Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Hideaki Mamiya

Satoru Tobita

Yoshikane Matsumoto

Yuji Ohmura

When print mode of a printing device is switched to a print mode with a higher print speed, after the direction of shuttle movement is reversed, a time duration that driving current is applied to a reversing coil is increased, so that shuttle speed is increased to a target speed. A time duration that driving current is applied to a constant velocity coil is decreased accordingly. On the other hand, when the print mode is switched to a print mode with a lower print speed, the time duration that driving current is applied to the reversing coil is decreased, and the time duration that driving current is applied to the constant velocity coil is increased accordingly. In this way, the print modes of the printing device can be switched quickly without stopping printing operations, thereby enhancing throughput.

Method of switching print modes of printing device

A hammer bank mounted on direct drive bearings reciprocally moves along a shaft. Springs provided at each end of the shaft supplies repulsive force to the hammer bank. When sheet feed operations for a plurality of carriage returns are performed, the hammer bank is stopped at a predetermined position away from the springs. When the reciprocal movement of the hammer bank is restarted, the hammer bank is first moved to a reverse position where the repulsive force of the spring is in the maximum. Then, the hammer bank is accelerated by utilizing the repulsive force of the spring and restarts the reciprocal movement.

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Hitachinaka, Japan

Hideaki Mamiya