U.S. patent application number 13/052277 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-06 for long medium for printer.
This patent application is currently assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Hideki Sakano.
Application Number | 20110240784 13/052277 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44088014 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110240784 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sakano; Hideki |
October 6, 2011 |
Long Medium For Printer
Abstract
A long medium for a printer includes: a main body wound around a
core to which an end portion of the main body is affixed; and a
core stop tape portion which joins the core and the end portion;
wherein the bonding force of the core stop tape portion is larger
than the drawing force for drawing the main body wound around the
core from the core.
Inventors: |
Sakano; Hideki; (Nagano-ken,
JP) |
Assignee: |
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
44088014 |
Appl. No.: |
13/052277 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/160.4 ;
242/160.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 2701/372 20130101;
B65H 2301/41525 20130101; B65H 75/28 20130101; B41J 33/006
20130101; B65H 26/063 20130101; B41J 35/36 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
242/160.4 ;
242/160.1 |
International
Class: |
B65H 18/28 20060101
B65H018/28 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 30, 2010 |
JP |
2010-077503 |
Claims
1. A long medium for a printer, comprising: a main body wound
around a core to which an end portion of the main body is affixed;
and a core stop tape portion which joins the core and the end
portion; wherein the bonding force of the core stop tape portion is
larger than the drawing force for drawing the main body wound
around the core from the core.
2. The long medium for the printer according to claim 1, wherein
the bonding force of the core stop tape portion is equal to or
smaller than the maximum feeding force of a driving mechanism
contained in the printer for feeding a leading end portion of the
main body.
3. The long medium for the printer according to claim 2, wherein
the maximum feeding force is the maximum pulling force of a driving
motor for feeding after subtraction of a loss produced by a
transmission mechanism for transmitting the maximum pulling force
to the leading end portion of the main body.
4. The long medium for the printer according to claim 1, wherein
the core stop tape portion is an adhesive double coated tape which
affixes one of the surfaces of the adhesive double coated tape to
the core and affixes the other surface to the end portion to
connect the core and the end portion.
5. The long medium for the printer according to claim 1, wherein
the drawing force necessary for drawing the main body is the sum of
a rotational moment around the core and a running load.
6. The long medium for the printer according to claim 1, wherein
the main body is a tape-shaped material having a printing surface
subjected to printing.
7. The long medium for the printer according to claim 1, wherein
the length of the end portion in the feeding direction is equal to
or larger than the product of the detection time necessary for end
detection during delivery of the end portion and the feeding speed
of the main body.
8. A long medium for a printer, comprising: a main body wound
around a core to which an end portion of the main body is affixed;
and a core stop tape portion which joins the core and the end
portion; wherein the length of the end portion in the feeding
direction is equal to or larger than the product of the detection
time necessary for end detection during delivery of the end portion
and the feeding speed of the main body.
9. The long medium for the printer according to claim 8, wherein
the bonding force of the core stop tape portion is larger than the
drawing force for drawing the main body wound around the core from
the core.
10. The long medium for the printer according to claim 8, wherein
the bonding force of the core stop tape portion is equal to or
smaller than the maximum feeding force of a driving mechanism
contained in the printer for feeding a leading end portion of the
main body.
11. The long medium for the printer according to claim 8, wherein
the maximum feeding force is the maximum pulling force of a driving
motor for feeding after subtraction of a loss produced by a
transmission mechanism for transmitting the maximum pulling force
to the leading end portion of the main body.
12. The long medium for the printer according to claim 8, wherein
the core stop tape portion is an adhesive double coated tape which
affixes one of the surfaces of the adhesive double coated tape to
the core and affixes the other surface to the end portion to
connect the core and the end portion.
13. The long medium for the printer according to claim 9, wherein
the drawing force necessary for drawing the main body is the sum of
a rotational moment around the core and a running load.
14. The long medium for the printer according to claim 8, wherein
the main body is a tape-shaped material having a printing surface
subjected to printing.
Description
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0002] The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.
2010-077503, filed on Mar. 30, 2010, is expressly incorporated by
reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0003] 1. Technical Field
[0004] The present invention relates to a long medium wound around
a core to which an end portion of the long medium is affixed to be
used as a medium for a printer.
[0005] 2. Related Art
[0006] Currently, as an example of a tape printer which uses a long
medium such as an ink ribbon and a printing tape, a technology
which detects an end or a near end of an ink ribbon for thermal
transfer printing by sensing a transparent end portion of the ink
ribbon using a photo-sensor is known (see JP-A-6-99651). In
addition, a technology which provides a plurality of sensor marks
on an ink ribbon or a printing tape for allowing a photo-sensor to
detect an end portion is known as a technology similar to the above
tape printer (see JP-A-9-300764).
[0007] However, for detecting the end of the long medium such as a
ribbon and a tape by using the methods of the above tape printers,
a component such as a sensor for detecting the end portion is
required. Moreover, the necessity for adding a portion not for
printing such as a light-transmissive film to the end portion of
the long medium for allowing detection of the sensor as the method
in JP-A-6-99651, and the necessity for providing the marks for the
sensor as the method in JP-A-9-300764 complicate the structure of
the long medium. In case of the technology which adds the marks for
the sensor, such a long medium which has patterns on the entire
area of the medium is difficult to be used, for example, for
preventing malfunction in some cases.
SUMMARY
[0008] An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide
a long medium for a printer as a medium used for printing while
gradually delivering the leading end of the long medium wound
around a core which realizes easy and accurate end detection
without adding a sensor or the like for end detection to the
printer.
[0009] A long medium for a printer according to a first aspect of
the invention includes: a main body wound around a core to which an
end portion of the main body is affixed; and a core stop tape
portion which joins the core and the end portion. The bonding force
of the core stop tape portion is larger than the drawing force for
drawing the main body wound around the core from the core.
[0010] According to this long medium for the printer, the bonding
force of the core stop tape portion for joining the core and the
end portion is larger than the drawing force for drawing the main
body wound around the core. In this case, a difference in the
change of the load is produced between the delivery in the normal
operation and the delivery of the end portion in the printer. Thus,
the printer can relatively easily and securely detect the end of
the long medium based on this difference. Moreover, since a
component already equipped for monitoring the operation condition
of a motor for feeding the long medium is used for detection of the
end portion, the necessity for separately providing a component
such as a sensor for detecting the end portion can be
eliminated.
[0011] According to a specific aspect of the invention, the bonding
force of the core stop tape portion is equal to or smaller than a
maximum feeding force of a driving mechanism contained in the
printer for feeding a leading end portion. In this case, since the
end portion of the long medium is released from the core during
delivery of the end portion, the end can be more securely detected
by monitoring the increase and decrease of the load.
[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, the maximum
feeding force is the maximum pulling force of a driving motor for
feeding after subtraction of a loss produced by a transmission
mechanism for transmitting the maximum pulling force to the leading
end portion of the main body. In this case, the end can be more
securely detected by providing the maximum feeding force
considering the loss.
[0013] According to still another aspect of the invention, the core
stop tape portion is an adhesive double coated tape which affixes
one of the surfaces of the adhesive double coated tape to the core
and affixes the other surface to the end portion to connect the
core and the end portion. In this case, only the core side surface
of the core stop tape portion can be left after release of the end
portion from the core, for example, by controlling the core and the
bonding force of the adhesive double coated tape as the core stop
tape portion.
[0014] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the
drawing force necessary for drawing the main body is the sum of a
rotational moment around the core and a running load. In this case,
the bonding force of the core stop tape portion can be raised to a
force larger than the drawing force by consideration of the
rotational moment and the running load. Thus, the end detection can
be more securely achieved.
[0015] According to still yet another aspect of the invention, the
main body is a tape-shaped material having a printing surface
subjected to printing. In this case, a shortage of the tape-shaped
material during printing can be avoided by detection of the
end.
[0016] A long medium for a printer according to a second aspect of
the invention includes: a main body wound around a core to which an
end portion of the main body is affixed; and a core stop tape
portion which joins the core and the end portion. The length of the
end portion in the feeding direction is equal to or larger than the
product of the detection time necessary for end detection during
delivery of the end portion and the feeding speed of the main
body.
[0017] According to this long medium for the printer, the length of
the end portion in the feeding direction is large enough for
securing a detection time necessary for the end detection. Thus,
the printer can detect the end of the long medium relatively easily
and securely.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like
elements.
[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external
appearance of a tape printer in which a long medium according to an
embodiment of the invention is incorporated.
[0020] FIG. 2A is a perspective view illustrating the external
appearance of the tape printer whose cover is opened.
[0021] FIG. 2B is a perspective view illustrating the external
appearance of a tape cartridge attached to the tape printer.
[0022] FIG. 3A schematically illustrates a condition of a tape
during feeding of the tape.
[0023] FIGS. 3B and 3C show an end portion of the tape and a core
stop tape portion.
[0024] FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing an entire control system
of the tape printer.
[0025] FIG. 4B is a block diagram showing a part of the control
system as the part associated with detection of the tape end.
[0026] FIG. 5A is a graph showing a change of a load during tape
feeding.
[0027] FIGS. 5B through 5D schematically illustrate the conditions
of the tape end in correspondence with the change of the load.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0028] A tape printer in which a long medium is incorporated is
hereinafter described with reference to the drawings as a premise
of the explanation of a long medium according to an embodiment of
the invention.
[0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, a tape printer 10 has
a device case 20 divided into two parts on the upper side and the
lower side for constituting the external casing of the tape printer
10. The device case 20 has an upper case 21 as an open/close cover,
and a lower case 22 which contains mechanical sections such as a
pocket 41 to which a tape cartridge C is attached. A winding tape
50 as a long medium schematically shown in FIG. 3A is contained
within the tape cartridge C.
[0030] A keyboard 33 and a display 34 are provided on the front
part and the right rear part, respectively, of the upper surface of
the upper case 21. The upper case 21 is closed during use except
for the time when the tape cartridge C is attached and
detached.
[0031] The keyboard 33 is an unit through which information such as
data and commands is inputted as information transmitted to a
microcomputer chip or the like as a control system contained in the
lower case 22. The keyboard 33 includes a group of character keys
31 used when inputting text information such as characters,
symbols, and numerals, a group of function keys 32 used when
specifying various types of operation mode and the like, and other
keys arranged on the surface.
[0032] The display 34 has a display screen 36 which can display n
rows.times.m lines (n and m are appropriate natural numbers) of
arbitrary character strings and the like in the horizontal
direction and the vertical direction, and can display process
results and commands produced by the microcomputer chip and others
as the control system contained in the lower case 22. More
specifically, the display 34 is used when an user selects or edits
character strings and others after inputting data, various commands
and requests and the like through the keyboard 33, or visually
recognizes the results and others.
[0033] The lower case 22 has the pocket 41 to which the tape
cartridge C is attached. The tape cartridge C is attached to and
detached from the pocket 41 with the upper case (open/close cover)
21 opened. The tape cartridge C contains a tape T and an ink ribbon
R each having a constant width inside a cartridge case 51. The tape
cartridge C further has a through hole 53 into which a head unit 42
provided on the pocket 41 is inserted.
[0034] The tape T is a tape-shaped material as a printing target
and constitutes the main body of a winding tape 50 described later
in detail as illustrated in FIG. 3A. As shown in an enlarged part
in FIG. 3A, the tape T has a tape main body Ta and a released paper
Tb. A printing surface TH is formed on the front surface of the
tape main body Ta, and an adhesive surface TT is formed on the back
surface of the tape main body Ta. The adhesive surface TT is
covered by the released paper Tb. The tape T and the ink ribbon R
overlap with each other while traveling through the through hole
53. Then, only the tape T is discharged to the outside, and the ink
ribbon R is wound inside.
[0035] The head unit 42 provided at an appropriate position of the
pocket 41 contains a printing head 42a having a thermal head. The
printing head 42a is disposed in such a position as to contact the
back surface of the ink ribbon R exposed through the through hole
53 of the tape cartridge C when the tape cartridge C is attached to
the pocket 41. In this condition, desired characters and the like
can be printed on the printing surface TH on the surface of the
tape T by the heating operation of the printing head 42a.
[0036] A tape outlet port 44 connecting the pocket 41 and the
outside of the device is formed on the left side surface of the
lower case 22. The tape outlet port 44 faces to a tape cutter 45
for cutting the delivered tape T. A ribbon driving shaft 47 and a
roller driving shaft 48 engaging with a driven part of the attached
tape cartridge C are provided on the pocket 41. The ink ribbon R
and the tape T within the tape cartridge C are delivered by the
driving shafts 47 and 48 driven by a built-in feed motor 55 (see
FIG. 4B and other figures) as a driving source. Simultaneously, the
printing head 42a is operated in synchronization with the driving
shafts 47 and 48 for performing printing. After completion of
printing, the delivery of the tape T is continued until the cutting
position determined for the tape T reaches the position of the tape
cutter 45.
[0037] According to a typical method for using the tape printer 10
having this structure, the user attaches the tape cartridge C to
the pocket 41, and requests printing by inputting printing
information such as desired characters and symbols through the
keyboard 33 while checking the input/edition results shown on the
display 34. In response to this request, the tape T is drawn from
the tape cartridge C, and the desired printing is performed on the
tape T by the operation of the printing head 42a. Then, the printed
portion is sequentially discharged through the tape outlet port 44
to the outside. After completion of printing, the tape feeding is
continued until the tape T reaches the position of the tape length
including a margin, where the tape T is cut at a predetermined
position to be formed into a label.
[0038] The tape T contained in the tape cartridge C shown in FIG.
2B, and the winding tape 50 as a long medium including the tape T
as the main body are now described with reference to FIG. 3A and
other figures. The winding tape 50 has a core CR, an adhesive
double coated tape BB as a core stop tape portion, and the tape T
as the main body. An end portion EP of the tape T is affixed to the
core CR by the adhesive double coated tape BB, and wound around the
core CR. As illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 3C, the tape T and the
adhesive double coated tape BB constitute a tape-shaped material
having a substantially constant width. One of the surfaces of the
adhesive double coated tape BB adheres to the core CR, and the
other surface adheres to the end portion EP of the tape T such that
the core CR and the end portion EP can be connected by a bonding
force of certain strength produced by the adhesive double coated
tape BB as the core stop tape portion. The degree of the bonding
between the core CR and the end portion EP is determined, and thus
a releasing force necessary for releasing the bonding is determined
according to the adjustment of the bonding force of the adhesive
double coated tape BB. The tape T is drawn by the roller driving
shaft 48 of the tape printer 10. More specifically, a leading end
portion TP of the tape T is sandwiched between a platen roller 60
engaging with the roller driving shaft 48 as the driven part of the
tape cartridge C and the printing head 42a urged toward the platen
roller 60, and is drawn out in accordance with the rotation of the
platen roller 60 driven by the roller driving shaft 48. Thus, the
roller driving shaft 48 and the platen roller 60 driven by the
roller driving shaft 48 function as a feeding section for feeding
the tape T.
[0039] A force for feeding the tape T produced by the rotations of
the platen roller 60 and the roller driving shaft 48 driven by the
driving mechanism is herein referred to as a feeding force Fx. The
maximum of the feeding force Fx, i.e., a maximum feeding force Fd
corresponds to the maximum pulling force of the feed motor 55 as
the feeding driving motor (see FIG. 4B and other figures) after
subtraction of a loss produced by the platen roller 60, the roller
driving shaft 48 and the like as the transmission mechanism for
transmitting the maximum pulling force to the leading end portion
TP of the tape T.
[0040] Also, a force necessary for drawing the tape T wound around
the core CR out of the core CR during printing in the normal
operation is referred to as a drawing force Ft. In this case, in
the condition shown in FIG. 3A, the drawing force Ft is a force
corresponding to the sum of the rotational moment of the winding
tape 50 around the core CR and the running load. The tape printer
10 maintains the speed for feeding the tape T at a constant speed
VE by controlling the feeding force Fx such that the feeding force
Fx becomes substantially equal to the drawing force Ft.
[0041] In this embodiment, the length of the end portion EP of the
tape T affixed to the adhesive double coated tape BB, that is, a
length L1 of the adhesive double coated tape BB is approximately
1/4of the entire circumference of the core CR, for example. Since
each of the end portion EP and the adhesive double coated tape BB
has the length L1 as a certain length in the drawing direction of
the tape T, a sufficient time is secured for detecting a tape end
which corresponds to a state coming to the used up condition of the
winding tape 50 within a short period after drawing all the wound
tape T and delivering the end portion EP. More specifically, the
length L1 is determined as a length equal to or larger than the
product of the detection time necessary for detecting the tape end
and the speed VE as the feeding speed of the tape T at the time of
detection of the tape end.
[0042] The bonding force produced by the adhesive double coated
tape BB to adhere to the end portion EP, that is, the releasing
force is set at a force equal to or smaller than the maximum
feeding force Fd produced by the driving mechanism equipped within
the printer for feeding the leading end portion TP. Thus, the end
portion EP can be securely released from the adhesive double coated
tape BB.
[0043] The structure of a control system of the tape printer 10
shown in FIG. 1 and other figures is now explained with reference
to FIG. 4A. The tape printer 10 includes the keyboard 33 and the
display 34 functioning as the interface with the user as described
above, and further includes a printing section driving circuit 71
for driving the printing head 42a and the feed motor 55 as the
feeding section driving motor, an encoder disk 81 fixed to a
rotation shaft of the feed motor 55 to detect the rotation
condition of the rotation shaft, a photo-sensor 82 which detects
ON/OFF timing corresponding to the rotation of the encoder disk 81
and transmits the detection result to a motor driver 71a of the
printing section driving circuit 71, a cutting section driving
circuit 72 which allows the tape cutter 45 to perform cutting, a
memory unit 73 which stores data, calculation results and the like,
and a control unit 77 which controls and operates the respective
circuits in appropriate manners.
[0044] In this structure, the printing head 42a and the printing
section driving circuit 71 function as a printing section for
performing printing on the tape T. The encoder disk 81 and the
photo sensor 82 function as an encoder 80 for detecting the
condition of the rotation speed of the feed motor 55.
[0045] The motor driver 71a of the printing section driving circuit
71 controls the feed motor 55 based on signals received from the
photo-sensor 82 such that the speed for feeding the tape T as the
printing target can be maintained at the constant speed VE (see
FIG. 3A and other figures). Thus, the motor driver 71a performs
feedback control of the feed motor 55 as a DC motor by using the
encoder 80.
[0046] The control unit 77 includes a microcomputer chip and
others. The memory unit 73 includes an IC having ROM and RAM. The
control unit 77 operates according to a control program contained
in the ROM of the memory unit 73 to control the overall operation
of the tape printer 10. For example, the control unit 77 receives
inputs of various commands, various detection signals and the like
from the keyboard 33 and others, processes various data and the
like received from the RAM of the memory unit 73, and outputs
control signals to the display 34, the printing section driving
circuit 71, the cutting section driving circuit 72 and others to
allow the display screen 36 to display necessary indications and
allow the printing head 42a to perform printing on the tape T in a
predetermined printing condition by controlling the printing head
42a. The control unit 77 particularly obtains information
concerning the feedback control, more specifically, information
about the load on the feed motor 55 and the like from the motor
driver 71a. The control unit 77 has a tape end detection device 77a
for determining whether the present condition is in a tape end
condition based on this information.
[0047] An example of the operation for monitoring the feed motor 55
and the operation for detecting the tape end based on the
monitoring result executed by the tape printer 10 is now explained
with reference to FIG. 4B as one of the printing operation
performed by the tape printer 10. FIG. 4B shows a part of the whole
control system shown in the block diagram in FIG. 4A as the part of
the control system associated with the monitoring of the feed motor
55 and the detection of the tape end corresponding to the used up
condition of the tape T.
[0048] The motor driver 71a included in the circuit part in FIG. 4B
provides feedback control based on the information received from
the encoder 80. More specifically, the encoder disk 81 axially
rotates with the rotation shaft of the feed motor 55, and the
photo-sensor 82 detects the rotation of the encoder disk 81 and
outputs information on the rotation speed (number of revolutions)
of the feed motor 55 to the motor driver 71a. The motor driver 71a
performs calculation based on the detection information obtained
from the photo-sensor 82, and outputs a PWM waveform control signal
corresponding to the calculation result. That is, when the rotation
speed (number of revolutions) of the feed motor 55 deviates from a
target value, the duty ratio of the PWM waveform, i.e., the
proportion of the power source ON period is varied such that the
deviation can be corrected. More specifically, when the rotation
speed decreases, the duty ratio of the PWM waveform is raised by
the amount corresponding to the decrease. When the rotation speed
increases, the duty ratio of the PWM waveform is lowered by the
amount corresponding to the increase.
[0049] Accordingly, the motor driver 71a determines a necessary
standard duty ratio of the PWM waveform based on the detection
information outputted from the photo-sensor 82 and the conditions
such as the specification of the feed motor 55 and the resistance
of the feeding section, and drives the feed motor 55 while changing
the standard duty ratio such that increase and decrease in the
rotation speed is not produced so as to keep the number of
revolutions of the feed motor 55 constant. That is, the motor
driver 71a controls the load condition of the feed motor 55 which
is the drive motor of the feeding section such that the feeding
force Fx shown in FIG. 3A becomes substantially equal to the
drawing force Ft, thereby keeping the rotation speed of the feed
motor 55, i.e., the speed VE for feeding the tape T substantially
constant . In this case, the motor driver 71a and the encoder 80
can be considered as components functioning as a motor monitoring
device 90 which monitors the load condition of the feed motor
55.
[0050] The tape end detection device 77a of the control unit 77
receives the information about the rotation of the feed motor 55 as
the monitoring result from the motor monitoring device 90. More
specifically, the tape end detection device 77a sequentially reads
the duty ratio of the PWM waveform obtained by the motor driver 71a
as the load on the feed motor 55, and determines whether the tape T
is in the tape end condition based on this information. When it is
determined that the tape T is in the tape end condition, the
control unit 77 starts a process for displaying the tape end. In
this case, the change of the duty ratio corresponds to the change
of the feeding force Fx.
[0051] At the time of the tape end corresponding to the used up
condition of the tape T after completion of delivery of the tape T,
the level of the load on the feed motor 55, i.e., the level of the
feeding force Fx detected by the tape end detection device 77a
based on the monitoring result obtained by the motor driver 71a
changes in the manner shown in FIG. 5A. The horizontal axis in FIG.
5A indicates the running time or the running length of the tape T.
The vertical axis indicates the duty ratio which corresponds to the
load imposed on the motor in this embodiment. In this period, the
condition of the winding tape 50 changes with steps as illustrated
in FIGS. 5B through 5D. As explained above, the end portion EP of
the tape T wound around the core CR in the winding tape 50 can be
gradually released from the adhesive double coated tape BB by
setting a bonding force Fr of the adhesive double coated tape BB
equal to or smaller than the maximum feeding force Fd. During this
period which starts when delivery of the tape T reaches the end
portion EP, the load increases to a level sufficient for separating
the end portion EP from the adhesive double coated tape BB, and
finally achieves complete release of the end portion EP. The change
of the load, i.e., the change of the feeding force Fx during this
period is shown in FIG. 5A. The bonding force of the surface of the
adhesive double coated tape BB adhering to the core CR and the
bonding force of the surface of the adhesive double coated tape BB
adhering to the end portion EP are controlled such that only the
core CR and the adhesive double coated tape BB are finally left.
Thus, almost all part of the tape T including the end portion EP
released from the core CR can be used.
[0052] The relationship between the tape T of the winding tape 50
and the load on the feed motor 55 under the tape end condition is
now specifically explained.
[0053] FIG. 5B illustrates a condition in which an effect produced
by the bonding force Fr of the adhesive double coated tape BB for
connecting the tape T and the core CR starts to be recognized on
the feeding force Fx. This condition corresponds to a condition in
a term T2 from a point a to a point b as time points in FIG. 5A.
During the normal delivery necessary for feeding the tape T as in a
term T1 before the point a, for example, the load is a
substantially constant load Da. However, in the term T2, a
releasing force Fp equivalent to the bonding force Fr of the
adhesive double coated tape BB as a force necessary for releasing
the tape T from the adhesive double coated tape BB is required as
the feeding force Fx. Thus, the feeding force Fx increases to such
a level that the releasing force Fp becomes equivalent to the
bonding force Fr. That is, during the term T2, the motor driver 71a
detects a rapid rise of the load within a short period.
[0054] FIG. 5C shows a condition in which the end portion EP of the
tape T is being released from the adhesive double coated tape BB.
This condition corresponds to a term T3 from the point b to a point
c in FIG. 5A. Under this condition, the feeding force Fx is kept
high for continuing the release of the end portion EP, and thus the
motor driver 71a detects the state in which a high load Db is
maintained. The feeding force Fx in this condition is chiefly
constituted by the releasing force Fp for releasing the tape T from
the adhesive double coated tape BB. The level of the releasing
force Fp is equivalent to the level of the bonding force Fr between
the tape T and the adhesive double coated tape BB. In this
embodiment, the level of the bonding force Fr is controlled in such
a manner as to become larger than the drawing force Ft necessary
for drawing the tape T out during the normal operation.
[0055] FIG. 5D shows a tape end condition in which the end portion
EP of the tape T starts to be delivered after released from the
adhesive double coated tape BB and separated from the core CR. This
condition corresponds to a condition in a term T4 after the point c
in FIG. 5A. In this condition, no load is produced after separation
between the tape T and the adhesive double coated tape BB, and also
the load of the rotational moment for rotating the winding tape 50
required for drawing the necessary tape T in the normal delivery is
not generated. Thus, the motor driver 71a detects a load decrease
at the point c, that is, a load Dc after the point c lower than the
load Da before the point a as the normal load. In this case, the
feeding force Fx becomes smaller than the drawing force Ft in the
normal condition. Accordingly, the change of the load can be
securely produced, allowing the tape end to be detected by the tape
printer 10.
[0056] According to the tape printer 10 which uses the winding tape
50 as the long medium in this embodiment, therefore, the tape end
can be detected based on the change of the feeding force Fx
detected as the change of the load. More specifically, the bonding
force Fr of the adhesive double coated tape BB for connecting the
core CR and the end portion EP is larger than the drawing force Ft
necessary for drawing the tape T out. In this case, a difference in
the change of the load is produced between the delivery in the
normal operation and the delivery of the end portion EP in the tape
printer 10. Thus, the tape printer 10 can relatively easily and
securely detect the end of the winding tape 50 based on this
difference. Moreover, since the motor monitoring device 90 as the
component already equipped for monitoring the operation condition
of the feed motor 55 for feeding the tape T is used for detecting
the end portion EP, the necessity for separately providing a
component such as a sensor for detecting the end portion EP is
eliminated. Also, the necessity for forming a transparent material
or the like used for end detection on the end portion EP is
eliminated, allowing almost the entire part of the tape T to be
used as the printing target.
MODIFIED EXAMPLES AND OTHERS
[0057] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described
herein but may be practiced in various other ways without departing
from the scope of the invention. For example, the following
modifications may be made.
[0058] According to the embodiment, the bonding force Fr of the
adhesive double coated tape BB, the length L1 of the end portion EP
and the like may be set at appropriate values. In this case, the
length L1 may be arbitrarily determined as long as the length L1
lies within the range of at least the length corresponding to 1
pulse necessary for recognizing the change of the load by the motor
monitoring device 90, and at most one round of the core CR, that
is, the entire circumference of the core CR.
[0059] According to the embodiment, the long medium as the winding
tape 50 having the tape T as the main body has been discussed.
However, the end of the ink ribbon R can be detected by using the
main body of the long medium having the same structure as the ink
ribbon R within the cartridge C.
[0060] According to the embodiment, the change of the load is
checked for tape end detection by monitoring the change of the duty
ratio. However, the tape end can be detected by monitoring the
change of the effective voltage, the change of the current and the
power consumption or others.
* * * * *