Typewriting machines – Typing by other than type-face or type-die – Character formation by impact
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-25
2001-07-03
Hilten, John S. (Department: 2854)
Typewriting machines
Typing by other than type-face or type-die
Character formation by impact
C400S124020, C400S124040, C400S124050, C400S124110, C400S157200, C400S157300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254291
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing head control apparatus for used in a dot-impact printer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional dot-impact printer, a printing head sometimes prints an additional dot at an unnecessary place where no printing is to be performed. The reason of this additional printing is considered to be a rebound caused after completion of a printing. To cope with this, conventionally, a countermeasure has been taken in the printing head configuration.
However, modification of the printing head configuration is accompanied with a significant design modification, increasing the costs and the obtained effect is insufficient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printing head control apparatus capable of preventing an additional printing caused by a rebound operation, without design modification of the printing head.
The dot-impact printing head control apparatus according to the present invention is for use in a dot-impact printer in which a dot is formed by an impact applied with a pin via an ink ribbon onto a paper set on a platen, the apparatus comprising: a dot classifier for classifying into normal dots and final dots the dots constituting a print data supplied from an upper-node apparatus; and a printing head drive controller for supplying a printing head with a normal dot print drive signal and a final dot print drive signal corresponding to the normal dot and the final dot, respectively.
For example, the final dot may be a single dot on the time axis or a final dot of sequential dots. The normal dot is a dot other than the final dot. The final dot print drive signal is set so that the pin presses the paper to the platen longer time than the normal dot print drive signal.
When a print data is supplied from the upper-node apparatus to the dot classifier, dots constituting the print data are classified by the dot classifier into the normal dots and the final dots. The normal dots and the final dots classified by the dot classifier are converted by the print head drive controller into normal dot print drive signals and a final dot print drive signals, respectively. The printing head, in response to the normal dot print drive signal or the final dot print drive signal, applies an impact with a pin via an ink ribbon onto the paper set on the platen.
For example, the final dot print drive signal is set so as to excite the printing head for a longer time than the normal dot print drive signal. This reduces the pin return speed in the final dot printing operation, enabling to reduce the rebound amount and prevent an unnecessary dot generation.
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Japanese Office Action issued Oct. 12, 1999 in a related application.
English translation of relevant portions of Oct. 12, 1999 Japanese Office Action.
Chau Minh
Hilten John S.
NEC Corporation
Ostrolenk Faber Gerb & Soffen, LLP
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