JPH11277826A - Tape printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize cut forms conforming to various purposes by appropriately combining a partial cut mechanism and a full cut mechanism. SOLUTION: This tape printer has a head 18 for printing a setting tape of a layered tape formed of the setting tape and a release tape, a cutting part 23 for cutting a print tape sent from the head 18, a partial cut mechanism B for cutting only the setting tape, a full cut mechanism A for completely cutting the tape, a repeated printing control means 47 for controlling the head 18 to repeatedly print the same print contents for a plurality of number of times in a longitudinal direction of the setting tape with holding a non-print part of a predetermined width of the tape, and a first control means 48 for driving the partial cut mechanism B to cut only the setting tape at the non-print part formed preceding each print part by the repeated printing control means 47.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape printer using a printing tape formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape, and more particularly, to a partial cutting mechanism for cutting only a printing tape, and a printing tape. The present invention relates to a technique that can appropriately realize a cutting mode according to various uses by appropriately combining with an entire cutting mechanism that completely cuts a sheet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, there has been a tape printer using a printing tape formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape, which is capable of performing a so-called partial cut in which only the print tape is cut while leaving the release tape. (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
No. 71955). By performing a partial cut,
When peeling the printed printing tape from the release tape to use it as a label etc., the printing tape can be easily peeled from the partial cut part simply by deforming the printing tape to be bent, and nails and tweezers can be removed. The inconvenience of using the printing tape and the inconvenience of damaging the end of the printing tape are eliminated, and the ease of removing the printing tape is improved.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a tape printer,
Due to the structure in which the cutting portion is arranged close to the lower side of the tape feeding direction with respect to the printing portion, a margin corresponding to the interval between the printing portion and the cutting portion will be formed prior to the first printing portion, If the partial cut mechanism is used, a cut portion of only the print tape can be formed in the margin, and a state in which the extra margin is removed in advance can appear.

Focusing on the fact that providing a partial cut mechanism at the cutting portion as described above has the advantage of overcoming the conventional problems, the present invention provides control of the partial cut mechanism and full cut. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to cut a printed tape into a state suitable for various uses by controlling the combination of a mechanism and a partial cut mechanism.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printer comprising: a printing section for printing on a printing tape in a printing tape formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape; Comprising a cutting unit for cutting the coming printing tape, the cutting unit comprising a partial cut mechanism for cutting only the printing tape in the printing tape,
A first control unit that operates the printing unit and the partial cutting mechanism in cooperation with each other so that only the printing tape is cut between a printing portion printed by the printing unit and a blank portion formed before the printing portion. Have.

According to the tape printer having the above structure, the partial cut mechanism operates so that only the print tape is cut between the print portion and the blank portion formed before the print portion. In addition to the advantage that the print tape can be easily peeled off from the release tape by partial cutting, the label formed by the print tape can be formed in a state where extra non-print portions such as blank portions (described above) that occur due to the structure of the tape printer are reduced. Can be formed. Therefore, it is possible to produce a printing tape having a unit length after printing, which is provided in a state where the printing tape of an actually necessary portion is easily peeled off.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printer comprising: a printing section for printing on a printing tape in a printing tape formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape; and a printing tape sent from the printing section. A cutting unit for cutting, and a split control unit for dividing the print content to be printed by the printing unit in the height direction, and printing each of the divided portions with a margin therebetween along the tape length direction; Is provided with a partial cut mechanism for cutting only the printing tape in the printing tape, a pair of two divided printing portions divided and printed by the split control means, and a blank portion formed prior to these divided printing portions And a second control means for operating the split control means and the partial cut mechanism in cooperation with each other so that only the print tape is cut between the first and second print tapes.

According to the tape printer according to the second aspect of the present invention, means for realizing large characters, figures, etc., which cannot be accommodated in the tape width, by arranging a plurality of printed printing tapes in the tape width direction, That is, a known split control means is used, and the above-described operation according to claim 1 is added thereto. According to this, even if it is possible to configure a wide label by split control, it is possible to create a printing tape after printing provided in a state where the printing tape of an actually necessary portion is easily peeled off, as a unit length. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape printer having the same configuration as that of the first or second aspect, except that the print tape is cut for each print portion upon completion of printing. A mechanism is provided in the cutting section, and numbering generation and storage means for generating and storing counting numbering data changed according to a predetermined rule prior to printing of the printing portion, and storing in the printing data and numbering generation and storage means of the printing portion The combined numbering data is sequentially combined with the counted numbering data, and the combined numbering control based on only the counted numbering data is printed in the margin portion. I have.

According to the tape printer according to the third aspect of the present invention, the numbering for counting is printed in a blank portion which is not used as a label. When creating multiple printing tapes, the number of tapes to be created (label number ) Can be grasped.

[0011]

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

FIG. 1 shows a tape printer 1 and a data creating device 2 for creating text data and the like for printing.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an input key for characters and symbols, a CRT, and the like.
5, a keyboard 3 and a coordinate input device (mouse) 4 provided with a cursor movement key for moving a cursor on a display portion in up, down, left and right directions, various operation keys, and the like, and a CRT 5 capable of displaying characters and the like for a plurality of lines. Each is connected to the control main unit (computer) 6 via a connection line.
The tape printer 1 is also connected to the control main unit 6 via a connection line.

Next, the printing mechanism in the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
A tape storage cassette 7 is detachably mounted on a cassette storage frame 17 in the case 1a. Inside the tape storage cassette 7, a tape spool 9 around which a transparent surface tape 8 such as a PET film is wound, a ribbon supply spool 11 around which an ink ribbon 10 is wound,
A take-up spool 12 for winding the ink ribbon 10, a base material supply spool 15 in which a double-sided adhesive tape 13 having the same width as the surface tape 8 and having an adhesive layer on both sides is wound with a release tape 14 on the outside, A bonding roller 16 for overlapping and bonding the adhesive tape 13 and the surface layer tape 8 is provided rotatably. Then, the tape spool 9 and the joining roller 1
6 is provided with a tape feed motor 46 for driving the motor 6.

A thermal head 18, which is a printing portion standing upright from the cassette housing frame 17, faces a recess 19 of the tape housing cassette 7, and the portion of the thermal head 18 is overlapped with the surface tape 8 and the ink ribbon 10. It can pass in the state where it was done. A platen roller 21 mounted on a roller holder 20 rotatably provided from the cassette housing frame 17 is pressed toward the thermal head 18,
Feed roller 22 mounted on the tip side of roller holder 20
Is pressed toward the joining roller 16.

When printing is performed based on the print data created by the data creation device 2, the drive motor 25 in the cassette housing frame 17 is rotated to rotate the take-up spool 12, the feed roller 2 via the gear mechanism (not shown).
2. While the joining roller 16 is rotated synchronously, the heating elements arranged in a row in the thermal head 18 are selectively energized and driven, and a dot row of the ink 29 is attached to the back surface of the surface tape 8 for printing. After that, it is sent to the cutting unit 23 as a printed printing tape 24 in which the double-sided adhesive tape 13 is laminated on the printing surface of the surface tape 8.

The cutting section 23 includes an entire cutting mechanism A for completely cutting the printing tape 24 and a partial cutting mechanism B described later. The entire cutting mechanism A includes a fixed blade 23a
And a movable blade 23b that moves far and near by rotation with respect to the fixed blade 23a, and the printing tape 24 is rotated by rotating the movable blade 23b by an electric drive mechanism 26. It is configured to cut.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the printed printing tape 24. A dot row of ink 29 is adhered to the back surface of a transparent surface tape 8 such as a PET (polyethylene phthalate) film as a mirror image of characters. The back side is joined by the adhesive layer 13b on one side of the base tape 13a of the double-sided adhesive tape 13, and the back side is the adhesive layer 1 on the other side.
This is covered with a paper release tape (release paper) 14 via 3c. The printing tape 28 having a thickness T1 is a combination of the surface tape 8 and the double-sided adhesive tape 13 excluding the release tape (release paper) 14.
The release paper already integrated with 3 is the release tape 14 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 2, the partial cutting mechanism B
It is arranged between the paper discharge unit 27 and the full cutting mechanism A in the case 1 a of the tape printer 1. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, a metal thick plate-shaped receiving base 33 fixed to the cassette housing frame 17 and the like is pivotally supported on the receiving base 33 so as to be rotatable around a caulking pin 34. Support member 35
And a cutting blade 36 fixed to the support member 35 by spot welding 37 or the like, and a driving means 38 for rotating the support member 35.

The receiving table 33 has a thickness T2 of the release tape 14.
Is smaller than the width H2 of the release tape 14 (the printing tape 24), and the step 3 is wider than the width of the release tape 14 (the printing tape 24).
9 is formed. Therefore, the pair of steps 33 having the same height H2 as the step 39 with respect to the bottom surface of the step 39 are provided on the end surfaces of the tip side of the receiving table 33 and the vicinity of the caulking pin 34.
a, 33b are formed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, the thickness of the entire printing tape 24 is increased from the foot portion 35 a contacting a part of the one step portion 33 a toward the vicinity of the caulking pin 34 on the front end side of the support member 35. T3 (= T1 + T
The step 40 is formed to be deeper than 2) and wider than the width of the printing tape 24.

As shown in FIG. 7, in order to position and fix the cutting blade 36 on the support member 35, the foot 35a on the front end side of the support member 35 contacts the step 33a on the front end side of the receiving base 33. Then, it is rotated around the swaging pin 34 and closed. In this state, the cutting blade 36 is fixed to the support member 35 by spot welding 37 or an adhesive (not shown) at a position where both ends of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 36 contact the pair of steps 33a and 33b. . This ensures that the gap between the cutting edge of the cutting blade 36 and the step 39 in the receiving table 33 becomes parallel, and the dimension of the gap becomes equal to the height H2 of the step 39. The fixing of the cutting blade 36 to the support member 35 can be performed very easily without any difficulty, and the mounting accuracy is remarkably improved.

As shown in FIG. 5, a driving means 38 for rotating the cutting blade 36, that is, the support member 35 about the caulking pin 34, drives the power of an electric motor 41, which can be rotated forward and reverse, via a gear train 42. When the crank 43 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 5, the pin 44 protruding from the crank 43 moves along the long groove 45 formed in the support member 35, thereby causing the support member 35 to move. This is a structure for rotating in a counterclockwise direction. In this case, after the foot 35a of the support member 35 comes into contact with the step 33a of the cradle 33, the electric motor 41 is prevented from being overloaded by a slip clutch (not shown) interposed in the gear train 42. It is configured.

Then, at least the foot 3 is attached to the support member 35.
5a and one end of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 36
When abutting on a, the partial cut of the printing tape 24 is completed. At this time, the other end of the cutting blade 36 may abut on the other step 33 b of the receiving table 33. When the electric motor 41 is opened by rotating in the reverse direction, a limit switch (not shown) contacts a suitable portion of the support member 35 and outputs a predetermined signal so as to stop the electric motor 41 at the maximum opening angle. .

As described above, when the support member 35 and the cutting blade 36 are rotated around the rotation center (caulking pin 34) with respect to the fixed receiving base 33 and closed, the cutting edge of the cutting blade 36 and the step 39 are displaced. The gap gradually narrows from the side closer to the caulking pin 34. Therefore, the cutting edge of the cutting blade 36 hits the printing tape 24 in order from one edge, and the printing tape 24 is
, And the cutting edge of the cutting blade 36 cuts at a stroke across the entire width of the tape, so that the driving force is smaller than that of a so-called push-cut type. The output of the motor 41 can be reduced.

In order to partially cut the printing tape 24 so as to leave the peeling tape 14 side, the partial cutting is performed such that the peeling tape 14 side is positioned on the bottom side of the step 39 of the receiving base 33. Work should be performed [Fig. 8 (b)
reference〕. Conversely, in order to cut only the release tape 14, the surface tape 8 may be positioned on the bottom surface side of the step 39 of the receiving table 33 to perform a partial cutting operation.

Next, a cutting control device of the tape printer will be described.

A repetitive printing control means 47 for controlling the printing unit 18 so as to print the same print content repeatedly a plurality of times along the longitudinal direction of the print tape 28 while sandwiching a non-print portion h of a predetermined width; A control unit 49 for operating the partial cutting mechanism B so as to cut only the printing tape 28 in the non-printing portion h or the margin y formed before each printing portion i by the control unit 47;
It is prepared for.

A numbering printing control means 50 for causing the printing unit 18 to print a printing portion i as a numbering changed in accordance with a predetermined rule a plurality of times while sandwiching a non-printing portion h along the longitudinal direction of the printing tape 28; The second control means 51 for operating the partial cut mechanism B so as to cut only the print tape 28 in the non-print portion h or the margin portion y formed prior to each print portion i by the print control means 50 is transmitted to the control device 49. It is prepared.

The printing section 18, the partial cutting mechanism B, and the full cutting mechanism A are cut so that the printing tape 24 is cut instead of cutting only the printing tape 28 at every predetermined number of printing portions i. The third control means 52 (constituting the first control means in claim 1) which operates in cooperation, and between the print portion i printed by the print portion 18 and the margin portion y formed prior to the print portion i At the printing tape 28
The fourth control means 55 for linking the printing unit 18 and the partial cutting mechanism B so as to cut only
It is prepared for.

The split control means 56 divides the print content to be printed by the printing unit 18 in the height direction, and prints each of the divided prints with a margin in the length direction of the tape.
Is provided. The split control unit 56 and the split control unit 56 are cut so that only the print tape 28 is cut between the paired divided print portions divided and printed by the split control unit 56 and a blank portion formed prior to the divided print portions. The control device 49 is provided with fifth control means 57 (constituting the second control means in claim 2) for linking and operating the partial cut mechanism B.

The all-cutting mechanism A is prepared for cutting the printing tape 24 at the end of printing for each printing portion i, and generates counting numbering data changed according to a predetermined rule before printing the printing portion. The numbering generation / storage means 58 to be stored and stored, the printing data of the printing portion and the numbering data for counting stored in the numbering generation / storage means 58 are sequentially combined, and the counting is performed based on only the counting numbering data. Synthetic print control means 59 for repeating printing based on data synthesized in a state where numbering is printed in a margin portion
Are provided in the control device 49.

The control unit 49 includes, specifically, a CPU as an arithmetic unit and an R for storing various programs and data.
The microcomputer is a known microcomputer including an OM, a RAM for temporarily storing various data, and the like. Each of the above units is configured by a CPU executing a program stored in a ROM.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the thermal head 18 serving as a printing unit and the movable blade 23b of the full-cut mechanism A are provided.
Between the movable blade 23b of the full cutting mechanism A and the movable blade 35 of the partial cutting mechanism B, there is a slight gap between the movable blade 23b and the movable blade 23 of the partial cutting mechanism B. . Therefore, in a state where the printing tape 24 is completely cut, as shown in FIG. 11, the leading end of the tape is at the position of the whole cutting mechanism A, and printing of the printing unit 18 is started in that state, As a result, a blank portion y is formed at the leading end of the tape prior to the first printing portion i. The margin y is also a non-printing part.

FIG. 12 shows the split control means 56 and the fifth
Control means 57 and numbering generation / storage means 58
2 shows an example (image diagram) of two type I printing tapes 24 obtained by cooperation between the printing tape 24 and the composite printing control means 59. In this method, three characters of "ABC", which is four times the size of the standard size (double each in length and width), are sliced vertically into a band and divided and printed sequentially like upper half-letter lower half. Yes, all cut lines 53 at both ends
And a partial cut line 54 between the print portion "ABC" and a blank portion formed before the print portion "ABC". According to this, by peeling the printing tape 28 from the release tape 14, two divided printed labels are obtained, and by arranging them vertically, the "ABC"
Can be displayed.

FIG. 13 shows an example (image) of the type II printing tape 24 obtained by the cooperation of the fourth control means 55, the numbering generation / storage means 58, and the composite print control means 59. This is a setting in which a printing tape is separately formed one by one in order to obtain three labels having a printed portion of the same content, and a partial cut line is formed between the margin and the following character "AB". 54 are formed, and the numbering for counting is printed in the margin. However, since the blank portion of the first printing tape was generated at the time of printing and tape cutting prior to the tape creation, the numbering for counting is controlled so that 1 is not printed and 2 is printed. You. According to this, the number of units produced when a plurality of unit tapes called “AB” are produced is indicated by the numbering for counting printed in the margin of the unit tape.

Next, a procedure for actually producing a printing tape by the tape printer 1 will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in FIGS. Note that the following Si (i = 1,
2, 3...) Are step numbers of each step in each flowchart.

First, the control device 49 performs an initialization process (S1) such as clearing various flags, and waits for a key input (S2: no). If there is a key input by the user operating the keyboard 3 (S2: yes), it is determined whether the key is a copy print key (S3). If the key is a copy print key (S3: yes), copy setting processing is performed. Perform (S4).

In this copy setting process, the control device 4
Step 9 waits for a key input (S15: no), that is, waits for the user to input the number of copies by pressing the numeric keys of the keyboard 3, as shown in FIG. If there is a key input (S15: yes), it is determined whether or not the input key is a numeric key 2-9 (S16).
If the input is made from a key other than to 9 (S16: no),
It is determined that the input is from an invalid key, and the process returns to S15.

On the other hand, if the input is from the numeric keys 2 to 9 (S16: yes), the numeric value of the numeric key pressed by the user is stored in the RAM in the control device 49 as the copy number N. (S17). Then, the numbering flag F and the split flag F stored in the RAM
Is cleared (S18). Clearing the flag means changing the value of the flag to "0". Then, after performing S18, the control device 49 performs a count print setting process illustrated in FIG. 17 (S19).

In the count print setting process, the control device 49 first displays a setting screen such as “count print Y / N” and prompts the user to press the Y key or the N key of the keyboard 3. Prompt (S33). The user presses the Y key when he / she wants the count printing as shown in FIG. 13, and presses the N key when he / she does not want the count printing.

If the Y key is pressed (S34: yes)
s) The count print flag F is set. If the N key is pressed (S34: no), the count print flag F is cleared (S37). If a key other than the Y key and the N key is pressed (S34 / S36: no), it is determined that an invalid key has been pressed, and the process returns to S34. After performing S35 and S37, the control device 49 returns to the split setting of FIG. 16, ends the copy setting process, and shifts to the printing process of FIG.

In S2, if the input key is a numbering printing key (S3: no, S5: y
es), a numbering setting process is performed (S6). In this numbering setting process, the control device 49
As shown in (b), first, a key input is waited (S20: n)
o) That is, wait for the user to input the number of printing tapes created by numbering printing by pressing the numeric keys of the keyboard 3. When there is a key input (S20: yes
s), it is determined whether or not the entered key is a numeral 2-9 key (S21). If the input is from a key other than the numeral 2-9 (S21: no), the invalid key is pressed. It is determined that it is an input, and the process returns to S20.

On the other hand, when the input is from the keys of the numerals 2 to 9 (S21: yes), the numeral of the numeral key pressed by the user is changed to the number N of printed sheets by numbering printing.
Is stored in the RAM in the control device 49 (S22).
Then, the numbering flag F stored in the RAM
Is set, and the split flag F is cleared (S23). Note that setting a flag means changing the value of the flag to “1”. Then, the control device 49
Ends the numbering setting process after performing S23, and shifts to S14 in FIG.

In S2, if the input key is a split print key (S3 · S5: no, S
7: yes), a split setting process is performed (S8). In this split setting process, the control device 49
First, as shown in FIG. 6 (a), a key input is waited (S25:
No), that is, waits for the user to input the number of divisions for performing the split printing (the number of divisions is also the number of prints in the split printing) by pressing the numeric key of the keyboard 3. If there is a key input (S25: yes), it is determined whether or not the input key is a numeral 2-9 key (S2).
6) If the input is from a key other than the numerals 2 to 9 (S
26: no), determine that the input is from an invalid key,
The process returns to S25.

On the other hand, when the input is from the keys of the numerals 2 to 9 (S26: yes), the number of the numeric key pressed by the user is set as the number N of sheets to be printed by the split printing in the RAM in the control device 49. (S27). Then, the numbering flag F stored in the RAM is cleared and the split flag F is set (S
28). Then, after performing S28, the control device 49 performs the same count print setting as in S19, thereafter ends the split setting process, and proceeds to S14 in FIG.

In S2, if the input key is a print key (S3, S5, S7: no, S9: yes)
s) The number of prints N is set to "1" (S10), and the printing process (S14) described later is performed.

In S2, if the input key is a half cut setting key (S3, S5, S7, S
9: no, S11: yes), and performs a half-cut setting process (S12). As shown in FIG. 16B, in the half-cut setting process, the control device 49 determines whether or not the half-cut flag F stored in the RAM is in a set state (S30). Is already set (S30: yes), the half-cut flag F is cleared (S32). On the other hand, if the half-cut flag F is not set and is in the clear state (S30: no), the half-cut flag F is set (S31). Then, after performing S31 or S32, the control device 49 returns to S2 in FIG.

In S2, if the input key is not a half cut setting key (S3 / S5 / S7 / S9)
-S11: no), a process corresponding to the input key is performed (S13). The processing in S13 includes, for example, text input / edit processing by pressing a character key or the like.

Next, the printing process executed by pressing the print key will be described with reference to FIG.

The control device 49 determines whether the number of prints N is "1" (S54), and the user has set copy printing, numbering printing, or split printing, and the number of prints N is not "1". In this case (S54: no), RA
The value of the print number counter n provided in M is set to the set print number N (S59). Then, "1" is set to the counter C.

Next, image processing for creating image data for printing is performed based on the input text (S39). In the image processing shown in FIG. 19, first, the control device 49 determines whether or not the number of prints N is greater than “1” (S46), and if the number of prints N is greater than “1” (S46: yes). Since any one of copy printing, numbering printing, and split printing has been set by the user, it is first determined whether or not the split flag F is set (S47), and the split printing is set and the split flag is set. If F is set (S47: yes), a print image in which the text is enlarged by N times is generated (S48). Note that N times when enlarging an image is the number of divisions set in the split setting processing. Next, the control device 49 divides the generated image into N in the height direction, and stores the n-th image indicated by the print number counter n of the divided image in the print buffer of the RAM (S49). Then, the image processing ends, and the process returns to S62 of FIG.

On the other hand, when the numbering printing is set by the user, the numbering flag F is in the set state (S50: yes).
It is determined whether or not the number of prints N matches the number of prints counter n (S51), and if they do match (S51: yes)
s) Since the first page is to be printed in the numbering printing, image data for printing the input text is created and stored in the print buffer (S53), and the process returns to S62 in FIG.

If the number of prints N does not match the number of prints counter n in S51 (S51: no),
Since the second and subsequent sheets are printed in numbering printing, the input text is counted up (S
52), and proceed to S53.

When copy printing is set by the user, since both the split flag F and the numbering flag F are in the clear state, the control device 49
After determining "no" in S50 and executing S53 to create image data for printing the input text and storing it in the print buffer, the process proceeds to S6 in FIG.
Return to 2.

When the image processing is completed, the control device 49 sets the thermal head 18 and the tape feeding motor 46
To print the image data for printing stored in the print buffer until the position for performing the half-cut is conveyed to the partial cut mechanism B (S62). When the half cut position is conveyed to the partial cut mechanism B, the driving of the thermal head 18 and the tape feed motor 46 is temporarily stopped, and the partial cut mechanism B is driven to perform half cut (S63). Then, the thermal head 18 and the tape feed motor 46 are driven again to print the remaining image data not printed in S40 of the print image data stored in the print buffer (S64).

Next, the control device 49 sets the result obtained by subtracting "1" from the number-of-prints counter n in the number-of-prints counter n (S65), and determines whether or not the number-of-prints counter n is "0". (S66). If the number-of-printed-sheets counter n is not “0”, it means that the printing of the number of printed sheets N set by the user has not been completed.
8 and thereafter, and the above-mentioned S61 and subsequent steps are repeatedly executed until the number-of-printed-sheets counter n becomes “0”.

The controller 49 increments the counter C by "1" in S68 (S68). Then, it is determined whether or not the count print flag F is set (S71). If the count print flag F is set (S71: yes), the tape feed motor 46 is set.
And the printing tape 2 while driving the thermal head 18.
The number stored in the counter C is printed while the tape cutting position for cutting the entirety of No. 4, that is, the rear end of the printed portion is conveyed to the entire cutting mechanism A. When all the cutting positions are conveyed to the entire cutting mechanism A, the entire cutting mechanism A is driven to cut the entire printing tape 24 (S70).

On the other hand, if the count print flag F is not set (S71: no), the rear end of the printed portion is located at the entire cutting mechanism A without printing the number stored in the counter C. The tape feed motor 46 is driven until the printing tape 24 is conveyed (S72), and then S70 is executed.

On the other hand, when the number of prints counter n becomes "0", it means that the printing of the number of prints N set by the user has been completed, and the tape feed motor 46 is driven so that the trailing end of the print result is completely cleared. It is transported to the cutting mechanism A, and all the cutting mechanisms A
Is driven to perform all cuts (S67), the printing process is completed, and the process returns to S2 in FIG.

If the user has not set copy printing, numbering printing, or split printing, the number of prints N is set to “1”.
In step S54, "yes" is determined, and the number-of-printed-sheets counter n is set to "1" (S55).
It is determined whether or not is set (S56). If the user sets the half-cut and sets the half-cut flag F in the set state (S56: yes), the above-mentioned S61 and subsequent steps are executed. If the half cut is not set, the half cut flag F is in the clear state (S56: n
o), image processing similar to S61 is performed (S57),
The print image data stored in the print buffer is printed on the print tape 28 by driving the thermal head 18 or the like (S58), and the process proceeds to S64.

To obtain the printing tape 24 shown in FIG. 12, the user presses a character key on the keyboard 3 and inputs a text consisting of the character string "ABC" (S13).
Next, the user presses the split print key and the number "2" key to set split printing and set the number of copies 2 to print. Then, the number of prints N is set to "2" in S27 of the split setting process (S6), the numbering flag F is cleared in S28, and the split flag F
Is set. In addition, the count print setting (S29)
, When the count printing is set by pressing the “Y” key, the count print flag F is set.

Then, the user presses the print key. Then, the print processing (S14) is executed, and the number of prints N is set to "2" (S54: no), so that S5
At 9, the counter n is set to "2", and the counter C is also set to "1". Then, in the image processing of S61, S46 / S47: yes, S48,
S49 is executed to create print image data enlarged to twice the character string "ABC", and the upper half of the print image data obtained by dividing the enlarged print image data is stored in the print buffer. Is done.

Next, in the processing of S62 to S63, printing of the upper half of the enlarged character string "ABC" and creation of the half cut line 54 before the upper half are performed. Then, since the number-of-printed-sheets counter n is not "0", the counter C is incremented by "1" in S68, the value "2" of the counter C is printed on the print tape 28 in S69, and the rear end of the printed portion is printed. When the front end of the printed counter value "2" is conveyed to the entire cutting mechanism A, the entire cutting mechanism A is driven in S70 to cut the printing tape 24. By the above series of processes, the first printing tape 24 for split printing (the upper half of the enlarged character string “ABC”) is created.

Next, S61 to S65 are executed, and the lower half of the enlarged character string "ABC" is printed on the print tape 28. Here, since the number-of-printed-sheets counter n is "0", the rear end of the printed portion is conveyed to the entire cutting mechanism A in S67, and the printing tape 28 is cut by the entire cutting mechanism A. By these series of processing,
The second sheet of split printing (enlarged character string "ABC"
(The lower half) of the printing tape 24 is created.

Since the half-cut line 54 is formed in each of the prepared printing tapes 24, the printed portion can be easily peeled off. Further, since the numeral “2” indicating the second printing is printed in the margin of the second printing tape 28, when the printing tape 24 created by split printing is attached, The order can be easily understood, and the work of attaching the tapes becomes extremely easy.

In order to obtain the printing tape 24 shown in FIG. 13, the user presses a character key on the keyboard 3 and inputs a text consisting of the character string "AB" (S1).
3). Next, the user presses the copy print key and the numeral "3" key to set copy printing and also sets the number of copies 3. Then, the number of prints N is set to "3" in S17 of the copy printing process (S4), and both the numbering flag F and the split flag F are cleared in S18. Further, in the count print setting process, the count print is set by pressing the “Y” key.

Then, the user presses the print key. Then, the print processing (S14) is executed, and the number of prints N is set to "3" (S54: no), so that S5
At 9, the counter n is set to "3" and the counter C is set to "1". Then, in the image processing of S61, S46: yes, S47 and S50: n
o and S53 are executed to create print image data of the character string "AB", and by the processing of S62 to S65, the printing of the character string "AB" and the half cut line 54 in front of it.
Is created. Then, since the result of subtracting "1" from the print number counter n is not "0", the counter C is incremented by "1", and in S69, after the value of the counter C is printed, all the cutting mechanisms A are driven. Then, all cutting is performed, and the first printing tape 24 is created.

Next, S61 to S70 are repeated until the printing counter n becomes "0", and the second and third printing tapes with the numbers "2" and "3" printed in the margins 24 are created. When the printing counter n becomes "0", the printing of the number of copies set by the user is completed, and in S67, the transport of the printing tape 24 by the tape feed motor 46 and the entire cutting by the all cutting mechanism A are performed. Then, all cutting is performed on the third printing tape 24.

By the above series of processes, the specified number of print tapes 24 on which the same contents have been printed can be created, and the number indicating the number of the print is printed in the margins of the second and subsequent prints. Is done. Since the half cut line 54 is also formed on the printing tape 24, the printed portion can be easily peeled off. In addition, since the number indicating the number of sheets is printed in the margin, the user can easily grasp what number of the printing tape 24 has been created during printing, and In the pasting operation, it is possible to easily grasp the number of the printing tape 24 that has been pasted.

Since the necessity of counter printing can be arbitrarily set by the user, a printing tape without counter printing can be created.

[0070]

According to the tape printer according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, (a) a convenient printing tape which is easy to peel off and which can be easily used as a label can be realized in a state in which unnecessary margins are reduced without any trouble. The printing tape after printing can be made excellent in handleability.

In the tape printer according to the fifth aspect,
(B) The effect (a) can be applied to a printing tape after printing by split control, and can be suitably used for a wide label.

In the tape printer according to the sixth aspect, while providing the above-mentioned effect (a) or (b), a convenient printer which makes it easy to see at a glance the number of sheets to be created and the total number at the time of printing a plurality of prints is provided with a margin portion. There is an advantage that the label can be realized in a preferable state without affecting the label by printing by utilizing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a tape printer and a data creation device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cassette storage unit.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a printing tape.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a partial cross-sectional view of the printing tape.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a partial cut mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the partial cutting mechanism with the cutting blade opened.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a state in which the cutting blade is fixed to a support member.

8A is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the partial cut mechanism of FIG. 6, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the partial cut mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a control block diagram of the tape printer.

FIG. 10 shows a margin portion, a printing portion, and a printing tape.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a non-print portion.

FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a positional relationship between a printing unit and a cutting unit.

FIG. 12 is an image diagram of a type I printing tape.

FIG. 13 is an image diagram of a type II printing tape.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a main routine in the embodiment.

15A is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of each subroutine for copy setting, and FIG. 15B is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of each subroutine for numbering setting.

16A is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of each subroutine for split setting, and FIG. 16B is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of a subroutine for setting half cut.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of a subroutine for setting counter printing.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart of a print processing routine.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a flowchart of an image processing routine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 14 Release Tape 18 Printing Unit 23 Cutting Unit 24 Printing Tape 28 Printing Tape 47 Repetitive Printing Control Means 48 First Control Means 50 Numbering Print Control Means 51 Second Control Means 52 Third Control Means

Claims (3)

[Claims] A printing section for printing on the printing tape in a printing tape formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape, and a cutting section for cutting the printing tape sent from the printing section. The cutting portion, comprising a partial cut mechanism for cutting only the printing tape in the printing tape, a print portion printed by the printing portion and a blank portion formed prior to the printing portion A tape printer having first control means for operating the printing unit and the partial cutting mechanism in cooperation with each other so that only the printing tape is cut between the tape printers A printing section for printing on the printing tape in a printing tape formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape; a cutting section for cutting the printing tape sent from the printing section; Split control means for dividing the print content to be printed by the printing section in the height direction, and printing each of the divided sections with a margin interposed along the tape length direction, wherein the cutting section is used for the printing. A partial cut mechanism configured to cut only the print tape of the tape, and a pair of two divided print portions divided and printed by the split control means and a blank portion formed prior to these divided print portions. A second control means for operating the split control means and the partial cut mechanism in cooperation with each other so that only the printing tape is cut between the two. Pupurinta. 3. The printing unit according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit includes an entire cutting mechanism for cutting the printing tape for each of the printing portions upon completion of the printing, and count numbering data changed according to a predetermined rule for printing the printing portions. Numbering generation / storage means for generating and storing the data in advance, and sequentially combining the print data of the print portion and the numbering data for counting stored in the numbering generation / storage means, and only for the numbering data for counting. 3. The tape printer according to claim 1, further comprising: synthetic printing control means for repeating printing based on data synthesized in a state in which counting numbering based on printing is performed in the margin.