JPS60172558A - Recording apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain an inexpensive recording apparatus raised in working efficiency, enlarged in expression capacity and simple to operate, by constituting the same so that a recording head according to a type system and a recording head according to a dot matrix system are provided and one of both recording heads can be selected according to necessity. CONSTITUTION:A driver 8 controls a dot matrix recording head 1 and performs control so as to print recording paper by a predetermined dot or character while a driver 9 controls the selection of the type of a recording head 2 according to a daisy wheel system and the driving timing or driving pressure of a hammer and controls the recording operation by the recording head 2. A driver 10 controls the rotary amount of a motor 2 to perform the control of a recording position performed by the dot matrix recording head 1 or the type system recording head 2. In the above mentioned constitution, by selecting the driver 8 or 9 by controlling a control part 7 from the outside, recording operation can be performed according to a desired system.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field] The present invention relates to a recording device, and particularly to a recording device with expanded expressive capabilities.

[Prior art]

Conventionally, various recording devices have been put into practical use as output devices for computer systems and the like. Typical examples include printers that use type, such as daisy printers, badminton printers, and golf ball printers, and dot matrix printers. These have advantages and disadvantages as described below.

The former type records by hitting the type with a hammer, so the recording quality is good, but it has the disadvantage that only type prepared in advance can be printed. Also, the recording speed is generally slow,
It is almost impossible to record images, and the control mechanism is complicated, so the equipment is generally expensive.

On the other hand, the latter type of printer has a high recording speed, a simple control mechanism and is therefore inexpensive, and can record various characters and images by changing the dot pattern.

However, the image quality is lower than that of type printers, so they are rather unsuitable as output devices for word processors and the like.

As described above, each conventional recording device has different characteristics, and each device has a single function, so if a user wants to use a different recording method for data recording, it is necessary to use the individual recording devices. I had to change the connections and output. Therefore, it has been difficult to record using both recording methods on the same sheet of paper.

On the other hand, in recent systems such as personal computers, word processing and numerical data exchange processing can be easily performed simply by converting the software. In such cases, it is complicated to connect multiple recording devices for each program to perform recording output, and it is also a heavy financial burden on the user since multiple recording devices must be purchased. Hey.

〔the purpose〕

The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and provides a recording device that can perform recording by taking advantage of the characteristics of both a type recording head and a dot matrix recording head, which have contrasting characteristics. The purpose is to provide.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the mechanical configuration of the main parts of a recording apparatus employing the present invention.

The reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 indicates a dot matrix recording head, such as a wire dot recording head. Also designated by the reference numeral 2 is a type recording head, such as a daisy-wheel recording head.

These recording heads 1 and 2 are mounted on the same carriage 3. The carriage 3 is moved on two guide bars 3a arranged along the platen 6 by being driven by a motor 4 via a bell 4a.

Therefore, by driving the recording heads 1 and 2 while moving the carriage 3 by the motor 4, recording lines can be formed on the recording paper on the platen 6.

On the other hand, the platen 6 is rotated by a predetermined amount by the motor 5 every time one line is recorded, and a plurality of recording lines are formed on the recording paper on the platen 6. In the above configuration, it is assumed that the same ink ribbon (not shown) of the recording heads 1 and 2 of different systems is used in common by the image recording heads.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a circuit that controls the above mechanical configuration.

In FIG. 2, the reference numeral 7 denotes a control section consisting of a microprocessor, peripheral memory elements, logic circuits, etc., which controls the driver 8, 9 and 10 to control the entire recording operation.

The driver 8 controls the wire dot type recording head 1 so that predetermined dots or characters are printed on the recording paper on the platen 6.

In addition, the driver 9 is a daisy-wheel type recording head 2.
The recording operation by the recording head 2 is controlled by controlling the selection of printed characters, the driving timing or driving pressure of the hammer, and the like. Further, the driver 10 controls the recording position performed by the recording heads 1 and 2 by controlling the amount of rotation of the motor 4. Furthermore, although not shown here, a driver for controlling the amount of rotation of the platen 6 is also provided.

In the configuration described above, by controlling the controller 7 from the outside and selecting the driver 8 or 9, the recording operation can be performed in a desired manner. For example, if the control section 7 has a parallel interface such as a Centrox system, it can select the drivers 8 or 9 using a known escape sequence or the like and change the recording system at a desired time.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be explained in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. FIG. 3 shows the control procedure of the control section I, and here it is assumed that recording data or control data is transmitted from the outside in units of a predetermined number of bytes.

The control unit 7 receives data in a predetermined format from the outside in step S1. Subsequently, in step S2, it is determined whether the received data is a motor control code.

If the data sent in step S2 is a motor control action such as a carriage return code or line feed code, the process moves to step S6, and the motor 4
to 5 are driven to perform operations according to the control code.

For example, in the case of a carriage return cord, the carriage 3 is returned to the home position, and in the case of a line feed cord, the motor 5 is driven to feed the platen 6 a predetermined number of lines.

Subsequently, in step S3, it is determined whether wire dot printing is to be performed. Here, it is determined whether the control code sent from the outside is a code instructing wire dot printing. In the parallel interface, wire dot printing may be designated by an escape code followed by a plurality of predetermined codes.

If step S3 is determined, the process moves to step S5 to perform wire dot recording, and then returns to step S1 to receive the next data.

On the other hand, if step S3 is negative, step S4
Then, the recording head 2 is used to perform recording using a daisy wheel. After that, the process returns to step S1 and moves on to receiving the next data.

In the above-described switching of the recording method, the selection of the recording method may be performed using a flag. That is, the control section 7
A flag area is set in a predetermined area of the memory, etc., and whether or not this flag is set indicates that one of the recording methods is selected. For example, assume that wire dot printing is performed when this flag is set. In this case, the state of this flag is also checked when the recording method is selected in step S3, and the limit flag is changed when the recording method is changed. And step S4. The recording operation according to the predetermined method in S5 can be performed by checking the state of the flag. If you select the recording method by toggling like this,
Control from the outside is simplified because it is only necessary to send a code from the outside as soon as the recording method is changed.

According to the embodiments described above, it is possible to freely select and drive the type recording head and the dot matrix recording head from the outside, so that the operator can freely express desired expressions on the recording paper.

In this case, there is an advantage that the recording method can be freely changed even if the amount of printing on one sheet of recording paper is changed.

As one example of use, it is possible to easily make print recording using a daisy wheel and graphic recording using a dot matrix coexist on the same page. In addition, when drafting, dot matrix printing is performed with an emphasis on speed, and when drafting, type printing is performed with consideration given to recording quality, thereby greatly improving work efficiency. Still, one recording device of the present invention can handle two conventional recording devices.
Since it has the functions of a single unit, even if two recording methods are required, the user only has to purchase one unit without imposing a large financial burden. In this case, there is an advantage that the use of the two methods can be easily determined by the software of the host system.

〔effect〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, since a configuration is adopted in which a print type recording head and a dot matrix recording head can be selected as necessary, work efficiency is increased by 1. .1-7 L L J If
fm$ Japan Taiwan +4: lv141 + size? , ; 1 item Ia p d. A simple, inexpensive and excellent recording device can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the mechanical configuration of the recording device of the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the control system of the recording apparatus of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a 4-yard diagram without showing the control procedure in the configuration of FIG. 2. 1... Dot matrix head 2... Type foil head 3... Carriage 4, 5
...Motor 6...Platen 7...Control unit 8,
9.10...Driver patent applicant Canon
Takashi Kato, Patent Attorney, Agent Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 5 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A printing apparatus characterized in that a type printing head and a dot matrix printing head are arranged on the same carriage, and either of the printing heads is selected and used as necessary.