JP7609666B2 - Portable printing device and printing program - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a portable printing device and a printing program.

A laser rewriting device is a device that rewrites a rewritable recording medium without removing the recording medium from a returnable box or the like.
Conventional laser rewriting devices read the surface information of the recording medium while transporting a returnable box or the like with a recording medium attached on a transport belt conveyor, and erase and rewrite the information.
The laser rewriting device described above requires a conveyor belt to erase and rewrite the recording medium while transporting the returnable box with the recording medium. Therefore, rewriting cannot be done on the spot, and it is necessary to take the box to a laser rewriting device with a conveyor belt to perform the rewriting.

JP 2008-194905 A

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a small, portable printing device and printing program that can be rewritten on a recording medium on the spot.

A portable printing device according to an embodiment includes a memory, an inkjet head, a processor, a start position detection sensor, and a movement amount detection sensor . The memory stores printing items. The inkjet head is provided with a nozzle row for ejecting thermochromic ink. The processor controls the ejection of thermochromic ink from the inkjet head based on the information of the printing items stored in the memory. The start position detection sensor detects a first ruled line among a plurality of ruled lines constituting a printing frame . The movement amount detection sensor detects the movement distance of the portable printing device from the first ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor. The length of the nozzle row of the inkjet head is longer than the length of a character to be printed in the printing frame in the direction of the first ruled line. The processor controls the ejection of the thermochromic ink from the inkjet head so that, when the movement amount detection sensor counts a certain amount of movement , a character based on the information of the printing items stored in the memory is printed in a central position in the direction of the first ruled line within the printing frame.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a portable printing device 1 according to a first embodiment. FIG. 1 is an overall view showing an example of the overall configuration of a label according to a first embodiment; 1 is a flowchart showing a process when printing is executed in the first embodiment; FIG. 13 is an overall view showing an example of the overall configuration of a label according to a second embodiment; 11 is a flowchart showing a process when printing is executed in the second embodiment. 11 is a sub-flowchart showing a process during printing in the second embodiment.

This embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
This embodiment will be described taking as an example printing on a label, which is a recording medium, affixed to a returnable box used in a factory or the like.

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a portable printer 1 in the first embodiment. The portable printer 1 includes an external I/F (Interface) 6, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 7, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 8, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 9, a sensor control circuit 10, a start position detection sensor 11, a movement amount detection sensor 12, an operation panel control circuit 13, an operation panel 14, a print button 14a, a head drive circuit 15, and an inkjet head 16. The CPU 7, ROM 8, RAM 9, sensor control circuit 10, operation panel control circuit 13, and head drive circuit 15 are connected via a bus 17. The start position detection sensor 11 and the movement amount detection sensor 12 are connected to the sensor control circuit 10. The operation panel 14 including the print button 14a is connected to the operation panel control circuit 13. The inkjet head 16 is connected to the head drive circuit 15.

The external I/F 6 transmits and receives data between the portable printing device 1 and a printing information transmission terminal (not shown). The external I/F 6 and the printing information transmission terminal may be connected by either wire or wirelessly. The external I/F 6 receives printing information and the like transmitted from the printing information transmission terminal (not shown). The external I/F 6 inputs the printing information transmitted from the printing information transmission terminal to the RAM 9. The RAM 9 also serves as a storage unit.

CPU7 controls the entire portable printing device 1. CPU7 executes various processes according to programs stored in ROM8 and other memory. CPU7 controls printing to be performed from a specified distance based on the printing information stored in RAM9.

RAM 9 stores the printing information input by the external I/F 6, the frame lines 21 detected from the lines on the label 20 affixed to the returnable box, etc. ROM 8 stores data used by each section for processing, etc.

The sensor control circuit 10 controls the start position detection sensor 11 and the movement amount detection sensor 12.

The start position detection sensor 11 is, for example, an optical sensor composed of a light-projecting section and a light-receiving section. The start position detection sensor 11 is arranged at a position parallel to the arrangement direction of the nozzle row at a predetermined distance, and is located in a portion longer than the length from one end of the nozzle row to the other end. Since it is arranged over a distance longer than the length of the nozzle row, it can detect the top end and corners of the print frame 21. The top end and corners of the print frame 21 that are detected become the reference points for control. The start position detection sensor 11 projects electromagnetic waves from the light-projecting section toward the label 20 attached to the returnable box, receives the light reflected from the surface of the label 20 with the light-receiving section, and converts the surface information of the label 20 into an electrical signal. The start position detection sensor 11 detects the end of a specified ruled line.

The movement amount detection sensor 12 is, for example, an optical sensor composed of a light-emitting section and a light-receiving section. The movement amount detection sensor 12 detects the distance that the portable printer 1 moves on the label affixed to the returnable box. The movement amount detection sensor 12 detects the movement distance from the end of the ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor 11. The temporary visual information is also used to control the timing of the next dot output after printing has started.

The operation panel control circuit 13 controls the operation panel 14.

The head drive circuit 15 controls the operation of the inkjet head 16.

The inkjet head 16 performs printing by ejecting ink under the control of the head drive circuit 15. The inkjet head 16 has a nozzle row with nozzles equal to the number of dots in the height direction of the character. The ink ejected by the inkjet head 16 is, for example, a thermochromic ink that visually fades when exposed to heat. The erasure of thermochromic ink also includes changing the color of the ink from a specific color to a transparent color.
2 shows an example of a label 20 affixed to a returnable container. This label 20 shows columns arranged horizontally for a product code indicating the code of the product contained in the returnable container, a production line number indicating the destination production line number, and a factory code indicating the destination factory code. A product code blank column S1, a production line number blank column S2, and a factory code blank column S3 are provided so that the product code, production line number, and factory code can be printed in the columns below each item. The upper left corner of the product code blank column S1 is defined as 22a, and the lower left corner of the product code blank column S1 is defined as 22b. 22a and 22b are positions where the CPU 7 detects the reference via the start position detection sensor 11.
Further below that are columns for destination, which indicates the destination company, and QR code (registered trademark), which indicates the QR code (registered trademark) for digital management. Also, a destination blank column S4 and a QR code (registered trademark) blank column S5 are provided so that the destination and QR code (registered trademark) can be printed in the columns below each item. Temporary visual information is printed by the inkjet head 16 in the designated blank column for each item.
In this embodiment, the portable printer 1 prints in the print areas S1 to S5 of the label 20.

3 is a flowchart for explaining the process of the printing operation of the portable printer 1. This flowchart shows an example of printing in the print area S1 on the label 20 shown in FIG.
The CPU 7 judges whether or not it has received a command to print the print information transmitted from the print information transmission terminal 2 via the print button 13 (ACT 1). If the CPU 7 judges that it has not received the print (No in ACT 1), it makes the judgment in ACT 1 again after a predetermined time. If the CPU 7 judges that it has received the print (YES in ACT 1), it judges whether or not the start position detection sensor 11 has detected the print frame 21 using the optical sensor (ACT 2). If the start position detection sensor 11 has failed to detect the print frame 21, the CPU 7 controls the start position detection sensor 11 again to perform the detection operation of the print frame 21 (NO in ACT 2). If the start position detection sensor 11 has failed to detect the print frame 21 (NO in ACT 2), the CPU 7 controls the start position detection sensor 11 again after a predetermined time to judge whether or not it has detected the print frame 21. If the CPU 7 detects the print frame 21 (YES in ACT 2), it stores information about the print frame 21 in the RAM 9 and detects the end (corner) of a predetermined ruled line from the print frame 21 stored in the RAM 9 (ACT 3). The end (corner) of the ruled line is the reference 22a and 22b that are the starting position for detecting the movement distance of the portable printer 1. The CPU 7 detects two points, the reference 22a and the reference 22b, as the reference 22. The CPU 7 counts using the movement amount detection sensor 12, and when a predetermined distance equivalent to the reference 22a and 22b is counted via the movement amount detection sensor 12, it performs detection processing (ACT 4). That is, the CPU 7 detects the movement distance from the reference 22a and the reference 22b, which are the ends of the ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor 11, via the movement amount detection sensor 12. When the movement amount detection sensor 12 detects a certain amount (distance) of movement, the CPU 7 judges whether the counter has reached a predetermined value (ACT 5). If the numerical value counted by the counter has not reached the predetermined value (NO in ACT 5), the CPU 7 increments the counter by one (ACT 6). If the numerical value counted by the counter has reached the predetermined value (YES in ACT 5), the CPU 7 proceeds to a process for printing. That is, the CPU 7 controls the inkjet head 16 via the head drive circuit 15 to eject the information of the printing items stored in the RAM 9 in thermochromic ink so as to output temporary visual information to the printing area S1 (ACT 7). The predetermined value is set in the printing information sent from a printing information sending terminal (not shown). After the CPU 7 prints the temporary visual information in the printing area S1, the process ends.
In the first embodiment, the case where temporary visual information is printed in the printing area S1 where only the product code item is printed is described. Similarly, the case where temporary visual information is printed only in a specific item is also similar, so the description of the case where temporary visual information is printed in any of the items in the printing areas S2 to S5 is omitted.

Since the printing of each item uses thermochromic ink that visually fades with heat, when displaying the next destination of the returnable box, the color may be erased with a dryer having a heater. The heater may be provided as a heating unit within the portable printing device 1, or may be realized by a dryer separate from the portable printing device 1. Also, the color can be erased by frictional heat using the corners of the portable printing device 1. Furthermore, the printing may be erased by providing an erasing rubber to the portable printing device 1.
In the first embodiment, the marking is done by a portable printer, so the laser rewriting device can be used without taking the returnable container to the conveyor belt for replacement. Also, since ink that is erased by heat is used, it can be erased by a small device such as a dryer or by using a portable printer, so there is no need to use a conveyor belt for this either.
In the first embodiment, the start position detection sensor 11 and the movement amount detection sensor 12 are described as separate sensors, but they may be a common sensor. In this case, the movement amount detection sensor 12 is composed of a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, like the start position detection sensor 11. The start position detection sensor 11 passes through the same area as the nozzle row area by moving the portable printing device 1 in a direction parallel to the nozzle row, so it can detect, for example, the top end or corner of a ruled line. Since the start position detection sensor is longer than the nozzle row length, if the height of the print frame is known in advance and the nozzle length is longer than the character height, it is also possible to control printing to the center of the frame height. The start position detection sensor 11 may also be realized by using a line CCD sensor unit. In addition to the above-mentioned configuration example, the movement amount detection sensor 12 may be composed of a rotary encoder composed of a rotating disk having a light projecting unit, a light receiving unit, and a slit.
In the first embodiment, an example was described in which the corners of the frame were detected by printing, but control may also be performed by detecting the ruled line at the right edge of the label. When controlling based on the ruled line at the right edge, it is necessary that a virtual line perpendicular to the nozzle row includes the start position detection sensor 11 and the nozzle row. When a start position detection sensor 11 of the type that detects the ruled line at the right edge of the label is used, the start position detection sensor 11 can be made smaller, which is effective for a portable printer.
The movement amount detection sensor 12 is an optical sensor type that projects a light beam directly onto the label, and is therefore effective for fine position control between print dots.

Second Embodiment
The components of the second embodiment that are the same as those of the portable printer of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. The components that operate similarly to those of the first embodiment are also designated by the same reference numerals. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a continuous printing area is printed in a single printing operation.
In this embodiment, the process of continuously printing the printing areas S1 to S3 shown in Fig. 4 in one printing operation will be described as an example. That is, the portable printer 1 in the second embodiment will be described as printing three items, a product code, a manufacturing line number, and a factory code, which are arranged in a row on the surface of the label 20 shown in Fig. 4. The label shown in Fig. 4 has corners 22a and 22b in Fig. 2 changed to 22a(1) and 22b(1). Also, 22a(2) and 22b(2) are newly added to the upper and lower left corners (corners) of the item manufacturing line number. Also, 22a(3) and 22b(3) are newly added to the upper and lower left corners (corners) of the item factory code.

The process performed during the printing operation in the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIGS.
If the CPU 7 determines that the item has been printed (YES in ACT1), it sets the variable i to 1 (ACT10). The CPU 7 performs the first item printing operation, which is the product code printing operation (ACT11). Details of the first item printing operation will be described later as the i-th item printing operation in FIG. 6. When the first item printing operation is completed, the CPU 7 increments the variable i by 1 (ACT20). The CPU 7 performs the second item printing operation, which is the production line number printing operation (ACT21). Details of the second item printing operation will be described later as the i-th item printing operation in FIG. 6. When the second item printing operation is completed, the CPU 7 increments the variable i by 1 (ACT30). The CPU 7 performs the third item printing operation, which is the factory code printing operation (ACT31). Details of the third item printing operation will be described later as the i-th item printing operation in FIG. 6. When the third item printing operation is completed, the CPU 7 ends the operation since all the printing to be done in a horizontal line is completed. In this manner, in the second embodiment, a plurality of print items are printed continuously in a horizontal line.
Next, the first to third item printing will be described as the i-th item printing item with reference to the subflow in FIG.
The CPU 7 judges whether or not the start position detection sensor 11 has detected the print frame 21 using the optical sensor (ACT 2).
If the CPU 7 cannot detect the print frame 21 by the start position detection sensor 11 (NO in ACT 2), it controls the start position detection sensor 11 again after a predetermined time to determine whether the print frame 21 has been detected. If the CPU 7 detects the print frame 21 (YES in ACT 2), it stores the information of the print frame 21 in the RAM 9 and detects the end (corner) of a predetermined ruled line from the print frame 21 stored in the RAM 9 (ACT 40). The end (corner) of this ruled line is the reference 22a(i) and 22b(i) which are the starting positions for detecting the movement distance of the portable printer 1. The CPU 7 detects two points, the reference 22a(i) and the reference 22b(i), as the reference 22. The CPU 7 counts using the movement amount detection sensor 12, and when it has counted a predetermined distance from the reference 22a(i) and 22b(i) via the movement amount detection sensor 12, it performs detection processing (ACT 41). That is, the CPU 7 detects the movement distance from the reference 22a(i) and the reference 22b(i), which are the ends of the ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor 11, via the movement detection sensor 12. When the movement detection sensor 12 detects a certain amount of movement distance, the CPU 7 judges whether the counter has reached a predetermined value (ACT 5). If the numerical value counted by the counter has not reached the predetermined value (NO in ACT 5), the CPU 7 increments the counter by one (ACT 6). If the numerical value counted by the counter has reached the predetermined value (YES in ACT 5), the CPU 7 proceeds to a process for printing. That is, the CPU 7 controls the information of the printing item (i) stored in the RAM 9 so that the inkjet head 16 outputs temporary visual information to the printing area S(i) via the head drive circuit 15 (ACT 7).
After the CPU 7 prints the temporary visual information in the printing area S(i), it returns to the main flow chart of Fig. 5. When i = 1, the product code is printed, when i = 1, the product code is printed, when i = 1, the product line number is printed, and when i = 1, the factory code is printed. That is, the printing item information differs depending on the value of i.
The operations for the "Destination" and "QR Code (registered trademark)" rows are the same, so the explanation will be omitted.
In the second embodiment, the reference position is detected for each item, the reference position is determined, and then printing is performed. However, the reference position may be determined only at the first location, and thereafter the printing position may be determined by counting the amount of movement detection sensor.

In this configuration, similarly to the first embodiment, by printing using a portable printing device, it is possible to carry the returnable container onto the transport belt conveyor of the laser rewriting device without having to change it.
Furthermore, since a plurality of items can be printed in one printing operation, it is possible to efficiently rewrite information on the recording medium.

In the first and second embodiments, an example of printing on a label affixed to a returnable box used in a factory or the like is described, but the recording medium is not limited to this. For example, it can also be applied to in-house mail, destination signs, construction blackboards, etc. Also, in the embodiments, a case where the portable printing device moves horizontally relative to the returnable box placed on it is described, but it can also be used in a case where it moves vertically.

The portable printing device 1 described in the first and second embodiments performs printing processing based on the printing information transmitted from the printing information transmission terminal 2, but in addition to this, a mark may be printed on the label 20 to record the number of erasures. This mark indicates how many times the label 20 printed with color-changing ink has been erased or how many times it has been printed. For example, the recorded mark may use the number of blocks to indicate the number of erasures, or a barcode, number, etc. The upper limit of the number of erasures of the recording medium is, for example, 8 times. Note that the upper limit is not limited to 8 times, and it is advisable to set the upper limit of the number of erasures taking into account the characteristics of the label 20. The mark is read by a reading unit (not shown). The CPU 7 determines the number of erasures from the reading result of the reading unit. If erasure and printing are repeated and the upper limit of erasure is exceeded, the CPU 7 may limit printing and end the printing process. The ink used to print the mark recording the number of erasures may be thermochromic ink, and a previously recorded mark may be erased once and a new mark may be recorded. If ink that does not thermochromic is used to print the mark, the number of erasures may be expressed as the number of blocks, and an additional block may be recorded each time an erasure is performed, or a recorded mark may be filled in and a new mark recorded in a different position. When printing with thermochromic ink, the erasure may be insufficient if the label 20 is reused or erased many times, but by limiting the number of erasures in this way, it is possible to suppress residual erasure.

In this embodiment, the case has been described where the functions for implementing the invention are pre-recorded inside the device, but this is not limiting and similar functions may be downloaded to the device from a network, or similar functions stored on a recording medium may be installed in the device. The recording medium may be in any form as long as it is capable of storing a program such as an optical disk and is readable by the device. Furthermore, functions obtained by pre-installation or downloading in this way may work in cooperation with an OS (operating system) inside the device to realize the function.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims.
The invention as originally claimed in the present application is set forth below.
[1] A memory for storing print items;
a start position detection sensor for detecting the end of a ruled line;
a movement amount detection sensor that detects a movement distance from the end of the ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor;
An inkjet head that ejects thermochromic ink;
a processor for controlling the ejection of thermochromic ink from the inkjet head according to information on print items stored in the memory when the movement amount detection sensor counts a certain distance of movement;
A portable printing device comprising:
[2] The processor controls printing of a plurality of print items,
The portable printing device according to [1], wherein after ejecting thermochromic ink from the inkjet head to print a first printing item, when the movement amount detection sensor counts the amount of movement of the predetermined distance, ejecting thermochromic ink from the inkjet head to continuously print a second printing item different from the first printing item.
[3] The portable printing device according to [1] or [2], further comprising a heating unit for erasing the ejected ink.
[4] For portable printing devices
A function of detecting the edge of a ruled line via a position detection sensor;
A function of detecting the distance traveled from the end of the ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor via a travel amount detection sensor.
An inkjet head;
a printing program for realizing a function of controlling the ejection of thermochromic ink from an inkjet head based on print item information stored in a memory when the movement amount detection sensor counts a certain distance of movement.
[5] A device for controlling printing of a plurality of print items, comprising:
A printing program as described in [4], which ejects thermochromic ink from the inkjet head to print a first printing item, and then ejects thermochromic ink from the inkjet head when the movement amount detection sensor counts the movement amount of the specified distance, thereby continuously printing a second printing item different from the first printing item.

1...Portable printing device 2...Printed information transmission terminal 7...Processor 11...Start position detection sensor 12...Movement amount detection sensor 16...Inkjet head 20...Label 21...Printing frame 22a(1)...Reference 22b(1)...Reference 22a(2)...Reference 22b(2)...Reference 22a(3)...Reference 22b(3)...Reference

Claims (5)

A memory for storing print items;
an inkjet head provided with a nozzle row for ejecting a thermochromic ink;
a processor for controlling the ejection of thermochromic ink from the inkjet head in accordance with information on printing items stored in the memory;
A portable printing device comprising:
a start position detection sensor that detects a first ruled line among a plurality of ruled lines that form a printing frame ;
a movement amount detection sensor that detects a movement distance of the portable printing device from the first ruled line detected by the start position detection sensor;
Further comprising:
a length of the nozzle row of the inkjet head is longer than a length of the character to be printed within the printing frame in the direction of the first ruled line;
the processor controls the ejection of the thermochromic ink from the inkjet head so that, when the movement amount detection sensor counts a certain distance of movement , a character based on the information of the printing item stored in the memory is printed in a central position in the direction of the first ruled line within the printing frame .
Portable printing device. The processor controls printing of a plurality of print items,
2. The portable printing device according to claim 1, wherein after ejecting thermochromic ink from the inkjet head to print a first printing item, when the movement amount detection sensor counts a predetermined distance of movement, ejecting thermochromic ink from the inkjet head to continuously print a second printing item different from the first printing item. The portable printing device according to claim 1 or 2, which is provided with a heating unit that erases the ejected ink. a function that , when executed by a processor of the portable printing device, causes the processor to detect a first ruled line among a plurality of ruled lines that constitute a printing frame via a position detection sensor;
a function of detecting a distance traveled by the portable printing device from the first ruled line via a travel amount detection sensor ;
a printing program for realizing a function of controlling the ejection of thermochromic ink from an inkjet head having a nozzle row longer than the length in the direction of the first ruled line of a character to be printed within the printing frame , so that when the movement amount detection sensor counts a certain distance of movement, a character based on printing item information stored in memory is printed in a central position in the direction of the first ruled line within the printing frame . When executed by the processor of the portable printing device, the processor is caused to control printing of a plurality of printing items,
A function of controlling the ejection of thermochromic ink from the inkjet head to print a first print item, and then ejecting thermochromic ink from the inkjet head when the movement amount detection sensor counts a predetermined distance of movement , and continuously printing a second print item different from the first print item.
5. The printing program according to claim 4 , for realizing the above .

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