JP2011201091A - Portable printer and print medium pasting method by the portable printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable printer allowing easy pasting of a label to a desired pasting position.SOLUTION: The portable printer includes: an input unit for inputting article information; a printing unit for performing printing to a print medium based on the article information input through the input unit; a holding unit for holding the print medium discharged after the printing by the printing unit; and a guide unit including an irradiation unit for emitting visible light, the guide unit guiding the print medium held by the holding unit to a position to which the print medium is to be pasted by illuminating the position with the visible light. According to this, an operator can easily paste the label to the desired pasting position.

Description

  The present invention relates to a portable printer.

  Conventionally, a scanner that reads information such as an article code representing an article from a symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code printed on a tag or tag attached to the article, and a label based on the article code read by the scanner There is known a portable printer in which a printing unit for printing on the printing medium is integrated. (For example, Patent Document 1)

  The operator uses this portable printer to attach a label printed on the basis of information such as a barcode read by a scanner to an object to be attached such as an article. When the operator uses the printer with a scanner, the discharge unit that discharges the label from the printer with the scanner is positioned at a position facing the article to be labeled. For this reason, when an operator affixes a label to an article, it is difficult for the operator to visually confirm the discharge part from which the label is discharged, and the relationship between the discharge part and the position where the label is to be attached is easy. There is a problem that it cannot be grasped.

  In addition, since the scanner is installed in the printer, the printer main body with the scanner is obstructed when the operator performs the labeling operation, and the view of the operator is obstructed. There is a problem that it is difficult to grasp the relationship with the position to be attached.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a portable printer and a printing medium attaching method capable of easily attaching a label to a desired attaching position. To do.

  An input unit for inputting article information, a printing unit for printing on a printing medium based on the article information input by the input unit, and a holding unit for holding the printed medium discharged after printing by the printing unit And a guide unit that irradiates visible light at a position where the print medium is to be attached.

  A printing medium pasting method by a portable printer comprising: an input unit for inputting article information; and a printing unit for printing on a printing medium based on article information input by the input unit. The printed medium is held in an exposed state from the portable printer, visible light irradiated from an irradiation unit provided in the portable printer is applied to a position where the printed medium is to be pasted, and the printed medium is pasted. The printing medium is pasted at a position to be attached.

  According to the portable printer of the present invention, there is an effect that the label can be easily attached to the attaching position desired by the operator.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a printer with a scanner according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an internal structure diagram of the scanner-equipped printer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the scanner-equipped printer according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of information reading of the printer with a scanner according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the scanner-equipped printer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of visible light irradiation control by the light control unit of the scanner-equipped printer according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view showing a state of irradiation of visible light by the guide unit of the scanner-equipped printer according to the present embodiment.

  Exemplary embodiments of a portable printer according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the present invention is applied to a scanner-equipped printer that applies light to a bar code printed on a tag or tag attached to an article and reads an image from the reflected light.

  FIG. 1 is an external view of a printer with a scanner according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is an internal structure diagram of the scanner-equipped printer according to the present embodiment. The printer with a scanner 1 according to the present embodiment includes a scanner 101, a display 102, a key input unit 103, a trigger switch 104, a grip unit 105, a thermal head 106, a platen roller 107, a roll paper 108, and the like.

  The scanner 101 illuminates a bar code or a two-dimensional code printed on a tag or the like attached to an article, and inputs article information by reading article information representing the article from the reflected light. It is. In this embodiment, the input unit is configured to input article information by shining light on a symbol such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code and reading article information representing the article from the reflected light. By applying infrared light to a barcode or two-dimensional code, the image data is read and analyzed using an input unit or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) scanner that reads and inputs the article information representing the article from the reflected wave, and the article information A wireless communication unit that reads and inputs article information stored in the wireless tag from a wireless tag such as an RFID tag or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag may be used. Moreover, the input part etc. which input article information using a keyboard etc. may be sufficient.

  Further, the scanner 101 functions as a guide unit that indicates a label attachment position on an article by irradiating the article or the like with visible light. In this case, the operator brings the holding unit 110 (label discharge unit) of the scanner-equipped printer close to the portion irradiated with the light of the article while checking the visible light. In this embodiment, an example in which an input unit for inputting article information and the above-described guide unit are integrally formed by one scanner 101 will be described. Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the input portion and the guide portion may be formed separately from each other.

  The display 102 is a liquid crystal display or the like for displaying article information, operation information (for example, manually input discount amount), and the like. The key input unit 103 is used by the user to input operation information and the like.

  The grip portion 105 is a portion where the user grips the scanner-equipped printer 1, and a portion indicated by reference numeral 105a is formed of a conductive polymer material. Note that the portion denoted by reference numeral 105a discharges static electricity generated in the printer 1 with a scanner through a human body in contact with the portion due to the conductivity that is a characteristic of the conductive polymer material.

  The trigger switch 104 is a switch that is provided in the grip portion 105 and requests reading of article information by the scanner 1.

  The trigger switch 104 may include a detection unit 104a that detects fingerprint information of a user who operates the trigger switch 104.

  The platen roller 107 is disposed opposite to a thermal head 106 described later, pulls out the label with the mount from the roll paper 108 around which the label with the mount is wound, and conveys the pulled label with the mount to the printing position of the thermal head 112. It is a conveyance roller and is made of a conductive polymer material to ensure conductivity.

  The thermal head 106 prints a discount amount or a price tag by heating a label with a mount that has been conveyed to a printing position by a platen roller 107.

The holding unit 110 is a place for holding a label discharged from the scanner-equipped printer 1 before the label is attached to an object to be attached such as an article. That is, the label printed by the scanner-equipped printer is discharged from the inside of the scanner-equipped printer 1 to the outside. At this time, the mounted label is peeled off by a peeling mechanism (not shown), and only the label having the adhesive layer on the back surface is discharged from the printer with scanner 1. The discharged label is held by the holding unit 110.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the scanner-equipped printer according to this embodiment. The printer with a scanner 1 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 that executes various arithmetic processes and centrally controls each unit. The CPU 201 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) 203 and a FROM (Flash Read Only Memory) 202 which is a nonvolatile storage unit capable of retaining stored contents even when the power is turned off via a system bus (not shown). Connected.

  The FROM 202 stores an operation program and various setting information of the printer 1 with a scanner. The CPU 201 controls each unit by copying the operation program stored in the FROM 202 (including a program for executing processing related to articles such as printing of discount amount and price tag, manual input of discount amount) to the RAM 203 and executing it. Further, the FROM 202 stores an operation program executed by the light control unit 505 described later.

  The RAM 203 temporarily stores various types of variable information, and prints that associate a user who has performed printing with the scanner-equipped printer 1 with print information indicating the number of prints and print contents actually printed by the user. The information table stores a time information table in which a user who has performed printing by the scanner-equipped printer 1 and time information indicating the time when the user has printed by the scanner-equipped printer 1 are associated with each other. When the scanner-equipped printer 1 has a clock function, the RAM 203 stores a user who has performed printing by the scanner-equipped printer 1 and a printing date and time actually performed by the user.

  The RAM 203 is used as a print buffer in which print data (image data) such as a discount amount and a price tag to be printed on a label with a mount is developed. The print data may be data to be printed received from the host computer 2, data stored in the FROM 202, or a discount amount input from the key input unit 103. Also good.

  Further, the CPU 201 includes a display control circuit 204, a communication I / F 205, a motor control circuit 206, a head control circuit 208, a power supply circuit 209, a scanner control circuit 211, a key input unit 103, and a trigger switch 104, which are system buses (not shown). Connected through.

  The display control circuit 204 controls display on the display device 102 (such as a menu screen including an operation image for selecting related processing) under the control of the CPU 201. A communication I / F 205 is an interface for communicating with an external device such as the host computer 2. The communication I / F 205 is configured by infrared communication such as IrDA, USB (Universal Serial Bus), wireless LAN (Local Area Network), RS-232C, Bluetooth (registered trademark), and the like, and is provided in the host computer 2. Communication with the I / F is possible.

  A motor control circuit 206 controls a stepping motor 207 that is a drive source of the platen roller 107 under the control of the CPU 201. The head control circuit 208 outputs a print control signal to the thermal head 106 under the control of the CPU 201. A scanner control circuit 211 controls reading of article information by the scanner 101 under the control of the CPU 201.

  The power supply circuit 209 controls supply / cut-off of power from the battery 210 to each unit of the printer with scanner 1 in accordance with ON / OFF of the power of the printer with scanner 1 by the key input unit 103.

  Next, the outline of the label attaching process by the printer with the scanner will be described with reference to FIG. The operator holds the printer with scanner 1, irradiates light from the scanner 101 that reads a symbol 43 such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code attached to the article 41, and reads article information representing the article 41 from the reflected light. Note that an arrow 44 shown in FIG. 4 is an imaginary line of light irradiated on the article when the scanner 101 functions as an input unit for inputting article information. It is also an imaginary line indicating the path of light (guide light) irradiated by the guide unit as guide light. In the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the input unit and the guide unit are integrally formed by the scanner 101. Note that the irradiation timing of the visible light (guide light) emitted by the guide portion does not necessarily have to be irradiated after the light irradiation by the scanner 101 as the input portion, but before the light irradiation by the scanner 101 as the input portion. Guide light may be irradiated.

When the article information is read by the scanner 101, the printing unit built in the scanner-equipped printer 1 prints on the label based on the article information. After printing, the scanner-equipped printer 1 ejects the printed label from the printer main body 1 and irradiates the guide light to the position where the label is to be applied by the guide unit. The operator brings the holding portion of the scanner-equipped printer 1 close to the position where the label is to be attached, using the light irradiated to the article 41 by the guide portion as a mark. Note that the label application position means a label application position desired by the operator. For example, when it is desired to apply a label on the barcode 43 printed on the tag 42, the location is a position where the label is applied.

  Next, functions realized by the CPU 201 executing the operation program stored in the FROM 202 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the irradiation control of the visible light 44 by the light control unit 505 of the printer with scanner 1 to be described later according to this embodiment.

  The program executed by the scanner-equipped printer 1 according to the present embodiment has a module configuration including each unit (a switching unit 501, a reading unit 502, a printing unit 503, a detection unit 504, and a light control unit 505) illustrated in FIG. As actual hardware, the CPU 201 reads out the program from the FROM 202 and executes it, so that the respective units are loaded onto the RAM 203. The above-described units (the switching unit 501, the reading unit 502, the printing unit 503, the detecting unit 504, A light control unit 505) is generated on the RAM 203.

  In the present embodiment, the input unit and the guide unit are integrally formed by the scanner 101, and the input unit is formed by an optical mechanism. The switching unit 501 switches whether the scanner 101 reads the reflected light of the light irradiated to the article by the scanner 101. In such a case, when the scanner 101 is used as an input unit for inputting article information, a mode for reading reflected light is set. When the scanner 101 is used as a guide unit, the switching unit 501 switches to a mode in which reflected light that is light emitted by the scanner 101 is not read. As a result, the input unit and the guide unit can be integrally formed by the scanner 101.

  The switching unit 501 is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, when the input unit and the guide unit are formed separately, the configuration does not switch whether to read the reflected light of the light emitted from the scanner 101, but the irradiation is performed from either the input unit or the guide unit. The structure which switches light may be sufficient. In addition, when the input part and the guide part are formed separately, the reflected light of the light emitted from the input part is read, but the reflected light of the light emitted from the guide part is not read. Yes.

  The reading unit 502 determines whether or not the related information of the article indicated by the article code, which is the article information read from the barcode 43 printed on the tag 42 by the scanner 101, can be read or not.

The printing unit 503 converts the article information read by the reading unit into print data. Then, the printing unit 503 controls the thermal head 106 via the head control circuit 208 and prints print data of related information on a label with a mount. Then, the operator who operates the printer with scanner 1 attaches a label on which the article information is printed to the article.

  The detection unit 504 determines the change in the amount of reflected light reflected from the article when the article is irradiated with visible light (guide light) emitted from the guide unit, and the distance between the scanner-equipped printer 1 and the label attachment position. Determine whether is approaching or away. Note that the detection unit is not limited to such a form. If the scanner is a wireless reader / writer that reads a wireless tag, it transmits a radio wave in advance, and the transmitted radio wave does not hit the article. A change in the distance between the scanner-equipped printer 1 and the attachment position may be detected by looking at the change in the reflection amount.

  The light control unit 505 performs control to change the visible light (guide light) irradiated by the guide unit based on the detection result by the detection unit 504. For example, as the distance between the position where a print medium such as a label is to be attached and the holding unit of the printer with the scanner approaches, the width of visible light irradiated by the guide unit is increased or the intensity of visible light is increased. It may be. In particular, in the present embodiment, when the scanner-equipped printer 1 is close to the application target position, visible light applied to the article by the printer-equipped printer body may be hidden, and the label application target position and the holding unit It becomes difficult to grasp the positional relationship between For this reason, it is desirable that the light control unit performs control to increase the width of visible light (guide light) in the width direction of the label as the printer with scanner 1 approaches.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of label sticking processing by the printer with scanner 1. First, the reading unit 502 determines whether or not the article information is read from the barcode 43 written on the tag attached to the article 41, the tag 42, or the like by the scanner 101 (Act 601). If it is determined that the article information has been read from the barcode 43 (Yes in Act 601), the article information is passed to the printing unit to start printing on the label (Act 602).

  When printing on the label is completed (Act 603), the switching unit 501 determines whether there is a command to switch whether to read the reflected light of the light emitted by the scanner 101 or not. When there is an instruction to switch, the scanner 101 is switched so as not to read the reflected light (Act 504). When the scanner 101 is switched to the configuration in which the scanner 101 does not read the reflected light in the switching unit 501, the scanner 101 functions as a guide unit when the light is next irradiated. That is, the light emitted from the scanner 101 by the switching unit 501 is switched from light for reading a symbol such as a barcode to guide light for guiding the scanner-equipped printer 1 to the attachment position.

  When there is a command from the switching unit 501 to switch to the guide light (Yes in Act 604), the light control unit 505 controls to emit visible light having a certain width from the guide unit (Act 605). In such a case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7A, the guide light emitted from the guide portion may be light irradiation that matches the width of the barcode 43.

  Next, the detection unit 504 determines a change in the amount of reflected light reflected from the visible light (guide light) irradiated by the guide unit, and the distance between the scanner-equipped printer 1 and the label attaching position is shortened. It is determined whether or not they are separated (Act 606, Act 607).

  When the detection unit 504 determines that the distance between the scanner-equipped printer 1 and the label attachment position is approaching (Yes in Act 607), the light control unit 505 increases the width of the guide light from a certain width of the guide light. Control is performed (Act 608). For example, the light control unit 505 shown in FIG. 7B irradiates with the guide light wider than at least the width of the barcode. By this processing, the operator can easily grasp the positional relationship between the label attaching position and the holding unit 110 of the scanner-equipped printer 1, and the operator traces the visible light and holds the holding unit 110 of the scanner-equipped printer 1. It can be guided to the labeling surface.

  When the scanner-equipped printer 1 detects that labeling has been completed at the labeling position, the labeling process ends (Act 608).

  Note that the guide light emitted by the guide unit is not limited to the present embodiment, and for example, the guide unit may irradiate light crossed on a cross.

  In the present embodiment, by providing a guide unit that guides the holding unit of the scanner-equipped printer 1 to a position where the label is to be attached, the operator is irradiated to the position where the label of the article is to be attached. Using the visible light from the guide portion as a mark, the relationship between the holding portion of the printer with scanner 1 and the label application target position can be grasped. Thereby, there is an effect that the operator can easily attach the label without deviating from the desired attachment target position.

  In addition, by configuring the input unit with an optical mechanism that irradiates light, the position where the label is to be applied is irradiated with light to indicate the attached position, and the label attaching target position can be visually observed. Therefore, the position can be easily grasped.

  In the present embodiment, the input unit is configured by an optical mechanism, and the input unit and the guide unit can be configured integrally without providing a new member by combining the input unit and the guide unit. There is an effect that the number of members can be reduced.

  In this case, in the present embodiment, a switching unit 501 for switching whether to read reflected light from the scanner 101 as an input unit is provided, so that a bar code or the like can be obtained at a timing desired by the operator. There is an effect that it is possible to realize switching between light irradiation for symbol reading and guide light irradiation for guiding the printer with scanner 1 to a position where a label is to be attached.

  Further, for example, when the visible light (guide light) is irradiated with a sufficient distance between the position where a print medium such as a label should be attached and the holding unit of the printer with the scanner, Even if narrow visible light (guide light) is irradiated, the positional relationship between the attachment target position and the holding portion can be grasped by visually confirming the visible light. On the other hand, when the holding portion is close to the position to be pasted, visible light (guide light) having a certain width is hidden by the printer body with a scanner, so It becomes difficult to grasp the positional relationship with the holding unit. Although it is possible to irradiate the visible light with a certain width so that the visible light irradiating the article is not hidden by the printer body with the scanner in advance, in such a case, the power consumption is more than necessary, and the power consumption is reduced. In terms of use, waste occurs. Therefore, according to the printer with a scanner 1 according to the present embodiment, when the detection unit detects that the distance between the position where a print medium such as a label is to be attached and the holding unit of the printer with the scanner has changed, the light control is performed. Since the visible light irradiated by the guide unit is changed by the control by the unit, appropriate visible light (guide light) irradiation can be realized. That is, when the distance is long, the article is irradiated with visible light having a relatively narrow width, and when the distance is close, the visible light is widened and irradiated. As a result, it is possible to prevent unnecessary power consumption and to easily guide the scanner-attached printer to a position to be attached.

  According to the scanner-equipped printer 1 according to the present embodiment, when the detection unit detects that the position where the print medium such as a label should be pasted and the holding unit of the scanner-equipped printer are close, the holding unit is pasted. The visible light (guide light) that guides to the position to be attached is spread and irradiated in the width direction of the label, so even if the printer with the scanner is close to the position to be attached, the position to be attached by the operator It is possible to easily grasp the effect. In such a case, the guide portion may spread visible light in either the vertical or horizontal width direction.

  In particular, the discount label to be affixed to the product price tag of apparel products etc. is placed on the barcode so that the barcode displayed on the product price tag attached to the product before discount cannot be read. It is necessary to paste a newly issued discount label on top of it. In this case, the barcode displayed on the price tag is small, and when a conventional printer with a scanner is used, the holding unit 110 of the printer with a scanner 1 and the position to which the label is to be attached. Since it is difficult to grasp the relationship from the operator side, there is a possibility that the label is attached to a position shifted from the attachment position desired by the operator. According to the printer with a scanner according to the present embodiment, there is an effect that the holding unit 110 of the printer with a scanner 1 can be guided to a position where a label is to be attached with visible light. In addition, when pasting is attempted at a desired pasting position, there is an effect that the label pasting operation can be performed without requiring a high degree of attention from the operator.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and for example, the portable printer according to the present invention may be used when managing parts in a factory or the like. Needless to say, the print medium is not limited to the label, but may be any medium capable of printing such as paper.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Printer with a scanner 101 Scanner 104 Trigger switch 110 Holding part 501 Switching part 502 Reading part 503 Printing part 504 Detection part 505 Light control part

JP 2006-335443 A

Claims (8)

An input unit for inputting article information;
A printing unit for printing on a print medium based on the article information input by the input unit;
A holding unit for holding the printed medium discharged after printing by the printing unit;
A irradiation unit that emits visible light, and a guide unit that applies the visible light to a position where the print medium is to be attached;
A portable printer characterized by comprising: The portable printer according to claim 1, wherein the input unit includes an optical mechanism that reads the article information by irradiating light. The portable printer according to claim 2, further comprising a switching unit that switches whether to read reflected light of the light irradiated by the input unit. The portable printer according to claim 3, wherein the input unit and the guide unit are integrally formed. A detection unit for detecting a distance between a position where the print medium is to be pasted and the holding unit;
A light control unit that changes visible light emitted by the guide unit based on a result of the detection unit;
The portable printer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: The light control unit
The width of the guide light is increased when the detection unit detects that the distance between the position where the print medium is to be attached and the holding unit is close. Portable printer described in 1. An input unit for inputting article information, a printing unit for printing on a printing medium based on the article information input by the input unit, and a holding unit for holding the printed medium discharged after printing by the printing unit A portable printer body having,
A grip provided on the printer body,
When the user moves the printer main body toward the object to which the print medium is to be attached while holding the grip portion, the print medium held by the holding section is located on the target article by the movement. An irradiating unit for irradiating visible light to
A portable printer characterized by comprising: A printing medium pasting method by a portable printer comprising: an input unit for inputting article information; and a printing unit for printing on a printing medium based on the article information input by the input unit,
Hold the printed print medium exposed from the portable printer,
Visible light irradiated from an irradiation unit provided in the portable printer is applied to a position where the print medium is to be attached,
A printing medium sticking method by a portable printer, wherein the printing medium is stuck at a position where the printing medium is to be stuck.

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