JP2001315738A - Label printer and controlling method for the label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a label printer or the like which can detect a jam caused by a mount with a printed label stuck to while a release mode is being performed. SOLUTION: A label 12 is determined to have been normally released from the mount 13 when an optical sensor 19 detects a normal movement of the mount 13 and an optical sensor 20 detects the label 12 in the label printer 10. On the other hand, if the optical sensor 19 detects the normal movement of the mount 13 but the optical sensor 20 does not detect the label 12, the label 12 is determined to have failed to release from the mount 13 normally, and the determination is output.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a label printer having a peeling function capable of peeling off a label from a backing paper after printing on a label releasably attached to the surface of the backing paper. The present invention also relates to a method for controlling such a label printer. In the present application, a mode in which the label is peeled off from the backing paper and supplied after printing on the label attached to the backing paper is referred to as a peeling mode.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been provided a label printer having a peeling function capable of peeling and supplying a printed label from a band-shaped backing paper. In such a label printer, a printed label is peeled off from the backing paper and supplied by designating a peeling mode using an operation panel or a controller (for example, a host computer).

[0003]

However, in a conventional label printer having a peeling function, it is difficult to know whether or not a printed label has been normally peeled off from the backing sheet during execution of the peeling mode. was there. Therefore, if the printed label does not peel off normally from the backing paper due to high printing speed, etc., the backing paper with the printed label attached will be sent, and furthermore, the remaining label will be removed from the backing paper. Sometimes caused jams.

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a label printer capable of monitoring that a printed label has been normally peeled from a backing sheet during execution of a peeling mode, and detecting and preventing a jam on the backing sheet. The purpose is to provide. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for controlling such a label printer.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a label printer according to the present invention is a label printer capable of executing a peeling mode, in which a backing sheet on which a label is stuck on a surface is moved in a first direction. Conveying means for conveying to a, a print head for printing on a label according to the supplied data,
A peeling member disposed downstream of the print head and configured to peel the printed label from the backing sheet during execution of the peeling mode, and a peeling member disposed downstream of the peeling member and different from the first direction in the peeling mode. A guide means for guiding the label in the second direction, and a first means for detecting the label peeled by the peeling member.
A second detector disposed downstream of the peeling member and detecting the movement of the backing sheet during execution of the peeling mode, and outputs of the first and second detectors during execution of the peeling mode And a controller for determining the peeled state of the printed label and the running state of the backing sheet based on the

A label printer control method according to the present invention is a label printer control method capable of executing a peeling mode, wherein (a) a carrier having a label attached to a surface thereof is conveyed in a first direction. (B) printing on a label according to the supplied data; and (c)
Guiding the backing sheet in a second direction different from the first direction to peel off the label from the backing sheet; (d) detecting the peeled label; and (e) removing the backing sheet in the second direction. And (f) determining a peeled state of the printed label and a running state of the backing sheet based on the detection results in steps (d) and (e).

In the present invention, if the printed label is not normally separated from the backing sheet during the execution of the peeling mode,
Even if the passage of the printed label is not detected, the movement of the mount is detected. At this time, it is determined that the printed label has not been properly separated from the backing paper, and the fact is output by a known means such as notification by an alarm or display on a display. Therefore, it is possible to know whether or not the printed label has been normally peeled off from the backing paper, and it is possible to detect and prevent a jam caused by the printed label not being properly peeled.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing a main configuration of the label printer according to the present embodiment, and shows an internal structure of the label printer by removing a housing of the label printer.

The label printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 prints on a label alone or under the control of a controller such as a host computer arranged outside the label printer 10 based on input data. Device. The data includes, for example, the type and size of the label, characters and figures to be printed on the label, a bar code (hereinafter, referred to as characters, etc.), the typeface of the characters to be printed on the label, and the size of the characters to be printed on the label. Is mentioned.

In order to specify the mode (including the peeling mode) of the label printer 10, a DIP switch may be provided on the operation panel, or a soft switch using a memory may be provided. Incidentally, the mode of the label printer 10 may be designated by the host computer.

In the label printer 10, a sheet (label continuous body) 11 composed of a number of labels 12 and a band-shaped mount 13 to which these labels 12 are attached is used. The sheet 11 is wound around a supply reel (supply reel) 14 rotatably arranged inside the label printer 10. The supply reel 14 applies back tension to the mount 13, and
To prevent loosening.

Here, the paper 11 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2A, a large number of labels 12 are attached to the surface of the mount 13 at regular intervals. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS.
An identification mark 15 is printed on the back surface of the label 3 at a position overlapping the leading end or the trailing end of the label 12 attached to the surface of the mount 13. The identification mark 15 has a light reflection characteristic different from that of the peripheral portion 70, and is used for determining a print start position on the label 12.

The description will be continued with reference to FIG. A platen roller 16 that transports the mount 13 from right to left is disposed downstream of the supply reel 14. A guide 17 is arranged between the supply reel 14 and the platen roller 16 so as to extend in the transport direction of the mount 13. The guide 17 regulates the position of the mount 13 in the width direction.

The supply reel 14 and the platen roller 1
6, an optical sensor 18 for detecting an identification mark printed on the back surface of the mount 13 is arranged. The detection result of the optical sensor 18 is used for determining a print start position on the label 12. Note that the detection result of the optical sensor 18 is
It can also be used for calculating the moving speed of the label 12 and the interval between adjacent labels 12. The details of the optical sensor 18 will be described later.

The label 1 is placed above the platen roller 16.
2, a thermal head 21 for printing characters and the like is arranged to be vertically movable. The thermal head 21 is, for example,
A large number of heating elements are arranged in a row along the width direction of the paper 11 (W direction in FIG. 2). When the thermal head 21 presses the label 12 against the platen roller 16 and each heating element generates heat, characters and the like corresponding to data input to the operation panel 30 or the host computer 40 are printed on the label 12.

On the downstream side of the platen roller 16, a peeling pin 22 is disposed as a peeling member for peeling the printed label 12 from the backing sheet 13 during execution of the peeling mode. Under the peeling pin 22, the backing paper 1 after the label has been peeled off
A pair of peeling rollers (guide rollers) 23 that guides 3 downward are rotatably arranged.

When the printed label 12 reaches the peeling pin 22 during the execution of the peeling mode, the mount 13 is guided by the peeling roller 23 and turns downward. At this time, the printed label 12 has a higher rigidity than the mount 13 and cannot follow the mount 13. Therefore, the release pin 22
In, the printed label 12 is peeled off from the backing 13 and proceeds to the left, while the backing 13 with the label removed is conveyed downward. At the time of peeling, the label 12 is stopped in a state where the rear end of the label 12 is located on the peeling pin 22, and the label 12 is issued.

Between the peeling pin 22 and the peeling roller 23, an optical sensor 19 for detecting the backing sheet 13 from which the label has been peeled off.
Is arranged. When one label 12 is peeled off and the next label 12 is transported onto the peeling pin 22 again, the identification mark of the mount 13 passes through the optical sensor 19.
Therefore, by detecting the passage of the identification mark by using the optical sensor 19, it can be confirmed that the backing paper is being transported reliably. On the other hand, when a jam of the mount 13 has occurred, the optical sensor 19 cannot detect the passage of the identification mark, so it can be determined that an abnormality has occurred in the conveyance of the mount 13. In this case, since the rear end of the label 12 is not located on the peeling pin 22, the label 12 was not correctly issued. In this manner, the detection result of the optical sensor 19 is used for determining whether or not the printed label 12 has been normally separated from the mount 13. When a host computer is connected, the peeling state can be notified from the label printer 10 to the host computer.

An optical sensor 20 for detecting the printed label 12 peeled from the backing 13 is provided to the left of the peeling pin 22.
Is arranged. After the optical sensor 20 detects the arrival of the printed label 12 peeled off from the mount 13, the next label 12 is removed until the label 12 is removed by hand or the like.
Is not printed. When the label 12 whose rear end is positioned on the peeling pin 22 is removed, the optical sensor 20 changes from the presence of the label to no label and can detect that the label 12 has been removed. to go into.

Here, the configuration and operation of the optical sensor will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, since the configurations of the optical sensors 18 to 20 are the same,
A description will be given taking the optical sensor 18 as an example.

The optical sensor 18 transmits a predetermined amount of light to the mount 13.
A light-emitting unit 24 configured by a light-emitting diode or the like that emits light toward the back surface of the mount 13;
And a light receiving unit 25 configured by a phototransistor or the like that receives light reflected on the back surface of the light emitting device and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the received light amount.

Accordingly, the light reflected by the identification mark 15 printed on the back surface of the mount 13 and the peripheral portion 7 of the identification mark 15
Since the light reflected at 0 has a different amount of light received by the light receiving unit 25, the light sensor 1
8 can detect the identification mark 15. Similarly, when the optical sensor 19 detects the identification mark, it is possible to detect the passage of the label-peeled backing paper.

In the case of the optical sensor 20, the amount of light received by the light receiving section of the optical sensor 20 differs before and after the printed label peeled off from the backing paper. That is, before reaching the printed label peeled from the backing paper, the optical sensor 2
The light emitted from the light emitting unit 0 does not reach the light receiving unit of the optical sensor 20. On the other hand, after reaching the printed label peeled off from the mount, the light emitted from the light emitting unit of the optical sensor 20 is reflected on the surface of the label, and then reaches the light receiving unit of the optical sensor 20. Therefore, based on the difference in the amount of light received before and after the printed label peeled off from the mount, the optical sensor 20
Can detect the arrival of the label.

In this embodiment, the optical sensors 18 to 20
Although a reflection type configuration is selected as the above, a transmission type configuration may be adopted. Further, the optical sensors 18 to 20 need not all have the same configuration. For example, the optical sensors 18 and 19 may be of a reflection type while the optical sensor 20 may be of a transmission type.

Each section of the label printer 10 described above is controlled by the control section 50 shown in FIG. Here, the control unit 50 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 50 includes a RAM (Ra
ndom AccessMemory) 51, ROM
(Read Only Memory) 52, CPU
(Central Processing Unit)
53, transport control circuit 54, thermal head control circuit 5
5, an identification mark detection circuit 56, a board detection circuit 57, a label detection circuit 58, an operation panel control circuit 59, an interface 60 and the like are incorporated. The data bus and the control bus are connected between the CPU 53 and each circuit.

In the RAM 51, the host computer 40
(For example, the type and size of the label, the typeface of the character to be printed on the label, the font of the character to be printed on the label, the size of the character to be printed on the label, etc.) are supplied via the interface 60 and the buffer area. Is stored. Further, the base point identification mark detection data and the base point identification mark detection flag are temporarily stored in the RAM 51. Further, the mode specified by the DIP switch or the software switch of the operation panel 30 is supplied to the RAM 51 via the operation panel control circuit 59 and is temporarily stored.

In the ROM 52, control programs for various main parts (not shown) of the label printer 10, various fixed data,
Control table data, IO constants, and the like necessary for controlling each part of the label printer 10 are recorded in advance. ROM5
The control program recorded in Step 2 includes a series of steps related to label printing, a step for determining a printing start position on the label, and whether or not the printed label has been normally peeled off the backing sheet during the peeling mode. Is determined.

The CPU 53 generates a control signal in accordance with the control program recorded in the ROM 52 and supplies the control signal to the transport control circuit 54. The transport control circuit 54 supplied with the control signal from the CPU 53 controls the platen roller 16 and the pair of peeling rollers 23 according to the signal. further,
The CPU 53 generates a control signal in accordance with the type and size of the label, the character to be printed on the label, the typeface of the character to be printed on the label, the size of the character to be printed on the label, and the like stored in the RAM 51, A control signal is supplied to the thermal head control circuit 55. The thermal head control circuit 55 supplied with the control signal from the CPU 53 drives the thermal head 21 according to the control signal.

Further, a detection signal corresponding to the detection result of the identification mark by the optical sensor 18 is supplied to the CPU 53 through an identification mark detection circuit 56. When the optical sensor 18 detects the identification mark printed on the back of the label,
U53 is set to determine the printing start position according to the label currently in use based on the type and size of the label stored in the RAM 51 with the position of the identification mark detected by the optical sensor 18 as a base point. I have.

Further, during execution of the peeling mode, the CPU 53 is supplied with a detection signal corresponding to the result of detection of the backing sheet by the optical sensor 19 via the backing sheet detection circuit 57 and outputs the detection signal of the label by the optical sensor 20 to the CPU 53 The corresponding detection signal is supplied via the label detection circuit 58. If the optical sensor 19 detects the normal movement of the backing sheet during the execution of the peeling mode and the optical sensor 20 detects the printed label partially peeled from the backing sheet, the CPU 53 determines that the printed label is normal from the backing sheet. Is determined to have peeled off.

On the other hand, during execution of the peeling mode, the optical sensor 1
CPU 9 detects that the mount has been moved normally, but the optical sensor 20 has not detected the printed label.
Determines that the printed label has not been properly separated from the backing paper, and outputs that fact. In response to this output result,
The host computer 40 can display a warning on the display that the printed label has not been properly separated from the backing paper, or can generate a warning sound to notify that.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, for example, a warning displayed on the operation panel 30 or the display of the host computer 40, a warning sound emitted from the host computer 40, a diagram installed on the label printer 10, or the like. By hearing a warning sound such as a known buzzer not shown,
The jam caused by the backing sheet with the printed label attached can be detected.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to know whether or not the printed label has been normally peeled off from the backing sheet during execution of the peeling mode. It is possible to detect and prevent a jam caused by not being peeled off normally.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a main configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the sheet of FIG. 1;
(A) is a diagram showing the front side of the sheet, (B) is an example showing the back side of the sheet, and (C) is another example showing the back side of the sheet.

FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the optical sensor shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control unit that controls main components of the label printer of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Label printer 11 Paper (continuous body of labels) 12 Label 13 Backing paper 15 Identification mark 16 Platen roller 18-20 Optical sensor 21 Thermal head 22 Peeling pin (peeling member) 23 Peeling roller (guide roller) 24 Light emitting part 25 Light receiving part 30 Operation Panel 40 Host computer 50 Control unit 70 Peripheral part of identification mark

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A label printer capable of executing a peeling mode, comprising: transport means for transporting, in a first direction, a backing sheet having a label attached to a surface thereof; and printing for printing on the label in accordance with supplied data. A head, a release member disposed downstream of the print head, for peeling a printed label from the backing sheet during execution of the release mode, a release member disposed downstream of the release member, and a first member in the release mode. Guide means for guiding a second direction different from the first direction, and a first means for detecting a label peeled by the peeling member.
A second detector disposed downstream of the peeling member and detecting movement of the mount while the peeling mode is being executed; and the first and second detectors being running during the peeling mode. And a controller for judging the peeled state of the printed label and the running state of the backing sheet based on the output of the label printer. 2. A specific region having a light reflection characteristic different from that of a peripheral region is formed on a back surface of the backing paper at a position overlapping a leading end or a trailing end of a label attached to the surface. A second detector that emits a predetermined amount of light; a light emitting unit that receives light reflected by the peripheral region or the specific region after the light is emitted from the light emitting unit; The label printer according to claim 1, further comprising: a light receiving unit that outputs a signal. 3. A control device, further comprising: a third detector disposed between the transporting means and the peeling member, for detecting the specific area based on a difference in light reflection characteristics. 3. The label printer according to claim 2, wherein a printing start position on the label is determined based on the specific area detected by the third detector. 4. A method of controlling a label printer capable of executing a peeling mode, comprising: (a) transporting a mount having a label attached to a surface in a first direction; and (b) supplying data. (C) guiding the mount in a second direction different from the first direction to peel the label from the mount, and (d) detecting the peeled label. (E) detecting the movement of the mount in the second direction; and (f) removing the printed label and running the mount based on the detection results in steps (d) and (e). Judge the following.