JPH09109425A - Printer and recording paper used therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable accurate positioning without requiring a complicated structure and control by shifting the drive range of a printing head on the basis of the measured value of the width of the mark given to recording paper measured at a constant position. SOLUTION: When the mark measuring part 31 can measure the passing time of the tape as the data showing the width of the tape fed detection mark applied to the rear surface of the tape on the basis of output of the photosensor 29 present at the constant position at a time of tape feed, the measured value is stored in a register to execute the sub-routine determining the shift quantity of the printing position range in the head heater of a thermal head 18 determining the shift quantity of the predetermined position range of the thermal printing head heater 18. The oblique running degree of the tape is detected on the basis of the measured value of the tape feed detection mark and, corresponding to this, this printing head 18 is shifted on the basis of the direction crossing the tape feed direction at a right angle, accurate positioning can be performed without requiring a complicated structure and control.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device such as a tape printer or a facsimile which prints using, for example, a long strip recording paper as a print medium.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as one of the devices for making an original index label which is attached to an audio cassette or a video cassette and describes the contents thereof, or a name label which is attached to various belongings and describes the owner thereof, for example, A tape printer is provided.

This tape printer has a document creation function provided with a large number of character input keys, and text data composed of a character string arbitrarily created by this document creation function is converted into text data by operating the print key. As a result, thermal transfer printing is performed on a label tape via a thermal printing head, and the tape is output.

When the label-shaped tape is conveyed and printed by the thermal print head, if the relative position between the tape and the thermal print head deviates from the normal position due to, for example, skewing of the tape, Naturally, the position of the document data printed on the tape also shifts in the direction orthogonal to the tape transport direction.

Further, in the above-mentioned tape printer of the thermal transfer system, the ink of the ink ribbon is melted by the thermal printing head and transferred to the tape. However, in the case of color printing, yellow Y, magenta M, By using a color ink ribbon in which the inks of the three primary colors of cyan C are repeatedly arranged with the same length, the color data can be printed by overlapping and printing the inks of the respective colors.

In this case, the thermal print head is fixed to the printer, and the ink ribbon and the tape are conveyed together and printing is performed on the tape.
At the start of printing of the second color by magenta M after printing of the color, and at the start of printing of the third color by cyan C after the printing of the second color by magenta M,
The tape is conveyed in the direction opposite to the printing direction, and the leading position of the printing range is aligned with the printing start position of the thermal printing head.

Therefore, when the head position of the print range of the tape is aligned with the print start position of the thermal print head, if the alignment cannot be performed accurately, the color of the document data printed on the tape will shift. It will be.

[0008]

In order to prevent the tape and the thermal printing head from being displaced in the direction (width direction) orthogonal to the transport direction of the tape due to the above-described skewing of the tape, the width of the tape. While tape feed rollers are provided at both ends in the direction, linear position marks are provided at regular intervals at both ends in the width direction of the tape recording surface, and each of these is detected by a detector and the mark detection time is used as a reference. In some systems, the tape feed amount of the two tape feed rollers is controlled according to the amount of deviation compared with the number of tape feed pulses.

However, in such a structure, two tape feed rollers and a detector must be provided, which complicates the structure and control, so that it can be used for a small printing method. Can not.

Further, in order to prevent the tape from being displaced in the carrying direction during the color printing, linear position marks are provided at regular intervals along the carrying direction of the tape, and these are arranged at the time of reciprocating the tape. In some cases, counting is performed to perform alignment with the counted value.

However, in such a configuration, the print start position can only be adjusted in the tape transport direction, and the deviation in the width direction orthogonal to the tape transport direction due to the above-described skew of the tape or the like can be dealt with. I can't.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to cope with a deviation in a direction orthogonal to the tape transport direction without requiring a complicated structure and control. Or a printing device capable of printing document data by accurately positioning the tape in the transport direction and in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and a recording paper used in the printing device. To do.

[0013]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) Recording paper on which marks whose widths in the carrying direction are regularly changed are continuously formed in advance along the carrying direction, and a print head in which a plurality of recording elements are arranged along the orthogonal direction of the recording paper. A printing means for printing by driving a certain range of the array of the recording elements while conveying the recording paper, and a width of a mark attached to the recording paper during printing by the printing means at a fixed position. It is characterized by comprising a measuring unit for measuring and a control unit for shifting the drive range of the print head during printing by the printing unit based on the measurement value of the measuring unit.

In the printing apparatus according to the above item (1), the position of the recording sheet with respect to the print head is measured by the measuring means, and the drive range of the plurality of recording elements in the print head is shifted according to the measured value. Even if the recording paper is skewed with respect to the print head, it is possible to always print at a predetermined position on the recording paper.

(2) A recording paper on which marks whose width in the carrying direction is regularly changed are continuously formed in advance along the carrying direction, and a plurality of recording elements are arranged along the orthogonal direction of the recording paper. A printing unit that has a printing head and drives the recording paper in a predetermined range while reciprocating the recording paper to perform overprinting with a plurality of colors of ink; Measuring means for measuring the width of the mark attached to the recording paper at a fixed position during printing, and based on the measurement value of the measuring means, the print head of the print head during printing with the first color ink by the printing means. First control means for shifting the drive range, storage means for storing control position information and shift information on the recording paper by the first control means, and the printing means based on each information stored in the storage means by A second control unit that shifts the drive range of the print head during overprinting with the ink of the first color following the ink of the next color.

In the printing apparatus according to the above item (2), the position of the recording paper with respect to the print head is measured by the measuring means during the printing of the first ink of one color by the overprinting, and the print head is moved according to the measured value. The drive range in the plurality of recording elements is shifted during printing with the first ink of one color, and the control position information and shift information on this recording paper are stored to store the following one color ink after the ink of the first one color. Since the drive range of the print head is shifted even during overprinting with ink, even if the recording paper is skewed with respect to the print head, this can be dealt with, and it is always possible to use multiple colors at predetermined positions on the recording paper. Color printing is possible.

(3) A recording paper on which marks whose widths in the carrying direction are regularly changed are continuously formed along the carrying direction, and a plurality of recording elements are arranged along the orthogonal direction of the recording paper. A printing means for driving a certain range of the array of recording elements to perform overprinting with a plurality of color inks; and a conveying means for reciprocating the recording paper for overprinting by the printing means. A detection unit that is provided at a fixed position and outputs a read signal every time the mark is read during the reciprocating conveyance of the recording paper; and a read signal of the detection unit during the printing of the first color ink by the printing unit. Measuring means for measuring the width of the mark attached to the recording paper based on the above, and a count for counting the number of marks attached to the recording paper based on the read signal of the detector every time the recording paper is reciprocated. Means and the measuring means First control means for shifting the drive range of the print head during printing with the first one color ink by the printing means based on the measured value of
Storage means for storing the control position information and shift information on the recording paper by the control means of, and the ink of the next and subsequent colors following the first one color ink by the printing means based on each information stored by the storage means. A second control means for shifting the drive range of the print head during the overprinting of, and a third control means for controlling the transport distance of the recording paper by the transport means based on the count value of the counting means. It is characterized by having.

In the printing apparatus according to the above item (3), the position of the recording paper with respect to the print head is measured by the measuring means during the printing with the first ink of one color by the overprinting, and the print head position is measured according to the measured value. While the drive range in the plurality of recording elements is shifted during printing with the first ink of one color, the number of marks attached to the recording paper is changed based on the reading signal of the detector for each reciprocating conveyance of the recording paper. Counting, while controlling the distance of accurate reciprocating conveyance from the counted value, the drive range of the print head is shifted during overprinting with the ink of the first color following the ink of the first color. Even if the recording paper is skewed with respect to the print head, this can be dealt with, and it is possible to perform color printing at a predetermined position on the recording paper with a plurality of colors at all times while accurately positioning the print start position.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic circuit of a tape printer equipped with the color printing apparatus of the present invention.

The electronic circuit of this tape printer is provided with a control unit (CPU) 11. The control unit 11 activates a system program stored in advance in the ROM 13 in response to a key operation signal from the key input unit 12 to control the operation of each part of the circuit. RAM 12, CG in addition to the part 12 and ROM 13
(Character generator) ROM 15 is connected, and a thermal print head 18 in which a plurality of thermal recording elements are regularly arranged is connected from a printer control section 16 via a head driver 17, and the printer control section 16 is also connected.
Is connected to a print head drive motor 20 for up / down movement of the thermal print head 18 via a head drive motor driver 19, and the printer control unit 16 via a take-up shaft drive motor driver 21 at the time of recording. A platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 22 for sending a platen and an ink ribbon, respectively, is connected, and the printer controller 16 supplies yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C of color ink ribbons via a supply shaft drive motor driver 23. A tape supply shaft drive motor 24 for returning the tape for each color and performing overprinting is connected, and
From the printer controller 16 to the cutter drive motor driver 25
A tape cutter drive motor 26 for an automatic cutter that cuts a label-shaped tape is connected via the.

Further, an image reader 27 and a liquid crystal display unit 28 are connected to the control unit 11. In the key input unit 12, a kana character key, a numeric key, a symbol key or a kana / kana for inputting an arbitrary character string to be text data.
A character input key group consisting of Kanji conversion keys and the like is provided, and an execution key that is operated when confirming various input data, confirming selected data, instructing start of setting function, etc.
A print key or the like that is operated when executing print processing of key-input text data or image-input image data is provided.

The ROM 13 stores in advance a system control program by the control unit 11, such as an input control program for text data and image data in various data input modes and a print control program.

The CGROM 15 stores in advance character pattern data corresponding to all characters, numbers, symbols, and instruction codes that can be input by the key input unit 12.

Further, in this tape printer, the tape transport detection marks MK provided on the back side of the tape T at equal intervals along the transport direction are detected by the difference in reflectance and a tape transport detection signal is output. The photosensor 29 is provided at a fixed position for
The tape transport detection signal output from 9 is sent to the mark number counting unit 30 and the mark width measuring unit 31.

The mark number counting section 30 counts the tape feeding detection marks MK from the photo sensor 29 to obtain the feeding distance of the tape T, and sends the counted value to the control section 11.

On the other hand, the mark width measuring unit 31 obtains the mark width data from the number of clock pulses corresponding to the passage time of the tape transport detection signal from the photo sensor 29, and sends the obtained mark width data to the control unit 11 as well. .

Also, in this tape printer, boundary detection marks m1 to m3 of different lengths arranged at the boundaries of the yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C ink colors of the color ink ribbon R are detected to detect ink positions. Another photo sensor 32 that outputs a detection signal is provided.

The ink position detection signal output from the photo sensor 32 is supplied to the detection unit 33, and the head position of each ink range of the color ink ribbon R with respect to the thermal print head 18 is detected. The generated ink head position detection signal is sent to the control unit 11.

The print data composed of the text data keyed in by the key input unit 12 and the image data imaged by the image reader 27 is stored in the RAM.
The data is written and stored in the print buffer built in 14.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal construction of an ink tape cassette 41 for color printing housed in the tape printer. The ink tape cassette 41 is mounted and stored in the cassette storage portion of the apparatus body for use.

The ink tape cassette 41 is supplied from the tape supply reel 42 and is supplied from the ink ribbon supply reel 43 and a label-shaped adhesive tape T on which print data such as the text data and image data is printed. A color ink ribbon R having three primary color inks (yellow Y, magenta M, cyan C) for thermal transfer to the tape T is provided.

The tape T is arranged so as to contact the color ink ribbon R in the transfer portion 44 substantially in parallel with each other and to proceed at the same time, and to be ejected from the tape ejection port 45. The ink tape cassette 41 can be attached to and detached from the cassette accommodating portion by opening an opening / closing lid that covers a part of the side surface of the apparatus main body. The reel 46 is rotated clockwise in the figure by the ink ribbon take-up shaft driven by the platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 22 as the print data is printed. Along with the winding of R, the tape T that comes into contact with it is also drawn out in parallel.

In this case, the platen roller 22a, which is driven by the platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 22 together with the ink ribbon take-up shaft to rotate in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing, is located in the transfer portion 44 of the ink tape cassette 41. The thermal print head 18 is positioned along the tape T, and the thermal print head 18 has the ink ribbon R in the transfer section 44.
Positioned along.

Then, the thermal print head 18 slides in the direction indicated by the arrow X by the print head drive motor 20, and presses the head heating element in the direction of the platen roller 22a during the print recording operation,
Color ink ribbon R, tape T, platen roller 22
a is brought into pressure contact with each other, and the head heating element is separated from the platen roller 22a at the time of non-printing recording operation to release the pressure contact state of the color ink ribbon R and the tape T.

The tape supply reel 42 arranged inside the ink tape cassette 41 is provided with the color ink ribbon R.
Also, the counterclockwise in the figure by the tape supply shaft driven by the tape supply shaft drive motor 24 only at the time of the transition of the overprinting to the second color printing and the third color printing in the non-printing recording operation in which the pressure contact state of the tape T is released. When the tape T is wound by the tape supply reel 42, the tape T is reversely conveyed by a distance corresponding to one printing range, and the head of the printing range is in the thermal print head 18. It is aligned with the position of the head heating element.

Immediately after the tape ejection port 45, which is separated from the printing position corresponding to the head heating element of the thermal printing head 18 in the tape T transport direction by a certain distance, from the tape ejection port 45, although not shown. It is assumed that a cutter driven by a tape cutter drive motor 26 for cutting and separating the tape T which has been conveyed and led out is arranged outside the apparatus main body.

Further, the photo sensor 29 is arranged near the platen roller 22a of the transfer section 44 as shown in the drawing, and at a constant interval on the side of the tape T which is not in contact with the color ink ribbon R, that is, the back side of the recording surface. The attached tape transport detection mark is detected.

Further, the photo sensor 29 and the tape T
The photo sensor 32 is arranged in the transfer section 44 so as to sandwich the color ink ribbon R. The photo sensor 32 detects boundary detection marks m1 to m3 having different lengths arranged at the boundaries of the ink colors of yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C of the color ink ribbon R, and outputs an ink position detection signal.

FIG. 2 shows the ink tape cassette 41 for color printing mounted in the cassette housing of the tape printer and the apparatus main body side corresponding to the ink tape cassette 41. The tape cassette has almost the same configuration, and instead of the color ink ribbon R, a single color without the boundary detection marks m1 to m3,
For example, a black monochrome ink ribbon R1 is provided.

The following FIG. 3 illustrates the internal memory configuration of the RAM 14. As shown in FIG.
Is a text memory 14a for storing text data such as characters input by operating the key input unit 12,
An image memory 14b for storing image data obtained by expanding the text data stored in the text memory 14a according to the character pattern data, and one line of image data in the image memory 14b corresponding to the head heating element of the thermal printing head 18. A print buffer 14c for storing the image data, and an image memory 14 for storing the color image data fetched from the image reader 27.
d, a Y component memory 14e, an M component memory 14f, and a C component memory 1 for separately storing color image data to be printed for each color component yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C
4g, a register A14h that stores the number of printing lines, a register B14i that stores the tape feed amount, a register C14j that stores the width of the measured tape transport detection mark, and a register D14 that stores the count value of the tape transport detection mark.
k, a register E14l that stores the total number of print lines, a register F14m that stores the shift amount of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 due to skewing of the tape T, position data indicating the number of tape feed steps, and the shift amount. It has a control data memory 14n for storing the two sets of shift data shown as control data.

As the image data expanded and stored in the image memory 14b, the dot pattern of the character to be printed is stored as it is at the time of monochrome printing, while at the time of color printing, the dot pattern corresponding to the color component to be printed at that time is used as the Y component. The data transferred from any of the memory 14e, the M component memory 14f, and the C component memory 14g will be stored.

FIG. 4A shows an example of the tape transport detection mark MK provided on the back surface of the recording surface of the tape T. Here, the tape transport detection mark MK contacts one end of the tape T as shown in the figure. The tape conveyance detection mark MK has a right-angled triangular shape having one side, a side orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and an oblique side directed toward the conveyance direction.
Are arranged and added at equal intervals.

As described above, the tape T is provided with a label-like adhesive. After the printing is completed, the tape is cut to an arbitrary length and then the backing paper is peeled off. The tape conveyance detection mark MK is attached to a desired portion of the tape, and naturally, the tape transport detection mark MK is attached to the side of the backing paper that is peeled and discarded. Never give.

However, the tape transport detection mark MK
Is enlarged and shown in FIG. Here, the tape transport detection mark MK is divided into five equal parts along the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the tape T, and the widths W1 to W4 (W1 <W2) along the transport direction of the tape T, which is the boundary of each area, are divided. <W3 <W4
) As a reference, the photo sensor 29 in a fixed position
Depending on which region the width of the tape transport detection mark MK calculated from the detection signal belongs to, in which position the photo sensor 29 is in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the tape T, and as a result, the tape T is relatively photo The sensor 29 and the conveying direction of the sensor 29 detect how much the sheet is skewed in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction.

In this case, the photo sensor 29 has the width W2.
It is assumed that the tape T is transported at a fixed position corresponding to a substantially intermediate position between W3 and W3, and the tape transport detection mark MK actually corresponds to the moving (transporting) speed of the photosensor 29. The tape transport detection mark MK is measured by measuring the time t passing through the facing position and comparing the measured time t with the time values t1 to t4 (t1 <t2 <t3 <t4) corresponding to the width dimensions W1 to W4, respectively. The width dimension of is measured.

Next, the operation of the tape printer having the above configuration will be described. First, the operation at the time of color printing using the ink tape cassette 41 shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the case where the text data to be printed is stored in the text memory 14a of the RAM 14 or the image data fetched by the image reader 27 is stored in the image memory 14d and then color printing is performed. It is a flowchart showing the processing contents, and after the initial processing such as clearing each memory in the RAM 14 excluding the text memory 14a or the image memory 14d as an initialization setting at the beginning of the processing (step A1),
The first color of the color ink ribbon R, for example yellow Y
Is performed (step A2).

This is because the platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 22 is driven to rotate the ribbon take-up reel 46 of the ink tape cassette 41, so that the photo sensor 32 and the detection section 33 cause the ink tape cassette 4 to move.
The boundary detection mark m1 arranged at the boundary of the yellow Y ink color of the first color ink ribbon R is detected, and when the ink head position detection signal is sent from the detection unit 33 to the control unit 11, the photo sensor 32 is further connected. The ribbon take-up reel 46 is rotated by a distance corresponding to the distance from the head heating element of the thermal printing head 18, and the yellow Y of the color ink ribbon R is rotated.
The head position of the ink range is sent to the position of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18.

After that, the text memory 1 is input by key input.
If the text data stored in 4a is to be printed, it is developed as a character pattern for each color component of yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C, and Y component memory 14e, M component memory 14f, C component memory 1
If the image data of the color component of yellow Y, which is the first color stored in the Y component memory 14e after being stored in 4 g, is read out or the image data fetched by the image reader 27 is printed, the image memory The image data of the color component of yellow Y is read out directly from 14d and copied and stored in the image memory 14b (step A3).

Next, one line of data corresponding to the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is read from the data stored in the image memory 14b (step A).
4) Then, the shift process is performed according to the shift amount based on the measured value, and the result is stored in the print buffer 14c (step A5).

The print buffer 14c has a storage capacity corresponding to the number of head heating elements of the thermal print head 18 and larger than the number of bits of print data actually read out from the image memory 14b and used for printing. .

FIG. 8A shows that the number of head heating elements arranged in the thermal print head 18 and the number of storage bits of print data in the print buffer 14c are "120", of which the central "9" th to "120" th. "112" of "1" to "8" and "121" of "1" th to "8th" are used as dots for printing and bits for storing print data.
The same "8" total "16" from the 1st to "128" th
The figure shows a standard shift state in which individual pieces are used as dots for which printing is not performed and bits for which print data is not stored.

Then, based on the storage state of the print buffer 14c, a certain range of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is energized to melt-print the yellow Y ink of the color ink ribbon R for one line on the tape T. (Step A6).

After that, the content of the number of printed lines l _N stored in the register A14h is incremented by "+1" from the previous value.
It is renewed and set (step A7), and whether or not the stored contents of the renewedly set register A14h is equal to the final line number l _E according to the length of the ink range of the yellow Y of the color ink ribbon R set in advance. A judgment is made (step A8).

Here, since the first one line is still printed, it is judged that the final line number is not L _E , and the platen / ink ribbon winding shaft drive motor 22 is driven to print the next one line. The ribbon take-up reel 46 and the platen roller 22a are rotated by the tape T
And the color ink ribbon R is fed by one line (step A9), and the contents of the number of steps L _N of feeding the tape T stored in the register B14i is updated by “+1” from the previous value (step S9). A10).

After that, when the tape is fed, the mark width measuring unit 31 outputs the passing time t as information indicating the width of the tape transport detection mark MK attached to the back surface of the tape T by the output of the photo sensor 29 in the fixed position. If the measurement can be performed (step A11), the measured value is stored in the register C14j, and then the print position range of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is shifted according to the skew degree of the tape T. Subroutine processing for determining the amount is executed (step A12).

FIG. 7 shows the details of the subroutine processing for determining the shift amount. Here, the photo sensor 29 is used.
The passing time t of the tape transport detection mark MK facing the
Is t1 or less shown in FIG. 4 (b) (step B
1) otherwise, is greater than t1 and less than or equal to t2 (step B2), otherwise greater than t2 and t3 (step B3), otherwise t
It is continuously and continuously determined whether it is greater than 3 and is less than or equal to t4 (step B4).

In step B1, the tape transport detection mark MK
If it is determined that the passage time t of is less than or equal to t1, the tape T has been displaced in the upward direction in FIG. 4 (a), and the content of the shift amount stored in the register F14m is " -2 "(step B5), and then returns to the original main routine.

FIG. 8 (2) shows an example in which the print data to be stored in the print buffer 14c in step A5 is shifted corresponding to the shift amount "-2", and is shown in FIG. 8 (1). In comparison with the standard shift state, the storage positions of the print data are respectively changed by "-2" to the "7" th to "1".
18th "112th bits," 1 "through" 6 "th" 6 "and" 119th "through" 128 "
The standard shift state is shown in which the thirteenth "10" total "16" bits are used as non-stored bits.

By doing so, the print position range of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is also changed to that shown in FIG.
It will be shifted in the upper direction in (a). If it is determined in step B2 that the passing time t of the tape transport detection mark MK is greater than t1 and less than or equal to t2, the tape T is slightly displaced upward in FIG. 4 (a). Therefore, the content of the shift amount stored in the register F14m is determined to be "-1" (step B
6) Then, the process returns to the original main routine.

If it is determined in step B3 that the passing time t of the tape transport detection mark MK is greater than t2 and less than t3, it means that the tape T has been transported at a substantially normal position, and the register F14m is therefore in the register F14m. The content of the shift amount stored in is determined to be "0" (step B7),
Then it returns to the original main routine.

If it is determined in step B4 that the passing time t of the tape transport detection mark MK is larger than t3 and smaller than t4, the tape T is slightly displaced downward in FIG. 4 (a). Therefore, the content of the shift amount stored in the register F14m is set to "+1".
Is determined (step B8), and then the original main routine is returned to.

When it is determined in step B4 that the passing time t of the tape transport detection mark MK is not larger than t3 and not smaller than t4, the passing time t is larger than t4 and the tape T is shown in FIG. Since it is shifted downward in the middle, the content of the shift amount stored in the register F14m is determined to be "+2" (step B
9) Then, the process returns to the original main routine.

In the main routine of FIG. 5, step A1
After the shift amount determination process of 2, the shift amount stored in the register F14m is read out, and the number of steps L _N that sent the tape T stored in the register B 14i at that time is stored in the control data memory 14n as position data L _X. It is stored and set as the first set of data (step A13).

When the mark number counting unit 30 detects the passage of the tape conveyance detection mark MK from the output of the photo sensor 29 during the tape feeding, the passage of the tape conveyance detection mark MK is counted (step A14). Accordingly, after the count value N stored in the register D14k is also incremented by "+1" (step A15), the process returns to the process from step A4 again, and the same process is performed for the printing of the next one line. Do.

In this way, the processes of steps A4 to A15 are repeatedly executed, and the content of the number of printed lines l _N stored in the register A 14h in step A8 is set in advance. If it is determined that the final line number is equal to the final line number l _E , the thermal print head 18 is changed from the state of the print recording operation up to the state of the non-print recording operation until the head heating element is heated by the platen roller 22a. The color ink ribbon R and the tape T are released from the pressure contact state.

The tape supply reel 42 arranged inside the ink tape cassette 41 is wound by the tape supply shaft driven by the tape supply shaft drive motor 24 so as to print the second color in the state of the non-printing recording operation. The tape T is rotated in the take-up direction to start reverse feeding of the tape T (step A
16).

At this time, when the mark number counting unit 30 detects the passage of the tape conveyance detection mark MK by the output of the photo sensor 29, the tape conveyance detection mark MK is counted by the passage (step A17). Is equal to the count value N stored in the register D14k, that is, it is determined whether or not the reverse conveyance is performed by the distance conveyed by printing (step A18).

Here, the number n of the tape feeding detection marks MK in the backward feeding counted by the mark number counting unit 30 is stored in the register D14k and the count value N of the tape feeding detection marks MK indicating the distance fed by printing. Reverse feeding is executed while repeating steps A17 and A18 until they are equal, and when it is determined that they are equal, reverse feeding of the tape T is stopped (step A19).

At this point, the tape T has been returned to the accurate cueing position for overprinting, so the next color of the color ink ribbon R, for example, magenta M, is cueed (step A20). .

This is because the platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 22 is driven to rotate the ribbon take-up reel 46 of the ink tape cassette 41, and the photo sensor 32 and the detection unit 33 cause the ink tape cassette 4 to move.
The boundary detection mark m2 arranged at the boundary of the magenta M ink color of the first color ink ribbon R is detected, and when the ink head position detection signal is sent from the detection unit 33 to the control unit 11, the photo sensor 32 is further connected. The ribbon take-up reel 46 is rotated by a distance corresponding to the distance from the head heating element of the thermal printing head 18, and the magenta M of the color ink ribbon R is rotated.
The head position of the ink range is sent to the position of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18.

Thereafter, mainly the image memory 14b of the RAM 14, the print buffer 14c, the register A 14h,
Register B14i, Register C14j and Register D1
After performing initial processing for clearing 4k as an initialization setting (step A21), the image data of the magenta M color component stored in the M component memory 14f, or the image of the magenta M color component directly from the image memory 14d. The data is read out and copied and stored in the image memory 14b (step A22).

Then, one line of data corresponding to the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is read from the data stored in the image memory 14b (step A23), and the time point stored in the register B14i is read. It is determined whether or not the contents of the number of steps L _N of sending the tape T in (4) are equal to the position data L _X stored in the control data memory 14n (step A24).

If it is determined that they are equal to each other, the shift processing is performed according to the shift amount stored in the control data memory 14n, and then the print data is stored in the print buffer 14c (step A25). The value of the point P indicating the designated position is incremented by "+1" and the second group is designated next (step A25), but if it is not determined that they are equal, the processes of steps A25 and A26 are not performed.

After that, based on the storage state of the print buffer 14c, a certain area of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is energized to melt-print the ink of magenta M of the color ink ribbon R for one line on the tape T ( In step A27), the content of the number of printed lines l _N stored in the register A14h is updated and set to "+1" from the previous value (step A28), and the updated stored content of the register A14h is preset. It is determined whether or not the number has become equal to the final line number l _E according to the length of the magenta M ink range of the color ink ribbon R (step A29).

When it is judged that the number of final lines is not l _E ,
In order to print the next one line, the ribbon take-up reel 46 and the platen roller 22a are rotated by driving the platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 22 to feed the tape T and the color ink ribbon R by one line (step A30). ), The contents of the number of steps L _N for sending the tape T stored in the register B14i are also updated and set to "+1" (step A31), and then the process returns to the step A23 and the next one line. The same process is performed for printing minutes.

In this way, the processes of steps A23 to A31 are repeatedly executed, and the content of the number of printed lines l _N stored in the register A14h in step A29 is set in advance to the length of the ink range of the magenta M of the color ink ribbon R. If it is determined that the final line number is equal to the final line number l _E , then it is determined whether printing of all three colors is completed (step A32).

If it is determined that printing has not been completed, the process returns to step A16 again, and similarly to the case of magenta M, the color range of cyan C of the color ink ribbon R is processed by the processing of steps A16 to A31. Perform printing using. Then, in step A29, the content of the number of printed lines 1 _N stored in the register A14h is preset to the magenta M of the color ink ribbon R.
If it is determined that the final line number l _E according to the length of the ink range has become equal, then it is determined in step A32 that the printing of all three colors has been completed, and this processing ends.

The printing end position of the printed tape T is conveyed to a cutter arranged immediately after the tape discharge port 45 of the ink tape cassette 41, and is wound around the tape supply reel 42 by the drive of the tape cutter drive motor 26. It is cut and separated from the pre-printed part.

As described above, by detecting the width and number of the tape transport detection marks MK attached to the back surface of the tape T in the transport direction, the shift amount in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the tape T with respect to the thermal print head 18 is detected. Is detected, the printing range of the thermal print head 18 is shifted in correspondence with the shift amount, so that the tape T can always be printed at a predetermined position and the tape T can be reversely conveyed for overprinting. Can also be accurate.

Next, the operation during monochrome printing will also be described. FIG. 9 shows the text data to be printed in the RAM 1
The image data stored in the text memory 14a of No. 4 or captured by the image reader 27 is stored in the image memory 14d.
6 is a flow chart showing the processing contents when performing color printing after being stored in the RAM 14 at the beginning of the processing except the text memory 14a or the image memory 14d.
After executing initial processing such as clearing each memory in the memory as initialization settings (step C1), if the text data stored in the text memory 14a is to be printed by key input, this is expanded as a character pattern. If the image data is read out after being stored in the image memory 14b or printed by the image reader 27, the image data is directly read out from the image memory 14d and stored in the image memory 14b (step C2).

Next, one line of data corresponding to the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is read from the data stored in the image memory 14b (step C).
3) Then, the shift process is performed according to the shift amount based on the measured value, and the result is stored in the print buffer 14c (step C4).

Here, the print buffer 14c has a number larger than the number of bits of the print data actually read out from the image memory 14b corresponding to the number of head heating elements of the thermal print head 18 as shown in FIG. It has a storage capacity, and based on the storage state of the print buffer 14c, a certain range of the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 is energized to melt-print the ink of the monochrome ink ribbon R1 for one line on the tape T. (Step C5).

After that, the content of the number of printed lines l _N stored in the register A14h is incremented by "+1" from the previous value.
It is updated and set (step C6), and it is determined whether or not the updated stored contents of the register A14h are equal to the final line number l _E according to the preset print length of the tape T (step C7).

Here, since the first one line is still printed, it is judged that the final line number is not L _E , and the platen / ink ribbon winding shaft drive motor 22 is driven to print the next one line. The ribbon take-up reel 46 and the platen roller 22a are rotated by the tape T
Then, the monochrome ink ribbon R1 is fed by one line (step C8), and at the time of this tape feeding, the mark width measuring unit 31 detects the tape transport detection mark MK attached to the back surface of the tape T by the output of the photosensor 29 at a fixed position. When the passage time t can be measured as the information indicating the width (step C9), the measured value is stored in the register C.
After being stored in 14j, a subroutine process for determining the shift amount of the print position range in the head heating element of the thermal print head 18 according to the degree of skew of the tape T is executed (step C10).

The content of this subroutine is as shown in FIG. 7 and the detailed description thereof is omitted, but the passage time t of the tape transport detection mark MK facing the photo sensor 29 is shown in FIG. 4 (b). The amount of shift of the tape T is detected depending on which range is delimited by t1 to t4 indicated by, and the content of the shift amount stored in the register F14m is determined according to the detected content.

After rewriting and setting the contents of the shift amount thus determined in the register F14m (step C1)
1), returning to the processing from step C3 again, the next 1
Similar processing is performed for printing lines.

In this way, the processes of steps C3 to C11 are repeatedly executed, and the content of the number of printed lines l _N stored in the register A14h at step C7 is set in advance to the final line corresponding to the length of the monochrome ink ribbon R1. When it is determined that the number is equal to the number l _E , it is determined that all printing has been completed, and the processing is completed.

The printing end position of the printed tape T is conveyed to a cutter arranged immediately after the tape discharge port of the ink tape cassette 41 ', and the tape cutter drive motor 26 drives the tape supply reel 42. It is cut and separated from the unprinted part that is wound.

In this way, by detecting the width of the tape transport detection mark MK attached to the back surface of the tape T in the transport direction, the shift amount in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the tape T with respect to the thermal print head 18 is detected. According to the shift amount, the print range of the thermal print head 18 can be correspondingly and accurately shifted.

In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the tape printer has been illustrated, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this and can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the present invention. Absent.

[0092]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, it is possible to cope with the deviation of the tape in the direction orthogonal to the feeding direction, or to convey the tape in the feeding direction and the feeding direction without requiring a complicated structure and control. It is possible to provide a printing apparatus capable of printing document data by performing accurate positioning by coping with a deviation in a direction orthogonal to the above, and a recording paper used in this printing apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ink tape cassette according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal register configuration of the RAM of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view exemplifying a tape transport detection mark provided on the back surface of the tape according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing contents during color printing according to the same embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing contents at the time of color printing according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the contents of a subroutine of shift amount determination processing of FIGS. 5 and 9.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying a storage state of print data in a print buffer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing processing contents at the time of monochrome printing according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 ... Control unit (CPU) 12 ... Key input unit 13 ... ROM 14 ... RAM 14a ... Text memory 14b ... Image memory 14c ... Print buffer 14d ... Image memory 14e ... Y component memory 14f ... M component memory 14g ... C component memory 14h Register A 14i Register B 14j Register C 14k Register D 14l Register E 14m Register F 14n Control data memory 15 Character generator (CGROM) 16 Printer controller 17 Head driver 18 Thermal print head 19 ... head drive motor driver 20 ... print head drive motor 21 ... take-up shaft drive motor driver 22 ... platen / ink ribbon take-up shaft drive motor 23 ... supply shaft drive motor driver 24 ... tape supply shaft drive motor 25 ... Cutter drive motor driver 26 ... Tape cutter drive motor 27 ... Image reader 28 ... Liquid crystal display unit 29 ... Photo sensor 30 ... Mark number counting unit 31 ... Mark width measuring unit 32 ... Photo sensor 33 ... Detection unit 41 ... Ink tape cassette 42 ... Tape supply reel 43 ... Ink ribbon supply reel 44 ... Transfer section 45 ... Tape ejection port 46 ... Ribbon take-up reel T ... Tape R ... Color ink ribbon

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Agency reference number FI Technical display location B41J 25/30 U

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A recording paper on which marks whose width in the carrying direction is regularly changed are continuously formed in advance along the carrying direction, and a plurality of recording elements are arranged along the orthogonal direction of the recording paper. A printing unit that has a print head and drives a certain range of the array of the recording elements while carrying the recording paper to print, and determines the width of the mark attached to the recording paper during printing by the printing unit. A printing apparatus comprising: a measuring unit that measures at a position; and a control unit that shifts a drive range of the print head during printing by the printing unit based on a measurement value of the measuring unit. 2. A recording paper on which marks whose widths in the carrying direction are regularly changed are continuously formed in advance along the carrying direction, and a plurality of recording elements are arranged along the orthogonal direction of the recording paper. A printing unit that has a print head, drives a certain range of the array of the recording elements while reciprocating the recording paper, and performs overprinting with a plurality of colors of ink; and printing with the first ink of one color by the printing unit. Measuring means for measuring the width of a mark attached to the recording paper at a fixed position therein, and driving the print head during printing with the first one color ink by the printing means based on the measurement value of the measuring means. First control means for shifting the range, storage means for storing the control position information and shift information on the recording paper by the first control means, and the printing means based on each information stored in the storage means Most Printing apparatus characterized by comprising a second control means for shifting the driving range of the print head during overprint the following colors after ink following the color of the ink. 3. A recording paper on which marks whose width in the carrying direction is regularly changed are continuously formed in advance along the carrying direction, and a plurality of recording elements are arranged along the orthogonal direction of the recording paper. A printing unit that has a print head and drives a certain range of the array of the recording elements to perform overprinting with a plurality of color inks; and a transport unit that reciprocally transports the recording paper for overprinting by the printing unit, A detection unit which is provided at a fixed position and outputs a read signal each time the mark is read during the reciprocating conveyance of the recording paper, and a read signal of the detection unit during the printing of the first color ink by the printing unit. Measuring means for measuring the width of the mark attached to the recording paper based on the above, and counting means for counting the number of marks attached to the recording paper based on the read signal of the detector for each reciprocating conveyance of the recording paper And the above measuring means First control means for shifting the drive range of the print head during printing with the first one-color ink by the printing means based on the measured value; control position information on the recording paper by the first control means; Storage means for storing shift information, and based on each information stored in this storage means, the drive range of the print head is set during the overprinting of the ink of the first color following the ink of the first color by the printing means. A printing apparatus comprising: a second control unit that shifts and a third control unit that controls a transport distance of the recording paper by the transport unit based on a count value of the counting unit. 4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measuring unit detects the width of each mark based on the passage time of each mark at a fixed position. 5. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording paper is provided with the mark on the back surface of the recording surface. 6. One side is a direction orthogonal to the transport direction,
Further, the recording paper is characterized in that marks whose widths in the orthogonal direction change regularly along the transport direction are continuously provided in advance at regular intervals.