JPS59150781A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to enhance economy and reliability of a printer, by a method wherein black lines or transparent lines are provided in accordance with the kind of a film ribbon, and the condition of the ribbon is detected, in a color printer. CONSTITUTION:When the film ribbon 10 used for a printer is a color film ribbon, a black line 5 is provided at the leading end of yellow Y, and a black part 6 is provided at the trailing end of the film. When the ribbon is a white-black film ribbon, a black part 7 for printing and a part 8 coated with an aluminum foil at the trailing end of the film are provided. When the film ribbon 10 is detected by a reflective-type photosensor 12, the output from the photosensor 12 is L at the black parts 5, 6, 7, and is H at the aluminum foil part 8 and a color part. Accordingly, the kind of the film ribbon can be discriminated by the condition of the signal, the trailing end of the film ribbon and the leading end of the yellow Y can be detected, and economy and reliability of the printer can be enhanced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention (r:J) relates to a printer with film ribbon detection.

Conventional Structure and Problems Conventionally, color printers have used separate sensors to detect yellow (hereinafter referred to as Y) on a color film ribbon and to detect the end of the film ribbon.

However, this makes the device expensive and the mechanism is
Moreover, there were other drawbacks such as lack of reliability.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention eliminates all of these conventional drawbacks, and realizes the detection of any leading color of a color film ribbon and the end detection of a color film ribbon and a monochrome film ribbon with a simple configuration. This improves the printer's economy and reliability.

Structure of the Invention In the present invention, a black or transparent line is provided at an arbitrary leading color of a color film ribbon, a black or transparent part is provided at the end portion of the film ribbon with a width larger than the line width, and a black or transparent line is provided at the end portion of the black and white film ribbon. The above purpose is achieved by detecting the black or transparent color of the film ribbon for a film ribbon provided with a colored part that reflects the original, and controlling the feeding of the film ribbon according to the detection signal of the detection section. It is intended to achieve the following.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a printer in an embodiment of this gefJ. Yes, there is k in Figure 1.
Stay.

1 is a film ribbon 11 which will be described later, and 2 is a film ribbon 1.
3 is a line detection unit that detects the state of the line provided in the detection unit 2; 3 is a control book +s that inputs the detection signal detected by the detection unit 2 and outputs a control signal according to the detection signal; 4 is a control unit from the control unit 3; The film ribbon 1 is sent out by the fl control signal bow.
This is the film ribbon drive unit that drives the film ribbon.

The film ribbon 1 used in the printer of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a color film ribbon used in the printer in this embodiment. 6 iJ: Black line indicating the head of Y, 6 is the black part indicating the film end,
By moving in the direction of arrow A, the printer performs printing. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a black and white film ribbon. Reference numeral 7 denotes a black film portion for printing, and a portion coated with aluminum foil indicating the 8Iri film ribbon end (color film in FIG. 2) moves in the direction of arrow A in the same way as the ribbon, thereby printing is performed by the printer.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the operation of the line detection section 2 when using the above-mentioned Fill 1 ribbon will be explained.

In Fig. 4, 9 is the fill 1 cassette body.

1o is the film ribbon shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

11 is a thermal head for printing. 12 is the first
This is a reflective photosensor corresponding to the line detection section 2 shown in the figure, and as shown in FIG. 5, it is composed of a light emitting diode 12a and a phototransistor 12b.

In the above configuration, the film ribbon 10 moves in the direction of arrow B and passes in front of the reflective photosensor 12. At that time, in the case of a color film ribbon, the black line shown in Figure 2, the black line? Due to τIS, in the case of a twisted black and white film ribbon, a signal is output from the reflection type Fn,l-sensor 12 by the aluminum foil shown in FIG. In other words, the light from the 5-issue diode 12a is
In the case of color film ribbons, the film ribbon is usually passed through four reflective sheets, Fumettran/Star 12bi, and output 1.
A full high level signal (hereinafter referred to as an H signal) is output to the Mizuko S. - When the full black line part and the black part pass through, the origin of the issuing terminal diode 12a is not reflected by the film ribbon. Therefore, the phototransistor 12b is cut off, and a low level signal (hereinafter referred to as "hereinafter") is sent to the output terminal S.

(referred to as the L signal).

Next, in the case of the black and white film ribbon shown in FIG. >When it reaches 41S minutes, the light from the issuing diode 12a is aluminum? 11, and an H signal is output to the output terminal S.

That is, the liT number as shown in FIG. 6 in the case of a color film ribbon and as shown in FIG. 7 in the case of a monochrome film ribbon is output to the output terminal S.

Now, the i signal and L signal from the above-mentioned output stream 1 child S are processed by the control section 3 shown in FIG. 1 according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 8.

The processing of control) ζls3 will be described below with reference to FIG.

(a) The tatoe distinguishes between a color cassette and a monochrome cassette by turning on and off the switch depending on the shape of the fill 1 ribbon cassette 7 and t.

(b) In the case of a color cassette, all signals from the output terminal S are determined, and if the signal is H, it is determined that printing is possible.

弒) If the h i = number, fill 1, and since the ribbon is in the black line section, advance the film ribbon several steps. 2) Discriminate the signal from the output terminal S again. At this time, if you are in H coarse row, the 11th fire of the black line (, t3 if it is the head of Y)
1J IQr. 'L (black line II if it's an I) is wide, so I judge it to be the end of the film.

(e) block@) and judged it to be black 77th cenot fr”
IA case.

All signals from the output terminal S are discriminated, and if the signal is L, it is determined that printing is possible due to the black part, and if the signal is H, it is determined that the film is at the end.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to reliably detect the Y head of the film 1 ribbon and the end of the film ribbon.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention has the following advantages:
By providing a black or transparent line and detecting the state of the ribbon, it is possible to provide a printer that is simple in construction, economical, and extremely reliable, and its effects are outstanding.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a color film ribbon, and Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a black and white film ribbon. is a plan view showing the film cassette and detection part;
Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of a reflective photo sensor for detection, Figure 6 is an output signal waveform diagram from a reflective photo sensor when a color film ribbon is used, and Figure 7 is a diagram of the output signal waveform from a reflective photo sensor when a black and white film ribbon is used. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control section. 1...Film ribbon, 2...Lie>
Detection y41S, 3... Control unit, 4...
Film ribbon drive unit, 5...Black line, 6.
...Black part, 7...Black film. 8...Aluminum foil part, 12...Reflective type first sensor. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person
2 Inpachi Figure 3 11 - Figure 4 Figure 5 IO Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8

Claims (1)

[Claims] Corresponding to a film ribbon in which a black or transparent line is provided in any leading color of the three primary colors of the color film ribbon, and a black or transparent line is made larger at the end portion of the film ribbon than the width of the line, the film ribbon is A printer comprising: a detection section that optically detects a black or transparent portion of the film; and a control section that controls feeding of a MiJ film ribbon in accordance with a detection signal from the detection section.