JPH0825762A - Data input / output device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To support the correct setting of recording paper with the print side specified in the printer. [Structure] A first storage means 31 for storing print data from an external device, and a recording paper near-end detection switch SW for outputting a near-end signal when the recording paper runs out.
1 and the second storage means 33 when receiving the near end signal
The display data indicating that there is no recording paper is output to the touch panel 4, and the confirmation signal is input from the confirmation switch 4 at the time when the near-end signal is switched to the signal with paper, and the test print data in the second storage means 33 is printed on the print head. The sheet replacement control means 34 for outputting the sheet is provided. When the remaining amount of recording paper is low, a display prompting the user to replace the recording paper is output to the touch panel 4 to warn the user that the recording paper is out, and when the recording paper is replaced, test printing is performed Make sure that it is set correctly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data input / output device which prints a form such as a slip in response to sales data from a selling device such as a refueling device, and more specifically, a technique for managing exchange of recording paper. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A data input / output device, which is connected to a product sales device and issues product sales data or sales data from the product sales device and issues a form such as a slip, requires a small installation area. Therefore, it is configured as small as possible, and is configured by housing a keyboard, a display device, a printer, and the like in a common housing. Since a printer of such a device requires two primary and secondary forms, a wire dot printer capable of copying is conventionally used. However, due to noise during printing, cost of recording paper, etc. Thermal printers are widely used.

Since the thermal printer is constructed by coating a color-developing agent which develops color on receiving heat on one side, it is impossible to perform recording if the orientation of the recording paper is wrong with respect to the print head, and the front and back sides are not printed. There is a problem that it is difficult to determine.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to confirm the accurate loading of recording papers whose front and back characteristics are greatly different. It is to provide a data input / output device that can be used.

[0005]

In order to solve such a problem, according to the present invention, there is provided a first storage means for storing print data from an external device and a recording paper replacement required when a recording paper replacement is required. The second storage means for storing the prompting display data and the test print data and the recording paper storage portion are provided, and when the recording paper is present, a paper present signal is output, and when the remaining amount is low, a near end signal is output. The recording paper near-end detecting means for outputting and the display data indicating that there is no recording paper in the second storage means are output to the displaying means at the time of receiving the near-end signal, and also confirmed at the time when the near-end signal is switched to the paper-present signal. A paper exchange control means for receiving a confirmation signal from the switch and outputting the test print data of the second storage means to the print head is provided.

[0006]

[Function] While the remaining amount of recording paper is low, a message prompting the user to replace the recording paper is displayed to prevent the recording paper from running out, and when the recording paper is replaced, test printing is performed to ensure that the recording paper is correct. Make sure that it is set.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a refueling system to which the data input / output device of the present invention is applied.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a data input / output device which is a feature of the present invention, and information can be input by touching a display surface with a finger on a lid body 3 that also serves as a panel that is openably and closably attached to a housing 2. Touch panel 4 and keyboard 5 for inputting data
And a paper discharge port 6 of the printer.
In this embodiment, the refueling device 10 is connected to the cable 11 so as to receive the input of the refueling amount which is sales data and issue a slip.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the above-mentioned data input / output device, in which reference numeral 20 is a printing mechanism.
A platen 21 and a recording means, which is a thermal transfer type print head 22 in this embodiment, are arranged with the conveyance path of the recording paper P interposed therebetween.
The print head 22 is configured to reciprocate in the paper width direction by the guide member 23 for printing.

The recording paper is set in a recording paper storage portion 25 provided outside the printing mechanism 20 and at a position where it can be easily replaced when the lid 3 is opened, and is conveyed to a printing area by a paper guide 26. It is supposed to be done.

A first switch SW1 which is a near-end detecting means for outputting a signal when the remaining amount of the recording paper reaches several sheets is arranged near the recording paper storage portion 25, and near the print head 22. A second switch SW2, which is a paper end detection unit that outputs a signal when the recording paper runs out, is arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording paper.

A control device 30 receives sales data from the selling device, issues a slip in a predetermined print format, receives signals from the touch panel 4 and the keyboard 5, and controls the printing mechanism 20. It is configured to execute a display and an operation for supporting the replacement work of the recording sheet by the signals from the first and second switches SW1 and SW2.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the above-mentioned control device. In the figure, reference numeral 31 is a first storage means for storing data from the fuel supply device 10 which is a vending machine. The data input from the printer is printed by the print data control means 32 so that the data has a predetermined format.
The print head 22 of 0 prints on the recording paper P.

A second storage means 33 is a display means when the recording paper is near end and the recording paper is exhausted. In this embodiment, a predetermined message is displayed on the touch panel 4 or a test print is made on the recording paper. Data,
Further, the touch panel 4 is configured to store data for displaying marks of "confirmation" and "reprint".

Reference numeral 34 is a paper exchange control means, which is a first switch SW1, a second switch SW2, a data input means,
In this embodiment, the paper replacement process described later is controlled based on signals from the touch panel 4 and the keyboard 5,
In addition, when the paper is properly exchanged, a signal is output to the print data control means 32 so that the data in the first storage means 31 can be printed.

Next, the operation of the apparatus thus constructed will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. When refueling is executed by the refueling device 10 and a predetermined amount of refueling is completed, refueling sales data is input from the refueling device.

This refueling data is stored in the first storage means 31, and when the voucher issuance command is output, the print head 22
The refueling slip is issued in a fixed format on the recording paper.

In this way, when the refueling and the voucher for refueling are issued many times, the recording paper storage unit 2
When the recording paper P of No. 5 is reduced to about several sheets, the first switch SW1 is operated to output the recording paper near end signal (step a). The paper exchange control means 34
Output the data of "There is no slip paper. Please contact the office." From the 2nd storage means 33 to notify that there is no recording paper, and display it on the touch panel 4 (step B) to call attention (Fig. 5 (A)). .

Since there is a work to be carried out continuously by looking at this display, if the recording paper cannot be replaced, it is displayed on the touch panel 4 without replenishing or replacing the recording paper. When the confirmation switch 41 in the display area "Confirm" is pressed (step C), the paper replacement control means 34
Is "Did you replace the recording paper?" (Fig. 5 (b))
Is displayed on the touch panel 4 (step D). Then, when the confirmation switch 41 in the display area "confirmation" displayed on the touch panel 4 is pressed again (step E),
The near-end signal from the first switch SW1 is still output (step F), print data exists in the first storage means 31 (step), and the second switch SW2, which is the paper out detection means, is turned on. Since it has not been done (step E), the print data control means 32 executes the printing of the slip (step W). In this way, when the display indicating whether the recording paper has been replaced is displayed (step d) (Fig. 5 (b)) and several sheets are printed, the recording paper will be completely consumed. Switch SW
2 is turned on and a paper out signal is output (step
E). As a result, the paper exchange control means 34 outputs a signal to the print data control means 32 to make subsequent printing impossible.

On the other hand, when the recording paper is replenished or replaced, the first switch SW1 which is the recording paper near end detection means is switched from the off state to the on state (step F), so that the paper exchange control means 34 is operated by the second storage. The data for test printing stored in the means 33 is printed by the printing mechanism 2
Output to 0 to execute test printing (step),
At the same time, "Test print ..." and "Confirm" on the touch panel 4
And "Reprint" are displayed to realize the function of the reprint switch 42 (step) (FIG. 5C).

When the recording paper is correctly set without making a mistake on its front and back sides, the data for test printing is printed on the recording paper P. After confirming this, the data is displayed on the touch panel 4. Press the confirmation switch 41 in the "confirmation" display area (step).

If the test print data is not printed after the recording paper has been replaced, the front and back sides are wrong, so they are set again, and the reprint switch 4 on the touch panel 4 is replaced.
Press 2 (STEP) to execute test printing again (STEP). As a result, when the printing is correctly performed, the confirmation switch 41 is pressed (step).
As a result, the paper exchange control means 34 outputs a signal to the print data control means 32 to enable printing of the data in the first storage means 31.

In this way, the lid 3 is closed when it is confirmed that the test printing is correctly performed after the recording paper is replaced and replenished.

In the above embodiment, the case where the sales data from the refueling device is printed has been described as an example, but it is obvious that the same effect can be obtained even when applied to other selling devices. .

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the thermal type print head is used, but it is obvious that the same effect can be obtained by applying to an ink jet type print head or a wire impact type print head. is there.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the recording paper near end detecting means and the recording paper absence detecting means are respectively constituted by separate detectors, but it is obvious that the same detecting means can achieve the same operation. is there.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the confirmation switch and the reprint switch are constructed as a touch panel, but it is clear that the same effect can be obtained even if they are constructed by key switches.

[0027]

As described above, in the present invention,
First storage means for storing print data from an external device,
Second storage means for storing display data for prompting recording sheet replacement required when recording sheet replacement is required, and test print data; and a paper presence signal provided in the recording sheet storage section when a recording sheet exists. Further, a recording paper near-end detecting means for outputting a near-end signal when the remaining amount is low, and display data indicating that there is no recording paper in the second storage means is output to the displaying means at the time of receiving the near-end signal. Since a confirmation signal is input from the confirmation switch at the time of switching to the paper present signal, and the paper replacement control means for outputting the test print data of the second storage means to the print head is provided, the remaining amount of recording paper becomes small. It is possible to prevent the recording paper from running out by displaying a message prompting you to replace the recording paper when the recording paper has been replaced. Paper can be prevented loading errors of the recording paper to confirm whether or not it has been set correctly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus showing an embodiment of a data input / output apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a refueling system using the data input / output device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a control device in the same device.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the above apparatus.

5A to 5C are diagrams showing an embodiment of a display pattern displayed on the touch panel of the same device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Data Input / Output Device 4 Touch Panel 6 Recording Paper Discharge Port 10 Lubrication Device 22 Recording Head 25 Recording Paper Storage Section 30 Control Device P Recording Paper SW1 Near End Detection Switch SW2 Paper Out Detection Switch

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A first storage means for storing print data from an external device, a second storage means for storing display data for prompting replacement of recording paper required when recording paper is replaced, and test print data, and recording. A recording paper near-end detection unit that is provided in the paper storage unit and outputs a paper-existing signal when recording paper is present, and outputs a near-end signal when the remaining amount is low; The display data indicating that there is no recording paper in the second storage means is output to the display means, and the confirmation signal is input from the confirmation switch when the near-end signal is switched to the paper presence signal, and the test print of the second storage means is performed. A data input / output device comprising a paper exchange control means for outputting data to a print head. 2. The paper replacement control means outputs test printing data to the print head at the time when the near end signal is switched to the paper present signal, and the test printing is performed when the reprint switch is pressed. The data input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the data for printing is reprintable. 3. The data input device according to claim 1, wherein the paper replacement control means enables printing of the print data of the first storage means when a confirmation switch is pressed after printing of the test print data is completed. Output device. 4. A recording medium is provided with a recording medium detection unit that outputs a recording medium signal when the recording medium is exhausted, and when the confirmation switch is pressed at the stage when the near-end signal is output, the recording medium is displayed on the display unit. 2. The data input / output device according to claim 1, wherein a display prompting replacement of the data is displayed and the data stored in the first storage means can be printed until the paper out signal is output. 5. The data input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit and the confirmation switch are configured as a touch panel. 6. The data input / output device according to claim 2, wherein the display unit, the reprint switch, and the confirmation switch are configured as a touch panel. 7. The data input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the print head is a thermal print head.