order to improve the printing speed, the platen gap is narrowed to improve the responsiveness of the print head. Further, in order to suppress the printing sound due to the resonance of the printing paper by lifting the printing paper from the platen, a mask plate is inserted between the ink ribbon and the printing paper, and the printing paper is pressed against the platen by the mask plate. Further, the mask plate also has a function of preventing interference between the printing paper and the ink ribbon during printing. In particular, when performing validation printing by inserting a large number of printing papers into the platen gap, the mask plate is important in terms of preventing the printing papers from becoming dirty due to interference with the ink ribbon and printing defects due to the ink ribbon being pushed down. is there.

However, when the platen gap becomes narrow,
Printing paper, mask plate, and ink ribbon are present in the narrow space. For this reason, when inserting the sheet for validation printing, instead of inserting it between the mask plate and the platen, a problem that it is inserted between the mask plate and the print head easily occurs. Also, when attaching or detaching the ink ribbon, the ink ribbon does not easily come off, and when the ribbon cassette is replaced, the ink ribbon is not set between the mask plate and the print head, but is set by mistake between the mask plate and the platen. Some troubles will occur.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a printing apparatus which is low in noise and can easily set and align a form when printing forms such as validation printing, does not stain the form, and has no printing error. Is intended to provide. Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of saving wasteful and wasted work time due to mistakes in printing paper such as forms. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus in which the user can easily replace the ink ribbon and thereby prevent the printing paper from being soiled and printing errors. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a control method suitable for such a printing apparatus.

[0007]

The printing apparatus of the present invention employs a mask plate capable of preventing the printing paper and the ink ribbon from interfering with each other and pressing the printing paper against the platen to reduce the printing noise. When the printing paper is inserted between the platen and the print head or when the ink ribbon is replaced, the gap between the mask plate and the print head is controlled so that the mask plate and the platen or the platen moves in and out of the paper guide. Controls the distance between the mask plate and the paper guide. That is, the printing apparatus of the present invention includes a print head that prints while moving on a print sheet set on the platen,
A mask plate that can move with this print head to press the print paper from the print head side to the platen, and a mask that sets a narrow gap between the mask plate and the print head when inserting the print paper between the platen and the print head. It is characterized by having a guide. Even if the printing device has a narrow platen gap, you can align the printing paper by narrowing the space between the mask plate and the print head when setting the printing paper and widening the space between the mask plate and the platen or paper guide. And insertion becomes easier, and the resistance when inserting printing paper is also reduced. For this reason, a setting error such that the printing paper is set to be tilted is eliminated, and troubles such as defective printing due to this can be prevented. Furthermore, by narrowing the gap between the mask plate and the print head, printing paper will not be inserted by mistake during this time, and problems such as dirt due to interference between the ink ribbon and printing paper or pressing down of the ink ribbon will be prevented. it can. On the other hand, when the printing paper is not inserted, it is not necessary to set the gap between the mask plate and the print head narrow, so that the gap between the mask plate and the print head can be set wide, and the ink ribbon can be easily replaced.

If the distance between the mask plate and the print head can be set by linking the mask guide with the movement of the print head, the distance between the mask plate and the print head can be controlled only by controlling the movement of the print head. The distance between the mask plate and the platen or paper guide can also be controlled. As such a mask guide, one having a guide portion that can contact at least a part of the mask plate can be adopted. The mask plate is provided with an elastic part that moves together with the print head and extends from the print head side to press the printing paper toward the platen side, and a lead part extending from the elastic part. The gap between the elastic portion and the print head can be controlled by guiding while contacting the portion. The lead portion may be guided along the shape of the guide portion, for example, the edge of the guide portion, or the lead portion may be guided by providing a groove or a cam. in any case,
If the guide portion can define the swinging width of the lead portion depending on the position of the print head, the gap between the elastic portion of the mask plate and the print head and the gap between the mask plate and the platen or paper guide can be freely controlled. As the elastic portion of the mask plate, a leaf spring-like member extending from the print head side, a coil spring to which a pressing plate is added, or the like can be adopted.

When the guide portion is arranged on the print head side with respect to the mask plate, the guide portion is provided at one end of the movable print area of the print head, and the mask plate moves to the end side together with the print head. It is desirable that the guide portion and a part of the mask plate come into contact with each other at the time. In this case, if the elastic part is drawn toward the print head side as the lead part goes to the end of the print area along the guide part, the mask plate and the print head can be moved by moving the print head to the end. Can be narrowed, and the printing paper can be set with little resistance by opening the mask plate and the platen or the paper guide. If the guide portion is provided on the end side, the support of the guide portion can be easily taken, and the guide portion does not get in the way when the ink ribbon is replaced. In addition, since a feed roller or other means for conveying the printing paper is often placed on the edge side of the printing area, if the mask plate is on the edge when setting the printing paper, combine it with these to make the printing paper. You can configure the path to insert.

If the guide portion is provided on the platen side with respect to the mask plate, interference with the ink ribbon can be prevented during replacement. However, when the printing paper is a cut sheet, this cut sheet exists between the guide section and the mask plate, so that the guide section and the mask are only used when printing is not performed so that the resistance during printing does not increase. It is desirable to contact the plates. For example, before and after shifting to a standby mode in which the gap between the print head and the platen is increased by a mode changing unit that can adjust the gap between the print head and the platen in at least two stages, at least a part of the mask plate and the guide are guided. It is desirable to move the print head to a position facing the guide portion so as to contact the portion. As a result, the distance between the mask plate and the print head is narrowed and the distance between the mask plate and the platen or the paper guide is widened, so that the printing paper can be set smoothly.

When the platen gap is changed by such a mode changing means, it is easy to replace the ink ribbon, and the portion for widening the gap between the print head and the mask plate is also guided so that the ink ribbon can be set surely in a short time. It is effective to provide it in the section. When replacing the ink ribbon, by moving the print head to a position facing this guide part and setting a wide gap between the print head and the mask plate, it becomes easier to attach and detach the ink ribbon.
Since the gap between the mask plate and the platen becomes small, it is possible to prevent the ink ribbon from being mistakenly inserted into this gap.

Further, in order to assemble the paper path including the conveying means and make it easy to insert the printing paper, the gap between the mask plate and the print head is set near the conveying means, and the print head is formed in other portions. It is desirable to set a wide gap between the mask plates. The transport means is often located at the end side of the printing area, and the portion of the guide portion suitable for such a printing device that comes into contact with the mask plate protrudes toward the print head near the transport means at the end of the printing area. On the other hand, the vicinity of the center has a concave shape on the platen side. By moving the print head to the edge of the print area and then operating the conveying means, the print paper can be smoothly set between the platen and the print head and printing can be started. Further, when replacing the ink ribbon, the print head may be moved near the center of the printable area.

In a printing apparatus that handles printing paper such as single-cut printing paper that is not stored in the printing apparatus as roll paper, the work of setting the printing paper between the platen and the print head is frequently performed. Therefore, by controlling the gap between the mask plate and the print head and controlling the gap between the mask plate and the platen or the paper guide as described above, printing defects and paper stains can be reduced, and efficient and reliable printing can be performed. As a result, it is possible to greatly reduce the waste of the printing paper and the time required for reprinting.

Further, by moving the mask plate to a predetermined position, it is possible to use it as a paper retainer for guiding the printing paper onto the platen. For example, in the same manner as described above, in addition to the first printing port capable of feeding and discharging the single-cut printing paper while adjusting the gap of the mask plate, the first printing port is connected to the first printing port with the platen interposed therebetween. In the printing device capable of feeding another single-cut printing paper from the opposite side by the second printing opening, the guide portion is provided when setting the single-cut printing paper in the second printing opening. The print head can be moved to a predetermined position that does not reach the paper width of the single-cut printing paper on the side opposite to the edge. As a result, the cut sheet fed between the platen and the print head can be pressed onto the platen or the paper guide by the mask plate on the side opposite to the end having the guide portion, and the first printing port You can smoothly feed cut sheets along a predetermined route.

As described above, in the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the gap between the mask plate and the print head and the gap between the mask plate and the platen or the mask plate and the paper guide can be easily controlled by changing the position of the print head by the mask guide. It is possible to Therefore, it is possible to add various functions to the mask plate, such as holding the other end of the printing paper with the mask plate, depending on conditions such as the type of cut sheet and the printing port to be inserted. Various troubles can be solved.

[0016]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Schematic Configuration of Printer FIG. 1 shows an outline of a printer 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The printer 1 of this example includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped body 2 that is slightly longer in the direction in which the roll paper 11 is fed, and the roll paper 11 is stored at one end thereof. On the side opposite to the end where the roll paper 11 of this body 2 is stored,
A head unit 21 that moves in a direction traversing the roll paper 11 along the carriage guide shaft 20 is provided. The head unit 21 is supported by the carriage guide shafts 20 and 20a, and is mounted on a carriage unit 22 that can be moved to a predetermined position in a printing area along the carriage guide shaft 20 by a timing belt (not shown). And
From the head unit 21, a printer head 23 for printing in dot form is projected at a position facing the roll paper 11. Also, behind the head unit 21, that is,
On the side opposite to the roll paper 11 with respect to the head unit 21,
A ribbon case 30 is attached. This ribbon case 3
An ink ribbon 31 extends from 0 to both sides 2a and 2b of the body 2 in the vicinity of the roll paper 11 and traverses the roll paper 11 along the carriage guide shaft 20. The ink ribbon 31 is used for the printer head 23 and the roll paper 1.
1, and extends in the direction in which the printer head 23 moves. The ink ribbon 31 is used in the printer head 23.
In response to the movement of the print head, the print head is gradually wound up by a mechanism inside the printer, and a new portion of the ink ribbon 31 is used for stamping with the wire dots of the printer head 23 to perform printing.

A mask plate 40 extending from the carriage unit 22 to the printer head 23 side is provided between the ink ribbon 31 and the roll paper 11.

The printer 1 of this embodiment is provided with a paper guide 4 extending in a direction traversing the body 2, and the paper guide 4 and the head unit 21 face each other with the roll paper 11 interposed therebetween. The paper guide 4 has a substantially U-shape extending in the vertical direction.
It has a V-shaped cross section, and an opening 4a into / from which the platen 5 can be inserted / removed is formed in the approximate center thereof. If the printing paper is set on the side of the surface of the paper guide 4 facing the printer head 23, the platen 5 projects from the back side of the printing paper when printing, so that the back side of the printing paper is surely secured. It can be supported.

Above the paper guide 4, the printer 1 of this example.
In the paper feed direction of the roll paper 11, a mask guide 50 that contacts the lead portion 45 that abuts on the tip of the mask plate 40 and a cutter 6 that cuts the roll paper are prepared. It extends from one side 2a to the other side 2b. Further, the roller shaft 26 is provided above the mask guide 50 from the left side 2a to the right side 2b.
On both sides 2a and 2b of this shaft 26
The rollers 25a and 25b are mounted on the. The shaft 26 is connected to a paper feed motor (not shown) on the right side 2b of the body 2 via a belt 24.

Further, the printer 1 of this embodiment is provided with a cover 3 which is mounted above the head unit 21 and the ribbon case 30 and is pivotably attached to the body 2. Further, the shaft 2 is provided above the head unit 21.
8 has been passed, and both sides 2a and 2 of this shaft 28
Rollers 27a and 27b are attached to b. The roller 27 and the roller 25 facing each other sandwich and convey a single-cut sheet such as a sheet (validation sheet) 12 for validation printing. The validation paper is usually composed of multiple sheets, and in the validation printing, the certification printing is performed collectively on these.

Further, below the head unit 21,
A curved lower paper guide 7 is provided, and a form (slip paper) 13 extending in the lateral direction can be inserted through a gap between the lower paper guide 7 and the body 2. As described above, the printer 1 according to the present embodiment includes the roll paper 11,
It is possible to execute three types of printing papers and printing methods: the validation paper 12 and the slip paper 13.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the mechanism around the printer head 23 and the paper guide 4 of the printer 1 of this example. Each mechanism shown in FIG. 2 is set in a state of a printing mode. The printer 1 of the present example can set a mode in which printing is performed by the operation of the plunger 8 and a standby mode in which the printing paper is fed and discharged or the ink ribbon is replaced. To enter the printing mode, first, the arm 9 is swung around the fulcrum 9a toward the paper guide 4 by the operation of the plunger 8. As a result, the lower paper feed roller 33 attached to the lower part of the arm 9 has the opposite auxiliary roller 3
4 to form a lower paper feed mechanism. The paper feed mechanism for the roll paper 11 is composed of a roller 36 and an auxiliary roller 35.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper paper feed roller 2
The lever 10 having the tip 5 attached thereto extends in the vertical direction, and the stopper 16 provided on the arm 9 restricts the rotation around the rotation fulcrum 37 when the platen 5 is in the standby mode position. It That is, when the printer is in the standby mode, the clockwise rotation of the lever 10 is restricted, and the upper paper feed roller 25 provided at the tip of the lever 10 comes into contact with the auxiliary roller 27 to convey the print paper. You cannot do it. Further, the lower end of the lever 10 is restricted by the lever 18 from rotating clockwise around the rotation fulcrum 37. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
The lever 18 pivots counterclockwise around the pivot fulcrum 18a by the action of the plunger 19 to release the engagement with the lever 10, and the arm 8 pivots the pivot fulcrum 9a by the action of the plunger 8. When the stopper 16 releases the rotation restriction of the lever 10 by rotating counterclockwise, the lever 10 is moved by the spring 15 to the printer head 23.
The upper paper feed roller 25 contacts the auxiliary roller 27 by turning around the fulcrum 37 in the direction of, and constitutes an upper paper feed mechanism.

Further, as the arm 9 pivots toward the paper guide 4, the platen 5 protruding from the arm 9 toward the printer head 23 projects from the opening 4a of the paper guide 4 toward the printer head 23. Then, the back side of the printing paper is pushed up toward the printer head 23.

As described above, in the printer 1 of this embodiment, when the printing mode is set, the plunger 8 can configure each paper feeding mechanism, and the platen 5 can reliably support the back side of the printing paper. The roll paper 11 for journal printing can be fed by a paper feeding mechanism constituted by rollers 35 and 36. Further, the validation paper 12 inserted from the upper part of the printer 1 or the slip paper 13 inserted from the lower part is an upper paper feed mechanism composed of rollers 25 and 27, and a lower paper feed mechanism composed of rollers 33 and 34. A mechanism can feed to a predetermined print position.

The operation of the plunger 8 causes the platen 5 to project from the paper guide 4, and the platen gap G, which is the gap between the platen 5 and the printer head 23, becomes narrower.
The printing paper, the mask plate 40, and the ink ribbon 31 are installed in this platen gap G in this order from the platen 5 side. The mask plate 40 of this example is composed of a thin metal plate 41, and a lower portion 42 thereof is gently bent and attached to the carriage unit 22. In addition, a substantially rhombic opening 44 extending vertically is formed in the upper portion 43 of the metal plate 41. The ink ribbon 31 can be stamped on the printing paper by the printer head 23 through the opening 44. In addition, the metal plate 41 has an upper part 4
A lead portion 45 is formed to extend further upward from 3. The lead portion 45 is bent from the paper guide 4 toward the printer head 23 and is open above the printer 1, that is, in the direction in which the validation paper 12 is inserted. The mask plate 40 is a thin metal plate, is gently bent with respect to the carriage unit 23, and is inclined toward the platen 5. Therefore, the part of the metal plate 41 is elastic, and the part 43 above it presses the platen 5. In this way, the mask plate 40 allows the printing paper to be brought into close contact with the platen 5 side.

In this way, the mask plate 40 is attached to the ink ribbon 3
If it is provided between No. 1 and the printing paper, the interference between the printing paper and the ink ribbon 31 can be prevented. Therefore, when setting the printing paper or feeding the paper, it is possible to prevent a trouble such that the ink ribbon 31 comes into contact with the paper to be contaminated, or the ink ribbon 31 is displaced from a predetermined position due to the paper feeding to cause printing failure. it can. Therefore, high-speed and high-quality printing can be performed.

Further, by using such a mask plate 40, the printing paper can be pressed against the platen 5, so that the printing paper can be prevented from fluttering at the time of printing and the noise generated during printing can be suppressed. In particular, validation paper 1
When printing multiple sheets of printing paper as shown in 2,
Since it is possible to hold a plurality of printing sheets as a unit, it is possible to suppress noise and improve the printing quality of the overlapping printing sheets. Furthermore, as in this example, the validation paper 12
In addition, in the printer that also prints one roll of paper 11, by using the mask plate 40 having elasticity,
There is also an advantage that the printing paper can be reliably held on the platen regardless of the thickness of the printing paper. Therefore, it is possible to perform high-quality printing on printing sheets of different types and different thicknesses.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the mechanism around the printer head 23 and the paper guide 4 of the printer 1 of this example in the standby mode in which the validation paper 12 or the slip paper 13 is mounted on the paper guide 4. In this standby mode, the arm 9 is moved by the plunger 8.
Is rotated around the fulcrum 9a in a direction away from the paper guide 4. The arm 8 may be driven to rotate away from the paper guide 4 by the plunger 8, or the arm 8 may be rotated by the force of the spring 14 with the plunger 8 being in a non-excited state as in this example. When the arm 9 pivots away from the paper guide 4, the lower paper feed roller 33 separates from the auxiliary roller 34. Further, since the lever 10 is also swung in the direction away from the printer head 23 by the stopper 16 of the arm 9, the upper paper feed roller 25 is separated from the auxiliary roller 27. At this time, if the arm 9 is to be swung by the spring 14, the force for turning the arm 9 by the spring 14 needs to be stronger than that of the spring 15 for turning the lever 10.

Further, when the arm 9 pivots in the direction away from the paper guide 4, the platen 5 joined to the arm 9 retracts from the opening 4a of the paper guide 4. As a result, the space between the printer head 23 and the platen 5 is widened, and a gap W between the printer head 23 and the paper guide 4 can be secured on the printing paper side of the printer head 23. Further, when the platen 5 is pulled into the paper guide 4, the elastic mask plate 40 pressed by the platen 5 is swung in the direction of the paper guide 4, and the inclination angle is changed. Then, the guide portion 51 of the mask guide 50 prepared above the paper guide 4 and the lead portion 45 of the mask plate are in contact with each other. Therefore, the upper portion 43 of the mask plate 40 does not reach the surface of the paper guide 4 and the gap X is formed between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4.
Can be secured.

FIG. 4 shows a mask guide 50 and a mask plate 40 that moves along a guide portion 51 of the mask guide 50.
Is shown. The mask guide 50 is used in the printer 1.
Is a plate-shaped member extending from both ends 2a to 2b, and the mask head 50 on the printer head 23 side is the mask plate 4.
It is a guide portion 51 that guides the lead portion 45 of 0. The guide portion 51 has a portion 52 that protrudes toward the printer head 23 on both sides 2a and 2b, and a central portion 5 that is recessed from the printer head 23 side.
It is 3. Further, the mask guide 50 is attached to the printer 1 such that the protruding portion 52 of the guide portion 51 is inclined downward toward the printer head 23.

In the state shown in FIG. 3, the printer head 23
Is moved to either side 2a or 2b of the printer 1 and is positioned below the upper paper feed roller 25a or 25b. For example, the paper feed roller 2
Considering the state where the printer head 23 moves below 5b, since the printer is in the standby mode due to the movement of the plunger 8, there is a slight gap between the paper feed roller 25b and the auxiliary roller 27b above the mask plate 40. And are separated from each other. And the roller 27b
Since the mask plate 40 is located underneath, and the lead portion 45 is in contact with the protruding portion 52 of the mask guide 50 and is separated from the paper guide 4, the tip of the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 is below the roller 27b. . Therefore, the leading end of the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 with respect to the inserted sheet is the roller 2
Since it is hidden by 7b, no paper is mistakenly inserted between the mask plate 40 and the printer head 23. Further, in this example, the lead portion 45 is in contact with the protruding portion 52 of the guide portion in the state of being opened upward, and has a shape that easily accepts the validation sheet 12. Further, although the protruding portion 52 of the guide portion and the lead portion 45 are in contact with each other, the shape is such that the paper can be easily received from above as described above, and the lead portion 45 is elastic due to the metal plate 41. Protruding part 5
Validation sheet 1 because it is only pressed by 2
In the case of inserting a recording sheet having a certain thickness and therefore a certain degree of rigidity as shown in 2, the lead portion 45 is pushed open and the protruding portion 5 of the guide portion is opened.
It can pass smoothly between the two. Therefore, even when the lead portion 45 is in contact with the protruding portion 52,
An insertion path for the validation paper 12 can be configured that passes between the paper feed rollers 25b and 27b and passes through the contact portion between the lead portion 45 of the mask plate and the protruding portion 52 of the mask guide 50.

When the user inserts the validation sheet 12 between the rollers 25b and 27b, the validation sheet 12 is passed between the rollers 25b and 27b and the lead portion 45 of the mask plate and the mask guide 50 are projected. It can be automatically guided to the contact portion with the portion 52. Then, the validation paper 12 can be guided to a predetermined position between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4 through this contact portion. Since the validation sheet 12 is composed of a plurality of cut sheets, the edges thereof are not always integrated. However, the lead portion opened upward and the protruding portion 5 pass through between the rollers 25b and 27b.
By leading to 2, it is possible to smoothly insert all the forms forming the validation paper 12 between the paper guide 4 and the mask plate 40. Further, since a relatively wide gap X is secured between the paper guide 4 and the mask plate 40, the validation paper 12 may interfere with the mask plate 40 or the paper guide 4 when the validation paper 12 is mounted. Nor. Since the mask plate 40 is stopped by the mask guide 50, the validation paper 12 is not necessary.
It is not pressed by. Therefore, there is no jamming when inserting the validation sheet 12, and the validation sheet 12 is not damaged.

Further, since the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 is opened and scooped toward the printer head 23, a part of the form forming the validation paper 12 is partially separated between the mask plate 40 and the ink ribbon 31. You can prevent troubles such as getting in. In addition, the ink ribbon 3
1 and the validation sheet 12 between the mask plate 40
Therefore, the validation paper 12 will not be contaminated by the ink ribbon and the validation paper 12 during insertion. Further, the validation ribbon 12 inserted does not cause the ink ribbon 31 to be displaced. As described above, in the printer of this example, the user can easily attach the validation sheet 12 to the printer without any worry.

After mounting the validation sheet 12,
When returning to the print mode as shown in FIG. 2, the mask plate 40 and the validation sheet 12 can be pushed up by the platen 5. Therefore, the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 is disengaged from the mask guide 50, and the validation sheet 12 can be reliably set on the platen 5 using the mask plate 40, and clean printing can be performed.

Since the validation sheet 12 generally has a narrow width and a narrow printing area, one end of the printing sheet is aligned and inserted into one end of the sheet insertion port. In this example, one end of the printing paper is aligned with the paper feed roller 25b side. Therefore, in order to reliably convey the validation sheet 12, it is desirable that the sheet feed roller 25b be provided close to the edge of the sheet insertion port.
When inserting, the printer head 23 is moved to below the paper feed roller 25b, and the lead portion 4 of the mask plate 40 is moved.
5 is held at a position apart from the paper guide 4 by the protruding portion 52 of the mask guide 50.

On the other hand, the slip paper 13 inserted from the bottom of the printer 1 may have a wide width, and the printing area may expand. Therefore, in this example, the side opposite to the side that can guide the side edge of the printing paper is used. In that case, the mask plate 40 is moved to the side of the paper feed roller 25a to prevent variations when the slip paper 13 is mounted. Also, a lower portion 42 for attaching the mask plate 40 to the carriage unit 22.
Since it is gently bent, it also functions as a scoop for guiding the slip paper 13 inserted from below to the paper guide 4.

When inserting the slip paper 13 from the lower part of the printer, first, the tip of the slip paper 13 is inserted to a position slightly below the lead portion of the mask plate 40 by the paper feed mechanism provided in the auxiliary guide 7. That is, since the length of the path from the sheet insertion detector (not shown) provided at a predetermined position of the auxiliary guide 7 to the mask guide 50 via the sheet guide 4 and the platen 5 is known, the sheet feeding mechanism is controlled. The leading edge of the slip paper 13, that is, the top of the paper is the mask plate 40.
The paper feed is stopped at a point slightly below the contact point between the lead portion 45 and the mask guide 50. In general, the printer body is provided with a paper stopper so that the paper is positioned at a predetermined position and at the same time, the state is detected by the paper insertion detector.

Next, the platen 5 is moved by the plunger 8.
From the paper guide 4 toward the print head. As a result, the mask plate 40 is in a state of pressing the slip paper 13 against the platen 5. In this case, the lever 18 is held in the state of being rotated clockwise by the plunger 19 around the rotation fulcrum 18a, and is engaged with the lower end of the lever 10 to prohibit the clockwise rotation. Because
The upper paper feed roller 25 and the auxiliary roller 27 do not come into contact with each other. Since the tip of the slip paper 13 is above the platen 5, the mask plate 40 presses the platen 5 below the tip of the slip paper 13. In this state, the slip paper 13 is further fed, and when the leading end reaches between the paper feed roller 25 and the auxiliary roller 27, the plunger 19 is actuated to release the engagement between the lever 18 and the lever 10 to release the paper feed roller. 25 is contacted with the auxiliary roller 27. If the slip paper 13 is set using such control, the leading edge of the slip paper 13 will be the mask guide 5.
Since it is possible to prevent the mask plate 40 and the mask guide 50 from contacting each other while passing through the vicinity of 0 and reaching the upper paper feed roller, the tip of the slip paper does not push the mask plate 40 and proceed, and the slip paper 13 is Even if it is thin, trouble such as paper jam does not occur, and slip paper 13
Can be set. Further, after the slip paper 13 reaches the upper paper feed roller 25, the upper paper feed roller 25 and the auxiliary roller 27 are brought into contact with each other to start conveying the slip paper, so that the slip paper is loosened due to the drawing into the roller. Can be prevented.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the printer 1 is set to the standby mode and the printer head 23 is set to the central position shown in FIG. Since the printer 1 is set to the standby mode by using the plunger 8, a relatively wide gap W can be secured between the printer head 23 and the paper guide 4 as in FIG. Then, when the printer head 23 moves to the center position, the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 hits the recessed portion 53 of the mask guide 50. Since the mask plate 40 has elasticity, the upper portion 43 of the mask plate swivels to a position where it is substantially in contact with the paper guide 4, and the inclination angle of the mask plate 40 changes. Therefore, a relatively wide gap Y is formed between the mask plate 40 and the printer head 23.
Can be secured.

Further, the recessed portion 53 of the mask guide 50 of this example is thick so as to completely cover the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40. Therefore, when the lead portion 45 of the mask plate is fitted into the recessed portion 53, the lead portion 45 does not project upward from the mask guide 50, and the lead portion 45 is not caught even when the ink ribbon 31 is inserted. It has become.

If the printer head 23 is set at such a position and the cover 3 above the printer 1 is removed, the space between the printer head 23 and the mask plate 40 is wide open, so that the ink ribbon 31 is printed on the printer. It can be easily replaced from above 1. That is, if the ribbon case 30 is removed from the body, the ink ribbon 31 can be easily removed from between the printer head 23 and the mask plate 40. When the ribbon case 30 is attached to the body, the printer head 23 and the mask plate 40 are widely opened, so that the ink ribbon 31 can be attached smoothly. At this time, since the mask plate 40 is inclined toward the paper guide 4 and opened upward, when the ink ribbon 31 is inserted from above, the mask plate 40 also functions as a scoop for guiding the ribbon 31 to a predetermined position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent troubles such as wrinkles occurring when the ink ribbon 31 is mounted, or troubles such that the ink ribbon 31 enters between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4, and it is possible to prevent printing errors from occurring. Also, since the user can replace the ink ribbon without using nerves, the time required for replacement can be shortened.

If the lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 is set in the recessed portion 53 at the center of the mask guide 50, the gap between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4 becomes smaller,
The upper portion 43 of the mask plate 40 is substantially in contact with the paper guide 4. Therefore, when the roll paper 11 is fed using the paper feed rollers 35 and 36, it can be pressed against the paper guide 4 by the mask plate 40, so that the paper can be smoothly fed along the paper guide 4. For this reason, it is desirable to set the printer head 23 at a substantially central position for paper feeding when performing journal printing.

Control of Printer FIG. 6 shows a control system of the printer 1 of this example. The printer 1 of this example includes an interface 61 that receives print data from an external personal computer or the like, and a CPU 62 that controls the printer according to the print data input via the interface 61. C
The PU 62 has a ROM 63 in which programs such as those described below are stored and an R for temporarily storing print data.
It is equipped with AM64, and this print data is sent to the CPU at any time.
It is sent to the head control circuit 69 via 62 and printing can be performed from the printer head 23. Further, in order to perform printing at a predetermined position, a carriage motor 73 for moving the carriage unit 22 on which the printer head 23 is mounted, and a control circuit 67 for this carriage motor are provided. The feed motor 74 for feeding the paper and the control circuit 6
8 is also provided, and these control circuits 67 and 68 are C
It is connected to the PU 62.

Further, since the printer 1 of this example performs the above-mentioned operation for setting the paper and exchanging the ribbon, the sensor 71 for detecting the opening / closing of the printer cover 3 is used.
A printer cover open detection circuit 65 for inputting the state of this sensor to the CPU 62 is also provided. Also, 3
Since various types of printing paper can be printed, the selection switch 72 for selecting these printing papers and the selection contents are detected,
A paper load switch detection circuit 66 for inputting to the CPU 62 is also provided. Further, a mode selection circuit 70 for switching the mode of the printer 1 between the standby mode and the printing mode is also connected to the CPU 62, and the plunger 8 can be operated by this mode selection circuit 70.

FIG. 7 shows a control method when the printing paper is set by using these control systems and the ink ribbon is replaced. First, the printer 1 is started in step ST1. As described above, in the printer 1 of the present example, the plunger 8 is operated to set the print mode. Therefore, when the printer 1 is started, the printer 1 is in the standby mode. Further, in order to put the printer 1 of this example into the standby mode, the printer may be reset.

Next, in step ST2, the opening / closing of the cover is confirmed using the sensor 71. When the cover 3 is open, the carriage motor 73 is controlled to set the printer head 23 to the central position in step ST3. When the printer head 23 is set at the center position in the standby mode, the printer 1 is in the state described with reference to FIG. Therefore, the ink ribbon 31 can be easily replaced.

Further, in step ST4, it is determined whether the load of the roll paper 11 is requested by the selection switch 72. If there is a request to load the roll paper 11 in step ST5, the roll paper 11 is loaded.
The paper feeding mechanism is operated by using the feed motor 74. As described above, when the roll paper 11 is fed, the printer head 23 is set at the center and the mask plate 4
It is desirable to adjust the gap between 0 and the paper guide 4 to be narrow. Next, in step ST6, the opening / closing of the cover is confirmed using the sensor 71. If the cover is open, the process returns to step ST4. If the cover is closed, it is determined in step ST7 that the initial setting of the printer is completed, and the normal service is restored.

If it is determined that the cover is closed in step ST2 when the initial setting is completed in step ST7 or when it is started, step ST8 is performed.
Move to In step ST8, it is determined whether the validation is selected by the selection switch 72. If the validation is selected, the printer head 23 is moved to the right side 2b of the printer 1 in step ST9. The printer head 23 has the right upper paper feed roller 2 on the right side.
When it is located below 5b, the printer 1 is in the state described with reference to FIG. 3, so that the validation sheet 12 can be set smoothly and easily without any trouble.

If validation is not selected in step ST8, the process proceeds to step ST10. When slip paper is selected by the selection switch 72, the printer head 23 is moved to the left side 2a of the printer 1 in step ST11. As a result, the printer head 23 is positioned below the left upper paper feed roller 25a, so that the slip paper 13 is transferred as described with reference to FIG.
The state becomes easy to insert.

When the setting of printing paper is completed in this way, the process proceeds to step ST12 to start printing. In step ST12, the mode selection control circuit 70 selects the printing mode and operates the plunger 8. As a result, the paper feed mechanism and the platen move to a predetermined position for printing, and printing can be performed using the printer head.

As described above, the printer of this example is low in noise and
Equipped with a mask plate that can print beautifully without trouble. By controlling the position of the mask plate in the standby state by using the mask guide, forms such as validation can be easily set without any trouble, and the ink ribbon can be easily replaced. Furthermore, the control of the mask plate by the mask guide is made different according to the position of the printer head along the printing direction, so the position of the mask plate in the direction perpendicular to the printing paper can be adjusted simply by moving the printer head. You can control. Therefore, it is possible to easily set a plurality of printing papers without troubles and to easily replace the ink ribbons with the above-mentioned simple structure.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 8 shows an outline of a printer 1 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Printer 1 of this example
Is also a wire dot type printer capable of executing three types of printing papers, that is, roll paper 11, validation paper 12 and slip paper 13, and a printing method. Therefore, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. The printer 1 of this example also includes a mask plate 40 extending from the carriage unit 22 toward the printer head 23 between the ink ribbon 31 and the roll paper 11.
Then, the mask plate 40 extends from the printer head 23 side toward the platen 5, and can press the roll paper 11, the validation paper 12 and the slip paper 13 inserted thereinto the platen 5 side. Further, a mask guide 60 that comes into contact with a part of the mask plate 40 is provided at the end of the movable range of the printer head 23, which is the end on the right side when viewed from the printer head 23 side in this example. A paper retainer 17 is provided above the paper guide 4 to guide the roll paper fed after printing.

FIG. 9 shows an enlarged view of the vicinity of the mask guide 60. The mask guide 60 of this example is arranged at the right end of the range in which the printer head 23 moves, and in this example, it is formed by a plate attached to the right end 2a of the printer body. Mask guide 6 of this example
0 means mask plate 4 for platen or paper guide 4
It has a substantially flat guide plate 61 arranged on the side of the printer head 23 of No. 0. The guide plate 61 only protrudes from the right end 2a of the body of the printer to the extent that it contacts the mask plate 40 described later when the printer head 23 moves to the right end. Therefore, the printer head 2
As long as 3 does not approach the right end, the guide plate 61 and the mask plate 40
The mask plate 40 does not contact with the platen, and functions to press the printing sheet against the platen. Further, when the mask guide 60 is arranged at the end close to the body, it is easy to take support from the body and the like, and it does not hinder the replacement of the ink ribbon. The upper and lower parts 62, 6 of the guide plate 61
3 is inclined to the printer head 23 side, and can be guided to the paper guide 4 side when the edge of the printing paper hits the guide plate 61.

The mask plate 40 of this embodiment is composed of the metal plate 41 as in the above embodiment, and is provided with the upper portion 43 having substantially the same shape as described above for pressing the printing paper against the platen. In the mask plate 40 of this example, since the mask guide 60 is in the moving direction of the printer head 23, that is, on the right end, the mask plate 60 is not above the pressing portion 43,
A lead portion 45 is provided in the lateral direction, which is the right side when viewed from the printer head 23 in this example. The upper portion 46 of the pressing portion 43 of the mask plate 40 extends while inclining toward the printer head 23 side, and even if the edge of the printing paper hits the upper portion 46, the printing paper is placed between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4 or the platen. Can lead.

The lead portion 45 of the present example extends from the portion 43 pressed against the platen while sloping toward the printer head 23 side, and the platen enters the inside of the paper guide 4 so that the mask plate 40 comes to the paper guide 4. Even in the contact state, that is, even in the standby mode, the end of the lead portion is 45a
Touches the guide plate 61. Therefore, when the printer head 23 moves to the right end, the end 45a of the lead portion contacts the guide plate 61 at the position where the printer head 23 approaches the right end. Further, when the printer head 23 moves to the right end, the lead portion 45 moves while contacting the end of the guide plate 61, and the upper portion 43 of the mask plate 40 is guided by the inclination of the lead portion 45 and the upper portion 43 of the mask plate 40 is indicated by arrow A. Attracted to.

Contrary to the above-mentioned mask guide, it is also possible to set the guide plate excluding the end of the movable area of the printer head and push the mask plate toward the platen side by protruding the guide plate toward the platen side. It is possible. Then, at the end of the movable range, the mask plate may be made to have elasticity toward the printer head side, which is the opposite of this example, so that the gap between the platen or the paper guide is opened. However, considering the accuracy required for such a guide plate and the mounting of the ink ribbon, it is desirable to provide a mask guide at either end as in this example. In addition, since feed rollers etc. that convey the printing paper are often placed on the edge side, if the mask plate is on the edge when setting the printing paper, the path for inserting the printing paper in combination with these is provided. Another advantage is that it is easy to configure.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a state in which the printer head 23 is located at the position shown in FIG. 9A. This figure shows a state in which the printer 1 is set to the standby mode using the plunger 8, and a wide gap W is secured between the printer head 23 and the paper guide 4. Further, since the printer head 23 is located near the center of the printable range, the lead portion 45 of the mask plate is not attached to the guide plate 61.
Has not hit. Therefore, the mask plate 40 is pressed against the paper guide 4, and a wide gap Y can be secured between the mask plate 40 and the printer head 23. Therefore, this state is suitable for replacing the ink ribbon. Further, in this state, when the printer 1 is set to the print mode by using the plunger 8, the platen 5 moves to the paper guide 4
Since it protrudes from the mask plate, it becomes the same state as in FIG.
With 0, printing paper such as roll paper and validation paper is pressed against the platen, and clean printing can be performed with low noise.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a state in which the printer head 23 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 9B. When the printer head 23 moves to the right end as described above,
The lead portion 45 of the mask plate 40 contacts the guide plate 61, and the mask plate 40 is pulled toward the printer head 23 side by the mutual operation of the lead portion 45 and the guide plate 61. As a result, the gap between the printer head 23 and the mask plate 40 is reduced, and the gaps between the mask plate 40 and the platen 5 and between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4 are increased. Therefore, it becomes easy to set the validation paper 12 from above the printer. Further, in the printer of this example, the mask plate 4
Since 0 is operated from the printer head 23 side, it is possible to secure a gap between the mask plate 40 and the paper guide 4 in a state where there is no obstacle. Therefore, the validation paper 12
The validation paper 12 in the paper path when setting
The user can set the validation paper 12 without applying force because there is no place where the edge of the paper hits. Therefore,
The edge of the validation paper 12 is not caught or tilted, and the edge of the validation paper 12 is not rolled at all, and the validation paper 1 is very smooth and reliable.
You can set 2. When the printer head 23 is moved from the end toward the center after the validation paper 12 is set, the lead portion 43 of the mask plate 40 is disengaged from the guide plate 61.
2 can be pressed against the paper guide 4 or the platen 5 to be held. Around this time, the validation paper 12 can be fed to a position where printing is started by operating the plunger 8 and sandwiching the validation paper 12 by the paper feed rollers 25, 27, 33, 34.

The control system of the printer 1 of this example may be the same as the system described with reference to FIG. Further, as the control method for setting the printing paper and exchanging the ink ribbon, the control method including the steps described with reference to FIG. 7 can be adopted.
However, the position of the printer head 23 when the ink ribbon 31 is replaced in step ST3 does not necessarily have to be at the center, and may be at the right end. On the contrary, when the validation is selected, in step ST9, the printer head 23 is moved to the right end of the printer 1 and the guide plate 61 is moved to the lead portion 43 of the mask plate 40.
Need to be hit.

As described above, the printer of this example is also a printer provided with a mask plate and can perform clean printing with low noise. Further, by controlling the distance between the mask plate and the printer head, a setting error of the printing paper can be prevented. Problems such as dirt can be prevented. Therefore, it is suitable for printers that frequently handle printing paper such as validation and slip paper that frequently sets and ejects printing paper, and wastes printing paper due to troubles during setting You can avoid wasting your time.

Further, in the printer of this embodiment, the mask plate is operated from the side of the printer head. Therefore, the gap between the mask plate and the printer head is narrowed so that the gap between the mask plate and the platen or the paper guide is small. Fully open. Therefore, it can be inserted on the paper guide without any resistance when setting the validation, that is, between the mask plate and the platen. Therefore, it is not necessary to incline when setting the validation, or to apply some force to the validation sheet at the time of insertion in order to adjust this. The user can set the validation at a predetermined position only by dropping the validation in alignment with the right end of the paper guide, and reliable printing can be obtained.

Further, in addition to setting the printing paper, the printer of this example can easily replace the ink ribbon, so that the maintenance is easy, and in this respect, it can be said that the printer does not burden the user.

In the above example, the position of the mask plate is controlled by using a plate-shaped mask guide and placing a part of the mask plate along a part of the mask guide. Of course, the position of the mask plate may be controlled by using a cam mechanism that rotates in conjunction with each other.
Further, in the above example, the position of the roller used as the paper feeding mechanism and the position of narrowing the gap between the mask plate and the printer head are almost aligned with each other. It goes without saying that the print paper can be easily set by narrowing the distance between the heads. Instead of forming the introduction path of the printing paper by the roller, the introduction path may be provided by a plate or the like in the vicinity of the paper feeding mechanism. It is also easy to change the mask guide so that when the position of the roller changes, the mask plate can be controlled according to the position. When the mask guide is changed, the position for controlling the mask plate can be changed simply by moving the printer head according to the position.

Further, it goes without saying that the printer may be incorporated in a cash register or the like in addition to the independent unit as in this example. further,
In this example, the opening / closing of the cover is detected as the signal for moving the printer head to the center, but other signals such as a reset signal may be used as a matter of course. Further, although a selection switch is provided for selecting validation or the like, it is of course possible to provide a sensor at the introduction portion of the paper feeding mechanism or the like to automatically determine the printer side and move the printer head.

[0067]

As described above, the present invention relates to a printing apparatus which is installed between an ink ribbon and a printing paper and which employs a mask plate capable of performing high-quality printing and at the same time suppressing printing noise. Therefore, by controlling the gap between the mask plate and the print head, it is possible to easily set the printing paper including the forms, and it is possible to prevent problems such as stains at the time of setting and defective printing due to defective setting. Further, the printer ribbon can be easily replaced, and troubles such as defective printing due to the ribbon replacement can be prevented.

As described above, the printing apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus capable of easily performing various types of printing such as validation printing and slip printing without trouble. further,
Since the printing apparatus according to the present invention can minimize the troubles associated with setting / discharging, it is most suitable for printing single-cut paper such as validation paper or slip paper in which setting / discharging of printing paper is frequently performed. It is a printing device. Therefore, it is suitable as a terminal such as a store, an apparatus that often handles various forms such as cashier, an information processing apparatus having a complex function, or a cash register. Further, by adopting the printing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent waste of printing paper, save time spent by the user for printing and maintenance, and reliably supply cleanly printed forms without stains. By doing so, the service to the customer can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a printer according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a configuration around a printer head of the printer shown in FIG. 1, showing a state of a print mode.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a configuration around a printer head of the printer shown in FIG. 1, showing a state in which forms are inserted in a standby mode.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a mask guide of the printer shown in FIG.

5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a configuration around a printer head of the printer shown in FIG. 1, showing a state in which an ink ribbon is replaced in a standby mode.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a control system of the printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing control for initializing the printer and setting paper based on the control system shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an outline of a printer according to a second embodiment of the invention.

9 is an enlarged view showing a mask guide of the printer shown in FIG. 8, FIG. 9 (a) shows a state where a mask plate pushes a platen (paper guide) side, and FIG. 9 (b) shows a mask. The state where the plate is pulled toward the printer head side is shown.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration around the printer head of the printer shown in FIG. 8, showing a state in which the ink ribbon is replaced in the standby mode.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration around the printer head of the printer shown in FIG. 8, showing a state in which forms are inserted in the standby mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Printer 2 ... Printer body 3 ... Printer cover 4 ... Paper guide 5 ... Platen 6 ... Cutter 7 ... Lower paper guide 8 ... Plunger 9 ... Arm 10 ... Lever 11 ... Roll Paper 12 ・ ・ Validation paper 13 ・ ・ Slip paper 14 ・ 15 ・ ・ Spring 16 ・ ・ Stopper 17 ・ ・ Paper holder 20 ・ ・ Guide 21 ・ ・ Head unit 22 ・ ・ Carriage unit 23 ・ ・ Printer head 24 ・ ・ Belt 26 .. 28 .. Shaft 25, 27, 33, 34, 35, 36 .. Paper feed roller 30 .. Ribbon case 31. Ink ribbon 40 .. Mask plate 41 .. Metal plate 42 .. Metal plate loosely bent Lower part 43 ・ ・ Upper part pressed against the platen of metal plate 44 ・ ・ Rhombic opening of mask plate 45 ・ ・ Lead part of mask plate 50, 60 ... mask guide 51 ... guide portion 52 ... guide portion protruding part 53 ... Guide portion center of recessed portion 61 ... guide plate of the end of the

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A printing apparatus comprising: a dot impact print head for printing while moving on a print sheet set on a platen; and a mask plate capable of pressing the print sheet from the print head side to the platen, When the mask plate moves across the printing paper together with the dot impact print head, the mask plate is moved vertically to the surface of the printing paper, and the distance between the mask plate and the dot impact print head is increased. 2. A printing apparatus, comprising: mask plate guide means for changing the position of the mask plate in a direction crossing the printing paper. 2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mask plate is partially fixed to a lower part of the print head and extends to an upper part of the print head, and extends from the elastic part. A lead portion, the lead portion being in contact with at least a part of the mask plate guide means and being guided by the shape of the mask plate guide means to change the distance between the elastic portion and the dot impact print head. A printing device characterized by: 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising platen moving means for positioning the platen in at least two positions, wherein the platen is positioned near the dot impact print head in the first position. , In a second position, the platen is positioned further from the dot impact print head, and when the platen is positioned in the first position, the platen is adapted to contact the mask plate. Characteristic printing device. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an ink ribbon located between the dot impact print head and the printing paper, wherein the mask plate faces a concave portion of the mask plate guide means. A printing apparatus, wherein, when positioned at a position, a gap between the mask plate and the dot impact print head is enlarged to facilitate replacement of the ink ribbon. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising at least two paper paths separated by the mask plate guide means. 6. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a pressing unit disposed at one end of the dot impact print head in a moving direction, the pressing unit including the dot impact print head. A printing apparatus provided to press the mask plate toward the dot impact print head when positioned at an end portion. 7. The printing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressing means is a projection member, and contacts a part of the mask plate as the dot impact print head is moved to the vicinity of the one end. A printing apparatus configured to gradually bring the mask plate closer to the dot impact print head. 8. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the concave portion is provided substantially at the center of the mask plate guide means in a direction traversing the printing paper. 9. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein an end of the recess is set to be higher than any part of a front end of the mask plate in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the printing paper. When is inserted into the gap,
A printing apparatus, wherein the ink ribbon is configured to smoothly slide into the gap. 10. A mask plate disposed on a carriage between a print head and a platen, the mask plate being in contact with a guide plate having a recess and a contact portion and reciprocating together with the carriage. A method for controlling a printing apparatus having a platen moving mechanism that alternately positions a platen at a first position close to the print head and a second position separated from the print head, wherein a single-cut sheet is the platen and the print. (A) The platen moving mechanism causes the platen to move to the second position when the print position is set to face the head.
At a position of (1) to expand the gap between the print head and the platen, and (b) after the insertion of the cut sheet is detected, at least the upper end of the cut sheet is at the print position. And (c) the platen moving mechanism transfers the platen to the first plate.
And a step of causing the platen to come into contact with the mask plate to expand a gap between the mask plate and the guide plate, and then the sheet is smoothly conveyed. Control method. 11. A mask plate disposed on a carriage between a print head and a platen, the mask plate being in contact with a guide plate having a recess and a contact portion and reciprocating together with the carriage. In a method of controlling a printing apparatus having a cover sensor capable of detecting opening or closing of a part of a housing, (a) a step of detecting the opening by the cover sensor when the cover is in an open state; Transporting the carriage to a position where the mask plate faces the recess and expanding the gap between the mask plate and the print head. 12. A mask plate disposed on a carriage between a print head and a platen, the mask plate contacting a guide plate having a recess and a contact portion and reciprocating together with the carriage. Platen moving means for alternately positioning the platen at a first position close to the print head and a second position spaced from the print head, and at one end in a range in which the print head can reciprocate in the transverse direction. In a method of controlling a printing apparatus having a protruding member arranged, when an authentication print sheet is designated to be set at a print position where the platen and the print head face each other, (a) the platen moving means Positioning the platen in a second position, and (b) in a range in which the print head is reciprocally movable in the transverse direction, in which the protrusion member is provided. The step of transporting the carriage with the mask plate facing the contact portion of the guide plate toward the end portion of (c), (c) as the carriage approaches the one end portion, A step of gradually bringing the mask plate closer to the print head by bringing the mask plate into contact with a part of the guide plate to enlarge a gap between the mask plate and the platen. Device control method.