JPS62208975A - Blind fixation detecting system for photo-fixing thermal printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent defective printing from occuring due to blind fixation, by starting printing only after it is detected by a detecting means that the density of a predetermined mark printed by a thermal head based on an instruction from a mark printing instructing means is not less than a predetermined density. CONSTITUTION:When printing of a mark is instructed by a mark printing instructing means 9 at the start of printing, a predetermined mark is printed at a predetermined position on a recording medium 3, e.g., at a leading end part of the medium 3 by a thermal head 4. Printing is started only after it is detected by a detecting means 10 provided on the downstream side of the head 4 that the density of the predetermined mark (a) printed is at a predetermined density. When the predetermined density is not detected, printing is not started. Namely, when the predetermined density is not detected, it is judged that there is a possibility of defective printing. Accordingly, since the possibility of defecting printing can be discriminated before starting printing, defective printing can be prevented from occurring, and the recording medium can be prevented from being used with no avail.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] An empty fixing detection method for a thermal printer using photofixed thermosensitive recording paper, which includes an instruction means for instructing printing of a black mark on the recording paper, and detecting the density of the black mark. By providing a detection means, it is possible to detect blank fixing of the recording paper and prevent printing defects.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a thermal printer that uses photo-fixed thermal recording paper used in facsimile (hereinafter referred to as FAX) communication devices, and more particularly to a photo-fixed thermal printer that can detect blank fixing on the recording paper and prevent printing defects. This relates to an empty fixing detection method.

In recent years, FAX communication has become widespread, and photo-fixing thermal printers that use photo-fixing recording paper, which has excellent storage stability after recording and fixing, have come to be used to record reception.

In this printer, the recording paper is stored in a light-shielding box.
If the exposed part of the supply to the printing recording section is exposed to external light for a long time, it will be optically fixed and printing will not be possible. Even if the operation is performed, printing defects occur, so a method for preventing this is desired.

[Conventional technology]

Figure 6 is a side view showing the outline of a light-fixing thermal transfer printer.
The dashed line area indicates the printer device 1.

The roll-shaped recording paper 3a stored in the light-shielding box 2a is a thermal paper with light fixing properties, and is attached to a thermal heater pad 4a and a platen 5.
a, and is pressed against the platen 5a with a predetermined pressure by a thermal head 4a biased by a spring 4b. The platen 5a and the feed rollers Rz and Rs are rotationally controlled to transport the recording paper 3a.

The thermal head 4a is equipped with resistive heating elements (not shown) arranged in a line over the printing range in the width direction of the recording paper 3a, and a pulse current is selectively applied to the resistive heating elements based on print data. When the water flows, the corresponding resistance heating element generates heat, and the recording paper 3a becomes sensitive to heat and develops color. At this time, the thermal head 4a is controlled to keep the printing energy constant in accordance with the temperature conditions of the outside air.

Therefore, the recording paper 3a that has been thermally printed from the print line L by the thermal head 4a is fed in the direction of the arrow, cut into a predetermined size by the cutter section 6, and fixed by the fixing light source 8 in the optical fixing section 7 in the direction of the arrow B. will be sent to.

Here, the recording paper 3a has the property of being fixed by reacting to fixing light 1, such as a fluorescent lamp or a flash, as well as external light such as the sun or an electric light. It does not develop color even when exposed to sunlight, does not cause chemical reactions with fluorescent pens, inks, etc., and does not change color even when exposed to external light for long periods of time, so it has a better shelf life than ordinary thermal recording paper.
Because it has excellent non-cavalage properties, it is often used in cases where this feature is required.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As described above, in the conventional method, the recording paper 3a is stored in a roll in the light-shielding box 2a, but once it has been fixed by starlight, it will not develop color even if heated, so it should not be exposed to external light for a long time before printing. If exposed, it will be fixed and subsequent print records will be defective. This is called empty fixing.Even if the light-shielding box 2a blocks the light from the fixing light source 8 as much as possible, if no printing continues for a long period of time, light will leak and the light will leak out of the light-shielding box 2a. The exposed portion of the recording paper 3a up to the thermal head 4a may be exposed to light and fixed, and the next print recording may be defective. Also, shading box 2
It is possible that light may leak into the inside of a.

Therefore, in the case of printers such as word processors used by operators, even if there is a recording failure, it is possible to take measures such as re-recording. Even if recording is completed according to the procedure, it may not actually be printed.

As a means of preventing print recording defects due to this blank fixing, if the exposed part is not used for a certain period of time, the exposed part is always sent out before recording and cut by the cutter section 6, and the recording is performed after being ejected. There is a way to start, but ■ The recording paper 3a is wasted. ■ If the area other than the exposed area is exposed to light 1 For example, the light-shielding box 2
There is a problem in that it cannot be prevented if the inside of a is exposed to light.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the principle of the present invention. In the figure,
3 is a recording medium, 4 is a thermal head, 5 is a platen, 9 is a mark printing instruction means for instructing printing of a predetermined mark at a predetermined position on the recording medium 3 at the start of printing, 10 is provided at a stage subsequent to the thermal head 4; This is a detection means for detecting the print density of a predetermined mark printed at a predetermined position on the recording medium 3.

Therefore, printing is started only when the print density of the predetermined mark printed by the thermal head 4 based on the instruction from the mark print instruction means 9 is detected by the detection means 9 to be equal to or higher than the predetermined density. .

[Effect]

When mark printing is instructed by the mark printing instruction means 9 at the start of printing, a predetermined position on the recording medium 3 is generated.

For example, a predetermined mark is printed and recorded on the leading end by the thermal head 4, and the print density of the predetermined mark is detected by the detection means 10 provided at a subsequent stage, and printing is started only when the predetermined density is detected.

If the predetermined density is not detected, printing will not start. That is, if it is not detected, it can be determined that there is a possibility of a print recording failure, and this can be determined before the start of print recording, so that printing failures can be prevented and the waste of recording media can be prevented.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. In FIG. 3, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are shown surrounded by a dashed line. The same reference numerals indicate the same objects throughout the figures.

In FIG. 2, the range of broken lines indicates the printer device 1;
After the printing line of the thermal head 4a.

That is, a reflective photosensor 10a is provided between the thermal head 4a and the cutter section 6.

In FIG. 3, the operation panel 12 includes a power button 12a.

It is equipped with a display lamp 12b, a mark printing instruction button 98, and the like.

The mark printing control unit 13 includes a mark data memory 13a in which print data of a black mark a of a predetermined size is stored, and is activated at the start of printing based on the operation instruction of the mark printing instruction button 9a, and outputs data to the print control unit 14. It has a function to send print data of black mark a.

Further, 15 is a sensor amplifier, 16 is a transfer control section, and 17 is a cutter drive control section, each of which is controlled by the main control section 11.

Since it has such a configuration and function, the operation will be explained using the flowchart shown in FIG. 4. First, press the power button 12a of the printer 1 to ONL to instruct mark printing! If you press 09a to enter the print start waiting state, image data to be printed may not be input immediately, for example in the case of FAX, but may be received after a predetermined time.
The mark printing control unit 13 is activated by the communication at the start of reception, and as shown in FIG. A black mark a is printed.

- When the black mark a is printed, the recording paper 3a is fed by the rotation of the platen 5a by the motor M driven by the transfer control unit 16, and when the black mark a comes to a position facing the photosensor 10a, the recording paper 3a reaches a predetermined slice level. detected by.

(2) When a predetermined density is detected as a result of detection, print recording is started.

(2) If the detection result is that the density is below a predetermined density, it is determined that there is a possibility of print recording failure due to blank fixing, and the flow (2) is performed without starting printing. At this time, if there is an operator near the printer 1, the operation panel 1
The display lamp 12a of No. 2 is turned on.

■If it is determined that the fixing is blank, it automatically feeds a certain amount 1, for example, the distance between the pinch roller R8 and the thermal head 4a in FIG.
After discharging the paper in the direction, print recording starts.

In this way, printing defects can be prevented even if the operator is not monitoring the printer 1, so printing defects due to blank fixing can be prevented even in printers that are expected to be operated unattended, fax reception recording units, etc. .

In the above example, we explained the case where black mark detection is performed once, but
If there is a concern that the roll portion inside the light-shielding box 2a may be exposed to light, there is a method such as repeating the steps ① to ① above a predetermined number of times, and if it is still in a dry landing state, an alarm is issued to notify the driver. You can also take

Furthermore, an example has been described in which the power button 12b and the mark printing instruction button 9a are provided separately on the operation panel 12a, but if the power is turned on and the mark printing instruction is issued by pressing the power button, the operation will be simpler and more reliable. It is very effective because it allows you to give specific instructions.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, printing defects due to blank fixing can be prevented in printers, FAX reception and recording units, etc. that are expected to be operated unattended.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a principle block diagram of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an internal side view showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a main control block diagram of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a flowchart of Fig. 2, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is an internal side view showing a conventional example. In the figure, 1 is a printer device, 2 and 2a are light shielding boxes, 3 is a recording medium, 3a is a recording paper, 3b is a recording area,
4, 4a is a thermal head, 5.5a is a platen,
7 is an optical fixing section, 8 is a fixing section, 9 is a mark printing instruction means, 9a is a mark printing instruction button, 10 is a detection means, 10a is a photosensor, 11 is a main control section, 12 is an operation panel, 12a is a power button, 12b is a display lamp; 13 is a mark print control section; 13a is a mark data memory; 14 is a print control section; 15 is a sensor amplifier; 16 is a transfer control section; 17 is a cutter drive control section. = 1st moon bunch, current flock figure $ 1 figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] In an apparatus that prints on a supplied photofixing heat-sensitive recording medium (3) using a thermal head (4), a predetermined mark is placed at a predetermined position on the recording medium (3) at the start of the printing. It comprises a mark printing instruction means (9) for instructing printing, and a detection means (10) for detecting the print density of the printed predetermined mark, and the detection means (10) is the mark printing instruction means (9). An empty fixing detection method for a photofixing thermal printer, characterized in that printing is started when the density of a mark printed according to an instruction is detected to be equal to or higher than a predetermined density.