JP2004122632A - Feeding control method for ink jet printer and ink jet printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a feeding control method for an ink jet printer performing automatic idle feeding control so that a print object can be printed under a good state at all times, and to provide an ink jet printer. <P>SOLUTION: The feeding control method for an ink jet printer for unrolling a rolled print object A and feeding it to a print area G comprises a step for performing automatic idle feeding control of the print object A by such a length as causing deformation by the atmosphere of an environment where the ink jet printer 1 is installed without being accompanied by print operation and without requiring the designation of a user during a print waiting time after power is turned on before an initial print is designated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a feed control method of an ink jet printer that feeds out a print target wound in a roll shape and feeds the print target to a print area, and an ink jet printer.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a large-scale color inkjet printer for business use connected to an external device such as a personal computer, in which a large number of unit images to be subsequently cut out and used as labels are continuously printed on a continuous printing tape (a printing target). A printing device is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). The demand for the inkjet printer is rapidly increasing because, for example, a label stuck on a wrap film of fresh food can be printed in a small lot and can be produced at a relatively low cost.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2002-225305 (pages 4 to 9, FIGS. 1 and 12)
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in this type of ink jet printer, adhesive paper with release paper is used as a print target, and therefore, due to differences in the wettability of each layer in the adhesive paper, the print target curls under high humidity or the like. Had occurred. In addition, due to this paper hammer, the print target comes into contact with the tip of the ink jet head (nozzle), causing head rubbing (paper jam). As a result, paper dust is mixed into the nozzle outlet and clogging occurs. There was a problem that it would.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inkjet printer feed control method and an inkjet printer that perform automatic idle feed control so that printing can always be performed on a printing object in a good state. I have.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The feed control method of the ink jet printer of the present invention is a feed control method of an ink jet printer that feeds out a printing target wound in a roll shape and feeds the print target into a print area, and includes a method from a power-on to a first print instruction. In the printing standby time, the automatic blank feeding control that performs the automatic blank feeding control of the printing target without the printing operation and without requiring the user's instruction by the length that causes the deformation due to the atmosphere of the environment where the inkjet printer is installed. A feeding step is provided.
[0007]
Further, the ink jet printer of the present invention is an ink jet printer that feeds out a printing target material wound in a roll shape and sends it to a printing area. An automatic blank feeding unit is provided which performs automatic blank feeding control of a printing object without a printing operation and without requiring a user's instruction, for a length that is deformed by the atmosphere.
[0008]
According to these configurations, even when the print target has a distorted paper, the automatic idle feed control is performed by the length that causes deformation due to the atmosphere during the printing standby time from when the power is turned on to when the first print instruction is issued. In addition, the printing target can be maintained in a good state. Therefore, printing can always be performed on a printing object in a good state. In addition, it is possible to eliminate the problem that the print target comes into contact with the tip of the ink jet head (nozzle) to cause head rubbing (paper jam) and paper dust to be mixed into the nozzle discharge port. The automatic idle feed control may be performed with power-on as a trigger, or may be performed with an initial print instruction after power-on as a trigger.
[0009]
In this case, the inkjet printer further includes an atmosphere condition acquisition step of acquiring an atmosphere condition of an environment in which the inkjet printer is installed.In the automatic idle feeding step, the atmosphere condition in the non-operation time from the previous power-off to the power-on is used as a parameter. It is preferable to perform automatic idle feed control.
[0010]
In this case, the apparatus further includes an atmosphere condition acquiring means for acquiring an atmosphere condition at the installation location, and the automatic idle feeding means uses the atmosphere condition in the non-operation time from the previous power-off to the power-on as a parameter to automatically perform the air-conditioning. It is preferable to perform feed control.
[0011]
It is known that, depending on the atmospheric conditions, the print object curls or waves, and the like, causes paper warping. Automatic blank feed control is performed by using the atmospheric conditions in the operating time as a parameter, so if it is assumed that the print target is likely to be distorted, automatic print feed control is performed to maintain the print target in a good state. be able to. In addition, since the automatic idle feed control is performed when it is assumed that the print target is likely to be distorted, waste of the print target can be reduced as compared with the case where the automatic idle feed control is always performed. Note that the automatic idle feed control is performed not only as to whether or not this is performed, but also as to a feed amount (feed length) and a feed method using atmospheric conditions as parameters. Further, the atmospheric condition refers to a condition relating to the atmosphere (air) in the environment, and does not refer to a condition relating to a mood that is drawn to the place.
[0012]
In this case, in the automatic idle feed process, it is preferable to perform the automatic idle feed control only when the atmospheric condition satisfies a predetermined condition.
[0013]
Further, in this case, it is preferable that the automatic idle feeding means performs the automatic idle feeding control only when the atmospheric condition satisfies a predetermined condition.
[0014]
According to these configurations, it is possible to perform easy control such as determining whether or not to perform the automatic idle feed control depending on whether or not the acquired atmosphere condition satisfies a predetermined condition.
[0015]
In these cases, in the automatic idle feeding step, it is preferable to perform the automatic idle feed control at the time of the first print instruction instead of the print standby time.
[0016]
In these cases, it is preferable that the automatic idle feed unit performs the automatic idle feed control at the time of the first print instruction instead of the print standby time.
[0017]
According to these configurations, the automatic blank feed control is performed by using the first print instruction as a trigger. Therefore, even if the time elapses from the power-on to the first print instruction, it is possible to perform printing on a print target in a good state at the time of printing. Can be.
[0018]
In these cases, in the atmosphere condition acquiring step, it is preferable to detect the atmosphere condition and acquire the detection result.
[0019]
In these cases, it is preferable that the atmosphere condition acquiring means detects the atmosphere condition and acquires the detection result.
[0020]
According to these configurations, since the atmosphere condition is detected and the detection result is obtained, it is possible for the user to eliminate the trouble of inputting (setting) the atmosphere condition.
[0021]
In these cases, it is preferable that the atmospheric conditions include any of the atmospheric humidity, the atmospheric temperature, and the atmospheric airflow.
[0022]
According to this configuration, the automatic idle feed control can be performed using the atmospheric humidity, the atmospheric temperature, and the atmospheric airflow, which are considered to be the causes of the occurrence of the paper distortion, as parameters.
[0023]
In these cases, in the automatic idle feed process, it is preferable to perform automatic idle feed control using the average value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter.
[0024]
In these cases, it is preferable that the automatic idle feeding means performs automatic idle feeding control using the average value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter.
[0025]
According to these configurations, since the automatic idle feed control is performed using the average value of the atmosphere conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter, the automatic idle feed control can be appropriately performed even if the atmosphere condition fluctuates during the non-operation time. .
[0026]
In these cases, in the automatic idle feeding step, it is preferable to perform automatic idle feeding control using the maximum value or the minimum value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter.
[0027]
In these cases, it is preferable that the automatic idle feeding means performs the automatic idle feeding control using the maximum value or the minimum value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter.
[0028]
According to these configurations, the maximum value or the minimum value of the atmospheric condition in the non-operation time, that is, the value that is considered to have a large effect on the state of the printing target is used as the parameter to perform the automatic idle feed control. Even if the atmospheric conditions fluctuate, the automatic idle feed control can be appropriately performed.
[0029]
In these cases, in the automatic idle feed process, it is preferable to perform the automatic idle feed control using the atmospheric condition at power-on as a parameter instead of the atmospheric condition during the non-operation time.
[0030]
In these cases, it is preferable that the automatic idle feed unit performs the automatic idle feed control using the atmosphere condition at power-on as a parameter instead of the atmosphere condition during the non-operation time.
[0031]
According to these configurations, since the automatic idle feed control is performed using the atmosphere condition at power-on as a parameter, there is no need to acquire (detect) the atmosphere condition during the non-operation time.
[0032]
In these cases, it is preferable to further include a non-operating time measuring step of measuring the non-operating time, and in the automatic idle feeding step, it is preferable to perform the automatic idle feeding control using the atmospheric condition and the non-operating time as parameters.
[0033]
In these cases, it is preferable that the apparatus further includes a non-operation time measuring means for measuring the non-operation time, and the automatic idle-feed means performs automatic idle-feed control using the atmospheric condition and the non-operation time as parameters.
[0034]
It is conceivable that the longer the non-operating time is, the more noticeably the paper is distorted. However, according to these configurations, the automatic idle feeding control is performed using the non-operating time as a parameter in addition to the atmospheric conditions, so that the automatic emptying is more appropriately performed. Feed control can be performed.
[0035]
In these cases, in the automatic idle feeding step, a portion that has already been unwound from the state of being wound into a roll and a portion of the outermost layer that has been wound into a roll are summed up as a length causing deformation. It is preferable to perform the automatic idle feed control of the set length.
[0036]
In these cases, the automatic idle feeding means includes a portion that has already been fed out of a state wound in a roll and an outermost layer orbit portion in a state wound in a roll, as the length causing deformation. It is preferable to perform automatic idle feed control of the total length of
[0037]
According to these configurations, all of the length causing the deformation (the part already fed out of the state wound in a roll and the outermost layer orbit part in the state wound in a roll) are all automatically and automatically fed. Therefore, the printing target can be always kept in a good state.
[0038]
In these cases, the printing target is preferably an adhesive paper.
[0039]
In the case of a paper medium composed of a plurality of layers such as adhesive paper, a paper curl is likely to occur due to a difference in the wettability of each layer, etc. Since the paper is fed, the paper quality can always be maintained in a good state.
[0040]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The ink jet printer according to the embodiment is a large-sized business color printer connected to an external device such as a personal computer, and prints a desired image by an ink jet method based on image data created by the external device. Specifically, an ink jet printer continuously prints a large number of unit images to be cut out and used as a label on a printing tape that is continuous paper, for example, a label attached to a wrap film of fresh food. Can be printed in small lots.
[0041]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing the entire configuration of the ink jet printer, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the ink jet printer viewed from the rear side, omitting a part of the configuration of the ink jet printer.
[0042]
As shown in both figures, the ink jet printer 1 is configured by connecting a small finisher 3 to a large machine base 2, and a printing tape (printing) installed on the machine base 2 is provided on the machine base 2 side. A printing means 5 for performing printing on the object A, a tape supply means 6 for feeding out a roll-shaped printing tape A protruding from the machine base 2 to the right side, and a tape feed path 4 for vertically traversing the machine base 2. And a tape feeding means 7 for feeding the supplied printing tape A. A tape winding means 8 for winding the printed printing tape A received from the tape feeding means 7 into a roll is provided on the finisher 3 side. ing.
[0043]
The machine base 2 includes an ink supply unit 9 for supplying ink to the head unit 24 (inkjet head 26) of the printing unit 5 and a maintenance unit 10 for receiving the inkjet head 26 and performing maintenance processing on the ink. And a controller 11 for controlling each of these main components individually and in association with each other.
[0044]
The ink jet printer 1 horizontally sucks the printing tape A fed from the roll form via the suction table 70 of the tape feeding means 7 and drives the printing means 5 in this state to drive a large number of images (unit images). B) is continuously printed, and the printed portion (unit printing area C) is sent out from the suction table 70 at any time to perform the next continuous printing. (See FIGS. 1 and 6). As shown in FIG. 6, in the unit print area C of the print tape A, together with a number of unit images B, an image position mark D for detecting the position of each unit image B, and a tape feed mark for each unit print area C And a detection mark E for performing the printing.
[0045]
In addition, the tape feeding means 6, the tape feeding means 7, and the tape winding means 8 perform an automatic idle feed control without a printing operation at the time of an initial printing instruction after the power is turned on. Accordingly, even when the printing tape A is curled or waved, such as a wave, it is possible to always perform printing on the printing tape A in a good state. Further, in this case, the automatic idle feed control is performed using the non-operation time from the previous power-off to the power-on time and the atmospheric conditions (atmospheric humidity, ambient temperature, etc.) during the non-operation time as parameters (necessary paper feed). When it is determined that there is no empty feed (when the predetermined automatic idle feed condition (see FIG. 9) is not satisfied), the automatic idle feed control is not performed), so that the waste of the printing tape A can be reduced as much as possible. The automatic idle feed control will be described later in detail.
[0046]
As shown in FIG. 3, the printing tape A is an adhesive paper (tack paper) in which a base layer (image receiving layer) Aa serving as a printing surface, an adhesive layer Ab, a silicone layer Ac, and a release paper layer Ad are laminated. A plurality of types (11 types) of different widths having a tape width of 10 mm from a minimum of 50 mm to a maximum of 150 mm are prepared. At the time of printing, unit images B serving as labels are continuously printed in the extending direction of the printing tape A, and each unit image B is recognized via the image position mark D by another cutting device serving as an external process. Then, it is cut in half and becomes a label with an adhesive.
[0047]
The ink used for this printing, that is, the ink used for one-line color printing includes light cyan (LC) and light magenta (LM) in cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K). ) And a total of six reference colors, and each color ink is supplied from the main tank 61 of each color to each ink jet head 26 (head unit 24) via an ink tube 63 (see FIG. 2 and the like). ).
[0048]
The machine base 2 is formed by assembling an angle member 12 in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, fixing a base plate 13 (device base) on an upper portion thereof, and fixing a shelf plate 14 on a lower portion thereof. Are mounted on the caster 15 and six support bolts 16 with adjusting bolts. On the base plate 13, in addition to the printing means 5, a maintenance means 10 is provided at the center and a sub-tank 62 of the ink supply means 9 is provided at the center, and a main part of the tape feeding means 7 is provided at the near side. . Further, a tape supply means 6 is attached to one end of the base plate 13 in the longitudinal direction via an angle member 12 in the middle in the front-rear direction.
[0049]
A part (two places) of the base plate 13 on the tape winding means 8 side and on the near side is opened in a substantially rectangular shape, and facing the openings 17, the space between the base plate 13 and the shelf plate 14 is formed. Is formed with a tape feed path 4 so as to largely detour downward. A main tank 61 side of the ink supply means 9 is provided behind the shelf board 14, and a large waste ink tank 18 for storing unnecessary waste ink after maintenance is provided. Further, a controller 11 is disposed between the base plate 13 and the shelf plate 14 on the right front side with the partition plate 19 interposed therebetween.
[0050]
Although not shown in the figure, a safety cover is provided on the base plate 13 of the machine base 2 so as to integrally cover the above-described units and the like, and an opening / closing door is provided on the front and a safety cover is provided on the upper surface. Warning lights are provided respectively. A detection switch (detection sensor) for detecting blockage of the door is attached to the safety cover, and a main power supply (not shown) can be turned ON only when the detection switch detects blockage of the door. It has become. When the door is opened while the main power is on, the main power is automatically turned off via the detection switch. The warning lamp has an operation display lamp section for displaying that a printing operation is being performed, a tape display lamp section for displaying a tape end, and the like.
[0051]
On the other hand, the finisher 3 is composed of a finisher body 20 and four support bolts 21 with adjust bolts attached to a lower portion of the finisher body 20, and the tape winding means 8 is incorporated in the finisher body 20. An operation panel 22 for adjusting the winding torque of the printing tape A and the like is provided at the upper left of the front surface of the finisher body 20. As in the case of the safety cover, the main power supply of the inkjet printer 1 can be turned ON only when the finisher 3 is connected to the machine base 2.
[0052]
Next, each unit of the inkjet printer 1 will be described in order. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4A, the printing unit 5 moves the head unit 24 in which a large number of ink jet heads 26 are mounted, and the head unit 24 freely in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction. An XY moving mechanism 25 is provided. The XY moving mechanism 25 is a so-called XY robot mounted on the base plate 13, and moves the head unit 24 in the X-axis direction (main scanning direction, longitudinal direction or extending direction of the printing tape A). X-axis table 27 to be moved, Y-axis table 28 to move X-axis table 27 in the Y-axis direction (sub-scanning direction, width direction of printing tape A), and X-axis table 27 arranged in parallel with Y-axis table 28 And a Y-axis guide 29 that guides the movement of
[0053]
The head unit 24 includes a support bracket 41 on which the above-described female screw block is mounted on the back surface, a unified carriage 42 (see FIG. 4) horizontally mounted below the support bracket 41, and a plurality of papers mounted on the left and right sides of the support bracket 41. The unified carriage 42 has a plurality of ink jet heads 26 having a large number of ink nozzles (nozzle rows) formed on the unified carriage 42.
[0054]
Although not shown in the drawing, the X-axis table 27 has a main scanning ball screw for reciprocating the head unit 24 in the main scanning direction and a main scanning ball screw inside the X-axis table frame 31 constituting the outer shell. A main scanning motor for reverse rotation is accommodated. Similarly, the Y-axis table 28 includes a sub-scanning ball screw for reciprocating the X-axis table 27 (not shown) in the sub-scanning direction and a sub-scanning ball screw inside the Y-axis table frame 32 forming the outer shell. A sub-scanning motor that rotates forward and backward is accommodated.
[0055]
The main scanning motor and the sub-scanning motor are connected to the controller 11, and the head unit 24 reciprocates in the main scanning direction by rotating the main scanning motor in the normal and reverse directions, thereby rotating the sub-scanning motor in the normal and reverse directions. Accordingly, the head unit 24 reciprocates in the sub-scanning direction via the X-axis table 27. Then, one line of printing is performed by moving the head unit 24 in the main scanning direction, and the head unit 24 is moved to the next line by moving in the sub-scanning direction.
[0056]
More specifically, referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, when printing is started on the print tape A on the suction table 70 with the print start position P1 at the upper left, for example, the head unit 24 is moved to the right from this position. One line printing (main scanning) is performed by moving the head unit 24 in the direction (forward direction in the main scanning) by a predetermined distance, and the head unit 24 is moved to the second line by moving the head unit 24 to the front at the right end. (Sub-scanning), and the head unit 24 is further moved leftward (return direction in the main scanning) to perform printing (main scanning) of the second line. The operation is repeated in this manner to print all lines (see FIG. 4B).
[0057]
Further, for example, when printing is completed at the lower right position, the printing after the next tape feed is performed by moving the head unit 24 from the printing end position P2 toward the printing start position P1 by the reverse operation. Thus, printing of all lines is performed (see FIG. 4C). Thereby, the movement loss of the head unit 24 is reduced. During one reciprocation (printing of two lines), the flushing of the flushing box 121 is performed by the inkjet head 26 at the left end.
[0058]
Next, the ink supply means 9 will be described. The ink supply means 9 includes a main tank 61 disposed on the shelf plate 14 for storing a large amount of each color ink, and a sub tank 62 disposed on the base plate 13 and supplying each color ink from the main tank 61 to each inkjet head 26. And an ink tube 63 for connecting the main tank 61, the sub tank 62, and the inkjet head 26. The main tank 61 pressurizes and supplies ink to the sub-tank 62, and the ink stored in the sub-tank 62 is supplied thereto by receiving a pumping action (ink discharge) of the inkjet head 26.
[0059]
That is, the ink supplied from the main tank 61 under pressure is cut off by pressure in the sub tank 62 and supplied to the inkjet head 26. In this case, the main tank 61 is composed of one of each color, the sub tank 62 is composed of two of each color, and the ink in the main tank 61 is separated by a two-branch joint provided in the ink tube 63. The branch is repeated once before and after the sub-tank 62 so as to be supplied to the ink jet head 26.
[0060]
Next, the maintenance means 10 will be described. The maintenance unit 10 includes, in addition to the flushing box 121 for receiving the flushing ink, a storage unit 122 for storing the inkjet head 26 when it is not driven, and a cleaning for cleaning the inkjet head 26 by manual operation or the like to eliminate nozzle clogging. A unit 123 and a wiping unit 124 for wiping the ink-jet head 26 by manual operation or the like, both of which are provided on the machine base 2 in the vicinity of the X-axis table 27 which is displaced from the tape feed path 4 to the back side. Have been.
[0061]
The storage process by the storage unit 122 seals the nozzle forming surfaces of all the ink jet heads 26 to prevent evaporation of the ink. Similarly, in the storage process by the cleaning unit 123, the nozzle forming surface of each inkjet head 26 is sealed, and in this state, the ink is pump-suctioned from all the ink nozzles, and the sucked ink is transferred to the waste ink tank via a tube. Leading to 18. The wiping process by the wiping unit 124 is performed by wiping ink droplets attached around the ink nozzles of each inkjet head 26. By such a maintenance process, an appropriate meniscus of the ink nozzle can be held.
[0062]
Next, regarding the tape feeding, the tape feeding means 7, the tape supply means 6, and the tape winding means 8 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the tape feeding means 7. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 1, the tape feeding means 7 is mounted on a base plate 13 disposed substantially at the center of the tape feeding path 4. The apparatus includes a suction table 70 and a tape feed mechanism 71 that is disposed with the suction table 70 interposed therebetween and feeds the print tape A along the tape feed path 4.
[0063]
The suction table 70 includes a housing 73 fixed to the base plate 13, a suction plate 74 attached to the upper surface of the housing 73, and three (plural) suction chambers 75 formed below the suction plate 74. It is composed of three suction fans (not shown) facing the lower part of each suction chamber 75, and sucks the printing tape A by air. The suction plate 74 is formed to have a length (printing area) of 30 inches in the extending direction of the tape feed path 4 in accordance with the length of the X-axis table 27, and the printing tape A having the maximum width (tape width). 150 mm).
[0064]
On the upper surface of the suction plate 74, a number of suction holes 76 communicating with the respective suction chambers 75 are formed. The suction plate 74 sucks the printing tape A through the number of suction holes 76 so as not to float. It is placed on the upper surface by force and with a predetermined flatness. Further, the suction plate 74 is disposed horizontally, and faces directly above the head unit 24 (ink jet head 26) that moves in the X and Y directions in parallel. That is, the printing tape A sucked on the upper surface of the suction plate 74 faces the ink jet head 26 in parallel with a predetermined gap for ink ejection.
[0065]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the tape feed mechanism 71 includes a tape feed roller 81 disposed on the base plate 13 downstream of the tape feed path 4 and a tape feed motor 82 for driving the tape feed roller 81 to rotate. A feed roller 83 disposed downstream of the tape feed roller 81 in the feed direction and feeding the tape to the tape winding means 8; a guide roller 84 disposed immediately downstream of the suction table 70 in the feed direction and immediately upstream of the suction table 70; The feed roller 85 includes a guide roller 86 disposed upstream of the feed roller 85 in the feed direction, and a width guide portion 87 disposed upstream of the guide roller 86 in the feed direction.
[0066]
Further, the tape feed mechanism 71 includes an intermediate roller 88 between the base plate 13 and the shelf plate 14 between the tape feed roller 81 and the guide roller 84, on the downstream side in the feed direction of the guide roller 84, and below the intermediate roller 88. And a lower roller 89 disposed. Note that a space between the lower roller 89 and the guide roller 84 is a drying area H having substantially the same length as the printing area G and where the printed portion of the printing tape A is naturally dried.
[0067]
The rotation of the tape feed roller 81 is controlled by the controller 11, and is rotated in synchronization with the head unit 24 so that the entire tape feed and stop in the machine base 2 including feed on the suction table 70 is performed with high accuracy. It is supposed to. Specifically, the detection mark E printed on the printing tape A together with the unit image B is detected, and the tape feeding roller 81 is rotated based on the calculated number of steps to stop the feeding of the printing tape A. ing. In the automatic idle feed control performed at the time of the first printing instruction after the power is turned on, the portion already fed out of the tape supply unit 6 from the state of being wound in a roll shape and the outermost layer in the state of being wound in a roll shape are used. Tape feeding is performed based on the number of steps calculated from the total length of the circling portion.
[0068]
On an intermediate support plate 91 that supports the intermediate roller 88, a tape feed sensor 92 is disposed at a position facing the tape feed path 4 (printing tape A) and parallel to the intermediate roller 88. The tape feed sensor 92 is connected to the controller 11. The tape feed sensor 92 detects the detection mark E of the print tape A, and controls the driving operation of the tape feed motor 82 based on the detection result. Has become. As a result, the feed of the print tape A, that is, the intermittent feed in units of the unit print area C where printing is performed by one-tact printing operation is performed with high accuracy.
[0069]
In this case, the tape feed sensor 92 is located at a predetermined distance (specified distance: M) from the leading end of the print area G. One detection mark E to be printed on the unit print area C is printed at a position lower than the rear end of the unit print area C in the tape feeding direction by a predetermined distance. That is, the distance from the rear end of the unit print area C to the print position of the detection mark E and the distance from the front end of the unit print area C to the position of the tape feed sensor 92 are set to be the same, thereby achieving the high precision described above. Tape feed is realized.
[0070]
The width guide portion 87 is provided with five feed members for guiding the feeding of the printing tape A. The printing tape A fed through the width guide portion 87 is sent to the guide roller 86 after the path is changed in a wave shape. Go on. In addition, the width guide portion 87 is configured so that the width of the feed path can be changed with the end on the back side as a fixed position corresponding to the printing tape A of each width. Thereby, each printing tape A is sent with the end on the back side in the width direction as a fixed position (end surface reference), and faces the suction table 70.
[0071]
As shown in FIG. 1, the tape supply means 6 includes a pair of front and rear supply support frames 101 fixed to the base plate 13 facing the width guide portion 87 and an angle member 12 of the machine base 2 below the supply support frame 101. A support portion is constituted by the fixed bracket 102, and a predetermined amount of slack is given to the printing tape A which is fed and fed to the tape feeding means 7 (width guide portion 87). The bracket 102 is provided with a pay-out reel 103 that is wound in a roll shape and rotatably supports the printing tape A, and a torque limiter 104 that is pivotally mounted on the pay-out reel 103.
[0072]
On the other hand, the tape take-up means 8 includes a tape take-up reel 105 rotatably supported by the finisher main body 20, a take-up roller 106 located immediately above the tape take-up reel 105, and a rotational drive of the take-up roller 106. A take-up motor 107 to be driven, a take-up guide roller 108 proximate to and facing the take-up roller 106, a width regulating portion 109 for regulating the width direction of the printed printing tape A, the finisher 3 and the machine base 2. And a pressing roller 110 located between the two.
[0073]
Then, the printed printing tape A sent from the tape feeding means 7 is guided to the width regulating portion 109 via the pressing roller 110, where a width guide for tape winding is performed, and the tape winding is performed. It is wound on a take-up reel 105 in a roll shape.
[0074]
Next, a main control system constituted by the controller 11 will be described. As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 7, the control system of the inkjet printer 1 inputs image data (print data) and various commands generated by an external device such as a personal computer, and also outputs data relating to the processing status inside the inkjet printer 1. A data input / output unit 141 for outputting an image to an external device, a printing unit 142 having a printing unit 5 for printing an image on the print tape A, and a maintenance unit 10 for maintaining the inkjet head 26. The maintenance unit 143 for performing the operation, the ink supply unit 144 having the ink supply unit 9 for supplying the ink to the inkjet head 26, and the tape supply unit 6, the tape winding unit 8, and the tape feeding unit 7 (tape feeding motor 82). A transport unit 145 that transports the printing tape A and a driving unit 146 that includes various drivers that drive each unit. A detection unit 147 having a tape feed sensor 92, a linear sensor 133, a hygrometer 134, and a thermometer 135 to perform various types of detection, and a control unit 148 (controller 11) for controlling each unit of the inkjet printer 1. .
[0075]
The control unit 148 includes a CPU 151, a ROM 152, a RAM 153, and a P-CON 154, which are connected to each other via an internal bus 155. The ROM 152 stores a control program block 156 for storing a control program to be processed by the CPU 151, and a control for storing various control data such as a character table and a color conversion table in addition to data relating to the "automatic idle feed discrimination list" shown in FIG. And a data block 157.
[0076]
The RAM 153 includes a work area block 161 used as a flag and the like, an image data block 162 storing image data input from an external device, and an atmospheric humidity measured at regular intervals (for example, every hour) by the hygrometer 134. A humidity data block 163 for storing data relating to the average value, a temperature data block 164 for storing data relating to the average value of the ambient temperature measured at regular intervals (for example, every hour) by the thermometer 135, and a timer 166 to be described later. And a non-operation time data block 165 for storing data relating to the non-operation time (time from when the power was last turned off to when the power was turned on) measured by the above operation, and is used as a work area for control processing. The RAM 153 is always backed up so as to retain the stored data even when the power is turned off.
[0077]
In the P-CON 154, a logic circuit for supplementing the function of the CPU 151 and handling an interface signal with a peripheral circuit, which is constituted by a gate array, a custom LSI, or the like, is incorporated. For example, in addition to the above-mentioned non-operation time, a timer 166 that performs various clocks is also incorporated as a function in the P-CON 154. For this reason, the P-CON 154 is connected to various sensors of the detection unit and the data input / output unit 141, takes in various commands and image data from the data input / output unit 141 as they are or processes them, and takes them into the bus 155. In conjunction therewith, data or control signals output from the CPU 151 or the like to the bus 155 are output to the drive unit 146 as they are or after processing.
[0078]
Then, according to the above configuration, the CPU 151 inputs various detection signals, various commands, various data, and the like via the P-CON 154 according to the control program in the ROM 152, processes various data and the like in the RAM 153, A control signal is output to the drive unit 146 via the CON 154. As a result, the printing unit 5 and the tape feeding unit 7 are controlled, and the entire inkjet printer 1 is controlled, such as performing image printing and tape feeding on the printing tape A under predetermined printing conditions and tape feeding conditions.
[0079]
Here, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the printing process, particularly, the automatic idle feed control will be described in detail. As described above, the automatic idle feed control refers to an idle feed control that does not involve a printing operation that is automatically performed without a user's instruction at the time of an initial print instruction after the power is turned on. By this automatic idle feed control, even if the print tape A is curled or the paper has a wavy shape such as a wave, it is possible to always keep the print tape A in a good state by idling the print tape A. it can. In particular, in the case of the present embodiment, since the printing tape A has a multilayer structure (see FIG. 3), it is easy for the paper tape to be formed due to the difference in the wetting rate and the expansion rate of each layer. Further, since the printing method is a non-impact method (inkjet method), for example, if the printing tape A is curled, the printing tape A comes into contact with the tip of the ink jet head 26 (nozzle) and head rubbing (paper jam) occurs. As a result, there is a problem that paper dust is mixed into the nozzle discharge port to cause clogging. Therefore, it is an important task to always keep the printing tape A in a good state.
[0080]
As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, when a print instruction is issued by the user (S1), it is determined whether or not the print instruction is an initial print instruction after power-on (S2). Here, when the print instruction is not the first print instruction after the power is turned on (S2: No), the print process is executed as it is without performing the automatic idle feed control (S5). On the other hand, when the print instruction is the first print instruction (S2: Yes), based on the detection results of the hygrometer 134 and the thermometer 135 and the measurement value of the timer 166, the table is shown in the "automatic idle feed determination list" in FIG. It is determined whether or not the automatic skipping condition is satisfied (S3). If the condition is not satisfied (S3: No), the printing process is executed as it is (S5), and if the condition is satisfied (S3: Yes). Then, the automatic idle feed control is executed (S4). After performing the automatic idle feed control, the normal print processing is executed (S5), and the print processing is terminated (S6).
[0081]
Here, the automatic idle feeding condition will be described. As described above, the degree of the paper habit such as the curling of the print tape A is determined by the atmospheric conditions and the non-operating time. Specifically, when the humidity is high (50% or more), the temperature is high ( In the case of 20 ° C. or more, the paper habit appears remarkably when the non-operation time is long. Accordingly, a list of conditions (automatic jumping feed conditions) in which it is considered that a warp may occur based on the actually measured values is an "automatic jumping feed discrimination list" shown in FIG. As shown here, for example, when the average humidity during non-operation time is 50% or less and the average temperature is 30 ° C. or less, it is determined that the automatic idle feeding condition is satisfied when the non-operation time becomes 24 hours or more. , And performs automatic idle feed control. When the average humidity is 70% or more and the average temperature is 30 ° C. or more, it is determined that the automatic idle feeding condition is satisfied when the non-operation time becomes 3 minutes or more, and the automatic idle feeding control is performed. In the “automatic idle feed discrimination list”, the discrimination is performed based on the average value of the atmospheric conditions detected at regular intervals during the non-operation time. Thereby, even if the atmospheric condition fluctuates during the non-operation time, the automatic idle feed control can be appropriately performed.
[0082]
The automatic idle feed length in the automatic idle feed control is a length that causes deformation due to the atmosphere. In other words, the portion where the print tape A has already been fed from the state where the print tape A is wound on the pay-out reel 103 in a roll shape ( This is the total length of the length from the position α to the position β) and the outermost layer orbital portion (length γ) wound in a roll shape. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the printing tape A in the outermost layer circulating portion of the tape supply means 6 is fed in an idle manner until it is completely wound by the tape winding means 8 (until the position α is sent to the position β). The Rukoto.
[0083]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when it is assumed that the print tape A is distorted (when the automatic idle feed condition is satisfied), the automatic idle feed control is performed. Can be kept in a state. In addition, since the non-operating time from the previous power-off to the power-on and the atmosphere conditions in the non-operating time are used as parameters for the automatic idle feed control, the printing tape A is compared with the case where the automatic idle feed is always performed. Waste can be reduced as much as possible.
[0084]
Here, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above example, the automatic idle feed conditions (parameters) are three, namely, the atmospheric humidity, the ambient temperature, and the non-operation time. However, the automatic idle feed control is not limited to these conditions, but may be performed according to other conditions. It may be performed. In this case, for example, "atmosphere airflow" may be used as a parameter as the atmosphere condition. That is, when the airflow is large, the wetting of the print target can be suppressed. Therefore, the airflow (wind speed) in the inkjet printer 1 is measured by an airflow sensor or the like, and automatic idle feed control is performed according to the measurement result. Or not. According to this configuration, the automatic idle feed control can be more appropriately performed by taking into account the atmosphere airflow as a parameter.
[0085]
Further, depending on the type (paper quality) of the printing target, a condition (for example, a daylight amount or an acidity) that causes deterioration (yellow color change, hardening, etc.) may be used as the atmospheric condition. That is, the daily light amount and the acidity of the environmental atmosphere are detected, and when the daylight amount is a predetermined amount or more, or when the acidity is a predetermined amount or more, the non-operation time is 24 hours or more regardless of the atmospheric humidity and the atmospheric temperature. Automatic jump feed control may be performed. The non-operation time can be set not in units of hours or minutes but also in units of days, weeks, or months.
[0086]
In the above example, the atmospheric conditions (atmospheric humidity and ambient temperature) are detected by the hygrometer 134 and the thermometer 135. However, the inkjet printer 10 is provided with an operation panel or the like, and the user can control the atmosphere from the operation panel. You may comprise so that conditions can be input. According to this configuration, it is possible to input the atmospheric conditions in consideration of the temperature rise due to the continuous operation of the inkjet printer 1 and the outside air temperature by the user's judgment, and it is not necessary to provide the hygrometer 134 and the thermometer 135.
[0087]
Further, in this case, it is preferable that the user can input the atmospheric conditions from an external device using a keyboard, a mouse, or the like without directly operating the inkjet printer 1. Further, in this case, it is preferable that the atmosphere condition is input on the setting screen executed by the utility execution program in the printer driver incorporated in the external device. According to this configuration, when the printer driver is installed, the user inputs the atmosphere condition on the setting screen, so that appropriate automatic feed control according to the atmosphere condition can be performed.
[0088]
Further, the atmosphere condition may be obtained from a specific server via a network such as the Internet. That is, the installation location of the inkjet printer 1 is set for a specific server, and the atmosphere condition (in this case, the atmospheric humidity (environmental humidity) or the ambient temperature ( ) May be automatically received, and automatic feed control may be performed based on the received atmospheric conditions. According to this configuration, since it is not necessary to provide the hygrometer 134 and the thermometer 135 in the inkjet printer 1, it is possible to reduce costs required for these components. Further, the atmospheric conditions can be acquired without requiring the user to input the atmospheric conditions using a keyboard, a mouse, or the like.
[0089]
Further, in the above example, the automatic idle feed control is performed with the print instruction as a trigger, but the automatic idle feed control is performed with the power-on as a trigger during a print standby time from the power-on to the first print instruction. Is also good. In addition, the automatic idle feed control is performed using the non-operation time from the last power-off to the power-on as a parameter, but the time from the last print instruction or from the end of the previous print to the next print instruction is performed. The time may be measured, and the automatic idle feed control may be performed using the time as a parameter. According to this configuration, it is possible to more accurately measure the time during which the print target is exposed to the outside air, and to more appropriately perform the automatic idle feed control.
[0090]
Further, in the above example, whether or not to perform the automatic idle feed control is determined in accordance with the automatic idle feed condition (parameter). May be controlled as a parameter. That is, when the atmospheric humidity is 50% or less, the idle feed length is limited to the portion that has already been fed out of the rolled state regardless of the ambient temperature. (The outermost layer orbiting portion is not skipped.).
[0091]
Further, in the above example, until the printing tape A in the outermost layer circling portion of the tape supply means 6 is completely wound by the tape winding means 8 (until the position α is sent to the position β (see FIG. 5)). Although the automatic idle feeding is performed, the automatic idle feeding may be performed until the printing tape A in the outermost layer orbiting portion of the tape supply means 6 exceeds the printing area G (until the position α is sent to the position g). good. According to this configuration, printing can be performed on the print tape A in a good state, and the waste of the print tape A can be further reduced.
[0092]
Further, in the above-described example, the tacking paper with the release paper is taken as an example of the printing target, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is also applicable to the case of using an adhesive paper (for a paper medium composed of a plurality of layers such as adhesive paper, the paper is likely to be distorted due to a difference in the wettability of each layer). The present invention is also applicable to a case where a medium other than adhesive paper that is easily deteriorated is used as a printing target.
[0093]
As described above, according to the inkjet printer feed control method and the inkjet printer of the present invention, the automatic idle feed control is performed using the non-operation time from the previous power-off to the power-on last time and the atmosphere condition in the non-operation time as parameters. This is performed (that is, when it is assumed that the print target is likely to be distorted (when the automatic idle feed condition is satisfied), the automatic idle feed control is performed), so that the print target can be maintained in a good state.
[0094]
In addition, it is possible to eliminate the problem that the printing target comes into contact with the tip of the ink jet head 26 (nozzle) to cause head rubbing (paper jam) and paper dust to be mixed into the nozzle discharge port. . Further, since the automatic idle feed control is performed in a case where it is assumed that the print target is likely to be distorted, waste of the print target can be reduced as compared with the case where the automatic idle feed control is always performed.
[0095]
In addition, since the automatic idle feed control is performed using the average value of the atmosphere conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter, the automatic idle feed control can be appropriately performed even if the atmosphere condition changes during the non-operation time.
[0096]
In the above embodiment, the automatic idle feed control is performed using the average value during the non-operation time as a parameter. However, the automatic idle feed control may be performed using the maximum value or the minimum value during the non-operation time as a parameter. good. According to this configuration, the automatic idle feed control is performed using the maximum value or the minimum value of the atmosphere condition during the non-operation time, that is, a value considered to greatly affect the state of the print target, as a parameter. Even if the conditions fluctuate, the automatic idle feed control can be appropriately performed.
[0097]
Also, instead of the atmosphere condition during the non-operation time, the automatic idle feed control may be performed using the atmosphere condition when the power is turned on as a parameter. According to this configuration, it is not necessary to continuously detect the atmospheric condition at regular intervals during the non-operation time, so that the power consumption during the non-operation time can be reduced.
[0098]
In the above-described embodiment, the automatic idle feed control is performed according to the atmospheric conditions. However, the automatic idle feed control may always be performed regardless of the atmospheric conditions (without acquiring the atmospheric conditions). good. According to this configuration, it is possible to omit the process for acquiring the atmosphere condition.
[0099]
In the above embodiment, the inkjet printer 1 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the feed control method of the present invention can be applied to other types of printing apparatuses and paper feeding apparatuses.
[0100]
In addition, the device configuration of the inkjet printer 1, the type of the inkjet head 26, and other conditions for automatic idle feeding in the automatic idle feeding control can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0101]
【The invention's effect】
ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the feed control method of an ink jet printer and the ink jet printer of the present invention, an operation and an effect such as being able to always perform printing on a printing object in a good state are exhibited.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an inkjet printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the inkjet printer according to the embodiment, with a part thereof omitted from the rear side.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a laminated structure of a printing target.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a movement operation of a head unit.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the tape feeding means.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a printing result on a printing tape.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a control system of the inkjet printer according to the embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process of the inkjet printer according to the embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an automatic jumping feed discrimination list used in the automatic jumping feed control according to the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Inkjet printer
2 machines
3 Finisher
4 Tape feed path
5 Printing means
6 Tape supply means
7 Tape feeding means
8 Tape winding means
9 Ink supply means
10 Maintenance measures
11 Controller
24 head unit
26 Inkjet head
134 hygrometer
135 thermometer
148 control unit
151 CPU
152 ROM
153 RAM
154 P-CON
166 timer
A printing tape

Claims (24)

A feed control method of an inkjet printer that feeds out a print target wound in a roll shape and feeds the print target into a print area,
In the printing standby time from when the power is turned on to when the first printing instruction is issued, the printing that does not involve a printing operation and does not require a user instruction is performed for a length that causes deformation due to the atmosphere of the environment where the inkjet printer is installed. A feed control method for an ink jet printer, comprising an automatic idle feed process for performing automatic idle feed control of an object. Further comprising an atmosphere condition obtaining step of obtaining an atmosphere condition of an environment in which the inkjet printer is installed,
2. The inkjet printer according to claim 1, wherein, in the automatic empty-feeding step, the automatic empty-feeding control is performed by using, as a parameter, an atmospheric condition in a non-operation time from a previous power-off to the power-on. 3. Feed control method. 3. The feed control method for an inkjet printer according to claim 2, wherein in the automatic idle feed step, the automatic idle feed control is performed only when the atmospheric condition satisfies a predetermined condition. 4. The feed control method for an ink jet printer according to claim 2, wherein in the automatic idle feed step, the automatic idle feed control is performed at the time of the first print instruction, instead of the print standby time. 5. The feed control method for an ink jet printer according to claim 2, wherein in the atmosphere condition acquiring step, the atmosphere condition is detected and a result of the detection is acquired. 6. The feed control method for an ink jet printer according to claim 2, wherein the atmospheric condition includes any one of an atmospheric humidity, an atmospheric temperature, and an atmospheric airflow. The feed control of an inkjet printer according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein in the automatic idle feed step, the automatic idle feed control is performed using an average value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter. Method. The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein in the automatic idle feeding step, the automatic idle feeding control is performed using a maximum value or a minimum value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter. Feed control method. 7. The automatic idle feed control according to claim 2, wherein in the automatic idle feed step, the automatic idle feed control is performed using, as a parameter, the atmospheric condition when the power is turned on, instead of the atmospheric condition during the non-operation time. 3. The feed control method for an ink jet printer according to claim 1. Further comprising a non-operation time measuring step of measuring the non-operation time,
10. The feed control method for an inkjet printer according to claim 2, wherein in the automatic idle feed step, the automatic idle feed control is performed using the atmosphere condition and the non-operation time as parameters. In the automatic idle feeding step, as the length causing the deformation, the total length of the portion already fed out of the state wound in a roll and the outermost layer orbit portion in the state wound in a roll 11. The feed control method for an ink jet printer according to claim 1, wherein the automatic idle feed control is performed. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing target is an adhesive sheet. In an ink-jet printer which feeds out a printing target wound in a roll shape and sends it to a printing area,
During the printing standby time from when the power is turned on to when the first print instruction is issued, the automatic idle feeding of the print target without a printing operation and without requiring a user's instruction is performed for a length that causes deformation due to the atmosphere of the installation location. An ink jet printer comprising an automatic idle feeding means for performing control. Further provided is an atmosphere condition acquisition means for acquiring an atmosphere condition at the installation location,
14. The ink jet printer according to claim 13, wherein the automatic idle feeding unit performs the automatic idle feeding control using a parameter of an atmosphere condition during a non-operation time from a previous power-off to a power-on. 15. The inkjet printer according to claim 14, wherein the automatic idle feeding unit performs the automatic idle feeding control only when the atmospheric condition satisfies a predetermined condition. 16. The inkjet printer according to claim 14, wherein the automatic idle feed unit performs the automatic idle feed control at the time of the first print instruction instead of the print standby time. 17. The ink jet printer according to claim 14, wherein the atmosphere condition acquiring unit detects the atmosphere condition and acquires a result of the detection. 18. The ink jet printer according to claim 14, wherein the atmospheric condition includes any one of an atmospheric humidity, an atmospheric temperature, and an atmospheric airflow. 19. The inkjet printer according to claim 14, wherein the automatic idle feeding unit performs the automatic idle feeding control using an average value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter. 19. The ink jet printer according to claim 14, wherein the automatic idle feeding unit performs the automatic idle feeding control using a maximum value or a minimum value of the atmospheric conditions during the non-operation time as a parameter. . 19. The automatic idle feed control according to claim 14, wherein the automatic idle feed control uses the atmospheric condition at the time of power-on as a parameter instead of the atmospheric condition during the non-operation time. 2. The inkjet printer according to 1. Further comprising a non-operation time measuring means for measuring the non-operation time,
22. The inkjet printer according to claim 14, wherein the automatic idle feeding unit performs the automatic idle feeding control using the atmosphere condition and the non-operation time as parameters. The automatic idle feeding means, as the length causing the deformation, the total length of the portion already fed out of the state wound in a roll and the outermost layer orbit portion in the state wound in a roll 23. The ink jet printer according to claim 13, wherein the automatic idle feed control is performed. The inkjet printer according to any one of claims 13 to 23, wherein the printing target is an adhesive paper.

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