JPS63230345A - Dot printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform high density highly accurate printing, by discriminating bar code data by a data discrimination means and performing indication for altering a printing speed by a speed alteration indicating means and delaying the printing speed by a printing means to perform the printing of a bar code. CONSTITUTION:A speed alteration indicating means 131 outputs printing speed altering indication when a data discrimination means 121 discriminates bar code data from printing data. A printing means 141 makes the printing speed slower than a character printing speed in accordance with the alteration indication outputted from the speed alteration indicating means 131 to perform bar code printing. For example, when the min. interval time performing the character printing of dots by a certain wire is set to (t) and the spacing speed of a printing head is set to (v), the min. dot pitch becomes vt. A speed becomes (3/4)v at the time of bar code printing and, therefore, the min. dot pitch becomes (3/4)vt. Therefore, high density is obtained between dots. As a result, high density highly accurate bar code printing becomes possible.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Summary] When printing a barcode with a dot printer,
High-density, high-precision printing is achieved by determining the barcode data using the data discriminating means, instructing to change the printing speed using the speed change instructing means, and printing the barcode by slowing down the printing speed using the printing means. It becomes possible.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a dot printer, and particularly to a dot printer that prints barcodes by dot printing.

[Conventional technology]

Currently, barcodes are widely used in various fields. For example, in addition to standardized ones such as JAN, EAN, and UPC, independently defined ones are commonly used in the distribution industry. In fields that utilize such barcodes, it is necessary to print the barcode on the target medium.

One of the methods that have been proposed for printing barcodes in the past is a barcode-only machine using a dot printer (
Label printers), laser beam printers, etc. A desired barcode was printed using these.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, since the above-mentioned barcode-only machine mainly prints barcodes, the quality when printing characters, etc. is low. Usually, the object to which a barcode is attached is a product or a distributed item, so it is necessary to print characters other than the barcode as well. There was a problem in that barcode-only machines could not meet such demands.

Further, although laser beam printers have high resolution, they are expensive and are uneconomical if used solely for printing bar codes and characters.

Therefore, it is possible to print barcodes and characters using a general-purpose, inexpensive dot printer (for example, a wire dot printer), but printing barcodes requires low printing density and poor printing accuracy. There was a problem. Therefore, when a barcode actually printed with a dot printer is read with a laser scanner, the reading error becomes large, making it impractical for practical use.

The present invention was created in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a dot printer that is capable of printing barcodes with high density and high precision.

[Means for solving problems]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the dot printer of the present invention.

In the figure, data discrimination means 121 discriminates barcode data from the introduced print data.

The speed change instruction means 131 outputs a print speed change instruction when the data discrimination means 121 discriminates the barcode data.

In response to the change instruction output from the speed change instruction means 131, the printing means 141 performs printing corresponding to the barcode data at a printing speed slower than that for character printing.

Therefore, the overall configuration is such that when barcode data is determined, the printing speed is slowed down to print the barcode.

[For production]

The speed change instruction means 131, when the data discrimination means 121 discriminates barcode data from the print data,
Outputs a print speed change instruction.

The printing unit 141 prints a barcode at a printing speed slower than that for character printing in response to a change instruction from the speed change instruction unit 131.

In the present invention, since the printing speed is slowed down when barcode data is determined, high-density and highly accurate barcode printing is possible.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a dot printer in an embodiment of the present invention.

(2) The relationship between and (1) - Here, the correspondence between the embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 1 will be shown.

The data determining means 121 corresponds to the instruction decoder 221.

The speed change instruction means 131 includes a selector 231° transmitter 2
This corresponds to the 33.3 frequency divider 235.4 frequency divider 237.

The printing means 141 includes a carrier control section 241. Pulse motor 243. Print control unit 245. Character generator 247. This corresponds to the print head mechanism section 249.

Examples of the present invention will be described below assuming that the correspondence relationship as described above exists.

In Figure 2, for example, if an external device connects an interace (
Print data of characters and barcodes input via a computer (not shown) is supplied to an instruction decoder 221. The command decoder 221 transfers the supplied print data to the print control unit 2.
45, and when barcode data is detected from the print data, the barcode printing mode signal 23
0 to the selector 231.

Furthermore, the clock signal (with a frequency of 3f) output from the oscillator 233 is transmitted to the frequency divider 235 and the frequency divider 23 by 4.
7 is input. The frequency divider 235 divides the input clock signal by three and inputs the clock signal (frequency f) to the input terminal of the selector 231 and the print control section 245 .

The 4-frequency divider 237 divides the input clock signal by 4 and sends the clock signal (frequency 3f/4.) to the selector 23.
Input to input terminal B of 1.

The selector 231 selects one of the clock signals input to the input terminal A or the input terminal B, and outputs the clock signal to the carrier control unit 2.
41. The carrier control unit 241 operates a pulse motor (PM) 24 for performing a spacing operation of a print head (not shown) in synchronization with an input clock signal.
3.

The print control unit 245 reads out the print pattern stored in the character generator 247 according to the data input from the command decoder 221, and prints the print pattern in the print head mechanism unit 2.
Supply to 49. The print head mechanism section 249 prints corresponding dots according to the input print pattern.

Nee JJil's hand-picked work FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of printed dots in the embodiment.

3(a) shows printed dots for characters, (b) shows printed dots for barcodes, and (C) and (d) show examples of printing using printed dots for barcodes. In the figure, the dot pitch for character printing is (1/180) inch, and the diameter of the dots is dot pitch X3/2 (=R).

Now, assume that the dot pitch for barcode printing is reduced to 3/4 times the dot pitch for character printing.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 2 and 3.

When the input print data is normal character data, the command decoder 221 inputs the character data to the print control unit 245. The print control unit 245 includes a frequency divider 2
In synchronization with a clock signal of frequency f supplied from 35, a character pattern corresponding to the input character data is read out and output to printing mechanism section 249. The print head mechanism section 249 performs printing according to the input pattern.

At this time, the selector 231 selects the clock signal of frequency f input from the input terminal A from among the clock signals input from the two input terminals, and supplies it to the carrier control section 241 . The carrier control unit 241 controls the pulse smoke 243 in synchronization with the input clock signal,
Move the print head.

For example, in an impact wire dot printer,
The minimum interval time for a certain wire to print dots is t,
If the spacing speed of the print head is 2, then the minimum dot pitch is vt.

In the embodiment, this minimum dot pitch vt is (1/180) inch as shown in FIG.

When the print data input to the command decoder 221 is barcode data, the command decoder 221 inputs the barcode data to the print control unit 245, and
A barcode printing mode signal 230 is sent to the selector 231. In the print control unit 245, the frequency f output from the frequency divider 235 is used as in the case where the input data is character data.
The character generator 247 generates a pattern corresponding to the input barcode data in synchronization with the clock signal of the character generator 247.
, and outputs it to the print head mechanism section 249. The print head mechanism section 249 prints a barcode according to the input pattern.

At this time, the selector 231 that received the barcode printing mote signal 230 outputs the clock signal input from the input terminal B at a frequency of 3f/4 among the clock signals input from the two input terminals.
The selected clock signal is supplied to the carrier control section 241. The carrier control unit 241 controls the pulse motor 243 in synchronization with the input clock signal to move the print head. As a result, dots are printed as shown in FIG. 3(a).

On the other hand, when barcode data is input, the frequency of the clock signal input to the carrier control unit 241 is 3/4 times the frequency of normal character data, so the movement speed of the pulse motor 243 is It will also be 3/4 times as large.

Since the spacing speed of the print head when printing characters is V and 4, the speed when printing barcodes is (3/4).
v, so the minimum dot pinch is (3/4)vt
becomes. Therefore, dots are printed as shown in FIG. 3(b), with high density between the dots.

In this way, the command decoder 221 sends the barcode printing mode signal 230 to the selector 231 when barcode data is input, and the selector 231 receives the barcode printing mode signal 230 and sets the frequency f. The clock signal is switched to a clock signal with a frequency of 3f/4. Then, the carrier control unit 241 controls the frequency 3f/4 clock signal.
Since the pulse motor 243 is controlled in synchronization with the second signal, the spacing speed of the print head is increased by 3/4 times, and as a result, the pitch of the printed dots is also increased by 3/4 times.

Therefore, high-density, high-precision barcode printing is possible.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3(c) and 3(d), by changing the dot pitch (3/4 times in the embodiment), printing with an integer multiple width becomes possible. In particular, frequently used JA
Since barcodes such as N, EAN, and UPC must be printed with a bar width and a space width that is an integral multiple of the basic width, it is important to be able to print a width that is an integral multiple of the basic width.

■, tl's ・In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention described above, an impact wire dot type printer was considered as an example, but if the printer is accompanied by a spacing operation of the print head, the thermal Of course, it can also be applied to type (thermal transfer type, thermal paper type) printers.

In addition, in the example, the barcode is 3/3 of the normal character printing.
Although we considered printing at 4 times the speed, you can set an arbitrary magnification while checking the barcode printing results or depending on the difference in the diameter of the printing dots. In that case, 3
The frequency division ratios of the frequency divider 235 and the 4-frequency divider 237 may be changed.

Furthermore, in "Correspondence between Examples and FIG. 1",
Although the correspondence between FIG. 1 and the present invention has been described, those skilled in the art will easily imagine that the present invention is not limited to this and that there are various modifications.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, by printing barcode data at a slower printing speed than when printing characters, it is possible to print barcodes with high density and high precision. 1, it is extremely useful in practice.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the principle of a dot printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the configuration of a dot printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of printed dots according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 121 is a data discrimination means, 131 is a speed change instruction means, 141 is a printing means, 221 is a command decoder, 230 is a barcode printing mode signal, 231 is a selector, 233 is an oscillator, 235 is a frequency divider by 3, 237 is a frequency divider by 4, 241 is a carrier control section, 243 is a pulse motor, 245 is a print control section, 247 is a character generator, and 249 is a print head mechanism section. Invention 0 Original block opening Figure 1 □□□] U41 □□□□□-] Sharp luster example σ/side profile Figure 2 (21) (b) (C) (d> helmet-n≧ 1g bow to bow, atte 5?, 8th prisoner figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] Data discriminating means (121) for discriminating barcode data from introduced print data; and data discriminating means (121);
speed change instruction means (131) that outputs a print speed change instruction when barcode data is determined in step 21); Printing means (141) that slows down the printing speed and performs printing corresponding to the barcode data.
), and a dot printer comprising: