Thermal printer and method determining battery condition based on temperature

• US 7,014,375 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Takashi, Nagae, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirshfeld, Andrew H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamdan, Wasseem H.
• Application Number:
  US10/896,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20050058484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 400/76, 400/125.05, 400/124.03, 400/615.2, 400/208, 400/120.01, 347/194, 347/17, 347/216, 347/172, 347/192, 347/14, 347/296
• US Class Current: 400/76
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 29/38 Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/022 for printing on continuous media, e.g. tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/028 by thermal printers

Abstract

A tape print apparatus is capable of setting a weak voltage value, serving as a criterion on indicating a power weakness condition on a display, to an appropriate voltage value based on various kinds of usage conditions by considering that the degree of consumption of drive power differs depending on the usage conditions of a tape print apparatus.

Claims

1. A tape print apparatus comprising:

a cassette accommodating section formed in a main body thereof, for accommodating a tape cassette containing a print tape;

a thermal head in which a plurality of heat generating devices are arranged and which prints on the print tape pulled out from the tape cassette by a tape feeding mechanism;

a display;

an internal temperature detector that detects an internal temperature in the main body;

voltage value determining means for determining a weak voltage value based on the internal temperature inside the main body detected by the internal temperature detector; and

means for indicating on the display whether a drive voltage of a drive power supply of the tape print apparatus is below the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means.

2. The tape print apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette; and

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the kind of the print ribbon detected by the ribbon detector.

3. The tape print apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the tape width detected by the tape width detector.

4. The tape print apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

heat generating device quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of heat generating devices to be used for printing out of plural heat generating devices arranged on the thermal head; and

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the quantity of the heat generating devices detected by the heat generating device quantity detecting means.

5. The tape print apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

two of;

(1) a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette, (2) a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette, and (3) a heat generating device quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of heat generating devices to be used for printing out of plural heat generating devices arranged on the thermal head, the tape print apparatus further comprising;

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the two detected ones of;

(1) the kind of the print ribbon, (2) the kind of the tape width and (3) the quantity of the heat generating devices on the thermal head.

6. The tape print apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

(1) a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette, (2) a tape width detector that detects a tape width of a print tape contained in the tape cassette, and (3) heat generating device quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of heat generating devices to be used for printing out of plural heat generating devices arranged on the thermal head, the tape print apparatus further comprising;

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the detected kind of the print ribbon, the detected kind of the tape width of the print tape and the detected quantity of the heat generating devices on the thermal head.

7. The tape print apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

drive voltage detecting means for detecting a drive voltage of the drive power supply when printing is performed by the thermal head; and

display control means for, if the drive voltage of the drive power supply detected by the drive voltage detecting means is smaller than the weak voltage value changed by the weak voltage value changing means, displaying that fact on the display.

8. The tape print apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

drive voltage detecting means for detecting a drive voltage of the drive power supply when printing is performed by the thermal head; and

display control means for, if the drive voltage of the drive power supply detected by the drive voltage detecting means is smaller than the weak voltage value changed by the weak voltage value changing means, displaying that fact on the display.

9. A tape print apparatus comprising:

a cassette accommodating section formed in a main body thereof, for accommodating a tape cassette containing a print tape;

a thermal head in which a plurality of heat generating devices are arranged and which prints on the print tape pulled out from the tape cassette by a tape feeding mechanism;

a display;

a head temperature detector that detects a temperature of the thermal head;

voltage value determining means for determining a weak voltage value based on the head temperature of the thermal head detected by the head temperature detector; and

means for indicating on the display whether a drive voltage of a drive power supply of the tape print apparatus is below the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means.

10. The tape print apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette; and

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the kind of the print ribbon detected by the ribbon detector.

11. The tape print apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the tape width detected by the tape width detector.

12. The tape print apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

heat generating device quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of heat generating devices to be used for printing out of plural heat generating devices arranged on the thermal head; and

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the quantity of the heat generating devices detected by the heat generating device quantity detecting means.

13. The tape print apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

two of;

(1) a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette, (2) a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette, and (3) heat generating device quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of heat generating devices to be used for printing out of plural heat generating devices arranged on the thermal head, the tape print apparatus further comprising;

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the two detected ones of;

(1) the kind of the print ribbon, (2) the kind of the tape width of the print tape and (3) the quantity of the heat generating devices on the thermal head.

14. The tape print apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

(1) a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette, (2) a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette, and (3) heat generating device quantity detecting means for detecting a quantity of heat generating devices to be used for printing out of plural heat generating devices arranged on the thermal head, the tape print apparatus further comprising;

weak voltage value changing means for changing the weak voltage value determined by the voltage value determining means based on the detected kind of the print ribbon, the detected kind of the tape width and the detected quantity of the heat generating devices on the thermal head.

15. The tape print apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

drive voltage detecting means for detecting a drive voltage of the drive power supply when printing is performed by the thermal head; and

display control means for, if the drive voltage of the drive power supply detected by the drive voltage detecting means is smaller than the weak voltage value changed by the weak voltage value changing means, displaying that fact on the display.

16. The tape print apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

drive voltage detecting means for detecting a drive voltage of the drive power supply when printing is performed by the thermal head; and

display control means for, if the drive voltage of the drive power supply detected by the drive voltage detecting means is smaller than the weak voltage value changed by the weak voltage value changing means, displaying that fact on the display.

17. A tape print apparatus comprising:

a cassette accommodating section formed in a main body of the tape print apparatus, for accommodating a tape cassette containing a print tape;

a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating devices, and which prints on the print tape pulled out from the tape cassette by a tape feeding mechanism;

a display;

a temperature detector that detects a temperature inside of the tape print apparatus; and

a controller that determines a weak voltage value based on the detected temperature, and that indicates on the display whether a drive voltage of a drive power supply of the tape print apparatus is below the determined weak voltage value.

18. The tape print apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the temperature detector detects a temperature within the main body of the tape print apparatus.

19. The tape print apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the temperature detector detects a temperature of the thermal head.

20. The tape print apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a ribbon detector that detects a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette;

wherein the controller determines the weak voltage value based on;

(1) the detected temperature, and (2) the kind of the print ribbon detected by the ribbon detector.

21. The tape print apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the controller determines the weak voltage value based on;

(1) the detected temperature, and (2) the tape width detected by the tape width detector.

22. The tape print apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller determines a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head, and determines the weak voltage value based on:

(1) the detected temperature, and (2) the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

23. The tape print apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the controller determines the weak voltage value also based on the tape width detected by the tape width detector.

24. The tape print apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a tape width detector that detects a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the controller determines the weak voltage value also based on the tape width detected by the tape width detector.

25. The tape print apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the controller determines a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head, and determines the weak voltage value also based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

26. The tape print apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the controller determines a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head, and determines the weak voltage value also based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

27. The tape print apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the controller determines a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head, and determines the weak voltage value also based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

28. A method of controlling a tape print apparatus having a cassette accommodating section formed in a main body of the tape print apparatus, for accommodating a tape cassette containing a print tape and a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating devices, and which prints on the print tape pulled out from the tape cassette by a tape feeding mechanism, the method comprising:

detecting a temperature inside of the tape print apparatus;

determining a weak voltage value based on the detected temperature; and

indicating on a display whether a drive voltage of a drive power supply of the tape print apparatus is below the determined weak voltage value.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the detected temperature is a temperature within the main body of the tape print apparatus.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein the detected temperature is a temperature of the thermal head.

31. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

detecting a kind of a print ribbon contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the detected kind of the print ribbon.

32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising:

detecting a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the detected tape width.

33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:

determining a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

34. The method according to claim 31, further comprising:

determining a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

35. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

detecting a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the detected tape width.

36. The method according to claim 35, further comprising:

determining a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

37. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:

determining a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plural heat generating devices of the thermal head; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

38. The method according to claim 37, further comprising:

detecting a tape width of the print tape contained in the tape cassette; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the detected tape width.

39. A thermal printer comprising:

a cassette accommodating section formed in a main body of the thermal printer, for accommodating a cassette containing an image receiving medium;

a thermal head in which a plurality of heat generating devices are arranged and which prints on the image receiving medium fed from the cassette by a feeding mechanism;

a display;

a temperature detector that detects a temperature inside of the thermal printer; and

a controller that determines a weak voltage value based on the detected temperature, and that indicates on the display whether a drive voltage of a drive power supply of the thermal printer is below the determined weak voltage value.

40. The thermal printer according to claim 39, wherein the temperature detector detects a temperature within the main body of the thermal printer.

41. The thermal printer according to claim 39, wherein the temperature detector detects a temperature of the thermal head.

42. The thermal printer according to claim 39, wherein the controller determines a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plurality of heat generating devices of the thermal head, and determines the weak voltage value based on:

(1) the detected temperature, and (2) the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.

43. A method of controlling a thermal printer having a cassette accommodating section formed in a main body of the thermal printer, for accommodating a cassette containing an image receiving medium, and a thermal head having a plurality of heat generating devices, and which prints on the image receiving medium fed from the cassette by a feeding mechanism, the method comprising:

detecting a temperature inside of the thermal printer;

determining a weak voltage value based on the detected temperature; and

indicating on a display whether a drive voltage of a drive power supply of the thermal printer is below the determined weak voltage value.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the detected temperature is a temperature within the main body of the thermal printer.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein the detected temperature is a temperature of the thermal head.

46. The method according to claim 43, further comprising:

determining a quantity of the heat generating devices to be used for printing out of the plurality of heat generating devices of the thermal head; and

wherein the weak voltage value also is determined based on the determined quantity of the heat generating devices.