Tape printer having spacing function

United States Patent m

Hirono et al.

[54] TAPE PRINTER HAVING SPACING FUNCTION

[75] Inventors: Kazubisa Hirono, Nagoya; Yasuyo

Ooshio; Takashi Ito, both of Nogoya, all of Japan

[73] Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha.
Nagoya, Japan

[21] Appl. No.: 506,648
[22] Filed: Jul. 25,1995

Related U.S. Patent Documents

Reissue of:

[64] Patent No.: 5,230,572
Issued: Jul. 27,1993

Appl. No.: 831,996
Filed: Feb. 6,1992

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Mar. 28, 1991 [JP] Japan 3-91491

[51] Int CI.6 B4U 19/14

[52] U.S. CI 400/3; 400/9; 400/10;

400/76

[58] Field of Search 400/1. 3. 9, 12,

400/61, 62, 63, 64, 70. 74, 76, 581. 615.2.

10

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,121^28 10/1978 Coweetal. .

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0364305 4/1990 European Pat. Off. .

1- 152070 6/1989 Japan .
2-62265 3/1990 Japan .

2- 106555 4/1990 Japan .

Primary Examiner—-John S. Hilten
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Oliff & Berridge

[57] ABSTRACT

A tape printer automatically expands an input character string up to the length of a desired printing range. Operating a fixed length key after input of printing data causes an indication, for example, "PRINTING LENGTH: 10" to appear. The "PRINTING LENGTH" indication is varied by, for example, rotating a character selecting dial. When a printing key is operated, an actually printable dot column count is determined from the selected printing length. The dot column count minus the total character width (dot column count required to print all desired characters) provides a margin space YS. If the margin space is equal to or greater than the total character spacing (i.e.. the number of inter-character positions), a new margin space YS is determined, and the character spacing value is incremented by one dot column. The characters are then printed on the printing tape using the spacing value thus obtained.

54 Claims, 33 Drawing Sheets