JPH04193571A - Label printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To print the data of the kind selected in a desired mode on a label at the desired position thereof by selecting the memory card corresponding to a desired use to insert the same in a memory card inserting port to read two or more kinds of the data of the memory card. CONSTITUTION:When a memory card 29 is inserted in a card inserting port, the contents thereof, that is, various data related to a printing item or a printing mode thereof are read by a data reading circuit 27. These contents are displayed on a display. An operator looks this display and one of three kinds of contents is selected on the basis of which mode is taken in the publication of a label now by a label format selection means 28, concretely, by a full keyboard 16. The selected content of the memory card 29 is supplied to a label supplying and selecting means 20, a printing item setting means 21, a printing start point setting means 22, a character size setting means 23, a character direction setting means 24 and a number-of-character setting means 25 as the read signal of the data reading circuit 27.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a label printer.

[Prior Art and Problems Therewith] A label printer is equipped with a printing means and a label supplying means, and the printing means prints predetermined items on a label supplied by the label supplying means and issues it to the outside. This is what is being done. Figure 9 shows an example of an issued label.In the case of this label printer, a price scale is connected, and the weight of the beef placed on the scale is measured and the unit price (100
The scale transmits the net weight and price to the label printer, and the label printer outputs the unit price as 400 yen and the net weight as shown in the figure.
00g, price 1200 yen and printed on the label. Labels (1) are, as is well known, pasted with adhesive onto a roll of backing paper and placed at predetermined intervals, and are transferred to a single label issuing port. During the process, the printing means prints as shown in the figure, and the product name (
"Beef", which is 2), is printed, and a barcode (6) that encodes the price and item number mentioned above is printed on the lower left side of this, and the unit price is the same as (3). The net weight is printed at position (4) and the price is printed at position (5). A ruled line ρ is printed at the bottom of the label (1), and the name of the store that sells this product, AB Food Store (7), is printed below this.

Such labels (1) are not related to beef, but are issued by supermarkets, for example, with the product name of other food products, their unit prices, or coded barcodes printed on them. In some cases, you may want to change the layout of printed content or the size of the label. In such a case, the printing means as is is not versatile, so it is not possible to change the layout of the printed contents or change the size of the characters. Alternatively, if this label printer is used in a factory rather than a grocery store, and you want to print information on products, such as bolt dimensions, quantities, lot numbers, etc., you can use this label printer's arrangement of letters and numbers. Can not. cannot be used. For such cases, the 10th
As shown in the diagram, each label printer A, B, C...
was connected to a host computer as a terminal, and the host computer sent print formats and print data according to the format required by each label printer.

However, this method does not allow any label printer to handle its occasional use unless the host computer is activated.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and even if there is any change in use or the size of the label, it is desirable to change the arrangement and size of letters and numbers. The object of the present invention is to provide a label printer that can easily handle this without using a host computer, even if the printer is not connected to the host computer.

[Means for Solving Problems 1] The above purpose is to provide a printer which includes a printing means and a label supplying means, so that the printing means prints predetermined items on a label supplied by the label supplying means and issues the same to the outside. A label printer equipped with a memory card insertion slot, a means for setting the printing start point, a means for setting the character size,
A memory card containing a built-in character direction setting means, a printing item setting means, a character count setting means, and a label supply setting means and storing a plurality of types of data regarding printing items and printing modes is inserted into the memory card insertion slot. , the plurality of types of data are read out, and the label format selection means arbitrarily selects one of the plurality of types of data and supplies it to each of the setting means, and the desired position on the label supplied by the label supply setting means is set. This is achieved by a label printer characterized in that the printer instructs the printing means to print the selected data in a desired manner.

[Operation 1] A memory card suitable for the desired use is selected and inserted into the memory card insertion slot. The data reading circuit reads out multiple types of data from the memory card.

For example, these multiple types of content are displayed on the display. One type will now be selected. This read signal is supplied to each setting means. The label supply setting means supplies the label to the printing means. The selected type of data is printed on the label at a desired position and in a desired manner.

As described above, desired items can be printed on a label in a desired manner, so a host computer is not required as in the past, and an independent and versatile label printer can be provided. can.

[Example 1] Hereinafter, a label printer according to an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows the entire label printer of this embodiment. In the figure, there is a display section (12) in the upper part of the front panel of the casing of the main body (11), and various numeric keypad switches and An operation section (13) consisting of various function keys is provided. Further, a label issuing opening (14) is formed below this, and a memory card insertion opening (10) is provided on the side thereof. This main body (11) is connected to a full keyboard (16) via a cable (17).

As is well known, label rollers and various drive mechanisms are provided inside the main body (11) of the label printer, but according to the present invention, various circuits and means as shown in FIG. 2 are also built-in. .

A memory card (29) shown in FIG. 2 is inserted into a card insertion slot (10) formed in the front panel of the label printer shown in FIG. According to this embodiment, this is for industrial use, and stores data indicating the contents of a certain part of NBC Corporation, which is a parts manufacturer, for example. When this card is inserted into the card insertion slot, the data output circuit (27) reads out its contents, that is, various data regarding printing items and printing manners.

According to this embodiment, this content is displayed on the display (12) in FIG. The operator looks at this display (12) and selects one of the three types using the selection circuit (28) depending on which type of label is to be issued. The selection is made using the full keyboard (16) (or a touch panel method may be used). The contents of the selected memory card (29) are sent to the label supply selection means (20), the printing item setting means (21), the printing start point setting means (22), and the character size as a successive signal of the data reading circuit (27). The information is supplied to a setting means (23), a character direction setting means (24), and a character number setting means (25). According to this embodiment, the print item setting means (21) includes the item name, item code, dimensions of this item, serial number, date, lot specification, company name NBC Corporation, and barcodes representing the contents of each item: JAN, C0DE39, ITF and NW-7 (7)
In either method, the print item setting means (21) sets the print item along with other items using a signal from the data reading circuit (27).

Furthermore, it is possible to determine whether to start printing from an arbitrary position in the XY coordinates by the printing start point setting means (22).

In addition, in this embodiment, the character size setting means (23) allows the size to be set in stages, and the character direction setting means (24) determines whether each item is written vertically or horizontally, and whether character rotation is to be performed. can be set. Further, according to the character number setting means (25), the number of characters in the above direction can be set.

Each of the above setting means (20) (21) (22) f2
3) The setting outputs of f241 and (25) are supplied to the printing means (26), which according to this embodiment is a thermal transfer type printer that prints one line at a maximum of 100 mm+/sec. Further, according to this embodiment, the printing speed during this thermal transfer can be set in two stages, and one of high speed and low speed, for example, 100 a+m/sec and 65 mm/sec, can be selected.

Figure 3 shows an example in which each item is printed on the largest size label (50), and this relatively large label (50) is selected using the attached keyboard (16).
This is fed by being peeled off from the backing paper of the single-sheet roll by the printing mechanism, and "product name UP-2000" is printed at position (53) for each set item in order from the top, and below this. In this case, a barcode with "item code" and the content "123456" is printed at position (54). Also, at position (55) below this, the "dimension 460x" of UP-2000 of this item is printed. 5
00" is printed, and the serial number 1 is printed on the right side of this.
A barcode (58) with the contents of 2345 is printed. In the lower left position (57) is “Date 1989”.
, 11.29" is printed, and on the right side of this is printed a barcode (58) containing the content "Lot No. 89A4" of this product. This label (50
) "Company name: NBC Co., Ltd." is printed at the bottom position (59).

Such labels are issued sequentially by this label printer, but if they are issued on a different day, the date is automatically changed, and lot defects are automatically determined according to the lot number of the product at that time. A barcode containing that number will be printed (numbering function).

Next, select the smallest label (51), and if you want to print only the item code on this, select this smallest label (51) using the keyboard, and print the item code shown in Figure 3 on this. Only the barcode (61) containing the code 123456 is printed in the center position. This is affixed, for example, to the housing case for this part in the assembly line.

Furthermore, if the medium size label (52) is selected,
Similarly, the two contents in Figure 3, namely serial number, 1
A barcode (62) containing 2345 is printed, and below this is the lot number of the product at this time, 89.
A barcode (63) whose content is A4 is printed. This is also affixed, for example, to parts storage cases or cardboard boxes during assembly line operations.

As described above, seven items are printed in FIG. 3, but data for only one or two of these items is printed in FIGS. 4 and 5. In other words, it is possible to select the size of the label required at that time by selecting it using the keyboard according to the desired mode, and to issue a label with the contents required at that time printed on it.

Next, an example of a label issued by a commercial label printer equipped with a charge scale, for example, will be explained. FIG. 6 shows the first mode, in which a memory card is inserted and selected. On the upper part of the label (30), the name of the product to which it is attached, "Beef", is printed, and on the lower right side, unlike the conventional example shown in Figure 9, a bar code (31) is printed on the right side. is formed, and the unit price, net weight, price, etc. are printed at different locations from those shown in FIG. Figure 7 shows the second type of label, but the size is the same as the first type, and the barcode (41) is printed at the bottom of this label (40). , the price 1200 yen is printed on the top. Also, the name of the product to which this is affixed is "Beef" printed in large letters in the center. Furthermore, the name of the store that sells this item, ``rAB Food Store,'' is printed in small print on the lower right corner of this label. Then, the label (1) in FIG. 9 is issued as the third type.

Figure 8 shows the other side label for industrial use, but this label is different from the above example, and a vertically long label (50) is issued, and this is when a different label roll is used.
Insert the memory card and select it, and depending on the size, the company name "rAB Corporation (51)" is printed vertically on the left side, and the product name "Bolt" is printed on the upper right side. , Quantity r 1000 pieces'' is printed on the center part, and product number r 1234J is printed on the lower part.

Although not shown, three types of modes are selected for this memory card as well. For example, a label printed with only "product name bolt" or with product number 1234 may be issued.

As described above, the label printer of the present invention is applicable not only to toll scales but also to industrial uses.
Depending on each application and the size of the label, the printing start point, for example, the position at the top of the label (40) in FIG. In the case of the industrial label shown in FIG. 8, the character size of the word "Beef" is vertical, and the number of characters can be set arbitrarily according to the size of the label using the character number setting means ( It is also possible to register information on a memory card using the keyboard.) Its versatility is much greater than that of conventional label printers.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the above embodiments, labels as shown in FIGS. 3 to 9 were shown, but of course labels with other character types, character directions, etc. can also be issued.

In addition, in the second embodiment described above, the toll scale is connected via an interface to issue labels (30) (401) as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, but other models, such as parts A counter (counting scale) may be connected, or, of course, no other equipment may be connected.

Note that, according to the present invention, "characters" include numbers, symbols, and the like. Also, the barcode is JAN system, C0DE
39, ITF, NW-7 system Natkaalka, and cholera codes can also be selected arbitrarily.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, one memory card stores data regarding three types of printing items and printing modes, but it is also possible to store even more types of data.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, three types of label sizes are issued by the label supply setting means (20); good. It is also possible to print each data in each format for each printing item on a label of one type of size.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the label printer of the present invention can be applied to label printing for a wide range of purposes, and its independence and versatility are greatly improved compared to conventional printers. Furthermore, various labels can be issued simply by changing the memory card.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a label printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of each circuit and setting means related to the present invention built into the same label printer, and FIGS. 3 to 5 6 is a front view showing each side of a label issued by the same label printer, FIGS. 6 and 7 are front views showing an example of a label when using the memory card according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a front view showing an example of a label printed by a conventional label printer, and FIG. 10 is a front view showing an example of a label printed by a conventional label printer, and FIG. 10 is a conventional free label format capable FIG. In the figure, (16)...
- Code (20)... Label supply setting means (21)... Print item setting means (22)... Printing Starting point setting means (23)... Font size setting means 1
24)......Character direction setting means (25
)......Character count setting means (26)...
...... Printing means (27) ...... Data reading circuit (28
)...... Label format selection means (29)... Memory
Card representative Yasuo Saka Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] A label printer comprising a printing means and a label supplying means, wherein the printing means prints predetermined items on a label supplied by the label supplying means and issues the label to an external device, the label printer comprising a memory card insertion slot, and a printing start point. A memory card that has a built-in setting means, a character size setting means, a character direction setting means, a printing item setting means, a character number setting means, and a label supply setting means, and stores multiple types of data regarding printing items and printing modes. is inserted into the memory card insertion slot, the plurality of types of data are read out, and the label format selection means arbitrarily selects one of the plurality of types of data and supplies it to each of the setting means, and the label supply setting means A label printer characterized in that the printing means is instructed to print the selected data at a desired position on a supplied label in a desired manner.