JPS61217270A - Printing-controlling system for serial printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To avoid wasing a ribbon, particularly, a monochromic ribbon, by a system wherein where a blank part is present at the head of a line, a ribbon is not fed while a carriage skips the blank part. CONSTITUTION:The ribbon is fed synchronously with movement of the carriage 15 in the printing direction. Printing in a line is completed simultaneously when the movement is completed, and then printing data for the next line are inputted. The printing data are checked to decide whether or not a blank part is to be formed at the head of the next line. When the blank part is to be provided, the carriage 15 is returned to a position next to the blank part, and the subsequent printing is started directly at the position. therefore, since the carriage 15 is not moved through the blank part at the head of the line, ribbon feeding is not conducted while the carriage skips the blank part, so that the ribbon is not wasted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention This invention relates to a serial thermal transfer printer, for example, which sequentially prints on paper using the ribbon while feeding the ribbon in synchronization with the movement of the carriage in the printing direction. Applicable to any serial printing device. Specifically, the present invention relates to a printing control method in such a serial printing device.

Conventionally, for example, in some serial thermal transfer printers, for the purpose of varnish 1-down, as mentioned above, as the ridge moves in the printing direction, the ribbon is fed using the movement. There is a version that does not include a ribbon feed motor mounted on the carriage. In this type of printer, when printing for one line is finished, the carriage is always returned to the original position at the beginning of the line, and then printing of the next line is started.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, when the carriage returns to the starting position of the line after printing the mth line and starts printing the next mth line, a blank space (s) appears at the beginning of the mth line.
When there exists a blank space (s), the carriage moves while feeding the ribbon even though it does not print. Therefore, when there are many blank spaces (s) at the beginning of a line, a lot of ribbon is wasted, which is unfavorable from an economic standpoint.

Purpose Therefore, the present invention provides a serial printing device that automatically feeds the ribbon by utilizing the movement of a carriage in the printing direction, in which if there is a margin at the beginning of a line, the ribbon is not fed between the margins. Especially when it comes to monochrome ribbons, it's a waste of money.

The purpose is to eliminate

(2) For this reason, the printing control system according to the present invention is effective in controlling the movement of the carriage (15) in the printing direction in a serial printing device that feeds the ribbon in synchronization with the movement of the carriage (15) in the printing direction. After completing printing for one line, input the print data for the next line.

Then, the print data is checked to determine whether there is a blank space at the beginning of the next line. In some cases, the carriage (
15) and immediately starts the next printing from that position.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained more specifically and in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a serial thermal transfer printer to which the printing control method according to the present invention is applied. The symbol (10) in the figure is the main body frame, and its left and right side plate parts (11) and (12)
A platen (13) is rotatably passed between them. A guide shirt h (14) is provided in front of the platen (13) in parallel with the platen (13), and the left and right side plates (11
)・(12) Pass the kake in between. It is supported by the guide shaft (14), and a carriage (15) is arranged in front of the platen (13). A ribbon cassette (16) is removably mounted on the carriage (15), and a thermal head (17) is swingably mounted. Then, the printing ribbon (18) pulled out from the ribbon force set (16)
The thermal head (17) is connected to the platen (13) through the
) and set the paper on the platen (13) (
19) can be printed. However, the carriage (15
), the endless bell h (20) is fixed.

The bell h (20) is passed between the pulleys (21) and (22).

A space motor (2) is attached to one pulley (22).
3), and drives the belt (20) so that the carriage (15) is guided by the guide shaft (14) and can move left and right along the platen (13). By the way, the aforementioned bell h (20,) is provided with teeth, and the teeth mesh with the drive gear (24) rotatably attached to the carriage (15). A drive shaft (25) extends from the drive gear (24) via a one-way clutch, and the drive shaft (25) engages with a ribbon cassette (16) mounted on the carriage (15). Thus, rotation is transmitted to the ribbon drive shaft. Then, the belt (2
0), the movement is transmitted to the drive shaft (25) via the drive gear (24), which rotates the ribbon drive shaft and simultaneously feeds the ribbon.

In the printing control system according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, one line of printing is performed as the carriage (15) moves in the printing direction. After printing is completed, the printer waits at the position where the printing ended and inputs the print data for the next line. Next, the print data is checked to determine whether there is a blank space at the beginning of the next line. For example, if there is no blank space at the beginning of the next line, such as line a in FIG. 3, the carriage (15) is returned to the starting position of the line in the same manner as before. However, if there is a blank space (s) at the beginning of the next line, for example, line m in Figure 3,
Carriage (15
) and immediately start the next printing FT-II from that position.
..." starts. All printing is performed by repeating this process.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in a serial printing device that feeds the ribbon using the movement of the carriage in the printing direction, when printing for one line is finished, a blank space is placed at the beginning of the next line. If there is, the carriage is not returned to the beginning of the line, but is returned to a position past the margin, and the next print is immediately started from that position. Therefore, since the carriage does not move the blank space at the beginning of the line, the ribbon 6 is not fed in the meantime, and unnecessary consumption of the ribbon can be eliminated. Therefore, when printing text with large margins at the end of lines, it is possible to save ribbon consumption compared to the conventional method, and in particular, the running cost of printing devices that use monochrome ribbons can be significantly reduced. It is something that can be done.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a printing flowchart based on the printing control method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main body of a serial thermal transfer printer equipped with a print control system according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a printing mode by the serial printing device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a serial printing device that feeds the ribbon in synchronization with the movement of the carriage in the printing direction, after one line of printing is completed as the carriage moves in the printing direction, the next line of print data is is input, the print data is checked to determine whether there is a margin at the beginning of the next line, and if there is, the carriage is returned to a position past the margin and the next line is printed from that position. A print control method for a serial printing device that starts printing.