JP2011180544A - Tape member, tape cassette, and printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tape member for easily generating a label being stuck at a prescribed angle with respect to a reference direction on a sticking object. <P>SOLUTION: A printer includes: a conveying means; a printing means; a cutting means; and a control means which conveys the tape member composed of a printing tape and a releasing tape 34 by the conveying means, performs printing in an area of a prescribed length L of the tape member by the printing means, and stops the operation of the conveying means when the end of the area is conveyed to the position of the cutting means to cut the area of the tape member by the cutting means. In the releasing tape 34, cutting lines 36 for cutting the releasing tape 34 is provided at a prescribed pitch α along a tape length direction in full width in the tape width direction while being inclined at a prescribed angle θ with respect to the tape width direction, and a plurality of reference lines 35 perpendicular to the tape length direction are provided between the cutting lines 36, and the prescribed length L is equal to or longer than the length of the prescribed pitch α added with the area length γtanθ in the tape length direction covering the entire cutting line 36. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention is a tape member used to create a label to be attached at a desired angle with respect to a reference direction of an object to be attached by a printing apparatus, a tape cassette that accommodates the tape member, and the tape cassette is loaded. The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that creates the label using the tape member housed in a tape cassette.

  A tape member formed by laminating a printing tape and a release tape is accommodated in a tape cassette, and this tape cassette is loaded into a housing, and characters or characters input from a keyboard or other devices are output. There is a printing apparatus that can create a unique label by printing a pattern or the like on a tape member. Conventionally, this printing apparatus prints on a tape member, cuts off the printed portion to create a label, and when the created label is pasted on a predetermined sticking target, a predetermined reference direction is set on the sticking target. The label was attached so that the direction of the label was aligned with the reference direction.

  For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-170624 (Patent Document 1) proposes a tape member for producing a label. The tape member in this proposal is configured by placing a second release tape having one side as a release surface and the other side as a weak adhesive surface between a print tape having a strong adhesive surface on the back side of the print surface and a release tape. is doing. A label created by a printing device using this tape member can be used to temporarily stick a label to a sticking object using its weak adhesive surface, and the sticking position and direction of the label are strongly stuck by the temporary sticking. It can be adjusted before this sticking using the surface. That is, first peel off the release tape and temporarily apply the label to the application target with the weak adhesive surface of the second release tape. Whether the label application position is appropriate in this temporary application state, or whether the label is parallel to the reference direction If there is a problem with the position and direction of application, re-apply the label and correct the application position and direction, and then peel off the second release tape to expose the strong adhesive surface and perform this attachment. . Thus, since the label created using the tape member of the above-mentioned patent document 1 can be reattached using the weak adhesive surface, it looks good in the reference direction at a desired position on the object to be attached. You can stick labels well.

JP-A-11-170624

  As described above, conventionally, consideration has been given to attaching a label to a sticking target with the sticking direction aligned with the reference direction of the sticking target. However, the created label is not always attached with the direction aligned in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction to be applied. That is, as one of the uses of labels, when sticking labels on windows and walls, such as POP labels, etc., to get attention, to emphasize display contents, or to eliminate stiffness, etc. In some cases, a label is attached obliquely with respect to a horizontal direction or a vertical direction as a reference.

  However, since conventional printing devices and tape members are not particularly considered for creating labels to be attached obliquely with respect to the reference direction of the object to be applied, labels suitable for such applications are prepared. It was not possible to do so, and the label was pasted on the object to be pasted at an inclination angle appropriately registered.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and a tape member used for creating a label to be attached at a desired angle with respect to a reference direction on an object to be attached, and this For the purpose of providing a tape cassette that accommodates a tape member, and a printing device that can easily create a label to be attached at a desired angle with respect to a reference direction to be attached by using the tape member. Yes.

  The invention of claim 1 is loaded into a printing device and printed by the printing device, and is cut into at least a predetermined length in a direction orthogonal to the tape length direction, and a separation portion by the cutting is applied to a predetermined sticking object. A tape member having a predetermined width that is used as a label that is attached at a predetermined angle with respect to a predetermined reference direction, the front surface of which is a printing surface printed by the printing device, and the back surface of which is an adhesive layer formed And a release tape that is attached to the print tape with a release surface superimposed on the adhesive surface side of the print tape, and the release tape has a cutting line for cutting the release tape. The tape is provided at a predetermined pitch along the tape length direction by tilting the predetermined angle with respect to the tape width direction perpendicular to the tape length direction. Characterized in that it is a length obtained by adding the tape length direction of a region length covering the entirety of the cutting line the length of the pitch.

  In the invention of claim 2, the reference direction of the sticking object or the reference when the label is stuck to the sticking object between the adjacent cutting lines on the peeling surface side of the peeling tape of the tape member. A reference line for alignment in a direction orthogonal to the direction is provided in a direction orthogonal to or parallel to the tape length.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tape cassette that is detachably attached to the printing apparatus and that houses the tape member according to the first or second aspect.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus comprising: a cassette loading unit in which the tape cassette is detachably loaded; a conveying unit that pulls and conveys the tape member from the tape cassette loaded in the cassette loading unit; A printing unit that performs printing on the tape member that is conveyed by a conveying unit, a cutting unit that cuts the tape member in a direction perpendicular to the tape length direction, and the tape member that is conveyed by the conveying unit, and the tape member The printing means performs printing on the area of the predetermined length, and when the edge of the area is conveyed to the position of the cutting means, the cutting means cuts the area of the tape member by the conveying means. Control means for stopping the operation of the means.

  According to the tape member of the present invention configured as described above, printing is performed by a printing device, cut into a predetermined length to form a label, and one of the peeling tape pieces divided into a plurality of lines by the cutting line is once peeled off from the adhesive surface of the label After that, the edge of the release tape piece along the tape length direction is abutted against the inclined edge formed by the cutting line of the release tape piece remaining on the label, and is attached again, and the release tape is attached again. By applying the label as a guideline for aligning the reference line appearing on the edge of the strip along the tape width direction or the peeled surface with respect to the reference direction of the object, The tape member for producing the label which can perform the sticking operation | work of the label stuck at a predetermined angle easily can be provided. Moreover, according to the tape cassette of this invention, the tape member for producing the label which can perform a sticking operation | work easily by accommodating the tape member and mounting | wearing with a printing apparatus can be handled easily. In addition, according to the printing apparatus of the present invention, by performing printing using the tape member and creating a label having a predetermined length, the pasting operation for pasting at a predetermined angle with respect to the reference direction of the target to be pasted is easily performed. Labels can be created.

1 is a plan view of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the internal enlarged view of the said printing apparatus, and the perspective view of a tape cassette. It is a block diagram of the electronic circuit of the said printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the state which stuck the horizontal writing label produced with the said printing apparatus on the sticking object. It is a figure which shows the state which stuck the vertical writing label produced with the said printing apparatus on the sticking object. It is a perspective view of the tape member which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and a figure which shows the peeling surface of a peeling tape. It is a figure shown about the usage method of the label produced with the said printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the peeling surface of the peeling tape of the said tape member. It is a flowchart which shows the control flow in the case of producing a label with the said printing apparatus. It is explanatory drawing of the sticking operation | work of a horizontal writing label and a vertical writing label.

  Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a printing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an appearance of a tape cassette 21 used in the printing apparatus 1 and a part of an internal structure of the printing apparatus 1. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the printing apparatus 1.

  The printing device 1 of the present embodiment is a device that prints a character string or the like on a tape member 31 and creates a label to be attached to an object to be attached. Thus, a label to be attached at a predetermined angle can be easily created. Hereinafter, the printing apparatus 1, the tape member 31, and the tape cassette 21 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus 1 includes a hollow, substantially rectangular parallelepiped casing 2. The printing apparatus 1 includes various keys and buttons as the input unit 3 from the center of the upper surface of the housing 2 to the vicinity of the front surface. Furthermore, the printing apparatus 1 includes a liquid crystal display device as the display unit 4 from the center on the upper surface of the housing 2 to the vicinity of the back surface.

  The printing apparatus 1 also includes a tape discharge port 7 through which the tape member 31 printed on the right side surface of the housing 2 is discharged out of the housing 2. Although not shown, the printing apparatus 1 also includes an input terminal for connecting to an external device such as a personal computer, a power supply terminal to which a power cord is connected, and an insertion slot into which a storage medium such as a memory card is inserted. Yes. Further, the printing apparatus 1 includes a cassette loading unit 8 shown in FIG. 2 for attaching and detaching the tape cassette 21 to the bottom of the housing 2 and a lid that covers the opening of the cassette loading unit 8.

  The input unit 3 is a character input key for inputting character data, a print key for instructing the start of printing, a cursor key for moving the cursor on the display screen of the display unit 4, various types for performing print mode setting and various setting processes. Consists of control keys. Further, the display unit 4 displays characters based on the input character data, selection menus for various settings, messages regarding various processes, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a cassette loading unit 8 for loading a tape cassette 21 containing a tape member 31 and an ink ribbon 38 is formed inside the casing 2 of the printing apparatus 1. The cassette loading unit 8 includes a printing mechanism 61 including a thermal head 11 as a printing unit that performs printing on the tape member 31 while the tape member 31 is being conveyed, and a platen roller 12 as a conveying unit.

  Further, a cassette receiving portion 15 for supporting the tape cassette 21 at a predetermined position is formed in the cassette loading portion 8, and the cassette receiving portion 15 has a cassette case 22 when the tape cassette 21 is loaded. A plurality of cassette discriminating switches 44 are provided corresponding to the cassette discriminating portion formed in the engaged portion 29 of the engaged portion, and the cassette discriminating switch 44 engages with the cassette discriminating portion of the tape cassette 21 and selectively turns on / off. Thus, the type of the tape member 31 stored in the tape cassette 21 is discriminated. Further, at one end of the cassette loading portion 8, a tape discharge port 7 that leads to the outside of the housing 2 is formed. The tape discharge port 7 cuts a tape member 31 in which a printing tape and a release tape are laminated. A tape cutter 17 is incorporated.

  The tape cassette 21 includes a cassette case 22.In the cassette case 22, a tape core 23 in which a tape member 31 having a predetermined width is wound, a ribbon supply core 24 in which an unused ink ribbon 38 is wound, Ribbon take-up cores 25 for taking up the used ink ribbon 38 are accommodated. Further, the cassette case 22 is formed with a head placement portion 27 where the thermal head 11 is located when the tape cassette 21 is loaded in the cassette loading portion 8. Further, an engaged portion 29 that is engaged with and supported by the cassette receiving portion 15 of the cassette loading portion 8 is formed at the corner of the cassette case 22. The engaged portion 29 is provided with a cassette identifying portion formed in a predetermined shape according to the type of the tape member 31 stored in the tape cassette 21.

  In this printing apparatus 1, when printing is instructed, the platen roller 12 is driven, and the tape member 31 and the ink ribbon 38 are fed out from the tape cassette 21 and conveyed to the printing position of the thermal head 11. The At the print position, the thermal head 11 is driven to generate heat based on the print data, and the ink on the ink ribbon 38 is thermally transferred to the tape member 31 to print on the tape member 31. When printing on the tape member 31 is completed, the tape member 31 is further conveyed by driving the platen roller 12, the printed portion is discharged to the outside from the tape discharge port 7, and the tape member is cut in the width direction by the tape cutter 17. The

  Next, the circuit configuration of the printing apparatus 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the printing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 40 as control means. The controller 40 is connected with a ROM 41 and a RAM 42 as storage means. The control unit 40 is connected to the input unit 3 and a display unit driving circuit 66 that drives the display unit 4. Further, the control unit 40 includes a head drive circuit 51 for driving the thermal head 11, a transport motor drive circuit 52 for driving a transport motor 46 for driving the platen roller 12, and a cassette discrimination switch 44. It is connected. The control unit 40 is connected to a cutter motor driving circuit 53 that drives a cutter motor 48 that operates a tape cutter 17 as a cutting means.

  The control unit 40 is a CPU, and is read from a system program stored in advance in the ROM 41, a control program stored in a memory card, or an external device in response to a key operation signal from the input unit 3 or automatically. The control program and the like are started, and the operation of each part of the circuit is controlled using the RAM 42 as a work memory.

  The ROM 41 stores a program for printing characters and the like input from the input unit 3, character fonts, mark patterns, and the like, and also functions as a storage medium in which a program readable by the control unit 40 is stored. As the ROM 41, a writable ROM such as an EPROM may be used. When the EPROM is used, the ROM 41 also functions as an auxiliary storage device.

  The RAM 42 is an input data memory that stores key input characters, character spacing, format information such as vertical writing and horizontal writing, a print data memory that stores print data in which the input print information is expanded, and a display unit 4. Each area such as a display data memory for storing display data to be displayed is secured, and a register, a counter, and the like for temporarily storing data necessary for a printing process are provided.

  The head drive circuit 51 drives the thermal head 11 to execute printing on the tape member 31 line by line based on the print data. Further, the transport motor drive circuit 52 drives the transport motor 46 so that the tape member 31 is transported line by line when the thermal head 11 is driven, and when the print processing by the thermal head 11 is completed, The conveyance motor 46 is driven so that the rear end portion reaches a position where the tape cutter 17 is disposed.

  The cassette discriminating switch 44 is a switch for discriminating the width size of the tape member 31 stored in the tape cassette 21 loaded in the cassette loading unit 8 described above, and the signal of the discrimination result of the loaded tape cassette 21 is transmitted to the control unit. Output to 40.

  Now, the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment creates a label to be applied obliquely with respect to the reference direction of the application target. Here, the application state of the generated label will be described. 4A is a diagram illustrating a state in which a label 70 in which a character string is printed in horizontal writing is pasted on the pasting target 100 in a reference posture, and FIG. 4B is a label in which the character string is printed in horizontal writing. It is a figure which shows the state which stuck 80 to the sticking object 100 with the inclination posture. FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state in which a label 70 on which a character string is printed in vertical writing is pasted on the pasting target 100 in a reference posture. FIG. 5B is a diagram in which the character string is vertically written. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state where a printed label 80 is attached to the application target 100 in an inclined posture.

  The reference posture in the horizontal writing label 70 refers to a sticking form in which the tape 70 is attached so that the tape length direction of the label 70 is aligned with the reference direction X defined in the horizontal direction of the sticking target 100 as shown in FIG. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, the inclined posture in the horizontal writing label 80 is such that the tape length direction of the label 80 forms a predetermined angle θ with respect to the reference direction X of the object 100, that is, the reference posture. Is attached in a state of being rotated counterclockwise by θ with respect to the label 70.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the reference posture in the vertical writing label 70 is a pasting form in which the tape 70 is pasted so that the tape length direction of the label 70 is aligned with the reference direction Y defined in the longitudinal direction of the pasting target 100. Say. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5B, the tilt posture in the vertical writing label 80 is such that the tape length direction of the label 80 is at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the reference direction Y of the application target 100, that is, the reference posture. Is attached in a state of being rotated counterclockwise by θ with respect to the label 70.

  Next, a description will be given of the tape member 31 that is used when a label to be attached in such an inclined posture is created in the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tape member 31 according to the present embodiment and a view showing the release surface of the release tape 34, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing how to use the created label 80, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a peeling surface of the peeling tape 34. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the tape member 31 according to the present embodiment includes a printing tape 32 having a front surface as a printing surface and an adhesive layer 33 on the back surface and an adhesive surface, and a release surface in contact with the adhesive surface with silicone. A release tape 34 that is coated with a resin and is detachably attached to the printing tape 32 is laminated. Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the release tape 34 has a cutting line 36 for cutting the release tape 34 that has a full width in the tape width direction and a tape width direction perpendicular to the tape length direction. It is provided at a first pitch that is a predetermined pitch along the tape length direction with a predetermined angle θ. Further, on the peel surface of the peel tape 34, a reference line 35 for aligning with the reference direction of the sticking target when the label is stuck on the sticking target between the adjacent cutting lines 36 is orthogonal to the tape length direction. As described above, printing is performed at a second pitch which is a predetermined pitch. The first pitch is at least a length corresponding to a plurality of pitches of the second pitch, and a plurality of reference lines 35 are provided between the cutting lines 36. Therefore, the cutting line 36 is inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the reference line 35.

  Next, a method for applying a label created using the tape member 31 will be described. For example, if a label 80 having a predetermined length L or more as shown in FIG. 7A is created using the tape member 31, the state of the back side of the label 80 is as shown in FIG. 7B. Thus, the peeling tape 34 is divided into a plurality of peeling tape pieces 37 by a plurality of cutting lines 36. The present invention is characterized in that one of the plurality of stripping tape pieces 37 can be used as a sticking guide when sticking the label 80 to the sticking object 100 at a predetermined angle. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7C, first, among the plurality of divided release tape pieces 37, the release tape piece 37 at the end of the tape cut is once peeled off from the print tape 32 portion of the label 80. Hereinafter, the peeled peeling tape piece 37 is referred to as a sticking guide peeling tape piece 37a.

  After peeling off the adhesive guide peeling tape piece 37a from the printing tape portion of the label 80, as shown in FIG. 7D, the peeling surface of the adhesive guide peeling tape piece 37a is attached to the adhesive guide peeling tape piece 37a. Adhere the adhesive surface of the print tape portion of the label 80 of the peeled mark 80, and one of the edge portions 38a, 39a (for example, the edge portion 38a) in the tape length direction of the peeling tape piece 37a for attaching guide The adhesive surface of the printing tape portion where the adhesive layer 33 of the label 80 exposes the adhesive tape 33a to the adhesive tape 33a by abutting the inclined edge 38d cut obliquely by the cutting line 36 of the remaining adhesive tape piece 37. Re-attach to. After the above operation, when the label 80 is viewed from the printing surface side, the adhesive guide peeling tape piece 37a protrudes upward from the label 80 with the peeling surface side facing the front side as shown in FIG. The reference line 35 can be visually recognized at the protruding portion. As described above, since the cutting line 36 and the reference line 35 form a predetermined angle θ, the reference line 35 of the peeling tape piece 37a for sticking guide and the tape of the label 80 that are directed to the cutting line 36. The angle formed by the longitudinal direction is the angle θ formed by the cutting line 36 with respect to the reference line 35. Note that the edge portions 38a, 38b in the tape length direction of the peeling tape piece 37a for sticking guide that is applied to the inclined edge portion 38d that is obliquely cut by the cutting line 36 of the peeling tape piece 37 remaining on the label 80 are as follows. Either of the two may be used.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 7 (f), the inclination of the label 80 is adjusted so that the reference line 35 is parallel to the reference direction X of the application target 100. Then, after the reference line 35 of the peeling tape piece 37a for sticking guide and the reference direction X of the sticking object 100 become parallel, the peeling tape piece 37a for sticking guide is peeled again, and a part of the label 80 is attached to the sticking object 100. After that, all the peeling tape 34 is peeled off, and the whole label 80 is stuck on the sticking target 100. In this way, by attaching the label 80 using the attaching guide peeling tape piece 37a as an attaching guide for aligning the reference direction, the label 80 is attached to the reference direction of the object 100 as shown in FIG. Can be attached at a predetermined angle. Further, in the case of a vertically written label, the reference line 35 can be aligned with the reference direction Y in the vertical direction shown in FIG.

  By the way, as described above, when a label is produced using the tape member 31 of the present invention, the plurality of cutting lines 36 exist in the peeling tape 34, but the length in the tape length direction of the label 80 is present. Depending on the label length, there may be no cutting line 36 on the release tape 34 of the label 80. In this case, since the label 80 cannot be attached to the application target 100 in an inclined posture using the cutting line 36, the label 80 created by the printing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment has a complete cutting line. There must be at least one 36.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, the label length L of the label 80 is such that the tape width is γ, the pitch interval of the first pitch is α, and the angle formed by the cutting line 36 with respect to the tape width direction is θ. It is necessary that α + γ tan θ. That is, the minimum length of the label 80 in the tape length direction needs to be at least the interval of the first pitch plus the region length in the tape length direction that covers the entire cutting line 36. By setting the shortest length of the label 80 in this way, at least one cutting line 36 in the complete state is formed by the label 80 regardless of the position at which the label 80 is cut by the printing apparatus 1. Will exist within. If L ≧ α + γ tan θ is satisfied, at least one complete cutting line 36 exists in the label 80, but considering the work efficiency when the label 80 is applied, L ≧ 2α, that is, The label length is preferably at least 2 pitches of the cutting line 36. In the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, information on the shortest label length is stored in the ROM 41 in advance, and when the tape member 31 is loaded, a label 80 that is longer than the shortest label length is always created. Will be.

  Further, the tape member 31 in the present embodiment has a configuration in which the reference line 35 is provided between the cutting lines 36. However, when the configuration is such that the reference line 35 is not provided in advance on the peeling tape 34, the cutting is performed. 4 and FIG. 4 show an edge portion 38c extending along the tape width direction located at an end portion in the tape length direction of the peeling tape piece 37 which is reattached by abutting against the inclined edge portion 38d formed by the line 36. 5 is aligned in parallel with the reference directions X and Y of the object 100 shown in FIG. 5, and is attached to the object 100 so that the label is tilted by θ with respect to the reference directions X and Y of the object 100. 80 can be pasted.

  Next, a control flow of the printing apparatus 1 when producing a label 80 to be attached in an inclined state using such a tape member 31 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the user inputs a character string to be printed (step S1), and sets the format such as horizontal writing / vertical writing, character type, character size, character spacing, margin length provided before and after the label (step S2). . The control unit 40 stores character string data and format information input from the input unit 3 by the user in a predetermined area of the RAM 42. Next, the control unit 40 executes a print start determination process (step S3) for determining whether or not the user has operated the print key of the input unit 3 to give an instruction to start printing.

  When it is determined in the print start determination process (step S3) that a print start instruction has been issued, the control unit 40 determines the length in the tape length direction of the label created from the character string data and the format information stored in the RAM 42, That is, the label length calculation process (step S4) for calculating the label length L is executed, and the calculated tape length L information is stored in the RAM. The label length L is calculated from the number of characters of the character string to be printed, the character size, the character spacing, and the margin length provided before and after the label, which are input and set in steps S1 and S2. Next, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the calculated label length is equal to or longer than a predetermined length, that is, equal to or longer than the length corresponding to 2 pitches of the cutting line 36 (step S5).

  If it is determined that the calculated label length is not equal to or greater than the predetermined length as a result of the label length determination, the control unit 40 determines the front and rear margin lengths of the format set for the label to be printed and the label length to be equal to or greater than the predetermined length. / Or resetting the character spacing and adjusting the label length (step S6). For example, the difference between the predetermined length and the calculated label length is obtained, and the difference is divided into two equal parts and assigned to the margins set before and after the character string of the label, or the difference is inserted as a margin between characters of the character string. To do. On the other hand, if it is determined that the calculated label length is greater than or equal to the predetermined length as a result of the label length determination, the control unit 40 creates print data according to a set format for the character string to be printed. Similarly, print data is created in accordance with the set format for the character string for label printing with the label length adjusted in step S6 (step S7).

  Next, the control unit 40 drives the transport motor 46 and rotationally drives the platen roller 12 to transport the tape member 31, and also includes the RAM 42 with the number of transport steps of the transport motor 46 composed of a step motor. The counter counts (step S8). Corresponding to the tape feed of one transport step of the transport motor 46, the tape is fed for the length of the front margin provided at the front of the character string to be printed on the label, and the print start position on the tape member 31 is reached. It is determined whether or not has reached the position of the thermal head 11 (step S9). If it is determined that the tape feed amount has not reached the print start position, tape transport is performed to determine that the tape feed amount has reached the print start position (steps S8 and S9).

  If it is determined that the tape feed amount due to the tape transport is equivalent to reaching the print start position, then the transport motor 46 is driven and the platen roller 12 is rotationally driven to transport the tape member 31 while generating the print data. Based on this, the thermal head 11 is driven to generate heat, and a character string is printed on the printing surface of the printing tape 32 of the tape member 31 (step S10). Then, it is determined whether or not the printing of the printing data has been completed for each printing of one line of the printing data (step S11). If the printing of the printing data has not been completed, one line is determined until the end of the printing is determined. Printing is repeated one by one (steps S10 and S11).

  When the control unit 40 determines that printing of the print data has been completed, the controller 40 stops energization of the thermal head 11 while ensuring the length of the trailing margin set at the trailing end of the printed character string. 46 is driven to rotate the platen roller 12 to transport the tape member 31, and the number of transport steps of the transport motor 46 is counted by a tape transport amount counter provided in the RAM 42 (step S12). Corresponding to the tape feed of one transport step of the transport motor 46, the tape is fed for the length of the trailing margin provided at the front of the character string to be printed on the label, and the label area on the tape member 31 is It is determined whether or not the cutting position as the rear end has reached the position of the tape cutter 17 (step S13). If it is determined that the tape feed amount has not reached the cutting position, tape transport is performed to determine that the tape feed amount has reached the cutting position (steps S12 and S13). When it is determined that the tape feed amount has reached the cutting position, the drive of the transport motor 46 is stopped to stop the tape transport (step S14), and then the cutter motor 48 is driven to operate the tape cutter 17, The tape member 31 is cut in a direction orthogonal to the tape length direction (step S15), and the process is terminated. Note that the printing apparatus 1 in the present embodiment has the tape cutter 17 that operates by driving the cutter motor 48, and automatically cuts the tape member 31 at the cutting position. In the case of the printing apparatus provided, after stopping the tape conveyance at the cutting position of the tape member 31, a message prompting the user to perform the cutter operation may be displayed on the display unit 4.

  Since the label 80 is produced according to such a control flow, one or more complete cutting lines 36 are always present on the peeling tape 34 in the produced label 80. As shown in FIG. 5, the label 80 can be easily attached in a state where it is inclined by θ with respect to the reference directions X and Y of the object 100 to be attached. That is, by using the tape member 31 and the printing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the label 80 to be attached in an inclined state can be easily created.

  As described above, according to the tape member 31 of the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, the printing device 1 performs printing, cuts to a predetermined length L to form the label 80, and the peeling tape piece 37 divided into a plurality by the cutting line 36. Is once peeled off from the adhesive surface of the label 80, and then the edge 38a along the tape length direction of the release tape piece 37 is inclined by the cutting line 36 of the release tape piece 37 remaining on the label 80. Attaching to the edge 38d and reattaching, the edge 38c along the tape width direction of the release tape piece 37 attached again, or the reference line 35 appearing on the release surface in the reference directions X and Y of the application target 100 A label that can be easily applied to the reference direction X, Y on the object to be applied 100 at a predetermined angle θ by performing the operation of applying the label 80 as a guide for aligning the direction. Can provide tape members to create That. Further, according to the tape cassette 21 of the present embodiment, the tape member 31 is accommodated and attached to the printing apparatus 1, whereby the tape member for creating a label that can be easily attached is easily handled. be able to. Further, according to the printing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, printing is performed using the tape member 31 to create a label 80 having a predetermined length L, whereby a predetermined angle with respect to the reference directions X and Y of the object 100 to be applied. It is possible to create a label that can be easily pasted with θ.

  In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the release tape piece 37 at the end of the plurality of release tape pieces 37 is used as the adhesive guide release tape piece 37a. The piece 37 may be used as a sticking guide peeling tape piece 37a. In the above embodiment, the reference line 35 provided on the peeling tape 34 of the tape member 31 is provided in a direction orthogonal to the tape length direction, but a reference line 35a parallel to the tape length direction may be provided. FIG. 10A shows a horizontally written label 80, in which the direction of the reference line 35 applied to the part of the sticking guide peeling tape piece 37a is aligned with the reference direction X of the object to be applied, and the reference line 35a is perpendicular to the reference direction X. The label 80 is aligned according to the direction. FIG. 10B shows a vertically written label 80, in which the direction of the reference line 35 applied to the part of the sticking guide peeling tape piece 37a is aligned with the reference direction Y to be applied, and the reference line 35a is set to the reference direction. The label 80 is aligned in the direction perpendicular to Y. In the above embodiment, the reference line 35 is provided on the peeling tape 34. However, the reference line 35 is not necessarily required. As shown in FIG. 10, since the label 80 is produced by cutting the tape member 31 in the direction perpendicular to the tape length direction by the tape cutter, one tape width of the peeling tape piece 37 positioned at the end of the label 80 is obtained. The edge 37z in the direction is orthogonal to the edges 37x and 37y in the tape length direction. Therefore, the direction of the application of the label 80 may be adjusted by aligning the directions of the edge portions 37x, 37y, and 37z with the reference directions X and Y or a direction orthogonal thereto.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be freely changed and improved without departing from the gist of the invention.

1 Printer 2 Housing
3 Input section 4 Display section
7 Tape outlet 8 Cassette loading section
11 Thermal head 12 Platen roller
15 Cassette receiver 17 Tape cutter
21 Tape cassette 21 Tape material
22 Cassette case 23 Tape core
24 Ribbon supply core 25 Ribbon take-up core
27 Head placement part 29 Engaged part
31 Tape member 32 Printing tape
33 Adhesive layer 34 Release tape
35 Reference line 35a Reference line
36 Cutting line 37 Stripping tape
37a Exfoliation tape piece for sticking guide 37x, 37y, 37z edge
38 Ink ribbon 38a, 38b, 38c Edge
38d Inclined edge 40 Control part
41 ROM 42 RAM
44 Cassette discrimination switch 46 Conveyor motor
48 Cutter motor 51 Head drive circuit
52 Conveyor motor drive circuit 53 Cutter motor drive circuit
61 Printing mechanism 66 Display drive circuit
70 labels 80 labels
100 target

Claims (4)

The printing device is loaded and printed by the printing device, and is cut into at least a predetermined length in a direction orthogonal to the tape length direction. A tape member having a predetermined width used as a label to be attached at a predetermined angle,
A printing tape having a front surface as a printing surface printed by the printing device and a back surface as an adhesive surface on which an adhesive layer is formed;
A release tape that is attached to the print tape with a release surface superimposed on the adhesive surface side of the print tape;
With
The release tape is provided at a predetermined pitch along the tape length direction with a cutting line for cutting the release tape being inclined at the predetermined angle with respect to the tape width direction perpendicular to the tape length direction at the full width in the tape width direction. ,
The tape member according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined length is equal to or longer than a length of the predetermined pitch plus a region length in a tape length direction that covers the entire cutting line.   A reference for aligning the reference direction of the application target in the reference direction or a direction orthogonal to the reference direction when the label is applied to the application target between the adjacent cutting lines on the release surface of the release tape. The tape member according to claim 1, wherein the line is provided in a direction orthogonal to or parallel to the tape length.   A tape cassette, which is detachably attached to a printing apparatus and contains the tape member according to claim 1 or 2. A cassette loading unit in which the tape cassette according to claim 3 is detachably loaded;
Conveying means for pulling out the tape member from the tape cassette loaded in the cassette loading section and conveying it in a predetermined direction;
Printing means for printing on the tape member conveyed by the conveying means;
Cutting means for cutting the tape member in a direction orthogonal to the tape length direction;
The tape member is conveyed by the conveying means, and printing is performed on the area of the predetermined length of the tape member by the printing means, and when the end of the area is conveyed to the position of the cutting means, Control means for stopping the operation of the conveying means to cut the region of the tape member by cutting means;
A printing apparatus comprising:

Images