JPS61189976A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a simple printer using a multi-time ribbon, constituted so that the take-up direction and printing direction of an ink ribbon are reversed after the taking up of said ink ribbon was finished. CONSTITUTION:Ribbon end detection mechanisms are provided to both ends of a ribbon and unidirectional printing is performed to detect the end of the ribbon 2. Printing is performed when the take-up direction of the ribbon 2 is reversed and a printing head 6 moves to the direction opposite to the previous printing direction. By repeatedly performing this operation, the ink ribbon can be repeatedly used plural times with good efficiency.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to improvements in ribbon control in thermal transfer printers and the like.

Ink ribbons used in thermal transfer printers can usually be used only once, but in recent years, ink ribbons that can be used multiple times (hereinafter referred to as multi-time ribbons) have become available.

- reusable ribbons (referred to as one-time ribbons) are being developed.

Various methods have been proposed for repeatedly using the multi-time ribbon, and there is a need for a simple and efficient printer that uses the multi-time ribbon.

[Conventional technology]

An example of a device that uses a multi-time ribbon multiple times will be described below.

Figure 3 (al (bl) is a diagram showing the first example, in which ribbon cassettes are created symmetrically, and when the end of the ribbon (hereinafter referred to as ribbon end) is detected, the ribbon cassette is reversed and set. It's a method.

That is, in FIG. 3 (al indicates the state at the time of ribbon end detection, 1 is a ribbon cassette, 2a is a wound ribbon, 3b is a sensor for detecting the ribbon end, 4a and 4b are ribbon end detection windows, Reference numerals 5a and 5b are ribbon end detection reflective sections provided at both ends of the ribbon.

When the sensor 3b detects the ribbon end through the ribbon end detection window 4b in the ribbon cassette with the above-mentioned configuration, which is made symmetrically, a buzzer or the like is sounded to notify the operator.

When the cassette is reversed (A-B direction is B-A), the used ribbon 2a becomes a supply ribbon as shown in FIG.

As described above, each time the ribbon end is detected, one ribbon cassette is inserted.
By reversing the ink ribbon, the ink ribbon can be used multiple times.

Note that the ribbon control is the same as the conventional method as explained below. That is, the ribbon cassette 1 is mounted on the head and prints while moving (spacing) in the C direction, but at the same time the ribbon is wound so that the relative speed to the recording paper is 0, and when the carriage returns Stop winding.

Although the above method is a simple method, it must be reversed by five manual operations.

FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams showing a second example, in which FIG. 4 fal is a top view and FIG. 4(b) is a side view. That is, using the same ribbon cassette as in the first example, the supply reel 8
A winding motor 7 is connected to the winding motor 7, and ribbon end detection sensors 3a and 3b are provided opposite the ribbon end detection windows 4a and 4b.

When the end of the ribbon is detected by the sensor 3b, for example, the winding motor 7 is activated to rewind the ribbon, and when the ribbon end on the opposite side is detected by the sensor 3a, the rewinding is stopped and printing is resumed.

The above method requires a winding motor and is somewhat costly.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As explained above, there are various methods of using the ribbon multiple times in a printer using a multi-time ribbon, but each method has advantages and disadvantages.

The present invention further provides a simpler printer using a multi-time ribbon.

[Means for solving problems]

The above-mentioned problem with the conventional method is that the ribbon control means for winding the ink ribbon in both directions, a detection means for detecting the completion of winding of the ink ribbon, and a means for reversing the winding direction and the printing direction after the detection. This problem can be solved by the printer of the present invention.

[Effect]

According to the present invention, the ribbon end detection mechanism is provided at both ends of the ribbon, and when the ribbon end is detected during unidirectional printing, the ribbon winding direction is reversed and the printing head is moved in the opposite direction to the previous printing direction. Print while moving. By repeating this operation, the ink ribbon can be used repeatedly multiple times efficiently.

〔Example〕

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

Fig. 1 (al (b)) is a diagram showing an embodiment of the mechanism for reversing the winding direction, Fig. 1 (e) is a block diagram of the printer, Fig. 1 (fd) is a flowchart of the operation, and Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the mechanism for reversing the winding direction. FIG. 2 is a structural diagram showing the second embodiment.

Figure 1(a)-1 is a top view of the head part, Figure 1[a]
-2 is a side view, and 1 is a ribbon cassette having the same structure as the ribbon cassette shown in FIG. Those with 4a, 4b, 3a, 3
b is a ribbon end detection sensor; 6 is a print head; 9.
10 is a rotating shaft 13. which fits into the take-up/supply reel 7.8.
A gear 14 is connected to each of the gears 14 and 11 is a gear commonly fitted to the gears 9 and 10.

Each of the above sections is mounted on the head section and performs spacing as well as printing operations. Further, reference numeral 12 denotes a fixed gear that fits into the gear 11 and is installed parallel to the platen 19.

In the head section configured as described above, when performing spacing during printing, the gear 11 is fitted with the gears 9 and 10 and the fixed gear 12, and when returning to the home position during the carriage return operation, the gear 11 is deviated from the above-mentioned fitted state.

That is, when spacing is performed in the D direction, the gear 11 and hence the gears 9 and 10 rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. Similarly, when performing spacing in the F direction, the ribbon 2 is rotated in the opposite direction to the arrow shown in the figure, and the ribbon 2 is wound onto the supply reel 8.

Gear 11 is used to stop winding of ribbon 2 when the head moves in the opposite direction to the printing direction due to carriage return operation.
, and stop the rotation of gears 9 and 10.

Figure 1 (bl shows an example of the mechanism of the gear 11,
The print head 6 and the gear 11 are fixed by shafts 15 and 16, and have a structure in which they can rotate around a pin 17. That is, during spacing, the motor 18
The print head 6 approaches the platen 19;
During gear ridge return, it retreats (escapes) from the platen 19.

At this time, the gear 11 engages/fits in conjunction with the operation of the print head 6.
break away. In the figure, 6' and 11'' respectively represent the states of the print head 6 and gear 11 at the time of escape.

According to the embodiment described above, the ribbon winding direction can be automatically reversed by escape/approach control of the print head 6 according to the printing direction.

The printing direction is reversed by ribbon end detection, and its operation will be explained below with reference to the block diagram of the printer in FIG. 1(C) and the operational flowchart in FIG. 1(d+).

FIG. 1 (In C1, 120 is a control unit, 21 is an interface unit with the main device that receives print data, 2
2 is a space drive unit that drives the space motor 23;
4 is a head drive unit that drives the print head 6; 25 is an escape/approach motor 18 that drives the escape/approach motor 18;
Approach drive unit.

26 is a ribbon end detection section connected to the sensors 3a and 3b to detect the ribbon end, and 27 is a line feed drive section that drives a line feed motor 28 that feeds paper.

The bidirectional printing operation is as follows.

fl) When the power is turned on, the control unit 20 determines whether to print in the right direction or the left direction, and if it is printing in the right direction, it drives the space motor 23 to stop the head at the home position at the left end position, and prints in the left direction. If so, stop the head at the rightmost home position. (Figure 1(d)
100 to 101, 100 to 100 to 101, 100 to 100 to 101 to 100 to 100 to 100 to 100 to 100. The printing direction is memorized by a latching relay or the like which is reversed every time the ribbon end is detected.

(2) In the printing operation, the space motor 23 is driven in the printing direction, and the escape/approach motor 18 is driven to approach the print head 6.

The print head 6 is driven to print. (101-103.
102 to 104) (3) Carriage return operation is performed when one line printing is completed. That is, the drive of the print head 6 is stopped.

The escape drive for the print head 6 is driven and the space motor 23 is stopped. Subsequently, the line feed and carriage return drives of the space motor 23 are performed to stop the motors at their respective home positions. (105-10
7.106-108) (4) Repeat the above printing operation,
When the ribbon end is detected, the printer moves to the home position in the printing direction to perform printing in the reverse direction. (103-1
08°104-107) For example, when the ribbon end is detected during rightward printing, the head section is driven to the right end to change the home position and reverse to leftward printing.

Although not shown, when the ribbon end is detected during printing, the line feed is not performed even if the home position is changed, and the remaining line is printed, or the proximity of the ribbon end is detected instead of the ribbon end. After printing that line, reverse the printing direction.

With the mechanism and operation example described above, the ribbon end can be detected and the printing direction can be reversed.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment using the above mechanism.

In this example, the width of the ribbon is doubled and the upper and lower parts of the ribbon are used exclusively depending on the printing direction.

Therefore, the ribbon cassette 30 is driven up and down with respect to the print head 6 by the cam mechanism 29, and the portion to be used for the ribbon is selected depending on the printing direction. Note that 31 is a position detection sensor for the ribbon cassette 30, which is used to determine the printing direction when the power is turned on.

This method takes into account the fact that multi-ribbons can print multiple times, but it takes time to recover the printing function after each print, and because the ribbon has twice the width, the number of times it can be used can be reduced. It also has a double effect.

In the above embodiment, the ribbon end detection section was explained.
Even if the ribbon is a fixed type, it can be implemented in the same manner by providing a ribbon end detection mechanism and a winding reversal mechanism.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a simple printer that detects the ribbon end, reverses the printing direction, and uses the Marsa ribbon end multiple times.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams showing an embodiment of a mechanism for reversing the winding direction. FIG. 1 (C1 is a block diagram of the printer. FIG. 1+d) is a flowchart of the operation and FIG. 2 is a structural diagram showing the second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a first example of the invention using a multi-time ribbon. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a second example of the invention. It is. In the figure 1 1.30 is the ribbon force cent 2 is the ribbon. 3a and 3b are ribbon end detection sensors. 4a and 4b are ribbon end detection windows. 6 is the print head, 9, 10, and 11 are gears. 12 is a fixed gear, 18 is a motor. 20 is a control unit, and 21 is an interface unit. 22 is a space drive unit. 23 is a space motor. 24 is a head drive unit. 25 is an escape/approach drive unit. 26 is a ribbon end detection section. 27 is a line feed drive unit. 28 is a line feed motor. Chewable tl' book f close

Claims (1)

[Claims] A printer comprising ribbon control means for winding the ink ribbon in both directions, detection means for detecting the completion of winding of the ink ribbon, and means for reversing the winding direction and printing direction after the detection. .