JP2011005722A - Printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a printing device capable of preventing a scratch on a printing paper to the minimum during separate printing, and capable of shortening the time required till print completion during continuous printing.SOLUTION: The MPU115 of a printing device using a roll printing paper and a thermal sublimation ink ribbon determines whether printing is continuation printing with a plurality of papers to be printed, or separate printing, and controls the printing by changing a standby position of the printing paper according to a determination result.

Description

  The present invention relates to a printing apparatus using printing paper wound in a roll shape, and more particularly to a printing apparatus characterized by printing paper conveyance control technology.

  In a thermal sublimation type printing apparatus, it is common to repeat printing of three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), and finally apply an overcoat (OC) as a protective layer. Thus, every time one-color printing is completed, the printing paper must be returned to the printing start position with high accuracy.

  In Patent Document 1, in a thermal sublimation type printing apparatus using a printing paper cassette, printing paper standby positions are provided inside and outside the printing paper cassette, and when there is no operation for a specified time, the printing paper is placed at the standby position in the cassette. A technique for restoring

JP 2001-088385 A

  Here, when a plurality of continuous prints are assumed, it is more overhead for the user to detect the leading edge of the printing paper without releasing the holding of the printing paper when waiting for printing after the end of one printing. Convenience is improved.

  On the other hand, there has been a problem that if the nipping of the printing paper is not always released, the printing paper nipping trace remains and the printing paper is damaged.

  Further, even if the control method disclosed in Patent Document 1 is adopted, since the holding of the printing paper is continued for a specified time, if it is repeated, it may cause a holding mark.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of preventing scratches on a printing paper at the time of single printing and minimizing the time until the end of printing in continuous printing.

  In order to achieve the above object, the printing apparatus according to claim 1 is a printing apparatus that prints an image on a roll-shaped printing paper, and determines whether printing is continuous printing over a plurality of sheets or single sheet printing. And control means for controlling printing by changing the standby position of the printing paper according to the determination result by the determination means.

  According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, scratches on the printing paper can be prevented to the minimum during printing, and the time until the end of printing can be shortened in continuous printing.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a first embodiment of a print control process executed by the printing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of 2nd Embodiment of the printing control process performed by the printing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the operation state in a printing apparatus (1). It is a figure which shows the operation state in a printing apparatus (2). It is a figure which shows the operation state in a printing apparatus (3). It is a figure which shows the operation state in a printing apparatus (4). It is a figure which shows the operation state in a printing apparatus (5). 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of print control processing executed by a normal printing apparatus. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of print control processing executed by a normal printing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the basic operation of the printing apparatus will be described.

  For this reason, it is common to use a grip roller with a concavo-convex protrusion as a roller member for sandwiching the print paper so that the position of the print paper does not shift during conveyance. The operation of the thermal sublimation type printing apparatus will be described below with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 8 and FIG. 9 (FIGS. 9a and 9b).

  4 to 8, the printing paper 201 is nipped by paper feed rollers 202a and 202b and is in a print preparation state. At the time of printing, the grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204 sandwich the printing paper 201 and carry the printing paper.

  The grip roller 203 is driven by a stepping motor (not shown). The printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 detects the leading edge of the printing paper 201.

  During printing, the printing paper 201 is transported based on the position where the printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 detects the leading edge of the printing paper 201.

  The ink ribbon cassettes 205a and 205b wound with heat sublimation type ink are sandwiched together with the printing paper 201 by the thermal head 207 and the platen roller 208 during printing, and printing is performed. The cutting devices 209a and 209b cut the print from the printing paper 201 after printing is completed.

  The paper discharge rollers 210a and 210b send the printed matter 211 (FIG. 8) cut by the cutting devices 209a and 209b out of the thermal sublimation type printing device. When printing is instructed from the print preparation state of FIG. 4, paper feeding is started as indicated by S (step) 701 in FIG. 9a.

  In S702, as shown in FIG. 5, detection of the leading edge of the printing paper 201 is awaited. When the leading edge detection is completed, the printing paper conveyance reference position is set in S703.

  After S704, the paper transport position is controlled in units of steps by a stepping motor (not shown) using the leading edge detection position in S703 as a reference position. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the printing paper conveyance of the number of steps corresponding to the length obtained by adding the specified printing size Lprint and the distance L1 (see FIG. 6) from the printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 to the thermal head 207 is started. To do.

  In S705, the completion of the printing paper conveyance is waited, and when the printing paper conveyance is completed, the printing paper conveyance is stopped in S706. In step S707, it is determined whether the printing is yellow printing or other color printing.

  In the case of yellow printing, a ribbon feed motor (not shown) is driven in S711 to supply the ink ribbon from the ink ribbon cassette 205b side and wind the yellow ribbon toward the ink ribbon cassette 205a side. Then, the leading detection of the yellow ribbon is started by a ribbon marker detection sensor (not shown).

  In general, in a thermal sublimation type printing apparatus, only the detection marker of the yellow ribbon is set so that it can be distinguished from other colors. After the yellow ribbon, the color of the yellow ribbon is determined in the order of appearance of the detection marker. Only the detection is different from other colors.

  If the head of the yellow ribbon is detected in S713, the driving of the ribbon feed motor (not shown) is stopped in S714, and the position change motor (not shown) is driven in S715 as shown in FIG. Then, the ink ribbon and the printing paper 201 are pressed against the platen roller 208.

  In S716, the ink ribbon is wound up, the printing paper is conveyed, and the thermal head 207 is energized to perform a printing operation. The printing direction is a direction in which the printing paper 201 is returned in the direction of the paper feed rollers 202a and 202b.

  In step S717, the process waits for the conveyance for the specified image size set in step S704 to be completed. When the printing operation is completed, in step S718, the energization of the thermal head 207 is stopped, the printing paper conveyance is stopped, and the ribbon winding is stopped. Complete printing for one yellow color.

  Since printing is performed over yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and overcoat (OC), it is determined whether or not overcoat (OC) is completed in S720. Returning to S707, it is determined again whether the printing is yellow.

  Since the next printing is magenta (M), the printing paper 201 is conveyed in the direction of the discharge rollers 210a and 210b by the specified printing size.

  In step S709, the process waits for completion of the printing paper conveyance. When the printing paper conveyance is completed, the printing paper conveyance is stopped in step S710, and the process returns to the state shown in FIG.

  In S712, the magenta ribbon is wound up and detection of the head of the magenta ribbon is started. In S713, the completion of the magenta ribbon head detection is awaited. After the detection is completed, the winding of the magenta ribbon is stopped in S714. S713 to S719 are the same operations as in yellow (Y) printing.

  In order to wait for the completion of overcoat (OC) according to the determination in S720, cyan (C) and overcoat (OC) printing are repeated after magenta (M) printing.

  When the overcoat (OC) printing is completed, the following processing is executed in S721 to cut the print 211 from the printing paper 201. That is, the printing paper is conveyed in the direction of the paper discharge rollers 210a and 210b by a stepping motor (not shown) by the number of steps corresponding to the length of the specified printing size Lprint and the distance L2 from the thermal head 207 to the cutting devices 209a and 209b. To start.

  In S722, the completion of the printing paper conveyance is waited. After the completion, the printing paper conveyance is stopped in S723. In S724, as shown in FIG. 8, the print 211 is cut. In S725, a paper discharge operation is started to discharge the printed matter 211 to the outside of the thermal sublimation type printing apparatus by the paper discharge rollers 210a and 210b.

  In S726, completion of paper discharge is waited. When paper discharge is completed, the paper discharge operation is stopped in S727. In S728, the printing paper 201 is started to be conveyed by L2 + L3 in the direction of the paper feeding rollers 202a and 202b (see FIG. 8).

  In step S729, the gripping by the grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204 is released, and the printing paper 201 is waited to be conveyed until the printing standby state is reached. When the pinching is released, the printing paper conveyance is stopped in step S730.

  Next, a characteristic configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a thermal sublimation printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The printing apparatus of FIG. 1 is a thermal sublimation type printing apparatus that uses roll-shaped printing paper and a thermal sublimation ink ribbon.

  In this printing apparatus, the sensor group 101 performs state detection in printing processing, such as a printing paper leading edge detection sensor, an ink ribbon leading edge detection sensor, and a temperature measurement sensor of the thermal head 207. A stepping motor 102 conveys printing paper by a paper feed roller 202, a grip roller 203, a pinch roller 204, and the like. The stepping motor driver 103 drives the stepping motor 102.

  The position change motor 104 presses and separates the thermal head 207, the ink ribbon, and the printing paper. The ribbon feed motor 105 winds up the ink ribbon. The DC motor driver 106 drives the position change motor 104 and the ribbon feed motor 105.

  A ROM 107 such as a flash memory stores a control program for the printing apparatus main body. The RAM 108 is used for creating print image data and the like, and is rewritable in which the print image data is expanded. At the time of printing, the thermal head 207 that performs thermal transfer to the printing paper 201 is controlled based on the print image data developed in the RAM 108.

  The thermal control IC 109 drives the thermal head 207. The LCD driver 111 drives the LCD 112 that is a display device. The operation member 113 performs power switch on / off, print instruction, image selection, and the like.

  The MPU 115 is a part that controls the printing process of the printing apparatus main body and controls determination and determination in the subsequent sequence. The MPU 115 is a dedicated IC in which an image processing function, a memory card access function, a communication interface, and the like are combined in addition to the microprocessor function.

  The MPU 115 determines whether printing is continuous printing or single printing over a plurality of sheets, and performs printing control by changing the standby position of the printing paper 201 according to the determination result. Whether continuous printing or single printing is determined is based on print settings made by operating the operation member before starting printing. Before printing, the user can select an image to be printed, set the print layout, and the number of prints by operating the operation member while looking at the print setting screen displayed on the LCD. When the print layout is set to normal printing in which one image is printed on one sheet, it is determined that continuous printing is performed when the number of printed sheets is plural, and short printing is performed when the number of printed sheets is one. When the print layout is a layout print setting in which a plurality of images are arranged and printed on one sheet, the number of images to be printed and the print layout setting (the number of images to be laid out on one sheet) Based on the above, it is determined whether the printing is continuous printing or single-sheet printing.

  If the MPU 115 determines that continuous printing is performed over a plurality of sheets, the MPU 115 performs continuous printing without retracting the printing paper 201 from the grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204.

  If the MPU 115 determines that continuous printing is performed on a plurality of sheets, the MPU 115 detects the leading edge of the printing paper 201 by the printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 only for the first printing, and does not detect the leading edge of the printing paper from the next time.

  Further, when the MPU 115 determines that the continuous printing is performed on a plurality of sheets, the MPU 115 retracts the printing paper 201 from the grip grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204 every arbitrary number of printing, and the printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 detects the printing paper 201. Detects the leading edge and resumes continuous printing.

  Further, the MPU 115 retracts the printing paper 201 from the grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204 based on the measurement result of the sensor group 101 before starting printing, waits for the thermal head 207 to cool, and continues printing again.

  The printing apparatus main body can also display an image on the LCD 112 from the memory card 117 mounted in the memory card slot 118 and select and print the image with the operation member 113. A plurality of memory card slots 118 may be provided.

  A communication interface (I / F) A115 is an interface for direct printing, and a communication interface B116 is an interface for PC connection.

  As described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, in continuous printing over a plurality of sheets, the overhead of performing the paper feeding process again is generated if the printing paper is not retracted from the grip roller that conveys the printing paper. Therefore, it is possible to speed up continuous printing.

  On the other hand, when the sequence control is performed so that the printing paper is not always retracted from the grip roller, the printing paper remains sandwiched between the grip rollers, and if the printing paper is held for a long time, the print paper will leave a scar due to the grip roller. Will end up.

(First embodiment)
In order to solve the above problem, in this embodiment, sequence control described below is performed.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the first embodiment of the print control process executed by the printing apparatus of FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  This flowchart is executed under the control of the MPU 115 in FIG.

  The printing process of S (step) 107 in FIG. 1 is a portion surrounded by a dotted line in FIG. 9, and is the same as the printing process from S707 to S720 in FIG.

  In FIG. 2, in S101, the MPU 115 starts feeding paper for printing as shown in FIG.

  In S <b> 102, the MPU 115 starts detecting the leading edge of the printing paper 201. Specifically, the MPU 115) constantly monitors the printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 in the sensor group 101 to detect the leading edge of the printing paper.

  In step S102, the detection of the printing paper 201 is waited. After the detection, in step S103, the MPU 115 sets the printing paper conveyance reference position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the printing paper 201 is sandwiched between the grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204.

  More specifically, the MPU 115 initializes the position management counter of the stepping motor 102 when detecting the leading edge of the printing paper, and manages the subsequent moving distance from the number of driving steps based on the printing paper leading edge detection position. To do.

  In S104, the MPU 115 discharges the printing paper 201 by a distance obtained by adding the printing (printing) length Lprint of the specified size and the distance L1 (see FIG. 6) from the printing paper leading edge detection sensor 206 to the position of the thermal head 207. Transport in the direction of 210a, 210b.

  In S105, the MPU 115 waits for the completion of the printing paper conveyance, and in S106, the MPU 115 stops the printing paper conveyance. In FIG. 6, the print paper length in the direction from the thermal head 207 to the paper discharge rollers 210a and 210b is referred to as a specified print size length Lprint.

  In S107, the printing process in the printing process shown in FIG. 9 is executed, and printing is performed in the order of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and overcoat (OC). It is performed while returning to the direction of the group. When printing is completed, the printed material 211 that has already been printed must be cut as shown in FIG.

  When printing is completed, the leading edge of the printing paper is immediately below the thermal head 207. Therefore, if the printing paper 201 is conveyed by the sum of the specified print size length Lprint and the distance L2 (see FIG. 6) from the thermal head 207 to the cutting devices 209a and 209b in the direction of 209a and 209b, the cutting device position Is the print start position.

  In S108, the MPU 115 starts conveying Lprint + L2, waits for completion of printing paper conveyance in S109, and stops printing paper conveyance in S110. In S <b> 111, the MPU 115 cuts the printed material 211 as shown in FIG. 8. The cut print 211 is discharged out of the printing apparatus by the discharge rollers 210a and 210b, as shown in FIG.

  In S112, the MPU 115 starts the discharge conveyance, waits for the completion of the discharge conveyance in S113, and stops the discharge conveyance in S114.

  In S115, the MPU 115 determines completion of the total number of printed sheets. If completed, as shown in FIG. 8, 201 printing paper on the cutting device, the distance L2 from the 207 thermal head to the cutting device cutting devices 209a and 209b, and the distance that reliably removes the grip roller 203 from the thermal head 207 If the sheet is transported in the direction of the grip roller 203 by the total distance of L3 (see FIG. 8), the state shown in FIG. 4 is restored.

  If the total number of printed sheets has not been completed in S115, the printing paper 201 is conveyed in the direction of the discharge rollers 210a and 210b for Lprint-L2 from the state shown in FIG. 8 without detecting the leading edge of the printing paper. As a result, the next print start position is set at the position of the thermal head 207, and the state shown in FIG. 6 is obtained. Then resume printing.

(Second Embodiment)
In the case where the leading edge of the printing paper is detected only once during a plurality of continuous printings, there is a concern that the paper conveyance position may be shifted due to repeated error accumulation or the like when the printing amount increases.

  In such a case, the total number of printed sheets may be grouped by an arbitrary number, and an operation such as re-detecting the leading edge of the printing paper once may be performed in the group. At that time, if there is a cause such as a deviation or deviation in the conveyance path caused by the printing paper 201, it is also effective to once detect the leading edge of the printing paper 201 by releasing the clamping of the printing paper 201 from the grip roller 203. .

  Further, the temperature of the thermal head 207 is measured every time printing is completed, and if the MPU 115 determines that it takes time to cool the thermal head 207, the gripping roller 203 is released and the grouping is performed again. Control can be performed.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the second embodiment of the print control process executed by the printing apparatus of FIG.

The same reference numerals are used for portions that match the flowchart of FIG. The variables i, m, and n used in S122 and S129 will be described.
i Counter that counts down the number of arbitrary printed pages.
n A down counter that counts down the total number of prints specified by the user.
m Any number of printed sheets.

  In step S122, the MPU 115 releases the grip roller 203 and sets the counter for setting the number of print sheet leading edge detections to be repeated.

  S123 is a determination unit that determines whether or not the thermal head 207 needs to be cooled. Printing is not performed until the thermal head 207 does not need to be cooled. When printing is permitted, the steps from S101 to S114 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  S129 after S114 is a counter that counts down the designated total number of printed sheets. In the next step S115, the MPU 115 compares the total number of printed sheets, and if n becomes 0, the printing process is completed. I in S129 is a down-counter that counts how many sheets the 203 grip roller is released and the leading edge of the printing paper is detected again.

  If it is determined in S115 that the total number of printed sheets has not been printed, in S124, the MPU 115 determines whether or not the next printing is performed by releasing the grip roller 203 and detecting the leading edge of the printing paper.

  If it is determined that the grip roller 203 is released and the leading edge of the printing paper is detected again, the printing paper is conveyed from S126 to S128 to a position where the gripping of the gripping roller 203 is released as shown in FIG. . Then, the down counter i is reset in S122, it is determined whether the thermal head 207 needs to be cooled, and the subsequent printing operation is resumed.

  If it is determined in S124 that the 203 grip roller does not need to be released, it is determined in S125 whether the thermal head 207 needs to be cooled. If it is determined that it is not necessary, the printing paper is transported by Lprint-L2 in the direction of the paper discharge rollers 210a and 210b from S119 to S121, and printing is resumed.

  If the thermal head 207 needs to be cooled in S125, the print paper 201 is held between the grip roller 203 and the pinch roller 204, and when the thermal head 207 is cooled, the print roller 201 may be damaged by the grip roller 203. Remains.

  Therefore, the grip roller 203 is released from S126 to S128. At this time, the down counter i that counts how many sheets the grip roller 203 is released and starts again from the detection of the leading edge of the printing paper is also reset in S122.

101 Sensors 115 MPU
201 Printing paper 202a Paper feeding roller 202b Paper feeding roller 203 Grip roller 204 Pinch roller 206 Printing paper leading edge detection sensor 207 Thermal head

Claims (8)

A printing apparatus for printing an image on a roll-shaped printing paper,
Determining means for determining whether the printing is continuous printing over a plurality of sheets or single sheet printing;
Control means for performing print control by changing the standby position of the printing paper according to the determination result by the determination means;
A printing apparatus comprising: It has a grip roller with an uneven shape,
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image is printed on the printing paper while the printing paper is held by the grip roller.   When the determination unit determines that continuous printing is performed on a plurality of sheets, the control unit starts printing the next image while the print sheet is held by the grip roller after printing of one image is completed. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: A printing paper leading edge detecting means for detecting the leading edge of the printing paper;
When the determination unit determines that continuous printing is performed over a plurality of sheets, the control unit detects the leading edge of the printing paper by the printing paper leading edge detection unit only for the first printing, and thereafter performs the leading edge detection of the printing paper. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing apparatus is not provided.   When the determination unit determines that continuous printing is performed on a plurality of sheets, the control unit retracts the print sheet from the grip roller for each arbitrary number of prints, and the print sheet front end detection unit detects the front end of the print sheet. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein continuous printing is resumed. Temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the thermal transfer means,
The control means, according to a measurement result of the temperature measurement means before the start of printing, retracts the printing paper from the printing paper conveyance means, waits for the thermal transfer means to cool, and continues printing again. Item 5. The printing apparatus according to Item 4. A number setting means for setting the number of prints;
The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines continuous printing when a plurality of prints are set by the print setting unit. Having print setting means for setting an image to be printed and a print layout;
8. The determination unit according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the printing is continuous printing or single sheet printing based on the number of images to be printed and the print layout set by the print setting unit. The printing apparatus according to any one of the above.

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