JPS6256169A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To cerainly perform the operation of a carrier during printing operation immediately after a power source is turned on, by driving a motor at low speed and high torque after the power source is turned on to restore the carrier to a home position and subsequently driving the motor at the max. speed of usual printing to perform the warming-up of the motor and a transmission mechanism. CONSTITUTION:Unless a carrier is positioned at the home position, a motor driving part 6 is controlled to drive a carrier motor 10 at low speed and high torque and the carrier is subjected to restoring operation in the left direction by one step until positioned at the home position. Next, the carrier motor 10 is driven at the same speed as the max. speed in usual printing to move the carrier in the right direction. When a right overrun sensor 8 detects the carrier or the carrier 10 is driven by a preset predetermined pulse, now, the carrier motor 10 is reversed and the carrier is moved to left at the max. speed at the time of printing operation to finish warming-up operation. Thereafter, processing is carried out so as to start usual printing operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a printer that performs a printing operation by controlling the movement of a carrier on which a print head is mounted.

[Conventional Technology J] Conventionally, this type of printer drives a motor at low speed and high torque when the power is turned on, transmits the driving force to the carrier via a transmission mechanism such as a rubber belt or wire, and restores the carrier to its home position. After that, the normal printing operation is started.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in such printers, if the ambient temperature drops to near the temperature at which the printer is used, the mechanisms of each part of the printer, especially the comb belt and wires that make up the transmission mechanism. etc. become stiff, and restoring the carrier alone will not allow the transmission mechanism to move smoothly.
For this reason, when the motor operates at high speed during the printing operation immediately after the 2f3Et is turned on, the mechanical section cannot follow the movement, resulting in a phenomenon called step-out, which causes the carrier to stop moving.

This invention was made to solve such problems, and i! To provide a printer that can ensure the operation of a carrier in a printing operation immediately after turning on a power source, and can always perform a smooth and reliable printing operation.

[Means for solving the problem] This invention transmits the driving force of the motor 3! In a printer that performs printing by controlling the print head by transmitting the signal to the carrier mounted with the print head through a mechanism and moving the carrier along the line, after the power is turned on, the motor is driven at low speed and high torque to move the carrier to the home position. The printer is provided with means for heli-restoring, and means for driving the motor at the maximum speed for normal printing to move the carrier back and forth at least once over a predetermined distance following the restoration to the home position by this means.

[Function] In the present invention having such a configuration, after the power is turned on, the motor is driven at low speed and high torque to heli-store the carrier at the home position, and then the motor is driven at the maximum speed for normal printing to control the motor and transmission mechanism. After the warm-up is performed, normal printing operation is started.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

A power supply g! that outputs a DC voltage to the AC power supply 1 via the N source switches 2a and 2b. Section 3 is connected.

A DC voltage is supplied from the power supply section 3 to the control section 4, print drive section 5, and motor drive section 6.

A home position sensor 7 and a write overrun sensor 8 are connected to the control section 4 .

A print head 9 mounted on a carrier is connected to the print drive section 5. The motor drive unit 6 includes a carrier motor 10 that controls the movement of the carrier along the inside parallel to the platen via a transmission mechanism such as a rubber belt or wire, and a paper feed motor 11 that controls feeding of the paper wound around the platen. are connected.

The Ill 8 unit 4 is an RO that stores program data.
It consists of a print buffer that stores M, print data, and a CPIJ that forms the core of the control section. After the power is turned on, the control section 4 performs a second printing operation before starting the normal printing operation.
Perform the initial processing shown in the figure.

This process first controls the motor drive section 6 to match the paper feed motor 11, and then checks the state of the home position sensor 7 to determine whether the carrier is at the home position. If the carrier is not located at the home position, the motor drive unit 6 is controlled to drive the carrier motor 10 at low speed and high torque to restore the carrier one step to the left until it is located at the home position. When the carrier is located at the home position, the carrier motor 10 is then driven at the same speed as the maximum speed for normal printing to move the carrier to the right. Then, when the write overrun sensor 8 detects the carrier or the carrier motor 10 is driven by a preset pulse, the carrier motor 10 is reversed and the carrier is moved to the left at the maximum speed during printing operation, and the carrier returns to the home position. Position carrier motor 10
When the carrier is driven by a predetermined number of pulses, this warm-up operation is completed, and if the carrier is not located at the home position, the carrier is further positioned at the home position, the carrier is stopped, and then a normal printing operation is started.

In the embodiment of the present invention having such a configuration, when the N source is turned on, the carrier is first restored to its home position, but then the carrier motor 10 is driven at high speed to restore the carrier to normal printing operation. The carrier is warmed up by making one reciprocating movement from side to side at the maximum speed. This loosens the stiffness of the mechanical part of the transmission mechanism, allowing the carrier motor 10, the transmission mechanism, and the carrier to move smoothly during printing operations, allowing reliable printing operations. Furthermore, even if a step-out phenomenon occurs during this warm-up, since printing is not in progress, there is no risk of any trouble in printing, and the user can simply turn the power back on and perform the warm-up operation again.

In this way, the operation of the carrier can be ensured before starting the printing operation.

In the actual flow example described above, the carrier is warmed up by moving back and forth once, but the carrier is not necessarily limited to this, and the carrier may be moved back and forth several times.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a printer that can ensure the operation of the carrier during the printing operation immediately after the power is turned on, and that can always perform smooth and reliable printing operations. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a circuit block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is a flowchart showing the initial processing after the Ii source is turned on in the same embodiment. 4... Control unit, 5... Print drive unit, 6... Motor drive unit, 9... Print head, 10... Carrier motor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a printer that transmits the driving force of a motor to a carrier on which a print head is mounted via a transmission mechanism and controls the carrier's movement along a line to perform printing, the motor is driven at low speed and high torque after power is turned on. means for restoring the carrier to the home position by the means; and means for driving the motor at the maximum speed for normal printing to move the carrier back and forth at least one predetermined distance after restoring the carrier to the home position by this means. A printer characterized by comprising: