JPH0966616A - Print medium feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize reliable printing onto the coloring surface of a thermographic paper. SOLUTION: The print medium feeder comprises sections 29a, 29b for containing thermographic papers, a passage 34 for carrying a thermographic paper therefrom, a thermal head 31a disposed on the upper side of the passage 34, a platen 31b disposed oppositely to the thermal head 31a, a thermal head 31b disposed on the lower side of the passage 34, and a platen 32b disposed oppositely to the thermal head 31b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a print medium issuing device for printing a predetermined matter on a thermal paper stored in a storage portion and issuing it as a print medium of a predetermined length.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional print medium issuing device, a thermal paper wound in a roll shape and stored therein is pulled out by a feeding member, cut into a predetermined length, conveyed to a print head and printed with a predetermined matter, It was issued as a print medium.

On the other hand, since only one side (hereinafter referred to as the surface) develops color when heat is applied to the thermal paper, it is necessary to convey the thermal paper with the surface facing the print head. For this reason, the thermal paper wound in a roll is determined to be stored in a direction corresponding to the mounting position of the print head.

Further, although the thermal paper is provided with a printing or the like which serves as a mark for cutting at a predetermined interval, such a thermal paper is generally expensive, so printing of predetermined items is required. There is known a print medium issuing device that is cut later by a cutting command of a control unit.

[0005]

However, in the above printing medium issuing device, since the above-mentioned mark is not required on the thermal paper, it is common to use a blank thermal paper, and the blank thermal paper has front and back surfaces. There was a problem that was difficult to distinguish. Further, even if the color-developed surface of the thermal paper is known, there is a problem in that the setting direction may be wrong or it may not be known. For this reason, when the thermal paper is stored in the print medium issuing device, there is a problem that the storage direction is likely to be wrong. In this way, if the paper is stored by mistake, the thermal paper is cut to a specified length and conveyed to the print head. Even if a printing operation is performed, the surface of the thermal paper is not on the print head side. There was a problem that was not done.

[0006]

Therefore, in the printing medium issuing apparatus of the first invention, a storage section for storing thermal paper, a transport path for transporting the thermal paper from the storage section, and an upper side of the transport path are provided. The arranged first thermal head, the first platen arranged opposite to the first thermal head, the second thermal head arranged below the transport path, and the second thermal head arranged opposite to each other. With the second platen arranged, an operation of printing the same content on the thermal paper conveyed by the first thermal head and the second thermal head was performed, and printing was performed on the color development surface of the thermal paper.

Further, in the printing medium issuing device of the second invention, a storage section for storing the thermal paper, a transport path for transporting the thermal paper from the storage section, a thermal head arranged on the transport path, and a thermal head for this thermal path. A platen placed opposite to the head and a print detection sensor to detect whether or not the thermal paper is printed are provided, and when the thermal paper is stored in the storage part, the thermal head performs a test print operation on the thermal paper. And then
The print detection sensor detects the printing on thermal paper.

In the first aspect of the invention, when the thermal paper is stored so as to be fed out in the front side or the back side feeding direction, and there is a print command,
The thermal paper is fed out and guided to the first thermal head. Then, after the transaction content is printed on the thermal paper by the first thermal head, the same transaction content is printed by the second thermal head as the printing operation by the first thermal head. did. For this reason, it is possible to reliably perform printing regardless of the storage state of the thermal paper.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the thermal paper is stored so as to be paid out in the front side or the back side feeding direction, the thermal paper is paid out and guided to the thermal head. After the thermal head performs test printing on the thermal paper, the print detection sensor detects the printing on the thermal paper. Therefore, in the case where the back side, which is not the color development side, is housed so as to serve as a thermal head, it is discharged to the outside without being test printed on the thermal paper. As a result, it is possible to determine that the thermal paper has not been properly set, and it is possible to correctly reload the thermal paper. Therefore, it becomes possible to reliably perform printing.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, as the print medium issuing device, an automatic transaction device used in a financial institution such as a bank will be described as an example. However, the print medium issuing device is not limited to this, and printing is performed using a thermal paper. Any medium may be used as long as it issues a medium. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are given to the constituent elements common to the respective drawings for description.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an automatic transaction device as an example of a print medium issuing device.

The automatic transaction device 1 includes a card processing section 1a.
And a receipt issuing unit 1b, and a deposit / withdrawal processing unit (not shown).

The card processing unit 1a is provided with a card insertion / ejection port 23, a card transport path 24, and a passage sensor 3a, 3a for detecting passage of the card 1c.
b, 3c. Further, a card reader 25 and an emboss reader 26, which are magnetic heads, are provided on the card transport path 24 along the card insertion direction, and a card loading section 27 is provided at the end of the card transport path 24. .

The card reader 25 reads the magnetic stripe of the card 1c. The emboss reader 26 optically reads embossed characters formed on the card 1c. The reading result of the emboss reader 26 is recognized by a recognition circuit (not shown) and is transferred to a journal printer unit (not shown) via a control unit (not shown).

The card fetching unit 27 fetches and stores the card 1c which the customer forgets to take after the transaction is completed.

Receipt conveying paths 34, 37 are arranged in the receipt storage section 1b, and the receipt conveying paths 34, 37 are provided.
A blade 35 is provided at the connecting position of the receipt 28a,
The conveyance direction of 28b is switched. Also,
At the end of the receipt transport path 37, the receipt loading section 36
Is provided. In addition, in the receipt transport paths 34 and 37,
Passage sensors 4a-4d, 5a-5d are arranged to detect the passage of the receipts 28a, 28b. At the conveyance entrance of the receipt conveyance path 34, the receipt storage 29
a, 29b and a pair of rollers 30a which is a feeding unit,
30b is provided. Further, a cutter knife 33 is provided along the receipt transport direction of the receipt transport path 34, and a thermal head 31a and a platen 32a facing the thermal head, a thermal head 31b and a platen 32b facing the thermal head are provided. here,
Although the thermal head 31a is arranged above the receipt conveyance path 34 and the thermal head 31b is arranged below the receipt conveyance path 34, the positions may be reversed. With this arrangement, the thermal head 31a prints with the color-developing surface facing upward when the receipt is issued, and the thermal head 31b prints with the color-developing surface facing downward when the receipt is issued.

The receipt storage sections 29a and 29b are also provided.
As shown in the figure, a recess 29c is provided in the approximate center of the bottom surface so that roll-shaped receipts 28a and 28b can be stored. In the recess 29c, the automatic transaction device 1
When the receipt issuing unit 1b is attached to the receipt receiving unit 1b, the receipts 28a and 28b are moved by the impact force generated by pushing the receipt handling unit 1b in the arrow E direction.
It also has the role of preventing jumping out.

The receipts 28a and 28b are for replenishing one of the receipts and are used when one receipt is exhausted. Here, it is assumed that the receipts 28a stored in the receipt storage unit 29a are used first, and the receipts 28b stored in the receipt 29b are put on standby for replenishment. Although the coloring surface 28c of the receipts 28a and 28b is described as being a roll-shaped outer surface, the invention is not limited to this, and the inner surface may be a coloring surface.

The cutter knife 33 includes a receipt 28.
This is for cutting a and 28b for each transaction.
When the customer forgets to take the printed receipt conveyed to the insertion / ejection port 23 or when an error code or the like is printed due to a failure, the blade 35 switches to the direction of arrow A to convey the receipt. It is for carrying the path 37 and storing it in the receipt loading section 36.

Reference numeral 40 denotes a control unit for controlling the operation of each of the above-mentioned units, which is electrically connected to each unit (not shown), for example, the thermal head 31.
The operation control of a, 31b, etc. is performed.

Next, the operation of the automatic transaction device 1 having the above configuration will be described.

When the tip of the receipt 28a is inserted into the roller 30a after the receipt 28a is stored in the receipt storage portion 29a, the roller 30a is driven by the instruction of the control unit 40 to feed the receipt 28a, and the automatic transaction apparatus 1 waits for the transaction. It becomes a state. In the following description, it is normal receipt 28 that the issuing surface 28c is on the thermal head 31a side.
It is assumed that the set state of a is set.

The automatic transaction apparatus 1 is in the transaction waiting state,
When the card 1c is inserted through the insertion / ejection port 23, the card 1c is conveyed through the card conveying path 24. Then, in the card 1c, the data of the magnetic stripe is read by the card reader 25, the embossed characters are read by the emboss reader 26, and both the data are sent to the control unit 40. Control unit 4
At 0, the customer is recognized from both data.

The control unit 40 provides voice and guidance from a speaker or display unit (not shown) and waits for input of customer transaction information from an operation unit (not shown). Then, when the input is received, the control unit 40 communicates with a host device (not shown).
Then, the higher-level device transmits the operation processing instruction to the control unit 40 together with the transaction information corresponding to the information input by the customer. As a result, the automatic transaction device 1 performs processing such as a deposit transaction and a withdrawal transaction according to the transmission content.

According to this processing operation, the receipt issuing unit 1
In b, the receipt is conveyed to the thermal head 31a.
In the thermal head 31a, a printing operation of a predetermined content is started by a command from the control unit 40, and the control unit 4 is activated at the end of the printing operation.
0 causes the cutter 33 to operate to cut the receipt. At this time, if the receipt 28a is in a normal set state, the coloring surface 28c faces upward, and therefore the receipt is printed and cut, and then the next thermal head 31 is cut.
b. Further, when the receipt 28a is not in the normal set state and the coloring surface 28c faces downward,
Even if the thermal head 31a performs a printing operation, nothing is printed and the thermal head 31a is cut and then conveyed to the next thermal head 31b. The control unit 40 uses the thermal head 31.
end time of the printing operation at a, the thermal heads 31a, 3
The print start timing of the thermal head 31b is set based on the conveyance time of the receipt conveyance path 37 between 1b. Each time may be set in advance when the receipt issuing unit 1b is designed.

The thermal head 31b starts an operation of printing the same print contents as the printing operation of the thermal head 31a in response to a print start command from the controller 40. At this time, if the receipt 28a is in a normal set state, the coloring surface 28c faces upward, so that the receipt is discharged as a single-cut receipt from the insertion and discharge port 23 without being printed. Further, when the receipt 28a is not in a normally set state and the coloring surface 28c faces downward, when the thermal head 31a performs a printing operation, a predetermined matter is printed on the coloring surface 28c and the single sheet is discharged from the insertion / ejection port 23. It is discharged as a receipt in the form of a vote. Therefore, even if the coloring surface 28
When a blank receipt passes through the two thermal heads 31a and 31b regardless of whether c is facing upward or downward, the receipt is surely printed with a predetermined content and is issued.

In addition, the card processing unit 1a operates together with the receipt issuing operation, the contents of the magnetic stripe of the card 1c are updated, and the card 1c is conveyed through the card conveyance path 24. Will be returned.

Here, if the customer forgets to take the card 1c and the single-cut receipt, the card 1c is taken into the card loading unit 27, and the single-cut receipt is taken into the receipt loading unit 36.

According to the first embodiment, the two thermal heads 31a and 31b are arranged on the receipt conveying path 34 with their directions reversed, and the respective thermal heads 31a and 31b are arranged.
When passing through a and 31b, the same printing content is printed, so even if the receipt is not in the normal set state where the issuing side is the back side, the transaction content is printed reliably. The effect of being able to do is obtained.

On the other hand, in the above-mentioned conventional print medium issuing device, in particular, the receipt paper on which the transaction details are printed is submitted to the customer face up, so that the transaction details can be sent to a third party who is on standby. Although there is a problem that the printed receipt is seen by the succeeding person, in the present embodiment, the thermal paper stored in the roll shape is not normally set, and the thermal head 31b is used to print only on the coloring surface 28c. When a receipt in the form of a vote is issued, it can be issued with the color-developing surface on the back side. Therefore, an effect of solving such a problem can be obtained, and an effect of protecting privacy can be expected.

Second Embodiment Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic transaction device as an example of a print medium issuing device, and FIG. 3 is an exemplary diagram of a receipt.

The automatic transaction device 10 is different from the automatic transaction device 1 in that the printing operation is performed only by one thermal head 31a and the platen 32a facing the thermal head 31a, and the thermal head 31a is As shown in FIG. 3, a difference is that a print detection sensor 100 for detecting the black print portion X on the receipt R, which is test-printed, is provided. Further, the control unit 400 causes the thermal head 31a to perform a test printing operation, and monitors whether or not the print detection sensor 100 detects the black printing unit X. Then, the detected thermal paper with the test print is taken into the taking-in section 36 to put the automatic transaction device 10 into a transaction waiting state, and if not detected, the thermal paper is ejected from the insertion / ejection port 23. As a result, the discharged thermal paper can be normally accommodated by a clerk or the like when the rolled thermal paper is rewound.

The print detection sensor 100 emits light having a higher output than the passage sensors 4a to 4d and 5a to 5d,
By monitoring the light received by the light receiving element on the opposite side of the light that has passed through the thermal paper, it is possible to indicate that printing has not been performed if the light has passed, and if the light has not passed, it has been printed. There is.

The control unit 400 may monitor the receipt sensor 4c after the passage sensor 4c detects that the receipt has passed, and only for the time when the receipt is conveyed.

Next, the operation characteristic of the second embodiment having the above configuration will be described. Note that the operations not described here are
Since it is similar to the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

First, when a clerk or the like sets a roll of thermal paper in the receipt storage section 29a of the receipt issuing section 1b, the control section 400 causes test printing. That is, by setting the thermal paper, the roll-shaped thermal paper is transported on the receipt transport path 34 to the thermal head 31a. Then, the control unit 400 prints the black printing unit X of black line on the receipt, for example, as shown in FIG. After this printing, the cutter 33 cuts the receipt to an appropriate length, and then it is conveyed on the receipt conveying path 34 and is conveyed to the print detection sensor 100. Then, when the print detection sensor 100 detects the print, the print detection sensor 100 sends the detection result to the control unit 400, and the control unit 400
As described above, the transaction wait state is set. If the printing is not detected for a predetermined time, it is determined that the printing has not been performed, the receipt is ejected from the inserting and ejecting section 23 as described above, and the roll-shaped thermal paper is replaced again by the clerk. After this, the test printing is performed again to check the set state.

The same applies to the case of storing in the receipt storing section 29b.

According to the second embodiment described above, it is possible to confirm by test printing whether or not the roll-shaped thermal paper 28a or the like has been properly set, so that a setting error can be prevented. You will be able to correct it. Therefore, it is possible to reliably print the transaction content.

Third Embodiment In the second embodiment, when the print detection sensor 100 does not detect the test print for a predetermined time, the cut receipt is discharged from the insertion / discharge section 23. In the embodiment, instead of being discharged, it is taken into the device. The third embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. Since the structure is the same as that of the second embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted and the operation will be described first. In operation, the roll-shaped receipts 28a and 28b are stored in the storage portions 29a and 29b.
The operation from when the print detection sensor 100 detects the test print until the apparatus 1 enters the transaction waiting state is the same as that of the second embodiment, and therefore the description thereof is omitted and the print detection sensor 100 performs the test. The operation when printing is not detected will be described.

When the print detection sensor 100 does not detect the test print and the control unit 400 determines that the test print has not been performed (error), the control unit 400.
Conveys the receipt printed by test printing (cut receipt) until the trailing edge of the receipt passes the tip of the blade 35. That is, the passage sensor 4a conveys the receipt toward the insertion / ejection section 23 for a predetermined time set after the passage sensor 4a passes through the tip of the receipt. Next, the control unit 400 rotates the blade 35 in the direction of arrow A from the state shown in FIG. 2 to connect the conveyance path on the passage sensor 4a side and the receipt conveyance path 37. Then, the control unit 400 sends the receipt to the receipt transport path 37 and causes the receipt unit 36 to capture the receipt.

When the control section 400 determines that there is an error, the control section 400 sends the remaining portion of the rolled receipt 28a conveyed to the cutter 33 to the receipt storage section 29a and collects it.

In the third embodiment, when the control unit 400 determines that an error has occurred, the cut receipt is taken in by the loading unit 3
6, the customer who is going to make a transaction with the automatic transaction device 10 does not have to take out the receipt ejected from the insertion / ejection section 23. That is,
The customer receives a receipt for the insertion / ejection section 23 (a blank receipt)
There is no need to decide whether or not to remove the.

Further, in the third embodiment, the control unit 40
If the error is 0, the remaining portion of the roll-shaped receipt 28a is collected in the receipt storage unit 29a. After this, the clerk collects the receipt 28a.
When it is taken out from 9a and stored again, the receipt conveyance path 34
It is not necessary to pull out the rest of the receipts from the roller 30a or the like, and therefore the receipt can be taken out easily.

Instead of the control section 400 automatically performing the operation of collecting the remaining portion of the rolled receipt 28a, the automatic transaction device 10 is provided with a recovery switch or the like, and the clerk confirms an error on the clerk operation panel or the like. After that, the recovery switch may be operated to recover.

In the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the third embodiment, the roll-shaped thermal paper has been described as an example. It may be a heat-sensitive paper having a sheet shape, or may be a continuous heat-sensitive paper folded at perforations.

[0048]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the printing medium issuing device according to the present invention is in a storage state even if it is a blank thermal paper and it is difficult to distinguish the front side from the back side. Printing can be performed irrespective of the above, and according to the second invention, it is possible to confirm the stored state, so that it is possible to reliably print the printing contents on the thermal paper. can get.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic transaction device as an example of a print medium issuing device according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an automatic transaction device as an example of a print medium issuing device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view of a receipt

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 10 Automatic transaction device 1b Receipt issuing section 28a, 28b Rolled thermal paper 29a, 29b Receipt storage section 31a, 31b Thermal head 32a, 32b Platen 33 Cutter 34 Receipt transport path 40, 400 Control section

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A storage unit for storing thermal paper, a transport path for transporting the thermal paper from the storage unit, a first thermal head disposed above the transport path, and a first thermal head facing each other. The first thermal head and the second thermal head disposed below the transport path, and the second thermal head disposed opposite to the second thermal head. A printing medium issuing device characterized in that the same content is printed on a thermal paper conveyed with a thermal head to print on the color development surface of the thermal paper to issue a printing medium. 2. A storage section for storing the thermal paper, a transport path for transporting the thermal paper from the storage section, a thermal head disposed on the transport path, and a platen disposed opposite to the thermal head. A print sensor is installed to detect whether or not the thermal paper is printed. When the thermal paper is stored in the storage section, the thermal head performs a test print operation on the thermal paper, and the thermal paper is printed by the print sensor. A print medium issuing device, which is configured to detect a print medium. 3. The printing medium issuing device according to claim 2, wherein the thermal paper whose printing is not detected by the printing detection sensor is discharged. 4. The printing medium issuing device according to claim 2, wherein the thermal paper whose printing has been detected by the printing detection sensor is loaded into the loading unit. 5. The print medium according to claim 1, wherein the thermal paper accommodated in the accommodating portion is in the form of a roll, and the thermal paper is cut into a proper length at the cutting portion to be issued. Issuing device. 6. The printing medium issuing device according to claim 2, wherein the thermal paper whose printing is not detected by the printing detection sensor is loaded into the loading unit. 7. The print medium issuing device according to claim 4, wherein a thermal paper whose printing is not detected by the printing detection sensor is taken into the taking-in unit. 8. The thermal paper according to claim 5, wherein the thermal paper whose printing is not detected by the print detection sensor is taken into the taking-in section, and the leading end of the roll-shaped thermal paper cut by the cutting section is collected in the containing section. Characteristic print medium issuing device. 9. The printing according to claim 1, wherein the thermal paper to be stored in the storage section is a folded continuous sheet, and is cut by a cutting section to an appropriate length for issuance. Media issuing device. 10. The thermal paper according to claim 9, wherein the thermal paper that does not detect printing by the print detection sensor is loaded into the loading section, and the leading end of the continuous paper cut by the cutting section is collected in the storage section. Printing medium issuing device.