JPH0664233A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To visually grasp the printing image to all of labels without actually performing label printing by displaying the image drawing of a label contracted in different contraction magnification on a display means at every label having a different size. CONSTITUTION:A large number of keys 6 through which a character can be inputted are arranged on the upper half body 2 of a label printer 1 and a liquid crystal display part 7 is arranged at the upper position of the keys 6. A printing part applying printing to a label 4a is provided to the lower half body 3 of the printer 1. In this case, a memory means storing a table in which the dimensional data of two sides of each label 4a are registered and a contraction table in which contraction magnification data contracting a plurality of reference dimensions to the length equal to or less than the dimension of the display part 7 in the longitudinal direction thereof is provided in a control unit. At the time of the display of the image of a label, a square shape wherein the label concerned is contracted and the dot data corresponding to the arranging position of each character of a character row to be printed are displayed on the display part 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printing apparatus for printing an input character string on a heading label such as a document through a printing means.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an exhibition or the like, for example, the same heading label is often attached to many samples. In addition, with the diversification of information, there is an increasing demand for suitable filing using heading labels according to the type of information, and the same information may be owned and stored by a plurality of people at a plurality of places. Conventionally, this type of label is created by handwriting, and there are problems such as the complexity of creation and the appearance.

In order to solve such a problem, conventionally, there has been proposed a printing device for efficiently printing the same content on both upper and lower positions of a lined label by appropriately selecting the printing direction (Actual Publication No. 1-178948). Gazette).

Further, there has been proposed a label printing apparatus which stores the number of characters and lines input in one label and calculates the number of labels so that an integer number of sheets can be set on one sheet (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-61). No. 175722).

Further, a label printer has been proposed in which automatic calculation is performed to change the characters to full-width or half-width so that printing can be suitably performed within a predetermined label width (JP-A-63-189).
276 publication).

Further, there has been proposed a label printer capable of inputting a print format of a cut paper label and printing on labels of various sizes (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-1 / 1987).
58072).

[0007]

By the way, in the conventional label printing apparatus, it is possible to display the input character string on the display and confirm whether or not the input was performed correctly. However, it was not possible to understand how this character string was printed on the label without actually printing it. For this reason, it was necessary to test-print the character string on the label several times to see if the label could be created as intended.

The present invention aims to solve such a problem.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the label printing apparatus of the present invention uses a list table in which size data of two sides along the outer edge of each label is registered and a plurality of reference sizes. A storage means storing a reduction table in which reduction magnification data for reducing the length to a length equal to or less than the lengthwise dimension of the display means is stored, and when an instruction to display an image of a predetermined label is given, the label is displayed on the outer edge of the label. First processing means for reading out the dimension data of the two sides from the list table and reading out the reduction ratio data corresponding to the longest reference dimension which is equal to or less than the dimension of the long side of the read two sides from the reduction table; The size of the two sides that have been output is reduced by the read reduction ratio to the two sides of the rectangle, and the relative position on the rectangle that corresponds to the position of each character in the character string to be printed on the label. And a second processing means for displaying on the display unit and a dot pattern location.

[0010]

According to the label printing apparatus of the present invention, when there is an instruction to display an image of a predetermined label, the dimensions of the two sides of this label are read from the list table by the first processing means. Then, reduction ratio data for reducing the dimension of the long side of the read dimensions of the two sides is read from the reduction table.

Then, on the quadrangle corresponding to the arrangement position of each character of the character string to be printed on the label, the quadrangle having the values obtained by reducing the dimensions of the read two sides by the scale indicated by the reduction scale data is two sides respectively. The dot pattern arranged at the relative position of is displayed on the display means by the second processing means.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A label printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 4 show the appearance and internal mechanism of the label printing apparatus 1. A label printing device (hereinafter referred to as a device) 1 is a device that prints on each of a large number of labels 4a arranged regularly on a label sheet 4, and is composed of an upper half body 2 and a lower half body 3. An insertion port 5 for the label sheet 4 is formed in the middle.

A large number of keys 6 capable of inputting characters and the like are arranged on the upper half 2 of the device 1, and above the liquid crystal panel for displaying a predetermined number of characters, the number of lines, or an input character string. The liquid crystal display section 7 is provided. When the number of characters and the number of lines more than that are input, the screen is adapted to be scrolled left and right and up and down by the cursor keys. As shown in FIG. 4, the arranged keys 6 include character keys such as alphabets, “function”,
Function keys for performing processes such as “cancel”, “convert”, “execute”, and “print”, and cursor keys with arrows on all four sides are provided. The contents of each key are written on the head of the key.

The lower half 3 has an insertion opening 5 and this insertion opening 5
A feeding path 11 extending rearward from the above is formed, and a guide roller 9 for guiding the inserted label sheet 4 is provided on the upper surface of the feeding path 11. In addition, the guide roller 9
A sheet feeding roller 8 that is driven to rotate by a sheet feeding motor 16 and feeds the inserted label sheet 4 is provided at a total of three places behind the sheet feeding device, and a printing unit 20 that prints is provided behind the sheet feeding roller 8. There is.

A side wall 18 for positioning is formed on one side, for example, the left side, of the insertion port 5 and the feeding path 11, and the left side of the label sheet 4 is inserted in contact with the side wall 18. Is. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, on the side wall 18 on the downstream side of the feeding path of the sheet feeding roller 8, for example, a sheet sensor 19 such as a photo interrupter having a pair structure of a light emitting element 19a and a light receiving element 19b on the upper and lower surfaces. Is provided to detect whether the left side of the inserted and fed label sheet 4 exactly matches the side wall 18.

The printing unit 20 has a label sheet 4 at the bottom thereof.
Helical shaft 1 arranged in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction of
2, the rotation of the carriage motor 14 is transmitted to the spiral shaft 12 via the gear train 15, and the printing unit 20 reciprocates along the rotating spiral shaft 12. . A rack 13 is installed above the printing unit 20 in parallel with the spiral shaft 12. The teeth of the rack 13 are formed in the lower part so as to face the printing unit 20,
The gear inside the printing unit 20 is in mesh with the rack 13. Further, from the bottom of the printing unit 20, for example, the thermal head 2 including a dot array capable of printing one character
A rubber platen 17 is arranged on the lower half 3 of the lower part of the thermal head 28. In addition,
The printing unit 20 also functions as a cassette holder for mounting a ribbon cassette (not shown) of the ink ribbon, and includes a winding shaft 25 for winding the ink ribbon.

The liquid crystal display section 7 displays the input character string or the edited character string, the code number, the character label, or a selection screen for each of them. The character label means a character string created for label printing or a character string already created.

Next, a control block diagram of the label printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

The apparatus 1 includes a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 30 for controlling the entire apparatus, and an RO.
The storage unit 31 includes M, RAM, and the like.

The CPU 30 is synchronized with a head drive unit 36 for driving the thermal head 28 in contact and separation and outputting a character signal, a carriage motor drive unit 37 for controlling the drive of the carriage motor 14, the paper feed roller 8 and the paper discharge roller 23. A sheet feed motor drive unit 38 that controls the drive of the driven sheet feed motor 16 and a display drive unit 39 that drives the liquid crystal display unit 7 are respectively connected.

The CPU 30 is internally provided with a counter for counting the number of sheets and a timer for synchronizing with sheet feeding, and receives the input information from the key input unit 6'and the detection signal from the sheet sensor 19, respectively. Output a control signal to the required circuit part, input characters, edit processing as described later,
Overall control of label sheet type selection, display control, and print processing control.

Further, the CPU 30 monitors the detection signal from the sheet sensor 19, and the label sheet 4 is accurately inserted and fed depending on whether or not the signal for detecting the front end of the left side of the label sheet 4 is input. It is determined whether or not the sheet feed motor 1
The position of the label sheet being fed is indirectly measured by the rotation pulse of 6 or time management.

The storage unit 31 includes a program for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus such as editing and printing, a dictionary memory for converting kana / kanji characters, the arrangement position of labels arranged on various label sheets, and the labels. Label information in which vertical and horizontal dimensions and the like are registered, a code number as an identification code for specifying the type of label sheet, and a character size table (Table 1) as shown below are stored.

[0025]

[Table 1]

Table 1 shows the character size, and shows SS size to 3L size. In this type of label printing apparatus, there are various types of label sheets that can be printed, and there are several hundreds of label sheets, and a large number of character sizes are desired. Therefore, in addition to square characters, horizontally long characters and vertically long characters can be specified.
In this way, the character size can be selected using the size classification symbols, thereby facilitating the selection work.

Further, there are various kinds of label sheets such as ordinary square label, lined label, tack index label, box label and cassette label, and there are also various sticking positions on the label sheet.
Each is standardized. When an external input / output device such as an expansion cartridge shown as the auxiliary storage unit 40 in FIG. 6 is connected and the number of types of label sheets increases or when it is desired to perform printing on a desired unstandardized label sheet Can also be newly registered.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the label sheet and the label. Labels R ₁ , R ₂ , ... Having the same dimensions are regularly attached on the label sheet 4 at regular intervals. The positions of the labels on the label sheet 4 are designated as 1, 2, 3 ... In the column direction and A, B, C ... In the row direction.

The sheet number is selected by inputting a one-character or two-character (including numeral) identification code. This facilitates the selection work. The table (not shown) storing the sheet numbers in the present embodiment is represented by the label size, which corresponds to the sheet sensor 19
Is stored with the size and the like based on the corner position of the front end of the left side of the label sheet 4 detected by. The dimension type is the data required to identify the label position on the label sheet from the length and width dimensions of the label sheet, the shape of the label, the length and width dimensions of the label, the length and width of the label, and the number of labels on one sheet. Has been adopted. The size is usually specified in millimeters (mm), but in the present embodiment, the size is coded to reduce the memory capacity. The CPU 30 calculates the print position, that is, the label position based on the label information corresponding to the designated sheet number (identification code).

In the device 1 thus constructed, the character size is automatically set according to the number of characters and the number of lines of the input character string. This automatic setting of the character size is to automatically set the character size according to the character string entered on the character input screen so that it can be printed appropriately in the label. It is selected from 1.

The process of automatically setting the character size will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 and 9.

First, by inputting the code number of the label sheet to be printed, all the information such as the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the used label and the arrangement position are specified (# 10).
2). The print area of the label is discriminated based on the label information, and the vertical and horizontal lengths of the print area are compared (# 104). By this comparison, the shorter length is selected, and if the size in the horizontal direction is short as shown in FIG. 10A, a square region S having one side of this horizontal length 1 is assumed (# 106), and also FIG. 10 (b).
If the size in the vertical direction is short, as shown in, the square area S having the length 1 in the vertical direction as one side is assumed (# 10).
8). Then, the maximum character size of the square character that can be accommodated in this square area S is selected from Table 1, and this character size is set to the initial value (# 110).

After the initial value of the character size is determined in this manner, the input of characters (including symbols) is waited for, and each time the input character increases or decreases by one character, the created character string is changed. The lateral length is calculated. When a character string is created in a plurality of lines, it is calculated for each line (# 202).
Then, the horizontal length of the character string and the horizontal length of the set print area are compared for each line, and it is determined whether the created character string can be printed within the set horizontal dimension of the label ( # 204). If the horizontal length of the character string is larger than the print area, a character size one size smaller than the set character size will be selected from Table 1, and all character sizes across all lines will be the new character size. The size is changed (# 206). Then, after this, again # 202, # 20
The process of 4 is repeated. In this way, a suitable character size is temporarily determined on the basis of the horizontal length of the character string in each line and the horizontal length of the print area.

Next, the vertical length of the determined character size is added over all lines to obtain the total vertical length (# 20.
8) The total vertical length is compared with the vertical length of the print area. As a result, it is determined whether the created character string can be printed within the set vertical dimension of the label (# 21).
0). If the total vertical length of the created character string is larger, a character size that is one size smaller than the determined character size is selected from Table 1, and all character sizes across all lines are set to this new character size. It is changed (# 212). After that, the processes of # 208 and # 210 are repeated again.
In this way, the maximum character size that can be printed in the print area is finally set. Although each of the calculation formulas described above is stored in the ROM of the storage unit 31 in advance, a conversion table storing the calculation results may be used.

As described above, in the created character label, the same character size is set for all lines, and when the number of characters is different for each line, the character size is different for each line. It eliminates the inconvenience of being set.
When the character size is switched from the S size shown in Table 1 to an extremely small SS size, the character size is not switched suddenly, but is switched to a horizontally long SS size character.

Such automatic setting of the character size is performed when one character is input or deleted, when the size of the input character is changed, when the character decoration of the input character is changed, line feed or line. This is always performed when the state of the input character or the state of the input line changes, such as when they are combined.

In addition, the character size of each character is
Alternatively, it can be manually set to a specific size as necessary. In this case, in # 202,
The horizontal length of the set character and the horizontal length of each character being automatically set are added to calculate the length of the character string for each line. In # 208, the longest vertical size character is set for each line. After being extracted for each, it will be added over all rows.

The character label thus created is stored in the storage unit 31, and under the control of the CPU 30, printing processing is performed on each of the arranged labels based on the stored data and the already set label information. Is applied.

Next, the image display processing will be described with reference to FIG.
~ It demonstrates using the flowchart of FIG. 14 and the conceptual diagram of FIGS. 15-19. In this process, first, the user inputs the identification code of the label to be printed (# 30
1). Next, when the user presses the image display key (shift key + H key) while the character string can be input or the image is already displayed (# 302),
It is checked whether a character has already been input (# 303).
If no character has been input, the image cannot be displayed, so the key input for displaying the image becomes invalid, and the process returns to step # 302. When a character is input, the dimensions of the two sides of the label corresponding to the identification code input in # 301 are read from the list table 31a of the storage unit 31 (# 306, FIG. 15B). The list table 31a stores the dimensions of each side of the plurality of labels in mm units. Of the read dimensions, the reduction ratio corresponding to the dimension of the long side is extracted from the reduction table 31b of the storage unit 31 (# 307, FIGS. 15B and 15C). The reduction table 31b has a plurality of reference dimensions (1 mm, 64 mm,
95 mm, ...) And reduction ratios (4 times, 6 times, 8 times, ...), a reduction ratio corresponding to the longest reference dimension below the long side is selected from these reference dimensions. . The reduction table 31b is changed according to the size of the display medium. Then, 2 read in # 306
The size of the side is reduced according to the reduction ratio and becomes reduced data (# 308). In this reduction processing, first, the unit of the length of the two sides is converted from millimeters (mm) to dots (FIG. 16A). Further, the converted value is divided by the reduction ratio to be converted into the actual display size (see FIG. 16).
(B)). The data obtained by chamfering one dot at the corner of the quadrangle having the reduced data thus obtained having two sides becomes the outer frame data (FIG. 16C).
If the label type is index label, (#
309), an unprintable area is set at the center of the outer frame data (# 310, FIG. 16D). The outer frame data created in this way is set in the work area of the storage unit 31 (# 311).

Next, one character is sequentially extracted from the input character string to obtain the basic font size (#
312, FIG. 17 (a). The basic size of the character font includes, for example, 16 dots and 24 dots. When vertical writing is designated (# 313), the vertical and horizontal sizes of the extracted character are exchanged (# 314, FIG. 17).
(B)). Then, the vertical and horizontal magnifications with respect to the basic font are determined according to the type of the extracted character (# 315).
The basic font size is enlarged at this magnification (# 316, FIG. 17C). If both italic and vertical writing are designated (# 317, # 318), the vertical size is expanded (# 319, FIG. 18).
(A)). This expansion process is performed by adding ((horizontal size / 3) -1) to the vertical size. Also,
If italics are specified but vertical writing is not specified (# 317, # 318), the size in the horizontal direction is expanded (# 320). Similarly, this expansion processing is performed by adding ((vertical size / 3) -1) to the horizontal size. The inclination of the italicized lines in these expansion processes is 1 dot horizontally for 3 dots vertically (or 1 dot vertically for 3 dots horizontally). Also, the range to be expanded differs depending on the character size of the extracted character. This is to make the inclination of the character constant for all character sizes.

When the print position of the extracted character is the upper end designation (#
321), aligning the upper end of this extracted character with the upper end position of the largest character in the same line as this extracted character,
The actual dot numbers of the extracted characters and the upper and left ends of the label are obtained (# 322, FIG. 18B). When the print position of this extracted character is the lower end designation (# 323), the lower end of this extracted character is aligned with the lower end position of the largest character in the same line as this extracted character, and the extracted character and label are The actual dot numbers at the upper end and the left end are obtained (# 324, FIG. 18B). Furthermore, when the print position of this extracted character is specified as the middle position, the center of this extracted character is aligned with the center position of the largest character in the same line as this extracted character, and this extracted character and the top and left edges of the label are The actual dot number of
(B)).

The actual number of dots obtained in this way is #
By dividing by the reduction ratio extracted in 307, # 3
Reduced distance data indicating the relative position on the outer frame data created in 08 is calculated (# 326, FIG. 18C). Similarly, regarding the character size of the extracted character, the reduced character size having the same magnification as the outer frame data is calculated by dividing this character size by the reduction ratio (# 327, FIG. 19).
(A)). If the character code of the extracted character is not a space (# 328), the dot pattern representing the extracted character is written in the outer frame data set in the work area of the storage unit 31 (# 329, FIG. b)). Specifically, a quadrangle designated by the reduced character size is set at the relative position on the outer frame data indicated by the reduced distance data. Furthermore, the inside of this quadrangle is filled with dots, and a dot pattern is formed. The processing of # 312 to # 329 is performed for all the input characters (# 33).
0).

When the length of the label in the vertical direction is smaller than the length of the liquid crystal display unit 7 in the vertical direction (# 331), the storage unit 3 is used.
Image data including outer frame data set in the first work area and dot data representing each character is read out and displayed in the central portion of the liquid crystal display unit 7 (# 332, FIG. 19).
(C)). If the vertical length of the label is longer than the vertical length of the liquid crystal display unit 7 (# 331), the read image data is displayed from the upper end of the liquid crystal display unit 7 (# 333). . In this case, all the image data cannot be displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7, so that the display position can be changed by scrolling.

After the processes of # 332 and # 333, the liquid crystal display section 7 displays an image (upright image display) that matches the label insertion direction.

First, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to rotate the display direction of the upright image display (# 334).

In this machine, the rotation instruction is given by inputting the shift key + H key. This is the same as the input of the image display key, but when the image display is being performed, it is configured so that the rotation instruction is given by this key input, and the operation key is provided by providing a separate key for the rotation instruction. Is prevented from increasing.

Next, if it is determined in # 334 that there is a rotation instruction (Yes), it is determined whether the displayed image display is an upright image display (# 335).

When it is determined in # 335 that the image display is an upright image display, the upright image display is rotated 90 ° to the left (# 336).

By this rotation, for example, in the case where the length in the vertical direction of the label is larger than the length of the liquid crystal display portion 7 and the erect image is displayed, if all the image data cannot be displayed unless the display position is changed by scrolling. All the image data can be displayed in the direction along the longitudinal direction of the liquid crystal display unit 7.

When the erect image is displayed in # 335, an arrow indicating the inserting direction of the displayed label is displayed on the liquid crystal display section 7 (# 337).

On the other hand, if it is determined in # 335 that the erect image is not displayed, the displayed image is rotated by 90 °.
Rotate to the right (# 338).

The image display rotated to the right is an upright image.

That is, when the operation of # 332 or # 333 is completed, the erect image is always displayed, so the erect image is rotated 90 ° left by the first rotation instruction (Yes in # 334). It is rotated and 9 is given by the rotation instruction after that.
The image display rotated 0 ° counterclockwise and the upright image alternate.

Further, when the rotation instruction is not issued in # 334 (No), the input of the image display end key (cancel key) is waited for (# 339), and when the end key is input, the image display is ended. To return to the normal edit screen (# 340).

[0055]

According to the label printing apparatus of the present invention, the image drawing of the labels reduced by different reduction ratios is displayed on the display means for each label having a different size. The reduction ratio used in the reduction process is the size of the two sides of the label.
It is a value registered in advance in the reduction table so that the dimension of the long side fits within the dimension of the display means in the longitudinal direction.

Therefore, no matter what size label is displayed as an image, it is always displayed as an image diagram reduced to a length that fits within the longitudinal dimension of the display means.

Therefore, it is possible to visually grasp the print image on any label without actually printing on the label.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal mechanism of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an internal mechanism of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a key arrangement of the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a sheet sensor.

FIG. 6 is a control block diagram in the label printing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a positional relationship of labels with respect to a label sheet.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating setting of an initial value of a character size in automatic character size setting.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating automatic setting of character size.

10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing a method of setting an initial value of a character size corresponding to a shape of a label.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of image display processing.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of image display processing.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of image display processing.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of image display processing.

FIG. 15 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of image display processing.

FIG. 16 is a conceptual diagram showing the content of image display processing.

FIG. 17 is a conceptual diagram showing the content of image display processing.

FIG. 18 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of image display processing.

FIG. 19 is a conceptual diagram showing the content of image display processing.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Label printing device, 4 ... Label sheet, 4a ... Label, 6 '... Key input part, 7 ... Liquid crystal display part, 30 ... CP
U, 31 ... Storage unit.

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display area G06F 3/12 N

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A label printing apparatus for inputting a desired character string and for printing the input character string on each label arranged on a label sheet, in a label printing apparatus having two sides along the outer edge of each label. A storage means for storing a list table in which data is registered, a reduction table in which reduction ratio data for reducing a plurality of reference dimensions to a length equal to or less than the longitudinal dimension of the display means is stored, and an image of a predetermined label When there is a display instruction, the dimension data of the two sides along the outer edge of the label is read from the list table, and the reduction corresponding to the longest reference dimension of the read two sides, which is equal to or less than the long side dimension. A first processing means for reading magnification data from the reduction table; a quadrangle having two sides each of which is a value obtained by reducing the dimensions of the read two sides by the read reduction magnification; A label comprising: a second processing means for displaying on the display means a dot pattern arranged at a relative position on the quadrangle corresponding to the arrangement position of each character of the character string to be printed on the label. Printing device. 2. After the image chart by the second processing means is displayed on the display means, the image chart is displayed 90 times.
2. The label printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third processing unit that replaces the two sides of the quadrangle with each dot data and displays the data on the display unit when there is an instruction to rotate.