Printing apparatus

Abstract

The embodiment of the utility model provides printing equipment. The printing equipment comprises a machine body; the processor, the reading module and the first memory are arranged in the machine body, the processor is electrically connected with the reading module, and the processor can perform read-write operation on the first memory; the printing medium assembly comprises a printing medium and a second memory, and the second memory is used for storing information of the printing medium; before printing, the reading module is used for reading the information stored in the second memory in a wireless communication mode, and the first memory is used for storing the information read by the reading module. The circuit routing arrangement in the printing equipment body is not limited by the position of the printing medium assembly, so that a hardware circuit of the printing equipment can be simplified, the printing equipment is particularly suitable for the situation that the printing medium assembly needs to be arranged outside the body, and the overall circuit cost can be reduced under the situation that the hardware circuit is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of imaging printing technology, and in particular to a printing device. Background Art

[0002] Printing devices such as label printers are widely used in more and more fields. For example, supermarket cash registers, restaurant receipts, e-commerce delivery receipts, express delivery receipts, etc. all require printing devices to print receipts.

[0003] In the related art, a reading module is provided on the paper roll holder of the printing device, and the information of the paper roll is read in real time through the reading module on the paper roll holder. However, when the paper roll holder is provided outside the printing device body, the provision of such a reading module makes the hardware circuit of the printing device complicated and cannot meet the actual application requirements. Utility Model Content

[0004] The embodiment of the present application provides a printing device, which can simplify the hardware circuit of the printing device and reduce the overall circuit cost.

[0005] The present application provides a printing device, including:

[0006] Body;

[0007] A processor, a reading module, and a first memory are arranged in the body, the processor is electrically connected to the reading module, and the processor can perform read and write operations on the first memory;

[0008] A printing medium component, the printing medium component comprising a printing medium and a second memory, the second memory being used to store information of the printing medium;

[0009] Before printing, the reading module is used to read the information stored in the second memory by wireless communication, and the first memory is used to store the information read by the reading module.

[0010] In some embodiments, the machine body includes a paper inlet and a paper outlet, and the printing medium assembly is disposed on the paper inlet side of the machine body.

[0011] In some embodiments, the print medium assembly is disposed outside the machine body, and the print medium can extend to a paper inlet of the machine body.

[0012] In some embodiments, the reading module is placed close to the surface of the body.

[0013] In some embodiments, a preset mark is provided at a position of the outer surface of the body opposite to the reading module to indicate the position of the reading module.

[0014] In some embodiments, the reading module comprises:

[0015] antenna;

[0016] An antenna circuit board is provided with a signal processing circuit, and the signal processing circuit is electrically connected to the antenna.

[0017] In some embodiments, the processor has a storage area and the first memory includes the storage area.

[0018] In some embodiments, the first memory is independent of the processor and is electrically connected to the processor, and the processor, the reading module, and the first memory are integrated on the same circuit board.

[0019] In some embodiments, the printing device further comprises:

[0020] A display screen is arranged on the surface of the body.

[0021] In some embodiments, the processor is configured to:

[0022] Before printing, writing the information read by the reading module into the first memory; and

[0023] During the printing process of the printing device, the information of the printing medium stored in the first memory is updated according to the printing task amount.

[0024] In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to:

[0025] When printing is finished, if the remaining amount of the printing medium is greater than 0, the information stored in the first memory is written into the second memory by the reading module in a wireless communication manner.

[0026] In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to:

[0027] After writing the information stored in the first memory into the second memory, the information stored in the first memory is cleared.

[0028] In the printing device of the embodiment of the present application, the reading module is arranged in the housing, and the reading module does not need to read the information in the second memory of the printing medium component in real time, and the reading module is electrically connected to the processor which is also arranged in the housing. Compared with the case where the reading module needs to be arranged close to the printing medium component, the circuit wiring arrangement in the body of the printing device of the present application is not restricted by the position of the printing medium component, so the hardware circuit of the printing device can be simplified, which is particularly suitable for the case where the printing medium component needs to be placed outside the body, and the overall circuit cost can also be reduced in the case of simplifying the hardware circuit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the printing device in the open cover state according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the printing device in the closed cover state according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a side view of the printing device in the open cover state according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Figure 4 It is a side view of the printing device in the closed state according to the embodiment of the present application.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit module of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0035] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the process of binding consumables to the printing device according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the process of unbinding consumables for a printing device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0039] The embodiment of the present application provides a printing device. The printing device can be used to print wide-format labels such as power and telecommunications logos and pipeline industry logos, and can also be used in supermarkets, restaurants, e-commerce and other scenarios to print paper bills such as receipts and tickets.

[0040] refer to Figures 1 to 4 , Figures 1 to 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the printing device 100 of the embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 , Figure 2 They are schematic diagrams of the structure of the printing device 100 in the open and closed states, respectively. Figure 3 , Figure 4 They are side views of the printing device 100 in the open and closed states respectively.

[0041] The printing device 100 includes a body 10 and a printing medium assembly 20 .

[0042] The body 10 forms the main frame of the printing device 100. The body 10 includes a housing 11 and a cover 12. The cover 12 is rotatably connected to the top of the housing 11, for example, by a rotating shaft. The cover 12 can cover the housing 11 or flip relative to the housing 11. When the cover 12 flips relative to the housing 11, the printing device 100 is in an open state. Figure 1 , Figure 3 When the cover 12 is closed on the housing 11, the printing device 100 is in a closed state. Figure 2 , Figure 4 shown.

[0043] The print medium assembly 20 includes a print medium 21, which may be, for example, a printing paper in a rolled state. The printing paper may be transported into the machine body 10 for printing, and output after printing is completed. The print medium assembly 20 also includes a second memory (not shown in the figure). The second memory may be used to store information about the print medium, such as information about the printing paper, such as the type of the printing paper, the color, the printing density, the matching relationship with the printing device, and the like. In practical applications, the second memory may be integrated on an RFID tag, which may be disposed on the inner side of the end surface housing of the print medium assembly 20.

[0044] In some embodiments, the print medium assembly 20 further includes a bracket 22, and the bracket 22 is used to support the print medium 21. Preferably, the bracket 22 can be connected to the housing 11. It can be understood that in some embodiments, the bracket 22 can also be independently provided and not included in the print medium assembly 20.

[0045] In some embodiments, reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The machine body 10 includes a paper inlet 11a and a paper outlet 11b. The print medium assembly 20 is disposed on the side of the paper inlet 11a of the machine body 10. During the printing process of the printing device 100, the printing paper is transported into the machine body 10 from the paper inlet 11a and output from the paper outlet 11b after printing is completed.

[0046] In practical applications, the print medium assembly 20 can be placed outside the machine body 10 to facilitate replacement of the print medium assembly 20 and reduce the volume of the machine body 10. In this case, the print medium 21 can extend to the paper inlet 11a of the machine body 10 to facilitate transporting the print medium 21 into the machine body 10 for printing.

[0047] In the related art, the encryption method of printing consumables is to set a reading module on the paper roll holder of the printer, and read the encrypted information and verify it through the reading module. Printing equipment usually used in scenes such as power and telecommunications signs and road signs is large in size and difficult to carry. If the printing consumables (such as printing paper) can be placed outside the machine body, there is no need to set a paper bin or consumables holder in the machine body, and the printing consumables and the machine body can be carried separately, which can improve convenience. However, in the case where the printing consumables are set outside the printing device body, the reading module of the existing printing device needs to be set on the printing consumables or consumables holder outside the body, and a complex hardware circuit needs to be set between the body and the reading module, which makes the hardware circuit of the printing device complex.

[0048] In the printing device 100 of the present application, the reading module 111 is arranged in the body 10, and the circuit routing arrangement in the body 10 is not restricted by the position of the printing medium assembly 20. When the printing medium assembly 20 is placed outside the body 10, the overall hardware circuit can still be simplified, and the printing medium assembly 20 and the body 10 can be carried separately, which can improve the convenience of transportation.

[0049] Also refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the circuit module of the printing device 100 of the embodiment of the present application. The printing device 100 also includes a reading module 111, a processor 113 and a first memory 114 arranged in the body 10. The processor 113 and the reading module 111, the processor 113 can perform read and write operations on the first memory 114. Among them, the reading module 111 can read the information stored in the above-mentioned second memory in a contactless manner. For example, the reading module 111 can be an NFC reader, and the NFC reader can read the information stored in the second memory through NFC communication. The processor 113 can be an MCU.

[0050] In some embodiments, the processor 113 has a storage area, and the storage area can be used to store information. In this case, the first memory 114 can include the storage area, that is, the first memory 114 is formed by the storage area in the processor 113 to store information of the print medium 21. For example, the first memory 114 can be an on-chip ROM. Therefore, there is no need to set up an independent first memory 114, which can save the hardware cost of the printing device 100.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first memory 114 may also be independently provided from the processor 113, and the first memory 114 is electrically connected to the processor 113. In this case, the processor 113, the reading module 111, and the first memory 114 may be integrated into the same circuit board, for example, may be integrated into the main board of the printing device 100. It can be understood that integrating the processor 113, the reading module 111, and the first memory 114 into the same circuit board is conducive to the layout of each circuit module, simplifies the internal circuit of the printing device 100, and can also save the internal layout space.

[0052] In actual application, before the printing device 100 prints, the user can place the print medium assembly 20 near the reading module 111, and the reading module 111 reads the information stored in the second memory through wireless communication (such as NFC). The processor 113 can write the information read by the reading module 111 into the first memory 114. The first memory 114 is used to store the information read by the reading module 111, that is, to store the information of the print medium 21. During the printing process of the printing device 100, the printing device 100 can set the print job according to the information stored in the first memory 114, without repeatedly reading the information stored in the second memory.

[0053] In some embodiments, Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the reading module 111 can be placed on a surface close to the body 10, for example, on a surface close to the paper outlet 11b. It can be understood that when a user uses the printing device 100, the paper outlet 11b of the printing device 100 is usually facing the user. Therefore, by placing the reading module 111 on a surface close to the paper outlet 11b, it is convenient for the user to place the print medium assembly 20 near the reading module 111 for reading.

[0054] In some embodiments, Figure 1 As shown, a preset mark 112 is provided at a position on the outer surface of the body 10 opposite to the reading module 111 to indicate the position of the reading module 111. For example, the preset mark 112 may be a text mark "consumable material identification area". It can be understood that the preset mark 112 can enable the user to quickly place the print medium assembly 20 near the reading module 111 for reading without spending time to find the position of the reading module 111.

[0055] When the cover 12 is closed on the housing 11, that is, the printing device 100 is in the closed state, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown, the preset mark 112 is hidden inside the printing device 100. When the cover 12 is turned over relative to the housing 11, that is, the printing device 100 is in the open state, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown, at this time, the preset mark 112 is exposed to the outside for easy observation by the user.

[0056] In some embodiments, Figure 1 As shown, the printing device 100 further includes a display screen 115. The display screen 115 may be disposed on a surface of the body 10, such as on a top surface of the housing 11. The display screen 115 may be used to display information, such as status information of the printing device 100, the remaining amount of printing paper, and the like.

[0057] In actual application, when the printing device 100 is in a closed state, the display screen 115 is hidden inside the printing device 100. When the printing device 100 is in an open state, the display screen 115 is exposed to the outside, which is convenient for users to observe.

[0058] It is understandable that when the printing device 100 is in the closed state, in order to enable the user to also observe the information on the display screen 115, a transparent area or a hollow area 121 may be provided on the cover 12, and the position of the transparent area or the hollow area 121 is opposite to the position of the display screen 115. For example, the transparent area 121 may be a transparent area formed of a glass material, or the cover 12 may be directly hollowed out to form the hollow area 121.

[0059] In some embodiments, reference Figure 6 , Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the printing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0060] The reading module 111 includes an antenna 111a and an antenna circuit board 111b. The antenna 111a is used to transmit wireless signals, such as NFC signals, to read the information stored in the second memory. A signal processing circuit is provided on the antenna circuit board 111b, and the signal processing circuit is electrically connected to the antenna 111a. The signal processing circuit is used to process the wireless signal received by the antenna 111a. The processor 113 is electrically connected to the signal processing circuit.

[0061] It is understandable that in practical applications, such as Figure 6 As shown, the antenna 111a can be arranged on the inner surface of the housing 11 near the paper outlet 11b, and the antenna circuit board 111b can be arranged separately from the antenna 111a. In this case, the antenna 111a and the antenna circuit board 111b can be arranged at different positions, so that the arrangement of the reading module 111 is more flexible, and the layout space inside the printing device 100 can be fully utilized.

[0062] In some embodiments, the antenna 111a and the antenna circuit board 111b may be disposed on the inner surface of the housing 11 near the paper outlet 11b. In this case, the integrity of the reading module 111 is better and the structure is more compact.

[0063] The printing device 100 of the embodiment of the present application can be bound to the printing medium component 20 before printing; after binding the printing medium component 20, the printing device 100 can perform the printing job; when printing is finished, the printing device 100 can be unbound from the printing medium component 20.

[0064] In some embodiments, the processor 113 is specifically used to: write the information read by the reading module 111 into the first memory 114 before printing; and update the information of the printing medium stored in the first memory 114 according to the printing task volume during the printing process of the printing device 100.

[0065] In some embodiments, the processor 113 is further configured to: when printing is finished, if the remaining amount of the printing medium is greater than 0, write the information stored in the first memory 114 into the second memory via the reading module 111 in a wireless communication manner.

[0066] In some embodiments, the processor 113 is further configured to: after writing the information stored in the first memory 114 into the second memory, clear the information stored in the first memory 114 .

[0067] The following is a detailed description of the process of binding the print medium component 20 , performing a print job, and unbinding the print medium component 20 in the printing device 100 according to the embodiment of the present application.

[0068] refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7 The figure is a schematic diagram of a process of binding consumables by the printing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the consumables may be a printing medium assembly 20. The printing device 100 performs the following steps when binding consumables:

[0069] S41, read UUID;

[0070] S42, determine whether the length of the UUID is 0; if it is 0, execute S43; if not 0, execute S44;

[0071] S43, report an error and end the binding;

[0072] S44, reading configuration information;

[0073] S45, storing the information in the first memory;

[0074] S46, writing the binding identifier into the second memory.

[0075] Before printing, the printing device 100 can bind consumables. When binding, the user places the print medium component 20 in front of the reading module 111, and the reading module 111 can read the UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) ​​of the print medium component 20 through wireless communication (such as NFC communication), and the UUID of the print medium component 20 can be stored in the second memory. Subsequently, the processor 113 determines whether the length of the UUID is 0. It can be understood that under normal circumstances, the print medium component 20 has a unique UUID, and the length of the UUID is not 0. If the processor 113 determines that the length of the UUID is 0, it means that the print medium component 20 is abnormal, and an error is reported at this time, and the consumable binding process ends. The error information can be displayed on the display screen 115 for the user to read. If the processor 113 determines that the length of the UUID is not 0, it means that the print medium component 20 is normal. At this time, the reading module 111 reads the configuration information of the print medium component 20, and the configuration information can also be stored in the second memory. The configuration information can include, for example, printing parameter configuration, the remaining amount of printing paper, and other information. Subsequently, the processor 113 writes the information read by the reading module 111 into the first memory 114, including the read configuration information. Subsequently, the processor 113 can write a binding mark in the second memory through the reading module 111, and the binding mark indicates that the current printing medium assembly 20 has been bound to the printing device 100.

[0076] After the printing device 100 is bound to the printing medium assembly 20, a printing job can be performed. During the printing process of the printing device 100, the processor 113 can update the information of the printing medium stored in the first memory 114 according to the printing task amount, for example, update the remaining amount of printing paper. Therefore, the processor 113 does not need to read the second memory in real time, and can also monitor the remaining amount of printing paper of the printing medium assembly 20. It can be understood that the remaining amount of printing paper can be displayed in real time on the display screen 115, so that the user can understand how many printing tasks the printing medium assembly 20 can still complete.

[0077] When printing is finished, the printing device 100 can unbundle the consumables, that is, unbundle the printing medium assembly 20. Figure 8 , Figure 8 The following is a flow chart of unbinding consumables by the printing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present application. The printing device 100 performs the following steps when unbinding consumables:

[0078] S51, read UUID;

[0079] S52, determine whether the UUID is correct; if not, execute S53; if correct, execute S55;

[0080] S53, prompts incorrect, and executes S54;

[0081] S54, asking whether to delete the binding information; if the user is sure to delete the binding information, executing step S57; if the user is sure not to delete the binding information, the unbinding is terminated;

[0082] S55, determining whether the printing paper is used up; if not, executing S56; if used up, executing S57;

[0083] S56, writing information into the second memory;

[0084] S57, clearing the information in the first memory.

[0085] When unbinding the print medium component 20, the user removes the print medium component 20 and places it in front of the reading module 111, and the reading module 111 reads the UUID of the print medium component 20 through a wireless communication method (such as an NFC communication method). Subsequently, the processor 113 determines whether the UUID is correct. If the UUID is incorrect, the processor 113 prompts that it is incorrect and asks the user whether to delete the binding information, wherein the prompt information and the inquiry information can be displayed on the display screen 115 for the user to read and operate. If the user is sure to delete the binding information, the processor 113 clears the information stored in the first memory 114 and ends the unbinding. At this time, the binding relationship between the printing device 100 and the current print medium component 20 is released. If the user is sure not to delete the binding information, the unbinding is ended. At this time, the binding relationship between the printing device 100 and the current print medium component 20 still exists. If the UUID is correct, the processor 113 determines whether the printing paper of the print medium component 20 is used up, for example, it can be judged according to the remaining amount of printing paper recorded in the first memory 114. If the printing paper is not used up, that is, the remaining amount of printing paper is greater than 0, the processor 113 writes the information stored in the first memory 114 to the second memory by wireless communication through the reading module 111, so as to update the information in the second memory of the printing medium component 20, for example, update the remaining amount of printing paper; then, the processor 113 clears the information stored in the first memory 114 and ends the unbinding, at which time the binding relationship between the printing device 100 and the current printing medium component 20 is released. If the printing paper is used up, the processor 113 directly clears the information stored in the first memory 114 and ends the unbinding, at which time the binding relationship between the printing device 100 and the current printing medium component 20 is also released.

[0086] After the printing device 100 completes the unbinding of the printing medium component 20 , it can bind a new printing medium component and use the new printing medium component to perform a printing job.

[0087] In the printing device 100 of the embodiment of the present application, the reading module 111 is arranged in the housing 11, and the reading module 111 does not need to read the information in the second memory of the printing medium assembly 20 in real time, and the reading module 111 is electrically connected to the processor 113 which is also arranged in the housing 11. Compared with the reading module 111 being arranged close to the printing medium assembly, the circuit routing arrangement of the printing device of the present application in the body 10 is not restricted by the position of the printing medium assembly 20, so the hardware circuit of the printing device 100 can be simplified, which is particularly suitable for the case where the printing medium assembly 20 needs to be placed outside the body 10, and the overall circuit cost can also be reduced in the case of simplifying the hardware circuit.

[0088] In the description of this application, it should be understood that terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish similar objects and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features.

[0089] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, "electrical connection" can be achieved by direct connection between two electrical components to achieve electrical connection, or it can be achieved by indirect connection to achieve electrical connection. For example, A and B are electrically connected, which can be achieved by direct connection between A and B, or it can be achieved by indirect connection between A and B through one or more other electrical components.

[0090] The printing device provided by the embodiment of the present application is described in detail above. The principle and implementation method of the present application are described in detail using specific examples herein, and the description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the present application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, according to the idea of ​​the present application, there will be changes in the specific implementation method and application scope. In summary, the content of this specification should not be understood as limiting the present application.

Claims

1. A printing device, characterized in that: include: Body; A processor, a reading module, and a first memory are arranged in the body, the processor is electrically connected to the reading module, and the processor can perform read and write operations on the first memory; A printing medium component, the printing medium component comprising a printing medium and a second memory, the second memory being used to store information of the printing medium; Before printing, the reading module is used to read the information stored in the second memory by wireless communication, and the first memory is used to store the information read by the reading module.

2. The printing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The machine body comprises a paper inlet and a paper outlet, and the printing medium assembly is arranged on the paper inlet side of the machine body.

3. The printing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The printing medium assembly is arranged outside the machine body, and the printing medium can extend to the paper inlet of the machine body.

4. The printing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reading module is placed close to the surface of the body.

5. The printing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A preset mark is arranged at a position of the outer surface of the body opposite to the reading module to indicate the position of the reading module.

6. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The reading module comprises: antenna; The antenna circuit board has a signal processing circuit disposed thereon, and the signal processing circuit is electrically connected to the antenna.

7. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The processor has a storage area, and the first memory includes the storage area.

8. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The first memory is independent of the processor and is electrically connected to the processor. The processor, the reading module, and the first memory are integrated on the same circuit board.

9. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: Also includes: A display screen is arranged on the surface of the body.

10. The printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The processor is used to: Before printing, writing the information read by the reading module into the first memory; as well as During the printing process of the printing device, the information of the printing medium stored in the first memory is updated according to the printing task amount.

11. The printing device according to claim 10, characterized in that The processor is further configured to: When printing is finished, if the remaining amount of the printing medium is greater than 0, the information stored in the first memory is written into the second memory by the reading module in a wireless communication manner.

12. The printing device according to claim 11, characterized in that The processor is further configured to: After writing the information stored in the first memory into the second memory, the information stored in the first memory is cleared.

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