JP2005212078A - Cut data making method of cutting plotter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cut data making method of a cutting plotter capable of easily performing cutting, by describing cut data by image data of an all purpose form. <P>SOLUTION: The cutting is performed on the basis of this data, by setting only vector element data having a specific attribute as the cut data among this image data, by making an image data file by describing the cut data as the vector element data of imparting the specific attribute, and as one object of the image data file. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cutting plotter, and more particularly to a cutting data creation method for a cutting plotter.

  As a conventional cutting plotter of this type that cuts a sheet-like medium into a predetermined shape, both ends of the sheet-like medium are sandwiched between a driving roller and a driven roller (pinch roller), and the driving roller is rotated forward and backward. To move the sheet medium in the first direction (X-axis direction) and to be movable in a second direction (Y-axis direction) orthogonal to the first direction, and to the carriage. By moving the cutting pen that presses and separates against the sheet-like medium, the cutting pen is moved in a two-dimensional direction with respect to the sheet-like medium and selectively pressed and separated to cut into a desired shape. A sheet-like medium is placed on a medium-driven cutting plotter or a flat table, and can be moved in the first direction relative to the placement table. A Y-bar provided on the carriage, a carriage slidable on the Y-bar so as to be movable in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a pressure-contact / separation between the carriage and the sheet-like medium on the mounting table. A so-called flat bed type in which the Y-bar and carriage are controlled to move, and the cutting pen is selectively pressed against and separated from the sheet-like medium to cut it into a desired shape. A cutting plotter is known.

This cutting plotter uses a sheet-like medium that has been printed (recorded) in advance with graphics, designs, etc., and cuts this into a developed shape of a box, container, etc., or creates a box, container, or It is also used for making paper products such as patterns such as clothes, decorative stencils or mask patterns, greeting cards such as New Year's cards, and paper crafts.
JP 2002-346882 A

When the cutting plotter is used to cut a sheet medium on which the figure or the like has been printed in advance and assemble the box, the printed part of the figure or the like appears at a predetermined position. For this purpose, it is necessary to cut the XY plane coordinate axis of the cutting plotter accurately and the coordinate axis of the recording on the sheet-like medium. For this reason, conventionally, a reference figure (so-called register mark) for displaying the coordinate axis when recording on the surface of a sheet-like medium is formed, and this reference figure reading sensor is provided in a pen block of a cutting plotter, etc. The pen block is moved before operation, the reference figure is read by this sensor, its coordinate axis is detected, cutting data is corrected based on the detected coordinate axis, and cutting operation is performed. The medium positioning operation is facilitated and the coordinate axes of the sheet medium and the cutting plotter are accurately matched.
In addition, the graphics, designs, etc. that are usually applied to the surface of these sheet-like media are created in advance by graphic software, etc., and cutting data for the cutting plotter is created separately from the image data created by this graphic software. Create outline data to be cut by application software, record on the sheet-like medium surface by a recording device such as a printer based on the image (print) data created by graphic software, and then record the sheet on the cutting plotter This is performed by a procedure of setting a state medium and cutting it.
The operations of creating image data, creating cut data, printing, and cutting in such a procedure are always different because the format of the image data to be recorded and printed is completely different from the format of the cut data to be cut. This requires a certain amount of knowledge and is very complicated for those who are unfamiliar with the operation of a cutting plotter. There was a problem that it was not easy to create paper products such as stencils or mask patterns, greeting cards for New Year's cards, and paper crafts.
The present invention has been made to solve these problems.

  In the cutting plotter of the present invention, the cut data is composed of image data having a predetermined data format including at least vector data, and only the vector element data having a specific attribute is cut out of the image data. As data, it was configured to perform cutting based on this.

  According to the cutting data creation method of the cutting plotter of the present invention, it becomes possible to describe the cut data as one object information of a general-purpose image data file, improving the usability of the data, and using one image data for a printer or the like. Recording by cutting and cutting by a cutting plotter can be performed.

  The cut data is described as one object of the image data file as vector element data with a specific attribute.

Hereinafter, a cutting plotter and a cut data creation method thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a cutting medium drive type cutting plotter which is a cutting plotter of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a cutting plotter body, 2 is a driving roller, 3 is a pinch roller, 4 is a pen block, A cutting pen, 6 is a cut medium support sheet, and 7 is a paper sheet material which is a cut medium.
In this cutting plotter, a paper sheet material 7 as a medium to be cut is placed and supported on a medium to be cut medium support sheet 6, and both end portions of the medium to be cut medium 6 are sandwiched between the driving roller 2 and the pinch roller 3. . The driving roller 2 is supported by the main body 1 so as to be driven to rotate by transmitting a rotational driving force in a forward / reverse direction of a driving motor (not shown). The pinch roller 3 is pressed against the drive roller 2 via the medium support sheet 6 to be cut, and is driven to rotate following the forward / reverse rotation of the drive roller 2. Both ends of the cut medium support sheet 6 are sandwiched between the drive roller 2 and the pinch roller 3 and are provided to be driven in the X-axis direction in the figure by the rotational drive of the drive roller 2. The pen block 4 is provided on the plotter main body 1 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction in the figure by a moving mechanism (not shown). The pen block 4 holds a cutting pen 5 as a cutting means, and the held cutting pen 5 is used as an actuator (see FIG. (Not shown) is provided so as to be pressed against and separated from the medium 7 to be cut.
The control means drives and controls the driving roller 2 based on the cut data of the shape to be cut, and moves the cut medium support sheet 6 together with the cut medium 7 in the X-axis direction (first direction) in the figure. The pen block 4 is moved in the Y-axis direction (second direction), the cutting pen 5 is moved in a two-dimensional direction relative to the paper sheet material 7, and the cutting pen 5 is selectively moved to the paper sheet. By press-contacting and separating from the material 7, it is configured to cut it in a desired shape.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of this medium-driven cutting plotter. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 8 denotes a control unit that performs various controls, based on cut data or recording data transmitted from a host device such as a computer. The control device 80 for creating cutting data by the cutting pen 5 and the X-axis drive control means 82, the Y-axis drive control means 83 and the Z-axis drive control means 84 are driven and controlled based on the cutting data transmitted from the control device 80. The drive control unit 81 is configured. The X-axis drive control means 82 is a drive motor that rotationally drives the drive roller 2 in forward and reverse directions, the Y-axis drive control means 83 is a drive motor that controls movement of the pen block 4 in the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis. The drive control means 84 drives and controls the actuators that press and separate the cutting pen 5 from the paper sheet material 7. The pen block 4 is provided with a reference graphic detection sensor 9 for detecting a reference graphic, which will be described later. The reference graphic detection sensor 9 is composed of a reflective photosensor, and is on the X axis and the Y axis of the reference graphic. The coordinate points are detected, and these reference graphic data are transmitted to the control unit 80.

When a paper product is produced by cutting a paper sheet material into a desired shape by using the medium-driven cutting plotter, an operator first supports the paper sheet material 7 as a material on the cut medium support sheet 6.
Since the to-be-cut medium support sheet 6 has an adhesive layer formed of an adhesive having a weak adhesive force on the surface thereof, the paper sheet material 7 is applied to the to-be-cut medium support sheet 6 over the entire surface. Adhesive supported and fixed to this.
Next, both ends of the cut medium support sheet 6 on which the paper sheet material 7 is supported are sandwiched between the driving roller 2 and the pinch roller 3 of the cutting plotter. At this time, the reference mark, that is, the origin of the paper sheet material 7 is positioned so as to be close to the pinch roller 3. In this state, the cutting plotter enters a standby state.
When the cutting medium support sheet 6 that supports the paper sheet material 7 is set on the cutting plotter 1, cut data to be cut is transmitted from a host device such as a computer, and the cutting plotter control unit (not shown) transmits the cut data. Based on the above, the cutting operation of the paper sheet material 7 is performed.
In the cutting operation of the paper sheet material 7, the control unit moves the pen block 4 holding the cutting pen 5 to the Y axis while the cutting pen 5 is pressed against or separated from the paper sheet material 7 by an actuator of the pen block 4 (not shown). At the same time, the drive roller 2 is rotationally driven to move the cut medium supporting sheet 6 supporting the paper sheet material 7 in the X-axis direction. As a result, the cutting pen 5 is moved in a two-dimensional direction relative to the paper sheet material 7 based on the cut data, whereby the paper sheet material 7 is cut.
In this cutting operation, the cutting edge of the cutting pen 5 cuts (penetrates) the paper sheet material 7 and reaches the adhesive layer. In this state, the pen block 4 and the driving roller 2 are driven to cut the paper sheet material 7. When the cutting pen 4 is pressed against the paper sheet material 7, the cutting edge amount is set so that the blade edge cuts (penetrates) the paper sheet material 7.
Accordingly, the product created by the cutting operation is completely separated from the paper sheet material 7, but is removed from the cut medium support sheet 6 because it is still adhered to the adhesive layer even after being separated. There is nothing to do.
When the cutting operation is completed, the operator removes the to-be-cut medium support sheet 6 by releasing the nipping of the pinch roller 3 and the driving roller 2, and removes the product portion from the to-be-cut medium support sheet 6. At this time, the product part is completely separated from the paper sheet material 7 and the adhesive force of the adhesive layer 62 is weak, so that it can be easily and easily removed.

  When using this type of cutting plotter to create a paper product with a record on the surface, such as a development view of a box, a container, or a greeting card for a New Year's card, etc., the paper sheet material 7 is recorded in advance by a printer or the like. A method of creating an outline of the recorded figure by cutting with a cutting plotter is used. In this case, in order to make the printed portion of the figure or the like printed on the surface of the paper sheet material 7 in advance, for example, when the box is assembled by cutting it, the printed portion of the figure or the like appears at a predetermined position. It is necessary to accurately match the coordinate axes of the XY plane of the cutting plotter with the coordinate axes of the recording performed on the paper sheet material 7. In order to match the coordinate axes of the cutting plotter and the paper sheet material, a graphic or the like is printed on the surface of the paper sheet material 7 and a reference graphic (so-called register mark) for displaying the coordinate axes is formed. In the cutting plotter, The pen block is moved by the sensor mechanism provided on the pen block before the cutting operation to detect the coordinates of the reference figure, and the cutting data is corrected based on the detected coordinate axes to perform the cutting operation. The coordinate axis of the recording formed on the sheet material 7 and the coordinate axis of the cutting plotter are configured to exactly match.

FIG. 3 shows a paper sheet material 7 on which a development figure and a pattern of a box are printed in advance by a printer or the like. The figure (development figure), characters, etc. are printed, and reference figures such as this figure, that is, registration marks M1 to M4 are displayed. It is recorded.
When the paper sheet material 7 previously recorded by the cutting plotter of the present invention is cut to produce a paper product, as in the first embodiment, the operator first applies the paper sheet material 7 shown in FIG. It is made to support by the to-be-cut medium support sheet 6. FIG. At this time, the paper sheet material 7 is aligned with the reference mark 63, and the end portion is positioned so as to be parallel to the grid graduation 64 so as not to be inclined with respect to the medium support sheet 6, and is adhesively supported and fixed. Further, the first reference graphic M1 is fixed so as to be positioned in the vicinity of the reference mark that is the origin of the cut medium support sheet 6.
Next, both ends of the cut medium support sheet 6 that supports the paper sheet material 7 are held between the driving roller 2 and the pinch roller 3 of the cutting plotter.
In this cutting plotter, when the cut medium support sheet 6 is set, first, the position detection operation of the reference graphic (register mark) of the paper sheet material 7 is performed. That is, in this registration mark position detection operation, the control device 80 controls the X-axis drive control unit 82 and the Y-axis drive control unit 83 so that the pen block 4 is located in the vicinity of the reference mark 63 that is the origin of the medium support sheet 6 to be cut. First, the first reference figure (register mark) M1 positioned near the origin is detected. In the detection operation of the registration mark M1, as shown in FIG. 4B, the control device 80 moves the pen block 4 in the Y-axis direction while operating the reading sensor 9, and moves the upper end of the X-axis mark line of the registration mark M1. To detect. When the upper end of the X-axis benchmark of the reference graphic M1 is detected, the control device 80 moves the pen block 4 in the −Y direction by a predetermined amount, and then moves the pen block 4 in the + Y direction to lower the lower end of the X-axis benchmark of the reference graphic M1. Is detected. The control device 80 calculates the coordinates of the intermediate point A between the two end coordinates of the X-axis standard line of the detected reference graphic M1, and stores this in the recording means as a point on the center line of the X-axis standard line of the standard graphic M1. To do. Subsequently, the control device 80 detects the right end and the left end of the Y-axis standard line of the standard figure M1 while operating the reading sensor 9, and calculates the coordinates of the intermediate point B of these detected end coordinates (FIG. 4B). This is stored as a point on the center line of the Y-axis standard line of the standard figure M1.
Next, the control device 80 detects the upper and lower ends of the X-axis standard line of the standard figure M2, calculates the coordinates of the point C on the center line, and then detects the right and left ends of the Y-axis standard line. Then, the coordinates of the point D on the center line are calculated.
Using the coordinates of the points A to D on the center lines of the X-axis and Y-axis standard lines in the two standard figures M1 and M2, the control device 80 uses the X-axis which is the reference point in each of the standard figures M1 and M2. , Intersection points P1 and P2 (FIG. 4A) of the Y-axis standard line are calculated. That is, with respect to the straight line passing through the two points B and D calculated above, the intersection of the perpendicular line from the point A becomes the reference point P1 in the standard figure M1, and similarly the point with respect to the straight line passing through the points B and D. A perpendicular line is taken from C, the coordinates of the intersection P2 are set as reference points in the standard figure M2, and these coordinate values are stored in the storage means. Further, the reference points P3 and P4 of the standard figures M3 and M4 are calculated by the same procedure, and the control device 60 stores and holds the coordinate values.
Based on the calculated coordinate values of the reference points P1 to P4, the control device 80 corrects the cut data transmitted from the host device such as a computer, and based on the corrected cut data, the X-axis drive control means 82. In addition, the Y-axis drive control means 83 is driven to move the cut medium support sheet 6 supporting the paper sheet material 7 in the X-axis direction, and the pen block 4 is moved in the Y-axis direction. 4 is moved along a trajectory corresponding to the outer shape of the box to be cut as indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 4, and at the same time, the Z-axis drive control means 84 is driven and controlled, and the cutting pen 5 is selectively lowered to make the paper sheet material. 7 is pressed and cut.
With such a configuration, according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately match the outer shape and the like to a previously performed recording and cut it.

Next, a case where cutting is performed based on an image file as cut data by the cutting plotter of the present invention will be described.
As described above, when the paper sheet material 7 is recorded in advance by a printer or the like, and the outline or the like is cut with the cutting plotter in accordance with the recorded figure, cut data is created separately in accordance with the figure data for the cutting operation. Since it is cumbersome to perform such an operation, it is desirable that the recorded graphic data includes cutting data in advance.
As this type of image file, for example, an image file having a general data format such as an EMF, WMF, or EPS format is used. These image files are composed of a collection of graphic information called a plurality of objects such as “points”, “lines”, “surfaces”, “characters”, etc. Each object has, for example, “line” data. Attributes such as line type, line width, and line color are individually assigned. In addition, such an image file is created by various application software, but it is versatile by unifying this attribute description into a certain format so that it can be handled by other applications.
Therefore, in this embodiment, the cut line to be cut when creating the image data is described as an object having a specific attribute, and is created as one image data together with recorded graphic data to be printed by a printer or the like. Even when the cutting operation is performed by the plotter, the cutting can be performed based on the image data.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of the image file. One image file is composed of a plurality of object data such as line 1, surface 1, character 1, line 2,. . Now, for example, the data to be cut by the cutting plotter is defined as the attribute of “line type: one-dot chain line, line color: R249, G250, B250, line width: 0.1 mm ± 0.02 mm or 1/4 point”, and image data In the application software for creating the cutting data, the outline graphic data as the cut data to be cut is described as an object having this attribute together with the recorded graphic data to be printed.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation method in the case of cutting with the cutting plotter in the present embodiment. This operation is actually performed by the cutting plotter according to the cutting command from each application software that handles image file data. This program performs drive control.
When a cutting command from application software that handles image file data is detected, the target image data is first read out. (STEP1)
Next, the process proceeds to STEP2, and the application software that created the image data related to the cutting detects data described with a predetermined attribute defined in advance as cutting data. Specifically, first, only vector data is extracted from the image data, and further, vector data to be cut is extracted by detecting their respective attributes. (Fig. 5 (c))
Next, the process proceeds to STEP 3 and the cutting data is output to the driver. The driver detects whether or not the application software that has output the data is predetermined application software (STEP 4). That is, since the cutting data in this embodiment is output as general-purpose vector data, there is a possibility that there is vector data that should not be cut in the data output from general application software. In order to avoid such a situation, it is possible to detect whether or not the application is one in which image data has been created under the above conditions. As an actual detection operation, when data is output in STEP3, the document name is created in a predetermined format and detected in STEP4.
Next, the process proceeds to STEP5, and the data is sorted with reference to the cut start point coordinates and end point coordinates of the extracted vector data to be cut (FIG. 5D). Thereby, the pen movement in the cutting operation (the operation of moving the cutting pen 5 as the cutting means away from the medium to be cut and moving to the subsequent cutting data) can be shortened, and the cutting processing time can be shortened. is there. The sorted vector data is set as cut data (STEP 6), and a cutting operation is performed based on the created cut data.
If it is determined in STEP 4 that the cutting command is not from a specific application software, the process proceeds to STEP 7 to request the operator to instruct which object of the cut data, that is, the image data is to be cut, When the instruction from the operator is completed, the process proceeds to STEP 6 and this is set as cut data, and the cutting operation is performed.
In this way, by determining the type of the application software that created the image data, if there is vector data having the predetermined attribute, is it data to be cut or recorded data? Can be detected.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to describe the cutting data as one object of a general-purpose image data file, improving the usability of the data, and recording and cutting by a printer or the like with one image data. Cutting with a plotter can be performed.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the cutting plotter of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the cutting plotter of this invention. It is a figure which shows the paper sheet material cut | disconnected by the cutting plotter of this invention. It is a figure which shows the reference | standard figure detection operation | movement by the cutting plotter of this invention. It is a figure which shows the image data of the cutting plotter of this invention. It is a figure which shows the cutting | disconnection operation | movement of the cutting plotter of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cutting plotter main body 2 Drive roller 3 Pinch roller 4 Pen block 5 Cutting pen 6 Cutting medium support sheet 7 Paper sheet material

Claims (3)

A cutting plotter that moves in a two-dimensional direction relative to the medium to be cut based on the cut data, and selectively cuts the cutting means against and presses the cutting medium into a desired shape. In the cut data creation method of
It is characterized in that vector data to be cut as cut data is created as an object with a specific attribute among image data files in a predetermined data format composed of a plurality of object information including at least vector data. Cut data creation method for cutting plotter.   When it is detected that vector element data having a specific attribute is included as cut data among a plurality of object information included in the image data file, only the vector element data having the specific attribute is detected from the object information. A method for creating cut data for a cutting plotter, characterized in that cut data is created by extracting the cut data.   In the cutting data creation method of the cutting plotter according to claim 2, when it is detected that vector element data having a specific attribute is included as cut data among a plurality of pieces of object information included in the image data file, 3. The cutting data creation method for a cutting plotter according to claim 2, wherein only vector element data having the specific attribute is extracted from the object information, and these are further sorted into cut data.

Images