EP0012881B1 - Device for automatic margin setting in a typewriter in dependence upon the width, of the paper - Google Patents

Device for automatic margin setting in a typewriter in dependence upon the width, of the paper Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0012881B1
EP0012881B1 EP79104874A EP79104874A EP0012881B1 EP 0012881 B1 EP0012881 B1 EP 0012881B1 EP 79104874 A EP79104874 A EP 79104874A EP 79104874 A EP79104874 A EP 79104874A EP 0012881 B1 EP0012881 B1 EP 0012881B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
paper
sheet
platen
width
margin
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP79104874A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0012881A2 (en
EP0012881A3 (en
Inventor
Michael Leroy Krieg
Jr. Paul Aloysius Quinn
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International Business Machines Corp
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International Business Machines Corp
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Publication date
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Publication of EP0012881A2 publication Critical patent/EP0012881A2/en
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Publication of EP0012881B1 publication Critical patent/EP0012881B1/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J29/00—Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J29/42—Scales and indicators, e.g. for determining side margins

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device determining the margins of a sheet of paper printed in a typewriter and more particularly, a detection unit mounted on the carriage and an associated device for determining the width of the paper sheet and calculating margins equal to a predetermined proportion of the total detected width of the sheet of paper.
  • the margin stops are positioned by the movement of the indicator to correspond to the required margins of a letter of particular dimensions (for example, a letter comprising a given number of words).
  • a letter of particular dimensions for example, a letter comprising a given number of words.
  • the operator makes his choice of positions according to the width of the paper on which the printing is to take place. Pressing the keys chosen by the operator causes the corresponding start and end line position codes to be recorded on a recording medium.
  • the codes corresponding to the text to be printed are then recorded on said support without taking into account the format defined by said start and end line position codes.
  • the recording medium is then read to order the printing and all the lines are automatically printed according to the format defined by the said beginning and end of line codes being and head of the recording.
  • This device has no means for detecting the width of the paper and no means for automatically correlating the values of the margins with the detected width of the paper.
  • US Pat. No. 3,809,472 discloses a reprographic machine in which dimensions of the sheet driven in the machine are detected to control the exposure as a function of the lateral parts of the photoconductive drum not covered by the sheet. .
  • the prior art does not present the principle of detecting the width of a sheet to automatically control the establishment of proportional margins in a typewriter.
  • the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 20, No. 10, March 1978 describes an impression device in which a detection means, mounted on the printing carriage, detects the right edge of the paper while the print head is still upstream of said edge and at a predetermined distance from it. An audible signal alerts the operator of this detection. After this sound signal, the operator can still print a predetermined number of characters before printing is stopped.
  • This document therefore also does not present the principle of detecting the width of the paiper and automatically establishing the margins as a function of this width.
  • the purpose of the device of the present invention is to automatically establish the width of the margins on a sheet and more particularly, to automatically establish margins equal to a predetermined proportion of the total detected width of a sheet of paper.
  • the present invention uses a detector mounted on a carriage to detect the light transitions between the plate and the sheet of paper placed thereon.
  • the carriage-mounted detector starts scanning at the left edge of the stage. Assuming that the platen is darker than the paper, the detector detects a brightness transition at the left edge of the sheet and a transition reverse at the right edge of it. Scanning continues after the second light transition to compensate for the premature transition signals generated by the dark areas of the sheet of paper. The distance between the first and the second transition corresponds to the width of the sheet.
  • margins equal to a predetermined proportion of the total detected width of the sheet are automatically established.
  • the position of these margins on the sheet is determined by comparing the detected information indicated above with the information delivered by a detector mounted on a carriage, which determines the position of the carriage relative to the plate at each step of the carriage. From this comparison, the number of steps required for the carriage in its extreme left position to reach the left edge of the paper, the right edge of the paper and the two margins, is determined.
  • FIGS 1 and 2 show an ink jet printer 12 comprising inter alia, a carriage 14 on which is mounted a printing assembly.
  • the printing assembly comprises an ink jet printhead 16, the nozzle 18 of which emits an ink jet 20 towards the paper 22 carried by the plate 24.
  • the ink jet is formed by droplets generated by pressure variations affecting the ink jet in the print head 16.
  • the droplets forming the current 20 are "in flight" towards the plate 24, they are charged by the charging electrode 26, then they pass to the through deflection electrodes 28 before striking the paper 22 or any other print receiving medium carried by the plate 24.
  • the carriage 14 moves relative to the plate 24, in the two directions indicated by the double arrow 30, under the control of a drive assembly 32.
  • the drive assembly 32 comprises a DC motor 34 coupled suitably to the carriage 14 to ensure movement of said carriage relative to the print receiving medium.
  • the DC motor 34 is connected by a toothed belt 36 or the like, to a cable winding drum 38 carrying several turns of cable 40 each of whose two ends is respectively connected to one of the two opposite sides of the carriage 14 so that the rotation of the motor, in its direction, causes the movement of the carriage in one of the directions indicated by the double arrow 30.
  • a guide rod (not shown) carries and guides the carriage 14 during its movement over the entire length of the plate 24.
  • a blade switch 39 is mounted at each end of the plate 24 and these two switches are energized when the ink jet print head 16 carried by the carriage reaches their height.
  • a marking strip is used in association with a light emission and detection module 44 (ci- after referred to as the locating strip scanning unit), comprising a mirror 46, to indicate both the position of the carriage 14 and the direction of its movement.
  • slots are provided adjacent to the periphery of a transmitting wheel 48 driven by the motor 34, which pass through a coding unit formed by a light-emitting diode 50 or other equivalent element and d '' a phototransistor 52 so that a pulse is emitted by the phototransistor when passing a slot between the electro-diode luminescent and phototransistor.
  • the information signals obtained are processed in circuits not shown to be transformed into a control voltage for the motor 34. A more detailed explanation of this circuit can be found in European patent application No. 79103617.1 filed by the de- applicant on September 24, 1979.
  • the paper scanning unit 54 of the present invention is also placed on the carriage 14. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the unit 54 is mounted on the carriage 14 opposite the unit 44. The scanning unit 54 traverses the entire width of the sheet 22 and the length of the plate 24 during a scanning operation. Any conventional scanning unit capable of distinguishing between dark areas and bright areas and of recording the transitions between these areas could be used as a scanning unit 54.
  • FIG. 5 shows an assembly 55 of circuits forming a scanning unit meeting the requirements for the scanning unit 54.
  • This assembly 55 comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) 56 or similar light-emitting device and a phototransistor 58 connected together to form a Darlington assembly 60.
  • LED light-emitting diode
  • the phototransistor 58 detects any modification of the energy emitted by the LED diode 56 and reflected by the paper 22 or the plate 24 (depending on the position of the carriage 14 and the dimensions of the sheet carried by the plate). A modification is saved at each light transition (paper platinum or paper to platinum). A current signal is generated, then is transformed by the transistor 62 in a suitable voltage to be applied to a rocker of Schmitt 64. The digital output on the line 66 delivered by the rocker 64 in the form of a pulse by transition is applied to the scale 68 shown in Figure 3.
  • a start signal is applied to the flip-flops 68 and 72 by the line 70 when the carriage 14 begins its race along the length of the plate 24. (This signal can be seen at point 200 of the chronological diagram in FIG. 6).
  • the paper scanning unit 54 scans the dark area of the platen 24. The first transition appears when the scanning unit meets the left edge of the sheet 22.
  • the circuits 55 of the scanning unit paper generate an impulse at each transition, which is applied by line 66, to flip-flops 68, 72 and 74.
  • the positive edge of the transition signal on line 66 (fig. 3) , conditions flip-flops 72 and 74.
  • a left edge pulse leaves flip-flop 72 via line 76 to be applied to flip-flop 74 and to a register 102 which will be described later.
  • An inverter 78 is arranged between the circuits 55 of the paper scanning unit and the flip-flop 68 so that the trailing edge of a transition pulse conditions flip-flop 68 to cause the emission, on line 80, of a pulse indicating the end of a light zone / dark zone transition.
  • This pulse on line 80 will be treated in more detail later.
  • the scanning unit 44 of the labeling strip detects the position of the carriage at each step or position thereof and delivers this information by the lines 82 to a printing position counter 84. Consequently, the position on the marking strip 42 corresponding to the point where the left edge of the sheet of paper 22 has been detected on the plate 24, is recorded.
  • the ink jet print head 16 When the paper scanning unit 54 meets the left edge of the paper 22, the ink jet print head 16 is at a distance (x) from the left edge of the papiper 22 (see Figure 1).
  • a switch assembly 86, shown in Figures 3, and 7 is used to compensate for this offset (x) between the scanning unit 54 and the ink jet print head 16.
  • the switches shown in Figure 7 are conventional switches programmed to compensate for distance (x).
  • the offset (x) between the ink jet print head 16 and the paper scanning unit 54 corresponds to a count of nine marks on the marking strip 42. Thanks to the switch assembly 86 of FIG. 7, the ink jet print head 16 appears in the logic of FIGS.
  • This offset compensation account delivered by the switches 86 of FIG. 7 is applied to the two-complement circuit 88 which is part of an offset subtraction circuit 90.
  • An example of a 12-bit binary circuit, of complement two, is shown in Figure 8.
  • This two complement circuit is formed by a series of inverters and adders. When a binary word enters the inverters of the two's complement circuit 88, it is inverted and a "1" is added to it and this inverted word is transferred through a series of adders to give the sum in addition to two of the word.
  • the output of the two's complement circuit on line 92 passes to the adder 94 of the offset subtraction circuit 90 where it is subtracted from the information from the printing position counter 84 applied to the adder 94 by the line 96.
  • This subtraction operation is carried out due to the fact that the detector 44 of the labeling strip detects the position of the ink jet print head 16 relative to the platen at each count and not the position of the paper scanning unit 54 at each count along the registration strip 42.
  • the subtraction operation gives the true position of the left edge of the paper 22 relative to the print head 16.
  • a false right paper edge pulse is generated by flip-flop 74 on line 98 and applied to the right edge register 100 if a dark area (for example, a pre header -printed) on the paper 22 is scanned by the paper scanning unit 54.
  • a light zone / false dark zone transition pulse will be generated on line 66 and the flip-flop 74 as well as the other logic of FIGS. 3 and 4 will believe that the right edge of the paper 22 has been detected.
  • the light zone / dark zone transition pulse appears at point 202 on the curve referenced "transitions”.
  • a left edge pulse 204 was generated when the dark zone / light zone transition pulse 206 appeared.
  • a right edge pulse 208 is generated when the light zone / dark zone transition pulse 202 is generated by circuit 55 of the paper scanning unit.
  • the flip-flop 68 stores an end of light zone / dark zone transition pulse and transmits this indication by line 80 to the AND gate 104. This end pulse transition from light area to dark area is shown in point 210 of the "completion" line in the time diagram in Figure 6.
  • a dark area / bright area transition pulse will be generated by circuit 55 of the paper scanning unit (we can see it at point 212 in figure 6) and applied by line 66 to gate ET 104.
  • This high level pulse combined on gate 104 with the other high level pulse (false light zone / dark zone transition end pulse) from flip-flop 68, will cause the application of a low level pulse on line 106 (because the output of the door 104 is inverted), which will consist of a deconditioning signal for the flip-flop 74 and the straight edge register 100.
  • this dark zone / light zone transition pulse indicates to the system and to the associated logic that the zone transition signal bright / dark area
  • the previous one (which would correspond to the right edge of sheet 22) was a false signal and they should expect to receive another light zone / dark zone transition signal.
  • This false value is unconditioned or erased from flip-flop 74 and from the straight edge register 100 by unconditioning signal applied on line 106.
  • such a deconditioning signal 214 is generated each time that a dark zone / light zone transition appears (for example when the paper scanning unit 54 meets all of first the left edge of the paper 22 and after the writing on the sheet has triggered a light zone / dark zone (false) transition pulse.
  • the output 108 of the flip-flop 74 which is applied to the AND gate 110 remains at the high level until the right edge of the paper 22 is detected. Each time the right edge of the paper 22 is detected, an output 98 appears at the flip-flop 74. This output 98 is applied to the register of straight edges 100. In the chronological diagram of FIG. 6, it can be seen that each time the signal right edge goes high or a light zone / dark zone transition appears, the signal carried by line 108 will always be opposite to it. The left edge output pulse from flip-flop 72 through line 76 has already been applied to the left edge register 102 at this time.
  • a pulse applied to the flip-flop 74 by the line 66 causes the delivery on the line 98 of a right edge signal which will be recorded in the right edge register 100.
  • This light zone / dark zone transition pulse appears at point 215 on the line of transitions in FIG. 6.
  • an output 112 of the right edge register 100 will be applied to selector 114.
  • This selector may for example be the selector / multiplexer marketed by TEXAS INSTRUMENT under No. 74157. From selector 114, this signal for detecting a straight edge of the sheet is applied by line 116 to the paper width subtraction circuit 118.
  • This signal appears on line 122 which is applied to the selector 114.
  • the selector 114 receives a counter signal by line 96 from the printing position counter 84, which corresponds to the position where the right margin blade switch 39 has been energized.
  • the output of selector 114 is again delivered to line 116.
  • the two-complement circuit 124 and the addition circuit 126 of the paper width subtraction circuit 118 are practically similar to the two-complement and addition circuits of the offset subtraction circuit 90.
  • the value stored in the register of left edges 102 is applied to the paper width subtraction circuit 118 by line 128 and is subtracted from the right edge value selected from the selector 114 which is applied to the paper width subtraction circuit 118 by line 116
  • the value of the difference delivered by the circuit 118 corresponds to the actual detected width of the paper 22.
  • This output is applied by the line 130 to the comparator 132 (see FIG. 4). As seen in Figure 9, the bottom three bits of the 12-bit signal on line 130, between adder 126 and comparator 132, went low to form what is called a division circuit by eight.
  • This circuit divides the value of the width of the paper by eight where, in other words, 12.50% of the width of the paper 22 will be reserved for the margins. Proportional margins for the sheet of paper 22 carried by the plate 24 of Figure 1 can thus be determined. It is obvious that different proportional margins could be created by going to the low level of the different numbers of bits of the 12-bit signal appearing on line 130. For example, the three bits indicated by (y) in figure 9 have only been set low to show how proportional margins can be created for the sheet of paper carried by the stage.
  • FIG. 10 the switching circuit 134 corresponding to block 134 of Figure 4, which determines the maximum size of the margins for the sheet 22.
  • a desired maximum margin width is therefore programmed by the switches 134 of FIG. 10 (the switches shown are conventional TTL switches).
  • the value programmed by the maximum margin width switches 134 has been established with a decimal count of 300, that is to say that 30 mm of margin is left on each side of the sheet 22. This value was chosen assuming that each mark on the marking strip 42 of Figure-1, represents 0.1 mm.
  • a maximum margin value always appears on line 136 and is applied to comparator 132.
  • This maximum margin value is compared in comparator 132 to the proportional margin width which is applied to comparator 132 by line 130. If the width of proportional margin is less than the maximum margin width, the comparator 132 delivers a signal via line 138 to the selector 140 so that the latter accepts the value of the proportional margin on line 130. If the proportional margin width exceeds the width maximum margin, the comparator 132 causes the selector, via line 138, to accept the maximum margin value on line 136. (The selector 140 is practically similar to the selector 114 which was discussed above). Whatever the margin width accepted by the selector 140, its output will be applied to line 142.
  • the margin width carried by line 142 is applied to adder 144 where it is combined with the detected width of the left edge of the paper, on line 128. The combination of these two values gives the output of adder 144 , the actual position of the left margin for the particular sheet of paper 22 placed on the plate 24.
  • the value of the right edge of the paper on line 116 from the selector 114 is applied to the adder 146 where it is combined with the value of margin on the line 142 from the selector 140. Before the combination of these two values, the value carried by the line 142 crosses the two-complement circuit 148.
  • the adder 146 and the circuit 148 form a subtraction circuit 150 which is practically similar to the subtraction circuit 90. In fact , the input value to circuit 148 is subtracted from the value indicating the position of the right edge of the sheet, entering via line 116 in the adder 146.
  • the output of the adder 146 indicates the position of the margin right of sheet 22.

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Description

Domains techniqueTechnical areas

La présente invention concerne un dispositif déterminant les marges d'une feuille de papier imprimée dans une machine à écrire et plus particulièrement, une unité de détection montée sur le chariot et un dispositif associé pour déterminer la largeur de la feuille de papier et calculer des marges égales à une proportion prédéterminée de la largeur totale détectée de la feuille de papier.The present invention relates to a device determining the margins of a sheet of paper printed in a typewriter and more particularly, a detection unit mounted on the carriage and an associated device for determining the width of the paper sheet and calculating margins equal to a predetermined proportion of the total detected width of the sheet of paper.

Etat de la technique antérieureState of the prior art

Jusqu'à maintenant, la largeur des marges d'une feuille de papier imprimée dans une machine à écrire a toujours été pratiquement entièrement déterminée par l'opérateur de la machine. Pour une feuille de dimensions classiques, cela ne présente pas de problème. Cependant, dans le cas où des feuilles de papier de largeurs différentes sont utilisées, le nombre des marges différentes est pratiquement aussi élévé que celui des feuilles. On connaît dans l'art antérieur des dispositifs permettant l'établissement de marges préprogrammées. Par exemple, on présente dans le brevet US-A-3 020 996 un dispositif optique détectant les marques portées par une feuille pour commander le calage des tabulateurs. Le dispositif présenté dans ce brevet permet également l'établissement mécanique des marges. Le dispositif présenté dans le brevet US-A-3 785 471 assure l'établissement automatique des marges gauche et droite selon la position d'un indicateur de point central. Les butées de marge sont positionnées par le mouvement de l'indicateur pour correspondre aux marges requises d'une lettre de dimensions particulières (par exemple, une lettre comportant un nombre donné de mots). Bien qu'une certaine forme de détection soit présentée dans le premier brevet des E.U.A. cité (US-A-3.020.996) et que l'établissement automatique d'une marge soit présenté dans le deuxième, le principe de la détection de la largeur de la feuille et l'établissement automatique de la merge selon la largeur de ladite feuille précédemment détectée, ne sont pas connus dans l'art antérieur. Un autre exemple de dispositif à établissement de marges préprogrammées est décrit dans le document DE-A-2 416 587. Ce dispositif comporte une pluralité de touches grâce auxquelles l'opérateur peut choisir des positions prédéterminées de début et de fin de la ligne d'impression. L'opérateur fait son choix de positions en fonction de la largeur du papier sur lequel l'impression doit avoir lieu. L'enfoncement des touches choisies par l'opérateur provoque l'enregistrement de codes de positions de début et fin de ligne correspondants, sur un support d'enregistrement. Les codes correspondants au texte à imprimer sont ensuite enregistrés sur ledit support sans tenir compte du format défini par lesdits codes de positions de début et fin de ligne. Le support d'enregistrement est ensuite lu pour commander l'impression et toutes les lignes sont automatiquement imprimées selon le format défini par lesdits codes de début et fin de ligne se trouvant et tête de l'enregistrement.Until now, the width of the margins of a sheet of paper printed in a typewriter has always been almost entirely determined by the operator of the machine. For a sheet of conventional dimensions, this presents no problem. However, in the case where sheets of paper of different widths are used, the number of different margins is almost as large as that of the sheets. Are known in the prior art devices for establishing preprogrammed margins. For example, in US Pat. No. 3,020,996 there is presented an optical device detecting the marks carried by a sheet for controlling the setting of the tabulators. The device presented in this patent also allows the mechanical establishment of the margins. The device presented in patent US-A-3 785 471 ensures the automatic establishment of the left and right margins according to the position of a center point indicator. The margin stops are positioned by the movement of the indicator to correspond to the required margins of a letter of particular dimensions (for example, a letter comprising a given number of words). Although some form of detection is presented in the first U.S. patent. cited (US-A-3,020,996) and that the automatic establishment of a margin is presented in the second, the principle of detecting the width of the sheet and the automatic establishment of the margin according to the width of said leaf previously detected, are not known in the prior art. Another example of a device for establishing preprogrammed margins is described in document DE-A-2 416 587. This device comprises a plurality of keys by means of which the operator can choose predetermined start and end positions of the line. impression. The operator makes his choice of positions according to the width of the paper on which the printing is to take place. Pressing the keys chosen by the operator causes the corresponding start and end line position codes to be recorded on a recording medium. The codes corresponding to the text to be printed are then recorded on said support without taking into account the format defined by said start and end line position codes. The recording medium is then read to order the printing and all the lines are automatically printed according to the format defined by the said beginning and end of line codes being and head of the recording.

Ce dispositif ne comporte aucun moyen de détection de la largeur du papier et aucun moyen permettant de corréler automatiquement les valeurs des marges à la largeur détectée du papier.This device has no means for detecting the width of the paper and no means for automatically correlating the values of the margins with the detected width of the paper.

On connaît dans l'art antérieur le principe de l'utilisation des dimensions détectées d'une feuille pour commander une fonction de la machine. Par exemple, le brevet US-A-3 809 472 présente une machine repro- graphique dans laquelle des dimensions de la feuille entraînée dans la machine, sont détectées pour commander l'exposition en fonction des parties latérales du tambour photoconducteur non recouvertes par la feuille.The principle of using the detected dimensions of a sheet to control a function of the machine is known in the prior art. For example, US Pat. No. 3,809,472 discloses a reprographic machine in which dimensions of the sheet driven in the machine are detected to control the exposure as a function of the lateral parts of the photoconductive drum not covered by the sheet. .

Ici encore, l'art antérieur ne présente pas le principe de la détection de la largeur d'une feuille pour commander automatiquement l'établissement de marges proportionnelles dans une machine à écrire.Here again, the prior art does not present the principle of detecting the width of a sheet to automatically control the establishment of proportional margins in a typewriter.

Le document IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 20, No. 10, mars 1978, décrit un dispositif d'impresion dans lequel un moyen de détection, monté sur le chariot d'impression, détecte le bord droit du papier alors que la tête d'impression se trouve encore en amont dudit bord et à une distance prédéterminée de ce dernier. Un signal sonore avise l'opérateur de cette détection. Après ce signal sonore, l'opérateur peut encore imprimer un nombre prédéterminé de caractères avant que l'impression ne soit stoppée.The IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 20, No. 10, March 1978, describes an impression device in which a detection means, mounted on the printing carriage, detects the right edge of the paper while the print head is still upstream of said edge and at a predetermined distance from it. An audible signal alerts the operator of this detection. After this sound signal, the operator can still print a predetermined number of characters before printing is stopped.

Ce document ne présente donc pas non plus le principle de la détection de la largeur du paiper et l'établissement automatiquement des marges en fonction de cette largeur.This document therefore also does not present the principle of detecting the width of the paiper and automatically establishing the margins as a function of this width.

Exposé de l'inventionStatement of the invention

Le dispositif de la présente invention a pour but d'établier automatiquement la largeur des marges sur une feuille et plus particulièrement, d'établir automatiquement des marges égales à une proportion prédéterminée de la largeur totale détectée d'une feuille de papier.The purpose of the device of the present invention is to automatically establish the width of the margins on a sheet and more particularly, to automatically establish margins equal to a predetermined proportion of the total detected width of a sheet of paper.

Dans. la présente invention, on utilise un détecteur monté sur chariot, pour détecter les transitions de luminosité entre la platine et la feuille de papier placée sur celle-ci. Le détecteur monté sur chariot amorce un balayage au bord gauche de la platine. En supposant que la platine est plus sombre que le papier, le détecteur détecte une transition de luminosité au bord gauche de la feuille et une transition inverse au bord droit de celle-ci. Le balayage se poursuit après la deuxième transition lumineuse pour compenser les signaux de transition prématurés générés par les zones sombres de la feuille de papier. La distance entre la première et la deuxième transition correspond à la largeur de la feuille.In. The present invention uses a detector mounted on a carriage to detect the light transitions between the plate and the sheet of paper placed thereon. The carriage-mounted detector starts scanning at the left edge of the stage. Assuming that the platen is darker than the paper, the detector detects a brightness transition at the left edge of the sheet and a transition reverse at the right edge of it. Scanning continues after the second light transition to compensate for the premature transition signals generated by the dark areas of the sheet of paper. The distance between the first and the second transition corresponds to the width of the sheet.

Après que la largeur de la feuille ait été déterminée, des marges égales à une proportion prédéterminée de la largeur totale détectée de la feuille, sont automatiquement établies. La position de ces marges sur la feuille est déterminée en comparent les informations détectées indiquées ci-dessus aux informations délivrées par un détecteur monté sur chariot, qui détermine la position de chariot par rapport à la platine à chaque pas du chariot. D'après cette comparaison, le nombre de pas requis pour que le chariot dans sa position extrême gauche atteigne le bord gauche du papier, le bord droit du papier ainsi que les deux marges, est déterminé.After the width of the sheet has been determined, margins equal to a predetermined proportion of the total detected width of the sheet are automatically established. The position of these margins on the sheet is determined by comparing the detected information indicated above with the information delivered by a detector mounted on a carriage, which determines the position of the carriage relative to the plate at each step of the carriage. From this comparison, the number of steps required for the carriage in its extreme left position to reach the left edge of the paper, the right edge of the paper and the two margins, is determined.

Brève description des figures des dessins

  • La figure 1 est une représentation schématique d'un chariot d'imprimante et du dispositif de balayage monté sur celui-ci, selon l'invention.
  • La figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une partie du dispositif de la figure 1 ;
  • Les figures 3 et 4 prises ensemble représentent schématiquement le dispositif, de la présente invention, délivrant une sortie indiquant les marges gauche et droite d'une feuille de papier balayée.
  • La figure 5 est une représentation schématique du circuit du dispositif de balayage monté sur le chariot représenté sur la figure 1.
  • La figure 6 est un diagramme chronologique du fonctionnement du dispositif d'établissement de marges des figures 3 et 4.
  • La figure 7 est un schéma du circuit de commutation représenté par le bloc 86 dans la figure 3.
  • La figure 8 représente les circuits logiques des blocs de complément à deux illustrés schématiquement par les blocs 88 et 124 sur la figure 3.
  • La figure 9 est une représentation schématique d'un circuit de division par huit disposé entre le circuit de soustraction de largeur du papier 126 et l'unité de comparison 132 des figures 3 et 4.
  • La figure 10 est une représentation schématique du circuit représenté par le bloc 134 dans la figure 4.
Brief description of the figures in the drawings
  • Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a printer carriage and the scanning device mounted thereon, according to the invention.
  • Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of the device of Figure 1;
  • Figures 3 and 4 taken together schematically represent the device, of the present invention, delivering an output indicating the left and right margins of a scanned sheet of paper.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the circuit of the scanning device mounted on the carriage shown in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 6 is a chronological diagram of the operation of the device for establishing margins in FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • FIG. 7 is a diagram of the switching circuit represented by block 86 in FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 8 represents the logic circuits of the two complement blocks illustrated schematically by blocks 88 and 124 in FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a division by eight circuit arranged between the paper width subtraction circuit 126 and the comparison unit 132 of FIGS. 3 and 4.
  • FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of the circuit represented by block 134 in FIG. 4.

Description d'un mode de réalisation préféré de l'inventionDescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention

On se reportera aux figures 1 et 2, lesquelles représentent une imprimante à jet d'encre 12 comprenant entre autres, un chariot 14 sur lequel est monté un ensemble d'impression. L'ensemble d'impression comprend une tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 dont la buse 18 émet un jet d'encre 20 vers le papier 22 porté par la platine 24. Le jet d'encre est formé de gouttelettes engendrées par des variations de pression affectant le jet d'encre dans la tête d'impression 16. Lorsque les gouttelettes formant le courant 20 sont "en vol" vers la platine 24, elles sont chargées par l'électrode de charge 26, puis elles passent au travers des électrodes de déviation 28 avant de frapper le papier 22 ou tout autre milieu de réception d'impression porté par la platine 24.Referring to Figures 1 and 2, which show an ink jet printer 12 comprising inter alia, a carriage 14 on which is mounted a printing assembly. The printing assembly comprises an ink jet printhead 16, the nozzle 18 of which emits an ink jet 20 towards the paper 22 carried by the plate 24. The ink jet is formed by droplets generated by pressure variations affecting the ink jet in the print head 16. When the droplets forming the current 20 are "in flight" towards the plate 24, they are charged by the charging electrode 26, then they pass to the through deflection electrodes 28 before striking the paper 22 or any other print receiving medium carried by the plate 24.

Le chariot 14 se déplace par rapport à la platine 24, dans les deux sens indiqués par la double flèche 30, sous la commande d'un ensemble d'entraînement 32. L'ensemble d'entraînement 32 comprend un moteur à courant continu 34 couplé d'une manière appropriée au chariot 14 pour assurer le mouvement dudit chariot par rapport au milieu de réception d'impression. Comme on le voit sur la figure 1, le moteur à courant continu 34 est raccordé par une courroie crantée 36 ou autre élément similaire, à un tambour d'enroulement de câble 38 portant plusieurs tours de câble 40 dont chacune des deux extrémités est respectivement raccordée à l'un des deux côtés opposés du chariot 14 de façon que la rotation du moteur, suivant son sens, provoque le mouvement du chariot dans l'un des sens indiqués par la double flèche 30. Une tige de guidage (non représentée) porte et guide le chariot 14 lors de son mouvement sur toute la longueur de la platine 24. Un commutateur à lame 39 est monté à chaque extrémité de la platine 24 et ces deux commutateurs sont excités lorsque la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 portée par le chariot arrive à leur hauteur.The carriage 14 moves relative to the plate 24, in the two directions indicated by the double arrow 30, under the control of a drive assembly 32. The drive assembly 32 comprises a DC motor 34 coupled suitably to the carriage 14 to ensure movement of said carriage relative to the print receiving medium. As seen in Figure 1, the DC motor 34 is connected by a toothed belt 36 or the like, to a cable winding drum 38 carrying several turns of cable 40 each of whose two ends is respectively connected to one of the two opposite sides of the carriage 14 so that the rotation of the motor, in its direction, causes the movement of the carriage in one of the directions indicated by the double arrow 30. A guide rod (not shown) carries and guides the carriage 14 during its movement over the entire length of the plate 24. A blade switch 39 is mounted at each end of the plate 24 and these two switches are energized when the ink jet print head 16 carried by the carriage reaches their height.

Pour s'assurer que la position du chariot est correcte par rapport au début de l'impression et que le mouvement dudit chariot par rapport au papier 22 se fait dans le bon sens, un moyen est prévu pour localiser le chariot à n'importe quel moment pendant son mouvement d'ans l'un ou l'autre des sens indiqués par la double flèche 30. Dans ce but, on utilise une bande de repérage en association avec un module d'émission et de détection de lumière 44 (ci-après dénommé unité de balayage de bande de repèrage), comprenant un miroir 46, pour indiquer à la fois la position du chariot 14 et le sens de son mouvement. Une description plus détaillée de la bande de repérage et de son unité de balayage associée pourra être trouvée dans les demandes de brevets européens Nos. 79101561.3 et 79101719.7 déposées par la demanderesse le 28 juin 1979.To ensure that the position of the carriage is correct relative to the start of printing and that the movement of said carriage relative to the paper 22 is in the right direction, means are provided for locating the carriage at any moment during its movement in one or other of the directions indicated by the double arrow 30. For this purpose, a marking strip is used in association with a light emission and detection module 44 (ci- after referred to as the locating strip scanning unit), comprising a mirror 46, to indicate both the position of the carriage 14 and the direction of its movement. A more detailed description of the tracking strip and its associated scanning unit can be found in European patent applications Nos. 79101561.3 and 79101719.7 filed by the plaintiff on June 28, 1979.

Afin de déterminer la vitesse du moteur 34, on a prévu des fentes adjacentes à la périphérie d'une roue émettrice 48 entrainée par le moteur 34, qui passent dans une unité de codage formée d'une diode électroluminescente 50 ou autre élément équivalent et d'un phototransistor 52 de façon qu'une impulsion soit émise par le phototransistor lors du passage d'une fente entre la diode électroluminescente et le phototransistor. Les signaux d'information obtenus sont traités dans des circuits non représentés pour être transformés en une tension de commande pour le moteur 34. Une explication plus détaillée de ce circuit pourra être trouvée dans la demande de brevet européen No. 79103617.1 déposée par la de- mandereresse le 24 septembre 1979.In order to determine the speed of the motor 34, slots are provided adjacent to the periphery of a transmitting wheel 48 driven by the motor 34, which pass through a coding unit formed by a light-emitting diode 50 or other equivalent element and d '' a phototransistor 52 so that a pulse is emitted by the phototransistor when passing a slot between the electro-diode luminescent and phototransistor. The information signals obtained are processed in circuits not shown to be transformed into a control voltage for the motor 34. A more detailed explanation of this circuit can be found in European patent application No. 79103617.1 filed by the de- applicant on September 24, 1979.

L'unité de balayage du papier 54 de la présente invention est également disposée sur le chariot 14. Ainsi que le montrent les figures 1 et 2, l'unité 54 est montée sur le chariot 14 à l'opposé de l'unité 44. L'unité de balayage 54 parcourt toute la largeur de la feuille 22 et la longueur de la platine 24 pendant une opération de balayage. Toute unité de balayage classique capable de faire la distinction entre des zones sombres et des zones lumineuses et d'enregistrer les transitions entre ces zones pourrait être utilisée en tant qu'unité de balayage 54. La figure 5 représente un ensemble 55 de circuits formant une unité de balayage satisfaisant aux exigences requises pour l'unité de balayage 54. Cet ensemble 55 comprend une diode électroluminescente (LED) 56 ou dispositif électroluminescent similaire et un phototransistor 58 connectés ensemble pour former un ensemble de Darlington 60. En fonctionnement, le phototransistor 58 détecte toute modification de l'énergie émise par la diode LED 56 et réflécheie par le papier 22 ou la platine 24 (suivant la position du chariot 14 et les dimensions de la feuille portée par la platine). Une modification est enregistrée à chaque transition lumineuse (platine à papier ou papier à platine). Un signal de courant est généré, puis est transformé par le transistor 62 en une tension appropriée pour être appliquée à une bascule de Schmitt 64. La sortie numérique sur la ligne 66 délivrée par la bascule 64 sous la forme d'une impulsion par transition est appliquée à la bascule 68 représentée sur la figure 3.The paper scanning unit 54 of the present invention is also placed on the carriage 14. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the unit 54 is mounted on the carriage 14 opposite the unit 44. The scanning unit 54 traverses the entire width of the sheet 22 and the length of the plate 24 during a scanning operation. Any conventional scanning unit capable of distinguishing between dark areas and bright areas and of recording the transitions between these areas could be used as a scanning unit 54. FIG. 5 shows an assembly 55 of circuits forming a scanning unit meeting the requirements for the scanning unit 54. This assembly 55 comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) 56 or similar light-emitting device and a phototransistor 58 connected together to form a Darlington assembly 60. In operation, the phototransistor 58 detects any modification of the energy emitted by the LED diode 56 and reflected by the paper 22 or the plate 24 (depending on the position of the carriage 14 and the dimensions of the sheet carried by the plate). A modification is saved at each light transition (paper platinum or paper to platinum). A current signal is generated, then is transformed by the transistor 62 in a suitable voltage to be applied to a rocker of Schmitt 64. The digital output on the line 66 delivered by the rocker 64 in the form of a pulse by transition is applied to the scale 68 shown in Figure 3.

Un signal de démarrage est appliqué aux bascules 68 et 72 par la ligne 70 lorsque le chariot 14 commence sa course sur la longuer de la platine 24. (On peut voir ce signal au point 200 du diagramme chronologique de la figure 6). A cet instant, l'unité de balayage du papier 54 balaie la zone sombre de la platine 24. La première transition apparaît lorsque l'unité de balayage rencontre le bord gauche de la feuille 22. Les circuits 55 de l'unité de balayage du papier génèrent une impulsion à chaque transition, laquelle est appliquée par la ligne 66, aux bascules 68, 72 et 74. Lorsque le bord gauche du papier 22 est détecté, le bord positif du signal de transition sur la ligne 66 (fig. 3), conditionne les bascules 72 et 74. A la suite de cela, une impulsion de bord gauche quitte la bascule 72 par la ligne 76 pour être appliquée à la bascule 74 et à un registre 102 qui sera décrit ultérieurement.A start signal is applied to the flip-flops 68 and 72 by the line 70 when the carriage 14 begins its race along the length of the plate 24. (This signal can be seen at point 200 of the chronological diagram in FIG. 6). At this instant, the paper scanning unit 54 scans the dark area of the platen 24. The first transition appears when the scanning unit meets the left edge of the sheet 22. The circuits 55 of the scanning unit paper generate an impulse at each transition, which is applied by line 66, to flip-flops 68, 72 and 74. When the left edge of paper 22 is detected, the positive edge of the transition signal on line 66 (fig. 3) , conditions flip-flops 72 and 74. Following this, a left edge pulse leaves flip-flop 72 via line 76 to be applied to flip-flop 74 and to a register 102 which will be described later.

Un inverseur 78 est disposé entre les circuits 55 de l'unité de balayage du papier et la bascule 68 de façon que le bord arrière d'une impulsion de transition conditionne la bascule 68 pour provoquer l'émission, sur la ligne 80, d'une impulsion indiquant la fin d'une transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre. La fonction de cette impulsion sur la ligne 80 sera traitée plus en détail ultérieurement.An inverter 78 is arranged between the circuits 55 of the paper scanning unit and the flip-flop 68 so that the trailing edge of a transition pulse conditions flip-flop 68 to cause the emission, on line 80, of a pulse indicating the end of a light zone / dark zone transition. The function of this pulse on line 80 will be treated in more detail later.

Comme indiqué précédemment, l'unité de balayage 44 de la bande de repérage détecte la position du chariot à chaque pas ou position de celui-ci et délivre cette information par les lignes 82 à un compteur de position d'impression 84. En conséquence, la position sur la bande de repérage 42 correspondant au point où le bord gauche de la feuille de papier 22 a été détecté sur la platine 24, est enregistrée.As indicated previously, the scanning unit 44 of the labeling strip detects the position of the carriage at each step or position thereof and delivers this information by the lines 82 to a printing position counter 84. Consequently, the position on the marking strip 42 corresponding to the point where the left edge of the sheet of paper 22 has been detected on the plate 24, is recorded.

Lorsque l'unité de balayage du papier 54 rencontre le bord gauche du papier 22, la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 est à une distance (x) du bord gauche du papiper 22 (voir figure 1). Un ensemble de commutation 86, représenté sur les figures 3, et 7 est utilisé pour compenser ce décalage (x) entre l'unité de balayage 54 et la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16. Les commutateurs représentés sur la figure 7 sont des commutateurs classiques programmés pour compenser la distance (x). A titre d'exemple, le décalage (x) entre la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 et l'unité de balayage du papier 54 correspond à un compte de neuf repères sur la bande de repérage 42. Grâce à l'ensemble de commutation 86 de la figure 7, la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 apparaît à la logique des figures 3 et 4, comme étant au bord gauche du papier 22 bien qu'elle soit à neuf repères de bande de repérage à la droite du bord gauche du papier 22 à cet instant particulier. Ce compte de compensation du décalage délivré par les commutateurs 86 de la figure 7 est appliqué au circuit de complément à deux 88 qui fait partie d'un circuit de soustraction de décalage 90. Un exemple d'un circuit binaire à 12 bits, de complément à deux, est représenté à la figure 8. Ce circuit de complément à deux est formé d'une série d'inverseurs et d'additionneurs. Lorsqu'un mot binaire pénère dans les inverseurs du circuit de complément à deux 88, il est inversé et un "1" lui est ajouté et ce mot inversé est transféré au travers d'une série d'additionneurs pour donner la somme en complément à deux du mot. La sortie du circuit de complément à deux sur la ligne 92 passe à l'additionneur 94 du circuit de soustraction de décalage 90 où elle est soustraite de l'information issue du compteur de positions d'impression 84 appliquée à l'additionneur 94 par la ligne 96. Cette opération de soustraction est effectuée en raison du fait que le détecteur 44 de la bande de repérage détecte la position de la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 par rapport à la platine à chaque compte et non la position de l'unité de balayage du papier 54 à chaque compte le long de la bande de repèrage 42. L'opération de soustraction donne la position vraie du bord gauche du papier 22 par rapport à la tête d'impression 16.When the paper scanning unit 54 meets the left edge of the paper 22, the ink jet print head 16 is at a distance (x) from the left edge of the papiper 22 (see Figure 1). A switch assembly 86, shown in Figures 3, and 7 is used to compensate for this offset (x) between the scanning unit 54 and the ink jet print head 16. The switches shown in Figure 7 are conventional switches programmed to compensate for distance (x). For example, the offset (x) between the ink jet print head 16 and the paper scanning unit 54 corresponds to a count of nine marks on the marking strip 42. Thanks to the switch assembly 86 of FIG. 7, the ink jet print head 16 appears in the logic of FIGS. 3 and 4, as being on the left edge of the paper 22 although it is nine marks from the labeling strip to the right of the left edge of the paper 22 at this particular time. This offset compensation account delivered by the switches 86 of FIG. 7 is applied to the two-complement circuit 88 which is part of an offset subtraction circuit 90. An example of a 12-bit binary circuit, of complement two, is shown in Figure 8. This two complement circuit is formed by a series of inverters and adders. When a binary word enters the inverters of the two's complement circuit 88, it is inverted and a "1" is added to it and this inverted word is transferred through a series of adders to give the sum in addition to two of the word. The output of the two's complement circuit on line 92 passes to the adder 94 of the offset subtraction circuit 90 where it is subtracted from the information from the printing position counter 84 applied to the adder 94 by the line 96. This subtraction operation is carried out due to the fact that the detector 44 of the labeling strip detects the position of the ink jet print head 16 relative to the platen at each count and not the position of the paper scanning unit 54 at each count along the registration strip 42. The subtraction operation gives the true position of the left edge of the paper 22 relative to the print head 16.

Lorsque le balayage se poursuit sur la largeur de la feuille 22, une impulsion de bord de papier droit fausse est générée par la bascule 74 sur la ligne 98 et appliquée au registre de bord droit 100 si une zone sombre (par exemple, un entête pré-imprimé) sur le papier 22 est balayée par l'unité de balayage du papier 54. Une impulsion de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre fausse sera générée sur la ligne 66 et la bascule 74 ainsi que les autres logiques des figures 3 et 4 croiront que le bord droit du papier 22 a été détecté. Sur le diagramme chronologique de la figure 6, on peut voir que l'impulsion de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre apparaît au point 202 sur la courbe référencée "transitions". Dans ce même diagramme chronologique, on peut voir qu'une impulsion de bord gauche 204 a été généré lorsque l'impulsion de transition zone sombre/zone lumineuse 206 est apparue. D'une manière similaire, une impulsion de bord droit 208, bien que fausse, est générée lorsque l'impulsion de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre 202 est générée par le circuit 55 de l'unité de balayage du papier. Lors de l'impulsion zone lumineuse/zone sombre délivrée par le circuit 55, la bascule 68 emmagasine une impulsion de fin de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre et transmet cette indication par la ligne 80 à la porte ET 104. Cette impulsion de fin de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre figure au point 210 de la ligne "achèvement" du diagramme chronologique de la figure 6.When scanning continues across the width of sheet 22, a false right paper edge pulse is generated by flip-flop 74 on line 98 and applied to the right edge register 100 if a dark area (for example, a pre header -printed) on the paper 22 is scanned by the paper scanning unit 54. A light zone / false dark zone transition pulse will be generated on line 66 and the flip-flop 74 as well as the other logic of FIGS. 3 and 4 will believe that the right edge of the paper 22 has been detected. On the chronological diagram of FIG. 6, it can be seen that the light zone / dark zone transition pulse appears at point 202 on the curve referenced "transitions". In this same chronological diagram, it can be seen that a left edge pulse 204 was generated when the dark zone / light zone transition pulse 206 appeared. Similarly, a right edge pulse 208, although false, is generated when the light zone / dark zone transition pulse 202 is generated by circuit 55 of the paper scanning unit. During the light zone / dark zone pulse delivered by the circuit 55, the flip-flop 68 stores an end of light zone / dark zone transition pulse and transmits this indication by line 80 to the AND gate 104. This end pulse transition from light area to dark area is shown in point 210 of the "completion" line in the time diagram in Figure 6.

Lorsque l'unité de balayage du papier 54 poursuit son balayage de la feuille 22 et quitte la zone sombre du papier 22 indiquée ci-dessus et si une autre zone lumineuse est détectée sur le papier 22, une impulsion de transition zone sombre/zone lumineuse sera générée par le circuit 55 de l'unité de balayage du papier (on peut la voir au point 212 de la figure 6) et appliquée par la ligne 66 à la porte ET 104. Cette impulsion de niveau haut combinée sur la porte 104 avec l'autre impulsion de niveau haut (fausse impulsion de fin de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre) issue de la bascule 68, provoqueront l'application d'une impulsion de niveau bas sur la ligne 106 (du fait que la sortie de la porte 104 est inversée), qui consistera en un signal de déconditionnement pour la bascule 74 et le registre de bords droits 100. En conséquence, cette impulsion de transition zone sombre/zone lumineuse indique au système et à la logique associée que le signal de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre précédent (qui correspondrait au bord droit de la feuille 22) était un signal faux et qu'ils doivent s'attendre à recevoir un autre signal de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre. Cette valeur fausse est déconditionnée ou effacée de la bascule 74 et de registre de bords droits 100 par signal de déconditionnement appliqué sur la ligne 106.When the paper scanning unit 54 continues scanning the sheet 22 and leaves the dark area of the paper 22 indicated above and if another bright area is detected on the paper 22, a dark area / bright area transition pulse will be generated by circuit 55 of the paper scanning unit (we can see it at point 212 in figure 6) and applied by line 66 to gate ET 104. This high level pulse combined on gate 104 with the other high level pulse (false light zone / dark zone transition end pulse) from flip-flop 68, will cause the application of a low level pulse on line 106 (because the output of the door 104 is inverted), which will consist of a deconditioning signal for the flip-flop 74 and the straight edge register 100. Consequently, this dark zone / light zone transition pulse indicates to the system and to the associated logic that the zone transition signal bright / dark area The previous one (which would correspond to the right edge of sheet 22) was a false signal and they should expect to receive another light zone / dark zone transition signal. This false value is unconditioned or erased from flip-flop 74 and from the straight edge register 100 by unconditioning signal applied on line 106.

Comme on peut le voir sur le diagramme chronologique de la figure 6, un tel signal de déconditionnement 214 est généré chaque fois qu'une transition zone sombre/zone lumineuse apparaît (par exemple lorsque l'unité de balayage du papier 54 rencontre tout d'abord le bord gauche du papier 22 et après qu l'écriture sur la feuille ait déclenché une impulsion de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre (fausse).As can be seen in the time diagram in FIG. 6, such a deconditioning signal 214 is generated each time that a dark zone / light zone transition appears (for example when the paper scanning unit 54 meets all of first the left edge of the paper 22 and after the writing on the sheet has triggered a light zone / dark zone (false) transition pulse.

La sortie 108 de la bascule 74 qui est appliquée à la porte ET 110 demeure au niveau haut jusqu'à ce que le bord droit du papier 22 soit détecté. Chaque fois que le bord droit du papier 22 est détecté, une sortie 98 apparaît à la bascule 74. Cette sortie 98 est appliquée au registre de bords droits 100. Sur le diagramme chronologique de la figure 6, on voit que chaque fois que le signal de bord droit passe au niveau haut ou qu'une transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre apparaît, le signal porté par la ligne 108 lui sera toujours opposé. L'impulsion de sortie de bord gauche issue de la bascule 72 par la ligne 76 a déjà été appliquée au registre de bord gauche 102 à cet instant.The output 108 of the flip-flop 74 which is applied to the AND gate 110 remains at the high level until the right edge of the paper 22 is detected. Each time the right edge of the paper 22 is detected, an output 98 appears at the flip-flop 74. This output 98 is applied to the register of straight edges 100. In the chronological diagram of FIG. 6, it can be seen that each time the signal right edge goes high or a light zone / dark zone transition appears, the signal carried by line 108 will always be opposite to it. The left edge output pulse from flip-flop 72 through line 76 has already been applied to the left edge register 102 at this time.

Lorsque le bord droit de la feuillé 22 est détecté par le circuit 55 de l'unité de balayage du papier, une impulsion appliquée à la bascule 74 par la ligne 66 provoque la délivrance sur la ligne 98 d'un signal de bord droit qui sera enregistrée dans le registre de bords droits 100. Cette impulsion de transition zone lumineuse/zone sombre apparaît au point 215 sur la ligne des transitions de la figure 6. Si un véritable bord droit du papier est détecté, une sortie 112 du registre de bords droits 100 sera appliquée au sélecteur 114. Ce sélecteur peut être par exemple le sélecteur/multiplexeur commercialisé par TEXAS INSTRUMENT sous le No. 74157. A partir du sélecteur 114, ce signal de détection d'un bord droit de feuille est appliqué par la ligne 116 au circuit de soustraction de la largeur du papier 118.When the right edge of the leaf 22 is detected by the circuit 55 of the paper scanning unit, a pulse applied to the flip-flop 74 by the line 66 causes the delivery on the line 98 of a right edge signal which will be recorded in the right edge register 100. This light zone / dark zone transition pulse appears at point 215 on the line of transitions in FIG. 6. If a true right edge of the paper is detected, an output 112 of the right edge register 100 will be applied to selector 114. This selector may for example be the selector / multiplexer marketed by TEXAS INSTRUMENT under No. 74157. From selector 114, this signal for detecting a straight edge of the sheet is applied by line 116 to the paper width subtraction circuit 118.

Si le bord droit du papier 22 n'est pas détecte par l'unité de balayage du papier 54 et que le commutateur à lames 39 est déclenché par la tête d'impression à jet d'encre 16 montée sur le chariot 14 lorsque celui-ci atteint sa position extrême droite par rapport à la platine 24, un signal généré par le commutateur droit 39 sur la ligne 120 est appliqué à la porte ET 110. L'instant où le commutateur 39 est excité est représenté sur la figure 6 en 216. Etant donné que la ligne 108 porte déjà un signal au niveau haut, la porte ET 110 émet un signal correspondant au compte le plus élevé déterminé par l'unité de balayage 44 de la bande de repérage, lequel signal est choisi comme signal de bord droit de la feuille 22. (Se reporter à l'impulsion 218 de la courbe rérérencée "sélection maximale" du diagramme chronologique de la figure 6). Ce signal apparaît sur la ligne 122 qui appliqué au sélecteur 114. Lorsque'un tel signal apparaît, le sélecteur 114 reçoit un signal de compteur par la ligne 96 issue du compteur de positions d'impression 84, qui correspond à la position où le commutateur à lame de marge droite 39 a été excité. La sortie du sélecteur 114 est à nouveau délivrée à la ligne 116.If the right edge of the paper 22 is not detected by the paper scanning unit 54 and the reed switch 39 is triggered by the ink jet print head 16 mounted on the carriage 14 when the latter this reaches its extreme right position relative to the plate 24, a signal generated by the right switch 39 on the line 120 is applied to the AND gate 110. The instant when the switch 39 is energized is shown in FIG. 6 at 216 Since the line 108 already carries a signal at the high level, the AND gate 110 emits a signal corresponding to the highest count determined by the scanning unit 44 of the labeling strip, which signal is chosen as on-board signal. right of sheet 22. (Refer to pulse 218 of the referenced curve "maximum selection" of the chronological diagram of FIG. 6). This signal appears on line 122 which is applied to the selector 114. When such a signal appears, the selector 114 receives a counter signal by line 96 from the printing position counter 84, which corresponds to the position where the right margin blade switch 39 has been energized. The output of selector 114 is again delivered to line 116.

Le circuit de complément à deux 124 et le circuit d'addition 126 du circuit de soustraction de largeur de papier 118 sont pratiquement similaires aux circuits de complément à deux et d'addition du circuit de soustraction de décalage 90. La valeur emmagasinée dans le registre de bords gauches 102 est appliquée au circuit de soustraction de largeur de papier 118 par la ligne 128 et est soustraite de la valeur de bord droit sélectionnée à partir du sélecteur 114 qui est appliquée au circuit de soustraction de largeur de papier 118 par la ligne 116. La valeur de la différence délivrée par le circuit 118 correspond à la largeur réelle détectée du papier 22. Cette sortie est appliquée par la ligne 130 au comparateur 132 (voir figure 4). Comme on le voit dans la figure 9, les trois bits inférieurs du signal à 12 bits sur la ligne 130, entre l'additionneur 126 et le comparateur 132, sont passés au niveau bas pour former ce que l'on appelle un circuit de division par huit. Ce circuit divise la valeur de la largeur du papier par huit où, en d'autres termes, 12,50% de la largeur du papier 22 seront réservés pour les marges. Des marges proportionnelles pour la feuille de papier 22 portée par la platine 24 de la figure 1 peuvent ainsi être déterminées. Il est évident que des marges proportionnelles différentes pourraient être créées en passant au niveau bas des nombres différents de bits du signal à 12 bits apparaissant sur la ligne 130. A titre d'exemple, les trois bits indiqués par (y) dans la figure 9 n'ont été passés au niveau bas que pour montrer comment des marges proportionnelles peuvent être créées pour la feuille de papier portée par la platine.The two-complement circuit 124 and the addition circuit 126 of the paper width subtraction circuit 118 are practically similar to the two-complement and addition circuits of the offset subtraction circuit 90. The value stored in the register of left edges 102 is applied to the paper width subtraction circuit 118 by line 128 and is subtracted from the right edge value selected from the selector 114 which is applied to the paper width subtraction circuit 118 by line 116 The value of the difference delivered by the circuit 118 corresponds to the actual detected width of the paper 22. This output is applied by the line 130 to the comparator 132 (see FIG. 4). As seen in Figure 9, the bottom three bits of the 12-bit signal on line 130, between adder 126 and comparator 132, went low to form what is called a division circuit by eight. This circuit divides the value of the width of the paper by eight where, in other words, 12.50% of the width of the paper 22 will be reserved for the margins. Proportional margins for the sheet of paper 22 carried by the plate 24 of Figure 1 can thus be determined. It is obvious that different proportional margins could be created by going to the low level of the different numbers of bits of the 12-bit signal appearing on line 130. For example, the three bits indicated by (y) in figure 9 have only been set low to show how proportional margins can be created for the sheet of paper carried by the stage.

On a représenté à la figure 10, le circuti de commutation 134 correspondant au bloc 134 de la figure 4, qui détermine la taille maximale des marges pour la feuille 22. A mesure que la largeur du papier augmente, et lorsqu'elle atteint une valeur maximale, il n'est pas possible d'augmenter de manière correspond- dante la largeur des marges. Une largeur de marge maximale désirée est donc programmée par les commutateurs 134 de la figure 10 (les commutateurs représentés sont des commutateurs TTL classiques). A titre d'exemple, la valeur programmée par les commutateurs de largeur de marge maximale 134 a été établie au compte décimal de 300, c'est-à-dire que l'on laisse 30mm de marge de chaque côté de la feuille 22. Cette valeur a été choisie en supposant que chaque repère sur la bande de repérage 42 de la figure-1, représente 0,1 mm.There is shown in Figure 10, the switching circuit 134 corresponding to block 134 of Figure 4, which determines the maximum size of the margins for the sheet 22. As the width of the paper increases, and when it reaches a value maximum, it is not possible to correspondingly increase the width of the margins. A desired maximum margin width is therefore programmed by the switches 134 of FIG. 10 (the switches shown are conventional TTL switches). By way of example, the value programmed by the maximum margin width switches 134 has been established with a decimal count of 300, that is to say that 30 mm of margin is left on each side of the sheet 22. This value was chosen assuming that each mark on the marking strip 42 of Figure-1, represents 0.1 mm.

Une valeur de marge maximale apparaît toujours sur la ligne 136 et est appliquée au comparateur 132. Cette valeur de marge maximale est comparée dans le comparateur 132 à la largeur de marge proportionnelle qui est appliquée au comparateur 132 par la ligne 130. Si la largeur de marge proportionnelle est inférieure à la largeur de marge maximale, le comparateur 132 délivre un signal par la ligne 138 au sélecteur 140 pour que celui-ci accepte la valeur de la marge proportionnelle sur la ligne 130. Si la largeur de marge proportionnelle excède la largeur de marge maximale, le comparateur 132 provoque l'acceptation par le sélecteur, par la ligne 138, de la valeur de marge maximale sur la ligne 136. (Le sélecteur 140 est pratiquement similaire au sélecteur 114 dont il a été question précédemment). Quelle que soit la largeur de marge acceptée par le sélecteur 140, sa sortie sera appliquée sur la ligne 142.A maximum margin value always appears on line 136 and is applied to comparator 132. This maximum margin value is compared in comparator 132 to the proportional margin width which is applied to comparator 132 by line 130. If the width of proportional margin is less than the maximum margin width, the comparator 132 delivers a signal via line 138 to the selector 140 so that the latter accepts the value of the proportional margin on line 130. If the proportional margin width exceeds the width maximum margin, the comparator 132 causes the selector, via line 138, to accept the maximum margin value on line 136. (The selector 140 is practically similar to the selector 114 which was discussed above). Whatever the margin width accepted by the selector 140, its output will be applied to line 142.

La largeur de marge portée par la ligne 142 est appliquée à l'additionneur 144 où elle est combinée avec la largeur détectée du bord gauche du papier, sur la ligne 128. La combinaison de ces deux valeurs donne à la sortie de l'additionneur 144, la position réelle de la marge gauche pour la feuille de papier particulière 22 disposée sur la platine 24.The margin width carried by line 142 is applied to adder 144 where it is combined with the detected width of the left edge of the paper, on line 128. The combination of these two values gives the output of adder 144 , the actual position of the left margin for the particular sheet of paper 22 placed on the plate 24.

Afin de déterminer la largeur de la marge droite, la valeur du bord droit du papier sur la ligne 116 issue du sélecteur 114 est appliquée à l'additionneur 146 où elle est combinée avec la valeur de marge sur la ligne 142 issue du sélecteur 140. Avant la combinaison de ces deux valeurs, la valeur portée par la ligne 142 traverse le circuit de complément à deux 148. L'additionneur 146 et le circuit 148 forment un circuit de soustraction 150 qui est pratiquement similaire au circuit de soustraction 90. En fait, la valeur d'entrée au circuit 148 est sou- traite de la valeur indiquant la position du bord droit de la feuille, entrant par la ligne 116 dans l'additionneur 146. La sortie de l'additionneur 146 indique la position de la marge droite de la feuille 22.In order to determine the width of the right margin, the value of the right edge of the paper on line 116 from the selector 114 is applied to the adder 146 where it is combined with the value of margin on the line 142 from the selector 140. Before the combination of these two values, the value carried by the line 142 crosses the two-complement circuit 148. The adder 146 and the circuit 148 form a subtraction circuit 150 which is practically similar to the subtraction circuit 90. In fact , the input value to circuit 148 is subtracted from the value indicating the position of the right edge of the sheet, entering via line 116 in the adder 146. The output of the adder 146 indicates the position of the margin right of sheet 22.

Bien que l'on ait décrit dans ce qui précède et représenté sur les dessins les caractéristiques essentielles de l'invention appliquées à un mode de réalisation préféré de celle-ci, il est évident qu l'homme de l'art peut y apporter toutes modifications de forme ou de détail qu'il juge utiles, sans pour autant sortir du cardre de ladite invention.Although the essential characteristics of the invention applied to a preferred embodiment of the invention have been described in the foregoing and represented in the drawings, it is obvious that a person skilled in the art can provide all of them. modifications of form or detail which he deems useful, without going beyond the purview of said invention.

Claims (14)

1. An automatic marging setting device for a typewriter (12) of the type that includes a platen (24) for supporting a sheet of paper (22) thereon and printing means (16) mobile relative to the platen (24) for printing charactes on the sheet of paper (22) supported on said platen (24), characterized in that it comprises:
sensing means (54) for defining the location of the left and right edges of the sheet of paper (22) supported on said platen (24),
margin setting means (44, 86, 90, 100, 102, 114, 118, 144, 150) for defining margin locations in accordance with the edge locations of sheets (22) and with a predetermined distance corresponding to a percentage of the distance between the sensed right and left edges of the sheet (22).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensing means comprises:
a paper scanner (54) for detecting the location of the left and right edges of the sheet of paper supported on said platen (24),
a grating strip (42) with gratings thereon corresponding to every print position along the length of said platen (24),
a grating strip scanner (44) for detecting the location of said printing means (16) relative to said platen (24) at every print position and for supplying said margin setting means (44, 86, 90, 100, 102, 114, 118, 144, 150) with information for setting proportional margins for the sheet of paper (22) supported on said platen (24).
3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said paper scanner (54) traverses the length of said platen (24) and the sheet of paper (22) supported thereon and senses transitions between said platen and the sheet of paper to define the locations of the left and right edges of said sheet of paper (22).
4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that said paper scanner (54) optically senses the transitions between said platen (24) and the sheet of paper (22) supported thereon.
5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that it further includes at least two latches (72, 74) that are triggered by a pulse, from said paper scanner (54) at every transition between said platen (24) and said sheet of paper (22), and at least two registers (100, 102) for storing the information output from said latches, said information indicating the locations of the left and right edges of the sheet of paper (22).
6. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that it further includes a third latch (68) and a gate (104), for deconditioning the one (74) of said first and second latches (72, 74) that records the transition information pertaining to the location of the right edge of the sheet of paper (22) and for clearing the one (100) of said first and second registers (100, 102) that stores said transition information, when a transition is detected which corresponds to the passage of said paper scanner (54) over a dark area of the sheet of paper (22) and not to its passage over the platen (24) after the right edge of said sheet.
7. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that it further includes switch means (39) located at the extreme right end of said platen (24) and being activated when the location of the right edge of the sheet of paper (22) is not detected by said paper scanner (54), the location of said switch means (39) relative to said platen (24) being accepted as the location of the right edge of the sheet of paper (22).
8. A device according to claim 5, characterized in that it further includes means (118) for subtracting the transition information corresponding to the left edge of the sheet of paper (22) from the transition information corresponding to the right edge of the sheet of paper (22) to yield the width of said sheet of paper (22).
9. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that said means (118) for subtracting consists of two's complement circuit (124) and an adder (126).
10. A device according to claim 8, characterized in that it further includes a programmable means (130) for taking a predetermined proportion of the width of the sheet of paper (22) for use as margins.
11. A device according to claim 10, characterized in that said programmable means (130) consists of a divide-by-eight circuit.
12. A device according to claim 10, characterized in that it further includes a maximum margin setting means (134) for determining a maximum margin value for the sheet of paper (22).
13. A device according to claim 12, characterized in that it further includes comparator means (132) for comparing the margin value determined by said programmable means (130) with the margin value determined by said maximum margin setting means (134) and for accepting the margin value having the smaller width as the margin width for the sheet of paper (22).
14. A device according to claim 13, characterized in that it further includes means (144) for adding the margin width to the location of the left edge of the sheet of paper (22) and means (15) for subtracting the margin width from the location of the right edge of the sheet of paper (22) to yield both the left and right margins for the sheet of paper (22).
EP79104874A 1978-12-21 1979-12-04 Device for automatic margin setting in a typewriter in dependence upon the width, of the paper Expired EP0012881B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US05/971,982 US4265556A (en) 1978-12-21 1978-12-21 Apparatus for setting proportional margins based upon the width of a scanned sheet of paper
US971982 1978-12-21

Publications (3)

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EP0012881A2 EP0012881A2 (en) 1980-07-09
EP0012881A3 EP0012881A3 (en) 1981-03-25
EP0012881B1 true EP0012881B1 (en) 1984-03-28

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EP79104874A Expired EP0012881B1 (en) 1978-12-21 1979-12-04 Device for automatic margin setting in a typewriter in dependence upon the width, of the paper

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US (1) US4265556A (en)
EP (1) EP0012881B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS5586783A (en)
CA (1) CA1122327A (en)
DE (1) DE2966860D1 (en)
IT (1) IT1165436B (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0012881A2 (en) 1980-07-09
IT1165436B (en) 1987-04-22
DE2966860D1 (en) 1984-05-03
IT7928134A0 (en) 1979-12-18
EP0012881A3 (en) 1981-03-25
JPS5729277B2 (en) 1982-06-22
US4265556A (en) 1981-05-05
JPS5586783A (en) 1980-06-30
CA1122327A (en) 1982-04-20

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