Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4700791?dq=6,826,762
Timestamp: 2017-04-26 19:18:19
Document Index: 444976041

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 21', 'art 21', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 21', 'art 3', 'art 51', 'art 13', 'art 12', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 13', 'art 12', 'art 12']

Patent US4700791 - Electronic scale printer - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsThis invention provides an electronic scale printer, and more particularly an electronic scale printer in which a printer is connected electrically to the electronic scale used in a department store or supermarket etc., and required data are printed on a printing sheet under an instruction from the electronic...http://www.google.com/patents/US4700791?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4700791 - Electronic scale printerAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS4700791 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 06/852,642Publication dateOct 20, 1987Filing dateApr 16, 1986Priority dateMar 2, 1984Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE3572881D1, EP0153761A2, EP0153761A3, EP0153761B1, US4598780Publication number06852642, 852642, US 4700791 A, US 4700791A, US-A-4700791, US4700791 A, US4700791AInventorsYoshitaka Iwasaki, Kunio Mori, Yoshio TanabeOriginal AssigneeTeraoka Seiko Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (11), Referenced by (31), Classifications (18), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetElectronic scale printer
US 4700791 AAbstract
1. A printer for printing data on a printing sheet comprising:(a) means for selectively storing different types of printing sheets, said storing means being removably attached to said printer; (b) first detecting means for detecting the type of printing sheet which is selectively stored in the storing means when said storing means is mounted to the printer; and (c) printer control means operatively connected to said printer and which comprise means for controlling printing in response to detection by the detecting means. 2. The printer according to claim 1 further comprising installing means for receiving said storing means.
3. The printer according to claim 2 wherein said installing means comprises first sensing means for sensing the presence of said storing means.
4. The printer according to claim 3 wherein said selective storing means comprises:(a) a receipt cassette for storing a receipt printing sheet; and (b) a label cassette for storing a label printing sheet. 5. The printer according to claim 4 further comprising:(a) driving means located on an upper surface of said installing means; (b) a source of driving power located below said installing means within said printer for driving said driving means; (c) a platen roller rotatably connected to said storing means, said platen roller having a shaft; and (d) power driven means for rotating said platen roller, said power driven means positioned outside of said storing means, wherein when one of said cassettes is installed in said installing means, said printing sheet is moved at a given speed by rotation of said platen roller, and said platen roller being rotated by said power driven means and said driving means. 6. The printer according to claim 5 wherein said cassette is removably attached to said installing means and is adapted to be slid transversely into said installing means.
7. The printer according to claim 5 wherein:(a) said source of driving power comprises a stepping motor and a DC motor arranged side-by-side below said installing means; (b) said driving means comprises first and second motor shafts projecting into said installing means from said stepping motor and said DC motor, respectively; (c) a first driving wheel is attached to said first motor shaft; (d) a second driving wheel is attached to said second motor shaft; (e) said receipt cassette comprises a driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said first driving wheel at said platen roller shaft; and (f) said label cassette comprises a first driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said first driving wheel at said platen roller shaft and a second driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said second driving wheel at a take-up reel shaft. 8. The printer according to claim 5 wherein said label cassette comprises a guide roller for varying the length of the path traveled by said label printing sheets between said fourth sensing means and said platen roller, wherein the length of the path is varied by moving said guide roller, said label cassette further comprising fifth sensing means for sensing the position of said guide roller.
9. The printer according to claim 5 wherein:(a) said source of driving power comprises a driving motor; and (b) said driving means comprises a motor shaft projecting into said installing means. 10. The printer according to claim 9 wherein:(a) a first driving wheel is coaxially attached to said motor shaft; (b) a second drive wheel is arranged through gear means in spaced relationship to said first driving wheel; (c) said receipt cassette comprises driven means adapted to be engaged with said second driving wheel at said platen roller shaft; and (d) said label cassette comprises:(1) a take-up reel having a shaft for receiving a roll of label backing after labels are printed and removed from said roll; (2) a first driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said first driving wheel at said take-up reel shaft; and (3) a second driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said second driving wheel at said platen roller shaft. 11. The printer according to claim 9 wherein:(a) a driving wheel is attached to said motor shaft; (b) said receipt cassette comprises a driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said driving wheel at said platen roller shaft; and (c) said label cassette comprises a driven wheel adapted to be engaged with said driving wheel at said platen roller shaft, and power transmitting means arranged between said platen roller shaft and a take-up reel shaft. 12. The printer according to claim 9 wherein said driving motor is a stepping motor.
13. The printer according to claim 12 further comprising a driving wheel comprising a first gear coaxially attached to said motor shaft and a second gear engaged with said first gear, said second gear being slidably arranged along an arcular groove around said motor shaft.
14. The printer according to claim 4 wherein said first detecting means comprises second sensing means for determining the type of cassette which is installed in said installing means.
15. The printer according to claim 14 wherein:(a) said label cassette comprises:(1) an opening for indicating the type of printing sheet stored therein; (2) means for selectively closing said opening for allowing interchangeability of the type of printing sheet stored in a given cassette; (b) said receipt cassette does not include any opening for indicating the type of printing sheet; and (c) said second sensing means comprises third sensing means for sensing said opening. 16. The printer according to claim 15 wherein said third sensing means for sensing said opening comprises a photoelectric sensor.
17. The printer according to claim 14 wherein:(a) said receipt cassette comprises:(1) an opening for indicating the type of printing sheet stored therein; (2) means for selectively closing said opening for allowing interchangeability of the type of printing sheet stored in a given cassette; (b) said label cassette does not include an opening for indicating the type of printing sheet; and (c) said second sensing means comprises third sensing means for sensing said opening. 18. The printer according to claim 17 wherein said third sensing means for sensing said opening comprises a photoelectric sensor.
19. The printer according to claim 14 wherein said printing control means comprises:(a) first memory means for storing a plurality of codes corresponding to each of a plurality of items: (b) second memory means for storing a plurality of character patterns corresponding to said plurality of codes; and (c) control means for reading one of said plurality of codes in response to an issuing instruction, converting said one code to one of said plurality of character patterns corresponding to said one code and outputting said one of said character patterns to said printer. 20. The printer according to claim 19 wherein said plurality of codes comprises a plurality of receipt item codes and a plurality of label item codes, and wherein when a receipt cassette is installed in said installing means, said one code is a receipt item code and when a label cassette is installed in said installing means, said one code is a label item code.
21. The printer according to claim 14 further comprising sheet sensing means comprising:(a) a sensor positioned in said installing means comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element; and (b) fourth sensing means positioned in said storing means so as to face said sensor when said storing means is installed in said installing means and so as to receive a printing sheet passing therethrough, wherein said fourth sensing means comprises reflection means for reflecting light from said light emitting element at one side of a passing path of said printing sheet across the path toward a direction incident to said light receiving element. 22. The printer according to claim 21 wherein said reflection means comprises a prism.
23. The printer according to claim 21 wherein said reflection means comprises two mirror surfaces crossing each other with a 90° angle.
24. The printer according to claim 21 wherein said sheet sensing means comprises change-over means for automatically varying an output level of said sensor responsive to the type of printing sheet installed in said installing means, wherein said sheet sensing means and said change-over means comprise means for detecting the presence of a label and a receipt when a label cassette or a receipt cassette is installed in said installing means, respectively.
25. The printer according to claim 21 wherein said sheet sensing means comprises:(a) change-over means for varying an output level of said sensor in a step-wise manner; and (b) a comparator for comparing said output level with a reference value, wherein said output level of said sensor is set with reference to an output signal from said comparator and said output level is varied sequentially when a label cassette is installed in said installing means, and said output level is automatically adjusted to a substantially constant value in response to the thickness of the label printing sheet. 26. The printer according to claim 25 wherein said label printing sheet comprises a plurality of labels and a base sheet on which said plurality of labels are removably attached and wherein said output level is automatically adjusted to a substantially constant value in response to the presence or absence of one of said plurality of labels.
27. The printer according to claim 25 wherein the value of the output level of said sensor is automatically determined and set based upon the result of said comparator examining the value of said output level varied in a step-wise manner in response to the presence or absence of a label.
28. The printer according to claim 25 wherein said output level of said sensor is adjusted when one of said cassettes is installed.
29. The printer according to claim 25 wherein said output level of said sensor is adjusted in response to a key operation performed by a user of said printer.
30. A method for operating a printer for printing data on a printing sheet comprising the steps of:(a) generating a first signal responsive to detecting means when means for storing receipt sheets is attached to said printer; (b) generating a second signal responsive to said detecting means for storing a plurality of blank label sheets is attached to said printer; (c) printing receipt data on one of said blank receipt sheets in response to generation of said first signal and a first issuing instruction; and (d) printing label data on one of said plurality of blank label sheets in response to generation of said second signal and a second issuing instruction. 31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the step of printing receipt data comprises the steps of:(a) reading one of a plurality of receipt item name codes from a first memory means corresponding to one of a plurality of items; (b) reading one of a plurality of character patterns from a second memory means corresponding to said one of said plurality of receipt item name codes; and (c) outputting said one of said plurality of character patterns on printing means. 32. A method according to claim 30 wherein the step of printing label data comprises the steps of:(a) reading one of a plurality of label item name codes from a first memory means corresponding to one of a plurality of items; (b) reading one of a plurality of character patterns from a second memory means corresponding to said one of said plurality of label item name codes; and (c) outputting said one of said plurality of character patterns on printing means. 33. A printer for printing data on a printing sheet comprising:(a) means for selectively storing different types of printing sheets in said printer, said storing means being removably attached to said printer; (b) a plurality of printer control means provided in accordance with each of said types of printing sheets; and (c) means for selecting one of said plurality of printer control means in accordance with the type of printing sheet which has been selectively stored and positioned within said printer. Description
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 705,533 filed Feb. 26, 1985, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,780.
Also, the customer should replace the electronic scale itself or the printer causing an inconvenient practice when he desires to replace the receipt printer already in use with the label printer when, for example, the size of the store was expanded. Further, for example, when a daily totalization is to be performed with the label printer, a separate exclusive totalization printer should be connected or the roll of used label sheets should be removed upon completion of the daily work to replace it with the roll of receipt sheets and to print out the accumulated data, resulting in a troublesome operation. Resetting the roll of label sheets upon printing-out of the accumulated data caused an issuing of useless labels, resulting in an uneconomical practice.
A way of displaying in the label to be attached to an item packed is defined under a rule of the Food Sanitation Act or the Food Fair Competition Rule etc. and the character of item name to be printed on the label is defined more than the desired size. In turn, the character of item name to be printed on the receipt (usually Japanese KANA character) is quite small in a usual ECR (electronic register) due to complicated printing item data or a sheet width of the printing sheets to be used. Thus, in the above-mentioned printer are applied characters in reference to the size of the sheet width. FIG. 39(a) shows one example of a label and (b) illustrates one example of a receipt. As shown in the figure, the item name character N1 in the label is substantially larger than the item name character N2 in the receipt normally used, and therefore it is practically impossible to issue the receipt having the characters for a label or to issue the label having the characters for a receipt. In the conventional type of the printer, only one kind of item name was defined in correspondence with one item and thus it was impossible to issue both a label and a receipt.
It is another object of the present invention to enable the item name characters to be printed under the same condition as that of the prior art label printer or receipt printer and to provide a practical electronic scale printer in which the item name code for label and the item name code for receipts are stored in response to each of the item names stored in the memory in advance, and in case of issuing a label where the cassette storing a label sheet is installed in the main body of the printer, the label is printed with the item name character pattern corresponding to the item name code for a label. In turn, in the case of issuing receipts where the cassette storing a receipt is installed, the receipt is printed with the item name character pattern corresponding to the item name code for a receipt.
A fundamental arrangement of the printer of the present invention described above is made in an electronic scale printer in which the main body of the printer is electrically connected to the electronic scale, the desired data are printed on the printing sheet under an instruction from the electronic scale which is then issued. The cassette for storing the printing sheet for label or receipt is provided. The main body of the printer is provided with a mounting part whereby the cassette is removably arranged. Also, each of the label printing control means and the receipt printing control means is provided as a printing control means, the above-mentioned control means can be selected in response to the kind of printing sheet stored in the installed cassette. A practical arrangement is constructed such that it may be provided with:
In the conventional type of the label printer, as shown in FIG. 11, a label position sensor 70 having a transparent type photoelectric sensor is applied. The sensor is constructed such that a light emitting element 71 and a light receiving element 72 are stored and arranged at one end of the substantial -shaped prism 73. A label sheet L before printing is passed through a groove 74 formed at the other end of said prism 73, thereby either the front end or rear end of the label L2 is detected and the printing position of the label is controlled.
The present invention which should accomplish the above-mentioned objects is characterized in that a sensing element composed of a light emitting element and a light receiving element is arranged at the cassette installing part of the main body of the printer in the above-mentioned fundamental or practical constitution, a sensing part, through which the printing sheet is passed before printing, is arranged at the position in said cassette where it faces against said sensing element, and the sensing part is provided with a reflection means for causing the light from said light emitting element to be crossed with a running passage of the printing sheet at one side thereof and then reflecting the light in such a direction as incidental to the light receiving element.
Between each of the labels L2 is formed a sensing slit m having a width of about 2 mm, and at the rear part of the final label L2 is also arranged a terminal end m' which has no label L adhered thereon.
FIG. 29 is a view for illustrating the reason for the above case. FIG. 29a illustrates a condition of either the label sheet L or the receipt sheet R. FIG. 29b illustrates the output of the photoelectric sensor when these sheets L and R pass through the photoelectric sensor. FIGS. 29c and 29d illustrate a level of a two-value signal detected when the slice level (a reference voltage of comparator: hereinafter called as a reference voltage) is defined as E1 and E2, respectively.
As is apparent from these figures, the output levels of the photoelectric sensor when the base sheet L1 and the receipt sheet R are present substantially coincide to each other (FIGS. 29a and 29b). When the label L2 is present, the value is decreased lower than the level when the base sheet L1 is present, and when the receipt sheet R is not present, it is increased more than the level when the base sheet L1 is present. Therefore, the output level of the photoelectric sensor becomes a low (when the label L2 is present), medium (when the base sheet L1 or the receipt sheet R is present) and high (when the sheets R and L are not present) level, respectively. When the reference voltage is set to E1 under the presence or absence of label L2 so as to cause the signal level to be changed over to "0"/"1", the signal becomes "1" signal irrespective of the presence or absence of the receipt sheet R (FIG. 29c), and in turn when the reference voltage is set for example to E2 so as to cause the signal level to be changed over to "0"/"1" under the presence or absence of the receipt sheet R, the signal becomes "0" signal irrespective of the presence or absence of the label L2 in case of applying label sheet L (FIG. 29d). This results in that only either the position sensing of label L2 or the presence or absence of the receipt sheet R may be detected.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems, by providing a printer in which the sensing of label sheet and the sensing of receipt sheet can be performed with one sheet sensing means (sensor) and improve a practical characteristic of the electronic scale printer in which the label sheet is replaced with the receipt sheet.
The present invention to accomplish the above-mentioned objects is characterized in that under the above-mentioned fundamental arrangement or practical constitution an output level of the sensor is varied in response to the condition whether the sheet installed in the main body of the printer is the label sheet or the receipt sheet or not.
The present invention to accomplish such objects as above has a change-over means for varying the output level of the sensor in a step-wise manner and a comparator for comparing the output signal from this sensor with the reference value under the above-mentioned fundamental arrangement or the practical constitution and has as its object to set the output level of the sensor in reference to the output of the comparator when the output level is varied in sequence.
FIG. 20 is a sectional view in top plain for showing an installing part where the cassette is installed.
FIG. 39a and FIG. 39b are a view for showing one example of a label and a receipt, respectively.
Printer 1 includes element 12 which designates a displaying part for displaying various data such as weight, unit price and selling price etc. of the weighed item and element 13 which designates an operating part comprising preset keys 14, ten keys 15 and function keys 16. The preset keys 14 are keys for use in calling up preset data such as preset unit price for each of the items, the ten keys 15 are keys for use in inputting various numerical data and the function keys 16 are keys for use in correcting operation.
Element 4 denotes a cassette for storing receipt sheets R or label sheets L shown in FIG. 7 and the cassette is removably attached to the cassette installing part 3 of the main body 1 of the printer. For conveniences of description, the receipt cassette for storing the receipt sheet R is designated as 4a, the label cassette for storing the label sheet L as 4b and they are totally called cassette 4 as shown in FIGS. 5(a), (b) and 6(a), (b).
As shown in FIG. 5(a), the cassette 4a includes a set shaft 20 for supporting a roll R' having a receipt sheet R wound therein, and a sensing part 21a and a guide roller G1 arranged along a transporting direction of the receipt sheet arranged between the set shaft and the issuing port 17. As shown in FIG. 4, the plate on the upper surface of the cassette 4a is a cap plate 22 arranged to be opened or closed. Upon opening of this cap plate 22, the roll R' is set on the set shaft 20, the receipt sheet R is pulled out and then loaded so that the sheet may pass through the sensing part 21a, guide roller G1, platen roller 5 and the cutter 18 and finally through the issuing opening 17.
The shaft 5a of the platen roller 5 is projected out of the cassette 4b and is provided with a gear (not shown) to be engaged with the gear 28 for use in transmitting power from the installing part 3. Similarly, the shaft 6a of the take-up reel 6 is projected out of the cassette 4b and is provided with a rubber wheel (not shown) to be press contacted with a friction wheel 30 of the installing part 3.
The sensing part 21a is provided with a pair of raised walls 34 and 35 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, which are raised from the bottom wall 33 of the cassette 4. The raised walls 34 and 35 are bent at an angle 45° in a direction crossing each other, and the label sheet L or the receipt sheet R (for the sake of convenience of description, the label sheet will be described) will pass through between these raised walls 34 and 35. To the upper end of one of the raised walls 34 and 35, for example, the raised wall 35 is connected a vertical raised guide wall 36 integrally, and the label base sheet L1 is guided by this guide wall 36.
In turn, if a displacement of the printing position of the label L2 is detected by sensing the position of the label, the printing position of the label L2 is modified. In order to modify the printing position, the number of steps of the stepping motor M for driving the platen roller 5 is varied or the length of the passing path of the lavel 1 is elongated or shortened by displacing the guide roller G2 as described above, and so in the present preferred embodiment, the latter means is employed as described above. Detailed illustration of the guide roller G2 is given with respect to FIG. 10, wherein the guide roller G2 has its fulcrum shaft 45 slidably fitted in the elongated hole 29 in the cassette bottom wall 33 and engaged in the bottom wall 33 through screw 40 and washer 41.
That is, the bottom wall 33 of the installing part 3 of the main body 1 of the printer below the elongated hole 29 is provided with the number of sensing elements corresponding to the kind of label L2, for example, if the length of the label has three kinds, three sensing elements 42, 43 and 44 are arranged. These sensing elements 42, 43 and 44 are applied to detect the screw 40 for the guide roller G2, the sensing element being of a reflection type sensor, a microswitch and a magnetic switch such as hole element etc., and the elements are connected to a display means (not shown) and the result of sensing operation is displayed in the display means.
Thus, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, a sliding plate 47 is arranged at the hole 46 of the cassette 4 to open and close the hole 46, resulting in that a compatibility of the cassette can be improved and no trouble is found in storing of the receipt sheet R in the label cassette 4b and in storing of the label sheet L in the receipt receipt cassette 4b.
(1) Sensing is performed by the presence of absence of the projection by arranging it in place of the hole 46;
(3) A bar code label having storing content printed on it is adhered on the surface of the cassette and at the same time a scanner is arranged at the installing part to detect the bar code; the sensing not by the casseete but by the direct sensing of the sheet may also be available;
In FIG. 23, each of the weighing part 51, the main body 1 of the printer, operating part 13 and the display part 12 having the above-mentioned constitution is connected to a bus 56 and CPU 57 through interface circuits 52, 53, 54 and 55.
Element 58 in the figure denotes ROM (read-only-memory) for storing programs and element 59 designates RAM (random-access-memory) to be applied in various calculations.
(4) sensor S3 for checking the receipt sheet R or the label sheet L and sensing their presence or absence and label position, and an output level adjusting circuit 62 and D/A (digital/analogue) convertor circuit 63:
The fundamental circuits for the sensor S3, output level adjusting circuit 62 and D/A convertor circuit 63 of the above-mentioned component element (4) are illustrated in FIG. 26. (In this figure, the sensor S1 and S2 are also shown in addition to these elements).
In FIG. 26, D/A convertor circuit 63 is applied for converting SD0 to SD3 of four-bit signals fed from the printer interface circuit 53 to the analogue signal SA, and is composed of an adder circuit mainly having a calculation amplifier (hereinafter called as OP amp) OP1. To the resistors R0 to R3 for adder are applied the signals SD0 to SD3 through the voltage followers VF0 to VF3. The values of resistors R0 to R3 are, for example, weighted by 8K, 4K, 2K and 1KΩ, correspond to sixteen SD values defined by four bit signals SD0 to SD3 and thus the analogue signal SA of sixteen levels can be outputted. In this figure, the resistor Rf is a resistor for use in feeding-back operation, the resister Rc is a resistor for accommodation and the resistor Rp is a resistor for pull-up operation.
In the present invention, when the label sheet L is used, the amount of light received is decreased, so that the resistance value Rb is increased to raise up the level of the output voltage Vo, and in turn when the receipt sheet R is used, the amount of light received is increased and so the resistance value Rb is decreased and the level of the output voltage Vo is decreased. For example, in case of applying the label sheet L, all the signals SD0 to SD3 are applied as "1" signal, and the output signal SA of the D/A convertor circuit 63 is decreased (since the OP amp OP1 forms an inverted adder, the more the values of SD0 to SD3, the less the output SA), thereby the resistance value Ro is increased. When the receipt sheet R is used, all the signals SD0 to SD3 are set to "0" signal to increase the signal SA and then the resistance value Ra is decreased. In this way, the level of the output voltage Vo is adjusted approximately constant (see FIG. 28(c)) and approaches to the upper and lower values of the reference voltages Es fed to the non-inverted input terminal of the comparator 65. Then, the comparator 65 produces the signal KS3 which becomes "High" level ("1" signal) when a relation of Vo<Es is found and in turn becomes "Low" level ("0" signal) when a relation of Vo>Es is found (see FIG. 28(d)).
Then, the operation of the preferred embodiment of the prresent invention will be described.
At first, when the cassette 4 is installed in the installing part 3, the cassette is judged if it is a receipt cassette 4a or a label cassette 4b. That is, if it is a receipt cassette 4a, the light receiving elements of the sensors S1 and S2 receive the light, the signals KS1 and KS2 become a "1" signal and if it is a label cassette 4b, only the sensor S1 receives the light, the signal KS1 becomes a "1" and the signal KS2 becomes a "0" signal. When these signals KS1 and KS2 are supplied to CPU57 through the printer interface circuit 53 and the bus 56, CPU57 discriminates the cassette 4, and sets all the signals SD0 to SD3 to "0" signal when it is a receipt cassette 4a, and sets all the signals SD0 to SD3 to "1" signal when it is a label cassette 4b. With this arrangement, as described above, when the cassette is a receipt sheet R cassette, the output level of the sensor S3 is decreased and if it is a label sheet L cassette, the above-mentioned output level is increased and it is adjusted such that both levels are subtantially equal. That is, in case of no output level adjusting circuit 62, the output of the sensor S3 kept at the level shown in FIG. 28b is transferred to the level shown in FIG. 28c by the output level adjusting circuit 62 in correspondence with the label sheet 1 and the receipt sheet R shown in FIG. 28a, the "High" level of the output voltage Vo of the sensor S3 becomes sufficiently higher than the reference voltage Es and the "Low" level becomes sufficiently lower than the reference voltage Es. As a result, the signal KS3 becomes "1" signal when the label L2 is detected in case of the label sheet L and becomes a "0" signal when the base sheet L1 (i.e. slit m and terminal end m') is detected, and in turn in case of the receipt sheet R, it becomes a "1"/"0" signal in response to the presence/absence of the receipt sheet R. In this way, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of and the position of the label L2 and the presence or absence of the receipt sheet R by the sensor S3.
SD↓→SA↓→RB↑→Vo↑
SD↓→SA↑→Rb↓→Vo↓
Therefore, when the cassette 4b is installed at the installing part 3, the CPU57 judges that this cassette is a label cassette at first in reference to the signals KS1 and KS2, and then automatically adjusts the value SD of the signals SD0 to SD3 in response to the thickness of the label sheet L so that the output voltage Vo of the sensor S3 is oscillated between the values of over and below the reference voltage Es when the base sheet L1/label L2 is detected.
(4) Then, CPU57 rotates the platen roller 5 in step-by-step and feeds the label L to find the slit m. That is, the number of steps for one label L2 is initially set in a counter in the CPU57 (step SP9), the label sheet L is fed by one step while the value in this counter is decremented (steps SP10 to SP11) to search the point where the signal KS3 is changed from "1" signal to "0" signal and to detect the slit m (step SP13). In this case, if the signal KS3 is not varied even if the value in the counter becoems 0, it is judged that the terminal end m' is sensed, the process is transferred from the step SP12 to the step SP14 to perform an error processing such as producing alarm output.
(5) Thus if the presence of the slit m is confirmed, the value SD is decreased again in sequence from 15, 14, 13 . . . and the value SD when the signal KS3 is changed from "0" to "1" is stored as a new temporary value SDd (steps SP15 to SP16). This process is performed in order that the level adjustment is performed again at the slit m having no printed matter due to the fact that the printed names such as store name or frame are printed in advance at the label L12 and the temporary reference value SDc set at the label L2 is not stable. In this way, if the value SD is set as SDd (in the above example, SDd equals to 3) which is found when the signal KS3 at the slit m is varied from "0" to "1", i.e. the output voltage Vo is varied from a relation of Vo>Es to a relation of Vo<Es, a constant n (for example, 3) is added to the value SDd and this constant becomes a reference value SDs. In the above example, a relation of SDs=3+3=6 is attained.
In this way, the level of the output voltage Vo of the sensor S3 is automatically adjusted in response to the thickness of the label sheet L and the level of Vo is adjusted in such a way as it may show substantially a constant value. That is, in the case where the output level adjusting circuit 62 is not present, as shown in FIG. 32a, the level of output voltage Vo which is varied in response to the thickness of the label sheet L is changed to the level shown in FIG. 32b after adjustment of level, "High" level of the output voltage Vo becomes sufficiently higher than the reference voltage Es and "Low" level becomes sufficiently lower than the value Es. As a result, the signal KS3 is positively changed over to "1"/"0" in response to the presence or absence of the label L2 and a positive sensing can always be performed.
ROM 58 has areas E1 to E4 as shown in FIG. 34, each of the areas E1 to E3 has a label printing program, a receipt printing program and a control program stored therein, and the area E4 has various characters (numbers, symbols etc. are contained) and patterns (dot-patterns) stored therein. FIGS. 35(a) to (c) illustrate one example of character pattern, and the area E4 has Japanese kana characters (46 characters) of 16×8 dots configuration shown in FIG. 35(a), numbers (ten characters) of 16×8 dots configuration, Japanese kana characters (46 characters) of 16×8 dots configuration. Chinese characters (100 characters) of 16×16 dots configuration shown in FIG. 35(b), Japanese kana characters (46 characters) of 7×5 dots configuration shown in FIG. 35(c) and numbers (ten characters) of 7×5 dots configuration and various character patterns. In this case, the character patterns of 16×8 dots and 16×16 dots are mainly applied for a label printing operation and the character pattern of 7×5 dots configuration is mainly for a receipt printing operation. Each of the character patterns is assigned with each of the character codes, and each of the character patterns is read out in reference to the character code. RAM 59 is provided with a buffer area EA1 PLU (Price Look Up) memory area EA2, data register area EA3 and a total register area EA4 as shown in FIG. 36, respectively, and at the same time a working area EA5 is arranged in it. In this case, the printing buffer area EA1 is an area where character pattern to be printed on the label or receipt is written and this area has a capacity corresponding to the printing section of the maximum label. PLU memory area EA2 is an area where item number, unit price and appreciation period of each of the products and item name for label printing and item name for receipt printing are set, respectively and area for storing 100 items is kept. In this case, the item name to be printed is stored by a character code for each of the characters in the item name column for a label printing and the item name column for a receipt printing, respectively. For example, if the item name for the label printing for the item number "0152" is "roast beef steak" and the item name for the receipt printing is "roast beef", the character codes of Chinese character "ushi (beef)" of 16×16 dots, Japanese kana " ", "-" and " " of 16×8 dots are stored in sequence. In turn, in the item name column for the receipt printing are stored in sequence each of the character codes of the Japanese kana " ", " ", " " of 7×5 dots. The writing in the PLU memory area EA2 is performed by, for example, a host computer or a key operation at the operating part 13.
Thus, the case in which the printer of the present invention shown in FIG. 40 issues the label or receipt will be described Prior to the starting of the printer, the feed key 83 in the function keys 16 shown in FIG. 1 is depressed in advance, and the sensor S3 of the main body 1 of the printer detects the position of the label and detects the presence or absence of the label sheet L and the receipt sheet R in advance.
In situations in which a label is to be issued, the following occurs.
That is, the unit price data, appreciation period data and the label printing item name data in the working area EA5 are read out, and each of the read data is transformed into the character pattern with the character patterns in the area EA4 of ROM 58 which is written into the printing buffer area EA1 under the same arrangement as that of the characters when the label printing is to be performed. In turn, when the result of judgement in the step SP2 is "YES" (when the plus key is depressed), the CPU57 advances to the step SP4 to perform a writing of total lable data into the printing buffer area EA1. That is, the total data in the total register area EA4-2 are transformed into the character pattern and written into the printing buffer area EA1. In this case, the writing of the unit price and the item name are not written into it.
When the condition of no label is detected in the step SP8, "YES" is displayed it by illuminating the cassette empty light 84 of the display part 12 (step SP9).
In situations in which a receipt is to be issued, the following occurs.
In the step SP10, when the presence of the receipt sheet is confirmed (SP10-NO), the CPU advances to the step 12, and in the step SP12, each of the data stored in the total register area EA4-1 and EA4-2 is transformed into the character pattern and then written into the printing buffer area EA1.
Then the CPU advances to the step SP14, the unit price data in the n-th line, receipt item name data, weight data, and price data in the data register area EA3 shown in FIG. 38 are read out in sequence and transformed into the character pattern and written into the printing buffer area EA1. Then, the CPU advances to the step SP15, and the content of the printing buffer area EA1 is outputted in sequence to the main body 1 of the printer. Thereby, the unit price, item name, weight and price of the product of the n-th order are printed on the receipt sheet.
Then, the CPU advances to the step SP16, it is judged if the printing of all items written into the data register area EA3 is completed or not. If the result of this judgement is "NO", the CPU returns back to the step SP14, a printing for the item in the (n-1)th order is performed and the above-mentioned process is repeated. When the result of judgement in the step SP16 becomes "YES", the CPU advances to the step SP17. In the step SP17, the store name, date etc. are transformed into the character pattern and written into the printing buffer area EA1 and in the step SP18 the content in the printing buffer is outputted at the main body 1 of the printer and then in the step SP19 the receipt sheet is fed. During feeding of the sheet in the step SP19, the presence or absence of the sheet is detected by the sensor S3 (in the step SP20) and when the condition of no sheet is detected (in the step SP20-YES), the CPU advances to the above-mentioned step SP11 to illuminate the cassette empty light 84 in the display part 12 and in turn when the presence of the sheet is detected (in the step SP20-NO), the desired amount of sheet is fed (in the step SP21), then the processing operation will be finished.
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