JPS6228275A - Printing position detecting system for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contrive a smaller device and a lower cost, by detecting a rotational signal by light and guiding the light to a controlling part through an optical fiber. CONSTITUTION:A roller 4 with a rubber ring fitted over the outer periphery thereof is rotated concurrently with a printing operation, thereby rotating a rotary reflective disk 5. Reflectors 6, 6... disposed at regular intervals on the outer peripheral surface of the disk 5 are sequentially rotated, light emitted from a light-emitting element 10 located on the lower side of optical fibers 12, 13 is led to the outer peripheral surface of the disk 5 through the fiber 12, and when it impinges on the reflector 6, the reflected light is led to a light- receiving surface of the fiber 13, and is incident on a light-receiving element 11. Of the outer peripheral surface of the disk 5, the reflector 6 parts and the other parts appears alternately, and a displacement is measured therefrom by a circuit of a photoelectric switch. Accordingly, the device is substantially contained in the diameter of a shaft cylinder 1, and can be reduced in size and cost.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention detects the position of a print head of a printer, and particularly detects the print position of a printer where the print head is moved on a print medium by an operator's hand. This relates to the detection method.

(Prior Art) In a conventional printer in which a print head moves over a print medium by hand to print (hereinafter referred to as a hand-type printer), the distance traveled by the hand-type printer is detected by detecting the movement distance of the print head on the print medium. A rotary encoder connected to a roller that rotates under pressure was used.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In conventional hand-held printers, detection means such as rotary encoders require a large storage space.

This has disadvantages in that it is difficult to miniaturize the device, which is a major goal of hand-held printers, and it is expensive.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional disadvantages, the present invention detects a two-rotation signal using light and guides this light to a control unit via an optical fiber. be.

(Example) The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway external view of a cold-press printer to which the present invention is applied, in which a printing section 2 is disposed protruding below a barrel 1 that is held by an operator's hand. This printing section 2 includes a guide roller 5 for guiding a printing head (not shown). 4. A roller that measures the distance traveled by the print head. A rotary reflection plate 5 is disposed which rotates when the roller 4 meshes with a gear. Reflectors 6, 6. ... is provided by pasting etc.

The printing unit 2 is further provided with an ink cartridge 7 that holds ink. The printing section configured as described above is supported by a holding section 8 that includes a control section for applying a printing signal to the print head. A printed circuit board 9 for electronically calculating the moving distance of the print head is arranged behind this holding section 8, and a light emitting element 10 is mounted on this printed circuit board 9.
and a light receiving element 11 are arranged.

Optical fibers 12 and 13 corresponding to the light emitting element 0 and the light receiving element 11 are arranged facing the circumferential surface of the two reflecting plates 5. A signal line is electrically connected from the holding part 8 and the printed circuit board 9 to an input device (not shown) by a cable 14. The detection section of the printing section 2 will be explained with reference to FIG. Printing rad 1 supporting the printing wire
The lower side guide roller 3 5 sets the distance between the front surface of the print head 15 and the print medium, and also rotates and guides the entire handheld printer in the direction of the arrow. The print head 15 is an ink-type wire dot print head that applies ink supplied from the ink cartridge 7 to a print medium using a wire.

A support shaft 17 that rotatably supports a bracket 16 is erected on the side surface of the print head 15 . A support shaft 17 is inserted into the bracket 1B to rotatably support the rotary reflector 5. A shaft 19 is erected to rotatably support the gift 18 and the roller 4 having a gear that meshes with the gear of the two-rotation reflector 5. has been done.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG. A roller 4 having a rubber ring fitted around its outer periphery rotates with the printing operation, and the rotation of this roller 4 rotates a rotating reflecting plate 5. Reflecting mirrors 6, 6, .
will be located below the optical fiber 12, 13 as it rotates sequentially. When the light from the light emitting element 10 described above is irradiated from the optical fiber 12 onto the outer peripheral surface of the rotating reflector 5 and the light is irradiated onto the reflecting mirror 6 on the outer peripheral surface of the two-rotating reflector 5, the light is 9.
The reflected light is irradiated onto the light-receiving surface of the optical fiber 13 and enters the light-receiving element 11 . This is because the reflecting mirror 6 and other parts of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating reflecting plate 5 appear alternately.

The distance traveled is measured by a normal photoelectric switch circuit. Further, when the distance between the print head 15 and the print medium changes, the bracket 16 rotates around the support shaft 17.

(In the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3) The relative position between the outer circumferential surface of the rotating reflector 5 and the optical fibers 12 and 13 does not change, and constant detection accuracy can be obtained.

(Effect of the invention) The present invention has the above configuration.

Hand-type printers can be made smaller and costs can be reduced.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway external view of the printer, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the printing section, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the detection section. 2... Printing section, 4... Loan, 5...
...Rotating reflector, 6...Reflector, 10...
...Light emitting element. 11... Light receiving element, 12.13... Optical fiber. 151. ...Print head, 16...Bracket. 17...Support shaft

Claims (1)

[Claims] A printing section having a printing head at a tip, a printing control section that applies a printing signal to the printing section, and a relative movement distance detection section between the printing head and a print medium, and the detection of the relative movement distance detection section. A print position detection method for printers that transmits information using optical fibers.