JPS61209188A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the distinction of information while performing readable printing, by discriminating a mounted ribbon as a monochromatic ribbon by discrimination means and performing printing by the monochromatic ribbon regardless of color information when multicolor printing information was inputted. CONSTITUTION:When a monochromatic ribbon cassette 1 and a discrimination circuit 2 to be inputted to a microcomputer 3. When multicolor printing information is inputted at this time, a ribbon shift mechanism 7 is driven so as to allow a printing head to oppose to the front surface of the mounted monochromatic ribbon regardless of color information on the basis of the program of the microcomputer 3 and a dot is formed only on the basis of the character information while color information is neglected and monochromatic printing is performed through the monochromatic ribbon. At this time, this state is informed to an operator by an alarm 9. Printing information containing color information is stored in a memory 8 to prevent the distinction of color information.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Table of contents] - Overview - Field of industrial application - Prior art - Problems to be solved by the invention - Means for solving the problems - Effects - Examples - Effects of the invention [Summary] In a printer capable of mounting both single-color ribbons and multi-color ribbons of different ribbon widths, a means for identifying the mounted ribbon is provided, and the identification means determines that the mounted ribbon is a single-color ribbon. When multicolor printing information is input at a time when multicolor printing information is input, printing is performed using the attached monochrome ribbon regardless of the color information, preventing the head from shifting to a part where there is no ribbon, and preventing information from disappearing due to blank printing.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a printer that can selectively mount both monochrome ribbons and multicolor ribbons with different ribbon widths.

[Conventional technology]

A multicolor printer is equipped with a tJpon cartridge containing color ribbons of, for example, red, yellow, blue, and black, and prints a predetermined color ribbon by shifting the ribbon or print head according to the color information of a multicolor printing command. Color-specific printing is performed by facing the head. For example, a monochrome ribbon cartridge of only black can be installed in such a multicolor printer. The ribbon width of this single color ribbon is narrower than that of a multicolor ribbon because there are fewer colors.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

When a multicolor printing command is issued to a conventional multicolor printer with a single color ribbon installed, the ribbon or print head is shifted according to the color information, and the print head faces the ribbon position of the original color and prints. An action is taken. Therefore, blank printing is performed without using the ribbon, and the printed information cannot be read accurately, causing the information to disappear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks of the prior art described above, and to provide a printer that prints legibly and prevents information from disappearing when multicolor print information is input when a single color ribbon is attached.

Means for Solving Problem C] In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a printer that can selectively mount either a single color ribbon or a multicolor ribbon whose ribbon width is wider than the single color ribbon. provided with means for identifying the ribbon, and the means for identifying the ribbon;
If the attached ribbon is determined to be a single-color ribbon and multi-color printing information is input, printing is performed using the single-color ribbon regardless of the color information.

[For production]

A ribbon identification means determines whether a single color ribbon is attached, and when a multicolor printing command is issued at this time, a ribbon selection shift operation based on color information is not performed, and printing is always performed in a single color using the attached ribbon.

〔Example〕

FIG. 4 shows the appearance of a ribbon cassette to which the present invention is applied. (A) shows a monochrome ribbon cassette 11 containing a black ribbon 20, and (B) shows a multicolor ribbon cassette 12 containing a black ribbon 20 and red, yellow, and blue colored ribbons 21, 22, and 23. be. 24 is a cassette mounting pin. As can be seen, the multicolor ribbon cassette 12 is thicker than the monochrome ribbon cassette 11.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a ribbon cassette loading section of the printer. The ribbon cassette 11 or 12 is set by inserting the pin 24 into the hole 25 of the cassette mounting frame 10. A ribbon identification microswitch 1 is provided on the cassette mounting frame 10. When a single color ribbon cassette 11 is installed, the microswitch 1 does not operate, and when a multicolor ribbon cassette 12 with a large ribbon width is installed, the drive spring 1a of the microswitch 1 is pressed and the switch is activated. By the operation of this microswitch 1, the discrimination circuit 2 identifies whether the ink ribbon attached to the printer is single color or multicolor, and the microcomputer (microprocessor) 3
is input. The printing nozzle 13 (Fig. Z) shifts in the direction of arrow A according to the color signal to select a ribbon, and prints at a position facing the ink ribbon of the color of the color signal.

The printing information is input to the microcomputer 3 for controlling the printing mechanism. When multicolor printing information is input, the ribbon selection circuit 6
Accordingly, the ribbon shift mechanism 7 is driven in accordance with the color information to cause the print head to face the front surface of the ribbon of the color specified by the print information. Subsequently, the print control circuit 4 operates the dot drive mechanism to form dots of the characters specified in the print information and perform printing via the selected ink ribbon. In addition,
The printing mechanism also includes a line feed mechanism, a head space operation mechanism, and the like, and by driving these, printing is performed on the printing paper based on print information.

When the monochrome ribbon cassette 11 is installed in the printer, this state is detected by the microswitch 1 and the discrimination circuit 2 and input to the microcomputer 3. At this time, when multicolor printing information is input, the program of the microcomputer 3 drives the ribbon shift mechanism 7 so that the print head faces the front of the attached monochrome ribbon regardless of the color information, and the color information is ignored. Then, dots are formed based only on the character information, and monochrome printing is performed via the monochrome ribbon. At this time, alarm 9 notifies the operator of this state.

Further, print information including color information is stored in the memory 8 to prevent color information from disappearing.

FIG. 3 is an example of an operation flowchart of the printer according to the present invention. When the print command 19 is issued, step 14
In step 26, it is determined whether or not it is a multi-color printing command, and if it is a single-color printing command, it is determined in step 26 whether or not it is a single-color ribbon based on the detection signal of the microswitch 1. If a monochrome ribbon (black ribbon) is attached, the black ribbon is set at the printing position (step 27), and monochrome printing is performed according to the printing command (step 28). If a multicolor ribbon is installed in step 26, a home position signal is sent to the ribbon shift mechanism to center the home position ribbon (black ribbon) at the printing position (step 29).
, monochrome printing is performed using this black ribbon according to the printing command (step 28).

On the other hand, if the print command 19 is determined to be a multicolor print command in step 14, it is determined in step 16 whether or not a multicolor ribbon is attached based on the detection signal of the microswitch 1. If a multicolor ribbon is attached, the ribbon shift mechanism is driven in accordance with the printing command to perform multicolor printing (step 18).

If a single-color ribbon cassette is installed despite the multi-color printing command in step 16, an alarm is generated (step 30) to notify the operator, and the single-color ribbon cassette is installed ignoring color information. ribbon(
A black ribbon (black ribbon) is placed at the printing position (step 27), and monochrome printing is performed using this black ribbon (step 28).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the multicolor printer according to the present invention, when a multicolor print signal is input when a single color ribbon cartridge is installed, the print head is always moved to the single color ribbon without changing the color information and without performing a ribbon shift operation. While facing the (
HI, printing is performed (ignoring color information). Therefore, characters are reliably printed through the monochrome ribbon without being blankly printed, thereby preventing information from disappearing. Also. By connecting the memory circuit, printed information including color information can be reliably protected.

Note that the ribbon identification switch is not limited to a microswitch, and a magnetic sensor, photocoupler, etc. may also be used. Further, the printer is not limited to a dot type printer, but can also be applied to a type selection type printer using a type foil.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a cassette mounting frame of a printer according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an external view of the ribbon cassette. ■... Microphone switch, 2... Discrimination circuit, 3...
・Microcomputer, 11...Single color ribbon cassette, 12...
・Multicolor ribbon cassette. Figure 1: Block diagram of a printer according to the present invention Figure 2: Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a printer capable of selectively mounting both a single-color ribbon and a multi-color ribbon having a wider ribbon width than the single-color ribbon, a means for identifying the ribbon installed in the printer is provided,
A printer characterized in that, when the attached ribbon is determined to be a single-color ribbon by the identification means and multi-color printing information is input, printing is performed using the single-color ribbon regardless of the color information. .