JPS6018353A - magnetostrictive printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To produce letter form not only Japanese but also many other languages, by a method wherein a magnetostrictive vibrator of a printing head is distributed in plane. CONSTITUTION:Ultrasonic vibration device is made by application of material growth and etching method to be used in processing of integrated circuit throughout multiple layers. Numerals at left side designate the layer number. F1 and F2 designate iron growth portion, and material for a magnetostrictive vibrator of nickel designated by N is grown thereon. Portions F1, F2, N constitute the path for magnetic flux, and direct current to produce the magnetic polarization to F2 flows in C1, C2, C3. Alternating current is superposed to the direct current, thereby flux variation is produced at F2 and N of nickel having continuous magnetostrictive characteristics is vibrated in continuation to F2.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Crossroads! The present invention relates to a magnetostrictive printer that belongs to printers used in communication or information processing.

2. Description of the Related Art Printers are indispensable output devices in the fields of communication and information processing, and have conventionally been of type type, dot impact type, thermal type, inkjet type, or electrophotographic type. These have been studied in order to meet the demands for higher speed, lower cost, flexibility in glyph selection, and easier handling. Of these methods, the printed method has been popular since the beginning. This is because it is low cost and easy to handle, but it requires a printing hammer with a specific character shape and a structure mechanism to stop it, and it is not flexible in terms of speed and character shape selection, so it is rarely used when handling Japanese characters. It was of no use. In addition, typeface serial printers have been in use since before information processing became widespread, and as electronics technology has been applied to replace complex metal structures, the structure has become leaner and more streamlined. . In particular, the coloring method using an ink ribbon has a long experience and is easier to handle than other types of printers.

The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances.
In particular, it eliminates the drawbacks of the movable type printer, makes it possible to create character shapes not only for Japanese characters but also for many other languages, and thereby eliminates the need for moving parts for printing or selecting character shapes. In addition, by applying the high controllability of microfabrication technology used to create integrated circuits for the type-type serial printers mentioned above to creating the type structure, and using ultrasonic waves with unique physical properties. It produces color.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The configuration of the present invention will be described below based on examples.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a typeface serial printer according to the present invention. In the figure, the portion consisting of BUS, PU, MPX, and RES drives and interlocks the structural portions of the serial printer consisting of ① to 0. The PU is a processing unit that performs sensing, and the PU is a processing unit that executes a program that constitutes the functions of a serial printer. The final instruction of this program executes an interrupt clock special instruction and pauses. The drivers that directly drive each part of the printer structure are DI, Dz,
D3. D4, and S is a sensor that detects the movement of the structure. These devices are numbered from 1 to 4.
Jl: connected to PU, MPX, RES in the circuit
Transfers instructions from U and sense signals to PU. R.E.
S has a PU and each of the above devices, and the addresses of each area are read out in the order in which they were recorded. The PU addresses and records each partial address area associated with the drivers D+, Dz, D3, and D4, and S and L address and record the partial address areas of the PU. Dz, Dz, D3, and D4 each read from their own partial address area and drive the structure for which they are respectively responsible. M P'X allocates the rights to access the RES to the PU and each device in the form of time-shared slots. The clock of this system is synchronized with the clock supplied from the data source connected to the L device.

Structural parts ■ to 0 shown in Figure 1 indicate the basic components for printing on the paper ■, and ■ is a printing mechanism that directs the printing surface to the paper ■ with respect to the ink ribbon and its cassette. The structure ``■'' which is a combination of ``■'' and ``2'' is connected to the carriage feed screw ``■'' which carries this printing section, and moves while being supported by the guide shaft ``■''. The part consisting of (2) and (2) includes a processing part for coloring the print information configured by the LSI on the paper surface, and the information is transferred from the PU via D4. (2) is a drive motor for the carriage feed screw, (2) is operated by a platen knob (2) via a belt (2).

FIG. 2 shows details of the printing mechanism consisting of ■ and ■ in FIG. 1, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a plan view. In FIG. 2, there is a ribbon cassette that feeds out the ink ribbon. [phase], no.

The part C is a system that absorbs ink droplets scattered during printing, as will be described later, and the part C and the part C are suction ports located below and above the printing surface 1. 0 and [phase] air meet at the O part and enter the O condenser. The power for this airflow is provided by a [phase] blower.

and released in the direction of [phase]. During this time, the ink droplets contained in the air condense and liquefy and return to the ink reservoir of the ink ribbon cassette. The other is printing paper, and the ink ribbons are facing each other in the curved state shown in FIG. The ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the printing mechanism 0 to the paper ``phase'' in the form of a printed character.Next, this ultrasonic source will be explained.

It is constructed by distributing pixels consisting of an ultrasonic vibration device that transmits ultrasonic waves in the direction of the surface plane and zero shown in FIG. 2. The ink ribbon is excited by the ultrasonic waves sent from the [phase] and vibrates. The paper should have physical conditions that make it insensitive to ultrasonic waves. These physical conditions will be described later. The ink droplets scattered by the vibration of the zero adhere to the stationary paper, and the remaining ink droplets are absorbed by the glue and [phase] in FIG.

Figure 3 shows one configuration of an ultrasonic vibration device distributed on the plane of Figure 2, which is made by applying the material growth and etching method used when processing integrated circuits over multiple layers. It is what it is. The numbers on the left side of FIG. 3 indicate layer numbers and show a cross section of the vibrating device perpendicular to the [phase] plane of FIG. 2. Fl in Figure 3
and F2 is a portion on which iron is grown, and on this is grown a material such as N, which will become a magnetostrictive oscillator, such as nickel. F
The part 1+F2+N forms a path for magnetic flux to pass through, and a direct current that generates magnetic polarization in F2 is passed through C, t, C2, and C3, and by superimposing alternating current on this, a change in magnetic flux is caused in F2. is generated and connected to F2 to vibrate N, which is made of nickel and has magnetostrictive characteristics.

In Fig. 3, the diagonally shaded area that slopes to the right is the area formed by growing an insulator.The electronic circuit that forms the circuit for driving CI + C2 and C3 is formed in layers 2 and 3, and the above is formed in layer 5. Perform wiring necessary for circuit operation. In order to pass a connecting line from another layer to the five layers for this wiring, it is necessary to melt the periphery of the conductor forming the connecting line with an insulator in each layer.

In addition, in Figure 3, the magnetostrictive vibrator made of nickel (N) is formed separately for each vibrating device, and by applying an excitation force to these vibrating devices separately, each can perform its own vibration. . The circuit for passing the alternating current that provides this excitation force is created by a flip-flop, which is an electronic circuit built in two and three layers, and a switching transistor. All of the flip-flops compatible with the vibration differential gear are connected in the form of a shift register, and this shift register is an element of the flip-flop.
An array of N and OFF is driven to form a character.

Figures 4 to 6 are diagrams for explaining the structures of coils cl and C2+C3, but since these structures are the same, the method for configuring these coils will be explained below by explaining C1. reveal.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of the coil C1 when the layers are stacked in a direction perpendicular to the [phase] plane of FIG. 2, and the structure of the lowest layer of the coil is as shown in FIG. 5. [Phase] in Figure 5 shows the same part as ■ in Figure 4, and is the conductor part grown toward the upper layer to connect the coil O in Figure 5 to the coil in the next layer. The coils of the layer are connected to ■ and configured counterclockwise, leaving a gap between 0) and ■ in Figure 4 to form a conductor for connection to the coil of a further layer. The part e in Figure 5 is the end of the lowest layer coil and maintains an insulated gap from the part 0.This part is connected to the conductor extending to the lower layer of layer 5 in Figure 3. Connected to wiring.

FIG. 6 shows the lowest layer of the coil. In a different part, a conductor is grown from the lowest coil directly below, a 0 is grown on this, and if this is traced counterclockwise, it reaches a part. In this layer, the outer coil of C1, i.e. 02 in FIG.
In order to connect to , the @ part is grown and the 0 part is connected to 02. The O and @ parts are the O and @ in Figure 4.
The C2 coil is wound in the opposite direction to the C1 coil, leaving a gap between the two coils from the bottom layer.
From the connection to the 5th coil, trace clockwise leaving a gap 0 and ending at 0, which is connected to the conductor grown from the wiring in layer 5 of FIG. Third
The 9th to 14th layers in the figure generate magnetic flux in the magnetic paths Fl and F2, and the magnetostrictive vibrator is formed above the 14th layer. N in FIG. 3 is made of a material having a magnetostrictive effect, such as nickel, and is formed separately for each vibration device, so that each vibration device can perform its own vibration.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the process for forming a structure such as a double series, and in (a), the part consisting of an insulator S and iron F2 in layer 14 in FIG. Then, in (b), an etching process is performed using a mask pattern to mask the portion connected to F2. In (e), material G is made entirely of silicon.
CF4.G in (c) is formed using a mask pattern that masks the area other than the N part in (b). CF4 +02
, CF4 + N2 or the like to create the material distribution shown in (d). Thereafter, by repeating steps (a) to (d), structure (e) is created.

Next, as shown in (f), the semiconductor portion G is etched away using the above gas to the insulating material layer S.
This makes the nickel part independent. If S is, for example, 5i02, then the 1-th etching gas has almost no effect.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of pixel devices distributed on the printing surface on the printing surface opposite to the paper surface (■) for the ribbon 0 in FIG. In this method, a mask pattern is created so that the structure shown in FIG. 3 is repeatedly formed on the printing surface. The magnetic excitation circuit of the magnetostrictive vibrator for each pixel device produced in this manner is illustrated in FIG. This circuit is created using a method of forming an amorphous material in layers 2 and 3 in Figure 3, with a spatial distribution such that p-type and n-type impurity semiconductors, insulators, and conductors are in contact with each other on a plane that intersects the layer plane. It is something that can be done. In FIG. 8, F is a flip-flop circuit that connects similar circuits of adjacent pixel devices and terminals si, R.

and S2. F is connected by R2 in a shift register manner and driven by a shift pulse. Transistors A and B are driven by F and connect the circuits of the super-working coils C1, C2, and C3 of the vibrator N. In the connected state, alternating current is supplied from an oscillator called O20, which is an external common circuit, and the permanent magnetic polarization generated in N is changed by the direct current component from the power supply -E, causing mechanical vibration in N. be.

By turning off F in the shift register constituted by F in FIG. 8, it becomes possible to control the pattern formed on the printing surface into the shape of a Japanese character.
In this case, ultrasonic waves can be generated from the printed surface in the above character shape.

There is a second field in the ultrasonic field that forms the character shape generated from the printing surface.
There is a sheet of paper with an ink ribbon of 0 as shown in Figure (b). It is necessary to scatter the ink from the ink ribbon into small droplets only in the part of the ultrasonic field that forms the character shape, and then attach the droplets to the paper 0 to develop color into the character shape. For this purpose, the paper needs to stand still and the ink ribbon needs to vibrate. In such a state, the ink on the ink ribbon becomes small droplets due to development similar to cavitation caused in the liquid by ultrasonic waves, scatters, and adheres to the paper surface. In order to prevent the paper surface from being sensitive to ultrasonic waves, it is possible to make the paper surface closely contact the platen (phase) shown in Figure 1 so that the platen is not sensitive to ultrasonic waves, but the paper does not necessarily come into close contact with the platen surface. Yes, a void is created. It is necessary to find conditions under which the paper can stand still in this state.

In FIG. 9, it is assumed that portions a and C are air, and both have a specific acoustic impedance of ρICI. Assume that part b is a barrier made of a material different from air, such as paper. At this time, the ultrasonic transmittance βt is β1=−111−−−−−−−−−−−−−−4c
o s k l + (shi'sat+'''±)2sin2
kipICI R2C2. Here, kQ is given by =2πf/C2, and f is the frequency of the ultrasonic wave.

Therefore, setting cos2kQ=1 is also cos2k17
=o can also be achieved by choosing the ultrasound frequency, wall thickness, and medium constant 02. cos2
When kQ=1, the transmittance is 1 and the barrier vibrates with the ultrasound,
In CO52kQ-〇, 5in2kO=1 and ρ
2C2 is normally larger than that of air, and βt
is almost O and the wall is stationary. The paper is cos2k
Q, = 0, and the ribbon is selected so that 'Q' = 1 in cos2.

Immediately after printing, small droplets that do not stick to the paper scatter and cause stains, but these are absorbed by the blower (phase) in Figure 2, liquefied by the condenser (C), and returned to the ink reservoir in the cabinet. do.

Next, the information processing method for configuring the function of exciting the magnetostrictive devices distributed on the printing surface will be described.

In order to print Japanese characters on paper, it is necessary to have sufficient pixel density on the printing surface. Assume now that the printing surface facing the paper O in FIG. 2 is composed of 2025 pixels. Therefore, these 202
A memory device is provided for every 5 pixels, and this is 202
Five are connected in tandem to form a shift register.

Assuming that the Japanese alphabet has approximately 2,000 characters, 11 bits are required to identify the 2,000 characters by encoding each character. Then, it is necessary to determine the arrangement of 2025 pixels for each of the 211 codes. If the number of pixels on the printing surface is 211, it is 211.
This requires a memory system that functions as a dictionary that outputs a code sequence consisting of 211 bits for each index character. If such a memory system is D4 in FIG. 1, by transferring an index character from the processing unit PU in FIG. 1 to D4, the D4 output consists of 211 bits addressed by the index character. Memory contents appear bit serially starting from the area. Therefore, in the memory system D4, the address bus consists of 22 bits and the output consists of 1 bit, and the upper 11 digits of the address bus are the index characters transferred from the PU, that is,
The lower 11 digits of the printed characters form a counter that counts up to the highest value using the built-in clock in D4 and then stops. The memory contents of D4 can be predetermined so that some kind of transmission frame is formed to facilitate synchronization when the code sequence output from D4 is transferred to the printing section according to such addressing.

It is appropriate that the print pattern dictionary is constituted by a read-only memory or the like. The capacity of the low-speed mask ROM is 1M.
The access time for each bit is several ps, but in order to create a 2'' bit memory using this memory, four ROMs are required.Reading 211 bits from this memory in a bit serial manner is It takes 10m5 to transfer to the printing section.To make such a ROM, first,
It is necessary to create a mask pattern, but for this purpose a system consisting of four ROMs is simulated on a computer that controls the artwork of the mask pattern. The method for creating a print pattern dictionary will be described in more detail. The printing surface shown at O in Figure 2 (b) is 45 x 45
= Draw a letter shape on a sheet of paper with 2025 squares. This drawing will have about 2000 characters, which is the number of alphabets. For each drawing, perform the following operations to create input data to the computer system. First, the run length of each row of the drawing square is measured and that row is encoded.

Next, the encoded contents are recorded in a file on the computer by typing them on the keyboard.

The computer processing program reads the contents of the file, decodes the encoding of each character and line, creates a bit series, and increments the address of the dictionary memory each time it counts bits. In this case, since the dictionary memory is composed of four ROMs,
This address logic is simulated. Then, the ROM de/in/data database is indexed using the value corresponding to each ROM address and the above-mentioned decoding bit at that time to create artwork data for producing an integrated circuit.

FIG. 10 shows the internal structure of the dictionary memory system, ie, D4 of FIG. 1. Each of ROMI to ROM4 is a read-only memory of about IMb, and the recorded contents thereof are determined by the method described above for determining a mask for producing an integrated circuit. The code of the print character is applied to the terminal C using 11 bits and recorded in the register R2. R1 and R2 form registers for addressing the memory ROM, ~ROMa, and R
The partial digit 1 forms a binary counter, and C
Count the pulses gated with the signal G from the clock terminal L. Upper 2 of address registers R, R2
The digits are decoded by DEC and stored in ROMI~ROM4
One of these bits is specified and the ROM address specified by the other bits of RI R2 is performed. The address contents are output from the OUT terminal.

Construction - Section As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, wasteful points in the distribution of structures occupying space are eliminated, and approximately 20
It can print a Japanese text consisting of the 00 characters of the alphabet, and the printing speed is about 20 characters per second.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a device for positioning according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of the parts according to the invention, and FIGS. 3 to 7 form the structure of parts according to the invention. FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are diagrams for explaining the operating principle of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the structure of the electronic circuit section forming a part of the present invention. Show the diagram. ■...Motor, ■...Carriage feed screw, ■...
・Carriage, ■...Ink reservoir, 0...Print paper, [Phase]...Blower, [Phase]...Printing mechanism, 0...
・Ink ribbon, [phase]...Ultrasonic vibration device. Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 flCIP2C2PICl

Claims (7)

[Claims] (1) A magnetostrictive printer characterized in that a print head is configured by magnetostrictive vibrators distributed on a plane. (2) The print head is constructed by constructing an ultrasonic generating device by growing a conductor, a semiconductor, an insulator, and a magnetostrictive material so as to be in contact with each other with a plane that intersects a plane that forms the zero layer as a boundary. A magnetostrictive printer according to claim 1, characterized in that: (3) The magnetostrictive printer according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the print head is opposed to the paper with an ink ribbon interposed therebetween. (4) The magnetostrictive printer according to claim 1, wherein the magnetostrictive vibrator of the print head is excited in a selected character shape. (5) The magnetostrictive printer according to claim 4, wherein the character shape is selected by an electronic circuit device corresponding to an ultrasonic generating device. (6) The address bus and read output of each of the plurality of read-only memories are selected by an address register whose upper digits are coded bits of the printed character and whose lower digits are registers representing the clock count number; The first claim is characterized in that it addresses
Magnetostrictive printer described in Section 1. (7) Character shapes are encoded and recorded in a computer file using a run-length method, and the recorded content of the read-only memory is determined by logic that addresses the read-only memory. magnetostrictive printer.