JPS6019580A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable to enhance accuracy in protruding the leading end of a color and to save a film ribbon, by a method wherein bar codes provided on a film ribbon are detected by two detecting parts provided in a carriage, and feeding of the ribbon is controlled. CONSTITUTION:The film ribbon 5 is moved in the direction of an arrow, and the bar codes 9, 10, 11 provided thereon first pass by a reflection-type photo-sensor 15, and then pass by a photo-sensor 16. In this case, at the bar code parts, a low-level signal is outputted three times in the case of Y, two times in the case of M and one time in the case of C. In the case of a color film ribbon, light is not reflected by a trailing end part of the ribbon, and a low-level signal is continuously outputted. On the other hand, in the case of a black film ribbon, a high-level signal is continuously outputted. The signal is processed by a controlling part 17, and printing is started at a position at a predetermined distance from the bar code. Accordingly, the accuracy in protruding the leading end of a color is enhanced, the film ribbon can be saved, and it is also possible to stop the feeding of the film ribbon by detecting the trailing end of the ribbon by the detecting part.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Field of Application Conventional configuration and its problems In recent years, as a color detection method for color film ribbons in printers, barcodes are inserted at the beginning of each color. It's here. A printer already proposed by the applicant will be described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the carriage section and film cassette of the printer, where 1 is the carriage, 2 is a reflective photosensor, 3 is a print head, 4 is a film cassette body,
5 is a film ribbon, 6 is a partition plate, 7 is a film ribbon winding opening, and 8 is a film cassette outer cover.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main part of FIG. 1, and the print head 3 is
Printing is performed on paper (not shown) via the film ribbon 6. During this printing, the film ribbon 6 moves in the direction of arrow A.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a color film ribbon, where 9 is a bar code indicating the beginning of yellow (hereinafter referred to as Y), 10
is a barcode indicating the beginning of magenta (hereinafter referred to as M),
11 is a bar code indicating the beginning of cyan (hereinafter referred to as C), and 12 is a black portion indicating the end of the color film ribbon. On the other hand, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a black film ribbon. 1
3 is a black film portion for printing, and 14 is a transparent portion indicating the end of the black film ribbon.

The operation of the printer configured as above will be described below.

The film ribbon 5 moves in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 and passes in front of the reflective photosensor 2.

At this time, the barcode part 9 of the color film ribbon,
10.11, the black part 12 at the end of the film ribbon, and the black film part 13 for printing of the black film ribbon do not reflect light, so the reflective photosensor 2 outputs a low level signal (hereinafter referred to as a low signal). A high level signal (hereinafter referred to as H signal) is output in the film ribbon portion other than the above. The detection signals, that is, the L signal and the H signal, are processed by a microprocessor (not shown) to determine the color and detect the end of the film ribbon.

And in the case of color film ribbons, barcos)
Part 9. In order to move the printable portion of the film ribbon following the barcodes 9, 10 and 11 to the front of the print head 3 when starting printing after passing through the front of the reflective photosensor 2, Film ribbon winding side roll 7 for a certain step with the film ribbon driver
Rotate to wind up the film ribbon.

However, in the above configuration, the film is fed in a fixed step after barcode detection, so as the diameter of the roll on the winding side increases, the circumferential speed increases and a large amount of film ribbon is fed, resulting in a large amount of film ribbon consumption. Therefore, there were problems such as not only printing up to the next color when printing the maximum one line, but also not being able to control the remaining amount of film ribbon.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems.It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems.Printing can always be started from a fixed leading position of any color regardless of the size of the roll diameter on the film ribbon winding side. According to the present invention, a color film ribbon is provided with a banicode corresponding to each color at the head of each color and an area indicating the end. a carriage on which a black film ribbon is placed, which has an area indicating the end at the end of the folding; and two detection units provided on the carriage for detecting the barcode and the area indicating the end. , a control section for controlling the feeding of the film ribbon according to the detection signals from the two detection sections, and controlling the feeding of the film ribbon according to the detection signals from the two detection sections. This improves the cue accuracy for each color of the film ribbon, significantly reduces the amount of film ribbon consumed, and allows the end of the film ribbon to be detected at the same time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The following is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention together with drawings. In FIG. 5, 3 is a print head, and 6 is a film ribbon.

This is the same film ribbon as shown in FIG.

16 is a barcode detection unit 1116 is a barcode detection unit■
, 17 is a control unit that outputs a control signal according to the detection signals output from the detection unit 116 and the detection unit 1116, and 18 is a film ribbon drive unit that drives the film ribbon 6 based on the control signal output from the control unit 17. be.

The operations of the detection section 115 and the detection section 16 used in the printer of this embodiment will be explained below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the carriage and film cassette, and FIG. 7 is a plan view thereof. 6 and 7, 1 is a carriage, 2 is a reflective photo sensor corresponding to the detection unit 115, 3 is a thermal head, and 4
1 is a film cassette main body, 6 is a film ribbon, 6 is a partition plate, 7 is a film ribbon take-up roll, and 8 is a film cassette outer lid, which are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 19 is a reflective photosensor corresponding to the detection unit [16].

In the above configuration, the film ribbon 6 is
The barcode provided on the film ribbon 6 first passes through the front of the reflective photosensor 2 and then passes through the front of the reflective photosensor 19. At that time, since light is reflected in areas other than the barcode, it is output from each reflective photosensor 2.19, and since light is not reflected in the barcode area, if the L signal is Y as shown in Figure 8. Outputs 3 times, 2 times for 6M, and 1 time for C.

Furthermore, at the end of the film ribbon, in the case of a color film ribbon, no light is reflected, so the L signal continues, and in the case of a black film ribbon, the light is reflected, so the H signal continues, as shown in Figure 9. It will continue. The signals from the reflective photosensors 2 and 19 are processed by the control unit 1 shown in FIG. 5 according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 10.

The processing of the control unit 17 will be explained below with reference to FIG.

Color cassettes and black cassettes are distinguished from each other by turning on and off the switch depending on the shape of the film ribbon cassette, for example (a). In the case of a color cassette, the barcode detection unit [input the detection signal at 15] checks whether it is the end of the film ribbon (c). If the L signal continues, it is determined that the film ribbon has reached its end, the buzzer sounds, and the film stops.

If it is not the end of the film ribbon, check to see if there is a barcode signal.) If there is a barcode, proceed to (e).

Let the number of barcodes at this time be Mo. Next, the barcode detection section ■゛16 detects the barcode M. Feed the film ribbon with the lever that detects the
When the otth barcode is detected, the film ribbon has finished cueing and printing begins (force.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step (a) that the cassette is a black cassette, it is determined whether the output of the barcode detection unit 15 is an H signal (nu), and if it is an H signal, it is determined that it is the end of the film ribbon. Then, the buzzer sounds and Qo stops. Otherwise, sequential printing continues.

As described above, according to this embodiment, printing can be started from a position a certain distance from the barcode provided on the film ribbon, regardless of the size of the roll diameter on the film ribbon winding side. The feeding accuracy is high, the amount of film ribbon consumed can be reduced, and the end of the film ribbon can be detected at the same time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As described above, in the present invention, the carriage is provided with two detection sections, and the feed of the film ribbon is controlled according to detection signals from these detection sections. Printing can always be started from a fixed distance from the barcode, with high color cue accuracy.
Not only can the film ribbon be saved, but also the end of the film ribbon can be detected by this detection section and feeding of the film ribbon can be stopped.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the film cassette section of a color printer that has already been proposed, Figure 2 is a plan view of the main parts of Figure 1,
Fig. 3 is a diagram of the color film ribbon, Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the film cassette section of the same embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a diagram of the color film ribbon.
8 is a waveform diagram showing the output signal from the detection section using a color film ribbon. FIG. 9 is a waveform diagram showing the output signal from the detection section using the black film ribbon. FIG. 1o is a flowchart showing the control procedure in the control section. 1...Carriage, 2...Reflective photo sensor 13...Print head, 4...°...
・Film cassette body, 5... Film ribbon, 6... Partition plate, 7...° Film ribbon winding reroll, 8... Film cassette lid, 9・・・・・・Barcode showing the beginning of Y, 1o...
... Barcode showing the head of M, 11... Barcode showing the head of C, 12... Black part showing the end of the color film ribbon, 13... Printed part of black film ribbon, 14... Transparent part indicating the end of black film ribbon, 16... Barcode detection part, 16... Barcode detection part, 1 completed...・・・・・・
Control unit, 18... Film ribbon drive unit, 19
...Reflective photo sensor. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 2nd
Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 7 Tuna Figure 8

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A color film ribbon with a barcode corresponding to each color on the head of each color and an area indicating the end at the end, or a black film ribbon with an area indicating the end at the end. A carriage on which the film ribbon is placed, two detection units provided on the carriage for detecting the area indicating the end, and feeding of the film ribbon is controlled in accordance with detection signals from the two detection units. Dandruff Buddha% characterized by comprising a feed control section. (2) One of the detection sections detects the color of the color film ribbon, and the other detection section detects the printing start position of the color film ribbon. '! '1=i. (3) Claim 2, characterized in that one of the detection units detects an area indicating the end of the film ribbon.
Misakigokan 1゜ described in section (4) A patent claim characterized in that the feed 9 control section performs control to stop feeding the film ribbon when the same detection signal detected by one detection section is detected by the other detection section. 17)'f-shipkasumi described in Range 1.