JPH1170707A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set blanks having length well balanced with respect to a character row to be printed before and behind the character row even if the troublesome input and setting of the length of the blank is not performed especially in a printing mode for setting the length of a tape to perform printing in a tape printer. SOLUTION: When an input character row C is printed without designating the length of a tape T, blanks L corresponding to the distance between a head and a cutter are set before and behind the character row C and the interval between respective characters is set to a predetermined character interval B1 and printing is applied to the tape T having the length P1 corresponding to the interval B1. When printing is performed by designated the length of the tape T and designated tape length P2 is shorter than predetermined length 3L, the front, and rear blanks are set to L/4 a character interval B2 is operated by remaining tape length (P-L/2) and the number of characters and printing is applied to the tape T having the designated tape length P2 and, when designated tape length P3 is longer than the predetermined length 3L, the front and rear blanks of the character row C are set to L/2 and a character interval B3 is operated by remaining tape length (P-L) and the number of characters and printing is applied to the tape T having the designated length P3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device for printing an input character string on a tape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, there has been proposed a printing apparatus which prints an arbitrary character string inputted on a tape, cuts a printing tape on which the character string is printed by a cutter from an unprinted tape, and creates a desired label. Have been.

In this printing apparatus, a user inputs a character string to be printed on a tape and sets a margin provided before and after the character string to be printed, such as large, medium, or small, within a range between the print head and the cutter. One of the lengths determined in several steps is designated and input and set.

In the above-described printing apparatus, a configuration is adopted in which the tape can be conveyed in only one direction to the tape conveying means of the printing means. If the margin is set to be less than the distance between the cutters and a margin shorter than the length between the print head and the cutter is set, use a tape during printing to secure the margin at the front of the character string to be printed. Requires a cutting process.

In a conventional printing apparatus, a printing mode for printing a character string including a margin in a tape length set by a user, or a character string including a margin without specifying the tape length is used. A print mode for printing with a length corresponding to the length of the character string is provided.

However, in the conventional printing apparatus, it is necessary to input and set a margin when printing a character string. Therefore, the input operation is troublesome, and a margin having an appropriate length is set in consideration of the printing quality. The work to do is also troublesome.

FIG. 9 shows an example of printing by a conventional printing apparatus. The length of the margin is relatively large with respect to the character string C printed on the tape T, and the balance between the length of the margin and the length of the character string is shown. This is a bad example. Such an example occurs especially in a print mode in which the length of the tape is set in advance and printing is performed, even though the set length is short and the margin to be set is large.

The conventional printing apparatus is convenient in that the setting of the margin length is left to the user's choice, and the margin of a desired length can be selectively set according to the character string to be printed. There were many cases where labels that did not look good were created due to setting mistakes.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has been made to solve the above-described problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus in which a margin can be set with a balanced length for a character string before and after a character string to be printed without having to make troublesome input setting of the margin length. .

[0010]

That is, a printing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: input means for inputting a character string; and printing means for printing the character string input from the input means by a print head while transporting a tape. Cutter means for cutting the print tape on which a character string is printed by the print head from the tape, a first print mode for printing without specifying the length of the print tape, and designating the length of the print tape Mode setting means for setting a second printing mode for performing printing by printing, a printing tape length setting means for inputting and setting the length of the printing tape, and the first setting means by the mode setting means.
When the print mode is set, a first margin of a predetermined length within a distance between the print head and the cutter means is automatically set before and after the character string printed on the tape by the print means. When the second printing mode is set by the mode setting means, a second margin having a predetermined length shorter than the first margin is automatically added before and after the character string printed on the tape by the printing means. A margin setting means for setting the first margin, and in the first printing mode, the first margin is provided before and after the input character string, and the character is attached to a tape having a length corresponding to the length of the character string. In the second printing mode, the second margin is provided before and after the input character string, and input setting is performed by the printing tape length setting means. The above characters in the length of the tape Characterized by comprising a print control means for driving and controlling said printing means to print.

According to such a printing apparatus, in either of the first printing mode in which printing is performed without specifying the length of the printing tape and the second printing mode in which printing is performed by specifying the length of the printing tape. Also, since the first and second margin setting means automatically set a predetermined margin to the front and back and print the input character string, the user does not need to perform troublesome margin input setting, which is convenient. It is.

In the second printing mode in which printing is performed by designating the length of the printing tape, the second margin set by the margin setting means is the first printing mode in which printing is performed without specifying the length of the printing tape. In the case where the length of the print tape input and set by the print tape length setting means is short because it is shorter than the first margin set in the print mode, that is, a margin smaller than the distance between the print head and the cutter means is set. Also, it is possible to set a margin with a length balanced with the length of the character string to be printed.

[0013] Further, the apparatus further comprises a calculating means for calculating a print length of the input character string, wherein the margin setting means comprises:
The second margin may be set to a different length in accordance with the print length calculated by the calculation means.

In such a printing apparatus, in the second printing mode in which printing is performed by designating the length of the printing tape, margins having different lengths are set according to the printing length of the character string. When the length of the print tape input and set by the tape length setting means is short, it is possible to set a margin with a more balanced length with respect to the length of the character string to be printed.

[0015] Further, there is provided counting means for counting the number of characters of the input character string, and the margin setting means sets the second margin to a different length in accordance with the number of characters counted by the counting means. May be configured.

In such a printing apparatus, in the second printing mode in which printing is performed by designating the length of the printing tape, margins having different lengths are set according to the number of characters in the character string. When the length of the print tape input by the setting means is short, it is possible to set a more balanced margin for the length of the character string to be printed, and to specify each character of the character string. Can be arranged in a well-balanced length of tape.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a keyboard 2 and a liquid crystal display unit 3 are provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1, and a cassette housing unit 5 covered with a lid 4 that can be opened and closed is provided.
Is provided.

The keyboard 2 includes a power key 2a, a character input key 2b for inputting character string data, a cursor key 2c, and a printing operation performed when designating the length of a tape on which the input character string is printed. A tape length designation key 2d, a print key 2e operated when executing a printing process of an input character string, and the like are provided.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a tape discharge port from which the printed tape T is discharged to the outside of the apparatus main body 1. FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the cassette accommodating section 5 that is exposed by opening the lid 4 of the printing apparatus.

A printing mechanism of a thermal printer is provided inside the cassette housing 5. A tape cassette 8 containing a printing tape T and an ink ribbon R for thermal transfer is mounted in the cassette housing section 5.

The thermal printer includes a thermal head 9 which is driven to generate heat based on print data, a platen roller 10 which is driven to rotate when the thermal head 9 is driven to transport a tape T and an ink ribbon R, and a ribbon winding shaft. 11 is provided.

The thermal head 9 includes a plurality of heating elements 12 arranged in a line in the width direction of the tape T, and is provided so as to rotate about a shaft 13 and to be able to contact and separate from the platen roller 10. I have.

The platen roller 10 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by a driving unit (not shown). The platen roller 10 is driven to rotate by a certain angle every time one line of the thermal head 9 is printed, and the tape T and the ink ribbon R are rotated. It is transported by a predetermined distance. Along with the rotation of the platen roller 10, the ribbon winding shaft 11 is also driven to rotate in one clockwise direction by a drive unit (not shown), and the used ink ribbon R is wound.

The tape cassette 8 mounted in the cassette accommodating section 5 includes a cassette case 14, a tape supply reel 15 around which a tape T is wound, a ribbon supply reel 16 around which an ink ribbon R is wound, and a ribbon winding shaft. And a ribbon take-up reel 17 that is driven to rotate by the rotation reel 11. Also,
A concave portion 18 for accommodating the thermal head 9 is provided in a part of the cassette case 14. The tape T and the ink ribbon R are drawn out of the cassette case 14 into the concave portion 18 and set between the thermal head 9 and the platen roller 10. Is done.

The tape T is composed of a synthetic resin sheet having an adhesive applied to the back surface and a printed surface on the front surface, and a release paper adhered to the back surface of the synthetic resin sheet. Further, the cassette accommodating portion 5 is provided with a scissor-type cutter 19 composed of a fixed blade and a movable blade facing the tape discharge port 6. The cutter 19 is driven by a drive source and a drive mechanism (not shown). The cutter 19 is disposed downstream of the thermal head 9 by a distance L.

In the thermal printer shown in FIG. 2, when printing the input character string data, the tape T and the ink ribbon R are conveyed at the same speed by the rotation of the ribbon winding shaft 11 and the platen roller 10, respectively. The character string data is sequentially printed on the tape T by the head 9 sandwiching the tape T and the ink ribbon R between the platen roller 10 and performing thermal transfer. The printed tape T is
The tape is discharged from the tape discharge port 6 to the outside of the apparatus. And cutter 1
9, the printed portion of the tape is cut and separated from the unprinted portion.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the electronic circuit of the printing apparatus. The electronic circuit of this printing device includes
A control unit (CPU) 20 is provided. The control unit 20 activates a system program stored in advance in the ROM 21 in response to a key operation signal from the keyboard 2, and controls the operation of each unit of the circuit.

The control unit 20 includes a keyboard 2, an RO
M21, a RAM 22 for storing various data relating to the printing process of the printing device, a character generator 23 for storing font pattern data for display and printing,
A display unit 24 for displaying the input character string on the liquid crystal display unit 3
Are connected, and a printer unit is connected via the print control unit 25. The thermal head 9 in the printer section
A step motor 2 connected to the platen roller 10 and the ribbon take-up shaft 11 via a transmission mechanism composed of a gear train to drive them.
7 and its drive unit 28 are provided. The control unit 20
Is a motor 29 for driving the cutter 19 and its driving unit 3
0 is provided.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the RAM 22. The RAM 22 has an input data memory 22 for storing code data of character data input from the keyboard 2.
a, a print data memory 22b for reading and developing dot pattern data corresponding to input data from the character generator 23, and printing for storing dot data supplied to the thermal head 9 at the time of printing from the print data memory 22b A buffer 22c, a print mode register 22d for storing a print mode flag M, a character number memory 22e for counting and storing the number of characters N of a character string to be printed, and data q of the total character width size Q of the character string to be printed
Character width memory 22f for storing the length of the printing tape P which is input and set when printing is performed by designating the length of the tape.
A tape length memory 22g for storing data p, a margin length memory 22h for storing the length of a margin provided before and after a character string printed on the tape, and data b for character spacing B of a character string. A character spacing memory 22i is provided. The data p, q, b and the margin length data are data of the number of dot rows, respectively.

In the print mode register 22d, when a print mode in which the length of the print tape is designated by the operation of the print tape length designation key 2d to perform printing is set, the print mode flag M is set to "1". The print mode flag M is set to "0" in the print mode in which printing is performed without specifying the length of the print tape in which the print tape length designation key 2d is not operated.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a printing process of the printing apparatus. Hereinafter, the printing process of the printing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. For character string data input from the character input keys 2b of the keyboard 2,
When printing is to be performed by designating the length of the tape, the print tape length designation key 2d is operated, and the tape length data is input using the numeric keys of the character input keys 2b. As a result, the print mode flag M of the print mode register 22d is set to "1", and the length data p is stored in the tape length memory 22g.

If printing is to be performed without specifying the length of the tape, the above operation is not performed. Then, the printing process of FIG. 5 is started by operating the printing key 2e.

After a predetermined initial process (step S1), the state of the print mode flag M is determined (step S2). If the print mode flag M is determined to be "0", that is, in a print mode in which printing is performed without specifying the length of the print tape, a margin of length L is automatically set. This length L is equal to the thermal head 9 and the cutter 19.
The margin length data 1 (ell) corresponding to the length L is stored in the margin length memory 22h of the RAM 22 (step S3). This margin length data 1 (L)
Represents the number of dot rows.

In this embodiment, the size of the character to be printed is determined to be one, and one character has a size of A and A in both the vertical and horizontal directions. In the print mode in which the length of the print tape is not specified, the character spacing is predetermined to the length of B1, and the character spacing data of the dot row number b1 corresponding to the character spacing B1 is stored in the character spacing memory 22i of the RAM 22. Is set as the default value.

The print data memory 2 of the RAM 22
In step 2b, dot pattern data corresponding to each character data of the input character string data is sequentially read out from the character generator 23 and developed while providing a space of the number of dot rows b1 (length B1) to create print data (step S1). S4).

The created print data is transferred to the print buffer 22c of the RAM 22, and the tape T is conveyed and the thermal head 9 is driven to print one dot row at a time in the longitudinal direction of the tape T. When printing of print data is completed,
After the tape T is fed by the number of dot rows (length L) of the margin length data 1 (ell) set in the margin length memory 22h, the cutter 19 is driven and cut (step S5). .

FIG. 6A shows an example of printing when printing is performed without specifying the length of the printing tape. On tape T,
The character string C is printed with the front and rear margins set to L and the character spacing set to B1. As a result, the length of the tape T is P1.

Next, returning to step S2, when the print mode flag M is "1", that is, in the print mode in which printing is performed by designating the length of the print tape, the print mode flag M is set to "1". Is determined, the number N of characters of the character string to be printed is counted, and the character number data N is stored in the RAM.
22 (step S).
6). Further, the total character width size Q of the character string to be printed is calculated (step S7). The total character width size Q is the number of characters N
And the character width size A of one character. Specifically, the number q of dot rows corresponding to the total character width size Q is obtained as N (number of characters) × a (the number of dot rows of one character width). The obtained total character width data q is stored in the total character width memory 22f of the RAM 22.

Next, it is determined whether the input and set tape length P is longer or shorter than the predetermined length 3L (step S8). The set tape length P is the specified length 3
If the length is shorter than L, it is determined whether or not the length obtained by adding 1/2 L to the total character width size Q is equal to or less than the tape length P (step S9). If the length is longer than 3L, it is determined whether the length obtained by adding L to the total character width size Q is equal to or smaller than the tape length P (step S14).

In steps S8, S9 and S14, the margins of different lengths predetermined according to the input tape length P are set in the tape length P in relation to the total character width size. This is for determining whether or not setting is possible. The reference length 3L is used as a criterion for determining whether the length P of the input tape is relatively short or long. The reference length 3L is not limited to the length 3L and can be appropriately determined to an arbitrary value.

In step S8, it is determined that the tape length P input and set is shorter than the predetermined length 3L, and in step S9, the length obtained by adding 1 / 2L to the total character width size Q is less than the tape length P. Then, the margin length memory 22 of the RAM 22
The dot row number data 1 (ell) / 4 corresponding to the length of 1/4 L is set in h (step S10). Then, the character spacing size B2 is obtained by the calculation of (P−2 × １ ／ L) / (N−1). Specifically, (p−2 × 1
The number of dot rows b2 corresponding to the character spacing B2 is obtained by the operation formula of (/ 4 × l (ell)) / (N-1), and this data is stored in the character spacing memory 22i of the RAM 22 (step S12).

If there is a remainder in the calculation result of the number of dot rows b2, the number of dot rows corresponding to the remainder is appropriately allocated to the number of dot rows b2 of each character interval B2 and added. Is done.

The print data memory 2 of the RAM 22
2b, the dot pattern data corresponding to each character data of the input character string data is sequentially read from the character generator 23 while providing a space of the number of dot columns b2 between the characters, and the number of dot columns b2 (length B2) is read. The print data is created by developing the print data while providing a space (step S13).

If it is determined in step S9 that the length obtained by adding 1 / 2L to the total character width size Q exceeds the tape length P, an error is displayed because printing is impossible (step S9). Step S11).

The print data created in step S13 is transferred to the print buffer 22c of the RAM 22, and is printed one by one in the longitudinal direction of the tape T by driving the thermal head 9 while the tape T is being conveyed, so that the set margin is secured. For this purpose, the tape T is cut by the cutter 19 at a predetermined feed position (step S5).

This point is well known and will be briefly described. In order to provide a blank having a length of 1/4 L at the front of the character string, the blank stored in the blank length memory 22h of the RAM 22 is used. According to the cutting position data calculated based on the data l (ell) / 4, when printing has progressed by a length of 3/4 L from the start of printing, the leading end of the tape T is cut by the cutter 19 together with the printing interruption. By the tape T
A margin having a length of 3 / 4L is formed at the front of the upper character string. When the printing is resumed and the printing of the printing data is completed, the length of L + ／ L from the printing end position is determined in accordance with the cutting position data of the rear end of the tape T obtained based on the margin data 1 (ell) / 4. The tape T is cut off after the tape T is fed by the idle length, and a 1 / 4L-long margin is formed at the rear of the character string.

Although not shown in FIG. 4, the RAM 22 is provided with a storage area for cutting position data before and after the tape T obtained by calculation. In this case, the cutting position at the front is the position where the tape has been fed by 3 / 4.times.l (el) dots from the printing start position, and the cutting position at the rear is l (el) + 1 / 4.times. From the printing end position. This is the position where the l (dot) dot row has been fed.

FIG. 6B shows an example of printing in which the length of the print tape is input and set, and the set length P2 is relatively short. A character string C is printed on a tape T of length P2, with the front and rear margins set to 1 / 4L and the character spacing to B2.

Next, returning to step S14, the tape length P input and set in step S8 is longer than the predetermined length 3L, and the length obtained by adding L to the total character width size Q in step S14 is the tape length. Is determined to be equal to or less than P, RA
The dot row number data 1 (ell) / 2 corresponding to the length of 1 / 2L is set in the blank length memory 22h of M22 (step S15). And (P-2 × 1 / 2L) /
The character spacing B3 is obtained by the calculation of (N-1). Specifically, (p−2 × 1/2 × l (ell)) / (N−1)
The number of dot rows b3 corresponding to the character spacing B3 by the arithmetic expression
Is obtained, and this data is stored in the character spacing memory 22i of the RAM 22 (step S16).

If there is a remainder in the calculation result of the dot row number b3, the number of dot rows corresponding to the remainder is appropriately allocated to the dot row number b3 of each character interval B3 and added. Is done.

The print data memory 2 of the RAM 22
2b, the dot pattern data corresponding to each character data of the input character string data is sequentially read out from the character generator 23 while providing a space of the number of dot rows b3 between the characters, and the number of the dot rows b3 (length B3) is read. The print data is created by developing the data while providing a space (step S17).

In step S14, the total character width size Q
If it is determined that the length obtained by adding L to the length of the tape exceeds the tape length P, an error is displayed because printing is impossible (step S11).

The print data generated in step S17 is transferred to the print buffer 22c of the RAM 22, and is printed one by one in the longitudinal direction of the tape T by driving the thermal head 9 while the tape T is being transported, so that a set margin is secured. For this purpose, the tape T is cut by the cutter 19 at a predetermined feed position (step S5). The formation of margins in this printing process is exactly the same as the description of step S5 following step S13, except for the length.

FIG. 6C is an example of printing when the length of the printing tape is specified and printing is performed with the specified length P3 being relatively long. In the tape T of length P3, the front and rear margins are 1 /
A character string C is printed with 2L and a character spacing of B3.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the printing process of FIG. Subsequent to the determination of YES in step S14 in FIG. 5, it is determined whether the number N of characters of the character string to be printed exceeds a predetermined number n (step ST1).

If the number N of characters does not exceed the predetermined number n, a blank space having a length of 1 / 2L is set in step ST2. If the number N of characters exceeds the predetermined number, 1 / 4L is set in step ST5.
Is set. That is, if the number of characters N is smaller than the predetermined number n, a longer margin is set, and if it is larger, a shorter margin is set.

Steps ST2 to ST4 have the same contents as steps S15 to S17 in FIG.
FIG. 6C shows the print result after the processing of steps ST4 to ST4. The processing in steps ST5 to ST7 corresponds to steps ST2 to ST4 except that the length of the margin and the character spacing are different.

FIG. 8 shows a print result obtained through the processing of steps ST5 to ST7. According to FIG. 8, the front and rear margins are set to １ ／ L on the tape T for which the length of P2 is set.
The character string C is printed with the character spacing set to B4.

Therefore, according to the printing apparatus having the above-described configuration, when the input character string C is printed without specifying the length P of the tape T, the thermal head 9 and the cutter 19 are required.
A margin L corresponding to the distance between the characters is set before and after the character string C to be printed.
1 and is printed on the tape T of the length P1 corresponding to this. On the other hand, when printing by designating the length P of the tape T,
When the designated tape length P2 is shorter than the predetermined length 3L or less, the front and rear margins of the character string C to be printed are set to L / 4, and the remaining tape length (P-L / 2) and the number of characters are set. The character spacing B2 is calculated based on N and printed on the tape T of the designated length P2. When the designated tape length P3 is longer than the predetermined length 3L, the leading and trailing margins of the character string C to be printed are L
/ 2 and the remaining tape length (P-L)
And the character spacing B3 is calculated based on the number of characters N and is printed on the tape T of the specified length P3. Therefore, in both the print mode in which the length of the tape T is not specified and the print mode in which the length is specified. Then, the input character string is automatically printed with a predetermined margin set before and after, so that the user does not need to perform troublesome margin input setting, which is convenient.

The margins (L / 4 or L / L) set in the print mode for specifying the length P of the tape T are set.
2) is arbitrarily specified because the margin is shorter than the front and rear margins L set in the print mode in which the length P of the tape T is not specified, that is, smaller than the distance between the thermal head 9 and the cutter 19. Even when the length P of the tape T is short, it is possible to set a margin with a length balanced with the length of the character string C to be printed.

[0061]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention,
According to the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, in both the first printing mode in which printing is performed without specifying the length of the printing tape and the second printing mode in which printing is performed by specifying the length of the printing tape, The second margin setting means automatically prints the input character string with a predetermined margin set before and after, so that the user does not need to perform troublesome margin input setting, which is convenient.

In the second printing mode in which printing is performed by designating the length of the printing tape, the second margin set by the margin setting means is the first printing mode in which printing is performed without specifying the length of the printing tape. In the case where the length of the print tape input and set by the print tape length setting means is short because it is shorter than the first margin set in the print mode, that is, a margin smaller than the distance between the print head and the cutter means is set. Also, it is possible to set a margin with a length balanced with the length of the character string to be printed.

According to the printing apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, in the second printing mode in which the length of the printing tape is specified and printing is performed, the length of the printing tape differs depending on the printing length of the character string. Since the margin is set, if the length of the print tape input and set by the print tape length setting means is short, set a margin that is more balanced with the length of the character string to be printed. be able to.

According to the printing apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, in the second printing mode in which printing is performed by designating the length of the printing tape, blanks having different lengths according to the number of characters of the character string are formed. Since it is set, when the length of the printing tape input and set by the printing tape length setting means is short, it is possible to set a margin of a more balanced length with respect to the length of the character string to be printed, Each character of the character string can be arranged in a well-balanced manner on a tape of a specified length.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the troublesome setting of the margin by the user is eliminated, and particularly in the print mode in which the length of the tape is set and printed, the troublesome input setting of the blank length is not required. The margin can be set before and after the character string to be printed with a balanced length for the character string.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural explanatory view of a printer unit of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a RAM in the electronic circuit of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process of the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a printing state based on the printing process of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process of a printing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a printing state based on the printing process of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a printing state of a conventional printing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Device main body 2 ... Keyboard 2b ... Character input key 2d ... Printing tape length designation key 3 ... Liquid crystal display part 4 ... Lid 5 ... Cassette storage part 6 ... Tape discharge port 8 ... Tape cassette 9 ... Thermal head 10 ... Platen roller DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Ribbon winding shaft 12 ... Heating element 14 ... Cassette case 15 ... Tape supply reel 16 ... Ribbon supply reel 17 ... Ribbon winding reel 18 ... Concave 19 ... Cutter 20 ... Control part (CPU) 21 ... ROM 22 ... RAM 23 ... Character generator 24 ... Display unit 25 ... Print control unit 27 ... Step motor 29 ... Motor R ... Ink ribbon T ... Tape

Claims (3)

[Claims] An input means for inputting a character string, a printing means for printing the character string input from the input means by a print head while transporting the tape, and a print tape on which the character string is printed by the print head Cutter means for cutting from the tape, a first printing mode for printing without specifying the length of the printing tape, and a second printing mode for printing by specifying the length of the printing tape. Mode setting means, printing tape length setting means for inputting and setting the length of the printing tape, and when the first printing mode is set by the mode setting means, printing is performed on the tape by the printing means. A first margin having a predetermined length within a distance between the print head and the cutter means is automatically set before and after a character string, and the second print mode is set by the mode setting means. Margin setting means for automatically setting a second margin having a predetermined length shorter than the first margin before and after a character string printed on a tape by the printing means, In the printing mode, the first margin is provided before and after the input character string, and the printing means is drive-controlled so that the character string is printed on a tape having a length corresponding to the length of the character string. In the second printing mode, the second margin is provided before and after the input character string, and the character string is printed on the length of the printing tape input and set by the printing tape length setting means. A printing control means for controlling the driving of the printing means. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a calculating unit configured to calculate a printing length of the input character string, wherein the margin setting unit sets the second margin according to the printing length calculated by the calculating unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lengths are different.
3. The printing device according to claim 1. A counting means for counting the number of characters in the input character string, wherein the margin setting means sets the second margin to a different length in accordance with the number of characters counted by the counting means. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the setting is performed.