JP2011140168A - Ink-jet recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an ink jet recording apparatus capable of automatically performing print setting corresponding to daylight saving time control.
When winter time is 41, the time of winter time is printed on the printing material, and when summer time is 42, the time of summer time is printed on the printing material. When printing the time in the overlap period 44 in which the summer time 42 and the winter time 41 overlap, the daylight saving time mark is printed until the daylight saving time end TE, and the winter time mark is printed after the daylight saving time ends. Thus, time printing is automatically performed according to the start and end of daylight saving time, and the time printed at the same time in the overlap period can be accurately distinguished by the mark added thereto.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a charge-control type ink jet recording apparatus that prints marks in a non-contact manner by ejecting ink particles onto a printing material, and more particularly to an ink jet recording apparatus that supports daylight saving time control.

  Currently, in the manufacturing technology field such as the field of food processing technology and industrial product manufacturing technology, demand for “traceability” for managing the date and time of manufacture and the distribution route of products is increasing without distinction between consumers and producers. In order to improve traceability, product-specific information such as manufacturing date and control number is displayed on each product. In order to perform the display, a charge-control type ink jet recording apparatus is used in which a food container or product itself is used as an object to be printed, and characters or figures can be printed or marked on the object without contact. This ink jet recording apparatus can print by ejecting ink from the nozzle toward the printing object without bringing the nozzle of the print head into contact with the printing object. It functions effectively when processed and manufactured.

  When the manufacturing date and time is printed on the substrate as one of the product-specific information, it is necessary to accurately print the current time at the time of printing on the substrate. One method of displaying the current time is daylight saving time. Daylight saving time is a display method used mainly in Europe and the United States for the purpose of effectively utilizing resources. Summer time means a system that advances the clock display for a certain period of time during the long summer hours. Means the given time. When this system is adopted, the clock display is advanced for a predetermined time at the start of daylight saving time, and the clock display is returned for a predetermined time at the end of summer time. In many countries and regions where daylight saving time is adopted, the clock display is advanced by 1 hour at the start of daylight saving time, but there are also regions where it is advanced by 30 minutes. The adoption of daylight savings is expected to have the effect of reducing power consumption at night, promoting leisure activities, reducing traffic accidents and crime rates.

  Various electronic devices used in an area where daylight saving time is used will display daylight saving time as a time display method. The daylight saving time display technology for various electronic devices equipped with an electronic clock function is to automatically adjust the time according to the start date or end date of the daylight saving time period by inputting the setting information for the daylight saving time period in advance. (For example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-4-283688

  When the current time is changed with a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, the change operation is performed manually or by an external communication means. For inkjet recording devices used in regions where daylight saving time is adopted, in addition to the usual current time change for the purpose of correcting the error of the built-in clock, the current time change for the purpose of daylight saving time is changed to the daylight saving time start date and time. Must be done at the end date and time. However, especially when the current time is changed manually, the printing operation is interrupted while the current time is changed, causing a large loss in the product production line and changing the current time. An operator who performs the operation is bothered.

  On the other hand, when the clock display is advanced by one hour at the start of the daylight saving control, for example, the clock display is advanced by one hour at the start of the daylight saving time due to the characteristics of the summer time control, so that a one-hour blank period occurs. On the other hand, since the clock display is returned by one hour at the end of the daylight saving time, an overlap period occurs before and after the end of the daylight saving time, and the same time is repeated for one hour. Therefore, when printing the current time on a substrate using an inkjet recording device, products printed at the same time will be mixed even though the time is actually different. The time cannot be accurately identified. For this reason, in order to improve the traceability of the product, it is necessary to establish a method for distinguishing the one hour by some method.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an ink jet recording apparatus that can automatically perform print settings in accordance with daylight saving time control.

  The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is a charge control type ink jet recording apparatus that prints marks in a non-contact manner by ejecting ink particles on a printing object, and is a summer time period for inputting the time at the start of summer time and the end of summer time Input means, storage means for storing the time of daylight saving time start and daylight saving time input by the daylight saving time period input means, and the time of winter time on the substrate during winter time from the daylight saving time end to the daylight saving time start. In the summer time from the start of daylight saving time to the end of daylight saving time, the time printing control means that prints the time of daylight saving time advanced by the offset time from the winter time on the substrate, and the offset from the end of daylight saving time. In the overlap period where summer time and winter time before the hour overlap When printing the time, a daylight saving time mark is displayed to indicate that it is daylight saving time until the end of daylight saving time, while a winter time mark is displayed to indicate that it is winter time after daylight saving time ends. And an expression mark printing control means.

  The inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention prints the daylight saving time mark when printing the time during daylight saving time from the start of daylight saving time to the end of daylight saving time, and the time during winter time from the end of daylight saving time to the start of daylight saving time. In printing, the winter time mark is printed. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention does not print the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark, and does not print the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark when printing time on a substrate. It has a printing mode input means for setting a non-printing mode. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized by comprising mark input means for inputting the contents of the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has a use region display screen for displaying a use region based on a signal from the storage means in which the summer time start time and summer time end time corresponding to the use region of the ink jet recording apparatus are stored, The use area display screen constitutes the daylight saving time input means for inputting a daylight saving time start time and a daylight saving time end time.

  In the ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention, the storage unit stores the start of daylight saving time and the end of daylight saving time for a plurality of areas, and the use area display screen displays a plurality of areas. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has an automatic control mode input means for automatically setting a summer time automatic control mode for printing the time on a printing material based on daylight saving time when the current time is daylight saving time. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention has an offset time input means for inputting the offset time. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the daylight saving time start time and the daylight saving time end time by the daylight saving time input means are input in units of weeks or months. The ink jet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the input information input by each of the input means is displayed on a screen. The inkjet recording apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that the daylight saving time display screen for displaying the daylight saving time start time and the daylight saving time end has a chart display unit for displaying summer time and winter time in a chart.

  According to the present invention, in the overlapping period in which the summer time and the winter time before the offset time before the end of the daylight saving time overlap, the daylight saving time for displaying that the daylight saving time is displayed until the daylight saving time ends for the printed material. The mark is automatically printed, and after the daylight saving time is finished, the winter time mark is automatically printed to indicate that it is the time of winter time. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform a time change operation. Accordingly, it is possible to automatically perform optimum time printing on the product corresponding to daylight saving time and winter time without stopping a production line for mass production and processing at a factory. Since the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark are printed on the product printed during the overlap period, the time printed within the overlap period before and after the end of daylight saving time can be accurately distinguished, and the product is managed. Traceability can be improved.

  If the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark are printed over the entire period including the overlapping period, the time given to the product can be easily distinguished. By switching between the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark printing mode and the non-printing mode in which these are not printed by the printing mode input means, the ink jet recording apparatus can be used in both areas where daylight saving time is not applied and areas where summer time is not applied. Can be used. Since the contents of the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark can be input by the mark input means, any mark can be printed according to the product. By storing the time at the start and end of daylight saving time in advance in the storage unit, the setting operation for the daylight saving time can be easily performed. By storing the data at the start and end of daylight saving time in advance in a storage unit for a plurality of areas, the setting operation of the daylight saving time period can be easily performed in any area where the daylight saving time system is applied.

  If the daylight saving time period is input in units of weeks, the operation of changing the daylight saving time period every year becomes unnecessary. On the other hand, when the daylight saving time period is input in months and days, the start time and end time of the summer time period are made concrete. Since various input contents such as the daylight saving time are lit on the display screen, the input contents are displayed visually and the setting operability of the ink jet recording apparatus is improved. When daylight saving time and winter time are displayed on the screen as a chart, the daylight saving time period is visually displayed, and the setting operability is improved.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an ink jet recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an internal structure of the print head shown in FIG. 1. It is a block diagram which shows the control part of an inkjet recording device. It is the schematic which showed visually about the time display of the clock in the area where the summer time which made the summer time advance 1 hour from winter time is adopted. It is the schematic which showed the definition regarding summer time visually. It is the schematic which shows the state from which the range of a blank period and an overlap period changes according to the time expression at the time of summer time start and the end of summer time. It is the schematic which shows an example of a present time input display screen. It is the schematic which shows a part of modification of a present time input display screen. (A) (B) is the schematic which shows the specific example of the period input display screen which inputs and displays a summer time period, respectively. It is the schematic which shows the modification of the period input display screen which inputs and displays a summer time period. (A) (B) is the schematic which shows the modification of the period input display screen which inputs and displays a summer time period, respectively. It is the schematic which shows a part of period input display screen which inputs and displays a summer time period. (A) is the schematic which shows the example of a print with respect to the product in an overlap period as a comparative example, (B) is the schematic which shows the specific example of the print pattern with respect to the product in an overlap period. It is the schematic which shows the time expression input display screen which selects the provision form of the winter time mark showing a time expression, and a summer time mark. It is a main flowchart which shows the algorithm of time display control. It is a flowchart which shows the algorithm of the reset of the present time when the present time is newly input. 6 is a main flowchart showing an algorithm for print control under a state in which an automatic summer time control mode is set. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of acquisition of various time. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the time calculation without a change. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the time calculation with a change. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of time state acquisition. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a subroutine for acquiring print contents.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording apparatus 11 has an apparatus main body 13 provided with an operation display unit 12 on the front, and a print head 14 is connected to the apparatus main body 13 by a conduit 14a. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the ink jet recording apparatus 11 is installed in a production line of a factory that produces foods, beverages, and the like. Used to print or mark product-specific information such as control number and date of manufacture. The print head 14 is placed on a support base (not shown) in the vicinity of the substrate 10 conveyed by the belt conveyor 15, and printed by the inkjet recording device 11 on the substrate 10 that moves in the direction indicated by the arrow by the belt conveyor 15. Work is done.

  The belt conveyor 15 as a production line has an encoder 16 that outputs a signal corresponding to the moving speed in order to print on the printed material 10 with the same width regardless of the moving speed of the printed material 10 by the belt conveyor 15. It is provided as a moving direction position detecting means for the printed matter 10. A signal for instructing the inkjet recording apparatus 11 to start printing is detected by detecting that the printing material 10 conveyed by the belt conveyor 15 has reached a predetermined position upstream of the print head 14 in the movement direction. An output print sensor 17 is disposed in the vicinity of the belt conveyor 15. The encoder 16 and the print sensor 17 are each connected to a control unit in the apparatus main body 13 via a signal line.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the print head 14 has a nozzle 20 that ejects an ink column 18, and an ink supply channel that supplies ink in an ink container 22 disposed in the apparatus main body 13 to the nozzle 20. 23 is connected, and a supply pump 24 is provided in the ink supply flow path 23. The ink in the ink container 22 is sucked and pressurized by the supply pump 24 to become the ink column 18 and is ejected from the ejection port 21 of the nozzle 20. The nozzle 20 is provided with an electrostrictive element 25. The ink is vibrated at a constant period by the electrostrictive element 25, and the ink column 18 ejected from the ejection port 21 of the nozzle 20 is made into particles. The number of generated ink particles 19 is determined by the frequency of the excitation voltage applied to the electrostrictive element 25 and is the same as the frequency.

  A charging electrode 26 is disposed in front of the nozzle 20, and an electric charge is applied to the ink particles 19 by applying a voltage having a magnitude corresponding to print information to the charging electrode 26. A deflection electrode 27 is disposed in front of the charging electrode 26, and the deflection electrode 27 has a plus deflection electrode 27a and a minus deflection electrode 27b facing this via a gap. The ink particles 19 charged by the charging electrode 26 are deflected by receiving a force proportional to the amount of charge while flying in the electric field formed between both the deflection electrodes 27a and 27b, and the substrate 10 to be printed. And then land on the substrate 10. At this time, the landing positions of the ink particles 19 change in the deflection direction indicated by the arrow R, that is, the main scanning direction, according to the charge amount, and further the belt conveyor moves in the movement direction that is substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction R, that is, the sub scanning direction. The ink particles 19 are also landed in the direction orthogonal to the deflection direction by moving the printing object 10 by the ink 15. As a result, characters and figures are marked on the print substrate 10 in a dot matrix by a plurality of landing particles.

  In order to collect the ink particles 19 that are not used for printing, a gutter 28 is disposed in the print head 14 so as to face the ejection port 21 of the nozzle 20, and is not linearly deflected between the deflection electrodes 27 a and 27 b. The flying ink particles 19 are captured by the gutter 28. The captured ink particles 19 are collected in the ink container 22 by the collection channel 29.

  The ink jet recording apparatus 11 shown in FIG. 1 prints on the printing material 10 while being conveyed by the belt conveyor 15, and the printing material 10 moves in the sub-scanning direction with respect to the print head 14 by the belt conveyor 15. To do. On the other hand, when the printing operation is performed on the printing object 10 with the belt conveyor 15 stopped, the printing object 10 is moved relative to the printing head 14 by moving the printing head 14. Thus, it moves in the sub-scanning direction. In this way, the print object 10 is marked by moving the print head 14 relative to the print object 10 in the sub-scanning direction.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control unit 30 of the inkjet recording apparatus 11. The control unit 30 includes a controller 31 having an MPU (microprocessing unit) that calculates a control signal. The controller 31 stores a control program and an arithmetic expression in advance, and temporarily stores data. A storage unit 32 having a RAM is provided. The operation display unit 12 shown in FIG. 1 has a function of a touch panel 33 for key-inputting print information and the like, and a function of a display 34 for displaying information such as print contents and current time of the ink jet recording apparatus 11. A signal input by operating the touch panel 33 is sent to the controller 31, and a display signal is output from the controller 31 to the display 34. When print data for printing and various print settings are input by key operation of the touch panel 33, the data is stored in the memory of the storage unit 32.

  The encoder 16 and the print sensor 17 shown in FIG. 1 are each connected to a controller 31, and control signals are output from the controller 31 to the electrostrictive element 25, the charging electrode 26 and the deflection electrode 27 shown in FIG. 2. When printing is performed on the printing material 10 conveyed by the belt conveyor 15 constituting the production line, the position of the printing material 10 is specified based on a signal from the print sensor 17.

  The control unit 30 is provided with an internal clock storage element 37 having an RTC (Real Time Clock) 35 and a built-in battery 36, and the internal clock storage element 37 is provided for the purpose of storing the current time. The “program for controlling time” is stored in a ROM in the storage unit 32 as a program storage device, and input / output signals to the controller 31 are controlled by this program. A current time stored in the RTC 35 based on an input signal sent from the RTC 35 is acquired by a detection device (not shown) in the controller 31, and the acquired current time is displayed on the screen of the display 34. The content of the RTC 35 can be updated, that is, changed by an output signal from the controller 31.

  The controller 31 is driven to the deflection electrode 27 in the print head 14 in order to print product-specific information such as a management number and manufacturing date / time on the substrate 10 based on the print data stored in the storage unit 32. The controller 31 constitutes a print control means for controlling the printing of product specific information including time and other marks.

  As described above, there are regions where daylight saving time is adopted in anticipation of effects such as suppression of power consumption at night, promotion of leisure activities, traffic accidents and a decrease in crime rate. In these regions, daylight saving time is often clearly distinguished from other times. For example, in North America, “Daylight Saving Time (DST)” and “Standard Time (ST)” are distinguished, and in Europe, “Summer Time” and “Time” are distinguished. In the present specification, in order to clearly distinguish whether the time referred to is daylight saving time, daylight saving time is expressed as “daylight saving time” and time not daylight saving is expressed as “winter time”. Also, the time when summer time is advanced over winter time is expressed as offset time. Here, since daylight saving time and winter time are terms that modify the state of time, they are collectively referred to as “time expression”.

  When daylight saving time is advanced by one hour from winter time, that is, when the offset time is set to one hour, it can be said that summer time is the time that winter time is advanced by one hour. Therefore, when it is desired to express the time expression of a certain moment of time with the other time expression, it can be obtained by the calculation formula “summer time = winter time + 1 hour”.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram visually showing time display of a clock in an area where daylight saving time in which summer time is advanced by 1 hour from winter time is adopted.

  In FIG. 4, if the time AW at the winter time 41 is the daylight saving time start time TS, the time display is automatically advanced by one hour at the instant when the time AW is reached, and the time AS at the summer time 42 is obtained. For example, if daylight saving time starts at 2 am on winter time 41 on a specific month and day, the time AS becomes 3 am. For this reason, there appears to be a blank period 43 that is a blank hour that is not used as a time display. On the other hand, if the time BS at the daylight saving time 42 is the daylight saving time end TE, the time display automatically returns one hour at the moment when the time BS is reached, and becomes the time BW at the winter time 41. For example, if daylight saving time ends when the daylight saving time of a specific month is 3 am, the time BW is 2 am. For this reason, there appears to be an overlapping period 44 that is one hour of overlap that is used twice as a time display. In FIG. 4, the symbol C indicates the time when the offset time of 1 hour is returned from the summer time end BS in summer time, and the symbol D indicates the time one hour after the summer time end BW in winter time. Symbol E indicates a time one hour before the summer time start AS when the summer time is used as a reference, and symbol F indicates a time one hour after the summer time start TS when the winter time 41 is used as a reference.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram visually showing the definition of daylight saving time. A period in which the time continues to be daylight saving time is referred to as a summer time period 45. The daylight saving time period 45 is a period from the daylight saving time start time TS to the daylight saving time end time TE, and the time expression of the time in the daylight saving time period is summer time 42. 4 and 5, it can be seen that there are two ways to express the summer time start time TS and the summer time end time TE: summer time 42 and winter time 41, respectively. That is, the summer time start time TS includes a summer time start AW at winter time 41 and a summer time start AS at daylight saving time 42. Further, at the end of daylight saving time TE, there are a summer time end BW at winter time 41 and a summer time end BS at daylight saving time 42. For this reason, in order to use a program for recalculating the time by the ink jet recording apparatus, it is necessary to unify the time expressions of the summer time start time TS and the summer time end time TE.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the range of the blank period 43 and the overlap period 44 changes according to the time expression of the summer time start time TS and the summer time end time TE shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. For convenience of explanation, the time set in the daylight saving time start time TS and the daylight saving time end time TE is defined as 2:00:00 (2:00 AM 00 seconds) on a specific day. First, when the summer time start time TS is the winter time 41, that is, the winter time reference 46w, and when the summer time start time TS is the summer time 42, that is, the summer time reference 46s are compared. In the case of the winter time reference 46w, since the time AW is set as the daylight saving time start TS, the blank period 43 is from 22:00 to 33:00 in winter time. On the other hand, in the case of the daylight saving time reference 46s, since the time AS is set as the daylight saving time start time TS, the blank period 43 is from 11:00 to 22:00 of the daylight saving time 42. Thereby, it can be seen that the range of the blank period 43 is shifted by one hour due to the difference in time expression.

  Next, when the summer time end TE is the winter time 41, that is, the winter time reference 47w, the summer time end TE is the summer time 42, that is, the summer time reference 47s is compared. In the case of the winter time reference 47w, since the time BW is set as the daylight saving time end TE, the overlap period 44 is from 22:00 to 33:00 in winter time. On the other hand, in the case of the daylight saving time reference 47s, since the time BS is set as the daylight saving time end TE, the overlapping period 44 is from 11:00 to 22:00 of the daylight saving time 42. Thereby, it can be seen that the range of the overlap period 44 is shifted by one hour due to the difference in time expression.

  As shown in FIG. 6, it can be seen that even if the same time is set, the summer time period 45, the blank period 43, and the overlap period 44 are affected by the difference in time expression. Therefore, in order to reduce setting mistakes, when setting the summer time start time TS and the summer time end time TE, the time expression is also set.

  7 to 12 are schematic diagrams illustrating examples of screens that are lit and displayed on the operation display unit 12 having the function of the touch panel 33 and the function of the display 34. Each screen allows the operator to input various information by operating a specific part of the operation display unit 12 having a function as a touch panel with a finger, and the input result is lit on the operation display unit 12. The

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the current time input display screen 51. This screen 51 has a current time input display unit 61 for displaying the current time in seconds. This screen 51 has an input display unit 62 for automatic summer time control mode for selecting whether or not to adopt daylight saving time control. Is provided. The input display section 62 has a portion displayed as “Yes” and a portion displayed as “No”, and constitutes an automatic control mode input means. When the portion of the input display unit 62 displayed as “present” is operated, when the current time is daylight saving time 42, the automatic summer time control mode is set so that the time is automatically printed on the substrate 10 based on the daylight saving time 42. Is set. Thus, during the daylight saving time period, when the current time is based on the winter time 41, a process of automatically proceeding for 1 hour is performed, and the result is displayed on the current time input display unit 61 as a time.

  By operating the input display section 62 of the screen 51, it is possible to set in advance whether or not to adopt automatic summer time control, and it is possible to perform summer time setting without interrupting the printing operation for the substrate 10 to be printed. . When the “determined” 60 displayed portion is operated after the “present” portion is operated, the fact that the automatic summer time control mode has been set is stored in the storage unit 32. On the other hand, when the “determined” 60 portion is operated after the “none” portion is operated, the daylight saving time automatic control mode is canceled and the current time input display portion 61 displays the time based on the winter time 41. The By operating the current time input display unit 61, the current time is changed or updated.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a part of a modification of the current time input display screen 51. When “Yes” in the input display unit 62 for automatic daylight saving control is operated, the text “Daylight saving time” is lit on the current time input display unit 61, and the color of the background portion 61a of the current time input display unit 61 is changed. It is different from other parts. In addition, an icon 63 indicating the daylight saving time period is displayed on the screen 51. Thus, by changing the screen display only during the daylight saving time period, the operator can visually determine the difference in time expression. When the portion displayed as “present” is operated, during daylight saving time, as shown in FIG. 8, the daylight saving character is turned on and the background portion 61a is turned on in a color different from the background color. Since these are not lit during winter time, FIG. 7 can also be referred to as a winter screen and FIG. 8 as a summer screen in terms of time.

  9A and 9B are schematic views showing specific examples of the period input display screen 52 for inputting and displaying the summer time period. Each period input display screen 52 has a summer time period input display section 64 for displaying the daylight saving time start time TS and the daylight saving time end time TE shown in FIG. 4, and the daylight saving time start time displayed on the input display section 64 is displayed. The contents of TS and end TE can be changed by operating a key portion not shown. As described above, the summer time period input display section 64 of the period input display screen 52 shown in FIG. 9 constitutes a summer time period input means for inputting the start time of summer time and the end time of summer time.

  A daylight saving time start time TS and a daylight saving time end time TE can be input on a weekly basis in the daylight saving time period input display section 64 shown in FIG. In FIG. 9A, 2:00 am on the second Sunday in March is the summer time start time TS with the winter time 41 as the reference, and the end TE is the morning of the first Sunday in November with the summer time 42 as the reference. 2 o'clock. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the daylight saving time start TS and end time TE are input and displayed based on the week and day of the week, each can be set by an item independent of the date of the calendar. Yes, there is an advantage that once set, there is no need to change the summer time period every year.

  The summer time period input display section 64 provided on the period input display screen 52 shown in FIG. 9B displays the daylight saving time start time TS and the daylight saving time end time TE in FIG. It is expressed by “hour”, “minute” and “time expression”. Such a display method has an advantage that the daylight saving time period is visually easy to understand because the calendar date is specifically displayed.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a modified example of the period input display screen 52. The period input display screen 52 is provided with a use region display unit 65 for displaying a use region where daylight saving time is adopted. The storage unit 32 shown in FIG. 3 stores data on the daylight saving time period 45 of each region, and the setting items for the use region include continent, country, and region. When these items are operated by the operator, the daylight saving time period of the area satisfying all the items is read from the storage unit 32, the daylight saving time conditions are set, and the set contents are displayed. In this way, by storing the summer time period data of each area in the storage unit 32 in advance, the trouble of inputting each item of the summer time start time TS and the summer time end time TE as shown in FIG. 9 is eliminated. Is done.

  FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic views showing modifications of the period input display screen 52 for inputting and displaying the summer time period. Each screen 52 is provided with a chart display unit 66 that displays the summer time period in a chart format in addition to the summer time period input display unit 64 that displays characters. The chart displayed on the chart display unit 66 has the time display format shown in FIG. The daylight saving time end TE is displayed on the daylight saving time input display section 64 shown in FIG. 11A, with the daylight saving time 42 as a reference, and the daylight saving time TE is displayed on the chart display section 66 corresponding to this. The time is displayed according to the chart. On the other hand, the daylight saving time end TE is displayed on the daylight saving time period input display unit 64 shown in FIG. 11B with reference to the winter time 41, and the chart display unit 66 correspondingly displays the daylight saving time end TE. TE is displayed as a time based on a chart based on winter time. As shown in FIG. 11, when the chart display unit 66 is provided, the daylight saving time start TS and the daylight saving time end TE are visually displayed automatically, so that setting errors in the daylight saving time period can be reduced.

  FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the period input display screen 52 for inputting and displaying the summer time period.

  The period input display screen 52 is provided with an offset input display section 67 for setting and displaying a time difference between summer time and winter time, that is, a time display width. The time to advance to the daylight saving time TS, that is, the value of the time display width, directly affects the range of the blank period 43 and the overlap period 44 shown in FIG. In many areas where the inkjet recording apparatus 11 is used, the clock display is advanced by 1 hour at the daylight saving time start TS. However, by operating the offset input display unit 67 as an offset time input means, The time to advance to the start time TS, that is, the offset time can be set to an arbitrary time. Thereby, even if the offset time advanced to TS at the start of daylight saving time becomes other than one hour, it is possible to flexibly cope with the change of the offset time by operating the offset input display unit 67. The offset input display section 67 has a portion for displaying time and a portion for displaying minutes.

  When daylight saving time control is performed as the print mode of the ink jet recording apparatus, the winter time is printed as the time on the printed material 10 printed at the winter time 41 indicated by reference characters I and V in FIG. The daylight saving time is printed on the substrate 10 printed at daylight saving time 42 indicated by II. On the other hand, when the current time is the overlap period 44, the same time is printed twice at the daylight saving time 42 indicated by symbol III and at the winter time 41 indicated by symbol IV. In other words, the printed object 10 that has been printed with time printed at daylight saving time 42 and that printed with time printed at winter time 41 are mixed. If it is attempted to strictly manage the traceability of the product on which the time is printed, that is, the substrate 10 including the time at which the print is made, as shown in FIG. 4, the number of products printed in the overlap period 44 is different at other times. Double the number of products printed. For this reason, when the product is determined based on the printing time, the printing time of the product in the overlap period 44 cannot be specified, and the traceability management between these times becomes insufficient. This problem always occurs when printing is performed using daylight saving time control.

  FIG. 13A is a schematic diagram showing a printed example of a product in the overlap period 44 as a comparative example. As shown in the figure, during the overlap period 44, the time printed based on daylight saving time and the time printed based on winter time are both printed as "01:15:00" and actually printed. The products printed at the same time are mixed even though the times differ from each other. For this reason, the printing time of the product in the overlap period 44 cannot be specified.

  FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram illustrating a specific example of a print pattern for a product in the overlap period 44.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, a daylight saving time mark “S” indicating a time expression is added to the end of the time for the time based on the daylight saving time 42 in the overlapping period 44, and a time based on the winter time is added to the end of the time. A winter time mark “W” indicating a time expression is added. As a result, the time expression is printed as “01:15:00” in the same manner as shown in FIG. 13A, but each time of the daylight saving time mark “S” or the winter time mark “W”. Since the expression mark is added, the product printing time in the overlapping period 44 can be accurately specified, and the traceability management of the product can be sufficiently performed. As a time expression mark, if it is a mark that can be identified by the product manufacturer or consumer, it may be marked as “Summer” or “Winter”, or may be marked with pictograms, etc. You may make it make the color of the ground of the part where is displayed differ.

  FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a time expression input display screen 53 for selecting a time expression mark, that is, a winter time mark and a daylight saving time mark application form.

  This screen 53 is provided with an automatic print content input display section 68. When printing is performed at a time based on daylight saving time 42, this input display section 68 displays that a daylight saving time mark “S” is added, When printing is performed at the time based on the winter time 41, it is displayed that the winter time mark “W” is added. When another mark is used as a mark representing time expression, another mark stored in the storage unit 32 in advance is selected by operating the automatic print content input display unit 68. Thus, the automatic print content input display unit 68 is a mark input means for inputting the contents of the summer time mark “S” and the winter time mark “W”.

  The time expression input display screen 53 is provided with a print mode input display unit 69. When the item “overlap period” in the print mode input display unit 69 is operated, the product printed in the overlap period 44 is “ A mark representing the time expression “S” or “W” is automatically printed at the end of the time. On the other hand, when the item “all periods” is operated, the time expression mark is displayed both when the time based on the winter time 41 including the overlap period 44 is printed and when the time based on the summer time 42 is printed. Is added. When the “none” item is operated, addition of a time expression mark is prohibited. Thus, the print mode input display unit 69 constitutes a print mode input means for setting the mark print mode for printing the summer time mark and the winter time mark and the non-print mode for not printing them. As described above, the print mode input display unit 69 serving as the print mode input unit switches the mode between the mode for printing the time expression mark only in the overlap period 44 and the mode for printing the time expression mark for the entire period. As a function.

  In each of the above-described screens, the input information is set by operating the part to which the character of decision 60 is attached, and stored in the storage unit 32 as product specific information.

  FIG. 15 is a main flowchart showing a time display control algorithm when it is set that the printing operation by the ink jet recording apparatus is executed in the daylight saving time automatic control mode.

  When the ink jet recording apparatus is activated, a subroutine for acquiring or reading various times shown in FIG. 4 is executed in step S1 as described later, and the current time T is acquired from the RTC 35 and its time expression is acquired (step S1). S2, S3). In step S4, it is determined whether or not automatic daylight saving time control has been changed since the previous time control. If not, the subroutine “time calculation without change” in step S5 is executed and changed as will be described later. If this is the case, as will be described later, a subroutine of “time calculation with change” in step S6 is executed. If it is determined in step S7 that the time expression of the current time T is winter time, the winter time is displayed as the current time T on the current time input display units 61 and 61a shown in FIGS. If it is determined that it is daylight saving time, daylight saving time is displayed as the current time T (steps S8 and S9).

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing an algorithm for resetting the current time when the current time T is newly input under the state where the daylight saving time automatic control mode is set.

  In steps S11 to S13, processing similar to that in steps S1 to S3 described above is executed to obtain a time expression of the current time T, and in step S14, the time S input by the screen operation is acquired. The input of the time for changing the current time can be performed by operating the parts displayed on the current time input display parts 61 and 61a shown in FIGS. When it is determined in step S15 that the time expression of the current time T is winter time, the range of the time S is determined in step S16. When it is determined NO in step S16, the time S is not in the summer time 42 range but in the winter time 41 range as shown in FIG. 4, so the RTC 35 is reset to the time S in step S17. If YES is determined in the step S16, the range of the time S is determined in a step S18. When it is determined YES in step S18, this time S is daylight saving time 42 as shown in FIG. 4, and it is necessary to change from winter time 41 to daylight saving time 42. Therefore, the time expression of time S in step S19 Is set to daylight saving time, and the RTC 35 is reset to time S in step S17. On the other hand, when it is determined NO in step S18, since the input time S is the blank period 43 as shown in FIG. 4, the routine exits without resetting the RTC 35 in step S20.

  If it is determined in step S15 that it is daylight saving time, the range of time S is determined in step S21. If YES is determined in this step S21, the time S is in the daylight saving time range 42 as shown in FIG. 4, so that the daylight saving time is set, and the RTC 35 is reset to the time S in step S22. When it is determined NO in step S21, the range of time S is determined in step S23. If it is determined NO in step S23, it is necessary to change from summer time to winter time, so the time expression is changed to winter time in step S24, and RTC 35 is reset to time S in step S22. On the other hand, when it is determined YES in step S23, the input time S is a blank period as shown in FIG. 4, and therefore the routine exits without resetting the RTC 35 in step S25.

  FIG. 17 is a main flowchart showing an algorithm for print control under the state where the daylight saving time automatic control mode is set.

  In steps S31 to S33, processing similar to that in steps S1 to S3 described above is executed to obtain a time expression of the current time T, and in step S34, a subroutine "time calculation without change" similar to step S5 is executed. . If it is determined in step S35 that the time expression is automatically printed, then in step S36, the "time T state acquisition" subroutine is executed as described later, and in step S37, "print content N acquisition" described later is executed. A subroutine is executed. In step S36, it is acquired whether the time T is in the summer time period 45, the blank period 43, or the overlap period 44. In step S37, the print content N indicating the time expression of the time T is acquired. As shown in FIG. 14, the print content N is a time expression mark “W” in winter time, and a time expression mark “S” in summer time.

  When it is determined in step S38 that the print content N is to be printed, the print content N indicating the time expression of the times T and W or S is printed. When it is determined in step S38 that the print content N is not printed, only the time T is printed. Is printed (steps S39 and S40). Thus, only the time T is printed when the “none” portion of the print mode input display portion 69 shown in FIG. 14 is operated and the non-print mode is set.

  FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing the “acquisition of various times” subroutine shown in step S1 and the like described above. In this subroutine, the time AW, AS, BW, BS, C˜ in FIG. 4 is obtained by using the formula of daylight saving time = winter time + 1 hour for the daylight saving time start TS and daylight saving time end TE shown in FIG. F is calculated.

  First, in step S41, the summer time start time TS and the summer time end time TE stored in the memory, that is, the storage unit 32, are read to acquire these times. In step S42, the time expression of the summer time start time TS is determined. If it is determined that the time expression is winter time, a summer time start AW based on winter time and a summer time start AS based on summer time are calculated in step S43. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S42 that the time expression is daylight saving time, the respective summer time start times AW and AS are calculated in step S44.

  In step S45, it is determined whether the time expression of TE at the end of daylight saving time is winter time or daylight saving time. If it is determined that it is winter time, BW and BS at the end of daylight saving time are calculated in step S46. If it is determined that there is, BW and BS at the end of summer time are calculated in step S47. Based on these calculation results, times F to C are calculated in step S48.

  FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of “time calculation without change” in steps S5 and S34 described above. When the automatic summer time control has not changed from the previous time control, the time expression of the time T is determined in step S51. If the time expression of the time T is winter time, each time is stored from the storage unit 32 in step S52. AW, BW, D, and F are read to acquire these values, and the range of time T is determined in step S53. In this step S53, YES is determined when the daylight saving time starts after the previous time control, so that the current time T has changed from winter time to summer time, but the time T is still in winter time. is there. In this case, step S54 is executed to calculate the time T and the time expression is set to daylight saving time.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S51 that the time expression of time T is daylight saving time, each time AS, BS, C, E is read from the storage unit 32 in step S55, and these values are acquired. In S56, the range of time T is determined. In step S56, NO is determined when the daylight saving time ends after the previous time control, and the current time has changed from summer time to winter time, but the time T is still in summer time. In this case, step S57 is executed to calculate the time T and the time expression is set to winter time.

  FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of “time calculation with change” in step S6 described above. If the automatic summer time control has changed since the previous time control, it is determined in step S61 whether the automatic summer time control has changed from “none” to “present”. When the state changes from “none” to “present”, the times AW, BW, D, and F are read from the storage unit 32 in step S62 to acquire these values, and the range of the time T is determined in step S63. To do. The determination of YES in step S63 is when summer time control is employed and the current time is in the daylight saving time range, but the time T is still in winter time. In this case, step S64 is executed to calculate the time T and the time expression is set to daylight saving time.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S61 that the daylight saving time automatic control has changed from “present” to “none”, the time expression of time T is determined in step S65. The time T is determined to be daylight saving time when summer time control is lost and the current time is now winter time, but the time T is still in summer time, and the time T needs to be winter time. Therefore, the process of step S66 is executed. If it is determined in step S65 that it is winter time, the routine is exited.

  FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of “obtain state at time T” in step S36 shown in FIG. 17 for obtaining whether the time T is in the summer time period, the blank period, or the overlapping period. .

  First, the time T calculated in step S71 is acquired, and the time expression of the time T is determined in step S72. When the time expression is determined to be winter time in step S72, each time AW, BW, D, F is acquired from the storage unit 32 in step S73, and the range of time T is determined in step S74. In step S74, YES is determined when the time T is within the daylight saving time period as shown in step S75, and NO is determined when the time T is outside the daylight saving time period as shown in step S76. is there. The range of time T is determined in step S77, and when it is determined in step S77 that time T is within the range, time T is a blank period (step S78). On the other hand, when it is determined that it is out of the range in step S77, the range of time T is determined in step S79, and when it is determined that it is within this range, time T is an overlapping period (step S80).

  If it is determined in step S72 that the time T is daylight saving time, each time AS, BS, C, E is acquired in step S81, and the range of the time T is determined in step S82. In this step S82, YES is determined when the time T is within the daylight saving time period as shown in step S83, and NO is determined when the time T is outside the daylight saving time period as shown in step S84. It is. In step S85, the range of time T is determined. If it is determined YES in step S85, time T is a blank period (step S86). On the other hand, if NO is determined in step S85, the range of time T is determined in step S87. When YES is determined in this step S87, the time T is an overlapping period (step S88).

  FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of “acquisition of print content N” showing the time expression of time T in step S37 shown in FIG.

  When the time expression of time T is acquired in step S91, and it is determined in step S92 that the time expression of time T is winter time, the letter “W” representing winter time is set as the automatic print content N in step S93. Is done. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S92 that the time expression of the time T is daylight saving time, the letter “S” representing daylight saving time is set as the automatic print content N in step S94. As for the marks representing the respective time expressions, the contents stored in advance in the storage unit 32 are read out by operating the automatic print content input display unit 68 shown in FIG.

  In step S95, based on the print mode input by the operation of the print mode input display unit 69 shown in FIG. It is determined whether printing is not performed. As a result, when printing is performed only during the overlap period 44, the print content N is printed only during the overlap period 44 as shown in step S96. When printing is performed during the entire period, the print content N is as shown in step S97. Printed during all winter and summer periods. On the other hand, when the time expression is not printed, only the time is printed on the assumption that the print content N is not printed as shown in step S98.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the time unit and the minute unit are printed as time on the substrate 10, only the time unit may be printed as time. An ink jet recording apparatus 11 shown in FIG. 1 includes an operation display unit having functions of a touch panel 33 and a display 34 in an apparatus main body 13 in which a print head 14 is connected by a conduit 14a and an ink container 22 is mounted therein. However, the operation display unit 12 may be arranged separately from the apparatus main body 13. Further, instead of the touch panel 33 for inputting various information, an operation board provided with input keys may be used. In that case, a display for displaying the input information is separated from the operation board. Will be provided.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... To-be-printed object, 11 ... Inkjet recording device, 12 ... Operation display part, 13 ... Apparatus main body, 14 ... Print head, 30 ... Control part, 31 ... Controller (Time printing control means, Time expression mark printing control means), 32 ... Storage unit (storage means) 33 ... Touch panel 34 ... Display 41 ... Winter time 42 ... Daylight saving time 43 ... Blank period 44 ... Overlap period 45 ... Summer time period 51 ... Current time input display screen 52 ... period input display screen, 53 ... time expression input display screen, 61 ... current time input display section, 64 ... daylight saving time period input display section, 65 ... use area display section, 66 ... chart display section, 67 ... offset input display section, 68: Automatic print content input display section, 69: Print mode input display section, TE: At the end of summer time, TS: At the start of summer time

Claims (11)

A charge control type ink jet recording apparatus that prints marks in a non-contact manner by ejecting ink particles onto a substrate,
A daylight saving time input means for inputting the time of daylight saving time start and daylight saving time end;
Storage means for storing the time of daylight saving time start and daylight saving time input by the daylight saving time input means;
During winter time from the end of daylight saving time to the start of daylight saving time, the time of the winter time is printed on the substrate, while during summer time from the start of daylight saving time to the end of daylight saving time, only the offset time from the winter time is printed on the substrate. Time printing control means for printing the time of the advanced daylight saving time,
When printing the time in the overlap period in which daylight saving time and winter time before the offset time before the end of daylight saving time overlap, a daylight saving time mark is displayed to indicate that it is daylight saving time until daylight saving time ends, while daylight saving time is printed. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a time expression mark printing control means for printing a winter time mark for indicating that it is a winter time after the end.   2. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the daylight saving time mark is printed when the time is printed during daylight saving time from the start of daylight saving time to the end of daylight saving time, and the winter time from the end of daylight saving time to the start of daylight saving time. An ink jet recording apparatus for printing the winter time mark when printing the time on the screen.   3. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mark printing mode for printing the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark when the time is printed on the substrate, the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a printing mode input means for setting a non-printing mode in which printing is not performed.   4. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising mark input means for inputting contents of the daylight saving time mark and the winter time mark.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the use area is determined based on a signal from the storage means in which the start time and the end time of the summer time corresponding to the use area of the inkjet recording apparatus are stored. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising: a use region display screen for displaying, and the use region display screen configured to input the daylight saving time period input means for inputting a start time and a daylight saving time end time.   6. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the storage means stores a start time and a summer time end time for a plurality of regions, and the use region display screen displays a plurality of regions. apparatus.   7. The automatic control mode according to claim 1, wherein when the current time is daylight saving time, the automatic control mode is set to a daylight saving time automatic control mode that automatically prints the time on a printing material based on daylight saving time. An ink jet recording apparatus comprising an input unit.   8. The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising offset time input means for inputting the offset time.   The inkjet recording apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the daylight saving time start time and the daylight saving time end time by the daylight saving time input means are input in units of weeks or months. apparatus.   The ink jet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input information input by each of the input means is displayed on a screen on a display.   11. The inkjet recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the summer time period display screen that displays the start of summer time and the end of summer time has a chart display unit that displays summer time and winter time in a chart. An ink jet recording apparatus.

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