JP2007090759A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a low-priced printing device which can easily print, in a single recording medium, a plurality of pages side by side in succession, even when different kinds of data are used, and thus can effectively use recording paper as much as possible. <P>SOLUTION: In a composite machine 1, data to be inputted by either of external equipment such as a facsimile device, a scanner 3 and a computer, or an small memory card loaded in a slot part 5, are printed, and then the recording paper halfway through its conveyance is stopped (S18). Next, after the end of printing the earlier inputted data, the conveyance of the recording paper is resumed so that the printing process of the inputted data can be started with an unprinted region upstream from the recording paper suspended halfway (S30). Therefore, a plurality of pages can be easily printed side by side in succession, in a single recording medium, irrespectively the difference of the kind between data inputted first and data inputted thereafter. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus, and in particular, even when the types of data are different, a plurality of pages can be easily arranged and printed continuously on a single recording medium, and recording paper can be used as effectively as possible. The present invention relates to an inexpensive printing apparatus that can be used.

  Conventionally, a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions such as a printer function, a copy function, and a facsimile function is known. Such a multi-function peripheral includes, for example, a printing unit that prints out facsimile data received by a facsimile function, copy data acquired by a scanner device, print data input from an external device, and the like.

  In such a multi-function peripheral, Nin1 printing is known in which data for a plurality of pages are printed side by side on a single recording sheet (recording medium). For example, if the 2 in 1 print mode is set at the time of copying, the copy data acquired by the scanner data can be printed on one sheet of recording paper every two pages. If 2-in-1 printing is set as a print setting when receiving facsimile data, the received facsimile data can be printed on one sheet of recording paper two pages at a time. In other words, since N pages can be printed on a single recording sheet, the number of recording sheets used can be saved.

On the other hand, the above-described Nin1 printing may be performed in a printing system that transmits PDL data (data described in a page description language) generated by a host computer to a printing apparatus. As one of such printing systems that perform Nin1 printing, there has been proposed one in which a plurality of PDL data is combined and Nin1 printing is performed as one united data (see Patent Document 1). In this way, even when there are a plurality of data to be printed, by combining them and generating one PLD data, it is possible to continuously perform Nin1 printing. The time required for printing is shortened as compared with the case of repeatedly starting and stopping. Further, when the last page of the first data ends with, for example, half a sheet of recording paper, the start data of the second data is continuously printed on the remaining half sheets. In this way, the recording paper can be used without waste by continuously printing a plurality of data in Nin1.
JP-A-9-134261

  However, when combining a plurality of data to form combined data as in the above-described method, for example, when combining the first data and the second data, until the second data is input, 1 The second data must be kept in memory. In particular, when the number of data to be combined is large, the amount of data that must be retained becomes enormous. For this reason, a large-capacity memory has to be provided for data retention, and there is a problem that the apparatus becomes expensive.

  In the above method, since the same type of data (PDL data) is combined in the host computer, the data can be combined relatively easily and Nin1 printing can be performed continuously. When different types of data are input from each other, it is not easy to combine the data. For example, in a multifunction machine having a printer function, a copy function, and a facsimile function, print data input from a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC), copy data input from a scanner device, and a facsimile input from another facsimile device Since the data types are different, it is not easy to combine the data. In particular, since print data is generated by a printer driver installed in a PC and then input to the multifunction device, it is difficult to process the data in the multifunction device. As described above, there is a problem in that it is not easy to continuously perform Nin1 printing when the types of data are not the same.

  On the other hand, in the above-described multifunction peripheral, only one paper feed tray may be provided in order to reduce the manufacturing cost of the apparatus. In this case, it is very troublesome for the user to change the recording paper in the tray every time the printing process is performed and set a recording paper having a size suitable for printing. Therefore, a relatively large size recording paper, for example, A3 size recording paper is stored in the tray, and all the data of A3 size or smaller such as A4 size, B5 size or the like is printed in Nin1 on the A3 size recording paper. The law can be considered. In this way, it is not necessary to frequently change the recording paper, and a large size recording paper can be used without waste.

  Here, for the reasons described above, when the data types are different, the data of different types cannot be continuously printed in Nin1. Therefore, when data of a different type is input, the recording paper on which the last page of the previously input data is printed is ejected even if many unprinted areas remain, and the next input data In this case, printing was started from a newly fed recording sheet. As a result, a large number of recording sheets are discharged while leaving many unprinted areas, and there is a problem that the recording sheets cannot be used effectively.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and even when the types of data are different, it is possible to easily print a plurality of pages side by side on a single recording medium. An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive printing apparatus that can use recording paper as effectively as possible.

  In order to achieve this object, a printing apparatus according to claim 1 is a recording apparatus capable of printing page unit data input from any of a plurality of apparatuses on a recording medium; In addition, a conveyance unit that conveys the recording medium and a conveyance control unit that controls the conveyance unit so that a plurality of pages are printed side by side in the conveyance direction of one recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit. The conveyance control unit includes a conveyance stop unit that stops conveyance of the recording medium in the middle of conveyance by the conveyance unit after printing of primary data input from any of the plurality of apparatuses is completed. By the transport unit, printing of secondary data input from any of the plurality of apparatuses is started from an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium stopped by the transport stop unit. And a resume transport restart means the transmission.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein in the recording medium on which the last page of the primary data is printed, at least the secondary data is in an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium. An area determination unit that determines whether a start page can be printed is included, and the conveyance stop unit determines that the start page of the secondary data can be printed in an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium by the area determination unit. In this case, the conveyance of the recording medium in the middle of the conveyance by the conveyance means is stopped.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the printing apparatus according to the second aspect, further comprising position detection means for detecting a position in the conveyance direction of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance means, wherein the area determination means is the position detection means. Whether or not at least the start page of the secondary data can be printed in the unprinted area upstream of the recording medium is determined based on the position of the recording medium at the end of printing the last page of the primary data detected by Is.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the printing apparatus according to the first aspect, the conveyance control unit prints an odd-numbered page of primary data on the downstream half in the conveyance direction of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit. In addition, the transport unit is controlled such that even pages are printed on the upstream side in the transport direction, and the transport stop unit is an odd number in which the last page of the primary data is printed on the downstream half in the transport direction. In the case of a page, the conveyance of the recording medium in the middle of conveyance by the conveyance means is stopped.

  The printing apparatus according to claim 5 is the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the recording means includes facsimile data input from another facsimile apparatus, print data input from an external apparatus, and a document. Can be printed on a recording medium at least two of copy data input from a scanner device and media data input from a storage medium.

  A printing apparatus according to a sixth aspect is the printing apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein after the conveyance of the recording medium is stopped by the conveyance stop unit, the presence / absence of the secondary data is determined. Next data presence / absence determining means, and when the secondary data presence / absence determining means determines that there is no secondary data, a discharge means for discharging the recording medium whose conveyance has been stopped by the conveyance stop means is provided. .

  The printing apparatus according to claim 7 is the printing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising inquiry means for inquiring a user about the presence or absence of the secondary data, wherein the secondary data existence determination means It is characterized in that it is determined that there is no secondary data based on the fact that the user responds that there is no secondary data or that there is no response from the user for a predetermined time.

  According to the printing apparatus of claim 1, after the printing of the primary data input from any of the plurality of apparatuses, the conveyance of the recording medium in the middle of the conveyance is stopped by the conveyance stop unit, and any of the plurality of apparatuses is stopped. Since the transport by the transport unit is resumed such that the printing of the secondary data input from is started from an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium stopped by the transport stop unit, the primary data Even if the types of the data and the secondary data are different, there is an effect that it is possible to easily print a plurality of pages side by side on a single recording medium. In addition, since it is not necessary to combine the primary data and the secondary data to generate merged data, there is no need to provide a memory for holding the primary data until the secondary data is input. There is an effect that the entire apparatus can be configured at low cost.

  According to the printing apparatus of the second aspect, in addition to the effect produced by the printing apparatus of the first aspect, the area determination unit determines that the start page of the secondary data can be printed in the unprinted area upstream of the recording medium. In this case, since the conveyance of the recording medium in the middle of the conveyance by the conveyance means is stopped, if the unprinted area upstream of the recording medium can be used for printing the secondary data, the unprinted area Printing of secondary data can be started from the area. Therefore, the recording paper can be used as effectively as possible.

  According to the printing apparatus of claim 3, in addition to the effect of the printing apparatus of claim 2, based on the position of the recording medium at the end of printing the last page of the primary data detected by the position detection means, Since it is determined whether at least the start page of the secondary data can be printed in the unprinted area upstream of the recording medium, it is determined whether or not the start page of the secondary data can be printed in the unprinted area upstream of the recording medium. There is an effect that it can be determined with certainty.

  As the position detection means, for example, a position detection sensor provided in advance in the recording medium conveyance path may be used to control the conveyance of the recording medium fed from the paper feed tray to the printing means. it can. In this way, it is not necessary to provide a new member as the position detecting means, and the entire printing apparatus can be configured at low cost.

  According to the printing apparatus of claim 4, in addition to the effect of the printing apparatus of claim 1, when the last page of primary data is an odd page printed on the downstream half in the conveyance direction, the conveyance stop Since the conveyance of the recording medium is stopped by the means, the secondary data is printed on the unprinted area on the upstream side of the recording medium based on an easy determination as to whether or not the last page of the primary data is an odd page. There is an effect that it can be determined whether or not to start from.

  According to the printing apparatus according to claim 5, in addition to the effect produced by the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, two types of data of different types among facsimile data, print data, copy data, and media data However, even when the primary data and the secondary data are successively input, there is an effect that a plurality of pages can be easily arranged and printed continuously on one recording medium. Conventionally, when the types of primary data and secondary data are different from each other, the data cannot be combined and cannot be continuously printed on one recording medium. As a result, even after the primary data has been printed, even a recording medium that has enough unprinted areas to continue printing the secondary data is discharged, and the recording medium is wasted. It was. In particular, when the printing apparatus has only one tray for storing the recording medium, it is troublesome to replace the recording medium in the tray. Therefore, a large-sized recording medium is stored in the tray in advance and one recording medium is stored. In some cases, multiple pages are printed side by side. In this case, in order to use the recording medium as efficiently as possible, it is desirable to continuously print on one sheet of recording paper even when the types of primary data and secondary data are different. is there.

  According to the printing apparatus according to claim 6, in addition to the effect produced by the printing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, when the secondary data presence determination unit determines that the secondary data is not present, Since the recording medium whose conveyance has been stopped by the conveyance stop unit is discharged, when there is no secondary data, the entire primary data print result is discharged, and the primary data print result is output at the timing requested by the user. There is an effect that can be obtained.

  According to the printing apparatus of claim 7, in addition to the effect of the printing apparatus of claim 6, the user responds that there is no secondary data to the inquiry, or that there is no response from the user for a predetermined time. Based on this, it is determined that there is no secondary data. Therefore, by responding that there is no secondary data, the user can quickly obtain a print result of the primary data. For example, even if the user exists in a place away from the printing apparatus, does not notice that there is an inquiry, and does not respond, the user collects the primary data print result after a predetermined time has elapsed. Since the printing result of the primary data is all discharged at the time of, the user can quickly obtain the printing result.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an external configuration of a multifunction machine 1 (printing apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The multifunction machine 1 is a multi-function device (MFD) having a printer unit 2 at the bottom and a scanner device 3 at the top, and has a printer function, a scanner function, a copy function, and a facsimile function. . The printer unit 2 of the multifunction machine 1 corresponds to the printing unit according to the present invention, and functions other than the printer function are arbitrary. Therefore, a single-function printer without the scanner device 3 and having no scanner function or copy function may be used.

  Further, when the printing apparatus according to the present invention is implemented as a multi-function apparatus, a plurality of paper feed cassettes and automatic document feeders (such as the multi-function machine 1 shown in the present embodiment) may be used. It may be a large one equipped with ADF (Auto Document Feeder). The multifunction device 1 is mainly connected to a computer (external device) (not shown), and records an image or document on a recording sheet based on print data including image data and document data transmitted from the computer. In addition, it is connected to an external device such as a digital camera, and image data output from the digital camera is recorded on a recording sheet, or various recording media such as a memory card are loaded and recorded on the recording medium. It is also possible to record the recorded image data or the like on a recording sheet. Further, the configuration of the multifunction device 1 described below is an example of a printing apparatus according to the present invention, and it is natural that the configuration can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction device 1 has a wide, thin, rectangular parallelepiped outer shape whose width and depth are larger than the height, and a lower portion of the multifunction device 1 is a printer unit 2. The printer unit 2 has an opening 2a formed in the front, and a paper feed tray 20 and a paper discharge tray 21 are provided in two upper and lower stages so that a part of the opening 2a is exposed. The paper feed tray 20 is for storing recording paper, which is a recording medium, and can accommodate recording papers of various sizes such as B5 size and postcard size, which are A3 size or smaller. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the sheet feeding tray 20 can expand the tray surface by pulling out the slide tray 20a as necessary. The recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 is fed into the printer unit 2 to record a desired image and discharged to the paper discharge tray 21.

  The upper part of the multifunction machine 1 is a scanner device 3, which is configured as a so-called flat bed scanner. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a platen glass 31 and an image sensor 32 are provided below a document cover 30 that can be opened and closed as a top plate of the multifunction machine 1. The platen glass 31 is used to place a document for image reading. Below the platen glass 31, an image sensor 32 whose main scanning direction is the depth direction of the multifunction device 1 is provided so as to be able to scan in the width direction of the multifunction device 1.

  An operation panel 4 for operating the printer unit 2 and the scanner device 3 is provided in the upper front portion of the multifunction machine 1. The operation panel 4 includes various operation buttons and a liquid crystal display device 4a. The multi function device 1 operates based on operation instructions from the operation panel 4 and, when connected to a computer, also operates based on print data transmitted from the computer via a printer driver. . In addition, a slot portion 5 in which various small memory cards as recording media can be loaded is provided in the upper left portion of the front surface of the multifunction device 1. The image data (media data) recorded on the small memory card loaded in the slot unit 5 is read, information on the image data is displayed on the liquid crystal display device 4a, and an arbitrary image is recorded on the recording paper by the printer unit 2. The input for making it possible can be performed from the operation panel 4.

  Hereinafter, the internal configuration of the multi-function device 1, particularly the configuration of the printer unit 2, will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. As shown in FIG. 2, on the back side of the paper feed tray 20 provided on the bottom side of the multifunction machine 1, a separation inclined plate for separating and guiding the recording paper loaded on the paper feed tray 20 upward 22 is disposed. Further, the conveyance path 23 is directed upward from the separation inclined plate 22, then bends to the front side, extends from the back side to the front side of the multifunction machine 1, passes through the image recording unit 24, and passes through the paper discharge tray 21. Leads to Accordingly, the recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 is guided by the conveyance path 23 so as to make a U-turn from the lower side to the upper side, reaches the image recording unit 24, and is printed by the image recording unit 24. The paper is discharged to the paper discharge tray 21.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the upper side of the paper feed tray 20, a paper feed roller 25 is provided for separating the recording papers stacked on the paper feed tray 20 one by one and feeding them to the transport path 23. . The paper feed roller 25 is pivotally supported at the front end of a paper feed arm 26 that moves up and down detachably with respect to the paper feed tray 20, and a LF motor 71 ( The drive shown in FIG. 5 is transmitted to rotate.

  The paper feed arm 26 is disposed so as to be swingable in the vertical direction with the base end side as an axis. In the standby state, the paper feed arm 26 is flipped upward as shown in the figure by a paper feed clutch, a spring, etc. (not shown), and swings downward when supplying recording paper. As the paper feed arm 26 swings downward, the paper feed roller 25 pivotally supported at the front end of the paper feed arm 26 presses against the surface of the recording paper on the paper feed tray 20. In this state, when the paper feed roller 25 rotates, the uppermost recording paper is sent out to the separation inclined plate 22 by the frictional force between the roller surface of the paper feeding roller 25 and the recording paper. The front end of the recording sheet comes into contact with the separation inclined plate 22 and is guided upward, and is sent to the conveyance path 23. Further, when the uppermost recording paper is sent out by the paper feed roller 25, the recording paper immediately below it may be sent out together due to friction or static electricity. However, the recording paper comes into contact with the separation inclined plate 22. Be stopped by.

  The conveyance path 23 includes an outer guide surface and an inner guide surface that are opposed to each other at a predetermined interval except for a portion where the image recording unit 24 and the like are disposed. For example, the conveyance path 23 on the back side of the multifunction device 1 is configured such that the outer guide surface is formed integrally with the frame of the multifunction device 1 and the inner guide surface is fixed to the guide member 28 in the frame. In addition, in the conveyance path 23, particularly in a portion where the conveyance path 23 is bent, the width direction of the conveyance path 23 is set in the axial direction so that each conveyance roller 29 exposes the roller surface to the outer guide surface or the inner guide surface. It is provided as freely rotatable. Each of these transport rollers 29 facilitates transport of the recording paper that contacts the guide surface at a portion where the transport path 23 is bent.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a registration sensor 33 is provided on the upstream side of the image recording unit 24 in the conveyance path 23 after the conveyance path 23 makes a U-turn from below to above. As shown in FIG. 4, the registration sensor 33 includes a detector 34 that rotates so as to retreat from the transport path 23 by contacting a recording sheet that is projected and transported to the transport path 23. The photo interrupter 35 which detects rotation is provided.

  The detector 34 is integrally formed with a shielding portion 36 that is detected by a photo interrupter 35 and is rotatably provided about a shaft 37. The detector 34 is elastically biased by a biasing means such as a spring (not shown) to a position where the detector 34 protrudes into the conveyance path 23, that is, clockwise in the drawing. Therefore, in the state where no external force is applied to the detector 34, the detector 34 protrudes into the transport path 23, and the shielding portion 36 is located between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the photo interrupter 35, as shown in the figure. Thereby, the light transmission of the photo interrupter 35 is interrupted, and the registration sensor 33 is turned off. On the other hand, when the recording paper is transported to the transport path 23, the recording paper abuts on the detector 34, and the recording paper is further transported to rotate the detector 34 so as to retract from the transport path 23. . The shielding unit 36 is also rotated together with the detector 34, and the shielding unit 36 is separated from between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the photo interrupter 35. Thereby, the light transmission of the photo interrupter 35 is not interrupted, and the registration sensor 33 is turned on. Further, when the recording paper is further transported and advanced to a position immediately before being discharged to the paper discharge tray 21, the trailing edge of the recording paper passes through the detector 34, and the detector 34 is again transported. It protrudes to a position protruding to 23. As a result, the registration sensor 33 is turned off. By passing the registration sensor 33 on / off, the passage of the recording sheet is detected on the upstream side of the image recording unit 24.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an image recording unit 24 is provided on the downstream side of the registration sensor 33. The image recording unit 24 includes a scanning carriage 38 that is mounted with a recording head 39 and reciprocates in the main scanning direction. The recording head 39 includes cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (Bk) through an ink supply pipe from an ink tank (not shown) installed separately from the recording head 39 in the multifunction device 1. ) Of each color is supplied, and each ink is ejected as a minute ink droplet. By scanning the scanning carriage 38 on which the recording head 39 is mounted, printing is performed on the recording paper conveyed on the platen 42.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of guide rails 43 a and 43 b extend in the width direction of the conveyance path 23 at a predetermined interval in the conveyance direction of the recording paper on the upper side of the conveyance path 23. The scanning carriage 38 is slidably provided so as to straddle the guide rails 43a and 43b. The guide rail 43a disposed on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper is a flat plate whose length in the width direction of the conveyance path 23 is longer than the scanning width of the scanning carriage 38, and the upper surface of the guide rail 43a is The upstream end of the scanning carriage 38 is slidably supported.

  The guide rail 43b disposed on the downstream side in the recording sheet conveyance direction is a flat plate having a length in the width direction of the conveyance path 23 that is substantially the same as the guide rail 43a. An edge 43c that supports the downstream end is bent at a substantially right angle upward. The scanning carriage 38 is slidably supported on the upper surface of the guide rail 43b, and the edge 43c is held by a roller (not shown). Accordingly, the scanning carriage 38 is slidably supported on the guide rails 43a and 43b and reciprocates in the width direction of the transport path 23 with the edge 43c of the guide rail 43b as a reference. A sliding member for reducing friction is appropriately provided at a portion where the scanning carriage 38 contacts the upper surfaces of the guide rails 43a and 43c.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a belt drive mechanism 44 is disposed on the upper surface of the guide rail 43b. The belt drive mechanism 44 has an endless annular shape having teeth on the inside between a drive pulley (not shown) and a driven pulley (not shown) provided near both ends in the width direction of the transport path 23. The timing belt (not shown) is stretched. A driving force is input from the CR motor 73 (see FIG. 5) to the shaft of the driving pulley, and the timing belt rotates around the rotation of the driving pulley.

  The scanning carriage 38 is fixed to the timing belt, and the circumferential movement of the timing belt causes the scanning carriage 38 to reciprocate on the guide rails 43a and 43b with reference to the edge 43c. A recording head 39 is mounted on such a scanning carriage 38, and the recording head 39 can reciprocate with the width direction of the transport path 23 as the main scanning direction. A strip-shaped linear encoder 77 (see FIG. 5) is disposed along the edge 43c. The linear encoder 77 is detected by a photo interrupter (not shown), and the scanning carriage 38 is based on the encoder amount. The reciprocal movement is controlled.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a platen 42 is disposed below the conveyance path 23 so as to face the recording head 39. The platen 42 is disposed over the central portion of the reciprocating range of the scanning carriage 38 through which the recording paper passes. The width of the platen 42 is sufficiently larger than the maximum width of the recording paper that can be conveyed, and both ends of the recording paper always pass over the platen 42.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the upstream side of the image recording unit 24, there are a pair of transport rollers 60 and a pressing roller 61 that sandwich the recording paper transported through the transport path 23 and transport it onto the platen 42. Is provided. On the other hand, on the downstream side of the image recording unit 24, a pair of paper discharge rollers 62 and a spur roller 63 are provided for nipping and transporting recorded recording paper. The conveying roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 are intermittently driven with a predetermined line feed width when a driving force is transmitted from the LF motor 71 (see FIG. 5). The rotation of the conveyance roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 is synchronized, and the rotation of the conveyance roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 is detected by detecting a rotary encoder 76 (see FIG. 5) provided on the conveyance roller 60 with a photo interrupter. Is controlled.

  On the other hand, the pressing roller 61 is urged so as to be pressed against the conveying roller 60 with a predetermined pressing force and is rotatably provided. When a recording sheet enters between the conveying roller 60 and the pressing roller 61, the pressing roller 61 retreats by the thickness of the recording sheet and holds the recording sheet together with the conveying roller 60. Thereby, the rotational force of the conveyance roller 60 is reliably transmitted to the recording paper. The spur roller 63 is also provided in the same manner as the paper discharge roller 62. However, since the spur roller 63 is in pressure contact with the recorded recording paper, the roller surface is uneven in a spur shape so as not to deteriorate the image recorded on the recording paper. It has become.

  The recording paper held between the transport roller 60 and the pressing roller 61 is intermittently transported on the platen 42 with a predetermined line feed width. The recording head 39 is scanned for each line feed, and printing is performed from the front end side of the recording paper. Thereafter, the front end side of the recording sheet on which printing has been performed is held between the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63. Accordingly, the recording sheet is intermittently conveyed with a predetermined line feed width with the front end side being sandwiched between the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 and the rear end side being sandwiched between the transport roller 60 and the pressing roller 61. Similarly, printing is performed by the recording head 39. When the recording sheet is further conveyed, the trailing end of the recording sheet passes through the conveying roller 60 and the pressing roller 61, and the nipping by these is released. Accordingly, the recording paper is sandwiched between the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 and is intermittently conveyed with a predetermined line feed width, and printing is similarly performed by the recording head 39. After printing on a predetermined area of the recording paper, the paper discharge roller 62 is continuously driven to rotate. As a result, the recording paper held by the paper discharge roller 62 and the spur roller 63 is discharged to the paper discharge tray 21. Such a conveying roller 60, a pressing roller 61, a paper discharge roller 62, and a spur roller 63 constitute a conveying means according to the present invention.

  FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the control unit 64 of the multifunction machine 1. The control unit 64 controls the overall operation of the multi-function device 1 including not only the printer unit 2 but also the scanner device 3. In the present embodiment, a detailed description of the configuration of the scanner device 3 is omitted. As shown in the figure, the control unit 64 is configured as a microcomputer mainly including a CPU 65, a ROM 66, a RAM 67 (storage means), and an EEPROM 68, and is connected to an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) 70 via a bus 69. ing.

  The ROM 66 stores programs for controlling various operations of the multifunction machine 1. The RAM 67 is used as a storage area or a work area for temporarily recording various data used when the CPU 65 executes the program.

  The EEPROM 68 is a rewritable nonvolatile memory and includes a 2in1 mode flag 68a. The 2in1 mode flag 68a is a flag that is turned on when the 2in1 mode is set by the user from the operation panel 4, and is turned off when the 2in1 mode is not set. When the 2 in 1 mode flag is turned off, data for one page is printed on one recording sheet in a printing process (FIG. 6) described later. On the other hand, when the 2 in 1 mode flag is turned on, data for two pages is printed side by side in the conveyance direction of one recording sheet in a printing process described later.

  The ASIC 70 generates a phase excitation signal and the like for energizing the LF (conveyance) motor 71 in accordance with a command from the CPU 65, applies the signal to the drive circuit 72 of the LF motor 71, and drives the drive signal via the drive circuit 72. The LF motor 71 is rotated by energizing the LF motor 71.

  The drive circuit 72 drives the LF motor 71 connected to the paper feed roller 25, the transport roller 60, and the paper discharge roller 62. The drive circuit 72 receives an output signal from the ASIC 70 and rotates the LF motor 71. Form an electrical signal. The LF motor 71 rotates in response to the electric signal, and the rotational force of the LF motor 71 is supplied to the paper feed roller 25, the transport roller 60, and the paper discharge roller 62 via a known drive mechanism including a gear, a drive shaft, and the like. Communicated.

  Similarly, the ASIC 70 generates a phase excitation signal and the like for energizing a CR (carriage) motor 73 in accordance with a command from the CPU 65, applies the signal to the drive circuit 74 of the CR motor 73, and passes through the drive circuit 74. Thus, the rotation control of the CR motor 73 is performed by energizing the CR motor 73 with a drive signal.

  The drive circuit 74 drives the CR motor 73 connected to the scanning carriage 38 and receives an output signal from the ASIC 70 to form an electrical signal for rotating the CR motor 73. Upon receipt of the electrical signal, the CR motor 73 rotates, and the rotational force of the CR motor 73 is transmitted to the scanning carriage 38 via the belt drive mechanism 44, whereby the scanning carriage 38 is scanned.

  The drive circuit 75 selectively ejects ink from the recording head 39 to the recording paper at a predetermined timing. The drive circuit 75 receives an output signal generated by the ASIC 70 based on a drive control procedure output from the CPU 65. The recording head 39 is driven and controlled.

  The ASIC 70 also includes a registration sensor 33 for detecting recording paper in the conveyance path 23, a rotary encoder 76 for detecting the rotation amount of the conveyance roller 60, and a linear encoder for detecting the movement amount of the scanning carriage 38. 77 is connected.

  Further, the ASIC 70 has an operation panel 4 for instructing operation of the scanner device 3 and the multifunction device 1, a slot portion 5 into which various small memory cards are inserted, an external device such as a personal computer, and a parallel cable or a USB cable. A parallel interface 78 and a USB interface 79 for transmitting and receiving data are connected. Further, an NCU (Network Control Unit) 80 and MODEM 81 for realizing a facsimile function are also connected.

  A printing operation in the printer unit 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the printing process. The printing process shown in FIG. 6 is a process that is activated when data to be printed (corresponding to primary data in claims) is input to the control unit 64. Specifically, when facsimile data transmitted from another facsimile apparatus is input to the control unit 64, or when copy data of a document read by the scanner device 3 is input to the control unit 64, or USB I / When print data output from an external device such as a PC connected via F79 or parallel I / F 78 (see FIG. 5) is input to the control unit 64, it is loaded into the slot unit 5 (see FIG. 1). This process is activated when image data is input to the control unit 64 from the small memory card.

  In this embodiment, for simplicity of explanation, the facsimile data, copy data, print data, and image data are A4 size data for one page when printed without enlargement / reduction. The A4 size data will be described as being printed two pages at a time on one A3 size recording sheet. For example, when different size data is input, the paper feed cassette 20 (FIG. 1) is used. The input data may be enlarged or reduced in accordance with the size of the recording paper stored in the reference) and the number of pages printed on one recording paper.

  First, it is determined whether or not the 2 in 1 mode is set (S4). When the data input to the control unit 64 is facsimile data, copy data, or image data from a memory card, the 2-in-1 mode flag 68a (see FIG. 5) is confirmed. If the 2in1 mode flag 68a is on, it can be determined that the 2in1 mode is set (S4: Yes), and the process proceeds to S8, where data for two pages is printed on one sheet of recording paper. Printing in the mode is started (S8). On the other hand, if the 2in1 mode flag 68a is off, it can be determined that the 2in1 mode is not set (S4: No), so the process proceeds to S6, and one page of data is printed on one sheet of recording paper. Normal printing is performed, and the process ends. Note that the normal printing process (S6) in this embodiment is a known process, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  Here, when the data input to the control unit 64 is print data output from an external device such as a PC, in the determination step of S4, the print setting included in the print data is referred to and the 2-in-1 mode is set. Determine whether it is set. Here, the print data includes print setting information such as the paper type and size of the recording paper, whether or not to set the 2 in 1 mode, in addition to the image data to be printed. The user determines various print settings such as whether or not to set the 2-in-1 mode by using a print setting dialog displayed on the monitor at the time of a print instruction on the PC, for example. Then, print data in accordance with the print settings is generated by a printer driver installed in advance on a PC or the like, and is output to the multifunction device 1.

  If it is determined in step S4 that the 2-in-1 mode is set based on the print settings included in the print data (S4: Yes), the process proceeds to step S8, and printing in the 2-in-1 mode is started. . On the other hand, when it is determined that the 2-in-1 mode is not set (S4: No), the process proceeds to S6, normal printing is performed, and the process is terminated.

  As described above, when the data input to the control unit 64 is print data output from an external device such as a PC, it is determined based on the print data whether or not the 2-in-1 mode is set. It is possible to select whether the 2 in 1 mode is set or not when printing is set in a PC or the like. Therefore, it is not necessary to go to the vicinity of the multifunction device 1 for switching the mode, and the labor of the work can be saved.

  When the 2 in 1 mode is set (S4: Yes), the transport means (the transport roller 60 and the discharge roller 62) are set so that data for two pages are printed side by side in the transport direction of one recording sheet. Control processing is performed.

  First, the recording paper stored in the paper feed tray 20 (see FIG. 1) is fed (S8). That is, the LF motor 71 (see FIG. 5) is driven and transmitted to the paper feed roller 25, the transport roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62, and the recording paper is fed from the paper feed tray 20 to the transport path 23. The recording sheet is conveyed while being reversed so as to make a U-turn upward along the conveying path 23, and the front end of the recording sheet is detected by the registration sensor 33. Then, after the registration sensor 33 (see FIG. 2) detects the recording paper P, the rotation amount input to the conveying roller 60 and the like is grasped as the encoder amount of the rotary encoder 76, and the front end of the recording paper is below the recording head 39. Advance to a predetermined position.

  Next, the recording paper is conveyed by the line feed width (S9). Then, while moving the scanning carriage 38 waiting at the printing start position, ink is ejected from the recording head 39 to print image data for one line feed width on the recording paper (S10). Printing by the recording head 39 may be performed in the reciprocating direction of the scanning carriage 38 or in one direction. As a result, image data for each band unit corresponding to one line feed width is printed.

  When the printing of the image data for one linefeed width is completed, the control unit 64 determines whether the printing of the data for one page has been completed (S12). Until the printing of data for one page is completed, one line feed width is conveyed (S9), and printing is performed again (S10). When printing of data for one page is completed (S12: Yes), it is determined whether or not the registration sensor 33 (see FIG. 2) is on (S14).

  As described with reference to FIG. 2, the registration sensor 33 is provided on the upstream side of the image recording unit 24, and can detect the conveyance direction position of the recording paper. If the registration sensor 33 is on (S14: Yes), it can be determined that the recording sheet is passing the upstream side of the image recording unit 24. On the other hand, when the registration sensor 33 is off (S14: No), it can be determined that the recording sheet has already passed the upstream side of the image recording unit 24.

  Therefore, when printing of data for one page is completed (S12: Yes), if the registration sensor 33 is off (S14: No), that is, after printing of data for one page is completed, the recording paper records an image. If it has already passed the upstream side of the section 24, it is determined that the recording paper in the image recording section 24 is in a position immediately before the discharge to the discharge tray 21. That is, it can be determined that two pages of data have already been printed on the recording paper in the image recording unit 24. Therefore, since the next page cannot be printed in the unprinted area upstream of the recording paper, the process proceeds to S36, and the recording paper in the image recording unit 24 is discharged (S36). If all pages have not yet been printed (S38: No), the process returns to S8, the next recording sheet is fed, and the above-described printing process is repeated.

  In contrast, when printing of data for one page is completed (S12: Yes), if the registration sensor 33 is on (S14: Yes), that is, the recording sheet still passes the upstream side of the image recording unit 24. If it is in the middle (S14: Yes), it can be determined that the data for one page for which printing has been completed is printed on the downstream half in the transport direction of the recording paper passing through the image recording unit 24. it can. That is, it can be determined that the next page can be printed in the unprinted area on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper being conveyed in the image recording unit 24. Then, the process proceeds to S16, and it is determined whether all pages have been printed (S16). If all pages have not yet been printed (S16: No), the process proceeds to S30, the recording paper is conveyed by a predetermined line feed width (S30), and printing of the next page is started (S31, S32). That is, one page of data has already been printed on the downstream half of the recording paper in the image recording unit 24 in the conveyance direction. Therefore, by transporting the recording paper by a predetermined line feed width, the print start position of the next page can be separated from the data for one page that has already been printed. Therefore, a gap corresponding to a predetermined line feed width can be provided between two pages of data printed on one sheet of recording paper, and an image that is easy to view even when a plurality of pages are printed on one sheet of recording paper. Can be printed.

  On the other hand, when all the pages have been printed (S16: Yes), the conveyance of the recording paper in the middle of the conveyance is stopped (S18). That is, the driving of the transport roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 that have been intermittently driven with a predetermined line feed width until then is stopped, and the recording paper that is being transported by the transport roller 60 and the paper discharge roller 62 is stopped. (S18).

  Then, the user is inquired whether there is data to be printed next (corresponding to secondary data in claims) (S20). That is, the next page can be printed in the unprinted area on the upstream side of the recording method that has been stopped during conveyance. Therefore, the user is inquired whether there is data to be input next, and if there is a response from the user when there is data to be input next, the start page of the next data is recorded in the image recording. The printing is started from the upstream half of the conveyance direction of the recording paper stopped by the section 24.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an inquiry screen displayed on the liquid crystal display device 4a in the process of S20. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, the inquiry content such as “Is there next print data?” And the operation method of the operation panel 4 in response to the inquiry are displayed on the liquid crystal display device 4 a.

  Therefore, when there is next data to be printed, the user follows the response method displayed on the liquid crystal display device 4a, for example, by pressing the key 4b to which the numeral “1” is attached on the operation panel 4. It can respond that there is next data to be printed. On the other hand, by depressing the key 4c with the numeral “2” on the operation panel 4, it is possible to respond that there is no next data to be printed.

  Returning to FIG. The user is inquired as to whether there is next data (S20). If there is a response from the user to the inquiry on the operation panel 4 (S22: Yes), whether there is next data based on the response content. It is determined whether or not (S24). As described above, in this embodiment, when the key 4b (see FIG. 7) is pressed, it is determined that there is data to be printed next (S24: Yes), and the process proceeds to S29. On the other hand, when the key 4c (see FIG. 7) is pressed, it is determined that there is no data to be printed next (S24: No). Therefore, the recording sheet stopped by the image recording unit 24 is discharged (S28), and the process is terminated. As described above, when there is no next data, the recording sheet on which the last page is printed is discharged, so that the user can quickly obtain the print result.

  If there is no response from the user in response to an inquiry as to whether or not there is the next data (S22: No), and a predetermined time has elapsed (S26: Yes), the recording paper is discharged (S28), and processing is performed. Exit. For example, when print data is output from a PC separated from the multifunction device 1 and is printed on the multifunction device 1, the user responds promptly even if an inquiry is displayed on the operation panel 4 (see FIG. 7). Can not do it. In addition, when the user comes to collect the print results in the hope that the printing on the multifunction device 1 is completed, an inquiry is displayed on the operation panel 4 and the last page is printed. The situation where the recording paper is not discharged is troublesome for the user. Therefore, when a predetermined time has passed without a response from the user, the recording sheet is discharged from the image recording unit 24 and the process is terminated. Thereby, for example, a user who has come to collect the print results from a remote PC can quickly obtain the print results.

  When a response is received from the user that there is data to be printed next (S24: Yes), the process waits until there is an instruction to start printing the next data (S29). When facsimile data transmitted from another facsimile apparatus is input to the control unit 64, or when copy data of a document read by the scanner device 3 is input to the control unit 64, or USB I / F79 parallel processing is performed. When print data output from an external device such as a PC connected via the I / F 78 (see FIG. 5) is input to the control unit 64, a small memory card loaded in the slot unit 5 (see FIG. 1) When the image data is input to the control unit 64, it is determined that there is an instruction to start printing (S29: Yes), and then the recording paper is conveyed by a predetermined line feed width (S30).

  Next, the recording paper is conveyed by the line feed width (S31). Then, ink is ejected from the recording head 39 while the scanning carriage 38 waiting at the printing start position is moved, and printing is performed on the recording paper (S32). Thereby, printing is started from the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper. In this way, the conveyance for one line feed width (S31) and the printing (S32) are repeated, and when the printing of the data for one page is completed (S34: Yes), the recording paper is discharged (S36), It is determined whether all pages have been printed (S38). If all pages have been printed (S38: Yes), the process ends. On the other hand, if not all pages have been printed yet (S38: No), the process returns to S8, the next recording sheet is fed, and the next page is printed from the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording sheet. Exit.

  According to the multifunction machine 1 of the present embodiment, data (primary data) input from any of other facsimile machines, the scanner device 3, an external device such as a computer, or a small memory card loaded in the slot unit 5. After the printing is finished, the conveyance of the recording paper in the middle of the conveyance is stopped (S18). Then, after the printing of the previously input data (primary data) is completed, it is input from any one of other facsimile machines, the scanner device 3, an external device such as a computer, or a small memory card loaded in the slot unit 5. The transport is resumed so that the printing of the data (secondary data) is started from the unprinted area upstream of the recording paper that was stopped during the transport (S30). Even if the types of primary data) and data input later (secondary data) are different, it is possible to easily print a plurality of pages side by side on a single recording medium. In addition, since it is not necessary to combine the data input first (primary data) and the data input later (secondary data) to generate merged data, the data input later (secondary data) It is not necessary to provide a memory for holding previously input data (primary data) until it is input, and the entire multifunction device 1 can be configured at low cost.

  Further, according to the multifunction machine 1 of the present embodiment, the start page of data (secondary data) to be input later is set in the unprinted area upstream in the recording paper conveyance direction based on the detection result of the registration sensor 33. If it is determined that printing is possible (S14: No), the conveyance of the recording paper in the middle of conveyance is stopped, and printing of data (secondary data) input later from the unprinted area may be started. it can. Therefore, the recording paper can be used as effectively as possible.

  In addition, in order to control the conveyance of the recording paper, the data (secondary data) to be input later is input into an unprinted area upstream in the recording paper conveyance direction by using a registration sensor 33 provided in advance in the conveyance path 23. Since it is determined whether or not the start page of (data) can be printed, it is not necessary to add a new sensor in addition to the configuration of the conventional multifunction device, and the entire multifunction device 1 can be configured at low cost.

  Further, according to the multifunction machine 1 of the present embodiment, only one paper feed tray 20 is provided. Therefore, if recording paper of a large size (for example, A3) is stored in the tray in advance and is set to the 2 in 1 mode, different types of data are continuously input. However, since two pages can be printed continuously on one recording sheet, the recording sheet can be used as efficiently as possible.

  The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be easily made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Can be inferred.

  For example, in this embodiment, based on the detection result of the registration sensor 33, it is determined whether or not the next page can be printed in the unprinted area upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper. Based on the number of pages, it may be determined whether or not the next page can be printed in an unprinted area upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper. For example, when printing is performed in the order in which odd-numbered pages are printed on the downstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction and even-numbered pages are printed on the upstream side in the recording paper conveyance direction, the last page is odd-numbered. Based on this page, it can be determined that the next page can be printed in the unprinted area on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper in the image recording unit 24. On the other hand, if printing is performed in the order in which even-numbered pages are printed on the downstream side in the recording paper transport direction and odd-numbered pages are printed on the upstream side in the recording paper transport direction, the last page is even. Based on the fact that it is the second page, it can be determined that the next page can be printed in the unprinted area on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the recording paper in the image recording unit 24.

  Also, based on the fact that the total number of pages of the previously input data is an odd number, after the printing of the previously input data is completed, the next page is printed in the unprinted area upstream in the recording paper transport direction. You may decide that it is possible.

  In this embodiment, whether or not the registration sensor 33 is on or off is determined when it is determined in step S12 that printing of one page of data has been completed, regardless of whether or not the page is the last page. Thus, it has been determined whether or not the next page can be printed in the unprinted area upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper, but the on / off state of the registration sensor 33 is detected only when the printed data is the last page. Then, it may be configured to determine whether or not the next page can be printed in the unprinted area upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper.

  Further, the rotary encoder 76 detects the conveyance amount of the recording paper from the number of steps of the LF motor 71, and determines whether or not the next page can be printed in the unprinted area upstream in the conveyance direction of the recording paper based on the conveyance amount. You may judge.

  In this embodiment, the case where data for two pages is printed on one sheet of recording paper has been described. For example, when data for four pages is printed, and data for eight pages are printed. The present invention can be applied to various cases where a plurality of pages are printed side by side in the recording paper conveyance direction.

1 is a perspective view illustrating an external configuration of a multifunction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the internal structure of the multifunctional device of an Example. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating a main configuration of a printer unit. It is an enlarged view showing a configuration of a resist sensor. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of the multifunction machine. 5 is a flowchart of print processing executed by the multifunction machine. It is a figure which shows an example of the inquiry screen displayed on a liquid crystal display device.

Explanation of symbols

1 Multifunction machine (printing device)
2 Printer section (recording means)
33 Registration sensor (position detection means)
60 Conveying roller (part of conveying means)
61 Pressing roller (part of conveying means)
62 Paper discharge roller (part of transport means)
63 Spur roller (part of transport means)
64 Control unit (transport control means)
S14 area determination means S18 transport stop means S20 inquiry means S22 secondary data presence / absence determination means S24 secondary data presence / absence determination means S28 paper discharge means S30 transport resumption means

Claims (7)

A recording unit capable of printing data in units of pages input from any of a plurality of devices on a recording medium, a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium in accordance with the progress of printing by the recording unit, and the conveyance unit And a conveyance control means for controlling the conveyance means so that a plurality of pages are printed side by side in the conveyance direction of one recording medium.
The conveyance control means; a conveyance stop means for stopping conveyance of a recording medium in the middle of conveyance by the conveyance means after printing of primary data input from any of the plurality of devices;
The transport by the transport unit is resumed so that printing of secondary data input from any of the plurality of apparatuses is started from an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium stopped by the transport stop unit. A printing apparatus comprising: transport resumption means. In the recording medium on which the last page of the primary data is printed, an area determination unit that determines whether at least the start page of the secondary data can be printed in an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium,
The conveyance stopping unit determines that the start page of the secondary data can be printed in an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium by the area determining unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein conveyance is stopped. A position detection unit for detecting a conveyance direction position of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyance unit;
The area determination unit is configured to store the secondary data in an unprinted area upstream of the recording medium based on the position of the recording medium at the end of printing the last page of the primary data detected by the position detection unit. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein it determines whether at least a start page can be printed. The transport control means controls the transport means so that odd-numbered pages of primary data are printed on the downstream half in the transport direction of the recording medium transported by the transport means and even-numbered pages are printed on the upstream side in the transport direction. To control,
The conveyance stop means stops conveyance of a recording medium in the middle of conveyance by the conveyance means when the last page of the primary data is an odd page printed on the downstream half in the conveyance direction. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The recording means includes at least one of facsimile data input from another facsimile device, print data input from an external device, copy data input from a scanner device that reads a document, and media data input from a storage medium. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two types of data can be printed on a recording medium. Secondary data presence / absence judging means for judging the presence / absence of the secondary data after the transport of the recording medium is stopped by the transport stop means;
And a discharge unit that discharges the recording medium whose conveyance is stopped by the conveyance stop unit when the secondary data presence determination unit determines that the secondary data is not present. The printing apparatus according to any one of 1 to 5. Inquiry means for inquiring the user about the presence or absence of the secondary data,
The secondary data presence / absence determining means determines that there is no secondary data based on whether the user responds to the inquiry by the inquiry means that there is no secondary data or there is no response from the user for a predetermined time. The printing apparatus according to claim 6.

Images