HK1136995A - Hybrid printer - Google Patents

Description

Hybrid printer

The patent application of the invention is a divisional application of the patent application with the application date of 2005, 10 and 21, the application number of 200510116361.3 and the name of 'hybrid printer'.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a hybrid printer, in other words, a printer having two or more printing mechanisms mounted therein.

Background

Hybrid printers having two or more printing mechanisms are known. A hybrid printer has a non-impact thermal printing mechanism and an impact dot printing mechanism, and has a control circuit for controlling both printing mechanisms in accordance with data transmitted from a host device such as a host computer. In such hybrid printers, customer receipts are printed on thermal paper, for example, while slip notes such as checks and receipts are printed using a line dot printing mechanism.

EP834828A relates to such a hybrid printer in which a host computer can selectively control each printing mechanism, performing error handling in accordance with the selected printing mechanism.

One important point in hybrid printing mechanisms is that such devices must be compact without compromising the quality of the printing mechanism and the output printed label.

Disclosure of Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus including a housing, the printing apparatus having: a first part housing a first printing mechanism comprising a print head and a platen disposed at a print zone, and a clamp for clamping a roll of precut label stock passing through the print zone; a second part housing a second printing mechanism comprising a printhead and a platen arranged in a print zone, and means for receiving a cassette for receiving image receiving tape at a position across the print zone.

In the described embodiment, the first portion is stationary and the second portion is movable. It will be readily appreciated that the first and second portions may both be movable relative to each other.

In said embodiment the housing comprises an upper part and a lower part, the lower part comprising a frame for supporting the upper part, said frame and said upper part constituting said fixed part, the lower part also providing said movable part.

The frame preferably defines an opening in which the movable portion is slidably mounted, which may comprise a tray or drawer.

Preferably, an associated motor automatically controls the movement of the tray. It may be controlled by an actuation button on the printing device.

The receiving means for the first mechanism may comprise a clamp for clamping a roll of precut label stock to perform a printing operation, for example in the manner of known label printing printers for producing die cut labels.

The receiving means for the second printing mechanism may comprise a cassette-receiving bay for receiving a cassette on which the image receiving tape is placed and an optional ribbon for performing printing operations in the manner of known tape printers such as the label print manager 400 produced by Dymo.

A reverse feed actuator may be provided for reversing the feed of image receiving medium.

The fixed portion may comprise an openable lid.

The movable portion may include a cutting mechanism for cutting off a portion of the tape that has been printed by the second printing mechanism.

The printing apparatus may comprise first and second sensing means, for example in the form of limit switches or any sensing means for sensing the open and closed positions of the movable part respectively.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a printing device comprising a housing having a first portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion, the housing accommodating a first printing mechanism in the first portion and a second printing mechanism in the second portion, each printing mechanism comprising a printhead, a platen and means for receiving image receiving medium.

Another aspect of the invention provides a printing apparatus comprising a housing having a frame defining an opening in which a movable part is slidably mounted, the movable part housing a printing mechanism including a printhead and a platen defining a print zone and a cassette receiving means for receiving a cassette for receiving image receiving tape placed through the print zone.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a printing apparatus including a housing, the printing apparatus having: a first portion housing a first printing mechanism comprising a printhead and a platen disposed in a print zone, and first means for housing precut label stock passing through the print zone; and a second portion housing a second printing mechanism comprising a printhead and a platen disposed at a print zone and second means for receiving a supply of continuous tape through the print zone.

That is, the present invention provides a printing apparatus that can print on die cut labels or continuous tape. The first and/or second housing means may comprise cassette housing means for housing a cassette housing a continuous tape or die cut label. Alternatively, one of the first and second receiving means may comprise a clamp for clamping a roll of precut label stock, the other comprising a cassette receiving means.

Yet another aspect of the present invention provides a printing apparatus including a housing, the printing apparatus having: a first part housing a first printing mechanism comprising a printhead and a platen arranged in a print zone, and first means for housing an image receiving medium of a first width passing through the print zone; and a second portion housing a second printing mechanism comprising a printhead and a platen disposed in a print zone and second means for receiving an image receiving medium having a second width across the print zone, the first and second widths being different.

In such printers, one printing mechanism may be arranged to print labels requiring a relatively small print height (e.g. less than 25mm), while the other printing mechanism is used for labels requiring a relatively high print height. The first and second receiving means may each comprise cassette receiving means for receiving a cassette in which tapes of first and second different widths are respectively located. The image receiving medium may be a continuous tape or die cut (label).

Drawings

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made to the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a schematic view of a printing apparatus seen from the outside;

fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the printing apparatus in an open state;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of circuitry for controlling a printing apparatus; and

fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a printing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 illustrates a hybrid printer according to one embodiment of the present invention. The hybrid printer 1 comprises a lower part 3 and an upper part 5. The upper portion houses a first printing mechanism, which will be described later. The lower part has a fixed frame 8 which supports the upper part to constitute a fixed part of the printer 1. The lower part also has a movable part in the form of a tray 4 which houses a second printing mechanism, referred to herein as a tape printing mechanism and described further below. The tray 4 has a discharge opening 7 for the tape 9. The belt 9 comprises an image receiving layer secured to a removable backing layer by an adhesive, as is well known in the art. This is so-called continuous tape, since the image receiving layer is continuous and not precut to form labels.

The tray 4 has an actuation button 6. When the actuation button is pressed, the motor 27 starts to slide the tray 4 in the direction of arrow B from the closed position to the open position to provide a cassette into which the tape 9 is inserted. Actuation of the same button returns the tray to its original closed position. The frame 8 has an opening 29 in which the tray slides.

The upper part of the housing 5 comprises a cover 11 which can be opened in the direction of arrow a to give access to the first printing mechanism. The front portion 13 of the upper portion of the housing 5 has a paper exit 15 for die cutting label stock 17. Die cut label stock comprises a succession of labels 19 removably secured to a carrier 19a by adhesive in a manner well known in the art. The bottom carrier 19a acts as a web to support a plurality of labels, such as the label 19 shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 2 shows the printing apparatus with the drawer open and the lid 5 also in the open position. It shows a first printing mechanism in the upper part for die cutting labels and a second printing mechanism in the tray belonging to the tape printing mechanism.

As shown more clearly in fig. 2, the upper portion 5 of the label printer receives a roll of label stock 17. The roll of label stock 17 is mounted on a clamp 18 in the lid 11. The printing mechanism includes a platen (not visible in fig. 2) and a printhead 110 (fig. 3). Another feature is to maximize the visibility of the label loading area by flattening the front contour of the label loading area, as indicated by reference numeral 25. This makes it relatively easy to load and unload rolls of label stock. The DC motor 109 (fig. 3) drives the platen to rotate the platen in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Rotation of the platen 108 advances the label stock 17 forward if the platen is rotated counterclockwise and advances the label stock in the reverse direction if the platen is rotated clockwise. The platen may be rotated under the control of a reverse feed button 23 to reverse the label stock.

One problem with existing printers is that it is not easy to move a roll of labels. The user must release the label by manually releasing the lever, while the roll of labels must be manually rewound. The reverse feed button 23 functions as a label stop exit button that solves this problem by controlling the motor 109 to reverse feed the roll of labels for a predetermined amount of time. Simply pressing the reverse feed (label stop exit) button 23 reverse feeds the roll of labels which can be removed from the printer at any time.

The print head 110 prints information on the labels 19 of the label stock 17. The print head 110 is positioned to enable information to be printed on the platen and the pinch points of the print head 110. The printhead is a 300dpi printhead with a print width of 57mm and a total of 672 heating elements or dots.

In the lower part of the printer, the tray 4 provides a cassette receiving bay 40 for receiving a cassette 44 for the second printing mechanism.

The tape cassette holder 40 includes a thermal printhead 16 and a platen 118 that combine to define a print zone. The thermal head 16 had 96 dots and was 13.5mm high. And may be selected to be 128 points on 18 mm. It has a print density of 180 dpi.

The printhead 16 is pivotable about a pivot point so that it contacts the platen 18 for printing and can be moved away from the platen 18 so that the cartridge can be removed and replaced. The cassette 44 holds a roll of image receiving tape 9. The image receiving tape 9 is guided by a guide mechanism (not shown) through the cassette 44 and exits the cassette 44 through an exit opening over the print zone to the cutting position C. The same cassette 44 also has an ink ribbon supply spool and an ink ribbon take-up spool. Ink ribbon is directed from an ink ribbon supply spool through the print zone and wound on an ink ribbon take up spool. The image receiving tape 9 passes with the ink ribbon through the print zone with its image receiving layer in contact with the ink ribbon. The platen is driven by a stepper motor 7 (fig. 3). The motor rotates to drive the image receiving tape continuously through the print zone 3 during printing.

An image is printed on the tape fed from the print zone to a cutting position C provided at a position on a part of the wall of the tape cassette 44 close to the print zone. A slot 54 is defined in the part of the wall through which the image receiving tape 9 is fed through the print zone to the cutting position C where it is supported by the facing wall portions on either side of the slot 54.

The cutting mechanism 56 includes a knife supporting element 58 that carries a knife blade. The blade cuts the image receiving tape 9 and then enters the slot 54.

The ink ribbon may be omitted in some embodiments where the image receiving tape is of a thermally sensitive material. In this case, the image is printed directly onto the thermally sensitive image receiving tape by a thermal print head.

Although not visible in the figures, the cassette holder has a slide switch which co-operates with a groove on the lower surface of the cassette. With the switch in the first position, a cartridge having a slot in the relevant position can be inserted into the cartridge bay, but a cartridge having a slot in a different position cannot be inserted into the cartridge bay. This enables the user to ensure that only cassettes in which tape of a specified width is placed can be inserted into the cassette bay.

Fig. 3 shows a basic circuit for controlling the printing apparatus. This circuit is implemented on a PCB in the lower part of the housing and cannot therefore be seen in fig. 1 and 2. The microprocessor chip 200 provides a read only memory ROM202, a random access memory RAM204 and a microprocessor 201. In addition, the microprocessor chip 200 has a plurality of ports 208 for connecting various peripheral devices as described below. The connection microprocessor chip 200 receives print data from the USB chip 206, which connects the printing device and the host computer together via the bi-directional link 21. The chip 200 may also output information, such as status information, to a host computer via the USB chip 206. The microprocessor chip 200 also controls the printheads 16, 110 from separate ports. Upon receiving print data from the host computer, it is determined by the local processor that the print head is to be driven in the printing apparatus, and the print data is supplied to the print head.

The print head 110 of the first printing mechanism receives print data for driving the heating elements or dots to print information on the labels 19 on a column-by-column basis as the label stock advances through the printing mechanism.

The chip 200 also controls stepper motors 107, 109 which respectively drive platens which feed the roll of label stock 17 and tape 9 respectively in the respective printing mechanisms. Signals for the stepper motors are provided from a common port having a common number of pins to provide individual pins to activate each stepper motor. It will be appreciated that the stepper motors are not activated simultaneously. Microprocessor 202 also controls cutting mechanism 58.

The above-described embodiment is particularly useful where the first printing mechanism is used to print small labels (e.g., labels having a print height of up to 25mm) and the second printing mechanism is used to print large labels (e.g., labels having a print height of greater than 25 mm).

Fig. 4 shows a different embodiment of the invention in which the fixed part of the printing apparatus supports the movable part in the form of a tray 4. Like numerals are used to indicate like parts in fig. 2, and all features of fig. 4 are the same as fig. 2 except that there is no additional printing mechanism incorporated in the upper portion of the housing. This provides a compact tape printer.

Claims (16)

1. A printing device comprising a housing, the printing device having a frame defining an opening in which a movable part is slidably mounted, the movable part housing a printing mechanism comprising a printhead and a platen defining a print zone and cassette receiving means for receiving a cassette housing image receiving tape disposed through the print zone.

2. A printing device according to claim 1, wherein the cassette receiving means comprises a cassette receiving bay.

3. A printing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable part comprises a tray.

4. A printing device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a motor connected to control the movement of the movable part.

5. A printing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable part is movable under the control of an actuation button on the printing device.

6. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the printing apparatus comprises a cutting mechanism for cutting off a portion of tape that has been printed by the second printing mechanism.

7. A printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a first limit switch for sensing an open state of the movable portion.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a second limit sensing switch for sensing an off state of the movable portion.

9. A printing device comprising a housing having a first part and a second part movable relative to the first part, the housing accommodating a first printing mechanism in the first part and a second printing mechanism in the second part, each printing mechanism comprising a printhead, a platen and means for receiving image receiving medium.

10. A printing device according to claim 9, wherein the first part is stationary and the second part is movable.

11. A printing device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the housing comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion comprising a frame for supporting the upper portion, said frame and said upper portion constituting said first portion, the lower portion further providing said second portion.

12. A printing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the frame defines an opening in which said movable portion is slidably mounted.

13. A printing device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the movable part comprises a tray.

14. A printing device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the first printing mechanism comprises a clamp for holding a roll of precut label stock.

15. A printing device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the receiving means of the second printing mechanism comprises a cassette receiving bay for receiving a cassette for receiving image receiving tape.

16. A printing device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the first part comprises an openable lid.