JP2017095283A - Sheet issuing device and sheet roll holding part - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet issuing device which can excellently communicate with a wireless tag even though the wireless tag in a sheet tube of a sheet roll is arranged in any direction and at any position.SOLUTION: A printer as a sheet issuing device includes a holding part 60 which holds a sheet roll 6 from the sheet width direction so as to be able to deliver the sheet of the sheet roll formed by winding a band-like sheet. The holding part 60 includes an antenna part 66 which is provided in substantially parallel with the sheet roll side surface orthogonal to the sheet width direction of the sheet roll and performs data communication with a wireless tag 20 provided on the sheet roll.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a paper issue device and a paper roll holding unit.

  A printer that pulls out a recording sheet from a recording sheet roll and prints it is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). Specifically, a wireless tag (IC tag) is provided on the core (paper tube) of the recording paper roll, and the antenna unit and the wireless tag perform wireless communication. In this case, it is preferable that the distance between the antenna unit and the wireless tag is a short distance from the viewpoint of the quality of wireless communication.

JP-A-2005-219406

  However, in the printer or the like described in Patent Document 1, the antenna unit is disposed at a position separated in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the core (paper tube) of the recording paper roll, and when the recording paper roll rotates, The distance between the IC tag provided on the winding core of the recording paper roll and the antenna portion changes greatly. For this reason, wireless communication may not be stable.

  Further, when an IC tag is attached to the core (paper tube) of the recording paper roll, it is necessary to increase the radio wave intensity of the wireless communication as the outer diameter of the roll paper increases (the winding number increases). In some cases, it is necessary to limit the outer diameter or the number of turns of the roll paper to a relatively small predetermined value or less in accordance with the radio wave intensity.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and is capable of communicating with a wireless tag satisfactorily regardless of the orientation and position of the wireless tag provided on the paper roll. An object is to provide a class issuing device, a paper roll holding unit, and the like.

In order to achieve such an object, a paper issue device according to the present invention has at least the following configuration.
A paper issue device having a holding unit for holding paper from a paper width direction so that paper in a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper can be fed out.
The holding portion is provided substantially in parallel with a paper roll side surface orthogonal to the paper width direction of the paper roll,
An antenna that performs data communication with a wireless tag provided on the paper roll, in which the transmission / reception surface is disposed substantially parallel to the side surface of the paper roll and disposed outside the side surface of the paper roll inside the holding unit. It has the part .

The paper roll holding unit according to the present invention has at least the following configuration.
A paper roll holding unit for holding a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper so that the paper can be fed out;
The paper roll holding unit is provided substantially parallel to a paper roll side surface orthogonal to the paper width direction of the paper roll,
In the inside of the paper roll holding unit, a transmission / reception surface is arranged substantially in parallel with the side surface of the paper roll, and is arranged outside the side surface of the paper roll and performs data communication with a wireless tag provided on the paper roll. An antenna unit is provided.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a paper issue device and a paper roll holding unit that can communicate with a wireless tag regardless of the orientation and position of the wireless tag provided on the paper roll. be able to.

1 is a perspective view showing an example of a printer as a paper issue device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a printer as a paper issue device in an open state. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a printer. The perspective view which shows an example of a paper roll (linerless label roll). FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating an example of an electrical configuration of a printer. The figure which shows an example of the holding | maintenance part of a paper issue device. The figure which shows an example of a holding | maintenance part, a paper roll, and a wireless tag.

The paper issue device according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a holding unit (paper roll holding unit) that holds paper rolls formed by winding belt-like paper from the paper width direction so that the paper rolls can be fed out. The holding unit includes an antenna unit that is provided substantially parallel to the side surface of the paper roll perpendicular to the paper width direction of the paper roll and performs data communication with a wireless tag provided on the paper roll.
That is, the paper issue device according to the embodiment of the present invention incorporates the antenna portion in the guide member (holding portion) that regulates the paper width of the paper roll.

  A printer (label printer) as a paper issue device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment of the present invention includes the contents shown in the drawings, but is not limited to this. In the following description of each drawing, parts that are common to the parts that have already been described are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are partially omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a printer 1 as a paper issue device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the printer 1 as an open paper issue device.

  The printer 1 feeds a sheet from a sheet roll formed by winding a belt-shaped sheet around a hollow tube, cuts the fed sheet by a cutting unit, and issues a label (medium) as a sheet-like sheet.

  The printer 1 includes a unit 31 such as a printing mechanism unit 3 for issuing a label to the main body unit 1a and a cutter (cutting means). A display input unit 5 is provided in the upper part of the main body 1 a of the printer 1. The display input unit 5 includes a display unit 9b such as a liquid crystal display, a touch panel 9a, and an operation unit 7 (key operation unit) such as a keyboard.

  Specifically, the printer 1 has a control device in the main body 1a. The control device includes a CPU, a RAM, and the like, and comprehensively controls the printing mechanism unit 3, the display input unit 5, the movable blade of the cutter, the motor that drives the movable blade, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 1a of the printer 1 houses, for example, a unit 31 having a printing mechanism and a cutter, a pair of holding portions 60 (61, 62) for holding the paper roll 6 in a detachable manner. Is possible.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the printer.
In the paper roll 6 (label roll), a long strip-like mountless label paper is wound around a hollow tube 6a. A wireless tag 20 (also referred to as an RFID tag (IC tag) or a non-contact wireless tag) is provided on the hollow tube 6 a of the paper roll 6.

  The paper roll 6 is set so as to be rotatable between a pair of holding portions. An antenna unit 66, a reader / writer, and the like are provided on a holding unit (60) that rotatably supports the paper roll 6. The reader / writer includes an oscillator, a modulator, a demodulator, and the like, and writes data to and reads data from the wireless tag 20 provided in the hollow tube 6a of the paper roll 6 under the control of the control unit. . A prescribed method can be adopted as the wireless communication method. The maximum communication distance of wireless communication between the antenna unit 66 and the wireless tag 20 is about 100 mm.

  The wireless tag 20 includes an antenna, a modulator, a storage unit, a control circuit, and the like. The storage unit of the wireless tag 20 includes a nonvolatile memory or a volatile memory, and predetermined information, for example, issue information (issue history information, issue error information, travel distance on the paper roll, etc.), control program, etc. Remember. The wireless tag 20 includes a power source such as a battery when a volatile memory is mounted.

  A guide roller 108 is provided on the downstream side of the label paper drawing direction, and a printing unit 103 including a thermal head 103a (printing head) and a platen roller 103b is disposed on the downstream side. A cutter 104 is disposed in the vicinity of the downstream side. The cutter 104 includes a fixed blade 104a and a movable blade 104b. The long label sheet is cut by the cutter 104 into a sheet-like label L.

  In addition, a paper detection sensor 106 that detects whether or not the mountless label paper is supplied to the print unit 103 in the transfer path of the mountless label paper drawn from the paper roll 6 (label roll) to the print unit 103. Is arranged.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of the paper roll 6.
The long strip-shaped mountless label paper has a printing surface formed on one side (upper surface), a peeling process applied to this printing surface, and an adhesive surface coated with an adhesive on the other side (lower surface). Yes. The paper roll 6 has a structure in which the long strip-like mountless label paper is wound around a hollow tube 6 a in a roll shape, and can be rotated by a pair of holding portions (not shown) that hold the paper roll 6. Supported. At least one of the holding portions (not shown) is provided with an antenna portion 66 along the peripheral edge of the side surface of the tubular body. The antenna unit 66 performs data communication with the wireless tag 20 provided on the tubular body 6a.
The paper roll is not limited to this form, and may be a label roll with mount.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the printer.
The printer includes a control unit 109 (CPU), a flash memory 110, a RAM 111, a display / operation unit 112 (corresponding to the display / operation unit 112 shown in FIG. 1), an interface 113, a stepping motor 114 that rotates a platen roller, a thermal A head 103a (printing head), a cutter driving motor 115, a paper detection sensor 106, a label detection sensor 107 as a label detection unit, a reader / writer 67 as a non-contact wireless tag communication unit, and the like.

  The control unit 109 (CPU) is a central processing unit that executes a program stored in a storage unit such as the flash memory 110 or the RAM 111 to control the operation of the printer.

  The flash memory 110 and the RAM 111 as storage units store control programs, data, and the like. The flash memory 110 is a read-only memory that stores a control program, control data, and the like. The RAM 111 has a work area for temporarily calling and processing data. The work area includes a dot development area for developing print data into dot data, a call format area for calling and storing one format data from a label format file, a call product area for calling and storing product data, and the like.

  In addition to the label format file in which the label printing format is set and the product file in which various product data for label printing are set in the RAM 111, the RAM 111 uses a determination unit based on the detection result of the label detection sensor 107. A file in which the determination contents are set is stored, and is backed up by a battery so that the file is retained even when the power is turned off.

The reader / writer 67 is a contactless wireless tag communication unit, and performs data communication with the wireless tag 20 via the antenna unit under the control of the control unit 109. Data to be written by the reader / writer 67 includes lot number (paper roll production lot number), printer information (printer model number, identification information, etc.), issue date (date of printing), operator information (operation was performed) Operator identification information and name), issuance data (printing instruction data, etc.), format information (format identification number, etc.), error information (error details data including error number, etc.), information related to issuance (number of issued sheets ( 10 sheets / 10 sheets), the length in the label issuing direction based on the print data, the travel distance to the current time on the paper roll, and the like.
Based on an instruction to issue 10 sheets, the number of issued sheets is 10/10 sheets when 10 sheets are correctly issued, and 3/10 sheets when only 3 sheets can be printed.

The control unit 109 performs a process of writing this data (printing information) to the wireless tag 20 via the reader / writer 67 and the antenna unit every time a sheet-like sheet (linerless label) is issued.
Further, the control unit 109 reads the latest print information (issue information) from the wireless tag 20 before performing new printing, and uses the issue information to determine whether the print data to be issued next can be printed correctly. Judgment based on.

Further, the wireless tag 20 stores the travel distance of the paper roll to which the wireless tag 20 is attached. For this reason, the control unit 109 subtracts the travel distance of the paper roll from the basic total length of the paper roll stored in the wireless tag 20 or the printer, and the value obtained from the paper roll is the remaining amount of the paper roll. It is possible to determine whether or not the length is longer than the length in the data issuing direction.
The control unit 109 determines that printing is allowed when the remaining amount of the calculation result is equal to or longer than the length in the print data issuance direction, and cannot be issued when the remaining amount of the calculation result is less than the length of the print data issuance direction. Printing is prohibited, and notification that the paper roll 6 serving as a printing medium needs to be replaced is made via a notification means (display unit or the like).

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a holding unit 60 (61) of a printer as a paper issue device. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the holding unit 60 (61, 62), the paper roll 6, and the wireless tag 20.

A printer as a paper issue device is sandwiched from both sides substantially orthogonal to the tube body 6 a of the paper roll 6, and a pair of holding parts 60 (61, 62) holding the paper roll 6 and at least one of the holding parts 60. And an antenna portion 66 disposed along the peripheral edge of the side surface of the tube body 6a. The antenna unit 66 performs data communication with the wireless tag 20 provided on the tubular body 6a.
In the present embodiment, the holding unit 60 (61) includes an antenna unit 66, a reader / writer 67, a connection line 68, and the like in the main body unit. At both ends of the main body portion of the holding portion 60 (61), holes h that fit into the rod-shaped support members are provided.
In the present embodiment, the pair of holding portions 60 (61, 62) includes support portions 61b, 62b that can be moved in and out by biasing portions 61c, 62c such as springs as biasing means. It is provided at the approximate center of the main body. The front ends of the support portions 61b and 62b are formed in a substantially convex shape so that the paper roll 6 can be easily attached and detached.
Further, since the label set shaft is not inserted into the paper tube (the support shaft (holding shaft) is inserted into the paper tube in the paper width direction), the rotation of the paper roll 6 and the feeding of the paper are smooth. For this reason, there is no occurrence of read / write failure with the RFID tag provided on the label roll.
Moreover, the phenomenon that the paste (adhesive material) applied to the affixing surface protrudes to the side surface of the linerless label roll may occur, and conventionally, the adhesive protruding from this side surface adversely affects the rotation of the label roll. Or there was a possibility of causing problems such as the label roll coming off.
In the embodiment of the present invention, since the leading ends of the support portions 61b and 62b are formed in a substantially convex shape so that the paper roll 6 can be easily attached and detached, the label roll can be stabilized without being detached from the support portions 61b and 62b. Since it can be rotated, read / write failure with the RFID tag provided on the label roll is not caused.

  Thus, since the pair of holding portions 60 (61, 62) has the antenna portion 66 arranged along the periphery of the tube body 6a of the paper roll 6, the wireless tag 20 ( Regardless of the direction of the RFID tag), it is possible to communicate with the wireless tag 20 in the tubular body 6a satisfactorily.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the holding unit 60 (61) including the antenna unit 66 is connected to the reader / writer 67 (transmission / reception circuit) that performs non-contact communication with the wireless tag 20 (RFID tag) via the antenna unit 66. ).
In this case, since the antenna unit 66 and the reader / writer 67 can be arranged at a short distance, the influence of noise or the like is reduced with respect to communication with the wireless tag 20 arranged in the tube body 6a of the paper roll 6. Can do.
Further, the antenna unit 66 and the reader / writer 67 may be integrated. In this case, the influence of noise or the like can be further reduced.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the pair of holding parts are the abbreviations of the holding parts 60 (61, 62), which support parts 61b, 62b that can be projected and retracted by biasing parts 61c, 62c such as springs as biasing means. Prepare for the center. The support portions 61b and 62b are fitted into the hollow tube 6a of the paper roll 6 to hold the paper roll 6 rotatably. It is a so-called drop-in type.
In this case, the paper roll 6 can be easily attached and detached, the paper can be smoothly fed out from the paper roll 6, and the holding can be performed even when the tube body 6a of the paper roll 6 rotates. The reader / writer 67 provided inside the unit 60 can satisfactorily communicate with the wireless tag 20 disposed in the tubular body 6 a via the antenna unit 66.

Further, in the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the antenna portion 66 is provided in a shape that is parallel to the side surface of the paper roll 6 and surrounds the support portions 61 b and 62 b that can be projected and retracted.
For this reason, even when the tube body 6a of the paper roll 6 is rotated, the reader / writer 67 can communicate with the wireless tag 20 disposed in the tube body 6a through the antenna portion 66. it can.

As described above, the paper issue device according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured to hold the paper roll of the paper roll formed by winding the belt-like paper from the paper width direction so that the paper roll can be fed. Part). The holding unit 60 includes an antenna unit 66 that is provided substantially parallel to the side surface of the paper roll perpendicular to the paper width direction of the paper roll and performs data communication with the wireless tag 20 provided on the paper roll.
For this reason, no matter what direction or position the wireless tag 20 provided on the paper roll is placed (for example, a paper roll in which paper is wound around a paper tube, the wireless tag is placed on the inner surface of the paper tube. Is attached so that the position of the wireless tag attached to the inner surface of the paper tube is rotated every time the paper is fed out, even when the position of the wireless tag is rotated). A paper issue device including the unit 60 can be provided.

In addition, the antenna unit 66 of the paper issue device according to the embodiment of the present invention has a predetermined range inside the holding unit 60 such that the distance for performing data communication with the wireless tag 20 provided on the paper roll is substantially equal. Is provided.
In other words, even when the wireless tag 20 provided on the paper roll is rotated, the antenna unit is configured to surround the side surface of the paper roll in a range (shape) in which the radial direction of the roll paper is equal to the distance from the side surface. 66 was provided. For example, the antenna unit 66 may be a quadrangular shape or a circular shape.
For this reason, even if the paper is fed out from the paper roll or the position of the wireless tag 20 is changed while the paper feeding is stopped, the antenna unit 66 and the wireless tag 20 can reliably perform data communication. it can.

In addition, the antenna unit 66 provided in the holding unit of the paper issuing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is orthogonal to the paper width direction of the paper roll or the paper width direction of the paper roll. The antenna section 66 is provided inside a holding section 60 (61) that is held from either side.
Therefore, the antenna unit 66 positioned on either side of the paper roll perpendicular to the paper width direction or one side of the paper roll perpendicular to the paper width direction communicates with the wireless tag 20 provided on the paper roll. Therefore, even if the outer size and dimensions (for example, width and diameter) of the label roll are different, the communication distance can be kept constant so as not to affect the data communication, and the data communication is surely performed. Can do.
In addition, when the casing of the apparatus main body is a metal, a phenomenon occurs in which the metal and the antenna unit interfere with each other to reduce the communication strength. However, in the embodiment of the present invention, the inside of the holding unit 60 (61) Since the antenna portion 66 is provided, the material of the holding portion 60 (61) itself (for example, plastic (resin) or the like) reduces the influence of the metal or the like even when a metal or the like approaches (approaches) the antenna portion 66 side. Therefore, reading and writing of the RFID tag can be stably performed.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the holding unit 60 (61) including the antenna unit 66 includes a reader / writer 67 that reads and writes predetermined information in a non-contact manner with the wireless tag 20 via the antenna unit 66. Provided inside.
Since the mechanism (structure) includes the reader / writer 67 together with the antenna unit 66 inside the holding unit 60 (61), for example, when a defect occurs in the antenna unit 66, the reader / writer 67, etc., together with the holding unit 60 (61) Maintenance can be easily handled by exchanging parts, so that maintenance can be performed quickly, and human error can be reduced because maintenance work is easy. Further, since the control is for the unit, the read / write control can be simplified.

In addition, the paper roll holding unit (holding unit) according to the embodiment of the present invention holds the paper of the paper roll formed by winding the belt-like paper so that the paper roll can be fed. The paper roll holding unit is provided substantially parallel to the side surface of the paper roll perpendicular to the paper width direction of the paper roll, restricts movement of the paper roll in the paper width direction, and performs data communication with the wireless tag provided in the paper roll. The antenna unit was provided in a predetermined range inside the paper roll holding unit.
For this reason, it is possible to provide a paper roll holding unit capable of satisfactorily communicating with the wireless tag regardless of the orientation of the wireless tag provided on the paper roll.

Further, the antenna portion provided inside the paper roll holding portion (holding portion) is provided in a predetermined range in which data communication can be performed with a wireless tag provided on a paper roll whose diameter is reduced as the paper is fed.
For this reason, even if the roll paper sheet is fed out and reduced (reduced in diameter), the antenna section is provided in a predetermined range in the side surface direction orthogonal to the paper width, so the wirelessly provided on the paper roll is surely provided. Can communicate with tags.
A roll paper drop-in type holding part that does not move in the width direction (for example, inside a wall surface positioned in the vertical direction in the case of a concave holding part), or one that restricts the roll paper from the width direction ( It may be a structure that is regulated on both sides of the paper roll perpendicular to the paper width direction or on one side perpendicular to the paper width direction.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. Is included in the present invention.
Further, the embodiments described in the above drawings can be combined with each other as long as there is no particular contradiction or problem in the purpose and configuration.
Moreover, the description content of each figure can become independent embodiment, respectively, and embodiment of this invention is not limited to one embodiment which combined each figure.

  In the above-described embodiment, the label printer is described as an example of the paper issue device. However, the present invention is not limited to this form. For example, the paper issue device according to the present invention may be applied to a POS register, a ticket vending machine (ticket issuing machine), an issue device that simply cuts and issues a preprinted label with a cutter, an information device, and the like.

  Further, the holding unit 60 (paper roll holding unit) may be configured to hold from one side or both sides, or may be configured to hold a roll-in paper that has been dropped in.

  In addition, the holding unit 60 (paper roll holding unit) may have an aspect that does not have a holding shaft.

  In addition, the paper roll holding unit of the present invention may be any device that holds roll paper and issues paper such as a label issuing device, a label sticking device, a POS register, and a ticket vending machine.

1. Printer (paper issue device)
6 ... paper roll 6a ... tube 20 ... wireless tag 60, 61, 62 ... holding section (paper roll holding section, holding means)
61b, 62b ... projection 61c, 62c ... biasing part 66 ... antenna part 67 ... reader / writer

Claims (3)

A paper issue device having a holding unit for holding paper from a paper width direction so that paper in a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper can be fed out.
The holding portion is provided substantially in parallel with a paper roll side surface orthogonal to the paper width direction of the paper roll,
An antenna that performs data communication with a wireless tag provided on the paper roll, in which the transmission / reception surface is disposed substantially parallel to the side surface of the paper roll and disposed outside the side surface of the paper roll inside the holding unit. A paper issue device characterized by comprising a section.   The paper issue device according to claim 1, wherein the holding part further includes a support part that supports the paper roll, and the antenna part is provided in a shape surrounding the support part. A paper roll holding unit for holding a paper roll formed by winding a belt-like paper so that the paper can be fed out;
The paper roll holding unit is provided substantially parallel to a paper roll side surface orthogonal to the paper width direction of the paper roll,
In the inside of the paper roll holding unit, a transmission / reception surface is arranged substantially in parallel with the side surface of the paper roll, and is arranged outside the side surface of the paper roll and performs data communication with a wireless tag provided on the paper roll. A paper roll holding unit comprising an antenna unit for performing the operation.

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