Printer for automatic packing machine and method of controlling the same

摘要

The present disclosure provides a printer for an automatic packing machine, which employs a ribbon cartridge to facilitate replacement of a ribbon tape and allows a thermal print head to be lifted or lowered to further facilitate replacement of the ribbon tape. The present disclosure also provides an automatic packing machine including the same. The printer is configured to print medicine data on a surface of a wrapping paper using a thermal print head and a ribbon tape. The printer includes a stationary plate secured to a lower portion of a body of the automatic packing machine, a movable plate disposed to be movable with respect to the stationary plate, and a ribbon cartridge receiving a ribbon tape and detachably mounted to the movable plate.

主权项

1. A printer for an automatic packing machine which prints medicine data on a surface of a wrapping paper using a thermal print head and a ribbon tape, the printer comprising:
a stationary plate secured to a lower portion of a body of the automatic packing machine; a movable plate disposed to be movable with respect to the stationary plate; a ribbon cartridge receiving the ribbon tape and detachably mounted to the movable plate, the ribbon cartridge including a first reel around which the ribbon tape is wound and a second reel from which the ribbon tape is unwound and released; a drive motor provided at a rear side of the movable plate which drives the first reel to draw the ribbon tape from the second reel; a tension motor provided at the rear side of the movable plate which drives the second reel, an unwinding speed of the ribbon tape being adjusted by controlling a rotational speed of the tension motor; and a controller that adjusts the rotational speed of the tension motor by controlling the number of times of short circuits per unit time of the tension motor connected to the second reel based on corresponding remaining amounts of the ribbon tape on the second reel while the drive motor drives the first reel to draw the ribbon tape from the second reel, wherein when the first reel is rotated by rotation of the drive motor, the ribbon tape is wound around the first reel so that the ribbon tape which is unwound from the second reel rotates the second reel and the tension motor, and wherein when the tension motor is shorted, the tension motor acts as a generator and obstructs free rotation of the second reel, thereby reducing the amount of ribbon tape unwound from the second reel.