Tape printing apparatus and method

A tape printing apparatus that is capable of producing a tape strip having a desired tape length by printing on a tape while feeding the tape and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of a printed portion thereof,

• the tape printing apparatus comprising:
• tape feed means for feeding the tape;
• printing means for printing on the tape;
• print data input means for inputting print data to be printed by said printing means;
• tape length-calculating means for calculating a calculation tape length tp (tp>0) based on the print data input via said print data input means;
• cutter means for cutting the tape based on the calculation tape length tp calculated by said tape length-calculating means;
• and
• determining means for determining whether or not the calculation tape length tp calculated by said tape length-calculating means is smaller than a length (a+x) obtained by adding a predetermined length x (x≧0) to a length a (a≧0) between a cutting position at which the tape is cut through by said cutter means and a position of an exit via which a cut-off strip of the tape is discharged out of the tape printing apparatus,
• wherein if said determining means has determined that the calculation tape length tp is not smaller than the length (tp+b), said printing means carries out printing while said tape feed means feeds the tape by the length tp, and then said cutter means cuts the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof, and if said determining means has determined that the calculation tape length tp is smaller than the length (a+x), said printing means carries out printing while said tape feed means feeds the tape by the length tp, and then said tape feed means alone operates to further feed the tape by a length α{α≧(a+x−tp)} (α>0), followed by said cutter means cutting the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof.

A tape printing apparatus that is capable of producing a tape strip having a desired tape length by printing on a tape while feeding the tape and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of a printed portion thereof at a location downstream of a location where printing is carried out,

• the tape printing apparatus comprising:
• tape feed means for feeding the tape;
• printing means for printing on the tape;
• print data input means for inputting print data to be printed by said printing means;
• tape length-calculating means for calculating a calculation tape length tp (tp>0) based on the print data input via said print data input means;
• cutter means for cutting the tape based on the calculation tape length tp set by said tape length-setting means;
• and
• determining means for determining whether or not a length (a+x) obtained by adding a predetermined length x (x≧0) to a length a (a≧0) between a cutting position at which the tape is cut through by said cutter means and a position of an exit via which a cut-off strip of the tape is discharged out of the tape printing apparatus is larger than a length (tp+b) obtained by adding a length b (b≧0) between a printing position at which printing is carried out by said printing means and the cutting position to the calculation tape length tp,
• wherein if said determining means has determined that the length (a+x) is not larger than the length (tp+b), said printing means carries out the printing while said tape feed means feeds the tape by the length (tp+b), and then said cutter means cuts the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof, and if said determining means has determined that length (a+x) is larger than the length (tp+b), said printing means carries out the printing while said tape feed means feeds the tape by the length (tp+b), and then said tape feed means alone operates to further feed the tape by a length γ{γ≧(a+x)−(tp+b)} (γ>0), followed by said cutter means cutting the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof.

A tape printing method for a tape printing apparatus that is capable of producing a tape strip having a desired tape length by printing on a tape while feeding the tape and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of a printed portion thereof,

• the tape printing method comprising the steps of:
• inputting print data to be printed;
• calculating a calculation tape length tp (tp>0) based on the input print data;
• determining whether the calculation tape length tp is smaller than a length (a+x) obtained by adding a predetermined length x (x≧0) to a length a (a≧0) between a cutting position at which the tape is cut through and a position of an exit via which a cut-off strip of the tape is discharged out of the tape printing apparatus;
• setting the tape length t such that the tape length t becomes equal to or larger than the length (a+x) if it is determined that the calculation tape length tp is smaller than the length (a+x), and setting the tape length t to the calculation tape length tp if it is determined that the calculation tape length tp is not smaller than the length (a+x);
• and
• cutting the tape to the set tape length t.

A tape printing method for a tape printing apparatus that is capable of producing a tape strip having a desired tape length by printing on a tape while feeding the tape and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of a printed portion thereof,

• the tape printing method comprising the steps of:
• inputting print data to be printed;
• calculating a calculation tape length tp (tp>0) based on the input print data;
• determining whether or not the calculation tape length tp is smaller than a length (a+x) obtained by adding a predetermined length x (x≧0) to a length a (a≧0) between a cutting position at which the tape is cut through and a position of an exit via which a cut-off strip of the tape is discharged out of the tape printing apparatus;
• and
• carrying out printing while feeding the tape by the calculation tape length tp, and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof if it is determined that the calculation tape length tp is not smaller than the length (tp+b), or carrying out printing while feeding the tape by the length tp, and then further feeding the tape by a length α{α≧(a+x−tp)} (a>0), followed by cutting the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof if it is determined that the calculation tape length tp is smaller than the length (a+x).

A tape printing method for a tape printing apparatus that is capable of producing a tape strip having a desired tape length by printing on a tape while feeding the tape and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of a printed portion thereof at a location downstream of a location where printing is performed,

• the tape printing method comprising the steps of:
• inputting print data to be printed;
• calculating a calculation tape length tp (tp>0) based on the input print data;
• determining whether or not a length (a+x) obtained by adding a predetermined length x (x≧0) to a length a (a≧0) between a cutting position at which the tape is cut through and a position of an exit via which a cut-off strip of the tape is discharged out of the tape printing apparatus is larger than a length (tp+b) obtained by adding a length b (b≧0) between a printing position at which printing is carried out and the cutting position to the calculation tape length tp;
• and
• carrying out printing while feeding the tape by the length (tp+b), and then cutting the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof if it is determined that the length (a+x) is not larger than the length (tp+b), or carrying out printing while feeding the tape by the length (tp+b), and then further feeding the tape by a length γ{γ≧(a+x) −(tp+b)} (γ>0), followed by cutting the tape at a trailing end of the printed portion thereof, if it is determined that the length (a+x) is larger than the length (tp+b).