Conveyance device

Abstract

To periodically clean a conveyance path of a label.SOLUTION: A conveyance device 1 comprises: conveyance means which conveys a medium comprising a first region and a second region; first detection means 7 which detects a first feature part of the first region; and second detection means 8 which detects a second feature part of the second region. The conveyance of the medium by the conveyance means is performed according to the detection by the first detection means and the second detection means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying labels. [Background technology]

[0002] Accumulation of glue or dust on the label transport path inside the device can cause problems with transport and printing, so the transport path needs to be cleaned from time to time.

[0003] In this regard, Patent Document 1 proposes a linerless label comprising a linerless label body wound into a roll, the linerless label body being made of a laminate having an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive as the bottom layer and a release layer that is peelable from the adhesive as the top layer, and the release layer that is wound into a roll of the linerless label body is not removed, but at least the release layer that is not wound into a roll is removed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-156707 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a conveying device that can periodically clean the label conveying path. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the conveying device of the present invention comprises a conveying means for conveying a medium having a first region and a second region, a first detection means for detecting a first characteristic portion of the first region, and a second detection means for detecting a second characteristic portion of the second region, and conveys the medium by the conveying means in accordance with detection by the first detection means and the second detection means.

[0007] The functional units constituting the transport device according to the present invention can also be configured as inventions relating to methods, systems, or computer programs having similar configurations. Furthermore, the computer programs can be provided by downloading them via a network such as the Internet, or by recording them on various computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a system configuration diagram of a packaging pricing system having a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention with a cover omitted; [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a physical configuration of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing linerless label paper used in a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view showing a label roll used in a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a cleaning sheet provided in the label roll. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial perspective view showing a state in which a print unit cover provided in the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention is open. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial perspective view, seen obliquely from below, of the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention with the print unit cover open. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial perspective view, seen obliquely from below, of the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a print unit cover provided in the label printer is closed. [Figure 11]1A and 1B are conceptual diagrams showing the configuration of an upper detection unit and a second detection unit that detect gaps using a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the upper detection unit, (b) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the first and second detection units and a cleaning sheet, and (c) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the first and second detection units and a linerless label paper. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between a sensor of the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention and a label being conveyed. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram showing the flow of processes executed by the label printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of the cleaning sheet of the label roll. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] ●Label printer(1)● A label printer 1 constituting a conveying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and a packaging pricing system 100 including the label printer 1 will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] ●Packaging Price System 100 FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a packaging pricing system 100 including a label printer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the packaging pricing system 100 is configured by, for example, connecting a process control device 110 with a molding machine 131, a packaging machine 132, a label printer 1, an inspection machine 133, and the like via a LAN 134. The molding machine 131 is a device that molds products to which labels are attached, such as a device that molds cooked rice into rice balls. The packaging machine 132 is a device that packages products. The inspection machine 133 is a device that inspects, for example, the product itself, its packaging condition, or its label, and inspects for weight, label contents or label placement, or the presence of foreign matter such as metal. A plurality of each device may be included in the packaging pricing system 100. The process control device 110 may be connected to a higher-level computer (not shown) via a network 130.

[0011] Label printer 1 2 and 3 unwinds linerless label paper 21 from a label roll 22 set in a label supply unit 2, and transports the linerless label paper 21 to a printing unit 4 via a tension roller 31, a guide roller 32, and a sub-roller 33 (hereinafter, the tension roller 31, guide roller 32, and sub-roller 33 may be collectively referred to as the "feed unit"). After printing on the linerless label paper 21 in the printing unit 4, the printed linerless label paper 21 is cut by a cutter unit 5 to produce sheet-like linerless labels 20 as shown in FIG.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the label printer 1 mainly includes a label supply unit 2, a tension roller 31, a guide roller 32, a sub-roller 33, a paper feed button 34, a printing unit 4, a cutter unit 5, an upper detection unit 6, a first detection unit 7, a second detection unit 8, and an open / close detection unit 9. The sub-roller 33 is composed of an upper roller 33-1 and a lower roller 33-2. The printing unit 4 includes a print head 41, a platen roller 42, and a printing unit cover 43. The cutter unit 5 includes a movable blade 51 and a fixed blade 52. The upper detection unit 6 includes a light-emitting unit 61 and a light-receiving unit 62. The first detection unit 7 includes a light-emitting unit 71 and a light-receiving unit 72. The second detection unit 8 includes a light-emitting unit 81 and a light-receiving unit 82. Details of each component will be described later, along with their positional relationship with the linerless label paper 21 to be set.

[0013] 4, the control device 10 that controls the label printer 1 includes an arithmetic unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 for executing information processing, storage devices such as a flash memory 12 and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, a display and operation unit 14, and an I / O interface 15. The control device 10 is connected to the lower roller 33-2, the printing unit 4, the cutter unit 5, the upper detection unit 6, the first detection unit 7, the second detection unit 8, and the open / close detection unit 9 via the I / O interface 15.

[0014] The CPU 11 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of the label printer 1 by reading and executing programs stored in the flash memory 12. The flash memory 12 is an auxiliary storage device for the CPU 11, and stores various types of information used by the CPU 11, including programs. The RAM 13 is the main storage device for the CPU 11 and also serves as a work area for temporarily retrieving and processing data.

[0015] ● Linerless label paper 21 Here, the linerless label paper 21 used in the label printer 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail. 5 and 6, linerless label paper 21 is also called linerless label paper or linerless label paper, and is a label paper without a liner. This linerless label paper 21 is a long sheet of paper made up of cuttable linerless labels 20 connected in a row, and is continuous only in the left-right direction in FIG.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 6, the front surface of the linerless label paper 21 constitutes a print surface 211, and the back surface constitutes an adhesive surface 212. The linerless label paper 21 is wound around a paper tube 23 in a roll shape with the print surface 211 facing outward and the adhesive surface 212 facing inward to form a label roll 22. The print surface 211 is appropriately treated with a release coating, which makes it easy to pull out the linerless label paper 21 from the label roll 22.

[0017] In this embodiment, the linerless label paper 21 has a front surface that forms the printing surface 211 and a back surface that forms the adhesive surface 212, but the present invention is not limited to this and can also be applied to linerless label paper 21 that is not printed on the front surface, i.e., the front surface does not form the printing surface 211. Also, in this embodiment, the label printer 1 that uses linerless labels has been described, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to this and may also be configured to use label paper with a backing.

[0018] The label roll 22 is loaded into the label printer 1, and the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 is cut into sheets at a connecting location by the label printer 1. The linerless labels 20 formed into sheets are affixed to packages or the like that package products such as rice balls.

[0019] 5, slits 21b are formed in the linerless label paper 21 at a predetermined interval L1 in the conveyance direction. The slits 21b are formed in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the linerless label paper 21, i.e., in the width direction of the linerless label paper 21, at a predetermined interval L2. The slits 21b are formed as through holes or thin portions having a length in the conveyance direction. The number, shape, formation position, intervals, etc. of the slits 21b are appropriately set depending on the manner in which the package is opened.

[0020] The slit 21b can be formed at the top or bottom end, or both, of the linerless label 20 by adjusting the cutting position of the linerless label paper 21. Even when cutting the linerless label paper 21 at a fixed position, the slit 21b can be formed at the top or bottom end, or both, of the linerless label 20 by adjusting the position and shape of the slit 21b in the linerless label paper 21 in advance, allowing linerless labels 20 with the same design to be issued.

[0021] ●Gap 21a 5, gaps 21a are provided between adjacent linerless labels 20 on the linerless label paper 21, which are cut portions of the linerless label paper 21 and allow for detection of the adjacent positions of the linerless labels 20. In other words, the gaps 21a are an example of a characteristic portion of the linerless label paper 21 (the "second characteristic portion" in the claims). The label printer 1 detects the gaps 21a using the upper detection unit 6 and second detection unit 8, which will be described later, and thereby can determine that the linerless label paper 21 is placed in the detection area and identify the adjacent positions that are the cut portions of the linerless label paper 21.

[0022] The gap 21a is provided at each location where the linerless labels 20 are successively provided, at the end of the linerless label paper 21 in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction, and is open to the outside. Furthermore, the gap 21a is formed by cutting out the widthwise end of the linerless label paper 21. In the example of Figure 5, the corner on the downstream side of one of the sheet-like linerless labels 20 arranged in a row forms a right angle, and the corner on the upstream side of the conveying direction is formed in an arc shape so that the width of the gap 21a gradually widens outward.

[0023] Here, for each linerless label 20 connected in series, the central portion connected to the adjacent linerless label 20 in the conveying direction constitutes a connected portion 201. Also, the end portion extending from the connected portion 201 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction (the end portion in the width direction of the linerless label paper 21), where the gap 21a is provided in front and behind the conveying direction, constitutes a tongue portion 202.

[0024] In the example of Figure 5, gaps 21a are provided at both ends of the linerless label paper 21 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide gaps 21a only at one end and detect the connection point using the gap 21a provided only at that end. 5, the gap 21a is open toward the outside, but this is not a limitation and the ends may be closed. If a portion that penetrates from the front to the back of the linerless label paper 21 in at least the width direction of the linerless label paper 21 is provided, the penetrating portion can form the gap 21a for detecting the connection point. However, in terms of the relationship between the gap 21a and the slit 21b, it is preferable that the length of the slit 21b in the conveying direction be longer than the length of the gap 21a. In other words, because the gap 21a is made as small as possible in design, it is easier to cut the linerless label 20 attached to the package if the slit 21b is the same length as the gap 21a or longer.

[0025] Furthermore, the width and length of the gap 21a, i.e., the distance between adjacent linerless labels 20 and the distance in the width direction of the linerless label paper 21, are not particularly limited, but are determined appropriately based on the detection accuracy of the upper detection unit 6 and the second detection unit 8 that detect the gap 21a, the width of the slit 21b, etc. The shape of the arc or corner that defines the shape of the gap 21a and the corner of the linerless label 20 can be determined in accordance with the shape of the package to which the linerless label 20 is affixed. Therefore, the corners on both the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyance direction of the linerless label 20 may be formed in an arc shape, or both corners may be formed at right angles. The radius of curvature of the arc may also be different on the upstream side or the downstream side. Conversely to this embodiment, the upstream side may be formed at a right angle and the downstream side may be formed in an arc shape.

[0026] Furthermore, while the example in FIG. 5 is configured to detect the gap 21a formed as part of the label's shape, the linerless label 20 may have an appropriate gap for detection instead of or in addition to this configuration. This gap may be formed at one or both ends in the width direction. With this configuration, the detection gap is formed according to a predetermined rule regardless of the label length, so the linerless label can be detected accurately even if the length of the produced label varies depending on the print amount. That is, for example, when a first label and a second label are printed consecutively and cut as a set, detection can be performed according to the rule even if the lengths or print amounts of the first label and the second label differ.

[0027] ●Cleaning Sheet 24 As shown in FIG. 6, a cleaning sheet 24 is provided at the leading end of a linerless label paper 21 wound around a paper tube 23 as a label roll 22. The cleaning sheet 24 is connected to the linerless label paper 21, for example, connected to the leading end of the linerless label paper 21. More specifically, the cleaning sheet 24 is attached to the adhesive surface of the linerless label paper 21 in a rolled state. When the cleaning sheet 24 is pulled out from the label roll 22, the linerless label paper 21 is pulled out following the cleaning sheet 24. The cleaning sheet 24 may also be connected to the trailing end of the label roll 22 in the conveyance direction.

[0028] The cleaning sheet 24 is a strip of nonwoven fabric that does not have gaps 21a or slits 21b. Nonwoven fabric is a "non-woven fabric" that is bonded by chemical action, and is made from materials such as polyester (PET) and polypropylene. As the cleaning sheet 24 is transported inside the label printer 1, it removes debris from the transport path inside the label printer 1, allowing the label printer 1 to be cleaned. This debris includes dust and glue residue adhering to the linerless label paper 21. Note that the material is not limited to nonwoven fabric, as long as it is suitable for cleaning.

[0029] FIG. 7 shows an example of the cleaning sheet 24. As shown in FIG. 7, the cleaning sheet 24 has a plurality of holes 241 spaced apart at regular intervals. In the drawing, the holes 241 are rectangular with rounded corners and a predetermined size at least in the length direction, but the shape is not limited to this. The holes 241 are detected by the first detection unit 7, which will be described later. In other words, the holes 241 are an example of a characteristic feature of the cleaning sheet 24 (the "first characteristic feature" in the claims).

[0030] The holes 241 have different characteristics from the gaps 21a. For example, the holes 241 are located at different positions in the width direction of the linerless label 20 from the gaps 21a. That is, at least a portion of the holes 241 is located further inward than the gaps 21a. This configuration allows the first detection unit 7 and second detection unit 8, which will be described later, to distinguish between the cleaning sheet 24 and the linerless label paper 21 and detect them.

[0031] Instead of or in addition to having a plurality of holes 241 spaced at regular intervals, the cleaning sheet 24 may have a characteristic portion at its rear end when set in the label printer 1, i.e., at the end where it connects to the label roll 22. This characteristic portion may be, for example, a through-hole, and have a different shape from the holes 241 formed on the entire surface of the cleaning sheet 24. That is, for example, this through-hole may have a different length in the direction of travel than the holes 241. For example, consecutive holes that are equal to or greater than a predetermined first distance may be detected as holes 241, and consecutive holes that are equal to or greater than a predetermined third distance, which is longer than the first distance, may be detected as through-holes at the rear end. By detecting such a characteristic portion with the first detector 7, it is possible to detect the timing when the cleaning sheet 24 has completed conveying in the detection area and the linerless label paper 21 begins to be conveyed. In this case, the first detection unit 7 may determine an error when it detects a hole under a predetermined condition that does not overlap with the detection conditions for the hole 241 and the through-hole at the rear end. For example, the first detection unit 7 may determine an error when it detects a hole that is less than a predetermined fourth distance that is shorter than the first distance, or when it detects holes consecutively for a predetermined fifth distance or more that is longer than the third distance.

[0032] The cleaning sheet 24 covers the outer circumference and leading edge of the wound label roll 22, and also functions as a so-called lead tape. In other words, the provision of the cleaning sheet 24 prevents problems such as the leading edge of the linerless label paper 21 sticking or being glued to the bag or the like when removing the label roll 22 from the bag or the like that contained the label roll 22, making it difficult to remove, and as a result, tearing of the linerless label paper 21.

[0033] Furthermore, when setting the label roll 22 in the label printer 1, when the leading edge is pulled out and routed from the tension roller 31 to the printing unit 4 via the guide roller 32 and sub-roller 33, the linerless label paper 21 can be easily set without sticking or adhering to the operator's hands or the components of the label printer 1. In this regard, it is advisable to provide a cleaning sheet 24 of a length corresponding to the portion that the operator will hold when pulling out the leading edge from the label roll 22 and setting it in the label printer 1. For example, it is advisable to provide a cleaning sheet 24 of a length equal to or greater than the length from the platen roller 42 to the tension roller 31 of the label printer 1.

[0034] When the label roll 22 is initially set, the cleaning sheet 24 is separated from the label roll 22 along with the connected linerless label paper 21 before the linerless labels 20 are issued. That is, an operator pulls the cleaning sheet 24 from the label roll 22 and then pulls it around the platen roller 42 via the tension roller 31, guide roller 32, and sub-roller 33 to complete the setting. Then, the label printer 1 is driven to transport the cleaning sheet 24 in the transport direction, and the cleaning sheet 24 and the linerless label paper 21 are cut off from the label roll 22 by the cutter unit 5. The cleaning sheet 24 itself is not cut, and can be reused by removing it from the connected linerless label paper 21. Even if the label roll 22 needs to be removed and reloaded into the label printer 1 due to some problem, the cleaning sheet 24 can be transported again by adhering the end of the cleaning sheet 24 to the adhesive surface at the leading edge of the linerless label paper 21. The label roll 22 may be one in which the cleaning sheet 24 is integrally formed at the leading end of the linerless label paper 21.

[0035] In this embodiment, a long label paper made up of cuttable, continuous sheet-like linerless labels 20 has been used as an example of the linerless label paper 21 handled by the label printer 1, but the label paper that can be handled by the label printer 1 is not limited to this. The label printer 1 can also handle label paper that is not configured as sheets before cutting, and there are no restrictions on the design, etc.

[0036] Label supply unit 2 Next, the internal structure of the label printer 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The label supply unit 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a part that supplies linerless label paper 21 to the printing unit 4 via a feed section, and rotatably holds a label roll 22 by a cylindrical roll set.

[0037] The linerless label paper 21 is drawn from the label roll 22 held in the label supply unit 2 by the rotational drive of the platen roller 42, which presses the print head 41 and the linerless label paper 21 together. The drawn linerless label paper 21 is transported to the printing unit 4 via the feed unit.

[0038] The feed section is a section that feeds the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 to the printing section 4, and is composed of a tension roller 31, a guide roller 32, and a sub-roller 33 in this order from the upstream side.

[0039] ●Tension roller 31 The tension roller 31 conveys the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 to the guide roller 32 while contacting the underside of the outer circumferential surface of the tension roller 31 from the side (right side in FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the tension roller 31 is realized by a rotatable free roller, but is not limited to this and may be configured as a non-rotatable rod-shaped or plate-shaped member.

[0040] The tension roller 31 is provided with a biasing means such as a spring that biases the linerless label paper 21 in the direction opposite to the direction of transport to the guide roller 32. This prevents the linerless label paper 21 that is pulled out from the label roll 22 from slackening, and the linerless label paper 21 is transported to the guide roller 32 in a tensioned state. In this way, the tension roller 31 serves as a tensioning means for the linerless label paper 21 in that it applies tension to the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 to prevent the linerless label paper 21 from sagging.

[0041] The tension roller 31 is provided at least on the opposite side (right side in FIG. 3 ) of the guide roller 32 from the direction in which the linerless label paper 21 is transported via the guide roller 32. The vertical and horizontal installation positions of the tension roller 31 relative to the guide roller 32 determine the angle at which the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 is transported to the guide roller 32, for example, the angle θ between the direction perpendicular to the transport direction in which the linerless label paper 21 is transported linearly from the guide roller 32 to the printing unit 4, and the direction in which the linerless label paper 21 is transported from the tension roller 31 to the guide roller 32.

[0042] By providing the tension roller 31 so that the angle θ is gentle, it is possible to prevent problems with the linerless label paper 21 at the position of the guide roller 32, as will be described in detail later. In this way, the tension roller 31 constitutes a regulating means for regulating the angle at which the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 is conveyed to the guide roller 32.

[0043] ● Guide roller 32 The guide roller 32 is provided downstream of the tension roller 31, and transports the linerless label paper 21 transported from the tension roller 31 to a sub-roller 33 provided further downstream. 3, the guide roller 32 is provided below the label supply unit 2 and the label roll 22 set in the label supply unit 2. That is, in the transport direction of the linerless label paper 21, the guide roller 32 is provided at approximately the same position as the label roll 22, or at least upstream in the transport direction from the position where the linerless label paper 21 is pulled out from the label roll 22. As a result, the positional relationship between the label supply unit 2 and the guide roller 32 allows the length of the label printer 1 to be shortened, making the label printer 1 itself more compact.

[0044] The guide roller 32 is a rotatable shaft rod that has a rod-shaped sliding contact portion that slides against the underside of its outer periphery against the linerless label paper 21, and a pair of disk-shaped flanges on either side of the sliding contact portion that have a larger diameter than the sliding contact portion. The linerless label paper 21 conveyed from the tension roller 31 is conveyed toward the sub-roller 33 while coming into contact with the underside of the sliding contact portion between the pair of flanges.

[0045] ● Subroller 33 The sub-roller 33 is provided downstream of the guide roller 32 and transports the linerless label paper 21 transported from the guide roller 32 to the printing unit 4. The sub-roller 33 consists of an upper roller 33-1 that constitutes a first roller located on the printing surface side (upper side) of the linerless label paper 21, and a lower roller 33-2 that constitutes a second roller located on the adhesive surface side (lower side) of the linerless label paper 21. Both the upper roller 33-1 and the lower roller 33-2 are longer than the width of the label roll 22, and the linerless label paper 21 is sandwiched between them.

[0046] The upper roller 33-1 is rotatably provided above the lower roller 33-2.

[0047] The lower roller 33-2 is provided below the upper roller 33-1. The lower roller 33-2 has approximately the same length as the upper roller 33-1, a constant diameter along its axis (lengthwise), and is configured to be rotatable by a stepping motor or the like. A one-way clutch is provided between the lower roller 33-2 and a member that supports the lower roller 33-2, so that the driving force of a stepping motor or the like is transmitted in the direction opposite to the conveyance direction of the linerless label paper 21, and the lower roller 33-2 rotates freely in the conveyance direction of the linerless label paper 21. In other words, when the linerless label paper 21 is conveyed by the driving rotation of the platen roller 42, the lower roller 33-2 rotates freely to convey the linerless label paper 21 to the printing unit 4. On the other hand, after the linerless label paper 21 has been cut by the cutter section 5, when the linerless label paper 21 is fed back to adjust the printing start position of the linerless label paper 21, the cutter section 5 rotates in conjunction with the driving rotation of the platen roller 42, pulling the linerless label paper 21 in the direction opposite to the conveying direction.

[0048] Preferably, at least the outer peripheral surfaces of the upper roller 33-1 and the lower roller 33-2 are configured to be non-adhesive to the linerless label paper 21. In this case, for example, the outer peripheral surfaces of the upper roller 33-1 and the lower roller 33-2 are covered with a covering member made of a resin material such as rubber and capable of impregnating with a chemical. This covering member may be, for example, silicone rubber or elastomer. Furthermore, it is preferable that this covering member be saturated with a chemical, for example, by immersing it in silicone oil. The shape of the outer circumferential surface of the upper roller 33-1 and the lower roller 33-2 may be determined by the shape of this covering member.

[0049] Printing section 4 Under the control of the control device 10, the printing unit 4 prints, for example, product data (product name, price, expiration date, and barcode) of a product selected from the product file on the printing surface 211 of the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22 set in the label supply unit 2.

[0050] The printing unit 4 is composed of a platen roller 42 disposed below and a print head 41 disposed above and facing the platen roller 42. The print head 41 and the platen roller 42 hold the linerless label paper 21 between them. As the platen roller 42, which is driven by a motor such as a stepping motor, rotates, the linerless label paper 21 is pulled out from the label roll 22 and predetermined product data is printed on the printing surface 211 of the linerless label paper 21. The platen roller 42 is an example of a means for transporting the linerless label 20. The platen roller 42 starts to operate when the paper feed button 34 in FIG. 2 is pressed.

[0051] The print head 41 is composed of a thermal head or the like, and by selectively heating the heating elements of the thermal head, prints on the printing surface of the conveyed linerless label paper 21. In this case, thermal paper is used for the linerless label paper 21.

[0052] It is preferable that at least the outer circumferential surface of the platen roller 42, which presses the print head 41 and the linerless label paper 21 between them, is configured to be non-adhesive to the linerless label paper 21. In this case, for example, the surface of the platen roller 42 may be coated with a release agent. This prevents the adhesive applied to the adhesive surface 212 of the linerless label paper 21 opposite the printing surface 211 from adhering to the platen roller 42, allowing the linerless label paper 21 to be transported smoothly. The configuration for preventing the adhesive applied to the adhesive surface 212 of the linerless label paper 21 from adhering to the platen roller 42 is not limited to the above configuration, and the platen roller 42 itself or the outermost layer of the platen roller 42 may also be made of an easily peelable material. The printing unit 4 may also print by applying ink to the linerless label paper 21. The printing unit 4 may also print by irradiating the linerless label paper 21 with light such as laser light.

[0053] 8, the printing unit cover 43 is a rectangular parallelepiped member that holds the platen roller 42 and the lower roller 33-2 on its upper surface. The upper surface of the printing unit cover 43 forms a transport path for the linerless label 20. The printing unit cover 43 is rotatably connected to the main body 1a of the label printer 1 via a rotation shaft 44. The printing unit cover 43 also has an elongated hole 46 and a rod-shaped portion 47 that is inserted into the elongated hole 46. In the closed state, the rod-shaped portion 47 engages with a hook-shaped portion 1b that extends downward from the main body 1a, holding the printing unit cover 43 so that it does not open. In the closed state, the print head 41 and platen roller 42 arranged on the main body 1a face each other and clamp the linerless label 20. In other words, the printing unit cover 43 is an example of the "clamping means" in the claims.

[0054] As shown in Figure 9, a lever 45 is provided on the bottom surface of the printing unit cover 43 to release the engagement between the printing unit cover 43 and the main body 1a of the label printer 1. The lever 45 is connected to a rod-shaped portion 47 (see Figure 8), which slides along an elongated hole 46 in response to the movement of the lever 45. The lever 45 is biased, for example, to the left in the figure, and pulling it to the right releases the engagement of the printing unit cover 43, placing the printing unit cover 43 in an open state. Furthermore, when the printing unit cover 43 is pushed toward the main body 1a, it centers around the rotation shaft 44 and enters a closed state as shown in Figure 10.

[0055] ●Cutter part 5 3 cuts the linerless label paper 21, on which product data for one linerless label 20 has been printed by the printing unit 4, to produce individual linerless labels 20. The cutter unit 5 is located downstream of the printing unit 4 and close to the platen roller 42.

[0056] The cutter section 5 is composed of a pair of upper and lower strip-shaped blades that use a shearing action to cut the linerless label paper 21. Specifically, it is composed of a fixed blade 52 that is positioned below the linerless label paper 21 that has been conveyed in a straight line, and a movable blade 51 that is positioned above the linerless label paper 21 and moves toward and away from the fixed blade 52, and the movable blade 51 is configured to be driven by a stepping motor.

[0057] Upper detector 6 2 and 3, the upper detection unit 6 is a sensor that detects the gap 21a of the linerless label paper 21 and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control device 10. The upper detection unit 6 is located upstream of the feed unit in the transport direction of the linerless label paper 21, near the position where the linerless label paper 21 is pulled out from the label roll 22.

[0058] 11(a), the upper detection unit 6 is realized by, for example, a light-emitting unit 61 and a light-receiving unit 62 provided on the front and back sides of the linerless label paper 21, with the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 61 being received by the light-receiving unit 62 and converted into a signal. The light-emitting unit 61 and the light-receiving unit 62 are provided so that the optical axis of the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 61 toward the light-receiving unit 62 corresponds to the position of the gap 21a formed in the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22. The upper detection unit 6 detects the gap 21a by reading a change in the signal that occurs when the optical axis between the light-emitting unit 61 and the light-receiving unit 62 is blocked by the tongue portion 202 of the linerless label paper 21 or becomes detectable by the gap 21a, and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control device 10.

[0059] Here, the control device 10 can determine whether the linerless label paper 21 is being properly pulled out from the label roll 22 and whether any abnormalities have occurred in the linerless label paper 21, based on the detection results from the upper detection unit 6. For example, the predetermined threshold value is the time required for the gap 21a of normal linerless label paper 21 to pass through the detection area detected by the upper detection unit 6, depending on the transport speed of the linerless label paper 21. If the light-receiving unit 62 continues to receive detection light from the light-emitting unit 61 for a period exceeding the predetermined threshold, it can be determined that the linerless label paper 21 itself or the tongue portion 202 has been torn, or the linerless label paper 21 has become unable to issue linerless labels 20 normally.

[0060] 3 and 11(a), either the light-emitting element 61 or the light-receiving element 62 may be located on the printing surface side or the adhesive surface side of the linerless label paper 21. The examples in Figures 3 and 11(a) show a case where gaps 21a are provided on both ends in the width direction of the linerless label paper 21, and one set of light-emitting element 61 and light-receiving element 62 is provided to detect the gap 21a at one end, but this is not limiting, and two sets of light-emitting element 61 and light-receiving element 62 may be provided to detect both gaps 21a.

[0061] Because the upper detection unit 6 configured as described above is located near the position where the linerless label paper 21 is pulled out from the label roll 22, even if an abnormality occurs in the linerless label paper 21, the abnormality can be detected at an early stage and appropriate measures can be taken, such as stopping the operation of the label printer 1. As a result, the label printer 1 will not malfunction if an abnormal linerless label paper 21 is transported, and a damaged linerless label 20 will not be affixed to an object by mistake.

[0062] First detection unit 7 The first detection unit 7 is an example of a first detection means, and is a detection means located downstream of the sub-roller 33 and upstream of the printing unit 4. As shown in FIG. 12 , the first detection unit 7 has a detection area located on the transport path of the linerless label 20, inside the second detection unit 8 (described later). The first detection unit 7 is, for example, a reflective sensor, but it may also be a transmission sensor. The first detection unit 7 may also be configured with a photoelectric sensor. In addition to the above configuration, the first detection unit 7 may have any other appropriate configuration capable of distinguishing between the cleaning sheet 24 and the linerless label paper 21. The first detection unit 7 may also be an appropriate material sensor capable of detecting the material of a member placed in the detection area. Furthermore, the first detection unit 7 may be a sensor that measures the amount of light reflected by the gloss of a member when there is a difference in gloss between the cleaning sheet 24 and the linerless label paper 21. Furthermore, the first detection unit 7 may be a sensor that estimates the thickness of the medium by measuring the transmittance of the member when there is a difference in thickness between the cleaning sheet 24 and the linerless label paper 21.

[0063] 11(b), the first detection unit 7 is realized by a light-emitting unit 71 and a light-receiving unit 72 provided on, for example, either the front side or the back side of the cleaning sheet 24, and the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 71 and reflected by the cleaning sheet 24 is received by the light-receiving unit 72 to generate a signal. The light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72 are provided so that the optical axis of the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 71 corresponds to the position of the hole 241 formed in the cleaning sheet 24. The first detection unit 7 detects the hole 241 by reading a change in the signal that occurs when the light beam emitted from the light-emitting unit 71 is reflected by the cleaning sheet 24 or passes through the hole 241, and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control device 10.

[0064] The first detection unit 7 detects the presence or absence of an obstruction in the detection area, thereby detecting the hole 241 formed in the cleaning sheet 24. Furthermore, the first detection unit 7 can detect the size of the hole 241 in the transport direction by detecting the presence or absence of an obstruction in association with the steps of the stepping motor that realizes the transport of the linerless label 20 and the cleaning sheet 24.

[0065] ● Second detection unit 8 The second detection unit 8 is an example of a second detection means, and like the upper detection unit 6, it detects the gap 21a in the linerless label paper 21 and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control device 10. The second detection unit 8 is, for example, a transmission sensor. The second detection unit 8 may also be configured with a single photoelectric sensor together with the first detection unit 7. In this case, the photoelectric sensor can electrically switch its detection method between the first detection means and the second detection means, and this can be switched by a detection means determination unit described below.

[0066] 11(c), like the upper detection unit 6, the second detection unit 8 is realized by, for example, a light-emitting unit 81 and a light-receiving unit 82 provided on the front and back sides of the linerless label paper 21, and the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 81 is received by the light-receiving unit 82 to generate a signal. The light-emitting unit 81 and the light-receiving unit 82 are provided so that the optical axis of the detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 81 toward the light-receiving unit 82 corresponds to the position of the gap 21a formed in the linerless label paper 21 pulled out from the label roll 22. The second detection unit 8 detects the gap 21a by reading a change in the signal that occurs when the optical axis between the light-emitting unit 81 and the light-receiving unit 82 is blocked by the tongue portion 202 of the linerless label paper 21 or becomes detectable by the gap 21a, and outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control device 10.

[0067] 12, the second detector 8 is provided alongside the first detector 7 in the width direction of the conveying path. The second detector 8 is also disposed further outward than the first detector 7. That is, the detection area of the second detector 8 is at least partially different from the detection area of the first detector 7.

[0068] The first detection unit 7 and the second detection unit 8 may be different sensors housed in a single housing, or may be provided in separate housings. The first detection unit 7 and the second detection unit 8 are not limited to being arranged in parallel in the width direction of the conveying path. The first detection unit 7 and the second detection unit 8 may be adjacent to each other or may be spaced apart.

[0069] It should be noted that with regard to the second detection unit 8, either the light-emitting unit 81 or the light-receiving unit 82 may be located on the printing surface side or the adhesive surface side of the linerless label paper 21. In the examples of Figures 11(b) and 12, one set of light-emitting unit 81 and light-receiving unit 82 is provided so that only one gap 21a can be detected, but two sets of light-emitting unit 81 and light-receiving unit 82 may be provided so that gaps 21a on both ends can be detected.

[0070] ● Open / close detection unit 9 4 is a means for detecting the opening and closing of the printing unit cover 43. The opening and closing detection unit 9 may be, for example, a sensor that detects contact between the hook portion 1b and the rod portion 47. When the printing unit cover 43 is in the closed state, the hook portion 1b and the rod portion 47 are in contact, and when the printing unit cover 43 is in the open state, the hook portion 1b and the rod portion 47 are separated.

[0071] ●Display / operation section 14 The display and operation unit 14 is an input / output device for operating the label printer 1 and outputting data. This display and operation unit 14 is realized, for example, by a touch panel in which input means and output means are integrated.

[0072] Label printer 1 function block The label printer 1 uses hardware resources such as a CPU 11, flash memory 12, and RAM 13 shown in Figure 4 to configure, as software resources, functional units related to the feeding and printing of linerless labels 20. The functional units include, for example, a memory unit that stores setting information for the label printer 1, such as the feeding speed of the linerless label paper 21, information about the linerless label 20 used (see Figure 5), and the content to be printed on the label, and a processing unit that inputs, outputs, and extracts various types of information and generates information necessary for each functional unit to execute its function.

[0073] The label printer 1 also includes a computing device such as a CPU 11, and storage devices such as a flash memory 12 and a RAM 13, which configure the following functional blocks: an open / close determination unit, a first detection control unit, a second detection control unit, a detection means determination unit, a transport control unit, a cutting control unit, a memory unit, and an error output unit. Note that some or all of the functional units may be implemented in a higher-level device connected by wire or wirelessly. The higher-level device may be, for example, a server or a cloud computer.

[0074] The first detection control unit detects holes 241 on the cleaning sheet 24 within the detection range of the first detection unit 7 based on information acquired by the first detection unit 7. The first detection control unit also estimates the length of the holes 241 by referring to the detection results from the first detection unit 7 and the rotation steps of the stepping motor in the conveyance control unit. Instead of estimating the length of the holes 241 by referring to the rotation steps, the first detection control unit may estimate the length of the holes 241 by converting the rotation speed of the stepping motor into a conveyance speed and then calculating the distance over which the holes are detected.

[0075] The first detection control unit may also detect the spacing between multiple holes 241 on the linerless label 20, i.e., the length of the portions other than the holes 241, based on information acquired by the first detection unit 7. The spacing may also be determined by referring to the rotation steps, or may be converted into a conveying speed and then used to calculate the distance. Furthermore, the first detection control unit may detect the number of times the holes 241 are detected at regular intervals or regular cycles, the length of the holes 241, or the length of the portions other than the holes 241. If the number of times the holes 241 are detected at regular intervals or regular cycles, the length of the holes 241, or the length of the portions other than the holes 241 are outside a predetermined range, an error is output. The lengths of the detected holes 241, the intervals between the holes 241, or the number of times the holes 241 are detected within a predetermined transport distance are stored at least temporarily in the storage unit.

[0076] The second detection control unit detects the presence or absence of gap 21a in the detection range of second detection unit 8 based on the information acquired by second detection unit 8.

[0077] The open / close determination unit determines whether the printing unit cover 43 is open or closed based on information acquired by the open / close detection unit 9. That is, the open / close determination unit determines that the printing unit cover 43 is closed when the hook-shaped portion 1b and the rod-shaped portion 47 are in contact, and determines that the printing unit cover 43 is open when the hook-shaped portion 1b and the rod-shaped portion 47 are separated.

[0078] The detection means determination unit is a functional unit that determines whether to use the detection result of the first detection unit 7 or the second detection unit 8. If the first detection unit 7 cannot detect a characteristic portion that meets a predetermined condition, the detection means determination unit performs detection using the second detection unit 8. The predetermined condition may be, for example, a condition regarding the size of the hole 241, such as a condition that the length of the hole 241 in the conveying direction is within a predetermined range, for example, a first threshold value or greater. The predetermined condition may also be a condition regarding the spacing between the holes 241. Furthermore, the holes 241 may be assumed to be a cleaning sheet 24 in which holes of different shapes are arranged according to a predetermined rule, and the condition may be that the holes are detected according to that rule. With this configuration, for example, even when a label roll 22 in which a linerless label paper 21 and a cleaning sheet 24 are connected to form a linerless label 20 is used, it is possible to reliably determine whether the linerless label paper 21 or the cleaning sheet 24 is placed at a predetermined position on the conveying path.

[0079] Note that the detection unit not selected by the detection means determination unit may stop the detection process, or the detection process itself may continue. That is, the detection means determination unit may operate the detection unit, of the first detection unit 7 or the second detection unit 8, whose detection results are to be selected, and may stop or not operate the detection unit whose detection results are not to be selected. The detection means determination unit may also be configured to switch the detection unit whose detection result data is to be selected while continuing to operate the first detection unit 7 and the second detection unit 8.

[0080] The detection means determination unit may refer to the drive history of the platen roller 42 after the printing unit cover 43 is opened and closed, and determine which detection unit to use for its detection results. For example, the detection means determination unit may start detection by the first detection unit 7 when the platen roller 42 is transporting the linerless label 20 for the first time, and after the opening / closing detection unit 9 detects the opening / closing of the printing unit cover 43, start detection by the second detection unit 8 when the platen roller 42 is not transporting the linerless label 20 for the first time. Immediately after the printing unit cover 43 is opened and closed, the label roll 22 is set in the label supply unit 2, and there is a high possibility that a cleaning sheet 24 is placed in the detection area. Therefore, if the platen roller 42 is transporting the linerless label 20 for the first time after detecting the opening / closing of the printing unit cover 43, it is preferable to perform detection by the first detection unit 7, which detects the characteristic portion of the cleaning sheet 24. In other words, the conveying control unit may start conveying in response to detection by the first detection unit 7 if it is the first time that the platen roller 42 is conveying the linerless label 20, and after the open / close detection unit 9 detects the opening or closing of the printing unit cover 43, if it is not the first time that the platen roller 42 is conveying the linerless label 20, start conveying in response to detection by the second detection unit 8.

[0081] Furthermore, if there is a history of the platen roller 42 being driven after the printing unit cover 43 has been opened and closed, it is highly likely that linerless label paper 21 is placed in the detection area, so detection by the second detection unit 8, which detects the characteristic parts of the linerless label paper 21, is recommended. If detection by the first detection unit 7 were to begin while linerless label paper 21 was placed, there is a risk that the linerless label paper 21 would be transported between the time the characteristic parts of the detection area were detected and the time detection by the second detection unit 8 was started, resulting in wasted labels. In this regard, the above-described configuration allows the linerless label paper 21 to be used efficiently.

[0082] The transport control unit is a functional unit that controls the stepping motor and the like to drive the lower roller 33-2 or the platen roller 42 and transport the linerless label 20. The transport control unit sets the transport speed of the linerless label 20 by controlling the rotation speed of the stepping motor. The conveyance control unit stops conveyance when the second detection unit 8 detects a gap 21a in the linerless label paper 21 under a predetermined first condition. In particular, conveyance may be stopped when the gap 21a is detected a predetermined number of times, for example, at least twice. Conveyance may also be stopped when the gap 21a is detected at a predetermined interval or cycle. This configuration ensures that the linerless label paper 21 is conveyed and stopped reliably when it reaches the detection area of the second detection unit 8. In other words, this configuration ensures that the leading edge of the linerless label paper 21 can be reliably aligned even when a cleaning sheet 24 is attached to the leading edge of the linerless label paper 20. Furthermore, because the cleaning sheet 24 is moved sufficiently along the conveyance path before stopping, the conveyance path for the linerless label paper 20 can be reliably cleaned.

[0083] If the conveyance control unit detects the gap 21a two or more times, it may stop after conveying the label 20 a predetermined distance. After or simultaneously with this stop, the cutting control unit cuts the linerless label 20. After cutting, the conveyance control unit performs a so-called backfeed, which conveys the linerless label 20 in the opposite direction to the conveyance direction from the label supply unit 2 to the cutter unit 5, and returns the linerless label 20 to the print start position and stops it. Next, continuous printing begins while detecting the gap 21a. If the gap 21a is not detected over a predetermined length, the conveyance control unit may determine that the rear end of the linerless label 20 has been reached, ie, the label end state, and stop conveyance.

[0084] The conveyance control unit stops conveyance of the linerless label 20 when the first detection unit 7 detects consecutive holes in the cleaning sheet 24 that are equal to or longer than a predetermined second threshold. The second threshold is preferably greater than the first threshold for identifying holes 241. When holes equal to or longer than the second threshold are detected, there is a high probability that there is an abnormality, such as a conveyance error, such as the linerless label 20 being caught between the platen roller 42 or other rollers used for conveyance, a malfunction of the platen roller 42, or a tear in the cleaning sheet 24. In this regard, the above-described configuration can detect an abnormality and reliably stop conveyance. Furthermore, when holes 241 in the cleaning sheet 24 are equal to or longer than the predetermined threshold, it is possible that a genuine product is not being used. However, the above-described configuration can also detect a non-genuine product and stop conveyance.

[0085] The transport control unit may change the transport speed of the linerless label 20 depending on whether the characteristic portion is detected by the first detection unit 7 or the second detection unit 8. For example, the transport control unit may change the transport speed of the linerless label 20 to a predetermined speed if the first detection unit 7 cannot detect the characteristic portion of the cleaning sheet 24. More specifically, the transport control unit may increase the transport speed if the characteristic portion of the cleaning sheet 24 cannot be detected. With this configuration, the cleaning sheet 24 is transported slowly to thoroughly clean the transport path, while the linerless label paper 21 is transported relatively quickly to efficiently print the linerless label 20. Note that it is sufficient to set a speed appropriate for the cleaning sheet 24 independently of the transport speed of the linerless label paper 21 depending on the characteristics of the cleaning sheet 24; therefore, the transport speed of the linerless label paper 21 may be slower than the transport speed of the cleaning sheet 24.

[0086] The transport control unit may also stop transport when the print unit cover 43 is opened during the transport operation. In this case, the error output unit (described later) may also notify an error.

[0087] The cutting control unit is a functional unit that controls the cutter unit 5 to cut the linerless label paper 20. The cutting control unit cuts the linerless label paper 21 and issues individual linerless labels 20. The cutting control unit also cuts the cleaning sheet 24 from the linerless label paper 21. When the second detection unit 8 detects a gap 21a in the linerless label paper 21 under a predetermined second condition, the cutting control unit controls the cutter unit 5 to cut the cleaning sheet 24 from the linerless label paper 21. For example, the cutting control unit cuts the cleaning sheet 24 at a predetermined timing after detecting the gap 21a. The predetermined timing is determined, for example, by the elapsed time or the number of rotations of the stepping motor controlled by the conveyance control unit. With this configuration, the linerless label paper 21 in the detection area is identified before cutting, so the cleaning sheet 24 connected to the front of the linerless label paper 20 can be reliably separated from the linerless label paper 21.

[0088] The error output unit is a functional unit that outputs an error notification to the label printer 1 and each component included in the packaging pricing system 100 shown in FIG. 1, such as the process control device 110, the molding machine 131, the packaging machine 132, or the inspection machine 133.

[0089] The error output unit notifies the operator of the error by displaying an error on an operation screen provided in the label printer 1, outputting a sound, emitting light from a sign light, or the like. Furthermore, the error output unit may output an error notification to a component included in the packaging pricing system 100, as well as to an appropriate component communicatively connected to the packaging pricing system 100. The error output unit may output the status of the label printer 1 in addition to information indicating an error.

[0090] Furthermore, the error output unit may output a command to each of the above components to perform an operation corresponding to the error. The operation corresponding to the error may be stopping or slowing down, or may include a configuration in which the printer slows down and then stops. In particular, based on information that the label printer 1 has stopped, the error output unit sends a command to a device located upstream of the label printer 1 in the product production process to perform an operation corresponding to the error. Stopping the label printer 1 refers to, for example, stopping the conveyance of the linerless label 20 by the platen roller 42. This configuration prevents intermediate products from being backed up by stopping or slowing down the production of products by upstream devices in response to an error. Furthermore, when the product is a fragile product such as a packaged rice ball, excessive backing up can cause deformation or damage, but the above configuration prevents such deformation or damage.

[0091] ●Processing flow The flow of processing executed by the label printer 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, as a pre-printing operation, the operator opens the printing unit cover 43 and sets the label roll 22 in the label supply unit 2, and also pulls out the cleaning sheet 24 from the label roll 22 and pulls it around the platen roller 42 via the tension roller 31, guide roller 32, and sub-roller 33. Then, the operator closes the printing unit cover 43 (step S101).

[0092] When it is detected that the printing unit cover 43 has changed from an open state to a closed state (Y in step S101), the pressing of the paper feed button 34 is accepted (step S102). When the printing unit cover 43 is closed and the paper feed button 34 is pressed (Y in step S102), the pressing history of the paper feed button 34 after the printing unit cover 43 was opened or closed or the label printer 1 was turned on is stored in the memory, and the process proceeds to step S103.

[0093] If the pressing history is referenced and the paper feed button 34 is pressed for the first time since the printing unit cover 43 was opened or closed or the label printer 1 was turned on (Y in step S103), it is determined that there is a cleaning sheet 24 in the detection area, and the detection result by the first detection unit 7 is to be used in the control of the conveyance control unit (step S104). Next, the conveyance speed controlled by the conveyance control unit is determined to be the first speed (step S105).

[0094] Then, the label printer 1 is driven to transport the cleaning sheet 24 a fixed distance in the transport direction, and the first detection unit 7 detects the holes 241 in the cleaning sheet 24 (step S106). The fixed distance is longer than the set value for the labels to be produced, which is set in the print format, for example, and is the set value plus a predetermined length. The process then proceeds to step S107.

[0095] In step S107, if hole 241 is within the condition range, for example, if the size of hole 241 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first distance, the process proceeds to step S108. In step S108, it is determined whether hole 241 is equal to or greater than a second distance that is greater than the first distance, and if hole 241 is not equal to or greater than the second distance, steps S106 and S107 are repeated.

[0096] Furthermore, in step S108, if the hole 241 is at or above the second distance (Y in step S108), it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, and the error output unit notifies the operator of the label printer 1 or outputs an error notification to an appropriate device in the packaging pricing system 100 (step S109).

[0097] If the size of the hole 241 is less than the first distance in step S107 (N in step S107), or if the paper feed button 34 has not been pressed for the first time since the printing unit cover 43 was opened or closed or the label printer 1 was turned on in step S103, i.e., it is the second or subsequent time (N in step S103), it is determined that linerless label paper 21 is present in the detection area, and the detection result by the second detection unit 8 is used in the control of the conveyance control unit (step S111). Next, the conveyance speed controlled by the conveyance control unit is changed to a second speed that is faster than the first speed (step S112).

[0098] The second speed when using the detection result from the second detection unit 8 is the speed set as the print speed. The print speed is set as setup information related to printing together with the print density, etc., and is set as a print format or determined appropriately by adjusting the print speed and print density on the operation screen.

[0099] Next, when the second detection unit 8 detects the gap 21a a predetermined number of times (Y in step S113), it determines that the linerless label paper 21 is placed in the detection area, and the conveyance control unit stops conveyance, and the cutting control unit cuts the linerless label paper 21 (step S114). Note that in step S113, the distance between the gaps 21a may also be used as a determination condition. The conveyance stopping process and the cutting process may be performed after the conveyance stopping, or may be performed simultaneously. These processes result in the linerless label paper 21 being in a so-called cue-pointed state with respect to the printing unit 4.

[0100] The control device 10 may also perform pre-printing processes such as initializing various parameters and reading label files at appropriate times. When the label printer 1 receives a request from the operator to start the issuance process of the linerless label 20, the label printer 1 starts the issuance process of the linerless label 20.

[0101] For example, in the issuance process, the control device 10 first rotates the platen roller 42 and prints one linerless label 20 onto the linerless label paper 21 using the print head 41 of the printing unit 4. Next, the control device 10 cuts the linerless label paper 21 printed by the printing unit 4 using the cutter unit 5. Next, the control device 10 drives the platen roller 42 and lower roller 33-2 to feed the linerless label paper 21 back, aligning the print start position of the linerless label paper 21 with the position of the print head 41. The issuance process for the linerless labels 20 continues until the set number of labels have been produced or a request to stop operation is received.

[0102] According to the label printer 1 of this embodiment described above, during the process of issuing the linerless label 20, the cleaning sheet 24 connected to the linerless label paper 21 can properly clean the transport path, thereby keeping the transport path for the linerless label 20 clean.

[0103] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments shown in the above-mentioned drawings can be combined with each other as long as there are no particular contradictions or problems in their purposes, configurations, etc. Furthermore, the contents of the drawings can each be an independent embodiment, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to a single embodiment obtained by combining the drawings.

[0104] Furthermore, the software resources that make up the label printer 1 can be distributed or consolidated into any of the hardware resources through appropriate design, and the hardware resources can also be configured as physically integrated devices or separate devices. This means that, for example, some or all of the software resources can be configured to be held in a centralized upper device or controller, or they can be held in an external server connected via a specified network.

[0105] ●Label printer(2)● A second embodiment of the label printer of the present invention will be described below, focusing on differences from the previously described configuration. In the label printer of this second embodiment, the first detection unit 7 and the second detection unit 8 are configured as a single sensor. In this case, for example, instead of determining which detection unit to use for its detection results, the detection means determination unit switches the detection conditions for this sensor between those corresponding to the first detection unit 7 and those corresponding to the second detection unit 8. This switching may be performed, for example, by software. More specifically, for example, when the printer is operating for the first time after opening and closing the print unit cover 43 or turning on the power, the conveyance speed is determined to be a first speed, the cleaning sheet 24 is conveyed a certain distance in the conveyance direction, and the sensor detection condition is set to the distance of the hole 241 in the conveyance direction. If the hole 241 is less than the first distance, the conveyance speed is switched to a second speed, and the detection means determination unit changes the detection condition. That is, the sensor detection condition is changed to the number of times the gap 21a is detected. When the sensor detects the gap 21a a predetermined number of times, it determines that the linerless label paper 21 is placed in the detection area, and the conveyance control unit stops conveying the linerless label paper 21, and the cutting control unit cuts the linerless label paper 21. According to this configuration, detection is possible with one sensor, and therefore the structure can be simplified.

[0106] ●Label printer(3)● The following describes a third embodiment of the label printer of the present invention, focusing on differences from the previously described configuration. The label printer of this third embodiment has a configuration for detecting the cleaning sheet 124 on which eye marks are formed instead of the holes 241.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 14, for example, eye marks 124a are arranged on the cleaning sheet 124 according to a predetermined rule. The predetermined rule is defined, for example, by the length or spacing of the eye marks 124a in the conveyance direction. In the same figure, the eye marks 124a are formed in black across the width of the cleaning sheet 124. Furthermore, the eye marks 124a have a constant length along the conveyance direction and are arranged at constant intervals. Note that the specific shape of the eye marks 124a is not limited to this, and they may be formed only in part in the width direction, for example, only at the end. Furthermore, the eye marks 124a are not limited to being arranged at a constant length and at constant intervals, but may be arranged in an appropriate regular manner.

[0108] In this label printer, the first detection unit 7, which is configured, for example, with a reflective sensor, detects the eye marks 124a. The first detection control unit detects the length or spacing of the eye marks 124a, or both. If the eye marks 124a are detected according to a predetermined rule, the transport control unit determines that the cleaning sheet 124 is being transported and continues transport at the first speed. Furthermore, if the first detection unit 7 can no longer read the eye marks 124a according to the predetermined rule, the detection means determination unit determines to use the detection result of the second detection unit 8 instead of the first detection unit 7. For example, if the detection spacing of the eye marks 124a is outside an appropriate range, it may determine that transport of the cleaning sheet 124 has ended, and if it is equal to or greater than an appropriate threshold, it may determine that an abnormality has occurred.

[0109] Furthermore, in a mode in which the eye marks 124a on the cleaning sheet 124 are detected, gaps 21a may be formed in the linerless label paper 21, or eye marks may be arranged on the linerless label paper 21 in a different shape or pattern from those on the cleaning sheet 124. In this case, it is preferable that the second detection unit 8 also be configured with a reflective sensor.

[0110] ●Label printer(4)● A fourth embodiment of the label printer of the present invention will be described below, focusing on differences from the previously described configuration. The label printer of this fourth embodiment is particularly configured to detect labels with liner. In this case, a label with liner is configured such that a label (also called a "tack") is partially affixed to a long liner. The second detection unit 8 is configured, for example, with a gap sensor, and detects the paper quality and thickness to distinguish and identify the portion consisting only of liner from the portion having a label affixed thereto.

[0111] In a configuration using labels with backing, the cleaning sheet can be connected to the label roll by, for example, extending the label beyond the backing at the tip of the label roll and attaching a cleaning sheet to the back of the label. Alternatively, the cleaning sheet can be connected by attaching the adhesive backing to the backing. It is preferable that the cleaning sheet be longer than each label sheet so that it can be detected separately from the label portion. ●Label printer(5)● A fifth embodiment of the label printer of the present invention will be described below, with differences from the previously described configuration. In this fifth embodiment, if the linerless label 20 is being conveyed for the first time after the print unit cover 43 is opened and closed, detection by the second detection unit 8 may be initiated or the detection result may be adopted if the conveyance distance or time meets a preset condition. The preset condition is set according to the length and conveyance speed of the cleaning sheet 24, and may be the time required for the cleaning sheet 24 to pass through the detection area or the number of steps of the stepping motor. The preset condition may also be a value indicating the conveyance distance of the cleaning sheet 24. If the preset condition is met, it is determined that the conveyance of the cleaning sheet 24 is complete and that linerless label paper 21 is placed in the detection area. This configuration also makes it possible to estimate that the conveyance of the cleaning sheet 24 is complete. In other words, the cleaning sheet 24 can be reliably conveyed and the label conveyance path can be regularly cleaned.

[0112] ● Overview of implementation The present invention relates to a conveying device for conveying labels.

[0113] Accumulation of glue or dust on the label transport path inside the device can cause problems with transport and printing, so the transport path needs to be cleaned from time to time.

[0114] In this regard, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-156707 proposes a linerless label comprising a linerless label body wound into a roll, the linerless label body being made of a laminate having an adhesive layer formed from an adhesive as the bottom layer and a release layer that is peelable from the adhesive as the top layer, wherein the release layer that is wound into the roll is not removed, and at least the release layer that is not wound into the roll is removed.

[0115] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a conveying device that can periodically clean the label conveying path.

[0116] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the conveying device of the present invention comprises a conveying means for conveying a medium having a first region and a second region, a first detection means for detecting a first characteristic portion of the first region, and a second detection means for detecting a second characteristic portion of the second region, and conveys the medium by the conveying means in accordance with detection by the first detection means and the second detection means.

[0117] When the second detection means detects the second characteristic portion under a predetermined first condition, the transport means may stop transporting the medium.

[0118] The medium may be provided with a cutting means for cutting the medium, and when the second detection means detects the second feature portion under a predetermined second condition, the cutting means may cut the second region.

[0119] When the first detection means detects the first characteristic portion to be a predetermined length or longer, the transport means may stop transporting the medium.

[0120] The conveying means may further include a clamping means for clamping the medium and an opening / closing detection means for detecting the opening / closing of the clamping means, and after the opening / closing detection means detects the opening / closing of the clamping means, if this is the first time the conveying means is conveying the medium, conveying may begin in response to detection by the first detection means, and if this is not the first time the conveying means is conveying the medium, conveying may begin in response to detection by the second detection means.

[0121] The conveying means may be configured to change the conveying speed of the medium when the first characteristic portion is detected by the first detection means and when the second characteristic portion is detected by the second detection means.

[0122] The functional units constituting the transport device according to the present invention can also be configured as inventions relating to methods, systems, or computer programs having similar configurations. Furthermore, the computer programs can be provided by downloading them via a network such as the Internet, or by recording them on various computer-readable recording media such as CD-ROMs.

[0123] According to the above-described conveying device of the present invention, the label conveying path can be cleaned periodically, which in turn keeps the conveying device clean and ensures proper label conveyance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 1: Label printer (transport device) 2: Label supply unit 20: Linerless label 21: Linerless label paper 21a: Gap 21b: Slit 22: Label roll 24: Cleaning sheet 31: Tension roller 32: Guide roller 33: Subrola 33-1: Upper roller 33-2: Lower roller 4: Printing section 41: Print head 42: Platen roller 5: Cutter section 6: Upper detector 7: First detection unit 8: Second detection unit 9: Open / close detector

Claims

1. a conveying means for conveying a medium having a first region and a second region; a first detection means for detecting a first feature portion of the first region; a second detection means for detecting a second feature portion of the second region, The medium is conveyed by the conveying means in response to the detection by the first detecting means and the second detecting means. Conveying device.

2. When the second detection means detects the second characteristic portion under a predetermined first condition, the conveyance means stops conveying the medium. The conveying device according to claim 1.

3. a cutting means for cutting the medium; cutting the second region by the cutting means when the second detection means detects the second feature portion under a predetermined second condition; 3. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the first detection means detects the first characteristic portion for a length equal to or greater than a predetermined length, the conveyance means stops conveyance of the medium.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The conveying means is a clamping means for clamping the medium; an opening / closing detection means for detecting the opening / closing of the clamping means; Furthermore, After the opening / closing detection means detects the opening / closing of the clamping means, if it is the first time that the medium is being conveyed by the conveying means, conveying is started in response to the detection by the first detection means, and if it is not the first time that the medium is being conveyed by the conveying means, conveying is started in response to the detection by the second detection means.

3. The conveying device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The conveying means changes the conveying speed of the medium between when the first characteristic portion is detected by the first detecting means and when the second characteristic portion is detected by the second detecting means. The conveying device according to claim 1.

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