WO2010050075A1

WO2010050075A1 - Label printer

Info

Publication number: WO2010050075A1
Application number: PCT/JP2008/072484
Authority: WO
Inventors: 和代藤村; 光東本田
Original assignee: 株式会社サトー; 株式会社サトー知識財産研究所
Priority date: 2008-10-28
Filing date: 2008-12-11
Publication date: 2010-05-06
Also published as: JP2010105198A; JP4494502B2

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To provide a label printer which can continuously print a serial number from the previous time, even when a power supply is cut off once or printing of a designated number of sheets is finished, as long as the printing format is equal. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A memory card (60) the content of which is kept even when the power supply is cut off is provided. When printing based on the same printing data is finished, a CPU (12) stores the printed serial number as serial number issue information in the memory card (60) in association with the printing format used for printing. In the next printing, when serial number issue information corresponding to a printing format to be used for printing is stored in the memory card (60), the CPU (12) prints the serial number continuously on the basis of the serial number issue information. Meanwhile, when the corresponding serial number issue information is not stored in the memory card (60), the CPU (12) deletes the serial number information stored in the memory card (60).

Description

Label printer

The present invention relates to a label printer that prints on a label, and more particularly, to a label printer having a serial number printing function for sequentially counting up or counting down a serial number sequence composed of numbers, characters, and the like.

Conventionally, label printers with a serial number printing function that sequentially counts up or down and prints serial number sequences consisting of numbers, letters, etc. have been put into practical use. Has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). *

However, with the conventional technology, the serial number is initialized when the power is turned off or the specified number of prints are completed. There was a problem that printing was not possible. *

JP-A-7-186456

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and the object of the present invention is to turn off the power once or finish printing a specified number of sheets when the same print format is used. The present invention is to provide a label printer capable of continuously printing the previous serial number.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration. The gist of the invention described in claim 1 is a label printer having a serial number printing function that prints serial numbers as a serial number by sequentially counting up or down the serial number sequence for each label to be printed, even if the power is turned off. Information storage means whose contents are not erased, and at the end of printing based on the same print data, the value of the serial number printed is associated with the print format used at the time of printing as serial number issue information in the information storage means Serial number issuance information storage control means for storing, and in the next printing, when the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the information storage means, the serial number issuance The present invention resides in a label printer in which the serial number is continuously printed based on information. Further, the gist of the invention described in claim 2 is stored in the information storage means when the serial number issuing information corresponding to the print format used for printing is not stored in the information storage means at the next printing. 2. The label printer according to claim 1, wherein the serial number issuing information is erased. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input means for inputting an initial value for printing the serial number, and an initial value receiving screen for receiving the input of the initial value for printing the serial number. Display means, and in the next printing, when the serial number issue information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the information storage means, the serial number issue information is displayed on the initial value reception screen. 3. The label printer according to claim 1, wherein a value based on the value is displayed as a default input value of the initial value.

The label printer of the present invention uses the information storage means whose contents do not disappear even when the power is turned off, and the value of the serial number printed at the end of printing based on the same print data when printing as the serial number issuing information. A serial number issuance information storage control means for storing in the information storage means in association with the print format is provided, and the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the information storage means at the next printing The printer is configured to continue printing based on the serial number issuance information, and after printing with a serial number assigned to a specified number of single sheets or multiple sheets, the power is temporarily turned off. However, since the previous serial number is retained, when the label is printed again with the same print format, the previous serial number can be continuously printed. *

Further, the label printer according to the present invention, when the next printing, if the sequential number issuing information corresponding to the print format used for printing is not stored in the information storage means, the serial number issuance stored in the information storage means By configuring the information to be erased, if the next print is not based on the same print format, the serial number issuance information will be erased, so that unintentional serial numbers can be prevented from continuing. Play. *

Furthermore, the label printer of the present invention is provided with an input means for inputting an initial value when printing a serial number, and a display means for displaying an initial value receiving screen for receiving an input of the initial value when printing a serial number. When the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the information storage means at the time of the next printing, the initial value default input value is set to the value based on the serial number issuance information on the initial value reception screen. As a result, the user can recognize that printing based on the same printing format has been performed, and can determine whether or not to continue the serial number. Play.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. *

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a label printer according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a storage content of a memory card, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a structure example of a serial number command illustrated in FIG. *

A label printer 100 according to the present embodiment is a printer having a serial number printing function for sequentially counting up or down a serial number string made up of numbers, characters, etc., and referring to FIG. And a thermal head 2 formed on the surface facing the platen roller 1, and a continuous label 3 and an ink ribbon 4 in which a plurality of labels 3a are temporarily attached to a belt-like mount 3b. By sandwiching between the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2 and selectively generating heat from the heating element of the thermal head 2, the ink is transferred from the ink ribbon 4 to the label 3a so that desired characters, barcodes, etc. It is configured to perform printing. *

The continuous label body 3 is rotatably supported by the paper supply unit 5 while being wound in a roll shape, and is supplied from the paper supply unit 5 between the platen roller 1 and the thermal head 2. Further, the ink ribbon 4 is stretched between the ribbon supply unit 6 and the ribbon take-up unit 7, and the ink ribbon 4 supported in a state of being wound around the ribbon supply unit 6 in a roll shape is the platen roller 1. The ink ribbon 4 that is supplied between the thermal head 2 and the thermal head 2 is taken up by the ribbon take-up unit 7. *

A black rectangular shape called an eye mark printed on the back surface of the label continuous body 3 with the length of the label 3a temporarily attached to the back surface side of the label continuous body 3 fed out from the paper supply unit 5. A sensor 8 for detecting a mark and outputting an eye mark detection signal is provided. The eye mark detection signal is input from the sensor 8 to the control unit 10, and the control unit 10 drives the thermal head 2 and the drive motor 9 that rotationally drives the platen roller 1 at a printing timing based on the eye mark detection signal. Control and print. *

A host 30 such as a personal computer is connected to the control unit 10 via an external interface (external I / F) 20, and various data and data are exchanged with the host 30 connected to the outside via the external I / F 20. Commands can be sent and received. Further, the control unit 10 includes an input unit 40 for inputting various data and commands and a display unit 50 for displaying input data and various information input from the input unit 40 as an interface (I / F). 21, input data input from the input unit 40 is supplied to the control unit 10 via the I / F 21, and display data corresponding to various information displayed on the display unit 50 is I / F 21. It is supplied from the control unit 10 via. Further, the control unit 10 is connected to the memory card mounting unit 22 in which the memory card 60 is mounted, so that various data can be written to and read from the memory card 60 mounted in the memory card mounting unit 22. Yes. *

The memory card 60 is an external recording medium such as a flash memory that can freely erase and write data and does not lose its contents even when the power is turned off. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. A plurality of print formats, a serial number command and serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format are stored. The print format is information indicating the print layout, and fields consisting of fixed fields (fields for printing previously input fixed data) and variable fields (fields for printing variable data) are set. Coordinates (X, Y), type (character, barcode, ruled line, etc.) and modification information (enlargement ratio, inversion, rotation, etc.) are set. Note that the print format is created by input from the input unit 40 or by the host 30, and is managed by a unique print format name. *

The serial number command is a command for printing a serial number in one or a plurality of fields set by the print format. The serial number command is created by the input from the input unit 40 or the host 30 and is associated with the print format. It is stored in the memory card 60. FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of the serial number command. The serial number indicates the field number of the field for printing the serial number, the number of data digits of the serial number, the input character check, the input digit number check, the count up or the count down. Number increase / decrease and input method are set. FIG. 4A shows an example of the structure when the fixed character input is set as the input method, and the fixed character number and the fixed character string are set. FIG. 4B shows an example of the structure when key input is set as the input method, and the input item name digit number, input item name, default input value digit number, and default input value are set. ing. FIG. 4C shows an example of the structure when copying from another field is set as the input method. The copy source field number, the copy digit number, the copy source start digit, and the copy destination start digit are shown. And the compensation method is set. *

In addition, the serial number issuance information is displayed when the serial number command is set in the print format used for the most recent printing, that is, when the serial number is printed during the most recent printing. Stored in association with the print format. *

Referring to FIG. 2, the control unit 10 operates in accordance with a ROM (read only memory) 11 in which a predetermined control program and font data are stored, and a control program stored in the ROM 11, and a CPU (
a central processing unit (RAM) 12, a random access memory (RAM) 13 for storing various data necessary for the operation of the CPU 12, and a drive signal such as a pulse signal is supplied to the drive motor 9 to rotate the drive motor 9. Under the control of the conveyance control unit 14, the print control unit 15 that causes the thermal head 2 to perform a printing operation based on an instruction from the CPU 12, the eye mark detection signal is received from the sensor 8 under the control of the CPU 12, and is converted into digital data. Thus, a label detection unit 16 that supplies the CPU 12 with a mark detection signal is provided.

Next, the serial number printing operation in the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the sequential number printing operation in the embodiment of the label printer according to the present invention. *

First, the host 30 creates print data including format information for designating one of print formats stored in the memory card 60, data for each field, and the number of prints. To 100. *

The label printer 100 waits for reception of print data from the host 30 (step A1). When the print data transmitted from the host 30 via the external I / F 20 is received, the CPU 12 designates the print data by the print data. The read print format is read from the memory card 60 attached to the memory card attachment unit 22 (step A2), and it is determined whether a serial number command is set for the read print format (step A3). *

If no serial number command is set in step A3, the CPU 12 reads out font data corresponding to the received print data from the ROM 11, and expands bitmap image data in the drawing area of the RAM 13 based on the print format. In addition to instructing the print control unit 15 to print the bitmap image data developed in the drawing area of the RAM 13 and instructing the conveyance control unit 14 to convey the label continuous body 3 in the conveyance direction, the serial number can be changed. Normal printing operation is executed (step A4). *

Next, the CPU 12 determines whether or not printing based on the same print data is finished, that is, whether or not the designated number of prints has been reached (step A5). If the specified number of prints has not been reached, the process returns to step A4 to execute the normal print operation, and if there is no subsequent print and printing is completed, that is, if the specified number of prints has been reached, printing is performed. End the operation. *

If the serial number command is set in step A3, the CPU 12 determines whether or not the print format is used for the most recent printing (step A6), and if it is not the print format used for the most recent printing. Deletes the serial number issuance information stored in the memory card 60 (step A7) and sets a variable N to an initial value based on the serial number command (step A8). Is read from the ROM 11, the bitmap image data is expanded in the drawing area of the RAM 13 based on the print format and the serial number command, and the printing of the bitmap image data expanded in the drawing area of the RAM 13 is controlled. And instructs the conveyance control unit 14 to convey the label continuous body 3 in the conveyance direction. Doing, to execute the serial number printing operation for printing a serial number along with the print data (Step A9). If the input method in the serial number command is set to key input, the CPU 12 displays the input item name based on the serial number command in step A8 and sets the default input value of the initial value. By displaying the set initial value reception screen on the display unit 50, the input of the initial value from the input unit 40 is received, and the input initial value is set to the variable N. *

Next, the CPU 12 determines whether or not printing based on the same print data is finished, that is, whether or not the designated number of prints has been reached (step A10). If the specified number of prints has not been reached, the variable N is counted up or down based on the serial number command (step A11), and the sequence returns to step A9 to execute the serial number printing operation. Further, when the printing is finished without the subsequent printing in step A10, that is, when the designated number of prints is reached, the CPU 12 associates the variable N with the serial number issuance information and corresponds to the print format to the memory card 60. (Step A12), and the printing operation is terminated. *

In the case of the print format used for the most recent printing in step A6, the serial number issuance information is read from the memory card 60, the read serial number issuance information is set to the variable N (step A13), and the variable N is serialized. After counting up or counting down based on the number command (step A14), the font data corresponding to the received print data and the variable N is read from the ROM 11, and bitmap image data is read based on the print format and the serial number command. The image data is expanded in the drawing area of the RAM 13, and the printing control unit 15 is instructed to print bitmap image data expanded in the drawing area of the RAM 13, and the conveyance control unit 14 is instructed to convey the label continuous body 3 in the conveyance direction. By doing this, the serial number printing operation that prints the serial number together with the print data is executed ( Step A15). When the input method in the serial number command is set to key input, the CPU 12 displays the input item name based on the serial number command in step A13 and step A14, and serial number issue information. The display unit 50 displays an initial value reception screen in which a value counted up or down based on a serial number command is set as a default input value, thereby accepting an input of an initial value from the input unit 40 Set the initial value to variable N. *

Next, the CPU 12 determines whether or not printing based on the same print data is finished, that is, whether or not the designated number of prints has been reached (step A16). If the specified number of prints has not been reached, the process returns to step A14 and the variable N is counted up or down based on the serial number command, and then the serial number printing operation is executed in step A15. Further, when the printing is finished without the subsequent printing in step A16, that is, when the designated number of prints is reached, the CPU 12 associates the variable N with the serial number issuance information in correspondence with the print format and sets the memory card 60. The serial number issuance information is updated (step A12), and the printing operation is terminated. *

In the present embodiment, the memory card 60 attached to the memory card attachment unit 22 is configured to store the print format, serial number command, and serial number issuance information. However, the contents are not lost even when the power is turned off. An internal storage unit such as a flash memory or an HDD may be provided, and the print format, serial number command, and serial number issue information may be stored in the internal storage unit. *

Further, if the print format is not used for the most recent printing in step A6, the serial number issuance information stored in the memory card 60 is erased in step A7. However, in step A6, the most recent printing is performed. Even when the print format is not used, the serial number issuance information stored in the memory card 60 may be retained without being erased. In this case, printing based on different print formats may be performed. Even if it is done, the serial number will continue. *

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the memory card 60 mounted in the memory card mounting unit 22 is configured to store the print format, serial number command, and serial number issue information. However, the print format and serial number command are print data. When the data is transmitted from the host 30, only the serial number issuance information may be stored in the memory card 60 in association with the print format. *

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the memory card 60 whose contents are not lost even when the power is turned off is provided, and the CPU 12 sets the value of the serial number printed at the end of printing based on the same print data. The serial number issuance information is stored in the memory card 60 in association with the print format used for printing, and the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the memory card 60 for the next printing. In such a case, the printer is configured to continue printing based on the serial number issuance information so that the serial number is assigned to one or a specified number of sheets, and then the power is turned off. However, since the previous serial number is retained, when the label is printed again with the same print format, the previous serial number can be continuously printed. *

Further, according to the present embodiment, when the serial number issuing information corresponding to the print format used for printing is not stored in the memory card 60 at the next printing, the CPU 12 is stored in the memory card 60. If the next printing is not based on the same print format, the serial number issuance information will be erased, so that unintended serial numbers can be prevented from being continued. There is an effect that can be. *

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the input unit 40 that inputs an initial value when printing a serial number, and the display unit 50 that displays an initial value reception screen that receives an input of the initial value when printing a serial number. When the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the memory card 60 at the next printing, the CPU 12 sets a value based on the serial number issuance information on the initial value reception screen. By configuring it to display as the default input value of the initial value, the user can recognize that printing based on the same printing format has been performed, and determine whether or not to continue the serial number There is an effect that becomes possible. *

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is obvious that the embodiments can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. In addition, the number, position, shape, and the like of the constituent members are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be set to a number, position, shape, and the like that are suitable for implementing the present invention. In each figure, the same numerals are given to the same component.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of embodiment of the label printer which concerns on this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the control part shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the memory content of the memory card shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the structural example of the serial number command shown in FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the printing operation | movement of the serial number in embodiment of the label printer which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 platen roller 2 thermal head 3 label continuum 3a label 3b strip mount 4 ink ribbon 5 paper supply unit 6 ribbon supply unit 7 ribbon take-up unit 8 sensor 9 drive motor 10 control unit 11 ROM 12 CPU 13 RAM 14 transport control unit 15 Print control unit 16 Label detection unit 20 External interface (external I / F) 21 Interface (I / F) 22 Memory card mounting unit 30 Host 40 Input unit 50 Display unit 60 Memory card 100 Label printer

Claims

This is a label printer with a serial number printing function that prints serial numbers as a serial number by sequentially counting up or counting down the serial number sequence for each label to be printed, and is the same as information storage means whose contents do not disappear even when the power is turned off. Serial number issue information storage control means for storing, in the information storage means, the value of the serial number printed at the end of printing based on the print data in association with the print format used at the time of printing as serial number issue information; When the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the information storage means at the next printing, the serial number is continued based on the serial number issuance information. Label printer characterized by printing.
When the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is not stored in the information storage means at the next printing, the serial number issuance information stored in the information storage means is deleted. The label printer according to claim 1.
An input means for inputting an initial value for printing the serial number and a display means for displaying an initial value reception screen for accepting the input of the initial value for printing the serial number are provided for the next printing. When the serial number issuance information corresponding to the print format used for printing is stored in the information storage means, a value based on the serial number issuance information is set as a default input value of the initial value on the initial value reception screen. The label printer according to claim 1, wherein the label printer is displayed.