JPS61102278A - Serial printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce cost, heating value and power consumption, by reducing the number of output ports of a controlling circuit necessary for controlling the drive of two pulse motors and by passing an electric current to the two pulse motors, alternately. CONSTITUTION:Output ports PO1-PO4 of a processor CPU are allocated respectively to A-phase, A-phase, B-phase and B-phase of the pulse motors 8, 10, either of the pulse motors 8, 10 is exclusively driven controlledly in accordance with the state of an output signal from the output port PO5, and when none of the motors 8, 10 is operated, all of the output signals from the ports PO1-PO4 are turned OFF. Accordingly, since the number of the output ports used can be reduced and the two pulse motors are driven alternately and exclusively, the quantity of heat generated in each of the motors can be reduced, and power conservation can be contrived.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a serial printer such as a thermal printer.

(Prior art) In a serial printer, a first pulse motor moves the recording paper every second, and a second pulse motor moves the carriage on which the recording head is mounted perpendicularly to the moving direction of the recording paper. Some devices are configured to perform recording while moving intermittently in the direction.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of such a serial printer, and shows an example of a thermal printer. Second
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a platen, and a thermal recording paper 2 that develops color when heated is pressed against the platen 1 by a paper pressing roller (not shown).

Note that the thermal recording paper 2 is fed, for example, in the direction of the arrow by a pulse motor (not shown). A carriage 3 is guided by a guide shaft 4 and reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction A of the recording paper 2. The carriage 3 is wound between a driving pulley 5 and a driven pulley 6. A drive belt 7, such as a timing belt, which is locked at both ends to the drive pulley 5, is moved 111u by a pulse motor 8 via the drive pulley 5, thereby reciprocatingly driven. still,
When a timing belt is used as the driving belt 7, the driving pulley 5 and the driven pulley 6 are provided with a tooth profile that matches the tooth profile carved on the inside of the timing belt. A thermal head 9 is pivotably mounted on the carriage 3 so as to be tiltable.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a pulse motor drive circuit in a conventional thermal printer,
The same parts as in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals. In FIG. 3, 10 is a first pulse motor for moving the recording paper 2, and a second pulse motor for moving the carriage 3.
Like the pulse motor 8, it is configured to have two-phase excitation. 11 is a first drive circuit made of a transistor array for exciting and driving the first pulse motor 10; 12 is a second drive circuit made of a transistor array for exciting and driving the second pulse motor 8; The input terminals of each of these drive circuits 11, 12 are individually connected to output ports PO+□ to POs of the processor CPU. That is, conventionally, when driving two-phase pulses, the drive circuit was simplified, and in some cases, two-phase excitation and 1-2 phase excitation were shared, so each drive circuit 11. The four input terminals of 12 are individually connected to the output port PO+-p of the processor CP LJ.

Connected to 6.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, according to the conventional configuration 77, in order to drive the two pulse motors 8.
Since eight output ports must be used, the number of output ports of the processor CPU increases accordingly, resulting in higher costs. Further, according to such a configuration, the two pulse motors are constantly energized, which increases heat generation and power consumption.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to reduce the number of output ports of the control circuit required to drive and control two pulse motors, thereby lowering costs, and The purpose is to suppress heat generation and reduce power consumption by alternately energizing the pulse motor.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problem, moves the recording paper intermittently by a first pulse motor, and moves the carriage provided with the recording head by a second pulse motor. In a serial printer configured to record while being intermittently moved by a motor in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of movement of recording paper, the serial printer includes a first drive circuit that drives a first pulse motor, and a second drive circuit that drives a first pulse motor. A second drive circuit for driving the pulse motor is provided, and corresponding input terminals of these drive circuits are connected in common to perform exclusive drive control.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a drive circuit in a serial printer according to the present invention, and the same parts as in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals. In FIG. 1, 13 is a first drive circuit consisting of a gated transistor array for exciting and driving the first pulse motor 10, and 14 is a gated transistor array for exciting and driving the second pulse motor 8. This is the second drive circuit. One input terminal of the corresponding gate of each drive circuit 13, 14 is commonly connected to a predetermined output port PO+ to PO4 of the processor CPU, and the other input terminal of each gate of the drive circuit 13 is commonly connected. Processor CP (
The other input terminal of each gate of the drive circuit 14 is also commonly connected to the output port POs of the inverter 1.
5 to the output port POs of the processor CPLJ.

The operation of the circuit configured in this way will be explained. In a serial printer as shown in FIG. 2, the recording paper 2
It is not necessary to operate the first pulse motor 10 for moving the carriage 3 and the second pulse motor 8 for moving the carriage 3 at the same time. Therefore, in the present invention, the output ports P Or to P O4 of the processor CPU are each pulsed at 8.10 U)A'! FJ, A phase,
#3 phase and B phase, exclusive drive control of either pulse Tanabata 8 or 10 according to the state of the output signal of the output boat POs, and which pulse motor 8゜1
0 is not operated, all output signals of the output ports PO1 to PO4 are turned off.

With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of output ports used in the broset (j-) compared to the conventional method, and because the two pulse motors are driven exclusively and alternately, the heat generated by each pulse motor can be suppressed. It is also possible to save power.

In the embodiment described above, an example was explained in which a block code was used as the control circuit, but a discrete circuit may also be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example of a thermal printer using heat-sensitive recording paper has been described, but similar effects can be obtained with a thermal transfer printer, a wire dot printer, an inkjet printer, etc. using a thermal transfer ink ribbon.

(Effect of ￥e Light) As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of output ports of the control circuit required to drive and control two pulse motors, and to lower the cost. By alternately energizing the two pulse motors, the amount of heat generated can be suppressed and power consumption can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a drive circuit in a serial printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a serial printer, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a drive circuit in a conventional serial printer. 8 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the following. 8... Second pulse motor (carriage) 10... First pulse motor (recording paper) 13... First drive circuit
14... Second drive circuit 15... Inverter C
P (J...Processor patent applicant Roku Konishi Photo 1
Boarding stock? 1st Patent Attorney Fuji Katashima 1 outsider

Claims (1)

[Claims] Recording is performed while the recording paper is intermittently moved by a first pulse motor, and a carriage provided with a recording head is intermittently moved by a second pulse motor in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the recording paper. In a serial printer configured to perform the above operation, a first drive circuit for driving a first pulse motor and a second drive circuit for driving a second pulse motor are provided, and a corresponding input terminal of each of these drive circuits is provided. A serial printer is characterized in that the printers are connected to each other in common and are exclusively driven and controlled.