JPS63262255A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable recording heads of different kinds to be controlled by using a common printing control part, by a method wherein each kind signal wire for transmitting a signal indicating the kind of a recording head to a printing control part is provided, and a means for changing over an output signal to a control wire is provided to the printing control part. CONSTITUTION:A recording head 12 outputs a signal indicating the kind of the head 12 to each kind signal wire 15. A signal control part 18 extracts the generation timing of a specific signal and the data of signal period out from a memory part 20 according to the kind of the recording head 12, outputs them to a signal forming part 21 and simultaneously, switches over a data signal switching part 22 and a data transfer clock switching part 23 to a predetermined output destination. Thereby, the signal preparation part 21 outputs a STB data latch signal and a ENB I-N printing block selection signal to the terminal 25 of a specific pin number corresponding to the used recording head at a specific period and a specific timing, and recording is carried out. In the case of connecting to another recording head 12, the process is the same. Therefore, recording heads of different kinds can be used by combining them to the same printing control part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that includes a printing head that performs line printing and a printing control section that controls the printing head.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, a printing device such as a facsimile machine has a thermal recording head 2 for recording on recording paper 1, a printing control section 3 for controlling the thermal recording head 2, and a control line 4 for connecting the two.
Those with the following are used. Various types of thermal recording heads are manufactured by manufacturers.

The types include the following:

(1) The length of the thermal recording head is A3. B4. A4, etc.) Data length (2) Number of control lines (3) Signal logic: Low or High (4)
Resistance value of heating element (5) Since there are the above types of heat-responsive recording heads, the same print control unit can be used with software for some types as a print control unit to control the recording head. Even if it were possible, it would not be possible to handle all types of print heads, and a print control section corresponding to each type of print head would be used.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in such a configuration, depending on the recording head used,
The problem is that the printing control section must be designed and manufactured, and therefore it is not possible to reduce costs through mass production, and productivity is also poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a printing device that can control different types of recording heads using a common printing control section.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides, in addition to a plurality of control lines connecting the recording head and the printing control section, in order to control the recording head and perform the recording operation. A type-specific signal line is provided to connect the recording head and the print control unit so as to transmit a signal indicating the type of the recording head to the print control unit, and the print control unit receives the signal indicating the type of the recording head transmitted by the type-specific signal line. The apparatus is provided with a means for switching the output signal to the control line depending on the type of the control line.

According to the above-described structure, when the print control section and the recording head are connected by the control line and the type-specific signal line, the print control section understands the type of the recording head through the type-specific signal line and prints the recording head. It is possible to switch so that a predetermined control signal is output to a predetermined signal line corresponding to the head, and it becomes possible to use a combination of different types of recording heads for the same print control section.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which numeral 11 indicates thermal recording paper, and numeral 12 indicates the recording paper 11.
a thermal recording head 13 that performs recording, a print control unit that controls the recording gutter 12 based on an image signal from a reading unit;
14 is a plurality of control lines connecting the recording head 12 and the print control unit 13 to control the recording nozzle 12 to perform a recording operation; 15 is a signal indicating the type of the recording head 12 to the print control unit 13; Signal lines according to type connect the recording head 12 and print control section 13 for transmission, 16 is a reading section, a is a synchronization clock signal, b is an image signal, that is, a data signal, and C is a data transfer lock signal. The recording head 12 used here is capable of outputting a signal indicating the type of the recording head 12 to the type-specific signal line 15. The number of control lines 1, the position of the connecting portion bin with respect to the control line 14, etc. are the same as in the prior art, and differ depending on the type of recording head 12. Tables 1 and 2 show examples of connection pin numbers and signal contents of the recording head 12.

Table 1 Recording head A control line configuration (signal line potential by type: Low) Table 2 Recording head B control line configuration (signal line potential by type: High) Signals used in Tables 1 and 2 above The explanation is as follows.

Binary data for printing SiN data signal is expressed as flj and Oj.

CLK data transfer lock Transfers one bit of data using the clock used to transfer one line of data to the recording head.

When this pulse signal is applied to the STB data launch signal after one line of data has been transferred, the terminal, which can be energized by a print block selection signal to be described later, generates heat in accordance with the data.

ENB 1 to N print block selection signal A plurality of heating elements corresponding to one line are divided into a predetermined number of print blocks, and this is a selection signal for these print blocks. In printing, it is possible to record one line at the same time, but in reality, due to power supply capacity constraints and configuration issues, the heating elements of all blocks are not energized at once, but are divided into blocks and energized one after another.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the print control section 13. This print control section 13 includes signal control sections 18 and 1,
It includes a clock generation section 19, a storage section addition, a signal generation section 21, a data signal switching section n, a data transfer lock switching section, a type-specific signal line connection terminal array, a control line connection terminal 5, etc. The signal generation section 21, data signal switching section n, and data transfer lock switching section β are connected to the control line connection terminal section as shown. Here, the pin numbers (1) to (11) assigned to the control line connection terminal 5 correspond to the pin numbers of the recording head 12 when connected to the recording head 12 via the control line 14. The storage section stores data such as generation timing of a predetermined signal, signal period, switching position of the data signal switching section n and data transfer lock switching section, etc., corresponding to the various recording heads 12. In addition, specifically,
The signal control section 18 and the signal generation section 21 can be configured with one CPU, and the data signal switching section η and the data transfer/lock switching section O can be configured with a gate array.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus having the above configuration will be explained. It is now assumed that a recording head A shown in Table 1 is used as the recording head 12. Before the recording operation, the signal control unit 1
8, the type of recording head 12 is understood from the recording head 12 through the type-specific signal line 15.

Then, the signal control unit 18 extracts data on the generation timing and signal period of a predetermined signal based on the type of the recording head 12 from the storage unit and outputs it to the signal generation unit 21.
At the same time, the data signal switching section n1 and data transfer/lock switching section n are switched to a predetermined cutting edge (position indicated by the solid line in the drawing) based on the data retrieved from the storage section. For this,
Based on these data, the signal generation unit 21 generates the STB
The data latch signal and the ENB1 to N print block selection signals are outputted to the terminal 5 of a predetermined pin number corresponding to the print head used at a predetermined period and at a predetermined timing corresponding to the print head. Further, the data signal output from the reading section 16 and the data transfer lock C are synchronized with the synchronization clock a that operates the signal control section 18.
Each signal is output to a terminal 5 with a predetermined pin number via a data signal switching section n and a data transfer lock switching section n. In this manner, a predetermined signal is supplied to a predetermined terminal corresponding to the print head 12 at a predetermined period and at a predetermined timing, and recording is performed.

A different recording head 12 (for example, recording head B in Table 2)
) are connected to the same print control unit 13, the signal control unit 18 understands the type of recording head 12 through the type-specific signal line 15 before the recording operation, and based on the data in the storage unit, Data on predetermined signal generation timing and signal cycle is output to the signal generation section 21, and at the same time, the data signal switching section n and the data transfer lock switching section O are set to a predetermined cutting edge based on the data retrieved from the storage section. Thereafter, a predetermined signal is supplied to a predetermined terminal corresponding to the recording head at a predetermined period and at a predetermined timing, and recording is performed.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides a method for transmitting a signal indicating the type of the recording head to the print control section in addition to a plurality of control lines connecting the recording head and the print control section. A type-specific signal line is provided to connect the recording head and the print control section, and the print control section includes means for switching an output signal to the control line according to the type of the recording head transmitted through the type-specific signal line. By providing this, even if a different type of recording head is connected to the print control unit, the print control unit will understand the type of recording head using the signal line for each type, and will send a predetermined signal line corresponding to that recording head. It can be switched to output a predetermined control signal, and it is possible to use a combination of different types of recording heads for the same print control unit, reducing costs by mass producing the print control unit. This has the effect of being able to improve productivity as well as improve productivity.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a printing control section used in the printing device, and FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional printing device. FIG. 11... Recording paper, 12... Recording head, 13...
Print control section, 14... control line, 15... signal line by type, 16... reading section. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 1st
Figure 1 No--Ishibashi Retsu's Words Tomoe Sensarar＼ IZ--11 bending ze U and 檎L head. Nolto-even p [mercenary R breasts/S 1 type 1 Shizu division Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] a recording head that records on recording paper; a print control unit that controls the recording head based on an image signal from a reading unit; and a print control unit that controls the recording head to perform a recording operation. a plurality of control lines connecting the print head to the print control unit; and a type-specific signal line connecting the print head and the print control unit to transmit a signal indicating the type of the print head to the print control unit; A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control section includes means for switching an output signal to the control line according to the type of the recording head transmitted by the type-specific signal line.