Printing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11254141-B2
Application number	US-201916669907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2018
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

A printing system includes: a control unit; and a printing device including: a supply unit configured to be attached with a supply roll configured by an ink ribbon; a winding unit configured to be attached with a winding roll for winding the ink ribbon fed out from the supply roll; a ribbon motor configured to rotationally drive at least one of the supply unit and the winding unit; a thermal head configured to perform printing by heating the ink ribbon transported from the supply roll toward the winding roll by driving the ribbon motor; and a head drive source configured to move the thermal head. The control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to decrease tension of the ink ribbon when the thermal head is moved in a first direction, in which the tension of the ink ribbon increases, with the head drive source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing system, comprising:
a control unit; and
a printing device including:
a supply unit configured to be attached with a supply roll configured by an ink ribbon;
a winding unit configured to be attached with a winding roll for winding the ink ribbon fed out from the supply roll;
a ribbon motor configured to rotationally drive at least one of the supply unit and the winding unit;
a thermal head configured to perform printing by heating the ink ribbon transported from the supply roll toward the winding roll by driving the ribbon motor; and
a head drive source configured to move the thermal head,

wherein the control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to decrease tension of the ink ribbon before the thermal head is moved in a first direction, in which the tension of the ink ribbon increases, with the head drive source,
wherein, in a case of adjusting a position of the thermal head before printing, when the thermal head is moved in the first direction, the control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to decrease the tension of the ink ribbon, and
wherein after adjusting the ribbon motor such that the tension of the ink ribbon decreases, the control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to increase the tension of the ink ribbon until printing is started.

2. The printing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to release excitation to decrease the tension of the ink ribbon.

3. The printing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the head drive source is configured to move the thermal head in a second direction intersecting a transport direction of the ink ribbon.

4. The printing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the ribbon motor includes a first ribbon motor that rotationally drives the supply unit, and
the control unit is configured to control the first ribbon motor to decrease the tension of the ink ribbon.

5. The printing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the head drive source includes a head motor for moving the thermal head by rotational drive, and
the control unit is configured to control the head motor to move the thermal head in the first direction by the rotationally driving of the head motor, and the control unit is configured to control to supply a current to the head motor after the moving the thermal head in the first direction.

6. The printing system according to claim 5 , wherein
the printing device further includes a lid capable of opening and closing an accommodation portion in which the ink ribbon is accommodated,
in response to opening of the accommodation portion, the control unit is configured to control the head drive source to move the thermal head, and the control unit is configured to control to supply a current of a first value to the head motor after the moving the thermal head with the head drive source,
in response to closing of the accommodation portion by the lid, the control unit is configured to control the head drive source to move the thermal head in the first direction and the control unit is configured to control to supply a current of a second value to the head motor after the moving the thermal head in the first direction with the head drive source, and
the first value is larger than the second value.

7. The printing system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
an interface, which is configured to receive an operation, wherein
the printing device further includes a lid capable of opening and closing an accommodation portion in which the ink ribbon is accommodated,
in response to opening of the accommodation portion, the control unit is configured to control the head drive source to move the thermal head, and the control unit is configured to control to supply a current of a first value to the head motor after the moving the thermal head with the head drive source,
in response to the operation received by the interface, the control unit is configured to control the head drive source to move the thermal head in the first direction with the head drive source, and the control unit is configured to control to supply a current of a third value to the head motor after the moving the thermal head in the first direction with the head drive source, and
the first value is larger than the third value.

8. The printing system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the ribbon motor to decrease tension of the ink ribbon after a print position is set.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Inoue Naoki

Classifications

• B41J33/00

  Apparatus or arrangements for feeding ink ribbons or like character-size impression-transfer material · CPC title

• B41J2/325 Primary

  by selective transfer of ink from ink carrier, e.g. from ink ribbon or sheet · CPC title

• B41J35/08

  with tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• B41J2/32

  using thermal heads · CPC title

• B41J33/36 Primary

  with means for adjusting feeding rate · CPC title