JP2006168208A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer detecting the optimum scan pattern and carrying out a preliminary ejection control to improve the entire throughput, by carrying out physical detection or the logical detection of paper width. <P>SOLUTION: After the recording paper is detected, the preliminary ejection port nearest from the detection position in the anti-reference position direction of a recording paper is used for the preliminary ejection control in the anti-reference position direction of the recording paper. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention realizes improvement in total printing throughput when a preliminary ejection process of a print head is periodically performed in an ink jet type printer, and relates to printing control of the printer as a whole.

In a conventional ink jet type printer, in order to prevent ink from solidifying and failing to discharge, it is necessary to perform preliminary discharge at a certain time interval for preliminary discharge processing of the head during printing. In that case, when a certain amount of time arrives, it is moved to a dedicated preliminary ejection port before the next scan to perform preliminary ejection, or when a certain amount of time has been reached during a print scan, the end position of that scan is dynamically It was extended to a dedicated auxiliary spout in the direction of travel. In this case, since the edge of the paper is not known at all, no matter what the paper width, the print head is moved to a dedicated preliminary outlet position where the recording paper is not physically applied even if the print data of the scan is very short. Was discharged.
JP-A-4-978533

  In this way, when the paper width is sufficiently long from the width of the recording paper to be printed to the dedicated preliminary discharge port, wasteful CR control unrelated to printing is applied each time the preliminary discharge control is entered. Had an impact on throughput.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and the printer performs physical paper width detection or logical paper width detection, thereby searching for an optimal scan pattern and performing preliminary ejection control. The goal is to improve overall throughput.

  Ink discharge means capable of printing by discharging ink, and a print head having the ink discharge means are mounted on a CR unit interlocked with a motor, and the CR unit can move vertically with respect to the traveling direction. Printing means for completing printing by reciprocating the CR unit while discharging ink, and preliminary discharge means for discharging the ink to a preliminary discharge port determined other than for printing. There are two types of discharge outlets in the classification, the maximum number of two dedicated discharge outlets outside the physical maximum recording paper width of the printer and the number of preliminary discharge outlets on the paper surface (hereinafter on the platen). The CR unit is equipped with a paper detection sensor, and has a paper edge detection means 1 that can distinguish between the paper surface and the other, and the paper detection sensor The printer has a means capable of changing the preliminary ejection position before and after the paper edge position is obtained by the detection means 1, and includes a means for changing the preliminary ejection position for printing according to the paper width. apparatus.

  According to the present invention, the data processing apparatus includes an operation unit that can perform a printing operation from a user, and the data processing apparatus is designated as a generation unit 1 that generates a designated paper size in a print data command in response to a print command. Generating means 2 for generating print data based on the print data, the data processing device includes communication means capable of communicating with the printing apparatus via a communication medium, and the printing apparatus uses the communication means to An analysis unit for receiving and analyzing a print data command; an analysis unit for receiving and analyzing the print data; and a unit for obtaining paper width information of a recording sheet selected by the user from the analysis unit. Obtains the logical paper edge position from the obtained paper width and the printing reference absolute position on the printing apparatus determined between the printing apparatus and the data processing apparatus. And determining a preliminary discharge port on the platen or a dedicated discharge port on the platen in a direction opposite to the paper position closest to the paper end position from the determination unit. A printing apparatus comprising means for making the preliminary ejection position variable according to the paper edge.

  In the present invention, there is a time measuring means 1 by a timer function for measuring time as a means for performing the preliminary ejection process of the print head at a predetermined specified time interval, or a time function is provided with a clock function. There is a measuring means 2 and there is provided means for restarting the timer even if the time measurement is already in progress at the time when the preliminary ejection process is performed, and it is possible to notify that the counting has ended internally after a certain period of time has elapsed. The printing apparatus has a buffer capable of detecting the current print data and the print data scan width for two scans of the next data, and the speed of the motor can be varied depending on the printing mode. A motor control means, and a print scan for one scan from the print data width and the current CR speed obtained from the motor control means; A time measuring means 3 for determining the printing time, and the time measuring means 1 and 2 are used to calculate the time required to print the current and next print data, and the time measuring means 1 and 2 A printing apparatus comprising scan pattern determination means for obtaining a scan pattern that minimizes a total time of a printing scan and a non-printing scan up to the preliminary ejection port from the time until the next preliminary ejection.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a printing apparatus including a buffer capable of detecting a scan width for one scan and including the determination unit.

  As described above, according to the present invention, non-printing for wasteful preliminary ejection has been achieved by determining the physical paper edge position by the paper edge detection sensor or the logical paper edge position by the paper width information from the host. Scanning can be reduced, and as a result, it is possible to improve the throughput of total printing.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention. A CR unit CR equipped with a print head H for ejecting ink is linked to a motor in a direction perpendicular to the main operation direction (sub-scanning direction). In this configuration, printing is completed by ejecting ink onto the print head, and the preliminary discharge ports for performing the preliminary discharge processing every certain period of time are provided at two locations J1 and J2 in an area where the recording paper does not cover up. (Preliminary discharge port), and there are three preliminary discharge ports K1 in which ink absorbing bands are installed so that there is no problem even if the recording paper protrudes from the paper during borderless printing. , K2 and K3 (pre-platen pre-discharge ports) are provided.

  FIG. 2 is a comparison between the prior art and the embodiments of claims 1 and 3 of the present invention. Under the condition that the mounted print head must perform preliminary discharge at a certain time interval, In the case where it is assumed that the preliminary ejection timer has been typed up after the end of the next printing or before the start of the next next printing, pattern A in FIG. 2 is a conventional operation example. ) Scan end position is set to the preliminary ejection dedicated port J2 where no recording paper is applied. On the other hand, in pattern B, the paper right end position is detected by the paper detection sensor mounted on the CR unit during the scan of (1). As a result, the scan end position of (3) is the preliminary discharge in the platen closest to the paper end detection position. This indicates that K2 can be set.

  FIG. 3 is an embodiment of claims 1 and 3 of the present invention, and shows the processing in a flow. First of all, the printer waits for reception of data from the host and receives data (3-1). When print data is received (“Y” is selected in 3-1), it is checked whether the paper is already being fed and it is determined that paper is not being fed (“N” is selected in 3-2). Then, the recording paper is conveyed in the main operation direction to the designated printing position (3-3). When the paper feeding is completed, the internally managed right end preliminary ejection position information Kx is initialized and set to the preliminary ejection dedicated port J2 (3-4). If the recording paper is fed or if it is already fed (“Y” is selected in 3-2), the left and right edge positions Pleft1 and Pright1 of the print data for the next one scan are calculated (3-5) ). Also, it is confirmed whether there is already print data for the next one scan, and if there is data ("Y" is selected in 3-6), the left and right end positions Pleft2, Pright2 of the print data are also calculated. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no next next print data ("N" is selected in 3-6), it is assumed that the next print data is the same, and the next data positions Pleft1 and Pright1 are set to the next next data, respectively. The data positions Pleft2 and Pright2 are set (3-7). Next, the times t1 and t2 required only for printing for these two scans are calculated from the obtained Pleft1, Pright1, Pleft2, Pright2 and the current printing speed (3-9). Until the determined t1, t2 and time t3 until the next preliminary discharge (with a timer function inside, it is always restarted if the preliminary discharge process is performed, and the time interval of the preliminary discharge interval can be acquired at any time) The shortest print pattern is calculated from the current CR position and the left and right preliminary outlet positions J1 and Kx, and the target stop position of the CR for the print scan (scan of the next print data) is determined (3-10). Based on this information, one-scan printing is executed (3-11). During scanning, it is always detected whether it is on the paper surface or otherwise. If paper edge is detected ("Y" is selected in 3-12: paper edge is not always detected depending on the width of print data) The auxiliary outlet closest to the end detection position is set as Kx (3-13). By repeating this until the end of the JOB, useless non-printing scan portions for preliminary ejection can be reduced, and the overall throughput can be improved.

  FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of claim 2 of the present invention, and shows the processing in the same manner as in FIG. First of all, the printer waits for data reception from the host, and when data is received ("Y" is selected in 4-1), it is assumed that the job is started or a paper feed command is issued. Is a print data command, and if the data is a print data command ("Y" is selected in 4-2), the command content is analyzed. As a result, the paper width size is acquired from the recording paper information to be printed (feeded), and the right end side logical paper end position from the print reference position determined in the printer is obtained (4-3). Next, Kx is set as the right end side preliminary outlet position that internally manages the preliminary outlet closest to the obtained logical paper end position (4-4). On the other hand, the received data is not a print data command (“N” is selected in 4-2), is print data (“Y” is selected in 4-5), and recording paper is not yet fed ("N" is selected in 4-6), the recording paper is conveyed in the main operation direction to the designated printing position (4-7). When paper feeding is completed, check whether the paper edge of the recording paper has already been confirmed (internally determine whether it has been confirmed by the print data command using a flag or the like). If the paper edge has not yet been confirmed ( In 4-8, “N” is selected.) The right end preliminary ejection position information Kx is initialized and set to the preliminary ejection dedicated port J2 (4-9). Next, the left and right end positions Pleft1 and Pright1 are calculated for the print data for one scan (4-10). If there is already print data for the next one scan ("Y" is selected in 4-11), the print left and right end positions Pleft2 and Pright2 are calculated (4-13). On the other hand, when there is no print data for the next next scan (“N” is selected in 4-11), it is assumed that the print data is the same as the next print data, and the next data positions Pleft1 and Pright1 are set to the next next. The data positions Pleft2 and Pright2 are set (4-12). Next, the times t1 and t2 required only for printing for these two scans are calculated from the obtained Pleft1, Pright1, Pleft2, Pright2 and the current printing speed (4-14). The calculated t1, t2 and time t3 until the next preliminary discharge (with a timer function inside, it is always restarted if the preliminary discharge process is performed, and the time interval of the preliminary discharge interval can be acquired at any time), The shortest print pattern is calculated from the current CR position and the left and right preliminary outlet positions J1 and Kx, and the target stop position of the CR to be scanned from this is determined (4-15). Based on this information, one-scan printing is executed (4-16). By repeating this until the end of JOB, useless non-printing scan portions for preliminary ejection can be reduced, and the overall throughput can be improved.

It is a figure showing embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which compared the prior art and the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows Example 1 of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows Example 2 of this invention.

Claims (4)

  The print head characterized by ejecting ink and printing can be reciprocated perpendicular to the traveling direction of the recording paper in conjunction with the motor to complete the printing by repeating ink ejection, and The print head needs to regularly pre-discharge ink for normal discharge, and several pre-discharge ports that can be pre-discharged in areas where recording paper may be applied, In addition, in an inkjet printer having one or more preliminary discharge ports dedicated to preliminary discharge, the CR unit on which the print head is mounted is equipped with a reflective sensor that can distinguish between the paper surface and the other, and recording paper While the CR unit is reciprocated for printing from paper feeding to paper ejection, the sensor always detects the edge of the recording paper opposite the reference position in parallel with the printing control. Based on the result, before the detection, the preliminary discharge port dedicated to the preliminary discharge is used for the preliminary discharge control in the direction opposite to the reference position of the recording paper. A printing apparatus using a near preliminary discharge port for preliminary discharge control in the direction opposite to the reference position of a recording sheet.   A system in which a data processing apparatus and a printing apparatus can communicate via a predetermined communication medium, the data processing apparatus having a function of transmitting a generated print data command to the print processing apparatus via the communication medium, The printing apparatus is equipped with a print head capable of printing by discharging ink, and the CR unit is equipped with the print head and can reciprocate vertically with respect to the recording paper in conjunction with a motor. The data processing device analyzes the recording paper size selected by the user, converts it to the print data command and sends it to the printing device before sending the print data, and the printing device analyzes the print data command to perform logic. By detecting the typical paper width, the paper edge position opposite to the physical recording paper reference position is obtained from the logical paper width and the printing reference position of the printing apparatus, Printing apparatus characterized by the nearest preliminary 吐口 anti reference position direction from the end position for use in the anti-reference position direction of preliminary ejection control of the recording paper.   3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a printing head that is required to perform preliminary ejection processing of the printing head at regular time intervals is mounted, and after performing preliminary ejection inside the printing apparatus, Built-in timer that counts the time until pre-discharge, the timer is started after pre-discharge, and then restarted from the initial value when the pre-discharge is performed next, always counting while the printer is operating In addition, the printing apparatus internally includes a print buffer that can detect the current print data and the next print data width, and prints each from the current print data width, the next data width, and the current print speed. The time required for data is obtained, and the time until the next preliminary discharge by the timer is compared with this time, and the total time of the print scan and the non-print scan until the preliminary discharge port is expected to be the shortest. Printing apparatus, characterized in that to print asked whether the preliminary ejection in advance between which scan the ejection position.   4. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein there is no print buffer for two scans internally and a print buffer for one scan is provided, and based on the current print data width, the next data width is also considered to be the shortest. A printing apparatus characterized in that printing is performed by obtaining a preliminary ejection position.

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