JP2010069824A - Printer and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printer that can eliminate trouble caused by a rolled sheet remaining in a conveyance path. <P>SOLUTION: In the printing apparatus 101, after a rolled sheet 1 is forwarded in the delivering direction, it is conveyed in the taking-up direction for printing to be performed. After completion of printing, the rolled sheet 1 is again conveyed in the delivering direction, and a printed matter is cut with a cutter unit 5. Then, when the end of the rolled sheet 1 is detected during the forwarding operation of the rolled sheet 1, discrimination is conducted if the length in the conveying direction is less than X, wherein X represents a length in the sub-scanning direction of an image to be printed. If the length in the conveying direction is discriminated as less than X, the rolled sheet 1 is retreated from the conveyance path as printing is impossible. Also, if the length in the conveying direction is discriminated as X or longer, the printed matter is half cut. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that prints image data and a control method thereof.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, printing apparatuses that capture image data acquired by an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera and print it on paper (printing paper) have been widely used in general households.

  In such a domestic printing apparatus, it has been common to use a cut sheet as a sheet until now. However, the paper disposed in the cartridge is not limited to cut paper, and roll paper obtained by winding a belt-like paper around a roller may be used.

  When roll paper is used as paper, a large amount of paper can be held in a space-saving cartridge, and there is an advantage that a transport mechanism can be shared with cartridges having different print sizes.

  Further, when printing is performed using cut paper, a cut paper having a size larger than the print area is prepared in order to hold the paper during printing. Therefore, after printing, the user has to cut a part larger than the print area for holding the paper by himself.

  On the other hand, in the case of roll paper, a cutter for cutting paper is provided in the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus cuts the paper, so that only the printing area can be cut out and provided to the user.

  In relation to a roll paper type printing apparatus, Patent Document 1 discloses a cutter apparatus that includes a cutter blade and a discharge roller that discharges the roll paper cut to the downstream side of the cutter blade. Techniques have been proposed that enable roll paper to be discharged correctly.

That is, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, by driving and controlling the conveyance roller and the discharge roller, the actual cut length is forcibly set to be equal to or longer than the distance between the cutter blade and the discharge roller. Is reliably discharged out of the device.
JP 2003-112453 A

  By the way, when the printed matter (printed paper portion) is cut by the cutter unit and the end of the roll paper is away from the roller for taking up the roll paper, the roll paper cannot be taken up. That roll paper will remain.

  In that case, if the roll paper is newly loaded and the next printing is performed, the remaining roll paper causes a problem such as a jam or a printing failure.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus and a control method for the printing apparatus that can eliminate trouble caused by remaining roll paper in the conveyance path.

  In order to achieve the above object, a printing apparatus according to the present invention includes a printing unit that prints an image on roll paper, a cutting unit that cuts the roll paper after the image is printed by the printing unit, and an end of the roll paper. It has a detection means for detecting, and a half-cut means for half-cutting the roll paper when the end is detected by the detection means.

  According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the trouble caused by the roll paper remaining in the conveyance path.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in a state where a cartridge is loaded.

  In FIG. 1, the printing apparatus cues the roll paper in the feeding direction, conveys it in the take-up direction, performs printing, transports the roll paper again in the feeding direction, and cuts the printed matter with the cutter unit. Is configured to do.

  The cartridge 102 stores a roll paper 1 (a belt-like paper wound around a roller) and an ink ribbon 2 to which ink is applied.

  Further, in a state before the cartridge 102 is mounted on the printing apparatus 101, the roll paper 1 is sealed with the cartridge 102, and the user does not directly touch the roll paper 1.

  When the cartridge 102 is mounted on the printing apparatus 101, the roller 7 around which the roll paper 1 is wound is coupled to a rotation mechanism of a paper feed motor (not shown) included in the printing apparatus 101 and is rotated by the printing apparatus 101. Is controlled.

  In this embodiment, the roll paper 1 and the ink ribbon 2 are enclosed in the cartridge 102. However, there is no problem even if the cartridges are configured independently for the roll paper and the ink ribbon.

  The ink ribbon 2 is wound around the supply roller 8 and the take-up roller 9. When the cartridge 102 is mounted on the printing apparatus 101, the winding roller 9 is coupled to a rotation mechanism of an ink ribbon winding motor (not shown) included in the printing apparatus 101, and the rotation is controlled by the printing apparatus 101.

  The roll paper 1 wound around the roller 7 is drawn out of the cartridge 102 from the cartridge outlet 102-1.

  The curl removing roller 10 and the curl driven roller 11 correct the curl of the roll paper 1. The grip roller 4-1 and the pinch roller 4-2 constituting the conveyance roller pair 4 are arranged at positions facing each other with the roll paper 1 therebetween, and sandwich the front and back surfaces of the roll paper 1.

  When the pair of rollers rotate (the grip roller 4-1 rotates clockwise), the roll paper 1 pulled out from the cartridge 102 is conveyed toward the thermal head 3.

  The platen roller 6 maintains a state in which the ink ribbon 2 and the roll paper 1 are overlapped with the thermal head 3.

  The paper discharge roller 12 conveys the roll paper (front end portion) 1 in the paper discharge direction (paper discharge side). The discharge kick-out roller 13 has a concavo-convex portion and kicks the printed and cut roll paper 1 into a discharge box (not shown). The paper discharge roller 12 and the paper discharge kick roller 13 are arranged at positions facing each other with the roll paper 1 interposed therebetween, and sandwich the front and back surfaces of the roll paper 1.

  The cutter unit 5 for cutting and half-cut is composed of a cutter blade and a cutter receiving blade, and the cutter blade and the cutter receiving blade are arranged at positions facing each other across the conveyance path of the roll paper 1. The cutter unit 5 is driven by a gear train (not shown) and cuts the roll paper 1 by sliding upper and lower blades in a bowl shape.

  Next, an actual printing operation will be described in order from FIG. 2 to FIG. 6 from roll paper drawing to roll paper cut discharge.

  2 is a diagram showing a state immediately after the start of a roll paper supply operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state immediately before the start of the printing operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state immediately after completion of a printing operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a cooling standby state in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a state immediately after completion of the paper discharge operation in the printing apparatus of FIG.

  In the state shown in FIG. 2, when the roller 7 that rotates integrally with the roll paper 1 rotates counterclockwise, the roll paper 1 also rotates in the same direction. As the roll paper 1 rotates, the roll paper 1 wound around the roller 7 is peeled off one after another by a part of the shape portion of the cartridge 1, and as a result, the tip of the roll 1 is It is discharged from the cartridge outlet 102-1.

  In the vicinity of the cartridge outlet 102-1, there is a roll paper detection sensor 14, which is provided to face the width of the roll paper 1 with a sufficient distance.

  Thereby, when the roll paper 1 is discharged from the cartridge outlet 102-1, it is possible to determine how much the roll paper 1 is discharged based on the difference in detection timing of the roll paper detection sensor 14.

  Here, when the determined inclination is equal to or greater than the allowable amount, the roll paper 1 drawing operation is stopped. When the roll paper 1 is drawn obliquely, the inclination at that time is promoted while being conveyed inside the printing apparatus 101. This is because not only accurate printing is not possible, but in the worst case, there is a possibility that the rollable width of the roll paper 1 allowed in the printing apparatus 101 may be deviated.

  The roll paper 1 drawn out from the cartridge outlet 102-1 is guided to the curl removing roller 10 and decurling is performed.

  The curl removal roller 10 is made of soft rubber, presses against a hard curl driven roller 11 disposed at an opposing position, and deforms the roll paper 1 to bend the traveling direction of the roll paper 1.

  With such a configuration, the roll paper 1 is squeezed on the side opposite to the winding direction around the roller 7, so that the curl caused by being wound around the roller 7 is eliminated. Needless to say, curl removal is not realized only by such a configuration, but may be realized by other configurations.

  For example, the roll paper 1 may be decurled by passing a hard wall-shaped member, or the roll paper 1 may be decurled by passing the roll paper 1 through a plurality of decurling rollers in a zigzag manner. May be.

  The curl removing roller 10 is detached when the roll paper 1 is pulled out. Then, at the timing when the roll paper 1 is pulled out to the position of the curl removal roller 10, the roll paper 1 is pressed against the follower roller 11 and the roll paper 1 is sandwiched.

  The roll paper 1 after curl removal is conveyed by the curl removal roller 10 and reaches the conveyance roller pair 4.

  Until the roll paper 1 reaches the conveying roller pair 4, the grip roller 4-1 is separated from the pinch roller 4-2. Then, at the timing when the roll paper 1 is transported to the position of the transport roller pair 4, the roll paper 1 is pressed against the pinch roller 4-2 to sandwich the roll paper 1.

  Fine protrusion-like claws are formed on the surface of the grip roller 4-1, and the roll paper 1 is gripped by being bitten into the back surface of the roll paper 1.

  The roll paper 1 gripped by the transport roller pair 4 is further transported and passes between the thermal head 3 and the platen roller 6 disposed facing the thermal head 3.

  A roll paper cue sensor 15 is disposed behind the platen roller 6, and the leading end of the roll paper 1 passes between the thermal head 3 and the platen roller 6 and reaches the roll paper cue sensor 15. The roll paper cueing sensor 15 is turned on.

  When a main controller (not shown) mounted on the printing apparatus 101 receives an ON signal of the roll paper cueing sensor 15, it is determined how much distance the roll paper 1 should be conveyed according to the size of the image to be printed. calculate.

  The roll paper 1 is conveyed by the grip roller 4-1 controlled based on the calculation result, and stops when reaching a predetermined position (print start position), and the cueing of the roll paper 1 is completed.

  The print start position is a heating line in which a print start point S having a length X from the front end of the roll paper 1 is disposed on the substrate of the thermal head 3 where X is the length in the sub-scanning direction of the image to be printed. This is the position immediately below 3-1.

  When the cueing of the roll paper 1 is completed, the ink ribbon 2 stored in the cartridge 102 is wound up. The ink ribbon 2 is wound up via a ribbon winding motor provided in the printing apparatus 101 and a gear train (not shown) connected to the motor.

  On the ink ribbon 2, an identification band is applied in a band shape in the width direction of the ink ribbon 2 at the cueing position of each surface of the yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat layers. In particular, an identification band having a different color and shape is applied to the leading portion of the first yellow surface which is the reference for printing.

  In the present embodiment, two identification bands are applied to the leading portion of the yellow surface, which is distinguished from the fact that there is one identification band for the leading portion of the other color. These distinctions are identified by the ribbon cue sensor 16, and the identification result is transmitted to the main controller, so that it can be recognized that it is the first surface of printing.

  When the ribbon cueing sensor 16 recognizes that two identification bands are applied, the ink ribbon winding motor is stopped. At the same time, a head up / down motor (not shown) for raising and lowering the thermal head 3 is driven to move the thermal head 3 so as to come into pressure contact with the platen roller 6.

  When the thermal head 3 moves to a predetermined position, the curl removing roller 10 is detached and the curl removal is turned off. This is because an excessive load is not applied to the roll paper 1 during the printing operation.

  Next, the conveyance of the roll paper is started by the grip roller 4-1, and at the same time the heat generation line 3-1 of the thermal head 3 generates heat, whereby the ink applied to the ink ribbon 2 is transferred to the roll paper 1 and the image is displayed. Printed.

  Here, when the roll paper 1 wound around the roller 7 is conveyed in the opposite direction (winding direction of the roll paper 1) by the grip roller 4-1, it returns to the inside of the cartridge 102. At this time, the paper feed motor operates to rotate the roller 7 in a direction (clockwise direction) opposite to the rotation direction when the roll paper 1 is pushed out before the start of printing. As a result, the roll paper 1 is rewound onto the roller 7 without being loosened excessively.

  The paper feed motor has a clutch mechanism having a sliding torque. When operating in the direction in which the roll paper 1 is pulled out by this configuration, all the force from the paper feed motor is transmitted, and when operating in the rewinding direction, it operates with a predetermined slip torque.

  With this configuration, when the roll paper 1 is rewound during the printing operation, the portion pulled out by the conveying roller pair 4 can be rewound without applying excessive stress.

  In addition, the winding length of the ink ribbon 2 at the time of printing, the rewinding length of the roll paper 1, and the transport distance of the roll paper 1 by the transport roller pair 4 print the detection timing of the identification band applied to the ink ribbon 2. Control as a starting criterion.

  For example, when the postcard size cartridge 102 is installed, the printing start standard is set so that printing is performed by about 150 mm, and when the L size cartridge 102 is installed, by about 127 mm. Control. As a result, printing is performed in a range corresponding to the size.

  When the printing operation is executed for a predetermined length from the printing start reference, the winding operation of the ink ribbon 2 and the rewinding operation of the roll paper 1 are stopped, and the conveyance of the roll paper 1 by the grip roller 4-1 is stopped. (FIG. 4).

  When printing on the roll paper 1 is completed, the head up / down motor is driven to retract the thermal head 3 to a predetermined retracted position. At this time, the ink ribbon 2 is wound up by a minute amount to remove the slack of the ink ribbon 2.

  Next, a return operation for transporting the roll paper 1 to the printing start position is performed. The conveyance at this time is performed for the conveyance distance at the time of printing.

  However, when the temperature detected by the thermistor 17 disposed in the vicinity of the thermal head 3 exceeds 60 ° C. after the printing operation is completed, the following control is performed. That is, during the return operation, the rotation of the grip roller 4-1 is stopped at the place where the printing start point S on the roll paper 1 is directly below the grip roller 4-1 (cooling standby position), and the roll paper 1 is conveyed. Stop once (FIG. 5).

  When a certain time has elapsed, the thermal head 3 is cooled by heat dissipation, and when the temperature detected by the thermistor 17 becomes 60 ° C. or less, the grip roller 4-1 starts rotating and the return operation is resumed.

  By providing such a cooling standby time, the internal temperatures of the thermal head 3 and the printing apparatus 101 are increased, parts are damaged, and the printing process is affected to prevent normal printing from being performed.

  When the return operation is completed and the print start position is reached, a similar print operation is started for magenta ink. Further, after the printing operation for magenta ink, the same processing is performed for cyan ink and overcoat. That is, one completed image is generated (printed) by four reciprocating conveyances of yellow, magenta, cyan, and overcoat.

  The detected temperature of the thermistor 17 is confirmed even after the printing of magenta and cyan is completed, and if it exceeds 60 ° C., the above cooling standby operation is interrupted during the return operation.

  When the overcoat process is completed, the roll paper 1 is conveyed until the printing start point S overlaps the cutting position of the cutter unit 5 by the rotation of the grip roller 4-1.

  When the print start point S on the roll paper 1 reaches the cutting position, the rotation of the grip roller 4-1 is stopped and the paper discharge roller 12 is rotated in the paper discharge direction.

  By performing such an operation, the roll paper 1 can be stretched without loosening between the grip roller 4-1 and the paper discharge roller 12, and the printing start point S on the roll paper 1 can be surely brought to the cutting position. Can be stacked.

  After the printing start point S is positioned at the cutting position, the roll paper 1 is cut at the printing start point S when the cutter motor of the cutter unit 5 is driven. In the present embodiment, the cutting mechanism using the cutter blade has been described with respect to a mechanism that slides the upper and lower blades in a bowl shape and cuts the roll paper 1 in the width direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, a cutting mechanism that travels while rotating a circular rotary blade may be used, or a mechanism that cuts at a stroke by moving the cutter blade vertically in the vertical direction may be used. The remaining roll paper 1 cut by the cutting process is gripped by the paper discharge roller 12.

  From this state, the paper discharge roller 12 is driven, and the roll paper 1 is conveyed in the paper discharge direction. Here, the paper discharge roller 12 is provided with a paper discharge kick roller 13 at an opposing position. When the printed roll paper 1-2 is conveyed in the paper discharge direction, the paper discharge kick roller 13 is provided. The end portion of the printed roll paper 1-2 is engaged with the uneven portion. As a result, the printed roll paper 1-2 is kicked to a paper discharge box (not shown). The paper chips generated between the paper discharge roller 12 and the cutter blade fall on the chip tray 18 (FIG. 6).

  At this time, a kick-out auxiliary lever (not shown) arranged coaxially with the rotation shaft of the paper discharge roller 12 urges the printed surface side of the printed roll paper 1-2 in the direction of the paper discharge box. Therefore, the printed roll paper 1-2 can be more reliably stored in the paper discharge box. The paper discharge roller 12 stops after being driven for a predetermined time.

  With the above operation, the printing operation is completed.

  When the next image is printed continuously, the following operation is performed. Let X ′ be the length in the sub-scanning direction of the next image from the leading edge of the roll paper that has been cut and newly produced. The roll paper 1 is transported from the leading edge of the roll paper to a position (next image printing start position) where the print start point S ′ having a length X ′ is directly below the heat generation line 3-1 disposed on the substrate of the thermal head 3. Thus, the roll paper cueing is completed, and the above-described printing operation is repeated again.

  However, also here, the detected temperature of the thermistor 17 is confirmed immediately before the next image roll paper cueing operation. 'Is made to stand by at a position located directly below the grip roller 4-1. Then, after confirming that the detected temperature is 60 ° C. or less, the roll paper 1 is conveyed to the next image printing start position to start the printing operation.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of control processing when the roll paper end is detected in the printing operation executed by the printing apparatus of FIG.

  This process is executed by a main controller provided in the printing apparatus of FIG.

  In FIG. 7, first, in step S701, a cueing operation for the roll paper 1 is executed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the roll paper 1 is conveyed by the conveying roller pair 4 in the direction of the paper discharge roller 12 (right direction in the figure).

  In step S702, it is determined whether the roll paper detection sensor 14 has detected the end of the roll paper 1.

  When the roll paper detection sensor 14 detects the end of the roll paper 1, it is determined in step S703 whether the length in the transport direction is less than X, where X is the length in the sub-scanning direction of the image to be printed.

  If it is determined in step S703 that it is less than X, printing is impossible, and in step S704, the roll paper is discharged or wound. Then, this process ends.

  If it is determined in step S703 that X is greater than or equal to X, printing is possible, and the process proceeds to step S705.

  In step S705, printing is performed, but the remaining roll paper 1 is not usable for the next printing (short enough), so that it is half-cut by the cutter unit 5 so as not to be left in the conveyance path. The paper is discharged to the outside of the machine together with the paper at the leading edge cut to the end of the paper. Then, this process ends.

  If the roll paper detection sensor 14 does not detect the end of the roll paper 1 in step S702, the cut roll paper 1 can be normally used for the next printing. Therefore, in step S706, the cutter unit 5 The paper is cut, the paper at the leading end is discharged, and the process is terminated.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a first example of half-cut executed in step S705 of FIG. 7, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a second example of half-cut executed in step S705 of FIG.

  Half-cutting is a cutting method that does not affect the roll paper conveyance at the time of paper discharge, and may be half-cutting in which a dotted line hole is formed by a perforated cutter as shown in FIG.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, a partial cut may be made by cutting the sheet while leaving both ends necessary for gripping the paper so as not to affect the conveyance during paper discharge.

  If half cutting is not possible due to the limitation of the mechanism of the cutter unit 5, a line may be printed at the scheduled cutting position, that is, at the end of the roll paper 1, and discharged without being cut.

  FIG. 10 is a development view of roll paper with a core.

  In FIG. 10, a roll paper end detection marker is provided at the end of the roll paper 1, and the roll paper end and a roll paper core (not shown) are not fixed. The roll paper 1 is half-cut at the position of the length X in the sub-scanning direction, and then discharged to the outside with the end of the roll paper 1 being left without leaving the roll paper 1 in the machine.

  FIG. 11 is a development view of roll paper without a core.

  In FIG. 11, when the roll paper end is detected, it indicates the roll paper end position. There is no roll paper core and the end of the roll paper is not fixed. The roll paper 1 is half-cut at the position of the length X in the sub-scanning direction, and then discharged to the outside while being drawn to the terminal end, leaving no roll paper 1 in the machine.

It is a schematic block diagram of the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention in the state with which the cartridge was loaded. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state immediately after the roll paper supply operation is started in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state immediately before starting a printing operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state immediately after completion of a printing operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a cooling standby state in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a state immediately after completion of a paper discharge operation in the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of control processing when a roll paper end is detected in a printing operation executed by the printing apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows the 1st example of the half cut performed by step S705 of FIG. It is a figure which shows the 2nd example of the half cut performed by step S705 of FIG. It is an expanded view of roll paper with a core. It is a development view of roll paper without a core.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Roll paper 2 Ink ribbon 3 Thermal head 4 Conveying roller pair 4-1 Grip roller 4-2 Pinch roller 5 Cutter unit 6 Platen roller 7 Roller 8 Supply roller 9 Winding roller 10 Curling roller 12 Paper discharge roller 14 Roll paper detection Sensor 101 Printing device 102 Cartridge

Claims (6)

Printing means for printing an image on roll paper;
A cutting means for cutting the roll paper after printing an image by the printing means;
Detecting means for detecting the end of the roll paper;
A printing apparatus comprising: a half-cut means for half-cutting the roll paper when the end is detected by the detection means.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the end of the roll paper is not detected, the roll paper is cut by the cutting unit.   The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus includes a cutting cutter and a half-cutting cutter.   3. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus includes a single cutter, and the cutting unit and the half-cut unit perform cutting or half-cutting by controlling the cutter. . Furthermore, it has a paper discharge means for discharging the paper at the tip of the roll paper cut by the cutting means,
3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the discharge unit discharges the roll paper half-cut by the half-cut unit to the end when the end of the roll paper is detected. A control method for a printing apparatus for printing an image on roll paper,
A detection step of detecting an end of the roll paper;
When the end of the roll paper is not detected, the roll paper is cut, and when the end of the roll paper is detected, a cutting step of half-cutting the roll paper;
A control method for a printing apparatus, comprising:

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