JP2003103880A - Apparatus for feeding printed matter and its controlling system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an apparatus for feeding a printed matter which can be interposed between an existing ink jet printer and a laminating apparatus in order to feed a printed matter delivered from the ink jet printer to the laminating apparatus. SOLUTION: A carrying section 18 is interposed between a printer section 14 and a laminating section 16 so that an integrated feeling can be imparted and the labor of a worker is saved by carrying a sheet 12 recorded with an image at the printer section 14 automatically to the laminating section 16. Since information of the need for lamination can be transmitted from the printer section 14 to the carrying section 18 and the laminating section 16, work efficiency can be enhanced by performing quick operation in correspondence with each state. A delivery guide plate 34 at the carrying section 18 is utilized as the discharge tray of a nonlaminated sheet 12 in addition to the delivery function to the laminating section 16 thus eliminating the need for alteration depending on lamination/nonlamination of the system layout.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a feeding device for feeding a printed matter printed by a printing device to a laminating device. The invention further relates to a control system for this feeder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the printing surface of a recording medium after printing is laminated to improve its durability and the like. In this case, after printing on the back side of the recording medium so that it becomes a mirror character,
The printed recording medium and the laminated paper are conveyed in synchronization, the laminated paper is superposed on the printed surface of the recording medium, and then the laminated paper is fused to the printed surface of the recording medium by using a fixing means such as a heater. The equipment is configured to

However, it is troublesome to apply a laminate coating to the printed surface using a device for laminating coating after printing with a printing device such as an ink jet printer, and the laminating coating is applied simultaneously with the printing. It would be convenient if I could get what I got.

Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-70960 discloses an ink jet printer capable of laminating coating on the printing surface.

[0005]

However, since this ink jet printer is provided with a mechanism capable of laminating the printing surface of the printed matter, the apparatus becomes large in size and expensive.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem, the present invention can be arranged between an existing inkjet printer and a laminating apparatus, and can send a printed matter sent from the inkjet printer to the laminating apparatus. An object of the present invention is to provide a print material feeding device and a control system thereof.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An invention for achieving the above object is a printed material feeding device for feeding a printed material printed by the printing device to the laminating device, which is configured separately from the printing device and the laminating device. is there.

The present invention relates to a printed material feeding device configured to be provided separately from a printing device and a laminating device, for supplying a printed material printed by the printing device to the laminating device, the printed material being printed by the printing device. A laminate in which a receiving end received from the printing device faces the sending end of the printing device where the printing device sends out the printed product, and the printed product received from the receiving end is supplied to the laminating device. An apparatus for feeding printed matter, comprising a feeding means for feeding to a supply end of the apparatus.

The receiving end for receiving the printed matter by the feeding device faces the sending end for sending the printed matter by the printing device and sends the printed matter to the supply end of the laminating apparatus for supplying the printed matter to the laminating apparatus. Therefore, if this feeding device is arranged between the existing printing device and the laminating device, the printed matter can be delivered as it is between the two, and printing to laminating can be continuously performed.

Further, the invention of a control system for achieving the above object is a control system for a printed material feeding device which is configured separately from a printing device and a laminating device, and which continuously supplies printed products printed by the printing device to the laminating device. A mode setting means for continuously laminating the printed matter, a print command means, and a drive mechanism for detecting the mode and the print command to drive the feed mechanism in the laminating apparatus and the feed device. A driving end unit that detects the end of printing and the end of laminating and ends the driving of the feeding mechanism and the feeding device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to select whether the printed matter processed by the printing device is kept as it is without being laminated or is laminated by the laminating device. That is, when the laminating mode is set by the setting unit, the drive starting unit starts driving the feeding mechanism in the laminating apparatus and the feeding unit. As a result, the printed matter processed by the printing apparatus is sent to the laminating apparatus by the feeding mechanism at the same time as being discharged, and is laminated by the already operating feeding apparatus.

After the laminating process is finished, the driving of the feeding mechanism and the feeding device is automatically stopped by the driving ending means. As described above, in this control system, it is possible to relate the conveyance of the printed matter without independently controlling the drive of each device.

[0013]

1 to 3 show a printed matter processing system 10 according to the present embodiment.

The printed matter processing system 10 comprises a printer section 14 for recording an image on a predetermined sheet 12 and a laminating section 16 for laminating the image recording surface of the sheet on which the image is recorded by the printer section 14. Cage,
Between the printer unit 14 and the laminating unit 16,
A transport unit 18 for delivering the paper 12 from the printer unit 14 to the laminating unit 16 is provided.

The printer section 14 constitutes an ink jet type printer, and a conveyance guide plate 22 is arranged at the center of the housing 20 in the height direction.

A pair of transport rollers 24 is provided at the upstream end of the transport guide plate 22. This transport roller pair 24
Is a part of a sheet feeding device that feeds the sheets 12 stacked in layers on a sheet feed tray 26 that is attached to be inclined with respect to the housing 20 from the uppermost layer and sends the sheets to the conveyance guide plate 22. To do.

An ink jet head 28 is provided above the transport guide plate 22. The ink jet head 28 is loaded with an ink cartridge (not shown). Further, the inkjet head 28 is provided with a head portion 28A for ejecting ink so as to face the transport guide plate 22, and a controller 30.
The ink in the ink cartridge is ejected on the basis of the image signal output from (see FIG. 4).

The ink jet head 28 can reciprocate in the direction orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction (main scanning).

Further, the paper 12 is conveyed by being sandwiched by a pair of transport rollers 24 of the sheet feeding device and is fed onto the transport guide plate 22, and the paper 12 placed on this transport guide plate 22 is intermittently transported at a uniform pitch. (Sub-scanning).

An image is recorded on the paper 12 by ejecting ink based on the image signal in synchronization with the main scanning and the sub-scanning.

Incidentally, the scanning method at the time of image recording may be either interlaced or non-interlaced.

A roller 31 is provided on the downstream side of the transport guide plate 22 in the sheet transport direction. This roller 31
The sheet 12 is arranged so as to face the back side of the sheet 12, and can be sent to the transport unit 18 without touching the image recording surface of the sheet 12 on which image recording has been completed.

The lower part of the casing 32 on the right side of FIG. 2 protrudes toward the printer section 14 (hereinafter referred to as a protruding section 32A), and the conveyance section 18 of the printer section 14 in FIG. The lower part on the left side is recessed (hereinafter referred to as recessed portion 20A). Therefore, the protrusion 32 of the transport unit 18
When A enters the recess 20A of the printer unit 14,
The printer unit 14 and the transport unit 18 have a sense of unity.

A delivery guide plate 34 is disposed in the housing 32 of the transport section 18. This delivery guide plate 3
4 can take a first position which is a substantially horizontal state shown by a solid line in FIG. 2 and a second position which is an inclined state shown by an imaginary line in FIG.

At the second position, the delivery guide plate 34 serves as a discharge tray for the paper 12 printed by the printer unit 14. On the other hand, in the first position, it has a role as a delivery tray that delivers the paper 12 printed by the printer unit 14 to the laminating unit 16.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the delivery guide plate 34 has a pair of slit-shaped notches 36 having a predetermined length from the end of the printer unit 14 toward the end of the laminating unit 16. It is provided.

The pair of notches 36 are parallel to each other, and the pitch thereof is shorter than the minimum width dimension of the applicable sheet 12.

When the delivery guide plate 34 is in the first position, the pressing pin 3 is provided in the notch 36.
8 are provided. A shaft portion 38A of the pressing pin 38 projects toward the lower surface of the delivery guide plate 34.

On the lower surface side of the transfer guide plate 34, an endless belt 44 wound around a pair of rollers 40, 42.
Is provided. The belt 44 includes the pair of notches 3
It is provided corresponding to 6. Also, a pair of rollers 4
0 and 42 are arranged at both ends of the delivery guide plate 34 in the sheet conveying direction. The shaft portion 38A is fixed to a part of the peripheral surface of the belt 44, and is moved by the driving of the belt 44 when the one roller 40, 42 is rotationally driven. As a result, the pressing pin 38 moves from the printer unit 14 side to the laminating unit 16 side along the notch 36 in a protruding state from above the delivery guide plate 34.

Here, when the pressing pin 38 reaches the final end of the notch 36 on the laminating section 16 side in response to the driving of the belt 44, the pressing pin 38 retracts from the delivery guide plate 34 in response to the reversal of the belt 44 by the roller 42. It has a structure that
Further, when the belt 44 is further driven, the printer unit 14
The roller 40 on the side can be turned over again to project from the upper surface of the delivery guide plate 34.

With the delivery guide plate 34 in the first position, the paper 1 on which an image is recorded from the printer unit 14 is printed.
When the paper 2 is delivered, the paper 12 is transferred to the printer unit 14
It is placed on the downstream side (laminating section 16 side) of the pressing pin 38 waiting at the side end. After that, when the belt 44 is driven, the pressing pin 38 presses the paper 12, so that the paper 12 can be sent to the laminating unit 16. Here, since a pair of pressing pins 38 are provided, the inclination in the same plane is corrected according to this pressing.

When the delivery guide plate 34 is in the second position, the pressing pin 38 also has a function of supporting the sheet 12 delivered from the printer unit 14.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, width-direction regulating guides 46 are erected on both ends of the delivery guide plate 34 in the width direction. The width-direction regulation guide 46 is gradually narrowed toward the laminating section 16 side, and when the pressing pin 38 presses it, the center of the sheet 12 can be transferred to be aligned with the center of the guide plate 34.

In the laminating section 16, a pair of conveying rollers 48 and 50 are arranged at the receiving port and the discharging port, respectively. In the pair of transport rollers 48 on the receiving port side, the sheet 12 is pressed by the pressing pin 38 to correct the inclination, and the sheet 12 whose center is positioned by the width direction regulation guide 46 is sandwiched, and the laminating unit of the laminating unit 16 is sandwiched. Send to 52. Since the laminating processing unit 52 has the same configuration as a known laminator device,
The description is omitted.

On the other hand, in the pair of conveying rollers 50 on the outlet side,
Paper 12 that has been processed by the laminating unit 52
Are sent to the discharge tray 54.

The tip of the delivery guide plate 34 is
At the position, it faces the conveying roller pair 48 on the receiving port side of the laminating unit 16, and at the second position, the laminating unit 16
It is arranged to face the upper surface of the housing 56, and as a result, it is possible to dispose the carrying section 18 and the laminating section 16 side by side with a sense of unity.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the control system of the print processing system.

The printer unit 14, the transport unit 18, and the laminating unit 16 which constitute the print processing system 10 are independent controllers (printer controller 30,
Conveyor controller 58, laminator controller 60
, Which are I / Fs 62, 64, 66 with respect to each other.
Connected to the bus. As a result, the respective operating states are changed to the respective controllers 30, 58, 60.
Can be recognized by.

A personal computer 70 that sends an image signal through a printer port 68 is connected to the printer controller 30.

Further, the printer controller 30 is provided with a selection switch 7 for selecting whether to laminate or not.
2, 74 and a monitor 76 are connected. By operating either of the selection switches 72 and 74, the presence or absence of lamination can be switched. On the monitor 76,
The selection result of whether or not to laminate is displayed.

Further, the printer controller 30 includes
A sheet-fed device driving unit 78, a print processing unit 80, and a roller driving unit 82 are connected to each other, and each printer controller 30.
Predetermined processing is executed based on the instruction signal from.

The transport controller 58 includes a belt drive unit 84 for rotating the rollers 40 and 42 to drive the belt 44, and a transfer guide plate 34 for moving the delivery guide plate 34 to the first position or the second position. Guide moving mechanism 86
Are connected to each other, and predetermined processing is executed based on an instruction signal from the transport unit controller 58.

The laminator controller 60 has a paper 1
Laminating unit 88 for laminating to 2
And a pair of conveyance rollers 48, 50 on the receiving side and the discharging side.
Are connected to roller drive units 90 and 94 for controlling the driving, and predetermined processing is executed based on an instruction signal from the laminator controller 60.

The operation of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow charts of FIGS.

First, the processing procedure in the printer unit 14 will be described with reference to FIG.

In step 100, it is determined whether or not an image recording instruction is input from the personal computer 70, and if an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step 12 and the image data acquisition is executed.

In the next step 104, the laminate information is displayed on the monitor 76. This is the selection switch 72,
The operation state of 74 is recognized and displayed. The selection switches 72 and 74 may have default values in advance, and may be automatically switched to predetermined default values (for example, not laminated) when the printer unit 14 is not operated for a predetermined time.

When the laminate information is displayed in step 104, it is determined in the next step 106 whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed. This is the time for giving the operation allowance of the operator's selection switches 72 and 74. When a negative determination is made in this step 106, it is determined in step 108 whether or not the selection switches 72, 74 have been operated. . Here, if an affirmative determination is made, the process returns to step 104, and the laminating information in the operated state is displayed.
If a negative determination is made, the process returns to step 106.

When it is determined in step 106 that the predetermined time has passed, the process proceeds to step 110, where the laminating information is the controller 5 of the conveying section 18 and the laminating section 16.
Sent to 8, 60.

In the next step 112, print processing is executed and an image is recorded on the paper 12.

In the next step 114, the roller 31 is driven to eject the paper 12 without touching the image recording surface. When it is recognized in step 116 that the ejection is completed, the process proceeds to step 118 and the roller is moved. The driving of 31 is stopped, and this routine ends.

Next, the processing procedure of the transport unit 18 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In step 150, it is determined whether or not the laminating information or the like is received from the printer unit 14, and if there is no (negative determination), the sheet 12 is not conveyed, so this routine ends. .

If it is determined in step 150 that there is a reception (affirmative determination), the process proceeds to step 152 and it is determined whether or not to laminate.

When not laminating, step 1
From 52 to step 154, the delivery guide plate 3
4 is moved to the second position. As a result, the delivery guide plate 34 functions as a discharge tray of the printer unit 14, and the process ends when the paper 12 reaches the delivery guide plate 34. At this time, the delivery guide plate 34 is inclined and the printer unit 14 side is in a low position, but since the pressing pin 38 is provided at this position, this serves as a stopper to support the paper 12. , Can be held.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 152 that the film is to be laminated, the process proceeds to step 156. In step 156, the delivery guide plate 34 is first
Move to the position. As a result, the delivery guide plate 34
Becomes horizontal. In this state, when the paper 12 is received (step 158), the process proceeds to step 160, and the driving of the belt 44 is started. By driving the belt 44, the paper 12 is pressed by the pressing pin 38 and is conveyed toward the laminating unit 16. At this time, like the printer unit 14, the image recording surface can be conveyed without touching it. Further, since the pair of pressing pins 38 are provided, the inclination is gradually corrected as the pressing pins 38 are pressed. Further, since the delivery guide plate 34 is provided with the width-direction regulation guide 46, the center of the sheet 12 and the center of the delivery guide plate 34 are aligned with each other as they are pressed.

That is, by pressing the pair of pressing pins 38 and the width restriction of the width restricting guide 46, the paper 12 can be fed straight to the center of the laminating section 16.

It should be noted that in the belt driving in step 160, the conveying amount for making the pressing pin 38 to make one round is determined, and the pressing pin 38 after the pressing of the paper 12 is completed, the pressing pin 38 is at the back end (laminating part) of the notch 36. 16 side end portion), it retreats from the upper surface of the delivery guide plate 34, passes through the lower surface of the delivery guide plate 34, and then returns to the original position (the notch 36
Can be returned to a position where it projects from the upper surface of the delivery guide plate 34.

The processing procedure in the laminating unit 16 is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

In step 180, it is judged whether or not the laminator information or the like has been received from the printer section 14 and the conveying section 18, and if an affirmative judgment is made, the routine proceeds to step 182 to judge whether or not lamination is performed.

If it is determined in step 182 that there is laminating (laminating) (affirmative determination), the process proceeds to step 184, and the pair of conveying rollers 48 on the receiving port side.
And the pair of transport rollers 50 on the side of the discharge port are driven.

Incidentally, when the negative determination is made in steps 180 and 182, that is, when the information is not received, but the information is received but not laminated, the laminating unit 16 does not need to operate, and the processing of this routine ends.

At step 184, when the driving of the receiving-portion-side conveying roller pair 48 and the discharging-portion-side conveying roller pair 50 is started, the process proceeds to step 186 and the sheet 1
It is determined whether or not 2 is received from the transport unit 18, and if it is received, the process proceeds to step 188 and the laminating process is executed. The laminating process is executed in synchronization with the driving of the receiving-portion-side transport roller pair 48 and the discharge-portion-side transport roller pair 50, and the processed sheet 12 is nipped by the discharge-portion-side transport roller pair 50. Meanwhile, the paper is discharged to the discharge tray 54.

When it is determined in the next step 190 that the paper 12 has been completely discharged, the process proceeds to step 192 to drive the receiving-portion-side conveying roller pair 48 and the discharging-portion-side conveying roller pair 50. Then, the processing of the laminating unit 16 ends.

According to the present embodiment, in the processing system 10 including the printer unit 14 and the laminating unit 16, the conveying unit 18 is arranged between them to give a sense of unity and automatically the printer unit is provided. Since the paper 12 on which the image is recorded at 14 can be conveyed to the laminating unit 16, the labor of the operator can be saved.

Further, since information as to whether or not to laminate can be transmitted from the printer unit 14 to the conveying unit 18 and the laminating unit 16, a quick operation can be performed according to each state (laminating / not laminating). Therefore, the work efficiency can be improved.

Further, the transfer guide plate 3 of the transfer section 18
4 has a function of delivering to the laminating unit 16 and can also be used as a discharge tray for the paper 12 that is not laminated, so that the system layout is laminated.
No need to change without.

In the above embodiment, the sheet material is used as the sheet 12 in a unit of one sheet, but a tape material wound in a roll may be used. Further, the tape material may have an adhesive surface on the back surface side.

Further, in the present embodiment, the ink jet type printer unit is applied, but a thermal transfer type printer unit may be used. In this case, the paper may be a thermal transfer paper, or an ink ribbon may be loaded and the color layer of the ink ribbon may be thermally transferred to the paper.

Further, in the present embodiment, the printer unit 1
4, the transport unit 18, and the laminating unit 16 are separate components, but the printer unit 14 and the transport unit 18, or the transport unit 18
The laminating section 16 may be integrated.

Further, although an example in which the conveying system of the conveying unit 18 conveys by pressing with the pressing pin 38 is shown, the conveying roller 24 of the sheet-fed apparatus applied in the printer unit 14 and the conveying unit 1
It is also possible to use a roller conveyance system equivalent to the roller 31 or the like for feeding to the roller 8.

Further, although the transportation in the transportation section 18 is set as the center reference, one end in the width direction may be set as the reference.

[0073]

As described above, according to the present invention, it can be arranged between the existing ink jet printer and the laminating apparatus, and the printed matter sent from the ink jet printer can be sent to the laminating apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a printed matter processing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a printed matter processing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a printed matter processing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of the printed matter processing system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a control flowchart showing processing of a printer unit.

FIG. 6 is a control flowchart showing a process of a transport unit.

FIG. 7 is a control flowchart showing processing of a laminating unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Print processing system 12 sheets 14 Printer section 16 Laminated part 18 Conveyor 28 inkjet heads 30 Printer controller 34 Delivery guide plate 36 Notch 38 Push pin 38A shaft 40 roller 42 Laura 44 belt 46 width regulation guide 58 Conveyor controller 60 Laminator Controller 70 PC 72 Selection switch 74 Select switch 76 monitor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A feeding device for a printed matter, which is configured separately from a printing apparatus and a laminating apparatus, for supplying a printed matter printed by the printing apparatus to the laminating apparatus, the printed matter being printed by the printing apparatus. A receiving end that receives from the device faces the delivery end of the printing device where the printing device sends out the printed product, and supplies the printed product received from the receiving end to the laminating device. An apparatus for feeding printed matter, comprising a feeding means for feeding to a supply end. 2. A control system of a printed matter feeding device, which is configured separately from a printing device and a laminating device, and which continuously supplies the printed matter printed by the printing device to the laminating device, wherein the printed matter is continuously laminated. A mode setting means, a print command means, a drive start means for detecting the mode and print command to drive the feeding mechanism in the laminating apparatus and the feeding apparatus, and detecting the end of printing and the end of laminating. A control system for a printed material feeding device, comprising: a driving ending means for ending driving of the feeding mechanism and the feeding device. 3. A printing system comprising the printing device according to claim 1, a laminating device, and a feeding device.