JP2006225058A - Recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a recording device arranged to sense that no recording media are stacked on a stacking part, and if stacked, sense the sort of the recording media. <P>SOLUTION: The recording device is equipped with a media sort distinguishing means having a light source to project infrared rays and ultraviolet rays and the media stacking part furnished with a reflection reference member installed in the mating position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having both a recording medium type identification unit and a recording medium remaining amount detection.

  Conventionally, the recording medium type detection unit used in the recording apparatus is provided near the recording unit, and after the recording medium is supplied from the recording medium stacking unit to the recording unit, the type of the recording medium is determined. In general, it is provided in the medium stacking section and only performs recording medium type detection.

  The means for detecting the remaining amount of the recording medium is a combination of an optical sensor comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element and an oscillator that contacts the recording medium, and the position of the oscillator changes depending on the presence or absence of the recording medium. It is generally performed by changing the output by blocking or opening the optical path of the sensor, or by changing the output by blocking or opening the optical path of an optical sensor such as a photo interrupter depending on the presence or absence of a recording medium. What is provided separately is common.

  As a general example of detecting the presence or absence of a recording medium, a configuration as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known.

As a general example of detecting the type of recording medium, a configuration as disclosed in Patent Document 2 is known.
JP-A-7-237780 JP 2003-229996 A

However, in the above conventional example,
Since the recording medium type is determined after the recording medium is supplied from the recording medium stacking unit to the recording means, the recording data is recorded according to the type of the recording medium based on the determination result of the recording medium type. It is necessary to have means for developing data for recording means on the apparatus side.

  The detection of the presence or absence of the recording medium is performed by supplying the recording medium from the recording medium stacking unit to the recording means, and the recording medium contacts or changes the position of the recording medium, thereby blocking or opening the optical path of the optical sensor. This is caused by a change in output depending on the situation, and may cause malfunction in a thin recording medium.

  Further, the presence or absence of the recording medium can be determined only after the recording medium is supplied from the recording medium stacking unit to the recording means.

  Using a detector that is provided only on the recording medium stacking unit and only detects the type of recording medium, or a detector that only detects the presence or absence of the recording medium, each detector must be provided separately, increasing costs. There is a risk of inviting.

  There was a problem such as.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the above points. A recording apparatus for detecting that a recording medium is not loaded on the recording medium loading unit and detecting the type of the recording medium when loaded is provided. The purpose is to provide.

  The present invention can solve the above problems by providing the following configuration.

  (1) A recording medium type identification unit having a light emitting unit that irradiates infrared light and ultraviolet light, and a light receiving unit that receives reflected light that is reflected from the surface of the recording medium or the reflecting member. A recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium stacking section in which a reflection reference member is installed at a position facing the recording medium type identifying means.

According to the present invention,
Reflective reference member at the position of the recording medium stacking unit facing the detector for detecting the recording medium type and the presence / absence of the recording medium, having a light emitting unit for emitting infrared light and ultraviolet light, and for detecting the recording medium type With a simple configuration, it is possible to easily obtain a recording quality suitable for the recording medium, and to take measures such as promptly replenishing when there is no recording medium. It became possible to provide.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

  1 and 2 are cross-sectional views of the main part of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a paper type sensor, 2 is a recording medium, 3 is a recording medium stacking unit, 4 is a recording medium path, 5 is a recording head, 6 is a circuit board, and 7 is a paper absence reference.

  In FIG. 2, 11 is an LED, 12 is a regular reflection light sensor, and 13 is a diffuse light sensor.

  The paper type sensor 1 includes a light source LED 11 that emits ultraviolet light and infrared light, a regular reflection light sensor 12, and a diffused light sensor 13, and is opposed to the recording surface side of the recording medium 2 loaded on the recording medium stacking unit 3. As described above, the light emitted from the LED of the light source installed in the recording medium stacking unit 3 reflects light corresponding to the surface state on the recording surface side of the recording medium 2 stacked on the recording medium stacking unit 3. Then, the light enters the specular reflection light sensor 12 and the diffuse light sensor 13 of the photoelectric change element.

  When there is no recording medium in the recording medium stacking unit 3, an output corresponding to the paper absence standard 7 selected so as to have a reflection characteristic different from that of the recording medium is obtained.

  It is also possible to use the paper absence standard 7 as a recording medium type determination standard. When no recording medium is loaded on the recording medium stacking unit 3, a recording medium type determination standard can be acquired.

  The paper-free standard 7 is black and has a very small reflected light characteristic, or white or silver and has a very large reflected light characteristic, and preferably has a constant reflectance regardless of the light source wavelength.

  The electrical signals obtained by the specular reflection sensor 12 and the diffuse light sensor 13 of the photoelectric change element are output to the circuit board 6 and sent to the host computer via the interface of the recording apparatus to determine the type of the recording medium.

  The host computer develops the recording data in a recording process suitable for the recording medium and sends it to the circuit board 6, and in cooperation with the circuit board 6, supplies the recording medium on the recording medium stacking unit to the recording medium path 4, and the recording head 5. A series of recording operations of recording, recording medium feeding, and paper discharge are performed.

According to the recording medium type detector configured as described above,
Since the recording data is developed and recorded in a recording process suitable for the recording medium, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the recording quality intended by the user cannot be obtained.

  Also, when there is no recording medium, it is possible to inform the user that there is no recording medium before performing the recording operation, so in particular, the printer can be shared and used by multiple users over a network. In a situation where the recording medium is installed at a distant position as in the case where the recording medium is present, it is possible to take measures such as quickly replenishing the recording medium.

  The embodiment described above is given as an example, and does not limit the present invention. That is, the present invention is not limited to the above-described preferred embodiments. The LED used for the light source is not an integrated LED that emits ultraviolet light and infrared light, but a configuration in which each LED is arranged and used, Can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the present invention, such as a configuration in which processing associated with a series of recording operations, such as determining the type of recording medium on the printer side without using a computer, is performed. Needless to say.

1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention and a recording apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of the Example of this invention and a recording medium kind identification means.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paper type sensor 2 Recording medium 3 Recording medium stacking part 4 Recording medium path 5 Recording head 6 Circuit board 7 Paper-free reference sheet 11 LED
12 specular light sensor 13 diffuse light sensor

Claims (4)

A light emitting unit for irradiating infrared light and ultraviolet light;
A recording medium type identifying means having a light receiving portion for receiving the reflected light reflected from the surface of the recording medium or the reflecting member by the light emitted from the light emitting portion;
A recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium stacking section in which a reflection reference member is installed at a position facing the recording medium type identification means.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit uses an LED element.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit houses an element that emits ultraviolet light and infrared light in one package.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a recording system of the recording apparatus is an inkjet system.

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