JPS589366B2 - dot matrix printer - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention enables a dot matrix printer that displays various measured values as numbers, etc. by simply adding a few circuits.
This invention relates to a dot matrix printer that can display measured values in analog form.

Generally, this type of dot matrix printer has
There are thermal type and discharge type printers, which are equipped with multiple heating elements or discharge electrodes.While the printer head moves back and forth, a signal is sequentially applied to any heating element or discharge electrode, and numbers are printed as dots on printing paper. , characters, symbols, etc.

Conventional dot-matrix printers only display various measured values numerically, so they have the disadvantage that changes in measured values cannot be instantaneously controlled, especially when used in conjunction with medical measuring instruments.

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional method and displays the measured values numerically and at the same time as an analog display as shown in FIG. It provides a matrix printer.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the printer of the present invention, and in FIG. 2, 1 corresponds to the measurement value obtained by the measuring device.
2 is a memory circuit for temporarily storing this measured value; 3 is a motor for driving the printer head 4; this motor 3 receives pulses as the motor 3 rotates; A pulse generator 5 is connected to generate the .

Note that this pulse generating circuit 5 may be a pulse generating circuit that is triggered to generate a pulse when the printer head 4 starts moving.

The pulses generated by the pulse generator 5 are counted by a counting circuit 6.

7 is a digital comparator that compares the value counted by the counting circuit 6 with the data stored in the storage circuit 2 and generates a signal when the two match; the output of this digital comparator 7 is The signal is amplified by the amplifier 8 and applied to the heating element of the printer head 4, and as shown in FIG.
is printed.

The above is a circuit that displays measured values in analog form.

Next, a circuit for printing measured values in numbers will be explained.

In FIG. 2, 9 is a circuit for digital display on printed paper, 10 is a decoder, 11 is a multiplexer or shift register, 12 is a character generator, and the count value of the counting circuit 6 reaches a specified number. At this time, the data stored in the memory circuit 2 is applied to any heating element of the printer head 4 via the multiplexer or shift register 11, character generator 12, amplifier 8, and printing is performed as shown in FIG. Measured values are displayed numerically on paper P.

Furthermore, in FIG. 1, 13 is a one-shot multivibrator for giving measurement commands and print commands, and the signal from this one-shot multivibrator 13 is transmitted through a control circuit 14 to a memory circuit 2, a motor 3, and a pulse generator. 5 is applied to the counting circuit 6 and the printer head 4, and only one line is printed.

Reference numeral 15 denotes an astable multivibrator for giving measurement commands and print commands. Signals from this astable multivibrator 15 are applied to each circuit via the control circuit 14 to print a plurality of lines.

Next, the operation of the circuit shown in FIG. 2 will be explained together with the timing chart shown in FIG.

First, a measurement and print start signal is transmitted from the one-shot multivibrator 13 to the control circuit 14 as shown in FIG.
During the period shown in FIG. 3b, a signal is applied from the input terminal 1 to the storage circuit 2 and stored.

After the measurement period shown in FIG. 3b has passed, the motor 3 operates as shown in FIG. 3c to drive the printer head 4, and also operates the pulse generator 5 to generate pulses as shown in FIG. 3d. generate.

These pulses are counted by a counting circuit 6, and when the data stored in the memory circuit 2 and the count value of the counting circuit 6 match, a signal is generated from the digital comparator 7 as shown in FIG. is amplified by an amplifier 8 and applied to the printer head 4 to print a mark as shown by A1 in FIG.

That is, the motor 3 starts rotating and the printer head 4
moves laterally from the left end in FIG. 1, and when the printer head 4 moves for a time corresponding to the measured value, a signal is applied to the heating element of the printer head 4 to print the mark A1.

When the printer head 4 further moves laterally and the count value of the counting circuit 6 reaches the specified value, the decoder 10 outputs signals from the decoder 10 as shown in FIGS. As shown in h and i, the data stored in the storage circuit 2 is applied to the printer head 4 via the multiplexer or shift register 11, the character generator 12, and the amplifier 8. As shown in Figure 3j, the measured values are sequentially printed on printing paper.

As described above, it is possible to display measured values in analog form along with the conventional digital display during the transition of one line of the printer head.

Note that among the output terminals of the digital converter 7 which compares the data M of the memory circuit 2 and the count value N of the counting circuit 6,
By using a terminal that generates a signal when M=N and a terminal that generates a signal when M>N as shown in Figure 3k, a clearer bar graph can be printed as shown in Figure 4. It is something that can be done.

Furthermore, if M>N, a signal is applied to the heating elements at the top and bottom ends of the printer head 4, thereby making it possible to print a bar graph as shown in FIG.

The present invention has the above configuration, and according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Digital display and analog display can be easily and inexpensively achieved by simply adding a few electronic circuits to a conventional dot matrix printer.

(2) Since the pulse generator included in a conventional dot matrix printer is used as the pulse generator, the configuration can be extremely simplified.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a top view of printed paper printed by a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the same printer, Figs.
5A and 5B are top views of printed paper printed according to other embodiments of the present invention, respectively. 1...Input terminal, 2...Memory circuit, 3
...Motor, 4...Printer head, 5...Pulse generator, 6...Counting circuit, 7...Digital comparator , 8・
...Amplifier, 9...Digital display circuit, 11...Shift register, 12...
Character generator.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A memory circuit that stores a digital signal corresponding to a measured value, a pulse generation circuit that generates pulses, a counting circuit that stores the number of pulses generated from this pulse generation circuit, and a count value of this counting circuit and the above memory circuit. A dot matrix printer comprising: a digital converter that compares the stored digital signal and applies a signal to the printer head when at least the count value of the counting circuit matches the digital signal.