JPH04234687A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a printing device wherein throughput is improved by making time required for moving of an ink ribbon apparently nil. CONSTITUTION:A paper exhaustion detecting means detects the exhaustion of paper, and a cassette-swinging mechanism is driven base on output of the detection signal, and thereby ribbon setting is moved so that a printing mark can be visually identified. By virtue of such method, time required for duration between issuing of paper feeding command and completion of the paper feeding can be shortened, and positioning for printing can be made without decline of throughput.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing device that makes it easy to see print marks indicating printing positions on paper.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the external structure of this type of printing device, FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view showing the structure around the printing section of the printing device shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a conventional printing device. This is a partially enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the print head and the ink ribbon.
In each figure, 1 is a printing device, 1a is a transparent cover that covers the printing part, 2 is a print head, 3 is a ribbon cassette, 3a is an ink ribbon, 3b is a pin that connects the ribbon cassette 3 to the cassette swing mechanism 30, 3c 4 is a pin that serves as a fulcrum when swinging the ribbon cassette 3; 4 is a paper guide;
a is the print mark, 5 is the platen, 6 is the paper, 7a, 7b
8 is a paper guide, 8 is a pin tractor for feeding the paper, 9 is an operator's viewing direction, and 35 is a cassette main control means.

Next, the operation will be explained. As shown in FIG. 6, the paper guide 4 is provided with a print position mark 4a so that the print position on the paper 6 can be visually confirmed.For example, when printing on paper with ruled lines printed on it, The position of the paper 6 is adjusted using the printing position mark 4a as a guide, so that printing can be performed in alignment with the ruled lines.

[0004] Furthermore, the ink ribbon 3a has a width wider than the size of the characters to be printed.
Only half (for example, the upper row) is used for printing. Then, printing is performed and the ink ribbon 3a runs in one direction, and when the ink ribbon 3a wound around one side of the ribbon cassette 3 reaches the end point, the cassette main control means 35 is activated to synchronize with the line feed command. The cassette swing mechanism 30 operates, moves the pin 3b by a predetermined amount in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, shifts the position of the ink ribbon 3a on the paper guide 4 in the left-right direction in the drawing, and moves the ink ribbon 3 on which printing is performed.
The line is changed from the position above a to the other half (for example, the lower row), and printing is performed by running the ink ribbon 3a in the opposite direction.

By reciprocating the ink ribbon 3a in this manner, the life of the ink ribbon 3a is extended.

[0006] Further, as a printing device that uses an ink ribbon divided into multiple stages, there is a device similar to the printing device shown in Figs. There is also an apparatus in which the printing color can be selected by similarly moving the position of the ink ribbon.

However, in such a printing device, since the position of the ink ribbon 3a in the Y direction is not constant and moves, the ink ribbon 3a blocks the operator's line of sight 9 as shown in FIG. In some cases, the marks cannot be visually confirmed, so when feeding paper, the ink ribbon 3a is moved in the Y direction to confirm the mark position.

[0008]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventional printing devices are configured and operate as described above, so the problem is that the ink ribbon needs time to move in the Y direction each time paper is fed, resulting in poor throughput. There was a point.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and aims to provide a printing device with improved throughput by apparently eliminating the moving time of the ink ribbon.

0010

[Means for Solving the Problems] A printing device according to the present invention includes a paper-out detection means 31 and an output of the paper-out detection means 31 to drive a cassette swinging mechanism 30 to move a ribbon cassette 3. It is equipped with a control means 32 that moves to expose the printed mark 4a.

[0011]

[Operation] In the printing device according to the present invention, when the paper runs out, the paper run-out detection means 31 detects this, and based on the output, the cassette swinging mechanism 30 is driven to move the ribbon cassette 3 so that the printing mark 4a is Make it visible.

0012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are enlarged sectional views showing the positional relationship between a print head and an ink ribbon for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 5 and 6 indicate the same or corresponding parts.

In this case, reference numeral 31 denotes paper-out detection means, which is composed of a photosensor or the like, and outputs a signal when paper is not fed, which activates the control means 32 and causes the cassette swinging mechanism 30 to move. Drive. Control means 3
2, the cassette swinging mechanism 30 controls the ribbon cassette 3 to swing in the paper feeding direction. 36 is a control means 32
This is the start button to reset.

Next, the operation will be explained. When the operator issues a page change command, if the paper is out of paper, the paper out detection means 31 outputs a signal, and the cassette swinging mechanism 30 is activated to move the ribbon cassette 3 in the direction of the arrow. Move the ink ribbon 3a to . This exposes the print mark 4a, so when the operator sets the paper and issues a paper feeding command by turning on the start button 36, the paper feeding operation begins immediately and the cassette swinging mechanism 30 is restored. In other words, even if the ink ribbon does not move between the paper feeding command and the completion of paper feeding, the printing position can be easily confirmed.

FIG. 3 shows a comparison of the paper feeding operation with a conventional example.

[0016]

Effects of the Invention As explained above, this invention is configured to move the ink ribbon when the paper runs out, so the time from the paper feeding command to the completion of paper feeding is shortened, and there is no reduction in throughput. This has the effect of making it possible to align the print position.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing a comparison of the paper feeding state of the present application with a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the external configuration of the printing device.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration around a printing section of the printing device shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged view showing the positional relationship between a print head and an ink ribbon of a conventional printing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Printing device 1a Cover 2 Print head 3 Ribbon cassette 3a
Ink ribbon 3b, 3c Pin 4 Paper guide 4a
Print position mark 5 Platen 6 Paper 7a, 7b Paper guide 8 Pin tractor 9 Operator's viewing direction 30
Cassette swinging mechanism 31 Paper-out detection means 32 Control means 35 Cassette main control means 36
start button

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A ribbon cassette having an ink ribbon facing the surface of paper fed in a fixed direction; and a print head facing the paper via the ink ribbon and moving in a direction perpendicular to the feeding direction of the paper. , a print position mark located below the ink ribbon to indicate the print position on the paper; a cassette swinging mechanism that moves the ribbon cassette in the paper feeding direction; and a cassette swinging mechanism that controls the cassette swinging mechanism to move the paper. A printing device is equipped with a cassette main control means that changes the position of the ink ribbon by gradually moving it in the opposite direction to the feeding direction of the cassette. A printing device characterized by comprising a control means for driving a swinging mechanism to move the ribbon cassette and expose a printing mark.