KR810000795B1 - Ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

The illustrated printer effectively devices the surface of paper into a large number of small areas thermal dot locations each of which may or not may receive one or more ink drops depending upon the total level to be printed. Selected ink drops generated by an ink jet are charged as determined by an incoming signal and the charged droplets directed at selected dot locations on the paper. The charge duration is not related to the frequency of the ink jet generation and further, the time of initiation of the drop charging period and the ink drop frequency are asynchronous.

Description

Inkjet Printer

1 is an appendix configuration diagram of an embodiment of an inkjet printer of the present invention.

2a and b are procha art of the operational explanation of FIG.

3 and 4 are explanatory diagrams of the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charge-controlled inkjet printer, and more particularly to an inkjet printer capable of freely changing the text size.

In general, a charge-controlled inkjet printer has a simple configuration and ejects ink supplied from a nozzle by being pressurized at a constant pressure in an ink supply system to form ink particles, and when the ink particles pass through a charging electrode. As it is charged and passes through the deflection electrode, it is deflected in accordance with the amount of charge and collides with the recording paper for printing the characters to form dots on the dot.

On the other hand, the unnecessary ink particles which do not contribute to the printing among the above ink particles are recovered by the unnecessary ink recovery device without being charged and deflected and passed to the ink supply system as they pass through each electrode.

One of the peculiarities of the above inkjet print is that the character size can be easily changed.

As an example, it is possible to change the charge amount given to the print particles, that is, the voltage of the charge signal (video signal), and the size of the longitudinal character can be easily changed.

In addition, in changing the character size in the lateral direction, it is possible to change the traveling speed of a carriage equipped with a print head constituted by the nozzles, charging electrodes and the like described above.

Therefore, the present invention is equipped with a speed changing means for changing the running speed of the carriage, and at the same time, the speed instruction corresponding to the character size is issued in accordance with the character size data of the character data to be printed, and the speed change means is controlled by the speed instruction. The inkjet printer can change the character size arbitrarily.

On the other hand, when the character size is changed during the execution of a passerby, it is necessary to drive the carriage at a speed suitable for the character size between the spaces between characters (usually 0.74 mm).

In this case, when the moving speed of the carriage is controlled by a constant speed control system having a simple configuration, a distance of 5-10 mm is required before the speed command voltage is changed to a constant speed state.

Therefore, the transverse character size cannot be easily changed while the passer-by is implemented.

Therefore, in order to realize the above-mentioned, it is necessary to construct a small mechanism with extremely low inertia of a rotation system and a mobile system, and to provide an advanced servo control system.

However, in the above case, the device itself becomes large and the price becomes too expensive.

Thus, the present invention is characterized in that it can be realized by using a servo control system as in the prior art when a change in character size occurs in the passerby.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail as shown in the drawings.

1 is an appendix diagram showing the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a procha art for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.

First, in FIG. 1, all units in the printer are controlled by a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as cpu) 1 constituted by a microcomputer, and the operation of the cpu 1 is stored in the program memory 5. do.

That is, the above-described program memory 5 contains various instrumentation for printing control.

Cpu (1) reads the above instructions sequentially and executes the read instructions to control all units as described above.

On the other hand, the input interface 2 inputs the data S ₁ received from the outside in the present invention to the printer, and this data S ₁ is data for performing printing, and the buffer memory 4 temporarily. Stacked on.

The above buffer memory 4 temporarily accumulates the input data S ₁ obtained through the input interface 2 and temporarily views information necessary during the program progress. For example, the buffer memory 4 may be a random access memory RAM. Consists of.

Here, the printer interface 3 is installed in the middle of the cpu 1 and various control circuits described below, and processes the command signals required for the various control circuits described above and collects the information required by the cpu 1. This information is provided to cpu (1).

In addition, as described above, the program memory 5 stores instruc- tions for the entire printer to operate as it is, and the instruc- tions are read in sequence by the cpu (1), and the respective instructions are stored. According to the contents, cpu (1) processes each step.

6 is a pulse motor control circuit for feeding, and this circuit 6 operates by inputting the start start signal S ₁₀ from the cpu 1 through the printer interface 3, and also feeding the feed. By inputting the quantity command data S ₉ , it is a control circuit for feeding the paper of the quantity corresponding to this data S ₉ .

For example, when the print on the recording paper 14 of one line of text is completed by moving the carriage, that is, the print head 12, the start signal S ₁₀ is input to the feed control circuit 6, and the recording paper 14 at the same time. Since the feed amount command data S ₉ for sending a line is input, the pulse motor 7 is driven by the feed control circuit 6 to drive the amount corresponding to the command data S ₉ . ) Is sent.

8 is a servo motor control circuit for printing head movement control, which inputs a forward signal (S ₇ ) or a reverse signal (S ₆ ) and a speed command input from the cpu (1) through the printer interface (3). By receiving the data S ₈ , the servomotor 9 is controlled for constant speed at a speed corresponding to the speed command data S ₈ in the forward direction (forward rotation) or reverse direction (reverse rotation).

In other words, the circuit 8 is forwarded so that the signal corresponding to the speed command data S ₉ and the split output signal of the split sensor 10 obtained through the split plate 13 are directly connected to the motor side. The servo motor 9 is rotationally controlled at a constant speed in the reverse direction.

In this embodiment, a signal of a certain period is output from the split sensor 10, and a constant period from an oscillator (not shown) for obtaining the desired rotational speed, which is this signal and the speed command data S ₈ . The servo motor 9 is controlled to rotate in accordance with the signal of.

For example, when the character size of 9P is printed, the speed command data S ₈ suitable for the character size of 9P is sent from the cpu 1 to the servomotor control circuit via the printer interface 3.

Meanwhile, as the forward signal S ₇ is input, the servo motor 9 is driven in the forward direction, and at the same time, the speed state is output through the split sensor 10 and according to the speed command data S ₈ . Circuit control is achieved.

In addition, in response to the drive of the servo motor 9, the print head 12 travels to print the characters of 9P on the recording paper 14.

When the printing of the next row is completed, the reverse signal S ₆ is input to the servo motor control circuit 8, and the servo motor 9 is speed-controlled in the reverse direction to return the print head 12 to its original position. To recover.

Here, the split signal output from the split sensor 10 is counted by a counter configured in the servo motor control circuit 8 and notified to the cpu 1 as the printing head position information S ₅ .

This allows cpu (1) to know where the printhead is located and what it is doing.

In the figure, 11 is a printing control circuit, which receives the control signal S ₂ and the character data S ₄ , which are video amplifier systems, via the interface 3 from the cpu 1. , A character pattern corresponding to the character data S ₄ is called in the pattern generator (configured in the factor control circuit 11) and produces a video signal of a voltage value designated by the input of the print start signal S ₃ . The video signal is applied to the charging electrode constituting the print head 12.

The above character data (S ₄ ) are character data stored in the buffer memory (4), and the call of the character data stored in the buffer memory (4) is written by the cpu (1) into the program memory (5). It reads the cushion, executes the instrument cushion, and calls the address signal by adding it to the buffer memory (4).

The video amplifier gain control signal S ₂ is input when the character size is changed and is a signal for changing the character size in the longitudinal direction. That is, by inputting the signal (S _2), in accordance with the signal (S _2), and thereby changing the amplification gain of the video amplifier of factor control circuit 11, for example, place the printing characters of the 9P, of 12P in the following If you print a character, the amplification gain of the video amplifier increases.

Where P (point) above is the radius indicating the size of the argument, 1P is 1/72 inch. That is, the character size of 9P is 9/72 x 25.4 = 3.2 mm.

In addition, the feed pulse motor 7 has a feed rate of one pulse and a feed rate of a one-slit signal (pulse) from the split sensor 10 attached to the servo motor for printing head driving. Any amount of movement) corresponds to 1P.

The operation of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the procha art of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

First, for simplicity, two types of character sizes, 9P and 12P, will be described.

Here, the pointer in the figure is a register for indicating an address value of the buffer memory 4 storing the character data to be called. The SM (size memory) is a program memory provided in the buffer memory 4 to determine whether the character being processed is 9P or 12P. In describing the example of the argument, the case of printing the characters shown in FIG. 3 will be described. That is, when the characters of "AB" are printed in the size of 9P, the characters of "CD" are printed in 12P, and the characters of "EF" are printed in 9P. You will complete the argument of the party.

When the power is turned on, the character data for one row shown in FIG. 3 is stored in the buffer memory 4 via the input interface 2 as the data S ₁ .

Next, the address register of the buffer memory 4 is set at the head, that is, the storage unit of " 9P " is addressed.

Thus, in order to print the characters into the 9P, the SM is stored (stored in the buffer memory 4).

Subsequently, it is checked whether or not 9 characters are present in the line, and if there are 9P size characters in the line, the 9P print head movement control signal is transmitted to the servo motor control circuit 8 as the speed command data S ₈ . Is sent. That is, the print head 12 is run-controlled at a speed for printing 9P characters. The video amplifier gain control signal S ₂ is applied to the print control circuit 11 so that the video amplifier gain is set for 9P.

Then, the forward signal S ₇ is input to the servo motor control circuit 8 so that the servo motor 7 is rotated and the print head 12 is driven at a speed for printing 9P characters.

In the above description, each signal S ₇ ,..., Etc. reads the instrumentation written in the program memory as described above through cpu (1), and simultaneously reads the read instrumentation cpu (1). ) Is output through the printer interface 3.

Next, the pointer address data is sent to cpu (1) to find out what state it is in.

In the chassis 29, it is judged whether or not the factor of " 9P " currently addressed is data, but at this time, it is not printed data and is moved to the next chassis 30.

The chassis 30 determines whether or not the 9P character size is used. However, the chassis 30 is of course Yes, and the code of NULL is stored in the storage unit of 9P that is addressed at the same time as 9 is stored in the SM. Will be remembered.

This null code does nothing and the printer itself ignores it, so it has nothing to do with its arguments.

The pointer is counted up by one step, and the data of #A shown in FIG. 4 is addressed, and this address data is sent to the CPU 1.

As described above, when the data of #A 'is addressed, the chassis 29 checks whether the data of #A' is print data.

As a result, it is moved to the next of the chassis 34. Because the contents of the SM Factor IX and text data of "A" (S ₄₎ is sent to the printing control circuit 11. In this way, the print start signal S ₃ is input to the print control circuit 11 to start printing the 9P characters of #A '.

Then, it is confirmed whether the print head 12 moves for 9 slit 9P to print 9P characters.

That is, when the 9-seat printing head 12 is moved, the character of #A of 9P is printed.

In this case, the count content of the split signal from the split sensor 10 is always known to the CPU 1 as the positional information S ₅ of the print head 12.

After confirming the above nine sequences, the code of the space 9 is stored in the address portion where the data of #A is stored.

This space 9 is a code provided for convenience of processing, and instructs that 9 spaces of space are provided.

That is, in the present invention, the print head 12 reciprocates several times in printing the same row, and prints characters of different sizes, so that the print of the same portion 17 is avoided by the next travel of the print head. You will enter (9).

Here, the pointer is counted up by one step to address the next 'B' character data stored in the buffer memory 4.

From the above, in printing the 9P characters of #B \, the operation is repeated as described above.

Thus, when the character of #B \ is printed, the data of the next staff 12P stored in the buffer memory 4 is addressed.

Here, the chassis 29 determines the print data. Since the address # 12P \ is not character data, the chassis 29 is moved to the next chassis 30.

In this chassis 30, it is checked whether there is a code indicating a 9P character size, and " 12P " moves to the next chassis 31 as a code of 12P character size.

For this reason, in the chassis 31, " 12P " stores 12 in the SM to print the 12 character size.

Thus, the presence or absence of data printing 9P characters up to the end of the line is confirmed through the buffer memory 4.

In this case, since "E" F "of the 9P character is stored until the end of the line, an operation for printing the character of" E "F" is performed.

Therefore, the pointer is counted up by one step to address the next print data of " C " to form a blank portion of the " C " character.

That is, the chassis 29 checks whether or not the print data is present. In this case, since C is the print character, it is determined as print data.

Thus, the chassis 34 determines whether or not the contents of the SM is " 9 ＂" since the " 12 " is stored in the SM first, until the print head 12 moves 12 slit (12P) minutes. do. Therefore, the argument of #C is not printed here, and the blank portion for 12P is opened.

Then, the character of "D" stored in the buffer memory 4 is addressed. If the same operation is repeated and the space of 12P of the character of D is opened, it will be seen that the next code of 9P is addressed.

After the operation as described above, it is determined as No in the chassis 29, and since the data of " 9P " currently addressed in the chassis 30 is data for recognizing 9P characters, the SM enters " 9 ".

As described above, the pointer is counted up one step as if the NULL code is entered into the buffer memory 4 in which the code of 9P is stored, and the next character data of E is addressed. Since the following operation is the same as the printing operation of #A \ #B \ described above, the description thereof is omitted.

When the character of " F " is printed here, the return code is addressed by setting the pointer to (1).

Since the "return code" has no print characters below the letter of "F", it is not necessary to drive the print head 12 or the like below, and it is inputted in advance upon input to return the printer itself to its original state.

Therefore, when the portion where the "return code" is stored is understood, it is understood that which is determined as NO in the chassis 29, 30, and 31.

In the next chassis 32, you will see what code to do. In other words, since it is for returning the printer to its original state, the speed command data S8 for the reverse rotation of the servomotor via the printer face 3 is output from the CPU 1.

Thus, the reverse signal S ₆ is output so that the reverse signal S ₆ and the speed command data S ₈ are input to the servo motor control circuit 8.

For this reason, the servo motor 9 rotates in reverse and is controlled at a constant speed at a speed suitable for the speed command data S ₈ , while the print head 12 is driven in the reverse direction and returned to the original printing position.

When the above operation is completed, the pointer is set at the head to address NULL (see also part 2b).

The reason for addressing NULL is that a NULL code is input to a portion where 9P is stored as described above. Next, in SM, " 12 " is stored, and it is checked whether 12P characters exist in the line.

The speed command data S ₅ for 12P is sent to the servomotor control circuit 8, and the signal S ₂ for setting the video amplifier can be sent to the printing control circuit 11 for 2P.

Next, when a forward signal S ₇ is applied to the servo motor control circuit, the print head 12 is moved and controlled at a speed for 12P in accordance with the drive of the servo motor 9.

Subsequently, it is determined whether "NULL" currently addressed in the chassis 56 is print data.

Since null is not the print data here, it moves to the next chassis 57, and the pointer is counted up by one step after this chassis.

For this reason, it can be seen that “space 9” is addressed.

Then, in the chassis 58, it is determined whether the data currently being addressed is a space 9, and then the print head 12 is confirmed to move 9 slit.

At this time, the print head 12 is moved only to the portion corresponding to the letter of the previously printed "A", and does not print.

Subsequently, the operation as described above is repeated, and when the print head 12 is moved only in the portion corresponding to the letter 'B', the address '12P' shown in FIG. 4 is addressed.

Since the print data is not print data even in " 12P ", it will be understood that the following " C " character data will be addressed by repeating the above operation.

By this means, the print data is found in the chassis 57, the character data (S ₄₎ of which is the address "C", and outputs the parameter control circuit 11.

Then, when the print start signal S ₃ is inputted to the print control circuit 11, the print of the letter P of 12P is started. If the print head 12 moves by 12 slit, the 12P letter of C is sent. Is completed.

After the above operation, the character data of the letter 'D' is addressed, and it is checked whether or not the print data exists until the end of the next line.

The argument of this line is completed when this character of "D" is printed.

By the way, in the chassis 71, whether or not the print data exists until the end of the line is confirmed, and since there is no print data, the operation of returning the printer to the initial state is performed.

That is, since the end of the line in the chassis 51 becomes the "return code", the feed amount command data S ₉ is sent to the transfer pulse motor control circuit 6, and when the transfer start signal S ₁₀ outputs, the pulse motor (7) is driven so that the recording sheet 14 is sent by the amount according to the sheet feeding amount data S ₉ .

On the other hand, the speed command data S _{8 in the} reverse direction for returning the print head 12 to its original state is sent to the servo motor control circuit 8 and outputs the reverse signal S ₆ , thereby controlling the circuit. By 8, the servo motor 9 is speed-controlled in the reverse rotational direction to return the print head 12 to its original state.

When the above operation is completed, the next one row of data is input to the buffer memory 4, and the above-described operation is repeated to print each row.

Here, when there is no change in the character size in one line, printing of one line is completed by one round trip operation of the printing head 12 (carriage) as in a normal printer.

In addition, although two types of character sizes have been described as examples, the same thinking method can be easily implemented even when printing other different character sizes.

As an example, when printing with four kinds of character sizes, it is clear that the printing head can be printed by four round trips.

In the procha art shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, "CR" represents a code for returning the print head to its original position, and is stored in the buffer memory 4 with this code.

As described above, the present invention relates to a storage means for storing, means for storing character size data for character data read from the storage means and sent to the print control circuit, and each character size in accordance with the character size data of the means. Means for giving a speed instruction corresponding to the speed change means; and means for changing the running speed of the print head controlled by the speed instruction, and making a speed instruction corresponding to the character size according to the character size of the character data to be printed. The character size to print can be arbitrarily changed by controlling the number of characters. For printing of Chinese characters such as slips and documents, various character sizes are required, and these functions have a particularly effective function and are very useful.

In the case of changing the character size in one line, the carriage speed may be reciprocated several times, and the movement speed of the carriage is changed at this time to print the other character size existing in the one line. Therefore, there is an economic effect.

Claims (1)

1. An ink jet printer which runs a print head and records them sequentially, comprising: storage means for storing character data, means for storing character size data for character data read from the storage means and sent to the print control circuit; And a speed instruction corresponding to each character size in accordance with the character size data of this means, and a traveling speed change means of the print head controlled by the speed instruction.

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