JP2995830B2 - Printer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a POS / printer which can print slip paper of cut paper and journal paper or receipt paper of continuous paper by a single main body using a dot head or the like. It relates to a printer for ECR.

[Conventional technology]

As shown in the block diagrams of FIGS. 5 and 6, the configuration of a paper feed unit of a conventional POS / ECR printer uses a step motor, a plunger solenoid, or the like as a power source, and outputs journal paper or receipt paper and slip paper. Power has been transmitted to and controlled by the separate power source and separate clutch means 45a and 45b, respectively, for the paper feeding means.

In addition, a configuration is adopted in which the power is switched by the power switching means 55 with the same power source, and slip paper printing and receipt paper printing are supported by one main body.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, since the conventional printer has a separate power source and a separate clutch system, the number of parts is large and an expensive and complicated control system is required. Although the same power source shown in FIG. 6 is operated by gear switching or the like as power switching means, the content of printing on slip paper as well as slip paper printing and receipt paper printing as recent usage patterns is described. At the same time, the need to record on journal paper arises from the viewpoint of safety and reliability, and the conventional configuration shown in FIG. 6 cannot be used. There have been few printers that meet the above needs. Such a need is called a security slip.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a printer that can cope with security slips as well as journal paper printing or receipt paper printing and slip printing by a simple method.

[Means for solving the problem]

In accordance with the above object, the present invention provides a printer for printing on cut sheet and continuous paper, comprising: a slip feed roller; a slip holding roller disposed opposite to the slip feed roller; A cut-off paper feeding means for feeding the cut-off paper, comprising an electric roller opening / closing mechanism capable of selecting a holding roller and the slip feed roller between an open state and a pressed state; Paper feed means for feeding paper, a power source for operating the slip feed roller and the continuous paper feed means, and an electric clutch installed between the continuous paper feed means and the power source Means, a first mode for printing only on the cut sheet, and a print mode designating means for selectively designating a second mode for printing only on the continuous paper; and No. When the second mode is designated, the electric clutch means is disengaged. When the second mode is designated, the electric clutch means is coupled with the clutch control means. Power control means for setting the electric roller opening / closing mechanism to a pressing state when the first mode is selected, and for opening the electric roller opening / closing mechanism when the second mode is selected; , Is characterized by having.

In this case, the print mode designating means can designate a third mode for printing the same contents on the cut sheet and the continuous paper, and the clutch control means makes the third mode by the print mode designating means. When the mode is designated, the electric clutch means is connected, and the power control means controls the third mode by the print mode designation means.
When the mode is selected, it is desirable that the electric roller opening / closing mechanism be in a pressed state.

In these cases, an interface for inputting print data and command data may be provided, and the print mode specifying unit may perform the specification based on command data input from the interface.

[Action]

According to the above configuration of the present invention, in the case of only slip printing, the power is not transmitted to the continuous paper and the paper cannot be fed because the clutch means is in the non-connected state. Therefore, predetermined printing is performed only on slip paper.
When only continuous paper such as journal paper is used, continuous paper such as journal paper can be transferred and printed by setting the clutch means in a connected state and not inserting slip paper. At this time, the slip paper is set each time printing is required, and therefore, in the case of printing only on continuous paper such as journal paper, the slip is not set and there is no problem.

In the case of a security slip, if the clutch unit is set in the connected state and slip paper is set, the content printed on the slip paper in the same printing unit can be printed on continuous paper such as journal paper. At this time, pressure-sensitive paper is generally used for continuous paper such as journal paper.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a paper feed section of the printer of the present invention. Reference numeral 3 denotes a power source, which uses a stepping motor, a plunger solenoid or the like as in the prior art, and 15 denotes an electric clutch means. It is installed between the continuous paper feeding means 40 and the power source. Numeral 50 denotes slip paper feeding means, which is directly connected to a power source via a transmission system. In the present embodiment, recording paper used as a kind of continuous paper, journal paper, will be described as an example. Also, this journal paper is used as an example in the form of a roll.

3 (a) and 3 (b) are schematic views showing the configuration of a printer mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 (a) is a side view, and FIG. 3 (b) is a plan view. FIG.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a print head on which a plurality of wires 1a, which are printing elements, are mounted, and reference numeral 2 denotes a platen serving as a contact portion of the printing wire 1a.

The stepping motor 3 as a paper feed power source has a frame 17.
The motor gear 4 attached to the inside of the frame 17 and fixed to the motor shaft of the step motor 3 meshes with a wheel train arranged outside the frame 17. Intermediate gear 5,
6 is rotatably supported on a shaft (not shown) fixed to the frame 17. The slip drive gear shaft 7 is a slip drive gear rotatably supported by left and right frames 17.
7a, the journal drive gear 9 is fixed to the shaft 9a. The slip feed roller 16 is fixed to the shaft 7a. The slip feed roller 16 is engaged with the slip holding roller 14, and sandwiches the slip paper 12, which is a recording paper, between them to enable the paper feed. Slip holding roller 14 is shaft 26
It is fixed to. The shaft 26 has both ends rotatably supported by the arm 25.

The platen 2 and the slip holding roller 14 share a common arm 25
Is supported rotatably about a fulcrum 25a, and a plunger 28 is connected as a power source. The arm 25 and the plunger 28 constitute a printing unit opening / closing mechanism 30.

The printing unit opening / closing mechanism 30 is used when printing is performed by inserting a recording sheet from above the printing unit.

In this embodiment, two slip feed rollers 16 and two slip press rollers 14 are shown. However, one or more slip feed rollers 16 and slip press rollers 14 may be used depending on the paper size, paper feed capacity, and the like.

The intermediate gear 8 connects the rotation of the step motor 3, which is the same power source, to the journal drive gear 9.

A clutch 15 which is a kind of electric clutch means is arranged coaxially with the shaft 9a, and the journal drive roller 13 is connected to the shaft 9a.
The connection state or the non-connection state with 9a is controlled by electromagnetic force.

Presser roller 10 is a journal drive roller with an appropriate presser pressure.
It is pressed against the 13 side and holds the journal paper 11.
The print head 1 as the same printing unit for slip paper printing and journal paper printing has a wire 1a as a printing element inside thereof, and slip paper 12 or roll paper 11 is put in a gap between the printing platen 2 and an ink ribbon. (Not shown).

Reference numeral 23 denotes a belt for transmitting the rotational force of the slip drive gear 7 to the slip feeding auxiliary roller 22, and a slip holding auxiliary roller 21 is provided so as to face the slip feeding auxiliary roller 22. The slip holding auxiliary roller 22 is rotatably supported by an arm 19, and the arm 19 is configured to be operable in a direction indicated by an arrow F around a fulcrum 19a by a plunger 18. The slip feeding auxiliary roller 22, the slip holding auxiliary roller 21, the arm 19, and the plunger 18 form a slip paper feeding auxiliary means, and the arm 19 and the plunger 18 form a roller opening / closing mechanism 20, respectively.

This slip paper feed assisting means is installed to transfer the slip paper to the vicinity of the print head having the slip feed roller by operating the plunger and pressing the holding roller 21 against the feed roller 22 after the slip paper is set. Have been.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of one embodiment of the electric clutch, which will be described in detail below.

The clutch 15 is arranged coaxially with the shaft 9a, and when the clutch electromagnet 31 is energized, the clutch plate 32, which is stably pressed against the clutch electromagnet 31 by the compression spring 33, is attracted and fixed at an arbitrary position. Then, the clutch plate 32 is stopped with respect to an external member, for example, the frame 17 constituting the mechanism. When the step motor 3 operates in this state, the clutch spring 34 tries to rotate as the shaft 9a rotates, but the clutch plate 32 locked on the loose side of the clutch spring 34 stops with respect to the frame 17 and Therefore, the clutch spring 34 starts to loosen from the clutch plate 32 side, the driving force of the shaft 9a is not transmitted to the journal driving roller 13, and the power of the journal driving roller 13 is disconnected and the journal driving roller 13 remains stopped. When the clutch electromagnet is not energized, the clutch plate 32 is not attracted and fixed, so that the clutch spring 34 is rotatable and the clutch spring 34 is disposed on the tightening side with respect to the journal drive gear shaft. By rotating the roller 13, the power is connected. The journal pressing roller 10 is pressed against the journal driving roller 13 with an appropriate pressing pressure to pinch the journal paper 11, and the rotation of the journal driving roller 13 is transmitted to the journal paper to execute the paper feeding.

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention. Reference numeral 100 denotes the printer mechanism described with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, and a print head 101 and an electric clutch. 102, motor 103, various power sources 10 such as plungers
4. It has a detector group 105 and the like. 60 is CPU and ROM6
1, RAM 62, interface 63, head control circuit 65, clutch control circuit 66, motor control circuit 67 for controlling motor power, power control circuit for controlling power such as plunger
68, various detection circuits 69 connected to various detectors for detecting the presence or absence of recording paper and the like. A switch 64 is a kind of print mode selection means for selecting a print mode. The state of this switch determines whether or not the print content on the slip paper is left on the journal paper.

The head control unit, the clutch control unit, the motor control unit, and the power control unit are respectively constituted by the CPU 60, the ROM 61, the RAM 62, the control program in the ROM 61, and each control circuit.

When print data is input from interface 63, RA
Once captured in the M62, the CPU decodes this data and returns the character font data corresponding to the data code to the RO.
The printer mechanism is controlled via the read power control means and the head control means read from M61 to execute printing. At this time, when the print mode selection means is in the security mode in which the printing on the slip paper is left on the journal paper, the clutch control means is in the connected state, and in the normal print mode, the clutch control means is not connected. In the security mode, the slip paper and the journal paper are sent at the same time, and the same contents as the slip paper are printed on the journal paper by using pressure-sensitive paper for the journal paper. Further, in the normal mode, the paper feed on the journal paper side is not executed, so that a predetermined print does not remain on the journal paper.

In addition, when the mode only for journal paper printing is specified, the roller control mechanism is opened using the power control means, so that even if the slip paper is set by mistake, it will not be transported to the printing section, ensuring reliable printing. Is guaranteed. In particular, when the journal paper is plain paper, the printing with the ink ribbon may be erroneously printed on the slip paper and nothing may be printed on the journal paper. This opening and closing mechanism is extremely convenient in order to prevent such a situation.

As the means for designating the print mode, command data input from the interface 63 can be used in addition to the switch.

 Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described.

In the case of the printing mode of slip paper only, the clutch 15 is disengaged by the clutch control circuit 66 so that the driving force of the step motor 3 is not transmitted to the journal driving roller 13. The slip paper 12 is sandwiched by the slip feed roller 16 and the slip holding roller 14 via the intermediate gear 6 and the slip drive gear 7, and is fed in the direction of arrow D while taking timing with the print head 1 so as to be put on the slip paper 12. Can be printed.

In the print mode for journal paper only, first
15 is connected by the clutch control circuit 66, the power of the step motor 3 is changed to the rotational force of the journal drive roller in the direction of arrow E, and the paper is fed in the direction of arrow C, and the timing with the print head 1 is set in the same manner as described above. While journal paper 11
Can be printed on top. At this time, since the slip 12 is not set, the slip feed roller 16 and the slip holding roller 14 are rotating, but there is no problem. Further, as described above, the printing on the journal paper is not hindered by keeping the roller opening and closing machine open.

When continuous paper is used as receipt paper, a cutter is disposed at an end (not shown) in the direction of arrow C, and the printer issues a receipt by cutting the printed continuous paper in the form of roll paper into an appropriate length. Machine.

The journal paper can be used as a journal machine by recording and storing the printed paper by providing a winding means for winding the continuous paper printed on the extension of arrow C. it can.

In the case of security slip, continuous paper is pressure-sensitive paper,
Clutch 15 in the same way as the journal machine
Is connected. Further, the slip 12 is set, and the slip 12 is overlapped and printed on the journal paper 11 in the printing unit, so that the slip paper 12 is printed via the ink ribbon, and the journal paper 11 simultaneously presses the same content by pressing the head wire 1a. Can be printed.

Since the slip paper 12 and the journal paper 11 have the same paper feed amount, there is no problem such as printing misalignment.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the configuration of the printer of the present invention, the single printer main body can cope not only with the normal mode such as slip paper printing or journal paper printing, but also with the security mode in which the print content on the slip paper is left on the journal paper. A useful printer can be provided.

Also, by adopting the electric clutch means for the power transmission unit, the operation mode of the printer can be selected based on a command from the host computer, and the application range is expanded,
The best printer for POS system was realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control block diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a paper feeding unit of the printer of the present invention. 3 (a) and 3 (b) are schematic views showing the configuration of a printer mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 (a) is a side view, and FIG. 3 (b) is a plan view. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an embodiment of an electric clutch. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are block diagrams of the configuration of a paper feed unit of a conventional POS / ECR printer. 1 Print head 3 Motor 11 Journal paper 12 Slip paper 15 Clutch means 16 Slip feed roller 14 Slip press roller 13 Journal drive roller 19 Journal press roller 20 ... Roller opening / closing mechanism

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B41J 11/00-11/70

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A printer for performing printing on cut sheet and continuous paper, comprising: a slip feed roller; a slip press roller disposed opposite to the slip feed roller; a slip press roller; and the slip feed roller. An electric roller opening / closing mechanism capable of selecting between an open state and a pressed state, a cut-sheet paper feeding means for feeding the cut paper, and a continuous paper feed for feeding the continuous paper. Means, a power source for operating the slip feed roller and the continuous paper feed means, an electric clutch provided between the continuous paper feed means and the power source, and A print mode designating means for selectively designating a first mode in which only printing is performed and a second mode in which printing is performed only on the continuous paper; and wherein the first mode is designated by the print mode designating means. Place And the first mode is selected by the print mode designating means, wherein the electric type clutch means is disengaged and the second mode is designated when the second mode is designated. Power control means for setting the electric roller opening / closing mechanism to a pressed state when the operation is performed, and opening the electric roller opening / closing mechanism when the second mode is selected. Printer. 2. The printer according to claim 1, wherein said print mode designating means is capable of designating a third mode for printing the same contents on said cut sheet and continuous paper. When the third mode is designated by the print mode designating means, the electric type clutch means is connected, and the power control means is provided when the third mode is selected by the print mode designating means. Wherein the electric roller opening / closing mechanism is in a pressed state. 3. The printer according to claim 1, further comprising an interface for inputting print data and command data, wherein said print mode designating means is configured to execute said designation based on command data inputted from said interface. A printer.