JPS589368B2 - dot matrix printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a dot matrix printer that displays various measured values digitally using numbers and the like, and also displays the measured values in analog form.

In general, this type of dot matrix printer includes thermal type and discharge type printers, in which a printer head equipped with multiple heating elements or discharge electrodes is moved back and forth, and during this period, any heating element or discharge electrode is sequentially touched. It applies signals to display numbers, letters, symbols, etc. as dots on printed paper.

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

The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional methods, and provides a dot matrix system that displays measured values in numbers as shown in Figure 1, as well as an analog display that allows you to instantly grasp the changes in bottom measurement values. It provides printers.

Figure 2 is a block diagram of the dot matrix printer of the present invention. In Figure 2, 1 is an input terminal to which a digital signal corresponding to a measurement value obtained by a measuring device is applied, and 2 is an input terminal to which this measurement value is applied. Up-down counter with preset function that can be stored in flip-flop, 3
is a motor for driving the printer head 4,
A pulse generator 5 is connected to the motor 3 and generates a halus as the motor 3 rotates.

Note that this pulse generating circuit 5 may be one that generates pulses as the printer head 4 moves.

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

7 is a digital converter, which turns on the gate circuit 8 when the count value of the counting circuit 6 reaches a specified value, applies the output of the pulse generator 5 to the up-down counter 2, and stores it in the up-down counter 2. This is to count down the data.

In FIG. 2, 9 is a circuit for displaying the numbers in FIG. 1, and this circuit 9 is composed of a decoder 10, a digit control circuit 11 consisting of a multiplexer or a shift register, and a character generator 12. .

13 is a digital comparator that generates a signal when the output of the up-down counter 2 becomes zero, and the output of this digital comparator 13 is sent to the amplifier 14.
is applied to the printer head 4 via.

Furthermore, in FIG. 2, 15 is a one-shot multivibrator for giving measurement commands and print commands, and signals from this one-shot multivibrator 15 are transmitted to the motor 3, pulse generator 5,
The voltage is applied to the counting circuit 6, up/down counter 2, and printer head 4, and only one line is printed.

Similarly, numeral 17 is an astable multivibrator for giving measurement commands and print commands, and the signal from this astable multivibrator 17 is applied to each of the circuits through the measuring circuit 16 to print a plurality of lines.

Next, the circuit operation of FIG. 2 will be explained together with the timing chart of FIG. 3.

First, a measurement and print start signal is generated from the one-shot multivibrator 15 via the control circuit 16 as shown in FIG. 3a, and during the period shown in FIG.
The data is applied to the up-down counter 2 from then on and stored in the flip-flop of the up-down counter 2.

After the period shown in FIG. 3b has passed, the motor 3 operates as shown in FIG. 3c, driving the printer head 4 and operating the pulse generator 6 to generate pulses as shown in FIG. 3d. do.

These pulses are counted by a counting circuit 6, and when the counted value reaches a specified value, the decoder 10 sequentially generates signals as shown in FIG. is digit-controlled via the digit control circuit 11 to address the character generator 12.

The character generator 12 generates a numerical signal corresponding to the address and applies it to the printer head 4 via the amplifier circuit 14, thereby printing the measured value on a printing paper as shown in FIG. 3i.

Next, when the counting circuit 6 counts the specified number, the digital converter 7 operates and the gate circuit 8 becomes conductive, and as shown in FIG. When the state of the up-down counter 2 becomes zero, a signal is generated from the digital comparator 13 as shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, a mark A1 is printed on the printing paper P at a location corresponding to the measured value.

That is, the printer of the present invention first displays a measured value digitally while moving the printer head from the left end to the right in FIG. 1, and then prints a mark at a location corresponding to the measured value for analog display.

By changing the control circuit 16, it is also possible to print analog displays as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6.

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

(1) In addition to displaying the measured values digitally, the measured values can also be displayed in analog form, so that accurate measured values can be grasped using the digital display, and changes in the measured values can be instantly grasped using the analog display.

(2) Since an up-down counter is used, the circuit configuration is simple because the digital comparator connected to the up-down counter can be a digital comparator that detects only the zero state.

(3) It can be easily implemented by adding a few circuits to a conventional dot matrix printer that only performs digital display.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a top view of printed paper printed with the printer of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a dot matrix printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figs. 3 a to 1 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the printer, and Figs. 4 to 6 are prints printed by other embodiments. FIG. 3 is a top view of the paper. 1...Input terminal, 2...Up/down counter, 3...Motor, 4...Printer head, 5...Pulse generation circuit ,6・
...Counting circuit, 7...Digital comparator, 8...Gate circuit, 10...
Decoder, 11...Taicit control circuit, 12...Character generator, 13.
...Digital converter, 14...
amplifier.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 An up-down counter that up-counts and memorizes digital signals corresponding to measured values, a pulse generation circuit that generates pulses as the motor that drives the printer head rotates, and a pulse generation circuit that counts the pulses of the above-mentioned pulse generation circuit. a digital display circuit that applies a digital signal stored in the up/down counter to the printer head via a character generator when the count value of the counting circuit reaches a specified value; a gate circuit for applying the output of the pulse generating circuit to the up/down counter to cause it to count down when the count value of reaches a specified value; and a gate circuit for generating a signal when the up/down counter reaches zero, A dot matrix printer equipped with a digital comparator that applies voltage to the printer head.