Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6795103
-
Patent Number
6,795,103
-
Date Filed
Thursday, May 8, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 21, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Nguyen; Lamson
- Feggins; K.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 347 192
- 347 185
- 347 14
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
There are provided a power-consumption estimating means (a microcomputer M and a designated program) for estimating first electric power consumption required for driving a printing thermal head (10) and second electric power consumption required for driving an activating thermal head (40) of a thermally activating apparatus; a supply-power setting means (the microcomputer M and a designated program) for setting first electric power that can be supplied to the printing thermal head and second electric power that can be supplied to the activating thermal head within the allowable power range on the basis of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means; and an energization control means (the microcomputer M and a designated program) for energizing the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head on the basis of the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thermal printer including a thermally activating apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet having a heat-sensitive adhesive layer that exhibits a non-bonding property normally and expresses a bonding property by heat on one side of a sheet-like substrate, and more particularly, relates to a technique capable of efficiently driving a printing thermal head and an activating thermal head with limited allowable electric power.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heat-sensitive adhesive sheets (heat-sensitive adhesive labels) as one type of so-called linerless labels have recently been used in broad areas, such as adhesion of POS labels for food, distribution/delivery labels, medical labels, baggage tags, and indicator labels for bottles and cans. The heat-sensitive adhesive labels are constructed such that a heat-sensitive adhesive layer which exhibits a non-bonding property normally and expresses a bonding property by heat is formed on the back of a sheet-like label substrate (for example, base paper) and a printable plane is formed on the front surface.
The heat-sensitive adhesive has a thermoplastic resin, a solid plasticizer or the like as the main component, and exhibits a non-bonding property normally but expresses a bonding property by being activated when heated with a thermally activating apparatus. The activating temperature is normally from 50 to 150° C., wherein in this temperature range, the solid plasticizer in the heat-sensitive adhesive melts to give a bonding property to the thermoplastic resin. The melted solid plasticizer is gradually crystallized through a supercooled state; thus, the bonding property is maintained for a fixed period of time. While the bonding property is maintained, the adhesive label is used in the manner of being adhered to the object such as a glass bottle.
The printable plane of the heat-sensitive adhesive label is composed of, for example, a heat-sensitive color-forming layer, on which a desired character or image is printed with a thermal printer having a general thermal head; thereafter, the heat-sensitive adhesive layer is activated by the thermally activating apparatus.
A printer is also being developed which has the thermally activating apparatus in the thermal printer for performing thermal printing onto a heat-sensitive adhesive label and activation of a heat-sensitive adhesive layer in succession.
Such a printer had, for example, an arrangement shown in FIG.
6
.
In
FIG. 6
, reference sign P
2
denotes a thermal printer unit; sign C
2
denotes a cutter unit; sign A
2
denotes a thermally activating unit; and sign R denotes a heat-sensitive adhesive label wound like a roll.
The thermal printer unit P
2
includes a printing thermal head
100
, a platen roller
101
which is brought into pressure contact with the printing thermal head
100
, and a drive system (for example, an electric motor and a gear train or the like), which is not shown, for rotating the platen roller
101
.
In
FIG. 6
, the platen roller
101
is rotated in the direction of D
1
(clockwise) to draw out the heat-sensitive adhesive label R; the drawn-out heat-sensitive adhesive label R is subjected to thermal printing, and is then carried out in the direction of D
2
(to the right). The platen roller
101
includes a pressurizing means (for example, a coil spring, a leaf spring or the like), which is not shown, by the urging force of which the surface of the platen roller
101
is brought into pressure contact with the thermal head
100
.
The heat-sensitive adhesive label R is constructed, for example, as in FIG.
7
.
More specifically, base paper
1500
serving as a label substrate has a thermal coat layer
1501
serving as a heat-sensitive color-forming layer, which forms a printable plane, on one side (the surface in FIG.
7
), on which a colored print layer
1502
having price frames, characters including units, patterns, or the like printed thereon is formed. The other side (the back in
FIG. 7
) of the base paper
1500
has a heat-sensitive adhesive layer K coated with a heat-sensitive adhesive having a thermoplastic resin, a solid plasticizer, or the like as the main component.
The printing thermal head
100
and the platen roller
101
operate on the basis of a print signal from a print controller (not shown), thereby allowing desired printing onto the thermal coat layer
1501
of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R.
The cutter unit C
2
is used for cutting the heat-sensitive adhesive label R that has been subjected to thermal printing with the thermal printer unit P
2
in an appropriate length, including a movable blade
200
, a fixed blade
201
, or the like which are activated by the primary drive such as an electric motor (not shown). The movable blade
200
is driven in a designated timing by the control of a controller (not shown).
The thermally activating unit A
2
is rotated by, for example, a primary drive (not shown), including an inserting roller
300
and an ejecting roller
301
for inserting and ejecting the cut heat-sensitive adhesive label R, wherein a thermally activating thermal head
400
and a platen roller
401
, which is brought into pressure contact with the thermally activating thermal head
400
, are disposed between the inserting roller
300
and the ejecting roller
301
. The platen roller
401
includes a drive system, which is not shown, (such as an electric motor and a gear train), wherein the platen roller
401
is rotated in the direction of D
4
(counterclockwise in
FIG. 6
) to transfer the heat-sensitive adhesive label R in the direction of D
6
(to the right in
FIG. 6
) with the inserting roller
300
and the ejecting roller
301
, which rotate in the directions of D
3
and D
5
, respectively. The platen roller
401
includes a pressurizing means, which is not shown, (such as a coil spring and a leaf spring), by the urging force of which the surface of the platen roller
401
is brought into pressure contact with the thermally activating thermal head
400
.
Reference sign S indicates an ejection detecting sensor for detecting the ejection of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R. The subsequent printing, transfer, and thermal activation of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R are performed in accordance with the detection of the ejection of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R by, the ejection detecting sensor S.
The thermally activating thermal head
400
and the platen roller
401
are operated by a controller (not shown) in a prescribed timing to activate the heat-sensitive adhesive layer K of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R by heat applied from the thermally activating thermal head
400
, thereby exhibiting adhesive force.
After the adhesive force of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R has been exhibited by the thermally activating unit A
2
with such an arrangement, indicator labels are adhered to glass bottles for liquor and medicines or plastic cases, or price tags or advertising labels are adhered. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that released sheets (liners) as in conventional general adhesive labels become unnecessary, resulting in reducing cost; and also released sheets which will be waste after use are unnecessary, having an advantage also in view of resource savings and environment.
The printing thermal head
100
of the thermal printer unit P
2
and the thermally activating thermal head
400
of the thermally activating unit A
2
consume relatively high electric power; accordingly, when both thermal heads are driven at the same time, the power sometimes exceeded the allowable power of the power source of the printer.
Particularly, portable printers used for printing distribution/delivery labels and so on have relatively low allowable electric power because they are driven by a built-in battery as a power source; thus, it was sometimes difficult to operate the printing thermal head and the thermally activating thermal head at the same time.
Accordingly, in the conventional portable printers, first, the printing thermal head
100
of the thermal printer unit P
2
is driven to perform printing, and then the thermally activating thermal head
400
of the thermally activating unit A
2
is driven to perform thermal activation, thereby covering the consumed power of each thermal head within the allowable power.
However, since the printing thermal head and the thermally activating thermal head are individually operated with a certain time difference, as described above, there was a problem of taking a long period of time until the issue of labels is completed. Particularly, printers carried by delivery servicemen issue labels and the like on the customer's premises; therefore, which requires to issue labels and so on smoothly in minimum time so as not to keep customers waiting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems. Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal printer having a thermally activating apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet capable of operating a printing thermal head and a thermally activating thermal head in parallel with relatively low allowable power to reduce time until the completion of the issue of labels and so on.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a thermal printer having a thermally activating apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet includes: at least a thermally activating apparatus (a thermally activating unit A
1
) for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet including at least an activating thermal head
40
for heating to activate a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet R, the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet R having a printable plane on one side of a sheet-like substrate and the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other side thereof, and a transfer means for transferring the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in a designated direction; and a printing thermal head
10
for performing thermal printing onto the printable plane of the sheet-like substrate, the thermal printer including a power-consumption estimating means (a microcomputer M and a designated program) for estimating first electric power consumption required for driving the printing thermal head and second electric power consumption required for driving the activating thermal head of the thermally activating apparatus; a supply-power setting means (the microcomputer M and a designated program) for setting first electric power that can be supplied to the printing thermal head and second electric power that can be supplied to the activating thermal head within the allowable power range on the basis of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means; and an energization control means (the microcomputer M and a designated program) for energizing the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head on the basis of the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means.
Consequently, the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head can be driven in parallel within the range of allowable power, thus allowing the reduction of period of time until the completion of the issue of labels and so on formed of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet R.
The printing thermal head and the activating thermal head include a plurality of dot-like heating devices arranged in parallel; and the power-consumption estimating means counts the number of dots driven in fixed time out of each heating device of the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head, and calculates the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption on the basis of the number of dots. Accordingly, the power consumption of the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head can easily be estimated.
Also, the number of dots driven in the fixed time may be counted on the basis of print data supplied from a prescribed print control means and control data of the thermally activating apparatus. This allows the number of dots varying sequentially during the issue of labels and so on to be accurately grasped, so that the power consumption of the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head can be accurately estimated. The power consumption of the activating thermal head is estimated on the basis of the control data of the thermally activating apparatus; however, this is for the purpose of including the case of activating only part (such as the rim or dots arranged at fixed intervals) of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in addition to the case of activating the entire surface of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet.
The supply-power setting means may set the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption to the first electric power and the second electric power as they are when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power; and may divide the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption into a designated number to set the first electric power and the second electric power when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power. Therefore, appropriate electric power can be supplied according to the magnitude of the power consumption of each thermal head; thus, limited allowable power can efficiently be used.
The energization control means may control the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head at once when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power; and may time-division control the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head with a prescribed time difference when the total of the first power consumption and the second power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power. Therefore, appropriate electric power can be supplied according to the magnitude of the power consumption of each thermal head; thus, limited allowable power can efficiently be used. Particularly, when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption is within the allowable power, energization is controlled such that all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head are energized at once, thus allowing the reduction of period of time until the completion of the issue of labels and so on.
The supply-power setting means may set the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption to the first electric power and the second electric power as they are when each of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power; and may divide the first electric power consumption or the second electric power consumption into a designated number to set the first electric power or the second electric power when the first electric power consumption or the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power. Therefore, appropriate electric power can be supplied according to the magnitude of the power consumption of each thermal head; thus, limited allowable power can efficiently be used.
The energization control means may control the first electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head, and then control the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means to energize all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the activating thermal head when each of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power; and may time-division control the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head or the activating thermal head with a prescribed time difference when the first electric power consumption or the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power. Therefore, appropriate electric power can be supplied according to the magnitude of the power consumption of each thermal head; thus, limited allowable power can efficiently be used.
Also, the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head may be formed of thermal heads having the same characteristics. Accordingly, the estimation of the power consumption by both thermal heads can easily be performed by the total of the number of dots; thus, setting of supply power and energization control can easily be performed. Also, the common use of parts can reduce manufacturing cost.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more better understanding of the present invention, reference is made of a detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of a thermal printer according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a block diagram showing the schematic structure of a control system of the thermal printer according to the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a flowchart showing the procedure of a thermal-head driving process (
1
);
FIG. 4
is a flowchart showing the procedure of a thermal-head driving process (
2
);
FIG. 5
is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a thermally activating range selectable by a thermally-activating-mode selecting unit;
FIG. 6
is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of a conventional thermal printer; and
FIG. 7
is a sectional view showing a constructional example of a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of a thermal printer according to-the present invention.
In
FIG. 1
, reference sign P
1
denotes a thermal printer unit, sign C
1
indicates a cutter unit, sign A
1
indicates a thermally activating unit serving as a thermally activating apparatus, and sign R indicates a heat-sensitive adhesive label wound like a roll.
The thermal printer unit P
1
includes a printing thermal head
10
, a platen roller
11
which is brought into pressure contact with the printing thermal head
10
, and a drive system, which is not shown, (such as a pulse motor
500
(refer to
FIG. 2
) and a gear train or the like) for rotating the platen roller
11
.
The platen roller
11
is rotated in the direction of D
1
(clockwise) in
FIG. 1
to draw out the heat-sensitive adhesive label R; the drawn-out heat-sensitive adhesive label R is subjected to thermal printing, and is then transferred in the direction of D
2
(to the right). The platen roller
11
includes a pressurizing means, which is not shown, (such as a coil spring, a leaf spring or the like), by the urging force of which the surface of the platen roller
11
is brought into pressure contact with the printing thermal head
10
.
Heating devices of the printing thermal head
10
are composed of a plurality of relatively small resistance elements arranged in parallel in the crosswise direction of the head so as to allow dot printing.
Heating devices of a thermally activating thermal head
40
, which will be described later, have the same structure.
Using a resistance element with the same arrangement for the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
facilitates the estimation of power consumption, and cost reduction by common use of parts.
The heat-sensitive adhesive label R used in this embodiment has the arrangement for example as in the foregoing FIG.
7
. Also, a heat insulating layer may be provided on the base paper
1500
if necessary.
The printing thermal head
10
and the printing platen roller
11
are driven on the basis of a print signal from a microcomputer M, which also serves as a print controller and will be described later, so that the thermal coat layer
1501
of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R can be subjected to desired printing.
The cutter unit C
1
is used for cutting the heat-sensitive adhesive label R that has been subjected to thermal printing with the thermal printer unit P
1
in an appropriate length, including a movable blade
20
, a fixed blade
21
and so on, which are activated by the primary drive such as an electric motor (not shown). The movable blade
20
is driven in a designated timing by the control of the microcomputer M serving as a controller, which will be described later.
The thermally activating unit A
1
is rotated, for example, by a pulse motor
600
(refer to
FIG. 2
) serving as the primary drive, including an inserting roller
30
and an ejecting roller
31
for inserting and ejecting the cut heat-sensitive adhesive label R, wherein the thermally activating thermal head
40
and a thermally activating platen roller
41
, which is brought into pressure contact with the thermally activating thermal head
40
, are disposed between the inserting roller
30
and the ejecting roller
31
. The thermally activating platen roller
41
includes a drive system (such as a pulse motor
600
and a gear train), wherein the thermally activating platen roller
41
is rotated in the direction of D
4
(counterclockwise in
FIG. 1
) to transfer the heat-sensitive adhesive label R in the direction of D
6
(to the right in
FIG. 1
) with the inserting roller
30
and the ejecting roller
31
, which rotate in the direction of D
3
and D
5
, respectively. The thermally activating platen roller
41
includes a pressurizing means, which is not shown, (such as a coil spring and a leaf spring), by the urging force of which the surface of the thermally activating platen roller
41
is brought into pressure contact with the thermally activating thermal head
40
. The thermally activating platen roller
41
is formed of, for example, hard rubber or the like.
Reference sign S indicates an ejection detecting sensor for detecting the ejection of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R. The subsequent printing, transfer, and thermal activation of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R are performed in accordance with the detection of the ejection of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R by the ejection detecting sensor S.
Sign
50
denotes a scraper serving as a removing means for a heat-sensitive adhesive G
1
adhered to the thermally activating platen roller
41
.
The scraper
50
is formed of either of, for example, rubber, plastic, metal, and rubber, plastic, and metal, whose surfaces are subjected to fluorocarbon polymer treatment, having a slightly larger width than the breadth of the thermally activating platen roller
41
. The scraper
50
is brought into pressure contact with the surface of the thermally activating platen roller
41
by an urging means (not shown).
Referring to a block diagram of
FIG. 2
, a schematic structure of a control system of the thermal printer according to the embodiment will be described.
The operation of the thermal printer unit P
1
, the thermally activating unit A
1
, and the cutter unit C
1
that constitute the thermal printer is controlled by the microcomputer M serving as a controller connected to these units.
To the microcomputer M is connected, for example, a print-data creating unit
700
for creating desired print data DA
1
on the basis of input from, for example, a keyboard KB; a thermally-activating-mode selecting unit
800
for selecting a thermally activating mode with the thermally activating unit A
1
(such as a mode for activating the entire surface of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R, a mode for activating only the rim of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R, and a mode for varying the density of activation); and a battery B serving as a power source, in addition to the aforesaid units P
1
, C
1
, and A
1
.
To the ROM provided for the microcomputer M is stored various control programs including a program (power-consumption estimating means) for estimating electric power consumed by the thermal heads
10
and
40
by calculating the number of dots of the printing thermal head
10
that is driven in the fixed time and the number of dots of the thermally activating thermal head
40
that is driven in the fixed time on the basis of the print data DA
1
from the print-data creating unit
700
and the control data DA
2
from the thermally-activating-mode selecting unit
800
; based on the estimation results, a program (supply-power setting means) for calculating electrical power that can be supplied to the thermal heads
10
and
40
within the range of allowable power of the battery B; and a program (energization control means) for determining the allocation when each dot of the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
is time division driven, in addition to a control program for operating the pulse motor
500
of the thermal printer unit P
1
, the pulse motor
600
of the thermally activating unit A
1
, and the motor (not shown) of the cutter unit C
1
in a prescribed timing.
The control system of the thermal printer unit P
1
includes a print-data transfer section
501
for inputting the print data DA
1
to the printing thermal head
10
and an energization control section
502
for controlling electric power to be supplied to the printing thermal head
10
.
The control system of the thermally activating unit A
1
includes an energization control section
601
for controlling electric power to be supplied to the thermally activating thermal head
40
.
Upon the start of the operation of the thermal printer, the thermal printer unit P
1
performs thermal printing onto the printable plane (thermal coat layer
1501
) of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R by the control of the microcomputer M. At that time, the heating devices of the printing thermal head
10
are energized all at once in response to the number of dots required for printing, or alternatively, are sequentially energized by time division for thermal printing in accordance with the procedure set by a thermal-head driving process, which will be described later.
Next, the heat-sensitive adhesive label R that has been transferred to the cutter unit C
1
by the rotation of the printing platen roller
11
is cut in a predetermined length with the movable blade
20
which operates in a prescribed timing.
Subsequently, the cut heat-sensitive adhesive label R is taken into the thermally activating unit A
1
by the inserting roller
30
of the thermally activating unit A
1
and is subjected to thermal energy by the thermally activating thermal head
40
(heating devices) and the thermally activating platen roller
41
which are driven in a prescribed timing by the control of the microcomputer M. This allows the heat-sensitive adhesive layer K of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R to be activated to exhibit adhesive force. At that time, the heating devices of the thermally activating thermal head
40
are energized all at once in response to the number of dots required for activation, or alternatively, are sequentially energized by time division for thermal activation in accordance with the procedure set by a thermal-head driving process, which will be described later.
Subsequently, the heat-sensitive adhesive label R is ejected to the exterior of the thermal printer by the operation of the ejecting roller
31
.
Here, the procedure of a thermal-head driving process (1) performed by the microcomputer M will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
3
.
In order to simplify the explanations, the thermal printer of this embodiment employs thermal heads having the same characteristics as the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
, wherein the allowable power of the built-in battery B can simultaneously operate the thermal heads by 100 dots, the printing motor (pulse motor
500
) and the thermally activating motor (pulse motor
600
) employ a synchronous drive system, and one pixel can be printed in one step of the motors.
Upon the start of the thermal-head driving process (1), first, in step S
100
, the printing motor (pulse motor
500
) of the thermal printer unit P
1
and the thermally activating motor (pulse motor
600
) of the thermally activating unit A
1
are driven synchronously, and the process goes to step S
101
.
In step S
101
, the number of dots driven in the printing thermal head
10
is counted on the basis of the print data DA
1
from the print-data creating unit
700
, and then the process goes to step S
102
.
In step S
102
, the number of dots driven in the thermally activating thermal head
40
is counted on the basis of the control data DA
2
from the thermally-activating-mode selecting unit, and then the process goes to step S
103
.
In step S
103
, the total (sum) of the number of the driven dots that have been counted in step S
101
and step S
102
mentioned above is calculated, and then the process goes to step S
104
.
In step S
104
, it is determined whether the sum of the numbers of dots is larger than the maximum number 100 of dots driven by the allowable power. When it has been determined to be smaller (that is “NO”), it is determined that both the thermal heads
10
and
40
can be driven by the allowable power of the battery B, and the process goes to step S
105
to energize the required dots for the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
all at once, thereby simultaneously driving them, and the process is returned. This allows time required for printing and thermal activation to be reduced and the labels to be issued at a high speed.
On the other hand, in step S
104
, when it has been determined that the sum of the numbers of the dots is larger (that is, “YES”) than the maximum number 100 of dots driven by the allowable power, the process goes to step S
106
.
In step S
106
, it is determined whether the number of unprinted driven dots is larger than 100. When it has been determined to be larger, the process goes to step S
107
to drive the dots required for the printing thermal head
10
by 100 dots; then the process is returned to step S
106
; and the similar processes are repeated until the number of driven dots of the unprinted printing thermal head
10
becomes smaller than 100. Therefore, the printing thermal head
10
can efficiently be driven within the range of allowable power of the battery B.
In step S
106
, it has been determined that the number of dots driven in the unprinted printing thermal head
10
had become smaller than 100, the process goes to step S
108
.
In step S
108
, 30 dots of the thermally activating thermal head are added to the remaining number of dots (for example, “70”) driven by the printing thermal head
10
to obtain “100” as the number of driven dots, and they are driven.
Subsequently, the process goes to step S
109
, in which it is determined whether the number of driven dots in the undriven thermally activating thermal head
40
is lager than 100. When it has been determined to be larger, the process goes to step S
110
, where required dots for the thermally activating thermal head
40
are driven by 100 dots; then the process is returned to step S
109
; and similar processes are repeated until the number of driven dots of the undriven thermally activating thermal head
40
becomes smaller than 100. Therefore, the thermally activating thermal head
40
can efficiently be driven within the range of allowable power, of the battery B.
Then, when it has been determined that the number of driven dots of the undriven thermally activating thermal head
40
had become smaller than 100, the process goes to step S
110
to drive the remaining dots; then the process is returned and the similar processes are repeated on the basis of the following print data DA
1
and the control data DA
2
for the thermally activating thermal head.
According to the thermal-head driving process (1), as described above, the power consumption (the number of driven dots) of the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head is estimated (counted); and the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head can be driven in parallel within the range of allowable power; thus, time until the completion of issuing labels and so on can be reduced.
Next, another embodiment of the thermal-head driving process will be described.
In a thermal-head driving process (2) according to this embodiment, the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
are time-division driven according to the number of the driven dots of each thermal head in place of time-division driving the thermal heads according to the sum of driven dots of the thermal heads
10
and
40
as in the first embodiment.
The procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
4
. First, in step S
200
, the printing motor (pulse motor
500
) of the thermal printer unit P
1
and the thermally activating motor (pulse motor
600
) of the thermally activating unit A
1
are driven synchronously, and the process goes to step S
201
.
In step S
201
, the number of dots driven in the printing thermal head
10
is counted on the basis of the print data DA
1
from the print-data creating unit
700
, and then the process goes to step S
202
.
In step S
202
, the number of dots driven in the thermally activating thermal head
40
is counted on the basis of the control data DA
2
for the thermally activating thermal head from the thermally-activating-mode selecting unit, and then the process goes to step S
203
.
In step S
203
, it is determined whether the number of dots driven in the unprinted printing thermal head
10
is larger than the maximum number 100 of dots driven by the allowable power. When it has been determined to be larger, the process goes to step S
204
to drive the printing thermal head
10
by 100 dots; then the process is returned to step S
203
; and the similar processes are repeated until the number of driven dots of the unprinted printing thermal head
10
becomes smaller than 100. Therefore, the printing thermal head
10
can efficiently be driven within the range of allowable power of the battery B.
In step S
203
, when it has been determined that the number of dots driven in the unprinted printing thermal head
10
is smaller than 100, it is determined that the printing thermal head
10
can be driven by the allowable power of the battery B, and the process goes to step S
205
, where the unprinted required dots of the printing thermal head
10
are energized for activation.
In step S
206
, it is determined whether the number of dots driven in the undriven thermally activating thermal head
40
is larger than 100 according to the count results in the foregoing step S
202
. When it has been determined to be larger, the process goes to step S
207
, where the required dots for the thermally activating thermal head
40
is driven by 100 dots; the process is returned to step S
206
; and the similar processes are repeated until the number of driven dots of the undriven thermally activating thermal head
40
becomes smaller than 100. Therefore, the thermally activating thermal head
40
can efficiently be driven within the range of the allowable power of the battery B.
Subsequently, when it has been determined that the number of driven dots of the undriven thermally activating thermal head
40
had become smaller than 100, the process goes to step S
208
to drive the remaining dots, and the process is returned, where the similar processes are repeated on the basis of the following print data DA
1
and the control data DA
2
for the thermally activating thermal head.
According to the thermal-head driving process (2), as described above, the power consumption (the number of driven dots) of the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head is estimated (counted); and the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head can be driven by time division within the range of the allowable power; thus, limited allowable power can efficiently be used.
While the invention that has been made by the inventor was specifically described on the basis of the embodiments, it is not limited to the aforesaid embodiments, but can be modified variously without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.
For example, the range of thermal activation by the activating thermal head
40
, which can be selected by the thermally-activating-mode selecting unit
800
, may be the rim N
1
with a designated width of the heat-sensitive adhesive label R, or alternatively, may be activated in a dot-like N
2
with a prescribed density, as shown in FIG.
5
. Therefore, the number of driven dots in the activating thermal head
40
can be reduced, so that limited allowable power can be used more efficiently.
It is also possible to alternately drive the printing thermal head
10
and the activating thermal head
40
by time division within the range of the allowable power of the battery B (within 100 dots in the above embodiment).
Needless to say, the conditions for the thermal printers in the above embodiments are only one example (thermal heads having the same characteristics are employed as the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
; the allowable power of the built-in battery B can simultaneously drive the thermal heads by 100 dots; the printing motor and the thermally activating motor employ a synchronous drive system; and one pixel can be printed in one step of the motors.). The present invention can be applied even if these conditions are changed (for example, thermal heads having different characteristics are employed as the printing thermal head
10
and the thermally activating thermal head
40
; the allowable power of the built-in battery B is varied; and the printing motor and the thermally activating motor are driven asynchronously).
As described above, a thermal printer having a thermally activating apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet according to the present invention includes: at least a thermally activating apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet including at least an activating thermal head for heating to activate a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet having a printable plane on one side of a sheet-like substrate and the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other side thereof, and a transfer means for transferring the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in a designated direction; and a printing thermal head for performing thermal printing onto the printable plane of the sheet-like substrate, the thermal printer including: a power-consumption estimating means for estimating first electric power consumption required for driving the printing thermal head and second electric power consumption required for driving the activating thermal head of the thermally activating apparatus; a supply-power setting means for setting first electric power that can be supplied to the printing thermal head and second electric power that can be supplied to the activating thermal head within the allowable power range on the basis of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means; and an energization control means for energizing the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head on the basis of the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means. Consequently, there is an advantage of reducing time until the completion of the issue of labels and so on by driving the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head in parallel within the range of allowable power.
Claims
- 1. A thermal printer comprising:a thermally activating apparatus for a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet including at least an activating thermal head for heating to activate a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet, the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet having a printable plane on one side of a sheet-like substrate and the heat-sensitive adhesive layer on the other side thereof, and a transfer means for transferring the heat-sensitive adhesive sheet in a designated direction; a printing thermal head for performing thermal printing onto the printable plane of the sheet-like substrate; a power-consumption estimating means for estimating first electric power consumption required for driving the printing thermal head and second electric power consumption required for driving the activating thermal head of the thermally activating apparatus; a supply-power setting means for setting first electric power that can be supplied to the printing thermal head and second electric power that can be supplied to the activating thermal head within the allowable power range on the basis of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means; and an energization control means for energizing the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head on the basis of the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means.
- 2. A thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head include a plurality of dot-like heating devices arranged in parallel, and the power-consumption estimating means counts the number of dots driven in fixed time out of each heating device of the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head, and calculates the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption on the basis of the number of dots.
- 3. A thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the number of dots driven in the fixed time is counted on the basis of print data supplied from a prescribed print control means and control data of the thermally activating apparatus.
- 4. A thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the supply-power setting means sets the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption to the first electric power and the second electric power as they are when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power, and divides the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption into a designated number to set the first electric power and the second electric power when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power.
- 5. A thermal printer according to claim 4, wherein the energization control means controls the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head at once when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power, and time-division controls the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head with a prescribed time difference when the total of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power.
- 6. A thermal printer according to claim 2, wherein the supply-power setting means sets the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption to the first electric power and the second electric power as they are when each of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power, and divides the first electric power consumption or the second electric power consumption into a designated number to set the first electric power or the second electric power when the first electric power consumption or the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power.
- 7. A thermal printer according to claim 6, wherein the energization control means controls the first electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head, and then controls the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means to energize all the heating devices requiring to be driven in the activating thermal head when each of the first electric power consumption and the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means is within the allowable power, and time-division controls the first electric power and the second electric power set by the supply-power setting means so as to energize the heating devices requiring to be driven in the printing thermal head or the activating thermal head with a prescribed time difference when the first electric power consumption or the second electric power consumption estimated by the power-consumption estimating means exceeds the allowable power.
- 8. A thermal printer according to claim 1, wherein the printing thermal head and the activating thermal head are formed of thermal heads having the same characteristics.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2002-164276 |
Jun 2002 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (5)