Thermal printer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9840102-B2
Application number	US-201615262194-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A thermal printer comprises a sheet conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet formed by attaching labels on a mount; a ribbon conveyance mechanism configured to convey a ribbon; a thermal head configured to heat the ribbon to carry out printing of printing data on the sheet contacted with the ribbon; and a head moving mechanism configured to control the thermal head if a non-printing area is longer than a first distance based on the printing data to separate the ribbon from the sheet; wherein the ribbon conveyance mechanism stops the conveyance of the ribbon if the non-printing area is longer than the first distance; and the sheet conveyance mechanism controls, if the non-printing area is longer than the first distance, the sheet conveyance speed to a second speed slower than a first speed applied in a case of conveying a printing area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal printer comprising:
a sheet conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet formed by attaching labels on a mount at a first speed applied in a case of conveying a printing area;
a ribbon conveyance mechanism configured to convey a ribbon;
a thermal head configured to heat the ribbon to print printing data on the sheet; and
a head moving mechanism configured to control the thermal head to separate the ribbon from the sheet in a case in which a non-printing area is longer than a first distance; wherein
the ribbon conveyance mechanism configured to stop the conveyance of the ribbon in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance,
the sheet conveyance mechanism configured to control the conveyance speed to a third speed higher than the first speed in a case in which the head moving mechanism separates the ribbon from the sheet, and
the head moving mechanism configured to separate the ribbon from the sheet when the conveyance speed of the sheet is reduced down to the second speed.

2. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , wherein
the sheet conveyance mechanism configured to control the conveyance speed to a second speed lower than the first speed in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance.

3. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , wherein
the sheet conveyance mechanism configured to stop the conveyance of the sheet in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance.

4. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , wherein
the head moving mechanism configured to separate the ribbon from the sheet when the conveyance of the sheet is stopped.

5. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , wherein
the sheet conveyance mechanism configured to control the conveyance speed of the sheet to the second speed and then to the first speed in a case of conveying the sheet from the non-printing area to the printing area.

6. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , wherein
the sheet conveyance mechanism configured to stop the conveyance of the sheet and then control the conveyance speed of the sheet to the first speed in a case of conveying the sheet from the non-printing area to the printing area.

7. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a central processing unit to control speed of the sheet conveyance mechanism.

8. The thermal printer, described in claim 7 , wherein
the central processing unit increases the speed of the sheet conveyance mechanism.

9. The thermal printer, described in claim 7 , wherein
the central processing unit decreases the speed of the sheet conveyance mechanism.

10. The thermal printer, described in claim 1 , further comprising:
a central processing unit to control speed of the ribbon conveyance mechanism.

11. The thermal printer, described in claim 10 , wherein
the central processing unit increases the speed of the ribbon conveyance mechanism.

12. The thermal printer, described in claim 10 , wherein
the central processing unit decreases the speed of the ribbon conveyance mechanism.

13. A method of controlling a conveyance speed of a thermal printer being comprised of a sheet conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet formed by attaching labels on a mount, a ribbon conveyance mechanism configured to convey a ribbon, a thermal head configured to heat the ribbon to print printing data on the sheet, and a head moving mechanism configured to control the thermal head to separate the ribbon from the sheet in a case in which a non-printing area is longer than a first distance:
stopping the conveyance of the ribbon in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance;
controlling the conveyance speed to a third speed higher than the first speed in a case in which the head moving mechanism separates the ribbon from the sheet;
controlling the conveyance speed to a second speed lower than the first speed in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance; and
separating the ribbon from the sheet when the conveyance speed of the sheet is reduced down to the second speed.

14. The method of controlling the conveyance speed described in claim 13 :
stopping the conveyance of the sheet in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance.

15. The method of controlling the conveyance speed described in claim 13 :
controlling the conveyance speed of the sheet to the second speed and then to the first speed in a case of conveying the sheet from the non-printing area to the printing area.

16. The method of controlling the conveyance speed described in claim 13 :
stopping the conveyance of the sheet and then control the conveyance speed of the sheet to the first speed in a case of conveying the sheet from the non-printing area to the printing area.

17. A method of controlling a conveyance speed of a thermal printer being comprised of a sheet conveyance mechanism configured to convey a sheet formed by attaching labels on a mount, a ribbon conveyance mechanism configured to convey a ribbon, a thermal head configured to heat the ribbon to print printing data on the sheet, and a head moving mechanism configured to control the thermal head to separate the ribbon from the sheet in a case in which a non-printing area is longer than a first distance:
stopping the conveyance of the ribbon in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance;
controlling the conveyance speed to a third speed higher than the first speed in a case in which the head moving mechanism separates the ribbon from the sheet;
stopping the conveyance of the sheet in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance; and
separating the ribbon from the sheet when the conveyance of the sheet is stopped.

18. The method of controlling the conveyance speed described in claim 17 :
controlling the conveyance speed to a second speed lower than the first speed in a case in which the non-printing area is longer than the first distance.

19. The method of controlling the conveyance speed described in claim 17 :
controlling the conveyance speed of the sheet to the second speed and then to the first speed in a case of conveying the sheet from the non-printing area to the printing area.

20. The method of controlling the conveyance speed described in claim 17 :
stopping the conveyance of the sheet and then control the conveyance speed of the sheet to the first speed in a case of conveying the sheet from the non-printing area to the printing area.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Matsuda Okiharu

Classifications

• B41J33/14 Primary

  Ribbon-feed devices or mechanisms · CPC title

• B41J33/388

  the ribbon being fed only when type impression takes place · CPC title

• B41J11/007

  Conveyor belts or like feeding devices · CPC title

• B41J2/325

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

• B41J25/304 Primary

  Bodily-movable mechanisms for print heads or carriages movable towards or from paper surface · CPC title