JPH09174966A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a label printer in which a label can be changed without inputting the type thereof while facilitating the operation at the time of replacing the label or turn on power. SOLUTION: The label printer comprises a label detection means for measuring the length (1) of a label with reference to the output interval of a detector 9 at the time of power on or the up/down of a print section 3, means for operating the feeding amount (L-kl) of a ground paper 1 (where, L is the distance between the printing part and detector and k is a maximum natural number with kl lower than L) after the printing is detected by means of the detector 9, and a control means for determining the stopping timing of a ground paper feeding section 4 such that the label is stopped at the printing position based on the operation results.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printer using a label paper in which a large number of labels are attached to a long mount paper at equal intervals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a label printer that intermittently feeds a long base paper on which a large number of labels are attached at equal pitches and prints on the label, the feed length of the base paper is controlled according to the length of the label. There is a need.

Conventionally, a program for controlling the operation of a mount feeding unit for feeding a mount according to the length of a label is stored in a memory, and a program corresponding to a label to be used is input from a memory by key input. .

[0004]

However, such a device has a problem that it is very troublesome because it requires an operation of selecting a program each time it is used or whenever the power is turned on. Labels that are not normally used cannot be used unless a new program is set for the label.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a label printer which does not need to input the type even if the label is changed, and which can be easily operated at the time of label exchange.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A printing unit and a mount feeding unit for feeding the mount are provided in the path of a long mount having a large number of labels attached at equal pitches, and along a side edge of the mount. A detector for detecting a large number of formed equal-pitch detected portions is provided, and the length l of the label is based on the output interval of the detector when the power is turned on or the printing unit is moved up or down.
The amount of feed of the mount after the detection of the detected portion by the label detection means and the detector is the feed amount (L-kl), where L is the distance between the printing portion and the detector, and k is kl where L is L. An arithmetic means for arithmetically operating as a maximum natural number that does not exceed and a control means for deciding the timing of stopping the mount feeding portion so as to stop the label at the printing position based on the arithmetic result by the arithmetic means. Therefore, the detector detects the detected portion and outputs a detection signal, and the label detecting means measures the label length l on the basis of this output interval.
The feed amount of the mount for controlling the feed of the mount is calculated by calculating the feed amount of the mount as (L-kl) by the calculating means, and therefore the feed amount of the mount for stopping the label at the print position is calculated regardless of the length of the label used. Can be obtained by means of which
Even if the label is changed to a different length when the power is turned off or when the head is up, a new input operation for feeding the mount can be omitted, and a reliable print position can be set even when the printer is restarted. .

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A mount guide plate 2, a thermal head 3 serving as a printing unit, a platen 4 which also functions as a mount feed unit, and a label peeling member 5 which bends the mount 1 at an acute angle are disposed along the drawing path of the mount 1. Also, supply reel 6
There is provided a take-up reel 8 for taking up the ink ribbon 7 wound around the thermal head 3 and the platen 4. A detector 9 is provided at a printing position, that is, at a distance L from the center of the thermal head 3. The detector 9 is a photoelectric conversion element that detects and outputs a detected hole 10 that is a detected portion formed on a side edge of the mount 1.

A large number of labels 11 are attached to the mount 1 at a constant pitch, and the arrangement pitch of the holes 10 to be detected is the same as the arrangement pitch of these labels 11. Although not shown, a large number of feed holes 12 are formed on both sides of the backing paper 1 so as to engage with sprockets, that is, backing paper feeding parts.

Next, the operation of the control means for measuring the length of the label 11 based on the output interval of the detector 9 and determining the timing of the stop operation of the step motor for driving the sprocket will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. It will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the power is turned on, an initial process including a process of clearing the memory of the counter is performed, and then the step motor is rotated to drive the mount feeding unit to start the mount feeding. That is, the mount 1 is sent from the holding section side to the thermal head 3. At this time, the detector 9 acting as the label detecting means detects the detection target hole 10 and outputs a detection signal. The detector 9 detects the next hole to be detected 10 as long as the backing paper 1 continues to be fed. Each time the stepping motor for driving the mount feeder rotates by one step while these two detection signals are output, 1 is added to the memory of the counter. The length l of the label 11 is automatically calculated. Correspondingly to this, the feed amount (L-kl) of the mount 1 is calculated by the computing means which constitutes the control means together with the label detecting means, and the actual feed amount of the mount 1 coincides with this value (L-kl). Sometimes the step motor stops and the mount feeding stops. Thereafter, the printing process is performed by the thermal head 3 through the main routine. Note that k is a maximum natural number in which kl does not exceed L. For example, when L = 130 mm, l = 20 mm, and k = 6, the mount amount (L-kl) of the mount after the detector 9 detects the detected hole 10 is 10 mm.

In the main routine, detection is performed including whether the label 11 has been replaced. That is, when replacing the label 11, the thermal head 3 is moved away from the platen 4, and as shown in FIG. 6, it is checked whether or not the thermal head 3 is down due to the label 11 replacement operation.
This is a driving unit (not shown) for driving the thermal head 3
Is detected by the operation of. When this detection is made, the memory of the counter is cleared, and the backing paper 1 is sent by the drive of the step motor. Is performed, and the board feeding is stopped according to the calculated value, and normal printing processing is performed.

As described above, when the power is turned on and the label 11 is replaced at the time of starting, the length l of the label 11 and the feed amount of the mount 1 (corresponding to the length 1) are determined based on the detection signal of the detector 9. L-kl) is automatically measured, so that a troublesome input operation of selecting a program can be omitted using any kind of label 11.

Although the detected portion is indicated by the detected hole 12, a gap between the labels 11 or a number of marks formed on the mount 1 may be optically detected.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, a printing unit and a mount feeding unit for feeding the mount are provided in the path of the long mount on which a large number of labels are attached at equal pitches, and the mount side is provided. Provided with a detector for detecting a large number of detected portions of equal pitch formed along the edge, the length l of the label is determined based on the output interval of the detector at the time of power-on or up / down of the printing portion. The amount of feed of the mount after the detection of the detected portion by the label detection means and the detector is the feed amount (L-kl), where L is the distance between the printing portion and the detector, and k is kl exceeds L. Since there is provided a computing means for computing as a maximum non-natural number, and a control means for determining the timing of stopping the mount feeding portion so as to stop the label at the printing position based on the calculation result by this computing means, The detector is The label detecting means measures the label length l based on this output interval, and the calculating means calculates the feed amount of the mount as (L-kl). The feed amount of the backing sheet for stopping the label at the printing position can be obtained by the calculation means regardless of the length of the label used to control the feeding of the sheet. Even if the labels are changed to different sizes, there is an effect that a new input operation for feeding the mount can be omitted, and a reliable print position can be set even when restarting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a reduced size of a mount wound in a roll shape.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of the mount.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged side view.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart at power-on.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a main routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 mount 3 thermal head (printing part) 4 mount feeding part 9 detector 10 detected hole (detected part) 11 label

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Yukihiro Hirosaki 6-78 Minamimachi, Mishima City, Shizuoka Prefecture Inside the Mishima Plant of Tokyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A printing section and a board feeding section for feeding the board are provided in a path of a long board having a large number of labels attached at equal pitches, and are formed along side edges of the board. A detector for detecting a large number of detected portions of the pitch is provided, and the label detecting means for measuring the label length l with reference to the output interval of the detector at the time of power-on or up / down of the printing portion, and the detection. The feed amount of the above-mentioned mount from the detection of the detected portion by the detector is the feed amount (L-kl), where L is the distance between the printing unit and the detector, and k is the maximum natural number where kl does not exceed L. A label printer comprising: means and a control means for determining a stop timing of the mount feeding section so as to stop the label at a print position based on a calculation result by the calculating means.