JP2009248318A - Printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine whether a driver exists in a predetermined position in a lower state of motor torque. <P>SOLUTION: A motor 4 drives the driver. A torque detecting part 10 detects torque of the motor 4. A temperature detecting part 7 detects the temperature of the motor 4. An option detecting part 11 determines whether another device varying the load of the motor 4 is connected to a printer. A threshold control part 8 determines a torque threshold which is the torque threshold of the motor 4 based on the temperature of the motor 4 detected by the temperature detecting part 7 or on the determined result of the option detecting part 11. A determining part 12 compares the torque of the motor 4 detected by the torque detecting part 10, with the torque threshold determined by the threshold control part 8, to determine whether the driver exists in the predetermined position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printer apparatus.

In a printer apparatus, as a method of moving a driving body such as a carriage to a predetermined position (home position), hitting the driving body against a fixed object such as a frame is performed.
As a method for determining the degree of hitting, DC (Direct Curing) that operates the driving body is used.
nt, DC) when the motor torque is detected and the detected torque is equal to or greater than a set threshold value,
Judge that it is per degree. Note that the position of the driving body at the time of determining the hit is the home position.

At this time, the torque of the DC motor at the point in time varies depending on the variation in torque of the DC motor and the variation in driving load of the driving body. For this reason, the DC motor torque threshold for determining the degree of power is necessary for actually operating the driving body in consideration of the DC motor torque variation and the driving load variation of the driving body. A torque larger than the torque is used as a threshold value.

As described above, in order to determine the degree of hitting, in order to apply a torque larger than the torque necessary for actually operating the driving body, when the driving body hits a fixed object such as a frame,
The frame is distorted or broken, and the tooth is jumped between the timing belt and the gear for operating the driving body.

Further, when the printer device is operated, the driving load of the driving body is changed according to the operated amount. A technique for changing the threshold according to this change is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
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JP 2006-248104 A

Since the torque required to actually operate the driving body varies depending on the environment in which the printer device operates, the torque threshold for detecting the hitting is determined in consideration of the maximum required torque. . Therefore, there has been a problem that it is impossible to determine whether or not the driving body exists at a predetermined position in a state where the torque of the motor is lower.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and provides a printer device capable of determining whether or not a driving body is present at a predetermined position in a state where the torque of the motor is lower. For the purpose.

The present invention relates to a printer apparatus that determines whether or not a driving body is present at a predetermined position.
A motor for driving the drive body, a torque detection unit for detecting the torque of the motor, a temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the motor, and another device for causing the printer device to vary the load of the motor. Based on a connection determination unit that determines whether or not a connection has been made and the temperature of the motor detected by the temperature detection unit or a determination result of the connection determination unit, a torque threshold that is a torque threshold of the motor is determined. A threshold value determination unit that compares the torque of the motor detected by the torque detection unit with the torque threshold value determined by the threshold value determination unit to determine whether or not the driver is present at a predetermined position. And a determination unit.

According to such a printer device, the torque threshold value is determined based on the temperature of the motor or an optional device connected to the printer device, and based on the determined torque threshold value, whether or not the driving body is present at a predetermined position. Determine. Thereby, it is possible to determine whether or not the driving body is present at a predetermined position in a state where the torque of the motor is lower.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a configuration of a hit determination unit included in the printer device according to the present embodiment. In the illustrated example, the hit determination unit includes the motor control unit 1 and a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation).
application, pulse width modulation) circuit 2, driver 3, motor 4, encoder 5, speed detection unit 6, temperature detection unit 7, threshold control unit 8 (threshold determination unit), storage unit 9, A torque detection unit 10, an option detection unit 11 (connection determination unit), and a determination unit 12 are provided.

The motor control unit 1 controls the motor 4 via the PWM circuit 2 and the driver 3. The motor 4 drives the drive body. The encoder 5 detects the amount of movement of the drive body and outputs the detection result to the speed detection unit 6. The speed detection unit 6 detects the speed of the driving body based on the output of the encoder 5. The temperature detector 7 detects the temperature of the motor 4. The threshold control unit 8 controls a threshold described later. The storage unit 9 stores information used by the hit determination unit. The torque detector 10 detects the torque of the motor 4 based on the output of the motor controller 1. The option detection unit 11 determines whether an optional device is attached to the printer device. The determination unit 11 determines the degree of the driving body (whether the driving body exists at a predetermined position).

Next, the determination method per degree of the driving body in the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 9 stores the torque threshold value controlled by the threshold control unit 8 by a method described later, and the torque detection unit 10 detects the torque of the motor 4 that operates the driving body, and determines the determination unit 12. If the torque of the motor 4 detected by the torque detection unit 10 is equal to or greater than the torque threshold stored in the storage unit 9, it is determined that the drive body has hit. Note that the position of the driving body when it is determined to be a hit is the home position (predetermined position). Further, the motor 4 has a DC (Direct
Current, DC) motor.

Hereinafter, a method in which the threshold control unit 8 controls the torque threshold will be described.
(Torque threshold control method based on motor temperature)
First, a method in which the threshold control unit 8 controls the torque threshold based on the temperature of the motor 4 will be described. As a characteristic of the motor 4, as the temperature of the motor 4 increases, the motor control unit 1
The torque output by the motor 4 is actually different even if the torque (drive duty) commanded by is the same (the torque detected by the torque detector 10 is the same).

Conventionally, the torque threshold is not controlled according to the temperature of the motor 4. Therefore, if the torque threshold is not set when the temperature of the motor 4 is high, it can be determined that when the temperature of the motor 4 is high, it is determined that the driving body has been hit, although it is not. Therefore, when the temperature of the motor 4 is low, the degree of driving of the driving body is determined in a state where the torque is applied to the motor 4 more than necessary.

In the present embodiment, the torque threshold value is controlled by the following procedure.
(Step S <b> 101) The temperature detection unit 7 detects the temperature of the motor 4. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S202. As a method for the temperature detector 7 to detect the temperature of the motor 4, for example, the temperature of the motor 4 may be detected using a thermometer, and the coil resistance value of the winding coil of the motor 4 is obtained to determine the resistance. The temperature of the motor 4 may be detected by the method.

(Step S <b> 102) The threshold control unit 8 controls the torque threshold based on the temperature of the motor 4 detected by the temperature detection unit 7. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S103. As a control method, the threshold value may be controlled to change linearly based on a predetermined function, or the threshold value may be controlled to change stepwise.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the motor temperature and the torque threshold when the threshold is controlled to change linearly in the present embodiment. In the illustrated example, the horizontal axis represents the motor temperature, and the vertical axis represents the torque threshold. The relationship between the motor temperature x and the torque threshold y is a function y = ax + b.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the motor temperature and the torque threshold when the threshold is controlled to change stepwise in the present embodiment. In the illustrated example, the horizontal axis represents the motor temperature, and the vertical axis represents the torque threshold. For example, when the motor temperature is 10 ° C. or higher and lower than 15 ° C., the torque threshold is X1. When the motor temperature is 15 ° C. or higher and lower than 20 ° C., the torque threshold is X2. Other temperatures are as illustrated.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature of the motor shown in FIG. 3 and a torque threshold value. In the illustrated example, it is represented in a tabular form, and there are two attributes, that is, a motor temperature and a torque threshold value. The torque threshold when the motor temperature is 10 ° C. to 15 ° C. is X1. Torque thresholds at other motor temperatures are as shown.

As described above, according to the torque threshold control method based on the temperature of the motor, the torque threshold is set in accordance with the high temperature of the motor 4, so that it is more than necessary even when the temperature of the motor 4 is low. It is possible to determine the degree of driving of the driving body without applying torque to the motor 4.

(Torque threshold control method based on optional device connected to printer)
Next, a torque threshold control method based on an optional device connected to the printer device will be described.

The drive load applied to the motor 4 differs depending on whether or not the optional device is connected to the printer device. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a driving unit and a peripheral mechanism of the driving unit in the present embodiment.

In the illustrated example, the motor 4, the paper feed roller 21, the paper discharge roller 22, the drive unit 23, gears 24 to 27, and the frame 28 are shown. The motor 4 operates the paper feed roller 21, the paper discharge roller 22, the drive unit 23, and the gear 24. The gear 24 is a gear 25-
27 is connected to operate other devices. For example, a paper feed tray or an ink pump is operated. The frame 28 is used per degree of the drive unit 23. Specifically, the position where the drive unit 23 hits the frame 28 is the home position of the drive unit 23. The printer device aligns the positions of the gear 24 and the gears 25 to 27 according to the operation amount from the home position.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which an optional device is connected to the printer device. In the illustrated example, a duplex unit 31 is connected to the printer apparatus. Note that the printer apparatus includes the drive unit and the peripheral mechanism shown in FIG. The printer device also includes an option detection unit 1
1 and a gear 32.

The option detection unit 11 detects whether an optional device is connected to the printer apparatus. Also, the type of connected device is detected. In the illustrated example, the optional device is a duplex unit 31. The duplex unit 31 is a device that enables duplex printing when connected to a printer device. The gear 32 is connected to the paper feed roller 21. Further, when the duplex unit 31 is connected to the printer apparatus, it is connected to a gear 33 included in the duplex unit. As a result, the motor 4 can operate the duplex unit 31 via the paper feed roller 21 and the gears 32 to 33.

As described above, when the duplex unit 31 (optional device) is connected to the printer device, the motor 4 needs to further operate the duplex unit 31. Thereby, compared with the case where the duplex unit 31 is not connected, the motor 4 requires a larger torque.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a torque threshold when the optional device is not connected and a torque threshold when the optional device is connected in the present embodiment. In the illustrated example, when an optional device is attached to the printer device, a load that is a combination of the normal load and the optional load indicates the load that the motor 4 outputs. As a result, the motor 4 requires a larger torque when the optional device is connected than when the optional device is not connected. Therefore, depending on whether the optional device is connected or not,
The torque required for determining the degree of driving unit is different. That is, the torque threshold varies depending on whether or not the optional device is connected.

Conventionally, the torque threshold is not controlled according to whether or not an optional device is connected to the printer device. Therefore, if the torque threshold value is not set in accordance with the connection of the optional device, it can be determined that the drive body has been hit when the option device is connected, although it is not. For this reason, when the optional device is not connected to the printer device, the degree of driving of the driving body is determined in a state where the torque is applied to the motor 4 more than necessary.

In the present embodiment, the torque threshold value is controlled by the following procedure.
(Step S201) The option detection unit 11 detects whether or not an option device is connected to the printer device. If an optional device is connected, the connected optional device is detected together. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S202.

(Step S202) The threshold control unit 8 controls the torque threshold based on the option device detected by the option detection unit 11. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S203. As a control method, the torque threshold value is controlled based on a predetermined table.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a torque threshold according to an optional device connected to the printer device in the present embodiment. In the illustrated example, it is represented in a tabular format, and there are two attributes, that is, the type of optional device and a torque threshold value. The torque threshold when the connected optional device is A is Y1. The torque threshold when other optional devices are connected is as illustrated.

As described above, according to the torque threshold control method based on the optional device connected to the printer device, the torque threshold is set according to the type of the optional device connected to the printer device. Even when the is not connected or the drive load of the optional device is low, it is possible to determine the degree of the driving body without applying torque to the motor 4 more than necessary.

In the present embodiment, based on the torque threshold controlled by any one of the torque threshold control method based on the motor temperature described above or the torque threshold control method based on an optional device connected to the printer device. Then, the degree of the driving body is determined. Thereby, it is possible to determine whether or not the driving body is present at a predetermined position in a state where the torque of the motor is lower.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the gist of the present invention.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the hit determination part in one Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which showed the relationship between the temperature of the motor in this embodiment, and a torque threshold value. It is the figure which showed the relationship between the temperature of the motor in this embodiment, and a torque threshold value. It is the figure which showed the procedure of the hit determination method in this embodiment. It is the figure which showed the example of the peripheral mechanism of the drive part and drive part in this embodiment. In this embodiment, it is the figure which showed the example to which the option apparatus was connected. It is the figure which showed the torque threshold value by the presence or absence of the option apparatus in this embodiment. It is the figure which showed the torque threshold value according to the option apparatus in this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Motor control part, 2 ... PWM circuit, 3 ... Driver 3, 4 ... Motor, 5
... Encoder, 6 ... Speed detector, 7 ... Temperature detector, 8 ... Threshold controller, 9
... Storage unit, 10 ... Torque detection unit, 11 ... Option detection unit, 12 ... Determination unit, 21 ... Paper feed roller, 22 ... Paper discharge roller, 23 ... Drive Part, 24-27,
32 to 33 ... gears, 28 ... frame, 31 ... double-sided unit

Claims (1)

In the printer device for determining whether or not the driving body is present at a predetermined position,
A motor for driving the driver;
A torque detector for detecting the torque of the motor;
A temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the motor;
A connection determination unit that determines whether another device that varies the load of the motor is connected to the printer device;
A threshold value determination unit that determines a torque threshold value that is a threshold value of the torque of the motor based on the temperature of the motor detected by the temperature detection unit or the result of determination by the connection determination unit;
A determination unit that compares the torque of the motor detected by the torque detection unit with the torque threshold value determined by the threshold value determination unit and determines whether or not the driver is present at a predetermined position; A printer apparatus characterized by the above.

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