JPS63122567A - Printing method of dot printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a small and light printer, by carrying out printing by splitting a print head into a plurality of groups when the total number of dots to be printed exceeds over a predetermined number. CONSTITUTION:Print information is fed from an information processor 1 to a print controller 2 and editted for every row of print heads 31-3n, then fed to a print-dot information-comprehending means 5 so as to comprehend the total number of print dots. The number of print dots is fed to a split printing drive circuit 6, and when said number exceeds over a predetermined number M, the print heads 31-3n are classified into an odd number group 1, 3, 5... and an even number group 2, 4, 6..., for example. At first, power is fed from a power source 4 to the print heads 31, 33, 35... of odd number so as to print single dot line of print dots 71, 73, 75... At this time, the split printing drive circuit 6 feeds a speed switching signal S to a motor control circuit 9 so as to slow the rotation of a motor 8 thus slowing paper feed. Then power is fed from the power source 4 to the print heads 32, 34, 36... of even number so as to print single dot line of the print dots 72, 74, 76.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printing method using a print head in a dot printer.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a dot drive circuit of a conventional dot printer device used in facsimiles, etc. In the figure, l is an information processing device, 2 is a print control device, 31 to 3n are print heads, and 4 is a power supply. be.

The print heads 31 to 3n are a number of thin, independent dot printing units arranged in a straight line, and when turned on, print, and when turned off, a white background appears on the opposing paper, and the paper is fed to print a matrix of dots. It represents characters and figures.

Next, the printing method of the printer device will be explained.

Based on the information from the information processing bag vlt1, the print control device 2 sends print information converted into character patterns and graphic patterns to the print heads 31 to 3n, and each print head 3 to 3n receives power from the power source 4 and prints the paper. Print on top. As shown in FIG.
If all the print signals given to n are on, all print heads 31 to 3n will print dots 71+, 72+, etc. on the paper.
Print 7n (dots 721741 and 721741 for explanation).
... is indicated by a broken line).

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Since the printing method of conventional printers is as described above, the power supply 4 of the printer device has a large capacity (m8) assuming that all print heads 31 to 3n are in the printing state (on). Ta.

Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the weight and size of the printer, and there are problems in that the printer is large, expensive, and takes up a large space.

This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to reduce the power supply capacity, reduce the price of the printer device, and provide a small and lightweight device.

[Means for solving problems]

In this invention, the total number of dots to be printed in the dot line is checked, and if the total number exceeds a predetermined number, the print head is divided into a plurality of groups, and the print head of one group is first used to print. In addition to printing the dots to be printed, paper feeding is delayed, and the dots to be printed are then printed by the print head of the other group.

[Effect]

If there are many dots to print, slow down the paper feed and
Since the same dot line is printed in a time-division manner, the number of print heads 31 to 3n that are simultaneously supplied with power from the power source 4 can be reduced, and the capacity of the power source 4 can also be reduced.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, ■ is an information processing device, 2 is a print control device,
31 to 3n are print heads, 4 is a power supply, 5 is print dot information grasping means, 6 is a divided print drive circuit, 8 is a motor, and 9 is a motor control circuit.

If the information from the information processing device 1 is character information (character code), the print control device 2 converts the character information into dot information. Then, the paper feed is controlled according to the dot information, and the drum!・Make the matrix represent characters and figures. If the information is already dot information, only paper feeding control is performed.

The print dot information grasping means 5 includes, for example, the print heads 3I to 3I.
A black signal (
This is to check for dots that should be printed) or white signals (dots that should not be printed). This circuit consists of a counter and the like, and counts the total number of black signals to check how the dots to be printed are connected on the print head 3-3n.

The divided print drive circuit 6 is given the total number of dots to be printed in the dot line from the print dot information grasping means 5, and if this total number exceeds a predetermined number M of dots, the print head This is to perform the division. In other words,
The print driver 1- corresponds to each dot of the print heads 31 to 3n, and for example, from the reference dot to odd numbered head groups and even numbered head groups, 1, 3.5...
and 2,4°6... Furthermore, when the divided printing drive circuit G is divided, it sends a signal to the motor control circuit 9 to switch the rotational speed of the motor 8. The motor control circuit 9 is constituted by a pole number switching circuit when the motor 8 is a synchronous motor or an indulging motor. When the motor 8 is a step motor, the clock pulse from the oscillator 20 is divided into 1/2 output from the frequency divider 21 as shown in FIG.
The pulse motor drive circuit 23 is controlled by gate-controlling the AND gate 22 using a clock, or the AND gates 1 and 24 are selected and controlled by the original clock pulse. The changeover switch 25 is controlled by the output signal S of the divided print drive circuit 6.

Further, when the motor 8 is a DC motor, as shown in FIG. 3, the voltage applied to the motor speed control circuit 26 is changed over by a changeover switch 28 to select between a normal speed and a low speed. The output signal S of the divided print drive circuit 6 determines whether the drive voltage V+ or v2 is selected. Further, the steady rotation of the motor 8 is feedback-controlled by a tachogenerator 27.

The motor 8 feeds printing paper in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 5, and rotates continuously. The motor control circuit 9 switches the rotational speed between high and low.

As shown in FIG. 4, the division printing drive circuit 6 inputs the dot information to an AND gate 10, and in the case of odd/even division, gate control is performed using, for example, a 1/2 clock output from a 1/2 frequency divider 11. The dot information divided by
Store in 2. This circuit prevents the dot information in the shift register 12 from being transferred to the print heads 31 to 31 all at once at a predetermined clock timing.

Next, a printing method according to the present invention will be explained.

Information for printing is given from the information processing device 1 to the print control device 2, edited into information for each column of print heads 31 to 3n, and sent to the print dot information grasping means 5, where the total number of print dots is grasped.

The number of print dots is given to the divided print drive circuit 6, and when the number exceeds a predetermined value M, the print heads 30 to 30 are
For example, odd number group 1, 3, 5... and even number group 2
, 4.6... First, power is supplied from the power supply 4 to the odd-numbered printing rads 31 + 33 + k . . . to print one dot line as the right printing dots 7t + 73 + k . . . shown in FIG.

At this time, the divided print drive circuit 6 sends a speed switching signal S to the motor control circuit 9, slows down the rotation of the motor 8, and slows down paper feeding (in the direction of the arrow). Then, power is supplied from the power supply 4 to the even-numbered print heads 3□, 34+36, etc., and the same dot lines are printed on the left print head shown in Fig. 5).
7217, 76, etc. are printed.

When viewed under magnification, the printed dots 72, 74, 76, etc. are slightly misaligned due to paper feeding, but when viewed from the perspective of the entire dot line, they are almost straight lines and do not appear to be a problem. This is because in the case of a thermal type, heat spreads to the surroundings and the actual print dots 71-7n are larger than the print heads 31-3n. When the driving of the print head 3.3 after the division is completed, the division print drive circuit 6 sends another switching signal to the motor control circuit 9, returns the rotation speed of the motor 8 to normal rotation, and starts feeding the paper. to normal high-speed feed. The next dot line is printed in the same manner as described above.

In this way, since the print head that divides one dot line prints at different times, it is possible to reduce the cost of the power source 4. Also, when characters are represented by dots, only about 20% of the characters are represented by dots, so the speed is not slowed down at all.

If the number of print dots to be printed is smaller than M, the corresponding print heads are simultaneously driven to print on the same dot line.

In the above embodiment, an example was explained in which the dots were divided into two, odd-numbered dots and even-numbered dots, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the dots may be divided into other plurality of dots.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the total number of the print heads in the dot line that should be printed is checked, and if the total number exceeds a predetermined number, the print heads are divided into a plurality of groups. However, the power supply was divided by first printing the dots to be printed using the print head of the negative group, delaying the paper feed, and then printing the dots to be printed by the print head of the other group. , the power supply capacity can be reduced. Therefore, the printer as a whole can be made smaller and lighter, and can be provided at a lower price. In addition, if it is battery-powered, the battery life will be extended and it will be convenient.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a printer in which the present invention is implemented; FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the motor control circuit of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a divided printing drive circuit, and FIG.
6 is a block diagram of a conventional printer, and FIG. 7 is a layout diagram of conventional printing dots. 1... Information processing device, 2... Printing control device, 3-3
n...Print head, 4...Power supply, 5...Print dot information grasping means, 6...Divided print drive circuit, 71-
7n...Printed dot, 8...Motor, 9...Motor control circuit. Agent: Masu Oiwa, (and 2 other people) ¥4 figures! Figure 16 $5 Figures 71-7n: εp gido ° zuto Kizawa Hiyu;

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a dot printer that prints dots on paper using a print head consisting of a large number of dot lines and represents characters, figures, etc. using a dot matrix configuration, the total number of dots to be printed in the dot line is checked, and the total number is determined in advance. If the predetermined number of dots is exceeded, the print head is divided into multiple groups, the print head of one group prints the dots to be printed, the paper feed is delayed, and then the print head of the other group prints the dots. A printing method for a dot printer, characterized in that the dots to be printed are printed by a head.