JPS62140866A - Printing test system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform an accurate adjustment while obviating a visual illusion or the like, by performing a forward and backward printing test by using a single color. CONSTITUTION:A test pattern generator 12b has a function of sending a color control signal (b) (which is to be sent to a color counter 13) to an OR circuit 19 in the case of a forward and backward printing test (c) or directly to the color counter 13 in the cases of other printing tests. The OR circuit 19 has a function of feeding back a resetting signal (f) emitted on a color switching cycle of the color counter 13 and a function of sending the color control signal (b) sent from the test pattern generator 12b to the color counter 13 as a resetting signal (e). In the case of the forward and backward printing test, the color control signal (b) for commanding a switching of a printing color is sent to the OR circuit 19, and the resetting signal is sent from the OR circuit 19 to the color counter 13, so that the color counter 13 is reset each time of this operation, resulting in that switching of an ink ribbon 4 is inhibited, and the forward and backward printing test using a black ribbon is carried out.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] This is a test method for forward/reverse printing of a color printer that forms print by dots, and test printing is performed by fixing the ink ribbon to a specific color without switching the ink ribbon during the forward/reverse direction test. It is possible to improve the accuracy of adjustment based on test results.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a print test for a wire tod printer or the like that performs color printing, and particularly to a print test method that can improve adjustment accuracy by performing a forward and reverse print test with the same color.

In recent years, with the advancement of office automation, various wire tod printers have been developed and put into practical use as terminals for various computers and print output devices for word processors and the like.

Furthermore, printers equipped with ink ribbons of multiple colors and capable of performing color printing by switching the ink ribbons are becoming popular.

During manufacturing of such color printers, character pattern printing tests and forward/reverse direction pattern printing tests are performed by switching colors for each line, but the forward/reverse direction test pattern printing is performed to adjust printing misalignment in the forward and reverse directions. In order to improve accuracy, a method that uses the same color is desired.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the main parts of the wire tod printer, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the color ribbon in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a side view showing the shift mechanism in Figure 3, and Figure 6 is a test FIG. 2 is a block diagram of main parts of control. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures.

As shown in FIG. 3, a printing plate 1 mounted on a carrier 5 faces a printing paper 3 set on a platen 2 with an ink ribbon 4 interposed therebetween.

The ink ribbon 4 is of yellow color, for example, as shown in FIG.

An ink ribbon 4 having a plurality of colors of red, blue, and black is supplied from a ribbon cassette 40, and is moved up and down by a shift mechanism 11a, which will be described later, to switch colors facing the print head 1.

The carrier 5 is slidably fitted into the guide shaft 6 and is threadedly engaged with the feed screw 7. The feed screw 7 is connected to a space motor SM via a belt 8, and the print head 1 can be moved back and forth in the directions of arrows A and B in the figure by forward and reverse rotation of the space motor needle. Further, the printing paper 3 is transported in the direction of arrow C by the transport mechanism 9.

The print head 1 is provided with a plurality of print magnets having print wires.

As shown in FIG. 5, the shift mechanism 113 has an L-shaped frame llc whose both ends are pivotally supported by the device frame
The ribbon cassette 40 mounted on the shift motor
By the rotation of b, the tip moves up and down as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure via the gear shown by the broken line in the figure, and the ribbon color shifts.

With this configuration, the shift motor llb is rotated by the print color designation signal, the ink ribbon 4 of the designated color is sent, and the print pulse is sent to the print head 1 by the print command, and the print magnet is selectively activated. It is excited and dot printing is performed.

Thus, the print head 1 prints on the print paper 3 while moving in the direction of arrow A together with the carrier 5.

When printing for one line is completed, the printing paper 3 is sent by the transport mechanism 8 to perform a line feed, and the print head 1 continues printing in the direction of arrow B.

During manufacturing, printing tests are conducted to test these functions. That is, in FIG. 1, reference numeral 12a denotes a test pattern generator, which is composed of, for example, a ROM, stores a test program, and outputs test patterns in sequence.

A color counter 13 stores the current print color and outputs a color signal for switching to the next color in response to a color control signal sent from the test pattern generator 12a.
It is reset in one cycle of multiple colors.

When reset, it becomes a black ribbon. Also, when the printer is turned on, it enters a reset state.

Further, 14 is a main control section, 15 is a shift control section, 16 is a line feed (hereinafter referred to as LF) control section, 17 is a space control section, 18 is a print control section, and n is an LF motor.

Therefore, when the test pattern generator 12a sends a color control signal to the color counter 14 and the color signal is sent to the main control section 14, the shift control section 15 controls the shift motor l.
Drive lb to switch to the specified color.

Next, the print pattern signal is sent from the test pattern generator 12a to the main control section 14, and the LF control section 16 sends the print pattern signal to the main control section 14.
The F motor is driven to LF, and the space control section 1
7. Then, the printing control unit 18 starts and the space motor SM
, and the print head 1 is driven to start test printing.

When one line of test printing is completed, the test pattern generator 1
A color control signal is sent from 2a to the color counter 14, the print color is switched, and a print test is performed.

The printing test is performed in this way, and necessary adjustments are made during the printing test, such as the alignment of the printing, the density of printing, or the deviation of printing in the forward and reverse directions. , and for the purpose of ink ribbon adjustment, the printing color is switched line by line.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

According to the above-mentioned conventional method, the printing test is performed by switching the printing color for each line, and the same applies to printing in forward and reverse directions.

Therefore, even if there is a printing misalignment in the forward or reverse direction, if the printing color changes from line to line, there is a problem that it is difficult to judge the printing deviation due to an optical illusion or the like, and it is difficult to make accurate adjustments.

[Means for solving problems]

In FIG. 1, 11 is a ribbon shift means, 12 is a test program and a printing pattern, and generates test patterns for character pattern printing and forward/reverse direction pattern printing based on the test program, and in the case of forward/reverse direction pattern printing. is a test signal generating means that does not cause the ribbon shifting means 11 to perform a shifting operation regardless of the presence or absence of a color control signal.

Therefore, during the forward/reverse direction printing test, the ribbon shifting means 11
The configuration is such that the switching operation is not performed.

[Effect]

During the forward/reverse printing test, the ribbon control signal is not transmitted from the test signal generating means 12 regardless of the presence or absence of the color control signal, so the ribbon shifting means 11 does not perform a shift operation, and the forward/reverse printing test is performed in one color. By doing so, it is possible to prevent optical illusions and the like in determining test prints and to make adjustments accurately.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the block diagram of FIG. The same symbols as in FIG. 3 indicate the same objects. Second
In the figure, parts corresponding to FIG. 1 are surrounded by a dashed line.

In FIG. 2, the test pattern generator 12b has the functions of the test pattern generator 12a described in the conventional example.
It has a function of sending the color control signal sent to the color counter 13 to the OR circuit 19 in the case of a forward/reverse printing test, and directly to the color counter 13 in the case of other printing tests.

The OR circuit lq has a function of feeding back a reset signal transmitted during one cycle of color switching of the color counter 13, and a function of transmitting a color control signal sent from the test pattern generator 12b to the color counter 13 as a reset signal.

With such a configuration and function, during a forward/reverse printing test, a color control signal instructing print color switching is sent to the OR circuit (/), and the OR circuit 19 sends a reset signal to the color counter 13. Since the color counter 13 is fed in, the color counter 13 is reset each time, and as a result, switching of the ink ribbon 4 is prohibited, and a forward/reverse printing test using the black ribbon is performed.

Therefore, the forward and reverse direction printing test can be performed with black printing in color, which prevents optical illusions caused by the change in print color from line to line, and allows accurate adjustment of forward and reverse printing misalignment. can.

In the above example, we explained the case of a forward/reverse printing test using a black ribbon with the color counter 13 in the reset state, but it is of course possible to fix it to one other color if the adjustment can be made accurately, and the test pattern can be generated. It can be controlled by changing the instrument's program.

Although not shown, the same effect can be obtained by removing the color control signal from the forward/reverse printing test program.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, a forward/reverse printing test can be performed in one color, and optical illusions can be prevented and accurate adjustments can be made.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the main parts of a wire tod printer, and Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a color ribbon. , FIG. 5 is a side view showing the shift mechanism shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of main parts of conventional test control. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures. In the figure, 4 is an ink ribbon, 11 is a ribbon shifting means, 11
a is a ribbon shift mechanism, 11b is a shift motor, llc is a frame, 12 is a test signal generating means, 12a and 12b are test pattern generators, 13 is a color counter, 14 is a main control section, 15 is a shift control section,
16 is an LF control section, 17 is a space control section, 18 is a print control section, and 19 is an OR circuit. 11th month spear 215J) 0 wire H”y, 7.1 bunch. Kakinhira (I) ■Mei 3
Mouth color 1 Nobon sticky ear mouth sheep 4 Figure 5 Nogo 6r]

Claims (1)

[Claims] A ribbon shifting means (1) equipped with an ink ribbon having a multicolor configuration and shifting the ink ribbon when the ink ribbon is reset.
1), the specified color is set according to the print color specification in the print information, and the print head prints dots in the forward and reverse directions on the print medium, testing character pattern printing and forward and reverse direction pattern printing. This is a printing test method for a color printer that performs test printing based on commands from a test signal generating means (12) equipped with a program, and when testing the forward and reverse pattern printing, the ribbon shifting means (11) A printing test method characterized by printing without switching operations.