JP2005329554A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the danger of executing recording to the outside of a material to be recorded and of soiling the interior of a recorder by specifying a direction of the material without an optical sensor or the like being installed for detecting both end positions in a direction orthogonal to a transfer direction of the material in the recorder such as an inkjet printer. <P>SOLUTION: If the material to which recording is to be executed is a business card paper MP (Yes in step S2), it is determined from a detection state of a paper detector 33 whether or not a rear end of the business card paper MP is detected (step S5). If the rear end of the business card paper MP is not detected (No in step S5), it is determined that the direction of the business card paper MP is portrait-oriented. If the rear end of the business card paper MP is detected (Yes in step S5), it is determined that the direction of the business card paper MP is "landscape-oriented", and recording to the business card paper MP is stopped at this point in time. A transfer driving roller 53 is rotated in a normal rotation rotating direction to discharge the business card paper MP (step S6). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording execution unit that performs recording on a recording material, a recording material conveyance unit that conveys the recording material in a predetermined conveyance direction by a predetermined conveyance amount, and a recording material that is a recording material conveyance unit. The present invention relates to a recording apparatus comprising: an automatic feeding device that automatically feeds toward the recording medium; and a recording material detection unit that detects a recording material at a predetermined position on a feeding path from the automatic feeding device to the recording material conveying unit. .

  A recording apparatus such as a so-called ink jet printer includes an automatic paper feeding apparatus that automatically feeds recording paper (plain paper, PM photographic paper, etc.) as recording materials stacked on a paper feed tray or a paper feed cassette. It is common. In such a recording apparatus, if the recording paper fed by the automatic paper feeder is accurately placed at a predetermined recording start position and recording is not executed, the recording execution position with respect to the recording paper is shifted. become. Generally, the position of the recording paper in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material is defined by a paper feed tray, a paper feed cassette, etc., and the position of the recording paper in the conveyance direction is automatically The recording paper detection means such as a paper detector provided in the paper feed path of the paper feeding device detects the leading edge of the recording paper being fed in the transport direction, and the recording paper from the time when the leading edge of the recording paper is detected is detected. It is specified based on the amount of movement in the transport direction.

  In such a recording apparatus, an optical sensor or the like is further provided on the carriage reciprocated in the main scanning direction (a direction orthogonal to the recording material conveyance direction), and the positions of both ends of the recording paper in the main scanning direction are set. A recording apparatus capable of detection is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By detecting the positions of both ends of the recording paper in the main scanning direction, that is, both ends in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the recording material of the fed recording paper, the width of the fed recording paper is determined. Can be identified. Further, general regular size recording paper (A4, B5) has a substantially rectangular planar shape, and the length in the vertical direction is different from the length in the horizontal direction. As a result, for example, when the user sets the recording paper in the paper feed tray or the paper cassette in the wrong direction (vertical direction or horizontal direction), recording on the fed recording paper is performed. By specifying the width of the recording paper before execution, it is possible to detect an error in the orientation. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a desired recording result from being obtained, or further, recording on the outside of the recording paper to contaminate the inside of the recording apparatus.

JP 2003-260787 A

  However, the provision of optical sensors or the like that detect the positions of both ends of the main scanning direction of the recording paper (the direction orthogonal to the recording material conveyance direction) raises the problem that the cost of the recording apparatus increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an object thereof is, for example, an optical sensor for detecting positions of both end portions in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of a recording material in a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer. In other words, the direction of the recording material is specified and recording is executed outside the recording material to reduce the possibility of soiling the recording apparatus.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording execution means for executing recording on a recording material, and a recording material for conveying the recording material in a predetermined conveyance direction by a predetermined conveyance amount. A conveying unit; an automatic feeding device that automatically feeds the recording material toward the recording material conveying unit; and a predetermined position on a feeding path from the automatic feeding device to the recording material conveying unit. Recording material detection means for detecting the recording material, automatic feeding of the recording material by the automatic feeding device, and the recording material specified from the detection state of the recording material by the recording material detection means A recording apparatus comprising: a control device that controls the recording execution unit and the recording material conveyance unit based on a conveyance position of the recording material to execute recording on the recording material. The length of the long side of the recording material having a rectangular planar shape is α, Β, the length in the conveyance direction from the position where the recording material detection unit detects the recording material to the position where the recording material engages the recording material conveyance unit, γ, the automatic feeding The transport amount δ is set so as to satisfy the relation of α> γ + δ> β, where δ is the transport amount after the leading end of the recording material fed from the apparatus is engaged with the recording material transport means. The recording material is transported by the transport amount δ by the recording material transporting means from the time when the leading end of the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device is engaged with the recording material transporting means. The recording apparatus is characterized in that the direction of the recording material with respect to the transport direction is specified from the detection state of the recording material detection means at the time.

  The length of the conveyance direction from the position where the recording material is detected by the recording material detection means to the position where the recording material engages with the recording material conveyance means is γ, and the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device If the transport amount in the transport direction by the recording material transport means after the leading end of the recording medium is engaged with the recording material transport means is δ, the recording material is recorded when the recording material is transported in the transport direction by the transport amount δ. The length from the leading end in the conveyance direction of the material to the position where the recording material detection unit detects the recording material is γ + δ. Further, when the length of the long side of the recording material having a substantially rectangular planar shape is α and the length of the short side is β, γ + δ, the length α of the long side of the recording material, and the short side of the recording material The transport amount δ is set so as to satisfy the relational expression of α> γ + δ> β.

  Therefore, when the recording material automatically fed by the automatic feeding device is conveyed by the recording material conveyance means by the conveyance amount δ in the conveyance direction, the recording material is detected by the recording material detection means. In this case, since the length from the front end to the rear end in the conveyance direction of the recording material is longer than γ + δ (the length of the long side is α), the direction of the recording material is the vertical direction. That is, the long side of the recording material is in a direction parallel to the transport direction. On the other hand, when the recording material automatically fed by the automatic feeding device is conveyed by the recording material conveying means in the conveying direction by the conveyance amount δ, the recording material detection means does not detect the recording material In this case, since the length from the front end to the rear end in the conveyance direction of the recording material is shorter than γ + δ (short side length β), the direction of the recording material is the horizontal direction, That is, the direction in which the short side of the recording material is parallel to the transport direction.

  Thus, when the recording material automatically fed by the automatic feeding device is conveyed by the recording material conveying means in the conveying direction by the conveyance amount δ, the recording material is detected by the recording material detection means. Since the orientation of the recording material can be specified by whether or not the recording material is in the recording state, the orientation of the recording execution area with respect to the recording material to be recorded matches the actual orientation of the recording material. It is possible to detect whether or not the recording is performed before the execution of recording, thereby providing an optical sensor or the like for detecting the positions of both ends in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the recording material in a recording apparatus such as an ink jet printer. Therefore, there is an effect that the direction of the recording material can be specified and the recording can be executed outside the recording material to reduce the possibility of contaminating the inside of the recording apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect described above, the control device does not perform recording when the direction of the identified recording material with respect to the conveyance direction does not coincide with the recording execution direction. A recording apparatus for discharging the recording material.
As described above, when the direction of the specified recording material with respect to the conveyance direction does not coincide with the recording execution direction (the direction of the recording execution area with respect to the recording material to be recorded), the recording is performed without executing the recording. Since the material is discharged, it is possible to prevent the recording apparatus from being contaminated by performing recording outside the recording material in such a case.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect or the second aspect described above, the control device displays a display when the direction of the specified recording material with respect to the conveyance direction does not coincide with the recording execution direction. The recording apparatus is characterized in that an error is displayed on the screen. If the direction of the identified recording material relative to the conveyance direction does not match the recording execution direction (the direction of the recording execution area relative to the recording material about to be recorded), an error is displayed on the display unit, This can be notified.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects described above, the control device is configured such that the leading end of the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device is the recording target. After the recording material is transported by the transport amount δ by the recording material transport means from the point of engagement with the material transporting means, the leading end position of the recording material is set to a predetermined recording start position. In the recording apparatus, the recording material is conveyed in a conveyance direction or a reverse conveyance direction by a recording material conveyance unit.
After the recording material automatically fed by the automatic feeding device is conveyed by the conveyance amount δ in the conveyance direction by the recording material conveying means and the direction of the recording material is specified, the leading end position of the recording material is a predetermined position. Recording on the recording material can be started by transporting the recording material in the transport direction or the reverse transport direction so that the recording start position is reached.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect described above, the recording material detection means is provided with a self-returning behavior to a standing posture and rotates only in the feeding direction of the recording material. And a lever pivotally supported so as to protrude into the feeding path, and the lever is pushed by the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device and swings to a certain swinging position. The control device is configured to detect the recording material by moving, and the control device engages the recording material conveying means with the leading end of the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device. If the recording material is not detected by the recording material detection means at the time when the recording material is conveyed by the conveyance amount δ from the time by the recording material conveyance means, the recording material is detected in the reverse conveyance direction. The recording material is not conveyed. .

  When the recording material automatically fed by the automatic feeding device is conveyed by the conveyance amount δ in the conveyance direction by the recording material conveying means and the direction of the recording material is specified, the recording material is detected by the recording material detection means. When the recording material is not detected, the rear end of the recording material is located downstream of the detection position of the recording material detection means in the recording material feeding direction. The recording material detection means has a lever that is pivotally supported in a state that it is given a self-returning behavior to a standing posture and protrudes into the feeding path so as to be able to rotate only in the feeding direction of the recording material. Therefore, if the recording material is conveyed in the reverse conveyance direction from this state, the rear end of the recording material is pushed in a direction in which the lever cannot be rotated, and the lever may be damaged. is there. Therefore, in such a case, by preventing the recording material from being conveyed in the reverse conveyance direction, the rear end of the recording material is pushed in a direction in which the lever cannot be rotated, and the lever is damaged. Can be prevented.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, the automatic feeding device has a configuration capable of automatically feeding a business card size recording paper as the recording material. It is the recording device characterized by having.
Small recording materials, such as business card-sized recording paper, can be easily stacked in either the vertical or horizontal direction when stacked on a tray or cassette of an automatic feeding device. It is easy to make a mistake. Therefore, in a recording apparatus having a configuration capable of recording on a small recording material such as a business card size recording paper, recording is performed before recording is performed on the recording material automatically fed by the automatic feeding device. By specifying the orientation of the material, it is possible to further reduce the possibility of performing recording on the outside of the recording material and contaminating the recording apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus with the main body cover removed. FIG. 3 is a schematic side sectional view of the ink jet recording apparatus. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control unit that performs various controls of the ink jet recording apparatus.

  First, a schematic configuration of an ink jet recording apparatus 50 as a “recording apparatus” according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The ink jet recording apparatus 50 has a box-like appearance, is formed as large as a video tape recorder, and is configured to be used in a state of being stored in a TV rack or the like. ing. A front cover 2 that can be opened and closed in front is provided in the center of the front surface of the box-shaped main body cover 1, and the recording paper after recording has been performed from the opening portion of the front cover 2 opened to the front. When P is discharged and recording is performed on the label surface of an optical recording disk D such as a DVD, recording from the optical recording disk D mounted on the disk tray 7 is performed from the inside of the ink jet recording apparatus 50. The disc tray 7 is configured to protrude temporarily.

  Further, the front cover 2 serves as a stacker for stacking recording sheets P discharged after recording is performed with the front cover 2 opened to the front side. A paper feed cassette 8 as a “recording paper storage unit” for stacking the recording papers P is provided below the front cover 2, and recording is performed in the paper feeding cassette 8 while being pulled out to the front side. Paper P can be stacked. Further, an ink cartridge unit 15 is provided on the upper side of the front cover 2, and a plurality of ink cartridges 16 (see FIG. 3) are detachably arranged in the ink cartridge unit 15 side by side in the width direction of the ink jet recording apparatus 50. It is arranged.

  Next, an outline of the internal configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus 50 will be described with reference to FIG. The base of the ink jet recording apparatus 50 includes a lower chassis 13, a main frame 11 extending in the width direction of the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus 50, and a depth direction of the main body of the ink jet recording apparatus 50 disposed on both sides of the main frame 11. The side frame right 12 and the side frame left 14 are parallel to each other. Between the side frame right 12 and the side frame left 14, a carriage guide shaft 51 and a sub-carriage guide shaft 511 are parallel to the main scanning direction X (direction orthogonal to the recording material conveyance direction), and the sub-scanning direction Y It is pivotally supported at a predetermined interval in the (recording material conveyance direction). The carriage guide shaft 51 and the sub-carriage guide shaft 511 are guide shafts for supporting the carriage 61 on which the recording head 62 for ejecting ink onto the recording paper P is mounted so as to be able to reciprocate in the main scanning direction X. 51, the rear portion of the carriage 61 is inserted, and the sub-carriage guide shaft 511 supports the front portion of the carriage 61 from below, thereby the recording head 62 (FIG. 3) mounted on the carriage 61 and the recording head 62. The carriage 61 is supported so as to be able to reciprocate in the main scanning direction X in a state where a distance between the head surface and the recording paper P facing the platen gap (platen gap: hereinafter referred to as “PG”) is defined.

Next, the conveyance path of the recording paper P as the “recording material” and the disc tray 7 will be described with reference to FIGS.
An “automatic feeding device” that automatically feeds recording paper P one by one as a recording material toward a “recording material conveying unit” described later includes a paper feeding cassette 8 and a paper feeding roller 83. A hopper 81 is provided at the bottom of the paper feed cassette 8 on which a plurality of recording papers P are stacked. The hopper 81 is swingably disposed with a shaft 82 as a swing shaft. By pushing up the recording paper P stacked on the hopper 81 from below, recording is performed on a paper feed roller 83 provided on the upper portion. Press the paper P. The paper feed roller 83 has a substantially D shape when viewed from the side, and the outer periphery is formed of a high friction member (for example, a rubber material). When the recording paper P is fed, the uppermost recording paper P in contact with the arc portion of the paper feeding roller 83 is fed in the sub-scanning direction Y by the rotation of the paper feeding roller 83.

  The “automatic feeding device” is arranged below the paper feed roller 83, and the recording paper P whose surface is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the paper feed roller 83 by the hopper 81 is fed by the rotation of the paper feed roller 83. A separation pad (not shown) is provided as a “separation unit” for preventing another recording paper P from being overlapped when being fed in the feeding direction (sub-scanning direction Y). . By feeding the recording paper P while rotating the paper feeding roller 83 with the recording paper P sandwiched between the separation pad and the paper feeding roller 83, the recording paper P to be fed and the other are about to be fed. The recording paper P is separated. Further, the “automatic feeding device” pushes back the recording paper P, which is separated by the separation pad and partially protrudes outside the paper feeding cassette 8 on which the recording paper P is stacked, into the paper feeding cassette 8. In addition, the recording paper P partially protruding outside the paper feed cassette 8 is disposed under the paper feed roller 83 so as to be able to advance into the paper feed path so as to be pushed toward the paper feed cassette 8. And a paper return lever (described later) as a “paper return rocking body”.

  On the downstream side of the paper feed roller 83 in the sub-scanning direction Y, a conveyance drive roller 53 having a high frictional resistance film uniformly applied to the outer peripheral surface, and can be driven to rotate while being pressed and urged by the conveyance drive roller 53. A conveyance driven roller 54 that is pivotally supported by the PF motor 57 as a “conveyance drive motor” that drives the conveyance drive roller 53 and a “rotation” that detects the rotation amount of the conveyance drive roller 53. The rotary encoder 31 as “amount detection means” constitutes a “recording material conveyance means” for conveying the recording paper P or the disk tray 7 in the sub-scanning direction Y by a predetermined conveyance amount. The “recording material conveying means” sandwiches the recording paper P or the disk tray 7 between the conveyance driving roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54, and the rotational driving force of the PF motor 57 is transmitted to the pulley 59 via the endless belt 58. The recording paper P or the disc tray 7 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction Y by the rotation of the conveyance driving roller 53 that is driven and rotated by the rotation of the pulley 59 transmitted through an intermediate gear (not shown). Then, the rotation amount of the PF motor 57 is described later according to the rotation amount of the conveyance drive roller 53 detected by the rotary encoder 31 so that the recording paper P or the disc tray 7 is conveyed by a predetermined conveyance amount. Is controlled by the control unit 100.

  A platen 52 is disposed on the downstream side of the transport driving roller 53 in the sub-scanning direction Y so as to face the head surface of the recording head 62 in the vertical direction. The recording paper P or the disc tray 7 conveyed by the above-mentioned “recording material conveying means” is reciprocated in the main scanning direction X constituting the “recording execution means” while being supported from below by the platen 52. Recording is performed by ejecting ink from the head 62. The “recording execution unit” includes a carriage 61 and a CR motor 63 as a “carriage driving motor” serving as a driving force source for reciprocating the carriage 61. The rotational driving force of the CR motor 63 is illustrated. The rotary motion is converted into a linear reciprocating motion and transmitted to the carriage 61 via a driving force transmission mechanism such as an endless belt. In this embodiment, the recording head 62 is provided at the bottom of the carriage 61, but no ink cartridge is mounted on the carriage 61 that reciprocates in the main scanning direction X, and the ink cartridge unit 15 described above. Ink is supplied to the carriage 61 from a plurality of ink cartridges 16 stored in the cartridge via ink tubes (not shown).

  On the downstream side of the recording head 62 in the sub-scanning direction Y, the rotational driving force of the PF motor 57 is transmitted and rotated to be driven, and the paper driving roller 55 can be driven and rotated while being urged by the paper discharging drive roller 55. A paper discharge driven roller 56 supported on the shaft is disposed. The recording paper P during and after recording is sandwiched between the paper discharge driving roller 55 and the paper discharge driven roller 56, and the rotational driving force of the PF motor 57 is transmitted to the pulley 59 via the endless belt 58. The rotation of 59 is transmitted through an intermediate gear (not shown) and the like, and is discharged from the opening that opens the front panel 2 in the sub-scanning direction Y by the rotation of the discharge driving roller 55 that rotates.

  A disc tray 7 on which the optical recording disc D can be mounted is disposed above the paper feed cassette 8. The disc tray 7 has a rack 71 (see FIG. 2) formed at the side end thereof, and is arranged so as to be able to move straightly in a substantially horizontal posture by rotation of a pinion gear (not shown) that meshes with the rack 71. ing. Then, after the disk tray 7 is conveyed until the leading end is nipped by the conveyance drive roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54 by the rotation of the pinion gear, the conveyance drive roller 53 is rotated in both directions thereafter. It is sent in the sub-scanning direction Y or the reverse feed direction (reverse transport direction) YR. Further, when the optical recording disk D is attached to or detached from the disk tray 7, the optical recording disk D is transported in the sub-scanning direction Y to a position protruding from the opening where the front panel 2 is opened (a position indicated by a virtual line in FIG. 2).

Next, the configuration of the control unit 100 as a “control device” will be described with reference to FIG. 4.
The control unit 100 as a “control device” is connected to a host computer 200 that transmits recording control data to the ink jet recording apparatus 50 so that data can be transmitted and received. The control unit 100 includes a ROM 101, a RAM 102, an interface unit 103, an MPU 104, a DC unit 105, a PF motor driver 106, a CR motor driver 107, and a head driver 108. The MPU 104 and the DC unit 105 include a rotary encoder 31 as a “rotation amount detection unit” that detects the rotation amount of the conveyance drive roller 53, and a linear encoder 32 as a “carriage movement amount detection unit” that detects the movement amount of the carriage 61. , A paper detector 33 for detecting the leading and trailing edges of the conveyed recording paper P, a power supply SW35 for turning on / off the power supply of the ink jet recording apparatus 50, and a tray SW36 for performing a loading / unloading operation of the disc tray 7. Output signal is input.

  The MPU 104 performs arithmetic processing for executing the control program of the ink jet recording apparatus 50 and other necessary arithmetic processing. The ROM 101 stores a control program (firmware) necessary for controlling the ink jet recording apparatus 50, data necessary for processing, and the like. The RAM 102 is used as a primary storage area for various data including recording control data received from the host computer 200 via the work area of the MPU 104 and the interface unit 103. The DC unit 105 is a control circuit for performing speed control of the PF motor 57 and the CR motor 63 that are DC motors. The DC unit 105 determines the speeds of the PF motor 57 and the CR motor 63 based on the control command sent from the MPU 104, the output signal of the rotary encoder 31, the output signal of the linear encoder 32, and the output signal of the paper detector 33. Various calculations for control are performed, and motor control signals based on the calculation results are sent to the PF motor driver 106 and the CR motor driver 107.

  The PF motor driver 106 drives and controls the PF motor 57 based on the motor control signal from the DC unit 105. In this embodiment, the PF motor 57 meshes with a paper feed roller 83, a conveyance drive roller 53, a paper discharge drive roller 55, and a rack 71 (see FIG. 2) formed on the side end of the disc tray 7. It becomes a rotational driving force source of a pinion gear (not shown) that conveys the tray 7. The CR motor driver 107 drives or controls the CR motor 63 based on a motor control signal from the DC unit 105 to reciprocate the carriage 61 in the main scanning direction, or stop and hold it. The head driver 59 drives and controls the recording head 62 based on a head control signal from the MPU 104.

Next, the configuration of the ink jet recording apparatus 50 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an essential part of the ink jet recording apparatus 50, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged side sectional view of the essential part of the ink jet recording apparatus 50.
The transport driven roller 54 is pivotally supported so as to be driven to rotate while being pressed and urged to the transport drive roller 53 by a “paper guide unit” constituted by the transport driven roller holder 22 and the movable guide member 23. The conveyance driven roller holder 22 is pivotally supported so as to be swingable, and the two conveyance driven rollers 54 are axially supported so as to be driven to rotate in the conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction Y) of the recording paper P and the disk tray 7. The conveying drive roller 53 is pressed and biased by the spring force of a torsion coil spring (not shown). A guide roller 231 is pivotally supported on the movable guide member 23 so as to be driven to rotate in the transport direction (sub-scanning direction Y) of the recording paper P and the disk tray 7.

The paper feed roller 83 is formed integrally with the paper feed roller shaft 91, and the rotation of the PF motor 57 is transmitted to rotate the paper feed roller shaft 91 in the feed direction to rotate in the feed direction. The paper feed roller shaft 91 is integrally formed with a paper return lever cam 41 that defines the swing position of the paper return lever 42 as “recording material return means”. The paper return lever 42 is disposed so as to swing so as to be able to advance and retreat from the “automatic feeding device” constituted by the support member 43 to the “feeding path” to the transport driving roller 53. In the paper return lever 42, a separation pad 421 known as “separation means” is provided on a portion that is substantially flush with the “feed path” in a state where the paper return lever 42 swings from the “feed path” to a retreat position. Is arranged. The separation pad 421 rotates the paper feed roller 83 in a state where the recording paper P is sandwiched between the separation pad 421 and the paper feed roller 83, and thereby feeds the recording paper P to be fed and the overlap. The other recording paper P to be fed is separated.
The paper detector 33 as “recording material detecting means” is given a self-returning behavior to a standing posture and can be rotated only in the feeding direction of the recording paper P or the business card paper MP. The lever 331 is pivotally supported so as to protrude into the inside, and the lever 331 is pushed by the recording paper P or the business card paper MP fed from the “automatic feeding device” to swing to a certain swinging position. By moving, the recording paper P or the business card paper MP is detected.

Next, the configuration of the paper feed cassette 8 will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the paper feed cassette 8. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the paper feed cassette 8 at an angle different from that in FIG. 7, and shows a state where business card paper MP as “recording material” is stacked at a “predetermined stacking position”. . FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state where the business card paper MP is fed.
A plurality of recording papers stacked at “predetermined stacking positions” are provided at the bottom of the recording material storage unit 801 of the paper feed cassette 8 on which the recording papers P and business card papers MP as “recording materials” are stacked. A hopper 81 as a “moving body” arranged so as to be movable so as to push P or business card paper MP from the lowest side to the feeding roller 83 is pivotally supported by swinging shafts 811 to 813 so as to be swingable. It is arranged. The hopper 81 is configured to swing at a predetermined timing according to the rotation position of the paper feed roller 83 by a swing mechanism (not shown).

  At the bottom of the recording material storage unit 801, a “stack” is defined in which the recording paper P or the business card paper MP is stacked at a “predetermined stacking position” by defining both end positions of the recording paper P or the business card paper MP in the main scanning direction X. "Multiple position defining means" is configured. At the bottom of the recording material storage unit 801 as a component of the “stack position defining means”, an “orthogonal direction reference position” that defines one end side of the business card paper MP in the main scanning direction X as a reference end position in the main scanning direction X The right edge guide 804 as the defining member and the main scanning direction X of the recording paper P or business card paper MP in a state where one end side of the recording paper P or business card paper MP in the main scanning direction X is in contact with the right edge guide 804 As an “orthogonal direction moving member” disposed so as to be locked at an arbitrary position in the main scanning direction X so as to define the other end side in the main scanning direction X of the recording paper P or business card paper MP according to the width of the recording paper P A left edge guide 806 is disposed. The right edge guide 804 is disposed in the hopper 81 and is disposed in the hopper 81 so as to be rotatable and accommodated so as to form substantially the same surface as the bottom surface of the hopper 81, and swings in the direction indicated by the symbol U. In this state, the one end side of the business card paper MP can be defined as the reference position in the main scanning direction X. The left edge guide 806 is disposed in a slide groove 803 formed in parallel with the main scanning direction X on the hopper 81 so as to be slidable in the slide direction Sx and locked at an arbitrary slide position.

  Further, in the recording material storage unit 801 as a component of “stack position defining means”, one end of the recording paper P or business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y is defined as a reference end position in the sub-scanning direction Y. A wall portion 807 as a “sub-scanning direction reference position defining member” is formed, and one end side of the recording paper P or business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y is formed on the wall portion 807 at the bottom of the recording material storage portion 801. Arbitrary in the sub-scanning direction Y to define the other end side of the recording paper P or business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y according to the width of the recording paper P or business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y in the abutted state A rear edge guide 805 is disposed as a “sub-scanning direction moving member” disposed so as to be latched at the position. The rear edge guide 805 is disposed in a slide groove 802 formed on the bottom of the recording material storage unit 801 in parallel with the sub-scanning direction Y so as to be slidable in the slide direction Sy and locked at an arbitrary slide position. ing.

When the business card paper MP is stacked at a “predetermined stacking position” at the bottom of the recording material storage unit 801, the business card paper MP is placed with the right edge guide 804 being swung in the direction indicated by the symbol U. Is placed in a state where one end side in the main scanning direction X is in contact with the right edge guide 804 and one end side in the sub-scanning direction Y of the business card paper MP is in contact with the wall portion 807. Then, the left edge guide 803 is slid to a position where it abuts against the other end side of the business card paper MP in the main scanning direction X, and the rear edge guide 805 is slid to a position where it abuts against the other end side of the business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y. Let As a result, the positions of both ends in the main scanning direction X and both ends in the sub-scanning direction Y of the business card paper MP are defined, and the business card paper MP can be stacked at a “predetermined stacking position” of the business card paper MP. (See FIG. 8).
The paper feed roller 83 rotates in the paper feed direction (rotation direction indicated by F) in a state where the paper feed cassette 8 on which the business card paper MP is stacked at the “predetermined stacking position” is mounted on the ink jet recording apparatus 50. As a result, the topmost business card paper MP of the stacked business card papers MP is automatically fed toward the transport drive roller 53 (in the direction indicated by reference numeral FP) (see FIG. 9).

Next, a procedure for determining the orientation of the business card paper MP in the control unit 100 as the “control device” will be described.
FIG. 10 shows the business card paper MP automatically fed in the “vertical direction” from the paper feed cassette 8 toward the contact portion between the conveyance driving roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54 by the “automatic feeding device”. A state where the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance amount δ by rotation of 53 is shown. Further, FIG. 11 shows that the business card paper MP automatically fed in the “lateral direction” from the paper feed cassette 8 toward the contact portion between the conveyance driving roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54 is conveyed and driven by the “automatic feeding device”. This shows a state where the roller 53 is transported by the transport amount δ.

  The control unit 100 sets the long side length of the business card paper MP having a substantially rectangular planar shape to α and the short side length to β (see FIG. 9), and the paper detector 33 detects the business card paper MP. Γ, the length in the sub-scanning direction Y from the “automatic feeding device” to the position where the business card paper MP is engaged with the contact portion between the conveyance driving roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54 (position to be sandwiched). A relationship of α> γ + δ> β, where δ is a conveyance amount after the leading end of the sent business card MP is engaged with a contact portion between the conveyance driving roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54 (after being sandwiched). The conveyance amount δ is set so as to satisfy the equation. Then, from the point in time when the leading end of the business card paper MP fed from the “automatic feeding device” is engaged with the contact portion between the transport drive roller 53 and the transport driven roller 54, the transport drive roller 53 rotates to carry the transport amount δ. The business card paper MP is conveyed, and the direction (vertical or horizontal) of the recording material with respect to the conveyance direction (sub-scanning direction Y) is specified from the detection state of the paper detector 33 at that time.

  When the orientation of the business card paper P is vertical, that is, when the long side of the business card paper MP having the length α is the direction that becomes the length of the business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y, α> γ + δ From the relationship, as shown in FIG. 10, the rear end of the business card paper MP is located behind the detection position by the lever 331 of the paper detector 33 (upstream in the sub-scanning direction Y). It is in a state of swinging in the direction indicated by Y1. Accordingly, the business card paper MP is detected by the paper detector 33. On the other hand, when the direction of the business card paper P is landscape, that is, when the short side of the business card paper MP having the length β is the direction of the length of the business card paper MP in the sub-scanning direction Y, γ + δ> β 11, the rear end of the business card paper MP is in a position that has passed forward (downstream in the sub-scanning direction Y) from the position detected by the lever 331 of the paper detector 33. It will be in the state which is not rock | fluctuated in the direction shown by Y1. Accordingly, the business card paper MP is not detected by the paper detector 33.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a recording material feeding procedure in the control unit 100. In this procedure, the leading edge of the recording paper P or business card paper MP fed from the “automatic feeding device” is skewed (so that the recording material is inclined) by so-called “biting” and “discharging” operations. This is a procedure after a state in which the conveyance driving roller 53 and the conveyance driven roller 54 are brought into contact with each other.
In this embodiment, the ink jet recording apparatus 50 performs recording on the business card paper MP with the direction of the business card paper MP set to “vertical”. Therefore, if the business card paper MP is mistakenly fed in “landscape”, the ink is also ejected to the outside of the business card paper MP and the platen 52 is contaminated with ink. Therefore, the direction of the business card paper MP fed from the “automatic feeding device” is specified by the following procedure, and recording is executed only when the direction of the business card paper MP fed is “vertical”. It has become.

  First, the conveyance driving roller 53 is rotated in the normal rotation direction (the rotation direction in which the recording material is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction Y) by the forward rotation leading conveyance amount δ (conveyance amount δ) (step S1). At this time, the paper feed roller 83 is reset by rotating substantially once. When the paper feed roller 83 is reset, a rotation clutch mechanism (not shown) for turning on / off the rotation transmission of the PF motor 57 to the paper feed roller shaft 91 integrally formed with the paper feed roller 83 is turned off. Thus, the rotation of the PF motor 57 to the paper feed roller shaft 91 is not transmitted. Accordingly, until the rotation clutch mechanism is turned on by a predetermined trigger operation for the next sheet feeding operation, the sheet feeding roller 83 is not moved even if the PF motor 57 rotates and the conveyance driving roller 53 rotates. It will not rotate.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the recording material to be recorded is a business card MP (step S2). If the recording material to be recorded is not the business card MP (No in step S2), that is, if the recording material is, for example, A4 size recording paper P, the leading end position of the recording material is the platen 52. The conveyance driving roller 53 is rotated in the reverse rotation direction (the rotation direction in which the recording material is conveyed in the reverse conveyance direction) so as to be positioned slightly behind the predetermined recording start position, and the reverse rotation cueing operation of the recording material is performed. (Step S3). Subsequently, the recording material is moved so that the leading end position of the recording material becomes a predetermined recording start position, and the rotation gear of a rotation transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits the rotation of the PF motor 57 to the conveyance drive roller 53. In order to remove the so-called backlash that occurs in step S4, the transport driving roller 53 is rotated by a fixed amount in the forward rotation direction, and the procedure ends (step S4).

  If the recording material to be recorded is the business card paper MP (Yes in step S2), the trailing edge (PE :) of the business card paper MP is detected from the detection state of the paper detector 33 at that time. It is determined whether or not (paper end) is detected (step S5). When the rear end of the business card paper MP is not detected (No in step S5), that is, the rear end of the business card paper MP is behind the detection point by the lever 331 of the paper detector 33 (upstream in the sub-scanning direction Y). If the business card paper MP is in the portrait orientation (the state shown in FIG. 10), it can be determined that the orientation of the business card paper MP is portrait orientation. If the direction of the business card paper MP is “vertical” (No in step S5), a reverse cueing operation is executed (step S3), and the conveyance drive roller 53 is rotated by a certain amount in the forward rotation direction. Is finished (step S4).

  On the other hand, if the rear end of the business card paper MP is detected (Yes in step S5), that is, the rear end of the business card paper MP is ahead of the detection point by the lever 331 of the paper detector 33 (sub-scanning direction Y If the business card paper MP is in the state (shown in FIG. 11), it can be determined that the direction of the business card paper MP is “landscape”. When the direction of the business card paper MP is “landscape” (Yes in step S5), the reverse rotation cueing operation for rotating the transport drive roller 53 in the reverse rotation direction is not performed, and the business card paper MP is loaded at that time. The recording is stopped, the conveyance drive roller 53 is rotated in the forward rotation direction, the business card paper MP is discharged, an error is displayed on a display unit (not shown) of the ink jet recording apparatus 50, and the user is informed. This procedure is notified and the procedure is terminated (step S6).

  In this way, when the direction of the business card paper MP is “landscape”, recording on the business card paper MP is not executed, and therefore, an optical sensor that detects the positions of both ends of the recording material in the main scanning direction X. The direction of the business card paper MP fed from the “automatic feeding device” can be specified without reducing the risk of recording inside the recording material and fouling the recording device. Can be made. Further, when the direction of the business card paper MP is “landscape”, if the reverse rotation cueing operation is executed in this state, the lever 331 of the paper detector 33 may be damaged. By ejecting the business card paper MP as it is without operation, the lever 331 of the paper detector 33 can be prevented from being damaged.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and they are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

1 is a perspective view of an ink jet recording apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ink jet recording apparatus with a main body cover removed. 1 is a schematic side sectional view of an ink jet recording apparatus. It is a block diagram of the control part which performs various controls of an ink jet recording device. It is a principal part perspective view of an inkjet recording device. FIG. 4 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of the ink jet recording apparatus. It is a perspective view of a paper feed cassette. It is a perspective view of a paper feed cassette. It is the perspective view which showed the state in which business card paper is fed. This is a state in which the business card paper is conveyed in the vertical orientation by the forward cueing conveyance amount. This is a state in which the business card paper is transported in the horizontal direction by the forward cueing transport amount. It is the flowchart which showed the feeding procedure of the recording material in a control part.

Explanation of symbols

7 Disc tray, 8 Paper feed cassette, 22 Conveyance driven roller holder, 23 Movable guide member, 33 Paper detector, 331 Lever, 41 Paper return lever cam, 42 Paper return lever, 421 Separation pad, 50 Inkjet recording device, 51 Carriage Guide shaft, 52 Platen, 53 Conveyance drive roller, 54 Conveyance driven roller, 55 Discharge drive roller, 56 Discharge driven roller, 57 PF motor, 61 Carriage, 62 Recording head, 63 CR motor, 81 Hopper, 83 Feed roller , 802, 803 Slide groove, 804 Right edge guide, 805 Rear edge guide, 806 Left edge guide, 91 Paper feed roller shaft, 101 ROM, 102 RAM, 103 Interface unit, 104 MPU, 105 DC unit, 106 PF motor dry , 107 CR motor driver, 108 a head driver, MP business card sheet, P recording paper, X main scanning direction, Y subscanning direction

Claims (6)

Recording execution means for executing recording on the recording material, recording material conveying means for conveying the recording material in a predetermined conveying direction by a predetermined conveying amount, and the recording material to the recording material conveying means An automatic feeding device that automatically feeds the recording material, and a recording material detection unit that detects the recording material at a predetermined position on a feeding path from the automatic feeding device to the recording material transport unit;
The recording execution means and the recording medium are automatically fed by the automatic feeding device, and based on the recording material conveyance position specified by the recording material detection state by the recording material detection means. A recording apparatus comprising: a control device that controls a recording material conveying unit to execute recording on the recording material;
The control device is configured such that the length of the long side of the recording material having a substantially rectangular planar shape is α, the length of the short side is β, and the recording material detection unit detects the recording material from the position where the recording material is detected. The length of the recording direction to the position where the recording material engages with the recording material conveying means is γ, and the leading end of the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device engages with the recording material conveying means Then, let δ be the transport amount after
The transport amount δ is set so as to satisfy the relational expression α> γ + δ> β,
When the recording material is conveyed by the conveyance amount δ by the recording material conveying means from the time when the leading edge of the recording material fed from the automatic feeder is engaged with the recording material conveying means A recording apparatus characterized in that the direction of the recording material with respect to the transport direction is specified from the detection state of the recording material detection means. The control device according to claim 1, wherein when the direction of the identified recording material with respect to the conveyance direction does not coincide with the recording execution direction, the recording material is discharged without executing recording. Recording device. 3. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device displays an error on the display unit when the direction of the specified recording material with respect to the conveyance direction does not coincide with the recording execution direction. 4. The recording material according to claim 1, wherein the control device starts from a point in time when a leading end of the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device engages with the recording material transport unit. After the recording material is transported by the transporting amount δ by the transporting means, the recording material is transported by the recording material transporting means so that the leading end position of the recording material becomes a predetermined recording start position. Alternatively, the recording apparatus transports in the reverse transport direction. 5. The recording material detecting means according to claim 4, wherein the recording material detecting means is provided with a self-returning behavior to a standing posture and protrudes into the feeding path so as to be able to rotate only in the feeding direction of the recording material. And the lever is pushed by the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device and swings to a predetermined swinging position to detect the recording material. It is structured as follows,
The controller is configured to record the recording material by the transport amount δ from the time when the leading edge of the recording material fed from the automatic feeding device is engaged with the recording material transporting device. When the recording material is not detected by the recording material detection means when the material is transported, the recording material is not transported in the reverse transport direction. . 6. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic feeding device has a configuration capable of automatically feeding a business card size recording paper as the recording material.

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