JP2008055825A - Printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing apparatus which eliminates a setting error by viewing and has a method of reflecting a distance into a printing control part automatically only by performing a test printing in a means to establish the distance between an ink ribbon printing mechanism section and a paper sheet sensor at the time of printing when the moving up-and-down of an ink ribbon or the flopping by sagging occurs. <P>SOLUTION: A page length set value and a line feed amount set value of a paper which is set are used, and a means to create and perform test pattern data for one page, a means to count a paper feeding amount after the activation of a paper sheet sensor, and a means to memorize a paper feeding amount from the activation of a paper sheet sensor to the end of a test pattern printing into a nonvolatile memory element are used, so that the value which is read from the nonvolatile memory element is reflected as a paper residual quantity after the activation of the paper sheet sensor. Therefore, the solution can be achieved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus using continuous paper, and more particularly to a printing apparatus capable of setting a distance between a printing mechanism unit and a paper sensor.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a printing apparatus using continuous paper is installed by separating the printing mechanism unit and the paper sensor, and after the end of the printing paper has passed the paper sensor, the distance between the printing mechanism unit and the paper sensor set in advance is set. The remaining amount of printable paper is used to calculate, and when the remaining amount of paper is less than the line feed amount, printing is stopped and the “no paper” state is displayed on the display device. In this case, the distance from the printing mechanism unit to the paper sensor is set as a fixed value by the printing control unit, but an error is likely to occur depending on the sensor mounting position. For this reason, there are cases where blank printing occurs where printing is not performed on the printing paper, or printing stops even though there is paper.

  In order to eliminate the error in the sensor mounting position, as a means for measuring the distance from the printing mechanism to the paper sensor, paper feeding is performed dot by dot, and a predetermined pattern is printed after the paper sensor detects the end of the paper. There is a method of obtaining the distance between the printing mechanism unit and the paper sensor by counting the number of vertical dots printed on the paper (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-211746

  However, in the above-described method, it is necessary for a person to count the result of printing the distance from the print mechanism unit to the paper sensor one dot at a time and set it in the print control unit. Also, this method is effective in the case of printing in which the paper feed of each dot is continuous, but depending on the timing at which the paper sensor detects the paper end, such as when the paper end passes the paper sensor during a long paper feed. Since the error is not taken into account, there is a case where an error occurs in the calculation of the remaining amount of printable paper depending on the amount of the line feed amount setting, and printing may be performed on a portion not on the print paper.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the setting error by visual inspection in the measurement and setting of the distance between the printing mechanism unit and the paper sensor, and to automatically increase the distance between the printing mechanism unit and the paper sensor simply by executing test printing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus that can be reflected in a print control unit.

  The specific means of the present invention for solving the above-described problems includes a printing mechanism unit that executes printing, a printing control unit that controls the printing mechanism unit, a sheet conveying unit, and a sheet conveying direction upstream side of the printing mechanism unit. In the printing apparatus having a paper sensor for detecting the presence or absence of paper, means for calculating the remaining amount of paper that can be printed, and a display device, means for setting an arbitrary line feed amount and page length, the selected page Means for calculating the number of lines that can be printed in one page from the length and the amount of line feed, pattern printing means for printing a predetermined pattern for one page, means for calculating the paper feed amount after the paper sensor is activated, paper after the paper sensor is activated It is characterized by having means for storing the feed amount and means for reading out the stored paper feed amount and setting it as a distance between the printing mechanism and the paper sensor.

  With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the human error and easily set the distance from the printing mechanism unit to the paper sensor.

  The printing apparatus of the present invention can accurately determine the distance between the paper sensors from the printing mechanism, and can automatically reflect the remaining amount of paper after the paper sensor is activated in the print controller. Also, by executing test printing with frequently used page length and line feed amount, the distance between the print sensor and the paper sensor can be set in a state closer to the actual operation. The error due to the detection timing can be reduced.

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

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between a printing mechanism unit and continuous paper according to an example of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, 11 is continuous paper, 12 is a printing mechanism, 13 is a perforation of continuous paper, 14 is a paper sensor, 15 is a test print pattern, and 16 is a distance from the printing position of the printing mechanism to the paper sensor. . Although not shown, the printing mechanism unit 12 is controlled by the printing control unit, and the sheet is conveyed by a sheet conveying unit.

Next, a specific operation will be described.
When measuring the distance between the printing mechanism and the paper sensor, first, one page of continuous paper used in the printing apparatus is set (FIG. 1A).
When one page of test print data is printed from the state of FIG. 1A, the paper sensor is activated during printing (FIG. 1B).
The unprinted portion of the print data for one page from the time when the paper sensor is activated is the remaining amount of printable paper after the paper sensor is activated. That is, a distance 16 from the printing mechanism unit to the paper sensor is counted by counting the paper feed amount until the printing of the unprinted portion of the test print data for one page after the paper sensor is activated (FIG. 1C). Can be measured.

  Next, a method for setting the distance between the printing mechanism unit and the sheet sensor will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 2 and the flowchart of FIG.

  The page length of the paper used by the means 206 for setting an arbitrary line feed amount and page length, such as setting items on the operation panel, is set (S302), and the line feed amount is also set (S303). When test printing for setting the distance from the printing mechanism unit 201 to the paper sensor 202 is started (S304), the page length and the line feed amount set by the means 206 for setting an arbitrary line feed amount and page length are within one page. The number of printed lines for one page is calculated by means 207 (S305) for calculating the number of lines that can be printed on the page. Based on the calculated number of printed lines for one page, printing / paper feeding is executed by the pattern printing unit 208 that prints a predetermined pattern for one page. For example, if the page length is set to 11 inches and the line feed amount is 6 LPI, test pattern printing for 66 lines is executed. It is determined whether or not printing for one page has been completed (S306). If it has not been completed, printing and paper feeding are executed (S307). When the paper sensor 202 is activated during test pattern printing (S308), the number of paper feed dots after the paper sensor 202 is activated is added by means 209 for calculating the paper feed amount after the paper sensor is activated (S309). When printing for one page is completed, the paper feed amount after the paper sensor 202 is activated is stored in the nonvolatile memory element 210 by means 211 (S310) for storing the paper feed amount after the paper sensor is activated, and the test printing is finished. .

  The paper feed amount after the operation of the paper sensor 202 stored in the nonvolatile memory element 210 by the test printing is the same value as the distance from the printing mechanism unit 201 to the paper sensor 202. Therefore, the distance from the printing mechanism unit 201 to the paper sensor 202 can be automatically and accurately set by means 212 for reading the stored paper feed amount and setting it as the distance between the printing mechanism unit and the paper sensor.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the purpose of accurately setting the remaining amount of paper that can be printed after the end of the printing paper passes the paper sensor is the easy test without increasing the number of parts. This can be realized by printing.

It is a figure which shows one Example of this invention. It is a control block diagram showing an example of a printing apparatus of the present invention. 6 is a flowchart of a method for setting a distance from a printing position to a paper sensor according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Continuous paper 12 Printing mechanism part 13 Perforation of continuous paper 14 Paper sensor 15 Test print pattern 16 Distance from printing position of printing mechanism part to paper sensor 201 Printing mechanism part 202 Paper sensor 203 Print control part 204 Paper conveying means 205 Printing Means for calculating the remaining amount of paper 206 means for setting an arbitrary line feed amount and page length;
207 means for calculating the number of lines that can be printed in one page from the selected page length and line feed amount;
208 pattern printing means for printing one page of a predetermined pattern;
209 means for calculating the paper feed amount after the paper sensor is activated;
210 Nonvolatile storage element 211 Means for storing paper feed amount after operation of paper sensor,
212 Means for reading stored paper feed amount and setting as distance between printing mechanism and paper sensor 213 Display device

Claims (1)

Print mechanism that executes printing, print controller that controls the print mechanism, paper transport means, paper sensor that is upstream of the print mechanism in the paper transport direction and detects the presence of paper, and can be printed In a printing apparatus having a display device and a means for calculating the remaining amount of paper,
Means for setting an arbitrary line feed amount and page length, means for calculating the number of lines that can be printed in one page from the selected page length and line feed amount, pattern printing means for printing a predetermined pattern for one page, paper sensor operation A means for calculating a subsequent paper feed amount; a means for storing the paper feed amount after the paper sensor operation; and a means for reading out the stored paper feed amount and setting it as a distance between the printing mechanism and the paper sensor. Printing device to do.

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