JPS62146661A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a label printer not requiring the input of the kind of a label and simple to operate, by a method wherein a large number of parts detected by a detector are formed to base paper having labels adhered thereto along the side edges thereof at an equal pitch and a control means measuring the length of each label on the basis of the output interval of the detector and determining the stop timing of a base paper feed part corresponding to the measured value. CONSTITUTION:When a power source is turned ON, processing clearing the memory of a counter is performed to start the feed of base paper. A detector 9 detects each hole to be detected to output a detection signal. So far as the feed of base paper 1 is continued, the detector 9 detects the next hole to be detected and these detection signals are outputted and at each time when a stepping motor driving a base paper feed part rotates in one step, 1 is added to the memory of a counter and the length (l) of a label is automatically calculated on the basis of the count number of the memory of the counter. Corresponding to this, the feed quantity (L-kl) of base paper 1 is calculated and, when said quantity coincided with the actual feed quantity of the base paper 1, the stepping motor is stopped to stop the feed of base paper. Hereinafter, printing processing is performed by a thermal head 3 through a main routine.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a label printer.

Conventional technology In a label printer that prints on a label by intermittently feeding a long backing paper on which many labels are pasted at equal pitches, it is necessary to control the feeding length of the backing paper according to the length of the label. be.

Conventionally, a program for controlling the operation of a mount feeding section that feeds a mount according to the length of the label is stored in a memory, and the program corresponding to the label to be used is called up from the memory by hand.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, such a device has a very troublesome problem because it requires an operation to select a program each time it is used or every time the power is turned on. Also, labels that are not normally used cannot be used unless a new program is set.

The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a label printer that is easy to operate and does not require inputting the type of label.

Means for Solving the Problem A large number of detected parts to be detected by a detector are formed at equal pitches along the side edge of a mount to which a label is pasted, and the number of parts to be detected by a detector is determined based on the output interval of the detector. A control means is provided for measuring the length and determining the timing of stopping the mount feeding section according to the measured value.

The action detector detects the detected portion and outputs a detection signal, and the control means measures the length of the label based on this output interval and automatically measures the feeding length of the liner.

Example An embodiment of this invention will be described based on the drawings.

A mount guide plate 2, a thermal head 3 serving as a printing section, a platen 4, and a label peeling body 5 that bends the mount 1 at an acute angle are arranged along a path for pulling out the mount 1. Further, a take-up reel 8 is provided for winding up the ink ribbon 7 that is wound around the supply reel 6 and passed between the thermal head 3 and the platen 4.

Also, from the printing position, that is, from the center of the thermal head 3,
A detector 9 is provided which is located at a distance of .

This detector 9 is a photoelectric conversion element that detects and outputs a detection hole 10, which is a detection portion formed on the side edge of the mount 1.

A large number of labels 11 are attached to the mount l at equal pitches, and the array pitch of the detection holes 10 is the same as the array pitch of these labels 11. Although not shown, a large number of feed holes 12 are formed on both sides of the mount 1 to engage with a sprocket, that is, a mount feeding section.

Next, the operation of the control means that measures the length of the label 11 based on the output interval of the detector 9 and determines the timing of the stop operation of the step motor for driving the sprocket is described with reference to the flowcharts in FIGS. 5 and 6. and explain.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the power is turned on, initial processing including processing to clear the counter memory is performed, and then,
The step motor rotates to drive the mount feeding section and start feeding the mount. That is, the mount 1 is sent toward the thermal head 3 from the supply reel 1 side. At this time, the detector 9 detects the detection hole lO and outputs a detection signal. As long as the feed of the mount 1 continues, the detector 9 will move to the next detection hole lO.
Detect. While these two detection signals are being output, each time the step motor that drives the paper feeding section rotates one step, 1 is added to the counter memory, and the count number in the counter memory is used to determine the distance between the holes 10 to be detected. The length Q of the label 11 is automatically calculated. Corresponding to this, the feed amount (L-kQ) of the mount 1 is calculated and 1. When the actual feeding amount of the mount 1 matches this value (L-kQ), the step motor is stopped and the mount feeding is stopped. Thereafter, printing processing by the thermal head 3 is performed through the main routine. Note that k is a maximum natural number such that kQ does not exceed L. For example, L=130mm, Q=2
0+nm, when = 6 (7), liner feed amount (L-kQ)
is 10M.

In the main routine, detection including whether or not the label 11 has been replaced is performed. That is, when exchanging the label 11, the thermal head 3 is moved away from the platen 4, and as shown in FIG. 6, it is checked whether the thermal head 3 moves up or down as the label 11 is exchanged. This is detected by the operation of a drive unit (not shown) that drives the thermal head 3. If this is detected, the counter memory is cleared, and the step motor is driven to feed the backing paper l.Then, in the same way as the above-mentioned operations, the length α of the label 11 is calculated, and the backing paper feeding amount (L-kQ) is calculated. is performed, liner paper feeding is stopped according to this calculated value, and normal printing processing is performed.

In this way, when starting, when the power is turned on, and when the label 11 is replaced, the length Q of the label 11 and the corresponding feed amount of the mount 1 (L-kQ) are determined based on the detection signal of the detector 9. ) is automatically measured, so no matter what kind of label 11 is used, the troublesome input operation for selecting a program can be omitted.

Although the detected portion is shown as the detected hole 12, gaps between the labels 11 or a large number of marks formed on the mount 1 may be optically detected.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, the detector detects the detected part and outputs a detection signal, and the length of the label is measured by the control means based on this output interval and the liner is fed. The length can be automatically measured, and therefore, no matter what kind of label is used, it is possible to omit the input operation for setting the feeding amount of the mount.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a side view, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a scaled-down mount wound into a roll, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the mount. Plan view shown in Figure 4.
The figure is a partially enlarged side view, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts. 1... Mounting paper, 3... Thermal head (printing part), 9
...Detector, 10...Detected hole (detected part), 11
···label

Claims (1)

[Claims] A printing section and a mount feeding section for feeding the mount are provided in the path of a long mount on which a large number of labels are pasted at equal pitches, and a large number of labels are detected by a detector along the side edges of the mount. A control means is provided in which the detection parts are formed at equal pitches, the length of the label is measured based on the output interval of the detector, and the timing of stopping the liner feeding part is determined according to this measured value. label printer.