JPH08183205A - Tape printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent a tape type recording medium from reaching the end in printing operation by installing a means for controlling a print head, a tape traveling mechanism and others to start interrupted printing operation from the beginning. CONSTITUTION: A thermal head 21 and a tape traveling mechanism 81 is controlled by a method in which when an end marker M is detected in printing operation, a printing control part interrupts the operation by turning off the current passing through the thermal head 21, after a tape type recording medium 6 being moved by driving the mechanism 81 so that the marker M passes a printing position, the energization of the thermal head 21 is started again from the beginning by taking out the printing data of the interrupted operation from a printing data storage part into a final printing area PA of more than one printing range positioned in a residual cutting scheduled area of the medium 6 formed nearer to the end E beyond the end marker M, and the interrupted printing operation is started from the beginning. In this way, the end E of the medium 6 reaches the printing position so that printing is prevented surely from being left unfinished.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape printer for printing relatively simple characters, figures, symbols, etc. on a tape-shaped recording medium such as a label.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a tape printer capable of printing relatively simple characters such as names, symbols and figures on a tape-shaped recording medium called a label made of, for example, thermal paper or resin film. Proposed.

As such a conventional tape printer, for example, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-185707, character input keys for inputting characters, symbols, figures, various print keys, various types An operation unit provided with function keys and the like, a display unit including a liquid crystal element for displaying input characters and the like, and a cassette storage unit for storing a tape cassette having a tape-shaped recording medium stored therein. Based on the input print data
Printing is performed on the tape recording medium while the tape-shaped recording medium is run using a print head such as a thermal head.

Then, the tape-shaped recording medium on which printing has been completed is sent to the outside of the tape printer and cut by the operator so that a recording medium on which desired characters, symbols, figures, etc. are printed can be obtained. Has been The tape-shaped recording medium that has been cut after printing is attached to the back or surface of the video cassette and used as an index of the video cassette.

The tape-shaped recording medium used in such a tape printer is used as a tape cassette by itself being housed inside a case when the recording medium is thermal paper, and the recording medium itself is a resin film or the like. When the color does not develop, it is housed together with the ink ribbon in the case to form a tape cassette, and the tape cassette is fed out from the tape cassette by the amount (length) to be used and printed. It is used by being attached to a cassette storage section provided in the printing section of the apparatus.

The tape cassette is attached to and detached from the tape printer by opening the cover of the cassette housing portion provided on the surface (upper surface) of the tape printer.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional tape printer, the tape-shaped recording medium is not provided with the mark indicating the end, and the tape-shaped recording medium reaches the end during the printing operation. There is a problem that it may (or disappears). Further, when the tape-shaped recording medium reaches the end in the middle of the printing operation, it is necessary to replace the tape cassette with a new one and then re-input the printing information for printing.

That is, the conventional tape printer has a problem that it is very troublesome and inferior in usability.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape-shaped printing apparatus capable of preventing the tape-shaped recording medium from reaching the end in the middle of a printing operation. And

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the tape printer according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1 is a tape-like recording provided with an end marker so that at least one printing range is left on the end side. A cassette mounting portion for mounting a tape cassette having a medium stored therein, a print head for printing on the tape-shaped recording medium, a tape running mechanism for running the tape-shaped recording medium, and detection for detecting the end marker. Means for interrupting the printing operation when the detection means detects the end marker in the middle of the printing operation and running the tape-shaped recording medium so that the end marker exceeds the printing position. It is characterized by having the print head and a print control unit for controlling the tape running mechanism, as is performed from the beginning.

The tape printer of the present invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in claim 1, a print information storage section for storing print information is provided.

[0012]

According to the tape printer of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the end marker provided so as to leave at least one print range on the end side of the tape-shaped recording medium has a printing operation. It can be detected by the detecting means in the middle of. If the end marker is detected during the printing operation, the printing operation is interrupted by the printing operation control means, and the printing operation is interrupted after the tape-shaped recording medium is run so that the end marker exceeds the printing position. Can be printed from the beginning in the final printing area left on the end side of the tape-shaped recording medium.

According to the tape printer of the second aspect of the present invention, the print information can be stored in the print information storage section.

[0014]

The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

First, the schematic construction of the tape printer of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall construction of an embodiment of a tape printer according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, a tape printer 1 of this embodiment has a box-shaped main body 2. One of the side surfaces of the main body 2 shown on the left front side in FIG. 1 is a front surface 3 serving as an operating side. The front surface 3 is provided with a cassette insertion opening 4 having a rectangular front shape in the longitudinal direction of the main body. It is opened in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the front surface 3 of 2. Then, inside the main body 2, a cassette mounting portion 5 shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 1 is provided so as to communicate with the cassette insertion opening 4.

The tape cassette 7 in which the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is housed inside and one end of which can be led out to the outside is a front surface 3 of the main body 2 as shown by arrows A and B in FIG. It can be mounted in the cassette mounting portion 5 through the cassette insertion port 4 formed in the. That is, the tape printer 1 of this embodiment is configured such that the tape cassette 7 can be attached to and detached from the front surface 3 of the main body 2. In FIG. 1, the arrow A indicates the tape cassette 7
Indicates the cassette loading direction, and arrow B indicates the tape cassette 7.
The cassette ejection direction is shown.

Further, the tape printer 1 according to the present embodiment.
Is a video cassette tape recorder (VTR) described later.
It is mounted on the 72 and used.

Next, the tape printer of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

2 to 4 show in detail one embodiment of the tape printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of a main portion, and FIG. 3 is a part of FIG. 4 is a front view of the main part with omission, FIG. 4 is a left side view showing the internal structure of the main part with part of FIG. 2 omitted, and FIG. 5 shows the internal structure of the main part with part omitted. It is a top view.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment has a main body 2 which is a pair of upper and lower sides and which is substantially box-shaped as a whole and which is substantially box-shaped in plan view. Of the side surfaces of the main body 2, one side surface shown below in FIG. 2 is a front surface 3 that is an operating side, and a cassette insertion port 4 is formed in the front surface 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the cassette insertion port 4 is formed in a rectangular shape on the front side, and is opened with its longitudinal direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the front surface 3 of the main body 2. Further, inside the main body 2, an inner case 8 is disposed so as to communicate with the cassette insertion port 4 and configure a cassette mounting portion 5 having an open front surface 3 side.

Further, an optical sensor 90 as a detecting means is arranged at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction outside the right side wall shown on the right side of the main body 2 in FIG. Tape cassette 7 mounted on 5
Detection holes 91a and 91b are formed in the main body 2 and the inner case 8, respectively, so that an end marker M, which will be described later, of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 housed inside the can be detected. The optical sensor 90 may be arranged inside the main body 2, and is not particularly limited to the arrangement position of this embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a drive motor 10 is disposed on the right side of the bottom surface 9 inside the main body 2 on the rear side, with its output shaft 10a facing downward. 10
The drive gear 11 is attached to a (FIG. 4). The drive gear 11 is connected (engaged) to an input gear 12 which is a two-stage gear having two large and small gears rotatably supported on the bottom surface 9 so as to be located on the front surface 3 side of the drive gear 11. The input gear 12 is a two-stage gear having two large and small gears rotatably supported on the bottom surface 9 so as to be positioned on the front surface 3 side of the input gear 12.
It is connected (engaged) with the intermediate gear 13. Furthermore, the first
The intermediate gear 13 is connected (engaged) to a second intermediate gear 14 rotatably supported on the bottom surface 9 so as to be located on the front surface 3 side of the first intermediate gear 13, and the second intermediate gear 14 is , Is connected (engaged) with an output gear 15 rotatably supported on the bottom surface 9 so as to be located closer to the front surface 3 side than the second intermediate gear 14. Each of the gears 12, 13, 14, 15 connected to the drive gear 11 has a bottom surface 9 and a front surface 3
The drive motors 1 are arranged in a line toward the side.
The driving force of 0 is sequentially transmitted. Further, the output gear 15 is a platen drive gear 6 which will be described later and is arranged in the tape cassette 7 in the cassette mounted state.
3 can be connected.

The input gear 12, the first intermediate gear 13, the second intermediate gear 14, and the output gear 15 form a driving force transmission mechanism 16 of this embodiment.

The drive motor 10, the drive force transmission mechanism 16, the platen roller 60 and the platen drive gear 63, which will be described later, arranged in the tape cassette 7 constitute a tape running mechanism 81 of this embodiment.

To the left of the output gear 15, a head lever 18 is provided, which is rotatably supported by a support shaft 17 erected on the bottom surface 9 in a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction. The head lever 18 is formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and is arranged so as to extend substantially parallel to the bottom surface 9. Further, the head lever 18 has a front arm 19 located on the front surface 3 side of the main body 2 about the support shaft 17 and a rear arm 20 located on the back side of the main body 2, and the longitudinal direction thereof is illustrated. 2 is arranged in the front-back direction shown in the up-down direction in FIG.
It is supposed to be rotatable around.

On the upper surface of the front arm 19 of the head lever 18 on the free end side, a thermal head 21 in which a plurality of heating elements (not shown) as print heads are arranged is arranged. The thermal head 21 rotates the head lever 18 about the support shaft 17 to move the tape-shaped recording medium 6 on the outer peripheral surface of a platen roller 60, which will be described later, disposed in the tape cassette 7 in the cassette mounted state. It can be connected and separated via A locking pin 22 is provided upright toward the bottom surface 9 on the lower surface of the rear arm 20 of the head lever 18 near the free end thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a thermal head 21 attached to the head lever 18 is provided on the back side of the head lever 18 and is disposed in the tape cassette 7 in a cassette mounted state, which will be described later. A flat plate-shaped head lever drive arm 23 for moving the platen roller 60 so as to move toward and away from the platen roller 60 is provided. The head lever drive arm 23 is rotatably supported at its base end by a rotary support shaft 24 that is erected on the left side of the bottom surface 9 so as to extend substantially parallel to the bottom surface 9. The free end is arranged below the free end of the rear arm 20 of the head lever 18.

In the vicinity of the free end of the head lever drive arm 23, a pin 22 erected on the lower surface of the rear arm 20 of the head lever 18 on the free end side is fitted, and the spindle 17 is supported.
A substantially arc-shaped elongated hole 25 is formed for restraining the range of rotation of the head lever 18 around the center. Further, a sub-arm 26 extending rightward in FIGS. 2 and 5 is formed at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the head lever drive arm 23, and an upper surface of a tip end portion of the sub-arm 26 is A roller-shaped rotatable cam follower 27 is provided. The cam follower 27 is provided with a cam surface 6 of the tape cassette 7, which will be described later, when the cassette is mounted.
5, the head lever drive arm 23 is rotated to rotate the support shaft 2
It can rotate clockwise about FIGS. 2 and 5 about 4. Further, a spring support portion 28 is provided upright on the upper left side of the head lever drive arm 23 at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction, and a torsion coil spring 29 abuts on a front end edge of the spring support portion 28. It has been locked.

One end of the torsion coil spring 29 shown in the lower side in FIGS. 2 and 5 is in contact with the right side surface of the tip end portion of the rear arm 20 of the head lever 18 so as to urge the head lever 18 in the clockwise direction. The other end of the torsion coil spring 29, which is locked so as to be in contact with the head lever driving arm 23, is provided upright from the base end portion of the sub arm 26 of the head lever drive arm 23 to the back side of the main body 2. It is locked so as to contact the front end edge of the locking projection 30.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a through hole 31 penetrating in the plate thickness direction is formed in the vicinity of the base end portion of the head lever drive arm 23. The through hole 31 has a through hole 31. One end of a biasing spring 32 that constantly biases the lever drive arm 23 in the counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 2 and 5 about the rotation support shaft 24 is locked. The other end of the biasing spring 32 is locked to a spring locking body 33 (FIG. 2) arranged on the bottom surface 9.

The head lever 18, the head lever drive arm 23, the cam follower 27 and the torsion coil spring 29 constitute a head drive mechanism 80 of this embodiment.

That is, in this embodiment, by moving the cam follower 27 to the left in FIGS. 2 and 5, the head lever drive arm 23 is moved to the rotary support shaft 2.
4 in the clockwise direction in FIGS. 2 and 5, and as the head lever drive arm 23 rotates in the clockwise direction, one end of the torsion coil spring 29 shown in the lower side in FIGS. 2 and 5 is the head lever 18. Rear arm 20
2 and 5, the head lever 18 is moved counterclockwise in FIGS. 2 and 5 about the support shaft 17 by the spring force of the torsion coil spring 29. It is configured to be rotatable.

As shown in FIG. 2, on the right side of the output gear 15, a substantially columnar engaging projection 34 used for positioning the tape cassette 7 in a cassette mounted state is provided upright, and on the bottom surface 9 of the engaging projection 34. A tape cutting mechanism 35 for cutting the tape-shaped recording medium 6 into a desired length is arranged near the left end on the front surface 3 side.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tape cutting mechanism 35
Has a cutting base 36 and a cutter lever 37 for operating the cutting base 36. And the cutting substrate 3
The base 6 has a flat substantially circular base 38 rotatably supported on the bottom surface 9. The outer peripheral surface of the base 38 cuts the tape-shaped recording medium 6 in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The cutting blade 39 is disposed so as to face a blade receiving portion 66, which will be described later, provided on the side surface of the tape cassette 7 when the cassette is mounted. The outer peripheral surface of the base 38 is arranged at a position spaced from the side surface of the tape cassette 7 in the cassette mounted state so as not to hinder the running of the tape-shaped recording medium 7 after printing, which is fed from the tape cassette 7. There is. Further, a cutter drive gear 40 formed in a substantially fan shape is coaxially attached to the end face of the base body 38 facing the bottom face 9.

The cutter lever 37 is rotatably supported on the left end on the front surface side of the bottom surface 9 of the main body 2, and the cutter lever 37 is provided with an operation arm 41 that projects outward from the main body 2 and is operated manually. And a gear portion 42 that meshes with the cutter driving gear 40 is formed.

That is, in this embodiment, by pulling the operating arm 41 of the cutter lever 37 to the front side in FIG. 2 (rotating in the counterclockwise direction), the gear portion 42 of the cutter lever 37 moves counterclockwise in FIG. Cutter drive gear 40 that rotates in the direction and is connected to this gear portion 42
Rotates clockwise in FIG. 2 and the cutter drive gear 4
2, the cutting blade 39 coaxially attached to the tape 0 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2 and moves to the blade receiving portion 66 provided on the side surface of the tape cassette 7 in the cassette mounted state to move to the tape-shaped recording medium. It is configured so that 7 can be cut to a desired length.

Above the driving force transmission mechanism 16, an inner case 8 as a cassette mounting portion 5 formed in a case shape with the front surface 3 side opened is provided so as to communicate with the cassette insertion port 4. . The inner case 8 is supported above the bottom surface 9 by a plurality of support ribs (not shown) provided upright on the bottom surface 9 so as not to interfere with the operations of the above-mentioned respective parts, and the lower surface of the tape cassette 7 in the cassette mounted state. A bottom plate 43 that also serves as a guide, and a left side plate 44 and a right side plate 45 that also serve as positioning and guides for the left and right side surfaces of the tape cassette 7 when the cassette is mounted
And a back plate 46 and a top plate 47, and each of the plates 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 is a bottom plate 9 of the main body 2.
A desired part is opened so as not to interfere with the operation of each part provided in the above and each part of the tape cassette 7 described later.

The top plate 47 and the right side plate 45 forming the inner case 8 as the cassette mounting portion 5 may use the upper surface and the right side surface of the main body 2, and are particularly limited to the structure of this embodiment. Not a thing. Further, the inner case 8 may be attached to the upper surface of the main body 2, and if the structure does not interfere with the operation of each part disposed on the bottom surface 9 inside the main body 2, especially in the structure of this embodiment. It is not limited.

An operation unit 48 for manually inputting print information (not shown), a print information storage unit 50 for storing print information,
The heating element provided in the thermal head 21 is selectively caused to generate heat based on the print information and the detection result of the optical sensor 90 as the detection means, and the tape running mechanism 81 is also provided.
In the present embodiment, the print control unit 51 for controlling the print control unit, the display unit 49 for displaying the print information, and the like are provided in the VTR 72, which will be described later, in which the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment is mounted. The print control unit 51 includes a CPU (not shown),
If the optical sensor 90 detects the end marker M during the printing operation, the printing operation is interrupted and the end marker M is printed at the printing position (the thermal head 21).
After the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is run over the contact position between the platen roller 60 and the platen roller 60, the thermal head 21 and the tape running mechanism 81 are controlled so that the interrupted printing operation is performed from the beginning. There is.

FIG. 6 shows a modified example of the tape printer 1 of this embodiment, which is the tape printer 1a of this embodiment.
Shows a case where it can be used alone. As shown in FIG. 6, from the operation unit 48 for manually inputting the print information to the tape printer 1a and the liquid crystal element for displaying the input characters and the like. Display unit 4 that displays the print information
9 and the like are arranged on the front surface 3 of the main body 2a, and as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. Based on the detection result of the optical sensor 90 as described above, the print control unit 51 that selectively heats the heating elements arranged in the thermal head 9 and controls the tape running mechanism 81 is provided. Other configurations are similar to those of the tape printer 1 of the above-described embodiment.

It should be noted that the tape printer 1 may be replaced by a VTR, for example.
When integrated with other equipment such as the above, the body of the other equipment may double as the body 2 of the tape printer 1.

Next, the tape cassette used in the tape printer of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an essential part of an embodiment of a tape cassette used in the tape printer according to the present invention with most of the upper lid case removed, and FIG. 8 is a left side view seen from the platen roller side. It is a figure.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the tape cassette 7 according to the present embodiment has a pair of upper and lower lid cases 52.
It has a cassette body 54 which is composed of a lower lid case 53 and a substantially rectangular plane. A tape reel 55 is rotatably supported inside the cassette main body 54 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the tape reel 55 has a mounting base 56 formed in a cylindrical shape,
In the vicinity of both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the mounting base 56, planar circular flange portions 57 extending in parallel to each other are mounted.
Is formed so as to be orthogonal to the axial center direction of. The tape-shaped recording medium 6 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the mounting base 56 located between the flanges 57.

Among the side surfaces of the cassette body 54, one end (free end) side of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is directed from the inside of the cassette body 54 to the outside on the lower side of the left side surface shown on the left side in FIG. A tape outlet 58 for discharging is opened.

A tape guide 59 for guiding the tape-shaped storage medium 7 is disposed in the vicinity of the one end of the tape outlet 58 shown in the upper part of FIG. 7 in the longitudinal direction. On the end side, the tape running mechanism 8
A rotatably supported platen roller 60, which constitutes a part of 1, is disposed so that a part of the outer peripheral surface thereof protrudes from the tape outlet 58 to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 8, the tape guide 59 has a base portion 61 formed in a cylindrical shape, and extends in the vicinity of both ends of the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 61 in parallel with each other. A planar circular flange body 62 is formed so as to be orthogonal to the axial direction of the base 61. The outer peripheral surface of the base portion 61 located between the flange bodies 62 contacts the tape-shaped recording medium 6 and serves as a guide for the tape-shaped recording medium 6. The tape guide 59 may be rotatably supported by the cassette body 54, and is not particularly limited to the configuration of this embodiment. Also,
The tape guide 59 of the present embodiment is different in the distance between the flange bodies 62 depending on the tape width of the tape-shaped storage medium 6 and can be replaced if necessary. That is, by exchanging the tape guide 59, one tape cassette 7 can be adapted to accommodate various types of tape-shaped storage media 6 having different tape widths.

At least the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 60 is a rubber roller formed of a rubber-like elastic body such as rubber, and the thermal head 21 of the tape printer 1 is used for the tape-shaped recording medium 6 in a cassette mounted state. Can be abutted through. The contact portion between the thermal head 21 and the platen roller 60 is the printing position. A platen drive gear 63 for rotating the platen roller 60 is coaxially attached to the platen roller 60 under the platen roller 60 so as to rotate integrally with the platen roller 60. Reference numeral 63 denotes a part of the tape running mechanism 81, which is connected (meshed) with the output gear 15 which forms a part of the driving force transmission mechanism 16 arranged in the tape printer 1 in the cassette mounted state. ) It is possible.

Then, one end (free end) of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 wound around the outer peripheral surface of the tape reel 55 is pulled out to the outside from the tape outlet 58 via the tape guide 59 and to the outside from the tape outlet 58. The tape is passed along the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 60 protruding in the direction of the tape, and is drawn out in the tape running direction indicated by an arrow C in FIG.

On the lower surface of the lower lid case 53 of the cassette body 54 at the substantially central portion, a substantially horseshoe-shaped elastic protrusion 64 is provided so as to be exposed at the lower surface side of the cassette body 54. There is. The projection 64 is the engagement projection 34 of the tape printer 1 when the cassette is mounted.
The tape cassette 7 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the tape cassette 5, and is configured to position the tape cassette 7 mounted on the cassette mounting portion 5 and to give a click feeling for the operator to feel the completion of mounting the tape cassette 7 on the cassette mounting portion 5. .

A cam surface 65 is provided in a concave shape at a corner portion of the lower lid case 53 of the cassette body 54 shown on the upper left side in FIG. The cam surface 65 serves as a drive source for operating the head drive mechanism 80, and the tape cassette 7
2 is pushed into the cassette mounting portion 5 of the tape printer 1, the cam follower 27 of the tape printer 1 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
Is formed so as to move to the left.

A blade receiving portion 66 for receiving the cutting blade 39 of the tape cutting mechanism 35 at the time of cutting the tape is provided near the lower end of the left side surface shown on the left side in FIG. 7 among the side surfaces of the cassette body 54.
Are provided so as to face each other in the moving direction of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 39. The blade receiving portion 66 may be formed of hard rubber or the like and attached to the cassette body 54.

At the front side of the upper and lower surfaces of the cassette body 54, which is shown in the lower part in FIG. 7, the operation recess 6 having a substantially semicircular shape for the operator to grip with his / her finger when the cassette is mounted.
7 is recessed (see FIG. 1).

Further, on the right side wall of the cassette body 54 shown on the right side in FIG. 7, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 housed inside the tape cassette 7 mounted in the cassette mounting portion 5 in the cassette mounted state. A detection hole 91c is formed so that the end marker M described later can be detected.

Next, the tape-shaped recording medium used in the tape cassette of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a tape-shaped recording medium housed in a tape cassette used in the tape printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a winding state of the tape-shaped recording medium. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a part of the tape-shaped recording medium in the vicinity of the end thereof.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the tape-shaped recording medium 6 of this embodiment, an appropriate pressure-sensitive adhesive is applied to one surface of a continuous continuous heat-sensitive paper 68 that develops color when heat is applied. The adhesive layer 69 is formed, and a release paper 70 is attached to the surface of the adhesive layer 69.

The release paper 70 is cut at a desired interval narrower than the cutting length such as the length stuck to the label sticking portion of the video cassette, for example, so that a so-called half cut cutting portion 71 is formed. ing.

That is, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 of this embodiment
By folding the release paper 70 toward the thermal paper 68 at the position of the cut portion 71 of the release paper 70, the cut portion 71 of the release paper 70 can be easily released from the adhesive layer 69.

As shown in FIG. 10, the tape-shaped recording medium 6
11 is configured such that the thermal paper 68 is wound outward, and as shown in FIG. 11, the end E of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 (the inner peripheral side in the wound state located on the tape reel 55 side). On the surface of the thermal paper 68 at the end), the tape cutting mechanism 3
An end marker M that can be detected by the optical sensor 90 is provided so as to leave a final print area PA of at least one print area located in the planned cutting area by 5.

An end display portion (not shown) composed of a message or an end mark for making the operator recognize that the end E of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is close is attached to the tape-shaped recording medium 6 by printing or the like. May be provided.

Next, a VTR equipped with the tape printer of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a cassette mounted state of a VTR equipped with the tape printer according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 12, the VTR 7 of this embodiment is
In FIG. 2, a video cassette insertion port 74 into which a video cassette (not shown) is mounted is provided on the upright front surface 73 of the device which is the operating side of the device main body 72a, and on the right side of the video cassette insertion port 74. The above-described tape printer 1 is arranged so as to be positioned. The front surface 73 of the device also serves as an operation unit 48 that allows manual input of print information for the tape printer 1, and also serves as a VTR.
And a display unit 49 for displaying the print information input to the tape printer 1 and a display for displaying the operation state and time of the VTR itself. And a part 76. Inside the VTR 72, as indicated by an imaginary line in FIG. 12, at least a print information storage unit 50 that stores print information for the tape printer 1, and heat generated by the thermal head based on the print information. A print control unit 51 for selectively heating the elements and controlling the tape running mechanism 81, and a control unit 77 including a CPU and a memory (not shown) for controlling the VTR itself are provided.

Further, in the VTR 72 of this embodiment,
For example, information about broadcast contents such as a title sent simultaneously with audio and video is received using an empty band of the electric wave of a television, and the tape contents are recorded by the tape printer 1 on the basis of this information. It is configured so that the medium 6 can be immediately printed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above-mentioned structure will be described.

First, the operation of the tape printer of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a cassette mounted state.

In the tape printer 1 of this embodiment,
As shown by the arrow A in FIG. 1, the tape cassette 7
By manually pushing the side surface of the tape cassette 7 into the cassette insertion opening 4 formed in the front surface 3 of the tape printer 1 with the operation recess 67 on the front side, mounting of the tape cassette 7 on the tape printer 1 is started. To be done.
At this time, the tip end (free end) of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 housed inside the tape cassette 7 passes from the tape outlet 58 to the outside via the tape guide 59, as shown by an imaginary line in FIG. And is passed through the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 60 projecting outward from the tape outlet 58.

When the mounting of the tape cassette 7 is started, the tape cassette 7 is gradually pushed into the inner case 8 which is the tape mounting portion 5 through the cassette insertion port 4. At this time, the left and right side surfaces of the tape cassette 7 are
The left side plate 44 and the right side plate 45 of the inner case 8 guide the lower side of the tape cassette 7 while the left and right moving positions are constrained, and the lower surface of the tape cassette 7 is guided while being supported by the bottom plate 43 of the inner case 8. Cassette insertion slot 4
It is possible to surely push the tape from the front surface 3 of the tape printer 1 into the inner case 8 which is the tape mounting portion 5 via the.

Next, as the mounting (pushing) of the tape cassette 7 into the inner case 8 progresses, the head drive mechanism disposed on the upper surface of the tip end portion of the sub arm 26 of the head lever drive arm 23 shown in FIG. The cam surface 65 of the tape cassette 7 shown in FIG. 7 comes into contact with the cam follower 27 forming a part of 80, and the cam follower 27 gradually moves to the left in FIG. 2 as the mounting operation of the tape cassette 7 further progresses. To move.

The head follower drive arm 2 forming a part of the head drive mechanism 80 is moved by moving the cam follower 27 to the left as the tape cassette 7 is mounted.
2 and 5 centering on the rotation support shaft 24 against the urging force of the urging spring 32 that constantly urges the head lever drive arm 23 in the counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 2 and 5.
At clockwise. As the head lever drive arm 23 rotates clockwise, the torsion coil spring 29 rotates clockwise in FIGS. 2 and 5, and the torsion coil spring 29 is shown below in FIGS. 2 and 5. One end moves the tip of the rear arm 20 of the head lever 18 to the left in FIGS. 2 and 5. With the movement of the tip of the rear arm 20 to the left by the torsion coil spring 29, the head lever 18 rotates counterclockwise about the support shaft 17 in FIGS. A thermal head 21 disposed on the upper surface of the front arm 19 on the free end side is provided with a tape-shaped storage medium 6 at a tape outlet 58 of a tape cassette 7 shown in FIG. The outer peripheral surface protruding from 58 is abutted.

That is, the head drive mechanism 80 causes the cam surface 65 to move the thermal head 21 to the outer periphery of the platen roller 60 via the tape-shaped storage medium 6 as the mounting operation of the tape cassette 7 progresses (interlocks). Operates to abut a surface.

When the tape cassette 7 is taken out from the cassette mounting portion 5, the head drive mechanism 80 operates so as to separate the thermal head 21 from the outer peripheral surface of the platen roller 60 by the urging force of the urging spring 32. To do.

Further, the thermal head 21 can be brought into contact with the platen roller 60 via the tape-shaped storage medium 6 with the biasing force of the torsion coil spring 29.
Since the pressure contact force between the thermal head 21 and the platen roller 60 can always be maintained at an appropriate value suitable for printing, high printing quality can always be obtained.

When the tape cassette 7 is mounted, the protrusion 64 provided so as to be exposed on the lower surface side of the cassette body 54 of the tape cassette 7 is erected on the bottom surface 9 of the body 2 of the printer 1. Driving force which is engaged with the engaging protrusion 34 and is arranged on the bottom surface 9 of the main body 2 of the tape printer 1 by the platen drive gear 63 arranged coaxially with the platen roller of the tape cassette 7. This is completed by connecting the transmission mechanism 16 and the output gear 15 which constitutes a part of the tape running mechanism 81.

In other words, the driving force transmission mechanism 16 and the tape running mechanism 81 are arranged so that the driving force transmission mechanism 16 and the tape running mechanism 8 move as the tape cassette 7 is mounted.
The output gear 15 which constitutes a part of 1 is the platen drive gear 6
3, the drive force of the drive motor 10 can be reliably transmitted to the platen roller 60 that rotates integrally with the platen drive gear 63 of the tape cassette 7.

When the mounting of the tape cassette 7 is completed,
The elastic protrusions 64 formed in a substantially horseshoe shape are fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the engaging protrusions 34 of the tape printing apparatus 1, whereby the tape cassette 7 mounted in the cassette mounting portion 5 is attached.
The final positioning of the tape cassette 7 and the end of the mounting of the tape cassette 7 to the cassette mounting portion 5 can be surely given to the operator as a click sensation.
The tape cassette 7 can be reliably attached to the. FIG. 13 shows a cassette mounting state in which the mounting of the tape cassette 7 into the inner case 8 which is the cassette mounting portion 5 of the tape printer 1 is completed.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the timing at which the thermal head 21 contacts the platen roller 60 via the tape-shaped storage medium 6 is arranged coaxially with the platen roller 60 immediately before the completion of mounting the tape cassette 7. The platen drive gear 63 provided is just before connecting to the output gear 15 arranged on the bottom surface 9 of the main body 2 of the tape printer 1. With this configuration,
With the thermal head 21 in contact with the platen roller 60 via the tape-shaped storage medium 6, the tape cassette 7 is further pushed into the inner case 8, and the platen roller 60 comes into contact with the thermal head 21. 7 is pushed in while rotating counterclockwise in FIG. 7, and the platen drive gear 63 is connected (engaged) with the output gear 15 while rotating as the platen roller 60 rotates. Gear 63
Of the tape cassette 7 and the output gear 15 are reliably prevented from being damaged by collision between the tooth tips (not shown) of the tape cassette 7 and the output gear 15. Tape printer 1
It is possible to reliably and smoothly mount the inside of the inner case 8 that is the cassette mounting portion 5 and to improve the operability.

Next, when the printing operation is started in the cassette mounted state, the drive motor 10 of the tape running mechanism 81 is driven by the control command of the print control unit 51,
The drive force of the drive motor 10 is transmitted to the platen drive gear 63 via the drive force transmission mechanism 16, and the platen drive gear 63
At the same time, the platen roller 60 integrally rotates, and the tape-shaped recording medium 6 sandwiched between the thermal head 21 and the platen roller 60 is fed in the tape running direction indicated by the arrow C in FIG. Then, the tape-shaped recording medium 6
Along with the running, the plurality of heating elements (not shown) of the thermal head 21 are selectively heated by a control command of the print control unit 51 based on print information (not shown) stored in advance in the print information storage unit 50, The thermal paper 68 of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 that is in contact with the thermal head 21 develops color, and desired characters or the like are printed on the tape-shaped recording medium 6. After that, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is fed from the tape cassette 7 by a predetermined length, that is, a length to be attached to a video cassette (not shown) in this embodiment, whereby the printing operation is completed.

Then, the printed tape-shaped recording medium 6 fed from the tape cassette 7 is operated in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 by operating the cutter lever 37 of the tape cutting mechanism 35. To be disconnected. In the cut tape-shaped recording medium 6, since the cut portions 70 called half cuts are formed in the release paper 70 at intervals smaller than the cut length of the tape-shaped recording medium 6, the cut portion of the release paper 70 is cut. By bending it to the thermal paper 68 side at the position of 71, the cutting portion 71 of the release paper 70 can be easily peeled from the adhesive layer 69 without using a tool, whereby the release paper 70 can be easily peeled off.

Thereafter, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is sequentially drawn out from the tape cassette 7 for each printing operation, and when the tape-shaped recording medium 6 drawn out from the tape cassette 7 approaches the end, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 serves as detection means during the printing operation. By the optical sensor 90, the tape cutting mechanism 3 is attached to the end E side of the tape recording medium 6.
The end marker M provided so as to leave the final print area PA of 1 print area or more located in the planned cutting area 5 is detected.

When the end marker M is detected during the printing operation, the print control unit 51 stops the energization of the thermal head 21 to interrupt the printing operation, and the tape is moved so that the end marker M exceeds the printing position. After the running mechanism 81 is driven to run the tape-shaped recording medium 6, after the end of the end marker M, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is located in the remaining planned cutting area of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 and is a final printing area of one printing range or more. Print information (print data) of the interrupted print operation in the print area PA
Is taken out from the print information storage unit 50 and the thermal head 2
The thermal head 21 and the tape running mechanism 81 are controlled so that the energization of 1 is restarted from the beginning and the interrupted printing operation is performed from the beginning.

With this, it is possible to reliably prevent the so-called trailing dragonfly of printing, in which the end E of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 reaches the printing position during the printing operation and the printing is halfway, and at the same time, the conventional When the tape-shaped recording medium 6 reaches the end E in the middle of the printing operation, the inconvenience of having to re-input print information and print after replacing the tape cassette 7 with a new one is surely prevented. Therefore, it is possible to improve the effective use and usability of the tape-shaped recording medium 6.

Then, when the end E of the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is sent out from the tape cassette 7, the tape cassette 7 moves into the operating recess 67 of the tape cassette 7 as shown by the arrow B in FIG. It is taken out by pulling it out to the front side, and a new tape cassette 7 is mounted.

The upper lid case 52 of the tape cassette 7
When the tape-shaped recording medium 6 is consumed, the new tape-shaped recording medium 6 is wound around the tape reel 55, or the new tape-shaped recording medium 6 is wound around. By adopting a structure in which the tape reel 55 can be replaced, the economic burden can be surely reduced, although it takes more work than in the case of replacing the tape cassette 7.

Further, according to the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment, the tape cassette 7 is detachable from the front surface 3 side of the main body 2 so that the side surface thereof faces the front surface 3 of the main body 2. The tape printer 1 can be thin and have a low front surface 3 and the tape cassette 7 can be attached / detached in a small operation space. For example, the tape printer 1 is housed in a rack or the like. Even in this state, the tape cassette 7 can be easily attached to and detached from the tape printer 1.

Furthermore, the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment.
Since the tape cassette 7 can be attached to and detached from the tape printer 1 from the front surface 3, as shown in FIG.
When mounted on the VTR 72, the cassette insertion port 4 of the tape printer 1 is provided on the front surface 73 of the apparatus, and the front surface 73 of the apparatus also serves as an operation unit 48 that enables manual input of print information for the tape printer 1. With VTR
72 Operation unit 75 for performing various operations as itself
Since it is possible to provide the display unit 49 for displaying the print information input to the tape printer 1 and the display unit 76 for displaying the operating state of the VTR 72 itself, the time and the like, The area of the upright device front surface 73 of the VTR 72 is not so large, and the tape cassette 7 can be easily attached to and detached from the device front surface 73 even when the VTR 72 is stored inside a rack or the like. ..

Therefore, the tape printer 1 of this embodiment
Since the tape cassette 7 has a small operation space for attachment and detachment, it is also suitable for integration into a wide variety of devices such as TVs and VTRs.

Further, when the end marker M is detected during the printing operation in the tape printer 1 of the present embodiment, the print control unit 51 stops the energization of the thermal head 21 to interrupt the printing operation, and the end marker. After running the tape-shaped recording medium 6 so that M exceeds the printing position, the tape-shaped recording medium 6 provided on the end E side of the end marker M has a printing range of 1 or more which is located in the remaining planned cutting area of the tape-shaped recording medium 6. In the final print area PA, the print information (print data) of the interrupted print operation is taken out from the print information storage unit 50, the energization to the thermal head 21 is restarted from the beginning, and the interrupted print operation is performed from the beginning. The configuration for controlling the 21 and the tape running mechanism 81 can be applied to a conventional tape printer.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be modified as necessary.

[0095]

As described above, according to the tape printer of the present invention, when the end marker provided on the end side of the tape-shaped recording medium is detected by the detecting means in the middle of the printing operation, the print controller is provided. Indicates that after the printing operation is interrupted and the tape-shaped recording medium is run so that the end marker exceeds the printing position, it is interrupted within the remaining final printing area of the tape-shaped recording medium provided on the end side of the end marker. Since it is possible to control the print head and the tape running mechanism so that the printing operation is performed from the beginning, it is possible to secure the inconvenience that the end of the tape-shaped recording medium reaches the printing position during the printing operation and printing ends halfway. In addition to the above, the tape recording medium can be effectively used and the usability can be surely improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of a tape printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cut plan view showing in detail a main part of an embodiment of a tape printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a main part with a part of FIG. 2 omitted.

FIG. 4 is a left side view showing an internal configuration of a main part with a part of FIG. 2 omitted.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an internal configuration of a main part with a part of an embodiment of a tape printer according to the present invention omitted.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a modification of the tape printer according to the present embodiment.
Similar figure to

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an essential part of an embodiment of a tape cassette used in the tape printer according to the present invention, with most of the upper lid case removed.

8 is a left side view seen from the platen roller side of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a tape-shaped recording medium housed inside a tape cassette used in the tape printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a winding state of a tape-shaped recording medium housed inside a tape cassette used in the tape printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the vicinity of the end of a tape-shaped recording medium housed inside a tape cassette used in the tape printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a VT equipped with a tape printer according to the present invention.
Perspective view showing R cassette mounted state

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a cassette mounted state of an embodiment of a tape printer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Tape Printing Device 2 Main Body 3 Front Surface 4 Cassette Insertion Portion 5 Cassette Mounting Portion 6 Tape-shaped Recording Medium 7 Tape Cassette 16 Drive Force Transmission Mechanism 21 Thermal Head (as a Printing Head) 50 Printing Information Storage Unit 51 Printing Control Unit 60 Platen Roller 63 platen drive gear 80 head drive mechanism 81 tape running mechanism 90 optical sensor (as detection means) A cassette loading direction B cassette ejection direction C tape running direction E (tape recording medium) end M end marker PA (tape recording) Final print area (provided at the end of the medium)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cassette mounting portion for mounting a tape cassette having therein a tape-shaped recording medium having an end marker provided so as to leave a final print area on the end side, and the tape-shaped recording medium. A print head that performs printing, a tape running mechanism that runs the tape-shaped recording medium, a detection unit that detects the end marker, and a printing operation when the detection unit detects the end marker during the printing operation. A print control unit for controlling the print head and the tape running mechanism so as to perform the interrupted printing operation from the beginning after the tape-shaped recording medium is run such that the end marker exceeds the print position by the end marker. Characteristic tape printer. 2. The tape printer according to claim 1, further comprising a print information storage section for storing print information.