Thermal printer and method for controlling the same
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTsutomu Kawamoto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thermal printer includes a thermal head, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The thermal head includes heat generation elements configured to generate heat to perform printing. The temperature sensor is disposed in the thermal printer. The controller is configured to alternately turns on and off the heat generation elements during an idle state of the thermal printer for a number of cycles with a predetermined on-time period in each cycle. The controller determines the number of cycles and the predetermined on-time period based on temperature data obtained by the temperature sensor, such that heat energy generated by the heat generation elements during each of the cycles in the idle state is lower than heat energy generated by the heat generation elements during printing of one line.
Claims20
A thermal printer comprising:
- a thermal head including heat generation elements configured to generate heat to perform printing;
- a temperature sensor disposed in the thermal printer;
- a sheet conveyor including a motor configured to rotate to convey a sheet toward the thermal head;
- and
- a controller configured to alternately turn on and off the heat generation elements during an idle state of the thermal printer for a number of cycles with a predetermined on-time period in each cycle and energize the motor during the idle state,
- wherein the controller determines the number of cycles and the predetermined on-time period based on temperature data obtained by the temperature sensor, such that heat energy generated by the heat generation elements during each of the cycles in the idle state is lower than heat energy generated by the heat generation elements during printing of one line.
A method for controlling a thermal printer comprising a thermal head including a heat generation elements configured to generate heat to perform printing and a sheet conveyor including a motor configured to rotate to convey a sheet toward the thermal head, the method comprising, during an idle state of the thermal printer:
- measuring a temperature around the thermal head;
- energizing the motor;
- and
- alternately turning on and off the heat generation elements for a number of cycles with a predetermined on-time period in each cycle based on the measured temperature, such that heat energy generated by the heat generation elements during each of the cycles in the idle state is lower than heat energy generated by the heat generation elements during printing of one line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.