JP2005335097A - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve, for example, the problem that a user has to perform troublesome determination and processing operations such that the following print jobs are separately performed a plurality of times, after the user acquires and determines information on the number of sheets compatible with plate wear of a master from a catalog for a stencil printer and the like by himself/herself, when the user does a large amount of printing exceeding the number of the sheets compatible with the plate wear of the master, according to instructions from a personal computer. <P>SOLUTION: This printing system comprises the stencil printer 1 which can automatically perform a plate changing operation, and a host computer 100 which is connected to the stencil printer 1 in such a manner as to be capable of communicating with the stencil printer 1. The printer driver 111 provides the user with an edit box 113b for the designation of the number of the sheets in a blank display state after a check box 113a for the designation of the number of the sheets compatible with the plate wear of the master is checked for the number of the sheets compatible with the plate wear of the master, determined by the user. The printer driver enables the selection/setting of either the number of the sheets compatible with the plate wear of the master, which is displayed in a means (the edit box 113b before the check box 113a is checked) for displaying the number of the sheets compatible with the plate wear of the master, or the number of the sheets compatible with the plate wear of the master, which is determined by the user in consideration for the above number of the sheets. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing system, and more particularly, to a printing system including a stencil printing apparatus and a computer communicatively connected to a printing apparatus, and more particularly to a large-volume printing process that exceeds the number of plates that can be printed.

  In a stencil printing and printing type stencil printing apparatus (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "stencil printing machine"), which is an example of a printing apparatus, a master is used as a printing plate, and the steps of plate discharging, plate making, plate feeding, and printing are performed. To obtain a printed matter. That is, first, press the plate making start key to start the operation of each step leading to plate printing, and before winding the plate-making master onto the plate cylinder, use the used master already wound on the plate cylinder. A plate discharging process of separating the master from the plate cylinder is performed. Next, in a plate making process, the image of the original is read by an image sensor provided in the original reading section, and the master is brought into contact with the heating element of the thermal head. The heat-generating elements are selectively heat-produced, and the thermoplastic resin film of the master is thermally perforated to form a perforation pattern corresponding to the image signal. Next, in the plate feeding step, the plate-made master on which the perforation pattern is formed is wound around a porous cylindrical plate cylinder.

  Next, a printing process is performed in the printing unit. That is, one sheet of printing paper (hereinafter, simply referred to as “paper”) fed from the paper feeding unit is fed by a registration roller between the plate cylinder and a press roller as a pressing unit at a predetermined timing, In response to the image signal, the ink that has been pressed by the press roller against the plate-making master that has been wound around the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder and that has been supplied from the inner peripheral side of the plate cylinder and oozed through the perforation pattern is transferred to the paper. The printed image is formed on the paper. Next, in a paper discharge process in a paper discharge unit, the printed paper is peeled from the plate cylinder, transported by a paper discharge transport device having a suction fan or the like, and discharged onto a paper discharge table. In this way, so-called “printing” printing is performed on the printing sheet, which is the first sheet to be passed first.

  Here, `` plate printing '' is different from regular printing performed immediately after plate-making and supply in order to fill the plate-making master on the plate cylinder with ink and bring the master into close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder. The printing operation is sometimes referred to as “test printing”. The printing paper refers to the first paper supplied first for printing and is sometimes referred to as test printing paper. In addition, "test printing" refers to regular printing performed immediately after plate making for the purpose of confirming the print image quality such as image density and image sharpness or checking the top, bottom, left and right margins, that is, confirming the print image position. Means another printing operation, which is synonymous with the above-mentioned "printing". A sheet printed by "plate printing" in this way is not treated as a regular printed matter and is not counted.

  Next, the user sets and inputs the number of prints using the numeric keypad on the operation panel, and presses the print start key. In the same process as the above-described printing, the paper feed, print, and discharge operations are input using the print start key. The stencil printing process is repeatedly performed for the number of printed sheets (the number of copies), and the entire process of stencil printing is completed. The pressing means for pressing the sheet against the plate-making master on the plate cylinder is not limited to the above-described press roller, and the sheet fed for the purpose of improving sheet registration accuracy and reducing noise. An impression cylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the plate cylinder provided with holding means for holding the leading end of the plate cylinder, or a medium-press roller and a back-press roller for bulging the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder from the inside of the plate cylinder Are also used.

In the stencil printing machine described above, in order to obtain, for example, 5,000 prints, a master having a printing number of, for example, 2,000, which is the same master made in the first plate making, is placed by a printing start key. In the case of printing 4000 sheets for several minutes, various image defects occur when the master exceeds 2,000 printable sheets originally possessed by the master, that is, when the number of printable sheets exceeds 2,000 sheets, image elongation (100% → 101%) gradually grows and grows, an image defect commonly called “grain” occurs, or paper dust or the like adheres to the plate-making master on the plate cylinder, and furthermore, the plate-making is completed. The print image quality (hereinafter, referred to as “print image quality”) is reduced due to, for example, the thin line image of the master being cut off.
Therefore, in order to solve the problem of deterioration in print image quality when performing large-volume printing exceeding the number of printing presses, when the predetermined number of printing presses provided in the master has been reached, the used master on the plate cylinder is replaced. When the plate is discharged, a plate-making image that is substantially the same as the plate-making image formed on the used master is formed on another master, and the plate-changing operation of winding another master made on the plate cylinder is automatically performed. It is already known to perform the operation (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, in the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-348399, there is no description that the used master on the plate cylinder is discharged, so it is unclear whether the system has a configuration capable of automatically performing the plate change operation. Is added.
Here, the term "printable number of masters" refers to the number of sheets that can be printed on a sheet by the same master that has been made without substantially deteriorating the image quality. Strictly speaking, the number of printings of the master varies depending on the type of the master, the size and density of the image of the plate-making image formed on the master, the type of paper, and the like. A master having a total thickness of about 25 to 55 μm obtained by laminating a thermoplastic resin film having a thickness of about 20 to 50 μm and a base having a thickness of about 20 to 50 μm obtained by mixing Japanese paper or synthetic fibers as a porous support (base) is approximately 2000 It can be said that the number is about one.

JP-A-11-348399 JP 2000-334919 A

  However, with the recent development of technology using a computer network, a computer such as a host computer, a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a "PC") or a workstation and a stencil printing machine are communicably connected, that is, connected online. In such a printing system, a printer driver of a computer issues a print request to a stencil printer based on the number of copies (the number of prints) specified by a user.

  Therefore, for example, in the case where the user performs large-scale printing exceeding the master's number of prints on the stencil printing machine according to an instruction from the personal computer or the host computer, the control means for controlling the stencil printing machine to automatically change the plate is provided. If the stencil printing machine does not have the stencil printing machine, the user must obtain and judge the master's printing endurance information by himself / herself from the stencil printing machine catalog or the like, and then perform the print job in a plurality of times. There has been a problem in that very troublesome and cumbersome judgment and processing operations have to be performed. By the way, when the master has a printing life of 2,000 stencil high-quality paper, in order to print 5,000 sheets, the user needs to change the number (number of times) of the plate change and the number of print copies, for example, by changing the plate He had to calculate and judge by himself, 2000 copies for the second edition, 2000 copies for the second edition, 1000 copies for the third edition, and had to operate the necessary personal computer and host computer.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a method of printing a large amount of prints exceeding the number of printings of a master (plate) in accordance with an instruction from a printer driver of a computer. If the stencil printing machine does not have a control means for controlling the stencil printing machine so that the stencil printing machine is automatically changed, the information on the number of printings is communicated with the stencil printing machine. And the user can select one of the endurable number and the endurance number desired by the user (the endurance number determined by the user) and set the endurance number from the printer driver side of the computer. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system capable of performing mass printing.

  A second object of the present invention is to provide a stencil printing machine that print-life number information that varies according to parameters including at least the type of the master (plate), at least the type of the master (plate) and the type of printing paper, or at least the type of printing paper. The user obtains the number of printings and the user considers at least the type of the master (plate), the type of the master (plate) and the type of printing paper, or at least the parameters including the type of printing paper, and Is designed to be able to select any one of the desired number of printings (the number of printings determined by the user), and to set the number of printings from the printer driver side of the computer and perform a large-volume printing. To provide.

  According to a third object of the present invention, in addition to the first or second object, the computer is based on the number of prints set by the number-of-prints setting means and the number of prints selected and set by the number-of-printables selection means. It is configured to calculate the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate. For example, the number of prints per plate and the number of plate replacements are manually calculated and set one by one. An object of the present invention is to provide a printing system which can eliminate such troubles and errors in the calculation.

  A fourth object of the present invention, in addition to the third object, is a first plate change calculation for calculating the number of prints per plate substantially equal to the number of printing endurances, and an average per plate almost averaged for each plate change. A second plate-change calculation for calculating the number of prints, that is, a second plate-change calculation in which the number of prints per plate is substantially averaged and the second plate-change calculation with little change in print image quality is configured to be selectable, It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system that allows a user to freely select a printing system according to the purpose and use.

  A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a stencil printing machine that uses at least the number of masters (plate), at least the type of the master (plate) and the type of printing paper, or at least the printing endurance number information that fluctuates according to parameters including the type of printing paper. With the communication with the computer, the number of printed sheets is calculated by comparing the number of printed sheets preset in the number of printed sheets storage means on the computer side according to these parameters, and the calculated number of printed sheets and Based on the number of prints set via the number-of-prints setting means, the printer driver of the computer automatically calculates the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate, and transmits this command to the printing apparatus. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system capable of performing desired mass printing.

  A sixth object of the present invention is to provide, in addition to the fifth object, a first plate change calculation for calculating the number of prints per plate substantially equal to the number of printing endurances, and an average per plate approximately averaged for each plate change. A second plate-change calculation for calculating the number of prints, that is, a second plate-change calculation in which the number of prints per plate is substantially averaged and the second plate-change calculation with little change in print image quality is configured to be selectable, It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system that allows a user to freely select a printing system according to the purpose and use.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to each claim employs the following characteristic means and configurations.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing unit that includes a plate cylinder for winding a plate-making plate having a number of printing presses, and performs printing by pressing a printing sheet against the plate-making plate on the plate cylinder. A plate discharging section for discharging a used plate, and a plate making section for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder. When or before the number of printings reaches, the used master on the plate cylinder is discharged, and a plate-making image substantially identical to the plate-making image formed on the used master is separated. A printing device formed on a master and automatically performing a plate change operation of winding another master made on the plate cylinder around the plate cylinder, and a computer communicably connected to the printing device; A computer that activates the printing device A printing system provided with a printer driver, the computer comprising: a printing endurance number storing means for storing the printing endurance number transmitted from the printing apparatus; and a printing endurance number indicating the printing endurance number stored in the printing endurance number storage means. The number-of-prints display means and the number-of-prints selection means for selecting and setting any one of the number-of-prints displayed on the number-of-prints display means and the number of prints determined by the user in consideration of the number of prints. It is characterized by having.
The term "computer communicably connected to the printing apparatus" includes a case where the printing apparatus and the computer are electrically connected to each other via a communication cable, as well as a communicably connected optical fiber cable or infrared rays. (Hereinafter the same).

  The invention according to claim 2 is provided with a plate cylinder for winding a plate-made plate having the number of printings that fluctuates according to a parameter including at least the type of the plate, and printing is performed by pressing a printing sheet against the plate-formed plate on the plate cylinder. A printing section, a plate discharging section for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making section for making a plate and winding it around the plate cylinder, and a plate type detecting means for detecting the type of the plate and the type of the plate. When at least one of the plate type setting means to be set is provided and printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printing endurable sheets, when the number of printing endurance is reached or before the number of printing endurance is reached, The used master on the cylinder is discharged, and a plate-making image substantially identical to the plate-making image formed on the used master is formed on another master. Plate change operation to wrap around A printing system comprising: a printing device capable of performing automatically; and a computer communicably connected to the printing device, wherein the computer includes a printer driver for operating the printing device. Is a printing endurance number condition storing means for storing the printing endurance number and the type of plate transmitted from the printing apparatus, and a printing endurance number indicating the printing endurance number and the type of the plate stored in the printing endurance number condition storage means. The number-of-prints condition display means, the number of printable sheets determined by the user by considering the number of printable sheets and the type of plate displayed on the number-of-printable-conditions display means, and the number of printable sheets displayed on the number-of-printable-number condition display means And a means for selecting the number of endurable prints, which makes it possible to select and set any one of the above.

  “The number of prints that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of plate” means the number of prints that fluctuates according to the parameters of the type of plate itself, excluding the type of printing paper, as well as the type of ink and the printing speed. In addition, it also means the number of printings that fluctuates depending on parameters including the position of the plate-making image and the magnitude of the surface density. Therefore, in addition to the type of plate as a parameter exemplified in the embodiments and modified examples described later, when it is desired to obtain a more accurate plate or a printing endurance of the plate, the above-described parameters are also included. It is desirable (claim 7 is also the same).

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plate cylinder for winding a prepressed plate having a number of printings that varies according to parameters including at least the type of plate and the type of printing paper, and printing on the plate on the plate cylinder. A printing unit for performing printing by pressing a sheet, a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, a plate type detecting unit for detecting a type of the plate, and At least one of plate type setting means for setting the type of plate, and at least one of a paper type detecting means for detecting the type of printing paper and a paper type setting means for setting the type of printing paper, wherein When printing is performed for more than the number of prints, when the number of printable sheets is reached or before the number of printable sheets is reached, the used master on the plate cylinder is discharged, and A printing apparatus capable of automatically performing a plate changing operation of forming another plate master substantially the same as the plate making image formed on another master, and winding another master made on the plate cylinder. A printing system comprising a computer communicably connected to the printing apparatus, the computer including a printer driver for operating the printing apparatus, wherein the computer includes a printing endurance transmitted from the printing apparatus. Printable number condition storage means for storing the number of prints, plate type and paper type; printable number condition display means for displaying the printable number, plate type and paper type stored in the printable number condition storage means; The number of printings, the number of printings determined by the user considering the type of plate and the type of paper displayed on the number of printings condition display means, and the number of printings displayed on the number of printings condition display means And having a printing number selecting means for enabling selected and set either one.

  "The number of printings that fluctuates depending on parameters including at least the type of plate and the type of printing paper" means the number of printings fluctuating depending on the parameters of the type of printing plate and the type of printing paper itself, as well as the type of ink and printing. It also means the number of printings that fluctuates depending on parameters including the level of the speed, the position of the platemaking image, and the level of the surface density. Therefore, in addition to the type of plate and printing paper as parameters exemplified in the embodiments and modified examples described later, if it is desired to obtain a more accurate plate or the number of printable plates, the above parameters are also included. It is desirable that the configuration be made as described above.

  The invention according to claim 4 is provided with a plate cylinder for winding a plate-making plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to a parameter including at least the type of printing paper, and pressing the printing paper against the plate-making plate on the plate cylinder. A printing unit for performing printing, a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, and a sheet type detecting unit and a printing sheet for detecting the type of printing sheet The paper type setting means for setting the type of printing, and when printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printable sheets, when the number of printable sheets is reached or before the number of printable sheets is reached. Discharging the used master on the plate cylinder, forming a plate-making image substantially identical to the plate-making image formed on the used master on another master, and printing another plate-formed master on the plate master. Above plate cylinder A printing system comprising a printing device capable of automatically performing a winding change operation, and a computer communicably connected to the printing device, wherein the computer includes a printer driver for operating the printing device. In addition, the computer displays a printing endurance number and sheet type stored in the printing endurance number condition storage unit for storing the printing endurance number and the paper type transmitted from the printing apparatus. Means for displaying the number of printings to be performed, and the number of printings and the number of printings which are determined by the user by considering the number of printings and the number of papers displayed on the number of printings required. And printing means for selecting the number of printings to be able to select and set any one of the number of printings.

  The term "the number of printings fluctuating at least by the parameters including the type of printing paper" means the number of printings fluctuating by the parameters of the type of printing paper itself, excluding the type of printing plate, as well as the type of ink and printing speed. It also means the number of printings that fluctuates depending on parameters including the height, the position of the platemaking image, and the magnitude of the surface density. Therefore, in addition to the type of printing paper as a parameter exemplified in the embodiments and modified examples described later, when it is desired to obtain a more accurate plate-making plate or the number of printable plates, the above-described parameters are also included. It is desirable to perform the same (claim 9 is the same).

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the computer includes a print number setting unit configured to set the number of prints, and a print set by the print number setting unit. The printing apparatus further comprises plate change calculation means for calculating the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate based on the number of prints and the number of prints selected and set by the printing number selection means. .

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the fifth aspect, the computer causes the plate change calculating means to perform a calculation in which the number of prints per plate is substantially equal to the number of printing endurance. Plate change calculation selecting means for selecting one of a plate change calculation and a second plate change calculation for causing the plate change calculating means to calculate the number of prints per plate which is substantially averaged for each of the plate changes. It is characterized by having.

  The invention according to claim 7 is provided with a plate cylinder for winding a prepressed plate having the number of printings fluctuating according to a parameter including at least the type of the plate, and printing is performed by pressing a printing sheet against the prepressed plate on the plate cylinder. A printing section, a plate discharge section for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making section for making a plate and winding it around the plate cylinder, a plate type detecting means for detecting the type of plate, and a type of plate. The printing cylinder is provided with at least one of the plate type setting means for performing printing of the number of printings exceeding the number of printings, and when the number of printings reaches the number of printings, or before the number of printings reaches the number of printings. The used master above is discharged, and a plate-making image substantially the same as the plate-making image formed on the used master is formed on another master, and another plate-made master is placed on the plate cylinder. Automatic winding change operation A printing system, comprising: a printing device capable of performing printing; and a computer communicably connected to the printing device, wherein the computer includes a printer driver for operating the printing device. Print number setting means for setting the number of prints, printing number storage means for storing a predetermined number of printable sheets in accordance with the type of plate, type of plate transmitted from the printing apparatus, and printable number storage means The number of printings is calculated by comparing the number of printings that has been set in advance with the number of printings, and based on the calculated number of printings and the number of printings set by the number of printings setting means, the number of plate replacements and 1 Plate change calculating means for calculating the number of prints per plate.

  The invention according to claim 8 is provided with a plate cylinder for winding a plate-made plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of plate and the type of printing paper, and prints on the plate made on the plate cylinder. A printing unit for performing printing by pressing a sheet, a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, a plate type detecting unit for detecting a type of the plate, and At least one of plate type setting means for setting the type of plate, and at least one of a paper type detecting means for detecting the type of printing paper and a paper type setting means for setting the type of printing paper, wherein When printing is performed for more than the number of prints, when the number of printable sheets is reached or before the number of printable sheets is reached, the used master on the plate cylinder is discharged, and A printing apparatus capable of automatically performing a plate changing operation of forming another plate master substantially the same as the plate making image formed on another master, and winding another master made on the plate cylinder. A printing system comprising a computer communicably connected to the printing apparatus, the computer including a printer driver for operating the printing apparatus, wherein the computer sets a number of printed sheets. And a printing endurance number storage means for storing a printing endurance number preset according to the type of plate and the type of printing paper; and setting in advance in the printing type and endurance number storage means transmitted from the printing apparatus. The number of printing plates is calculated based on the calculated number of printing plates by comparing the number of printing plates with the calculated number of printing plates. And having a plate replacement calculating means for calculating the number of printed sheets per edition.

  The invention according to claim 9 is provided with a plate cylinder for winding a plate-made plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to a parameter including at least the type of printing paper, and pressing the printing paper against the plate-formed plate on the plate cylinder. A printing unit for performing printing, a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, and a sheet type detecting unit and a printing sheet for detecting the type of printing sheet The paper type setting means for setting the type of printing, and when printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printable sheets, when the number of printable sheets is reached or before the number of printable sheets is reached. Discharging the used master on the plate cylinder, forming a plate-making image substantially identical to the plate-making image formed on the used master on another master, and printing another plate-formed master on the plate master. Above plate cylinder A printing system comprising a printing device capable of automatically performing a winding change operation, and a computer communicably connected to the printing device, wherein the computer includes a printer driver for operating the printing device. The computer includes a number-of-prints setting means for setting the number of prints, a number-of-prints storage means for storing the number of prints preset according to the type of printing paper, and a plate transmitted from the printing apparatus. The number of printings is calculated by comparing the type of printing with the number of printings preset in the number of printings storage means, and the calculated number of printings and the number of printings set by the number of printings setting means are calculated. And a plate change calculating means for calculating the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate based on the plate change.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the printing system according to the seventh, eighth, or ninth aspect, the computer uses the plate change calculating means to perform a calculation in which the number of prints per plate is substantially equal to the number of printing presses. A first version change calculation to be performed, and a second version change calculation for allowing the version change calculation means to calculate the number of prints per version that is substantially averaged for each version change. It is characterized by having a replacement calculation selecting means.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a novel printing system by solving the above-described problems of the related art. The effects of each claim are as follows.
According to the present invention, the printing endurance information is obtained by communication with the printing apparatus, and one of the printing endurance and the printing endurance desired by the user (printing endurance determined by the user) is selected. Since the user can set the number of printings, the user can set the number of printings from the printer driver side of the computer and perform a large amount of printing without worrying about the number of printings of the printing apparatus. .

  According to the present invention, the printing endurance number information that fluctuates according to the parameter including at least the type of the plate is obtained through communication with the printing apparatus, and the printing endurance and the user determine the parameter by considering the parameter including at least the type of the plate. The user can select one of the number of prints and set it, so the user can set a more accurate number of prints from the printer driver of the computer and print a large amount without worrying about the number of prints of the printing device. (Claim 2).

According to the present invention, the printing endurance number information that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of the plate and the type of the printing paper is obtained by communication with the printing apparatus, and the printing endurance and the user can at least obtain the type of printing and the printing paper. The user can select and set any one of the number of printable sheets determined by considering the parameters including the type of the printer, so that the user can further increase the number of printable sheets from the printer driver side of the computer without worrying about the number of printable sheets of the printing apparatus. It has become possible to perform a large-volume printing by setting an accurate printing number (claim 3).
According to the present invention, the printing endurance number information which fluctuates according to the parameter including at least the type of the printing paper is acquired by communication with the printing apparatus, and the printing endurance and the user weighs the parameter including at least the type of the printing paper. Can be set by selecting one of the number of prints determined by the user, so the user can set the more accurate number of prints from the printer driver side of the computer without worrying about the number of prints of the printing device. Mass printing can be performed (claim 4).
According to the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above inventions (claims 1 to 4), the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate are manually calculated and set one by one. It is possible to eliminate troublesome troubles and errors in the calculation, thereby improving operability (claim 5).

  According to the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above invention (claim 5), in addition to the first plate change calculation for calculating the number of prints per plate substantially equal to the number of printing presses, 1 is calculated by averaging every plate change. It is possible to select either the second plate-change calculation for calculating the number of prints per plate, that is, the second plate-change calculation in which the number of prints per plate is almost averaged and the change in print quality is small. Since it becomes possible, the user can freely select according to the purpose and use (claim 6).

  According to the present invention, the printing endurance number information which fluctuates according to the parameter including at least the type of the plate is obtained by communication with the printing apparatus, and the printing endurance number storage means of the computer is set in advance in accordance with these parameters. The number of printings is calculated by comparing the number of printings with the number of printings, and based on the calculated number of printings and the number of printings set via the number of printings setting means, the number of plate replacements and the number of printings per plate are determined. By automatically calculating the number of prints and transmitting this command from the computer to the printing device, a desired large amount of printing can be performed. It has become possible to automatically set a more accurate number of printing sheets to perform large-volume printing (claim 7).

  According to the present invention, the printing endurance number storage means on the computer side is obtained by acquiring the printing endurance number information that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of plate and the type of printing paper by communicating with the printing apparatus. The number of printings is calculated by comparing the number of printings with the preset number of printings, and based on the calculated number of printings and the number of printings set via the number-of-prints setting means. And the number of prints per plate are automatically calculated, and the command can be sent from the computer to the printing apparatus to perform a desired large-volume printing. It has become possible to carry out mass printing by automatically setting a more accurate printing number from the printer driver side.

  According to the present invention, the printing endurance number information that fluctuates according to a parameter including at least the type of printing paper is acquired by communication with the printing apparatus, and is set in advance in the printing endurance number storage unit on the computer side in accordance with these parameters. The number of prints is calculated by comparing the number of prints that have been printed and the number of prints that have been changed based on the calculated number of prints and the number of prints set via the number of prints setting means. The number of prints can be calculated automatically and the command can be sent from the computer to the printing device to perform the desired mass printing, so that the user does not need to worry about the Thus, it has become possible to automatically set a more accurate number of printings to perform large-volume printing (claim 9).

  According to the present invention, in addition to the effects of the above inventions (claims 7, 8 or 9), a first plate change calculation for calculating the number of prints per plate that is substantially equal to the number of printing endurances, Either the second plate change calculation for calculating the number of prints per plate that is substantially averaged, that is, the second plate change calculation with a small change in print image quality in which the number of prints per plate is substantially averaged Can be selected, so that the user can freely select according to the purpose, use, and the like (claim 10).

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as “embodiments”) including the best mode for carrying out the invention, examples, and the like will be described with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, each modification, and the like, components such as members and components having the same function, shape, and the like will be described once, and the description thereof will be omitted by assigning the same reference numerals. In the drawings, components that are configured as a pair and do not need to be specifically distinguished and described will be replaced with the description by appropriately describing one of them in order to simplify the description. For the sake of simplicity of the drawings and the description, even if they are components that should be shown in the drawings, components that do not need to be specifically described in the drawings may be appropriately omitted without omission. When a description is given with reference to constituent elements of a published patent publication or the like, the reference numerals are shown in parentheses to distinguish them from those of the embodiments and the like.

(1st Embodiment)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, an overview of a printing system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a stencil printing machine as an example of a printing apparatus, and reference numeral 100 denotes, for example, a host computer as a computer. The stencil printer 1 and the host computer 100 are electrically connected via a communication cable 101, and constitute the simplest printing system network.

  The stencil printing machine 1 has a control cylinder, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 6, and further includes a plate cylinder for winding a stencil master as an example of a stencil having a number of printing presses. The printing section which presses the fed sheet against the plate-making master on the plate cylinder via the pressing means to perform printing, a plate discharge section for discharging the used plate on the plate cylinder, and the plate A master plate making unit for making a master as a plate and winding it around a plate cylinder, and performing printing of the number of prints exceeding the number of prints, when the number of prints reaches or before the number of prints reaches the number of prints , The used master on the plate cylinder is discharged, the plate making image substantially identical to the plate making image formed on the used master is formed on another master, and another master made on the plate master is transferred to the plate cylinder. Change operation to be wound around the host computer Are provided with which can automatically perform configuration by a command from the 00.

  The host computer 100 is composed of software and hardware including a printer driver for operating the stencil printing machine 1 as described later with reference to FIG. It has a configuration that enables printing in accordance with the image by converting the signal to a signal and transmitting it to the external stencil printing machine 1, and a configuration that transmits and receives various data signals and command signals related to the number of printings of the master. I do.

  The printing system is not limited to the one shown in FIG. 1, but for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of (two in FIG. 2) host computers 100A and 100B and a plurality of (two in FIG. 2) stencil printing. The devices 1A and 1B may be communicably connected via a network line. In this printing system, one of the stencil printing machines 1A and 1B can be selected from each of the host computers 100A and 100B and printing can be executed. Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, the simplest printing system shown in FIG. 1 will be described.

  The computer is not limited to the host computers 100, 100A, and 100B, and may be a personal computer, a workstation, or the like. Further, the printing apparatus is not limited to the stencil printing machines 1, 1A, and 1B, and includes a plate cylinder that is wound around a plate-making plate having a number of printings and is driven to rotate. , A printing unit for printing by pressing the plate, a plate making unit for making a plate according to the image information, and winding the formed plate around the plate cylinder, and a plate discharging unit for discharging the used plate from the plate cylinder. Any printing device may be used.

As shown in FIG. 3, the stencil printing machine 1 mainly includes a printing unit 2, a plotter 3 as a plate making and feeding unit, a paper feeding unit 4, a plate discharging unit 5, a sheet discharging unit 6, and a scanner 32 as an image reading unit. It is configured.
The printing unit 2 mainly includes a plate cylinder 7, an ink supply unit 8, and a press roller 9. It has a function of pressing 50 with the press roller 9 for printing.
The plate cylinder 7 is formed in a cylindrical shape by etching a stainless steel plate or by a nickel electroformed thin plate. The plate cylinder 7 has a printable area in which a large number of ink-permeable holes are formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and a non-printable area in which the stage unit 10 is fixed. It is rotationally driven by a main motor 12 connected via the motor. On the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7, a mesh screen (not shown) woven by a thin line of polyester or stainless steel or the like is wound about 1 to 3 layers.

  A stage 10 extending in the axial direction of the plate cylinder 7 and a clamper 11 for holding the leading end of the master together with the stage 10 are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. The clamper 11 is swingably supported by a support shaft 11 a and is provided to be freely opened and closed with respect to the stage 10. When the plate cylinder 7 occupies a plate discharging position or a plate feeding position which will be described later, the clamper 11 is provided with an opening / closing means (not shown) provided on a casing side plate (not shown) as a printing press main body forming a framework of the stencil printing machine 1. ) To open and close the stage 10. The opening / closing means includes an opening / closing member (not shown) which selectively engages with the clamper 11 and a clamper motor (not shown) for driving the opening / closing member. It has a configuration similar to that of FIG. The plate discharging position of the plate cylinder 7 is the rotation position of the plate cylinder 7 in which the clamper 11 occupies almost diagonally upper left in FIG. 3, and the plate feeding position is the rotation of the plate cylinder 7 in which the clamper 11 is expanded in FIG. Position.

Inside the plate cylinder 7, an ink supply means 8 is provided. The ink supply means 8 mainly includes an ink supply pipe 13, an ink roller 14, and a doctor roller 15.
The ink supply pipe 13 also serves as a support shaft of the plate cylinder 7, one end of which is supported by the casing side plate, and a surface of which has a large number of small inks for supplying ink to the inside of the plate cylinder 7. Holes are drilled. Below the ink supply pipe 13, an ink roller 14 and a doctor roller 15 are provided. The ink roller 14 is rotatably supported by a side plate of the plate cylinder 7 and has an outer peripheral surface thereof in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. It is supplied to the plate cylinder 7 while rotating in synchronization with the rotation. In the vicinity of the ink roller 14, a rotatable doctor roller 15 is provided. The doctor rollers 15 are arranged in parallel with each other so that a slight gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the doctor roller 15 and the outer peripheral surface of the ink roller 14. A reservoir 16 is formed. The ink supplied to the ink reservoir 16 from the ink supply pipe 13 passes through the gap between the ink roller 14 and the doctor roller 15 to form a uniform layer, and the ink is supplied from the outer peripheral surface of the ink roller 14 to the inner peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. Are sequentially supplied to the surface.

FIG. 4 shows a drive mechanism of the plate cylinder 7.
A pair of end plates 7a and 7b are attached and fixed to both ends of the plate cylinder 7. The plate cylinder 7 is rotatably supported around an ink supply pipe 13 via a bearing (not shown) and a pair of end plates 7a and 7b, and is rotationally driven together with the pair of end plates 7a and 7b. A gear 17 centered on the outer peripheral surface of the ink supply pipe 13 is fixed to the outer wall surface of the one end plate 7a of the plate cylinder 7 with a slight gap therebetween. One end of the ink supply pipe 13 on the far left side in FIG. 4 penetrates the gear 17 loosely and is supported by the housing side plate. On the outer wall surface of the end plate 7a, a light shielding plate 25 that is disposed near the outer peripheral edge of the plate cylinder 7 and extends in the axial direction is fixed. Outside the one end plate 7a and the other 7b, a substantially U-shaped handle (not shown) for carrying the plate cylinder 7 is provided on the ink supply pipe 13 so as to straddle the plate cylinder 7 in the axial direction. Installed. An unillustrated ink supply device (ink pump, ink pack cradle, etc.) for replenishing the ink supplied to the ink supply pipe 13 is provided on a side plate (not shown) of the other end plate 7b.

  The gear 17 has a gear portion 17a and a flange portion 17b. The gear portion 17a is disposed such that the gear portion 17a is located on the end plate 7a side, and a part of the flange portion 17b is cut away. In the vicinity of the gear 17, a gear 18 having a gear portion 18a meshing with the gear portion 17a and a flange portion 18b is provided. The gear 18 is fixed to a support shaft 18c rotatably supported on the casing side plate of the stencil printing machine 1, and is disposed so that the flange portion 18b is located on the end plate 7a side. A part is cut out like the flange part 17b. The gear 17 and the gear 18 can be freely disengaged only in a state where the notches coincide with each other. In other states, the meshed gear parts 17a, 18a are sandwiched between the flange parts 17b, 18b. The plate cylinder 7 is configured to be prevented from sliding in the axial direction so that the meshing / engaging state cannot be released. The plate cylinder 7 is configured to be able to engage with the above-mentioned handle (not shown) on a rail member (not shown) provided on the casing side plate of the stencil printing machine 1, and the notches of the flange portions 17 b and 18 b are formed. In the state of FIG. 4 that coincides with the stencil printing machine 1, the sheet can be removed and detached from the stencil printing machine 1 by extracting in the plate cylinder extracting direction indicated by a white arrow in the figure.

That is, the plate cylinder 7 constitutes a plate cylinder unit in which the ink supply means 8, the ink supply device, the handle, and the like are integrated, and the plate cylinder unit is connected to the casing side plate via the rail member or the like. It is detachable with respect to.
A home position sensor 26 and a plate cylinder attachment / detachment prohibition sensor 27 which also serves as a confidential mode position sensor are arranged on the circular orbit of the light shielding plate 25 which rotates with the rotation of the plate cylinder 7. Each of the sensors 26 and 27 is attached to the casing side plate of the stencil printing machine 1. When the light shielding plate 25 passes through the detection unit, the sensor 26 and 27 are sent to a CPU 86 of a main control unit 89 which constitutes a control device 90 described later. And output a signal to it. The home position sensor 26 is provided so as to detect the light shielding plate 25 at a position where the cutout portion of the flange portion 17b and the cutout portion of the flange portion 18b match. In addition, a plate feeding position sensor, a plate discharging position sensor, and the like, which detect a plate feeding position and a plate discharging position by engaging with the light shielding plate 25, are disposed at appropriate positions on the circular orbit of the light shielding plate 25.

  A toothed pulley 19 is fixed to one end of the support shaft 18c. On the other hand, a toothed pulley 20 is fixed to the output shaft end of the main motor 12. A timing belt 21 is stretched between the toothed pulley 19 and the toothed pulley 20. As described above, the main motor 12 and the plate cylinder 7 are connected to each other by the driving force transmitting means including the toothed pulley 20, the timing belt 21, the toothed pulley 19, the support shaft 18c, the gear 18, and the gear 17, for driving force. In a transmission relationship, the rotational driving force of the main motor 12 is transmitted to the plate cylinder 7 via the driving force transmitting means, and the plate cylinder 7 is driven to rotate about the ink supply pipe 13. An encoder 22 having a number of slits is attached and fixed to the output shaft of the main motor 12, and a pulse detection sensor 23 is attached to the casing side plate of the stencil printing machine 1 so as to sandwich the outer periphery of the encoder 22. Have been. Thereby, the rotation angle and the rotation speed of the main motor 12 are detected by the pulse detection sensor 23 as the rotation angle and the rotation speed of the plate cylinder 7, and the detected rotation angle and the rotation speed signal are converted into a pulse counter and a comparator (not shown). , And is input to the CPU 86 of the main control unit 89 described later. The main motor 12 is, for example, a DC motor for control.

  As described above, the home position sensor 26, the plate cylinder attachment / detachment prohibition sensor 27, the plate feeding position sensor, the plate discharge position sensor, and the pulse detection sensor 23 detect the rotational position and rotational speed of the plate cylinder 7, Hereinafter, these sensors will be collectively referred to as “plate cylinder position sensor 24” in FIG. 6 for simplicity of description.

  Below the plate cylinder 7, a rotatable press roller 9 which is supported by a contacting / separating means (not shown) and whose outer peripheral surface is provided so as to be able to freely contact and separate from the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 is provided. The press roller 9 presses and presses the paper 50 fed from the paper supply unit 4 against the plate cylinder 7 to form a print image on the paper 50 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. As shown by the solid line in the figure, the printing unit is swingably displaceable from a non-printing position separated from the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. A cam and a tension spring (both not shown) for swingingly displacing the press roller 9 between the printing position and the non-printing position in synchronization with the rotation of the plate cylinder 7 are provided on the housing side plate side near the press roller 9. ) Are provided. In addition, a locking means including a solenoid (not shown) for holding the press roller 9 at the non-printing position and a tension spring is also provided.

  Including a main motor 12 for rotating the plate cylinder 7 and driving the ink supply means 8, each part around the plate cylinder 7, such as a driven object means of the plate cylinder driving mechanism, the contacting / separating means, and a driven object means of the locking means, etc. The driving target units are collectively referred to as a main driving unit 93 in the block diagram of FIG. The main drive unit 93 includes, in addition to the above-described respective drive target units, respective drive target units of the sheet feeding unit 4 described later and respective drive target units of the sheet discharge unit 6 described later.

A scanner 32 that is also called a document reading unit that reads an image of a document is provided on an upper portion of the housing above the printing unit 2.
The scanner 32 automatically separates and conveys a plurality of documents arranged on a document tray (not shown) one by one, transports the documents to a contact glass 41 as a reading unit, and then discharges the documents to a document discharge table. ADF (automatic document feeder) unit 40 having a known configuration, a document conveyed by the ADF unit 40 or a contact glass 41 on which a document is placed by manual operation, and a document conveyed on the contact glass 41 Alternatively, a fluorescent lamp 42 that illuminates the surface of the placed document, a mirror group 43 that folds and reflects light reflected from the surface of the document, and a CCD (electric charge) that receives the light reflected by the mirror group 43 via a lens 44 And a well-known document scanning optical system including an image reading sensor 45 such as a coupling element. The image reading sensor 45 performs photoelectric conversion in response to the received reflected light, and inputs an image signal obtained thereby to an analog / digital (hereinafter abbreviated as “A / D”) converter (not shown).

  The automatic document feeder of the ADF unit 40 is, for example, a known device having the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 9-97813. The scanner 32 excluding the ADF unit 40 is a well-known scanner having the same configuration as that described in, for example, FIG. 2 of JP-A-4-189544.

Each driven object such as a drive motor (not shown) for operating each roller of the ADF unit 40 in the scanner 32 and each driven object such as a drive motor (not shown) for operating the original scanning optical system are summarized. Thus, in the block diagram of FIG.
Below the scanner 32 and to the right of the printing unit 2, there is provided a plotter 3 for making a master 34 and winding the master 34 on the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. The plotter 3 mainly includes a master storage unit 28, a plate making unit 29, a cutting unit 30, a conveying unit 31, and the like.

  The master storage unit 28 mainly includes a master storage member 33 fixed to the casing side plate of the stencil printing machine 1 and the like. The master storage member 33 rotatably supports a core 35a of a master roll 35 in which the master 34 is wound in a roll shape. The master roll 35 is wound with a sheet-shaped master 34 corresponding to, for example, 250 to 300 plates. The master roll 35 is provided to supply a plurality of plates of the master 34 to enable the plate making. . The master 34 has a laminated structure in which a porous support made of, for example, a washi fiber or a synthetic fiber, or a mixture of both materials is attached to a thin thermoplastic resin film of about 1 to 2 μm made of polyester or the like. The thermal head 37 is used for heat-perforation. In the present embodiment, the master 34 has, for example, a total thickness of 30 to 50 μm, and is set to 2,000, which is a normal number of printings (when using high-quality stencil paper).

  On the left side of the master storage means 28, a plate making means 29 is provided. The plate making means 29 mainly includes a platen roller 36, a thermal head 37 and the like. The platen roller 36 is rotatably supported by the housing side plate, and is driven to rotate by a stepping motor (not shown). The thermal head 37 has a large number of heating elements arranged in the main scanning direction, and is urged by an urging means (not shown) in a direction in which it comes into pressure contact with the platen roller 36. In the thermal head 37, the image signal photoelectrically converted by the image reading sensor 45 of the scanner 32 is input to the A / D converter and converted into a digital image signal, and further processed by the image processor 91 shown in FIG. Based on the transmitted digital image data signal, a large number of heating elements are driven to generate heat, thereby providing a well-known function of selectively punching and making a master 34 in position.

On the downstream side of the master making means 29 in the master transport direction, a cutting means comprising a fixed blade 30a attached to the housing side plate and a movable blade 30b rotated and driven by a cutter motor (not shown) with respect to the fixed blade 30a. 30 are provided. On the downstream side of the cutting means 30 in the master conveying direction, conveying rollers composed of driving rollers 31a and 31c rotated by driving means (not shown) and driven rollers 31b and 31d rotating with the driving rollers 31a and 31c. A transport means 31 composed of equal parts, and guide plates 38 and 39 for guiding and assisting the transport of the master are provided, respectively.
The drive roller 31a is connected to the stepping motor via a rotation transmitting means such as a pulley and an endless belt (both not shown). Similarly, the drive roller 31c is connected to the stepping motor via rotation connecting / disconnecting means such as an electromagnetic clutch, a pulley, and an endless belt (both not shown) and a rotation transmitting means (not shown).

  The opening / closing means provided with the clamper 11 of the plate cylinder 7 and the clamper motor constitutes a plotter 3 as a plate making and feeding unit for making a master 34 and making a wrap around the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. The drive target means of the plotter 3 includes the stepping motor, the cutter motor, the electromagnetic clutch, and the like. These drive target means are collectively referred to as a plotter drive unit 94 in the block diagram of FIG.

Below the plotter 3, a paper feed unit 4 is provided. The paper supply unit 4 includes a large-capacity paper supply device 52 having a large-capacity paper supply table 46 (hereinafter, referred to as a “paper supply table 46”) as a paper supply tray, a paper supply roller 47, a separating unit 48, a registration roller pair. It mainly consists of 49 and the like.
The large-capacity sheet feeding device 52 has substantially the same configuration as the sheet feeding device in the image forming apparatus disclosed in, for example, JP-A-8-259008 and JP-A-8-25909. The shape and strength of the movable frame (18), the pair of side fences (20a, 20b), the frame (28), the spring (114), and the tray lifting / lowering drive (10) in the paper feeder are improved. The paper feeder described in each of the above publications is configured such that a larger amount of paper 50, for example, about 5,000 to 6,000 sheets of plain paper A3, can be stacked on the paper feed table 46 and raised and lowered.

The paper feed table 46 has a structure in which about 5000 to 6000 sheets of paper 50 can be stacked at one time. The paper feed table 46 is supported so as to be vertically movable with respect to the housing side plate, and is moved up and down by a tray elevating motor (not shown) in conjunction with the increase and decrease of the paper 52.
The paper feed roller 47 is provided so as to be in contact with the uppermost paper sheet 50 on the paper feed table 46, and is rotationally driven by a paper feed motor 47A as a driving means composed of, for example, a stepping motor. The separation roller 48a is rotationally driven by a paper supply motor 47A that rotationally drives the paper supply roller 47, and is connected to the paper supply roller 47 via a driving force transmission unit including a toothed pulley and a timing belt (not shown). The one-way clutch that allows the paper feed roller 47 and the separation roller 48a to rotate only clockwise in FIG.

The separating means 48 separates the separating roller 48a, a separating pad 48b as a friction separating member movably guided by the housing side plate in a direction of pressing against and separating from the separating roller 48a, and the separating pad 48b. It is composed of a compression spring (not shown) that urges the roller 48a in the direction of pressing. When a plurality of sheets 50 are pulled out by the sheet feeding roller 47, only the uppermost sheet is separated by the cooperation of the separating means 48.
The registration roller pair 49 forms a predetermined bending at the leading end of the sheet 50 by abutting the leading end of the sheet 50 fed by the separating means 48, and rotates the plate cylinder 7 and swings the press roller 9. Synchronously, the paper 50 is fed between the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 and the press roller 9. The lower roller of the registration roller pair 49 is a driving roller, and the upper roller configured to be able to freely contact and separate from the driving roller is a driven roller. The lower drive roller of the pair of registration rollers 49 is rotationally driven by a registration motor 49A as a registration driving unit including, for example, a stepping motor. The registration motor 49A is connected to a lower driving roller of the registration roller pair 49 via a driving force transmission unit including a toothed pulley and a timing belt (not shown).

The driving target means in the sheet feeding unit 4 include the above-described tray elevating motor, sheet feeding motor 47A, and registration motor 49A, and are included in the main driving unit 93 as a sheet feeding driving unit.
The sheet feeding motor 47A, the registration motor 49A, and the like are removed, and the separation driving roller 48a, the sheet feeding roller 47, and the registration roller pair are transmitted through a well-known driving force transmission unit having a sector gear and the like (not shown). 49 may be driven. Further, for example, a bank paper feed unit (200) disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-334919 may be provided below the stencil printing machine 1. In this case, as the paper feed tray, one of the paper feed trays provided on the paper feed table 46 and the bank paper feed unit (200) side is selected, and then the paper is fed (described later). See FIG. 8).

On the left side of the printing unit 2, a plate discharging unit 5 for discharging the used master 34 from the plate cylinder 7 is disposed. The plate discharging section 5 mainly includes an upper plate discharging member 53, a lower plate discharging member 54, a plate discharging box 55, a compression plate 56, and the like.
The upper plate discharging member 53 is composed of a driving roller 57 driven by a plate discharging motor (not shown) and a driven roller 58, and a rubber belt 59 having oil resistance stretched between the rollers 57 and 58. The lower plate discharging member 54 is composed of a driving roller 60, a driven roller 61, which is connected and driven by a driving roller 57 and a gear train (not shown), and a rubber belt 62 having an oil resistance and stretched between the rollers 60 and 61. ing. The lower plate discharging member 54 is provided so as to be movable in the left and right directions around a support shaft (not shown) of the drive roller 57 by a moving means having a solenoid and a spring (not shown). It is configured to be able to freely contact and separate from the outer peripheral surface of the body 7. The plate discharging box 55 has a function and a structure for storing the used master 34 peeled and conveyed therein, and is provided detachably with respect to the housing side plate. In the vicinity of the upper side of the plate discharge box 55, a vertically movable compression plate 56 which can be selectively moved between a solid line position and a broken line position by an elevating means having a compression plate driving motor (not shown) is provided.
The upper plate discharging member 53 and the lower plate discharging member 54 have the same configuration as that disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3061936 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-286223), and perform the same operation.

  The drive means including the plate discharge motor, the solenoid, the compression plate drive motor, and the like in the plate discharge unit 5 are collectively referred to as a plate discharge drive unit 95 in the block diagram of FIG.

Below the plate discharge unit 5, there is disposed a sheet discharge unit 6 that separates the sheet 50 printed by the printing unit 2 from the plate cylinder 7 and discharges the sheet 50 to a sheet discharge table 68 as a sheet discharge table. The paper discharge unit 6 mainly includes a peeling claw 63, a driven roller 64, a drive roller 65, an endless belt 66, a suction fan 67, a paper discharge table 68, and the like.
The peeling claw 63 is for peeling the printed paper 50 to which the ink has been transferred from the plate-making master on the plate cylinder 7, and has its base end rotatably supported by the housing side plate at a predetermined angle. A separation position where the leading end of the printing paper 50 is separated and separated by bringing the leading end close to the master on the plate cylinder 7 and an obstacle such as the clamper 11 is moved away from the leading end by separating the leading end from the separating position. And a non-separating position that does not interfere with it. On the side of the housing side plate near the base end of the peeling claw 63, the tip of the peeling claw 63 is pivotally displaced between the separation position and the non-separation position in synchronization with the rotation of the plate cylinder 7, not shown. A rocking means including a cam, a spring, and the like is provided.

  The driven roller 64 and the drive roller 65 are rotatably supported by the casing side plate, and an oil-resistant endless belt 66 having a large number of apertures on its surface extends between the rollers 64 and 65. Have been. The drive roller 65 is driven to rotate by a paper discharge drive motor (not shown), and the rotational force is transmitted to a driven roller 64 via an endless belt 66. Below the driven roller 64 and the driving roller 65, a suction fan 67 having a built-in motor for sucking the printed paper 50 on which the print image is formed on the surface of the endless belt 66 is provided. . On the downstream side of the drive roller 65 in the sheet conveying direction, a sheet discharge table 68 for stacking the printed and conveyed sheets 50 is disposed. A paper ejection sensor 83A is arranged near the lower part of the upper endless belt 66. The paper ejection sensor 83A detects ON / OFF of the number of printed sheets of paper 50 provided for printing.

The paper discharge tray 68 has the strength and structure as a large-capacity paper discharge tray capable of stacking 5000 sheets or more of the maximum paper size A3. A pair of paper discharge sheets are disposed on the paper discharge table 68 so as to be movable in accordance with the print paper size on the front side and the rear side in FIG. It has a side fence and a discharge end fence movably disposed according to the paper size for aligning the leading end of the discharged paper 50.
As described above, the paper discharge unit 6 is capable of stacking and discharging the paper 50 printed according to the number of prints exceeding the predetermined number of printable sheets of the master 34, ie, 2,000.
It is to be noted that, in the case of performing printing exceeding the number of printable sheets of the master 34 (hereinafter simply referred to as “number of printable sheets”), it is desired to improve the workability of removing the printed sheet 50 from the sheet discharge tray 68. For example, a so-called tandem paper discharge mechanism having a mechanism similar to a tandem paper feeder, or a plurality of paper discharge trays as disclosed in JP-A-7-81202, and a first paper discharge tray Discharge suction switching means capable of swinging between a first paper discharge position to the second paper discharge tray and a second paper discharge position to the second paper discharge tray, and the paper discharge suction switching means to the first paper discharge position. Or a multi-level paper discharge tray having suction switching movement means for selectively moving the paper to the second paper discharge position, or a large-volume paper discharge tray disclosed in JP-A-11-48596. A paper device may be used.
The sheet discharge destination is not limited to the sheet discharge table 68, but may be a sheet sorter such as a sorter connected to the sheet discharge section 6 of the stencil printing machine 1 via an intermediate conveying device (not shown). Sometimes to a bin. In this case, one of the paper discharge tray 68 and the sheet sorting device is selected as the paper discharge destination, and the paper is discharged to it (see FIG. 8 described later).

  Examples of the drive target means in the paper discharge unit 6 include the above-described paper discharge drive motor and a suction fan, which are included in the main drive unit 93 shown in FIG. 6 as the paper discharge drive unit.

  A control device 90 for controlling the operation of the stencil printing machine 1 is provided inside a housing (hereinafter, referred to as “housing”) of the stencil printing machine 1 as a stencil printing machine main body. The control device 90 is electrically connected to the main control unit 102 via an interface device (not shown) on the control device 90 side, a communication cable 101, and an interface device (not shown) on the host computer 100 side. Signals or command signals are mutually transmitted and received. Details of these will be described later.

  FIG. 5 shows an operation panel 69 for giving a predetermined operation instruction or confirming the operation state to each of the above-described units and devices of the stencil printing machine 1. The operation panel 69 is provided on the upper front surface of the housing, and has one feature that the user can particularly set and set the printing number information. The operation panel 69 includes a plate making start key 70, a printing start key 71, a test printing key 72, a clear / stop key 73, a ten key 74, an enter key 75, a four-way key 76, a program key 77, a printing speed setting key 79, an LCD ( The display device 80 includes a display device 80 including a liquid crystal display device, selection setting keys 80a to 80d, and a display device 81 including a 7-segment LED (light emitting diode).

The stencil making start key 70 is pressed when the stencil printing machine 1 performs the stencil making / plate feeding operation. When the stencil making start key 70 is pressed, the stencil making operation and the original reading operation are performed appropriately or after these operations. A stencil making operation is performed partially in parallel, and thereafter, a stencil printing operation is performed, and the stencil printing machine 1 enters a printing standby state. The print start key 71 is pressed when the stencil printing machine 1 performs a normal normal printing operation, and after the stencil printing machine 1 enters a printing standby state and various printing conditions are set, the printing start key 71 is pressed. Thus, a printing operation is performed. The trial printing key 72 is pressed when the stencil printing machine 1 performs trial printing, and printing is performed one by one each time the trial printing key 72 is pressed once after various conditions are set.
The clear / stop key 73 is depressed when clearing the set number or when stopping the operation of the stencil printing machine 1. The ten keys 74 are used for numerical input and the like. An enter key 75 is pressed when setting a numerical value or the like at the time of various settings. The four-way key 76 has an up key, a down key, a left key, and a right key, and is pressed to adjust an image position at the time of image editing or to select a numerical value or an item at the time of various settings. The program key 77 is pressed to register an operation that is frequently performed or to call it. The print speed setting key 79 is pressed when setting the print speed prior to the printing operation.

  The display device 80 is of a menu screen system having a hierarchical display structure. By pressing selection setting keys 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d provided below the display device 80, it is possible to set the document type, scaling, and paper type. It is configured to be able to change to various functions / modes such as image position adjustment, setting of the number of printings, setting of the master type, and setting in each function / mode. The case where the user checks the preset number of printable sheets or sets or changes the desired number of printable sheets is disclosed, for example, in paragraph “0199” of JP-A-2000-334919. What should be done in the same way. That is, a combination of any of the initial setting keys (not shown), the four-way key 76, and the selection setting keys 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d may be used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be provided in which a single printing number setting key is provided, or a combination of this key and the numeric keypad 74 is used to change and set.

  In this embodiment, the number of printings is preset as 2000 as an initial value, and can be displayed on the display device 80 at any time. The display device 80 displays the status of the stencil printing machine 1 such as “can make and print” shown in the figure, as well as warnings such as stencil or paper discharge jam, paper feed or paper discharge jam, paper, and master. Also, a supply instruction of a supply of ink and the like is displayed. The number of prints set by the user on the stencil printing machine 1 side and the host computer 100 side and the number of remaining prints (number of copies) are displayed on the display device 81 as needed. Various output signals generated by the operation panel 69 are output to the control device 90 shown in FIG. 6, and display commands to the display devices 80 and 81 are sent from the control device 90.

The control configuration of the host computer 100 will be described with reference to FIG.
The hardware of the host computer 100 includes a main control unit 102 and a storage device 103 as arithmetic and control devices built in the host computer main unit, and an external input device 104 and information processed by the host computer main unit. And an image display device 105 as an output device, which is a device for outputting the information on the number of printings transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1 or the like.

The main control unit 102 includes a CPU having an arithmetic function and a control function. The storage device 103 includes an internal storage device (main memory) including, for example, a cache and a register, and an external storage device including, for example, an HDD (hard disk drive). In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, programs specific to the host computer 100 are mainly stored in the storage device 103 in advance. Since both functions of the main control unit 102 are mainly performed by the CPU, the “main control unit 102” may be referred to as “CPU 102” for simplification of the description to be described later.
The internal storage device of the storage device 103 has a function as a printing number storage unit that stores the printing number information as the printing press information transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1. The internal storage device includes, for example, a backup RAM (not shown) backed up by a backup power supply (not shown).

  The input device 104 is a device for giving an instruction or inputting data to the main control unit 102, and has a keyboard, a mouse, and the like having a well-known configuration in the present embodiment. The image display device 105 has a CRT (cathode ray tube / display device), but an LCD (liquid crystal display device) is used instead of the CRT. An image scanner, digital camera or digital video is used as an input device, and a printer or the like is used as an output device.

The software configuration of the host computer 100 is to provide an OS (Operating System) 110 as basic software, an application 112 as application software, and an instruction to operate the stencil printing machine 1 to perform an operation described below. Printer driver 111 (hereinafter simply referred to as “printer driver 111”), and these are related to each other.
The OS 110 mediates between the application 112 and the printer driver 111. The OS 110 uses, for example, Windows (registered trademark) as software for providing an environment in which a user can use the host computer 100. .
The application 112 has a function of notifying the OS 110 of a print request according to a user's instruction. The application 112 is software used by the user for a certain purpose, and is set with word processing software, graphics software, and the like.

  The printer driver 111 can acquire the printing number information (data signal) by communicating with the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1. The printer driver 111 is shown in FIG. 8 so that the user can set the printing conditions including the designation and setting of the number of printings on the image display device 105 so that the host computer 100 can specify at least the number of printings. A setting screen 113 is provided. The specific functions of the printer driver 111 in this embodiment will be further described later.

  The printer driver 111 is stored in a recording medium (for example, an optical disk such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk or a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk, or a semiconductor memory) which is programmed and readable by the host computer 100. Changes or updates may be made. In the host computer 100, a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive, an optical disk drive such as a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical disk drive, a semiconductor memory, or the like capable of reading and installing a program recorded and stored in each of the recording media described above. (In the embodiments and modified examples described later, although the sign of the printer driver 111 is changed, it is basically the same as the present embodiment, so that such description is omitted below).

  As described above, the setting screen 113 can be displayed on the image display device 105 by the operation of the printer driver 111. The setting screen 113 is, for example, from a file of a Windows (registered trademark) desktop screen or a Word (word: product name) menu screen, a cursor movement / click operation using a mouse, or a shortcut key operation (hereinafter, referred to as a combination of various keys on a keyboard). Simply "mouse or keyboard operation or mouse or keyboard operation").

  In the display example of the setting screen 113 shown in FIG. 8, the user operates the mouse or keyboard to operate the stencil printing machine 1 (for example, Model: Report: Preport (registered trademark)) to set A4 as a paper size as a printing condition, The paper feed tray is selected and set as the paper feed tray, and the paper discharge tray is selected and set as the paper discharge destination. These are displayed, and the number of prints to be printed is changed after the check mark is put in the check box 113a. An image of the number designation edit box 113b when it is set (in this example, the case where the initial value (default) = 2000 sheets is changed to the number of printings = “1000”). Reference numeral 113c denotes a print copy number edit box for the user to set the number of prints to be printed (the number of print copies). In the illustrated example, “5000” sheets are set and input as the number of print copies in the print copy number edit box 113c. It represents the case where it is done. The inverted triangle button painted in black in FIG. 8 indicates a selection button. For example, A3, B4, and A4 sizes can be selected and set as the paper size, and the paper size can be sequentially switched by pressing a selection button by operating a mouse or a keyboard.

  In the blank state before the check mark is put in the endurance number designation check box 113a, the number = 2000 as the initial value (default) of the endurance number acquired from the stencil printing machine 1 is displayed in the number designation edit box 113b. It is displayed. As described above, the check box 113a and the edit box 113b for specifying the number of prints before the check mark are inserted are displayed in the internal storage device to display the number of prints that have been obtained from the stencil printing machine 1 side. Functions as a means.

  As described above, the check box 113a, the edit box 113b, and the input device 104 for specifying the number of printable sheets after the check mark is inserted are provided by the printable number display means (before the checkmark is inserted in the printable number check box 113a). By visually recognizing the endurance number information displayed in the number designation edit box 113b), the endurance number can be freely determined and set based on the user's experience and the like by considering this. On the setting screen 113, the number-of-prints designation box 113 a, the number-designation edit box 113 b, and the input device 104 before and after the check mark are inserted are displayed in the number-of-prints display means (before putting the check mark in the number-of-prints designation check box 113 a). The default endurance displayed in the number designation edit box 113b) And number, which was Koryo printing number of sheets the user decides to function as printing number selecting means for enabling selected and set any one of the (user is also a desired printing number of sheets).

The input device 104 (a numeric keypad or an enter key of a mouse or keyboard) functions as a printable number setting unit that sets the printable number selected by the printable number selection unit.
The print copy number edit box 113c and the input device 104 (numeric keypad and enter key of the mouse and keyboard) function as a print copy number setting unit for setting the print copy number (print copy number).

  In FIG. 8, although not shown on the setting screen 113 for the sake of simplicity of illustration and description, output signals corresponding to the test printing key 72 and the printing speed setting key 79 on the operation panel 69 can be generated. It is to be noted that a button (not shown) can be displayed on an appropriate portion of the setting screen 113 by a menu screen method.

The above items are summarized as follows, focusing on the program function of the printer driver 111 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “function”) and the control function of the CPU 102. The phrase “the CPU 102 reads the program given from the printer driver 111 from the storage device 103 as needed” means that the CPU 102 reads the program given from the printer driver 111 from time to time.
First, the printer driver 111 stores the number-of-prints information (data signal) as printing press information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1 in the internal storage device as the number-of-prints storage means. It has a function of operating the CPU 102 via the OS 110. The CPU 102 has a control function of storing the number of printings obtained from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1 by using the internal storage device in accordance with a program given from the printer driver 111.

  Second, the printer driver 111 provides a setting screen 113 to the user, and edits the number of endurable prints stored in the internal storage device into the number-of-prints designation box 113a before the check mark is put in the endurance number designation check box 113a. It has a function of operating the CPU 102 via the OS 110 so as to be displayed in the box 113b. In accordance with a program given from the printer driver 111, the CPU 102 sets the number of prints stored in the internal storage device by the image display device 105 to the number of prints edit box 113b before putting a check mark in the printable number specification check box 113a. Has a control function of controlling a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) so as to display an image.

  Third, the printer driver 111 provides the user with a blank number display edit box 113b in which a check mark is put in the print endurance number designation check box 113a as a user determined print endurance number. Means (the number-of-prints specification edit box 113b before the check mark is put in the number-of-prints specification check box 113a) or the number of prints determined by the user by considering the number of prints. It has a function of operating the CPU 102 via the OS 110 so that it can be set. The CPU 102 operates a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) according to a program provided from the printer driver 111 so that the image display device 105 blank-displays the number-of-prints specification edit box 113b after the check mark is put in the number-of-printable-times specification check box 113a. It has a control function to control.

Fourth, the printer driver 111 inserts a check mark in the print-durable-number designation check box 113a when printing more copies than the print-durable number set / input in the print-number designation edit box 113c. When the printing number specification check box 113a is turned on in the state, the printing number specification check box 113a is set so that the printing process is performed by dividing the number of copies into the desired printing number set and input by the user with the input device 104. When the check box 113a for specifying the number of prints is turned off before the check mark is inserted into the OS 110, the OS 110 performs printing processing by dividing the number of copies based on the number of prints data obtained from the stencil printing machine 1. Has a function of operating the CPU 102 via the.
The CPU 102 prints the number of print copies set / input in the number-of-prints designation edit box 113c larger than the number of printable sheets in accordance with the program given from the printer driver 111. The user inputs a command to divide the number of copies into the desired number of prints set and input by the input device 104 by the user to perform the printing process. When the check box 113a for specifying the number of prints is turned off, the number of prints It has a function of transmitting, to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1 via each of the interfaces, a command for performing printing processing by dividing the number of copies set and input by the user on the input device 104 based on the information.

  In short, the printer driver 111 causes the host computer 100 to function as a printable number storage unit, a printable number display unit, a printable number setting unit, a print number setting unit, and a printable number selection unit. -It has a program function as a driver.

The printer driver 111 has the above-described specific software (program) function, and also calls the setting screen 113 shown in FIG. 8 when the stencil printing machine 1 and the host computer 100 are communicably connected. When the "OK" button is pressed by operating the mouse or the keyboard after setting and inputting the printing conditions described above, a start command similar to pressing the plate making start key 70 is issued to the main control unit 85 of the control device 90 shown in FIG. By operating the plotter drive unit 94, the plate discharge drive unit 95, and the main drive unit 93 shown in FIG. 6, a series of plate printing operations from plate discharge / plate making operation to plate printing / paper discharge operation are automatically performed. The software (program) to be executed and, after the above-described versioning operation, "OK" on the setting screen 113 again by operating the mouse or keyboard. When the button is pressed, the same start command as when the print start key 71 is pressed is transmitted to the main control unit 85 of the control device 90, and the main drive unit 93 is operated to perform a normal printing operation (paper feeding, printing, By transmitting software (program) for automatically executing the paper discharge process (including a paper discharge process) and print copy number data similar to the pressing of the numeric keypad 74 to the main control unit 85, a normal printing operation for the number of print copies is performed. (Software) for automatically executing the program.
Thus, when the stencil printing machine 1 and the host computer 100 are communicably connected to each other, the user does not press the stencil making start key 70, the printing start key 71, or the numeric keypad 74 on the stencil printing machine 1. The above operations can be automatically executed only by performing a predetermined operation on the computer 100 side.

Next, a control configuration of the stencil printing machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
The control device 90 includes a main control unit 85 and a storage device 87. The main control unit 85 mainly includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 86 and a timer. The storage device 87 mainly includes a backup RAM (read / write storage device) 88 with a battery, a PROM (programmable read-only storage device) 89, a ROM (not shown), and the like. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 91 denotes image data output from the scanner 32 or image data output from the host computer 100 via the main controller 85 after raster image data expansion processing and then binarization expansion processing or 2 5 shows an image processing unit that performs a binarization process. Also, in the figure, thick solid line arrows represent the flow of image data signals, and thin solid line arrows represent the flow of control data signals.

First, the main control unit 85 has a function of storing the number-of-printable-sheets information set on the operation panel 69 and the number-of-printable-sheets information which is stored in advance or changed as needed. Secondly, the main control unit 85 has a function of transmitting / notifying the host computer 100 of the printing endurance number information stored in the storage device 87. Thirdly, the main control unit 85 has a function of receiving a print request from the host computer 100 and controlling the above-described drive units / devices and the like so as to perform plate making / print processing.
The storage device 87 (the RAM 88, the PROM 89, the ROM, and the like) has a function of holding various information (data signal) such as information on the number of printings.

  An image signal read by the image reading sensor 45 of the scanner 32 and photoelectrically converted is input to the A / D converter and converted into a digital image signal by the CPU 86, and further processed by the image processing unit 91 into raster image data. The digital image data signal transmitted and received, the angle signal of the main motor 12 detected by the pulse detection sensor 23 and passed through a pulse counter and a comparator (not shown), and the rotational position of the plate cylinder 7 from the plate cylinder position sensor 24. , The output signals from the various keys on the operation panel 69, and the number of printed sheets by counting the number of ON times from the paper discharge sensor 83A. ), Digital print image data from the host computer 100, and Commands and data (hereinafter collectively called "print data") signal or the like and is transmitted-input.

  In FIG. 6, reference numeral 92 denotes a scanner electrically connected to an actuator (control target means) such as the motor and the image reading sensor 45 constituting the scanner 32 shown in parentheses in the same figure and driving them. 3 shows a driving unit. Reference numeral 93 denotes an actuator (control target unit) such as a motor constituting each of the printing unit 2, the paper feeding unit 4, and the paper discharging unit 6 shown in parentheses in FIG. FIG. Reference numeral 94 denotes a plotter drive unit that is electrically connected to the above-mentioned motors and actuators (control target means) such as the thermal head 37 that constitute the plotter 3 shown in parentheses in the same drawing and drives them. . Reference numeral 95 denotes a plate discharge driving unit that is electrically connected to an actuator (control target unit) such as a motor that configures the plate discharge unit 5 shown in parentheses in FIG.

  The scanner drive unit 92, the main drive unit 93, the plotter drive unit 94, and the plate discharge drive unit 95 are electrically connected to the CPU 86 of the main control unit 85 via drive circuits (not shown).

  The signals input to the CPU 86 are calculated and controlled based on an operation program stored in the PROM 89 or the ROM, and stored in a battery-equipped RAM 88 (hereinafter simply referred to as “RAM 88”) as needed. Each of the 69 display devices 81 and 82, the image processing unit 91, the scanner driving unit 92, the main driving unit 93, the plotter driving unit 94, and the plate discharge driving unit 95 are respectively output as various command / data signals. You.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
First, on the stencil printing machine 1 side, after a power switch (not shown) of the stencil printing machine 1 is turned on by a user, necessary preparations before performing predetermined printing, for example, the paper 50 Replenishment is made. The user may turn on a power switch (not shown) of the host computer 100 also on the host computer 100 side, regardless of before and after this. The following operations are executed under the control of the CPU 102 while calling up the programmed printer driver 111 stored in the storage device 103 or stored on the CD-ROM (embodiments and modifications described later). Although the symbols of the printer driver 111 and the CPU 102 change in examples and the like, they are basically the same as in the present embodiment, and thus, such description will be omitted below.)

In step S1, a print command is received from the application 112 by activating the printer driver 111 shown in FIG. Here, print image data created through operation of the input device 104 (keyboard, mouse, or scanner) by the user is generated.
Proceeding to step S2, on the host computer 100 side, the user calls and displays the setting screen 113 shown in FIG. Necessary printing conditions such as “paper feed tray” and “discharge destination” are specifically set, and “number of copies”: the number of prints (number of prints) to be printed in the print number designation edit box 113c is shown in FIG. 8, for example. And input "5000" sheets.

  At the same time, the on / off state of the check box 113a is checked and determined. When the endurable number of prints specification check box 113a is off and blank, the number of copies specification edit box 113b is set to an initial value (default) state by communication with the stencil printing machine 1 and an internal storage device (not shown) of the storage device 103. (2), that is, the number of printable sheets = “2000”, that is, the number of printable sheets = the main body setting value “2000” of the stencil printing machine 1 is displayed (see step S4). At this time, the user looks at the display of the number of printable sheets = “2000”, and if it is determined that the user can proceed with this, the process proceeds to step S5.

  On the other hand, in step S2, the user looks at the display of the number of printable sheets = “2000” and, for example, the image data for printing is an image having many solid image portions, and the print image data is clear up to the last number of printable sheets. If you want to print, or if you determine that the number of prints is clearly reduced because you are printing on an envelope as the paper type, you cannot obtain the desired print image with the default number of prints = 2000. (For example, the number of printable sheets = 1000), and a change / edit selection is made. That is, the user puts a check mark in the number-of-printables designation check box 113a by operating the mouse or the keyboard, turns on the number-of-printables designation check box 113a, temporarily sets the number-of-prints designation edit box 113b to a blank state, and then sets the mouse or keyboard. By the operation, the default number of printings is changed from 2000 sheets to, for example, 1000 printings. That is, the value of the printing endurance number = the number designation edit is displayed and set (see step S3).

  Next, in step S5, a check is made to determine whether or not the number of printed copies> the number of printable sheets. When the number of printings is set to “2000” in the stencil printing machine 1 and “5000” is input as the number of printings, the number of printings = 5000> the number of printings = 2000 is established and the result is YES. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the user calculates the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate, and divides the number of prints (number of copies) per plate into a number of printable sheets of "2000" or less. The calculation is performed for "2000" sheets, "2000" for the second edition, and "1000" for the third edition.

The user finally checks the contents displayed in the above boxes, and controls the stencil printing machine 1 by pressing the "OK" button for each edition (every edition change) with a mouse or a keyboard at the time of OK. The print data including the print conditions is transmitted to the device 90 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “data transmission”). The user can finally check the contents displayed in each of the above boxes, and press the “Cancel” button when he / she wants to review or correct.
On the other hand, in step S2, it is assumed that the user sets and inputs, for example, “1000” as the number of print copies to be printed in the print copy number edit box 113c by operating the mouse or the keyboard. In this case, if the number of printings is set to "2000" in the stencil printing machine 1 and the number of printings is input as "1000", the number of printings = 1000 <the number of printings = 2000, and Therefore, the process proceeds to step S7, and by pressing the “OK” button on the setting screen 113 by operating the mouse or the keyboard, the master for one plate is wound around the plate cylinder 7, and the data transmission / command for normal printing is executed. Is transmitted to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1.

  FIG. 10A shows an example of data transmitted from the host computer 100 to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1 when the printer language is PJL & PCL and the number of printings is 2000 and the number of copies is 1000. ing. FIG. 10B shows an example of data transmitted from the host computer 100 to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1 when the number of printings is 2000 and the number of copies is 3000 in the printer language.

(Operation example 1)
Next, an operation example 1 of the stencil printing machine 1 will be described.
The operation example 1 relates to a normal printing operation when transmission data of, for example, 2,000 proof sheets and 1,000 copies are transmitted to the stencil printing machine 1.

First, in the plate discharging section 5, a plate discharging operation of separating the used master 34 from the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 is performed. The plate cylinder 7 around which the used master 34 is wound on the outer peripheral surface is rotationally driven by the main motor 12 operated by a command signal from the CPU 86 which receives a start signal from the CPU 102 on the host computer 100 side. At 3, rotation starts counterclockwise. Based on a signal from the plate cylinder position sensor 24, the CPU 86 determines that the rear end of the used master 34 wound on the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 has reached a predetermined plate discharge position corresponding to the drive roller 60. Is determined, the moving means and the driving means (not shown) are operated by a command from the CPU 86 to rotate the driving rollers 57 and 60 and move the lower plate discharging member 54 to the plate cylinder 7 side. When the outer peripheral surface of the drive roller 60 comes into contact with the used master 34 on the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7, the plate cylinder 7 continues to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, and comes into contact with the drive roller 60. The used master 34 thus picked up is conveyed while being sandwiched between the lower plate discharging member 54 and the upper plate discharging member 53, and is sequentially peeled from the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7. The used master 34 that has been peeled off is conveyed by the lower plate discharging member 54 and the upper plate discharging member 53 and discarded in the plate discharging box 55, and then compressed by the compression plate 56.
When all the used masters 34 are peeled off from the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7, the plate cylinder 7 continues to rotate. When the clamper 11 reaches the home position, which is the plate feeding position shown in FIG. 3, and the light shielding plate 25 shown in FIG. 4 is detected by the home position sensor 26, the plate cylinder 7 sends a signal from the home position sensor 26 to the CPU 86. Is output. The CPU 86 receives a signal from the home position sensor 26, sends a command signal to the main motor 12 via the main drive unit 93, and stops the rotation of the main motor 12. When the plate cylinder 7 stops at the home position due to the stop of the main motor 12, a command signal is sent from the CPU 86 to opening / closing means (not shown), whereby the clamper 11 rotates clockwise and the plate cylinder 7 is moved to the position shown in FIG. The plate-feeding standby state shown is reached, and the plate discharging operation is completed.

  When the plate discharging operation is completed, the plate making / plate feeding operation is performed subsequently or partially in parallel. When the plate cylinder 7 enters the plate feeding standby state, a stepping motor (not shown) is operated by a command signal from the CPU 86 to rotate the platen roller 36 and each of the drive rollers 31a and 31c, and the master 34 is pulled out from the master roll 35. When the CPU 86 determines from the number of steps of the stepping motor that the image forming area of the master 34 has reached a position corresponding to the heating element of the thermal head 37, a command signal is sent from the CPU 86 and a binary signal is sent from the image processing unit 91. Each of the converted image data signals is transmitted, so that the heat generating element of the thermal head 37 selectively heats up based on the image data signal transmitted from the host computer 100, and a perforated / plate-making image is formed on the master 34. Is done.

  The master 34 having the perforated plate making image formed thereon is conveyed to the clamper 11 by the conveying means 31 while being guided by the guide plates 38 and 39, and the plate feeding operation is started. That is, when the CPU 86 determines that the leading end of the master 34 has reached a predetermined position between the clamper 11 and the stage section 10 based on the number of steps of the stepping motor, a command signal is sent to opening / closing means (not shown) to Swings and opens and closes in a counterclockwise direction, and the stage section 10 and the clamper 11 hold the leading end of the master 34. Thereafter, a command signal is sent from the CPU 86 to the main motor 12, and the plate cylinder 7 is driven to rotate clockwise at a peripheral speed equal to or slightly higher than the transport speed of the master 34. A winding operation is performed. When the CPU 86 determines that plate making for one plate is completed based on the number of steps of the stepping motor, the rotation of the platen roller 36 and the driving rollers 31a and 31c is stopped, and the movable blade 30b is rotated and moved. The master 34 is disconnected. The trailing end of the cut master 34 is pulled out by the rotation of the plate cylinder 7, and when the plate cylinder 7 reaches the home position again, the main motor 12 is stopped by a command from the CPU 86 to complete the winding / plate feeding operation. I do.

  Subsequent to the plate feeding operation, a plate attaching operation is performed. That is, when the plate cylinder 7 stops at the home position, a command signal is sent from the CPU 86 to start the main motor 12 again, so that the plate cylinder 7 is driven to rotate at a low speed, and the sheet feeding roller 47, the separation roller 48a, The drive roller 65 and the suction fan 67 are respectively driven to rotate. Due to the rotation of the paper feed roller 47 and the separation roller 48a, only the uppermost one paper 50 of the plurality of papers stacked on the paper feed table 46 is separated and pulled out. A predetermined flexure is formed by being abutted against the nip portion, and the state is temporarily maintained. A signal from the plate cylinder position sensor 24 indicates that the leading end of the plate making image area of the plate making master 34 wound around the plate cylinder 7 in the rotation direction of the plate cylinder 7 has reached near the position facing the press roller 9. When the CPU 86 makes a determination based on the above, a command signal is sent from the CPU 86 and the registration roller pair 49 is rotated, so that the position of the plate cylinder 7 and the plate cylinder 7 is adjusted at the timing when the position of the plate making master 34 and the leading end of the plate making image area are aligned. The sheet 50 is fed to between the press roller 9. The CPU 86 sends a command signal to a not-shown contacting / separating means that supports the press roller 9 following the command signal for driving the registration roller pair 49 to rotate, and as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Swing and raise. The sheet 50 fed from the registration roller pair 49 is pressed against the master 34 on the plate cylinder 7 by the press roller 9. Due to this pressing operation, the press roller 9, the paper 50, the master 34, which has been made, and the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 are pressed against each other, and the ink supplied to the inner peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 by the ink roller 14 After oozing out from the opening on the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder and the mesh screen, the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 and the stencil master 34 is filled. The paper 50 to which the ink has been transferred is peeled off from the outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 7 at the tip of the peeling claw 63 and falls downward, and is attracted to the upper surface of the endless belt 66 by the suction force of the suction fan 67 to the left. And is discharged onto the paper discharge table 68. The printing operation is completed by this series of steps, and the stencil printing machine 1 is in a printing standby state. The printed matter discharged by the printing in this case is not taken in by the printed sheet counting sensor 83.

  In the stencil printing machine 1 in which the above-described operations of plate discharging, plate making / supplying, and stencil printing have been completed and are in a printing standby state, a user operates a menu screen unit (not shown) corresponding to the trial printing key 72 of the operation panel 69. When the user sets and inputs (arranged on the setting screen 113) by operating the mouse or the keyboard, the uppermost sheet 50 on the paper feed tray 46 is separated from the paper feed roller 47 and the separation means in the same manner as the plate setting operation. The resist roller 48 is separated and pulled out, and is brought into contact with the nip portion of the registration roller pair 49 to form a predetermined flexure, and the state is temporarily maintained. When the command signal is sent from the CPU 86 and the drive motor 12 is driven to rotate at a printing speed corresponding to the set value of the printing speed, the plate cylinder 7 is driven to rotate at the set printing speed higher than that at the time of the plate attaching operation. You. The registration roller pair 49 rotates the sheet 50 between the plate cylinder 7 and the press roller 9 rotating at a high speed by rotating at the same timing as the printing operation and at a speed corresponding to the set printing speed. Feed. The fed paper 50 is pressed by the press roller 9 against the master 34 on the plate cylinder 7 on which the plate has been made to transfer the ink, and a printed image is formed on the upper surface thereof. The sheet is peeled from the outer peripheral surface, conveyed to the left by the endless belt 66, and discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 68. The plate cylinder 7 returns to the home position again, and the test printing operation is completed.

After confirming the density and position of the print image by this trial printing, a button (not shown) (not shown) corresponding to the print speed setting key 79 of the operation panel 69 is set / input by operating the mouse or the keyboard. When the printing speed is set and the "OK" button on the setting screen 113 is pressed again by operating the mouse or the keyboard, the paper 50 is continuously fed from the paper feeding unit 4 and a normal regular printing operation is performed. . After the printing operation is completed, the plate cylinder 7 returns to the home position again.
In the stencil printing machine 1 in which the above-described operations of plate discharging, plate making / plate feeding, and printing are completed, and are in a printing standby state, the user again presses “OK” on the setting screen 113 by operating the mouse or the keyboard. Then, a start signal similar to pressing the print start key 71 on the operation panel 69 of the stencil printing machine 1 is transmitted to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1, so that the paper 50 is continuously fed from the paper feeding unit 4. The normal normal printing operation is performed for the number of printing copies of 2000 or less, which is 1000 copies.

  The first sheet 50 fed during the normal printing operation is subjected to the normal printing operation and the discharging operation at the printing speed set by a button (not shown) corresponding to the printing speed setting key 79 in the same manner as the above-described printing. At the time of the sheet discharging operation, the control device 90 takes in the count signal from the print number counting sensor 83 and performs a calculation to decrement the number of prints = 1000 based on the count signal (1000-1 = 999). , The display device 81 displays “999”. The subtraction display on the display device 81 is sequentially performed every time one sheet is printed on the paper 50. Hereinafter, the same operations of paper feeding, normal printing, and paper discharging as described above are sequentially performed, and when printing for 1000 sheets is completed, “0” is displayed on the display device 81 as the number of print copies to be printed. You. After the printing operation is completed, the plate cylinder 7 returns to the home position again and stops.

(Operation example 2)
Next, for example, in the case where printing is performed for 2,000 printed sheets and 5,000 printed copies, the number of plate replacements is set to 3 by a user's calculation using a unique program function of the printer driver 111 of the host computer 100. The number of prints (number of copies) per plate is calculated as "2000" for the first plate, "2000" for the second plate, "1000" for the third plate, and the corresponding print job is executed. An operation example 2 when the print data is transmitted to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1 will be described.

As in the first operation example, during the normal printing operation after printing and appropriate test printing, the operations of feeding, normal printing, and discharging the first plate are sequentially performed, and printing for 2,000 sheets is completed. Then, the plate cylinder 7 returns to the home position again, stops, and enters a printing standby state. At the time of the paper discharge operation, the control device 90 performs a calculation to decrement the number of prints = 2000 based on the count signal from the print number counting sensor 83 (5000-2000 = 3000) and displays the remaining number of prints to be printed. The device 81 displays "3000".
The display of the remaining number of prints to be printed = 3000 may be sequentially subtracted and displayed by using the print number designation edit box 113c in addition to the display device 81.

Next, the user prints “2000” sheets of the second edition, so that the number of printed sheets of the second edition displayed in the endurance number designation check box 113a and the number designation edit box 113b with a check mark = If the user presses the “OK” button again by operating the mouse or the keyboard after checking 2000, print data for executing a print job corresponding to this is transmitted to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1.
When the print data is received by the control device 90, for example, substantially the same operation as the plate change operation disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-58458 is automatically performed. That is, the same plate discharging operation as described above is automatically performed, and in parallel with this, the second plate making operation is automatically performed. Partially different from the plate making operation using image data for printing. In other words, when performing the plate changing operation in response to a transmission command from the host computer 100 to the control device 90, the plate making operation of the second plate is performed by the host computer 100 stored in the storage device 87 via the image processing unit 91. (For example, if the number of plate replacements is 3, the same image data for three plates may be copied and held in the storage device 87), and This is performed by controlling the image processing unit 91 and the plotter driving unit 94 so that a plate image substantially the same as the plate image formed on the used master 34 is formed on another master 34.

  After the same plate feeding operation, sheet feeding operation, plate printing operation, and sheet discharging operation as those of the first plate are completed, the normal printing operation of the second plate is performed in the same manner as the first plate. The first sheet 50 fed during the normal printing of the second plate is detected and counted by the print number counting sensor 83 at the time of discharge, and the control unit 90 controls the remaining number of print sheets to be printed. = 3000 is decremented (3000-1 = 2999), and “2999” is displayed on the display device 81 as the remaining number of prints to be printed. Hereinafter, the subtraction display on the display device 81 is sequentially performed every time one sheet is printed on the paper 50. When printing the same number of prints as 2000 for the first plate is completed, “1000” is displayed on the display device 81 as the remaining number of prints to be printed, and the plate cylinder 7 returns to the home position again and stops.

Next, in order to print "1000" sheets of the third edition, the user checks the endurable number-of-prints designation check box 113a with a check mark, and operates the mouse or keyboard to print the third edition = After setting and inputting “1000”, when the “OK” button is pressed again by operating the mouse or the keyboard, print data for executing the corresponding print job is transmitted to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1.
When the print data is received by the control device 90, the same plate discharging operation as that of the second plate is automatically executed, and in parallel with this, the plate making operation of the third plate is automatically performed similarly to the second plate. At the same time, after the same plate feeding operation, sheet feeding operation, plate printing operation, and sheet discharging operation as the second plate are completed, the normal printing operation of the third plate is performed in the same manner as the second plate. The first sheet 50 fed during normal printing is detected and counted by the number-of-prints counting sensor 83, and the control unit 90 performs a calculation to decrement the remaining number of prints to be printed = 1000. (1000-1 = 999), “999” is displayed on the display device 81 as the remaining number of prints to be printed. Hereinafter, the subtraction display on the display device 81 is sequentially performed every time one sheet is printed on the paper 50.
Thereafter, the same operations of paper feeding, normal printing, and paper discharging as described above are sequentially performed, and when printing of the remaining 999 sheets is completed until the total number of print copies from the first plate reaches 5000 sheets, The trunk 7 returns to the home position again and stops.

(Modification 1)
FIG. 11 shows a first modification.
The first modification is different from the first embodiment mainly in that a host computer 100A is provided instead of the host computer 100. The host computer 100A differs from the host computer 100 only in having a CPU 102A in place of the CPU 102 and in having a storage device 103A in place of the storage device 103, and is otherwise the same as the host computer 100.

The printer driver 111A and the CPU 102A are different from the printer driver 111 and the CPU 102 in that the following sixth to fifth functions and control functions are added to the above-described first to fifth functions and control functions.
Sixth, the printer driver 111A has the above-described first to fifth functions. Sixth, the OS 110 controls the CPU 102A as the plate change calculating means to calculate the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate. Has a function of operating the CPU 102A via the CPU.

In short, the printer driver 111A is a device driver that functions as a printable number storage unit, a printable number display unit, a print number setting unit, a printable number selection unit, a printable number setting unit, and a plate change calculation unit. As a program function.
The CPU 102A has a function as a plate change calculating unit that calculates the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate according to a program given from the printer driver 111A.

Next, the operation of the first modification will be described focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.
Modification 1 is different from the first embodiment only in that the CPU 102A executes all the determinations and calculations in steps S5 and S6 of the flowchart shown in FIG. The operation is the same as that of the embodiment. In step S5 of FIGS. 8 and 9, the user inputs, for example, "5000" as the number of print copies to be printed in the print copy number edit box 113c by operating the mouse or the keyboard. At this time, the CPU 102A checks / determines whether or not the number of copies is greater than the number of printable sheets.

  When the number of printings is set to “2000” in the stencil printing machine 1 and “5000” is input as the number of printings, the number of printings = 5000> the number of printings = 2000 is established and the result is YES. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate are calculated by the CPU 102A. The CPU 102A determines the number of prints (5000) / the number of prints (2000) = 2.5 (version) based on the data of the number of prints = 2000 called from the internal storage device and the input data of the number of prints = 5000. The number of plates to be changed (the number of plate making) is obtained by rounding up the decimal point. The number of prints (number of copies) per plate is calculated as "2000" for the first plate, "2000" for the second plate, "1000" for the third plate, and the corresponding print job is calculated. The only difference is that print data to be executed is transmitted to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1.

In the first modification, similarly to the operation example 2, the normal number of prints per plate is calculated so as to be substantially equal to the number of printable sheets, thereby performing printing while maintaining the print quality normally. The present invention is not limited to this, and a high setting for performing printing while maintaining print quality relatively good by calculating the average number of prints per plate almost every plate change may be used.
In the first modification, the display such as the number of plate replacements calculated, the number of prints per plate (the number of copies), the number of remaining prints, and the like may be displayed on the setting screen 113 as needed. In addition, the description has been given of the case where the control unit 90 performs the subtraction of the number of prints during the normal printing operation. However, the CPU 102 of the host computer 100 may perform the subtraction.

(Modification 2)
12 to 14 show a second modification.
Modified Example 2 is different from Modified Example 1 mainly in that a host computer 100B is provided instead of the host computer 100A. The host computer 100B is different from the host computer 100A in that it has a CPU 102B in place of the CPU 102A, has a storage device 103B in place of the storage device 103A, has a printer driver 111B in place of the printer driver 111A, and has a setting screen. The only difference is that there is a setting screen 113B instead of the setting screen 113, and the rest is the same as the host computer 100A.

  The setting screen 113B shown in FIG. 13 differs from the setting screen 113 shown in FIG. 8 only in that a print image quality selection edit box 113d is added to the setting screen 113. The print image quality selection edit box 113d is used to calculate and set the number of prints per plate that is substantially averaged for each plate change, thereby setting a high setting for printing while maintaining a relatively good print image quality. As in Example 1, by calculating and setting the number of prints per plate to be approximately equal to the number of printings, it is possible to select one of the normal settings for performing printing while maintaining print quality normally. Functions as a plate change calculation selection unit. The state shown in FIG. 13 shows an image in which “high setting” is selected by operating the mouse or the keyboard.

The printer driver 111B and the CPU 102B differ in that the following sixth program function and control function are added to the above-described first to fifth program functions and control functions of the printer driver 111A and CPU 102A.
The printer driver 111B has the above-described first to fifth program functions. Sixth, the printer driver 111B causes the CPU 102B as a plate change calculation unit to calculate the number of prints per plate to be approximately equal to the number of printing presses. The CPU 102B is controlled via the OS 110 so that the CPU 102B can select either one of the first reversion calculation and the second reversion calculation which causes the CPU 102B to calculate the number of prints per plate which is substantially averaged for each reversion. It has a program function to operate.

The CPU 102B performs one of the first and second plate-change calculations selected by the plate-change calculation selecting means (the print quality selection edit box 113d and the input device 104) in accordance with the program given from the printer driver 111B. It functions as a version change calculation means for calculating one.
To put it simply, the printer driver 111B includes a printing number storage means, a printing number display means, a printing number setting means, a printing number selection means, a printing number setting means, a plate change calculation means, and a plate change calculation selection means. Each has a program function as a device driver to function.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the flow chart of FIG. 9, the operations from step S1 to step S4 are the same as the operations shown in FIG. 9 as compared with those shown in FIG.
The user sets and inputs, for example, “5000” sheets as shown in FIG. 13 as the number of print copies to be printed in the print copy number edit box 113c by operating the mouse or the keyboard. At this time, it is checked or determined whether or not the number of prints is greater than the number of printable sheets (see step S5).

When the number of prints is set to "2000" in the stencil printing machine 1 and "5000" is input as the number of prints, the number of prints = 5000> the number of prints = 2000 is established and the result is YES. Therefore, the process proceeds to step S10. In step S10, the CPU 102B determines whether the print quality setting is high.
If the user selects “high setting” with good print quality as shown in FIG. 13 by operating the mouse or the keyboard, the process proceeds to step S11, where the number of prints per plate is approximately averaged for each plate change. And the number of plate changes is calculated and set. By the way, since the number of plate replacements was "3" as described above, the CPU 102B calculates the number of print copies / number of plate replacements = 5000/31666 (rounded down below the decimal point), and obtained an average of approximately 1 for each plate replacement. The number of prints per plate is calculated, and for example, “1666” sheets are finally set for the first plate, “1666” sheets are set for the second plate, and “1668” sheets are set for the third plate.

On the other hand, if the user has selected “normal setting” shown in parentheses in FIG. 12 by operating the mouse or the keyboard, the process proceeds to step S12, and the CPU 102B determines the number of prints per plate as in the operation example 2. Is calculated and set to be approximately equal to the number of printings.
Next, the user presses an “OK” button on the setting screen 113 by operating a mouse or a keyboard, and transmits print data including the calculated data and the like to the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1. Since the detailed operation example of the modification 2 can be easily implemented from the above description, further description is omitted.

(Modification 3)
15 to 19 show a third modification.
Modification 3 differs from Modification 2 in that a stencil printing machine 1 is provided instead of the stencil printing machine 1 and that the host computer 100B is replaced by a stencil printing machine 1A shown in FIGS. The main difference is that a host computer 100C is shown.

The stencil printing machine 1A is different from the stencil printing machine 1 in that, as shown in FIGS. 15, 18 and 19, for example, the same identification display body 158 and the same as those disclosed in JP-A-2002-144688. The only difference is that a master type identification unit 152 including a master type sensor 160 is provided.
As shown in FIG. 17, when the core 35a of the master roll 35 is set on the master roll support member 33 of the plotter 3, the stencil printing machine 1A identifies and detects the master type as the type of the stencil. It has an identification means 152. The master type identification unit 152 includes an identification display body 158 attached to the leading end of the master 34 of the master roll 35 and a plurality of plate type detection units that detect the content displayed on the identification display body 158. And a master type sensor 160 composed of a reflection type photo sensor.

  In this modification, three types of types A, B, and C shown in Table 1 are illustrated as master types detected by the master type sensor 160. In view of the thickness of the thermoplastic resin film constituting the master 34, the material and weight of the porous support (which is also a representative characteristic value of the thickness of the support), and the tensile strength, the types A, B, and C The number of printings tends to decrease in order.

  As shown in FIG. 19, the identification display body 158 includes a white sheet 158a to which the seal on the back surface can be peeled off and adhered, and three circular marks 158b formed on the surface of the sheet 158a. The type of the master 34 is identified by setting one or a combination of the marks 158b to black. The type of the master 34 may be identified by being encoded or encrypted, or the identification display 158 may be provided on the core 35a or on the side of the master 34.

  Generally, the number of printings has a characteristic that fluctuates depending on at least a parameter including a master type, and a more accurate number of printings can be known by detecting the master type. In the third modification, by paying attention to the great influence of the master type as a parameter for changing the number of printable sheets, the master type sensor 160 detects the master type to know the more accurate number of printable sheets. Is designed so that either one of the default number of printings and the number of printings preset according to the master type can be freely selected.

The host computer 100C is different from the host computer 100B in that it has a CPU 102C in place of the CPU 102B, has a storage device 103C in place of the storage device 103B, has a printer driver 111C in place of the printer driver 111B, and has a setting screen. The only difference is that a setting screen 113C is provided instead of the 113B, and the other points are the same as the host computer 100B.
Compared to the storage device 103B, the internal storage device of the storage device 103C stores the master type information detected by the master type sensor 160 in addition to the printing endurance number information transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1A. Only the difference is that it functions as a printing endurance number condition storage unit instead of the printing endurance number storage unit.

  The setting screen 113C shown in FIG. 17 is different from the setting screen 113B shown in FIG. 13 only in that a master type display box 113e is added to the setting screen 113B. The master type display box 113e functions as a printing capacity condition display unit that displays the master type as the type of plate. The state shown in FIG. 17 indicates a state in which “type C” is displayed as the master type transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1A. The printed number designation check box 113a and the number designated edit box 113b function as a printed number condition display means for displaying the printed number information stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103C.

The printer driver 111C and the CPU 102C have only the following program functions and control functions in place of the first to sixth program functions and control functions of the first to sixth printer printers 111B and CPU 102B described above. Different.
First, the printer driver 111C causes the internal storage device to store the printing number information (data signal) and master type information (data signal) as printing press information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing press 1A. Has a function of operating the CPU 102C via the OS 110. The CPU 102C has a control function of storing the endurance number information and master type information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1A by using the internal storage device according to a program given from the printer driver 111C.

  Secondly, the printer driver 111C provides the user with a setting screen 113C, and displays the number of printings and the master type stored in the internal storage device in a state before the check mark is put in the printing number designation check box 113a. The CPU 102C has a function of operating the CPU 102C via the OS 110 so as to be displayed in the number designation edit box 113b and the master type display box 113e, respectively. The CPU 102C designates the number of prints and the master type stored in the internal storage device by the image display device 105 in accordance with the program given from the printer driver 111C, and designates the number of copies before the check mark is put in the check box 113a. It has a control function of controlling a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) so as to be displayed in the edit box 113b and the master type display box 113e, respectively.

  Thirdly, the printer driver 111C provides the user with a blank number display edit box 113b in a blank display state after a check mark is put in the print endurance number designation check box 113a as a user-determined print endurance number. The number of prints displayed in the display means (the number specification edit box 113b before the check mark is put in the number-of-printable number specification check box 113a) and the master type displayed in the master type display box 113e are considered by the user. The CPU 102C has a function of operating the CPU 102C via the OS 110 so that either one of the number of printings determined by can be selected and set. In accordance with a program given from the printer driver 111C, the CPU 102C displays a blank in the number designation edit box 113b after the image display device 105 puts a check mark in the endurance number designation check box 113a, and sets the master type to master. It has a control function of controlling a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) so as to be displayed in the type display box 113e.

  To put it simply, the printer driver 111C includes a printing number condition storage unit, a printing number condition display unit, a printing number setting unit, a printing number selection unit, a printing number setting unit, a plate change calculation unit, and a plate change calculation selection. It has a program function as a device driver for causing each of the means to function.

Next, the operation of the third modification will be described with a focus on the differences from the operation of the second modification while also using the flowchart of FIG.
First, on the stencil printing machine 1A side, after the power switch (not shown) of the stencil printing machine 1A is turned on by the user, necessary preparations before performing predetermined printing, for example, the paper 50 Replenishment is made. The user may turn on a power switch (not shown) of the host computer 100C also on the host computer 100C side, regardless of before and after this. The PROM 89 of the stencil printing machine 1A stores, for example, a data signal relating to “type C” as master type information (data signal) detected by the master type sensor 160 when the master roll 35 is set in the master storage member 33. Is held.

In step S1, a print command is received from the application 112 by activating the printer driver 111C shown in FIG. Here, print image data created through an operation of the input device 104 or the like by the user is generated.
Proceeding to step S2, on the host computer 100C side, the user calls up and displays the setting screen 113C shown in FIG. Necessary printing conditions such as “paper feed tray”, “discharge destination”, and “number of copies” are specifically set as in the second modification.

At this time, the on / off state of the check box 113a is checked and determined. When the endurance number designation check box 113a is off and blank, the number designation edit box 113b is obtained by default by communication with the stencil printing machine 1A and stored in the internal storage device (not shown) of the storage device 103C. The printing endurance number = “2000”, ie, the printing endurance number = the main body setting value “2000” of the stencil printing machine 1A is displayed, and is acquired by communication with the stencil printing machine 1A and stored in the storage device 103C. As the master type stored in the apparatus (not shown), for example, “type C” shown in FIG. 17 is displayed in the master type display box 113e.
At this time, the user looks at the display of the printing endurance number = “2000” displayed in the number designation edit box 113b and the master type = “type C” displayed in the master type display box 113e, and can proceed with this. If it is determined to be good, the process proceeds to step S5.

  On the other hand, in step S2, when the user looks at the master type display “Type C” and determines from the master type table in Table 1 at hand that the maximum number of printings out of the three master types is the lowest, That is, the thickness of the thermoplastic resin film is 1.5 μm, the formulation of the porous support is “natural fibers (for example, Japanese paper fibers) + synthetic fibers (for example, fibers made of polyester resin or the like)”, and Since the strength (vertical / wet) is 0.50 kgf / mm, for example, when the image data for printing is an image having many solid image portions and a clear print image is desired up to the last number of printing endurance, When it is determined that the number of printings is clearly reduced because the printing is performed on high-quality paper 180K as the paper type, a desired printing image is obtained with the default number of printings = 2000. Since the resulting longer, which in the same manner as modified example 2 at your discretion, performs selection and operation of changing and editing for example printing number = 1000 (see step S3). Subsequent operations are the same as those in the flowchart shown in FIG. 14, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  Modification 3 is not limited to this, and instead of the master type identification means 152 including the identification display body 158 and the master type sensor 160, for example, the thickness of the master (80) described in JP-A-9-277686 is used. The light amount detection sensor (60) as the thickness detection means (90) for detecting the temperature and the potentiometer may be used.

Instead of the plate type detecting unit, a stencil printing machine 1A having a master type setting unit as a plate type setting unit for setting the type of the master may be used. The master type setting unit may be a well-known setting unit using selection setting keys 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d of the operation panel 69 of the stencil printing machine 1A, or a plurality of master types corresponding to the number of master types. A configuration may be adopted in which a setting key is provided, or the key is changed / set by a combination of the key and the numeric keypad 74. Further, the present invention is not limited to these, and may include both a master type detecting unit and a master type setting unit.
Modification 3 is not limited to this, and the function and configuration of the version change calculation selecting means and the version change calculation means may be removed from the host computer 100C (see claims 2 and 5).

(Modification 4)
FIGS. 16, 20, and 21 show a fourth modification.
Modification 4 differs from Modification 3 in that a stencil printing machine 1A shown in parentheses in FIG. 16 and shown in FIG. 20 is provided instead of the stencil printing machine 1A, and instead of the host computer 100C. The main difference is that the host computer 100D shown in parentheses in FIG. 16 and shown in FIG. 20 is provided.
The stencil printing machine 1B differs from the stencil printing machine 1A only in that a paper type sensor 120 as a paper type detecting means for detecting the type of the paper 50 is added, as shown in FIG. Is the same as that of the stencil printing machine 1A.

  Referring to FIG. 3, a sheet for detecting the type of the sheet 50 by detecting the thickness of the sheet 50 is provided on the sheet conveyance path between the registration roller pair 49 and the separation roller 48a of the stencil printing machine 1B. A type sensor 120 is provided. Specific examples of the paper type sensor 120 include a type that measures the thickness of the paper 50 based on the transmittance of light transmitted through the paper 50 and a thickness of the paper 50 that is measured by measuring a reflected wave from the paper 50 using ultrasonic waves. And a type that measures the thickness of the sheet 50 by measuring the distance to the surface of the sheet 50 by a laser beam. Of these, a method using light transmittance has been put to practical use. Actually used.

  As the paper types detected or set by the paper type sensor 120 or the paper type setting means described later, 17 types shown in Table 2 are exemplified in this modification. Table 2 shows a printing endurance table based on a combination of the master type and the paper type, and is obtained in advance by, for example, an experiment.

  In general, the number of printings has a characteristic that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the master type and the paper type. By detecting the paper type in addition to the master type, the printing durability is more accurate than in the third modification. You can know the number. In the fourth modification, in addition to the detection of the master type by the master type sensor 160, the paper type sensor 120 focuses on the fact that the influence of the paper type is the second largest after the master type as a parameter for varying the number of printings. By detecting the paper type to know a more accurate number of prints than in the third modification, the user can determine the default number of prints and the number of prints preset by the master type and the paper type. The configuration is such that either one can be freely selected.

  The host computer 100D is different from the host computer 100C in that it has a CPU 102D shown in parentheses in FIG. 16 instead of the CPU 102C, and a storage device shown in parentheses in FIG. 16 instead of the storage device 103C. The only difference between the host computer 100C and the host computer 100C is that it has a printer driver 111D instead of the printer driver 111C and a printer driver 111D shown in parentheses in FIG. Is the same as

  The internal storage device of the storage device 103D is different from the storage device 103C in that, in addition to the printing endurance number information transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1B and the master type information detected by the master type sensor 160, a paper type sensor 120 The only difference is that the detected paper type information is stored, and functions as a printable number condition storage unit instead of the printable number storage unit.

  The setting screen 113D shown in FIG. 21 is different from the setting screen 113C shown in FIG. 17 only in that a paper type display box 113f is added to the setting screen 113C. The paper type display box 113f functions as a printing endurance condition display means for displaying the paper type as the type of printing paper. The state shown in FIG. 21 indicates a state in which “high quality paper 180K” is displayed as the paper type transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1B. The printed number designation check box 113a and the number designated edit box 113b function as a printed number condition display means for displaying the printed number information stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103D.

The printer driver 111D and the CPU 102D have only the following program functions and control functions in place of the above-described first to sixth program functions and control functions of the printer drivers 111C and CPU 102C. Different.
First, the printer driver 111D stores the printing number information, master type information, and paper type information (data signal) as printing machine information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1B as a printing number condition storage unit. It has a function of operating the CPU 102D via the OS 110 so that the internal storage device stores the information. The CPU 102D has a control function of storing the endurance number information, master type information, and sheet type information obtained from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1B by using the internal storage device according to a program given from the printer driver 111D. .

  Second, the printer driver 111D provides a setting screen 113D to the user, and displays the number of printings, the master type, and the paper type stored in the internal storage device before putting a check mark in the printing number designation check box 113a. Has a function of operating the CPU 102D via the OS 110 so as to be displayed in the number designation edit box 113b, the master type display box 113e, and the paper type display box 113f in the state described above. Before the CPU 102D puts the check mark in the endurance number designation check box 113a, the image display device 105 sets the endurance number, master type and paper type stored in the internal storage device in accordance with the program given from the printer driver 111D. Has a control function of controlling a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) so as to be displayed in the number designation edit box 113b, the master type display box 113e, and the paper type display box 113f, respectively.

  Third, the printer driver 111D provides the user with a blank number display edit box 113b in which a check mark is put in the print endurance number designation check box 113a as a user-determined endurance number. Any one of the number of printings displayed in the condition display means, the master type displayed in the master type display box 113e, and the paper type displayed in the paper type display box 113f, and the number of printings determined by the user by considering this. It has a function of operating the CPU 102D via the OS 110 so that either one can be selected and set. In accordance with the program given from the printer driver 111D, the CPU 102D displays the blank number designation edit box 113b after the image display device 105 has put a check mark in the printable number designation check box 113a, and sets the master type to the master type. The type display box 113e has a control function of controlling a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) so that the paper type is displayed in the paper type display box 113f, respectively.

  In short, the printer driver 111D includes a printable number condition storage unit, a printable number condition display unit, a print number setting unit, a printable number selection unit, a printable number setting unit, a plate change calculation unit, and a plate change calculation selection. It has a program function as a device driver for causing each of the means to function.

Next, the operation of the fourth modification will be described with a focus on the differences from the operation of the third modification while also using the flowchart of FIG.
First, on the stencil printing machine 1A side, after the power switch (not shown) of the stencil printing machine 1A is turned on by the user, necessary preparations before performing predetermined printing, for example, the paper 50 Replenishment is made. The user may turn on a power switch (not shown) of the host computer 100C also on the host computer 100C side, regardless of before and after this. In the PROM 89 of the stencil printing machine 1A, for example, a data signal relating to “type C” is stored and held as master type information detected by the master type sensor 160 when the master roll 35 is set in the master storage member 33. . Further, at the time of plate printing, for example, a data signal relating to “high quality paper 180K” is stored and held as the paper type information detected by the paper type sensor 120.

In step S1, a print command from the application 112 is received by activating the printer driver 111D shown in FIG. Here, print image data created through an operation of the input device 104 or the like by the user is generated.
Proceeding to step S2, on the host computer 100D side, the user calls up and displays the setting screen 113D shown in FIG. 21 via the operation of the printer driver 111D by operating the mouse or keyboard, and then displays the "paper size", Necessary printing conditions such as a “paper feed tray”, a “discharge destination”, and a “number of copies” are specifically set as in the second and third modifications.

At this time, the on / off state of the check box 113a is checked and determined. When the endurance number designation check box 113a is off and blank, the number endurance number edit box 113b defaults to the endurance endurance acquired by communication with the stencil printing machine 1B and stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103D. The number of copies = “2000”, that is, the number of printable sheets = the main body setting value “2000” in the stencil printing machine 1B is displayed, and is acquired by communication with the stencil printing machine 1B and stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103D. For example, “Type C” shown in FIG. 21 is displayed in the master type display box 113e as the master type, and “High quality paper 180K” shown in FIG. 21 is displayed in the paper type display box 113f as the same paper type.
At this time, the user displays "2000" sheets in the number-of-prints designation edit box 113b, the master type = "Type C" displayed in the master type display box 113e, and the paper type display box 113f. After seeing the high-quality paper 180K, if it is determined that it is possible to proceed with this, the process proceeds to step S5.

  On the other hand, in step S2, the user looks at the master type display "Type C" and the paper type display "high quality paper 180K", and according to Table 2 at hand, obtains a more accurate printing endurance number of "1000". It is known that a desired print image cannot be obtained unless it is changed. Therefore, the user decides this, and performs selection / operation for changing and editing the number of printable sheets to 1000 as in the third modification (see step S3). Subsequent operations are the same as those in the flowchart shown in FIG. 14, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Modification 4 is not limited to this, and other known means or sensors may be used instead of the paper type sensor 120 as long as they can detect the paper type.
Instead of the paper type detecting means, a stencil printing machine 1B having a paper type setting means for setting the type of printing paper may be used. As the paper type setting unit, for example, a well-known setting unit using a selection setting key 80a of the operation panel 69 of the stencil printing machine 1B may be used, or a plurality of paper type setting keys corresponding to the number of paper types may be provided. Alternatively, the configuration may be changed and set by a combination of this key and the numeric keypad 74. That is, the combination may be such that the master type information and the paper type information can be obtained by an appropriate combination of the master type detection unit, the master type setting unit, the paper type detection unit, and the paper type setting unit.

Modification 4 is not limited to this, and may be the host computer 100D in which the functions and configurations of the version change calculation selecting means and the version change calculation means are removed (see claims 3 and 5).
Further, a modification example in which the master type detection means and the master type setting means capable of obtaining the master type information are removed and at least one of the paper type detection means and the paper type setting means capable of obtaining only the paper type information may be provided ( Refer to claim 4). This example can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art from the fourth modification, and further description will be omitted.

(Second embodiment)
The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 15, 18, 19, 22, and 23.
The second embodiment is different from the third modification only in having a host computer 100E instead of the host computer 100C, and is otherwise the same as the third modification. The host computer 100E is different from the host computer 100C in that a main control unit 102E is substituted for the main control unit 102C, a storage device 103E is substituted for the storage device 103C, and a printer driver is substituted for the printer driver 111C. The only difference is that the host computer 100 </ b> E is provided.

  The storage device 103E is different from the storage device 103C in that an external storage device (e.g., a printable number storage unit that stores a printable number data table that is set in advance according to the master type, that is, a printable number data table according to the master type) The main difference is that it functions as an HDD (hard disk drive). As the endurable number of prints set in advance according to the master type, a data table related to endurable number of prints by master type can be mentioned with reference to Table 1. For example, 2,000 endurable number of prints for type A, The endurance number 1500 is assigned to type B and the endurance number 1000 is assigned to type C. The endurance number data table according to the master type is stored in the external storage device of the storage device 103E in advance. I have. This is determined in advance by experiments or the like.

  The setting screen 113E shown in FIG. 23 is different from the setting screen 113C shown in FIG. 17 in that the printing number designation check box 113a and the number designation edit box 113b provided on the setting screen 113C are removed. The only difference is that a plate number change box 113g for displaying the number of sheets to be changed and a print number display box 113h per plate are added. In the state shown in FIG. 23, "Type A" is displayed as the master type transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1A, "3" is displayed as the number of plate replacements, and "1666" is displayed as the number of prints per plate. It represents the state where it is.

The printer driver 111E and the CPU 102E are different only in having the following program functions and control functions in place of the above-described second to sixth program functions and control functions of the printer driver 111C and the CPU 102C.
First, similarly to the printer driver 111C, the printer driver 111E causes the internal storage device to store the printing number information and the master type information as the printing press information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing press 1A. It has a function of operating the CPU 102E via the OS 110. The CPU 102E has a control function of storing the printing endurance number information and the master type information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1A by using the internal storage device in accordance with the program given from the printer driver 111E.

Second, the printer driver 111E provides a setting screen 113E to the user, invalidates the number of printings stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103E, and stores the information in the internal storage device of the storage device 103E. The obtained master type and the data table relating to the number of printings described with reference to Table 1 previously stored in the external storage device are called up and collated to calculate the number of printings, and then the calculated number of printings is calculated. The number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate are calculated based on the number of prints set by the number of printable sheets and the number of prints set by the print number setting edit box 113c and the input device 104, and these are changed. CPU 102C via OS 110 to display in display box 113g and print quantity per plate display box 113h, respectively. It has a function to operate.
The CPU 102E invalidates the number-of-printable-sheets information stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103E according to the program given from the printer driver 111E, and sets the master type and the table 1 stored in the external storage device in advance. And then compare them to calculate the printing endurance, and then calculate the printing endurance based on the calculated printing endurance and the number of printings set by the printing number setting means. And the number of prints per plate. The number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate are then calculated by using the number of prints per plate change box 113g and the number of prints per plate display box 113h. Has a control function of controlling a liquid crystal drive circuit (not shown) so as to display the respective signals.

  To put it simply, the printer driver 111E has a program function as a device driver for causing the printing endurance number storage unit, the number of prints setting unit, the plate change calculation unit, and the plate change calculation selection unit to function.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described focusing on differences from the operation of the third modification.
As in the third modification, the PROM 89 of the stencil printing machine 1A stores and holds, for example, a data signal relating to “type A” as master type information detected by the master type sensor 160.
Next, when the printer driver 111E shown in FIG. 22 is activated, a print command from the application 112 is received, and the print image created through the operation of the input device 104 or the like by the user as in the third modification. Data is generated.

Next, on the host computer 100E side, the user calls up and displays the setting screen 113E shown in FIG. 23 through the operation of the printer driver 111E by operating the mouse or keyboard, and then displays the “paper size”, “paper feed tray” , "Discharge destination", "number of copies", "print image quality", and other necessary printing conditions are specifically set as in the third modification.
At this time, in accordance with the second program function provided from the printer driver 111E, the CPU 102E borrows the master type stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103E and Table 1 previously stored in the external storage device. The data table relating to the number of printings per master type described above is called and collated to calculate the number of printings (= 2000), and the calculated number of printings (= 2000) and the setting of the number of printings. Based on the number of prints (= 5000) set by the means, the number of plate replacements (5000/2000 = 2.5, "3" after rounding up to the decimal point) and the number of prints per plate approximately averaged for each plate change (1st edition "1666", 2nd edition "1666", 3rd edition "1668") are calculated.

  The number of plate changes ("3") is displayed in the plate number display box 113g, and the number of prints per plate ("1666" for the first plate), which is substantially averaged for each plate change, is displayed. It is displayed in each box 113h. The user finally confirms the contents displayed in the above boxes, and presses “OK” when OK with a mouse or keyboard operation, and presses “Cancel” button when the user wants to review or correct.

The stencil printing machine 1A according to the second embodiment is not limited to this. Or may include both a master type detection unit and a master type setting unit.
The second embodiment is not limited to this, and the function and configuration of the version change calculation selecting means may be removed from the host computer 100E (see claim 7).

(Third embodiment)
The third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 20, 24, and 25.
The third embodiment is different from the fourth modification only in that a host computer 100F is provided instead of the host computer 100D, and the other points are the same as the fourth modification. The host computer 100F is different from the host computer 100D in that a main control unit 102F (hereinafter, referred to as “CPU 102F”) is used instead of the main control unit 102D, a storage device 103F is used instead of the storage device 103D, and The only difference is that a printer driver 111F is used in place of the printer driver 111D, and the rest is the same as the host computer 100D.

  The storage device 103F stores, in comparison with the storage device 103D, a printing endurance number data table set in advance according to the combination of the master type and the paper type, that is, a printing endurance number data table based on the combination of the master type and the paper type. The main difference is that it functions as an external storage device (for example, an HDD (hard disk drive)) as a printing capacity storage unit. The endurable number of prints set in advance in accordance with the combination of the master type and the paper type is obtained in advance through experiments or the like, and is shown in Table 2 described above. In the external storage device, the number of printable sheets according to the combination of the master type and the paper type shown in Table 2 is stored in advance as a data table.

  The setting screen 113F shown in FIG. 25 differs from the setting screen 113D shown in FIG. 21 in that the printing endurance number designation check box 113a and the number designation edit box 113b provided on the setting screen 113D are removed. The only difference is that a plate number change box 113g for displaying the number of sheets to be changed and a print number display box 113h per plate are added. In the state shown in FIG. 25, “type B” is the master type transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1B, “recycled paper” is the paper type transmitted from the stencil printing machine 1B, and “3” is the number of plate replacements. Represents a state in which “1666” sheets are displayed as the number of printed sheets per plate.

The printer driver 111F and the CPU 102F are different only in having the following program functions and control functions in place of the above-described second to sixth program functions and control functions of the printer driver 111D and the CPU 102D.
First, similarly to the printer driver 111D, the printer driver 111F causes the internal storage device to store the number-of-printable-sheets information and the master type information as printing machine information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1B. It has a function of operating the CPU 102F via the OS 110. The CPU 102F has a control function of storing the number-of-printable-sheets information, the master type information, and the paper type information acquired from the control device 90 of the stencil printing machine 1B by using the internal storage device according to a program given from the printer driver 111F. .

  Second, the printer driver 111F provides a setting screen 113F to the user, invalidates the number of printings stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103F, and stores the information in the internal storage device of the storage device 103F. The called master table and paper type and the data table relating to the number of printings based on the combination of the master type and paper type shown in Table 2 previously stored in the external storage device are called up and collated. After calculating the number of prints, the number of plate replacements and the number of prints per plate are calculated based on the calculated number of endurable prints and the number of prints set by the number-of-prints setting means. The CPU 102F is operated via the OS 110 so as to be displayed in the display box 113g and the number-of-printed-per-plate display box 113h, respectively. It has a function.

  The CPU 102F invalidates the endurance number information stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103F according to a program given from the printer driver 111F, and also stores the master type and the paper type and the external storage device in advance. First, a data table relating to the number of printings based on the combination of the master type and the paper type shown in Table 2 is called, and these are collated to calculate the number of printings. It functions as plate change calculating means for calculating the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate based on the number of prints set by the number setting unit. A liquid crystal drive (not shown) is displayed so as to be displayed in the plate number change display box 113g and the print number per plate display box 113h, respectively. It has a control function of controlling the road.

  To put it simply, the printer driver 111F has a program function as a device driver for causing the printing capacity storage means, the print quantity setting means, the plate change calculation means, and the plate change calculation selection means to function.

Next, the operation of the third embodiment will be described focusing on differences from the operation of the fourth modification.
Similarly to the fourth modification, the PROM 89 of the stencil printing machine 1B stores and holds, for example, a data signal relating to “type B” as master type information detected by the master type sensor 160. Further, at the time of plate printing, for example, a data signal relating to “recycled paper” is stored and held as paper type information detected by the paper type sensor 120.
Next, when the printer driver 111F shown in FIG. 24 is activated, a print command from the application 112 is received, and the print image created through the operation of the input device 104 or the like by the user as in the fourth modification. Data is generated.

Next, on the host computer 100F side, the user calls up and displays the setting screen 113F shown in FIG. 25 through the operation of the printer driver 111F by operating the mouse or keyboard, and then displays the “paper size” and “paper feed tray”. , "Discharge destination", "number of copies", "print quality", and other necessary printing conditions are specifically set as in the fourth modification.
At this time, in accordance with the second program function provided from the printer driver 111F, the CPU 102F reads the master type and paper type stored in the internal storage device of the storage device 103F and the table 2 stored in the external storage device in advance. And the data tables are collated to calculate the endurable number of prints (= 1950), and the calculated endurable number of prints (= 1950) and the number of prints (= 5000) set by the number of prints setting means. )) And the number of prints per plate (the first plate “1666”, the second plate), which is approximately averaged for each plate change (5000 ÷ 1950 ≒ 2.7, rounded up to “3” after the decimal point) Eye “1666”, third edition “1668”).

  The number of plate changes ("3") is displayed in the plate number display box 113g, and the number of prints per plate ("1666" for the first plate), which is substantially averaged for each plate change, is displayed. It is displayed in each box 113h. The user finally checks the contents displayed in each of the above boxes, and presses the “OK” button for each edition of “OK” when OK is clicked by mouse or keyboard operation, and presses the “Cancel” button when he / she wants to review or modify. Good.

The stencil printing machine 1 </ b> B of the third embodiment is not limited to this, and instead of the master type detection unit and the paper type detection unit, as described in the fourth modification, the master type detection unit, the master type setting unit, and the paper An appropriate combination in which the master type information and the paper type information can be obtained by a combination of the type detection unit and the paper type setting unit may be used.
The third embodiment is not limited to this, and the function and configuration of the version change calculation selecting means may be removed from the host computer 100F (see claim 8).
Further, an embodiment may be provided in which at least one of the sheet type detecting unit and the sheet type setting unit that can obtain only the sheet type information is eliminated by removing the master type detecting unit and the master type setting unit that can obtain the master type information ( Refer to claim 9). Since this embodiment can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art from the third embodiment, further description will be omitted.

As described above, the present invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments including the examples, the modifications, and the like. However, the configuration and operation of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments and the like, and may be appropriately combined. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various embodiments, modifications, and examples may be configured according to the necessity, use, and the like within the scope of the present invention. is there.
For example, by combining at least one of the setting screens 113 to 113D in the first embodiment to the fourth modified example and any of the setting screens 113E to 113F in the second and third embodiments, the user can select a desired one of the setting screens. It is also possible to configure so as to be able to switch and select one to be set.

  The functions of the printer drivers 111E and 111F and the CPUs 102E and 102F provided in the host computers 100E and 100F are provided in the control device 90 (CPU 86 and storage device 87) of the stencil printing machines 1A and 1B, and the conventional stencil printing machine 1A is provided. , 1B, the control based on the accurate number of prints which cannot be realized, that is, the control based on the number of prints fluctuating according to a parameter including at least one of the type of printing plate and the type of printing paper is also provided by the present invention. Is just the technical scope disclosed by

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a system block diagram of a printing system showing another embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view showing the outline of the stencil printing machine side. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a plate cylinder position sensor and a separation prevention mechanism in the stencil printing machine. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an operation panel of the stencil printing machine. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on the stencil printing machine side according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on a host computer side according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is an image diagram of a setting screen on a host computer side in the first embodiment. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the first embodiment. (A) and (b) are programs representing an example of data transmitted from the host computer to the stencil printing machine. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on the host computer side in Modification 1. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on the host computer side in Modification Example 2. FIG. 14 is an image diagram of a setting screen on the host computer side in Modification Example 2. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the main part in Modification Example 2. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on the stencil printing machine side according to Modification Example 3 and the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on the host computer side in Modification Examples 3 and 4. FIG. 14 is an image diagram of a setting screen on a host computer side in Modification Example 3. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a main part of a master type identification unit including an identification display and a master type sensor according to a third modification. It is a top view of the identification display body shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure on the stencil printing machine side in the modification 4 and 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 18 is an image diagram of a setting screen on a host computer side in Modification Example 4. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on a host computer side according to a second embodiment. FIG. 14 is an image diagram of a setting screen on a host computer side according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration on a host computer side according to a third embodiment. FIG. 14 is an image diagram of a setting screen on a host computer side in a third embodiment.

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Stencil printing machine as an example of a printing apparatus 2 Printing section 3 Plotter 4 as a plate making and plate making section 4 Paper feeding section 5 Plate discharging section 6 Paper discharging section 7 Plate cylinder 34 Master 69 as an example of plate Operation panel 90 As control means Control device 91 Image processing unit 92 Scanner drive unit 93 Main drive unit 94 Plotter drive unit 95 Plate discharge drive unit 100, 100A, 100B Host computer 101 as computer Communication cables 102, 102A to 102F Main control unit (CPU)
103, 103A, 103B, 103E, 103F Storage devices 103C, 103D as the number-of-printable-number storage means 104 Storage device 104 as the number-of-printable-number-condition storage means 104 Input device 105 as the number-of-printable-number setting means, number-of-prints setting means 105 Image display device 110 OS
111, 111A to 111F Printer driver 113, 113A to 113F Setting screen 113a Printable number specification check box 113b Number of prints edit box 113c Number of print copies edit box 113d Print quality selection edit box 113e Master type display box 113f Paper type display box 113g Plate Replacement number display box 113h Number of prints per plate display box 120 Paper type sensor 160 as paper type detection means Master type sensor as plate type detection means

Claims (10)

A printing unit that has a plate cylinder around which a plate-making plate having a number of printing presses is wound, presses printing paper against the plate made on the plate cylinder, and performs printing, and a plate discharge plate that discharges a used plate on the plate cylinder And a plate-making plate feeding unit for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, and when printing is performed for the number of printed sheets exceeding the number of printed sheets, when the number of printed sheets reaches the number of printed sheets or the number of printed sheets. Before reaching the plate master, the used master on the plate cylinder was discharged, and a plate-making image substantially identical to the plate-making image formed on the used master was formed on another master, and the plate-making was performed. A printing device capable of automatically performing a plate changing operation of winding another master around the plate cylinder; and a computer communicably connected to the printing device, wherein the computer operates the printing device. Mark with printer driver A system,
The computer is
A printing number storage means for storing the printing number transmitted from the printing apparatus,
A printing number display means for displaying the printing number stored in the printing number storage means,
A number-of-prints selection means for selecting and setting any one of the number-of-prints displayed on the number-of-prints display means and the number of prints determined by the user by considering this,
A printing system comprising: A printing unit comprising a plate cylinder for winding a plate-making plate having a number of printings fluctuating at least in accordance with a parameter including a type of the plate, and performing printing by pressing a printing sheet against the plate-making plate on the plate cylinder; The plate discharging section for discharging the used plate, the plate making and feeding section for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, and a plate type detecting means for detecting the type of the plate and a plate type setting means for setting the type of the plate. When the printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printing presses, when the number of prints reaches the number of prints or before the number of prints reaches the number of prints, the used master on the plate cylinder is deleted. In addition to discharging the plate, a plate-change image substantially identical to the plate-making image formed on the used master is formed on another master, and the plate-changing operation of winding another master made on the plate cylinder is automatically performed. Can be done And Do printing device is constituted by the above-described printing apparatus communicably connected to a computer, the computer is a printing system having a printer driver for operating the printing device,
The computer is
A printing capacity condition storage unit for storing the printing capacity and the type of plate transmitted from the printing apparatus,
A printable number condition display means for displaying the printable number and plate type stored in the printable number condition storage means,
Select one of the number of printings determined by the user, taking into account the number of printings and the type of plate displayed on the number of printings condition display means, and the number of printings displayed on the number of printings condition display means. Means for selecting the number of printings to be settable;
A printing system comprising: A printing method that includes a plate cylinder for winding a plate-making plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of plate and the type of printing paper, and performs printing by pressing the printing paper against the plate on the plate cylinder. Plate, a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding it around the plate cylinder, a plate type detecting means for detecting the type of plate, and a plate type for setting the type of plate When at least one of the setting means, and at least one of the paper type detecting means for detecting the type of the printing paper and the paper type setting means for setting the type of the printing paper are provided, and printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printable sheets. When the number of printings reaches the number of printings or before the number of printings reaches the number of printings, the used masters on the plate cylinder are discharged, and the plate making formed on the used masters is performed. A printing device capable of automatically performing a plate changing operation of forming a plate-making image substantially identical to an image on another master and winding the another plate-making master around the plate cylinder, and communicating with the printing device A printing system comprising a printer driver configured to operate the printing apparatus, the printing system comprising:
The computer is
A printing capacity condition storage unit for storing the printing capacity, plate type and paper type transmitted from the printing apparatus,
A printing capacity condition display means for displaying the printing capacity, plate type and paper type stored in the printing capacity condition storage means,
Either one of the number of endurable prints determined by the user in consideration of the number of endurable prints, the type of plate and the type of paper displayed on the endurable number of sheets display means, or the endurable number of prints indicated on the endurable number of sheets condition display means Means for selecting the number of printings to be able to select and set
A printing system comprising: A printing unit that includes a plate cylinder that winds a plate-making plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of printing paper, and performs printing by pressing the printing paper against the plate-making plate on the plate cylinder. A plate discharging section for discharging a used plate on a cylinder, a plate making section for making a plate and winding it around the plate cylinder, a sheet type detecting means for detecting the type of printing paper, and a sheet type setting for setting the type of printing paper. Means for printing the number of prints exceeding the number of printable sheets, and when the number of printable sheets is reached or before the number of printable sheets is reached, Plate-removing operation of discharging the master of the plate master, forming a plate-making image substantially the same as the plate-making image formed on the used master on another master, and winding another master made on the plate cylinder. Automatically the printing apparatus which can perform, is composed with the printing apparatus communicably connected to a computer, the computer is a printing system having a printer driver for operating the printing device,
The computer is
A printing endurance number condition storing means for storing the printing endurance number transmitted from the printing apparatus and the paper type,
The number of printings stored in the number of printings condition storage means, the number of printings condition display means for displaying the paper type,
Select and set either one of the number of prints determined by the user by considering the number of prints and the number of prints displayed on the number of prints condition display means and the number of prints displayed on the number of prints condition display means. Means for selecting the number of printings to be made possible;
A printing system comprising: The printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The computer is
Print number setting means for setting the number of prints,
A plate change that calculates the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate based on the number of prints set by the number-of-prints setting means and the number of prints selected and set by the number-of-prints selection means. Calculation means;
A printing system comprising: The printing system according to claim 5,
The computer performs a first change-over calculation that causes the change-over calculation means to perform a calculation in which the number of prints per plate is substantially equal to the number of printing presses. A printing system, comprising: a plate-change calculation selecting means for selecting any one of a second plate-change calculation for calculating a substantially average number of printed sheets per plate. A printing unit, comprising: a plate cylinder for winding a prepressed plate having a number of prints that fluctuates according to at least a parameter including a type of the plate; At least one of a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding the plate around the plate cylinder, a plate type detecting unit for detecting a plate type, and a plate type setting unit for setting a plate type. When printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printing presses, when the number of prints reaches the number of prints or before the number of prints reaches the number of prints, the used master on the plate cylinder is discharged. In addition, a plate making image substantially identical to the plate making image formed on the used master is formed on another master, and a plate changing operation of winding another plate made on the plate cylinder is automatically performed. Printing that can be done And location, is composed of the above-described printing apparatus communicably connected to a computer, the computer is a printing system having a printer driver for operating the printing device,
The computer is
Print number setting means for setting the number of prints,
A printing number storage means for storing a printing number set in advance according to the type of plate,
The type of plate transmitted from the printing apparatus is compared with the number of printings preset in the number of printings storage means to calculate the number of printings, and the calculated number of printings and the number of printings are set. Plate change calculating means for calculating the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate based on the number of prints set by the means;
A printing system comprising: A printing method that includes a plate cylinder for winding a plate-making plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of plate and the type of printing paper, and performs printing by pressing the printing paper against the plate on the plate cylinder. Plate, a plate discharging unit for discharging a used plate on the plate cylinder, a plate making unit for making a plate and winding it around the plate cylinder, a plate type detecting means for detecting the type of plate, and a plate type for setting the type of plate When at least one of the setting means, and at least one of the paper type detecting means for detecting the type of the printing paper and the paper type setting means for setting the type of the printing paper are provided, and printing is performed for the number of prints exceeding the number of printable sheets. When the number of printings reaches the number of printings or before the number of printings reaches the number of printings, the used masters on the plate cylinder are discharged, and the plate making formed on the used masters is performed. A printing device capable of automatically performing a plate changing operation of forming a plate-making image substantially identical to an image on another master and winding the another plate-making master around the plate cylinder, and communicating with the printing device A printing system comprising a printer driver configured to operate the printing apparatus, the printing system comprising:
The computer is
Print number setting means for setting the number of prints,
A printing endurance storage unit that stores a printing endurance set in advance according to the type of plate and the type of printing paper,
The type of plate transmitted from the printing apparatus is compared with the number of printings preset in the number of printings storage means to calculate the number of printings, and the calculated number of printings and the number of printings are set. Plate change calculating means for calculating the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate based on the number of prints set by the means;
A printing system comprising: A printing unit that includes a plate cylinder that winds a plate-making plate having a number of printings that fluctuates according to parameters including at least the type of printing paper, and performs printing by pressing the printing paper against the plate-making plate on the plate cylinder. A plate discharging section for discharging a used plate on a cylinder, a plate making section for making a plate and winding it around the plate cylinder, a sheet type detecting means for detecting the type of printing paper, and a sheet type setting for setting the type of printing paper. Means for printing the number of prints exceeding the number of printable sheets, and when the number of printable sheets is reached or before the number of printable sheets is reached, Plate-removing operation of discharging the master of the plate master, forming a plate-making image substantially the same as the plate-making image formed on the used master on another master, and winding another master made on the plate cylinder. Automatically the printing apparatus which can perform, is composed with the printing apparatus communicably connected to a computer, the computer is a printing system having a printer driver for operating the printing device,
The computer is
Print number setting means for setting the number of prints,
A printing number storage means for storing a printing number set in advance according to the type of printing paper,
The type of plate transmitted from the printing apparatus is compared with the number of printings preset in the number of printings storage means to calculate the number of printings, and the calculated number of printings and the number of printings are set. Plate change calculating means for calculating the number of plate changes and the number of prints per plate based on the number of prints set by the means;
A printing system comprising: The printing system according to claim 7, 8 or 9,
The computer performs a first change-over calculation that causes the change-over calculation means to perform a calculation in which the number of prints per plate is substantially equal to the number of printing presses. A printing system, comprising: a plate-change calculation selecting means for selecting any one of a second plate-change calculation for calculating a substantially average number of printed sheets per plate.

Images