JPH09263011A - Portable printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable printer capable of efficiently utilizing a battery. SOLUTION: The voltage level of a battery is detected (ST. 3) in the continuous printing operation for continuously printing papers in a portable printer comprising a battery as the driving source for continuously printing papers. In the case the detected voltage level of the battery is at a low level which is lower than a consumption criterion level, the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped (St. 5). Afterwards, when the detected voltage level of the battery is above the consumption criterion level, the continuous printing operation is resumed (St. 8). Accordingly, the continuous printing operation does not finish in the case the actual voltage level of the battery is not at the low level.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable printer that prints on a print medium using a battery as a drive source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A portable printer usually has a battery as a power source. In such a portable printer, the voltage level of the battery is detected, and when the detected voltage level falls below the consumption reference level and becomes a low level, it is determined that a low battery error has occurred, and the operation of the printer is terminated. The consumption reference level is set based on the voltage level of the battery required to operate the portable printer.

[0003]

By the way, in a portable printer, for example, an image is printed on a label attached to continuous paper by using a thermal head, and the label on which the image is printed is attached to the continuous paper. There is a continuous printing operation that continuously prints the label as it is.

In such a portable printer, the voltage level of the battery sharply drops during the continuous issuing operation. This occurs because when performing the continuous issuing operation, the printing operation of conveying the continuous paper and printing the image on the label is continuously performed, and a large load is continuously applied to the battery. Further, in the portable printer, when the battery is drastically lowered, the voltage level of the battery may increase if the continuous issuing operation is stopped.

Therefore, in the portable printer, the actual voltage level of the battery may not be the low level even if the voltage level of the battery detected during the continuous issuing operation becomes the low level once.

However, when the continuous issuing operation is performed, the operation is terminated once the detected voltage level of the battery becomes low level even though the actual voltage level of the battery is not low level. Therefore, for example, it is necessary to turn the power off once, turn on the power again, and then make settings for printing the remaining number of sheets.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
In a portable printer that continuously prints on continuous paper using a battery as a drive source, a voltage level detection unit that detects a voltage level of the battery, and a voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detection unit is a consumption standard of the battery. Low level detecting means for detecting a low level below the level, and detecting by the low level detecting means that the voltage level of the battery is low during continuous printing operation for continuously printing on the continuous paper. In this case, the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped, and the continuous printing operation is resumed when the voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detecting means exceeds the consumption reference level of the battery. Therefore, the voltage level of the battery is detected by the voltage level detecting means during the continuous printing operation of continuously printing on the continuous paper.
Then, when the low level detecting means detects that the voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detecting means becomes lower than the consumption reference level of the battery and becomes low level, the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped.
After that, when the voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detection means exceeds the consumption level of the battery, the continuous printing operation is restarted by the voltage level recovery means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the portable printer according to the first aspect, the voltage level of the battery remains at that level for a predetermined time after the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped by the voltage level recovery means. When the battery consumption reference level is not exceeded, a warning unit is provided to warn that. Therefore, the warning means warns that the voltage level of the battery does not exceed the exhaustion reference level even after a lapse of a predetermined time after the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped by the voltage level recovery means.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A portable printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The portable printer according to the present embodiment is a portable label printer that is used while being held in close contact with a user's waist. As shown in FIG. 2, the portable label printer main body 1 accommodates a label roll 3 obtained by winding a mount 2 which is continuous paper in a roll shape. Labels 4 are provided on the mount 2 at predetermined intervals.
Is affixed. The label 4 is a thermal paper that is colored by heat. In the portable label printer body 1,
A transport path 5 for transporting the mount 2 is formed.
A print unit 6 for printing an image on the label 4 and a label issuing unit 7 for issuing the label 4 on which the image is printed are sequentially arranged in the transport path 5 along the transport direction of the mount 2. There is.

The portable label printer main body 1 is formed with an opening 8 which is a front (upper surface in FIG. 3) opening.
A cover 9 for opening and closing the opening 8 is rotatably arranged by a support shaft 10. A hopper 11 is formed in the opening 8 to rotatably accommodate the label roll 3. The cover 9 is provided with a paper pressing portion 12 for pressing the floating of the label roll 3 in the hopper 11.

The transport path 5 is formed from the hopper 11 toward the front surface of the portable label printer body 1. A transmissive optical sensor 13 is arranged on the transport path 5 upstream of the printing unit 6 in the transport direction of the mount 2.

In the printing section 6, a thermal head 14 for printing an image on the label 4 and the thermal head 1
A platen roller 15 that presses the label 4 against the sheet 4 is disposed across the transport path 5. The thermal head 14 is arranged on the cover 9. A heating unit (not shown) is arranged in a line on the thermal head 14. The thermal head 14 is attached such that the line of the heating element is parallel to the rotation axis of the platen roller 15 and faces the platen roller 15. A motor 16 (see FIG. 4) is connected to the platen roller 15.

The label issuing section 7 is provided with a label issuing port 17 for sending out the label 4 on which an image is printed. The label issuing port 17 is formed in the cover 9. A label peeling body 18 that bends the mount 2 at an acute angle and peels the label 4 from the mount 2 is provided at a position facing the label issuing port 17.
In the label issuing port 17 and the label peeling body 18, a part of the label 4 is separated from the mount 2 by the label peeling body 1.
When peeled off by 8, the label 4 is arranged so that a part of the label 4 projects from the label issuing port 17.

Further, in the label issuing unit 7, a paper discharge path 19 through which the mount 2 from which the label 4 is peeled is conveyed.
Are formed. A pinch roller 20 that contacts the platen roller 15 is arranged in the paper discharge path 19. The pinch roller 20 is urged toward the platen roller 15 by a spring, and nips and mounts the mount 2 which is bent in the conveying direction by the label peeling body 18 together with the platen roller 15. A reflective optical sensor 21 is arranged on the downstream side of the pinch roller 20 in the conveyance direction of the mount 2. On the downstream side of the reflection type optical sensor 21 in the conveyance direction of the mount 2, a mount discharge port 22 for delivering the mount 2 is arranged. The mount discharge port 22 is formed by one end of the cover 9 and the opening 8 when the cover 9 is closed.

Further, the portable label printer main body 1
The battery 23 is built in as a power source. The battery 23 is a lithium ion battery.

A gentle curved surface is formed on the back surface of the portable label printer main body 1, and a belt hooking portion (not shown) for hooking the portable label printer on the bell of the user's waist is provided. Has been.

Further, the portable label printer body 1 is
An operation portion (not shown) is provided on the upper surface (the right rear side in FIG. 3) of the. The operation unit is provided with a main power switch (not shown), a reissue key 24 (see FIG. 4), and a light emitting diode 25 (see FIG. 4) (hereinafter referred to as LED). The main power switch turns the power on / off
Perform The reissue key 24 causes a reissue operation of reprinting the image printed on the label 4 on the label 4 again. The LED 25 is lit, for example, when a low battery error occurs to inform the user of that fact.

An optical coupling section (not shown) is provided on the upper surface of the portable label printer body 1. The optical coupling unit is connected to a handy terminal (not shown) and is optically coupled to the optical communication unit of the handy terminal.
The handy terminal transmits image information to be printed on the label 4 and the number of printed sheets to the portable printer by optical communication or wireless communication. An optical interface 26 (see FIG. 4) for receiving the image information and the number of printed sheets transmitted by optical communication by optically coupling with the optical communication unit of the handy terminal is provided in the optical coupling unit (hereinafter, referred to as an optical I / F). (Representing) is provided.

Next, the hardware configuration of the portable label printer of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This portable label printer is provided with a CPU 27. The CPU 27 controls the operation of the printing unit 6 and the label issuing unit 7, for example. The battery 23 is connected to the CPU 27 via a bus 28. The CPU 27 includes a thermal head driver 29 for driving the thermal head 14 and the thermal head 1
4, a disconnection check circuit 30 for checking the disconnection, a motor driver 31 for driving the motor 16, and the LE.
An LED driver 32 that drives D25 is connected via a bus 28. In the CPU 27, the optical I /
A serial I / F switching circuit 33 to which F26 is connected is connected via the bus 28. This serial I / F
An antenna 34 for receiving the image information and the number of printed sheets transmitted from the handy terminal by wireless communication is connected to the switching circuit 33. A switch circuit 35, to which the reissue key 24 and the main power switch are connected, is connected to the CPU 27 via the bus 28. A cover open switch 36 that detects that the cover 9 is closed is connected to the switch circuit 35. A sensor circuit 37 to which the transmissive optical sensor 13 and the reflective optical sensor 21 are connected is connected to the CPU 27 via the bus 28. A temperature sensor 38 and a peeling selection sensor 39 are connected to the sensor circuit 37. The temperature sensor 38 is a thermistor that detects the temperature of the thermal head 14. In the peeling selection sensor 39, when the peeling issuing mode to be described later is executed, the label 4 protruding from the label issuing port 17 in a state where a part thereof is peeled from the mount 2 causes the user to mount the label 4 on the mount 2. It is detected that it has been completely peeled off. The CPU 27 has the battery 2
A voltage detection circuit 40, which is a power detection means for detecting the voltage level of No. 3, is connected via the bus 28. A RAM 41 and a ROM 42 are connected to the CPU 27 via the bus 28. The RAM 41 temporarily stores, for example, image information and the number of printed sheets received by the optical I / F 26 or the antenna 34. RAM
An image buffer (not shown) in which image information is expanded is provided at 35. The ROM 42 stores, for example, a program relating to the control of the operation of the printing unit 6 and the label issuing unit 7, and a specific printing pattern such as numbers and bar codes. The CPU 27 is provided with a reset circuit 43 that stops the operation being executed.

First, the operation of the portable label printer having such a configuration will be described. In this portable label printer, a continuous issuance mode in which the label 4 with the image printed is continuously issued from the label issuing port 17 with the label 4 still attached to the mount 2, and the label 4 with the image printed is peeled from the mount 2. Then, the peeling issuing mode of issuing from the label issuing port 17 is selectively executed.

Whether the continuous issuing mode or the peeling issuing mode is executed is selected depending on whether or not the mount 2 is detected by the reflection type optical sensor 21. The continuous issuance mode is executed when the mount 2 is not detected by the reflective optical sensor 21, and the peeling issue mode is executed when the mount 2 is detected by the reflective optical sensor 21.

The operation when the continuous issuing mode is executed in the portable label printer will be described. In the portable label printer, after the front end of the mount 2 pulled out from the label roll 3 is inserted into the label issuing port 17 and the cover 9 is closed, the image information transmitted from the handy terminal is received or the reissue key is issued. When 24 is pressed, the mount 2 is not detected by the reflection type optical sensor 21 and the continuous issuing mode is selected. And the motor driver 3
The motor 16 is driven by 1 to rotate the platen roller 15 to convey the backing sheet 2, and the thermal head driver 29 drives the thermal head 14 in accordance with the position of the label 4 to be conveyed on the conveying path 5, and the thermal head 14 is driven. The label 4 is heated by the head 14 and an image is printed on the label 4. After that, when an image is printed on the predetermined number of labels 4, the printing operation ends.

Next, the operation when the peeling issue mode is executed in the portable label printer will be described. In the portable label printer, after the cover 9 is closed so as to cover the platen roller 15, the label peeling body 18 and the reflection type optical sensor 21 with the backing sheet 2 pulled out from the label roll 3, the image transmitted from the handy terminal. When the information is received or the reissue key 24 is pressed, the mount 2 is detected by the reflective optical sensor 21 and the peeling issue mode is selected. Then, the motor 16 is driven by the motor driver 31, the platen roller 15 is rotated to convey the backing sheet 2, and the thermal head driver 29 is aligned with the position of the label 4 to be conveyed on the conveyance path 5.
The thermal head 14 is driven by this, the label 4 is heated by the thermal head 14, and an image is printed on the label 4. After that, based on the rotation speed of the motor 16, the motor 16 is temporarily stopped in a state in which a part of the label 4 is peeled from the mount 2 by the label peeling body 18 and protrudes from the label issuing port 17. Then, when the label 4 protruding from the label issuing port 17 is completely peeled from the mount 2 by the user and the reissue key 24 is pressed again, the printing operation is started again. In this way, the operation of printing images on the labels one by one is performed, and when the images are printed on a predetermined number of labels, the printing operation ends.

In this portable label printer, the voltage level of the battery 23 is detected and checked by the voltage detection circuit 40 during the continuous printing operation in which the continuous printing mode is executed. This operation will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, when the continuous printing mode is executed and one label 4 is printed (step St. 1), it is determined whether or not a predetermined number of labels 4 have been printed (step St.
2). This St. When it is determined in 2 that the predetermined number of labels 4 have been issued, the printing operation ends.

St. 2, a predetermined number of labels 4
If it is determined that the voltage level of the battery 23 is not detected, the voltage level of the battery 23 is detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 (step St. 3), and whether or not the voltage level detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 is higher than the consumption reference level. It is determined whether or not (step St. 4). This St. The consumption reference level in No. 4 is preset based on the voltage level of the battery 23 required to operate the portable label printer.

St. 4 determines that the voltage level is higher than the consumption reference level, the St. The operation of 1 or less is repeated and the label 4 is continuously issued.

St. 4 determines that the voltage level is below the consumption reference level, it is determined that the voltage of the battery 23 detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 has become the low level, the motor 16 and the thermal head 14 are temporarily stopped, and the label The operation of issuing 4 is temporarily stopped (step St. 5).

This St. 5, the voltage detection circuit 40
The operation of detecting that the voltage level of the battery 23 detected by means of the low level falls below the consumption reference level is executed as a function of the low level detecting means.

After the lapse of 50 msec (step St.6), the voltage level of the battery 23 is detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 (step St.7).
t. It is determined whether the voltage level detected in step 7 is higher than the battery recovery level (step St.
8). This St. The battery recovery level in 8 is set by adding a predetermined margin to the consumption reference level.

St. 8 determines that the voltage level is higher than the battery recovery level, the above-mentioned St. 1
The following operation is repeated and the label 4 is continuously issued.

The above-mentioned St. 5, St. 6, St. 7 and St. 8, the voltage detection circuit 40 is operated during the continuous issuing operation.
The continuous issuing operation is temporarily stopped when it is detected that the voltage level of the battery 23 detected by the low level is detected, and the voltage level of the battery 23 detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 exceeds the battery recovery level. The operation of restarting the continuous issuing operation is executed as a function of the voltage level recovery means.

St. When it is determined that the voltage level is equal to or lower than the battery recovery level in step 8, it is determined whether or not 3 seconds have elapsed since the operation of issuing the label 4 once stopped (step St.9). This St. 3 in 9
If it is determined that sec has not elapsed, the aforementioned St. 6
The following operation is repeated, and the voltage level of the battery 23 is detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 every 50 msec, and it is determined whether or not the voltage level becomes higher than the battery recovery level.

St. 9, it is determined that a low battery error has occurred in which the actual voltage level of the battery 23 is not restored, and the LED 25 is turned on to notify the user of this (step St. 10). Then, the printing operation ends.

St. In 10, the operation of turning on the LED 25 to give a warning to that effect is executed as a function of the warning means.

In the present embodiment, the consumption reference level is set to 7.3V and the battery restoration level is set to 7.35V,
FIG. 5 shows the voltage level of the battery 23 detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 when the operation described with reference to FIG. 1 is performed. In FIG. 5, the voltage detection circuit 40
The continuous issuing operation is temporarily stopped at A and C at which the voltage level of the battery 23 detected by the battery level becomes equal to or lower than the consumption reference level (7.3 V). Then, the voltage of the battery 23 is detected every 50 msec after the continuous issuing operation is once stopped, and the detected voltage level is the battery recovery level (7.
The continuous issuing operation is restarted at B and D which become higher than 35V). At this time, during the continuous issuing operation, the voltage level of the battery 23 is detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 every time the label 4 is issued.

As described above, during the continuous issuing operation, the battery 2
The voltage detection circuit 40 detects the voltage level of No. 3 and when the detected voltage level of the battery 23 falls below the consumption reference level and becomes the low level, the continuous issuing operation is temporarily stopped. After that, when the voltage level of the battery 23 detected by the voltage detection circuit 40 exceeds the battery recovery level, the continuous issuing operation is restarted. As a result, when the continuous issuing operation is performed, it is possible to prevent the continuous issuing operation from ending even though the actual voltage level of the battery 23 is not at the low level. Therefore, even if the low battery state is momentarily detected by one issuing operation, the issuing operation is continuously performed, so that the operability is good. Further, after the continuous issuing operation is temporarily stopped, if the voltage level of the battery 23 does not become higher than the battery recovery level even after a lapse of a predetermined time, the LED 25 is turned on to warn that a low battery error has occurred. With this, when a low battery error occurs, the continuous issuing operation can be terminated and the user can be notified of that fact, so the actual voltage level of the battery falls below the consumption reference level and becomes a low level. It is prevented that it is left standing for a long time.

Although the portable label printer has been described in the embodiment of the present invention, the portable printer is not limited to the portable label printer.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the portable label printer which notifies the user of the fact that the LED 25 is turned on when a low battery error occurs has been described, but a low battery error occurs. The method of notifying the user is not limited to turning on the LED 25.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention,
After the continuous issuing operation is once stopped, the voltage level is detected every 50 msec, but the interval for detecting the voltage level is not limited.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, a low battery error occurs when the voltage level of the battery 23 is equal to or lower than the battery recovery level even after 3 seconds have elapsed after the continuous issuing operation was once stopped. However, the interval until it is determined that a low battery error has occurred after the continuous operation is temporarily stopped is not limited to 3 seconds.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention,
I explained the portable label printer that set the battery recovery level with a certain margin added to the consumption standard level, but the battery recovery level does not need to be higher than the consumption standard level, and the battery recovery level and the consumption standard level are equal. Is also good.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the lithium ion battery is used as the battery 23, but the battery 23 is not limited to the lithium ion battery and may be another battery such as a nickel cadmium battery.

[0043]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the voltage level of the battery is detected by the voltage level detecting means during the continuous printing operation of continuously printing on the continuous paper. Then, when the low level detecting means detects that the voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detecting means becomes lower than the consumption reference level of the battery and becomes low level, the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped. After that, when the voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detection means exceeds the consumption level of the battery, the continuous printing operation is restarted by the voltage level recovery means. This allows
When the continuous printing operation is performed, it is possible to prevent the continuous printing operation from ending even though the actual voltage level of the battery is not at the low level.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the warning means that the voltage level of the battery does not exceed the consumption reference level even after a lapse of a predetermined time after the continuous printing operation is temporarily stopped by the voltage level recovery means. Warn by. As a result, when the actual voltage level of the battery becomes lower than the consumption reference level and becomes the low level, the continuous printing operation can be ended and the user can be notified of that fact. It is possible to prevent the battery from being left for a long time in a state where the voltage level becomes lower than the consumption reference level and becomes the low level.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an operation of a portable printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a portable printer.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the portable printer with a cover open.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing electrical hardware of a portable printer.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a voltage level of a battery when performing a continuous printing operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 continuous paper 23 battery 40 voltage level detection means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A portable printer that continuously prints on continuous paper using a battery as a drive source, wherein voltage level detection means for detecting the voltage level of the battery and voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detection means Low level detecting means for detecting that the battery level is lower than the consumption level of the battery, and low level detecting means for detecting that the voltage level of the battery is low level during continuous printing operation for continuously printing on the continuous paper. Voltage level recovery means for temporarily stopping the continuous printing operation when detected by the level detection means, and for restarting the continuous printing operation when the voltage level of the battery detected by the voltage level detection means exceeds the consumption reference level of the battery. And a portable printer. 2. When the voltage level recovery means temporarily stops the continuous printing operation and then the voltage level of the battery does not exceed the consumption reference level of the battery even after a lapse of a predetermined time, a warning means is provided to warn that. The portable printer according to claim 1, further comprising: