JPS589367B2 - dot matrix printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a dot matrix printer capable of displaying various measured values in numbers and the like as well as analog display of the measured values.

Generally, this type of dot matrix printer has
There are thermal type and discharge type printers, and while a printer head equipped with multiple heating elements or discharge electrodes is reciprocated, a signal is sequentially applied to any heating element or discharge electrode to print numbers and dots on printed paper. It displays 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 technology, and uses a dot matrix system that allows you to instantly grasp the state of change in measured values by displaying the measured values numerically and at the same time in analog form, as shown in Figure 1. It provides printers.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the printer of the present invention. In Fig. 2, 1 is an input terminal to which a binary signal corresponding to the measured value obtained by the measuring device is applied, and 2 is a terminal that temporarily stores the measured value. 3 is a motor for driving a printer head 4, and a pulse generator 5 is connected to this motor 3 to generate pulses as the motor 3 rotates.

Note that this pulse generating circuit 5 may be a pulse generating circuit that is triggered 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 the 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.

This is a circuit that displays the 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, and 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 with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG.

First, a measurement and print start signal is generated from the one-shot multivibrator 13 via the control circuit 14 as shown in FIG. 3a, and during the period shown in FIG.
A signal is applied to the memory 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, thereby printing 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 sequentially generates signals as shown in FIG. The data stored in 2 is applied to the printer head 4 via a multiplexer or shift register 11, a character generator 12, and an amplifier 8, and the measured values are sequentially printed on printing paper as shown in FIG. 3j. It is something.

As described above, analog display and digital display of measured values are performed simultaneously during one line transition of the printer bed.

Of the output terminals of the digital comparator 7 that compares the data M of the memory circuit 2 and the count value N of the counting circuit 6, the terminal that generates a signal when M=N and the terminal shown in FIG.
By using a terminal that generates a signal when M>N as shown in FIG. 4, it is possible to print a bar graph more clearly as shown in FIG.

If M>N, a signal is applied to the heating elements at the uppermost and lowermost ends of the printer head 4, a bar graph as shown in FIG. 5 can be printed.

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

(1) Measured values can be displayed numerically as well as in analog form.The numerical display allows accurate measured values to be grasped, and the analog display allows the state of change in measured values to be grasped instantaneously.

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

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a top view of printed paper by a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the same printer, FIGS.
Each figure is a top view of printed paper printed according to other embodiments of the present invention. 1...Input terminal, 2...Memory circuit, 3
...Motor, 4 ...Flinter 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 digital signals corresponding to measured values, a pulse generation circuit that generates pulses, a counting circuit that counts the number of pulses generated from this pulse generation circuit, and the counted value of this counting circuit and the above memory. a digital comparator that compares the digital signal stored in the circuit and applies a signal to the printer head when at least the count value of the counting circuit matches the digital signal; A dot matrix type printer comprising: a digital display circuit that applies a digital signal stored in the top layer storage circuit to the printer head via a character generator when the top layer reaches the top layer storage circuit.