JP2004051234A - Sheet detecting device, recording device and postprocessing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sheet detecting device usable in a narrow conveying path, in which a transmission type sensor and a reflection type sensor detect the same position on a sheet. <P>SOLUTION: This sheet detection device performing detection by radiating a light emitted from a light emitting means to the sheet and receiving the light by a light receiving means is provided with a transmitted light emitting means, a reflected light emitting means, the light receiving means and a plurality of light guide means facing each other across the sheet. The light guide means makes the light emitted from the transmitted light emitting means and the light from the reflected light emitting means reach the same position of the sheet. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sheet detection device, a recording device such as a label printer that performs recording on a recording medium such as a label, and a post-processing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
When recording a character or image data by transporting a roll paper of a recording medium to a recording head unit, it is necessary to detect that a print mark immediately before recording or a gap between labels has passed upstream of the head. Also, when a label recorded by a recording head is cut by a cutter mounted on the discharge unit side, it is necessary to detect the passage of a print mark immediately before cutting or a gap between labels on the upstream side of the rotary blade.
[0003]
Generally, when detecting the leading edge of a page with a label printer, a reflective sensor is used for a print mark on the back surface, and a transmissive sensor is used for a gap between labels. Both sensors are arranged side by side in the label transport direction so as to detect the same distance from the label end upstream of the recording head or upstream of the rotary blade by a photo interrupter composed of a light emitting diode and a phototransistor.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if detection is performed by independent transmission type sensors and reflection type sensors, the distance from the recording head or rotary blade to the detection point of each sensor will be different. This has the disadvantage that the recording timing with the recording head and the cutting timing with the cutter must be changed according to the sensor used.
[0005]
Next, since the recording operation is performed at the same time during cutting by the cutter, a recording failure occurs when a conveyance obstruction such as a pull stop on the label occurs. As a countermeasure, the paper path (transport path) on the cutter side is usually provided with a loop so as not to affect the label below the recording head. Also, the paper path space on the cutter side has a narrow structure because it is necessary to press the label near the rotary blade.
[0006]
On the other hand, the transmission type sensor that is integrated with the device requires the upper cover to be opened and closed and the need to clear the jam, and the placement inside the device is restricted, so it must be placed in a wide area of the paper path space. Must. Therefore, a print mark or a gap between labels is detected in a place where the behavior of the recording medium or the flapping is large, and as a result, a defect that leads to cut unevenness occurs. Further, even when the label is held down by the cutter holding roller, the distance from the rotary blade is limited. Since the label is cut by rotating the rotary blade detected by each sensor, the shorter the distance, the less uneven the cut.
[0007]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a sheet detection device that can be used in a narrow conveyance path and that detects the same position of a sheet by a transmission sensor and a reflection sensor.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a typical configuration of the present invention is a sheet detection device that emits light emitted from a light emitting unit to a sheet and detects the light by receiving the light with a light receiving unit. A transmitted light emitting unit, a reflected light emitting unit, a light receiving unit, and a plurality of light guiding units facing each other with a sheet interposed therebetween, wherein the light guiding unit is configured to emit light emitted by the transmitted light emitting unit; The light emitted by the reflected light emitting means is made to reach the same position on the sheet.
[0009]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(Embodiment)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a recording apparatus equipped with a cutter. As shown in FIG. 1, a label printer as a recording device according to the present invention includes a printer side and a cutter side. The printer side feeds a recording head unit having recording heads 1 (recording means) of Y (yellow), M (magenta), C (cyan), and K (black) colors, and a recording medium 8 such as a label or a sheet. And a transport unit having a transport belt 6 for transporting the recording medium 8, a transport roller 5 for driving the transport belt 6, a spur 4 for pressing the recording medium 8, and the like. Is done. Here, the spur 4 refers to a rotating body that has a small contact area with the recording medium 8 and does not disturb the ink image even when it comes into contact with the sheet surface side on which the ink image is recorded by ink ejection. The cutter side has a rotary blade 10 (cutting means) having a cutter 11 and a fixed blade 12 for cutting the recording medium 8 together with the cutter 11.
[0010]
In the present embodiment, as an ink ejection configuration, an electric current is supplied to the electrothermal transducer in accordance with a recording signal, and the ink grows and shrinks by using the film boiling generated in the ink by the thermal energy, whereby the ink is discharged. The recording is performed by discharging from the discharge port.
[0011]
The label 8 as a recording medium is transported to the rotary blade 10 on the cutter side according to the recording speed by the driving force of the transport belt 6. When cutting the recording medium 8 with the cutter 11, a loop-shaped paper path space exists on the cutter side in order to prevent conveyance obstruction such as pulling or stopping the recording medium 8. Further, upstream of the recording head 1 of the recording head unit on the printer side and upstream of the rotary blade 10 on the cutter side, light guide plates 13 and 14 (light guide means), a transmission diode 15 (transmitted light emitting means), A tip detection sensor (TOF sensor) A as a sheet detection device including a transistor 16 (light receiving means), a reflective diode 17 (reflected light emitting means), and substrates 18 and 19 is arranged.
[0012]
Hereinafter, the TOF sensor A will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the leading edge detection sensor at the time of transporting the label sheet, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the leading edge detection sensor at the time of transporting the label sheet, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the leading edge detection sensor at the time of transporting the tag sheet. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the leading edge detection sensor when the tag sheet is conveyed. The configuration of the TOF sensor A will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0013]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the TOF sensor A includes a light-emitting diode of a transmission diode 15 and a reflection diode 17 for emitting light, a phototransistor 16 for receiving the light, Light guide plates 13 and 14 for guiding emitted light to the phototransistor 16, a substrate 19 for controlling light emission of the transmission diode 15, and a substrate 18 for controlling light emission of the reflective diode 17 and light reception of the phototransistor 16. And Note that the phototransistor 16 and the reflective diode 17 are integrally provided on the light guide plate 14.
[0014]
First, the operation when the TOF sensor A detects the leading edge of the label sheet during the recording operation will be described by exemplifying a case where the label sheet is conveyed as the recording medium 8. In this case, no light is emitted from the reflective diode 17. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light emitted from the transmission type diode 15 travels straight along the longitudinal portion of the light guide plate 13 made of a transparent acrylic resin, and extends in a vertical direction on a surface inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal portion. And emits to the label side. Since the lower surface of the light guide plate 13 and the upper surface of the light guide plate 14 are opposed to each other, the bent emitted light exits the light guide plate 13, passes through the label, and is input to the light guide plate 14 as transmitted light. . The transmitted light is bent in the horizontal direction on a surface inclined at 45 degrees to the longitudinal portion of the light guide plate 14 and is input to the phototransistor 16. Here, in the label sheet, since the transmitted light is different between a part with a label and a gap part between the labels without a label, a difference occurs in the photocurrent due to the transmitted light received by the phototransistor 16. Thus, the TOF sensor A detects the gap between the labels at the head of the page.
[0015]
Next, an operation when the TOF sensor A detects the print mark on the back surface of the tag sheet during the recording operation will be described by exemplifying a case where the tag sheet is transported as the recording medium 8. In this case, light emission from the transmission diode 15 is not performed. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the light emitted from the reflective diode 17 travels straight along the longitudinal portion of the transparent acrylic light guide plate 14, and extends in the vertical direction on a surface inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal portion. It bends and exits to the back side of the tag sheet. Here, the emitted light emitted is reflected by the back surface of the tag sheet, and is again input to the light guide plate 14 as reflected light. The reflected light is bent at a surface inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal portion of the light guide plate 14 and is input to the phototransistor 16. Here, on the back surface of the tag sheet, since the density of the portion with the print mark and the density of the portion without the print mark are different, a difference occurs in the photocurrent due to the reflected light received by the phototransistor 16. Thus, the TOF sensor A detects the print mark at the top of the page.
[0016]
In the TOF sensor A, the tip surface of the light guide plate 13 (the surface from which the light emitted from the transmission diode 15 is emitted) and the tip surface of the light guide plate 14 (the surface from which the light emitted from the reflection diode 17 is emitted) face each other. In the configuration, light is input to the phototransistor 16 from the same point. For this reason, at the same distance point upstream of the recording head 1 and the rotary blade 10 of the recording apparatus, the gap between labels and the print mark can be detected, and recording by the recording head 1 according to the sensor used. There is no need to change the timing or the cut timing with the cutter 11.
[0017]
Although the TOF sensor A has a vertically separated configuration, it is sufficient that only the front end surfaces of the light guide plate 13 and the light guide plate 14 face each other. For example, as shown in FIG. If the substrate 15 and the substrate 19 are attached, they can be installed in a narrow conveyance path, and as a result, the light guide plate tip surface can be arranged near the rotary blade 10. Further, it is possible to reduce the space of the sheet conveyance path, detect the gap between labels and print marks in a place where the behavior of the recording medium 8 and the flapping are small during conveyance of the recording medium, and prevent the occurrence of cut unevenness. Therefore, it is possible to produce an economic effect such as not generating a useless label such as cutting a recording portion.
[0018]
Thus, it is possible to provide a sheet detection device that can be used in a narrow conveyance path and in which the transmission type sensor and the reflection type sensor detect the same position of the sheet.
[0019]
(Other embodiments)
In the above-described embodiment, the case where the TOF sensor A is arranged in the transport system for transporting the recording medium has been described by way of example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIGS. The light emitting diode and the phototransistor and the substrate for controlling these may be arranged outside the transport system by changing the shape of the light emitting diode.
[0020]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the recording head unit has four recording heads separately in the recording head unit has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The recording head may be integrally formed.
[0021]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the ink jet recording method is used as the recording means. However, a current is applied to the electrothermal transducer according to a recording signal, and a film generated in the ink by the thermal energy applied by the electrothermal transducer. The recording may be performed by discharging the ink from the discharge port by the growth and shrinkage of the bubble generated in the ink by using the boiling.
[0022]
The recording head may be a full line type having a length corresponding to the maximum width of a recording medium on which the recording apparatus can record, or a serial type which performs recording while operating in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the recording medium. Good.
[0023]
Also, an example using an ink jet recording method as the above-described recording means has been described. However, the present invention does not need to limit the recording method to the ink jet recording method, and may also use a thermal transfer recording method, a thermal recording method, and a wire dot recording method. The present invention can be applied to an impact recording method such as a recording method or another recording method.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in a sheet detection device that emits light emitted from a light emitting unit to a sheet and detects the light by receiving the light with a light receiving unit, the transmitted light emitting unit includes: A light emitting unit, a light receiving unit, and a plurality of light guiding units facing each other across a sheet, wherein the light guiding unit emits light emitted by the transmitted light emitting unit and emitted light by the reflected light emitting unit Since the light and the light reach the same position on the sheet, the sheet sensor can be used in a narrow conveyance path, and the transmission sensor and the reflection sensor can detect the same position on the sheet.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a configuration of a recording apparatus equipped with a cutter.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a leading edge detection sensor when conveying a label sheet.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a leading edge detection sensor when conveying a label sheet.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the leading edge detection sensor when conveying a tag sheet.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a leading edge detection sensor when conveying a tag sheet.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a leading edge detection sensor during conveyance of a label sheet according to another embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a leading end detection sensor during conveyance of a tag sheet according to another embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
A: TOF sensor 1: Recording head 4: Spur 5: Conveying roller 6: Conveying belt 7: Feeding roller 8: Recording medium 10: Rotating blade 11: Cutter 12: Fixed blade 13: Light guide plate 14: Light guide plate 15: Transmission Type diode 16 photo transistor 17 reflective diode 18 substrate 19 substrate

Claims (8)

In a sheet detection device that emits light emitted from a light emitting unit to a sheet and detects the light by receiving the light with a light receiving unit,
Transmitted light emitting means,
Reflected light emitting means,
Light receiving means;
A plurality of light guide means facing each other across the sheet,
The sheet detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide unit causes the light emitted by the transmitted light emitting unit and the light emitted by the reflected light emitting unit to reach the same position on the sheet. The sheet detection device according to claim 1,
The plurality of light guiding means,
A front end surface for emitting light emitted from the transmitted light emitting means to the sheet,
A front end surface for emitting light emitted from the reflected light emitting means to the sheet, wherein the two front end surfaces are arranged at positions facing each other with the sheet interposed therebetween. . The sheet detection device according to claim 1 or 2,
The plurality of light guides are composed of two acrylic resins,
One of the light guide means has the transmitted light emission means,
A sheet detecting device, wherein the reflected light emitting means and the light receiving means are integrally provided in the other light guiding means. In a recording apparatus that detects the position of a sheet to be conveyed by sheet detection means and performs recording on the sheet based on information based on the detection,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet detection unit is the sheet detection apparatus according to claim 1. In a recording apparatus having a cutting unit that detects a position of a sheet conveyed in a conveyance path by a sheet detection unit and cuts a sheet after recording based on information based on the detection,
The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet detection unit is the sheet detection apparatus according to claim 1. The recording device according to claim 4 or 5,
A recording apparatus in which recording means discharges ink in response to a signal to perform recording. The recording device according to claim 6,
A recording apparatus characterized in that a recording means supplies a current to the electrothermal transducer in response to a signal, and discharges ink using thermal energy generated by the electrothermal transducer. In a post-processing device that detects a position of a sheet to be conveyed by sheet detection means and cuts the sheet based on information based on the detection,
The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sheet detection unit is the sheet detection apparatus according to claim 1.

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