JPS6024416A - Thermal recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid the stop of recording when recording paper is used up, by providing two sets of recording mechanism parts having detecting parts, which detect the use-up of the recording paper, changing the recording mechanism part to the other side by a used-up signal of the recording paper on one side, and continuing the recording. CONSTITUTION:A signal converter part 1 converts analog input signals in a plurality of channels into a digital signal and outputs the signal. A recording control part 2 prepares and outputs a pattern signal, which indicates the places of digits of thermal heads 5 and 15 corresponding to the values of the input signals. A recording mechanism part 3 has a head driving part 4, the thermal head 5 which performs recording on heat sensitive recording paper 6, and a no-paper detecting part 7 which detects the use-up of the heat sensitive recording paper. A recording mechanism part 13 is constituted by the same way. A data switching gate 8 receives the output signal of the detecting part 7 or a no-paper detecting part 17 in the mechanism part 13, changes the output signal of the control part 2 from the mechanism part which has outputted the no-paper signal to the other recording mechanism part, and outputs the signal. Thus the stop of the signal when the recording paper is used up can be avoided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a thermal recorder, and particularly to avoiding interruption of recording when the recording paper is used up.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Generally, when a recorder runs out of paper during analog recording, the recording will be interrupted until the operator replaces the paper.To avoid this, prepare two recorders so that the operator can You can check the remaining amount of recording paper on one device from time to time and switch to another one when it gets low. There are methods such as detecting when the amount is low and automatically switching to the other recorder, but in either case, the equipment cost for the recorder is doubled and there is a lot of waste.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal recorder having a function of avoiding interruption of recording when the recording paper is used up.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention includes a signal converter that sequentially samples analog input signals of multiple channels, converts them into digital signals, and outputs them, and a head that corresponds to each signal value based on the digitized signal of each channel from the signal converter. A recording control unit that arranges and outputs a pattern signal indicating the digit position, a head drive unit that inputs the pattern signal from the recording control unit and outputs a signal to drive the heating element of the corresponding digit position of the thermal head, and this head. first and second thermal heads that record on thermal recording paper by driving a heating element based on a signal from a driving section; and a paper out detection section that detects when the thermal recording paper is used up and outputs a paper out signal. The second recording mechanism unit receives the paper out signal from each of the paper out detection units of the first and second recording mechanism units, and uses the output of the recording control unit to drive the head of the recording mechanism unit that outputs the paper out signal. The desired object has been achieved by realizing a thermal recording stylus characterized in that it is equipped with a data switching gate section for switching connection from one section to the head drive section of the other recording mechanism section.

[Embodiments of the invention]

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

FIG. 1 shows the structure of a thermal recording stylus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, (1) is a signal converter that sequentially samples analog input signals of a plurality of channels, converts them into digital signals, and outputs the digital signals. (2) is a recording control section which, based on the digitized input signal of each channel from the signal conversion section (1), arranges it into a pattern signal indicating the digit of the thermal head corresponding to each signal value and outputs it. (3) is a first recording mechanism section, which includes a head drive section (4) that inputs a pattern signal from the recording control section (2) and outputs a signal for driving a corresponding heating element of the thermal head; The thermal head (5) performs recording on the thermal recording paper (6) by driving a heating element based on the signal from the head drive unit [4], and detects when the thermal recording paper is used up and outputs a paper out signal. This configuration includes a paper out detection section C7).

The second recording mechanism section has a configuration similar to the first recording mechanism section (3), including a head drive section (14), six thermal heads, and a paper out detection section 07).

The case (8) is a data cutting section, and the first recording mechanism section (3
) paper out detection unit (7) or second recording mechanism unit 03)
Upon receiving the paper out signal from the paper out detection section 0η, the output of the recording control section (2) is transferred from the head drive section of the recording mechanism section that outputs the paper out signal to the head drive section of the other recording mechanism section. Switch and connect.

In the thermal recording needle of the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the output of the recording control section (2) is now sent to the head drive section (4) of the first recording mechanism section (3) at the data switching gate section. It is assumed that the input signal is recorded through connection via (8). When the thermal recording paper (6) approaches the end and the paper out detection section (7) detects this and outputs a paper out signal, the paper out signal enters the data switching gate section (8) and the data switching gate section ( 8) switches and connects the output of the recording control section (2) to the head driving section 0a) of the second recording mechanism section 03. As a result, the input signal is continuously recorded on the thermal recording paper Oe of the second recording mechanism section. Therefore, when the recording paper is used up, the recording of the input signal is not interrupted, and the operator can return the first recording mechanism section (3) until the second recording mechanism section (13) runs out of recording paper 0υ. It is sufficient to replace the thermal recording paper in sufficient time. When the recording paper (1e) of the second recording mechanism section f+31 is used up, the input signal is similarly switched to the first recording mechanism section (3) and continues to be recorded.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, the same parts as those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted, and the explanation will mainly focus on the parts that are different from FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the thermal recording detection section of this embodiment (
goods) and (goods) have been added.

The paper remaining amount detection unit Q-Kin (Incorporated) has a hole formed at a predetermined distance from the end of the recording paper, and detects passage through this hole photoelectrically and outputs a paper remaining amount signal. This signal is input to the switching sequence control section 121).

The switching sequence control unit Qυ receives the low paper remaining signal and paper out signal, and when the paper remaining small signal is input, it outputs a warm-up command to the power switching sequence unit (c), and when the paper out signal is input, it outputs a warm-up command to the power switching sequence unit (c). Sometimes, it sends a switching command to the switching information generation section (end line transmission command and switching memo transmission command to 2'lJ, and data switching gate section 18), and a switching command to the power switching sequence section (data switching completion command to the second floor). Output according to a preset sequence.

When the switching information generation unit @ receives an end line transmission command from the switching sequence control unit eυ, it starts the thermal head to record an end line indicating switching of recording on the recording paper of the recording mechanism unit that has been operating up until now. A signal specifying all digits is transmitted and sent to the recording control section (2). When a switching memo transmission command is received, a signal is sent to record a start line representing the switching of recording on the recording paper of the recording mechanism that is switched and started, followed by a switching date, time, recording paper level, etc. A pattern signal for recording a switching memo as the content is transmitted and sent to the recording control section (2).

The power supply switching sequence section Q3 includes a switching sequence control section (
When a warm-up command is received from 21), power is supplied from the head power supply (fl) to the thermal head of the recording mechanism section that has not been in operation so far, and warm amplification is performed.A data switching completion command is also sent. When received, the power supply to the thermal head of the recording mechanism section that has used up the recording paper is cut off.

In the thermal recorder according to another embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, recording has been continued in the first recording mechanism section (3), and now the paper remaining amount detecting section (241 is the remaining paper amount detecting section). Assuming that a signal has been issued, the switching operation from this point on will be described below.

First, a warm-up command is sent from the switching sequence control section t21) to the power switching sequence section (c), and as a result, power is supplied to zero thermal heads of the second recording mechanism section C1, 31, and the warm-up operation begins. . When the paper out signal from the paper out detection section (7) enters the switching sequence control section (2]) after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, an end line transmission command is sent to the switching information generation section e4 to generate an end line. The signal is sent from the switching information generating section Q2 to the recording control section (
2), from where it is sent to the first recording mechanism section (3), and as shown in FIG. 3, the end line is recorded on the recording paper (6). Following this, a switching command is sent from the switching sequence control unit Qυ to the data switching gate unit (8), and the data switching gate unit (8) is transferred to the second recording mechanism unit Q3).
At the same time, the output of the recording control section (2) is switched and connected to the head drive section (14).

In parallel, a switching memo transmission command is sent from the switching sequence control unit (2υ) to the switching information generation unit (2), and a signal for generating a start line from the switching information generation unit (2υ) is sent to the recording control unit (2υ). ), and this signal is sent to the head drive unit (14) of the second recording mechanism unit Q3 and the thermal head (
15) on the recording paper 061 as shown in FIG. ), and in the same way, the recording paper (as shown in Figure 4) (
10, a switching memo containing the switching date, time, and recording paper size is recorded.

After the above-mentioned series of operations is completed, a data switching completion command is sent from the switching sequence control unit (21) to the power switching sequence unit a3.
3) cuts off the power supply to the thermal head (5) of the recording mechanism section (3) of $1 which has used up the recording paper.

This completes the switching operation. The switching operation from when the second recording mechanism section 03 runs out of recording paper to when it runs out of paper is also performed in the same manner as described above.

In this way, in the thermal recorder according to another embodiment of the present invention, interruption of recording is avoided when the recording paper is used up, and an end line indicating switching is placed on the used up recording paper, while an end line is placed on the used recording paper at the same time as at the beginning of use. Since the starting line and switching memo are recorded on the recording paper, later verification becomes easy. Furthermore, since the thermal head is sufficiently warmed up prior to switching, clearer recording can be obtained immediately after switching.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the warm-up system for the thermal head at the time of switching may be omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, two sets of recording mechanism sections are provided in the thermal recording stylus, each having a detection section for detecting when the recording paper is used up, and one recording mechanism section is used to detect input signals. By performing recording and switching to the other recording mechanism section when the recording paper is used up, there is no interruption in recording the input signal when the recording paper is used up, and the operator can easily check when the next recording paper is available. The recording paper in the inactive recording mechanism section can be replaced with sufficient time until it is used up.

Furthermore, you can easily record the end line at the time of switching on the recording paper that is used up, and the start line, switching date and time, and switching memo such as the recording paper limit on the recording paper that you are starting to use. Verification becomes easier. Also, like an intelligent recorder, if you record various data during the process or change the chart paper feed speed, even if you cannot predict when the chart paper will run out, it will automatically switch. There is no need to worry about missing records, and the burden on the operator is reduced. In the method of preparing two recording needles and using them by switching them alternately, it is inevitable that the recording conditions of each needle must always match, which makes operation management complicated, but in the case of the present invention, 1 Since the recording conditions are grouped together on a single unit, they do not change even if the recording conditions are changed, and operation management is simple because they only need to be set once. Furthermore, the equipment cost for the recording needle is also lower than in the case of two units.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a thermal recorder 9 according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a thermal recorder according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a thermal recorder according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the vicinity of the point in time when the first recording paper is switched, and FIG. 1... Signal conversion section 2... Recording control section 3... First
Recording mechanism section 4...Head drive section 5...Thermal head 6...Thermal recording paper 7...Paper out detection section 8...Data switching game part 10...Head power supply 13. ...Second recording mechanism section 14...Head drive section 15...Thermal head 1
6...Thermal recording paper 17...Paper out detection section 21...
・Switching sequence control unit 22...Switching information generating unit 23...Power switching sequence unit 24, 34...Remaining paper amount detection unit 41...End line 42...Start line 4
3... Switching memo agent Patent attorney Inoue - Male

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A signal converter that sequentially samples analog input signals of multiple channels, converts them into digital signals, and outputs them; and a head corresponding to each signal value based on the digitized input signals of each channel from this signal converter. A recording control unit that arranges and outputs a pattern signal indicating the digit position, a head drive unit that inputs the pattern signal from the recording control unit and outputs a signal to drive the heating element of the corresponding digit position of the thermal head, and this head. A first comprising: a thermal head that performs recording on thermal recording paper by driving a heating element based on a signal from a driving section; and a paper out detection section that detects when the thermal recording paper is used up and outputs a paper out signal.
and a second recording mechanism section, which receives the out-of-paper signal from each out-of-paper detection section of the first and second recording mechanism sections and transmits the output of the recording control section to the out-of-paper signal of the recording mechanism section of the one that outputs the out-of-paper signal. 1. A thermal recorder comprising: a data switching gate section that switches and connects the head drive section to the head drive section of the other recording mechanism section. (2) Receiving a paper out signal from the paper out detection section, recording the end line on the recording paper that has used up the paper, switching the recording mechanism section by the data switching gate section, and recording the start line and the start line on the recording paper that has started to be used. A switching sequence control section that controls sequence operations such as recording switching memos, and switching information that generates switching information signals for generating each line and switching memo according to commands from the switching sequence control section and inputting the signals to the recording control section. The heat-sensitive recording stylus according to claim 1, further comprising a generating portion. (3) A paper remaining amount detecting section provided in each of the first and second recording mechanism sections, which detects the remaining amount of thermal recording paper and inputs the remaining paper amount signal to the switching sequence control section, and this remaining paper amount signal. In response to a command from the switching sequence control section that has been received, power is supplied to the thermal head of the inactive recording mechanism section to warm it up, and the recording paper is used up in response to a switching completion command from the switching sequence control section. 3. The thermal recording stylus according to claim 2, further comprising a power switching sequence section for cutting off power supply to the thermal head of the recording mechanism section.