JPS6281530A - Apparatus for recording color dot - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a multicolor dot recording apparatus having a simple structure, capable of being inexpensively manufactured and having high reliability, by providing only one platen in opposed relation to a carriage having several hammers and controlling the shaking of the platen. CONSTITUTION:In a multicolor dot recording apparatus wherein several hammers H1-H6 and ink ribbons 5 having different colors are mounted on a carriage 20, the carriage 20 is moved to a direction (X-direction) traversing the feed direction (Y-direction) of recording paper 3. Only one platen P is provided to the opposite side of the carriage 20 so as to hold the recording paper 3 between said carriage and the platen P. This platen P is controlled so as to be shaken within a predetermined angle in the Y-direction in synchronous relation to the movement of the carriage 20. By this method, the structure of the apparatus can be made simple and inexpensive while a sufficient printing speed is secured as an industrial dot recorder.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a color dot recording device, which records analog multi-colored dots on recording paper in response to a plurality of analog input signals using a dot recorder or the like on glaze. This invention relates to improvements in the recording mechanism of recorders that perform

More specifically, the present invention relates to an intelligent multicolor dot recording device capable of dot recording multicolor characters, symbols, etc. at the same time as multicolor analog dot recording.

Prior Art A dot recorder that sequentially switches multiple analog input signals, converts them to the position of the recorder's carriage, and records analog dots on the recording paper with color-coded analog dots for each measurement point using a dot dot on the carriage. are used very often.

Recently, a dot recorder has appeared that uses a microprocessor to record not only analog dots but also characters, symbols, etc. as needed. In this case, the analog input range etc. are intelligent so that they can be set freely.

As a representative example of the recording section of such an intelligent dot recorder, there is a device described in Utility Model Publication No. 1784/1984. In this method, a plurality of dot dot needles are arranged on a carriage running perpendicularly to the feeding direction of the recording paper, aligned in the direction of the carriage running force, and arranged at equal intervals in a negative row. Color-coded ink ribbons running along the feeding direction of the recording paper run endlessly between the dot needle and the recording paper.

One dotting needle corresponds to each color band. While the carriage scans from the left end to the right end, a microprocessor selectively drives a specific dotting needle, thereby transferring a predetermined color of the ink ribbon to a predetermined position on the recording paper. Advance the recording paper one step and record the dots while scanning back from the right edge to the left edge. By repeating this process, analog dot recording of n colors can be obtained. If a character generator is used instead of an analog input signal, characters of, for example, 5x7 dots can be written out in the required colors as required.

However, the drawback of this method is that the speed at which characters are written is slow. In order to write out one line of characters with 587 dots, it takes 7 dots even if you do a dotting motion with both the forward and backward strokes.
Multiple scans are required.

In other words, one line of characters cannot be written unless the carriage makes three and a half back and forth movements. Another drawback is that the characters in the honkodashi are difficult to decipher. This drawback is a fundamental drawback of the line head printer as described above.

In order to avoid this fundamental drawback, the utility model was published in 1982.
In the invention described in Japanese Patent No. 116622, the number of dotting needles corresponding to an ink ribbon of a specific color, for example, a black ribbon, is not one, but seven along the recording paper feeding direction, and these are selected by a microprocessor. Run it and get 1 in one scan
You will get the string of lines.

The disadvantage of this method is that it requires a large number of dot needles and 1a magnets for driving them. For example, in the case of a 6-color recorder, there are 6 actuators (1! The overwhelming majority are magnets) that drive the 6 dotting needles, and 7 actuators that drive the 7 dotting needles for characters.
electromagnets are required.

Since a total of 13 electromagnets are mounted on the carriage, the mass of the carriage increases, making it difficult to move at high speed. It is structurally complex and expensive. Another drawback is that the color of characters is theoretically limited to one color.

A patent was published in 1973 as a recording device that solved these drawbacks.
There is an invention described in Japanese Patent No. 6-127470. The operating principle of this recording device is shown in FIG.

In Figure 1, on the platen cylinder l, there are protrusions on the platen PI, P2゜P3,
, , , , PN is formed. The platen cylinder l is rotated at high speed in the direction of arrow 2 by a DC motor with a governor (not shown). By means not shown, such as a sprocket,
Recording paper 3 is fed in the direction indicated by reference number 4. The feeding of the recording paper 3 is independent of the rotation of the platen cylinder l.

Print gauges H1, H2, H3, and H4 are mounted on a carriage (not shown) that moves in the X direction. Electromagnets for driving the printing nozzles H1-H4 are omitted. Ink ribbons 5 of four colors are also mounted on the same carriage. The ink ribbon 5 is attached obliquely to the Y direction as shown in the figure. The length h in the Y direction of the print marks H1 to H4 is slightly longer than the width of one line. Of course, the height of the letters is also small.

The ink ribbon 5 is divided into color strips. Print 7, ■,
TJ I TIET Halzen H Ricorne The ribbon directly below the hammer H2 is cyan, that directly below the printing hammer H3 is magenta, and the ribbon directly below the printing hammer H4 is yellow. When the printing hammer H1 operates, the printing paper 3 and the ink ribbon 5 are sandwiched between the printing hammer H1 and one of the protrusions of the platen PL 1P2, ..., PN, and the printing paper 3 is
One black dot is transferred on top. In reality, the platen cylinder 1 and a slow-moving rotary encoder detect the position within the height h of the platen protrusion, and the moment the platen reaches the desired position, the printer makes a dot.

During this time, the carriage scans from left to right at a uniform speed. One line of 5x7 dot characters is serially printed in one scan. By overlapping and transferring different colors, the number of characters that can be obtained increases to seven colors.

A printer like the one shown in FIG. 2 is commercially available as a unihammer type color printer. The printing speed W achieved 50 characters/second. Characters in seven colors were obtained at a high speed of 5 CfV seconds, demonstrating almost ideal performance for a nl color tod printer.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when this unihammer type color printer is applied to the above-mentioned intelligent dot recorder,
Various problems have arisen, such as:

(1) Industrial instruments such as dot recorders must operate without maintenance for at least one month. In such an industrial instrument, it is undesirable for the 1977 cylinder l to rotate and control at high speed from the viewpoint of reliability. On the contrary, there is no problem in using it for a relatively short time, such as printing a hard copy of a color CRT.

(2), platen protrusions Pi, P2 on platen cylinder l,
Pitch errors of P3, , , , , PN and variations in the width of the protrusions deteriorate printing quality. If this was made precisely, it would be expensive and would be inappropriate as a dot recorder.

The width of the platen protrusion I/'i becomes wider over time due to layer wear, but Pl, P2, P3. , , , , There is a wide variation among PNs, and the printing quality deteriorates over time.

(3) Both the hammer and the platen are struck while continuously moving.

Since the dot time is limited even if it is instantaneous, the transferred dots may become blurred. In particular, since the platen cylinder is rotating at high speed, the scum n in the Y direction is noticeable and deteriorates the sharpness of the dots.

(4) The rotary encoder for detecting the platen position is expensive.

(5) The printing speed of 50 characters/second is too fast for an industrial dot recorder. About 5 characters/second is necessary and sufficient.

In conclusion, unihammer type color printers are too sophisticated and unsuitable for industrial intelligent dot recorders. Even if the printing speed is reduced, a mechanism is required that has a simple structure, can be constructed at low cost, and has high reliability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages inherent in the prior art.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve these problems, the present invention does not use a plurality of platens PI, P2, and P3PN as shown in FIG. 2, but uses one simple platen. By controlling the tilt angle of this platen, a dotting mechanism suitable for an industrial intelligent dot recorder is obtained.

Embodiment Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1(a), Φ) is a front view and a right side view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a multi-point recorder.

In the VC shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the recording paper 3 passes over the upper surface of the frame 8.9 and is pulled out by the sprocket cylinder 6 in the direction of the arrow. The sprocket cylindrical shaft 7f'i is driven by a stepping motor (not shown).

A plate-shaped platen/P is installed directly below the frame 8.9, and both ends of the platen shaft 1O are pivotally supported.

The platen P uses the position of the solid line as a reference angle, and the platen axis l
It can be tilted up to the maximum angle θm as shown by the broken line with O as the center. For example, the maximum angle θm is divided into 10 equal parts, θ0 (base difference g3), θl, θ dew, θ3 +5se
It can be tilted at any angle of e**θ9 and θ10. The angle θ is controlled by the platen axis lO. The platen shaft is controlled by a lO wheel chipping motor (not shown). This Stembi/G motor is controlled by a microprocessor tK (not shown).

Since the platen P is bent into an L shape, the platen/P
This is to make the moment of inertia of the platen P as small as possible and at the same time increase the rigidity of the platen P.

A carriage 20 is attached to the upper part of the platen P so as to be movable in the X direction. A guide shaft 23 passes through one oil pan 22 attached to a carriage base 21. A ball bearing 24 is attached to the carriage base 21.
The guide rail 25iCI'9 rolls.

The carriage pace 21 has a guide shaft 23 and a guide rail 2.
5, it is restricted so that it can only move in the X direction.

A wire 26 is attached to the carriage base 21 with screws 27. The wire 26 moves the carriage 20 left and right by means not shown.

A cassette 30 for the ink ribbon 5 is mounted on the carriage base 21. The ink ribbon 15 coming out of the cassette 30 is guided to the rollers 31 and 32 as shown by the arrow.
Then rewind it into the cassette 30''!n.

An endless ink ribbon winding mechanism is omitted. The ink ribbon 5 is divided into trunks of, for example, six colors (black, red, brown, green, blue, and purple) as shown in FIG. 1(a).

Six electromagnets M1 to M6 are mounted on the 11La stone pace 33 protruding from the carriage pace 21. Each electromagnet is attached with a magnet hl~6.

π<i By the action of the stone M, the ink ribbon 5 and the recording paper 3 are placed between a and the hammer H hits the platen P and one dot record is transferred onto the recording paper 3 at the intersection of the platen P and the hammer H. do.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a procedure for printing out the letters ABC of 5×7 dots in black letters. When one company is recorded on the dot recorder, the platen P is returned to the quasi-angle θO by a reset operation. A reference angle sensor (not shown) determines whether or not it is at the reference angle θ0. Many of these sensors use light or Hall kites. Inexpensive sensors include microswitches and reed switches. The specific means for returning to the reference angle 00 will be omitted since the method used in many NCs and the like can be used as is.

ΦYarikuji 20 moves from the left end to the right. An origin detection sensor (not shown) counts the number of steps in the X direction feed at the same time as the XO passes. When the hammer H1 reaches the position X6, the movement in the X direction stops.

The platen P rotates counterclockwise and the platen angle becomes θO.
Changes from to 03. 1! The magnet Ml operates and a DI is obtained. The platen angle changes to θ4, θ' 11 + @ 1111θ8, and the dots D2, D3,...
,, D6 is obtained.

General serial printers are Dot DI, D2. ,,
,.

, , D6 can be obtained at the same time, but in the case of the present invention, there is a time delay. The degree of this time n is mainly determined by
It is determined by the following speed of the stepping motor for driving the platen P. The barley marked with dot D6 is moved to carriage Xq9.
The writing of characters progresses with the arrow ji. The carriage only moves in the X direction. On the other hand, the letter C
The writing power of ``character'' is different from that of quasi-serial writing, such as the letter AB. In the case of a character CCD, the carriage jumps from dot D7 to dot D8, and as the carriage returns in the opposite direction to the X direction -! I spell the letter C as an oath. It is not easy to decide which force has the faster start-up speed, but if the following speed of the stepping motor for moving the platen PMA is slow, the one-stroke angler 1@ is faster.

FIG. 1(a) shows a 5×7 dot character drawn on the record Ja 3 in this manner. The figure also shows
An example of analog dot recording is also shown. l from thermocouple
i>V (No. 8 etc. is the input switch SW and the channel order is e.
zeta switching, fi, A/D conversion and microprocessor? It is converted to the final vc position in the X direction. By dotting each channel in different colors, an analog record as shown in the figure can be obtained as a series of dots. In this case, the platen P is at the reference angle θO and does not move.

When the number of channels is large, analog recording
'#: fff D h * rear u A * h h
In order to help with the 〒- and n of SS, there are many cases where the channel number is written near the analog record.If you operate hammer 12 instead of hammer H1, the red letters and analog dot record will be displayed. Needless to say, you can obtain

Although the position control of the carriage in the X direction and the 11M angle control of the platen P are performed using a stepping motor, it goes without saying that the control can be performed using an analog system having a feedback element.

In this embodiment, an industrial intelligent dot recorder is mainly used as a comparison, but the present invention is not limited to this. If you don't mind the time-consuming process, it is also possible to make a hard copy of the color graphical representation on Color C'1'.

In this example, the ink ribbon happened to have 6 colors, but 2
It goes without saying that if multiple transfers are allowed, the number of colors will be approximately doubled.

Furthermore, although the ink ribbon is an integrated ribbon that is divided into strips of different colors, each colored ribbon is stored in a separate cassette, and it goes without saying that the same effect cannot be obtained even if these ribbons are stacked one on top of the other. Nor.

Furthermore, it is natural that two lines can be written at the same time by greatly changing the inclination angle of the platen. It is also possible to write half a line at a time by reducing the change in the tilt angle.

Using two platens instead of one increases problems such as pitch errors, making it difficult to manufacture platens, and there is no benefit.

Furthermore, although the inclination angle of the platen P is controlled, this is only one means for controlling the position of the platen in the Y direction. Translating the platen in the Y direction also produces the same results as rotating it.

Effects of the Invention The present invention has the following practical effects compared to conventional systems.

(1) Compared to the unihammer method, the platen structure and driving force type are extremely simple, and an expensive encoder or the like is not required. Although the printing speed is inferior, it can print at a sufficient speed of 10 characters/second, which is sufficient for industrial dot recorders.

(2) Industrial dot recorders spend most of their time recording analog dots. During this time, the platen P may remain stationary at the reference angle θO, so reliability is high.

(3) In the device described in the above-mentioned Utility Model Publication No. 116822/1980, only one color of characters could be obtained, but in the present invention, characters of any number of colors can be obtained. especially,
It is very effective to write out the text in regular lists and the like in black, and in the event of an alarm or the like to write out the message in red. It is also effective to make the analog dot color and the t''LVcLVc correspondence the same color for the same channel.

(4) The invention described in the above-mentioned publication uses seven electromagnets dedicated to text, making it complicated and expensive; however, in the present invention, it is common for analog dots and text. , the number of electromagnets is small. Therefore, VC is inexpensive and highly reliable.

(5) Since only cylindrical platens are used, there is no need to provide pitch errors or the like. The bending of the platen appears as a bending of the character string, but this restriction is relatively loose, making it easy to manufacture the platen.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

ML diagrams (a) and (b) are a front view and a side view showing an embodiment of an industrial intelligent dot recorder to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operating principle of a conventional color dot recorder. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the character forming procedure of the color dot recording device according to the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A carriage that runs perpendicular to the feeding direction of the recording paper, multiple hammers attached to the carriage, ink ribbons of different colors facing these hammers, and dot recording is transferred to the intersection of the platen and the hammers. The color dot recording device is provided with a drive device that dynamically controls the position of one platen in the Y direction, simultaneously controls the position of the carriage in the X direction, and selectively drives the hammer. A color dot recording device featuring: