JPS6174854A - Serial dot matrix printer having high resolving power and printing method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a peak consumption power source, by specifying the mutual interval between two printing terminal lines arranged in a zigzag pattern and properly selecting the phase difference in the printing operation of each line. CONSTITUTION:In a serial dot matrix printer having two lines of printing terminals arranged in a zigzag pattern, the interval between the printing terminal lines is n+ or -1/2m times (n=1, 2...; m=2, 3) the fundamental pitch between printing dots. For example, each even number pin and each odd number pin are respectively spaced apart by a 2+1/4 dot to each other. If this printing head is sent to the lateral direction at an equal speed and the odd number pins and the even number pins are alternately operated to each other with phase difference of about 180 deg., double density printing can be achieved. Further, by alternately operating the even number pins and the odd number pins with phase difference of about 90 deg. with respect to the even number pins and the odd number pins, similar single density printing in the lateral direction can be achieved even by the printing head having two lines of printing terminals arranged in a zigzag pattern so as to provide the interval of n+1/4 dots.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a serial driver 1-matrix printer having high resolution. The present invention relates to a serial dot matrix printer improved to reduce peak current and a printing method therefor.

<Prior Art> In serial dot matrix printers, printing edges are often arranged in two rows in a staggered manner for the purpose of increasing printing density. In general, serial dot matrix printers are
Since it is preferable to reduce the peak current consumption,
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-160658, the interval between two rows of printing edges arranged in a staggered manner is set to n + 1/2 dots, and the printing operation of each row is performed alternately to reduce the peak consumption of the printer head. Proposals have been made to reduce the current.

However, in recent years there has been an increase in demand for high-quality printing called letter quality, and high-resolution printing has been achieved by setting the horizontal printing pitch to 1/2 or 1/3 dots. When high-density printing is performed using a known printing method, two columns at the printing end are printed simultaneously, resulting in the inconvenience that the effect of reducing peak current consumption is lost.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> In view of the drawbacks of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to perform high-density printing such as double density or triple density. An object of the present invention is to provide a serial dot matrix printer and a printing method thereof, which reduce the consumption peak market flow by making the printing sheets η:glues 11 arranged in a staggered pattern fjJ at cross angles.

<Means for Solving the Problems> According to the present invention, one of the above objects is to arrange the 9
In a serial dot matrix printer having 11 printing edges, the spacing between the rows of printing edges is 011721 times the basic pitch of printing dots (n=1.2...; m
=2.3. ), and a printing method for a serial dot matrix printer having printing edges arranged in two rows in a staggered manner, in which the interval between the rows of printing edges is determined by the distance between the printing dots. This is achieved by providing a printing method characterized in that the pitch is 011721 times the basic pitch and the printing edges of each column are used alternately for printing.

<Function> According to the present invention, not only single density printing but also double density printing when m is 2, triple density printing when m is 3, or generally any high density printing of m times density can be performed. In this case, the two rows of print ends arranged in a staggered manner can be operated alternately, so that the peak current consumption of the print head can be reduced.

<Embodiments> Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a horizontally single-density printing pattern by a conventional print head, in which the spacing between the printing end rows of printing bins 1 to 6 arranged in a staggered manner is 2+172 dots. Therefore, by moving the print head at a constant speed in the lateral direction, the odd numbered pins and even numbered bins constituting each row of the printing edge are moved approximately once each.
By knowing the phase difference of 80 degrees and operating either the odd numbered pins or the even numbered bins alternately each time the print head is displaced by 1/2 dot in the lateral direction, single density printing in the lateral direction can be achieved. It becomes possible.

FIG. 2 shows the case where double-density printing in the lateral direction is performed using the print head of FIG. In this case as well, the print head moves horizontally at a constant speed, but
Each time the /2 dot is displaced, both the odd numbered pins and the even numbered bins operate simultaneously.

Therefore, with such a conventional print head, the effect of reducing the peak current consumption by alternately operating odd numbered pins and even numbered bins is lost when double density printing occurs.

FIG. 3 shows a case in which double-density printing is performed in the lateral direction using a print head according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, even numbered bins and odd numbered pins are 2+1 each other.
/4 dots apart. If such a print head is fed horizontally at a constant speed and the odd numbered pins and even numbered bins are operated alternately with a phase difference of about 180 degrees as shown in FIG. horizontally 1/
By alternately activating either the odd numbered pins or the even numbered bins for every four dot displacement, double density printing can be achieved as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4b shows the timing for single density printing using a printhead according to the present invention. That is, by alternately operating the even-numbered bins and the odd-numbered pins with a phase delay of about 90 degrees for the even-numbered bins with respect to the odd-numbered pins, n
A print head with a lateral single density similar to that shown in Figure 1 can also be achieved with a print head that ears the print edges in two staggered rows with +1/4 dot spacing. .

In the above embodiment, the operation of the even numbered pins is delayed by about 90 degrees with respect to the operation of the odd numbered pins, but the interval between the two rows of printing edges arranged in a staggered manner is set to n -1/4 dots. In this case, the same result as above can be obtained by activating the even-numbered bins at a timing that is approximately 90 degrees in phase with respect to the odd-numbered pins.

If the present invention is further expanded, the interval between the rows of printed edges in which 2 is arranged in a staggered manner is set to, for example, n←1/6 dots, and the phase difference between the odd and even pins is set to about 180. 318-density printing can be obtained by setting the phase difference between odd-numbered bins and even-numbered pins to about 60 degrees, and single-density printing can be obtained by setting the phase difference between the operations of odd-numbered bins and even-numbered pins to about 60 degrees. Each row of print edges arranged in a pattern can be activated alternately.

Generally n + 1/2m (n = 1.2...;
m=2.3. ), single-density and m-fold density printing can be performed, and peak current consumption can be reduced by alternately operating the two rows of printing edges arranged in a staggered manner. can.

The present invention can be widely applied to wire dot printers, thermal printers, and other serial dot matrix printers.

Furthermore, the number of printing edges is not limited to the usual 8-bin, 9-pin, 16-bin, or 24-bin arrangement, but may be any number.

<Effect> As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately determine the mutual spacing between the rows of printing edges arranged in a 2!1lj-1''-bird shape, and simply select the phase difference of the printing operation of each row appropriately. As a result, it is possible to reduce the peak current consumption in both cases of single-perfection and m-fold density printing, making it possible to perform both normal printing and high-quality printing with one printer. In this case, the durability of the printer head can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a single-density print pattern in the horizontal direction by a conventional print head. FIG. 2 is a diagram similar to FIG. 1 showing a horizontally double-sided printing pattern by a conventional print head. FIG. 3 is a diagram similar to FIG. 1 or FIGS. 1 and 2, showing a case in which horizontal double density printing is performed by the print head according to the present invention. FIGS. 4a and 4b are timing charts showing the timing of odd bins and even pins, respectively, during double density and single density printing with a print head according to the present invention. 1 to 6...printing pin

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a serial dot matrix printer having two rows of printing edges arranged in a staggered manner, the interval between the rows of printing edges is n±1/2 m of the basic pitch of printing dots (n=
1, 2, . . . ; m=2, 3, . . ). (2) In the printing method of a serial dot matrix printer having printing edges arranged in a staggered manner in two rows, the interval between the rows of printing edges is set to n± of the basic pitch of printing dots.
1/2m times (n=1, 2,...; m=2, 3,...
), and the printing method is characterized in that the printing edge of each column is used alternately to print.